Volume IV Part 9 (1/2)
As I ca reat politeness if I had found Vaucluse as fine as I had expected I was delighted to recognize the Marquis of Griood-natured man, with plenty of money, who always lived at Venice because he was more at liberty to enjoy himself there than in his native country; which shews that there is no lack of freedom at Venice
After I had answered his question I followed hi exhausted the subject of the fountain he asked ht of my fair companion
”I did not find her satisfactory in all respects,” I answered; and noticing the reserve hich I spoke, he tried to re confession:
”There are some very pretty women in Genoa, but not one to compare with her whom you took to Vaucluse to-day I sat opposite to her at table yesterday evening, and I was struck with her perfect beauty I offered her my arm up the stair; I told her that I was sorry to see her so sad, and if I could do anything for her she had only to speak You knoare she had no money Her husband, real or pretended, thanked ht I left theo you left her and her husband at the door of their apart She welcomed ing me to keep her company till his return The fair onenext to ood oently drew it away I then told, her, in as feords as I could, that her beauty had made me in love with her, and that if she wanted a hundred louis they were at her service, if she would drop her s hich she had inspired ratitude, but also an absolute refusal ofto-ain, and she drew it back with an air of disdain which wounded ed her to excuse me, and I left the room without o I a, as I do, that she has no ht have placed her in a position to despise my offer, and this would explain her conduct, in a measure; otherwise I can't understand it at all May I ask you to tell me whether you are more fortunate than I?”
I was enchanted with the frankness of this noble gentleether at our bad fortune: I had to promise to call on hi the two days I purposed to renon He asked me to sup with him and admire the fair recalcitrant
”She has had an excellent dinner,” said I, ”and in all probability she will not have any supper”
”I bet she will,” said the ht, whicha part A certain Comte de Bussi, who had just co young man with a fatuous sense of his own superiority, and he afforded us an aood-natured, a wit, and inclined to broad jokes, and his manner towards woht and began to hbour forthwith, and teased her in a thousand ways; but she re and laughing, not regarding it within the bounds of possibility that sheat him
I looked at M Grimaldi, who found it as difficult to keep his countenance as I did The young roue was hurt at her silence, and continued pestering her, giving her all the best pieces on his plate after tasting them first The lady refused to take them, and he tried to put thee He saw that no one seemed inclined to take her part, and deter her hand he kissed it again and again She tried to draw it away, and as she rose he put his arm round her waist and made her sit down on his knee; but at this point the husband took her ar party looked rather taken aback for a ain and began to eat and laugh afresh, while everybody else kept a profound silence He then turned to the footman behind his chair and asked him if his sas upstairs The foot man turned to an abbe who sat near me, and enquired who had taken away his mistress:
”It was her husband,” said the abbe
”Her husband! Oh, that's another thing; husbands don't fight--a ot up, went upstairs, and ca,--
”The husband's a fool He shut the door in my face, and told me to satisfy my desires so, but I wish I had ne, offered it vainly to everybody, bade the company a polite farewell and went upon his way
As M Griht of the scene we had just witnessed I told hier, even if he had turned up her clothes
”No more would I,” said he, ”but if she had accepted my hundred louis it would have been different I am curious to know the further history of this siren, and I rely upon you to tell h Genoa”
He went away at day-break next ot up I received a note froreat chum to supper I had scarcely replied in the affirmative, when the sham Duke of Courland I had left at Grenoble appeared on the scene He confessed in a humble voice that he was the son of clock-maker at Narva, that his buckles were valueless, and that he had coave him four Louis, and he asked me to keep his secret I replied that if anyone asked me about him that I should say as absolutely true, that I knew hi to Marseilles” ”I hope you will have a prosperous journey” Later on ood thing to know so about people of his kind, of whom there are far too many in the world
I called up the landlord and told him I wanted a delicate supper for three in my own room
He told me that I should have it, and then said, ”I have just had a roith the Chevalier Stuard”
”What about?”
”Because he has nothing to pay h the lady is in bed in convulsions which are suffocating her”
”Take out your bill in her charetting on in life, and I don't want anydiscredit on my house”
”Go and tell her that from henceforth she and her husband will dine and sup in their own roo as I reenerous, sir, but you know that ed double”