Volume IV Part 19 (2/2)

”I rite it directly,” said he

And as Rosalie had told hiave her a written copy of the agreement he had made

”I have resolved,” said Rosalie to the o into the convent to-lad to have a short visit from you the day after”

”I will be there,” said the marquis, ”and you may be sure that I will do all in ht was a sad one for both of us Love scarcely made a pause amidst our alternate complaints and consolations We swore to be faithful for ever, and our oaths were sincere, as ardent lovers' oaths always are But they are as nought unless they are sealed by destiny, and that no mortal mind may know

Rosalie, whose eyes were red and ith tears, spentup with Veronique, who cried too I could not look at her, as I felt angry withhow pretty she was

Rosalie would only take two hundred sequins, telling me that if she wanted more she could easily let me know

She told Veronique to look after me well for the two or three days I should spend at Genoa, et a sedan-chair Two hours after, a servant of the s, and I was thus left alone and full of grief till thethat Veronique should be asked in to keep us coirl,” said he, ”you really don't know her, and you ought to know her better”

Although I was rather surprised, I did not stop to consider what the ht be, and I went and asked Veronique to co that she kne great an honour I did her

I should have been the blindest of men if I had not seen that the clever marquis had succeeded in his well-laid plans, and that he had duped h I hoped with all ood reasons for suspecting that all the marquis's ould be e that he would succeed

Nevertheless, in the position I was in, I could only keep my fears to myself and let hih disciple of Epicurus, a heavy player, rich, eloquent, a hly popular at Genoa, and well acquainted with the hearts of men, and still ood deal of time at Venice to be more at liberty, and to enjoy the pleasures of life at his ease He had never married, and when asked the reason would reply that he knew too well that women would be either tyrants or slaves, and that he did not want to be a tyrant to any woman, nor to be under any wo to his beloved Venice, in spite of the law forbidding any noble who has filled the office of doge to leave his native soil Though he behaved to me in a very friendly manner he kne toelse could have given hie to ask me to dinner when Petri was to be present I felt that I had been tricked, and I thought myself in duty bound to ratitude on his part which made him smooth the way to my conquest of Veronique, who doubtless struck him as a fit and proper person to console me for the loss of Rosalie

I did not take any part in the conversation at supper, but the marquis drew out Veronique, and she shone It was easy for e of the world than Rosalie, but in rieved rather than rejoiced me M de Grimaldi seemed sorry to see me melancholy, and forced me, as it were, to join in the conversation As he was reproaching me in a friendlysood reason to be silent after the declaration of love I had made to her, and which she had received so ill I was astonished at this, and said that I did not re ever h in spite of myself, when she said that her name that day was Lindane

”Ah, that's in a play,” said I, ”in real life the man who declares his love in words is a simpleton; 'tis with deeds the true lover shews his love”

”Very true, but your lady was frightened all the same”

”No, no, Veronique; she is very fond of you”

”I know she is; but I have seen her jealous of ue, which pleased me little, fell sweetly on theto call on Rosalie next ive hi Of course I told hihted me to my room, she asked me to let my servants wait on ht talk about her

”You are right,” said I, ”kindly send Le Duc toI had a letter from Geneva It came from my Epicurean syndic, who had presented M de Voltaire with ly polite letter fro taken the liberty of travestying his fine French prose in Italian The syndic told me plainly that M de Voltaire had pronounced my translation to be a bad one

My self-esteem was so wounded by this, and by his i my letter, hich he could certainly find no fault, whatever his criticisht be, that I becareat Voltaire I have censured hi hi myself, to such an extent did passion blind me At the present tis of mine can hurt nobody but st the Zoiluses whose own ireat man to whom civilization and human happiness owe so ainst Voltaire is his attacks on religion If he had been a true philosopher he would never have spoken on such ion is necessary to morality, without which there can be no happiness

CHAPTER V

I Fall in Love With Veronique--Her Sister--Plot Against Plot--My Victory--Mutual Disappointment