Volume IV Part 25 (2/2)
”I know that”
”Very good”
At the dawn of day, I was at the door of the woman I had loved so passionately I went to the first floor, rang the bell, and an old woman came out and asked me if I were M Casanova I told her that I hereupon she said that the lady had inforht
”She said seven”
”Well, well, it's of no consequence Kindly walk in here I will go and awake her”
In five own ca at me attentively with an astounded stare, he said,
”Are you not the gentleht?”
”You are right, I did I have not seen your wife for ood fortune made me enquire of her husband, and the friendshi+p which formerly attached me to her will henceforth attach me to you”
As I uttered this pretty compliment Therese, as fair as love, rushed into the room with open arht, and thus we remained for two minutes, two friends, two lovers, happy to see one another after a long and sad parting We kissed each other again and again, and then bidding her husband sit down she drew ave full course to her tears I wept too, and lanced towards the husband e had cootten He stood in an attitude of co There was so so comic in his surprise that it would have taxed all the talents of the poet and the caricaturist to depict his expression of ae him, cried in a pathetic an affectionate voice,--
”My dear Palesi, you see before you enerous friend to whoed for these ten years past”
At the word ”father” the unhappy husband fixed his gaze on hter with considerable difficulty Although Therese was young for her age, she was only two years younger than I; but friendshi+p gives a newto the sweet name of father
”Yes, sir,” said I, ”your Therese is el, and this treasure is your wife”
”I did not reply to your last letter,” said I, not giving him time to come to himself
”I know all,” she replied ”You fell in love with a nun You were imprisoned under the Leads, and I heard of your alht at Vienna I had a false presentiment that I should see you in that town Afterwards I heard of you in Paris and Holland, but after you left Paris nobody could tell me any more about you You will hear some fine tales when I tell you all that has happened tothe past ten years Now I am happy I have my dear Palesi here, who coo We are very fond of each other, and I hope you will be as much his friend as mine”
At this I arose and eure He met me with open arms, but in some confusion; he was, no doubt, not yet quite satisfied as to the individual as his wife's father, brother, friend, and perhaps lover, all at once Therese saw this feeling in his eyes, and after I had done she came and kissed him most affectionately, which confused me in my turn, for I felt all my old love for her renewed, and as ardent as it hen Don Sancio Pico introduced me to her at Ancona
Reassured by my embrace and his wife's caress, M Palesi asked me if I would take a cup of chocolate with them, which he himself would make
I answered that chocolate was my favourite breakfast-dish, and all the more so when it was made by a friend He went away to see to it Our time had come
As soon as ere alone Therese threw herself intowith such love as no pen can describe
”Oh, my love! whom I shall love all ive each other a hundred eain, since my fate has made me another's bride To-morroill be like brother and sister; to-day let us be lovers”
She had not finished this speech before my bliss was crowned Our transports werethe half hour in which we had no fear of an interruption Her negligent hly convenient under the circumstances
After we had satiated in part our aain and sat down There was a short pause, and then she said,
”You must know that I am in love with my husband and determined not to deceive him What I have just done was a debt I had to pay to the remembrance of my first love I had to pay it to prove how et it now You reat affection for you--of which you can have no doubt--and let me still think that you love ether, as I should give way, and that would vex me What makes you look so sad?”