Volume IV Part 42 (1/2)

My Carriage Broken--Mariuccia's Wedding-Flight of Lord Lismore--My Return to Florence, and My Departure with the Corticelli

My Spaniard was going on before us on horseback, and I was sleeping profoundly beside Don Ciccio Alfani in e, drawn by four horses, when a violent shock aroused ht, beyond Francolisa and four atha

Alfani was beneath ht he had broken his left arm Le Duc rode back and told ive notice of our hwaymen, who are very coot out of the carriage easily enough, but poor old Alfani, as unwieldly with fat, badly hurt, and half dead with fright, could not extricate himself without assistance It took us a quarter of an hour to get him free The poor wretch aled with prayers to his patron saint, St Francis of assisi

I was not without experience of such accidents and was not at all hurt, for one's safety depends a good deal on the position one is in Don Ciccio had probably hurt his ar it out just as the accident took place

I took e, and I made them and my pockets pistols ready so as to offer a stiff resistance to the brigands if they came; and I then told Le Duc to take so soroaned over the accident, but I, resolving to sell e and four horses, and stood sentry, with my arms ready

I then felt prepared for all hazards, and was quite calroans, and prayers, and blaspheether at Naples as at Ro but compassionate hi, which seemed to vex the poor abbe, who looked for all the world like a dying dolphin as he rested ined, when the nearest horse yielded to the call of nature, and voided over the unfortunateto be done, and I could not help roaring with laughter

Nevertheless, a strong northerly wind rendered our situation an extreoes there?” threatening to fire on anyone who dared approach I spent two hours in this tragic-comic position, until at last Le Duc rode up and told me that a band of peasants, all ar to our assistance

In less than an hour, the carriage, the horses, and Alfani were seen to

I kept two of the country-folk to serve as postillions, and I sent the others aell paid for the interruption of their sleep I reached St

Agatha at day-break, and I made the devil's own noise at the door of the post for an attorney to take downto have the postillions who had overturned and deserted ht inspected my coach and pronounced the axle-tree broken, and told me I should have to remain for a day at least

Don Ciccio, who stood in need of a surgeon's aid, called on the Marquis Galliani without tellingme to stay at his home till I could continue reat pleasure, and with this my ill humour, which was really only the result of reat e to be taken to his coach-house, took me by the arm, and led me to his house He was as learned as he was polite, and a perfect Neapolitan--ie, devoid of all ceremony He had not the brilliant wit of his brother, whom I had known at Paris as secretary of eon, but he possessed a well-ordered judgment, founded on study and the perusal of ancient and reatan annotated edition of Vitruvius, which was afterwards published

The marquis introduced me to his wife, whom I knew as the inti saint-like in her expression, and to see her surrounded by her little children was like looking at a picture of the Holy Faeon sent for, who consoled hi that it was only a siain in a few days

At noon a carriage stopped at the door, and Lucrezia got down She embraced the marchioness, and said to me in the most natural s you hear, dear Don Giacomo?”

She told her friend that I was a friend of her late husband's, and that she had recently seen reat pleasure at the Duke de Matalone's

After dinner, on findingwoman, I asked her if it were not possible for us to pass a happy night together, but she shewed me that it was out of the question, and I had to yield I renewed my offer to dom of Naples, and I will spend the reive us his blessing, unless we happen to have children”

I could not deny that Lucrezia spoke very sensibly, and I could easily have bought land in Naples, and lived co s that I had the good sense to prefer es which our union would have given ether disapproved of my resolution

After supper I took leave of everybody, and I set out at day-break in order to get to Roes to do, and the road was excellent

As ere getting into Carillano, I saw one of the theeled carriages, locally called e required four I got out, and on hearing myself called I turned round I was not a little surprised to find that the occupants of the nora Diana, the Prince de Sassaro's mistress, edto Rolad if we could ether