Volume IV Part 42 (2/2)

”I suppose you don't ht at Piperno?”

”No,” said I, ”I aed; I don't intend to break et to Rome by to-e than in the bad beds they give you in the inns”

”I dare not travel by night”

”Well, well, madam, I have no doubt we shall see each other at Rome”

”You are a cruel man You see I have only a stupid servant, and a maid who is as tie is open I will keep you company in yours”

”I really can't take you in, as all the available space is taken up by my old secretary, who broke his arether at Terracino? We could have a little talk”

”Certainly”

We ood cheer at this small tohich is the frontier of the States of the Church We should not reach Piperno till far on in the night, and the lady renewed and redoubled her efforts to keepand pretty she did not take my fancy; she was too fair and too fat But her maid, as a pretty brunette, with a delicious rounded fors of desire A vague hope of possessing the nora to sup with her, and not to continuenotice to the landlord

When we got to Piperno, I succeeded in telling the pretty o any further She promised to wait for me, and allowed ns of perfect coood night and escorted them to their room, where I took note of the relative positions of their beds so that there should be no mistake I left the the door open I felt sure of success, and I got into bed; but as I found out, it was the signora and not the maid who received me Evidently the little hussy had told her ht fit to take theh I could not see I could feel

For a moment I was undecided, should I reo on my way to Rome iave ht of the confusion of the toe at the failure of their plans I saw Signora Diana three or four tiht it likely that she would pay ht have taken the trouble to call on her, but I know that your stage queens are the worst debtors in the world

My brother, the Chevalier Mengs, and the Abbe Winckelhted to see ain I sent hiiore' to warn hi to take polenta with hiood supper for twelve I was sure of finding Mariuccia there, for I knew that Momolo had noticed her presence pleased an the day after my arrival, and I hired a superb landau for the whole week The Roman landaus seat four people and have a hood whichthe Corso with or withoutthe carnival time

Froe and diverting spectacle during the carnival The horses start fro to the Colues drawn up beside two narrow pavements which are croith maskers and people of all classes All the s are decorated As soon as the horses have passed the carriages begin to move, and the maskers on foot and horseback occupy the middle of the street The air is full of real and false sweethout the mob, cons supreme, and when twelve o'clock is announced by the third report of the cannon of St Angelo the Corso begins to clear, and in five e or astreets, and fills the opera houses, the theatres, the rope-dancers'

exhibitions, and even the puppet-shows The restaurants and taverns are not left desolate; everywhere you will find crowds of people, for during the carnival the Ro theot a letter of credit on Turin, where I expected to find the Abbe Gauese Court at the Congress of Augsburg, to which all Europe was looking forward, and then I went to inspect my little room, where I hoped to ood order

In the evening Momolo and his fahter said with a s for Mariuccia

”You are right,” said I, ”I shall be delighted to see the fair Mariuccia”

A few minutes after she entered with her puritanical hter better dressed, as she was going to be hters asked as the happy man Mariuccia blushed and said modestly, to one of them,--

”It is sooing to open a hair-dresser's shop”

”The ood Father St Barnabe,” added the hter's dower of four hundred Roood lad,” said Moh opinion of hiiven him such a dowry”