Volume IV Part 44 (2/2)
I had seen hi fellow, he had not made any impression on me, for one could see at once that he was only half a e in wo
He was enclosed in a carefully-h it may seem, his breast was as beautiful as any woman's; it was the monster's chiefest charm However well one knew the fellow's neutral sex, as soon as one looked at his breast one felt all aglow and quiteone would have to be as cold and i for the refrain of the air he was singing, there was solanced towards the boxes, his black eyes, at once tender and modest, ravished the heart He evidently wished to fan the flame of those who loved him as a man, and probably would not have cared for him if he had been a woman
Rome the holy, which thus strives to make all men pederasts, denies the fact, and will not believe in the effects of the gla
Ito blind ht Why should this castrato be allowed to shew his breast, of which the fairest Roht be proud, and yet wish everyone to consider hie is forbidden to the fair sex lest they excite desires, why do they seek out men-monsters made in the form of women, who excitethat pederasty is comparatively unknown and entraps only a few, butit so pleasant that they prefer these monsters to the most beautiful women”
”The Pope would be sure of heaven if he put a stop to this scandalous practice”
”I don't agree with you One could not have a pretty actress to supper without causing a scandal, but such an invitation to a castrato makes nobody talk It is of course known perfectly well that after supper both heads rest on one pillow, but what everybody knows is ignored by all
One may sleep with a man out of mere friendshi+p, it is not so with a wonor, appearances are saved, and a sin concealed is half pardoned, as they say in Paris”
”At Roether 'Peccato nascosto non offende'”
His jesuitical arguments interested me, for I knew that he was an avowed partisan of the forbidden fruit
In one of the boxes I saw the Marchioness Passarini (whohese, and I went to pay my addresses to them The prince, whonizedday I went, but e told me that my place was laid at table, and that I could dine just as if the prince was there, on which I turned my back on him and went away On Ash Wednesday he sent his man to ask me to sup with him and the marchioness, as his mistress, and I sent word that I would not fail to cohter of folly, and always keeps its mother's nature
After the opera I went to Momolo's, where I found Mariuccia, her father, herme It is not difficult to make people happy when one selects for one's bounty persons who really deserve happiness I was amidst poor but honest people, and I can truly say that I had a delightful supper Itof vanity, for I knew that I was the author of the happiness depicted on the faces of the bride and bridegroom and of the father and ood deeds it is a virtue Nevertheless, I owe it to myself to tell my readers that my pleasure was too pure to have in it any admixture of vice
After supper Ieverybody play with counters, as nobody had a penny, and I was so fortunate as to ame we danced in spite of the prohibition of the Pope, whom no Ro and peranelli followed the opposite course, and was no better obeyed To avoid suspicion I did not give the pair any present, but I gave up ht enjoy the carnival on the Corso, and I told Costa to get them a box at the Capranica Theatre Momolo asked me to supper on Shrove Tuesday
I wished to leave Rome on the second day of Lent, and I called on the Holy Father at a time when all Roraciously, and said he was surprised that I had not gone to see the sights on the Corso like everybody else I replied that as a lover of pleasure I had chosen the greatest pleasure of all for a Christian--namely, to kneel at the feet of the vicar of Christ on earth
He boith a kind of majestic humility, which shewed me how the compliment had pleased hi about Venice, Padua, and Paris, which latter city the worthy ain commended myself to his apostolic intercession to enable me to return to my native country, and he replied,--
”Have recourse to God, dear son; His grace will be more efficacious than my prayers;” and then he blessed me and wished me a prosperous journey
I saw that the Head of the Church had no great opinion of his oer
On Shrove Tuesday I dressedthe Corso showering sweetmeats on all the pretty wohters of the worthy 'scopatore', whonity of a pasha
At night-time I took off my costume and went to Momolo's, where I expected to see dear Mariuccia for the last time Supper passed off in almost a similar manner to the supper of last Sunday; but there was an interesting novelty for ht of my beloved mistress in her character of bride Her husband seemed to be muchI was puzzled by his behaviour, and sat down by Mariuccia and proceeded to question her She told ht, and she spoke highly of her husband's good qualities He was kind, aood-tempered, and delicate No doubt he must have noticed that the casket had been opened, but he had said nothing about it As he had spoken abouthi offended, he seemed to trust in her more than ever
”But has he not questioned you indirectly as to the connection between us?”
”Not at all I told hi spoken to ood chance I had of being married to him”
”Do you think he believed you?”
”I ah that he pretends to, for I am determined to win his esteem”