Volume IV Part 56 (1/2)

”Why did you not make the trial before you ? How should I suppose that such a fine man was impotent? But I will tell you how it all happened As you knoas a dancer at the Comedie Italienne, and I was the mistress of M de Sauci, the ecclesiastical coht your brother toI saw that he lovedranting hi, and often found ether, and his passions see Onfor a fore At that period, M de Sauci settled an annuity of a thousand crowns on e

”In the spring M de Sauci invited your brother to spend a month in his country house I was of the party, but for propriety's sake it was agreed that I should pass as your brother's wife Casanova enjoyed the idea, looking upon it as a jest, and not thinking of the consequences

I was therefore introduced as his wife to es, officers, and men about town, and to their wives, ere all wolee that to play our parts properly ere obliged to sleep together

Forthe idea, or at all events I looked upon it as a short cut to the h tender and affectionate in everything, your brother slept withwhat seemed the natural result under the circuht have concluded, then, that he was impotent; for unless he were made of stone, or had taken a vow of chastity, his conduct was inexplicable”

”The fact is, that I had nome substantial proof of his love”

”Why did you not ascertain his condition for yourself?”

”A feeling of foolish pride preventedhiined reasons flattering to ht that he lovedbefore I was his wife That idea prevented ive me some positive proof of his powers”

”That supposition would have been tenable, though highly iover”

”Very true; but what can you expect of a wo is excellent, but it comes rather late”

”Well, at last ent back to Paris, your brother to his house, and I to mine, while he continued his courtshi+p, and I could not understand what he e behaviour M de Sauci, who knew that nothing serious had taken place between us, tried in vain to solve the enig you with child,' he said, 'and of thus being obliged to ht it a strange line for a man in love to take

”M de Nesle, an officer in the French Guards, who had a pretty wife I had met in the country, went to your brother's to call on ether Your brother replied openly that our e had been a mere jest M de Nesle then came to me to enquire if this were the truth, and when he heard that it was he asked me hoould like hihted, and that was enough for hiain to your brother, and told him that his ould never have associated with me on equal terms if I had not been introduced to her as a married woman; that the deceit was an insult to all the company at the country-house, which hting a duel M de Nesle added that if he fell he would be avenged by all the gentlemen who had been offended in the sahting to escape et me 'I love her,' he said, 'and if she loves h,'

he added, 'to prepare the way for me, and I will marry her whenever you like'

”M de Nesle eht ave us a splendid supper on our wedding-day, and since then I have had the title of his wife It is an empty title, however, for, despite the ceremony and the fatal yes, I am no wife, for your brother is completely impotent I aht to have known his own condition He has deceived ed to act as he did; he is more to be pitied than to be bla, for after his sleeping with you for a uessed the truth Even if you had been a perfect novice, M de Sauci ought to have knoas the matter; he must be aware that it is beyond the power of man to sleep beside a pretty woman, and to press her naked body to his breast without beco, in spite of himself, in a state which would admit of no concealment; that is, in case he were not impotent”

”All that seeht of it; your brother looks such a Hercules”

”There are two ree annulled, or you can take a lover; and I am sure that my brother is too reasonable a man to offer any opposition to the latter course”

”I am perfectly free, but I can neither avail myself of a divorce nor of a lover; for the wretch treats me so kindly that I love him more and more, which doubtless makes my misfortune harder to bear”

The poor wohted to console her, but it was out of the question However, theof her story had afforded her so her in such a way as to convince her that I was not like ht

The next day I called on Madaed her to thank one ahile her husband wished me to know that he was sorry not to have seen ratitude

”He seems to have found his wife a maid, but that's no fault of rateful to They tell me that he has a pretty baby, and that he lives at the Louvre, while she has another house in the Rue Neuve-des-Petits-Cha”

”It's an odd way of living”