Volume IV Part 78 (1/2)
”No,” said I, ”but I hope to find someone at Milan ill be worthy of such presents” I added, ”I know the Prince Triulzi, at Venice; I suppose he is of your family?”
”He says he is, and it may be so; but I am certainly not a member of his family”
This let me know that I should do well to say no more about the prince
”You must stay to dinner, marquis,” said Count A---- B----; ”and as you only like dishes prepared by your own cook you had better send for theood cheer The table was covered with fair linen and handsoood and plentiful, and the servants quick and well dressed I could now understand the marquis's position in the house It was his wit and , and the countess came in for a share of his pleasantries, while she scolded him for his familiarity
I could see, however, that the marquis did not want to humiliate her; on the contrary, he was fond of her, and only wished to bring down her exaggerated pride When he saw her on the point of bursting into tears of rage and sha that no one in Milan respected her charh birth more than he
After dinner the tailor as to measure the countess for a do the colours and the beauty of the ht her the sarcenet from Turin, and this reminded her to ask me whether I had been paid
”Your husband settled with et”
”What lesson?” said the ned to receive this poor present at my hands”
”And she wouldn't take it? It's absurd, on h at,” said the countess, ”but you laugh at everything”
While thecold, as she was in her stays, and her beautiful breast was exposed Thereupon, the marquis put his hands on it, as if he were quite accustomed to use such familiarities But the Spaniard, no doubt ashae, and abused hihed pleasantly, as if he could calh to inform me of the position in which they stood to one another, and of the part I ought to take
We re, when the countess and the marquis went to the opera, and the count cae was ready to take us there too The opera had begun e got in, and the first person I noticed on the stage was my dear Therese Palesi, whom I had left at Florence It was a pleasant surprise to me, and I foresaw that we should renew our sweet interviehile I re to the count about his wife's chared I saw that the place was taken, and the odd hu in love with her After the second act ent to the asse held; I staked and lost a hundred ducats as if to pay for my welcome, and then rose from the table
At supper the countess seemed to unbend a little, she condoled with lad of it as it, Clairmont told ?”
”Both young and pretty, sir”
”That will do nicely, shew her in”
I saw a siirl, who reminded h pretensions as the Jewess; as she only wanted to knohether she could dofor ht me my chocolate, and I asked her to sit down on the bed; but she answered modestly that she did not want to trouble ain when I was up
”Do you live at any distance?”
”I live on the ground floor of this house”
”All by yourself?”
”No sir, I have my father and mother”
”And what is your name?”
”Zenobia”