Volume IV Part 81 (1/2)
I slept four or five hours, and then rose and went out in reat coat to call on Greppi, for I had nohim not to tell my affairs to anyone He replied that my affairs were his own, and that I could count on his secrecy He complimented me on the esteem in which Madame Palesi held me, and said he hoped to ht
”Such a reatest pleasure,” I replied
On leaving him I called on Therese, but as there were solad to see that she knew nothing about my losses or my affairs She said that Greppi wanted to sup with me at her house, and that she would let ot home I found the count in front of e with you,” said he, ”and won't tell me why”
”The reason is, my dear count, that I won't let her accept the dress from any hand but ift fro to be furious about that I know”
”It's some mad notion of hers, and I don't knohat to make of it But pray attend to what I aood I congratulate you But if you are in a position to despise a sum which would make me happy, offer up a foolish vanity on the shrine of friendshi+p, take the thousand sequins, and lend them to ive it her”
This proposal hter, and certainly it was of a nature to excite the hilarity of a sufferer fro However, I stopped laughing when I sa the poor count blushed from shame I kissed hih to say,
”I illingly assist you in this arrangement I will sell the dress to the marquis as soon as you please, but I won't lend you the ive it to you in the person of your wife at a private interview; but when she receives entle as a laed, my dear count; 'tis absolutely my last word”
”I will see,” said the poor husband; and with that he went out
Barbaro kept his appointe, and we alighted at a house at the end of Milan We went to the first floor, and there I was introduced to a fine-looking oldappearance, and then to two charentlerace with the State Inquisitors, like hiood or ill favour made no difference to me
He said I was rich, and I looked like it My luxury of attire was dazzling: My rings, ing on e The cross belonged to the Order of the Spur the Pope had given me, but as I had carefully taken the spur away it was not known to what order I belonged Those who ht be curious did not dare to ask ht what order he belongs to, than one can say to a lady how old are you? I wore it till 1785, when the Prince Palatine of Russia told
”It only serves to dazzle fools,” said he, ”and here you have none such to deal with”
I followed his advice, for he was a ence
Nevertheless, he redom of Poland He ruined it by the sareater
The old man to whom Barbaro presented me was a marquis He told me that he knew Venice, and as I was not a patrician I could live as pleasantly anywhere else He told me to consider his house and all he possessed asmarchionesses had enchanted ed to enquire about theood authority, for I did not put much faith in Barbaro
In half an hour the visitors co the arrivals were several pretty and well-dressed girls, and nuerness to pay court to the two cousins There were twenty of us in all We sat round a large table, and began to play a gasequins, I went out with Barbaro to the opera
”The two young ladies are two incarnate angels,” I said to my countryman ”I shall pay my duty to them, and shall find out in a few days whether they are forspeculation, I will lend you two hundred sequins; but I don't want to lose the ree willingly, but I aood interest”
”You shall have a half share and not twenty-five per cent, and Ianything to do with your bank If I hear any rumours, I shall bet heavily on my own account”
”You may be sure I shall keep the secret; it is to my own interest to have it believed that I aood Coood security, and you shall have the money”
He embraced me in the joy of his heart
The picture of the two fair ladies was still inof Greppi when I chanced to see Triulzi in the pit of the opera-house He saw aily that he was sure I had had a bad dinner, and that I had much better dine with hi called on you yet”