Volume IV Part 85 (2/2)

They blushed, and scolded Barbaro, thinking that he had betrayed the them I found them far superior to Irene, my present flahtened me

I was not at all disposed to dance attendance on them Irene, on the contrary, was an easy prey I had only to do her parents a service, and she was in my pohile the two cousins had their full share of aristocratic pride, which debases the nobility to the level of the vilest of the people, and only imposes upon fools, who after all are in the er at that brilliant age which fears nothing, and I was afraid that my appearance would hardly overcome them It is true that Barbaro had made me hope that presents would be of some use, but after what the Marquis Triulzi had said, I feared that Barbaro had only spoken on supposition

When the coht in I sat down by Mdlle Q----, and disposed myself to play for small stakes I was introduced by the aunt, the entleman in Austrian uniform who sat beside me

My dear countryman played like a true sharper, hbour, at the end of the gaainer of a few sequins, but the officer, who had played on his word of honour, after losing all the money in his pockets, owed ten louis The bank was the winner of fifty sequins, including the officer's debt As the youngin e

On the way, Barbaro told us he would introduce us to a girl who had just coed that we should go and see her directly, and we accordingly went The girl ell enough looking, but neither I nor the officer caredso lady, I took a pack of cards, and had notthe officer to risk twenty sequins against the twenty I put on the table While ere playing I spoke to hi marchioness inspired me

”She's my sister,” said he

I knew as

Taking the opportunity I told him that I knew of no one who could let the marchioness know of ht I was jesting he only gave vague answers; but seeing that while I talked of ot my card, he soon won the twenty sequins from me, and immediately paid them to Barbaro In the excess of his joy he eiven hiood news of his sister at our next o to supper with Therese, Greppi, andsome spare tioing on, and I accordingly visited the cardroole deal I left the roo from an enemy Canano shook me by the hand, and told me he expected me and the marquis to dinner every day, and I promised ould come at the earliest opportunity

I went to Therese's, and found Greppi there before me Therese and Don Cesarino, whom I covered with kisses, came in a quarter of an hour afterwards The banker stared at him in speechless wonder He could nothis amazement, Therese told him Cesarino was her brother This stupefied the worthy man still more At last he asked me if I had known Therese'sin the affirmative he seemed more at ease

The meal was excellent, but all ood disposition and an excellent education He had grown a great deal since I had seen him at Florence, and his mental powers had developed proportionately His presence rave, but sweet The innocence of youth throws around it an ineffable charht we left Therese, and I went to bed, well pleased with my day's work, for the loss of two hundred sequins did not trouble ging iven her pero to the next ball with me, and she had a domino, but she wanted to speak to me I wrote and told her I would see her in the course of the day I had written to tell the Marquis Triulzi that I was going to dine with Canano, and he replied that he would be there

We found this skilled ga traces on every side of the wealth and taste of its owner

Canano introduced me to two handsome women, one of as his mistress, and to five or six marquises; for at Milan no noble who is not aof, just as in the sanificent and the conversation highly intellectual In a mirthful moment Canano said he had knownfro hiirl whom I had taken to Mantua I confessed the deed and amused the company by the story of what had happened at Mantua with Oreilan, and how I had found Count Celi at Cesena metamorphosed into Count Alfani Somebody mentioned the ball which was to be held the next day, and when I said I was not going they laughed

”I bet I know you,” said Canano, ”if you co to play any more,” said I

”All the better foris unlucky, you don't leave off till you have won ain, and I protest I would see you win half er with a stone not unlike one of mine; it had cost him two thousand sequins, while mine orth three thousand He proposed that we should stake the theoing to the opera”

”Very good; but on two turns of the cards, and a deal to each”

”No, I never punt”

”Then we a doubles and the last two cards out of account”