Volume V Part 23 (1/2)
”You, want to give ood to reat I turned aside and wiped, awayto the company, I found that Marcoline had vanished and M Morosini, as also ome, to speak to Mistress Veneranda Everybody was an to talk about England, where I hoped to make my fortune with a project of reive remont and another for M Zuccata, the Venetian ambassador
”Are you not afraid,” said M Querini, ”of getting into, trouble with the State Inquisitors for reco M Casanova?”
Morosini replied coldly that as the Inquisitors had, not told him for what crime I was condement Old Querini, as extre
Just then Marcoline came back to the roo I confess that thisto my vanity as to my love; but such isirl, who still, after all these years, dwells in my old heart, asked me to take her back to the inn, as she wanted to pack up her trunks We left directly, after having pro day
I wept bitterly when I got to ood order, and then, hastily undressing, I flung own, and wept as if soainst my will Marcoline, as much more sensible, did what she could to console me, but I liked to torment myself, and her words did but increase my despair
”Reflect,” said she, ”that it is not I who a to spend the rest of ot to say a word to keep ht; but still a fatal fear which has always swayedbound to anyone, and the hypocrisy of a libertine ever longing for change, both these feelings made me persist in my resolution and my sadness
About six o'clock MM Morosini and Querini cae, which was being inspected by the right
They spoke to Clairmont, and then ca the nue; and when he had heard that her carriage was the one he had just looked at, he seeood vehicle
M Morosini told Marcoline that if she liked to sell it when she got to Venice he would give her a thousand Venetian ducats, or three thousand francs for it
”You ive her double that amount,” said I, ”for it is worth three thousand ducats”
”We will arrange all that,” said he; and Querini added,--
”It will be a considerable addition to the capital she proposes to invest”
After soive hie for five thousand ducats, which, with the three or four thousand ducats the sale of her jewellery would realize, and the thousand for the carriage, would give her a capital of nine or ten thousand ducats, the interest of which would bring her in a handsoive e on M Querini's order, and at dinner-time Marcoline handed it over to her new protector, rote her a forave me the letters he had promised, and their departure was fixed for eleven o'clock the next day
The reader ay Marcoline was depressed, I as gloolishman, and between us weof friends
I will not atteht I passed with ain how I could be my own executioner; but I could not answer, for I did not know But how often have I done things which caused me pain, but to which I was impelled by some occult force it was , when I had put on my boots and spurs, and told Clairht, Marcoline and I drove to the aether, silently enough, for Marcoline had tears in her eyes, and everyone knowing rief After breakfast we set out, I sitting in the forepart of the carriage, facing Marcoline and Dah under any other circueous carriage than the aance and co that herthat the people would take her for the ambassadress But in spite of this piece of comedy, Marcoline and I were sad all the way M Querini, who did not like night travelling, made us stop at Pont-Boivoisin, at nine o'clock, and after a bad supper everyone went to bed to be ready to start at daybreak Marcoline was to sleep with Veneranda, so I accompanied her, and the worthy old wo so close to the wall that there was rooot into bed I sat down on a chair, and placing led our sobs and tears all night
When Veneranda, who had slept soundly, awoke, she was much astonished to see reat devotee, but woives place to pity, and she had moved to the furthest extreht of love Butby her kindness
I had ordered a saddle horse to be ready forWe took a hasty cup of coffee and bade each other ave her a last eallop back to Lyons I tore along like a madround and kill myself But death never comes to him that desires it, save in the fable of the worthy Lafontaine In six hours I had accoues between Pont-Boivoisin and Lyons, only stopping to change horses I tore off my clothes and threw myself on the bed, where thirty hours before I had enjoyed all the delights of love
I hoped that the bliss I had lost would return to me in my dreams
However, I slept profoundly, and did not wake till eight o'clock I had been asleep about nineteen hours
I rang for Clair up erly When ain, and did not get up till the nextquite well, and as if I could support life a little longer
Three days after Marcoline's departure I bought a cos, and sent ence I kept a port the own and night-cap, and keep to myself all the way to Paris I intended this as a sort of hoe to Marcoline, but I reckoned without ether in a casket when Clairirl whom I had remarked at dinner, for since the departure of my fair Venetian I had dined at the table-d'hote by way of distraction