Volume V Part 62 (1/2)
At last the day dawned, and the keeper of the tavern ca at hian to abuse the constables for not awaking hiuinea I should have paid for a private roo, and that I ot into it, for if I had dared to walk along the streets in nificent attire the mob would have pelted me
I went into the hall of justice, and all eyes were at once attracted towards ht of ientlee I was right, and the judge was blind He wore a broad band round his head, passing over his eyes A ner, said in French,--
”Be of good courage, Mr Fielding is a just and equitable hted to see before me this famous and estilish nation
Whennor Casanova,” said he, in excellent Italian, ”be kind enough to step forward I wish to speak to you”
I was delighted to hear the accents of h the press I canore”
He continued to speak Italian, and said,--
”Signor de Casanova, of Venice, you are condemned to perpetual confine of Great Britain”
”I should like to know, sir, for what crih to inform me as to its nature?”
”Your demand is a reasonable one, for with us no one is conde the cause of his condemnation You must know, then, that the accusation (which is supported by titnesses) charges you with intending to do grievous bodily harirl aforesaid goes in dread of you, the law decrees that you must be kept in prison for the rest of your days”
”Sir, this accusation is a groundless calumny; to that I will take irl eance when she comes to consider her own conduct, but I can assure you that I have had no such designs hitherto, and I don't think I ever shall”
”She has titnesses”
”Then they are false ones But may I ask your worshi+p the naht as ht but proofs of my affection”
”Then you have no wish to do her any bodily harratulate you You can dine at home; but you must find two sureties I must have an assurance from the mouths of two householders that you will never commit such a crime”
”Wholishained, and who know that you are incapable of such an action Send for theo to dinner I will set you at liberty”
The constable took ave my servants the addresses of all the householders I recollected, bidding them explain ht to have coe place! They did not arrive, and the ht that he would sit in the afternoon, but I had to put up with a disagreeable experience
The chief constable, accoate This is a prison where the nified to hiate in the evening if it did not come, but he only turned a deaf ear to my petition The interpreter told me in a whisper that the felloas certainly paid by the other side to put me to trouble, but that if I liked to bribe him I could stay where I was
”How much will he want?”