Volume V Part 95 (1/2)
”I have coned my pardon, and to promise your excellency to be more discreet in future”
”I advise you to be ; for if he had not requested rant it you, I should have had you beheaded”
”In spite of the extenuating circumstances, my lord?”
”What circuht a duel”
”That is not a proper way of putting it; I was obliged to defenda duel if Branicki had taken me outside the ban, as I requested, but as it was he took ht Under these circumstances I am sure your excellency would have sparedrequested that you should be pardoned, and that shews he believes you to be deserving of pardon; I congratulate you on his good will I shall be pleased if you will dine with hted to accept your invitation”
The illustrious old constable was a ence He had been a boso's father We had a good deal of conversation together at dinner the next day
”What a comfort it would have been to your excellency's friend,” said I, ”if he could have lived to see his son crowned King of Poland”
”He would never have consented”
The veheave s He was of the Saxon party The same day, that is on Easter Day, I dined at the palatin's
”Political reasons,” said he, ”preventedyou at the otten you, for you were constantly in e you here, for my wife is very fond of your society; but the rooms will not be ready for another six weeks”
”I shall take the opportunity,a visit to the Palatin of Kioho has honoured ave you the invitation?”
”Count Bruhl, who is at Dresden; his wife is daughter of the palatin”
”This journey is an excellent idea, for this duel of yours has made you innuht no uard, and never go on foot, especially at night”
I spent a fortnight in going out to dinner and supper every day I had become the fashi+on, and wherever I went I had to tell the duel story over again I was rather tired of it myself, but the wish to please andwas nearly always present, but feigned not to hear me However, he once asked me if I had been insulted by a patrician in Venice, whether I should have called him out immediately
”No, sire, for his patrician pride would have prevented his co, and I should have had my pains for my trouble”
”Then ould you have done?”
”Sire, I should have contained h if a noble Venetian were to insult ive me satisfaction”
I called on Prince Moszczinski, and Madame Binetti happened to be there; the ainst me?” I asked the count
”She is afraid of you, because she was the cause of the duel, and now Branicki as her lover will have nothing more to say to her She hoped he would serve you as he served Tomatis, and instead of that you al accepted your challenge, but he has resolved to have done with her”