Volume VI Part 14 (2/2)
The painter was an honest fellow, but proud and suspicious in excess
He did not refuse ht, but he told e, as the alcaldenothing of the merits or deavethethat the possession of ar that if it were so I should have awaited the alcalde fearlessly, as it stood to reason that a ht to keep defensive weapons in his own room
To this I answered that I had only coht in prison, as I was certain that the man had told me the truth
”To-”
I confessed, however, that it would have been wiser of me to leave ht have rehtened”
As ere arguing it over my landlord came and said that the alcalde with thirty constables had been to my apart, but unsuccessfully, and had gone away after sealing the rooe on the charge of having warned entles, where he is out of ht in believingin the o and protest ed on e My landlord went his way, and we continued the discussion, Mengs insisting on the page's innocence, till at last I lost all patience, and said,--
”My pagehiarrest What is a servant who does not warn his master under such circumstances but a rascal? Indeed I am absolutely certain that he was the informer, for he was the only person who knehere the ars could find no answer to this, and left to go to bed I did the sa the great Mengs sent me linen and all the requisites of the toilette His ht me a cup of chocolate, and his cook came to ask if I had peruest, and bids him stay, but such behaviour in a private person is equivalent to a hint to go I expressed ratitude, and only accepted a cup of chocolate and one handkerchief
My carriage was at the door, and I was just taking leave of Mengs when an officer appeared on the scene, and asked the painter if the Chevalier de Casanova was in his house
”I am the Chevalier de Casanova,” said I
”Then I hope you will follow me of your own free will to the prison of Buen Retiro I cannot use force here, for this house is the king's, but I warn you that in less than an hour the Chevalier Mengs will have orders to turn you out, and then you will be dragged to prison, which would be unpleasant for you I therefore advise you to follow ive up such weapons as you ive you the weapons in question I have carried them with hways I am ready to follow you, but first allow me to write four notes; I shall not be half an hour”
”I can neither allow you to wait nor to write, but you will be at liberty to do so after you have reached the prison”
”Very good; then I am ready to follow you, for I have no choice I shall res, had the weapons put into ot in with the officer, who seeentleman
He took me to the Castle of Buen Retiro, formerly a royal palace, and now a prison When ned me to the officer of the watch I was handed over to a corporal, who ledThe stench was dreadful, and the prisoners were about thirty, ten of thee beds, souard to get ave hily, and went away, but he did not return When I asked his brethren what had becohed in ht of e and Marazzini, who told me in Italian that he had been there for three days, and that he had not written to me as he had a presentiht's time we should be sent off under a heavy escort to work in soht send our pleas to the Governht possibly be let out after three or four years' imprisonment
”I hope,” he said, ”not to be condeate you tomorrow, and your ansill be taken down; that's all You may then be sent to hard labour in Africa”
”Has your case been heard yet?”
”They were at me about it for three hours yesterday”
”What kind of questions did they ask you?”