Volume VI Part 36 (2/2)
Plays were perforood cheer prevailed, and at intervals alked in the garden, in spite of the weather In Province, however, the winter is only severe when the wind blows fro the company were a Berlin lady ( of the entleay and free fro any attention to the religious services which were held every day If he thought on the matter at all, he was a heretic; and when the Jesuit chaplain was saying hed at everything He was unlike his sister, who had not only become a Catholic, but was a very devout one She was only twenty-two
Her brother told me that her husband, who had died of consumption, and whose mind was perfectly clear to the last, as is usually the case in phthisis, had told her that he could not entertain any hopes of seeing her in the other world unless she becaraved on her heart; she had adored her husband, and she resolved to leave Berlin to live with his relations No one ventured to oppose this design, her brother acco her, and she elco saint was decidedly plain
Her brother, finding me less strict than the others, soon constituted himself my friend He came over to Aix every day, and took me to the houses of all the best people
We were at least thirty at table every day, the dishes were delicate without undue profusion, the conversation gay and animated without any iens chanced to let slip any equivocal expressions, all the ladies made wry faces, and the chaplain hastened to turn the conversation This chaplain had nothing jesuitical in his appearance; he dressed in the costume of an ordinary priest, and I should never had known hiens had not warned me However, I did not allow his presence to act as a wet blanket
I told, in the most decent in suckling her Divine Child, and how the Spaniards deserted the chapel after a stupid priest had covered the beautiful breast with a kerchief I do not knoas, but all the ladies began to laugh
The disciple of Loyola was so displeased at their mirth, that he took upon hi to tell such equivocal stories in public I thanked hiens, by way of turning the conversation, asked me as the Italian for a splendid dish of stewed veal, which Mada
”Una crostata,” I replied, ”but I really do not know the Italian for the 'beatilles' hich it is stuffed”
These 'beatilles' were balls of rice, veal, charas, etc
The Jesuit declared that in calling thelories of hereafter
I could not help roaring with laughter at this, and the Marquis d'Eguille took my part, and said that 'beatilles' was the proper French for these balls
After this daring difference of opinion with his director, the worthyelse Unhappily, however, he fell out of the frying-pan into the fire by asking me my opinion as to the election of the next pope
”I believe it will be Ganganelli,” I replied, ”as he is the only monk in the conclave”
”Why should it be necessary to choose a monk?”
”Because none but a monk would dare to commit the excess which the Spaniards will demand of the new pope”
”You mean the suppression of the Jesuits”
”Exactly”
”They will never obtain such a demand”
”I hope not, for the Jesuits were anelli will be elected, for an ahty reason”
”Tell us the reason”
”He is the only cardinal who does not wear a wig; and you must consider that since the foundation of the Holy See the Pope has never been bewigged”
This reason created a great deal of aht back to the suppression of the Jesuits, and when I told the company that I had heard from the Abbe Pinzi I saw the Jesuit turn pale
”The Pope could never suppress the order,” he said