Volume VI Part 42 (1/2)

”What fate is that?” I asked, ”I have seen a good deal of misfortune since I left you”

”I mean the presidio”

”But that has never been my lot, thank God! Who told you such a story?”

”A Count Marazzani, as here three weeks ago, and told me he had been luckier than you, as he had made his escape”

”He's a liar and a scoundrel; and if ever I ain he shall pay ht of the rascal without feeling a lively desire to give hi about so early a

Under the circuht only natural I had beaten hih for ood as I gave

In the mean time he was in prison, and I went to M de R---- to see what he could do for me

As soon as M de R heard my statement he said he could neither keep him in prison nor drive hi protection against this ano with the purpose of assassinating me

”You canyour actual grievance in a strong light, and laying stress on his sudden appearance in your roo in his name That's what you had better do, and it remains to be seen how I shall answer your plea

I shall ask him for his passport and delay the case, and order him to be severely treated; but in the end I shall only be able to drive hiood bail”

I could ask no more I sent inhiht into the court bound hand and foot

M de R began to examine hi on me As to the calumny, he protested he had only repeated co it had been h for me, but I continued obdurate

M de R---- said the fact ofbeen ru it

”And furtheroing to assassinate hi a false name, for the plaintiff maintains that you are not Count Marazzani at all He offers to furnish surety on this behalf, and if M Casanova does you wrong, his bail will escheat to you as daes In the mean time you will remain in prison till we have further information about your real status”

He was taken back, and as the poor devil had not a penny in his pocket it would have been superfluous to tell the bargedlo to treat hient at Parma to obtain the necessary inforainst him, he wrote me a humble letter, in which he confessed that he was the son of a poor shopkeeper of Bobbio, and although his na to do with the Marazzanis of Plaisance He begged me to set him at liberty

I shewed the letter to M de R----, who let hiano in twenty-four hours

I thought I had been rather too harsh with hi, and also a letter for M de Sellentin, as recruiting there for the Prussian king We shall hear of Marazzani again

The Chevalier de Breche caano Fair to buy soht I often reat adanomade up my mind to winter in Turin, where I hoped to see some pleasant society