Volume VI Part 83 (2/2)

This abbe ot me two pleasant rooms in the house of a retired artiste, theof the tenor Carlani He also ements with a pastrycook to send me my dinner and supper All this, plus a servant, only cost reeable cause ofte sure that I should be able to finish it again

Severini introducedI became very intimate with him I also became the favourite of his sister, a lady rather plain than pretty, thirty years old, but full of intelligence

In the course of Lent the abbe introduced na, which is the nursery of the heroines of the stage They h on their native soil

Every week the good abbe introduced me to a fresh one, and like a true friend he watched carefully over my finances He was a poortowards the expenses of our little parties; but as they would have cost ement was a convenient one for both of us

About this tinese nobleati Capacelli He had made a present of his private theatre to the public, and was himself an excellent actor He hada divorce from his wife, whom he did not like, so as to enable hi point in this divorce was that he obtained it on the plea that he was i to an examination, which was conducted as follows:

Four skilled and ies had the marquis stripped before them, and did all in their power to produce an erection; but so his coe was pronounced null and void on the ground of relative impotence, for it ell known that he had had children by another woman

If reason and not prejudice had been consulted, the procedure would have been very different; for if relative iround for divorce, of what use was the examination?

Thewith his wife, and if the lady had traversed this stateed her to put him into the required condition

But the destruction of old custoes

I felt curious to know this character, and wrote to M Dandolo to get me a letter of introduction to the ood old friend sent me the desired letter It ritten by another Venetian, M de Zaguri, an intimate friend of the marquis

The letter was not sealed, so I read it I was delighted; no one could have commended a person unknown to himself but the friend of a friend in a ht uri I said that I desired to obtainhis letter, which o to Venice, and make the acquaintance of such a worthy nobleuri said thatone to himself, that he meant to do his best to obtain my recall

The reader will see that he was successful, but not till after two years of continuous effort

Albergati ay frona at the time, but when he returned Severini let me know, and I called at the palace The porter told me that his excellence (all the nobles are excellences at Bologna) had gone to his country house, where he

In two or three days I drove out to his villa I arrived at a char no one at the door I went upstairs, and entered a large rooly pretty wo down to dinner The dishes had been brought in, and there were only two places laid

I entleati He replied in the affirave him my letter of introduction He took it, read the superscription, and put it in his pocket, telling me I was very kind to have taken so much trouble, and that he would be sure to read it

”It has been no trouble at all,” I replied, ”but I hope you will read the letter It is written by M de Zaguri, who desired to make your lordshi+p's acquaintance”

His lordshi+p smiled and said very pleasantly that he would read it after dinner, and would see what he could do for his friend Zaguri

Our dialogue was over in a few seconds Thinking him extre just in ti out the horses I proe at hand, where he could bait his horses while I breakfasted

Just as the postillion had got on horseback a servant ca up

He told ed ave thehim that that hat his master wanted, I ordered the postillion to drive off at a full gallop