Part 9 (2/2)
Quel injustice!
Quio, tu Clarice Trahiriot tes feux? &'c
Venture had taught me this air with the bass, set to other words, by the help of which I had retained it: thus at the end ofthe words, and uttering it forto the inhabitants of the moon
They assembled to perform my piece; I explain to each the movement, taste of execution, and references to his part--I was fully occupied They were five or six th, everything is adjusted, myself in a conspicuous situation, a fine roll of paper in ave four or five strokes with in --No, never since French operas existed was there such a confused discord!
The ood huhter froratulatedthis minuet would make me spoken of, and that I merited the loudest praise It is not necessary to describe my uneasiness, or to o much I deserved it
Next day, one of the h to congratulate me on ret, and the state of despair to which I was reduced, with the iitation of , therefore, a loose to norance, I told all, conjuring him to secrecy; he kept his word, as every one will suppose The sa, all Lausanne kneho I was, but what is reood Perrotet, who (notwithstanding what had happened) continued to lodge and board me
I led a melancholy life here; the consequences of such an essay had not rendered Lausanne a very agreeable residence Scholars did not present thele female, and not a person of the city
I had only two or three great dunces, as stupid as I was ignorant, who fatigued me to death, and in th, I was sent for to a house, where a little serpent of a girl a me a parcel of music that I could not read a note of, and which she had thebefore her master, to teach him how it should be executed; for I was so unable to read an air at first sight, that in the char concert I have just described, I could not possibly follow the execution a moment, or knohether they played truly what lay before them, and Icircu consolation, fro friends I have ever found the ut softens my affliction more than to be sensible that an amiable woman is interested for me This correspondence ceased soon after, and was never renewed: indeed it wasmy address, and forced by necessity to think perpetually oftime since I mentioned Madaotten her; never was she a hts I anxiously wished to find her, not merely because she was necessary to my subsistence, but because she was infinitely h lively and tender, as it really was) did not preventothers, but then it was not in the same manner All equally claimed my tenderness for their charms, but it was those charms alone I loved, my passion would not have survived thely withouther the less tenderly My heart had entirely transe it first paid to her beauty, and whatever change she ht experience, while she ree I was sensible how ht of it, and whether she servedI loved her neither from duty, interest, nor convenience; I loved her because I was born to love her During my attachment to another, I own this affection was in soed; I did not think so frequently of her, but still with the same pleasure, and never, in love or otherwise, did I think of her without feeling that I could expect no true happiness in life while in a state of separation
Though in so long a tiined I had entirely lost her, or that she could have forgotten me I said toabout, and will find some means to inform me of her situation: I am certain I shall find her In the meantime, it was a pleasure to live in her native country, to walk in the streets where she had walked, and before the houses that she had lived in; yet all this was the work of conjecture, for one ofto inquire after her, or even pronounce her na of her that I declared all I felt, that ree injured the object of led with this idea; I dreaded to hear ill of her Her ement had been much spoken of, and so, therefore, that soht be said which I did not wish to hear, I preferred being silent on the subject
As my scholars did not take up much of my tiues fro which time a most pleasant emotion never left me A view of the lake of Geneva and its admirable banks, had ever, in my idea, a particular attraction which I cannot describe; not arisingelse, I know not why, , which affects and softens me Every time I have approached the Vaudois country I have experienced an impression composed of the remembrance of Madam de Warrens, as born there; of my father, who lived there; of Miss Vulson, who had been my first love, and of several pleasant journeys I had led with some nameless charm, more powerfully attractive than all the rest When that ardent desire for a life of happiness and tranquility (which ever follows me, and for which I was born) inflames my mind, 'tis ever to the country of Vaud, near the lake, in those charination leads me An orchard on the banks of that lake, and no other, is absolutely necessary; a firm friend, an amiable woman, a cow, and a little boat; nor could I enjoy perfect happiness on earth without these concoh at the sione into that country for the sole purpose of seeking this iinary happiness when I was ever surprised to find the inhabitants, particularly the woht How strange did this appear to me! The country and people who inhabit it, were never, inthese beautiful banks, on ave myself up to the soft melancholy; my heart rushed with ardor into a thousand innocent felicities; hed and wept like a child How often, stopping to weep e stone, did I a my tears drop into the water
Onthe two days I remained there, without any acquaintance, conceived a love for that city, which has followed h all my travels, and was finally the cause that I fixed on this spot, in the novel I afterwards wrote, for the residence of my hero and heroines I would say to any one who has taste and feeling, go to Vevay, visit the surrounding country, exao on the lake and then say, whether nature has not designed this country for a Julia, a Clara, and a St Preux; but do not seek the myself out for a Catholic, I folloithout ion I had embraced On a Sunday, if the weather was fine, I went to hear ues distant froenerally in company with other Catholics, particularly a Parisian eotten Not such a Parisian as myself, but a real native of Paris, an arch-Parisian from his maker, yet honest as a peasant He loved his country so well, that he would not doubthis countryman, for fear he should not have so overnor, M de Crouzas, had a gardener, as likewise frolory of his country concerned, when any one claimed that honor as not really entitled to it; he put questions to me, therefore, with an air and tone, as if certain to detect nantly, asked as remarkable in the 'Marcheneuf'? It may be supposed I asked the question; but I have since passed twenty years at Paris, and certainly know that city, yet was the same question repeated at this day, I should be equally embarrassed to answer it, and froht be concluded I had never been there: thus, even e meet with truths, we are subject to build our opinions on circumstances, which may easily deceive us
I for, nor can I say exactly how long I re sufficient to subsist on, I went from thence to Neutchatel, where I passed the winter Here I succeeded better, I got soood friend Perrotet, who had faithfully sent h at that ti to teach e of it
The life I led was sufficiently agreeable, and any reasonable ht have been satisfied, butmore
On Sundays, or whenever I had leisure, I wandered, sighing and thoughtful, about the adjoining woods, and when once out of the city never returned before night One day, being at Boudry, I went to dine at a public-house, where I saw abeard, dressed in a violet-colored Grecian habit, with a fur cap, and whose air and manner were rather noble This person found so only an unintelligible jargon, which bore e I understood almost all he said, and I was the only person present who could do so, for he was obliged to make his request known to the landlord and others about hi a feords in Italian, which he perfectly understood, he got up and embraced me with rapture; a connection was soon formed, and from that moment, I became his interpreter His dinner was excellent, ave me an invitation to dine with hi and chatting soon rendered us familiar, and by the end of the repast we had all the disposition in the world to become inseparable companions He informed me he was a Greek prelate, and 'Archiathering in Europe for the reestablishment of the Holy Sepulchre, and showed me some very fine patents frons
He was tolerably content hat he had collected hitherto, though he had experienced inconceivable difficulties in Ger a word of Gered to have recourse to his Greek, Turkish Lingua Franca, which did not procure hih; his proposal, therefore, to me was, that I should accompany him in the quality of secretary and interpreter In spite of h with the proposed ere appearance, that I should easily be gained; and he was not , and he proe of the person I was about to serve, I gave myself up entirely to his conduct, and the next day behold an our expedition unsuccessfully by the canton of Fribourg
Episcopal dignity would not suffer hiar, or solicit help from private individuals; but we presented his co sued at the Falcon, then a good inn, and frequented by respectable co well supplied and nu, that I was glad to make myself amends, therefore took care to profit by the present occasion My lord, the Archiood cheer, was gay, spoke well for those who understood him, and knew perfectly well how to make the most of his Grecian erudition One day, at dessert while cracking nuts, he cut his finger pretty deeply, and as it bled freely showed it to the coue Pelasgo”
At Berne, I was not useless to him, nor was my performance so bad as I had feared: I certainly spoke better and with more confidence than I could have done for myself Matters were not conducted here with the sa and frequent conferences were necessary with the Premiers of the State, and the exath, everything being adjusted, he was admitted to an audience by the Senate; I entered with hi less, for it never enteredand frequent conferences with the members, it was necessary to address the assee my embarrassment!--a man so bashful to speak, not only in public, but before the whole of the Senate of Berne!
to speak ile h to annihilate me--I was not even intimidated I described distinctly and clearly the commission of the Archimandrite; extolled the piety of those princes who had contributed, and to heighten that of their excellencies by emulation, added that less could not be expected fro to prove that this good as equally interesting to all Christians, without distinction of sect; and concluded by pro the benediction of Heaven to all those who took part in it I will not say that my discourse was the cause of our success, but it was certainly well received; and on our quitting the Archienteel present, to which so of his secretary; these I had the agreeable office of interpreting; but could not take courage to render them literally
This was the only tin; and the only time, perhaps, that I spoke boldly and well
What difference in the disposition of the sa been to see uin, at Yverdon, I received a deputation to thank me for some books I had presented to the library of that city; the Swiss are great speakers; these gentleht ed in honor to answer, but so embarrassed myself in the attempt, that hed at Though naturally timid, I have sometimes acted with confidence in e: the more I have seen of the world the less I have been able to adapt its manners