As soon as Javotte was in my room, I made her cut the linen in seven
pieces, four of five feet long, two of two feet, and one of two feet and
a half; the last one was intended to form the hood of the robe I was to
wear for the great operation. Then I said to Javotte:
"Sit down near my bed and begin sewing. You will dine here and remain at
work until the evening. When your father comes, you must let us be
alone, but as soon as he leaves me, come back and go to bed."
She dined in my room, where her mother waited on her without speaking,
and gave her nothing to drink except St. Jevese wine. Towards evening
her father came, and she left us.
I had the patience to wash the good man while he was in the bath, after
which he had supper with me; he ate voraciously, telling me that it was
the first time in his life that he had remained twenty-four hours
without breaking his fast. Intoxicated with the St. Jevese wine he had
drunk, he went to bed and slept soundly until morning, when his wife
brought me my chocolate. Javotte was kept sewing as on the day before;
she left the room in the evening when Capitani came in, and I treated
him in the same manner as Franzia; on the third day, it was Javotte's
turn, and that had been the object I had kept in view all the time.
When the hour came, I said to her,
"Go, Javotte, get into the bath and call me when you are ready, for I
must purify you as I have purified your father and Capitani."
She obeyed, and within a quarter of an hour she called me. I performed a
great many ablutions on every part of her body, making her assume all
sorts of positions, for she was perfectly docile, but, as I was afraid
of betraying myself, I felt more suffering than enjoyment, and my
indiscreet hands, running over every part of her person, and remaining
longer and more willingly on a certain spot, the sensitiveness of which
is extreme, the poor girl was excited by an ardent fire which was at
last quenched by the natural result of that excitement. I made her get
out of the bath soon after that, and as I was drying her I was very near
forgetting magic to follow the impulse of nature, but, quicker than I,
nature relieved itself, and I was thus enabled to reach the end of the
scene without anticipating the denouement. I told Javotte to dress
herself, and to come back to me as soon as she was ready.
She had been fasting all day, and her toilet did not take a long time.
She ate with a ferocious appetite, and the St. Jevese wine, which she
drank like water, imparted so much animation to her complexion that it
was no longer possible to see how sunburnt she was. Being alone with her
after supper, I said to her,
"My dear Javotte, have you been displeased at all I have compelled you
to submit to this evening?"
"Not at all; I liked it very much."
"Then I hope that you will have no objection to get in the bath with me
to-morrow, and to wash me as I have washed you."
"Most willingly, but shall I know how to do it well?"
"I will teach you, and for the future I wish you to sleep every night in
my room, because I must have a complete certainty that on the night of
the great operation I shall find you such as you ought to be."
From that time Javotte was at her ease with me, all her restraint
disappeared, she would look at me and smile with entire confidence.
Nature had operated, and the mind of a young girl soon enlarges its
sphere when pleasure is her teacher. She went to bed, and as she knew
that she had no longer anything to conceal from me, her modesty was not
alarmed when she undressed herself in my presence. It was very warm, any
kind of covering is unpleasant in the hot weather, so she stripped to
the skin and soon fell asleep. I did the same, but I could not help
feeling some regret at having engaged myself not to take advantage of
the position before the night of the great incantation. I knew that the
operation to unearth the treasure would be a complete failure, but I
knew likewise that it would not fail because Javotte's virginity was
gone.
At day-break the girl rose and began sewing. As soon as she had finished
the robe, I told her to make a crown of parchment with seven long
points, on which I painted some fearful figures and hieroglyphs.
In the evening, one hour before supper, I got into the bath, and Javotte
joined me as soon as I called her. She performed upon me with great zeal
the same ceremonies that I had done for her the day before, and she was
as gentle and docile as possible. I spent a delicious hour in that bath,
enjoying everything, but respecting the essential point.
My kisses making her happy, and seeing that I had no objection to her
caresses, she loaded me with them. I was so pleased at all the amorous
enjoyment her senses were evidently experiencing, that I made her easy
by telling her that the success of the great magic operation depended
upon the amount of pleasure she enjoyed. She then made extraordinary
efforts to persuade me that she was happy, and without overstepping the
limits where I had made up my mind to stop, we got out of the bath
highly pleased with each other.
As we were on the point of going to bed, she said to me,
"Would it injure the success of your operation if we were to sleep
together?"
"No, my dear girl; provided you are a virgin on the day of the great
incantation, it is all I require."
She threw herself in my arms, and we spent a delightful night, during
which I had full opportunity of admiring the strength of her
constitution as well as my own restraint, for I had sufficient control
over myself not to break through the last obstacle.
I passed a great part of the following night with Franzia and Capitani
in order to see with my own eyes the wonderful things which the worthy
peasant had mentioned to me. Standing in the yard, I heard distinctly
heavy blows struck under the ground at intervals of three or four
minutes. It was like the noise which would be made by a heavy pestle
falling in a large copper mortar. I took my pistols and placed myself
near the self-moving door of the cellar, holding a dark lantern in my
hand. I saw the door open slowly, and in about thirty seconds closing
with violence. I opened and closed it myself several times, and, unable
to discover any hidden physical cause for the phenomenon, I felt
satisfied that there was some unknown roguery at work, but I did not
care much to find it out.
We went upstairs again, and, placing myself on the balcony, I saw in the
yard several shadows moving about. They were evidently caused by the
heavy and damp atmosphere, and as to the pyramidal flames which I could
see hovering over the fields, it was a phenomenon well known to me. But
I allowed my two companions to remain persuaded that they were the
spirits keeping watch over the treasure.
That phenomenon is very common throughout southern Italy where the
country is often at night illuminated by those meteors which the people
believe to be devils, and ignorance has called night spirits, or will-
o'-the-wisps.
Dear reader, the next chapter will tell you how my magic undertaking
ended, and perhaps you will enjoy a good laugh at my expense, but you
need not be afraid of hurting my feelings.
CHAPTER XXII
The Incantation--A Terrible Storm--My Fright--Javotte's Virginity Is
Saved--I Give Up the Undertaking, and Sell the Sheath to Capitani--I
Meet Juliette and Count Alfani, Alias Count Celi--I Make Up My Mind to
Go to Naples--Why I Take a Different Road
My great operation had to be performed on the following day; otherwise,
according to all established rules, I would have had to wait until the
next full moon. I had to make the gnomes raise the treasure to the
surface of the earth at the very spot on which my incantations would be
performed. Of course, I knew well enough that I should not succeed, but
I knew likewise that I could easily reconcile Franzia and Capitani to a
failure, by inventing some excellent reasons for our want of success. In
the mean time I had to play my part of a magician, in which I took a
real delight. I kept Javotte at work all day, sewing together, in the
shape of a ring, some thirty sheets of paper on which I painted the most
wonderful designs. That ring, which I called maximus, had a diameter of
three geometric paces. I had manufactured a sort of sceptre or magic
wand with the branch of olive brought by Franzia from Cesena. Thus
prepared, I told Javotte that, at twelve o'clock at night, when I came
out of the magic ring, she was to be ready for everything. The order did
not seem repugnant to her; she longed to give me that proof of her
obedience, and, on my side, considering myself as her debtor, I was in a
hurry to pay my debt and to give her every satisfaction.
The hour having struck, I ordered Franzia and Capitani to stand on the
balcony, so as to be ready to come to me if I called for them, and also
to prevent anyone in the house seeing my proceedings. I then threw off
all profane garments. I clothe myself in the long white robe, the work
of a virgin's innocent hands. I allow my long hair to fall loosely. I
place the extraordinary crown on my head, the circle maximus on my
shoulders, and, seizing the sceptre with one hand, the wonderful knife
with the other, I go down into the yard. There I spread my circle on the
ground, uttering the most barbarous words, and after going round it
three times I jump into the middle.
Squatting down there, I remain a few minutes motionless, then I rise,
and I fix my eyes upon a heavy, dark cloud coming from the west, whilst
from the same quarter the thunder is rumbling loudly. What a sublime
genius I should have appeared in the eyes of my two fools, if, having a
short time before taken notice of the sky in that part of the horizon, I
had announced to them that my operation would be attended by that
phenomenon.
The cloud spreads with fearful rapidity, and soon the sky seems covered
with a funeral pall, on which the most vivid flashes of lightning keep
blazing every moment.
Such a storm was a very natural occurrence, and I had no reason to be
astonished at it, but somehow, fear was beginning to creep into me, and
I wished myself in my room. My fright soon increased at the sight of the
lightning, and on hearing the claps of thunder which succeeded each
other with fearful rapidity and seemed to roar over my very head. I then
realized what extraordinary effect fear can have on the mind, for I
fancied that, if I was not annihilated by the fires of heaven which were
flashing all around me, it was only because they could not enter my
magic ring. Thus was I admiring my own deceitful work! That foolish
reason prevented me from leaving the circle in spite of the fear which
caused me to shudder. If it had not been for that belief, the result of
a cowardly fright, I would not have remained one minute where I was, and
my hurried flight would no doubt have opened the eyes of my two dupes,
who could not have failed to see that, far from being a magician, I was
only a poltroon. The violence of the wind, the claps of thunder, the
piercing cold, and above all, fear, made me tremble all over like an
aspen leaf. My system, which I thought proof against every accident, had
vanished: I acknowledged an avenging God who had waited for this
opportunity of punishing me at one blow for all my sins, and of
annihilating me, in order to put an end to my want of faith. The
complete immobility which paralyzed all my limbs seemed to me a proof of
the uselessness of my repentance, and that conviction only increased my
consternation.
But the roaring of the thunder dies away, the rain begins to fall
heavily, danger vanishes, and I feel my courage reviving. Such is man!
or at all events, such was I at that moment. It was raining so fast
that, if it had continued pouring with the same violence for a quarter
of an hour, the country would have been inundated. As soon as the rain
had ceased, the wind abated, the clouds were dispersed, and the moon
shone in all its splendour, like silver in the pure, blue sky. I take up
my magic ring, and telling the two friends to retire to their beds
without speaking to me, I hurry to my room. I still felt rather shaken,
and, casting my eyes on Javotte, I thought her so pretty that I felt
positively frightened. I allowed her to dry me, and after that necessary
operation I told her piteously to go to bed. The next morning she told
me that, when she saw me come in, shaking all over in spite of the heat,
she had herself shuddered with fear.
After eight hours of sound sleep I felt all right, but I had had enough
of the comedy, and to my great surprise the sight of Genevieve did not
move me in any way. The obedient Javotte had certainly not changed, but
I was not the same. I was for the first time in my life reduced to a
state of apathy, and in consequence of the superstitious ideas which had
crowded in my mind the previous night I imagined that the innocence of
that young girl was under the special protection of Heaven, and that if
I had dared to rob her of her virginity the most rapid and terrible
death would have been my punishment.
At all events, thanks to my youth and my exalted ideas, I fancied that
through my self-denying resolutions the father would not be so great a
dupe, and the daughter not so unhappy, unless the result should prove as
unfortunate for her as it had been for poor Lucy, of Pasean.
The moment that Javotte became in my eyes an object of holy horror, my
departure was decided. The resolution was all the more irrevocable
because I fancied some old peasant might have witnessed all my tricks in
the middle of the magic ring, in which case the most Holy, or, if you
like, the most infernal, Inquisition, receiving information from him,
might very well have caught me and enhanced my fame by some splendid
'auto-da-fe' in which I had not the slightest wish to be the principal
actor. It struck me as so entirely within the limits of probability that
I sent at once for Franzia and Capitani, and in the presence of the
unpolluted virgin I told them that I had obtained from the seven spirits
watching over the treasure all the necessary particulars, but that I had
been compelled to enter into an agreement with them to delay the
extraction of the treasure placed under their guardianship. I told
Franzia that I would hand to him in writing all the information which I
had compelled the spirits to give me. I produced, in reality, a few
minutes afterwards, a document similar to the one I had concocted at the
public library in Mantua, adding that the treasure consisted of
diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and one hundred thousand pounds of gold
dust. I made him take an oath on my pocket-book to wait for me, and not
to have faith in any magician unless he gave him an account of the
treasure in every way similar to the one which, as a great favor, I was
leaving in his hands. I ordered him to burn the crown and the ring, but
to keep the other things carefully until my return.
"As for you, Capitani," I said to my companion, "proceed at once to
Cesena, and remain at the inn until our luggage has been brought by the
man whom Franzia is going to send with it."
Seeing that poor Javotte looked miserable, I went up to her, and,
speaking to her very tenderly, I promised to see her again before long.
I told her at the same time that, the great operation having been
performed successfully, her virginity was no longer necessary, and that
she was at liberty to marry as soon as she pleased, or whenever a good
opportunity offered itself.
I at once returned to the city, where I found Capitani making his
preparations to go to the fair of Lugo, and then to Mantua. He told me,
crying like a child, that his father would be in despair when he saw him
come back without the knife of Saint Peter.
"You may have it," I said, "with the sheath, if you will let me have the
one thousand Roman crowns, the amount of the letter of exchange:"
He thought it an excellent bargain, and accepted it joyfully. I gave him
back the letter of exchange, and made him sign a paper by which he
undertook to return the sheath whenever I brought the same amount, but
he is still waiting for it.
I did not know what to do with the wonderful sheath, and I was not in
want of money, but I should have considered myself dishonoured if I had
given it to him for nothing; besides, I thought it a good joke to levy a
contribution upon the ignorant credulity of a count palatine created by
the grace of the Pope. In after days, however, I would willingly have
refunded his money, but, as fate would have it, we did not see each
other for a long time, and when I met him again I was not in a position
to return the amount. It is, therefore, only to chance that I was
indebted for the sum, and certainly Capitani never dreamed of
complaining, for being the possessor of 'gladium cum vagina' he truly
believed himself the master of every treasure concealed in the Papal
States.
Capitani took leave of me on the following day, and I intended to
proceed at once to Naples, but I was again prevented; this is how it
happened.
As I returned to the inn after a short walk, mine host handed me the
bill of the play announcing four performances of the Didone of
Metastasio at the Spada. Seeing no acquaintance of mine among the actors
or actresses, I made up my mind to go to the play in the evening, and to
start early the next day with post-horses. A remnant of my fear of the
Inquisition urged me on, and I could not help fancying that spies were
at my heels.
Before entering the house I went into the actresses dressing-room, and
the leading lady struck me as rather good-looking. Her name was Narici,
and she was from Bologna. I bowed to her, and after the common-place
conversation usual in such cases, I asked her whether she was free.
"I am only engaged with the manager," she answered.
"Have you any lover?"
"No."
"I offer myself for the post, if you have no objection."
She smiled jeeringly, and said,
"Will you take four tickets for the four performances?"
I took two sequins out of my purse, taking care to let her see that it
was well filled, and when she gave me the four tickets, presented them
to the maid who was dressing her and was prettier than the mistress, and
so left the room without uttering a single word. She called me back; I
pretended not to hear her, and took a ticket for the pit. After the
first ballet, finding the whole performance very poor, I was thinking of
going away, when, happening to look towards the chief box, I saw to my
astonishment that it was tenanted by the Venetian Manzoni and the
celebrated Juliette. The reader will doubtless remember the ball she
gave at my house in Venice, and the smack with which she saluted my
cheek on that occasion.
They had not yet noticed me, and I enquired from the person seated next
to me who was that beautiful lady wearing so many diamonds. He told me
that she was Madame Querini, from Venice, whom Count Spada, the owner of
the theatre, who was sitting near her, had brought with him from Faenza.
I was glad to hear that M. Querini had married her at last, but I did
not think of renewing the acquaintance, for reasons which my reader
cannot have forgotten if he recollects our quarrel when I had to dress
her as an abbe. I was on the point of going away when she happened to
see me and called me. I went up to her, and, not wishing to be known by
anyone, I whispered to her that my name was Farusi. Manzoni informed me
that I was speaking to her excellency, Madame Querini. "I know it," I
said, "through a letter which I have received from Venice, and I beg to
offer my most sincere congratulations to Madame." She heard me and
introduced me to Count Spada, creating me a baron on the spot. He
invited me most kindly to come to his box, asked me where I came from,
where I was going to, etc., and begged the pleasure of my company at
supper for the same evening.
Ten years before, he had been Juliette's friend in Vienna, when Maria
Theresa, having been informed of the pernicious influence of her beauty,
gave her notice to quit the city. She had renewed her acquaintance with
him in Venice, and had contrived to make him take her to Bologna on a
pleasure trip. M. Manzoni, her old follower, who gave me all this
information, accompanied her in order to bear witness of her good
conduct before M. Querini. I must say that Manzoni was not a well-chosen
chaperon.
In Venice she wanted everybody to believe that Querini had married her
secretly, but at a distance of fifty leagues she did not think such a
formality necessary, and she had already been presented by the general
to all the nobility of Cesena as Madame Querini Papozzes. M. Querini
would have been wrong in being jealous of the count, for he was an old
acquaintance who would do no harm. Besides, it is admitted amongst
certain women that the reigning lover who is jealous of an old
acquaintance is nothing but a fool, and ought to be treated as such.
Juliette, most likely afraid of my being indiscreet, had lost no time in
making the first advances, but, seeing that I had likewise some reason
to fear her want of discretion, she felt reassured. From the first
moment I treated her politely, and with every consideration due to her
position.
I found numerous company at the general's, and some pretty women. Not
seeing Juliette, I enquired for her from M. Manzoni, who told me that
she was at the faro table, losing her money. I saw her seated next to
the banker, who turned pale at the sight of my face. He was no other
than the so-called Count Celi. He offered me a card, which I refused
politely, but I accepted Juliette's offer to be her partner. She had
about fifty sequins, I handed her the same sum, and took a seat near
her. After the first round, she asked me if I knew the banker; Celi had
heard the question; I answered negatively. A lady on my left told me
that the banker was Count Alfani. Half an hour later, Madame Querini
went seven and lost, she increased her stake of ten sequins; it was the
last deal of the game, and therefore the decisive one. I rose from my
chair, and fixed my eyes on the banker's hands. But in spite of that, he
cheated before me, and Madame lost.
Just at that moment the general offered her his arm to go to supper; she
left the remainder of her gold on the table, and after supper, having
played again, she lost every sequin.
I enlivened the supper by my stories and witty jests. I captivated
everybody's friendship, and particularly the general's, who, having
heard me say that I was going to Naples only to gratify an amorous
fancy, entreated me to spend a month with him and to sacrifice my whim.
But it was all in vain. My heart was unoccupied; I longed to see
Lucrezia and Therese, whose charms after five years I could scarcely
recollect. I only consented to remain in Cesena the four days during
which the general intended to stay.
The next morning as I was dressing I had a call from the cowardly
Alfani-Celi; I received him with a jeering smile, saying that I had
expected him.
The hair-dresser being in the room Celi did not answer, but as soon as
we were alone he said,
"How could you possibly expect my visit?"
"I will tell you my reason as soon as you have handed me one hundred
sequins, and you are going to do so at once.'
"Here are fifty which I brought for you; you cannot demand more from
me."
"Thank you, I take them on account, but as I am good-natured I advise
you not to shew yourself this evening in Count Spada's drawing-rooms,
for you would not be admitted, and it would be owing to me."
"I hope that you will think twice before you are guilty of such an
ungenerous act."
"I have made up my mind; but now leave me."
There was a knock at my door, and the self-styled Count Alfani went away
without giving me the trouble of repeating my order. My new visitor
proved to be the first castrato of the theatre, who brought an
invitation to dinner from Narici. The invitation was curious, and I
accepted it with a smile. The castrato was named Nicolas Peritti; he
pretended to be the grandson of a natural child of Sixtus V.; it might
have been so I shall have to mention him again in fifteen years.
When I made my appearance at Narici's house I saw Count Alfani, who
certainly did not expect me, and must have taken me for his evil genius.
He bowed to me with great politeness, and begged that I would listen to
a few words in private.
"Here are fifty sequins more," he said; "but as an honest man you can
take them only to give them to Madame Querini. But how can you hand the
amount to her without letting her know that you have forced me to refund
it? You understand what consequences such a confession might have for
me."
"I shall give her the money only when you have left this place; in the
mean time I promise to be discreet, but be careful not to assist fortune
in my presence, or I must act in a manner that will not be agreeable to
you."
"Double the capital of my bank, and we can be partners."
"Your proposal is an insult."
He gave me fifty sequins, and I promised to keep his secret.
There was a numerous attendance in Narici's rooms, especially of young
men, who after dinner lost all their money. I did not play, and it was a
disappointment for my pretty hostess, who had invited me only because
she had judged me as simple as the others. I remained an indifferent
witness of the play, and it gave me an opportunity of realizing how wise
Mahomet had been in forbidding all games of chance.
In the evening after the opera Count Celi had the faro bank, and I lose
two hundred sequins, but I could only accuse ill luck. Madame Querini
won. The next day before supper I broke the bank, and after supper,
feeling tired and well pleased with what I had won, I returned to the
inn.
The following morning, which was the third day, and therefore the last
but one of my stay in Cesena, I called at the general's. I heard that
his adjutant had thrown the cards in Alfani's face, and that a meeting
had been arranged between them for twelve o'clock. I went to the
adjutant's room and offered to be his second, assuring him that there
would be no blood spilt. He declined my offer with many thanks, and at
dinner-time he told me that I had guessed rightly, for Count Alfani had
left for Rome.
"In that case," I said to the guests, "I will take the bank tonight."
After dinner, being alone with Madame Querini, I told her all about
Alfani, alias Celi, and handed her the fifty sequins of which I was the
depositary.
"I suppose," she said, "that by means of this fable you hope to make me
accept fifty sequins, but I thank you, I am not in want of money."
"I give you my word that I have compelled the thief to refund this
money, together with the fifty sequins of which he had likewise cheated
me."
"That may be, but I do not wish to believe you. I beg to inform you that
I am not simple enough to allow myself to be duped, and, what is worse,
cheated in such a manner."
Philosophy forbids a man to feel repentance for a good deed, but he must
certainly have a right to regret such a deed when it is malevolently
misconstrued, and turned against him as a reproach.
In the evening, after the performance, which was to be the last, I took
the bank according to my promise: I lost a few sequins, but was caressed
by everybody, and that is much more pleasant than winning, when we are
not labouring under the hard necessity of making money.
Count Spada, who had got quite fond of me, wanted me to accompany him to
Brisighetta, but I resisted his entreaties because I had firmly resolved
on going to Naples.
The next morning I was awoke by a terrible noise in the passage, almost
at the door of my room.
Getting out of my bed, I open my door to ascertain the cause of the
uproar. I see a troop of 'sbirri' at the door of a chamber, and in that
chamber, sitting up in bed, a fine-looking man who was making himself
hoarse by screaming in Latin against that rabble, the plague of Italy,
and against the inn-keeper who had been rascally enough to open the
door.
I enquire of the inn-keeper what it all means.
"This gentleman," answers the scoundrel, "who, it appears, can only
speak Latin, is in bed with a girl, and the 'sbirri' of the bishop have
been sent to know whether she is truly his wife; all perfectly regular.
If she is his wife, he has only to convince them by shewing a
certificate of marriage, but if she is not, of course he must go to
prison with her. Yet it need not happen, for I undertake to arrange
everything in a friendly manner for a few sequins. I have only to
exchange a few words with the chief of the 'sbirri', and they will all
go away. If you can speak Latin, you had better go in, and make him
listen to reason."
"Who has broken open the door of his room?"
"Nobody; I have opened it myself with the key, as is my duty."
"Yes, the duty of a highway robber, but not of an honest inn-keeper."
Such infamous dealing aroused my indignation, and I made up my mind to
interfere. I enter the room, although I had still my nightcap on, and
inform the gentleman of the cause of the disturbance. He answers with a
laugh that, in the first place, it was impossible to say whether the
person who was in bed with him was a woman, for that person had only
been seen in the costume of a military officer, and that, in the second
place, he did not think that any human being had a right to compel him
to say whether his bed-fellow was his wife or his mistress, even
supposing that his companion was truly a woman.
"At all events," he added, "I am determined not to give one crown to
arrange the affair, and to remain in bed until my door is shut. The
moment I am dressed, I will treat you to an amusing denouement of the
comedy. I will drive away all those scoundrels at the point of my
sword."
I then see in a corner a broad sword, and a Hungarian costume looking
like a military uniform. I ask whether he is an officer.
"I have written my name and profession," he answers, "in the hotel
book."
Astonished at the absurdity of the inn-keeper, I ask him whether it is
so; he confesses it, but adds that the clergy have the right to prevent
scandal.
"The insult you have offered to that officer, Mr. Landlord, will cost
you very dear."
His only answer is to laugh in my face. Highly enraged at seeing such a
scoundrel laugh at me, I take up the officer's quarrel warmly, and asked
him to entrust his passport to me for a few minutes.
"I have two," he says; "therefore I can let you have one." And taking
the document out of his pocket-book, he hands it to me. The passport was
signed by Cardinal Albani. The officer was a captain in a Hungarian
regiment belonging to the empress and queen. He was from Rome, on his
way to Parma with dispatches from Cardinal Albani Alexander to M.
Dutillot, prime minister of the Infante of Parma.
At the same moment, a man burst into the room, speaking very loudly, and
asked me to tell the officer that the affair must be settled at once,
because he wanted to leave Cesena immediately.
"Who are you?" I asked the man.
He answered that he was the 'vetturino' whom the captain had engaged. I
saw that it was a regular put-up thing, and begged the captain to let me
attend to the business, assuring him that I would settle it to his
honour and advantage.
"Do exactly as you please," he said.
Then turning towards the 'vetturino', I ordered him to bring up the
captain's luggage, saying that he would be paid at once. When he had
done so, I handed him eight sequins out of my own purse, and made him
give me a receipt in the name of the captain, who could only speak
German, Hungarian, and Latin. The vetturino went away, and the 'sbirri'
followed him in the greatest consternation, except two who remained.
"Captain," I said to the Hungarian, "keep your bed until I return. I am
going now to the bishop to give him an account of these proceedings, and
make him understand that he owes you some reparation. Besides, General
Spada is here, and...."
"I know him," interrupted the captain, "and if I had been aware of his
being in Cesena, I would have shot the landlord when he opened my door
to those scoundrels."
I hurried over my toilet, and without waiting for my hair to be dressed
I proceeded to the bishop's palace, and making a great deal of noise I
almost compelled the servants to take me to his room. A lackey who was
at the door informed me that his lordship was still in bed.
"Never mind, I cannot wait."
I pushed him aside and entered the room. I related the whole affair to
the bishop, exaggerating the uproar, making much of the injustice of
such proceedings, and railing at a vexatious police daring to molest
travellers and to insult the sacred rights of individuals and nations.
The bishop without answering me referred me to his chancellor, to whom I
repeated all I had said to the bishop, but with words calculated to
irritate rather than to soften, and certainly not likely to obtain the
release of the captain. I even went so far as to threaten, and I said
that if I were in the place of the officer I would demand a public
reparation. The priest laughed at my threats; it was just what I wanted,
and after asking me whether I had taken leave of my senses, the
chancellor told me to apply to the captain of the 'sbirri'.
"I shall go to somebody else," I said, "reverend sir, besides the
captain of the 'sbirri'."
Delighted at having made matters worse, I left him and proceeded
straight to the house of General Spada, but being told that he could not
be seen before eight o'clock, I returned to the inn.
The state of excitement in which I was, the ardour with which I had made
the affair mine, might have led anyone to suppose that my indignation
had been roused only by disgust at seeing an odious persecution
perpetrated upon a stranger by an unrestrained, immoral, and vexatious
police; but why should I deceive the kind reader, to whom I have
promised to tell the truth; I must therefore say that my indignation was
real, but my ardour was excited by another feeling of a more personal
nature. I fancied that the woman concealed under the bed-clothes was a
beauty. I longed to see her face, which shame, most likely, had
prevented her from shewing. She had heard me speak, and the good opinion
that I had of myself did not leave the shadow of a doubt in my mind that
she would prefer me to her captain.
The door of the room being still open, I went in and related to the
captain all I had done, assuring him that in the course of the day he
would be at liberty to continue his journey at the bishop's expense, for
the general would not fail to obtain complete satisfaction for him. He
thanked me warmly, gave back the eight ducats I had paid for him, and
said that he would not leave the city till the next day.
"From what country," I asked him, "is your travelling companion?"
"From France, and he only speaks his native language."
"Then you speak French?"
"Not one word."
"That is amusing! Then you converse in pantomime?"
"Exactly."
"I pity you, for it is a difficult language."
"Yes, to express the various shades of thought, but in the material part
of our intercourse we understand each other quite well."
"May I invite myself to breakfast with you?"
"Ask my friend whether he has any objection."
"Amiable companion of the captain," I said in French, "will you kindly
accept me as a third guest at the breakfast-table?"
At these words I saw coming out of the bed-clothes a lovely head, with
dishevelled hair, and a blooming, laughing face which, although it was
crowned with a man's cap, left no doubt that the captain's friend
belonged to that sex without which man would be the most miserable
animal on earth.
Delighted with the graceful creature, I told her that I had been happy
enough to feel interested in her even before I had seen her, and that
now that I had the pleasure of seeing her, I could but renew with
greater zeal all my efforts to serve her.
She answered me with the grace and the animation which are the exclusive
privilege of her native country, and retorted my argument in the most
witty manner; I was already under the charm. My request was granted; I
went out to order breakfast, and to give them an opportunity of making
themselves comfortable in bed, for they were determined not to get up
until the door of their room was closed again.
The waiter came, and I went in with him. I found my lovely Frenchwoman
wearing a blue frock-coat, with her hair badly arranged like a man's,
but very charming even in that strange costume. I longed to see her up.
She ate her breakfast without once interrupting the officer speaking to
me, but to whom I was not listening, or listening with very little
attention, for I was in a sort of ecstatic trance.
Immediately after breakfast, I called on the general, and related the
affair to him, enlarging upon it in such a manner as to pique his
martial pride. I told him that, unless he settled the matter himself,
the Hungarian captain was determined to send an express to the cardinal
immediately. But my eloquence was unnecessary, for the general liked to
see priests attend to the business of Heaven, but he could not bear them
to meddle in temporal affairs.
"I shall," he said, "immediately put a stop to this ridiculous comedy,
and treat it in a very serious manner."
"Go at once to the inn," he said to his aide-de-camp, "invite that
officer and his companion to dine with me to-day, and repair afterwards
to the bishop's palace. Give him notice that the officer who has been so
grossly insulted by his 'sbirri' shall not leave the city before he has
received a complete apology, and whatever sum of money he may claim as
damages. Tell him that the notice comes from me, and that all the
expenses incurred by the officer shall be paid by him."
What pleasure it was for me to listen to these words! In my vanity, I
fancied I had almost prompted them to the general. I accompanied the
aide-de-camp, and introduced him to the captain who received him with
the joy of a soldier meeting a comrade. The adjutant gave him the
general's invitation for him and his companion, and asked him to write
down what satisfaction he wanted, as well as the amount of damages he
claimed. At the sight of the general's adjutant, the 'sbirri' had
quickly vanished. I handed to the captain pen, paper and ink, and he
wrote his claim in pretty good Latin for a native of Hungary. The
excellent fellow absolutely refused to ask for more than thirty sequins,
in spite of all I said to make him claim one hundred. He was likewise a
great deal too easy as to the satisfaction he demanded, for all he asked
was to see the landlord and the 'sbirri' beg his pardon on their knees
in the presence of the general's adjutant. He threatened the bishop to
send an express to Rome to Cardinal Alexander, unless his demands were
complied with within two hours, and to remain in Cesena at the rate of
ten sequins a day at the bishop's expense.
The officer left us, and a moment afterwards the landlord came in
respectfully, to inform the captain that he was free, but the captain
having begged me to tell the scoundrel that he owed him a sound
thrashing, he lost no time in gaining the door.
I left my friends alone to get dressed, and to attend to my own toilet,
as I dined with them at the general's. An hour afterwards I found them
ready in their military costumes. The uniform of the Frenchwoman was of
course a fancy one, but very elegant. The moment I saw her, I gave up
all idea of Naples, and decided upon accompanying the two friends to
Parma. The beauty of the lovely Frenchwoman had already captivated me.
The captain was certainly on the threshold of sixty, and, as a matter of
course, I thought such a union very badly assorted. I imagined that the
affair which I was already concocting in my brain could be arranged
amicably.
The adjutant came back with a priest sent by the bishop, who told the
captain that he should have the satisfaction as well as the damages he
had claimed, but that he must be content with fifteen sequins.
"Thirty or nothing," dryly answered the Hungarian.
They were at last given to him, and thus the matter ended. The victory
was due to my exertions, and I had won the friendship of the captain and his lovely companion. |
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