the memories of casanova 116
"Yes," I said, knowing well what I could do in that line, "yes, I can;
and afterwards you shall judge whether I am able to sacrifice to Love as
well as to Comus."
She rang the bell, and a woman, middle-aged but well-dressed and
respectable-looking, laid out a table for two persons; she then placed
on another table close by all that was necessary to enable us to do
without attendance, and she brought, one after the other, eight
different dishes in Sevres porcelain placed on silver heaters. It was a
delicate and plentiful supper.
When I tasted the first dish I at once recognized the French style of
cooking, and she did not deny it. We drank nothing but Burgundy and
Champagne. She dressed the salad cleverly and quickly, and in everything
she did I had to admire the graceful ease of her manners. It was evident
that she owed her education to a lover who was a first-rate connoisseur.
I was curious to know him, and as we were drinking some punch I told her
that if she would gratify my curiosity in that respect I was ready to
tell her my name.
"Let time, dearest," she answered, "satisfy our mutual curiosity."
M---- M---- had, amongst the charms and trinkets fastened to the chain
of her watch, a small crystal bottle exactly similar to one that I wore
myself. I called her attention to that fact, and as mine was filled with
cotton soaked in otto of roses I made her smell it.
"I have the same," she observed.
And she made me inhale its fragrance.
"It is a very scarce perfume," I said, "and very expensive."
"Yes; in fact it cannot be bought."
"Very true; the inventor of that essence wears a crown; it is the King
of France; his majesty made a pound of it, which cost him thirty
thousand crowns."
"Mine was a gift presented to my lover, and he gave it to me:"
"Madame de Pompadour sent a small phial of it to M. de Mocenigo, the
Venetian ambassador in Paris, through M. de B----, now French ambassador
here."
"Do you know him?"
"I have had the honour to dine with him on the very day he came to take
leave of the ambassador by whom I had been invited. M. de B---- is a man
whom fortune has smiled upon, but he has captivated it by his merit; he
is not less distinguished by his 'talents than by his birth; he is, I
believe, Count de Lyon. I recollect that he was nicknamed 'Belle Babet,'
on account of his handsome face. There is a small collection of poetry
written by him which does him great honour."
It was near midnight; we had made an excellent supper, and we were near
a good fire. Besides, I was in love with a beautiful woman, and thinking
that time was precious--I became very pressing; but she resisted.
"Cruel darling, have you promised me happiness only to make me suffer
the tortures of Tantalus? If you will not give way to love, at least
obey the laws of nature after such a delicious supper, go to bed."
"Are you sleepy?"
"Of course I am not; but it is late enough to go to bed. Allow me to
undress you; I will remain by your bedside, or even go away if you wish
it."
"If you were to leave me, you would grieve me."
"My grief would be as great as yours, believe me, but if I remain what
shall we do?"
"We can lie down in our clothes on this sofa."
"With our clothes! Well, let it be so; I will let you sleep, if you wish
it; but you must forgive me if I do not sleep myself; for to sleep near
you and without undressing would be impossible."
"Wait a little."
She rose from her seat, turned the sofa crosswise, opened it, took out
pillows, sheets, blankets, and in one minute we had a splendid bed, wide
and convenient. She took a large handkerchief, which she wrapped round
my head, and she gave me another, asking me to render her the same
service. I began my task, dissembling my disgust for the wig, but a
precious discovery caused me the most agreeable surprise; for, instead
of the wig, my, hands found the most magnificent hair I had ever seen. I
uttered a scream of delight and admiration which made her laugh, and she
told me that a nun was under no other obligation than to conceal her
hair, from the uninitiated. Thereupon she pushed me adroitly, and made
me fall' an the sofa. I got up again, and, having thrown off my clothes
as quick as lightning I threw myself on her rather than near her. She
was very strong; and folding me in her arms she thought that I ought to
forgive her for all the torture she was condemning me to. I had not
obtained any essential favour; I was burning, but I was trying to master
my impatience, for I did not think that I had yet the right to be
exacting. I contrived to undo five or six bows of ribbons, and
satisfied, with her not opposing any resistance in that quarter my heart
throbbed with pleasure, and I possessed myself of the most beautiful
bosom, which I smothered under my kisses. But her favours went no
further; and my excitement increasing in proportion to the new
perfections I discovered in her, I doubled my efforts; all in vain. At
last, compelled to give way to fatigue, I fell asleep in her arms,
holding her tightly, against me. A noisy chime of bells woke us.
"What is the matter?" I exclaimed.
"Let us get up, dearest; it is time for me to return to the convent."
"Dress yourself, and let me have the pleasure of seeing you in the garb
of a saint, since you are going away a virgin."
"Be satisfied for this time, dearest, and learn from me how to practice
abstinence; we shall be happier another time. When I have gone, if you
have nothing to hurry you, you can rest here."
She rang the bell, and the same woman who had appeared in the evening,
and was most likely the secret minister and the confidante of her
amorous mysteries, came in. After her hair had been dressed, she took
off her gown, locked up her jewellery in her bureau, put on the stays of
a nun, in which she hid the two magnificent globes which had been during
that fatiguing night the principal agents of my happiness, and assumed
her monastic robes. The woman having gone out to call the gondoliers, M-
--- M---- kissed me warmly and tenderly, and said to me,
"I expect to see you the day after to-morrow, so as to hear from you
which night I am to meet you in Venice; and then, my beloved lover, you
shall be happy and I too. Farewell."
Pleased without being satisfied, I went to bed and slept soundly until
noon.
I left the casino without seeing anyone, and being well masked I
repaired to the house of Laura, who gave me a letter from my dear C----
C----. Here is a copy of it:
"I am going to give you, my best beloved, a specimen of my way of
thinking; and I trust that, far from lowering me in your estimation, you
will judge me, in spite of my youth, capable of keeping a secret and
worthy of being your wife. Certain that your heart is mine, I do not
blame you for having made a mystery of certain things, and not being
jealous of what can divert your mind and help you to bear patiently our
cruel separation, I can only delight in whatever procures you some
pleasure. Listen now. Yesterday, as I was going along one of the halls,
I dropped a tooth-pick which I held in my hand, and to get it again, I
was compelled to displace a stool which happened to be in front of a
crack in the partition. I have already become as curious as a nun--a
fault very natural to idle people--I placed my eye against the small
opening, and whom did I see? You in person, my darling, conversing in
the most lively manner with my charming friend, Sister M---- M----. It
would be difficult for you to imagine my surprise and joy. But those two
feelings gave way soon to the fear of being seen and of exciting the
curiosity of some inquisitive nun. I quickly replaced the stool, and I
went away. Tell me all, dearest friend, you will make me happy. How
could I cherish you with all my soul, and not be anxious to know the
history of your adventure? Tell me if she knows you, and how you have
made her acquaintance. She is my best friend, the one of whom I have
spoken so often to you in my letters, without thinking it necessary to
tell you her name. She is the friend who teaches me French, and has lent
me books which gave me a great deal of information on a matter generally
little known to women. If it had not been for her, the cause of the
accident which has been so near costing me my life, would have been
discovered. She gave me sheets and linen immediately; to her I owe my
honour; but she has necessarily learned in that way that I have a lover,
as I know that she has one; but neither of us has shewn any anxiety to
know the secrets of the other. Sister M---- M---- is a rare woman. I
feel certain, dearest, that you love one another; it cannot be otherwise
since you are acquainted; but as I am not jealous of that affection, I
deserve that you should tell me all. I pity you both, however; for all
you may do will, I fear, only irritate your passion. Everyone in the
convent thinks that you are ill, and I am longing to see you. Come, at
least, once. Adieu!"
The letter of C---- C---- inspired me with the deepest esteem for her,
but it caused me great anxiety, because, although I felt every
confidence in my dear little wife, the small crack in the wall might
expose M---- M---- and myself to the inquisitive looks of other persons.
Besides, I found myself compelled to deceive that amiable, trusting
friend, and to tell a falsehood, for delicacy and honour forbade me to
tell her the truth. I wrote to her immediately that her friendship for
M---- M---- made it her duty to warn her friend at once that she had
seen her in the parlour with a masked gentleman. I added that, having
heard a great deal of M---- M----'s merit, and wishing to make her
acquaintance, I had called on her under an assumed name; that I
entreated her not to tell her friend who I was, but she might say that
she had recognized in me the gentleman who attended their church. I
assured her with barefaced impudence that there was no love between M---
- M---- and me, but without concealing that I thought her a superior woman.
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