the memories of casanova 137

the memories of casanova 137

"Then I shall lose."

 

"You are quite sure, then, that if she be in the convent she will come

down?"

 

"That's my business. I repeat, if you don't speak to her, I shall hold

myself to have lost a hundred sequins, or a thousand if you like."

 

"One can't speak plainer than that, my dear fellow, and I thank you

beforehand."

 

"The only thing I ask you is to come sharp to time; and not to come too

late for a convent."

 

"Will an hour after sunset suit you?"

 

"Admirably."

 

"I shall also make it my business to compel my masked mistress to stop

where she is, even though it be M. M. herself."

 

"Some won't have long to wait, if you will take her to a casino which I

myself possess at Muran, and where I secretly keep a girl of whom I am

amorous. I will take care that she shall not be there on the appointed

day, and I will give you the key of the casino. I shall also see that

you find a delicate cold supper ready."

 

"That is admirable, but I must be able to point out the place to my

Mercury."

 

"True! I will give you a supper to-morrow, the greatest secrecy to be

observed between us. We will go to my casino in a gondola, and after

supper we will go out by the street door; thus you will know the way by

land and water. You will only have to tell the procurer the name of the

canal and of the house, and on the day fixed you shall have the key. You

will only find there an old man who lives on the ground floor, and he

will see neither those who go out nor those who come in. My sweetheart

will see nothing and will not be seen; and all, trust me, will turn out

well."

 

"I begin to think that I have lost my bet," said the Englishman, who was

delighted with the plan; "but it matters not, I can gaily encounter

either loss or gain." We made our appointment for the next day, and

separated.

 

On the following morning I went to Muran to warn Tonine that I was going

to sup with her, and to bring two of my friends; and as my English

friend paid as great court to Bacchus as to Cupid, I took care to send

my little housekeeper several bottles of excellent wine.

 

Charmed with the prospect of doing the honours of the table, Tonine only

asked me if my friends would go away after supper. I said yes, and this

reply made her happy; she only cared for the dessert.

 

After leaving her I went to the convent and passed an hour with M. M. in

the parlour. I was glad to see that she was getting back her health and

her beauty every day, and having complimented her upon it I returned to

Venice. In the evening my two friends kept their appointments to the

minute, and we went to my little casino at two hours after sunset.

 

Our supper was delicious, and my Tonine charmed me with the gracefulness

of her carriage. I was delighted to see Righelini enchanted, and the

ambassador dumb with admiration. When I was in love I did not encourage

my friends to cajole my sweetheart, but I became full of complaisance

when time had cooled the heat of my passion.

 

We parted about midnight, and having taken Mr. Murray to the spot where

I was to wait for him on the day of trial, I returned to compliment my

charming Tonine as she deserved. She praised my two friends, and could

not express her surprise at seeing our English friend going away, fresh

and nimble on his feet, notwithstanding his having emptied by himself

six bottles of my best wine. Murray looked like a fine Bacchus after

Rubens.

 

On Whit Sunday Righelini came to tell me that the English ambassador had

made all arrangements with the pretended procurer of M. M. for Whit

Tuesday. I gave him the keys of my abode at Muran, and told him to

assure Murray that I would keep the appointment at the exact time

arranged upon.

 

My impatience brought on palpitation of the heart, which was extremely

painful, and I passed the two nights without closing an eye; for

although I was convinced of M---- M----'s innocence, my agitation was

extreme. But whence all this anxiety? Merely from a desire to see the

ambassador undeceived. M. M. must in his eyes have seemed a common

prostitute, and the moment in which he would be obliged to confess

himself the victim of roguery would re-establish the honour of the nun.

 

Mr. Murray was as impatient as myself, with this difference, that

whereas he, looking upon the adventure as a comic one, only laughed, I

who found it too tragic shuddered with indignation.

 

On Tuesday morning I went to Muran to tell Tonine to get a cold supper

after my instruction, to lay the table for two, to get wax lights ready,

and having sent in several bottles of wine I bade her keep to the room

occupied by the old landlord, and not to come out till the people who

were coming in the evening were gone. She promised to do so, and asked

no questions. After leaving her I went to the convent parlour, and asked

to see M---- M----. Not expecting to see me, she asked me why I had not

gone to the pageant of the Bucentaur, which, the weather being

favourable, would set out on this day. I do not know what I answered,

but I know that she found my words little to the purpose. I came at last

to the important point, and told her I was going to ask a favour of her,

on which my peace of mind depended, but which she must grant blindly

without asking any questions.

 

"Tell me what I am to do, sweetheart," said she, "and be sure I will

refuse nothing which may be in my power."

 

"I shall be here this evening an hour after sunset, and ask for you at

this grating; come. I shall be with another man, to whom I beg of you to

say a few words of politeness; you can then leave us. Let us find some

pretext to justify the unseasonable hour."

 

"I will do what you ask, but you cannot imagine how troublesome it is in

a convent, for at six o'clock the parlours are shut up and the keys are

taken to the abbess' room. However, as you only want me for five

minutes, I will tell the abbess that I am expecting a letter from my

brother, and that it can be sent to me on this evening only. You must

give me a letter that the nun who will be with me may be able to say

that I have not been guilty of deception."

 

"You will not come alone, then?"

 

"I should not dare even to ask for such a privilege."

 

"Very good, but try to come with some old nun who is short-sighted."

 

"I will keep the light in the background."

 

"Pray do not do so, my beloved; on the contrary, place it so that you

may be distinctly seen."

 

"All this is very strange, but I have promised passive obedience, and I

will come down with two lights. May I hope that you will explain this

riddle to me at your next interview?"

 

"By to-morrow, at latest, you shall know the whole story."

 

"My curiosity will prevent me from sleeping."

 

"Not so, dear heart; sleep peacefully, and be sure of my gratitude."

 

The reader will think that after this conversation my heart was

perfectly at rest; but how far was I from resting! I returned to Venice,

tortured lest I should be told in the evening at the door of the

cathedral, where we were to meet, that the nun had been obliged to put

off her appointment. If that had happened, I should not have exactly

suspected M---- M----, but the ambassador would have thought that I had

caused the scheme to miscarry. It is certain that in that case I should

not have taken my man to the parlour, but should have gone there sadly

by myself.

 

I passed the whole day in these torments, thinking it would never come

to an end, and in the evening I put a letter in my pocket, and went to

my post at the hour agreed upon.

 

Fortunately, Murray kept the appointment exactly.

 

"Is the nun there?" said I, as soon as he was near me.

 

"Yes, my dear fellow. We will go, if you like, to the parlour; but you

will find that we shall be told she is ill or engaged. If you like, the

bet shall be off."

 

"God forbid, my dear fellow! I cling to that hundred ducats. Let us be

gone."

 

We presented ourselves at the wicket, and I asked for M---- M----, and

the doorkeeper made me breathe again by saying that I was expected. I

entered the parlour with my English friend, and saw that it was lighted

by four candles. I cannot recall these moments without being in love

with life. I take note not only of my noble mistress's innocence, but

also of the quickness of her wit. Murray remained serious, without a

smile on his face. Full of grace and beauty, M---- M---- came into the

room with a lay-sister, each of them holding a candlestick. She paid me

a compliment in good French; I gave her the letter, and looking at the

address and the seal she put it in her pocket. After thanking me and

saying she would reply in due course, she turned towards my companion:

 

"I shall, perhaps, make you lose the first act of the opera," said she.

 

"The pleasure of seeing you, madam, is worth all the operas in the

world."

 

"You are English, I think?"

 

"Yes, madam."

 

"The English are now the greatest people in the world, because they are

free and powerful. Gentlemen, I wish you a very good evening."

 

I had never seen M---- M---- looking so beautiful as then, and I went

out of the parlour ablaze with love, and glad as I had never been

before. I walked with long strides towards my casino, without taking

notice of the ambassador, who did not hurry himself in following me; I

waited for him at my door.

 

"Well," said I, "are you convinced now that you have been cheated?"

 

"Be quiet, we have time enough to talk about that. Let us go upstairs."

 

"Shall I come?"

 

"Do. What do you think I could do by myself for four hours with that

creature who is waiting for me? We will amuse ourselves with her."

 

"Had we not better turn her out?"

 

"No; her master is coming for her at two o'clock in the morning. She

would go and warn him, and he would escape my vengeance. We will throw

them both out of the window."

 

"Be moderate, for M---- M---- s honour depends on the secrecy we

observe. Let us go upstairs. We shall have some fun. I should like to see the hussy."