My Longed-for Blessing:
If your saying that I do not love you, because you do not know me, is
not an error, it is at least displeasing to me. Hear me, my dear: I am
offended with you, because either you consider me blind or you do not
consider me amiable. You cannot say of a truth that I do not love you,
nor can you say truly that any one does love as much as I love you.
Look into my eyes, and you will be astonished; for when bright with my
tears they will be faithful mirrors to reveal to you that your face is
copied there (in which an outline of it is made in the Sun), that your
whiteness is snow in comparison with the Milky Way, that the Graces
have directed your movements by their own hand, that Venus in
fashioning you took the measure of your limbs with her own girdle. Ah
yes, I love you so much that in one respect I would wish alone to love
you in the world, because it seems to me that I could love you all in
central Latium. I should like that all might love you, because you
would see that all of them put together cannot love you as much as I
alone do. My breast is envied by every other part of me, because it
alone is able to love you. These are matters one cannot know by mere
hearing; they are matters to render one excusable to any one else who
does not believe it. But you are a cruel beauty; for if you see a face
composed by the miracles of angels you should not consider it a lie if
a heart is found fashioned by the miracles of love, etc. I leave you a
thousand thousand kisses.
My well-beloved:
I pass by compliments, because I cannot match your very gallant
verses, which are so far different from what I merit. You tell me that
you wish to know what has happened in our house. I tell you that
nothing has happened, so far as I can see, because none of them have
said anything to me--none of them. But Signor Guido seems rather well
disposed toward me than otherwise, and therefore I cannot find out
whether they are angry with me. Let my brother-in-law lock the door;
he does it often, etc. If you do not wish to pass by here any more, I
leave that to your own judgment, and I will suffer quietly the pains
which are pleasing to you. Therefore I tell you that you may do as you
wish. For as gold is refined in the fire, so love is refined by
suffering. I can well say that I shall suffer pain at not seeing you
as I have been accustomed, etc. With a loving kiss, I remain as I have
ever been, your most sincere sweetheart and your most faithful slave.
I had quite forgotten to tell you that I stay in the same room as at
first, and that Thursday evening I went to bed at eight o'clock, and
so you did not hear me enter the room. I told the servant that she
should make the signals agreed upon, etc.
Signor Guido returns Saturday morning and you may pass this evening at
ten o'clock or sooner, when you shall see the light in the room, etc.
My well-beloved:
I received your letter, which was most pleasing to me, as are all the
rest you have sent me, etc. I see that you like the Pastor Fido. But I
would wish you to imitate him, and I will imitate another Vienna. I
hear from her that you will want to come to see me at the Villa, etc.
If I could only bring it about, I would more willingly be your wife
than your servant. You tell me that Conti is unwilling to bring any
more letters for you. But let me inform you that I am wheedling him,
and I have the wits to bring it about that he will carry them to you;
because I say two kind words to him and he is charmed and will do what
I wish. You tell me that I shall let a cord down through the lattice,
but you do not tell me what evening, etc. But I tell you that the
Jealous One had gone to Sovara, if I might speak to you. But the
Confessor is utterly unwilling, and for that reason I do not have you
come here, because now the street door is no longer opened, but you
might be able to open the back door, etc. But that Fate does not wish
it, and you do not. I thank you for the kisses you send me, but if you
yourself could give them to me, I would hold them dear. And I give you
others in reply, as many millions as you have given to me.