I Undeceive Esther--I set out for Germany--Adventure Near Cologne--The
Burgomaster's Wife; My Conquest of Her--Ball at Bonn--Welcome From the
Elector of Cologne--Breakfast at Bruhl--First Intimacy--I sup Without
Being Asked at General Kettler's I am Happy--I Leave Cologne--The Toscani
--The Jewel--My Arrival at Stuttgart
The appointment which Esther had made with me would probably have serious
results; and I felt it due to my honour not to deceive her any longer,
even were it to cost me my happiness; however, I had some hope that all
would turn out well.
I found her in bed, and she told me that she intended to stop there
throughout the day. I approved, for in bed I thought her ravishing.
"We will set to work," said she; and her governess set a little table by
her bed, and she gave me a piece of paper covered with questions tending
to convince me that before I married her I should communicate to her my
supposed science. All these questions were artfully conceived, all were
so worded as to force the oracle to order me to satisfy her, or to
definitely forbid my doing so. I saw the snare, and all my thoughts were
how to avoid it, though I pretended to be merely considering the
questions. I could not make the oracle speak to please Esther, and I
could still less make it pronounce a positive prohibition, as I feared
that she would resent such an answer bitterly and revenge herself on me.
Nevertheless, I had to assume an indifferent air, and I got myself out of
the difficulty by equivocal answers, till the good-humoured papa came to
summon me to dinner.
He allowed his daughter to stay in bed on the condition that she was to
do no more work, as he was afraid that by applying herself so intently
she would increase her headache. She promised, much to my delight, that
he should be obeyed, but on my return from dinner I found her asleep, and
sitting at her bedside I let her sleep on.
When she awoke she said she would like to read a little; and as if by
inspiration, I chanced to take up Coiardeau's 'Heroides', and we inflamed
each other by reading the letters of Heloise and Abelard. The ardours
thus aroused passed into our talk and we began to discuss the secret
which the oracle had revealed.
"But, Esther dear," said I, "did not the oracle reveal a circumstance of
which you knew perfectly well before?"
"No, sweetheart, the secret was perfectly unknown to me and would have
continued unknown."
"Then you have never been curious enough to inspect your own person?"
"However curious I may have been, nature placed that mole in such a
position as to escape any but the most minute search."
"You have never felt it, then?"
"It is too small to be felt."
"I don't believe it."
She allowed my hand to wander indiscreetly, and my happy fingers felt all
the precincts of the temple of love. This was enough to fire the chastest
disposition. I could not find the object of my research, and, not wishing
to stop short at so vain an enjoyment, I was allowed to convince myself
with my eyes that it actually existed. There, however, her concessions
stopped short, and I had to content myself by kissing again and again all
those parts which modesty no longer denied to my gaze.
Satiated with bliss, though I had not attained to the utmost of
enjoyment, which she wisely denied me, after two hours had been devoted
to those pastimes which lead to nothing, I resolved to tell her the whole
truth and to shew her how I had abused her trust in me, though I feared
that her anger would be roused.
Esther, who had a large share of intelligence (indeed if she had had less
I could not have deceived her so well), listened to me without
interrupting me and without any signs of anger or astonishment. At last,
when I had brought my long and sincere confession to an end, she said,
"I know your love for me is as great as mine for you; and if I am certain
that what you have just said cannot possibly be true, I am forced to
conclude that if you do not communicate to me all the secrets of your
science it is because to do so is not in your power. Let us love one
another till death, and say no more about this matter."
After a moment's silence, she went on,--
"If love has taken away from you the courage of sincerity I forgive you,
but I am sorry for you. You have given me too positive proof of the
reality of your science to be able to shake my belief. You could never
have found out a thing of which I myself was ignorant, and of which no
mortal man could know."
"And if I shew you, Esther dear, that I knew you had this mole, that I
had good reasons for supposing you to be ignorant of it, will your belief
be shaken then?"
"You knew it? How could you have seen it? It's incredible!"
"I will tell you all."
I then explained to her the theory of the correspondence of moles on the
various parts of the human body, and to convince her I ended by saying
that her governess who had a large mark on her right cheek ought to have
one very like it on her left thigh. At this she burst into laughter, and
said, "I will find out, but after all you have told me I can only admire
you the more for knowing what no one else does."
"Do you really think, Esther, that I am the sole possessor of this
science? Undeceive yourself. All who have studied anatomy, physiology,
and astrology, know of it."
"Then I beg you to get me, by to-morrow--yes, tomorrow--all the books
which will teach me secrets of that nature. I long to be able to astonish
the ignorant with my cabala, which I see requires a mixture of knowledge
and imposition. I wish to devote myself entirely to this study. We can
love each other to the death, but we can do that without getting
married."
I re-entered my lodging in a peaceful and happy frame of mind; an
enormous weight seemed taken off my spirits. Next morning I purchased
such volumes as I judged would instruct and amuse her at the same time,
and went to present them to her. She was most pleased with my Conis, as
she found in it the character of truth. As she wished to shine by her
answers through the oracle it was necessary for her to have an extensive
knowledge of science, and I put her on the way.
About that time I conceived the idea of making a short tour in Germany
before returning to Paris, and Esther encouraged me to do so, after I had
promised that she should see me again before the end of the year. This
promise was sincerely, given; and though from that day to this I have not
beheld the face of that charming and remarkable woman, I cannot reproach
myself with having deceived her wilfully, for subsequent events prevented
me from keeping my word.
I wrote to M. d'Afri requesting him to procure me a passport through the
empire, where the French and other belligerent powers were then
campaigning. He answered very politely that I had no need of a passport,
but that if I wished to have one he would send it me forthwith. I was
content with this letter and put it among my papers, and at Cologne it
got me a better reception than all the passports in the world.
I made M. d'O---- the depositary of the various moneys I had in different
banking houses, and the worthy man, who was a true friend to me, gave me
a bill of exchange on a dozen of the chief houses in Germany.
When my affairs were all in order I started in my post-chaise, with the
sum of nearly a hundred thousand Dutch florins to my credit, some
valuable jewels, and a well-stocked wardrobe. I sent my Swiss servant
back to Paris, keeping only my faithful Spaniard, who on this occasion
travelled with me, seated behind my chaise.
Thus ends the history of my second visit to Holland, where I did nothing
to augment my fortune. I had some unpleasant experiences there for which
I had my own imprudence to thank, but after the lapse of so many years I
feel that these mishaps were more than compensated by the charms of
Esther's society.
I only stopped one day at Utrecht, and two days after I reached Cologne
at noon, without accident, but not without danger, for at a distance of
half a league from the town five deserters, three on the right hand and
two on the left, levelled their pistols at me, with the words, "Your
money or your life." However, I covered the postillion with my own
pistol, threatening to fire if he did not drive on, and the robbers
discharged their weapons at the carriage, not having enough spirit to
shoot the postillion.
If I had been like the English, who carry a light purse for the benefit
of the highwaymen, I would have thrown it to these poor wretches; but, as
it was, I risked my life rather than be robbed. My Spaniard was quite
astonished not to have been struck by any of the balls which whistled
past his ears.
The French were in winter quarters at Cologne, and I put up at the
"Soleil d'Or." As I was going in, the first person I met was the Comte de
Lastic, Madame d'Urfe's nephew, who greeted me with the utmost
politeness, and offered to take me to M. de Torci, who was in command. I
accepted, and this gentleman was quite satisfied with the letter M.
d'Afri had written me. I told him what had happened to me as I was coming
into Cologne, and he congratulated me on the happy issue of the affair,
but with a soldier's freedom blamed the use I had made of my courage.
"You played high," said he, "to save your money, but you might have lost
a limb, and nothing would have made up for that."
I answered that to make light of a danger often diminished it. We laughed
at this, and he said that if I was going to make any stay in Cologne I
should probably have the pleasure of seeing the highwaymen hanged.
"I intend to go to-morrow," said I, "and if anything could keep me at
Cologne it would certainly not be the prospect of being present at an
execution, as such sights are not at all to my taste."
I had to accept M. de Lastic's invitation to dinner, and he persuaded me
to go with himself and his friend, M. de Flavacour, an officer of high
rank, and an agreeable man, to the theatre. As I felt sure that I should
be introduced to ladies, and wished to make something of a figure, I
spent an hour in dressing.
I found myself in a box opposite to a pretty woman, who looked at me
again and again through her opera-glass. That was enough to rouse my
curiosity, and I begged M. de Lastic to introduce me; which he did with
the best grace imaginable. He first presented me to Count Kettler,
lieutenant-general in the Austrian army, and on the general staff of the
French army--just as the French General Montacet was on the staff of the
Austrian army. I was then presented to the lady whose beauty had
attracted my attention the moment I entered my box. She greeted me
graciously, and asked me questions about Paris and Brussels, where she
had been educated, without appearing to pay any attention to my replies,
but gazing at my lace and jewellery.
While we were talking of indifferent matters, like new acquaintances, she
suddenly but politely asked me if I intended to make a long stay in
Cologne.
"I think of crossing the Rhine to-morrow," I answered, "and shall
probably dine at Bonn."
This reply, which was given as indifferently as her question, appeared to
vex her; and I thought her vexation a good omen. General Kettler then
rose, saying,--
"I am sure, sir, that this lady will persuade you to delay your
departure--at least, I hope so, that I may bane the pleasure of seeing
more of your company."
I bowed and he went out with Lastic, leaving me alone with this ravishing
beauty. She was the burgomaster's wife, and the general was nearly always
with her.
"Is the count right," said she, pleasantly, "in attributing such power to
me?"
"I think so, indeed," I answered, "but he may possibly be wrong in
thinking you care to exercise it."
"Very good! We must catch him, then, if only as the punishment of his
indiscretion. Stay."
I was so astonished at this speech that I looked quite foolish and had to
collect my senses. I thought the word indiscretion sublime, punishment
exquisite, and catching admirable; and still more the idea of catching
him by means of me. I thought it would be a mistake to enquire any
further, and putting on an expression of resignation and gratitude I
lowered my lips and kissed her hand with a mixture of respect and
sentiment, which, without exactly imparting my feelings for her, let her
know that they might be softened without much difficulty.
"Then you will stay, sir! It is really very kind of you, for if you went
off to-morrow people might say that you only came here to shew your
disdain for us. Tomorrow the general gives a ball, and I hope you will be
one of the party."
"Can I hope to dance with you all the evening?"
"I promise to dance with nobody but you, till you get tired of me."
"Then we shall dance together through all the ball."
"Where did you get that pomade which perfumes the air? I smelt it as
soon as you came into the box."
"It came from Florence, and if you do not like it you shall not be
troubled with it any more."
"Oh! but I do like it. I should like some of it myself."
"And I shall be only too happy if you will permit me to send you a little
to-morrow."
Just then the door of the box opened and the entrance of the general
prevented her from replying. I was just going, when the count said:
"I am sure madame has prevailed on you to stay, and to come to my ball
and supper to-morrow?"
"She has led me to anticipate that you would do me that honour, and she
promises to dance the quadrilles with me. How can one resist entreaty
from such lips?"
"Quite so, and I am obliged to her for having kept you with us. I hope to
see you to-morrow."
I went out of the box in love, and almost happy in anticipation. The
pomade was a present from Esther, and it was the first time I had used
it. The box contained twenty-four pots of beautiful china. The next day I
put twelve into an elegant casket, which I wrapped up in oil-cloth and
sent to her without a note.
I spent the morning by going over Cologne with a guide; I visited all the
marvels of the place, and laughed with all my heart to see the horse
Bayard, of whom Ariosto has sung, ridden by the four sons of Aimon, or
Amone, father of Bradamante the Invincible, and Ricciardetto the
Fortunate.
I dined with M. de Castries, and everybody was surprised that the general
had asked me himself to the ball, as his jealousy was known, while the
lady was supposed only to suffer his attentions through a feeling of
vanity. The dear general was well advanced in years, far from
good-looking, and as his mental qualities by no means compensated for his
lack of physical ones he was by no means an object to inspire love. In
spite of his jealousy, he had to appear pleased that I sat next the fair
at supper, and that I spent the night in dancing with her or talking to
her. It was a happy night for me, and I re-entered my lodging no longer
thinking of leaving Cologne. In a moment of ecstasy, emboldened by the
turn the conversation had taken, I had dared to tell her that if she
would meet me alone I would stay in Cologne till the end of the carnival.
"And what would you say," she asked, "if I give my promise, and do not
keep it?"
"I should bemoan my lot, without accusing you; I should say to myself
that you had found it impossible to keep your word."
"You are very good; you must stay with us."
The day after the ball I went to pay her my first visit. She made me
welcome, and introduced me to her worthy husband, who, though neither
young nor handsome, was extremely good-hearted. After I had been there an
hour, we heard the general's carriage coming, and she said to me:
"If he asks you whether you are going to the Elector's ball at Bonn, say
yes!"
The general came in, and after the usual compliments had been passed I
withdrew.
I did not know by whom the ball was to be given, or when it was to take
place, but scenting pleasure from afar off I hastened to make enquiries
about it, and heard that all the good families in Cologne were going. It
was a masked ball, and consequently open to all. I decided then that I
would go; indeed I concluded that I had had orders to that effect, and at
all events my lady would be there, and I might hope for a happy meeting
with her. But as I wished to keep up my incognito as much as possible, I
resolved to reply to all who asked me that important business would
prevent my being present.
It fell out that the general asked me this very question in the presence
of the lady, and without regard to the orders I had received from her I
replied that my health would forbid my having that pleasure.
"You are very wise, sir," said the general, "all the pleasures on earth
should be sacrificed when it is a question of one's health."
I think so, too, now, but I thought differently then.
On the day of the ball, towards the evening, I set out in a post-chaise,
disguised so that not a soul in Cologne could have recognized me, and
provided with a box containing two dominoes; and on my arrival at Bonn I
took a room and put on one of the dominoes, locking up the other in the
box; and I then had myself carried to the ball in a sedan-chair.
I got in easily and unperceived, and recognized all the ladies of Cologne
without their masks, and my mistress sitting at a faro-table risking a
ducat. I was glad to see in the banker, Count Verita of Verona, whom I
had known in Bavaria. He was in the Elector's service. His small bank did
not contain more than five or six ducats, and the punters, men and women,
were not more than twelve. I took up a position by my mistress, and the
banker asked me to cut. I excused myself with a gesture, and my neighbour
cut without being asked. I put ten ducats on a single card, and lost four
times running; I played at the second deal, and experienced the same
fate. At the third deal nobody would cut, and the general, who was
standing by but not playing, agreed to do so. I fancied his cutting would
be lucky, and I put fifty ducats on one card. I won. I went 'paroli', and
at the second deal I broke the bank. Everybody was curious about me; I
was stared at and followed, but seizing a favourable opportunity I made
my escape.
I went to my room, took out my money, changed my costume, and returned to
the ball. I saw the table occupied by new gamesters, and another banker
who seemed to have a good deal of gold, but not caring to play any more I
had not brought much money with me. I mingled in all the groups in the
ballroom, and on all sides I heard expressions of curiosity about the
mask who broke the first bank.
I did not care to satisfy the general curiosity, but made my way from one
side of the room to the other till I found the object of my search
talking to Count Verita, and as I drew near I found out that they were
talking of me. The count was saying that the Elector had been asking who
had broken the bank, and that General Kettler had expressed his opinion
that it was a Venetian who had been in Cologne for the last week. My
mistress answered that she did not think I was there, as she had heard me
say that the state of my health would keep me at home.
"I know Casanova," said the count, "and if he be at Bonn the Elector
shall hear of it, and he shan't go off without my seeing him." I saw that
I might easily be discovered after the ball, but I defied the keenest
eyes to penetrate beneath my present disguise. I should have, no doubt,
remained unknown, but when the quadrilles were being arranged I took my
place in one, without reflecting that I should have to take off my mask.
As soon as my mistress saw me she told me she had been deceived, as she
would have wagered that I was the masker who broke Count Verita's bank. I
told her I had only just come.
At the end of the dance the count spied me out and said, "My dear
fellow-countryman, I am sure you are the man who broke my bank; I
congratulate you."
"I should congratulate myself if I were the fortunate individual."
"I am sure that it was you."
I left him laughing, and after having taken some refreshments I continued
dancing. Two hours afterwards the count saw me again and said,--
"You changed your domino in such a room, in such a house. The Elector
knows all about it, and as a punishment for this deceit he has ordered me
to tell you that you are not to leave Bonn to-morrow."
"Is he going to arrest me, then?"
"Why not, if you refuse his invitation to dinner tomorrow?"
"Tell his highness that his commands shall be obeyed. Will you present me
to him now?"
"He has left the ball, but wait on me to-morrow at noon." So saying, he
gave me his hand and went away.
I took care to keep the appointment on the day following, but when I was
presented I was in some confusion, as the Elector was surrounded by five
or six courtiers, and never having seen him I looked in vain for an
ecclesiastic. He saw my embarrassment and hastened to put an end to it,
saying, in bad Venetian, "I am wearing the costume of Grand Master of the
Teutonic Order to-day." In spite of his costume I made the usual
genuflexion, and when I would have kissed his hand he would not allow it,
but shook mine in an affectionate manner. "I was at Venice," said he,
"when you were under the Leads, and my nephew, the Elector of Bavaria,
told me that after your fortunate escape you stayed some time at Munich;
if you had come to Cologne I should have kept you. I hope that after
dinner you will be kind enough to tell us the story of your escape, that
you will stay to supper, and will join in a little masquerade with which
we propose to amuse ourselves."
I promised to tell my tale if he thought it would not weary him, warning
him that it would take two hours. "One could never have too much of a
good thing," he was kind enough to say; and I made him laugh by my
account of the conversation between the Duc de Choiseul and myself.
At dinner the prince spoke to me in Venetian, and was pleased to be most
gracious towards me. He was a man of a jovial and easy-going disposition,
and with his look of health one would not have prophesied so soon an end
as came to him. He died the year following.
As soon as we rose from table he begged me to begin my story, and for two
hours I had the pleasure of keeping this most brilliant company amused.
My readers know the history; its interest lies in the dramatic nature of
the details, but it is impossible to communicate the fire of a well-told
story to an account in writing.
The Elector's little bail was very pleasant. We were all dressed as
peasants, and the costumes were taken from a special wardrobe of the
prince's. It would have been ridiculous to choose any other dresses, as
the Elector wore one of the same kind himself. General Kettler was the
best disguised of us all; he looked the rustic to the life. My mistress
was ravishing. We only danced quadrilles and German dances. There were
only four or five ladies of the highest rank; all the others, who were
more or less pretty, were favourites of the prince, all his days a great
lover of the fair sex. Two of these ladies danced the Forlana, and the
Elector was much amused in making me dance it also. I have already said
that the Forlana is a Venetian dance, and one of the most energetic kind
imaginable. It is danced by a lady and gentleman opposite to one another,
and as the two ladies relieved one another they were almost the death of
me. One has to be strong to dance twelve turns, and after the thirteenth
I felt I could do no more, and begged for mercy.
Soon after we danced another dance, where each gentleman kisses a lady. I
was not too shy, and each time I continued to kiss my mistress with
considerable ardour, which made the peasant-elector burst with laughter
and the peasant-general burst with rage.
In a lull between the dances, this charming and original woman found
means to tell me in private that all the Cologne ladies would leave at
noon on the next day, and that I would increase my popularity by inviting
them all to breakfast at Bruhl.
"Send each one a note with the name of her cavalier, and trust in Count
Verita to do everything for the best; you need only tell him that you
wish to give an entertainment similar to that given two years ago by the
Prince de Deux-Ponts. Lose no time. You will have a score of guests; mind
you let them know the hour of the repast. Take care, too, that your
invitations are sent round by nine o'clock in the morning."
All these instructions were uttered with lightning speed, and I,
enchanted with the power my mistress thought she possessed over me,
thought only of obeying, without reflecting whether I owed her obedience.
Bruhl, breakfast, a score of people like the Prince Deux-Ponts,
invitations to the ladies, Count Verita; I knew as much as she could have
told me if she had taken an hour.
I left the room in my peasant's dress, and begged a page to take me to
Count Verita, who began to laugh on seeing my attire. I told my business
with the importance of an ambassador, and this made him in a still better
humour.
"It can all easily be arranged," said he, "I have only to write to the
steward, and I will do so immediately. But how much do you want to
spend?"
"As much as possible."
"As little as possible, I suppose you mean."
"Not at all; I want to treat my guests with magnificence."
"All the same you must fix on a sum, as I know whom I've got to deal
with."
"Well, well! two-three hundred ducats; will that do?"
"Two hundred; the Prince de Deux-Ponts did not spend more."
He began to write, and gave me his word that everything should be in
readiness. I left him and addressing myself to a sharp Italian page said
that I would give two ducats to the valet who would furnish me with the
names of the Cologne ladies who were in Bonn, and of the gentlemen who
had accompanied them. I got what I wanted in less than half an hour, and
before leaving the ball I told my mistress that all should be done
according to her desires.
I wrote eighteen notes before I went to bed, and in the morning a
confidential servant had delivered them before nine o'clock.
At nine o'clock I went to take leave of Count Verita, who gave me, on
behalf of the Elector, a superb gold snuff-box with his portrait set in
diamonds. I was very sensible of this mark of kindness, and I wished to
go and thank his serene highness before my departure, but my friendly
fellow-countryman told me that I might put off doing so till I passed
through Bonn on my way to Frankfort.
Breakfast was ordered for one o'clock. At noon I had arrived at Bruhl, a
country house of the Elector's, with nothing remarkable about it save its
furniture. In this it is a poor copy of the Trianon. In a fine hall I
found a table laid for twenty-four persons, arranged with silver gilt
plates, damask linen, and exquisite china, while the sideboard was
adorned with an immense quantity of silver and silvergilt plate. At one
end of the room were two other tables laden with sweets and the choicest
wines procurable. I announced myself as the host, and the cook told me I
should be perfectly satisfied.
"The collation," said he, "will be composed of only twenty-four dishes,
but in addition there will be twenty-four dishes of English oysters and a
splendid dessert."
I saw a great number of servants, and told him that they would not be
necessary, but he said they were, as the guests' servants could not be
admitted.
I received all my guests at the door, confining my compliments to begging
their pardons for having been so bold as to procure myself this great
honour.
The breakfast was served at one exactly, and I had the pleasure of
enjoying the astonishment in my mistress's eyes when she saw that I had
treated them as well as a prince of the empire. She was aware that
everybody knew her to be the chief object of this lavish outlay, but she
was delighted to see that I did not pay her any attentions which were at
all invidious. The table was seated for twenty-four, and though I had
only asked eighteen people every place was occupied. Three couples,
therefore, had come without being asked; but that pleased me all the
more. Like a courtly cavalier I would not sit down, but waited on the
ladies, going from one to the other, eating the dainty bits they gave me,
and seeing that all had what they wanted.
By the time the oysters were done twenty bottles of champagne had been
emptied, so that when the actual breakfast commenced everybody began to
talk at once. The meal might easily have passed for a splendid dinner,
and I was glad to see that not a drop of water was drunk, for the
Champagne, Tokay, Rhine wine, Madeira, Malaga, Cyprus, Alicante, and Cape
wine would not allow it.
Before dessert was brought on an enormous dish of truffles was placed on
the table. I advised my guests to take Maraschino with it, and those
ladies who appreciated the liqueur drank it as if it had been water. The
dessert was really sumptuous. In it were displayed the portraits of all
the monarchs of Europe. Everyone complimented the cook on his
achievement, and he, his vanity being tickled and wishing to appear
good-natured, said that none of it would spoil in the pocket, and
accordingly everybody took as much as they chose.
General Kettler, who, in spite of his jealousy and the part he saw me
play, had no suspicion of the real origin of the banquet, said,
"I will wager that this is the Elector's doing. His highness has desired
to preserve his incognito, and M. Casanova has played his part to
admiration."
This remark set all the company in a roar.
"General," said I, "if the Elector had given me such an order, I should,
of course, have obeyed him, but I should have felt it a humiliating part
to play. His highness, however, has deigned to do me a far greater
honour; look here." So saying, I shewed him the gold snuff-box, which
made the tour of the table two or three times over.
When we had finished, we rose from table, astonished to find we had been
engaged for three hours in a pleasurable occupation, which all would
willingly have prolonged; but at last we had to part, and after many
compliments they all went upon their way, in order to be in time for the
theatre. As well pleased as my guests, I left twenty ducats with the
steward, for the servants, and promised him to let Count Verita know of
my satisfaction in writing.
I arrived at Cologne in time for the French play, and as I had no
carriage I went to the theatre in a sedan chair. As soon as I got into
the house, I saw the Comte de Lastic alone with my fair one. I thought
this a good omen, and I went to them directly. As soon as she saw me, she
said with a melancholy air that the general had got so ill that he had
been obliged to go to bed. Soon after, M. de Lastic left us, and dropping
her assumed melancholy she made me, with the utmost grace, a thousand
compliments, which compensated me for the expenses of my breakfast a
hundred times over.
"The general," said she, "had too much to drink; he is an envious devil,
and has discovered that it is not seemly of you to treat us as if you
were a prince. I told him that, on the contrary, you had treated us as if
we were princes, waiting on us with your napkin on your arm. He thereupon
found fault with me for degrading you."
"Why do you not send him about his business? So rude a fellow is not
worthy of serving so famous a beauty."
"It's too late. A woman whom you don't know would get possession of him.
I should be obliged to conceal my feelings, and that would vex me."
"I understand--I understand. Would that I were a great prince! In the
mean time, let me tell you that my sickness is greater than Kettler's."
"You are joking, I hope."
"Nay, not at all; I am speaking seriously, for the kisses I was so happy
to snatch from you at the ball have inflamed my blood, and if you have
not enough kindness to cure me in the only possible way I shall leave
Cologne with a life-long grief."
"Put off your departure: why should you desire to go to Stuttgart so
earnestly? I think of you, believe me, and I do not wish to deceive you;
but it is hard to find an opportunity."
"If you had not the general's carriage waiting for you to-night, and I
had mine, I could take you home with perfect propriety."
"Hush! As you have not your carriage, it is my part to take you home. It
is a splendid idea, that we must so contrive it that it may not seem to
be a concerted plan. You must give me your arm to my carriage, and I
shall then ask you where your carriage is; you will answer that you have
not got one. I shall ask you to come into mine, and I will drop you at
your hotel. It will only give us a couple of minutes, but that is
something till we are more fortunate."
I replied to her only by a look which expressed the intoxication of my
spirits at the prospect of so great bliss.
Although the play was quite a short one, it seemed to me to last for
ever. At last the curtain fell, and we went downstairs. When we got to
the portico she asked me the questions we had agreed upon, and when I
told her I had not got a carriage, she said, "I am going to the general's
to ask after his health; if it will not take you too much out of your
way, I can leave you at your lodging as we come back."
It was a grand idea. We should pass the entire length of the ill-paved
town twice, and thus we secured a little more time. Unfortunately, the
carriage was a chariot, and as we were going the moon shone directly on
us. On that occasion the planet was certainly not entitled to the
appellation of the lovers' friend. We did all we could, but that was
almost nothing, and I found the attempt a desperate one, though my lovely
partner endeavoured to help me as much as possible. To add to our
discomforts, the inquisitive and impudent coachman kept turning his head
round, which forced us to moderate the energy of our movements. The
sentry at the general's door told our coachman that his excellency could
see no one, and we joyfully turned towards my hotel, and now that the
moon was behind us and the man's curiosity less inconvenient, we got on a
little better, or rather not so badly as before, but the horses seemed to
me to fly rather than gallop; however, feeling that it would be well to
have the coachman on my side in case of another opportunity, I gave him a
ducat as I got down.
I entered the hotel feeling vexed and unhappy, though more in love than
ever, for my fair one had convinced me that she was no passive mistress,
but could experience pleasure as well as give it. That being the case I
resolved not to leave Cologne before we had drained the cup of pleasure
together, and that, it seemed to me, could not take place till the
general was out of the way.
Next day, at noon, I went to the general's house to write down my name,
but I found he was receiving visitors and I went in. I made the general
an appropriate compliment, to which the rude Austrian only replied by a
cold inclination of the head. He was surrounded by a good many officers,
and after four minutes I made a general bow and went out. The boor kept
his room for three days, and as my mistress did not come to the theatre I
had not the pleasure of seeing her.
On the last day of the carnival Kettler asked a good many people to a
ball and supper. On my going to pay my court to my mistress in her box at
the theatre, and being left for a moment alone with her, she asked me if
I were invited to the general's supper. I answered in the negative.
"What!" said she, in an imperious and indignant voice, "he has not asked
you? You must go, for all that."
"Consider what you say," said I, gently, "I will do anything to please
you but that."
"I know all you can urge; nevertheless, you must go. I should feel
insulted if you were not at that supper. If you love me you will give me
this proof of your affection and (I think I may say) esteem."
"You ask me thus? Then I will go. But are you aware that you are exposing
me to the danger of losing my life or taking his? for I am not the man to
pass over an affront."
"I know all you can say," said she. "I have your honour at heart as much
as mine, or perhaps more so, but nothing will happen to you; I will
answer for everything. You must go, and you must give me your promise
now, for I am resolved if you do not go, neither will I, but we must
never see each other more."
"Then you may reckon upon me."
At that moment M. de Castries came in, and I left the box and went to the
pit, where I passed two anxious hours in reflecting on the possible
consequences of the strange step this woman would have me take.
Nevertheless, such was the sway of her beauty aver my soul, I determined
to abide by my promise and to carry the matter through, and to put myself
in the wrong as little as possible. I went to the general's at the end of
the play, and only found five or six people there. I went up to a
canoness who was very fond of Italian poetry, and had no trouble in
engaging her in an interesting discussion. In half an hour the room was
full, my mistress coming in last on the general's arm. I was taken up
with the canoness and did not stir, and consequently Kettler did not
notice me, while the lady in great delight at seeing me left him no time
to examine his guests, and he was soon talking to some people at the
other end of the room. In a quarter of an hour afterwards supper was
announced. The canoness rose, took my arm, and we seated ourselves at
table together, still talking about Italian literature. Then came the
catastrophe. When all the places had been taken one gentleman was left
standing, there being no place for him. "How can that have happened?"
said the general, raising his voice, and while the servants were bringing
another chair and arranging another place he passed his guests in review.
All the while I pretended not to notice what was going on, but when he
came to me he said loudly,
"Sir, I did not ask you to come."
"That is quite true, general," I said, respectfully, "but I thought, no
doubt correctly, that the omission was due to forgetfulness, and I
thought myself obliged all the same to come and pay my court to your
excellency."
Without a pause I renewed my conversation with the canoness, not so much
as looking around. A dreadful silence reigned for four or five minutes,
but the canoness began to utter witticisms which I took up and
communicated to my neighbours, so that in a short time the whole table
was in good spirits except the general, who preserved a sulky silence.
This did not much matter to me, but my vanity was concerned in smoothing
him down, and I watched for my opportunity.
M. de Castries was praising the dauphin, and his brothers, the Comte de
Lusace and the Duc de Courlande, were mentioned; this led the
conversation up to Prince Biron, formerly a duke, who was in Siberia, and
his personal qualities were discussed, one of the guests having said that
his chiefest merit was to have pleased the Empress Anne. I begged his
pardon, saying,--
"His greatest merit was to have served faithfully the last Duke Kettler;
who if it had not been for the courage of him who is now so unfortunate,
would have lost all his belongings in the war. It was Duke Kettler who so
heroically sent him to the Court of St. Petersburg, but Biron never asked
for the duchy. An earldom would have satisfied him, as he recognized the
rights of the younger branch of the Kettler family, which would be
reigning now if it were not for the empress's whim: nothing would satisfy
her but to confer a dukedom on the favourite."
The general, whose face had cleared while I was speaking, said, in the
most polite manner of which he was capable, that I was a person of
remarkable information, adding regretfully,--
"Yes, if it were not for that whim I should be reigning now."
After this modest remark he burst into a fit of laughter and sent me down
a bottle of the best Rhine wine, and addressed his conversation to me
till the supper was over. I quietly enjoyed the turn things had taken,
but still more the pleasure I saw expressed in the beautiful eyes of my
mistress.
Dancing went on all night, and I did not leave my canoness, who was a
delightful woman and danced admirably. With my lady I only danced one
minuet. Towards the end of the ball the general, to finish up with a
piece of awkwardness, asked me if I was going soon. I replied that I did
not think of leaving Cologne till after the grand review.
I went to bed full of joy at having given the burgomaster's wife such a
signal proof of my love, and full of gratitude to fortune who had helped
me so in dealing with my doltish general, for God knows what I should
have done if he had forgotten himself so far as to tell me to leave the
table! The next time I saw the fair she told me she had felt a mortal
pang of fear shoot through her when the general said he had not asked me.
"I am quite sure," said she, "that he would have gone further, if your
grand answer had not stopped his mouth; but if he had said another word,
my mind was made up."
"To do what?"
"I should have risen from the table and taken your arm, and we should
have gone out together. M. de Castries has told me that he would have
done the same, and I believe all the ladies whom you asked to breakfast
would have followed our example."
"But the affair would not have stopped then, for I should certainly have
demanded immediate satisfaction, and if he had refused it I should have
struck him with the flat of my sword."
"I know that, but pray forget that it was I who exposed you to this
danger. For my part, I shall never forget what I owe to you, and I will
try to convince you of my gratitude."
Two days later, on hearing that she was indisposed, I went to call on her
at eleven o'clock, at which time I was sure the general would not be
there. She received me in her husband's room, and he, in the friendliest
manner possible, asked me if I had come to dine with them. I hastened to
thank him for his invitation, which I accepted with pleasure, and I
enjoyed this dinner better than Kettler's supper. The burgomaster was a
fine-looking man, pleasant-mannered and intelligent, and a lover of peace
and quietness. His wife, whom he adored, ought to have loved him, since
he was by no means one of those husbands whose motto is, "Displease whom
you like, so long as you please me."
On her husband's going out for a short time, she shewed me over the
house.
"Here is our bedroom," said she; "and this is the closet in which I sleep
for five or six nights in every month. Here is a church which we may look
upon as our private chapel, as we hear mass from those two grated
windows. On Sundays we go down this stair and enter the church by a door,
the key to which is always in my keeping." It was the second Saturday in
Lent; we had an excellent fasting dinner, but I did not for once pay much
attention to eating. To see this young and beautiful woman surrounded by
her children, adored by her family, seemed to me a beautiful sight. I
left them at an early hour to write to Esther, whom I did not neglect,
all occupied as I was with this new flame.
Next day I went to hear mass at the little church next to the
burgomaster's house. I was well cloaked so as not to attract attention. I
saw my fair one going out wearing a capuchin, and followed by her family.
I noted the little door which was so recessed in the wall that it would
have escaped the notice of anyone who was unaware of its existence; it
opened, I saw, towards the staircase.
The devil, who, as everybody knows, has more power in a church than
anywhere else, put into my head the idea of enjoying my mistress by means
of the door and stair. I told her my plan the next day at the theatre.
"I have thought of it as well as you," said she, laughing, "and I will
give you the necessary instructions in writing; you will find them in the
first gazette I send you."
We could not continue this pleasant interview, as my mistress had with
her a lady from Aix-la-Chapelle, who was staying with her for a few days.
And indeed the box was full of company.
I had not long to wait, for next day she gave me back the gazette openly,
telling me that she had not found anything to interest her in it. I knew
that it would be exceedingly interesting to me. Her note was as follows:
"The design which love inspired is subject not to difficulty but
uncertainty. The wife only sleeps in the closet when her husband asks
her--an event which only occurs at certain periods, and the separation
does not last for more than a few days. This period is not far off, but
long custom has made it impossible for the wife to impose on her husband.
It will, therefore, be necessary to wait. Love will warn you when the
hour of bliss has come. The plan will be to hide in the church; and there
must be no thought of seducing the door-keeper, for though poor he is too
stupid to be bribed, and would betray the secret. The only way will be to
hide so as to elude his watchfulness. He shuts the church at noon on
working days; on feast days he shuts it at evening, and he always opens
it again at dawn. When the time comes, all that need be done is to give
the door a gentle push-it will not be locked. As the closet which is to
be the scene of the blissful combat is only separated from the room by a
partition, there must be no spitting, coughing, nor nose-blowing: it
would be fatal. The escape will be a matter of no difficulty; one can go
down to the church, and go out as soon as it is opened. Since the beadle
has seen nobody in the evening, it is not likely that he will see more in
the morning."
I kissed again and again this charming letter, which I thought shewed
great power of mental combination, and I went next day to see how the
coast lay: this was the first thing to be done. There was a chair in the
church in which I should never have been seen, but the stair was on the
sacristy side, and that was always locked up. I decided on occupying the
confessional, which was close to the door. I could creep into the space
beneath the confessor's seat, but it was so small that I doubted my
ability to stay there after the door was shut. I waited till noon to make
the attempt, and as soon as the church was empty I took up my position. I
had to roll myself up into a ball, and even then I was so badly concealed
by the folding door that anyone happening to pass by at two paces
distance might easily have seen me. However I did not care for that, for
in adventures of that nature one must leave a great deal to fortune.
Determined to run all risks I went home highly pleased with my
observations. I put everything I had determined down in writing, and sent
it to her box at the theatre, enclosed in an old gazette.
A week after she asked the general in my presence if her husband could do
anything for him at Aix-la-Chapelle, where he was going on the morrow,
with the intention of returning in three days. That was enough for me,
but a glance from her added meaning to her words. I was all the more glad
as I had a slight cold, and the next day being a feast day I could take
up my position at night fall, and thus avoid a painful vigil of several
hours' duration.
I curled myself up in the confessional at four o'clock, hiding myself as
best I could, and commending myself to the care of all the saints. At
five o'clock the beadle made his usual tour of inspection, went out and
locked the door. As soon as I heard the noise of the key I came out of my
narrow cell and sat down on a bench facing the windows. Soon after my
mistress's shadow appeared on the grated panes, and I knew she had seen
me.
I sat on the bench for a quarter of an hour and then pushed open the
little door and entered. I shut it and sat down on the lowest step of the
stair, and spent there five hours which would probably have not been
unpleasant ones if I had not been dreadfully tormented by the rats
running to and fro close to me. Nature has given me a great dislike to
this animal, which is comparatively harmless; but the smell of rats
always sickens me.
At last I heard the clock strike ten, the hour of bliss, and I saw the
form of my beloved holding a candle, and I was then freed from my painful
position. If my readers have been in such a situation they can imagine
the pleasures of that happy night, but they cannot divine the minute
circumstances; for if I was an expert my partner had an inexhaustible
store of contrivances for augmenting the bliss of that sweet employment.
She had taken care to get me a little collation, which looked delicious,
but which I could not touch, my appetite lying in another quarter.
For seven hours, which I thought all too short, we enjoyed one another,
not resting, except for talk, which served to heighten our pleasure.
The burgomaster was not the man for an ardent passion, but his strength
of constitution enabled him to do his duty to his wife every night
without failing, but, whether from regard to his health or from a
religious scruple, he suspended his rights every month while the moon
exercised hers, and to put himself out of temptation he made his wife
sleep apart. But for once in a way, the lady was not in the position of a
divorcee.
Exhausted, but not satiated with pleasure, I left her at day-break,
assuring her that when we met again she would find me the same; and with
that I went to hide in the confessional, fearing lest the growing light
might betray me to the beadle. However, I got away without any
difficulty, and passed nearly the whole day in bed, having my dinner
served to me in my room. In the evening I went to the theatre, to have
the pleasure of seeing the beloved object of whom my love and constancy
had made me the possessor.
At the end of a fortnight she sent me a note in which she told me that
she would sleep by herself on the night following. It was a ferial day,
and I therefore went to the church at eleven in the morning after making
an enormous breakfast. I hid myself as before, and the beadle locked me
in without making any discovery.
I had a wait of ten hours, and the reflection that I should have to spend
the time partly in the church and partly on the dark and rat-haunted
staircase, without being able to take a pinch of snuff for fear of being
obliged to blow my nose, did not tend to enliven the prospect; however,
the hope of the great reward made it easy to be borne. But at one o'clock
I heard a slight noise, and looking up saw a hand appear through the
grated window, and a paper drop on the floor of the church. I ran to pick
it up, while my heart beat fast, for my first idea was that some obstacle
had occurred which would compel me to pass the night on a bench in the
church. I opened it, and what was my joy to read as follows:
"The door is open, and you will be more comfortable on the staircase,
where you will find a light, a little dinner, and some books, than in the
church. The seat is not very easy, but I have done my best to remedy the
discomfort with a cushion. Trust me, the time will seem as long to me as
to you, but be patient. I have told the general that I do not feel very
well, and shall not go out to-day. May God keep you from coughing,
especially during the night, for on the least noise we should be undone."
What stratagems are inspired by love! I opened the door directly, and
found a nicely-laid meal, dainty viands, delicious wine, coffee, a
chafing dish, lemons, spirits of wine, sugar, and rum to make some punch
if I liked. With these comforts and some books, I could wait well enough;
but I was astonished at the dexterity of my charming mistress in doing
all this without the knowledge of anybody in the house.
I spent three hours in reading, and three more in eating, and making
coffee and punch, and then I went to sleep. At ten o'clock my darling
came and awoke me. This second night was delicious, but not so much so as
the former, as we could not see each other, and the violence of our
ecstatic combats was restrained by the vicinity of the good husband. We
slept part of the time, and early in the morning I had to make good my
retreat. Thus ended my amour with this lady. The general went to
Westphalia, and she was soon to go into the country. I thus made my
preparations for leaving Cologne, promising to come and see her the year
following, which promise however I was precluded, as the reader will see,
from keeping. I took leave of my acquaintance and set out, regretted by
all.
The stay of two months and a half which I made in Cologne did not
diminish my monetary resources, although I lost whenever I was persuaded
to play. However, my winnings at Bonn made up all deficiencies, and my
banker, M. Franck, complained that I had not made any use of him.
However, I was obliged to be prudent so that those persons who spied into
my actions might find nothing reprehensible.
I left Cologne about the middle of March, and I stopped at Bonn, to
present my respects to the Elector, but he was away. I dined with Count
Verita and the Abbe Scampar, a favourite of the Elector's. After dinner
the count gave me a letter of introduction to a canoness at Coblentz, of
whom he spoke in very high terms. That obliged me to stop at Coblentz;
but when I got down at the inn, I found that the canoness was at Manheim,
while in her stead I encountered an actress named Toscani, who was going
to Stuttgart with her young and pretty daughter. She was on her way from
Paris, where her daughter had been learning character-dancing with the
famous Vestris. I had known her at Paris, but had not seen much of her,
though I had given her a little spaniel dog, which was the joy of her
daughter. This daughter was a perfect jewel, who had very little
difficulty in persuading me to come with them to Stuttgart, where I
expected, for other reasons, to have a very pleasant stay. The mother was
impatient to know what the duke would think of her daughter, for she had
destined her from her childhood to serve the pleasures of this voluptuous
prince, who, though he had a titular mistress, was fond of experimenting
with all the ballet-girls who took his fancy.
We made up a little supper-party, and it may be guessed that two of us
belonging to the boards the conversation was not exactly a course in
moral theology. The Toscani told me that her daughter was a neophyte, and
that she had made up her mind not to let the duke touch her till he had
dismissed his reigning mistress, whose place she was designed to take.
The mistress in question was a dancer named Gardella, daughter of a
Venetian boatman, whose name has been mentioned in my first volume--in
fine, she was the wife of Michel d'Agata, whom I found at Munich fleeing
from the terrible Leads, where I myself languished for so long.
As I seemed to doubt the mother's assertion, and threw out some rather
broad hints to the effect that I believed that the first bloom had been
plucked at Paris, and that the Duke of Wurtemburg would only have the
second, their vanity was touched; and on my proposing to verify the
matter with my own eyes it was solemnly agreed that this ceremony should
take place the next day. They kept their promise, and I was pleasantly
engaged for two hours the next morning, and was at last obliged to
extinguish in the mother the flames her daughter had kindled in my
breast.
Although the Toscani was young enough, she would have found me ice if her
daughter had been able to satisfy my desires, but she did not trust me
well enough to leave us alone together. As it was she was well satisfied.
I resolved, then, on going to Stuttgart in company with the two nymphs,
and I expected to see there the Binetti, who was always an enthusiastic
admirer of mine. This actress was the daughter of a Roman boatman. I had
helped her to get on the boards the same year that Madame de Valmarana
had married her to a French dancer named Binet, whose name she had
Italianized by the addition of one syllable, like those who ennoble
themselves by adding another syllable to their names. I also expected to
see the Gardella, young Baletti, of whom I was very fond, his young wife
the Vulcani, and several other of my old friends, who I thought would
combine to make my stay at Stuttgart a very pleasant one. But it will be
seen that it is a risky thing to reckon without one's host. At the last
posting station I bid adieu to my two friends, and went to the "Bear."