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The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt Novel Chapters
List of most recent chapters published for the The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt novel. A total of 566 chapters have been translated and the release date of the last chapter is Apr 02, 2024
Latest Release: Chapter 1 : The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt.Vol. I."Venetian Years"by Jacques
The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt.Vol. I."Venetian Years"by Jacques Casanova de Seingalt.CASANOVA AT DUX An Unpublished Chapter of History, By Arthur Symons I The Memoirs of Casanova, though they have enjoyed the popularity of a bad re
- 201 I told Le Duc to shew him in, and to stay by the door. I saw enter a well-made man of about forty, dressed in the uniform of an officer of I do not know what army, and bearing on his countenance all the marks of an escaped gallows'-bird."What ca
- 202 "And now, my children, you see what I owe to the oracle. On the Exchange the whole company can do nothing but express their grat.i.tude to me. I am regarded as the most prudent and most fa.r.s.eeing man in Holland. To you, my dear children, I owe thi
- 203 "No, no, my dear Esther; pity your friend, and say no more about it.""Then I may read all the letters?""Yes, dearest, if it will amuse you."All the letters of the faithless Manon Baletti to me, with mine to her, were together
- 204 Next day I took Esther to the concert, and while we were there she told me that on the day following she would not leave her room, so that we could talk about getting married without fear of interruption. This was the last day of the year 1759.CHAPTER XI
- 205 "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,
- 206 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 kin
- 207 "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 pa.s.sed two anxious hours in reflecting on the possible consequences of the strange step this woman would have me take.Neverthe
- 208 CHAPTER XII Gardella Portrait of The Duke of Wurtemburg--My Dinner with Gardella, And its Consequences--Unfortunate Meeting I Play and Lose Four Thousand Louis--Lawsuit--Lucky Flight-- My Arrival at Zurich--Church Consecrated By Jesus Christ Himself At th
- 209 I did not at all like following them, but my evil genius led me in that wretched town from one blunder to another, and so I went in spite of myself.We turned back into the town, and I let myself be led up to the third floor of an ill-looking house, and in
- 210 "I am in bad enough case," I replied, "for you to grant me the favour of seeing you all together; I cannot think you will refuse me.""Well, well, you shall be satisfied, but if you are in a hurry to leave Stuttgart I must warn you
- 211 The church door was open, and I went in and was amazed at the rich marbles and the beauty of the altars; and, after hearing the last ma.s.s, I went to the sacristy and found myself in a crowd of Benedictines.The abbot, whom I recognized by his cross, came
- 212 My landlord, whose name was Ote, had been a captain, and was thought a great deal of at Zurich. He told me that all the carriages in the neighbourhood were uncovered. I said they would do, as there was nothing better to be had, and he informed me I could
- 213 "We have a waiter who knows his work," said the lady of my thoughts."Have you been long at this inn?""Only a few weeks, madam.""You wait very well.""Madam is very good."I had tucked in my superb ruffles of
- 214 When I got back Le Duc told me that I had been wise to slip away, as my masquerade had become generally known, and the whole house, including the landlord, had been eagerly waiting to see me play the part of waiter. "I took your place," he added
- 215 "I shall always remember," he said, "the kindness with which the Venetians treated me; but tell me, I beg, the names of those gentlemen who still remember me; they must be quite old now."This was what I was waiting for. M. de Malipiero
- 216 "In what respect do you think me timid?" said I; to which she gave me no answer, but I knew perfectly well what she meant. I was tired of my part, and I had determined to play it no more when we had acted L'Ecossaise.All the best people at
- 217 "Perhaps I have gone a little too far; but I told him that by means of your acquaintance with the d.u.c.h.esse de Grammont you could do anything with the minister.""I must make you a true prophet; I will do all I can."The consequence w
- 218 I then went to see the rest of my people. I found two sharp-looking footmen, and the first of them told me he would see I had what wine I wanted. Then I inspected my bath, which seemed convenient. An apothecary was preparing certain matters for my imagina
- 219 "But me no buts, my dear; laugh away just as you like, you will find that the best way to get over me. I really think, though, that you put your services at too cheap a rate.""That makes me laugh again, as it is for you to increase my wages
- 220 "I can hardly credit her requesting, or your granting, such a thing,"said she, "unless you have some motives of your own."I saw the force of her argument, and not wis.h.i.+ng to make a confidante of her I held my tongue, and went out t
- 221 "I am delighted to hear it; but I think she is very pretty."We went in to see her nurse, who called her "my child," and kissed her again and again, and then left us alone to prepare some lemonade for us.As soon as we found ourselves al
- 222 "I am delighted," I said, "to have been of service to you.""And I," said he, "am equally pleased to a.s.sure you of my grat.i.tude.Come and breakfast with us, my wife is still at her toilette. Come along."I rose has
- 223 "Your sadness," said she, "is not like you; it frightens me. You may console yourself by telling me of your troubles, but do not imagine that my curiosity springs from any unworthy motive, I only want to be of service to you. You may rely o
- 224 "That will do; he is just what we want under the circ.u.mstances. I will begin by a.s.suring you, my dear friend, as you will have me style you thus, that Madame's honour is perfectly safe. Follow my advice, and if the detestable widow does not
- 225 "I only want to have credit in your eyes.""You cannot doubt that I honour you immensely, and I shall certainly not deprive you of the reward that is your due.""The only reward I ask for is for you to be perfectly open with me.&quo
- 226 "You are right--a burst of Venus! When I think that I only touched two dangling flabby b.r.e.a.s.t.s, I feel as if I did not deserve to live!""And you felt them, and they did not disgust you!""Could I be disgusted, could I even re
- 227 "I would go with you to the end of the world, all the more as you are now sick and sad, and when I saw you first you were blithe and well. If I must leave you, I hope at least to see you happy first."The doctor came in just then to tell me that
- 228 At ten o'clock the Mayor of Thun was announced. He was dressed in the French fas.h.i.+on, in black, and had a manner at once graceful and polite that pleased me. He was middle-aged, and enjoyed a considerable position in the Government. He insisted o
- 229 When the rascal saw that I had taken up my position, he did not keep me waiting, for, getting up, he presented to my dazzled gaze, not only the secret treasures of his sweetheart, but his own also. He was a small man, but where the lady was most concerned
- 230 I gave the letter to my housekeeper, who read it attentively, and gave it back to me quite coolly."What do you think of his advice, dearest?""I think I had better follow it: he says there is no hurry, and delay is all we want. Let us love e
- 231 "Yes, please G.o.d."This Socratic reply made me see how misplaced my remark had been, and I felt some confusion. Finding a book to my hand I opened it to restore my composure.It was an octavo volume of his works, and I read in it: "Utrum me
- 232 "Certainly. He will have real tears. He says that if an actor wants to draw tears he must shed them himself.""I think he is right there; but he should not be so severe with amateurs, above all with charming actresses like you. Such perfecti
- 233 The gay and even happy air of the newly betrothed surprised me, but what astonished me more was the easy way with which she threw herself into my arms as soon as she saw me. It put me quite out of countenance, but she had more wit than I. However, I muste
- 234 "I know him from having spent two months with him at Padua, seven years ago, and what particularly attracted my attention was the admiration he professed for M. de Voltaire.""That is flattering for me, but he has no need of admiring anyone.
- 235 "The last thirty-six stanzas of the twenty-third canto, where the poet describes in detail how Roland became mad. Since the world has existed no one has discovered the springs of madness, unless Ariosto himself, who became mad in his old age. These s
- 236 I accompanied M. de Voltaire to his bedroom, where he changed his wig and put on another cap, for he always wore one on account of the rheumatism to which he was subject. I saw on the table the Summa of St.Thomas, and among other Italian poets the 'S
- 237 "Would you mind telling me why?""He knows what he would lose; for he enjoys the idea you seem to have of him, and if he came you would see his nothingness, and good-bye to the illusion. He is a worthy man with six thousand sequins a year, a
- 238 "Crebillon! You cite a weighty authority. But how is my friend Crebillon your master, may I ask?""He taught me to speak French in less than two years, and as a mark of my grat.i.tude I translated his Radamiste into Italian Alexandrines. I a
- 239 After this lively answer, he abruptly asked me what part I came from."From Roche," said I. "I should have been very sorry to leave Switzerland without seeing the famous Haller. In my travels I render homage to my learned contemporaries, and
- 240 "And to game, sir, for they are all professional gamesters.""Are they French?""They are all from Piedmont or Savoy; I am the only Frenchman here.""What part of France do you come from?""From Lorraine; my father
- 241 "But," said she, laughing, "you have only got to stay.""Give me some hope, and I will stay till to-morrow.""You are in too much of a hurry, take things more quietly."I contented myself with the few favours she grant
- 242 I kept my appointment, and entered her room at nine o'clock exactly. I found her dressed, and on my reproaching her she said that it should be of no consequence to me whether she were dressed or undressed. I was angry, and I took my chocolate without
- 243 "Let us get up, then, and go to dinner.""In company, dearest? Look at your eyes.""All the better. People will guess what has happened, and the two countesses will burst with envy. I want everybody to know that it is for me alone t
- 244 "When you put the child at the hospital door, were you recognized?""n.o.body saw me as I put it into the box, and I wrote a note to say the child had not been baptized.""Who wrote the note?""I did.""You will, o
- 245 "I did much more and much less, for I never gave her a child. If I had been so unfortunate I should have carried her off to Rome, where we should have fallen at the feet of the Holy Father, who would have absolved her from her vows, and my dear M----
- 246 "I must indeed return and do penance for my sins.""I hope you have the wit to laugh at the abbess's silly excommunications?""I begin not to dread them so much as I used to.""I am delighted to hear it, as I see you w
- 247 "I will not dispute it with you, although I am sorry for what you say.""Why?""Because you think yourself in duty bound to refuse caresses which would not hurt you, and which would give me new life and happiness.""I have
- 248 "No; it is you who have made me happy. You are an angel from heaven. We loved, we crowned our love; I cannot have done aught to offend G.o.d. I am free from all my fears. We have obeyed nature and our destinies. Do you love me still?""Can y
- 249 Look! it is too large here, and too small there; it makes you into a regular curve. What a stupid the fellow must be, he can't know his own trade! But what is that?""You make me laugh; it's all your fault. You have been feeling and fon
- 250 The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt.Vol. IV."Adventures In The South".by Jacques Casanova de Seingalt.VOLUME 4 -- ADVENTURES IN THE SOUTH EPISODE 16 -- DEPART SWITZERLAND CHAPTER I The Door--Keeper's Daughters--The Horoscopes--Mdlle
- 251 She was then seventeen. Her satin skin by its dazzling whiteness displayed to greater advantage her magnificent black hair. Her features were perfectly regular, and her complexion had a slight tinge of red; her fine eyes were at once sweet and sparkling,
- 252 Madame Morin was very polite to the three girls, whom she knew well, and Le Duc stood behind her chair all the time, looking after her wants, and dressed as richly as the king's chamberlain. When we had nearly finished dinner Mdlle. Roman pa.s.sed a
- 253 "You may rely on me."I was in an ecstasy at having put her off so effectually.At eight o'clock all my guests arrived, and I saw before me all the fairest ladies and the n.o.blest gentlemen of Gren.o.ble. The only thing which vexed me was th
- 254 "My aunt Roman might," said the young lady, blus.h.i.+ng up to her eyes at the roar of laughter which none of us could restrain."Well," said Madame Morin, "there is Madame Varnier, of the Rue de Richelieu; she is an aunt of yours.
- 255 I left them, feeling amorous and sorry I had obliged myself to go. On entering my room I found the three nymphs together, which vexed me as I only wanted one. I whispered my wishes to Rose as she curled my hair, but she told me it was impossible for her t
- 256 This decided them and they gave in. The door-keeper sent to order the boat, and promised to let me have a dainty supper by midnight.The hours pa.s.sed by in jests and merriment, and when we sat down to supper I made the champagne corks fly to such an exte
- 257 "That's fine. I see. I am going on the stage. You would do well to become an actor.""You are a fool.""Not so big a fool as you think.""I am going for a walk; mind you don't leave my room for a moment."I ha
- 258 As I came back to my inn I was accosted by a fine-looking man of middle age, who greeted me by name and asked with great politeness if I had found Vaucluse as fine as I had expected. I was delighted to recognize the Marquis of Grimaldi, a Genoese, a cleve
- 259 "Yes. My sister would have adored him, as that sort of love is her pa.s.sion.""But your sister has such fine haunches.""So have I! Look here, feel me.""You are right; but wait a bit, it is too soon for that kind of thing
- 260 With this flattering address she threw off the coverlet with a vigorous gesture, and displayed all her beauties, which I might have gazed on with such different feelings from those which now filled my breast. For a moment I was silent with indignation. Al
- 261 "Will you allow me to see for myself?""You may ask her if you like, but I don't think she will consent."The girl came back with the packet, and putting myself in a proper position I told her to try one on. She proceeded to do so w
- 262 "Are you contented, dear?" I said."I am quite happy.""Then I hope you will be kind, and find room for me in your bed.""You may come if you like, but I must tell you that you will not find me a maid, as I have had one lov
- 263 "Think no more of your mother, dearest one. You look like a lady of quality, and I shall be quite proud when the people at Genoa ask me if you are my daughter.""At Genoa?""Yes, at Genoa. Why do you blush?""From surprise;
- 264 "I am always afraid," said she, "of being asked who I am.""You needn't be afraid, dearest; in France no gentleman or lady would think of asking such a question.""But if they did, what ought I to do?""You s
- 265 "You have bought me some beautiful things," said she, "but you are too lavish with your money; if you had bargained you might have saved four louis at least.""Very likely, dearest, but I never was any hand at a bargain."I too
- 266 I pleased everybody by asking them all to dinner for the day after the morrow, after dinner the piece to be rehea.r.s.ed for the first time.The banker Belloni asked me to dinner for the following day, including my lady, who excused herself with great poli
- 267 "Where did you get this letter?""From a young man, who is unknown to me. He gave me a crown, and begged me to give the letter to the lady without your seeing me, and he promised to give me two crowns more if I brought him a reply tomorrow.
- 268 "I take a great interest in your mistress's welfare; and as I feel sure that she cannot long be happy in her present uncertain position, while I am sure that she would make my G.o.dson an excellent wife, I was determined that both of you should
- 269 I have never liked eating by myself, and thus I have never turned hermit, though I once thought of turning monk; but a monk without renouncing all the pleasures of life lives well in a kind of holy idleness. This dislike to loneliness made me give orders
- 270 "I am delighted that you consent; now I am going to talk to you."She proceeded to do my hair, but she gave no answer to my soft speeches.When I was on the point of getting into bed she wished me good night, and I tried to kiss her by way of retu
- 271 "Don't you like wine?""Yes, but as I am not used to it I am afraid of its getting into my head.""Then you can go to bed; you will sleep all the better."She drank the first gla.s.s, which she enjoyed immensely, then a sec
- 272 "Oh, no! She does not tell me that kind of thing, but here is a letter for you."I read through the long and well-composed letter, but as it bore marks of craft and dissimulation it made me laugh. After several remarks of no consequence she said
- 273 The day was spent in talking about ourselves, and determined to eat only one meal, we did not sit down to table till night began to fall.We spent two hours in the consumption of delicate dishes, and in defying Bacchus to make us feel his power. We rose as
- 274 "I can't follow your example," said she, "but when I saw you I thought I should have fainted. Unfortunately I am engaged to supper. I shall not shut my eyes all night. I shall expect you at eight o'clock to-morrow morning. Where a
- 275 "I find you bound, while I am free. I thought we had met never to part again; you had kindled the old fires. I am the same to you as I was at Ancona. I have proved as much, and you can guess how sad I feel at your decree that I am to enjoy you no mor
- 276 "Come," said she, drawing me in the direction of her bed-room. She opened a large box which contained her jewels and diamonds, and shares to the amount of fifty thousand ducats. Besides that she had a large amount of plate, and her talents which
- 277 Cesarino looked at it in astonishment, and the box pa.s.sed from hand to hand. Everybody said that it was my portrait, taken ten years ago, and that it might pa.s.s for a likeness of Cesarino. Therese got quite excited, and swearing that she would never l
- 278 "Who knows? You don't know me, Redegonde. I do not care to indulge myself in idle hopes, and I thought I had spoken to you plainly enough."Feeling angry, and vowing to have no more to do with this strange girl, I supped with Therese, and sp
- 279 Her destiny was a strange one; it depended on the liking I had taken to her and my aversion to marriage, for it lay in my power to have married the handsomest woman in France, and in that case it is not likely that she would have become the mistress of Lo
- 280 "I don't think that will be necessary; the auditor can't force me to pay.""He can do worse.""What can he do?"."He can make you leave Florence.""Well, I shall be astonished if he uses his power in this
- 281 "It is not my hardihood in coming to Rome that your eminence should wonder at, but a man of any sense would wonder at the Inquisitors if they had the hardihood to issue an 'ordine sanctissimo' against me; for they would be perplexed to alle
- 282 I had no real need of being presented to the Pope by anyone, as any Christian is at liberty to go in when he sees the door open. Besides I had known His Holiness when he was Bishop of Padua; but I had preferred to claim the honor of being introduced by a
- 283 Then the eating began and there was no more talking. The polenta was excellent, the chops delicious, and the ham perfect, and in less than an hour the board was as bare as if there had been nothing on it; but the Orvieto kept the company in good spirts. T
- 284 "Ira," said he, "that won't do; you made her say that she would never come here again, and you must make up the quarrel."They held a short consultation, and then, asking Costa to go with them, they went to fetch her.In half an hou
- 285 On my return from Naples I heard that he had faithfully carried out his promise.I was sitting at table with Mengs when a chamberlain of the Holy Father called. When he came in he asked M. Mengs if I lived there, and on that gentleman pointing me out, he g
- 286 She received me kindly and modestly, and stopped listening to the music to talk to me.When a woman is pretty, one recognizes her charms instantaneously; if one has to examine her closely, her beauty is doubtful. Leonilda was strikingly beautiful. I smiled
- 287 No doubt she did not like to thou me, but the expression of her eyes and the tone of her voice were much better than the to which is often used lavishly at Naples.The seductive features of this charming girl were not altogether unknown to me, but I could
- 288 "You make a mistake, I am sure."The pictures with which the closet where we breakfasted was adorned were admirable more from the colouring and the design than from the amorous combats they represented."They don't make any impression on
- 289 The day after, we settled the particulars of our marriage in a conversation which lasted for two hours."Leonilda," began the duke, "has a mother, who lives at a short distance from here, on an income of six hundred ducats, which I have give
- 290 As we were going away the duke made several observations on what moral philosophers call prejudices. There is no philosopher who would maintain or even advance the thesis that the union of a father and daughter is horrible naturally, for it is entirely a
- 291 My Carriage Broken--Mariuccia's Wedding-Flight of Lord Lismore--My Return to Florence, and My Departure with the Corticelli My Spaniard was going on before us on horseback, and I was sleeping profoundly beside Don Ciccio Alfani in my comfortable carr
- 292 At these words the girl in question blushed and lowered her eyes."Never mind, my dear," said I, "your turn will come in time."She took my words as seriously meant, and her face lit up with joy. She thought I had guessed her love for Co
- 293 The ring was set with a straw-coloured diamond of nine or ten carats. He begged me to keep his secret as we parted. I did not feel any sentiments of pity for this extravagant madman, as I only saw in him a man unfortunate by his own fault, whose fate woul
- 294 "You are right, and I think all the better of him for his suspicions, for it is better to marry a man with some sense in his head than to marry a fool."I was so pleased with what she told me that when I took leave of the company I embraced the h
- 295 I spent a week with the girl, getting my meals from the inn, and enjoying a diversity of pleasures which I shall remember all my days; my young wanton had a large circle of female friends, all pretty and all kind. I lived with them like a sultan, and stil
- 296 "As soon as you please."I asked him to dine with me, and we were on our way when we met M.Zeroli and two or three other persons whom I had met at Aix. I gave and received plenty of compliments, but not wis.h.i.+ng to pay them any visits I excuse
- 297 We set off at a walk, and Leah told me that she had been imprudent enough to confess to her father that she could make me buy the carriage, and that if I did not wish to embroil her with him I would be kind enough to purchase it."Strike the bargain,&
- 298 "Quite so.""Are you perfectly free to do what you like?""I think so.""Can you give supper to anyone you like in your own rooms? I am certain you can't.""I have not had the opportunity of trying the experim
- 299 After leaving him I took a short walk to cool myself, and then went to the Abbe Gama, hoping to be the first to impart my ridiculous adventure to him. I was disappointed; he already knew that I had been ordered to go, and how I had answered the superinten
- 300 "M. Tolosan brought this reply to me, and I told him that I was ready to obey if my mother would guarantee my safety. She replied, however, that she knew her husband too well to dare to have us both under the same roof. Again did M. Tolosan endeavour