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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 I."Venetian Years"by Jacques Casanova de Seingalt.CASANOVA AT DUX An Unpublished Chapter of History, By Arthur Symons I The Memoirs of Casanova, though they have enjoyed the popularity of a bad re
- 566 Scattered through the Memoirs are many of Casanova's thoughts about his old age. Some were possibly incorporated in the original text, others possibly added when he revised the text in 1797. These vary from resignation to bitterness, doubtless depend
- 565 But Opiz replied: "As the father of a family, I do not feel myself authorized to dispose of my revenues on the impulse of my fancy or as my heart suggests....and no offer of yours could make me a book-seller."This shows plainly enough that Opiz, for all
- 564 Casanova complained of the Faulkircher incident to the mother of Count Waldstein, who wrote: "I pity you, Monsieur, for being obliged to live among such people and in such evil company, but my son will not forget that which he owes to himself and I a
- 563 1st July 1786. "After a silence of a year and a half, I received from you yesterday a good letter which has consoled me in informing me that you are in perfect health. But, on the other hand, I was much pained to see that in your letter you did not c
- 562 3rd April 1784. "I see with pleasure that you have gone to amuse yourself in company with two ladies and that you have traveled five posts to see the Emperor [Joseph II] ... . You say that your fortune consists of one sequin ... . I hope that you obt
- 561 After leaving Venice, Casanova apparently took an opportunity to pay his last disrespects to the Tribunal. At least, in May 1783, M. Schlick, French Secretary at Venice, wrote to Count Vergennes: "Last week there reached the State Inquisitors an anon
- 560 "Dearest and best beloved, " ... In the way of novelties, I find nothing except that S. E. Pietro Zaguri has arrived at Venice; his servant has been twice to ask for you, and I have said you were still at the Baths of Abano ..."The Casanova
- 559 Doctor Gozzi, his former teacher at Padua, now become Arch-Priest of St.George of the Valley, and his sister Betting. "When I went to pay him a visit ... she breathed her last in my arms, in 1776, twenty-four hours after my arrival. I will speak of h
- 558 She was the banker, and she begged me to join the party now and then."I will come after the play to-night," I replied, "but you must not expect any high play of me."I kept the appointment and supped with a number of silly young tradesm
- 557 "What have you got to say?""If you leave my house in this fas.h.i.+on you will dishonour me, and I will not allow it.""Excuse me, but I should very much like to see how you are going to prevent me from leaving your house."&qu
- 556 The servant who escorted me to my room asked me at what time I should like breakfast. I told him, and he was punctual; and this time the coffee was brought in the coffee-pot and the sugar in the sugar basin.The valet did my hair, and the maid did my room,
- 555 "Ah!" said he, "this is the room my poor old father used to love to sit in; like you, he was very fond of study. You may be sure of enjoying perfect liberty here, for you will see no one."We dined late, and consequently no supper was served. The eatin
- 554 A handsome negress, who served the prettiest of my actresses to whom I shewed great attentions, said to me one day,-- "I can't make out how you can be so much in love with my mistress, who is as white as the devil.""Have you never loved a white man?"
- 553 "Well; well, let them come; they will get nothing by it."I heard footsteps approaching, and went out, closing the door behind me, and begging them to excuse my not asking them in, as there was a contraband commodity in my room."Only tell me that it is
- 552 "In future all goods for Lombardy will be embarked here and disembarked at Mezzola without troubling the Republic. Mezzola is in the territories of the Duke of Modem; a s.h.i.+p can cross the gulf in the night, and our goods will be placed in storehouses
- 551 I dressed myself as if I had been about to speak to a monarch, and sent in a note to his room.I had not long to wait; he came out and welcomed me most graciously, telling me how delighted he was to see me again.When he heard the reason of my being at Trie
- 550 I had foreseen all this when the Polish Diet recognized the dying czarina as Empress of all the Russians, and the Elector of Brandenburg as King of Prussia, and I proceeded with my history; but only the first three volumes were published, owing to the pri
- 549 "Try if you like," I said, "to persuade me to drink some Scopolo or Muscat. I meant to have taken some, but your taunt has turned me to steel. I mean to prove that when I make up my mind I never alter it.""The strong-minded man never gives way," sai
- 548 I made no answer, thanking Providence for delivering me from this impudent and dangerous woman.Having found my dinner rather spare I told the cook to get me a good supper.The weather was dreadful. The Venetian consul had heard of my return, and not having
- 547 After what I had said to the consul I felt I should be bound to go, and I went to bed calmly enough. But about two o'clock in the morning I had, contrary to my usual habit, to get up and offer sacrifice to Cloacina. I left my room without any candle, as
- 546 We dined very pleasantly together. The servant brought in some sh.e.l.l-fish, which are forbidden by the Mosaic Law. While the maid was in the room I asked Leah to take some, and she refused indignantly; but directly the girl was gone she took some of her
- 545 She pretended not to understand, and left me burning with desire. I felt that I must either obtain possession of her or tell her father not to send her into my room any more.The Turin Jewess had given me some valuable hints as to the conduct of amours wit
- 544 After this the poor man said no more. When we were going to take our dinner I asked him to sit beside me, but he said his religion would not allow him to do so, and that he would only eat eggs, fruit, and some foiegras sausage he had in his pocket. He onl
- 543 The next day she had her carriage, and I had my three hundred crowns, and I let the proud prelate understand that I had avenged myself for his rudeness.About this time Severini succeeded in obtaining a position as tutor in an ill.u.s.trious Neapolitan fam
- 542 "I have taken good care not to do so, and that's what has irritated her; she calls all my little stratagems detestable treason.""Nevertheless, you have made up your mind to marry her sooner or later?""I'd as soon hang my
- 541 Count Ricla, a dupe to the last, gave her a considerable yearly income on the condition that she should never come to Barcelona again; but in a year the count died.Nina did not survive him for more than a year, and died miserably from her fearful debauche
- 540 When we had gone half a league we stopped at a good inn, and then proceeded on our way back to Bologna.The same day I wrote to M. de Zaguri, and described the welcome I had received at the hands of the marquis. I enclosed the letter in another to M. Dando
- 539 "No doubt. Count Marulli told me yesterday that you spoke very highly of the grand duke, and you are quite right. You can talk to me in confidence; the walls of this room have no ears. How much did you get of the twelve thousand guineas?"I told
- 538 Zanovitch won from Zen what Zen won from the lord, and so the game was kept up till the young pigeon had lost the enormous sum of twelve thousand guineas.Lord Lincoln promised to pay three thousand guineas the next day, and signed three bills of exchange
- 537 I told the vetturino that I would on no account be Medini's surety, or be answerable for him in any way.Just as I was going out, he leapt forward crying that I must not abandon him.I had opened the door, and the police, fearing he would escape, ran f
- 536 Such was my conversation with the young sovereign, and after his a.s.surances I concluded that no one would molest me.My adventures in Tuscany the years before were in all probability forgotten, or almost forgotten, as the new Government had nothing in co
- 535 About half-past eleven the Marchioness d'Aout, who was delighted with Armelline, and possibly had her protege's happiness in view, asked me, in a tone that amounted to a command, to sup with her in company with my two companions."I cannot h
- 534 I asked him to dinner, and had Margarita to dine with us. Not caring for her I should have been glad if he had fallen in love with her; there would have been no difficulty, I believe, on her part, and certainly not on mine; but nothing came of it. She adm
- 533 I thanked him for doing Margarita the honour of accepting a cup of coffee from her hands, and begged him to take one with me, saying I would breakfast with him next morning. He lived with Roland, opposite St. Charles, where Madame Gabrieli, the famous sin
- 532 I lifted the bandage and saw everything, but they pretended not to suspect anything.They treated me in the same way, no doubt to see what it was that they felt when they fell upon me.This delightful game went on; till exhausted, nature would not allow me
- 531 To finish the matter up, she said by way of soothing me that the young man did not mean to vex me, as he doubtless took me for her father.What could I reply to this observation, as cruel as it was reasonable?Nothing; I could only take refuge in silence an
- 530 The next day I amused the princess and the cardinal by a circ.u.mstantial account of what had happened."You missed your opportunity," said the princess."I don't think so," said the cardinal, "I believe, on the contrary, that
- 529 "I was afraid she would take me for a simpleton if I did not do so.""Then do you think you committed a sin in kissing her like that?""Certainly not, for it was very unpleasant for me.""Then why won't you make the sa
- 528 I then told my tale, and I saw she was moved."I have always tried," she said, "never to believe evil except on compulsion, nevertheless, knowing as I do the weakness of the human heart, I could never have believed that throughout so long an
- 527 A few days later, the princess told Cardinal Orsini that she had taken a peculiar interest in two of the young recluses, and desiring to provide them with suitable establishments she wished to take them now and again to the theatre so as to give them some
- 526 "My husband set up at Frascati eight years ago, and we have lived there very happily ever since.""I am very glad to hear it. Have you any children?""Four; and the eldest, who is nine years old, is very like you.""Do you
- 525 The worthy Pope did not stop there. He ordered a rigid scrutiny of the accounts to be made, and reduced the number from a hundred to fifty, doubling the dower. He also ordered that all girls who reached the age of twenty-five without getting married shoul
- 524 The day after, I went to dinner with him. The Chevalier de Neuville came in towards the close of the meal, and Medini a few moments later. The latter called on us to hold a bank, each in his turn, and we agreed.Manucci gained double what he had lost; Neuv
- 523 He was a lad of fifteen or sixteen, and very handsome though short.Nature had endowed him with an enormous symbol of virility, and at Lampsacus he would no doubt have had an altar erected to him beside that of Priapus, with which divinity he might well ha
- 522 I guessed the latter circ.u.mstance one day when, after I had asked her to tell me her adventures from the age of eleven to that of eighteen, she proceeded to tell me tales, the telling of which necessitated her throwing all modesty to the winds.I took th
- 521 The Prince of Santa Croce was the d.u.c.h.ess's 'cavaliere servante', and the princess was served by Cardinal Bernis. The princess was a daughter of the Marquis Falconieri, and was young, pretty, lively, and intended by nature for a life of
- 520 As she left me she gave me such a kind embrace that I could bear it no longer, and guiding her hand I skewed her the power she exercised over me. She then went away, and I shall not say whether my behaviour irritated or pleased her.The next day I was curi
- 519 "Do you think I may draw my bill at nine months?" said I."It will very probably be met," said she."Really?""Yes, really; and it will be to you that my husband will owe the happiness he has so long desired. He told me so
- 518 "Who is the other diplomatist with whom you are afraid of failing?""'Tis yourself.""Then your battle is over, for I consent before I know what you ask. I only make a reserve on one point.""So much the worse, as that
- 517 I was sitting down to table when I had the pleasure of seeing Lucrezia herself come in. She gave a cry of delight and rushed to my arms.This excellent woman was exactly my own age, but she would have been taken for fifteen years younger.After I had told h
- 516 Don Pascal Latilla, who had been lucky enough to avoid his majesty's notice, told us a number of pleasant anecdotes about the king; all shewed him in the amiable light of a friend of mirth and an enemy to all pomp and stateliness, by which kings are
- 515 He told me that Madame Cornelis was head over ears in debts, and spent about half the year in prison. She would then get out by giving fresh bills and making various arrangements with her creditors, who knew that if they did not allow her to give her b.a.
- 514 "I will try, but I warn you that I shall tell her the simple truth.""Very good.""Come again to-morrow."At six o'clock I went to ask Hamilton how I could exchange the English notes I had won, and he gave me the money hims
- 513 I thanked him, but I would not look at his trinkets, as I was afraid the temptation of making such a profit would be too great.When I got back to my inn I found some guests had arrived, of whom a few were known to me. Bartoldi had arrived from Dresden wit
- 512 This was as much as to tell me that though she did not love me yet I had only to wait patiently, and I resolved to follow her advice. I had reached an age which knows nothing of the impatient desires of youth.I gave her a tender embrace, and as I was gett
- 511 "Yes, for she will have all or nothing; and lovers of that kind are rare in Naples.""But she must have some lover?""If she has, no one has heard of him. You had better make her acquaintance and go and see her. You will soon be fri
- 510 Five or six days after Betty had left I chanced to meet the Abby Gama, who had aged a good deal, but was still as gay and active as ever. After we had told each other our adventures he informed me that, as all the differences between the Holy See and the
- 509 "Only one Frenchman, the Comte de l'Etoile, who is waiting for his equipage to come on. He has an excellent horse, and I am thinking of buying it from him.""I advise you to wait till to-morrow, and to say nothing about the advice I hav
- 508 CHAPTER XIII Rome--The Actor's Punishment--Lord Baltimore--Naples--Sara Goudar--Departure of Betty--Agatha--Medina--Albergoni--Miss Chudleigh--The Prince of Francavilla--The Swimmers As I fell over the Englishman I had struck my hand against a nail,
- 507 We got over our supper hastily, and then Betty begged me to leave her alone for a few moments for her to change her linen and go to bed."If you like," said I, "I will have a bed made up for me in the next room.""No, dear friend, o
- 506 "Not at all; to bed with you, I shall love you all the more.""You must be crazy, I shall do nothing of the kind."The count took her in his arms, and caressing her in the tenderest manner begged her to do him this favour, not so much fo
- 505 "And when you are convinced, will you cease to love him?""Certainly; if you prove him to be dishonest, my love will vanish away.""You are mistaken; you will still love him, even when you have had proof positive of his wickedness.
- 504 We were walking along engaged in agreeable converse, when all at once we heard the church bells peal out. Betty said she had never seen a Catholic service, and I was glad to give her that pleasure. It was the feast day of some local saint, and Betty a.s.s
- 503 With these words she became silent, and I left her to her thoughts.At seven o'clock we arrived at St. Quirico, and the so-called Comte de l'Etoile came out and welcomed his wife in the most loving fas.h.i.+on, kissing her before everybody, no do
- 502 "Pray do not let me disturb you. This is a pleasant room, and they can lay the table in the next. Lie down, and sleep if you can, and I will order dinner to be ready by two. I hope you will be feeling better by then."I left her without giving he
- 501 "He can go as he likes; that can't make much difference to either of us.""You say she is young and pretty.""I have been told so, but I haven't seen her myself.""What sort of a man is her companion?""H
- 500 "Yes, and to that fact I owe my happiness.""It would be a pity for you if you found yourself mistaken.""Not such a pity as you may think, Madam. 'Carpe diem' is my motto. 'Tis likewise the motto of that finished vol
- 499 He cursed the Duke of Parma who persisted in retaining his services, although there was no mint in existence in the duchy, and his talents were consequently wasted there.I listened to all his complaints, and agreed that Louis XV. had been ungrateful in no
- 498 "What fate is that?" I asked, "I have seen a good deal of misfortune since I left you.""I mean the presidio.""But that has never been my lot, thank G.o.d! Who told you such a story?""A Count Marazzani, who was
- 497 "And if they refuse to pay?""Then their safety is not so sure.""Money does everything in Lugano, I suppose.""But, sir---- ""I understand, but let me tell you that I have no fears, and I shall consequently beg t
- 496 "Does Nina know that you are her mother?""Her own father told her the secret when she was twelve, after he had initiated her into the life she has been living ever since. He would have made her a mother in her turn if he had not killed hims
- 495 "She does not see any company at her own house, but she goes everywhere.""It's very strange. I must have seen her, and yet I do not think I could have pa.s.sed her by unrecognized. You have been with her ten years?""Yes, sir,
- 494 She laughed, and told me I was mistaken as it was only a copy."Impossible!"She called her husband, who came with the letter in his hand.I could doubt no longer, and said to him,-- "You are a man of talents, for it is much harder to imitate
- 493 "It seems that you have never been at a Jesuit seminary," I replied, "for the dogma of the order is that the Pope can do everything, 'et aliquid pluris'."This answer made everybody suppose me to be unaware that I was speaking
- 492 "Oh, I hope you won't go," she added, "you must do my husband the honour of dining with us."After the husband had pressed me for some time I gave in, and accepted their invitation to dinner for the day after next.Instead of stoppi
- 491 "Well, I may be," I said, "but what makes you ask that question?""As you were leaving Barcelona yesterday, I noticed three ill-looking fellows watching us, armed to the teeth. Last night they slept in the stable with my mules. The
- 490 "Nothing at all.""What has become of the valet de place?""I paid him, and sent him away immediately after your arrest.""I should like to have him with me as far as Perpignan.""You are right, and I think the bes
- 489 Tadini was vexed with my incredulity, and shewed me a number of testimonials, which I might possibly have read, if the first which met my eye had not been from a lady who protested to all and singular that M. Tadini had cured her of amaurosis. At this I l
- 488 "They are bent on examining my papers; they must think I have been tampering in some political or religious intrigue; but my mind is quite at ease on that score. I am well lodged at present, and no doubt shall be set free after my papers have been ex
- 487 "Very good. You are a stranger, sir, and may not be acquainted with our Spanish manners, consequently you are unaware of the great risk you run in going to see Nina every evening after the count has left her.""What risk do I run? I have no
- 486 I determined to make some money out of her if I could.She called for cards, and asked me to play with her at a game called primiera. It is a game of chance, but of so complicated a nature that the best player always wins. In a quarter of an hour I found t
- 485 After this piece of confidence (and she did not seem at all ashamed of her parentage) she asked me to sup with her, supper being her favourite meal. I promised to come, and I left her to reflect on the extraordinary character of the woman, and on the good
- 484 Such is the perversity of the human mind that no one believed in Donna Pelliccia's delicacy. When the king heard what had happened he ordered the worthy actress to leave Madrid, to prevent the duke ruining himself.Such is often the reward of virtue h
- 483 The visitor to Saragossa should see the devotion which is paid to our Lady del Pilar. I have seen processions going along the streets in which wooden statues of gigantic proportions were carried. I was taken to the best a.s.semblies, where the monks swarm
- 482 This was another surprise; I did not know what to expect next. "What can be the matter?" I said to myself. "I cannot imagine, but I will have an explanation, or perish."I dined sadly with Donna Ign.a.z.ia, without telling her the cause
- 481 Charmed with papa's good humour, I asked him to sup with us, and he accepted, and amused us with his witty conversation and a mult.i.tude of little tales that pleased me exceedingly. He made the following speech on leaving us, which I give word for w
- 480 As I remonstrated thus, I clasped her affectionately in my arms, caressing her most ardently; but before coming to the decisive action I asked her again whether she would promise not to go to confession next Sunday."You are cruel," said she, &qu
- 479 "Alas! I promised to commit that sin no more. I tell you to stay, because I am sure that in eight or ten days we shall have become so accustomed to one another that I shall be able to love you like a father, and you will be able to take me in your ar
- 478 "Yes; and she is unhappy in her love, for it is not returned. That must be a great grief.""I pity her, and yet, with such a face, I do not know any man who would take compa.s.sion on her. The poor girl would do well to leave love alone.But
- 477 "I can't help that; I can't bear any but the lightest boots."Before I left him he said his daughter should dine with me that day as he was very busy.I called on the Count of Aranda, who received me coldly, but with great politeness. I
- 476 "But as Charles III. is so inaccessible he can have no opportunity of either granting or refusing.""People catch him when he is hunting; he is usually in a good humour then. His chief defect is his obstinacy; when he has once made up his mi
- 475 It was then May, and she was not to go to Valentia till September, so we shall hear what the letter contained later on.I often saw the king's gentleman of the chamber, Don Domingo Varnier, another 'gentleman in the service of the Princess of the
- 474 Mengs was a very pa.s.sionate man, and would sometimes beat his children most cruelly. More than once I have rescued his poor sons from his furious hands. He boasted that his father, a bad Bohemian artist, had brought him up with the stick. Thus, he said,
- 473 The letter made the amba.s.sador sorry that he had not interposed on my behalf, but he hoped people would believe that the count would not have acted as he did if it had not been for his interposition. His favourite, Count Manucci, had come to ask me to d
- 472 At eight o'clock Manucci called and told me that the Count of Aranda had been making enquiries about me of the Venetian amba.s.sador, who had spoken very highly in my favour, and expressed his regret that he could not take my part officially on accou
- 471 "They wished to know what banker furnished me with money for my expenses. I told them I had not got a banker, and that I lived by borrowing from my friends, in the expectation of becoming one of the king's body-guard. They then asked me how it w
- 470 Although I had a fine view of her thighs, I observed no traces of a blush on her face. I then gave her a pair, of my breeches, which fitted her admirably, though I was five inches taller than she, but this difference was compensated by the posterior propo
- 469 "I have not found anyone worthy to be preferred before you," I replied, "and if you would like to go to the ball again I should be most happy to take you."The father and mother were delighted with the pleasure I was about to give to th
- 468 "Then you know this gentleman?""I have never seen him, and I suppose he has never seen me.""You speak the truth, senora."The father asked me my name and address, and promised I should have a decisive answer by dinner-time, if
- 467 "Why don't you write a letter to the amba.s.sador, with the arguments you have just used to me?""I could not write to him before I know whether he will receive me or not. But now, as I have reason to suppose that his opinions are much