The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, 1725-1798. Volume 15: With VoltaireCasanova, Giacomo
Philosophy
The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, 1725-1798. Volume 15: With Voltaire
Casanova, Giacomo
Casanova, Giacomo, 1725-1798; Europe -- History -- 18th century -- Biography
After a supper which would have pleased a Lucullus, we spent twelve hours
in giving each other proofs, of our passionate love, sleeping after our
amorous struggles, and waking only to renew the fight. The next day we
rose to refresh ourselves, and after a good dinner, mashed down by some
excellent Burgundy, we went to bed again; but at four the country-woman
came to tell us that the lay-sisters would arrive about six. We had
nothing now to look for in the future, the die was cast, and we began our
farewell caresses. I sealed the last with my blood. My first
M---- M---- had seen it, and my second rightly saw it also. She was
frightened, but I calmed her fears. I then rose, and taking a roll
containing fifty louis I begged her to keep them for me, promising to
come for them in two years, and take them from her hands through the
grating of her terrible prison. She spent the last quarter of an hour in
tears, and mine were only restrained lest I should add to her grief. I
cut off a piece of her fleece and a lock of her beautiful hair, promising
her always to bear them next my heart.
I left her, telling the country-woman that she should see me again the
next day, and I went to bed as soon as I got home. Next morning I was on
the way to Chamberi. At a quarter of a league's distance from Aix I saw
my angel slowly walking along. As soon as the lay-sisters were near
enough they asked an alms in the name of God. I gave them a Louis, but my
saint did not look at me.
With a broken heart I went to the good countrywoman, who told me that
M---- M---- had gone at day-break, bidding her to remind me of the convent
grating. I kissed the Worthy woman, and I gave her nephew all the loose
silver I had about me, and returning to the inn I had my luggage put on
to the carriage, and would have started that moment if I had had any
horses. But I had two hours to wait, and I went and bade the marquis
farewell. He was out, but his mistress was in the room by herself. On my
telling her of my departure, she said,
"Don't go, stay with me a couple of days longer."
"I feel the honour you are conferring on me, but business of the greatest
importance obliges me to be gone forthwith."
"Impossible," said the lady, as she went to a glass the better to lace
herself, shewing me a superb breast. I saw her design, but I determined
to baulk her. She then put one foot upon a couch to retie her garter, and
when she put up the other foot I saw beauties more enticing than Eve's
apple. It was nearly all up with me, when the marquis came in. He
proposed a little game of quinze, and his mistress asked me to be her
partner. I could not escape; she sat next to me, and I had lost forty
Louis by dinner-time.
"I owe you twenty," said the lady, as we were going down.
At dessert Le Duc came to tell me that my carriage was at the door, and I
got up, but under the pretence of paying me the twenty louis the
marquis's mistress made me come with her to her room.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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