



Produced by David Widger





MEMOIRS OF JACQUES CASANOVA de SEINGALT 1725-1798

ADVENTURES IN THE SOUTH, Volume 4a--DEPART SWITZERLAND

THE RARE UNABRIDGED LONDON EDITION OF 1894 TRANSLATED BY ARTHUR MACHEN TO
WHICH HAS BEEN ADDED THE CHAPTERS DISCOVERED BY ARTHUR SYMONS.




DEPART SWITZERLAND




CHAPTER I

The Door--Keeper's Daughters--The Horoscopes--Mdlle. Roman

The idea of the sorry plight in which I had left the Marquis de Prie, his
mistress, and perhaps all the company, who had undoubtedly coveted the
contents of my cash-box, amused me till I reached Chamberi, where I only
stopped to change horses. When I reached Grenoble, where I intended to
stay a week, I did not find my lodging to my liking, and went in my
carriage to the post-office, where I found several letters, amongst
others, one from Madame d'Urfe, enclosing a letter of introduction to an
officer named Valenglard, who, she told me, was a learned man, and would
present me at all the best houses in the town.

I called on this officer and received a cordial welcome. After reading
Madame d'Urfe's letter he said he was ready to be useful to me in
anything I pleased.

He was an amiable, middle aged man, and fifteen years before had been
Madame d'Urfe's friend, and in a much more intimate degree the friend of
her daughter, the Princess de Toudeville. I told him that I was
uncomfortable at the inn, and that the first service I would ask of him
would be to procure me a comfortable lodging. He rubbed his head, and
said,--

"I think I can get you rooms in a beautiful house, but it is outside the
town walls. The door-keeper is an excellent cook, and for the sake of
doing your cooking I am sure he will lodge you for nothing."

"I don't wish that," said I.

"Don't be afraid," said the baron, "he will make it up by means of his
dishes; and besides, the house is for sale and costs him nothing. Come
and see it."

I took a suite of three rooms and ordered supper for two, warning the man
that I was dainty, liked good things, and did not care for the cost. I
also begged M. de Valenglard to sup with me. The doorkeeper said that if
I was not pleased with his cooking I had only to say so, and in that case
I should have nothing to pay. I sent for my carriage, and felt that I had
established myself in my new abode. On the ground floor I saw three
charming girls and the door-keeper's wife, who all bowed profoundly. M.
de Valenglard took me to a concert with the idea of introducing me to
everybody, but I begged him not to do so, as I wished to see the ladies
before deciding which of them I should like to know.

The company was a numerous one, especially where women were concerned,
but the only one to attract my attention was a pretty and modest-looking
brunette, whose fine figure was dressed with great simplicity. Her
charming eyes, after having thrown one glance in my direction,
obstinately refused to look at me again. My vanity made me conclude at
once that she behaved thus only to increase my desire of knowing her, and
to give me plenty of time to examine her side-face and her figure, the
proportions of which were not concealed by her simple attire. Success
begets assurance, and the wish is father to the thought. I cast a hungry
gaze on this young lady without more ado, just as if all the women in
Europe were only a seraglio kept for my pleasures. I told the baron I
should like to know her.

"She is a good girl," said he, "who sees no company, and is quite poor."

"Those are three reasons which make me the more anxious to know her."

"You will really find nothing to do in that quarter."

"Very good."

"There is her aunt, I will introduce you to her as we leave the
concert-room."

After doing me this service, he came to sup with me. The door-keeper and
cook struck me as being very like Lebel. He made his two pretty daughters
wait on me, and I saw that Valenglard was delighted at having lodged me
to my satisfaction, but he grumbled when he saw fifteen dishes.

"He is making a fool of you and me," he said.

"On the contrary, he has guessed my tastes. Don't you think everything
was very good?"

"I don't deny it, but.... "

"Don't be afraid; I love spending my money."

"I beg your pardon, I only want you to be pleased."

We had exquisite wines, and at dessert some ratafia superior to the
Turkish 'visnat' I had tasted seventeen years before at Yussuf Ali's.
When my landlord came up at the end of supper, I told him that he ought
to be Louis XV.'s head cook.

"Go on as you have begun, and do better if you can; but let me have your
bill every morning."

"You are quite right; with such an arrangement one can tell how one is
getting on."

"I should like you always to give me ices, and you must let me have two
more lights. But, unless I am mistaken, those are candles that I see. I
am a Venetian, and accustomed to wax lights."

"That is your servant's fault, sir."

"How is that?"

"Because, after eating a good supper, he went to bed, saying he was ill.
Thus I heard nothing as to how you liked things done."

"Very good, you shall learn from my own lips."

"He asked my wife to make chocolate for you tomorrow morning; he gave her
the chocolate, I will make it myself."

When he had left the room M. de Valenglard said, in a manner that was at
the same time pleased and surprised, that Madame d'Urfe had been
apparently joking in telling him to spare me all expense.

"It's her goodness of heart. I am obliged to her all the same. She is an
excellent woman."

We stayed at table till eleven o'clock, discussing in numerable pleasant
topics, and animating our talk with that choice liqueur made at Grenoble,
of which we drank a bottle. It is composed of the juice of cherries,
brandy, sugar, and cinnamon, and cannot be surpassed, I am sure, by the
nectar of Olympus.

I sent home the baron in my carriage, after thanking him for his
services, and begging him to be my companion early and late while I
stayed at Grenoble--a re quest which he granted excepting for those days
on which he was on duty. At supper I had given him my bill of exchange on
Zappata, which I endorsed with the name de Seingalt, which Madame d'Urfe
had given me. He discounted it for me next day. A banker brought me four
hundred louis and I had thirteen hundred in my cash-box. I always had a
dread of penuriousness, and I delighted myself at the thought that M. de
Valenglard would write and tell Madame d'Urfe, who was always preaching
economy to me, what he had seen. I escorted my guest to the carriage, and
I was agreeably surprised when I got back to find the doorkeeper's two
charming daughters.

Le Duc had not waited for me to tell him to find some pretext for not
serving me. He knew my tastes, and that when there were pretty girls in a
house, the less I saw of him the better I was pleased.

The frank eagerness of the two girls to wait on me, their utter freedom
from suspicion or coquetry, made me determine that I would shew myself
deserving of their trust. They took off my shoes and stockings, did my
hair and put on my night-gown with perfect propriety on both sides. When
I was in bed I wished them a goodnight, and told them to shut the door
and bring me my chocolate at eight o'clock next morning.

I could not help confessing that I was perfectly happy as I reflected
over my present condition. I enjoyed perfect health, I was in the prime
of life, I had no calls on me, I was thoroughly independent, I had a rich
store of experience, plenty of money, plenty of luck, and I was a
favourite with women. The pains and troubles I had gone through had been
followed by so many days of happiness that I felt disposed to bless my
destiny. Full of these agreeable thoughts I fell asleep, and all the
night my dreams were of happiness and of the pretty brunette who had
played with me at the concert.

I woke with thoughts of her, and feeling sure that we should become
acquainted I felt curious to know what success I should have with her.
She was discreet and poor; and as I was discreet in my own way she ought
not to despise my friendship.

At eight o'clock, one of the door-keeper's daughters brought me my
chocolate, and told me that Le Duc had got the fever.

"You must take care of the poor fellow."

"My cousin has just taken him some broth."

"What is your name?"

"My name is Rose, and my sister is Manon."

Just then Manon came in with my shirt, on which she had put fresh lace. I
thanked her, and she said with a blush that she did her father's hair
very well.

"I am delighted to hear it, and I shall be very pleased if you will be
kind enough to do the same offices for me till my servant recovers."

"With pleasure, sir."

"And I," said Rose, laughing, "will shave you."

"I should like to see how you do it; get the water."

I rose hastily, while Manon was preparing to do my hair. Rose returned
and shaved me admirably. As soon as she had washed off the lather, I
said,

"You must give me a kiss," presenting my cheek to her. She pretended not
to understand.

"I shall be vexed," said I, gravely but pleasantly, "if you refuse to
kiss me."

She begged to be excused, saying with a little smile, that it was not
customary to do so at Grenoble.

"Well, if you won't kiss me, you shan't shave me."

The father came in at that point, bringing his bill.

"Your daughter has just shaved me admirably," said I, "and she refuses to
kiss me, because it is not the custom at Grenoble."

"You little silly," said he, "it is the custom in Paris. You kiss me fast
enough after you have shaved me, why should you be less polite to this
gentleman?"

She then kissed me with an air of submission to the paternal decree which
made Manon laugh.

"Ah!" said the father, "your turn will come when you have finished doing
the gentleman's hair."

He was a cunning fellow, who knew the best way to prevent me cheapening
him, but there was no need, as I thought his charges reasonable, and as I
paid him in full he went off in great glee.

Manon did my hair as well as my dear Dubois, and kissed me when she had
done without making as many difficulties as Rose. I thought I should get
on well with both of them. They went downstairs when the banker was
announced.

He was quite a young man, and after he had counted me out four hundred
Louis, he observed that I must be very comfortable.

"Certainly," said I, "the two sisters are delightful."

"Their cousin is better. They are too discreet."

"I suppose they are well off."

"The father has two thousand francs a year. They will be able to marry
well-to-do tradesmen."

I was curious to see the cousin who was said to be prettier than the
sisters, and as soon as the banker had gone I went downstairs to satisfy
my curiosity. I met the father and asked him which was Le Duc's room, and
thereon I went to see my fine fellow. I found him sitting up in a
comfortable bed with a rubicund face which did not look as if he were
dangerously ill.

"What is the matter with you?

"Nothing, sir. I am having a fine time of it. Yesterday I thought I would
be ill."

"What made you think that?"

"The sight of the