Spanish Passions: Return to Rome

J >> Jacques Casanova de Seingalt >> Spanish Passions: Return to Rome


The superioress told me that her name was Scholastica, and that she was
well worthy of my esteem, being, as she said, as good as Emilie. She
expressed a hope that I would do my best to help Scholastica to marry a
man whom she knew and who was in a good position.

This man was the son of a cousin of Scholastica's. She called him her
nephew, though he was older than she. The dispensation could easily be
got for money, but if it was to be had for nothing I should have to make
interest with the Holy Father. I promised I would do my best in the
matter.

The carnival was drawing to a close, and Scholastica had never seen an
opera or a play. Armelline wanted to see a ball, and I had at last
succeeded in finding one where it seemed unlikely that I should be
recognized. However, it would have to be carefully managed, as serious
consequences might ensue; so I asked the two friends if they would wear
men's clothes, to which they agreed very heartily.

I had taken a box at the Aliberti Theatre for the day after the ball, so
I told the two girls to obtain the necessary permission from the
superioress.

Though Armelline's resistance and the presence of her new friend
discouraged me, I procured everything requisite to transform them into
two handsome lads.

As Armelline got into the carriage she gave me the bad news that
Scholastica knew nothing about our relations, and that we must be careful
what we did before her. I had no time to reply, for Scholastica got in,
and we drove off to the inn. When we were seated in front of a good fire,
I told them that if they liked I would go into the next room in spite of
the cold.

So saying, I shewed them their disguises, and Armelline said it would do
if I turned my back, appealing to Scholastics to confirm her.

"I will do as you like," said she, "but I am very sorry to be in the way.
You are in love with each other, and here am I preventing you from giving
one another marks of your affection. Why don't you treat me with
confidence? I am not a child, and I am your friend."

These remarks shewed that she had plenty of common sense, and I breathed
again.

"You are right, fair Scholastics," I said, "I do love Armelline, but she
does not love me, and refuses to make me happy on one pretence or
another."

With these words I left the room, and after shutting the door behind me
proceeded to make up a fire in the second apartment.

In a quarter of an hour Armelline knocked at the door, and begged me to
open it. She was in her breeches, and said they needed my assistance as
their shoes were so small they could not get them on.

I was in rather a sulky humour, so she threw her arms round my neck and
covered my face with kisses which soon restored me to myself.

While I was explaining the reason of my ill temper, and kissing whatever
I could see, Scholastica burst out laughing.

"I was sure that I was in the way," said she; "and if you do not trust
me, I warn you that I will not go with you to the opera to-morrow."

"Well, then, embrace him," said Armelline.

"With all my heart."

I did not much care for Armelline's generosity, but I embraced
Scholastica as warmly as she deserved. Indeed I would have done so if she
had been less pretty, for such kindly consideration deserved a reward. I
even kissed her more ardently than I need have done, with the idea of
punishing Armelline, but I made a mistake. She was delighted, and kissed
her friend affectionately as if in gratitude.

I made them sit down, and tried to pull on their shoes, but I soon found
that they were much too small, and that we must get some more.

I called the waiter who attended to us, and told him to go and fetch a
bootmaker with an assortment of shoes.

In the meanwhile I would not be contented with merely kissing Armelline.
She neither dared to grant nor to refuse; and as if to relieve herself of
any responsibility, made Scholastica submit to all the caresses I
lavished on her. The latter seconded my efforts with an ardour that would
have pleased me exceedingly if I had been in love with her.

She was exceedingly beautiful, and her features were as perfectly
chiselled as Armelline's, but Armelline was possessed of a delicate and
subtle charm of feature peculiar to herself.

I liked the amusement well enough, but there was a drop of bitterness in
all my enjoyment. I thought it was plain that Armelline did not love me,
and that Scholastica only encouraged me to encourage her friend.

At last I came to the conclusion that I should do well to attach myself
to the one who seemed likely to give me the completest satisfaction.

As soon as I conceived this idea I felt curious to see whether Armelline
would discover any jealousy if I shewed myself really in love with
Scholastica, and if the latter pronounced me to be too daring, for
hitherto my hands had not crossed the Rubicon of their waistbands. I was
just going to work when the shoemaker arrived, and in a few minutes the
girls were well fitted.

They put on their coats, and I saw two handsome young men before me,
while their figures hinted their sex sufficiently to make a third person
jealous of my good fortune.

I gave orders for supper to be ready at midnight, and we went to the
ball. I would have wagered a hundred to one that no one would recognize
me there, as the man who got the tickets had assured me that it was a
gathering of small tradesmen. But who can trust to fate or chance?

We went into the hall, and the first person I saw was the Marchioness
d'Aout, with her husband and her inseparable abbe.

No doubt I turned a thousand colours, but it was no good going back, for
the marchioness had recognized me, so I composed myself and went up to
her. We exchanged the usual compliments of polite society, to which she
added some good-natured though ironical remarks on my two young friends.
Not being accustomed to company, they remained confused and speechless.
But the worst of all was to come. A tall young lady who had just finished
a minuet came up to Armelline, dropped a curtsy, and asked her to dance.

In this young lady I recognized the Florentine who had disguised himself
as a girl, and looked a very beautiful one.

Armelline thought she would not appear a dupe, and said she recognized
him.

"You are making a mistake," said he, calmly. "I have a brother who is
very like me, just as you have a sister who is your living portrait. My
brother had the pleasure of exchanging a few words with her at the
Capronica." The Florentine's cleverness made the marchioness laugh, and I
had to join in her mirth, though I felt little inclination to do so.

Armelline begged to be excused dancing, so the marchioness made her sit
between the handsome Florentine and herself. The marquis took possession
of Scholastica, and I had to be attentive to the marchioness without
seeming to be aware of the existence of Armelline, to whom the Florentine
was talking earnestly.

I felt as jealous as a tiger; and having to conceal my rage under an air
of perfect satisfaction, the reader may imagine how well I enjoyed the
ball.

However, there was more anxiety in store for me; for presently I noticed
Scholastica leave the marquis, and go apart with a middle-aged man, with
whom she conversed in an intimate manner.

The minuets over, the square dances began, and I thought I was dreaming
when I saw Armelline and the Florentine taking their places.

I came up to congratulate them, and asked Armelline, gently, if she was
sure of the steps.

"This gentleman says I have only to imitate him, and that I cannot
possibly make any mistakes."

I had nothing to say to this, so I went towards Scholastica, feeling very
curious to know who was her companion.

As soon as she saw me she introduced me to him, saying timidly that this
was the nephew of whom she had spoken, the same that wished to marry her.

I was surprised, but I did not let it appear. I told him that the
superioress had spoken of him to me, and that I was thinking over the
ways and means of obtaining a dispensation without any costs.

He was an honest-looking man, and thanked me heartily, commending himself
to my good offices, as he said he was far from rich.

I left them together, and on turning to view the dance I was astonished
to see that Armelline was dancing admirably, and executing all the
figures. The Florentine seemed a finished dancer, and they both looked
very happy.

I was far from pleased, but I congratulated them both on their
performance. The Florentine had disguised himself so admirably that no
one would have taken him for a man. It was the Marchioness d'Aout who had
been his dresser.

As I was too jealous to leave Armelline to her own devices, I refused to
dance, preferring to watch her.

I was not at all uneasy about Scholastica, who was with her betrothed.
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 have the honour," I replied, "and my two companions know the
reason."

"That is as much as to say," said the marchioness, "that he will do as
you please," turning to Armelline as she spoke.

I addressed myself to Armelline, and observed smilingly that she knew
perfectly well that she must be home by half-past twelve at latest.

"True," she replied, "but you can do as you please."

I replied somewhat sadly that I did not feel myself at liberty to break
my word, but that she could make me do even that if she chose.

Thereupon the marchioness, her husband, the abbe, and the Florentine,
urged her to use her power to make me break my supposed word, and
Armelline actually began to presume to do so.

I was bursting with rage; but making up my mind to do anything rather
than appear jealous, I said simply that I would gladly consent if her
friend would consent also.

"Very well," said she, with a pleased air that cut me to the quick, "go
and ask her."

That was enough for me. I went to Scholastica and told her the
circumstances in the presence of her lover, begging her to refuse without
compromising me.

Her lover said I was perfectly right, but Scholastica required no
persuasion, telling me that she had quite made up her mind not to sup
with anyone.

She came with me, and I told her to speak to Armelline apart before
saying anything to the others.

I led Scholastica before the marchioness, bewailing my want of success.

Scholastica told Armelline that she wanted to say a few words to her
aside, and after a short conversation they came back looking sorry, and
Armelline told the marchioness that she found it would be impossible for
them to come. The lady did not press us any longer, so we went away.

I told Scholastica's intended to keep what had passed to himself, and
asked him to dine with me on the day after Ash Wednesday.

The night was dark, and we walked to the place where I had ordered the
carriage to be in waiting.

To me it was as if I had come out of hell, and on the way to the inn I
did not speak a word, not even answering the questions which the
too-simple Armelline addressed to me in a voice that would have softened
a heart of stone. Scholastica avenged me by reproaching her for having
obliged me to appear either rude or jealous, or a breaker of my word.

When we got to the inn Armelline changed my jealous rage into pity; her
eyes swam with tears, which Scholastica's home truths had drawn forth.

The supper was ready, so they had no time to change their dress. I was
sad enough, but I could not bear to see Armelline sad also. I resolved to
do my best to drive away her melancholy, even though I suspected that it
arose from love of the Florentine.

The supper was excellent, and Scholastica did honour to it, while
Armelline, contrary to her wont, scarcely touched a thing. Scholastica
was charming. She embraced her friend, and told her to be merry with her,
as I had become the friend of her betrothed, and she was sure I would do
as much for her as I had done for Emilie. She blessed the ball and the
chance which had brought him there. In short, she did her best to shew
Armelline that with my love she had no reason to be sad.

Armelline dared not disclose the true cause of her sadness. The fact was,
that she wanted to get married, and the handsome Florentine was the man
to her liking.

Our supper came to an end, and still Armelline was gloomy. She only drank
one glass of punch, and as she had eaten so little I would not try and
make her drink more for fear lest it should do her harm. Scholastica, on
the other hand, took such a fancy to this agreeable fluid, which she
tasted for the first time, that she drank deeply, and was amazed to find
it mounting to her head instead of descending to her stomach. In this
pleasant state, she felt it was her duty to reconcile Armelline and
myself, and to assure us that we might be as tender as we liked without
minding her presence.

Getting up from table and standing with some difficulty, she carried her
friend to the sofa, and caressed her in such a way that Armelline could
not help laughing, despite her sadness. Then she called me and placed her
in my arms. I caressed her, and Armelline, though she did not repulse me,
did not respond as Scholastica had hoped. I was not disappointed; I did
not think it likely she would grant now what she had refused to grant
when I had held her in my arms for those hours whilst Emilie was fast
asleep.

However, Scholastica began to reproach me with my coldness, though I
deserved no blame at all on this score.

I told them to take off their men's clothes, and to dress themselves as
women.

I helped Scholastica to take off her coat and waistcoat, and then aided
Armelline in a similar manner.

When I brought them their chemises, Armelline told me to go and stand by
the fire, and I did so.

Before long a noise of kissing made me turn round, and I saw Scholastica,
on whom the punch had taken effect, devouring Armelline's breast with
kisses. At last this treatment had the desired result; Armelline became
gay, and gave as good as she got.

At this sight the blood boiled in my veins, and running to them I found
Scholastic was not ill pleased that I should do justice to her beautiful
spheres, while for the nonce I transformed her into a nurse.

Armelline was ashamed to appear less generous than her friend, and
Scholastica was triumphant when she saw the peculiar use to which (for
the first time) I put Armelline's hands.

Armelline called to her friend to help, and she was not backward; but in
spite of her twenty years her astonishment at the catastrophe was great.

After it was over I put on their chemises and took off their breeches
with all the decency imaginable, and after spending a few minutes in the
next room they came and sat down on my knee of their own accord.

Scholastica, instead of being annoyed at my giving the preference to the
hidden charms of Armelline, seemed delighted, watching what I did, and
how Armelline took it, with the closest attention. She no doubt longed to
see me perform the magnum opus, but the gentle Armelline would not allow
me to go so far.

After I had finished with Armelline I recollected I had duties towards
Scholastica, and I proceeded to inspect her charms.

It was difficult to decide which of the two deserved to carry off the
apple. Scholastica, perhaps, was strictly speaking the more beautiful of
the two, but I loved Armelline, and love casts a glamour over the beloved
object. Scholastica appeared to me to be as pure a virgin as Armelline,
and I saw that I might do what I liked with her. But I would not abuse my
liberty, not caring to confess how powerful an ally the punch had been.

However, I did all in my power to give her pleasure without giving her
the greatest pleasure of all. Scholastica, was glutted with voluptuous
enjoyment, and was certain that I had only eluded her desires from
motives of delicacy.

I took them back to the convent, assuring them that I would take them to
the opera on the following evening.

I went to bed, doubtful whether I had gained a victory or sustained a
defeat; and it was not till I awoke that I was in a position to give a
decided opinion.

[There is here a considerable hiatus in the author's manuscript.]