The Eternal Quest: Paris And Holland

J >> Jacques Casanova de Seingalt >> The Eternal Quest: Paris And Holland


Therese was two years older than I. She was still pretty, and even
handsome, but her charms no longer retained their first beauty, and my
passion for her, having been a merely physical one, it was no wonder that
she had no longer any attraction for me. Her adventures during the six
years in which I had lost her would certainly interest my readers, and
form a pleasing episode in my book, and I would tell the tale if it were
a true one; but not being a romance writer, I am anxious that this work
shall contain the truth and nothing but the truth. Convicted by her
amorous and jealous margarve of infidelity, she had been sent about her
business. She was separated from her husband Pompeati, had followed a new
lover to Brussels, and there had caught the fancy of Prince Charles de
Lorraine, who had obtained her the direction of all the theatres in the
Austrian Low Countries. She had then undertaken this vast responsibility,
entailing heavy expenditure, till at last, after selling all her diamonds
and lace, she had fled to Holland to avoid arrest. Her husband killed
himself at Vienna in a paroxysm caused by internal pain--he had cut open
his stomach with a razor, and died tearing at his entrails.

My business left me no time for sleep. M. Casanova came and asked me to
dinner, telling me to meet him on the Exchange--a place well worth
seeing. Millionaires are as plentiful as blackberries, and anyone who is
not worth more than a hundred thousand florins is considered a poor man.
I found M. d'O---- there, and was asked by him to dinner the following day
at a small house he had on the Amstel. M. Casanova treated me with the
greatest courtesy. After reading my pedigree he went for his own, and
found it exactly the same; but he merely laughed, and seemed to care
little about it, differing in that respect from Don Antonio of Naples,
who set such store by my pedigree, and treated me with such politeness on
that account. Nevertheless, he bade me make use of him in anything
relating to business if I did anything in that way. I thought his
daughter pretty, but neither her charms nor her wit made any impression
on me. My thoughts were taken up with Esther, and I talked so much about
her at dinner that at last my cousin declared that she did not consider
her pretty. Oh, you women! beauty is the only unpardonable offence in
your eyes. Mdlle. Casanova was Esther's friend, and yet she could not
bear to hear her praised.

On my seeing M. d'O---- again after dinner, he told me that if I cared to
take fifteen per cent. on my shares, he would take them from me and save
broker's expenses. I thought the offer a good one, and I accepted it,
taking a bill of exchange on Tourton & Baur. At the rate of exchange at
Hamburg I found I should have seventy-two thousand francs, although at
five per cent. I had only expected sixty-nine thousand. This transaction
won me high favour with Madame d'Urfe, who, perhaps, had not expected me
to be so honest.

In the evening I went with M. Pels to Zaandam, in a boat placed on a
sleigh and impelled by a sail. It was an extraordinary, but at the same
time an amusing and agreeable, mode of travelling. The wind was strong,
and we did fifteen miles an hour; we seemed to pass through the air as
swiftly as an arrow. A safer and more convenient method of travelling
cannot be imagined; it would be an ideal way of journeying round the
world if there were such a thing as a frozen sea all round. The wind,
however, must be behind, as one cannot sail on a side wind, there being
no rudder. I was pleased and astonished at the skill of our two sailors
in lowering sail exactly at the proper time; for the sleigh ran a good
way, from the impetus it had already received, and we stopped just at the
bank of the river, whereas if the sail had been lowered a moment later
the sleigh might have been broken to pieces. We had some excellent perch
for dinner, but the strength of the wind prevented us from walking about.
I went there again, but as Zaandam is well known as the haunt of the
millionaire merchants who retire and enjoy life there in their own way, I
will say no more about it. We returned in a fine sleigh drawn by two
horses, belonging to M. Pels, and he kept me to supper. This worthy man,
whose face bore witness to his entire honesty, told me that as I was now
the friend of M. d'O---- and himself, I should have nothing whatever to do
with the Jews, but should address myself to them alone. I was pleased
with this proposal, which made a good many of my difficulties disappear,
and the reader will see the results of this course.

Next day snow fell in large flakes, and I went early to M. d'O----'s,
where I found Esther in the highest of spirits. She gave me a warm
welcome, and began to rally me on having spent the whole night with
Madame Trenti.

I might possibly have shewn some slight confusion, but her father said an
honest man had nothing to be ashamed of in admiring talent. Then, turning
to me, he said,

"Tell me, M. Casanova, who this woman is?"

"She is a Venetian whose husband died recently; I knew her when I was a
lad, and it was six years since I had seen her last."

"You were agreeably surprised, then, to see your daughter?" said Esther.

"Why do you think the child is my daughter? Madame Trenti was married
then."

"The likeness is really too strong. And how about your falling asleep
yesterday when you were supping with M. Pels?"

"It was no wonder that I went asleep, as I had not closed an eye the
night before."

"I am envious of anyone who possesses the secret of getting a good sleep,
for I have always to wait long hours before sleep comes to me, and when I
awake, instead of being refreshed, I feel heavy and languid from
fatigue."

"Try passing the night in listening to one in whom you take an interest,
telling the story of her life, and I promise you that you will sleep well
the night after."

"There is no such person for me."

"No, because you have as yet only seen fourteen summers; but afterwards
there will be someone."

"Maybe, but what I want just now is books, and the help of someone who
will guide my reading."

"That would be an easy matter for anyone who knew your tastes."

"I like history and travels, but for a book to please me it must be all
true, as I lay it down at the slightest suspicion of its veracity."

"Now I think I may venture to offer my services, and if you will accept
them I believe I shall be able to give satisfaction."

"I accept your offer, and shall keep you to your word."

"You need not be afraid of my breaking it, and before I leave for the
Hague I will prove that I am reliable."

She then began to rally me on the pleasure I should have at the Hague,
where I should see Madame Trenti again. Her freedom, mirth, and extreme
beauty set my blood on fire, and M. d'O---- laughed heartily at the war
his charming daughter waged on me. At eleven o'clock we got into a
well-appointed sleigh and we set out for his small house, where she told
me I should find Mdlle. Casanova and her betrothed.

"Nevertheless," said I, "you will continue to be my only attraction."

She made no answer, but it was easy to perceive that my avowal had not
displeased her.

When we had gone some distance we saw the lovers, who had come out, in
spite of the snow, to meet us. We got down, and after taking off our furs
we entered the house. I gazed at the young gentleman, who looked at me a
moment in return and then whispered in Mdlle. Casanova's ear. She smiled
and whispered something to Esther. Esther stepped up to her father and
said a few words to him in a low voice, and everybody began to laugh at
once. They all looked at me and I felt certain that I was somehow the
point of the joke, but I put on an indifferent air.

"There may be a mistake," said M. d'O----; "at any rate we should
ascertain the truth of the matter."

"M. Casanova, had you any adventures on your journey from the Hague to
Amsterdam?"

At this I looked again at the young gentleman, and I guessed what they
were talking about.

"No adventure to speak of," I answered, "except a meeting with a fine
fellow who desired to see my carriage turn upside down into the ditch,
and who I think is present now."

At these words the laughter broke out afresh, and the gentleman and I
embraced each other; but after he had given the true account of the
adventure his mistress pretended to be angry, and told him that he ought
to have fought. Esther observed that he had shewn more true courage in
listening to reason, and M. d'O---- said he was strongly of his daughter's
opinion; however, Mdlle. Casanova, after airing her high-flown ideas,
began to sulk with her lover.

To restore the general mirth, Esther said, gaily, "Come, come, let us put
on our skates, and try the Amstel, for I am afraid that unless we go
forthwith the ice will have melted." I was ashamed to ask her to let me
off, though I would gladly have done so! but what will not love do! M.
d'O---- left us to our own devices. Mdlle. Casanova's intended put on my
skates, and the ladies put on their short petticoats with black velvet
drawers to guard against certain accidents. We reached the river, and as
I was a perfect neophyte in this sport the figure I cut may be imagined.
However, I resolutely determined to conquer my awkwardness, and twenty
times, to the peril of my spine, did I fall down upon the ice. I should
have been wiser to have left off, but I was ashamed to do so, and I did
not stop till, to my huge delight, we were summoned in to dinner. But I
paid dear for my obstinacy, for when I tried to rise from the table I
felt as if I had lost the use of my limbs. Esther pitied me, and said she
would cure me. There was a good deal of laughter at my expense, and I let
them laugh, as I felt certain that the whole thing had been contrived to
turn me into derision, and wishing to make Esther love me I thought it
best to stimulate a good temper. I passed the afternoon with M. d'O----,
letting the young people go by themselves on the Amstel, where they
stopped till dusk.

Next morning when I awoke I thought I was a lost man. I suffered a
martyrdom of pain. The last of my vertebral bones, called by doctors the
os sacrum, felt as if it had been crushed to atoms, although I had used
almost the whole of a pot of ointment which Esther had given me for that
purpose. In spite of my torments I did not forget my promise, and I had
myself taken to a bookseller's where I bought all the books I thought
likely to interest her. She was very grateful, and told me to come and
embrace her before I started if I wanted a pretty present.

It was not likely that I was going to refuse such an invitation as that,
so I went early in the morning, leaving my post-chaise at the door Her
governess took me to her bed, where she was lying as fair and gay as
Venus herself.

"I am quite sure," said she, "that you would not have come at all unless
I had asked you to come and embrace me."

At this my lips were fastened on her mouth, her eyes, and on every spot
of her lovely face. But seeing my eyes straying towards her bosom, and
guessing that I should make myself master of it, she stopped laughing and
put herself on the defensive.

"Go away," said she, slyly, "go away and enjoy yourself at the Hague with
the fair Trenti, who possesses so pretty a token of your love."

"My dear Esther, I am going to the Hague to talk business with the
ambassador, and for no other reason, and in six days at latest you will
see me back again, as much your lover as before, and desiring nothing
better than to please you."

"I rely upon your word of honour, but mind you do not deceive me."

With these words she put up her mouth and gave me so tender and
passionate a kiss that I went away feeling certain of my bliss being
crowned on my return. That evening, at supper-time, I reached Boaz's
house.