Back Again to Paris | Page 7

am a man of honour I hope never to be under the same
roof as Madame Blondel again."
With this I left the room, leaving everybody in astonishment, and not
knowing where to go I took a coach and went to sup with my
sister-in-law, who was extremely glad to see me. But all through
supper-time this charming woman did nothing but complain of her
husband, saying that he had no business to marry her, knowing that he
could not shew himself a man.
"Why did you not make the trial before you married?"
"Was it for me to propose such a thing? How should I suppose that
such a fine man was impotent? But I will tell you how it all happened.
As you know, I was a dancer at the Comedie Italienne, and I was the
mistress of M. de Sauci, the ecclesiastical commissioner. He brought
your brother to my house, I liked him, and before long I saw that he
loved me. My lover advised me that it was an opportunity for getting
married and making my fortune. With this idea I conceived the plan of
not granting him any favours. He used to come and see me in the
morning, and often found me in bed; we talked together, and his
passions seemed to be aroused, but it all ended in kissing. On my part, I
was waiting for a formal declaration and a proposal of marriage. At that
period, M. de Sauci settled an annuity of a thousand crowns on me on
the condition that I left the stage.
"In the spring M. de Sauci invited your brother to spend a month in his

country house. I was of the party, but for propriety's sake it was agreed
that I should pass as your brother's wife. Casanova enjoyed the idea,
looking upon it as a jest, and not thinking of the consequences. I was
therefore introduced as his wife to my lover's family, as also to his
relations, who were judges, officers, and men about town, and to their
wives, who were all women of fashion. Your brother was in high glee
that to play our parts properly we were obliged to sleep together. For
my part, I was far from disliking the idea, or at all events I looked upon
it as a short cut to the marriage I desired.
"But how can I tell you? Though tender and affectionate in everything,
your brother slept with me for a month without our attaining what
seemed the natural result under the circumstances."
"You might have concluded, then, that he was impotent; for unless he
were made of stone, or had taken a vow of chastity, his conduct was
inexplicable."
"The fact is, that I had no means of knowing whether he was capable or
incapable of giving me substantial proof of his love."
"Why did you not ascertain his condition for yourself?"
"A feeling of foolish pride prevented me from putting him to the test. I
did not suspect the truth, but imagined reasons flattering to myself. I
thought that he loved me so truly that he would not do anything before
I was his wife. That idea prevented me humiliating myself by making
him give me some positive proof of his powers."
"That supposition would have been tenable, though highly improbable,
if you had been an innocent young maid, but he knew perfectly well
that your novitiate was long over."
"Very true; but what can you expect of a woman impelled by love and
vanity?"
"Your reasoning is excellent, but it comes rather late." "Well, at last we
went back to Paris, your brother to his house, and I to mine, while he

continued his courtship, and I could not understand what he meant by
such strange behaviour. M. de Sauci, who knew that nothing serious
had taken place between us, tried in vain to solve the enigma. 'No doubt
he is afraid of getting you with child,' he said, 'and of thus being
obliged to marry you.' I began to be of the same opinion, but I thought
it a strange line for a man in love to take.
"M. de Nesle, an officer in the French Guards, who had a pretty wife I
had met in the country, went to your brother's to call on me. Not
finding me there he asked why we did not live together. Your brother
replied openly that our marriage had been a mere jest. M. de Nesle then
came to me to enquire if this were the truth, and when he heard that it
was he asked me how I would like him to make Casanova marry me. I
answered that I should be delighted, and that was enough for him. He
went again to your brother, and