Expelled from Spain | Page 6

way, with the title of ungrateful traitor)
said that the baron's letter had excited his curiosity and he he had met
him in St. Jerome's Park, where the baron had clearly proved this
enemy to be myself, since I had informed the baron that though the
name of Manucci was genuine the title of count was quite apocryphal.
After recapitulating the information which Fraiture had given him, and
which could only have proceeded from myself, he advised me to leave
Madrid as soon as possible, in a week at latest.
I can give the reader no idea of the shock this letter gave me. For the
first time in my life I had to confess myself guilty of folly, ingratitude,
and crime. I felt that my fault was beyond forgiveness, and did not
think of asking Manucci to pardon me; I could do nothing but despair.
Nevertheless, in spite of Manucci's just indignation, I could not help
seeing that he had made a great mistake in advising me, in so insulting
a manner, to leave Madrid in a week. The young man might have
known that my self-respect would forbid my following such a piece of
advice. He could not compel me to obey his counsel or command; and
to leave Madrid would have been to commit a second baseness worse

than the first.
A prey to grief I spent the day without taking any steps one way or the
other, and I went to bed without supping and without the company of
Donna Ignazia.
After a sound sleep I got up and wrote to the friend whom I had
offended a sincere and humble confession of my fault. I concluded my
letter by saying that I hoped that this evidence of my sincere and
heartfelt repentance would suffice, but if not that I was ready to give
him any honourable satisfaction in my power.
"You may," I said, "have me assassinated if you like, but I shall not
leave Madrid till its suits me to do so."
I put a commonplace seal on my letter, and had the address written by
Philippe, whose hand was unknown to Manucci, and then I sent it to
Pando where the king had gone.
I kept my room the whole day; and Donna Ignazia, seeing that I had
recovered my spirits to some degree, made no more enquiries about the
cause of my distress. I waited in the whole of the next day, expecting a
reply, but in vain.
The third day, being Sunday, I went out to call on the Prince della
Catolica. My carriage stopped at his door, but the porter came out and
told me in a polite whisper that his highness had his reasons for not
receiving me any longer.
This was an unexpected blow, but after it I was prepared for anything.
I drove to the Abbe Bigliardi, but the lackey, after taking in my name,
informed me that his master was out.
I got into my carriage and went to Varnier, who said he wanted to
speak to me.
"Come into my carriage," said I, "we will go and hear mass together."

On our way he told me that the Venetian ambassador, Mocenigo, had
warned the Duke of Medina Sidonia that I was a dangerous character.
"The duke," he added, "replied that he would cease to know you as
soon as he found out the badness of your character himself."
These three shocks, following in such quick succession, cast me into a
state of confusion. I said nothing till we heard mass together, but I
believe that if I had not then told him the whole story I should have had
an apoplectic fit.
Varnier pitied me, and said,--
"Such are the ways of the great when they have abjured all virtue and
honesty. Nevertheless, I advise you to keep silence about it, unless you
would irritate Manucci still farther."
When I got home I wrote to Manucci begging him to suspend his
vengeance, or else I should be obliged to tell the story to all those who
insulted me for the ambassador's sake. I sent the letter to M. Soderini,
the secretary of the embassy, feeling sure that he would forward it to
Manucci.
I dined with my mistress, and took her to the bull fight, where I
chanced to find myself in a box adjoining that in which Manucci and
the two ambassadors were seated. I made them a bow which they were
obliged to return, and did not vouchsafe them another glance for the
rest of the spectacle.
The next day the Marquis Grimaldi refused to receive me, and I saw
that I should have to abandon all hope. The Duke of Lossada remained
my friend on account of his dislike to the ambassador and his