Expelled from Spain | Page 7

unnatural
tastes; but he told me that he had been requested not to receive me, and
that he did not think I had the slightest chance of obtaining any
employment at Court.
I could scarcely believe in such an extremity of vengeance: Manucci
was making a parade of the influence he possessed over his wife the

ambassador. In his insane desire for revenge he had laid all shame
aside.
I was curious to know whether he had forgotten Don Emmanuel de
Roda and the Marquis de la Moras; I found both of them had been
forewarned against me. There was still the Count of Aranda, and I was
just going to see him when a servant of his highness's came and told me
that his master wished to see me.
I shuddered, for in my then state of mind I drew the most sinister
conclusions from the message.
I found the great man alone, looking perfectly calm. This made me
pluck up a heart. He asked me to sit down--a favour he had not hitherto
done me, and this further contributed to cheer me.
"What have you been doing to offend your ambassador?" he began.
"My lord, I have done nothing to him directly, but by an inexcusable
act of stupidity I have wounded his dear friend Manucci in his tenderest
part. With the most innocent intentions I reposed my confidence in a
cowardly fellow, who sold it to Manucci for a hundred pistoles. In his
irritation, Manucci has stirred up the great man against me: 'hinc illae
lacrimae'."
"You have been unwise, but what is done is done. I am sorry for you,
because there is an end to all your hopes of advancement. The first
thing the king would do would be to make enquiries about you of the
ambassador."
"I feel it to my sorrow, my lord, but must I leave Madrid?"
"No. The ambassador did his best to make me send you way, but I told
him that I had no power over you so long as you did not infringe the
laws."
"'He has calumniated a Venetian subject whom I am bound to protect,'
said he.

"'In that case,' I replied, 'you can resort to the ordinary law, and punish
him to the best of your ability.'"
"The ambassador finally begged me to order you not to mention the
matter to any Venetian subjects at Madrid, and I think you can safely
promise me this."
"My lord, I have much pleasure in giving your excellency my word of
honour not to do so."
"Very good. Then you can stay at Madrid as long as you please; and,
indeed, Mocenigo will be leaving in the course of a week."
From that moment I made up my mind to amuse myself without any
thought of obtaining a position in Spain. However, the ties of
friendship made me keep up my acquaintance with Varnier, the Duke
of Medina Sidonia, and the architect, Sabatini, who always gave me a
warm welcome, as did his wife.
Donna Ignazia had more of my company than ever, and congratulated
me on my freedom from the cares of business.
After the departure of Mocenigo I thought I would go and see if
Querini, his nephew, was equally prejudiced against me. The porter
told me that he had received orders not to admit me, and I laughed in
the man's face.
Six or seven weeks after Manucci's departure I, too, left Madrid. I did
so on compulsion, in spite of my love for Ignazia, for I had no longer
hopes of doing anything in Portugal, and my purse was nearly
exhausted.
I thought of selling a handsome repeater and a gold snuff-box so as to
enable me to go to Marseilles, whence I thought of going to
Constantinople and trying my fortune there without turning renegade.
Doubtless, I should have found the plan unsuccessful, for I was
attaining an age when Fortune flies. I had no reason, however, to
complain of Fortune, for she had been lavish in her gifts to me, and I in

my turn had always abused them.
In my state of distress the learned Abbe Pinzi introduced me to a
Genoese bookseller, named Carrado, a thoroughly honest man, who
seemed to have been created that the knavery of most of the Genoese
might be pardoned. To him I brought my watch and snuff-box, but the
worthy Carrado not only refused to buy them, but would not take them
in pledge. He gave me seventeen hundred francs with no other security
than my word that I would repay him if I were ever able to do so.
Unhappily I have never been able to repay this debt, unless my
gratitude be accounted repayment.
As nothing is sweeter than the companionship between a man and