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knee, and covering her with kisses
asked her where she had learnt to talk to great people so well.
"It's an easy matter," she replied. "Your eyes speak to my soul, and tell
me what to do and what to say."
A professed rhetorician could not have answered more elegantly or
more flatteringly.
I finished the translation; I had it copied out by Costa and took it to
Rossi, the manager, who said he would put it on directly, when I told
him I was going to make him a present of the play. I named the actors
of my choice, and asked him to bring them to dine with me at my inn,
that I might read the play and distribute the parts.
As will be guessed, my invitation was accepted, and Rosalie enjoyed
dining with the actors and actresses, and especially hearing herself
called Madame Casanova every moment. Veronique explained
everything she did not understand.
When my actors were round me in a ring, they begged me to tell them
their parts, but I would not give in on this point.
"The first thing to be done," said I, "is for you to listen attentively to

the whole piece without minding about your parts. When you know the
whole play I will satisfy your curiosity."
I knew that careless or idle actors often pay no attention to anything
except their own parts, and thus a piece, though well played in its parts,
is badly rendered as a whole.
They submitted with a tolerably good grace, which the high and mighty
players of the Comedie Francaise would certainly not have done. Just
as I was beginning my heading the Marquis de Grimaldi and the banker
Belloni came in to call on me. I was glad for them to be present at the
trial, which only lasted an hour and a quarter.
After I had heard the opinion of the actors, who by their praise of
various situations shewed me that they had taken in the plot, I told
Costa to distribute the parts; but no sooner was this done than the first
actor and the first actress began to express their displeasure; she,
because I had given her the part of Lady Alton; he, because I had not
given him Murray's part; but they had to bear it as it was my will. I
pleased everybody by asking them all to dinner for the day after the
morrow, after dinner the piece to be rehearsed for the first time.
The banker Belloni asked me to dinner for the following day, including
my lady, who excused herself with great politeness, in the invitation;
and M. Grimaldi was glad to take my place at dinner at her request.
When I got to M. Belloni's, I was greatly surprised to see the impostor
Ivanoff, who instead of pretending not to know me, as he ought to have
done, came forward to embrace me. I stepped back and bowed, which
might be put down to a feeling of respect, although my coldness and
scant ceremony would have convinced any observant eye of the
contrary. He was well dressed, but seemed sad, though he talked a good
deal, and to some purpose, especially on politics. The conversation
turned on the Court of Russia, where Elizabeth Petrovna reigned; and
he said nothing, but sighed and turned away pretending to wipe the
tears from his eyes. At dessert, he asked me if I had heard anything of
Madame Morin, adding, as if to recall the circumstance to my memory,
that we had supped together there:

"I believe she is quite well," I answered.
His servant, in yellow and red livery, waited on him at table. After
dinner he contrived to tell me that he had a matter of the greatest
importance he wanted to discuss with me.
"My only desire sir, is to avoid all appearance of knowing anything
about you."
"One word from you will gain me a hundred thousand crowns, and you
shall have half."
I turned my back on him, and saw him no more at Genoa.
When I got back to the inn I found M. de Grimaldi giving Rosalie a
lesson in Italian.
"She has given me an exquisite dinner," said he, "you must be very
happy with her."
In spite of his honest face, M. Grimaldi was in love with her, but I
thought I had nothing to fear. Before he went she invited him to come
to the rehearsal next day.
When the actors came I noticed amongst them a young man whose face
I did not know, and on my enquiring Rossi told me he was the
prompter.
"I won't have any prompter; send him about his business."
"We can't get on without him."
"You'll have to; I will be