In such ways did I make this girl my own, in the hope that for the remnant of my days she would be mine, and so I should not beforced to fly from one lady to another. But inexorable fate ordained it otherwise.
The weather grew fine again, and we got on board once more, and the next day arrived at Genoa, which I had never seen before. I put up at "St. Martin's Inn," and for decency's sake took two rooms, but they were adjoining one another. The following day I sent the packet to M. Grimaldi, and a little later I left my card at his palace.
My guide took me to a linen-draper's, and I bought some stuff for Rosalie, who was in want of linen. She was very pleased with it. We were still at table when the Marquis Grimaldi was announced; he kissed me and thanked me for bringing the parcel. His next
remark referred to Madame Stuard. I told him what had happened, and he laughed, saying that he was not quite sure what he would
have done under the circumstances.
I saw him looking at Rosalie attentively, and I told him she was as good as she was beautiful.
"I want to find her a maid," I said, "a good seamstress, who could go out with her, and above all who could talk Italian to her, for I
want her to learn the language that I may take her into society at Florence, Rome and Naples."
"Don't deprive Genoa of the pleasure of entertaining her," said the marquis. "I will introduce her under whatever name she pleases, and in my own house to begin with."
"She has good reasons for preserving her incognito here." "Ah, I see!--Do you think of staying here long?"
"A month, or thereabouts, and our pleasures will be limited to seeing the town and its surroundings and going to the theatre. We shall also enjoy the pleasures of the table. I hope to eat champignons every day, they are better here than anywhere else."
"An excellent plan. I couldn't suggest a better. I am going to see what I can do in the way of getting you a maid, mademoiselle." "You sir? How can I deserve such great kindness?"
"My interest in you is the greater, as I think you come from Marseilles."
Rosalie blushed. She was not aware that she lisped, and that this betrayed her. I extricated her from her confusion by telling the marquis his conjecture was well founded.
I asked him how I could get the Journal de Savans, the Mercure de France, and other papers of the same description. He promised to send me a man who would get me all that kind of thing. He added that if I would allow him to send me some of his excellent chocolate he would come and breakfast with us. I said that both gift and guest were vastly agreeable to me.
As soon as he had gone Rosalie asked me to take her to a milliner's.
"I want ribbons and other little things," said she, "but I should like to bargain for them and pay for them out of my own money, without your having anything to do with it."
"Do whatever you like, my dear, and afterwards we will go to the play."
The milliner to whom we went proved to be a Frenchwoman. It was a charming sight to see Rosalie shopping. She put on an important air, seemed to know all about it, ordered bonnets in the latest fashion, bargained, and contrived to spend five or six louis with great grandeur. As we left the shop I told her that I had been taken for her footman, and I meant to be revenged. So saying, I made her come into a jeweller's, where I bought her a necklace, earrings, and brooches in imitation diamonds, and without letting her say a word I paid the price and left the shop.
"You have bought me some beautiful things," said she, "but you are too lavish with your money; if you had bargained you might have saved four louis at least."
41
"Very likely, dearest, but I never was any hand at a bargain."
I took her to the play, but as she did not understand the language she got dreadfully tired, and asked me to take her home at the
end of the first act, which I did very willingly. When we got in I found a box waiting for me from M. Grimaldi. It proved to contain twenty-four pounds of chocolate. Costa, who had boasted of his skill in making chocolate in the Spanish fashion, received orders to make us three cups in the morning.
At nine o'clock the marquis arrived with a tradesman, who sold me some beautiful oriental materials. I gave them to Rosalie to make two 'mezzaro' for herself. The 'mezzaro' is a kind of hooded cloak worn by the Genoese women, as the 'cendal' is worn at Venice, and the 'mantilla' at Madrid.
I thanked M. Grimaldi for the chocolate, which was excellent; Costa was quite proud of the praise the marquis gave him. Le Duc came in to announce a woman, whose name I did not know.
"It's the mother of the maid I have engaged," said M. Grimaldi.
She came in, and I saw before me a well-dressed woman, followed by a girl from twenty to twenty-four years old, who pleased me at the first glance. The mother thanked the marquis, and presented her daughter to Rosalie, enumerating her good qualities, and telling her that she would serve her well, and walk with her when she wished to go out.
"My daughter," she added, "speaks French, and you will find her a good, faithful, and obliging girl."
She ended by saying that her daughter had been in service lately with a lady, and that she would be obliged if she could have her meals by herself.
The girl was named Veronique. Rosalie told her that she was a good girl, and that the only way to be respected was to be respectable. Veronique kissed her hand, the mother went away, and Rosalie took the girl into her room to begin her work.
I did not forget to thank the marquis, for he had evidently chosen a maid more with a view to my likings than to those of my sweetheart. I told him that I should not fail to call on him, and he replied that he would be happy to see me at any hour, and that I should easily find him at his casino at St. Pierre d'Arena, where he often spent the night.
EPISODE 17 -- RETURN TO ITALY GENOA--TUSCANY--ROME
CHAPTER IV
The Play--The Russian--Petri--Rosalie at the Convent
When the marquis had gone, seeing Rosalie engaged with Veronique, I set myself to translate the 'Ecossaise' for the actors at Genoa,
who seemed pretty good ones, to play.
I thought Rosalie looking sad at dinner, and said,
"What is the matter, dearest? You know I do not like to see you looking melancholy." "I am vexed at Veronique's being prettier than I."
"I see what you mean; I like that! But console your self, Veronique is nothing compared to you, in my eyes at all events. You are my
42
only beauty; but to reassure you I will ask M. de Grimaldi to tell her mother to come and fetch her away, and to get me another maid as ugly as possible."
"Oh, no! pray do not do so; he will think I am jealous, and I wouldn't have him think so for the world." "Well, well, smile again if you do not wish to vex me."
"I shall soon do that, if, as you assure me, she will not make me lose your love. But what made the old gentleman get me a girl like that? Do you think he did it out of mischief ?"
