登陆注册
4606300001001

第1001章

I Am Ordered to Leave Vienna--The Empress Moderates but Does Not Annul the Order--Zavoiski at Munich--My Stay at Augsburg--Gasconnade at Louisburg--The Cologne Newspaper--My Arrival at Aix-la-Chapelle The greatest mistake a man that punishes a knave can commit is to leave the said rogue alive, for he is certain to take vengeance.

If I had had my sword in the den of thieves, I should no doubt have defended myself, but it would have gone ill with me, three against one, and I should probably have been cut to pieces, while the murderers would have escaped unpunished.

At eight o'clock Campioni came to see me in my bed, and was astonished at my adventure. Without troubling himself to compassionate me, we both began to think how we could get back my purse; but we came to the conclusion that it would be impossible, as I had nothing more than my mere assertion to prove the case. In spite of that, however, I wrote out the whole story, beginning with the girl who recited the Latin verses. I

intended to bring the document before the police; however, I had not time to do so.

I was just sitting down to dinner, when an agent of the police came and gave me an order to go and speak to Count Schrotembach, the Statthalter.

I told him to instruct my coachman, who was waiting at the door, and that I would follow him shortly.

When I called on the Statthalter, I found him to be a thick-set individual; he was standing up, and surrounded by men who seemed ready to execute his orders. When he saw me, he shewed me a watch, and requested me to note the hour.

"I see it."

"If you are at Vienna at that time to-morrow I shall have you expelled from the city."

"Why do you give me such an unjust order?"

"In the first place, I am not here to give you accounts or reasons for my actions. However, I may tell you that you are expelled for playing at games of chance, which are forbidden by the laws under pain of the galleys. Do you recognize that purse and these cards?"

I did not know the cards, but I knew the purse which had been stolen from me. I was in a terrible rage, and I only replied by presenting the magistrate with the truthful narrative of what had happened to me. He read it, and then said with a laugh that I was well known to be a man of parts, that my character was known, that I had been expelled from Warsaw, and that as for the document before him he judged it to be a pack of lies, since in his opinion it was altogether void of probability.

"In fine," he added, "you will obey my order to leave the town, and you must tell me where you are going."

"I will tell you that when I have made up my mind to go."

"What? You dare to tell me that you will not obey?"

"You yourself have said that if I do not go I shall be removed by force."

"Very good. I have heard you have a strong will, but here it will be of no use to you. I advise you to go quietly, and so avoid harsh measures."

"I request you to return me that document."

"I will not do so. Begone!"

This was one of the most terrible moments of my life. I shudder still when I think of it. It was only a cowardly love of life that hindered me from running my sword through the body of the Statthalter, who had treated me as if he were a hangman and not a judge.

As I went away I took it into my head to complain to Prince Kaunitz, though I had not the honour of knowing him. I called at his house, and a man I met told me to stay in the ante-chamber, as the prince would pass through to go to dinner.

It was five o'clock. The prince appeared, followed by his guests, amongst whom was M. Polo Renieri, the Venetian ambassador. The prince asked me what he could do for me, and I told my story in a loud voice before them all.

"I have received my order to go, but I shall not obey. I implore your highness to give me your protection, and to help me to bring my plea to the foot of the throne."

"Write out your petition," he replied, "and I will see that the empress gets it. But I advise you to ask her majesty for a respite, for if you say that you won't obey, she will be predisposed against you."

"But if the royal grace does not place me in security, I shall be driven away by violence."

"Then take refuge with the ambassador of your native country."

"Alas, my lord, my country has forsaken me. An act of legal though unconstitutional violence has deprived me of my rights as a citizen. My name is Casanova, and my country is Venice."

The prince looked astonished and turned to the Venetian ambassador, who smiled, and whispered to him for ten minutes.

"It's a pity," said the prince, kindly, "that you cannot claim the protection of any ambassador."

At these words a nobleman of colossal stature stepped forward and said I

could claim his protection, as my whole family, myself included, had served the prince his master. He spoke the truth, for he was the ambassador of Saxony.

"That is Count Vitzthum," said the prince. "Write to the empress, and I

will forward your petition immediately. If there is any delay in the answer, go to the count; you will be safe with him, until you like to leave Vienna."

In the meanwhile the prince ordered writing materials to be brought me, and he and his guests passed into the dining-hall.

I give here a copy of the petition, which I composed in less than ten minutes. I made a fair copy for the Venetian ambassador to send home to the Senate:

"MADAM,-- I am sure that if, as your royal and imperial highness were walking in your garden, an insect appealed plaintively to you not to crush it, you would turn aside, and so avoid doing the poor creature any hurt.

"I, madam, am an insect, and I beg of you that you will order M. Statthalter Schrotembach to delay crushing me with your majesty's slipper for a week. Possibly, after that time has elapsed, your majesty will not only prevent his crushing me, but will deprive him of that slipper, which was only meant to be the terror of rogues, and not of an humble Venetian, who is an honest man, though he escaped from The Leads.

"In profound submission to your majesty's will, "I remain, "CASANOVA.

"Given at Vienna, January 21st, 1769."

同类推荐
  • 佛说梵志阿颰经

    佛说梵志阿颰经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 文殊师利所说不思议佛境界经

    文殊师利所说不思议佛境界经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 十香词

    十香词

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 华严经探玄记

    华严经探玄记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 西湖小史

    西湖小史

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 十一面神咒心经义疏

    十一面神咒心经义疏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 吹牛大王历险记

    吹牛大王历险记

    1720年,敏豪森出生于一个最古老的贵族家庭。他喜欢行侠仗义、喜欢探险,曾经在俄国军队服过役、跟土耳其人交过战。他的眼睛会冒出火星打野鸡,他可以骑着炮弹飞行、在鲸鱼胃里跳舞、自拉辫子出泥潭……他的足迹遍布欧洲、非洲、亚洲和美洲大陆,他还到过人迹罕至的北冰洋,并遇到过许多稀奇古怪的事情。
  • 大魔王的无敌小狂妃

    大魔王的无敌小狂妃

    末世女王被同父异母的妹妹和未婚夫害死,重生到了异世界。????凤欣月的人生目标:虐渣、打怪、带着儿子小团子走自己不一样的强者之路。至于男人有多远滚多远,姐姐不需要。????沈倾爵的人生目标:追媳妇、宠媳妇、带着媳妇笑傲江湖,至于儿子那个碍事儿精,可不可以送人啊,不然老是在关键时刻出来捣乱,还让不让人活了??????萌宝小团子:闲着也是闲着,给老爹添添乱挺好玩儿的。小团子的自我定位,我就是一个打酱油路过的。1V1甜宠双洁无虐
  • 人类之谜的故事(世界科幻故事精选丛书)

    人类之谜的故事(世界科幻故事精选丛书)

    科幻故事,主要是描写想象中的科学或技术对社会或个人的影响的虚构性文学作品。科幻故事是西方近代文学的一种新体裁,诞生于19世纪,是欧洲工业文明崛起后特殊的文化现象之一。人类在19世纪,全面进入以科学发明和技术革命为主导的时代后,一切关注人类未来命运的文艺题材,都不可避免地要表现未来的科学技术。
  • 异次元乱世

    异次元乱世

    本文以三界、异次空间为背景,刻画各类反抗命运的人物形象,围绕死冥术创始人之子夜凡和前世为幻神月拉的冰海王国王子冰凝的各类悲伤境遇展开精彩的情节,文中包含多种奇幻地域和深刻的经历,以及精彩的各类法术,其间包含魔导、忍术、幻术、怨灵、怒灵之术……
  • 种田后嫁了个傲娇夫君

    种田后嫁了个傲娇夫君

    新坑种田文《娇娇女的古代团宠生活》已开坑,超级甜宠爽文,女主可甜可盐,欢迎入坑一朝穿越,金牌特工变丧门星,车子房子美男子转眼成空,只剩极品渣亲一箩筐。容九撸起袖子就干,虐渣发家两不误,顺便调教傲娇冰山美相公。不想这货太上道:“确认过眼神,你是我要宠的人!”
  • 摄影技巧指南(家庭实用生活百科丛书)

    摄影技巧指南(家庭实用生活百科丛书)

    摄影是一门随着传统摄影技术的形成和发展而产生的摄影应用科学,它以摄影光学、摄影化学和电子技术为基础,在长期实践中形成了独特的拍摄体系。本书主要介绍了摄影基础知识。给摄影爱好者带来了福音。
  • 经营心灵

    经营心灵

    刘广迎先生的新作《经营自己》是一本励志和智性的书。作者以优美流畅的文笔,创新了一种理论文章与文学完美结合的新散文体例。读其著作,不仅有理性上豁然开朗的通透,也会为他的文学之美、思辨之美所吸引和折服。全书分引言、经营心灵、经营事业、经营家庭、后记五部分,共15万字。本刊节选其引言、经营心灵两部分,并配发书评三篇,以飨读者。于丹火了,火得异乎寻常。用这样一种方式去宣讲《论语》竟让人名利双收,在此之前也许没有人会想到。
  • 爱因斯坦上海历险

    爱因斯坦上海历险

    大科学家阿尔伯特·爱因斯坦来过中国,先后来了两次,是准备来讲学的,打算逗留一两个月,结果,讲学不成,总共呆了不到三天,走了。什么原因呢?公元1922年12月10日。上海《申报》头版头条通栏标题:《大科学家爱因斯坦将于本月十三日抵沪》。爱因斯坦,这位改写了世界物理史的科学巨人光临上海,比美国总统光临上海更有意义。大街小巷充满了报童的叫卖声:“卖报啦,卖报啦!大科学家爱因斯坦将于本月十三日抵达上海……”一时洛阳纸贵。
  • 体育健身活动的组织与管理

    体育健身活动的组织与管理

    本书总结了我国体育健身活动的经验,探讨了体育健身活动管理发展的未来,论述了体育健身活动管理的基本原理、管理体制、资源管理、政策法规等项内容。