登陆注册
4606300000683

第683章

"The duke who took me from Rimini brought up our child; as soon as I knew that I was pregnant I confided my secret to him. No one knew of my delivery, and the child was sent to nurse at Sorrento, and the duke had him baptized under the name of Caesar Philip Land. He remained at Sorrento till he was nine, and then he was boarded with a worthy man, who superintended his education and taught him music. From his earliest childhood he has known me as his sister, and you cannot think how happy I was when I saw him growing so like you. I have always considered him as a sure pledge of our final union. I was ever thinking what would happen when we met, for I knew that he would have the same influence over you as he has over me. I was sure you would marry me and make him legitimate."

"And you have rendered all this, which would have made me happy, an impossibility."

"The fates decided so; we will say no more about it. On the death of the duke I left Naples, leaving Cesarino at the same boarding school, under the protection of the Prince de la Riccia, who has always looked upon him as a brother. Your son, though he does not know it, possesses the sum of twenty thousand ducats, of which I

receive the interest, but you may imagine that I let him want for nothing. My only regret is that I cannot tell him I am his mother, as I think he would love me still more if he knew that he owed his being to me. You cannot think how glad I was to see your surprise to-day, and how soon you got to love him."

"He is wonderfully like me."

"That delights me. People must think that you were my mother's lover. My husband thinks that our friendship is due to the connection between you and my mother. He told me yesterday that Cesarino might be my brother on the mother's side, but not on my father's; as he had seen his father in the theatre, but that he could not possibly be my father, too. If I have children by Palesi all I have will go to them, but if not Cesarino will be my heir. My property is well secured, even if the Prince de Riccia were to die."

"Come," said she, drawing me in the direction of her bed-room.

She opened a large box which contained her jewels and diamonds, and shares to the amount of fifty thousand ducats. Besides that she had a large amount of plate, and her talents which assured her the first place in all the Italian theatres.

"Do you know whether our dear Cesarino has been in love yet?" said I.

"I don't think so, but I fancy my pretty maid is in love with him.

I shall keep my eyes open."

"You mustn't be too strict."

"No, but it isn't a good thing for a young man to engage too soon in that pleasure which makes one neglect everything else."

"Let me have him, I will teach him how to live."

"Ask all, but leave me my son. You must know that I never kiss him for fear of my giving way to excessive emotion. I wish you knew how good and pure he is, and how well he loves me, I could not refuse him anything.

What will people say in Venice when they see Casanova again, who escaped from The Leads and has become twenty years younger?"

"You are going to Venice, then, for the Ascensa?"

"Yes, and you are going to Rome?"

"And to Naples, to see my friend the Duke de Matalone."

"I know him well. He has already had a son by the daughter of the Duke de Bovino, whom he married. She must be a charming woman to have made a man of him, for all Naples knew that he was impotent."

"Probably, she only knew the secret of making him a father."

"Well, it is possible."

We spent the time by talking with interest on various topics till Cesarino and the husband came back. The dear child finished his conquest of me at supper; he had a merry random wit, and all the Neapolitan vivacity. He sat down at the clavier, and after playing several pieces with the utmost skill he began to sing Neapolitan songs which made us all laugh. Therese only looked at him and me, but now and again she embraced her husband, saying, that in love alone lies happiness.

I thought then, and I think now, that this day was one of the happiest I have ever spent.

同类推荐
  • Rinkitink In Oz

    Rinkitink In Oz

    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。
  • The Provincial Letters

    The Provincial Letters

    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。
  • 白云守端禅师广录

    白云守端禅师广录

    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。
  • The Mirror of Kong Ho

    The Mirror of Kong Ho

    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。
  • 今古学考

    今古学考

    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
  • 星球:穿行在星球之间

    星球:穿行在星球之间

    金星是太阳系八大行星中距地球最近的一颗,在地球内侧的轨道上运行,呈金黄色,是天空中最亮的星体。但是金星总是被浓厚的云层包围着,即使用天文望远镜也很难窥见它的真面目。金星的外表最像地球,且质量和大小都同地球相近,因此人们一直把它看作是地球的孪生星球。
  • 也曾陪你渡凡尘

    也曾陪你渡凡尘

    人的爱情真的会随着心脏而转移吗?白雨,你爱的到底是我,还是我的身体里那可跳动的沈非墨的心?!如果我付出一切,我的骨髓,我的心脏......你,能爱我吗?......她用了最大的恶意去揣测一片真心,她以为是他没有感情,自私冷漠。其实她才是那个冥顽不化的人,她从来没有选择相信过他。从来没有。自己就像一滴墨水,弄脏了他干净的城池。但他却像温泉一样,源源不断地温暖她,净化她,从未抱怨过一句。穆尘,我们之间,能有一个圆满的结局吗?--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 北京绿卡(大结局)

    北京绿卡(大结局)

    尼可不知道,她的咒语还真的显灵,托尼的后院跳起了熊熊的火焰。托尼经常跟人聊,他的前世是在中国,弄得连不相信前世的人也相信了,是的,一个美国人,不远万里来到中国,学会了书法,学会了针灸,学会了《易经》,还能有板有眼唱京剧,字正腔圆,如果不是一张洋人的脸,还真有师傅收了他。亨特学中国传统文化,并不是为了今后的卖弄炫耀,他曾对尼可说过:“是一种心灵的需要。”莫非同时找两个女人也是心灵的需要?托尼一直以为,中国传统的大家庭和谐安详,妻妾虽然不能相敬如宾,也能相处无事。
  • 大周王姬

    大周王姬

    曾经是学霸,现在是考古研究所的青年骨干,姜沁园智商超高,但是,却从不知“情爱”的滋味。直到她意外得到一面青铜镜,通过青铜镜可以与两千多年前的玄姜沟通,才知道了自己为何会这么奇葩。那么,玄姜又是谁?她也不过是西周末年的一个小小世家女,却撩了三位美男:一个乱世王者、一个开国霸者,还有一个敢于和王者较真儿的“二王”。王者说:“玄姜,失了你,得了天下,又如何?!”霸者说:“玄姜,我愿为你问鼎天下!” 本书宗旨,六个字:?“甜到齁、虐到死!”? (??ω`?)
  • 君妃怨(完结)

    君妃怨(完结)

    新注册成vip:进入红袖首页:http://m.wkkk.net/一、注册后在个人管理中心充值就自动成为VIP用户。二、指通用红袖网站的一种虚拟货币,其计量单位为:1元人民币=100点红袖币。它可消费红袖上所有需要收费的服务。每消费一次,红袖系统都将扣除相应数量的红袖币。三、充值步骤是:登陆个人管理中心后点击“VIP用户充值”,输入您要充值的用户名。四、VIP作品的阅读价格根据会员等级划分:初级会员阅读收费章节的消费价格为0.03元/千字(即3点红袖币/千字);高级会员和至尊会员阅读收费章节的消费价格为0.02元/千字(即2点红袖币/千字);不足1点红袖币的零头忽略不计;已经订阅过的章节再次阅读时不需要再次付费。小君的群号:72429877
  • 玉清之道

    玉清之道

    一夜屠村,顾凡家破人亡,得灵戒,拜师叶尘,郎朗少年去稚气,一步步走向巅峰,得天物,护天地!等级划分:聚气——气旋境——生灵境——死灵境——灵海境——化形境——化灵境——天灵境——重天境——灵仙——灵圣
  • 霸道总裁的独家新娘

    霸道总裁的独家新娘

    在墨家,她是墨家骄傲冷漠的千金,在外,她是性感妖娆的playgirl,大胆,热情。“不过一个主动送上门的女人而已,还真的以为会对她上心?”一句嘲弄的话,把她的心,刺的鲜血淋漓,甚至,不顾及她的身体,强行打掉她肚子里的孩子,囚禁已然失去生机的她,更是残忍的逼迫她看着他别的女人亲热恩爱。在订婚前夕,一夜肆虐,却不知,那是他们最后一次见面,留下的只有地上的斑斑血迹……六年后她挽着丈夫,抱着孩子,出现在他面前,嫉妒,悔恨,在他如墨的眼眸里深深的烙下印记,她已经是他连求的机会都没有了的人。向来骄傲的他,毫不犹豫的跪在她的面前:“我求你,让我留在你身边,只要你能看我一眼!”
  • 百弊放言

    百弊放言

    《百弊放言》以民国初期的社会史实为背景,披露了上自官府衙门,下至妓院赌场中各色人等唯利是图、营私舞弊、为非作歹的种种丑恶行径,可谓是广言民国时期的民俗流弊。
  • 至尊凰妃

    至尊凰妃

    一朝国破,她被迫逃亡,因缘际会,成为敌国女相。帝王愿以天下为聘,娶她为后,她不愿。邻国太子为了她愿终生不娶,亦不能使她动心。外臣妒之,内宫祸之,阴谋陷害,接踵而至。但,几次命悬一线,总有一个男子立于她身前,保她无恙,护她周全,为她出生入死!
  • 佛说阿弥陀经

    佛说阿弥陀经

    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。