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
热门推荐
  • 一千年以后,天气晴

    一千年以后,天气晴

    一千年以前,在那个终年落雪的虚空之境,他温暖的手第一次碰触了她。他给她取名,叫做——云之初。于是,云之初爱上了他。一千年以后,在这春光明媚的21世纪,他在所有人面前抓住了她的手。“她叫Fiarona。” 许年恩笑笑。那笑容,仿佛千年之前的一样。他伸手去握住她的,那温柔,亦同千年前他的抚摸。她忽然感觉到自己心里猛然软下去了一块,呆呆地望着那完美的侧脸,发不出声。如同,曾经作为式神那样,依然安静地站在他的身边。可是这一次,Fiarona再不敢爱上他。【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 王者荣耀:人头归你,你归我

    王者荣耀:人头归你,你归我

    【2018王者荣耀文学大赛·征文参赛作品】【超甜刺激】小宅:“大神,昨晚梦到你了。”宁渊:“在梦里你对我做了什么?”
  • 暴君的一品宠后

    暴君的一品宠后

    大婚之日,她将绝美的凤冠霞帔撕的粉碎,她说:“我一袭青衫来自关外,学不会你的深宫规矩,穿不了你的凤凰锦衣风姿灼灼。”他转过头压在她雪白的脖颈间声音里透着几分邪魅说:“这妖娆的弥漫红衣,这恩宠天下的皇恩浩荡,你承受不住也得承受,你不喜欢也得喜欢,这天下都是我的,你有什么理由不是我的?血水在蔓延,她僵瘫在地上宫灯的光柔和的打在她的脸上眼眶里泪水在弥漫,让她的脸庞越加变得晶莹剔透,她倔强的偏过头:“师父,我因为相信你,所以一心等你,这世界上只要是你说的话,我就都愿意去相信,对错又与我何干?而是你再也不会是那个可以让我信任的师父了。”
  • 少女神医大甜妻

    少女神医大甜妻

    (正文已完结,甜宠打脸爽文)高考当天受尽全班冷嘲热讽,她高考失利。极品亲戚势利眼看人低,她人不如狗。当所有人将她与家人拒之门外时,慕青偶然得到上古传承。赌石种药、治病救人、统治商场、惊起各界云涌!后来……那位名震全球俊美绝伦的韩少,向慕青献上了忠诚的膝盖……
  • 竹坞春雨锯

    竹坞春雨锯

    山间温泉雾气朦胧,沈素手正享受地沉入水中。对于一个刚打胜擂台的人来说,最惬意的事情,莫过于洗一个热水澡。他是个肌肤白皙的美少年,此刻正仔细清洗自己的手,人如其名,沈素手的绝技不是刀剑,而是一双手。昨夜,这双手刚杀过人。那个端茶送水的小厮,没有敲门就莽莽撞撞进入他的房间,看到了不该看的事情,于是被杀死了。沈素手摩挲着自己的手掌,杀过人的手有隐隐的血腥味,像雨后的落叶带着腐坏的清香。江湖上每天都在死人,一个微不足道的小厮死了,没有多少人会关心。而且,他将现场处理得很完美。
  • 异种骑士团

    异种骑士团

    生命工程专业的副教授,穿越至中世纪欧洲的异世界,利用现代生物化学技术,发现人类历史上早已灭绝的病毒、细菌、寄生虫,居然是异能力的来源。他挽救并整合了被俗世称为“异种”的人群,建立起横扫千军的异种骑士团,在中世纪里掀起了一场革命的狂潮。架空世界、奇幻背景、称霸主线、剧情稍稍严肃、略微涉及生化知识。前面的章节有些沉闷,越往后越精彩。
  • 自由的真谛:杰斐逊自传

    自由的真谛:杰斐逊自传

    该书是杰斐逊在77岁高龄时撰写的,主要是供自己和家人参考。从杰斐逊自己的角度叙述了他的经历以及他生活的那个史诗般的年代;时间上,从他出生直到1790年3月他担任华盛顿的国务卿为止。该书详细介绍了杰斐逊思想的精髓,《独立宣言》的起草背景和过程。
  • 1984之狂潮

    1984之狂潮

    前世为白手起家的商界大鳄。重生后,对个人财富和享受,少了许多追求动力。只想弥补自己亲情、感情、知识等等遗憾。却突然发觉自己处在神州大时代狂潮。面对一次次金钱、国内外、观念以及感情冲击。他又该何去何从?
  • 死神她腰软唇甜

    死神她腰软唇甜

    【首发站:红袖添香】清冷貌美巨无敌死神&话痨骚皮万年龙套因为一个莫名其妙的电话,南一穿过冰冷寒天“千里迢迢”和她见面后,全身心都写着拒绝。拒绝离她一米远,拒绝她拒绝自己,拒绝她的嫌弃,拒绝她的不高兴。*南一:“你看你的名字带着知,而我的名字带着一,说明我们要一直相亲相爱……”*沈知:“滚”*南一:“马上就来
  • 恋上复仇三公主

    恋上复仇三公主

    她,冰冷。她,任性。她,可爱。活泼的她们是高傲的公主,她们是高贵的女王……她们拥有着令人羡慕的容貌。为了报复隐瞒了身份进入了贵族学院,她们的眼中充满了嗜血与愤恨!当然,她们的复仇之路不会充满血腥的,还有酸酸甜甜的爱情。他,冷漠,霸道。他,高贵。他,花心。帅气的他们是天子骄子,他们是高高在上的王子……遇上了我们三位公主之后会怎么样呢?