Produced by David Widger
MEMOIRS OF JACQUES CASANOVA de SEINGALT 1725-1798
SPANISH PASSIONS, Volume 6a—SPAIN
THE MEMOIRS OF JACQUES CASANOVA DE SEINGALT
THE RARE UNABRIDGED LONDON EDITION OF 1894 TRANSLATED BY ARTHUR MACHEN TOWHICH HAS BEEN ADDED THE CHAPTERS DISCOVERED BY ARTHUR SYMONS.
SPAIN
CHAPTER I
I Am Ordered to Leave Vienna—The Empress Moderates but Does Not Annulthe Order—Zavoiski at Munich—My Stay at Augsburg—Gasconnade atLouisburg—The Cologne Newspaper—My Arrival at Aix-la-Chapelle
The greatest mistake a man that punishes a knave can commit is to leavethe said rogue alive, for he is certain to take vengeance. If I had hadmy 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 shouldprobably have been cut to pieces, while the murderers would have escapedunpunished.
At eight o'clock Campioni came to see me in my bed, and was astonished atmy adventure. Without troubling himself to compassionate me, we bothbegan to think how we could get back my purse; but we came to theconclusion that it would be impossible, as I had nothing more than mymere assertion to prove the case. In spite of that, however, I wrote outthe whole story, beginning with the girl who recited the Latin verses. Iintended to bring the document before the police; however, I had not timeto 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-setindividual; he was standing up, and surrounded by men who seemed ready toexecute his orders. When he saw me, he shewed me a watch, and requestedme to note the hour.
"I see it."
"If you are at Vienna at that time to-morrow I shall have you expelledfrom 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 myactions. However, I may tell you that you are expelled for playing atgames of chance, which are forbidden by the laws under pain of thegalleys. Do you recognize that purse and these cards?"
I did not know the cards, but I knew the purse which had been stolen fromme. I was in a terrible rage, and I only replied by presenting themagistrate with the truthful narrative of what had happened to me. Heread it, and then said with a laugh that I was well known to be a man ofparts, 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 oflies, since in his opinion it was altogether void of probability.
"In fine," he added, "you will obey my order to leave the town, and youmust 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 ofno 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