Sons of Fortune [pp. 133-139]

138 SOiVS OF FOllTUNE. [AUGUST,
where, the son of Zanitta Farusi, the tress, an emissary of the dreaded Coundaughter of a poor shoemaker, conde- cii of Ten stalked between him and the
scended to dukes and was gracious to moonlight, and the hideous darkness of
grandees. But the blood of Zanitta was the dungeons of the ducal palace closed
purer than that of his father Cajetano, about his amorous daintiness. Even
which sprung from heroes, only to flow from that ~iftrno he escaped; but, as
through generations of scoundrels, of he relates, only by the exercise of such
whom Giovanni Casanova was bright- skill, coolness, and daring, as had nevest and worst. F~ted and flattered on er before been equaled. Soon back in
every side, all palace doors and castle Paris, his self- deliverance from the Vegates flew open at his approach, and the netian dungeons rendered him a greater
proudest nobles deemed it an honor to lion than before.
be presented to him. His epigrams Politics and finance now engaged his
were passed from tongue to tongue, attention, and in those (to him) new
and ~re'cieitses rose to ecstacy at the branches he won unexpected laurels.
exquisite turn of his compliments. Calm In divers missions he encountered St.
scholars glowed over his learning, and Germain, D'Eon, and Cagliostro, and
dulcet darlings remembered with rapt- their meetings we re singularly enterure the honey of his kisses. taining-of the real diamond-cut-dia Cloyed with sweets, wearied with con- mond stamp. He visited the leading
quests, after two years he went to Dres- scholars, philosophers, and princes of
den to visit his mother, then acting at Europe; studied with savants; hobone of the theatres. He seems to have nobbed with kings. Grand seigniors
been profoundly attached to her, and to were ceaselessly helping him out of
have aided her even when he himself trouble, and he as resolutely getting
was in sorest need. No v~ry remarka- into it again. While pursuing in Spain
ble virtue this; but it is pleasant to his usual routine of intrigues, gallantknow that this man, walking constantly ries, successes, and scoundrelisms, h~
in the darkness of vice, could look up was thrust into prison at Barcelona, in
and worship sometimes, as sole guid- which he staid long enough to write a
ing-star, his mother's love. The capi- refutation of La Houssaye's "History
tal of Saxony welcomed him warmly; of Venice." He filled one country aftand so afterward did Vienna. er another with his scandals; until, to The City of the Doges had for Casa- ward the close of his brilliantly bad canova an unaccountable allurement. He reer, he met at dinner, in Paris, Count
had never gone to it but to feel the Waldstein of Bohemia, who invited him
scourge of Fortune, yet now he hun- to become the librarian of his ch6teau.
gered again for the gawds and gondolas Scarcely any place then offered sanctuof his childhood. Still were the dames ary, and the arch-adventurer was satiatof Venice lovely and loose; still was ed wifl~ adventures. He gladly accepted
its wine of Cyprus treacherously sweet. the office; no one thinking he would hold
Its revels were resplendent; its masks it more than a few months. But he kept
were delightful; its revenges were mys- it for fourteen years, until he had writterious. In the sparkling goblet lurked ten (in French) his extraordinary and
the poison; behind the wooing coquette excessively exaggerated "M6moires,"
crept the bravo, his stiletto outshone by which no man can read without the
her smile. While Casanova was step- keenest indignation, and no woman can
ping into his gondola to thrum his gui- glance at without blushing to the eyestar under the balcony of his latest mis- until he had grown gray and wrinkled