They had not yet noticed me, and I enquired from the person seated next to me who was that beautiful lady wearing so many diamonds.  He told me that she was Madame Querini, from Venice, whom Count Spada, the owner of the theatre, who was sitting near her, had brought with him from Faenza.  I was glad to hear that M. Querini had married her at last, but I did not think of renewing the acquaintance, for reasons which my reader cannot have forgotten if he recollects our quarrel when I had to dress her as an abbe.  I was on the point of going away when she happened to see me and called me.  I went up to her, and, not wishing to be known by anyone, I whispered to her that my name was Farusi.  Manzoni informed me that I was speaking to her excellency, Madame Querini.  “I know it,” I said, “through a letter which I have received from Venice, and I beg to offer my most sincere congratulations to Madame.”  She heard me and introduced me to Count Spada, creating me a baron on the spot.  He invited me most kindly to come to his box, asked me where I came from, where I was going to, etc., and begged the pleasure of my company at supper for the same evening.

Ten years before, he had been Juliette’s friend in Vienna, when Maria Theresa, having been informed of the pernicious influence of her beauty, gave her notice to quit the city.  She had renewed her acquaintance with him in Venice, and had contrived to make him take her to Bologna on a pleasure trip.  M. Manzoni, her old follower, who gave me all this information, accompanied her in order to bear witness of her good conduct before M. Querini.  I must say that Manzoni was not a well-chosen chaperon.

In Venice she wanted everybody to believe that Querini had married her secretly, but at a distance of fifty leagues she did not think such a formality necessary, and she had already been presented by the general to all the nobility of Cesena as Madame Querini Papozzes.  M. Querini would have been wrong in being jealous of the count, for he was an old acquaintance who would do no harm.  Besides, it is admitted amongst certain women that the reigning lover who is jealous of an old acquaintance is nothing but a fool, and ought to be treated as such.  Juliette, most likely afraid of my being indiscreet, had lost no time in making the first advances, but, seeing that I had likewise some reason to fear her want of discretion, she felt reassured.  From the first moment I treated her politely, and with every consideration due to her position.

I found numerous company at the general’s, and some pretty women.  Not seeing Juliette, I enquired for her from M. Manzoni, who told me that she was at the faro table, losing her money.  I saw her seated next to the banker, who turned pale at the sight of my face.  He was no other than the so-called Count Celi.  He offered me a card, which I refused politely, but I accepted Juliette’s offer to be her partner.  She had about fifty sequins,