I was given an excellent supper, and I ate and drank with good appetite.  I then gave myself up to treatment, and fell asleep whilst my nurse was attending to me.  I suppose she undressed me as she would a child, but I remembered nothing about it when I woke up—­I was, in fact, totally unconscious.  Though I had made a good supper I had only done so to satisfy my craving for food and to regain my strength, and sleep came to me with an irresistible force, as my physical exhaustion did not leave me the power of arguing myself out of it.  I took my supper at six o’clock in the evening, and I heard six striking as I awoke.  I seemed to have been enchanted.  Rousing myself up and gathering my wits together, I first took off the linen bandages, and I was astonished to find my wounds healed and quite free from pain.  I did my hair, dressed myself in less than five minutes, and finding the door of my room open I went downstairs, crossed the court, and left the house behind me, without appearing to notice two individuals who were standing outside, and must have been sbirri.  I made haste to lengthen the distance between me and the place where I had found the kindliest hospitality, the utmost politeness, the most tender care, and best of all, new health and strength, and as I walked I could not help feeling terrified at the danger I had been in.  I shuddered involuntarily; and at the present moment, after so many years, I still shudder when I think of the peril to which I had so heedlessly exposed myself.  I wondered how I managed to go in, and still more how I came out; it seemed absurd that I should not be followed.  For five hours I tramped on, keeping to the woods and mountains, not meeting a soul besides a few countryfolk, and turning neither to the right nor left.

It was not yet noon, when, as I went along my way, I stopped short at the sound of a bell.  I was on high ground, and looking in the direction from which the sound came I saw, a little church in the valley, and many, people going towards it to hear mass.  My heart desired to express thankfulness for the protection of Providence, and, though all nature was a temple worthy of its Creator, custom drew me to the church.  When men are in trouble, every passing thought seems an inspiration.  It was All Souls’ Day.  I went down the hill, and came into the church, and saw, to my astonishment, M. Marc Antoine Grimani, the nephew of the State Inquisitor, with Madame Marie Visani, his wife.  I made my bow; which was returned, and after I had heard mass I left the church.  M. Grimani followed me by himself, and when he had got near me, called me by name, saying, “What are you doing here, Casanova, and what has become of your friend?”

“I have given him what little money I had for him to escape by another road, whilst I, without a penny in my pocket, am endeavouring to reach a place of safety by this way.  If your excellence would kindly give me some help, it would speed my journey for me.”