PART THE SECOND VIENNA-PARIS

I

1783-1785

Travels in 1783

Casanova left Venice in January 1783, and went to Vienna.

On the 16th April Elisabeth Catrolli wrote to him at Vienna: 

“Dearest of friends,

“Your letter has given me great pleasure.  Be assured, I infinitely regret your departure.  I have but two sincere friends, yourself and Camerani.  I do not hope for more.  I could be happy if I could have at least one of you near me to whom I could confide my cruel anxieties.

“To-day, I received from Camerani a letter informing me that, in a former one, he had sent me a bill of exchange:  I did not receive it, and I fear it has been lost.

“Dear friend, when you reach Paris, clasp him to your heart for me. .In regard to Chechina [Francesca Buschini] I would say that I have not seen her since the day I took her your letter.  Her mother is the ruin of that poor girl; let that suffice; I will say no more . . . . "

After leaving Venice, Casanova apparently took an opportunity to pay his last disrespects to the Tribunal.  At least, in May 1783, M. Schlick, French Secretary at Venice, wrote to Count Vergennes:  “Last week there reached the State Inquisitors an anonymous letter stating that, on the 25th of this month, an earthquake, more terrible than that of Messina, would raze Venice to the ground.  This letter has caused a panic here.  Many patricians have left the capital and others will follow their example.  The author of the anonymous letter . . . is a certain Casanova, who wrote from Vienna and found means to slip it into the Ambassador’s own mails.”

In about four months, Casanova was again on the way to Italy.  He paused for a week at Udine and arrived at Venice on the 16th June.  Without leaving his barge, he paused at his house just long enough to salute Francesca.  He left Mestre on Tuesday the 24th June and on the same day dined at the house of F. Zanuzzi at Bassano.  On the 25th he left Bassano by post and arrived in the evening at Borgo di Valsugano.

On the 29th, he wrote to Francesca from the Augsbourg.  He had stopped at Innsbruck to attend the theater and was in perfect health.  He had reached Frankfort in forty-eight hours, traveling eighteen posts without stopping.

From Aix-la-Chapelle, on the 16th July, he wrote Francesca that he had met, in that city, Cattina, the wife of Pocchini.  Pocchini was sick and in deep misery.  Casanova, recalling all the abominable tricks this rogue had played on him refused Cattina the assistance she begged for in tears, laughed in her face, and said:  “Farewell, I wish you a pleasant death.”

At Mayence, Casanova embarked on the Rhine in company with the Marquis Durazzo, former Austrian Ambassador at Venice.  The voyage was excellent and in two days he arrived at Cologne, in rugged health, sleeping well and eating like a wolf.