“Was it for me to propose such a thing?  How should I suppose that such a fine man was impotent?  But I will tell you how it all happened.  As you know, I was a dancer at the Comedie Italienne, and I was the mistress of M. de Sauci, the ecclesiastical commissioner.  He brought your brother to my house, I liked him, and before long I saw that he loved me.  My lover advised me that it was an opportunity for getting married and making my fortune.  With this idea I conceived the plan of not granting him any favours.  He used to come and see me in the morning, and often found me in bed; we talked together, and his passions seemed to be aroused, but it all ended in kissing.  On my part, I was waiting for a formal declaration and a proposal of marriage.  At that period, M. de Sauci settled an annuity of a thousand crowns on me on the condition that I left the stage.

“In the spring M. de Sauci invited your brother to spend a month in his country house.  I was of the party, but for propriety’s sake it was agreed that I should pass as your brother’s wife.  Casanova enjoyed the idea, looking upon it as a jest, and not thinking of the consequences.  I was therefore introduced as his wife to my lover’s family, as also to his relations, who were judges, officers, and men about town, and to their wives, who were all women of fashion.  Your brother was in high glee that to play our parts properly we were obliged to sleep together.  For my part, I was far from disliking the idea, or at all events I looked upon it as a short cut to the marriage I desired.

“But how can I tell you?  Though tender and affectionate in everything, your brother slept with me for a month without our attaining what seemed the natural result under the circumstances.”

“You might have concluded, then, that he was impotent; for unless he were made of stone, or had taken a vow of chastity, his conduct was inexplicable.”

“The fact is, that I had no means of knowing whether he was capable or incapable of giving me substantial proof of his love.”

“Why did you not ascertain his condition for yourself?”

“A feeling of foolish pride prevented me from putting him to the test.  I did not suspect the truth, but imagined reasons flattering to myself.  I thought that he loved me so truly that he would not do anything before I was his wife.  That idea prevented me humiliating myself by making him give me some positive proof of his powers.”

“That supposition would have been tenable, though highly improbable, if you had been an innocent young maid, but he knew perfectly well that your novitiate was long over.”

“Very true; but what can you expect of a woman impelled by love and vanity?”

“Your reasoning is excellent, but it comes rather late.”  “Well, at last we went back to Paris, your brother to his house, and I to mine, while he continued his courtship, and I could not understand what he meant by such strange behaviour.  M. de Sauci, who knew that nothing serious had taken place between us, tried in vain to solve the enigma.  ’No doubt he is afraid of getting you with child,’ he said, ’and of thus being obliged to marry you.’  I began to be of the same opinion, but I thought it a strange line for a man in love to take.