She was a sensible woman, and heard what I had to say with great good humour.  She said that as I seemed inclined to do something for her niece, she would let me know as soon as possible what she wanted most.  I remarked that as I should soon be leaving for Rome, I should like to sup with her niece every evening.  She thought this a very natural wish on my part, and so we went to Callimena, who was delighted to hear the result of our interview.

I lost no time, but supped and passed that night with her.  I made her all my own by the power of my love, and by buying her such things as she most needed, such as linen, dresses, etc.  It cost me about a hundred louis, and in spite of the smallness of my means I thought I had made a good bargain.  Agatha, whom I told of my good luck, was delighted to have helped me to procure it.

Two or three days after I gave a dinner to my English friends, the two Saxons, Bartoldi their governor, and Goudar and his wife.

We were all ready, and only waiting for M. and Madame Goudar, when I saw the fair Irishwoman come in with Count Medini.  This piece of insolence made all the blood in my body rush to my head.  However, I restrained myself till Goudar came in, and then I gave him a piece of my mind.  It had been agreed that his wife should come with him.  The rascally fellow prevaricated, and tried hard to induce me to believe that Medini had not plotted the breaking of the bank, but his eloquence was in vain.

Our dinner was a most agreeable one, and Sara cut a brilliant figure, for she possessed every pleasing quality that can make a woman attractive.  In good truth, this tavern girl would have filled a throne with any queen; but Fortune is blind.

When the dinner was over, M. de Buturlin, a distinguished Russian, and a great lover of pretty women, paid me a visit.  He had been attracted by the sweet voice of the fair Sara, who was singing a Neapolitan air to the guitar.  I shone only with a borrowed light, but I was far from being offended.  Buturlin fell in love with Sara on the spot, and a few months after I left he got her for five hundred Louis, which Goudar required to carry out the order he had received, namely, to leave Naples in three days.

This stroke came from the queen, who found out that the king met Madame Goudar secretly at Procida.  She found her royal husband laughing heartily at a letter which he would not shew her.

The queen’s curiosity was excited, and at last the king gave in, and her majesty read the following: 

“Ti aspettero nel medesimo luogo, ed alla stessa ora, coll’ impazienza medesima che ha una vacca che desidera l’avicinamento del toro.”

“Chi infamia!” cried the queen, and her majesty gave the cow’s husband to understand that in three days he would have to leave Naples, and look for bulls in other countries.

If these events had not taken place, M. de Buturlin would not have made so good a bargain.