“We will pay a visit to some beauties of a species unknown in Corfu, and have a good supper.”

I ordered my lieutenant to send plenty to eat and to drink to the men on board the felucca, to prepare a splendid supper, and to spare nothing, as I should leave the island at midnight.  I made him a present of all my provisions, except such as I wanted to take with me; these I sent on board.  My janissaries, to whom I gave a week’s pay, insisted upon escorting me, fully equipped, as far as the boat, which made the adjutant laugh all the way.

We reached Corfu by eight o’clock in the morning, and we went alongside the ’bastarda.  The adjutant consigned me to M. Foscari, assuring me that he would immediately give notice of my arrival to M. D---- R-----, send my luggage to his house, and report the success of his expedition to the general.

M. Foscari, the commander of the bastarda, treated me very badly.  If he had been blessed with any delicacy of feeling, he would not have been in such a hurry to have me put in irons.  He might have talked to me, and have thus delayed for a quarter of an hour that operation which greatly vexed me.  But, without uttering a single word, he sent me to the ’capo di scalo’ who made me sit down, and told me to put my foot forward to receive the irons, which, however, do not dishonour anyone in that country, not even the galley slaves, for they are better treated than soldiers.

My right leg was already in irons, and the left one was in the hands of the man for the completion of that unpleasant ceremony, when the adjutant of his excellency came to tell the executioner to set me at liberty and to return me my sword.  I wanted to present my compliments to the noble M. Foscari, but the adjutant, rather ashamed, assured me that his excellency did not expect me to do so.  The first thing I did was to pay my respects to the general, without saying one word to him, but he told me with a serious countenance to be more prudent for the future, and to learn that a soldier’s first duty was to obey, and above all to be modest and discreet.  I understood perfectly the meaning of the two last words, and acted accordingly.

When I made my appearance at M. D---- R-----’s, I could see pleasure on
everybody’s face.  Those moments have always been so dear to me that I
have never forgotten them, they have afforded me consolation in the time
of adversity.  If you would relish pleasure you must endure pain, and
delights are in proportion to the privations we have suffered.  M.
D——­ R——­ was so glad to see me that he came up to me and warmly
embraced me.  He presented me with a beautiful ring which he took from his
own finger, and told me that I had acted quite rightly in not letting
anyone, and particularly himself, know where I had taken refuge.

“You can’t think,” he added, frankly, “how interested Madame F——­ was in your fate.  She would be really delighted if you called on her immediately.”