At the invitation of Charles, his aunt and his sister had gone to pay a morning visit to the young wife, and they returned with her.  Happiness never shone on a more lovely face!

M. Algarotti, going towards her, enquired from her affectionately whether she had had a good night.  Her only answer was to rush to her husband’s arms.  It was the most artless, and at the same time the most eloquent, answer she could possible give.  Then turning her beautiful eyes towards me, and offering me her hand, she said,

“M.  Casanova, I am happy, and I love to be indebted to you for my happiness.”

The tears which were flowing from my eyes, as I kissed her hand, told her better than words how truly happy I was myself.

The dinner passed off delightfully.  We then left for Mestra and Venice.  We escorted the married couple to their house, and returned home to amuse M. Bragadin with the relation of our expedition.  This worthy and particularly learned man said a thousand things about the marriage, some of great profundity and others of great absurdity.

I laughed inwardly.  I was the only one who had the key to the mystery, and could realize the secret of the comedy.

MEMOIRS OF JACQUES CASANOVA de SEINGALT 1725-1798

Venetian years, Volume 1e—­Milan and Mantua

The rare unabridged London edition of 1894 translated by Arthur Machen to which has been added the chapters discovered by Arthur Symons.

MILAN AND MANTUA

CHAPTER XX

Slight Misfortunes Compel Me to Leave Venice—­My Adventures in Milan and Mantua

On Low Sunday Charles paid us a visit with his lovely wife, who seemed totally indifferent to what Christine used to be.  Her hair dressed with powder did not please me as well as the raven black of her beautiful locks, and her fashionable town attire did not, in my eyes, suit her as well as her rich country dress.  But the countenances of husband and wife bore the stamp of happiness.  Charles reproached me in a friendly manner because I had not called once upon them, and, in order to atone for my apparent negligence, I went to see them the next day with M. Dandolo.  Charles told me that his wife was idolized by his aunt and his sister who had become her bosom friend; that she was kind, affectionate, unassuming, and of a disposition which enforced affection.  I was no less pleased with this favourable state of things than with the facility with which Christine was learning the Venetian dialect.