“What does your husband do?” I asked her.

“He is steward to the Marquis of Sissa.”

“Is your father still alive?”

“No, sir, he is dead.”

“What was his family name?”

“Scotti.”

“Are your husband’s parents still alive?”

“His father is dead, but his mother is still alive, and resides with her uncle, Canon Casanova.”

That was enough.  The good woman was my Welsh cousin, and her children were my Welsh nephews.  My niece Jeanneton was not pretty; but she appeared to be a good girl.  I continued my conversation with the mother, but I changed the topic.

“Are the Parmesans satisfied with being the subjects of a Spanish prince?”

“Satisfied?  Well, in that case, we should be easily pleased, for we are now in a regular maze.  Everything is upset, we do not know where we are.  Oh! happy times of the house of Farnese, whither have you departed?  The day before yesterday I went to the theatre, and Harlequin made everybody roar with laughter.  Well, now, fancy, Don Philipo, our new duke, did all he could to remain serious, and when he could not manage it, he would hide his face in his hat so that people should not see that he was laughing, for it is said that laughter ought never to disturb the grave and stiff countenance of an Infante of Spain, and that he would be dishonoured in Madrid if he did not conceal his mirth.  What do you think of that?  Can such manners suit us?  Here we laugh willingly and heartily!  Oh! the good Duke Antonio (God rest his soul!) was certainly as great a prince as Duke Philipo, but he did not hide himself from his subjects when he was pleased, and he would sometimes laugh so heartily that he could be heard in the streets.  Now we are all in the most fearful confusion, and for the last three months no one in Parma knows what’s o’clock.”

“Have all the clocks been destroyed?”

“No, but ever since God created the world, the sun has always gone down at half-past five, and at six the bells have always been tolled for the Angelus.  All respectable people knew that at that time the candle had to be lit.  Now, it is very strange, the sun has gone mad, for he sets every day at a different hour.  Our peasants do not know when they are to come to market.  All that is called a regulation but do you know why?  Because now everybody knows that dinner is to be eaten at twelve o’clock.  A fine regulation, indeed!  Under the Farnese we used to eat when we were hungry, and that was much better.”

That way of reasoning was certainly singular, but I did not think it sounded foolish in the mouth of a woman of humble rank.  It seems to me that a government ought never to destroy ancient customs abruptly, and that innocent errors ought to be corrected only by degrees.

Henriette had no watch.  I felt delighted at the idea of offering her such a present, and I went out to purchase one, but after I had bought a very fine watch, I thought of ear-rings, of a fan, and of many other pretty nicknacks.  Of course I bought them all at once.  She received all those gifts offered by love with a tender delicacy which overjoyed me.  She was still with the teacher when I came back.