all my jewels, and even my portrait cases, taking the precaution, however, of removing the portraits, which with my important papers and my amorous letters I had placed in the hands of Madame Manzoni.  I found myself avoided in society.  An old senator told me, one day, that it was known that the young Countess Bonafede had become mad in consequence of the love philtres I had given her.  She was still at the asylum, and in her moments of delirium she did nothing but utter my name with curses.  I must let my readers into the secret of this small history.

This young Countess Bonafede, to whom I had given some sequins a few days after my return to Venice, thought herself capable of making me continue my visits, from which she had profited largely.  Worried by her letters I went to see her several times, and always left her a few sequins, but with the exception of my first visit I was never polite enough to give her any proofs of my affection.  My coldness had baulked all her endeavours for a year, when she played a criminal part, of which, though I was never able absolutely to convict her, I had every reason to believe her guilty.

She wrote me a letter, in which she importuned me to come and see her at a certain hour on important business.

My curiosity, as well as a desire to be of service to her, took me there at the appointed time; but as soon as she saw me she flung her arms round my neck, and told me that the important business was love.  This made me laugh heartily, and I was pleased to find her looking neater than usual, which, doubtless, made me find her looking prettier.  She reminded me of St. Andre, and succeeded so well in her efforts that I was on the point of satisfying her desires.  I took off my cloak, and asked her if her father were in.  She told me he had gone out.  Being obliged to go out for a minute, in coming back I mistook the door, and I found myself in the next room, where I was much astonished to see the count and two villainous-looking fellows with him.

“My dear count,” I said, “your daughter has just told me that you were out.”

“I myself told her to do so, as I have some business with these gentlemen, which, however, can wait for another day.”

I would have gone, but he stopped me, and having dismissed the two men he told me that he was delighted to see me, and forthwith began the tale of his troubles, which were of more than one kind.  The State Inquisitors had stopped his slender pension, and he was on the eve of seeing himself driven out with his family into the streets to beg his bread.  He said that he had not been able to pay his landlord anything for three years, but if he could pay only a quarter’s rent, he would obtain a respite, or if he persisted in turning him out, he could make a night-flitting of it, and take up his abode somewhere else.  As he only wanted twenty ducats, I took out six sequins and gave them to him.  He embraced me, and shed tears of joy; then, taking his poor cloak, he called his daughter, told her to keep me company, and went out.