“I am quite sure,” said she, “that you would not have come at all unless I had asked you to come and embrace me.”

At this my lips were fastened on her mouth, her eyes, and on every spot of her lovely face.  But seeing my eyes straying towards her bosom, and guessing that I should make myself master of it, she stopped laughing and put herself on the defensive.

“Go away,” said she, slyly, “go away and enjoy yourself at the Hague with the fair Trenti, who possesses so pretty a token of your love.”

“My dear Esther, I am going to the Hague to talk business with the ambassador, and for no other reason, and in six days at latest you will see me back again, as much your lover as before, and desiring nothing better than to please you.”

“I rely upon your word of honour, but mind you do not deceive me.”

With these words she put up her mouth and gave me so tender and passionate a kiss that I went away feeling certain of my bliss being crowned on my return.  That evening, at supper-time, I reached Boaz’s house.

MEMOIRS OF JACQUES CASANOVA de SEINGALT 1725-1798

The eternal quest, Volume 3b—­return to Paris

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

CHAPTER V

My Fortune in Holland—­My Return to Paris with Young Pompeati

Amongst the letters which were waiting for me was one from the comptroller-general, which advised me that twenty millions in Government securities had been placed in the hands of M. d’Afri, who was not to go beyond a loss of eight per cent.; and another letter from my good patron, M. de Bernis, telling me to do the best I could, and to be assured that the ambassador would be instructed to consent to whatever bargain might be made, provided the rate was not more disadvantageous than that of the exchange at Paris.  Boaz, who was astonished at the bargain I had made with my shares, wanted to discount the Government securities for me, and I should very likely have agreed to his terms if he had not required me to give him three months, and the promise that the agreement should hold even in the case of peace being concluded in the meanwhile.  It was not long before I saw that I should do well to get back to Amsterdam, but I did not care to break my word to Therese, whom I had promised to meet at the Hague.  I received a letter from her while I was at the play, and the servant who brought it told me he was waiting to conduct me to her.  I sent my own servant home, and set out on my quest.