Memoirs of Casanova — Volume 02: a Cleric in Naples by Giacomo Casanova
page 41 of 193 (21%)
page 41 of 193 (21%)
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sold in his presence at Portici.
He then gave me a bill of exchange payable at sight in eight days on M. Genaro de Carlo. I told him that the ingredients were lead and bismuth; the first, combining with mercury, and the second giving to the whole the perfect fluidity necessary to strain it through the chamois leather. The Greek went out to try the amalgam--I do not know where, and I dined alone, but toward evening he came back, looking very disconsolate, as I had expected. "I have made the amalgam," he said, "but the mercury is not perfect." "It is equal to that which I have sold in Portici, and that is the very letter of your engagement." "But my engagement says likewise without injury to the quality. You must agree that the quality is injured, because it is no longer susceptible of further augmentation." "You knew that to be the case; the point is its equality with the mercury I sold in Portici. But we shall have to go to law, and you will lose. I am sorry the secret should become public. Congratulate yourself, sir, for, if you should gain the lawsuit, you will have obtained my secret for nothing. I would never have believed you capable of deceiving me in such a manner." "Reverend sir, I can assure you that I would not willingly deceive any one." "Do you know the secret, or do you not? Do you suppose I would have given |
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