speaking to her excellency, Madame Querini. "I know it," I said, "through
a letter which I have received from Venice, and I beg to offer my most
sincere congratulations to Madame." She heard me and introduced me to
Count Spada, creating me a baron on the spot. He invited me most kindly
to come to his box, asked me where I came from, where I was going to,
etc., and begged the pleasure of my company at supper for the same
evening.

Ten years before, he had been Juliette's friend in Vienna, when Maria
Theresa, having been informed of the pernicious influence of her beauty,
gave her notice to quit the city. She had renewed her acquaintance with
him in Venice, and had contrived to make him take her to Bologna on a
pleasure trip. M. Manzoni, her old follower, who gave me all this
information, accompanied her in order to bear witness of her good conduct
before M. Querini. I must say that Manzoni was not a well-chosen
chaperon.

In Venice she wanted everybody to believe that Querini had married her
secretly, but at a distance of fifty leagues she did not think such a
formality necessary, and she had already been presented by the general to
all the nobility of Cesena as Madame Querini Papozzes. M. Querini would
have been wrong in being jealous of the count, for he was an old
acquaintance who would do no harm. Besides, it is admitted amongst
certain women that the reigning lover who is jealous of an old
acquaintance is nothing but a fool, and ought to be treated as such.
Juliette, most likely afraid of my being indiscreet, had lost no time in
making the first advances, but, seeing that I had likewise some reason to
fear her want of discretion, she felt reassured. From the first moment I
treated her politely, and with every consideration due to her position.