Memoirs of Casanova — Volume 21: South of France by Giacomo Casanova
page 25 of 135 (18%)
page 25 of 135 (18%)
![]() | ![]() |
|
eclipsed by my two nieces. The young Genoese was all attention for the
fair Marseillaise, and I could see that she was not displeased. I sincerely wished to see her in love with someone, and I liked her too well to bear the idea of her burying herself in a convent. She could never be happy till she found someone who would make her forget the rascal who had brought her to the brink of ruin. I seized the opportunity, when all my guests were engaged with each other, to open Possano's letter. It ran as follows: "I went to the bank to change the piece of gold you gave me. It was weighed, and found to be ten carats under weight. I was told to name the person from whom I got it, but of course I did not do so. I then had to go to prison, and if you do not get me out of the scrape I shall be prosecuted, though of course I am not going to get myself hanged for anybody." I gave the letter to Grimaldi, and when we had left the table he took me aside, and said,-- "This is a very serious matter, for it may end in the gallows for the man who clipped the coin." "Then they can hang the biribanti! That won't hurt me much." "No, that won't do; it would compromise Madame Isola-Bella, as biribi is strictly forbidden. Leave it all to me, I will speak to the State Inquisitors about it. Tell Possano to persevere in his silence, and that you will see him safely through. The laws against coiners and clippers are only severe with regard to these particular coins, as the Government |
|