This office of Cicisbeo is however an intolerably expensive one;
especially to our countrymen. The Signora is so inventive in her
faculties, there are so many trinkets which she dies to possess, and
her wants, real and artificial, are so numerous, that the purse is
never quiet in the pocket. And every Englishman is supposed to be
furnished with the purse of Fortunatus.

The worst because the most dangerous part of the business is, the ugly
and the old think themselves entitled to be as amorous as the young and
beautiful; and a tall fellow, with a little fresh blood in his veins,
is sure to have no peace for them. Prithee, Fairfax, tell me how the
Contessa behaved, when she found I had escaped from her amorous
pursuit. She began to make me uneasy; and I almost thought it was as
necessary for me to have a taster as any tyrant in Christendom. Poison
and the stiletto disturbed my dreams; for there were not only she, but
two or three more, who seemed determined to take no denial. I
congratulated myself, as I was rolling down mount Cenis, to think that
I was at length actually safe, and that the damned black-looking,
hook-nosed, scowling fellow from Bergamo, whom I had so often remarked
dogging me, was no longer at my heels.

But I have now bidden adieu to the _Cassini_, the _Carnivali_, and the
_Donne_; and soon shall see what provision this land of France affords.
For the short time that I have been here, I have no occasion to
complain of my reception. I do not know why, Fairfax, but we Englishmen
seem to be in tolerably good repute every where, with the ladies. Well,
well, pretty dears, they shall find me very much at their service. I
should be sorry to bring disgrace upon my nation, Fairfax. Would not
you?