me to stand as god-father, a favour which I thought I could
grant; but after the ceremony and the supper which was the consequence of
it, I never entered the house of my former partner, and I acted rightly.
I wish I had always been as prudent in my conduct.

CHAPTER XV

Croce Is Expelled From Venice--Sgombro--His Infamy and Death--Misfortune
Which Befalls My Dear C. C.--I Receive An Anonymous Letter From a Nun,
and Answer It--An Amorous Intrigue

My former partner was, as I have said before, a skilful and experienced
hand at securing the favours of Fortune; he was driving a good trade in
Venice, and as he was amiable, and what is called in society a gentleman,
he might have held that excellent footing for a long time, if he had been
satisfied with gambling; for the State Inquisitors would have too much to
attend to if they wished to compel fools to spare their fortunes, dupes
to be prudent, and cheats not to dupe the fools; but, whether through the
folly of youth or through a vicious disposition, the cause of his exile
was of an extraordinary and disgusting nature.

A Venetian nobleman, noble by birth, but very ignoble in his
propensities, called Sgombro, and belonging to the Gritti family, fell
deeply in love with him, and Croce, either for fun or from taste, shewed
himself very compliant. Unfortunately the reserve commanded by common
decency was not a guest at their amorous feats, and the scandal became so
notorious that the Government was compelled to notify to Croce the order
to quit the city, and to seek his fortune in some other place.

Some time afterwards the infamous Sgombro seduced his own two sons, who
were both very young, and, unfortunately for him, he put the youngest in
such a state as to render necessary an application to a surgeon. The
infamous deed became publicly known, and the poor child confessed that he
had not had the courage to refuse obedience to his father. Such obedience
was, as a matter of course, not considered as forming a part of the
duties which a son owes to his father, and the State Inquisitors sent the
disgusting wretch to the citadel of Cataro, where he died after one year
of confinement.

It is well known that the air of Cataro is deadly, and that the Tribunal
sentences to inhale it only such criminals as are not judged publicly for
fear of exciting too deeply the general horror by the publication of the
trial.

It was to Cataro that the Council of Ten sent, fifteen year