ith Mme. Ricci. Thereupon, seeing that the Carnival was
over, and the moment of my emancipation had arrived, I opened my mind to
the young woman, and informed her that my patience was exhausted. She
tried to turn the matter off with a jest; her liaison with Gratarol had
been a mere Carnival caprice, which would end with the Carnival. (As if
that made any difference to me!) I replied with firmness that it was now
too late. She had thrown away the fruits of my benefits conferred on her
through five long years, and had repaid them by exposing me to shame and
insult. I forgave her and left her at liberty; but abode by my decision
to withdraw from her friendship.

"What!" said she, "shall I not be your gossip[58] any more?" "Please to
forget that title," I replied: "a good woman does not try to turn her
gossip into a simpleton or go-between. I shall not become your enemy,
and have no petty thirst for vengeance. If I were wise, I should cut my
old connection with the troupe whom I have protected for twenty years.
That would secure me against further annoyances and tittle-tattle. But I
do not mean to take this step. And you may be very grateful to me; for
were I to leave them, they would ascribe the loss of their great
champion to you alone." "Oh, what will ever happen to me?" she exclaimed
with an air of tragic desperation. "Nothing," I added laughing, "except
what you have sought and brought about."

When the opera was over, I attended her home, and standing in the
doorway, repeated that this was the last time she would be troubled with
my company. "Do you not mean then to visit me any more?" cried she.
"You certainly will not be exposed to that disturbance," I replied. "Oh,
we shall see you here, we shall see you!" she answered with a cheerful
air of security. I could not help laughing at her conceit. "So you
persist in looking on me as a hopeless victim of your charms! If I do
come to visit you, you will see me, certes!" "But I shall come to you,"
she added. "I hope that you will never give yourself the trouble," said
I; and with these final words I turned my back and walked away.

So ended the open and ingenuous friendship which I had carried on for
five years with this woman.

LV.

_Annoyances to which I was exposed by the Ricci after this act of
rupture.--Some little matters concerning Sacchi's company and my
protection of them.--A long and tedious illness.--The "Droghe d'Amore"
resumed._

I was not desti