the dining-room. They protested with one voice that it was
impossible to withdraw a comedy which was already the property of the
public and under the protection of the Government. Gratarol had stirred
up all the mischief by fitting the cap on his own head. It was too late
to think of the misfortunes he had brought by his own madness on
himself.

Furnished with Sacchi's conditional promise, I flew off at once to my
friend Maffei. I told him what I had already done, and with what poor
success. "Nevertheless," I added, "there is yet another stone which I do
not mean to leave unturned. I may find the noble lady Caterina Dolfin
Tron at home, if I go to her immediately. She certainly suggested and
contrived the travesty which turned Vitalba into a caricature of
Gratarol. She has availed herself of the latter's indiscretion and false
steps, the excitement of the public, and the dust stirred up about my
wretched drama, to wreak her vengeance for what crime against herself I
cannot say. Tell Signor Gratarol what I have attempted up to the present
moment, and come to meet me under the Procuratie Nuove at three hours
after sunset."

The January day in which I had to work was short; and I may
parenthetically observe, although the fact is trivial, that I did not
allow myself time to eat a mouthful of food.

It was already an hour and a half past sundown when I turned my steps to
the palace of that noble lady. I wished to have a witness of our
colloquy, and met with no one on the way more proper for the purpose
than Luigi Benedetti, the actor, and Sacchi's nephew. We climbed the
long staircase and asked if her ladyship were at home. "Yes," said the
servant, "she is receiving a company of ladies, senators, and men of
letters." I begged to be announced; and shortly afterwards Mme. Dolfin
Tron appeared, closing the doors of her reception-room behind her, from
whence there came the sound of animated conversation. She saluted me
cheerfully with her usual epithet of _Bear_, bade me take a chair beside
her, and motioned to the actor to be seated.[70]

I unfolded the object of my visit in a few sentences, explained how
urgently I desired the suppression of my comedy, and described the
ineffectual steps which I had taken for securing it. "Now I fling myself
upon your powerful assistance, in the earnest hope that you will help me
to suspend the performance of the _Droghe d'Amore_."

"What a request!" she cried: "what has inspired you to m