any details before him, and
begged him to induce his nephew to accept the only compromise which now
was possible. Maffei supported me, corroborated all that I related, and
added his own convictions and desires to the same effect.

Signor Contarini acknowledged the cogency of our reasoning, and frankly
admitted that I had no power to arrest the performance of my disastrous
play. He very courteously offered to go at once to his nephew, and to
back us up with his authority, although the hour was late, and it was
not his habit to leave the house at night. While preparing himself for
the journey, he turned and spoke as follows: "Gentlemen, I am sorry to
have to add one observation. We are dealing with a giddy-pated and most
obstinate man. I cannot rely on bringing him to reason. My nephew has
undoubted talent; but his head is filled with so many outlandish
notions, at variance with the social atmosphere and civil institutions
of his native country, that he has been forced, as it were, to incur
enmities and to lay himself open to mortifications."

My friend Maffei and I adjourned to a coffee-house in the Calle de'
Fabbri or alley of the smiths, called Berizzi, and awaited the result of
Signor Contarini's embassy.

When he returned, the report was very different from what I had
expected. His manner had changed from affability to an austere and
imperious haughtiness. The ultimatum, dictated or commanded by his
nephew, ran thus: "On the part of my nephew and myself, I have to tell
you that you can and ought to prevent the reappearance of your comedy
upon the stage."

I will spare my readers the reply which I found myself obliged to give.
It consisted of excuses for having exposed him to so much trouble, and
of reiterated assertions that I was powerless to move a finger in the
matter. Contarini left us, hard as marble, scarcely deigning to salute
me with an inclination of the head.

I almost regretted, at the close of this long weary day, that I had
promised to suspend my comedy after its official performance on the
17th. Yet I had Sacchi's word, solemnly passed on oath, to the effect
that he would find some means for putting an end to further annoyances.
How he kept it will be seen in the ensuing chapters.

LX.

_Gratarol's case against me, which had no foundation in fact or
verity.--His chivalrous way of meeting the difficulty, which had arisen
between us through his own bad management._

On the evening of the