quite other plans in preparation. They
were not consistent with philosophy; they were not in agreement with the
Gospel. Some time later, but not till many days had passed and these
heats had cooled, I recognised and condemned them as wrong and reckless,
begotten by the blindness of the natural man deprived of reason for the
moment.[72]

Signor Balbi offered to accompany me to the noble lady, Signora Caterina
Dolfin Tron; and I was rejoiced to have so excellent a witness of our
interview. On presenting ourselves, and being received with her
customary gaiety, I contented myself with these few words: "Your
Excellencies have been amusing yourselves with the _Droghe d'Amore_, and
its recall to the stage. The amusements which fall to my poor share are
these." I handed her the letter.

She cast her eyes over the page, and I could read upon her countenance
and by the trembling of her hands, how deeply she was moved. It is right
for me to add that, strongly as I condemned the revengeful caprice
against Signor Gratarol which caused this lady to involve me in a series
of revolting annoyances, I felt a thrill of gratitude for the cordial
emotions expressed at that moment by her every gesture. I saw that she
felt for me. I saw that, although her judgment had been spoiled by a
course of unwholesome reading, and by conversation with the vaunted
_esprits forts_ of our "unprejudiced" age, her heart remained in the
right place and uncontaminated.[73]

When she had finished reading, she only said: "Leave this paper in my
hands." I obeyed, and took my departure.

It is needless to add that innumerable copies of the precious letter
flew about the city. There was not a house, a shop, in which Signor
Gratarol's chivalrous proclamation of his rights and wrongs did not form
the theme of conversation.

Perhaps I ought to have used circumspection while taking my walks alone
about the city, according to my wont. I ought perhaps to have reflected
that my antagonist was a man who showed his prowess mainly in
ambuscades.[74] But it was never in my nature to know what fear is; and
the perils to which I exposed myself while serving in Dalmatia had
inured me to ignore it. Therefore, returning to what I hinted some few
pages back, I confess that my one burning desire, concealed from every
friend, was to find myself face to face with the author of that brutal
cartel.[75] Day and night, alone and unattended, I prowled around his
casino at S. Mose, n