was the pretty girl who
was kissing her hands to me from the house opposite. I was pleasantly
surprised to hear that she was a dancer named Binetti. Four years ago she
had done me a great service at Stuttgart, but I did not know she was in
London. I took leave of Martinelli to go and see her, and did so all the
more eagerly when I heard that she had parted from her husband, though
they were obliged to dance together at the Haymarket.

She received me with open arms, telling me that she had recognized me
directly.

"I am surprised, my dear elder," said she, "to see you in London."

She called me "elder" because I was the oldest of her friends.

"Nor did I know that you were here. I came to town after the close of the
opera. How is it that you are not living with your husband?"

"Because he games, loses, and despoils me of all I possess. Besides, a
woman of my condition, if she be married, cannot hope that a rich lover
will come and see her, while if she be alone she can receive visits
without any constraint."

"I shouldn't have thought they would be afraid of Binetti; he used to be
far from jealous."

"Nor is he jealous now; but you must know that there is an English law
which allows the husband to arrest his wife and her lover if he finds
them in 'flagrante delicto'. He only wants two witnesses, and it is
enough that they are sitting together on a bed. The lover is forced to
pay to the husband the half of all he possesses. Several rich Englishmen
have been caught in this way, and now they are very shy of visiting
married women, especially Italians."

"So you have much to be thankful for. You enjoy perfect liberty, can
receive any visitors you like, and are in a fair way to make a fortune."

"Alas! my dear friend, you do not know all. When he has information from
his spies that I have had a visitor, he comes to me in a sedan-chair at
night, and threatens to turn me out into the street if I do not give him
all the money I have. He is a terrible rascal!"

I left the poor woman, after giving her my address, and telling her to
come and dine with me whenever she liked. She had given me a lesson on
the subject of visiting ladies. England has very good laws, but most of
them are capable of abuse. The oath which jurymen have to take to execute
them to the letter has caused several to be interpreted in a manner
absolutely contrary to the intention of the legislators, thus placing the
judges in a difficult predicament.