Arthur Machen Ultimate Collection

by Arthur Machen

  Chapter IX

  Table of Contents

  My Short But Happy Stay at Naples—The Duke de Matalone—My Daughter—Donna Lucrezia—My Departure

  I shall not, dear reader, attempt the impossible, however much I should like to describe the joy, the happiness, I may say the ecstasy, which I experienced in returning to Naples, of which I had such pleasant memories, and where, eighteen years ago, I had made my first fortune in returning from Mataro. As I had come there for the second time to keep a promise I had made to the Duke de Matalone to come and see him at Naples, I ought to have visited this nobleman at once; but foreseeing that from the time I did so I should have little liberty left me, I began by enquiring after all my old friends.

  I walked out early in the morning and called on Belloni's agent. He cashed my letter of credit and gave me as many bank-notes as I liked, promising that nobody should know that we did business together. From the bankers I went to see Antonio Casanova, but they told me he lived near Salerno, on an estate he had bought which gave him the title of marquis. I was vexed, but I had no right to expect to find Naples in the statu quo I left it. Polo was dead, and his son lived at St. Lucia with his wife and children; he was a boy when I saw him last, and though I should have much liked to see him again I had no time to do so.

  It may be imagined that I did not forget the advocate, Castelli, husband of my dear Lucrezia, whom I had loved so well at Rome and Tivoli. I longed to see her face once more, and I thought of the joy with which we should recall old times that I could never forget. But Castelli had been dead for some years, and his widow lived at a distance of twenty miles from Naples. I resolved not to return to Rome without embracing her. As to Lelio Caraffa, he was still alive and residing at the Matalone Palace.

  I returned, feeling tired with my researches, dressed with care, and drove to the Matalone Palace, where they told me that the duke was at table. I did not care for that but had my name sent in, and the duke came out and did me the honour of embracing me and thouing me, and then presented me to his wife, a daughter of the Duke de Bovino, and to the numerous company at table. I told him I had only come to Naples in fulfillment of the promise I had made him at Paris.

  "Then," said he, "you must stay with me;" and, without waiting for my answer, ordered my luggage to be brought from the inn, and my carriage to be placed in his coach-house. I accepted his invitation.

  One of the guests, a fine-looking man, on hearing my name announced, said gaily,—

  "If you bear my name, you must be one of my father's bastards."

  "No," said I, directly, "one of your mother's."

  This repartee made everybody laugh, and the gentleman who had addressed me came and embraced me, not in the least offended. The joke was explained to me. His name was Casalnovo, not Casanova, and he was duke and lord of the fief of that name.

  "Did you know," said the Duke de Matalone, "that I had a son?"

  "I was told so, but did not believe it, but now I must do penance for my incredulity, for I see before me an angel capable of working this miracle."

  The duchess blushed, but did not reward my compliment with so much as a glance; but all the company applauded what I had said, as it was notorious that the duke had been impotent before his marriage. The duke sent for his son, I admired him, and told the father that the likeness was perfect. A merry monk, who sat at the right hand of the duchess, said, more truthfully, that there was no likeness at all. He had scarcely uttered the words when the duchess coolly gave him a box on the ear, which the monk received with the best grace imaginable.

  I talked away to the best of my ability, and in half an hour's time I had won everybody's good graces, with the exception of the duchess, who remained inflexible. I tried to make her talk for two days without success; so as I did not care much about her I left her to her pride.

  As the duke was taking me to my room he noticed my Spaniard, and asked where my secretary was, and when he saw that it was the Abbe Alfani, who had taken the title so as to escape the notice of the Neapolitans, he said,—

  "The abbe is very wise, for he has deceived so many people with his false antiques that he might have got into trouble."

  He took me to his stables where he had some superb horses, Arabs, English, and Andalusians; and then to his gallery, a very fine one; to his large and choice library; and at last to his study, where he had a fine collection of prohibited books.

  I was reading titles and turning over leaves, when the duke said,—

  "Promise to keep the most absolute secrecy on what I am going to shew you."

  I promised, without making any difficulty, but I expected a surprise of some sort. He then shewed me a satire which I could not understand, but which was meant to turn the whole Court into ridicule. Never was there a secret so easily kept.

  "You must come to the St. Charles Theatre," said he, "and I will present you to the handsomest ladies in Naples, and afterwards you can go when you like, as my box is always open to my friends. I will also introduce you to my mistress, and she, I am sure, will always be glad to see you."

  "What! you have a mistress, have you?"

  "Yes, but only for form's sake, as I am very fond of my wife. All the same, I am supposed to be deeply in love with her, and even jealous, as I never introduce anyone to her, and do not allow her to receive any visitors."

  "But does not your young and handsome duchess object to your keeping a mistress?"

  "My wife could not possibly be jealous, as she knows that I am impotent—except, of course, with her."

  "I see, but it seems strange; can one be said to have a mistress whom one does not love?"

  "I did not say I loved her not; on the contrary, I am very fond of her; she has a keen and pleasant wit, but she interests my head rather than my heart."

  "I see; but I suppose she is ugly?"

  "Ugly? You shall see her to-night, and you can tell me what you think of her afterwards. She is a handsome and well-educated girl of seventeen."

  "Can she speak French?"

  "As well as a Frenchwoman."

  "I am longing to see her."

  When we got to the theatre I was introduced to several ladies, but none of them pleased me. The king, a mere boy, sat in his box in the middle of the theatre, surrounded by his courtiers, richly but tastefully dressed. The pit was full and the boxes also. The latter were ornamented with mirrors, and on that occasion were all illuminated for some reason or other. It was a magnificent scene, but all this glitter and light put the stage into the background.

  After we had gazed for some time at the scene, which is almost peculiar to Naples, the duke took me to his private box and introduced me to his friends, who consisted of all the wits in the town.

  I have often laughed on hearing philosophers declare that the intelligence of a nation is not so much the result of the climate as of education. Such sages should be sent to Naples and then to St. Petersburg, and be told to reflect, or simply to look before them. If the great Boerhaave had lived at Naples he would have learnt more about the nature of sulphur by observing its effects on vegetables, and still more on animals. In Naples, and Naples alone, water, and nothing but water, will cure diseases which are fatal elsewhere, despite the doctors' efforts.

  The duke, who had left me to the wits for a short time, returned and took me to the box of his mistress, who was accompanied by an old lady of respectable appearance. As he went in he said, "'Leonilda mia, ti presento il cavalier Don Giacomo Casanova, Veneziano, amico mio'."

  She received me kindly and modestly, and stopped listening to the music to talk to me.

  When a woman is pretty, one recognizes her charms instantaneously; if one has to examine her closely, her beauty is doubtful. Leonilda was strikingly beautiful. I smiled and looked at the duke, who had told me that he loved her like a daughter, and that he only kept her for form's sake. He understood the glance, and said,—

  "You may believe me."

  "It's credible," I replied.

&nb
sp; Leonilda no doubt understood what we meant, and said, with a shy smile,—

  "Whatever is possible is credible."

  "Quite so," said I, "but one may believe, or not believe, according to the various degrees of possibility."

  "I think it's easier to believe than to disbelieve. You came to Naples yesterday; that's true and yet incredible."

  "Why incredible?"

  "Would any man suppose that a stranger would come to Naples at a time when the inhabitants are wishing themselves away?"

  "Indeed, I have felt afraid till this moment, but now I feel quite at my ease, since, you being here, St. Januarius will surely protect Naples."

  "Why?"

  "Because I am sure he loves you; but you are laughing at me."

  "It is such a funny idea. I am afraid that if I had a lover like St. Januarius I should not grant him many favours."

  "Is he very ugly, then?"

  "If his portrait is a good likeness, you can see for yourself by examining his statue."

  Gaiety leads to freedom, and freedom to friendship. Mental graces are superior to bodily charms.

  Leonilda's frankness inspired my confidence, and I led the conversation to love, on which she talked like a past mistress.

  "Love," said she, "unless it leads to the possession of the beloved object, is a mere torment; if bounds are placed to passion, love must die."

  "You are right; and the enjoyment of a beautiful object is not a true pleasure unless it be preceded by love."

  "No doubt if love precedes it accompanies, but I do not think it necessarily follows, enjoyment."

  "True, it often makes love to cease."

  "She is a selfish daughter, then, to kill her father; and if after enjoyment love still continue in the heart of one, it is worse than murder, for the party in which love still survives must needs be wretched."

  "You are right; and from your strictly logical arguments I conjecture that you would have the senses kept in subjection: that is too hard!"

  "I would have nothing to do with that Platonic affection devoid of love, but I leave you to guess what my maxim would be."

  "To love and enjoy; to enjoy and love. Turn and turn about."

  "You have hit the mark."

  With this Leonilda burst out laughing, and the duke kissed her hand. Her governess, not understanding French, was attending to the opera, but I was in flames.

  Leonilda was only seventeen, and was as pretty a girl as the heart could desire.

  The duke repeated a lively epigram of Lafontaine's on "Enjoyment," which is only found in the first edition of his works. It begins as follows:—

  "La jouissance et les desirs

  Sont ce que l'homme a de plus rare;

  Mais ce ne sons pas vrais plaisirs

  Des le moment qu'on les separe."

  I have translated this epigram into Italian and Latin; in the latter language I was almost able to render Lafontaine line for line; but I had to use twenty lines of Italian to translate the first ten lines of the French. Of course this argues nothing as to the superiority of the one language over the other.

  In the best society at Naples one addresses a newcomer in the second person singular as a peculiar mark of distinction. This puts both parties at their ease without diminishing their mutual respect for one another.

  Leonilda had already turned my first feeling of admiration into something much warmer, and the opera, which lasted for five hours, seemed over in a moment.

  After the two ladies had gone the duke said, "Now we must part, unless you are fond of games of chance."

  "I don't object to them when I am to play with good hands."

  "Then follow me; ten or twelve of my friends will play faro, and then sit down to a cold collation, but I warn you it is a secret, as gaming is forbidden. I will answer for you keeping your own counsel, however."

  "You may do so."

  He took me to the Duke de Monte Leone's. We went up to the third floor, passed through a dozen rooms, and at last reached the gamester's chamber. A polite-looking banker, with a bank of about four hundred sequins, had the cards in his hands. The duke introduced me as his friend, and made me sit beside him. I was going to draw out my purse, but I was told that debts were not paid for twenty-four hours after they were due. The banker gave me a pack of cards, with a little basket containing a thousand counters. I told the company that I should consider each counter as a Naples ducat. In less than two hours my basket was empty. I stopped playing and proceeded to enjoy my supper. It was arranged in the Neapolitan style, and consisted of an enormous dish of macaroni and ten or twelve different kinds of shellfish which are plentiful on the Neapolitan coasts. When we left I took care not to give the duke time to condole with me on my loss, but began to talk to him about his delicious Leonilda.

  Early next day he sent a page to my room to tell me that if I wanted to come with him and kiss the king's hand I must put on my gala dress. I put on a suit of rose-coloured velvet, with gold spangles, and I had the great honour of kissing a small hand, covered with chilblains, belonging to a boy of nine. The Prince de St. Nicander brought up the young king to the best of his ability, but he was naturally a kindly, just, and generous monarch; if he had had more dignity he would have been an ideal king; but he was too unceremonious, and that, I think, is a defect in one destined to rule others.

  I had the honour of sitting next the duchess at dinner, and she deigned to say that she had never seen a finer dress. "That's my way," I said, "of distracting attention from my face and figure." She smiled, and her politeness to me during my stay were almost limited to these few words.

  When we left the table the duke took me to the apartment occupied by his uncle, Don Lelio, who recognized me directly. I kissed the venerable old man's hand, and begged him to pardon me for the freaks of my youth. "It's eighteen years ago," said he, "since I chose M. Casanova as the companion of your studies." I delighted him by giving him a brief account of my adventures in Rome with Cardinal Acquaviva. As we went out, he begged me to come and see him often.

  Towards the evening the duke said,—

  "If you go to the Opera Buffa you will please Leonilda."

  He gave me the number of her box, and added,—

  "I will come for you towards the close, and we will sup together as before."

  I had no need to order my horses to be put in, as there was always a carriage ready for me in the courtyard.

  When I got to the theatre the opera had begun. I presented myself to Leonilda, who received me with the pleasant words, "Caro Don Giacomo, I am so pleased to see you again."

  No doubt she did not like to thou me, but the expression of her eyes and the tone of her voice were much better than the "tu" which is often used lavishly at Naples.

  The seductive features of this charming girl were not altogether unknown to me, but I could not recollect of what woman she reminded me. Leonilda was certainly a beauty, and something superior to a beauty, if possible. She had splendid light chestnut hair, and her black and brilliant eyes, shaded by thick lashes, seemed to hear and speak at the same time. But what ravished me still more was her expression, and the exquisite appropriateness of the gestures with which she accompanied what she was saying. It seemed as if her tongue could not give speech to the thoughts which crowded her brain. She was naturally quick-witted, and her intellect had been developed by an excellent education.

  The conversation turned upon Lafontaine's epigram, of which I had only recited the first ten verses, as the rest is too licentious; and she said,—

  "But I suppose it is only a poet's fancy, at which one could but smile."

  "Possibly, but I did not care to wound your ears."

  "You are very good," said she, using the pleasant tu, "but all the same, I am not so thin-skinned, as I have a closet which the duke has had painted over with couples in various amorous attitudes. We go there sometimes, and I assure you that I do not experience the slightest sensation."

  "That may be through a defect
of temperament, for whenever I see well-painted voluptuous pictures I feel myself on fire. I wonder that while you and the duke look at them, you do not try to put some of them into practice."

  "We have only friendship for one another."

  "Let him believe it who will."

  "I am sure he is a man, but I am unable to say whether he is able to give a woman any real proofs of his love."

  "Yet he has a son."

  "Yes, he has a child who calls him father; but he himself confesses that he is only able to shew his manly powers with his wife."

  "That's all nonsense, for you are made to give birth to amorous desires, and a man who could live with you without being able to possess you ought to cease to live."

  "Do you really think so?"

  "Dear Leonilda, if I were in the duke's place I would shew you what a man who really loves can do."

  "Caro Don Giacomo, I am delighted to hear you love me, but you will soon forget me, as you are leaving Naples."

  "Cursed be the gaming-table, for without it we might spend some delightful hour together."

  "The duke told me that you lost a thousand ducats yesterday evening like a perfect gentleman. You must be very unlucky."

  "Not always, but when I play on a day in which I have fallen in love I am sure to lose."

  "You will win back your money this evening."

  "This is the declaration day; I shall lose again."

  "Then don't play."

  "People would say I was afraid, or that all my money was gone."

  "I hope at all events that you will win sometimes, and that you will tell me of your good luck. Come and see me to-morrow with the duke."

  The duke came in at that moment, and asked me if I had liked the opera. Leonilda answered for me,

  "We have been talking about love all the time, so we don't know what has been going on the stage."

  "You have done well."

  "I trust you will bring M. Casanova to see me tomorrow morning, as I hope he will bring me news that he has won."