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The day after Don Miguel introduced me to the Comte de Ricla, Viceroy of Catalonia, and the lover of Nina. The Comte de Peralada was a young man with a pleasant face but with an ill-proportioned body. He was a great debauchee and lover of bad company, an enemy of religion, morality, and law.
The spy recovered from his colic and supped with us every evening, but his presence no longer interfered with my pleasure since Nina had ceased to prostitute herself to him in my presence. She did the opposite; giving herself to me, and telling him to write to the Comte de Ricla whatever he liked. The count wrote her a letter which she gave me to read.
"The Conte de Ricla had seen her from his box, and was divided between horror and admiration, and sent for the inspector to tell him that this impudent creature must be punished. "'In the mean time, said he, 'bring her before me. "Presently Nina appeared in the viceroy's box, and asked him, impudently, what he wanted with her.
When he had gone away my neighbour seemed inclined to be more communicative, and informed me that Nina was a dancer whom the Count de Ricla, the Viceroy of Barcelona, was keeping for some weeks at Valentia, till he could get her back to Barcelona, whence the bishop of the diocese had expelled her on account of the scandals to which she gave rise.
When he had gone away my neighbour seemed inclined to be more communicative, and informed me that Nina was a dancer whom the Count de Ricla, the Viceroy of Barcelona, was keeping for some weeks at Valentia, till he could get her back to Barcelona, whence the bishop of the diocese had expelled her on account of the scandals to which she gave rise.
"I hope you will enjoy yourself," he said, "but I must warn you that if you indulge in the pleasures which my nephew Peralada will doubtless offer you, you will not enjoy a very good reputation at Barcelona." As the Comte de Ricla made this observation in public, I thought myself justified in communicating it to Peralada himself.
"The count will never do such a thing; he is too careful of his dignity." The worthy officer then narrated to me all the acts of injustice which Ricla had committed since he had fallen in love with this woman.
"On the other hand, my landlord's advice to fly from Barcelona looks ominous; what if the assassins received their orders from some person high in authority? "It is possible that Ricla may have vowed my ruin, but it does not seem probable to me. "Would it have been wise to follow the landlord's advice?
The greatest noble of Bologna paid court to her, and Nina told them that they might do so, but that she could not guarantee their safety from the jealous dagger of Ricla. She was impudent enough to tell them what happened to me at Barcelona, not knowing that I was at Bologna. She was extremely surprised to hear from Count Zini, who knew me, that I inhabited the same town as herself.
"I hope you will enjoy yourself," he said, "but I must warn you that if you indulge in the pleasures which my nephew Peralada will doubtless offer you, you will not enjoy a very good reputation at Barcelona." As the Comte de Ricla made this observation in public, I thought myself justified in communicating it to Peralada himself.
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