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Updated: June 8, 2025
"Leonilda," began the duke, "has a mother, who lives at a short distance from here, on an income of six hundred ducats, which I have given her for life, in return for an estate belonging to her husband; but Leonilda does not depend on her.
The stupefied astonishment of Leonilda and the duke cannot be described. They could see that Donna Lucrezia and I knew each other, but they could not get any farther.
I felt curious to learn more about this generous Tuscan, so I proceeded to read Leonilda's letter. His name, it appeared, was M . He was a rich merchant established in London, and had been commended to her husband by a Knight of Malta. Leonilda said he was generous, good-hearted, and polished, and assured me that I should like him.
"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."
We remained thus sad and silent till the return of the duke and Donna Lucrezia, who was the only one to keep her head cool. "Dear Leonilda," said she, "you must be let into the secret of this disagreeable mystery, and your mother is the proper person to enlighten you. Do you remember what name my late husband used to call you when he petted you?" "He used to call me his charming Giacomina."
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 to 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.
After telling me the family news, Leonilda concluded by saying that she was in a fair way to become a mother, and that she would be perfectly happy if she gave birth to a son. She begged me to congratulate the marquis. Whether from a natural instinct or the effects of prejudice, this news made me shudder.
"Let us be united for life; we are of the same age, we love each other, our means are sufficient for us, we may hope to live a happy life, and to die at the same moment." "Tis the darling wish of my heart," Lucrezia replied, "but let us stay at Naples and leave Leonilda to the duke. We will see company, find her a worthy husband, and our happiness will be complete."
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.
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."
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