seums, and sharing the pleasure of the 'Café Conversazioni,' I exchanged with my Venetian friends the usual compliments of sugar plums, and prepared for my departure.

When I demanded my bill, the waiter said it should be written out as soon as his mistress (Locandiera) was at leisure. But as some time elapsed ere this was delivered to me, I determined to hasten to her myself, and learn the reason of this delay. Approaching her room, I heard the sound of voices engaged in deep and violent altercation. I naturally stopped, and hesitated about the propriety of intruding myself, when the door opened, and a tall, thin person issued forth, pursued by the Locandiera herself, who showered upon him a thousand reproaches. He observed me standing at the further end of the passage, and without ceremony, accosted me to the following effect:

"Illustrissimo Signor Inglese,' said

he, seizing a button of my coat, "this woman, a diavoletta, insists upon my paying her the paltry amount of three months board and lodging.'

66 6

Paltry!' echoed she, with an air of profound contempt, do you term the sum of three hundred francs a paltry amount? Let me tell you, Signor Conte, that if you don't pay it this instant, I'll have the whole of your wardrobe seized.'

"But patience, Carina,' gently insinuated the Conte, with an air of impudent ease; wait until the arrival of my steward from La Mascala, and you shall then be reimbursed in a princely way.'

"Yes, yes!' exclaimed the indignant hostess, you have too often promised me the same thing, but you shall cheat me no more. Either pay me or quit the hotel. Conte; indeed! we have too many of them abroad, diving into people's pockets, and playing

their tricks to cozen us out of our honest gains. Sir,' added the enraged women to me, this bestia has pretended that he loves me, thinking to evade the sum he owes me by imposing on my kindness, but I know their tricks! the last Conte who came here gave me enough of it! In short will you pay me or not?'

"Ma come! quando non tengo un mezzo soldo :-Not a farthing of money have I at present.'

"I could hardly contain my inclination to laugh at observing the ridiculous expression playing upon his mortified countenance. The Conte had sufficient reason, in being so grossly exposed by the enraged hostess, to make him assume the air and attitude of one that wascompletely crest-fallen. At last, I know not why I did it, or what should incline me to be so generous, but I volunteered to liquidate the amount of the Conte's bill. The proposal was received

He over

with rapture by both parties. whelmed me with protestations of gratitude, and then, assuming a haughty air, addressed himself to the hostessBring the account, woman!' said he, placing an emphasis on the last word; 'no impertinence! we desire no more language from you than is necessary.'

"In fact, the features of the Conte underwent a total change. Instead of the meek, insinuating expression he had lately worn, he now placed an air of pompous and offended dignity in his countenance. This, added to the unexpected scene itself, contributed to give me such entertainment that I had no cause left to regret my generosity. At my request, the Conte favored me with his company to a meal I ordered to be got ready previous to my departure. He entertained me with a long history of his family, of their ancient consequence, and surely I had no reason to doubt him. His character had in it a mixture

of credulity and shrewdness that surprised me. I could not reconcile it to my notion of the human mind, that these two qualities should be found reigning in the same person.

"What became of the Conte I cannot precisely tell. I left him at La Scala, where I dare say he contrived to run up another bill. I journeyed to France, and resumed my duty at Cambray, at which place my regiment was then stationed. Once more did I apply for leave of absence to visit my friends. I was denied. Judge therefore of my disappointment. Fortune,for some unaccountable purpose, seemed bent on preventing my return home, for at the breaking up of the army in France, I received an order to join the Austrian Commander atMilan, with some dispatches relative to the Neapolitan disaffection, which had already begun to manifest itself. Suffer me to pass over the attempted revolution of that degraded country. The cowardice and treachery