being thought to belong to the illustrious family
of Medini--an innocent feeling, which does neither good nor harm. The
same publications turn Medini into Medici, which is equally harmless.
This species of lie arises from the idiotic pride of the nobles who think
themselves raised above the rest of humanity by their titles which they
have often acquired by some act of baseness. It is of no use interfering
with them on this point, since all things are finally appreciated at
their true value, and the pride of the nobility is easily discounted when
one sees them as they really are.

Prince Gonzaga Solferino, whom I saw at Venice eighteen years ago, lived
on a pension allowed him by the empress. I hope the late emperor did not
deprive him of it, as it was well deserved by this genius and his
knowledge of literature.

At the play Marcoline did nothing but chatter with Babet Rangoni, who
wanted me to bring the fair Venetian to see her, but I had my own reasons
for not doing so.

I was thinking how I could send Madame d'Urfe to Lyons, for I had no
further use for her at Marseilles, and she was often embarrassing. For
instance, on the third day after her regeneration, she requested me to
ask Paralis where she was to die--that is, to be brought to bed. I made
the oracle reply that she must sacrifice to the water-spirits on the
banks of two rivers, at the same hour, and that afterwards the question
of her lying-in would be resolved. The oracle added that I must perform
three expiatory sacrifices to Saturn, on account of my too harsh
treatment of the false Querilinthos, and that Semiramis need not take
part in these ceremonies, though she herself must perform the sacrifices
to the water-spirits.

As I was pretending to think of a place where two rivers were
sufficiently near to each other to fulfil the requirements of the oracle,
Semiramis herself suggested that Lyons was watered by the Rhone and the
Saone, and that it would be an excellent place for the ceremony. As may
be imagined, I immediately agreed with her. On asking Paralis if there
were any preparations to be made, he replied that it Would be necessary
to pour a bottle of sea-water into each river a fortnight before the
sacrifice, and that this ceremony was to be performed by Semiramis in
person, at the first diurnal hour of the moon.

"Then," said the marchioness, "the bottles must be filled here, for the
other French ports are farther off. I will go as soon as eve