ted Venetian, whose fortune had been made by
the King of Prussia. He was canon of the cathedral, and received me
cordially; in fact, each mutually desired the other's acquaintance. He
was a fine well-made man, fair-complexioned, and at least six feet high.
He was also witty, learned, eloquent, and gifted with a persuasive voice;
his cook was an artist, his library full of choice volumes, and his
cellar a very good one. He was well lodged on the ground floor, and on
the first floor he accommodated a lady, of whose children he was very
fond, possibly because he was their father. Although a great admirer of
the fair sex, his tastes were by no means exclusive, and he did not
despise love of the Greek or philosophic kind. I could see that he
entertained a passion for a young priest whom I met at his table. This
young abbe was Count di Cavalcano and Bastiani seemed to adore him, if
fiery glances signified anything; but the innocent young man did not seem
to understand, and I suppose Bastiani did not like to lower his dignity
by declaring his love. The canon shewed me all the letters he had
received from the King of Prussia before he had been made canon. He was
the son of a tailor at Venice, and became a friar, but having committed
some peccadillo which got him into trouble, he was fortunate enough to be
able to make his escape. He fled to The Hague, and there met Tron, the
Venetian ambassador, who lent him a hundred ducats with which he made his
way to Berlin and favour with the king. Such are the ways by which men
arrive at fortune! 'Sequere deum'!

On the event of my departure from Breslau I went to pay a call on a
baroness for whom I had a letter of introduction from her son, who was an
officer of the Polish Court. I sent up my name and was asked to wait a
few moments, as the baroness was dressing. I sat down beside a pretty
girl, who was neatly dressed in a mantle with a hood. I asked her if she
were waiting for the baroness like myself.

"Yes, sir," she replied, "I have come to offer myself as governess for
her three daughters."

"What! Governess at your age?"

"Alas! sir, age has nothing to do with necessity. I have neither father
nor mother. My brother is a poor lieutenant who cannot help me; what can
I do? I can only get a livelihood by turning my good education to
account."

"What will your salary be?"

"Fifty wretched crowns, enough to buy my dresses."

"It's very little."

"It is as much as people give."