t it was a concerted scheme, and said with a smile that he could
do as he liked, and so I rose to leave them. The Sclav said we must
embrace each other, and on my declaring that to be unnecessary, he and
his comrade drew their sabres, and I thought myself undone. Without more
ado, I hastened to embrace them. To my astonishment they let me go, and I
went home in a grievous state, and not knowing what else to do went to
bed.

MEMOIRS OF JACQUES CASANOVA de SEINGALT 1725-1798

[Illustration: Cover 6]

[Illustration: Titlepage 6]

VOLUME 6 -- SPANISH PASSIONS,

EPISODE 26 -- SPAIN

CHAPTER I

I Am Ordered to Leave Vienna--The Empress Moderates but Does
Not Annul the Order--Zavoiski at Munich--My Stay at
Augsburg--Gasconnade at Louisburg--The Cologne Newspaper--
My Arrival at Aix-la-Chapelle

The greatest mistake a man that punishes a knave can commit is to leave
the said rogue alive, for he is certain to take vengeance. If I had had
my sword in the den of thieves, I should no doubt have defended myself,
but it would have gone ill with me, three against one, and I should
probably have been cut to pieces, while the murderers would have escaped
unpunished.

At eight o'clock Campioni came to see me in my bed, and was astonished at
my adventure. Without troubling himself to compassionate me, we both
began to think how we could get back my purse; but we came to the
conclusion that it would be impossible, as I had nothing more than my
mere assertion to prove the case. In spite of that, however, I wrote out
the whole story, beginning with the girl who recited the Latin verses. I
intended to bring the document before the police; however, I had not time
to do so.

I was just sitting down to dinner, when an agent of the police came and
gave me an order to go and speak to Count Schrotembach, the Statthalter.
I told him to instruct my coachman, who was waiting at the door, and that
I would follow him shortly.

When I called on the Statthalter, I found him to be a thick-set
individual; he was standing up, and surrounded by men who seemed ready to
execute his orders. When he saw me, he shewed me a watch, and requested
me to note the hour.

"I see it."

"If you are at Vienna at that time to-morrow I shall have you expelled
from the city."

"Why do you give me such an unjust order?"

"In the first place, I am not here to give you accounts or reasons for my
actions. Ho