idently the little hussy had told her mistress the story,
and the mistress had thought fit to take the maid's place. There was no
possibility of my being mistaken, for though I could not see I could
feel.

For a moment I was undecided, should I remain in bed and make the best of
what I had got, or go on my way to Rome immediately? The latter counsel
prevailed. I called Le Duc, gave my orders, and started, enjoying the
thought of the confusion of the two women, who must have been in a great
rage at the failure of their plans. I saw Signora Diana three or four
times at Rome, and we bowed without speaking; if I had thought it likely
that she would pay me the four hundred louis she owed me I might have
taken the trouble to call on her, but I know that your stage queens are
the worst debtors in the world.

My brother, the Chevalier Mengs, and the Abbe Winckelmann were all in
good health and spirits. Costa was delighted to see me again. I sent him
off directly to His Holiness's 'scopatore maggiore' to warn him that I
was coming to take polenta with him, and all he need do was to get a good
supper for twelve. I was sure of finding Mariuccia there, for I knew that
Momolo had noticed her presence pleased me.

The carnival began the day after my arrival, and I hired a superb landau
for the whole week. The Roman landaus seat four people and have a hood
which may be lowered at pleasure. In these landaus one drives along the
Corso with or without masks from nine to twelve o'clock during the
carnival time.

From time immemorial the Corso at Rome has presented a strange and
diverting spectacle during the carnival. The horses start from the Piazza
del Popolo, and gallop along to the Column of Trajan, between two lines
of carriages drawn up beside two narrow pavements which are crowded with
maskers and people of all classes. All the windows are decorated. As soon
as the horses have passed the carriages begin to move, and the maskers on
foot and horseback occupy the middle of the street. The air is full of
real and false sweetmeats, pamphlets, pasquinades, and puns. Throughout
the mob, composed of the best and worst classes of Rome, liberty reigns
supreme, and when twelve o'clock is announced by the third report of the
cannon of St. Angelo the Corso begins to clear, and in five minutes you
would look in vain for a carriage or a masker. The crowd disperses
amongst the neighbouring streets, and fills the opera houses, the
theatres, the