You stay with me at least the week
out, chevalier?
No, my lord: I have affairs of a deceased friend at Florence and at
Leghorn to settle. To-morrow, as early as I can, I shall set out for
Rome, in my way to Tuscany.
I am surprised, chevalier. You take something amiss in my behaviour.
I cannot say that your lordship's countenance (I am a very free speaker)
has that benignity in it, that complacency, which I have had the pleasure
to see in it.
By G--! chevalier, I could have loved you better than any man in the
world, next to the men of my own family; but I own I see you not here
with so much love as admiration.
The word admiration, my lord, may require explanation. You may admire at
my confidence: but I thank you for the manly freedom of your
acknowledgment in general.
By admiration I mean, all that may do you honour. Your bravery in coming
hither, particularly; and your greatness of mind on your taking leave of
us all. But did you not then mean to insult me?
I meant to observe to you then, as I now do in your own palace, that you
had not treated me as my heart told me I deserved to be treated: but when
I thought your warmth was rising to the uneasiness of your assembled
friends, instead of answering your question about my stay at Bologna, as
you seemed to mean it, I invited myself to an attendance upon you here,
at Naples, in such a manner as surely could not be construed as insult.
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