Page:The genius - Carl Grosse tr Joseph Trapp 1796.djvu/402

 moment, but likewise to enjoy those promised by futurity. Their mutual attachment to each other, which took place even before the count had been introduced to her, furnished them a thousand little artifices to express, unperceived, their sensations even before the eyes of the world, to give assignations, and to make any arrangement they pleased.

Count Selami finally brought it so far, as to obtain for myself the free access to the duke's house. I shewed so much indifference for the continuance of this connexion, that the duke would not even take the trouble of being jealous of me. At last his grace fancied, that some secret grief made me so dull and reserved, and in order to cure me of my supposed distemper, he soon thought proper to admit me to share his riotous pleasures, which I feigned to do so warmly, as to gain at last his confidence and friendship, almost in the same degree as the count. Thus I had not only the gratification of witnessing the fine manœuvres of a clandestine love-affair, but of rendering important services to the lovers themselves.