Page:The genius - Carl Grosse tr Joseph Trapp 1796.djvu/411

 of public resort, to hear if he could not pick up some intelligence relative to his affair.

He was so fortunate as to find it the general topic of conversation almost wherever he went. He was just on the point of leaving the great square of St. Mark, when he was recognized by a young foreigner in French regimentals, who accosted him, saying, "Your grace would do best to go home, as you will find Count Selami there." Here the foreigner hastily walked off, and left the duke quite astonished in the middle of the street.

"Count Selami?" said the duke to himself, "what can he want there when I am out of town? Strange, that a foreigner should give me this intelligence in so mysterious a manner! But more strange, that I am betrayed! It will be unsafe for me to remain much longer in the streets.—But the world loves scandal, and the count, who has no doubt heard of my misfortune, is in all likelihood gone to apprise my spouse of it. Somebody saw him enter the palace, and took it into his head to spread this injurious