The Son: "I believe, sir, you are dining there also."
The Father: "The Duke of —— is always more than kind to our family, and, as he's asking you for the first time, he has been pleased to invite me as well."
The son, a young man of high birth and most distinguished intellect, does not fail to be at the Palace punctually at six o'clock. Dinner was at seven. The son found himself placed opposite his father. Each guest had a naked woman next to him. The dinner was served by a score of lackeys in full livery.[1]
[1] From December 27, 1819, till 3 June, 1820, Mil. [This note is written thus in English by Stendhal.—Tr.]
CLXVIII
London, August, 1817.
Never in my life have I been so struck or intimidated by the presence of beauty as to-night, at a concert given by Madame Pasta.
She was surrounded, as she sang, by three rows of young women, so beautiful—of a beauty so pure and heavenly—that I felt myself lower my eyes, out of respect, instead of raising them to admire and enjoy. This has never happened to me in any other land, not even in my beloved Italy.