"de Musset, Alfred - Tizianello" - читать интересную книгу автора (Musset Alfred De)

himself, on returning home, "that the purse of Monna Bianchina brings me luck?
It would be a singular turn of fortune if a thing, which in itself is
disagreeable to me, had a pleasing influence over me." And, in fact, it soon
appeared to him that every time he made use of this purse, he won. When he
placed a gold piece in it he could not help a certain superstitious feeling,
and, in spite of himself, he sometimes reflected on the truth contained in the
words he had found at the bottom of the box. "A sequin is a sequin," he would
say to himself, "and there are plenty of people who do not possess one for each
day." This thought made him less imprudent and led him to somewhat curtail his
expenses.
Unfortunately, Monna Bianchina had not forgotten her meeting with Pippo under
the Procuraties. To confirm the mistake she had led him to believe in, from time
to time she sent him a bouquet or some small nothing, accompanied by a short
note. I have already stated that he was very tired of these attentions, to which
he had made up his mind not to reply.
So it happened that Monna Bianchina, driven to desperation by this coldness,
attempted a daring move, which greatly displeased the young man. She went alone
to his house during his absence, bribed the servant, and succeeded in hiding in
his room. On returning, he found her there, and felt himself obliged to tell her
plainly that he had no love for her and that he begged her to leave him in
peace.
La Bianchina, who, as I have said, was pretty, gave way to terrible anger. She
overwhelmed Pippo with reproaches, but this time no longer tender ones. She told
him he had deceived her in speaking of love, that she thought herself deeply
injured, and finally, that she would be revenged. Pippo did not listen to all
these threats, without himself being irritated. To show her that he was not
afraid, he forced her, there and then, to take back a bouquet she had sent him
that morning; and, as he happened to lay hands on the purse, he added: "Here,
take this, too. This purse has brought me luck, but understand by this that I
want nothing from you."
Hardly had he given way to this moment of anger, than he regretted it. Monna
Bianchina took good care not to enlighten him regarding the lie she had told
him. She was full of rage, but also of dissimulation. She took the purse and
left, fully decided to make Pippo repent of the way in which he had treated her.

That evening he played as usual and lost. The following days brought no better
luck. Ser Vespasiano always had the better dice and won considerable sums from
him. He revolted against his luck and his superstition, became obstinate and
lost again. At last, one day on leaving the Comtesse Orsini, he could not help
crying on the stairs, "May God forgive me! I believe that old fool was right,
and that my purse was bewitched, for I have not had a fair throw since the day I
returned it to La Bianchina."
At this moment he perceived floating before him a dress embroidered with
flowers, from which there appeared two active and slender legs; it was the
mysterious negress. He doubled his pace, accosted her, and asked her who she was
and to whom she belonged.
"Who knows?" answered the African, with a teasing laugh.
"You, I suppose. Are you not Monna Bianchina's servant?"
"No. Who is Monna Bianchina?"
"Well, by God! She it is who told you the other day to bring me that box which