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had two pictures for my share。
One of them； called 〃Nymphs Surprised；〃 I kept for myself； and the
other； 〃Saint Barbara；〃 I sent as a present for my mother。
It must be confessed； however； that some of our men behaved very
badly in this matter of the statues and the pictures。 The people at Venice
were very much attached to them； and as to the four bronze horses which
stood over the gate of their great church； they loved them as dearly as if
they had been their children。 I have always been a judge of a horse； and I
had a good look at these ones； but I could not see that there was much to
be said for them。 They were too coarse…limbed for light cavalry charges
and they had not the weight for the gun…teams。
However； they were the only four horses； alive or dead； in the whole
town； so it was not to be expected that the people would know any better。
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They wept bitterly when they were sent away； and ten French soldiers
were found floating in the canals that night。 As a punishment for these
murders a great many more of their pictures were sent away； and the
soldiers took to breaking the statues and firing their muskets at the stained…
glass windows。
This made the people furious； and there was very bad feeling in the
town。 Many officers and men disappeared during that winter； and even
their bodies were never found。
For myself I had plenty to do； and I never found the time heavy on my
hands。 In every country it has been my custom to try to learn the
language。 For this reason I always look round for some lady who will be
kind enough to teach it to me； and then we practise it together。 This is
the most interesting way of picking it up； and before I was thirty I could
speak nearly every tongue in Europe； but it must be confessed that what
you learn is not of much use for the ordinary purposes of life。 My
business； for example； has usually been with soldiers and peasants； and
what advantage is it to be able to say to them that I love only them； and
that I will come back when the wars are over？
Never have I had so sweet a teacher as in Venice。 Lucia was her first
name； and her secondbut a gentleman forgets second names。 I can say
this with all discretion； that she was of one of the senatorial families of
Venice and that her grandfather had been Doge of the town。
She was of an exquisite beautyand when I； Etienne Gerard； use such
a word as 〃exquisite；〃 my friends； it has a meaning。 I have judgment； I
have memories； I have the means of comparison。 Of all the women who
have loved me there are not twenty to whom I could apply such a term as
that。 But I say again that Lucia was exquisite。
Of the dark type I do not recall her equal unless it were Dolores of
Toledo。 There was a little brunette whom I loved at Santarem when I
was soldiering under Massena in Portugalher name has escaped me。
She was of a perfect beauty； but she had not the figure nor the grace of
Lucia。 There was Agnes also。 I could not put one before the other； but I
do none an injustice when I say that Lucia was the equal of the best。
It was over this matter of pictures that I had first met her； for her father
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owned a palace on the farther side of the Rialto Bridge upon the Grand
Canal； and it was so packed with wall…paintings that Suchet sent a party of
sappers to cut some of them out and send them to Paris。
I had gone down with them； and after I had seen Lucia in tears it
appeared to me that the plaster would crack if it were taken from the
support of the wall。 I said so； and the sappers were withdrawn。 After
that I was the friend of the family； and many a flask of Chianti have I
cracked with the father and many a sweet lesson have I had from the
daughter。 Some of our French officers married in Venice that winter； and
I might have done the same； for I loved her with all my heart； but Etienne
Gerard has his sword； his horse； his regiment； his mother； his Emperor；
and his career。 A debonair Hussar has room in his life for love； but none
for a wife。 So I thought then； my friends； but I did not see the lonely
days when I should long to clasp those vanished hands； and turn my head
away when I saw old comrades with their tall children standing round their
chairs。 This love which I had thought was a joke and a playthingit is
only now that I understand that it is the moulder of one's life； the most
solemn and sacred of all things Thank you； my friend； thank you！ It
is a good wine； and a second bottle cannot hurt。
And now I will tell you how my love for Lucia was the cause of one of
the most terrible of all the wonderful adventures which have ever befallen
me； and how it was that I came to lose the top of my right ear。 You have
often asked me why it was missing。 To…night for the first time I will tell
you。
Suchet's head…quarters at that time was the old palace of the Doge
Dandolo； which stands on the lagoon not far from the place of San Marco。
It was near the end of the winter； and I had returned one night from the
Theatre Goldini； when I found a note from Lucia and a gondola waiting。
She prayed me to come to her at once as she was in trouble。 To a
Frenchman and a soldier there was but one answer to such a note。 In an
instant I was in the boat and the gondolier was pushing out into the dark
lagoon。
I remember that as I took my seat in the boat I was struck by the man's
great size。 He was not tall； but he was one of the broadest men that I
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have ever seen in my life。 But the gondoliers of Venice are a strong
breed； and powerful men are common enough among them。 The fellow
took his place behind me and began to row。
A good soldier in an