The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, 1725-1798. Volume 16: Depart Switzerland

A weary traveler finds himself on the road to Grenoble, chased by a missing cash‑box and a string of uneasy encounters. When an old acquaintance of a lady he once knew offers a place to stay, the narrator is led to a modest house just beyond the town walls, where the door‑keeper boasts culinary skill in exchange for hospitality. The invitation promises comfort without cost, and the protagonist, ever eager for refinement, accepts with a mixture of curiosity and vanity.

Inside, the household unfolds like a stage: the door‑keeper’s two pretty daughters, a polite wife, and a modest brunette whose shy glances ignite the narrator’s imagination. A lavish dinner follows, complete with fine wines and exotic desserts, allowing him to test his tastes and charm. As the evening progresses, he balances his appetite for pleasure with the subtle politics of a provincial French salon, setting the tone for the adventures that await beyond this first night in Switzerland’s borderlands.