Samuel Waddington, comp. The Sonnets of Europe. 1888.
The Debt of the “Giuli Tre” (I.)Giovanni Battista Casti (1724–1803)
Translated by Leigh Hunt
M
Extremely pleasant with me, and polite;
Just like a friend;—you’d fancy, at first sight,
He thought no longer of the giuli tre.
All that he wants to know is, what they say
Of Frederick now; whether his guess was right
About the sailing of the French that night;
Or, what ’s the news of Hanover and D’Estrèe.
But start from whence he may, he comes as truly,
By little and little, to his ancient pass,
And says, “Well—when am I to have the giuli?”
’Tis the cat’s way. She takes her mouse, alas!
And having purr’d, and eyed, and tapped him duly,
Gives him at length the fatal coup de grace.