"May I enquire to what work you refer, Chevalier ?" "If you ask me that question, Signor Marchese, I shall in my turn feel impelled to enquire what you meant just now when you referred to my renown." Arrogantly he faced the Marchese's piercing eyes.

He knew perfectly well that neither his romance _Icosameron_ nor yet his _Confutazione della storia del governo veneto d'Amelot de la Houssaie_ had brought him any notable reputation as an author.

Nevertheless it was his pose to imply that for him no other sort of reputation was desirable.

He therefore deliberately misunderstood the Marchese's tentative observations and cautious allusions, which implied that Casanova was a celebrated seducer, gamester, man of affairs, political emissary, or what not.
Celsi made no reference to authorship, for he had never heard of either the _Refutation of Amelot_ or the _Icosameron_.

At length, therefore, in polite embarrassment, he said: "After all, there is only one Casanova." "There, likewise, you are mistaken, Signor Marchese," said Casanova coldly.