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 I 
 
THE 
 
 MEMOIRS 
 
 O F 
 
 Mifs D'Arville ; 
 
 O R T H E 
 
 Italian Female Philofopher: 
 
 IN A SERIES OF 
 
 ADVENTURES 
 
 Founded on Fact. 
 
 Tranflated from the Ita 
 Secretary to his Serene 
 
 lian, by Carl: Bresciano, 
 Highnefs the Dufce of Modena. 
 
 The 
 
 SECOND EDITION. 
 
 VOLUME 
 
 THE 
 
 FIRST. 
 
 NAPLES Printed, LONDON Re -printed : 
 
 And Sold by R.Baldwin, S. Crowder, L. Hawe?, 
 
 B. Lav, T. Caslon, C. Morak, D, Paillit,. and 
 
 J. Pridden. 
 
 MDCCLXIV. 
 
 ffJ" ^f*&^y 
 
TV.R. 
 ( » ) /\- 
 
 - • 
 THE 
 
 ME M O IRS 
 
 O F 
 
 Mifs DArvilk. 
 
 ■ i n ■■ ■ ■■' '■ ■■■ ' » i • 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 IN writing this hiftory of my life, I 
 feek not, as many of my fex do, for 
 that immortal glory which is to be 
 acquired by virtue of the prefs ; if 
 I aim at any advantage from thefe my 
 iabours, it is principally that of inftrucl- 
 ing my little daughter, who at prefent is 
 not at the age of maturity, but by thefe 
 memoirs, I hope, will learn how to a& 
 with difcretion when fhc arrives to it $ 
 and if my defign ihould be attended 
 with fuccefs, I ihali think myfelf amply 
 recompenfcd, and that my time has not 
 t>ee« fpent in vain. But, lei that be as 
 Vol. I. B it 
 
( 2 ) 
 
 it will, perhaps they may not prove un- 
 ferviceable to others, whofe curiofity 
 may induce them to perufe this work 
 for their entertainment : I have no oc- 
 cafion to adopt the romantic Adven- 
 tures of others, my own life being one 
 uninterrupted fcries of extraordinary 
 events, which, if they had not really 
 happened to myfelf, would appear, even 
 to me, almoft incredible. Every one 
 whofe character makes a part in thefe 
 memoirs, can teftify whether I fpeak 
 truth ; though I have omitted mention- 
 ing their names for many reafons of ho- 
 nour and friendfhip, yet, upon perufai, 
 they will foon know whom I am, and 
 acknowledge me to be fmcere. When 
 a woman writes that which procures her 
 but little honour, it may juftly be faid, 
 that over felf-love and vanity, love of 
 truth prevails; and, where that is the 
 cafe, even her defers merit fomc allow- 
 ance. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
( 3 ) 
 
 CHAP. L 
 
 My Education in the Convent of Avignon. 
 
 IN what manner it pleafed providence 
 to difpofe of me till I arrived at the 
 age of ten years, the reader will, in thd 
 courfe of this hiftory, be hereafter more 
 particularly informed : fuffice it at pre- 
 sent to fay, that at that age, I found 
 myfelf placed to be educated with feveral 
 young ladies in a convent at Avignon. 
 I was provided with every thing necef- 
 fary to render life agreeable, and lived 
 fo much to my fatisfadtion that, al- 
 though I was ignorant from whence I 
 derived my fupport, I had hitherto gi- 
 ven myfelf no trouble to difcover my 
 unknown benefactor. My thoughts were 
 confined to prefent objects, and my dif- 
 courfe on fuch fubjects alone as were 
 naturally beft adapted to my youthful 
 and ardefs capacity. Such was my ilate 
 till the fecret movements of my heart 
 convinced me that what I enjoyed, in 
 being fo well provided for and educated, 
 muft ncceflarily lay me under an obli- 
 gation to fome one - 3 and the confequence 
 of that reflection made me defire to 
 know the perfon to whom I was in duty- 
 bound to be grateful for the fame. 
 B 2 This 
 
(4) 
 
 This dictate of nature encreafed in me 
 every year ; and though fometimes di- 
 verted from fcrious reflection by child- 
 ifh amufements, I began to confider ma- 
 turely on the nature of my condition. 
 The other young ladies were frequently 
 vifitcd by their near relations and pcr- 
 fons of quality ; for my part, 1 faw no- 
 body : neverthelefs my growing vanity 
 flattered me that I was not inferior to 
 the nobleft of them in point of birth, 
 I was often in fufpenfe how I was born, 
 and what in time might be my condi- 
 tion : my fpirits were opprefTed with a. 
 variety of new ideas, and to my former 
 uninterrupted tranquility fucceeded the 
 rnoft tormenting inquietude. 
 
 Not knowing who were my relations, 
 and having neither friends or parents 
 upon whom by nature I could depend, 
 the thoughts of what was to become of 
 me hereafter gave me great uneafinefs. 
 The governefs, a woman of fenfe and 
 experience, was no flranger to thofe 
 tumults in my mind; ihe gucfTed the 
 motive, but, without defiring to know 
 it from me, prudently endeavoured to 
 divert me from my trouble by her ex- 
 traordinary tendernefs ; her noble heart 
 ft rove with her fpirit, and her obliging 
 manners were truly worthy of both ; 
 
 and 
 
( 5 ) 
 
 and not a day patted in which I did not 
 receive fome fignal token of her affec- 
 tion. One day ill particular fhe let flip 
 fome words, in prefence of the other 
 young ladies, relative to my family; 
 and patted fome encomiums upon its 
 magnificence and diitinclion. Being 
 not at that time in one of my thought- 
 ful difpofitions, I took but little notice 
 of what ihe faid ; though I mutt con- 
 fefs it was very agreeable to my vanity, 
 and when I reflected on it afterwards, 
 my curiofity greatly augmented my con- 
 tent. The confufed idea fuggefted to 
 me by my governefs of my lofty con i- 
 tion, perfectly correfponded with the 
 grandeur and delicacy of my treatment. 
 Confined as I was to folitude, I neither 
 wanted jewels, cloaths, or money to 
 render me a diftinguifhed figure in life^ 
 and qualify me for the moft polite af- 
 femblies. Nature, who bellowed on me 
 a fine harmonious voice, gave me alfo 
 a genius for mufie, in which I was in- 
 ftrucled, during the fpace of three 
 years, by the mod able profeflbr in 
 Avignon, by whofe lettbns I arrived to 
 a great perfection in ringing, and be- 
 came a compleat miftrefs of the violin 
 and harpfichord. 
 
 B 3 Thefe 
 
(6) 
 
 Thefe delightful applications diverted 
 my fancy, and leiTen'd my difquiet. My 
 ruling paflion was the ftudy of letters. 
 In my tender years I had been taught 
 the German, the Engliih, and Italian ; 
 and each of thefe, befides the French, 
 were to me natural, and had not a lit- 
 tle contributed to enrich my mind with 
 knowledge fuperior to my lex. An in- 
 numerable variety of ftories, poetry, 
 romances, and voyages, which I read 
 with inexpreflible pieafure, gave me 
 daily fome new and magnificent idea 
 of this great world that I had not yet 
 ieen, and for which I feemed to be 
 born. I delighted greatly in reading, 
 which difturbed me much as often as I 
 reflected upon what I had read, not 
 knowing what figure I Ihould make in 
 the great theatre, and whether, from 
 the uncertainty of my fituation, I ought 
 to number myfelf among the happy or 
 unfortunate. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
( 7 ) 
 
 CHAP. IL 
 
 Uncertainty of my Relations. 
 
 IN this perplexity of mind I conti- 
 nued, and arrived infentibly at the 
 age of fixteen, at which time my per- 
 fon and ftature was little different from 
 the prcfent, though in age more than 
 double that number, and by the many 
 viciifitudes of fortune a little altered. 
 If any one lhoulJ want my piclure, I 
 can eallly give it them with that origi- 
 nal fimplicity which a looking-giafs now 
 fuggeits to me, oppofite which I caiually 
 find myfelf while I am writing thefe 
 memoirs. 
 
 My ftature excccced a little tire mid- 
 dling, rather delicate and thin, but 
 proportionate in every part. My fkin 
 not the very whiter}, but of an agreea- 
 ble tincture, the air of my face hav- 
 ing nothing languid and effeminate, 
 though rather lovely* Black cycs t large 
 and fprightly ; black hair and eye* 
 brows ; a imall mouth, a profile nofe, 
 with lips more than midlingly red. As 
 to my temper, it is altogether furious 
 and phlegmatic : to give more than or- 
 dinary joy it required a great deal, and 
 very little to make me fad -, as ready to 
 
 be 
 
( 8 ) 
 be angry as pleafed, being like a fire of 
 ftraw that is foon extinguished, but in 
 its firft imprefiions capable of blowing 
 up ever fo great a flame. All the falfe 
 fteps of my life were the refult of my 
 natural impetuous fiery temper. All 
 the fatal confequences that afterwards 
 happened, derived their fource, as I 
 may fay, from my philofophical phlegm, 
 to which every misfortune feems lefs 
 hard than the fhame to recede from a 
 falfe flep, and fhew ones felf vile not 
 to be entirely unhappy. Thus I am at 
 prefent, and fuch I was in the eigh- 
 teenth year of my age, when frefh trou- 
 bles gave me new motives to know my- 
 felf better. A letter that my governefs 
 gave me one day alarmed me beyond 
 expreflion. Giving it me in the pre- 
 fence of feveral of my companions, 
 " Take this, madam, faid fhe, it is a 
 letter from your mother; when you 
 have read it anfwer it as you ought, 
 and pleafe to deliver your anfwer into 
 my hand." I took the letter with that 
 eager impatience which extreme defire 
 fuggefted to me, to know who were my 
 relations. I opened it with heart-felt 
 fentiments of affectionate refpeel which 
 till then I was a ftranger to. But, oh ! 
 how I remained when I faw it had nei- 
 ther 
 
( 9) 
 
 ther fubfcription nor date; my frrft 
 joy changed fuddenly into horrible con- 
 fufion; this confufion patted from my 
 fpirits to my heart, and dimvfed itfelf 
 through all my nerves. I trembled from 
 head to foot : I fweat, and was like ice 
 in the fame moment. The fuperfcrip- 
 tion of the letter was as follows : " To 
 Madam D'Arvile, in the Retirement of 
 Avignon, in Province;" and the letter 
 run thus : 
 
 " Dear Daughter, 
 
 The circumftances, unknown to you, 
 that oblige me leave you where you are, 
 ferve only to encreafe in me the defire 
 of feeing you. Time does not permit 
 it me at prefent ; ftudy therefore to 
 cultivate thofe noble talents nature has 
 given you, and render your age more 
 worthy of my defires. The tendernc Q 
 of a mother makes me defire a line in 
 anfwer to this; you will not deny it 
 me. I fhall not omit any thing that can 
 contribute to your education. Don't 
 let vain curiofity torment you to know 
 me. Wait patiently for the day ; nor 
 can I tell you how far it is off. With 
 this you'll receive one hundred piftoles 
 to difpofe of as you pleafe. Love me -, 
 and I am tenderly 
 
 Your afTe&ionate Mother." 
 
( ro ) 
 
 I read over and over this letter with 
 incredible furprize. To wonder fuc- 
 ceeded agitation of heart ; and this war 
 fo violent that I had not ftrength to 
 ftand upright, but fell' upon the .bed 
 without uttering a word, and, with eyes 
 fwelling with tears and turning here 
 and there feeking who would clear up 
 my doubts, I took the letter again in 
 my hand and then threw it upon the 
 bed, as though I was infenfible of my 
 grief. I called reafon. to> my affiftance 
 for motives to calm my fpirits, but all 
 in vain ; and every thought, every con- 
 sideration, every objecl prefented a rid- 
 dle full of darknefs, of which I had 
 not the leaft eomprehenfkm. I had no 
 other knowledge of the world but what 
 I had acquired from books. Reading, 
 had made me conceive a thoufand ideas 
 poflible to be adapted to my circum- 
 ftances, but every one of thefe might 
 deceive me. After two hours profound 
 reflection I knew nothing certain, only 
 that I had a mother who did not refufe 
 letting me know that I was her child. 
 
 In this Irate my governefs furprized 
 me, who came exprefly into my cham- 
 ber to find me ; and feeing me upon 
 the bed, fate down very lovingly upon 
 the fide of it, faying, Pray, Madam, 
 
 what 
 
( M ) 
 
 what has occafioned your uneafinefs ? k 
 it the letter I gave you fo unexpe&ed- 
 ly ? it ought to give you great confola- 
 tion. Madam, faid I, it would have 
 given me great fatisfa&ion had not my 
 mother left her name in the pen. That 
 does not hgnify, faid ihe, I am certain 
 of her tender regard for you, and theft 
 hundred pinoles which 1 bring by her 
 order may convince you if you have 
 the leaft doubt. So faying ihe took 
 from her pocket a green lilk purfe with 
 the hundred pifioks. I received the 
 purfe, and fhe after a few tender expref- 
 fions took her leave. 
 
 She had hardly got up from the bed 
 to go, but I difcovered a letter which 
 ihe accidentally drop out of her pocket 
 at the time fhe pulled out the purfe. 
 I had fome thoughts of calling her back 
 to take it 5 but ihe was already at the 
 door, and my curiofity made me filent. 
 Letting her go, I took the letter and 
 found it wrote by the fame hand with 
 that from my mother. With impa- 
 tience leaping from the bed I fhut the 
 door of my chamber, and with incre- 
 dible palpitation of heart I opened it to 
 read. 
 
 The firfi things that attracted my 
 eyes, were to obferve the iubfeription 
 
 anil 
 
( I* ) 
 
 and the date ; but how was I furprizcd 
 not fincing one nor the other. I immedi- 
 ate lv confronted one with ihe other and 
 the character J eemed tome to be the fame, 
 but the ftyle very different ; in a word, 
 fhe delired my governefs to infmuate, 
 to me, that it was time I fhould chufe 
 the life of a cloyfter, and in iuch cafe 
 that one thoufand piffoles were ready for 
 that purpofe. I fcarce believed myfelf, 
 but read them again and compared them 
 together. A fufpicion came into my 
 head that the governefs ufed fome art in 
 regard to me.: her actions feemed art- 
 ful and defigning; I could not tell the 
 reafon but every thing feemed obfeure, 
 and the leaft ihadow feemed to me a 
 riddle that I did not underff and the half 
 of. With one arm refiing on my toilet, 
 I was making foine reflections on their 
 contrarities, when the door (which was 
 flill fhut) opening with impetuofity, 
 there entered a young German girl that 
 about five years had been my waiting- 
 maid : her name was Celiffina, and 
 ihe returned with an anfwer to fome lit- 
 tle affairs of no confequence that I had 
 fent her about betimes in the morning* 
 She was fo well acquainted with my 
 temper, and fo attentive an obferver of 
 the leaff commotion in me, that fhe im- 
 mediately 
 
( »3 ) 
 
 mediately perceived my agitation. She 
 was going to afk me the caufe; but, ob- 
 ferving it, I thought it was beft to Ihut 
 her mouth by prevention. Celiftina, 
 faid I, you lind me in the greateft trou- 
 ble. I obferved it, faid fhe; but what, 
 in the name of wonder, can be the 
 caufe of fo great an alteration? Ah! 
 if you did but know, faid I, dear Ce- 
 liftina, it is hardly ten minutes ago that 
 hearing Madam Termes call me from 
 the garden below, I opened the window 
 to fee what fhe wanted, and there flew 
 out of the window the moft beautiful 
 bird I ever faw in my life : I don't 
 know how it came into my room, nor 
 do I know who brought it here ; but I 
 know very well that I would give any- 
 thing in the world it had not got away. 
 If that is all, faid Celiftina, make your- 
 felf eafy, that's a thing of little mo- 
 ment : know then — I will not know 
 any thing, added I, that bird giv.s me 
 more trouble than you can poflibly 
 imagine. She went away laughing, and 
 I remained contented with my inven- 
 tion, which took off her curiofity of 
 afking me a thoufand queftions why I 
 was in fuch trouble, and prevented 
 many fufpicions that might come into 
 the minds of my other companions, if 
 C tfcey 
 
( i4 ) 
 they fhould fee me altered more thaa 
 ordinary. The thing fucceedfd, and 
 no one afked any more about it. All, 
 it is true, in this houfe loved me ; by a 
 thoufand little obligations I ha3 gained 
 their efteem, and I knew their affec- 
 tion. I alio had my partialities, and in 
 particular for thofe who were molt of 
 my own temper. I had a pbafure in 
 doing good to alt, but it alio pleafed me 
 to ha vethe fame return. Nothing difguft- 
 cd me more than ingratitude, tho' there 
 is nothing one encounters fo frequently. 
 Generofity and polkenefs certainly pre- 
 vailed moft over my mind, which I did 
 not know how to refift ; but diflimula- 
 tion and vanity were always the objects 
 of my moft implacable hatred. I ihould 
 have been glad to have found a candour 
 of heart in every one able to ftand any 
 experiment ; but experience of the 
 world, in time, taught me that it was to 
 be found but in very few, and it is very 
 dangerous even in ourfelves. It may 
 be faid, without offending any body, 
 if there was more candour in ourfqlve.% 
 we ihould find lefs difiimulation in 
 others. Let this be as it will, the friend 
 in whom I rcpofed moft conlidence, 
 was Madam Termcs. As fhe difcloled 
 all her fentiments to me, fo I conceal- 
 ed nothing from her : a moft incompa- 
 rable 
 
( n ) 
 
 rable modefty was the rule of all her 
 actions ; always equal in her manners, 
 which rendered her always lovely and 
 dear in her converfation. Madam R ca- 
 nes was another lady much of the 
 fame difpofition, for which rcafon wc 
 were generally together from morning 
 till night. The firtt of thefe two ladies 
 wis fubjeel to a defluclion In the breafr, 
 which caufed a thoufand fears and 
 troubles. The phyficians had advifed 
 her to guard againft the open air upon 
 the fetting of the fun ; but this precau- 
 tion gave her fome pain, as it deprived 
 her of thofe evening walks which were 
 her greateft delight. One night that 
 we were walking together in the gar- 
 den, fhe was furprifed ail of a fudden 
 with fuch a violent coughing, that it 
 was neceflary to carry her to her cham- 
 ber and put her to bed. I patted a very 
 difagreeable night on her account; b.;t 
 my affliction was much greater the da/ 
 following, when called in great ha lie t ;> 
 her bed I found her very nigh death. 
 I gave way to fuch exceffive grief, at fo 
 melancholy a light, that it required 
 more to make me calm than to difpofe 
 my dear friend for death. Giving me 
 a lovely and languid look, There is no 
 need, laid ihe, to afflict yourfelf {o 
 C 2 much, 
 
( i6 ) 
 much, becaufe, thank God, I c/on't yet 
 find myfelf fo bad as perhaps you think 
 me. So faying fhe gave me her hand, 
 and it feemed as if fhe had got frefh vi- 
 gour, with defire to comfort me. I 
 burft into tears, and fell down upon the 
 bed. Oh! no, faid fhe, don't cry, my 
 dear, fo piteoufly unlefs you have a 
 mind to grieve me in thefe laft moments 
 of my life : this is the time to make 
 good ufe of your reafon : why fo much 
 love for a life of which we are not our 
 own matters ? why fo much horror for 
 death which is the moft inconteftable 
 thing we are born to inherit ? Though 
 death divides me from you, yet you 
 may have me in your heart ; and that 
 I may live perpetually there, here is 
 my picture; preferve it always about 
 you for an authentic proof of that 
 friendihip I carry inviolably to the fe- 
 pulchre, and when ever you look at it 
 do me juftice, by conferring that I al- 
 ways loved you moft tenderly. She 
 was talking, and I crying, when Count 
 Termes, her brother, entered tht room - 9 
 feeing her in that ftate he remained im- 
 moveable for fome time before he could 
 utter one word. Madam Termes was 
 the firft to alleviate his grief. Dear 
 brother, faid fhe, this your vifit would 
 
 be 
 
( »7 ) 
 
 be an incredible fatisfaclion, if the pica- 
 fure was not diminished in fo great a 
 decree by your grief. The Count fate 
 hinifelf down oppofite to me. The 
 trouble he faw painted in my face ferv- 
 ed but to augment his fears. I rofe up 
 to go away, and leave them together; 
 but he took me by the hand, and infift- 
 ed upon my not leaving the room. 
 You feem, my brother, laid ihe, in a 
 condition not to be able to fay much ; 
 every moment I find myfelf draw nearer 
 my end ; though I am in the flower of 
 my age, it gives me no great trouble : 
 to a life like mine, accompanied with 
 fo much fickneis, death may be confi- 
 dered as a relief. The Count, in a few 
 words, admired in his fifter her great- 
 nefs of fentiments ; but his grief getting 
 the better of him, he got up, embraced 
 her, and went away, promifmg that he 
 would be with her the next morning. 
 In taking his leave of the company he 
 diftinguilhed me in a particular man- 
 ner, though my afflictions at that time 
 prevented my taking much notice of it. 
 Mad m Termes in a few hours after 
 died; I remained much troubled, and 
 he did not return only- to atfift at her 
 funeral. 
 
 C 3 CHAP. 
 
( i« ) 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 My Dijlike to the Life of a Cloyfier. 
 
 SOME few days after Count Ter- 
 mes a/ked for me below, and deiir- 
 cd to know what was become of his lif- 
 ter's pi&ure that was not to be found 
 among her other little things. I repli- 
 ed, that it was in my poffeflion, and 
 that his fifter herielf had given it to me. 
 This confeffion I mould have been glad 
 to have avoided, fearing he might make 
 a demand of it ; but in obliging words 
 he allured me to the contrary. I am 
 glad, faid he, that it is in your hands, 
 as I know you will make the fame ac- 
 count of it as if I myfelf had it ; but 
 becaufe you will honour the memory of 
 my filter by preferving her piclure, ac- 
 cept alfo of this fnuff-box which was al- 
 ready defigned for her. So faying he 
 took the picture out of my hand and 
 fixing it in the box, returned it to me 
 very courteoufly, and took his leave 
 without giving me time to thank him 
 for it. Returning to my chamber I 
 felt myfelf overcome with melancholy : 
 the memory of my deceafed friend, 
 the uncertainty of my birth, my prefent 
 fituation, and a thoufand tormenting re- 
 flections 
 
( i9 ) 
 flections of futurity aflailed me ail at 
 once. Defiring to be alone that I might 
 indulge myfelf more freely in melan- 
 choly thoughts, I gave Celettina lb; re- 
 orders that obliged her to go from me 
 immediately. Without knowing what 
 I did, I walked feveral times a-crois the 
 room, and then fate down ; I opened a 
 book, and then fhut it again ; I open- 
 ed the two letters from my mother that 
 I might examine them again, but to no 
 more pur pole than before. I took 
 of my pocket the box with the picture 
 of Madam Termes, almoft ready to 
 cry for the lofs of her,but what was my 
 furprize, when, on opening it, If 
 Ik r I ruber's picture, inftead of hers! 
 Then, but too late, I perceived the error 
 that I had committed bv a blind ten- 
 dernefs towards my friend, in which I 
 iutfered myfelf to be deceived. A thou- 
 fand thoughts all at once, of fear, of 
 honcfty, of lhame, crowded in upon my 
 mind. Between confufion and anger, 
 I fhut the box, never to open it 
 again, refolving to let the Count know 
 that I thought myfelf ufed ill if he did 
 not return me his fitter's picture and 
 take back his own. I was at the point 
 of fending it back to him with a letter, 
 but that ieerned to me to be rather un- 
 becoming* 
 
( 20 ) 
 
 becoming. I determined however to 
 wait an occafion of feeing him. Be- 
 tween thefe troublefome perplexities I 
 was caught by CekfHna, who accofted 
 me with a laugh ; Oh ! do you know, 
 Madam, faid ihe laughing, do you know 
 Madam Rofe, fhe that pretended to be 
 your friend, and came fo often to fee 
 you? ihe, they fay, ran away laft 
 sight from- her houfe with her lover. 
 In this ftyle ihe gave me a full account 
 of the ftory. From this fhe parted to 
 defcribe the train and equipage of a 
 great., perfonage of the kingdom that 
 had palled by Avignon, going to Paris. 
 Ey the force of chat ihe diverted my 
 thoughts fo much that I palled the re- 
 mainder of that day pretty eafy, and I 
 flept the next night lefs interrupted. 
 By ileeging I gathered a little more 
 flrength, but I could not ftifle the me- 
 mory of my two letters. Thofe two fa=- 
 tal letters came frequently into my 
 mind: by little and. little I found my 
 blood chill with fear of being fhut up 
 in a nunnery. Heaven had by no 
 means called me to that fiate of life i 
 the example of fo many others, inftead 
 of eafmg me, ferved only to frighten 
 me the more. From thence I found I 
 was under an indifpenfable necelfity for 
 
 once 
 
( 21 ) 
 
 once to think for myfelf. The quiet 
 hours of the night, the moft remote 
 part of the houfe, and the filence of 
 this my folitude, invited me to call to 
 my arfiftance my moft mature thoughts, 
 to determine what part I ought to take. 
 If I thought of fuch a Life as this, it 
 was ufing myfelf with violence : to my 
 fiery and lively temper, the moft extra- 
 vagant refoiutions had no horror in 
 them. After thinking a long time, I 
 found myfelf ready to undertake any 
 thing, and refolved in my heart not to 
 fpend my life in a voluntary prifon. One 
 day, in particular, I was walking alone 
 in the moft remote part of the garden, 
 when Madam Rennes faluted me in the 
 name of Count Termes, adding, that 
 he had enquired with great concern 
 about my health. I returned her thanks 
 as I ought, and I was almoft ready to 
 charge her with the delivering him the 
 pidure; but the gcvernefs came ftid- 
 denly upon us, and took me alide, fay- 
 ing fhe wanted to fpeak with me. 
 
 °My firft fufpicion was that fhe knew 
 fomething of the picture, and that lhe 
 was come to enquire ot me about it. 
 Knowing her to be a woman of great 
 penetration, I was careful not to diico- 
 ver what palled in my mind ; and con- 
 cealed 
 
( 22 ) 
 
 eta led my fentiments with fo much art* 
 that Hie had not the leaft fufpicion* 
 She began by talking of Madam Ren- 
 nes, exhortittg me not to keep company 
 too much with her. She talked alio of 
 the deceafed, faying, that there was a 
 very great difference between them 
 though they were coufins. From hence 
 moderately railing the paflions of my 
 mind and my heart, ihe fell infenfibly 
 upon what ihe came about. You know, 
 faid the, whether I love you or not, 
 and I would alfo have you know how 
 much I defire to fee you always content. 
 You are now of full age to diftinguiih 
 that it is time to think of what will be- 
 come of you, and what ft ate of life you 
 would chufe r that you may not here- 
 after repent : the world is fo full of de- 
 ceit, that they that live the fartheft 
 from it enjoy the greater! tranquility of 
 mind : I have always admired the hap- 
 pinefs of thofe that know how to find 
 all the world in their cell, and that build 
 their felicity in themfelves: all the flow- 
 ers of the age have their thorns; vice 
 triumphs in the world, becauie the 
 number of the vicious prevails j virtue 
 is to be praifed, but here it is perfect- 
 ed : there is nothing good but in ap- 
 pearance, and this felf-fame appearance 
 
 is 
 
( 2 3 ) 
 is not referved for thofe that arc tfe 
 mod worthy, but for thofe alone that 
 abufe it mo ft by doing harm to others 
 in the world. Child, a thoufand cir- 
 cumfrances will unite for your comfort, 
 with a dcfi^n to make a competent fi- 
 gure : to duhnnour you, to make you 
 contemptible and unhappy, one alone 
 is enough ; an 1 the man the molt vile 
 upon earth, can hurt you more than a 
 monarch can poffibly make up to yoir 
 
 I obferved all this premeditated dii- 
 courfewith impatience to know where 
 it would end, becaufe me proceeded 
 with lb much deliberation. I gave her 
 now and then a reafbn, applauding her 
 maxims, and uniting my fentiments 
 with hers. She was caught in the trap. 
 My dear, fays ihe, how much this laud- 
 able difpofition delights me; perfevere 
 in this, pcrfift again ti all obftacles that 
 may be put in your way by thofe that 
 think of any thing but your good, and 
 don't confide, in circumftances fo de- 
 licate, either on me or yourfelf. 
 
 Madam, your mother, for what I 
 know, has deftined you for the great 
 world ; but fhe does not refleol .... 
 aprop6, Have you anfwered that letter 
 I gave you the other day ? Not yet, I 
 replied, but I will do it, and I'll let 
 
 her 
 
( 2 4 ) 
 
 her know in it that I do not love the 
 world ; and if lhe loves me, fhe ought 
 to agree that I lhould live as far as poi- 
 fible from it. At thefe words llie em- 
 braced me tcnderlyvind walking toge- 
 ther through a fhady walk, the bell for 
 (upper rung; after lupper I returned to 
 my chamber, and wrote thus to my 
 mother : 
 
 " Dear Mother, 
 
 The circumftances that oblige you 
 to hide from me my birth, happen lets 
 difagreeable to me at prefent, flnce I 
 have found in you a mother fo worthy 
 of my regard. By the hands of our 
 governefs I have received a letter that 
 you have deigned to write me, and 
 have red it with fuch fentiments of love 
 as I never experienced before. For my 
 greater joy and fatisfa&iori I muft now 
 beg a favour of you, that is, to believe 
 that I love you, tho' I have not the plea- 
 lure to know you ; and that lhe wing 
 yourfelf a tender mother, I lhall always 
 lhew myfelf a dutiful daughter. In regard 
 to your perfon, I ihall always defire to 
 know fomething more, to be able to 
 honour you as you merit ; but all this 
 I remit to your own judgment and pru- 
 dence, and am content to be fure that 
 I am dear to you. For the remainder, 
 
 dear 
 
( 25 ) 
 «lear mother, what with the fwcetnefs I 
 enjoy in this my iblitude, I don't know 
 what to defire more except that of the 
 pleafure of embracing you, and of fee- 
 ing, you fully content. Expecting with 
 impatience that heaven will grant me 
 that good fortune, in the mean time I 
 render you my fincere thanks for the 
 favours you are continually difpenfmg 
 me 5 and I hope you will enjoy the tes- 
 timony that I here give you of my pro- 
 found refpedt. I am 
 
 Your moft dutiful 
 and obedient Daughter 
 D'A." 
 
 I got up very early next morning to 
 read over this letter, and I found it, as 
 it ought to be, to give into the way of 
 thinking of my governefs and my mo- 
 ther. 1 was content with myfelf, and 
 it feemed to me I had done a great deal, 
 having (o well diiYembled my true fen- 
 timents to delude the intentions of both 
 who adedwith fo little fincerity to me. 
 In that firft heat of youth and pailion, 
 I judged I had treated them as they 
 merited : but how foon did I find that 
 the paths of youth are indifcreet and 
 iiippery, and that I with thefe arts de- 
 ceived myfelf more than others. I car- 
 Vol.I. D ried 
 
( 26 ) 
 
 ried the letter that fame morning to the 
 governefs, and defired her to feal it, not 
 doubting in the leaf! but the would have 
 curiofity enough to read it ; but I was 
 on the other hand certain, that ihe 
 would be, by that means, confirmed in 
 the good opinion of me, in which I 
 had left her the preceding day. Re- 
 turning from her I met Celeitina, who 
 told me I was afked for at, the gate; fo 
 iinding myfeif tolerably well drerTed, I 
 went down immediately, without fuf- 
 pecling who it could be that enquired 
 for me. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 My firfi Love with the Count of Termes. 
 
 ON the ground floor, where I was 
 expected, I found the Count, who 
 \vas amufing himfelf with fome pictures 
 with which it was furnifhed. At the 
 fight of him my fpirits were fluttered. 
 After the ufual compliments, I protefled 
 that his vifit furprifed me very much. 
 He moft obligingly anfwered me by 
 begging an excufe for his boldnefs, and 
 olefin ng that I would attribute the fault 
 to that cordial friendihip that had ren- 
 dered me fo fenfible of the death of his 
 
 fifter, 
 
( 2 7 ) 
 
 filter, and entitled me to his refpeft 
 were it only through gratitude. 
 
 My eager impatience to enter upon 
 the difcourfe of my box and the pic- 
 ture, did not permit that I ihould iofc 
 time in ufeleis ceremonies ; but the 
 Count had no defire to talk of that, and 
 obliged me to be the rirft to introduce 
 it, though abruptly. Sir, faid I, the 
 mention of your lifter's death brings to 
 my mind a change very extraordinary, 
 that happened the other day ; in this 
 box,oblerve here, inftead of the picture 
 of my friend I find one that exaclly re- 
 fembles you. This unexpected difcourfe 
 furprifed him in fuch a manner that he 
 ftarted back, and confufedly faid, in 
 changing the picture I could never have 
 believed that I fhould have offended 
 you. I affected to be difguftcd, giv- 
 ing him to underftand I wanted it back; 
 whether he thought lb or no, to exempt 
 himfelf from taking it back again, he 
 made a low bow and departed. Con- 
 trary to my inclination he deprived me 
 of the pleamre of his conversion ; and 
 when I retired to my chamber, I re- 
 proved myfelf bitterly. How much the 
 pallions are altered by the objects ! I 
 had a&ed in a manner coniiftent witli 
 my age and character, yet my delicacy 
 D 2 feemed 
 
C i* ) 
 
 feemed to be unfeafonable ; and as I was 
 already touched at heart, I fell unex- 
 pectedly into a profound melancholy. 
 
 I don't intend by this to juftify my 
 weaknefs in the eyes of the public, I 
 am condemn'd by myfclf; in thofe 
 circuiriftances I ought to have maiebet- 
 t r ufe of my reafon. The uncertain- 
 ty of my birth demanded quite other- 
 "wife than a love engagement ; but I am 
 a woman ; I was young, nor was I the 
 only one that had began to love at fo 
 Tender an age. To be fenfible of love, 
 it is enough there are men ; the begin- 
 nings are flattering and fweet : thofe 
 that have not experience of the world 
 cannot forefee the effects. Among the 
 men there are faces that enchant one at 
 firft fight. Add to this, that after hav- 
 ing feen the Count often, occafioned by 
 Ids coming to fee his fifter, I had over- 
 come all little punctilios -, and I don't 
 know how, but all my tendernefs for 
 her returned to fpeak in his favour. 
 The grief at having loft fo fine an op- 
 portunity of letting him know my heart, 
 deprived me of my fleep and quiet: 
 The day following I was ftill bufied in 
 thefe thoughts, when, contrary to all 
 my expectations, a poor woman of the 
 neighbourhood brought me, in the 
 
 name 
 
( *9 ) 
 
 name of the Count of Termes this 
 letter : 
 
 " Madam, 
 
 If you have any fentiments of com- 
 panion for the picture that remains in 
 your hand?. J ihould confole myfelf for 
 the lofs of a lovely fifter with the hopes 
 of having* found another in your per- 
 fon. I mail preferve hers ; be content 
 that I remember both her and you. 
 Forget me, however, if your heart 
 will futfer it ; but be perfuaded, that 
 the hope of b, ing in your's, can only 
 make me amends for a lofs in which you 
 yourfelf have fo great a fhare. I am, 
 with all refpeel, 
 
 Your moft humble, 
 and moft obedient Servant, 
 Termes." 
 
 This letter entirely changed me from 
 what I was -, before I read it, I told the 
 perfon that brought it to return in two 
 hoursfor the anfwer: theanfwering it did 
 not coft much violence to my modefty; 
 as the Count treated me like a fifter, it 
 juftified, in fome meafure, my forward- 
 nefs ; I continued to anfwer him in the 
 fame flyle, and wrote him, That as 
 things flood on the fame terms by him 
 D 3 men- 
 
I 3<>) 
 
 mentioned, I ftiould efteem myfelf ho- 
 noured, if he thought me worthy of 
 any part of that efkem and confidera- 
 tion that he had had for a fitter, who 
 neither by him or me could be enough 
 efteemed. The meflenger returned 
 to me at the precife hour ; I gave her 
 the letter, which me received, with fo 
 much affiduity to carry it immediately, 
 that I judged that day would not pafs 
 without the Count's coming again to fee 
 me. Here he is, in facl, in about an 
 hour after, with a laughing and intre- 
 pid air as if he was certain of the con- 
 queft he meditated. How great is my 
 felicity, fays he fmihng, to find you fo 
 ferene, after the difpleafure I occasion- 
 ed you without intending it ? to a foul 
 Jike your's, that judges rightly, reafon 
 is not wanting to juftify my atfurance: 
 your letter to me gave me great confo- 
 jation, making me hope that I have 
 found in you one half of my felf ; and 
 fhis hope alone is enough that I ihould 
 exenfe your difobliging autterity. It's 
 cafy to be imagined, that by what I had 
 faid I couid not leflen in him the heat 
 of thefe his amorous hopes. Two hours 
 ^of converfation vvere more than enough 
 to transform a brother and fitter by 
 name only, into two pattionate lovers. 
 
 Our 
 
( J' ) 
 
 Our love, more than fraternal, was n© 
 longer ftifled in our breads ; after this 
 enfued reciprocal declarations, and the 
 moft fincere protections ; nor fhould 
 we have finifhed fo foon if Madam 
 Rennes, whom I had not fcen all that 
 day, had not furprifed and interrupted 
 us. I faw rage painted in her counte- 
 nance, at having found me in a clofe 
 eonverfation with her eoufin. The 
 Count, who alfo faw it, changed im- 
 mediately his language to take off any 
 fufpicion, by tell'ng her, that {he feem- 
 ed much troubled, and that he deflred 
 to know the reafon that had occafioned 
 it. She guefled the motive of his com- 
 ing, and without diflimulation gave 
 him to underftand, that fo long a vifit 
 fhe did not think well of. The Count 
 began to joke, the better to perfuade 
 her of his inditference in regard to me ; 
 but feeing he did it without the defired 
 effect, he departed in a few moments', 
 and fhe went oif laughing. I did not 
 take any notice of her behaviour, be- 
 caufe I was too much overcome with 
 joy at having gained fo much ground 
 in a country where I wanted to reign. 
 
 To apologize for my weaknefs, I 
 muft fay, that the Count of Termes 
 was an amiable Chevalier, that he had 
 
 merit, 
 
( ?? ) 
 
 merit, fpirit, and virtue; and that I 
 would Very willingly have given him 
 an abfolute dominion over my heart, if 
 I had been my own miftrefs. Madam 
 Rennes began from that day to look with 
 jealous eyes on all our motions ; but 
 in fpite of her vigilance, we did not 
 fee each other lefs than three or four 
 times a week for the two following 
 months. 7 he govt met s was foon ap- 
 prized of our friendihip ; ihe gave me 
 to underhand that flie lliould be better 
 pleafed if I could difpenfe with thefe 
 vifits lefs frequently, without however 
 telling the Count that this came from 
 her. I received thefe orders with all re- 
 fpecl, but anfwered, that I would not 
 break it to that gentleman fo fuddenly ; 
 that I lhould infenfibly difpofe him to 
 comply ; ?nd that this civil regard was 
 owing to a per 'on of his character, 
 that 1 had been acquainted with fo long 
 a time. My love did not permit me to 
 proceed with that caution that was pre- 
 scribed to me : I ftill continued to re- 
 ceive the vifits of the Count as ufual - 9 
 I confided in the meafures already ta- 
 ken, to be able to fee each other with- 
 out danger ; and all was truly concert- 
 ed, that I fhould be his wife ; when all 
 on a fudden it was intimated to me, not 
 
 to 
 
( 33 ) 
 
 to fee him any more ! Let thofe ima- 
 gine, who know what love is in the 
 heart of a girl, what was then my fitu- 
 ation, and what ideas came immediate- 
 ly into my mind. 
 
 The order Teemed to me a certain 
 prefage that they already thought of 
 shutting me up by main force in a 
 cloyfter. The diflance of the Count 
 cut off every advice and afliftance ; bc- 
 iides, I was agitated with the apprehen- 
 fion erf, that violence the Count would 
 commit on himfelf : it feemed to me, 
 that the not feeing him was already the 
 firft ftep to his entirely forgetting me ; 
 and the fole fufpicion of this fatal for- 
 getfulnefs, reduced me to the utmoft 
 defperation. On the other hand, I dared 
 not (hew the leait fign of my inward 
 troubles, not to confirm the fufpicions 
 of thofe that attentively obferved me. 
 The conftraint I put on myfelf is in- 
 credible : when I was alone, I deftroy- 
 ed myfelf in tears ; when any one ar- 
 rived, I affected gaity and fprightlinefs 
 that coft me the greateft reluclance. 
 To my fuccour I called my moft feri- 
 ous reflexions ; I painted my lover as my 
 ideas were, a perfon of honour ; and 
 that, in fpight of fo many contrarieties, 
 he would never leave to love me : I fi- 
 gured 
 
( 34) 
 gured to myfelf, that my fplrits were 
 fuperior to all proofs; and, with the 
 example of a thoufand love-adventures 
 read in books, I took my prefent cala- 
 mity for an infallible fign of my being 
 one day happy. Had any one told me 
 how far fuch a day was off, and how 
 long I had to figh, perhaps I had been 
 more wife. No one could penetrate to 
 know, what pafled within me; my coun- 
 fellors were, defpair and love. The 
 Count knew nothing of mefor two weeks 
 afterwards, nor could I rifk Ms- having 
 any news of me : from whence all my 
 reflections fmithed, by feconding the 
 impulfes of my nature, and furnifhing 
 myfelf with virile courage againft all 
 the caprices of my perverfe fortune. 
 
 One day, in which I found myfelf 
 more than ever difpofed to undertake 
 any thing not to lead a life worfe than 
 death, Celiftina took me apart and put 
 into my hand a billet from the Count, 
 which was not fealed, and contained on- 
 ly thefe few words ; 
 
 " Madam, 
 
 I have no more time than to advife 
 you of my immediate depart are for the 
 army in Italy. The orders that I have 
 received neither admit of delay or re- 
 ply. 
 
( 35 ) 
 ply. Wherever I am, I mall be always 
 your's. Preicrve yourfelf faithful, and 
 hope." 
 
 This news was to mc like a clap of 
 thunder. '1 ! e handwriting was the 
 Count cie Tcrmes ; but the ityle, the 
 brevity, the want of the name, a de- 
 parture fo precipitate and unexpecle i — 
 altogether was a myftery to me of which 
 I did not comprehend one word. I in- 
 terrogated Celiftina how ihe had got 
 that paper ; ihe had nothing more to 
 tell me, than that ihe had it from a friend 
 of hers that had it from the Count's own 
 hand two days before. Then he is de- 
 parted! cried I, almoft befidc my- 
 fclf, he is departed ! nor may I hop ' to 
 fee him any more ! This itroke, I need 
 no longer doubt, comes^rom my mo- 
 ther; ihe takes from me, by her fecret 
 management" a hufband, becaufe ihe 
 would have me buried in a cloyftcrj but 
 no, it lhall not be fo, if it ihould colt 
 mc my life. Thus I went on, not 
 knowing what I faid ; my furious paf- 
 fion had taken away my fenfes, nor did 
 I perceive that, by Celiftina's being 
 prefent, I betrayed a fecret which, till 
 that time, I had kept with fo much re- 
 gard : the ftone was flung, nor did it 
 
 %nify 
 
( 36 ) 
 fignify witholding my arm, as it would 
 go where deftin'd. By tbefe few words 
 Celillina comprehended all. I had al- 
 ready a thoufand proofs of her fidelity; 
 but then, with tears in her eyes, ihe 
 lhewed me in iuch a manner her heart, 
 that I had not the leaft motive to repent 
 of my having admitted her to my con- 
 fidence ; in order to confole me, ihe ad- 
 viied me to hope that I lhould be one 
 day happy. I lhall be, anfwered I re- 
 iblutely; it fhall be, dear Celiftina, if 
 you will have it fo. My felicity is not 
 io be hoped for in this place >, to find it, 
 it is neeefiary xhat I ihould be put at li- 
 berty ; and if you don't affift me in this 
 great undertaking, prepare yourfelf to 
 fee me die a deiperate death. Thefe 
 words, pronounced by me with a viva- 
 city iuperior to my fex, made fuch an 
 impreilion on her that fhe did not know 
 how to anfwer me better than by throw- 
 ing herielf at my feet, clofely embracing 
 my knees, and protefting that for me 
 fhe would give her own life. In railing 
 her from the ground, I kifs'd her with 
 the love of a filter • and to profit of her 
 intents, fo much in my favour, I im- 
 mediately communicated to her my 
 \gh% and charged her with the 
 ticciSity there was to put them into 
 
 execution. 
 
( 37 i 
 
 execution. 1 gave her all I had thai 
 was valuable, in cloaths, jewels, and fil- 
 ver, that lhe might fell them privately ; 
 and in a few days fhe brought me three 
 hundred piftoles, which, added to the 
 hundred I had received by order of my 
 mother, enlarged my heart, and put 
 me in fuch a ftate that I did not care for 
 •all the world. This bein£ done, I gave 
 her directions to provide every thing 
 neceflary to drefs me in the habit of a 
 man ; I told her that whatever remain- 
 ed in my trunk, mould be her own, 
 and that this would be a proof of my 
 love and gratitude, and, at the fame 
 time, a confolation in the neceifity I was 
 under to feparate myfelf from her. Se- 
 parate yourfelf from me ! faid fhe, cry- 
 ing, this lhall never be; I don't know, 
 dear Madam, what your intentions are, 
 but I very well know my own fixed refo- 
 lution : wherefoever your fteps are turn- 
 ed to, I will follow you; with you I 
 may fay I have been brought up, and 
 with you I will die ; and if you have the 
 heart to leave me behind, you will be 
 unworthy of that felicity I wifh you, 
 and which you will procure by my 
 means, at the price oi all my tuture 
 Lappinefs. I prevented her from going 
 on at this rate, with intention that fhe 
 Vol. I. E might 
 
( 3« ) 
 might make refle&ions more ferious, 
 and more fuitable to my reputation. I 
 was fenfible that my fortune and honour 
 were at flake, and I could never have 
 enjoyed a quiet hour, had I been in any 
 means accefTary to her ruin r more un- 
 happy myfelf could not be, whatever 
 happened to me ; but I dreaded the con- 
 fequences of involving her in my mif- 
 fortunes. Thefe my objections were all 
 to no purpofe, Ceiiftina infilled upon 
 going with me, and, after various argu- 
 ments, for and againft, it was at length 
 concluded between us that we mould 
 make our efeape together ; and the 
 took upon her the care of difpofing 
 things in a proper manner, that our 
 flight mould not be either di [covered or 
 interrupted. 
 
 C H A P. V. 
 
 My Wight from the Convent of Avignon 
 in Mans Apparel. 
 
 I Am now come to that extraordinary 
 part of my life which was the foun- 
 dation of a thoufand afflictions, and 
 which formed the extravagant thread 
 of thefe my uncommon adventures, 
 reiblved on by me in the heat of my 
 vehement paflion, and carried into exe- 
 cution 
 
( 39 ) 
 cut ion in cool blood with as much in- 
 difference and refolutionas if the confe- 
 quences were quite immaterial. My 
 birth was a fecret, my education very 
 auftere, my dcitiny undoubtedly con- 
 trary to my inclinations j a mother un- 
 known, a politic govcrnefs, a lover 
 loit, a cloyfter waiting for me, were 
 reafons that would juftify my proceed- 
 ing to all the world, if I was not the 
 firft to condemn it, that it might nor 
 ferve others for an example : at prefent 
 I know that by fuch a precipitate un- 
 dertaking fortune conducted which way 
 ike pleafed; but perhaps ihe would have 
 guided me frill by ways lefs fatal and 
 dangerous, nor ought the happy 
 ceis of a blameaUe undertaking ro ex- 
 cuse the raihnefs of my conduct. 
 
 In the fpace of a few days GTiftina 
 had put every thing in order, that was 
 needful for our departure, an 1 came to 
 aJvife with me on the manu r in which 
 I ought to act in the execution of our 
 deiign. At day-break I was to g i down 
 into the garden, where lhe was to have 
 ready a ladder for me to fcale the walls: 
 at the gates being opened we were to go 
 out of the city and to walk to Sorgues, 
 about a league and half diftant irom 
 Avignon, where a returned chaiie for 
 E 2 Lyons 
 
( 4o ■-) 
 Lyons was to wait for us, for which ihe 
 had agreed to pay fifteen livres. In our 
 fituation nothing could fall out better; 
 I kifled and embraced her with joy at 
 having fo well feconded my intentions ; 
 I will, faid Celiftina, in the^mean time 
 tell the family that you find yourfelf 
 much indifpofed, and defire them not 
 to wait for you at fupper ; but that I 
 will take fomething for you to your own 
 chamber : fo that if they mould not fee 
 you betimes to-morrow morning, it 
 may prevent their immediate fufpicion. 
 By this contrivance no one came up to 
 difturb me in my apartment. Celifti- 
 na went away pretty late, telling them 
 at the gate that lhe mould not return, 
 as fhe propofed to tarry that night 
 with a near relation of hers at the point 
 of death. Whatever I had that was va- 
 luable was taken by little and little out 
 of the houfe and fold. The night 
 feemed very tedious ; but at laft the 
 moment arrived that I fo much wilhed 
 for to be out of my prifon. At the firft 
 appearance of the morning I jumped 
 from the bed, where I had lain all night 
 in my cloaths, and walking foftly down, 
 took the way to the garden. At the 
 place appointed I found Celiftina, who 
 was already mounted upon the top of 
 
 the 
 
( 4i ) 
 
 the wall and was there waiting for me, 
 She then drew up the ladder by which 
 fhe had got up on the out-fide, and let 
 it down lor me who was within, that I 
 might get upon the wall : I did Co with 
 incredible ha lie, and one after the 
 other, \>JH^ended by the lame ladder 
 into the ftrjtt, where a relation of Cc- 
 leftina, who was already in the fecret, 
 took me in her arms, and immediately 
 conducted us to her houfe. This eriter- 
 prize was a thing of great moment for 
 a woman, for a young woman of my 
 age, who had been educated under the 
 mod {trier discipline. Perhaps it was 
 either the unexpected joy of feeing 
 myfelfat liberty, or thro* fear of being 
 caught on my flight, I was taken with 
 fuch a heart-beating that I trembled 
 from head to foot, as if I dreaded eve- 
 ry moment to be my la If. Having re- 
 vived my fpirits with a gla r s of cordial, 
 with which our friend was opportunely 
 provided, Celeftina began to drefs my 
 hair after the falhion that men wear it. I 
 drefled my ft If alio in man's apparel not 
 very gay, but of a gcod taftc and genteel. 
 She put on hcrfelf a drefs after the 
 Engiifh falhion for travelling ; a d 
 made me give her my arm. as if I 
 hiid been her gallant, and after bidding 
 E 3 adieu 
 
 / 
 
( 4* ) 
 adicu'to our confidant, we walked haf- 
 tily to get out of the city. The fir ft 
 gate that opened was that near the ri- 
 ver ; we arrived there juft as the draw- 
 bridge was letting down, and pailed 
 flowly over without being taken no- 
 tice of by any body. We went out 
 Into the country as if wi|p de g'i to 
 take a cool walk in the morning ; and 3 
 when there was no danger of our being 
 obierved, we haffened on, taking the 
 direct road to Sorgues. I walked fo 
 fait, that Celiftina could hardly keep 
 up with me j Madam, lays Ibe, laugh- 
 ing, fince you came from Avignon 
 you have wings to your feet. It is necef- 
 ary to have them, I replied, that we may 
 not be overtaken ; I think I have the 
 governefs at my back, and feel her car- 
 rying me by force back again to my 
 cell. Here I Hopped, and being feized 
 with a fpirit of liberty, which was all 
 the effe6r of my weaknefs, I called on 
 heaven for its curies on my head if 
 ever it mould come into my thoughts 
 to return back to my prifon, or liften 
 to any one who fhould advife me to it. 
 Celiftina believing 1 meant her, aflured 
 me, that the never fhould have fpoke 
 of it, and that the receding was unbe- 
 coming a female philofopher. By this 
 
 time 
 
( 4? ) 
 time the fun was riien, and fhe, giv- 
 ing me a glance from head to foot, be- 
 gan to laugh without my knowing the 
 reafon A rine hulhmd ! fai .1 fh \ (till 
 laugh ine^^fine' hufband that I have 
 found without looking for orK ► What 
 .' - you, added I, don't I make a 
 fufhcien^Hpe in this drefs ? The fi- 
 gure is gooa, replied fhe, but for a. 
 hufband the figure is not enough : the 
 cafe is really extravag ant, that one girl 
 flioul 1 be hufband to another. but in our 
 cireumttances nothing can be thought 
 of better -, befides, your difguife now 
 puts you in pofi llion of a liberty that 
 is not familiar to our Tex ; you alfo- 
 Ihut the mouth of (caudal, becaufe to. 
 a wife in company with her hufband, 
 and to a hufband in company with his. 
 wife, all is permitted. Celiitina fpoke 
 in this joking manner, but her extra- 
 vagant idea pleated me when more feri- 
 ous,; and this part of being thought 
 man and wife wherever we went, feem- 
 ed to me to be quite proper to exempt 
 us from the refearches of the curious,, 
 and to be lefs expofed to the danger of 
 being discovered. Since it is to be ib 9 
 laid ihe, it is necefTary to put a name 
 to the pretended perfonage that you are 
 to reprefent in the world, and to feign 
 
 the 
 
( 44 ) 
 the country in which you was bora, 
 the education with which you was 
 brought up, the character that your 
 family fuftains, and, laftly, the mo- 
 tives you have in travellins^Europe in 
 company with your wife, All fhefe 
 precautions were neceilary, Bit we 
 might not vary, whenever fpeaking of 
 ourielves, and to elude the fagacity of 
 thofe that might follow us, and who, 
 by private letters, or the public papers 
 might get intelligence of us by parti- 
 cular ciefcriptions. It was concluded 
 between us, that I mould pretend to be 
 an Italian nobLman by birth, and that 
 I fhould fay I was travelling to foreign 
 courts in fearch of preferment ; as to 
 the name that I was to take upon me, we 
 were not a little embarrafled to find one 
 that was unknown to all the world, 
 and by which we mould not put our- 
 ielves in danger of being discovered : 
 at r much confiderarion it was con- 
 cluded that I fhould be called Count 
 Bi:hard, and Ibe lhould pals for Ma- 
 dam the Ccuntefs, my wife. Upon 
 this extravagant idea what did not Ce- 
 liftina iky, and what did me not do to 
 divert me; ihe aliened that all this 
 falmood would coft but one word ; it 
 being ufual for me, in our language, to 
 
 call 
 
( 45 ) 
 
 call her my chamber-maid, it was 
 enough that "I omitted that word cham- 
 bermaid and fhe immediately became 
 my wife : fhe added, that it was pro- 
 per we fhc^d think of celebrating the 
 nupti : , which Jhe would have dons 
 privateB Hie lake of ceconomy ; 
 that we^j Bfleep together without 
 fear of hav^fany children born to aug- 
 ment the expences of the family. With 
 fuch like difcourfes we arrived' at Sor- 
 gues. Though the going on foot in- 
 commoded me, I walked as nimble as 
 if I had ferved five or fix campaigns in 
 a regiment of infantry; the joy of be- 
 ing at liberty gave me vigour; the 
 hopes of bettering my condition would 
 have made me walk to the Antipodes. 
 About ten o'clock in the morning we 
 arrived at Sorgues, where I found the 
 chaife ready, and mounting it imme- 
 diately we proceeded on our road. 
 This was very near the hour in which 
 they mutt difcover my flight. 1 was 
 under no apprehenfion of purfuit front 
 the convent, but ple.nfed myfelf with 
 the reflection of what would be faid 
 then in Avignon of this affair of mine : 
 I thought I law all thefe good women 
 in diforder and confuiion ; foine run- 
 ning 
 
( 46 ) 
 ning up and down looking for me thro ? 
 all the houfe; others calling with a loud 
 voice the governefs of the place, and 
 meeting her, cry out, Ah ! Madam, don't 
 you know Madam D'Arvilaitsone off? 
 ihe is not to be foun 
 houfe j her chamber 
 body has certainly ai 
 muft be followed before^We gets too 
 far off The thought that pleafed me 
 mod was, that of having known fo w r eli 
 how to elude their vigilance, and of 
 being revenged on my mother who had 
 prohibited me all commerce with the 
 Count, and who, by force of fair words, 
 would facrifice me to a cloyfter,to which 
 heaven had not called me. Had they ta- 
 ken proper methods they might eafily 
 have overtaken us : but knowing what 
 fort of people I had to deal with, this 
 thought did not give me the lean 1 un- 
 eafinefs : eonfafion prevailed with them 
 rather than prudent council ; they 
 vented in ufelefs talk their wonder, and 
 wrangling upon the manner of the 
 event, th y neglreled the remedy which 
 they ought, in hafte, to have laid ru Id 
 of: an attentive father, a man of fenfe, 
 might have overtaken us before we had 
 arrived at Sorgues,as we made no great 
 hafte to our horfes. Tho' I had the bold- 
 
 neG 
 
( 47 ) 
 jiefs to projea a flight, I am debtor for 
 having executed it fo happily, not fo 
 much to my own fagacky and good for- 
 tune, as to the indolent negledfulnefs 
 of thole who lament it without benefit, 
 and whojdhiynot how to remedy it,' 
 as I lhafl hereafter. 
 
 3ie wijo lam 
 
 vho^ll^ i j 
 
 A P. VI. 
 
 My Arrival at Lyons, and a Refolutlon 
 taken to traffic. 
 
 IN the duik of the evening we arrived 
 atLyons j and, fome few days after our 
 arrival, I undertfood by the difcourfe 
 that my flight was public through all 
 the city. It w:u faid, that a young 
 woman of illurlnous birth was fudden^ 
 ly gone from the nunnery of Avignon, 
 and that they could hear no news of 
 J r. They related the particulars of 
 xny flight quite contrary to what they 
 were in reality • they gave the plainer! 
 tokens of my flight, and manner of 
 my drefs ; and added, that fearch had 
 been made at the city gates of Avignon 
 tor fuch a perfon, and drefled in fuch a 
 manner, and ware aflured, thii no fuch 
 perfon had been feen to go out of the 
 city, and that the common opinion was 
 that I was flill in Avignon, hid in fome 
 
 pai- 
 
(48 ) 
 
 particular houfe ; there were alfo thofe 
 •that would frankly aiTert, that I had 
 taken refuge in the Count de Termes's 
 palace. Thus people deceive them- 
 felves in their own judgment ; and 
 whatever happens in public report is 
 ever fubjec~t to thefe variations. They 
 anight feek me as muchl they pleafed 
 in Avignon, and not hav^Tound me ; 
 and on the other hand, it was very true 
 that they had not feen me go out of the 
 city, as the changing of my drefs had 
 deceived them. It was very well that, 
 there only they expected to find me, 
 and did not follow me farther ; but 
 •making the figure of a married man, 
 they could not even fufpecr that there 
 was a woman, hid under my cloaths. 
 Thus we remained quiet fome days in 
 our lodgings at Lyons, and, having 
 nothing elfe to employ us, we were 
 continually making ferious reflections 
 •on futurity. At Lyons we could not 
 always remain; not having there any 
 connections we might foon be fufpecled 
 and found out. 1 o profecute our jour- 
 ney any farther, would be expenfive, 
 and dtminrth our finances every day, 
 with travelling and the charges of chaife- 
 hirc ; but then how could we live in this 
 \ and find money to fupply our 
 
 wants ? 
 
( 4?) 
 wants r from thefe thoughts, which gave 
 me much trouble, Celiftina endeavour- 
 ed to divert me, by jetting ; You are a 
 charming gentleman, fays lhe to me ; 
 make your court to foine of thofe la- 
 dies, it is impoilible but that you will 
 make ibmeconquelf, and then our tor- 
 tune is mane. There mould be fome- 
 thing elie, my dear wife, anlwered I, in 
 our cafe ; few of thofe women are to be 
 found that make mens fortune ; and, by 
 feeking for fuch, a thoufandare to be met 
 with that may be our ruin; to gain their 
 confidence, you muft fecond their hu- 
 mours, and their extravagant fancies', 
 and, by what I have hitherto read and 
 underitood, will coft one a treafure. It is 
 not that fprightlinefs, good grace, and 
 talents, that dirt inguiih men in the moil 
 improving conversation; but gaming, 
 public ihews, dinners, parties of plea- 
 sures, and buffooneries, are the foul of 
 the modern tafte ; and he is mo ft elf eem- 
 ed who fpends moif. like a fool, or by 
 defperate playing. 
 
 H I was to follow this trade, of the 
 five hundred piftoles which I have at 
 preient, in five days I mould not have 
 a farthings and the vain hope of an un- 
 certain conqueff , would corf me a cer- 
 tain lofs. Then let us think of fome- 
 
 Vol. I. F thing 
 
( 5° ) 
 thing elfe, replied CelifVma ; nor will 
 we depart from the maxims of fo rea- 
 fonable a philofophy, which makes me 
 more and more in love with you. The 
 money which we have is our beft friend ; 
 we do not expect them from any other 
 part; from this we have our.fuftcnancc, 
 and, as we have nothing but ourfelves 
 to keep, let us expend it to fome advan- 
 tage : we are in a country where com- 
 merce flourifhes, and where there are 
 to be purchafed rich, embroidered filks, 
 both in gold and filver, and for which 
 a much greater price is paid in all the 
 cities of Europe ; let us put ourfelves 
 into trade, by laying out in merchan- 
 dize the major part of the money you 
 have ; we will fell them again in other 
 countries, by which means the capital 
 will be refer ved intire, and by the pro- 
 fits of the fame, as many others have 
 done, we fhall defray our expences. 
 
 This project was lefs dangerous than 
 the other, but this alfo had its difficul- 
 ties : our capital was too fmall to bring 
 a profit fufficient to fupply all our ne- 
 cefsitics ; for a lucrative trade, it re- 
 quired a large fum, or great credit; 
 the chief fupport of the richeft and 
 moft flourifhing traders depends upon 
 credit; and fuch may have in their ma- 
 gazines 
 
( 5* ) 
 gaziacs a capital of one hundred thou- 
 fand crowns, and be in debt half a mil- 
 lion j but they feldom fail, becaufethey 
 conftantly find frelh fupplies to main- 
 tain their credit. Befides all this, faid I 
 to 'my wife, to trade with profit, it is 
 necerlary to know accompts, and the 
 advantages in buying and felling ; in 
 ail this, we are in the dark ; and I 
 ihould not be lefs embroiPd by being a 
 merchant, than a phyfician. a lawyer, 
 or a foldier. To thefe difficulties Celif- 
 tina found a remedy by the example 
 of many women of her acquaintance, 
 who, with a very fmall beginning, were 
 become very rich merchants ; and in- 
 fifted that this was the beft party for us, 
 She faid fhe would fpeak of it, as a thing 
 of her own, to our landlady : that me 
 could give lier fome light in thefe af- 
 fairs. I did not oppofe her defire, as I 
 judged her to be a woman of art and 
 cunning ; and I thought I could con- 
 fide in her. Mrs. Tavenof, fo was my 
 landlady called, was daughter to a rich 
 merchant, and a man of credit, but 
 who had failed by living too high : the 
 late failure of her father had not per- 
 mitted her to find a huiband, fuch as 
 me deferved : me was not however de- 
 "bafed by her marriage, as ihe had mar- 
 F 2 ried 
 
( ) 
 
 ried an officer with whom fhe had liv- 
 ed a little more than four years, and 
 who was killed at the fiege of Barcelo- 
 na $ fhe remained a widow, maintaining 
 herfelf by a little traffic, and by letting 
 ready-furnifhed lodgings to people of 
 diftinclion. To her haftcned Celiftina, 
 and, in full confidence of her intenti- 
 ons, fhe received all the in ft ructions 
 that were neceffary to us on that head. 
 She conducted her through all the city, 
 and made her acquainted with the rich- 
 eft merchants in Lyons; fhe fhewed her 
 all kinds of fluffs and filks of different 
 qualities ; fhe taught her the propcreft 
 method to be taken in buying, and 
 where fhe might fell them again ; .fhe 
 contracted for the price of the fame ; 
 upon the whole, fhe made her lay out, 
 in fo much goods, four hundred pif- 
 toles, affuring her, that, if fhe follow- 
 ed her advice, fhe would get five hun- 
 dred piftoles for them when ever flic 
 fold them. While Celiftina was going 
 about thefe affairs, which could not be 
 difpatched in one day, I paffed my time 
 in reading, in my lodgings, all the good 
 books that had been printed lately : two, 
 among the reft, I read with incredible 
 delight more than once; and from thefe 
 I learned a great deal: the one was inti- 
 
 tled. 
 
( S3 ) 
 tied, " Philofophy for Women, M the 
 other, " The Art of Thinking Well 5 w 
 the fir ft was wrote in French, the fecond 
 in Englifh ; and both, before I had any 
 great practice in the world, inthefe few 
 days taught me how to live. Reading 
 was never any trouble to me ; but one 
 day, in particular, I found I had need of 
 fome other amufement ; and as Celifti- 
 na never returned home in the day, I 
 went out to pafs half an hour in a 
 coffee-houfe, a very little way diftant 
 from my lodgings ; and finding at the 
 door an officer, I went in with him : 
 we faluted, and fate down together. 
 There were, on one of the tables, the 
 news-papers of the day ; the waiter pre- 
 fented the officer with them, but he only 
 ran them over, and gave them to me that 
 I might divert myfelf, if I had a mind to 
 read them. J ran my eye immediately 
 over them till I came to the date from 
 Avignon, and there I found a long ftory 
 of my flight. By Celiftina's confidant 
 many circumftances had been related ; 
 fhe had been feen in a Jew's fhop buying 
 fome mens cloaths,. and they waited till 
 the Jew returned from the country, 
 where he was gone for a few days, that 
 they might learn fome other notice more 
 particular and precife. Reading this 
 F 3 article 
 
(54) 
 article In the Gazette, I gave no fign 
 of furprizc, though I was not at all 
 quiet in my mind. There was in the 
 cofFee-houle, one of thofe people called 
 politicians, who obferve w'th more 
 greed inefs the public paper, than they 
 would the will of fome of their relati- 
 ons. He aiked me immediately, if I 
 had made any reflection upon what was 
 from Avignon, and what was my opi- 
 nion of that ftory f I anfwered coolly, 
 that fuch relations as thefe were hi ge- 
 neral falfe, or very much altered • that 
 the Gazette writers, to fill up their pa- 
 per, make of a fly an elephant ; and 
 that if the £z& was true of the young 
 woman of Avignon, by the next ordi- 
 nary poft there would be fomething 
 more, becaufe me could not be able to 
 keep herfelf long hid. I thought by 
 this, that I had ihut the mouth of this 
 news- monger ; but he afked me a 
 thoufand queftions, as if he had known 
 by his i'mell that I was woman : as good 
 fortune for me would have it, a coach 
 flopped at the door of the cofTee-houfe; 
 I faced about to the perfon that was 
 within, though I had never feen him in 
 my life before -, I gave him my hat, and 
 eluded, by this ftratagem, the fagacity 
 
 .of 
 
( 55 ) 
 of the other, who found himfelf confut- 
 ed in his fufpicions. 
 
 C H A P. VII. 
 
 A VrUndjbip cont raffed by me at Lyons 
 with Mr, U Arc ore, 
 
 TH E perfon faluted by me at his 
 Coming out of ft is coach, was a 
 young gentleman of about twenty -five 
 years of age; of an open air, and oblig- 
 ing carriage. He returned my falute 
 without (hewing himfelf the haft fur- 
 prifed, and as if I had been his friend 
 for many years. After having ordered 
 the coachman to return in an hour, he 
 took me by the hand, and, making me 
 fit down, placed himfelf oppofite to me. 
 Seeing the papers upon the table, lie 
 afked me if I had read them, and what 
 news there was ? Nothing, Sir, faid I, 
 but an account of the flight of a cer- 
 tain girl from a nunnery at Avignon, of 
 which account I am very doubtful, bc- 
 caufe the writers of the Gazettes, in 
 thefe barren times of news, catch at any 
 thing for the fake of having fomething 
 to write. As to that, replied he, the 
 facl is very true ; I have fever a I letters 
 from Avignon that mention It : which 
 alio fay, that preffing orders are fent eve- 
 ry 
 
( 5* >* 
 
 ry where, that all potiible torch is to 
 be made for that young lady, and that 
 they are to apprehend her, and keep 
 her, wherever ihe is found. For my 
 part, fail he, there i-s no danger that I 
 ihall ever take a thought to look after 
 her, or become a fpy, if I could find 
 her. They pretend to fay, that fhe has 
 taken the road to Marfeilles, to embark 
 on board fome ihip for Holland. We 
 may fuppofe, replied I, that in this 
 flight love has had a part, or that fhe 
 has been reduced to defparation by 
 lome violence ? I don't know, faid lie, 
 3s the accounts are fo confuted and dif- 
 ferent ; all fay, that her parents had 
 defined her for a cloyfter, and that fhe 
 was inconfolable on the fudden depar- 
 ture of a gentleman of her acquain- 
 tance : let what will be the reafon, I 
 am forry for it j as they write me, that 
 ihe is a moll amiable young lady, and 
 of a fpirit fuperior to her fex : her good 
 qualifications make me companionate 
 her troubles •, and I am forry that fhe is 
 hot come diredly to Lyons, where ihe 
 ihould not have wanted protection and 
 reception. I did not lofe one word of 
 what he faid; and already, upon his 
 pleafing expreffions, my vanity flattered 
 me ; that I might have reafon to hope 
 
 the 
 
( 57 ) 
 
 the bctt. Being very happy at having' 
 found one that pitied me without know- 
 ing me, I feemed to be no longer in 
 danger; becaufe he would have affitted 
 me much more, if I had made myfelf 
 known to him. With thefe thoughts I 
 endeavoured to appear c'h earful. Coffee 
 being brought, he infitted upon my tak- 
 ing another difh to keep him company. 
 Jult at this inftant came a footman, and 
 laid to him, Sir, my lady fent me to 
 afk you, if you will let her have the 
 horfe, that lhe fpoke to you about, for 
 twenty piftoles ? He anfwercd rough- 
 ly, No j tell your mittrefs, from me, 
 that I have changed my mind, and that 
 I will not fell that horfe. This is a 
 horfe, faid he, turning to me, that I 
 wanted to get rid of; and I had fold 
 Bin to my fitter for the half of what he 
 cott me. It is now fifteen days that (be 
 has been beating down the price, and 
 now goes increafing it by a crown at a 
 time. Rather than be plagued for fuch 
 a trifle, I'll take back my horfe, and 
 fhe may ^ovide herfelf fomewhere elfe. 
 Among the other advices Celittina had 
 got from my landlady, was that of pro- 
 viding a horfe, to tranfport our goods 
 and cloaths, where we pleafed, with lefs 
 expen.ee. I thought on it then. And 
 
 are 
 
( 58 ) 
 are you refolved, faid I to my friend, 
 
 rto fell the horfe to your fitter ? or 
 you do it out of revenge ? He an- 
 fwered me feriouily that he would rather 
 give him to any body elfe than fell him 
 to her ; there is nothing that difobliges 
 me more, than her ftinginefs in mak- 
 ing a bargain. Well, faid I, if you'll 
 fell him, I'll buy him, as I have juft 
 now need of one. With all my heart, 
 replied he ; but you mutt know, that 
 he is better for a coach than for a fad- 
 die : I had the pair, and they cott me 
 four hundred crowns ; but having loft 
 one, I have never been able to match 
 the one that remains; for which rea- 
 fon, I want to get rid of him. That 
 fignifies nothing, replied I, he will ferve 
 me to carry my portmanteau; I want to 
 go to Orleans, and that by fhort jour* 
 neys, to do fome bufinefs of mine, and 
 to fee, at the fame time, the mott fa- 
 mous city of Burgundy ; and for this 
 route the horfe will ferve me wonder- 
 fully well ; and when I have done with 
 him, I can always get for him what he 
 cott me. That's very true, replied he, 
 you think as you ought ; nor can you 
 find a better horfe for your pur pole : 
 let us take another difh of coffee, and 
 then you'll do me the honour to go 
 
 home 
 
( 59 ) 
 home with me to my houfe, where yoa 
 fhall fee him, and we will agree for him 
 in four words. I imagine that from 
 Orleans you will go to Paris; it is time, 
 at your age, that you had fccn that 
 metropolis : there you will make con- 
 quers ; and, in a country like that, 
 where the handfomends of a man's per- 
 fon is eftcemed, I do not know how you 
 will be able to pleafe fome, without 
 difgufVmg others. Whenever it is fo, 
 anfwered I, I'll contrive to do for the 
 beft ; and fo faying, he made me ftep 
 into the coach, and conducted me, in 
 his company, to the door of his palace. 
 Stepping out of the coach, I (aw im- 
 mediately that it was not a houfe be- 
 longing to a poor man. We went into 
 a fpacious court yard, ail paved with 
 marble, furrounded witli a double or- 
 der of pillows, and adorned with four 
 fountains, that threw over, in four 
 great ihells of brafs, an artificial lhower 
 of rain. From thence he conducted 
 me into a hall, adorned with ftucco- 
 work, and painted in the higher! tafte. 
 He then ordered the horfe to be 
 brought. Here he is, faid he ; and I'll 
 maintain him to be without any dcf.cr. 
 He looked well to the eye; but to judge 
 of him, and what to make of him, 
 
 there 
 
{ 6o ) 
 
 tliere required Cometh ing more than t«» 
 •know how to Ccale a garden-wall. As 
 to this, Caid I, I'll take him upon your 
 word ; and be Co good as to tell me the 
 price, and you lhall be Catished imme- 
 diately, I do not look Cor this now, 
 aniwered he, and to talk oC that we 
 have time enough. It is dill very hot, 
 and a good while fince we drank coffee; 
 I hope you won't reCuCe me the honour 
 of tatting a bottle oC my wine; and we 
 will drink it iced> that it may be the 
 cooler. I did all pofhble to excuCe my- 
 CelC, but his courteous behaviour pre* 
 vented my refuCal, and I found it ne- 
 cefTary to oblige him ; and while the 
 wine was cooling in ice, we took a turn 
 in the garden. For a private gentle- 
 man, I never Caw a more fine and de- 
 licious fpot : green-houfes, fbady walks, 
 odorous hedges, a continued carpet in 
 the path cmbellifhtd with flowers, all 
 things that delighted the Cight, and at- 
 tracted my wonder.. In the midft oC 
 theCe delights, and among Co many 
 courtefies that I had received, I found 
 myCelf very much embarraiTed. I was 
 afraid that'l mould not be able to CuC- 
 tain, as I ought, the perCon oC a man 
 before one oC Co refined a tafle, and that 
 he would not let me depart, after having 
 
 obliged 
 
( 61 ) 
 obliged mc fo much, without defiring 
 to knowfomcthing of me, and my con- 
 dition of life. Being under a neceflity to 
 appear as a man of quality, I did not 
 know how to get off, with honour, from 
 a converfation that I had not foreleen, 
 and that feemed to me fufpicious. I 
 ffudied the propereft manner to anfwer 
 any queftions of that fort; but, as good 
 fortune would have it, there was no 
 need, as he afked nothing on this head. 
 From the garden we returned to the 
 hall, where I found a magnificent col- 
 lation prepared. I was obliged to eat 
 and drink to pleafe him ; but could not 
 find any opportunity to get away, and 
 more than once I attempted to take my 
 leave, but he ftill detained me by his 
 obliging behaviour; protefting, that my 
 peribn pleafed him, and that my com- 
 pany gave him the higheft Satisfaction. 
 We talked on a hundred different things, 
 but nothing on my affairs ; and this his 
 civil indifference pleafed me more than 
 all the reft. Curious people are fre- 
 quently very troublefome ; difcourfing 
 with Grangers, they think they have an 
 indisputable right to know all; and they 
 do not reflect, that thofe who travel iu 
 a It range country, have a thoufand rea- 
 sons for telling only what they pleafe. 
 Vol. I. G Bein£ 
 
( 62 ) 
 
 Being almoft night, I hoped at iaft that 
 he would permit me to go : but how 
 was I perplexed when I under/food, 
 from my obliging and courteous bene- 
 factor, that he would have me ftay and 
 fup with him. Wait ; faid he to me, to 
 inticeyou more, there are certainyoung 
 ladies and gentlemen, of my acquain- 
 tance, perfons of merit, condition, and 
 fpirit, that are worthy of your friend - 
 fhip, and they will keep you in good 
 converfation, while fupping. I was 
 more than half perfuaded ; but not 
 knowing where all this civility would 
 end, I was the more delirous to get 
 away. Not fucceeding in any excufe, 
 I was obliged at laft to confefs, that I 
 would have remained very willingly, to 
 oblige him, if an indifpeniabte'necefli- 
 ty had not called me to my lodgings. 
 Since it is fo, faid he, I won't ufe vio- 
 lence ; but if I am to lofe your agree- 
 able company, confole me for fuch a 
 lofs, by telling me, what indifpenfable 
 necefiity hinders you from flaying here. 
 For this there was no remedy ; I was 
 obliged to confefs, with fome repug- 
 nance to myfelf, that my wife was ex- 
 peeling me at home; and that, at my 
 being abfent, ihe would be in conti- 
 nual pain all the night. Your wife, re- 
 plied 
 
( 63 ) 
 plied he, amazed and furprifed, your 
 wife ! I will absolutely have the honour 
 of feeing her : I do not in the leaft 
 doubt but that fhe is worthy of you ; 
 and if, at an age fo young, you are 
 bound to a woman, one mud fay, that 
 your choice is praife-worthy. At table 
 we will talk of your adventures ; for 
 the young ladies that are to be here, 
 delight much in fuch itories : permit 
 me, in the interim, to fend my coach 
 to bring her here, becaufe wc absolute- 
 ly will not fup without her. As he was 
 fpeaking a footman brought him a let- 
 ter, and he ordered him to bring pen 
 and ink, denring me to write two lines 
 to my wife, that we were waiting for 
 her, and by that means fhe could have 
 no difficulty in coming. I complied, 
 as I could not do otherwife ; and toge- 
 ther with Celiftina he fent for Madam 
 Taveuot, flic being known to him be- 
 fore fhe was married. The coach went, 
 and returned in half an hour. When 
 he heard the coach arrive, he ran to 
 hand out the Countefs, my wife; I did 
 the fame to Madam Tavenot, for Sim- 
 ple conveniency ; but could hardly re- 
 frain from laughter, to fee how Celifti- 
 na received and anfwered to his compli- 
 ments. I had time to inform myfelf 
 G 2 who 
 
( 6 4 ) 
 who this gentleman was : fhe told me, 
 that his name was Moniieur I^'Areore, 
 that he was not a nobleman, but that he 
 was the richer! man in the city ; and 
 that his chief pleafure confifted in mak- 
 ing himfelf friends, in enjoying good 
 company, and in obliging, by force of 
 benefits, all perfons of merit. 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 Characters of fome ridiculous Perfons. 
 
 SOON after they arrived, another 
 coach flopped at the gate, with fome 
 relations and friends of Monf. D*Ar- 
 core, who faluted us as familiarly as if 
 we had known each other many years. 
 No perfon had ever more need of ex- 
 traordinary prefence of mind, than Ce- 
 lifrina and my f elf on this occafion. All 
 women are by nature curious, but 
 theft were doubly fo; as the more 
 questions they afoed, the more they be- 
 lieved they obliged us, by giving us 
 motives for converfation. Celiftina was 
 a woman of a good underftanding, 
 fpoke like an orator; and to joke with 
 with gallantry, none was equal to her, 
 I had had very little practice in the 
 world ; but however I was not one of 
 thofe women that buy glow-worms for 
 
 lanterns 
 
c % > , 
 
 lanterns, and afk, for want of conver- 
 fation, if the fea produces corn as well 
 as fand. To anlwer properly all their 
 queftions, I was obliged every moment 
 to rack my invention, and had the good 
 fortune to anfwer every thing, that was 
 put to me, to the fatisfaclion of the 
 company in general. Monfieur D'Ar- 
 core, after having left us fome minutes, 
 returned, faying, Sir, it is time to fee 
 if my cook has known how to pleafe 
 you; and, with this joke, made us fit 
 down to flipper, which was dreifed in 
 the higheft tafte, and very elegant. I 
 muft confefs my appetite was diminifh- 
 cd greatly, by my apprehenfions that 
 Monfieur D'Arcore would begin the 
 diieourfe upon the flory from Avignon ; 
 and if the company had obferved in mc 
 any thing effeminate, I fhould certain- 
 ly have been difcovered in that meeting. 
 The leaft talk upon that topic would 
 have put me to the blulh ; and my bafh- 
 fulneis was fufficient to excite, in otru rs,, 
 fome fufpicions. Supper being over, 
 they began to Zing the airs of the opera 
 for that year : Ccliitina alfo fung to 
 pleafe the company ; and accidentally 
 obierving that I understood mufic, they 
 preffed me fo much, that, not to make 
 a ridiculous figure, I tuned an Italian 
 G 3 air, 
 
( 66 ) 
 air f which I had per feci! v in my me- 
 mory. At the firft cadence they all 
 clapped their hands ; and Mr. D'Ar- 
 core cried out, that I had a woman's 
 voice, and that he never heard a more 
 fvveet and delicate one than mine. I 
 thought I mould have fwooned away at 
 thefe words : I endeavoured to conceal 
 my bluihes, by a feigned laugh ; and 
 Celiftina, to turn the difcourfe, began 
 to talk about the fluffs that ihe had 
 bought that day, declaring, that ihe 
 never had laid out her money to better 
 advantage. There was no occafion for 
 any thing more; the difcourfe immedi- 
 ately changed, and nothing was talked 
 of but filks, their colours, and fafhions. 
 Juft in this interim the clock ftruck 
 twelve, and all were for returning to 
 their own houfes 5 but Mr. D'Arcore 
 would not permit, he having afligned 
 every one their apartment, and we all 
 retired to repofe ourfelves. My mind 
 was taken up with the thoughts where 
 this extravagant civility would end ; it 
 feemed to me, that all was a riddle; 
 and feeing that he diftinguiihed me 
 above all the others, I could not per- 
 fuade my felt that he would ufe all this 
 diftinclion to a man ; Celiftina alfo 
 could not think otherwife. We talked 
 
 about 
 
( *7 ) 
 about it mod part of the night, 
 without reiblving on any thing. When 
 
 the morning was pretty well advanced, 
 I got up ; but Madam Tavenot no 
 fooner heard me up, than ihe came 
 into my chamber, and afked me, what 
 I thought of our genteel hoft ? I an- 
 iwered her, that I thought htm the on- 
 ly one in the world, that made fo much 
 of perfons that he had never known be- 
 fore. And with all this, laid 1he, he is 
 only the ion of a merchant, fuch as my 
 father was ; he has fucceeded in bufi- 
 nefs cxtreamly well, and mv father was 
 ruined : this gentleman, being heir, af- 
 ter his father's death renounced his bu- 
 finefs, and thinks of nothing but en- 
 joying what was left him, but that with- 
 out ruining himfelf : he does not fpend 
 profufely, but he will have every thin"- 
 that is neceflary. Initead of letting 
 himfelf be impoverifhed by a troop of 
 fervants, fworn enemies to their ma- 
 ilers, he is not defirous of miking a 
 great lhew of pomp and magnificence ; 
 and keeps only a cook, a coachman, 
 and two footmen. He tranficls his own 
 bufinefs for amufement -, and employs 
 neither agent, fteward, or fecretary ; 
 but at his table he will have, both af 
 dinner and {upper, three or four dimes 
 
 extra- 
 
( 68 )_ 
 extraordinary for his friends. The no- 
 bility do not difregard him, becaufe he 
 is not ambitious of being- on a par with 
 them. Every one in the city loves him, 
 becaufe he dots good to all ; and to ob- 
 tain any favour of him, there is no need 
 to alk it. He has ditiinguiihed you, 
 becaufe he knows you to be a it ranger, 
 which, with him, is reafon fufneient. 
 This is his way of thinking; but he has 
 a filler, who is of a very different opi- 
 nion : fhe is altogether as fordid and 
 miferabte, as he is generous and good ; 
 ihe had a hufband who was prefident 
 of the parliament, and, by her fordid- 
 nefs, (he broke his heart : I fhall fay no 
 more in favour of that gentleman, only, 
 that he had lined his morning gown 
 with fonnets, printed on fiik, that were 
 dedicated to his praife : when the, pre- 
 iident put on that *gown, he was all 
 philofophy and poetry from head to 
 foot. This difcourfe of Madam Tave- 
 not diverted me much, and Mr. D'Ar- 
 core came in, and caught us laughing, 
 without knowing that his finer was the 
 caufe of our mirth. Tea was brought 
 in ; and when we had drank it, he gave 
 orders that nobody fhould be admitted 
 to him that mornings becau e be chofe 
 to enjoy my company alone. 1 dp this 
 
 frequently, 
 
( &9 ) 
 frequently, faid he, when I meet with 
 perfons of fpirit, as you are, with whom 
 I can fpend an hour agreeably. I am 
 fo plagued with the company of fome 
 people, who have nothing but the figure 
 of a man to recommend them, that I 
 had much rather be alone. Would you 
 believe" it, Sir, faid he, in a large city 
 like this, where intereft is the ruling 
 principle, that luxury is fuitained by 
 commerce alone ? and in this there is no 
 rule, becaufeall endeavour to be equafr 
 I can give you but little account of our 
 nobility, becaufe I do not keep com- 
 pany with them ; neverthelefs, as I 
 know that my income is not inferior to 
 theirs, I do not efteem myfelf any ways 
 beneath them, though they have old 
 parchments with antient priviledge.% 
 which my family has not ; upon this 
 fuperiority, that they have over me by 
 birth, they think I am obliged to . 
 them, if they deign to command 
 if they a/k me to lend them one hun- 
 dred piftoles, they think they do me a 
 favour ; and if I li,ive courage to deny 
 it, my refuial becomes a crime : to 
 .have their good opinion and eileem, I 
 mult ketp open purfe at their com- 
 mand ; and buy their land at their own 
 price, if they want to fell it : ffanding 
 
 © 
 
 out 
 
( 10 ) 
 *\it with them on a hazardous game, 
 they cfteem you honoured by the lofs. 
 I eonilder them as charcoal, that burns 
 or blackens ; nor do I rind a better way 
 of dealing with them, than by a referr- 
 ed and complaifant carriage towards 
 them. To pafs away my time, I could 
 keep company with women of quality, 
 and divert myfelf by intrigues and gal- 
 lantries ; but in this there are alfo rocks: 
 if they are married, one is liable to the 
 extravagant jealouiy of their huibands ; 
 if they are virgins, their chief fubjecl: 
 of difcourfe is matrimony ; the com- 
 merce with certain others of that lex, 
 brings fcandal, and becomes not a per- 
 ion of honour ; to take a wife againft 
 my inclination, would be downright 
 madnefs : therefore, to live comfortably, 
 I live alone. I am a friend to all, but 
 a Have to none; and when I find one 
 that is of my way of thinking, I find, 
 in fuch company, all the happinefs I 
 deilre. Then, Sir, faid I, you arc ei- 
 ther a reclute, or a phiioibpher. I am 
 neither one nor the other, aniwered he- 
 1 live according to my own tafre, and 
 folio ,v m}' own inclinations: 1 hatefub- 
 jecrion ; and will not, on any account, 
 commit violence on my inclinations. 
 When noiie and confuiion become irk- 
 
 ibme. 
 
< 7i ) 
 
 fome, I go into the country -, when fo- 
 litude is troublelbme, I return to the 
 city: in my houfe, I enjoy the compa- 
 ny of my friends, when I find thofe that 
 are agreeable ; when I have not any to 
 my mind, I fpend a few hours, for the 
 fake of diverfion, at Conic coiTce-houfe ; 
 and there is nothing that delights me fo 
 much, as the variety of characters which 
 are there to be met with. 
 
 If you fhould flay any time at Lyons, 
 and think proper to go now and then, as 
 I do, to that coifee-houfe where you found 
 me, you will not envy the diverfions of 
 the theatre, or the moil chaerful aiTem- 
 bly | for thofe that know how to philofo- 
 phife on the actions of mankind, a cof- 
 fee- houfe is a continual comedy. You'll 
 there find politicians, who difcourfe, over 
 a difh of Coffee, of things to come, as 
 if they were prefent ; they know all that 
 paiTes in the cabinet ; they declare war, 
 they put armies in the field, befieged 
 forts they take by afiault ; they put to 
 the fword twenty or thirty thoufand 
 men, without moving from the table at 
 which they fit :* they fettle the prices 
 of flocks as they think proper : in ihort, 
 there is nothing which they are not ac- 
 quainted with. Every new book that 
 comes to light, is liable to their com- 
 ments j 
 
( 72 ) 
 ments ; nor can it efcape criticiiai. After 
 having made war on all the powers of 
 Europe, they alio make it among them- 
 felves, and in this alone they are una- 
 nimous ; every one will obftinately 
 maintain his point. There was in the 
 cofTee-houfe, the other day, an abbot 
 without an abby, who ftyles himfelf 
 Marquis, pretending to a be a nobleman 
 by birth, that he is intimately acquaint- 
 ed with all the cardinals in Rome, and 
 two or three of them are his relations ; 
 he refufed a biihopric of four thoufand 
 piitoles per Annum : he has been every 
 where ; has read every thing : not a 
 lady in Lyons but has courted his con- 
 fidence ; and he fpends regularly every 
 day, thirty pifioles in trifles. Would 
 you think, that, with all this felf-con- 
 ceit, and fo much parade, the wig that 
 he wears is, at lean 1 , ten years old? he 
 dines every day for ten-pence, and 
 fpends three-pence more daily, to ftun 
 people fix hours continually with talk in 
 a. coffee-houfe, fpreading thefe his dreams 
 of grandeur. 
 
 I had a greaf defire to know a per- 
 fon of this odd character ; for which 
 reafon we went immediately to the 
 coifce-houfe, where we were in hopes 
 of finding him, it being the hour he 
 
 ufually 
 
( 73 ) 
 ufuaily came at. He was juft gone aS 
 we came in. We found there however, 
 in his ftead, a man of letters, who dis- 
 credited all works that were not his own : 
 he was difputtng upon fome points of li- 
 terature with a phyfician, not lefs ex- 
 travagant than himfelf: our coming dif- 
 c mcerted them, and fent them away- 
 wrangling. Mr. D'Arcore, taking me 
 afidc, re-alfumed the difcourfe. He that 
 went away, feeing me laid he, is alham- 
 ed, bccaufe I know him : at prefent, 
 he ftyles himfelf phyfician ; hut, a few 
 years ago, I law him in Holland, when 
 he was a quack-doctor. To hear him 
 difcourfe on phyfic, he knows more 
 than Hypocrates. Among other things, 
 the mailer of the coffce-houfe makes his 
 fon write down all that this quack fays, 
 and afterward get it by art : with this 
 capital of erudition, he thinks of fend- 
 ing him to Paris ; and making him a 
 phyfician, without the afliftance of a 
 college. It is two years, and more, 
 that that young lad has been writing 
 inch fluff, without learning any thing. 
 This prime phyfician, his mailer, has 
 fouled more paper than half the authors 
 in Europe : as he pretends to know all 
 things, fo he writes on all things at a 
 venture : he has begun a hundred 
 Vol. I. H works, 
 
( 74 ) 
 works, of which even a page has not 
 been feen; but remains imperfect in his 
 ftudy, for the diverfion of worms and 
 mice. He is called, Doctor Salamei : 
 his character is not lefs ridiculous than 
 Ills furname : he fays, and unlays ; does, 
 and undoes ; will, and will not j in the 
 fame moment. In all his proportions, 
 you may fee him illiterate; but, by his 
 method of difcourfe, you may fee, 
 above all, the mountebank. I havefeen 
 him in company with two fitters, be- 
 tween whom he ftrutted as if lie had 
 had in his company two of the Sybils : 
 they mure naturally have been the mi- 
 ferable produce of fome flail, or, at 
 mofi, of fome play-houfe ; but to him 
 they are oracles, and he confults them 
 to all his receipts. They pretend to 
 have, in every thing, a tafte Oaperior to 
 all the world ; but conftantly ftudy fome 
 new manner to make themfelves ridicu- 
 lous. He does not exercife any of the 
 fciences which he profeiTes.; becaufe, in 
 almoit all, he has made a very indiife- 
 rent figure. He undertook the cure of 
 two fevers, and made them become ma- 
 lignant : he was to draw a rotten tooth 
 for a young lady, and, inftead of fo 
 doing, drew two that were found. He 
 itrove to difcredit the tragedy of a man 
 
 of 
 
(75 ) 
 of fpirlt, before he had read it ; which 
 tragedy , when it appeared, had the pub- 
 lic applaufe: neverthelefs, he maintains 
 the juftice of his own opinion, and en- 
 tertains a high conceit of his own judg- 
 ment. If you ft ill ipeak to him of that 
 tragedy, and tell him that all the world 
 finds it good ; he will anfwer you, that 
 all the world are ignorant, and that 
 there cannot be a more wretched per- 
 formance. 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 the Death of Celijlina-, and News of 
 Count Termes. 
 
 N1 Otwithftanding a variety of ideas 
 i ran in my head, I heard Mr. 
 D'Arcore with pleafure j who would 
 have continued his difcourfe about the 
 phyfician, had not one of his domeftics 
 brought us word that we were wanted at 
 home, and that with all imaginable 
 fpeed. This merTage was like a wound 
 in my heart, as I was continually ap- 
 prehenfive of fome misfortune. As we 
 went along, a thoufand thoughts came 
 into my mind ; and as my flight from 
 Avignon was my only crime, fo I was 
 always in fear of being difcovered, and 
 puniihed in fome exemplary manner. 
 H 2 What 
 
( /6 ) 
 What miftakcn ideas do we form of 
 futurity ! and how naturally does guilt 
 fix the moft dreadful impreffians on our 
 mind ! When we were arrived at Mr. 
 D'Arcore's, I met with nothing of what 
 my apprehenfions had fuggefted, but 
 found my felf plunged into the moft cruel 
 diftrefs that could have happened to one 
 in my circumltances : my poor. Celifti- 
 na had been fuddenly taken ill with a 
 moft violent cholic, and was reduced to 
 the greateft extremity. The diforder 
 had feized her about half an hour be- 
 fore we came in, and I found her 
 without motion, out of her fenfes, and 
 not able to utter one word. 'Tis im- 
 poflible to conceive with what exceffive 
 grief this difmal cataftrophe afflicted 
 me : I threw my felf, crying, upon the 
 bed ; I embraced her, and called her 
 by her name ; but ihe did not anfwer ! 
 fhe feemed not to hear me ; nor could 
 one perceive that fhe was alive, only by 
 a languid turn of the eye— a fatal fign 
 of the fevere convulfions that were tear 
 ing her bowels, and haftening her to her 
 laft moments ! I have not heart to de- 
 fcribe, even now, either her fituation or 
 my own, though fo many years have 
 pafted : my memory prefents to my 
 anind that fatal day, which itill affects 
 
 ivfc 
 
( 77 ) 
 me with the greater! horror. In vain 
 did we look for fuccour from the phy~ 
 ficians. Mr. D'Arcore did every thing 
 in his power to preferve her life ; but, 
 at the end of two hours, my poor Ce- 
 liftina died ! — 
 
 My grief for her death was fo vio- 
 lent, that it was almoft impoflible for 
 me to preferve that feeret which I had 
 hitherto fo cautioufly obferved : I aban- 
 doned myfclf to fuch defpair, that they 
 dreaded the lofs of my fenfes. As it 
 was neceiTary to take me by force from 
 that room, they put me into a coach and 
 conducted me to a country-houfe of 
 Mr. D'Arcore's, to which he himfelf 
 accompanied me. Before I left Lyons, 
 I recommended the care of poor Celif- 
 tina's funeral to Madam Tavenot, and 
 defired her to pack up every thing that 
 belonged to me, and to fend them into 
 the country, from whence I did not in- 
 tend foon to return. When I was a lit- 
 tle recovered from the lethargy, into 
 which deep melancholy had thrown me, 
 and returned, as one may fay, into my- 
 felf ; I found myfelf in a chamber gen- 
 teelly furnifhed -, from the windows of 
 which, nothing was to be {ten but a 
 delightful verdure : Mr. D'Arcore flood 
 by me,, and ufed his utmoft endeavours 
 H 3 to 
 
( 7« ) 
 to confole me for the lofs of fo amiable 
 a wife (as he indeed imagined ihe was) ; 
 jus advice was that of a friend ; and 
 liis maxims, thofe of a true philofo- 
 pher : I found myfelf equally obliged 
 by his genteel manners, and convinced 
 by the force of his arguments : but no 
 one knew my fituation fo well as my- 
 felf. My principal object was, that not 
 even he mould penetrate into the fecrets 
 of my heart ; for which reafon, I 
 begged he would leave me alone for a 
 ihort time ; adding, for an excufe, 
 that I found an inclination for a little 
 ileep : upon which he courteoufly de- 
 parted, and fent a fervant to fbut the 
 windows, and the door of the chamber* 
 I threw myfelf on an eafy chair ; not to 
 ileep, which, in my agitation of mind, 
 was impoflible, but to vent, with tears, 
 my grief j and to feek, in my deplora- 
 ble cafe, fuch affiflance as reafon could 
 befl fupply me with. 
 
 Short lighted maid ! faid I, in my 
 heart, difTolving myfelf in tears, that 
 felicity is foon finifhed, that thou pro- 
 mifed thyfelf in flying from folitude : 
 it is not* a month that thou haft enjoy- 
 ed that fo much wifh'd for liberty, and 
 how much trouble hath it already con: 
 thee ! how much agitation, how much 
 
 bitternefs! 
 
( 79 ) 
 bitternefs ! thou haft hardly touched 
 the threshold of the world, and thou 
 haft already loft, upon this threfhold, 
 the faithful companion of thy flight, 
 thine only counfellor, thy fare guide in 
 this troubled fea, which for thee has nei- 
 ther fhore or bottom j and where everv 
 little blait that blows, menaces thee 
 with certain fhipwrcck ! without pa- 
 rents, without friends, without advifcrs ~ 
 an orphan, under a drefs not her own; 
 abandonM, wandering, unable what to 
 refolve, what to think, or what to do, 
 not to become hated of thyfelf! per- 
 haps thou wilt foon die ; but if thou 
 haft ftill long to live, as thy youth pro- 
 mifes, what will be thy lot v as thou haft 
 fo little of thy own, and nothing to 
 hope for from others r if thou purfueft 
 the plan thou haft undertaken, thy ho- 
 nour is in danger; if thou fhouldft re- 
 tract, and return to Avignon, thy li- 
 berty is in danger. Juft heavens ! am 
 I to make, in this world, tfye unhappy 
 figure of a bafe-born vagabond? Oh! 
 I will voluntarily ihut myfelf up in fo- 
 litude ; there to die forlorn ! In this 
 great and painful choice, reputation in 
 life ought to prevail : what iignifies life 
 when one lives to ones ilia me ? and 
 what durable felicity can one have up- 
 on. 
 
( 8o ) 
 on earth, when, to attain it, muft 
 plunge one into a crime ? Agitated by 
 thefe thoughts, I toifed and turned in 
 the chair, lighting, crying, and fobbing, 
 but without refolving on any thing. 
 
 The darknefs of the place was Suita- 
 ble to my fadnefs : the death of Celif- 
 tina feemed to me a chaftifement from 
 heaven, and which, by way of terror, 
 called me to myfeif : it feemed to me, 
 that with her were finiihed all my hopes 
 of happinefs; iince I had no one to af- 
 fift me in finding that felicity, which 
 I did not hope to find without her. 
 One idea fuccecding another, I return- 
 ed, in my thoughts, to my own retire- 
 ment ; but, in imagination only, I 
 trembled with horror : I found that I 
 could live there, if not more quietly, 
 at leaft more honourably ; but I had 
 not courage to return, becaufe my 
 heart could not condemn itfelf : I would, 
 and I would not, all in a breath -, I 
 would willingly have combined toge- 
 ther, honour and liberty ; but! did not 
 know how : and at laft, after many 
 thoughts for and againft, Mr. D'Ar- 
 core ftruck into my mind, as though I 
 muft hope from him fome relief in my 
 difficult fituation; or, at leaft, fome 
 advice. Is it not poflible, faW 1 to nry- 
 
 felf> 
 
( Si ) 
 fclf, that this gcneroi s friend, who is 
 fo kind without knowing me, when he 
 hears the truth of my fituation, may 
 be touched with companion : lie de- 
 lights in doing frood for all j can lie de- 
 hre a more laudable occafion toexercife, 
 in my favour, this his generous talent ? 
 what will it profit him to publilh what 
 I am ? and what a i ilk am I cxpofed to, 
 if, by preferring in my breaft my fe- 
 ci ret, I do not avail myfelf of the op- 
 portunity of his bounty r yes, let me 
 ipeak to him j let me throw myfelf at 
 his feet, and lay open to him the fecrets 
 of my heart : he is rich, he is young ; 
 he has \y6 wife ; he depends upon none 
 but Tiimfelf; he diftinguiihes me, be- 
 lieving me to be a man; who knows . . . 
 when he finds me a woman, when he 
 fees me in danger, when he knows that 
 I am deftitute, what honefty, inclina- 
 tion, and love, may fuggeft to him ? 
 In the heat of thefe reflections, which 
 flattered and pleafed me, I got up refo- 
 lutely from the chair where I was fitting, 
 opening the room door, and went in 
 fearch of Mr. D'Arcore, to beg his af- 
 firmance. Having a iked one of his Ser- 
 vants where his matter was to be met 
 with, he told me that lie was walking 
 in the garden ; 1 went to him with a 
 
 firm 
 
( »2 ) 
 
 firm resolution to throw myfelf at his 
 feet, and, with tears in my eyes, to 
 difcover myfelf to him, and implore 
 his generous companion. He did not 
 fee me when I aceofted him, becaufe he 
 flood with his back to the place I came 
 from, and was reading attentively a pa- 
 per, which I did not perceive till I was 
 near to him. Sir, I had began to fay 
 to him ; but he, as though furprifed, 
 Parted, and putting the paper he had 
 been reading into my hand, Take, faid 
 he, this letter; you are jult come op- 
 portunely to read it, and amufe your- 
 felf: I received it this moment from 
 Lyons, by the Italian extraordinary 
 poft ; there is fomething will make you 
 laugh, in regard to an affair of which 
 we will talk fome other time. He faid 
 this to divert my thoughts from the 
 death of Ceiiftina, not becaufe he ap- 
 prehended that there could be any 
 thing, in that letter, that could excite 
 my curiofity : if he had forefeen that 
 the reading of it would have increafed 
 my melancholy, he would not have 
 named it. At the name of Italy, my 
 heart jumped in my bread ; nor did I 
 know for why ; my hand trembled in 
 taking the letter, as if it forefaw matter 
 of frelh concern, that it would occafion 
 
( 8 S > 
 me : reading it to myfelf, I found it as 
 follows : 
 
 M Dear Sir, 
 
 A few days ago difappearcd a young 
 Lady, who was in the retirement of 
 Avignon, there called Mifs D'Arv lie : 
 as lhe was the caufe of my fudden de- 
 parture for Italy -, fo, I flatter myfelf, 
 I jiave been the principal occafion ot her 
 flight. From a friend, like you, no- 
 thing mould be kept fee ret. 1 love her 
 tenderly ; and I have certain teftimony 
 of having it returned. You will oblige 
 me, if you will caufe the molt diligent 
 fearch to be made in France, as I lhall 
 aJfo purfue the fame mea fares in Italy, 
 if ever ihe fhould have gone tor this 
 part. I fend you a billet that I preserv- 
 ed of her writing, which may poflibly 
 be of fervice; but cannot, at prefent, 
 extend the advantage which might en- 
 fue, from giving you a more exact de- 
 fcription of her peribn, as J am actual- 
 ly obliged to keep my bed, from a flight 
 wound received lail week under Torto- 
 na. The moment I am permitted 1 
 lhall write you more; in the mean time, 
 1 rely on your goodnefs, and am, 
 
 Devotedly, 
 
 Ti R M £ S. 
 
( 34 ) 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 JNew Trouble to my Spirit ; and Mo-tives 
 to depart from Lyons, 
 
 IT is more eafy to be imagined thnn 
 defcribed, how I remained after read- 
 ing this letter : a thoufan.i ideas ruthed 
 into my mind ; of fear, of trouble, of 
 companion, and of love! The memo 
 ry of the Count of Termcs, feemed like 
 a fire ftified among ruins ; which took 
 at once, in my brealt, its former acti- 
 vity and vigour* In ib long a time that 
 I had heard no news of him, he now 
 and then came into my mind ; but this 
 remembrance wore off gradually, and 
 gave me neither confolation or trouble. 
 On feeing the writing, and hearing his 
 fentiments, it prefented him in the moil 
 lovely form to my eyes and foul • as 
 amiable as ever I had feen him : I was 
 forry for the dillance he was from me : 
 his love gave me pleafure ; his wound 
 made me pity him : I was vexed I had 
 not taken the direct road for Italy, to 
 overtake him: I thought that would be 
 the beft ftep I could take, which it would 
 be eafy for me to fucceed in, even by 
 lnyfelf; and the difcovering myfclf to 
 Mr. D'Arcore, would be the fame as 
 
 dif- 
 
( M ) 
 
 dimonouring rnyfelfj and, without his 
 atlittancc, I could get to Italy, and find 
 out the Count ; I was therefore deter- 
 mined to ufe the befr means I was able 
 to prevent his knowledge of my plan. 
 
 Thefe, and a thoufand other thoughts, 
 palled in my mind ; but my greater! 
 trouble was, how to conceal my confu- 
 fion from Mr. D'Arcore. Having read 
 the letter, I returned it to him, imiling : 
 hea/ked me, what I thought of it ? I 
 replied, that, at the rlrft time he had 
 mentioned that affair, at the coffee- 
 houfe, I had foretold that it was fo ; 
 and that love was generally the firft oc- 
 cafion of fuch adventures. I mould 
 have been glad to have dropt this dif- 
 courfe, left fome involuntary change 
 in my countenance might betray my 
 heart; but, as he ftill continued it, any 
 interruption of mine might have been 
 fufpecled : I therefore afked him, what 
 lie intended to do, to icrve his friend ? 
 to which he anfwered, that he would 
 write to all his acquaintance ; but that 
 he judged it would be to no purpofe, 
 becaufe, if Mifs D'Arville was a lady 
 of fpirit, fhe had taken the direct road 
 to Italy. I was very willing he ihould 
 think fo, for which reafon I choic not 
 to contradict him. We entered into a 
 
 Vol. I. I afhady 
 
( 26 ) 
 a fhady walk ; and Mr. D' Arcore, who 
 ftudied all methods to divert me, relat- 
 ed to me, a fi milar ftory of a young 
 Engliih lady, who had eloped from 
 London, a few years ago, and who was 
 known by him, at Lyons, as ihe was 
 going to Paris. The ftory was long, 
 and the circumftances entertaining ; but 
 1 took fo little notice of what he told 
 me, that, at prefent, I have only a con- 
 futed idea of it : I, in the mean time, 
 was thinking only of my own affairs, 
 and believed myfelf fufficicntly juftified, 
 by my foliation, to recede from thofe 
 meafures, which, a few minutes before, 
 I intended to have taken. I had pre- 
 sented myfelf to Mr. D' Arcore, fully 
 rcfolved to acquaint him with my cafe, 
 becaufe I thought it confiftent with my 
 honour ; I had hardly read the letter, 
 but my honour fuggefted to me quite 
 the contrary ; and though I ufed my 
 vitmoft endeavours to hide it from him, 
 my love had almoft got the better of 
 my reafon, and drawn from me a con- 
 feilion of the whole. In truth, the 
 more I ftudied to regulate myfelf, ac- 
 cording to the dictates of reafon, the 
 more I was perplexed : I was fenfibie 
 that I loved the Count of Termes ten- 
 derly ; and, pleafed with the concern 
 
 that 
 
( «7 ) 
 
 that Ire fhewed for me, was rcfolved to 
 go fcek for him in Italy; but, upon re- 
 flexion, I fhould have died rather than 
 have difcovered, to Mr. D'Arcorc, the 
 fee ret movements of my foul : in a 
 word, I was weak, becauie I was a wo- 
 man; but I would not appear fuch, be- 
 caufe my honour was at flake. Thefe 
 ftruggles in my mind arofe from a laud- 
 able principle of virtue, by which I was 
 convinced, that it became me to con- 
 ceal my weaknefs. In this I made the 
 fundamental maxims of my philofophy 
 to confift ; reflecting, that the antient 
 philofophers were no more than men, 
 though they ftudicd to become fuperior 
 to the viciiiitudes of human nature. 
 Such were my thoughts, while Mr. 
 D'Arcore was attempting to divert me 
 with his difcourfe ; and mentioning, 
 accidentally, the Count of Termes, he 
 afked me, if, in my coming from Italy, 
 I had not pafTed through Avignon* and, 
 if I there had known him, or, at lead, 
 heard him named ? I had told Mr. 
 D'Arcore, from the beginning of our 
 acquaintance, that I was, by birth, an 
 Italian, as had been agreed, between 
 myielf and Celiitina, before we arrived 
 at Lyons ; and this queftion of his was 
 no ways uureafonable ; I frankly denied 
 I 2 having 
 
( 88) 
 having ever heard of fuch a pcrfon, be- 
 caufe my fituation obliged me fo to do : 
 but, to a lincere friend, every lye, tho' 
 ever fo infignificant, mutt coft fome 
 bluihes: to this qucftion of his, and 
 much more to the anfwer, my face was 
 likefcarlet; nor could I find a better 
 excufe, to hide it from him, thin by 
 taking out my handkerchief, as if to 
 wipe from my face the fweat, occafioned 
 by the heat of the weather. This pre- 
 text fecmed to fucceed to my wifh ; and 
 I was certain, that Mr. D'Arcore. had 
 not any fufpicion. In pulling out my 
 handkerchief, fomething feemed to fall 
 out of my pocket upon the ground ; 
 but I did not regard it, having other 
 things at heart. We had advanced a few 
 fteps forward, and were turning back, 
 when Mr. D'Arcore {looped to take 
 up fomething from the ground; and, 
 riling, faid to me, Is this piece of gal- 
 lantry fallen from your pocket ? I was 
 wondering at the meaning of his words, 
 when, to my furprize, I faw, in his 
 hand, the fn uff-box with the Count of 
 Termes' picture, given, by him, to me 
 at Avignon : I knew that it was cuf- 
 tomary for me to keep it in my pocket, 
 to prevent it from falling into any one's 
 hands s but the accidents of that day had 
 
( «9 ) 
 (o much engroflcd my attention, that it 
 might eafily fall from my pocket with- 
 out my perceiving it. I know not how 
 it was that I did not drop down at his 
 feet, with the confufion of being caught 
 in a manifelt lye, of my fex being dis- 
 covered, and of being expofed to the 
 molt pungent reproof. A fimple acl: of 
 of civility, pardonable in a friend, had 
 ■almoft ruined me, if Mr. D'Arcore 
 had been induced to open that box : 
 any other woman, in my cafe, would 
 have given caufe of fufpicion : it is true, 
 I was much troubled ; but all my trou- 
 ble was internal : as to the external, I 
 had extraordinary prefence of mind, 
 and, with the greatelt difficulty, took 
 the box out of his hand : looking at it, 
 as if I had fcarcely known it, I anfwer- 
 fwered, Yes, Sir, it is mine; but I 
 wiili it was not (at the fame time put- 
 ing it in my pocket) for it has colt me 
 many a figh : this induced him to be- 
 lieve that the inlide contained the pi&ure 
 of fome favourite young lady of my ac- 
 quaintance, and prevented him from 
 opening it ; by which means he would 
 have found that of Count Termes. I 
 could not avoid anfwering fcveral quef- 
 tions which he put to me on this head ; 
 but I brought myfeif off very well. 
 1 3 Arnon^ 
 
( go ) 
 Among other things, bantering me up- 
 on the cruelty of my fuppofed miftrefs, 
 he defired, as a favour, to fee the pic- 
 ture, that he might be fatisfied whether 
 Hie merited my love. I did not keep 
 him long in fufpence ; but opened the 
 box in fuch a manner, that he could 
 only fee the picture of Mifs Termes, 
 while that of the Count, her brother, 
 remained hid. The box was made in 
 fuch manner, that only one at a time 
 could be ieen, which was owing to the 
 particular method of opening it. Mr. 
 P'Arcore w r as fully fatisfied at my rea- 
 dinefs to oblige him, nor did he fufpecl: 
 the leaft deceit. Neverthelefs I thought 
 myfelf in continual danger, mould I re- 
 main much longer with him ; therefore 
 at the expiration of a few days, during 
 which time nothing worth mentioning 
 occurred, I, at laft, without difgufting 
 him, got leave to depart, with pretence, 
 that I had fome concerns that obliged 
 me to be at Paris. My thoughts were 
 really turned towards Italy -, but it was 
 highly necerTary to conceal my real In- 
 tentions. Being about bargaining with 
 my friend for a horfe, as abovemen- 
 tioned, I defired to know the price; but 
 he obliged me to accept him, with a 
 fmall eafy chair, under which he ufed 
 
 to 
 
( 9 1 ) 
 
 to harnefs him for travelling the coun- 
 try ; and added, that we would agree 
 about the price when I came back. Be- 
 fore I fet out, he ordered a large trunk, 
 with my cloaths, to be fattened behind 
 the chaife; then handed me into it, and 
 put the reins into my hand, telling me, 
 that the road to Paris was ftraight for- 
 ward, and to let the horfe go of him- 
 felf: he defired me to remember him, 
 and to return foon, according to my 
 promife. The laft farewel coft us both 
 fome tears ; and when we parted, he 
 looked after me till I was out of fight ; 
 nor did I know how necefTary his pre* 
 fence was to me, till I found myfelf far 
 off. 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 
 Myfirjl Acquaintance ivitb Mr. Dull • and 
 an Account of his Adventures. 
 
 IT is impoffibie for any one to con- 
 ceive the perplexing circumftances 
 which attended me on this journey : I 
 faw myfelf alone, on a road that I had 
 never been on before, with a whip and 
 reins in my hand, and a high-mettled 
 horfe which required juagment to ma- 
 nage him properly. The road was 
 
 ftraight 
 
( 9^ ) 
 ftraight and good, but I feared much 
 that it would not continue fo all the 
 way ; I frequently met with other car- 
 riages, the avoiding and giving place to 
 which was fuch a trouble to me, that 
 it made me tremble through fear of 
 breaking my neck : the horfe, without 
 being whipped, went on with vigour; 
 but 1 ihould have been glad he had not 
 gone fo fat}, the better to be able to ma- 
 nage him at my pleafure. The only 
 conlblation I had in finding my felt 
 alone, was, to be able to think on my 
 circumftances as much as I pleafed. I 
 knew that I was in the road to Paris, 
 and defired to be in that to Italy ; but 
 how to return back, without palling by 
 Lyons and Mr.D'Arcore's country-feat, 
 I could not tell ; and being feen again 
 by him, I muft appear, in his eyes, ei- 
 ther an impoftor or a lyar. To main- 
 tain a character that was not real, I was 
 obliged to acl contrary to my own in- 
 clinations; for a compliment to fo cour- 
 teous a friend, I prolonged the time of 
 feeing a tender lover, with whom I could 
 have changed my condition, and avoid- 
 ed the many troubles which I fhould be 
 obliged to fufTer by living fo many 
 years at a diftance from -him. However 
 I advanced towards Paris, in hopes that I 
 
 fhould 
 
( 93 ) 
 ihould have found, upon the road, fome 
 opportunity of forwarding my intend- 
 ed journey to Italy. Beiides the danger 
 I was expofed to, as a woman, being- 
 alone, a fugitive, and a wanderer; it 
 was needful that I ihould think of tra- 
 velling with the greater! ceconomy, not 
 knowing what might happen to me; 
 and that I ought always prudently to 
 provide againft all accidents. Travel- 
 ling on, accompanied with fuch thoughts, 
 I found my felt, towards fright, in a 
 large village between Lyons and Mai- 
 con, ten leagues diftance from where I 
 departed in the morning. Here I law, 
 tipon the left hand, the fign of the 
 white horfe, which feemed, by the out- 
 ward appearance, to be a pretty good 
 inn ; I flopped at the door, and a fer- 
 vant came to me, who took hold of the 
 bridle of the horfe, and led him into 
 the yard. After I alighted, I went to 
 fee the horfe taken to the liable and ied, 
 in order to make myfelf conyerfant in 
 many things that I then was unacquaint- 
 ed with, that I might be lefs puzzled 
 how to ad hereafter. When the horfe 
 was rubb'd down, and the chair pm 
 up, I ordered the waiter to carry my 
 portmanteau into my room. Pairing 
 through a lodge, I obferved a perfon 
 
 whole 
 
( 94) 
 
 w ho fe appearance pleafed me much} 
 I enquired of the maid, if there was 
 any gentleman in the houfe that would 
 fup, and fpettd the evening with me? 
 fhe informed me, that there was no one 
 but that merchant whom I had feen in 
 paffing; but that he was an honeft man, 
 well known at that inn, and that my 
 company would be very agreeable to 
 him. 1 fent my compliments to him, 
 defiring the favour of his company to 
 fupper ; which he returned with great 
 civility, and informed me, by the-ferr 
 vant, that he would wait upon me im- 
 mediately ; he accordingly was with 
 me in a few minutes. When fupper 
 was brought in, we fate down, and eat 
 with a hearty appetite. This gentleman 
 came from Paris, and was called Dull; 
 at every two mouthfuls, he drank a 
 large glafs of the btft wine that the inn 
 afforded ; he was either naturally very 
 talkative, or the wine had made him 
 fo -, for without my afking him, he be- 
 gan to inform mc of his own private 
 concerns, as if I had known him many 
 years : he told me, he had a wife and 
 nine children, but that he had feen none 
 of them for fcvcral years ; and that, 
 perhaps, he mould never fee them 
 more. This excited my curiofity to alk 
 
 him 
 
(95 ) 
 
 him the rcafon ; and lie readily pro- 
 ceeded as follows : 
 
 I am, faid he, by birth, an Italian, 
 and traded in timber, in company with 
 a friend of mine, a rich merchant of 
 my own country. Going together, 
 from Venice to Leghorn, about our 
 own bufinefs, with a large fum of twenty- 
 five thoufand livres, which we were to 
 diiburfc for a correspondent of ours, it 
 happened, that we remembered we had 
 fome affairs to tranfacl upon the road, 
 for which my partner was obliged to 
 return back : I, therefore, went to Leg- 
 horn alone, with the fum of money that 
 I was to difburfe; and my firft concern 
 was to find my correfpondent, in order 
 to give it to him ; but, unfortunately 
 for me, he was out of town, and was 
 not to return for ftrvcral days. I don't 
 know what malignant planet had the 
 afcendant over my mind at that time; 
 1 was in a capacity to maintain my fa- 
 mily honourably ; my profits were con- 
 siderable ; and, in my own country, I 
 had the character of a man of honour. 
 My wife was alio very amiable, and I 
 tenderly loved my children. Notwith- 
 standing this, a tnought came into my 
 mind, that itrikes me with horror at the 
 remembrance; and this hurried me into 
 
 one 
 
( 9«) 
 
 one of the moft extravagant refolutions 
 in the world. Seeing myfelf mafter of 
 the twenty-five thoufand livres, a fro- 
 lic came into my head, to go and 
 trade in the Indies ; hoping there to 
 make an immenfe fortune. I found, in 
 the port, a vefiel ready to let fail for 
 Holland > I embarked in her, and went 
 to Oftend ; and from thence, on board 
 of a Dutchman, I fet fail for Batavia. 
 Imagine what were the thoughts of my 
 correfpondents and family, at not hear- 
 ing any news of me : they concluded, 
 I had been aflaffinated on the journey. 
 My creditors reduced my family to the 
 moft extreme diftrefs ; and my poor 
 wife gave herfelf up to the moft deplo- 
 rable melancholy. While they were la- 
 menting my fuppofed death in Italy, I 
 was trading in the Indies, racked with 
 the fevereft ftings of confeience ; and 
 the fatal confequences of this voyage, 
 began already to denounce vengeance 
 againft me. Since I had deftroyed the 
 fortunes of thofe moft dear to me, I 
 ihould, at leaft, have made my own; 
 but this did not happen, becaufe my 
 own confeience was my greateft enemy. 
 Agitated continually by internal re- 
 morfe for my crime, I had not refolu- 
 tion to take proper care of any thing, 
 
 that 
 
__ ( 97) 
 
 that could redound to my advantage. 
 I was no fooner got to the Indies, than 
 I looked for an opportunity to return 
 to Europe. I was no fooner re- 
 turned, than I found myfelf afhamed to 
 revifit my afflicted family, to appeafe 
 their grief, and fonfole them at leaft 
 with a certainty of my being alive : the 
 action I had been guilty of gave me 
 great trouble, and I was afraid of being 
 feen by my creditors : the money, that 
 I had taken with me in my flight, was 
 greatly diminifhed ; nor was there 
 enough left to heal the old wound, 
 much lefs to remedy the future wants. 
 The beft that I could do, in fuch a fi- 
 tuation, not to be be reduced to extreme 
 mifery, was to begin to trade in Hol- 
 land with the little I had left. Immedi- 
 ately upon my return from Batavia, I 
 changed my name, and borrowed that 
 by which you have heard me called in 
 this houfe. I bought fome merchan- 
 dize of all forts, and loading them up- 
 on a horfe, carried about with me my 
 fhop of goods. With this I go from ci- 
 ty to city, and from town to town, to 
 get a livelyhood ; nor fhould I be dif- 
 contented with this manner of life, if, 
 now and then, che thoughts of my fa- 
 mily did not awaken the torment of my 
 mind. I am confidant to the private 
 Vol. I. K concerns 
 
<98 ) 
 Concerns of a certain great Princefs at 
 Paris ; and have thoughts of throwing 
 m y felt at her feet, that fhe may employ 
 her intereft to reitore me, without dan- 
 ger, to my family and country. Wh n 
 ihe was at Rome, about eighteen years 
 ago, flie lodged in my houfe, and was 
 there brought to bed of a daughter ; of 
 which I fliall fay nothing more, only, 
 that there was need of my fecrefy. She is 
 under obligations to help me; but when 
 I was at Paris I had not courage to pre- 
 fent myfelf to her : thus I went, more 
 defirous than ever, to fee my family 
 once more ; and through my balhful- 
 nefs, in not applying to that Princefs, 
 was obliged to withdraw myfelf, and 
 leave them in the falfe opinion that I 
 am 210 more amongft the living. In 
 this manner Duli difcourfed, partly in 
 Italian and partly in French, according 
 as the wine operated. This fhort and 
 confufed account had made me curious 
 of a thoufand little things by him done 
 and mentioned ; but though he would 
 talk about himfelf and family, for hours 
 together, of his own accord, he did not 
 flem inclineable to anfwermyqueftions; 
 and I found that I was to take what he 
 
 fave me, without looking for more. 
 Vhen we were riien from table, he h> 
 
 Med 
 
( 99 ) 
 ■filled upon Brewing me his goods; from 
 which I fhould find, that he had made 
 confiderable advantage by trading, in 
 his portable (hop. Among other things, 
 in opening a little cafe where he had 
 fome jewels of value, he mewed me the 
 piclure of a lady, fct round with bril- 
 liants, which attracted my eye; and my 
 curiofity led me to afk who was the ori- 
 ginal ? This is, fays he, the picture of 
 the princefs, whom I mentioned awhile 
 ago, who, before I was married, and 
 my mother ftill living, lodged almoft 
 two months fecretly in my houfe, and 
 there lay in of a daughter, without a 
 word of it being known in Rome, and 
 which I never mentioned to any body 
 except yourfelf ; fo faying, he took the 
 picture haftily out of my hand, and 
 locked it up again in the box, a/king 
 me, if I would not buy fome of his 
 goods ? As my poor Celittina had pro • 
 vided, at Lyons, feveral forts of mer- 
 chandize to fell, which now were only 
 an incumbrance to me, I told him, that 
 I was rather induced to fell than to buy ; 
 and that if he would give me what they 
 coft me, I wouldfell him a good bargain 
 of fome fine fluffs which I had bought. 
 He gladly accepted the offer, and we 
 went into my room ; where, upon fee* 
 K z ing 
 
( ioo ) 
 Jng the goods, he was very well con- 
 tented, paid down the money, and re- 
 tired to go to bed. 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 ATrefent made me by Mr. UArcore-, 
 with a Letter from him, which con- 
 fufed me much. 
 
 IN turning over my portmanteau, I 
 was much furprifed at finding a 
 fmall cafe, which I had not taken no- 
 tice of before : in prefence of Duli, I 
 did not mow my furprize, but, when 
 he was gone, I opened it with impati- 
 ence 3 and I found, to my great afto- 
 nifhment, a gold fnuff-box, a diamond 
 ring, a filk purfe with one hundred 
 Louifdores, and a letter from Mr. 
 D'Arcore, which was as follows : 
 
 " Dear Friend, 
 
 I take the liberty, in this manner, 
 with the fincerity of my heart, to pre- 
 fent you with a few trifles which you 
 \\ i'.l mid here annexed when you are far 
 from me, and which, I am certain, in 
 perfon you would have refu fed. I ufe 
 this referve with you, becaufe I have 
 itrong motives to believe that you h~ve 
 jiot been fully fincere with me. Perhaps 
 
 I have 
 
( ioi ) 
 
 I have not merited your confidence; 
 neverthelefs, I fhall ever efteem you : 
 and certainly my difcretion will merit 
 your gratitude. 
 
 I am, &c. 
 
 D'Arcore, 
 
 I do not know whether I was more 
 difturbed at the generofity of this wor- 
 thy gentleman, or furprifed at the clear 
 notice that he gave me of knowing me 
 to be the lover of Count Termes, or, at 
 leaft, that he did not believe me to be 
 what I had told him. 
 
 This letter was like a clap of thun- 
 der ; it flruck me motionlefs and preci- 
 pitated me into an abyfs of confufion. 
 Thoie rich gifts, though they made a 
 confiderable addition to my little flock, 
 gave me no pleafure, becaufe they 
 ieemed like fo many reproofs for my in- 
 gratitude. My greateft confoiation al- 
 ways had been, that of believing that no 
 one was privy to my affairs > y and in 
 flattering myfelf, that nobody could 
 have known me for a woman, if I did 
 not difcover it myfelf: by Mr. D'Ar- 
 core's letter I was robbed even of that 
 comfort ; and though he feemed dif- 
 creet enough not to convince me that 
 he had discovered my true flate, yet I 
 K 3 was 
 
( 102 ) 
 
 was uneafy through fear of being con- 
 vinced by ibme other perfon. The let- 
 ter from Mr. D'Arcore might have 
 been interpreted in a very different 
 light ; but thofe that are confcious of 
 any fault, always fear the worfr. The 
 accufation laid againft me being fo du- 
 bious, I thought immediately of fome 
 reply to juftify myfelf; but it was diffi- 
 cult to find a remedy that was not worfe 
 than the difeafe : I was refolved not to 
 confefs the truth, becaufe I had already 
 gone too far to recede ; and, as my re- 
 putation was at flake, I could not think 
 upon a better remedy than to interpret 
 his complaint in a different fenfe, and to 
 juftify myfelf by pretending not to un- 
 derftand him. 
 
 After many reflections, I conceived 
 in my thoughts a letter, in anfwer, that 
 fcemcd quite apropo ; and I refolved to 
 leave the letter at the inn, that it might 
 be fent to Lyons by the firft opportu- 
 nity. I had fcarce began to write, 
 when fortunately I recollected, that 
 Mr. D , Arcore had in his hands a letter 
 of mine, fent him by Count Termes, 
 enclofed in that letter he had (hewn me 
 in the garden. Poor me ! exclaimed I, 
 trembling, what fhall I do ? I (hall be 
 condemn'd by my own hand writing ; 
 
 and 
 
( i°3 ) 
 
 and who knows but this is the net that 
 Mr. D'Arcore has fpread on purpofe 
 to confront the letters together, and, 
 from the uniformity of the characters, 
 to find out the truth of what he has, 
 perhaps, at prefent, only a flight fuf- 
 picion ? Thus was I in a worfe dilem- 
 ma than before, from which I could find 
 no way to extricate myfelf. Gratitude, 
 civility, and the deiire that I had of 
 justifying myfelf, required, by all 
 means, that I fhould anfwer that letter, 
 and contradict the accufation. The ne- 
 ceffity I was under not to betray my- 
 felf, forbade my writing it with my own 
 hand. By the hard alternative of be- 
 ing ungrateful to the perfon who had 
 been fo kind to me, or of being cruel 
 to myfelf, there was no method but to 
 anfwer Mr. D'Arcore, in a civil and 
 prudent manner, by fome other hand. 
 The more I thought of this fcheme, the 
 better I approved of it : his receiving a 
 letter of mine, without knowing it for 
 another hand, and finding that it was 
 not uniform with the characters of the 
 other letter, would, at leaft, confufe 
 him in his fir ft fufpicions. Without 
 appearing to understand his complaint, 
 I juftificd. myfelf fufficiently ; whereas 
 the putting myfelf upon the negative, 
 
 or 
 
( io4 ) 
 
 or not giving him any anfwer at all, 
 would certainly make him frill more 
 fufpicious. All the difficulty conMed 
 in finding a perfon to write the letter 
 in my ftead, and not give caufe of fuf- 
 picion to the writer of it. As I was 
 afraid of every fhadow, fo I was cauti- 
 ous that all my aclions iliould be natural, 
 fnnple, and plain, that they might bear 
 the niceft fcrutiny. After many con- 
 trivances, one occurred to me that 
 feemed more natural than the reft : with 
 the point of a pen-knife I flightlycut my 
 right thumb, and then called for fome- 
 body to come up. Duli was not yet in 
 bed, but was making up his accounts 
 relative to his bufinefs : he was the firft 
 that came into my room ; and feeing 
 my hand bloody, afked, what was the 
 matter ? I anfwered him, that I had 
 cut myfelf ilightly in mending a pen ; 
 but that the cutting my thumb did not 
 trouble me much as the not being able 
 to anfwer a letter, of great importance 
 to me, which I intended to difpatch the 
 next morning to Lyons : fo faying, I 
 put a filk handkerchief about my hand, 
 to keep up the credit of my wound; 
 and he, without deflring to fee it., an- 
 fwered me, that, as there was no harm 
 done, he would be my fccretary, and 
 
 write 
 
( io5 ) 
 
 write the letter, This was juft what I 
 wanted j I accepted the offer with a 
 thoufand thanks, and diclated the let- 
 ter in the manner I propofed, defiring 
 him to take me a copy of it to keep for 
 my fatisfaction, as I ufed to do on eve- 
 ry occafion : this being done, we retir- 
 ed to fleep. At break of day Duli was 
 ready for his journey, and waked me 
 to take his leave ; I alfo got up foon af- 
 ter, and called the landlord to fettle my 
 expences : in that moment the courier 
 patted by that was going to Lyons, and 
 I gave him the letter directed to Mr. 
 D'Arcore, defiring him to deliver it 
 immediately on his arrival. While he 
 was refreihing his horfes, he informed 
 me which was the moft eafy and leaft 
 expenfive method for me to take in my 
 ■journey to Italy, to which place my 
 heart was turned ; but I learnt by him, 
 that on the road to Paris I mould not 
 find any opportunity to go fuch a jour- 
 ney ; and that at Paris I need not fear 
 fuccecding, as there are always people 
 going to Italy, either by fea or land, 
 with whom I could eafily get there. I 
 was then under the necerfity of going 
 to Paris : that metropolis excited my 
 curi' :i:y ; and being provided with a 
 horie and chaife of my own, I did not 
 
 think 
 
( ic6 ) 
 think I was fo unprovided of cafh, but 
 that I mould be able to fpend part for 
 my diveriion. The liberty which I af- 
 fumed, under the character of a man, 
 delighted me fo much, that I was really 
 unhappy at not being fuch, that I 
 might be able to enjoy it without dan- 
 ger. Thus did I fix a refolution to 
 proceed to Paris, and there take, if ne- 
 cefTary, new meafures. My chaife was 
 foon made ready, and the guiding it 
 did not feem fo ftrange to me as at 
 firft -, fo, without thinking of any 
 thing €\{e, I proceeded on my way. 
 About twelve o'clock, on the third day, 
 I arrived at Dijon ; and having refold- 
 ed not to proceed any further that day, 
 I ordered dinner to be got ready, while 
 I went to view that fine city. Being in 
 the market-place, every body looked 
 after me, and I judged that, by this, 
 they took me to be a woman : to be 
 certain whether it was fo or not, I 
 flopped at a gun-fmith's fhop, to look at 
 fome fire-arms of a curious neat make; 
 the fhopkeeper, feeing me Hop, afked 
 me, if I would buy a pair of piftols 
 mounted with filver, of very fine work- 
 manfhip ? As I travelled alone, I 
 thought them a necefTary accoutrement ^ 
 but what, above all, "induced me to 
 
 buy 
 
( io 7 ) 
 
 buy them, was the thought of impofing on 
 thole that bad obfcrved me, and making 
 them be] ie ve me to be a man . i fthey ihould 
 hay* the leaft doubt. I contracted for the 
 price, which was five Louisd ores, and 
 defircd that they might be tried in my 
 pretence; not fo much becaufe I doubt- 
 ed, or that I could be able to dec le 
 their goodnefs, as to learn how they 
 were loaded, and how to avail myfclf 
 pf them, in cafe of need. I did not 
 want either fpirit or courage 5 but I 
 wanted experience of the world, and 
 this I was endeavouring to procure. 
 The gun-fmith loaded the piftols and 
 fired tbem off; I did the fame, and fire- 
 ed them off a fecond time without fear, 
 being not a Kftle proud of my heroifm : 
 I then ordered the gun-fmith to doad 
 them with ball -, which being done, I 
 put them into my pocket, and went 
 away very well pieafed with the feigned 
 perlbnage I had rcprefented with fo 
 much valour: in fac~t, I was deceived 
 in my conjectures; for I was foori in- 
 formed, that the people obferved me 
 with fo much attention, becaufe they 
 took me for one of the comedians that 
 opened the theatre there the preceding 
 night, and who had gained iome ap- 
 plaufe by their comedy. On my re- 
 turn to the inn, I flopped at a book- 
 feller's 
 
t xo8 ) 
 
 feller's mop, and bought the Gazette ; 
 and when I got home to my room, fate 
 down to read it. Under the date of 
 Avignon, they ftill continued to men- 
 tion my flight ; the Jew, who fold the 
 cloaths to Celiftina, had been put in 
 prifon ; but they had afterwards releas- 
 ed him, not having been able to gain 
 any intelligence. Now am I in frefh 
 trouble, for fear of being followed and 
 taken : I had not finifhed reading it, 
 when in comes a poftilion with a pofi> 
 chaife, and behind it four perfons on 
 horfeback, that ferved as a guard. 
 
 My heart beat with fear that they 
 were people who came after me ; but 
 that was over in a moment, feeing a 
 comely gentleman get out of the chaife, 
 to whom ail the others made a low bow, 
 as if to a perfon of diftindtion. When 
 he arrived, he afked, if there was any 
 company in the inn ? and was anfwer- 
 cd, that there was a young gentleman 
 arrived that morning. This notice 
 obliged me to take courage, and go in 
 perfon to pay him my compliments ; 
 he received me courteoufly, afking me, 
 if I had dined ? and anfwering him, 
 that I had not : he faid, then we will 
 
 dine together* 
 
 CHAP. 
 
( xo9 > 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 New Adventures at Dijon, 
 
 IT is here rieceffary to obferve, that 
 in France it is the cuftom, among 
 travellers, to make every one a confi- 
 dant of their own affairs ; or that I al- 
 ways met with people who were fond of 
 talking much : I was very backward in 
 fpeaking of myfclf; but the foreigner 
 above-mentioned, without my defiring 
 him, told me, that he was Don Gen- 
 naro Coranni, agent to the Neapolitan 
 Prince, who was going to Paris by fea ; 
 but that he had difpatched him, by land, 
 to prepare a houfe for him. Being fur- 
 prifed at the train and equipage he tra- 
 velled with, I confeiTed, that I fhould 
 have taken him for a prince. No, re- 
 plied he, a am only a fervant; but as 
 my matter loves ceconomy in every 
 thing, Co, not to prejudice his character, 
 I, in my travelling, am fond of fpend- 
 ing largely, to do him the more ho- 
 nour. This maxim feemed extraordi- 
 nary ; but it was not my place to find 
 fault with it. In the mean time dinner 
 was brought ; and, during dinner, to 
 make the better appearance, I a/ked 
 him, where he had left the allied army ? 
 Vol. I. L he 
 
( no ) 
 
 he told me, he had left them incamped 
 near Milan - y but that he knew little 
 about them, having fuch an hatred to 
 war that he could not bear to hear it 
 talked of. He afked me, if I was alfo 
 going to Paris ? To prevent being 
 obliged to travel with him, I anfwered, 
 that I was returning from thence. I 
 am ibrry for it, faid he, as I would ve- 
 ry willingly have taken you poft in my 
 chaife, to keep me company : your 
 perfon and converfation are fuch, that 
 I like you as well as the fineft woman I 
 ever paid my addrefles to ; and I have, 
 in my time, courted feveral very hand- 
 fome ladies. If you are travelling for 
 your diver fion only, you may as well 
 return with me to Paris, I will carry 
 you at the expence of my mafter ; and, 
 at his expence, I will take you with me, 
 at my return, to Italy ; and you will 
 not naye reafon to think my company 
 difagreeable. An opportunity more fa- 
 vourable to my defign, could not have 
 offered; but his faying that he had ta- 
 ken fo great a liking to me, was fuffi- 
 cient to make me refufe it. I returned 
 him a great many thanks for his kind 
 offer ; but pretended to have fome af- 
 fairs in hand, that did not permit me 
 to accept it. My love and intereft 
 
 made 
 
( III ) 
 
 made this refufal very difagrecable to 
 me; but my honour, and character, 
 required it. And thefe were always the 
 rules of my conduct. Though fo fine 
 an opportunity to go to Italy I might, 
 perhaps, never find again ; it grieved 
 me to let it flip : but my fex, and cir- 
 cumftances, obliged me not to be inti- 
 mately acquainted with any one. 
 
 When Don Gennaro had dined, he 
 departed. I had fixed my departure 
 for the next morning; and to pafs away 
 the evening, I recollected that there was 
 to be a comedy performed that night, 
 and refolved to go to fee it. This was 
 the firft time I ever put my foot in a 
 theatre ; of which I had no other no- 
 tion than what I had got by reading. So 
 many objects, that I had never {cen, 
 delighted me; but I was foon tired of re- 
 maining a fimple fpectator of what was 
 doing, and wanted to get behind the 
 fcenes to acquire a farther knowledge. 
 On my going to the entry that led to 
 the ftage, I found a young fellow wait- 
 ing there for admifEon, who attended 
 the company in quality of hair-drdler- 
 lie bowed, and let me enter firft; then 
 a iked me, if I was looking for any bo- 
 dy there? having told him I wanted 
 nothings but to know more particular- 
 ly ly 
 
( U2 ) 
 
 ly the actors that were fo highly af> 
 plauded ; Heavens prcferve you ! Sir, 
 cried he, don't covet to be acquainted 
 with people of this ftamp ; I do not 
 /peak of the proteilion in general, but 
 from this company, in particular, keep 
 yourfelf as far off as pofTible ; as Gil 
 Bias fays, in his adventures, " Keep 
 yourfelf far from the feven mortal fins." 
 He obferving that his difcourfe gave me 
 pleafure, went on, curling his bad for- 
 tune that he had embarked in the troop 
 from which he got his maintenance ; if 
 you defire to form a proper idea of it, 
 added he, I will give it you, Sir, in four 
 words. This company, what is it ? it 
 is compofed of ten people, every one of 
 a different country, and every one the 
 vileft -dregs of thofe countries : ima- 
 gine, from fuch a fociety of vagabonds, 
 what good can be gained ; impiety, 
 fraud, impofture, and fcheming, are 
 the foul of this body ; they carefs, for 
 hatred ; profecute, for love ; at one 
 time are like brothers, at another fworn 
 enemies; ever ignorant, ever prefump- 
 tious, ever flanderous and lyars : the 
 perfon you fee there is called Tartar, 
 he acls the part of a merry-andrew, 
 and is a rafcal that will flick at no vil- 
 lainy, provided Jie can execute it to his 
 
 interefi ; 
 
( "3 ) 
 
 intereft : the other is Madam Tartar, 
 his filler, who thinks herfelf the moft 
 accompliihed aclrefs in the world : if 
 you are difpofed to laugh, I will help 
 you to a fight of Madam Palandra, 
 who is fifty years of age, and will not 
 a£t any other part than than that of a 
 y6ung blooming girl : and you will fee, 
 at the fame time, Madam Papone, who 
 reckons, among her admirers, the em- 
 peror of China. So faying, he took me* 
 into a room contiguous to the fcenes, 
 at the door of which my conductor was 
 flopped by one who ftormcd at him 
 moft outrageoufly, becaufe he had not 
 curled his tupee. 
 
 I ventured a little farther in to theroom, 
 and the young man I met at the door 
 foon found me out. As he had juft before 
 left a mighty important perfon, who 
 was declaiming againft the neglecl: of 
 the aclors in their duty, becaufe they 
 had left the ftage four or five minutes, 
 I afked him who that perfon was ? By 
 the haughtinefs of his carriage, and the 
 lofty airs of commanding and threaten- 
 ing, I imagined he was the head of the 
 company, or the matter of the theatre. 
 Not at ail, Sir, faid he, he has no other 
 employ than to ttand at the door j 
 but, as he enjoys the protedion of 
 L 3 the 
 
( H4) 
 
 the head of this company, every 
 thing he does is right, and every body 
 trembles at his appearance: I knew him 
 at, I*aris when he had ten fols a night at 
 the King's theatre, and was fo very mi- 
 ferable, that he was really the picture 
 of hunger itfelf : at pre fen t he is very 
 little better ; but as he is like a great 
 bladder, fo he fwells with wind ; 
 and, important as he feems to be, he is 
 nothing but voice. My conductor, 
 finding that I was defirous of going, 
 and knowing me to be a ftranger, offer- 
 ed to accompany me home -, and as it 
 was late in the evening, and I knew but 
 little of the ftreets, I accepted his of- 
 fer. On the way, he diverted me with 
 the characters of all the people who 
 compofed that company, which was the 
 m oft efteemed in France ; he knew their 
 extraction, lives, and tran factions, as 
 well as if he had been at their birth, or 
 had wrote their hiftory. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
( H5 ) 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 My firfi Acquaintance, at Troyes, zvith 
 the Duke of * * * • 
 
 THE next morning I departed 
 from Dijon, and, after three days 
 travelling, in which nothing worthy of 
 notice occurred,' I arrived at Troyes, 
 and put up at the bell inn, at which 
 place the Duke of * * * * had arrived a 
 few minutes before me. His fervants. 
 were then carrying his baggage up 
 flairs, and he was wifhing fome gentle- 
 man might come in to bear him compa- 
 ny : as foon as they faw me, they went 
 in to let him know, that a young gen- 
 tleman, of genteel appearance, was ar- 
 rived, who might probably be agreea- 
 ble to him : he directly fent his gen- 
 tleman to invite me to. fupper with him. 
 This affability, in a perfon of his cha- 
 racter, furprifed me : I had heard him 
 named, feveral times, as one well re- 
 fpecled at court ; but I never imagined 
 I ihould have received fuch an honour 
 from him. The appearing as a man in 
 the world, delighted me more than 
 ever : mice it procures me all thefe ad- 
 vantages, faid I, I am refolved to fee 
 how this courteous invitation will finifli. 
 
 On 
 
C "6 ) 
 
 On my way to his chamber, I ftudied 
 how to prefent myfelf before him in 
 fuch a manner as ihould merit his fa- 
 vour. At my entring the door, facing 
 which he was fitting, Is it true, faid I, 
 that your Grace fent for me to fup with 
 you ? If it was not true, faid he, 
 laughing, I mould not have fent to tell 
 you fo. Before doing me fuch an ho- 
 nour, added I, your Excellency ihould 
 have given me fome occafion to merit 
 it. Put the Excellency away, replied 
 he ; I do not love ceremony when at 
 court, much lefs in private company : 
 fit here : who are you ? from whence 
 do you you come ? where are you go- 
 ing ? My name, faid I, is Henry 
 Richard; I come from Lyons ; and am 
 going to Paris. Very well, added the 
 Duke, that I like ; a few words, and 
 fignificant : in the fame prccife manner 
 I ihould alfo have anfwered the King. 
 Supper being brought, I would have 
 placed myfelf on his left hand; but, 
 No, no, faid he, fit facing of me, that 
 I may not be at the trouble of turning 
 my head to look at you. I obeyed 
 without any apologies. The table was 
 laid with the greateft magnificence, as 
 it was cuftomary for him to carry with 
 him, in travelling, his own plate. At 
 
 the 
 
( *«7 ) 
 
 the firft mouthful that he cat, he cried, 
 Long live my cook ; I know very well 
 what I do, by taking him along with 
 me always -, he is capable of making 
 me live well, if 1 was even in the de- 
 farts of Arabia. Two footmen conti- 
 nually attended at his elbow ; the one 
 poured out water, the other wine, but 
 the latter was chiefly employed. Every 
 time that he drank, they alio prefented 
 it to me; my itomach could not ftand 
 this deluge; I took more water than 
 wine, and did but wet my lips. The 
 Duke, perceiving it, faid, You drink 
 like a girl. I was red with the fhame 
 of being really fuch. But do not blufh, 
 added he, drink plentifully, and help 
 yourfeif as you pleafe ; I love every bo- 
 dy fhould have their liberty. When 
 the defTert was put on the table; he 
 prefled me to talk, and tell him fome 
 ftory. This was a thing at which I 
 felt great repugnance, but however I 
 did not lofe my courage ; I gave him 
 an account of myfelf, telling him, I 
 was the fon of a very good family, that 
 my father had left me very little to 
 depend on; that I had put together what 
 little money 1 had, to go to Paris, and 
 there to try my fortune. The Duke 
 then afked me, if no love adventures 
 
 had 
 
( "J ) 
 
 had happened to me ? becaufe my per- 
 fon made him imagine that I had made, 
 e're this, many conquefts. To pleafe 
 him, and colour my deceit, I judged 
 it ncceffary to try my invention ; and told 
 him, as if it had happened to me, a ftory 
 which I had heard from Count Termes 
 fome time ago. Some months paft, 
 faid I, being at Leghorn, I lodged in 
 the houfe of an old lady, who was very 
 ugly, and who had fallen defperately in 
 love with me. It did not fignify my 
 pretending not to underftand her. 
 Early one morning I went into her 
 bed-chamber, to let her know I mould 
 not dine at home that day ; ihe was flilt 
 in bed, and, with the excufe of afking 
 me for a pinch of rappee, fhe caught 
 me faft by the hand, and began to de- 
 clare her paffion for me, in fuch a man- 
 ner, that 1 found myfelf at a lofs how 
 to anfwer her. I excufed myfelf a long 
 time, in the ciyileft manner I could; 
 but this not fucceeding, I thought belt, 
 to free myfelf at once, by conferring, 
 I could not poffibly find in my heart to 
 love her, being already prepofTeiTed in 
 favour of another. There required no- 
 thing more, to add jealoufy to love ; 
 ihe gave way to the moft horrible re- 
 venge, and even threatened me, that, 
 
( H9 ) 
 
 if I did not refolve immediately on a 
 return of her love, fhe would call her 
 hufband, and, in his prefence, would 
 accufe me of going to ufe violence with 
 her. The threat itruck me with hor- 
 ror, when I reflected on the danger I 
 was expofed to, from the refentment of 
 an old jealous hufband. Finding her 
 thus determined, I had recourle to de- 
 ceit > I pretended, by little and little, 
 to comply with her dciires ; and, as if 
 I had been fuddenly taken with a lit, 
 defired her to order a little water to be 
 brought me. The good old woman 
 believed it, and called the maid, who 
 brought the water. I drank it againft 
 my will, and, before the maid depart- 
 ed, faluted the miftrefs with the great- 
 eft civility in the world, and went away, 
 without her being able to make any 
 complaint. Well done, fays the Duke, 
 give us drink, that water deferves to be 
 celebrated with a glafs of wine. I was 
 obliged to drink a glafs for company. 
 He praifed my prefence of mind, that 
 I had withdrawn myfelf, by. that pre- 
 tence, from an accufation which, by 
 th< appearance of the maid, had no 
 in >re force. He aiked me, how I came 
 or! afterwards? I anfwered him, that 
 I contented myfelf with the lofs of fome 
 
 of 
 
( 120 ) 
 
 of my baggage not to fee her more, 
 but embarked for Marfeilles on my re- 
 turn to France. I never made a more 
 agreeable journey than this, added I, 
 there being, in the vefTel s two very 
 handfome lafles, who merited all my 
 attention to gain their hearts. I could 
 not fucceed to get them alone, as the 
 captain of the veflel, to whom they 
 were recommended, never let them be 
 out of his fight. However, I continu- 
 ed to ferve them with an incredible at- 
 tentions contenting myfelf, that my 
 eyes ihould fpeak to them in my fa- 
 vour. Notwithstanding all this, I thought 
 myfelf certain of a cbnqueft ; and ima- 
 gined I touched heaven with my finger, 
 when I arrived at kifhng their hands. 
 The day that we dropped anchor be- 
 fore Marfeilles, I afked one of them, in 
 fecret, where they were going to lodge ? 
 who anfwered, that me did not know, 
 but that they were both fingers. Very 
 good ! faid the Duke, you was fallen 
 into good hands; but let us drink a glafs 
 of Burgundy to their health, and let me 
 hear if you behaved with them like a 
 man of fpirit. Before they left theihip, 
 continued I, my adventurers gave me a 
 paper, in which they inform'd me where 
 their lodging 4 was to be. The next 
 
 day, 
 
( m ) 
 
 day, towards evening, I went to pay 
 them a vifit, and ordered a handfome 
 fuppcr to be brought there. I flaid 
 with them till the night was far advanc- 
 ed ; and when I was about to go away, 
 they begged of me to return the next 
 morning betimes, becaufe they had a 
 favour to beg of me. I immediately 
 forefaw what it would be, but made my- 
 felf ignorant, defiling them to fpeak 
 freely what they wanted, and that they 
 ihould be ferved to the utmofc of my 
 power : in a word, the captain of the 
 veifel wanted to be paid their pafTage, 
 and they had not a farthing to pay him. 
 Why did not you tell meof this on board 
 the fhip? faid I, and I would have 
 made him note the payment to the ac- 
 count of the fubjeetion in which he 
 held you, and the liberty he took to 
 deprive me of your favours : enough 
 faid; we'll fee each other to-morrow. 
 With this I went away, nor did they 
 fee me more. 
 
 The Duke extolled to the fkies my 
 method of proceeding, in not fuffer- 
 ing myfclf to be impofed upon by peo- 
 ple of that fort ; and he alio drew their 
 characters in his manner, little different 
 from the account given me by the hair- 
 drefTer of the comedians at Dijon. 
 
 Vol. h M Hence 
 
( 122 ) 
 
 Hence it was, that I then conceived 
 fuch an averfion to players, as if my 
 heart foretold that foine misfortunes 
 would happen to me through their 
 means. On his getting up from table 
 to go to bed, the Duke protefted he had 
 conceived an erteem for my perfom 
 If I can ferve you in any thing, faid 
 he, command me; in me you will find 
 ibmething more than words : as you 
 will pafs by Fontainbleau, you will do 
 me a pleafure by coming to fee me : 
 it is now time to go to bed. So wifh- 
 ing me a good night, he retired. 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 My Arrival at Fentainblcati, and after- 
 vcards at Paris. 
 
 IPIad been told, by many, that the 
 Duke of **** was of an obliging 
 difpofition, and very well received at 
 court; but I never had the vanity to 
 think, that fortune would place me on 
 io good a footing with him. Since my 
 flight from Avignon, I did .not go to bed- 
 fo contented and eafy as that night, after 
 I had fupped with him. Promiling my- 
 ielf great^ advantage, at Paris, by his 
 protection ; I almoft rejoiced in my 
 boldnefs, that had encouraged me to 
 
 make 
 
( **3 ) 
 
 make a ftep fuperior to my iex 
 condition. Poor women ! faid I, to 
 myfelf, you are condemned to be un- 
 happy ; if conftraincd to live between 
 the domeftic walls, you cannot exert 
 yourfelves in fcarch of a fortune which 
 is not to be found eafily, but by thole 
 that feck for it. By the force of fuch 
 reflexions, I began to think lb difad- 
 vantageoufly of my ownfex.fhat it made 
 me pity them. As I kept company 
 with the men, my aclions and thoughts 
 acquired, every day, more virility; 
 and I became lefs timorous, more en- 
 gaging, and more free. The- Duke, 
 my protector, as I lliall hereafter calL 
 him, departed the next morning on his 
 journey. I was up betimes, to take my 
 leave of him before he departed ; and 
 he feemed to approve highly of my di- 
 ligence : he renewed his afTurances of 
 favour, which he had made me the 
 night before with fo much aifecdion. I 
 accompanied and ferved him till the mo- 
 ment that he entered his coach, md pre- 
 pared to fet out foon after him. He rode 
 pott, and arrived at Fontainbfeau thit 
 evening. I, who was not in haite, did 
 not arrive there till the next day. My 
 fir ft care was to drefs myfelf in the beft 
 manner J could, in a fuit that was made 
 M 2 for 
 
( 124) 
 
 for me at Lyons, and to go directly ft© 
 the Duke's palace, to pay him a vifit : 
 but here I was difappointed ; for as 
 foon as he had paid his compliments to 
 the King, he fet out port for Paris. I 
 itaid fome time at Fontainbleau, to ad- 
 mire the beauties of that royal abode; 
 and, after three days, returned to the 
 Duke's palace to gain fome intelligence 
 of him. His fervants told me, that he 
 v/as not yet returned, nor did they 
 know when he would; and I, not 
 knowing what to do there without him, 
 got again into my chaife, and took the 
 road to Paris, I fpent two days in tra- 
 velling eighteen leagues, though I could 
 have done it in one; but the objects I 
 met on the way were worthy of obfer- 
 vation, and employed a confiderable 
 part of my time. I never faw a more 
 delightful road; on each fide, fupcrb 
 palaces and pleafant gardens, and inter- 
 mixt with flowers and eyer-greens, pre- 
 fented themfelves to my view : an im- 
 menfe number of people on the road, 
 going and coming, on horfeback, on 
 foot, and in coaches, with the moft 
 magnificent equipages, gave additional 
 grandeur to the profpect : in one place, 
 I met the train of a prince ; in another, 
 the coach of a prlncefs ; fometimes a 
 
 company 
 
( i2 5 ) 
 company of the King's h or fe- guard, and 
 fomctimcs a batallion of French guards ; 
 all new objects to me ; but fuch as gave 
 me incredible delight. From Fontain- 
 bleau, I travelled on till I came within 
 fight of Paris; beholding, as far as my 
 eyes could difcern, nothing but towns, 
 capulos, ipires, and other high edifices. 
 I thought I faw, in that city alone, 
 ail the world. When I had palled the 
 fuburbs, and had got a little way into 
 the ftreets of Paris, I found it a very 
 difficult matter to get to the inn which 
 had been recommended to me, called 
 the Flander's Lodge, at St. Michael's 
 bridge. I was, more than once, in 
 danger of being overturned, and of 
 leaving my chaife broken in the ftreets ; 
 while 1 was avoiding one coach before 
 me, another was threatening me be- 
 hind ; and to clear myfeif of thofe on 
 the right hand, I ran againft thofe on 
 my left; till it pleafod heaven, I ar- 
 rived fafe and found at the Flanders' 
 Lodge, where I found feveral officers 
 recruiting, but had no connection with 
 any. In the mean time I informed 
 myfeif where the Du'/.e, my protestor, 
 lived; and I was told, that his palace 
 was not far off. Afier I had drelTed 
 myfeif in my habit of ceremony, I 
 M 3 waited 
 
( 126 ) 
 
 waited upon him, and, luckily for me, 
 he was Hill in Paris. When he faw 
 me, he embraced me kindly, and I 
 found him more courteous than ever ; 
 whether it was becaufe his partiality to 
 me was increafing, or whether the 
 drefs, in which I prefented myfelf, me- 
 rited this greater regard, I cannot tell : 
 I was dreffed in a proper manner to 
 appear at court ; my coat was a rich 
 filk of a dark ground, embroidered 
 with fmali filver flowers ; my waiftcoat 
 was a fky blue, embroidered in the fame 
 tafte ; 1 had a fhirt, with lace ruffles, 
 very fine ; and my hair was drefTed, and 
 tied loofe, hanging in ringlets on my 
 ihoulders, and fo long that it reached to 
 the bottom of my back; I wore a very 
 fine hat, with a white feather, which 
 gave more than ordinary majtfty to my 
 Hature; the fvvord, which I wore by 
 my fide, was filver hiked, and gilt; and 
 a fword knot with deep red and gold 
 flowers : upon the whole, I found that 
 the Duke, having noticed me from head 
 to foot, obferved me with pleafure, and 
 thought me worthy of his diftin<5tion. 
 What did you think of me, faid he, 
 when you did not find me at Fontain- 
 bleau? if you had put off coming till 
 to-morrow, I fhould have been upon 
 
 the 
 
( 127 ) 
 
 die return there, while you was feeking 
 me at Paris : who knows but that you 
 imagined it was all done on purpofe not 
 to let you find me ? I affured him, that 
 I mould willingly have gone ten times 
 as far, to have had the honour of fee- 
 ing him. You look, faid he, like a 
 bride going to her hufband ; and I will 
 certainly take you with me to Fontain- 
 bleau, to revenge myfelf on fomeof the 
 ladies at court, that are infenfible of my 
 addrefTes. I told him, laughing, that 
 I would do myfelf the honour of going 
 with him wherever he pleafed. 
 
 We fet out from Paris in his coach, 
 together with his fecretary, and took, 
 on a full trot, the road to Fontainbleau. 
 To pafs away my time in travelling, he 
 a/ked me, if, on my coming from Mar- 
 feilles, I had palled through Cavillon ? 
 to which I anlwered, that I had, as it 
 was only twelve leagues diitant. They 
 are eternally long, replied he : At Ca- 
 villon I diverted myfelf, very agreeably, 
 with Madam Siiifti ; I never faw a 
 woman of better behaviour, or more 
 compleat in the art of pleafing; I really 
 believe fhe has made more conquefls 
 than Cleopatra did ; did you know her ? 
 No, Sir, anlwered I, as I only palled 
 through that place j but I have heard 
 
 the 
 
( 128 ) 
 
 the Marquis of Maflfan fpeak of her, 
 who lodged at the Little Louvre ; he is 
 an amiable gentleman, but his compa- 
 ny is a little dangerous to the fair 
 fex. That is very true, replied the 
 Duke ; I know that he paid his addrefies 
 to three young ladies all at the fame 
 time, and fpent an immenfe treafure on 
 them : people of this character confume 
 their fortume foolifhly, and make theirs 
 felves ridiculous. We then began to 
 difcourfe of Avignon, but this was a 
 fubjed that did not pleafe me in the 
 leaft. I have feen there, laid he, a 
 young lady, fo very beautiful, that I 
 would give a thoufand crowns fhe was 
 my fecretary's wife. Hisfecretary, who 
 did not expect fuch a joke, frankly an- 
 fw ered,Iihould be noways defirous, Sir, 
 to be in fuch a fltuation. Why ? add- 
 ed the Duke ; you would, perhaps, be 
 afraid that I fhould do you fome 
 wrong? No, Sir, replied he, you are 
 too wife and honeft; but, according to 
 the manner in which you exprefs your- 
 felf, there would not be wanting thofe 
 that would think to the contrary. And 
 for this, added the Duke, do not you 
 
 know how Mr. ■, a friend of 
 
 mine, took a wife ? three weeks after 
 marriage, fhe was bi ought to bed of 
 
 two 
 
C 129 ) 
 
 t-vo children: when they were fhewn 
 to him, Ah ! faid he, laughing, wel- 
 come ladies ; in truth, J did not expeel 
 you fo foon. But that is not all ; he 
 ordered twenty -four cradles to be pro- 
 videdj and loaded them in a cart, or- 
 dering them to be c r.ied to his houfc : 
 his acquaintance a/Iced him, what need 
 there was for all thefe cradles ? he an- 
 iwered, l^ in one month, I have two 
 children 3 at the end of the year, I fhall 
 have twenty-four: and, out of all thefe 
 cradles, there will not be one too ma- 
 ny. In this manner the Duke enter- 
 tained us, and we arrived at Fontrun- 
 bleau two hours before night. As we 
 came near that place, we met feveral 
 people, on horfeback, magnificently 
 dreffed, being no lefs than the retinue 
 of the King himfelf, who was juft go- 
 ing out a hunting. Here the Duke v/as 
 obliged to leave his coach, mount a 
 horfc, and join the company ; nor did 
 it avail his protefting that he had not 
 dined, and that he was dying with hun- 
 ger and fatigue ; for they iniifted upon 
 his going with them. Seeing with how 
 much intimacy the courtiers treated 
 lunv I thought myfelf the more happy 
 in his protection; and already imagin- 
 ed that my fortune was made. I re- 
 mained 
 
( r 3° ) 
 maincd In the coach with the'fecrctary, 
 and we foon arrived at the Duke's pa- 
 lace, where we regaled ourfelves with 
 the dinner prepared for him. 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 The Ducbefs of * * * * takes me for her 
 Gentleman. 
 
 TH E Duke did not return till 
 evening, and, as he was both 
 hungry and fatigued, went to bed im- 
 mediately after fupper. As foon as he 
 was up, the next morning, I went to 
 pay my refpe&s to him. Very writ; 
 faid he, at feeing me, you and my fe- 
 cretary are two men of fpirit, to let 
 fuch violence be ufed with your matter ; 
 at leatt you fhould have put your hands 
 to your fwords, to defend me from 
 that oppreffion ; they have paid me off 
 in fuch a manner, that I fhall feel it for 
 this fortnight. Notwithstanding this, 
 to revenge myfelf on you, for your 
 cowardice, I have appointed you gen- 
 tleman to the Duchefs of *** * 5 pre- 
 pare therefore to prefent yourfelf to her. 
 On my part, I was very well fatisfied 
 with this reproof, thanked heaven for 
 having made me acquainted with him, 
 and I already flattered myfelf that I 
 
 (hould 
 
C 131 ) 
 
 fhould make no trifling figure at court. 
 His fecretary immediately conduced 
 me to the Duchefs. And are you, laid 
 fhe, to me, that Italian gentleman of 
 whom the Duke fpoke to me ? I am, 
 anfwercd I, bowing, and am come, by 
 Ills orders, to aiiure your Grace of my 
 humble fcrvitudc. Is it poilible ! add- 
 ed ihe, your protestor is a great vifio- 
 nary, or yourfelf, Sir, are a prodigy j 
 at this age, fo many campaigns at ica, 
 fo many battles fuftained with valour, fo 
 many cruizers fent to the bottom,' fo 
 many wounds by you received, of 
 which there does not appear the leaf!: 
 iign ! This language furprifed me not 
 a little ; not knowing where it would 
 end. I allured the Duchefs, that I hid 
 not {cen any other fea, but that from 
 Venice to Marie illes ; nor any other 
 fire, but that in a chimney in winter 
 time. Why, added fhe, the Duke has 
 given fuch a defcription of your life, as 
 if you had been the terror of the fra ; 
 and has painted you, to me, in fuch a 
 manner, as to make me believe that yotf 
 wa? all over fire and fmoak; with two 
 whifkers of a new invention, that, from 
 ear to ear, covered your face all over. 
 1 could fcarce refrain from la ugh in «• at 
 the romantic defcription the Duke had 
 
 given 
 
 b' 
 
( 132 ) 
 
 given of my pcrfon ; when fhe replied, 
 that it did not ieem extraordinary to her, 
 that fuch extravagant whims ihould 
 come into the head of the Duke - 9 but 
 that it gave her pleafure to find me fo 
 different from what ihe had been made 
 to believe. After I had given an ac- 
 count of myfelf, in the fame manner as 
 I had done to the Duke, my piotec~tor, 
 fhe called a footman to conduct me to 
 the apartment that ihe had appointed 
 for me; ordering me, at the fame time, 
 to come to her the next morning, when 
 ihe would give me further innruclions. 
 My apartment confifted of two rooms, 
 one within the other, very genteelly 
 furnifhed, and having given the necef- 
 fary orders for my little baggage, that was 
 left at the Flanders Inn, to be brought 
 from Paris, the Duke's gentleman came 
 to congratulate me, in his name, at my 
 arrival, and of the acquifition, as he 
 faid, that his houfe had made. This 
 gentleman's name was Mr. Befone ; and 
 from his pleafing difpofition I mould di- 
 rectly hive contracted a particular inti- 
 macy with him, had I been inclined fo 
 to do. But I had my reafons for not 
 having too clofe a connection with any 
 body : however, I took care to avoid 
 .giving offence by referved behaviour. 
 
 He 
 
:( m ) 
 
 He congratulated me not a little ; aflur- 
 ring me, that my air and manner had 
 very much pleafcd the family, and that 
 \ ihould be a very welcome gueit : in 
 *acl, when lie conducted me* into the 
 common hall, to dinner, I received, 
 froni every one, a thoufand compli- 
 ments; which I returned, as politely as 
 ! could, by anfwering each, in parti- 
 cular,. In the manner molt fuitabie to 
 their dignity. There were prefent, the 
 mtendant general of the family, the 
 two fecretaries, we two gentlemen, two 
 pages, the fteward, and the Duchefs's 
 waiting-maid. At table there were ge- 
 nerally .ten of the family, and always 
 three covers extraordinary for thofe that 
 ihould accidentally come to vifit us, 
 Mr. Hcfone kept me company all the 
 afternoon : and we went together to 
 wait upon the Duke, my protector, to 
 return him thanks. At night they 
 iupped very late- and although I was 
 not accuftomed to this manner of liv- 
 ing, it no ways difagreed with me 5 but 
 I fupped heartily, and flept better than 
 ufual all that night. When I arofe in 
 the morning, a footman came to drefs 
 my hair, which he did in the genteeleft 
 taftc; and at mid-day I went to pay my 
 refpetfs to the Duchefs, who afked me, 
 Vol, I. n if 
 
( i34) 
 if it was true, as fhe had been told, that 
 I could not mount on horfeback? I 
 anfwered her, that having made all my 
 journeys either by water, or ftage- 
 coaches, I had not had any practice in 
 riding ; but as it was my defire to pleafe 
 her, it would require but little to be- 
 come matter of it. She told me, after 
 this, that ilie thought I was in debt a 
 compliment to the Duke, her huiband ; 
 and ihe herielf conducted me to him 
 in perfon. He alfo paid me a thoufand 
 compliments ; after which the Duchefs 
 took me back with her, and, calling 
 Mr. Befone, ordered him to have me 
 made perfect in the management of a 
 horfe ; as ihe was defirous of having me 
 to hunt, and go every where with her. 
 In ten days exercife I could ride every 
 horfe in the flable, with as much fami- 
 liarity as if I had been ufed to it for 
 many years ; at the end of which time, 
 I defired leave, of the Duchefs, to go 
 two days to Paris, to fell a horfe and 
 chaife that I had left there. In thofe 
 two days I did my bufmefs, and return- 
 ed to the court with a drefs ftill much 
 more pompous than thefirft ; infomuch 
 that the Duke, on feeing me, faid to 
 his lady, I am glad, Madam, that you 
 . have a gentleman that does you honour : 
 
 : really 
 
( i35 ) 
 really you are drefTed accord ihg to your 
 rank. I have no hand in it, anfwered 
 the Duchefs. So much the worfe, 
 Madam, faid he ; you are under an 
 obligation to repay him fucjb an ex- 
 pcnce, which mult fall heavy on a pri- 
 vate perfon. To this I replied, there is 
 no need 3 it is enough for me to be ho- 
 noured with your approbation. Thefe, 
 faid the Duke, are truly noble fen- 
 timents, that gain you all my love 
 and efteem : it is a great misfortune to 
 you, that you are not born a woman ; 
 to be a man, you are too amiable. At 
 this fpcech, my face glowed like fire ; 
 but, as I naturally had a frefh com-, 
 plexion, it did not take their attention. 
 They then retired to talk apart, and I 
 withdrew to the anti-chamber, left my 
 prefence might be a reftraint Upon 
 them. My heart was uneafy, fearing 
 they had conceived fome fufpicion of 
 me: I flayed at the door, liltening ve- 
 ry attentively to what they were faying, 
 in order to find out whether I was de- 
 ceived or not ; but my fufpicion was 
 nothing* more than fimple conjecture. 
 1 have never feen, faid the Duke, any 
 face of a woman fo amiable as that of 
 your gentleman : I like him fo much 
 the more, as, it fecms to me, that I fee 
 N 2 painted 
 
( i 3 6 ) 
 
 painted, in him, your features ; and, 
 in his air, a certain I know not what, 
 that refembles yours. It does not leem 
 fo to me, anfwered theDuchefs* but, 
 I own, that I ihould be content to live 
 a few years lefs, to be, in my fex, fo 
 young and amiable as my gentleman is 
 in his. So ihould I alfo, added the 
 Duke ; and to fee you fo, would give a 
 fourth part of all I am worth ; became, 
 in fuch cafe, I do not know which of 
 us would be befr off. While they were 
 thus difcourfing, I thought differently 
 from either of them : I have heard, 
 more than once, that if it was in our 
 own hands to chufe our fex, which 
 would be mofr ufeful to us, from the 
 age of thirteen to twenty-three, we 
 ought to chufe that of a woman ; and 
 to be men the remaining part of our 
 lives. The world does us injuftice, by 
 judging, that we cannot be amiable af- 
 ter thirty years of age ; when fo many 
 men are judged handfome after forty. 
 Reflecting upon this wrong that was 
 done to our fex, it pleafed me to be 
 thought what I was not ; and, confi- 
 deri ng what I was, I was afhamed of 
 myfelf. I do not deny, but that my 
 natural vanity would have been agree- 
 ably entertained by a crowd of admirers, 
 
 being 
 
!< 137 ) 
 
 being In the flower of my age ; but to 
 what purpofe, faid I, is fuch a plea- 
 fure, which paffes away fofoon! and why 
 ihould I facrifice to beauty, thofe more 
 lafting charms of liberty r Befidcs this, 
 I found myfelf engaged to appear in a 
 character very different; and, whatever 
 was to happen to me, I was refolved to 
 fee the end of it. All my applications 
 tended to confirm myfelf always the 
 more in thefe laudable maxims. By 
 force of reflection, I had conceived 
 fuch an averfion for the weaknefs of our 
 fex, that I viewed it, in other women, 
 with an eye of companion. It will 
 feem ftrange, to any one, that having 
 commerce every day with courtiers, 
 who were the flower of youth and fpi- 
 rit, I had not taken a liking for any 
 one; nor could I find a perfon fuitable 
 to my tafte ; I conildered love as an ene- 
 my, that could be the only caufe of 
 my ruin, by venturing a fecret on 
 which my honour and fortune depend- 
 ed. Befides this, the Count Termes 
 never was out of my thoughts : it feem- 
 ed an invioble point of my philofophy, 
 to preferve myfelf faithful to him as 
 long as I mould live; at leaf}, till I 
 mould defpair of a return. To avoid in- 
 dulging thefe deceiving thoughts, all 
 N a the 
 
( i3» ) 
 the time that I had to fpare in my new 
 employment, and that was a great deal, 
 I fpent in reading; which enriched my 
 mind with fuch a diverfity of know- 
 ledge, that there was not any one thing 
 mentioned, which appeared new to 
 me, and in which I could not join the 
 difcourfe. Among other things, it came 
 into my head to write to Italy, to Count 
 Termes ; not to indicate to him what 
 was become of me, but only to let him 
 fee that I was not lefs in love than him- 
 felf. Upon this fubje£r I wrote him a 
 fhort letter, and figned it with the name 
 of D'Arville ; but put no date, that he 
 might not know how to direcl to me. 
 My thought was ftrange, as, by that 
 means, I deprived myfelf of the plea- 
 fure of hearing from one whom I lov- 
 ed ; but I could not do otherwife, with- 
 out the riik of being difcovered, when 
 it concerned me, more than ever, to 
 keep myfelf private. I directed the let- 
 ter to the French camp in Italy ; and 
 went to Mr. Befone, defiring him to 
 put it into the poft-office. It happened 
 that the Duchefs's waiting- maid per- 
 ceived it on the table, as he was mak- 
 ing up the packet for Italy ; at which 
 i"he fhewed fome furprize. As I had re- 
 commended fecrefy to him, he behav- 
 ed 
 
( 139 ) 
 ed like a man of honour, and told her, 
 that it was his ; and, without giving her 
 any further fatisfac~tion, fent it away. 
 When he told me of the fad, I was ter- 
 ribly alarmed, but I did not feem fo ; 
 on the contrary, I told him, that he 
 might have (hewed it to her without 
 difficulty, becaufe there was nothing to 
 which ihe could have any objection. 
 Miferable me ! if fhe had {een it ; but 
 franknefs fometimes prevents fufpicion, 
 and, luckily for me, there was no more 
 faid about it. 
 
 CHAP. XVII. 
 
 An extraordinary Commijfion given me hy 
 the Duke, my Majler. 
 
 SEVERAL days had elapfed, in 
 which I had had nothing to do, 
 when one morning, early, the Duke 
 fent for me to his chamber. What can 
 this be ? faid I, in my heart; fhould it^be 
 any thing about myfelf ? can the letter, 
 wrote to the Count, have given any caufe 
 of fufpicion ? Under thefe apprehenfions, 
 I waited upon him to- know his will; 
 but, by his obliging behaviour, he foon 
 removed my fufpicions. I have itill 
 more reafon, faid he, to rejoice that you 
 came to my houfe; becaufe, from the 
 
 continual 
 
( 14° ) 
 continual information that I receive, of 
 your character, I know I can confide in 
 you. To this preliminary fpeech, I 
 anfwered as I ought. He then put in- 
 to my hands a purlc full of piftoles. 
 Take this, faid he, and accept it as a 
 teftimony of my love, and the confi- 
 dence I have that you can keep a fe- 
 rret. My Lord, anfwered I, I have 
 heard a flory of a King, who defired 
 one of his favourites to afk whatever 
 he thought proper of him : " Sire, an- 
 fwered the favourite, deal as you pleafe 
 with me, provided you do not make me 
 your fecre.t-keeper." I accept the gift of 
 your Grace, and mall endeavour to 
 merit your confidence on every occa- 
 fion; but if you will difpenfe with 
 whatever requires my fecrecy, I ihall 
 be the more obliged to you : my age, 
 and inexperience of the world, will 
 eafily perfuade you, it would be putting 
 it in rery bad hands : as to any thing 
 elfe, you ihall find that I am all obedi- 
 ence -, and you have only to command 
 me. The confidence I have to repofe 
 in you, faid the Duke, is fuch, that it 
 need not put you under any apprehen- 
 iion : I defire only this of you-^-ob- 
 ferve, with attention, all thpfe people 
 who come moft frequently to my wife : 
 
 not 
 
( i4« ) 
 
 not that I have the lei ft doubt of her 
 good conduft; but her pcrfon, being 
 iupcrior to mine, obliges me to have all 
 the regard imaginable for her : I have 
 fecret reafons that put me under a nc- 
 ceffity to know every thing that partes : 
 I know, from good authority, that 
 there is an affair carrying oh againff my 
 pcrfon, into which they are alio trying 
 to draw in my wife as an accomplice : 
 at the head of this is the Prince of 
 * * * *, who was my rival ; and,, from 
 my advanced age, he flatters himfelf, 
 that, with my wife, he fhall alfo get 
 my eftate; fhe being young, and know- 
 ing but little of the court, may be eafily 
 drawn into the fnare : you may pre- 
 ferve her, by your attention ; and, by 
 advifing me in time of what you fee, 
 you may aflure youfelf of making your 
 fortune in my houfe. While he was 
 thus talking to me, I heard all : I am, 
 faid I, in my heart, in the fervice of 
 the Duchefs, and her hufband would 
 have me become a fpy on her actions ; 
 he is more jealous than Jove was of 
 Juno, and would have me an Argus to 
 obferve her fteps. I replied, that his 
 Grace could make a much better choice, 
 by employing fome antient domeftic 
 belonging to the Duchefs ; and who had 
 
 more 
 
more experience than myfelf. There 
 is no one, faid he, in whom I can con- 
 fide, except yourfelf, in an affair of fuch 
 confequence. But, Sir, faid I, fuppofe 
 I was capable of ferving you, if the 
 Duchefs mould find it out, what is to 
 become of me ? What have you to 
 fear ? replied the Duke, it is enough 
 that you do your part ; for the reff, 
 you may depend upon me. M thefe 
 words I bowed; and retired fo perplex- 
 ed, and confufed, that I did not know 
 the way to my apartment. Here, 
 thought I, the promifed happinefs of my 
 new ftation is at an end ; my mind is 
 again in a temper!, and my heart full 
 of grief. One of thefe methods I mull. 
 take, and, .m either, I evidently faw 
 my ruin : I was either to betray my. 
 miftrefs, and expofe myfelf to the re- 
 proofs of my own heart, and the juft 
 refentment of an irritated woman ; or, 
 I was to diibbey a jealous rjufbarTtf*, who 
 would not long fuller me to continue in 
 his houfe; or, I was under" a necellity 
 to demand my difcharge from the fa- 
 mily. But what reafon could I give the 
 Duke, my protector, for rendering my- 
 fclf fo unworthy of his favour, for 
 which I, knew myfelf fo greatly oblig- 
 ed to him. I depofited the gift, the 
 
 Duke 
 
( *43 ) 
 Duke had made me, with my other mo- 
 ney ; but intereft predominated in me 
 fo little, in oppofition to my other paf- 
 fions, that it never came into my head 
 even to fee to what ftim it amounted. 
 
 After dinner, I locked myfelf up m 
 my room, that I might confider how to 
 manage matters with the Duke, who 
 had ordered me to return to him to- 
 wards four o'clock in the afternoon. I 
 relblved to comply with the maxims of 
 the court, by diifembling my real {en- 
 timents : ' in fact, I went with a free and 
 open air, and heard the new leflbns 
 which he gave me on that fubjeel : I 
 promifed to keep to his instructions ; I 
 even appeared joyful at receiving this 
 commiifion, to be able to fhew him, 
 how much I devoted myfelf to his in- 
 terest ; but I left him with a firm in- 
 tention to do nothing inconfiftent with 
 my own inclination. On going out of 
 the Duke's apartment, I met Madam 
 Cafardo, waiting maid to the Duchefs, 
 my miftrefs : this meeting I mould 
 gladly have avoided; but to pafs her by, 
 without fpeaking, would have been un- 
 civil. She accolied me/ faying, that 
 her miftrefs was not going out of the 
 houfe that day, and that we were both 
 at liberty : fhe propofed our taking a 
 
 walk 
 
( M4 ) 
 walk together ;" and .it was neceffary, 
 for onvenieney, to comply. Her dif- 
 courfe began with praifing me, of 
 wlvch I was already fick, hearing it 
 repe; ted from every part. She after- 
 wards talked about Italy, of which 
 place I thought her a native, and rail- 
 ed again!} the cruelty of the Italians, in 
 keeping their wives hkeflaves : the fame 
 cufiom, laid Hie, prevails in Spain, 
 where I have been feveral years with 
 my mifirels : my mother died in bring- 
 ing me into the world; my father was 
 a lieutenant-colonel of the regiment of 
 Perigardj and was killed at the fiege of 
 Landaw. As my mother had fuckled 
 the Ducheis, fo the took care of me, 
 who was not above feven years of age. 
 When I was with her in Spain, Signior 
 Cafardo, a Spanilli captain, took me 
 for his wife. The Duchefs thought, by 
 this, flie had made my fortune ; but I 
 was no fooner his wife, than he was 
 obliged to depart for the country, and 
 I along with him. His whimficai hu- 
 mour was foon degenerated into a 
 beaftly wildnefs ; he took more care of 
 his horfes, than of his wife ; and I was 
 confined to the narrow boundaries of 
 my chamber, nor did I enjoy any com- 
 pany but that of my own rcfleftion. 
 
 Jealous 
 
C M5 ) 
 jealous to excefs, even of his own bro- 
 ther, he would not let me go to church, 
 unlefs lie went with me. After a pain- 
 ful ilavery of feven years, I was freed 
 of him by a wound, which lie received 
 at the fiege of Barcelona. I informed 
 the Duchefs of his death, and ihe im- 
 mediately recalled me to her fervice. 
 After the death of Captain Cafardo, I 
 found, in his bureau two thoufand pif- 
 toles, which fum I have at this time irk 
 my pofleffion. She gave me feveral 
 hints that ihe would, with good will, 
 embark in afecond marriage; and hop- 
 ed to have better fortune than fhe had 
 ill the fuft. She was not without 
 charms, but had a higher opinion of 
 herfelf than ihe ought; and the favour 
 of her miftrefs rendered her flill more 
 conceited. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
( 146 ) 
 
 CHAP. XVIII. 
 
 Means taken, by me, to exempt my f elf 
 from the Duke's Commijfion. 
 
 WHEN I parted with Madam 
 Cafardo, my anxiety in what 
 manner beft to a£t, in the difagreeable 
 bufinefs in which I had been employed 
 by the Duke, added greatly to the unea- 
 linefs of my mind. 
 
 Two days were now pafTed, fince I 
 had feen the Duchefs ; the third day 
 the fent for me, and was furprifed to fee 
 me look pale and melancholy : in fac*t, 
 for two days I had eat little, and flept 
 lefs, being very much troubled in mind. 
 She afked me a thoufand queftions, to 
 find out the caufe of my melancho- 
 ly; and perhaps was perfuaded that me 
 had found out the reafon, when ihe 
 enquired, if I had kept the note of the 
 coft of the cloaths which ihe had fecn 
 me wear ? I told her, I had not. She 
 ordered me to make it out, and bring 
 it to her. Your Grace, anlwered I, is 
 miftaken, if you think that my trou- 
 ble proceeds from any bad manage- 
 ment in my ccconomy ; when your 
 Grace is better acquainted with me, 
 you will find, that no fentiment of vile 
 intereft will ever be capable to give me 
 
 the 
 
C i47 ) 
 
 the leaft dlfquiet. I have motives for 
 affliction, for which your Grace cannot 
 find a remedy. The only means to free 
 me from it, will be to give me my dif- 
 charge from your fervice. But what ! 
 interrupted the Duchefs, do you defire 
 to leave me, without letting me know 
 the caufe ? this I ihall never permit : 
 tell me, firft, what induces you to take 
 fuch a ftep ; and then, if your refolu- 
 tion is realbnable, I alfo lTiall be reafon- 
 able enough not to oppofe your inclina- 
 tion. Madam, added I, I am bound 
 to keep it fecret, my word and honour 
 being pledged. I can alfo allure you, 
 faid ihe, on my word and honour, that, 
 provided you reveal it to me, I ihall 
 make no ufe whatever of the fecret, 
 without your permiiiion. Then, I re- 
 plied, I fhall obey your Grace ; but 
 you are to remember, that, after this, 
 you are to grant me my difcharge, and 
 fo order matters with the Duke, my 
 protector, that he may not fay I have 
 ufed him ill. All this I ihall do, faid 
 ihe, when neceflity demands it; and 
 you may rely on my word. I then can- 
 didly laid before her, the commitfion I 
 had from the Duke, her hufband ; and 
 proteited that to be the fole caufe of 
 my afflicloin. The Duchefs remained 
 O 2 very 
 
( *4& ) 
 
 Tcry much afTonifhed at my account ; 
 but, returning foon to herfelf, and put- 
 ting on an air of gravity, which gave 
 incredible weight to her words, Sir, 
 faid ihe, to me, it can never be true, 
 that, for a thing fo frivolous as this, you 
 deiire to leave me : know you, that I 
 depend not on the Duke, my hufband, 
 only in what I plcafe ; my people have 
 nothing to do with him, nor ought he 
 to concern himfelf with them ; perfe- 
 vere in being true to me, as you feem 
 to be, and fear nothing; I am able, 
 thank God, to render dangerous to 
 him, whatever, he dare attempt againft 
 either my perfon or yours : when he 
 fees that you are not fallen into his net, 
 he'll have the greater efteem for you, 
 and behave with more refpecl : it is not 
 difficult to deceive him ; he wanted to- 
 induce you to betray me, for which 
 reafon he defer ves to be betrayed him- 
 felf. Madam, faid I, fmce heaven will 
 have it fo, that I am to depend on you, 
 rather than on the Duke, I plainly lee, 
 that I ought not to undertake any thing 
 that maybe detrimental to you; and 
 rely fo much on your protection, that, 
 I dare iwear inviolable fidelity to you „^ 
 but I depend on your difcretion, that 
 you will not employ me in any thing, 
 
 that 
 
( 149 ) 
 that may be inconfiftent with the cha- 
 racter of an honeft man. The Duchefs, 
 hearing me pronounce thefe few words 
 with a franknefs of fpirit, and tone of 
 voice, which mewed that they came 
 from my heart, was fo moved, that, 
 fqueezing me courteoufly by the hand, 
 I am certain, added fhe, of your attach- 
 ment to my perfon >, be you alfo cer- 
 tain of my gratitude : from this mo- 
 ment, I aflign you a yearly penfion of 
 a thoufand crowns; this is the firft proof, 
 that you may think I fpeak as I mean. 
 Becaufe you mall not believe that I will 
 abufe your fidelity, by employing you 
 in things unbecoming your character 5 
 I will lay open to you, from this mo- 
 ment, the only motives that my huf- 
 band can have for treating me in th's 
 manner. You fee, that between his age 
 and mine, there is a great difference ; 
 I married him only in obedience to the 
 defires of the court, and to pleafe my 
 relations ; and mould have been glad 
 that he had found my inclinations un- 
 engaged, when I was given to him m 
 marriage. But, in my heart, the prince 
 of * * * * had prevailed ; and it was not 
 in my power to give to the Duke, what 
 was not my own. I mould not be a 
 woman of honour, mould I be want- 
 ing in that conjugal affection which I 
 O 3 owe 
 
( 150 ) 
 owe to him alone ; but is it not indif- 
 creet of a man of honour, to be diffi- 
 dent of his wife ? and, through mere 
 diffidence, he would make me a Have ! 
 If the Duke was to die, I ihould not 
 have the leaft fcruple to marry the 
 prince ; and, on my account only, he 
 defers taking a wife. I do not, on this 
 account, defire the Duke's death ; but 
 fubmit to the will of heaven, and fludy 
 how to regulate my conduct, for the 
 prefent, as prudence and honour beft 
 fuggefr. This, Sir, is all the cabal, and 
 fecret management, which my hufband 
 fays is in agitation to haften his death. 
 Let him live as long as heaven pleafes, 
 but let others alfo live ; and if jealoufy 
 torments him, he muft not blame any 
 but himfelf.. There is no occafion, 
 Madam, faid I, that your Grace ihould 
 leffen yourfelf, in fuch a manner, as to 
 give me a minute account of your af- 
 fairs ; without this, I was enough pcr- 
 fuaded of your honour and prudence : 
 but this encreafes my efteem, and the 
 concern 1 fhall always have to £rrve you 
 where I am able. With ihefe expressi- 
 ons I aiTured her of my faithful attach- 
 ment ; and fhe was {o well convinced of 
 it, that, by my means, a new method 
 was opened to keep up her honeft fecret 
 
 correfpondence 
 
( i5i ) 
 
 eorfefpondence with the prince ; which 
 ihe probably would not have made irfe 
 of, if the Duke, her hufband, had not 
 given motives thereto by his jealous 
 madnefs. In facl, the Duchefs was not 
 long before ihe let me to work, charge 
 ing me with a letter to be put into the 
 prince's own hand, but fhe firft infilled 
 on my reading it. The letter was as un- 
 der : 
 
 " Dear Sir, 
 
 Since we faw each other laft, a little 
 novelty has happened, of which I fhall 
 inform you the firft time we meet. 
 Your abfcnce from the court, has caufcd 
 me an incredible deal of trouble. The 
 gentleman that bears this to you, has 
 been fome days part in my fervice, in 
 whole fidelity we may depend : he has, 
 to this hour, given me fuch convincing 
 proofs thereof, as I iliall tell you by 
 word of mouth, that with him we may 
 permit all our referve. To-morrow I 
 will attend you at the ufual place, and 
 lhali be always the fame, that i.% 
 
 .All Yours, ficc:" 
 
 When I had' read the letter, Now, 
 fays the Duchefs, I will tell you how 
 you are to con duel yourfllf, for the de- 
 livery,. 
 
( 152 ) 
 
 livery, without clanger. Come with 
 me to the audience of the King : I will 
 give you my little lap-dog to hold in 
 your hand ; with it you will wait in the 
 park, till the prince arrives -, though he 
 does not know you, you will not pafs 
 unnoticed by him : he, knowing my 
 little dog, will immediately think you 
 are there by my orders; and, under 
 pretence of playing with the dog, will 
 afk you if you have any thing for him. 
 This is the fignal, by which you can- 
 not be deceived. It is enough that you 
 have the letter in your hat j he will 
 take it, without any body's perceiving 
 it. As fhe told me, in faft fo it hap- 
 pened. To tell the truth, this commif- 
 fion had created, in my breaft, fome 
 little repugnance ; but mofr things ap- 
 pear to our minds, in the light our paf- 
 fions paint them. The iituation of the 
 Duchefs was truly to be pitied, and her 
 maxims were regulated by reafon and 
 honefty. I had read the letter, but had 
 found nothing that was bad in it ; and 
 was much prejudiced in her favour, 
 without knowing the reafon. I had no 
 fooner executed the orders of the 
 Duchefs, than I was furprifed by the 
 Duke, who was curious to know if I 
 had any news for him, in confequence 
 
 of 
 
( '53 ) 
 
 of his commands to me. I was walk- 
 ing ill the garden with Madam Cafar- 
 do, who grew every day more and more 
 in love with me, and was endeavouring 
 to kindle the fame fire in my breafl ; 
 but fhe did not know bov badly herde- 
 fiits were adapted to my circumftances. 
 Seeing the Duke come, ihe left me ; I 
 ftrove to avoid him, but he came up to 
 me, and, taking me familiarly by the 
 hand, a/ked, if I had any news? I 
 feemed at firfi to befurpriied, and an- 
 fwered him, that his Grace certainly 
 knew, better than me, the news at 
 court. But added he, I do not mean 
 that; I freak of the Duchefs. Oh, 
 Sir, faid I, I understand ; but your 
 Grace knows that my Lady, fmce you 
 fpoke to me, has not been out or the 
 houfe. I know that, replied he, but 
 have you obferved nothing in the 
 houfe, that I ought to know ? No- 
 thing ; Sir, faid I, from what I have 
 been able to difcern. Well, well, faid 
 he, it will not be always fo, there will 
 certainly be fome news foon : be atten- 
 tive ; farewell I leave you, be- 
 
 caufe I would not be obferved by any 
 body. 
 
 The day following, towards four 
 o'clock, the Duchefs fent for me, to 
 
 mount 
 
( i54 ) 
 mount a horfe, and accompany her. I 
 was not wanting at the precife hour ; 
 iht went alone in the coach, and I fol- 
 lowed on horfeback. We took the road 
 to the foreft of Fontainbleau, in the way 
 to Paris : when we were near Paris, we 
 turned down a long fhady path, that led 
 di redly to the foreft. Some hundred yards 
 from the foreft the Duchefs got out of 
 the coach, ordering her fervants to wait 
 for her ; and making me give her my 
 arm, walked ilowly down the fame 
 path. 
 
 CHAP. XIX. 
 
 The Duchefs meets with the Prince ; and 
 the Consequences of that Meeting. 
 
 I Was very curious to know where 
 this would rinifh ; but the Duchefs 
 advanced towards the wocd, without 
 faying a word to me. It ftruck ir.to 
 my thoughts, that fome meeting was 
 going on with the Prince, nor was I 
 without apprehension ; infomuch that 
 the Duchefs h.rfelf feemed difturbed. 
 Love is blind, faid I, to myieif, and 
 frequently breaks the measures of the 
 moil refined prudence : the Duke is jea- 
 lous, and jealoufy has an hundred eyes 
 to fee even more than is true : thofe 
 
 who 
 
 
( H$ ) 
 
 who fear every thing, frequently difcft- 
 ver more than they feek for. Who 
 knows but the Duke, doubly politic, 
 pretends to confide in me, to entrap us 
 both in the fame net ! and if this lhould 
 happen, how are we to get out ? or 
 how are we to defend ourfdves ? Agi- 
 tated by thefe thoughts, I walked in 
 continual fufpicion ; and, at the trem- 
 bling of the leaves, thought myfelf in 
 danger of my life : not that I wanted 
 either fpirit or courage to defend my- 
 felf, in cafe of a furprize : the manage- 
 ment of aYword was no new exerc ife to 
 me, as I had, for fome time pair, for 
 two hours in every day, taken leflbns 
 of fencing : I had alfo, in my pocket, 
 the piftols I bought at Dijon, and had 
 courage to ufe them in cafe of need. 
 But the reputation, both of the Duchefs 
 and myfelf, put me in more apprchen- 
 fions than my life. Refolving to rifle 
 all, in defence of a perfon that put 
 confidence in me, I followed with 
 fear, and would not have 1 abandoned 
 her had it cofr me my lit.. When we 
 had got at fome diftance from the coach, 
 the Duchefs flopped, arid turning her- 
 felf about, fee, laid fhe, o me, w are 
 out of the fight of my fervants; I am 
 now in your power, and ihall conridein 
 
 you. 
 
( 156 ) 
 
 So faying, fhe made me turn to (he 
 right, Into another narrow path, fo thick 
 with trees, and covered from the fun, 
 that a pcrfon could hardly be diftin- 
 guiihed twenty yards oft. At the end 
 of this, we came to a little round houfe, 
 of about thirty yards in circumference, 
 furrounded with trees, fo thick, and fo 
 large, that it fcemed the middle of the 
 wood. This is the place, faid the Du hefs, 
 where it is ufual for me to meet the 
 Prince, who comes by another path, 
 and mould be here at this hour. In 
 fact, we were no fooner got out of this 
 ciofe path, than we faw him coming to 
 meet us, with that impatience peculiar 
 to a paiTionate lover. Knowing me to 
 be the fame perfon who had delivered 
 him the letter, he paid me a genteel 
 compliment; but he had not much 
 time to lofe with me. The Duchcfs 
 then ordered me to place myfelf at the 
 entrance of that ilraight path, to ob- 
 feive if any one ihould come that way, 
 ana to apprize her of it by coughing. 
 No, faid the Prince, your coughing 
 will be fufpecled ; take this repeater, 
 and, if any one comes, make it ftrike, 
 that I inry retire by my path, and the 
 Ducheis by hers. The Duchcfs approv- 
 ed of this method -, I took the watch, 
 
 and 
 
( '57 ) 
 and pofted myfelf, as a centinel, at fuch 
 a diftance that I could fee them, tho' I 
 could not hear what they faid. Lucki- 
 ly nothing happened to interrupt their 
 difcourfe, which lade J a good half 
 hour ; the Prince went by one path, the 
 Duchefs came and joined me ; we then 
 got into our path, and, walking flowly 
 as we came, advanced towards the 
 coach. When we were on the great 
 road, fhe a(ked, if I fhould fee the Duke 
 the next day ? and, what I intended to 
 fay to him ? Well, Madam, faid I, to- 
 morrow I lhall go and give him an ac- 
 count, without his afking me, that your 
 Grace was walking in the foreft ; that 
 you went there alone, and that you re- 
 turned alone ; becaufe, in facl, the* 
 Prince neither went nor returned with 
 you : if he mould afk me, whether I 
 was with you ail the time ? I mail an- 
 fvver him, frankly, yes ; and, to tell the 
 truth, I never loft fight of you. But, 
 faid the Duchefs, he may afk you, if I 
 fpoke to any t perfon ? if any body ac-- 
 cofted the coach ? and fuch like quefti- 
 ons. Doubt not, Madam, faid J ; I 
 know how to behave myfelf, in fuch a 
 manner, as to render void his moft cu- 
 rious enquiry ; and, I flatter myfelf, 
 you will be quite content with me. In 
 Vol. I. P fuch 
 
1 158 ) 
 
 fuch like difcourfe we got to the coach, 
 and retired to the palace. The next 
 morning I went to pay my refpecls to the 
 Duke, after having put on that virile aflu- 
 rance necefiary to deceive him : there was 
 no great occaiion, for he took, as folid 
 gold, this my artful relation. He afk- 
 ed me a thouland queftions; but, as he 
 confided in me, he remained fatisfied 
 with my anfwers, and began to talk with 
 me, on other things, with as much af- 
 fability as if I had been his fon. I know 
 not where he was going that morning, 
 or yvhether he waited for the appointed 
 time ; but he aiked me, what it was 
 o'clock? to oblige him, I took out my 
 watch, and remained like a ftatue, on 
 finding it to be that which the Prince 
 had left in my hands, and which I had 
 kept in my pocket, intending, by the 
 firft opportunity, to give it to him 
 again. The Duke took it in his hand, 
 and obferving it attentively, you have 
 a very handfome repeater, faid he, but 
 I think I have feen it feveral times be- 
 fore ; how did you come by it ? Sir, 
 faid I, (my blood running chili with 
 fear) it is probable you may have feefl 
 this repeater in another's hands ; be- 
 caufe I am about buying it of the Prin- 
 cefs of * * * * * 's gentleman. What 
 
 docs 
 
( J59 ) 
 
 docs he aflc for it? faid the Duke ; I 
 replied, he demands forty Louifd'ores, 
 but I intend to try it a few days in my 
 pocket before I pay him the money. 
 By this excufe, I hoped to come off with 
 honour; and to tell him afterwards, 
 in cafe he ihould not fee it any more in 
 my hands, that it did not go well, and, 
 for that reafon, I would not buy it. 
 But, by this means, I was more puzzled 
 than ever ; the Duke replied, that it 
 was made by a very eminent hand, and 
 that I need not doubt of it's goodnefs ; 
 that it was well worth the forty Louis- 
 d'ores, and that if I would not be at 
 the expence for it, he would ; that I 
 might have it as a proof of his remem- 
 brance and efteem for me. So laying, 
 he opened a bureau, counted me out 
 forty Louifd'ores, gave me the watch, 
 and lent me away. Here am I more 
 perplexed than ever ; I found my felt 
 under an obligation to reftore it to the 
 Prince; and it was neceffary for me to 
 have it, that the Duke might fee, when 
 occafion offered, that I efteemed his 
 prefent. I was not without fufpicion 
 that the Duke had known it, but that 
 he pretended not on purpofe to upbraid 
 me with my infidelity ; and, in this 
 confufion, I knew not what ftep to take. 
 P2 An 
 
( i6o ) 
 An acl of fimple inadvertency had made 
 me have recourfe to an excufe, to avoid 
 a diforder; but that innocent excufe 
 was likely to produce a greater ill, and 
 probably would have produced it, if I had 
 not found a remedy. I did not know bet- 
 ter what to do, than to go immediately 
 to the Duchefs, and inform her of the 
 fact. Entering her room, Oh ! Ma- 
 dam, faid I, you do not know what 
 ha? happened ! What is it ? faid ihe, 
 furprifed and trembling; I told her the 
 cafe, and her fears ceafed. But you 
 frightened me, faid fhe, when there was 
 no occafion for it: it is a,lmofr impofli- 
 ble that my hufband mould know the 
 Prince's watch; notwithstanding this, 
 as there is no other remedy, itand to 
 what you have faid, and I will think 
 of the remainder. Thefe words leviv- 
 cd iea little ; but I had hardly reco- 
 vered myfelf from this furprize, but I 
 fell into a greater. Changing the dif- 
 courfe, Bring me that picture that is on 
 the table there, faid ihe. On taking it 
 up, and obferving it, I thought I had 
 feen it before; and immediately recol- 
 lected, that it refembled the one I had 
 feen with Dull, the Italian merchant, 
 whom 1 had met with on my journey. 
 They pretend, faid the Duchefs, tak- 
 ing 
 
( i6i ) 
 
 ing it out of my hand, that this pic- 
 ture is like me ; probably it was like 
 me, but it has very little reiemblance 
 at prefent : what think you of it ? My 
 confufion, at thefe words, was incredi- 
 ble; by this I came to underftand, that 
 my miftrefs was the perfon mentioned 
 by Duli, of whom he preferved the 
 picture : I was furprifed I had not 
 found it out before, and perhaps it was 
 that I had forgot it, or rather, becaufe 
 her more advanced age had altered her 
 features, in fuch a manner, that, with- 
 out a particular obfervation, one could 
 not diftinguilh the refemblance. Now 
 I found I was privy to a fecret, of which 
 the had not the leaft fufpicion. Whilft 
 the Duchefs was expecting my anfwer, 
 thinking perhaps that my refpect kept 
 me from giving my opinion, fpeak, 
 faid ihe, freely your fentiments; do you 
 think this refembles me ? I anfwered, as 
 in fact it was, that between the piclure 
 and the original there was fome little 
 difference; but I turned it to her praife, 
 by faying, that her lively air could not 
 be reprefented,. as it ought, by the moil 
 excellent painter. The Duchefs laugh- 
 ed, and added, that ihe found, in that 
 piclure, fomething amiable, which in 
 vain fhe had looked for in her face ; 
 P 3 and 
 
( 162 ) 
 
 and I do not underfland, added ihe, 
 why the Duke, my hulband, mould 
 maintain, that you refemble me in the 
 air of your face, when I find, that you 
 rather refemble this my picture than 
 you do me. This was much the fame 
 with what I had heard the Duke fay, 
 a few days ago, as I flood, in the anti- 
 chamber; but this troubled me, and 
 made me blulh; which rheDuchefs in- 
 terpreted for an a<5t of modefl refpecl, 
 and, making me a prefent of her pic- 
 ture that I might always think of her, 
 afked me, if Mr. Befone, her hufband's 
 gentleman, was my confidant and friend ? 
 I anfwered her, that I thought fo, ac- 
 cording to the continual proofs he gave 
 me of his honefty and candour. Then, 
 replied fhe, inform yourfelf, from him, 
 what correfpondence he has with Count 
 Termes, who was in the army of Italy ; 
 if he has wrote to him lately, by order 
 of my hulband ; and to what end my 
 hulband holds this correfpondence with 
 him : Mrs. Cafardo allures me, that, 
 with her own eyes, ibe faw a letter di- 
 rected to him ; and therefore do not be 
 eafily put off: the affair muft be ma- 
 naged with great dexterity, and I know- 
 that you are not deficient of it, when 
 you really have it at heart to do me a 
 
 pleafure. 
 
( i<5 3 ) 
 
 plcafurc. I could have fatisfied the 
 Duchefs immediately, by confeffing; 
 that the letter, which Mrs. Cafardo 
 had feen, was mine ; but as all this re- 
 garded my own fecret, it gave me fomc 
 appreheniions, and made me go cauti- 
 oufly about it. I only anfwered then, 
 that I would do my endeavour to fatisfy 
 her ; and with this, took my leave. 
 
 CHAP. XX. 
 
 New Difcoverics in regard to the Duchefs, 
 and Declaration of Madam Cafardo. 
 
 IF ever I returned confuted and 
 afflicted to my room, this was the 
 time; and I had good reafon : what a 
 labyrinth is this, laid I, to myfelf, of 
 which I cannot fee the end ! my miftrefs, 
 without doubt, is the Princefs of whom 
 Dull fpoke, and who was delivered, pri- 
 vately, of a daughter in his howfe ; the 
 Duke pretends that I refemble this pic- 
 ture, drawn for her in the flower of 
 her age; ilie has a great defire to know, 
 what correfpondence paries between her 
 huiband and Count Termes : is it pofii- 
 ble, that I am got into the houfe of my 
 mother, without knowing it? and, -if 
 it it lhould be ib, what will become of 
 me? oh! how I ramble; or, perhaps, 
 
 it 
 
( 164) 
 
 It is my vanity makes me dote: Duli 
 was half drunk ; or, perhaps, he wanted 
 me to think him a man of confequence, 
 or cabinet fecretary : that Princefs of 
 his became a mother in Rome, I was 
 educated at Avignon ; the affair in re- 
 gard to Count Termes is known alio to 
 Madam Cafardo, then it cannot he an 
 affair that requires great fecrecy, as fhe 
 is not looked upon to be a woman capa- 
 ble of keeping it ; and I all this while 
 have the letters from my mother, nor 
 has the writing of them any likeneis 
 with thofe I have {ecn of the Duchefs 
 
 Mine are all apprehenfions ; I 
 
 am uneafy without reafon.. Thus I ar^ 
 gued with myfelf - 9 but many difficulties 
 remained, which Itemed to me infur- 
 moun table. It was necdlary to give 
 the Duchefs fome anfwer concerning 
 the letter fent to the Count, without 
 difcovenng that it was mine, and with- 
 out running the rifk of being caught in 
 a lye; it was alfo necefTary that I ihould 
 agree in my frory with Mr. Be f one. 
 Exclufive of all this, I was concerned 
 to ink what 1 mould fay to the Duke 
 about the watch ; and the dangerous 
 character of Madam Cafardo who car- 
 r. *< e ery trifling thing to her miftrefs, 
 perplexed mc not a little. Diffident of 
 
 every 
 
( its ) 
 
 every thing which I either faw or hear d, 
 I placed myfelf before a looking-glafs, 
 with the picture in my hand which the 
 Duchefs had given me, and began to 
 compare the features with my own ; in 
 fact, I began to think that the Duke 
 was in the right ; but with what cer- 
 tainty could I hruft to an imperfect re- 
 femblance, of which we fee frequent 
 examples : I then took into my hand 
 that of Count Termes, which I always 
 obferved with pleafure, to examine 
 which of the two was beft drawn ; at 
 this in (rant Madam Cafardo furprifed 
 me, and I endeavoured to conceal the 
 pictures, but had not time to do it. I 
 ought to go about my bufinefs, faid ihe, 
 finding you engaged in the contempla- 
 tion of your lover ; but I am fmcere, 
 nor can I dhTemble any longer my af- 
 fection for you : I love you to fuch a 
 degree, that I am no longer miitrefs of 
 myfelf, feeing that you are blind to my 
 tendefneis, or, if you are feniible of it, 
 you only abufe it with flighting me. 
 Madam, faid I, you are in an error; 
 what I was looking at, is not the pic- 
 ture of any of my lovers, and I am 
 furprifed how you can mortify, in this 
 manner, a young man who has always 
 ihewed the greateft efteem for you. 
 
 What ! 
 
( 1 66 ) 
 
 What ! fald fhe, can you deny It was 
 the picture of one of your lovers, which 
 you had juft now in your hand ? See, 
 Madam, replied I, if I have not reafon to 
 deny it. I then put into her hand the 
 picture of Count Termes, at which fhe 
 remained aftonifhed. You are right, 
 faid fhe, I am difarmed ; but, alas ! 
 have companion on me, if my paffion 
 has made me take a ftep unbecoming 
 my character : I have loved you from 
 the firft moment I faw you ; your in- 
 fenfibility has only ferved to encreafe 
 my paffion ; I am refolved to love you 
 as long as I live ; and, if your heart 
 correfponds with your face, you will 
 not be ungrateful to me. You are per- 
 feci, Madam, faid I, (interrupting her) 
 in the art of love, but I am too young 
 in that art to know how to anfwer you 5 
 I am of opinion that you do it to ban- 
 ter me, as it appears unlikely to me, 
 that a lady of your age, merit, and ex- 
 perience, would condefcend to fall in 
 love with a boy. Ma lam Cafardo here 
 became ferious, alluring me of the (in- 
 cerity of her affection, and reproved 
 me tenderly, as if fhe knew me to be 
 defignedly infenfible. She had, indeed, 
 judged rightly; but was far from guef- 
 flpg the real motive. I told her, that, 
 
 in 
 
( 167 ) 
 in truth, I had not yet been in love 
 with any one; that I might, perhaps, 
 hereafter, have an affeclion for her, 
 and that fhe was very worthy of it ; but 
 that, at the fame time, I was defirous 
 my heart and lips lhouid go together, 
 if ever I did marry. Then, added ihe, 
 promife me, at lean 1 , not to love any 
 oncelfc; which I was obliged to promife, 
 though without any intention to keep 
 my word : my fencing-mafter knock- 
 ing at the door, Madam Cafardo re- 
 tired, though much dhTatistied, and I 
 took my hour's exercifc as ufual. 
 
 Towards night Mr. Befbne came to 
 me, and I told him, that the Duchefs 
 had got intelligence of the letter fent to 
 Count Termes ; that I had rcafon for 
 not faying it was mine, and begged of 
 him to fay the fame, in cafe he mould 
 be afked. He exclaimed greatly again ft 
 Madam Cafardo, as a woman who want- 
 ed to know every thing, and could 
 keep nothing fecret ; afluring me alfo, 
 that he would affirm it to be his letter, 
 and that there was nothing of impor- 
 tance in it. Early the next morning 
 the Duchefs fent one of the fervants for 
 me 5 this impatience made me fufpeef 
 that fhe defired to know what account 
 I could give her of the letter, and I, 
 
 being 
 
( i63 ) 
 
 being prepared with an anfwer, waited 
 upon her to know her commands. 
 This, laid fhe, is a letter which you 
 muft deliver into the Prince's own 
 hands, before mid-day ; and I will tell 
 you in what manner you muft convey 
 it to him. This mefiage could not have 
 happened at a worfe' time, not that I 
 was unwilling to ferve the Duchefs in 
 a matter of fuch confequence, but I 
 was apprehenfive of being obliged to 
 deliver the watch to the Prince, which I 
 thought he would certainly afk for. 
 The Duchefs having inftruc'ted mc 
 what method I fhould take to deliver the 
 billet to the Prince, I took my leave. 
 I was ordered to wait in a remote part 
 of the park, where the Prince was to 
 come, and not to move from thence : 
 twelve o'clock was the time limited; 
 and, although the thoughts of the watch 
 troubled rac much, I refolved to return 
 it to the Prince. 
 
 C PI A P. 
 
( &9 > 
 
 CHAP. XXL 
 
 An important Secret difcovcred by ;;;<?, one 
 Night in the Garden. 
 
 AS I was going to the park, I met 
 Madam Cafardo, who was com- 
 ing from the "Duke's apartment ; her 
 firit reproof to me was, that, after hav- 
 ing fo often exprefled her real love to 
 me, I never would do her the favour 
 to pay her a vlfit in her own apartment. 
 I excufed myfelf by anfwering, that 
 I thought, between us, there was no 
 occafion for thofe ceremonies, when 
 neccrllty obliged us to fee one another 
 every day, and that I mult beg her ex- 
 cule, at prefent, being on bufinefs of 
 confequence for the Duchefs. She de- 
 parted in a very ill-humour, and I went 
 on to the park to execute my commif- 
 fion ; the Prince did not come ail that 
 morning to the appointed place, and I 
 waited there till it was almoft dark, 
 when I met him, and delivered the 
 billet the Duchefs had given me, which 
 he immediately read : I then took out 
 of my pocket the watch, faying, dear 
 Sir, the other day you forgot to take 
 back your watch of me, nor had I 
 time to give it you j here it is» No, 
 Vol. I. Q^ laid 
 
( 170) 
 
 feid he, the Duchefs has ordered me to 
 let you keep it, upon condition you'll 
 tell me what is the reafon. This treat 
 of the Duchefs feemed to me fo deli- 
 cate, that my veneration increafed ftill 
 more for her. I told the Prince what 
 had happened to me with the Duke, 
 and the pretext that I had made with 
 him ; he laughed, alluring me, that it 
 was not poiiible that the Duke could 
 know the watch ; but that it was necef- 
 fary for me to have it ; as he had paid 
 for it, he could fay he had made me a 
 prefent of it. Thus, for once, my im- 
 prudence had done me more good than 
 harm ; I had got a watch, and forty 
 Louifd'ores. So true it is, that acci- 
 dents oftener decide for our good, or 
 harm, than human prudence. When 
 the Prince was gone, I began to medi- 
 tate, in myfelf, how I could rind out 
 what connexions the Duchefs had witli 
 Count Termes, the better to fee in what 
 water I was filhing, and what I had to 
 fear. It feemed to me, I had no object 
 to trouble me but this ; and if I could 
 gain fome light in this matter, I mould 
 be entirely content. I was fo loft in 
 this thought, that I forgot the hour of 
 fupper ; nor did I care much for go- 
 ing, as I had but little appetite, and 
 
 dreaded 
 
(i7* ) 
 
 dreaded another a (Fault from Madam 
 Cafardo, which would put me out of 
 all patience. I tarried fo long in the 
 park, that it was very late when I got 
 home. Coming near the palace, 1 heard 
 the footfteps of fomebody coming to- 
 wards me : the ruftling of the (ilk ha- 
 bit gave me rcafon to believe it to be a 
 woman ; the hafty walk, and voice, tho* 
 low, convinced me that it was M 
 Cafardo ; and I dire&ly fufpeaed, that, 
 not finding me in my chamber, (he 
 came to look for me. I placed myfelf 
 behind a thick bufh, and watched her 
 attentively, being curious to know the 
 event. By the light of the moon, I 
 could diftinguim another perfon with 
 Madam Cafardo, but could not be cer- 
 tain who it was. At length I heard 
 them fay, He is certainly gone to bed, 
 Oh ! then, thought I to myfelf, they 
 are talking of me; and, foon af- 
 ter, heard Madam Cafardo fay, Do 
 you know I am afraid that I am with 
 child ? Had a thunderbolt fallen at my 
 feet, it could not have caufed me more 
 confufion : if, at frrft, her fooliili paf- 
 fion made me pity her, I had now loft 
 all my efteem for her ; and I began to 
 fufpeft the real truth. As they walked 
 (lowly en, and frequently (topped, I 
 Qj> had 
 
( i7 2 ) 
 
 had the opportunity to hear more : If 
 
 you can bring about, fa id he that was 
 
 with her, the fcheme fuggefled to me 
 
 by the Buffoon, to induce Richard to 
 
 marry you, we are both fafe ; and I 
 
 will add to your fortune a thoufand pif- 
 
 toles. Though my ears and eyes were 
 
 fully employed, I could not hear any 
 
 thing more, nor find out the per foil 
 
 who was talking with her : they took a 
 
 turn or two in the garden, as if they 
 
 were waiting till all the family were 
 
 afieep - s they then went into the palace 
 
 together, and I heard no more of them* 
 
 When I had loft fight of them, I burtf 
 
 out into a fit of laughter ; then ran to 
 
 my apartment, and, without lighting a 
 
 candle, went diredtly to bed. There I 
 
 reflecled upon what I had heard from 
 
 Madam Cafardo : It is no wonder, 
 
 thought I, that her poor hufband was 
 
 jealous -, and who would not be of fuch 
 
 a wife? her love now gives me no more 
 
 trouble, as I have learned how to treat 
 
 her; and it is well for me that I am not 
 
 in a ftate to be her hufband. With 
 
 thefe and fuch like reflections, I pafTed 
 
 away two hours without being able to 
 
 fleep ; nor had fcarcely clofed my eyes, 
 
 when a footman came to inform me, 
 
 that the Duchefs waited for me in the 
 
 garden ; 
 
( *73 ) 
 
 garden : tins obliged me to drefs again 
 in hafte ; I excufed myfelf to her for 
 making her wait, but me laughed, fay- 
 ing, that I was not obliged to be a con- 
 juror, and to know that fhe would be 
 up fo early that morning. Laft night, 
 added lhe, I was not able to clofe my 
 eyes, which made me get up to take a 
 little frefh air : I have fent to fee if 
 Madam Cafardo was up, to come and 
 keep me company; but lhe is ftifl 
 afleep, though Die ufually rifes very- 
 early. Here I had fome difficulty to 
 refrain from laughing; but I took care 
 to avoid it, as, in fo doing, I mould 
 have been under a neceflity to inform 
 the Duchefs of the reafon, and give her 
 fome caufe to fufpeel her Maid of Ho- 
 nour. When fhe had walked about an 
 hour, me went in; but firft afked me 
 about the letter to the Prince, and how 
 I had acted with Mr. Befone? to which 
 I anfwered in a fatisfa&ory manner. 
 And now finding myfelf alone, the night 
 adventures ©f Madam Cafardo return- 
 ed to my mind, and I thought it would 
 afford me fome diverfion to go and pay 
 her a vifit unexpectedly, and drop a 
 hint that I was no ftranger to her in- 
 trigues. I mould have gone directly, if 
 I had not met Mr. Befone, who infift- 
 
( 174) 
 € d on my company to walk with him in 
 the garden. After having talked toge- 
 ther about the delightfulnefs of that 
 place, This is nothing, faid he, to what 
 you mall fee at Verfailles ; I think you 
 do not feem to have any relifh for them; 
 it is uncommon to find a young man of 
 your age fo infenfible to the gaieties of 
 a court, in which many are beyond 
 reafon emerged. Sir, laid I, I am 
 young, and a foreigner, without rela- 
 tions, or friends; and, what is worfe, 
 have but little experience of the world : 
 you can enjoy the pleafures of a court ; 
 and if any thing unexpected ihould hap- 
 pen, you know in what manner to a<5t. 
 That is true, replied he ; yet, I aflure y ou,^ 
 I am weary of it : thofe pleafures, which 
 pleafed me in my youth, are now tire- 
 fome; and, though perhaps you will not 
 believe me, I have more pleafure in your 
 company, than in all the court : but I 
 am of opinion, added he, that Ma- 
 dam Cafardo is the principal caufe of 
 your folitary life ; everyone fays that 
 you are not indifferent to her allure- 
 ments : fhe has her merits ; and I can- 
 not blame you, as, at your age, I per- 
 haps fhould have done worfe. As to 
 this, replied I, laughing, if Madam. 
 Cafardo does not want attractions, nei- 
 ther 
 
( 175) 
 tlier do I believe that fhe wants lovers. 
 I know nothing of that, faid he ; but 
 if it is fo, fhe is not of fo cruel a dif- 
 pofition as to refufe you a place in her 
 heart : your youth alone deferves it. It 
 is very certain that the women of this 
 age are great admirers of novelty, and 
 a lover of long ftanding is often oblig- 
 ed to give way to a new gallant : the la- 
 dies would be better pleafed, if their 
 lovers were like the feafon of the year, 
 which changes every three months. If 
 this is the cafe, faid I, it is beft to have 
 nothing to do with them. Our walk 
 ended at the hour for dinner, at which 
 Madam Cafardo was not prefent ; and 
 I got up from table fooner than ufual, 
 becaufe I had a very great defire to go 
 and pay her a vifit. 
 
 CHAP 
 
( ITfJ 
 
 CHAP. XXII. 
 
 A horrid Scheme formed againft me ly 
 Madam Cafardo. 
 
 I found her half undrerTed, discon- 
 tented, and pale in the face, which 
 made her feem fhipifled. I took that 
 opportunity to afk her, if flic found 
 herfelf indifpofed ? I am not ill, an- 
 fwered me, but I know not what has 
 been the matter all night, for I have not 
 been able to fleep. I muft fay, Madam, 
 added I, the paft night has been fatal 
 to ileep, becaufe the Duchefs alfo la- 
 ments that me could not ileep; and, two 
 hours after midnight, I was walking in 
 the garden — At that hour, in the gar- 
 den! ibe replied : at that hour exactly, an- 
 fwered I ; and having heard there I know 
 not what, at that fame hour, and know- 
 ing that it could not be the Duchefs, I 
 imagined I had heard you. Not I, add- 
 ed ihe ; I was in bed before midnight. 
 Then I muft have been miftaken, repli- 
 ed I ; and am fo forry for your indif- 
 pofition, that I would willingly flay and 
 bear you company, if a commiflion 
 from the Duchefs did not call me elfe- 
 where. Thus I left her, nor do I know 
 what fhe thought of the viiit : I know, 
 
 however* 
 
( i?7 ) 
 however, that Ihc became more reafort- 
 able afterwards with regard to me, and 
 did not trouble me with her love : it 
 was not becaufe the fire was extinguish- 
 ed, but perhaps ibe covered it under 
 the cinders erf very cold indifference, 
 that it might prove more fatal to me -, 
 as, in fad, it happened. What had 
 been faid in the garden, the preceding 
 night, regarded me fo much, that it 
 excited my curioiity to know ftill more.- 
 Madam Cafardo's lover was fome per- 
 fon belonging to the houfe, becaufe 
 they both v/ent into the palace together : 
 fome one elfe, of whom they were dif- 
 courfing (having given him the name 
 of Buffoon) was an accomplice in the 
 intrigue : and I was deiirous to know 
 who they both were. It was not like- 
 ly that Madam Cafardo, after what lhe 
 had heard from me, would hazard any 
 more her intrigues in tfee garden, but 
 I was deceived in my conjectures ; for 
 having pofted myfeif on the watch, the 
 following night, I was allured of the 
 truth of what had paffed the night be- 
 fore ; and, among other things, I heard 
 the fecret lover of Madam Cafardo fay, 
 if it ihould fo happen that you cannot 
 honeftly cover your being with child, 
 by marrying Richard, you will not 
 
 want 
 
( i7« ) 
 an excufe to retire to Paris till 
 yoa are brought to bed. Alfo that 
 night, the Buffoon was mentioned as a 
 man of great cunning, md capable of 
 performing and conducing any thing; 
 but I could not find out who he was. 
 The affair feemcd now more ferious t© 
 me than ever : I lufpccled they were 
 plotting againft me ; and although my 
 lex put it in my power to defend my- 
 fclf, rather than come to fuch an ex- 
 tremity I ihould have facrificed my 
 life. Several weeks pafTe'd without any 
 thing material happening; as Madam 
 Cafardo treated me with the greater! 
 indifference, I regulated my conduct in 
 the fame manner towards her. She was 
 become in my eyes, an object of hor- 
 ror and contempt. One day I ob- 
 ferved a perfon come out of her room, 
 whom I thought I had fecn before, but 
 could not recollect either when, or 
 where : he was a fat man, of low fea- 
 ture, of about forty years of age, of a 
 dogged look, and a face that did not 
 bode any good : he was tolerably well 
 dreffed, and gave himfelf the air of a 
 man of quality. Faffing by me, he 
 looked at me with furprize, as if he 
 feemed to know me ; but with fo much 
 difdain, as if he thought I did not me- 
 rit 
 
( *79 ) 
 tit that honour. This behaviour made 
 me more defirous than ever of know- 
 ing who he was ; and meeting Mr. 
 Befone, a few minutes after, as I knew 
 he mutt have feen him, I asked him, if 
 he knew who he was ? The perfon you 
 faw, faid lie, is a Buffoon, a character 
 which now a-days makes a figure in the 
 houfe of the great : his profeiTion is 
 that of a comedian, in which his abi- 
 lity is particularly good , but, on the 
 contrary, his villainous talents are 
 much fuperior, and I do not believe 
 that, among the living, there is a raf- 
 cal of ib black a heart, or a greater 
 reprobate; at leaif, all who have had 
 dealings with him give him that cha- 
 racter. The Duke profits him, be- 
 caufe he pretends that he ferved him 
 once as a pimp., a murderer, and a 
 fpy ; and, as the Marquis of * * • *, 
 his nephew, has the ini peel ion of the 
 court theatres, this fellow applies to the 
 Duke whenever he has occalion to beg 
 a favour for himfclf, or a penfion for 
 the other comedians. At prefent he is 
 the head of a company from Troyes ; 
 but being hated by them for the pre- 
 fumplion he ufes them with, and fomc 
 dilcontent happening, he wants to get 
 clear of them, and to get a place, for 
 
 himfelf 
 
( i8o ) 
 bimfclf and family, in the King's com- 
 pany ; in which he will without doubt 
 iuccced, as the Buffoons have beft fuc- 
 cefs now a-da}s: though there are peo- 
 ple of credit who countenance him, I 
 have nLrer had any thing to do with 
 him j nor do I know what the Duke 
 finds in him, to maintain him ; his ex- 
 traction mint be very bad, being of a 
 race of baftards for four generations 
 back, all the vileft dregs of the king- 
 dom. 
 
 No piclure could be more lively than 
 this; and Mr. Befone could not fay 
 enough, when he d< claimed againft the 
 abufes and corruption of the world. 
 Thefe particularities made me remem- 
 ber him for one of thofe I had ieen on 
 the theatre at Troyes, and pointed 
 out to me, by the courteous hair-dreffer, 
 by the name of Moniieur Tartar. And 
 fo he is called here, replied Mr. Be- 
 fone, becaufe his father had him in 
 Tartary, and paffed over Mufcovy to 
 France. What affair, added I, can he 
 jhave with Mrs. Cafardo ? I faw him 
 come out of her room a little while ago. 
 I do not know, faid he, as I take no no- 
 tice of other people's buiinefs ; but he 
 has certainly been there to do good for 
 himfelfi or mifchief to fomebody elfe. 
 
 The 
 
( 1R1 ) 
 The thought directly occurred to me, 
 that he mud be the Buffoon mentioned 
 in the garden, and, by the apprehenfion 
 that fuch a black-hearted villain was 
 plotting againft me, I was feized with 
 the greateff horror. Then the advice 
 of the young man at Troyes, which 
 was, to keep my felt as far from fuch 
 people as from the {even mortal fins, 
 feemed to be prophetic; and I conceived 
 fuch an averfion for them, that, when 
 I heard the leaft mention of comedians, 
 fingers, and theatres, my blood ran 
 chill in my veins. I was in the mtdft of 
 thefe thoughts, when a fervant brought 
 me word, that the Duke wanted to fee 
 me. This jealous hufband, 'nought J, 
 wants to know fome news of his wife ; 
 but I was miftaken, there was worfe for 
 myfelf. As loon as he faw me 5 he a/k- 
 cd me, in a treacherous tone, if I had 
 no news to tell him ? to which I anfwer- 
 ed, that I had none, in which his Grace 
 had any concern. Then I know more 
 than you, faid he ; ferioufly afking me, 
 if 1 had lien Madam Cafardo ? I an- 
 fwered him, that I had ; and he repli- 
 eJ, I know you love her, and it pleafes 
 me to think that you have a return. 
 This frtendfhip is not without fome 
 mvitery ; I can fwear, Sir, replied I, 
 'Vol. I. R that 
 
( 182 ) 
 
 that in my correfpondence with Ma- 
 dam Cafardo, my love had no part. 
 And I can fwear, replied the Duke, that 
 I do not believe you, and I wonder at 
 your being fo infmcere with me : I 
 know that, at your age, a flip is par- 
 donable $ but, dear Richard, when gen- 
 tlemen make a falfe ftep, they ought 
 not to forget the debt of a perfon of ho- 
 nour : you underftand me now ! or 
 would you have me explain it more 
 clearly ? I do not know, Sir, faid I, 
 that I have committed any error that 
 merits this reproof. This is too much, 
 replied the Duke, and really fo much 
 diiiimulation offends me: how! do you 
 think that I do not know what has pair- 
 ed between you and Madam Cafardo, 
 who now finds herfeif fo unhappy, in 
 having fuppofed you a man of honour ! 
 on her account I will pardon your 
 youthful indifcretion, upon condition, 
 however, that you religioufly maintain 
 your promifes to her : I have heard, 
 from her, the amorous arts you have 
 pracYifed with her, to feduce her ; but 
 I would not lofe that good opinion that 
 I had conceived fqr you, by finding you 
 deficient in fo nice a point : your mar- 
 rying her will honour you more than 
 ever; and I wonder that it iljould re- 
 quire 
 
( 1*3 > 
 
 quire fo much to make you accept 
 what you ought. I need not fay I was 
 ftruck to a ftatue, and almoft deprived 
 of my fenfes; I did not know where I 
 was, nor was able to fpeak a woixl. It 
 feemed to me impoflible that her ma- 
 lice could be carried fo far, and that I 
 fhould be accufed of fo black a crime. 
 What was more eafy than to prove 
 myfelf innocent r but it would have 
 colt me a fecret, that I could not re- 
 veal without danger. My trouble and 
 filence, in the mean time, were inter- 
 preted, by the Duke, for a certain 
 fign of my guilt : Go, Sir, faid he, 
 with a tone of voire adapted to encreafe 
 my confufion, go, and think on it : 
 you have heard my intention, and do 
 not make it needful for me to re- 
 peat it. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
( i*4 ) 
 
 CHAP. XXIII. 
 
 An extravagant Adventure, by which J 
 difcozered the Accomplices concerned, in 
 the Plot againft myjelf. 
 
 TH E time allowed me to give a 
 fatisfaclory anfwer to the Duke, 
 was little better than the fhort refpite 
 given to condemned criminals. I ihut 
 myfelf up in my room, where I broke 
 out into many fighs, and fuch a fhower 
 of tears that I could cry, even now, at 
 the remembrance. I was at a lofs what 
 to think, what to refolve, what to do ! 
 I could publifh, faid I, the fhame of 
 that infamous intrigue which menaces 
 my ruin ; but will they believe my 
 words ? and where fhall I find witnefTes 
 for a proof of my perfecuted innocence? 
 to juftify myfelf fully, I muft betray 
 the fecret of mv fex : and what will be 
 the confequence, not knowing whofe 
 daughter I am? I may, perhaps, be the 
 child of one who would rather have me 
 dead than own me ! if I lofe the afylum 
 of this court, to what place fhall I fly 
 for refuge ? and, who knows, perhaps 
 they will not fufTer me to leave Paris ? 
 Thefe reflections incenfed me fo high- 
 ly againft Madam Cafardo, the caufe of 
 
 thefe 
 
( i«5 ) 
 
 thefe my fatal troubles, that, in the heat 
 of anger, I would gladly have embraced 
 an opportunity of revenge, even at the 
 hazard of my own life. Defpair and 
 anger befieged me in fuch a manner, 
 that I did not hear two knocks at the 
 door ; my lamentations alarmed Mr. 
 Befone, who forced open the door, and 
 entered. What is the matter, my dear 
 lad ? faid he, throwing his arms about 
 my neck, what extravagancies are thefe ? 
 you are fo much altered, that I hardly 
 know you ; but, am I not your friend? 
 am I not old enough to be your father ? 
 and why do you make a fecret of your 
 affliction, when perhaps I am able to 
 relieve you ? you ftill have it in your 
 power to difclofe to me the grief of 
 your heart ; and be allured, that, at 
 the coft of my own life, I will take 
 part in your troubles as if they were 
 my own. Being greatly moved by 
 thefe exprefiions of paternal tendernefs, 
 I thanked him with the tears in my 
 eyes, and refolved to difcover to him 
 my fituation; upon condition, however, 
 that he mould obferve inviolable fecre- 
 cy. I then told him all the Duke had 
 faid to me ; what I had heard from 
 Madam Cafardo in the garden ; and 
 whatever elfe I could tell him, as a proof 
 R3 of 
 
( 186 ) 
 
 of my innocence, without declaring 
 myfelf woman. When he had heard 
 all, See, faid he, with horror equal to 
 my own, what a woman is capable of, 
 who profeffes herfelf a woman of ho- 
 nour ! for my part, when I find myfelf 
 under a neceility to be converfant with 
 the bufy part of mankind, I confider 
 myfelf as furrounded by aflaffins, traitors, 
 and thieves : but, my dear friend, in 
 this cafe, inftead of abandoning your- 
 felf to defpair, you mufr confide in 
 your own innocence, and take fuch 
 meafures as are moft likely to make for 
 your acquittance : you may depend on 
 me, as on yourfelf; and I promifeyou, 
 from this moment, to do all in my 
 power to difcover who is the unknown 
 gallant of Madam Cafardo, who, by 
 fcreening himfelf, would bring upon 
 you the confequence of his crime ; 
 from this you muft unravel the thread 
 of this intricate fcheme, and clear up 
 your innocence to the eyes of the 
 Duke. I told him, that I had fome fuf- 
 picion that the Buffoon, who was men- 
 tioned in the garden as the contriver of 
 fo fcandalous a plot, could be no other 
 than that Tartar, of whom we had talk- 
 ed tegether that morning. 'Tis not un- 
 likely, faid the good old man, he is 
 
 capable 
 
( i*7 ) 
 
 capable of any thing ; but, if it is fo y 
 you muft obferve great caution with 
 him, not to give him the leafr token of 
 your fufpicion, left you irritate him 
 the more. I have nothing to do with 
 him, replied I, and perhaps never may 
 have an opportunity of feeing him 
 again. Why not ? added he, if he is 
 aii accomplice in this gang, he will ap- 
 pear as fuch, and look out for an oc- 
 cafion to infinuate himfelf with you, 
 and counfel you to comply with the 
 Duke's defire: people of this character 
 do not bluih at their villainy, but are 
 ufed to carry two faces j and that with 
 which they prefent themfelves, is always 
 the liar : if this affair turns to your 
 difadvantage, he will be the firft to 
 condole with you on your difgrace ; 
 and, discovering your innocence, he'll 
 not be the laft to give you joy of your 
 good fortune : keep upon your guard, 
 and make good ufe of your prudence. 
 By this time, the hour of dinner draw- 
 ing near, we went together into the 
 hall. I imagined that Madam Cafar- 
 do would not be there, or, at leafr, that 
 fhe would not have courage to look me 
 in the face; becaufe, I fuppofed that 
 ihe could not think on the cruel defign 
 ihe had meditated againft me, without 
 
 blufhing : 
 
( 188 ) 
 
 blufhing : but fhe had the aflurance, 
 more than once, to fpeak to me ; and it 
 was with the greateft difficulty I could 
 iHfle my rage. All my confolation 
 confifted in the hopes of difcovering 
 land in time ; and in being able, one 
 day or other, to vindicate myfelf. I 
 made not the leaft doubt but that the 
 Duke had incenfed the Duchefs againft 
 me, by telling her of this affair as he 
 thought proper, and giving ail poflible 
 weight to the accufation ; but I flatter- 
 ed myfelf, that lhe would not condemn 
 me without hearing ; and to her I 
 could fmcerely open my heart : in fa6r, 
 the following day ihe fent for me, and 
 I went fully confident of her goodnefs, 
 and my own innocence. Truly, Ri- 
 chard, faid ihe, at feeing me, I hear 
 ftrange things of you, which are not 
 to be wondered at, confidering the ad- 
 vantages your perfon gives you to make 
 conquefts : in one thing only I am de- 
 ceived., which is, that I did not believe 
 you fo dexterous as to conducl an in- 
 trigue with fo much fecrecy. Permit 
 me, Madam, faid I, to have the ho- 
 nour to tell you, that to me you attri- 
 bute a talent to which I have not the 
 leaft title : 1 find that the Duke has gi- 
 ven you an account injurious to my 
 
 honour % 
 
( i8 9 ) 
 honour; but, I allure you, Madam, I 
 am innocent : nothing could be more 
 eafy, than to juftify myfelf alio with 
 him ; but I have been willing to fpare 
 the reputation of a perfon who has the 
 honour to belong to you, and does not 
 merit it if fhe does not fpare herfelf. 
 She has rafhly proceeded to blacken 
 my character, and charity ought firft 
 to begin with myfelf. When your 
 Grace lhall have heard what I have to 
 tell you, you will judge of the accufa- 
 tions that are againft me ; and if you 
 find me guilty, I lhall not refufe any 
 punifhment that you pleafe toaflign me, 
 Here I told 'the Duchefs the fame 
 which I had told Mr. Befone, beginning 
 with the adventures of the garden, 
 without omitting thofe circumflances 
 that rendered my fituation deplorable. 
 The Duchefs made no great wonder at 
 it ; which made me imagine, that, of 
 fuch like practices of her Maid of Ho- 
 nour, lhe had already had fome proofs. 
 It was natural to imagine, faid fhe, that 
 Madam Cafardo fhould rather recur to 
 the Duke, than to me; fhe knows that 
 I am no Itranger to her, and that I 
 fhould not have lent faith fo lightly to 
 her complaints. Though I am forry 
 ihe has gained my hulband in her fa- 
 vour, 
 
( *9° ) 
 
 vour, becaufe it will not be fo eafy to 
 make him change his opinion ; never- 
 thelefs I fhall fpeak to him, and, when 
 I find him difpofed to believe me, fhall 
 not fail to make life of what you have 
 confided in me. Rely, therefore, upon 
 me ; I mall do all poffible to juftify 
 you. I bowed, and, with my moit fin- 
 cere thanks, took my leave; and went 
 from her chamber to pafs my time in the 
 garden, till towards night, as moft fuit- 
 able to my melancholy thoughts. And, 
 to tell the truth, many were the reflec- 
 tions which my capricious deitiny fug* 
 gefted to me ! Was there a woman to 
 be found, in a more unhappy fituation 
 than mine ? but, above all, it gave me 
 trouble, that I could not find out what 
 motive Madam Cafardo could have for 
 ufing me thus ; knowing my indiffe- 
 rence for her perfon, fhe ought to fore- 
 fee, that fuch a black calumny muit 
 render her itill more hateful to me : fhe 
 could not imagine but that, by getting 
 her ends, and becoming my wife, ihe 
 would alio become a victim to my jure 
 revenge and hatred. Then it could 
 not be love that made her a<5f in that 
 manner, but rather rage, jealoufy, and 
 revenge; a bafe, mifchievons temper, 
 that would cry becaufe others laugh, 
 
 and 
 
( 19* ) 
 
 and make herfelf mifcrable becaufe 
 others weie content ! My greater! con- 
 cern was, that I did not know how to 
 extricate myfelf from the danger that 
 menaced me from all parts ; or how to 
 eradicate the imprellion which my per- 
 fidious enemy's arts had made on the 
 Duke, and difcover the wretcli that 
 had commerce with her, and who want- 
 ed to pafs me as the author of his 
 crime. All this was impoilible without 
 the particular affiitance of heaven, or 
 without running the rifk of revealing 
 my fex. The night was far advanced, 
 nor could one difeern any thing, when, 
 in thefe dark thoughts, ftill walking 1st 
 the garden, behind a fort of labyrinth, 
 made of ever-greens, my ears were at- 
 tracted by the voice of two perfons, who 
 were talking together without the leaft 
 fear of being overheard : I could nei- 
 ther fee nor be feen, bccaufe there was 
 between us a thick hedge: I plac'd my- 
 felf attentively, without moving any 
 farther, for fear of making a noile 
 among the leaves ; and heard one of 
 them fay, Now I cannot, becaufe I 
 mutt carry this letter to Madam and 
 I would give fomething to read it ; if 
 one only had a light, I have the cou- 
 rage to open and read it, and leal it up 
 
 again, 
 
( i9 2 ) 
 again, without even the Devil finding 
 it out. Here is a light, faid the other, 
 taking out of his pocket a piftol tinder- 
 box, on which he ftruck, and at that in- 
 ftant a light appeared between the 
 leaves. I could then clearly diftinguilh, 
 that he that had the letter was the vil- 
 lainous Buffoon, confidant to the Duke, 
 and traitor to the perfon who had en- 
 trufted him with the letter, and to the 
 one to whom it was directed. Various 
 reflections came, at that moment, into 
 my mind : I was almoft certain that the 
 letter was for Madam Cafardd, and 
 that, from the fame, I could find outw ho 
 was her fecret cc-^p ndent : this fel- 
 low who had th , i iuppofed, acl- 
 ed between them; and that, if! had 
 that lei .er, I could have di . ered their 
 whole plot. Enco rraged by thefe 
 thoughts, I could have fa eed deifth that 
 inoment, and would have flown to 
 them, fword in hand, to vindicate my 
 caufe •. bat heaven tQ/>k compani :>n on 
 me, and made me think of a method 
 lefs dangerous, and morec Ttain of fuc- 
 cefs : I put my hand to my packet, and 
 pulled forth one of my piftols, which I 
 had alwa; - carried about me ; and then 
 thruft it lbftly between the bullies, and 
 aimed it directly at their light, which 
 
 iteod 
 
( J 93 ) 
 
 flood on a marble pedeftal, on which 
 the tray tor had laid the letter while he 
 was looking for fomething in his pocket 
 to leal it. I immediately let fly to the 
 light, and knocked it out with the wind 
 of the fhot : the noife of the piftols 
 made the two cowards fcamper off, and 
 leave the letter behind them ; I ran 
 round to the pedeftal andfeized the let- 
 ter, which contented me as much as if 
 I had got poiieifion of a gold mine, 
 and, with incredible joy, retired to my 
 apartment. 
 
 CHAP. XXIV. 
 
 Contents of the Letter, and my DiJ "appoint" 
 ment on reading it. 
 
 WHEN! got to my chamber, I 
 looked at the direction, which 
 I tbund to be for Madam Cafardo ; I 
 opened it to look for the name, but 
 found none. The letter was as follows : 
 
 V Madam, 
 
 lam impatient to know how your Ita- 
 lian withftood the aflault from the 
 Duke. Tell me, what (hall I do, if our 
 fecret vifits are to be broken ? or mull 
 I fee you expofed to the ridicule of the 
 
 Vol. I. S court ? 
 
( m ) 
 
 court J two lines will be fufficient to ac- 
 quaint me of your fituation ; but do 
 not let Tartar lee them, it is not right 
 that he thould know every thing. Love 
 trie ; and I am the fame frill." 
 
 I found that this would juftify my in- 
 nocence, and prove fatal to Madam 
 Caf.irdo ; yet I was forry that I did not 
 know who wrote it. I have, laid I, 
 compared the moil important point ; 
 the remainder will be managed with lefs 
 difficulty. With this confolati m I went 
 very chearfully to (upper, wilhing for 
 an opportunity to take Mr. Befone in- 
 to, my room, and give him a narrative 
 of what had pafTed. 
 
 When we were alone, I informed 
 him' of my adventure, and gave him 
 the letter to read ; but he no (boner 
 (aw the letter, than he cryed, Ah ! my 
 dear child, you are entirely loft ! Ter- 
 rified with this, 1 afked him the reafon ? 
 he told me, that the hand-writing was 
 that of the Marquis of * * **, nephew 
 to the Duke, and that he knew the 
 writing as well as his own. In what an 
 unhappy affair are you embarrafled 1 
 this letter is an evident proof of an in- 
 trigue between the Marquis and Ma- 
 dam Cafario ; and if you offer to jus- 
 tify 
 
( 195 ) 
 tify yourfclf to the Duke, it will only 
 increafe his anger, bccauie lie would 
 not have the reputation of his nephew 
 blaftfcd in fuch an ^affair, though he 
 knew that he was in the fault : and who 
 knows, but what the Duke hittlft.lf may 
 be a party in this plot, and would have 
 you ruined to cover the fcandal of his 
 ho ufe ? 
 
 I afked Mr. Befone, what he would 
 advife me to do r I would have you, 
 faid he, go to the Duchefs; ihew her the 
 letter; and tell her, that you would not 
 fhew it the Duke, for fear of ineenfing 
 him againft the Marquis : by thefe 
 means, the Duchefs, being convinced 
 of your innocence, will always be your 
 advocate with the Duke. 1 promifed 
 to obey him; but had no opinion that 
 this would be of any fervice to me, 
 knowing, better than he, the fecret rea- 
 fons which the Duchefs had, not to 
 break with her huiband. Mr. Befone 
 then took his leave of me for that night ; 
 and the day following he came to me, 
 defiring me to go and dine with him at 
 the houfe of a relation of his, where 
 we found very agreeable company. I 
 promifed my readers to be finccre, even 
 in my failings; and intend to keep my 
 word with them. At that dinner, I drank 
 S 2 a little 
 
( '96 ) 
 
 a little more than I mould have done ; 
 but there was a moft agreeable young 
 lady, called Mifs Gianetton, whom 
 Mr. Befone had known a long time ; 
 and after dinner, to divert her, lie play- 
 ed feveral airs on the flute, whilft fhe 
 accompanied him with her voice ; and 
 I, being a little elevated with the liquor, 
 did the fame. My friend was luprifed 
 at my capacity, and complimented me 
 on the fvveetncfs of my voice ; the reft 
 of the company did the fame ; and there 
 was now no excufe for me, but fmg I 
 muft, as much as they pleafed. The 
 applaufe that I received from all, was 
 incredible : they fung almoft all the airs 
 of an opera, in which Mifs Gianetton 
 had her part; and we did not break up 
 till towards night. When we were got 
 home, and were fate down to fupper, Ma- 
 dam Cafardo feemed more discontented 
 than ufual, and I attributed the caufe 
 to the lofs of the letter which was fallen 
 into my hand : it was not unlikely that 
 Tartar, to excufe his own perfidy, 
 would endeavour to make her believe it 
 to be loft -, becaufe he had been feen by 
 her, feveral times, feeking about the 
 garden, as if he had been looking for 
 Something which he had really loft. 
 
 C H A P, 
 
( *97 ) 
 
 CHAP. XXV. 
 Advice given to me hy the Ducbefs ; and 
 my Conjectures of having found my 
 Mather. 
 
 TH E next morning the Duchefs 
 fent for me, and I had great hopes 
 that me had fome good news to com- 
 municate to me, having been inform- 
 ed, by fhe mefTenger, that the Duke 
 had that moment left her chamber. 
 On my coming into the room, Do you 
 know, faid fhe, that the Duke has juft 
 left me, and has not fpoke one fy liable 
 about you ? I proteft, that the more I 
 think on the conduct of Cafardo, the 
 more I am aftoniihed ; and fhe certain- 
 ly mull have the mo ft confummate af- 
 furance, to carry things to this excefs. 
 I do not know, Madam, anfwered I, by 
 what bafe motives the is actuated ; but 
 give me leave to tell your Grace, that I 
 can now give you the moil convincing 
 proofs of my innocence. I then put 
 into her hand the letter from the Mar- 
 quis, which fhe read with furprize and 
 wonder. Here is no reply to this, faid 
 the Duchefs ; I could never have believ- 
 ed, that any woman could have gone 
 fitch a length : the thing is clear, but 1 
 S3 do 
 
( i9 8 ) 
 do not fee that you can make any ufc 
 of it : it appears to me, that the Duke 
 is no Granger to this intrigue of his ne- 
 phew, and therefore he abfolutely re- 
 folves to make you marry Cafardo : 
 if this mould be the cafe, it will be 
 almoft impoflible to make him change 
 his opinion ; nor can I give you any 
 reafon to hope it : be advifed by me, in 
 thefe difficult circumftances ; when the 
 Duke fends for you, to know your an- 
 fwer, fubmit yourfeif, feemingly, to 
 his will -, but beg, as a favour of him, 
 that he would give you time to be af- 
 fured of her being with child ; and that, 
 when you are allured of that facl, you 
 are ready to marry her, only in appear- 
 ance, without obliging yourfeif to live 
 with her as a hufband :. you will find 
 that the Duke will be content with this^ 
 and when he thinks he has prevented 
 any fufpicion of the intrigue between 
 his nephew and Cafardo, he'll then 
 take no further advantage : if it has no 
 other effecl, you will gain time ; and, 
 by gaining time, you will have fome 
 hope remaining. She then ordered me 
 to go to a particular place, to fee if 
 there was any letter from the Prince, 
 who was a little indifpofed ; and I 
 brought one, in which he told her, 
 
 that 
 
( *99 ) 
 that the next day he fhould be out to 
 take an airing. It will readily be be* 
 lieved, that my intimacy with Madam 
 Cafardo was at an end, after fhe had 
 treated me in this manner. OppreiTed 
 by the infamy fhe had brought on her- 
 felf, fhe feldom left her chamber, as, 
 perhaps, fhe feared my juft refentment; 
 though, as much as I was irritated 
 againft her, I could not help pitying 
 her iituation ; and feared, that her re- 
 morfe would make her commit fome 
 defperate thing, that might diihonour 
 her fHll more. Thus my heart, com- 
 panionate by nature, fpoke to me in 
 her favour; but, whatever it faid, when 
 I thought on her failing, and on her be- 
 ing with child, I could not juftify her 
 in my own heart, which prized honour 
 more than life itfelf. The Duke allowed 
 me eight days to refolve on an anfwer. 
 I had a good and able counfellor in 
 Mr. Befone ; and all the remedy we 
 could find, was, to keep to the advice 
 the Duchefs had given me, and wait the 
 event. At the expiration of the time 
 limited, the Duke lent for me. Well, 
 Sir, faid he, have you thought on that 
 affair ? if you chule to have my good 
 opinion, you know how to merit it. 
 Judge, Sir, faid I, whether I defire it 
 
 or 
 
( 200 ) 
 
 or not, when I tell you, that I am rea- 
 dy to obey you, and accept of Madam 
 Cafardo for wife : but, I befeech your 
 Grace, to give me time to be allured of 
 her being with child ; and in the mean 
 time, ifyoupleafe, our marriage ihall 
 be in appeal ance only. I don't know, 
 added the Duke, if fhe will be content 
 with thofe conditions; though, I muft 
 own, the favour you afk cannot well 
 be denied : I will reprefent the cafe to 
 her, and as her honour will be thereby 
 fecured from the attacks of fcandal ; me 
 may, perhaps, be fatisfied ; however, 
 you mall know further to-morrow. 
 The anfwer was, that Madam was con- 
 tent with this appearance, for the pre- 
 fent; upon condition, that I mould 
 keep my word when the time came, and 
 that the Duke himfelf mould be fecuri- 
 ty for my performance of the contra£r. 
 Matters being thus concluded, it was, 
 in a few days, rumoured, through all 
 the court, that I was married to Ma- 
 dam Cafardo ; and I received the com- 
 pliments of all parties accordingly. Was 
 not this a fubjecl: for a comedy, the moil 
 whimikal that ever made its appearance 
 on any ftage ? At this early time of 
 life, woman as I was, I had had two 
 wives: thetirft was a comfort, the other 
 
 a her- 
 
( ^oi ) 
 I horror to me ; and even (he, By her 
 fine ere repentance, would have difarm- 
 ed my anger, if other accidents had 
 not happened, which rendered my 
 heart, though naturally tender and 
 companionate, entirely averfe to her. 
 After the publication of my nuptials, I 
 never fpoke to Madam Cafardo, unkfs 
 it was in company ; where, being oblig- 
 ed to difTemble, the part was a pleaiure 
 to me, and to her the greater! torment : 
 neither of us exceeded the bounds of 
 fimple civility -, I, becaufe I would not; 
 the, not for want of inclination, but, 
 becaufe fhe had not courage to do other- 
 wife. She did not omit, however, to 
 give me, continually, the moil fenfible 
 proofs of tendernefs ; hoping, by de- 
 grees, to calm my juft refentment : a 
 day did not pafs, without her fending 
 me fome prefent; fhe did not dare even 
 to look up at table $ every glance of her 
 eyes was accompanied by a profound 
 figh, and, I may alfo fay, with fome 
 tears. 
 
 This mute language proceeded from 
 either her repentance,or her love, which 
 touched me much; and there were mo- 
 ments in which I felt companion for 
 her. I did not fail to give information 
 to the Duchefs of what pafTcd j and fhe, 
 
 who 
 
I 202 ) 
 
 who had a heart itill more tender than 
 mine, thought Madam Cafardo was 
 fufficiently punilhed by the remorfe of 
 
 her own conic ience : Kir. Befone alio 
 told me, that, as the condition remained 
 inviolable, not to afibciate with her as a 
 huiband, I could and ought to treat her 
 with more charity. So much perfua- 
 lion was unnecdiary, becaufe my heart 
 already pleaded in her favour; and if 
 the had had the courage to break fi- 
 lence, her excufes would not have been 
 badly received; nor would I, being the 
 party offended, be the firft fo to do. 
 Thus we continued for fome days, only 
 to look fllently at each other ; at length, 
 over- powered by the tendcmelVof my 
 nature, I rcfolved to be the fir ft ; and, 
 it being her birth-day, I got up from 
 bed with this intention ; when the pre- 
 vented me, by fending me, by a foot- 
 man, a bunch of very fine flowers up- 
 on a filver falver : fuch favours I had, 
 at other times, received from her; but, 
 under the flowers, there was one of an- 
 other fpecies, that I fhould not have ex- 
 peeled, and which again put my fpjrits 
 in frelh confufion. This was a letter 
 from her, which I opened for curiofity 
 to fee how the would juflify herfelf : 
 but, alas ! how was I furprifed, when, 
 
 on 
 
( 203 ) 
 on feeing the writing, I knew it to be 
 like, nay it was in the very fame hand 
 with which the two letters were wrote 
 from my mother, received by me in 
 the convent at Avignon, which I had 
 carefully preferved : I immediately 
 fearched for them, to confront them to- 
 gether, and found there was not even 
 the difference of a letter. 
 
 My thoughts were fo confounded, 
 that 1 knew net where 1 was not doubt- 
 ing in the lealr, from the iimilitucle of 
 
 ( 
 the hand-writing, but that Madam Ca- 
 
 fardo was my mother : but, alas ! what 
 fort of a mother did I find in her? Un- 
 happy me! laid I, to my felt; I no 
 longer wonder at her cruelty to others, 
 when lhe is fo inhuman to her own 
 child, whom lhe would, by force, have 
 Ihut up in a cloyftcr: fuch a mother 
 might well plot againft my honour, who 
 had dishonoured me even from my 
 birth ; and if her prefent pregnancy is 
 a crime, that alfo muft have been a 
 crime which gave me life : it is for this 
 caufe, the perfidious mother has con- 
 cealed herfclf even from her daughter : 
 for this, lhe would bury me in folitude, 
 to hide, from the eyes of the world, the 
 horror of her crime : I had been hap- 
 pier 
 
( 2o4 ) 
 pier never to have known her, than thus 
 to know her only to my ihame ! The 
 myftery of my birth, it is true, had al- 
 ways foreboded me little good ; but the 
 bad conduct of which I was certain 
 Madam Cafardo had been guilty, ex- 
 ceeded my worft apprehensions. One 
 falfe ftep in a woman well born, might 
 feem pardonable in the eyes of the 
 world, and of heaven, when it can, 
 perhaps, be juftified by a thoufand in- 
 difpeniable circumftances 5 but a fcries 
 of repeated falls, like thofe of Ma- 
 dam Cafardo, would admit of neither 
 pardon, or excufe. I rather cho<e to 
 remain an orphan, abandoned, and 
 unhappy, than confeis myfcif daughter 
 to fuch a mother ! 
 
 C H A P. 
 
( *o5 ) 
 
 CHAP. XXVI. 
 
 My Conjectures of having found my Father. 
 
 IT is now time to inform my readers 
 of the contents of the letter which 
 was wrote to me by Madam Cafardo; 
 and which were as follow : 
 
 " Dear Sir, 
 
 I am fenfible, that whatever comes 
 from me, ought to be, in your eyes, 
 an object of horror; but bear with me, 
 one moment only, and you will have 
 your revenge. Your diilike to me is 
 very trifling, in comparifon of my 
 fault ; very great are the continual 
 flings of my agitated conference 5 and 
 my crime is fo great, that it mult be 
 expiated only with my blood. You 
 ihall not, much longer, be troubled 
 with the fight of my odious perfon ; 
 for I am refolved to withdraw myfelf 
 from the eyes of all the world : but as 
 I cannot, even in folitude, obliterate 
 •the dear remembrance of you from 
 my mind ; I am determined there, by 
 my own hands, to put an end to ray 
 miferable life. I ihall die contented, if 
 }VU, thereby, have y >ur revenge 5 and 
 you, in fuch cafe, will be very innu- 
 
 Vol. I, T man 
 
C 206 ) 
 
 man to deny me your pardon. As I 
 expect nothing but this from your 
 goodnefs, in order to the execution of 
 my defign ; fhould you deny me this 
 favour, to make me die contented, 
 heavens pardon you the fault of render- 
 ing more miferable my untimely end, 
 I am, &c. 
 
 Cafardo. 
 
 I read this letter more than once; and 
 it produced in me more companion 
 than refpe6t. When I reflected that 
 thofe who are capable of one extreme 
 may be equally fo of another, the def- 
 perate refolution of Madam Cafardo 
 gave me fome difmal apprehenfions. As 
 1 thought her life in danger, and, what- 
 ever fatal imprudence lhe might be 
 guilty of, was unwilling to have the 
 caufe of it laid to my charge ; I flew 
 to her apartment, and found her in a 
 fituation not lefs . deplorable than lhe 
 had defcribed in her letter : I found 
 her fitting in a melancnoiy pofture, all 
 undrctled, and negle&ed ; her eyes 
 fwollen with tears. At firft fight of 
 me, me ftarted up, as if lhe had been 
 feized with an unexpected mixture of 
 joy and grief; me ran to meet me, and, 
 falling at my feet, lhe embraced my 
 
 knees, 
 
( 207 ) 
 knee?, fobbing and crying fo loud, that 
 fhe might have been heard in the ftreet. 
 I was perplexed to fuch a degree, that 
 I almoft repeated my coming. No, 
 dear Sir, faid lhe, I deferve nothing 
 but your hatred \ and if I have defired 
 your pardon, that is enough, without 
 your honouring me fo highly with 
 your prefence : I have ftained my own 
 reputation, and contaminated yours; 
 the horror of my crime increases in 
 proportion to your goodnefs; and your 
 goodnefs, at prefent, flings me more 
 than any thing elfe : by the emotion in 
 your countenance, I am fenfible that 
 you fed fome companion for me ; and 
 it you have pity for me as your ene- 
 my, let me die by your own hand, and 
 teach me how revenge is to be taken : 
 no, my dear Sir, I will not depart from 
 your feet, unlefs you will take this fa- 
 tisfaclion, which I dare not give you of 
 myfelf, through the fear of dishonour- 
 ing you ftill more : kill me with your 
 own hands, that fo I may die glorious, 
 rather than live difhonoured ; and your 
 life will become agreeable, as you would 
 rather die a thoufand deaths than be- 
 come my hufband : what more do you 
 wait for ? would you have me arm your 
 hand for revenge ? 1 have courage to 
 . T2 do 
 
( 208 ) 
 
 do it, as I am abfolutely refolved on 
 ' death — So faying, fhe Arete hed forth 
 her arm to take the fword from my fide ; 
 but I took hold of her, and, in lifting 
 her from the ground, fainted her twice* 
 Overcome by my fubmiffion, fhe fell 
 into fuch exceflive grief, that I was 
 afraid fhe would have fainted in my 
 arms : No, Madam, faid I, you fhall 
 not do violence onyourfelf : why ihould 
 not I pardon in you a fault, which pro- 
 ceeds from your flncere regard for me ? 
 it is fufheient, that you remember up- 
 on what condition I have accepted your 
 hand, and that you are fatisfied that 
 we fhall live together as if we were bro- 
 ther and iifter. Ah ! Sir, replied fhe, 
 even this is too much for me ; I am fo 
 far from deiiring that you ihould confi- 
 der me as a wife, that, at prefent, and 
 for ever, I befeech you to confider me 
 as one of your very humble fervants : 
 all I have in the world, is at your com- 
 mand ; but I wifn for nothing of yours, 
 except to have the honour to obey 
 you : your correspondence with me is 
 abfolutely necefTary, to preferve my re- 
 putation; but if even this offends you, I 
 care not what happens to me, provided 
 you are content. She faid a thoufand 
 other things, which might haveappeaf- 
 
 ed 
 
( 2o 9 ) 
 ed the rage of aWavage ; and our dii- 
 courfe would not have ended without 
 my declaring myfelf her daughter, it 
 another accident had not happened, 
 which kept me, more than ever, at a 
 diftance. The letters from Paris arriv- 
 ing, one was brought to her, which 
 fhe received with joy, faying, immedi- 
 ately after ihe had read the direction, 
 this comes from Avignon. My heart 
 jumped into my mouth at thefe words, 
 and I changed colour; but Madam Ca- 
 fardo did not obferve it, becaufe, on 
 reading the letter, fhe found motives 
 therein to difturb her more than me. 
 The alteration in her face was fo per- 
 ceptible, that I fufpecled, immediately, 
 what it was ; and which increafed my 
 fear. As I was near her, I law, imme- 
 diately, it was the writing of the go- 
 verned of the convent of Avignon: 
 the interrupted complaints which fhe 
 made at not receiving it fooner, per- 
 fuaded me that the letter had remained 
 neglected, a long time, at the poft* 
 office ; and her confufion only, made 
 made me believe, at latt, that it brought 
 an account of my flight. There was 
 no more occafion to doubt that Madam 
 Cafardo was actually my mother; which 
 required the greateft intrepidity in me, 
 T 3 not 
 
( 2ie ) 
 
 not to fall in a fwoon, with fear, at her 
 feet, and betray myfelf. She had hard- 
 ly read the letter, than fhe got up, and 
 afked my leave, faying, that it was ne- 
 cetfary for her to carry that letter to 
 the Duke, as it concerned a daughter 
 of his. I freely commented, wifhing to 
 be alone, that I might be able to make 
 more ferious reflexions on what I had 
 heard and feen. Oh, miferable me ! 
 .{aid I, in my heart, that letter brings 
 an account of my flight 5 and, by what 
 I underftand from Madam Cafardo, I 
 now know mv father ! nor do I at all 
 wonder that he interefted himfelf fo 
 much in favour of Madam Cafardo, 
 as in her he protected a miftrefs : but 
 what impiety is this, that the uncle and 
 the nephew fhould both be guilty of a 
 criminal correfpondence with the fame 
 woman ! what fort of a woman muit 
 this be, whofe paffions make her tram- 
 ple the laws of heaven and nature tin • 
 ture under her feet ! of fuch an unwor- 
 thy paflion, I am then the unhappy 
 fruit ; born into this world for my 
 lhanie ! . . . . Madam Cafardo, my 
 Mother ! the Duke, my Father ! . . . . 
 what felicity, upon earth, can a mife- 
 rable child hope for, born of parents {0 
 unworthv of the bleffings of heaven ? 
 
 Ah I 
 
( 211 ) 
 
 Ah! I already ice the dreadful fentenee 
 wrote above, that I am born to be for 
 ever unhappy ! woe to me, if the Duke 
 knew who 1 was ! he, who is io unjuft 
 to make me take upon me the ihame of 
 a fault committed by his nephew, will 
 be to me a tyrant, feeing before his 
 eyes, in my peribn, the image of his own 
 crime : no, from him I can expect no- 
 thing but perfecution, injuftice, and 
 cruelty, if he fhould ever find out that 
 I am his daughter ; which he certainly 
 will, either fooncr or later, if I forbear 
 to withdraw myfelf from a place, that 
 m ty be as dangerous to my life, as it 
 has, hitherto, been to my honour. 
 Full of thefe melancholy ideas, I fhould 
 have immediately flown from that 
 court, and from all France, if grati- 
 tude for the Duchefs had not perfuaded 
 me to do it in fuch a manner as fhould 
 not give her any trouble. With thefe 
 reflections came others not lefs impor- 
 tant, which obliged me to change my 
 thoughts : After I had given my word 
 to the Duke, and Madam Cafardo, to 
 appear in character of her huiband, 
 how could I obtain leave to abfent my- 
 felf from that court, without irritating 
 both, and drawing upon my head fome 
 worfe misfortune ! Here I loft ail pru- 
 dence, 
 
( 212 ) 
 
 dence, my fpirits languiihed, nor did I 
 know of whom to take advice : my 
 virtue alone fupported me, or rather 
 my philofbphy, perfuading myfelf to 
 prefcrve more caution than ever, to 
 diflemble with all, and to wait for a 
 remedy from the combination of events, 
 and the accidental circumflances of 
 time. 
 
 CHAP. XXVII. 
 
 The Court goes to Verfailles. A Misfor- 
 tune happens to the Prince, 
 
 ALTHOUGH Madam Cafar- 
 do had given me many proofs of 
 being fmcere with me, but few minutes 
 had pa<Ted when I had new motives to 
 iufpccl her. She had told me, that ihe 
 was obliged to go and communicate the 
 letter, from Avignon, to the Duke j 
 but I found, afterwards, that from my 
 chamber ihe had gone directly to the 
 Duchefs, and had tarried with her 
 above two hours. Having occafion to 
 fpeak to the Duchefs foon after, I found 
 her more thoughtful than ufual, and 
 much out of temper. This was a new 
 my fiery to me, and added to my for- 
 mer doubt, whether Madam Cafardo 
 had told me the truth, in faying, that 
 
 the 
 
( 213 ) 
 
 the fugitive from Avignon was daugh- 
 ter to the Duke. During this my per- 
 plexity, the court left Fontainble.au, 
 and went to Verfailles. This was a new 
 world to me, where every object ap- 
 peared wonderful : I never, in my life, 
 taw a more delightful place, nor fo fu- 
 perb and magnificent a building. We 
 no fooner arrived at Verfailles, than the 
 Duchefs intruded me where to carry 
 and receive letters to and from the 
 Prince ; this was the firft, if not the on- 
 ly thought, that engroiTed her atten- 
 tion. l!>y fome means or other, the 
 Duke had a fufpicion that I was privy 
 to this correspondence, and his confi- 
 dence in me decreafed every day : I 
 could* not help fufpecling this, though 
 I never could arrive to a certainty, as 
 lie was too cunning to let his thoughts 
 be perceived ; but the confequence con- 
 vinced me of it, and it is but feldom 
 that I am deceived in my conjectures. 
 I did not, at that time, take any great 
 pains to come to the bottom of it, as 
 the pleafures of Verfailles diverted me 
 more than ufual, and, by little and lit- 
 tle, introduced me to the great world. 
 The firft faihionable vice into which I 
 launched, was that of gaming; which 
 was the principal, nay the folc occupa- 
 tion 
 
( 2I 4 ) 
 
 tion of every one there. From what I 
 had obferved in others, I had fufficient 
 inotives to take an averfion to gaming : 
 it is begun as a diverfion, and general- 
 ly terminates in a downright profei&on : 
 how many are deceived into it at firft, 
 who, afterwards, make it their ftudy 
 to live by deceiving ? I, every day, 
 few thefe examples; but found few that 
 could profit by thefe my reflections. 
 While I was thus s cautioufly taking my 
 diversions, and profiting in the fchool 
 of the world, Madam Cafardo, who 
 continued firm in her love for me, ad- 
 vifed me of her fufpicions, that the 
 Duke was not pleafed with me, and that 
 ihe could not penetrate into the reafon 
 of it. I imagined that the Duchefs 
 muft have known, and had recourfe to 
 her; but ihe protefted fhe knew no- 
 thing of it. But I fuppofe, faid ihe, 
 that the Duke pretends to be angry 
 with you, to reduce you, by fear, to 
 marry, in reality, your pretended 
 fpoufe. 
 
 Who could have imagined what a 
 barbarous defign he was meditating 
 again ft me? however, I was not the 
 firft vicYim to his jealous fury : but to 
 induce the reader to believe him capa- 
 ble of fuch cruelty, it is necerTary firft 
 
( 215 ) 
 I fhould paint his character in a proper 
 light. 
 
 The Duke of * * * * was, in his l: i- 
 
 fture, little: in pcribn, pretty fat, full 
 of malignant humours, which the want 
 of excrcife occafioned, owing to his be- 
 ing fo very fat : he was almoft always 
 fitting at a little table in his ihuly ; and, 
 becaufe he was fhort-fighted, very of- 
 ten fat without any light. This conti- 
 nual thinking, and working with his 
 brain, had weakened his head in fuch 
 a manner, that he was frequently trou- 
 bled with the vertigo. He paired, with 
 every body, for a man of refined poli- 
 cy : but his policy was not always re* 
 gulated by honeity 5 he loved m> y\ 
 and he would put a hundred devices 
 to work to fave a few crowns. He 
 was a moft refined matter in the art of 
 diilimulation ; and would deceive peo- 
 ple with a iinile on his lips, whilir, in 
 his heart, he was meditating their 
 death : extreamly credulous, and fan- 
 ciful, he would make a body of every 
 ihade ; and of every accidental word, 
 a myftery. It may eafily be feen, that 
 to guard againft a man of this character, 
 without firif knowing him, was very 
 difficult ; and I rnyfeif did not know 
 him, till it was too late. I carried, one 
 
 day, 
 
( 2i6 ) 
 
 day, a letter to the Duchefs from the 
 Prince, in which he fignified, that, by 
 order of the King, he was to depart, 
 that fame night, for Paris -, and that he 
 was to return two days after : in facl, 
 he departed that night; and, the next 
 morning, it was rumoured over all 
 Verfaiiles, that he lay at the point of 
 death. It is impoifible to defcribe the 
 rage and defpair which the Duchef? 
 gave into at this melancholy news; and 
 my affliction was not lefs than hers, ac- 
 cording to the obligations I had to frt 
 amiable a Prince, whofe life I would 
 have preferved at the cofl: of my own. 
 I could have no peace for this cruel ac- 
 cident ; the common account of which 
 was, that he, having departed from 
 Verfaiiles in a poft-chaife, with his va- 
 let and one footman only, had been at- 
 tacked, four leagues from Paris, by 
 four men, mafked, armed with blun- 
 derbufles; that his two fervants were 
 killed on the fpot, and he himfelf was 
 very dangeroufly wounded ; and that 
 the poftiilion, who had the good for- 
 tune not to be wounded, had, by dint 
 of hard gallopping, brought the Prince 
 from out of the hands of thole mur- 
 derers ; who, having followed in vain 
 foine miles, at lail turned back. Thus 
 
 the 
 
( 2I 7 ) 
 the faft was related in general 5 but the 
 advice which the Prince fent to the 
 court, calmed our grief, by letting us 
 know, that he was only flightly wound- 
 ed in the arm, and that he hoped to be 
 in perfon, in a few days, at Verfailles. 
 The court ordered the moft diligent 
 enquiry to be made, to find out the 
 authors of this enormous attempt; but 
 it was all in vain. The Ducheis, who 
 was much interefted in that misfor- 
 tune, but dared not vent herfelf only in 
 my prefence, let flip fome words, from 
 which I could comprehend, that fhe 
 laid the fault upon the Duke, her huf- 
 band ; and, to tell the truth, my con- 
 jectures were not different from hers. 
 The Duke, notwithftanding, fhewed 
 figns of affliction for the misfortune of 
 the Prince; and, on that occafion, pro- 
 feiTed more love to me than ufual. If 
 we were not generally blind to the vi- 
 cillitudes of our own deftiny, I ought 
 then to have been certain, that the 
 Duke held me as an accomplice in the 
 correfpondence between the Prince and 
 the Duchefs, and that fome misfortune 
 alfo threatened me ; this, in facl, was 
 not far off, as will appear in the fubfe- 
 quent chapter. 
 
 Vol. I. U CHAP. 
 
( 213 ) 
 
 CHAP. XXVIII. 
 
 NcceJJity of my Departure from the 
 Duchefs. 
 
 BEING under a neceflity, one 
 one night, us ufual, to fetch a 
 letter from the Prince to the Duchefs, 
 I had defired Mr. Befone to wait for 
 me, at a little diftance from the place : 
 I had but juft entered the fhady walk, 
 when I was affatflted, fword In hand, by- 
 two villains, whom I immediately knew 
 to be the fame from whom I had taken 
 the letter in the garden at Fontainbleau, 
 directed for Madam Cafardo : know- 
 ing what cowardly wretches they were, 
 I couragioufly raifed my voice, and, 
 pulling out one of my piftols, I let fly 
 at one of them, and would have done 
 ib with the other, but my fecond piftol 
 only flafhed in the pan ; and one of them 
 advancing, made a thrurt at me, which, 
 not being in my power to parry, 
 wounded me in the left arm : I clapped 
 my hand on my fword, refolving to 
 defend myfelf to the laft, but ex- 
 pected nothing but death (though one 
 of them was aifo wounded) if Mr. 
 Befone, at the report of my piftol, had 
 not come up to my defence : feeing me 
 
 in 
 
( 219 ) 
 
 in this danger, the good old man rufli- 
 cd on the two villains fword in hand, 
 and wounded them both at the firft two 
 thrufts : they did not flay for the fe- 
 cond, but took to their heels. Mr. Be- 
 fone being anxious about my wound, 
 which feemed to him worfe than it real- 
 ly was, bound it up in the beft manner 
 he could, and, making me reft on his 
 arm, conducted me back to the palace : 
 he alfo knew the two perfidious villains, 
 and declared to me on the way his fur- 
 prize, fuppollng that they had found 
 out that I was the perfon who had taken 
 the letter from them at Fontainbeau, 
 and that this was their private revenge ; 
 he imagined fo, becaufe he was igno- 
 rant of the fecret reafons which the 
 Duke had to hate me ; but I was oblig- 
 ed not to mention thofe two infamous 
 murderers, becaufe they depended on 
 him ; and for many other good reafons. 
 The court was foon informed of what 
 had happened to me ; and this affair oc- 
 cafioned much talk: every one went to 
 Mr. Befone, to be minutely informed 
 of the circumftance; and the lovely 
 Duchefs took the firfl opportunity to 
 fly fecretly to my apartment, to be 
 fatisiied of the flate I was in ; and be- 
 ,ing aflured that the wound was of but 
 U 2 little 
 
( 220 } 
 
 little moment, ordered me, in the firft 
 place, not to ftir out of my room ; but 
 Madam, anfwered I, as a favour I beg 
 it, that you will not deprive me of the 
 honour of ferving you, in fpite of all 
 the world j I well know that all this is 
 on your account, but, when I know it 
 favours your intereft, death will alio be 
 glorious to me. I am obliged to you, 
 faid me, for your generous fentiments ; 
 but, as much as you are difpofed to fa- 
 crifice your life for me, fo much the 
 more ought I to engage to preferve it : 
 if you move out of the houfe, I ihall 
 be in continual fear ; and for which I 
 order you not to ftir, if I am not firft 
 certain that you can do it with fafetylj: 
 I do not know what all this means, and 
 when it will end; but here are two hor- 
 rible facls, one on the back of the other, 
 which put me under the molt dreadful 
 apprehenfions. Before the Duchefs 
 came, the Duke had fent his furgeon 
 to vifit me; and though my wound gave 
 me pain, I refufed to go to bed, as Mr. 
 Befone infilled : and I make not the 
 leaft doubt, but that every one will ea- 
 lily guefs at my reafon. The diilimu- 
 lation of the Duke was not new to me, 
 but however it did not fail of furprimig 
 me ; that night I had not courage to 
 
 clof< 
 
 /-*■ 
 
( 221 ) 
 
 clofe my eyes; and, oh God! what 
 were my reflexions, my fears, and my 
 torments! at day-break Madam Ca- 
 fardo returned to me, who had been 
 with me the preceding night, and la- 
 mented at feeing me up fo early : how 
 many nrerks did me give me of her 
 tendernefs, and difpleafure ? I had 
 ftrong reafons to fufpccl the Duke, and 
 fhe gave me to underftand, that her 
 conjectures coincided with mine, by 
 believing him an accomplice and author 
 of this my cruel misfortune : Howe- 
 ver this did not induce me to difcover 
 my mind. My greater! fecurity in that 
 court, confirmed in being diffident of 
 every one ; but having many doubts 
 which I was defirous of clearing up, I 
 dextroufly drew her into difcourfe. 
 From the fubjeft of my misfortunes, 
 lhe pafTed to that of the Prince ; and 
 here it was that I afked her, what rea- 
 fon the Duke could have to attempt, as 
 lhe fuppofed, his life ? I will tell you, 
 faid fhe ; the Prince was in love with 
 the Duchefs, and he was tenderly be- 
 loved by her, before the Duke was mar- 
 ried : lhe is, by birth, an Italian; her 
 parents conducted her very young to 
 court, where they made a very great 
 figure -, lhe grew up, as I may fay, 
 U 3 with 
 
( 222 ) 
 
 with the Prince, and with him was edu- 
 cated ; fo that, according to their re- 
 ciprocal inclinations, they had deftined 
 her as his fpoufe : the court interpofed 
 to break this marriage, and policy 
 alone, which is the arbitrator and ty- 
 rant of the great, obliged the parents 
 of the Duchefs to give her in marriage 
 to the Duke, who, for his age, might 
 be fuppofed her father inftead of her huf- 
 band : this marriage was to her a facri- 
 fice that had very near coft her her life. 
 The Duke, in the firft month of his 
 marriage, was fent an ambaftador to. 
 the court of Madrid, and the Duchefs, 
 by the pretext of her indifpofition, pre- 
 • vailed upon him to leave her in Paris : 
 you may very well imagine, that her 
 tendernefs for the Prince, inftead of 
 being lefs, increafed in the abfence cf 
 her hufband. Six months after fhe was- 
 married, and five only after the depar- 
 ture of the Duke, fhe, unexpectedly, 
 took it in her head to go to Madrid, 
 and in a few days we were obliged to get 
 every thing in order for her departure : 
 what was the rcafon of this unexpected 
 refolution, I am very well acquainted 
 with, though I ought not to men- 
 tion it ; nor fhall it ever be known. In 
 Spain we did not arrive fofoon, becaufe 
 ihe would firft make an excursion into 
 
 Italy i 
 
( 22g ) 
 
 Italy; and, being obliged by her in- 
 difpofition, which accompanied her all 
 the way, ihe flopped almoff two months 
 in Rome, entirely private, and, I may 
 fay, that even the air itfelf did not 
 know it. The reft of the family were 
 fent by fea; with her, there were none 
 but me, and Madam Fralle her other 
 maid, with whom ihe afterwards part- 
 ed, becaufe, ihe pretended, that the 
 Duke, her hufband, had a daughter by 
 that woman. We were hardly got to 
 Madrid, when fuch difference arofe 
 between her and the Duke, that, from 
 that time, they have lived in the man- 
 ner you now fee. By this narrative, I 
 got a little infight of the matter, nor 
 could I have dared to promife myfclf 
 fo much. If the reader goes through 
 thefe memoirs, he will fee, that Ma- 
 dam Cafardo had not told me all ; but 
 ihe confefTed that, to conceal a fecret 
 known only to her, fhe might not fay 
 any more. I no longer doubted but 
 thatt his was the Princels of whom Dull 
 had fpoken ; I knew by him that ihe had 
 been brought to bed in hi? houfe, of a 
 dau^t er;; and this account of the fup- 
 pofed indii poiition of theDuchefs agreed 
 with what Madam Cafardo had told me. 
 Thus far did not feem a little in regard 
 
 to 
 
( 224 ) 
 
 to myfelfs but as Madam Fralle, the 
 Duchefs's maid, was difcharged by her 
 becaufe the Duke had a child by her, it 
 feemed to me as if I had found a mo- 
 ther in her. The Duke, thought I, had 
 a daughter by Madam Fralle > this 
 daughter, according to all appearance, is 
 run away from the convent of Avignon : 
 then I am this wretch ; and I can now 
 fay, that I know who are my parents. 
 I looked upon the force of this argu- 
 ment as invincible ; and though of my 
 birth I had nothing to glory in, yet, 
 knowing that Madam Cafardo had no 
 part whatever therein, it made me lefs 
 unhappy. A very great doubt how- 
 ever remained, which gave me no little 
 trouble ; if Madam Fralle was my mo- 
 ther, how could the letter, wrote to me 
 by my in other when I was at Avignon, 
 be the felf-fame hand-writing with that 
 of Madam Cafardo ? of which there 
 was not the leaft doubt. To gain a far- 
 ther light in this intricate affair, which 
 I could not get only by means of Ma- 
 dam Cafardo, I aiked her, as if by ac- 
 cident, what became of Madam Fralle ? 
 Hie told me, that the Duke had married 
 her to a dependant of his, and that four 
 months ago fhe died ill child-bed. By 
 this I knew nothing more than before; 
 
 though 
 
( 22g ) 
 
 though I imagined, that, not to give 
 her hulband any fufpicion, fhe had got 
 fomebody to write for her ; and that 
 ihe made ufe of Madam Cafardo rather 
 than any body elie, the being acquaint- 
 ed with her fault, and enjoyed the fa- 
 vour of the Duke, from whence it was 
 natural to think my maintenance came. 
 Upon the whole, i did not know how 
 to go fuvther with my conjectures; but 
 fuch as they were, they gave me no 
 confolation. What did it avail know- 
 ing who was my father, if, in my fa- 
 ther, I found a tyrant, who, perhaps, 
 repented of having given me life, and 
 was now menacing my death ? This 
 and the like reflections, prevented me 
 from enjoying any peace of mind in that 
 family, and made me refolve to get as 
 far off as I poffibly could : I wanted a 
 pretence to leave the amiable Ducheis, 
 without giving offence, and this I 
 thought I had found; in confequence of 
 the misfortune that had befallen me, I 
 could bring for an excufe, the continu- 
 al danger I was in there of my life : I 
 communicated my thoughts to Madam 
 Cafardo, who, truly loving me, was in 
 more terror than me, and who was not 
 wanting, in her advice, to contrive for 
 my fafcty. For charity, faicj me, put 
 
( 226 ) 
 
 an end to my fears, and to my tears ; 
 retire from a place fo fatal for you, nor 
 let the Duke know to what part you 
 are gone : though your abfence will be 
 pain to me, yet, knowing you are in 
 fafety, that pain will be alleviated : do 
 not fail writing to me, and airy thing 
 you defire me to do, fhall be punctually 
 accomplifhed : fly, begone, as foon as 
 poffible ; every moment you flay is a 
 torment to me : for I think I fee thofe 
 murderers in fearch of you. Madam 
 Cafardo's good perfuafions were alfo 
 joined by thofe of Mr. Befone ; and 
 they found no great difficulty in per- 
 fuading me to depart from the court, 
 for I thought I fhould be in continual 
 danger till I left it : yet I well knew, 
 that, in the prefent circumftances, the 
 Duchefs would have occafion for my 
 ajliftance ; and, to prevent any other 
 perfon, in my place, from betraying fo 
 good a mifrrefs, it was abfolutely ne- 
 ceffary that I alone fhould carry on their 
 correspondence. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
( "7 ) 
 
 C H A P. XXIX. 
 My Departure from the Duchefs. 
 
 AT the end of ten days my wound 
 was fo well healed, that I found 
 myfelf able to undergo the fatigue of 
 a journey. I went, very early in the. 
 morning, to the Duchefs's apartment, 
 and, throwing myfelf at her feet, witli 
 tears in my eyes, begged of her to per- 
 mit me to quit her fervice ; that not 
 only my life was in danger, but her ie- 
 cret correfpondence with the Prince, 
 mould they afTairinate me at a time 
 when I had any letter of hers in my 
 hands, might be difcovcred ; which 
 would occaiion the fury of the Duke to 
 fall upon her likewife : now, Madam, 
 fay yes, or no: if you order me to 
 flay, I fliall obey your command?, 
 willing to lofe a thoufand lives, was it 
 in my power, for fo amiable a mifti\ U : 
 command me, Madam j for to die in 
 your fervice, will be an honour to me. 
 No, dear Richard, replied the Duchefs, 
 I fhould never forgive myfelf, mould 
 you lofe your life in my fervice ; and 
 ihould for ever upbraid myfelf for be- 
 ing the occafion of your death : for 
 me you have already fullered enough, 
 
 and 
 
( 2*8 ) 
 
 and it would be ungrateful in me to let 
 any further mifchief happen to you on 
 my account : Go; though your depar- 
 ture will be a continual concern to me, 
 heaven, I hope, will forgive me, for 
 parting with you in fo hard an extre- 
 mity : tell me, however, where are 
 you going ? and what is your defire ? 
 for it will be a pleaiure for me to fee 
 your merit rewarded j and I will affift 
 you to the beft of my ability. This 
 generous offer, and the thoughts of 
 Italy, where the Count was, gave me 
 an opportunity of telling her, that I 
 defired to return to my friends in Italy, 
 in a creditable manner, that they might 
 not fay my journey to Paris had prov- 
 ed to nrydifad vantage. Well, faid the 
 Ducheis., the Marfhal of ****, who 
 commands the French army, is now in 
 Italy ; When you leave this place, you 
 will call at Paiis, and I will give you a 
 letter for the Prince, who will recom- 
 mend you to the Marfhall, with whom 
 he is intimately acquainted; and, with- 
 out doubt, you will be advanced in the 
 army. She immediately fat down to 
 write me the letter : while fhe was wri- 
 ting, the thoughts of advancement ran 
 but little in my head ; what I aimed at 
 was, to furprize the Count when he' 
 
 leaft 
 
( 22 9 ) 
 
 leaft expe&ed the fight of me. When 
 the letter was finifhed, fhe prefented it 
 to me, and embraced me with a mo- 
 therly tendernefs, calling me, more 
 than once, her dear child, and faid, 
 fhe always loved me as a mother, not 
 as a miftrefs. On leaving the Duchefs, 
 I vifited Madam Cafardo, to let her 
 know of my departure the following 
 day. She told me, that fhe was glad of 
 it, notwithstanding her love for me ; 
 thinking that,, as long as I continued 
 there, my life was in danger. She 
 fhewed me all her money and jewels, 
 and told me, that it was all at my fer- 
 vice. Not having occafion for any, I 
 told her I was obliged to her ; but ihe 
 infifted upon my acceptance of two 
 hundred Louifd'ores, and told me, 
 whenever I had occafion for more, to 
 fend to her, and I fhouid have them. I 
 returned her thanks for her bounty, 
 told her I had thirty thoufand livres, 
 and that I would depofit in her hands 
 ihe half, and that the remainder would 
 be fufficient to travel with : I took my 
 leave of her, and then waited upon the 
 Duke, though, in my heart, I had a, 
 moft juft refentment againft him, and 
 dared not fhew it. His oL liging terms 
 did not furprife me in the leaft 3 know- 
 Vol. I. X ing 
 
( 23° ) 
 
 ing very well, that lie would profefs a 
 concern for my leaving the Duchefs, 
 though, at the fame time, he intended 
 my death. Sir, faid he to me, you 
 arejuft going at a time when I thought 
 to recompenie you, becaufe I knew 
 that the Duchefs had a great efteem for 
 you. And for that reafon, thought I, 
 you have taken a diilike to me, and re- 
 compenfed me accordingly, in feeking 
 to get me aflaflinated. Are you going 
 to Paris ? faid he : yes, Sir, replied I ; 
 but will not flay long there, left my 
 enemies of Verfailles ihould follow me 
 there. Do you know them ? faid the 
 Duke; yes, anfwered I, or I am wrong 
 in my conjectures; but when an enemy 
 conceals himfelf, we have need of greater 
 caution, and the perfon that feeks to 
 take away my life, I doubt, is not far 
 off: I could have faid more, but was 
 afraid it would occafion my 'own ruin. 
 I then left him, and went to Mr. Be- 
 fone, who detained me the remainder 
 of the day : he protefted that he envi- 
 ed my condition; and that he would 
 alfo follow my example, if he could re- 
 cover twenty thoufand livres which 
 were due to him, and which he would 
 not make a prefent of to the Duke ; 
 but if he Ihould happen to get it, that 
 
 the 
 
C 231 ) 
 the Duke might provide himfelf with 
 another Gentleman, for he would not 
 die in this family after having lived fo* 
 long difcontented with them. We af- 
 terwards talked about the method in 
 which we ihould conveniently write to 
 one another, without being difcovered: 
 I reflected, that keeping a correfpon- 
 dence with that court was impoflible ; 
 and fuppofing myfelf the Duke's daugh- 
 ter, my character would be known, 
 when my letters mould be confronted 
 with them wrote by me, from Avignon, 
 to my mother : on the other hand, I 
 could not but write to Madam Cafar- 
 do ; and to do it with fecurity, it was 
 neceflary I mould find fome expedient. 
 Mr. Brfone had by him a copy-book,' 
 from which any one might eafily learn 
 to write in a variety of different hands, 
 and infifred on my taking it ; this I 
 with pleafure accepted, and, after the 
 moft fmcere protections of reciprocal 
 friendlhip, we parted. Early next day 
 I fet out for Paris, and immediately 
 waited on the Prince, who was fur- 
 prifed at feeing nie. His furprize 
 ceafed on reading the letter, in which 
 the amiable Duchefs recommended me 
 with the warmeft affection. The 
 Duchefs, faid he, had no occafion to 
 
 X 2 write 
 
( 2 3 2 ) 
 write fo flrongly in your favour, when 
 your good fervices have already fpoken 
 enough for you : I would provide for 
 you a place in my own apartment, if I 
 did not apprehend, that, for fhewing 
 you this diflin&ion, the Duchefs would 
 be reflected upon by the Duke - 9 but I 
 will give orders to my Gentleman 
 to provide you with a genteel lodging, 
 and every thing elfe that is necefTary 
 you : I know your defires - 3 and you 
 may think yourfelf, from this moment, 
 appointed to a poft in the army. I 
 then made him a low bow, and went 
 with his Gentleman into a coach which 
 brought us into the High-Street, and 
 flopped at a gentleman's houfe, where a 
 very handfome apartment was provided 
 for me. My intention was not to flay 
 long at Paris, but, while I did flay, I 
 every day paid my vifit to the Prince ; 
 and then, through curiofity, and for 
 amufement, generally took a turnabout 
 the city, 
 
 CHAB. 
 
( 2 33 ) 
 
 CHAP. XXX. 
 
 New Motives for my leaving Paris, and 
 going to Italy. 
 
 DURING fifteen days that I 
 tarried at Paris, my ufual walks 
 were towards the royal-palace gardens. 
 One day, as I was coming from thence, 
 I met with two ladies whom I had {ccn 
 ieveral times before : they afked me, 
 what it was o'clock ? I pulled out my 
 watch, and told them it was part fix. 
 Blefs me ! faid the older* of them, it is" 
 very late, niece ; it is time we mould 
 be at home : upon this, me looked at 
 me from head to foot, as if me had 
 known me before, and faid, Sir, I hope 
 you will excufe the liberty I take, In 
 a/king you, if you are not Mr. Rufiant > 
 I anfwered, that fhe miftook. Then 
 replied fhe, you are certainly fome re- 
 lation of his, for you refemble him 
 very much. By that time we arrived 
 at the garden-gate, where a coach 
 waited for them 5 I handed them into 
 it, and they begged that I would come 
 "J alio, and accompany them home 
 The coach flopped in a ftreet of which 
 I did not know the name, nor the way 
 to it again ; we went up to an apart- 
 X 3 ment 
 
( 2 3 4) 
 ment on the fecond floor, where they 
 profefTed themfelves greatly indebted to 
 me for company, and infifted upon my 
 flaying to fup with them ; and the 
 niece, not lefs than the aunt in her ce- 
 remonies, prevailed on my fraying. I 
 then fat down to a fupper, which was 
 delicate, but not very grand, and I do 
 not remember that ever I was in more 
 agreeable company : they drank a great 
 deal, and would have perfuaded me to 
 drink more ; but I remembered wine 
 had made me play the fool before, and 
 it fliould not the fecond time. At ele- 
 ven o'clock I got up to retire home ; 
 and they afked the footman if the coach 
 was ready ? who anfwered, yes ; and 
 lighted a torch immediately. He walk- 
 ed before me ; and I had hardly got 
 twenty lteps down, when the light was 
 put out, and I was attacked by two ruf- 
 lians, who crammed a handkerchief in 
 my mouth, and ftripped me of all that 
 was of any value : they then turned 
 me into the ftreet, and ihut the doors 
 againft me. As foon as I found myfelf 
 at liberty, for fear of a fecond aflault, 
 I ran as faft as I could out of the ftreet ; 
 when unhappily a conftable met me, 
 and, feizing me for a rioter, immedi- 
 ately conducted me to prifon. Oh! 
 
 heavens, 
 
( 2 3 5) 
 heavens, with what inquietude did I 
 pafs that night ! every minute feemed a 
 day : Juft heaven ! fa id I, am I born to 
 be for ever unhappy ! At laft the day 
 appeared, and I was carried before the 
 Judge, who terrified me with his looks. 
 I began to juftify myfelf; but he, with 
 a frown, bade me be filent, and anfwer 
 to what was afked me. He would know 
 who I was, my name, country, relati- 
 ons, profeflion, and age ; he told me, 
 that he fufpecled I had committed fome 
 murder in the night, and then mewed 
 me my fwcrd, afking me, if I had not 
 made ufe of it ? I anfwered, no. He 
 drew it out of the fcabbard, and it was 
 all bloody ; he then enquired the rea- 
 fon of its being fo ? but I could make 
 him no anfwcr. No accufation could 
 be falfer, or more apparent than this ; 
 he imputed my filence to a confcioufnefs 
 of guilt j I had nothing to teftify my in- 
 nocence, but named the Prince, my 
 protestor. Upon this the Judge faid, 
 do you know the Prince ? to which I 
 anfwered, yes ; and if he would pleafe 
 to let me have pen, ink, and paper, I 
 would write a line to him : he granted 
 it, and I wrote as follows ; 
 
 " Dear 
 
( *& ) 
 
 " Dear Sir, 
 
 I have taken the liberty to acquaint 
 your Highnefs, that I am in danger of 
 my liberty and life. That Unhappy, 
 who has the honour to proteft him- 
 fclf, 
 
 Your moft obedient Servant, 
 
 Richard. 
 
 The Judge difpatched the billet by a 
 fervant, who in an hour returned with 
 the Prince, at the fight of whom my 
 accufers trembled. He fpoke to me 
 with an obliging familiarity ; faying, 
 confefs the truth, have you flain your 
 rival ? do not be frightened, it is in my 
 power to get your pardon. I related 
 all that happened to me fince he faw 
 melait; and when I had told the whole 
 affair, the Judge ordered me to be ac- 
 quitted, upon condition that the Prince 
 would be anfwerable for my appear- 
 ance, if neceffary. I then went with 
 the Prince to my own lodging , he told 
 me, that that court of Juitice, and 
 Judge, depended entirely upon the 
 'Duke, and that it was proper for me 
 to leave Paris as foon as poflible. The 
 next day I did not fail to wait upon him 
 at his own palace, as he had ordered 
 
 me j 
 
( 2 37 ) 
 me; he preferred me with another gold 
 watch of greater value than the former, 
 with one hundred Louifd'ores, and a 
 letter for the Marihall of * * * *, his 
 particular friend. Go, dear child, fa id 
 he, by prefenting to him this letter, 
 you will be appointed a Captain in the 
 Burgundy regiment ; if you ftand in 
 need of any thing elfe, write to me, 
 and you fhall have it immediately. On 
 my parting with the Prince, I thought 
 my heart would have burft with grief : 
 we embraced each other as father and 
 fon ; I was indeed his daughter, but 
 heaven would not permit either of us 
 to know it that time. I defired him to 
 prefent my duty to theDuchefs,when he 
 fcculd fee or write to her ; and we part- 
 ed with tears in our eyes. Thus am I 
 upon the point of leaving Paris to go 
 to Italy, and again deftitute of friends, 
 relations, or company ; left to myfelf, 
 in the hands of an extravagant defti- 
 ny, a fugitive from Avignon, flown 
 from the profecution of an unknown 
 and cruel mother, and unfortunately 
 fallen into the hands of one whom I 
 fuppofe to be my father, and who de- 
 fires my death, and forces me from 
 Paris at the hazard of my life. Oh ! 
 had I but known what was to happen, 
 
 or 
 
( 2 3 8 ) 
 
 or whom were my parents, I ihould 
 not then have left two of the moft ami- 
 able and deareft of parents, fo worthy 
 of my love* in feareh of whom, had I 
 known them. I would have gone to Paris 
 from the utmofr confines of the world. 
 Whoever reads this, and the fubfequent 
 part of thefe my memoirs, will confefs, 
 that I was born to be a flave to fortune, 
 and utterly at a lofs amidfr. the moft 
 prudent reflections. 
 
 CHAP. XXXI. 
 
 My Imprifonment in the Baftik. 
 
 ON the day fixed for my departure 
 from Paris, I had got every thing 
 read)' for my journey ; but the incle- 
 mency of the feafon, and the heavy 
 rains, obliged me to defer fetting out 
 till the next week. I went every day 
 to fee the Prince, as ufual ; and one 
 morning, when the rain had ceafed, I 
 went to take my laft adieu of him : but 
 how was I furprifed when the fervant 
 informed me, that, at twelve o'clock 
 that night, he went in a poft-chaife, 
 with an officer and a footman, to Ver- 
 failles, as they fuppofed. I immediately 
 judged that fome extraordinary news 
 from the Duchefs occasioned his fucklen 
 
 depar- 
 
( 239 ) 
 departure. I went back to my lodg- 
 ing, refolving that day to leave Paris* 
 But when I came home I found a coach 
 at the door, and in the hall an officer 
 that waited for me. I afked him, with 
 a trembling voice, what was his bufi- 
 nefs with me ? Pray, Sir. faid he, is 
 not your name Signior Richard ? I re- 
 plied, yes. He then ihewed me a 
 written order to apprehend me where 
 ever he found me ; nor had I courage 
 to ask him the reaibn, but was obliged 
 to ftep with him into a coach which 
 was ihut all round, and drove to the 
 gate of a prifon, where another of- 
 ficer received me, and conducting me 
 through a long pafTage, at lift ihut 
 me up in a room by myfclf. Here was 
 I in the moft deplorable condition ; 
 and, with tears in my eyes, cried out, 
 Oh ! cruel fate, will you never ceafe 
 to torment me ! am I to be for ever 
 profecuted, and for ever unhappy ? I 
 am no fooner out of one prifon, but I 
 I am hurried into another: what crime 
 have I committed to deferve this 
 nfage ? how many times have I la- 
 mented leaving my charming folitude 
 in Avignon ! what have I fullered, and 
 how much am I yet to fuller ? In the 
 midft of thefe reflections, I was inter- 
 rupted 
 
( Ho ) 
 rupted by the approach of a man wh© 
 brought me fome provifion j but my 
 forro ws would not fuffer me to eat. 
 The place I was in, I fuppofed to be 
 for people of diftinc~tion ; the floor 
 was covered with a handfome carpet ; 
 there was alfo a large window that gave 
 fufficient light, but was fo very high 
 that I could not look out from it ; the 
 bed was m idling, and the walls were 
 adorned with pictures : a companion, 
 or a book, would have diverted my 
 melancholy thoughts, but, deftitute of 
 either, I refigned myfelf to the will of 
 heaven, and refolved to fix an entire 
 dependance on Providence, which alone 
 could enable me to fubdue the greater!: 
 afflictions ; and my greater! fatisfa£rion 
 was 3 that I had not committed any 
 crime. In this difmal fituation, three 
 weeks patted without my ever hearing 
 human voice, or feeing any perfon, 
 except him who brought me necefla.- 
 ries ; and who I thought was dumb, for 
 lie fpoke not one word the whole time. 
 One night I was awakened by a noife 
 againft the wall, at the head of my 
 bed • I flarted up with fear, and, liften- 
 ing attentively, heard a voice which 
 feemed to be at a diftance, and called 
 me by my name. Terrified with the 
 
 voice, 
 
( 2 4 I ) 
 
 voice, which I thought came from 
 ibme fepulchre : I looked round the 
 room, but could fee nothing ; and was 
 doubting whether I ihould anfwer it : 
 noife incrcafed,and I could hear it fay the 
 very diftinclly, Mr. Richard, what are 
 you about ? Upon this I took courage, 
 and replied, very loudly, that in health 
 I was very well, but in fpirits much 
 troubled. Don't be afflicted, replied 
 the voice ; the Prince of * * * * bids 
 you to be of good heart. At the name 
 only of the Prince, my fpirits revived ; 
 and I afked the voice, what world it 
 belonged too, and whether it was in the 
 .number of the living or dead ? I am 
 alive, replied the voice 5 and have been 
 kept here thefe fix years. I then afked 
 him, what place they called it? he told 
 me, it was the Baftile. How then, faid 
 I, do you know that thePrince defires 
 me to be of good "heart ? I heard him, 
 faid he, by the fame means that you 
 heard me ; he is in the next room to 
 mine, and was brought here half a day 
 before you j and all that renders his fi- 
 tuation better than ours, is, that he has 
 got a fervant to attend him, and we are 
 alone. I bade him to afk the Prince, 
 what occafioned this misfortune, and to 
 tell him, that his condition fat more 
 Vol. I. Y heavy 
 
( 242 ) 
 
 heavy upon me than my own ; and 
 that, if it was poffible, I would hazard 
 my life to deliver him from his confine- 
 ment. The voice replied, that he 
 would ferve me immediately, and wc 
 would talk about it the next day. So 
 faying, 1 tried to ilecp, but could not ; 
 the Prince's confinement was worfe to 
 me than my own ; I fufpecled no one 
 could be the author of this bafe ufage 
 but the vile Duke ; as for myfelf, I 
 could have pardoned him; but, for the 
 fake of the Prince, I could willingly, at 
 that, moment, have ran him through 
 the body with my fword. The next 
 day I was carried before the Secretary 
 of State to be examined, who, after he had 
 asked me feveral queftions, defired to 
 know my correfpondence with the court 
 of Alem'aign? I anfwered, that my age 
 did net permit me to have the honour 
 to know any body in that court, and 
 that I could give a fafe oath to the con- 
 trary. The refolution with which I 
 fpoke thefe words, perfuaded the Secre- 
 tary of my innocence ; and his plea- 
 fant countenance embolden'd me to beg 
 the favour of a book, to divert my te- 
 dious hours: he readily granted it, fay- 
 ing, I might have whatever I pleafed. 
 When I wait back to my room, the 
 
 keeper 
 
( 243 ) 
 keeper asked me, if I liked company ? 
 to which I anfwered, that we were born 
 for fociety, and that I liked it, if it was 
 agreeable. Well then, fays he, you 
 have a neighbour in the next room, 
 and I will l^ve rhe doors open, that 
 you may be together all day, if you 
 pleafe. 
 
 CHAP. XXXII. 
 
 The Hifiory of a Learned Man I met with 
 in the Bojlile. 
 
 MY readers will readily believe 
 that my keeper had no occafion 
 to perfuade me to go into the other 
 room j the moment I faw the door 
 open, I flew into it, and embraced my 
 new companion, who, with incredible, 
 joy, laid, Is it poflible, that after a fitf 
 years mournful folitude, I have, this 
 day, the pleafure of your company ! 
 Thcfe words bammed the thoughts of 
 my fhort imprifonment, and all other 
 misfortunes ; we immediately agreed to 
 dine together ; and at my expence, I 
 ordered four bottles of Burgundy, and 
 at the fame time gave the keeper a pre- 
 fent. Jannefon, which was the name 
 of my new comrade, no fooner heard 
 me fpeak of Burgundy wine, but his 
 Y 2 heart 
 
( 244 ) 
 heart leaped for joy ; before we dined, 
 I called out loudly for the Prince, who, 
 hearing my voice, anfwered me. I told 
 him of my examination before the Se- 
 cretary of State, and how I anfwered 
 him 5 he replied, that he was informed 
 of all, and bade me be of good heart, 
 for that in a few days we mould be at 
 liberty. This good news made me 
 keep good cheer with Jannefon, who, 
 at the right of the four 'bottles of Bur- 
 gundy, ran to meet them, faying, this 
 room is now turned into a wine-cellar > 
 and if I could get fuch good cheer eve- 
 ry day, I. fhould be content to ftay 
 here all my life. His comical expreili- 
 ons, during dinner, diverted me much. 
 After dinner, he muft needs tell me 
 the principal adventures of his life, 
 v .and, taking a large glafs of wine, went 
 o.n as follows : 
 
 Do you know, fix id he, imprimis & ante 
 CAinia, that France was once my coun- 
 try ? but having nothing there belong- 
 ing to me, I can fay, that my country 
 is all the world ; a head full of Greek, 
 Hebrew, and Latin, was all the patri- 
 mony left to me by my parents. The 
 prejudice of the Proteftanr religion, 
 fu..ck.ed in With my milk, made in me 
 tlit* firongeft impreffions ; J took a vo- 
 luntary 
 
( 245 ) 
 funtary farewell of my native country, 
 and ran away to Switzerland, fixing 
 my refidence in the Proteftant can- 
 ton of Berne. In a ftrange country, 
 without protection, without employ- 
 ment, without Friends, and with very 
 little money, through want of necefTa- 
 ries, and for an honeft maintenance, ,1 
 was obliged to have recourfe to my na- 
 tural talents, which I had cultivated 
 with extreme attention, I dire&ly com- 
 menced author, and had fome of my 
 works printed; here, from morning till 
 night, I was continually writings the 
 work I did not mind, becaufe I gained 
 by it, and met with applaufe from thofe 
 who read my works ; but this was not 
 my aim, for to live there wanted mo- 
 ney, not applaufe; and I never read of 
 an antient or modern philofopher, who, 
 to gain praife, would be content to die 
 with hunger : tho', I thank heaven, I 
 had no occafion to be difcontented with 
 my livelihood ; but in the moft ferious 
 resolutions we are inconftant, and a 
 thing out of fight fhould be out of 
 mind : but come, let us leave thefe mo- 
 rals in my books, in which there are 
 plenty — Here he took another glafs 
 of Burgundy; and then proceeded : 
 The love of my country made me long 
 Y3 to 
 
( 2 4 6 ) 
 to fee Paris, and I have gained much 
 "by coming to fee it ; curfe the day that 
 ever I came into it, I wilh the horfes- 
 [egs had been broke that brought me ;-. 
 fifteen days did not pafs before I made 
 acquaintance with a wine-merchant's- 
 daughter, who feemed to my eyes raoft- 
 beautiful ; and being of an age when 
 reafon gives way to inclination I was in 
 a few days, mad with love, The father 
 of this beautiful damfel did not make 
 me languifh long ; for no contract 
 could be fooner eftablifhed than mine 
 was, though it is a merchandize that a 
 perfon mould take more time about 
 than I did. You may think that ceco- 
 nomy in expenccs is a very ncceifary 
 virtue in the wife of one who writes for 
 his bread ; but fhe would not hearken 
 to this difcourfe, and, not to have the 
 devil to pay in my houfe, I was oblig- 
 ed to keep an elegant, table, and to fee 
 confumed in one day, as much as coft 
 me the fatigue of a whole year ; and 
 if I had been able to have wrote ten 
 times the quantity, it would not be fuf- 
 ficient to defray her extravagant ex- 
 pences. Human ingenuity is like the 
 ground, which does not give fruit eve- 
 ry day j and when it does, the produce 
 muft have time to ripen ; au author, to 
 
 •convert 
 
( 247 ) 
 convert his works into cam, mutt de- 
 pend upon others ; and when they gain 
 a favourable fale amongft the public, 
 the bookfeller muft have the firft ihare 
 in the profit : by this you muft think, 
 that the writer does them for a trifle ; 
 to perfuade my wife of this truth, was 
 patting the houfe in an uproar ; fhe 
 made the bill before they were conclud- 
 ed, and fpent the price of them before 
 I received it : if I (poke about affairs of 
 the houfe, fhe tore every thing that 
 was in her way; I was therefore obliged 
 to be filent for fear of worfe : in one 
 word, Sir, if a perfon delired revenge 
 on another, they need only wiih him a 
 wife of this ftamp : at laft, tired of 
 writing without profit, I frequented a 
 coffee-houfe to avoid quarrels at home, 
 and it was my perverfe fortune to fall in 
 company with fome news-mongers, 
 and politicians, which is a dangerous- 
 trade, especially in war-time : I picked 
 up all they laid, turned news- writer, 
 and undefignedly let fomething flip out 
 which aggravated the government : 
 they lent an officer to my houfe to pay 
 me a vifit when I leaft expected him, he 
 made me rife out of bed at the break, 
 of day, and, putting me into a coach, 
 conducted me to the Baftile, where I 
 
 haye 
 
( 2*3 ) 
 
 have been fix years, and have the ho- 
 nour of eating the King's bread, with- 
 out being troubled with books, or 
 plagued with my wife : I am, it is 
 true, deprived of my liberty ; but 1 
 have the pleafure of being quiet : the 
 world 1 know what it is, and do not de- 
 lire to be in it for fear of having my 
 wife at my fide again, from whom I 
 would go a mile under ground : here I 
 can eat without thinking of any thing ; 
 and if I had a flaik of Burgundy every 
 day, I would prefent a petition to the 
 government to keep me here all my 
 life : if Plato himfelf was in my cafe, 
 he would do the fame. With thefe and: 
 the like difcourfes Jannefon diverted me 
 every day ; but our maxims were diffe- 
 rent, and I had other motives to dcfirs 
 my liberty. In a few days the Prince 
 was releafed, and, before he went out, 
 allured me, in perfon, that he would 
 fhortly procure my liberty : notwith* 
 landing which I remained there two 
 weeks longer. I was, tis true, permitt- 
 ed to take the air with my comrade up- 
 on the top of the Tower, from whence 
 I could fee all Paris -, but this fight to 
 me was a new torment : if I had fet out 
 two days fooner, thought I, nothing 
 Qf this would have happened, and. I 
 
 ihoulcl 
 
( 249 ) 
 ffiould have been with Count Termes j 
 but heaven would not permit it; and 
 for what is paff there is no remedy. 
 
 CHAP. XXXIII. 
 
 *fke Vicijfttudes of Fortune after my Rzltafe 
 from the BaJiUe. 
 
 AT length the time came when her - 
 ven was pleated to deliver tm* 
 from my impriibnment, and the good 
 Prince contributed not a little to haften 
 it. Before I came out, I gave Jannefon 
 fome linen, and twelve piiloles. In go- 
 ing out, I met, at the foot of the Hairs, 
 the Prince's Gentleman, who took ine 
 into a coach, and conducted me to my 
 own lodging, where I was received with 
 much joy. I would immediately have 
 paid a vifit to the Prince, but they told 
 me, that when he came out of the Bai- 
 tile he went direeliy to Verfailles. 
 I was receiving the congratulations of 
 the family, when Madam Cafardo and 
 Mr. Befone came in : the fudden joy of 
 fo unexpected a vifir, drew tears from 
 our eyes; though my joy was confide- 
 rably abated, by Madam Cafardo's ad- 
 viling me not to acknowledge publickly 
 that (lie was my wife : this occafioned 
 in my mind frclh fufpicions, and I de- 
 fir ed 
 
( 250 ) 
 fired to know her reafon for it : fhe told 
 me, a Chevalier, whofe name fhe did 
 not remember, was with the Duchefs 
 at Verfailles, foon after my commitment 
 to the Baftile, who feemed very much 
 difpleafed at my imprifonment ; and 
 that this was the reafon of her defiring 
 me to keep it fecret, left it fhould be a 
 difpleafure to this my relation, as me 
 .fuppofed he was. I could not conceive 
 who this was, though Mr. Befone gave 
 me alfo a particular defcription of him. 
 In the mean time we difcourfed about 
 the Duchefs, and they told me, that, 
 after the Prince's imprifonment, fhe was 
 lb difgufted with the Duke, that fhe 
 would fee him no more; that the Prince 
 every day, fmce he was acquitted, went 
 to pay her a vifit, and that the Duke 
 took no more notice of it; Madam Ca- 
 fardo likewife told me, that there was a 
 projecl in agitation, which, if known, 
 would make a great noife in the world. 
 After this fhe gave me a letter from the 
 Duchefs, full of the moft tender expref- 
 fions ; in which fhe defired to fee me 
 before I left Paris. I was reading this 
 letter when a gentleman knocked at the 
 door, and enquired for me ; the fervant 
 informed him that I was engaged in 
 company, and that he did not know 
 
 whether 
 
( 25 1 ) 
 whether I would chufe to fee any body 
 at that time. Be aflured, replied the 
 ftranger, that your matter will be glad 
 to fee me. I, hearing thefe words, and 
 knowing the voice, ran to the door : 
 Oh, heavens ! how rejoiced was I fee my 
 dear friend Mr. D'Arcore ; lie fqueez- 
 ed me by the hand, fo overcome with 
 joy that he could not utter one word ; 
 and fo great was my furprize, that I 
 was almoft ftupified myfclf, and could 
 hardly believe my own eyes : I a/ked 
 my generous friend, if I had not been 
 the fole occaiion of his flying from Ly- 
 ons in order to my ailiftance r He told 
 me, he had read of my being put into 
 the Baftile, in the Gazette at Lyons, 
 and that he immediately came to Paris 
 to give me a character, if requifite ; 
 that he made all poffible interdt with 
 the Governor of the Baitile, but could 
 not get admittance to fee me ; he then 
 Hew to the Duchefs, at Verfailles, who 
 told him, that my fate fhould not be 
 worfe than it was; and that he would 
 not leave Paris till he faw me at liberty. 
 Where could I find expreflions to re - 
 turn him thanks for his benevolence? 
 could generofity or friendihip do more 
 than this ? I already had given orders 
 that we mould dine ail together ; during 
 
 dinner, 
 
( 2 5 2 ) 
 
 dinner, Mr. D'Arcore kindly upbraid* 
 ed me for not having wrote to him but 
 once mice I left Lyons : this really was 
 a crime that could not admit of excufe; 
 but my fex are feldom at a lofs for one, 
 and I told him, that as I defigned to call 
 at Lyons very foon, I would not trou- 
 ble him with infignificant letters, and 
 intended to furprile him when he lead 
 thought of me : the excufe was paya- 
 ble, but I had no fooner drawn myfelf 
 out of one net, than I was caught in 
 another : then, replied Mr. D'Arcore, 
 I will take you at your word ; to-mor- 
 row I am going to Lyons, and you can 
 bear me company : here I was puzzled 
 how to anfwer, but Madam Cafardo 
 brought me off, by faying, Sir, this is 
 impolfible, for my miftrefs, theDuchcfs, 
 defires to fee him at Verfaiiles : to this 
 he made no reply, for my waiting up- 
 on theDuchefs was indifpenfable: I was 
 alfo indebted to pay the Prince a vifit 
 before I left France, that he might re- 
 new my recommendations for Italy ; 
 and Mr. D'Arcore could not defer his 
 journey one day longer. We flayed at 
 table till almoit night ; the next morn- 
 ing he went for Lyons, and we for Ver- 
 faiiles. Gratitude, refpecl, and, I be- 
 lieve, nature, curbed my firfl fteps to- 
 wards 
 
( 253 ) 
 wards the Duchefs ; the related to me 
 all that had happened fince I had left 
 her, and faid, that, upon the Prince's 
 and my imprifonment, ihe had left the 
 Duke ; and, if it was poiTible, would 
 get a divorce, having juft motives to 
 leparate from each other. Believe me, 
 laid ihe, this is not owing to the heat 
 of my temper, or the blind tranfports of 
 an amorous pailion ; I have long 
 thought, and am continually thinking 
 of it ; and that you may be convinced 
 how much I confide in you, you are 
 the only perfon that' can afiift me in 
 this difficult undertaking ; and it is ne- 
 ceflary that you go from hence to Avig- 
 non, to tranfact fome bufinefs for me, 
 of which I will inform you to-morrow. 
 
 At the name only of Avignon my 
 blood ran cool in my veins, and it was 
 a difficult point for me to conceal from 
 the Duchefs my agitation : I anfwered 
 her, however, that I fhoald bedifpofed 
 for immediate performance of her or- 
 ders, and that it would be an honour 
 to me to ferve her. I could not help 
 fufpecling that it was fomething con- 
 cerning myfelf, and had almoft aiked 
 her what it was about ; but, upon re- 
 flection, I thought it moft advifeable for 
 me to enquire of Madam Cafardo, who, 
 
 Vol, I. Z I fuf- 
 
( 254) 
 I fufpecled, knew of every thing. The 
 Duchefs, more than once, told me, 
 that, as I had fuffered fo much for 
 the Prince, he would, afTuredly, make 
 my fortune ; fhe afked, if I rtill per- 
 
 ' Med in my refolution of going to Ita- 
 ly ? I anfwered, yes. Well, faid fhe, 
 we fhall fee one another again ; in the 
 mean time, I will think of what I can 
 do for you. Who would have imagin- 
 ed that the Duke, after fo much ill— 
 ufage, would fain have perfuaded me 
 that he was ft ill my friend ? he kept me 
 above an hour in his apartment ; and 
 fpoke to me fo open-hearted, defiling 
 me to come and lodge in his palace, 
 that it was a difficult matter to avoid 
 accepting his offers, which I judged 
 prejudicial to my life and liberty. The 
 thoughts of the journey, projected to 
 me by the Duchefs, was conftantly in 
 my mind ; I took the firft opportunity 
 to ask Madam Cafardo, if me could 
 give me any light in this aifair ? I can, 
 replied fhe, and I will tell you, in a few 
 words, all that I know about it : this 
 
 journey, to the Duchefs is of the ut- 
 moft confequence; (he being difguftcd 
 fo much againft the Duke, wants to fe- 
 parate herfelf from him : I informed 
 you before, that the Duke had a child 
 
 by 
 
( 255 ) 
 by Madam Fralle, waiting-maid to the 
 Duchefs, and this child is the foundation 
 of her fcheme of feparating from the 
 Duke : this girl has been left in Avig- 
 non to be educated, without being per- 
 mitted to know who were her parents: 
 within thefe ftw months fhe has eloped 
 from Avignon, and, if fhe cannot be 
 found, this fcheme of the Duchefs will 
 prove abortive: you are to go to Avig- 
 non in fearch of her, and, if fhe is not 
 there, you muft come back to teftify 
 that fhe has been there, that fhe is ran 
 away, and is not to be found : the 
 thing is eafy for you, being a certain 
 truth which cannot be doubted, for fhe 
 has been there fix months ago; but, 
 oh Duchefs ! I can almoft foretell what 
 will happen in this cafe : the Duke, 
 finding himfelf attacked in this man- 
 ner, will abfolutely defend himfelf, 
 and it will be no difficult matter to de- 
 ny a fad that is but now firft publifh- 
 ed ; therefore this will be of no preju- 
 dice to him : tliofe who leek, very of- 
 ten find what they little expect ; and 
 fhe, in trying to difcredit her huiband, 
 will only difcredit herfelf. 
 
 Thefe reflections, anfwered I, are 
 very jufr, and I wonder you do not 
 mention them to the Duchefs herfelf, 
 
 Z 2 tO 
 
( 2 5 6 ) 
 
 to drive fuch dangerous thoughts from 
 her mind : Madam Cafardo faid fbe 
 had, but from her mouth they did not 
 prevail, the Duchefs fuppofing that it 
 was fear dictated them. Do you try, 
 faid ihe, if you can prevail with her; but 
 I doubt it, becaufe fhe never told you 
 ail that is paft ; nor can you fpeak to 
 her like me, becaufe I know what you 
 do not. To this, faid I, I cannot an- 
 fwer, for there are fecrets that ' the wo- 
 men never will betray ; when once they 
 have entertained an opinion, it is hard 
 to remove it ; and the difguft ihe has 
 to the Duke will never be at an end. 
 Madam Cafardo was, at that inftant, 
 called away to the Duchefs ; and I re- 
 turned to ray apartment with a mind 
 oppreffed with melancholy, and the 
 moft painful reflections on what courfe 
 I mould purfue. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
( 257 ) 
 
 CHAP. XXXIV. 
 
 Commijfwi received by me, from t be Duchefs, 
 to go to Avignon -, and, after that, to 
 Itatyt in fearch of my f elf. 
 
 TH E fituation I was in, to any- 
 one, except myfelf, muft have 
 appeared really diverting : I was the 
 fugitive of Avignon, and was to go in 
 fearch of myfelf; the Duchefs loved 
 me with the tendernefs of a mother, and 
 yet I was to be the fole executrix of her 
 juft revenge: thefe comic ideas, far from 
 giving me pleafure, made me no longer 
 doubt that I was daughter to the Duke ; 
 yet I wondered, as the Duchefs knew 
 of this conjugal infidelity of her huf- 
 band, that me did not relent it before ; 
 at the fame time I thought, that not to 
 execute this commifiion of the Duchefs, 
 would be abufing her bounty, and me- 
 rit her difdain for ever ; and to obey 
 her orders, would be the fame as to 
 difcover myfelf, and lay open to the 
 world, the flain of my birth ; in fhort, 
 I could not find out a better method 
 than to make off, without the privacy 
 of any one, from fuch an intricate and 
 fubtil court. In oppofition to this 
 resolution, there were, in my heart, 
 Z 3 fome 
 
( 25§ ) 
 
 feme fentiments of regard towards the 
 Duchefs, which I could by no means 
 account for -, nor did I know whether it 
 proceeded from conveniency or nature : 
 I thought, if I treated her aniifs, it 
 would be ungrateful ; and if I acted 
 other wife, it would be cruel to myfelf. 
 Confufed between thefe two fentiments, 
 of love and gratitude, I knew not which 
 part to take ; at laft my doubts were 
 reduced to two points, whether I ihould 
 manifeft myfelf to be what I really was, 
 or take frankly the journey for Avig- 
 non, and wait the change and circum- 
 stances of time : having to do with a 
 man like the Duke, it might coft me 
 my life ; and to difcover myfelf to the 
 Duchefs, would be difclofing a fecret 
 as dear to me as my life : I then refo- 
 lutely refolved to do neither the one nor 
 the other ; and contented myfelf with 
 hoping that the Duchefs's refolution 
 might be difapproved by the Prince, 
 and her opinion, by his perfuafions, 
 changed, in the mean time me fent 
 for me, and I went as if I had been 
 going to execution. You muft, faid 
 ihe, at the firft word, difpofe yourfelf 
 for departing; I will give you fome 
 letters to the governefs of Avignon, and 
 for others of my dependents, of whona, 
 
 you 
 
( 259 ) 
 you muft inform yourfelf, what is be- 
 come of a young girl, called, Mil's 
 D'Arville, who is mentioned in the let- 
 ters : Hie is, though you are a ftranger 
 to this matter, daughter to the Duke, 
 who had her by one of my waiting- 
 maids, after he was married to me; 
 nor can I feparate myfelf from him till 
 I can produce this girl, or at leaft tcfti- 
 fy, by witnefTes, that ihe has been 
 there, and is gone off: but take care, 
 when you are in Avignon, not to men- 
 tion my name in this affair ; and regu- 
 late yourfelf by what the people, whom 
 I write to, fay to you. All is well, 
 Madam, anfwercd I, I ihall not fail of 
 performing your orders ; but to fatisfy 
 your inclinations, muft you make fo 
 much noife in the world !. are you not 
 feparated already ? and do you not live 
 as you pleaie, without any one's daring 
 to reflect on you ? This is not fuffici- 
 cient, replied ihe ; my honour is at 
 frake, and I am deiirous that my repa- 
 ration from the Duke may be juftifia- 
 ble in the eyes of the world, and pro- 
 perly authenticated : thus being at li- 
 berty to marry whom I pleafe, I lhall 
 alio be able to difpofe, at my difcreti- 
 on, of all my wealth, which is fuperi- 
 or to that of the Duke, 
 
 At 
 
( 260 ) 
 
 At the time I write this, I cannot 
 but wonder, that even in the nobleft 
 fouls, vile intereft will fometimes pre- 
 dominate : in a fentiment fo mean, I 
 think the Duchefs not worthy of an 
 exctrfe; 1, that was fo much inferior to 
 her, mould have been afhamed to ex- 
 prefs myfelf in that mannei. While 
 fhe was telling her mind, I was think- 
 ing what method. I fhould take : it was 
 lucky for me, that fhe allowed me fif- 
 teen days before I was to fet out, m 
 which I thought I could refolve what 
 to do. 
 
 From the Duchefs 's apartment, I 
 went to the Prince : he received me 
 with his ordinary civility, afking me, 
 how long it was fince I had {een the 
 Duchefs ? I told him, I had juft left 
 her - y and that fhe was talking about a 
 journey for me. I fuppofe, fa id he, it 
 is that of Avignon ; and, upon my ho- 
 nour, I believe the Duchefs is going out 
 of her fenfes : fhe would fain make 
 herfelf eafy, and is taking a method to 
 augment her troubles ; but I dare not 
 oppofe her opinion : if fhe defires you 
 to go, you muft go 5 but as you do not 
 fet out thefe fifteen days, poflibly, in 
 that time, fome accident may happen 
 which may make her change her mind» 
 
 Could 
 
( 2*1 ) 
 
 Could I have entertained fuch hope?, 
 I fhould not have haftily taken a refo- 
 lution which coft me to many tears ; 
 and might have coft me my life. What 
 
 I require of you, laid the Prince, is, 
 tint, if you lhould go, you manage, in 
 Avignon, the affair of the Duchefs 
 with the utmoit delicacy : I am already 
 fufficiently perfuaded of your zeal 
 and difcretion towards my intereft ; 
 and therefore ihall acquaint you with 
 fome matters, to which you are a 
 
 II ranger. I imagined, that I had known 
 more than him in this cafe; happy 
 would it have been for me, had I not 
 trufted too much to my own know- 
 ledge : my curiofity was always of fer- 
 vice to mc; but on this occafion I was not 
 at all curious, becaufe I was to be ftill 
 unhappy : could I have had patience to 
 wait for the Prince's inftr ucYions, I 
 fhould not have formed a refolution, 
 than which I never made a worfe in all 
 my life : my temper was fuch, as I have 
 obferved before, that, in the heat of 
 my paffion, no refle&fcui was able to 
 withhold me from a refolution once 
 taken. 
 
 No fcheme could be more impru- 
 dent or more refolute than mine, when 
 I determined to leave Verfojlfetf, and 
 
 Paris, 
 
( 262 ) 
 
 Paris, without acquainting any one of 
 my intentions, at the hazard of affront- 
 ing two perfons who could have found 
 me where ever I went ; and who, on 
 fufpicion of my difclofing what they 
 had revealed to me, muft certainly 
 have defired my death : neverthelefs, I 
 judged that fuch a Hep was neceflary for 
 me, and this feemed to me reafon fuf- 
 flcient; and, in order to execute it in 
 the manner my circumftances required, 
 I procured a pafs-port, and a poft- 
 chaife, under pretence of going to Pa- 
 ris for two days only; and, in thedufk 
 of the evening, I mounted my chaife, 
 with all my baggage, and, without 
 bidding adieu to any one, fet forward 
 on my journey. I took the road for 
 Italy, with an intention not to pafs by 
 Lyons, left the news of my flight had 
 reached that place. I had letters of re- 
 commendation from the Prince to the 
 Marfhall of • * • *, that commanded 
 the French army in Italy 5 and I truft- 
 ed they would anfwer my purpofe, be- 
 caufe I intended, when I arrived at 
 Piedmont, to write to him by another 
 perfon, and implore, from his genero- 
 fity, my pardon: to gain it, thought I, 
 will not be difficult ; and Madam Ca- 
 fardo will not fail to /peak in my fa- 
 vour. 
 
( 263 ) 
 
 vour. The Duchefs, deprived, by my 
 abfence, of the inftrumem of her in- 
 tended revenge, will furely give over 
 all thoughts of vindicating herfelf; and 
 it would be more grateful in anyone to 
 intercede to her for my pardon, than 
 to exclaim againft me: the worft they 
 could impute to me was, either that I 
 muft be the daughter of the Duke, or, 
 that I had only been diibbedfent to their 
 order; which was a matter of indiffe- 
 rence to me, when I might perhaps ne- 
 ver fee them more. Thefe reflexions 
 encouraged me to leave Verfailies ; and 
 whatever happened to mc afterwards, I 
 refolved never to blame my own con- 
 fcience for it. No one, at court, could 
 know of my flight, for the fpace of 
 two days after; and then I ihould have 
 no occaflon to trouble myielf about 
 their conje&urcs. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
( 264) 
 
 CHAP. XXXV. 
 
 My Departure from Paris, and the Confe- 
 rences thereof. 
 
 WH E N I had got about forty 
 leagues diftance from Verfailles, 
 the axle-tree of my chaife, by a fudden 
 jolt, broke in the middle ; and while 
 the pom'lion was repairing the damage, 
 3. gentleman on horfe-back rode up to 
 me, and alighted from his horfe to af- 
 fift me; but feeing that it would take 
 fome time to put it in order, and that 
 it was impoffibie for me to arrive at 
 Valenciennes before night, he kindly 
 offered me fuch accommodation as his 
 houfe afforded, and which, he told me, 
 was not above thediftance of a muiket- 
 Jhot from that place, and promifed, in 
 the mean time, to get my chaife mend- 
 ed as it ought to be -, and to-morrow, 
 faid he, you may proceed on your jour- 
 ney. This obliging offer, to a pcrfon 
 in my circumftances, could not fail of 
 being agreeable ; and though his ap- 
 pearance gave me no very favourable 
 ideas, he exprefTed himfelf with fo 
 much civility, that I could not refufe 
 his invitation. His head was covered 
 with a wig, which looked like fpun- 
 
 yarn 5 
 
 
( 265 ) 
 yarn ; his coat was ferge, of a Frier's 
 grey, which feemed to have been turn- 
 ed ten years ago ; his waiftcoat was 
 laced with gold, but looked older than 
 himfelf; his breeches were grey linen ; 
 and, in lhort, between his own figure 
 and that of his horfe, there was little 
 difference j for, the horfe looked as 
 poor as himfelf. We walked together a 
 confiderable way, and, at lail, arrived 
 at a long valley, from whence I could 
 difcover Mr. Alliot's hoiife, which was 
 not higher than a hay-flack. I do not 
 conduct you, laid he, to a Louvre, or to 
 VerfaiJles- but to the houfe of a poor 
 gentleman, where you mail not want a 
 good bed, nor any neceifary refresh- 
 ments. With fuch like difcourfes we 
 arrived at his houfe. In truth, he to!d 
 me no lye, in faying that he did not 
 conducl me to the Louvre, or to Ver- 
 faillesj for his yard was full of dirt, 
 and lumbered with firaw 5 and I fcraped 
 my {hoes, to go into a room full of 
 rubbiih : on my entry, I was compli- 
 mented by Madam Ailiot, who, turn- 
 ing to her hufband, asked him, if he 
 was not alhamed to bring me into fuch 
 an incommoded houfe? Soon after, 
 his nephew came in, with a large par- 
 cel of woodcocks, quails, and other 
 Vol. I, A a game, 
 
( 266 ) 
 
 game, which he had killed that after- 
 noon, and which, being dreiled, af- 
 forded us an elegant fupper. At the 
 proper time, we retired' to reft; and 
 early next morning, my chaife being 
 ready, I took my leave of Madam, re- 
 turning her a thoufand thanks; nor did 
 I fufpect that Mr. Alliot would accom- 
 pany nle, but he infifted that he would, 
 and we arrived both together at Valen- 
 ciennes ; from whence we proceeded to 
 the famous abbey of St. William ; and 
 Mr. Alliot, as if he had been mafter, 
 gave orders to unharnefs the horfes, and 
 put them in the Abbot's ftables, and 
 then delired to fee the Abbot : when he 
 came out, Mr. Alliot made him a very 
 low bow, telling him, that he was 
 charged to accompany that young gen- 
 tleman (meaning me) to fee the moft 
 curious places in the province, and that 
 he thought it his duty to fhew him the 
 famous abbey of St. William; there- 
 fore hoped to be excufed for this liber- 
 ty. The courteous Abbot replied, that 
 it was doing him a particular favour j 
 and immediately condueled us into a 
 genteel apartment, when he offered us 
 ibme refrefhment. No, no, replied 
 Mr. Alliot, we'll keep our ftomachs for 
 fupper, and we (hall not then be in 
 
 danger 
 
( *«7 ) 
 
 clanger of doing wrong to the genero- 
 fity of our holt ; and, while the flip- 
 per is getting ready, we will take a walk 
 in your garden to gain us an appetite. 
 Gentlemen, faid the Abbot, I will keep 
 you company. We are obliged to you, 
 replied Mr. Alliot, but don't dilturb 
 yourfelf, nor us neither. Though Mr. 
 Alliot's difcourfe was quite free and un- 
 poliihed, it was fo natural, and accom- 
 panied with fo much affability, that no 
 one c ould take it amifs. 
 
 CHAP. XXXVI. 
 
 My Arrival at Turin. 
 
 MY companion, after leaving me 
 fome moments in the garden, re- 
 turned, faying, that we fhould have an 
 elegant fupper, for there were two 
 difhes which the Abbot was very fond 
 of; and if the cook did not drefs them 
 properly, the Lord have mercy on him. 
 In truth, we had a fine fupper ; and 
 Mr. Alliot allured me, that he would 
 engage I fhould be more elegantly en- 
 tertained the next day. To this I re- 
 plied, that I muft abfolutely depart the 
 next day, and proceed on my journey. 
 There is no occafion for fuch hurry, 
 fays he ; here is plenty of the belt pro- 
 A a 2 vifion, 
 
( 268 ) 
 
 vifion, and nothing to "pay for it but 
 good words. This fort of ceconomy 
 did not agree with my fpirit; but I had 
 to do with a man from whom I knew 
 not how to difengage myfelf. At length, 
 however, I found an excufe to depart 
 in two days from the Abbey. I thought, 
 if I left it without ihewing fome token 
 of my gratitude, I mould Teem ungen- 
 tcel ;. and therefore I took occafion to 
 fpeak to the Abbot alone, and prefent 
 him with a gold fnufT-box, given to 
 me by Mr. D'Arcore, and which was 
 worth about feventy ducats. The 
 oeconomy of my companion, on this 
 occafion, made me prodigal ; and al- 
 though my liberality might exceed pro- 
 per bounds, I fhould have rather been 
 quite poor, than have fhewn myfelf 
 mean-fpirited, or acled ungratefully. 
 In the evening we arrived at Mons, and 
 ( feigned to go to BrufTels the next morn- 
 ing; by this means I got rid of Mr. 
 Alliot, who returned to Valenciennes. 
 Before I let out on my journey, I wrote 
 a letter to Madam Cafardoj in a cha- 
 racter copied from Mr. Befone's book, 
 that my true hand-writing might not be 
 difcovered : I gave her the reafon of my 
 fudden departure ; defiring her to find 
 out the fentiments of the Duchefs con- 
 
 cerning 
 
( 269 ) 
 cerning me, and to write to me at Turin, 
 without informing any one where I was 
 I would willingly have wrote to Mr. 
 D'Arcore, but was fearful of being dif- 
 covered, and determined to defer it till 
 my arrival in Italy. 
 
 From Mons to Turin, nothing hap- 
 pened worthy of attention. The fitua- 
 tion and beauty of that city, I will not 
 fay it furprifed me, but it pleafed me 
 extreamly : if there were not not mag- 
 nificent palaces, as in Paris, and in 
 other cities of Italy, yet the fpaciouf- 
 nefs of the flreets, and regularity of the 
 buildings, exceeded what was to be feen 
 in other places. I took a lodging with 
 intent to itay fome time at Turin, that 
 I might get an anfwcr from Madam Ca- 
 fardo, to know what was faid of me at 
 that court. Being one night at the ope- 
 ra, I went into the ftage-box, and was 
 furprifed at being faluted by one of the 
 fingers as if fhe had known me before : 
 I could not, by her face, find out who 
 fhe was ; till I rofe up, and went from 
 my box to the fcenes, when, coming 
 nigh her, I knew her to be Mifs Gia- 
 netton, Mr. Befone's friend : I was fur- 
 prifed to fee her in that way of life, 
 neither had fhe time to tell me any 
 thing, but defired the favour of my 
 company when the opera was ended. 
 A a 3 Accord- 
 
( 270 ) 
 
 -Accordingly I went to the door to wait 
 for her; and when fhe came out the 
 took me by the arm, as is common with 
 ladies of her profeffion, and made me 
 ftep into the coach, which conducted 
 us to her houfe. A diftinclion of this 
 Jiature made every one believe that I 
 was a favourite of that beauty, and had 
 made a conqueft of no little moment : 
 I heard an obfervatlon of this fort, as 
 we were going into the coach ; at which 
 fhe laughed, and I, in my own mind, 
 had more reafon to laugh than fhe. I 
 fhall fay nothing of her apartment, on- 
 ly that it was compleatly f urn lined ; 
 and before I had the honour of being 
 noticed, I muft wait till fhe undreffed 
 at her leifure, to give me an opportu- 
 nity of feeing her wardrobe ♦, and, un- 
 der pretext of warning her hands, fhe 
 fhewed me her toilet, which was adorn- 
 ed with a variety of filver trinkets : if 
 fhe had fpared this trouble, it would 
 have done her more honour; wealth of 
 this fort, procured in fo ihort a time, 
 I fufpe&ed, muft have been got in no 
 very creditable manner. After having 
 given me this oftentatious difplay of her 
 riches, which certainly were not the 
 fruits of a rigorous virtue, Mifs Gia- 
 netton infifted on my ftaying to fupwith 
 her, and entertained me like a Prince i 
 
 at 
 
( 27 1 v. 
 
 at this 1 did not wonder, as I well knew 
 that people of the theatres were gene- 
 rally very extravagant. That air of 
 feigned greatnefs, which they afTume on 
 the ftage, is not forgot when on plain 
 ground; and in domeftic conversation, 
 they aim to mimic their fuperiors, 
 with a contempt for all others, which 
 renders them truly ridiculous. Mifs 
 Gianetton was not old in the art, yet fhe 
 •had adopted all thefe prejudices, as if 
 fhe had been of the profeffion from her 
 ^childhood. When fupper was over, I 
 took my leave of her, and the next 
 morning my pretended conqueft was 
 rumoured all over Turin. 
 
 The idle life which I led at Turin, in 
 waiting for the letters from Paris, made 
 me confidcr the converfation of Mifs 
 Gianetton, and the talk of the country, 
 as a paflime, which a little flattered my 
 vanity; I continuing to vifit her, fhe 
 continued to diftinguifh me . whether 
 it was through the affection which fhe 
 conceived for me (as I afterwards found) 
 or with the hopes of gaining advantage, 
 as the women of her character do, by 
 being {o intimate with me, fhe torment- 
 ed me in fuch a manner with her kind- 
 nefs, that fhe would not leave me one 
 hour's liberty; I palled whole days at 
 
 her 
 
( 272 ) 
 
 her houfe, becaufe it was delightful, 
 and her converfation lively ; and be- 
 caufe I had no other acquaintances 
 there, every one envied my happinefs, 
 and at their envy I laughed ; but had 
 I forefeen what was to happen, I fhould 
 have had little caufe to glory, and they 
 lefs to envy me. 
 
 CHAP. XXXVII. 
 
 Plundered by a Servant, and ajftfied where 
 lleaft expelled it. 
 
 ON E night, when I had remained 
 later than ufual at Mifs Gianet- 
 ton's, I waited for my footman to come 
 with a light, becaufe the night was dark 
 and rainy ; and not having feen him 
 from twelve o'clock that day, I judged 
 he was got in liquor, and did not think 
 how late it was : after having waited 
 till paft midnight, I went home by my- 
 felf, refolving to difcharge him the next 
 morning: I had the key of my apart- 
 ment, which had no connection with 
 any other part of the houfe, and, as 
 there was no light, I was obliged to 
 ftrike one : in undrefftng myfelf, I had 
 occafion to go into my clofet where I 
 put my cloaths, which I opened with a 
 beating heart, as if I had forefeen the 
 
 villainy 
 
( *73 } 
 villainy, when, to my furprize, I found 
 it empty ! I immediately ran to the bu- 
 reau, where I put my linen, and all 
 my jewels, and money ; I found it 
 broke open, and not the value of a half- 
 penny left ! Oh God, how was I ftruck 
 motionlefs at this light ! the tears came 
 into my eyes, and I was ready to drop 
 into a fwoon at this fudden misfortune : 
 my perfidious villain of a footman had 
 plundered me of alt; for having a key 
 of my apirtment, lie went in and out 
 as he p leafed, with an excufe of putting 
 it in order. Thus I loft every thing 
 but wJiat I had upon my back; I had, 
 it is true, the gold watch the Prince 
 gave me, but very little money in my 
 pocket. My fituation was moil deplo- 
 rable; and the only defperate council 
 my confufion fuggefted to me, was, how 
 to pre ceed on my journey to Lorn- 
 bardy, where the French army was ; 
 how to fubfift in Turin, till I had back 
 the money I left with Mrs. Cafardo; 
 and who to run to, at that hour, to get 
 fome account of the villain, or from 
 whom to get any thing towards my 
 fupport. The fum I had loft was not 
 trifling ; for I brought with me, from 
 Paris, as much as would have maintain- 
 ed me fome years: what I had remain- 
 
( 274 ) 
 ing was but little ; one half I muft ex- 
 pend to equip myfelf for my journey, 
 and to make a competent figure in the 
 army; the other half would be exhauft- 
 ed in travelling expences : I mould have 
 nothing to help myfelf in time of need. 
 With thefe uneafy thoughts I parTed 
 the whole night, and not one foul to 
 comfort me ; I owed the landlady for 
 two weeks board, nor had I another 
 ihirt to fhift myfelf when the one I had 
 on was dirty ; and to appear in genteel 
 company, it was necefTary I mould make 
 a decent appearance. The news of my 
 misfortune was, the next morning, fpread 
 all over the city; but no one offered me 
 the loan of a fingle ducat. I was fitting 
 in a coffee-houfe, receiving the fruit- 
 lefs companion of others, when, at 
 about twelve o'clock at noon, I was 
 called afide by a perfon, of whom, du- 
 ring the part night, I had not, in my 
 confufion, entertained even the leafr 
 thought; this perfon was no other than 
 Mifs Gianetton, who came and conclud- 
 ed me to her own habitation, with the 
 tears in her eyes, lamenting my fad mif- 
 fortune : it is impofiible to exprefs the 
 various methods me made ufe of to lef- 
 fen my troubles, which aim oft depriv- 
 ed me of my fenfes. Her expreffions 
 
 and 
 
( 275 ) 
 
 and anions, being correfpondent with 
 each other, convinced me of the iince- 
 rity of her intentions : I always believ- 
 ed, that in women of her profeflion, 
 vile intereft was their ruling pailion ; 
 but on this occafion, I was very certain, 
 that, in Mifs Gianetton, love prevailed : 
 it arTe&ed her lefs in making me the of- 
 fer of one hundred piftoles of her own 
 to fupply my neceflity, than it did me 
 in accepting of them. The neceffiy, 
 however, to which I found myfelf re- 
 duced, obliged me, though contrary 
 to my inclination, to embrace her offer; 
 nor was this all, for Mifs Gianetton 
 fhewed herfelf ftili more generous to- 
 wards me ; and doubting whether the 
 fupply I was in expectation of from Pa- 
 ris, was not a pretence, invented by me 
 to conceal my ihame, fhe infilled upon 
 immediately providing me with all- ne- 
 cerTaries : I oppofed her refolution, but 
 in vain ; and not to affront her, was 
 forced to let her acl as fhe pleafed. 
 Having accepted what I wanted under 
 the title of borrowing, and upon con- 
 dition of reimburfement as foon as pof- 
 fible, I wrote to Madam Cafardo of my 
 jftate, related to her how much I was 
 indebted to my beneiadrefs, and 
 begged fhe would remit me the money 
 
 Heft 
 
( 2 7 6 ) 
 I left in her hands, to fatisfy the obli- 
 gations I was under. 
 
 Iu a few days after Mifs Gianetton 
 had obliged me in this particular man- 
 ner, fhe acquainted me, that fhe had a 
 great regard for my peribn, and, in 
 fliort, that fhe was willing, if agreea- 
 ble to myfelf, to become my wife : I 
 was not a little furprifed at her propo- 
 fal, and knew no better method to bring 
 myfelf off with honour, than by telling 
 her, that I already had a wife at Ver- 
 iailles, from whom I was not feparatcd, 
 though my duty at prefent called me to 
 the army. I dreaded the confequences 
 which even this reasonable excufe might 
 produce, fuppofing Mifs Gianetton to 
 be really in love with me; but I found, 
 to my great fatisfa&ion, that her affec- 
 tion had not taken very deep root. 
 Her view was, by marrying me, to en- 
 large the profits of her profeffion as a 
 finger, to which ihe thought my know- 
 ledge of muiic would be no (mall addi- 
 tion : ihe was defirous, as I before 6b* 
 ferved, of mimicking her betters in 
 grandeur and magnificence; and let flip 
 no opportunity in her power to fup- 
 port that character. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
( *77 ) 
 
 CHAP. XXXVIII. 
 
 Letters received from Verfailks ; and new 
 Dangers of my being difcovered at 
 Turin. 
 
 SOME days after my misfortune 
 at Turin, I was informed, by good 
 authority, that Count Termes was with 
 his regiment in Pavia , I had a great 
 inclination to write to him, to give him 
 another proof of my conftancy : it was- 
 requifite for me to write in fuch a man- 
 ner, that he might not find out where 
 I was ; accordingly I fat down, and 
 wrote to him as follows : 
 
 " Dear Sir, 
 
 This is the fecond Letter that I write 
 you, without acquainting you of the 
 place of my abode, or what is the rea- 
 fon for my concealing it from you. 
 Wherever I am, it is fufficient to inform 
 you, that I love you as much as ever; 
 and rely upon the honour of your pro- 
 mifes. With thefe hopes, I flatter ray* 
 felf, that in a few weeks we mail fee 
 each other, and will inform you in per- 
 fon of what I dare not in writing. I 
 am all at your fervice, ^ x r 
 
 Vol. I. B b Not 
 
( 2 7 3 ) 
 
 Not only this, but the other letter 
 alfo fell into the Count's hands, as I 
 was afterwards informed, though both 
 were rather caufe of inquietude than 
 content to him. My intricate method 
 of writing kept him utterly in the 
 dark ; and if I had explained myfelf 
 more clearly, even in this laft letter, I 
 fhould have feen him a great deal 
 fboner, and my troubles would not have 
 begun at a time when I expected they 
 would have been finiihed. Carrying 
 the letter to the Poft-office, I found one 
 from Paris, wrote to me by Madam 
 Cafardo, in anfwer to that I fent from 
 Mons. You may eafily believe with 
 what eagernefs I opened it, to know 
 how the Duchefs proceeded after my 
 fudden departure ; and my heart beat 
 with the apprehenfion of hearing the 
 Duchefs's exclamation againft me: but 
 how agreeably was I difappointed, when 
 I found all contrary to what I expect- 
 ed. The firft -thing which prefented it- 
 felf to my eyes, was a Bill of Exchange, 
 of four hundred piftoles, inclofed there- 
 it). The contents were as follow : 
 
 " Sir, 
 
 My concern for your departure is 
 greatly diraipUhed by the news that you 
 
 gave 
 
( 279 ) 
 
 gave me of your health and fafety* 
 The Duchefs would have reafon to be 
 angry at your conduct, provided her 
 regard for you was lefs ; but her love 
 has expelled every principle of refent- 
 ment from her heart, and her utmoft 
 wifh is to know to what place you are 
 flown. Her difcords with the Duke 
 are ftill the fame, and fhe has not laid 
 afide the thoughts of feparating from 
 him ; but being deprived of your aflift- 
 ance, has taken other methods of pro- 
 ceeding. In the mean time, that you 
 may not be ftraightened in your ex- 
 penfive journey, I fend you a bill of 
 four hundred piftoles, without dimi- 
 niftiing the capital left in my hands. 
 And, with arlurance of my tender af- 
 fection for you, I am always the 
 fame. 
 
 Cafardo." 
 
 Confidering what had pafTed between 
 me and Madam Cafardo, her genero- 
 fity furprifed me much : fhe gloried in 
 alluring me, by thefe prefents, of the 
 fircerity of her repentance ; and tho', 
 at firft, I hated her through revenge, 
 yet to love her for this token of her af- 
 fection, was now a duty incumbent on 
 me. The account of the Duchefs's 
 
 bounty 
 
( 2$0 ) 
 
 bounty towards me, and the timely af- 
 firmance of the money fent by my fup- 
 pofed fpoufe, without my afking for it, 
 or fhe knowing the neceflity I was in, 
 were equally a comfort to me. I was 
 anxious, in the firft place, to repay the 
 money to Mifs Gianetton. 
 
 On the morning that I prefented to 
 Mifs Gianetton, unexpectedly, the one 
 hundred pifloles which fhe had lent me, 
 and fifty more which me had laid out 
 in cloaths for me, fhe was greatly aflo- 
 nifhed at it well knowing that the an- 
 s fwer to my letter, wrote to Paris, could 
 not be arrived yet : fhe knew^at what 
 to think, nor could conceive where I 
 borrowed that fum, fhe faid to affront 
 her^and, to fatisfyher, I was obliged to 
 ttizw her the letter from my wife ; this 
 convinced her of the fact: ; but fhe had 
 no fooner entered the play-houfe in the 
 evening, than fhe indulged her vanity, 
 by acquainting the other actors of my 
 punctuality in repaying what fhe lent 
 me, and of the large remittance which 
 I received from France, reprefenting it 
 as double the value of what it was ; and 
 the opinion they entertained of me, in 
 confequence of this change in my cir- 
 cumftances, might be eafily perceived 
 by their behaviour. 
 
 A 
 
( 28l ) 
 
 A few days after I received another 
 letter from Madam Cafardo, in an- 
 fwer to that I wrote from Turin, and, 
 in bills, the fum of money I had wrote 
 for. I was now again iri a flate to make 
 a decent appearance in the world, and 
 to proceed on my journey for the ar- 
 my : I would not flay to look after 
 what I was rob'd of ; Mifs Gianettoa 
 perfifled on my flaying in Turin till the 
 feafon for the operas was over, after 
 which fhe would go with me to Italy : 
 this was fufficient to haflen my depar- 
 ture -, my heart was naturally grateful, 
 and the obligations that tied me to Mifs 
 Gianetton were infeparable. One day, 
 after dinner, I was walking towards the 
 citadel, and obferved in a coach, amongft 
 other perfons, a young lady, who gaz- 
 ed at me with attention, as if fhe had 
 known me before : IpafTed carelefly by, 
 and her face did not feem new to me : 
 the coach on a fudden flopped, and a 
 nobleman, who was in it, called to me, 
 faying, Sir, this lady deiires the honour 
 of fpeaking to you : the honour, Sir, 
 will be mine, replied I; and, going up 
 to the coach, defired to know her plea- 
 fure. I am either abfoiutely dreaming, 
 fa id fhe, or you, Sir, fo nearly refem- 
 ble Mifs D'Arville, known by me in 
 Eb 3 the 
 
( 282 ) 
 
 the convent of Avignon, that, If you 
 are not her, you are certainly her bro- 
 ther. Imagine how I looked, at thefe 
 words ; I know not what concealed my 
 blufhes, but a cold horror ran through 
 every vein, which mortified my fhame 
 within me, and I difcovered, that mo- 
 ment, that the lady, who fpoke to me, 
 was Mifs Marli, educated with me in 
 the convent of Avignon. I found it 
 very difficult to hide my confufion, nor 
 did I know how to anfwer her : how- 
 ever, as I had no time to lofe in reflec- 
 tions, No, Madam, I am not brother 
 to Mifs D'Arville, faid I, nor do I 
 even know her, only by what I have 
 read in the Gazettes. You will excufe 
 my curiofity, Sir, faid fhe, as I had a 
 great regard for her; and fuppofing you 
 to be her brother, I was in hopes to 
 bear fomething about her from you. 
 If I knew any thing of her, Madam, 
 replied I, with more franknefs than at 
 firft, I might have gained great favour 
 at Verfailles, by acquainting them with 
 it ; for they are continually fearching 
 for her with the greateft diligence. It 
 is furprifing, faid the lady, that they 
 can hear nothing of her in fo long a 
 time. This Mifs D'Arville^ anfwered 
 I, mull have been a girl of fpirit, hav- 
 
 ing 
 
( 283 ) 
 Ing the courage to form and execute 
 fucli a fcheme. Mifi Marli detained 
 me near half an hour at the door of the 
 coach ; and I found, by her difcourfe, 
 that ihe was married at Turin about fix 
 months before, when ihe had juft come 
 out of retirement at Avignon : ihe broke 
 off with afluring me, that if I would fa- 
 vour her with a vifit, me mould efteem 
 it as a great pleafure. I took my leave, 
 and promifed to wait upon her; but, 
 as foon as I was at liberty, refolved ne- 
 ver to fee her more. When I got back 
 to my lodging, I reflected on what I 
 fhould do: if I remain in Turin another 
 moment, thought I, the curiofity of 
 this woman may baffle all my fchemes : 
 Madam Marli waits for my vifit, Mifs 
 Gianetton defires to go with me to Italy ; 
 I'll put both upon a par, and go off 
 without feeing either; the one will call 
 me ungrateful, the other rude : what 
 does it fignify ? every ill is Ms than 
 that which would happen if I was 
 known. Having fixed this refolution, 
 I left Turin that evening, and took the 
 road for Lombardy. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
( 2^4) 
 
 CHAP. XXXIX. 
 
 Before my Arrival at Milan the Count of 
 Termes is recalled to Paris. 
 
 M 
 
 'Ounted in a poft-chaife, and ac- 
 . companied only with my thoughts, 
 I pleafed myfelf with the hopes of fee- 
 ing Count Termes, that I might ac- 
 quaint him with my fituation, and re- 
 ceive his advice. The nigher "I drew to 
 him, the more my love for him increaf- 
 ed: never did J look fo much at his pic- 
 ture as I did in that journey, though I 
 always kept it about me -, I pleafed my- 
 felf with the thoughts of furprifmg 
 him when he leaft expected it, and in 
 hearing the rlrft tranfports of his ten- 
 dernefs. In lefs than two days I arriv- 
 ed at Milan, butfo tired with my jour- 
 ney that I was obliged to retire to my 
 bed, and my ficknefs, accompanied 
 with a flight fever, gave me fome un- 
 eafinefs, being in an inn, and in a city 
 where I knew nobody. I was then forry 
 that I did not take Mifs Gianetton's 
 council, whofe company would have 
 been very neceflary to me. After two 
 days repofe my ficknefs vanifhed ; and 
 as I had been informed, the firft day I 
 came into town, that the Marfhall 
 
 of 
 
( **5 ) 
 
 ©f *•** was i n Milan, where he in- 
 tended to eftablifh his winter-quarters? 
 I prepared myfelf to prefent to him the 
 letters given me by the Prince, in which 
 I was recommended. I provided a rich 
 fuit of cloaths in the military faihion, 
 adapted to the profciTion I was going to 
 embrace ; and fummonfed, to my ailif- 
 tance, all my refolution, to merit there 
 a gracious reception. 
 
 I had fcarce entered the anti-cham- 
 ber of the Marfhall, which was full of 
 young officers, who, knowing I was of 
 France, took particular notice of me : 
 they afked me, courteoufly, what was 
 my bufinefs there ? when telling them 
 that I came from Verfailles, and had let- 
 ters from the Prince of * * * * to the 
 Marina", they introduced me to his 
 prefence. 
 
 As foon as he faw me, You are, I 
 fuppofe Sir, faid he, with a lively and 
 free air, Count Richard, who was 
 Gentleman to theDuchefs of * * * f 9 my 
 particular friend ; I have been fome 
 weeks expecting you, and was afraid 
 you had miftaken the road ; but I am 
 now of a different opinion, and am ra- 
 ther induced to believe fome love ad- 
 venture has detained you by the way. 
 I replied, that I fuppofed he had been 
 
 informed 
 
( 286 ) 
 
 informed of what had happened to the 
 Prince and me, at Paris -, giving him, 
 at the fame time, an account of my 
 misfortune at Turin. I then prefented 
 him with the letters, full of generous 
 cxpreffions concerning me ; but he faid 
 they were neediefs, becaufe he had 
 others upon the fame account, and that 
 he had a commiffion at my fervioe: you 
 are then, faid he, a Captain in the Bur- 
 gundy regiment, which is quartered at 
 Pavia, but you may remain with me, 
 if you have a mind fo to do, in Milan; 
 in the mean time, you'll tfay and dine 
 with me to day, that I may meafurc 
 your bravery by your appetite. He 
 then gave me my commiffion, and I 
 received the compliments of the gentle- 
 men in the anti-chamber. I wifhed for 
 an opportunity to be alone, to reflect 
 properly on my new fituation : I am 
 now going to appear on the great ftage 
 of the world, in the jcharacler of a fol- 
 dier; what could be more ridiculous 
 and extravagant in a girl like me ? if I 
 had courage neceffary for a foldier, I 
 had neither the experience, art, or con- 
 duel, which alone, amongft fo many 
 dangers, could be a means of preferv- 
 ing my life : the idea of death did not 
 terrify me, having defired it often, as 
 
 an 
 
(28 7 ) 
 
 an alleviation to my greateft afflictions ; 
 yet love of life is natural to us all, and, 
 in my prefent circumftances, it appear- 
 ed more defirable than ufual to me. 
 Miferableme! (aid I, in my heart, if, 
 in a trench, or under a breach, I mould 
 remain mortally wounded : the fecret of 
 my fex would be difcovered to the 
 whole army 5 and what would become 
 of my reputation and honour? how 
 many would attribute this my meta- 
 morphofis, to an unbridled luft ! how 
 many would deny me the glory of thofe 
 virtuous principles, with which God 
 was fo good as to endow me, and 
 which I mall ever Itudy to maintain! 
 This thought tormented me much ; 
 and when I reflected, that my love for 
 Count Termes had reduced me to this 
 extremity, I almoft repented of loving 
 him ; knowing, that he was the caufe 
 of every misfortune which had hap- 
 pened to me hitherto, and which might 
 happen to me hereafter. I had a great 
 defire to fee him ; and my being order- 
 ed by the Marfhall to remain in Milan, 
 though my regiment was in Pavia, gave 
 me incredible uneafinefs : to evade 
 which, my love foon found a remedy, 
 and a paflion, like mine, foon finds a 
 thoufand reasonable pretences ; the ne- 
 
 ceffi^y 
 
( **8 ) 
 
 ceflity of making myfelf known to my 
 regiment, was an excellent excufe for 
 me to get leave to go a few days to Pa- 
 via : I went foon after to the Marfhall, 
 to get permiffion for a few days to vifit 
 my regiment in Pavia : I found him 
 writing ; and on feeing me, Come here, 
 fays he, I am juft writing to the 
 Duchcfs concerning yourfelf : I anfwer- 
 ed, that my perfon did not merit his 
 taking fo much trouble about me ; at 
 the fame time I begged he would {end 
 her my humble refpects. * I fhall do it, 
 replied he, with pleafure ; fhe has alfo 
 deiired me to fend Count Termes im- 
 mediately to Verfailles, and, fuppofing 
 you to have been here fome time, has 
 recommended your perfon : I have 
 obeyed her, even before I anfwered her 
 letter; and Count Termes will be at 
 Verfailles to-morrow, for he left Pavia 
 the fame day you came to Milan ; and, 
 with the extraordinary poll of this 
 night, I fhall acquaint her with what I 
 have done for you, in confequence of her 
 recommendation. Thefe words pierc- 
 ed like fo many thunderbolts to my 
 poor heart ; I knew not for what I 
 came, nor did I know how to go away; 
 I took my leave in the belt* manner I 
 could, and, returning to my habita- 
 tion, 
 
( 28 9 ) 
 
 tion, burft out immediately into a flood 
 of tears : Juft heaven ! faid I, what 
 flate more painful, what deftiny more 
 obftinate than mine, in purluing me in 
 this manner? I came purpofely from Pa- 
 ris to Italy, to face death In the field of 
 battle, in hopes of beholding Count 
 Termes : and he, by the fatality of def- 
 tiny, has been obliged to leave Pavia 
 the very day I came to Milan : could 
 any thing happen more unlucky than 
 this, to make me miferable and unhap- 
 py ! If the confufion of my mind had 
 not blinded reafonable reflection, how 
 ibon might I have penetrated into the 
 motives of the whole proceeding : in a 
 few moments after, the words of Ma- 
 dam Cafardo's letter ftruck in my 
 mind, in which fhe mentioned, that 
 the Duchefs refolute ly defigned to part 
 with the Duke, and had others by 
 whom fhe might bring it about, with- 
 out my afliftance ; and this rnuft be her 
 fcheme, to obtain fome account of the 
 fugitive of Avignon: for this purpofe 
 fhe has fent for the Count; and, from 
 what fhe has heard concerning our cor- 
 refpondence at Avignon, fuppofes him to 
 be an accomplice in my flight: heavens! 
 why did fhe not think of this remedy 
 before ? why did fhe not fend for him 
 Vol. I. C c to 
 
( 290 ) 
 
 to Verfailles, while I was there, that the 
 nryftery of my parentage might have 
 been unravelled on the fpot ? to what 
 end mould I tarry in Italy, deprived of 
 the object, which attracted me ! and how 
 can I leave it, without rendering my- 
 felf contemptible to the Marfhall, and 
 to the Prince, my prote&or, who re- 
 commended me ? Oh God ! how great 
 was my agony ; I was bound to accept 
 a company in the army, to facrifice 
 my liberty, to hazard my life, and en- 
 danger my honour ; and all this for 
 
 what ? Ah me ! to that I was a 
 
 ft ranger ; and not to know the future 
 confequences of it, was to me a double 
 torment : my bark, however, was 
 launched out into the open fea, and be 
 the wind profperous or foul, I muft 
 navigate the veilel in the beft manner I 
 could, and wait the events of time. I 
 foon experienced that the diflblute and 
 debauched way of life, common 
 amongft the young officers, would by 
 no means fuit with my inclination or 
 conftitution ; and therefore I refolved 
 to ask permiflion of the Marfhall to 
 vifit my regiment in Pavia, in order to 
 avoid the obligation I was under of 
 keeping them company* **This the 
 
 Marihail 
 
( 29* > 
 Marfhall readily granted me, with leave 
 to go and return to Milan whenever I 
 thought proper ; at the fame time giv- 
 ing me a letter to the Brigadier who 
 commanded there, that 1 might be 
 treated with the utmolt civility. I then 
 proceeded on my journey to Pavia, and, 
 as foon as I arrived, prefented the Bri- 
 gadier with the letters from the Mar- 
 fhall. I found a very obliging recep- 
 tion, and my quarters were appointed 
 for me at the houfe of the Countefs of 
 * * *, to whom I was conducted, the 
 fame evening, by one of the adjutants. 
 This Countefs was a widow lady of 
 about twenty-two years of age, not ve- 
 ry rich, but full of fpirit and tolerably 
 handfome : fhe had not, 'tis true, that 
 vivacity and penetration which is fo 
 common and confpicuous in the French 
 ladies, but I found that the want of it 
 was rather owing to her education than 
 to any deficiency of her natural ta- 
 lents. When I entered her houfe fhe 
 received me in a genteel manner, and 
 afligned me a very handfome apart- 
 ment, telling me at the fame time, fhe 
 was forry it was not in her power to 
 accommodate me better : I replied that 
 it was equal to my beft wifhes, and that 
 her amiable company would make it 
 Cc 2 agree~ 
 
( 292 ) 
 
 agreeable was it ever Co bad. I began 
 to be very happy in my new quarters, 
 paffing whole days in reading and wri- 
 ting -, this the Countefs attributed to 
 melancholy, and rallied me often upon 
 the little inclination I had for the com- 
 pany of the ladies; and I, in return, 
 being defirous to get rid of her impor- 
 tunities, told her, that I faw nothing in 
 the Italian ladies, fufficient to engage my. 
 attention ; I mould not, I confefs, have 
 anfwcred her thus, had I not found her 
 really troublefome to me. 
 
 C H A P. XL. 
 
 Motives of Jeakufy, which help to tor- 
 ment rae. 
 
 ON E morning the Countefs defired 
 my company to take a difh of 
 chocolate with her ; I entered her 
 room while me was dreffing at her toi- 
 let, and thinking that fhe would never 
 have done, I liked my own condition 
 the better for not fubjedting me to that 
 torture; but after waiting fome time, 
 I could not help jokcing, as ufual, on 
 her weaknefs ; See, Madam, faid I, a 
 French woman in this time would have 
 been dreft fix times. You mTty talk as 
 you pleafe, replied fhe, about the 
 
 French 
 
( 2 93 ) 
 French ladies, but they are alfo wo- 
 men; and to drefs themfelves proper- 
 ly, mud have their proper time. The 
 women of fpirit, replied I, lament that 
 time as loft, though in others it ferves 
 to foment their vanity; the French la- 
 dies are alfo at their toilet every day, 
 but then they fpend a very little time at 
 it, or elfe fomething extraordinary oc- 
 caiions them to ftay longer 3 yet then 
 they do not lofe their time, but 
 read fome good book, and while the 
 waiting-maid is drefling their hair, 
 they are adorning their minds by read- 
 ing. I, anfwered the Countefs, with 
 difdain, can do but one thing at a time. 
 True, Madam, replied I, but that 
 which your maid does, is not done by 
 you ; your whole bufmefs, at that 
 time, is to pleafe yourfelf, by looking 
 at your own pidture in the glafs, when 
 you might be much better employed in 
 the perufal of a good' book, to the 
 great improvement of your natural ta- 
 lents. So much reading I don't ap- 
 prove of, replied me ; and muft fay, 
 that it is not agreeable to my fcx. This, 
 faid I, is a very great fault in the edu- 
 cation of you Italian women; your 
 childhood they place under the direc- 
 Cc 3 tion 
 
( 294 ) 
 tion of fome ignorant bigot, who fills 
 jour mind with nothing elfe but To- 
 ries of enchantments, witches, and 
 ghofts \ and when he returns you to 
 your mother, you fcarce know even 
 the alphabet : when you are at the age 
 of nine or ten, with thefe prejudices in, 
 your mind, you are put into a cloifter, 
 to receive fuch further improvements 
 in ypur education as are judged necef- 
 fary to qualify a fine lady ; and when 
 you leave the cloifter, you come tum- 
 bling into the world without knowing 
 what it is, and begin to converfe with 
 men, without having one qualification 
 neceffary to maintain a converfation 
 that would not be difagreeable to others, 
 and more fo to yourfelf : all this is ow- 
 ing to an ill-judged education ; in 
 France, the women read more than 
 the men 3 by which they gain the re- 
 putation of being women of underftand- 
 ing and fpirit. Well, replied the Coun- 
 ted, you may cenfure as you pleafe the 
 Italian ladies, neverthelefs we women 
 Hiuft a6t as women, and not as poets and 
 authors, and, without thefe ornaments, 
 there are people that will excufe us : 
 this plainly mews that you are too nice 
 with our fex ; I knew and have con- 
 verfed with other French gentlemen, 
 
 who 
 
( 2 9o ) 
 who have done more juftice to the Ita- 
 lian ladies. They might have done it, 
 anfvvered I, as lovers, to delude you ; 
 and not to talk, as I do, like a friend. 
 I don't know, laid the Countefs, but I 
 can mew you a letter, which I received 
 from Paris yefterday morning ; read it, 
 and you will know how he that wrote 
 it fpeaks of the Italian women: fo fay- 
 ing, fhe pulled it out of her pocket and 
 toiled it on the toilet, that I might read 
 it. The curiofity of other people's af- 
 fairs was never my weaknefs, though it 
 always was of fervice to me; I had no 
 defire to fee the contents, but as fhe 
 tofled it upon the toilet, half open, it 
 feensed to be wrote in a character which 
 I thought was not new to me ; I took it 
 with a fmile, but, when I read it, Oh 
 God ! what a fudden tumult rofe in my 
 foul, on feeing it was wrote by Count 
 Termes, and contained as follows : 
 
 " Madam, 
 
 Imuftfay, that the Italian ladies, in 
 point of conftancy, are preferable to 
 all other women ; two letters of yours 
 I have received fmce I came to Paris, 
 and both confirm me in the high opi- 
 nion I have for your perfon : every 
 one,' who is not infenfible, cannot but 
 
 adore 
 
( 2 9 6 ) 
 adore you though ever fo far from you : 
 I cannot afTure you when 1 fhall be for 
 going to Italy, as mylftay at this place 
 depends entirely upon the Duchefs of 
 * * * * ? wno has called me here upon 
 her own particular affairs : I can fafeiy 
 promife you, that, though afar off, I 
 fhall ever be, with the utmoft refpe<5t- 
 to you, Madam, 
 
 Termes." 
 
 What myftery did this letter unravel 
 to me, and how many furious and dis- 
 turbed ideas came at once into my mind ! 
 Count Termes was, in my eyes, an un- 
 grateful and perfidious wretch ; how 
 much, thought I, have I fuffered for 
 him ? I went ftrolling about the world, 
 in difguife, in continual danger of my 
 reputation, liberty, and life; without 
 home, without refuge, without friends, 
 and without parents ; and he, in the 
 mean time, has given his heart to an- 
 other woman : 'tis plain he has been 
 very intimate with her at Pavia, for he 
 is in hafle to leave Paris to return back 
 to her : in her I fee, before my eyes, 
 my rival, which alone is fufficient to 
 make me wifh for her death ; yet I am 
 bound to live under one roof, and eat 
 at one table with her, and to behave 
 
 witli 
 
( 297 ) 
 with the civility due from a ftranger to 
 a miftrcfs of the houfe : if at nrft I 
 thought that thCCountefs merited all 
 my gratitude, I now thought ihe merit- 
 ed my hatred and difdain : female va- 
 nity had never any great power of my 
 mind, becaufe I was accuitomed to acl: 
 the man, and almott forget that I was a 
 woman ; but, on this occafion, it vi- 
 gorously exerted itfelf, and I was fully 
 convinced that the charms of the Coun- 
 teis were not to compare with mine, 
 and that Count Termes did me great 
 injuftice. All thefe thoughts patted in 
 my mind while I was reading the letter, 
 and my greateft difficulty was how to 
 fupprefs my agitation, that I might 
 learn fomething more from the Coun- 
 tefs. In returning her the letter, I afked 
 her, coolly, how fhe became acquaint- 
 ed with Count Termes ? That amiable 
 Chevalier, faid ihe, lodged in my houfe 
 all laft winter, and two months of this, 
 which fcemed to be only two days ; 
 every time I go into your room, or 
 lit down with you, he comes into 
 my mind; I took a pleafure in his com- 
 pany, becaufe he like'.l converfation, 
 and had a better opinion of the Italian 
 women than you feem to have : ihe 
 afked me, if Count Termes was my ac- 
 quaintance ? 
 
( 29% ) 
 quaintance ? and, upon my anfwerlng 
 in the affirmative, fhe was open enough 
 to tell me, that if he had not been call- 
 ed to Paris, he would certainly have 
 married her that winter. Every word 
 fhe fpoke concerning him, was a wound 
 to my poor heart, which had fuffered 
 all afflictions except that of jealoufy, 
 and which I found to be the greater! 
 and fliarpeft of them all ; had the 
 Countefs known what trouble her 
 words gave me, fhe would never have 
 fpoken of him more; but fhe made 
 me her confidant in all her tendernefs, 
 and took occafion, on every trifling ac- 
 cident, to reafon with me about him, 
 as if fhe did it on purpofe to anger me : 
 the city, and even the houfe, in which 
 I expected to be at eafe, was now an 
 object of trouble to me ; the very bed I 
 lay upon at night, when I reflected that 
 it was the fame on which that ingratefui 
 wretch had flept, became odious to me; 
 and every word of the Countefs, even 
 the moft indifferent, revived my jealous 
 fufpicions. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
( 299 ) 
 
 CHAP. XLI. 
 
 My feigned Amour with the Count l efs, and 
 Conferences attending it. 
 
 FROM morning till night inter- 
 nally troubled with thefe thoughts, 
 I could no longer enjoy any quiet in a 
 city, or houfe, that at flrft I took de- 
 light in ; the name only of Count Ter- 
 mes, would formerly have made my 
 heart leap with joy, but now his name, 
 and the houfe he lodged in, was to me 
 a continual torment : to leave at once 
 both that place and my rival, I thought 
 would make me lefs unhappy; but with 
 what pretence could I leave thofe quar- 
 ters, without leaving Pavia ? and how 
 could I leave Pavia, when I had obtain- 
 ed permiffion from the Marihall to ftav 
 there fome time ? After many refletf f- 
 ons, I refolved to be ruled in all by 
 reafon, and, in preference to every 
 other confideration, to follow the fteps 
 of virtue: it is enough, faid I, to my- 
 feJf, that the Count is guilty -, a man is 
 never wanting in excufes, and to a lo- 
 ver there is nothing more eafy than to 
 regain the heart with a little flattery; 
 I muft convince him of his crime in a 
 manner that he cannot deny it, and, 
 
 when 
 
( 3°° ) 
 when I have convinced him, I will leave 
 loving of him, and his crime alone 
 will ierve to puniih him. To compafs 
 this defign, I muft remain in the fame 
 houfe with the Countefs, and dexte- 
 rouily get out of her hands one of the 
 Count's letters, that I might fend it to 
 him inclofed in one of mine, and with 
 it make him blufh. The undertaking 
 was very difficult, becaufe as much as 
 the Countefs was foolifh and impru- 
 dent, fhe would not have failed in this 
 firft of her amours, unlefs one could 
 make her fall by fome cheat ; the weak- 
 er! part in a woman of her character, 
 thought I, is vanity ; therefore I re- 
 folved to attack her on this fide, and by 
 that means obtain my defire ; thus I was 
 to reprefent a lover, a fcene fo contra- 
 ry to that which palTed in my heart; 
 me with every word, I may fay, gave 
 me my death; and I, with every word, 
 itudied to excite in her breaft a new 
 tendernefs; at the rlrft affault the 
 Countefs was a little furprifed, but de- 
 clared fome affection for me, and the 
 next time confirmed it with words, pro- 
 tections, and oaths of fidelity, fo that 
 I might repute myfelf the happier! 
 lover upon earth ; the Count was no 
 more fpoke of but as ingrateful and 
 
 uncon- 
 
( 3 01 ) 
 
 unconftant, though me before expreiT- 
 ed to me the praifes llie received from 
 him ; they were now reprefented in a 
 different light ; what me faid now per- 
 haps may be true, and not what fhe 
 laid before ; but in either cafe me 
 might be equally a liar. 
 
 My love with the Countefs made 
 great progrefs ; I do not prefume to fay 
 lhe really loved me, becaufe real loye 
 cannot be where there is fo much in- 
 conftancy ; but there was every fign of 
 a fincere tendernefs, and one time in 
 particular it was very near proving fa- 
 tal to my fcheme. Whoever of us was 
 up the iboneft went into the other's 
 apartment to drink chocolate, and I 
 ufed to wait upon her ; but one morn- 
 ing to my misfortune, I was prevented 
 by her coming into my room before I 
 was hardly awake, with all that famili- 
 arity which, to a widow, hofpitality, 
 friendfhip, and love permits; fhe fat 
 down on the fide of the bed, and pre- 
 fented to me the chocolate; I would 
 have fooner been at the head of a pic- 
 quet in the field, expofed to an hun- 
 dred archers, than in that bed at the 
 face of one woman only, who might 
 very eafily have found what fort of an 
 officer I was : I was ufed to fleep al- 
 
 Vol. I. Dd way 
 
C 3 02 ) 
 
 ways with a linen bed-gown tight round 
 my body ; had I only put one of my 
 arms from under the cloaths, it would 
 have been fufficient to let the Countefs 
 fee what I was; nor was there any me- 
 thod to rid myfelf of my fears, but by 
 fmiling, and faying, Dear Countefs, 
 fince you have faved me the trouble of 
 going to your room, fave me that of 
 putting my hands into the cold, and 
 give me the chocolate yourfelf. The 
 Countefs, without the leaft fufpicion, 
 laughed and took pleafurc in holding it 
 to my mouth, and I, glad not to trou- 
 ble her long, drank it off in two lips ; 
 when ilie had drank her own, fhe went 
 away laughing, and left me at liberty 
 to drefs myfelf; and I fwore in my 
 heart never to let her catch me in bed 
 any more. 
 
 But my principal view was to get 
 fome letter of the Count's out of her 
 hands, and by appearing jealous I al- 
 moft reduced her to the point of giv- 
 ing them to me to burn. One morn- 
 ing, while fhe was looking in her trunk 
 for them, a footman brought me word 
 that there was fomebody defired to fee 
 me ; let them come in, replied the 
 Countefs, let who will want him they 
 are welcome ; but how was I furprifcd 
 
 at 
 
( 3°3 ) 
 
 at feeing a girl in a travelling drefs, 
 who, not obferving the Countefs, flew 
 to me, and, throwing her arms round 
 my neck, had almoft kitted me. No 
 one will wonder at this liberty when 
 they know that this traveller was Mifs 
 Gianetton, who, going to fing at Mi- 
 lan, came exprefly to Pavia to have the 
 pleafure of feeing me ; her vifit would 
 have been welcome, if in that encoun- 
 ter fhe had behaved a little more dif- 
 creet. At fight of her I remained 
 ftunn'd, nor was the Countefs lcfs fur- 
 prifed than me; but jealoufy poffefled 
 her that moment, and fpitefully fhutting 
 the trunk, in which fhe was looking 
 for the Count's letters, fhe gave me a 
 frown which fpoke a hundred things at 
 once, and went out of the room without 
 faluting the ftranger ; Mifs Gianetton 
 could not be but furprifed at this acci- 
 dent, and asked me the reafon ? I made 
 fome excufe, and could foon have got 
 rid of her company, but conficlering 
 the obligations I lay under to her, I 
 could not do it without fhewing myfelf 
 ungrateful : I was obliged to hear from 
 her all the lamentable accidents of her 
 journey, and how ill fhe was ufed by 
 the governors of the theatre, and, 
 in ihort, all that had happened fince 
 D d 2 I had 
 
( 3°4 ) 
 I had left Turin : at length me went 
 away. I could hardly exempt myfelf 
 from accompanying her to her lodging, 
 making a hundred excufes, and pro- 
 mifing that before dark I would pay 
 her a vifit. As foon as fhe was gone I 
 thought of reconciling myfelf with the 
 Countefs, but fhe would not hear me ; 
 Go to your Singer, were the only words 
 I could get from her, tho' I told her 
 who Mifs Gianetton was, and the obli- 
 gations I owed to her; in fhort, Ma- 
 dam, faid I, let me tell you, that you 
 Italian women are very unreafonable in 
 your paffions; I do not mind your 
 amours with Count Termes, becaufe 
 you knew him before you did me ; and 
 you make a crime of my love with 
 Mifs Gianetton, though I knew her 
 before I did you; if Count Termes 
 came into your room fuddenly, and 
 did not fee me prefent, he would have 
 a#ed in the fame manner with you ; 
 neither would you in that cafe have 
 made any refinance. Even with thefe 
 invincible reafons, nothing elfe would 
 Ihe anfwer but, Go to your Singer $ on 
 this I grew a little hot, fo fcornfully 
 faying, Then I will go, I immediately 
 left her. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
( 3°5 ) 
 
 CHAP. XLII. 
 
 An Opportunity offers for me to convince 
 Count Vermes of bis Infidelity, and to 
 return to Milan. 
 
 LEaving the Countefs I went direct- 
 ly to find Mifs Gianetton, who in 
 two hours time had contracted an 
 intimate acquaintance with all [the of- 
 ficers in the garrifon ; fhe did not tarry 
 long at Pavia, but fet out for Milan, 
 accompanied with more officers than 
 Armida, General of the French army, 
 when attended by Godfrey's Captains, 
 in the expedition of the Holy Land : I 
 began to ftudy how I ihould aft with 
 the Countefs, that I might gain my in- 
 tended point, and not throw away my 
 time to no purpofe. I went home in a 
 very ill humour, and, as good luck 
 would have it, the Countefs was juft 
 gone out j I packed up a few neceffaries 
 in a portmanteau, got into a poft- 
 chaife, and left word by one of the fer- 
 vants that I was gone to Piacenza, 
 where I fhould flay three weeks before 
 I returned : when lhe came home, and 
 heard the news, her grief was incredi- 
 ble ; If fhe had no reafon to treat me 
 as fhe did, ihe had a great deal lefs to 
 Dd 3 lament 
 
( 3°6 ) 
 lament being treated by me in that 
 manner herfelf. A little fenfe, with 
 her fpirit, or, if it is permitted me to 
 fay, a little philofophy would have pre- 
 vented her driving on this rock ; I had 
 been but three days at Piacenza wheu I 
 received a large packet, and inclofed 
 Count Termes , letters, accompanied 
 with one from the Countefs, which I al- 
 ways have preferved, and which was as 
 follow : 
 
 " Dear Sir, 
 
 I facrifice to you even the letters of 
 Count Termes, that I might be able to 
 fay, I have done all in my power for 
 you : I do not ask nor expert the fcafi 
 return from you, becaufe, if you have 
 the heart to abandon me for fo many 
 days, you are abfolutely ungrateful : if 
 you think proper to dire<5t where I fhould 
 fend the remainder of your things 
 you fhall be obeyed. I do not expert 
 to fee you more, becaufe you will not 
 come ; and if you do, you will not fee 
 me alive. I am, devotedly, 
 
 Your Servant.*' 
 
 Thus did I obtain my end in the 
 mofl unexpected manner, and got pof- 
 feflion of the letters wrote to my rival ; 
 
 Vet, 
 
( 3°7 ) 
 
 yet, on reading them, I could not find 
 one word inconiiftent with the ftricleft. 
 honour •, but his writing them to her I 
 thought a crime unpardonable. I de- 
 termined immediately to write to Paris, 
 and, by inclofing in the fame pacquet 
 thofe which occafioned my refentment, 
 to convicl him by his own hand writing; 
 though at the fame time I had fome 
 fcruples in my mind, whether my treat- 
 ing, in this manner, a lady who con- 
 fided in me, would be agreeable to the 
 Uriel: rules of honour and juftice : fi- 
 nally, I concluded that the Countefs 
 had done wrong to facrifice thofe let- 
 ters to the jealoufy of a third perfon, 
 and I fhould ad rightly in preferving 
 Count Termes from the danger of fee- 
 ing his honour entrufted to the weaknefs 
 of other people ; I therefore proceeded 
 to write my letter, which was of this 
 tenor : 
 
 " Dear Sir, 
 
 This is the laft time you will fee any 
 letter of mine, or hear farther of my 
 perfon; in the annexed you will fee 
 who is to be blamed : having done fo 
 much to prove my love to you, I can 
 alio endeavour to forget you. Adieu. 
 
 D'Arville." 
 
( 3°8) 
 
 The pacquet being fealed and direct- 
 ed, I fent it away, but knew not how 
 to demean myfelf with the Countefs ; 
 having obtained my wifh, I might in- 
 deed return to Pavia ; but how could I 
 dhTemble the part of a lover to one who 
 was my rival, and, at the fame time, 
 the fole occafion of my breach with 
 Count Termes ? with the letters of the 
 Count, I alfo fent the one the Countefs 
 wrote to me, that he might have ocular 
 demonstration that he had facrificed a 
 faithful lover to an inconftant woman ; 
 and all thefe letters might have produc- 
 ed dangerous effecls to me, if Count 
 Termes had been fo imprudent as to 
 upbraid the Countefs. Notwithftand- 
 ing this, I was obliged to return to Pa- 
 via, in hopes that, before anfwers came 
 from Paris, fome accident would hap- 
 pen that would deliver me from the 
 importunities of the Countefs, and, if 
 it came to the worft, I could contrive 
 fome way to be called back to Milan. 
 After an abfence of fix days I arrived 
 there, and the Countefs received me as 
 if no mifunderftailding had happened 
 between us ; and if I could have eraled 
 from my mind her former connections 
 with Count Termes, I might have paus- 
 ed my time with her in a comfortable 
 s and 
 
( 3°9 ) 
 
 and agreeable manner: but as the 
 thoughts of his inconftancy were ever 
 uppermoft in my mind. I refolved to 
 leave Pavia the firft opportunity, and 
 accordingly wrote to the Marfhall, in- 
 forming him thai I was defirous of be- 
 ing recalled, and tired of remaining 
 there utterly inactive, and ufelefs to my 
 King and country : this letter to the 
 Marfhall did me great honour, and he 
 immediately fent orders for me to re- 
 pair to Milan. After continuing there 
 ibme days, we had notice to march to 
 Piacenza. We paffed that winter and 
 the next fpring in continual marches, 
 that we might keep continual obferva- 
 tion of the enemy. In the fummer we 
 incamped near Sacca, and extended 
 into Parma, where there was a guard 
 of fix battallions. Nothing happened 
 there worth mentioning; I received in- 
 deed fome letters from Mifs Gianetton 
 and the Countefs, which I anfwered ac- 
 cording to my cuftom by another hand; 
 but they foon left off importuning me, 
 I fuppofe they found better ways to 
 imploy their time. Of Count Termes 
 I had no news, nor could I have it, 
 becaufe he did not know where I was, 
 nor under what name to direft his let- 
 ters to me 5 he now and then came into 
 
 my 
 
( 3 10 > 
 
 my mind, but the memory of him did 
 not trouble me much, becaufe my 
 thoughts were employed on the dan- 
 gers of my life, which was expofed 
 every moment in the heart of an army 
 who fought every occasion to come to 
 battle with the enemy, and not a day 
 palTed without fome fkirmiihes : it was 
 not the love of my life that kept me in 
 continual apprehenfion, fo much as the 
 fear of being difcovered to be a wo- 
 man, if I fhould, by fome unlucky 
 blow, be rlruck dead, and leave my 
 honour expofed to the ilander of the 
 malicious ; but the Marfhall favoured 
 me in all encounters, and I attributed 
 it to the recommendation of the Prince, 
 who often defired news of my perfon; 
 his precautions neverthelefs were not 
 infallible, and my unlucky deftiny fol- 
 lowed me wherever I went. 
 
 CHAP, 
 

 C 3" ) 
 
 CHAP. XLIII. 
 A Battle at Parma, where 1 was 'wound- 
 ed in my Leg. 
 
 IN the heat of the fummer we had 
 notice one night, in the camp, that 
 the army of the Auftrians decamped 
 fuddenly, and was marching towards 
 Parma, in order to poflefs the road 
 that leads to Piacenza : we immediately 
 decamped and marched all that night, 
 and two hours after fun-rife we were 
 under the walls of Parma, entering on 
 the road that led to the enemy 3 my 
 battallion was, in the march, the fe- 
 cond of the van-guard ; we were hard- 
 ly got forward half a mile before we 
 found ourfelves in the enemy's fire'. 
 the Auftrians were In battle array in 
 the field upon our left, which was co- 
 vered with trees, and, being in the 
 middle of fummer, were full of leaves 
 and boughs, which had hindered us from 
 feeing them ; a ihower of mot was dis- 
 charged at us from the bufhes. The 
 whole of our amy upon that road con- 
 lifted of only fix battaiioos, and our fi- 
 xation being upon an eminence, our 
 legs were much expofed to the enemy's 
 fire i I was ftanding at a little diftance, 
 
 with 
 
( 3 12 ) 
 
 with my left leg acrofs a pike, refting 
 myfelf thereon, when on a fuddcn I 
 received a wound in the calf of my leg 
 by a muffket-fhot ; the wound was 
 flight, but on feeing the blood I was 
 more frightened than hurt ; however I 
 feemed but little daunted at the acci- 
 dent, and, after the furgeon had drefled 
 my leg, by the ailiftance of two fol- 
 diers, I mounted horfe and went to a 
 farm-houfe, which flood at about a 
 mile diftance from the field of battle ; 
 when I felt that the pain of my wound 
 was but trifling, and the furgeon had 
 aflured me that in two days it would be 
 perfectly well, I thought I had bought 
 my life at a cheap rate, for the battle 
 was not decided till night; and though 
 tjj£ • AuRrian General lay dead in the 
 field, and both armies had withdrawn, 
 it could not be faid on which fide the 
 victory lay ; but the proceedings of the 
 Auftrians, that night, determined it in 
 favour of the French troops, and, be- 
 fore day-light, the whole Auftrian ar- 
 my decamped and left us matters of the 
 field. The next morning the Marfhaii 
 intending to fend me exprefs to Paris 
 with the news of the victory, and 
 thereby to pieafe the Prince, my pro- 
 tector, enquired for me, and being in- 
 formed 
 
< $*! ) 
 
 formed that I was wounded, difpatched 
 another in my ftead, and fent to my 
 quarters his own furgeon with orders to 
 infpeft my wound ; he found me out 
 of bed, and fo flight was my wound 
 that I found no inconvenience from it, 
 any farther than my being obliged to 
 lit down that I might not irritate it ; 
 and I could not forbear laughing to 
 think that I had reprefented a French 
 officer, and could now give an account 
 of a whole campaign, a bloody battle, 
 and the wound I myfelf had received 
 in it. 
 
 Our army did not tarry long encamp- 
 ed in the field of battle, but I continu- 
 ed in the houfe of the old man on ac- 
 count of my wound ; I was not very 
 well pleafed with my lodging, howe- 
 ver it was better than to be in a tent, 
 cxpofed to the inclemency of the night 
 air : to make It more agreeable I or- 
 dered my own bed to be brought, for 
 the poor farmer could accommodate 
 me with nothing but ftraw. The night 
 was about two hours advanced, when 
 there came running into my room, 
 terribly frighted, a young girl, as I be- 
 lieved by her habit, about the age of 
 fourteen or fifteen, in a country drefs, 
 with a genteel fhape and noble air, 
 Vol. I. E e that 
 
( 3*4 ) 
 
 that mewed her to be of fome grand 
 family. For charity, Sir, faid me, 
 (crying, and throwing herfelf at my 
 feet) fcr charity help me ! Moved 
 internally with companion and fur- 
 prize, I raifed her from the ground, 
 and afked the caufe of her diftrefs, and 
 what I mould do to help her ? Shelter 
 me, Sir, faid me, at leafr for the 
 night ; fome foldiers have plundered 
 our houfe, and are in purfuit of me : 
 I know not where to run, neither have 
 I money to procure myfelf a lodging 
 till day-light, when I can go into the 
 city. If this is all you want, faid I, 
 remain with me, and fear nothing -, the 
 point is, that in this houfe there is no 
 other bed than mine; I would not 
 wrong your honefty fo much as to afk 
 you to lie with me, but we will manage 
 for the beft. I fpoke this as a joke, 
 not that I mould make any difficulty in 
 Sleeping with one of my own fex, but 
 I would not have done it at that time, 
 upon any consideration, as I muff have 
 not only risked a difcovery of my fex, 
 but alfo in appearance have affronted 
 her. I was not a little furprifed when 
 me accepted, without more invitation, 
 my offer, and for one of her age I 
 thought it extreamly immodeft. Yes, 
 
 Sir, 
 
( 3*5 ) 
 Sir, faid fhe, you will do me a particu- 
 lar kindnefs, and may readily do it 
 when in confidence, as you are a gen- 
 tleman, I can allure you, than I am 
 not a girl as I Teem to you, but a no- 
 bleman's fon. How ! laid I, you the 
 fon of a nobleman ? why then' in this 
 drefs, and at this hour," have you fled 
 into the country for protection ? he 
 then related to me his hiftory, by 
 which I found he was the fon of a 
 noble Marquis, and had been driven to 
 this diftrefs by the feverity of his tu- 
 tor ; but as he will be mentioned with 
 more propriety in the fecond volume of 
 thefe Memoirs, I ihall at prefent only 
 inform my readers, that when I found 
 myfelf able to rejoin the army, I took 
 him with me and prefented him to the 
 Marflrall, who gave him a cornet's 
 commitfion in a fquadron of the 
 guards. 
 
 c 2 CHAP 
 
( 3 i6 ) 
 
 CHAP. XLIV. 
 
 -My yourney into various Cities of Italy, 
 
 accompanied with feme Misfortunes. 
 
 IWas not prefent in any more anions 
 that campaign, having caught a vi- 
 olent cold, occasioned by hardships to 
 which my conftitution was not accuf- 
 tomed ; I remained indifpofed in Bo- 
 logna almoft all that fummer, but, be- 
 ing pretty well recovered, towards au- 
 tumn I obtained leave of the Marfhall, 
 during that winter, to vifit the other 
 parts of Italy. 
 
 Departing from Bologna towards the 
 latter end of autumn, I went to Padua, 
 from thence to Vienna, Verona, and 
 Brefcia, which I found really worth 
 my obfervation : in one of thefe, which 
 to mention does not fignify, I remained 
 three days, during which time there 
 was a great entertainment made, to 
 which all the grandees of the country 
 were invited; I alfo prepared myieif to 
 f^o, and drefli ng myfelf as grand as 
 poflible, refolved to fee the magnifi- 
 cence of it. There was a gentleman at 
 the door receiving the gentry as they 
 came in, but as foon as I attempted to 
 enter, he impudently pufhed me afide, 
 
 and 
 
( 3*7 ) 
 
 and afked me loudly, what I wanted 
 there ? That which other people want, 
 replied I. No, Sir, faid he, this is not 
 a place for you. I told him, that I was 
 a gentleman, and an officer of France, 
 and could claim admittance to the beft 
 company. Thefe are things that you 
 fay, replied he, becaufe people here 
 know but little of you; the gentlemen 
 and officers of France are not arretted 
 and committed to the Baftile for fpies, 
 cheats, and rogues. Thefe words, mix- 
 ed with truth and falfity, exafperated 
 me to fuch a degree, that I almoft loft 
 my reafon ; he is a fcoundrel, faid I, 
 that fays this of me, and merits my re- 
 fentment : fo faying, I itarted back, a 
 couple of fteps, and clapping my hand 
 to my fword, mould, have ran him 
 through that moment, had not fome 
 gentlemen interfered, to whom I gave 
 my reafons, and fhewed my pafs-ports 
 from the Marmall. I was then ad- 
 mitted to the entertainment, where I 
 received a thoufand compliments on my 
 behaviour, but this was not enough to 
 fatisfy me 3 I remained fome time in 
 that place with the fting in my heart, 
 nor could I underfland how a well- 
 defcended perfon could have the face to 
 infult a Granger, without being fure 
 E e 2 that 
 
( 3i* ) 
 
 that what he had afferted was truth : 
 my imprifonment in the Baftile was un- 
 deniable, and it was mentioned in all 
 the Gazettes in Europe; but the reafons 
 of it were known to every one, and 
 that any thing againft my chara&er, 
 relative to that affair, muff be a mali- 
 cious forgery and impofture. Not to 
 leave fuch an infamous name behind 
 me, in fuch an illuftrious city, and to 
 get fome fatisfa&ion for the affront, I 
 Jiad recourfe to proper perfons, and in 
 confequence had juftice done me ; that 
 impertinent gentleman was obliged to 
 come in public to the fame place 
 where he had affronted me, and afk my 
 pardon j he confeffed he had been 
 wrongly informed of my perfon : but 
 this information ferved only to increafe 
 my torment, not being able to imagine 
 who this perfon was ; and to difcover it 
 from him that offended me, it was im- 
 poflible. About three days after I 
 happened to ftop on the parade, to hear 
 the noife of a mountebank from a ftage 
 that was built there, and where upwards 
 of five hundred people were gaping at 
 him, and hearkening to his nonfenfical 
 fpeeches; looking earneftly at him, I 
 found it to be that villain Tartar, the 
 comedian •, I knew not for what reafon 
 
 he 
 
 
( 3*9 ) 
 he came to Italy, but I fuppofed him 
 to be the perfon who gave that falfe in- 
 formation of me to the man who had 
 affronted me, nor did that day pafs 
 without my being fully fatisfled by the 
 landlord where he lodged, who was a 
 fobcr, honeft man, and one well ac- 
 quainted with the country. I found 
 from him, that between Tartar and the 
 other there was a ftrift connection. To 
 have this villain puniihed I thought 
 would be an acl of charity towards 
 others, and juftice to myfelf: I had, 
 for a fervant, one of my foldiers, a 
 man of courage, and capable to refent 
 any thing for love of me ; and having 
 communicated to him my juft intenti- 
 ons, he watched for Mr. Tartar one 
 night, when he was coming from the 
 houfe of his protestor, and gave him 
 fuch a fevere drubbing, that Tartar 
 could not get out of his bed for two 
 months after. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
( 3 2 ° ) 
 
 CHAP, XLV. 
 
 My Stay in Venice, and what happened to 
 me in that City, 
 
 THIS affair made a great noife, 
 and every one might fee what 
 wind brought that temper! upon Tar- 
 tar ; they could not but fay I was in 
 the right, or at leaf! excufe me ; but 
 fay what they pleafed, I left that place 
 a few days after, and went to Venice. 
 Of this place I had read and heard 
 great wonders, and, in truth, it fully 
 anfwered my expectations. The car- 
 nival time being juft begun, I might 
 take what pleafure I thought proper, 
 for no other city was fo agreeable to me 
 as this, by reafon I was always afraid 
 of being difcovered to be Mifs D'Ar- 
 ville, and the commodioufnefs of the 
 mafquerade here I thought would help 
 to keep me fecure. Having always 
 made it my rule to fall in with the tafte 
 of the place , I procured a mafquerade 
 drefs, and frequented the public aflem- 
 blies ; but my unlucky deftiny purfued 
 me even here, for having flayed in the 
 public room one evening fomewhat later 
 than ufual, on my coming out I was 
 furrounded by a party of conftables, 
 
 who, 
 
( p* ) 
 
 who, without giving me any reafon for 
 fuch treatment, conveyed me to a damp, 
 dark, and {linking dungeon under- 
 ground, where they ihut me in, and, on 
 leaving me, laid, Now, Madam, juf- 
 tice has overtaken you, and you will 
 have an opportunity in this place to re* 
 fleel upon, and repent of your part be- 
 haviour. By the word, Madam, it was 
 evident I was taken for a woman; and I 
 made not the leaft doubt, but that the 
 Duke had by fome. means got intelli- 
 gence of me, and in confequence had 
 caufed me to be arretted. I pafled that 
 night on the bare boards* and, Oh, 
 God! what was then my agony, and my 
 moft ferious reflexions ! in the Baftile, 
 I was in the hands of people that knew 
 fomething of my hoiieft character, and 
 therefore I might expect from friends 
 fome relief; here I knew nobody, nor 
 could I tell what fufpicion they had con- 
 ceived againft me, when they ufed me 
 thus without knowing me ; the leaf! I 
 had to fear was a long imprifonment, 
 and the fear of being difcovered to be a 
 woman troubled me more than the 
 thoughts of death itfelf : at laft day- 
 light appeared, and the door of my dun- 
 geon being opened, there entered a man 
 whom at the iirft fight I took to be my 
 
 execu- 
 
( 3" ) 
 executioner; he advanced, faying to 
 me, You are here then, unworthy ; you 
 ^re at laft dropt into my hands ; nor 
 did it fignify changing your cloaths to 
 efcape unpunifhed. I cannot defcribe 
 the effecl thefe words had on me, be- 
 caufe I was out of my fenfes ; I knew I 
 was before a man of an advanced age and 
 venerable afpe<5t, who, looking at me 
 fredfaftly from head to foot, feemed 
 aftonifhed, and faid, Dear Sir, excufe 
 mc, you are not Rofaura; my orders 
 are badly executed, or elfe the confta- 
 bles were deceived in your appearance; 
 let this gentleman be immediately re- 
 leafed, for I have nothing to alledge 
 againft him. His orders were executed 
 immediately, and I put on my mafque- 
 rade drefs to go out of that place with- 
 out being known. When he faw me in 
 the mafquerade drefs, Really, faid he, 
 to fee you now, you refemble Rofaura 
 fo much that I abfolutely mould take 
 you to be her - 9 me was by me brought 
 up from her childhood, and entertained 
 with fo much care in my houfe when 
 my wife was living, that ihe loved her 
 as a child of her own ; it is now fifteen 
 days fince fhe ran away from the houfe, 
 and, when I thought her in a foreign 
 country, I obferved her with a man's 
 
 maf- 
 
( 3 2 3 ) 
 mafquerade drefs, going about Venice ; 
 and ihe had not only a drefs like yours, 
 but alfo the very air, mcin, and ihapc; 
 fo, dear Sir, excufe me if you have 
 received this ill treatment on my ac- 
 count ; I am a gentleman, and to me 
 you feem a ft ranger, nor would I have 
 you carry a thought of me to your 
 country that might be a diihoncHir to 
 me ; do me the favour to come to my 
 houfe, which ihall be yours as long as 
 you ftay in Venice, that I may have 
 the pleafure of making you all the fa- 
 tisfa&ion in my power : he infifted up- 
 on my complying with his requeft, nor 
 had I occafion afterwards to repent it, 
 having found in this moft worthy gen- 
 tleman a real honeft man : he conduct - 
 me with him to his houfe, then fent to 
 my lodging for my things, with orders 
 for my landlord to expect me no more. 
 At this gentleman's houfe I met with 
 a moft kind and agreeable reception, 
 and after ftaying with him fifteen day?, 
 with great difficulty obtained his per- 
 miftion to depart. I left him with a pro- 
 mile to fee him again as foonas poffible, 
 and proceeded on my journey to Bo- 
 logna, and from thence took the road 
 to Rome : I found the French army en- 
 camped on the Roman confines ; I re- 
 ceived 
 
( 3 2 4 ) 
 ceived my pay due for fervice of the 
 preceding winter, and got leave of the 
 Marfhall to proceed on my journey, 
 upon condition that I mould be back 
 to the army towards the latter end of 
 Lent. Accordingly I fet out, little ex- 
 pecting that I mould there attain the 
 knowledge of my real parents. 
 
 The End of the First Volume. 
 
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