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'SILAS WRIGHT DUNNING -
BEQUEST

[UNIVERSITY or MICHIGAN
GKNERM- LIBHARY

I- >

i

c^'

&TJL..I VU2**

if T H E

1 S

t - : i

MEMOIRS

OF

MifsD'Arvffle;

OR THE

Italian Female Philofopher:

In a Series or

A D V EN T JJ R E S,

Founded on FACT.

T » a w » L a t t p fron^ the ITALIAN.

Th* SECOND EDITION.

VOLUME THE SECOND.

t O N D O N:

Printed for J. Piubden, st the Feather* in Fieetftntt,

•ndT. Jon is, at the Corner of Clifford'i-Inn,

Fetttr-Laae.

MDCCLXIV.

JA533

■ cur.

>;"i ..if.-l

c a

-: ti--;.... ;• J ..:,';

J

T, ' '

. THE

•MEMOIRS

OF'

Mifs UArviUe.

CHA P. I.

Jbfy Jwrruy to Rom, tridDiftevtry made
by Mr. Dt&'j tVife of agr Pmvnto.

ON my arrival at Rome, I *w re*
commended to a lodging? in the
houfe of Madam Oaianti, ibppofed to bo
a widow with a numerous family of chit*
cbea. When- 1* firft entered the houfe,
flie &etxied furprifed* but ibis did not
create in me the teaft fifpicioa of nnf
particular wotires ibr it, as I knew
well tfcata woaran dreffed like a man, if
fte «r» tolerably fiandjame, muft ap pew
Vol. II, B ia

f ( 2 )

ta that difgulfe, rather more than com-
monly agreeable, . She took care to
attend me with great afliduity ; but,
whenever lhe xame into ray prefence,
Ihe feemed defirous of faying fome-
Wring, but the festr of offending pre-
vented her fjpeech. As (he feemed to
be a woman of great prudence, I one
day took the opportunity to afk her, if
ihe had any hufband living ? Ah ! Sir,
laid fhe, with tears in her eyes, if he
wsp' living I fhpuld not be fubje& to
thefe difficulties to maintain my fami-
ly r I had the happinefs to be married
ta an honeft worthy man, by trade a
timber-merchant 5 about twelve years
ago he went from Venice to Leghorn,
and taking with him a considerable fum
io trade with, was certainly murdered
on the road, for from that time to this
I have never heard of him. At thefe
words the tears flowed from her eyes,
and I, to my great aftonifliment, was
convinced that I muft be in the houfe,
and talking to the wife of Duii, the
jncrchant whom I had met .with on
my way to Paris. I could fcarcely a-
iroid through pity jto inform her that
her hufband was ftill alive, -and trading
in France under another name ; reflect-
ing, however, upon the jcircumftance
j.. . of

c 3 y

of the Princcfs, who, as Duli had in*
formed me, was brought to bed in his
houfe, and comparing with this the con-
fufed account of Madam Caferdo, I judg-r
ed it would be> proper to proceed with'
Caution, and ufed my beft endeavours
to comfort her 5 after which, pretends
ing to be looking oyer the things in mp
little box, I pulled out the Duchefs's
pifture^ and laid it upon the table ii*
fuch a manner that fhe could not r avoi&
feeing it. This contrivance arifwered
my expe&ations ; (he firft lookcdiled-
feftly at the picture, then at my face
with, great amazement: I then afked
her the caufe of her furprize? No-
thing, Sir, anfwered ihe, but I was
doubting whether that was not yotfr
pi&ure, and whether you had not in
joke dreflcd yourfelf like a woman*
Why, faid I, does it refemble me ? It
irefembles you fp nufch, Replied fhe;
that I would infift upon it to be yours*
if I did not know the original. It is,
faid I, my mother's, but you could not
know, her. If yoxir mother was the
Duchefspf ****, replied ihe, I knew,
her before you; and as I believe you to
be a gentleman of honour, may ven-
ture to inform you that theDucheft
was brought to bed in my houfe, fome
B 2 years

«)

years ago, of a fifter of yours in tihfe*
rery room, and as foon as I faw ycm I
Aifpe<fted you to be her fan, fo ftrongly
are her features imprinted in my mind;
fcut not being certain of it, I ihouki
sever have mentioned it hid 1 not feen
that pi&urc in your hand. I*no longer
doubted of what Duli had told nte? a
thousand fentimenf s of confufioft, curi-.
ofity, and joy, fprungin upon my
imnd ; I immediately fuppofed myfclf
to be child to the Duchefs, and mere-.-
fore thought myfclf happy - y 1 fuppof*
ed that th* urgency of the Druchefs, for
ifie to go and get fome news of the.fu^

E'tive, fpoke in my favour* I attributed
t impatience not to her hatred againfir
the Duke, her hufband, as Madan*
Cafardo made me believe, but to the
tendernef* of a mother ; even in Ma-
dam Cafardo 1 found juft reasons for
her concealing 1 the truth in a fecrot of
foch importance, and whatever doubt
I had of being wrong in my conje^tuBes^
might eafily be cleared up, by aflcing
my landlady, Without running any rifle
of being known : I pretended that I
was no ftranger to all which (he had
told me ; and aiked her, if ihe knew
What became of my fitter that was borer
in her Jioufc ?. My hufband, faid fbe/

accom-

(5)
accompanied her, at the age of four"
years, by the order of the Duchefs; to
a convent at Avignon, to be brought
up there with her equals, fince which
time I never have heard any thing of
her; I would willingly hear of her by
fending a letter to the Duchefs, but
I know that before her marriage (he had
fome correfpondence with the Prince of
* * * *, and the Duke being as jealous
a man as any under the heavens, too
much regard I judged could not be
.taken in an affair which demanded the'
greatef! fecrefy : in fa& 9 inftead of her ;
voyagrto Spaing Ihe ftaid two months inr
this room,- nor did even the air know it ;
if the fecret had been in other hands,
woe to the poor Duchefs , but, thank
God, I am a woman that can keep a*
fecret, neither in fo doing have I ex*
ceeded my duty *■ ihe being a Neapoli-'
tan, I know her y I may fay from heif
childhood, and ihe would have done*
wrong if ihe had notentrufted me with,
a matter of fuch confcquence. White
Madam Galanti was borffting of her fe-«
Crfcfy, I took care, from the beginw
ing, not to tell her any more about
myfelf then what ihe already knew p
the confidence placed in us: by others*
ought to make us fincere and not im-

B 3 prudent*

(6)>
prudent j and we fljouid never rewards >
fccret repofed ia us, by roafciog a re- -
turn of mutual confidence which a*igh* '.
be dangerous $0 ourfejv^ ; »

C H A P. II,
JWp Rifabutin not to fie farit any more,
and the Neceffity f was under cf going
tbert.

AFTER allthefeTefle^iom,wy ;
obligation* to Macboi Gateat;i
were fuck that I determined, in xeturja,:
to give her the happy pnofpe&of feeing!
owe more her huibaad, telling her, that
I h*d met in France with* gentiewan,*
called by the ostme of PuK, wl*>fe
country, family, and the circumftancc*
of his bankruptcy, induced me to. be-
lieve that he was the perfon fhe funpof-
cd to be dead ; at firft the would not
believe that her feufbapd was capable to
be guilty of fuch an a6tio», but when
I gave her t defcriptiott of his perfon*
bar fofpickni that it muft be him in-;
created greatly ; and finally when I
Jhewed htr the copy of the letter
which he wrote for Die to Mr. D'Ar-
core, flie was fully convinced, and be-
gan to lament bitterly her misfortunes*
and asked me, what it was that could

poffibly

* err.

poffibly detain him from his femtly and "
country ? I told her that it was the fear
•f his creditors.; : tajwhicj* fhe replied, ..
that there were but a. few of t hem to
fatisfy, and that lie might return home
without fear or rookftation. Upon
this I pronufed that, on my return to
France, I would make diligent fearch
for him, and fend him back to Rome*
The poor woman was much comforted,
by my promife ; but I was under ter* r
riblc apprehenfions, left by her means
I might be difcovered to be /on to the
Duchefc of * * # *, which news being
known in the French camp, and evcro
as far as Paris, might carry with' it fa^
tal confequences ; at the fame time tot
unfay what I had already, told her,
was not a&tng like the; man of honour v
to recommend it as a fecret, would be*
making her doubt of my candour ;♦
therefore I muft let it paft as i had firftf
represented it, and truifc to my deftiny 5*
though by way of precaution, I told>
her, that my journey to Rome was*
not known byxny mother, and that fhe'
befierdd hie to be in the army : whe-
ther Madam Galanti believed it or not,
while I flayed in Rome fhe did sot
mention it to any one : my intereft*
however, would not pern^t me to ftay

in

( 8 )
in Rome any longer, and the orders of
the Marfliall calling me to the army
before Eafter, I, in a few days, bid
adieu to my courteous landlady, and
took the road to Lombardy. The
more I refle&ed upon my journey, the
more I found myfclf perplexed ; I
knew, and was certain, that theDuchefs
£ • » m was m y mother, and my
father the Prince of * * * *, already my
proteftor, but knew not how to own him,
I being the fruit of unlawful nuptials ; I
ought to believe that the giving of me
life fbould make them blufh ; I looked
on myfclf accountable* for the caufe
which had conducted me to be the in*
nocent fpoflator of my mother's
amours with my father, which to me r
more than to another, might haver
turned out dangerous, and were fatal
even from the cradle ?. and I ought to
tcmembef, that eternal Providence,:
that permitted the Duke to feek my
death by various means; yet would
not have me, for juft reafons r to be
the victim of his revenge.

As long . as the Duke lived, I muflr
not hope from him, new from my pa-*
-rents, better treatment; knowing then*
more of myfelf than themfeives, I-
ought to keep from. Paris that I might

not

<9')
nM be trt contfaroal danger, Superior t*
my.ability from prudence and nature*
•Adieu, Paris, faid I, who knows when:
I fhali fee you again ? and who can tetk
mCf whether, in my prefect fituationy
it behoves me to repine at my deftinyh
Thefe refle&ions accompanied me ©n>
my journey to Milan, nor would they*
day of night, give me any itepofe ; the
occupations of the campaign in no
fhape light <tned my affliftions, but »*
ther inqrlafcd them ; I always wiihed
for a fecond battle, in which I might
by down my miferabfc life : in faft, : a
feco&4 battle enfiaed that fame year, in
the, neighbourhood d£ Gnaftalla^ but I
had no other fhareriri it than to obferve
k at a diftanee, being ppfttd with my
balallion out of the teach of: the ene*
toy's fire. The vkftwy declared fear
tis, though with confiderabk loft on
our :fide, aiu4 J yceht thatfaine evening
to congratulate the Marihali on ht£
fuccefs ; Ke, a* firft fight of me, faid,
You have aAed right, I was juft em
quiring after you; you are not wounded
this battle, therefore get ready to de*
part for Paris within thefe two hours,
for as foon .as the difpatch is ready you
imtft fet out for that court. The fhot
that I received at the battle of Parma,

made

(10}

it&de fefs fmpreffion upon me than tfcir
command of the Marfhall, nor war
there any method to difpenfe with it,
that being an honour cpveted by every
one in fuch cafe>, becaufe it is the*
means of their advancement ; nor is it
conferred upon any but thofewhoare
efteemed at court : in regard to racy ir
was the fame as if I was going to be ex->
ccuted ; the Duke, Duehefs, the Prince,
and Count Termes, were all objects for
me of confufion and horrof ; I was
fure of being discovered, I feared be-
ing puniflied ; the leaft that could be-
fall me, was to be fcandalifed > I la*
mented my cruel fate, and implored:
the protection of heaven in favour of
an innocent ; I called for death to ft-
jnifh my roifcry, but vain were . the la^
mentations of my poor difiraded heart t
At eleven at night. I was obliged to
mount in a poft-chaife, and depart for
Verfaiiles.

. Imagine the thoughts which paired in
my mind during this journey; I could
not now evade the execution jrf my or-
ders by flight, as I had done at other
times j my bufinefs was an , affair of
ft ate, and if I tranfgreffed in it, I ihould
not think myfelf fecure in the fartheft
confines of the world; and I muft

haftea

(« )

Jiaften night and day to* proceed to Pa-
ris, when at the fame time I was defi-
'Tous of befog as far as I poffibly could
from it ; and when I refle&ed in what
manner J (hould be able, when I arriv-
ed there, to efcape the dangers which
threatened me, I knew not on what to
refolve. With thefe troubles in my
mind I arrived at Lyons, and waited
upon Mr,. D'Arcore while my dinner
was getting ready, but, luckily for me,
he was not at home $ I then returned to
the Poft-office, where I found a courier
from Verfailles who was going to Italy;
I Tcnow not how it happened, but I ac-
cidentally aiked him if he had any let-
ter for me? telling him at the fame
time my navne ; I have, Sir, replied he,
and immediately delivered one into my
Jiand. I faw by thedire&ion that it came
from Madam Cafardo, andhaftened to
my room, impatient to read it, and, on
opening it, found the contents to this
tffefl;

" Doar3h> .

I giye you great news in a few lines,
becaufe the courier is juft going out :
the Duke is dead, after a fhort but vi-
olent fever, and the Duchefs will be ef-
pQufsd to the Prince in a few days * 1

now

< tl)

-now hopfe for the pleafute of feeing
you at the end of the campaign. Adieu.

* ; i f

This intelligence called me from
death to life ; thfc Dufce being gone,
rty circuftiftances wore -a different af-
peft; I wasncwr more anxious to get
to Paris, than, belfere receiving this
tetter, I was to be at a diUanee from
it y not ihouid I have had patience to
flay for dinner, had ix>rMt\ D'Arcore
come in, who detained me a few < mo-
ments V after whidh i proceeded <on my
journfcy, much more contented than
when I firft fet out.

C HA Pi IfL

Honours conferred \>%m at Ftrfailks; and
news received of Xlount Termes being in
the Bajtile.

VlY chief fludy, during nay jour*
JLV1 ney to Verfailles, was, how t*
regulate myfeif in my prefent circum-
fiances: the affair was delicate to the
Jaft point; f advanced towards my pa-
rents, but kneMr not how they Aright
look upon fetch a child $ they may in*
deed very readily know me to be their

child;

child, but who knows if they wiH be
willing to expofe to the public the
weaknefs . of their -youth, and. would
much rather. confine me in a cloyfter,
or at leaff ih feme priarince di&mt from
the court:, the befti ftep therefore for
me to take, was, not to make myfelf
known to my .parents, unjeft I ihould
fee that I could . do it with fecurity ;
but how; could I keep myfeif fecret at
Verfailies, when the prefence of Count
flFermes was fufficient to difeover me ?
having ailed with juft reafons in re-
proaching his infidelity, it would be be*
ncath my cfcara&er to entreat his fecre-
cyj^and at the fame he, being unfaith-
ful, might willingly betray me through
motives of prejudice or intereft. In-
volved in thefe thoughts, I unexpected-
ly arrived .within half a jnile of Ver-
iailles before I had the Jeaft fufpicion of
being near it, and was roufed from my
-lethargy by the noife of coaches, and
.the greai cancourfc of people upon the
road ; I was drefled in my regimental

r uniform, ami. an alarm being fpread

that I brought an exprefs from Italy, I
1, -was no foohergot into Verfailies, than

I was furrounded by a multitude of
!pebfde, evefy one curious to know the
! purport of my difpatches. Being un-
Vol. IL - C * accuf-

Ik

( HY

accuftomed to expeditions of this fort,
I knew<not where to difmount; nor to
whom I ihould give the Marshall's ad-
vices : I refolved however to ,drive to
the palace of the Prince ot *** */ my
father. As good' 1 tick would have it
the Prince was at home, and, as foon
as he Jaw me, he ran to meet me, fay-
ing, that he cxpe&ed me every mo-
ment : this to me fcemed Grange ; but
it was natural to chink, that, after the
death <rf thb Duke, he had wrote to
the Marshall to fend me to Versailles oil
the firA occafion; but the ohly thought
I had then, was to -execute my com-
million ; therefore, beforfc any thing
«lfe, I told' him mytbufijarifc, and asked
his advice which way to proceed I
will tell yoa, fays the Prince, with more
joy than at firft, and ordering his coach
to be got teady, bade me follow him,
for he would prefent -me to the King
himfelf. The Prince^immediat^ly ooa-
duAed me to die King, who received
me with great affability, and, after he
had read the Marshall's letters, asked
me the particulars of the battle of Guafc
talk and Pamna, of which I fully in-
formed Him ; he feemed much pleaied
with ttly anfwers, and fold, that I hajl
ioirit fuperior to my age,- aad that he
' -. - '- ./. —would

^rouia not forget *o; reward* mfc for my
-great expedition ; he- likewife ordered
me hot to return ib Italy > uniefs it was
by his tomiaartd. : Wh€n I came back'
-ihttf tKe*\'antt^h*iiberi'I 'found th«
new* bf tlic vi&ory Ttfisi : known to w*
ry orie,- and all prefifoft'were folltcifcnW,
as is common <nr fiidi oecafion*; to en-
quirt* after fac wfelfkte df thteirfHend*
and VdMtibna, whiffi * I,* in, the mefeh
time* \fcas trembling left Gofcmt Termet
ihotild be there and unluckily take no-
tice tit* me i not finding Mift in that
multitude I thought myfeif very for-
tunate, and haftened from that place
left he Aiould drop in at lift. I went
dire&ly to the Duchefs; who already
knew of my avriral, i»d -was waiting
with impatience tp fee itaar T do not
know, Madart*, feid 1, kiifing he*
hand,' wKetfrer J ffcould exeiife myfeff
for my * fuiJden^dipalrtur*, cfr'cxprefe
my joy in fedrig you; 6h my return, in
&> happy a'fkuattoir. We will not' talk*,
faid fhe, of things 'thit are paft; my
troubles being ifiniftiecPby the death of
the Duke, yours, 1 on' that accounr,
pught likcvViie to be ended : I have* the
greateft of pleafdre in feeing you, and
have a hundred things to tell you; but
you have now occafion for reft, there*
C z fore

( *6»
fore go to your former apartinenf, r#-
frefh yourfelf, and to-morrow I will fee
you again. From the (Pushefsl went
to Madam Cafardo, who threw her
arms about my neck, andalraoft fmo-
thered me with kifles; I had no reafon
to objeft to this familiarity, but I
thought^ had flie known all fhe would
not have taken ft* imjfth p leafture in it:
I told h<r, in 3 few words, all that Jhad
happened tor me in J tato; but I alfo
wanted to obtain from her fome news of
Count Termes, therefore it was proper
to talk of every, thing, to draw her in-
fenfibly to difconrfe on that fubje<3 ; in
fpeaking of the Dufce, I asked her, how
the Duchefs accomplished , her defigp
concerning/the girl that flew froril Avi&*
lion? I. will tell yoq, replied flie, for
fince the Duke is dead we may fpeak
more . at large 2 that girl, called Mi£
D'Arvjlle* was ,not daughter !to t t hc
£)uk*, >ut to the Prince of * * * * and
the Duchefs, who was with child by
the Prince who expe^ed her in marri-
age, when flie was obliged, by the po*
licy of her parents, to marry the I?uke;
and the pretended journey tot Spain was
only a fcheme that ihe might be brought
to-bed in fome private place, for the
fake of her reputation and life: this

fcheme

l

e *7 *

fcheme turned out wandarfaEy w^J*j
and at Rome flic -was deli rcred of a
daughter* but thit> aflair being known*
by mare than one/ for our better fe~
cxrrity, we thought of a contrivance to
prevent the Dukc'x raiftruft ; Jvfadam
Fralla, waiting-maid to the Duehefs*
my niiftrcfs, had a private cqrrdjpw^
dence with the Duke before he iftftrr*e&
the Ducheft, fa we refetacd that M*n
dam Fralle Jhcfukt fey ihe was with,
child by the Buke, and tfcat het* ifttfH
tion was the oecafkm of our deftrrsfog
the journey to Spain; and* that in £*
Jftoft time after the child .was barn, ifc
wai fent to the retiremedt at Avignon*
from whence it at laft ran away * thft
Duke beltared all this hiftory tor real
truth, nor did he ever ft) much as fuf-
pea theDoehefs to be -the mother of it t
! continued to esquire after it from
time to time, ; of the governrfs of
Avignon, and fbnt theilccefl&ry fyppUet
for her maintainance : the beft expedi-
ent, fo* the fecttriiy of the Ducbeft*
and m>Mfc let the poor child be turned*
was,toitempfe her with rood words, and
tfwu her up in the cloyfter ; according**
ly I w^ote with my own hand to the
governefs, and to hcrfelf, as if I bad
been her mother 3 but the thing did not
C 3 turn

( i8 )

fufn out as wc expe&ed, for Mifs
D'Arville, in company with her maid, .
ran away from the convent, nor have
we had any account of- .than finer they .
left that place: you know that tlie..
Duchefs would hseve perfuaded you to
go in fearch of her, under pretence
that ihe wanted to divorce herfelf from.
the Duke, and you delivered yourfelf
from that troubkfom6 tafk by your
flight, in which yoa a&ed like a man
of fenfe, and a good fetvant to your*
xniftrefs; but when you departed from
France, flic did. not give. over the
thoughts of fearching for her daughter,
for nature ipoke too highly in her fa*
tour; ihe fufpt&ed that Mifs D'Ar-
ville held a fecret correfpondencc with
Count Termes, and, to prevent this,
ihe contrived to fend him to the army
in Italy ; and after you went away, ike
fuppofing that he muft know fomething
0f her, had him recalled! back to Ver-
failles; this alfo was in vain, he fwore
and protefted he had no news of her
fince her departure from Avignon ;
at that time they pretended to believe
him, but, after the death of the Duke*
he was found to be felfe in his protef-
tetions and oath*.

The

(19)
The Prince and the Duchefs, who
were urgent to find their child, (for the
Duke .being dead they were under no
appr£henfion$) .would not. give credit
to the Count's relation, but contrived
to have his papers fearched ; the vififr
was made uftdcr other pretences; fix
days ago, by order from the court, all
the papers that were taken from him
were put into my hands; I having a
letter of Mifs D'Arville, could com-
pare the chancers together, and, in
fa&, amongft his writings I found three
tetters that arc undoubtedly hers, but
without name or date, fo we cannot
difcove* whese fhe is, but only find by
her letters that {he loves him : the infin-
cerity of Count Tcnnes has irritated
the Prince, and more fo the Ducheis,.
who pretends that he muft yet know*
more, but will not fpeak; in confe-
quence of which tjhcy caufed him to be.
flaut up in the Baftile, from whence lie
will not get his liberty till he gives fur-,
ther information of Mifs p'ArviUe.

CHAP.

( : 2o )

, CHAP. IV. j

Means contrived by me to get to the Speecbh
f . J of Count Termes. *'

WHO can conceive; unlefs they*
had been prefent to read? my
heart in my eyes* the internal move-*
merit of my fbuf, during thfc account
ef Madam Caferdo ? At milch as I
was trpofl-my guard* I bdieve I chan-
ged colour at leaft ten thttes ; ftof do I
know how it happened t&at MAdam
Cafardo did not take notice df it ; rhe
particular* I heard from her combined
exa<ftty\w«h 4 thofe I* has* h«ifd from
Duli's wife.' tfeppy was >lt'for me,
that to Madani Cafardo, and &> every
one elfey I always wrote by another
hand, or elfe in the method (hewed me
' by Mr. Bfctfbne, which altered my cha*
rasters,' and rendered them quite dif?
ferent. With my <own, 'I 1vt<crte fo nA
end but Count Termes hiixxfetf \ and I
now repented even- of -that. U is irideed 1
true, that the ftrift fcarch made after
me by |my parents, gave me reafon to hope
for a benignant reception, but the rigo-
rous methods ufed with Count Termes,
gsivt 6kHttle room to hope for my love,

and

( M )

and this uncertainty made me abfdutc*
ly refolve not to difcover myfelf. It
has already appeared that I had juft
reafon to be difgufkd with Count
Tcrmcs, and I can really fay, that I
came to Paris, more with ardifpofition
to forget him than to love Hm ; but
.when are we fettled in our paffions ? the
honour of Connt Terriies in keeping
fecret what little he knew of me, by
hiding my letters, was a crime to my
parents, but in my eyes it was .the zh
of a hero * to be imprifoned for my
caufe in the BafHle, he merited my
heart and pardon for thd offence of his
fuppofed infidelity. Thus am I again ia
love with him j in confufioa and adu-
mbration for his ; imprisonment, and
burning with defire at leafttofpeak to
him, to thank him for hisimcerity, to
enjoin him filence, and aflure hini of my
gratitude. This thought troubled me
above all others,, for fa long as the
Count concealed, me, I thought I could
not be difcovered by any one eUe. Lit-
tle did I fufpe& that I had the enemy
in the fame houfe with me, and that
with all my pail precautions it was not
.in my power to be JeCure; .the truth
af this time will evince, and Sufficient-

. 17.

(( M )?

ly prove how little Human prudence
avails fbraetimes ta avoid Certain fudden
combinations of fa&s.

Having left the apartment of- Ma-
dam Cafardo, after this! general dif~
courfe, I went to my own apartment*,
where I found Mr- Befone, who waited
to receive me: there $ we patted great
part of the night in talking of the af-
fairs of Italy ; I told him of >iny meet-
ing with Mi6 Gianettort at Turin anil
Milan, and of what had 'happened to
me by Tartar, in Italy $ and he told
me the? reafons fox* whirii that villa to
had loft the Duke's protection, and was
obliged: to fly from France, which,, as
they J were things of the. mbfiy&tatod&-
lous nature, and can afford the reader
neither pleafure or profit, I ihall &-
mit to mention them here j it is true
indeed, that books, like a looking-
giafif} reprefent to ms both .good an4
evil j good that we may imitate if,, aiad
evil that- we may Learn to abhor itv but
it is doing fuch villains too much ho-
nour to mention even their names, as I
I have got fo much of my own to write
that I cannot lofe time to write for
others. When I was byrayfejf, I be-
gan to refleft by what means I could get
to fpeak with Count Termes ; I "knew,

by mfy own experience, how ctofely the
prifoners in the Baftiie wfcre confined,
and that to get periwffion to' {peak to
any of them, -I mufl Ihavie an order
from the King :himielf: by means of
the Prince I thought 1 couid get ftich
jpermiffion, but the very , propofel oF
my (peaking with Count Tennes, would
awaken his fu(pickm, and hazard my
ctartvfafety : Janefon, who was my com-
panion in the Baftiie, providentially
came into my mind, erf whom, fince I
left that place, I never before once
thought; to this unhappy man the
Prince owed fome fort of an obligation,
and I was much obligated to him, for
he was a very great comfort to me, nor
oughf I fo long to have forgotten him ;
if I can but contrive to fpeak to him,
faid I, within myfelf, who knows but
that by his means I can atfo (peak to
Count Termes, or at leaft give him a
letter. Flattered with thefe hopes I re-
folved to venture that ftep, and give the
Prince my reafons to mak,e Janefon a
vifit ; the doubt that yet remained to be
decided, was, to know if janefon was ;j

♦ftili in the Baftile, or tf<hc had recover-
<ed, as he expe&ed in afhort time, his
liberty ; to inform myfelf of this was
not difficult, the firft time I faw the

Prince

.'.K

(24 V

Prince. I Idexteroufly entered int<J> dif*
courfe about the Duke, and of the
trick he ferved us, when we were ar-
retted in the Baftile^L then; as if it
had juft come into my mind, asked
him if poor Jandbn was yet in prifon?
That is right, replied the Prince, I
muft get him a pardon ; I thought of
it fohie time ago, but it went out of my
mind again. How willingly, feid I,
would I fee him to put hiia ia good
heart, by giving him a few bottles of
Burgundy. If you defire it, repli-
ed the Prinee, I can get you that
permiffion the firft time you' go to Pa-
ris. I fliaU take it as a particular fa-
vour, anfwered I, as I have got fome
bufiajefs of* my own to tranfa£ at Parts
the latter end of next week. Well,
faid he, remember me in time, I may
perhaps have fome good news to fend
him.

We faid no more upon that head ; my
heart was over-joyed to have obtained
my wifh, and in a few days after I re-
membered the Prince of his promife,
telling him, that I muft go to Paris the
next day ; Hoagajre me a billet which
was fufficient for my purpofe, and
charged me to afiure Janefon, from him,
that in two weeks at moft he fhould

. have

( 25 )
have Ms liberty. When I arrived at
Paris I put xtp at an inn, nor did I
think of doing any thing that day, for
it was too late. They asked me if I
fhoukl ofojeS to eating my flipper with
two Italians, who dfcfired company ;
after the knowledge of my birth, 1 con-
sidered myftH to be an Italian likewife,
and had that partiality for my own
country which is natural in us all ; I
rejoiced oi>thk occafion to bear them
company, and anfwered, tha* I fhoufd
cfteem it a favour. They were man
and wife, as they told me, and at ther
ftrft words they fpoke to me, I knew,
by their accent, that the woman wa? a
Venetian and the man a Neapolitan.
We fupped merrily, and difcourfed
about Venice, which I praifed as it me-
rited, but was- greatly furprifed when
Madam very imprudently asked me, if
I knew in Venice that Frenchman who
was arretted one night in miftake for
the waiting-maid of fuch a perfon?
naming the gentleman who was fo cour-
teous to me. Too much fincerity with
thofe of whom we have but little know-
ledge, is dangerous ; I told her, coolly,
that I even did not hear him fpoke of*
She then: began to tell me the ftory, in
fuch a manner, that I was certain fhe
Vol. II. D was

( 26 )

was the very perfon who ran away from
fuch a worthy matter ; and, In truth,
though at firtt I liked her company, it
now began to be a horror to me 5 gnd
when I faw in her a young girl flown
from the worthieft of men, I judged
that flie merited the hatred of all mejfc
and the particular vengeance of heaves.
1 had taken the refoiution to acquaint
her mailer, and would have performed
it, and have procured her, with her
unlawful hufband, to be arretted im-
mediately, if I had not believed, that,
by fending her to Venice, it would be
making him a, prefent not worthy of
acceptance ; the ftory of their amo-
rpus adventures is too immodeft to
hive a place in thefe my memorials,
'which, if not a profit to others, fliall
not be to their detriment*

CHAfc

( *7>
CHAP. V.

i* n a r. v.

^ Occident happens which affords me an
Opportunity to be grateful to ftp Friend
at Venice, by finding out bis Waiting*
maid.

SUPPER was fcarccly over when
other people arrived, who joined in
company with Madam Rofaura and
Sigmor d'Albevit, for fo were thefe two
Italians called -, two of the people who
^aine in were of their party, bat the
others feemed to he Grangers introduc-
ed, as I foon perceived, to be trapann'd ;
Mad$im propofed a party at cards, ancl
Signior d'Albevit excufed himfelf from
making one at it, under pretence of
writing fome letters which were to tie
difpatched that night : I kept at fome
diftance to obferve the event, and Found
that while Madam amufed the gallant,
one of her accomplices managed the
cards juft as he thought proper, while
the other aAed his part by flight of
hand, and they performed their parts
with fo much dexterity, that the
Grangers loft upwards of three hun-
dred Louifd'ores. Incenfed with thefe
vile proceedings, I withdrew from the
aflembly, but gratitude, towards my
friend at Venice deprived me of reft *
Da I

1 Jfadied all that night which way ?
&ould proceed j ihouid I apply ^o a
Juflice without a ptoper conuniffion,
jt would be to no purpofe ; I therefore
refolved to try by fair means to reduce,
her to her duty, and make her fenfible
of reafon : fuch an attempt could riot
hurt me, and might turn out beneficial
both for her. hufbaiid and heffelf * to
get a private conference with fyer was
no difficult matter, for during fuppeiH
time flic was continually gazing at sm*v
and playing with her eyes all the vices
of the fex to feduce me. My know-
ledge of the world made me foon urn-
derftand her language, and fuggefted to
me a way to bring about my defign,
though by undertaking a part which
I never aflied before* I went the next
morning to pay her a vifit in heir own
room* but finding there her fuppofcd
fcitfhand, we talked about various a£*
&ir$, and taking out my fiiuff-bojr,
vhich was gold of beautiful workman*
ihip, took a pinch of fnuff, and oifer- *
ed it Jier likewife* lhe admired the box,
aadwhenfhe returned.it to me, I whik
pered her in the ear, The fauff4>ox is
ypurs, Madam, if you will only do m$
the honour to fpeak a few words with
you in private. We will , thiijk of it,
'*' ' . faid

(*9> ♦
faid fte, foftly. I deferredmy viflt to
the Baftife till next day, and,- in the
mean time, went to pafe half an h6nt
in a eoffee-houfe near my own lodging;
I had been there fcarcely half an hour
before Mr. d'Albevit came in, and be-
haved as familiar with me as if he had
been my brother; his prefence and be-
haviour troubled me much, and I got
up to go away 5 he then faid, (as if he
was ignorant of what had paired be-
tween his wife and me> If you are go-
ing, Sir, to your lodging, I ihall takd
it as a favour, it you will tell my wife
that I lhali not dine at home. I found
by this, that the plot was contrived to
leave Madam alone all that day, and,
by that artifice, to hinder me from,
having any fufpicion. I anfwered him,
that he ihould be ferved ; and went di-
re<5My to my lodging. Madam Rofau-
ra no fooner heard me in my chamber,
but (he came and led me by the hand
into her own, and, bolting the door
withiit-fide, Come, faid ihe, if a few
words are not: fufficient, you may now
Ipeak an hundred, fince my hufband
dines abroad, nor will he come home
till night. She was covered only with
a thin bed-gown of fky-cotour farce- 1
net, wbi«h &c had put on at rifing out
I) 3 of

( 30)

of bed ; taking me by the hand, ftte
wreLefcly flung herfelf on a chair, as if
weakened by the heai of the feafoo :
Sit you down alfo, faid ihe, and you
will be at more eafc Though her im-
jaodefiy put me to the bli*ih, her aban-
doned oaurfe of life excited my com-
pa/fton : Madam, &kl I love you—
And I alio* faid Jhe, (interrupting me)
aed I alfo ata dying for yrau But how?
proceeded I, fince it was only laft night
that y<& &r& bega*> to know me # Why,
replied flbe^laMghing. faft night was alfo
the firft tta«e you hid any knowtedgs
of me. No, Madam, faid I # ferio^fly
laft night was aat the firft twie I had
feaowlcdge. of you ; I Jmow who yo»
tue, and who was yomr mttfter 5 I know
that from hi*} yqu have fcaadalottfly
zan away , mr cfca you deny i*, becawfe
I have cootiiicing jwroof in »y tends*
to make yo^ alhamed and repent of
your bad eonduft : on »e it depend*,
Madftffii that before night you go to
the hwfe of. correction, >and you* uo~
worthy spiopanioii to a pcifc*** I re-
4jpe&, ia y«w, a friend w^ofehonfe yovt
tave dishonoured by your flight; fetaih,.
Madam* at your ft£toas* and he affur-
td # that the advantages of your educa-
tion wiil.br, a feraretora^ you*
-, . when

when you reafonably refioft, that you
have difhonoured yourfdf to the high-
eft degree, by affocia*ing with a villain,
a cheat, and nioft profligate wretch,
who is at this time bringing down upon
your head the fevereft curies of hea-
ven : I flaall not take upon me to lay
before you the refined principles of a
virtuous life, but ihall leave that to
perfons of better capacity than rayfelf j
ta convince a reafonablc pcrfbn, the.
dilutes of philofophy and reafon will ,
be fufficicnt : what a figure will you
snake in the worid, when it ihall fee
dear, to all Paris what you really are?
will it not be feen that you are a de-
bauched and aav unworthy wretch ? our
greatefi treaftre, Madam, is honour >,
and though by your artifees you may
acquire a fobfiflence, you have fold
your honour at a uioft defpicabie price :
in ftooping, much - beneath yourfdf,
you have done wrong to your reafon,
and hare tfefifed ttofe amiable abilities,
by faciifickag them to a wretch who
aanas only to advance; his own fortune
at the coftaf your ruin: fliakeyow-
fetf, dear Madam, from this lethargy,
fofat&Uo yourmtme; aad if your paft
iafemy does not terrify you, tremble
with the horror of future ctnfequeocee?

for

( 3* )
for after he has ftript many others by
your means, you may readily fuppofe
that he at laft will drip you alfo, and
leave you abandoned to the open
world: return, Madam, to the houfe
of your good matter, and I will aflure
you of his indulgent pardon and kind
reception, as his own child; and if you
have the courage to break the cords
that tie you to fuchan infamous wretch,
I will immediately procure a place for
you, where he fhall not find you; and
after finding out proper means to re-
trieve your character, will fend you
back to Italy with credit. I talked a
confidcrable time upon this head, bc-
caufe I obferved that it had its proper
effeft upon Rofaura, and therefore
thought I fliould not do right to neg-
lect fo favourable an opportunity of
perfuading her to what was reasonable.
I ihouid have proceeded further, had
(he not fuddenly thrown herfelf at my
knees, and, bitterly crying, begged me
to have corapiffion on her, and not de-
ny her my affiftance in fuch delicate
circumftanccs. She fimriy believed that
I had orders from her matter to arreft
her, becaufe flie found me fo well in-
formed of her flight; and having ihew-
ed her the billet from the Prince, da-
reded

(33)
re&ed;tofhe govetfnour of the Baftile, '
fte was imsntfdiatdy pcrfuaded that it J .
related to herfelf. To difengage her
from her. infamous connexions, there
was no time to be loft ; I immediately
hired a coach, and mating her ftep in-
to itj with a little bundle of her moft
valuable <efio£h, I condu&ed her to the
hotrfe in which I lodged before I went
to the urmy, charg'mg the landlady to
Joecp her there as privately as poffibte.
It is jaeedlefs to mention here the rage
of Mr. d'Albevit, when he found th&t »
fhe had Jriade off, nor Could get the r
leaft news of her; of him I fhall Fpeak '
in another place; Maisfam in three'
days retire to a monaftery, to wait for
a» anfwer from Venicfe, to the letttei^ -
which I hari wrote to Mr. N. K.'td in- ;
form him of. what* happened, and to *
know his* orders: this accident detain-
ed rae three days from Tifiting Count
Termes; but I was ao ways forry for
it^ having preferred *a woman Well edxi- "
cated, fram* the bri&k of her detrac-
tion, slid pl&fed a friend who had '
Shewed roe ft* much ktndnefs ; in feft ;
they vwre x both ^liged to me during
their lives, and I had afterwares "occa-
ficm to rejoice that- 1 had a#tfd in *hat
manner. .:-: : ■ : , -i ^* ; J
,-. : CHAP,

( 34)

CHAP. VI.

My Mating with Count Termes in tBf
Bajtik.

IPrefented myfelf to the governor of
the Baftile, and delivered to him the
billet* which I had received from the
Prince, to get permiffion to fpeak with
Janefon, whom I found in another room
more commodious than the former,
where he was writing as ufual, consent*
td with his deftiny like a modern Die*
genes in his butt. I thought at the light
of me he would have ran mad with joy ;
Quonam meb fato fieri die am, faid he, in
Latin, as if he had been talking to one
of the do&ors of the Sorbonne, then
mixed it with fome French, wonder-
ing, after fo long an abfence, I fhould
think of him. After mutual expreffi-
ons of friendship, I aflccd him what he
was writing ? he anfwered, that it was
a Comedy, called, The Philolbpher
Married 5 to perfuade, by his example,
all other lettered men not to marry. I
read one (bene of it, which was written
with real fpirit ; but my mind was in-
tent upon objetfts of greater confc-
quencc to me : I afked him, if he was
always alone ? or whether they fiill per-
mitted

(35)
nritted him to keep company with other
prifoners in the Baftile? he replied, that
he was generally alone j that he had li-
berty indeed to keep company with
Count Termes, who had been com-
mitted to that piace twenty days ago,
but that the Count never would fyeak,
and was always melancholy, fo that he
could reap no fatisfa&ion by fitting with
him. I know this officer, faid I, and
wonder for what he came here ; but I
would willingly fee him, if poffible.
Leave that to me, laid Janefon ; but I
muft firft (hut the eyes of my keepers.
Any thing that you want, anfwered I,
is at your fervice; and I will flay and
dine with you, provided you promtfe
to let me have a good dinner. You
need not doubt me, replied Janefon;
wait a little, and I will be back prc-
fently. So laying, he went out to
fpeak with the keeper, nor did he re-
turn for a considerable time. I was de-
termined to dine there, that I might
catch an opportunity to fpeak with
Count Termes by himfelf, while Jane-
fon was employed in preparing the din-
ner. . After paffing half an hour in ek-
pedation of Janefon 's return, the door
opened on a fudden, and inftead of Ja-
nefon, whafliould 1 fee before me but
v ... Count

Ctfcuit T wtnas, win* daifrnartcs&hii
€ty& aqpoix inc, than; ;he fkutoi hack
with fbcpriw* According tpangrcov*
cuwftances at that time, this irat the
wugfceft.triai I ever was ptat to in my
life j my foul was at ; that intent* orai*
(Vuihekicd wkfe anger, jealpufy, nftrem*
tare*, and gratitude; 1 had a groat dmk
jtofay, but could not oxpnrfcit ail in
$*tft breath ; and if Jaacfc** flwUld hapr
pea to furprife me, Iww in < clanger*
To begin with what was nioft itwpor-t
tant, I put my finger to nay mtiirth<Wi&
went inward him, faying* * Erasure,
$ir, you only know roe, a$d k> y>ot* J
totfh Trufi in nae, replied: ke; *nj&
in me, Mifs, for. I will conceal it at the
efllfcof my life ; to convince you, that
Iter neither \*n&ithftiL not ingrategul
ferr f Here Janefon entered,, find obliged
W&tP change our difpoui^fc; in his pre-
tence we behaved like two friends that
had known each other ia the army;
but he foon gave us liberty to talk in a
4ifferemftile. Friend, faid he.to*roe,
to dine there are wanting the pence.
Here, replied I, (patting* m*his hand
fix piftofes) but take care that they be
well laid out ; do'nt fail tor procure
iome good Burgundy* You sunt hv
good hands, replied he* lharpeivyour

appetites,

C 37 >

appetites, while f go into the* tdtchm
to fee that you ardferved' with the beff.
So fay irg he went away, and I rts
aflUmed my difcourfe with the Cbltot:
I Informed him, in a few wards, of
what moil material had happened tct
me, fince his departure from AvigUon t9
that day : I revealed 4 t& hirii the fedret
of my birth; the drettifcffaiices: Fwa*
in, and the reafon for not discovering
myfctf to my parents, till I firfr was
fecure of their affe&ioft, and had thelf
favourable opinion of our lores. He
informed me alfe of his adventures*
and. that he had" received three of my
letters* which were taken with the relt
of his papers ; nor would he, at the
coft of finifhing his life in the Baftile;
tell even what he knew of me. Confl-
Ber, Sir, faid' I, who you are, and
who I am ;, What I havfe done for youfc
what you have promifed me, and what
might alfo happen to us both in thefe
difficult clrcumftances ; and refleft, at
the fame time, how you deferve to be
treated; your amours with theCoun-
tefsof ****, in Pa via, has torment-
ed me enough, without contriving, by
? our imprudence, to torment memore:
will fuppofe that you courted her for
paftime- but to a heart fincere and
Vql.IL E fiiithful

C 38. )

fiuthful like, mine, even jokes, in fuch
ttiatters, is counted ah 'offence * I will
forget what & paft, becaufe i, prudent
woman in my cafe ought not, to neg-
left the thoughts of her honour, her
liberty, and her- life; degrading her-
felf without effe#, by the weaknefs of
sk. jpaffion, which though it ought to be
freafonable ought not to be blind : if
"{here is any thing undfeferving of par-
don, it is tnat 01 not burning my let-
ters after you had read thete, to imi-
tate ray precautions, and not expoifc
vourfelf to the danger which has be-
fallen yop through your-imprudehce:
yrith one that judges rightly,- a fault of
this fort is lefs pardonable than the in-
conftancy of love ; the anget of a jea<-
lous jover is foftened by repentance,
JBfiit an imprudent conduit endangers a
perfons honour, and is his own fault,
and not that of another ; I know well
tb whom your prefent fituation gives
the.greateft torment; I am not the
caufe that you have loft your liberty,
but if there was occafion I would re-
fiore it to you at the expence of my
life, and can yet do it by difcovering
myfelf to be what I am ; but, alas ! I
\m under a neceffity not to do it, and
muft facrifice my beloved to preferve

my

. ( 39 >
my own honour;: heaven' is witness,
and my heart alfo, that this facriflcc U
to me an inexpreffible grief; and if
you arc doomed to a barbarous flave*
ry,. I am. bound to fuffer the qaoft ex-
cruciating pangs, during' the whole
remainder of my miferable life. Oh
God ! in my cruel circumftances, what
nmfl I do, not to be ungrateful to my
love,- nor cruel to myfelf ? if you will,
dear Count, that I fhould difcover my-
ielf— No, anfweredhe, interrupting
1 me, and mixing his tears with mine, no,
MMk, if I hfldbeen willing to difcover
you to your parents, I ihould not have
Men in this place; and to comply with
your wifh in concealing your iecret,
renders my prifon a palace to me : £
confefs that in not burning your fetters
after reading, I #as imprudent; but
.what man is prudent when love over-
rules .his reason ? it is a fatisfa&ion to
ine that I denied my, correfporidence
f with you; becaufe, being convi&ed of a
fclfity,by the difcovery of your letters,
I ant thereby. able tQ convince you of
Wy love,^by perfifting in my denial a$
the. expence of my liberty : will nqt'
.this attone for my fault committed by
me in ray amours with the Qoi»nte#
E2 o

C 40 >
«f f * * * at Pavia ? and happy i»e # te
conceal the fecjret of your fcx, and of
.ourlpve. I will not fpeak, Mifs,be affu-
red, of my fidelity ; but what will be
the confequehce of this ourj unhappy-
Jove, and of -my loft Jiberty ? What
wijl be the fritit of your trouble, if we
/to not contrive by fame means to ren-
;jfcr jqgurfefres content ? He rtrove to
proceed, but his tears prevented hinv
and amoroufly fqueezing my hands, and
iifling them, he ftoodjnotioakfs, with-
out utter.iqg one wprdL We confuraed
feme lime in ,thefe difcourfes * it wap
proper however, thai we fliould refolve
9^ fomething before Janefon returned.
ijThe £oi*nt, by the management of the '
P,uk»f of * * *, his protector, cxpeft-
<d ia a fhort time tb be vcftored to his
Jftrrty*

In treating with a lover fo tender,
Jipnoured, virtuous, and faithful, for
whom I had already firffcrcd fo much^
] w*fi unwilling to rift; the uncertainty
of ipy parents giving their confent t&
our nuptials, and found the befl me-
thod would be not to dlfcover myfelf
to them till we were a&ually \ycdded. I
was not obliged to know that the Prince
of * • * * was my father, and the
Duchefs my mother, to prevent my

marry-

( **•>,

ifibfyWwfthbiit flfeitffcj«&tY anfc
if tm wVited tftc ft fo^&ej* MB/
in tifdr opihiorf, might bba iWfr$#e«*
per huflband for me, they- oughtjrt tinfc 1
to have let me know whofe*dirfcl**ra$v*
Thus forming my condudt by toe li*ht r
of rtafoii, I refolvcd that the ffxtejk&K
in nfy nuptials ihould be my indm&tioti^
and who can blame me for this r&blta^
tjbn, when my firft choice was Hohduiy
merit and virtue ? .•>.>•..•,;

In conference of thefe fouritf r^
Anions, it tfas agreed between uV, 1 tha£
when the Count obtained ' his KbeWyv
he flibuld immediately leave Paris,' ahA
proceed to Milan, where he JhinjH
wait for me, and from thence we ;ftt<3>uid
pafs to Venice to celebrate our jftiptteM
With this refohition w* weifreto^e^
iatisfied, nor were there ever tfrowfr
vers, who,. like us, for theifpace^f Ave?
years, had lefs correfpondeijee* Bvi
words or letters, and at the end of that
time were more in love with each other
than at firft, as was the cafe between
the Coifnf? aiad mei / ;

Dinner being ready, we* ate .very
hearty, but Janefon, as ufuali drank
more than he ate : the heat of tftfe
fummer, united with that of the kitcly-
exy4n which he would flay to fee the
fi ' ' ' E 3 dinger

(4*)

dinner prepared, made him drink to
that excefs, thai I though he never
wooid have been faiisfied. Towards
night I parted frorq both* but hid %>t
the pleafurc Do ipeak ons word in fe*
crctmdi the Count, beeaufe Jaite&a
pi^krftedtluthisarouUfpeakt^aiiter-
906a Aiongh to laft him a whole
week. Returning to my lodgings -I
fixund thai Mr. # Albett it had faddwiy
made off; the miffing of his fuppo&d
wife, together with my gpmg to &s
Baftile, were myfteriw Jbt pojiW iottt
comprehend ; thu addodto foDftcp^fer
tmapkuftts of people who had fexft m<*r
nejr in gaming with him* terrified him
Jbaurch, that he thought hiwfetf .-ft*
loaget&cura ia that place* Thtdjw
following! went to vifit Kofeura wttj*
this news, which gave her gr^U pk»*
£ure j 1 theo fct out ^inoivmy jowtw
x^y to Verfciik v

chap;

•(43)

chap. vii. ; ;J

fit Child of Madnm Cafardo prtfmud
U me by a Nurft.

AFler fettling matter* fo f ucccfsf ii%
with the Coco* at fciis, I wa$ ve&
well iatisficd that I could not U disco-
vered at VerfaHfes, prorided I kept iny
ownfecrct Itaaow remained for me
4& wait' as omteafaedly as I timid, i&l
Count Termes was refetfM from hb
confinemeitt* and without my ^ift|;
theleaft fufpkion by enquiring affi5
him, I could get news eaough ftbft
Madam Cafardo, who had in her iiihdi
xty letters, whteh were therptpd&^i
gamft him. She itlfc had told m6, tHit
as foon at ihe had done cxamMhg *ht(
Count** papers, if fte found notinttg
more rdatscg to Miff D'Arville- foe
wouid fpeak to die Prince in the Count's
fevour. By this I knew that my letters
were yet in Madam Cafardo' 5 hands,
and that paffing from her to the Prince,
nothing worfe couJd happen. An ac-
cident one day happened, which di-
verted mt highly* i was wading in
my own room, when, without permit
fion, a woman came in, leading in her

hand

< 44.)..

hand a child that, was between four ancf !
five years old. I aiked her with fur-,
priae her bufinefs with lijej but how
great .was «iy aftoniftiment when ihe
told me, that (he jba4 brought the child
t<? kifs his father's hand, I fet it upon
ray knee, nor could I heipJaugh|pg-.to
think that I had reprefented in jhW
coui't, rfor above four years, a hufoana
and- a father. I knew that feren months
after our pretended nuptials, flie was
delivered of a child; but as I knew
that my felf had no ihare therein, I ne-
ver enquired whether it was dead or a-
live. This was the child of Madam,
Gafardo, and the perfon who conduc-
ed it to me 'was the nurfe, who fuppo-
fing me to be hufband to Madam Ca-
ftrdo, took me alfo for the father o?
the child, and thought it would give
me a pleafure to fee it, flattering her-
felf with the hopes of getting a prefent
from me. This thing, diverted me in-
wardly,- but prudence required that iiv
this fcene I fhould ftill maintain the
character I appeared in, and accept the
title of Papa. I at laft got rid of them,
by giving the nurfe a prefent, and tel-
ling her I took very kindly her care of
my fon. Madam Cafardo difapproved
of this proceeding of the nunc, be-

caufc.

(. 45 )
-caufe ihe knew k was only reminding
me of her fliame. Her view was to be
jreaily my wife, which flic already do-
ferved w her generofity and love to-
ward* me- Jt was jioit in my potror to
accoroplifh her defires ; therefore I
thought that ki her eyes I nuift look
ungrateful ; With how many artifice*
ihe explained toane her defire of being
.my Tical wife. According as fte ad-
vanced in hear tenderoefe for rae f tfee
_»vore my inquietude increafed, and 1
was (b perplexed about it, that I ittmfcl
jiot fteep urflefe I firjft locked the^acr
of my chamber, through fear that fee,
-beii^g overpowered with her conjugal
k>v<i xvighi icoroe in and furpriK me
^in bed, which would -terrify me mom
than tte battle of Parma, To get<qnk
iOf this uneafittft, 2 xtefotoed to depart
ior Italy ; :i>ut then J couM not do k
.without an icxprefs aeder from Jbis M**
jefty i and again, I mqft wait td fee
what would be the deftiny of Court
T*rmes, not to render uftiefi fhc me**
/ures taken ^between us* in the white,
the nuptials of due Prmce with the'
Dutchefs were celebrated private^
without any other 'appearance than that
tof living both in one ,-tiafyce* The
Puke of * * * embraces this oppor-
tunity

(4<\)
tunity to implore of *hem the dffcharefe
of Count Tenfccs, affuring them, on his
word, that Count Ternies knew no moiie
of the fugitive of Avignon, than what
they already had heard; and that if he
(hould happen to know any more of
her, -they might depend on his ac-
quainting them with it: in fliort, the
Count was releafed after being impri-
soned there for a month. This news I
had fnrft from Madam Cafardo, and af-
terwards by a billet from himftlf, cbh^
voyed fceretly to me at Verfeilles," iti
which he told me, that he would de-
partfcr Milan tit my firft notice.

I idid not know how long I might be
obliged to defer my return to Italy,
nor my hcartwtould notfuffertheCouht
tondftpart before me, for feiar that Httfe
diftancrbetween Milan and Pavia might
render htm again unfaithful ; I anfwer-
*d him, that I would try with the ut-
saoft diiigtncy to get orders for Italy,
and advifed htm to wait i few day*, tilt
I iiad* fomethiag mote pofitive tb tell
him 3 my prudence faggeftoM this, but
my deftiny kd tne to the difficult ftep,
and rewarded me in a manner entirely
tmforefeen. I vifited often the King's
aatt-chamber, to > remind him of my
perfcm, and to get difpatched to Italy *

in

:(47->
ifif*&,\t]iut a few eays paffed before the
Secretary 4}f Slate f>ut into my hands a
QoiruB^fliQiJ, appointing me to be a
I^p-uteiiMt-Colonel in my own regi-
ment, together with a purfe, contain-
yjg, an hundred piftoles, to bear my
expences . back to the army. How
gi$at was my joy on this occafion ! ne-
ver before did I receive with ib much
pleafuxe,- the congratulations of my
frlejads on my good fortune ; they fup-
ppfed ojy joy to proceed from the great
favour conferred on me by the court - 9
but I, in my heart, was glad to be far
from it,, and nev<;r return to it again*
Madam Cafardo was the only perfon
that, difturbed xny joy with her tears ;
the example of her miftrefs made her
defire alfo to be married* Is it poffi-
fyle, faid (he, that after four years and
more, you have not yet obliterated the
memory of my crime ! and you are
riow going to depart from a woman who
always loved you and loves you flill :
who knows but my cruel deftiny may
deprive me of eyer feeing you more ?
why do you not at leaft leave me with
. the fecurity in my foul, that, either
returning or dying, you are really
mine, that I might juftly lament your

death,

■<*■>

death; or flgfe ^OT'5rotoVdlkw^ ! 'H^
grief Wat teafonaWfe; Hcr i Aitten!tott&
were jiifttfied by Herfflfourt; zrtdifl
had'been rrt a ftatfc tmafce-a j iiHffe; gm*
tftttde would* have ifloke'nrtar behalf i
bat as the wfe 'floods Fwa* obliged**
conceal my rfcafonr b£ tif Aki^'estcuf^.
and, contrary to my indupbtam/ Scto^
feftmyfeif ungrateftd; ' ! '■'• ,| ' : -i

After, this I thought of firing this
Count notice to depart for' KaijK when?
t refolved to be ay foonas huitfaf? it *ai
an eafy matter to wrfte hiitla cbupte
of ltnes, but to whoitrcorftf : f grvr
them to deliver them* Safety' into- his
hands ? the perfbn that brought me his
billet and took my anfwer, behavecf
with fidelity ; bur where to find hint F
could not tell, and to another I eould
not truft : for* if my correspondence
only flitfuld be known by thcDucheft
or the Prince, my hopes would- be ut-
terly blafted.

I was walking in the gallery of the
palace, revolving on which way I Ihould
accomplish my deflgn, when ; Madam
Cafiurdo paffed by with fame papers ' in
her hand, and a fervant* followed her
with a little bag of other papers under
his arm, going towards* tire Prince's

apartr

<49)
£$f rtmfpM; : } aikcd her, where ihe was
gqiogl iijereaUedy'that fye was going to
^l?|ive£ to the Prince, the.^ papers q£
CpufttTermea, amongft which lheliai
found nothing more, relative to thefu-
"gitive of Avignon, than the three let-
tears {hat were in her hands ; (he like-
V#S fajd, that tfie Count had fent a
peribh for them, and, that the,Prin<5e
intended to return them ; but that Ihe
jwroiitd ^dvife the rrince to. keep. the
^ee letters of Mifs D'Arville, in cafe
*SK ftiflg might, happen hereafter,
^fus intelligence pl^afed me f thinking,
thai , tf I~ could . hide ainongft the
fount's papers a tillet of mine, that
jhe, would receive it without danger ^ I
flattered myfelf that I had found t^e
beft method poiliWe, and not to let flip
fo promifing an ppportunity, I unmet
diately retired to my room to write it, .

Vol.IL ^ CHAP.

< «o )

CHAP. VIII.

Jin unexpired Accident happens y £y which
* tht Prince difcovers me to be Ipis
Daughter.

1WTO Sooner had I fat down to
3L1I write to the Count, but a page
from thePrince came to me, fay ing, thste
the Prince defired to fpeak with me : at
this meflage my blood .fan chill in eve-
ry vein, .as if 1 had been informed of
romeiuddeh accident ; I had no motive
to fear any thing, but I, knowing my-
felf to be unfortunate, tore what I had
wrbte into a hundred pieces, becaufe I
waiildnot venture to keep it about me f
nor truft it under a lock, frightened by
thfc experience of what had happened
to the Count ; fo torn, I tolled it into
the open ftreet, and then went to the
Prince, whom I found walking about
in his cabinet which joined to the door
of the Duchefs's apartment ; the cur-
tain of her door was down, nor did I
hear any one in her room; I aflced
him, what were his commands? As
you are ready, {aid he, to depart for
Italy, I have got a commiffion for you
to execute, which is of the utmoft im-
portance. This beginning revived my

fpirits,

^

(5! )
fpirits, but little did I fufpeft how it
was to finifh. The affair which we
are going to treat of, faid he, mult be
managed with a nicienefs fuperior to
your age and experience ; I know that
you have abilities and fpirit, but, to

Frevent: any mifcarriage in this defign*
will give you in writing the manner
ia which you muft regulate your con-
du& 5 the inftru&ions will be ihort * I
will dl&ate, and you may fit down
there and writQ.

It will be needlefs for me to tell how
I was ftruek with horror at fuch a com-
mand ; beqaufe, let any one put them-
fclve? in my circumftances, they will
foon guefs at the fource of my fears,
and have motives to tremble for my
feke : I knew that the Prince had three
letters of mine which were wrote to the
Count, and paffed a little before undej?
his eyesj and as much as I could al-
ter my writing, I knew how eafy it
would be to fee the refemblance, if hq
fhould confront them to each other ; it
feemed almoft incredible to me, that I
had not forefeen, amojigft all others, this
danger alfo, and I repented my impru-
dence in trufting, the Count with the in-
fallible figns of a fecret fo long con-
cealed by me 5 I detefted the effe&s of
F 2 an

'(5*)

an amorous paffion, which had Wind-
ed me to the fign of betraying myfelf ;
and made a firm rcfolution, if I could
furmount this difficulty, never to hazard
myfelf again* But unhappy arc thofe
wno repent too late. While I was mak-
ing thefe reflexions, I faw they were in
vain; my cafe demanded immediate
remedy, nor was there any other
refburce than that of obeying without
hefitation, otherwife I fhould (land felf-
condemned. I fat down to his desk, 1
and trembling began to write, while
he, walking about, dilated to me. I
iifed all my art to alter my chara&er
that it might not be known; I flattered
myfelf that he had not taken notice of
me ; but how was I loft when he find*
denly drew nigh, and caft his eyes at
the few lines I had fo badly wrote f
You have almoft fpoiled, fard he,
within thefe two years, your writing ;
ibr before you left Paris, you did not
write fo bad. I do not know, anfwer-
cd I, but my writing was always the
fame : but in my anfwer he faw my
confufion. It is not true, replied the
Prince, becaufe I have a billet of yours,
which you wrote to me the night you
was put in prifon at Paris, and the cha-
racter is quite different • look, and de-
cide

(53)

dderiftyourfeif- Here hfihid bdbre
mc the lovpr lii»es I had Wrote to hira
two years before at Pari*, and which to
that time* had neverentered my thoughts*
My agitation on that fatal night was fo
vioknfc that it prevented my refle&tng
on what I was about, nor did I remem*
bey #> repair the damage I had com*
mitted on myfelf. Thus, through want
of one neceflary. reflexion, my bu&i-
ing% in - which I fo much confided, hm
tumbled to the ground; here I art
proved, by my own hand* writing, to
be the fugitive of Avignon. At thefe
laft words of the Prince, I know not
what paflfed in my foul ; the pen dropt
from my hand, and I remained >Like
one thunder-ftruck : burfting at hft
into a flood of tears, I threw myfetf jtf
his feet— Ah ! dearSir/feidl, pardon,
compaflion, and pity : I am Mifs
D'Arville* too. happy if i merit your
forgivenefs, and top unfortunate if,
through my concealing fo long^a fectt&
€o important, I merit your anger : if
to* you I have not before difcovered my-
felf, impute it to my timorous refpeft;
and that I now difcover my felf, account
it more to your love which has caught
me in the net* and the obftinacy of my
wanerciful deftiny, from the zeal, fide.
F 3 delity,

(54 )
deltty , and low* with which I always ad*
hered to your inter eft ; nor itz$ it the
Jove of a libertine that made* me , fly
jarota the retirement of Avignon, bat
the fole defire of Hying content; itkf
conduft cannot be blamed, if. my fitut
atton is not cUfagreeable to you*; and H
this is a difhonour to y 6\n k is in your
pwn power to abolilh.it with my bipod;
and I (hall die content, if I die by the
hand of him that gave me lifer t if m
this you will not be inhuman; to roenor
cruel to yourfelf, leave me in my obr
fcurtty, and conceal my birth ; permit
roe to continue in a d^aial of my fejx,
jfcr will I difclofe it to a creature liv~
xng; i will retire to a place where even
tyiwyourfetf will :not hear of -met let
4$w '-Sity kt this fecret remain ineiofed
$aod buried between, the walls of this ca-
binet* and in the feme manner I have
jkept it till now, will I conceal it for the
future; k will be enough not to have
you for an enemy, and I will fuffer
iWiJth patience not to have vou as a fa-
ther : how willingly wotild I retire for
«v*r from your fight, could I be fure
that you for eve^ ifrpuld preferve me in
your memory! never fhould I repent
that I have fuflfered till now, if I could

; but

( 55 )
btft'TOttira once more to yctat favour,
and merit your pardon.
* The Prince was ftruck dumb ar my
lpeech, without any other motion thai*
lifting his hands to his eyes, by way of
hiding his tears; for at my words there
dropt from his eyes a fliower of tears,
nor did he offer to raife me from the
ground, but fuddenly drew afide the
curtain of the Duchefs's door, faying,
Madam, come here; behold your child.
My child! replied the Duehefs, then
the character of that billet does not de-
ceive us, nor are we wrong in our firf-
pirions. No, Mad 4m, faidl, you arc
ix>t wrong, nor do I wrong you ; only
give me leave to go to my apartment,
and I will produce two letters, wrote by
your orders to the governefs of Avig-
non and myfclf. There is no occafton
for that, replied the Duehefs, for na-
ture has aiways fpoke to me in your
ikvour ; alas ! why was I deaf to your
voice till now ? but well for me that I
did not hear it ; becaufe, my dear
child, it might have been fetal to us
both. Here ihe could hold no longer
her tears $ Ihe lifted me from the
groijnd, where I had been upon my
knees fo long, then Squeezed me to her
bofom, killing me again and again,

with

(5*>
with filch a raptwe of j*y». th# I.fetRH
ed &e would fw<&on in n*y armsr the
Prince, not left rejoiced than (he, i*as
wrapt in admiration of me. U it poflfin
ble ! foid he, at laft, that from a lov0
fo unfortunate in the beginning, I have
nowgot a child that makes with faerfptrU
my felicity and glory I you f fojr twpjeari
aod more di^guifed in man's hab<t, iu
z couirt where you have gained the
hearts of all; and another two years in
anaormy, exppfed to the hardships <jf
marching, to the fury of a battle*, to
the disorders of the militia, without
giving the leaft fliadow of your, being*
or putting your honour in -dowbt
aino*$ft<the Hbertines of the armyj
how did you aft ? my dear child ; in
what manner did you proceed? who
can believe it, whetft I hardly believe It
myfelf? Every one will befieve it, Sir,
anfwered I, if they reflet, that by re*
gulatiag our conduft with the diftatcs
of human reafon, why is not a woman
capable to endure hardships as well as a
man, fince of women as well as men
human nature was the mother? it is
not nature which condemns usjpomen
to a retired idle life, but the ^pMb; of
the world, not to fay the t):V.v. z
power of the men, who will not di-
vide

( $T)
vide their authority with us through
fear of becoming our flaves : give to a
girl the education with which men are-
brought up, and ihe alfo will be able
to make a gloribus.figure in the world ;
thofe talents which in me education dkr
notfupply, the jieccflity of my cir-,
eumftances did, and the good ufe
which I made of my reafon : I was de-
firous of feeking my felicity by all thofe
ways, through which I was guided by
the gifts of fpirit, fortune, honefty,
and virtue. Td a willing mind no-
thing is difficult, human life being a
mixture of good and evil ; it is hot
enough to have fpirit to enterprise all,
but we muft have alfo courage to fuf-
ferall.

Much more I would have faid in
juftification of myfelf, had not a per*
fon come in to fpeak with the Prince^
which broke off the difcourfe at tha*
time.

CHAP.

( 58 )

CHAP. IX.

Behaviour of Madam Cafardo on dijco-
vering me to be a IVorrum.

TH E perfon that interrupted u$
was one of the Prince's fervants,
who told the Prince that Count Termes
was in the anti-chamber, and defired
the favour to fpeak with him : this cir-
cumflance gave me great uneafinefs, as
I knew not what effect hi$ prefencc
might have on me; I might perhaps
have been fo much miftrefs of my fell: as
not to give him the Ieafl fign of my con-
fufion, but the Count, not knowing
what happened to me, and believing mc
not to be known to my parents, might
have been cafually furprifed in a falfi-
ty, had curiofity induced them to aflc
him if he knew me : in confequence of
what had pafled between him and me,
he would naturally have faid, no 5 and
this would have been fufficient to hurt
his reputation, which was now become
dear to me as my own ; but, luckily
for me, the Prince ordering the Count
to be introduced, handed me into the
Duchefc's apartment and drew the. cur-
tain, fo that I could hear what was faid

without being feen.

The

'< 59 )..,
'The Count came in, and.affured the
'Prince, that of the fugitive of Avignon
he had no farther knowledge than that
which was contained in the three let-
ters, and that he had denied the receipt
of them, becaufe he thought it incon-
fiftent with the character of a mm of
honour to do otherwife. Here the
IMnce interrupted him, by faying, that
he was fatisfied with what he had faid,
without his adding any thing more ia
his vindication $ aud returning to him
his letters, he afked him, how long he
lhould tarry at Verfailles ? the Count
replied,that he intended to depart asfoon
as conveniently he could for the army
in Italy, but that his departure depend-
ed upon fome particular affairs, nor did
he know when they were to be fettled.
I beg of you, faid the Prince, not to
fet out until I have the pleafure of fee-
ing you again : if I can do any thing
to ferve you, command me ; for as I
have given you fo much trouble, it will
be the greater pleafure to me to make
you amends. This kind reception to
my lover, was to me an incredible con-
folation ; becaufe as it is natural for our
wilhes to keep pace with our inclinati-
ons, I interpreted it in my own favour.

As

<6o)

As foon as the Count was gone, the

Prince called me to him* Well, laid

he, has it not given you a pleafurje to

fee a lover with whom you have, helci

' £o clofc a correfpondence ? the time
will come to render yon content ; now,
aiot only me, but the.Diichefs, your
mother, have juft motives to be cauti-
ous that no one fliould know you are
our child, for at court it is concluded,
that the girl flown from Avignon, is
daughter to the deceafed Dukej and
you muft not deny it at prefent, b,ut thai
the Duke wa?your real father,, l^ft you
reveal a fecret which is known between
four only, that is, us two* .Cafardo,
and yourfelf j nor will your condu& in
man's apparel be a dishonour to you,
as it will be clear to ail that you are a
woman, by your laying afide thefe
cloaths, and dreffing in thofe of your
own fex : but we muft ftill have fome
confideration for Cafardo, who is par-
taker of our fecret, and not irritate her
with an affront, by expofing her repu-
tation to the (lander of the malicious,

- in taking from her a huiband by whom
lhe is fuppofed to be made a mother ;
the Duchefs likewife approved of this
reflection of the Prince, and it was re-
folved between us, that, to fecure their

reputation,

I

( 61 )

reputation, I fliould pafs for the daugh-
ter of the deceafed Duke, after I had
difcovered myfelf to be a woman, and
not to own myfelf for fuch until we
had found fome means to preferve the
reputation of my fuppofed wife. This
project was reafonable, nor did it give
me the leaft uneafincfs; the grand
, thought that difturbed my mind, was
to know how my parents refolved to
proceed concerning my amour with
Count Termes, and whether they were
agreeable or contrary to my deiires ; I
was fenfible, it is true, of the kind re-
ception, they gave him that day, but,
at die fame time I was troubled when I
refle&ed on the rigour with which they
had treated him, as foon as they knew
of our correfpondence in Avignon:
they were my parents, but they were
grandees; and in people of this cha-
racter, policy often gives law to the
moft tender fentiments of nature : from
thefirft day I beheld the light of this
world, they had given me a great prob£
of their regarding pun&ilios, by oblig-
ing me to keep fo referved, and this
was fufficient to make me dread worfe
for the future : befides this, I was un-
eafy in my mind, not knowing how to
proceed with the Counts I determined
Vol, II. G however

( 60

liowerer not to mention it to him till I
iirft knew in what manner they pro-
pofed 'to difcover me to the court; I
was already certain that he would not
ieavq Paris without my notice, and
thefe were the affairs which, as he told
the Prince, deferred his journey to Ita-
ly. With thefe and the like reflexions
I paffed almoft the whole night without
reft : the next morning Madam Cafar-
do knocked at the door of my apart-
ment, and acquainted my fervant that
Ihe defired to fpeak with me; though
I was ftill in my bed I was no ways a-
larmed, as I did not in the leaft doubt
i>ut that the Duchefs had informed her
that I was the fugitive of Avignon : I
therefore ordered Madam Cafardo to
be introduced $ but 'for once I was out
in my fuppofition, which occasioned a
ridiculous (bene with Madam Cafordo,
who, feeing me in bed, in a tranfport
of love threw both her arms round my
neck, then kifled me with fo much ar-
dour that (he almoft fuffbcated me. I
was ftill confirmed in my opinion
that (he knew all about me, nor did I

. make the leaft refiftance to hercareffes :
this only ferved to heighten her amo-
rous wiihes ; Now, faid (he, kfffing of

J me, you crown my hopes, nor can I

call

C 63 )
call you any longer ungratcifcL I
dire&ly rofe up to diets myfelf ; but
how was (he amazed when fhe found mo
to be a woman like herfelf! Hiq turned
pale, loft her fpeeeh> and looked: at rac
with aftonifhment, andi had almoft
fwooned away upon the bed : I affcbd
her with furprize, what was the mat-*
ter ? has not the Duchefs, faid I, told
you that I am her daughter ? You
daughter to the Duchefs ! replied fhe,
with more aftoniihment than before,
you no no more a man, but a woman !
you no more my hufband, but my mif*
treft ! O God i what will become of
me ? what of my reputation ! it was
fecured enough with the fole name of
being your confort : alas I this, this is
the greatefi exfream of human misfor-
tunes that can happen to a woman of
credit : this ought to be the laft day of
my life, finee I have loft my reputa^
tion ! . . . . how cruel have you been to
keep me in the dark fo long ! have I
then loved you to fuch a degree, thro*
only believing you to be a man ? I do
not reproach you with favours received
at my hands, which have pafled unre*
garded; but I reproach you for your
infincerity 5 having gained from me fo
much knowledge of your own birth,

G 2 yoU

(6 4 y

2ou'have abufed me by making me
tnguilh to no effe# ; and without re-
compenfing me, in return, with the fe-
icrets of. your heart. — She would have
proceeded further had I not interrupt-
ed her, by alluring her, that we thought
more of her reputation than ihe ima-
gined : the propofal of the Prince com-
forted her a little, but lhe could not
forget how lhehad loved me to no ef-
fect i and this perhaps was the only J
fault that lhe pardoned againft her will. j
I related to her the moft material part ]
of my adventures, and Ihewed to her i
the letter lhe wrote to me when I was in
the convent of Avignon, which I al-
ways carefully preferved. Count Ter*
mes was next the fubjeft of our dif-
courfe; this was what I wifhed for, be-
ing defirous.to difcover from her, what
was the opinion of the Duchefs in re-
gard to my correfpondence with the
Count, and what I had to expeft ; and
to my great concern, found that I had
very little room to hope for the concur-
rence of my parents in that affair : lhe
would not tell me any thing for fa<ft,
nor would lhe tell me all, for fear of
making me uneafy : lhe protefted that
in every thing lhe would efpoufe my
caufe, and from that moment declared

herfelf

C«5>

tyr r df devoted to my intereft, flatter-
^ herfelf, as (he frankly acknowledg-
ed, that I being born a Princefs (hould
\>e treated as fuch, and that (he ex-
pected the honour to ferve me as (he
had ferved my mother. I could not
avoid giving her my promife, to which
her affe&ion for me had already intitledi
her, and laid me under an obligation
to ferve her ; (he feemed much better
fatisfied with my promife than I was
with her method of proceeding ; our
obje£s were quite different, and in eon-
fequenee we could not agree weft in our
dondu# t * becaufe I flncerely loved
Count Termes, and my nuptials with
him would render me happy; (he,
who did not care the leaft about him,
trufted her happinefs to fome better
party, who, by making me great,
might alfo enlarge her fortune.

G 3 CHAP.

CHAP. X. '**'

Methods propofed tofave the Reputation
of Madam Cafardo.

BEfore that day waspafled, I $ook
an opportunity to inform the
Dutchefs, my mother, of what had
patted between Madam Cafardo and
me, which diverted her very much $
fhe knew the weaknefs of that Lady,
nor could flie forbear to condemn it^
however, as flie was obligated to her,
fhfi was under a neceffity to preferve
her honour, which would be expofed
to fcandal upon my being difcovered
tp. the court, and proper means to pre-
ferve it, were not eafily to be found.
The Marquis of * * * *, nephew to
the deceafed Duke, and by whom (he
had been deluded, was the moft proper

Eerfon to expedl a remedy from, but
e was in the dark of what preceeded,
and the affair was of fo delicate a na-
ture, that it was not fafe to mention it
lo him.

The Prince let fome days pafs with-
out coming to any refolution on this
point, and I proceeded as ufual ; but
the change of fcqne which was to take

place

( 67 ) .

place in a lhort time, gave me fome
apprehenfions, and the entire depen-
dance I had upon my parents, depri-
ved me almoft of my liberty. I was
one day permitted for my amufement, to
go in a coach to the fair of St. Ger-
main, where, amongft other merchants,
I faw Duli, with his portable lhop, and
dire&Iy ordered my fervant to tell him,
that at a certain hour he muft bring
fome of his goods to my lodging, where
there was a gentleman who wanted to
purchafe. At the precife hour Duli
came, loaded with merchandifes of va-
rious kinds : When he faw me he was
greatly confufed, and I, to carry on the
joke, told him that it was not me that
wanted him, but the Dutchefsof * * • *,
who had orders from Rome to put him
in prifon ; he knowing himfelf to be
guilty, readily believed what I faid,
and offered, if I would give him liberty
to get out of the way, to make me a
prefcnt of an hundred piftoles, and a
fuit of the richeft cloaths he had. The
propofition is good, faid I, your trade
goes on well if you can afford to fpend
fo much, rather than be fent back to
your own country. Jiearken to me,
perhaps what I am going to fay will be
better for you : Give me the hundred

piftoles

( 68 )

piftoles you have proffered* and I wilt
add two hundred more to thenl, and it
fhall be fent to Madam Qalanti your
wife, who will pay therewith the re-
mainder of your debt*, andyouthen can
return again to your own country*
whftre your family will receive you with
open arms. . Would heavens pfaafe to
grant me this, replied Duii, before I
die, I would firtciy part with all I have
in the world, provided I could, wkh
the fecuarky of my liberty, and life*
ipend the remaiftder of iny days witk
my dear wife and children. There is
no danger of either, faid I* provided
you are willing to retuifn. I then in-
formed him that I had lodged in his
wife's hoirfe at Rome, and that I had
acquainted her with his being alive, and
had alfo difpofed the Duehefs t o affift
him, that he might return to his own
oountty with fafety. The poor gentle-
man, at thefe words, ihed tears of joy,
and promifed to come to me at Ver-
feilies* where I promifed to pre&nt him
to the Duchcfe, and afterwards to ac-
company him to Rome, to fettle his
affairs. In the while I gave his wife no-
tice, .telling her that (he might expe&
her hufband in a Abort time. The next
day I had anfwer from my kind hoft at

Venice,

- ( 69 )

Venice, concerning his waiting-maid *
he told me he would come in perfpn to
receive Rofaura, for whom he profefled
a particular affe<5Uon, and that he would
keep her from Venice till fuch time as
the memory of her bad conduct was
dropt.

I communicated to Rofaura the con-
tents of the letter, which ihe read with
tears of joy, on feeing herfelf treated
with fo much regard by a man whom
flic had ufed with the higheft ingrati-
tude. Thus, within the compafs of a
few weeks, I had the fatisfaftion to re-
ftore to a wife he* hufband, and to a
mafter a fervant whom he regardedas his
child; and I had reafon to rejoice that it
wa$ in my power to be grateful to two
perfons.who had each of them been fer-
viceable to me in Italy, and to whom I
might have recourfe in any misfortune
whatfoever. To thofe who were my
real friends, I ever took a fatisfa&iqprin
being grateful; and in the choice of
my friends I always made virtue my
guide, for I held it as an eitabliihed rule
of my conduft, that where there is no
virtue there can be no friendihip, and
that the union which is made by vice,
intereft, and paffion, foondiflblves, nor
does it finilh but with our ruin. In the

mean

(10)

mean time the Prince had found out a
method to preferve the reputation of
Mkdam Gafardo, and this was to mar*
ry her to Mr. Befone, giving out at the
fame time that they had been married
for fome years, but that their marriage
was kept a fecret through fear of the
deceafed Duke, who, being very paffi-
onate, would have refented it much,
becaufe Mr. Befone had refufed to mar-
ry the daughter of one of his depen-
dents, under pretence that he would
always remain a bachelor ; this taken
for truth, the remainder would readily
be credited, by faying, that Madam
Cafardo being with cfiild by Mr. Be-
fone her hufltend, could' not confefs it
for ffcar of expofing him to the Duke's
anger, therefore begged that I would
paft for her hufband till time would
permit them to publiflfcthe truth. The
moflr difficult point wis t<* perfuacte
Mr. Befone to the match ; but he, by
the favour of the Prince, expe&ed foon -
to make his fortune, and with that
view he confented to the defires of any
parents; and Madam Cafardo being
ufed to have hufbands that had no great
affe&ion for her, and who treated her
as b, wife only in outward appearance,
the affair was fettled in a few days, aiwL

their

X TO
their nuptials were published as if they
had been celebrated fix years before;
at the fame time it was publickly pro-
claimed that the deceafed Duke was .my
father, and that I was no longer Count
flichard but Mifs D'Arville. ThepJau-
iible appearance of thefe two extraor-
dinary accidents were very favourable
to Madam Cafardo : the transformation
of my fex engroffed fo much the atten-
tion of the public, that they entertained
not the leaft doubt of the affair of Ma-
dam Cafardo. At court I was principally
the fubjeft of difcourfe, and they were
continually repeating my adventures,
praifing my fpirit, and placing me
amongft the heroines of my fex ;
there were but few who by their own
account did not fufpeft me to be a wo-
man, even the King confeffed to have
admired me, and defired to fee me,
laying that he would not confer his fa-
vours in vain, but would replace them
~by others more agreeable to my fex.
Thefe encomiums flattered my vanity ;
but all this while my parents never men-
tioned to me the name of Count Ter-
»ies, and this filence filled my heart
with grief 5 from that day he had vifit-
ed the Prince I had not feen him, and
- therefore judged it proper to acquaint
' *«/ him

(70
him by letter with what had happened
to me, that he might not be uneafy
or furprifed at the public talk of my be-
ing a woman ; Duli, who often vifited
me, was the perfon that carried my let-
ter, and brought me the anfwer, in
which the Count, with honour and Sin-
cerity, trufted every thing to my pru-
dence, and encouraged me by promis-
ing to be faithful. The Duchefs every
day detained me fome hours with her-
felf, to hear from me the particulars
of my adventures, and I always endea-
voured to introduce in our difcoufe
fomething concerning Count Termes,
that I might know the fentiments of her
heart ; I fpoke for the moft part in ge-
neral terms of efteem and honour, but
coming to the particular of marriage,
ihe told me, that children in the choice
of a partner for life, efpecially thofe of
the nobility, ought to be guided more
by policy than paffion. What confe-
quences could I expert from thefe max-
ims, that would not be forrowful and
dreadful to me? while my parents were
iilent pn that point, if my fear agi-
tated me, ftill 1 flattered myfelf with
fome hopes; but when they fpoke in
that manner, I no longer doubted my
fate. In comparifon of this I reputed

my

( 73 )
my paft misfortunes a felicity ; and al-
though in Avignon the retirement of
a cloyfter was irkfome to me, I was now
almoft in a fituation to defire it ; and
rather than be married againfi my in-
clination, through motives of policy,,
I would have ventured to deliver my-i
felf from that danger by flight; nor had
I lefs courage at this time than former-
ly, but an a#ion of that fort would
now have appeared criminal in the
eyes of ail the world, becaufe another
flight would not be juftified as the firft
had been by my not knowing my parents.!
With tears I lamented the unhappinefs
of my fate, but I was confcious in my-
felf that J had not deviated in my con-
duct from the ftrift rules of virtue,
nor by any criminal a#ion merited
fuch ill fortune*, and I am fully con-
vinced, that, to thofe who think as
they ought, a reflexion of this fort
will always afford fatisfa&ion.

Yol.II. H CHAR

- . ( 74 )

CHAR XL

I am prefented to the King infWoman's
Drefs, and am fiat tend with the Hopes
of try Nuptials with Cednt Termes.

TH E day was now arrived in
which the Duchefs was to pre-
fect me to the King, and every thing
was ready prepared that I ihould be
prefented in woman's apparel : as the
court in general endeavoured to outvie
. each other in grandeur, Madam Ca-
ftrdo, with two of the Duchefs's wait-
ijig-maids, had the trouble to drefs me
as was requifite for my appearance; and
I muft lay for the glory of the men,
that I left their cloaths with an incre-
dible grief : foixie year* ago, theleaft
of my thpughts was to drefs myfelf,
Jbecaufe I could do it in a few minutes,
and without affiftance ; but that day I
was obliged to get out of my bed at
fun-rife, and not move from the toilet
till two o'clock,

I well know that the looking-glafs is
a great inticement to women to lofe
their time, becaufe it ferves to feed
their vanity ; but I did not find It any
wa^s attractive to me, nor did I defire
k 5 for in my manner of thinking,

my

x

(75)
my own vanity fervcd me for a conti*
nual torment : the jiumber of jewels
and flowers which they ufed to beauti-
fy my face and drefs my hair, appear-
ed to me more like bafenefs than pride,
as it fhewed, that all our beauty de-
pended upon ornament : the rich habit
in which I was drefled, feemed to me
a very great incumbrance ; nor could I
underftand the ufe of a train of twenty
yards more than was neceflary; nor of
a robe that has ten yards of circum-
ference and two of diameter. The
time I fpent at my toilet was not loft,
for it was moftly fpent in thefc and the
like reflexions. While they were drelT-
ing of me, it was their bufinefs to fet
me off, to the beft advantage; but when
drefled, it belonged to me to adapt my-
felf to l^he manners becoming my fex,
that I might not be laughed at ; the
aftions of a man were fo natural to me,
that I thought it would be impoffible to
aft otherwife; drefled in a manner to
me quite new and forgotten; I knew
not where to keep my hands, or in what
manner to demean myfclf, and it hap-
pened more than once, that in offer-
ing a falute, I raifed my hand to my
head, thinking that I had my hat on :
I was obliged to apply to the looking-"
H 2 glafs

C.7<5)
glafs in all my aftions, that I might not
appear ridiculous at court; andwhat un-
eafinefs did this application coft me ! yet.
it pleafed my vanity a little, for In that
drefs I thought I looked moft amiable :
if I ever enjoyed agreeably four or five
Jiours together unmixed with forrotf , I
believe it was thefe I fpent that morning
in dreiEng myfelf. When I was adorned
from head to foot, I went out of myroom,
like a fhip new rigged out of the har •
bour,- to be prefented to the King by
the Duchefs my mother, through a con-
courfe of people on each fide gazing at
and admiring me. ThcKing receiv'd me
"with great affability, and amongft'other
things told me, that having had courage
to ittake two campaigns before I got a
hufbarid, I had made a fortune fuitabjc
for a Marshall :- I took this as a joke,
but time will prove that it was not
meant as fuch. This vifit being ended,
I pafled the remainder of the day
in receiving the vifits of my friends,
and the relations of the Dufchefs mf
mother, with thofe of the deceafed
Duke, who paffed for nly father,
amongft whom came the Princefs of
* * * * ? his fifter, and the Marquis of
**-* * *, her fon, who Hvas the occafioh
of my troubles with Madam' Cafardo>

they

they "both feluted me witli vfenom oft
their lips, which I prefently difcovertd,
perfeft as they were in the art of dif-
fimulation : they fuppofing me to b6
the Duke's real daughter, believed I
fhould claim part of his eftate, becaufe
he died without awilU nor did He ever
deny but that I was hk child, knd ; air-
ways fupplied the expences of my main*
tainince. .' '

The Dtichefs and the Prince, whofe
chief aim was the advanfcfemeht of m?
fortune, reconciled 'm<i to the/nfestrdrc
rel&iohs pf the Duke, and,VhB' jio£
feffed the greateft part 6f his'effatev
In thefe and the like dccupaWons I pair-
ed two days, without even having time
to reflect upon niy fituation ; the nexjt
morning Madam Cafatdordame running;
into my room, and traQfpor£e3 With
joy, I hkve gdpd new* for yotu KlHV,
faidlhe to me* at ieaft letter riiyfeif
that it is fuch, for I am fetdom wrong
in my conjeftures 5 the Duchefe, yot*
mother, ii i at prefent whh the Pnneey
and I have heard them fpe&k of y6ii f<?~
veral times; lirft night Lady Mkrthid-
Befsof * • *, who for feveral days paft
has been, confidant to thfr Duchefsf,
told me, for "certain, that in a few days
you were to be ifiarried ; befide$/a fer*
H 2 vant

Marchionefs of * * *, and her brother.
At the fight of, this affembly I know
not what were the fentiments of mv t
heart ; the movements of it were to
confuted, turbulent, and violent, that
I could not refleft properly on any
thing ; my foul, full of the news givea
me by Madam Cafardo, would yet
hope that this was the moment appoint* J

cd by heaven to compleat my felicity ;
but the little dependence I had in my
good fortune, made me apprehenfive
of the worft. Mutual compliment!
of civility being over, the Prince^
turning firft towards the Count and
then towards me, My children, faidhe
to us, for fuch I can call you becaufe
I love you as a' father, I have called you
both, to give you at the faijie time an
equal teftimony of : my love. Thefe
words were lufficient to make my heart
leap, and my eyes fparkle with joy; I
caft them modeftly upon the ground*
after I had looked two or three times
at the Count to let him know we were
nigh being happy : his gravity was lit-
tle different from mine » and although
we had more motives to hope than to
fear, yet we looked like two criminal*
at the bar, waiting till our fentence of
condemnation was read. Jn proof of

my

(8i )

my love, proceeded the Prince, I will
make you content; Courit Termes has
merited it, by that prudent and honou-
rable regard he has had for Mifs D'Ar-
ville ; and you, Mifs, have merited it,
by that regard you have had to your
honour in all your proceedings fince
your birth, and to my perfon alfo : the
reward I am going to propofe, is a
marriage agreeable to the Duchefs and
to me, and to the whole court, and will
eftablifh your fortunes for ever. What
fcould I defire more, to make me be-
lieve that I was then arrived to the
height of my felicity ? I lifted my eyes
from the ground to fix them on Count
Termes, and they met his which ex-
prefled equal joy on his fide : I had
almoft fallen on the chair that flood be-
hind my back, unable to ftand upon
my feet through excefiive joy ; the
modeft and compofed behaviour of the
Count, encouraged me to imitate him ;
but I wifhed for the hour to be at li-
berty, to enjoy the violent tranfports
of nature. Your fubmiflion, your ho-
nefty, and prudence, proceeded the
Priiice, makes me hope that you will
obey thefe my defires, and I fhall be
pleafed that thefe nuptials are conclud-
ed before they are publifhed : you then,
« ♦ ^ » - Sir,

(82)

Sir, give your hand to Lady Mar-
chionefs of * * * $ and the Marquis,
her brother, his hand to Mifs D'Ar-
ville ; that at prefent thefe nuptials may
be authenticated with my prefence.

From a beginning fo promifing, who
would ever expe& fuch an unfortunate
conclufion ? my tranfport of joy was
fuddenly changed into the agony of
death ; the tears ran from my eyes, for
1 was not miftrefs enough of myfelf to
check them * even the Count himfelf
changed colour, but his courage was
not daunted j the duty 1 owed to my
parents commanded my filence, but he
might freely vent his pafiion, and he
ipoke in a manner which, if it did not
free me from my grief, at leaft left me
in a ftate not to be defperate* Your
JHighnefs, replied he, does me an ho-
nour fuperior to my merit, and I hope
this lady will not be offended if i refufe
to take her in this manner at firft fight,
without giving her firft fome reafons
which render me unworthy of her per-
fon. Your reafons, proceeded the
Prince, interrupting the Count, muft
be reduced to one only, that is, you
love Mifs D'Arville, but Mifs D'Ar-
ville cannot be yours, and as long as I
am alive ilie never fhalh She will not,
, replied

( «3)

replied the Count, daringly, becaufe
your Highnefs is her matter ; I am al*
to matter of my own will, to aflure
you, that if Mils D'Arville will not be
^mine, neither will I be any others.
Well, replied the Prince, fince it is fo,
I have no other buftnefs with you.
Here the Count mad * him a low bow,
and giving me a look that penetrated to
my foul, without faying more, de-
parted 5 foon after I alfo was harftily
bade to leave the Duchefs, and retired
to my room to give vent to my grief,
which I thought could not finifh but
with my life. The predictions of Ma-
dam Caf*rdo were now explained $ the
tendernefs of my parents, and my own
hopes, even my own heart, foretold
the truth, when it perfuaded me not to
difcover my fecret till firft I had fecur-
ed my felicity : why was I not yet a
fearful fugitive, wandering in mens
cloaths? at leaft I fliould have no ojie to
force my inclinations : what fignifies
knowing the grandeur of mybirth, when
that to me was a precipice, from which
falling, I knew not how to rife again,
becaufe my parents themfelves made
my fall more dangerous ? ftould I, to
be born great, abandon a lover, chofen
by my own free will, given to me by

my

(84)

my fufferingi : arid to me fifen more
worthy than eyer by the undaunted-
nefs with which he aflured me, in the
face of my father, of his inviolable fi-
delity ? It would have been better for
me to be born in low fortune, fince
grandeur is a flavery, and declares. it-
felf an enemy to reafon, obliging: the-
great to be ungrateful : to be grateful
to Count Termes, muft I difobey my
parents, darken my reputation; and
expofe my honour to new dangers, and
at the fame time reap noarevyardi but
the difapprobation of the unreafonablc
and ill-judging world ? it is better, faid
I to myfelC to die with grief, fhan live
d i (honoured and blameable j andamongft
this confufion of afFe&ions, I knew not
how to rcfolve. All my refle&ionjs fi-
niihed in tears, fighs, and groans, fuf-
iicient to apjpeafe the rage of a tyger ^
but unavailable to, the force of that
cruel and unwearied deftiny which re-
ferved me fliU for fomething worfe.

CHAR

(«5)

CHAP. XIII.

New Hopes t>f my Nuptials with Count

Termes.

IN the raoft critical circumftances of
my life my heart was never daunt*
ed, becaufe experience had taught mc #
by fome means or other, to hope for a
remedy ; but for what my father pro-
posed I could find none, nor could I
comprehend the meaning of my parents
averfion to my nuptials with Count
Termes ; and if Madam Cafardo could
not inform me, to whom elfe could I
have recourfe ? I paifed all that night
in thefe and the like reflexions, with-
out getting a moment's reft, and wait-
ing with impatience for day-light that
I might gain from her fome knowledge
of this intricate affair : ihe loved me,
and ihe knew my tendernefs for the
Count, and I fuppofed her to be ac-
quainted with all the private concerns,
of my parents, as ihe l^ad been par-
taker of the greateft, which was that of
my birth. At break of day I got up,
jrefolving to go to her that moment, but
was prevented by her coming into my
room : Be chearful, Mifs, be chearful*
faid ihe, I have got good news for you,
and expeft before night to have better.
Vol. II. I At

< *6 y

At thefe words my grief vanifhed in an
inftaat, and 1 flattered myfelf with the
hopes that my parents had changed
their opinion. Count Termes, added
ihe, will this morning be declared a
Brigadier; his promotion was appoint-
ed laft nighty and the King in perfon
wtti communicate it to him in a few
hours : this advancement to him is' as
hdn&utfabte as it was fudden and unex-
pe&ed 5 I do not fay that he does riot
merit it from the crown, but there are
officers at court who have been in the
kxtohy more campaigns than he, and
therefore will look at him with envy
for this promotion, for which he is in-
debted to the Prince, your father; apd
I r imagine, .by his making this intfereft
fbr the Count, he refolves to give him
to^ou for a hiifband : I know that at
ffrft he had fome repugnance, but this
iHtike? me judge that it proceeded from
*he Couflt s inferiority to you in point
of fortune : the King by preferring
felm makes him your equal, land I hold
for Certain, that before night it will bfc
jpublkkly reported that you are intend-
fcd r fbr him. Heaven grant it may bt
&,- &id I, w my heart. The wards of
Madam Cafardo appeared rery proba-
ble, *nd I kmftediatdy remembered
^ . the

<«7)

the word* fpoken to me by the Kiqgi
which were, " that I ought 'to hare no-
thing lefc than a Matrfhali for my hufr
hand/* I was now convinced that hi*
words carried a meaning with them,
for there was but little diftance between
the rank of a Brigadier and a Mar-
shall. Neverthelefs 1 had feveral fcrii*
pie & in ray mind which I could not
cafily overcome : If my father, laid I,
had an inclination to ferve the Count,
why did he yefterday, in my pre fence,
wajithimtoinarry Lady •**, and on
his denial mortify him fo much ? O
Mifs, replied fhe, the reafon I can
cafily tell j your father aims to make
you great, the Marquis of *** is
about purchafing a principality in Italy,
which undoubtedly he will obtain * in
confequence of this your father intend*
ed, by making him your hoiband, to
make you a Princefs : but he has now
changed his opinion, or elfe he is un-
willing to thwart your inclinati-
ons ; and by promoting Count Termes
defigns to render him worthy of your
perfon, without which he never would
confent to the match : he is you know
at prefent only a cadet, noble indeed
by birth, but not wealthy, and his
eftate encumbered with the debts of
1 2 his

(88.)

his father : thefe are things that ftrike
at firft fight, and to underftand the in-
tentions of the Prince there is no ocea-
fion for any greaf policy. Madam
Cafardo would have faid a great deal
more, but 1 was already fufficiently in-'
terefted in his favour to credit the truth
of what ftie faid. I ^Ihali leave it to
ihenl who are ferifible wn^t love is, to
conceive with what impatience I attend-
ed the event of that membyable day,
full of the fweet ideas of a ^leafure I
forefaw drawing nigh me; 'tis impoffi-
ble to exprefs the agreeable fenfations
of my Jaeart, when I reflected on the
particular favour which the Count was
to receive that morning from the King;
I knew that the Count would prefem
himfelf to the King either in his going
Or coming from the chapel, and was
ctefirous to be prefent at that juncture,
but chofe to' be in private that I might
not betray the movements of my heart*
I ftudied for fome time whether there
;was any place in the gallery from which
imfeen I might obferve their proceed-
ings, and luckily recolle&ed, that in
the gallery which was near my apart-
ment, there were fome windows, from
which I could look into the ball which
led tothe chapel*; this flratagem pleafed

me

( 9 9 >

me greatly, but Happy would it Have
been for me if I Jiad not been fo haity
to put it in pra&ice, for I fliould not
then have heard, to piy extreani an-
guifh, my own condemnation.

CH AP. XIV.

Gmnt Termes. far Lev* *f m 9 ryeSfc tty
Honours prefflered to him by the King,

I Was not certain whether Count Tha-
mes had received any^ notice con*
cerning the honour he wa? to receive 1
at the audience of the King that morru*
ing, for from that day 1 had feen him
in Janefon's room, in the Baftilc, I se-
ver fpoke to him $ twice I faw him ill
the prefence of my parents, but .fee-
ing him then only added to my confi*-
iion ' 9 and after the declaration made to
him by my father, ^we dared not tp
write to each other, there being 3
ftriA guard ove* us both, and the ieaft
correspondence would have beei* coo-
ftrued a crime :, with this uncertainty
in my foul, and with a book in my hanp,
under pretence of reading, I went im-
mediately from my room to the gallery
bqforementioned 5 I here found a win-
dow which opened to the anti-cham-
ber, but which at this time was blockefl
up on the inner fide by the tapeftry
I 3 which

( 9° >
which adorned the hall ; in this I <lif-
covered a fmall opening, thro* which I
could fee and hear what patted in the
Jiall, without being obferved by any
one : judging this the raoft proper
place, I waited in expe&atioit of what
was to happen : Ifoonfixed my eyes
upon the Count, who was furrounded
by a multitude of friends who were
congratulating him on his good for-
tune; the matter, thought I, to my*-
felf, is now manifeftly paft all doubt;
Count Xermes is to be a Brigadier,
and wiir then be my hulbancj ; if he
had merited the refentment of iny fa-
ther he would not have been diftinguifh-
cd in this manner, and it is evident,
that my unhappinefs proceeded from
iny own filly apprehenfions. I was re-
lieving in this manner when there
arofe a fudden whifpering, which was
followed immediately by a profound fi-
lence, (a certain fign that the King was
drawing nigh) at firft T thought the
King looked all round for him, at leaft
my love flattered me that he did * when
he diftinguiftied him amongft the mul-
titude, being dire&ed to him by my
father, Sir, faid he, we have thought
proper to do Juftice to your merits, by
Rewarding your paft fervices j you are

appointed

( 90
appointed a Brigadier in our army
which is at prefent in Bohemia, for
which place you muft depart as foon as
poffible, your prefence being . neceflary
there. Thefe words were to my heart
fo many wounds ; . do they intend by
this, laid I,* an 'honour to Count Ter-
mes, or a chaftifement to our aflfe&i-
on ? I then perceived why my father
interefted himfeif in his promotion,
which was to tear him from my heart
by fending him from all France, and
that to) conceal his" inhumanity he had
artfully contrived, by advancing him
him to that poft, to feparate us from
each other : this was daubing with ho-
ney the edge of that gilded cup out of
which they gave me poifon to drink 5
his diftance might be fatal to my love,
becaufe he might forget me ; and my
parents might with lefs difficulty force
my inclinations. How many things
pa(Ted in my mind at that time, for
which I was fully perfuaded 'twould be
impoffible to find a remedy ! Count
Termes having accepted this poft,
would be obliged to obey j and he, ,
obeying the King's orders, was loft to
me for ever. This reflection alone was
fufficient to ftrike me dead, but curi-
ofity ftill induced me to fee how this

difmal

(** )

difmal tragedy was to end : Count Ter-
mes feemed not to be in the leaft daunt-
ed at the King's words, and this his
refolution incrcafed my confufion*
I thought that he was like the genera-
lity of the men, and that his ambition
prevailed over his love. Poor women I
faid I, in my heart, we are the idols of
thefe ungrateful men, yet, at the firft
blaze of their good fortune, we fair the
unpitied vi&ims of their ambition.
With this fufpicion I did injuftice to a
lover who had given me a thoufand
proofs of his fidelity ; but where is
that woman who is guided by reafon
when fhe thinks herfelf treated with
contempt? My King, replied Count
Termes, with an undauntednefs that
furprifed me; my King, you fee at
your feet the moft unfortunate of your
fubje&s, becaufe I dare not refufe the
honour you do me, and ftill am under
a neceffity not to accept it; the intereft
of my family obliges me to implore
from your Majefty a difmiflion, fo far
am I from the power of accepting in
your troops fuch an honourable pofl ;
but as foon as my family affairs permit
me, I will not fail to ferve your Ma-
jefty to the laft drop of my blood; but
muft now do violence to myfelf, and

grant

( 93 )

grant to others that glory which in ten
campaigns I have made it my ftudy to
merit.

At this fpeech, little expe&ed by any
perfon there, my father feemed to be
vexed ; but the King anfwered him in
obliging terms, faying, tliat in his in-
tentions to ferve him, he would by
no means be a prejudice to him, . and
that he was entirely at liberty to ma-
nage for the beft the affairs of his fa-
mily ; but that at anytime, or upon
any occafion hereafter, he fhould find
him in the fame difpofitions to do him
good, Diflblved in tears I retired to
my apartment, faying to myfelf, what
Jiave I feen ! what have I heard ! Count
.Termes loves me to fuch excefs, as to
give up the pofleffion of an immejife
fortune, rather than abandon me ; but
wretched me, what event can I expe&
by feeing him ruined through my
means ? I tremble with horror, even
now, at the remembrance of thofe tu-
mults which aro/e that day in my heart,
the confufions of affe£Hon, compaflion,
honour, love, and gratitude. The
Count renounced his advancement, that
he might not be feparated from me ;
and what confolation did this undeniable
proof of his tendernefs give me ? if

my

(94)
toy parents fhould ftill rcrfifl not to let
ttle have him, at leaft, thought I, he
will be nigh me, his prefence will be
fome comfort to me, and he himfelf
will be a witnefs of my fidelity : this
was the raving of my paffion, blinded
by the Teal wiflies of my heart ; but it
vaniflied like a dream when oppofed
with the direflions of reafon : what fig-
niffed the Count's being near me, when
his prefence would ferve only for a
continual torment to me > the fon of an
illuftrious but reduced family, without
wealth, without employ, without hope*
what figure could he make in the
world? and how could I flatter myfelf
that he would ever be my hufband I
his paflion for me has ruined him, and
in.ftriving to convince me of his love,
he has overthrown all the profpe£s of
our nuptials ; and thofe very methods
we have taken to infure our felicity,
haftened the unhappinefs of us both.
Notwithftanding that before his rcfufal
of advancement I trembled with the
apprehenfions of his accepting it, yet
fo flrange were the flu&uations of my
mind, that I now looked upon his de-
nial as a ftep too dangerous, not to fay
real madnefs i and I thought that if I

had

( 95)
had been at hrs ears, I would have
counfelled him againft it j and what
would I not have then given to recall
his words ! I fhould have been willing
for him to go not only to Bohemia, but
even to America, had he left me the
hopes of being one day or other his
wife. As much as I loved Count Ter-
mes, I do not blufli to confefs, that in
renouncing for my fake fuch an iliuftri-
ous fortune, he did not aft like a man
of fenfe, and I (hould have been more
blameable than himfelf to juftify his
indirect conduft ; he behaved wrong,
and I likewife did wrong in approving
i t at firft : it would have been better
for us both, that he had not proceeded
in that manner $ the wound was mor-
tal, and beyond the power of a reme-
dy; he Underftood it in a different
light, and I was not at liberty to advife
him otherwife. My parents ftill conti-
nued to treat me with all the tokens of
affeftion, but of him they did not
mention one word ; and Madam Ca-
fatdo confefled that (he could not gain
the leaft light in this intricate affair.
My marriage with the Marquis of
* * * was foon after held for certain alt
over the court, without one word more
of it beiftg mentioned to, me ; this

myfterious

myfteribus filence encreafed the trouble
of my foul, which was always in fear,
not knowing what might be the event :
in the interim a report prevailed that my
mother, the Duchefs, was with child ;
and it feemed to Madam Cafardo, and
myfelf alfo, that the pregnancy of the
Duehefs might better my condition,
ihe not having any children by the
Duke, her firft hufband, and not be-
ing fure of having any by the Prince,
beiiig io for advanced in age, ihe>- ltfofc-
cd upon me as the only heir to h$r
eftate, and principal fupporter of her,
family $ Ihe knew by her own 'experi-
ence, how difagreeable it was to be
married for fole policy, and wiflied me
to be married to my equal, but with-
out letting the world know I was her
child : the Marquifs of * * *, ihe
thought more fuitable to me than
Count Termes ; becaufe. being an Ita-
lian, he could conduct me immediately
to Italy, where no enquiry would be
made about my birth: to remain in
France with Count Termes, her repu-
tation would be expofed to continual
danger ; if ihe proved with child, all
thefe things would change their effc£;
and if it ihould be a boy, her affecti-
ons and hopes would all center in him,

and

(97>
and flie in confequence would permit
me to marry as I pleafed j but neither
fhe nor I apprehended the real caufe of
my parents difapprobation of giving
me to Count Terraes.

CHAP. XV.

Real Motives for which my Parents would
< not give me in Marriage U Count Ter-
mes.

FROM all I have yet faid, no one
will be able to guefs what were the
motives that induced my parents not to
confent to my nuptials _ with Count
Termes : of this obfcurity I am not
the fault, for I write my adventures in
the order as they befel -me, and my felf
was then puzzled to find out their rea-
fons. Amongft an hundred things
which came into my mind, each had
its probability ; but after thinking
whole nights and whole days, I knew
no more than at firft \ and if my mo-
ther had not explained it to me, I
fhould never have found it out.

She found me one day with a book
in my hand, and ferioufly reflecting
upon what I read ; fhe alked me, what
book I was reading ? to which a fud-
den thought came in my head, and I

Vol. II. K anfwered

ttifwered her, it was my ow:» a&vmi
cures. How ! added the Duchefs, I
never knew that your adventures were
printed. So faying, fhe took the book
out of my hand,, and .looking at it*
found in the title page, The Daughter
Married to her Diflike 4 fhe fmiled as
fooii as flie fkw it, and returning it to
me, Ah ! my child, faid ihe, comparing
this book to yourfelf, you do wrong
to me and offend yourfelf ; I know you
have propofed the nuptials with Count
Tennes, for the only end of your con-
duct j but I afk you, if thefe nyptials
will illuftrate your conduft, or cUiho*
nour it ? remember that here you mar-
ry a cadet, poor in fortune, who has
renounced the honours he actually had
and what he might expe& hereafter in
the army: we confult your honour
more than your fortune ; to be great,
it is enough you are virtuous, but
your virtue is not fufficient to make
you appear honourable* the opinion of
the world is guided by appearances;
-ancj whatever you have done fince yotif
flight from the convent of Avignon
diftionours you much, becaufe the
world fuppofes you* have done it for
the fake of Count Tcrmes, and a thou-
, . ■ fand

( 99 >

fend Tories art fpread about this affair
that offend our glory, and your virtue:
by marrying a peridii for whom they
believe you have loft your honour, it
will jufhfy the flander of the malicious,
and blemifh your reputation for ever :
this is the reafonfor which we have ap-
pointed the Marquis of'*** to be
your hufband, and if we had omitted
to tell irou of it before, our motives
proceeded from tendernefs : refleft,
Mife, that honour alone makes us tru-
ly noble i and that this might not be
prejudiced in the foolifh opinion of the
world, I facrifice to it the tendernefs of
a mother, in fufferi'ng it to be believed
that you are riot my daughter. Imi-
tate my example, by facrlfteing alfo
yourpaffion to your honour; and if
though contrary to my inclination, I
lofe the pleafure of owning you for
my daughter, you Hkewife, by efpouf-
ing for your honour the Marquis of
* .* *, ought not to repute yourfelf
married to your diflike. At this dif-
courfij of my mother I was like one
roufed from a dream; her maxims
were not reafonable in all refpe&s, and
I could readily have given a proper an-
fwer, but the danger of my honour*
which fhe painted as evident and una-
K 2 voidable,

( ioo )

voidable, called up immediately alhny
refleftions; I aflced her, with an air of
furprize, what the world could fay in
regard to my love for Count Termes,
that, for the fake of my reputation, I
fhould be obliged to forget him, and
not have him for a hufband ? What do
you fay ? replied the Duchefs, nothing
lefs furprifed than me, be not anxious
to know it, for. it will terrify you. Cer-
tainly, faid I, if I muft forget Count
Termes, it is proper at leaft I fhould
know the reafon why; and if you, Ma-
43am, love me as your child, you will
not conceal it from me. Tofatisfyyou,
replied fhe, I will tell you, but give me
your word not to be difturbed at it :
The malicious have taken the liberty to
fay, that Count Termes in honour is
obliged to marry you; without my
fpeaking more at large, are you fenfi-
ble of the confequence of it ? this is
not all ; for they fay, that it is no won-
der the daughter ihould imitate the
mother, who was with child of you be-
fore lhe was married ; aikUthefe fcan-
dalous infinuations are already in the
mouths of the public ; the Marquis of
B. C. nephew to the deceafed Duke,
and your fuppofed coufin, has caufed
this report to propagated by fome of

. . his

( ioi )

hi* emH&cies, in order to exclude you
from any title to the Duke's eftate* and
to make you pafs, in the opinion of
all, f6r my child, and by this means
diflionours both the daughter and the
mother: this, Mifs, is not an imagi-
nary invention, and you muff, for the
future, lay afide the tendernefc of &
lover : your nuptials with Count Ter-»
mes would not be left fatal to your ho-
nour than to mine ; the fchemss of thofe
villainous wretches muft be counter-
mined more with deeds than with words*
neither will it be improper to let fom*
months pafs before your marriage, as it
would clearly manifeft your honefiy*
and by your marriage with fome other*
perfbn, it will appear, -that all your,
luppofed paffion for Count Termes*
and the reports which have been fpread
concerning you, are only the effetfs of
downright niafice. Recoiled yemrfeif*
my dear child, and follow the advice of
your affe&ionate parents ; you ought to
regard my honour as much ?s I do
yours, and by marrying the Marquis
of * * *, you ought not to couni your-
felf in the number of thofe gifts who
are married to their diflikej nor can
you do it without doing me an injury.
With this the Duchefs left me, but I
K 3 hardly

C 102 >

hardly knew where I was, fo great wa*
my agitation and confufion: while I
appeared in the perfonage of a man, L
had always this thorn in my heart, and
my honour, as clofely as I looked after
it, I thought was never fecure ; fcan-
dal and detraction generally aim their
darts againft innocence, and whenever
a woman is perfecuted by the malici-
ous, you may reafonably conclude her
to be virtuous : I was amazed to think
that! the Marquis B. C. had fcanda-
lized a perfon that never had in any
manner injured him; I trembled left
Count Termes fhould by fome means,
underftand who was the caufe of this.
Infamy, and refent it as an offence to
his reputation and love, two points ex-
treamly fufceptibl^ of injuries in a man
Of! honour, and might refolve on
Ibme defpcrate fevenge, which would
^ompleat his- own ruin, and difcredit
me. With thefe difmal apprehenfions
fri my mind,' I would gladly have ad-
Vifed him to fufFer and be filent, that
worfe might not happen; but the
Duchefs ordered me not to give him
the leaft hint of it, and, according to
my maxims, a mother ought to be
obeyed; my fituation therefore was de-
plorable and difficult. Being perfuad-

ed

(.103)/
ed hy fo many reafons,.I thought it
very proper to give over all hopes
of my nuptials with Count Tennes; t
but could I have courage to pierce his
heart, by giving myfelf to another ?.
or could I attempt to preferve myfelf
for him at thecoft of difobeying my pa-!
rents, and facrificing my honour? I
thought both thefe things equally im-
poflible in my circumftances, but one
or the other I was obliged to embrace.
The Duchefs after this beginning did
not ceafe to teize me every day on that,
head 5 fhe alfo refpeiting Count Termes
in her heart, would have been grieved
to have feen him ruined and unhappy,
upon my account, and begged that I
would advife him to .marry the Mar-
chioriefs M. and promife him, that fhe
would make intereft at court that he
might get his poft again. . Thus was I
obliged to aft a moft afflicting 'part
in a fcene which, though only repre-
fented in a tragedy, would have coft
me a river of tears j what trouble muft (
it then give me, when compelled to re-
prefent it in perfon ? I know not whe-
ther the obedience of a child, or the
tendernefs of a lover, determined mq
to comply with my mother : I promif-
cd to obey her -, but witfr how many

fighs,

( io4 )

fighs and tears did I eonfent to her in-
treaties, fo contrary to the inclipatidn
of my Amorous heart! to be 'rayfelf
the bearer of this cruel meffage was a
fevere trials from which nothing left
could deliver me than that principle of
virtue which rendered me fuperiortq alt
dangers, efpecialiy thofe which con-
cerned my honour. We refolved be-
tween us 1 , that the next day, when*
Count Termes was to pay me a vifit, I
ihould embrace that opportunity to
gerfuade him, with all my authority*
to perform what my honour, the ho-
nour of my mother, and his own for-
tune required. Tilt that fatal hour ar-
rived, it is impoffible to conceive the
agitation and grief under which I la-
boured! the ftep I was compelled to
npake, be the confequenee what it would,
t?ecaufe my reputation was in danger,
and my word was pafs'd to the Duchefs :
I could not know what the Count would
refolve in confequenee of my propofat,
neither did I know for certain the true
fentiments of my own heart upon this
intricate point $ my love defired he
lhould not obey, my virtue defired he
ihould be obedient $ but whatever it
was to be, in what manner could I re-
gulate my conduit after he had refolv-
ed

< 105 ) ,

ed to his liking ? in-. every fiippofitipft,
gratitude commanded me to love him*
but how could I 1 ove him, if I gave
my hand to another hufband without
his meriting fuch proof of my ingrati-
tude ? In my fituation I could deter-
mine no otherwife than to petition hcfr
love in behalf of my rival, and pre-
ferve myfelf for him by not engaging
in wedlock, with any other : to this rer.
folution I was prompted not only by
my affe&ion for him, but alio by my
honour ; for I reflected that, in fpite
of all calumny, the world would he
clearly convinced of the fincerity of
my heart, when they faw me carry my^
offering with me to the grave : tjiis
principle being, planted, in my br^alf^
to deliver me from the importunity^!
my parents, who.ftill wanted m& i#
marry; therefore, to preferve myfelf
faithful to Count Termes, to contra*
did the fcandal of the world* ther$
was no better ftep for me to , teke,
than, by withdrawing myfelf intirejy
from the leaft connexion with the meity
to retire and end my days in a cloyflter *

CHAP

( ™6 )

CHAP. XVL

fify Refohtion to retire inta a Cloyfter,
and my Awfs Opinion quite contrary t*
mine;

NO W am I in my thoughts ar-
rived at a place to which fix years
before I intended never to return. When
I proje&cd that memorable flight from
ii»y retirement of Avignon, who would
have told me, that I ihould one day or ,
other wilh for that folitude and quiet
which I willingly quitted with indigna-
tion and horror, and became a wan-
derer rather than live in fubje&ion. I
th^ijtaofced upon my unknown paretntf
to be cruel in the higheft degree, be-
c^\jife they wanted to confine me in a
ftoyfter* and now, had they even
confcated to confine me in one for life,
I fhould have thought it a token of
their affe&ion, and the moft prudent
method to preferve my honour unful-
liedy and my future life contented and
happy. Thus do our inclinations and
tempers vary according to the variati-
on of circumftances, times, and places,
and every fenfible perfon will readily
agree, that a material change in mat-
ters

( ro7 )
ters of importanc, will fully juftify a
change in our refolutions.

When I defpifed the retirement of a
cloyfter, and now when I even earnest-
ly defired it, I am convinced in my
own mind, to have done each time no
more than what was fight ; my cir-
cumftances then gave me reafon to de«.
fire my liberty, but my prefent cir±
cumftances laid me under a neceffity
to facrifice my liberty to iny honour
and quiet, which we. ought to regard
beyond every other felicity in this mi-
ferable life : tljey certainly are moft
prudent who regulate with reafon * but
circumftances changing, the fame prin-
ciples of reafon will not always be found
confident with prudence.

Being fully determined in my heart
to end my life in a cloyfter, in cafe I
could not otherwife render myfdf con-
tent, I though t at leaft to be lefs uneafy
in my mind, and I did not doubt but
my parents would confent to this my
defire, knowing this to have been their
intention from the day of my birth.:
the moft difficult matter which now
remained, was to fpeak to Count Ter-
mes.; I employed the remainder of that
day,, and the following night, in dif-
poling myfelf for that fliarp trial, ftu-

dying

( io* )
dying with myfelf even the words with
which. I was to perfuade him.

The next morning, every perfon
that came into my room with any riief-
fage, made me fhudder with fear,
dreading that fetal hour in which I
was to fee the Count : amongft the reft
Madam Cafardo came to me towards
twelve o'clock 5' Do you know, faid
fhe, who is coming to pay you ft vifit !
Count Termes, faid I very teadily, bfe-
caufe his arrival ran fo much in; my
mind. No, added ihe, it is 1 your
aunt, the Princefs B. C. After to the
deceafed Duke that partes for your fa-
ther'. What can this importunate wo-
man want with me? faid I, and why
does fhe come to trouble me this morn-
ing ? I do not know, replied Madam
Cafardo ; and was going to proceed
farther, but the Princefs came in the
while, and lhe was obliged to retire.
This was the fecond vifit I received
from my aunt fince lhe knew that I
was daughter to her brother; and to
give my readers a proper idea of this
extraordinary perfonage, it is neceflary
that I fhould lay before them a fhort
/ketch of her character and perfon : Be
pleafed then to obferve, that the Prin-
cefs B. C. was a woman fmall in fea-
ture,

( *°9 )
ture, Who when upright was no higher
than my waift, and might be called a
jdwarf; (he had not a limb in her bo-
dy* nor a feature in her face, that.jvas
not deformed and diftorted, her nofe
particularly reached atmofi: to, her
chin 5 the weaknefs of her brain might
be feen in her eyes, and though (he had
an itching to be always fpeaking, her
words feldom; had any foundation : in
all her anions fhe aflumed an air of
.importance, and few were the things
of any confequence in the world that
fhe did not pretend to have a perfeft
knowledge of: fhe dreiied like her
equals in the, richeft cloaths,. but in a
faihion peculiar to herfelf; ihe gene-
rally was dreffed in a hoop of a mod
enormous fize, and the Iapets of her
cap when fhe curtfied touched the
ground ; her gown was magnificent,
and adorned with jewels fuitable to her
fituation in life, though at the fame
time her fhift and lace ruffles were as
dirty as if they had been dipt in the
mire. Notwithftanding her figure was
not new to me, yet I found it a diffi-
cult matter to refrain from laughing;
whoever was in her company had not
much trouble to anfwer her, fo$- as
foon as fhe had ended one nonfenfe the
Vol. lit L began

i ah )

began Attotfiar j and from her ft¥ft ' Si-
tranee Jnto tity room tiff ihe went l 6iit $
iievdrd&flie ftop/fpeakiiig. My deaf
niece; £lid Art to me, fince the wdrfd will
have k that you are daughter to ttty
bttttheiv i am come td do the duty of
a mtotwer r mind, I dotfk joke; if you
don't know who I am, inform your-
fetf, arid they will tell you, there Is
norte*Me me for giving good cotfneti '/
fit dowfir, my dear, for rwairt t6 italic
(o yoti at my oKnt eafe . . . emtfe tliofe *
<ihair$. hoWnaneafy thev are for a per-
fqii wfthran hoop ; and if you believe
ilie; a woman of quality without her
fcocfjr ciits an t(gty figbre : ~ Of but 1
What a tfupid aft is your Count Termes/
to ; refufe theKingfs offetj and my fiflef-
iri-la\V is another, for not letting yotf
lisfte the Count: and what does he pre-
late? to' five at your expertces ? make a
deftru#fow of myfon to make you a*
fortune'? does the Duehefs pretend to
giv6 you a monarch * flte ought to
think otherwife, Mifi'i we have been 1
alfo hi our time fomerhrng handfome,
But we had not th& madnefs in our
fcralB; it ft very true, that hi the*
world: flow a-day$. fortutie k more re-
quiflte than merit, and yotrf pretty,
face to befttrr e&tittesy era to a fdftunev

• irotwith-

fun

p^^th^disye the w<m fatkm of
yonr mpthf r ; A dp not intend in tfcus
to Mend ypu ; tp have for your father
jjhe Duke my. brother, fuf||cientlv juf»
tifies in you hfc weikneis* ana yon
^ay aim with all reafon tp marry few?
pi^r^onoijrable party : Count Ter»
rates i? obliged tp marry you, at leaft
the world fays £b, and I will h*;p it fo
if it coftj me all my eftate : he ^onftapt
in your reflations, for you are mjr
ijeicfc* 4pp?nd upon me mopp than upv
W^ny one elfe ? ahd you ihajl fee whaj
any protection will op, let whȣ wilj
happen, Cpunt T«rmes muft b£ ^ronr
3)lijQbattd^ remember, I will have it fo ?
a kifs, 'my dear neice ;, I have got 4
hundred vifite to make J>ef<W dmoer *
we will talk another time^ adigUf

After this han'ftniiwl fteeelb* ; >*-?
Ijearfedtp me all in xwe breath, the
Prinsefs parted, and I was highly pka^
fed ftatflje {jays xm nopcea&ontoan*
fy'er h^ $i»ce the very firfl moment
Jfjwiw her, J had cpnfiaered her tp be
a vpry: fiUy woinan, without the fcaft
grain of prudence. We ihoujd fame*
times a5k , xnore cautioufly with 11 foolp
ihan with people of fcnfe. To hear
myjfelf in that manner treated a$ 4
baftard, "wa? 3 ah oijence .for which I ne-
L2 "' ver

ver after bluflied, becaufe 1 was never
after upbraided to my fece with fuch %
fault ui my birth : however, in her I
forgave it, feeing her interfiled in my
love, even to want me contented. Her
Kttfe authority gave me no great reafon
to hope, but her prattlings and ex-
travagancies might ncverthelefs be the
caufe pF fome new drfbrder. I found
from her difcourfe jail thofe things
to be true which my mother had told
toe, and could not conceive hdw they
could propagate fuch ftories about'n&e,
nor who was the author of them, but
found myfelf more than ever under the
»cceffity to avoid the confequences of
it V

: -Thtf vifit of my aunt's alfo helped
to confirm, me in the refolution I had
already taken, to retire into a Cloyfter,
ancj to communicate it to my parents,
1 only waited to make firft that great
Hep with Count Termes, which was
fbnever to fcparate me from him.

While I waited every moment for his
arrival, a letter was brought to me§
wrote in a chara&er not remembered
by nje, which furprized me not a little!
Opening it with impatience to fee the
contents, I found it to be from Mn
N. N. jny courteous friend in Ve*

nice,

aicer wfio p&c metoolicg thtadby that
l^wasarrtved a* Paris, to fee thaHa*
tnowHMy, sad as feorf jb poffibie -would
be wfth me* Vcrfeifies. - My wm&
formation being yet* fecrtt to him,
and he believing me to be a n&n, Had
dire&ed the letter, to Count Rtdrarifc
This news was no fm^li -fetisfiu&Joiir to
1nc, Mr. M. N. bring juft 'arrived 3tt a
ftme when I way fo uneafy tnmy mind;
I kfieir iim to be acpable, atxtirdlng
to his prudence and generofity # to a£
ftft me at feaft with his counfei. T6
sny friends fjftread in various cities Of
Europe, I nerer gave the fearft noticed
my being publickly known fat a Wd*.
man, unlefs they knew of it by fonie
other means, ritcy therefore tteiiew&ine
flill to be a man, and thcfurpri»oit>o^
caftoned in them when they xkmewTefe
me again, gave me a particular pfeifuf &
I had juft perufed the contents tff,th&
left**, when news wasbfougHt m£. of
Count Terrace's arrival Madam <&*
fordo* was gone out Wkh my jhofiker,
and the intelligence was^bttnight inie Tty
Mr. Before, who ccmld not tnirfefetfce
to&qftktnefs ef my mind. . Let Mni
come in, fttdf, but with i weals aiul
trembling voice, ftarcely to be heard.
While he was gone to 'introduce himyt
L j feated

C«4).

Seated « myfdf upon a chair, with my
Tight elbow refting upon a table, .being
^Suddenly deprived of my ftrength I9
fuch a manner that I could not ftand on
my fc;et, and feized with a giddiness in
my head, .as if the; room- was going
round with me. To fupprefs the cold
horror which at this, time feized me
from head to foot, not even that un*-
dauntednefs (hewed by me on former
occafions would have been enough. To-
gether with the apparel of a woman*
it feemed that I had dteffed myfelf with
all thej weakaefs of our f?x, not beiqg
Able in this cafe to be miftrefs. pf m J*
•iclf: ;

;: j: ;,>Cfi A P.. XVIi

"/lit t>> '+ ' • - ♦

.ffijMetfif&w fi> Count Terms, Mr.
v ' ,}&„ &\ tnd M* 'p'Arcere.

IN this flate and pofture Count
.» Termes fQxmd me* At WsJ.firft
ikep* iiitamy room, my paie^efc and
my agitation aftonifoed him iafuch 9
ttttqnw t^t : :he^ flood immoveable, for
fqme momenta Civility obliged t me
-to rife and meet him; I tried to get up,
but it was in vaiii* being deftitotc of
•ftippgtB,. and opgrefled with gsief, I
* 1 felt

( "5 )

fdioft my chair again, and from tidl
ftiould have fallen to the>ground, hp&
not the Count ran to fupport me. What .
does this mean, MIfs, *faid he, re-
fpeftfully kiifing my hand, by which
he fupported me ? What is the meaning
that I find you in this condition ?
What, has the Duchefs called me hefe
to vent on me all her cruelty, by obli-
ging me to fee you die before my eyes ?
No, Sir, anfwered I, my mother is not
cruel to you; "but fate is cruel to us
both * fhe was intreated by me to per-
mit me the pleasure of feeing you, and
I have defired this pleafure to aflc
you ohe favour ;' from your love £ud
from your generofity I know I can be
promifed all. Ah 1 dear Count, it
would have been better for you, a^d
might for roe alfo, -that- you had lo^ed
tne lefs, and had been leis generous for
jny -fake. By; refufing in the offers
of the king, your fortune, you have
**iade me Jenfible how much more you
•are my care than all the reft or the
world; thk h »a excefs of love, to
< -which; *a juftice, I owe aU*ftiy grati*-
-Mide \ nor flxould I>be grafefafrenquglv,
if I- did not iregard your fortune as
much as; 1* do fyour perfon itfetf y nor
will I eyes be content unlefs I ffe.you

agaia

^m happy* Your felicity is inyvm
owo hands * and you'tnay attain k by
qo^jfcntipgoaly.to one fayourwhickX
am going, to aJfk of you. Here : the
Count interrupted me, faying, To you,
wy princefs, it belongs not to intregt
nje. but to command me; and bjr
ufiqg a. language* unbecoming your cha*
xttffcr, you oflfend agaioft my . will. Na»
Sjr, added I f Aotwith&wdiog the au*
tfcprity you grant me over your heart,
what I defare from you carries with it
the title of a favour, in begging front
you another proof of your love, whicif
^ ill render me* more than all the reft
glorious aj&d contented. Alasl grant
to iw, dear Count, this iaft proof of
your fovt, and do**'* hefitatc a mo»-
ruept > whatever constraint it maycoft
ijf^U* I bog if for that love you always
profefled for r n*e -» for thofe troubles I
Mve expofcd myfelf to for your fake,
and for a$ much us my reputation,
t^nquilUty and life* can be dear 10
you i if, to excite your pity, 'tis a&*
Cfilary to implore it at your feet! I
JpVe k^fil, before you, fince there is no
gne preftnt that can fee or hear me* to
rtprefent this fubmuifion as a crime* I
tfcjm got up to kneel before him, b**
he prevented m, and falling upon hi*

knees*

< "7?

kncefi, with* a torrent of tears, 1 Wftaf
language, faid he; MiftD'Arville, is tfti^
yon hold with me this^ay ? and what
am I to dread from this unexpected
prognoftrcatfon of fome terrible mif-
fortune ? Speak, Mift, What can I da
for you ? having' nothing more of nijf
©w*n than my miferable fife, nor is e^
ven that my own, for I haye confecra-
ted it all to your fcrvice ; is there aiVjj"
thing more remains for me to do, but
tb facrifide it to your glory, that fo ai
I have lived, I may alfo die for you ?
Speak, in the name of heaven, arid
kave crying; foeak at once, Whstft
it? My requeil, replied I, with all th<S
refolution &nd fpirits I was miftreflTofJ
is, that you would ceafe to* love me, frM
turn your aflfe#iom towards the- : LV*
•*Jy Marchionefs M. to -take her : 4$fc
•your fpoufe, to eflablifh your forftth^
t>y : taking* her for "your •wife, and ridi
to envy my gidry in haVmg my fi^ coir 1 *
^IribUted to' make you happy. To foUt
noble foul,- I am fenfible, that to aft irk
this manner niu ft be apreat mortifica-
tion, but I know not which- of tis Witt
be the greateft ftiflefer hi cbnfequence
Of fu<*h a proceeding, as the thinking
€>f it Only Mmoft deprives me of 'life
If you. wesre reaMy fo much afftfflei^

< x 18 )

replied the Cpunt, riiiqg from tfcp
grouad, you ought not to propofe to
me 3 #ep fp country to the di<ftatq$ o£
. my heart, which $ot only endanger^
my prefent exiftcncc, but wounds my
honour in the moft tender part : th^t X
ihould ceafe to love you; that J ihovjld
marry the Lady Marchtpneft $ and
you to tell it to $ie 1 and you to tjunfc
pf it, without refletfipg, th*t waft
j-e^fon I fhould call you cruel gpd un*
grateful Ah! ungrateful and cruel;
woman, now you repent of what yp^i
have done for me, and are flriviqg to
jRcowjice roe that you are yexed for
wkat I have done tor yoitf feke. It h
not my fortune that you ipW;<i» but pq>
Jbaps your own greatnefs, a#d I will e*
y**<fe*&aftly belieye th# you grant
.Wtfyofcr permiflion fo *fppufe the Mar*«
jchcwpft, that jcajrfelf. might be fU Ii-
bemr #> efooule hjg: brother j asd be*
caufe you love: Jum, you couhfel me to
^fpoufe his fitter, and would roafoe me
guihy of an infidelity fodeteftable, tht
better to juftify in fome maiiper your
own crime. No, ungrateful woma^
this fhall never he $ I fee that of our
nuptials there remains no hopes, and
perhaps I have no longer any place in
your heart $ however l ih^ll not follow

' 'the

< *}9 )

Hie etfaniple of your ingratitticle s not
frill 1 ever be anof hers, but yours et «<
iially, and yours I will kc to your con-
tinual ftiame ; my fidelity 1 aiti certain
*lll ferve you foJr a cfhafti&mem, aflcf
my unhappinds will be lefs burthenforad
to me when I fee you unable to liver
cJohteitt.

With thefe words he attempted to
turn his back and depart 9 but I flop-
ed him, faying, have you then the*
heart to leave me fo? and to give me,
iti return for the mpft virtuous tender-
nefs, thefe bitter reproaches? I am
the cf uel and the ungrateful, but am
willing to facrifice mine to your for-
tune ; and while I defire you to efpoufe
another to make you happy, t am don-> -
tented, in proof of my conftancy, ter
remain unmarried, and (o bury myfell
for ever in a cloyfter ; fo I have refolv- -
ed, and without doubt it will be fo*
there is no other method to preferve, *
together With my honour, my tender-
nets for you: this is a fevere #roke
which 1 never expe&ed j and the more
this facrifice pains me, the greater is
my inclination to futfet it, T>eing. iu
neceflity to do it fox you.

During iny difcourfe,. Count Ter-
mes changed from an immoderate rage

into

i

( no )

into .aa amorous tjendcoteis, and, the
fc^rs flowing from our eyes, we re-
mained a confiderable time looking at
each other without fpeakijng a word; I
at length took courage to break the
painful filence, and related to him the
jreafon of this my refotytipm; .1 alfo
told him, that the Marquis B. C. \£a$
the principal author of this fcahdal : f at
hearing this his fury gained the better
of his reafon, and would have plunged
him 'into fame defperate ftep, if I had
not. appeafed him with my tears ; he
fwore to me that heVould nqt (hew the
kaft refentment in his prefent circum-
fiances, and . hound hlmfelf firmly, to
obferve his oath ; but as to his marry-
ing the Lady Marchionefs he knew, not
kow to refblye, and he had no' (boner
j>romifed me to comply but he repent-
ed of it again. In this perplexity of
thoughts and affe<5tions Mr. Befone
found us, who came in to acquaint
me, that there was a ftranger who de-
fired to fee the Count Richard; I could
jjot tell who this could be, and thought,
whoever it was, their vifit would/ be
importunate to me at that time, yet I
laid he might come in, and as foon as
he appeared J knew him to be my friend
9t Venice, but he did not know me :

Madam,

( lit )

'fcfadfatta, -fiid he te me, 1 hope I have
not been underftood wrong, the ho-
iiotxr I aiked for was to fee the Count
Richard, and not his fitter, as I fup*
pofe you to be by the great refemblance
you bear to him. Sir, anfwered I,
you may fuppofe that the Count is the
Countefs Richard, and you now fee
both in the perfon of Mifs Arville,
daughter to the deceafed Duke o£
* * • * : this news furprifed him, and
I was conftrained to acquaint him with.
the particulars ; notwithftanding this,
he anfwered me, with an air of genti-
lity, This your transformation, Mift r
how glorious it is you ! but to me it is
really a grief, for I came with the
greateft defire to embrace you; but
finding you thus transformed, my de-
fire increafed to excefs, and I imift
content myfelf with only refpe&fully
kiffing your hand : confider what a
mortification this muft be to a Venetian
heart, naturally amorous and tender*
His vivacity would have diverted rile
extreamly, if my fituation had not
been fo wretched ; we talked fome
time about indifferent affairs ; but to
conclude with Count Termes concern-
ed me more than any thing befides :
the prefence of Mr. N.N» was no ways
Vol. II. M difa-

( 132 ,)

dHagreeable to me, beqaufe I knew
bim to be a man of prudence and ex-
perience, and capable to aflift us in our
circumftances by his wholefome advice:
I therefore gave him a fhort relation
of the -affair, and rc-aflumed the dif-
courfe about my propofal with the
Count; but we were again interrupted
by another vifitor whom neither of us
in the leaft expe&ed ; this was our par-
ticular friend Mn D'Arcore, who pre-
fented huufelf to me, fmiling,. and
faying, Can you deny, Mifs, that un-
der thofe cloaths there is npt at prefent
Count Richard? for though you con-
cealed it from me before, well I knew
-that under thofe of Count Richard was
cdhcealed Mifs D' Arville : my candour
with you merited the recompence of
« more fincerity at your hands ; but in
^regard to the Count, my friend^ I for-
Vgive you all, provided you will conti-
- nue to grant me the honour of being
your fervant.

In return for thefe obliging exprefii-
ons, I was conftrained to repeat feveral
things already mentioned* and I ad-
mired the honour of Mr. D'Arcore,
who never gave me the leaft reafon to
fufped that he was privy to my fecret.
Thus I found, to my great confolation,
affembled together in my room, the

beft

( **3 )
fceft friends I had in the world, and
who each of them earncftly joined in
wifliing me happy : I again related tQ
them my melancholy fituation, and beg-
ged them from their friendihip toaffift
me with their advice. But my circum-
flances appeared to every one very crL- .
ticalj and no one would counfel me to
the retirement of a cloyfter, though
they confeffed there could not be a
more virtuous expedient; they alfo
jhrofFered, not only to me but to Count
Termes alfo, the ufe of their houfesat
Lyons and Venice, with all they were
worth in the world : concerning the
Count's nuptials with the Lady Mar-
chionefs, they approved of my oon-
duft, but believed it unnecessary; they
faid that it was his duty to agree* to
thofe terms, and it was my doty to
my mother to defire it of him. Thus
by the plurality of votes I obtained my
requeft, and Count Termes gave me
his word, though with cxtream gfrief,
that on receiving my orders he would
be difpofed to obey me. On this our
meeting, which had lafted above three
hours, broke up; and I remained, I
will not fay more content, but in lefs
anguifh of mind: for in thegreateft,
misfortunes I am convinced it is always
a confutation to have done our dutv.

M2 CHAP.

( 124 )

CHAP. XVIII.

Myfterious Meaning of my Mother^ and
fome Hints given me by Jane/on of
the Perfons who had defamd my
CbaraBer.

THE Duchefs, my mother, re*
turned towards night, and tho*
fatigued with her journey, flie could
not go to bed without knowing from.

me the event of that day ; when I told
her that I had obeyed her orders, and
that the Count would efpoufe the Lady
Maichionefs at my firft notice, i faw
by be? countenance that (he was great-
ly ptea&d, nor did ihe omit to beftow
the highest encomiums on my virtue :
She told me, that by an a&ion fo mag-
nanimous, I had proved myfelf to be
Tier child; that I fhould triumph over
my malicious enemies, and that fooner
or later I fhould be revenged of them
all ; but I obferved that her joy was
confiderably abated, when I added,
that fince Count Termes had done fo
much for toy fake, I alfo in honour
was obliged to lay a reftraiht upon my~
{elf, in return to his compliance with

. my

( r2 5 )
my requeft, by retiring, for the re-
mainder of my life, into a monaftery*
She did not feem either fatisfied or dif-
pleaied at my words ; but ihe was too
old at court not to know how to diflem-'
ble her fentiments with dexterity, and
Ihe attended to my difcourfe without
anfwering one word, or giving the leaft
<ign of furprize. I continued to lay
before her all the reafons which autho-
rifed my refolution, and added, that
fuch si ftep would alone vindicate my
innocence to the cenforious world*

When I had faid every thing that I
thought proper in defence of my con- ,
du& in fuch a proceeding, ihe anfwer-
ed me ferioufly , that my refclution was
much to be commended, but that it was
not the only one to be embraced in my
circumftances,and fheadvifedme* before
I executed it, to think a little better a-
bout it j Jthat Ihe would not promife to
confent to^ nor declare entirely agakift
it, becaufe it did not depend upon her
only, but on the Prince, my father, and
perhaps on the event of her being with
child. At thefe words Ihe left me 3 but
this was enough to confirm in me the
juft foundation of Madam Cafardo's o-
pinion, that my parents would be lefs
rigorous cdncerning my marriage, if
M5 the

( "6 )
the Duchefs fliould chance to have a
lawful heir to the eftate.

Notwithstanding thefe flattering prof*
pe&s, I could not pafs my days in tran-
quillity, nor enjoy one peaceable
night ; the fole thought of lofing
Count Termes, and of feeing him in
the arms of another, rendered them
painful and fevere. To fweeten, in
tome meafure, the bitternefs, I thought
it neceffary to hafken my retirement in-
to my charming folitude, and toxhufe
it in fome place diftant from France,
that I might be afar off from thefe ob-
jects which principally contributed to
difturb my quiet!; and of all the cities
of Europe I could not find a place bet-
ter adapted for my purpofe than the
city of Venice -, there I was fure to
have a good friend, who would be to
me more like a father, than an acquain-
tance. There none knew of my mif-
fortunes, nor Ihould I hear the morti-
fying news of what happened in Francfe
to Count Termes, to my prejudice and
unfpeakable torment.

My fpirits being filled with thefe
fweet ideas, I figured to myfelf a hap-
py Hate of life for the future, ' but was
foon called back from thefe pleafing re-
flexions, likeone jouzed from a dream 5

the

("7)
the horror of my imminent misfortune,
and the thought of dividing myfelf
for ever from a man fo dear to me, and
for his virtue fo worthy of my love, re-
quired a refolution fuperior to mine,
and even threatened me with the lofs of
my life. After ftruggling fo long with
thefe tumiiltuous disorders of my mind,
how could I do otherwife than to enter-
tain an utter abhorrence againft thofe
who were the caufe of it y but whom
could I accufe, whenl myfclfwas theprin-
cipal caufe of my trouble ? If I had not
gone roving about the world a ftranger,
and in a ftrange drefs, I fhould not have •
given reafon to the malicious to attack
my honour; but what had I done to
be difhonour^d in this manner ? and
who were the villains'that put fo bad a
conftruftion on my moft virtuous in-
tentions, and defamed me without e-
ven knowing of me ? This was to me a
myftery that difturbed me not a little,
and occupied every day a good part of
my reflexions. The Marquis B. C.
was a wretch, whofe black foul was
deftitute of every principle of honour $
all that happened to me on his account,
when the Duke was living, was enough
to make me know him for a vile wretch ;
but in this attempt to fcandaiize me

over

( "8 )
over all France, I rould not believe
him to be without accomplices ; for,
as to himfelf, he was toa well known by
the generality of people, to gain credit
for any thing he afferted ; I likewife
knew that the Marquifs B. C. had not
the art to contrive a plot, which was
executed fo cunningly as to anfwer the
propofed end, and injure both my re-
putation and my love, unlefs it was fug-
gefted to him by fome other perfon who
was an enemy to me, and gloried in
this method of feeking revenge. In
fearching out the original caufe of fuch
private injuries, I feldom found myfeif
in the wrong ; and even on this occafi*
on I was not far from judging rightly.
My father one day fent mq notice, that
there was with him an acquaintance of
mine, who defired to fee me, and that
in a little time he would fend him to my
apartment. I had not much leifure to
refle<5t who this could be, for almoft in
that moment appeared Janefon, my old
learned acquaintance in the Baftile, and
to whom I was in many refpe&s obli-
gated. My father had informed him
who I was before he left his apartment*
and he came kneeling at every ftep, and
gave me the title of highnefs at every
third word* Soonaftenny interview with

Count

'( * 2 9 )
Count Termes in the Baftile, Janefon
was fet at liberty by the means of the
the Prince, my father ; and he told me
that with this lucky accident, there
came another ftill better : I alked him
what it was, and he told me with a
fmile, that his wife died a few days be-
fore he came cut. Of this he would
have talked feme hours, but I being
defirous of difcourfing about other mat-
ters, had the curioiity to aik him what
important affair had feperated him
from his books, and dragged him to
Verfailies ; he replied that he came to
implore the proteftion of the Prince,
that he might have juftice done him.

Your highnefs faid he to me, in a
high ftile, mixing with it fome Greek
,and Latin proverbs, of which tfuiew'
not the meaning, your highnefs alrea-
dy knows that I %am obliged to follbfcr
the profeflion of a writer; that is to
fay, I am born to work all my life, and
die miferabte; If you remember that
comedy, of which I ihewed you fome
fcenes in the Baftile, and which meri-
ted your approbation, your highnefs
will pleafe to know, that that very co
medy was to make my fortune, but i~
is now upon the point of being my ruin
I ihewed it to fome of the a&ors be*

longin"

( *?o )
longing to the company of the King*
comedians, and they approved of it lb
well that they refolved to reprefent it.
They afked me what value I put upon it ;
to make an agreement was no difficult
matter,' becaufe, like- the reft of my
profeffion, I wanted the pence.' The
coinedy received a general applaufe, and
this gave me courage to venture fur-
ther ; for that company I have worked
four months, day and night, in which
time I have produced eight comedies,
by -which they have gained an immenfe
fum of money; but becaufe the Iaft
was not received with fuch applaufe as
the others,, they refufe to pay me what
they owe me, as if the labour of a
man's brains was to be bought by trial,
liketjie blade of a fword, or the barrel
of a mufket. Fbr this reafon, Mifs^
I came to implore the protection of the
Prince, your father, that I might have
juftice done to me. I have to do with
three perfons, whom, for ijheir moft
extraordinary villanies, I may call the
race of Lucifer, and to verify the old
proverb, that the Devil helps bis own,
they alTo do not want for prote&ion,
for they have applied to the Marquifs
of B. C. who has the dire&ion of the
theatres, and he muft have promifed

them

( x 3 i )

them his afjiftance, for they now re-
fufe to pay me with more impudence
than even Amongft them there is the
unworthy wretch called Tartar, who
has been banifhed twice from France,
and again reftored to the thratre, oa
account of his /kill in buffoonery : u-
nited with him, there are two other vil-
lains, one of whom is 'called Albevit,
and the other Nimar, both flrangers in
the profeffion, having embraced it be-
caufe they did not know how to live o-
therwife. Jancfon would have pro-
ceeded further, but at the name of
Tartar, and Albevit, I interrupted
him, becaufe I reputed myfelf likewife
embroiled with them. Tartar, after
jvhat had happened in Italy, had more
reafon to hate me than he had the firft
time at Verfailles, Albevit was the vil-
lain from whofe afms I took the wo-
man belonging to my friend at Venice,
and perhaps for fo doing he did not
forgive me ever aft«r ; their dependance
on the Marquifs B, C. made me imme-
diately fuppofe them tp be the authors
of the fcandalous falfities which were
fpread in Paris and at Verfailles, about
me. I enquired of Janefon whether'
he had heard any others of that compa-
ny mention xny name j he anfwered

^that

'( *3* )

that he had heard me fpoken of by an
adrefs, but could not tell me any thing
more particular, I aflced him througfl
mere curiofity, the name of that a&-
refs, and found it to be MUs Gianet-
ton, my antient confidant, not long
returned from Italy, and who had* tin
gaged with that company to fing b&-
tween the a#s, according to the cuftom
of France. This, gave me reafon to
believe that I ihould eafily find out the
remainder. I deiired janefon to folate
her. in *»y name, and to tell her that. t
defircd to fee her at Verfailles ; I affu^.
red him alfo that 1 would fpeak, in his'
favour to my father, to have juftice
doug him ; but before he would leave
rnc;I f* jconftrained to hear him for a
go&d:&*lf hour exclaim againft the un-
h^pp^ricf? of the poetic profeffion.
'WJietfefgr his complaints were reafona-
bl^ or not, I dare not take upon me ta
affirm, but, according to my maxim,
whpaver.conne&s himfelf with people
of a»bad character, has no right to
Complain of ill ufage, or at leaft de-
fervps but little companion, and from
company of that fort they are wifeft
that keep them fc Ives moii at a dis-
tance.

CHAP.

( m >

CHAP. XIX.

J wfift full Difcmry of my Pwftatim*
which fines in me fib* nfohtim *f
retiring into aChyfitr.

MlfsGianetton had no (boner recei-
ved my imitation by the hands
of my friend janefon, than Ihc prepa-
red to pay me a vifit, and in the fbace
of two days arrived at Verfailles. Her
regard for me was fo great, that, with-
out paying the Jeaft refpeA to the dif-
ferent circumftances of my paft, and
prefect iituation in life, cither in the
character of Count Richard, or that
erf Mifc D'Arville, ihc clung about my
neck, and embraced me over and over
again with all the tendernefs of a fin-
cere friend : to find jewels incorporat-
ed with bafe and common metal, is in
accident which but feldom occurs ; ne-
vertheless when it {o happens, the bafe-
nefs of the metal ought not to depreci-
ate the value of thofe jewels, and I am
forry to fay, that a fincere heart is fa
rarely to be found, even in thofe of
high rank, that when we find it in a
plebeian, we fhould be unjuft if weo-
> mitted to beftow on it the due praife $
and commendations beftowed on meilt,
wherever found, can in no ihape be
Vol, I!* N contrary

contrary to thenilps of the ftri&eft vir-
tue. When Mift Giarietton had thu$
affe&ionately expreffed ^hfcr fatisfa&ioi*
at feeing me, and given me a long de-
tail of her own adventures, we fell into
difcourfe about the company of come-
dians with whom ihe was engaged, and
I found from fome hints which fhe
cfropt," that Tartar, Albevit, and Ni-
mar, made it their ftudy to flur my re-
putation, and to propagate the mpfl:
malicious and envious falfehood^ con-
cerning me, the very thoughts of
^rhkh, even at this moment, make
itie Ihudder with horror. You will not
be amazed, Mifs, added fhe, that thefe.
tfrfee wretches fpeak fo much againft
ybpr chara&er, when. I inform you,
that they do the fame by all perfons of
Gfedit r Of Albevit and Tartar I find
ydu aiije^dy entertain a proper opinion,
and if thefe two are perjured and wick-
ed by nature, the third, which is Ni-
mar; is wprfe than either of them $
their greateft pleafure is to call an odi-
vm'tipon the faireft reputations, to
bring them, by that means, more upon
a par With their own ; they rack their
inventions for the moft infamous fcan-
dSl, nor do they biuih when convifted
of th$ moft notorious falfities : they

will

035)

will one day make a devil of a faint, and
the next day a faint of a devil : I do
aot wonder, Mifs, that thefe wretches
are unable to fhake off the filthinefs of
that mire from which they arofe, as it
would be unnatural to expe& a good
fmell from the filth of a dunghill ; but
I am furprifed to fee gentlemen of ranlc
and fortune, fuch as the Marquis R. C. •
countenance them in their villainies, to
the great dishonour of his reputation $
welcome to his table, and fafe under
his prote&ion, they fport with the
characters of the innocent, and fpread
their baneful poifon of the blackeft;
fcandai with impunity; to inftance the,
truth of this, I need only take notice
of the fhameful ufage which poor J^*\
nefon has received at their hands;., nor
does he dare to complain, left he ihoutd^.
incur the refentment of the Marquis

B. c. : ;

By his indefatigable induftry in wri-
ting for them, has he Supported their. re-!
putation and intereft for fome time paft,
and his bad fuccefs with his laft comedy
was entirely owing to their incapacity to
reprefent it in a proper manner ; they
however alledge it to be the fault of the
writer, and keep from him that proper*
ty which lie has all the reafon in the
N 2 world

( * 36 >

^orld to demand; Mifs Gfianneton
4p»ke fo much to the purpofe, that I
was fully convinced it muft have been
thefe wretches who had thus cruelly
endeavoured to wound my reputation,
but I was amazed to think how they got
credit in the world, neither could I tell
how to baffle their dark fchemes agatnft
me; I imagined that it was well known
to my parents, and if they did not
think proper to refent it, it mightbe
owing to their prudence, therefore m
me it would be highly unbecoming to
inake any ftir about it, and according-
ly refoived to wait the event of time,
'arid rely upon that all-wife Being who
is the powerful and certain prote&or erf
injured virtue. In order to make fbrae
Vetttrj* for the favours which I had re-
xelved frfcm Mils Gianneton, I advifed
'her to efpoufe Janefon, and told her
that I would ufe my beft endeavours to
procure them a comfortable maintain-
aAce, withdut their aflbciating any
longer with fuch a company of vile
wretches: my propofai ihe did not dif-
like, and though, it is true, I had no-
thing of my own to beftow upon her,
I made no "doubt but that Mr. D'Ar-
core, and my good friend at Venice,
wouW take a pleafure, from their owrf

incomes*

( *37 )
incomes,., to ^enable me, to keen my
word on. an occa fieri fo commendable,
and what effect thefe my indentions had
will be feen hereafter; for my part,
whatever I faw and heard ferved only
to increafe my inclination for a folitary
life ; In what a world do we live ! fai4
I to myfelf, and what jpleafure can wjs
take in our converfation with mankind*
when daily experience convinces us that
we ought to look upon the generality
of them as our moft bitter enemies!
out honour, our fortune, and even our
life, hangs fufpended in the air by a
thread, when it is in the power of eve*
ry malicious detractor to wound our
reputation : what avails it to be virtu-
ous, when by vice this day virtue is
overcome ? or what profit is it tp be
innocent, when lyes gain a preference
to trutk, and flander is ftamped upon
the faireft characters ? Bkfled is that
folitude to which envy is a ftranger ,
and how definable are the wails of a
convent, which', though they confine
lis, defend us from calumny and re-
proach ! With thefe reflexions I con-
tinued to encourage myfelf for that
great ftep which I believed not to be
afar off, and 4 which I thought fo ne-
ceflary for me \ yet, when I reflected
N 3 on

< *3» )
on my love for Count Termgs, I thought
it almoft in^flible. la the mean
while his nuptials with the Lady Mar-
chionefs were held for certain, aad he
had the liberty to fee me whenever he
pleated, fo much did my parents truft
to his honour and to my word; but to
fee him too often was to me more tor-
ment than pleafure, becaufe the fight
pf him rekindled my love, and made
me lament the neceffity I was in to lofe
him. Before the day drew nigh of his
nuptials with my rival, I wifhed lo be
put of liis fight in my proposed retire*
ment* but if I intreated my mother to
permit jne, fhe, for her part, begged
of xn$ pot to take fo precipitate a re-
fol\ation, on which depended her quiet,
££y qpipt, and all the being of oiar fa-
mily/ !|i this melancholy fituationno-
M*Wg remained for me but affii&ion,
tears, anddefpair* and all my confo-
latipn depended on my adherence to the
flri&eft virtue. The Marquis M.
£aroe often to fee x»e; his vifits were
^within the limits of common civility,
ix>r for a long while did he fpeak a word
in regard to the proportion made me
of his marriage ; his genteel and decent
behaviour rendered him in a manner
amiable, that I more than once repent-
ed

r

(139 >

ed itiy behig pf ejudiced fq rhubh in (&-
*our df another, and tjhit it: was jipl
in my power to repay thofe tokens He
gave me of ifneere aflfe<5Hon. One day,
when we were talking about his filler,
he extolled to the higheft degree . the
obligations fliewas under to nie, for
having perfuaded Count Termes to tk%e
her for his wife; We, Mifs, faid he,
do violence to your inclination* for
Count Termes 5 the fault is not redlly
ours, but is written incontroutably in
the book of fate : Count Termes isiiiy
particular friend ; my fifter undoubted*
fy loves him, having known him at
Milan, and received from him fo nj*»
»y inftances erf" his regard ; but tkiiver-
thelefs fhe herfelf would have toiififfe
to do a* much for you as jr&^hfoe
done for her, if your parent^ anc¥^|r
dependence on them did not ofcl^i^
to a# otherwife : though my iffter'ltks
been fo ready to accept of your IdVe^
flie has been for feme time paft incroti*
folabie, bec^ufe fee muft ufurpi v him
from you 5 when we contra&ed! the
bond of thofe nuptials with theDuchefs,
and with the Prince, neither fhe nor I
knew tjiat you were exifting, or that
there was any one fo nearly related to
their family $ we alfo are in circum-

ftantcs

( MP )
fiances in which we muft a& by the. di-
rect ion of others; I do not know how;
my fitter will a# in regard to Count
Termes, in cafe fhe fliould marry the
Count, but Ym certain that fhe'll always
a £t as your real friend, and as a lady of
honour : if I ihould ever have the ho-
nour of being your fpoufe* I will leave
you to your own choice ; coming to
my lot, you fliall have my permifiion
to keep company with a perfcn fo'dear
to you as Count Termes, without my
entertaining the leaft fhadow of jealouftr
or miftruft of your virtue : if you lofe
a hufband, you purchafe a brother-in-
law ; and if you were not a Princefs in
Paris, you might perhaps be one in
Italy : but thefe are empty flatteries
that do not in the leaft operate with the
noblenefs of your fentiments,and I dare
not offer violence to the liberty of your
heart : I alfo know, Mils, what virtue
is, nor is it enough for me to admire
it in you, if I do not endeavour to imi-
tate it : difpofe youifelf to your own
pleafure, for I never will confent to
take you for my fpoufe, unlefs your
own confent gives a fan&ion to it : this
is the only recompence that I can inake
for your generality fhewn in favour of
my fitter* Thefe expreflions of the

Marquis,

( *4i >

Marquis M. laid me under fueh great
obligations* that as much as I endea-
voured to anfwer him with equal gen-?
tility, I knew not how to give him in
return an anfwer any ways adequate to
the politenefs of his exp*effions.

CHAP, XX.

Seme extraordinary Circuinjlances, which
ftrfuade my Father that Ideftgwi t*
runaway with Count Vermes.

VArious wer# m)r reflexions after
receiving this vifit from the Mar-
quis ; I admired hi$ honeft proceed-
ings, not only in regard tome, but ai-
fb with refpeft to Count Tcrmes* jnA
k afforded me feme fetisfa&ion to £nd
that every glimpfc of virtue ahdreafon
was not yet baniflied from among the
great. Almoft every other woman would
have hated his lifter as hertival, but I
thought her adorable, and moft worthy
of the furrender which I was going to
make to her of a perfon as dear to me
as life itfelf.

When even fhe as well as myfelf had
paflionately loved Count Termes, how
could I make a crime of that love, in
her which I made an honour in my-
felf:

( r 4 2 >
Ibtf? WeWomen are generally uhrea-
fonable in our affections, as well N as in
our .arerfiom ; a man that to me ap-
peared amiable, why fhould he not
fccm fo to another, without her profeff-
ing herfeif my enemy ? to love, or not
to love> is not in our breafls, becaufe
the piffions of bur foul are not at our
ownxiifpofel, though they ought to de-
pend uponreafon to render them blame-
left; i I Ihquld have had reafon to hate
Lady M. if fhe had attempted by ar-
tifice to take my lover from me - r but
when lhe accepted him from my hands
as -a voluntary refignation, of whom
couoid I, complain ? nor was it more
than whit 1 would have done my felf : ic
is^tru*,. I confefs, that I envied hen
.condiTioa, beeaufe to be wife to Count
TermesI reputed her happy $ and con-
ficfcring this to be a felicity which I at
firft had defigned for my felf, her me-
mory and her prefence could not but
torment ine, though I ftill continued to
love -her ; this was my opinion, nor could
I think otherwife, even when that fatal
day arrived on which the Lady M. was
to marry Count Termes,' and banifh
with hi* nuptials all my hopes of hap-
pinefi. When my mother acquainted
■ % . me

t Hi 3

me that the following day was ddllneti
for the nuptials of Count Termcs witl*
Lady M. and perfuaded me to dtfpofe
myfelf for attending that great folem*
nity, what did I not do, what did I n«t
fay, that' fhe might permit, me to leaye-
Terfailles for fome days, not to be pare*
fent at a marriage which pierced- rajt
very foul ; but all was in vain, becaufe-
my abfence would have been a fign of
my weaknefs, and would prejudice my
reputation by giving thofe villains more
room to fpeak againft me ; I will not
fay that fhe was unreafonable in her
rcqueft, but Ihe defired that I might
affift in perfon at that ceremony, and
appear with the reft of the nobility at
the entertainment that was to be made
on that occafion, and ihe added more* ^
over that it was abfolutely neceffary*^
Either the Duchefs my mother was a-'*
woman fuperior to the weaknefs of her
fex, or elfe fhe muft havefuppofed me
capable of a refoiution which even flie
herfelf was not. miftrefs of. 'Tis im*
poflible to paint the agonies of my mind ■
at that time: my virtue had almoft
abandoned me in thofe difficult cir-
cumftances j I ran more than once to
my wardrobe in which hung the mens
cloaths I formerly wore, with intent to

drefs

( M4 ) ^

tlrefe nryfelf anew, and with the Tavour
of that fame night make another flight,
I know not what fcrious refie&ions
kept me from that perilous attempt,
becaufe my tumultuous paffions were at
that time Wind to the light of reafon ;
I flopped however a little to perufe a
billet which I received about twelve
o'clock from Count Termes, *nd which
was wrote in this tenor :

" Mils,

I am unable to come in pcrfon toac-
qtfiint youyvith what I Ought to inform
you of, to convince you of my fincere
aiTeftion for you :' fome hours yet re-#
inain which are fuffif^ent to make us
tefs unhappy : difpofe yourfelf as you •
think beft, for in your hands is my
will, and yours only is wanting, to ••.
abandon fudddenly, in the approach-
ing night, my intended fpoufe, the
court, and all France : wherever I go, at
leaft I fhail be all yours ; and before you
refolve, remember that without you I
cannot live."

This billet was enough to encreafe
my torment, and drive me into a new
abyfs of confufion ; oppofing to each
other the nuptials of Count Termes

with

t *4* >
w$* Lady M. and hb propoftl\of -a
&gHt from France, I knew: not .which
of the ttVQ tp.chufey bccaafel thpaght
tf*e#i ; eqnaUbjf delperate p . to eonrtemh
hik> to liy«e:W|Clir a woman he 'dld'.iabr
tove, I thought cruel; bat ott theotfcaf
)iaiid, to agree to a flight which inuft
render hie difobedient to my pavent^
$*i$.blailieable ill the tyes of the wbtld,
jUKotaght would be a plate pi-oof of my
weaknefs; I did not kw)QMr whicll wagi
to reply* y«; I nauft Stoftrer iaSmi tibat
my irr : dhJntion might not enereafe .hi*
tormeat. , The fimilitude $f jour. idea*
to f qfch, otheew^sXomethi^ :ej£tmvfdftt
*ary**3tfd: thfct we. n^idd^qtk^i^anft
in the -,ftme moment, ramHia^ cm bsd
eiqfipeii feat could Il&gfc&ithatettil
wo^ld dcqmint me. with' his :to:JfcEfteii
mine, arid aft of me that advieeifrhfch
I myfdf #o<ad in need -pfiLixl^irdicI
*pt beH«ve( thejrCount; cskpabie to) 2&
& injudtfioufly* as tofacfcbkef.hds! how
i^our fti>d mine to a hibidipftf&lfi ; Ltha*
tjme .w^paiTedii* whiri}i mytf&ti<jpife
life wouW <have ipermitted me: tfcd$HO
r-ecoytffe to -Aichiijneiiietjiesi .the jrery*
thftugfct'ofi iit temk<,m&toithAh$nBr4
£nd whatever his interitioh - tfasr in jwrw
tiflg to* me, I refolved in anfareringtefl
him to diflemblieflatne,.by ftdvifiiggdhfaa
Vol. II. O to

«^d; r -Thi« ; aWerhliria, 1 fit-dcKtyt
ffi 4 4try 'tiratdtbbe' t6 HfHte, ^rid J haJd ttifc
dfcr^^eyeithofe' very Viieli^ doaths ia
which 1 A formerly made ' my efcape^
Jiarltig fulled them dofcrn a little befoftj
' irr.the vioferit' agitation of iiijr fitftid
afcbvfcmcntioned. r V' ;>

T 4 -35he billet of Cbunt Term* toy bpeti
Ott the f table at winch I was fitting dowri
tawtfe the anfwer, when in that pfocre,'
and ihtht^iame j^fture,tf Uh (he Worths'
jtfft.befbt^t^y ty&i iny father ftiddfcn-
^•^iie'rnj his -coming at that^jie
i^mfed 1 mej but his prefence <Ji!d s not
,fta^i*i^at firft he a/ked ? me, It J
Jbad^ef^tliingzieceflaryfor thVnup-
t&teof L&fy M. to make an jtppear^
ai>ie Qiitstble to my conditio!) f ;but fee-
iHg°ibrperi von the table- tfe^iH& x of
€burft;Tarmes, whether he knew <jt $?
iftrf fri^miqfc fay, but3iePtbofc it hi Iff #
Kalic} a^id read it without 'IpdikliigitJrte
i&fcrf-ltirdiigh it did not coMxiA^hj*
^uigAthat J t«iight difhonour me, yet I
ji^geduhat jthe .fituatfon in which he
f*jra^*na£ ^ m'tgTtt:pngwdice Trte : ih ; nis«
Jrekit^fid fcittet mentioned a. flight; life
*^WbathsHaying before me 1 expajfetf
fe^ : ¥Mt; : tliQiigh' pulled do,wn' witftf
«^^Y cirMhal imc^tion^d^ttariy 1
^^ittft ,^- . . the

iuJ^kioA could ^.w^e^uftfth^
tius, tjntt the ^iwuvation -a. circus^
Ranees made it ieenr.ycry prpbabl^
aud nay fether immediately fufpe&ec£&
t^o'hefaidiiothhig to tue onthatpiiifpq^i
I ^cid in his, eye* all the. moveincntf
of his foul, but he diflemblhig his u£r
ward ^meaning, I pught to diflenibte
(he unde*ftancUjag of it $ it was prppdr
jieverthelefs for me to juftifa in^icCf
tyith hup from fucKa black ua^pucipp^
and. aft^r Jje , h^d read the', bilfe^ ;V ^
hfijalkedniehow I intended i<C$tfy&
if. ?. Stop^Sir, faid l 9 xwie i^QiiKftt^w
Yopwill fee that I know ntyduty* it
uisu h^gaft to write as ipllpw's i VV b ;i

•, Y^ujJiaye promifed ine^ta eipoufc
the X#cfy r &L and I have gtff^v $3
word .to my parents : if you dpi {Kg
care for your honour, at leaft : fhgb
fpjne regard. to mine; thenlVii| b'diewj
that you. Iqve me. I amde^oteguy, ^^

. ; The billet being wrote I irefenteH if
open to the Prince, .a^ defined xh^he^
^puld fend it to the.Coiuit S^j fabjj ,3*.
pciflible : , he; read, its . atul iC^ji^§^&
i^ \wu 4$1 ^ ^^Sfi^^^

*wtt : ;i-'Ka* *r<*f 'to C&inrT#m<&;
Hikr^'Aftfl atifaet '}' .thought tcto
^hieli'ffid teapable to make htm cbiti*
A*t*fdi*eyefcerate a&ion iipoh \h*mfelfV
&eJ woald have ^ardbned my'IewHt^
itaa he fcnafrri th?t f had wrbW'ib-fcftS
Ar«y *rther*s (fcydsj nothing iefil wotald
^VeHfloit&fo lumymy Innocence frdiri
*he fi^pfciow that went <ftf£gtffted tS
4iiii^byin^drouinilaiU3ej, and if this
"had «ot happened t titotikl have wrote
te&ite^t** ftme^ffi^V, but ij**ertti4
lei fexerf, ^ftftd would- have fwcetened,
with the Sincere titfttmony of #$ tove,
dfc.'mqft bitter anguifli of tlie'j^afli-
<&£&&&> which he was gaing t^Velmr
4cijtfti& ^ -^i was cruetto hm\ttoi t6
to&cibdtto itoyfelf ; or, LAghH #«**
jky,i was eqiially craei to trs b6tfey ^
fejJOfritfae barbarous few* of this peri
Ita&wtttfd, which often make mr ho^-
i)Olsr',dep*ttd upon Aemoft ettdent<fti£-
rptSftare: I wanted to remedy thtffe
ili'OCtt(c<fnejx:e« which might attend the
*rfti- by -fendiftg- him a fetond bttfet
|HQre*i«greeabte $ but any father's fidjri*
fik^nhighv iWducd' him- to* keep : '*t
watohfuL^-r €J7 iny proceedings*, aria
... -. . <-->> he

k *543 )
benight poiPIMy m -ftW 5n^s, J*jfcfc

tb$ other billet f ; by which a«ea#f , sg|a
fronting together thecoiijrarfeties of nj)£
fentiments, he would have more reaCfo*
than ever to miftruft me : I pafled aj|
the remainder of that day without r$-$,
folding on any thing, ana found I had
»o reafon, to repent of fo dojiig, for 1
rook notice that towards night I waf
obferved more ftri&ly than ufual*. as jf
they really feared that I defigned to rvujr
away that fame night.

CHAR XXI. /? :

$be mewrnfutttft Night of my whole Li fa
! and jlrangt Events attending if. ?

THAT evening Madam Cafer<jb
was gone out with the XJw&sfe
my mother, and I had the pkaftare of
being alone in my apartment, te in-
dulge myfelf without any witnefein ihfe
deeoeft melancholy, and pafs that night
"witnout other interruption than that of
mydifturbed imagination: two hours
$fter fun-fetl ordered my waitmg-rrtaid
to bring me a difh of chocolate, inteiidr
iag tofleep without any fupj>er,: if my
forrows would permit me to take any
jrcft, whi?h I did not in the fcraftrexpe&y
:that evening being to me likfethttew
O3 of

myfcz w 2 ^ tY*gfr&^ &} w JfoQw > that
ft#pd between^the anti-ciuiaber^a^
#utf ip wJikbJ.fleptj the entrance to
it was the tfx>uuno3* door of the ami-
chamber, but fronting the ckkrmcy
tfcere wasa ieci£i door which led, by £
lpng riair-cafe, to all the fmatt cochbs
appointed fpr the fcrvants, a*jd jrhich
generally was ifcut* though only with
sf latc^^ fo that it could be opened ei-
ther within or without * my maid
brought nie the chocolate as I was jit-
ing by theifire in {he ropm aboveinen-
fioned, and I observed, while, I:, was,
prinking of : it, that^ihe caft her
$yes on, the little door, but I did not
take* much notice of it: when I imd
vdrapk,fbe>chocolaXse,I ordered the A Ugbts
©f the. anti-chamber to be extinguUh-
cd, the door tp be &ut, and told her
jftot to trouble me any more that night ,
a$ I found my fclf indifpofed, and in. a
fliort linxe ihoukl retire to my bed,
.Beii^'thea quite alone, I extinguished
the lights of the room in which 1 fet ,,
becaujfe they weakened my fight j a»d
with no other light than that of the
£je, I threw niyfejf on a chair, with
u^eixtitfn.npt to move from the fame
i$L the qext waorjung. ,:.';...

Tlie

fileftcs of *the »ig^!^ ; ^rM^*ld<:^b
ffe*fe#ly 14> fhemowirful fadweTti d£rt$
fincyy that I flattered rayfeif to have
fowid in this » gloomy recefe foiiw res-
pite to my difturbed imagination. If
4heobfcurity and fadnefeteconciled hie
lor feme moments to daze, the weight
which lay on my heart? made me fiti*-
denly *<ftart xtp, trembling with the
thoughts of my woes; and I again bes
gan to lament. Miferabie me ! fhall 1
then be condemn '<! I© freep kti cvbi,
and not to fee one glimpfe of £*ofpet^
ty that would lighten the troubles fcf
my miferable life! when I knew : -riW
*who were my parents, I made ehoice(&f
a lover, agreeable to my inelinktiotts 1 ?
and I no fooner gained a katfwletHge* of
them, fchan they oblige me td'loft htm
for ever ! but why do I acenfe tHeiH 'As
the authors of my loft, when it 'k'ttty
own heart, and my obftiriate dfcftiriy;
that deprives me of Count Terniei?
thu* am I tolled like a- ftilp ia her
courfe, driven by contrary Wind*, and
* Unable to be fteered, in the evident
danger of l<*fmg either my lover or iriy -
honour, becaufe it is not in my poWer
-to preferve them both ! and who c&ri
aflure.me that IJhallr adtvlofcthehi

both?

both iV^lKnv<^t||«Xrfflrinfi^ has efpeufe$
thevtady M, ljtiy eWii^es will infinu*M&$.
by this that I never foved him ; thej£ f
will not fay that I have travelled Europe
in mens clo&hs* and in hiscompany,and
have brought back to France a reputa-
tion pure and unfullied ; no -r- they*
will not ceafe toceafure the tranfa&Jons
of my life, and their^nalice will purfue
me wherever I go: have I then incurred
the difpleafure of hedven, and will its
wrath for evei^ tender me unhappy ? if
I have merited its anger, why does it
not crufh me at once with its juft re-
venge ? alas ! I could almoft arraiga
heaven as cruel and unjuft, if to us its
providence was not impenetrable, and
able* for our fakes, to produce good
even from evil 5 but what advantage
cfinv accrue to me if I lofe you, ; dear
Ceunt Termcs ? lofe you beyond all
hopes of recovery ! where are you, my
dear Count, that you are deaf to thefc
my lamentations, and dq not behold

my tears ! • • '.

Neither well awake, or afleep, but
internally oppreffed with inconfolable
grief, I /was thus bemoaning the feveari-
ty of my lot, when I was roufed from
my lethargy by a fudden and unex-
pected noife/ as if fome door was open-

ing,

ift& j %*» b^ 'the' iiote pirtf ate <tloor ihadi
introduced fetm&tf ittd> hity room 3»d<
appeared fuddenly b£for£ mepat'tfee*
ing hkh I was ahiazed'aiWt^imbted
ftem head to ft**,' burfaifdy^ififtg'
tip; from -my diair, I ran ftirioufly t(V>
wards hivr, almoft out of vty-xMtiAkt
Sir, fiSd I; whese are you gfctag at
this hour, and' -in this place? what -it
your. iatwtfionl? or what do yt>n ft*
quite of BTe?-^ Nothing, Mifs,re-
pfifed he, *k» tic* be amgry; vrtooM
&BO*rs*that I amihere : ;*yo«r J^tterttt
art in ctaivearfaribik wifh ttiy intctaddl
ipmrfc, and I have taken this >&ppo#tth
riity, with tfee pecmiffion 6f yotft^itaWbj
jfchd^has mbre compaffian th&VyOiif*
fiftf, ICMpafc 'from her roonl WJfctfft;
i»4th<>ut any fcteflgn to do yott» ihd* leaft
itf}tti?y$ is it poflibie, MiTs/'thbt j?#tt
can hateine tofuch a degt^i W*4tM
ybur own* lips to ebndeirin me 1 to a ba* 1
barous and cruel death, when you x h%vt
it fti ytfiir power to render me the hap-
f>ieft mart upon earth ?' Sir, <anfwetfed
i f in this 'place my hortbur k at fiafcol
fcod my character defends' ty> yofct-
good behaviour : how X*buld T ft 4j^p%trf»
to the eyes of the woM; il&i*ld foivH

teen

fcfeji.to g^ o#t oi-^^umtcr^cit &&
^6uf ?, aad[ ^hat , s w©uld v my parent*
fiudlc, if t they fhould furprife yQ&
here? your billet lias, already made?
them conceive fufpicions injurious ft)
my own and to your honour r alas!, fori
pity, Sir, if. you leave me \ unhappy *>
do not, by this imprudent ftep> ilijujtf:
my reputation : retire, Ibcg of yOW%
a time will come, ere long, tojuftifymy
proceedings, and convince you, that
your anger is.ynjuft.; but for heaven V
iake ? at. this time ihew your jegar d fe*.
nfe by withdrawing yourself. <)?$$4,
ctuef, replied he, I will obey*yop<it
i^utihls perhaps will be the laftliom^&
I (hall pay you of my profound refpetfty
becaufe/l cannot long out-live yp^ ;
cbhinknds : I will efpoufe the Ls^y;M^
fiiice you will have it 4b ^ but in jrcfl^jq
•penfce bf this cruel condefcenfion, grant)
m£, dear Mifs, at leaft one favour,
which I here implore at your ,fect— ^
to find* . dear Mifs, to find fome excufc : .
not to be pirefent to-morrow at the \c$c-
v^riiohy of niy marriage* your pre*;
fence at that time >would be a torment;
so iis berth; your prefence will endanger;
both my Trie and your honour j I have
not courage Tuftcient, . feeing you k>£-r ^
ioit^f ev^'fQ:gtv^ my hand- to m^

'

tfitftWs knees 1 clofe'to; my r fectj an<jt
sttft©ro\iity / kifltog hiy '^haftd — wjjcq[
Wb heard on a iuddenthe antt-c^mher,
ddor open, aiid my father prefentecj
fauhfclf before us. Miferable ilie 1 what;
ctfQld hfe think, finding us together ^
thtttftovrr, in that dark place, in that;
pofture^andboth'of us with the. tears,
in.our^yes? : I*yas always 'tolerably*
ready ^tt Uivehtloii in the iharjieft en?j
counters^ and to have ijcen confuted $b
that 'time would have teen the fame . ajl
declaring 1 myfelf guilty^ -1 turqft^
t&ttif fathet without ftefitatingf a inQ-j
ment, faying, Do, Sir, come 'here, '.'a^
deliver me from this importunate re? \
cj^Sfgf the Count,; for I do not feab^
wMtHer it will be agreeable to ybuf y
plfcSftSfev h<£ wants me to gb at tlys uiV T
ft afo liable hour, and without voytv,
confferit, to make a vifit to the Lady M^ f
jrtid to let her know that lam agreea^le^
to their nuptials, and do not enyy Jipr (t
condition ; not confidering at the fanic. (
tirito that I am indifpofcd, not dp t A
know if LihaU.be able to-morro\y to
have the pleafure of being j^refeiitj a^ j
tlief celebration of their nuptials.; | V^f % lc
favour, replied my 'Either, whic^ f tj^y
Count ddares of you, i% aotinreafoii-
^. : »ble f

able, and 1 came Jicrc alfo at this time

ipr . the . fame purpofe,, hecaufe I think

yoxp prefence will be necefliry ; iutag

you find yourfelf indifftafed, it. would

be better for yxra at prefent to retire to

reft, that you may be morfcable to*

morrow to ailift at the csnemony 5 and

it would have beeh more to the credit

of the Count, if he had iparedhimfotf.

this trouble : of your ihonour - $ Sw 9 A

never doubted, near do Idoubit it ijibw *

but the lefs occafion we give for fean*

dal^.il wilL be the better .for lis all;

3£bur.' obfervation, .Sir, replied the

Caimt, is very juft, and we .'uadoaabc^

.edly ought to be very carefwl hoyr *we

'furnHhflanderous tpngues with 311- op~

■portunity to fpread their poifoir^ bus

.where innocence is accufed^ and,ui>

juftly loaded with calumnies, the mbutltf

of the malicious, lhould be ftopt by &

proper Yefentment: I have dfcfpofed?

Ithem till this time by not minding what

they laid, becaufe in fo doing I: have;

.continued in your favour^ but if L

fhould happen to be deprived of thaty

I know not to what extremity, my paf^

fion might carry me. /I

t approve of iyoiir courage; added*

my father,, but I. define that your aAL-'

*au& may be. regulated by prudence ;wfc

.*■:•; " tyuft

( *57 )
tfttfk m ybu, I dfecm- joe, : I fore
you, and um forry that it is not ill
my power to compleat your fcap-
pinefe, by giving you Mift In mat>
riage ; but confider, Sir, that by fo
doing fihouid have tl^e aiortificatiaa
to fee both her and you become the ri-
dicule of all France, for already fome
French wit* has taken upon him to write
Mifs jyArviHe's adventures, and has
•compofed a romance, in titled, " The
Wandering Daughter/' From this ti-
rip you may be certain that the book
will do her but little honour ; therefore
we mull aft with caution, and not give
the author the pleafure of feeing this
his wicked invention credited as genu-
ine : I have no occafion to mention hie
name, becaufe you are both already
fufficiently acquainted with him $ but
Vou will be fully revenged in making
him appear a lyar. There was more
faid on this purpofe, from whick
Count Termes did not doubt that
the author of this romance was the
Marquis B. C. my fuppofed coufin,
and, by the variation! of his cpuntew
fiance, I guefled that he wias bent upon
revenge, and I wiflied for the <3ppottu^
nity of being with hira-aione, to pacify,
by prudent refle&ions, his juft ffcfent-
ftaent; but he # after continuing fome
Vol. II. P tint

,_,.. ink] # .

jhis 'W?v? and .departed ; niy Father alS
retired without feying any more to 1 me
at that time, and I feated myfelf agalp
upon my chair, tq reflett on what haij
happened, and on the mortifipatjpa I
iras to undergo the jiext ipornipg., /

Dreadful Accidents which interrupt '$$

Nuptials of Count Termes, end endanger

K his Liberty. / • -. '^ ^

it/fc L E;i pafi that night w^jfe
^V\r ; nxal refleaions, Countferin^
fvjis expofed to the N moft terrible d^nj*
$£T9lpi which I was not informed tUt
-flbfi'nejft day. : when he departed from
auy xcjomit was about nine .o'cloqk^^j
n^g|iL .ai^J the moon (hone fo fer®h,|
th#t jie.icould clearly diftingulili ^v^yr
thing around him : he left us, asf I
twvs already, obferved, with thp fting
frljxh heart againft the Marquis B. C,
my fuppofed coufin y nor was hesgb£
<weijf#. yards from our houfe when,; .as
change would have it, .he met him alpt>f
30jl on foot : they knew, each other
Qf$e£tly well by. the brightnefs of tjiff
a»jpp^- the Count pretended not { p

f^ttelVfamtib^ aijd intended if jpp.ffi-f
e^o tvoid fpeaking to him $ but the
r i'i ♦ ^ ^ Marquis

( 159 )
Marauis fa an fnfoleat' msuiner thus ac-r
ii&ed hiin with a fttei^ WelVCourit*
feid fee, .What kMi/s ITArville abouff
what is her opinion of thefe your ideal
nuptials ? will you wait for her in the
firft campaign in Italy to demand p r 64
per fatisfa&ion ?

At this infult Count Termes could
not contain himfelf any longer ; Un-
worthy wretch, replied the Count in a
t age, of you I expeft fatisfaflion for
the injury done to one of your Equals**
He then fell back a couple of fteps, and
drawing his fword, attacked tht fyfo£
^fUis, who was already in a pofture fef
defence : the Count being encoura^ecl
by the juftice of his caufe, made all hid
ffirufts with an irrefiftable force; ' tfcd
Mat qui* wounded him in the tfrigfc, 1
knd himfelf a little after received a vkri
Jeht puih from the Count, which laid
him on the ground expiring, for the!
fword had paffed quite through his* bo J
dy, and he furvived but a' few momenta
after.* My lover having almoft ietftm-f
guiflied his anger in the blood of the
Marquis, haftened to his lodging;
which was not afar off, as feft as his?
wound would permit •> here He put
himfelf to bed, and inftead of getting
his wound dreffed,' began QOfoHV ttriV

tj^at he c^uld not any k^ge^c^^^
wttaiafety at vemilfes, and that c#ery
fjrpfpe& of marrying me was now at <m
^a4> thought . himfelf acquitted frp
any obligation of marrying . the Lady ,
M, out of a compliment,, and he fouqd
DQoreconfolation £ron> this te ft thought
than trouble from the other two; tau*
as h* liad no time to lofe hi thefe reftec*
lions, and. every ihort delay might en*
dagger his fecwity, he determined to
t^ke the. advice of a worthy friend, and
immediately difpatched a feryant *p
Mr. D* Aware, who fortunately -at.tha*
<im£ happened to be at Versailles* this
TSioft generous friend hearing of tte
Count ^simisfortune, .hurried away . to
^k lodging, dreffed .o&ly inhiimor^-
»lg-gown jand nighNcap, being Athefr
<)Z> the point of goiqg to bed; when, hi
fcctnd thfjCount in that fitoation* with
iiis^fwound yet undrefled and running
with blood, it added to his concern *
and the Count beginning to relate t^e
circurafiances of the affair to him* ^
liave Something elfe to think of ft this
time, faid he, ; let us firft get your
wound dreffed and your life rn fccurji-
ty^^cv every thing elfe there is no fear
otfa.yttiedy > you have in rae a real
.{/: "' friend,

*>r e*$ericbs to fej^ypu. iJ Hq ! !taffl(tf

dt^tely fent for a furgeort, ^Uo gave ki$

opinion that the wound was not dan*

gpirous, and affured them that in 3.fort-f

night's* time it would be perfectly heal*

tdi After his wound was dreffed, aha

4*^had related to^his friend the occafioji

of it, who fhould appear upon tK<S

ffairs'but an officer, attended with at

guard of foldiers, and who fcjipe to ar^

jfeft hint by order of the court. ThiA

feonfequences of a duel being extremely

^fei%erous to the party furvivfiig, ajld

Sufficient to prove the ruin of not only

bne perfbn, but of a whole family, Mr*-

JVArcore gave the officer a meeting £t

the head of the flairs, ^nd aflced "hip*

"ifrtfh the greateft civility, what was Kis

^pleafiire, or what bufinefs he,cam<j up-

. on ? The officer feeing Mr. D'Arcors

in that drefs, and concluding from tK^

queftion that he muft be Count Ter-

nies, of whom he had not v the. ^eaft

knowledge, even by ,fight; anfw&red

'Trim? with the fame civility, I amfi>rryj f

\Sir, that .having now the hbnout of

feeing you for the firft time, J have

;tjie disagreeable talk to inform jrou*

/that I have orders in the King's haiite

\tosarry youprifonex* to the Baftile.

■ li; . P 3 Mr.

, fcfbiyArW»e finding that tttb mfaSk,
in foppofing him to be the <2&ttnt,
jyrouiti be a fevauraWe circumftaiiGefio
hbfrknd, did not let iHp this prohiif-
ing opportunity of fecuring his libet-
Itpi 4ntt anfwered the officer, that \ he
*ould ofcey the King tbe more wifluig-
\y s as he knew hinifdf no ways b&raq-
able to awerit this chaftifemeftt .flTJifc
laid, with a familiarity as if he had betti
iflrhfe dwn houfe, he opened the Cbant'i
i&rfik, put a fuit of his cloaths ttfi,
«hioh afccordtag to his ftati^re fitt«9
hilrl t&rk&ly, made up « bundle of
Mnetv and afked, if he might be £er*
fitted to tefce with him one <&f lii s
fertrants? Ihen pretendihg to giv6 feme
Jec*# ortders to his fervant that was to
«co*ipany him, he font the Cowht
w*frd r ttf Whgt had happened, td givfe
MW iimci u»der favour of the night,
&1fly tti fbme place of fafety. TWs
dffmtagem had its deiired effe&j Mr.
B'Arc^ps *as condu&ed to the guarifc-
fc&tffe, ftt>m whence in the mornasg *he
was to go to the Baftile : he had no
fcontrleft the. houfe than the Count
had nottefe, and mounted in a poft*
eft*i&, he was at/thegate of Paris by
lh# tecfate <rf. day,- artd» from *he»c4
tftefft dire&ly to the houfe of the

Duke

C(a*g))

flriaere life aeinained; without ftp}t one

Jkirowinglo «dbaft place he had ilowiu

i Jn the mean white, to retjirn to my-

fetfi. the- day broke, and I ftill rpmain-

>cd in the chair on which I had feafced

niyfHf (she evening before \ I wasfuiv

pari&d that morning on hjfariiig.Ma-

dam Cafkrdo. enter my room ixmer

.than ordinary, btit imagined that her

bufinefs was to cferefi me, that I might

f be ready for the amsanony of A-ady

M'snmptials; but, ialas! whattamiiks

iarcrfe rfixddenly within me, whan I bo-

hrid hdr pale and confufed, almoftau*-

^le.to titter a word. Have .you aot

*&caard r Mifs, feid fhe> that thtf . very

alight the Marquis B. C/ has fought ;a .

idaci'jwitb Count Termes, aajtcLwas

kilted * on the fpot ? the . Go&nt .was

wounded in the thigh, and by effdejstof

iheCourf is committed to thefiaftile. x Tte

ia»expefted horror of this aews, gwen

me ail in one breath, and rebt^d to

irie aft that time when I wa*.w£3kfenfti

•wit& the agitation and grief of the paft

Eight, had fuch an effeft upcminy fpir

rltsv that I fwooned upon the: t:hairj

and remained aboye ara fam&Jb)jfeh&,

1 am not om of thofe ! wc*aaeri wb® can

..:. -7..V faint

*lkbt4(ndW'.tiif(trl foiradfcfentibiied &qo&
fhf r= circumftance -of that fort in :*h#
wh^fe courfe of my adventures ;•&&
here, truth !coramands me to meatloif*
H> iar had I not been uneonuiK&rily*
moved on thii alarming occafion, I nuxw
^tfrfcatnly have appeared; infenfibleiiate
the eyes of all the world* When f w«r
turned to myfejf, with the affiftamce ofi
Madam Caferdo and the reft of the fef
rikily, (a dubious were the fentiments
crfiinyicrol that I- did; not 'koowwhe*
thcrtftts accident 6ught mofbta afflict
or comfort me ; I faw the fire of injmy
and flander extinguiihed by the blood
of the greateft villain amongft my ene-
mies, who had perfecuted me for fe-
yfcrah yeans pail; and the nuptistfs 'ot
iny loiter with the Lady M. myVival,
deferred, and perhaps broken off for
ever: I conceived alio, by the death of
the Marquis B. C. fome hopes of My
Being hereafter more contented : but,
oh the other hand, how could I rejp.ic<j>
at the* death of a man without render-
ing myfclf in fome degree culpable?
£nd was there not reafon for me to fear
rthatjiis death would be fatal even to
C^ovuii Terhp ? could I be fureuof Ms
life 1 wheft he was wounded? and by
Tij) ^ . his

his irrrihncnt, c^lrl I tt>neri¥e *n^
hopes o£ his liberty ? ^Thefe ittttJrfal
druggies of my mind tbntinued l ail
that morning, till towards twelve
•'clock, when we firfk heard of the w*
tifioe made ufe of by Mr* D'Arcore td
fecute the liberty of hi* friend/ add
that Oram Termes had fortunate^
made his efcape. This news refloated
me from death to life, asid I comfort*
ed myfeif with the hopes, that Mn
D'Arcore, as foon as oppoitaitity of*
fered, would pay me a vifit, and in*
form me niord fully of the particu*
lars« • :o

:■.-.. CHAP. xXm.

%$t8sJtmmraMt to me predmd by (be
Death ef the Marquis B. G.

AFTER the miferable death #F
the Marquis B. C. iny nio'ft
tiroublefome circumftances begari tb
change face $ yet I fhall mention tntth
Tittle by little as they occurred, becaufe
misfortune rufhes forward like the
wind, and profperity is flow in its
courfe, like a fhip againft wind and
tide. The accident of that 'night mad?

£i^*oife at terfamW^but 1. had &&
plealttfe of hearing the world declai^
in favour of Count Termes. Such is *
the condition of vice, that when chaf-
tifement is infli&edon it, either from
the jiiftice of the World, or from that
of heaven, the vicious alfo hive; thfe*
preftunption to affume a face of hlntiV
cence, and no one fcrupled to fay,' thit
the Marquis deferved death long be-
fore, and what other end could he ex-
pert from his wicked proceedings ?
every one pretended that they had fore^ v
told' it more than, once, and the yery •
wretches that aflifted him in his wicked;
fchemes. either through fear of offend-
ing him, br to fatisfy their own wicked
indications, were the firft to e£pqfe~
life iniquity, and juftify my inhbce r ht|
eohcfauft. I know not what my parents^
thought of his death, becaufe they
-were very cautious in concealing from
my eyes every fentiment of their fouls,
which was not regulated by the maxims
of honour, ,

In talking to me of the fa&, tjiey '
praifed the courage of Count Termes,'
but wiihed that he had a#ed with a Jitr '
tie more prudence. They were pleated
to r fte, i: with the blood of the Marqtiis/
thtf r ftain wiped away from their glory,

and

. by fo doix\g p he, had put, the Jvnfliiflg;

^ftrbfce to his own ruin* miffing the t>p-
pprtunity of fuch a noble alliance, and
deprived himfelf of ever feeing me a-
gaii}. This was the point which affe# T
cdLine more than all others, and gave
njS no fniall uneafinefs ; ,the only fatifr
faftion which I enjoyed was in knowing
Count Termes to be fecure from the Ht
gour of the law, but did nQt know in
what place he refided, nor did 1 knpw
in what ftate his wound was, or.whei
tj>er he .was. well provided with,neeefla-
ries for his efeape from France.; I flat*

- tered myfelf in the midft of thefe per*
plex^ties with the hopes that Mr. D'Ar^
cqre ihould foon be with me togiveri^e
f^m^Jiewsof the affair, and,.ia4&i q$
btout mid-day, I was informed of . his;
being in the Duchefs's apartment, and
that in a ftiort time he would wait upo^
me. So defirous was I of feeing him*,
that, till he came, every moment fe^iii*
ecUo me an hour. I did not wait long
before he arrived, and, at presenting
himfelf to me, Mifs, faid he, you , and,
I may fhake hands, for the fraendihip
of Count Termes is equally fataj.tp ali*
wWwiffa him well ; he has lulled * ^V

)j^

and I amaccufed for it $ I was inhishooft
to get his wound dreffed, and the

fiards, by miftake, took me for htm.
protdied not to have merited fuch
treatment, yet they conduced me to
prifoo, and it is well for me that I am
xuiiverfally known at Verfailles, or elfe
perhaps I fhould have been baniihed or
put to death for it. He then informed
me of every particular that had hap-
pened, and {hewed me a billet from
the County which he received two hours
Jaefore, in which he mentioned the
place of his refuge, and defired that
Mr. D'Arcore would make it his bufi-
*iefs to inform me of every thing, He
told me alfo what the Duchefs, my mo-
ther, had faid on this affair 5 the fenti-
>nents, faid he, of theT)uchefs fill mc
with good hopes, (he having talked to
me about Count Termes, with fuch e-
fieem for his courage, as gives me reafon
to believe that flie thinks herfelf obli-
gated to hirp ; lhe even aflted me if the
Count was not in want of money, and
would have given me an hundred pi-
Holes to have conveyed to him fecretly,
without letting him know that it came
from her hands; but, in his name, I
thanked her for the generous offer, and
told her that Count Termes wanted for

nothing,

f

nothing, for that 1 Iraki given -Mm -five
hundred ptftolcs, in orcterthat, after
nxjr arreftmeat, he might take the
road for Holland : She readily gpve
credit to what I told her, and believes
him to be feventy leagues off r for the
^Security ,of my friend it Is abfclutely ne-
ceflary thatfuch news fhould be fpread
aboui/and thefecret of the piac<J t*f
Wjs refuge oirrft remain between us two
Only. His fudden departure from this
kingdom will fbew his refpeft to thd or*
der of < the court, nor can x better in&*
thod be taken to implore his pardon I
The farther off he is fuppofed to be>
tits lefsrpaihs .will the fpitefui fiunily of
tie Marqufc BrC take to g& himi pu*
niihed. , In tkc while I ftiali not cdafe
*o> employ myfelf in his favour at an/
sxptencfe whatibever ; even- the Duchefs
has promifed to hare his welfare at
heart : all the world fpeakt in his fa-
veto, and the Duke, his protestor, bids
him keep up his fpirits* In ihort, M2&,'
all will be fettled in time, and I hope
yet to fee him your hufband.

, To thofc whofe hearts are ftifoeptihle
of tendernefs, I have no occ ' ''on to ofc-
ferye, how much I thought it .ny duty
to efteem *M r, D' Areore : 'tis knpoffi-
lie to dricribe t&e pleafure J reaped

v - ^ Q^ from

( -17° )

fi-otai tttis acccnint 6f the fecurity of my
loter, and how much to his prudence,
generofity,* and love, I reputed myfelf
obligated. After having thanked him
in the beft manner I was able, I begged
of him that he would bring me what-
ibever news he fhould have from Count
Termes ; he promifed me that he would
be continually going from Verfailles to
Baris, and from Paris to Verfailles, to
inform me of all that happened, and
whatfbever affair required his prefence
at Lyons, that he would not go until
he faw me quiet and contented. •
, 'If there exrfted in the world many
friends of this fort, it could not juftfy
any longer be called a world of mifery
^#d w.oa: To have it in their power
to do good to others, is the fortune of
itiany, but to have the heart to do it, is
the glory of but few. A generous foul
generally wants wealth, and where
riches abound, vile intereft frequently
preyails ; but few, perhaps, are the be-

, nefeflors iii the "world, becaufe few afe
the objects which merit their benefits ; .
thefe were the refleftions which parted
in my mind for fome time after Mr.
jy Arcore departed .with intention to go
tfrd ne£t motoring to Paris. Two days
afttt I was vifited by Janefon, and Mift

* . . Gianetton,

f

(170

Gianetton,whocametoVerfaille$exprefsr
ly to fee me ; the heavens, Mifs, faid they,
at'firft fight of me, has revenged your
injuries with the death of the Marquis
B. C. the protestor of thofe three
wretches, who fcandalized your charac-
ter, and from that moment to this they
have altered their way of talking ; ne-
verthelefs they ought not to be trufted ;
a perfon of your authority and charac-
ter, ought not to fuffer them to go un-
punifhed. They have publifhed 3 book
under the title of " The Wandering
Daughter," which does you but little
honour, and had you no other reafon,
for that only they merit your refent-
ment. Here I interrupted them by px-
preffing a defire of feeing the : hook.
We are fatisfied, Mifs, faid jfanefon,
that your requeft is very reafonable,
therefore I have not the leaft difficulty
in putting you to a trial which none
would be capable to undergo with pa-
tience, but a* woman of your wifdom
and fpirit ; here is the book, Mifs,
faid he, taking it out of his pocket and
prefenting it to me,, read it Mils with-
out fretting at the contents, becaufe a
bad book difcredits itfelf, and the ig-
norant fpite of the author will plainly
tend to your juftlfication. I laid the
Q^2 book

(■»7* >

bpofc, w.tfre tabk at that time without
even looking, into it, and dLfcourfed
with them about their own affairs, and
told them, that fpr the love they had
ihewed to me on other occafions, they
merited my attention, I had therefore
proje&ed a match between them, which
might be the making of their fortune,
arid io my prefence, without more hc-
iitation, it was concluded : Being bound
to provide for their mantalnance, I had
already fpoke to Mr. D'Arcore tp pro-
cure fome employ for Janefon, and he
Jiad defired me, when I fhould next fee
Janefon, to fend him to him, that they
might confult together bn the meafures
proper to be purfued ; accordingly, be-
fore they left me, I gave Janefon a bil-
let, with orders to carry it to the palace
pf the Duke of * * *, where he would
"be certain to meet with Mr. D'Arcor*.
When they were gone, I topk up the.
book with an eager impatience to pc*
rufe it j I found it printed with an anci-
ent date of fome years, to make it ap-
pear as if it had been wrote for fome o-
ther end, and had not been intended
for a review of my condu&. Of the
ftite, or invention,"! profefs myfelf n*>
judge, but as for the fubftance of the
work ^ it contained more falfity than
. words,

f

( 173 )

words, and none better than myfelf can
teftify in that point. In fhqrt, it was a
compofition of lies founded upon ma-
licfe, and had not the leaft appearance
of truth : to confront it to thefe my
Memoirs, will plainly evidence this
truth. Thus much I thought neceflary
to obferve, left fome one, hereafter, en-
vious of that little glory, which 1 1 may
poffibly obtain from this my fatigue,
might alledge, that from that book I
have copied my adventures, to gain to
myfelf the title of a woman of fpirit.

chap, xxrrr.

»

Permiffion given me by my Mother tb
retire into a Cloyjter. [ *

MR. D'Arcore returned next week
to Verfailles, and after com-
forting me with the good news of Count
Termes* better health, which* mended
apace, he ftiewed me a billet which he
received the day before, and which held
him in fome fufpence, becaufe he did
not know how to anfwer it till he had
firft commitnicated it to me to know my
fentiments j he came from Paris ex-*

0^3 ffcffly

( 174 5
preflty for this purpofe^andthebiltetiiu
queftion faid as follows :

" Dear friend,

" The grcateft favour that can
come to me from ^ou, js that of being
treated with fincerity : in a few (Jay? I
fliall be perfectly cured ; but what fig-
nifies my life and health, if I lo£e alt
hopes of my dear Mifs D'Arville. Ufe
all the means in your power to difcover
iphat is to become of her. If fhe is noC
to be mine, I will at leaft have the plea-
fure of adding to the death of the Mar*
quis B. C. that of Tartar, Albevit, and
Nimar, tocompleat, with their blood,
hers and my juft revenge. If I muft
depart banifhed from all France, I will
at leaft leave an example that will teach :
others how to refpeft innocence. If;
you are my friend, you muft deter*
name my perplexity upon this point*
as to me, there is but little wanting to
<: ompleatmy deiign.

Adieu/' .

The billet threw me into the greateft
confufion : No, faid I, immediately .
to Mr. D'Arcore, I will not have him
commit this outrage, and I hope he
will obey me, unlefs he has loft all re-
gard

gardformy perfon and. quiet: I can*
not promiie to be his, becaufe I am not
at my own difpofal; but I can fafely
fwear, that if I am not his, I fliall ne*
ver beanothers : and this ought, to be
fufficient to make him lay afide tliefe
barbarous ideas, and induce him to
give me the confolation of feeing him
happy in the World, if I cannot have
that of being his wife : tell him, in my
naipe, to leave to heaven the care of
puniihing thofe villains, for we have
no right to require mens lives, though
they are ever fo wicked, their wicked-
uefs will, in the end, be their own ex-
ecutioner ; and by their carrying it to
excels, they will, at laft, meet with the
puniihment infli&ed by the laws of
their country : let them live; and let
him think of getting cured, and of
obtaining the King's pardon* and ftill
continue to love me, for I will preferve
my oath even at the coft of my life,

Mr. D'Arcore was pleated to fee my
maxims agreeable to his own and con-
fiftent with reafon, and promifed tQ tell
Count Termes all that I had faid; then
took his leave -with intent to fee me
again the week following.

The billet remained in myhar^s ;
foi* after I had read it I put it carefefly

into

( i?6> .
into my pocket, and Mr. D'Arcore ei-
ther forgot it, or did not care to afk it
of me again : this negligence coft me
many tears; but fo great was my con-
fufion on the reading of it, that I did
not then know what I did. In the mean
time my mother advanced faft in her
pregnancy, and on this depended the
permiffion I defired to" retire into a
cloyfter ; neither, the Duchefs or the
Prince had fpoken to me any more
about that head, nor did I mention it
to her, becaufe the face of things be-
ing changed, I waited to fee how Count
Termes' affairs would end ; and my
mind was more at eafe, becaufe there
wks another alliance on foot between
the Lady M. and the Baron of R;
which in a few weeks was not only pro-
pofed but celebrated : her nuptials drew
from my heart a dart which had pierc-
ed it a long while^ and removed one
obftacle to my felicity; and if another
marriage which was talked of, between
the Marquis of M. her brother, and
th* fitter of the Baron R. beforementi-
oned, had likewife taken place, it
would have added greatly to my fatif-
fadHon. Notwithftanding the Duchefs
my mother had been fo long filent with
me upon this point, (lie one day gave

me

( *77 )
me motives to renew the memory of
thofe inclinations which made me figh
far the quiet of a monaftery ; not that
I had chofen a retirement on account
pf the nuptials of Count Termes with
Lady M. it was a refolution fuggefted
to me by prudence, honour, and love :
in whatsoever manner my mother un-
<Jerftood it, Child, faid lhe to me, I
plainly fee that you want to give the
world an example of your amorous fi-
delity ; I have not in the world any
uxors children, and if I ihould have
pother hereafter, it might diminifh
my grief in being deprived of you, but
would nevertheless make me very unea*
fy ; and to "be plain with you, I can-
apt refolve to confent to your marriage
with Count Termes, his circumftance*
^.t prefent render it almoft impoffifc>le,
and you. paffing for daughter to the
Puke, my firft hulband, would make
a bad figure in the eyes of the world,
by accepting in marriage a perfon that
killed your coufin $ notwkhftanding
this, who knows? with time we may
fee ftrange alterations; nor would it be
a- matter of wonder to me to fee this
alfo: the neceflity to,which you are re-
duced, either to marry the Count, or
to retire into a cloyfter, are both equal -

- l y

(i 7 8)

ly painful to me; not to tell you that
they are both impoffible, but, of the
two, I would rather fee you a nun than
a wife.

Well, Madam, replied I, throwing
myfelf at my mother's feet, and em-
bracing her knees, what you have to
refolve, refolve now, dear mother,
and diminifh my affli&ion; if I am not
to be the wife of Count Termes, I ihall
never be wife to another, I have vowed
it to him, and I vow it to yourfelf ; and
you can, if you pteafe, take from me
this miserable life, but you can never
force me to perjure myfelf : I have the
courage to convert this neceffity of my
circumftances into an a& of voluntary
virtue : if you expeft from me an heir
to your family, undeceive yourfelf; the.
happy event of your prefent fituation,
will, I hope, make you the more rea-
dily comply to my reafonable defires ;
dread, Madam, the difappointment of
your own hopes, if you oppofe mine,
and ufe me with violence : not expouf-
ing Count Termes, I will obey you as
a child ought; but if you deny me
the grant of a cloyfter, to oblige me
to marry another, you will not treat
me as your child; nor will I move from
your feet till you refolve me : do, dear

mother !

( »79 )

mother! 1 conjure you by thefe moft
bitter tears, with which I bathe your
hands, to determine my fate : what a
barbarous pleafure would yours be, by
not granting my requeft, to fee me die
before your eyes with grief! what will
the ftep-mothers do, when our own mo-
thers a<ft with fuch cruelty ? or what
might I expe<ft, had I been daughter to
the Duke, a hufband fo much hated by
you,- when you treat in this manner
the daughter of the Prince of * * * *,
the firft and laft objed of your tender-
nefs ? I would have proceeded further,
fo many were the tender fentimentsfug*
gefted to me by my paffionate heart ;
but was interrupted by my mother,
raifing me from the ground, I will fa-
{Ufy you, faid fhe, and from this mo-
ment I promife you that you are at li-
berty, when you pleafe, to retire into
a cloyfter : do not call me cruel for
this.; I have been alfo in your cirCum-
ftances, yet I ftill loved the Prince more
than myfelf, and facrificed my perfon
to the Duke becaufe prudence would
have it fo ; nor can it be doubted, that
in. fo doing I merited the bleffing of.
heaven, which in time found means to
reward my love : my example ought
to give y oii courage to wait alfo with .

paticQce

circa

patience fot the ^ouapfetlon of your
wiflies*' but asyott'&re determined^ by
this hafty ftep, to ctrt off bath ycmf
own and my hopes, you way depend
upon it that I ihall not oppofe it ; but
if you fhould hereafter have rcafon to
repent it, remember that yoa/ cart
Wamenoone butyourfelf. Wkhfthefe
words the Duchefs left me * but noN
withftanding the impreffion which Jra?
difepurfe made on my foul, I was not
at all reconciled to the notion of giv-
ing my hand in marriage through mm
live* of mere policy, in hopes q{ meet-
ing with another more to my &ti*fe&k)n
after his death ; I thought this entirely
contrary not only to the*maxin|s &
reafon, but even to the right of nafciK*!
how wi-eohed muft be Che life <&£ it>bAi
linhappy woman, whofe fole preyfjM&Sfc
of content depends upon the i death ttf
her hufband ? this would be verifying
the vufgar proverb, that women count
but two days of felicity in their whole
life, which are, that in which they<ati&
ntttried, and that in which their hus-
band dies. My refolution being fixed;
I determined to go into a cloyfter to
prefervc myfelf faithful to Count Te*^
me$; and having obtained my mothetf*
permiffion, I thought, from that mo-

* -fluent

( 181 )

ment \ I had lefs reafon to repine at the
feverity of my deftiny : this was the
principal ofcjeft of my thoughts, I con-
tinued to love Count Termes, but with
a firm refolution not to fee him any
more ; with the hopes that this fepara-
tion would contribute, in the end, to fix
in me an efteem *for him, fincere and
lading, and which might be rather a
pleafure than pain to myfelf.

G H A P. XXIV.

Illnefs of my Mother, occafioned by her
Mlfcarrying, which makes her change
her Opinion in regard to me. '

MANY days did not pafs after
my laft conference with the
Duchefs, before the news of my refolu-
tion was publickly fpread about * and
i I was obliged to put up with the impor-

i tunities of many who endeavoured to

V difuade me from it : the moft fervent

in this office was Madam Cafardo, who
wondered that a mind like mine could >
be capable of fuch a weaknefs; (he
wiihed me to be married to fome no-
ble perfonage, by whom I might be
maintained with great splendor and
magnificence; and at the fame time told
me, that there now remained not even
Vol. II. R the

Jhe nioft diftgnt p*6y>ec* of my nupti-
als With C<ytmt>Teh^^ 2nd tSiPm
fuffieierit for me to^ive a fhrewd gueB
frowl What quarter flie received hef inV
#ru#ioris 5 and exckrfive of her afting;
rhus in obedience to my mother's direct
tlpos, Hie had alfo, in fpeakirig'thtis te>
jnei a private view to her own trite WiJ^
expeijtuig that on my fortune fieri 'aH9
depended: fhe entertained great expect
tations. from the promifes of my pa-
rents, ai well as from thofe of fbnie*
other pofon whom ihe pever named i&
me, and who ainled to mafry-nie to*
Obtain the title and eftate of my m<?^
ther, In cafe (he (hould not have a; niaf£
chiy by her fecond huflbaikL I could'
never •find out who this other preteridfcF
w£*, but Madam Cafardo gave hn&$&*
highcff character imaginable, ThorajrP
iny parents never mentioned htm ]to :
aite, her perfuafiom had not the fcaf|.
effeft upon my mind ; my atnfwers'
Wefe f ths^t my mother was under a ne-
, cfeffity to Jceep her word, for I efqu
had chbfe the place of my retirfcmen^
arid this was to be in Rome where I wai 5
bdril ; and to this my proposition my. 1
mother had given her confent. Witfc*
Coij^t Ternies I wanted no longer atfjr 1
c6htitd^dxt f iXQt even by letters j : iwd v
,,. )^,-;it - • ' -aitH^K 1

p

-;;r.V:l-T. ". ; lc?-?i;V^ »■ It-fit/ ■

although jlVfr. P'Xrcqre, bepecf it pt
pie as a favour, he.copld not induce mq
tp write to him a Jingle line, notwijh*
Standing any news of him was extreme*.
Iy agreeable * I was alfo under obliga-
tions to him for the favours conferred
upon Janefon, by die Puke of • * * ft
fm prote&or, who had given him a
place in quality of Keeper of a mag+,
nificent Library, with a penfion fum-,
cient to maintain him and his fpoufe hx
a genteel and decent mariner. On my,
being informed of this by Mr, V* Ar 7 ,
core, I defired him to thank the £ougt
in my name, and to affure him, thit.jt
fhould love him till death, and preferve
inviolably my oath of, fidelity* bu£

bagged". °f ^ im *° gi ve °^' *1\ J 10 ??*
of pe/ng my hufband, or of cyer.fpe-.

nig memore- -\.

; My unchangeable obftinacy ha<S tV
ken a great effe& on the health of 4ny.
mother, and fhe fell on a fuclden into z
profound melancholy; neverthelefs ihe
ufed xnc with all the tendernefst>f a rap^
ther, but Ihe ftifled the caufe of fier
fqrrow within her own breaft, and kept
folopg her painful filence, that her af-
fUAion, of mind grew every day more
vftikle, and her uneafinefs weateieH her
fo much, as to render the affiftarice of
R 2 phy-

tHnefs''-t&riuiftstelL^fai'; i mifcairiagk

%hk:h; was very* inigh pr6ving>fatai,,fcD

her. ' 'Tisimpoffibleto defcl'ibcike^

fiiftion I laboured underwben IfafKjEnyh

felfiin ganger; of lofing heriAl loViri

hear £ov her amiable qualifications^ etem

%efdrc I knew her to be my mother/ witf

^after knowing her for fuch f to It&r fo-

ikity I facrificed ray-love, and for^hdr

fake wbuld. have laid, daiwn tay *ji&.

fetie ^erforis,3Histru«, mida-iro fer^pfe

^lild - feuit -with /this fnjr fipcerfcaad

ife#rt«feli grief, and aflerted^ thal^tfee

dffatfcof my mother would optfal&me

-s#heii road j^Drmy marriage withCewfrt

^^tie^me^, and the living 2 contented difc

sfbvtht futoe ^but with linle^irafitodid

Ahty obje<5l to my grief, tthrfn k was

j^ifrf^'itcr be feen, that the yery thought

-U^4dmg'fiich an amiable mother, fijfcd

t^e r with horror : My attention,, care^

^a*fti continual tears, might convince her

Vtif foy<gfiefJ<fhoukl any one hivefeien

kicked Enough, to make the leafcdou|)t

1 cif -my filial affetfion : For thre&xk^s

t> iadd three nights I did not movfcifroin

v&ettbe&tfne raqment ; Every caitopaffn

^<feftteci€aft!(af^hi2r-eyes £oft:mp ai&hod

, tifTOtaiftond: evsry /groan .prtmfidj^y

-'or: very

trafitfagfi berlfotpiiair0*er,iwy h^tti*tt

t$g«rtim£, and propdfcdtOirari^ilwaff

riagtf whoirtfcqver flic thought < rttofl:

propfcr; I fliould readily bare cttnfentefi

to aflty filing to havfc contributed tor h^r

leafe; IAt the end of three - days htfiiljh

piefe abated, and I fcadihe&tira&tofrtb

-hear r the phyficians pronounce her oi*t

of danger, a few. days after. She tJtefc

'began to think of rat, and calling nfc

ttae ^ay, after- dinner, to h«St Jted^ftfc?,

bpgsJt ttrrsfaibri with me thu&: i ihfrtfk

f'Gtod; ni3r cMid, I have rteoiScrtdr^A

)a?ctoigemus ilinefs, which Lfthdvtgfc

would have carried me to.my gftfcvt ;

■iueavenis witneft that my greate&vdxa*-

t>tib& Wastfeat of leaving ytitoj w hfecrofctfte

i^jtf^ktioirbf taming wtefc/iWtftfcftfe

zymar rdefKny »: I remember* ?tts trtie,

: j^rarrKefohxtion, and my pranife^ bpt

4ibw, when I have fo natrpwly efck^ed

from rdestth,- have you a heart to iavfclye

itaie' ia a trouble much morfe ^grficfViQpi

ntfiirD the firfl, by putting itvOttt/o<? hv£

<<£c5Weir to confider yote.as a rcJiilbjlvDf

mine: Heavens forgive me,. Ihoiild t

iferdak my word, but I would have you

refteft, that the uahappy stent $F j&jf

iiittifeft, puts, ine almdtuaddr. anvifldii--

v |jchfidbte^prcceflity > not < to imaiaiain tit i

■ - ■ * . not-

notwithftandirig you can ^o whatLhave

*; i ;*V r lO'' ?l w 'tO j W vT~ /§'• /■ Tilth < JT £ J

mfpfetfea m ftrai>ge hands, anabe.$e.-

SjrtveAof that comolation Tliaye fq j'ar-
ently (Jefired, of being blefled with a
r little grand-fon to inherit my ,'efyite^
and kfep up! the name of ;bur f ^ipi^r :
I fcel.royfelf jfenfibly declining.! hi ijtjy
"confutation,, with this my ardept^V^M/
: varn defire, the disappointment tfyKich,
| without doubt, will hafteri iny cle^th ;
but'you^ iny <6Kild f may rely on xjiy
word, that you Ihall be fatisfied^aHd
ecintented^ 1 fee, . ^iihout ,y,Qur telUjig
itto me^ I fee very plainly^ that . wp
niiy both , obtain! our defires, by my ^ r
f ^eeirig : to your nuptials wlth/Coi^f:
.Vermes g .if' ho entreaties o* perft^o#$
Will jpjreyai], efpoufe him! r#frjef 3 ,$%if
retire to a fglltude; I will rather fe^y^jj
in the strhis^f fucha hulband* out; $p
not expe$ that ^^th this I caii poffibly
iejpontented ^ Efpoufe. hijn , , my . child,
ifp6tife r h^ ? : if you.have. 4 the Jieart #»
difplpft ypur. father, and diihonoiar
your- mother, and .to fee her ih JiQr, cjqif? ,
fin before you. are' a wife. My reafoflS*
are already kqownto you $ it is notjpro-,
pef that ypu,flipy\d t parry the.^ui),
whorkilled :t ^p)it. CQufm .*, '.nor ts it j}f;4i<

viv 'for $e r io ^nake the, .wife/ *)£ a, f&s -,
•f-jowthvii--^;.- ■-••»- ;; dflt 7

I

3 'fl*ti J farta Who evtia >>£w i&.npt Bete/#d
**#fce my dhIlA;4he.Keijce6 v cJf Vroy tfqfr-
-Hirie^'and. laftly, ft is not .proper that
your father ihould draw upon himfelf
* the refentment of all the relationvof
the "Marquis B f/ C "by ufing his uitereft
16 1 ^ain a pardon . far Count Terroes;
KJ¥ thefe, refleftipnitake no efficft upon
'ytfur foul, pleafe yourielf at all events;
you will always be my child, and I (hall
always ]ove y#u as a mother ought to
*«do. ; I \lrill give you the Marquilueof
*Y*— — / id the kingdom' of 'Naples,. fo#
fo\!t:fotoiyr whichjvas. left weiy^ny
mother*, ;btit do jiot expeft, I ' tell you
'again, ever after to fee me contented.
My mother; by thefe" expreffiqjj*, fa
th* beftowing on me a giff , drpye[ij#
te the'neceffity not to accept cif ^ n ^
ttfeat&t hie with aj\ fweetnefs arid g&q4
nature- when Ihe .gavfe irie her peCpiify
fion to retire into a qloyfter, and t;hig
gave me fa much the more urieaiinejfei^
My anfwer was full of refpe&'and Joifej,
and with tears, I proteited llwou^ftofr
dHbbey her, even at the cdft of my ijfe^
I' added a thoufand reafons iii oppaf^iuift'
to hers, to alter her feritiments witljf
regard to Count Termes., but all were #i
vain, and, tp mitigate her Xri?^ Jt^4|j
even cohftralpe^^ prprii fte that i would
Jay -Wide all thoughts of a cloyfter.

Thus

.; ${& l am Igam a^>n^ ;6f ^
qoly comForly* that is,'. XM hopes of %<P
ftrving. myfelf fatthfial to Count 'TerftieS
all my life. My mother thoughj'itie
had made an extraordinary prdgrefs
with me, becaufe fhe was intetefted hi
a fecret match for me, arid whteh had
already been determined, and WaS'fitlly
jperfuaded, that having got ove* the fijrft
find moft difficult, ftep, it would not be
anppifible,, by degrees, to 1 get over thfc
others, by wnich mfeahs they flioiild be
qble, tp attain the end defired. :-

\ f .(^ Count Terrtes they did ndt fytkk
in Ver&illes, but as if ne had been in
KpUapd; Mr. D'ArC6re,and niy&lf
<pj>ly knew of his refuge in the palatce
^jljf > Dvifce of * ♦■ • his prottfftfer,
7 5y^o,Uted his utmoft endeavours ^at court
la^taln the Counfs pardoh, bift the
Rations of the Marquis B. C Wefefo
vigorous in their efforts to prevent it,
jyt&t.aU his trouble was in vain. The
JhUtude of Count Termes was lefs pain-
/{til to.i^m, becaufe he was not afaf off,
, Wid received from Mr. D'Arcore fre-
quent intelligence of my perfon. When
his affairs feemed but in an indifferent
Situation, he fuddenly received news of
the death of his eldefl brother, the
M^uis of Olme, who died without

iflue,

HTue^; in cpnfeqi^ence of which his whole
cttije'j devolved tp OSijflt ^6rme*/ r wHofe
affairs .upon tins changed face in an'ht-
ftant : 'henceforth he ought to be called
the Marquis of Olme, but, to prevent
any cci)fufion in my Memoirs, by gi-
ring .two., names to one per f on, I fhall
£W$iivue to call him, as before, by the
pame ,of Count Termes. His family
k#airs 9alled him to. Avignon, to which
place. 'he might go without fear, that
city,' befog fuj>je&, by antient right, to
the ' dominion of Rome, and confer
jgusntly for hiin a placp of feoirity.
Mr. D'Arcors was the perfon ^ho
.bpught me this news, aad came to take
li\s leave of. me, intending to accpriu>&-
2?y. Cqrint Termes to Lyons^aid ■-tiJ.Kfe
that opportunity to look mtp his b^h
affairs. It may e'afily be 'imagijiriOrofr
tjjis pews rejoiced me $ my mother hdb
would tell me no longer that it was ri6t
proper for /me to marry a cadet ; In tjte
ropp of this Jhe might perhaps ' fitfcj
fome [other excufe, but I could hot he(p
lookjng'upon this accident as a peculiar
token of the goodnefs of heaven* wnrdi
would not funer me to beeiitirgly'iati-

■ :r « !';. '.-'/'', ?\>1 ;?;'!;' -i" "en '■»./i r v

J fortunate Accident, iy Means of winch \
Count femes is called tack to Ver*
failles.

I DO not know Which way tovmb-'
ther got intelligence of the CouhtY
good fortune ! when ftie mentioned it
to me, I pretended to be ignorant of It,
the better to difcover her iehtiments ort
that matter 5 fhe aflfinred me that it gav6
hef the greateft pleafure, and even told *
liae," that When they could eet the cbh^ *
Tent 6( the relations of the Marqiri&
B;C arid Specialty that of the Prin-'
"cefs his mother, that they would not b&
avefft tb my nuptials with Cbtmt T^rftifes;
Ifhbugh his condition at pt-efent itia&r
this fthtopH impoflible : Thefe wottk of 1
my ftfothe* were a great advance tti-
wirds the half my defires^ but what
iflrertft could I have in his behalf With
the ¥t infcefs, and all her relations, *rho>
locked upon mfc as a fworn enemy bf ;
thfcfirfatotty, and would hot even fee me^
1 would have attempted to perfiiadfc her
with ifcafbn, had (he been a woitian of
feafe 4nd priidenee, but reafon had no
influence 6Wr her weak brain, and, to
tafe*Jfhih^ferk)ufly was of ^noiriore 4
^"^ fervice

( w >

fcrvice than talking to a block s If I had
even reduced Jier to • ccjmpaffion . and
tesu?, pne word from any of her waifcc
ihg-maids was fufficient to make her
dlfe&ly change thoughts. To-day ihe
would fay one thing, | and to-morrow
% wpujd. forget it f and tell me qtiif|
th^re^effc.; . -' ;;

[ To remove this infurmonntable ob-
liable tq my defires, nothing lefs could
hare availed than one of thqfe extraordi-
nary .cpmbinations of odd. cirwmJftan-!
• ces, which often does more is\ ft few
hours, than all the invention of h*mair
prudence could have brought about in a.)
long coijrfe of years ; A domeiftick of ;
the, Frincefs, my aunt, in whom, i flic
mi#h (^nfided/had gone off r w>i$h as
CQnficjeratye.fum of money and j^ste'jf
and ' tjjqugh the moft diligent fearqh^
hactbqepmade for him he coul<i- joot be.:
found. One day, when I Jjeaft e#pe#sd s
her, t was informed by a ferv»nf tfcafru
1h$ 0t in .perfon, defired tofpeak tQ rate*;,
This ' yifit furprized me, -beqaufe lit
thought it untimely, not haying te$a *
ea^hother for fofne time before, • on ae-. .
count .of the hatred betwepn us ; •! ad v
cepted jOf U with fbme foft of ag&atio^ ;
notknowing fopr yvh^jt pprpofeyi^?a«l^:u!
an^fear^ :^.r^)^^T^^}»d^

news:

** >. *

news : Dear niece, faid flie to* m£; as
foon asibe had fet down, if you don't
help me I am in defpair j' make them
bring me a little lemon water, or my
grief will throw me into coh^ulfions i
you know already the misfortune that
has happened me : will heatvdn pardon
*that villain ? I fhall not talk of the death
of my fon; heaven has ordained itfo,
and I am in cafe yet, thank God, to get

* more : we muft have patience ; let tis
fit on this couch, for thefe chairs are
too high : I am uneafy :...". !
bravo ! let us drink this water : ....
O ! me, they have put too much fugar
In it : Come, no matter, I was" going to
tell you of that unworthy wretch' that
has plundered me ; and you muft know
that it is not a trifle : I have had notice
this moment that he has taken the road
to Holland, where I do not know any
perfon that would take-hem up,' with the
plunder in his poffeffioil, unlefs' I have
recourfe to Count Termes, who ought
to know him, becaufe this wretch wafs
His fervant laft year : Dear niece, you

s muft take the trouble to write to him,
that 'he* may nlake ail poffibte ftarch ;
for me he ought to do it willingly, be^-
caufe you know that I have Always

"wifhed hhii for your J hufbandf- Pear

niece,

( m )

piec$,. I recommend this affair s to you t
Write with good ink; We ftialTfee eadh
other another time, then you may per-
h^psgiveme fome good news: at this
fhe went away, as ufual, without ever
making for my anfwer.
,' I fhould have reputed it a felicity for
rqyfelf, as. well as Count Termes, had it
been in his power to airreft the thief, but
of this there was no probability, be*
caufe Count Termes was not in Holland,
as they fuppofed ; and to write to hiqi
Jqr. this purpofe to Avignon, was un-
neceflary : Had it been in his power to
gain the good opinion of the princefs,
ftp would gladly have obliged her : In-
jeTpfVwas always her weaknefs, and* the
fV^yig' principle of all her family* For
ihq alv^ p took a greater pleafure inher
jewels ajfid money than in her children.
At prefent it was a misfortune for me
that Count Termes was not in Holland j
I would have perfuaded him at whatevdr
coil, .to have found out the thief ; but
fuppofing thistobeanimpofiibility, how
ihquld 1 aft with the princefs, who ex-
pected fome anfwer. It was not proper
tor me to tell her that the Count was not
IiVv 'BoUand, and refufe to difcover
«wliere he was ;..nor\ was, it proper for
iW to Ml her that he was, and that I
Vol. II* " ' " S had

}>ad wrote to him, becaufe the not'rS-
ceiving an anfwer favourable w her
defires, might irritate her the more. I
was in this uncertainty for four days,
very uneafy how to aft for the belt,
when unexpectedly I received a letter
from Lyons from Mr. D'Arcore, in
which he told me, that in his journey
to Avignon, in company with Count
Termes, they met with, at a little dis-
tance from that city, the fervant that
robbed the Princeis B. C. well known
by them both, and having heard of the
robbery twp days after they left Paris,
th?y had him taken up upon fufpicion,
a£d that by his confufion he prefendy
Moved himfelf guilty; that Count
Terines had in his hands all the jewels
and money, and therefore, defired me
to take this opportunity to employ my
iotereift in his favour.

This news gave me greater pleafure
than any circumftance that could pof-
£bly have happened : I began to think
in what manner it would be of fervice
to Count Termes, and after being ad-
vifed by the Duchefs my mother, I
went direflly to pay the Princeis a
yifit, whp no fooner faw me but (he
rail to. meet me. ,j)ear niece, faid ihe
injariediately, have you brought me any

good

i m >

good news concerning my jewels ? I
think it almbft, impoflTble fot you tb
have an anfwer from Holland fo Toon :
— a diih of chocolate for my nfece — ^
but mind, of that which I drink my-
felf • v . ♦ . What do you fay, niece, of
thefe chairs ? are they not more com-
modious than yours ? well ; but what
news have you got ? in which manner
have you got it fo foon ? — Madam,
faid I, joking, it was enough when
the pojft-man knew it was for you, to
make him go like the wind to accom-
plish your defires : what will you give
me, if in the term of ten days I can re-
turn you all your jewels and money,
without even the lots of twenty piftoles?
What lhali I give you ? replied fhe,
with an incredible joy, I will give you
whatever you defire : — but wherte is
the thief i in whofe hands are the jew-
els and money ? I will difpatch a perfon
immediately to get them; and whoever
will return them fliall be entitled to all
my protection. He that is to return it
to you, faid I, is Count Termcs ; all
your things are in his hands, and I have
in. this letter the certainty of it.

Let me fee the letter, anfwered flie*

making an offer to take? it but of my

hand : But, you will excufeme, Ma-

S 2 >dam,

< «9<* ).
#am, faidlj you knoW Count Terme*
js riot fecure irt the Fretich dominion^
and by letting you ice the letter, I (hall
alfq let you know where he is ; not
will it . be confiftent with my honour;
and your gratitude, to defire it r con-
tent yourfelf that accidentally he found
him, and, in regard to your peribri',
has caufed him to be arretted: be fatifc
lied that he has got all your things h\
his own hands, and tell me to whom
lie muft confign them, with fufficient
fecurity from the perfon who receives
thdni, and do not defire more. O!
"Mil's, Indeed you teach me wrong, re*
*|>lied the Princefs, I will- have' my owrt
way in one more point, whicli is no
more than I ought. to have, that is, to
;be grateful for the fervices done me : 1
Viftderftand you; I will immediately talc*
proper fteps, that wherever Count Ter-
iwes is, he may be fecure ; and do you
frrite to him, in my name, to keep
all faft, and for him to prepare againft
the flrft notice I give you, to come in
perfon with the things to me at Vet*
failles.

The recompence, added I, that you
make him, Madam, is fo much fupe-
rior to his expectation, that he wili
^a^dfa believe it from my word only ;

f c " *

^ you would aiTure him o£ it yourfclt,
by Writ ing a couple of lines, he woufj.
accept this kinclnefs as recbmpence fufr
fteicnt Willingly, replied the Prinr
ceft, I will write in an inifcutf, and
ypu muft take care to fend itwhera k
will be fure to find him ; nor is it a lit-
tle that 1 do this to lhew him ihy grai
^itude, for I believe it is ten years fince
I wrote a word. . -

, So faid, ihe wrote a (hort but figoi*
Scant l r etter > promifing him, » that ih$
would fecure his return tQ Vcrfailteftaf
foon as poffible* A promlfe of. thfe
fort, and under-written by hear ojftfi
hand, I thought was fecurity enough
for her not to change her mind> a? ihe
commonly did when any one^perfuadf-
ed her to the contrary, and therefore!
thought that I had obtained < a #M#
deal from her. ftfy mother was c^fir
tent; and for me to be more, content,
-nothing now remained but . tp wait ixx
hopes that the event would conrefpond
with this promifing beginning*.

%

"ti H a¥.

€ H A P. X'XVL f

JV^ Nuptials are finally appointed with
Count tfermes, and by dn hortibk vjfc+i
iidmt again interrupted. *. .' * a

■ •••-■ < •• . * ■ . ' .! ;u

TH E Princefs, my aunt, was nri-t
duced to a ftep which, according*
to her chara&er, I may fay ; was .very
exfraordinary': the pardon which' flie:
promifed to grant to theCattnt, liras'tir
aft <£ virtue; and a diftinguiflting clnw
rjuftetiftic of a^noble foul, :and:fiiclr»iir
iti$anfce of generofity as fhe perhaps;?
ifl.alihenaftion?, either before or afk
ter>i?ev'ejr equalled : hadihe been petti"
ti(mod to grant fuch a favour to Cfrauto
%$yxm\' through real motives of genre*:
rofity,ilie would not then have Iiftened*
tOt reafoii ; but now,from whatever caufo
it proceeded, fhedid it without the leaft
ietreaty; though the nature of the cir-
cluaftanee through which tha favour
was beftowed, diminifhed not a littkb
the glory of the donor : the Princefs
however kept her word, and in the
fpacc of two days had almoft prevailed
with iher Relations, and the court, that
ths^Coiriit might come withaul; ; any
iw|efiafcKxi no Versailles* My " parents
?r.: at

at this fliewed the greateft fatisfa&ion,
and told me, th» only one dbftacle now
remained to prevent their confent to
my uiuptials, and this was, that the
match. fhould be likewife approved of
by the King ; the thing was eafy to be
obtained, but they did not care to fhew
themfelve* fo much interefted in my
marriage, through fear of giving peo-
ple fufpicion of my being their child s
this was a- point they could not difpenft
wither TOritms reafons; they Wttt y
willing that I ihbuld marry Gmm Ter^'
mesi but defired to make a merit : <a£
their eonfent with the Princefs Bi» CV
aild the court, the better to effafcHfh
their» gwiu reputation and my fctf&wi&'r
diis kft idifficulty was eafily furmounted,
and my. mother herfelf intruded me
how I fliouid manage matters with the
Princeft B. C. I waited with impati^
exice for that fortunate moment m which
I could have the pleafure to behold the
Count once more in the good grades of'
the court, and with umTOrfel coa*>
fent allotted for my fpoufe. : I received
foon -after . the. joyful; news; for the
Priiacefs B« :G. came to pay vmfc a vifit f
and informed' me^ that Ae had -obtain-
ed a graotfhar Count TexmespiaiccDthat
thesrtcart cfe# ati^theft^ afc^KJOuJU-gW:

the

Ae permiflion fa writing to haw Juro
recalled, F took this opportunity .to
tell her, that flie only had it in her
power to put the laft hand to fo great
& benefit, by interceeding with the
Pfrince and Duchefi to give their .'con*
fent to my being his wife : this I had
no occafion to requcft a fecond time, i
ibr before (he went away (he fpoke to
4hem both concerning it, and pretend-
ed- to haye more authority ixt the di£-
pofal of my per(bn than they had then**
felves j which my father and mother
could not obje<ft to, as I paffed for the
daughter of the Duke, her brother *
and, in fa#, the Duchefc and- the
Prince were con&rained to aiknown
ledge* that (he was the perfoa who
ought to difpofe of my hand ; that till
then they had Ihewed a repugnance~to
the match, as doubting whether it
would be agreeable to her ; but that
(he being agreeable to it, they were
content, and glad to find her fo well
fatisfied therewith; and before that
meeting was broke tip, my nuptial*
with Count Termes were firmly agreed
to by all the parties prefenu Imagine
then my fatisfa&ion, when I iawjayr
felf, after fo many ftonns, at the mouth,
of the harbour, and fo nigh (artpking

the

( 201 )

the fruit of my fidelity : but I did not
refreft that Count Termes was yet aifar
bff, that I was not yet his wife, that on
human affairs there is no dependence,
and that fome unfortunate accident
inight yet be fufficient to break the
faugh on my lips, and turn. my joy in-
to tears. Mr, N. N. was all this while
at Paris, arid was on the point of re-
turning to Venice,; but firft came to
take leave of me, and renew his gene-
rous offers : I enquired about Rofaura,
tils "waiting-maid, to know whether h,e
intended to take her with him to Ve-
nice ? he anfwered me, that her bro-
ther, who had gained a fortune in the
army, being arrived at Paris, he ; in-
tended to rid himfelf of her 'by leaving
her in his care, and who had an inten-
tion to marry her to a man of his own
acquaintance : I have made her, faid
he, a prefent of two hundred piftoles
for her jointure, but fhall think np
more of her ; if I fhould carry her back
to "my houfe I could never after depend
on her behaviour, for having once
fallen, fhe may eafily be drawn into a
fedohd falfe ftep which fhe may never be
able to repair : in the little time I have
Carried at Paris, I have obferv^d 'her
carriage with attention, and I ?ee'ho

( 202 ) |

hopes of bringing her into prudent re* |
foliations : I do not know, even by fight,
him that feduced her in Venice; here
he is called by the name of Albevit* '

but there he went under a different
name, ahdl haveftrong motives to ber |
lieve that flie has yet fome connexion |
with him : however, flie is nothing more
to me ; I have left her in the care of
her brother, whom V have acquainted
with every thing, and ihe cannot be j
angry with any one but herfelf. ;

He aCted with fenfe; but I was great- I
ly vexed that a girl, in the bloom of
"her youth, fhould proceed in that man-
ner for want of ferious reflections : I
had not feen her for fome time, having
always invented fome excufe to avoid
receiving her difagreeable vifits, thro*
fear that they would redound but little
to my honour : the event fufficiently
proved that my conduct in that refpeCt
t was right, and that the fufpicions of
Mr, N. N. concerning her connection
with the unworthy Albevit were too
.true, and appeared in fo fcandalous a
light, that her brother, a man of fenfe
and honour, was involvecl on that ac- I

count in a icene of bloodflied, which
cdft me many tears 1 , and plunged m$
intQ a ffcddeh and unforefeen cortfufion

. v- < » • < - and ]

( 2° 3 ) ' .
asd trouble. Since I ijpofce laft to
- the Princefs, my aunt, and my mar-
riage with Count Termer was agreed
upon, was exactly four days, and
foon after Mr. N. ]tf . • departed,
froiu Verfailles on his return to Ve-
nice, a Comedy was a&ed at Verfailles,
in which the principal performers were
Tartar and Albevit, who, according to
their jefting talents, were heard with
approbation: Nimar, who was the
third of Lucifer's aififtants, had no
fixed employ in that company, becaufe *
he wanted the ability for it, but render-
ed himfeif neceffary to the others by
his oeconomy and care in promoting
their advantage : their particular pre-
rogatives were to be great pratlers,
great travellers, and head-firong to ex-
CcU; daring all things, and biulhing
at nothing. Between thefe three, rho'
they were all of one model, that is, three
villains, there was continual riot, in
fuch manner that they were obliged fe-
veral times to be filenced by the guards ;
that fame night that the Princeft B. C.
I had been talking to me, they came to

blows upon the ftage about fome affairs
between themfelves, and it grew to fuch
. a height that it would have ran to greater
lengths, had they not been prevented
by theinterpofitioh of fome people in

authority.

I 2 °4 )

rytbtontj* Both parties beij&g recoiw
ciled they ^'ere friei\ds as before, ?l$4
took their leave of each other, feexp»
ingly as well fatisfied as if nothing ha4
happened. .The next morning Aibevif
and Tartar were found dead in^Vthe
fireets, the firft (hot in the templf, an4
the other ran through the body with $
£word: this affair made a great noiff f

at Versailles, and moft believed, at firfl,
that, on account of their difference the
night before, they had maffacre^l eaclj
other $ though the fa& was not likely* r \

for there were more than one that/ ha<J
feen them fup together very, friendly*
and together go from their l^gmg
at twelve o'clock at night, to pay q. vi~
fit to a. particular acquaintance i^at Uv.-;
cd but a little diftance from .XhQ ? #l$c^
vhere they were murdered . ; it .was pr^
tended, that in the murder there Aiuft- |

bfe more than one perfon concerned,*
becaufe they had not ti;ne even to draw
their fwords to defend theipfelves.
This accident at firft neither pleafed qv\
diiplVafed mcj for though both pf then\ t
hag persecuted me^ I fubmitted the,
chafltfement of them to the, juf|ice oi,
heaven $ .my Jurprize was very great,
and my, g^ief , equal to my furprize*
wheA r i| w^s Suddenly fj>re$d in *the :
' ' '* '- jinbushs*

mtfttfhs & fcveVy one, thSt Count f <H>
lues was th6 perfdn who had murdered
thefe villains/ &iVd; that there was jKiffi-
cient probf of the tfuth of ft. r Thd f I
believed it to bfc falfe', I cbiild ri6t help
trembling through fear; Couitt''Ter^
me$ Was afar off frohi Versailles, nor
Would he offer to attempt it, after mjy
forbidding it/ unlefs he firft gave' me
notice : of my difapprobation of this
affair no % one was partaker bi\t Mr.
D'Arcore, and after the Count's hear-
ing from him the profpe£V there was of
our good fortune, to dare to commit
fuch an a&ion would be the fure means
to obftrufl it ; and the temper of, my
lover/ though it was hot, was riot Vi6~
lent, at blood-thirfty. All, thefe re-
flexions were enough to juftify him at
'my tribunal ; but the world in general^
<Hd not know this, and judged as tliey
Thought piioper^ according to their con-
jectures. I did not know what was th6
-proof they talked of, but I knew, to my
^ktrenie grief, that none believed him,
40 be innocent* The prihcefe B, C
would not fpeak one word in Ms. fa-
"Tour; fhfc cVfcri aggravated > by thecirV
cumftanccs ^)f ! the* accident, the deatfi'
of her foil, $tid waritetf'toTerid 3-^- :
Hon to Count Tcrm6s : to get- wfcat was
Vor-rlK T hers

( 2o6)

jhccs out of : his liancts, -t^at ihe might
jhtrt Ijavt occafibn tb' write He him ari£
jnbre. letters- , My, PPFPPls looked* lip-
jpif him \is : a man- unwprt^y of their
^aijgKter, and 4 one continually in dif*
Ijr^fc at court/ and were ibr peffuad*
ing nic never to thqik of him ^mbre*.
jT^is reduced my fidelity to fuch * Iotf
4&b, that I was -never in fo much daiV-
ger of proving inconftant* 1 :

C H A P. XXVII.

r A \?*w Accident Jbapptm toCclear up the
Innocence of Count Vermes. : r

IS mucfy as tftey faid to - mo ftgairift
j^ £o\lnt Termes, they could neve*
uce me, to believe him culbajtde- trtA
what fignified that I forgave mm yrfieti
alf th$ !reft of the wod<2 ^ondepineil
Siynj ancl I myfeif was, coi^einned' to
Jafe him : ? they talked fo confidently
b^his.beUig the murderer i that I was
icqpftrained by love to bi# Mi*. P'Aif
toxt jadyife .him tp fjy from France, i£
Wjhicji pla^e he a^rs i\q& &cure f ;/aQ4l x
rtTy^fi^at fu^A tjfipughjt gt$vt»
Yuqh a height that I w»« gjmoft fa do-
%air/ Onedjiy, ^hjhe : mi4fl: g< oiy
ja^ntations, ;^ord ri v^s!Wpughtt*r^mtj
|^iit^eja0ti^:hainb$r wa* 0fce.M&
•?•* " """■' v T .!? ::.?tf*m

dam : Rof^ura, who! inffefltfy Activity
ifee me j excJufiVe of tKc motive above**
. mentioned, which 'I hid not to accept
her vifitspl Was *hen too much agtfaJecT
by my paflion td have the leaft defire of
feeing vifited by any perfbn whatfoe^
*er * I civily fent her word that FfouiMI
wyfelf indifpofed, and would be glaflP
of her company another time-: tfris
would not Satisfy her, for ihe fent : riit:
back an anfwer> that lhe ckme upeir &it
affair of importance, which gratitude?
compelled her to conYih'iimtftte* to 'me.'
I ordered her to be admitted, more W
her importunity than my own curiofity*
to know what fhe had to fay. I n&er
-Could have expected, Mifs, fataflie ftj*
#ie, to have it in my power,, as I have 1
^t prefent,' to make a return'- fqr the
good you have done me in drawing me
from the brink\ of my precipice, by
Much a#km you will always me'rit my
gratitude : it is not to be wondered at
ftiat I fhould know ydur * regard for
Count Termes, wWfn it iskhown to all
Paris ; and I hear, to my Mrfpfea-
fure, that he is blamed for the death of
them, two wretches, when J know how
fenfibly this unjuft tccufa'tiojv uiuft af~
fixEk you : but no one can better jprove
his innocence than niyfetf: they have
T 2 bought

{ ao8 >

fjougfcttfhete deacfrfcy? their :o*n :%&
<&*, in giving it ^uc that "they : Had 4
^criminal connexion mth me* wheui
liad nbt the leaft intimacy with them 1 ;
and the perfon that killed them was mV
two brother, who did it to vindicate
»y hj&nour : you are furprifed, Miifir,
-to'hetir a fitter accufe her own brefffreir,
when it depends upon my filence that
'he, is believed innocent $ but, in die
firft place, my brother is already in
'fefetyv and fecondly, he has kilted
sthem without * my knowledgfty r as {his
letter jaritt (hew you, and it i$ pfoper
that innocence ihould always be jirfH-
?fied*. it is eight days exactly fince rtfy
, bother came to Verfailles, and intwp
:days after he was to return to Paris :
■iwavtbat time to this I have, not fem
Aim ^ in this time the accident has hap-*
petted, and ycfterday only I received
hiq letter, from which I cannot find out
the place of his refuge, but am well in-,
formed that the fa& was committed/by
him j nor does he wilh to have h con-
cealed, becaufe the publication of i{
fweetens his revenge : this accident bas
bee attended with circumftances very
difagreeable to me 5 for inftead of get-
liag.ano. a. huihand and repairing my
homroi*,, '%xhas taken with him, i n Ins

'/•r. night,

biit either huft*nd or jot*tar& Hfc»
ihe burft into toai3# Grieve not* fotfl
1, interrupting W ? th* providence of
J&amtwtll provide for you; that pwa-
>id<rtice which neter let> virtue g$ ma-
retfarded: by thfc difcovery, you *eaf
ider ira a ferviee for which* I ca«iot't*-
eompence youfufficientfy** was I togivfe
jrou aH I have-: jby clearing the : irin*-
cence of Count Termed yon efo&UQi
my quiet, and I ftiall be ertir.kiaebfai
*&do> the befr ki my powetf fifry outHfc
hope you will not objc&to.l«iia&g
this letter in my hands,^ fince it cafcndt
prejudice either your brother or yoiJ,
and I Aali make no other, uft 29$ it
iife4i*what cfcii be of forvice^G^wii
Tefraiev without doing aati^u»jH«ci

• any me elfe : in the *hite^ fcaKfr«h*£
huiklred piftoles and fuppty your S$tek*
fent wants, and before theft rait gpfl&l
hope you will have reafonto prsatfeiriy
gratitude.- • * - > -or • f 4 '*?f •

* Rofaura being gone, -I read otoMhd
. letter^' which contained thefc wo*d*sv n *

" DearSiAer, , . [.^ - ., t , -

v : Do not be furprifed at riot feeing, nae
: for. forac days paft, becaafeperhaprydir
, : -T3 wiU

^reyeng? niyfelt oiiT^rt^r, by wjippi J
Kvas offended in Italy j and uniting his
^deatl} with that of the unworthy Albe-
Ji\h I, haye uoitea ^mine^o yovjr rs-
jenge ; ; if I had IqA thi$ fiae o£C&fig9,
#i. which I founds my conjm^djtwio
Juindred plftoles, beftowod,onypu by
?Mr.. N, N % perhaps I fhould never have
jiad another opportunity : excufe : roe,
if I ^^juidou ^oy^ ; tut <$ you Jiaye

fi|>i^Wd A tUL7tHis v t)jp99. ^rit]^0ut9R4% yft»
HPX ^]|Qjip^,t9 do ft fos |he{tini*i$
fojW^.^i^..,. . - -,. : 1:v

:„,;u;t Yo^BaorHgi^

t^OQ^<fefcribe; Iwas^gla^jh^iJifeill
slwigf , f^cd confiftent, ^ytih yirtafe atfd
w$$ ap jiKjli^tion to clp good tp pyeiy
QP9,: I^royfelf indebted to Rflfeu^
$^;^ejr gftcxi will towards me, for bei«r£
W £°94 ta ^ v 9npe before* and fe<w>
th^jt ^oinent ftudied in ^bat manner to.
mak^ "her jap. adequate return* Jn thej
ktter flie Uft me, 1 may fay,, I had;av
torch Which difcovered to every oiie^ ;
by ^tsJight^ thd Iunocepce of Coujuk;

i.jiu * >• ' ' P crfuadc

-fkffoStit! *He #W W !flfefi;i Wiffl :
^(^i^Tromthe^arf^^f a^erfpn to
'iliutih ineereftetf irr his behalf, they
might fufpeft it to be a ch$at j and to
communicate it to my parents, was the
-iknie as expofing mvfelf to fonle iiew
cf4fle£ltbn which might oppofe my de-
Qfires more than ever r if I could but
xprefent myfelf to the King, l # (hould
have courage to Jay before hib the
truth, and induce him to hearken to
*eafcn ? but this for mt was impdffihte,
not having any other opportunity off
fteing him but m the prefenc£of atl the
court, which would by no means ifuii
wkh the ltature of this affair. The on-
ly method therefore for me to tafce^
was that i>f fending the letter" to £bUnt
tP&hh^Mthat >with it he tntght^lb^r
his* o#n ; innocence ; in this "theft was
no dbnger, nor would even my:nam£
fee mentioned, he not cdnfeflfing thatf
, the* letfer came from me. His Jiifti^

cation might perhaps be deferred' fo}\
fome- weeks more, on account 'of fes'
.• bfcteg fo far off; but FmufthaW jfttki

[ ence^ and of the two Hls'f thoughtf 1 .

this the mod eligible. With thefe f<f-'
folutions I fat down to a tal^raWitejjr
the hour- being fuitabfe to ttif biMttpf,
Ueaufe : it tf as Wght,-art^^lfib& J
V,.: lU'v] with

Kb4ft> I ha3 iK)t* ^et ttcroce^onc leic^:
Whfen I was faitcrfuptedby Wfr. Befonc;
who, opening the door, aflcedme, if I
had any one with me ? For why ? an*
fwertd I, with furpri2C, thej^e ir aw*
one ; you mqjr come in. T-heni • rcptt*
td he, I will come 5 and making rtww
fteps back as to give place to anotheiy
I'faw before me Count Termesr Hea*
vens! Icried out, getting up in hafte
from my chair, what contrary dcfhny
brings you to Verfeiliesr t how can ycit*
venture 4o put yonr ; foot within rmy
defer? do you not know the danger yod
aire in?' I know all, Mife, anfwered
hS '%■'■ but) above all, I know I am ivmcH
6&ft v I know that 1 hare natt^ari
fti& : tefown life*, if I am tcr livi*i&Mt
^6u*f ^nd'ftnder your eyes, in thcopd
pofitiOJVof malice and envy, I w3I c£
ther juftify myfelf or die. No, repli*
ed I, you will not die, becaufe your
vindication is in my hands ; this letter
(hall prove you innocent: I fhall tell
you another time from whom I receiv-
ed it, but now for heaven's fake retire,
tfyat, no one may furprife us ; if Mr:
jyAtcote came with you, tell him to
fee me to-morrow 5 I will confign to
him the letter of -your juftification,
1 . ./ and

and tagcthtr*w0 will; orafuU Mptfrf thpfe
mcans:wfaich may be*moft favourable-
to you. He wanted to reply, but I
compelled him almdft by force out^C*
the room ; and my heart foreboded
fomething when I made ufe of that vi~
Icateej for a few moinerasafterniy mother
came home, and immediately came tp
my apartment, while Count Tcrmes,*
with the. favour of the night and help:
of Mr. Befonc, got off without being
obferved. My mother defired me to*
drefs in masquerade and to gp with h<ffi
to court, where there was. a bail, tha$
being the laft night of the carnival &
tpon which I drefled myfelf. in 3.. dor
mino' of rofe-colour farcenet, triajme^
irith narrow filver-iacc, and folio we*£
hrrwith feeming good will* though
knowing that Count Termes was in
Verfailles, it kept me from enjoying
any fatisfeftion.

C H A P f

( ai"4 >

CHAP. XXVIIL

1 J

The Cwfeqnenw i*>hkh fruetdeci freni
• 'tffp Ccfiverfatian at the Ball, " '"'•!

TH E ftafi of that night was foiled
ganr, and the company fo nume-
rous, that what with the Cro#d and the
totfc of dancings 1 was utterly unable
to indulge thofe thoughts whicn merit-
ed all my attention. After walking up
ifid down a long time, admiriilg the
magnificence, I fretired to another room
te> efojoy the freih iair, and found, hi
rhat place three tfr four people mafqued*
*ho withdrew for the fame ptirpofe;
Ottebf 'them was dttfled in a ptdiai
cfraiTg£-eo!our domino*, and cotif t*bu£
ty'madt* tooth for me fo fit on* the corah 1
<8i vtftifch himfelf was ftated: after pre*
fenting me with fome excellent fweet-
riieats, he fell into difcourfe with me.
When we don't know with whom we
are talking, we ought to be prudent
and cautious in what we fay : he afked
me, if I liked dancing as much as he
$d himfelf f to which I anfwered, Sir,
your mind I do not know, nor ought
the fehcy of "one perfon to be a law for
thatt of '<ttKers : 1, for my pan, do not

iind

-find dancing agreeable to my manner
of thinking; I do not know for what
reafci* I fhoiild torment hiy limbs : with
movements abfblutely unnatural* for
-fhe fake of mere diverfion, : and pre-
fume to explain, by ridiculous ftep^and
-ft range poftures, the internal agttation&p£
the foul, when we can explain them wfrh
our tongues given us for that purpofe 5 ;
to prove the abfurdity of -this amufe-
jiient, it will be fufficifcnt, whilp you
are attentive to any "dance whatsoever,
to flop your ears iu fuch liiajMKjr ai }b
ihut out the harmony of the., m\mt
which accompanies it, and the dancers
ivill feem like fo many mad people, who
ftiove and know not for what': 'tis
plaiil therefore that the harmony of th<e
ftjufic is that which renders tto? daiii:jc :
delightful; and without the (fence., we'
caii eiijoy the fame pleafure, and to m£
judgment mOVe reafonablej becaufe we.
have the pfeafure without thalt, mixture .
'of* abfurd geftictiUtiofis/ whicji, being
Contrary to nature* are jno better tha$L
nl&djiefei From your manner of dif*
courfe I perceive, replied he, that you
delight in mufic, and would give ihii.
the preference to every thing elfe. 1 1
give it, faid I, that honour whiefy it :
Qught to haye, as mi aim witie^. Jb*?-

great

( *** ;

great influence over our fouls, and ex*
tends its dominions over all our gaffi-
oils : as to dancing, I am not one of
them who vilify it only for argument
fake, and, to render it more delightful,
make it ridiculous. We are in a feafon
now in which mufic is in great repute^
and, as they think, to,add to its charms*
they join with it fo many objects of
buffoonery; 1 would have fpoke more
upon this fubjeft but he interrupted
me, faying, This is philofophifing- on
pur follie% and as you are a philQfo-:
pher, I know alfo that you ought t®
think contrary to the remainder of the
world!; if every thing ridiculous offends
you, it will be needlefs to afk you, hojtf
you : like comedies, an art which Ja
jhqfe days is fo greatly improved XhHkk
might be reputed a fchooi of the ntoft
rigorous .morals. All is well, replied
I ; byt will it <be always f^J if all the
world wqre philosophers, it wotVildnpt
be an abyfc of miferyj but to tftake
jhem all philofophers, the theair^ ijmft
not be the only fchooi for that purpofe:
every one may run to it, but every one
is not capable to reap benefit therefrom ;
$nd inhere eyery one is readily divert-
ed with . bad niaxims, a good one wHl
teprai%i;b# few, andkarped, 1 may

3. &y>

(:^7 )

%,%y^l0ne : : ftatftng tri* feale?;^
benefit that w aajnfc from cpmjq re-
|wrefcnt«i0wi with *he detriment which
good .mook amy receive therefrom,
^»\ificig,,w$^0utiaoubt, by* thotffand
degrees the moft . eligible ; but it fcnot
#y biifi^fS{to;fet myfelf vp as a. re-
former of the iw>dem.ctiftorti$* Th&
jwanfor certain mwfi have been a ftr#ag
adw^tte-for com.ec}iie«, beca^ujfe be be-
gan wai*mly to defend it, afld gW*tiy
Jamwted the lofs the French, thiatras
h&dfveG&med by the death «f A&evlt
Wd Tartar,, and acknowledged them td
j^e dually, fcwo villains, but excellfeftt in
tkeit pr$>fcfiion. In this point I was
too (jiijich interefted ;to let this B4
without making foifte anfwer; I do-
#t^0d. Withal, in .general terms, that I
j£Hd'<aot approve ©f the fa#, mr (mxr
;de»ijwt: buti when. Jie Jet [flip fpme
"words agafoft Count Termes, ;by whtek
jieifeemed tojbelievfc him guilty of the
fwsfer, I covild no longer, ctmceftl the
fta^imonts of my mind : Y*m, iifee^
wife,* §if , feid Ii are m the number ef
thofe who tfould represent <2o«nt1£cr-
jne&.as fgifilty &i :a. ffcft; eff wb*eh Jbe
,<a«aaot; juftify bimfelfcbe$fmfe ; he is it
&m time afar off, . and of wfeefe tfwoe
flpaee* Ivibupei^o^j^di^rcaia giv*
.^JfoL. II. U fuflicienet

replied he, for I am privy to fonie tiir-
fcwjaftances which mu# condemn him 1 ,
land will not admit of an ahfwer. Can-
<not have an anfwer ! added I with fome^
heat, I have got fufficient proof in my
t>wn hands which will defend him* no\f
3 ibould be glad to know what -any tea-
ibeable judge between us both could
thiftk, in fuch a cafe, on our affirma-
tions. He muft examine, and fee, re-
plied he. But at that moment another
^petfon inaiqued, with a domino' q\iit£
pfeteft his own, paffed by, and hegof u|>
iio vSrhifper fomething to the other, and
I ghijdiy. embraced that opportunity tp
jtiftftiyfctf of him, by going into .the
agtsst hall and mixing amongft the rp^
cof <jikf* company. When my pojhex
Iwas wearied with dancing, we* 1 retired
.home* where I paffed the reft of .tfi!|t
,:i*ighl r<fk#ing on whit had happened
«tO me,; and fearful left my tenderness
'3for. Count Termes might have ihewji
me guilty, of an imprudence; the next
<Jay at dinner the Prince my father gave
rmt foijie -news which made me change
: colour > -and atfirft troubled me not *
4&tt*''toUtfV «* e * t0 g et ready, towards
erfcrting to wait -upon -the King, wjio
4»d occaiioh to {peak with me,' What
. .. : i ^ .,. .... can

can fce want with iȣ? added I, fearful*

1y ; & to^tqh he ^anTwe^' v ttat'» tft&

fioiikiibw'lt, hp <fid ript/ancf ftid r ;tt»

iyiare'i hordid'he fptdfc afnoffer<tfor<l

during dinner* . I immediately feared

that what I had faid the night before

Waye occafion for this call, ankL feVfeh

TyifpeSttd that I hid unknowingly 1 fpokc

jq' the 1 King himfelf, and of this Ilia4

no reafon to repent, becaufe iiiy wotiefe

would not be altered by the rditiori*

of others ; had I been certain ofttes,

I illiquid have tcputed riiyfeif happy*

becaufe I fhould theafctVe fftrmftlfcb

\ip jtiftify Count Terines; btit> my fe&s

|iejfuaded me th&ttf had fpiok^i!to*foiste

evil-minded "pericji* wfto woiild t tfafprd-

jeiitwhatl had faid In a dtfferefcTiights

tftfr&s this, I thought that my ^if Gigs

^lM&pIored the. royal au*hci% i«o

i^Hgdme to take another l^^d,#mi

: Ht the thoughts of this my fpi*fc*»wis

daunted. Before the hourVc&^feiH

Which I was to be prefented < to tbfe

fKing by my mother, Mr. *l)?Atettife

xame to fee me, and his Ttfit gaVfc-ffle

Ijoine confolation : I fhould have : <|oiic

injuftice to a friend like fctrft, if I fead

>iot infofitied him of niy 4nquletvi^ :

he was of opinion that there Was* W^c

Te&fori to hope than to fear, an&tiiMfed

i «* I

wh£ to carry with n* thcidttcr o£ tfc*
Count's juftificaiion^ that I .roigfrt ufe
it if occrfoh'&ouid bffer r imd Afoed
m<vtf f-haa #itt thrlbUfet.crf £owt
IfCTtrfes, left by him in. mylxanebj, Jn
Whfeh the Count threatened? tfcri d<J»h
Cf thofe wretches ? I then recolle<fte4
th'at billet, like a cWabfr wltel**ft*
Mppened tome months before V I *W|f*
ftfttry Wfitirtgs tip-fide dpwn,bitt^wqK*>
fri' vafh ~ slid ik)twithftundhi^^be ifritti
€$ T feifcft, it Was nod i&bd fctrnd*,: n^
cttttfcH fell yhere I had Joftitl .*T$»s£
^ c MfT jyAWore, ' Jr. th£ «id^
^^«*tth;thtfy havfe gotta Gobdempfj
*W Mirth 5 I? i* wfcfl-' fo* hint that U^k
AH«'to^*wHl' prbve thfe cowraiT^,
<^ft«*ivffe "there? tooxM be" lidVh'aptesr^
ft^toV, V where hard jo|f Idlf itf ri

^ ; ^ii»SfW«r'tTte joint' that* tbriiiei^e^j
#fl^j'.'i«t ridither then; an eve^
«»r^tbti}dt:reitifciiiber wftfcft- wabjr :, f;
ISftHjf" ?*Hrf iA ihy Hfelhadtettayi.
eS : n^ memory,, by f loflng two BUW%
whith'wefe both of the utmoft'cbnfe^
qlltScfefto Wiej one of them wis tl&fc
Wh^Mt.p^Afcoic aflted for/and th^
6ther was'^Hat which I had wtore to the,
Prhttebnrhight at Paris, and by which*
ill 'tlirit he* difcovered me to be-hw^
Mti$\idtv ' J " " * "':'

**- 4 ~ : C H A P.

I -v

Difctvery of the Innocence of Count Ter~
mes, who is again received into Favmr^
' at Court.

w

HEN Mr. D'Af tore was de?

. parted, of two things I remain^
ed perfuaded, which were, that in the
billet I loft, there was undoubtedly, thq
accufation of Count Termes, and tfrat
what the King defired to fpeak . to *rie*
was not concerning this ; hotwithflandf-
irig I welit'to him prepared fqx all
events. .To. him 1 was introduced by
-my mother, and he. received me with
an affability that would infpire couragp
;in the moft timorbus. Mifs, laid nfe
to me, it has been intimated, td me tha*
you have got undeniable prpjpfs of
of Count Termes 1 innocence in the,
death of the two players : it is the duty
of thofe who adminifter in the world
the juftice of heaven, not only to pu^,
nifh the guilty, but alfo tp clear the In*
nOqent ; and I would wilKngly .heat .
from your mouth the arguments which
ybu have in proof of his innocence \
and I have reafon to believe tfcstf they ,
v Uj are

( a*2 )

-■*« ^diatttedtgriyour fcvfrfcr Him,
- tfefefafe yak hawlhear&l you6Td£ &bc-
fibr to tlfe ^fckifefs t>f yoOr .feac-jrjl
fhould therefore be glad to give youths
opportunity of contributing to the jut
tincatibh of a perfori who, was it for
your fake only, merits alfo from ine
l?Miie regard; bgf before y*u prodacf
fcis defence, It 1$ proper you iVjtap
Ichow the weight oif h^abcufalioqi to
jantWer dire&ly, aad not bliifti at beiqj*
lii the yrrong : look, Mifs, into. tKfs

fiper '<# Count Termes, which accufes
mfelf :' Who is it that at Teeing him
us telf-condfemned, can make any
tfoubt of his guilt?

He 'fheh preferitecl to me the paper,
which' I found to be Count Termes' bil-
Icjt tftat T had lofifbrae time pa1t v in3
Would Have ftruck me Immoveable
' fiacl t not had in my pocket his de-
fence. * TPleafe your Majafty, answer-
ed I, T require no proof "to believe
: $ou jufti yjet even monarchs are but
foeh, and Tt is not doing them aoy
wrong, ^though we believe them to
tie Tu^e<5t to error * T>ecaufe in com-
^uttin^ of it unknowingly, and thro*
motives' reafonable ia appearance* they
fc're hot xinjuft.

ipearagaiaft bun jfejidi'ft^iloft^t^^t
here is another in t^pofitipp jo ]fc whfch
will undoubtedly certify to the contra?
ry i your Mfrjefty wiU refcd,, and form
^judgment accordingly* I prefented

^fcfcn the le*t§r given nie by Rofam* i

Uior ca# J tejttt which was greateft,, hi$

' furprize, or his j>ieafur«: My iking,
jproceeded I, the innocence of Count

; Terme* i$ indisputable 5 but if it ; fhould
he doubled, <&niy .exapiine tjhe perfpn

i-rto who*** jhftt letter mw, wrpt£, and

compare the ch^ra&cr to r others of Jjer

brother's* which ihe has got in poifef*

fipn : Enquire whether fuch a perum

jxas lately left Paris or VeffaMIes, fipce

'. J&aj &ft .was epipttted ; and can tn,ere

-<&e: more defired to prove Cpuijt \1fcr*

-a^s iianQcent; but, if he is inno-
cent, and* if i« confequenoe oif fuch a

. black fufpicion, he has loft his jrepvtfa*
tion, his fpoufe* and that, whtqi is

.' $»o& $f all,, the gpod will pf Jiis king :
Alas,! I implore of ypur Maj^fty pne*

. move to ^nder him your feyour, fik
.reputation, and his fpoufe* a*id »akfc
us both indebted to your Majeftyfor
our felicity and fortune^;, I^id^niOiQe

< than this, but &id k wUh'uicfc, a>0 fc

many

***)"'
njaiwexpreffioasof «a hundred eoirfuftab
affccttims, : which -proceeded from rityr
heart to : niy lips, that he acquitted uae*
with a fniile, and told me that he would
fee me content. - • '

I returned to my room, rejoicing;
that Count Termes' innocence wasclear^:
ed, and cleared by my means, fo ttfet:
if he could, glory in having vindicated:
me, I could alfo glory in having faP
vedhim: My imprudence the night;
before, I now thought moft fortunate,
becaufe it gave me room to conceive a:
tkouftndgood hopes, but i eouidrnt;
reft without communicating it "to- the"?
Count, he being the half of uiyfeif 5 • I»*
expected Mr, D'Arcore every moment,
fiippofing him to be impatient to know *
whaf happened, but I did not fceinm
tiji'jjbe.next day. My fatter, that;
fajw? evening, came into my room, and
embracing me with a transport of ioy,
Confole yourfeif, my daughter, faid he
tome, heaven has been pleafed to gra-
tify your desires j you'll be wife to -
Count Termes, whom you have wifhed '
for this long time, and you would have
Been fo before, had, the fatal combina-
tion of ours, and his circumftances,
permitted it : Write to him before you
go to reft; tell him that his Majefty
v . defires

hjwm^with yoiwhaiid, a fare bond of 1
my* eftetm arid teaderhefs.' T%ere'isha
occ^fion t«* write to him, replied I, an<$
t^^iSkfs to wait for hkst, becaufe' htr
i&BatA&v oflfc If you wtk ; only fen<$
W^&JXArcore at his tedgiqgs, her'wift '
ihmioiiatdy iafbrm you where, to find
Cqw&t Terines-, bein| both, arrived ten
grtfecb at Veffoilles two days pafr: 5b
i$wdr thfe better, added' my * fathtf, I
fta& Jjaxelhc pleafure to foilieityoti*;
mqptiala, leaift feme Hew *difcrd*f might
forfirateuhei^ ^ We fhall talk abdurit
M-i^rrow; fo {bid, he left me, /and
tbif wtat w&hbtft:- dembt the kappicft %
D^gta.i lad kitown for a long t&a*£*ife
Tiherjiext <Jay , towards €venii%/'bcingf
esHdd into my^ mother's apfcrtmaftt, ?
found Goont Termesi with Mr-/ D'Ato* ;
corei arid foon after were jbfeed^xA^ 1
father $ who can tell whatpteafure 'thit*
meetifigigaye me ? wifhed for irrya&rfy'*
ln©g a time, and which wis to bel titer -
foundation of my felicity during the
reftof my days. : \ v -\

. Here it was the contra£ of -my-'nApi •
tigtis were drawn and figned 'far themoft
valid form,: My mother gave me for : k i
d«rary, the Marquifett of 'V^-s^iiP-
?r* : (he

( M« >
the kingdom of .Naples. C^n^Tprwefc
haifyng projefte^ to part with fome Lm$a
which he poffeffed in France, and being
defirous to change them for others he~
longing to the Marquis M. in Italy, of
which he wanted to difpofe, had occa~
£on for an immenfe fum to baHance thje
exchange | Mr. D'Arcore genewufly
offered him a fupply, under the* title of
its being lent, and to be paid again at
the pleafure of his friend. All the de-
flate of my parents was to fall to their
fo:ft fbn* if they ihould have one, an4*
in caif. there fliould be none, I wa*t$
Wmiftrcfe of all after their deaths thefe
4#icl$$ being finiflwd, were ^vei*. tri
the qgr&, of -a prudent lady, who was

ftffcQ&-qf great wealth, not. only^m
r^nce^but alfo iu Italy , f whdiow4S€£
ira^he leaft prejudice, to the repptatipff
of my parents, by declaring me a pr^
$efs, and their lawful heir 5 all t-hey.ntyr
Wanted was to fee what I could get to-
wards my jointure from the relations jo£
the Duke, my fuppofed father, an^l bjf
their, hopes they expetfed not a ;littl«4
The difpofition of this appertained t$
the Princefs B. C. my fuppofed aun£
£punt Termes had yet in his hands ait
dip money ^uid jewels ftole from her by
tyzj .fejrVa^^^ndj my/ather . vras- of v .qj>i»

♦yd mon

AJ8hfhktn r waiadvifea^le; d&xfef^y t8
(fe 1 returning it, unfit! ihe had fi^fcfti
fed' an hie fometliing reafonabfe 1 : As* It
happened, fortune then favoured me,
for there was not need of many perfua-
fiohs to make her do as they defired :
She liiade me a prefent in ready 'money
ttf one* thoufand piftoles, and affigned
to frit another penfiqn annually, of five
hundred piftoles, from her capitals ifi
the banks of Rome and Genoa. In this
mariner the greateft part ofmy;Kttte
efiate lay in Italy, an* it feemed 1 ffcjafc
feeiven having ordained an Italian Wd*
riian for my mother, was alio -pleafed
that I fhould fpend the remainder of -my
days in a country by me fo 'much des
lighted in, perhaps becaufe I wafs bora
there* ; Paris and Verfaillei w«^? it?^
ftionieritfull of the news of my tiu^ra^f
Of Hie they then talked as of ari adnn^
tabte *roman, endowed with the moflr
amiable accomplifliments, and extraor-
dinary talfcnts. This public praife icfifl
iiot make me in the leaft vain of myfgl^f
becaufe I was convinced by a long tjc*
f>erieiice, of the fickleness of popular
cfifrourfe, which glides along, accord-
ing to the current, like thfe coi*k upon
the furface of the water? to-tfiy idiey*
*iif exalt to the ftars* a per&if; Wkoirti
- but

%ut y^er^thdy ^reft^rib j^ihf t*
degraf3e'i r itri^vi(leht ngtitlfot jyeftdrcfe^
arid to-day, they a&ed equally tfithotifc
-reafon ; we ought not therefore/to 'pdfr
-ourfelyca up with their praifes or be dt£
jetfed at their reproaches. 4 . ' J '?

#$ WtSpiiak i !Voyqge;u Lyons; dthi
I. my, : une$pe8ed. meeting at that filoff
- , w//£ 'JPfopft known, by. pie in &aly % ,

1^n r HE celebration of triy ibpfMfc
i JL n ? was not deferred ToiigertHnHKf-
%een' clays, and from that momeilt? in
AvHrchHliey/were celebrated, Itcfofc'tlft
1it)e : df r tady Marchiortcfi 'of 'f-l^;
^Kicltl-hAld to this day.; r Onftidi^Kfc
^cafichs, pothers place their'^l6^%S
:fei(clty hi rumour, ma^gxiiflccrtce'^ Httfl
^fcAftiiigi ai if all our life -wayTqueb^cl
3nto : the day of our nuptials : I ^under-
wood it "in a- different light, and, as 4

my nuptials

^celebrated* privately : and though ; my

^parents would have fpared no'trxpeitefc

TOlr'my Honour/ yet they cbrrferite^tb

'fcrefy think which waS agreeable to v nrfr

. la a^cogntry-feat, that belonged tfr
piy father, I pafled two weeks hi cdm-
$any with ray fpoufe, and Mr. D'Ar-
core, at the end of that time we return*
cd to Versailles, The pleafure I took
lo live in retirement is aimoft incredi-
ble ; and this love of folitude, accord-
ing as I advanced in years, increafed in
me every day, and did not proceed
[ from an unfociable temper in me, but

from the principle of good thoughts
fuggefted to me by reafon, which, ac-
cording to my manner of thinking,
was to me indiipenfable.

Of the men I had a very indifferent
pplnian, and the. world, to my eyes,
with all its grandeur, merited an ab&-

}ute contempt ; confidering that .our
lonqur, our fubftance, and even our
life itfelf, is at the mercy of ili-difpofed
minds, nor are we ever well fecure but
when we are alone : this my love for
folitude, which I thought conflftent
with felicity, rendered the court very
difagreeable to me ; and to enjoy fome
moments of liberty in company with
Fty beloved fpoufe, I obtained, by
JFo*ce of intreaties, perraiflion of my
fender mother to go with him for fome
l^pnths to Provence, at which place
his domeftic affairs rendered his pre*
fence absolutely ncceflary. We departed
\ VquII. X ftwtt

i

raj?, , afrd afiar, ^a ;pjeatym > jdnoiey/, ok
%few 4ay«, arrived 'at Lyom. fiffw
D'Arcore hod returned there a little aft
4)er our nuptials ; imagine tie joy pro*
duced in him by this unexpected yifitj
qf which he had not the leaft .notideq
To do us honour on our irritoltlsb
ip^rcd jig expences, and the receptk>At
lie gave us, according to his unboundi
cd generofity.of heart, wa* much fine*
riojr tp what ^ould poiflbly be. eripootd
fefliWj* gentleman of his pttVibb ,fcr*
t$#£iand knowing that I tod^ntoud
flight ia the quality of the. £erfonsV
tfjag uMhP number of them* hedefinxf
thff w-e would retire together ayftiw*
<^s/fc his country-feat^ Thi$m(a$-itioh
«tfy,fJvtce, wunefc to wy firift ifKtpiiew
tjKle^ftpJ the death of Cdcfiimt ookpl
cqiqppqi&n of my flight from* A vignbaiJ
and .partaker of mv firft ttjndfernefcy
that ijoom which I had bathed with fo!
njany-tear* : the avenues and walte^iiii
which J lamented fo much, werceAonrr
chapped, into a place of peace and tmn»;
quilky, of a fweetnefi which 1 cftnttl
wiflu npver to have*finUfced * our con**
verfatioq was rcdmed-to thrte oolyv'
t»ut : ,P*?fr of us contributed whiftrrtrei
coa&ttb uendfffltfgreeftbte^aad iWtekted

§tkifaM#*«

c my

wM ourfciYeS. ** I fa* v^kiftg-an^ di£
in* cotobany with Mr. D' At core, dm!
Kuy h^ftand, on the great road 1 that
leads toBarjs, when I few a pofl-chatftr
pafeky, 'and in it two perfons, Whotn{F
tbbiight I had feen before; Cduht
lertne*, otr^hoan they made the 1 fimel
impreffion, ran on before them, calling
to the pcriftilion to ftop r who immedi^
Atriy qbeyed :.; fhfc gentleman fhat wa£
mit, looked out to know t% tetffetf
hedtopped, but tould not ^m^dxWi*
ifcjihe iady; Who fat oipdn the *jgh*f
Jbmd, towards us, did the; ferae** ofajt
«Mfcd to the fervant to ©pat] . tfctf
A«Jnthat (he might difniouft* l : c WK*^
wasuniyi fatipriae and pleaftn* ^k^&V
kdew her fo be the Counteft^N;^^
Raida* a»*the officer that wa* with Ki*V
to be the Marquis D. R. tha« yoim^'
lid who rah away from his fchoof eh** ;
faiQiskf campion in Italy, afid^ttW 1
iwsKAsraade a cornet in the kttny $ : ht'&
tweni het and Count /Perinesy p^ffied : ^ ;
hbbdifed congratulations, nfixed wtthlt*
many feproaches, whilft at meth^bj&ft
lOKjfced^with attention and aft»iiiffi'mStit\ Z
bwaufey by z figh , I' had'gi&h ftf^uft J
btt&jwftihe^to -% '-jidlk^^HksatW^
k Lt Xa The

_ !?:.:::■$

|ufr feng forbear aiking -'mey it J Had
\ not a brot her that hid been Jri the arit|y
I in Italy; called Count Richard,, aijki
'livlipxp I refembjed ex^&ly .: 'The Mar-
iquisl); R. feconded her (Jueffidri^for
JHe &lfo at tHa^t ipftarit recoltt^ed f Him.
I agreed that Count Richard was xliy
brother, and now brother-in-law to the
Count my; fpoufe $ they then renewed
£h<nr compliments, which made hife al-
" mbfl burft intp i'fit ^f labglitfer : : Th^y
wr re defirousto delate tbftiie altth^^d
happened to them with Count Richard,
when I, all the while, was better Inform-
ed of it than themfclyes. ; My inabili-
ty^ tq refrain from laughter, made me
betray my own feCrer, and to keep
them no loiiger in fufpenCe, Mr. D'Ar-
core related: to thenl the whole affair.
The Count efs kiffed andfqueezed me in
fueh amanrter that I thought flie would
neve* have Jeft off, and the Manjuis
35/k.viimepted at my transformation
* '^frdm £ man to a woman, Tsecatife he
7t6U^d liot da the fame : They Wanted
J^tb 'proceed dire&ly on their jburriey,
' ^jirtKey* had to ; deal . with a mab, who
« "%i&Rt Vtf&ficfoS to be genetous; and

x ^[^W^Mildbfrn mfcahs firffer theini to

arte mz^:o. r /:r>- !> . v i -^h.

,__eatyfto be txvrttibd : T&Ctfutf.
10 hao* ,&&&& the ^qti&.fbnic
j^pth>iefbrc, \ The relation* of their
"knpurs., fc^d us that eyeriui£!i6r aa
T entjrirjtawii>entV Jhe Was a Widojr, '%3$.
,|ic wa?* the jpooreft of hit JaViij^.fcttt
$y the death <rf his brother he became
, licir to an immeafe fortune, and in the
"army yoij, a. ^pnfidefabte funt by ^a«-
~iqing : jpy® j«it; them, in, a ftate fo jfctu>
£|y ith^ti; ijicJinatWi by ttntt|niff {to-
gether jl&ir fort ja^ They weife gp*
ing;, to' £ir» cjn a party of plekfttrey
Jwith intention to return , to Italy i^a
$^JW$ths,} biit.it happened tlia^laf-
q a^j1tebefbre them, ; fa e^j
.Mj^#% end tothpirAadrfcr'
Jfpn flitch we" did ndt. ri& tflj .,
" p Ja|^"a|4iigh't. The days foltoy? iag Kin
k^j^corc procured afi jjpfll^te, enter*
/ ; tj^»eh\far ,his guefts: thelfaarqut*
ajL., jjudJus refpc4ta,to roe, as any
"$$aH<lid iikewifc to M~mffifH
j 'Jus wife. * .fend .if. any . oii$, itfo^i jrpjW.
,;4er that we were, not^eak>j^,oi(,cack
^xjk&i fuffice it tofty,. tfea* Inqo^etpd

'— 'e, by the corfelpoiweiicc fl*e

had

itf r ^^ff' ; ^o^;nrtalf ) frxftur him fib

it tr*mtiltt*iiM tm rtiote than if thriy had)
b***i brother*;: It was not that/fidiii
adt'fc^ hint wttfc as mnc^ aiicfcftifcfiacf
af>firft^<# whs nk equally t<mad6u©<rf
iky hbtntair, Ik* vtrroe of Ccfcmt Tmirar
*^bat? whteh timde me fecare, aerobe
could alfo be affdred of mine; not
knowing me ereh capable of one
thought to^olate the facrfcj rights of his
love, I believed him therefore incapable
Jwtotote mhie; . We^^h^Bevdd^
fcut th*\<5ountsfe believed xjtii|e cdntra-
jry, and the refoeA which her hulband

3#J flifiottoed her ;ndt^lrttterr; ilhfiJ
»dtfU)was b ccmitton ibibte ^fihtar
mtiti^bt^rezlmiAnxA which ihednd
cmertgnned ' for her hufbandfc ; virtue*
Lfcftftw toot, but her fufpicion was nb
wijrs tt^teeable to me, becEufe at th«
fertitniw^rtie^alfo muft:have but an in?
cfito^iib opinion of -my , hwioufair.vl
thb^gW.^rfine fee ought tohavdfonfa*
#d^'±«tet }^dg^«nt, and;if ihc be>
ttoreArme capable <af infidelity ^ f cratiit
%t>ttatillWo^5^caipabie of k hetfeHj
«* «* tt rfh fli atag Ldiifembled my knofo
ta%e of it, but could not help fmiling

at

at her vroknfcft »z JrMC^Igfc&ttitfcrf
tddcriiiis a&rd thft^e&^^WttW*
qf/ffciwi' ami tbatfte «^terc<i,4|efifej/f
thud ibd ytki the «i©# aeccmpHfljed of*
lefcfcx:* howwer, 1 beggwi *»« hufi
liandfjtof fccqpt atore upda the W&TYGb'.
fcocaisfea. *nell dtfpofod nwvi wgfrfrtei
rcrtodhrcrt itfelfwith tfa» wej&iK&jQjf;
©there, or rejoice at *he coft of aaQtker'*
tnrrs. ' •• ' '.:- '■•, ; .os

Ci. " f • ••;-•• i •■" ■ • .* : ■".' -V ■': $

bfJf; - . i /'" , ;»•»•"» ;.;;»:■; 111* hilL ,VT

jp* UR innocent divcrfiom wetofegfe

ef/fify bdtag with: child ,r^diY^te»;
bcriaufe.it was the firfl; v obliged mth*o
give immediate riotice of it tamytoion
ther, whoj in anfwen defirod #oeit<i
repair immediately Jo Ytr&iite* :^be
Coimtds departed witiUierJiu^ndUfc*
knrdsPark, at which I w^^dlffeftfe
tdviidl ibme ^liewjeakmfjf/niight^aofc
wt ; our jouttaey : Xfeiape, ^awtferdifc©
fc toot alfo the fane/dtajuk ^atWhthd
jUetdkre with whfo^ iriyjwtito
dtoiui ^m *Mtadft>fe;Iljgafl^^
gnili-rjl q'>;i ion bU^os tod e h 1o3gto*

i&fojtfttvtd tfatt (he would fc|yrt(*ejj
fuff<r xtie to oipye.myfelf : all^e 'film*
;f3<5tioii that I coqld take was in reacf*
^g, with which J *as always delighted*
b^c^yfi^ it added to the improvement of
of; my mind. Books are the beft cqn-
vei-fetiqn that a prudent woman can de-
jfoe* j£q (pend.Her. time with fatisfaftion
<oherfelf: from all books tome advantage
fnay t?e gathered, but from evejy map
it is impofrible; the men in general are
guided by indirect views, and court our
efteem at the vile expence of a thou-
sand lies ; on recounting the days
which I had fpent in reading, I found
T\$n& ^pent in vain, but of the others
I cpuld form but a very unfatisfa&pry
^euiciiibjance* During thofe months
•In which I was with child, I had no
other pecupatton but this, becaufe my
another even feared that the air would
.QiFend me. During that time nothipg
^pnfiderabie occurred, but an odd ae-
j^|dei>t happened by which I found out
the truth ojf an affair which I had m
vain wiihed to be acquainted with a
long time before ; I was one day, as
ufu^l, reading a book of morals which
^i^me incredible delight, when one

ticc; tfiewas calfeii Mifs la Gnechv,

^asalitttc ordinary figure, a gfea*

-pr^tter, arid very, fooliih, though fojr

j^r^.'and ; vanity flie was not to be

c^uaile4,; and when fhe found herfelf

Ws-refpe^Tted than the reft of her fellow 1 *

(ervants, ifhe would £artip and teaf h<?r

frair with vexation: of hex pfcVffcrt'I

fliould not have fakefl any ucriice, If it

3^ad; not been in refpeft to Sxiy nloth&

J wh$ gave her 1o nie, and in Whafe*!^

>ice me had been from her chil3l|6£

This fole fefle&idfi induced hie :, td v 3

[Mxyvh&t motives fat hid far 5*?4*-

"que& ^ or whether lhfe was di^rtsilS^

Wjtfc lier place? ihe aftfwersd njtt ; irat

&e had.no complaint to kiake^l$£*ft

fcefa£* ndw time fo* her to ffettte )*&$£

in life, (he wanteditd embracer rtltt?*^

pptturfity which prfefenti^itfdfW^et

td ^aarry'. ' I had before fcwmmor?v«$

. tb lufpe<a that Gneche itmft Hare hefti

jit love during my flay ateLyofts, ^ck

Jfhe was never cogent, and cantfaiii^

yiflied to be again at Vrfr&illes, "ndjfr

wete we hardly returned but 'I !"ol?fa^*

ed' a fuddeii gladnefc: an4: ^vCWt-

Mead her ccRintaiaiib^^tltt* cteflsJ-'

**.. fity

Nipiar t I bade her igefle<ft fsrioufly:
up<>i> ^hat fhe was about, and 4#J$ b&fw
th^t foe was feeking.hcy q*m x-iiift^jgartfc
deftru&ion * that he had ^itl$rXf»h{
gifei Go Uvc ,01^, nor sjbiUtiq* £<?rgqt &*!
tfiat 1u$ fubfiftancc was by ch«ftittg*i
debauchery, and %&. Gncch^ bH«$t;
cd with her amorous pMfion* >h#d jfog;
c<p^rage to *nfwer i&ft t^rof ;ten^«Sj.
r*»i b^fv inferraed, fo^ ihfc kfcft«i
tffl& Wyp&lf, that the. Mar|^^;¥^
pftjtffimhim a* hi* o^ivChiW^featth^ri
JfrirtC^of Jrr-t- kept him c^umltyz
4; hwtabte* fchattbe Cosotefs .;&.-!&[
e^glcjjred Wm m all her paTt»ci43?i^fr;i
fa^§/ ^$t that he was refpefled b|?<SWM
r$ 5 jpif£ r : v 3rjbcfir. arc things* t^W^s^j
tflli^h are repeated by pcrfcns.<>f :crm,
w^ferqfcpacity tharthimfelf ; >I d<iin©t
*^rofcr at your bettering -it* bsca»%
yop;m(fe»iimkesthcch«at lefsi&ppfcr?
ragout.! wonder that the fetdies yo**..
n^rifioj^ the liberty to nae*Vr .

tidittlipir names, an<d are not alharofci;
to keep foc;h a yiilain #ear 4 their per*',
ibq ; t /At d#t lament I coaecived a feifr .
p?cj^i;w r hi^^^ her eoene^T,:

*«&g*e¥.: ^ffafr^iy bem;a$8k
Iprf&lW*' l thfe; ' inipfclfe' of yoitf blln$
ft$ef ! btit Jrou wilTreperit perhaps, "be-,
f&& tefegj aSfhavihg fdft a miftrefs who.
ilf^d^knew of your comrecVion with'
hiffl,%iftf temething of a \tarfe mriir$.£-
bifr tliprer took -notice of;h\ be?HJ£
ottttftflHiif tb : ruin" yott r ybu do no£
thirtk petffiapV that! know of that "bife
Wt Ibft^ymc fome time ago, whicfr^oii^
aftfelderifaliy found' arid put; fnio ' the,
liMKIs* df your tmWottoy '«dVet *wW
n&oV'Bfe^r rt for apur$fe<v$M &»/
nsetrotnariy tears. HertSfhtf nrfe^jM;
e3'«*e,-iSIKhg at my feet With tekrlJA
heV' eyes, and acknowledged- t^at'mjr
fu?pi«K>n was jutt : in confeffirj^tti'ftS^
trfc*itf e^fcdfe'herfelf,' by-'Ute iffig 1
.ttfatfotefeUndh in the gardftf wheWmf '
*BBf>g&ng~'to fpeak wW 3 HiflM w
tHaTihe flawed it to hmi riotfeelngffF
direaedUo me, and that ihe Ie$ ifflftn*
hr.ttnot imagining that' ft'' co^d^Se 1 *? ''
any» prejudice to iuev-'ttfthfe'-nMSP 1
rofe^acciderit 1 found •ootl^&.wIhM. ;
had often put niy brains fo'^eibrttteV;,,
Grieehe < tftth all my perfmfwH^w^&dfV
noffce contented to br&k'fw'-hinC
an&l'gatt* her <1ip -to ^ W'ftKsW' 1

X>rit '■ greater

< 24? )
greater than .the lofs'of a mughty fcr-
vant and a dpmeftic enemy $ nqr have
we enemies more pernicious than the
fervants in our own families; by them
our fecrets are betrayed, and our a£U-
cms interpreted as they think proper *
our fubftance is wailed by their careleff-
nefs, and our good name and reputa-
tion itfelf are at the mercy of their
fcandalous tongues. The world is fo
extravagant and unwarrantable in its
maxims, that to be great it condemn
jus to be miferable * and to keep our*
felines in a ftate to be refpe&qd, muft
be always in fear of thofe beneath us. *
, The time of my delivery being cpme,
I was brought to bed of a beautiful
child, at the fight of which my motheu
was greatly rejoiced. The concern any
huiband was under during the time of
my labour, through apprehenfton of
my danger, was exceflive ; but his ush
quietude did not laft long, becaufe my
danger in a [few ^days was over. Tb*
concern of my mother for the prefer*
vation of my child was inexpreffible; I
fhall only lay, that flie considered it as
the only heir to, ,all her eftate, and in
conrparifon with' the child ihe made
but little account of myfelf, though ihc
always loved «c tenderly : in fatf* the

felicity

ttettdi depending uponJchq .Kfe.ot;a;
difld 5 -iubjed to. ali difeafes of ,kun)au'
nature $• tyit her tendcrnefs ferved only
*o augment her grief from the appre-?
henfipm of lofing it, nor did itiignify
niy -ifttakiog of this,, for ihe lov^it a$
her awn* life, and by: no means would
oonfentta let me have it, and I, to ; be.
her shiid, m4jft difpenfc wjfh the pica*
fore of being a mother. WitK Jtliefe
fentiments, fupfriqr to* the; . wcaknels
oijzun fex, it fe^ied .that &»v$n had
djndaineUjhat I flioulci feparate frpmmfi
dew littie boy :, he did not die, but rt
wasifcr feme time the iama to. me .as it
he) i had been really dead. ; r Someday s
aft*fc>my< delivery, I was waking toge-
ther w& my huiband in a gallery, y hen
* letter was fraught from a perfon unn
known/ and which was given to our
fervant, by a perfon entirely a ftranger $
fcchad hardly opened it but he was
iehed with a violent fneezing, and
fweomd away upon a chair. O God !
kk&t was my agony at that time, and
how many fufpicidns came confufedly
in to my foul: th$ force of the freeze
iaade the letter drop from his hands ; I
damped upon it; and kicked it on one
fide ; I called put far afijftaace, yhich
^VoiJ. II. - Y fchme*

( 242 )

immediately came, and I related to my
father the fa&, Who ordered them not
to take any notice at prefept, but fent
immediately for his. doctor who fdon
brought my hufband to himfelf; and
having examined the letter found * it to
b? pouOned ; nor would my fppufe have
beep longer alive had he not dtept It
from his hands, by which accident tHe
pQifoji had not time to operate, and
o^ly occafioned that Hghtneft* In his
h$adj which, madq him, fall upoit th?
chair, where in a little time he reco-
vered his fenfes : but I could. not reco-
ver fo foon from my perplexity ; it was
not eafy tp foretell from whence this
fclow came,, but it plainly proved that
Comtf Termes had fomefecret enemies,
who difcovering themfelves thu£ g^ave
us reafbn to bp upon our guard. - ; "•

CH S A,P.

(243 )

CHAP. XXXII.

JOur Journtyfrom Paris to Milan, ivbere,
by a humourous Accident I dij cover my
Huflaxd's Jealoufy.

I Am almoft at the conclufion of ttfy
adventures, but am not at that ©f
my troubles, becaufe I had yet one
misfortune to encounter with, which,
without doubt, was the greateft of all :
by the force of patience, perfections,
and tears, I had at length attained
-to repute myfelf happy in the arms' 6f
(Sl fpoufe to me fo dear, and who fettled
in me alone all his contentednefs $ not-
withstanding this I did not e^peA to be
always consented, for upon the happi-
liefs of this world I had but little de-
pendence ; and in the moft flattering
c ire um fiances of my fortune, I had al-
ways a dread of difappointment fixed
in my heart. With all thefe my max-
ims, the late danger of my dear fpoufe
was an accident fo entirely unforefeen,
'that it rendered me inconfolabie : that
letter being examined by fkilful people,
with proper precaution againft any bad
confequence, contained nothing worth
notice, and the character was unknown ;
Y2 but

: < : 244 )

I ^but iki* diabolical artifice ttrpoUbuthe

• j$^9$rwho opened Lt, was well known
to every one that faw Count Termes that

. May in the gallery : we could not be cer-
tain from whence it came, but were all
.of opinion that it muft be from ibme
relation of the Marquis B. C to revenge

* his death by bafe treachery. The cir-
cumftances of the people concerned in
this plot would not permit us to make
it public through fear of irritating
them : a prudent diffimuktion contri-
butes greatly to . their confufiori and

^vexation ; for to the envious and mali-

> cious, there is not a greater pufii%-
ment than that which accrues to them
from their own difappointed malice?:

; treachery when timely difcovered, r4-
tprts upon the aggreffors, and tnfii&s
niore forrow upon the contrivers of ir,

J.than it <bes upon thoie who fuffered it
without damage. It is enough that it

Ogives us fome opportunity to difcover
the traitor, or at leaft puts us upQii ow
guard, though even without knowing
him. This was the principal objeft of
my attention ; the life of my hufband
was to me a point of too great confer
qiiebce when I faw itaflaulted, mot tto
ftudy ajl manner of ways to preferve k :
the ijioft. grudcnt ftep for him was to

leave

( QMS)'

) ricaste VerMtef ; "tfntt'al^Mn^ ilrtfc 1

tsroMnot divide TromihhW, W^a&Id

-I think him fedure except i wis "nWiys

-at his fide. Italv Offered ts i' refuge' of

fecurrty, otir fetiwmfent to whidi itijj^ht

atfo bfc jiiftified by thfe private mtbJreft of

- pta: feitiMy. My AiotheV did not knoto

how td refolve on this torrowful f^afa-

. tion; confined to tfcote hlce points fce-

"ttfrten her lore for me, 'arid my ioVt fo'r

Count Termes, fofe thottglht herifelf #1-

"fitted to the preference * I Wks:a

daughter before I became a wffei'lWrk I

wa* ftift her daughter tho'u^h I yctoh- -

patiied my hufband, a/id thfe'.rftW/ctf

matrimony wete nd Ways ittcOiiftfteht

with thbfe of Hatum Thefe my W4-

-fbns prevailed ott my mother,' but*! wks

-tbttfttairtfed to gritlfy her In'dne'il-

fpeft, Which! fubmitted to ^tdltfeM-.

tance ; that was, to Wave with fte^flfy

fon, who wis thfeh ibou't f& [ iliorttns

told, for fhe could not bear the ifrdftifilfe

of having it expofed to the f&igawof

a long journey. '' ~'; J ~

This and out departure belrig agre^
to, we left France, and wfrfrft /ffife
pledges that we* e moffc dear tdTh$ • fciit
1 left them willingly ib fecur£ tfle ti&
, of my hulbandj and to etihf jii ; a 3lf-
lance fram the noifedf tw cHtit*, iftfe
Y 3 fweqt

( 2 4 6 )
flffeet quiet of a private fortune. . Our
journey could not be very expeditious,
as we carried with us a retinue of eight
people, who had been for many years
in the fervice of my mother, and well
known by her to be faithful in their
trufts. Faffing by Lyons, Mr. D'Ar-
tore, our beloved friend, infifted on
our flaying a few days at his houfe, and
entertained us elegautly, as ufual. De-
parting from Lyons we tarried- a few
days at Turin, where the royal nuptir
nh were at that time celebrated with
the greateft magnificence, . From Tu-
rin we paflfed to Milan, where Count
Termes had obtained Tome lands which
By right were his property. In this ci<-
ty both myfelf and my hufband had
many friends, and the kindneis which
I received from them was more diafc
what I can here exprefs: they ftrove to
out-vie each other in their endeavours
to oblige me, and would not fuffer a
ifingle day to pafs away, in which they
did not give me fome motive to admire
thfe greatnefs of their fouls, and enjoy
the effe<5te of their bounty, I do not
intend by this to ufurp a praife which.
I have no claim to, by faying that I al-
ways knew haw to adapt myfetf to the
luimotiir of my acquaintance and of my
a:h c i r .

f

( *47 )
clifcumflaflces} but/in Miba,jvl^r6 &g£
all were fo much.;devated ;to mjiritv
tereft, I was conftraincd to'igive-jigf
company to each; in order to deli mrj
juftly with none, I do not knoiw whe?
ther it was my adventures, or.myq-ualLf
fications, which rendered me fodeftrt?
all j but I know that fo much kindneft
exceeded my merit, and could not laft
long without being difturbed by fonie
forrow. Amongft all that honoured
me and vifited me often, was the M^t
quis P. S. about- the age of two aji£
twenty, and endowed witb all thftf? «3r
tural accompUflunents which, beiflgUf
nited with his. noble education, rendeip
ed him truly amiable. I muft owntfyat
he behaved to me with more ^te^tioy
Aanany one of the reft, but ftPVfffiftr
(fcifas that I did not dift ing^iih^ jvnp
above any of the others, by Qj$>y: p$?ftr
cular tokens of civility » but thkw3$
fufficient to caft my hufband inm> a
fudden and profound melancholy, of
which at firft 1 could not y ;uhderftjcn4
his meaning. Two years ha# /paiTe^
iince my nuptials with.Counfc Turnjes^
;and I never kijew him to be jealous*.;
my condu^ in reality; did.nptgtwjliiii
the leaftreafon, but I mxilk »tfb &)&»
fhat myfelf fuffered.JthatHajmwt tfeyft*

the

( *4* >

the jealoufy of my hufband : mt xlfat
Count Termes kept me rcferved, or
> with any rigour deprived me of my li-
berty, obferved my fteps, ordifturbed
my conversion with any reproaches ;
he was too wife to fall into fuch a weak-
nefs, and had too much efteem for my
virtue to difcredit it in the face of tfcp
urorld with his jealous fufpicions. A
hufband puts his own honour in doubt
when he fhews too much concern, and
«wry one will take the freedom to put
their own conftfu&ion& upon the a&L-
ons of a married woman, when they
fee the hufband examine and obferve her
•with too much attention. The jealoufy
*rf {fount Termes was confined withifj
his heart ; nothing was to be feen by
hk behaviour but a certain uncommon
fednefe which prevailed over his natural
liftAy temper, of which 1 fhould neVer
have found oat the caufe if my eye*
had not! been opened by a very hu**
rttourous accident. Being in the fum-
tter feafon, I fell afleep one day aftei\
dinner upon a chair, and flept fo found
that any perfon might have come into
my room without my either feeing ot
heating theitij when I awaked, I found
upon my bureau, which flood clofe by
me, a bitliet; directed to me, but I did:

not

(^49) ,
*fiot f kno\tf the hand-writing, though I
• thought to have feen it before $ I calleSi
My maid to know who had laid it therd,
-or from whence it came; lhe informed
me that ihe had received it from ano-
ther of the fcrvants : I ordered her to
go and enquire who fent it, becaufe the
-fa& at Verfailles had taught me never
-to open a billet until I firft knew from
; whence it cafne ; fhe returned, and told
me, that it was brought by a fervant
belonging- to the Marquis P. S. I 'then
:read it, and found it to this tenor :

/. f* Madam,

' If this day after dinner, in your go*-
' ing to take the air, you would 'conde-
scend to give yourfelf the trouble to call
: at the lign of the Golden Eagle, you
will anticipate me the pleafu re of em-
bracing you, for I carfhot procure it (if
imyfelf till to-morrow^ as I lhall tell
•you in perfcn. Come without fail, for
; I lhall add no more, being willing to
fbrprife you."

\l I How many confuted ideas did thefe

\\ few tines immediately produce in me!

ithe Marquis P. S. fent the billet, but
I was fatisfied that it was not wrote by,
him, becaufe I knew his chara&er, ami

that

T that be was too wife and prudfcnt to
1 write tome withjfuch liberty,* which he
wis never entitled to by our friendfhtp.
The billet feemed to.be wrdte by a wo-
man, and I could have fworn that the
hand-writing was not new to me, but
could not recollect whofe it was, nor
would I riik the asking any one to fa-
tisfy my curiofity, or fee where this ad-
venture was to finifh. I faid nothing
to my hufband, but ordered my coach
to be gat ready, and I went, firft to >pay
a Ihqrt vifit to Xady N. N. and ifroin
whence to the place of appointment a-
bovementiohed : it was ntfair tec o'clock
when I entered my coach, ind a-
bout ' feven I Hopped at the place of
taffignation to enquire if aay one was
there that deiired to fte me? but 1vhat
was my fiflrprize whejvmy huftand-ap*
:peared before *ne f with an air mode
.penfiyetthanufuai! to fee him at that
-rhour, in that place, and with that dif-
-dain ! I then recolle&ed > taty having
left the t>iflet on the buteau, open to
jperufal of any one who had the curi-
ofity to read it, and inftantly gtfdflfed
how it was ; nor could I eaifily refraib
fr6m laughing, becaufe the comical
circumflances of this accident appeal-
ed to me like part of a comedy. What

de

do you do here ? faid I, in a joke, we
do not want your company. The Mar-
quis P. S. replied he, is not yet come;
when he- arrives, 1 fhall leave- you at
your liberty. This anfwer would have
offended me, had . it come from any
other perfon, but his confufion made
me ample amends : however, his jea-
loufy did not heft long, for in a few
moments after I was furprifcd: with the
prcfenc* of theCountefs.fchNilof.Pavia,
and .the Marquis her huiband: Count:
Termes at that- fight, remained like a
pillar, and one look from me •. at once
reproached and chaftifed him : I then
turned myfelf to the Counteft to return
her thanks for the joke (he had played:
me, and gave her at: the: fame time the^
moft; tender 'fentimeftts.of; my grati*"

CHAP.

<; 2®z ))

C HA P. xxxin; '' •

My Jourruy to Venice, and the eomknl
Adventure which happened with my
old Friend Mr. N. N. .•:>/■>

TH £ Counted had traveliedrfrom
Paris to Milan that fame -morn* ;
inrg, and not being at>16 to appear; in
publick, becaufe their equipage re-
mained on the road fome mile* behind,
ihe could not refill her iinftttient curio- ;
fity of feeing tiie^ being told' at that,
lodging that I was in this city, *he re-!
fotved to furprize me by fending that
'billet without a name $ and the Marquis
Pi'S, toeing to viftt her, a few horn* afc-
ter her ^arrival, ihe gave it r. to. Mm
that it might be conduced &fe into my
hands. .

Thus was all the caufe of Count
Termes' jealoufy and fadnefs difcover-
ed ; the billet was wrote by the Coun~
tefs, but I did not recoiled* her writings
tho' fiiil I thought to have known it,
but I wonder how the Count did not
knpw it, when he found it on my bu*
reau, read it, and examined it a* his

5>ieafare; he having courted her for
onto time, ought to have had fome bet-
ter

* c m >

ter knowledge of her hand. Hfc ftoart
€o me afterwards, that it even did not
once enter his thoughts ; and having
heard from my niaid, it was brought by.
fcne of the Marquis P. SLfs fervarits, he
believed it without the leaflt doubt to be
his : This accident opened my eyes, td
fee that Count Termes had no good o-
pinion of my friendihip* with the Mar-
quis I*. S. and that froifi this perhaps
his uncommon melancholy arpfe. The
refpeft which he had for me detained
him from explaining it better - 9 but ftill
he retained the worm in his heart ; and
I muft not only excufe him as Titian,
but be careful likewife to make him fin-
cere as a hufhand. If the men a&.
wrong in being jealous, the women dd
worie iir trying to cure them by violent
remedies ; in thefe cafes we ought to
aft with our hufbands as we do with
children that are difficult to pleafe, by
giving them more at one time than what
they aflc, that they may be quiet the
longer. With Count Termes; to cure
him of his jealoufy of one only, I With*
drew from the company of all ; and to
eflEablifhhis, and my own quiet, Jddired
that we might leave Milap, tod^ retire
t&:imy Marquifate of V-^-, ui thev
ktog&mt at Naples, intending fir fir to
>VouII, Z make

tnike a ihort ftajr at Venicr *n4 at
Xoxne, where there were ibme fr'm*£t
whom t defired to fee, perhaps for tie
fa# time. My refolutioa was dis-
proved by all the nobility of JNJ tl^i} ;
but I preferred doraeftic quiet to all the
kindnefi I could receive othffrway* ;
and if Count Termes was careful- apt
to give the leaft torment to my anip-
rous heart, he juftly merited not to
have the leaft difcontent upon my ac-
count. When I began my pxm*y
.fnpm Milan to Venice, I had been £x
^iHontTis with child: If ray mother hftd
been prefent, or had known of my ae-
fblution before I put it in effeft* fie
Would have ufed all her endeavours Ito
have fruftrated it, from the fcftr t^at
fuch a journey, in my condition^ might
ciafc my death. I don't. pretend. to
have afted with an unbecoming bold-
nefs, as many women imprudently do
at that time ; neither did I aft with
that affected nicety which renders every
motion a torment My fecond deli-
vtfyt however, was happier thanethe
firft, and whatfoever mifchancet my
mother forwarned me of in her letters,
fhe had not the difpleafure o£ hearing,
flncc my departure from Paris, even of

my being in the leaft indifpofed. At*m

%

( m )

^rAnaittafrceVinto yjeaiQe;Iffhought ( to

^falftf tint' Mr, *2&yN>f o£ ©urar ri vaj^ §ut

"Wihatfght occurred 1 to my 'mindi to^

the traiifportof hH tenderftefs, £> V frii?-

« pfr izing him unaware*. It being;tne. &a-

aon of autumn, I procured a mafqus-

< frada-drefs, according to the cuftonj of

1 'tfce country, that I might not be drftiri-

-gtiiftlcfd by the particularity of. qiy

cldathsi, and went out in company with

my hutband to look for hira : 1 kpc w

• where he livedo but Wanted jogive r fyim

> a meeting out of hte own h$>T%^Jjis

ptffohlkttcw Well, ey^ n whpiTk r^a^d,

- ^out his face, was generally {yux;o\[$$fld.

% ftarched all the public placed, -^>$>at

laftikw Jiim in a coffee-houfe upon, jjie

J gtand parade, and in which; ( tbjer,el\f as

iifeuti little company. Having, . infoxi^d

^ T iT^))rufl)aiid.df the manner .tnJtwjuch

he:w$sto befhave, I walked » twlce^or

thrice before the door, and theu w { $nt

* tn ahd fat cloie by him ;* who had aWa-

\. dy obferved me, and feemed to bcplea-

ifed at my being nigh him j he looked

at me from head to foot, but/ Hid

not feem to know me. I < looked ^nd

, ' laughed at him with fo muck&miliari-

ty, that he at laft afked of jite if I fcad

any commands with hin>/ t ^nfwered

\ MmJhMy f that he.gught i^^di^pVer

rfbjKed : iie, ^y j; time,.*. pa# * here fc£$
others to whom you may # ap ply v airfi
.with wluoin you may make ^better n*«*r
£#L With figns, I anfwered hiiif** &&
SWid^hat I would have l^n.wiy^Hf
zdflkd, that if I would take ^ $%*>£
ichpfoj^te, or coffee, at h\$ cqQ* atad
%b$d.fpare hu$ the trouble of moving*
flHould be welcome* I replied, that J
de^r<4tobe with hijn alone,, awi ge£ r
4iAg up fifpm my tent, toqk &m by £hf
li^^ r ai>d dragged him almoft by fqt^or
^toT the hp#fe, .obliging Jum to fftjtj-
Jgw We': ,Why, gpod wcnna#, f&4 he

3?<^ing ^garin, whether I ai# wUl«yg7«r
^5^t.me;at le*ft fee your **?&:**!
^$R>.e -F.$ :t ^ about it* . WJiea fym
lUv^fssninc, added I, yow'U^othay*
thsjieajt tp leave me ; J then coadw&r
o&hma tq anpther pofiee-hoi|fe oniht
iams par&de, over which there w*r*
foti^e jQ&ms where we had been pfte»
tog^the^, when I firft became ^cquaintr
led with him., We. had no {QQv&cgjg.
ttteirfi, (but he ordered fome chocofcfo
%^ ^ien defined we, as no other p§r?
ton wa$ pEpfepf, to (hew him my face*
^jyQrcte -wer? har$y mte^cd, buy*
. . ' ' \ came

cdmc fty litfi^d; 5 tfhb had : «i u $ft
flght* cxf methe whole time, acid fa'*
liafty manner began to quarrel with Wfc
N. N, that he had feduced his wife;
and wanted to dishonour him : our
friend cxcufed himfelf, by laying that
it was I that feduced him, and began to
fufpeft that it was a contrivance bctwecjn
tas for forae wicked defign : At toft,
when their words grew hot with cfth
other, I called them both fools, and
running between them, at the femetimc
taking off my mafque, their quaere!
was converted into a 4tt of laughter.
Mr. N. N. who had not the 'lead*
thoughts of feeing me- at Venice, part-
ed back with furprize : This fudden joy
carried him almoft beyond himfelf*
he -embraced and fqueezed me*to«ftis
bofom, and embraced my hulbanilirreti
and over again ; and confuted with the
fudden furprize, he could on!y v repeat
firft to me, and then to theiCount,. for
why, or how could you be fo cruel, as
not to give me timely notice ? Certainly
I muft have been ftupid, not to have
known either of your voices. The good
old gentleman being recovered :frbrh
his fdrprize, we related to him a few
particulars, and he was fo rejoiced at
this vifit, that he knew not how to gtefe
Z 3 vis

Us fufficle^t proofs o£ bis teadernttfs r
: t We Werit direftly to lodge at his houfe,
iiicl to (atisfy his curiofity, I related to
fcrm what was become of Albevit> wkat
fervice I Aid to Rofaura, and what be-
came of her, for he knew not one arti-
cle of what had happened, until I had
informed him. Daring our flay at Ve-
hice; he:was continually inventing freih
methods to pleafe us, and fpared nocoft
to entertain and divert us : he defined
that we would ftay with him till the
•carnival, but my time advanced apace*
land my mother believed, perhaps, that
: at that hctar I was in the kingdom of
-Naples* I was therefore cowftraiwd to
tffeperate from fo dear a friend, to pre-
vent my being furpriaed in Venice wifjr
tile trouble of a delivery.
"After .tarrying there a whole jttontk*
•we let out for Rome, haviqg acquaint-
ed Madam Gallant*, by a letter from
me, that Ihe might prepare a lodging,
for us in her own jboufe : The good wo-
jftiafi received me as if ibe had feeivm
meher own child, and $o ihe faid < ihc
might call . me, having affified at nry
feirth^ and having educated me in my
tender vdars 5 her hulband, no longer
DtiK* out Mr. Gallaori, was not a*-
Jwflie'upcm our arrival, and wheivhe

re-

WKtoft^d, he fe}l & xby fe#, W&ng
''iiie for his good' fortune, and for rdfto-
J ring from death to life his numerous
family. After his return to Rome, he
-fettled his aflairs in fuch a manner,
that he made a tolerable figure. The

* 'firft moment I few him, I obferved up-
on his finger a ring of fome value, and
which I thought to have fome know-
ledge of, and defiring to look at it,
which he readily granted, I found it
to be one of mine, ftolen, with the reft
of the things, by the Servant at Turin.
! enquired where he had got , it, and
-gave him my reafori for aikmg fuch "a
^ueftion ; he told me that he had bought
•this ring for one hundred ducats, and
from a man who wasfiill in Rome, 3fid
gave himfelf the air of a man of charac-
ter \ but was reduced from his fpleqi-
<ter, and, £or mere want, hired him*
feif as a fervant to the Abbot N. N. l^ts
jfriend, and well known by atl Ronje*
With this, and fome other tokens, \
ttiadeno dbubt but it rauft be that un n
worthy villain my fervant, who plun-.
dered my lodging one night at Turin t
however, I could not expeft any of my

f things from him now, but I was williqg;
that fuch a thief fliould not go 'unjnw;
uiibed, leafthe lttigjit fervrf otiicrs la

the

US

* an
hi
fa

*r: rs

in
n :

-«•
tc

^r3T

tl, :n g^e

I
•il

t

with m&h&tf xwhhofrr, befori^:kprcbife
1 way\of thinking and difcourfe, I knew

bin* to be a real philofopher, cutwithw
. in a hair** breath of my own jrteafure.
Qur foft fubje# of difcourfe was ab©*a*
his jfervant, who he told me wo\il<J
<tense there to light him home in the
evening, at which time I ihould have
an opportunity of feeing him: Wheit
.he came, we had notice, and I ftood
behind the curtain of the anti-cham-
ber dooiv $nd having a full view of
Aim in the hall, found him to be the
-fcsxie as I fu£pe<fted * The Abbotv fth*

•• tod taken hi* fight meafures, defifG&te
write a few iines, and whe*> the biitet

wa* wrote, he delivered it to his fervsatat,
•who little fufpeflsed what it meant, or*-
4wriag :hm to carry it where it waf dlf

* lifted* This bilJet was a© ordert-foi
him to be arreted ; on the delivery «#
& the villain. was feaed by the coJla#

* asid paired immediately into prHbiii

* fratt) whence he was font to the gilley*; :
j' thei^to enjoy the fruity of his vmtch*

* ed conduct The Abbot, in the while,*

* npt .without reafewa, protefted, that to
/' raft be was indebted for. his life* .'What*

| - *Wfl® mtare likely, -than: ai fa*cni*abt& •

q£#Qlftsnfry, oflferiag f .iiihaBt , teiltoi0,>ii^

the

J.l *****

tit* tf&Kt ; migfct Adt 6nl> ftfi tlflj hbi^

but deprive his niafter of his Kfr; 'fffc

vifit was not very long ; yet by his &£•

irourfe, I entertained a high opmiort fk

his perfon, finding him to be a nidrtdf

^ood morals: Having afked myjief'-

miffion to return now and theh 'ta^ftt

me, to give m6 a better teftimonV' 1 ^

his gratitude* my hufband agreed icf'k

willingly, and begged that he vttftrfB

not faU to come, and that his corti|J&-

ny was a particular pfeafure to us botfi.

X did. riot, prefs him fo much c a$ ^He

Cpujit, becaufe the affair at w Mi)9n %F-

,ved nie ever after for a rule ; net tjf-

thelfefs my hufband did not foil getfthr

Jo reproach me for "being forefertra.

]%hb ag«eablenefs of the AbfebJfKad

^p^tTed his fancy fo much thia? Hfe ^s

not content unlefs he fatfr hthi e*Wy

day,, and at laft could not iribve 1 * ftep

without him« To this perfon, teafty

worthy of our efteeln, for his bitth, e-

education and qualities, we beftbMred lH

jbur company, becaufe, for thepubfic

"dlverfions I never had any tafltf, . nly

. fancy bring always for folitude.

^ The laft months of my bearing, By

^pegfon of fome indifpofition irhfch

ScaiYi^ qy6t me, turned out a little trdti-

^HeloiAeV i4 My mbthes, to whom Jted

given

k #1 )

gtyep? Cpjms nptjpe A wrote me, that if I

jrcinempered Jier misfortune, f ftbmA

pot ,thi$k of leaving Rome until I was

delivered. United with her commands,

j h^d the perfuafions of Duli and his

,w}fe, the* Abbot, and my hulband,

therefore it was refolved that in that

,^me r heu^ I fhould be delivered ; and

4n thp very houfe in which I was born

myfelf, at the end of little lefs than

'two months, I brought to the world 'a

girl, who, this moment, while I am

^eitfioning her birth, is playing ^6]ind

jwp v ?nd the, piorel. look at hetytfje

,*npre t thii^k fhe refejnbles her mbtheir.

X)\iri n g the laft month of my tniie, aiid

ibme days after, I led a life quite fofita-

£|y froa> all, but not difagreeable, 4 Jhi T

sfftufe ^ftH#F iwy hufband or tji^jfttfubt

^kqu <jie company. Between wS&flls

4whicha# by the fame principle^ the?e

canjbe no difagreement : The tender-

jicis my hufband had for him, render-

i.pdhim dearer to me, than even fiis

< owi> admirable qualities : He at laft be-

f ,Cf me, confidant to us both, nor haverl,

this moment in which I writei aiiy mo-

ityves to repent that confidence; ,*&U

fortune was fuch as generally' |does f

. orpught to belong tq people of merit,

f ^ th^t^ liijLddjhi^ and prij^ipa^ ^ f ^-

( **4)

tti on the abilities *nd the *x<ttyffy§n«ft
of their talents. The Abbot, 1117 friett^
had once ferved a Prince" in quality of
Secretary, but had left him for tome
time paft becaufe he could not any
longer continue to his fatisfa&ion : tMt
thing was apparent, and did but r Rttte
honour to his mafter, who, tO tfvokf
the imputation of the feuit, contrived
a riiethod to throw it upon the inno-
cent. The Abbot fully informed vti
of his difference with the Prrnce, again{|
whom all Rome gave their opinion $
but fa<fts of that fort, in me confidted,
I have no right to pubKih in thefe Me-
moirs.

One day, being flill in bed tndifpofc
ed by my lying-in, he came to me with
itiorehafte than ufual, and with fuch
a faehmcholy look, that f aflcerf him,
wh&t was the matter? Madam, an 1 *
fwered he, the honour of your friend^
fhip made me too happy; whoever oil
this earth is pofleffed with fenthnents of
virtue, cannot poflefs any durable fetfu
city : I am in the neceffity of kravmg
you, and the lofs which I rauft firittfa
,in being deprived of your pretence, it
the Only thing which renders me fenfi-
ble of my preftnt misfortune : I hare
heard for certain, that the Prince N. Ml
' , has

( ?%)

hat fchemed fuch a plot ag»i«ft me,
that I am in danger not only of lofing'
my good name, but alfo my liberty : T
ought not, nor will not give him the
pleafure of revenging . himfelf* and as
the time will allow it, I will render his
artifices in vain by my departure from
Rome, left worfe might happen. The
news furprifed and grieved me, my hus-
band alfo was greatly concerned to lofe
fuch an agreeable companion,, who gave
us every day fo many proofs of his fin-
cerity -, his condition feemed to us fo
deplorable, that we were enraged to the
higheft degree to fee innocence, virtue,
and reafon opprefled, and unable to
obtain fatisfa&ion or jufticej wecoyld
giffer him a refuge at our eftate in the
kingdom of Naples, where we intend-
ed to retire ourlelves likewife in a few
days j but my hufband, befides that,
wanted to vindicate his good name, and
not let the contrivers of the barbarous
crime have the pleafure of making him
be believed guilty. After thinking a
good while on it, an excellent thought
came into his head - 9 he went direflly
to the French Ambaflador, his particu-
lar friend, and an old acquaintance of
my father ; he related to him the whole
faa, who finding the abbot worthy of
Vol* U. A a com-

( 266 y

ttm^flidn, gavfc ^im hi* pttye&ion^
atfd ttfuge in his own palace, the ef-
ft£l of which fully anfwered our de- #
ftrei ; for truth and virtue generally
triumphs over its enemies, and we had
the glory a fecond time to affift a man
Who had, with his virtue, rendered
himfeif worthy of our concern, tf
ever I was pleafed at doing a kind ac-
tion for any perfon iii the world, this
was the time ; becaufe thereby I gain-
ed the heart of a man who continues ftill
to be with me and behaves like a real
friehd, and who in my favour would
facrifice his life. He could not open
his mouth without befeeching us to^
give him liberty to (hew his gratitude,
aiii continually begged, under the ti-
tie of a favour, leave to follow us
whet ever we went, protefting that he
wanted nothing of us but our friend-
fhip, having wherewithal to fubfift him-
felf. Such generous offers were induce-
ments fufficient to lay both my own
heatft,; and that of my hufband, under
the necsffity of not refuting them. The
cofeft£>any of a perfon of his character
fcemed to us a fortune which few can
meet - with, for few of his character are '
to tte found in the world j we were con-
vinced that we poflbffed in him a friend,
* -:> * who,

< *6? )

who, wj^reyer we went, wou]d.b#.an
honour to us ; aiyl as he wanted i.tt*
unite his fortune to ours, the offer
was willingly accepted ; and departing
from Rome about four months after*
we three, and the reft of my family,
fafely arrived at the caftle of V— • in trie
Kingdom of Naples, where the parents
of my mother had made for many
yean their residence.

CHAP. XXXV.

DefcriptiQ* 4ff the Caftle of nty yurifdio
tlon f and what happened to xnt tint*.

TH E antient caftle of V<r- jurifdic* i
tion was ramparted all rowd» and \
on the rampart flood feverai finall ton* j
rets, p^rt antient and part modern ? thft '
inhabitants were in number about iw®>
thoufand, moft of them perforo of tufn 4
dit and well fettled : being a place com- -
venient for flapping, it commanded :*><.;
large trade : its fituation w* s facing the, <
fea j part of it flood clofe to? the .fea*J;
fide, and the reft went flanting to . thcu
top of a hill, on which ftood the pajftce
of my anceftors; it was fvin^flctedL : ;
with fomc fpacious garden*, ^ndixom "
that hill we could fee all th*t w« ide*:. ■
A a z lightful

( 26S )

*]Igfufttf <if the earth and fea ; nor could

'$ have'found a feat more Suitable to my

' fancy, becaufe, without being utterly

tetixttd froni the world, I had all the

' pteafure of a quiet and noble folitude.

The iteward of my lands had notice

from Paris of my coming there : being

accuftomed for many years to govern as

matter, and not give an account of his

ndminiftration to any one but my mo-

<• ther, who was fo far off, I don't know

* ^whether he deiired my arrival, but I
. found no reafon to be diflatisfied with
i fflf accounts. All the inhabitants, whom
» I might call my fubje&s, treated me
-ttfith the greateft refpe<3;, and feemed
- Tfcjoiccd at my landing. The firft who
i earner meet me fome miles out of the
' feftatej was the intendant befortmeoti-

, tared; he was a man of lufty ftature,

* and favage difpofition ; one who had a
great conceit of his own abilities, was
jinuch addi&ed to drinking, and ufurp-
ed an air of importance, and thought
every word he fpoke an oracle. I paff-

* ed, amidft the benedictions and pratfes
of that . little populace, to my palace,

•': which I found to be built with good
architecture, but was furnifhed with
goods which bore the face of antiquity :
this was the point which I moft dif-

! liked,

f, liked;- not fifeing that iieatneft ^hfcj* k
♦/admired in France j but my indulgent
toother had even thought in* Paris of
the things that would be raoft agreea-
ble to me, for in a fhort. time a veflel
arrived loaded with all kinds of mo-
dern goods, with feveral piece? of ta-
•pcftrjr, with which I adorned my pa-
lace m a manner fuitable' to my tafte.
If I tire the patience of my, readers in
relating thefe trivial circumftancesv I
flatter myfelf that there is no psrfon fo
unkind as to reproach me for it> con^
fidering that I had fixed upon that placfe
to end the remainder of my days;. In
this caftle I lived quiet and happy, be-
caufe fcparate from the tumults of the
: world$ yet I wanted for nothing .which
might render my life delightful , My
converfation was reduced to a few per-
fons, of whom my hufband and the
Abbot N. N. had the largeft lhare : the
Reward diverted me a little with his
humorous char after, but his great in-
clination for drinking made mq gene-
rally diflike him, fobriety*befaig ,dic-
tated to us by the right ot reafon j but
if all the vices of his perfon had been,
reduced to his love of drinking, i ihould
not have thought myfelf obliged to
think much about him^ : *;. «< ^
Aa 3 I

( ??9 )
ti- i-^ffts -walking one day round <&&
cattle, in company with my huiband
knd the Abbot, when a beautiful girl
threw herfclf at my feet : her age was
about fourteen, of a graceful fhape and
fprightly genius, and I thought at firfl:
fight that there was fomething in her
inpre than common : with the tears in
her eyes flie demanded juftice ; I raifed
!her up from the ground, then asked
Jier, in what flie was aggrieved ? Let
jhem be who they will, Madam, anr
fwered flie f I. can no longer conceal it,
jbpcaufe I am reduced to defpair ;, mg

ffofecutor is your fteward, who, after
aving attempted in vain all laft year
upon ipy honour, . has finally contrived
a method by which he hopes to be able
to reduce me to the neceffity of fatisfy-
ing his, brutifli defire: he has feia^d
upon a poffeflion adjoining to yours,
.which was the only maiiatamance of
our honojpred family, wider the falfe
pretence that it appertained antisfttiy
to the Duchefs, your mother : he h^s
ufuroed it from us by a&ing as witneft,
^dyocate,, 2nd judge,, and has reduced
[us to a ftarving condition : I perfuadc
jsnyfqlf that you, nor the Duchefs your
IXiptlxer,. have any hand in this cru^l
mfagpc die oppreffing of poor people
A cannot

r

c 271 )

«*amtt>t enrich or be a gtorf t<5 ^rfons
W your character .; that ttftwo$fty
wretch enjoys himfelf the fruity of bur
land, and cloaks it with your name that
he may enjoy it without being puniifo-
ed : in proof that what I fay is true,
you muft know, Madam, that he has
offered to reftore it to me more thai*
once; at the dear price of my honour \
heaven i$ witnefs that fuch a thing ne-
ver entered my mind r in the lhort.
time of one twelvemonth I have be£$
driven to fuch neceffity that J h$ve not
enough remaining to cover riiy&lf tle^
cently, or buy the common necdfl&Tiete
of life for me or my poor mother ; ne-
verthelefs I will rather perifh through
want, than live with dishonour; andf,
Madam, if you do not render rt£ ; }i9?r
tice, I will flab that villain with nfiff
own hand, before he' fhall tripiti^n
over my honour. Here flie again burift
into a flood of tears, and would haVfe
fallen at my feet a fecond time, but 1
prevented it, and with kind words ei*-
.deavoured to comfort her.. In her fen-
timents I thought I obferved a likenefe
lo thofe of my own heart, an<l even
if the poffeflion did not belong to he*
by right, 1 ought not to refufe her my .
help. When (he had acquainted me of

the

( iji )

ti^btnig^leh fltffcad hlA tttfift »,
t'fekve htfr thtee piftotcs to fuppfy Iter
;j>tcfcnt neceffitles, and advifed her riot
to mention a word to any one of what
ihe had faid to me.

As foon as I returned home, I Cent
for the fteward, and demanded an ac-
count of the lands, without Shewing
to him my knowledge of Rofalina's
poflfeffion, for that was the name of the
girl abovementioried ; but that unwor-
thy' wretch had notice of her fpeaking
to me, and brought in his pocket-book
tf Writing, by which he would have
perfuaded me, that that pofleffion be-
longed, by antient right, to my mo-
ther, and by uniting it to the reft of
the lands, thought to have given me ah
Authentic proof of his care and fideliy.
Jt To convince me of fuch a truth that
writing was not fufficient, from which
1 could only difcover that one of my
anceftors had purchafed fome lands, of
which that was part ; but it might have
been fold, or given away after that.
To prove .my fteward unjuft, I muft
• Jieceflarily have had fome writing
from Rofalina, which might clear up
her right to poffefs it. When fhe came
to me the next day, I demanded if fhe

had

( 273 >

had any fuch deeds ? and fhe candidly
confeffed that fhe could not produce
one paper to juftify her pretenfions'j
ihe protefted that her father inherited
it from his great-grandfather, and that
my grandfather was then living and had
never made the leaft objection to it,
and that every one in the place could
witnefs for truth all that flie had faid.
The cafe was of a very intricate na-
ture ; though I could have decided the
matter at once, by reftoring to Rofa-
Una her lands. Her honeft fimplicity
at, my tribunal merited a greater re-
compence, but I wanted to fee the
thing thoroughly cleared up, not to
prejudice my own family or the fights
of other*: this curiofity led me to dif-
cover a fecret, which without this ac-
cident I Ihould never have found out.

CHAP.

C 274 )

CHAP. XXXVI.

§ufpicwn$ produced from fame Words of
a Manufcripty which make me defirons
of knowing further.

IF our fleward had a<fted right with
refped to the lands, his conduft
with Rofalina had rendered him wor-
thy of puniihment. One vice often
ferves as a light to difcover others by,
and examining things by degrees, I
fouq4 hiap gvuity of a hundred other *
crimes of infidelity and extortions ; I
.knew that with his falary, by good .
-management tad proper application to
.the Cervices of his truft, ne might l>e _,
able to live creditably, but his income
could, got fupport any extraordinary
grandeur ; yet his houfe was better fur-
' nifhed than mine, his table better fup-
plied, and his wife was puffed up with
fo much vanity that fhe drefled richer
than myfelf ; his falary I knew was not
equal to his expences, though it was
fufficient to maintain him and his fa-
mily .gentedlly without having the leaft J
occafion to commit a breach of truft.
Finding him guilty of fo much villany, - *
aqd Hearing tjtvs complaints of my te-
nants

( 275 )
nants againft htm, not willing to impo-
verifh my own family to enrich a
Granger's, I difcharged him from my
fcrvice ; and this &&ion gained me
more than ever the love of every one.
In the mean time poorRofalina intreated
meto decide her pretentions, andtho'I :
was not yet convinced that the land in r
queftion was hen, yet I was perfuaded
that fhe merited my affiftance: I enquired
what her land might render her yearly
before it was feized, and being told*
about fix hundred ducats, I affigned v
her a penfion of fifty ducats a month ;
with this (he was fo well fatisfied, that !
fhe watched every opp ortuni ty of meet-
ing me, to blefs me and kifs my hand.
Her obliging attention made me take* "
fo much delight in her, that I would r '
willingly have taken her into my own
houfe, and fhe would have come with
as much pleafure, if the age and weak-
nefs of her mother had not conftrained
her to tarry with her. Exclufive of
her genteel manners, her features made
an impreffion upon my heart as if fhe
had been in fome fhape related to hie :
being defirous of doing fier all the good .
in my power, I refolved to £xkrtririe,
whether the ground in qaeffidn was :v '

really

( ^^6 )
really her property, and by what right
k came to be hers.

The records of my family were ftill
preferved in the caftle, but to perufe
iuqh a number of writings required
ibmething more than the patience and
abilities of a woman; the Abbot feeing
me defirous to clear up this doubt, of-
fered to undergo that fatigue, and im-
mediately fet about it.
: Amongft the papers he found no-
thing that could clear our doubt, moft
part of them being of no fignification^
and if there had not happened a ftrange
accident I fhould have remained ftill in
.the fame uncertainty. My hufband
.was gone to Naples about fome domef-
tic affairs, and I was difcourfing as
ufual^ with the Abbot about human dif-
Qi%lers, and philofophifing on the vari-
ations of time and circumftances : Ma-
dam, faid he, on examining your pa-
pers,, I met with a journal manufcript
of the expences made at various times
by your anceftors, in the courfe of a
hundz*ed years paft: I have noted about
twenty different ways by which in
fpending their money they did them-
felves honour in the world ; that k to
fey,, twenty alterations, according to

the

( *77 >
tlie idea they formed of human great-
nefs. About an hundred yeaTs ago
one of your anceftors carried on fome
buildings merely with the intent that
the poor, by working, 'might obtain a
livelihood; and expended, in this man-
ner, fix thoufand ducats. Another, in
his time, baniflied from his lands all
the poor people that had not where-
withal to live ; and if they were defi-
rous to remain, he obliged them to
lirork at this building for half price,
and with this art faved, at the expencc
of their labours, upwards of ten thou-
fand ducats. The great-grandfather
of your mother, if I am not miftaken,
gloried in keeping open-houfe to all
perfons of learning, that had fled from
the perfecutions of fortune, and taken
refuge upon his lands; and thirty years
after, his fon fuffered his own tutor to
perifh with hunger, and kept open-
houfe to all mountebanks, buffoons,
.quacks, and fuch fort of people in the
whole province, and gloried in the
company of thefe ignorant impoftors.
Amongft other things, I have obferved
a great contrariety m the magnificence
in Patrimonial affairs; at one time the
fortune of the woman who married in-
to your family was depofited, and not
You II. B b to

( »7« )
^fobeWddledWi^heiriiiirl thegreateft
'extremity : fome time after, the jex-
]pence allowed for nuptials was marked
'in the journal, and abbreviated in this
manner :

"On occafion of my matter's nttp-
" tials, expended in the whole; thirty
" thonfand ducats. "

In the times nigher to us, I read in
the journals of more money being laid
out by your grandfather for one habit,
than by his grandfather for twenty :
in fhort, Madam, fo many different
men, fa many different opinions 5 and
which are fo many undeniable proofs,
"d\Zt iiuman reafon is a mere lhadow. *
" Thefe refleaions of the Abbot W. N.
being very diverting, made mectefiraus
6f looking more narrowly into that
journal, and paffing over from page to
|»*ge, we by chance caft our eyes on
the date of April, fifty years paft, and
found thefe words written :

.' 'V ToFabrizio, for the clofet in the
*' Tittle palace of the vineyard, bvra-
*' cter of mafter, feventeen dumKr

:• * ' : .' At

X *79 )
At the wot d clofet, the Abbot xmdt
a paufe, and asked me, if I did. not
.think that word merited fome particu-
lar attention ? he being well verfed in
hiftory ,recolle£ted that in thofe days the
whole kingdom of Naples was embroil*
cd in eivil difcords, and people of any
wealth generally hid their riches under-
ground, and in private holes; that one
of my anceftors having procured this
clofet to be made at that time, had un-
doubtedly hid fome treafure in it $ be-
fides, feeing no appearance ofany fuch
place in the little palace, made his fuf-
pieions ftill the more piaufibte, and lie
-iofifted that with a little diligence it
would not be difficult to' find out this
fecret place. I did not flatter myiebf
.'with finding a treafune in this place,
yet the words of the journal had fome
private meaning, which excited my
curiofity to fuch a degree, that. I wasr<>-
folved, at all events, to fearch for it.
Count Termes being returned front Na-
ples, we communicated to him our fuf-
picions, and my thought ; he tried all
pofiible means to difuade me from it,
as if he had been foretold of what was
t# happen; but his perfuafions did not
avail, nor woulci I be content ' until I
"..found out the truth : therefore he and
A a the

( **o )
the Abbot a&cd as archite&s, two coun-
try mafons, fworn to keep the fecref,
went to work, and I ftood looking on.
The little palace of the vineyard was
a ftrong building, formerly the reft-
dence of my anceftors, but at this time
was made but Kttle ufe of* every foot
of the floor was flruck with a large
fledge hammer, in order to difcovet,
by the found, in what place this clofet
flood : after a long fearch, by flriking
pne of the middle rooms, we heard a
hollow found come from the thick part
of the wall, and on ftriking the fecond
time, it echoed louder than at firft:
my hufband till then had been conti-
nually joking us, but at that noife he
changed his tone and began to enter-
tain' <bme hope : the Abbot gloried in
the truth of his conje&ures, and prided
fchnfelf on the prerogatives of an anti-
<jttarian. In the mean while the watt
continued tumbling down, till at lafl:
we efpied fome thick planks, which we
found to be the entrance of the clofet :
the joy which this fight gave us I can-
Xiot exprefs, but we were almoft out of
otir fcnfes at the difcovery* *

CHAP.

( my

A DifcoDery made ly me t wUcb'jhmi^
in its true Light, the true R&ce from
"which I wixs defcended.

IF any mifer Aould read my adyen*
tares, I dare fay, at my difcciverjf
6f Ihis clofet, he will not only devout
with his eyes, and heart, the imraenfe
treafure he fuppofes me to haye ^QW^cj
in that place, but. perhaps witjii^l^q
to pull dowtt his oyn^qufeVbijt.I
would kdvife no one to flatter nim$Bf
with thefe fanciful though- pleafijpjg
ideas : 6ur treafure confifts in thfe ,ip£
dbwnienfs of our mind, and on

pur r fortune ought to depepcjf : ff^t Ji^.
ihbuglht otherwife, I fliould havp Tj^e£$
in that cafe the moft ntiferafcle yauiaj*
In the world; but as I defired flptfiu^
more than what I poflefled, my J(qju
was no ways difcdncerted at finding iij
that clofet, fearched with fo much aft*
tention, nothing but a vafi he^p of ; <$$
writings, which, at the . weigfk . pjf
paper, were not worth ten ducats.'
But the Abbot was as much rejoiced as
if he really had found a treafure, on
feeing, aiqongft thofe papers, fome old
Bb j manu-

<-*8* ) ^
liianufcripts of an antient writings
Abound in parchment; he flattered
himfelf, that he ihould be able to
cojleft fome inftru&ions therefrom
^which might do him honour in being
publiflied, and. carried with him the
greateft part to his apartment, where
he immediately fhut himfelf in to exa-
mine them. For my part, I thought
but little about them; I fuppofed them
to belong to my anceftors, but did not
believe they were of fo much impor-
tance as to be Ihut up with fo much
regard : it was happy for me, that on hu-
man affairs I had but little dependence,
o therwife at this time I Ihould have grown
clefperate. But few days had palled
when out of curiofity I asked the Ab-
bot, what difcovery he had made from
the qjd writings ? At this cjueftion he
firft g&ve a figh which came from his
very heart, and then begjui, ta reafon
with me as follows:

Too great, Madam, i* the difcove-
ry which I made in thofe books : call
to your fuccour all your Spirit and vir-
tue, for you will have the greateft need
of it if I mud talk to you a& a friend* <
and not fubmit to be a vile flatterer, af
the expence of betraying reafon, jv*f n <
tice, arid truth : prepare yourfelf for fcr

' . " blow,

'C'i»3 ) , ......

5 Wow, that would not crime ' to ' fir'eejfy
1 But from the hands of a phifofo'^her
like myfelf : To poor Rofalina not on-
ly belongs, by lawful right, that
ground which fhe defired, but fikewlfe
all the lands which you here poflefr;
have courage, Madam, F have ndt
told you all; and from thofe papery,
buried with fuch induftrious malice by
your anceftors, I have difcovered, for
certain, ftill more; Rofalina is nqt
only lawful miftrefs of what you pof-
fefs, but is befidesyour relation: ffre
by a right line defcends from your fore-
fathers, and you from the fame? ojify
defcend by a baftard-Iine, unjuftlj
made lawful a hundred years paft*by
virtue of the moll execrable etfteflesu .
If this wonderful news had not matie
me tremble from head to fbot, I muft
have been utterly infenfible : if my fur-
prize was great, my curiofity was ftill
greater to know minutely the truth of
this fa& ; that he might not conceal
from me one article, I was miftrefs
enough of myfelf to diffemble all the In-
ward movements of my foul, and give
him courage to tell me the remainder.
Amortgft the papers, proceeded he,
found in the clofet, do vo\i know.
Madam, that I found a itianufcript* or

about

abom^o&e inmdfed Jeavet, in &h&t& w
from the firft of its original, is given
the hiftory of your family : you can
look yourfelf at the antiquity of -it/
and its proceedings, when you are dif—
pofed for reading- It mentions, that
the hoafe'of the Prince of * * *** was
reduced to two* ions; the elder, who
enjoyed with the title of Prince this
caftle, had a wife and children ^ the
youngeft had a fniall portion of lands
affigrted him for his maintainance,
amohgfi which was that which Rofalt* 1
n& enjoyed/ and which was enjoyed F6W
many years by her anceftors : he ha**
boused an affe&ion for a womai* of bai
character ■, and who, inafmuch as (her
ijfes ' handlbme, was equally wretched
sfcrid pf6xtd- 9 'and would not be cbnierfe
, w&h (Snjoying the young Prince's affee-
ttohsy unleis ihe could aHb ufurp his
pctffon, tho* by the vileft method ima-
gihabte: fee flattered herfelf that (he
fhtmlft be able to make him efpoufe*
her, 1 by refifting his amorous defires ;
and his paffion would have dragged
him wherever (he Kked, had not his
eider brother forefeen the fnare and by
force (hut her up in a cloifter a few'
miles off*: the perfidious woman, irri-
tated more by the affront than by her

love,

- ( *h-y

love, (Wore to be .reveng&l, and uftd
her art fo well, that fhe deduced her
lover to a# againft the rights of nature,
and with poifon made him fecretly
murder his brother, wife, and eldeft
children : the young child being at
nurfe out of the caftle, efcaped that
melancholy death, by the nurfe pre-
tending that he was dead : the villain
then remaining fole heir to the eftate,
had not the leaft fhame in efpoufmg
his wicked counfellor. By her he had
no children ; but his unworthy wife,
predominated by ambition, and rafli
with defire of feeiiig entailed upon her
defcendants all that principality, pre-,
vailed over the foolifh blindnds of her
hufband, to fatisfy her will at the coil
of her honour ; being inclined to
treachery by nature, and vile by birth,
in the heat of her paffion ihe fixed her
eyes upon one of her domeftics, who
ihe thought would be the readied to
execute her infamous defire : thefe un-
lawful proceedings continued a long
while unnoticed by her hufband, and
made her mother of a child which he'
carefied as his own, though ail the peo-
ple in the caftle knew to the contrary*
in the while, afar off, grew up the law-
ful heir of this principality, who*

meeting

(286 )

meeting with upright and Honeft peopfe,
who were confcious of his juft rights,
opened the eyes of his uncle to thedifr-
honeft conduft of his unworthy coiv-
fort ; he ftrove to remedy it, but the
juftice of Providence prevented it, by
leading him to the ftep to which he
had condu&ed his innocent brother,
whofe blood called to heaven for vct>-
geance ; he was over-powered by hb
wicked wife, and miferably perifhed

* by her hand. Things did not change
face ; the perfidious woman, with the
abominable price of her dishonour,
made fuch intereft at the court of
Naples to difinherit the lawful heir
•to the eftate, that fhe made it believed
*h&t he was a baftard, and to authenti-
cate the fucceffion of her fon f made
him appear lawful : From this, Ma*
dajm, you defcend by a right line, and
irom the other, by a right line, de-
scends poor Rofalina ; and from that
-time^ under the title of a gift, her an-
cdiors got that land, which ilie the o-

' ther day defired, for their mantairance
andfupport*

The truth of thefe manufcripts can-
Mi©* &e doubted ; for by the fame h ap- *

* p^ars tlmt they were wrote by thqiaw-
lutihdiiy *£io> escaped, the fury of 1m$

^ :l - v uncle ^

( *»?>
uDcie ; and by other papers I am un-
formed; that they were prefer ved \>y
KofalinaVanceftors, with as much cars
as if they had been gold, but were ta-
ken from them by force, by the ufur-
pfcrs of their rights, and malicioufly
buried in that fecret place, that the re*
v membrance of them might be forgot.
Hare the Abbot ceafed, and I began to
reflect on what I fhould refolve, to a<ft
properly, and not to do an injury to
myfelf ; none knew of this fecret but
ourfelves, and by burning the writing!,
it might die with us, and be buriedrfor
ever: but though the thing would be
concealed. from the eyes of the world,
could I-for this have acquitted myfeif
to my own conference ? The guilt of .a
bad a&ion is not to be determined by
-tRrf opinion of men, but by its contra-
riety to the dictates of reafon and equi-
ty, and whoever poffefles unlawfully
the right of others, is no better than
an ufurper ; nor can it juftly be called*
our own, when we hold it to the pre-
judice of another. Between me and
Rofalina there was a confiderable di-
ftance; but this did not juftify a feizure
in me, nor diminifh in her the rights of
herpretenfions: my Marquifate belonged
to her by right, and if I had not difep-

vered

yered tohrrthc^ whole afcir^ i &oaW
never haye enjoyed it with &tirfa&ion:
To iofe a pofleflion, which I may fay;
was the half of my eftate, was not a
blow half fo terrible to my generous
heart, as to confider from what diihot
noujr abl&anceftors my prefent grandeur
defcended ; this was a reflexion, which
troubled me more than all the reft ; but
neither of thefe things ought to have
given me any concern, becaufe, . in
ipaldng me lefs proud, it taught me
lixore wjfdom. ' . ;

CHAP. XXXVIII.

My Rejignalion of the. Marquijaie of

Vm m ■ to Rofalina, and her ggne*

. r«* Refufal thereof. ' •

AMongft all the benefits of fortune
I had not one but what was pur-
chased by my virtuous conduct, except
that of being born great ; howfoever*
t^at came to me, as it does to others,
by lot. My birth, at onetime, gave
me fome uneafinefs, becaufe I thought
the circumftances in which I was
brought to light were but little glori*
ousj now, feeing the original of my
mother, and others of my anceijtors*

a uwerc

t&xhoft htaourebfe Ukan HtiMi
I bug}** a my fclf for taring th<mgfct
fit muck abott it* the a&ons, fatfdf
to myfclt i* what ennoWes ai p£rfon,
aad art the Splendor of their birth :
Fortune, by making me know that t
ant not Uwfctl fcekr to tint eAate, pie*
tea<fe perhaps to vilify- me, but I, in
{pite of fortune, will here take the Op-
portunity of making my&M & great t&
my pofterity, that it ihall feem incre-
dible. With thefe reflations in my*
heart, after communicating my intend
tcnttons to my huiband, I lent for Ro-
felina, and was determined to execute
it without delay, Whefc I faw her be-
fore me, the idea of that impreflfcm ftv
vised which her prefence had created in
me the firft day I beheld her, an&ftdnr
that time my heart hid thought fc*r
worthy of a better fortune, aiKfrridfo,
that her fortune was in my hand*, I
looked upon her with more pteafure*
and Ac was to me an obje& of tender*
ads, when another perhaps, in my
ttfcttmftances, would have viewed her
with fcorn and contempt. Come, my
child, feid I, when fhe was going to
kneed at my feet, as ufual, cams' to fhe
armrof one who is no longer a nrif*-
trd&r but After ; At thefe words the*
Vol. II* Cc poor

( tg* )

ptffegiri fekUkedi, . wad nrithrthet ttajtirl
I#* ey$h dteterod herfelf uiwortby^df
(ueh ikittditfis : ♦ Yes, faid I, ydu meteit
it* *bee&ufe you have a right* to it bj
YOfWi.btiuh, aod iirom my equity r If
heaven-ordained you to be bonVgtfcat,
I ought not to thwart its will* by tin-
vmphuag'Qver your ruin : You acetio
longer poor Ro&Luia, but the real La*-
dy Marcbjoaefc of V— — , andtoyoa
belongs jaot only ithat ground whiehyoti
lately poffeffed, but likewife aU that
is wjihip the jurifdiftioa of this caftlefc
UjKjiHhoritenoe is yours, but others dcr*
! forped it* and I will have the: glory to
wtwmrf t to:you, for I fcorn to;©e great
jby withhold hig. the property of antj-
•tfier*. jJcafQtl repeated to hm-evGty-cfcf*
t^u^flflneey at I had it from ^frAhbqf,
; Rn!d eonlignrd to her, the mnufcrtjft
*left;ljy4Jw:r anceftors, that fbe rrfiight
•feruffc it herfelf. At this great and un-
exposed news (he changed coloiar,
, looked ,rou«d about her for feme tin*,
^without anfwerpigone word, and hod
aJUno&fwooned away on my htp« When
;the confufion.of hex mind fuffered hdr
t6j fpeak* Is it poffible, Madam, faid
ilifi, that you can be generous to iuoki
-a.dfgce^ and that fortune has this d?y
put^ ia?.a ftate to lhcw theefteenvl
« * . ■ y have

( *9* )

the example > :if « I am* m*4onge0 Ra£
ftiinay but the : Lady of V*-o^ j J havfe
the pleaftrfe in being fuch t6 lU** yda
With my whole heart. If thfe ,'<ttfthr t
and all f appertaining to it, bett>ngi*ft>
me, I am pleafed it came from youfc
hands, as it enables me to give ir festtjR
to you under title of a gift ;. fronrk
foul fo noble and generous as your£{*I
ihall repute myfelf in an ample manned
obliged; the heart you have; had to
ferre me fo much, to theprejafiicft <rf
yourfelf, is an ad fo noble, thariiiought
not to pafs without a recomptote^iand
who canrec6mpenceit better thaauiiy*
felf, by fixing on you, w&heritf itef**ft>
yourfelf, the glory* of;fuchagenewfas
gift? Continue ftili to be the iXdmtf
,VV~~j remain as hitherto iafaiito£taft
of thiscaftle, and ftill be tm8xk*t*£
my perfort ; be not furprized^^at ;th«jtf
my generous fijntiments,* which *at*f ak
moft fuperior to my low ftate.; ioiy if
one perfon's vicious example can have
influence fufficient to corrupt and .^k-
bauch, a virtuous one uiuft f^rely^haiNrc
'the fame effeft to a more l&ucUbtebfd *
Even, of my virtue, aU<jthe nife'rifcws
yours, becaufe .my foui * was> infpirbd
with this greatnefs, by.) your giorio^is
C 2 ex-

t *g2)

J^^tiK^wat^ y Ihhkibai art for mi-
r pH^AeU goretofity, arid touch' dmibt*
*d, had I teen in the iarae fltrotion it
fecrfctf, whether I fhtwald hzvc been ca-
#rt4e to have done the fame. My ad~
tttiratkm at length gave place to irijr
towfemcfi; I embraced and kiffttf her
wkh a transport of love, and from that
3maMnt, deftred her, together with
im mother, to remove to my hovrfe, 1
aught rather to fey hers ; the poor old
tootnafe, being overcome with earcetflve
jay, died ki s few weeks after, in die
ttftanwhUe, tofcegraiefa! toRofati-
jw^i*;w» {raper I fifeotdifeek Tomfc
qiethrid to fettle her fcrtund fof fife.
Sb^'TOt* <very defirous <pf feeing tto*
WHrtdi tad Would not Separate from ^
ittihoj** ibat at fcfcie time cr other i
wwrid cake her with me to Park : "ThW,
her iieftte, 1*0$ nfteffl apptwad of by my
atother/ when, by my letters, ftcwa^
*K*&y iitformod of all that h*d hap-
p*&e& I communicated to her my
ffcojedfc <tf nukmg her hereafter wife
»*»yfon, wJ* was ifeen but tkretf
yttu* old, mi order to wiite together
tawftttly >• in the children, the rights and
Bkte to my eftate. My mother di<|
«V rtfoife ihS prejeft, tutf the inegua-

* v*

llty of their.age. wps. hfc» chicfxxkxfla^,
and how it may happen tmt badtafl|i
determine, . -*< /j >}.!-£>&

My family was now 'iacreaftd*wfe
more ; and my little daughter, ifcjup
rendered it dearer and roor$ ddighifiri
tp me, grew up apace, and enjoyed,
with good reafon, the prigcipai |>art
of my tendernefs, As, I loved herjrnl
<teftred alfo jthat ihe might appe^D^mfr
able m the eyes of others 5 -and* trtrcj^
de* herfuch, it was.piy ,duef aimot©
h^e Jier well educate^, \t& Qb Ms<V&-
ly depends her good.ajppparancp in the
worW,h^reafter r I took, ear^vvtorih^Mc
her brought up under any QwftMjses;
jt^t^noue elfe might be^ain^e^leafijfc
ifrbut .inyfelf. If- a mother Sralfch^
po regard For -her-childjreii, ty^odaig
Qat> -the, nurfe* have, who / at^#b ; tjWlr
charge.only wiUiaviewta/eo^lbfail
from thofe .dangers into which *h*t*
hecdlefs and unexperienced agevjftlgfet
feducc them ? As ihe grew vpi 1 3&ffe;
Cd to her capacity,. the ^ulf*0i^inw
own education, but fhali v iiot^4efoBti3
to the particularities of my tti&xks&j
becaufe I . profefe myfelf w.hifiOjpfao^
and not a fchool-mifti^.v^f^i^^
I have/been quite t c^t^pt(j4 $rbbi tfefc
fruits of my labour ; But while I am
C 3 glo-

gtetyto&^typ c9pt^ttL ^rtttoe is
farcpirtug ahother of her extravagant
frpfles, which wc all one tin* w otiwr
snnft undergo.

©faUrfiyothermisfortunea, by farce
«rf)lfcik)CbfkkalrefloaiiM^ I foe* haft
jfeeTOaraaito&nce, imtffeis<*mai|H|t$
trfidartm,; which I ifaiU Aet£r £>*fcet*
tend at tikis clay i* fixed in «y <foufc *hof
JHsvatoo** thrte jetrfe fiofc it happtstr
^ soteicGftjme tointmy /floods^ town
imBCfenvtte lofti thro ha^jof tj^dnpff:
*Met fe^trfiiJ)dHf, ^at is, #f 4h*
rtoftiaiwbie aiid ^sflianate of hufr
l»m&^)tfliRofeedirom mc thy death an
Jfadamfar of hh youth, and oi>ly few
£**« *fte* my nuptials. Xbk j && jp
J.wapr;fe dfenfiblc* Alba* (Ke r ^igr
ght i©fi it pierce* my \lmftb\md
tmxfthwre hearts af iloue> >*h0*
^^)UiTCxm&mcc8 9 could wjut$ upoti
•fiidi & topic, without meltipg pttp
t^tr^i i r When my readers pcrufe ti#
•par* fof aljr Memoirs, .and fr^^y of
<iwnte*t<ili0i*^ or dipt* becaufc;did- v

*aie&<rocrtdi)y tht heart, than by *m, I

iatodi vjfote rather w ith tcari, than *#th
ink, ateiJ for. pity, I befcech' them pot
rfd dco^roc. t that oiky favour. 1 .iiae 4iW* (j

ffMofoiffiu thtaof ! iwgivfinefe ;and ^tfflh

team: CHAR

c m )

J&n?£ tf my Vtufbtmd, J ahd Ctoffithlfc
of the Deftors. *

% JfX 9>«flband*returncd one day Sfam
1V1* Miirifig with a violent pain fii
-fcft3*e£d, "which tfte next day proddc&l
« fright fetfe*. The Abbot, . nf ho tet*
tferty laved Jlim, immediately a8vifdft
tinm to put -himfiftf into the ^ handed Jt
t>o«l*r, that -the diforder, *>4wi .- 4m^ta£.
SwgWfted, ftiight not trtcreJjfci 1 *f?
-httfbatfd,' whoTiad been v&d tothi &*
4igpes : of war, and the hardfhip* <«f
fcampaigns, thanked him for his advfofe,
fcut defptfed it as a ridiculous matte* t(f
fotito. I, %ho dreaded every thrflffr
Would *&iW hat* perfuatfeft fiim%k«jffe
}n { lris bed,' blithe no foonerfdimd ^iafr.
-lelf a fiftte better, than he gctf rn*pf r
^hich occasioned a relapfe, itada ferar
*»ore violent than at firft, and myip
^prjf heiffiom thereupon iitcirafecK m^
portkm. The Abbot, witfeotttTfpcafo.
^tog a word, aft&Hikea real/fnen^bjjr
*ftwdi*ig to Naples for three df the itooft
lefetKtaMe doftors of that city; that
rfheym^ht eonfiaJt vtogrthwr^botit his
4Rfi£&<-> ; 'My htt%»iid 4iad bo(areived«
great averfion to phytic, thougfccWSteffr
~ * A rl J teemed

t^teliWihof^ «•£

fei^*tf^d«rtttort,aiftl i-properregimdrt
in his >food, indulgence, and exercMe;
appeared to him the remedies moftpro^
Stable to repair the diforders of nature*
whofe affiftance regularly depends on
thfe dtie obfervation of tliofe veiyinir
terial points. Thefe maxims were rodt-
.edfo deeply in his foul, that oh jheiirift
uppe&rance-o£ the three do&ors in the
room, h6 could not forbear laughing j
luscouragfc, and the defpicable notion
Jie^hadbf (ifey w*re fuperiorfcrjus 11^.
.&*&,> aiid the : weaknefs of nature^ ne-
Wrthefefs he received (hem with that af?
ability asid polhenefs which always ac^
^onipanied his other excellent qi^alitiesj
Ihreboiiimerided him to their care in the
wfeft preffing manner, affuringtheift^of
ftif grkti&ide for the fame- xhrf pro4
toifed ltfe all that affiftance which could .
tee-cxpe&ed from their art find attend
tion. • Having feated themfelves clofe
tor his bed-fide, I was anxious to know
the" went of that learned meeting ; fijrft
fliey nnift be informed minutely of the
fcrteuiiil of the illnefs, which was related
i4ttltemexa#ly>y the Abbot ; then thA
firft^of thetn, to encourage us and fo$
patlettt ? £&ve an account, at his letfyre^
I ofe^hsee tfr* fbtf* fick : pcopie iwlioni he
X'^' had

had under ibis h?p&, and hyped ifaty
would recover uvafew day* ; Thttwm
boafting amfwesed but tittle to our pw*
pofe, tho' his hand had been u*eil filled
but z few moments before, nt t^uforf
to tbofe of the profeffion s but the fcf
cond thought proper to interrupt htm,
by demanding what fort of food the
patient eat on the proceeding days; he
was anfwered, that the patient had 4ft
general a good apetite, but that for
thafe few days his food was nothing bat
feme llices of bread in a mefs of brOtfei
that's bad, replied the third, (whoihad
not till then opened bis mottffe) We
have the undoubted documents *of Hjft-
pocrates, that every replenishing is
burtful to the ftonwh, b\» 4fe**i(jf
bread is always worfe than aft t^ *«&?
Of with your good leave, added *he
iirft, that maxim is felfe, nor was -k
cvjBT advanced by Hypocratetfi: I fart
ften a written codicil of that learned
man's, and which is of great antiqukyy
therein it is not written, as is general
lyfuppofed by the ignorant, Ow*is>*&
jfletio mala, fonts autem feffmay but
you will find it repeated more than
once, Omnis naufeatie mala, p#tos atfttr*
jxjfaia* You fee, Sir, that this »ttn*
demanding the difeafe entirely the<x>i*> ,

trary

( »9* )
*wry>iw»yi andrbortftqilently yon infill
apply dUe twediciites quite contrary ali
fcu> It our patient took no other food
but bread,- and fwallowed it without a
defireto difcharge it up again, it api
pears by Hypocrates that his illnefe h
hoC^To dangerous as you fuppofe ; aftet
from the nature of his food, I form 'an
evident conje&ure that he will recover
y<ery foon. - Although mjf hufttiuid was
imich' disordered by the violencfe of his
fever, he could ftoth^lp fmiling at this
difcourfe : I and the Abbot flood quite
raritc, but pur do6lon<fontihued ; ag(*Ai
half hour arguing on this purpofe, with
j^rabiaa,* Greek, and Latin fentence^
in. proof of their opinions* Of the pa*
tient they thought no more, but treat*
ed* him as if they had pome' tk> i*b
fttoAliim in phyfic, inftead of ufirtg
jueans Jbr his recovery.. In (tort/* we
wenefconft rained civilly to defife them
to refolve on what was to be done in
that cafe ; even here they had another
confutation, and one of them* in
feeling* his pulfe, fpied the fign of &
wound which he had received in his
arn»-j th^y muft then be acquainted of
tfaethqe* occafion, and place,/ where he
received it : This gave them an oppor*
* tmlity to tjifcourfe about the larft war in
--.o ?':-:< .v., \ ;:•■: * /r '■■'*... *Itaiy;

( *99 )

Jtfity,&ncJ tfcfcy ib^wed<hbttifelv€Sj»iottHi#
lyrtp be excellent dolors, but alfo grsqut
politicians, remembering all the iftioni
of thofe eampaigns, remarking on thd
experience of the generals, and valour
of their troops, as if they had beenfofc-
die** by profeffion, and had been pre*
iept in every a&ion. They arrived rat
lait to the point moft neceflary, but
moft difficult, to be decided ; this was,
to have, blood drawn from the paaient;
in order to eradicate the diforder which
feemed to threaten his ftomacli ; »Q&
this point they argued with grealt rehc*
mence> and one of them-,? whoofptikd
Ids than the others, infifted abfolutetyr
that the rein ought to be opened ^,thd
other two mantained the contrary, iaad
gaye-fevera! plauiible reafons'-farfddbs
k>g j however, the plurality. » of ^od&
won the caufe, and after prcfcrihmg
fome medicines, the doctors departed*
Their remedies were applied accordiiisg
to di*e#ion, but were of no fignifici*
&pn, for my hufband, from. that wv%
foy* began to grow worfe, and taleavi
ho remedy untried, we alfo got htm
blooded, but aH was in vainy far* at
$he end of fifteeen days, he)waspaft^dtt
h#pe^ of ', recovery. Who can imaging
my&gif&lQ&y ddpaix, aoAgrifff ^ itoft
jug: a hufband, I loft all that was de-
lightful

( 3©* )
lightful to Me ro this world * nor had I,
kvthismyfevere trial, a firoi to com-
fort me but the Abbot, who was as
much inconfokable as myfeif* The
heroic fentiments which we were every
moment witnefles to, from the philo-
, fbphicai undauntednefs of my dear
fpoufc, ferved onLy to torment me
more : My exceffive grief at thai: time
rauft have been attended: with, confe-
quences fatal to my life, had it not been
ordained by heaven that I was- to out-
live the moft foeet half of myfctf, ta
be for ever unhappy. The Abbot aic--
ver departed from the bed-fide, tho' my
huiband begged of him to take a little
repofe. On thefe trying occasions we
difcover our real friends, and few are
thofe friends in the world; who wilt be
conftant even till death, and ftacd by
us when dying, unlefs fomc view i&
their own intereft requires their atten-
dance; but intereftcd views had no
ihare in the. foul of our worthy friend;
and in three years, which he had lired
with us; we had fufficicntly experien-
ced it. My husband was fo perfuaded
of this truth, that, even in his lad mo-
ments, he would have efteemed him-
felf ingratefti}, if, in dying, he had
not thought of a man, who, for pur
likes, thought nothing of hfmfelf.

CHAP.

J)tath pf my Bufiand, and my own 27/?

TH A.T>day, whkk WW the Jaft
.Gfhif life, we were both, wjltJi
least in our eyes, fitting upon his b$d %
he tpok us both by thje. hands* with
what little vigour thei> remained j r*-?r
Dear Wife, dear Friead, dq> »ot cry^
faid he to us, if you ^ould have mo
die 1 content ! — this miferable Me hat
nothing forme delightful and previous*
if it had not been rendered fo by your
fotendihip, and your jf>erfqn ? my loft
is great, in k>ifaig a fcoufe fo anpiafel^
and a friend ; fa worthy ; butyet^.toiy
lofs may be recompensed by yosr Jove*
H I may ftHl live in your heart: of this;
I do not doubt and tity confidence enr
ables me' undauntedly tq .meet deaths
which deprives me of nothing, i£ by
leaving me in ij&oftr Jnomory, it dw£
not divide me from you ■* <— remember
ine, for ever I, — and love each jQfcheJfc
with that love which is founded i»
jreair merit, andioa the ftfifteft mtqe*
-4**W&$op* : my mutebje £ponftv dtfcfc
Ko^IL ,., J>d friend

^fflAtf m\xi£ will be helpful . iji your
Irotprefts*. and;, to you,; 1 my .'bel'oyed
iriend, my fpoufe can contribute • to-
wards the leading fuch a life as you de-
fire, philofophical, quiet, and content*
ed : I do not think of placing you in a
jftate quite independent, becaufe twill
not tiftirp froni toy wife the glory J flie
takes in protecting virtue ; my wife virill
never divide your fortune from hers;
till flie ceafes to love my memory * but

. if Ihe will love me for ever, as I yet
;hppe, you will* be always happy; r
>/ At theft words the Abbot/ bver-
whelmed with tears, embraced him ten-
derly, and protefted that he woyld ra-
ther, never have feen him, than lofe him
fo foon to his fad misfortune ; : he even
rWtfhedthat he could favie his fife; by

. laying down his own; and indeeflUf
3ny -one was* he was capable of that Sa-
crifice, for I never knew a perfdri fo
Tegardiefs of their life, as himfelf. For

r ^y P**** in thefe dreadful circum^

. fiances I was ready to die with grief i
I Vow^d inviolable fidelity to his bejd ;
I called upon my head the vengeance of

^ 3ieaven, if ever I took back the gift I
once made him of my amorous heart t
I protefted that, befides my children f

, *w& dear pledges which remained of his
1 ' .i . • -love, .

.( 3°3 ) ,
love, not a perfon in the whole world
Aould be dearer to me* than his friend^
whom he recommended to me with fo
much ardour; and that I fliould always
regard him as my own brother, s

Between thofe and the like tender
expreflions to each other, my dear
fgoufe expired ! and I can truly fay;
tHat my grief rofe to fuch a 4 height,
that I was almoft in a condition to ex-
pire by his fide.. I fhall not extend any
further in drawing to life my difmal fir-
tuation, nor pierce again a wound
which ftill runs with blood, arid at this
moment cbfis irie a river ofte&re V My
extream concern aflfetfed me fo mudi;
that I. was. confined to my bed for twcJ
months, and would certainly have car-
ried me to my grave, if the continual
prefencc of my dear little girl," tile a£
fiftance of Rofalina, and the wife tfe- .
flexions of the Abbot, had fiot. kept
up my fpirits. My' mother, ftriick
with exceflive grief at the lofs of my
liufband, almoft loft her ferifes at the
news of my illnefs : fhe did not fly' to
Italy, becaufe I kept her in continual
hopes of my recovery ; and as ; foon as
I Recovered, lhe defired me at all event*
to bring the whole family to Paris, and
not to depart from it ever more : but
D d 2 '' this

r -

( 3°4 )

this wa* a point on which we could not
agree, ana not to dvfpleafe her, liiii^
jift with caution : the love of jjny j»o r
ther and fon, were two obje&s to my
'tender heart which might indeed en-
courage me to undertake that journey
without fear; but yet, after my difmai
lofs, my melancholy humour, the
nqifc of . the world, diflike to . the
court, and application to ftndy, gave
the preference, in every refpefl, to my
folitude.

To mak$ my mother fenfible of th$
reafonabtenefs of this refolution, as ma T
ny letters as would have fiUed an entire
volume, would riot have been enough j
the only method I could find was to
fend Rofalina to Paris, as ihe had 3,
defire to fee her* there $ and to fend
w |th her for company the Abbot, whop*
I commiffioned to perfuade my ipGthe*
to comply with my defirefi of flaying *
few years longer in Italy, Notwith-*
Handing Rofalina defired to fee the
great world, and a court fo magnificent
as that pf France, yet (he left me witl*
the tears ftreaming from her eyes, and
Icpuld not prevail upon her to depart,.
but by promifing to follow her to Pa*
iris the next year. My intentions were}
different, but partly depended pn the

win

( 3°5 ) , t ,

M^UL .of itiy inothfe* '; it belpnged to ,thj
Abbot, my friend, tp make her refpl#e
iifc my favour; no age, no ftate, ,m>
chajra&er ought to' make us forget the
duty due to our parents : who, more
than me-, miftrefs of herfelf ? becaufc
I, being married, being a widow., and
afar off from my parents, required np-
thing at tfhear hands to maintain me in
a ftate fuitable to my condition ; but
even in the mod trifling affairs, to dif-
pkafe them I thought was Lnjuftice, and
leife pieafurc Had I in every thing if not
gained by their confent.

Rofalina, accompanied by the Ab-
bot, departed from my houte provided
with all neceffaries to appear at Vf r*
failles, and, at the end of two mpnth^
the Abbot returned with permiffipil .
from my mother for me to ftay iti.Ita*
ly r , fo long as I found my folitude ,
agreeable.. I then devoted my foul en?
% ireJy to contemplations^^ the fole fell- '
city which, can be expe&ed in this
world, and which I now was bleflfcd
with by the company and convsrfatipn
of a friend, united to me not by paf-
fion but by virtue. Many days had
not pafled when the Abbot advifed me,
for my entertainment, to write my owa-
adventures, promiflng at the fame time

to

to give rae all the affiftaAce in hisipower
to make my enterprise* the lighter;
thus, by his perfuafions, I began* fix
months after my Hufband's death to
write thefe Memoirs, which to com-
pleat employed me no lefs than fix
more. My undertaking was not little
for a woman, I therefore flatter my-
felf that it will be entitled to fomc
praife : I do not prefume to fuppofe
that it merits eternity, or that it is wor-
thy the curiofity of my«pofterity: tic
time fpent in writing it was certainly
not loft, becaufe in renewing the nae*-
mory of my misfortunes, it alfo re-
newed in me the maxims which made
me undergo them with more conftahcy,
and prepared me againft all that might
happen hereafter. This hour in which
I write, and am upon the point of fi-
nishing my work, I am arrived to the
thirtieth year of my age; and if I live
many years longer, perhaps fomething
clfe, as uncommon, may happen to
me : if it fhould fo fail out, I /hall con-
tinue to take notice of the fame, that
after my death there may remain an ex-
a<5i account of my life*

Whatever is to be the remainder of
my life, I have not wrote thefe Memoirs
to obtain the praife of the world. by

pub-

1

( S©7 )

publishing them; - neither have I wrpM
theWi \w lofemy IaboOT by committing
them to the flames: my intention is
humourous, but yet reafonable; before
I die, 1 (hall bury it, and hide it in that
clofet from which I dug out the antient
Journals of my family, and which, in
regard to myfelf, may be called, The
Closet of my Deceit; and altho*
before this comes to light, the Adven-
tures of the Wandering Daughter,
which were wrote to diflionour my
name, may be published to all the world,
^and will, I am perfuaded, be believed
by many to be the real hiftory of my.
life, as it happens to contain a few par-
ticulars which refemble fome of my ad-
ventures; and although I am fenfible
that the conceit which they mufl forrti
of 'me, by fuch a book, cannot -re-
dound to my credit ; yet, I make no
doubt but a time will come to difcover
the deceit : and if thefe my Memoirs,
drawn by fome friendly hand from their
obfeurity, fhould hereafter appear in
public, I hope I (hall have jufticedone
me. That was a romance very unpro-
fitable, and this is a true hiftory found-
ed on fafts. It is not I who have copied
from that the ideal foundation of thefe
adventures^ but the author of that has,

from

from fame confuted account of hiy life*
taken the iclea of a romance, the end of
which does not correfpondwhh the be-*
ginning, and has mixed with fomt
truth a hundred thoufand lies; There*
fore if thefe Memoirs ihbuld«Ver corns
before the eyes df the public, I hope
the^r will not deny me that only glory
which I earneftly defire, to be believed
a Speaker of Truth. Whtrc<}«fllee
Would not ^ilow -it, I haveo not* in
the leaft excufed rxcy feufcjjmd this
willbfe enougjli y mtfc'all'diferect and
*eafonable peofjlc^-t© obtain tfo* ine; in
*(H *ny faiKn^Uhfcir generous pardon;

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