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About Google Book Search Google's mission is to organize the world's information and to make it universally accessible and useful. Google Book Search helps readers discover the world's books while helping authors and publishers reach new audiences. You can search through the full text of this book on the web at jhttp : //books . qooqle . com/ '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 wh»£ 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 i»£? 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; - 1 • • • ' - ' ' ' ' « V ' . * * fc ^ * - I .* •:'. '.•' J ;: ■:.' •: '•' ! ."-- ! C A • «" ■ / *•'*'"•** : % . : ' \ •t '. *•' * ■ • i 1 " J I ■ • ' . ' * ~ £nd of the Sfieo^p Vqjlpms*