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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/10804-0.txt b/10804-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6ef4ce4 --- /dev/null +++ b/10804-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9977 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10804 *** +[Transcriber's note: The spelling inconsistencies of the original have +been retained in this etext.] + + + +THE + +_FORTUNATE FOUNDLINGS_: + +BEING THE + +GENUINE HISTORY + +OF + +_Colonel_ M----RS, _and his Sister,_ +_Madam_ DU P----Y, _the Issue of +the Hon_. CH----ES M----RS, _Son of the +late Duke of_ R---- L----D. + +CONTAINING + +Many wonderful ACCIDENTS that befel them in their TRAVELS, and +interspersed with the CHARACTERS and ADVENTURES of SEVERAL PERSONS of +_Condition_, in the most polite Courts of _Europe_. + +_The Whole calculated for the Entertainment and Improvement of the Youth +of both Sexes_. + + +_LONDON_: + +M,DCC,XLIV. + + + +THE + +PREFACE. + +_The many Fictions which have been lately imposed upon the World, under +the specious Titles of_ Secret Histories, Memoirs, &c. &c. _have given +but too much room to question the Veracity of every Thing that has the +least Tendency that way: We therefore think it highly necessary to +assure the Reader, that he will find nothing in the following Sheets, +but what has been collected from_ Original Letters, Private Memorandums, +_and the_ Accounts _we have been favoured with from the Mouths of +Persons too deeply concerned in many of the_ chief Transactions _not to +be perfectly acquainted with the Truth, and of too much Honour and +Integrity to put any false Colours upon it_. + +_The Adventures are not so long passed as to be wholly forgotten by +many_ Living Witnesses, _nor yet so recent as to give any Reason to +suspect us of Flattery in the Relation given of them, the Motive of +their Publication being only to_ encourage Virtue _in both Sexes, by +showing the Amiableness of it in_ real Characters. _And if it be true +(as certainly it is) that_ Example has more Efficacy than_ Precept, _we +may be bold to say there are few fairer, or more worthy Imitation.--The +Sons and Daughters of the greatest Families may give additional Lustre +to their Nobility, by forming themselves by the Model here presented to +them; and those of lower Extraction, attain Qualities to attone for what +they want in Birth:--So that we flatter ourselves this Undertaking will +not fail of receiving the Approbation of all who wish well to a +Reformation of Manners, and more especially those who have Youth under +their Care.--As for such who may take it up merely as an Amusement, it +is possible they will find something, which, by interesting their +Affections, may make them better without designing to be so.--Either way +will fully recompense the Pains taken in the compiling by_ + +_The_ EDITORS. + +THE CONTENTS. + +CHAP. I. + +_Contains the Manner in which a Gentleman found two Children: His +Benevolence towards them, and what kind of Affection he bore to them as +they grew up; with the Departure of one of them to the Army_. + +CHAP. II. + +_Relates the Offers made by Dorilaus to Louisa, and the Manner of her +receiving them_. + +CHAP. III. + +_Dorilaus continues his Importunities, with some unexpected Consequences +that attended them_. + +CHAP. IV. + +_Louisa becomes acquainted with a Lady of Quality, Part of whose +Adventures are also related, and goes to travel with her_. + +CHAP. V. + +_Horatio's Reception by the Officers of the Army: His Behaviour in the +Battle: His being taken Prisoner by the French: His Treatment among +them, and many other Particulars_. + +CHAP. VI. + +_Describes the Masquerade at the Dutchess of Maine's: The Characters and +Intrigues of several Persons of Quality who were there: The odd +Behaviour of a Lady in regard to Horatio; and Charlotta's +Sentiments upon it_. + +CHAP. VII. + +_An Explanation of the foregoing Adventure, with a Continuation of the +Intrigues of some French Ladies, and the Policy of Mademoiselle Coigney +in regard of her Brother_. + +CHAP. VIII. + +_The parting of Horatio and Mademoiselle Charlotta, and what happened +after she left St. Germains_. + +CHAP. IX. + +_A second Separation between Horatio and Charlotta, with some other +Occurrences_. + +CHAP X. + +_The Reasons that induced Horatio to leave France: with the Chevalier +St. George's Behaviour on knowing his Resolution. He receives an +unexpected Favour from the Baron de Palfoy_. + +CHAP XI. + +_Horatio arrives at Rheines, finds Means to see Mademoiselle Charlotta, +and afterwards pursues his Journey to Poland_. + +CHAP. XII. + +_Continuation of the Adventures of Louisa: Her quitting Vienna with +Melanthe, and going to Venice, with some Accidents that there +befel them_. + +CHAP. XIII. + +_Louisa finds herself very much embarrassed by Melanthe's imprudent +Behaviour. Monsieur du Plessis declares an honourable Passion for her: +Her Sentiments and Way of acting on this Occasion_. + +CHAP. XIV. + +_The base Designs of the Count de Bellfleur occasion a melancholy Change +in Louisa's Way of Life: The generous Behaviour of Monsieur du Plessis +on that Occasion_. + +CHAP. XV. + +_Louisa is in Danger of being ravished by the Count de Bellfleur; is +providentially rescued by Monsieur du Plessis, with several other +Particulars_. + +CHAP. XVI + +_The Innkeeper's Scruples oblige Louisa to write to Melanthe: Her +Behaviour on the Discovery of the Count's Falshood. Louisa changes her +Resolution, and goes to Bolognia._ + +CHAP. XVII. + +_Horatio arrives at Warsaw; sees the Coronation of Stanislaus and his +Queen: His Reception from the King of Sweden: His Promotion: Follows +that Prince in all his Conquests thro' Poland, Lithuania and Saxony. The +Story of Count Patkull and Madame de Eusilden._ + +CHAP. XVIII + +_King Stanislaus quits Alranstadt to appease the Troubles In Poland: +Charles XII. gives Laws to the Empire: A Courier arrives from Paris: +Horatio receives Letters, which give him great Surprize._ + +CHAP. XIX. + +_The King of Sweden leaves Saxony, marches into Lithuania, meets with an +Instance of Russian Brutality, drives the Czar out of Grodno, and +pursues him to the Borysthenes. Horatio, with others, is taken Prisoner +by the Russians, and carried to Petersburg, where he suffers the +extremest Miseries._ + +CHAP. XX. + +_The Treachery of a Russian Lady to her Friend: Her Passion for Horatio: +The Method he took to avoid making any Return, and some other +entertaining Occurrences._ + +CHAP. XXI. + +_The Prisoners Expectations raised: A terrible Disappointment: Some of +the chief carried to Prince Menzikoff's Palace: Their Usage there: +Horatio set at Liberty, and the Occasion_. + +CHAP. XXII. + +_What befel Louisa in the Monastery: The Stratagem she put in Practice +to get out of it: Her Travels cross Italy, and Arrival at Paris_. + +CHAP. XXIII. + +_Shews by what Means Louisa came to the Knowledge of her Parents, with +other Occurrences_. + +CHAP. XXIV. + +_The History of Dorilaus and Matilda, with other Circumstances very +important to Louisa_. + +CHAP. XXV. + +_Monsieur du Plessis arrives at Paris: His Reception from Dorilaus and +Louisa: The Marriage agreed upon_. + +CHAP. XXVI. + +_The Catastrophe of the Whole_. + + + +THE FORTUNATE FOUNDLINGS. + + + +CHAP. I. + +_Contains the manner in which a gentleman found children: his +benevolence towards them, and what kind of affection he bore to them as +they grew up. With the departure of one of them to the army_. + +It was in the ever memorable year 1688, that a gentleman, whose real +name we think proper to conceal under that of Dorilaus, returned from +visiting most of the polite courts of Europe, in which he had passed +some time divided between pleasure and improvement. The important +question if the throne were vacated or not, by the sudden departure of +the unfortunate king James, was then upon the tapis; on which, to avoid +interesting himself on either side, he forbore coming to London, and +crossed the country to a fine feat he had about some forty miles +distant, where he resolved to stay as privately as he could, till the +great decision should be made, and the public affairs settled in such a +manner as not to lay him under a necessity of declaring his sentiments +upon them. + +He was young and gay, loved magnificence and the pomp of courts, and was +far from being insensible of those joys which the conversation of the +fair sex affords; but had never so much enslaved his reason to any one +pleasure, as not to be able to refrain it. Hunting and reading were very +favourite amusements with him, so that the solitude he now was in was +not at all disagreeable or tedious to him, tho' he continued in it +some months. + +A little time before his departure an accident happened, which gave him +an opportunity of exercising the benevolence of his disposition; and, +tho' it then seemed trivial to him, proved of the utmost consequence to +his future life, as well as furnished matter for the following pages. + +As he was walking pretty early one morning in his garden, very intent on +a book he had in his hand, his meditations were interrupted by an +unusual cry, which seemed at some distance; but as he approached a +little arbour, where he was sometimes accustomed to sit, he heard more +plain and distinct, and on his entrance was soon convinced whence it +proceeded. + +Just at the foot of a large tree, the extensive boughs of which greatly +contributed to form the arbour, was placed a basket closely covered on +the one side, and partly open on the other to let in the air. Tho' the +sounds which still continued to issue from it left Dorilaus no room to +doubt what it contained; he stooped down to look, and saw two beautiful +babes neatly dressed in swadling cloaths: between them and the pillow +they were laid upon was pinned a paper, which he hastily taking off, +found in it these words. + + +_To the generous_ DORISLAUS: + +'Irresistible destiny abandons these helpless infants +to your care.--They are twins, begot +by the same father, and born of the same mother, +and of a blood not unworthy the protection +they stand in need of; which if you vouchsafe to +afford, they will have no cause to regret the misfortune +of their birth, or accuse the authors of +their being.--Why they seek it of you in particular, +you may possibly be hereafter made sensible.--In +the mean time content yourself with +knowing they are already baptized by the names +of Horatio and Louisa.' + + +The astonishment he was in at so unexpected a present being made him, +may more easily be imagined than expressed; but he had then no time to +form any conjectures by whom or by what means it was left there: the +children wanted immediate succour, and he hesitated not a moment whether +it would become him to bestow it: he took the basket up himself, and +running as fast as he could with it into the house, called his +maid-servants about him, and commanded them to give these little +strangers what assistance was in their power, while a man was sent among +the tenants in search of nurses proper to attend them. To what person +soever, said he, I am indebted for this confidence, it must not be +abused.--Besides, whatever stands in need of protection, merits +protection from those who have the power to give it. + +This was his way of thinking, and in pursuance of these generous +sentiments he always acted. The report of what happened in his house +being soon spread thro' the country, there were not wanting several who +came to offer their service to the children, out of which he selected +two of whom he heard the best character, and were most likely to be +faithful to the trust reposed in them, giving as great a charge, and as +handsome an allowance with them, as could have been expected from a +father. Indeed he doubtless had passed for being so in the opinion of +every body, had he arrived sooner in the kingdom; but the shortness of +the time not permitting any such suggestion, he was looked upon as a +prodigy of charity and goodness. + +Having in this handsome manner disposed of his new guests, he began to +examine all his servants, thinking it impossible they should be brought +there without the privity of some one of them; but all his endeavours +could get him no satisfaction in this point. He read the letter over and +over, yet still his curiosity was as far to seek as ever.--The hand he +was entirely unacquainted with, but thought there was something in the +style that showed it wrote by no mean person: the hint contained in it, +that there was some latent reason for addressing him in particular on +this account, was very puzzling to him: he could not conceive why he, +any more than any other gentleman of the county, should have an interest +in the welfare of these children: he had no near relations, and those +distant ones who claimed an almost forgotten kindred were not in a +condition to abandon their progeny.--The thing appeared strange to him; +but all his endeavours to give him any farther light into it being +unsuccessful; he began to imagine the parents of the children had been +compelled by necessity to expose them, and had had only wrote in this +mysterious manner to engage a better reception: he also accounted in his +mind for their being left with him, as, he being a batchelor, and having +a large estate, it might naturally be supposed there would be fewer +impediments to their being taken care of, than either where a wife was +in the case, or a narrow fortune obliged the owner to preserve a greater +oeconomy in expences. + +Being at last convinced within himself that he had now explained this +seeming riddle, he took no farther trouble about whose, or what these +children were, but resolved to take care of them during their infancy, +and afterwards to put them into such a way as he should find their +genius's rendered them most fit for, in order to provide for themselves. + +On his leaving the county, he ordered his housekeeper to furnish every +thing needful for them as often as they wanted it, and to take care they +were well used by the women with whom he had placed them; and delivered +these commands not in a cursory or negligent manner, but in such terms +as terrified any failure of obedience in this point would highly incur +his displeasure. + +Nothing material happening during their infancy, I shall pass over those +years in silence, only saying that as often as Dorilaus went down to his +estate (which was generally two or three times a year) he always sent +for them, and expressed a very great satisfaction in finding in their +looks the charge he had given concerning them so well executed: but when +they arrived at an age capable of entertaining him with their innocent +prattle, what before was charity, improved into affection; and he began +to regard them with a tenderness little inferior to paternal; but which +still increased with their increase of years. + +Having given them the first rudiments of education in the best schools +those parts afforded, he placed Louisa with a gentlewoman, who +deservedly had the reputation of being an excellent governess of youth, +and brought Horatio in his own chariot up to London, where he put him to +Westminster School, under the care of doctor Busby, and agreed for his +board in a family that lived near it, and had several other young +gentlemen on the same terms. + +What more could have been expected from the best of fathers! what more +could children, born to the highest fortunes, have enjoyed! nor was +their happiness like to be fleeting: Dorilaus was a man steady in his +resolutions, had always declared an aversion to marriage, and by +rejecting every overture made him on that score, had made his friends +cease any farther importunities; he had besides (as has already been +observed) no near relations, so that it was the opinion of most people +that he would make the young Horatio heir to the greatest part of his +estate, and give Louisa a portion answerable to her way of bringing up. +What he intended for them, however, is uncertain, he never having +declared his sentiments so far concerning them; and the strange +revolutions happening afterwards in both their fortunes, preventing him +from acting as it is possible he might design. + +The education he allowed them indeed gave very good grounds for the +above-mentioned conjecture.--Louisa being taught all the accomplishments +that became a maid of quality to be mistress of; and Horatio having gone +thro' all the learning of the school, was taken home to his own +house, from whence he was to go to Oxford, in order to finish his +studies in the character of a gentleman-commoner. + +But when every thing was preparing for this purpose, he came one morning +into the chamber of his patron, and throwing himself on his knees-- +Think me not, sir, said he, too presuming in the request I am about to +make you.--I know all that I am is yours.--That I am the creature of +your bounty, and that, without being a father, you have done more for me +than many of those, who are so, do for their most favourite sons.--I +know also that you are the best judge of what is fit for me, and have +not the least apprehensions that you will not always continue the same +goodness to me, provided I continue, as I have hitherto done, the +ambition of meriting it.--Yet, sir, pardon me if I now discover a desire +with which I long have laboured, of doing something of myself which may +repair the obscurity of my birth, and prove to the world that heaven has +endued this foundling with a courage and resolution capable of +undertaking the greatest actions. + +In speaking these last words a fire seemed to sparkle from his eyes, +which sufficiently denoted the vehemence of his inward agitations. +Dorilaus was extremely surprized, but after a little pause, what is it +you request of me? said that noble gentleman, (at the same time raising +him from the posture he was in) or by what means than such as I have +already taken, can I oblige you to think that, in being my foundling, +fortune dealt not too severely with you? + +Ah! sir, mistake me not, I beseech you, replied the young Horatio, or +think me wanting in my gratitude either to heaven or you.--But, sir, it +is to your generous care in cultivating the talents I received from +nature, that I owe this emulation, this ardor for doing something that +might give me a name, which is the only thing your bounty cannot +bestow.--My genius inclines me to the army.--Of all the accomplishments +you have caused me to be instructed in, geography, fortification, and +fencing, have been my darling studies.--Of what use, sir, will they be +to me in an idle life? permit me then the opportunity of showing the +expense you have been at has not been thrown away.--I know they will say +I am too young to bear a commission, but if I had the means of going a +volunteer, I cannot help thinking but I should soon give proofs the +extreme desire I have to serve my country that way would well attone for +my want of years. + +The more he spoke, the more the astonishment of his patron increased: he +admired the greatness of his spirit, but was troubled it led him to a +desire of running into so dangerous a way of life.--He represented to +him all the hardships of a soldier, the little regard that was sometimes +paid to merit, and gave him several instances of gentlemen who had +passed their youth in the service, and behaved with extreme bravery, yet +had no other reward than their fears, and a consciousness of having done +more than was their duty: in war, said he, the superior officers carry +away all the glory as well as profits of the victory; whereas in civil +employments it is quite otherwise: in physic, in law, in divinity, or in +the state, your merits will be immediately conspicuous to those who have +the power to reward you; and if you are desirous of acquiring a name, by +which I suppose you mean to become the head of a family, any of these +afford you a much greater prospect of success, and it lies much more in +my power of assisting your promotion. + +To these he added many other arguments, but they were not of the least +weight with the impatient Horatio. He was obstinate in his entreaties, +which he even with tears enforced, and Dorilaus, considering so strong a +propensity as something supernatural, at last consented.--Never was joy +more sincere and fervent than what this grant occasioned, and he told +his benefactor that he doubted not but that hereafter he should hear +such an account of his behaviour, as would make him not repent his +having complied with his request. + +The preparations for his going to Oxford were now converted into others +of a different nature.--Several of our troops were already sent to +Flanders, and others about to embark, in order to open the campaign; so +that there was but a small space between the time of Horatio's asking +leave to go, and that of his departure, which Dorilaus resolved should +be in a manner befitting a youth whom he had bred up as his own. He +provided him a handsome field-equipage, rich cloaths, horses, and a +servant to attend him; and while these things were getting ready, had +masters to perfect him in riding; and those other exercises proper for +the vocation he was now entering into, all which he performed with so +good a grace, that not only Dorilaus himself, who might be suspected to +look on him with partial eyes, but all who saw him were +perfectly charmed. + +He was more than ordinarily tall for his years, admirably well +proportioned, and had something of a grave fierceness in his air and +deportment, that tho' he was not yet sixteen, he might very well have +passed for twenty: he was also extremely fair, had regular features, and +eyes the most penetrating, mixed with a certain sweetness; so that it +was difficult to say whether he seemed most formed for love or war. + +Dorilaus thinking it highly proper he should take his leave of Louisa, +sent for her from the boarding-school, that she might pass the short +time he had to stay with her brother at his house, not without some +hopes that the great tenderness there was between them might put Horatio +out of his resolution of going to the army, who being grown now +extremely dear to him, he could not think of parting with, tho' he had +yielded to it, without a great deal of reluctance. + +It is certain, indeed, that when she first heard the motive which had +occasioned her being sent for, her gentle breast was filled with the +most terrible alarms for her dear brother's danger; but the little +regard he seemed to have of it, and the high ideas he had of future +greatness, soon brought her to think as he did; and instead of +dissuading him from prosecuting his design, she rather encouraged him in +it: and in this gave the first testimony of a greatness of soul, no less +to be admired than the courage and laudable ambition which actuated that +of her brother. + +Dorilaus beheld with an infinity of satisfaction the success of his +endeavours, in favour of these amiable twins, and said within himself, +how great a pity would it have been, if capacities such as theirs had +been denied the means of improvement! + +After the departure of Horatio, he kept Louisa some time with him, under +pretence of showing her the town, which before she had never seen; but +in reality to alleviate that melancholy which parting from her brother +had caused in him. He could not have taken a more effectual way; for +there was such an engaging and sweet cheerfulness in her conversation, +added to many personal perfections, that it was scarce possible to think +of any thing else while she was present. She had also an excellent +voice, and played well on the bass viol and harpsicord, so that it is +hard to say whether he found most satisfaction in hearing her or +discoursing with her. + +But how dangerous is it to depend on one's own strength, against the +force of such united charms! Dorilaus, who, in the midst of a thousand +temptations, had maintained the entire liberty of his heart, and tho' +never insensible of beauty, had never been enslaved by it, was now by +charms he least suspected, and at an age when he believed himself proof +against all the attacks of love, subdued without knowing that he was +so.--The tender passion stole into his soul by imperceptible degrees, +and under the shape of friendship and paternal affection, met with no +opposition from his reason, till it became too violent to be restrained; +then showed itself in the whole power of restless wishes, fears, hopes, +and impatiences, which he had often heard others complain of, but not +till now experienced in himself: all that he before had felt of love was +languid, at best aimed only at enjoyment, and in the gratification of +that desire was extinguished; but the passion he was possessed of for +Louisa was of a different nature, and accompanied with a respect which +would not suffer him to entertain a thought in prejudice of her +innocence. + +Many reasons, besides his natural aversion to marriage, concurred to +hinder him from making her his wife; and as there were yet more to deter +him from being the instrument of her dishonour, the situation of his +mind was very perplexing.--He blushed within himself at the inclinations +he had for a girl whom he had always behaved to as a child of his own, +and who looked upon him as a father: not only the disparity of their +years made him consider the passion he was possessed of as ridiculous, +there was one circumstance, which, if at any time a thought of marrying +her entered into his head, immediately extirpated it, which was, that +there was a possibility of her being born not only of the meanest, but +the vilest parents, who, on hearing her establishment, might appear and +claim the right they had in her; and lo, said he, I shall ally myself +to, perhaps, a numerous family of vagabonds; at least, whether it be so +or not, the manner in which these children were exposed, being publicly +known, may furnish a pretence for any wretch to boast a kindred. + +He was therefore determined to suppress a passion, which, as he had too +much honour to seek the gratification of by one way, his prudence and +character in the world would not allow him to think of by the other: and +as absence seemed to him the best remedy, he sent her down into the +country again with a precipitation, which made her (wholly ignorant of +the real motive) fear she had done something to offend him. At parting, +she entreated him to let her know if he had been dissatisfied with any +thing in her behaviour.--Wherefore do you ask? said he, with some +emotion, which the poor innocent still mistook for displeasure; because, +answered she, dropping some tears at the same time, that you banish me +from your presence. Why would you be glad to continue with me always? +again demanded he. Yes indeed, said she; and if you loved me as well as +you do my brother, you would never part with me; for I saw with what +regret you let him go. + +This tender simplicity added such fewel to the fire with which Dorilaus +was enflamed, that it almost consumed his resolution: he walked about +the room some time without being able to speak, much less to quiet the +agitation he was in. At last, Louisa, said he, I was only concerned your +brother made choice of an avocation so full of dangers;--but I never +intended to keep him at home with me:--he should have gone to Oxford to +finish his studies; and the reason I send you again to the +boarding-school is that you may perfect yourself in such things as you +may not yet be mistress of:--as for any apprehensions of my being +offended with you, I would have you banish them entirely, for I assure +you, I can find nothing in you but what both merits and receives my +approbation. + +She seemed extremely comforted with these words; and the coach being at +the door, went into it with her accustomed chearfulness, leaving him in +a state which none but those who have experienced the severe struggles +between a violent inclination and a firm resolution to oppose it, can +possibly conceive. + + + +CHAP. II. + +_Relates the offers made by Dorilaus to Louisa, and the manner of her +receiving them_. + +Louisa was no sooner gone, than he wished her with him again, and was a +thousand times about to send and have her brought back; but was as often +prevented by the apprehensions of her discovering the motive.--He was +now convinced that love does not always stand in need of being indulged +to enforce its votaries to be guilty of extravagancies. + +--He had banished the object of his affections from his presence; he had +painted all the inconveniences of pursuing his desires in the worst +colours they would bear; yet all was insufficient!--Louisa was absent in +reality, but her image was ever present to him.--Whatever company he +engaged himself in, whatever amusement he endeavoured to entertain +himself with, he could think only of her. + +--The Town without her seemed a desart, and every thing in it rather +seemed irksome than agreeable; for several months did he endure this +cruel conflict; but love and nature at last got the victory, and all +those considerations which had occasioned the opposition subsided: he +found it impossible to recover any tranquility of mind while he +continued in this dilemma, and therefore yielded to the strongest side. +All the arguments he had used with himself in the beginning of his +passion seemed now weak and trifling: the difference of age, which he +had thought so formidable an objection, appeared none in the light with +which he at present considered it: he was now but in his fortieth year, +and the temperance he had always observed had hindered any decay either +in his looks or constitution.--What censures the world might pass on +his marrying one of her age and obscure birth, he thought were of little +weight when balanced with his internal peace.--Thus was he enabled to +answer to himself all that could be offered against making her his wife; +and having thus settled every thing, as he imagined, to the satisfaction +of his passion, became no less resolute in following the dictates of it +than he had been in combating it while there was a possibility of +doing so. + +To this end he went down to his country seat, and as soon as he arrived +sent to let Louisa know he would have her come and pass some time with +him. She readily obeyed the summons, and found by his manner of +receiving her that she was no less dear to him than her brother. As she +had always considered him as a father, tho' she knew all her claim in +him was compassion, she was far from suspecting the motive which made +him treat her with so much tenderness; but he suffered her not long to +remain in this happy ignorance. As he was walking with her one day in +the garden, he purposely led her on that side where he had found Horatio +and herself in the manner already related; and as they came towards the +arbour, It was here, said he, that heaven put into my power the +opportunity of affording my protection to two persons whom I think will +not be ungrateful for what I have done.--I hope, Louisa, continued he, +you will not at least deceive my good opinion of you; but as you have +always found in me a real friend, you will testify the sense you have of +my good wishes, by readily following my advice in any material point. + +I should be else unworthy, sir, answered she, of the life you have +preserved; and I flatter myself with being guilty of nothing which +should give you cause to call in question either my gratitude or duty. + +I insist but on the former, resumed he; nor can pretend to any claim to +the latter;--look on me therefore only as your friend, and let me know +your sentiments plainly and sincerely on what I think proper to ask you. +This she having assured him she would do, he pursued his discourse in +these or the like terms: + +You are now, said he, arrived at an age when persons of your sex +ordinarily begin to think of marriage.--I need not ask you if you have +ever received any addresses for that purpose; the manner in which you +have lived convinces me you are yet a stranger to them; but I would know +of you whether an overture of that kind, in favour of a man of honour, +and who can abundantly endow you with the goods of fortune, would be +disagreeable to you. + +Alas! sir, replied she, blushing, you commanded me to answer with +sincerity, but how can I resolve a question which as yet I have never +asked myself?--All that I can say is, that I now am happy by your +bounty, and have never entertained one wish but for the continuance +of it. + +On that you may depend, said he, while you continue to stand in need of +it. But would it not be more pleasing to find yourself the mistress of +an ample fortune, and in a condition to do the same good offices by +others as you have found from me?--In fine, Louisa, the care I have +taken of you would not be complete unless I saw you well settled in the +world.--I have therefore provided a husband for you, and such a one as I +think you can have no reasonable objection to. + +Sir, it would ill-become me to dispute your will, answered she, +modestly, but as I yet am very young, and have never had a thought of +marriage, nor even conversed with any who have experienced that fate, I +should be too much at a loss how to behave in it, without being allowed +some time to consider on its respective duties.--I hope therefore, sir, +continued she, you will not oblige me to act with too much precipitation +in an affair on which the happiness or misery of my whole future +life depends. + +Your very thinking it of consequence, said he, is enough to make you +behave so, as to allure your happiness with a man of honour; and indeed +Louisa, I love you too well to propose one to you whose principles and +humour I could not answer for as well as my own. + +Yet, sir, replied she, I have read that a union of hearts as well as +hands is necessary for the felicity of that state;--that there ought to +be a simpathy of soul between them, and a perfect confidence in each +other, before the indissoluble knot is tied:--and this, according to my +notion, can only be the result of a long acquaintance and accompanied +with many proofs of affection on both sides. + +Were all young women to think as you do, said he with a smile, we would +have much fewer marriages; they would indeed be happier; therefore I am +far from condemning your precaution, nor would wish you should give +yourself to one till well assured he was incapable of treating you with +less regard after marriage than before:--no, no, Louisa, I will never +press you to become a wife, till you shall yourself acknowledge the man +I offer to you as a husband is not unworthy of that title, thro' a want +of honour, fortune, or affection. + +As Louisa thought this must be the work of time, the chagrin she felt at +the first mention of marriage was greatly dissipated; and she told him, +that when she was once convinced such a person as he described honoured +her so far as to think she merited his affection, she would do all in +her power to return it. + +The enamoured Dorilaus having now brought her to the point he aimed at, +thought it best to throw off the mark at once, and leave her no longer +in suspence.--Behold then in me, said he, the person I have mentioned: +nor think me vain in ascribing those merits to myself which I would wish +to be the loadstone of your affection.--My honour, I believe, you will +not call in question:--my humour you have never found capricious, or +difficult to please; and as for my love, you cannot but allow the +conquering that aversion, which myself, as well as all the world, +believed unalterable for a marriage state; besides a thousand other +scruples opposed my entering into it with you, is a proof greater than +almost any other man could give you.--There requires, therefore, my dear +Louisa, no time to convince you of what I am, or assure you of what I +may be; and I hope the affection you bore me, as a faithful friend, and +the protector of your innocence, will not be diminished on my making +this declaration. + +The confusion in which this speech involved her is even impossible to be +conceived, much less can any words come up to its description: she +blushed;--she trembled;--she was ready to die between surprize, grief +and shame:--fain she would have spoke, but feared, lest what she should +say would either lose his friendship or encourage his passion.--Each +seemed equally dreadful to her:--no words presented themselves to her +distracted mind that she could think proper to utter, till he pressing +her several times to reply, and seeming a little to resent her +silence--Oh! sir, cried she, how is it possible for me to make any +answer to so strange a proposition!--you were not used to rally my +simplicity; nor can I think you mean what you now mention. If there +wanted no more, said he, than to prove the sincerity of my wishes in +this point to gain your approbation of them, my chaplain should this +moment put it past a doubt, and confirm my proposal:--but, pursued he, I +will not put your modesty to any farther shock at present;--all I +intreat is, that you will consider on what I have said, and what the +passion I am possessed of merits from you. In concluding these words he +kissed her with the utmost tenderness, and quitted her to speak to some +men who were at work in another part of the garden, leaving her to +meditate at liberty on this surprizing turn in her affairs. + +It was indeed necessary he should do so, for the various agitations she +laboured under were so violent, as to be near throwing her into a +swoon.--She no sooner found herself alone, than she flew to her +chamber, and locked herself in, to prevent being interrupted by any of +the servants; and as in all emotions of the mind, especially in that of +a surprize, tears are a very great relief, her's found some ease from +the sources of her eyes.--Never had the most dutiful child loved the +tenderest of fathers more than she did Dorilaus; but then it was only a +filial affection, and the very thoughts of his regarding her with that +sort of passion she now found he did, had somewhat in them terribly +alarming.--All she could do to reconcile herself to what seemed to be +her fate was in vain.--This generous man who offers me his heart, said +she, is not my father, or any way of my blood:--he has all the +accomplishments of his whole sex centered in him.--I could wish to be +for ever near him.--All that I am is owing to his goodness.--How +wretched must I have been but for his bounty!--What unaccountable +prejudice is this then that strikes me with such horror at his +love!--what maid of birth and fortune equal to his own but would be +proud of his addresses; and shall I, a poor foundling, the creature of +his charity, not receive the honour he does me with the utmost +gratitude!--shall I reject a happiness so far beyond my expectation! +--so infinitely above any merit I can pretend to!--what must he think of +me if I refuse him!--how madly stupid, how blind to my own interest, how +thankless to him must I appear!--how will he despise my folly!--how +hate my ingratitude! + +Thus did her reason combat with her prejudice, and she suffered much the +same agonies in endeavouring to love him in the manner he desired, as he +had done to conquer the inclination he had for her, and both alike were +fruitless. Yet was her condition much more to be commiserated: he had +only to debate within himself whether he should yield or not to the +suggestions of his own passion: she to subdue an aversion for what a +thousand reasons concurred to convince her she ought rather to be +ambitious of, and which in refusing she run the risque of being cast +off, and abandoned to beggary and ruin; and what was still more hateful +to her, being hated by that person who, next to her brother, she loved +above the world, tho' in a different way from that which could alone +content him. + +Dorilaus, who had taken the disorder he perceived in her for no other +than the effects of a surprize, which a declaration, such as he had +made, might very well occasion, was perfectly contented in his mind, and +passed that night with much more tranquility than he had done many +preceding ones, while he suffered his cruel reason to war against the +dictates of his heart; but having now wholly given himself up to the +latter, the sweet delusion filled him with a thousand pleasing ideas, +and he thought of nothing but the happiness he should enjoy in the +possession of the amiable Louisa. But how confounded was he, when the +next day accosting her with all the tender transports of a lover, she +turned from him, and burst into a flood of tears. How is this, Louisa, +said he; do the offers I make you merit to be treated with disdain? has +my submitting to be your lover forfeited that respect you were wont to +pay me as a guardian? O do not, sir, accuse me of such black +ingratitude, replied she; heaven knows with what sincere and humble duty +I regard you, and that I would sooner die than wilfully offend you; but +if I am so unfortunate as not to be able to obey you in this last +command, impute it, I beseech you, to my ill fate, and rather pity than +condemn me. + +You cannot love me then? cried he, somewhat feircely. No otherwise than +I have ever done, answered she. My heart is filled with duty, reverence +and gratitude, of which your goodness is the only source: as for any +other sort of love I know not what it is; were it a voluntary emotion, +believe me, sir, I gladly would give it entrance into my soul, but I +well see it is of a far different nature. + +Yet is your person at your own disposal, resumed he; and when possessed +of that, the flame which burns so fiercely in my breast, in time may +kindle one in yours. In speaking these words he took her in his arms, +and kissed her with a vehemence which the prodigious respect she bore to +him, as the patron and benefactor of herself and brother, could alone +have made her suffer.--Her eyes however sparkled with indignation, tho' +her tongue was silent, and at last bursting from his embrace, this, sir, +cried she, is not the way to make me think as you would have me. As in +this action he had no way transgressed the rules of decency, he could +ill brook the finding her so much alarmed at it; and would have +testified his resentment, had not the excess of his love, which is ever +accompanied with an adequate share of respect, obliged him to stifle it. +Well, Louisa, said he, looking earnestly upon her, ungenerously do you +requite what I have done for you; but I, perhaps, may bring myself to +other sentiments.--None, interrupted she, emboldened by the too great +freedom she thought he had taken with her, can be so dreadful to me as +those you now seem to entertain. + +The look he gave her on hearing her speak in this manner, made her +immediately repent having been so open; and in the same breath, because; +pursued she, I look on it as the worst evil could befal me that I am +compelled to oppose them. + +Come, said he, again softened by these last words, you will not always +oppose them: the fervor and constancy of my passion, joined with a +little yielding on your side, will by degrees excite a tender impulse in +you; and whatever is disagreeable at present, either in my person or +behaviour, will wear of.--Permit me at least to flatter myself so far, +and refuse me not those innocent endearments I have been accustomed to +treat you with; before you knew me as a lover, or I indeed suspected I +should be so. + +He then kissed her again; but tho' he constrained himself within more +bounds than before, those caresses which she received with pleasure, +when thinking them only demonstrations of friendship, were now irksome, +as knowing them the effects of love: she suffered him however to embrace +her several times, and hold one of her hands close pressed between his, +while he endeavoured to influence her mind by all the tender arguments +his passion, backed with an infinity of wit, inspired; to all which she +made as few replies as possible; but he contented himself, as love is +always flattering, with imagining she was less refractory to his suit +than when he first declared it. + +Every day, and almost the whole day, did he entertain her on no other +subject, but gained not the least ground on her inclinations; and all he +could get from her was the wish of being less insensible, without the +least indication of ever being so. + +In this manner did they live together near three weeks; and how much +longer he would have been able to restrain his impatience, or she to +conceal the extreme regret in being compelled to listen to him, is +uncertain: a law-suit required his presence to town, and Louisa was in +hopes of being relieved for some time; but his passion was arrived at +such a height that he could not support the least absence from her, and +therefore brought her to London with him, so that her persecution ceased +not, he never stirring from her but when the most urgent business +obliged him to it. + +One night happening to have stayed pretty late abroad, and in company, +which occasioned his drinking more plentifully than he was accustomed, +Louisa was retired to her chamber in order to go to bed: his love, ever +uppermost in his head, would not permit him to think of sleeping without +seeing her; accordingly he ran up into her room, and finding she was not +undressed, told her he had something to acquaint her with, on which the +maid that waited on her withdrew. Tho' the passion he was inspired with +could not be heightened, his behaviour now proved it might at least be +rendered more ungovernable by being enflamed with wine: He no sooner was +alone with her, than he threw himself upon her as she was sitting in a +chair, crying, O when my angel, my dear adored Louisa, will you consent +to make me blest.--By heaven, I can no longer wait the tedious +formalities your modesty demands.--I cannot think you hate me, and must +this night ensure you mine. While he spoke these words his lips were so +closely cemented to her's, that had there been no other hindrance, it +would have been impossible for her to have reply'd.--But terrified +beyond measure at the wild disorder of his looks, the expressions he +made use of, and the actions that accompanied them, she wanted even the +power of repulsing, till seeing her almost breathless, he withdrew his +arms which he had thrown round her neck, and contenting himself with +holding one of her hands,--Tell me, pursued he, when may I hope a +recompence for all I have suffered?--I must, I will have an end of all +these fears of offending;--this cruel constaint;--this distance between +us.--Few men, Louisa, in the circumstances we both are, would, like me, +so long attend a happiness in my power to seize.--Trifle not therefore +with a passion, the consequences of which there is no answering for. + +O, sir! said she, with a trembling voice, you cannot, from the most +generous, virtuous and honourable man living, degenerate into a brutal +ravisher.--You will not destroy the innocence you have cherished, and +which is all that is valuable in the poor Louisa. She ended these words +with a flood of tears, which, together with the sight of the confusion +he had occasioned, made him a little recollect himself; and to prevent +the wildness of his desires from getting the better of those rules he +had resolved to observe, he let go her hand, and having told her that he +would press her no farther that night, but expected a more satisfactory +answer the next day, went out of her chamber, and left her to enjoy what +repose she could after the alarm he had given her. + + + +CHAP. III. + +_Dorilaus continues his importunities, with some unexpected consequences +that attended them_. + +Poor Louisa concealed the distraction she was in as much as possible she +could from the maid, who immediately came into the room on Dorilaus +having quitted it, and suffered her to undress, and put her to bed as +usual; but was no sooner there, than instead of composing herself to +sleep, she began to reflect on what he had said:--the words, _that there +was no answering for the consequences of a passion such as his_, gave +her the most terrible idea.--His actions too, this night, seem'd to +threaten her with all a virgin had to fear.--She knew him a man of +honour, but thought she had too much reason to suspect that if she +persisted in refusing to be his wife, that passion which had influenced +him, contrary to his character, to make her such an offer, would also be +too potent for any consideration of her to restrain him from proceeding +to extremities. Having debated every thing within her own mind, she +thought she ought not to continue a day longer in the power of a man who +loved her to this extravagant degree: where to go indeed she knew +not;--she had no friend, or even acquaintance, to whom she might repair, +or hope to be received.--How should she support herself then?--which way +procure even the most common necessaries of life?--This was a dreadful +prospect! yet appeared less so than that she would avoid: even starving +lost its horrors when compared either to being compelled to wed a man +whom she could not affect as a husband, or, by refusing him, run the +risque of forfeiting her honour.--She therefore hesitated but a small +time, and having once formed the resolution of quitting Dorilaus's +house, immediately set about putting it into execution. + +In the first place, not to be ungrateful to him as a benefactor, she sat +down and wrote the following letter to be left for him on her table: + +SIR, + +'Heaven having rendered me of a disposition +utterly incapable of receiving the honour +you would do me, it would be an ill return for +all the unmerited favours you have heaped upon +me to prolong the disquiets I have unhappily occasioned +by continuing in your presence;--besides, +sir, the education you have vouchsafed to +give me has been such, as informs me a person +of my sex makes but an odd figure while in the +power of one of yours possessed of the sentiments +you are.' + +'These, sir, are the reasons which oblige me to +withdraw; and I hope, when well considered, +will enough apologize for my doing so, to keep +you from hating what you have but too much +loved; for I beseech you to believe a great truth, +which is, that the most terrible idea I carry with +me is, lest while I fly the one, I should incur the +other; and that, wheresoever my good or ill stars +shall conduct me, my first and last prayers shall +be for the peace, health, and prosperity of my +most generous and ever honoured patron and benefactor.' + +'Judge favourably, therefore, of this action, +and rather pity than condemn the unfortunate + +LOUISA.' + + +Having sealed and directed this, she dressed herself in one of the least +remarkable and plainest suits she had, taking nothing with her but a +little linnen which she crammed into her pockets, and so sat waiting +till she heard some of the family were stirring; then went down stairs, +and being; seen by one of the footmen, she told him she was not very +well, and was going to take a little walk in hopes the fresh air might +relieve her; he offered to wait upon her, but she refused, saying, she +chose to go alone. + +Thus had she made her escape; but, when in the street, was seized with +very alarming apprehensions.--She was little acquainted with the town, +and knew not which way to turn in search of a retreat.--Resolving, +however, to go far enough, at least, from the house she had quitted, she +wandered on, almost tired to death, without stopping any where, till +chance directed her to a retired nook, where she saw a bill for lodgings +on one of the doors.--Here she went in, and finding the place convenient +for her present circumstances, hired a small, but neat chamber, telling +the people of the house that she was come to town in order to get a +service, and till she heard of one to her liking, would be glad to do +any needle-work she should be employed in. + +The landlady, who happened to be a good motherly sort of woman, replied, +that she was pleased with her countenance, or she would not have +taken her in without enquiring into her character; and as she seemed not +to be desirous of an idle life, she would recommend her to those that +should find her work if she stayed with her never so long. + +This was joyful news to our fair fugitive; and she blessed heaven for so +favourable a beginning of her adventures. The woman was punctual to her +promise; and being acquainted with a very great milliner, soon brought +her more work than she could do, without encroaching into those hours +nature requires for repose: but she seemed not to regret any fatigue to +oblige the person who employed her, and sent home all she did so neat, +so curious, and well wrought, that the milliner easily saw she had not +been accustomed to do it for bread, and was very desirous of having her +into the house, and securing her to herself. Louisa thinking it would be +living with less care, agreed to go, on this condition, that she should +be free to quit her in case any offer happened of waiting upon a lady. +This was consented to by the other, who told her, that since she had +that design, she could no where be so likely to succeed as at her house, +which was very much frequented by the greatest ladies in the kingdom, +she having the most Curiosities of any woman of her trade, which they +came there to raffle for. + +On this Louisa took leave of her kind landlady, who having taken a great +fancy to her, and believing it would be for her advantage, was not sorry +to part with her. A quite new scene of life now presented itself to +her:--she found indeed the milliner had not made a vain boast; for her +house was a kind of rendezvous, where all the young and gay of both +sexes daily resorted.--It was here the marquis of W----r lost his heart, +for a time, to the fine mrs. S----ge:--here, that the duke of G----n +first declared his amorous inclinations for mrs. C----r:--here, that the +seemingly virtuous lady B----n received the addresses of that agreeable +rover mr. D----n:--here, that the beautiful dutchess of M---- gave that +encouragement, which all the world had sighed for, to the more fortunate +than constant mr. C----: in fine, it might properly enough be called the +theatre of gallantry, where love and wit joined to display their several +talents either in real or pretended passions. + +Louisa usually sat at work in a back parlor behind that where the +company were; but into which some of them often retired to talk to each +other with more freedom. + +This gave her an opportunity of seeing in what manner too many of the +great world passed their time, and how small regard some of them pay to +the marriage vow: everyday presented her with examples of husbands, who +behaved with no more than a cold civility to their own wives, and +carried the fervor of their addresses to those of other men; and of +wives who seemed rather to glory in, than be ashamed of a train of +admirers. How senseless would these people think me, said she to +herself, did they know I chose rather to work for my bread in mean +obscurity, than yield to marry where I could not love.--Tenderness, +mutual affection, and constancy. I find, are things not thought +requisite to the happiness of a wedded state; and interest and +convenience alone consulted. Yet was she far from repenting having +rejected Dorilaus, or being in the lead influenced by the example of +others.--The adventures she was witness of made her, indeed, more +knowing of the world, but were far from corrupting those excellent +morals she had received from nature, and had been so well improved by a +strict education, that she not only loved virtue for its own sake, but +despised and hated vice, tho' disguised under the most specious +pretences. + +Her youth, beauty, and a certain sprightliness in her air, was too +engaging to be in the house of such a woman as mrs. C----ge, (for so +this court-milliner was called) without being very much taken notice of; +and tho' most of the gentlemen who came there had some particular object +in view, yet that did not hinder them from saying soft things to the +pretty Louisa as often as they had opportunity. Among the number of +those who pretended to admire her was mr. B----n, afterwards lord F----h; +but his addresses were so far from making any impression on her in +favour of his person or suit, that the one was wholly indifferent to +her, and the other so distasteful, that to avoid being persecuted with +it, she entreated mrs. C----ge to permit her to work above stairs, that +she might be out of the way of all such solicitations for the future, +either from him or any other. This request was easily complied with, and +the rather because she, who knew not the strength of her journey-woman's +resolution, nor the principles she had been bred in, was sometimes in +fear of losing so great a help to her business, by the temptations that +might be offered in a place so much exposed to sight. Mr. B----n no +sooner missed her, than he enquired with a good deal of earnestness for +her; and on mrs. C----ge's telling him she was gone away from her house, +became so impatient to know where, and on what account she had left her, +that this woman thinking it would be of advantage to her to own the +truth, (for she did nothing without that view) turned off the imposition +with a smile, and said, that perceiving the inclinations he had for her, +she had sent her upstairs that no other addresses might be a hindrance +to his designs.--This pleased him very well, and he ran directly to the +room where he was informed she was, and after some little discourse, +which he thought was becoming enough from a person of his condition to +one of her's, began to treat her with freedoms which she could not help +resisting with more fierceness than he had been accustomed to from women +of a much higher rank; but as he had no great notion of virtue, +especially among people of her sphere, he mistook all she said or did +for artifice; and imagining she enhanced the merit of the gift only to +enhance the recompence, he told her he would make her a handsome +settlement, and offered, as an earnest of his future gratitude, a purse +of money. The generous maid fired with a noble disdain at a proposal, +which she looked on only as an additional insult, struck down the purse +with the utmost indignation and cried, she was not of the number of +those who thought gold an equivalent for infamy; and that mean as she +appeared, not all his wealth should bribe her to a dishonourable action. +At first he endeavoured to laugh her out of such idle notions as he +called them, and was so far from being rebuffed at any thing she said, +that he began to kiss and toy with her more freely than before, telling +her he would bring her into a better humour; but he was wholly deceived +in his expectations, if he had any of the nature he pretended, for she +became so irritated at being treated in this manner, that she called out +to the servants to come to her assistance, and protected she would not +stay an hour longer in the house if she could not be secured from such +impertinencies; on which he said she was a silly romantic fool, and +flung out of the room. + +Mrs. C----ge hearing there had been some bustle, came up soon after and +found Louisa in tears: she immediately complained, of mr. B----n's +behaviour to her, and said, tho' she acknowledged herself under many +obligations to her for the favours she had conferred on her, she could +not think of remaining in a place where, tho' she could not say her +virtue had any severe trials, because she had a natural detestation to +crimes of the kind that gentleman and some others had mentioned, yet her +person was liable to be affronted. The milliner, who was surprized to +hear her talk in this manner, but who understood her trade perfectly +well, answered, that he was the best conditioned civil gentleman in the +world;--that she did not know how it happened;--that she was certain +indeed he loved her; and that it was in his power to make her a very +happy woman if she were inclined to accept his offers;--but she would +perswade her to nothing. + +These kind of discourses created a kind of abhorrence in Louisa, as they +plainly shewed her, what before she had some reason to believe, that she +was in the house of one who would think nothing a crime that she found +it her own interest to promote. However, she thought it would be +imprudent to break too abruptly with her, and contented herself for the +present with encasing her promise that neither mr. B----n, nor any other +person should for the future give her the least interruption of the +like sort. + +From this day, however, she was continually ruminating how she should +quit her house, without running the risque of disobliging her so far as +not to be employed by her; for tho' she found herself at present free +from any of those importunities to which both by nature and principles +she was so averse, yet she could not answer to herself the continuing in +a place where virtue was treated as a thing of little or no consequence, +and where she knew not how soon she might again be subjected +to affronts. + +Amidst these meditations the thoughts of Dorilaus frequently intervened: +she reflected on the obligations she had to him, and the mighty +difference between the morals of that truly noble and generous man, and +most of those she had seen at mrs. C----ge's: she wondered at herself at +the antipathy she had to him as a husband, whom she so dearly loved and +honoured as a friend; yet nothing could make her wish to be again on the +same terms with him she had lately been. It also greatly added to her +affliction that she knew not how to direct to her brother; for at the +time of his departure, little suspicious of having any occasion to +change the place of her abode, she had left the care of that entirely to +Dorilaus. She was one morning very much lost in thought on the odd +circumstances of her fortune, when a Gazette happening to lye upon the +table, she cast her eye, without design, upon the following +advertisement. + + +'Whereas a young gentlewoman has lately +thought fit to abscond from her best friends, +and with the most diligent search that could possibly +be made after her has not yet been heard of, +this is to acquaint her that if she pleases to return, +she shall hereafter have no disturbance of that +nature which it is supposed occasioned her withdrawing +herself, but live entirely according to +her own inclinations; and this the advertiser +hereof gives his word and honour (neither of +which she has any cause to doubt) faithfully to +adhere to.' + +'It shall also be at her choice to live either at +the house she quitted, or to be again under the +care of that gentlewoman who was entrusted +with her education: she is therefore requested to +conceal herself no longer, lest her youth, beauty, +and inexperience of the town should betray her +innocence into those very snares she fears to fall +into.' + + +The very beginning of this paragraph gave her a conjecture it was meant +for no other than herself; and the more she read, the more she grew +convinced, of it.--It must be so, cryed she; every word,--every +circumstance confirms it.--How unhappy am I that I cannot return so +perfect an affection!--Instead of detesting my ingratitude, he only +fears I should receive the punishment of it.--What man but Dorilaus +would behave thus to the creature of his benevolence?--If I have any +merits, do not I owe them to his goodness?--My brother and myself, two +poor exposed and wretched foundlings, what but his bounty rear'd us to +what we are?--Hard fate!--unlucky passion that drives me from his +presence and protection. + +Yet, would she say again, if he has indeed subdued that passion;--if he +resolves to think of me as before he entertained it; if I were certain +he would receive me as a child, how great would be, the blessing! + +This confederation had so much effect on her, that she was half +determined to comply with the advertisement; but when she remembered to +have read that where love is sincere and violent, it requires a length +of time to be erased, and that those possessed of it are incapable of +knowing even their own strength, and, as he had said to her himself, +_that there was no answering for the consequences,_ she grew instantly +of another mind, and thought that putting herself again into the power +of such a passion was running too great a hazard. + +The continual agitations of her mind, joined to want of air, a quite +different way of life, and perhaps fitting more closely to work than she +had been accustomed, threw her at length into a kind of languishing +indisposition, which, tho' it did not confine her to her bed, occasioned +a loss of appetite, and frequent faintings, which were very alarming to +her. Mrs. C----ge was extremely concerned to observe this change in her, +and would have the opinion of her own physician, who said that she had +symptoms of an approaching consumption, and that it was absolutely +necessary she should be removed into the country for some time. + +Louisa readily complied with this advice, not only because she imagined +it might be of service for the recovery of her health, but also as it +furnished her with a pretence for leaving mrs. C----ge's house, to which +she was determined to return no more as a boarder. The good woman with +whom she had lodged at first recommended her to a friend of her's at +Windsor, where she immediately went, and was very kindly received. + + + +CHAP. IV. + +_Louisa becomes acquainted with a lady of quality, part of whose +adventures are also related, and goes to travel with her_. + +Change of place affords but small relief to those whose distempers are +in the mind: Louisa carried with her too many perplexing thoughts to be +easily shook off; tho' the queen and court being then at Windsor, she +had the opportunity of seeing a great many of the gay world pass daily +by her window.--There also lodged in the same house with her a young +widow of quality, who was visited by persons of the first rank; but as +she was not of a condition to make one in any of these conversations, +she reaped no other satisfaction from them than what the eye afforded. + +As she was not, however, of a temper to indulge melancholy, she made it +her endeavour to banish, as much as possible, all ideas which were +displeasing from her mind: to this end, a fine harpsicord happening to +stand in the dining-room, whenever the lady was abroad, she went in and +diverted herself with playing. She was one day entertaining the woman of +the house with a tune, which she accompanied with her voice, when the +lady returning sooner than was expected, and hearing the instrument +before she came up stairs, would needs know who it was had been making +use of it; for Louisa hurried out of the room before she came in: the +landlady, as there was no occasion to disguise the truth, told her that +it was a young woman, who not being very well, had come down into the +country for air. + +She has had an excellent education, I am certain, said the lady, (who +henceforward we shall call Melanthe) for in my life I never heard any +body play or sing better:--I must be acquainted with her; on which the +other said she would let her know the honour she intended her. + +That very evening, as great ladies no sooner think of any thing but they +must have it performed, was Louisa sent for into her apartment; and her +countenance and behaviour so well seconded the good impression her skill +in music had begun, that Melanthe became charm'd with her, and from that +time obliged her to come to her every morning; and whenever she was +without company, made her dine and sup with her. Being curious to know +her circumstances, Louisa made no scruple of acquainting her with the +truth, only instead of relating how she had been exposed in her infancy, +said, that having the misfortune to be deprived of her parents, it was +her intention to wait on a lady, and till she heard of one who would +accept her service, she had work'd at her needle. + +Melanthe then asked if she would live with her; to which the other +gladly answering, she should think herself happy in such a lady; but you +must go abroad then, said she, for I am weary of England, and am +preparing to travel: as it is a route of pleasure only, I shall stay +just as long as I find any thing new and entertaining in one place, then +go to another till I am tired of that, and so on, I know not how long; +for unless my mind alters very much, I shall not come back in +some years. + +Louisa was perfectly transported to hear her say this; she had a great +desire to see foreign parts, and thought she never could have a better +opportunity: she expressed the pleasure she should take in attending her +wherever she went with so much politeness and sincerity, that Melanthe +told her, it should be her own fault if she ever quitted her, and withal +assured her, she never would treat her in any other manner than a +companion, and that tho' she would make her a yearly allowance for +cloaths and card-money, yet she would expect no other service from her +than fidelity to her secrets, and affection to her person. + +From the moment this agreement was made, the young Louisa regained her +complection and her appetite; and being now initiated into the family of +this lady, had no longer any care to take than to oblige her, a thing +not difficult, Melanthe being good-natured, and strongly prepossessed in +favour of her new friend, for so she vouchsafed to call her, and to use +her accordingly. + +As a proof of it, she made her in a very short time the confident of her +dearest secrets: they were one day sitting together, when accidentally +some mention was made of the power of love. You are too young, Louisa, +said Melanthe, to have experienced the wonderful effects of that passion +in yourself, and therefore cannot be expected to have much compassion +for what it can inflict on others. + +Indeed, madam, answered she, tho' I never have yet seen a man who gave +me a moment's pain on that score, yet I believe there are no emotions +whatever so strong as those of love, and that it is capable of +influencing people of the best sense to things which in their nature +they are most averse to. + +Well, my dear, resumed the other, since I find you have so just a notion +of it, I will confide in your discretion so far as to let you know, that +but for an ungrateful man, I had not looked on my native country as a +desart, and resolved to seek a cure for my ill-treated and abused +tenderness in foreign parts. + +My quality, continued she, I need not inform you of; you have doubtless +heard that my family yields to few in antiquity, and that there is an +estate belonging to it sufficient to support the dignity of its title; +but my father having many children, could not give very great portions +to the daughters: I was therefore disposed of, much against my +inclinations, to a nobleman, whom my unlucky charms had so much +captivated as to make him not only take me with no other dowry than my +cloaths and jewels, but also to settle a large jointure upon me, which, +he being dead, I at present enjoy. I cannot say that all the obligations +he laid upon me could engage a reciprocal regard:--I behaved with +indifference to him while living, and little lamented him when dead: not +that I was prepossessed in favour of any other man;--my heart, entirely +free, was reserved to be the conquest of the too charming perfidious +Henricus, who arriving soon after my lord's decease, and bringing with +him all the accomplishments which every different court he had visited +could afford, join'd to the most enchanting person nature ever formed, +soon made me know I was not that insensible creature I had +thought myself. + +I happened to be at court when he came to kiss her majesty's hand on his +return; and whether it was that my eyes testified too much the +admiration this first sight of him struck me with, or that he really +discovered something more attractive in me than any lady in the presence +I know not, but he seemed to distinguish me in a particular manner, and +I heard him say to my lord G----n in a whisper, that I was the finest +woman he had ever seen; but what gave me more pleasure than even this +praise, was an agreement I heard made between him and the same lord to +go that evening to a raffle at mrs. C--rt-s--r's. I was one of those who +had put in, tho' if I had not, I should certainly, have gone for a +second sight of him, who when he went out of the drawing-room seemed to +have left me but half myself. + +In fine, I went, and had there wanted any thing to have entirely +vanquished me, my conqueror's manner of address had done it with a form +less agreeable.--O Louisa, pursued she with a sigh, if you have never +seen or heard the charming Henricus, you can have no notion of what is +excellent in man; such flowing wit;--such softness in his voice and +air;--but there is no describing what he is. He seemed all transport at +meeting me there; among a number of ladies I alone engrossed him: he +scarce spoke to any other; and being so fortunate to win the raffle, +which was a fine inlaid India cabinet, instead of sending it to his own +house, he privately ordered his servant to leave it at mine, lord G----n +having, as he afterwards told me, informed him where I lived, and also +all the particulars he wanted to know concerning me. + +I was prodigiously surprized when I came home and found the Cabinet, +which my woman imagined I had won by its being brought thither. It was +indeed a piece of gallantry I had no reason to expect from one so +perfect a stranger to me; and this, joined with the many complaisant +things he said to me at mrs. C--rt-f--r's, flattered my vanity enough to +make me think he was no less charmed with me than I too plainly found I +was with him. I slept little that night, and pretty early the next +morning received a billet from him to this effect: + +MADAM, + +'I thought the cabinet we raffled for was more +properly the furniture of a lady's closet than +mine, especially one who must daily receive a +great number of such epistles as it was doubtless +intended by the maker to contain: happy should +I think myself if any thing of mine might find +room among those which, for their wit and elegance, +may be more worthy of preferring, tho' +none can be for their sincerity more so than those +which are dictated by the eternally devoted heart of + +HENRICUS.' + +You cannot imagine, my dear Louisa, how delighted I was with these few +lines; I enclosed them indeed in the cabinet given me by the author of +them, but laid up their meaning in my heart:--I was quite alert the +whole day, but infinitely more so, when in the evening my admired +Henricus made me a visit introduced by lord H----, who had been one of +my late husband's particular friends, and had ever kept a good +correspondence with me. + +Henricus took, not the least notice either of the cabinet or letter +before him; and as I imagined he had his reasons for it, I too was +silent on that head; he took the opportunity, however, while lord H---- +was speaking to a young lady who happened to be with me, to ask +permission to wait on me with the hope of being received on his own +score as he was now on that of his friend. I told him that merit, such +as his, was sufficient to recommend him any where; and, besides, I had +an obligation to him which I ought to acknowledge. This was all either +of us had time to say; but it was enough to make me convinced he desired +a more particular conversation, and him, that it would not be +unwelcome to me. + +Thus began an acquaintance equally fatal to my peace of mind and +reputation; and having said that, it would be needless to repeat the +circumstances of it, therefore shall only tell you I was so infatuated +with my passion, that I never gave myself the trouble to examine into +the nature of his pretensions, and lull'd with the vows he made of +everlasting love, resented not that he forbore pressing to that ceremony +which could alone ensure it:--yes, my Louisa, I will not wrong him so +far as to say he deceived me in this point; for tho' he protested with +the most solemn imprecations that he would never address any either +woman than myself, yet he never once mentioned marriage to me.--Alass! +he too well saw into my heart, and that all my faculties were too much +his to be able to refuse him any thing:--even so it proved;--he +triumphed over all in my power to yield;--nay, was so far subdued, that +I neither regretted my loss, nor used any endeavours to conceal +it;--vain of being his at any rate, I thought his love more glory to me +than either fame or virtue; and while I was known to enjoy the one, +despised whatever censures I incurred for parting with the other:--in +the mall, the play-house, the ring, at Bath or Tunbridge, he was always +with me; nor would any thing indeed have been a diversion to me had he +been absent. + +For upwards of a year I had no reason to complain of his want of +assiduity to me, tho' I have since heard even in that time he had other +amours with women who carried them on with more prudence than I was +mistress of; but I had afterwards a stabbing proof of his insincerity +and inconstancy. + +Perceiving a great alteration in his behaviour, that he visited me less +frequently, and when he came, the ardours he was accustomed to treat me +with still more and more languid and enforced, I upbraided him in terms +which, tho' they shewed more love than resentment, and had he retained +any tolerable remains of tenderness for me, must have been rather +obliging than the contrary, he affected to take extremely ill, and told +me plainly, that nothing was so dear to him as his peace,--that he was +not of a temper to endure reproaches, and that, if I desired the +continuance of our amour, I must be satisfied with him as he was. These +cool, and indeed insolent replies made me almost distracted; and +beginning to suspect he had some new engagement, I talked to him in a +manner as if I had been assured of it:--he, perhaps, imagining it was +so, made no efforts to cure my jealousy, but behaved with so cruel an +indifference as confirmed my apprehensions. + +Resolving to be convinced whether I really had any rival or not, I +employed spies to observe where-ever he went, and to whom; but alass, +there required little pains to acquire the intelligence I fought.--I +was soon informed that he was every day with the daughter of a little +mechanic;--that he made her very rich presents, procured a commission in +the army for one of her brothers, and in fine, that he was as much +devoted to her as a man of his inconstant temper could be to any woman. + +How severe a mortification was this to my pride! but it had this good +attending it, that it very much abated my love:--to be abandoned for so +mean a creature, and who had nothing but youth and a tolerable face to +recommend her, shewed such a want of taste as well as gratitude, as +rendered despicable in my eyes what had lately engrossed all my love and +admiration.--The moment I received the information I sent for him;--and +forcing my countenance to a serenity my heart was a stranger to, told +him it was only to take a last leave of a person whom I had been so far +mistaken in as to think deserving my affection: that I desired to see +him once more, but having now seen my error, desired he would desist his +visits for the future. He asked me with the same calmness he had lately +behaved with, what whim I had got in my head now, I, who had before +determined not to feed my rival's pride by shewing any jealousy of her, +only replied, that as amours, such as ours had been, must have an end +some time or other,--I thought none could be more proper than the +present, because I believed both of us could do it without pain. + +Answer for yourself, madam, cried he with some emotion, for I could +perceive my behaviour had a little flung his vanity; and resolute to +give him in my turn all the mortification in my power, nay, said I with +a disdainful toss of my head, I do not enquire into your sentiments,--it +is sufficient mine are to break entirely off with you;--neither is it +any concern to me how you may resent this alteration in my conduct, or +dispose of yourself hereafter; but I once more assure you, with my usual +frankness, that I now can see none of those perfections my foolish fancy +formerly found in you, and cannot be complaisant enough to counterfeit a +tenderness I neither feel nor think you worthy of. + +The surprize he was in kept him silent for some moments; but recovering +himself as well as he could, he told me, that if the levity of my nature +had made me cease to love him, he could not have expected endearments +should be converted into affronts; that if I was determined to see him +no more he must submit, and should endeavour to make himself as easy as +he could under the misfortune. + +These last words were uttered with a kind of sneer, which was very +provoking, however, I restrained my passion during the little time he +stayed; but as soon as I found myself alone gave it vent in tears and +exclamations,--since which I have been mere at peace within myself; for +tho' I cannot say I hate him, I am now far from loving him, and hope +that time and absence may bring me to a perfect indifference. + +Thus, Louisa, continued she, you see the beginning and end of an +adventure which has made some noise in town, to be out of which I have +taken a resolution to travel till the whole shall be forgotten, and I +have entirely rooted out of my heart all manner of consideration for +this ungrateful man. + +Louisa thanked her for the condescension me had made her in entrusting +her with so important a secret, and said every thing she could in praise +of the resolution she had taken to leave England for a time, not only +because it was exactly conformable to her own desires, but also that she +thought it so laudable in itself. Melanthe then assured her that she was +not capable of changing her mind in this particular, and that her +equipage was getting ready at London for that purpose, so that she +believed they should embark in a few days. Louisa, on hearing this, +said, that she must then provide herself with some things it would be +necessary for her to have in order to appear in the station her ladyship +was pleased to place her; but the other, who, as may be seen by her +history, never preserved a medium in any thing, would not suffer her to +be at the least expence on that account, but took the care of furnishing +her with every thing on herself; and accordingly sent a man and horse to +town directly to her mercer's, draper's, milliner's, and other +tradesmen, with orders to send down silks, laces, hollands, and whatever +else was requisite; which being brought, were put to be made fit for +wearing by workwomen at Windsor; so that now our Louisa made as good a +figure, and had as great a variety of habits as when under the +guardianship of Dorilaus, and, to complete her happiness, this new +benefactress grew every day more, and more delighted with her company. + +All being now prepared, they came to London, where they lay but one +night before they took shipping for Helvoetsluys in Holland, where, +being safely landed, they proceeded to Utrecht, and so to +Aix-la-chappelle; there they stayed some weeks for the sake of the +waters, air, and good company; and Louisa thought it so pleasant, that +she would have been glad not to have removed for some time longer; but +Melanthe was yet restless in her mind, and required frequent change of +place. Here it was, however, that Louisa thought she might venture to +write to Dorilaus, to ease him of that kind concern she doubted not but +he was in for her welfare, by the advertisement already mentioned in the +Gazette. The purport of her letter was as follows: + +_Ever Honoured Sir_, + +'Child of your bounty as I am, I flatter myself +that, in spight of my enforc'd disobedience, +it would be a trouble to you to hear I should +do any thing unworthy of that education you were +pleased to bestow on me: I therefore take the liberty +of acquainting you, that heaven has raised +me a protectress in a lady of quality with whom +I now am, as you will see by the date of this, at +Aix-la-chappelle. As all the favours I receive +from her, or all the good that shall happen during +my whole life is, and will be entirely owing +to you as the fountain-head, it will be always my +inclination, as well as duty, to pay you the tribute +of grateful thanks.--Poor recompence, +alas, for all you have done for me! yet those, +with my incessant prayers to heaven, are all in +the power of + +_Your most dutiful_ + +LOUISA.' + +She took no notice of the advertisement, not only as she could not be +positive it related to herself, as also because she thought, if he were +certain she had read it, he might resent her not answering it, as +discovering a too great diffidence of his honour. She added, however, a +postscript, entreating him to let her brother know, that whatever +happened, he should have no reason to find fault with her conduct. + +After they left Aix-la-chappelle, they took bye roads to avoid the +armies; yet notwithstanding all their care, they now and then met +parties who were out on foraging, but as it happened, they were always +under the conduct of officers who prevented any ill accident, so that +our travellers met with no manner of interruption, but arrived safely at +the magnificent city of Vienna, where was at that time an extreme gay +court, affording every thing capable of diverting a much more settled +melancholy than either Melanthe or her fair companion were possessed of. + +The arch-dutchesses, Mary Elizabeth, and Mary Anna Josepha, afterward +queen of Portugal, had frequent balls and entertainments in their +different drawing-rooms; to all which Melanthe, being a stranger and a +woman of quality, was invited: she kept her promise with Louisa; and +treating her as a young lady, whose friendship for her, and a desire of +seeing the world had engaged to accompany her, she was received and +respected as such; and by this means had an opportunity of shewing the +skill she had in dancing, singing, music, and indeed all the +accomplishments that a woman born and educated to the best expectations, +is usually instructed in. As neither her lady nor herself understood the +German language, and she spoke infinitely the best French, her +conversation was the most agreeable, which, joined with a most engaging +manner, and a peculiar sweetness in her voice, attracted all those +civilities which the rank of the other demanded. + +Possessed of so many charms, it would have been strange if, in a city +throng'd like Vienna with young noblemen, who were continually coming +from all parts of the empire, she had lived without some who pretended +to somewhat more than mere admiration; but her heart had not refused the +worthy Dorilaus to become the conquest of a German; nor was it here she +was ordained to experience those anxieties in herself, she could but +imperfectly conceive by the description she had from others. + +Melanthe, however, whose sole aim was to drive all perplexing thoughts +from her mind, encouraged a great number of visitors, so that her +lodgings seemed a perfect theatre of gallantry; and Louisa having her +share in all the amusements this lady prepared for the reception of +those that came to see her, or were contrived for her entertainment by +others, past her time in the most gay and agreeable manner imaginable, +and by this means acquired the knowledge of almost the only thing she +before was ignorant in, how to receive a multiplicity of company, yet to +behave so is each should imagine themselves most welcome;--to seem +perfectly open, without discovering any thing improper to be +revealed;--to use all decent freedoms with the men, yet not encourage +the least from them, and to seem to make a friend of every woman she +conversed with, without putting truth in any;--and in fine, all the +little policies which make up the art of what is called a polite +address, and which is not to be attained without an acquaintance with +the court and great world. + +This, I say, our amiable foundling was now well vers'd in, and practised +among those who she found made a practice of it; but yet retained the +same sincerity of mind, love of virtue, and detestation of vice, she +brought with her from the house of Dorilaus:--neither was her youth too +much dazled with the exterior splendor she beheld; and tho' she was well +enough pleased with it, yet it did not in the least take her off from +the duties of religion, or inspire her with any ambitious or aspiring +wishes to become what the remembrance of what she was forbid any +probable expectation of. She knew the present fashion of her life was +not an assured settlement, and therefore set not her heart upon it. Few +at her years would have had the like prudence, or in time armed +themselves, as she did, against any change that might befal her. + +In this happy situation let us leave her for a while: the young Horatio +claims his share of attention; and it is time to see what encouragement +and success his martial ardor met with on the banks of the Danube. + + + +CHAP. V. + +_Horatio's reception by the officers of the army; his behaviour in the +battle; his being taken prisoner by the French; his treatment among +them, and many other particulars._ + +The extreme graceful person of Horatio, his youth, handsome equipage, +and the letters sent by Dorilaus to several of the principal officers in +his favour, engaged him a reception answerable to his wishes: but none +was of greater service than the recommendation he had to colonel +Brindfield, who being in great favour with the duke of Marlborough, was +highly respected by the whole army. This gentleman made him dine +frequently with him, and testified the regard he had for Dorilaus, by +doing all the good offices he could to a youth whom he perceived by his +letter he had a great concern for. He not only introduced him to the +acquaintance of many officers of condition, but took an opportunity of +presenting him to the duke himself, giving at the same time his grace an +account that he was a gentleman whose inclinations to arms, and the +honour of serving under his grace, had made him renounce all other +advantages for the hope of doing something worthy of his favour. The +duke looked all the time he was speaking very attentively on the young +Horatio, and finding something in his air that corroborated the +colonel's description, was pleased to say, that he was charm'd with his +early thirst after same; and then turning toward him, you will soon, +pursued he, have an opportunity of seeing how the face of war looks, +near at hand:--I can tell you, that you must not always expect smiles. +No, my lord, replied he, without being at all daunted at the presence of +so great a man; but where we love all countenances are agreeable. + +He arrived indeed opportunely to be a witness of the dangers of that +glorious campaign which brought such shame to the French, such honour to +the English, and such real advantages to the empire. Prince Eugene of +Savoy, and prince Lewis of Baden were come to the duke's quarters, which +were then at Mondesheim, to consult on proper operations; the result +was, that the duke and prince Lewis should join armies, and command each +day alternately, and that prince Eugene should head a separate army and +repair towards Philipsburg, to defend the passage of the Rhine, the +lines of Stolhoffen, and the country of Wirtenberg. + +The two armies joined at Westerstretton, thence proceeded by easy +marches towards Donawert, between which and Scellenberg the enemy was +encamped. Fatigued as they were, the duke made them pass over a little +river and endeavour to force the intrenchments; which enterprize +succeeded, notwithstanding all the disadvantages the confederate armies +were in, and the others were obliged to retire with great precipitation, +many of whom were drowned in endeavouring to pass the Danube. + +In this action was our young soldier unlisted, and had the glory to be +signalized by two remarkable accidents; one was, that pressing among the +foremost in this hazardous attempt, he had his hat taken off by a cannon +ball; and the other was, that seeing a standard about to be taken by the +enemy, the person who carried it happening to be kill'd, he ran among +those who were carrying it away, and being seconded by some others, +retrieved that badge of English honour; and as this was done in sight of +the duke, he rode up to him directly and presented it to him. Take it +for your pains, cried he, you have ventured hard, and well deserve the +prize. There was no time for thanks; the duke, who was almost every +where at once, was immediately gone where he found his presence +necessary, and Horatio returned to take the place of the dead cornet, +doubly animated by the encouragement he had received. + +This victory opening a way into the elector of Bavaria's dominions, that +poor country was terribly ravaged, no less than 300 towns, villages and +castles being utterly consumed by a detachment of horse and dragoons the +duke sent for that purpose. Some old officers told Horatio that now +would be the time to make his fortune if he went with these squadrons, +there being many rich things which would fall to the share of the +plunderers; to which he answered, that he came to fight for the honour +of his country, and not to rob for its disgrace. This they laughed at, +and endeavoured to make him sensible, that the taking away an enemy's +treasure was to take away their strength; but all they could say was +ineffectual; he was not to be perswaded out of what he thought reason +and justice: and this conversation being afterward repeated to the duke, +he smil'd and said, he was yet too young to know the value of money. + +After this, prince Lewis of Baden dividing from the duke, in order to +undertake the siege of Ingoldstadt, our young cornet attended his grace +to the relief of prince Eugene, who expected to be attacked by the +united army of Bavarians and French, then encamped near Hockstadt. + +It would be needless to give any description of this famous battle, few +of my readers but must be acquainted with it, so I shall only say, that +among the number of those few prisoners the French had to boast of in +attonement for so great a defeat, was the young brave Horatio, who fell +to the lot of the baron de la Valiere, nephew to the marquis of Sille. +This nobleman being extremely taken with his person and behaviour, +treated him in the politest manner; and tho' he carried him with him +into France, assured him, that it was more for the pleasure of +entertaining him there than any other consideration. Horatio was not +much afflicted at this misfortune, because it gave him an opportunity of +seeing a country he had heard so much commended, and also to make +himself master of a language, which, tho' he understood, he spoke but +imperfectly. + +The baron was not only one of the most gallant, but also one of the best +humoured men in the world; he spared nothing during the whole time they +tarried in his quarters, nor in their journey to Paris, which might +contribute to make his prisoner easy under his present circumstances; +and among other things, often said to him, if you and some others have +fallen under the common chance of war, you have yet the happiness of +knowing your army in general has been victorious, and that, there are +infinitely a greater number of ours who, against their will, must see +England, than, there are of yours conducted into France. + +On their arrival, Horatio wrote an account to Dorilaus of all had +happened to him, not doubting but he would use his interest to have him +either mentioned when there should come an exchange of prisoners, or +that he would randsom him himself; but receiving no answer, he concluded +his letter, by some accident, had miscarried, and sent another, but that +meeting the same fate as the former, he wrote a third, accompanied with +one to his sister directed to the boarding-school, where he imagined she +still was: to this last, after some time, he had the following return +from the governess: + +SIR, + +'A letter directed for miss Louisa coming to +my house, I was in debate with myself +what to do with it, that young lady having been +gone from me last September, since which time +I have never heard any thing of her:--at last I +sent it to Dorilaus's country seat by a messenger, +who brought it to me again, with intelligence +that he was gone with some friends into the north +of Ireland, and that it was probable they had +taken miss with them:--I then thought proper +to open it, believing she had no secrets I might +not be entrusted with, and finding it came from +you, could do no less than give you this information +to prevent your being under any surprize +for not receiving answers to your letters. I am +sorry to find by yours that you have had such ill +success in your first campaign; but would not +have you be cast down, since you need not doubt +but on the return of Dorilaus you will have remittances +for your ransom, or whatever else you +may have occasion for.' + +_I am_, SIR, +_Your most humble and obedient Servant,_ + +A. TRAINWELL. + +This letter made him perfectly contented; he had no reason to question +the continuance of Dorilaus's goodness to him, nor that he should attend +this new proof of it any longer than the return of that gentleman to +England should make him know the occasion he now had for it. He +therefore had no anxious thoughts to interrupt the pleasures the place +he was in afforded in such variety; he was every evening with the baron, +either at court, the opera, the comedy, or some other gay scene of +entertainment; was introduced to the best company; and his young heart, +charm'd with the politeness and gallantry of that nation, and the little +vanity to which a person of such early years is incident, being +flattered with the complaisance he was treated with, gave him in a short +time a very strong affection for them; but there was yet another and +more powerful motive which rendered his captivity not only pleasing, but +almost destroyed in him an inclination ever to see his native +country again. + +The baron de la Valiere had long been passionately in love with a young +lady, who was one of the maids of honour to king James's queen: he went +almost every day to St. Germains, in order to prosecute his addresses, +and frequently took Horatio with him. The motive of his first +introducing him to that court was, perhaps, the vanity of shewing him +that no reverse of fate could make the French regardless of what was due +to royalty, since the Chevalier St. George seem'd to want no requisite +of majesty but the power; but he afterwards found the pleasure he took +in those visits infinitely surpassed what he could have expected, and +that his heart had an attachment, which made him no sooner quit that +palace than he would ask with impatience when they should go thither +again. The baron had a great deal of penetration; and as those who feel +the power of love in themselves can easily perceive the progress it +makes in others, a very few visits confirmed him that Horatio had found +something there more attractive than all he could behold elsewhere: nor +was he long at a loss to discover, among the number or beauties which +composed the trains of the queen and princess, which of them it was that +had laid his prisoner under a more lasting captivity than war had done. + +Princess Louisa Maria Teresa, daughter of the late king James, was then +but in her thirteenth year; the ladies who attended her were all of them +much of the same age; and to shew the respect the French had for this +royal family, tho' in misfortunes, were also the daughters of persons +whose birth and fortune might have done honour to the service of the +greatest empress in the world; nor were any of them wanting in those +perfections which attract the heart beyond the pomp of blood or titles; +but she who had influenced that of our Horatio, was likewise in the +opinion of those, who felt not her charms in the same degree he did, +allowed to excel her fair companions in every captivating grace, and to +yield in beauty to none but the princess herself, who was esteemed a +Prodigy. This amiable lady was called Charlotta de Palfoy, only daughter +to the baron of that name; and having from her most early years +discovered a genius above what is ordinarily found in her sex, had been +educated by her indulgent parents in such a manner, as nature left +nothing for want of the improvements of art; yet did not all the +accomplishments, she was mistress of give her the least air of +haughtiness; on the contrary, there was a certain sweetness of temper in +her which gave a double charm to every thing she said or did: she was +all affability, courtesy and chearfulness; she could not therefore avoid +treating so agreeable a stranger as Horatio with all imaginable marks of +civility; but she had been a very small time acquainted with him before +her liking ripened into a kind of tenderness little inferior to what he +was possessed of for her; and tho' both were then too young to be able +to judge of the nature of this growing inclination, yet they found they +loved without knowing to what end. + +As both the Chevalier St. George and the princess his sister were +instructed in the English language, and besides many of their court were +natives of Great Britain, whose loyalty had made them follow the exil'd +monarch, the French belonging to them had also an ambition to speak in +the same dialect: mademoiselle Charlotta being but lately come among +them had not yet attained the proper accent, any more than Horatio had +that of the French; so they agreed that to improve each other in the +different languages, he should always speak to her in French, and she +should answer him in English. This succeeded not only for the purpose it +was intended, but likewise drew on a greater intimacy between them than +might otherwise have happened, at least in so short a time. + +The baron having a real friendship for Horatio, rejoiced to find he had +so powerful an attachment to continue among them, and without taking any +notice how far he saw into his sentiments, encouraged his visits at St. +Germains all he could. Thus indulged in every thing he wished, he began +insensibly to lose all desires of returning to England, and receiving no +letters either from Dorilaus or his sister, was as it were weaned from +that affection he had formerly bore to them, and in the room of that the +new friendships he was every day contracting took up his mind. + +He was indeed used with so much love and respect by people in the most +eminent stations, to whom the baron had introduced him, that it would +have been ungrateful in him not to have returned it with the greatest +good-will. Expressing one day some surprize at being so far forgotten by +his friends in England, de la Valiere told him that he would not have +him look on himself as any other than a guest in France, and that if he +chose to quit that country, he should not only be at his liberty to +return to England whenever he pleased, but also should be furnished with +a sum sufficient for the expences of his journey; but added, that the +offer he now made of depriving himself of so agreeable a companion was a +piece of self-denial, than which there could not be a greater proof of a +disinterested regard. + +Horatio replied in the manner this generosity demanded, and said, that +if there was any thing irksome to him in France, it was only his +inability of returning the favours he had received: believe me, sir, +pursued he, were I master of a fortune sufficient to put me above the +necessity of receiving the obligations I now do, it would not be in the +power of all I left in England to prevail on me to return;--it is here, +and in the society of that company I at present, thro' your means, +enjoy, that I would wish to pass my whole life. + +The baron then told him he would find a way to make all things easy to +him, and accordingly went the same day to monsieur the prince of Conti, +to whom he gave such an advantageous description of the courage and +accomplishments of the English cornet, and the inclination he had to +stay among them, that his highness told the baron, that he might +acquaint him from him, that if he were willing to serve under him he +should have a commission; or, if he rather chose a civil employment, he +would use his interest to procure him such a one as might afford both +honour and profit. + +This the baron did not fail to communicate immediately to Horatio, who, +charm'd with the generosity both of the one and the other, broke out +into the utmost encomiums of that nation:--sure, said he, the French are +a people born to inspire and instruct virtue and benevolence to all the +kingdoms in the world! After the first raptures of his gratitude were +over, being pressed by the baron to let him know which of the prince's +offers he would chuse to accept; alas! replied he, this is a kind of an +unfortunate dilemma I am in;--my inclinations are for the army, and it +would be the height of my ambition to serve under such generals as the +French; but it would be unnatural in me to draw my sword against the +land which gave me being: O would to God! continued he, there were an +opportunity for me to do it in any other cause! how gladly would I leave +the best part of my blood to shew the sense I have of the generosity I +have experienced. + +The baron had nothing to offer in opposition to a sentiment which he +found had so much of honour in it, and therefore acquainted the prince +that he chose to accept of his highness's favour in a civil employment; +on which he was ordered to attend his levee the next day. + +His good friend accompanied him, and having presented him with the forms +usual on such occasions, the prince received him very graciously, and +was pleased to ask him several questions concerning the government of +England at that time, the battle in which he had been taken, and many +other things, to all which the young Horatio answered with so much +discretion and politeness, as made the prince say to the baron, you have +not flattered this gentleman in your description of him; for tho' I +believe your friendship ready enough to give a just idea of him, yet, I +allure you, his own behaviour is his best recommendation, and well +entitles him to more than I find it in my power to do for him at +present. I have been thinking for you, sir, continued he, turning to +Horatio, and imagine that the employment I have found you will not be +disagreeable to you:--one of the gentlemen of the bed-chamber to the +Chevalier St. George being dead, there is a vacancy, which I will make +interest shall be filled by no other than yourself;--you seem to be much +of the same age with him, and I dare say he will be extremely pleased in +the choice I make of you to be near him:--it is not indeed, added he, a +place of so much advantage as I could wish, but there is a handsome +pension annexed to it, which, with the honour, will, I believe, content +you till something better presents itself. + +From the first mention the prince made of the post he had found for him, +the heart of Horatio leap'd in his breast with an agitation he had never +felt before: the thoughts of living at St. Germains in the same palace +with mademoiselle Charlotta so transported him, that he scarce knew what +he said; and the thanks he gave the prince were expressed with such +hyperboles of gratitude, as made his highness think he had a higher idea +of the employment than it indeed deserved; but the baron who knew the +motive, and could not help smiling within himself, to prevent any other +from suspecting it, however, told the prince, that it was not to be +wondered at that he testified so high a satisfaction, since he was now +to serve a family he had by nature a strong attachment to, and at the +same time continue in a country he liked much better than his own. + +Horatio by this time having a little recovered himself, and sensible he +had gone rather too far, seconded what the baron had said, and no more +observations were made on it. + +That same evening, the prince having made it his request, was Horatio +permitted to kiss the hand of the Chevalier St. George, and the ensuing +day took possession of the apartment appropriated to the office +bestowed on him. + +After having received the congratulations of a whole court, who +testified a great deal of satisfaction in having him among them, and +paid his compliments in a particular manner to mademoiselle Charlotta, +he took abundance of pleasure in viewing all the apartments of a palace +famous for the birth of one of the greatest monarchs of the age, and for +being the asylum of the distrest royal family of England: when his +attendance on his master gave him leisure, he frequently passed many +hours together in a closet, where he was told the late king James used +to retire every day to pray for the prosperity of that people who had +abjur'd him. Young as Horatio was, and gay by nature, he sometimes loved +to indulge the most serious meditations; and this place, as well as the +condition of those he served, remonstrating to him the instability of +all human greatness, he made this general reflection, that there was +nothing truly valuable but virtue, because the owner could be deprived +of that only by himself, and not by either the fraud or force of others. + +Indeed the behaviour of all the persons who composed this court could +not but inspire those who saw it with sentiments of the nature I have +described: the queen herself, tho' of too great a soul to shew any marks +of repining at her fate, was never seen to smile: even the Chevalier St. +George and princess had both of them a very serious air, which denoted +they had reflections more befitting their condition than their years; +and those about them being most of them persons who had left the +greatest part of their fortunes as well as kindred either in England, +Scotland or Ireland, had their own misfortunes as well as that of the +royal cause to lament, and therefore could not but wear a dejection in +their countenances: in fine, every thing he saw seem'd an emblem of +fallen majesty, except on drawing-room nights, and then indeed the +splendor of Marli and Versailles shone forth at St. Germains in the +persons of those who came to pay their compliments, among whom were not +only the Dauphine and all the princes of the blood, but even the grand +monarch himself thought it not beneath his dignity to give this proof of +his respect once or twice every week. + +This way of living, and the company he was now associated with, gave +Horatio a manly way of thinking much sooner than otherwise perhaps he +might have had, yet did not rob him of his vivacity: some of the queen's +women, and the young ladies about the princess, particularly +mademoiselle Charlotta, had a thousand sprightly entertainments among +themselves, into which he, the baron de la Valiere, and some others who +had attachments at that court, were always admitted. + +But now the time arrived in which he was to lose the society of that +valuable friend; the campaign was ready to open, and he was obliged to +head his troops and follow the marshals de Villars and Marsin +into Flanders. + +All the conversation turning now on war, those martial inclinations, +which love and the season of the year had occasioned to lye dormant for +a while in the bosom of Horatio, now revived in him: he embraced the +baron at taking leave of him with tears of affection and regret: how +cruel is my fate, said he, to make me of a nation at enmity with yours, +and that I can neither fight for you nor against you! + +Well, my dear Horatio, replied the other, France may hereafter have +occasion to employ your arm where there are no ties of duty to restrain +you:--in the mean time, continued he with a smile, softer engagements +may employ your thoughts;--mademoiselle Charlotta de Palfoy is a +conquest worth pursuing. + +This was the first hint the baron had ever given him of the discovery he +had made of his sentiments, and it so much the more surprized him that +he was told by another what he was not certain of himself:--he knew +indeed the society of that young lady gave him infinite satisfaction, +and that he was restless when absent from her; but these words, and the +air with which they were spoke, shewed him more of his own heart than he +had before examined into;--he blush'd excessively, and made no answer; +on which, you have no cause, resumed the baron, to be asham'd of the +passion you are inspired with, nor troubled at my discovery of it:--I +assure you I have seen it a long time; and tho' you never honoured me +with your confidence in that point, have taken all opportunities of +doing justice to your merit in the conversations I have had with +mademoiselle, who I had the satisfaction to find was not displeased with +what I said upon that head; and I flatter myself with having a good +account of the progress you have made at my return. + +I have too much experience of your friendship and goodness to me, +replied Horatio, not to assure myself of your doing me all manner of +kind offices;--I have indeed so great a regard for that lady you +mention, that I know none of her sex who I so much wish should think +well of me, yet is she utterly ignorant of the sentiments I have for +her; and if I am possessed of that passion which they call love, which I +protest I am not certain of myself, I have never made the least +declaration that can give her room to imagine any such thing. + +The baron laughed heartily to hear him speak in this manner, and then +told him there was no need of words to make known an inclination of that +kind;--it was to be seen in every look and motion of the person inspired +with it.--Mademoiselle de Palfoy, continued he, young as she is, I dare +answer has penetration enough to see the conquest she has made, but has +not yet learned artifice enough to conceal that she is at the same time +subdued herself;--and if you would take the advice of a person who has +some experience in these affairs, you will endeavour to engage her to a +confession before too much observation on the behaviour of others to +their lovers, shall teach her those imperious airs by which women +frequently torment the heart that adores them, tho' their own perhaps in +doing so feels an equal share. + +Horatio, who had seen something like this between the baron and his +mistress, found a great deal of reason in what he said, and promised to +be guided by him, especially as he had encouragement enough to hope, by +all the treatment he had found from Charlotta, that a declaration of +love from him would not offend her beyond forgiveness. + +From that time forward he therefore began to think in what manner he +should first disclose the tender secret to the dear object of his +affections: when absent from her he easily found words, but when +present, that awe which is inseparable from a real passion struck him +entirely dumb; and whenever he was about to open his mouth to utter what +he intended, he had neither words nor voice; and tho' he saw her every +day, was often alone with her, and had opportunity enough to have +revealed himself, yet could he not get the better of his timidity for a +great while, and perhaps should have been much longer under this cruel +constraint, had not an accident favoured his wishes beyond what he could +have hoped, or even imagined, and by shewing him part of what passed in +her soul, emboldened him to unfold what his own laboured with on +her account. + + + +CHAP. VI. + +_Describes the masquerade at the dutchess of Main's; the characters and +intrigues of several persons of quality who were there; the odd +behaviour of a lady in regard to Horatio, and Charlotta's +sentiments upon it_. + +The dutchess of Main was one of the gayest and most gallant ladies at +the court of Lewis XIV. she was for ever entertaining the nobility with +balls, masquerades, or concerts; and as she was of the blood royal, and +highly respected not only on that score, but by the distinguish'd favour +of the king, the Chevalier St. George, and the princess his sister, +frequently honoured her assemblies with their presence. + +To divert those ladies whose husbands were gone to Flanders, as she +said, she now proposed a masquerade; and the day being fixed, it was the +sole business of the young and gay to prepare habits such as were most +suitable to their inclinations, or, as they thought, would be most +advantageous to their persons. + +The Chevalier St. George was dressed in a rich Grecian habit of +sky-coloured velvet embroidered with large silver stars: the top of his +cap was encompassed with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, saphirs, amythists, +and other precious stones of various colours, set in rows in the exact +form of a rainbow: a light robe of crimson taffaty, fringed with silver, +was fastened by a knot of jewels on his left shoulder, and crossed his +back to the right side, where it was tucked into a belt of the finest +oriental pearls, and thence hung down and trail'd a little on the +ground: in fine, there was nothing that exceeded the magnificence and +eloquence of his appearance, or was in any measure equal to it in the +whole assembly, except that of the princess Louisa his sister. + +She would needs go as a Diana, and obliged all her ladies to be habited +like nymphs: no idea of this goddess, inspired either by the painter or +the poet's art, can in any degree come up to that which the fight of +this amiable princess gave every beholder. Conformable to the character +she assumed, she had a large crescent of diamonds on her head, which had +no other covering than a great quantity of the finest hair in the world, +partly braided with pearls and emeralds, and partly flowing in ringlets +down on her alabaster neck: her garments were silver tissue, white and +shining as the moon on a clear frosty night; and being buttoned up a +little at the bottom as for the conveniency of the chace, shewed great +part of her fine proportioned ankle. In her hand she held an ivory bow, +and an arrow of the same headed with gold; and on her shoulder was fixed +a quiver curiously wrought and beset with jewels: her attendants, which +were six in number, had their habits green, but made in the same fashion +of the princess's, with bows and arrows in their hands, and quivers at +their backs: all of them had their hair turned up under a caul of silver +net, from which hung little tossels of pearl intermixed with diamonds. + +Next to this fair troop the duchess of Main herself attracted the +attention of the assembly: she was habited like an Indian queen, with +robes composed of feathers so artfully placed, that they represented a +thousand different kind of birds and beasts, which, as she moved, seemed +to have motion in themselves: on her head she had a lofty plume +supported by a cap, and richly ornamented with precious stones; as were +all her garments wherever the propriety of the fashion of them would +give leave. + +The young mademoiselle de Bourbon, in the habit of a sea-nymph, and +mademoiselle de Blois, in that of a Minerva, ornamented and decorated +according to their several characters, had also their share of +admiration. + +Nor did the marchionesses of Vallois and Lucerne, both in the garb of +shepherdesses, serve as mere foils to those I have mentioned: there was +something; even in this plainness that shewed the elegance of the +wearer's taste. + +The prince of Conde, the dukes of Berry, Vendosine and Chartres, the +young marquis de Montbausine, the counts de Chenille, de Ranbeau, and +the baron de Roche, had all of them habits extremely rich and well +fancied, as were many others of whom it would be too tedious to make +particular mention, and be likewise digressive to the matter I take upon +me to relate; I shall therefore only say, that there was not one person +of either sex, who did not endeavour to set themselves forth to all +possible advantage. + +Those gentlemen who attended the Chevalier St. George were at their +liberty to appear in what habit they pleased: Horatio knowing his +charming Charlotta was a nymph of the forest, chose to be a hunter, and +was accordingly dressed in green, with a little cap on his head and a +javelin in his hand, as Acteon is generally portrayed; and indeed had he +studied what garb would have become him best, he could not have fixed on +one more proper for that purpose. + +Fine madamoiselle de Sanserre at least thought him more worthy her +regard than any of those, the richness of whose habits made her know +were of a higher rank:--she took particular notice of him, made him +dance with her, and said a thousand gallant things to him; but he could +very well have dispensed with hearing them, and found little +satisfaction in any thing that deprived him of entertaining his dear +Charlotta, who he easily knew by her air and shape from all those who +were habited in the same manner. As he doubted not, however, but the +person who had thus singled him out was a lady of condition, he returned +her civilities with a politeness which was natural to him, but which had +received great improvements since his arrival in France. She was no less +charm'd with his conversation than she had been with his person, and +impatient to know who he was, made an offer of shewing him her face on +condition he would pluck off his mask at the same time: but this he +would by no means agree to, because still hoping to get rid of her, and +have some discourse with mademoiselle Charlotta, he did not think proper +he should be known by any other, who might perhaps make remarks on his +behaviour; and therefore excused himself from complying with her desires +in terms as obliging as the circumstance would admit. + +As she had displayed all her talents of wit and eloquence to engage him, +she looked on the little curiosity she had been able to inspire in him +as an affront, and vexed she had thrown away so much time on an +insensible, as she called him, flung hastily away, and joining with some +other company, left him at liberty to pursue his inclinations. + +This lady had been a royal mistress, but not having the good fortune to +be made a mother, was not honoured with any title; her being forsaken by +the king, who indeed had few amours of any long continuance, did not in +the least abate the good opinion she had of her beauty; and to fee +herself followed by a train of lovers being the supreme pleasure of her +life, she spared nothing to attract and engage: whenever she failed in +this expectation it was a severe mortification; but her vanity and the +gaity of her humour would not suffer it to prey upon her spirits for +above a minute, and she diverted the shock of a rebuff in one place by +new attempts to conquer in another; therefore it is probable thought no +more of Horatio after she had turned from him. + +He now carefully avoided all that might interrupt his wishes, and seeing +Charlotta had just broke off some conversation she had been entertained +with, made what haste he could to prevent her from being +re-engaged:--She immediately knew him; and as their mutual innocence +made them perfectly free in expressing themselves to each other, she +told him she was glad he was come; that they would keep together the +whole masquerade, provided he did not think it a confinement, to prevent +her being persecuted with the impertinencies of some people there, who +she found thought a masque a kind of sanction for saying any thing. + +It is not to be doubted but Horatio gave her all the assurances that +words could form, of feeling the most perfect pleasure in her society, +and that he should not; without the extremest reluctance, find himself +obliged to abandon the happiness she offered him to any other person in +the company: to recompence this complaisance, as she called it, she gave +him a brief detail of the characters of as many as she knew thro' their +habits; and in doing this discovered a sweet impartiality and love of +truth, which was no small addition to her other charms. She blamed the +baroness de Guiche for not being able to return the affection of a +husband who had married her with an inconsiderable fortune, and had +since she had been his wife pardoned a thousand miscarriages in her +conduct:--she praised the virtue of mademoiselle de Mareau, who being at +fifteen the bride of a man of seventy, behaved to him with a tenderness, +and exact conformity to his will, which, if owing alone to duty, was not +to be distinguished from inclination:--she expressed a concern that the +gaity of the dutchess of Vendome gave the world any room for censure, +and highly condemned the duke for being guilty of actions which had made +her sometimes give into parties of pleasure by way of retaliation:--but +she was more severe on the indecorum of mademoiselle de Renville, who +being known for the mistress of the duke of Chartres, and that she was +supported by him, was fond of appearing in all public places. She could +not help testifying a good deal of surprize, that any woman who +pretended to virtue would admit her into their assemblies: not but she +said the case of that lady was greatly to be pitied, who being high-born +and bred had been reduced to the lowest exigencies of life, and from +which to be relieved she had only consented to assist the looser +pleasures of the amorous duke; but, added she, I would not methinks have +her seem to glory in her shame, and in a manner of life which her +misfortunes alone can render excusable; nor can I approve of the +indulgence her mistaken triumph meets with, because it may not only +destroy all notions of regret in herself for what her necessities oblige +her to, but also make others, who have not the same pretence, find a +kind of sanction for their own errors:--vice, said she, ought at lead to +blush, and hide itself as much as possible from view, left by being +tolerated in public it should become a fashion. + +Horatio was so much taken up with admiring the justness of her +sentiments, that awed by them, as it were, he could not yet, tho' +mask'd, make any discovery of his own: she was about entering into a +discourse with him concerning the first motives which had rendered some +persons she pointed out to him unhappy in the marriage-state, which +perhaps might have given him an opportunity for explaining himself, when +a lady richly dress'd came up to them, and giving Horatio a sudden pluck +by the arm; villain! cried she. Madam, returned he, strongly amazed. Is +the trifling conversation of Sanserre, resumed she, or this little +creature to be preferred to a woman of that quality you have dared to +abuse?--but this night has convinced her of your perfidy:--she sends you +this, continued she, giving him a slap over the face as hard as she +could, and be assured it is the last present you will ever receive +from her. + +She had no sooner uttered these words than she flew quick as lightning +out of the room, leaving Horatio in such a consternation both at what +she said and did, as deprived him even of the thought of following her, +or using any means to solve this riddle.--He was in a deep musing when +mademoiselle Charlotta, possessed that moment with a passion she till +then was ignorant of, said to him; I find, Horatio, you have wonderfully +improved the little time you have been in France, to gain you a +multiplicity of mistresses; but I am sorry my inadvertency in talking to +a man so doubly pre-engaged, should cause me to be reckoned among the +number. In speaking this she turned away with a confusion which was +visible in her air, and the scarlet colour with which her neck was dyed. +By heaven! cried he, in the utmost agitation, I know so little the +meaning of what I have just now heard, that it seems rather a dream than +a reality. O the deceiver! returned she, a little slackening her pace, +will you pretend to have given no occasion for the reproach you have +received:--great must have been your professions to draw on you a +resentment such as I have been witness of;--but I shall take care to +give the lady, whoever she is, no farther room for jealousy on my +account; and as for mademoiselle Sanserre, I believe the stock of +reputation she has will not suffer much from the addition of one more +favourite to the number the world has already given her. + +The oddness of this adventure, and the vexation he was in to find +Charlotta seemed incensed against him for a crime of which he knew +himself so perfectly innocent, destroyed at once all the considerations +his timidity had inspired, and aiming only to be cleared in her +opinion;--if there be faith in man, cried he, I know nothing of what I +am accused: no woman but your charming self ever had the power to give +me an uneasy moment;--it is you alone have taught me what it is to love, +and as I never felt, I never pretended to that passion for any other. + +Me! replied Charlotta, extremely confused; If it were so, you take a +strange time and method to declare it in;--but I know of no concern I +have in your amours, your gratitude, or your perfidy; and you had better +follow and endeavour to appease your enraged mistress, than lose your +time on me in vain excuses. + +Ah mademoiselle! cried he, how unjust and cruel are you, and how severe +my fate, which not content with the despair my real unworthiness of +adoring you has plunged me in, but also adds to it an imputation of +crimes my soul most detests:--I never heard even the name of the lady +you mentioned till your lips pronounced it; and if it be she I danced +with, I protest I never saw her face: and as for the meaning of the +other lady's treatment of me, it must certainly be occasioned by some +mistake, having offered nothing to any of the sex that could justify +such a proceeding. + +All the time he was speaking Charlotta was endeavouring to compose +herself.--The hurry of spirits she had been in at the apprehensions of +Horatio's having any amorous engagements, shewing her how much interest +she took in him, made her blush at having discovered herself to him so +far; and tho' she could not be any more tranquil, yet she thought she +would for the future be more prudent; to this end she now affected to +laugh at the dilemma into which she told him he had brought himself, by +making addresses in two places at the same time, and advised him in a +gay manner to be more circumspect. + +Thus was this beautiful lady, by her jealousy, convinced of her +sensibility; and as difficult as Horatio found it to remove the one, he +found his consolation in the discovery of the other. + +From the time he had been disengaged from mademoiselle Sanferre, he had +retired with Charlotta to one corner of the room; and the greatest part +of the company being in a grand dance, the others were taken up in +looking on them, so that our young lovers had the opportunity of talking +to each other without being taken much notice of; but several of the +masquers now drawing nearer that way, prevented Horatio from saying any +thing farther at that time, either to clear his innocence or prosecute +his passion; and Charlotta, glad to avoid all discourse on a subject she +thought herself but ill prepared to answer, joined some ladies, with +whom she stayed till the ball was near concluded. + +Horatio after this withdrew to a window, and flickered behind a large +damask curtain, threw himself on a sopha he found there, and ruminated +at full on the adventure had happened to him, in which he found a +mixture of joy and discontent: the behaviour of Charlotta assured him he +was not indifferent to her; but then the thoughts that he appeared in +her eyes as ungrateful, inconstant and perfidious, made him tremble, +left the idea of what he seemed to be should utterly erase that +favourable one she had entertained of what he truly was. By what means +he should prove his sincerity he knew not; and as he was utterly +unpracticed in the affairs of love, lamented the absence of his good +friend the baron de la Valiere, who he thought might have been, able to +give him same advice, how to proceed. + +He remained buried, as it were, in these cogitations, when a lady +plucked back the curtain which screen'd him, and without seeing any one +was there, threw herself on the sopha almost in his lap.--Oh heaven! +cried she, perceiving what she had done, and immediately rose; but +Horatio starting up, would not suffer her to quit the place, telling +her, that since she chose it, it was his business to retire, and leave +her to indulge whatever meditations had brought her thither. She thank'd +him in a voice which, by its trembling, testified her mind was in some +very great disorder; and added, if your good nature, said she, be equal +to your complaisance, you will do me the favour to desire a lady, +dressed in pink and silver, with a white sattin scarf cross her +shoulder, to come here directly:--you cannot, continued she, be mistaken +in the person, because there is no other in the same habit. Tho' Horatio +was very loth to engage himself in the lady's affairs, fearing to give a +second umbrage to mademoiselle Charlotta, yet he knew not how to excuse +granting so small a request, and therefore assured her of his +compliance. + +Accordingly he sent his eyes in quest, which soon pointed out to him the +person whom she had described: having delivered his message to her; +Horatio! cried she, somewhat astonished, how came you employed in this +errand? he knew her voice, and that it was mademoiselle de Coigney, the +mistress of his friend the baron, on which he immediately told her how +the lady had surprized him: she laughed heartily, and said no more but +left him, and went to the window he had directed. + +For a long time he sought in vain for an opportunity of speaking to the +object of his affections: she was still engaged either in dancing or in +different parties; and as his eyes continually followed her, he easily +perceived she purposely avoided him. A magnificent collation being +prepared in a great drawing-room next to that in which the company were, +they all went in to partake of it. The entertainment was served up on +two large tables; but as every one was mask'd, and the vizards so +contriv'd, that those who wore them could eat without plucking them off, +they sat down promiscuously without ceremony or any distinction of +degrees, none being obliged to know another in these disguises; only the +attendants of the Chevalier St. George, and the princess Louisa, took +care not to place themselves at the same they were, so by this means sat +together; but a great number of others being mingled with them, no +particular conversation could be expected. + +Supper being over, they all returned to the ballroom; and Horatio having +contrived it so as to get next Charlotta, she could not refuse the offer +he made her of his hand to lead her in; but as he was about saying +something to her in a low voice, a man came hastily to him, and taking +him a little on one side, presented him with a letter, and then retired +with so much precipitation, that Horatio could neither ask from whom it +came, nor well discern what sort of person it was that gave it him. He +put it however in his pocket, designing to read it at more leisure, his +curiosity for the contents not equalling his desire of entertaining +mademoiselle Charlotta; but that young lady, whose jealousy received new +fewel from this object, had slipt away before he could turn from the +man, and had already mixed with a cluster of both sexes who had got into +the room before them. + +Horatio finding all attempts to speak to her that night would be +ineffectual, went back into the drawing-room where they supped, and +where but few people remaining he might examine the letter with more +freedom. He saw it had no superscription; but supposing the inside would +give him some satisfaction, he broke it open hastily and found in it +these lines. + + +'Whether false or faithful still are you dear to +me; and if I am in the least so to you, +the treatment you received will be pardoned for +the sake of the occasion:--I own that at a +place where you might have been as particular as +you pleased with me without suspicion, it enraged +me to see you waste those precious moments +with others which I flattered myself to have solely +engrossed;--besides, the character of mademoiselle +Sanserre is so well known, that I thought +you would have avoided her of all others; yet +had she forced herself upon you, sure you might +afterwards have come to me, when I had given +you so particular a description of the habit I +should wear; but instead of making any excuse +for a first transgression, you hurry to a second, +and pay all your devoirs to another, whom indeed +I knew not at that time, but am since informed +she is one of the maids of honour to princess +Louisa.--I must confess I had not resolution +enough to suffer so cruel an injustice, and being +too much overcome by my passion to resent it as +I ought, I left the place, and desired our friend to +do it for me.--I find she somewhat exceeded +her commission, but you must forgive her, since +it was her love for me:--I am now at her +house, where I impatiently expect you--The +baron is secure for some hours;--those we may +pass together, if you still think there is any thing +worth quitting the masquerade for, to be found +in the arms of + +_Yours_, &c, + +_P.S._ If you now fail, no excuse hereafter shall +ever plead your pardon.' + + +This letter confirmed Horatio in the belief he had before, that he had +been mistaken by the lady for some favorite person; but who the lady +was, he was as much in the dark as ever; nor would he have given himself +any trouble concerning it, if he had not hoped by that means to have +retrieved the good opinion of Charlotta. He was however impatient to +shew her the letter, as he doubted not but she had seen it delivered to +him; but with all his assiduity he could not obtain one word in private +during the masquerade; and when it was broke up, which was not till near +morning, and they returned to St. Germains, it was impossible, because +he knew she must be in the princess's chamber, as he in that of the +Chevalier St. George: he was therefore obliged to content himself with +the hope that the next day would be more favourable. + + + +CHAP. VII. + +_An explanation of the foregoing adventure, with a continuation of the +intrigues of some French ladies, and the policy of mademoiselle Coigney +in regard of her brother_. + +It cannot be supposed that either of our young lovers enjoyed much true +repose that night, tho' the fatigue of the dance might naturally require +it: the one did but just know herself a lover before she felt the worst +torments of that passion in her jealousy; and the other having been +compelled, as it were, to lay open his heart in order to convince his +charmer it had no object but herself in view, knew not but his temerity +in doing so might be imputed to him as no less a crime than that from +which he attempted to be cleared: each had their different anxieties; +but those of Horatio were the least severe, because thro' all the +indignation of his mistress he saw marks of an affection, which he could +not have flattered himself with if they had not been evident; and +conscious of his innocence, doubted not but time would both explain that +and reconcile the offended fair:--whereas Charlotta was far from being +able to assure herself of her lover's fidelity: she could not conceive +how, in the compass of one night, such a plurality of mistakes should +happen to the same man, and trembled at the reflection that this man, +who possibly was the falsest of his sex, should not only have made an +impression on her heart, but also, by the concern she had so unwarily +expressed, have reason to triumph in his conquest:--ashamed therefore of +what she felt, and determined to make use of her utmost efforts to +conceal it for the future, if not to conquer it, she thought to shun all +occasions of seeing or speaking to this dangerous invader of her peace +was the first step she ought to take; but how little is a heart, +possessed of the passion her's was, capable of judging for itself, or +maintaining any resolutions in prejudice of the darling object!--she had +no sooner set it down as a rule to avoid him, than she began to wish for +his presence, and contented herself with thinking she desired it only +out of curiosity to hear what he would say, and to have an opportunity, +by a rallying manner of behaviour, to destroy whatever conjectures he +might have form'd in favour of his passion; but all this time she +deceived herself, and in reality only longed for an interview with him, +in hopes he would find means to justify himself. Horatio, who was +impatient to attempt it, seeing her at a distance walking on the terrass +with no other company than mademoiselle de Coigney, went immediately to +join them, thinking that if the presence of this lady might be a bar to +many things he wanted to say to Charlotta, it would be of service to him +another way, by preventing her from making him any reproaches. + +As soon as he came near, I owe you little thanks, Horatio, said +mademoiselle de Coigney laughing, for the interruption you gave me last +night. In the multiplicity of those reflections which his own affairs +had occasioned him, he had entirely forgot the lady in the window; and +imagining some other accident had happened which should make him appear +yet more guilty in the eyes of Charlotta, ask'd her, with some +impatience, what she meant? don't you remember, answered she, that you +brought me a message from a certain lady? Yes, madam, said he, and in +that, thought I did no more than my duty obliged me to, as she seemed +under some perplexity, which I supposed she was impatient to +acquaint you with. + +You judged rightly, indeed, resumed de Coigney; but had you known how +gladly I would have dispensed with the honour of her confidence, I dare +answer you would have spared it me:--I'll tell you, my dear, pursued she +turning to Charlotta, for the secrets of this lady are pretty universal; +and I am certain that I have heard from no less than fifty different +persons, that very affair she was in such a hurry to inform me of last +night: you must needs have heard of the amour between madam la Boissy +and the chevalier de Mourenbeau? frequently, replied Charlotta; her +ridiculous jealousies of him have long been the jest of the whole court; +and I never go to Marli or Versailles, but I am told of some new +instance of it. And yet to relate a long story of her passion, and his +ingratitude, said mademoiselle de Coigney, was I last night dragged into +a dark corner, and deprived for an hour together of all the pleasures of +the masquerade: it seems she had over-heard some gallant things between +him and the daughter of the count de Granpree, and that gave her the +occasion of running into a recapitulation of all the professions of +constancy he had made to herself, the proofs she had given him of a too +easy belief, and the little regard he now paid to her peace of mind.--I +was obliged to affect a pity for her misfortunes, and gratitude for the +trust she reposed in me, tho' neither the one or the other merited in +reality any thing but contempt. + +One often suffers a good deal from one's complaisance this way, said +Charlotta; and for my part there is nothing I would more carefully avoid +than secrets of this nature; but you have not told me how far Horatio +was accessary to bringing you into this trouble. + +He them said that he would save mademoiselle de Coigney the labour, and +immediately related how the lady they were speaking of threw herself +upon him, and afterwards enjoined him to deliver the message. But, added +he, I think last night was one of the most unfortunate ones I have ever +known, since, with all the care I could take, I was continually +prevented by other people's concerns from prosecuting my own.--I was not +only insulted and reproached for being mistaken for some other person, +for it could happen no other way, but also soon after received a letter +no less mysterious to me than the blow, which doubtless came from the +same quarter: as there is no name subscribed, or if there were, I should +look on myself as under no obligation of secrecy, I will beg leave to +communicate it to you, ladies. + +With these words he took the letter out of his pocket and held it open +between them: Charlotta conquered her impatience so far as not to take +it out of his hand; but mademoiselle Coigney snatched it hastily, +imagining she knew the hand; nor was she deceived in her conjecture: she +had no sooner read it slightly over;--see here, mademoiselle Charlotta, +said she, a new proof of madam de Olonne's folly, and my brother's +continued attachment to that vile woman. + +Charlotta then looked over the letter with a satisfaction that was +visible in her countenance; and as soon as she had done, then it is +plain, said she, that Horatio was mistaken for monsieur de Coigney: but +how it happened so is what I cannot conceive. + +I can easily solve the riddle, replied mademoiselle de Coigney: I heard +my brother say he intended to wear a hunting dress at the masquerade; +but being disappointed of going to it, by his most christian majesty +sending for him to Marli, I suppose too suddenly for him to give notice +of his enforced absence to madame d' Olonne, and Horatio by chance +appearing in the same habit which he had doubtless told her he would be +in, and their sizes being pretty much alike, she might very well be +deceived, and also have a seeming reason for the jealousy and rage her +letter testifies. + +Nothing could exceed the joy Horatio felt at this unexpected +eclaircisement of his innocence, which was also doubled by the pleasure +which, in spight of all her endeavours to restrain it, he saw sparkle in +the eyes of his beloved Charlotta. Neither of them, however, had any +opportunity of expressing their sentiments at this time, de Coigney +continuing with them till dinner, when they all separated to go to their +respective tables. + +The next day afforded what in this he had sought in vain:--he found her +alone in her own apartment; and having broke the ice, was now grown bold +enough to declare his passion, with all the embellishments necessary to +render it successful: mademoiselle Charlotta knew very well what became +the decorum of her sex, and was too nice an observer of it not to behave +with all the reserve imaginable on this occasion. All the freedom she +had been accustomed to treat him with, while ignorant of his or her own +inclination, was now banished from her words and actions, and she +gravely told him, that if he were in earnest, it was utterly improper +for her to receive any professions of that kind without the approbation +of monsieur de Palfoy her father; and as there was but very little +probability of his granting it, on many considerations, she would wish +him to quell in its infancy an affection which might otherwise be +attended with misfortunes to them both. + +It is certain, indeed, that in this she spoke no more than what her +reason suggested: she knew very well that her father had much higher +expectations in view for her, and that on the least suspicion of her +entertaining a foreigner, and one who seemed to have no other dependance +than that of favour, she should be immediately removed from St. +Germains; so that it behoved her to be very circumspect in any +encouragement she gave him: but tho' she spoke to him in this manner, it +was not, as her actions afterwards fully demonstrated, that she really +designed what she said should make him desist his pretensions, but that +he should be careful how he let any one into the secret of his heart. +She foresaw little prospect of their love ever being crown'd with +success, yet found too much pleasure in indulging it to be able to wish +an extinction of it, either in him or herself; and in spight of all the +distance she assumed, he easily perceived that whatever difficulties he +should have to struggle with in the prosecution of his addresses, they +would not be owing to her cruelty. They were both of them too young to +attend much to consequences; and as securing the affections of each +other was what each equally aimed at, neither of them reflected how +terrible a separation would be, and how great the likelihood that it +must happen they knew not how soon. + +As the remonstrances of mademoiselle Charlotta had all the effect she +intended them for on Horatio, he so well commanding himself that no +person in the world, except the baron de la Valiere, who was absent, had +the least intimation of his passion, they might probably have lived a +long time together in the contentment they now enjoyed, had not an +accident, of which neither of them could have any notion, put a stop +to it. + +Horatio thought no more on the affair of madame de Olonne and monsieur +de Coigney, from the time he had been cleared of having any concern with +that lady, yet was that night's adventure productive of what he looked +upon as the greatest misfortune could befal him. But to make this matter +conspicuous to the reader, it is necessary to give a brief detail of the +circumstances that led to it. + +This lady, who was wife to the baron de Olonne, was one of the most +beautiful, and most vicious women in the kingdom; she entertained a +great number of lovers; but there was none more attached to her, or more +loved by her than young monsieur de Coigney: he had for a long time +maintained a criminal correspondence with her, to the great trouble of +all his friends, who endeavoured all they could, but in vain, to wean +him from her: he had lately a recounter with one of her former lovers, +which had like to have cost him his life; and it was with great +difficulty, and as much as the relations on both sides could do, by +representing to the king that they were set upon by street-robbers, that +they avoided the punishment the law inflicts on duelists. De Coigney was +but just recovered of the hurts he had received, when, so far from +resolving to quit the occasion of them, he made an appointment to meet +her at the masquerade:--they had described to each other the habit they +intended to wear, when, as he was preparing for the rendezvous, an +express came from the king, commanding his immediate attendance at +Marli, where the court then was: this was occasioned by old monsieur de +Coigney, who having, by some spies he kept about his son, received +intelligence of this assignation, had no other way to disappoint it than +by the royal authority, which he easily procured, as he was very much in +favour with his majesty; and had laid the matter before him. + +The person who came with the mandate had orders not to quit the presence +of young Coigney, but bring him directly; by which means he was deprived +of all opportunity of sending his excuses to madame de Olonne, who +coming to the masquerade big with expectation of seeing her favourite +lover, and finding him, as she imagined, engaged with others, and wholly +regardless of herself, was seized with the most violent jealousy; and +not able to continue in a place where she had received so manifest a +slight, desired mademoiselle de Freville, her confidant and companion, +to upbraid him with his inconstancy; which request she complied with in +the manner already related, and which gave mademoiselle Charlotta such +matter of disquiet. + +The amorous madame de Olonne, however, having given vent to the first +transports of her fury, could not hinder those of a softer nature from +returning with the same violence as ever; and for the gratification of +them wrote that letter which Horatio received, and occasioned afterward +the explanation of the whole affair, which explanation he then thought +fortunate for him; but by a whimsical effect of chance it proved utterly +the reverse. + +Mademoiselle de Coigney, who had the most tender affection for her +brother, and passionately wished to make him break off all engagements +with a woman of madame de Olonne's character, and who might possibly +bring him under many inconveniencies, took the hint which mademoiselle +Charlotta unthinkingly gave, by telling her how she had been affronted +on his account by de Freville, of putting something into his head which +might probably succeed better than all the attempts had hitherto been +practised to make him quit his present criminal amour. + +The first time she saw mademoiselle de Freville, she told her as a great +secret that her brother was fallen in love with mademoiselle Charlotta, +and that she believed it would be a match, for he had already engaged +friends to sollicit monsieur de Palfoy on that score. This she knew would +be carried directly to madame de Olonne, and doubted not but it would so +increase her jealous rage, that all he could say in his defence would +pass for nothing: she also added, that he was in the masquerade that +night, tho' for some private reasons best known to himself, said she, he +had ordered his people to give out he was gone to Marli. + +De Freville, who was the creature of madame de Olonne, no sooner +received this intelligence than she flew with it to her, as mademoiselle +de Coigney had imagined: neither did it fail of the desired effect. When +he came to visit her, as he did on the moment of his return from Marli, +the violence of her temper made her break out into such reproaches and +exclamations, as a man had need be very much in love to endure: he +endeavoured to make her sensible of her error by a thousand +protestations; but the more he talk'd of Marli and the king's command, +the more she told him of Charlotta and the masquerade; and almost +distracted to find he still persisted in denying he was there, or had +ever made any tender professions to that lady, she proceeded to such +extravagancies as he, who knew himself innocent, could not forbear +replying to in terms which were far from being softening:--in fine, they +quarrelled to a very high degree, and some company happening to come in +at the same time, hindered either of them from saying any thing which +might palliate the resentment of the other. + +Before they had an opportunity of meeting again, mademoiselle de Coigney +saw her brother; and artfully introducing some discourse of mademoiselle +Charlotta de Palfoy, began to run into the utmost encomiums on that +lady's beauty, virtue, wit, and sweetness of disposition, and at last +added, that she should think herself happy in having her for a sister. +Young de Coigney listened attentively to what she said: he had often +been in her company, but being prepossessed with his passion for madame +de Olonne, her charms had not that effect on him as now that the +behaviour of the other had very much lessened his esteem of her. + +He replied, that he knew no lady more deserving than the person she +mentioned, and should be glad if, by her interest, he might have +permission to visit her: this was all mademoiselle de Coigney wanted; +she doubted not but if he were once engaged in an honourable passion, it +would entirely cure him of all regard for madame de Olonne, and as she +knew he had a good share of understanding, thought that when he should +come to a more near acquaintance with the perfections of Charlotta, the +loose airs of the other would appear in their true colours, and become +as odious to him as once they had been infatuating. + +Finding him so well inclined to her purpose, she took upon herself the +care of introducing him, as it was indeed easy to do, considering the +intimacy there was between her and Charlotta. That young lady received +him as the brother of a person she extremely loved; and little +suspecting the design on which he came, treated him with a gaity which +heightened her charms, and at the same time flattered his hopes, that +there was something in his person not disagreeable to her. + +Mademoiselle de Coigney took care that every visit he made to Charlotta +should be reported to de Olonne, which still heightening her resentment, +together with his little assiduity to moderate it, made a total breach +between them, to the great satisfaction of all his friends in general. +Those of them whom mademoiselle had acquainted with the stratagem by +which she brought it about, praised her wit and address; and as they +knew the family and fortune of mademoiselle Charlotta, encouraged her to +do every thing in her power for turning that into reality which she at +first had made use of only as a feint for the reclaiming of her brother. + +The young gentleman himself stood in need of no remonstrances of the +advantages he might propose by a marriage with Charlotta; her beauty and +the charms of her conversation had made a conquest of his heart far more +complete than any prospect of interest could have done: not only de +Olonne, but the whole sex would now in vain have endeavoured to attract +the least regard from him, and as he was naturally vain, he thought +nothing but Charlotta de Palfoy worthy of him. + +The success he had been accustomed to meet in his love affairs, +emboldened him to declare himself much sooner than he would have done +had he followed the advice of his sister, and too soon to be received in +a manner agreeable to his wishes by a lady of Charlotta's modesty and +delicacy, even had she not been prepossessed in favour of another; for +tho' she respected him as the brother of her friend, that consideration +was too weak to hinder her from letting him know how displeasing his +pretensions were to her, and that if he persisted in them she should be +obliged to refuse seeing him any more. He was now sensible of his error, +and endeavoured to excuse it by the violence of his passion, which he +said would not suffer him to conceal what he felt; but as, when a heart +is truly devoted to one object, the sound of love from any other mouth +is harsh and disagreeable; the more he aimed to vindicate himself in +this point the more guilty he became, and all he said served only to +increase her dislike. + +Mademoiselle de Coigney after this took upon her to intercede for her +brother's passion, but with as ill success as he had done; and being one +day more importunate than usual, mademoiselle Charlotta grew in so ill a +humour, that she told her she was determined to give no encouragement to +the amorous addresses of any man, unless commanded to do so by those who +had the power of disposing her; but, added she, I would not have +monsieur de Coigney make any efforts that way; for were he to gain the +consent of my father, which I am far from believing he would do, I have +so little inclination to give him those returns of affection he may +expect, that in such a case I should venture being guilty of +disobedience. + +Is there any thing so odious then, madam, in the person of my brother? +said de Coigney with a tone that shewed how much she was picqued. I +never gave myself the trouble of examining into the merits either of his +person or behaviour, replied she; but to deal sincerely with you, I have +a perfect aversion to the thoughts of changing my condition, and if you +desire the friendship between us should subsist, you will never mention +any thing of it to me;--and as to your brother, when I am convinced I +shall receive no farther persecutions from him of the nature I have +lately had, he may depend on my treating him with my former regard; till +then, you will do me a favour, and him a service, to desire he would +refrain his visits. + +These expressions may be thought little conformable to the natural +politeness of the French, or to that sweetness of disposition which +mademoiselle Charlotta testified on other occasions; but she found +herself so incessantly pressed both by the brother and the sister, and +that all the denials she had given in a different manner had been +without effect, therefore was obliged to assume a harshness, which was +far from being natural to her, in order to prevent consequences which +she had too much reason to apprehend. + +Horatio soon discovered he had a rival in monsieur de Coigney; and tho' +he easily saw by Charlotta's behaviour that he had nothing to fear on +this score, yet the interruptions he received from the addresses of this +new lover, made him little able to endure his presence, and he sometimes +could not refrain himself from saying such things as, had not the other +been too much buoyed up with his vanity to take them as meant to +himself, must have occasioned a quarrel. + +She made use of all the power she had over him in order to curb the +impetuosity of his temper whenever he met this disturber of his wishes; +but his jealousy would frequently get the better of the respect he paid +her, and they never were together in her apartment without filling her +with mortal fears. She therefore found it absolutely necessary to get +rid of an adorer she hated, in order to hinder one she loved from doing +any thing which might deprive her of him; and tho' she had a real +friendship for mademoiselle de Coigney, yet she chose rather to break +with her, than run the hazard she was continually exposed to by her +brother's indefatigable pursuit. + +But all her precaution was of no effect, as well as, the enforced +patience of Horatio: what most she trembled at now fell upon her, and by +a means she had least thought of. Madame de Olonne, full of malice at +being forsaken by her lover, and soon informed by whose charms her +misfortune was occasioned, got a person to represent to the baron de +Palfoy the conquest his daughter had made in such terms, as made him +imagine she encouraged his passion. Neither the character, family, or +fortune of de Coigney being equal to what he thought Charlotta might +deserve, made him very uneasy at this report; and as he looked on her +not having acquainted him with his pretensions as an indication of her +having an affection for him; he resolved to put a stop to the progress +of it at once, which could be done no way so effectually as by removing +her from St. Germains. + +To this end the careful Father came himself to that court, and waited on +the princess: he told her highness, that being in an ill state of health +and obliged to keep much at home, Charlotta must exchange the honour she +enjoyed in her service, for the observance of her duty to a parent, who +was now incapable of any other pleasures than her society. + +The princess, to whom she was extremely dear, could not think of parting +with her without an extreme concern, but after the reasons he had given +for desiring it, would offer nothing for detaining her, on which she was +immediately called in, and made acquainted with this sudden alteration +in her affairs. + + + +CHAP. VIII. + +_The parting of Horatio and mademoiselle Charlotta, and what happened +after she left St. Germains._ + +A peal of thunder bursting over her head, could not have been more +alarming to mademoiselle Charlotta than the news she now heard; but her +father commanded, the princess had consented, and there was no remedy to +be hoped: she took leave of her royal mistress with a shower of +unfeigned tears, after which she retired to her apartment to prepare for +quitting it, while the baron went to pay his compliments to some of the +gentlemen at that court. + +To be removed in this sudden manner she could impute to no other motive +than that the love of Horatio had by some accident been betrayed to her +father, (for she never so much as thought of monsieur de Coigney;) and +the thoughts of being separated from him was so dreadful, that till this +fatal moment she knew not how dear he was to her:--to add to the +calamity of her condition, he was that morning gone a hunting with the +Chevalier St. George, and she had not even the opportunity of giving him +the consolation of knowing she bore at least an equal part in the grief +this unexpected accident must occasion. Mademoiselle de Coigney came to +take leave of her, as did all the ladies of the queen's train as well as +the princess's, and expressed the utmost concern for losing so agreeable +a companion; but these ceremonies were tedious to her, and as she could +not see Horatio, she dispatched every thing with as much expedition as +her secret discontent would permit her to do, and then sent to let her +father know she was ready to attend him. + +When they were in the coach both observed a profound silence for some +time; at last, I hope Charlotta, said the baron, you have no +extraordinary reasons to be troubled at leaving St. Germains? none, my +lord, answered she, of so much moment to me as the fears my sudden +removal is owing to your being dissatisfied with my conduct. I flatter +myself, resumed he, you are conscious of nothing which should authorize +such an apprehension:--you have had an education which ought to inform +you that persons of your sex and age are never to act in any material +point of themselves:--but courts are places where this lesson is seldom +practised; and tho' the virtues of the English queen and princess are a +shining example to all about them, yet I am of opinion that innocence is +safest in retirement. + +As she was fully convinced in her mind that it was only owing to some +jealousy of her behaviour that she had been taken from St. Germains, and +also that it was on the score of Horatio, she would not enquire too +deeply for fear of giving her father an opportunity of entering into +examinations, which she thought she could not answer without either +injuring the truth, or avowing what would not only have incensed him to +a very great degree, but also put him upon measures which would destroy +even the most distant hope of ever seeing Horatio more. He, on his side, +would not acquaint her with the sentiments which the above-mentioned +suggestions had inspired him with, thinking he should discover more of +the truth by keeping a watchful eye over her behaviour without +seeming to do so. + +During the time of their little journey from the palace of St. Germains +to Paris, where monsieur the baron de Palfoy ordinarily resided, nothing +farther was discoursed on: but when they arrived, and mademoiselle +Charlotta had opportunity of reflecting on this sudden turn, she gave a +loose to all the anxieties it occasioned:--she was not only snatch'd +from the presence of what was most dear to her on earth, but as she had +no confidante, nor durst make any, was also without any means either of +conveying a letter to him, or receiving the least intelligence from him. + +She had been in Paris but a very little time before she perceived the +baron artfully kept her in the most severe restraint under a shew of +liberty; pretending to her, as he had done to the princess, that he was +not well enough to go abroad, he would stay at home whole days together, +and oblige her to read, or play to him on the spinnet, which frequently +she did with an aking heart; and when she went out, it was always in +company with a relation whom he kept at his house on purpose, as he +said, as a companion to divert her, but in reality to be a spy over all +her actions; and had orders to dive, by all the insinuations she was +mistress of, into her very thoughts. All this mademoiselle Charlotta had +penetration enough to discover, and, spite of the discontent she +laboured under, so well concealed what they endeavoured to find out, +that all the traps laid for her were wholly ineffectual. + +But in what manner did the enamoured Horatio support so cruel an +affliction! he was no sooner informed at his return from hunting of what +had happened, than he was seized with agonies, which, in the force he +did himself to conceal, threw him into a fever that confined him to his +bed for several days: as his passion for mademoiselle Charlotta was not +in the least suspected, every body imputed his disorder to be occasioned +by having over-heated himself in the chace, and during his indisposition +was visited by all the court:--the Chevalier St. George sent two or +three times a day to enquire of the health of his countryman, as he was +pleased to call him, and gave him many other tokens how greatly he was +in his favour; but all the civilities he received were not capable of +lessening the anguish of his mind, which kept his body so weak, that +tho' youth and an excellent constitution threw off the fever in a short +time, yet he was unable to quit his chamber in near three weeks, and +when he did, appeared so wan and so dejected, that he seemed no more +than the shadow of the once gay and sprightly Horatio. + +But while he was thus sinking under the burden of his griefs, and +despairing ever to see his adorable Charlotta any more, fate was +providing for him a relief as unexpected as the cause of his present +unhappy situation had been, and to the very same persons also was he +indebted both for the one and the other. + +Young monsieur de Coigney was not less alarmed than Horatio at the +removal of Charlotta, tho' it had not the same effect on him; he was +continually teizing his sister to make her a visit and repeat her +intercessions in his behalf; but she had received such tart answers on +that score, that she was very unwilling to undertake the embassy: +however, she complied at last, and was received by mademoiselle +Charlotta in the most obliging manner, but had not the least opportunity +of executing her commission, that lady having a good deal of company +with her, whom she purposely detained to avoid entering into any +particular conversation with her, till the hour in which she knew her +attendance on the queen would oblige her to take leave. + +The baron de Palfoy was at that time abroad; but when he was informed +who had been there, was a little disturbed that the sister of de Coigney +endeavoured still to keep up her intimacy with his daughter, not +doubting but she had either brought some letter or message from him, as +he was fully persuaded in his mind that there was a mutual affection +between them; but he took no notice of it as yet, thinking that probably +she might make a second visit, and that then he should be better able to +judge of the motive. + +In the mean time the father of monsieur de Coigney being informed of +these proceedings, thought it beneath his son to carry on a clandestine +courtship; and the great share he possessed of the royal favour, he +having been instrumental in gaining some point in the parliament of +Paris, rendered him vain enough to imagine his alliance would not be +refused, tho' there was a superiority both of birth and fortune on the +side of monsieur the baron de Palfoy. + +In a perfect confidence of succeeding in his request, he went to his +house, and, after some little preparation, proposed a match between his +son and mademoiselle de Palfoy. The baron was not at all surprized at +what he said, because he expected, if the young people were kept +asunder, an offer would be made of this kind; and after hearing calmly +all he had to say, in order to induce him to give his consent, he told +him, that he was very sorry he had asked a thing which it was impossible +to grant, because he had already determined to dispose otherwise of his +daughter. Monsieur de Coigney then asked to whom. I know not as yet, +replied the other, but when I said I had determined to dispose her +otherways, I only meant to one who is of blood at least equal to her +own, and who has never, by any public debaucheries, rendered himself +contemptible to the discreet part of mankind. + +De Coigney knew not how either to put up or resent this affront; he knew +very well that his son had behaved so as to give cause for it, yet +thought he had other perfections which might over-balance what, by a +partial indulgence, he looked upon only as the follies of youth; and as +for the reflection on his family, he told the other, that whatever he +was he owed to the merit of his ancestors, not his own, and that he +doubted not but his son would one day raise his name equal to that of +Palfoy. In fine, the pride of the one, and the vanity of the other, +occasioned a contest between them, which might have furnished matter for +a scene in a comedy had any poet been witness of it: the result of it +was that they agreed in this to be mutually dissatisfied with each +other, never to converse together any more, and to forbid all +communication between their families. + +The baron went immediately to his daughter's chamber, and having ordered +her maid, who was then doing something about her, to leave the room, I +have wondered, Charlotta, said he, with a countenance that was far from +betraying the secret vexation of his mind, that you have never, since +your coming to Paris, expressed the least desire of making a visit at +St. Germains, tho' the duty you owe a princess, who seems to have a very +great affection for you, might well have excused any impatience you +might have testified on that score; besides, you owe a visit to +mademoiselle de Coigney. + +The princess merits doubtless all the respect I am able to pay her, +answered she; but, my lord, as it was your pleasure to remove me from +that palace, I waited till your command should licence my return; as for +mademoiselle de Coigney, the intimacy between us will excuse those +ceremonies which are of little weight where there is a real friendship. + +These words confirming all the baron's suspicions, he thought there was +no need of farther dissimulation, and the long-conceived indignation +burst out in looks more furious than the trembling Charlotta had ever +seen in him before.--Yes, degenerate girl! said he, I have but too plain +proofs of the friendship in which you have linked yourself with the +family of the de Coigney's;--but tell me, continued he, how dare you +engage yourself so far without my knowledge? could you ever hope I would +consent to an alliance with de Coigney? + +De Coigney! cried she, much more assured than she had been before the +mention of that name, heaven forbid you should have such a thought! + +The resolution and disdain with which she spoke these words a little +surprized him: what, cried he, have you not encouraged the addresses of +young de Coigney, and even proceeded so far as to make his father +imagine there required no more than to ask my consent to a marriage +between you! + +How much courage does innocence inspire? Charlotta, of late so timid and +alarmed while she thought Horatio was in question, was now all calmness +and composure, when she found de Coigney the person for whom she had +been suspected. She confessed to her father, with the most settled brow, +that he had indeed made some offers of an affection for her, but said, +she had given him such answers, as nothing but the height of arrogance +and folly could interpret to his advantage; and then, on the baron's +commanding her, acquainted him with every particular that had passed +between that young gentleman, his sister, and herself, touching the +affair she was accused of. + +She was so minute in every circumstance, answered with such readiness to +all the questions he asked of her, and seemed so perfectly at ease, as +indeed she was, that the baron could no longer have any doubts of her +sincerity, and was sorry he had taken her so abruptly from St. Germains: +he now told her, that she was at liberty to visit there as frequently as +she pleased, only, as he had been affronted by old monsieur de Coigney, +as well as to silence all future reports concerning the young gentleman, +he expected she would break off all acquaintance with mademoiselle. She +assured him of her obedience in this point, and added, that she could do +it without any difficulty; for tho' she was a lady who had many good +qualities, and one for whom she once had a friendship, yet the taking +upon her to forward her brother's designs had occasioned a strangeness +between them, which had already more than half anticipated his commands. + +Monsieur the baron de Palfoy was now as well satisfied with his daughter +as he had lately been the reverse, and she was allowed once more all +those innocent liberties which the French ladies, above those of any +other nation in the world, enjoy. + +It is not to be doubted but that the first use she made of liberty was +to go to St. Germains: she had heard from mademoiselle de Coigney, when +she came to visit her, that Horatio had been very much indisposed, and +at that time was not quite recovered, and was impatient to give him all +the consolation that the sight of her could afford; but fearing she +should not have an opportunity of speaking to him in private, she wrote +a letter, containing a full recital of the reason which had induced her +father to take her from St. Germains, and the happy mistake he had been +in concerning de Coigney; concluding with letting him know he might +sometimes visit her at Paris as an indifferent acquaintance, not the +least suspicion being entertained of him, and the baron now in so good a +humour with her, that it would not be easy for any one to make him give +credit to any informations to her prejudice. The whole was dictated by a +spirit of tenderness, which, tho' it did not plainly confess an +affection, implied every thing an honourable lover could either +expect or hope. + +On her arrival at St. Germains, where there was an extreme full court to +congratulate the princess Louisa, on the great victories lately gained +by Charles XII. the brave king of Sweeden, to whom she had been some +time contracted, she passed directly to her highness's apartment; and +the Chevalier St. George being then with her, those of his Gentlemen who +had attended him thither, were waiting in the antichamber: among them +was Horatio: the alteration of his countenance on sight of her, after +this absence, was too visible not to have been remarked, had not all +present been too busy in paying their compliments to her, to take any +notice of it. He was one of the last that approached, being willing to +recover the confusion he felt himself in, lest it should have an effect +on his voice in speaking to her. She, more prepared, received his salute +with the same gay civility she did the others, but at the same instant +slipped the letter she had brought with her into his hand. + +Any one who is in the least acquainted with the power of love, may guess +the transports of Horatio at this condescension; but, impatient to know +the dear contents, he went out of the room as soon as he found he could +do it without being observed, and having perused this obliging billet, +found in it a sufficient cordial to revive that long languishment his +spirit had been in. + +At his return he found her engaged in conversation with several +gentlemen and ladies: he mingled in the company, but could expect no +other satisfaction from it than being near his dear Charlotta, and +hearing her speak. The Chevalier St. George soon after came out, and he +was obliged with the rest of his train to quit the place, which at +present contained the object of his wishes. She went in immediately +after to the princess, so he saw her no more that day at St. Germains. + +All that now employed his thoughts was a pretence to visit her at her +father's house; for tho' she had told him in her letter that he might +come as an ordinary acquaintance, yet knowing that the continuance of +their conversation depended wholly on the secrecy of it, he was willing +to avoid giving even the most distant occasions of suspicion. + +Fortune, hitherto favourable to his desires, now presented him with one +more ample than any thing his own invention could have supplied him +with: happening to be at Paris in the company of some friends, with whom +he stayed later than ordinary, he was hurrying thro' the streets in +order to go to the inn where his servant and horses waited for him, when +he heard the clashing of swords at some distance from him: guided by his +generosity, he flew to the place where the noise directed him, and saw +by the lights, which hang out very thick in that city, one person +defending himself against three who pressed very hard upon him, and had +got him down just as Horatio arrived to his relief: he ran among the +assaillants; and either the greatness of his courage, or the belief that +others would come to his assistance, threw them into such a +consternation, that they all sought their safety in their flight, while +the person they had attacked got up again and thanked his deliverer, +without whose timely aid, he said, he could have expected nothing but +death: those who set upon him being robbers, and, as he perceived by +their behaviour, desperate wretches, who were for securing themselves by +taking the lives, as well as money, of those who were too weak to resist +them: he pointed to a dead body on the ground, who he told Horatio was +his servant, and had been killed in his defence. + +But how transported was our young lover when, he found that the person +to whom he had done so signal a piece of service, was the father of his +mistress. As he perceived he had some wounds, tho' they proved but +slight, he compleated the obligation he had began to confer, by +supporting him under the arm till he got home, where the baron made him +enter with him, and would have prevailed with him to stay all night; but +Horatio told him he could not well dispense with being absent from his +post; that it was highly proper he should return to St. Germains that +night late as it was, but would do himself the honour of waiting on him +the next day to enquire after the state of the wounds he had received. + +Mademoiselle Charlotta was gone to bed; but being rouzed by the +accident, no sooner was informed by the surgeons, who were immediately +sent for, that there was nothing dangerous in the hurts her father had +received, than she blessed heaven for making Horatio the instrument of +his preservation. The sense the baron seemed to have of this obligation, +and the praises he bestowed on the gallant manner in which the young +gentleman came to his relief, made her almost ready to flatter herself +that fate interested itself in behalf of their love; and indeed monsieur +the baron, notwithstanding the haughtiness of his nature, had the most +just notions of gratitude; and to testify it to Horatio, would have +refused him scarce any thing except his daughter. But however that +should happen, she still found more and more excuses for indulging the +inclinations she had for him; and tho' she yet had never given him any +such assurances, yet she resolved in her own mind, to live only for him. + +The baron being obliged to keep his bed for several days, Horatio had a +pretence for repeating his visits to him during this time of his +confinement, and afterwards went often by invitation; the other, besides +the obligation he had to him, finding something extremely pleasing in +his conversation, to which (not to take from Horatio's merits) the +obsequiousness he found no difficulty in himself to behave with towards +a Man of his age, his quality, and above all, the father of Charlotta, +not a little contributed. + +The lovers had now frequent opportunities of entertaining each other +both at Paris and St. Germains: nor were any of those demonstrations +which virtue and innocence permitted, wanting between them, to render +them as perfectly easy as people can possibly be, who have yet something +to desire, and much to fear. But as smooth as now their fortune seemed, +they knew not how soon a storm might rise, and give a sudden +interruption to that felicity they enjoyed.--The charms of Charlotta +were every day making new conquests; and among the number of those who +pretended to admire her, how probable was it that some one might be +thought worthy by her father, and she be compelled to receive the +addresses of a rival. These were reflections too natural not to occur to +them both, and whenever they did, could not fail of embittering those +sweets the certainty of a mutual affection had otherwise afforded. + +They had now no trouble from monsieur de Coigney; his father, in order +to make him forget a hopeless passion, had found an employment for him +which obliged him to go many leagues from Paris; and once the +conversation already mentioned at the baron's, his sister and +mademoiselle Charlotta, by command of their respective parents, as well +as their own inclinations, broke off all correspondence, nor even spoke +to each other, unless when happening to meet in a visit, there was no +avoiding it; and then it was in such a distant manner, and with so much +indifference, that none would have imagined they ever had been intimate +friends and companions. + + + +CHAP. IX. + +_A second separation between Horatio and Charlotta, with some other +occurrences_. + +The season of the year now having put an end to the campaign, and the +French, as well as confederate armies, being retired into their winter +quarters, the baron de la Valiere, who had always a special permission +from the general, returned to Paris: Horatio promised himself much +satisfaction in the renewed society of this friend, and no sooner heard +he was on the road than he went to meet him. The baron, charm'd with +this proof of his affection and respect, received him as a brother, and +there was little less freedom used between them. + +After the mutual testimonies and good-will were over de la Valiere began +to ask him concerning mademoiselle Charlotta; on which Horatio +acquainted him with her being removed from St. Germains, and the +occasion of it, not omitting the arrogance with which old monsieur de +Coigney had behaved to her father, and the resentment now between +the families. + +Well, said the baron, but I hope you have been more successful, at least +with the young lady: I will never more trust the intelligence of eyes, +if yours did not hold a very tender intercourse; and I protest to you, +my dear Horatio, that amidst all the toils and dangers of war, my +thoughts were often at St. Germains, not envying, but congratulating the +pleasures you enjoyed in the conversation of that amiable lady. + +I doubt not, replied Horatio with a smile, but we had you with us at a +place which contained mademoiselle de Coigney; and I am of opinion too +she was no less frequently in the camp with you; for in spite of all the +reserve she affected while you were present, she never heard the bare +mention of your name without emotions, which were very visible in her +countenance. + +I would not be vain, replied the baron, but I sometimes have flattered +myself with the hope I was not altogether indifferent to her; tho' for +two whole years that I have constantly made my addresses to her, I never +could obtain one soft confession to assure my happiness:--but let me +know how you have proceeded on the score of mademoiselle Charlotta? +believe me, I am not so engrossed by my own affairs, as not to give +attention to those of a friend. + +Horatio, who had been engaged by Charlotta to preserve an inviolable +secrecy in every thing that had passed between them, without any +exception of persons, would fain have turned the conversation on some +other topic: he truly loved the baron, had the highest opinion of his +discretion, and would have trusted him with the dearest secrets of his +life, provided they related to himself alone; but he had given his word, +his oath, his honour to Charlotta, and durst not violate them on any +consideration; yet, loth to refuse or to deceive his friend, he found +himself in the most perplexing dilemma. As often as the other spoke of +Charlotta, he answered with something of de Coigney; but all his +artifice was ineffectual, and the baron at last saw thro' it, and +assuming a very grave countenance, I perceive, Horatio, said he, you do +not think me worthy your confidence, and I was to blame to press you to +reveal what you resolve to make a mystery of. + +These words made a very deep impression on the grateful soul of him they +were addressed to; and equally distressed between the necessity of +either disobliging a person whose generosity he had experienced, or +falsifying the promise he had made to Charlotta, at last an expedient +offered to his mind how to avoid both, and yet not be guilty of injuring +the truth. + +Alas! my lord, answered he, you little know the heart of Horatio, if you +imagine there be any thing there that would hide itself from you:--I +freely confess, the charms of mademoiselle Charlotta had such an effect +on me, that, had I been in circumstances which in the least could have +flattered me with success, I should long ago have avowed myself her +lover: but when I reflected on the disparity between us, the humour of +her father, and a thousand other impediments, I endeavoured to banish so +hopeless a passion from my breast, and was the more confirmed in my +resolution to do so by the ill treatment monsieur de Coigney +received:--besides, her removal from St. Germains, depriving me in a +great measure of those opportunities I had before of entertaining her, +might very well contribute to wean off a passion, not settled either by +time or expectation, of ever being gratified; and I hope, continued he, +I shall always have so much command over myself as not to become +ridiculous by aiming at impossibilities. + +Whether the baron gave any credit to what he said on this account or +not, he had too much politeness to press him any farther; and the +discourse soon after taking another turn, Horatio was very well pleased +to think he had got off so well. + +De la Valiere having related to him some particulars of the late +campaign, which the public accounts had been deficient in, they passed +from that to some talk of the brave young king of Sweden, a topic which +filled all Europe with admiration: but the French being a people in whom +the love of glory is the predominant passion, were more than any other +nation charmed with the greatness of that prince's soul. + +What indeed has any hero of antiquity to boast of in competition with +this northern monarch, who conquered and gave away kingdoms for the +benefit of others, disdaining to receive any other reward for all his +vast fatigues, than the pleasure of giving a people that person whom he +judged most worthy to reign over them! + +The baron, who had attended the Count de Guiscard when he was +residentiary ambassador from his most christian majesty at the Swedish +court, had an opportunity of seeing more of this monarch than any other +that Horatio was acquainted with; he therefore, on his requesting it, +informed him how, at the age of eighteen, he threw off all magnificence, +forsook the pomp and delicacies of a court he had been bred in, and +undertook, and compleated the delivery of his brother-in-law, the duke +of Holstein, from the cruel incursions of the Danes, who had well nigh +either taken or ravaged the greatest part of his territories. He also +set forth, in its proper colours, the base part which Peter Alexowitz, +czar of Muscovy, and Augustus, king of Poland, acted against a prince +who was then employing his arms in the cause of justice; the latter of +these bringing a powerful army to take from him one part of his +dominions; and the former, at the head of an 100,000 men, were +plundering the other: but when he concluded his little narrative, by +reciting how this young conqueror, with a handful of brave Swedes, +animated by the example of their king, put entirely to route all that +opposed him, Horatio felt his soul glow with an ardour superior even to +that of love: he longed to behold a prince who seemed to have all the +virtues comprized in him, and whose very thoughts, as well as actions, +might be looked upon as super-natural. + +He is, however, greatly to be pitied, said the baron de la Valiere, that +the wars he is engaged in, and which, in all probability will be of long +continuance, hinders him from the possession of the most amiable +princess in the world, and I dare answer, at least if I may credit those +about her, she wishes he were of a less martial disposition. + +He will be the more worthy of her, cried Horatio interrupting him, and +the immortal fame of his actions be a sufficient attonement for all the +years of expectation that may be its purchase. + +From the time Horatio had this discourse with the baron, the king of +Sweden was ever uppermost in his thoughts: he had always reflected that, +in the station he then was, it would be impossible to obtain any more of +mademoiselle Charlotta than her heart, at least while the baron de +Palfoy lived, and that a thousand accidents might deprive him of all +hopes of ever being more happy; but, said he to himself, were I among +the number of those who attend this hero in his martial exploits, I +might at least have an opportunity of proving how far fortune would +befriend me;--who knows but I might be able to do something which might +engage that just and generous monarch to raise me to a degree capable of +avowing my pretensions even to her father, and the same blessed day that +joined our principals, might also make me blessed in the possession of +my dear Charlotta. + +With these ideas did he often flatter himself; but the manner in which +he should accomplish his desires was yet doubtless to him. The chevalier +St. George treated him with so much kindness, that he had no room to +doubt his having a great share in his favour; and was fully perswaded, +that if he communicated his intentions to him, he would vouchsafe to +give him letters of recommendation to a prince who was to be his +brother-in-law: but this he feared to ask, lest it should be looked upon +as ingratitude in him to desire to leave a court where he had been so +graciously received, and had many favours, besides the perquisites of +his post, heaped upon him, not only by the chevalier himself, but also +by the queen and princess, who, following the example of the late king, +behaved with a kind of natural affection to all the English. + +He sometimes communicated his sentiments on this head to mademoiselle +Charlotta, who was too discreet not to allow the justness of them; and +well knew, that in the station her lover now was, they never could be on +any terms with each other than those they were at present: her reason, +therefore, and the advantage of her love, made her sometimes wish he +would follow the dictates of so laudable an ambition; but then the +dangers he must inevitably be exposed to in following a monarch who +never set any bounds to his courage, and the thoughts how long it might +possibly be before she saw him again, alarmed all her tenderness; and he +had the satisfaction of seeing the tears stand in her eyes whenever they +had any discourse of this nature; and tho' her words assured him that it +was her opinion he could not take a more ready way to raise his own +fortune, yet her looks at the same time made him plainly see how much +she would suffer in his taking that step. + +Many reasons, both for and against following his inclination in this +point, presented themselves to him; and he had no sooner, as he thought, +determined for the one, than the other rose with double vehemence and +overthrew the former. In this fluctuating situation of mind did he +remain for some time, and perhaps had done so much longer, had not an +accident happened which proved decisive, and indeed left him no other +party to take than that he afterwards did. + +Charlotta, being now entirely mistress of herself, gave him frequent +meetings in the Tuilleries, judging it safer to converse with him there +than at the house of any person, whom, in such a case, must be the +confidante of the whole affair; whereas, if they were seen together in +the walks, it might be judged they met by accident, and not give any +grounds of suspicion, which hitherto they had been so fortunate as +to avoid. + +It was in one of those appointments, when entered into a very tender +conversation, they forgot themselves so far as to suffer the moon to +rise upon them: the stillness of the evening, and the little company +which happened to be there that night, seemed to indulge their +inclinations of continuing in so sweet a recess:--they were seated on a +bench at the foot of a large tree, when Charlotta, in answer to some +tender professions he had been making, said, depend on this, Horatio, +that as you are the first who has ever been capable of making me +sensible of love, so nothing shall have power to change my sentiments +while you continue to deserve, or to desire I should think of you as I +now do. He shall not long continue to desire it,--cried a voice behind +them, and immediately rushed from the other side of the thicket a man +with his sword drawn, and ran full upon Horatio, who not having time to +be upon his guard, had certainly fallen a victim to his rival's fury, +had not a gentleman seized his arm, and, by superior strength, forced +him some paces back.--Are you mad, monsieur, said he; do you forget the +place you are in, or the danger you so lately escaped for an enterprize +of this nature? + +Mademoiselle Charlotta, now a little recovered from her first, surprize, +and knowing it was young monsieur de Coigney who had given her this +alarm, had presence enough of mind to ask how he dared, after he knew +her own and father's resolution, to disturb her, or any company she had +with her? he made no reply, but reflecting that there were other ways +than fighting, by which he might be revenged, went hastily away with +that friend who had hindered him from executing his rash purpose; but +they could hear that he muttered something which seemed a menace against +them both. + +How impossible is it to express the consternation our lovers now were +in: they found by the repetition monsieur de Coigney made of the words +she spoke, that what they had so long and so successfully laboured to +conceal, was now betrayed:--betrayed to one who would not fail to make +the most malicious use of the discovery, and doubted not but the affair +would become the general talk, perhaps to the prejudice of Charlotta's +reputation; but the least thing either could expect, was to be +separated for ever. + +Horatio, full of disturbed emotions, conducted his disconsolate mistress +to the gate of the Tuilleries, and there took a farewel of her, which he +had too much reason to fear would be his last, at least for a long time. +He was tempted by his first emotions to seek de Coigney, and call him to +account for the affront he had put upon him, and either lose his own +life, or oblige the other to secrecy; but then he considered, that there +was some probability he would not dare to own that he had given himself +any concern about mademoiselle Charlotta, after the injunction laid on +him by his father, much less as he had attempted a duel in her cause, +having, as has been already mentioned, been before guilty of a like +offence against the laws, which in that country are very strict, on +account of madame de Olonne; and this prevailed with him to be passive +as to what had happened, till he should hear how the other would behave, +and find what turn the affair would take. + +Charlotta in the mean time was in the most terrible anxieties:--she +could not imagine what had brought monsieur de Coigney, who she thought +had been many miles distant, so suddenly to Paris: but on making some +private enquiry, she was informed, that having met some difficulty in +the execution of his office, he had taken post, in order to lay his +complaints before the king, and had arrived that very day.--She now +blamed her own inadvertency in holding any discourse with Horatio, of a +nature not proper to be over-heard, in a place so public as the +Tuilleries, where others, as well as he, might have possibly been +witnesses of what was said. + +Young monsieur de Coigney suffered little less from the turbulence of +his nature, and the mortification it gave his vanity, to find a person, +whom he looked upon as every way his inferior, preferred to him. His +thoughts were wholly bent on revenge; but in what manner he should +accomplish it, he was for some time uncertain: when he acquainted his +father with the discovery he had made, and the resentment he had +testified against this unworthy rival, as he called him, the old +gentleman blamed him for taking any notice of it. Let them love on, son, +said he; let them marry;--we shall then have a fine opportunity of +reproaching the haughty baron with his new alliance. This did not +however satisfy monsieur de Coigney: all the love he once had for +mademoiselle Charlotta was now turned into hate; and in spite of his +father's commands not to meddle in the affair, he could not help +throwing out some reflections among his companions, very much to the +disadvantage of the young lady's reputation. But these might possibly +have blown over, as he had but a small time to vent his malice. His +father knowing the violence of his temper, in order to prevent any ill +consequences, compelled him to return to his employment; taking upon +himself the management of that business which had brought him so +unluckily to Paris. + +But mademoiselle de Coigney had no sooner been informed by her brother +of the discovery he had made, than she doubted not that it was on the +score of Horatio that he had met with such ill success in his courtship; +and also imagined, that it had been owing to some ill impressions +mademoiselle Charlotta had given the baron de Palfoy, that her father +had been treated by him in the manner already recited. She complained of +it to the baron de la Valiere, and told him, her whole family had been +affronted, and her brother rendered miserable, for the sake of a young +man, who, said she, can neither have birth or fortune to boast of, since +he has been so long a prisoner without any ransom paid, or interposition +offered to redeem him. + +The baron was too generous not to vindicate the merits of Horatio, as +much as was consistent with his love and complaisance for his mistress: +he was notwithstanding very much picqued in his mind that a person, to +whom he had given the greatest proofs of a sincere and disinterested +friendship, should have concealed a secret of this nature from him, and +the more so, as he had seemed to expect and desire his confidence. From +this time forward he behaved to him with a coldness which was sufficient +to convince the other of the motive, especially as he found mademoiselle +de Coigney took all opportunities of throwing the most picquant +reflections on him. It is certain that lady was so full of spight at the +indignity she thought her family had received, that she could not help +whispering the attachment of Horatio and Charlotta, not only at St. +Germains, but at Paris also, with inunendo's little less cruel than +those her brother had made use of to his companions; so that between +them, the amour was talked of among all who were acquainted with +either of them. + +At length the report reached the ears of the baron de Palfoy, who, tho' +he did not immediately give an entire credit to it, thought it became +him to do every thing in his power to silence it. + +Accordingly he called his daughter to him one day, and having told her +the liberty which the world took in censuring her conduct on Horatio's +account, commanded her to avoid all occasions of it for the future, by +seeing him no more. + +The confusion she was in, and which she had not artifice wholly to +conceal from the penetrating baron, more convinced him, than all he had +been told, that there was in reality some tender intercourse between +them; but resolving to be fully ascertained, he said no more to her at +that time, but dispatched a messenger immediately to St. Germains, +desiring Horatio to come to him the same day. + +The lover readily obeyed this summons, but not without some +apprehensions of the motive: the hints daily given him, joined to the +alteration, not only in the behaviour of mademoiselle de Coigney, but +likewise of the baron de la Valiere, gave him but too just room to fear +his passion was no longer a secret. + +The father of Charlotta received him with great courtesy, but nothing of +that pleasantness with which he had looked on him ever since he had +defended him from the robbers. Horatio, said he, I am indebted to you +for my life, and would willingly make what recompence is in my power for +the obligation I have to you:--think therefore what I can do for you; +and if your demands exceed not what is fit for you to ask, or would +become me to grant, you may be assured of my compliance. + +The astonishment Horatio was in at these words is impossible to be +expressed; but having an admirable presence of mind, my lord, answered +he, I should be unworthy of the favours you do me, could I be capable of +presuming on them so far as to make any requests beyond the +continuance of them. + +No, Horatio, resumed the baron, I acknowledge my gratitude has been too +deficient, since it has extended only to those civilities which are due +to your merit, exclusive of any obligation; the conversation we have had +together has hitherto afforded a pleasure to myself, and it is with a +good deal of mortification I now find a necessity to break it off:--I +would therefore have the satisfaction of doing something that might +convince you of my esteem, at the same time that I desire you to refrain +your visits. + +Not all Horatio's courage could enable him to stand this shock, without +testifying some part of what passed in his mind:--he was utterly +incapable of making any reply, tho' the silence of the other shewed he +expected it, but stood like one confounded, and conscious of deserving +the banishment he heard pronounced against him.--At last recollecting +himself a little,--my lord, said he, I see not how I can be happy enough +to preserve any part of your esteem, since looked upon as unworthy an +honour you were once pleased to confer upon me. + +You affect, said the baron, a slowness of apprehension, which is far +from being natural to you, and perhaps imagine, that by not seeming to +understand me, I should believe there were no grounds for me to forbid +you my house; but, young man, I am not so easily deceived; and since you +oblige me to speak plain, must tell you, I am sorry to find you have +entertained any projects, which, if you had the least consulted your +reason, you would have known could never be accomplished.--In fine, +Horatio, what you make so great a mystery of, may be explained in three +words:--I wish you well as a friend, but cannot think of making you my +son:--I would recompence what you have done for me with any thing but my +daughter, and as a proof of my concern for your happiness, I exclude you +from all society with her, in order to prevent so unavailing a passion +from taking too deep a root. + +Ah, my lord, cried Horatio, perceiving all dissimulation would be vain, +the man who once adored mademoiselle de Palfoy can never cease to do so. +He ought therefore, replied the baron, without being moved, to consider +the consequences well before he begins to adore:--if I had been +consulted in the matter I should have advised you better; but it is now +too late, and all I can do is to prevent your ever meeting more:--this, +Horatio, is all I have to say, and that if in any other affair I can be +serviceable to you, communicate your request in writing, and depend on +its being granted. + +In speaking these last words he withdrew, and left Horatio in a +situation of mind not easy to be conceived.--He was once about to +entreat him to turn back, but had nothing to offer which could make him +hope would prevail on him to alter his resolution.--He never had been +insensible of the vast disparity there was at present between him and +the noble family of de Palfoy: he could expect no other, or rather worse +treatment than what he had now received, if his passion was ever +discovered, and had no excuse to make for what himself allowed so great +a presumption. + +With a countenance dejected, and a heart oppressed with various +agitations, did he quit the house which contained what was most valuable +to him in the world, while poor Charlotta endured, if possible, a +greater shock. + +The baron de Palfoy, now convinced that all he had been informed of was +true, was more incensed against her than he had been on the mistaken +supposition of her being influenced in favour of monsieur de Coigney: he +had no sooner left Horatio than he flew to her apartment, and reproached +her in terms the most severe that words could form.--It was in vain she +protested that she never had any design of giving herself to Horatio +without having first received his permission.--He looked on all she said +as an augmentation of her crime, and soon came to a determination to put +it past her power to give him more than she had already done. + +Early next morning he sent her, under the conduct of a person he could +confide in, to a monastry about thirty miles from Paris, without even +letting her know whither she was about being carried, or giving her the +least notice of her departure till the coach was at the door, into which +he put, her himself with these words,--adeiu Charlotta, expect not to +see Paris, or me again, till you desire no more to see Horatio. + + + +CHAP. X. + +_The reasons that induced Horatio to leave France; with the chevalier +St. George's behaviour on knowing his resolution. He receives an +unexpected favour from the baron de Palfoy._ + +While Charlotta, under the displeasure of her father, and divided, as +she believed, for ever from her lover, was pursuing her melancholy +journey, Horatio was giving way to a grief which knew no bounds, and +which preyed with the greater feirceness on his soul, as he had no +friend to whom he could disburden it. The baron's estrang'd behaviour +was no small addition to his other discontents, and he lamented the +cruel necessity which had enforced him to disoblige a person to whom he +owed so many favours, and whose advice would now have been the greatest +consolation. + +He could not now hope Charlotta would be permitted to come to St. +Germains, and doubted not but her father would take effectual methods to +prevent her visiting at any place where even accident might occasion a +meeting between them: he knew the watch had been set over her on the +account of monsieur de Coigney, and might be assured it would not now be +less strict, and that it would be equally impossible for either to +communicate their thoughts by writing as it was to see each other. + +He was in the midst of these reflections when he heard, by some people +who were acquainted with the baron de Palfoy, that he had sent his +daughter away, but none knew where: this, instead of lessening his +despair, was a very great aggravation of it:--he imagined she was +confined in some monastry, and was not insensible of the difficulties +that attend seeing a young lady who is sent there purposely to avoid the +world; yet, said he to himself, could I be happy enough to discover even +to what province she was carried, I would go from convent to convent +till I had found which of them contained her. + +It was in vain that he made all possible enquiry: every one he asked was +in reality as ignorant as himself.--The baron de Palfoy had trusted +none, so could not be deceived but by those persons who had the charge +of conducting her, and of their fidelity he had many proofs. Yet how +impossible is it for human prudence to resist the decrees of fate.--The +secret was betrayed, without any one being guilty of accusing the +confidence reposed in them, and by the strangest accident that perhaps +ever was, Horatio learned all he wished to know when he had given over +all his endeavours for that purpose, and was totally despairing of it. + +He came one day to Paris, in order to alleviate his melancholy, in the +company of some young gentlemen, who had expressed a very great regard +for him; but his mind being taken up with various and perplexed thoughts +on his entrance into that city, he mistook his way, and turned into the +rue St. Dennis instead of the rue St. Honore, where he had been +accustomed to leave his horses and servant.--He found his error just as +he was passing by a large inn, and it being a matter of indifference to +him where he put up, would not turn back, but ordered his man to alight +here.--I forgot where I was going, said he, but I suppose the horses +will be taken as much care of at this house as where we used to go. I +shall see to that, replied the fellow. Horatio stepped into a room to +take some refreshment while his servant went to the stable, but had not +been there above a minute before he heard very high words between some +people in the yard; and as he turned towards the window, saw a man in +the livery of the baron de Palfoy, and whom he presently knew to be the +coachman of that nobleman. He was hot in dispute with the innkeeper +concerning a horse which he had hired of him, and, as the other +insisted, drove so hard that he had killed him. The coachman denied the +accusation; but the innkeeper told him he had witnesses to prove the +horse died two hours after he was brought home, and declared, that if he +had not satisfaction for his beast, he would complain to the baron, and +if he did not do him justice, have recourse to law.--There was a long +argument between them concerning the number of miles, the hours they +drove, and the weight of the carriage.--Among other things the innkeeper +alledged, that he saw them as he passed his corner, and there were so +many trunks, boxes, and other luggage behind and before the coach, +besides the company that was in it, that it required eight horses +instead of six to draw it. Why then, said the coachman, did it not kill +our horses as well as yours; if they had been equally good, they would +have held out equally.--I do not pretend mine was as good, replied the +innkeeper, I cannot afford to feed my horses as my lord does; but yet he +was a stout gelding, and if he had not been drove so very hard, and +perhaps otherwise ill used into the bargain, he would have been +alive now. + +All this was sufficient to make Horatio imagine it was for the journey +which deprived him of his dear Charlotta, that this horse had been +hired, so tarried in the place where he was till the debate was over, +which ended not to the satisfaction of the innkeeper, who swore he would +not be fooled out of his money. As soon as the coachman was gone, +Horatio called him in, and asked what was the matter, and who it was +that endeavoured to impose upon him? on which the innkeeper readily told +him, that on such a day this coachman came to him and hired a horse in +order to make up a set to go to Rheines in Champaigne, my lord-baron +having three or four sick in the stable at that time.--Two days after, +said he, my horse was brought home all in a foam, and fell down dead in +less than three hours, and yet this rascally coachman refuses to pay +me for him. + +Horatio humoured him in all he said, and let him go on his own way till +he had vented his whole stock of railing, and then asked him what +company were in the coach. The innkeeper replied, that there was one man +and two women, but did not know who they were, for their faces were +muffled up in their hoods. This was sufficient for him to be assured it +was no other than Charlotta, with her woman, and some friend whom the +baron had sent with them. The day mentioned, being the very same he had +been informed she was carried away, was also another confirmation; and +he had not only the happiness of knowing where his mistress was, but of +knowing it by such means as could give the baron no suspicion of his +being acquainted with it, and therefore make him think it necessary to +remove her. + +Having gained this intelligence, which yet he was no better for than the +hope of being able to get a sight of her thro' the grate, which he was +resolved to accomplish some way or other, he resumed his design of going +into the army of the king of Sweden. As a perfect knowledge of the many +excellent qualities of the chevalier St. George, made him regard and +love him with an affection beyond what is ordinarily to be met with from +a servant to his master, he felt an extreme repugnance to quit him, and +yet more in breaking a matter to him which, while it testified a +confidence in the goodness of him whose assistance he must implore, he +thought, at the same time, would be looked on as ingratitude in himself; +and he was some time deliberating in what manner he should do it; and it +would have been perhaps a great while before he could have found words +which he would have thought proper for the purpose, if he had not taken +an opportunity, which, without any design of his own, offered itself +to him. + +The chevalier St. George took a particular pleasure in the game of +Chess; and Horatio having learned it among the officers in Campaine, +frequently played with him: they were one evening at this diversion, +when the lover of Charlotta having his mind a little perplexed, placed +his men so ill, that the chevalier beat him out at every motion. How is +this, Horatio, cried he; you used to play better than I, butt now I have +the advantage of you.--May you always have it, sir, replied he with the +utmost respect, over all who pretend to oppose you.--Chess is a kind of +emblem of war, where policy should go hand in hand with courage; and +there is a great master in that art, whom if I were some time to serve +under, I flatter myself that I should be able to know how to move my men +with better success than I have done to night; but then my skill should +be employed only against such as are your enemies. + +You mean my brother Charles of Sweden, said the chevalier smiling, but I +believe he seldom plays. Never, but when kingdoms are at stake, resumed +Horatio; and if a day should come when you, sir, shall attempt the +prize, how fortunate would it be for me to have learned to serve you as +I am obliged by much more than my duty, by the most natural and +inviolable attachment of my heart, which would render it the greatest +blessing I could receive from heaven. I believe, indeed, returned the +chevalier St. George, you love me enough to fight in my cause whenever +occasion offers. I would not only fight, but die, cried Horatio warmly; +yet I would wish to have the skill to make a great number of your +enemies die before me. Well, said the chevalier, we will talk of this +to-morrow; in the mean time play as well as you can against me at St. +Germains: in another place perhaps you may play for me. Horatio made no +other reply to these words than a low bow, and then elating his hands +and eyes to heaven, as internally praying for the opportunity his master +seemed to hint at. + +The impression this little conversation made on the mind of the +chevalier St. George, proved itself in its effects the very next day. +Horatio being ordered to come into his chamber early in the morning,--I +have been thinking on what passed last night between us, said he, and if +you have a serious Intention of doing what you seemed to hint at, will +contribute all I can to forward you. + +Ah sir! cried Horatio, falling at his feet, impute not, I beseech you, +this desire in me to any thing but the extreme desire I have to render +myself worthy of the favours you have been pleased to confer upon me, +and to be able to serve you whenever any happy occasion shall +present itself. + +No more, Horatio, replied the chevalier, with a sweetness and affability +peculiar to himself; I am perfectly assured of your duty and affection +to me, and am so far from taking it ill that you desire to quit my court +on this score, that I think, your ambition highly laudable:--I will +write letters of recommendation, with my own hand, to my brother +Charles, and to some others in his camp, which I doubt not but will +procure you a reception answerable to your wishes:--therefore, as it is +a long journey you are to take, the sooner you provide for your +departure the better:--I will order you out of my privy purse 2000 +crowns towards your expences. + +Horatio found it impossible to express how much this goodness touched +his soul; nor could do it any otherwise than by prostrating himself a +second time, embracing his knees, and uttering some incoherent +acclamations, which more shewed to his master the sincerity of his +gratitude, and the perfect love he bore him, than the most elegant +speeches could have done. + +After all possible demonstrations of the most gracious benignity on the +one side, and reverence on the other, Horatio quitted the presence, and +went to sir Thomas Higgons, who at that time was privy purse, and one of +the finest gentlemen that ever England bred, and acquainted him with the +chevalier St. George's goodness to him, and the change that was going to +be made in his fortune: he thanked him in the politest manner for being +made the first that should congratulate him, and told him, he did not +doubt but he should see him return covered with laurels, and enriched +with honours, by the most glorious and grateful monarch the world had to +boast of. The whole court, whose esteem the good qualities, handsome +person, and agreeable behaviour of Horatio had entirely gained, seemed +to partake in his satisfaction, and he was so engrossed with the +preparations for his departure, and receiving the compliments made him, +that tho' he was far from forgetting Charlotta, yet the languishment +which her absence had occasioned was entirely banished, and he now +appeared all life and spirit.--So true it is that idleness is the food +of soft desires. + +It must be confessed, indeed, that love had a very great share in +reviving in him those martial inclinations, which for a time had seemed +lulled to rest, since it was to render himself in a condition which +might give him hope of obtaining the object of his love that now pushed +him on to war. He resolved also to make Rheines in his way to Poland, +where the king of Sweden then was pursuing his conquests, and see, if +possible, his dear Charlotta, before he left France; and as he was of a +more than ordinary sanguine disposition, he was much sooner elated with +the prospect of success in any undertaking he went about, than dejected +at the disappointment of it. + +The baron de la Valiere, whose friendship over-balanced his resentment, +now gave an instance of his generosity, which, as things had stood of +late between them, Horatio was far from expecting. That nobleman came to +his apartment one day with a letter in his hand, and accosting him with +the familiarity he had been accustomed to treat him with before their +estrangement,--Horatio, said he, I cannot suffer you to leave us without +giving you what testimonies of good-will are in my power:--you are now +going among strangers, and tho' after the recommendations I hear you are +to carry with you from the chevalier St. George, nothing can be added to +assure you of the king of Sweden's favour, yet as many brave actions are +lost for want of a proper representation of them, and the eyes of kings +cannot be every where, it may be of some service to you to have general +Renchild your friend: I once had the honour of a particular acquaintance +with that great man, and I believe this letter, which I beg the favour +of you to deliver to him, will in part convince him of your merit, +before you may have an opportunity of proving it to him by your actions. + +Horatio took the letter out of his hand, which he had presented to him +at the conclusion of his speech; and charmed with this behaviour, the +satisfaction I should take, said he, in this mark of your forgiving +goodness, would be beyond all bounds, were I not conscious how far I +have been unworthy of it; and that I fear the same goodness, always +partial to me, may have in this paper (meaning the letter) endeavoured +to give the general an idea of me which I may not be able to preserve. + +I look upon myself to be the best judge of that, replied the baron with +a smile; and you may remember, that on a very different occasion I saw +into your sentiments before you were well acquainted with the nature of +them yourself. + +As Horatio knew these words referred to the discourse that had passed +between them concerning his then infant passion for mademoiselle +Charlotta, he could not help blushing; but de la Valiere perceiving he +had given him some confusion, would have turned the discourse, had not +the other thought fit to continue it, by letting him know the real +motive which had constrained him to act with the reserve he had done on +that score. + +The baron de la Valiere assured him that he should think no more of it; +and tho' at first he had taken it a little amiss, yet when he came to +reflect on the circumstance, he could not but confess he should have +behaved in the same manner himself. + +The renewal of the former friendship between them, greatly added to the +contentment Horatio at present enjoyed; but soon after he received such +an augmentation of it, as he could never have imagined, much less have +flattered himself with the hope of. + +Some few days before his departure, a servant of the baron de Palfoy +came to him to let him know his lord sent his compliments, and desired +to speak with him at his own house. The message seemed so improbable, +that Horatio could scarce give credit to it, and imagined the man had +been mistaken in the person to whom he delivered it, till he repeated +over and over again that it was to no other he was sent. + +Had it been any other than the father of mademoiselle Charlotta, who had +invited him to a house he had been once forbid, he scarce would have +obeyed the summons; but as it was he, the awful person who gave being to +that charmer of his soul, he sent the most respectful answer, and the +same day took horse for Paris, and attended the explanation of an order +which at present seemed so misterious to him. + +The baron was no sooner informed he was there, than he came into the +parlour with a countenance, which had in it all the marks of good humour +and satisfaction; Horatio, said he, after having made him seat himself, +I doubt not but you think me your enemy, after the treatment I gave you +the last time you were here; but I assure you, I suffered no less myself +in forbidding you my house, than you could do in having what you might +think an affront put upon you:--but, continued he after a pause, you +ought to consider I am a father, that Charlotta is my only child, that +my whole estate, and what is of infinite more consideration with me, the +honour of my family, must all devolve on her, and that I am under +obligations not to be dispensed with, to dispose of her in such a manner +as shall not any way degrade the ancestry she is sprung from.--I own +your merits:--I also am indebted to you for my life:--but you are a +foreigner, your family unknown,--your fortune precarious:--I could wish +it were otherwise;--believe, I find in myself an irresistable impulse to +love you, and I know nothing would give me greater pleasure than to +convince you of it.--In fine, there is nothing but Charlotta I would +refuse you. + +The old lord uttered all this with so feeling an accent that Horatio was +very much moved at it; but unable to guess what would be the consequence +of this strange preparation, and not having any thing to ask of him but +the only thing he had declared he would not grant, he only thanked him +for the concern he was pleased to express, and said, that perhaps there +might come a time in which the obscurity he was in at present would be +enlightened; at least, cried he, I shall have the satisfaction of +endeavouring to acquire by merit what I am denied by fortune. + +I admire this noble ambition in you, replied the baron de Palfoy; pursue +these laudable views, and doubt not of success:--it would be an infinite +pleasure to me to see you raised so high, that I should acknowledge an +alliance with you the greatest honour I could hope: and to shew you with +how much sincerity I speak,--here is a letter I have wrote to count +Piper, the first minister and favourite of the king of Sweden; when you +deliver this to him, I am certain you will be convinced by his reception +of you, that you are one whose interest I take no inconsiderable +part in. + +With these words he gave him a letter directed, as he had said, but not +sealed, which Horatio, after he had manifested the sense he had of so +unhoped an obligation, reminded him of. As it concerns only yourself, +said the baron, it is proper you should read it first, and I will then +put on my signet. + +Horatio on this unfolded it, and found it contained such high +commendations of him, and such pressing entreaties to that minister to +contribute all he could to his promotion, that it seemed rather dictated +by the fondness of a parent, than by one who had taken so much pains to +avoid being so. O, my lord! cried he, as soon as he had done perusing +it, how much do you over-rate the little merit I am master of, yet how +little regard a passion which is the sole inspirer of it! what will +avail all the glory I can acquire, if unsuccessful in my love! + +Let us talk no more of that, said the baron de Palfoy, you ought to be +satisfied I do all for you in my power to do at present:--other +opportunities may hereafter arrive in which you may find the continuance +of my friendship, and a grateful remembrance of the good office you did +me; but to engage me to fulfil my obligations without any reluctance on +my part, you must speak to me no more on a theme which I cannot hear +without emotions, such as I would by no means give way to. + +Horatio gave a deep sigh, but presumed not to reply; the other, to +prevent him, turned the conversation on the wonderful actions of that +young king into whose service he was going to enter; but the lover had +contemplations of a different nature which he was impatient to indulge, +therefore made his visit as short as decency and the favour he had just +received would permit. The baron at parting gave him a very affectionate +embrace, and told him, he should rejoice to hear of his success by +letters from him as often as the places and employments he should be in +would allow him to write. + +Let any one form, if they can, an idea suitable to the present situation +of Horatio's mind at so astonishing an incident: impossible it was for +him to form any certain conjecture on the baron de Palfoy's behaviour; +some of his expressions seemed to flatter him with the highest +expectations of future happiness, while others, he thought, gave him +reason to despair:--sometimes he imagined that it was to his pride and +the greatness of his spirit, which would not suffer him to let any +obligation go unrequited, that he owed what had been just now done for +him.--But when he reflected on the contents of the letter to count +Piper, he could not help thinking they were dictated by something more +than an enforced gratitude:--he remembered too that he promised him the +continuation of his friendship, and had given some hints during the +conversation, as if time and some accidents, which might possibly +happen, might give a turn to his affairs even on Charlotta's +account.--On the whole it appeared most reasonable to conclude, that if +he could by any means raise his fortune in the world to the pitch the +baron had determined for his daughter, he would not disapprove their +loves; and in this belief he could not but think himself as fortunate as +he could expect to be, since he never had been vain enough to imagine, +that in his present circumstances he might hope either the consent of +the father, or the ratification of the daughter's affection. + +Every thing being now ready for his departure, he took leave of the +chevalier St. George, who seemed to be under a concern for losing him, +which only the knowledge how great an advantage this young gentleman +would receive by it, could console: the queen also gave him a letter +from herself to her intended son-in-law; and the charming princess +Louisa, with blushes, bid him tell the king of Sweden, he had her prayers +and wishes for success in all his glorious enterprizes. + +Thus laden with credentials which might assure him of a reception equal +to the most ambitious aim of his aspiring soul, he set out from Paris, +not without some tender regret at quitting a place where he had been +treated with such uncommon and distinguished marks of kindness and +respect. But these emotions soon gave way to others more +transporting:--he was on his journey towards Rheines, the place which +contained his beloved Charlotta; and the thoughts that every moment +brought him still nearer to her filled him with extacies, which none but +those who truly love can have any just conception of. + + + +CHAP. XI. + +_Horatio arrives at Rheines, finds means to see mademoiselle Charlotta +and afterwards pursues his journey to Poland_. + +The impatience Horatio had to be at Rheines made him travel very hard +till he reached that city; nor did he allow himself much time for repose +after his fatigue, till having made a strict enquiry at all the +monasteries, he at length discovered where mademoiselle Charlotta +was placed. + +Hitherto he had been successful beyond his hopes; but the greatest +difficulty was not yet surmounted: he doubted not but as such secrecy +had been used in the carrying her from Paris, and of the place to which +she had been conveyed, that the same circumspection would be preserved +in concealing her from the sight of any stranger that should come to the +monastry:--he invented many pretences, but none seemed satisfactory to +himself, therefore could not expect they would pass upon +others.--Sometimes he thought of disguising himself in the habit of a +woman, his youth, and the delicacy of his complexion making him imagine +he might impose on the abbess and the nuns for such; but then he feared +being betrayed, by not being able to answer the questions which would in +all probability be asked him.--He endeavoured to find out some person +that was acquainted there; but tho' he asked all the gentlemen, which +were a great many, that dined at the same Hotel with him, he was at as +great a loss as ever. He went to the chapel every hour that mass was +said, but could flatter himself with no other satisfaction from that than +the empty one of knowing he was under the same roof with her; for the +gallery in which the ladies sit, pensioners, as well as those who have +taken the veil, are so closely grated, that it is impossible for those +below to distinguish any object. + +He was almost distracted when he had been there three or four days +without being able to find any expedient which he could think likely to +succeed:--he knew not what to resolve on;--time pressed him to pursue +his journey;--every day, every hour that he lost from prosecuting the +glorious hopes he had in view, struck ten thousand daggers to his +soul:--but then to go without informing the dear object of his wishes +how great a part she had in inspiring his ambition,--without assuring +her of his eternal constancy and faith, and receiving some soft +condescensions from her to enable him to support so long an absence as +he in all probability must endure.--All this, I say, was a shock to +thought, which, had he not been relieved from, would have perhaps abated +great part of that spirit which it was necessary for him to preserve, in +order to agree with the recommendatory letters he carried with him. + +He was just going out of the chapel full of unquiet meditations, when +passing by the confessional, a magdalen curiously painted which hung +near it attracted his eyes: as he was admiring the piece, something fell +from above and hit against his arm; he stooped to take it up, and found +it a small ivory tablet: he looked up, but could see the shadow of +nothing behind the grate: imagining it only an accident, and not knowing +to whom to return it, he put it in his pocket, but was no sooner out of +the chapel than curiosity excited him to see what it contained, which he +had no sooner done than in the first leaf he found these words: + + +"As I imagine you did not come this long journey +without a desire to see me, it would be too ungrateful +not to assist your endeavours:--come a little before +vespers, and enquire of the portress for mademoiselle +du Pont;--say you are her brother, and leave the rest to me." + + +There was no name subscribed; but the dear characters, tho' evidently +wrote in haste and with a pencil, which made some alteration in the +fineness of the strokes, convinced him it came from no other than +Charlotta; and never were any hours so tedious to him as those which +past between the receiving this appointment, and that of the +fulfilling it. + +At length the wish'd-for time arrived, and he repaired to the gate, +where telling the portress, as he was ordered, that he was the brother +of mademoiselle du Pont, he was immediately brought into the parlour, +where he had not waited long before a young lady appeared behind the +grate: as he found it was not her he expected, he was a little at a +loss, and not without some apprehensions that his imagination had +deceived him: I know not, madame, said he, if chance has not made me +mistaken for some happier person:--I thought to find a sister here.--No, +replied she laughing, Horatio shall find me a sister in my good +offices;--mademoiselle Charlotta will be here immediately;--she has +counterfeited an indisposition to avoid going to vespers, and obtained +permission for me to stay with her;--so that every thing is right, and +as soon as the choir is gone into chapel you will see her. It would be +needless to repeat the transports Horatio uttered on this occasion, so I +shall only say they were such as convinced mademoiselle du Pont, that +her fair friend had not made this condescension to a man ungrateful for, +or insensible of the obligation. He was indeed so lost in them, that he +scarce remembered to pay those compliments to the lady for her generous +assistance which it merited from him; but she easily forgave any +unpoliteness he might be guilty of on that score; and he so well attoned +for it after he had given vent to the sudden emotions of his joy, that +she looked, upon him as the most accomplished, as well as the most +faithful of his sex. They had entered into some discourse of the rules +of the monastry, and how impossible it would have been for him to have +gained an interview with mademoiselle Charlotta, but by the means she +had contrived;--she told him that young lady had seen him for several +days, and not doubling but it was for her sake he came, had resolved to +run any risque rather than he should depart without obtaining so small a +consolation as the sight of her was capable of affording. Horatio, by +the most passionate expressions, testified how dearly he prized what she +had seemed to think of so little value, when the expected charmer of his +soul drew near the grate.--All that can be conceived of tender and +endearing past between them; but when he related to her the occasion of +his coming, and that change of life he now was entering upon, she +listened to him with a mixture of pleasure and anxiety:--she rejoiced +with him on the great prospects he had in view; but the terror of the +dangers he was plunging in was all her own. She was far, however, from +discouraging him in his designs, and concealed not her admiration of the +greatness of his spirit, and that love of glory which seemed to render +him capable of undertaking any thing. + +But when she heard in what manner her father had treated him, she was +all astonishment: as she knew his temper perfectly well, she was certain +he would not have acted in the manner he did without being influenced to +it by a very strong liking for Horatio; for tho' gratitude for the good +office he had received at his hands might have engaged him to make some +requital, yet there were several expressions which Horatio, who +remembered all he said, with the utmost exactness repeated to her, that +convinced her he would not have made use of, if he had not meant the +person better than he at present would have him think he did; and that +there was in reality nothing restrained him from making them as happy as +their mutual affection could desire, but the pride of blood and the talk +of the world, which the disparity of their present circumstances would +occasion. As she doubted not but the courage and virtue of Horatio would +remove that impediment, by acquiring a promotion sufficient to +countenance his pretensions, she had now no other disquiet than what +arose from her fears for his safety, which she over and over repeated, +conjuring him, in the most tender terms, not to hazard himself beyond +what the duties of his post obliged him to:--this, said she, shall be +the test of my affection to you; for whenever I hear you run yourself +into unnecessary dangers, I will conclude from that moment you have +ceased to remember, or pay any regard to my injunctions or repose. + +Horatio kissed her hand thro' the grate, and told her, he would always +set too great a value on a life she was so good to with the continuance +of, not to take all the care of it that honour would admit; but she +would not give him leave to add any asseverations to this promise, +which, said she, you will every day be tempted to break;--the +enterprizing disposition of the prince you are going to serve, added to +your own sense of glory, will make it very difficult for you not to be +the foremost in following wherever his royal example leads the way:--nor +would I wish you to purchase security by the price of infamy; but as you +go in a manner such as will in all probability place you near his +person, methinks it would be easy for you, by now and then mentioning +the princess Louisa, to rouse in him these soft emotions which might +prevent him from too rashly exposing a life she had so great an +interest in. + +How great a pity was it this tender conversation between two persons who +had so pure a passion for each other, who had been absent for some time, +and who knew not when, or whether ever they should meet again, could not +be indulged with no longer continuance! but now mademoiselle du Pont, +who had been so good as to stand at some little distance, while they +entertained each other, as a watch to give them notice of any +interruption, now warned them that they must part:--divine service was +over, and the abbess and nuns were returning from chapel. + +Short was the farewel the lovers took; mademoiselle Charlotta had told +him it would be highly improper he should run the hazard of a discovery +by coming there a second time, which would probably incense her father +so much, as to convert all the favourable intentions he now might have +towards them into the reverse, and he was therefore oblig'd to content +himself with printing with his lips the seal of his affection on her +hand, which he had scarce done before, on a second motion by +mademoiselle du Pont, she shot suddenly from the place and went to her +chamber, that no suspicions might arise on her being found so well as to +have been able to quit it. + +As he had passed for the brother of mademoiselle du Pont, she stayed +some little time with him: this lady, whom Charlotta in this exigence +had made her confidant, had a great deal of good nature, and seeing the +agony Horatio was in, endeavoured to console him by all the arguments +she thought might have force;--she told him, that in the short time she +had been made partaker of mademoiselle Charlotta's secrets, she had +expressed herself with a tenderness for him, with which he ought to be +satisfied, and that she was convinced nothing would ever be capable of +making the least alteration in her sentiments. + +While she was speaking in this manner, Horatio remembered that he had +not given Charlotta her tablet, which he now took out of his pocket, and +with the same pencil she had made use of, and which was fastened to it, +wrote in the next leaf to that she had employed these words; + + +"I go, most dear, and most adorable Charlotta; +whether to live or die I know not, but which +ever is my portion, the passion I have for you is +rooted in my soul, and will be equally immortal: +life can give no joy but in the hope of being +yours, nor death any terrors but being separated +from you:--O! let nothing ever prevail on +you to forget so perfect an attachment; but in +the midst of all the temptations you may be +surrounded with, think that you have vouch-safed +to encourage my hopes, presuming as they +are, and if once lost to them, what must be the +destiny of + +HORATIO." + + +Having thus poured out some part of the over-flowings of his heart, he +entreated mademoiselle du Pont to give it her, which she assured him she +would not only do, but also be a faithful monitor for him during the +whole time she should be happy enough to enjoy the company of that lady. +Horatio having now fulfilled all his passion required of him, quitted +Rheines the next day, no less impatient to pursue his other +mistress, glory! + +But let us now see in what manner his beautiful sister Louisa, whom we +left at Vienna, was all this while engaged. + + + +CHAP. XII. + +_Continuation of the adventures of Louisa: her quitting Vienna with +Melanthe, and going to Venice, with some accidents that there +befel them_. + +Not all the gaieties of the court of Vienna had power to attach the +heart of Melanthe, after she heard that a great number of young +officers, just returned from the campaign in Italy, and other persons of +condition, were going to Venice, in order to partake the diversions of +the near approaching carnival: she was for following pleasure every +where, and having seen all that was worth observing in Germany, was +impatient to be gone where new company and new delights excited her +curiosity. + +Having therefore obtained proper passports, they set out in company with +several others who were taking the same rout, and by easy journeys thro' +Tyrol, at length arrived at that republic, so famous over all Europe for +its situation, antiquity, and the excellence of its constitution. + +Here seemed to be at this time an assemblage of all that was to be found +of grand and polite in the whole christian world; but none appeared with +that splendor and magnificence as did Lewis de Bourbon, prince of Conti: +he had in his train above fifty noblemen and gentlemen of the best +families in France, who had commissions under him in the army, and +seemed proud to be of his retinue, less for his being of the blood +royal, than for the many great and amiable qualities which adorned his +person. This great hero had been a candidate with Augustus, elector of +Saxony, for the crown of Poland; but the ill genius of that kingdom +would not suffer it to be governed by a prince whose virtues would +doubtless have rendered it as flourishing and happy as it has since that +unfortunate rejection been impoverished and miserable. Bigotted to a +family whose designs are plainly to render the crown hereditary, they +not only set aside that great prince, under the vain and common-place +pretence, that on electing him they might be too much under the +influence of France; but also afterward, as resolved to push all good +fortune from them with both hands, refused Stanislaus, a native of +Poland, a strict observer of its laws, and a man to whose courage, +virtue, and every eminent qualification even envy itself could make no +objection, and thereby rendered their country the seat of war and +theatre of the most terrible devastations of all kinds. But of this +infatuation of the Poles I shall have occasion hereafter to speak more +at large, and should not now have made any mention of it, had not the +presence of that hero, whom they first rejected, rendered it the general +subject of discourse at Venice. Numberless were the instances he gave of +a magnanimity and greatness of mind worthy of a more exalted throne than +that of Poland; but I shall only mention one, which, like the thumb of +Hercules, may serve to give a picture of him in miniature. + +Having the good fortune one night to win a very great sum at a public +gaming, just as he sweep'd the stakes, a noble Venetian, who by some +casualties in life was reduced in his circumstances, could not help +crying out, heavens! how happy would such a chance have made me! these +words, which the extreme difficulties he was under forced from him, +without being sensible himself of what he said, were over-heard by the +prince, who turning hastily about, instead of putting the money into his +own pocket, presented it to him, saying, I am doubly indebted to chance, +sir, which has made me master of this; since it may be of service to +you, I beseech you therefore to accept it with the respects of a prince, +whose greatest pleasure in life is to oblige a worthy person. + +It would take up too much time to expatiate on the grateful +acknowledgments made by the Venetian, or the admiration which the report +of this action being immediately spread, occasioned; but, added to +others of a little less conspicuous nature, it greatly served to +convince those who before were ignorant of it, how blind the Polanders +had been to their own interest. + +Among the concourse of nobility and gentry, whom merely the love of +pleasure had drawn hither, and for that end were continually forming +parties, Melanthe never failed of making one either in one company or +other: Louisa, whom that lady still treated with her former kindness, or +rather with an increase of it, was also seldom absent, and when she was +so, the fault was wholly her own inclination: but in truth, that hurry +of incessant diversion, which at first had seemed so ravishing to her +young and unexperienced mind, began, by a more perfect acquaintance with +it, to grow tiresome to her, and she rather chose sometimes to retire +with a favourite book into her closet, than to go to the most elegant +entertainment. + +It is certain, indeed, that her disposition was rather inclined to +serious than the contrary, and that, joined with the reflections which +her good understanding was perpetually presenting her with, on the +uncertainty of her birth, the precariousness of her dependance, and her +enforced quitting the only person from whom she could expect the means +of any solid establishment in the world, had rendered her sometimes +extremely thoughtful, even in the midst of those pleasures that are +ordinarily most enchanting to one of her sex and age. But as she never +was elated with the respect paid to her supposed condition, so she never +was mortified with the consciousness of her real one, to a behaviour +such as might have degraded the highest birth; neither appearing to +expect it, or be covetous of honours, nor meanly ashamed of accepting +them when offered. And while by this prudent management she secured +herself from any danger of being insulted whenever it should be known +who she was, she also gave no occasion for any one to make too deep an +enquiry into her descent or fortune. + +But now the time was arrived when those deficiencies gave her more +anxiety than hitherto they had done; and love in one moment filled her +with those repinings at her fate, which neither vanity or ambition would +ever have had power to do. + +Melanthe here, as at Vienna, received the visits of all whose birth, +fortune, or accomplishments, gave them a pretence; but there was none +who paid them so frequently, or which she encouraged with so much +pleasure as those of the count de Bellfleur, a French nobleman belonging +to the above-mentioned prince of Conti: she often told Louisa, when they +were alone, that there was something in the air and manner of behaviour +of this count, which had so perfect a resemblance with that of Henricus, +that tho' it reminded her of that once dear and perfidious man, she +could not help admiring and wishing a frequent sight of him. This was +spoke at her first acquaintance with him; but after some little time she +informed her, that he had declared a passion for her. He is not only +like Henricus in his person, said she, but appears to have the same +inclinations also:--he pretends to adore me, continued she with a sigh, +and spares no vows nor presents to assure me of it:--something within +tempts me to believe him, and yet I fear to be a second time betrayed. + +Ah! madam, cried Louisa, in the sincerity of her heart, I beseech you to +be cautious how you too readily give credit to the protestations of a +sex, who, by the little observations I have made, take a pride in +deceiving ours;--besides, the count de Bellfleur is of a nation where +faith, I have heard, is little to be depended on. + +Those who give them that character, replied Melanthe, do them an +infinite injustice:--in politics, I allow, they have their artifices, +their subterfuges, as well as in war; but then they put them in practice +only against their enemies, or such as are likely to become +so:--wherever they love, or have a friendship, their generosity is +beyond all bounds.-- + +She pursued this discourse with a long detail of all she had ever read +or heard in the praise of the French, and did not forget to speak of the +prince of Conti as an instance of the gallant spirit with which that +people are animated. + +Louisa knew her temper, and that it would be in vain to urge any thing +in contradiction to an inclination she found she was resolved to +indulge; but she secretly trembled for the consequence, the count having +said many amorous things to herself before he pretended any passion for +Melanthe; and tho' he had of late desisted on finding how little she was +pleased with them, yet that he had done so was sufficient to convince +her he was of a wavering disposition. Melanthe was not, however, to be +trusted with this secret; she loved him, and jealousy, added to a good +share of vanity, would, instead of engaging any grateful return for a +discovery of that nature, have made her hate the person he had once +thought of as worthy of coming in any competition with herself. She +therefore indeed thought it best not to interfere in the matter, but +leave the event wholly to chance. + +The evening on the day in which this discourse had past between them, +they went to a ball, to which they had been invited by one of the +Magnifico's. The honour of the prince's company had been requested; but +he excused himself on account, as it was imagined, of his being engaged +with a certain German lady, who also being absent, gave room for this +conjecture: most of the gentlemen who had followed his highness from +France were there, among whom was the count de Bellfleur, and a young +gentleman called monsieur du Plessis, who, by a fall from his horse, had +been prevented from appearing in public since his arrival. The +gracefulness of his person, the gallant manner in which he introduced +himself, and the brilliant things he said to the ladies, on having been +so long deprived of the happiness he now enjoyed, very much attracted +the admiration of the company; but Louisa in particular thought she had +never seen any thing so perfectly agreeable: a sympathy of sentiment, +more than accident, made him chuse her for his partner in a grand dance +then leading up; and the distinction now paid her by him gave her a +secret satisfaction, which she had never known before on such an +occasion, tho' often singled out by persons in more eminent stations. + +The mind which, whenever agitated by any degree of pain or pleasure, +never fails to discover itself in the eyes, now sparkled in those of +Louisa with an uncommon lustre, nor had less influence over all her +air:--her motions always perfectly easy, gentle and graceful, especially +in dancing, were now more spirituous, more alert than usual; and she so +much excelled herself, that several, who had before praised her skill in +this exercise, seemed ravished, as if they had seen something new and +unexpected:--her partner was lavish in the testimonies of his +admiration, and said, she as much excelled the ladies of his country, as +they had been allowed to excel all others. + +The encomiums bestowed on her, and more particularly those she received +from him, still added fresh radiance to her eyes, and at the same time +diffused a modest blush in her checks which heightened all her +charms.--Never had she appeared so lovely as at this time; and the count +de Bellfleur, in spight of his attachment to Melanthe, felt in himself a +strong propensity to renew those addresses which her reserved behaviour +alone had made him withdraw and carry to another; but the lady to whom +for some days past he had made a shew of devoting himself was present, +and he was ashamed to give so glaring an instance of his infidelity, +which must in all probability render him the contempt of both. + +This night, however, lost Melanthe the heart she had thought herself so +secure of; but little suspecting her misfortune, she treated the +inconstant count with a tenderness he was far from deserving; and having +transplanted all the affection she once had for Henricus on this new +object, told him, at a time that such discovery was least welcome to +him, that she was not insensible of his merit, nor could be ungrateful +to his passion, provided she could be convinced of the sincerity of it. +He had gone too far with her now to be able to draw back, therefore +could not avoid repeating the vows he before had made, tho' his heart +was far from giving any asient to what his tongue was obliged to utter; +but blinded by her own desires, she perceived not the change in his, and +appointed him to come the next day to her lodgings, promising to be +denied to all other company, that she might devote herself entirely +to him. + +It is possible he was so lost in his passion for Louisa, as not to be +sensible of the condescension made him by Melanthe; but it is certain, +by the sequel of his behaviour, that he was much less so than he +pretended. + +The ball being ended, these ladies carried with them very different +emotions, tho' neither communicated to the other what she felt. Melanthe +had a kind of awe for those virtuous principles she observed in Louisa, +tho' so much her inferior and dependant, and was ashamed to confess her +liking of the count should have brought her to such lengths; not that +she intended to keep it always a secret from her, but chose she should +find it out by degrees; and these thoughts so much engrossed her, that +she said little to her that night. Louisa, for her part, having lost the +presence of her agreeable partner, was busy in supplying that deficiency +with the idea of him; so that each having meditations of her own of the +most interesting nature, had not leisure to observe the thoughtfulness +of the other, much less to enquire the motive of it. + +One of the great reasons that we find love so irresistable, is, that it +enters into the heart with so much subtilty, that it is not to be +perceived till it has gathered too much strength to be repulsed. If +Louisa had imagined herself in any danger from the merits of monsieur du +Plessis, she would at least have been less easily overcome by them:--she +had been accustomed to be pleased with the conversation of many who had +entertained her as he had done, but thought no more of them, or any +thing they said, when out of their company; but it was otherways with +her now: not a word he had spoke, not a glance he had given, but was +imprinted in her mind:--her memory ran over every little action a +thousand and a thousand times, and represented all as augmented with +some grace peculiar to himself, and infinitely superior to any thing she +had ever seen:--not even sleep could shut him out;--thro' her closed +eyes she saw the pleasing vision; and fancy, active in the cause of +love, formed new and various scenes, which to her waking thoughts were +wholly strangers. + +Melanthe also past the night in ideas which, tho' experienced in, were +not less ravishing: she was not of a temper to put any constraint on her +inclinations; and having entertained the most amorous ones for the count +de Bellfleur, easily overcame all scruples that might have hindered the +gratification of them:--her head ran on the appointment she had made +him:--the means she would take to engage his constancy,--resolved to +sell the reversion of her jointure and accompany him to France, and +flattered herself with the most pleasing images of a long series of +continued happiness in the arms of him, who was now all to her that +Henricus ever had been. + +Full of these meditations she rose, and soon after received from the +subject of them a billet, containing these words: + +_To the charming_ MELANTHE. + +MADAM, + +"Tho' the transporting promise you made +me of refusing admittance to all company +but mine, is a new instance of your goodness, +yet I cannot but think we should be still more +secure from interruption at a place I have taken +care to provide. Might I therefore hope you +would vouchsafe to meet me about five in the +evening at the dome of St. Mark, I shall be +ready with a Gondula to conduct you to a recess, +which seems formed by the god of love himself +for the temple of his purest offerings, than which +which none can be offered with greater passion +and sincerity than those of the adorable Melanthe's + +_Most devoted, and +Everlasting Slave_, +DE BELLFLEUR. + +_P.S._. To prevent your fair friend Louisa from +any suspicion on account of being left at +home, I have engaged a gentleman to make +her a visit in form, just before the time of +your coming out:--favour me, I beseech +you, with knowing if my contrivances in +both these points have the sanction of your +approbation." + + +Tho' Melanthe, as may have been already observed in the foregoing part +of her character, was no slave to reputation in England, and thought +herself much less obliged to be so in a place where she was a stranger, +and among people who, when she once quitted, she might probably never +see again, yet she looked on this caution in her lover as a new proof of +his sincerity and regard for her. She was also fond of every thing that +had an air of luxury, and doubted not to find the elegance of the French +taste in the entertainment he would cause to be prepared for her +reception, therefore hesitated not a moment to send him the +following answer: + +_To the engaging count_ DE BELLFLEUR. + +"Sensible, as you are, of the ascendant your +merits have gained over me, you cannot +doubt of my compliance with every thing that seems +reasonable to you:--I will not fail to be +at the place you mention; but oh! my dear +count, I hope you will never give me cause to +repent this step;--if you should, I must be +the most miserable of all created beings; but I +am resolved to believe you are all that man ought +to be, or that fond tenacious woman can desire; +and in that confidence attend with impatience +the hour in which there shall be no more reserve +between us, and I be wholly yours. + +MELANTHE." + + +Thus every thing being fixed for her undoing, she spent the best part of +the day in preparing for the rendezvous: nothing was omitted in the +article of dress, which might heighten her charms and secure her +conquest:--the glass was consulted every moment, and every look and +various kind of languishment essayed, in order to continue in that which +she thought would most become the occasion. As she ordinarily past a +great deal of time in this employment, Louisa was not surprized that she +now wasted somewhat more than usual; and the discourse they had together +while she was dressing, and all the time of dinner, being very much on +the ball and the company who were at it, her thoughts were so much taken +up with the remembrance of du Plessis, that she perceived not the hurry +of spirits which would else have been visible enough to her in all the +words and motions of the other, and which increased in proportion as the +hour of her appointment drew nearer. + +At length it arrived, and a servant came into the room and acquainted +Louisa a gentleman desired to speak with her; she was a little +surprized, it being usual for all those who visited there to expect +their reception from Melanthe; but that lady, who doubted not but it was +the same person the count had mentioned in his letter, prevented her +from saying any thing, by immediately giving orders for the gentleman to +be admitted. + +But with what strange emotions was the heart of Louisa agitated, when +she saw monsieur du Plessis come into the room! and after paying his +respects to Melanthe in the most submissive manner, accosted her, with +saying he took the liberty of enquiring of her health after the fatigue +of the last night; but, added he, the question, now I have the happiness +of seeing you, is altogether needless; those fine eyes, and that +sprightly air, declare you formed for everlasting gaiety, and that what +is apt to throw the spirits of others into a languor, serves but to +render yours more sparkling. + +Louisa, in spite of the confusion she felt within, answered this +compliment with her accustomed ease; and being all seated, they began to +enter into some conversation concerning the state with which the +Magnifico's of Venice are served, the elegance with which they entertain +strangers, and some other topics relating to the customs of that +republic, when all on a sudden Melanthe starting up, cried, bless me! I +had forgot a little visit was in my head to make to a monastery hard +by:--you will excuse me, monsieur, continued she, I leave your partner +to entertain you, and fancy you two may find sufficient matter of +conversation without a third person. She had no sooner spoke this than +she went out of the room, and left Louisa at a loss how to account for +this behaviour, as she had not before mentioned any thing of going +abroad. She would have imagined her vanity had been picqued that +monsieur du Plessis had particularized her in this visit; but as she +seemed in perfect good humour at going away, and knew she thought it +beneath her to put any disguise on her sentiments, she was certain this +sudden motion must have proceeded from some other cause, which as yet +she could form no conjecture of. + +This deceived lady, however, was no sooner out of the room, than +monsieur du Plessis drawing nearer to Louisa, how hard is my fate, +madame, said he, in a low voice, that I am compelled to tell you any +other motive than my own inclination has occasioned my waiting on +you:--heaven knows it is an honour I should have sought by the lowest +submissions, and all the ways that would not have rendered me unworthy +of it; but I now come, madame, not as myself, but as the ambassador of +another, and am engaged by my word and honour to plead a cause which, if +I succeed in, must be my own destruction. + +Louisa was in the utmost consternation at the mystery which seemed +contained in these words: she looked earnestly upon him while he was +uttering the latter part, and saw all the tokens of a serious perplexity +in his countenance, as well as in the accents with which he delivered +them; but not being willing to be the dupe of his diversion, thought it +best to answer as to a piece of railery, and told him, laughing, she +imagined this was some new invention of the frolics of the season, but +that she was a downright English-woman, understood nothing beyond plain +speaking, and could no ways solve the riddle he proposed. + +What I say, may doubtless appear so, madame; replied she, and I could +wish it had not been my part to give the explanation; but I cannot +dispense with the promise I have made, and must therefore acquaint you +with the history of it. + +After the ball, continued he, monsieur the count de Bellfleur desired me +to accompany him to his lodgings, and, as soon as we were alone, told +me, he had a little secret to acquaint me with, but that, before he +revealed it, he must have the promise of my assistance. As he spoke this +with a gay and negligent air, I imagined it a thing of no great +consequence, or if it were, he was a man of too much honour, and also +knew me too well to desire or expect I would engage in any thing +unbecoming that character: indeed I could think of nothing but an amour +or a duel, tho' I was far from being able to guess of what service I +could be to him in the former. I was, however, unwarily drawn in to give +my word, and he then made me the confident of a passion, which, he said, +had received its birth from the first moment he beheld the Belle +Angloise, for by that term, pursued he, bowing, he distinguished the +adorable Louisa: that he had made some discovery of his flame, but that +finding; himself rejected, as he thought, in too severe a manner, and +without affording him opportunity to attest his sincerity, he had +converted his addresses, tho' not his passion, to a lady who, he +perceived, had the care of her, acting in this manner, partly thro' +picque at your disdain, and partly to gratify his eyes with the sight of +you, which he has reason to fear you had totally deprived him of but for +this stratagem. He confessed to me that he found the object of his +pretended ardours infinitely more kind than she who inspires the real +ones: but this gratification of his vanity is of little consequence to +his peace;--he engaged me to attend you this day, to conjure you to +believe his heart is incapable of being influenced by any other charms, +and whatever he makes shew of to Melanthe, his heart is devoted wholly +to you,--begs you to permit him to entertain you without the presence of +that lady, the means of which he will take care to contrive; and charged +me to assure you, that there is no sacrifice so great, but he will +readily offer it to convince you of the sincerity of his attachment. + +This, madame, added he, is the unpleasing task my promise bound me to +perform, and which I have acquitted myself of with the same pain that +man would do who, by some strange caprice of fate, was constrained to +throw into the sea the sum of all his hopes. + +The indignation which filled the virtuous foul of Louisa, while he was +giving her this detail of the count's presumption, falsehood, and +ingratitude, prevented her from giving much attention to the apology +with which he concluded. Never, since the behaviour of mr. B----n at +mrs. C--g--'s, had she met with any thing that she thought so much +merited her resentment:--so great was her disdain she had not words to +express it, but by some tears, which the rising passion forced from her +eyes:--Heaven! cried she, which of my actions has drawn on me this +unworthy treatment?--This was all she was able to utter, while she +walked backward and forward in the room endeavouring to compose herself, +and form some answer befitting of the message. + +Monsieur du Plessis looked on her all this while with admiration: all +that seemed lovely in her, when he knew no more of her than that she was +young and beautiful, was now heightened in his eyes almost to divine, by +that virtuous pride which shewed him some part of her more charming +mind. What he extremely liked before, he now almost adored; and having, +by the loose manner in which the count had mentioned these two English +ladies, imagined them women of not over-rigid principles, now finding +his mistake, at least as concerning one of them, was so much ashamed and +angry with himself for having been the cause of that disorder he was +witness of, that he for some moments was equally at a loss to appease, +as she who felt was to express it. + +But being the first that recovered presence of mind; madame, I beseech +you, said he, involve not the innocent with the guilty:--I acknowledge +you have reason to resent the boldness of the count; but I am no +otherwise a sharer in his crime than in reporting it; and if you knew +the pain it gave my heart while I complied with the promise I was +unhappily betrayed into, I am sure you would forgive the misdemeanor of +my tongue. + +Sir, answered she, I can easily forgive the slight opinion one so much a +stranger to me as yourself may have of me; but monsieur the count has +been a constant visitor to the lady I am with, ever since our arrival at +Venice; and am very certain he never found any thing in my behaviour to +him or any other person, which could justly encourage him to send me +such a message:--a message, indeed, equally affrontive to himself, since +it shews him a composition of arrogance, vanity, perfidy, and every +thing that is contemptible in man.--This, sir, is the reply I send him, +and desire you to tell him withal, that if he persists in giving me any +farther trouble of this nature, I shall let him know my sense of it in +the presence of Melanthe. + +Monsieur du Plessis then assured her he would be no less exact in +delivering what she said, than he had been in the observance of his +promise to the other, and conjured her to believe he should do it with +infinite more satisfaction. He then made use of so many arguments to +prove, that a man of honour ought not to falsify his word, tho' given to +an unworthy person, that she was at last won to forgive his having +undertaken to mention any thing to her of the nature he had done. + +Indeed, the agitations she had been in were more owing to the vexation +that monsieur du Plessis was the person employed, than that the count +had the boldness to apply to her in this manner; but the submission she +found herself treated with by the former, convincing her that he had +sentiments very different from those the other had entertained of her, +rendered her more easy, and she not only forgave his share in the +business which had brought him there, but also permitted him to repeat +his visits, on condition he never gave her any cause to suspect the mean +opinion the count had of her conduct had any influence on him. + + + +CHAP. XIII. + +_Louisa finds herself very much embarrassed by Melanthe's imprudent +behaviour. Monsieur du Plessis declares an honourable passion for her: +her sentiments and way of acting on that occasion_. + +After the departure of monsieur du Plessis, Louisa fell into a serious +consideration of what had passed between them: not all the regard, which +she could not hinder herself from feeling for that young gentleman, nor +the pleasure she took in reflecting on the respect he paid her, made her +unmindful of what she owed Melanthe: the many obligations she had +received from her, and the friendship she had for her in return, made +her think she ought to acquaint her with the baseness of the count de +Bellfleur, in order to prevent an affection which she found she had +already too much indulged from influencing her to grant him any farther +favours; but this she knew was a very critical point to manage, and was +not without some apprehensions, which afterward she experienced were but +too well grounded; that when that lady found herself obliged to hate the +man she took pleasure in loving, she would also hate the woman who was +the innocent occasion of it. Few in the circumstances Louisa was, but +would have been swayed by this consideration, and chose rather to see +another become the prey of perfidy and deceit, than fall the victim of +jealousy herself; but the generosity of her nature would not suffer it +to have any weight with her, and she thought she could be more easy +under any misfortunes the discovery might involve her in, than in the +consciousness of not having discharged the obligations of duty and +gratitude in revealing what seemed so necessary to be known. + +With this resolution, finding Melanthe was not come home, she went into +her chamber in order to wait her return, and relate the whole history to +her as she should undress for bed. But hour after hour elapsing without +any appearance of the person she expected, she thought to beguile the +tedious time by reading; and remembering that Melanthe had a very +agreeable book in her hand that morning, she opened a drawer, where she +knew that lady was accustomed to throw any thing in, which she had no +occasion to conceal; but how great was her surprise when, instead of +what she sought, she found the letter from count de Bellfleur which +Melanthe, in the hurry of spirits, had forgot to lock up. As it lay open +and was from him, she thought it no breach of honour to examine the +contents, but in doing so was ready to faint away between grief and +astonishment. + +She was not insensible that Melanthe was charmed with this new lover, +and had always feared her liking him would sway her to some +imprudencies, but could not have imagined it would have carried her, at +least so soon, to such a guilty length as she now found it did. + +Convinced by the hour in which she went out, and alone, that she had +complied with the appointment, and that all she would have endeavoured +to prevent was already come to pass, she now considered that the +discovery she had to make would only render this indiscreet lady more +unhappy, and therefore no longer thought herself obliged to run any +risque of incuring her ill-will on the occasion; but in her soul +extremely lamented this second fall from virtue, which it was impossible +should not bring on consequences equally, if not more shameful than +the first. + +Good God! cried she, how is it possible for a woman of any share of +sense, and who has been blessed with a suitable education, to run thus +counter to all the principles of religion, honour, virtue, modesty, and +all that is valuable in our sex? and yet that many do, I have been a +melancholy witness:--and then again, what is there in this love, resumed +she, that so infatuates the understanding, that we doat on our +dishonour, and think ruin pleasing?--Can any personal perfections in a +man attone for the contempt he treats us with in courting us to +infamy!--the mean opinion he testifies to have of us sure ought rather +to excite hate than love; our very pride, methinks, should be a +sufficient guard, and turn whatever favourable thoughts we might have of +such a one, unknowing his design, into aversion, when once convinced he +presumed upon our weakness. + +In these kind of reasonings did she continue some time; but reflecting +that the trouble she was in might put Melanthe on asking the cause, it +seemed best to her to avoid seeing her that night, so retired to her own +room and went to bed, ordering the servants to tell their lady, in case +she enquired for her, that she was a little indisposed. + +While Louisa was thus deploring a misfortune she wanted power to remedy, +the person for whom she was concerned past her time in a far different +manner: the count omitted nothing that might convince her of his +gallantry, and give her a pretence for flattering herself with his +sincerity:--he swore ten thousand oaths of constancy, and she easily +gave credit to what she wished and had vanity enough to think she +merited:--he had prepared every thing that could delight the senses for +her reception at the house to which he carried her; and she found in +herself so little inclination to quit the pleasures she enjoyed, that it +was as much as the little remains of decency and care of reputation +could do, to make her tear herself away before midnight. + +In the fullness of her heart she had doubtless concealed no part of this +adventure from Louisa, but on hearing she was gone to rest, and not very +well, would not disturb her. The first thing she did in the morning was +to run into the chamber and enquire after her health, which she did in +so affectionate and tender a manner, that it very much heightened the +other's trouble for her. + +It is certain that, setting aside too loose a way of thinking of virtue +and religion, and adhering to that false maxim, that a woman of rank is +above censure, Melanthe had many amiable qualities, and as she truly +loved Louisa, was alarmed at her supposed indisposition, which, to +conceal the perplexity her mind was in, she still continued to +counterfeit, as well as to avoid going to a masquerade, to which they +had some days before been invited, and which the present situation of +her thoughts left her no relish for. + +Melanthe would fain have perswaded her that this diversion would +contribute to restoring her; but she entreated to be excused, and the +other went without her. + +Monsieur du Plessis in the mean time having informed the count de +Bellfleur, how much it was in vain for him to flatter himself with any +hopes of Louisa, that proud and inconstant nobleman was extremely +mortified, and said, that since she was so haughty, he was resolved to +contrive some way or other to get her into his power, as well out of +revenge as inclination. This, the other represented to him, would be a +very ungenerous way of proceeding; and said, that as she refused his +addresses merely out of a principle of virtue, and not for the sake of a +more favoured rival, he ought to content himself; but these arguments +were lost on a man whom pride of blood, and an affluence of fortune, had +rendered too insolent and head-strong to think any thing reason which +opposed his will; and they parted not well satisfied with each other, +tho' du Plessis concealed part of the dislike he had of his principles +and manner of behaviour, on account of a long friendship between their +families, and also as the count was his superior in birth, in years, and +in the post he held in the army. + +He had no sooner left him than he came to Louisa, thinking it his duty +to give her warning of the count's design, and that it would be a proper +prelude to something else he had to say. As the servants knew she was +not perfectly well, they told him, they believed she would see no +company; but on his entreating it, and saying he had something of moment +to impart, one of them went in and repeated what he had said, on which +she gave leave for his admission. + +He rejoiced to find her alone, as he came prepared to reveal to her more +secrets than that of the count's menace; but the pleasure he took in +having so favourable an opportunity was very much damped, by seeing her +look more pale than usual, and that she was in a night-dress. Fearful +that this change proceeded from what had passed between them the day +before, he asked with a hastiness, that shewed the most kind concern, if +she were well. No otherways disordered, answered she, than in my mind, +and that not sufficiently to have any effect over my health; but to +confess the truth, monsieur, said she, the continual round of diversion +this carnival affords, has made what the world calls pleasure, cease to +be so with me; and I find more solid satisfaction in retirement, where I +am in no danger of being too much flattered or affronted. + +Ah! madam, cried he, I see the audacity of the count dwells too much +upon your thoughts, and tremble to relate the business on which I came, +and which it is yet necessary you should know. You mistake me, monsieur, +replied she; a common foe of virtue, such as the count, is incapable of +taking up my thoughts one moment; it is only those I love can give me +real pain. + +I understand you, madam, resumed he, and am too much interested in your +concern not to simpathize on the occasion: the misfortunes, such as I +fear will attend the too great sensibility of Melanthe, may give you so +terrible an idea of love in general, that it will be difficult to +persuade you there can be any lasting happiness to be found in that +passion:--but, charming Louisa, continued he, if you will make the least +use of your penetration, and examine with a desire of being convinced, +you will easily distinguish the real passion from the counterfeit: that +love, whose supremest pleasure is in being capable to give felicity to +the beloved object; and that wild desire, which aims at no more than a +self-gratification:--the one has the authority of heaven for its +sanction;--the other no excuse but nature in its depravity. From all +attempts of the one, I am confident, your virtue and good sense will +always defend you; but to fly with too great obstinacy the other, is not +to answer the end of your creation; and deny yourself a blessing, which +you seem formed to enjoy in the most extensive degree. + +Both the voice and manner in which monsieur du Plessis spoke, gave +Louisa some suspicion of what he aimed at in this definition, and filled +her at the same time with emotions of various kinds; but dissembling +them as well as she could, and endeavouring to turn what he said into +raillery, you argue very learnedly on this subject, it must be +confessed, answered she smiling; but all you can urge on that head, nor +the compliment you make me, can win me to believe that love of any kind +is not attended with more mischief than good:--where it is accompanied +with the strictest honour, constancy, purity, and all the requisites +that constitute what is called a perfect passion, there are ordinarily +so many difficulties in the way to the completion of its wishes, that +the breast which harbours it must endure a continual agitation, which +surely none would chuse to be involved in. + +Ah! madam, how little are you capable of judging of this passion, said +he; there is a delicacy in love which renders even its pains pleasing, +and how much soever a lover suffers, the thoughts of for whom he suffers +is more than a compensation; I am myself an instance of this truth:--I +am a lover:--conscious unworthiness of a suitable return of affection, +and a thousand other impediments lie between me and hope, yet would I +not change this dear anxiety for that insipid case I lived in before I +saw the only object capable of making me a convert to love.--It is +certain my passion is yet young; but a few days has given it root which +no time, no absence, no misfortune ever can dislodge.--The charming maid +is ignorant of her conquest:--the carnival draws near to a +conclusion.--I must return to the army, and these cruel circumstances +oblige me either to make a declaration which she may possibly condemn as +too abrupt, or go and leave her unknowing of my heart, and thereby +deprive myself even of her pity:--Which party, madam, shall I +take?--Will the severe extreme, to which I am driven, be sufficient to +attone for a presumption which else would merit her disdain? + +Louisa must have been as dull as she was really the contrary, not to +have known all this was meant to herself; and the pleasing confusion +which this discovery infused thro' all her veins, made her at the same +time sensible of the difference she put between him and all those who +before had entertained her on that subject; but not knowing presently +whether she ought to attribute it to her good or ill fortune, she was +wholly at a loss how to behave, and, to avoid giving any direct answer, +still affected an air of pleasantry. + +See, cried she, the little reason you, have to speak in the praise of +love; for if pity be all you have to hope for from your, mistress, I am +afraid the consolation will be no way adequate to the misfortune. + +Yet if you vouchsafe me that, replied he, kissing her hard, I never +shall complain. Me! interrupted she, pretending the utmost astonishment, +and drawing her chair somewhat farther from him. Yes, beautiful Louisa, +resumed he; it is you alone who have been capable of teaching me what +love truly is:--your eyes, at first sight, subdued my heart; but your +virtue has since made a conquest of my soul:--if I dare hope to make you +mine, it is only by such ways as heaven, and those who have the power of +disposing you, shall approve:--in the mean time I implore no more than +your permission to admire you, and to convince you, by all the +honourable services in my power to do you while you continue here, how +much my words are deficient to denote my meaning. + +Louisa, now finding herself under a necessity of answering seriously, +told him, that if it were true that he had sentiments for her of the +nature he pretended, they would not only merit, but receive the most +grateful acknowledgments on her part; but at the same time she should be +sorry he had entertained them, and would wish him not to indulge a +prospect which could last no longer than while both remained in Venice, +and must infallibly vanish on their separation. + +No, madam, replied he, when the next campaign is over, I shall return to +France; and sure the distance between that kingdom and England is not so +great, but a less motive than yourself would easily carry me thither; +and such credentials also of who, and what I am, as, I flatter myself, +would not appear contemptible in the eyes of your friends:--the prospect +therefore is not so visionary as you seem to think, provided I have +your consent. + +The mention he made of her friends reminding her of her destitute +condition, gave her the utmost shock; which not being able to overcome, +she remained silent some moments; but at last perceiving he waited her +reply, monsieur, said she, there may be a thousand indissoluble bars +between us which you do not think of. + +None, interrupted he eagerly, but what such love as mine will easily +surmount:--it is true, I am ignorant of your condition in the world; but +if it be superior to mine, the passion I am possessed of will inspire me +with means to raise me to an equality; and if inferior, which heaven +grant may be the case, it will only give the opportunity of proving that +I love Louisa for Louisa's self, and look upon every thing she brings +beside as nothing. + +The emphasis he gave these words manifesting their sincerity, could not +but give new charms to the person who spoke them: Louisa thought she +might, without a blush, testify the sense she had of his generosity; but +tho' what she said was perfectly obliging to him, yet she concluded with +letting him know, there still was something that rendered the +accomplishment of what he seemed to wish impossible. + +Then your heart already is engaged, cried he, or you are predestined by +your parents to some happier man? Without either of these, answered she, +there may be reasons to prevent our ever meeting more;--therefore I owe +so much to the honourable offers you are pleased to make me, as to wish +you to overcome whatever inclinations you may have for one who I once +more assure you never can be yours. + +It would be impossible to express the distraction monsieur du Plessis +testified at this expression:--a thousand times over did he repeat that +dreadful word NEVER;--then added, neither engaged by love or promise, +yet never can be mine! does my ill fate come wrap'd to me in +riddles!--yet many things have seemed impossible that are not so in +themselves:--O Louisa! continued he, if there be any thing beside my +want of merit that impedes my wishes, and you delight not in my torment, +speak it I conjure you. + +There is a necessity of denying you in this also, said Louisa; but to +shew you how little I am inclined to be ungrateful, be certain that I +have the highest idea of your merits, and prize them as much as I +ought to do. + +These last words, obliging as they were, could not console monsieur du +Plessis for the cruelty, as he termed it, of refusing to let him know +what this invincible obstacle was which put a stop to any further +correspondence between them: he spared neither prayers nor tears to draw +the secret from her, but all were ineffectual; and she at last told him, +that if he pressed her any farther on that head, she must for the future +avoid his presence. + +This was a menace which he had not courage to dare the execution of, and +he promised to conform to her will, tho' with such agonies, as shewed +her how much he valued even the little she was pleased to grant; but it +was not in the power of her perswasions to prevail on him to resolve to +make any efforts for the vanquishing his passion; he still protested +that he neither could cease to love her, and her alone, nor even to wish +an alteration in his sentiments. + +By what has been already said of the extreme liking which the first +fight of this young gentleman inspired Louisa with, it may easily be +supposed she could not hear his complaints, and be witness of the +anxieties she was enforced to inflict on him, without feeling at least +an equal share: she endeavoured not to conceal the pity she had for him; +but he now found that was far from being all he wanted, because it +forwarded not, as he at first imagined, the progress of his hopes, but +rather shewed them at more distance than ever. + +The business of his love so engrossed his thoughts during this visit, +that he almost forgot to mention any thing of the count's designs upon +her, and she as little remembered to remind him of it, tho' he told her +on his entrance, that he had something to acquaint her with on his +subject, and it was not till he was going to take leave that it came +into his head. When he had related it to her, she assured him that she +took the caution he gave her as a new proof of his friendship, which, +said she, I shall always prize. At parting, she permitted him to salute +her, and gave her promise not to refuse seeing him while they continued +in that city; but told him at the same time, that he must not expect any +thing from his repeated visits more than she had already granted. + +He durst not at that time press her any farther, but fetched a deep sigh +as he went out of the room, accompanied with a look more expressive than +any words could be of the discontent he laboured under, while she, +oppressed beneath the double weight of his and her own grief, remained +in a condition he was little able to form any conjecture of. + +Pleased as she was with the presence of the only man who had ever had +power of inspiring her with one tender thought, yet a thousand times she +had wished him gone before he went, that she might be at liberty to give +vent to the struggling passions which were more than once ready to throw +her into a swoon. The perfections she saw in the person of her +lover;--the respect he treated her with, notwithstanding the violence of +the passion he was possessed of;--the sincerity that appeared in all his +looks and words;--the generosity of his behaviour in regard to her +fortune;--all the qualifications that would have made any other woman +blessed in the offer of such a heart, served but to make her wretched, +since she could not look on herself in a condition capable of +accepting it. + +Alas! du Plessis, cried she, little do you think to whom you would ally +yourself:--you would, you say, despise a portion, but would you marry a +foundling, a child of charity, one that has neither name nor friends, +and who, in her best circumstances, is but a poor dependant, a servant +in effect, tho' not in shew, and owes her very cloaths to the bounty of +another?--Oh! why did the mistaken goodness of Dorilaus give me any +other education than such as befitted my wretched fortune! Better I had +been bred an humble drudge, and never been taught how to distinguish +merit:--What avail the accomplishments that cost him so much money, and +me so much pains to acquire, but to attract a short-liv'd admiration, +which, when I am truly known, will be succeeded with an adequate +derision:--Could I but say I was descended from honest, tho' mean +parents, I would not murmur at my fate, but I have none,--none to own +me;--I am a nothing,--a kind of reptile in humanity, and have been shewn +in a genteel way of life only to make my native misery more conspicuous. + +Thus did love represent her unhappy circumstances in their worst +colours, and render her, which till now she had never been, thankless to +heaven for all the good she had received, since it seemed to deny her +the only good her passion coveted, that of being in a condition to +reward the affection of her dear du Plessis. + +A torrent of tears at length somewhat mitigated the violence of her +passion, and unwilling to be seen by Melanthe in the present confusion +of her thoughts, she went to bed, leaving the same orders as she had +done the night before. + + + +CHAP. XIV. + +_The base designs of the count de Bellfleur occasion a melancholy change +in Louisa's way of life; the generous behaviour of monsieur du Plessis +on that occasion._ + +Had the agonies Louisa suffered been of very long continuance, she must +have sunk under them; but grief is easily dissipated in a young heart, +and she awoke more tranquil.--The principles of religion grew stronger +as her passion weaker, and she reflected that she ought to submit in +every thing to the will of heaven, which sometimes converts what seems +the greatest evil into good.--The offer of such a match as monsieur du +Plessis, a man she loved, and who was master of accomplishments which +might excuse the most violent passion, appeared indeed a happiness she +would have gloried in had she been really such as he took her for; but +then she had known him but a very short time, had no experience of his +principles or humour; and tho' he seemed all honour, could not assure +herself that the generosity which so much engaged her might not be all +artifice; at least she found to think so would most contribute to her +ease, therefore indulged it as much as she was able. She condemned +herself for having given monsieur du Plessis permission to continue his +visits, after having assured him he had nothing to hope from them, +because a further conversation might only serve to render both more +unhappy. She resolved however to give him no opportunity of talking to +her of his passion, and in order to avoid thinking of it herself as much +as possible, to go, as usual, into all company that came to Melanthe, +and partake of every diversion that offered itself. + +Accordingly she forced herself to a gaiety, she was far from feeling, +vainly imagining that by counterfeiting a chearfulness, she should in +time be able to resume it; but du Plessis hung too heavy at her heart, +and when she affected the greatest shew of mirth, it was often +interrupted with sighs, which she was not always sensible of herself. He +visited her almost every day under one pretence or other; but she took +such care never to be alone at the times that she could possibly expect +him, that he had not the least opportunity to renew his addresses, any +otherways than by his looks, which, notwithstanding, were perfectly +intelligible to her, tho' she seemed not to observe them. + +Melanthe, no longer able to keep the secret of her amour, finding +Louisa, as she thought, had entirely regained her former sprightliness, +acquainted her with all had passed between herself and count de +Bellfleur; which, tho' the other was no stranger to, she seemed +astonished at, and could not help telling her, that she feared the +consequence of an intrigue of that nature would one day be fatal to her +peace. Yet, said Melanthe, where one loves, and is beloved, it is hard +to deny oneself a certain happiness for the dread of an imaginary +ill.--In fine, my dear Louisa, I found I could not live without him; and +heaven will sure excuse the error of an inclination which is born with +us, and which not all our reason is of force to conquer.--But, added +she, you always seem to speak of the count, as of a man that wanted +charms to excuse the tenderness I have for him; and, I have observed, +deny him those praises which I have heard you bestow very freely on +persons that have not half his merit. + +Louisa knowing how vain it was to contest with inclination, in persons +who are resolved to indulge it, and also that all advice was now too +late, began to repent of what she said. If, madam, replied she, after a +little pause, I have seemed unjust to the count's perfections, it was +only because I feared you were but too sensible of them; for otherwise, +it must be owned, he has a person and behaviour extremely engaging; but +as the carnival will put an end to all the acquaintance we have +contracted here, it gives me pain to think how you will support a +separation. + +Perhaps it may not happen so soon as you imagine, said Melanthe:--tho' +the carnival, and with it all the pleasures of this place will soon be +over, our loves may be continued elsewhere:--suppose, Louisa, we go to +France, added she with a significant smile, that shewed it was her +intention to do so. + +Some company coming in, prevented any farther discourse on this head for +the present; but afterward she confirmed what she had now hinted at, and +told Louisa, that she had resolved to pass some little time in seeing +those places which were in her way to France, and afterwards meet the +count at Paris, on his return from the campaign. Louisa, unable to +determine within herself whether she ought to rejoice, or be sad at this +intended journey, fell into a sudden thoughtfulness, which the other at +that time took no notice of, but it served afterwards to corroborate the +truth of something she was told, and proved of consequence little to +be foreseen. + +The inconstant count, in the mean time, satieted with Melanthe, and as +much in love with Louisa as a man of his temper could be, was contriving +all the ways his inventive wit could furnish him with to get handsomely +rid of the one, and attain the enjoyment of the other. As he had spent +many years in a continual course of gallantry, and had made and broke a +thousand engagements, he easily found expedients for throwing off his +intercourse with Melanthe, but none that could give him the least +prospect of success in his designs on Louisa while they lived together +and continued friends: to part them therefore was his aim, and to +accomplish it the following method came into his head. + +On his first acquaintance with these ladies his design was wholly on +Louisa, but meeting a rebuff from her, his vanity rather than his +inclinations had made him turn his devoirs to Melanthe, who too easily +yielding to his suit, served but to heighten his desires for the other: +the extravagant fondness of that unhappy woman rendering her visibly +uneasy at even the ordinary civilities she saw him behave with to any +other, discovered to him that jealousy was not the least reigning foible +of her foul, and the surest means to make her hate that person whom it +was not the interest of his passion she should continue to love. When +they were alone together one day at the place of their usual rendezvous, +in the midst of the most tender endearments, he asked suddenly if she +had ever made Louisa the confident of his happiness. She was a little +surprized at the question, but answered that she had not, and desired to +know the reason of that demand; because, cried he, I am very certain she +is no friend to our loves; and by the manner in which she behaves to me, +whenever she has the least opportunity of shewing her ill humour, I +imagined she either knew or suspected the affair between us. + +Melanthe, conscious she had hid nothing from her, and also sensible of +the little approbation she gave to her intrigue, was very much picqued +that she should have done any thing to make the count perceive +it;--whatever she suspects, cried she, haughtily, she ought not to treat +with any ill manners a person whom I avow a friendship for. Vanity, +answered he, sometimes gets the better of discretion in ladies of her +years:--she knows herself handsome, and cannot have a good opinion of +the man who prefers any charms to her own.--I imagine this to be the +cause why she looks on me with such disdain, and, whenever you are not +witness of her words, is so keen in satyrical reflections.--On our first +acquaintance she looked and spoke with greater softness, and I can +impute it to no other motive than the pride of beauty, that this sudden +change has happened. + +All the time he was speaking, the soul of Melanthe grew more and more +fired with jealousy.--It is natural for every one to imagine whatever +they like is agreeable to others. The distaste which Louisa had on many +occasions testified for the count, seemed now to have been only +affected:--the melancholy she had been in, and the deep resvery she +remembered she had fallen into when first she informed her of their +amour, joined to convince her, that the advice she gave proceeded from a +motive very different from what she pretended. + +The wily count saw into the workings of her soul; and while he seemed as +if he would not discover the whole of his sentiments for fear of +disobliging her, threw out the plainest hints, that Louisa had made him +advances which would have been very flattering to a heart not +pre-engaged, till Melanthe, not able to contain her rage, broke out into +the fevered invectives against the innocent Louisa.--The ungrateful +wretch! cried she, how dare she presume to envy, much less to offer an +interruption to my pleasures!--What, have I raised the little wretch to +such a forgetfulness of herself, that she pretends to rival her mistress +and benefactress! In the height of her resentment, she related to the +count in what manner she had taken her into her service; but that +finding her, as she imagined, a girl of prudence, she had made her a +companion during her travels, and as such treated her with respect, and +made others do so too;--but, said she, I will reduce her to what she +was, and since she knows not how to prize the honour of my friendship, +make her feel the severities of servitude. + +Nothing could be more astonishing, and at the same time more pleasing to +count Bellfleur than this discovery: what he felt for Louisa could not +be called love, he desired only to enjoy her; and the knowledge of her +meanness, together with Melanthe's resentment, which he doubted not but +he should be able to improve to the turning her out of doors, made him +imagine she would then be humbled enough to accept of any, offers he +might make her. + +Pursuant to this cruel aim, he told Melanthe, that now not thinking +himself under any obligation to conceal the whole of the affair, he must +confess Louisa had not only made him advances, but gone so far as to +discover a very great passion for him.--As I had never, said he, given +her the least room to hope I was ambitious of any favours from her of +that nature, I could not help thinking she was guilty of some +indecencies ill-becoming a woman of condition, as well as infidelity to +her friendship for you, whom she might well see I adored:--but alas! I +little suspected the obligations she had to you, and now I know what she +is, am in the utmost consternation at her ingratitude, impudence and +stupidity. Heavens! added he, could she have the vanity to imagine that +the genteel garb you had put her in, could raise her to such an +equality, as to make me hesitate one moment if I should give the balance +of merit on her side, and quit the amiable Melanthe for the pert charms +of her woman? + +Melanthe, believing every thing he said on this occasion, was ready to +burst with indignation; which impatient to give vent to, parted from her +lover much sooner than she was accustomed, in order to wreak on the poor +Louisa all that rage and malice could suggest. + +That innocent maid, little suspecting the misfortune that was falling on +her, was at ombre with some ladies who came to visit them, when the +furious Melanthe came home, and taking this opportunity of heightening +her intended revenge by making it more public,--so, minx, said she to +her, after having made her compliments to the company, you ape the woman +of fashion exceeding well, as you imagine; but hereafter know yourself, +and keep the distance that becomes you. With these words she gave her a +push from the table in so rough a manner, that the cards fell out of +her hand. + +It is hard to say whether Louisa herself, or the ladies who were +present, were most astonished at this behaviour; every one looked one +upon another without speaking for some time: at last Louisa, who wanted +not spirit, and on this occasion testified an uncommon presence of +mind,--if I have seemed otherways than what I am, madam, said she, it +was your commands obliged me to it:--I never yet forgot myself, and +shall as readily resume what distance you are pleased to enjoin me. +Insolent, ungrateful wretch, cried Melanthe, vexed to the soul to find +her seem so little shocked at what she had done, if I permitted you any +liberties, it was because I thought you merited them;--but get out of my +sight, and dare not to come into it again till I send for you. I shall +obey you, madam, replied Louisa, and perhaps be as well pleased to be +your servant as companion. + +This resignation and seeming tranquility under an insult, she expected +would have been so mortifying, was the greatest disappointment could be +given to Melanthe, and increased her rage to such a degree, that she +flew to her as she was going out of the room, and struck her several +blows, using at the same time expressions not decent to repeat, but +such, as in some unguarded moments, women of quality level themselves +with the vulgar enough to be guilty of. This is a behaviour, madam, +which demeans yourself much more than me, said Louisa, and when reason +gets the better of your passion, I doubt not but you will be just enough +to acknowledge you have injured me. + +She got out of the room with these words, but heard Melanthe still +outrageous in her reproaches; but determined not to answer, made what +haste she could into her own chamber, where having shut herself in, she +gave a loose to the distraction so unexpected an event must +naturally occasion. + +Pride is a passion so incident to human nature, that there is no breast +whatever that has not some share of it; and it would be to describe +Louisa such as no woman ever was, or ever can be, especially at her +years, to say she was not sensibly touched at the indignity she had +received from a person, but a few hours before, had treated her as +pretty near an equality with herself.--Nor was her amazement inferior to +her grief, when after examining, with the utmost care, all her words and +actions, she could find nothing in either that could possibly give +occasion for this sudden turn. + +From the present, she cast thoughts back on the past accidents of her +life, and comparing them together, how cruelly capricious is my fate, +said she, which never presents me with a good but to be productive of an +adequate evil!--How great a blessing was the protection and tenderness I +found from Dorilaus, yet how unhappy did the too great increase of that +tenderness render, me!--What now avails all the friendship received from +Melanthe, but to make me the less able to support her ill usage!--And +what, of what advantage is it to me that I am beloved by a man the most +worthy to be loved, since I am of a condition which forbids me to give +any encouragement to his, or my own wishes! + +In this manner did she pour forth the troubles of her soul, till the +hour of supper being arrived, Melanthe's woman knocked at the chamber, +and Louisa having opened it, she told her that she was sorry to see such +an alteration in the family, but it was her ladyship's pleasure that she +should eat at the second table. It is very well, said Louisa, resolving, +whatever she endured, not to let Melanthe see any thing she could do +disturbed her too much, and in saying so, went with her into the hall +and sat down to table, but with what appetite I leave the reader +to guess. + +Melanthe, who now hated her to a greater degree than ever she had loved +her, gave to the ladies who were with her the whole history of Louisa, +as far as she knew of it, and rather aggravated, than any way softened +the mean condition from which she had relieved her; but when they asked +her what that unhappy creature had done to forfeit a continuance of her +goodness, she only answered in general, that she had found her to be an +ungrateful and perfidious wretch. + +As she mentioned no particular influence on which this accusation was +grounded, every one was at liberty to judge of it as they pleased.--The +accomplishments Louisa was mistress of, made every one convinced she had +been educated in no mean way, tho' by some accidents she might have been +reduced to the calamities Melanthe had so largely expatiated upon, and +more there were who pitied her than approved the behaviour of her +superior:--some indeed, who had envied the praises they had heard +bestowed on her, were rejoiced at her fall, and made it a matter of +mirth wherever they came;--and others again thought themselves affronted +by having a person, who they now found was no more than a servant, +introduced into their company, and would never visit Melanthe afterward +the whole time she stayed in Venice. + +The affair, however, occasioned a great deal of discourse: monsieur du +Plessis heard of it the next day related after different fashions. The +concern he was in was conformable to the passion he had for the fair +occasion, and both beyond what is ordinarily to be found in persons of +his sex. Impatient to know the truth he went to Melanthe's, and she +happening to be abroad, he desired to speak to Louisa, but was told she +was indisposed, and could see no company. These orders had been given by +Melanthe, but were very agreeable to Louisa herself, who desired to +avoid the sight of every one she had conversed with in a different +manner from what she could now expect; but of the whole world this +gentleman she most wished to shun. + +He concealed the trouble he was in as well as he was able, and affecting +a careless air, told the person who answered him, that he only came to +ask if she had heard the last new song, and that he would send it +to her. + +The moment he came home he sat down and wrote the following billet. + +_To the ever charming_ LOUISA. + +"That invincible bar you mentioned, yet +made so great a secret of, is at last revealed, +and I should be unworthy of the blessing I aspire +to, if I were unable to surmount it. +Cruel Louisa! you little know me, or the force +of that passion you have inspired, to imagine +that any difference which chance may have put +between us, can make the least alteration in my +sentiments!--It is to your own perfections I +have devoted my heart, not to the merit or +grandeur of your ancestors. What has my love +to do with fortune, or with family!--Does a +diamond lose any thing of its intrinsic value for +being presented by an unknown, or an obscure +hand?--My eyes convince me of the charms +of my adored Louisa; my understanding shews +me those of her mind; and if heaven vouchsafes +to bless me with so rich a jewel, I never shall +examine whence it came.--If therefore I am +not so unhappy as to be hated by you, let not +vain punctilloes divide us, and, as the first proof +of my inviolable passion, permit me to remove +you from a place where you have met with such +unworthy treatment:--I hope you wrong me +not so far as to suspect I any other designs +on you than such as are consistent with the +strictest honour; but to prevent all scruples of +that nature from entering your gentle breast, I +would wish to place you in a convent, the +choice of which shall be your own, provided it +may be where I sometimes may be allowed to +pay my vows to you thro' the grate, till time +shall have sufficiently proved my fidelity, and +you shall prevail on yourself to recempence my +flame, by bestowing on me your hand and heart:--the +one I would not ask without the other; +but both together would render the happiest of +mankind. + +_Your eternally devoted_ + +Du Plessis. + +_P.S._ As I perceive it will be next to an impossibility +to gain a sight of you while you continue +with that ungenerous woman, I entreat +to know by a line how I stand in your opinion, +and if the offers I make you, in the sincerity +of my soul, may be thought worthy +your acceptance." + + +This epistle he ordered his valet de chambre to give to her own hand, if +there were a possibility of it; and the fellow so well executed his +commission, being acquainted with Melanthe's servants, that he was +carried directly up to her chamber. She was a little surprized to see +him, because she knew it was contrary to Melanthe's commands that any +one should see her; and doubted not but to find she was treated with any +kind of respect, would enhance her ill humour to her. But she said +nothing that discovered her sentiments on this point, and with all the +appearance of a perfect ease of mind, asked what he had to deliver to +her. Only a song, mademoiselle, answered he, which my master ordered me +to give you, and to desire you will let him know how you like it:--he +says it might be turned into an admirable duetto, and begs you would +employ your genius on that score and send it by me. + +Poor Louisa, who took his words literally, and thought her present +circumstances too discordant for the fulfilling his request, opened the +supposed piece of music with an aking heart; but when she had perused +it, and found the artifice her lover had made use of to communicate his +generous intentions to her, it is extremely fine, said she to the valet, +and I will do what he requires to the best of my power, but fear I shall +not be able to give it such a turn as he may expect. If you please, +continued she, to wait a little, I shall not be long before I dispatch +you. In speaking these words she went into her closet, and read over and +over the offers he had made, in which, with the strictest examination, +she could find nothing but what indicated the most perfect love, honour, +and generosity. In the first transports of her soul she was tempted to +comply; but her second thoughts were absolutely against it.--Those very +reasons which would have prevailed with almost any other woman, made her +obstinate to refuse:--the more she found him worthy, the less could she +support the thoughts of giving him a beggar for a wife; and the more she +loved him, the less could she content to be obliged to him; so she took +but a small time for consideration, before she returned an answer in +these terms: + +_To the most accomplished, and most generous monsieur_ DU PLESSIS. + + +"As it was not owing to my pride or vanity, +but merely compliance with the will of +Melanthe, that my real meanness was made a +secret, I find it revealed without any mortification; +but, monsieur, the distance between us +is not shortened by being known: as the consciousness +of my unworthiness remains with +me, and ever must do so, I again repeat the +impossibility of accepting your too generous passion, +and, after this, you will not wonder I +should refuse those other obliging offers you are +so good to make.--I left my native country +with Melanthe, devoted myself to her service +while she was pleased to continue me in it, and +only wait her commands for my doing so, or to +return to England.--I believe, by what her +woman told me this day, the latter will be my +fate.--Think not, however, most truly worthy +of your whole sex, that I want eyes to distinguish +your merits, or a heart capable of being +influenced by them, perhaps too deeply for my +own future peace:--this is a confession I would +not have made, were I ever to see you more; +but as I am determined to shut myself from all +the world during my abode at Venice, I thought +I owed this little recompence to the generous +affection you express for me, and had rather you +should think any thing of me, than that I am +ungrateful. + +LOUISA. + +_P.S._ I beg, monsieur, after this, you will not +attempt either to speak or write to me." + + +When she had sent this away, she fell into fresh complainings at the +severity of her fate, which constrained her to refuse what most she +languished for:--the uncertainty how she should be disposed of was also +a matter of grief:--she was at this time a prisoner in Melanthe's house: +she had sent several messages to that lady, by her woman, entreating to +know in what she had offended, but could receive no other answer than +abuses, without one word which gave her the least light into the cause +of this strange treatment; but that morning she was informed, by the +same woman, that her Lady protested she should never more come into her +presence, and that she would send her home: this, as she had wrote to +monsieur du Plessis, seemed highly probable, as there was no appearance +of a reconciliation; and the thoughts in what manner she should begin +her life again, on her return, filled her with many anxieties, which, +joined to others of a different nature, rendered her condition +truly pitiable. + +It was in the midst of these perplexing meditations that word was +brought her from Melanthe, that she must prepare for her departure on +the ensuing day. It was in vain she again begged leave to see her, and +to be made acquainted with the reason of her displeasure; but the other +would not be prevailed upon, but sent her a purse sufficient to defray +the expences of her journey to England, and bid her woman tell her she +had no occasion to repine, for she turned her away in a much better +condition than she had found her. + + + +CHAP. XV. + +_Louisa is in danger of being ravished by the count de Bellfleur; is +providentially rescued by monsieur du Plessis, with several other +particulars_. + +Louisa packed up her things, as she had been commanded, tho' with what +confusion of mind is not easy to be expressed; and, when she was ready +to go, wrote a letter to Melanthe, thanking her for all the favours she +had received from her, acknowledging them to be as unmerited as her late +displeasure, which she conjured her to believe she had never, even in +thought, done any thing justly to incur;--wished her prosperity, and +that she might never find a person less faithful to her interests than +she had been. Having desired her woman to deliver this to her, she took +leave of the servants, who all loved her extremely, and saw her go with +tears in their eyes. + +The rout she intended to take was to Padua by water, thence in a post +chaise to Leghorn, where she was informed, it would be easy to find a +ship bound for England; to what port was indifferent to her, being now +once more to seek her fortune, tho' in her native country, and must +trust wholly to that providence for her future support, which had +hitherto protected her. + +Accordingly she took her passage to Padua in one of those boats, which +are continually going between Venice and that city; and it being near +the close of day when she landed, was obliged to go into an inn, +designing to lye there that night, and early in the morning set out +for Leghorn. + +She was no sooner in bed than, having never been alone in one of those +places before, a thousand dreadful apprehensions came into her head: all +the stories she had been told, when a child, of robberies and murders +committed on travellers in inns, were now revived in her memory:--every +little noise she heard made her fall into tremblings; and the very +whistling of the wind, which at another time would have lulled her to +sleep, now kept her waking: but these ideal terrors had not long +possessed her, before she had an occasion of real ones, more shocking +than her most timid fancy could have suggested. + +The wicked count de Bellfleur, who had taken care to prevent the passion +he had excited in Melanthe against her from growing cool, learned, from +that deceived lady, in what manner she intended to dispose of her; and +no sooner heard which way she went than, attended by one servant, who +was the confidant and tool of all his vices, he took boat for Padua, and +presently finding out, by describing her, at what inn she was lodged, +came directly thither; and, having called the man of the house, asked +him if such a young woman were not lodged there, to which being answered +in the affirmative, he told him that she was his wife;--that being but +lately married to her, in compliance with her request, he had brought +her to see the diversions of the carnival, and that she was eloped, he +doubted not, but for the sake of a gallant, since he loved her too well +to have given her any cause to take so imprudent a step. + +The concern he seemed to be under gained immediate credit to all he +said; which he easily perceiving, I know, said he, that if I have +recourse to a magistrate I shall have a grant, and proper officers to +force her to return to her duty; but I would feign reclaim her by fair +means:--it is death to me to expose her; and if my perswasions will be +effectual, the world shall never know her fault. + +The innkeeper then told him she was gone to bed, but he would wait on +him to her chamber, and he might call to her to bid her open the door. +No, answered the count, if she hears my voice she may, perhaps, be +frighted enough to commit some desperate action:--you shall therefore +speak to her, and make some pretence for obliging her to rise. + +On this they both went up, and the man knocked softly at first, but on +her not answering immediately, more loud.--She, who heard him before, +but imagining something of what she had heard of others was now going to +happen to herself, was endeavouring to assume all the courage she could +for supporting her in whatever exigence heaven should reduce her to:--at +last she asked who was there, and for what reason she was disturbed. The +innkeeper then said he wanted something out of the room, and she must +needs open the door. This she refused to do, but got out of bed and +began to put on her cloaths, resolving to dye as decently as she could, +verily believing they were come to rob and murder her. + +The man, who spoke all by the count's direction, then told her, that if +she would not open the door, he must be obliged to break it, and +presently beat so violently against it, that the poor terrified Louisa +expected it to burst, so thought it would be better to unbolt it of her +own accord, than, by a vain resistance, provoke worse usage than she +might otherwise receive: but what was her astonishment when she beheld +the count de Bellfleur! On the first moment the words monsieur du +Plessis repeated to her, that _he would have her one way or another,_ +came into her mind, and made her give a great shriek; but then almost at +the same time the thought that he might possibly be sent by Melanthe to +bring her back, somewhat mitigated her fears.--Unable was she to speak, +however; and the consternation she appeared to be in at his presence, +joined with his taking her by the hand and bidding her be under no +apprehensions, confirmed the truth of what he had told the innkeeper, +who thinking he had no other business there, and they would be soonest +reconciled when alone, left them, together and went down stairs. + +When the count saw he was gone,--I could not support the thoughts of +seeing you no more, my dear Louisa, said he; I have heard Melanthe's +cruel usage of you, and also that your condition is such, that you have +no friends in England to receive you if you should prosecute your +journey:--I come therefore to make you an offer, which, in your present +circumstances, you will find it imprudent, I believe, to reject:--I long +have loved you, and if you will be mine, will keep you concealed at a +house where I can confide, till my return to the army; then will take +the fame care of you, and place you somewhere near my own quarters; and, +as I shall go to Paris as soon as the next campaign is over, will there +provide for you in as handsome a manner as you can wish;--for be +assured, dear lovely girl, that no woman upon earth will ever be capable +of making me forsake you. + +That she had patience to hear him talk so long in this manner, was +wholly owing to the fear and surprize she had been in, and perhaps had +not yet recovered enough from, to make any reply to what he said, if he +had contented himself only with words; but his actions rouzing a +different passion in her soul, she broke from his arms, into which, he +had snatched her at the conclusion of his speech, and looking on him +with eyes sparkling with disdain and rage,--perfidious man! cried she, +is this,--this the consequence of the vows you made Melanthe; and do you +think, after this knowledge of your baseness, I can harbour any idea of +you, but what is shocking and detestable! + +I never loved Melanthe, by heaven, resumed he; she made me advance, and +not to have returned, them, would have called even my common civility in +question;--but from the first moment I saw your beauties, I was +determined to neglect nothing that might give me the enjoyment of +them:--fortune has crowned my wishes, you are in my power, and it would +be madness in you to lose the merit of yielding, and I compel me to be +obliged to my own strength for a pleasure I would rather owe to your +softness:--come, come, continued he, after having fastened the door, let +us go to bed;--I will save your modesty, by pulling your cloaths off +myself. In speaking this he catched hold of her again, and attempted to +untye a knot which fastened her robe de chambre at the breast. On this +she gave such shrieks, and stamped with her feet so forcibly on the +ground, that the innkeeper fearing the incensed husband, as he supposed +him to be, was going to kill her, ran hastily up stairs, and called to +have the door opened, saying, he would have no murder in his house. + +The artful count immediately let him in, and told him, he need be under +no apprehensions, his wife was too dear to him to suffer any thing from +his resentment; and all the noise you heard, said he, was only because I +insisted on her going to bed! By these words Louisa discovered how he +had imposed upon the man, and cried out she was not his wife; but as she +spoke very bad Italian, and the man understood no French, the count +being very fluent in that language, had much the advantage, the +innkeeper was fully satisfied, and they were again left alone, having a +second opportunity to prosecute his villanous attempt. + +You see, said he, how much in vain it is for you to resist:--would it +not be wiser in you, therefore, to meet my flames with equal warmth;--to +feign a kindness even if you have none, and thereby oblige me to use you +with a future tenderness:--believe I love you now with an extravagance +of fondness:--it is in your power to preserve that affection for +ever:--give me then willingly that charming mouth. + +He had all this time been kissing her with the utmost eagerness, so that +with all her struggling she had not been able either to disengage +herself from his embrace, or to utter one word; and he was very near +forcing from her yet greater liberties, when all at once heaven gave her +strength to spring suddenly from him, and running to a table where he +had laid his sword, she drew it out of the scabbard with so much speed, +that he could not prevent her, and making a push at him with one hand, +kept him from closing with, or disarming her, till with the other she +had plucked back the bolt of the door. + +In this posture she flew down stairs, and reached the hall before he +overtook her, quite breathless and ready to faint. He was going to lay +hold of her, when he found himself seized behind by two persons, whom, +on turning to examine the reason, he found was monsieur du Plessis and +the innkeeper. He started at the sight of that gentleman, and was going +to say somewhat to him in French, when the innkeeper told him, the young +woman should be molested no farther till he knew the truth of the +affair; for, said he, there is a person, meaning monsieur du Plessis, +who is just come in, and says she has no husband, and belongs to an +English lady of quality now at Venice:--I will therefore take care of +her this night, and if you have any real claim to her, you may make it +out before the magistrate to-morrow. + +The count was so enraged to find it had been by monsieur du Plessis he +had been disappointed, that he snatched his sword from Louisa, who had +all this time held it in her hand, and made so furious a thrust at him, +that, had he not been more than ordinary nimble in avoiding it, by +stepping aside, it must have infallibly gone thro' his body.--He +immediately drew and stood on his defence, but the innkeeper and several +other people, whom Louisa's cries had by this time brought into the +hall, prevented any mischief. + +The confusion of voices and uproar which this accident occasioned, would +suffer nothing to be heard distinctly; but the guilt of count Bellfleur +might easily be read in his looks, and not able to stand the test of any +enquiry, he departed with his servant, casting the most malicious +reflections as he went out, both on Louisa and her deliverer. + +Du Plessis less affected, because innocent, gave every one the +satisfaction they desired: he said that the young lady being of English +birth, came along with a lady of her own country, to visit several parts +of Europe merely for pleasure; that the lady was still at Venice, and +that on some little disgust between them, she who was there, meaning +Louisa, had quitted her, and was now returning home by the way of +Leghorn; of the truth of what he told them, he added, they might be +informed, by sending to Venice the next day. + +He also said, that having a business to be negotiated in England, he had +followed this young lady, in order to beg the favour of her to deliver +letters to some friends he had there, not having the opportunity of +making this request before, by reason of her departure having been so +sudden, that he knew nothing of it before she was gone. + +The truth of all this Louisa confirmed, and on farther talk of the +affair, acquainted them, that the gentleman who had occasioned this +disturbance, for she forbore mentioning his name, had often sollicited +her love on unlawful terms, and being rejected by her, had taken this +dishonourable way of compassing his desires, at a place where he knew +she was alone, and wholly a stranger. + +The fright and confusion she had been in, had rendered her so faint, +that it was with infinite difficulty she brought out these words; but +having something given her to refresh her spirits, and being conducted +into another room out of the crowd, she began, by degrees, to +recover herself. + +Monsieur du Plessis then informed her, that on coming to Melanthe's, and +hearing she was gone, he immediately took boat, resolving to prevail on +her to alter her resolution of going to England, or dye at her feet: +that he easily found the inn she was at, and that the man of the house +presently told him, such a person as he described was there; but that he +understood she had eloped from her husband, who had pursued, and was now +above with her. + +Never, said this faithful lover, did any horror equal what I felt at +this intelligence!--The base count de Bellfleur came presently into my +mind:--I thought it could be no other who had taken this abhored method +of accomplishing the menaces you may remember I repeated to you:--I was +going to fly up stairs that instant, but was withheld, and found it best +to argue the man into reason, who, I found, was fully prepossessed you +were his wife: as I was giving some part of your history, I saw the +count's man passing thro' the hall; he saw me too, and would have +avoided me, but I ran to him, seized him by the throat, and asked him +what business had brought either him or his master to this place: the +disorder he was in, and the hesitation with which he spoke, together +with refusing to give any direct answer, very much staggered the +innkeeper, who was just consenting to go up with me to your chamber, and +examine into the truth of this affair, when we saw you come down, armed +as your virtue prompted, and at the same time flying from the +villain's pursuit. + +Louisa could not help confessing that she owed the preservation of her +honour wholly to him; for, said she, the people were so fully persuaded +not only that I was his wife, but also that I had fled from him on some +unwarrantable intent, that all I did, or could have done, would only +have served to render me more guilty in their opinion; and it must have +been by death alone I could have escaped the monster's more +detested lust. + +Monsieur du Plessis now made use of every argument that love and wit +could inspire, to prevail with her to accept of the offer contained in +the letter he had wrote to her; and concluded with reminding her, that +if the charming confession her answer had made him was to be depended +on, and that she had indeed a heart not wholly uninfluenced by his +passion, she would not refuse agreeing to a proposal, which not the most +rigid virtue and honour could disapprove. + +Louisa on this replied with blushes, that since, by the belief she +should never see him more, she had been unwarily drawn in to declare +herself so far, she neither could, nor would attempt to deny what she +had said; but, added she, it is perhaps, by being too much influenced by +your merits, that I find myself obliged to refuse what you require of +me:--I cannot think, cried she, of rendering unhappy a person who so +much deserves to be blessed:--and what but misery would attend a match +so unequal as yours would be with me!--How would your kindred brook +it!--How would the world confuse and ridicule the fondness of an +affection so ill placed!--What would they say when they should hear the +nobly born, the rich, and the accomplished monsieur du Plessis, had +taken for his wife a maid obscurely defended, and with no other dowry +than her virtue!--My very affection for you would, in the general +opinion, lose all its merit, and pass for sordid interest:--I should be +looked upon as the bane of your glory;--as one whose artifices had +ensnared you into a forgetfulness of what you owed to yourself and +family, and be despised and hated by all who have a regard for +you.--This, monsieur, continued she, is what I cannot bear, neither for +your sake nor my own, and entreat you will no farther urge a suit, which +all manner of considerations forbid me to comply with. + +The firmness and resolution with which she uttered these words, threw +him into the most violent despair; and here might be seen the difference +between a sincere and counterfeited passion: the one is timid, fearful +of offending, and modest even to its own loss;--the other presuming, +bold, and regardless of the consequences, presses, in spight of +opposition, to its desired point. + +Louisa had too much penetration not to make this distinction: she saw +the truth of his affection in his grief, and that awe which deterred him +from expressing what he felt:--she sympathized in all his pains, and for +every sigh his oppressed heart sent forth, her own wept tears of blood; +yet not receding from the resolution she had formed, nothing could be +more truly moving than the scene between them. + +At length he ceased to mention marriage, but conjured her to consider +the snares which would be continually laid, by wicked and designing men, +for one so young and beautiful:--that she could go no where without +finding other Bellfleurs; and she might judge, by the danger she had +just now so narrowly escaped, of the probability of being involved again +in the same:--he represented to her, in the most pathetic terms, that +her innocence could have no sure protection but in the arms of a +husband, or the walls of a convent; and on his knees beseeched her, for +the sake of that virtue which she so justly prized, since she would not +accept of him for the one, to permit him to place her in that other only +asylum for a person in her circumstances. + +Difficult was it for her to resist an argument, the reason of which she +was so well convinced of, and could offer nothing in contradiction to, +but that she had a certain aversion in her nature to receive any +obligations from a man who had declared himself her lover, and who might +possibly hereafter presume upon the favours he had done her. + +It was in vain he complained of her unjust suspicion in this point, +which, to remove, he protested to her that he would leave the choice of +the monastry wholly to herself: that in whatever part she thought would +be most agreeable, he would conduct her; and that, after she was +entered, he would not even attempt to see her thro' the grate, without +having first received her permission for his visit. Not all this was +sufficient to assure her scrupulous delicacy: she remained constant in +her determination; and all he could prevail on her, was leave to attend +her as far as Leghorn, to secure her from any second attempt the +injurious count might possibly make. + +After this they entered into some discourse of Melanthe, and whether it +would be proper for Louisa to write her an account of this affair, and +the count's perfidiousness. Monsieur du Plessis said, he thought that +the late usage she had received from that lady, deserved not she should +take any interest in her affairs; but it was not this that hindered +Louisa from doing it:--the remembrance of the kindness she had once been +treated with by her, more than balanced, in her way of thinking, all the +insults that succeeded it; and when she reflected how much Melanthe +loved the count, and that she had already granted him all the favours in +her power, it seemed to her rather an act of cruelty than friendship, to +acquaint her with this ingratitude, and thereby anticipate a misfortune, +which, perhaps, by his artifices and continued dissimulation, might be +for a long time concealed: therefore, for this reason, she exacted a +promise from monsieur du Plessis not to make any noise of this affair +at his return to Venice, unless the count, by some rash and precipitate +behaviour, should enforce him to it. + +This injunction discovered so forgiving a sweetness of disposition in +the person who made it, that monsieur du Plessis could not refrain +testifying his admiration by the most passionate exclamations; in which +perhaps he had continued longer, had not the eyes of the fair object +discovered a certain languishment, which reminded him, he should be +wanting in the respect he professed, to detain her any longer from that +repose, which, seemed necessary, after the extraordinary hurry of +spirits she had sustained; therefore having taken his leave of her for +that night, retired to a chamber he had ordered to be got ready for him, +as did she to that where she had been so lately disturbed: but all those +who are in the least capable of any idea of those emotions, which +agitated the minds of both these amiable persons, will believe neither +of them slept much that night. + + + +CHAP. XVI. + +_The Innkeepers scruples oblige Louisa to write to Melanthe: her +behavior on the discovery of the count's falshood. Louisa changes her +resolution and goes to Bolognia_. + +Monsieur du Plessis, having found it impossible to dissuade Louisa from +going to England, now bent his whole thoughts to perform his promise of +conducting her to Leghorn, in the most commodious manner he could; +accordingly he rose very early, and calling for the man of the house, +desired he would provide a handsome post chaise, and if he knew any +fellows whose integrity might be relied on, he thought necessary to hire +two such, who, furnished with fire-arms, might serve as a guard against +any attack the count might take it into his head to make. + +But the innkeeper had now entertained notions that forbid him to +correspond with the designs of monsieur: some of his neighbours, who had +heard of last night's accident, whispered it in his ears, that it would +not be safe for him to let these young people depart together; that he +could not be assured the person, who pretended to be the husband, might +not be so in reality; and if he should come again with proper officers +and proofs to claim his wife, it might be of dangerous consequence to +him to have favoured her escape; and that the only way he had to secure +himself from being brought into trouble, was to lay the whole affair +before the podestat. This advice seemed to him too reasonable not to be +complied with: he went directly to that magistrate, and while the lover +was speaking to him, officers came in to seize both him and Louisa, and +carry them before the podestat. + +Monsieur du Plessis was very much surprized and vexed at this +interruption, and the more so, as he feared it would terrify Louisa to a +greater degree than the nature of the thing required; but in this he did +injury to her courage: when she was called up and informed of the +business, she surrendered herself with all the dauntlessness of +innocence to the officers, and suffered them to conduct her, with du +Plessis, to the house of the podestat. + +Both of them flattered themselves with the belief, that when he should +come to hear the story, they would be immediately discharged; but he +happened to be one of those who are over wary in the execution of their +office; and he only told them, that what they said might be true, but he +was not to take things on the bare word of the parties themselves; and +that therefore they must be confined till either the person who claimed +the woman for his wife, should bring proofs she was so, or she should be +able to make out he had no right over her. + +That is easy for me to do, said Louisa; I am only concerned that this +gentleman, meaning du Plessis, should be detained on an account he has +no manner of interest in. The podestat answered, it was unavoidable, +because as the person, who said he was her husband, had accused her of +an elopement, there was all the reason in the world to suppose that if +it were so, it was in favour of this gentleman, by the rage he was +informed he had testified at finding him in Padua. + +Louisa gave only a scornful smile, denoting how much she disdained a +crime of the nature she was suspected of, and followed one of the +officers, who conducted her to the place appointed for her confinement. + +Monsieur du Plessis was touched to the soul at the indignity he thought +offered to this sovereign of his affections; but he restrained himself +when he considered that it had the sanction of law, which in all nations +must be submitted to; and he only told the podestat, that the virtue of +that lady would soon be cleared, to the confusion of those who had +presumed to traduce it. + +As, after they were under confinement, they had no opportunity of +advising each other what to do, monsieur du Plessis, uneasy at the +injustice done him, wrote immediately to the prince of Conti, in +these terms: + +_To his Royal Highness the Prince of_ CONTI. + + +"It is with the extremest reluctance I give +your royal highness this trouble, or find myself +obliged to accuse the count de Bellfleur of +an action so dishonourable to our nation; but +as I am here under confinement for preventing +him from committing a rape on a young English +lady, who failing to seduce at Venice, he followed +hither; and under the pretence of being +her husband, gained the people of the house on +his side, and had infallibly compassed his intent, +had it not been for my seasonable interposition: +I am too well convinced of the justice I presume +to implore, to doubt if your highness will +oblige him to clear up the affair to the podestat, +on which she will be at liberty to prosecute her +journey, and I to throw myself, with the utmost +gratitude and submission, at your feet, who have +the honour to be + +_Your royal highness's_ + +_Most devoted_ + +DU PLESSIS." + +_Padua._ + + +Louisa, who was ignorant what her lover had done, and knew no other way, +than by writing to Melanthe, to extricate herself from this trouble, +sent a letter to her, the contents whereof were as follows: + + +MADAM, + +"On what imagined cause whatever you were +pleased to banish me, I am certain you +have too much goodness to suffer any one, +much less a person you have once honoured +with your friendship, to remain in prison for a +crime it is impossible for me to be guilty of:--I +am sorry I must accuse a person so dear to +you;--but it is, madam, no other than the +unworthy count de Bellfleur, who followed me +hither, came into the inn where I was lodged, +into the very chamber, and oh! I tremble +while I relate it, had proceeded yet farther; and +I had been inevitably lost, had not heaven sent +me a deliverer in the unexpected arrival of monsieur +du Plessis, who is also a prisoner as well +as myself, for the timely rescue he gave me. +You will wonder, doubtless, by what law either +I should be confined for endeavouring to defend +my chastity, or he, for generously assisting me; +but the detested artful count had pretended himself +my husband; and under the sanction of +that name it was, that he met no opposition to +his wicked will from the people of the house, +and rendered them regardless of my shrieks and +cries.--The magistrates are yet dubious of the +truth; and till it can be proved what I really am, +both myself and monsieur du Plessis must continue +where we are:--have pity on me, therefore, +I conjure you, madam, and write to the podestat: +I have already told him I had the honour to +belong to you;--a line from you will confirm +it, and once more set at liberty a maid, who +will ever remember all your favours with the +greatest gratitude, and your withdrawing them +as the worst misfortune could have befallen. + +MADAM, + +_From the prison +at Padua. + +Your most faithful, and +Most humble servant_, + +LOUISA." + + +These letters were sent away by special messengers, who had orders to be +as expeditious as possible in the delivery of them. + +But while these accidents happened at Padua, Melanthe was not without +her share of inquietudes at Venice: she had not seen her beloved count +in two whole days, and, tho' she sent several times to his lodgings, +could hear nothing but that he was not yet come home. As her vanity +would not suffer her to think herself neglected, without having received +some glaring proofs of it, she feared some misfortune had befallen him, +and exposed herself not a little in the enquiries she made after him, +among all those who she could imagine were able to inform her any thing +concerning him. + +At length some person, who happened to see him take boat, told her he +was gone to Padua, which being the rout she knew Louisa had taken, and +she had also informed him, a sudden thought darted into her head that he +was gone in pursuit of her.--It now seemed not impossible, but that all +he had said concerning his dislike of her might be artifice; and that +the love of variety might prevail on him at last to comply with the +advances he pretended she had made him.--The privacy with which he went, +none of his acquaintance knowing any thing of his journey, seemed to +favour this opinion; and never was a heart more racked with jealousy and +suspence, than that of this unhappy, and too easily deceived lady. + +She had sometimes an inclination to go to Padua in person, and endeavour +to find out what business had carried him thither; and her impatience +had doubtless got the better of her prudence in this particular, if, +sending once more to his lodgings, she had not heard he was +returned.--On this she expected to see him in the evening, and flattered +herself with his being able to make some reasonable excuse for his +absence; but finding he came not, she was all distraction, and sent a +billet to him next morning, requiring him to come to her immediately on +the receipt of it; but as he was at that time in too ill a humour to +think of entertaining her, sent her an answer by word of mouth, that he +was indisposed, and would wait on her on his recovery.--This message +seemed so cold, and so unlike the passion he had hitherto professed for +her, that it threw her into almost convulsive agonies.--A masquerade +was to be that night at the house of a person of quality: she sent again +to know if he intended to be there, and, if he did, what habit he would +wear, it being customary with them, ever since their amour, to acquaint +each other with their dresses, that they might not mistake, by +addressing to wrong persons. His reply was, that he would go if health +permitted, but as to what he should wear he had not as yet thought +of it. + +What, if he hat not thought of it! cried she haughtily, when she heard +these words;--the knowledge that I shall be there, ought now to make him +think of it.--Pride, love, and the astonishment at this sudden change in +his behaviour, rendered her wholly forgetful of what she owed her sex +and rank; and she was just going to his lodgings, in order to upbraid +him with his indifference, and prove what it was she now had to depend +on from him, when the messenger from Louisa arrived and delivered her +the letter, which contained a sad eclaircisement of all she wanted to be +informed of. + +At first reading it, she seemed like one transfixed with a sudden clap +of thunder:--she had indeed been jealous, suspicious, fearful of her +fate; but so glaring, so impudent a treachery had never entered her +head, that any man could be guilty of, much less one whom her too fond +passion had figured to her imagination, as possessed of all the virtues +of his sex. It seemed too monstrous to be true; and she had accused the +innocent Louisa as the inventor of this falshood, merely in revenge for +her late treatment, had there been the least shadow of a pretence for +doing so:--gladly would she have encouraged such a hope, but common +sense forbid it;--all circumstances seemed to concur, in proving that he +was indeed that villain which the letter represented him; and that +surprize, which had in a manner stupified her on the discovery, was +succeeded by a storm of mingled grief and rage, which no words can +sufficiently describe:--she exclaimed against fate, cursed all mankind, +and accused every thing as accessory to her misfortune, but that to +which alone she owed it, her own imprudence. + +The disorders of her mind had such an effect on her body, that she fell +into fits, and a physician was sent for, who, tho' esteemed the most +skilful in that country, found it required all his art to prevent a +fever: she continued, however, for five days in a condition, such as +permitted her not to do any thing either for the satisfaction of her own +impatient curiosity, or to comply with the just request Louisa had made; +and had not monsieur du Plessis's letter to the prince been mere +successful, they must both have continued where they were, perhaps for a +considerable time. + +That, however, had all the effect could be expected from a prince of so +much honour: he immediately sent for the count de Bellfleur; and easily +finding, by the confusion with which he replied to his examination, and +the little low evasions he was obliged to have recourse to, that the +affair was as monsieur du Plessis had represented, gave him a severe +check, and ordered him to depart immediately from Venice, where he told +him, he had given such occasion to call the honour of the French nation +in general in question; and to repair with all expedition to his winter +quarters. Which command he instantly obeyed, without taking any leave of +Melanthe, or perhaps even thinking on her. + +At the same time the prince dispatched his gentleman of horse to Padua, +with necessary instructions for clearing up the affair; on which the +prisoners were discharged, and their pardon asked by the podestat for +doing what, he said, the duties of his post had alone obliged him to; +tho' it is certain he had exercised his authority with greater +strictness than the necessity of the thing required; since, if the count +had been in reality the husband of Louisa, it would have been more easy +for him to bring proofs of it, than for those under confinement to +invalidate his claim. + +After the proper compliments to the gentleman who had taken this +trouble, monsieur du Plessis entreated he would excuse him to the +prince, that he retarded the thanks he had to pay his royal highness, +till his return from conducting Louisa some part of her journey, which +being a piece of gallantry the lady herself seemed well pleased with, +was easily complied with by the other. + +This faithful lover had now a full opportunity to entertain his mistress +with his passion, and represented it to her with so much force and +eloquence, together with the dangers she would continually be exposed +to, that she had at length no words to form denials, and gave him leave +to conduct her to some monastry in Italy, the choice of which she left +to him, till the campaign was over. This was indeed all he presumed to +request of her at present. It may happen, said he, that your lover may +fall a victim to the fate of war, among many other more brave and worthy +men, who doubtless will not survive the next battle, and you will then +be at liberty to pursue your inclinations either to England or +elsewhere; and be assured of this, that I shall take care, before the +hour of danger, to leave you mistress of a fortune, sufficient to protect +you from any future insults of the nature you received from Melanthe. + +The tender soul of Louisa was so much dissolved at these words, that she +burst into a flood of tears, and cried out, Oh! too generous du Plessis, +think not I will survive the cruel hour which informs me all that is +valuable in man has ceased to be!--Take,--oh! take no care for me; when +you are no more, nothing this world affords can enable me to drag on a +wretched life! + +What must be the transport of a man, who loved like him, to hear a mouth +accustomed to the greatest reserve, utter exclamations so soft, so +engaging, so convincing to him that he was no less dear to her than he +could even wish to be!--He threw himself at her feet, and even thought +that posture not humble enough to testify, as it deserved, his gratitude +and joy. But she not suffering him to continue in it, he took the hand +that raised him, kissed off the tears which had fallen from her eyes +upon it, with speechless extacies, and seemed almost beside himself at +the concern she could not yet overcome, on the bare imagination of +losing him in the way he mentioned. If you love me, said she tenderly, +you will endeavour to preserve yourself:--I have now put myself under +your protection, by consenting to do as you would have me, and have no +other from whom I would receive those favours I expect from you:--think +not, therefore, that I will perform my promise, unless you give me +yours, not to be so covetous of fame as to court dangers, nor, in too +eager a pursuit of glory, to lose the remembrance of what you owe +to love. + +Oh thou divinest softness! cried he, be assured I will put nothing to +the venture that might take me from Louisa!--Your kindness, my angel, +has shewed me the value of life, and almost made a coward of your +lover:--no farther will I go than the duties of my post oblige me, and +that honour, which to forfeit, would render me unworthy of your care. + +Louisa now found herself so much at ease, in having discovered a secret +she had so long laboured with, and suffered an infinity of pain in the +concealing of, that nothing could be more chearful than her looks and +behaviour. He, on the other hand, was all rapture, yet did it not make +him in the least forgetful of the rules he had prescribed himself, or +give her modesty any room to repent the confession she had made in +favour of his passion:--the conversation between them was all made up of +innocence and love; and every hour they passed together, rendered them +still dearer to each other. + +Monsieur du Plessis having thus gained the point his soul was let on, +began to consider in what part of Italy it would be best to place his +dear Louisa: as Bolognia was a free country, under the jurisdiction of +the Pope, he thought she would there be the least subject to alarms, on +account of the army's continual marches and countermarches thro' most +other parts of Italy. He therefore got a post-chaise, and by easy +journeys conducted her thither; and having made an agreement with the +lady abbess of the Augustines, she was welcomed into the convent by the +holy sisterhood with all imaginable good-nature and politeness. + +It would be endless to recite the farewels of these equally sincere, and +passionate lovers; so I shall only say that never any parting was more +truly touching; and the grief, which both of them endured, was only +alleviated by the confidence they had in each other's affection, and the +mutual promises of communicating the assurances of persevering in it, by +letters as often as opportunity would permit. + +Melanthe being recovered of the indisposition of her body, tho' not of +her mind, was informed of every particular of her perfidious lover's +conduct as he had quitted Venice before she did her chamber, was obliged +to bear the load of discontent her too easy belief had brought upon her, +without even the poor ease of venting it in reproaches on him. The +carnival soon after ending, and finding that change of place was no +defence from misfortunes of the kind she had sustained, without she +could also change her way of thinking, took the first convenience that +offered, and returned to England, rather in worse humour than she +had left it. + + + +CHAP. XVII. + +_Horatio arrives at Warsaw, sees the coronation of Stanislaus and his +queen: his reception from the king of Sweden: his promotion: follows +that prince in all his conquests thro' Poland, Lithuania and Saxony. The +story of count Patkul and madame de Eusilden._ + +While these things were transacting in Italy, Horatio, animated by love +and glory, was pursuing his journey to Poland. His impatience was so +great, that he travelled almost night and day, already imitating the +example of the master he was going to serve; no wood, no river was +impassable to him that shortened the distance to the place he so much +longed to approach: and thus by inuring himself to hardship, became +fitly qualified to bear his part in all the vast fatigues to which that +prince incessantly exposed his royal person. + +Not a city, town, or even village he puffed thro', but echoed with the +wonders performed by the young king of Sweden:--new victories, new +acquisitions met him wherever he came:--all tongues were full of his +praises; and even those who had been ruined by his conquests, could not +help speaking of him with admiration.--Horatio heard all this with +pleasure, but mixed with a kind of pain that he was not present at these +great actions.--How glorious is it, cried he to himself, to fight under +the banners of this invincible monarch!--What immortal honour has not +every private man acquired, who contributed the least part to successes +that astonish the whole world! + +But notwithstanding his eagerness which carried him thro' marshes, over +mountains, and ways, which to an ordinary traveller would have seemed +impassable, he met with several delays in his journey, especially when +he got into Germany, where they were extremely scrupulous; and he was +obliged to wait at some towns two or three days before he could obtain +passports: he also met several parties of flying horse and dragoons, who +were scouting about the country, as he drew nearer Saxony; but his +policy furnished him with stratagems to get over these difficulties, and +he got safe to Punitz, in the Palatinate of Posnania, where a great part +of the king of Sweden's army was encamped.--He immediately demanded to +be brought to the presence of the grand marshal Renchild, to whom he +delivered the letter of the baron de la Valiere, and found the good +effects of it by the civilities with which that great general vouchsafed +to treat him. He would have had him stay with him; but Horatio, knowing +the king was at Warsaw, was too impatient of seeing that monarch to be +prevailed upon, on which he sent a party of horse to escort him to +that city. + +He had the good fortune to arrive on the very day that Stanislaus and +his queen were crowned, and was witness of part of the ceremony. The +king of Sweden was there incognito, and being shewn to Horatio, he could +not forbear testifying his surprize to see so great a prince, and one +who, in every action of his life, discovered a magnamity even above his +rank, habited in a manner not to be distinguished from a private man; +but it was not in the power of any garb to take from him a look of +majesty, which shewed him born to command not only his own subjects, but +kings themselves, when they presumed to become his enemies. There was a +fierceness in his eyes, but tempered with so much sweetness, that it was +impossible for those who most trembled at his frowns to avoid loving him +at the same time. + +Stanislaus had in him all that could attract respect and good wishes; +beside the most graceful person that can be imagined, he had a certain +air of grandeur, joined with an openness of behaviour, that shewed him +equally incapable of doing a mean or dishonourable action: his queen was +one of the greatest beauties of her time; and every one present at their +coronation, confessed, that never any two persons more became a throne, +or were more worthy of the dignity conferred upon them. + +The whole court was too much taken up that day, for Horatio to think of +presenting himself before the king of Sweden; but the officer, who +commanded the party that general Renchild had sent with him, introduced +him in the evening to count Hoorn, governor of Warsaw, who provided him +an appartment, and the next morning introduced him to count Piper. That +minister no sooner read the baron de Palfoy's letter, and heard he had +others to deliver to the king from the chevalier St. George, and the +queen dowager of England, than he treated him with the utmost marks of +esteem; and assured him that, since he had an inclination to serve his +majesty, he would contribute every thing in his power to make him not +repent the long fatigues he had undergone for that purpose; but, said he +with a smile, you will have no need of me; you bring, I perceive, +recommendations more effectual, and have besides, in yourself, +sufficient to engage all you have to wish from a monarch so just and +generous as ours. + +Horatio replied to this compliment with all humility; and as the count +perceived by his accents that he was not a Frenchman, tho' he spoke the +language perfectly well, he asked him of what country he was; to which +Horatio replied, that he was of England, but made him no farther +acquainted with his affairs, nor that the motive of his having remained +so long in France, was because he was not ransomed by his friends: not +that he concealed this out of pride, but he knew the character of most +first ministers, and thought it not prudence to unbosom himself to one +of those, whose first study, when they come into that employment, is to +discover as much as they can of others, without revealing any thing of +themselves. For this reason he was also very sparing of entering into +any discourse of the chevalier's court, or of that of the king of +France, and answered all the questions put to him by the count, that his +youth, and being of foreign extraction, hindered him from being let into +any secrets of state. + +After a pretty long conversation, the count led him to the king of +Sweden's apartment, where, just as they were about to enter, he asked +him if he could speak Latin; for, said he, tho' his majesty understands +French, he never could be brought to speak it, nor is pleased to be +addressed in that language. Horatio thanked him for this information, +and told him, that tho' he could not boast of being able to deliver +himself with an affluence becoming the presence of so great a prince, +yet he would chuse rather to shew his bad learning, than his want of +ambition to do every thing that might render himself acceptable. + +As he spoke these words, he found himself in his presence.--The king was +encompassed by the officers of the army, to whom he was giving some +directions; but seeing count Piper, and a stranger with him, he left off +what he was saying, and, without giving him time to speak, cried, Count, +who have you brought me here? One, may it please your majesty, replied +he, who brings his credentials with him, and has no need of my +intercession to engage his welcome. While the count Was making this +reply, the king, who had an uncommon quickness in his eyes, measured +Horatio from head to foot; and our young soldier of fortune, without +being daunted, put one knee to the ground, and delivered his packet with +these words:--The princes, by whom I have the honour to be sent, +commanded me to assure your majesty, that they participate in all your +dangers, rejoice in all your glories, and pray, that as you only conquer +for the good of others, the sword you draw, in the cause of justice, may +at last be sheathed in a lasting and universal peace. + +I am afraid it will be long before all that is necessary for that +purpose is accomplished, said the king; wrong, when established, not +easily gives place to right;--but we are yet young enough to hope it. + +He broke open his letters as he spoke this; and while he was examining +them, took his eye off the paper several times to look on Horatio, and +then read again. + +When he had done, I am much obliged, said he, to the zeal these letters +tell me you have expressed for my service, and shall not be +ungrateful:--we are here idle at present but shall not long be so; and +you will have occasions enough to prove your courage, and gratify that +love of arms which, my brother informs me, is the predominant passion of +your soul. + +After this he asked him several questions concerning the chevalier St. +George, the queen, and princess Louisa; to which Horatio answered with +great propriety, but mingled with such encomiums of the royal persons, +as testified his gratitude for the favours he received from them. But +when he mentioned the princess, and delivered the message she sent by +him, a more lively colour flushed into the king's cheeks, and he +replied, well, we shall do all we can to comply with her commands; then +turned quick about, and resumed the discourse he was in, before +Horatio's entrance, with his officers, as much as to say, the business +of his love must not interrupt that of the war; and Horatio had +afterwards the opportunity of observing, that tho' he often looked upon +the picture of that amiable princess, which he always wore in his bosom, +yet he would on a sudden snatch his eyes away, as fearing to be too +much softened. + +Horatio was ordered to be lodged in the castle where the garrison was +kept; but he was every day at the king's levee, and received the most +extraordinary marks of his favour and affection; for which, as he looked +upon himself entirely indebted to the recommendations of his friends in +France, he wrote letters of thanks, and an account of all that +happened to him. + +Poland being now entirely subdued by the valour and fortune of Charles +XII. and having received a king of his nomination, submitted cheerfully, +glad to see an end of devastation, as they then flattered themselves; +but the troubles of that unfortunate kingdom were yet to endure much +longer.--Augustus, impatient of recovering what he had lost, and the +czar of Muscovy jealous and envious of the king of Sweden's glory, came +pouring with mighty armies from Saxony and Russia. Shullenburgh, the +general of the former, had passed the Oder; and the other, at the head +of a numerous body, was plundering all that came in his way, and putting +to the sword every one whom he even suspected of adhering to king +Stanislaus: so that nothing now was talked of but war, and the means +concerted how to put a stop to the miseries these two ambitious princes +made, not only in that country, but all the adjacent parts. + +It was agreed that general Renchild should go to meet Shullenburgh, and +the two kings drive out the Muscovites; who being divided into several +parties, Stanislaus went at the head of one army, and the king of Sweden +led another; and taking different routs, had every day what he called +skirmishes, but what the vanquished looked upon as terrible battles. + +The king of Sweden, before their departure from Warsaw, told Horatio +that all his officers were gallant men, and it was not his custom to +displace any one for meer favour to another; he must therefore wait till +the fate of war, or some other accident, made a vacancy, before he could +give him a commission, in the mean time, said he, with a great deal of +sweetness, you must be content to be only my aid-de-camp. On this +Horatio replied to his majesty, with as much politeness as sincerity, +that it was the post he wished, tho' dare not presume to ask; for he +looked upon the honour of being near, and receiving the commands of so +excellent a monarch, preferable to the highest commission in the army. + +Thus, highly contented with his lot, did he attend the king, thro' +rivers, lakes, marines, and all the obstacles nature had thrown in the +way of this conqueror; and whenever they came to any battle, was so +swift in bearing his commands to the general, and in returning to him in +which line soever he was, that Poniatosky gave him the name of the +Mercury to their Jove; nor did he less signalize his valour; he fought +by the side of the king like one who valued not life, in competition +with the praises of his master. In an engagement where they took the +baggage of Augustus, he did extraordinary service; and a colonel then +being killed on the spot, the king presently cried out, Now here is a +regiment for my Horatio. Our young warrior thanked him on his knees, but +beseeched he might not be removed from him, again protesting that he +could no were deserve so well, as where he was animated by his royal +presence. This Charles XII. took very kindly, and told him, he should +have his desire; but, said he, I must also have mine:--I will continue +you my aid-de-camp, but you shall accept the commission, and the +lieutenant colonel shall command the regiment in your absence. + +He also allotted him so large a share in the prize taken in this battle, +that Horatio was already become rich enough to avow his pretensions to +the daughter of the baron de Palfoy; but, dear as she was to him, his +love and admiration of the king of Sweden, joined to the ambition of +desiring still more than he had received, kept him from entertaining the +least desire of quitting the service he was in. + +In eight or nine weeks did the two kings clear the country round, and +drove their enemies into the heart of Lithuania. As they were about to +return, they were met by the welcome news that general Renchild had been +no less successful, and entirely routed the whole army of Shullenburgh, +and also that the diet of Ratisbon, fearing the king of Sweden would +enter Germany, had come to a resolution to declare him an enemy to the +empire, in case he offered to pass the Oder with his army. + +They could not have taken a more effectual step to bring on what +they dreaded, than by daring him to it by this menace. He took but +little time for consideration, before he determined to carry the war +into Saxony, and drive Augustus from his electorate, as he had done from +his kingdom. + +He had no sooner made known his resolution, than the troops began to +march, and with a chearfulness and alacrity, which shewed they had no +will but that of their king:--indeed he seemed the soul of this mighty +body, of which every single man was a member, and actuated only by him. + +It is certain his heart was set on establishing Stanislaus on the +throne, and he knew no better way of preventing Augustus from molesting +him, than by calling off all communication between his electorate and +Poland:--accordingly he bent his course to Saxony, marched thro' Silesia +and Lusatia, plundered the open country, laid the rich city of Leipsic, +and other towns, under contribution, and at length encamped at +Alranstadt, near the plains of Lutsen, whence he sent to the estates of +Saxony, to give him an estimate of what they could supply, and obliged +them to levy whatever sums he had occasion for: not that he had the +least spark of avarice in his nature, but his hatred to Augustus, who +had by his injustice made him become his enemy, was so great, that it +extended to all those of his country, so far, as to humble and +impoverish the once opulent inhabitants, making them not only support +his numerous army, but laid on them besides many unnecessary imposts, +which he divided among his soldiers, so that they were all cloathed in +gold and silver, and every private man had the appearance of a general, +the king himself still preferring his usual plainness; but he loved, he +said, to see the Saxon riches upon Swedish backs. + +Horatio had now a second opportunity of writing to France, which he did +not fail to do, and, as there was no talk of the army decamping for some +time, let his friends know he hoped to hear from them at Alranstadt. + +Augustus, in the mean time deprived of every thing, and a wanderer in +that kingdom where he had lately reigned, sent a mean submission to him, +entreating peace, and that he might have leave to return to his +electorate. This was granted by the conqueror, on condition he would +renounce, for ever, all thoughts of re-entering Poland, or giving any +disturbance to Stanislaus. But as the treaty was going to be signed, the +czar sent an army of 20,000 men to his relief, who defeated general +Mayerfield, whom the king had left to guard that kingdom; and the +dethroned monarch once more entered Warsaw, the capital of Poland, +in triumph. + +Charles XII. was so exasperated when he received this intelligence, that +he gave immediate orders to decamp, resolving he should not long enjoy +the benefit of his breach of faith; but the pusillanimity of Augustus +prevented him: that prince was afraid the czar should discover the peace +he had been secretly negotiating, and withdraw his troups; and as he had +neither any of his own, nor money to assist him, he sent the articles +demanded of him by the king of Sweden, signed with his own hand, and set +out to Alranstadt, hoping, by his presence and persuasions, to mollify +his indignation, and be permitted to enjoy his own Saxony in peace. + +What more could the utmost ambition of man require than the king of +Sweden now received, to see a prince, so lately his equal and inveterate +enemy, come to solicite favour of him in his camp, almost at his feet; +but whatever were his sentiments on this occasion he concealed them, and +tho' he could not but despise such an act of meanness, he treated him +with the utmost politeness, tho' without making any abatement of the +demands he had exacted from him. On the contrary, he insisted on his +delivering up to him general Patkul, ambassador from the czar, who at +that time was a prisoner in Saxony, being determined to put him to death +as a traitor, having been born his subject, and now entered into the +service of his sworn enemy. + +Augustus beseeched him in the most abject manner to relinquish this one +point, and remonstrated to him that the czar, his present master, would +look on it as the utmost indignity offered to himself in the person of +his ambassador: he assured him he hated Patkul, but feared the giving +him up would be resented by all the princes of Europe. All he could urge +on this head was to no effect; the king of Sweden was not to be moved +from any resolution he had once made; and the unfortunate Patkul was +sent to Alranstadt and chained to a stake for three whole months, and +afterwards conducted to Casimir, where he was to receive his sentence. + +Horatio, who was an entire stranger to the motive of this behaviour in +the king, and had never seen any thing before in him that looked like a +cruel disposition, was one day mentioning his surprize at it to a young +officer with whom he had contracted a great intimacy, on which he gave +him the following account: + +This Patkul, said he, is a Livonian born, which, tho' a free country, is +part of the dominions annexed to the crown of Sweden: Charles XI. began +to introduce a more absolute form of government than was consistent with +the humour of that people; his son has been far from receding in that +point, and Patkul being a person of great consideration among them, +stood up for their liberties in a manner which our king could not +forgive:--he ordered him to be seized, but he made his escape, and was +proscribed in Sweden; on which he entered into the service of king +Augustus, and was made his general; but on some misunderstanding; +between him and the chancellor, he quitted Poland and went to Russia, +where he got into great favour with the czar, was highly promoted, and +sent his residentiary ambassador in Saxony. Augustus, whose fate it has +been to disoblige every body, on some pretence clapp'd into prison the +representative of his only friend, and now, we see, has given him up to +death, to satiate the demands of his greatest enemy. + +Horatio could not keep himself from falling into a deep musing at the +recital of this adventure: he thought Patkul worthy of compassion, yet +found reasons to justify the king's resentment; and as this officer had +often disburthened himself to him with the greatest freedom, he had no +reserve toward him, and this led them into a discourse on arbitrary +power.--Horatio said, that he could not help believing that nature never +intended millions to be subjected to the despotic will of one person, +and that a limited government was the most conformable to reason. The +officer agreed with him in that; except the person who ruled had really +more perfections than all those he ruled over and if so, said he, and +his commands are always calculated for the happiness of the subject, +they cannot be more happy than in an implicite obedience. True, replied +Horatio, I am confident that such a prince as ours knows how to chuse +for his people much better than they do for themselves; but how can they +be certain that his descendants will have the same virtues; and when +once an absolute power is granted to a good prince, it will be in vain +that the people will endeavour to wrest it from the hands of a bad +one.--Never can any point be redeemed from the crown without a vast +effusion of blood, and the endangering such calamities on the country, +that the relief would be as bad as the disease. Upon the whole, +therefore, I cannot think Patkul in the wrong for attempting to maintain +the liberty of his country, tho' I do for entering into the service of +the avowed enemy of his master. + +It is that, I believe, resumed the other, that the king chiefly resents: +his majesty is too just to condemn a man for maintaining the principles +he was bred in, however they may disagree with his own; but to become +his enemy, to enlist himself in the service of those who aim at the +destruction of his lawful prince, is certainly a treason of the +blackest dye. + +As they were in this discourse, colonel Poniatosky came in, and hearing +they were speaking of Patkul,--I have just now, said he, received a +letter from one of my friends in Saxony concerning that general, which +deeply affects me, not for his own, but for the sake of a lady, to whom, +after a long series of disappointments, he was just going to be married, +when Augustus, against the law of nations, made him a prisoner. I will +relate the whole adventure to you, continued he; on which the others +assuring him they should think themselves obliged to him, he went on. + +When he first entered into the service of Augustus, he became +passionately in love with madam d' Ensilden, a young lady, whose beauty, +birth, and fortune rendered her worthy the affections of a man of more +honour than he had testified in his public capacity: her friends at +least thought so; and chancellor Flemming making his addresses to her at +the same time, had the advantage in every thing but in her heart: there +Patkul triumphed in spight of all objections: and tho' king Augustus +vouchsafed himself to sollicite in behalf of his favourite, her +constancy remained unshaken as a rock; which so incensed a monarch +haughty and imperious in his nature, before humbled by our glorious +Charles, that he made use of his authority, and forbid her to think of +marrying any other: to which she resolutely answered, that she knew no +right princes had to interfere with the marriages of private persons; +but since his majesty commanded it, she would endeavour to obey and live +single. This not satisfying the king, he hated Patkul from that moment; +and the rivals soon after meeting in madam d' Ensilden's apartment, some +hot words arose between them, which being by Flemming reported to his +master, he sent, in the moment of his passion, to require Patkul to +resign his office of general: he did so, but with a murmur that was far +from abating the royal resentments; and he had then ordered him into +confinement, but that private intelligence being given him, he made his +escape before the officers, commissioned for that purpose, reached his +house. He then went to the czar, who knowing him an experienced general, +of which at that time he stood greatly in need, gladly received him; and +it was there he first merited the hate of all good men, by countenancing +and abetting those ambitious projects his new master was then forming +against the king of Sweden: but see the fate of treason, he persuaded +him to enter into an alliance with, Poland and Saxony against Sweden, +which laid the foundation of this unjust war, and for which Augustus has +so dearly paid; and being sent Ambassador, in order to negotiate these +affairs, again renewed those of his love. Augustus, now obliged to the +czar for the preservation of his dominions, durst not openly espouse +chancellor Flemming, but no sooner heard that the marriage was near +being compleated, than he ventured every thing to prevent it; and, under +a pretence of his own forging, confined Patkul in the castle of +Konisting, where he lay a considerable time; the czar being too much +taken up with combating the fortune of our victorious king, to examine +into this affair, and besides, unwilling to break with Augustus, as +things then stood. Madam d' Ensilden did all this time whatever could be +expected from a sincere affection, in order to procure his enlargement; +but the interest of her friends, at least of those who would be employed +in this intercession, were infinitely too weak to oppose that of +Flemming and the king's own inclination, so that he remained a prisoner, +without being permitted either to write to madam d' Ensilden or see her, +till the time of his being delivered into our hands. But on hearing he +was so, my friend informs me her great spirit, which till now had made +her support her misfortune without discovering to the world any part of +the agonies she sustained, in an instant quite forsook her: she +abandoned herself to despair and grief, equally exclaiming against the +Czar, Augustus, and Charles XII; has ever since shut herself up in her +apartment, which she has caused to be hung with black, the windows +closed, and no light but what a small lamp affords, and only adds more +horror to the melancholy scene: she weeps incessantly, and, as she +expects her lover will obtain no mercy, declares, she only waits till +she hears the sentence of his fate is given, to dye, if possible, at the +same moment of his execution. + +I must confess, continued Poniatosky, the history of this lady's +sufferings touch me very much; and tho' I think her lover well worthy of +the death he will undoubtedly receive, could wish some unexpected chance +might once more set him free, and in a condition to recompence so tender +a passion, which Augustus has now no longer any power to oppose. + +Horatio had a heart too tender, and too sensible of the woes of love, +not to be greatly affected with this passage; and as they all were +young, and probably had each of them a lady to whom their affections +were given, could not help sympathizing in the misfortunes of two +persons who seemed to have fallen into them merely by the sincere +attachment they had for each other. + + + +CHAP. XVIII. + +_King Stanislaus quits Alranstadt to appease the troubles in Poland: +Charles XII. gives laws to the empire: a courier arrives from Paris: +Horatio receives letters which give him great surprize_. + +Augustus being able to obtain no better conditions from the king of +Sweden, than leave to return to his almost ruined electorate, took leave +of his conqueror with an almost broken heart.--Intelligence soon after +arriving that Poland was half demolished by the violence of different +factions, who, in the absence of both their kings, contended with equal +fury for the sovereign power, Stanislaus took an affectionate farewell +of his dear friend and patron, and went to appease the troubles of that +kingdom, and make himself peaceably acknowledged for what he was, their +lawful king, not only by election, but by the gift of the conqueror, +Charles XII. of Sweden. He was attended by 10,000 Swedish horse, and +twice the number of foot, in order to make good his claim against any of +his rebellious subjects. + +Charles having now accomplished all he could desire in relation to the +Polish affairs, began to grow weary of the idle life he led at +Alranstadt, and was thinking which way he should turn his arms; he had +been used ill by the czar, who, as has been before observed, plotted his +destruction while a minor, and began hostilities when he thought him not +in a condition to defend himself, much less to make any reprisals: his +resentment therefore against him was no less implacable than it had been +against Augustus,--But the emperor had also disobliged him. Count Zobor, +the chamberlain, had taken very indecent and unbecoming liberties with +his character, in the presence of his own Ambassador at Vienna; and that +court had given shelter to 1500 Muscovites, who having escaped his arms, +fled thither for protection. As he was now so near, he therefore thought +best to call the emperor first to account, and then proceed to +attack the czar. + +To this end he sent to demand count Zobor, and the 1500 Muscovites +should be given into his hands: the timid emperor complied with the +first and sent his chamberlain to be punished as the king thought fit; +but it was not in his power to acquiesce with the other; the Roman envoy, +then at Vienna, having intelligence of it, provided for their escape by +different routs. The king of Sweden then sent a second mandate, +requiring protection for all the Lutherans throughout Germany, +particularly in Silesia, and that they should be restored to all the +liberties and privileges established by the treaty of Westphalia. The +emperor, who would have yielded any thing to get the king of Sweden out +of his neighbourhood, granted even this, disobliging as it was to the +pope and his own catholic subjects: and having ratified these +concessions, the king vouchsafed to let his chamberlain return, without +any other punishment than imprisonment, so long as these affairs +remained in agitation. + +Having thus given laws to Germany and terror to the emperor, he resolved +to turn where he might expect more opposition; and accordingly he +ordered count Piper to acquaint the officers, that they must now begin +to think of preparing for a march. + +In the mean time ambassadors from all the courts of Europe were sent to +his camp, most of them being apprehensive that they should be the next +who felt the terror of his arms: but those who had nothing of this kind +to dread, and more really his friends, made use of all the arguments in +their power to prevail on him to return to Stockholm. France in +particular sent courier after courier, remonstrating to him that his +glory was complete; that he had already exceeded Alexander, and should +now return covered, as he was, with lawrels, and let his subjects enjoy +the blessing of his presence. The court of St. Germains added their +entreaties to that of Versailles, but each were equally ineffectual; nor +could even the thoughts of the beautiful princess Louisa, his betrothed +spouse, and whom he was to marry at the end of this war, put a stop to +the vehemence of his impatience to revenge the many injuries he had +received from the czar of Muscovy. + +These were the sentiments by which this conquering monarch were +agitated; but Horatio, tho' no less fond of glory, had a softness in his +nature, which made him languish for the sight of his dear Charlotta, +whom he had been absent from near two years; and being now blessed with +a fortune from the plunder of Saxony, which might countenance his +pretensions to her, passionately longed for an opportunity of returning +without incurring the censure of cowardice or ingratitude. By these +couriers he received letters from the baron de la Valiere, and several +others of his friends, but none from the father of Charlotta; nor did +any of them make any mention of that lady, tho' he knew the passion he +had for her was now no secret to any of them. + +He was very much surprized that the baron de Palfoy had not wrote, +because as he had in a manner promised to correspond with him by +desiring him to write, he had a right to expect that favour when they +came to Alranstadt; for till then it was scarce possible, by reason of +the army's continual and uncertain motions; but he was much more so, +that the baron de la Valiere had not been so good as to give him some +information of an affair, of which he could not be insensible his peace +so much depended: that he did not do it, he therefore presently +concluded, was owing to the having nothing pleasing to acquaint +him with. + +As love is always apprehensive of the worst that can possibly befal, he +thought now of nothing but her being obliged to give her hand to some +rival approved by her father:--what avails it, cried he, that fortune +has raised me to an equality with her, if, by other means, I am +deprived of her! + +He was beginning to give way to a despair little befitting a soldier, +when another courier arriving from Versailles with dispatches to the +king, he also received a packet, in which were three letters. The first +he cast his eye upon had on it the characters of Charlotta: amazed and +transported he hastily broke the seal, and found it contained +these lines: + +_To Colonel_ HORATIO. + + +SIR, + +"I have the permission of my father to pursue +my inclinations, in giving you this testimony +how sincerely I congratulate your good fortune; +tho' I ought not to call it by that name, since I +find every-body allows your rewards have not +exceeded your merits; but as neither has been +found deficient either for your ambition or the +satisfaction of your friends, all who are truly such +think you ought to be content, and run no future +hazards.--Be assured you have many well-wishers +here, among the number of whom you +will be guilty of great injustice not to place + +CHARLOTTA DE PALFOY." + + +How well were all the late anxieties he had endured attoned for by this +billet; it was short indeed, and wrote with a more distant air than he +might have expected, had the dear authoress been at liberty to pursue +the dictates of her heart; but as it informed him it was permitted by +her father, and was doubtless under his inspection, the knowledge that +he had authorized her to write at all, was more flattering to his hopes +of happiness than all she could have said without that Sanction. After +having indulged the raptures this condescention excited, he proceeded to +the rest, and found the next he opened was from the baron de Palfoy, who +expressed himself to him in these terms: + +_To Colonel_ HORATIO. + + +"I think myself obliged to you for so much +exceeding the character I gave you; but I +value myself on knowing mankind, and am glad +to find I was not deceived in you, when I expected +you to do more than I durst venture on +my own opinion to assure the count. He tells me, +in a letter I received from him the last courier, +that the victorious Charles XII. himself cannot +behave with greater bravery in the time of action, +nor more moderation after it is over.--This +is a great praise, indeed, from such a man +as he; and I acquaint you with it not to make +you vain, for that would blemish the lustre of +your other good qualities, but that you may +know how to make proper acknowledgments to +that minister." + +"Our court, I know, makes pressing influences +to the king of Sweden not to carry on the way +any farther: I wish they may succeed, or if they +should not, that you might be able to find some +opportunity of quitting the service for reasons +which you will see in a letter that accompanies +this, and to which nothing can be added to convince +you what part you ought to take.--I +shall therefore say no more than that I am, with +a very tender regard, + +_Yours_, + +PALFOY" + + +Rejoiced as he was at receiving a letter from the father of his +mistress, wrote in a manner which he might look upon as a kind of +confirmation he no longer would be refractory to his wishes, the latter +part of it contained an enigma he could by no means comprehend.--It +seemed impossible to him there could be any reasons prevalent enough to +make him quit, with honour, a prince who had so liberally rewarded his +service; but hoping a further explanation, he lost not any time in +conjectures; and tearing open the other letter without giving himself +time to examine the hand in which it was directed, found, to his +inexpressible astonishment, the name of Dorilaus subscribed. It was +indeed wrote by that gentleman, and contained at follows: + +_Dear Horatio_, + + +"Accidents, which at our parting neither of +us could foresee, have doubtless long since +made you cease to hope any continuance of that +kindness my former behaviour seemed to promise; +but never, perhaps did heaven deal its +blessings with a more mysterious hand than it +has done to you.--That seeming neglect in +me, at a time when you were a prisoner among +strangers, and had most need of my assistance, +had the appearance of the greatest misfortune +could befall you; yet has it been productive of +the greatest good, and laid the foundation of a +happiness which cannot be but lasting.--I reserve +the explanation of this riddle till you arrive +at Paris, where I now am, and intend to +continue my whole life.--That I impatiently +desire to see you, ought to be a sufficient inducement +for you to return with as much expedition +as possible:--I will therefore make this +experiment of that affection, I might add duty, +you owe me, and only give you leave to guess +what recompence this proof of your obedience +will entitle you to.--If therefore the king of +Sweden is resolute to extend his conquests, entreat +his permission to resign: I know the obligations +you have to that excellent prince; but I +know also you have others to me which cannot +be dispensed with:--besides, his majesty's affairs +cannot suffer by the loss of one man: yours +will be in danger, if not totally ruined, by your +continuance with him, and myself deprived at +the same time of the only remaining comfort of +my days.--Your sister left me soon after you +did:--she went to Aix la Chapelle, since +which I have never been able to hear any thing +of her.--Let me not lose you both; if you +have any regard for your own interest, or the +peace of him whom you have ever found a father +in his care and affection, and whom you will +now find so more than you can possibly expect. + +DORILAUS." + + +Impossible is it to conceive, without being in the very circumstances +Horatio was, what a strange variety of mingled passions agitated his +breast on having to read, and considered these letters:--to find such +unhoped condescension from the baron de Palfoy and that Dorilaus was +still living, and had the same, if not more tender inclinations for him +than ever, the latter of which he had long since ceased to hope, was +sufficient to have overwhelmed even the most phlegmatic person with an +excess of joy:--but then the dark expressions in both these letters put +his brain on the rack.--The baron had seemed to refer to an explanation +of what he darkly hinted at in the letter of Dorilaus, but that he found +rather more obsolete: he could imagine nothing farther than that +Dorilaus having resolved to make him his heir, as he remembered some +people said before he left England, on the knowledge of that +intelligence the baron de Palfoy had consented to his marriage with +mademoiselle Charlotta, and this, her being permitted to write to him +confirmed.--This indeed was the supreme aim of his desires; and this it +was that made him quit St. Germains, in hope of raising himself to a +condition which might enable her to own her affection to him without a +blush: but transporting as this idea was, it was mingled with disquiet, +to reflect on the terms which both the Baron and Dorilaus seemed to +insist on for the accomplishment of his wishes, tho' he impatiently +longed to see Dorilaus after so long an absence.--Tho' in the possession +of Charlotta all his hopes were centered, yet to leave a prince who had +so highly favoured him, and under whose banners he had gained so much +consideration, was a piece of ingratitude, which it was worse than death +for him to be guilty of.--No! said he, it would be to render me unworthy +of all the blessings they make me hope, should I purchase them on such +conditions!--How can they demand them of me!--The Baron, Charlotta, and +Dorilaus, have all of them the highest notions of honour, generosity and +gratitude, and can they approve that in me, which I am certain they +would not be guilty of themselves!--Sure it is but to try me, they seem +to exact what they are sensible I cannot yield to, without the breach of +every thing that can entitle me to esteem or love! + +Thus did he argue within himself for one moment; the next, other +reasons, directly opposite to these, presented themselves.--Dorilaus, +cried he, demands all my obedience;--all my gratitude:--without +protection I had been an outcast in the world!--Whatever honours, +whatever happiness I enjoy, is it not to him I owe them! Can I refuse +then to comply with commands, which, he says, are necessary to his +peace!--Besides, was it not Charlotta that inspired this ardor in me for +great actions! Was not the possession of that charming maid, the sole +end I proposed to myself in all I have undertaken! and shall I, by +refusing her request, madly run the risque of losing her for ever!--Does +not she wish, her father persuade, and Dorilaus enjoin me to +return!--Does not love, friendship, duty call me to partake the joys +that each affords!--And shall I refuse the tender invitation!--No! the +world cannot condemn me for following motives such as these; and even +the royal Charles himself is too generous not to acquit me of +ingratitude or cowardice. + +It must indeed be confessed he had potent inducements for his return to +Paris, to combat against those of continuing in the king of Sweden's +service; and both by turns appeared so prevalent, that it is uncertain +which would have got the better, had not an accident happened, which +unhappily determined him in favour of the latter. + +Colonel Poniatosky, who had attended Stanislaus into Poland, now the +disturbances of that kingdom were quieted, on hearing the king of Sweden +was on some new expedition, obtained leave of Stanislaus to return to +the camp, and implored his majesty's permission to be one of those who +should partake the glorious toils he was now re-entering into. To which +he replied, that he should be glad to have him near his person, but +feared he would be wanted in Poland. No, may it please your majesty, +resumed Poniatosky, there seems to be no longer any business in that +kingdom for a soldier:--all seem ready to obey the royal Stanislaus out +of affection to his person, and admiration of those virtues they are now +perfectly convinced of; nor is Augustus in a condition to violate the +treaty of resignation:--refuse me not therefore I beseech your majesty, +continued he, falling upon both his knees, what I look on as my greatest +happiness, as it is my greatest glory. + +The king seemed very well pleased at the emphasis with which he +expressed himself; and having raised him from the posture he was in, be +it so, cried he, henceforward we will be inseparable. + +Horatio was charmed with this testimony of love and zeal in a person, +who had doubtless friends and kindred who would have been glad he had +less attachment to a service so full of dangers as that of the king of +Sweden, and somewhat ashamed he had ever entertained a thought of +quitting it, resolved, as he had been more obliged, not to shew less +gratitude than Poniatosky. Therefore, without any further deliberation, +retired to his quarters, and prepared the following answers to the +letters had been brought him. As all things in a lover's heart yields to +the darling object, the first he wrote was to his mistress. + +_To mademoiseile_ DE PALFOY. + + +"With what transports I received yours, +adorable Charlotta, I am little able to +express!--To find I am not forgotten!--That +what I have done is approved by her for +whom alone I live, and whose praise alone can +make me vain, so swallowed up all other considerations, +that it had almost made me quit +Alranstadt that moment, and fly to pour beneath +your feet my gratitude and joy!--But +glory, tyrannic glory, would not suffer me to +obey the soft impulse, nor re-enjoy that blessing +till conscious I deserved it better!--My friends +over-rate my services; and tho' that partial indulgence +is the ultimate of my ambition, I would +dare not abuse what they are so good to offer." + +"To feast my long, long famished sight with +gazing once more on your charms, I would +forgo every thing but the hope of rendering myself +one day more worthy of it!--Too dear I +prize the good wishes you vouchsafe to have for +me, not to attempt every thing in my power to +prevent the disappointment of them: the little +I have yet done, alas! serves but to prove how +much the man, who has in view rendering himself +acceptable to the divine Charlotta, dares +to do, when dangers worthy of his courage +present themselves.--A small time may, perhaps, +afford me an opportunity:--yet did you +know how dear this self-denial costs me, you +would confess it the greatest proof of affection +ever man gave:--permit me therefore to gratify +an ambition which has no other aim than a +justification of the favours I receive:--continue +to look with a favourable eye on my endeavours, +and they cannot then fail of such success, +as may give me a claim to the glorious. +title of my most adored and loved Charlotta's. + +_Everlasting Slave_, + +HORATIO." + + +To her father he wrote in the following manner: + +_To the baron_ DE PALFOY, + +_My Lord_; + + +"The favours your goodness confers upon +me are such as can be equalled by but one +thing in the world, and that is my just and +grateful sense of them.--Charming would be +the toils of war, did all employed in them meet +a recompence like mine!--Is there a man, so +mean, so poor in spirit, that praises such as I receive +might not animate to actions worthy of +them!--What acknowledgments can I make +the count suitable to the immense obligations I +owe him, for inspiring your lordship with sentiments, +which, tho' the supreme wish of my +aspiring soul, I never durst allow myself to +hope; and which afford a prospect of future +accumulated blessings, such as I could scarce +flatter myself with being real, were not the transporting +idea in some measure confirmed to me, +by your having given a sanction to a correspondence +I so lately despaired of ever obtaining!--Blessed +change!--Extatic condescensions!--Fortune +has done all she can for me, and anticipated +all the good that, after a long train of +services and approved fidelity, I scarce should +have presumed to hope!--Oh my lord! I have +no words to thank you as I ought! It is deeds +alone, and rendering myself worthy of your +indulgence, that must preserve your good opinion, +and keep you from repenting having overwhelmed +me with this profusion of happiness!--Yet +how joyfully could I now pursue the +rout to Paris, and content myself with owing +every thing merely to your goodness, were I +not with-held by all the considerations that +ought to have weight with a man of honour!--My +royal general is inflexible to the persuasions +of almost all the courts in Christendom, +and hurried by his thirst of fame, or some other +more latent motive, has given orders to prepare +for a march, where, or against whom, is yet a +secret to the army; but by the preparations for +it, we believe they are not short journeys we +are to take.--Should I now quit a service +where I have been promoted so much beyond +my merit, what, my lord, but cowardice or ingratitude +could be imputed to me as the motive! +--Not all my reasons, powerful as they are, +would have any weight with a prince, who is +deaf to every thing but the calls of glory; and +I must return loaden with his displeasure, and +the reproaches of all I leave behind!--Now +to return is certain infamy!--To go, is in pursuit +of honour!--Your lordship will not therefore +be surprized I make choice of the latter, +since no hazard can be equal to that of forfeiting +the little reputation I have acquired, and +which alone can render me worthy any part of +the favours I have received. + +_I am_, + +_With the extremest respect and submission_, + +_Your lordship's + +Eternally devoted servant,_ + +HORATIO." + + +The last and most difficult task he had to go thro', was the refusal he +must give to Dorilaus, who had laid his commands on him in such express +terms; and it was not without a good deal of blotting, altering, and +realtering, he at length formed an epistle to him in these terms: + +_To my more than father, my only patron, +protector and benefactor, the most worthy +DORILAUS._ + +_Most dear and ever honoured Sir,_ + +"To hear you are living, and still remember +me with kindness, affords too great a +transport to suffer me to throw away any thought +either on the motives of your long silence, +or that happiness, which you tell me, I may +expect has been the produce of it:--it is +sufficient for me to know I am still blessed in +the favor of the most excellent person that +ever lived, and am not in the least anxious for +an explanation of any farther good. + +To tell you with how much ardency I long +to throw myself at your feet, to relate to you +all the various accidents that have befallen me +since first you condescended to put me in the +paths of glory, and to pour out my soul before +you with thanksgiving, would be as impossible +as it is for me at present to enjoy that blessing!--The +king's affairs, it is true, would suffer +nothing by my absence; but, sir, what would +the world say of me, if, after a whole year of +inactivity and idleness, I flew, on the first appearance +of danger, and forsook a prince, by +whom I have been so highly favoured?--Instead +of the character I have always been ambitious +of attaining, should I not be branded with +everlasting infamy!--Put not therefore, I beseech +you, to so severe a test that love and duty, +to which you cannot have a greater claim than +I a readiness to pay?--Did you command my +life, it is yours:--I owe it to you, and with it +all that can render it agreeable; but, sir, my +honour, my reputation, must survive when I am +no more; it was the first, and will be the last +bent of my desires. No perils can come in any +degree of competition with those of being deprived +of that, nor any indulgencies of fortune +compensate for the loss of it:--pardon then +this enforced disobedience, and believe it is the +only thing in which I could be guilty of it.-- +I very much lament my sister's absence, as I +find by yours she went without your permission: +time and reflection will doubtless bring her to a +more just sense of what she, as well as myself, +ought to have of your goodness to us, and make +her return full of sincere contrition for having +offended you. I should implore your favourable +opinion of her actions in the mean time, +were not all the interest I have in you too little +to apologize for my own behaviour.--All, sir, +I dare to implore is pardon for myself, and that +you will be assured no son, no dependant whatever, +would more rejoice in an opportunity of +testifying his duty, affection, gratitude and submission, +than him who is now constrained by +ties, which I flatter myself you will not hereafter +disapprove, to swerve in some measure +from them, and whose soul and all the faculties +of it are + +_Entirely devoted to you_. + +HORATIO." + + +These dispatches being sent away, he became more composed, and set his +whole mind on his departure, and taking leave of those friends and +acquaintance he had contracted at Leipsic and Alranstadt; the time of +the army marching being fixed in a few days, tho' what rout they were to +take none, except count Piper, general Renchild, count Hoorn, and some +few others of the cabinet council, were made privy to. + + + +CHAP. XIX. + +_The king of Sweden leaves Saxony, marches into Lithuania, meets with an +instance of Russian brutality, drives the czar out of Grodno, and +pursues him to the Borysthenes. Horatio, with others, is taken prisoner +by the Russians, and carried to Petersburg, where they suffer the +extremest miseries_. + +The word at length being given, the tents were struck, the trumpets +sounded, and the whole army was immediately in motion. Never was a more +gay and glorious fight; the splendor of their arms, and the richness of +their habits blazed against the sun; but what was yet more pleasing, and +spread greater terror among their enemies, was the chearfulness that sat +on every face, and shewed they followed with the utmost alacrity their +beloved and victorious monarch. + +It was in the latter end of September, a season extremely cold in those +parts, that they began their march but hardships were natural to the +king of Sweden's troops; and as they perceived they were going into +Lithuania, a place where their valour had been so well proved against +the invading Muscovites, their cheeks glowed with a fresher red on the +remembrance of their former victories. They passed near Dresden, the +capital of the electorate of Saxony, and made Augustus tremble in his +palace, tho' the word of the king, which ever was inviolable, had been +given that he should enjoy those dominions in peace. + +During the course of this, the czar had fallen upon the frontiers of +Poland above twenty times, not like a general, desiring to come to a +decisive battle, but like a robber, plundering, ravaging, and destroying +the defenceless country people, and immediately flying on the approach +of any troops either of Charles XII or king Stanislaus. The Swedes in +their march met several parties sent on these expeditions, but who +retired on sight of the army into woods, and were most of them either +killed or taken prisoners by detachments sent in pursuit of them by the +king of Sweden. + +In their march towards Grodno they found the remains of an encampment, +several pieces of cannon and ammunition of all forts, but not one +creature to guard it, the troops to whom it belonged having all +dispersed and hid themselves. On examining the tents, they were +surprized with the sight of a very beautiful woman, who was lying on the +ground in one of them, with three others, who seemed endeavouring to +comfort her, and, by the respect they paid her, that they were her +dependents; but had all of them their garments torn and bloody, their +hair hanging in strange disorder about their ears, their flesh +discoloured with bruises and other marks of violence, and, as well as +their disconsolate superior, were spectacles of the utmost distress. + +The king of Sweden himself, followed by general Hoorn, Poniatolky, +Horatio, and several others, who hardly ever lost sight of him, came +into this tent, and, being touched with so moving a scene, demanded the +Occasion; on which the prostrate lady being told who it was that spoke, +started suddenly up, and throwing herself at his feet:--Oh king! cried +she in the German language, as famous for justice as for being +invincible in war, revenge the cause of helpless innocence and +virtue!--Oh let the murderous brutal Russians find heaven's vindictive +arm in you its great vicegerent.--She was able to utter no more: the +inward agonies she sustained, on being about to relate the story of her +wrongs, became too violent for speech, and she sunk motionless on the +earth. Two of the women, assisted by some Swedes, carried her out of the +tent, as thinking the open air most proper to revive her; and she who +remained, satisfied the king's curiosity in these words: + +May it please your majesty, said she, my mistress, that afflicted lady +who just now implored your royal pity, is of the noble family of the +Casselburgh, in Saxony, only daughter to the present count: her person, +before these heavy misfortunes fell upon her, was deservedly reputed one +of the most beautiful that graced the court of Dresden: her birth, her +youth, her charms, and the great fortune it was expected she would be +mistress of, attracted a great number of persons who addressed her for +marriage: her own inclinations, as well as the count her father's +commands, disposed of her to Emmermusky, a Polish nobleman; and she had +been scarce one month a bride, before they unhappily took this journey to +visit my lord's mother who lives at Travenstadt.--In our way we met a +party of straggling Muscovites, who, notwithstanding the strict league +between our elector and the czar, and the knowledge they had by our +passports that we were Saxons, stripped us of every thing, killed all +our men-servants and having given my lord several wounds, left him for +dead upon the place, then dragged us miserable women to the camp.--My +lady, in the midst of faintings, and when she was incapable even of +flying to death for refuse, was brutally ravished, and we her wretched +attendants suffered the same abuse.--Shame will not let me, continued +she, blushing and weeping, acquaint your majesty with the shocking and +repeated violations we were compelled to bear!--the wretches casting +lots who first should gratify his monstrous desires!--We were all bound +to trees, and without any means of opposition but our shrieks and cries +to unrelenting heaven!--My lord having a little recovered himself, had +crawled, as well as his wounds would give him leave, after us, and +arrived even while the horrid scene was acting: rage giving him new +strength and spirits; he snatched a sword that lay upon the earth, and +sent to perdition the villain who was about to add to the dishonour +which had been, alas! but too much completed by others. The death of +their companion incensing the accursed Muscovites, they turned upon him, +and in a moment laid him dead just at the feet of his ruined and almost +expiring wife! After having satiated their wicked will, they left us, +bound as we were, where we continued the remainder of the day and whole +night, and had doubtless perished thro' hunger and extreme cold, if a +second party had not passed that way, who having been out on a maroding, +were then returning to the camp.--Being actuated by somewhat more +compassion than the former, one of the officers made us be untied, and +having heard our story, blamed the cruelty with which we had been +treated, and brought us to his tent, the same we now are in, and ordered +something should be given for our refreshment; but my lady has continued +obstinate to dye, and to that end has refused all subsistence. This, oh +invincible monarch! is the sad history of our misfortunes:--misfortunes, +which, alas! can never be retrieved, nor admit any consolation but in +the hope of vengeance! + +Here a torrent of tears closed the sad narration; and the king cried +out, turning as he spoke to us that followed him,--It is the cause of +heaven and earth, my friends, said he, to punish these barbarians, and +shew them that there is a God; for sure at present they are ignorant +of it! + +The generous monarch after this gave orders that these afflicted and +abused woman should be escorted to a place of safety, and for that +purpose halted for the space of two days, then proceeded towards Grodno +with such expedition, that after-ages will look upon it as incredible +that so large an army, and also encumbered with a great quantity of +baggage, could have marched in the time they did. + +But the king of Sweden was on fire to encounter in person the czar of +Muscovy, who, with about 2000 men, was then in that city: so great was +his impatience, that he galloped before his troops, not above 600 of +those best mounted being able to keep pace with him, till he came in +sight of the south gate, which gave him entrance without any opposition, +while the czar and his forces made their escape out at the north gate, +not doubting but the king of Sweden's whole army were come up with him. + +He was afterward so much vexed and ashamed to think he had quitted the +town to no more than 600 of the enemy, that, to retrieve a mistake which +he feared might be looked upon as cowardice, being informed the body, of +the army was near five leagues off, he sent a party of 1500 horse in +order to surprize the king and his few guards. The Muscovites entered by +night; but the alarm being given, the fortune which still had waited on +the Swedish armies, immediately put them all to the rout; and the army +soon after arriving, the conqueror lost no time, but pursued those that +remained alive into the forest of Mensky, on the other side of which the +czar had then entrenched himself, and had made the general rendezvous of +the Russian army, which was continually divided into parties; and +sometimes falling on the Swedes in the rear, and sometimes in the flank, +very much annoyed them in their march: these brave men had also other +difficulties to encounter with; the forest was so extremely thick, that +the infantry were obliged to fell down trees every moment, during the +whole time of their passage, to make way for the baggage and troops. + +Their industry and vigour surmounting all these obstacles, they once +more found themselves in an open country, but on the banks of a river, +on the opposite side of which were 20,000 Muscovites placed to oppose +their crossing. The king made no delay, but quitting his horse, threw +himself into the river, and was instantly followed by all the foot, +while the troops under the command of general Renchild and Hoorn, +galloped round thro' the morrass in which that river ended, and both +together charged the enemy, who, after some faint shew of resistance, +fled with the utmost precipitation. The whole army being now joined +marched on toward the Boristhenes, but with fatigues which are +impossible to be described: Horatio kept still close to the king, and +whether he fought or marched, was on foot or on horsback, was always in +his fight ready to bear his commands to the generals, or assist him in +the time of danger. More than once had the conqueror been indebted to +this young warrior, for turning the point of the destructive sword from +giving him the same death he was dealing about to others; yet in all the +dangers he had been in never had he received one wound, and this often +made the king say, who was a firm believer in predestination, that +heaven designed him for a soldier: his fortune, his valour, his +activity, added to his obliging and modest behaviour, indeed rendered +him so dear to his royal master, that there were very few, if any, to +whom he gave greater marks of his favour. And had Dorilaus, or even +Charlotta herself, all tender as she was, and trembling for the hazards +she knew he had been exposed to, seen him thus caressed and honoured by +the most glorious prince and greatest hero in the world, they could +scarce have wished him to quit the post he was in, much less persuaded +him to do it. + +He hitherto indeed had experienced only the happiness of a martial life, +for the fatigues, hardships, and dangers of it he as little regarded as +the intrepid and indefatigable prince he served; but now arrived the +time which was to inflict on him the worst miseries of it, and make him +almost curse a vocation he had been in his soul so much attached to. + +The king of Sweden, with his usual success having passed the +Boristhenes, encountered a party of 10,000 Muscovites and 6000 Calmuck +Tartars; but they gave way on the first onset and fled into a wood, +where the king, following the dictates of his great courage more than +prudence, pursuing them, fell into an ambuscade, which, throwing +themselves between him and three regiments of horse that were with him, +hem'd him in, and now began a very unequal fight.--Many of the gallant +Swedes were cut to pieces, and the Muscovites made quite up to his +majesty:--two aid-de-camps were killed within his presence, his own +horse was shot under him, and as an equerry was presenting him with +another, both horse and man was struck dead in the same moment.--Horatio +immediately alighted in order to mount the king, who now on foot behaved +with incredible valour, in that action was surrounded and taken +prisoner, as were several others that had fought near his person. He had +the satisfaction, however, while they were disarming and tying his +hands, to see colonel Dardoff with his regiment force thro' the +Calmucks, and arrive timely enough to disengage the king, after which +the army recovering its rank, and pouring in upon the enemy, he was not +without hopes of regaining his liberty; but he was sat upon a horse and +bound fast to the saddle, and compelled, with the others that were taken +with him, to accompany the Muscovites in their flight, so was ignorant +in what manner this re-encounter ended. Soon after repairing to the +czar's quarters, these unfortunate officers of the king of Sweden were, +with some others who had before become their prize, sent under a strong +guard to Petersburgh, and thrown altogether into a miserable dungeon. + +It would be impossible to describe the horrors of this place:--light +there was, but it was only so much as just served to shew to each of +these unhappy sufferers the common calamity of them all.--The roof was +arched indeed, but so low, that the shortest among them could scarce +stand upright:--no kind of furniture, not even straw to cover the damp +earthen floor, which served them for a seat by day and bed at night. +Inured as they had been to hardships, the noisomeness of this dreadful +vault killed many of them, and among the rest a young Swedish officer +named Gullinstern, one with whom Horatio had contracted a very intimate +friendship, and who, for his many excellent qualities, had been so dear +to the king, that seeing him one day greatly wounded, and in danger of +being taker, prisoner, that generous prince obliged him to mount on his +own horse, and fought on foot himself till another could be brought. + +The light of this gentleman expiring in his arms, filled Horatio with so +poignant an anguish, that he wanted but little of following him; and, +indeed, had it not been for the sanguine hopes that the king would in a +short time complete the ruin of the czar, and not only restore them +liberty, but also add vengeance to it for the ill treatment they had +found in his dominions, few, if any of them, had been able to support +the miseries inflicted on them by these inhuman wretches, who, not +content with burying them in a manner alive, for the dungeon they were +in was deep underground, and allowing them no other food than bread and +water once in four and twenty hours, made savage sport at their +condition, ridiculed the conquests of their king, and spoke in the most +opprobrious terms of his royal person, which, when some of them were +unable to restrain themselves from answering in a manner befitting their +duty and love of justice, they were silenced by the most cruel stripes. + +Thus were the officers of the king of Sweden, the meanest of whom were +fit to be generals in any other army, subjected to the servile taunts, +and insolent behaviour of wretches undeserving to be ranked among the +human species. + +A very little time had doubtless made them all find graves among these +barbarians; scarce a day passed over without their company decreasing by +two or three, who were no sooner dead than dragged out by the heels, and +thrown like dogs into a pit without the least funeral rites. But +providence at length thought fit to send them a relief by means they +least expected. + +In one of the incursions made by the Muscovites into Poland, a very +beautiful lady, whose father had been killed in asserting the cause of +Stanislaus, was made prisoner: prince Menzikoff, who commanded these +batallions, saw her, and became enamoured of her charms: she was +destitute of all friends, and in the conqueror's power, so thought it +best to yield what otherwise she found him determined to seize: in fine, +she was his mistress; and her ready compliance with his desires, +together with the love she either had or feigned to have for him, +afterward gained her an absolute ascendant over him. Every one knows the +interest he had with the czar; and he so far exerted it, as to get this +fair favourite lodged in the palace, where she was served with the same +state and respect as if she had been his wife. + +This lady, whose name was Edella, happened to be walking with some of +her attendants near where these unfortunate gentlemen were buried, at a +time when three of them were dragged to their wretched sepulchre, was +touched with compassion to see any thing that had a human shape thus +coarsely treated, tho' after death, and had the curiosity to order one +of her people to enquire who those persons were, and what they had done, +which hindered them from being allowed a christian burial. + +She was no sooner informed that they were Swedish prisoners, than her +soul shuddered at the thoughts of the Russian barbarity; and not +doubting but their usage during life had been of a piece with that after +their death, she resolved, if possible, to procure some abatement of the +miseries of those who yet survived. + +To this end she made it her business to examine what number of prisoners +had been brought, of what condition they were, and where lodged; and +being well acquainted with all she wanted to know, went to the governor +of Petersburg, and so well represented how dishonourable it was to the +czar, and how opposite to the law of nations, to treat prisoners of war +in a worse manner than they would do condemned felons, that he knowing +the power of prince Menzikoff, and fearing to disoblige one so dear to +him by a refusal, consented they should be removed into an upper part of +the prison where they would have more air, and also that they should +have an allowance of meat every day. + +As the governor was a true Muscovite in his nature and had an implacable +hatred to the king of Sweden and all that belonged to him, this was +gaining a great deal; but it was not enough to satisfy the charitable +disposition of Edella; after their removal, she went in person to visit +those of them whom she heard were gentlemen, and finding them covered +only with rags, which some of the soldiers had put on them after having +stripped them of their own rich habits, she ordered others lined with +furs to be made for them, to defend them from the coldness of the +season; and not content to retrench a great part of her own table, sold +several fine jewels, and other trinkets the prince had bestowed on her, +to supply them with wine, and whatever necessaries she supposed them to +be accustomed to. That she might be certain those entrusted by her did +not abuse her good intentions, she went often to the prison herself to +see how they were served, and would sometimes enter into discourse with +them concerning the battles they had been in, the settlement of +Stanislaus, and many other things relating to the Polish affairs. The +gallant and courtly manner in which Horatio expressed himself on every +occasion, made her take a particular pleasure in hearing him speak: that +rough blunt behaviour to which she had been accustomed since her being +brought a captive into Muscovy, gave double charms to the politeness +with which she found herself entertained by our young warrior; his +blooming years, and the gracefulness of his person, contributed not a +little also towards rendering every thing he said more agreeable. Her +liking of him grew by degrees into a friendship, no less tender than +that one feels for very near relations, and who have never done any +thing to disoblige us, are more endeared by being under undeserved +calamity: but as the inclination she had for him was perfectly innocent, +and no ways prejudicial to the prince who was in possession of her +person, she made no secret of it either to himself or those she +conversed with, and was always talking of the wit, delicacy, and +handsomeness of one of those prisoners, whom it was well known were +pensioners to her bounty. But how dangerous is it to be too open before +persons who, void of all true generosity, or the lead principle of +honour themselves, never fail to put the worst construction on the +actions of others. Edella was very near being undone by her sincerity in +acknowledging the distinction she paid to merit, or the compassion she +felt for misfortunes, in a country where humanity to enemies is looked +upon as a crime, friendship to those of the same party altogether +unknown, and even common civility never practised but for the +gratification of self-interest, or some favourite passion. + +This beautiful Polander however being treated by the Muscovites, on +account of the influence she had over the prince Menzikoff, with as much +complaisance as it was in their power to shew, imagined their +disposition less savage than it was in reality; and when she testified +the pity she had for those unhappy gentlemen, it was with design to +excite it in others, and engage them to join with her in petitioning the +czar, at his return, for their enlargement, there being no cartel or +exchange of prisoners subsisting between him and the king of Sweden. + +Among the number she hoped to gain to her party was Mattakesa, the +relique of a general who had been in great favour with his prince. This +lady, who could speak French, having learned it of a recusant that took +shelter in Russia, consented to go with her one day to the prison, and +no sooner saw Horatio, than, unfortunately for him, Edella, and herself, +she became charmed with him: as she was of the number of those who think +nothing a crime that suits their own inclination, she took not the least +pains to subdue the growing passion, but rather indulged it, in order to +receive the highest degree of pleasure in the gratification. She doubted +not but Edella was her rival, and that it was for his sake alone she had +been so beneficent to his fellow-sufferers: to supplant her, therefore, +was the first step she had to take, and she resolved to omit nothing for +that purpose. + + + +CHAP. XX. + +_The treachery of a Russian lady to her friend: her passion for Horatio: +the method he took to avoid making any return, and some other +entertaining occurrences._ + +It is easy to believe that Horatio, tho' relieved from that extremity of +misery he suffered while in the dungeon, was far from being able to +content himself with his present condition:--a thousand times he +reproached himself for pursuing the dictates of a glory which now seemed +so tyrannic:--Have I, cried he, hazarded the eternal displeasure of the +best of men,--refused the invitation of the adorable +Charlotta,--slighted the condescentions of her father,--been deaf both +to interest and love, to become a prisoner to the worst of +barbarians!--Who now will pity me!--Or if they yet would be so good, how +shall I acquaint them with my wretched fate!--Nay, were there even a +possibility of that, what would the compassion of the whole world avail, +since a slave to those, who, contrary to the law of nations, and even +common humanity, refuse, on any terms, to release the wretches fallen +into their savage power! + +In this manner did he bewail himself night and day, and indeed had but +too just reasons for doing so:--he had heard that the last time the czar +had been at Petersburg, he had sent all the prisoners he had then taken +to Siberia, and other province of the greater Tartary, where they were +compelled, without any distinction, to do the work of horses rather than +men, and doubted not but at his next return all those now in his power +would meet the same fate, tho' the generous king of Sweden had sent back +the Muscovites he had taken, by 1500 and 2000 at a time.--This, however, +may be said in favour of the czar, that by the many attempts he made to +civilize his barbarous subjects, it must be supposed he would have been +glad to have imitated this generosity, had it been confident with his +safety; but the case had this difference, Charles XII. feared not the +number of the Muscovites, but the czar feared the courage of the Swedes. + +What also increased the affliction of these gentlemen, was, that being +debarred from all intelligence, they could hear nothing of their king, +whom each of them loved with a kind of filial affection and +duty.--Horatio and two others had been witnesses of the extreme danger +in which they left him; and tho' at the time they were seized he had +killed thirteen or fourteen Muscovites with his own hand, and they +perceived general Dardoff had come up to his relief, yet they could not +be certain of his safety; till at length the sweet-conditioned Edella +perceiving the despair they were in on this account, informed them that +his majesty was not only well, but as successful as ever; that he had +passed far into Ukrania, had defeated the Muscovites in five battles, +and so far reduced the czar, that he had condescended to make some +overtures of peace; which having been rejected, it was the common +opinion, that in a very short time the Swedes would enter Moscow, and +become arbiters of Russia as they had been of Poland. + +Adequate to their late grief was their satisfaction at this joyful +news:--Horatio was transported above his companions, and threw himself +at the feet of the fair intelligencer; but she desired they would all of +them moderate their contentment so far as to hinder the guards, who had +the care of them, from perceiving it, because, said she, it might not +only draw on yourselves worse treatment, but also render me suspected of +being against the interest of a court, on which my fate has reduced me +to become a dependant. + +Horatio, as well as the others, assured her he would take care to manage +the felicity she had bestowed upon them, so as not to be any way +prejudicial to her; and she took her leave, promising to be with them +again in a few days, and bring them farther information, a courier from +the camp, she said, being expected every hour. + +But while this compassionate lady was pleasing herself, by giving all +the ease in her power to the distressed, the cruel Mattakesa was +plotting her destruction.--She had several of her kindred, and a great +many acquaintance in the army, who were in considerable posts, to all of +whom she exclaimed against the loose behaviour, as she termed it, of +Edelia, and represented her charities to the prisoners as the effects of +a wanton inclination:--this she doubted not but would come to prince +Menzikoff's ears, and perhaps incense him enough to cause her to be +privately made away with; for as she imagined nothing less than the most +amorous intercourse between her and Horatio, she thought it unadvisable +to declare the passion she had for him, till a rival so formidable, by +the advantages she had over her in youth and beauty, should be removed. + +This base woman therefore impatiently waited the arrival of the next +courier, to find how far her stratagem had succeeded; and the moment she +heard he had delivered his dispatches, flew to the apartment of Edella, +in hopes of being informed of what she so much desired to know. + +She was not altogether deceived in her expectations: she found that lady +drowned in tears, with a letter lying open before her; and on her +enquiring, with a shew of the utmost concern, the motives of her grief, +the other, who looked on her as her real friend, replied, alas! +Mattakesa, I have cruel enemies; I cannot guess for what cause, for +willingly I never gave offence to any one;--but see, continued she, how +barbarously they have abused my innocence, and represented actions +which, heaven knows, were influenced only by charity and compassion as +the worst of crimes! with these words she gave her the letter which she +had just received from the prince, + +Mattakesa took it with a greedy pleasure, and found it contained these +lines: + +_To_ EDELLA. + +Madam, + + +"I left you in a place, furnished, as I thought, +with every thing necessary for your satisfaction; +but I find I was mistaken in your constitution, +and that there was something wanting, +which, rather than not possess, you must have +recourse to a prison to procure:--ungrateful +as you are to the affection I have treated you +with, I am sorry for your ill conduct, and could +with you had been, at least, more private in +your amours: few men but would have sent an +order for removing you and the persons, for +whose sake you have made these false steps, +into a place where you would have cause to +curse the fatal inclination that seduced you: +think therefore how much you owe a prince, +who, instead of punishing your faults, contents +himself with letting you know he is not ignorant +of them.--If you make a right use of +the lenity I shew on this occasion, you may +perhaps retrieve some part of the influence you +once had over me; but see the Swedish prisoners +no more, if you hope or desire ever to see + +MENZIKOFF." + + +Mattakesa affected the greatest astonishment on having read this letter; +and after having cursed the persons that put such vile suspicions into +the prince's head, asked her what she intended to do. + +What can I do! answered the sorrowful Edella, but write to my lord all +the assurances that words, can give him, which heaven knows I can truly +do, that I never wronged him even in wish or thought; and that since +there are people so cruel to misinterpret to my dishonour, what was +nothing but mere charity, to obey his commands with the utmost +punctuality, and never set my foot into that prison more? + +Her false friend could not but applaud her resolution, yet told her it +was pity that ill tongues should deprive those unfortunate gentlemen of +the relief she had hitherto afforded them, or herself of the pleasure +she took in their conversation. + +As for the first, said Edella, heaven may perhaps raise the mother +friends more capable of lifting them; and as to the other, were it +infinitely greater, it would be my inclination, as it is my duty, to +sacrifice every thing to the will of a prince whom I love, and to whom I +am so much obliged. + +Mattakesa having thus compared her design, so far as to be under no +apprehensions of being interrupted by her imagined rival, tho' she had +rather she had been poisoned or strangled, went directly to the prison +and told the gentlemen, it was with the utmost concern she must acquaint +them that Edella would never visit them any more, nor continue the +weekly pension she had hitherto allowed them. + +Those among them who understood her, and the others to whom Horatio +interpreted what she said, looked one upon another with a great deal of +consternation, as imagining one of them had done something to offend +her, and thereby the rest were thought unworthy of her +favours.--Everyone endeavoured to clear himself of what he easily saw +his companions suspected him guilty of; till Mattakesa, with a scornful +smile, told them, that it was not owing to the behaviour of any of them, +but to Edella's own inconstant disposition, that they owed the +withdrawing of her bounty; but to console them for the loss of it, she +promised to speak to some of her friends in their behalf, and also to +contribute something herself towards alleviating their misfortunes; but, +added she, I am not the mistress of a prince and first favourite, so +have it not in my power to act as the generosity of my nature +inclines me to do. + +She stayed with them a considerable time, and entertained them with +little else than railing on Edella; and to make her appear as odious and +contemptible as she could to Horatio, insinuated that it was for the +sake of a young needy favourite she had been obliged to withdraw the +allowance they had from her. + +On taking leave she found means to slip a little billet into Horatio's +hands, unperceived by any of the company, which, as soon as he had a +convenient opportunity, he opened, and found these words in French: + +_To the agreeable_ HORATIO. + +SIR, + + +"Tho' I have not perhaps so much beauty +as Edella, I have twice her sincerity, and +not many years older: such as I am, however, +I fancy you will think a correspondence with +me of too much advantage to be refused:--if +you will counterfeit an indisposition, to-morrow +I will out of excessive charity visit you, and +bring you a refreshment, I flatter myself, will +not be disagreeable to a man in your circumstances:--farewell;--be +secret,--and love as well as you can, + +_Yours_, + +MATTAKESA." + + +Of all the accidents that had befallen Horatio since his leaving +England, none ever so much surprized him as the prodigious impudence of +this lady: he had heard talk of such adventures, but never till now +believed there could be any such thing in nature, as a woman that +offered herself in this manner, without the least sollicitation from the +person on whom she wished to lavish what ought only to be the reward of +an approved, or at least a shew of the most violent passion. + +The dilemma he was in how to behave, was also equal to his +astonishment:--had she been the most lovely of her sex, as she was very +much the reverse, the ever present idea of his dear Charlotta would have +defended his heart from the invasions of any other charms; but he needed +not that pre-engagement to make him look with detestation on a woman of +Mattakesa's principles:--when he reflected on what she had said +concerning Edella, he found her base, censorious, and unjust:--and when +he considered the manner in which she proceeded in regard to himself, he +saw a lewdness and audacity which rendered her doubly odious, to +him:--he doubted not but she was wicked and subtle enough to contrive +some means of revenging herself, in case she met with a disappointment +in her wishes, yet had too great an abhorrence to be able to entertain +one thought of gratifying them. + +As he was young and unexperienced in the world, he would have been glad +of some advice how to act so as not to incur her resentment, yet avoid +her love; but the strict notions he had of honour remonstrated to him +that he ought not to betray a secret of that nature, tho' confided in +him by an ill woman.--Her baseness, cried he to himself, would be no +excuse for mine; and it is better for me to risque whatever her malice +may inflict, than forfeit my character, by exposing a woman who pretends +to love me. + +These thoughts kept him waking the whole night; and his restlessness +being observed by an old Swedish officer who by with him, he was very +much importuned by him to discover to him the occasion.--Horatio +defended himself for a good while by the considerations before recited; +but at length reflecting; that the person who was so desirous of being +let into the secret, had a great deal of discretion, he at length +suffered himself to be prevailed upon, and told him what Mattakesa had +wrote to him, for he did not understand a word of French, so could not +read the letter. + +This officer no sooner heard the story, than he laughed heartily at the +scruples of Horatio, in thinking himself bound to conceal an affair of +this nature with a woman of the character Mattakesa must needs be:--he +also rallied his delicacy, as he termed it, in hesitating one moment +whether he should gratify the lady's inclinations.--One would imagine, +said he, that so long a fall from love as we have had, should render our +appetites more keen:--what, tho' Mattakesa be neither handsome nor very +young, she is a woman, and amorous, and methinks there should need no +other excitements to a young man like you. + +Horatio, tho' naturally gay, was not at present in a disposition to +continue this raillery, and told his friend, he looked on this +inclination of Mattakesa to be as great a misfortune as could happen to +them; for, said he, as it is wholly out of my power to make her any +returns, that violence of temper which has transported her to forget the +modesty of her sex, will probably, when she finds herself rejected, make +her as easily throw off all the softness of it; and you may all feel the +effects of that revenge she will endeavour to take on me. + +The other was entirely of his opinion; and they both agreed that, some +way ought to thought on to avert the storm, her resentment might in all +probability occasion. + +After many fruitless inventions, they at last hit upon one which had a +prospect of success: they had in their company a gentleman called +Mullern, nephew to chancellor Mullern, who had attended the king in all +his wars: he was handsome, well made, and his age, tho' much superior to +that of Horatio, yet was not so far advanced as to render him +disagreeable to the fair sex: he was of a more than ordinary sanguine +disposition, and had often said, of all the hardships their captivity +had inflicted on them, he felt none so severely as being deprived of a +free conversation with women.--In the ravages the king of Sweden's arms +had made in Lithuania, Saxony and Poland, he was sure to secure to +himself three or four of the finest women; and tho' he had been often +checked by his uncle, and even by the king himself, for giving too great +a loose to his amorous inclinations, yet all their admonitions were too +weak to restrain the impetuosity of his desires this way. To him, +therefore, they resolved to communicate the affair; and as he was in +other respects the most proper object among them to succeed in +supplanting Horatio, so he was also by being perfectly well versed in +the French language, which the rest were ignorant of. + +Accordingly they told him what had happened, shewed him the letter, and +how willing Horatio would be to transfer all the interest he had in this +lady to him, if he could by any means ingratiate himself into her +favour. Mullern was transported at the idea; and the stratagem contrived +among them for this purpose was executed in the following manner: + +Mattakesa was punctual to the promise she had made in her letter; and +when she came into the room, where she usually found the gentlemen +altogether, it being that where they dined, and saw not Horatio, she +doubted not but he had observed her directions, and pretended himself +indisposed, so asked for him, expecting to be told that he was ill; but +when they answered that he was gone with one of the keepers to the top +of the round tower, in order to satisfy his curiosity in taking a view +of the town, she was confounded beyond expression, and could not imagine +what had occasioned him to slight an assignation, she had flattered +herself he would receive with extacy. + +As she was in a little resvery, endeavouring to comprehend, if possible, +the motive of so manifest a neglect, Mullern drew near to her, and +beginning to speak of the beauties of that fine city which the czar had +erected in the midst of war, he told her, that having a little skill in +drawing, he had ventured to make a little sketch of it in chalk on the +walls of the room where he lay, and entreated her in the most gallant +manner to look upon it, and give him her opinion how far he had done +justice to an edifice so much admired. + +It cannot be supposed that Mattakesa had in her soul any curiosity to +see a work of this nature, yet, to hide as much as she could the +disorder she was in at her disappointment, gave him her hand, in order +to be concluded to the place where he pretended to have been exercising +his genius. + +As soon as they were entered he threw the door, as if by incident, which +having a spring lock, immediately was made fast--She either did not, or +seemed not to regard what he had done; but casting her eyes round the +room, and seeing nothing of what he had mentioned,--Where is this +drawing? cried she. In my heart, adorable Mattakesa, answered he, falling +at her feet at the same time:--it is not the city of Petersburg, but the +charming image of its brightest ornament, that the god of love has +engraven on my heart in characters too indelible ever to be +erased:--from the first moment I beheld those eyes my soul has been on +fire, and I must have consumed with inward burnings had I not revealed +my flame:--pardon, continued he, the boldness of a passion which knows +no bounds; and tho' I may not be so worthy of your love as the too happy +Horatio, I am certainly not less deserving of your pity. + +Surprize, and perhaps a mixture of secret satisfaction prevented her +from interrupting him during the first part of his discourse; but rage, +at the mention of Horatio, forced from her this exclamation:--has the +villain then betrayed me! cried she.--No, madam, replied he, justice +obliges me to acquit him, tho' my rival.--He had the misfortune, in +putting your billet into his pocket, to let it fall; I took it up unseen +by him,--opened it, read it, and must confess, that all my generosity to +my friend was wholly swallowed up in my passion for you.--I returned not +to him that kind declaration you were pleased to make him, and he is +ignorant of the blessing you intended for him:--if the crime I have been +guilty of seem unpardonable in your eyes, command my death, I will +instantly obey you, for life would be a torment under your displeasure; +and if, in my last moments, you vouchsafe some part of that softness to +the occasion of my fate, that you so lavishly bestowed on the fortunate +Horatio, I will bless the lovely mouth that dooms me to destruction! + +He pronounced all this with an emphasis, which made her not doubt the +power of her charms; and surveying him while he was speaking, found +enough in his person to compensate for the disappointment she had met +with from Horatio: besides, she reflected, that if what he had told her +concerning the dropping her letter, was a fiction, it was however an +ingenious one, and shewed his wit, as well as love, in bringing both +himself and friend off in so handsome a manner. She was infatuated with +the praises he gave her;--the pathetic expressions he made use of, +assured her of the ardency of his desires, and as she could not be +certain of being able to inspire Horatio with the same, she wisely chose +to accept the present offer, rather than wait for what might perhaps at +last deceive her expectations. She made, however, no immediate answer; +but her eyes told him she was far from being displeased with what he had +said, and gave him courage to take up one of her hands and kiss it, with +an eagerness which confirmed his protestations. + +At last,--Well, Mullern, said she, looking languishingly on him, since +chance has made you acquainted with my foible, I think I must bribe you +to secrecy, by forgiving the liberties you take with me:--and if I were +convinced you really love me as well as you pretend, might indulge you +yet farther.--An unaccountable caprice indeed swayed me in favour of +Horatio, but I am now half inclinable to believe you are more deserving +my regard;--but rise, continued she, I will hear nothing from you while +in that posture. + +Mullern, who was no less bold in love than war, immediately obeyed her, +and testified his gratitude for her condescention, by giving a sudden +spring and snatching her to his breast, pressed her in so arduous a +manner, that she would have been incapable of resisting, even tho' she +had an inclination to do so: but she, no less transported than himself, +returned endearment for endearment, and not only permitted, but assisted +all his raptures,--absolutely forgot Horatio, as well as all sense of +her own shame, and yielded him a full enjoyment without even an +affectation of repugnance. + +Both parties, in fine, were perfectly satisfied with each other, and +having mutually sworn a thousand oaths of fidelity which neither of +them, it is probable, had any intention to keep, Mullern took upon +himself the care of continuing to entertain her in private as often as +she came to the prison, and in return she made him a present of a purse +of gold, after which they passed into the outer room to prevent censures +on their staying too long together. + +On their return they found Horatio with the other gentlemen. Abandoned +as Mattakesa was, she could not keep herself from blushing a little at +sight of him; but soon recovering herself by the help of her natural +audacity,--Well, Horatio, said she, what do you think of the little +French epigram I put into your hands yesterday;--has it not a very +agreeable point? + +Horatio had such an aversion to all kind of deceit, that even here, +where it was so necessary, he could not, without some hesitation, answer +to what she said in these words.--Some accident or other, cried he, +deprived me of the pleasure you were so good to intend me; for when I +put my hand in my pocket thinking to read it, I perceived I was so +unhappy as to have lost, it:--I looked for it in vain:--it was +irrecoverably gone, and I am an utter stranger to the contents. + +And ever shall be so, replied she tartly, only to punish your +carelessness of a lady's favour; know, that it was a piece of wit which +would have been highly agreeable to you:--but don't expect I shall take +the pains to write it over again, or even tell you the subject on which +it turned. + +Horatio cooly said, he could not but confess he had been to blame, and +must therefore allow the justice of her proceeding. As none present +besides himself, his bedfellow, and Mullern, knew the truth of this +affair, what passed between them was taken by the others as literally +spoken, and little suspected to couch the mystery it really did. + +Mullern, after this, by the assistance of Horatio and the old officer, +had frequent opportunities of gratifying his own and the amorous +Mattakesa's desires.--The testimonies she gave him how well she was +pleased with his conversation, were for the common good of his +companions.--Horatio was easy in finding himself out of all danger of +any solicitations he was determined never to acquiesce in; and those +three who were in the secret passed their time pleasantly enough, +whenever they had an opportunity of talking on this adventure, without +any of the others being witnesses of what they said. + + + +CHAP. XXI. + +_The prisoners expectations raised: a terrible disappointment: some of +the chief carried to prince Menzikoff's palace: their usage there. +Horatio set at liberty, and the occasion_. + +Our captives had soon after a new matter of rejoicing: a Polander in the +service of Muscovy, who had been taken prisoner by the Swedes, and was +discharged and sent home, with a great number of others, by the +unparallell'd generosity of Charles XII. was one of the guards who now +did duty in the prison. It was often his turn to bring them their poor +allowance of provision; and having some pity for their condition, as +well as gratitude for a people who had used him and his companions in a +different manner, told them, that they might be of good heart, for, said +he, you will soon be set at liberty:--our emperor has enough to do to +keep his ground in Ukraina: Charles is as victorious as ever:--the +prince of the Cosaques, one of the bravest men on earth, next to +himself, has entered into an alliance with him:--king Stanislaus is +sending him succours from Poland:--a powerful reinforcement is coming to +him from Lithuania; and when these armies are joined, as I believe they +already are, nothing can withstand them:--you will hear the Swedish +march beat from this prison walls,--and perhaps see your present +conquerors change places with you; and, to confirm the truth of what I +say, continued he, I can further assure you that the czar, before I left +the camp, was in the utmost confusion:--his council, as well as army, +were at a stand, and he had twice made overtures of peace, and +been refused. + +This was an intelligence which might well be transporting to the king of +Sweden's officers:--the thought; of seeing him enter Petersburgh a +conqueror,--of once more embracing their old friends and companions, and +of triumphing over those who had so cruelly abused the power the chance +of war had put into their hands, made them all, in their turns, hug and +bless the kind informer:--they also asked him several questions +concerning the generals; and each being more particular concerning those +they had the greatest interest in, received from this honest soldier all +the satisfaction they could desire. + +As couriers were continually arriving from the army, there passed few +days without hearing some farther confirmation of their most sanguine +expectations; but at length the guard being again changed, they lost all +further intelligence, and were for several months without being able to +hear any thing of what passed. They doubted not, however, but as things +were in so good a disposition, every day brought them nearer to the +completion of their wishes; and it was this pleasing prospect which +addressed their misfortunes, and enabled them to sustain cheerfully +those hardships which, almost ever since the withdrawing of Edella's +bounty, they had laboured under.--Mattakesa, in the beginning of her +amours with Mullern, had indeed made him some presents, which he shared +with his companions; but either the natural inconstancy of her temper +making her grow weary of this intrigue for the sake of another, or her +circumstances not allowing her to continue such Donations, she soon grew +sparing of them, and at length totally desisted her visits at +the prison. + +As, ever since the compassionate Edella had procured them to be +removed from the dungeon, they had enjoyed the privilege of walking on +the leads, and going up to the round tower, which being of a very great +height, not only overlooked the town, but the country round for a +considerable distance, they frequently made use of this indulgence, at +first for no other purpose than to have the benefit of the open air, but +now in hope of seeing their beloved prince at the head of a victorious +army approaching to give them liberty and relief.--But, alas! how +terrible a reverse of their high-raised expectations had inconstant +fortune in store for them.--One day as they were sitting together, +discoursing on the usual topics with which they entertained each other, +and endeavoured to beguile the tedious time, they heard a confused noise +as of some sudden tumult.--Tho' they had now been above a year in +Russia, none of them could speak the language well enough to be +understood, so could receive no information from the guard, even should +they have proved good-natured enough to be willing to satisfy their +curiosity, so they all run hastily up to the round tower, whence they +easily perceived the town in great confusion, and the people running in +such crowds, that in the hurry many were trampled to death in +endeavouring to pass the gates:--at a distance they perceived standards +waving in the air, but could not yet distinguish what arms they bore.--A +certain shivering and palpitation, the natural consequence of suspence, +ran thro' all their nerves, divided as they were at this sight, between +hope and fear; but when it drew more near,--when, instead of Swedish +colours they beheld those of Russia;--when, in the place where they +expected to see their gallant king coming to restore them once more to +freedom, they saw the implacable czar enter in triumph, followed by +those heroes, the least of whom had lately made him tremble, now in +chains, and exposed to the ribald mirth and derision of the gaping +crowd, they lost at once their fortitude, and even all sense of +expressing their grief at this misfortune:--the shock of it was so +violent, it even took away the power of feeling it, and they remained +for some moments rather like statues carv'd out by mortal art, than real +men created by God, and animated with living souls. A general groan was +the first mark they gave of any sensibility of this dreadful stroke of +fate; but when recruited spirits once more gave utterance to words, how +terrible were their exclamations! Some of them, in the extravagance of +despair, said things relating to fate and destiny, which, on a less +occasion, could have little merited forgiveness. + +Unable either to remove from the place, or view distinctly what their +eyes were fixed upon, they stayed till the whole cavalcade was passed, +then went down and threw themselves upon the floor, where their ears +were deafen'd by the noise of guns, loud huzza's, and other testimonies +of popular rejoicings, both within and without the prison walls.--What +have we now to expect? cried one,--endless slavery:--chains, infamy, +lasting as our lives, replied another. Then let us dye, added a third. +Right, said his companion feircely;--the glory of Sweden is lost!--Let +us disappoint these barbarians, these Russian monsters, of the pleasure +of insulting us on our country's fall. + +In this romantic and distracted manner did they in vain endeavour to +discharge their breasts of the load of anguish each sustained.--Their +misfortune was not of a nature to be alleviated by words;--it was too +mighty for expression; and the more they spoke, the more they had yet to +say.--For three whole days they refused the wretched sustenance brought +to them; neither did the least slumber ever close their eyelids by +night: on the fourth the keeper of the prison came, and told them they +must depart.---They endeavoured not to inform themselves how or where +they were to be disposed of; in their present condition all places were +alike to them, so followed him, without speaking, down stairs, at the +bottom of which they found a strong guard of thirty soldiers, who having +chained them in a link, like slaves going to be sold at the market, +conducted them to a very stately palace adjoining to that belonging +to the czar. + +They were but eight in number, out of fifty-five who had been taken +prisoners at the time Horatio was, and were thrown altogether in the +dungeon, the others having perished thro' cold and the noysomeness of +the place, before Edella had procured them a more easy situation; but +these eight that survived were all officers, and most of them men of +distinguished birth as well as valour, tho' their long imprisonment, +scanty food, and more than all, the grief they at present laboured under +made them look rather like ghosts, than men chose out of thousands to +fight always near the king of Sweden's person in every +hazardous attempt. + +They were placed in a stately gallery, and there left, while the +officer, who commanded the party that came with them, went into an inner +room, but soon after returned, and another person with him; on which, +the first of this unhappy string was loosed from his companions, and a +signal made to him to enter a door, which was opened for him, and +immediately closed again. + +For about half an hour there was a profound silence: our prisoners kept +it thro' astonishment; and the others, it is to be supposed, had orders +for doing so.--At the end of that time the door was again opened, and +the chain which fastened the second Swede to the others, was untied, and +he, in like manner as the former, bid to go in.--In some time after, the +same ceremony was observed to a third;--then to a fourth, fifth, sixth, +and seventh:--Horatio chanced to be the last, who, tho' alarmed to a +very great degree at the thoughts of what fate might have been inflicted +on his companions, went fearless in, more curious to know the meaning of +this mysterious proceeding, than anxious for what might befal him. + +He had no sooner passed the door, than he found himself in a spacious +chamber richly adorned, at the upper end of which sat a man, leaning his +head upon his arm in a thoughtful posture.--Horatio immediately knew him +to be prince Menzikoff, whom he had seen during a short truce between +the czar and king Charles of Sweden, when both their armies were in +Lithuania. There were no other persons present than one who had the +aspect of a jew, and as it proved was so, that stood near the prince's +chair, and a soldier who kept the door. + +Horatio was bid to approach, and when he did so,--you are called hither, +said the jew in the Swedish language, to answer to such questions as +shall be asked you, concerning a conspiracy carried on between you and +your fellow-prisoners with the enemies of Russia. Horatio understood the +language perfectly well, having conversed so long with Swedes, but never +could attain to a perfect pronounciation of it, so replied in French, +that he knew the prince could speak French, and he would therefore +answer to any interrogatories his highness should be pleased to make +without the help of an interpreter. + +Are you not then a Swede? said the prince. Horatio then told him that he +was not, but came from France into the service of the king of Sweden +merely thro' his love of arms. + +On these words Menzikoff dismissed the jew, and looked earnestly on him; +wan and pale as he was grown thro' his long confinement, and the many +hardships he had sustained, this prince found something in him that +attracted his admiration.--Methinks, said he, since glory was your aim, +you might as well have hoped to acquire it under the banners of our +invincible emperor. + +Alas! my lord, replied Horatio with a sigh, that title, till very +lately, was given to the king of Sweden, and, I believe, whatever fate +has attended that truly great prince, those who had the honour to be +distinguished by him, will never be suspected either of cowardice or +baseness.--It was by brave and open means our king taught his soldiers +the way to victory, not by mean subterfuges and little plots:--I cannot +therefore conceive for what reason I am brought hither to be examined on +any score that has the appearance of a conspiracy. + +Yes, replied the prince feircely, you and your fellow-prisoners have +endeavoured to insinuate yourselves into the favour of persons whom you +imagined entrusted with the secrets of the government:--being prisoners +of war, you formed contrivances for your escape, and attempted to +inveigle others to accompany your flight. + +That every tittle of this accusation is false, my lord, cried Horatio, +there needs no more than the improbability of it to prove.--Indeed the +cruel usage we sustained, might have justified an attempt to free +ourselves, yet did such a design never enter our heads:--we were so far +from making use of any stratagems for that purpose, that we never made +the least overture to any of the guards, who were the only persons we +were allowed to converse with. + +How! said the prince interrupting him, were not your privileges enlarged +by the interposition of a lady?--Did she not make you considerable +allowances out of her own purse, and frequently visit you to receive +your thanks?--And were you not emboldened by these favours to urge her +to reveal what secrets were in her knowledge, and even to assist you in +your escape?--You doubtless imagined you could prevail on her also to go +with you:--part of this, continued he, she has herself confessed:--it +will therefore be in vain for you to deny it:--if you ingenuously reveal +these particulars she has omitted, you may hope to find favour; but it +you obstinately persist, as your companions have done, in attempting to +impose upon me, you must expect to share the same fate immediately. + +In speaking these words he made a sign to the soldier, who throwing open +a large folding door, discovered a rack on which one of the Swedish +officers was tied, and the others stood near bound, and in the hands of +the executioner. + +This sight so amazed Horatio, that he had not the power of speaking one +word;--till Mullern, who happened to be the person that was fastened +upon the rack, cried out to him,--Be not lost in consideration, Horatio, +said he; are we not in the hands of Muscovites, from whom nothing that +is human can be expected?--rather prepare yourself to disappoint their +cruelty, by bravely suffering all they dare inflict. + +Hold then, said Horatio, even Muscovites would chuse to have some +pretence for what they do; and sure the first favourite and +generalissimo of a prince, who boasts an inclination to civilize his +barbarous subjects, will not, without any cause, torture them whom +chance alone has put into his power, and who have never done him any +personal injury.--By heaven, pursued he, turning to the prince, we all +are innocent of any part of those crimes laid to our charge:--time, +perhaps, if our declarations are ineffectual, will convince your +highness we are so, and you will then regret the injustice you have +done us. + +You all are in one story, cried the prince, but I am well assured of the +main point:--the particulars is all I want to be informed of:--but since +I am compelled to speak more plain, which of you is it for whose sake +you all received such instances of Edella's bounty?--Whoever tells me +that, even tho' it be the person himself, shall have both pardon +and liberty. + +Impossible it is to express the astonishment every one was in at this +demand: five of them had not the least notion what it meant; but +Mullern, Horatio, and that friend to whom he had shewn the letter of +Mattakesa, had some conjecture of the truth, and presently imagined that +lady had been the incendiary to kindle the flame of jealousy in the +prince's breast. The affair, however, was of so nice a nature, that they +knew not how to vindicate Edella without making her seem more guilty, so +contented themselves with joining with the others, in protesting they +knew of no one among them who could boast of receiving any greater +favours from her than his fellows, but that what she did was instigated +merely by compassion, since she had never seen, or knew who any of them +were, till after she had moved the governor in their behalf:--they +acknowledged she had been so good as to come sometimes to the prison, in +order to see if those she entrusted with her bounty had been faithful in +the delivery of it; but that she never made the least difference between +them, and never had conversation with any one of them that was not in +the presence of them all. Mullern could not forbear adding to this, that +he doubted not but the persons who had incensed his highness into +groundless surmises, were also the same who had hindered her, by some +false insinuations or other, from continuing the allowance her charity +allowed them, and for the want of which they had since been near +perishing. + +Prince Menzikoff listened attentively to what each said, and with no +less earnestness fixed his eyes on the face of every one as they +spoke.--Finding they had done, he was about giving some orders on their +account, when the keeper of the prison came hastily into the room, and +having entreated pardon for the interruption, presented a letter to the +prince, directed for brigadier Mullern, and brought, he said, just after +the prisoners were carried out. + +Menzikoff commended his zeal in receiving and bringing it to him, as it +might possibly serve to give some light to the affair he was examining. + +Having perused it, he demanded which of them was named Mullern? I am, +replied the brave Swede; and neither fear, nor am ashamed of any thing +under that name. + +Hear then what is wrote to you by a lady, resumed the prince, with a +countenance more serene than he had worn since their being brought +before him, and presently read with a very audible voice these words: + + +"That you have been so long without +seeing me, my dear Mullern, or hearing +from me, is not owing to any decrease in my +affection, but to the necessity of my affairs:--if +you have any regard for me remaining, I +conjure you, if ever you are asked any questions +concerning the frequent visits I have made +you, to say I was sent by Edella, and that I was +no more than her emissary in the assistance you +received from me:--add also, that you have +reason to believe her charity was excited by +her liking one of your company:--mention +who you think fit; but I believe Horatio, as +the youngest and most handsome, will be the +most likely to gain credit to what you say.-- +Depend upon it, that if you execute this commission +artfully, I will recompence it by procuring +your liberty:--nor need you have any +scruples concerning it, for no person will be +prejudiced by it, and the reputation preserved +of + +_Yours,_ + +MATTAKESA." + + +I suppose, said the prince, as soon as he had done reading, turning to +Horatio, you are the person mentioned in the letter? Tho' I neither +desire nor deserve the epithets given me there my lord, replied he, yet +I will not deny but I am called Horatio. + +Well, resumed the prince with a half smile, I am so well pleased with +the conviction this letter has given me, that I shall retain no +resentment against the malicious author of it. + +He then ordered Mullern to be taken from the rack, which had never been +strained; nor had he any intention, as he now assured him, to put him to +the torture, but only to intimidate him, being resolved to make use of +every method he could think of for the full discovery of every thing +relating to the behaviour of his beloved Edella.--The other gentlemen +had also their fetters taken off, and the prince asked pardon of them +severally for the injury he had done them; then made them sit down and +partake of a handsome collation at that table, before which they had so +lately stood as delinquents at a bar. + +The Russians are excessive in their carouses, and prince Menzikoff being +now in an admirable good humour, made them drink very freely:--to be the +more obliging to his guests, he began the king of Sweden's health in a +bumper of brandy, protesting at the same time, that tho' an enemy to his +master, he loved and venerated the hero: Horatio on this ventured to +enquire in what condition his majesty was; to which the prince replied, +that being greatly wounded, he was obliged to leave the field, and, it +was believed, had took the load toward the dominions of the grand +signior, some of the Russian troops having pursued him as far as the +Borysthenes where, by the incredible valour of a few that attended him, +they had been beat back. + +The Swedish officers knew it must be bad indeed when their king was +compelled to fly; and this renewed in them a melancholy, which it was +not in the power of liquor, or the present civilities of the prince to +dissipate: they also learned that the generals Renchild, Slipenbock, +Hamilton, Hoorn, Leuenhaup, and Stackelburg, with the prince of +Wirtemburg, count Piper, and the flower of the whole army, were +prisoners at Muscow. + +The misfortune of these great men would have been very afflicting to +those who heard it, could any thing have given addition to what they +knew before.--Prince Menzikoff was sensible of what they felt, and to +alleviate their grief, assured them that he would take upon him to give +them all their liberty, without even exacting a promise from them never +more to draw their swords against the czar, in case the king of Sweden +should ever be able to take the field again. + +So generous a proceeding both merited and received their utmost +acknowledgments: but he put an end to the serious demonstrations they +were about to make him of their gratitude, by saying,--I pay you no more +than I owe you:--I have wronged you:--this is but part of the +retaliation I ought to make:--besides, added he laughing, Mattakesa +promised Mullern his freedom; and as she has done me the good office, +tho' undesignedly, of revealing to me her own treachery, I can do no +less than assist her in fulfilling, her covenant. + +To prove how much he was in earnest, he called his secretary, and +ordered him to make out their passports with all expedition, that they +might be ready to depart next morning; after which he made them repose +themselves in his palace the remainder of the night; which being in a +manner vastly different from what they had been accustomed to of a long +time, indeed ever since their quitting Alranstadt, they did not fail to +do, notwithstanding the discontent of their minds. + +Prince Menzikoff, being now convinced of the fidelity of Edella, passed +into her apartment, where the reconciliation between them took up so +much time, that it was near noon next day before he appeared: his new +guests had not quitted their chambers much sooner; but after reproaching +themselves for having been so tardy, went altogether to take leave of +the prince, and accept the passports he had been so good to order. As +they were got ready, he gave them immediately into their hands, and told +them, they were at liberty to quit Petersburg that moment, if they +pleased; or if they had any curiosity to take a view of that city, they +might gratify it, and begin their journey next morning. As it was now so +late in the day, they accepted his highness's offer, and walked out to +see a place which had excited so much admiration in the world, since +from a wild waste, in ten years time, a spacious and most beautiful city +had arose in the midst of war, and proved the genius of the founder +greater in civil than in military arts, tho' it must be owned he was +indefatigable in the study of both. + +The officers of the king of Sweden were entertained with the same +elegance and good humour they had been the night before; and as they +were now resolved to quit the city extremely early, the prince took +leave of them that night, and in doing so put a purse of gold into the +hands of every one to defray the expenses of their travelling. This +behaviour obliged them to own there was a possibility of sowing the +seeds of humanity in Muscovy, and that the czar had made some progress +in influencing those about him with the manners he had himself learned +in the politer courts. + + + +CHAP. XXII. + +_What befel Louisa in the monastery: the stratagem she put in practice +to get out of it: her travels thro' Italy, and arrival in Paris_. + +But while Horatio was thus experiencing the vicissitudes of fortune, his +beautiful sister suffered little less from the caprice of that fickle +goddess. Placed as she was, one would have thought she had been secure +from all the temptations, hurries, and dangers of the world, and that +nothing but the death or inconstancy of monsieur du Plessis could have +again involved her in them. These, indeed, were the sole evils she +trembled at, and which she chiefly prayed might not befal her. Yet as it +often happens that those disasters which seem most remote are nearest to +us, so did the disappointments she was ordained to suffer, rise from a +quarter she had the least reason to apprehend. + +The abbess and nuns, with whom she was, being all Italians, she set +herself to attain to the knowledge of their language, in which she soon +became a very great proficient, and capable of entertaining them, and +being entertained by them in the most agreeable manner.--The sweetness +of her temper, as well as her good sense, rendering her always ambitious +of acquiring the affection of those she converted with, she had the +secret to ingratiate herself not only to the youngest nuns, but also to +the elder and most austere, that the one were never pleased but when in +her company, and the others propose her as an example of piety and +sweetness to the rest. + +She had a very pretty genius to poetry, and great skill in music, both +which talents she now exercised in such works as suited the place and +company she was in.--The hymns and anthems she composed were not only +the admiration of that convent, but also of several others to whom they +were shown, and she was spoke of as a prodigy of wit and devotion. + +In fine, her behavior rendered her extremely dear to the superior; and +that affection joined to a spiritual pride, which those sanctified +devotees are seldom wholly free from, made her very desirous of +retaining her always in the convent:--she was therefore continually +preaching up to her the uncertainty of those felicities which are to be +found in the world, and magnifying that happy serenity which a total +renunciation from it afforded;--nay, sometimes went so far, as to +insinuate there was scarce a possibility for any one encumbered with the +cares, and surrounded with the temptations of a public life, to have +those dispositions which are requisite to enjoy the blessings of +futurity.--Ah my dear daughter, would she say frequently to her, how +much should I rejoice to find in you a desire to forgo all the +transitory fleeting pleasures of the world, and devote yourself entirely +to heaven!--what raptures would not your innocent soul partake, when +wholly devoid of all thought of sensual objects! you would be, even +while on earth, a companion for angels and blessed spirits, and borne on +the wings of heavenly contemplation, have your dwelling above, and be +worshipped as a saint below. + +All the old nuns, and some of the young ones, assisted their abbess in +endeavouring to prevail on Louisa to take the veil; but all that they +said made no impression on her mind, not but she had more real piety +than perhaps some of those who made so great a shew of it, but she was +of a different way of thinking; and tho' she knew the world had its +temptation, having experienced them in a very great degree, yet she +was-convinced within herself, that a person of virtuous principles might +be no less innocent out of a cloyster than in one.--She saw also among +this sisterhood a great deal of envy to each other, and perceived early +that the flaming zeal professed among them was in some hypocrisy, and +enthusiasm in others; so that had she had no prepossession in favour of +du Plessis, or any engagement with him, the life of a nun was what she +never should have made choice of. + +She kept her sentiments on this occasion entirely to herself however, +and made no shew of any repugnance to do as they would have her; but +whenever they became strenuous in their pressures, told them, she +doubted not but such a life as they described must be very angelic, but +having already disposed of her vows, it was not in her power to withdraw +them, nor would heaven accept so violated an offering. This, they told +her, was only a suggestion of some evil spirit, and that all engagements +to an earthly object, both might and ought to be dispensed with for a +divine vocation. The arguments they made use of for this purpose were +artful enough to have imposed on some minds, but Louisa had too much +penetration not to see thro' them; and being unwilling to disoblige them +by shewing that she did so, made use, in her turn, of evasions which the +circumstances of the case rendered very excusable. But fully persuaded +in their minds that it was solely her engagements with du Plessis that +rendered her so refractory to their desires, they resolved to break it +off, if possible, and to that end now intercepted his letters; two of +which giving an account that he was very much wounded and unable to +travel, they renewed their pressures, in order to prevail on her to take +the habit before he should be in a condition to come to Bolognia. + +These sollicitations, however, had no other effect than to embitter the +satisfaction she would otherwise have enjoyed during her stay among +them;--the time of which began now to seem tedious, and she impatiently +longed for the end of the campaign, which she expected would return her +dear du Plessis to her, and she should be removed from a place where +dissimulation, a vice she detested, was in a manner necessary. She had +received several letters from him before the abbess took it in her head +to stop them, each more endearing than the former; and last had +flattered her with the hope of seeing him in a very short time. + +Days, weeks, and months passed over, after an assurance so pleasing to +her wishes, without any confirmation of the repeated vows he had made; +and receiving from him no account of the reasons that delayed him, she +began to reproach herself for having placed too much confidence in +him;--the more time elapsed, the more cause she had to doubt his +sincerity, and believe her misfortune real:--in fine, it was near half a +year that she languished under a vain expectation of seeing, or at least +hearing from him.--Sometimes she imagined a new object had deprived her +of his heart; but when she called to mind the many proofs he had given +her of the most unparallell'd generosity that ever was she could not +think that if he even ceased to love her, he could be capable of leaving +her in so cruel a suspence:--no, said she to herself, he would have let +me know I had no more to depend on from him:--paper cannot blush, and as +he is out of the reach of my upbraidings, he would certainly have +acquainted me with my fate, confessed the inconstancy of his sex, and +exerted that wit, of which he has sufficient, to have excused his +change:--I will not therefore injure a man whom I have found so truly +noble:--death, perhaps, his deprived me of him; the unrelenting sword +makes no distinction between the worthy and unworthy;--and the brave, +the virtuous du Plessis, may have fallen a victim in common with the +most vulgar. + +These apprehensions had no sooner gained ground in her imagination, than +she became the most disconsolate creature in the world. The abbess took +advantage of her melancholy, as knowing the occasion of it, and began to +represent, in the strongest terms, the instability of all human +expectations:--you may easily see, my dear child, said she, that +monsieur either no longer lives, or ceases to live for you:--young men +are wavering, every new object attracts their wishes;--they are +impatient for a time, but soon grow cool;--absence renders them +forgetful of their vows and promises;--there is no real dependance on +them;--fly therefore to that divine love which never can deceive +you;--give yourself up to heaven, and you will soon be enabled to +despise the fickle hopes of earth. + +Instead of saying any thing to comfort her, in this manner was she +continually persecuted; and tho' it is impossible for any one to have +less inclination to a monastic life than she had, yet the depression of +her spirits, the firm belief she now should never see du Plessis more, +the misfortune of her circumstances, joined to the artifices they made +use of, and the repeated offers of accepting her without the usual sum +paid on such occasions, might possibly at last have prevailed on +her.--She was half convinced in her mind that it was the only asylum +left to shield her from the wants and insults of the world; and the more +she reflected on the changes, the perplexities, and vexation, of +different kinds, the few years she yet had lived had presented her with, +the more reason she found to acquiesce with the persuasions of the +abbess. But heaven would not suffer the deceit practised on her to be +crowned with success, and discovered it to her timely enough to prevent +her from giving too much way to that despair, which alone could have +prevailed with her to yield to their importunities. + +There was among the sisterhood a young lady called donna Leonora, who +being one of many daughters of a family, more eminent for birth than +riches, was compelled, as too many are, to become a nun, in order to +prevent her marrying beneath her father's dignity. She had taken a great +liking to Louisa from the moment she came into the convent, and a +farther acquaintance ripened it into a sincere friendship. Tho' secluded +from the world, the austere air of a monastery had no effect upon her, +she still retained her former vivacity; and it was only in the +conversations these two had toge whenever they could separate from the +others, that Louisa found any cordial to revive her now almost +sinking spirits. + +One day as she was ruminating on her melancholy affairs, this young nun +came hastily into her chamber, and with a countenance that, before she +spoke, denoted she had something very extraordinary to acquaint her +with,--dear sister, cried she, I bring you the most surprising news, but +such as will be my ruin if you take the least notice of receiving it +from me; and perhaps your own, if you seem to be acquainted with it +at all. + +It is not to be doubted but Louisa gave her all the assurances she could +desire of an inviolable secrecy; after which, know then, resumed this +sweet-condition'd lady, that your lover, monsieur du Plessis, is not +only living, but as faithful as your soul can wish, or as you once +believed:--the cruelty of the abbess, and some of the sisterhood in the +plot with her, have concealed the letters he has sent to you, in order +to persuade you to become a nun:--I tremble to think of their hypocrisy +and deceit:--but what, continued she, is not to be expected from bigotry +and enthusiasm!--To increase the number of devotees they scruple +nothing, and vainly imagine the means is sanctified by the end. + +Little is it in the power of words to express the astonishment Louisa +was in to hear her speak in this manner; but as she had no room to doubt +her sincerity, only asked by what means she had attained the knowledge +of what the persons concerned, no doubt, intended to keep as much a +secret as possible; on which the other satisfied her curiosity in +these terms: + +To confess the truth to you, said she, I stole this afternoon into the +chapel, in order to read a little book brought me the other day by one +of my friends; as it treated on a subject not allowable in a convent, I +thought that the most proper place to entertain myself with it; and was +sitting down in one of the confessionals, when hearing the little door +open from the gallery, I saw the abbess and sister Clara, who, you know, +is her favourite and confidant, come in together, and as soon as they +were entered, shut the door after them. I cannot say I had any curiosity +to hear their discourse; but fearing to be suspected by them in my +amusement, and not knowing what excuse to make for being there, if I +were seen, I slid down, and lay close at the bottom of the confessional. +They happened to place themselves very near me; and the abbess taking a +letter out of her pocket, bad Clara read it, and tell her the substance +of it as well as she could. I found it was in French, by some words +which she was obliged to repeat over and over, before, not perfectly +understanding the language, she could be able to find a proper +interpretation of. The abbess, who has a little smattering of it +herself, sometimes helped her out, and between them both I soon found it +came from monsieur du Plessis, and contained the most tender and +compassionate complaint of your unkindness in not answering his +letter;--that the symptoms he had of approaching death were not half so +severe to him as your refusing him a consolation he stood for much in +need of;--that if you found him unworthy of your love, he was certainly +so of your compassion; and concluded with the most earnest entreaty, you +would suffer him to continue no longer in a suspence more cruel than a +thousand deaths could be. + +Oh heaven! cried Louisa, bursting into tears, how ungrateful must he +think me, and how can I return, as it deserves, so unexampled a +constancy, after such seeming proofs of my infidelity!--. Cruel, cruel, +treacherous abbess! pursued she; Is this the fruits of all your boasted +sanctity!--This the return to the confidence the generous du Plessis +reposed in you!--This your love and friendship to me!--Does heaven, to +increase the number of its votaries, require you to be false, +perfidious, and injurious to the world! + +She was proceeding in giving vent to the anguish of her soul in +exclamations such as these; but Leonora begged she would moderate her +grief, and for her sake, as much as possible, conceal the reasons she +had for resentment. Louisa again promised she would do her utmost to +keep them from thinking she even suspected they had played her +false;--then cried, But tell me, my dear Leonora, were they not a little +moved at the tender melancholy which, I perceive, ran thro' this +epistle? Alas! my dear, replied the other, they have long since forgot +those soft emotions which make us simpathize in the woes of +love:--inflexible by the rigid rules of this place, and more by their +own age, they rather looked with horror than pity on a tender +inclination:--they had a long conversation together, the result of which +was to spare nothing that might either persuade, or if that failed, +compel you to take the order. + +It is not in their power to do the latter, interrupted Louisa; and this +discovery of their baseness, more than ever, confirms me in the +resolution never to consent. + +You know not what is in their power, said Leonora; they may make +pretences for confining you here, which, as they are under no +jurisdiction but the church, the church will allow justifiable:--indeed, +Louisa, continued she, I should be loth to see you have recourse to +force to get out of their hands which would only occasion you ill +treatment:--to whom, alas, can you complain!--you are a stranger in this +country, without any one friend to espouse your cause:--were even Du +Plessis here in person, I know not, as they have taken it into their +heads to keep you here, if all he could urge, either to the pope or +confessory, would have any weight to oblige them to relinquish you. A +convent is the securest prison in the world; and whenever any one comes +into it, who by any particular endowment promises to be an ornament to +the order, cannot, without great difficulty, disentangle themselves from +the snares laid for them.--It is for this reason I have feared for you +ever since your entrance; for tho' I should rejoice in so agreeable a +companion, I know too well the miseries of an enforced attachment to +wish you to be partaker of it. + +Louisa found too much reason in what she said, to doubt the misery of +her condition;--she knew the great power of the church in all these +countries where the roman-catholic religion is established, more +especially in those places under the papal jurisdiction, and saw no way +to avoid what was now more terrible to her than ever. Those reflections +threw her into such agonies, that Leonora had much ado to keep her from +falling into fits:--she conjured her again and again, never to betray +what she had entrusted her with; assuring her, that if it were so much +as guessed at, she should be exposed to the worst treatment, and +punished as an enemy to the order of which she was a member. Louisa as +often assured her that nothing should either tempt or provoke her to +abuse that generous friendship she had testified for her; but as she was +not able to command her countenance, tho' she could her words, she +resolved to pretend herself indisposed and keep her bed, that she might +be the less observed, or the change in her should seem rather the +effects of ill health than any secret discontent. + +It was no sooner mentioned in the convent that she was out of order, +than the abbess herself, as well as the whole sisterhood, came to her +chamber, and shewed the greatest concern: the tender care they took of +her would have made her think herself infinitely obliged to them, and +perhaps gone a great way in engaging her continuance among them, had she +not been apprized of their falshood in a point so little to be forgiven. + +So great an enemy was she to all deceit herself, that it was difficult +for her to return the civilities they treated her with, as they might +seem to deserve; but whatever omissions she was guilty of in this +particular, were imputed to her disposition; and the whole convent +continued to be extremely assiduous to recover her. + +During the time of her feigned illness, her thoughts were always +employed on the means of getting away. Whenever Leonora and she were +together, a hundred contrivances were formed, which seemed equally alike +impracticable; but at length they hit upon one which had a promising +aspect and Louisa, after some scruples, resolved to make trial of. +It was this: + +As hypocrisy was made use of to detain her, hypocrisy was the only +method by which she could hope to get her liberty:--pretending, +therefore, to be all at once restored to her former health, she sent to +entreat the abbess, and some other of the most zealous of the sisterhood +to come into her chamber, where, as soon as they entered, they found her +on her knees before the picture of the virgin, and seeming in an extacy +of devotion: Yes, holy virgin, cried she, as if too much taken up to see +who entered, I will obey your commands;--I will devote myself entirely +to thee;--I will follow where thou callest me: thou, who hast restored +me, shalt have the first fruits of my strength:--and oh that Lorretto +were at a greater distance,--to the utmost extent of land and sea would +I go to seek thee!--In uttering these ejaculations she prostrated +herself on the floor;--then rising again, as transported in a manner out +of herself,--I come,--I come, cried she;--still do I hear thy +heavenly voice! + +In this fit of enthusiasm did she remain for above half an hour, and so +well acted her part, that the abbess, who would not offer to interrupt +her, believed it real, and was in little less agitation of spirit than +Louisa pretended to be. + +At length seeming; to come to herself, she turned towards the company, +as tho' she but just then discovered they were in the room; Oh, madam, +said she to the abbess, how highly favoured have I been this blessed +night!--The virgin has herself appeared to me, whether in a vision, or +to my waking eyes, I cannot well determine; but sure I have been in such +extacies, have felt such divine raptures, as no words can express! + +Oh my dear daughter! cried the abbess, how my soul kindles to behold +this change in thee!--but tell me what said the holy virgin! + +She bad me wait on her at Lorretto, answered she, and gave me hopes of +doing something wonderful in my favour:--I will therefore, with your +permission, undertake a pilgrimage and at her shrine expiate the +offences of my past life in tears of true contrition, and then return a +pure and fearless partaker of the happiness you enjoy in an +uninterrupted course of devotion:--oh! exclaimed she, exalting her +voice, how do I detest and despise the vanities and follies of the +world!--how hate myself for having been too much attached to them, and +so long been cold and negligent of my only happiness! + +The abbess, and, after her, all the nuns that were present, embraced +Louisa,--praised to the skies this miraculous conversion, as they termed +it, and spared nothing to confirm the pious resolution she had taken. + +In fine, they consented to her pilgrimage with a satisfaction equal to +what she felt in undertaking it,--they not in the least doubting but she +would return to them as soon as she had fulfilled her devotions, and +flattering themselves that the report of this miracle would do the +greatest honour to their convent that it could possibly receive; and +she, delighted with the thoughts of being at liberty to enquire after +her dear du Plessis, and being freed from a dissimulation so irksome to +her nature. + +Her pilgrim's habit, and a great crucifix to carry between her hands, +with another at her girdle, and all the formalities of that garb being +prepared, she set forward with the prayers and benedictions of the whole +sisterhood, who told her, that they should be impatient till they saw +her again, and expected great things from her at her return, which, in +reality, they all did, except Leonora, who laughed heartily at the +deception she had put upon them, and whispered in her ear as she gave +her the last embrace, that she wished her a happy meeting with that +saint she went in search of. + +To prevent all suspicion of her intention she left her cloaths, and +every thing she had brought into the convent, under the care of the +abbess, saying, that, at her return, she would have them disposed of, +and the money given to the poor: but, unknown to any one except Leonora, +she quilted some pieces of gold and valuable trinkets into her +undergarment, as not doubting but she should have occasion for much more +than, in effect, she was mistress of. + +When on her journey, the pleasure she felt at seeing herself out of the +walls of the monastery, was very much abated by the uncertainty how she +should proceed, or where direct her way: and indeed, let any one figure +to themselves the condition she was in, and they will rather wonder she +had courage to go on, than that she was sometimes daunted even to +despair.--A young creature of little more than eighteen years +old,--wholly unacquainted with fatigue,--delicate in her +frame,--wandering alone on foot in the midst of a strange +country,--ignorant of the road, or had she been acquainted with it, at a +loss where to go to get any intelligence of what she sought, and even +doubtful if the person she ran such risques to hear of, yet were in the +world or not. The letter Leonora had informed her of, gave no account, +at least that she could learn, either where he was, or whether there +were any hopes of his recovery from that illness it mentioned; she had +therefore every thing to dread, and little, very little to hope: yet did +she not repent her having quitted the convent; and the desire of getting +still farther from it, made her prosecute her journey with greater +strength and vigour than could have been expected: her pilgrim's habit +was not only a defence against any insults from persons she met on the +road, but also attracted the respect, and engaged the civilities of +every one.--As that country abounds with religious houses, she was not +only lodged and fed without any expence, but received a piece of money +at each of them she went to, so that her little stock, instead of being +diminished, was considerably increased when she came to Lorretto, for +thither, not to be false in every thing, she went; and being truly sorry +for the hypocrisy which a sad necessity alone could have made her guilty +of, paid her devotion with a sincere heart, tho' free from that +enthusiasm and bigotry which is too much practised in convents. + +From Lorretto she crossed the country to Florence, every one being ready +to direct a holy pilgrim on her way, and assist her with all things +necessary. As she went very easy journeys, never exceeding four or five +miles a day, she easily supported the fatigue; and had she been certain +at last of seeing du Plessis, it would have been rather a pleasure to +her; but her mind suffered much more than her body during this +pilgrimage, which she continued in the same manner she had begun till +she reached Leghorn, where a ship lying at anchor, and expecting to sail +in a few days for Marseilles, she agreed to give a small matter for her +passage, the sea-faring-men not paying altogether so much regard to her +habit, as the land ones had done. + +No ill accident intervening, the vessel came safely into her desired +port, and Louisa now found herself in the native country of the only +person who engrossed her thoughts: as she had heard him say he was of +Paris, she supposed that the most likely place to hear news of him, but +was in some debate within herself whether she should continue to wear +her pilgrim's habit, or provide herself with other cloaths at +Marseilles. She was weary of this mendicant way of travelling, and could +have been glad to have exchanged it for one more agreeable to the manner +in which she had been accustomed; but then, when she considered how +great a protection the appearance she made, had been from all those +insults, to which a person of her sex and age must otherwise infallibly +have been exposed in travelling alone, she resolved not to throw it off +till she came to the place where she intended to take up her abode, at +least for some time. Young as she was, she had well weighed what course +to take in case du Plessis should either be dead, or, by some accident, +removed where she could hear nothing more of him; and all countries and +parts being now equal to her, as she must then be reduced once more to +get her bread by her labour, she doubted not but to find encouragement +for her industry as well in Paris as elsewhere. + +With this resolution, therefore, after laying one night at Marseilles, +she proceeded on her way in the same fashion as she had done ever since +she left Bolognia, and in about six weeks got safely to that great and +opulent city, where she took up her lodging at a hotel, extremely +fatigued, as it is easy to believe, having never even for one day ceased +walking, but while she was on board the ship which brought her to +Marseilles, for the space of eight months; a thing almost incredible, +and what perhaps no woman, but herself, would have had courage to +undertake, or resolution to perform, but was, in her circumstances, +infinitely the most safe and expedient that prudence could suggest. + + + +CHAP. XXIII. + +_Shews by what means Louisa came to the knowledge of her parents, with +other occurrences_. + +The first thing she did on her arrival, was to send for proper persons +to equip her in a manner that she might once more appear herself, +resolving that till she could do so, not to be seen in the streets. + +While these things were preparing, she sent a person, whom the people of +the house recommended to her, to the palace of the prince of Conti, not +doubting but that some of the gentlemen belonging to his highness might +give some intelligence where monsieur du Plessis was to be found; but +the messenger returned without any other information, than that they +knew him very well, but could give no directions in what part he was at +present, he not having been seen in Paris for a long time. + +It is hard to say whether she most rejoiced or grieved at this account: +she imagined that had he been dead they would not have been ignorant of +it, therefore concluded him living to her infinite satisfaction; but +then his absenting himself from the capital of the kingdom, and from the +presence of a prince who had so much loved him, filled her with an +adequate disquiet, as believing some very ill accident must have been +the occasion:--she dispatched the same person afterwards to all the +public places that she heard gentlemen frequented, but met not with the +least success in her enquiries. It would prolong this narrative to a +tedious length, should I attempt any description of what she felt in +this situation, or the reflections she made on the odd circumstances of +her life:--the greatness of her spirit, and the most perfect resignation +to the divine will, however, made her support even this last and +severest trial with fortitude and patience; and as soon as she had put +herself into a convenient neat garb, but plain, befitting her condition, +she went out with a design to take a private lodging, where she might +live more cheaply than she could at the hotel, till providence should +throw some person in the way that might recommend her either to work, or +to teach young ladies music. + +She was wandering thro' several of the streets of Paris, without being +able, as yet, to find such a chamber as she wanted, when a great shower +of rain happening to fall, she stood up under the porch of a large house +for shelter till it should be over, which it was not for a considerable +time; and the street being very dirty, she returned to the hotel, +intending to renew her search the next day: she had not been come in +above half an hour, before the man of the house told her that a servant, +in a very rich livery, who, he perceived, had followed her, and had +asked many questions concerning her, was now returned, and desired to +speak with her. + +As du Plessis was ever in her thoughts, a sudden rush of joy overflowed +her heart, which seemed to her the presage of seeing him, tho' how he +should imagine she was in Paris was a mystery:--but she gave herself not +much time for reflection, before she ordered the man to be admitted. + +The manner of his approaching her was very respectful; but the message +he had to deliver seemed of a contrary nature.--After having asked if +her name was Louisa, and she answering that it was, I come, madam, said +he, from a gentleman who saw you stand just now at the gate of a house +in the Fauxbourg St. Germains, he commands me to tell you, that he has +something of moment to acquaint you with, and desires you will permit me +to call a chair, and attend you to his house, where he is impatient to +receive you. + +What, indeed, could Louisa think of a person who should send for her in +this manner?--all the late transport she was in, was immediately +converted into disdain and vexation at being taken, as she had all the +reason in the world to suppose, for one of those common creatures who +prostitute their charms for bread.-- + +Tell your master, said she, that by whatever accident he has learned my +name, he is wholly ignorant of the character of the person he has sent +you to:--that I am an entire stranger at Paris, and he must have +mistaken me for some other, who, perhaps, I may have the misfortune to +resemble, and may be also called as I am;--at least I am willing to +think so, as the only excuse can be made for his offering this +insult:--but go, continued she, with that pride which is natural to +affronted virtue;--go, and convince him of his error;--and let me hear +no more of it. + +It was in vain he assured her that his master was a person of the +highest honour, and that he was not unknown to her. All he could say had +not the least effect unless to enflame her more; when, after asking his +name, the fellow told her he was forbid to reveal it, but that he was +confident she would not deny having been acquainted with him when once +she saw him. + +I shall neither own the one, cried she, nor consent to the other; then +bid him a second time be gone, with an air which shewed she was not to +be prevailed upon to listen to his arguments. + +This man had no sooner left her than she fell into a deep study, from +which a sudden thought made her immediately start:--the count de +Bellfleur came into her head; and she was certain it could be no other +than that cruel persecutor of her virtue, that her ill fate had once +more thrown in her way.--As she knew very well, by what he had done, +that he was of a disposition to scruple nothing for the attainment of +his wishes, she trembled for the consequences of his discovering where +she was.--The only way she could think on to avoid the dangers she might +be exposed to on his account, was to draw up a petition to the prince of +Conti, acquainting him that she was the person who was near suffering so +much from the ill designs he had on her at Padua, when so generously +referred by monsieur du Plessis, and to entreat his highness's +protection against any attempts he might be safe enough to make. + +She was just sitting down, in order to form a remonstrance of this kind, +when a chariot and six stopping at the door, she was informed the +gentleman who had sent to her was come in person, and that they knew it +was the same by the livery.--Louisa run hastily to the window and saw a +person alight, whom, by the bulk and stature, she knew could not be the +count she so much dreaded, this having much the advantage of the other +in both. Somewhat reassured by this sight, she ordered the master of the +hotel to desire him to walk into a parlour, and let him know she would +attend him there. + +As she saw not the face of this visitor, she could not be certain +whether it were not some of those she had been acquainted with at +Venice, who having, by accident, seen her at Paris, might, according to +the freedom of the French nation, take the liberty of visiting her;--but +whoever it were, or on what score soever brought, she thought it best to +receive him in a place where, in case of any ill usage, she might +readily have assistance. + +The master of the hotel perceiving her scruples, readily did as he was +ordered, and Louisa having desired that he, or some of his people, would +be within call, went down to receive this unknown gent, tho' not without +emotions, which at that moment she knew not how to account for. + +But soon after she was seized with infinitely greater, when, entering +the parlour, she found it was no other than Dorilaus who had given her +this anxiety.--Surprize at the sight of a person whom, of all the world, +she could least have expected in that place, made her at first start +back; and conscious shame for having, as she thought, so ill rewarded +his goodness, mixed with a certain awe which she had for no other person +but himself, occasioned such a trembling, as rendered her unable either +to retire or move forward to salute him, as she otherwise would +have done. + +He saw the confusion she was in, and willing to give it an immediate +relief, ran to her, and taking her in his arms,--my dear, dear child, +said he, am I so happy to see thee once more!--Oh! sir, returned she +disengaging herself from his embrace, and falling at his feet!--How can +I look upon you after having flown from your protection, and given you +such cause to think me the most ungrateful creature in the world! + +It was heaven, answered he, that inspired you with that abhorrence of my +offers, which, had you accepted, we must both have been eternally +undone!--You are my daughter, Louisa! pursued he, my own natural +daughter!--Rise then, and take a father's blessing. + +All that can be said of astonishment would be far short of what she felt +at these words:--the happiness seemed so great she could not think it +real, tho' uttered from mouth she knew unaccustomed to deceit:--a +hundred times, without giving him leave to satisfy her doubts, did she +cry out, My father!--my father!--my real father!--How can it be!--Is +there a possibility that Louisa owes her being to Dorilaus! + +Yes, my Louisa, answered he, and flatter myself, by what I have observed +of your disposition, you have done nothing, since our parting, that +might prevent my glorying in being the parent of such a child. + +The hurry of spirit she was in, prevented her from taking notice of +these last words, or at least from making any answer to them, and she +still continued crying out,--Dorilaus, my father!--Good heaven! may I +believe I am so blessed?--Who then is my mother!--Wherefore have I been +so long ignorant of what I was!--And how is the joyful secret at +last revealed! + +All these things you shall be fully informed of, answered he; in the +mean time be satisfied I do not deceive you, and am indeed your father: +transported to find my long lost child, whom I myself knew not was so +till I believed her gone for ever;--a thousand times I have wished both +you and Horatio were my children, but little suspected you were so, till +after his too eager ambition deprived me of him, and my mistaken love +drove you to seek a refuge among strangers. + +Tears of joy and tenderness now bedewed the faces of both father and +daughter:--silence for some moments succeeded the late acclamations; but +Dorilaus at length finding her fully convinced she was as happy as he +said she was, and entirely freed from all those apprehensions which had +occasioned her flying from him, told her he was settled in Paris; that +he lived just opposite to the house where she had stood up on account of +the shower, and happening to be at one of his windows immediately knew +her; that he sent a servant after her, who had enquired how long she had +been arrived, and in what manner she came; that he had sent for her with +no other intent then to make trial how she would resent it, and was +transported to find her answer such as he hoped and had expected from +her:--he added, that he had all the anxiety of a father to hear by what +means she had been supported, and the motive which induced her to travel +in the habit of a pilgrim, as the matter of the hotel had informed his +servant; but that he would defer his satisfaction till she should be in +a place more becoming his daughter. + +On concluding these words he called for the master of the hotel, and +having defrayed what little expences she had been at since her coming +there, took her by the hand and led her to his chariot, which soon +brought them to a magnificent, house, and furnished in a manner +answerable to the birth and fortune of the owner. + +Louisa had all this time seemed like one in a dream:--she had ever loved +Dorilaus with a filial affection; and to find herself really his +daughter, to be snatched at once from all those cares which attend +penury, when accompanied with virtue, and an abhorrence of entering into +measures inconsistent with the strictest honour, to be relieved from +every want, and in a station which commanded respect and homage, was +such a surcharge of felicity, that she was less able to support than all +the fatigues she had gone thro'--Surprize and joy made her appear more +dull and stupid than she had ever been in her whole life before; and +Dorilaus was obliged to repeat all he had said over and over again, to +bring her into her usual composedness, and enable her to give him the +satisfaction he required. + +But as soon as she had, by degrees, recollected herself, she modestly +related all that had happened to her from the time she left him;--the +methods by which she endeavoured to earn her bread,--the insults she was +exposed to at mrs. C--l--ge's;--the way she came acquainted with +Melanthe;--the kindness shown her by that lady;--their travels +together;--the base stratagem made use of by count de Bellfleur to ruin +her with that lady--the honourable position monsieur du Plessis had +professed for her;--the seasonable assistance he had given her, in that +iminent danger she was in from the count's unlawful designs upon +her;--his placing her afterwards in the monastry,--the treachery of the +abbess;--the artifice she had been obliged to make use of to get out of +the nunnery;--her pilgrimage;--in fine, concealed no part of her +adventures, only that which related to the passion she had for du +Plessis, which she endeavoured, as much as she could, to disguise, under +the names of gratitude for the obligations he had conferred upon her, +and admiration of his virtue, so different from what she had found in +others who had addressed her. + +Dorilaus, however, easily perceived the tenderness with which she was +agitated on the account of that young gentleman, but he would not excite +her blushes by taking any notice of it, especially as he found nothing +to condemn in it, and had observed, throughout the course of her whole +narrative, she had behaved on other occasions with a discretion far +above her years, he was far from wronging her, by suspecting she had +swerved from it in this. + +But when he heard the vast journey she had come on foot, he was in the +utmost amazement at her fortitude, and told her he was resolved to keep +her pilgrim's habit as a relique, to preserve to after-ages the memory +of an adventure, which had really something more marvellous in it than +many set down as miracles. + +And now having fully gratified his own curiosity in all he wanted to be +informed of, he thought proper to case the impatience she was in to know +the history of her birth, and on what occasion it had been so long +concealed, which he did in these or the like words: + + + +CHAP. XXIV. + +_The history of Dorilaus and Matilda, with other circumstances very +important to Louisa_. + +You know, said he, that I am descended of one of the most illustrious +families in England, tho', by some imprudencies on the one side, and +injustice on the other, my claim was set aside, and I deprived of that +title which my ancestors for a long succession of years had enjoyed, so +that the estate I am in possession of, was derived to me in right of my +mother, who was an heiress. It is indeed sufficient to have given me a +pretence to any lady I should have made choice on, and to provide for +what children I might have had by her: but the pride of blood being not +abated in me by being cut off from my birthright, inspired me with an +unconquerable aversion to marriage, since I could not bequeath to my +posterity that dignity I ought to have enjoyed myself:--I resolved +therefore to live single, and that the misfortune of my family should +dye with myself. + +In my younger years I went to travel, as well for improvement, as to +alleviate that discontent which was occasioned by the sight of another +in possession of what I thought was my due.--Having made the tour of +Europe, I took France again in my way home:--the gallantry and good +breeding of these people very much attached me to them; but what chiefly +engaged my continuance here much longer than I had done in any other +part, was an acquaintance I had made with a lady called Matilda: she was +of a very good family in England, was sent to a monastry merely for the +sake of well-grounding her in a religion, the free exercise of which is +not allowed at home, and to seclude her from settling her affections on +any other than the person she was destined to by the will of her +parents, and to whom she had been contracted in her infancy:--she was +extremely young, and beautiful as an angel; and the knowledge she was +pre-engaged, could not hinder me from loving her, any more than the +declarations I made in her hearing against marriage, could the grateful +returns she was pleased to make me:--in fine, the mutual inclination we +had for each other, as it rendered us deaf to all suggestions but that +of gratifying it, so it also inspired us with ingenuity to surmount all +the difficulties that were between our wishes and the end of them.--Tho' +a pensioner in a monastry, and very closely observed, by the help of a +confidant she frequently got out, and many nights we passed +together;--till some business relating to my estate at length calling me +away, we were obliged to part, which we could not do without testifying +a great deal of concern on both sides:--mine was truly sincere at that +time, and I have reason to believe her's was no less so; but absence +easily wears out the impressions of youth: as I never expected to see +her any more, I endeavoured not to preserve a remembrance which would +only have given me disquiet, and, to confess the truth, soon forgot both +the pleasure and the pain I had experienced in this, as well as some +other little sallies of my unthinking youth. + +Many years passed over without my ever hearing any thing of her; and it +was some months after I received your letter from Aix-la-Chappelle, that +the post brought me one from Ireland: having no correspondence in that +country, I was a little surprized, but much more when I opened it and +found it contained these words: + +_To_ DORILAUS. + +SIR, + + +"This comes to make a request, which I +know not if the acquaintance we had +together in the early part of both our lives, +would be sufficient to apologize for the trouble +you must take in complying with it:--permit +me therefore to acquaint you, that I have long +laboured under an indisposition which my physicians +assure me is incurable, and under which +I must inevitably sink in a short time; but +whatever they say, I know it is impossible +for me to leave the world without imparting +to you a secret wholly improper to be entrusted +in a letter, but is of the utmost importance +to those concerned in it, of whom yourself +is the principal:--be assured it regards +your honour, your conscience, your justice, as +well as the eternal peace of her who conjures +you, with the utmost earnestness, to come immediately +on the receipt of this to the castle of +M----e, in the north of Ireland, where, if +you arrive time enough, you will be surprized, +tho' I flatter myself not disagreeably so, with +the unravelling a most mysterious Event. + +_Yours, once known by the name of_ MATILDA, + +_now_ + +M----E." + + +I will not repeat to you, my dear Louisa, continued Dorilaus, the +strange perplexity of ideas that run thro' my mind after having read +this letter:--I was very far from guessing at the real motive of this +invitation; which, however, as I once had a regard for that lady, I soon +determined to obey; and having left the care of my house to a relation +of mine by the mother's side, I went directly for Ireland; but when I +came there, was a little embarrassed in my mind what excuse I should +make to her husband for my visit.--Before I ventured to the castle, I +made a thorough enquiry after the character of this young lady, and in +what manner she lived with her lord. Never did I hear a person more +universally spoke well of:--the poor adored her charity, affability, and +condescending sweetness of disposition:--the rich admired her wit, her +virtue, and good breeding:--her beauty, tho' allowed inferior to few of +her sex, was the least qualification that seemed deserving praise:--to +add to all this, they told me she was a pattern of conjugal affection, +and the best of mothers to a numerous race of Children;--that her lord +had all the value he ought to have for so amiable a wife, and that no +wedded pair ever lived together in greater harmony; and it was with the +utmost concern, whoever I spoke to on this affair concluded what they +related of her with saying, that so excellent an example of all that was +valuable in womankind would shortly be taken from them;--that she had +long, with an unexampled patience, lingered under a severe illness which +every day threatened dissolution. + +These accounts made me hesitate no farther:--I went boldly to the +castle, asked to speak with the lord M----e, who received me with a +politeness befitting his quality: I told him that my curiosity of seeing +foreign countries had brought me to Ireland, and being in my tour thro' +those parts, I took the liberty of calling at his seat, having formerly +had the honour of being known to his lady when at her father's house, +and whom I now heard, to my great concern, was indisposed, otherwise +have been glad to pay my respects to her. The nobleman answered, with +tears in his eyes, that she was indeed in a condition such as give no +hope of her recovery, but that she sometimes saw company, tho' obliged +to receive them in bed, having lost the use of her limbs, and would +perhaps be glad of the visit of a person she had known so long. + +On this I told him my name, which he immediately sent in; and her woman +not long after came from her to let me know she would admit me. My lord +went in with me; and to countenance what I said, I accosted her with the +freedom of a person who had been acquainted when children, spoke of her +father as of a gentleman who had favoured me with his good-will, tho', +in reality, I had never seen him in my life, but remembered well enough +what she had mentioned to me concerning him, and some others of her +family, to talk as if I had been intimate among them. I could perceive +she was very well pleased with the method I had taken of introducing +myself; and, to prevent any suspicion that I had any other business with +her than to pay my compliments, made my visit very short that day, not +doubting but she would of herself contrive some means of entertaining me +without witnesses, as she easily found her lord had desired I would make +the castle my home while I stayed in that part of the country. + +I was not deceived; the next morning having been told her lord was +engaged with his steward, she sent for me, and making some pretence for +getting rid of her woman, she plucked a paper from under her pillow, and +putting it into my hand,--in that, said, you will find the secret I +mentioned in my letter;--suspect not the veracity of it, I conjure you, +nor love the unfortunate Horatio and Louisa less for their being mine. + +I cannot express the confusion I was in, continued Dorilaus, at her +mentioning you and your brother, but I had no opportunity of asking any +questions:--her woman that instant returned, after which I stayed but a +short time, being impatient to examine the contents, which, as near as I +can remember, were to this purpose: + + +"You were scarce out of France before I +discovered our amour had produced such +consequences as, had my too fond passion given +me leave to think of, I never should have hazarded:--I +will not repeat the distraction I +was in;--you may easily judge of it:--I +communicated the misfortune to my nurse, +who you know I told you went from England +with me, and has often brought you messages +from the convent:--the faithful creature did +her utmost to console me for an evil which was +without a remedy:--to complete my confusion, +my father commanded me home; my lord +M----e was returned from his travels:--we +were both of an age to marry; and it +was resolved, by our parents, no longer to +defer the completion of an affair long before +agreed upon.--I was ready to lay violent hands +on myself, since there seemed no way to conceal +my shame; but my good nurse having set +all her wits to work for me, found out an expedient +which served me, when I could think +of nothing for myself.--She bid me be of +comfort; that she thought being sent for home +was the luckiest thing that could have happened, +since nothing could be so bad as to have my +pregnancy discovered in the convent, as it +infallibly must have been had I stayed a very little +time longer: she also assured me she would +contrive it so, as to keep the thing a secret +from all the world.--I found afterwards she +did not deceive me by vain promises.--We +left Paris, according to my father's order, and +came by easy journeys, befitting my condition, +to Calais, and embarked on board the packet for +Dover; but then, instead of taking coach for London, +hired a chariot, and went cross the country +to a little village, where a kinswoman of my +nurse's lived.--With these people I remained +till Horatio and Louisa came into the world:--I +could have had them nursed at that place, but +I feared some discovery thro' the miscarriage of +letters, which often happens, and which could +not have been avoided being sent on such occasions;--so +we contrived together that my +good confident and adviser should carry them +to your house, and commit the care of them +to you, who, equal with myself, had a right to +it:--she found means, by bribing a man that +worked under your gardener, to convey them +where I afterwards heard you found and received +them as I could wish, and becoming the +generosity of your nature.--I then took coach +for London, pretending, at my arrival, that I +had been delayed by sickness, and to excuse my +nurse's absence, said she had caught the fever +of me;--so no farther enquiry was made, and +I soon after was married to a man whose worth +is well deserving of a better wife, tho' I have +endeavoured to attone for my unknown transgression +by every act of duty in my power:--nurse +stayed long enough in your part of the +world to be able to bring me an account how +the children were disposed of.--That I never +gave you an account they were your own, was +occasioned by two reasons, first, the danger of +entrusting such a thing by the post, my nurse +soon after dying; and secondly, because, as I +was a wife, I thought it unbecoming of me to +remind you of a passage I was willing to forget +myself.--A long sickness has put other thoughts +into my head, and inspired me with a tenderness +for those unhappy babes, which the shame +of being their mother hitherto deprived them +of.--I hear, with pleasure, that you are not +married, and are therefore at full liberty to +make some provision for them, if they are yet +living, that may alleviate the misfortune of +their birth. Farewell; if I obtain this first and +last request, I shall dye well satisfied." + +"_P.S._ Burn this paper, I conjure you, the moment +you have read it; but lay the contents +of it up in your heart never to be forgotten." + + +I now no longer wondered, pursued Dorilaus, at that impulse I had to +love you;--I found it the simpathy of nature, and adored the divine +power.--After having well fixed in my mind all the particulars of this +amazing secret, I performed her injunction, and committed it to the +flames: I had opportunity enough to inform her in what manner Horatio +had disposed of himself, and let her know you were gone with a lady on +her travels: I concealed indeed the motive, fearing to give her any +occasion of reproaching herself for having so long concealed what my +ignorance of might have involved us all in guilt and ruin. + +I stayed some few days at the castle, and then took my leave: she said +many tender things at parting concerning you, and seemed well satisfied +with the assurances I gave her of making the same provision for you, as +I must have done had the ceremony of the church obliged me to it. This +seemed indeed the only thing for which she lived, and, I was informed, +died in a few days after. + +At my return to England I renewed my endeavours to discover where you +were, but could hear nothing since you wrote from Aix-la-Chappelle, and +was equally troubled that I had received no letters from your +brother.--I doubted not but he had fallen in the battle, and mourned him +as lost;--till an old servant perceiving the melancholy I was in, +acquainted me that several letters had been left at my house by the post +during my absence, but that the kinsman I had left to take care of my +affairs had secreted them, jealous, no doubt, of the fondness I have +expressed for him.--This so enraged me, when on examination I had too +much reason to be assured of this treachery, that I turned my whole +estate into ready money, and resolved to quit England for ever, and pass +my life here, this being a country I always loved, and had many reasons +to dislike my own. + +Here I soon heard news of my Horatio, and such as filled me with a +pleasure, which wanted nothing of being complete but the presence of my +dear Louisa to partake of it. + +Dorilaus then went on, and acquainted her with the particulars of +Horatio's story, as he had learned it from the baron de Palfoy, with +whom he now was very intimate; but as the reader is sufficiently +informed of those transactions, it would be needless to repeat them; so +I shall only say that Dorilaus arrived in France in a short time after +Horatio had left it to enter into the service of the king of Sweden, and +had wrote that letter, inserted in the eighteenth chapter, in order to +engage that young warrior to return, some little time before his meeting +with Louisa. + +Nothing now was wanting to the contentment of this tender father but the +presence of Horatio, which he was every day expecting, when, instead of +himself, those letters from him arrived which contained his resolution +of remaining with Charles XII. till the conquests he was in pursuit of +should be accomplished. + +This was some matter of affliction to Dorilaus, tho' in his heart he +could not but approve those principles of honour which detained +him.--Neither the baron de Palfoy, nor Charlotta herself, could say he +could well have acted otherwise, and used their utmost endeavours to +comfort a father in his anxieties for the safety of so valuable a son. + +Louisa was also very much troubled at being disappointed in her hope of +embracing a brother, whom she had ever dearly loved, and was now more +precious to her than ever, by the proofs she had heard he had given of +his courage and his virtue; but she had another secret and more poignant +grief that preyed upon her soul, and could scarce receive any addition +from ought beside:--she had been now near two months in Paris, yet could +hear nothing of monsieur du Plessis, but that, by the death of his +father, a large estate had devolved upon him, which he had never come to +claim, or had been at Paris for about eighteen months, so that she had +all the reason in the world to believe he was no more. This threw her +into a melancholy, which was so much the more severe as she endeavoured +to conceal it:--she made use of all her efforts to support the loss of a +person she so much loved, and who proved himself so deserving of that +love:--she represented to herself that being relieved from all the +snares and miseries of an indigent life, raised from an obscurity which +had given her many bitter pangs, to a station equal to her wishes, and +under the care of the most indulgent and best of fathers, she ought not +to repine, but bless the bounty of heaven, who had bestowed on her so +many blessings, and with-held only one she could have asked.--These, I +say, were the dictates of reason and religion; but the tender passion +was not always to be silenced by them, and whenever she was alone, the +tears, in spight of herself, would flow, and she, without even knowing +she did so, cry out, Oh du Plessis, wherefore do I live since thou +art dead! + +Among the many acquaintance she soon contracted at Paris, there was none +she so much esteemed, both on the account of her own merit, and the +regard she had for Horatio, as mademoiselle de Palfoy. In this young +lady's society did she find more charms for her grief than in that of +any other; and the other truly loving her, not only because she found +nothing more worthy of being loved, but because she was the sister of +Horatio, they were very seldom asunder. + +Louisa was one day at the baron's, enjoying that satisfaction which the +conversation of his beautiful daughter never failed to afford, when word +was brought that madam, the countess d'Espargnes, was come to visit +her.--Mademoiselle Charlotta ran to receive her with a great deal of +joy, she being a lady she very much regarded, and who she had not seen +of a long time. + +She immediately returned, leading a lady in deep mourning, who seemed +not to be above five-and-twenty, was extremely handsome, and had beside +something in her air that attached Louisa at first sight. Mademoiselle +Charlotta presented her to the countess, saying at the same time, see, +madam, the only rival you have in my esteem. + +You do well to give me one, replied the countess, who looks as if she +would make me love her as well as you, and so I should be even with you. +With these words she opened her arms to embrace Louisa, who returned the +compliment with equal politeness. + +When they were seated, mademoiselle Charlotta began to express the +pleasure she had in seeing her in Paris; on which the countess told her, +that the affair she came upon was so disagreeable, that nothing but the +happiness of enjoying her company, while she stayed, could attone for +it. You know, my dear, continued madam d'Espargnes, I was always an +enemy to any thing that had the face of business, yet am I now, against +my will, involved in it by as odd an adventure as perhaps you +ever heard. + +Charlotta testifying some desire to be informed of what nature, the +other immediately satisfied her curiosity in this manner: + +You know, said she, that on the late death of my father, his estate +devolved on my brother, an officer in those troops in Italy commanded by +the prince of Conti:--some wounds, which were looked upon as extremely +dangerous, obliged him, when the campaign was over, to continue in his +winter quarters;--on which he sent to monsieur the count to take +possession in his name; this was done; but an intricate affair relating +to certain sums lodged in a person's hand, and to be brought before the +parliament of Paris, could not be decided without the presence either of +him or myself who had been witness of the transaction.--I was extremely +loth to take so long a journey, being then in very ill health; and +hearing he was recovered, delayed it, as we then expected him in +person:--I sent a special messenger, however, in order to hasten his +return;--but instead of complying with my desires, I received a letter +from him, acquainting me that a business of more moment to him than any +thing in my power to guess at, required his presence in another place, +and insisted, by all the tenderness which had ever been between us, that +I would take on myself the management of this affair:--to enable me the +better to do it, he sent me a deed of trust to act as I should find it +most expedient. + +As he did not let me into the secret of what motives detained him at so +critical a juncture, I was at first very much surprized; but on asking +some questions of the messenger I had sent to him, I soon discovered +what it was. He told me that on his arrival, he found my brother had +left his quarters and was gone to Bolognia, on which he followed and +overtook him there;--that he appeared in the utmost discontent, and was +just preparing to proceed to Leghorn, but did not mention to him any +more than he did in his letter to me, what inducement he had to this +journey:--his servant, however, told him privately, that the mystery was +this:--That being passionately in love with a young English lady, whom +he had placed in a monastery at Bolognia, and expected to find there at +his return, she had in his absence departed, without having acquainted +him with her design; and that supposing she was gone for England, and +unable to live without her, his intention was to take shipping for that +country, and make use of his utmost efforts to find her out. + +I must confess, pursued the beautiful countess, this piece of quixotism +very much veved me:--I thought his friends in France deserved more from +him than to be neglected for one who fled from him, and who, as the man +said, he knew not whether he should be able ever to see again. I +resolved, however, to comply with his desires, and came immediately to +Paris; but heaven has shewed him how little it approves his giving me +this unnecessary trouble, for this morning I received a letter from him, +that meeting with robbers in his way, they had taken from him all his +money and bills of exchange, besides wounding him in several places, so +that he cannot proceed on his journey till his hurts, which it seems are +not dangerous, are cured, and he has fresh remittances from hence. + +With what emotions the heart of Louisa was agitated during the latter +part of this little narrative, a sensible reader may easily conceive: +from the first mention of Bolognia, where there was no other English +pensioner than herself, she knew it must be no other than her dear du +Plessis who was in search for her abroad, while she was vainly hoping to +find him at home:--every circumstance rendered this belief more certain; +and surprize and joy worked so strongly in her, that fearing the effects +would be visible, she rose up and withdrew to a window. Mademoiselle +Charlotta, who knew she could not be capable of such an act of +unpoliteness, without being compelled to it, asked if she were not +well:--on which Louisa entreated pardon, but owned a sudden faintness +had come over her spirits, so that she was obliged to be rude in order +to prevent being troublesome. + +As mademoiselle Charlotta knew nothing of her story, she had no farther +thought about it than of some little qualm, which frequently happens +when young ladies are too closely laced, and she seeming perfectly +recovered from, the conversation was renewed on the same subject it had +turned upon before this interruption; and the name of monsieur du +Plessis being often mentioned, confirmed Louisa, if before she could +have had the least remains of doubt, that it was her lover who, +neglectful of his own affairs, and the remonstrances of his expecting +friends, was about to range in search of one who, he imagined, was +ungrateful both to his love and friendship. + +After having listened, with the utmost attention, to all the countess +said of him, and other matters becoming the topic of discourse, she took +her leave, in order to reflect alone what she ought to do in +this affair. + +She debated not long within herself before she resolved to write to him, +and prevent the unprofitable journey he was about to take; and having +heard, by madam d' Espargnes, the name of the village where he was +obliged to wait, both for the recovery of his wounds and for remittances +for his expences, she wrote to him in the following terms: + +_To monsieur_ DU PLESSIS. + + +"I should ill return the proofs I have received +of your generous disinterested friendship, +to delay one moment that I had it in my power, +in endeavouring to convince you that it was a +quite contrary motive than ingratitude to you, +that carried me from Bolognia:--but the story +is too long for the compass of a letter; when +you know it, you will, perhaps, own this action, +whatever you may now think of it, merits +more, than any thing I could have done, your +approbation:--this seeming riddle will be easily +expounded, if, on the recovery of your +wounds, you repair immediately to Paris, where +you will find + +_Your much obliged_, + +LOUISA." + + +Having finished this little billet, a scruple rose in her head, that +being now under the care of a father, she ought not to do any thing of +this nature without his permission:--she had already told him how +greatly she had been indebted to du Plessis for his honourable passion, +but had not mentioned the least tittle of the tender impressions it had +made on her; and she so lately knew him to be her father, that she was +ashamed to make him the confidant of an affair of this nature, but then, +when she considered the quality of du Plessis, which she was now +confirmed of, and the sense Dorilaus testified he had of his behaviour +to her while he believed her so infinitely his inferior, made her +resolve to drain her modesty so far as to inform him all. + +She began by relating her accidental meeting with madam, the countess +d'Espargnes and the conversation that passed at mademoiselle de +Palfoy's, and then, tho' not without immoderate blushes, shewed him what +she had wrote, and beseeched him to let her know whether it would be +consistent with a virgin's modesty, and also agreeable to his pleasure, +that she gave this demonstration of her gratitude for the favours she +had received from this young gentleman. + +Dorilaus was charmed with this proof of her duty and respect, and told +her, that he was so far from disapproving what she had wrote, that had +she omitted it, or said less than she did, he should have looked upon +her as unworthy of so perfect a passion as that which monsieur du +Plessis on all occasions, testified for her:--that, in his opinion, she +owed him more than she could ever pay; and that it should be his +endeavour to shew he had not placed his affections on the daughter of +one who knew not how to set a just value on merit such as his:--he made +her also add a postscript to the letter, to give a direction in what +part of Paris he might find her on his arrival; but Louisa would by no +means give the least hint of the alteration in her circumstances, not +that she wanted any farther proofs of his sincerity, but that she +reserved the pleasure of so agreeable a surprize to their meeting. This +letter was dispatched immediately, to the end he might receive it, at +least, as soon as that from his sister with the expected remittances. + + + +CHAP. XXV. + +_Monsieur du Plessis arrives at Paris: his reception from Dorilaus and +Louisa: the marriage of these lovers agreed upon_. + +The innocent pleasure Louisa felt in picturing to herself the extacy +which du Plessis would be in at the receipt of her letter, was not a +flattering idea:--to know she was in Paris, where, in all probability, +she had come to seek him, and to have the intelligence of it from +herself, had all the effect on him that the most raptured fancy +can invent. + +His orders to madam d' Espargnes being punctually complied with, his +bills of exchange also came soon after to hand; and the little hurts he +had received from the robbers, as well as those of his mind, being +perfectly healed, he set out with a lover's expedition, and arrived in +Paris to the pleasing surprize of a sister who tenderly loved him, and +expected not this satisfaction of a long time. + +He took but one night's repose before he enquired concerning Dorilaus, +and was told that he was a person of quality in England; but, on some +disgust he had received in his native country, was come to settle in +France. As Louisa was extremely admired, they told him also that he had +a very beautiful daughter, of whom he was extremely fond. This last +information gave not a little ease to the mind of him who heard it, and +dissipated those apprehensions which the high character they gave of +Dorilaus had, in spite of himself, excited in him: he now imagined that +as they were English, his Louisa might possibly have been acquainted +with the daughter of this gentleman in their own country, and meeting +her at Paris, might have put herself under her protection. + +Full of those impatiencies which are inseparable from a sincere passion, +he borrowed his sister's chariot, and went to the Fauxbourg St. +Germains; and being told one of the best houses in the place was that of +Dorilaus, he asked for mademoiselle Louisa, on which he was desired to +alight, and shewed into a handsome parlour while a servant went in to +inform her: after this, he was ushered up stairs into a room, the +furniture of which shewed the elegance of the owner's taste; but +accustomed to every thing that was great and magnificent, the gilded +scenes, the rich tapestry, the pictures, had no effect on him, till +casting his eyes on one that hung over the chimney, he found the exact +resemblance of the dear object never absent from his heart.--It was +indeed the picture of Louisa, which her father, soon after her arrival, +had caused to be drawn by one of the best painters at that time in +Paris. This sight gave him a double pleasure, because it, in some +measure, anticipated that of the original, and also convinced him that +she was not indifferent to the person she was with. + +He was fixed in contemplation on this delightful copy, when the original +appeared in all the advantages that jewels and rich dress could give +her.--Tho' he loved her only for herself, and nothing could add to the +sincere respect his heart had always paid her, yet to see her so +different from what he expected, filled him with a surprize and a kind +of enforced awe, which hindered him from giving that loose to his +transports, which, after so long an absence, might have been very +excusable;--and he could only say--my dear adorable Louisa, am I so +blessed to see you once more!--She met his embrace half way, and +replied, monsieur du Plessis, heaven has given me all I had to wish in +restoring to me so faithful a friend;--but come, continued she, permit +me to lead you to a father, who longs to embrace the protector of his +daughter's innocence. Your father, madam! cried he; yes, answered she; +in seeking a lover at Paris I found a father; Dorilaus is my father:--I +have acquainted him with all the particulars of our story, and, I +believe, the sincere affection I have for you will not be less pleasing +for receiving his sanction to it. + +With these words she took his hand and led him, all astonishment, into +an inner room where Dorilaus was sitting, who rose to meet him with the +greatest politeness, and which shewed that to be master of, it was not +necessary to be born in France; and on Louisa's acquainting him with the +name of the person she presented, embraced him with the tenderness of a +father, and made him such obliging and affectionate compliments, as +confirmed to the transported du Plessis the character had been given +of him. + +After the utmost testimonies of respect on both side, Dorilaus told his +daughter she ought to make her excuses to monsieur for having eloped +from the monastry where he had been so good to place her, which, said +he, I think you can do in no better a manner than by telling the truth, +and as I am already sufficiently acquainted with the whole, will leave +you to relate it, while I dispatch a little business that at present +calls me hence. He went out of the room in speaking this, and Louisa had +a more full opportunity of informing her lover of all she had suffered +since their parting, till this happy change in her fortune, than she +could have had in the presence of her father, tho' no stranger to her +most inmost thoughts on this occasion. + +The pleasing story of her pilgrimage rehearsed, how did the charmed du +Plessis pity and applaud, by turns, her sufferings and fortitude!--How +exclaim against the treachery of the abbess, and those of the nuns who +were in confederacy with her! But his curiosity satisfied in this point, +another rose instantly in his mind, that being the daughter of such a +person as Dorilaus, wherefore she had made so great a secret of it, and +what reason had occasioned her being on the terms she was with Melanthe. +He no sooner expressed his wonder on these heads, than, having before +her father's permission to do so, she resolved to leave him in no +suspence on any score relating to her affairs. + +Tho', said she blushing, I cannot reveal the history of my birth without +laying open the errors of those to whom I owe my being, yet I shall not +think the sacrifice too great to recompence the obligations you have +laid upon me; and then proceeded to acquaint him with every thing +relating to her parents, as well as to herself, from the first moment +she was found in the garden of Dorilaus. + +It is not to be doubted but that he listened to the story with the +utmost attention, in which he found such matters of admiration, that he +could not forbear frequently interrupting her, by crying, Oh heaven! oh +providence! how mysterious are thy ways!--How, in thy disposal of +things, dost thou force us to acknowledge thy divine power and wisdom! + +He was also extremely pleased to find she was the sister of Horatio, +whom he had often been in company with both at the baron de la Valeire's +and at St. Germains, and had admired for the many extraordinary +qualities he discovered in him: this led them into a conversation +concerning that young gentleman, and the misfortunes which some late +news-paper gave an account were beginning to fall upon the king of +Sweden; after that, renewing the subject of their mutual affection, and +du Plessis running over the particulars of their acquaintance in Italy, +Louisa asked whether the count de Bellfleur had ever testified any +remorse for the injury he would have offered her, and in what manner +they had lived together in the army? To which monsieur du Plessis +replied, that the authority of the prince had prevented him from +attempting any open acts of violence; but that by his manner of +behaviour it was easy to see he had not forgiven the disappointment; and +he verily believed wanted only a convenient opportunity to revenge it: +but, continued he, whatever his designs were, heaven put a stop to the +execution of them; for, in the first skirmish that happened between us +and the forces of prince Eugene, this once gay, gallant courtier, had +his head taken off by a cannon ball. + +The gentle Louisa could not forbear expressing some concern for the +sudden fate of this bad man, greatly as she had been affronted by him; +but when she reflected that the same accident might have befallen her +dear du Plessis, she was all dissolved in tears. + +They were in this tender communication when Dorilaus returned leading +the countess d'Espargnes in one hand, and mademoiselle de Palfoy in the +other. Monsieur du Plessis was surprized to meet his sister in a place +where he knew not she was acquainted, and she no less to find him there. +The occasion of it was this: + +Dorilaus, when he left the lovers together, went directly to the baron +de Palfoy's, and related to him and to mademoiselle the whole history of +monsieur du Plessis and Louisa; on which they contriv'd to make a +pleasant scene, by engaging the countess d'Espargnes to go with them to +Dorilaus's, without letting her know on what account.--The event +answered their wishes; madam d' Espargnes rallied her brother on finding +him alone with so beautiful a young lady; and mademoiselle Charlotta, +for his inconstancy to his mistress at Bolognia: but when the riddle was +solved, and the countess came to know that the lady left in the +monastery and Louisa were the same, she no longer condemned an +attachment which before had given her so much pain. + +Mademoiselle Charlotta chid her for the reserve she had maintained to +her in this affair, especially, said she, as you were obliged to the +conversation you had with madam d'Espargnes in my apartment, that you +received any intelligence of monsieur du Plessis, or knew how to direct +your commands to him to return. + +That, madam, is an obligation lies wholly on me, said monsieur du +Plessis; and I believe I shall find it very difficult to requite it, any +more than I shall to deserve my sister's pardon, for so industriously +endeavouring to conceal from her the secret of my passion and +its object. + +Louisa told the ladies that she now hoped they would excuse the disorder +she had been in at the countess's discourse, since they knew the +motive:--a good deal of pleasantry passed between this agreeable +company; and as they were in the midst of it, the baron de Palfoy, who +had been hindered from accompanying Dorilaus, when he conducted the +ladies, now joined them; and tho' he was considerably older than any +there, was no less entertaining and good-humoured than the youngest. + +Dorilaus had privately ordered a very magnificent collation, which being +served up, Louisa did the honours of the table with so good a grace, +that madam d' Espargnes was charmed with her, and took an opportunity of +asking Dorilaus when she might hope the happiness of calling so amiable +a lady by the name of sister. Du Plessis thanked her for the interest +she took in his affairs; and the baron de Palfoy added, that as the +lovers wanted no farther proofs how worthy they were of each other, he +would join in solliciting for a completion of their happiness. To which +Dorilaus replied, that he was too well satisfied with his daughter's +conduct, not to leave her entirely at her own disposal; and as to what +related to fortune and settlement, he should be ready to enter into such +articles as, he believed, monsieur du Plessis would have no reason to +complain of. + +The passionate lover at these words cried out, that it was Louisa's self +alone he was ambitious of possessing; nor had either that lady or her +father any room to look on what he said as a mere compliment, because +his love had long since waved all the seeming disproportion +between them. + +In fine, not only at this time, but every day, almost every hour, was +Louisa, as it now depended wholly on herself, importuned by her lover +and the countess d'Espargnes to render his happiness complete; but she +still delayed it, desiring to hear some news of Horatio, the baron de +Palfoy having settled every thing with Dorilaus concerning his marriage +with mademoiselle Charlotta, she was willing, she said, that as they +were born on the same day, their nuptials should be also celebrated at +the same time. + +Monsieur du Plessis was obliged to content himself with this since he +could obtain no more; and for a time every thing passed smoothly and +agreeably on; but news after news continually arriving of the king of +Sweden's ill success in Ukrania, rendered all the noble friends of +Horatio extremely dissatisfied:--the public accounts were too deficient +for their information of any particular officer, and as there were very +few French in the Swedish army, they could hope for no intelligence of +him but from himself; which, as he omitted giving, they at last +concluded he was either killed or taken prisoner; which last misfortune +they looked upon as equal with the former:--the Russian barbarity, and +their manner of treating those whom the chance of war threw into their +hands, was no secret thro' all Europe; and whichever of these accidents +had happened, must be very grievous to a gentleman of Dorilaus's +disposition, who, when unknowing he was his son, loved him with more +tenderness than many fathers do their offspring, but now convinced not +only that he was so, but also that he was possessed of such amiable +qualities as might do honour to the most illustrious race, had fixed an +idea in his mind of such a lasting happiness in having him near him, +that the thoughts of being deprived of him for ever threw him into a +melancholy, which not all the friends he had acquired in Paris, not all +the gaieties of that place, nor the sweet society of the engaging and +dutiful Louisa, had the power to console. So deep was his affliction, +that monsieur du Plessis, amorous and impatient as he was, had not +courage to urge a grant of his own happiness, while those who were to +bestow it, were incapable of sharing any part of it. + +Soon after there arrived a thunder-clap indeed:--certain intelligence +that the once victorious Charles was totally overthrown, his whole army +either cut to pieces or taken prisoners, and himself a fugitive in the +grand seignior's dominions.--Dorilaus, now not doubting but the worst he +feared had come to pass, shut himself from all company, and refused the +unavailing comfort of those who came to offer it.--The fair eyes of +Louisa were continually drowned in tears, and the generous du Plessis +sympathized in all her griefs. But what became of mademoiselle Charlotta +de Palfoy! her tender soul, so long accustomed to love Horatio, had not +courage to support the shock of losing him;--losing him at a time when +she thought herself secure of being united to him for ever;--when his +discovered birth had rendered her father's wishes conformable to her +own, and there wanted nothing but his presence to render both their +families completely blessed:--all that excess of love which modesty had +hitherto restrained her from giving any public marks of, now shewed +itself in the violence of her grief and her despair.--She made no secret +of her softest inclinations, and gave a loose to all the impatience of a +ruined love. Even the haughty baron was melted into tears of compassion, +and so far from condemning, that, he attempted all in his power to +alleviate her sorrows. + + + +CHAP. XXVI. + +_The Catastrophe of the whole_. + +Poor Horatio, released, as I have already said, from his worse than +Turkish bondage, had now, with the companions of his misfortunes, left a +country where they had suffered so much and had so little to hope, that +their enlargement seemed even to themselves a miracle.--As they parted, +miserable and forlorn, thro' those provinces where, about a year before, +they had marched with so much pomp and force, as, together with the king +of Sweden's name, inspired admiration and terror over all those parts of +the world, it filled them with the most poignant anguish, and drew tears +from those among them least sensible of any tender emotions. + +All this disconsolate company, except Horatio, being Swedes', they made +the best of their way, some to Stockholm, and others to Straelsund.--Now +left alone, a long journey before him, and altogether uncertain what +reception he should find at Paris, either from Dorilaus or mademoiselle +Charlotta, his condition was extremely pityable, and he stood in need of +more fortitude than could be expected from his years, to enable him to +go thro' it. + +The nearer he approached Paris, the greater was his shock at the +necessity of appearing there in the despicable figure he now made; but +his courage still got the better, and surmounted all difficulties. If +Dorilaus thinks my disobedience to his commands a crime too great to +merit his forgiveness, would he say to himself, or Charlotta disdains, +in his misfortunes, the faithful Horatio, I have no more to do than to +return to Poland and seek an honourable death in the service of +Stanislaus. + +He made his entrance into that opulent city through the most bye-ways he +could, and concealed himself till towards night in a little cabaret, +where having soon been informed where Dorilaus lived, he went when it +was quite dark to his house, though how divided between hope and fear it +is easy to imagine. He knocked at the gate, which being opened by the +porter, and he desiring to speak with his master, was answered with many +impertinent questions, as--who he came from, what his business was, and +such like interrogatories which the sawciness of servants generally put +to persons such as this fellow took Horatio to be by his appearance. But +he had no sooner desired he would tell Dorilaus that he came from +Russia, and brought intelligence of Horatio, than his tone of voice and +behaviour was quite changed.--Our traveller was now carried into a +parlour and entreated to sit down, and the late surly porter called +hastily for one of the servants, bidding him, with the utmost joy, run +in and inform his master that here was a person come from Russia that +could give him news of colonel Horatio. + +This a little raised the lately depressed spirits of Horatio, as it +assured him his name was not unknown in that family, nor had been +mentioned with indifference. + +He attended but a very little time before he was shewed up into +Dorilaus's apartment, who was just opening his mouth to enquire if +Horatio were yet living, and in what condition, when he saw it was +himself. Surprize and joy rendered him incapable either of speaking to +him, or hearing the apologies he was beginning to make for having +disobeyed his commands:--but he fell upon his neck and gave him an +embrace, which dissipated all Horatio's fears, and left him no room to +doubt if his peace was made. + +No words were exchanged between them for a considerable time, but--oh my +dear son, my ever loved Horatio, on the one side, my more than father, +patron, on the other:--at length the tumultuous rapture of so unexpected +a meeting and reception, giving way to a more peaceful calm,--Dorilaus +made Horatio relate all the particulars had happened to him; and when he +had ended, now, said he, I will reward the sincerity I easily perceive +you have made use of in this narrative, by acquainting you, in my turn, +with secrets you are far from having any notion of, and which, I +believe, will compensate for all your sufferings, and make you own, +that while you seemed to groan under the utmost severities of fortune, +she was preparing for you all the blessings in her power to give, and +even more than your ambition aimed at. But I have first a message to +dispatch, continued he; at my return you shall know all. + +With these words he went out of the room, but came back in a moment, +and, after renewing his embraces to Horatio, revealed to him the whole +secret of his birth, with all had happened to Louisa till the time of +their happy meeting in Paris. + +With what pleasing wonder the soul of Horatio was filled at this +discovery, is much more easy to conceive than describe, so I shall leave +it to the reader's imagination to guess what it was he felt and spoke on +so extraordinary an occasion. While he was pouring out the transports it +occasioned in the most grateful thanks to heaven, and his new found +father, Louisa entered, Dorilaus having sent to the baron de Palfoy's, +where he knew she was, to let her know a messenger from Russia was +arrived with news of her brother:--they instantly knew each other, +though it was upwards of four years since they were separated, and in +that time the stature of both considerably increased:--nothing could +exceed the joy of these amiable twins:--never was felicity more perfect, +which yet received addition on Horatio's part, when Louisa told him, +that it was as much as Charlotta could do to restrain herself from +coming with her to hear what account the supposed messenger had brought. + +Dorilaus on this immediately sent to let her know his son was well, and +expected in Paris the next day, for he would not suffer him to appear +before her, or the baron, till a habit was made for him more agreeable +to his condition than that he arrived in. It is certain that the +impatience of a lover would have made Horatio gladly wave this ceremony, +but he would not a second time dispute the commands of such a father. + +But wherefore should I delay the attention of my reader, who, I doubt +not, but easily perceives by this time how things will end: so I shall +only say that the meeting of Horatio and Charlotta was such, as might be +expected from so arduous and constant an affection: that every thing +having been settled between the two fathers at the time they sent their +joint mandates to call him home, there now remained nothing but to +celebrate the long desired nuptials, which was deferred no longer than +was requisite for preparations to render the ceremony magnificent. + +The generous du Plessis and his beloved Louisa were also united the same +day; and it would be hard to say which of these weddings afforded most +satisfaction to the friends on both sides, or were attended with the +most happy consequences to the persons concerned in them. + +By these examples we may learn, that to sustain with fortitude and +patience whatever ills we are preordained to suffer, entitles us to +relief, while by impatient struggling we should but augment the score, +and provoke fate to shew us the vanity of all attempts to frustrate +its decrees. + +_FINIS_. +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10804 *** diff --git a/10804-h/10804-h.htm b/10804-h/10804-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1e63b3d --- /dev/null +++ b/10804-h/10804-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8998 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> +<title>Fortunate Foundlings | Project Gutenberg</title> +<style type="text/css"> + +body { margin-left: 20%; + margin-right: 20%; + text-align: justify; } + + P { text-indent: 1em; + margin-top: .75em; + font-size: 12pt; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; } + HR { width: 33%; } +</style> + +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10804 ***</div> + +<h2>THE</h2> +<h2><i>FORTUNATE FOUNDLINGS</i>:</h2> +<h2>BEING THE</h2> +<h2>GENUINE HISTORY</h2> +<h2>OF</h2> +<h2><i>Colonel</i> M——RS, <i>and his Sister,</i><br/> +<i>Madam</i> DU P——Y, <i>the Issue of the<br/> +Hon</i>. CH——ES M——RS, <i>Son of the<br/> +late Duke of</i> R—— L——D</h2> +<h3>CONTAINING</h3> +<h3>Many wonderful ACCIDENTS that befel<br/> +them in their TRAVELS, and interspersed with<br/> +the CHARACTERS and ADVENTURES of<br/> +SEVERAL PERSONS of <i>Condition</i>, in the<br/> +most polite Courts of <i>Europe</i>.</h3> +<p><i>The Whole calculated for the Entertainment and Improvement of the +Youth of both Sexes</i>.</p> + +<p><i>LONDON</i>:</p> +<p>M,DCC,XLIV.</p> +<p><br/> +<br/> +</p> +<h3>THE</h3> +<h2>PREFACE.</h2> +<p><i>The many Fictions which have been lately imposed upon the World, +under the specious Titles of</i> Secret Histories, Memoirs, +&c. &c. <i>have given but too much room to question the Veracity +of every Thing that has the least Tendency that way: We therefore think it +highly necessary to assure the Reader, that he will find nothing in the +following Sheets, but what has been collected from</i> Original Letters, +Private Memorandums, <i>and the</i> Accounts <i>we have been favoured with +from the Mouths of Persons too deeply concerned in many of the</i> chief +Transactions <i>not to be perfectly acquainted with the Truth, and of too +much Honour and Integrity to put any false Colours upon it</i>.</p> + +<p><i>The Adventures are not so long passed as to be wholly forgotten by +many</i> Living Witnesses, <i>nor yet so recent as to give any Reason to +suspect us of Flattery in the Relation given of them, the Motive of their +Publication being only to</i> encourage Virtue <i>in both Sexes, by +showing the Amiableness of it in</i> real Characters. <i>And if it be true +(as certainly it is) that</i> Example has more Efficacy than Precept, +<i>we may be bold to say there are few fairer, or more worthy +Imitation.—The Sons and Daughters of the greatest Families may give +additional Lustre to their Nobility, by forming themselves by the Model +here presented to them; and those of lower Extraction, attain Qualities +to attone for what they want in Birth:—So that we flatter ourselves this +Undertaking will not fail of receiving the Approbation of all who wish +well to a Reformation of Manners, and more especially those who have Youth +under their Care.—As for such who may take it up merely as an Amusement, +it is possible they will find something, which, by interesting their +Affections, may make them better without designing to be so.—Either way +will fully recompense the Pains taken in the compiling by<br/><br/> +The</i> EDITORS.</p> +<h3>THE</h3> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> +<p><br/> +</p> +<p>CHAP. I.</p> +<p><i>Contains the Manner in which a Gentleman found two Children: His +Benevolence towards them, and what kind of Affection he bore to them as +they grew up; with the Departure of one of them to the Army</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. II.</p> +<p><i>Relates the Offers made by Dorilaus to Louisa, and the Manner of her +receiving them</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. III.</p> +<p><i>Dorilaus continues his Importunities, with some unexpected +Consequences that attended them</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. IV.</p> +<p><i>Louisa becomes acquainted with a Lady of Quality, Part of whose +Adventures are also related, and goes to travel with her</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. V.</p> +<p><i>Horatio's Reception by the Officers of the Army: His Behaviour in +the Battle: His being taken Prisoner by the French: His Treatment among +them, and many other Particulars</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. VI.</p> +<p><i>Describes the Masquerade at the Dutchess of Maine's: The Characters +and Intrigues of several Persons of Quality who were there: The odd +Behaviour of a Lady in regard to Horatio; and Charlotta's Sentiments +upon it</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. VII.</p> +<p><i>An Explanation of the foregoing Adventure, with a Continuation of +the Intrigues of some French Ladies, and the Policy of Mademoiselle +Coigney in regard of her Brother</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. VIII.</p> +<p><i>The parting of Horatio and Mademoiselle Charlotta, and what happened +after she left St. Germains</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. IX.</p> +<p><i>A second Separation between Horatio and Charlotta, with some other +Occurrences</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP X.</p> +<p><i>The Reasons that induced Horatio to leave France: with the Chevalier +St. George's Behaviour on knowing his Resolution. He receives an +unexpected Favour from the Baron de Palfoy</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP XI.</p> +<p><i>Horatio arrives at Rheines, finds Means to see Mademoiselle +Charlotta, and afterwards pursues his Journey to Poland</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. XII.</p> +<p><i>Continuation of the Adventures of Louisa: Her quitting Vienna with +Melanthe, and going to Venice, with some Accidents that there befel them</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. XIII.</p> +<p><i>Louisa finds herself very much embarrassed by Melanthe's imprudent +Behaviour. Monsieur du Plessis declares an honourable Passion for her: Her +Sentiments and Way of acting on this Occasion</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. XIV.</p> +<p><i>The base Designs of the Count de Bellfleur occasion a melancholy +Change in Louisa's Way of Life: The generous Behaviour of Monsieur du +Plessis on that Occasion</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. XV.</p> +<p><i>Louisa is in Danger of being ravished by the Count de Bellfleur; is +providentially rescued by Monsieur du Plessis, with several other +Particulars</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. XVI</p> +<p><i>The Innkeeper's Scruples oblige Louisa to write to Melanthe: Her +Behaviour on the Discovery of the Count's Falshood. Louisa changes her +Resolution, and goes to Bolognia.</i></p> +<p>CHAP. XVII.</p> + +<p><i>Horatio arrives at Warsaw; sees the Coronation of Stanislaus and his +Queen: His Reception from the King of Sweden: His Promotion: Follows that +Prince in all his Conquests thro' Poland, Lithuania and Saxony. The Story +of Count Patkull and Madame de Eusilden.</i></p> +<p>CHAP. XVIII</p> + +<p><i>King Stanislaus quits Alranstadt to appease the Troubles In Poland: +Charles XII. gives Laws to the Empire: A Courier arrives from Paris: +Horatio receives Letters, which give him great Surprize.</i></p> + +<p>CHAP. XIX.</p> + +<p><i>The King of Sweden leaves Saxony, marches into Lithuania, meets with +an Instance of Russian Brutality, drives the Czar out of Grodno, and +pursues him to the Borysthenes. Horatio, with others, is taken Prisoner by +the Russians, and carried to Petersburg, where he suffers the extremest +Miseries.</i></p> + +<p>CHAP. XX.</p> + +<p><i>The Treachery of a Russian Lady to her Friend: Her Passion for +Horatio: The Method he took to avoid making any Return, and some other +entertaining Occurrences.</i></p> +<p>CHAP. XXI.</p> +<p><i>The Prisoners Expectations raised: A terrible Disappointment: Some +of the chief carried to Prince Menzikoff's Palace: Their Usage there: +Horatio set at Liberty, and the Occasion</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. XXII.</p> +<p><i>What befel Louisa in the Monastery: The Stratagem she put in +Practice to get out of it: Her Travels cross Italy, and Arrival at +Paris</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. XXIII.</p> +<p><i>Shews by what Means Louisa came to the Knowledge of her Parents, +with other Occurrences</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. XXIV.</p> +<p><i>The History of Dorilaus and Matilda, with other Circumstances very +important to Louisa</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. XXV.</p> +<p><i>Monsieur du Plessis arrives at Paris: His Reception from Dorilaus +and Louisa: The Marriage agreed upon</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. XXVI.</p> +<p><i>The Catastrophe of the Whole</i>.</p> +<br/><br/><br/> + +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>THE FORTUNATE FOUNDLINGS.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. I.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Contains the manner in which a gentleman found children: his +benevolence towards them, and what kind of affection he bore to them as +they grew up. With the departure of one of them to the army</i>.</p> +<p>It was in the ever memorable year 1688, that a gentleman, whose real +name we think proper to conceal under that of Dorilaus, returned from +visiting most of the polite courts of Europe, in which he had passed some +time divided between pleasure and improvement. The important question if +the throne were vacated or not, by the sudden departure of the unfortunate +king James, was then upon the tapis; on which, to avoid interesting +himself on either side, he forbore coming to London, and crossed the +country to a fine feat he had about some forty miles distant, where he +resolved to stay as privately as he could, till the great decision should +be made, and the public affairs settled in such a manner as not to lay him +under a necessity of declaring his sentiments upon them.</p> +<p>He was young and gay, loved magnificence and the pomp of courts, and +was far from being insensible of those joys which the conversation of the +fair sex affords; but had never so much enslaved his reason to any one +pleasure, as not to be able to refrain it. Hunting and reading were very +favourite amusements with him, so that the solitude he now was in was not +at all disagreeable or tedious to him, tho' he continued in it some +months.</p> +<p>A little time before his departure an accident happened, which gave him +an opportunity of exercising the benevolence of his disposition; and, tho' +it then seemed trivial to him, proved of the utmost consequence to his +future life, as well as furnished matter for the following pages.</p> +<p>As he was walking pretty early one morning in his garden, very intent +on a book he had in his hand, his meditations were interrupted by an +unusual cry, which seemed at some distance; but as he approached a little +arbour, where he was sometimes accustomed to sit, he heard more plain and +distinct, and on his entrance was soon convinced whence it proceeded.</p> +<p>Just at the foot of a large tree, the extensive boughs of which greatly +contributed to form the arbour, was placed a basket closely covered on the +one side, and partly open on the other to let in the air. Tho' the sounds +which still continued to issue from it left Dorilaus no room to doubt what +it contained; he stooped down to look, and saw two beautiful babes neatly +dressed in swadling cloaths: between them and the pillow they were laid +upon was pinned a paper, which he hastily taking off, found in it these +words.</p> +<p><i>To the generous</i> DORISLAUS:<br/> +'Irresistible destiny abandons these helpless infants<br/> +to your care.—They are twins, begot<br/> +by the same father, and born of the same mother,<br/> +and of a blood not unworthy the protection<br/> +they stand in need of; which if you vouchsafe to<br/> +afford, they will have no cause to regret the misfortune<br/> +of their birth, or accuse the authors of<br/> +their being.—Why they seek it of you in particular,<br/> +you may possibly be hereafter made sensible.—In<br/> +the mean time content yourself with<br/> +knowing they are already baptized by the names<br/> +of Horatio and Louisa.'</p> +<p>The astonishment he was in at so unexpected a present being made him, +may more easily be imagined than expressed; but he had then no time to +form any conjectures by whom or by what means it was left there: the +children wanted immediate succour, and he hesitated not a moment whether +it would become him to bestow it: he took the basket up himself, and +running as fast as he could with it into the house, called his +maid-servants about him, and commanded them to give these little strangers +what assistance was in their power, while a man was sent among the tenants +in search of nurses proper to attend them. To what person soever, said he, +I am indebted for this confidence, it must not be abused.—Besides, +whatever stands in need of protection, merits protection from those who +have the power to give it.</p> +<p>This was his way of thinking, and in pursuance of these generous +sentiments he always acted. The report of what happened in his house being +soon spread thro' the country, there were not wanting several who came to +offer their service to the children, out of which he selected two of whom +he heard the best character, and were most likely to be faithful to the +trust reposed in them, giving as great a charge, and as handsome an +allowance with them, as could have been expected from a father. Indeed he +doubtless had passed for being so in the opinion of every body, had he +arrived sooner in the kingdom; but the shortness of the time not +permitting any such suggestion, he was looked upon as a prodigy of charity +and goodness.</p> +<p>Having in this handsome manner disposed of his new guests, he began to +examine all his servants, thinking it impossible they should be brought +there without the privity of some one of them; but all his endeavours +could get him no satisfaction in this point. He read the letter over and +over, yet still his curiosity was as far to seek as ever.—The hand he was +entirely unacquainted with, but thought there was something in the style +that showed it wrote by no mean person: the hint contained in it, that +there was some latent reason for addressing him in particular on this +account, was very puzzling to him: he could not conceive why he, any more +than any other gentleman of the county, should have an interest in the +welfare of these children: he had no near relations, and those distant +ones who claimed an almost forgotten kindred were not in a condition to +abandon their progeny.—The thing appeared strange to him; but all his +endeavours to give him any farther light into it being unsuccessful; he +began to imagine the parents of the children had been compelled by +necessity to expose them, and had had only wrote in this mysterious manner +to engage a better reception: he also accounted in his mind for their +being left with him, as, he being a batchelor, and having a large estate, +it might naturally be supposed there would be fewer impediments to their +being taken care of, than either where a wife was in the case, or a narrow +fortune obliged the owner to preserve a greater oeconomy in expences.</p> +<p>Being at last convinced within himself that he had now explained this +seeming riddle, he took no farther trouble about whose, or what these +children were, but resolved to take care of them during their infancy, +and afterwards to put them into such a way as he should find their +genius's rendered them most fit for, in order to provide for themselves.</p> +<p>On his leaving the county, he ordered his housekeeper to furnish every +thing needful for them as often as they wanted it, and to take care they +were well used by the women with whom he had placed them; and delivered +these commands not in a cursory or negligent manner, but in such terms as +terrified any failure of obedience in this point would highly incur his +displeasure.</p> +<p>Nothing material happening during their infancy, I shall pass over +those years in silence, only saying that as often as Dorilaus went down to +his estate (which was generally two or three times a year) he always sent +for them, and expressed a very great satisfaction in finding in their +looks the charge he had given concerning them so well executed: but when +they arrived at an age capable of entertaining him with their innocent +prattle, what before was charity, improved into affection; and he began to +regard them with a tenderness little inferior to paternal; but which still +increased with their increase of years.</p> +<p>Having given them the first rudiments of education in the best schools +those parts afforded, he placed Louisa with a gentlewoman, who deservedly +had the reputation of being an excellent governess of youth, and brought +Horatio in his own chariot up to London, where he put him to Westminster +School, under the care of doctor Busby, and agreed for his board in a +family that lived near it, and had several other young gentlemen on the +same terms.</p> +<p>What more could have been expected from the best of fathers! what more +could children, born to the highest fortunes, have enjoyed! nor was their +happiness like to be fleeting: Dorilaus was a man steady in his +resolutions, had always declared an aversion to marriage, and by +rejecting every overture made him on that score, had made his friends +cease any farther importunities; he had besides (as has already been +observed) no near relations, so that it was the opinion of most people +that he would make the young Horatio heir to the greatest part of his +estate, and give Louisa a portion answerable to her way of bringing up. +What he intended for them, however, is uncertain, he never having declared +his sentiments so far concerning them; and the strange revolutions +happening afterwards in both their fortunes, preventing him from acting as +it is possible he might design.</p> +<p>The education he allowed them indeed gave very good grounds for the +above-mentioned conjecture.—Louisa being taught all the accomplishments +that became a maid of quality to be mistress of; and Horatio having gone +thro' all the learning of the school, was taken home to his own house, +from whence he was to go to Oxford, in order to finish his studies in the +character of a gentleman-commoner.</p> +<p>But when every thing was preparing for this purpose, he came one +morning into the chamber of his patron, and throwing himself on his +knees—Think me not, sir, said he, too presuming in the request I am +about to make you.—I know all that I am is yours.—That I am the creature +of your bounty, and that, without being a father, you have done more for +me than many of those, who are so, do for their most favourite sons.—I +know also that you are the best judge of what is fit for me, and have not +the least apprehensions that you will not always continue the same +goodness to me, provided I continue, as I have hitherto done, the ambition +of meriting it.—Yet, sir, pardon me if I now discover a desire with which +I long have laboured, of doing something of myself which may repair the +obscurity of my birth, and prove to the world that heaven has endued this +foundling with a courage and resolution capable of undertaking the +greatest actions.</p> +<p>In speaking these last words a fire seemed to sparkle from his eyes, +which sufficiently denoted the vehemence of his inward agitations. +Dorilaus was extremely surprized, but after a little pause, what is it you +request of me? said that noble gentleman, (at the same time raising him +from the posture he was in) or by what means than such as I have already +taken, can I oblige you to think that, in being my foundling, fortune +dealt not too severely with you?</p> +<p>Ah! sir, mistake me not, I beseech you, replied the young Horatio, or +think me wanting in my gratitude either to heaven or you.—But, sir, it is +to your generous care in cultivating the talents I received from nature, +that I owe this emulation, this ardor for doing something that might give +me a name, which is the only thing your bounty cannot bestow.—My genius +inclines me to the army.—Of all the accomplishments you have caused me to +be instructed in, geography, fortification, and fencing, have been my +darling studies.—Of what use, sir, will they be to me in an idle life? +permit me then the opportunity of showing the expense you have been at has +not been thrown away.—I know they will say I am too young to bear a +commission, but if I had the means of going a volunteer, I cannot help +thinking but I should soon give proofs the extreme desire I have to serve +my country that way would well attone for my want of years.</p> +<p>The more he spoke, the more the astonishment of his patron increased: +he admired the greatness of his spirit, but was troubled it led him to a +desire of running into so dangerous a way of life.—He represented to him +all the hardships of a soldier, the little regard that was sometimes paid +to merit, and gave him several instances of gentlemen who had passed their +youth in the service, and behaved with extreme bravery, yet had no other +reward than their fears, and a consciousness of having done more than was +their duty: in war, said he, the superior officers carry away all the glory +as well as profits of the victory; whereas in civil employments it is quite +otherwise: in physic, in law, in divinity, or in the state, your merits +will be immediately conspicuous to those who have the power to reward you; +and if you are desirous of acquiring a name, by which I suppose you mean +to become the head of a family, any of these afford you a much greater +prospect of success, and it lies much more in my power of assisting your +promotion.</p> +<p>To these he added many other arguments, but they were not of the least +weight with the impatient Horatio. He was obstinate in his entreaties, +which he even with tears enforced, and Dorilaus, considering so strong a +propensity as something supernatural, at last consented.—Never was joy +more sincere and fervent than what this grant occasioned, and he told his +benefactor that he doubted not but that hereafter he should hear such an +account of his behaviour, as would make him not repent his having complied +with his request.</p> +<p>The preparations for his going to Oxford were now converted into others +of a different nature.—Several of our troops were already sent to +Flanders, and others about to embark, in order to open the campaign; so +that there was but a small space between the time of Horatio's asking +leave to go, and that of his departure, which Dorilaus resolved should be +in a manner befitting a youth whom he had bred up as his own. He provided +him a handsome field-equipage, rich cloaths, horses, and a servant to +attend him; and while these things were getting ready, had masters to +perfect him in riding; and those other exercises proper for the vocation +he was now entering into, all which he performed with so good a grace, +that not only Dorilaus himself, who might be suspected to look on him with +partial eyes, but all who saw him were perfectly charmed.</p> +<p>He was more than ordinarily tall for his years, admirably well +proportioned, and had something of a grave fierceness in his air and +deportment, that tho' he was not yet sixteen, he might very well have +passed for twenty: he was also extremely fair, had regular features, and +eyes the most penetrating, mixed with a certain sweetness; so that it was +difficult to say whether he seemed most formed for love or war.</p> +<p>Dorilaus thinking it highly proper he should take his leave of Louisa, +sent for her from the boarding-school, that she might pass the short time +he had to stay with her brother at his house, not without some hopes that +the great tenderness there was between them might put Horatio out of his +resolution of going to the army, who being grown now extremely dear to +him, he could not think of parting with, tho' he had yielded to it, +without a great deal of reluctance.</p> +<p>It is certain, indeed, that when she first heard the motive which had +occasioned her being sent for, her gentle breast was filled with the most +terrible alarms for her dear brother's danger; but the little regard he +seemed to have of it, and the high ideas he had of future greatness, soon +brought her to think as he did; and instead of dissuading him from +prosecuting his design, she rather encouraged him in it: and in this gave +the first testimony of a greatness of soul, no less to be admired than the +courage and laudable ambition which actuated that of her brother.</p> +<p>Dorilaus beheld with an infinity of satisfaction the success of his +endeavours, in favour of these amiable twins, and said within himself, how +great a pity would it have been, if capacities such as theirs had been +denied the means of improvement!</p> +<p>After the departure of Horatio, he kept Louisa some time with him, +under pretence of showing her the town, which before she had never seen; +but in reality to alleviate that melancholy which parting from her +brother had caused in him. He could not have taken a more effectual way; +for there was such an engaging and sweet cheerfulness in her conversation, +added to many personal perfections, that it was scarce possible to think +of any thing else while she was present. She had also an excellent voice, +and played well on the bass viol and harpsicord, so that it is hard to say +whether he found most satisfaction in hearing her or discoursing with +her.</p> +<p>But how dangerous is it to depend on one's own strength, against the +force of such united charms! Dorilaus, who, in the midst of a thousand +temptations, had maintained the entire liberty of his heart, and tho' +never insensible of beauty, had never been enslaved by it, was now by +charms he least suspected, and at an age when he believed himself proof +against all the attacks of love, subdued without knowing that he was +so.—The tender passion stole into his soul by imperceptible degrees, and +under the shape of friendship and paternal affection, met with no +opposition from his reason, till it became too violent to be restrained; +then showed itself in the whole power of restless wishes, fears, hopes, +and impatiences, which he had often heard others complain of, but not till +now experienced in himself: all that he before had felt of love was +languid, at best aimed only at enjoyment, and in the gratification of that +desire was extinguished; but the passion he was possessed of for Louisa +was of a different nature, and accompanied with a respect which would not +suffer him to entertain a thought in prejudice of her innocence.</p> +<p>Many reasons, besides his natural aversion to marriage, concurred to +hinder him from making her his wife; and as there were yet more to deter +him from being the instrument of her dishonour, the situation of his mind +was very perplexing.—He blushed within himself at the inclinations he had +for a girl whom he had always behaved to as a child of his own, and who +looked upon him as a father: not only the disparity of their years made +him consider the passion he was possessed of as ridiculous, there was one +circumstance, which, if at any time a thought of marrying her entered into +his head, immediately extirpated it, which was, that there was a +possibility of her being born not only of the meanest, but the vilest +parents, who, on hearing her establishment, might appear and claim the +right they had in her; and lo, said he, I shall ally myself to, perhaps, a +numerous family of vagabonds; at least, whether it be so or not, the +manner in which these children were exposed, being publicly known, may +furnish a pretence for any wretch to boast a kindred.</p> +<p>He was therefore determined to suppress a passion, which, as he had too +much honour to seek the gratification of by one way, his prudence and +character in the world would not allow him to think of by the other: and +as absence seemed to him the best remedy, he sent her down into the +country again with a precipitation, which made her (wholly ignorant of the +real motive) fear she had done something to offend him. At parting, she +entreated him to let her know if he had been dissatisfied with any thing +in her behaviour.—Wherefore do you ask? said he, with some emotion, which +the poor innocent still mistook for displeasure; because, answered she, +dropping some tears at the same time, that you banish me from your +presence. Why would you be glad to continue with me always? again demanded +he. Yes indeed, said she; and if you loved me as well as you do my +brother, you would never part with me; for I saw with what regret you let +him go.</p> +<p>This tender simplicity added such fewel to the fire with which Dorilaus +was enflamed, that it almost consumed his resolution: he walked about the +room some time without being able to speak, much less to quiet the +agitation he was in. At last, Louisa, said he, I was only concerned your +brother made choice of an avocation so full of dangers;—but I never +intended to keep him at home with me:—he should have gone to Oxford to +finish his studies; and the reason I send you again to the boarding-school +is that you may perfect yourself in such things as you may not yet be +mistress of:—as for any apprehensions of my being offended with you, I +would have you banish them entirely, for I assure you, I can find nothing +in you but what both merits and receives my approbation.</p> +<p>She seemed extremely comforted with these words; and the coach being at +the door, went into it with her accustomed chearfulness, leaving him in a +state which none but those who have experienced the severe struggles +between a violent inclination and a firm resolution to oppose it, can +possibly conceive.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. II.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Relates the offers made by Dorilaus to Louisa, and the manner of her +receiving them</i>.</p> +<p>Louisa was no sooner gone, than he wished her with him again, and was a +thousand times about to send and have her brought back; but was as often +prevented by the apprehensions of her discovering the motive.—He was now +convinced that love does not always stand in need of being indulged to +enforce its votaries to be guilty of extravagancies.</p> +<p>—He had banished the object of his affections from his presence; he +had painted all the inconveniences of pursuing his desires in the worst +colours they would bear; yet all was insufficient!—Louisa was absent in +reality, but her image was ever present to him.—Whatever company he +engaged himself in, whatever amusement he endeavoured to entertain himself +with, he could think only of her.</p> +<p>—The Town without her seemed a desart, and every thing in it rather +seemed irksome than agreeable; for several months did he endure this cruel +conflict; but love and nature at last got the victory, and all those +considerations which had occasioned the opposition subsided: he found it +impossible to recover any tranquility of mind while he continued in this +dilemma, and therefore yielded to the strongest side. All the arguments he +had used with himself in the beginning of his passion seemed now weak and +trifling: the difference of age, which he had thought so formidable an +objection, appeared none in the light with which he at present considered +it: he was now but in his fortieth year, and the temperance he had always +observed had hindered any decay either in his looks or constitution.—What +censures the world might pass on his marrying one of her age and obscure +birth, he thought were of little weight when balanced with his internal +peace.—Thus was he enabled to answer to himself all that could be offered +against making her his wife; and having thus settled every thing, as he +imagined, to the satisfaction of his passion, became no less resolute in +following the dictates of it than he had been in combating it while there +was a possibility of doing so.</p> +<p>To this end he went down to his country seat, and as soon as he arrived +sent to let Louisa know he would have her come and pass some time with him. +She readily obeyed the summons, and found by his manner of receiving her +that she was no less dear to him than her brother. As she had always +considered him as a father, tho' she knew all her claim in him was +compassion, she was far from suspecting the motive which made him treat +her with so much tenderness; but he suffered her not long to remain in +this happy ignorance. As he was walking with her one day in the garden, he +purposely led her on that side where he had found Horatio and herself in +the manner already related; and as they came towards the arbour, It was +here, said he, that heaven put into my power the opportunity of affording +my protection to two persons whom I think will not be ungrateful for what +I have done.—I hope, Louisa, continued he, you will not at least deceive +my good opinion of you; but as you have always found in me a real friend, +you will testify the sense you have of my good wishes, by readily +following my advice in any material point.</p> +<p>I should be else unworthy, sir, answered she, of the life you have +preserved; and I flatter myself with being guilty of nothing which should +give you cause to call in question either my gratitude or duty.</p> +<p>I insist but on the former, resumed he; nor can pretend to any claim to +the latter;—look on me therefore only as your friend, and let me know +your sentiments plainly and sincerely on what I think proper to ask you. +This she having assured him she would do, he pursued his discourse in +these or the like terms:</p> +<p>You are now, said he, arrived at an age when persons of your sex +ordinarily begin to think of marriage.—I need not ask you if you have +ever received any addresses for that purpose; the manner in which you have +lived convinces me you are yet a stranger to them; but I would know of you +whether an overture of that kind, in favour of a man of honour, and who +can abundantly endow you with the goods of fortune, would be disagreeable +to you.</p> +<p>Alas! sir, replied she, blushing, you commanded me to answer with +sincerity, but how can I resolve a question which as yet I have never +asked myself?—All that I can say is, that I now am happy by your bounty, +and have never entertained one wish but for the continuance of it.</p> +<p>On that you may depend, said he, while you continue to stand in need of +it. But would it not be more pleasing to find yourself the mistress of an +ample fortune, and in a condition to do the same good offices by others as +you have found from me?—In fine, Louisa, the care I have taken of you +would not be complete unless I saw you well settled in the world.—I have +therefore provided a husband for you, and such a one as I think you can +have no reasonable objection to.</p> +<p>Sir, it would ill-become me to dispute your will, answered she, +modestly, but as I yet am very young, and have never had a thought of +marriage, nor even conversed with any who have experienced that fate, I +should be too much at a loss how to behave in it, without being allowed +some time to consider on its respective duties.—I hope therefore, sir, +continued she, you will not oblige me to act with too much precipitation +in an affair on which the happiness or misery of my whole future life +depends.</p> +<p>Your very thinking it of consequence, said he, is enough to make you +behave so, as to allure your happiness with a man of honour; and indeed +Louisa, I love you too well to propose one to you whose principles and +humour I could not answer for as well as my own.</p> +<p>Yet, sir, replied she, I have read that a union of hearts as well as +hands is necessary for the felicity of that state;—that there ought to be +a simpathy of soul between them, and a perfect confidence in each other, +before the indissoluble knot is tied:—and this, according to my notion, +can only be the result of a long acquaintance and accompanied with many +proofs of affection on both sides.</p> +<p>Were all young women to think as you do, said he with a smile, we would +have much fewer marriages; they would indeed be happier; therefore I am +far from condemning your precaution, nor would wish you should give +yourself to one till well assured he was incapable of treating you with +less regard after marriage than before:—no, no, Louisa, I will never +press you to become a wife, till you shall yourself acknowledge the man I +offer to you as a husband is not unworthy of that title, thro' a want of +honour, fortune, or affection.</p> +<p>As Louisa thought this must be the work of time, the chagrin she felt +at the first mention of marriage was greatly dissipated; and she told him, +that when she was once convinced such a person as he described honoured +her so far as to think she merited his affection, she would do all in her +power to return it.</p> +<p>The enamoured Dorilaus having now brought her to the point he aimed at, +thought it best to throw off the mark at once, and leave her no longer in +suspence.—Behold then in me, said he, the person I have mentioned: nor +think me vain in ascribing those merits to myself which I would wish to be +the loadstone of your affection.—My honour, I believe, you will not call +in question:—my humour you have never found capricious, or difficult to +please; and as for my love, you cannot but allow the conquering that +aversion, which myself, as well as all the world, believed unalterable for +a marriage state; besides a thousand other scruples opposed my entering +into it with you, is a proof greater than almost any other man could give +you.—There requires, therefore, my dear Louisa, no time to convince you +of what I am, or assure you of what I may be; and I hope the affection you +bore me, as a faithful friend, and the protector of your innocence, will +not be diminished on my making this declaration.</p> +<p>The confusion in which this speech involved her is even impossible to +be conceived, much less can any words come up to its description: she +blushed;—she trembled;—she was ready to die between surprize, grief and +shame:—fain she would have spoke, but feared, lest what she should say +would either lose his friendship or encourage his passion.—Each seemed +equally dreadful to her:—no words presented themselves to her distracted +mind that she could think proper to utter, till he pressing her several +times to reply, and seeming a little to resent her silence—Oh! sir, cried +she, how is it possible for me to make any answer to so strange a +proposition!—you were not used to rally my simplicity; nor can I think +you mean what you now mention. If there wanted no more, said he, than to +prove the sincerity of my wishes in this point to gain your approbation of +them, my chaplain should this moment put it past a doubt, and confirm my +proposal:—but, pursued he, I will not put your modesty to any farther +shock at present;—all I intreat is, that you will consider on what I +have said, and what the passion I am possessed of merits from you. In +concluding these words he kissed her with the utmost tenderness, and +quitted her to speak to some men who were at work in another part of the +garden, leaving her to meditate at liberty on this surprizing turn in her +affairs.</p> +<p>It was indeed necessary he should do so, for the various agitations she +laboured under were so violent, as to be near throwing her into a +swoon.—She no sooner found herself alone, than she flew to her chamber, +and locked herself in, to prevent being interrupted by any of the +servants; and as in all emotions of the mind, especially in that of a +surprize, tears are a very great relief, her's found some ease from the +sources of her eyes.—Never had the most dutiful child loved the tenderest +of fathers more than she did Dorilaus; but then it was only a filial +affection, and the very thoughts of his regarding her with that sort of +passion she now found he did, had somewhat in them terribly alarming.—All +she could do to reconcile herself to what seemed to be her fate was in +vain.—This generous man who offers me his heart, said she, is not my +father, or any way of my blood:—he has all the accomplishments of his +whole sex centered in him.—I could wish to be for ever near him.—All +that I am is owing to his goodness.—How wretched must I have been but for +his bounty!—What unaccountable prejudice is this then that strikes me +with such horror at his love!—what maid of birth and fortune equal to his +own but would be proud of his addresses; and shall I, a poor foundling, +the creature of his charity, not receive the honour he does me with the +utmost gratitude!—shall I reject a happiness so far beyond my +expectation!—so infinitely above any merit I can pretend to!—what must +he think of me if I refuse him!—how madly stupid, how blind to my own +interest, how thankless to him must I appear!—how will he despise my +folly!—how hate my ingratitude!</p> +<p>Thus did her reason combat with her prejudice, and she suffered much +the same agonies in endeavouring to love him in the manner he desired, as +he had done to conquer the inclination he had for her, and both alike were +fruitless. Yet was her condition much more to be commiserated: he had only +to debate within himself whether he should yield or not to the suggestions +of his own passion: she to subdue an aversion for what a thousand reasons +concurred to convince her she ought rather to be ambitious of, and which +in refusing she run the risque of being cast off, and abandoned to beggary +and ruin; and what was still more hateful to her, being hated by that +person who, next to her brother, she loved above the world, tho' in a +different way from that which could alone content him.</p> +<p>Dorilaus, who had taken the disorder he perceived in her for no other +than the effects of a surprize, which a declaration, such as he had made, +might very well occasion, was perfectly contented in his mind, and passed +that night with much more tranquility than he had done many preceding +ones, while he suffered his cruel reason to war against the dictates of +his heart; but having now wholly given himself up to the latter, the sweet +delusion filled him with a thousand pleasing ideas, and he thought of +nothing but the happiness he should enjoy in the possession of the amiable +Louisa. But how confounded was he, when the next day accosting her with +all the tender transports of a lover, she turned from him, and burst into +a flood of tears. How is this, Louisa, said he; do the offers I make you +merit to be treated with disdain? has my submitting to be your lover +forfeited that respect you were wont to pay me as a guardian? O do not, +sir, accuse me of such black ingratitude, replied she; heaven knows with +what sincere and humble duty I regard you, and that I would sooner die +than wilfully offend you; but if I am so unfortunate as not to be able to +obey you in this last command, impute it, I beseech you, to my ill fate, +and rather pity than condemn me.</p> +<p>You cannot love me then? cried he, somewhat feircely. No otherwise than +I have ever done, answered she. My heart is filled with duty, reverence +and gratitude, of which your goodness is the only source: as for any other +sort of love I know not what it is; were it a voluntary emotion, believe +me, sir, I gladly would give it entrance into my soul, but I well see it +is of a far different nature.</p> +<p>Yet is your person at your own disposal, resumed he; and when possessed +of that, the flame which burns so fiercely in my breast, in time may +kindle one in yours. In speaking these words he took her in his arms, and +kissed her with a vehemence which the prodigious respect she bore to him, +as the patron and benefactor of herself and brother, could alone have made +her suffer.—Her eyes however sparkled with indignation, tho' her tongue +was silent, and at last bursting from his embrace, this, sir, cried she, +is not the way to make me think as you would have me. As in this action he +had no way transgressed the rules of decency, he could ill brook the +finding her so much alarmed at it; and would have testified his +resentment, had not the excess of his love, which is ever accompanied with +an adequate share of respect, obliged him to stifle it. Well, Louisa, said +he, looking earnestly upon her, ungenerously do you requite what I have +done for you; but I, perhaps, may bring myself to other sentiments.—None, +interrupted she, emboldened by the too great freedom she thought he had +taken with her, can be so dreadful to me as those you now seem to +entertain.</p> +<p>The look he gave her on hearing her speak in this manner, made her +immediately repent having been so open; and in the same breath, because; +pursued she, I look on it as the worst evil could befal me that I am +compelled to oppose them.</p> +<p>Come, said he, again softened by these last words, you will not always +oppose them: the fervor and constancy of my passion, joined with a little +yielding on your side, will by degrees excite a tender impulse in you; and +whatever is disagreeable at present, either in my person or behaviour, +will wear of.—Permit me at least to flatter myself so far, and refuse me +not those innocent endearments I have been accustomed to treat you with; +before you knew me as a lover, or I indeed suspected I should be so.</p> +<p>He then kissed her again; but tho' he constrained himself within more +bounds than before, those caresses which she received with pleasure, when +thinking them only demonstrations of friendship, were now irksome, as +knowing them the effects of love: she suffered him however to embrace her +several times, and hold one of her hands close pressed between his, while +he endeavoured to influence her mind by all the tender arguments his +passion, backed with an infinity of wit, inspired; to all which she made +as few replies as possible; but he contented himself, as love is always +flattering, with imagining she was less refractory to his suit than when +he first declared it.</p> +<p>Every day, and almost the whole day, did he entertain her on no other +subject, but gained not the least ground on her inclinations; and all he +could get from her was the wish of being less insensible, without the +least indication of ever being so.</p> +<p>In this manner did they live together near three weeks; and how much +longer be would have been able to restrain his impatience, or she to +conceal the extreme regret in being compelled to listen to him, is +uncertain: a law-suit required his presence to town, and Louisa was in +hopes of being relieved for some time; but his passion was arrived at such +a height that he could not support the least absence from her, and +therefore brought her to London with him, so that her persecution ceased +not, he never stirring from her but when the most urgent business obliged +him to it.</p> +<p>One night happening to have stayed pretty late abroad, and in company, +which occasioned his drinking more plentifully than he was accustomed, +Louisa was retired to her chamber in order to go to bed: his love, ever +uppermost in his head, would not permit him to think of sleeping without +seeing her; accordingly he ran up into her room, and finding she was not +undressed, told her he had something to acquaint her with, on which the +maid that waited on her withdrew. Tho' the passion he was inspired with +could not be heightened, his behaviour now proved it might at least be +rendered more ungovernable by being enflamed with wine: He no sooner was +alone with her, than he threw himself upon her as she was sitting in a +chair, crying, O when my angel, my dear adored Louisa, will you consent to +make me blest.—By heaven, I can no longer wait the tedious formalities +your modesty demands.—I cannot think you hate me, and must this night +ensure you mine. While he spoke these words his lips were so closely +cemented to her's, that had there been no other hindrance, it would have +been impossible for her to have reply'd.—But terrified beyond measure at +the wild disorder of his looks, the expressions he made use of, and the +actions that accompanied them, she wanted even the power of repulsing, +till seeing her almost breathless, he withdrew his arms which he had +thrown round her neck, and contenting himself with holding one of her +hands,—Tell me, pursued he, when may I hope a recompence for all I have +suffered?—I must, I will have an end of all these fears of +offending;—this cruel constaint;—this distance between us.—Few men, +Louisa, in the circumstances we both are, would, like me, so long attend a +happiness in my power to seize.—Trifle not therefore with a passion, the +consequences of which there is no answering for.</p> +<p>O, sir! said she, with a trembling voice, you cannot, from the most +generous, virtuous and honourable man living, degenerate into a brutal +ravisher.—You will not destroy the innocence you have cherished, and +which is all that is valuable in the poor Louisa. She ended these words +with a flood of tears, which, together with the sight of the confusion he +had occasioned, made him a little recollect himself; and to prevent the +wildness of his desires from getting the better of those rules he had +resolved to observe, he let go her hand, and having told her that he would +press her no farther that night, but expected a more satisfactory answer +the next day, went out of her chamber, and left her to enjoy what repose +she could after the alarm he had given her.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. III.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Dorilaus continues his importunities, with some unexpected +consequences that attended them</i>.</p> +<p>Poor Louisa concealed the distraction she was in as much as possible +she could from the maid, who immediately came into the room on Dorilaus +having quitted it, and suffered her to undress, and put her to bed as +usual; but was no sooner there, than instead of composing herself to +sleep, she began to reflect on what he had said:—the words, <i>that there +was no answering for the consequences of a passion such as his</i>, gave +her the most terrible idea.—His actions too, this night, seem'd to +threaten her with all a virgin had to fear.—She knew him a man of honour, +but thought she had too much reason to suspect that if she persisted in +refusing to be his wife, that passion which had influenced him, contrary +to his character, to make her such an offer, would also be too potent for +any consideration of her to restrain him from proceeding to extremities. +Having debated every thing within her own mind, she thought she ought not +to continue a day longer in the power of a man who loved her to this +extravagant degree: where to go indeed she knew not;—she had no friend, +or even acquaintance, to whom she might repair, or hope to be +received.—How should she support herself then?—which way procure even +the most common necessaries of life?—This was a dreadful prospect! yet +appeared less so than that she would avoid: even starving lost its horrors +when compared either to being compelled to wed a man whom she could not +affect as a husband, or, by refusing him, run the risque of forfeiting her +honour.—She therefore hesitated but a small time, and having once formed +the resolution of quitting Dorilaus's house, immediately set about putting +it into execution.</p> +<p>In the first place, not to be ungrateful to him as a benefactor, she +sat down and wrote the following letter to be left for him on her table:</p> +<p>SIR,<br/> +'Heaven having rendered me of a disposition<br/> +utterly incapable of receiving the honour<br/> +you would do me, it would be an ill return for<br/> +all the unmerited favours you have heaped upon<br/> +me to prolong the disquiets I have unhappily occasioned<br/> +by continuing in your presence;—besides,<br/> +sir, the education you have vouchsafed to<br/> +give me has been such, as informs me a person<br/> +of my sex makes but an odd figure while in the<br/> +power of one of yours possessed of the sentiments<br/> +you are.'<br/> +<br/> +'These, sir, are the reasons which oblige me to<br/> +withdraw; and I hope, when well considered,<br/> +will enough apologize for my doing so, to keep<br/> +you from hating what you have but too much<br/> +loved; for I beseech you to believe a great truth,<br/> +which is, that the most terrible idea I carry with<br/> +me is, lest while I fly the one, I should incur the<br/> +other; and that, wheresoever my good or ill stars<br/> +shall conduct me, my first and last prayers shall<br/> +be for the peace, health, and prosperity of my<br/> +most generous and ever honoured patron and benefactor.'<br/> +<br/> +'Judge favourably, therefore, of this action,<br/> +and rather pity than condemn the unfortunate<br/> +<br/> +LOUISA.'</p> +<p>Having sealed and directed this, she dressed herself in one of the +least remarkable and plainest suits she had, taking nothing with her but a +little linnen which she crammed into her pockets, and so sat waiting till +she heard some of the family were stirring; then went down stairs, and +being; seen by one of the footmen, she told him she was not very well, and +was going to take a little walk in hopes the fresh air might relieve her; +he offered to wait upon her, but she refused, saying, she chose to go +alone.</p> +<p>Thus had she made her escape; but, when in the street, was seized with +very alarming apprehensions.—She was little acquainted with the town, and +knew not which way to turn in search of a retreat.—Resolving, however, to +go far enough, at least, from the house she had quitted, she wandered on, +almost tired to death, without stopping any where, till chance directed +her to a retired nook, where she saw a bill for lodgings on one of the +doors.—Here she went in, and finding the place convenient for her present +circumstances, hired a small, but neat chamber, telling the people of the +house that she was come to town in order to get a service, and till she +heard of one to her liking, would be glad to do any needle-work she should +be employed in.</p> +<p>The landlady, who happened to be a good motherly sort of woman, +replied, that she was pleased with her countenance, or she would not have +taken her in without enquiring into her character; and as she seemed not +to be desirous of an idle life, she would recommend her to those that +should find her work if she stayed with her never so long.</p> +<p>This was joyful news to our fair fugitive; and she blessed heaven for +so favourable a beginning of her adventures. The woman was punctual to her +promise; and being acquainted with a very great milliner, soon brought her +more work than she could do, without encroaching into those hours nature +requires for repose: but she seemed not to regret any fatigue to oblige +the person who employed her, and sent home all she did so neat, so curious, +and well wrought, that the milliner easily saw she had not been accustomed +to do it for bread, and was very desirous of having her into the house, +and securing her to herself. Louisa thinking it would be living with less +care, agreed to go, on this condition, that she should be free to quit her +in case any offer happened of waiting upon a lady. This was consented to +by the other, who told her, that since she had that design, she could no +where be so likely to succeed as at her house, which was very much +frequented by the greatest ladies in the kingdom, she having the most +Curiosities of any woman of her trade, which they came there to raffle +for.</p> +<p>On this Louisa took leave of her kind landlady, who having taken a +great fancy to her, and believing it would be for her advantage, was not +sorry to part with her. A quite new scene of life now presented itself to +her:—she found indeed the milliner had not made a vain boast; for her +house was a kind of rendezvous, where all the young and gay of both sexes +daily resorted.—It was here the marquis of W——r lost his heart, for a +time, to the fine mrs. S——ge:—here, that the duke of G——n first +declared his amorous inclinations for mrs. C——r:—here, that the +seemingly virtuous lady B——n received the addresses of that agreeable +rover mr. D——n:—here, that the beautiful dutchess of M—— gave that +encouragement, which all the world had sighed for, to the more fortunate +than constant mr. C——: in fine, it might properly enough be called the +theatre of gallantry, where love and wit joined to display their several +talents either in real or pretended passions.</p> +<p>Louisa usually sat at work in a back parlor behind that where the +company were; but into which some of them often retired to talk to each +other with more freedom.</p> +<p>This gave her an opportunity of seeing in what manner too many of the +great world passed their time, and how small regard some of them pay to +the marriage vow: everyday presented her with examples of husbands, who +behaved with no more than a cold civility to their own wives, and carried +the fervor of their addresses to those of other men; and of wives who +seemed rather to glory in, than be ashamed of a train of admirers. How +senseless would these people think me, said she to herself, did they know +I chose rather to work for my bread in mean obscurity, than yield to marry +where I could not love.—Tenderness, mutual affection, and constancy. I +find, are things not thought requisite to the happiness of a wedded state; +and interest and convenience alone consulted. Yet was she far from +repenting having rejected Dorilaus, or being in the lead influenced by the +example of others.—The adventures she was witness of made her, indeed, +more knowing of the world, but were far from corrupting those excellent +morals she had received from nature, and had been so well improved by a +strict education, that she not only loved virtue for its own sake, but +despised and hated vice, tho' disguised under the most specious +pretences.</p> +<p>Her youth, beauty, and a certain sprightliness in her air, was too +engaging to be in the house of such a woman as mrs. C——ge, (for so this +court-milliner was called) without being very much taken notice of; and +tho' most of the gentlemen who came there had some particular object in +view, yet that did not hinder them from saying soft things to the pretty +Louisa as often as they had opportunity. Among the number of those who +pretended to admire her was mr. B——n, afterwards lord F——h; but his +addresses were so far from making any impression on her in favour of his +person or suit, that the one was wholly indifferent to her, and the other +so distasteful, that to avoid being persecuted with it, she entreated mrs. +C——ge to permit her to work above stairs, that she might be out of the +way of all such solicitations for the future, either from him or any +other. This request was easily complied with, and the rather because she, +who knew not the strength of her journey-woman's resolution, nor the +principles she had been bred in, was sometimes in fear of losing so great +a help to her business, by the temptations that might be offered in a +place so much exposed to sight. Mr. B——n no sooner missed her, than he +enquired with a good deal of earnestness for her; and on mrs. C——ge's +telling him she was gone away from her house, became so impatient to know +where, and on what account she had left her, that this woman thinking it +would be of advantage to her to own the truth, (for she did nothing +without that view) turned off the imposition with a smile, and said, that +perceiving the inclinations he had for her, she had sent her upstairs that +no other addresses might be a hindrance to his designs.—This pleased him +very well, and he ran directly to the room where he was informed she was, +and after some little discourse, which he thought was becoming enough from +a person of his condition to one of her's, began to treat her with +freedoms which she could not help resisting with more fierceness than he +had been accustomed to from women of a much higher rank; but as he had no +great notion of virtue, especially among people of her sphere, he mistook +all she said or did for artifice; and imagining she enhanced the merit of +the gift only to enhance the recompence, he told her he would make her a +handsome settlement, and offered, as an earnest of his future gratitude, a +purse of money. The generous maid fired with a noble disdain at a +proposal, which she looked on only as an additional insult, struck down +the purse with the utmost indignation and cried, she was not of the number +of those who thought gold an equivalent for infamy; and that mean as she +appeared, not all his wealth should bribe her to a dishonourable action. +At first he endeavoured to laugh her out of such idle notions as he called +them, and was so far from being rebuffed at any thing she said, that he +began to kiss and toy with her more freely than before, telling her he +would bring her into a better humour; but he was wholly deceived in his +expectations, if he had any of the nature he pretended, for she became so +irritated at being treated in this manner, that she called out to the +servants to come to her assistance, and protected she would not stay an +hour longer in the house if she could not be secured from such +impertinencies; on which he said she was a silly romantic fool, and flung +out of the room.</p> +<p>Mrs. C——ge hearing there had been some bustle, came up soon after and +found Louisa in tears: she immediately complained, of mr. B——n's +behaviour to her, and said, tho' she acknowledged herself under many +obligations to her for the favours she had conferred on her, she could not +think of remaining in a place where, tho' she could not say her virtue had +any severe trials, because she had a natural detestation to crimes of the +kind that gentleman and some others had mentioned, yet her person was +liable to be affronted. The milliner, who was surprized to hear her talk +in this manner, but who understood her trade perfectly well, answered, +that he was the best conditioned civil gentleman in the world;—that she +did not know how it happened;—that she was certain indeed he loved her; +and that it was in his power to make her a very happy woman if she were +inclined to accept his offers;—but she would perswade her to nothing.</p> +<p>These kind of discourses created a kind of abhorrence in Louisa, as +they plainly shewed her, what before she had some reason to believe, that +she was in the house of one who would think nothing a crime that she found +it her own interest to promote. However, she thought it would be imprudent +to break too abruptly with her, and contented herself for the present with +encasing her promise that neither mr. B——n, nor any other person should +for the future give her the least interruption of the like sort.</p> +<p>From this day, however, she was continually ruminating how she should +quit her house, without running the risque of disobliging her so far as +not to be employed by her; for tho' she found herself at present free from +any of those importunities to which both by nature and principles she was +so averse, yet she could not answer to herself the continuing in a place +where virtue was treated as a thing of little or no consequence, and where +she knew not how soon she might again be subjected to affronts.</p> +<p>Amidst these meditations the thoughts of Dorilaus frequently +intervened: she reflected on the obligations she had to him, and the +mighty difference between the morals of that truly noble and generous man, +and most of those she had seen at mrs. C——ge's: she wondered at herself +at the antipathy she had to him as a husband, whom she so dearly loved and +honoured as a friend; yet nothing could make her wish to be again on the +same terms with him she had lately been. It also greatly added to her +affliction that she knew not how to direct to her brother; for at the time +of his departure, little suspicious of having any occasion to change the +place of her abode, she had left the care of that entirely to Dorilaus. +She was one morning very much lost in thought on the odd circumstances of +her fortune, when a Gazette happening to lye upon the table, she cast her +eye, without design, upon the following advertisement.<br/> +<br/> +'Whereas a young gentlewoman has lately<br/> +thought fit to abscond from her best friends,<br/> +and with the most diligent search that could possibly<br/> +be made after her has not yet been heard of,<br/> +this is to acquaint her that if she pleases to return,<br/> +she shall hereafter have no disturbance of that<br/> +nature which it is supposed occasioned her withdrawing<br/> +herself, but live entirely according to<br/> +her own inclinations; and this the advertiser<br/> +hereof gives his word and honour (neither of<br/> +which she has any cause to doubt) faithfully to<br/> +adhere to.'<br/> +<br/> +'It shall also be at her choice to live either at<br/> +the house she quitted, or to be again under the<br/> +care of that gentlewoman who was entrusted<br/> +with her education: she is therefore requested to<br/> +conceal herself no longer, lest her youth, beauty,<br/> +and inexperience of the town should betray her<br/> +innocence into those very snares she fears to fall<br/> +into.'</p> +<p>The very beginning of this paragraph gave her a conjecture it was meant +for no other than herself; and the more she read, the more she grew +convinced, of it.—It must be so, cryed she; every word,—every +circumstance confirms it.—How unhappy am I that I cannot return so +perfect an affection!—Instead of detesting my ingratitude, he only fears +I should receive the punishment of it.—What man but Dorilaus would behave +thus to the creature of his benevolence?—If I have any merits, do not I +owe them to his goodness?—My brother and myself, two poor exposed and +wretched foundlings, what but his bounty rear'd us to what we are?—Hard +fate!—unlucky passion that drives me from his presence and protection.</p> +<p>Yet, would she say again, if he has indeed subdued that passion;—if he +resolves to think of me as before he entertained it; if I were certain he +would receive me as a child, how great would be, the blessing!</p> +<p>This confederation had so much effect on her, that she was half +determined to comply with the advertisement; but when she remembered to +have read that where love is sincere and violent, it requires a length of +time to be erased, and that those possessed of it are incapable of knowing +even their own strength, and, as he had said to her himself, <i>that there +was no answering for the consequences,</i> she grew instantly of another +mind, and thought that putting herself again into the power of such a +passion was running too great a hazard.</p> +<p>The continual agitations of her mind, joined to want of air, a quite +different way of life, and perhaps fitting more closely to work than she +had been accustomed, threw her at length into a kind of languishing +indisposition, which, tho' it did not confine her to her bed, occasioned a +loss of appetite, and frequent faintings, which were very alarming to her. +Mrs. C——ge was extremely concerned to observe this change in her, and +would have the opinion of her own physician, who said that she had +symptoms of an approaching consumption, and that it was absolutely +necessary she should be removed into the country for some time.</p> +<p>Louisa readily complied with this advice, not only because she imagined +it might be of service for the recovery of her health, but also as it +furnished her with a pretence for leaving mrs. C——ge's house, to which +she was determined to return no more as a boarder. The good woman with +whom she had lodged at first recommended her to a friend of her's at +Windsor, where she immediately went, and was very kindly received.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. IV.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Louisa becomes acquainted with a lady of quality, part of whose +adventures are also related, and goes to travel with her</i>.</p> +<p>Change of place affords but small relief to those whose distempers are +in the mind: Louisa carried with her too many perplexing thoughts to be +easily shook off; tho' the queen and court being then at Windsor, she had +the opportunity of seeing a great many of the gay world pass daily by her +window.—There also lodged in the same house with her a young widow of +quality, who was visited by persons of the first rank; but as she was not +of a condition to make one in any of these conversations, she reaped no +other satisfaction from them than what the eye afforded.</p> +<p>As she was not, however, of a temper to indulge melancholy, she made it +her endeavour to banish, as much as possible, all ideas which were +displeasing from her mind: to this end, a fine harpsicord happening to +stand in the dining-room, whenever the lady was abroad, she went in and +diverted herself with playing. She was one day entertaining the woman of +the house with a tune, which she accompanied with her voice, when the lady +returning sooner than was expected, and hearing the instrument before she +came up stairs, would needs know who it was had been making use of it; for +Louisa hurried out of the room before she came in: the landlady, as there +was no occasion to disguise the truth, told her that it was a young woman, +who not being very well, had come down into the country for air.</p> +<p>She has had an excellent education, I am certain, said the lady, (who +henceforward we shall call Melanthe) for in my life I never heard any body +play or sing better:—I must be acquainted with her; on which the other +said she would let her know the honour she intended her.</p> +<p>That very evening, as great ladies no sooner think of any thing but +they must have it performed, was Louisa sent for into her apartment; and +her countenance and behaviour so well seconded the good impression her +skill in music had begun, that Melanthe became charm'd with her, and from +that time obliged her to come to her every morning; and whenever she was +without company, made her dine and sup with her. Being curious to know her +circumstances, Louisa made no scruple of acquainting her with the truth, +only instead of relating how she had been exposed in her infancy, said, +that having the misfortune to be deprived of her parents, it was her +intention to wait on a lady, and till she heard of one who would accept +her service, she had work'd at her needle.</p> +<p>Melanthe then asked if she would live with her; to which the other +gladly answering, she should think herself happy in such a lady; but you +must go abroad then, said she, for I am weary of England, and am preparing +to travel: as it is a route of pleasure only, I shall stay just as long as +I find any thing new and entertaining in one place, then go to another +till I am tired of that, and so on, I know not how long; for unless my +mind alters very much, I shall not come back in some years.</p> +<p>Louisa was perfectly transported to hear her say this; she had a great +desire to see foreign parts, and thought she never could have a better +opportunity: she expressed the pleasure she should take in attending her +wherever she went with so much politeness and sincerity, that Melanthe +told her, it should be her own fault if she ever quitted her, and withal +assured her, she never would treat her in any other manner than a +companion, and that tho' she would make her a yearly allowance for cloaths +and card-money, yet she would expect no other service from her than +fidelity to her secrets, and affection to her person.</p> +<p>From the moment this agreement was made, the young Louisa regained her +complection and her appetite; and being now initiated into the family of +this lady, had no longer any care to take than to oblige her, a thing not +difficult, Melanthe being good-natured, and strongly prepossessed in +favour of her new friend, for so she vouchsafed to call her, and to use +her accordingly.</p> +<p>As a proof of it, she made her in a very short time the confident of +her dearest secrets: they were one day sitting together, when accidentally +some mention was made of the power of love. You are too young, Louisa, +said Melanthe, to have experienced the wonderful effects of that passion +in yourself, and therefore cannot be expected to have much compassion for +what it can inflict on others.</p> +<p>Indeed, madam, answered she, tho' I never have yet seen a man who gave +me a moment's pain on that score, yet I believe there are no emotions +whatever so strong as those of love, and that it is capable of influencing +people of the best sense to things which in their nature they are most +averse to.</p> +<p>Well, my dear, resumed the other, since I find you have so just a +notion of it, I will confide in your discretion so far as to let you know, +that but for an ungrateful man, I had not looked on my native country as a +desart, and resolved to seek a cure for my ill-treated and abused +tenderness in foreign parts.</p> +<p>My quality, continued she, I need not inform you of; you have doubtless +heard that my family yields to few in antiquity, and that there is an +estate belonging to it sufficient to support the dignity of its title; +but my father having many children, could not give very great portions to +the daughters: I was therefore disposed of, much against my inclinations, +to a nobleman, whom my unlucky charms had so much captivated as to make +him not only take me with no other dowry than my cloaths and jewels, but +also to settle a large jointure upon me, which, he being dead, I at +present enjoy. I cannot say that all the obligations he laid upon me could +engage a reciprocal regard:—I behaved with indifference to him while +living, and little lamented him when dead: not that I was prepossessed in +favour of any other man;—my heart, entirely free, was reserved to be the +conquest of the too charming perfidious Henricus, who arriving soon after +my lord's decease, and bringing with him all the accomplishments which +every different court he had visited could afford, join'd to the most +enchanting person nature ever formed, soon made me know I was not that +insensible creature I had thought myself.</p> +<p>I happened to be at court when he came to kiss her majesty's hand on +his return; and whether it was that my eyes testified too much the +admiration this first sight of him struck me with, or that he really +discovered something more attractive in me than any lady in the presence I +know not, but he seemed to distinguish me in a particular manner, and I +heard him say to my lord G——n in a whisper, that I was the finest woman +he had ever seen; but what gave me more pleasure than even this praise, +was an agreement I heard made between him and the same lord to go that +evening to a raffle at mrs. C—rt-s—r's. I was one of those who had put +in, tho' if I had not, I should certainly, have gone for a second sight of +him, who when he went out of the drawing-room seemed to have left me but +half myself.</p> +<p>In fine, I went, and had there wanted any thing to have entirely +vanquished me, my conqueror's manner of address had done it with a form +less agreeable.—O Louisa, pursued she with a sigh, if you have never +seen or heard the charming Henricus, you can have no notion of what is +excellent in man; such flowing wit;—such softness in his voice and +air;—but there is no describing what he is. He seemed all transport at +meeting me there; among a number of ladies I alone engrossed him: he +scarce spoke to any other; and being so fortunate to win the raffle, +which was a fine inlaid India cabinet, instead of sending it to his own +house, he privately ordered his servant to leave it at mine, lord G——n +having, as he afterwards told me, informed him where I lived, and also all +the particulars he wanted to know concerning me.</p> +<p>I was prodigiously surprized when I came home and found the Cabinet, +which my woman imagined I had won by its being brought thither. It was +indeed a piece of gallantry I had no reason to expect from one so perfect +a stranger to me; and this, joined with the many complaisant things he +said to me at mrs. C—rt-f—r's, flattered my vanity enough to make me +think he was no less charmed with me than I too plainly found I was with +him. I slept little that night, and pretty early the next morning received +a billet from him to this effect: <br/> +<br/> +MADAM,<br/> +'I thought the cabinet we raffled for was more<br/> +properly the furniture of a lady's closet than<br/> +mine, especially one who must daily receive a<br/> +great number of such epistles as it was doubtless<br/> +intended by the maker to contain: happy should<br/> +I think myself if any thing of mine might find<br/> +room among those which, for their wit and elegance,<br/> +may be more worthy of preferring, tho'<br/> +none can be for their sincerity more so than those<br/> +which are dictated by the eternally devoted heart of<br/> +<br/> +HENRICUS.'</p> +<p>You cannot imagine, my dear Louisa, how delighted I was with these few +lines; I enclosed them indeed in the cabinet given me by the author of +them, but laid up their meaning in my heart:—I was quite alert the whole +day, but infinitely more so, when in the evening my admired Henricus made +me a visit introduced by lord H——, who had been one of my late husband's +particular friends, and had ever kept a good correspondence with me.</p> +<p>Henricus took, not the least notice either of the cabinet or letter +before him; and as I imagined he had his reasons for it, I too was silent +on that head; he took the opportunity, however, while lord H—— was +speaking to a young lady who happened to be with me, to ask permission to +wait on me with the hope of being received on his own score as he was now +on that of his friend. I told him that merit, such as his, was sufficient +to recommend him any where; and, besides, I had an obligation to him which +I ought to acknowledge. This was all either of us had time to say; but it +was enough to make me convinced he desired a more particular conversation, +and him, that it would not be unwelcome to me.</p> +<p>Thus began an acquaintance equally fatal to my peace of mind and +reputation; and having said that, it would be needless to repeat the +circumstances of it, therefore shall only tell you I was so infatuated +with my passion, that I never gave myself the trouble to examine into the +nature of his pretensions, and lull'd with the vows he made of everlasting +love, resented not that he forbore pressing to that ceremony which could +alone ensure it:—yes, my Louisa, I will not wrong him so far as to say +he deceived me in this point; for tho' he protested with the most solemn +imprecations that he would never address any either woman than myself, yet +he never once mentioned marriage to me.—Alass! he too well saw into my +heart, and that all my faculties were too much his to be able to refuse +him any thing:—even so it proved;—he triumphed over all in my power to +yield;—nay, was so far subdued, that I neither regretted my loss, nor +used any endeavours to conceal it;—vain of being his at any rate, I +thought his love more glory to me than either fame or virtue; and while I +was known to enjoy the one, despised whatever censures I incurred for +parting with the other:—in the mall, the play-house, the ring, at Bath or +Tunbridge, he was always with me; nor would any thing indeed have been a +diversion to me had he been absent.</p> +<p>For upwards of a year I had no reason to complain of his want of +assiduity to me, tho' I have since heard even in that time he had other +amours with women who carried them on with more prudence than I was +mistress of; but I had afterwards a stabbing proof of his insincerity and +inconstancy.</p> +<p>Perceiving a great alteration in his behaviour, that he visited me less +frequently, and when he came, the ardours he was accustomed to treat me +with still more and more languid and enforced, I upbraided him in terms +which, tho' they shewed more love than resentment, and had he retained any +tolerable remains of tenderness for me, must have been rather obliging +than the contrary, he affected to take extremely ill, and told me plainly, +that nothing was so dear to him as his peace,—that he was not of a temper +to endure reproaches, and that, if I desired the continuance of our amour, +I must be satisfied with him as he was. These cool, and indeed insolent +replies made me almost distracted; and beginning to suspect he had some +new engagement, I talked to him in a manner as if I had been assured of +it:—he, perhaps, imagining it was so, made no efforts to cure my +jealousy, but behaved with so cruel an indifference as confirmed my +apprehensions.</p> +<p>Resolving to be convinced whether I really had any rival or not, I +employed spies to observe where-ever he went, and to whom; but alass, +there required little pains to acquire the intelligence I fought.—I was +soon informed that he was every day with the daughter of a little +mechanic;—that he made her very rich presents, procured a commission in +the army for one of her brothers, and in fine, that he was as much devoted +to her as a man of his inconstant temper could be to any woman.</p> +<p>How severe a mortification was this to my pride! but it had this good +attending it, that it very much abated my love:—to be abandoned for so +mean a creature, and who had nothing but youth and a tolerable face to +recommend her, shewed such a want of taste as well as gratitude, as +rendered despicable in my eyes what had lately engrossed all my love and +admiration.—The moment I received the information I sent for him;—and +forcing my countenance to a serenity my heart was a stranger to, told him +it was only to take a last leave of a person whom I had been so far +mistaken in as to think deserving my affection: that I desired to see him +once more, but having now seen my error, desired he would desist his +visits for the future. He asked me with the same calmness he had lately +behaved with, what whim I had got in my head now, I, who had before +determined not to feed my rival's pride by shewing any jealousy of her, +only replied, that as amours, such as ours had been, must have an end some +time or other,—I thought none could be more proper than the present, +because I believed both of us could do it without pain.</p> +<p>Answer for yourself, madam, cried he with some emotion, for I could +perceive my behaviour had a little flung his vanity; and resolute to give +him in my turn all the mortification in my power, nay, said I with a +disdainful toss of my head, I do not enquire into your sentiments,—it is +sufficient mine are to break entirely off with you;—neither is it any +concern to me how you may resent this alteration in my conduct, or dispose +of yourself hereafter; but I once more assure you, with my usual +frankness, that I now can see none of those perfections my foolish fancy +formerly found in you, and cannot be complaisant enough to counterfeit a +tenderness I neither feel nor think you worthy of.</p> +<p>The surprize he was in kept him silent for some moments; but recovering +himself as well as he could, he told me, that if the levity of my nature +had made me cease to love him, he could not have expected endearments +should be converted into affronts; that if I was determined to see him no +more he must submit, and should endeavour to make himself as easy as he +could under the misfortune.</p> +<p>These last words were uttered with a kind of sneer, which was very +provoking, however, I restrained my passion during the little time he +stayed; but as soon as I found myself alone gave it vent in tears and +exclamations,—since which I have been mere at peace within myself; for +tho' I cannot say I hate him, I am now far from loving him, and hope +that time and absence may bring me to a perfect indifference.</p> +<p>Thus, Louisa, continued she, you see the beginning and end of an +adventure which has made some noise in town, to be out of which I have +taken a resolution to travel till the whole shall be forgotten, and I +have entirely rooted out of my heart all manner of consideration for this +ungrateful man.</p> +<p>Louisa thanked her for the condescension me had made her in entrusting +her with so important a secret, and said every thing she could in praise +of the resolution she had taken to leave England for a time, not only +because it was exactly conformable to her own desires, but also that she +thought it so laudable in itself. Melanthe then assured her that she was +not capable of changing her mind in this particular, and that her equipage +was getting ready at London for that purpose, so that she believed they +should embark in a few days. Louisa, on hearing this, said, that she must +then provide herself with some things it would be necessary for her to +have in order to appear in the station her ladyship was pleased to place +her; but the other, who, as may be seen by her history, never preserved a +medium in any thing, would not suffer her to be at the least expence on +that account, but took the care of furnishing her with every thing on +herself; and accordingly sent a man and horse to town directly to her +mercer's, draper's, milliner's, and other tradesmen, with orders to send +down silks, laces, hollands, and whatever else was requisite; which being +brought, were put to be made fit for wearing by workwomen at Windsor; so +that now our Louisa made as good a figure, and had as great a variety of +habits as when under the guardianship of Dorilaus, and, to complete her +happiness, this new benefactress grew every day more, and more delighted +with her company.</p> +<p>All being now prepared, they came to London, where they lay but one +night before they took shipping for Helvoetsluys in Holland, where, being +safely landed, they proceeded to Utrecht, and so to Aix-la-chappelle; +there they stayed some weeks for the sake of the waters, air, and good +company; and Louisa thought it so pleasant, that she would have been glad +not to have removed for some time longer; but Melanthe was yet restless in +her mind, and required frequent change of place. Here it was, however, +that Louisa thought she might venture to write to Dorilaus, to ease him of +that kind concern she doubted not but he was in for her welfare, by the +advertisement already mentioned in the Gazette. The purport of her letter +was as follows: <br/> +<br/> +<i>Ever Honoured Sir</i>,<br/> +'Child of your bounty as I am, I flatter myself<br/> +that, in spight of my enforc'd disobedience,<br/> +it would be a trouble to you to hear I should<br/> +do any thing unworthy of that education you were<br/> +pleased to bestow on me: I therefore take the liberty<br/> +of acquainting you, that heaven has raised<br/> +me a protectress in a lady of quality with whom<br/> +I now am, as you will see by the date of this, at<br/> +Aix-la-chappelle. As all the favours I receive<br/> +from her, or all the good that shall happen during<br/> +my whole life is, and will be entirely owing<br/> +to you as the fountain-head, it will be always my<br/> +inclination, as well as duty, to pay you the tribute<br/> +of grateful thanks.—Poor recompence,<br/> +alas, for all you have done for me! yet those,<br/> +with my incessant prayers to heaven, are all in<br/> +the power of<br/> +<i>Your most dutiful</i><br/> +<br/> +LOUISA.' </p> +<p>She took no notice of the advertisement, not only as she could not be +positive it related to herself, as also because she thought, if he were +certain she had read it, he might resent her not answering it, as +discovering a too great diffidence of his honour. She added, however, a +postscript, entreating him to let her brother know, that whatever +happened, he should have no reason to find fault with her conduct.</p> +<p>After they left Aix-la-chappelle, they took bye roads to avoid the +armies; yet notwithstanding all their care, they now and then met parties +who were out on foraging, but as it happened, they were always under the +conduct of officers who prevented any ill accident, so that our travellers +met with no manner of interruption, but arrived safely at the magnificent +city of Vienna, where was at that time an extreme gay court, affording +every thing capable of diverting a much more settled melancholy than +either Melanthe or her fair companion were possessed of.</p> +<p>The arch-dutchesses, Mary Elizabeth, and Mary Anna Josepha, afterward +queen of Portugal, had frequent balls and entertainments in their +different drawing-rooms; to all which Melanthe, being a stranger and a +woman of quality, was invited: she kept her promise with Louisa; and +treating her as a young lady, whose friendship for her, and a desire of +seeing the world had engaged to accompany her, she was received and +respected as such; and by this means had an opportunity of shewing the +skill she had in dancing, singing, music, and indeed all the +accomplishments that a woman born and educated to the best expectations, +is usually instructed in. As neither her lady nor herself understood the +German language, and she spoke infinitely the best French, her +conversation was the most agreeable, which, joined with a most engaging +manner, and a peculiar sweetness in her voice, attracted all those +civilities which the rank of the other demanded.</p> +<p>Possessed of so many charms, it would have been strange if, in a city +throng'd like Vienna with young noblemen, who were continually coming from +all parts of the empire, she had lived without some who pretended to +somewhat more than mere admiration; but her heart had not refused the +worthy Dorilaus to become the conquest of a German; nor was it here she +was ordained to experience those anxieties in herself, she could but +imperfectly conceive by the description she had from others.</p> +<p>Melanthe, however, whose sole aim was to drive all perplexing thoughts +from her mind, encouraged a great number of visitors, so that her lodgings +seemed a perfect theatre of gallantry; and Louisa having her share in all +the amusements this lady prepared for the reception of those that came to +see her, or were contrived for her entertainment by others, past her time +in the most gay and agreeable manner imaginable, and by this means +acquired the knowledge of almost the only thing she before was ignorant +in, how to receive a multiplicity of company, yet to behave so is each +should imagine themselves most welcome;—to seem perfectly open, without +discovering any thing improper to be revealed;—to use all decent freedoms +with the men, yet not encourage the least from them, and to seem to make a +friend of every woman she conversed with, without putting truth in +any;—and in fine, all the little policies which make up the art of what +is called a polite address, and which is not to be attained without an +acquaintance with the court and great world.</p> +<p>This, I say, our amiable foundling was now well vers'd in, and +practised among those who she found made a practice of it; but yet +retained the same sincerity of mind, love of virtue, and detestation of +vice, she brought with her from the house of Dorilaus:—neither was her +youth too much dazled with the exterior splendor she beheld; and tho' she +was well enough pleased with it, yet it did not in the least take her off +from the duties of religion, or inspire her with any ambitious or aspiring +wishes to become what the remembrance of what she was forbid any probable +expectation of. She knew the present fashion of her life was not an +assured settlement, and therefore set not her heart upon it. Few at her +years would have had the like prudence, or in time armed themselves, as +she did, against any change that might befal her.</p> +<p>In this happy situation let us leave her for a while: the young Horatio +claims his share of attention; and it is time to see what encouragement +and success his martial ardor met with on the banks of the Danube.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. V.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Horatio's reception by the officers of the army; his behaviour in +the battle; his being taken prisoner by the French; his treatment among +them, and many other particulars.</i></p> +<p>The extreme graceful person of Horatio, his youth, handsome +equipage, and the letters sent by Dorilaus to several of the principal +officers in his favour, engaged him a reception answerable to his wishes: +but none was of greater service than the recommendation he had to colonel +Brindfield, who being in great favour with the duke of Marlborough, was +highly respected by the whole army. This gentleman made him dine +frequently with him, and testified the regard he had for Dorilaus, by +doing all the good offices he could to a youth whom he perceived by his +letter he had a great concern for. He not only introduced him to the +acquaintance of many officers of condition, but took an opportunity of +presenting him to the duke himself, giving at the same time his grace +an account that he was a gentleman whose inclinations to arms, and the +honour of serving under his grace, had made him renounce all other +advantages for the hope of doing something worthy of his favour. The duke +looked all the time he was speaking very attentively on the young Horatio, +and finding something in his air that corroborated the colonel's +description, was pleased to say, that he was charm'd with his early thirst +after same; and then turning toward him, you will soon, pursued he, have +an opportunity of seeing how the face of war looks, near at hand:—I can +tell you, that you must not always expect smiles. No, my lord, replied he, +without being at all daunted at the presence of so great a man; but where +we love all countenances are agreeable.</p> +<p>He arrived indeed opportunely to be a witness of the dangers of that +glorious campaign which brought such shame to the French, such honour to +the English, and such real advantages to the empire. Prince Eugene of +Savoy, and prince Lewis of Baden were come to the duke's quarters, which +were then at Mondesheim, to consult on proper operations; the result was, +that the duke and prince Lewis should join armies, and command each day +alternately, and that prince Eugene should head a separate army and repair +towards Philipsburg, to defend the passage of the Rhine, the lines of +Stolhoffen, and the country of Wirtenberg.</p> +<p>The two armies joined at Westerstretton, thence proceeded by easy +marches towards Donawert, between which and Scellenberg the enemy was +encamped. Fatigued as they were, the duke made them pass over a little +river and endeavour to force the intrenchments; which enterprize +succeeded, notwithstanding all the disadvantages the confederate armies +were in, and the others were obliged to retire with great precipitation, +many of whom were drowned in endeavouring to pass the Danube.</p> +<p>In this action was our young soldier unlisted, and had the glory to be +signalized by two remarkable accidents; one was, that pressing among the +foremost in this hazardous attempt, he had his hat taken off by a cannon +ball; and the other was, that seeing a standard about to be taken by the +enemy, the person who carried it happening to be kill'd, he ran among +those who were carrying it away, and being seconded by some others, +retrieved that badge of English honour; and as this was done in sight of +the duke, he rode up to him directly and presented it to him. Take it for +your pains, cried he, you have ventured hard, and well deserve the prize. +There was no time for thanks; the duke, who was almost every where at +once, was immediately gone where he found his presence necessary, and +Horatio returned to take the place of the dead cornet, doubly animated by +the encouragement he had received.</p> +<p>This victory opening a way into the elector of Bavaria's dominions, +that poor country was terribly ravaged, no less than 300 towns, villages +and castles being utterly consumed by a detachment of horse and dragoons +the duke sent for that purpose. Some old officers told Horatio that now +would be the time to make his fortune if he went with these squadrons, +there being many rich things which would fall to the share of the +plunderers; to which he answered, that he came to fight for the honour of +his country, and not to rob for its disgrace. This they laughed at, and +endeavoured to make him sensible, that the taking away an enemy's treasure +was to take away their strength; but all they could say was ineffectual; +he was not to be perswaded out of what he thought reason and justice: and +this conversation being afterward repeated to the duke, he smil'd and +said, he was yet too young to know the value of money.</p> +<p>After this, prince Lewis of Baden dividing from the duke, in order to +undertake the siege of Ingoldstadt, our young cornet attended his grace to +the relief of prince Eugene, who expected to be attacked by the united +army of Bavarians and French, then encamped near Hockstadt.</p> +<p>It would be needless to give any description of this famous battle, few +of my readers but must be acquainted with it, so I shall only say, that +among the number of those few prisoners the French had to boast of in +attonement for so great a defeat, was the young brave Horatio, who fell to +the lot of the baron de la Valiere, nephew to the marquis of Sille. This +nobleman being extremely taken with his person and behaviour, treated him +in the politest manner; and tho' he carried him with him into France, +assured him, that it was more for the pleasure of entertaining him there +than any other consideration. Horatio was not much afflicted at this +misfortune, because it gave him an opportunity of seeing a country he had +heard so much commended, and also to make himself master of a language, +which, tho' he understood, he spoke but imperfectly.</p> +<p>The baron was not only one of the most gallant, but also one of the +best humoured men in the world; he spared nothing during the whole time +they tarried in his quarters, nor in their journey to Paris, which might +contribute to make his prisoner easy under his present circumstances; and +among other things, often said to him, if you and some others have fallen +under the common chance of war, you have yet the happiness of knowing your +army in general has been victorious, and that, there are infinitely a +greater number of ours who, against their will, must see England, than, +there are of yours conducted into France.</p> +<p>On their arrival, Horatio wrote an account to Dorilaus of all had +happened to him, not doubting but he would use his interest to have him +either mentioned when there should come an exchange of prisoners, or that +he would randsom him himself; but receiving no answer, he concluded his +letter, by some accident, had miscarried, and sent another, but that +meeting the same fate as the former, he wrote a third, accompanied with +one to his sister directed to the boarding-school, where he imagined she +still was: to this last, after some time, he had the following return from +the governess:<br/> +<br/> +SIR,<br/> +'A letter directed for miss Louisa coming to<br/> +my house, I was in debate with myself<br/> +what to do with it, that young lady having been<br/> +gone from me last September, since which time<br/> +I have never heard any thing of her:—at last I<br/> +sent it to Dorilaus's country seat by a messenger,<br/> +who brought it to me again, with intelligence<br/> +that he was gone with some friends into the north<br/> +of Ireland, and that it was probable they had<br/> +taken miss with them:—I then thought proper<br/> +to open it, believing she had no secrets I might<br/> +not be entrusted with, and finding it came from<br/> +you, could do no less than give you this information<br/> +to prevent your being under any surprize<br/> +for not receiving answers to your letters. I am<br/> +sorry to find by yours that you have had such ill<br/> +success in your first campaign; but would not<br/> +have you be cast down, since you need not doubt<br/> +but on the return of Dorilaus you will have remittances<br/> +for your ransom, or whatever else you<br/> +may have occasion for.'<br/> +<i>I am</i>, SIR, <i>Your most humble and obedient Servant,</i><br/> +<br/> +A. TRAINWELL. </p> +<p>This letter made him perfectly contented; he had no reason to question +the continuance of Dorilaus's goodness to him, nor that he should attend +this new proof of it any longer than the return of that gentleman to +England should make him know the occasion he now had for it. He therefore +had no anxious thoughts to interrupt the pleasures the place he was in +afforded in such variety; he was every evening with the baron, either at +court, the opera, the comedy, or some other gay scene of entertainment; +was introduced to the best company; and his young heart, charm'd with the +politeness and gallantry of that nation, and the little vanity to which a +person of such early years is incident, being flattered with the +complaisance he was treated with, gave him in a short time a very strong +affection for them; but there was yet another and more powerful motive +which rendered his captivity not only pleasing, but almost destroyed in +him an inclination ever to see his native country again.</p> +<p>The baron de la Valiere had long been passionately in love with a young +lady, who was one of the maids of honour to king James's queen: he went +almost every day to St. Germains, in order to prosecute his addresses, +and frequently took Horatio with him. The motive of his first introducing +him to that court was, perhaps, the vanity of shewing him that no reverse +of fate could make the French regardless of what was due to royalty, since +the Chevalier St. George seem'd to want no requisite of majesty but the +power; but he afterwards found the pleasure he took in those visits +infinitely surpassed what he could have expected, and that his heart had +an attachment, which made him no sooner quit that palace than he would ask +with impatience when they should go thither again. The baron had a great +deal of penetration; and as those who feel the power of love in themselves +can easily perceive the progress it makes in others, a very few visits +confirmed him that Horatio had found something there more attractive than +all he could behold elsewhere: nor was he long at a loss to discover, +among the number or beauties which composed the trains of the queen and +princess, which of them it was that had laid his prisoner under a more +lasting captivity than war had done.</p> +<p>Princess Louisa Maria Teresa, daughter of the late king James, was then +but in her thirteenth year; the ladies who attended her were all of them +much of the same age; and to shew the respect the French had for this +royal family, tho' in misfortunes, were also the daughters of persons +whose birth and fortune might have done honour to the service of the +greatest empress in the world; nor were any of them wanting in those +perfections which attract the heart beyond the pomp of blood or titles; +but she who had influenced that of our Horatio, was likewise in the +opinion of those, who felt not her charms in the same degree he did, +allowed to excel her fair companions in every captivating grace, and to +yield in beauty to none but the princess herself, who was esteemed a +Prodigy. This amiable lady was called Charlotta de Palfoy, only daughter +to the baron of that name; and having from her most early years discovered +a genius above what is ordinarily found in her sex, had been educated by +her indulgent parents in such a manner, as nature left nothing for want of +the improvements of art; yet did not all the accomplishments, she was +mistress of give her the least air of haughtiness; on the contrary, there +was a certain sweetness of temper in her which gave a double charm to +every thing she said or did: she was all affability, courtesy and +chearfulness; she could not therefore avoid treating so agreeable a +stranger as Horatio with all imaginable marks of civility; but she had +been a very small time acquainted with him before her liking ripened into +a kind of tenderness little inferior to what he was possessed of for her; +and tho' both were then too young to be able to judge of the nature of +this growing inclination, yet they found they loved without knowing to +what end.</p> +<p>As both the Chevalier St. George and the princess his sister were +instructed in the English language, and besides many of their court were +natives of Great Britain, whose loyalty had made them follow the exil'd +monarch, the French belonging to them had also an ambition to speak in the +same dialect: mademoiselle Charlotta being but lately come among them had +not yet attained the proper accent, any more than Horatio had that of the +French; so they agreed that to improve each other in the different +languages, he should always speak to her in French, and she should answer +him in English. This succeeded not only for the purpose it was intended, +but likewise drew on a greater intimacy between them than might otherwise +have happened, at least in so short a time.</p> +<p>The baron having a real friendship for Horatio, rejoiced to find he had +so powerful an attachment to continue among them, and without taking any +notice how far he saw into his sentiments, encouraged his visits at St. +Germains all he could. Thus indulged in every thing he wished, he began +insensibly to lose all desires of returning to England, and receiving no +letters either from Dorilaus or his sister, was as it were weaned from +that affection he had formerly bore to them, and in the room of that the +new friendships he was every day contracting took up his mind.</p> +<p>He was indeed used with so much love and respect by people in the most +eminent stations, to whom the baron had introduced him, that it would have +been ungrateful in him not to have returned it with the greatest +good-will. Expressing one day some surprize at being so far forgotten by +his friends in England, de la Valiere told him that he would not have him +look on himself as any other than a guest in France, and that if he chose +to quit that country, he should not only be at his liberty to return to +England whenever he pleased, but also should be furnished with a sum +sufficient for the expences of his journey; but added, that the offer he +now made of depriving himself of so agreeable a companion was a piece of +self-denial, than which there could not be a greater proof of a +disinterested regard.</p> +<p>Horatio replied in the manner this generosity demanded, and said, that +if there was any thing irksome to him in France, it was only his inability +of returning the favours he had received: believe me, sir, pursued he, +were I master of a fortune sufficient to put me above the necessity of +receiving the obligations I now do, it would not be in the power of all I +left in England to prevail on me to return;—it is here, and in the +society of that company I at present, thro' your means, enjoy, that I +would wish to pass my whole life.</p> +<p>The baron then told him he would find a way to make all things easy to +him, and accordingly went the same day to monsieur the prince of Conti, to +whom he gave such an advantageous description of the courage and +accomplishments of the English cornet, and the inclination he had to stay +among them, that his highness told the baron, that he might acquaint him +from him, that if he were willing to serve under him he should have a +commission; or, if he rather chose a civil employment, he would use his +interest to procure him such a one as might afford both honour and +profit.</p> +<p>This the baron did not fail to communicate immediately to Horatio, who, +charm'd with the generosity both of the one and the other, broke out into +the utmost encomiums of that nation:—sure, said he, the French are a +people born to inspire and instruct virtue and benevolence to all the +kingdoms in the world! After the first raptures of his gratitude were +over, being pressed by the baron to let him know which of the prince's +offers he would chuse to accept; alas! replied he, this is a kind of an +unfortunate dilemma I am in;—my inclinations are for the army, and it +would be the height of my ambition to serve under such generals as the +French; but it would be unnatural in me to draw my sword against the land +which gave me being: O would to God! continued he, there were an +opportunity for me to do it in any other cause! how gladly would I leave +the best part of my blood to shew the sense I have of the generosity I +have experienced.</p> +<p>The baron had nothing to offer in opposition to a sentiment which he +found had so much of honour in it, and therefore acquainted the prince +that he chose to accept of his highness's favour in a civil employment; on +which he was ordered to attend his levee the next day.</p> +<p>His good friend accompanied him, and having presented him with the +forms usual on such occasions, the prince received him very graciously, +and was pleased to ask him several questions concerning the government of +England at that time, the battle in which he had been taken, and many +other things, to all which the young Horatio answered with so much +discretion and politeness, as made the prince say to the baron, you have +not flattered this gentleman in your description of him; for tho' I +believe your friendship ready enough to give a just idea of him, yet, I +allure you, his own behaviour is his best recommendation, and well +entitles him to more than I find it in my power to do for him at present. +I have been thinking for you, sir, continued he, turning to Horatio, and +imagine that the employment I have found you will not be disagreeable to +you:—one of the gentlemen of the bed-chamber to the Chevalier St. George +being dead, there is a vacancy, which I will make interest shall be filled +by no other than yourself;—you seem to be much of the same age with him, +and I dare say he will be extremely pleased in the choice I make of you to +be near him:—it is not indeed, added he, a place of so much advantage as +I could wish, but there is a handsome pension annexed to it, which, with +the honour, will, I believe, content you till something better presents +itself.</p> +<p>From the first mention the prince made of the post he had found for +him, the heart of Horatio leap'd in his breast with an agitation he had +never felt before: the thoughts of living at St. Germains in the same +palace with mademoiselle Charlotta so transported him, that he scarce knew +what he said; and the thanks he gave the prince were expressed with such +hyperboles of gratitude, as made his highness think he had a higher idea +of the employment than it indeed deserved; but the baron who knew the +motive, and could not help smiling within himself, to prevent any other +from suspecting it, however, told the prince, that it was not to be +wondered at that he testified so high a satisfaction, since he was now to +serve a family he had by nature a strong attachment to, and at the same +time continue in a country he liked much better than his own.</p> +<p>Horatio by this time having a little recovered himself, and sensible he +had gone rather too far, seconded what the baron had said, and no more +observations were made on it.</p> +<p>That same evening, the prince having made it his request, was Horatio +permitted to kiss the hand of the Chevalier St. George, and the ensuing +day took possession of the apartment appropriated to the office bestowed +on him.</p> +<p>After having received the congratulations of a whole court, who +testified a great deal of satisfaction in having him among them, and paid +his compliments in a particular manner to mademoiselle Charlotta, he took +abundance of pleasure in viewing all the apartments of a palace famous for +the birth of one of the greatest monarchs of the age, and for being the +asylum of the distrest royal family of England: when his attendance on his +master gave him leisure, he frequently passed many hours together in a +closet, where he was told the late king James used to retire every day to +pray for the prosperity of that people who had abjur'd him. Young as +Horatio was, and gay by nature, he sometimes loved to indulge the most +serious meditations; and this place, as well as the condition of those he +served, remonstrating to him the instability of all human greatness, he +made this general reflection, that there was nothing truly valuable but +virtue, because the owner could be deprived of that only by himself, and +not by either the fraud or force of others.</p> +<p>Indeed the behaviour of all the persons who composed this court could +not but inspire those who saw it with sentiments of the nature I have +described: the queen herself, tho' of too great a soul to shew any marks +of repining at her fate, was never seen to smile: even the Chevalier St. +George and princess had both of them a very serious air, which denoted +they had reflections more befitting their condition than their years; and +those about them being most of them persons who had left the greatest part +of their fortunes as well as kindred either in England, Scotland or +Ireland, had their own misfortunes as well as that of the royal cause to +lament, and therefore could not but wear a dejection in their +countenances: in fine, every thing he saw seem'd an emblem of fallen +majesty, except on drawing-room nights, and then indeed the splendor of +Marli and Versailles shone forth at St. Germains in the persons of those +who came to pay their compliments, among whom were not only the Dauphine +and all the princes of the blood, but even the grand monarch himself +thought it not beneath his dignity to give this proof of his respect once +or twice every week.</p> +<p>This way of living, and the company he was now associated with, gave +Horatio a manly way of thinking much sooner than otherwise perhaps he +might have had, yet did not rob him of his vivacity: some of the queen's +women, and the young ladies about the princess, particularly mademoiselle +Charlotta, had a thousand sprightly entertainments among themselves, into +which he, the baron de la Valiere, and some others who had attachments at +that court, were always admitted.</p> +<p>But now the time arrived in which he was to lose the society of that +valuable friend; the campaign was ready to open, and he was obliged to +head his troops and follow the marshals de Villars and Marsin into +Flanders.</p> +<p>All the conversation turning now on war, those martial inclinations, +which love and the season of the year had occasioned to lye dormant for a +while in the bosom of Horatio, now revived in him: he embraced the baron +at taking leave of him with tears of affection and regret: how cruel is my +fate, said he, to make me of a nation at enmity with yours, and that I can +neither fight for you nor against you!</p> +<p>Well, my dear Horatio, replied the other, France may hereafter have +occasion to employ your arm where there are no ties of duty to restrain +you:—in the mean time, continued he with a smile, softer engagements may +employ your thoughts;—mademoiselle Charlotta de Palfoy is a conquest +worth pursuing.</p> +<p>This was the first hint the baron had ever given him of the discovery +he had made of his sentiments, and it so much the more surprized him that +he was told by another what he was not certain of himself:—he knew indeed +the society of that young lady gave him infinite satisfaction, and that he +was restless when absent from her; but these words, and the air with which +they were spoke, shewed him more of his own heart than he had before +examined into;—he blush'd excessively, and made no answer; on which, you +have no cause, resumed the baron, to be asham'd of the passion you are +inspired with, nor troubled at my discovery of it:—I assure you I have +seen it a long time; and tho' you never honoured me with your confidence +in that point, have taken all opportunities of doing justice to your merit +in the conversations I have had with mademoiselle, who I had the +satisfaction to find was not displeased with what I said upon that head; +and I flatter myself with having a good account of the progress you have +made at my return.</p> +<p>I have too much experience of your friendship and goodness to me, +replied Horatio, not to assure myself of your doing me all manner of kind +offices;—I have indeed so great a regard for that lady you mention, that +I know none of her sex who I so much wish should think well of me, yet is +she utterly ignorant of the sentiments I have for her; and if I am +possessed of that passion which they call love, which I protest I am not +certain of myself, I have never made the least declaration that can give +her room to imagine any such thing.</p> +<p>The baron laughed heartily to hear him speak in this manner, and then +told him there was no need of words to make known an inclination of that +kind;—it was to be seen in every look and motion of the person inspired +with it.—Mademoiselle de Palfoy, continued he, young as she is, I dare +answer has penetration enough to see the conquest she has made, but has +not yet learned artifice enough to conceal that she is at the same time +subdued herself;—and if you would take the advice of a person who has +some experience in these affairs, you will endeavour to engage her to a +confession before too much observation on the behaviour of others to their +lovers, shall teach her those imperious airs by which women frequently +torment the heart that adores them, tho' their own perhaps in doing so +feels an equal share.</p> +<p>Horatio, who had seen something like this between the baron and his +mistress, found a great deal of reason in what he said, and promised to be +guided by him, especially as he had encouragement enough to hope, by all +the treatment he had found from Charlotta, that a declaration of love from +him would not offend her beyond forgiveness.</p> +<p>From that time forward he therefore began to think in what manner he +should first disclose the tender secret to the dear object of his +affections: when absent from her he easily found words, but when present, +that awe which is inseparable from a real passion struck him entirely +dumb; and whenever he was about to open his mouth to utter what he +intended, he had neither words nor voice; and tho' he saw her every day, +was often alone with her, and had opportunity enough to have revealed +himself, yet could he not get the better of his timidity for a great +while, and perhaps should have been much longer under this cruel +constraint, had not an accident favoured his wishes beyond what he could +have hoped, or even imagined, and by shewing him part of what passed in +her soul, emboldened him to unfold what his own laboured with on her +account.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. VI.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Describes the masquerade at the dutchess of Main's; the characters +and intrigues of several persons of quality who were there; the odd +behaviour of a lady in regard to Horatio, and Charlotta's sentiments upon +it</i>.</p> +<p>The dutchess of Main was one of the gayest and most gallant ladies at +the court of Lewis XIV. she was for ever entertaining the nobility with +balls, masquerades, or concerts; and as she was of the blood royal, and +highly respected not only on that score, but by the distinguish'd favour +of the king, the Chevalier St. George, and the princess his sister, +frequently honoured her assemblies with their presence.</p> +<p>To divert those ladies whose husbands were gone to Flanders, as she +said, she now proposed a masquerade; and the day being fixed, it was the +sole business of the young and gay to prepare habits such as were most +suitable to their inclinations, or, as they thought, would be most +advantageous to their persons.</p> +<p>The Chevalier St. George was dressed in a rich Grecian habit of +sky-coloured velvet embroidered with large silver stars: the top of his +cap was encompassed with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, saphirs, amythists, +and other precious stones of various colours, set in rows in the exact +form of a rainbow: a light robe of crimson taffaty, fringed with silver, +was fastened by a knot of jewels on his left shoulder, and crossed his +back to the right side, where it was tucked into a belt of the finest +oriental pearls, and thence hung down and trail'd a little on the ground: +in fine, there was nothing that exceeded the magnificence and eloquence +of his appearance, or was in any measure equal to it in the whole +assembly, except that of the princess Louisa his sister.</p> +<p>She would needs go as a Diana, and obliged all her ladies to be habited +like nymphs: no idea of this goddess, inspired either by the painter or +the poet's art, can in any degree come up to that which the fight of this +amiable princess gave every beholder. Conformable to the character she +assumed, she had a large crescent of diamonds on her head, which had no +other covering than a great quantity of the finest hair in the world, +partly braided with pearls and emeralds, and partly flowing in ringlets +down on her alabaster neck: her garments were silver tissue, white and +shining as the moon on a clear frosty night; and being buttoned up a +little at the bottom as for the conveniency of the chace, shewed great +part of her fine proportioned ankle. In her hand she held an ivory bow, +and an arrow of the same headed with gold; and on her shoulder was fixed a +quiver curiously wrought and beset with jewels: her attendants, which were +six in number, had their habits green, but made in the same fashion of the +princess's, with bows and arrows in their hands, and quivers at their +backs: all of them had their hair turned up under a caul of silver net, +from which hung little tossels of pearl intermixed with diamonds.</p> +<p>Next to this fair troop the duchess of Main herself attracted the +attention of the assembly: she was habited like an Indian queen, with +robes composed of feathers so artfully placed, that they represented a +thousand different kind of birds and beasts, which, as she moved, seemed +to have motion in themselves: on her head she had a lofty plume supported +by a cap, and richly ornamented with precious stones; as were all her +garments wherever the propriety of the fashion of them would give leave.</p> +<p>The young mademoiselle de Bourbon, in the habit of a sea-nymph, and +mademoiselle de Blois, in that of a Minerva, ornamented and decorated +according to their several characters, had also their share of admiration.</p> +<p>Nor did the marchionesses of Vallois and Lucerne, both in the garb of +shepherdesses, serve as mere foils to those I have mentioned: there was +something; even in this plainness that shewed the elegance of the wearer's +taste.</p> +<p>The prince of Conde, the dukes of Berry, Vendosine and Chartres, the +young marquis de Montbausine, the counts de Chenille, de Ranbeau, and the +baron de Roche, had all of them habits extremely rich and well fancied, as +were many others of whom it would be too tedious to make particular +mention, and be likewise digressive to the matter I take upon me to +relate; I shall therefore only say, that there was not one person of +either sex, who did not endeavour to set themselves forth to all possible +advantage.</p> +<p>Those gentlemen who attended the Chevalier St. George were at their +liberty to appear in what habit they pleased: Horatio knowing his charming +Charlotta was a nymph of the forest, chose to be a hunter, and was +accordingly dressed in green, with a little cap on his head and a javelin +in his hand, as Acteon is generally portrayed; and indeed had he studied +what garb would have become him best, he could not have fixed on one more +proper for that purpose.</p> +<p>Fine madamoiselle de Sanserre at least thought him more worthy her +regard than any of those, the richness of whose habits made her know were +of a higher rank:—she took particular notice of him, made him dance with +her, and said a thousand gallant things to him; but he could very well +have dispensed with hearing them, and found little satisfaction in any +thing that deprived him of entertaining his dear Charlotta, who he easily +knew by her air and shape from all those who were habited in the same +manner. As he doubted not, however, but the person who had thus singled +him out was a lady of condition, he returned her civilities with a +politeness which was natural to him, but which had received great +improvements since his arrival in France. She was no less charm'd with his +conversation than she had been with his person, and impatient to know who +he was, made an offer of shewing him her face on condition he would pluck +off his mask at the same time: but this he would by no means agree to, +because still hoping to get rid of her, and have some discourse with +mademoiselle Charlotta, he did not think proper he should be known by any +other, who might perhaps make remarks on his behaviour; and therefore +excused himself from complying with her desires in terms as obliging as +the circumstance would admit.</p> +<p>As she had displayed all her talents of wit and eloquence to engage +him, she looked on the little curiosity she had been able to inspire in +him as an affront, and vexed she had thrown away so much time on an +insensible, as she called him, flung hastily away, and joining with some +other company, left him at liberty to pursue his inclinations.</p> +<p>This lady had been a royal mistress, but not having the good fortune to +be made a mother, was not honoured with any title; her being forsaken by +the king, who indeed had few amours of any long continuance, did not in +the least abate the good opinion she had of her beauty; and to fee herself +followed by a train of lovers being the supreme pleasure of her life, she +spared nothing to attract and engage: whenever she failed in this +expectation it was a severe mortification; but her vanity and the gaity of +her humour would not suffer it to prey upon her spirits for above a +minute, and she diverted the shock of a rebuff in one place by new +attempts to conquer in another; therefore it is probable thought no more +of Horatio after she had turned from him.</p> +<p>He now carefully avoided all that might interrupt his wishes, and +seeing Charlotta had just broke off some conversation she had been +entertained with, made what haste he could to prevent her from being +re-engaged:—She immediately knew him; and as their mutual innocence made +them perfectly free in expressing themselves to each other, she told him +she was glad he was come; that they would keep together the whole +masquerade, provided he did not think it a confinement, to prevent her +being persecuted with the impertinencies of some people there, who she +found thought a masque a kind of sanction for saying any thing.</p> +<p>It is not to be doubted but Horatio gave her all the assurances that +words could form, of feeling the most perfect pleasure in her society, and +that he should not; without the extremest reluctance, find himself obliged +to abandon the happiness she offered him to any other person in the +company: to recompence this complaisance, as she called it, she gave him a +brief detail of the characters of as many as she knew thro' their habits; +and in doing this discovered a sweet impartiality and love of truth, which +was no small addition to her other charms. She blamed the baroness de +Guiche for not being able to return the affection of a husband who had +married her with an inconsiderable fortune, and had since she had been his +wife pardoned a thousand miscarriages in her conduct:—she praised the +virtue of mademoiselle de Mareau, who being at fifteen the bride of a man +of seventy, behaved to him with a tenderness, and exact conformity to his +will, which, if owing alone to duty, was not to be distinguished from +inclination:—she expressed a concern that the gaity of the dutchess of +Vendome gave the world any room for censure, and highly condemned the duke +for being guilty of actions which had made her sometimes give into parties +of pleasure by way of retaliation:—but she was more severe on the +indecorum of mademoiselle de Renville, who being known for the mistress of +the duke of Chartres, and that she was supported by him, was fond of +appearing in all public places. She could not help testifying a good deal +of surprize, that any woman who pretended to virtue would admit her into +their assemblies: not but she said the case of that lady was greatly to be +pitied, who being high-born and bred had been reduced to the lowest +exigencies of life, and from which to be relieved she had only consented +to assist the looser pleasures of the amorous duke; but, added she, I +would not methinks have her seem to glory in her shame, and in a manner of +life which her misfortunes alone can render excusable; nor can I approve +of the indulgence her mistaken triumph meets with, because it may not only +destroy all notions of regret in herself for what her necessities oblige +her to, but also make others, who have not the same pretence, find a kind +of sanction for their own errors:—vice, said she, ought at lead to blush, +and hide itself as much as possible from view, left by being tolerated in +public it should become a fashion.</p> +<p>Horatio was so much taken up with admiring the justness of her +sentiments, that awed by them, as it were, he could not yet, tho' mask'd, +make any discovery of his own: she was about entering into a discourse +with him concerning the first motives which had rendered some persons she +pointed out to him unhappy in the marriage-state, which perhaps might have +given him an opportunity for explaining himself, when a lady richly +dress'd came up to them, and giving Horatio a sudden pluck by the arm; +villain! cried she. Madam, returned he, strongly amazed. Is the trifling +conversation of Sanserre, resumed she, or this little creature to be +preferred to a woman of that quality you have dared to abuse?—but this +night has convinced her of your perfidy:—she sends you this, continued +she, giving him a slap over the face as hard as she could, and be assured +it is the last present you will ever receive from her.</p> +<p>She had no sooner uttered these words than she flew quick as lightning +out of the room, leaving Horatio in such a consternation both at what she +said and did, as deprived him even of the thought of following her, or +using any means to solve this riddle.—He was in a deep musing when +mademoiselle Charlotta, possessed that moment with a passion she till then +was ignorant of, said to him; I find, Horatio, you have wonderfully +improved the little time you have been in France, to gain you a +multiplicity of mistresses; but I am sorry my inadvertency in talking to a +man so doubly pre-engaged, should cause me to be reckoned among the +number. In speaking this she turned away with a confusion which was +visible in her air, and the scarlet colour with which her neck was dyed. +By heaven! cried he, in the utmost agitation, I know so little the meaning +of what I have just now heard, that it seems rather a dream than a +reality. O the deceiver! returned she, a little slackening her pace, will +you pretend to have given no occasion for the reproach you have +received:—great must have been your professions to draw on you a +resentment such as I have been witness of;—but I shall take care to give +the lady, whoever she is, no farther room for jealousy on my account; and +as for mademoiselle Sanserre, I believe the stock of reputation she has +will not suffer much from the addition of one more favourite to the number +the world has already given her.</p> +<p>The oddness of this adventure, and the vexation he was in to find +Charlotta seemed incensed against him for a crime of which he knew himself +so perfectly innocent, destroyed at once all the considerations his +timidity had inspired, and aiming only to be cleared in her opinion;—if +there be faith in man, cried he, I know nothing of what I am accused: no +woman but your charming self ever had the power to give me an uneasy +moment;—it is you alone have taught me what it is to love, and as I never +felt, I never pretended to that passion for any other.</p> +<p>Me! replied Charlotta, extremely confused; If it were so, you take a +strange time and method to declare it in;—but I know of no concern I have +in your amours, your gratitude, or your perfidy; and you had better follow +and endeavour to appease your enraged mistress, than lose your time on me +in vain excuses.</p> +<p>Ah mademoiselle! cried he, how unjust and cruel are you, and how severe +my fate, which not content with the despair my real unworthiness of +adoring you has plunged me in, but also adds to it an imputation of crimes +my soul most detests:—I never heard even the name of the lady you +mentioned till your lips pronounced it; and if it be she I danced with, I +protest I never saw her face: and as for the meaning of the other lady's +treatment of me, it must certainly be occasioned by some mistake, having +offered nothing to any of the sex that could justify such a proceeding.</p> +<p>All the time he was speaking Charlotta was endeavouring to compose +herself.—The hurry of spirits she had been in at the apprehensions of +Horatio's having any amorous engagements, shewing her how much interest +she took in him, made her blush at having discovered herself to him so +far; and tho' she could not be any more tranquil, yet she thought she +would for the future be more prudent; to this end she now affected to +laugh at the dilemma into which she told him he had brought himself, by +making addresses in two places at the same time, and advised him in a gay +manner to be more circumspect.</p> +<p>Thus was this beautiful lady, by her jealousy, convinced of her +sensibility; and as difficult as Horatio found it to remove the one, he +found his consolation in the discovery of the other.</p> +<p>From the time he had been disengaged from mademoiselle Sanferre, he had +retired with Charlotta to one corner of the room; and the greatest part of +the company being in a grand dance, the others were taken up in looking on +them, so that our young lovers had the opportunity of talking to each +other without being taken much notice of; but several of the masquers now +drawing nearer that way, prevented Horatio from saying any thing farther +at that time, either to clear his innocence or prosecute his passion; and +Charlotta, glad to avoid all discourse on a subject she thought herself +but ill prepared to answer, joined some ladies, with whom she stayed till +the ball was near concluded.</p> +<p>Horatio after this withdrew to a window, and flickered behind a large +damask curtain, threw himself on a sopha he found there, and ruminated at +full on the adventure had happened to him, in which he found a mixture of +joy and discontent: the behaviour of Charlotta assured him he was not +indifferent to her; but then the thoughts that he appeared in her eyes as +ungrateful, inconstant and perfidious, made him tremble, left the idea of +what he seemed to be should utterly erase that favourable one she had +entertained of what he truly was. By what means he should prove his +sincerity he knew not; and as he was utterly unpracticed in the affairs of +love, lamented the absence of his good friend the baron de la Valiere, who +he thought might have been, able to give him same advice, how to proceed.</p> +<p>He remained buried, as it were, in these cogitations, when a lady +plucked back the curtain which screen'd him, and without seeing any one +was there, threw herself on the sopha almost in his lap.—Oh heaven! +cried she, perceiving what she had done, and immediately rose; but Horatio +starting up, would not suffer her to quit the place, telling her, that +since she chose it, it was his business to retire, and leave her to +indulge whatever meditations had brought her thither. She thank'd him in a +voice which, by its trembling, testified her mind was in some very great +disorder; and added, if your good nature, said she, be equal to your +complaisance, you will do me the favour to desire a lady, dressed in pink +and silver, with a white sattin scarf cross her shoulder, to come here +directly:—you cannot, continued she, be mistaken in the person, because +there is no other in the same habit. Tho' Horatio was very loth to engage +himself in the lady's affairs, fearing to give a second umbrage to +mademoiselle Charlotta, yet he knew not how to excuse granting so small a +request, and therefore assured her of his compliance.</p> +<p>Accordingly he sent his eyes in quest, which soon pointed out to him +the person whom she had described: having delivered his message to her; +Horatio! cried she, somewhat astonished, how came you employed in this +errand? he knew her voice, and that it was mademoiselle de Coigney, the +mistress of his friend the baron, on which he immediately told her how the +lady had surprized him: she laughed heartily, and said no more but left +him, and went to the window he had directed.</p> +<p>For a long time he sought in vain for an opportunity of speaking to the +object of his affections: she was still engaged either in dancing or in +different parties; and as his eyes continually followed her, he easily +perceived she purposely avoided him. A magnificent collation being +prepared in a great drawing-room next to that in which the company were, +they all went in to partake of it. The entertainment was served up on two +large tables; but as every one was mask'd, and the vizards so contriv'd, +that those who wore them could eat without plucking them off, they sat +down promiscuously without ceremony or any distinction of degrees, none +being obliged to know another in these disguises; only the attendants of +the Chevalier St. George, and the princess Louisa, took care not to place +themselves at the same they were, so by this means sat together; but a +great number of others being mingled with them, no particular conversation +could be expected.</p> +<p>Supper being over, they all returned to the ballroom; and Horatio +having contrived it so as to get next Charlotta, she could not refuse the +offer he made her of his hand to lead her in; but as he was about saying +something to her in a low voice, a man came hastily to him, and taking him +a little on one side, presented him with a letter, and then retired with +so much precipitation, that Horatio could neither ask from whom it came, +nor well discern what sort of person it was that gave it him. He put it +however in his pocket, designing to read it at more leisure, his curiosity +for the contents not equalling his desire of entertaining mademoiselle +Charlotta; but that young lady, whose jealousy received new fewel from +this object, had slipt away before he could turn from the man, and had +already mixed with a cluster of both sexes who had got into the room +before them.</p> +<p>Horatio finding all attempts to speak to her that night would be +ineffectual, went back into the drawing-room where they supped, and where +but few people remaining he might examine the letter with more freedom. He +saw it had no superscription; but supposing the inside would give him some +satisfaction, he broke it open hastily and found in it these lines.<br/> +<br/> +'Whether false or faithful still are you dear to<br/> +me; and if I am in the least so to you,<br/> +the treatment you received will be pardoned for<br/> +the sake of the occasion:—I own that at a<br/> +place where you might have been as particular as<br/> +you pleased with me without suspicion, it enraged<br/> +me to see you waste those precious moments<br/> +with others which I flattered myself to have solely<br/> +engrossed;—besides, the character of mademoiselle<br/> +Sanserre is so well known, that I thought<br/> +you would have avoided her of all others; yet<br/> +had she forced herself upon you, sure you might<br/> +afterwards have come to me, when I had given<br/> +you so particular a description of the habit I<br/> +should wear; but instead of making any excuse<br/> +for a first transgression, you hurry to a second,<br/> +and pay all your devoirs to another, whom indeed<br/> +I knew not at that time, but am since informed<br/> +she is one of the maids of honour to princess<br/> +Louisa.—I must confess I had not resolution<br/> +enough to suffer so cruel an injustice, and being<br/> +too much overcome by my passion to resent it as<br/> +I ought, I left the place, and desired our friend to<br/> +do it for me.—I find she somewhat exceeded<br/> +her commission, but you must forgive her, since<br/> +it was her love for me:—I am now at her<br/> +house, where I impatiently expect you—The<br/> +baron is secure for some hours;—those we may<br/> +pass together, if you still think there is any thing<br/> +worth quitting the masquerade for, to be found<br/> +in the arms of<br/> +<br/> +<i>Yours</i>, &c,<br/> +<br/> +<i>P.S.</i> If you now fail, no excuse hereafter shall<br/> +ever plead your pardon.'</p> +<p>This letter confirmed Horatio in the belief he had before, that he had +been mistaken by the lady for some favorite person; but who the lady was, +he was as much in the dark as ever; nor would he have given himself any +trouble concerning it, if he had not hoped by that means to have retrieved +the good opinion of Charlotta. He was however impatient to shew her the +letter, as he doubted not but she had seen it delivered to him; but with +all his assiduity he could not obtain one word in private during the +masquerade; and when it was broke up, which was not till near morning, and +they returned to St. Germains, it was impossible, because he knew she must +be in the princess's chamber, as he in that of the Chevalier St. George: +he was therefore obliged to content himself with the hope that the next +day would be more favourable.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. VII.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>An explanation of the foregoing adventure, with a continuation of +the intrigues of some French ladies, and the policy of mademoiselle +Coigney in regard of her brother</i>.</p> +<p>It cannot be supposed that either of our young lovers enjoyed much true +repose that night, tho' the fatigue of the dance might naturally require +it: the one did but just know herself a lover before she felt the worst +torments of that passion in her jealousy; and the other having been +compelled, as it were, to lay open his heart in order to convince his +charmer it had no object but herself in view, knew not but his temerity in +doing so might be imputed to him as no less a crime than that from which +he attempted to be cleared: each had their different anxieties; but those +of Horatio were the least severe, because thro' all the indignation of his +mistress he saw marks of an affection, which he could not have flattered +himself with if they had not been evident; and conscious of his innocence, +doubted not but time would both explain that and reconcile the offended +fair:—whereas Charlotta was far from being able to assure herself of her +lover's fidelity: she could not conceive how, in the compass of one night, +such a plurality of mistakes should happen to the same man, and trembled +at the reflection that this man, who possibly was the falsest of his sex, +should not only have made an impression on her heart, but also, by the +concern she had so unwarily expressed, have reason to triumph in his +conquest:—ashamed therefore of what she felt, and determined to make use +of her utmost efforts to conceal it for the future, if not to conquer it, +she thought to shun all occasions of seeing or speaking to this dangerous +invader of her peace was the first step she ought to take; but how little +is a heart, possessed of the passion her's was, capable of judging for +itself, or maintaining any resolutions in prejudice of the darling +object!—she had no sooner set it down as a rule to avoid him, than she +began to wish for his presence, and contented herself with thinking she +desired it only out of curiosity to hear what he would say, and to have an +opportunity, by a rallying manner of behaviour, to destroy whatever +conjectures he might have form'd in favour of his passion; but all this +time she deceived herself, and in reality only longed for an interview +with him, in hopes he would find means to justify himself. Horatio, who +was impatient to attempt it, seeing her at a distance walking on the +terrass with no other company than mademoiselle de Coigney, went +immediately to join them, thinking that if the presence of this lady might +be a bar to many things he wanted to say to Charlotta, it would be of +service to him another way, by preventing her from making him any +reproaches.</p> +<p>As soon as he came near, I owe you little thanks, Horatio, said +mademoiselle de Coigney laughing, for the interruption you gave me last +night. In the multiplicity of those reflections which his own affairs had +occasioned him, he had entirely forgot the lady in the window; and +imagining some other accident had happened which should make him appear +yet more guilty in the eyes of Charlotta, ask'd her, with some impatience, +what she meant? don't you remember, answered she, that you brought me a +message from a certain lady? Yes, madam, said he, and in that, thought I +did no more than my duty obliged me to, as she seemed under some +perplexity, which I supposed she was impatient to acquaint you with.</p> +<p>You judged rightly, indeed, resumed de Coigney; but had you known how +gladly I would have dispensed with the honour of her confidence, I dare +answer you would have spared it me:—I'll tell you, my dear, pursued she +turning to Charlotta, for the secrets of this lady are pretty universal; +and I am certain that I have heard from no less than fifty different +persons, that very affair she was in such a hurry to inform me of last +night: you must needs have heard of the amour between madam la Boissy and +the chevalier de Mourenbeau? frequently, replied Charlotta; her ridiculous +jealousies of him have long been the jest of the whole court; and I never +go to Marli or Versailles, but I am told of some new instance of it. And +yet to relate a long story of her passion, and his ingratitude, said +mademoiselle de Coigney, was I last night dragged into a dark corner, and +deprived for an hour together of all the pleasures of the masquerade: it +seems she had over-heard some gallant things between him and the daughter +of the count de Granpree, and that gave her the occasion of running into a +recapitulation of all the professions of constancy he had made to herself, +the proofs she had given him of a too easy belief, and the little regard +he now paid to her peace of mind.—I was obliged to affect a pity for her +misfortunes, and gratitude for the trust she reposed in me, tho' neither +the one or the other merited in reality any thing but contempt.</p> +<p>One often suffers a good deal from one's complaisance this way, said +Charlotta; and for my part there is nothing I would more carefully avoid +than secrets of this nature; but you have not told me how far Horatio was +accessary to bringing you into this trouble.</p> +<p>He them said that he would save mademoiselle de Coigney the labour, and +immediately related how the lady they were speaking of threw herself upon +him, and afterwards enjoined him to deliver the message. But, added he, I +think last night was one of the most unfortunate ones I have ever known, +since, with all the care I could take, I was continually prevented by +other people's concerns from prosecuting my own.—I was not only insulted +and reproached for being mistaken for some other person, for it could +happen no other way, but also soon after received a letter no less +mysterious to me than the blow, which doubtless came from the same +quarter: as there is no name subscribed, or if there were, I should look +on myself as under no obligation of secrecy, I will beg leave to +communicate it to you, ladies.</p> +<p>With these words he took the letter out of his pocket and held it open +between them: Charlotta conquered her impatience so far as not to take it +out of his hand; but mademoiselle Coigney snatched it hastily, imagining +she knew the hand; nor was she deceived in her conjecture: she had no +sooner read it slightly over;—see here, mademoiselle Charlotta, said she, +a new proof of madam de Olonne's folly, and my brother's continued +attachment to that vile woman.</p> +<p>Charlotta then looked over the letter with a satisfaction that was +visible in her countenance; and as soon as she had done, then it is plain, +said she, that Horatio was mistaken for monsieur de Coigney: but how it +happened so is what I cannot conceive.</p> +<p>I can easily solve the riddle, replied mademoiselle de Coigney: I heard +my brother say he intended to wear a hunting dress at the masquerade; but +being disappointed of going to it, by his most christian majesty sending +for him to Marli, I suppose too suddenly for him to give notice of his +enforced absence to madame d'Olonne, and Horatio by chance appearing in +the same habit which he had doubtless told her he would be in, and their +sizes being pretty much alike, she might very well be deceived, and also +have a seeming reason for the jealousy and rage her letter testifies.</p> +<p>Nothing could exceed the joy Horatio felt at this unexpected +eclaircisement of his innocence, which was also doubled by the pleasure +which, in spight of all her endeavours to restrain it, he saw sparkle in +the eyes of his beloved Charlotta. Neither of them, however, had any +opportunity of expressing their sentiments at this time, de Coigney +continuing with them till dinner, when they all separated to go to their +respective tables.</p> +<p>The next day afforded what in this he had sought in vain:—he found her +alone in her own apartment; and having broke the ice, was now grown bold +enough to declare his passion, with all the embellishments necessary to +render it successful: mademoiselle Charlotta knew very well what became +the decorum of her sex, and was too nice an observer of it not to behave +with all the reserve imaginable on this occasion. All the freedom she had +been accustomed to treat him with, while ignorant of his or her own +inclination, was now banished from her words and actions, and she gravely +told him, that if he were in earnest, it was utterly improper for her to +receive any professions of that kind without the approbation of monsieur +de Palfoy her father; and as there was but very little probability of his +granting it, on many considerations, she would wish him to quell in its +infancy an affection which might otherwise be attended with misfortunes to +them both.</p> +<p>It is certain, indeed, that in this she spoke no more than what her +reason suggested: she knew very well that her father had much higher +expectations in view for her, and that on the least suspicion of her +entertaining a foreigner, and one who seemed to have no other dependance +than that of favour, she should be immediately removed from St. Germains; +so that it behoved her to be very circumspect in any encouragement she +gave him: but tho' she spoke to him in this manner, it was not, as her +actions afterwards fully demonstrated, that she really designed what she +said should make him desist his pretensions, but that he should be careful +how he let any one into the secret of his heart. She foresaw little +prospect of their love ever being crown'd with success, yet found too much +pleasure in indulging it to be able to wish an extinction of it, either in +him or herself; and in spight of all the distance she assumed, he easily +perceived that whatever difficulties he should have to struggle with in +the prosecution of his addresses, they would not be owing to her cruelty. +They were both of them too young to attend much to consequences; and as +securing the affections of each other was what each equally aimed at, +neither of them reflected how terrible a separation would be, and how +great the likelihood that it must happen they knew not how soon.</p> +<p>As the remonstrances of mademoiselle Charlotta had all the effect she +intended them for on Horatio, he so well commanding himself that no person +in the world, except the baron de la Valiere, who was absent, had the +least intimation of his passion, they might probably have lived a long +time together in the contentment they now enjoyed, had not an accident, of +which neither of them could have any notion, put a stop to it.</p> +<p>Horatio thought no more on the affair of madame de Olonne and monsieur +de Coigney, from the time he had been cleared of having any concern with +that lady, yet was that night's adventure productive of what he looked +upon as the greatest misfortune could befal him. But to make this matter +conspicuous to the reader, it is necessary to give a brief detail of the +circumstances that led to it.</p> +<p>This lady, who was wife to the baron de Olonne, was one of the most +beautiful, and most vicious women in the kingdom; she entertained a great +number of lovers; but there was none more attached to her, or more loved +by her than young monsieur de Coigney: he had for a long time maintained a +criminal correspondence with her, to the great trouble of all his friends, +who endeavoured all they could, but in vain, to wean him from her: he had +lately a recounter with one of her former lovers, which had like to have +cost him his life; and it was with great difficulty, and as much as the +relations on both sides could do, by representing to the king that they +were set upon by street-robbers, that they avoided the punishment the law +inflicts on duelists. De Coigney was but just recovered of the hurts he +had received, when, so far from resolving to quit the occasion of them, he +made an appointment to meet her at the masquerade:—they had described to +each other the habit they intended to wear, when, as he was preparing for +the rendezvous, an express came from the king, commanding his immediate +attendance at Marli, where the court then was: this was occasioned by old +monsieur de Coigney, who having, by some spies he kept about his son, +received intelligence of this assignation, had no other way to disappoint +it than by the royal authority, which he easily procured, as he was very +much in favour with his majesty; and had laid the matter before him.</p> +<p>The person who came with the mandate had orders not to quit the +presence of young Coigney, but bring him directly; by which means he was +deprived of all opportunity of sending his excuses to madame de Olonne, +who coming to the masquerade big with expectation of seeing her favourite +lover, and finding him, as she imagined, engaged with others, and wholly +regardless of herself, was seized with the most violent jealousy; and not +able to continue in a place where she had received so manifest a slight, +desired mademoiselle de Freville, her confidant and companion, to upbraid +him with his inconstancy; which request she complied with in the manner +already related, and which gave mademoiselle Charlotta such matter of +disquiet.</p> +<p>The amorous madame de Olonne, however, having given vent to the first +transports of her fury, could not hinder those of a softer nature from +returning with the same violence as ever; and for the gratification of +them wrote that letter which Horatio received, and occasioned afterward +the explanation of the whole affair, which explanation he then thought +fortunate for him; but by a whimsical effect of chance it proved utterly +the reverse.</p> +<p>Mademoiselle de Coigney, who had the most tender affection for her +brother, and passionately wished to make him break off all engagements +with a woman of madame de Olonne's character, and who might possibly bring +him under many inconveniencies, took the hint which mademoiselle Charlotta +unthinkingly gave, by telling her how she had been affronted on his +account by de Freville, of putting something into his head which might +probably succeed better than all the attempts had hitherto been practised +to make him quit his present criminal amour.</p> +<p>The first time she saw mademoiselle de Freville, she told her as a +great secret that her brother was fallen in love with mademoiselle +Charlotta, and that she believed it would be a match, for he had already +engaged friends to sollicit monsieur de Palfoy on that score. This she knew +would be carried directly to madame de Olonne, and doubted not but it +would so increase her jealous rage, that all he could say in his defence +would pass for nothing: she also added, that he was in the masquerade that +night, tho' for some private reasons best known to himself, said she, he +had ordered his people to give out he was gone to Marli.</p> +<p>De Freville, who was the creature of madame de Olonne, no sooner +received this intelligence than she flew with it to her, as mademoiselle +de Coigney had imagined: neither did it fail of the desired effect. When +he came to visit her, as he did on the moment of his return from Marli, +the violence of her temper made her break out into such reproaches and +exclamations, as a man had need be very much in love to endure: he +endeavoured to make her sensible of her error by a thousand protestations; +but the more he talk'd of Marli and the king's command, the more she told +him of Charlotta and the masquerade; and almost distracted to find he +still persisted in denying he was there, or had ever made any tender +professions to that lady, she proceeded to such extravagancies as he, who +knew himself innocent, could not forbear replying to in terms which were +far from being softening:—in fine, they quarrelled to a very high degree, +and some company happening to come in at the same time, hindered either of +them from saying any thing which might palliate the resentment of the +other.</p> +<p>Before they had an opportunity of meeting again, mademoiselle de +Coigney saw her brother; and artfully introducing some discourse of +mademoiselle Charlotta de Palfoy, began to run into the utmost encomiums on +that lady's beauty, virtue, wit, and sweetness of disposition, and at last +added, that she should think herself happy in having her for a sister. +Young de Coigney listened attentively to what she said: he had often been +in her company, but being prepossessed with his passion for madame de +Olonne, her charms had not that effect on him as now that the behaviour of +the other had very much lessened his esteem of her.</p> +<p>He replied, that he knew no lady more deserving than the person she +mentioned, and should be glad if, by her interest, he might have +permission to visit her: this was all mademoiselle de Coigney wanted; she +doubted not but if he were once engaged in an honourable passion, it would +entirely cure him of all regard for madame de Olonne, and as she knew he +had a good share of understanding, thought that when he should come to a +more near acquaintance with the perfections of Charlotta, the loose airs +of the other would appear in their true colours, and become as odious to +him as once they had been infatuating.</p> +<p>Finding him so well inclined to her purpose, she took upon herself the +care of introducing him, as it was indeed easy to do, considering the +intimacy there was between her and Charlotta. That young lady received him +as the brother of a person she extremely loved; and little suspecting the +design on which he came, treated him with a gaity which heightened her +charms, and at the same time flattered his hopes, that there was something +in his person not disagreeable to her.</p> +<p>Mademoiselle de Coigney took care that every visit he made to Charlotta +should be reported to de Olonne, which still heightening her resentment, +together with his little assiduity to moderate it, made a total breach +between them, to the great satisfaction of all his friends in general. +Those of them whom mademoiselle had acquainted with the stratagem by which +she brought it about, praised her wit and address; and as they knew the +family and fortune of mademoiselle Charlotta, encouraged her to do every +thing in her power for turning that into reality which she at first had +made use of only as a feint for the reclaiming of her brother.</p> +<p>The young gentleman himself stood in need of no remonstrances of the +advantages he might propose by a marriage with Charlotta; her beauty and +the charms of her conversation had made a conquest of his heart far more +complete than any prospect of interest could have done: not only de +Olonne, but the whole sex would now in vain have endeavoured to attract +the least regard from him, and as he was naturally vain, he thought +nothing but Charlotta de Palfoy worthy of him.</p> +<p>The success he had been accustomed to meet in his love affairs, +emboldened him to declare himself much sooner than he would have done had +he followed the advice of his sister, and too soon to be received in a +manner agreeable to his wishes by a lady of Charlotta's modesty and +delicacy, even had she not been prepossessed in favour of another; for +tho' she respected him as the brother of her friend, that consideration +was too weak to hinder her from letting him know how displeasing his +pretensions were to her, and that if he persisted in them she should be +obliged to refuse seeing him any more. He was now sensible of his error, +and endeavoured to excuse it by the violence of his passion, which he said +would not suffer him to conceal what he felt; but as, when a heart is +truly devoted to one object, the sound of love from any other mouth is +harsh and disagreeable; the more he aimed to vindicate himself in this +point the more guilty he became, and all he said served only to increase +her dislike.</p> +<p>Mademoiselle de Coigney after this took upon her to intercede for her +brother's passion, but with as ill success as he had done; and being one +day more importunate than usual, mademoiselle Charlotta grew in so ill a +humour, that she told her she was determined to give no encouragement to +the amorous addresses of any man, unless commanded to do so by those who +had the power of disposing her; but, added she, I would not have monsieur +de Coigney make any efforts that way; for were he to gain the consent of +my father, which I am far from believing he would do, I have so little +inclination to give him those returns of affection he may expect, that in +such a case I should venture being guilty of disobedience.</p> +<p>Is there any thing so odious then, madam, in the person of my brother? +said de Coigney with a tone that shewed how much she was picqued. I never +gave myself the trouble of examining into the merits either of his person +or behaviour, replied she; but to deal sincerely with you, I have a +perfect aversion to the thoughts of changing my condition, and if you +desire the friendship between us should subsist, you will never mention +any thing of it to me;—and as to your brother, when I am convinced I +shall receive no farther persecutions from him of the nature I have lately +had, he may depend on my treating him with my former regard; till then, +you will do me a favour, and him a service, to desire he would refrain his +visits.</p> +<p>These expressions may be thought little conformable to the natural +politeness of the French, or to that sweetness of disposition which +mademoiselle Charlotta testified on other occasions; but she found herself +so incessantly pressed both by the brother and the sister, and that all +the denials she had given in a different manner had been without effect, +therefore was obliged to assume a harshness, which was far from being +natural to her, in order to prevent consequences which she had too much +reason to apprehend.</p> +<p>Horatio soon discovered he had a rival in monsieur de Coigney; and tho' +he easily saw by Charlotta's behaviour that he had nothing to fear on this +score, yet the interruptions he received from the addresses of this new +lover, made him little able to endure his presence, and he sometimes could +not refrain himself from saying such things as, had not the other been too +much buoyed up with his vanity to take them as meant to himself, must have +occasioned a quarrel.</p> +<p>She made use of all the power she had over him in order to curb the +impetuosity of his temper whenever he met this disturber of his wishes; +but his jealousy would frequently get the better of the respect he paid +her, and they never were together in her apartment without filling her +with mortal fears. She therefore found it absolutely necessary to get rid +of an adorer she hated, in order to hinder one she loved from doing any +thing which might deprive her of him; and tho' she had a real friendship +for mademoiselle de Coigney, yet she chose rather to break with her, than +run the hazard she was continually exposed to by her brother's +indefatigable pursuit.</p> +<p>But all her precaution was of no effect, as well as, the enforced +patience of Horatio: what most she trembled at now fell upon her, and by a +means she had least thought of. Madame de Olonne, full of malice at being +forsaken by her lover, and soon informed by whose charms her misfortune +was occasioned, got a person to represent to the baron de Palfoy the +conquest his daughter had made in such terms, as made him imagine she +encouraged his passion. Neither the character, family, or fortune of de +Coigney being equal to what he thought Charlotta might deserve, made him +very uneasy at this report; and as he looked on her not having acquainted +him with his pretensions as an indication of her having an affection for +him; he resolved to put a stop to the progress of it at once, which could +be done no way so effectually as by removing her from St. Germains.</p> +<p>To this end the careful Father came himself to that court, and waited +on the princess: he told her highness, that being in an ill state of +health and obliged to keep much at home, Charlotta must exchange the +honour she enjoyed in her service, for the observance of her duty to a +parent, who was now incapable of any other pleasures than her society.</p> +<p>The princess, to whom she was extremely dear, could not think of +parting with her without an extreme concern, but after the reasons he had +given for desiring it, would offer nothing for detaining her, on which she +was immediately called in, and made acquainted with this sudden alteration +in her affairs.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. VIII.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>The parting of Horatio and mademoiselle Charlotta, and what happened +after she left St. Germains.</i></p> +<p>A peal of thunder bursting over her head, could not have been more +alarming to mademoiselle Charlotta than the news she now heard; but her +father commanded, the princess had consented, and there was no remedy to +be hoped: she took leave of her royal mistress with a shower of unfeigned +tears, after which she retired to her apartment to prepare for quitting +it, while the baron went to pay his compliments to some of the gentlemen +at that court.</p> +<p>To be removed in this sudden manner she could impute to no other motive +than that the love of Horatio had by some accident been betrayed to her +father, (for she never so much as thought of monsieur de Coigney;) and the +thoughts of being separated from him was so dreadful, that till this fatal +moment she knew not how dear he was to her:—to add to the calamity of +her condition, he was that morning gone a hunting with the Chevalier St. +George, and she had not even the opportunity of giving him the consolation +of knowing she bore at least an equal part in the grief this unexpected +accident must occasion. Mademoiselle de Coigney came to take leave of her, +as did all the ladies of the queen's train as well as the princess's, and +expressed the utmost concern for losing so agreeable a companion; but +these ceremonies were tedious to her, and as she could not see Horatio, +she dispatched every thing with as much expedition as her secret +discontent would permit her to do, and then sent to let her father know +she was ready to attend him.</p> +<p>When they were in the coach both observed a profound silence for some +time; at last, I hope Charlotta, said the baron, you have no extraordinary +reasons to be troubled at leaving St. Germains? none, my lord, answered +she, of so much moment to me as the fears my sudden removal is owing to +your being dissatisfied with my conduct. I flatter myself, resumed he, you +are conscious of nothing which should authorize such an apprehension:—you +have had an education which ought to inform you that persons of your sex +and age are never to act in any material point of themselves:—but courts +are places where this lesson is seldom practised; and tho' the virtues of +the English queen and princess are a shining example to all about them, +yet I am of opinion that innocence is safest in retirement.</p> +<p>As she was fully convinced in her mind that it was only owing to some +jealousy of her behaviour that she had been taken from St. Germains, and +also that it was on the score of Horatio, she would not enquire too deeply +for fear of giving her father an opportunity of entering into +examinations, which she thought she could not answer without either +injuring the truth, or avowing what would not only have incensed him to a +very great degree, but also put him upon measures which would destroy even +the most distant hope of ever seeing Horatio more. He, on his side, would +not acquaint her with the sentiments which the above-mentioned suggestions +had inspired him with, thinking he should discover more of the truth by +keeping a watchful eye over her behaviour without seeming to do so.</p> +<p>During the time of their little journey from the palace of St. Germains +to Paris, where monsieur the baron de Palfoy ordinarily resided, nothing +farther was discoursed on: but when they arrived, and mademoiselle +Charlotta had opportunity of reflecting on this sudden turn, she gave a +loose to all the anxieties it occasioned:—she was not only snatch'd from +the presence of what was most dear to her on earth, but as she had no +confidante, nor durst make any, was also without any means either of +conveying a letter to him, or receiving the least intelligence from him.</p> +<p>She had been in Paris but a very little time before she perceived the +baron artfully kept her in the most severe restraint under a shew of +liberty; pretending to her, as he had done to the princess, that he was +not well enough to go abroad, he would stay at home whole days together, +and oblige her to read, or play to him on the spinnet, which frequently +she did with an aking heart; and when she went out, it was always in +company with a relation whom he kept at his house on purpose, as he said, +as a companion to divert her, but in reality to be a spy over all her +actions; and had orders to dive, by all the insinuations she was mistress +of, into her very thoughts. All this mademoiselle Charlotta had +penetration enough to discover, and, spite of the discontent she laboured +under, so well concealed what they endeavoured to find out, that all the +traps laid for her were wholly ineffectual.</p> +<p>But in what manner did the enamoured Horatio support so cruel an +affliction! he was no sooner informed at his return from hunting of what +had happened, than he was seized with agonies, which, in the force he did +himself to conceal, threw him into a fever that confined him to his bed +for several days: as his passion for mademoiselle Charlotta was not in the +least suspected, every body imputed his disorder to be occasioned by +having over-heated himself in the chace, and during his indisposition was +visited by all the court:—the Chevalier St. George sent two or three +times a day to enquire of the health of his countryman, as he was pleased +to call him, and gave him many other tokens how greatly he was in his +favour; but all the civilities he received were not capable of lessening +the anguish of his mind, which kept his body so weak, that tho' youth and +an excellent constitution threw off the fever in a short time, yet he was +unable to quit his chamber in near three weeks, and when he did, appeared +so wan and so dejected, that he seemed no more than the shadow of the once +gay and sprightly Horatio.</p> +<p>But while he was thus sinking under the burden of his griefs, and +despairing ever to see his adorable Charlotta any more, fate was providing +for him a relief as unexpected as the cause of his present unhappy +situation had been, and to the very same persons also was he indebted both +for the one and the other.</p> +<p>Young monsieur de Coigney was not less alarmed than Horatio at the +removal of Charlotta, tho' it had not the same effect on him; he was +continually teizing his sister to make her a visit and repeat her +intercessions in his behalf; but she had received such tart answers on +that score, that she was very unwilling to undertake the embassy: however, +she complied at last, and was received by mademoiselle Charlotta in the +most obliging manner, but had not the least opportunity of executing her +commission, that lady having a good deal of company with her, whom she +purposely detained to avoid entering into any particular conversation with +her, till the hour in which she knew her attendance on the queen would +oblige her to take leave.</p> +<p>The baron de Palfoy was at that time abroad; but when he was informed +who had been there, was a little disturbed that the sister of de Coigney +endeavoured still to keep up her intimacy with his daughter, not doubting +but she had either brought some letter or message from him, as he was +fully persuaded in his mind that there was a mutual affection between +them; but he took no notice of it as yet, thinking that probably she might +make a second visit, and that then he should be better able to judge of +the motive.</p> +<p>In the mean time the father of monsieur de Coigney being informed of +these proceedings, thought it beneath his son to carry on a clandestine +courtship; and the great share he possessed of the royal favour, he having +been instrumental in gaining some point in the parliament of Paris, +rendered him vain enough to imagine his alliance would not be refused, +tho' there was a superiority both of birth and fortune on the side of +monsieur the baron de Palfoy.</p> +<p>In a perfect confidence of succeeding in his request, he went to his +house, and, after some little preparation, proposed a match between his +son and mademoiselle de Palfoy. The baron was not at all surprized at what +he said, because he expected, if the young people were kept asunder, an +offer would be made of this kind; and after hearing calmly all he had to +say, in order to induce him to give his consent, he told him, that he was +very sorry he had asked a thing which it was impossible to grant, because +he had already determined to dispose otherwise of his daughter. Monsieur +de Coigney then asked to whom. I know not as yet, replied the other, but +when I said I had determined to dispose her otherways, I only meant to one +who is of blood at least equal to her own, and who has never, by any +public debaucheries, rendered himself contemptible to the discreet part of +mankind.</p> +<p>De Coigney knew not how either to put up or resent this affront; he +knew very well that his son had behaved so as to give cause for it, yet +thought he had other perfections which might over-balance what, by a +partial indulgence, he looked upon only as the follies of youth; and as +for the reflection on his family, he told the other, that whatever he was +he owed to the merit of his ancestors, not his own, and that he doubted +not but his son would one day raise his name equal to that of Palfoy. In +fine, the pride of the one, and the vanity of the other, occasioned a +contest between them, which might have furnished matter for a scene in a +comedy had any poet been witness of it: the result of it was that they +agreed in this to be mutually dissatisfied with each other, never to +converse together any more, and to forbid all communication between their +families.</p> +<p>The baron went immediately to his daughter's chamber, and having +ordered her maid, who was then doing something about her, to leave the +room, I have wondered, Charlotta, said he, with a countenance that was far +from betraying the secret vexation of his mind, that you have never, since +your coming to Paris, expressed the least desire of making a visit at St. +Germains, tho' the duty you owe a princess, who seems to have a very great +affection for you, might well have excused any impatience you might have +testified on that score; besides, you owe a visit to mademoiselle de +Coigney.</p> +<p>The princess merits doubtless all the respect I am able to pay her, +answered she; but, my lord, as it was your pleasure to remove me from that +palace, I waited till your command should licence my return; as for +mademoiselle de Coigney, the intimacy between us will excuse those +ceremonies which are of little weight where there is a real friendship.</p> +<p>These words confirming all the baron's suspicions, he thought there was +no need of farther dissimulation, and the long-conceived indignation burst +out in looks more furious than the trembling Charlotta had ever seen in +him before.—Yes, degenerate girl! said he, I have but too plain proofs of +the friendship in which you have linked yourself with the family of the de +Coigney's;—but tell me, continued he, how dare you engage yourself so far +without my knowledge? could you ever hope I would consent to an alliance +with de Coigney?</p> +<p>De Coigney! cried she, much more assured than she had been before the +mention of that name, heaven forbid you should have such a thought!</p> +<p>The resolution and disdain with which she spoke these words a little +surprized him: what, cried he, have you not encouraged the addresses of +young de Coigney, and even proceeded so far as to make his father imagine +there required no more than to ask my consent to a marriage between you!</p> +<p>How much courage does innocence inspire? Charlotta, of late so timid +and alarmed while she thought Horatio was in question, was now all +calmness and composure, when she found de Coigney the person for whom she +had been suspected. She confessed to her father, with the most settled +brow, that he had indeed made some offers of an affection for her, but +said, she had given him such answers, as nothing but the height of +arrogance and folly could interpret to his advantage; and then, on the +baron's commanding her, acquainted him with every particular that had +passed between that young gentleman, his sister, and herself, touching the +affair she was accused of.</p> +<p>She was so minute in every circumstance, answered with such readiness +to all the questions he asked of her, and seemed so perfectly at ease, as +indeed she was, that the baron could no longer have any doubts of her +sincerity, and was sorry he had taken her so abruptly from St. Germains: +he now told her, that she was at liberty to visit there as frequently as +she pleased, only, as he had been affronted by old monsieur de Coigney, as +well as to silence all future reports concerning the young gentleman, he +expected she would break off all acquaintance with mademoiselle. She +assured him of her obedience in this point, and added, that she could do +it without any difficulty; for tho' she was a lady who had many good +qualities, and one for whom she once had a friendship, yet the taking upon +her to forward her brother's designs had occasioned a strangeness between +them, which had already more than half anticipated his commands.</p> +<p>Monsieur the baron de Palfoy was now as well satisfied with his +daughter as he had lately been the reverse, and she was allowed once more +all those innocent liberties which the French ladies, above those of any +other nation in the world, enjoy.</p> +<p>It is not to be doubted but that the first use she made of liberty was +to go to St. Germains: she had heard from mademoiselle de Coigney, when +she came to visit her, that Horatio had been very much indisposed, and at +that time was not quite recovered, and was impatient to give him all the +consolation that the sight of her could afford; but fearing she should not +have an opportunity of speaking to him in private, she wrote a letter, +containing a full recital of the reason which had induced her father to +take her from St. Germains, and the happy mistake he had been in +concerning de Coigney; concluding with letting him know he might sometimes +visit her at Paris as an indifferent acquaintance, not the least suspicion +being entertained of him, and the baron now in so good a humour with her, +that it would not be easy for any one to make him give credit to any +informations to her prejudice. The whole was dictated by a spirit of +tenderness, which, tho' it did not plainly confess an affection, implied +every thing an honourable lover could either expect or hope.</p> +<p>On her arrival at St. Germains, where there was an extreme full court +to congratulate the princess Louisa, on the great victories lately gained +by Charles XII. the brave king of Sweeden, to whom she had been some time +contracted, she passed directly to her highness's apartment; and the +Chevalier St. George being then with her, those of his Gentlemen who had +attended him thither, were waiting in the antichamber: among them was +Horatio: the alteration of his countenance on sight of her, after this +absence, was too visible not to have been remarked, had not all present +been too busy in paying their compliments to her, to take any notice of +it. He was one of the last that approached, being willing to recover the +confusion he felt himself in, lest it should have an effect on his voice +in speaking to her. She, more prepared, received his salute with the same +gay civility she did the others, but at the same instant slipped the +letter she had brought with her into his hand.</p> +<p>Any one who is in the least acquainted with the power of love, may +guess the transports of Horatio at this condescension; but, impatient to +know the dear contents, he went out of the room as soon as he found he +could do it without being observed, and having perused this obliging +billet, found in it a sufficient cordial to revive that long languishment +his spirit had been in.</p> +<p>At his return he found her engaged in conversation with several +gentlemen and ladies: he mingled in the company, but could expect no other +satisfaction from it than being near his dear Charlotta, and hearing her +speak. The Chevalier St. George soon after came out, and he was obliged +with the rest of his train to quit the place, which at present contained +the object of his wishes. She went in immediately after to the princess, +so he saw her no more that day at St. Germains.</p> +<p>All that now employed his thoughts was a pretence to visit her at her +father's house; for tho' she had told him in her letter that he might come +as an ordinary acquaintance, yet knowing that the continuance of their +conversation depended wholly on the secrecy of it, he was willing to avoid +giving even the most distant occasions of suspicion.</p> +<p>Fortune, hitherto favourable to his desires, now presented him with one +more ample than any thing his own invention could have supplied him with: +happening to be at Paris in the company of some friends, with whom he +stayed later than ordinary, he was hurrying thro' the streets in order to +go to the inn where his servant and horses waited for him, when he heard +the clashing of swords at some distance from him: guided by his +generosity, he flew to the place where the noise directed him, and saw by +the lights, which hang out very thick in that city, one person defending +himself against three who pressed very hard upon him, and had got him down +just as Horatio arrived to his relief: he ran among the assaillants; and +either the greatness of his courage, or the belief that others would come +to his assistance, threw them into such a consternation, that they all +sought their safety in their flight, while the person they had attacked +got up again and thanked his deliverer, without whose timely aid, he said, +he could have expected nothing but death: those who set upon him being +robbers, and, as he perceived by their behaviour, desperate wretches, who +were for securing themselves by taking the lives, as well as money, of +those who were too weak to resist them: he pointed to a dead body on the +ground, who he told Horatio was his servant, and had been killed in his +defence.</p> +<p>But how transported was our young lover when, he found that the person +to whom he had done so signal a piece of service, was the father of his +mistress. As he perceived he had some wounds, tho' they proved but slight, +he compleated the obligation he had began to confer, by supporting him +under the arm till he got home, where the baron made him enter with him, +and would have prevailed with him to stay all night; but Horatio told him +he could not well dispense with being absent from his post; that it was +highly proper he should return to St. Germains that night late as it was, +but would do himself the honour of waiting on him the next day to enquire +after the state of the wounds he had received.</p> +<p>Mademoiselle Charlotta was gone to bed; but being rouzed by the +accident, no sooner was informed by the surgeons, who were immediately +sent for, that there was nothing dangerous in the hurts her father had +received, than she blessed heaven for making Horatio the instrument of his +preservation. The sense the baron seemed to have of this obligation, and +the praises he bestowed on the gallant manner in which the young gentleman +came to his relief, made her almost ready to flatter herself that fate +interested itself in behalf of their love; and indeed monsieur the baron, +notwithstanding the haughtiness of his nature, had the most just notions +of gratitude; and to testify it to Horatio, would have refused him scarce +any thing except his daughter. But however that should happen, she still +found more and more excuses for indulging the inclinations she had for +him; and tho' she yet had never given him any such assurances, yet she +resolved in her own mind, to live only for him.</p> +<p>The baron being obliged to keep his bed for several days, Horatio had a +pretence for repeating his visits to him during this time of his +confinement, and afterwards went often by invitation; the other, besides +the obligation he had to him, finding something extremely pleasing in his +conversation, to which (not to take from Horatio's merits) the +obsequiousness he found no difficulty in himself to behave with towards a +Man of his age, his quality, and above all, the father of Charlotta, not a +little contributed.</p> +<p>The lovers had now frequent opportunities of entertaining each other +both at Paris and St. Germains: nor were any of those demonstrations which +virtue and innocence permitted, wanting between them, to render them as +perfectly easy as people can possibly be, who have yet something to desire, +and much to fear. But as smooth as now their fortune seemed, they knew not +how soon a storm might rise, and give a sudden interruption to that +felicity they enjoyed.—The charms of Charlotta were every day making new +conquests; and among the number of those who pretended to admire her, how +probable was it that some one might be thought worthy by her father, and +she be compelled to receive the addresses of a rival. These were +reflections too natural not to occur to them both, and whenever they did, +could not fail of embittering those sweets the certainty of a mutual +affection had otherwise afforded.</p> +<p>They had now no trouble from monsieur de Coigney; his father, in order +to make him forget a hopeless passion, had found an employment for him +which obliged him to go many leagues from Paris; and once the conversation +already mentioned at the baron's, his sister and mademoiselle Charlotta, +by command of their respective parents, as well as their own inclinations, +broke off all correspondence, nor even spoke to each other, unless when +happening to meet in a visit, there was no avoiding it; and then it was in +such a distant manner, and with so much indifference, that none would have +imagined they ever had been intimate friends and companions.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. IX.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>A second separation between Horatio and Charlotta, with some other +occurrences</i>.</p> +<p>The season of the year now having put an end to the campaign, and the +French, as well as confederate armies, being retired into their winter +quarters, the baron de la Valiere, who had always a special permission +from the general, returned to Paris: Horatio promised himself much +satisfaction in the renewed society of this friend, and no sooner heard he +was on the road than he went to meet him. The baron, charm'd with this +proof of his affection and respect, received him as a brother, and there +was little less freedom used between them.</p> +<p>After the mutual testimonies and good-will were over de la Valiere +began to ask him concerning mademoiselle Charlotta; on which Horatio +acquainted him with her being removed from St. Germains, and the occasion +of it, not omitting the arrogance with which old monsieur de Coigney had +behaved to her father, and the resentment now between the families.</p> +<p>Well, said the baron, but I hope you have been more successful, at +least with the young lady: I will never more trust the intelligence of +eyes, if yours did not hold a very tender intercourse; and I protest to +you, my dear Horatio, that amidst all the toils and dangers of war, my +thoughts were often at St. Germains, not envying, but congratulating the +pleasures you enjoyed in the conversation of that amiable lady.</p> +<p>I doubt not, replied Horatio with a smile, but we had you with us at a +place which contained mademoiselle de Coigney; and I am of opinion too she +was no less frequently in the camp with you; for in spite of all the +reserve she affected while you were present, she never heard the bare +mention of your name without emotions, which were very visible in her +countenance.</p> +<p>I would not be vain, replied the baron, but I sometimes have flattered +myself with the hope I was not altogether indifferent to her; tho' for two +whole years that I have constantly made my addresses to her, I never could +obtain one soft confession to assure my happiness:—but let me know how +you have proceeded on the score of mademoiselle Charlotta? believe me, I +am not so engrossed by my own affairs, as not to give attention to those +of a friend.</p> +<p>Horatio, who had been engaged by Charlotta to preserve an inviolable +secrecy in every thing that had passed between them, without any exception +of persons, would fain have turned the conversation on some other topic: +he truly loved the baron, had the highest opinion of his discretion, and +would have trusted him with the dearest secrets of his life, provided they +related to himself alone; but he had given his word, his oath, his honour +to Charlotta, and durst not violate them on any consideration; yet, loth +to refuse or to deceive his friend, he found himself in the most +perplexing dilemma. As often as the other spoke of Charlotta, he answered +with something of de Coigney; but all his artifice was ineffectual, and +the baron at last saw thro' it, and assuming a very grave countenance, I +perceive, Horatio, said he, you do not think me worthy your confidence, +and I was to blame to press you to reveal what you resolve to make a +mystery of.</p> +<p>These words made a very deep impression on the grateful soul of him +they were addressed to; and equally distressed between the necessity of +either disobliging a person whose generosity he had experienced, or +falsifying the promise he had made to Charlotta, at last an expedient +offered to his mind how to avoid both, and yet not be guilty of injuring +the truth.</p> +<p>Alas! my lord, answered he, you little know the heart of Horatio, if +you imagine there be any thing there that would hide itself from you:—I +freely confess, the charms of mademoiselle Charlotta had such an effect on +me, that, had I been in circumstances which in the least could have +flattered me with success, I should long ago have avowed myself her lover: +but when I reflected on the disparity between us, the humour of her +father, and a thousand other impediments, I endeavoured to banish so +hopeless a passion from my breast, and was the more confirmed in my +resolution to do so by the ill treatment monsieur de Coigney +received:—besides, her removal from St. Germains, depriving me in a great +measure of those opportunities I had before of entertaining her, might +very well contribute to wean off a passion, not settled either by time or +expectation, of ever being gratified; and I hope, continued he, I shall +always have so much command over myself as not to become ridiculous by +aiming at impossibilities.</p> +<p>Whether the baron gave any credit to what he said on this account or +not, he had too much politeness to press him any farther; and the +discourse soon after taking another turn, Horatio was very well pleased to +think he had got off so well.</p> +<p>De la Valiere having related to him some particulars of the late +campaign, which the public accounts had been deficient in, they passed +from that to some talk of the brave young king of Sweden, a topic which +filled all Europe with admiration: but the French being a people in whom +the love of glory is the predominant passion, were more than any other +nation charmed with the greatness of that prince's soul.</p> +<p>What indeed has any hero of antiquity to boast of in competition with +this northern monarch, who conquered and gave away kingdoms for the +benefit of others, disdaining to receive any other reward for all his vast +fatigues, than the pleasure of giving a people that person whom he judged +most worthy to reign over them!</p> +<p>The baron, who had attended the Count de Guiscard when he was +residentiary ambassador from his most christian majesty at the Swedish +court, had an opportunity of seeing more of this monarch than any other +that Horatio was acquainted with; he therefore, on his requesting it, +informed him how, at the age of eighteen, he threw off all magnificence, +forsook the pomp and delicacies of a court he had been bred in, and +undertook, and compleated the delivery of his brother-in-law, the duke of +Holstein, from the cruel incursions of the Danes, who had well nigh either +taken or ravaged the greatest part of his territories. He also set forth, +in its proper colours, the base part which Peter Alexowitz, czar of +Muscovy, and Augustus, king of Poland, acted against a prince who was then +employing his arms in the cause of justice; the latter of these bringing a +powerful army to take from him one part of his dominions; and the former, +at the head of an 100,000 men, were plundering the other: but when he +concluded his little narrative, by reciting how this young conqueror, with +a handful of brave Swedes, animated by the example of their king, put +entirely to route all that opposed him, Horatio felt his soul glow with an +ardour superior even to that of love: he longed to behold a prince who +seemed to have all the virtues comprized in him, and whose very thoughts, +as well as actions, might be looked upon as super-natural.</p> +<p>He is, however, greatly to be pitied, said the baron de la Valiere, +that the wars he is engaged in, and which, in all probability will be of +long continuance, hinders him from the possession of the most amiable +princess in the world, and I dare answer, at least if I may credit those +about her, she wishes he were of a less martial disposition.</p> +<p>He will be the more worthy of her, cried Horatio interrupting him, and +the immortal fame of his actions be a sufficient attonement for all the +years of expectation that may be its purchase.</p> +<p>From the time Horatio had this discourse with the baron, the king of +Sweden was ever uppermost in his thoughts: he had always reflected that, +in the station he then was, it would be impossible to obtain any more of +mademoiselle Charlotta than her heart, at least while the baron de Palfoy +lived, and that a thousand accidents might deprive him of all hopes of +ever being more happy; but, said he to himself, were I among the number of +those who attend this hero in his martial exploits, I might at least have +an opportunity of proving how far fortune would befriend me;—who knows +but I might be able to do something which might engage that just and +generous monarch to raise me to a degree capable of avowing my pretensions +even to her father, and the same blessed day that joined our principals, +might also make me blessed in the possession of my dear Charlotta.</p> +<p>With these ideas did he often flatter himself; but the manner in which +he should accomplish his desires was yet doubtless to him. The chevalier +St. George treated him with so much kindness, that he had no room to doubt +his having a great share in his favour; and was fully perswaded, that if +he communicated his intentions to him, he would vouchsafe to give him +letters of recommendation to a prince who was to be his brother-in-law: +but this he feared to ask, lest it should be looked upon as ingratitude +in him to desire to leave a court where he had been so graciously +received, and had many favours, besides the perquisites of his post, +heaped upon him, not only by the chevalier himself, but also by the queen +and princess, who, following the example of the late king, behaved with a +kind of natural affection to all the English.</p> +<p>He sometimes communicated his sentiments on this head to mademoiselle +Charlotta, who was too discreet not to allow the justness of them; and +well knew, that in the station her lover now was, they never could be on +any terms with each other than those they were at present: her reason, +therefore, and the advantage of her love, made her sometimes wish he would +follow the dictates of so laudable an ambition; but then the dangers he +must inevitably be exposed to in following a monarch who never set any +bounds to his courage, and the thoughts how long it might possibly be +before she saw him again, alarmed all her tenderness; and he had the +satisfaction of seeing the tears stand in her eyes whenever they had any +discourse of this nature; and tho' her words assured him that it was her +opinion he could not take a more ready way to raise his own fortune, yet +her looks at the same time made him plainly see how much she would suffer +in his taking that step.</p> +<p>Many reasons, both for and against following his inclination in this +point, presented themselves to him; and he had no sooner, as he thought, +determined for the one, than the other rose with double vehemence and +overthrew the former. In this fluctuating situation of mind did he remain +for some time, and perhaps had done so much longer, had not an accident +happened which proved decisive, and indeed left him no other party to take +than that he afterwards did.</p> +<p>Charlotta, being now entirely mistress of herself, gave him frequent +meetings in the Tuilleries, judging it safer to converse with him there +than at the house of any person, whom, in such a case, must be the +confidante of the whole affair; whereas, if they were seen together in the +walks, it might be judged they met by accident, and not give any grounds +of suspicion, which hitherto they had been so fortunate as to avoid.</p> +<p>It was in one of those appointments, when entered into a very tender +conversation, they forgot themselves so far as to suffer the moon to rise +upon them: the stillness of the evening, and the little company which +happened to be there that night, seemed to indulge their inclinations of +continuing in so sweet a recess:—they were seated on a bench at the foot +of a large tree, when Charlotta, in answer to some tender professions he +had been making, said, depend on this, Horatio, that as you are the first +who has ever been capable of making me sensible of love, so nothing shall +have power to change my sentiments while you continue to deserve, or to +desire I should think of you as I now do. He shall not long continue to +desire it,—cried a voice behind them, and immediately rushed from the +other side of the thicket a man with his sword drawn, and ran full upon +Horatio, who not having time to be upon his guard, had certainly fallen a +victim to his rival's fury, had not a gentleman seized his arm, and, by +superior strength, forced him some paces back.—Are you mad, monsieur, +said he; do you forget the place you are in, or the danger you so lately +escaped for an enterprize of this nature?</p> +<p>Mademoiselle Charlotta, now a little recovered from her first, +surprize, and knowing it was young monsieur de Coigney who had given her +this alarm, had presence enough of mind to ask how he dared, after he knew +her own and father's resolution, to disturb her, or any company she had +with her? he made no reply, but reflecting that there were other ways than +fighting, by which he might be revenged, went hastily away with that +friend who had hindered him from executing his rash purpose; but they +could hear that he muttered something which seemed a menace against them +both.</p> +<p>How impossible is it to express the consternation our lovers now were +in: they found by the repetition monsieur de Coigney made of the words she +spoke, that what they had so long and so successfully laboured to conceal, +was now betrayed:—betrayed to one who would not fail to make the most +malicious use of the discovery, and doubted not but the affair would +become the general talk, perhaps to the prejudice of Charlotta's +reputation; but the least thing either could expect, was to be separated +for ever.</p> +<p>Horatio, full of disturbed emotions, conducted his disconsolate +mistress to the gate of the Tuilleries, and there took a farewel of her, +which he had too much reason to fear would be his last, at least for a +long time. He was tempted by his first emotions to seek de Coigney, and +call him to account for the affront he had put upon him, and either lose +his own life, or oblige the other to secrecy; but then he considered, that +there was some probability he would not dare to own that he had given +himself any concern about mademoiselle Charlotta, after the injunction +laid on him by his father, much less as he had attempted a duel in her +cause, having, as has been already mentioned, been before guilty of a like +offence against the laws, which in that country are very strict, on +account of madame de Olonne; and this prevailed with him to be passive as +to what had happened, till he should hear how the other would behave, and +find what turn the affair would take.</p> +<p>Charlotta in the mean time was in the most terrible anxieties:—she +could not imagine what had brought monsieur de Coigney, who she thought +had been many miles distant, so suddenly to Paris: but on making some +private enquiry, she was informed, that having met some difficulty in the +execution of his office, he had taken post, in order to lay his complaints +before the king, and had arrived that very day.—She now blamed her own +inadvertency in holding any discourse with Horatio, of a nature not proper +to be over-heard, in a place so public as the Tuilleries, where others, as +well as he, might have possibly been witnesses of what was said.</p> +<p>Young monsieur de Coigney suffered little less from the turbulence of +his nature, and the mortification it gave his vanity, to find a person, +whom he looked upon as every way his inferior, preferred to him. His +thoughts were wholly bent on revenge; but in what manner he should +accomplish it, he was for some time uncertain: when he acquainted his +father with the discovery he had made, and the resentment he had testified +against this unworthy rival, as he called him, the old gentleman blamed +him for taking any notice of it. Let them love on, son, said he; let them +marry;—we shall then have a fine opportunity of reproaching the haughty +baron with his new alliance. This did not however satisfy monsieur de +Coigney: all the love he once had for mademoiselle Charlotta was now +turned into hate; and in spite of his father's commands not to meddle in +the affair, he could not help throwing out some reflections among his +companions, very much to the disadvantage of the young lady's reputation. +But these might possibly have blown over, as he had but a small time to +vent his malice. His father knowing the violence of his temper, in order +to prevent any ill consequences, compelled him to return to his +employment; taking upon himself the management of that business which had +brought him so unluckily to Paris.</p> +<p>But mademoiselle de Coigney had no sooner been informed by her brother +of the discovery he had made, than she doubted not that it was on the +score of Horatio that he had met with such ill success in his courtship; +and also imagined, that it had been owing to some ill impressions +mademoiselle Charlotta had given the baron de Palfoy, that her father had +been treated by him in the manner already recited. She complained of it to +the baron de la Valiere, and told him, her whole family had been +affronted, and her brother rendered miserable, for the sake of a young +man, who, said she, can neither have birth or fortune to boast of, since +he has been so long a prisoner without any ransom paid, or interposition +offered to redeem him.</p> +<p>The baron was too generous not to vindicate the merits of Horatio, as +much as was consistent with his love and complaisance for his mistress: he +was notwithstanding very much picqued in his mind that a person, to whom +he had given the greatest proofs of a sincere and disinterested +friendship, should have concealed a secret of this nature from him, and +the more so, as he had seemed to expect and desire his confidence. From +this time forward he behaved to him with a coldness which was sufficient +to convince the other of the motive, especially as he found mademoiselle +de Coigney took all opportunities of throwing the most picquant +reflections on him. It is certain that lady was so full of spight at the +indignity she thought her family had received, that she could not help +whispering the attachment of Horatio and Charlotta, not only at St. +Germains, but at Paris also, with inunendo's little less cruel than those +her brother had made use of to his companions; so that between them, the +amour was talked of among all who were acquainted with either of them.</p> +<p>At length the report reached the ears of the baron de Palfoy, who, tho' +he did not immediately give an entire credit to it, thought it became him +to do every thing in his power to silence it.</p> +<p>Accordingly he called his daughter to him one day, and having told her +the liberty which the world took in censuring her conduct on Horatio's +account, commanded her to avoid all occasions of it for the future, by +seeing him no more.</p> +<p>The confusion she was in, and which she had not artifice wholly to +conceal from the penetrating baron, more convinced him, than all he had +been told, that there was in reality some tender intercourse between them; +but resolving to be fully ascertained, he said no more to her at that +time, but dispatched a messenger immediately to St. Germains, desiring +Horatio to come to him the same day.</p> +<p>The lover readily obeyed this summons, but not without some +apprehensions of the motive: the hints daily given him, joined to the +alteration, not only in the behaviour of mademoiselle de Coigney, but +likewise of the baron de la Valiere, gave him but too just room to fear +his passion was no longer a secret.</p> +<p>The father of Charlotta received him with great courtesy, but nothing +of that pleasantness with which he had looked on him ever since he had +defended him from the robbers. Horatio, said he, I am indebted to you for +my life, and would willingly make what recompence is in my power for the +obligation I have to you:—think therefore what I can do for you; and if +your demands exceed not what is fit for you to ask, or would become me to +grant, you may be assured of my compliance.</p> +<p>The astonishment Horatio was in at these words is impossible to be +expressed; but having an admirable presence of mind, my lord, answered he, +I should be unworthy of the favours you do me, could I be capable of +presuming on them so far as to make any requests beyond the continuance of +them.</p> +<p>No, Horatio, resumed the baron, I acknowledge my gratitude has been too +deficient, since it has extended only to those civilities which are due to +your merit, exclusive of any obligation; the conversation we have had +together has hitherto afforded a pleasure to myself, and it is with a good +deal of mortification I now find a necessity to break it off:—I would +therefore have the satisfaction of doing something that might convince you +of my esteem, at the same time that I desire you to refrain your visits.</p> +<p>Not all Horatio's courage could enable him to stand this shock, without +testifying some part of what passed in his mind:—he was utterly incapable +of making any reply, tho' the silence of the other shewed he expected it, +but stood like one confounded, and conscious of deserving the banishment +he heard pronounced against him.—At last recollecting himself a +little,—my lord, said he, I see not how I can be happy enough to preserve +any part of your esteem, since looked upon as unworthy an honour you were +once pleased to confer upon me.</p> +<p>You affect, said the baron, a slowness of apprehension, which is far +from being natural to you, and perhaps imagine, that by not seeming to +understand me, I should believe there were no grounds for me to forbid +you my house; but, young man, I am not so easily deceived; and since you +oblige me to speak plain, must tell you, I am sorry to find you have +entertained any projects, which, if you had the least consulted your +reason, you would have known could never be accomplished.—In fine, +Horatio, what you make so great a mystery of, may be explained in three +words:—I wish you well as a friend, but cannot think of making you my +son:—I would recompence what you have done for me with any thing but my +daughter, and as a proof of my concern for your happiness, I exclude you +from all society with her, in order to prevent so unavailing a passion +from taking too deep a root.</p> +<p>Ah, my lord, cried Horatio, perceiving all dissimulation would be vain, +the man who once adored mademoiselle de Palfoy can never cease to do so. +He ought therefore, replied the baron, without being moved, to consider +the consequences well before he begins to adore:—if I had been consulted +in the matter I should have advised you better; but it is now too late, +and all I can do is to prevent your ever meeting more:—this, Horatio, is +all I have to say, and that if in any other affair I can be serviceable to +you, communicate your request in writing, and depend on its being granted.</p> +<p>In speaking these last words he withdrew, and left Horatio in a +situation of mind not easy to be conceived.—He was once about to entreat +him to turn back, but had nothing to offer which could make him hope would +prevail on him to alter his resolution.—He never had been insensible of +the vast disparity there was at present between him and the noble family +of de Palfoy: he could expect no other, or rather worse treatment than +what he had now received, if his passion was ever discovered, and had no +excuse to make for what himself allowed so great a presumption.</p> +<p>With a countenance dejected, and a heart oppressed with various +agitations, did he quit the house which contained what was most valuable +to him in the world, while poor Charlotta endured, if possible, a greater +shock.</p> +<p>The baron de Palfoy, now convinced that all he had been informed of was + true, was more incensed against her than he had been on the mistaken + supposition of her being influenced in favour of monsieur de Coigney: he + had no sooner left Horatio than he flew to her apartment, and reproached + her in terms the most severe that words could form.—It was in vain she + protested that she never had any design of giving herself to Horatio + without having first received his permission.—He looked on all she said + as an augmentation of her crime, and soon came to a determination to put + it past her power to give him more than she had already done.</p> +<p>Early next morning he sent her, under the conduct of a person he could +confide in, to a monastry about thirty miles from Paris, without even +letting her know whither she was about being carried, or giving her the +least notice of her departure till the coach was at the door, into which +he put, her himself with these words,—adeiu Charlotta, expect not to see +Paris, or me again, till you desire no more to see Horatio.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. X.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>The reasons that induced Horatio to leave France; with the chevalier +St. George's behaviour on knowing his resolution. He receives an +unexpected favour from the baron de Palfoy.</i></p> +<p>While Charlotta, under the displeasure of her father, and divided, +as she believed, for ever from her lover, was pursuing her melancholy +journey, Horatio was giving way to a grief which knew no bounds, and which +preyed with the greater feirceness on his soul, as he had no friend to +whom he could disburden it. The baron's estrang'd behaviour was no small +addition to his other discontents, and he lamented the cruel necessity +which had enforced him to disoblige a person to whom he owed so many +favours, and whose advice would now have been the greatest consolation.</p> +<p>He could not now hope Charlotta would be permitted to come to St. +Germains, and doubted not but her father would take effectual methods to +prevent her visiting at any place where even accident might occasion a +meeting between them: he knew the watch had been set over her on the +account of monsieur de Coigney, and might be assured it would not now be +less strict, and that it would be equally impossible for either to +communicate their thoughts by writing as it was to see each other.</p> +<p>He was in the midst of these reflections when he heard, by some people +who were acquainted with the baron de Palfoy, that he had sent his +daughter away, but none knew where: this, instead of lessening his +despair, was a very great aggravation of it:—he imagined she was confined +in some monastry, and was not insensible of the difficulties that attend +seeing a young lady who is sent there purposely to avoid the world; yet, +said he to himself, could I be happy enough to discover even to what +province she was carried, I would go from convent to convent till I had +found which of them contained her.</p> +<p>It was in vain that he made all possible enquiry: every one he asked +was in reality as ignorant as himself.—The baron de Palfoy had trusted +none, so could not be deceived but by those persons who had the charge of +conducting her, and of their fidelity he had many proofs. Yet how +impossible is it for human prudence to resist the decrees of fate.—The +secret was betrayed, without any one being guilty of accusing the +confidence reposed in them, and by the strangest accident that perhaps +ever was, Horatio learned all he wished to know when he had given over all +his endeavours for that purpose, and was totally despairing of it.</p> +<p>He came one day to Paris, in order to alleviate his melancholy, in the +company of some young gentlemen, who had expressed a very great regard for +him; but his mind being taken up with various and perplexed thoughts on +his entrance into that city, he mistook his way, and turned into the rue +St. Dennis instead of the rue St. Honore, where he had been accustomed to +leave his horses and servant.—He found his error just as he was passing +by a large inn, and it being a matter of indifference to him where he put +up, would not turn back, but ordered his man to alight here.—I forgot +where I was going, said he, but I suppose the horses will be taken as much +care of at this house as where we used to go. I shall see to that, replied +the fellow. Horatio stepped into a room to take some refreshment while his +servant went to the stable, but had not been there above a minute before +he heard very high words between some people in the yard; and as he turned +towards the window, saw a man in the livery of the baron de Palfoy, and +whom he presently knew to be the coachman of that nobleman. He was hot in +dispute with the innkeeper concerning a horse which he had hired of him, +and, as the other insisted, drove so hard that he had killed him. The +coachman denied the accusation; but the innkeeper told him he had +witnesses to prove the horse died two hours after he was brought home, +and declared, that if he had not satisfaction for his beast, he would +complain to the baron, and if he did not do him justice, have recourse to +law.—There was a long argument between them concerning the number of +miles, the hours they drove, and the weight of the carriage.—Among other +things the innkeeper alledged, that he saw them as he passed his corner, +and there were so many trunks, boxes, and other luggage behind and before +the coach, besides the company that was in it, that it required eight +horses instead of six to draw it. Why then, said the coachman, did it not +kill our horses as well as yours; if they had been equally good, they +would have held out equally.—I do not pretend mine was as good, replied +the innkeeper, I cannot afford to feed my horses as my lord does; but yet +he was a stout gelding, and if he had not been drove so very hard, and +perhaps otherwise ill used into the bargain, he would have been alive now.</p> +<p>All this was sufficient to make Horatio imagine it was for the journey +which deprived him of his dear Charlotta, that this horse had been hired, +so tarried in the place where he was till the debate was over, which ended +not to the satisfaction of the innkeeper, who swore he would not be fooled +out of his money. As soon as the coachman was gone, Horatio called him in, +and asked what was the matter, and who it was that endeavoured to impose +upon him? on which the innkeeper readily told him, that on such a day this +coachman came to him and hired a horse in order to make up a set to go to +Rheines in Champaigne, my lord-baron having three or four sick in the +stable at that time.—Two days after, said he, my horse was brought home +all in a foam, and fell down dead in less than three hours, and yet this +rascally coachman refuses to pay me for him.</p> +<p>Horatio humoured him in all he said, and let him go on his own way till +he had vented his whole stock of railing, and then asked him what company +were in the coach. The innkeeper replied, that there was one man and two +women, but did not know who they were, for their faces were muffled up in +their hoods. This was sufficient for him to be assured it was no other +than Charlotta, with her woman, and some friend whom the baron had sent +with them. The day mentioned, being the very same he had been informed she +was carried away, was also another confirmation; and he had not only the +happiness of knowing where his mistress was, but of knowing it by such +means as could give the baron no suspicion of his being acquainted with +it, and therefore make him think it necessary to remove her.</p> +<p>Having gained this intelligence, which yet he was no better for than +the hope of being able to get a sight of her thro' the grate, which he was +resolved to accomplish some way or other, he resumed his design of going +into the army of the king of Sweden. As a perfect knowledge of the many +excellent qualities of the chevalier St. George, made him regard and love +him with an affection beyond what is ordinarily to be met with from a +servant to his master, he felt an extreme repugnance to quit him, and yet +more in breaking a matter to him which, while it testified a confidence in +the goodness of him whose assistance he must implore, he thought, at the +same time, would be looked on as ingratitude in himself; and he was some +time deliberating in what manner he should do it; and it would have been +perhaps a great while before he could have found words which he would have +thought proper for the purpose, if he had not taken an opportunity, which, +without any design of his own, offered itself to him.</p> +<p>The chevalier St. George took a particular pleasure in the game of +Chess; and Horatio having learned it among the officers in Campaine, +frequently played with him: they were one evening at this diversion, when +the lover of Charlotta having his mind a little perplexed, placed his men +so ill, that the chevalier beat him out at every motion. How is this, +Horatio, cried he; you used to play better than I, butt now I have the +advantage of you.—May you always have it, sir, replied he with the utmost +respect, over all who pretend to oppose you.—Chess is a kind of emblem of +war, where policy should go hand in hand with courage; and there is a +great master in that art, whom if I were some time to serve under, I +flatter myself that I should be able to know how to move my men with +better success than I have done to night; but then my skill should be +employed only against such as are your enemies.</p> +<p>You mean my brother Charles of Sweden, said the chevalier smiling, but +I believe he seldom plays. Never, but when kingdoms are at stake, resumed +Horatio; and if a day should come when you, sir, shall attempt the prize, +how fortunate would it be for me to have learned to serve you as I am +obliged by much more than my duty, by the most natural and inviolable +attachment of my heart, which would render it the greatest blessing I +could receive from heaven. I believe, indeed, returned the chevalier St. +George, you love me enough to fight in my cause whenever occasion offers. +I would not only fight, but die, cried Horatio warmly; yet I would wish to +have the skill to make a great number of your enemies die before me. Well, +said the chevalier, we will talk of this to-morrow; in the mean time play +as well as you can against me at St. Germains: in another place perhaps +you may play for me. Horatio made no other reply to these words than a low +bow, and then elating his hands and eyes to heaven, as internally praying +for the opportunity his master seemed to hint at.</p> +<p>The impression this little conversation made on the mind of the +chevalier St. George, proved itself in its effects the very next day. +Horatio being ordered to come into his chamber early in the morning,—I +have been thinking on what passed last night between us, said he, and if +you have a serious Intention of doing what you seemed to hint at, will +contribute all I can to forward you.</p> +<p>Ah sir! cried Horatio, falling at his feet, impute not, I beseech you, +this desire in me to any thing but the extreme desire I have to render +myself worthy of the favours you have been pleased to confer upon me, and +to be able to serve you whenever any happy occasion shall present itself.</p> +<p>No more, Horatio, replied the chevalier, with a sweetness and +affability peculiar to himself; I am perfectly assured of your duty and +affection to me, and am so far from taking it ill that you desire to quit +my court on this score, that I think, your ambition highly laudable:—I +will write letters of recommendation, with my own hand, to my brother +Charles, and to some others in his camp, which I doubt not but will +procure you a reception answerable to your wishes:—therefore, as it is a +long journey you are to take, the sooner you provide for your departure +the better:—I will order you out of my privy purse 2000 crowns towards +your expences.</p> +<p>Horatio found it impossible to express how much this goodness touched +his soul; nor could do it any otherwise than by prostrating himself a +second time, embracing his knees, and uttering some incoherent +acclamations, which more shewed to his master the sincerity of his +gratitude, and the perfect love he bore him, than the most elegant +speeches could have done.</p> +<p>After all possible demonstrations of the most gracious benignity on the +one side, and reverence on the other, Horatio quitted the presence, and +went to sir Thomas Higgons, who at that time was privy purse, and one of +the finest gentlemen that ever England bred, and acquainted him with the +chevalier St. George's goodness to him, and the change that was going to +be made in his fortune: he thanked him in the politest manner for being +made the first that should congratulate him, and told him, he did not +doubt but he should see him return covered with laurels, and enriched with +honours, by the most glorious and grateful monarch the world had to boast +of. The whole court, whose esteem the good qualities, handsome person, and +agreeable behaviour of Horatio had entirely gained, seemed to partake in +his satisfaction, and he was so engrossed with the preparations for his +departure, and receiving the compliments made him, that tho' he was far +from forgetting Charlotta, yet the languishment which her absence had +occasioned was entirely banished, and he now appeared all life and +spirit.—So true it is that idleness is the food of soft desires.</p> +<p>It must be confessed, indeed, that love had a very great share in +reviving in him those martial inclinations, which for a time had seemed +lulled to rest, since it was to render himself in a condition which might +give him hope of obtaining the object of his love that now pushed him on +to war. He resolved also to make Rheines in his way to Poland, where the +king of Sweden then was pursuing his conquests, and see, if possible, his +dear Charlotta, before he left France; and as he was of a more than +ordinary sanguine disposition, he was much sooner elated with the prospect +of success in any undertaking he went about, than dejected at the +disappointment of it.</p> +<p>The baron de la Valiere, whose friendship over-balanced his resentment, +now gave an instance of his generosity, which, as things had stood of late +between them, Horatio was far from expecting. That nobleman came to his +apartment one day with a letter in his hand, and accosting him with the +familiarity he had been accustomed to treat him with before their +estrangement,—Horatio, said he, I cannot suffer you to leave us without +giving you what testimonies of good-will are in my power:—you are now +going among strangers, and tho' after the recommendations I hear you are +to carry with you from the chevalier St. George, nothing can be added to +assure you of the king of Sweden's favour, yet as many brave actions are +lost for want of a proper representation of them, and the eyes of kings +cannot be every where, it may be of some service to you to have general +Renchild your friend: I once had the honour of a particular acquaintance +with that great man, and I believe this letter, which I beg the favour of +you to deliver to him, will in part convince him of your merit, before you +may have an opportunity of proving it to him by your actions.</p> +<p>Horatio took the letter out of his hand, which he had presented to him +at the conclusion of his speech; and charmed with this behaviour, the +satisfaction I should take, said he, in this mark of your forgiving +goodness, would be beyond all bounds, were I not conscious how far I +have been unworthy of it; and that I fear the same goodness, always +partial to me, may have in this paper (meaning the letter) endeavoured to +give the general an idea of me which I may not be able to preserve.</p> + +<p>I look upon myself to be the best judge of that, replied the baron with +a smile; and you may remember, that on a very different occasion I saw +into your sentiments before you were well acquainted with the nature of +them yourself.</p> +<p>As Horatio knew these words referred to the discourse that had passed +between them concerning his then infant passion for mademoiselle +Charlotta, he could not help blushing; but de la Valiere perceiving he had +given him some confusion, would have turned the discourse, had not the +other thought fit to continue it, by letting him know the real motive +which had constrained him to act with the reserve he had done on that +score.</p> +<p>The baron de la Valiere assured him that he should think no more of it; +and tho' at first he had taken it a little amiss, yet when he came to +reflect on the circumstance, he could not but confess he should have +behaved in the same manner himself.</p> +<p>The renewal of the former friendship between them, greatly added to the +contentment Horatio at present enjoyed; but soon after he received such an +augmentation of it, as he could never have imagined, much less have +flattered himself with the hope of.</p> +<p>Some few days before his departure, a servant of the baron de Palfoy +came to him to let him know his lord sent his compliments, and desired to +speak with him at his own house. The message seemed so improbable, that +Horatio could scarce give credit to it, and imagined the man had been +mistaken in the person to whom he delivered it, till he repeated over and +over again that it was to no other he was sent.</p> +<p>Had it been any other than the father of mademoiselle Charlotta, who +had invited him to a house he had been once forbid, he scarce would have +obeyed the summons; but as it was he, the awful person who gave being to +that charmer of his soul, he sent the most respectful answer, and the same +day took horse for Paris, and attended the explanation of an order which +at present seemed so misterious to him.</p> +<p>The baron was no sooner informed he was there, than he came into the +parlour with a countenance, which had in it all the marks of good humour +and satisfaction; Horatio, said he, after having made him seat himself, I +doubt not but you think me your enemy, after the treatment I gave you the +last time you were here; but I assure you, I suffered no less myself in +forbidding you my house, than you could do in having what you might think +an affront put upon you:—but, continued he after a pause, you ought to +consider I am a father, that Charlotta is my only child, that my whole +estate, and what is of infinite more consideration with me, the honour of +my family, must all devolve on her, and that I am under obligations not to +be dispensed with, to dispose of her in such a manner as shall not any way +degrade the ancestry she is sprung from.—I own your merits:—I also am +indebted to you for my life:—but you are a foreigner, your family +unknown,—your fortune precarious:—I could wish it were +otherwise;—believe, I find in myself an irresistable impulse to love you, +and I know nothing would give me greater pleasure than to convince you of +it.—In fine, there is nothing but Charlotta I would refuse you.</p> +<p>The old lord uttered all this with so feeling an accent that Horatio +was very much moved at it; but unable to guess what would be the +consequence of this strange preparation, and not having any thing to ask +of him but the only thing he had declared he would not grant, he only +thanked him for the concern he was pleased to express, and said, that +perhaps there might come a time in which the obscurity he was in at +present would be enlightened; at least, cried he, I shall have the +satisfaction of endeavouring to acquire by merit what I am denied by +fortune.</p> +<p>I admire this noble ambition in you, replied the baron de Palfoy; +pursue these laudable views, and doubt not of success:—it would be an +infinite pleasure to me to see you raised so high, that I should +acknowledge an alliance with you the greatest honour I could hope: and to +shew you with how much sincerity I speak,—here is a letter I have wrote +to count Piper, the first minister and favourite of the king of Sweden; +when you deliver this to him, I am certain you will be convinced by his +reception of you, that you are one whose interest I take no inconsiderable +part in.</p> +<p>With these words he gave him a letter directed, as he had said, but not +sealed, which Horatio, after he had manifested the sense he had of so +unhoped an obligation, reminded him of. As it concerns only yourself, said +the baron, it is proper you should read it first, and I will then put on +my signet.</p> +<p>Horatio on this unfolded it, and found it contained such high +commendations of him, and such pressing entreaties to that minister to +contribute all he could to his promotion, that it seemed rather dictated +by the fondness of a parent, than by one who had taken so much pains to +avoid being so. O, my lord! cried he, as soon as he had done perusing it, +how much do you over-rate the little merit I am master of, yet how little +regard a passion which is the sole inspirer of it! what will avail all the +glory I can acquire, if unsuccessful in my love!</p> +<p>Let us talk no more of that, said the baron de Palfoy, you ought to be +satisfied I do all for you in my power to do at present:—other +opportunities may hereafter arrive in which you may find the continuance +of my friendship, and a grateful remembrance of the good office you did +me; but to engage me to fulfil my obligations without any reluctance on my +part, you must speak to me no more on a theme which I cannot hear without +emotions, such as I would by no means give way to.</p> +<p>Horatio gave a deep sigh, but presumed not to reply; the other, to +prevent him, turned the conversation on the wonderful actions of that +young king into whose service he was going to enter; but the lover had +contemplations of a different nature which he was impatient to indulge, +therefore made his visit as short as decency and the favour he had just +received would permit. The baron at parting gave him a very affectionate +embrace, and told him, he should rejoice to hear of his success by letters +from him as often as the places and employments he should be in would +allow him to write.</p> +<p>Let any one form, if they can, an idea suitable to the present +situation of Horatio's mind at so astonishing an incident: impossible it +was for him to form any certain conjecture on the baron de Palfoy's +behaviour; some of his expressions seemed to flatter him with the highest +expectations of future happiness, while others, he thought, gave him +reason to despair:—sometimes he imagined that it was to his pride and the +greatness of his spirit, which would not suffer him to let any obligation +go unrequited, that he owed what had been just now done for him.—But when +he reflected on the contents of the letter to count Piper, he could not +help thinking they were dictated by something more than an enforced +gratitude:—he remembered too that he promised him the continuation of his +friendship, and had given some hints during the conversation, as if time +and some accidents, which might possibly happen, might give a turn to his +affairs even on Charlotta's account.—On the whole it appeared most +reasonable to conclude, that if he could by any means raise his fortune in +the world to the pitch the baron had determined for his daughter, he would +not disapprove their loves; and in this belief he could not but think +himself as fortunate as he could expect to be, since he never had been +vain enough to imagine, that in his present circumstances he might hope +either the consent of the father, or the ratification of the daughter's +affection.</p> +<p>Every thing being now ready for his departure, he took leave of the +chevalier St. George, who seemed to be under a concern for losing him, +which only the knowledge how great an advantage this young gentleman would +receive by it, could console: the queen also gave him a letter from +herself to her intended son-in-law; and the charming princess Louisa, with +blushes, bid him tell the king of Sweden, he had her prayers and wishes +for success in all his glorious enterprizes.</p> +<p>Thus laden with credentials which might assure him of a reception equal +to the most ambitious aim of his aspiring soul, he set out from Paris, not +without some tender regret at quitting a place where he had been treated +with such uncommon and distinguished marks of kindness and respect. But +these emotions soon gave way to others more transporting:—he was on his +journey towards Rheines, the place which contained his beloved Charlotta; +and the thoughts that every moment brought him still nearer to her filled +him with extacies, which none but those who truly love can have any just +conception of.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XI.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Horatio arrives at Rheines, finds means to see mademoiselle +Charlotta and afterwards pursues his journey to Poland</i>.</p> +<p>The impatience Horatio had to be at Rheines made him travel very hard +till he reached that city; nor did he allow himself much time for repose +after his fatigue, till having made a strict enquiry at all the +monasteries, he at length discovered where mademoiselle Charlotta was +placed.</p> +<p>Hitherto he had been successful beyond his hopes; but the greatest +difficulty was not yet surmounted: he doubted not but as such secrecy had +been used in the carrying her from Paris, and of the place to which she +had been conveyed, that the same circumspection would be preserved in +concealing her from the sight of any stranger that should come to the +monastry:—he invented many pretences, but none seemed satisfactory to +himself, therefore could not expect they would pass upon +others.—Sometimes he thought of disguising himself in the habit of a +woman, his youth, and the delicacy of his complexion making him imagine he +might impose on the abbess and the nuns for such; but then he feared being +betrayed, by not being able to answer the questions which would in all +probability be asked him.—He endeavoured to find out some person that was +acquainted there; but tho' he asked all the gentlemen, which were a great +many, that dined at the same Hotel with him, he was at as great a loss as +ever. He went to the chapel every hour that mass was said, but could +flatter himself with no other satisfaction from that than the empty one of +knowing he was under the same roof with her; for the gallery in which the +ladies sit, pensioners, as well as those who have taken the veil, are so +closely grated, that it is impossible for those below to distinguish any +object.</p> +<p>He was almost distracted when he had been there three or four days +without being able to find any expedient which he could think likely to +succeed:—he knew not what to resolve on;—time pressed him to pursue his +journey;—every day, every hour that he lost from prosecuting the glorious +hopes he had in view, struck ten thousand daggers to his soul:—but then +to go without informing the dear object of his wishes how great a part she +had in inspiring his ambition,—without assuring her of his eternal +constancy and faith, and receiving some soft condescensions from her to +enable him to support so long an absence as he in all probability must +endure.—All this, I say, was a shock to thought, which, had he not been +relieved from, would have perhaps abated great part of that spirit which +it was necessary for him to preserve, in order to agree with the +recommendatory letters he carried with him.</p> +<p>He was just going out of the chapel full of unquiet meditations, when +passing by the confessional, a magdalen curiously painted which hung near +it attracted his eyes: as he was admiring the piece, something fell from +above and hit against his arm; he stooped to take it up, and found it a +small ivory tablet: he looked up, but could see the shadow of nothing +behind the grate: imagining it only an accident, and not knowing to whom +to return it, he put it in his pocket, but was no sooner out of the chapel +than curiosity excited him to see what it contained, which he had no +sooner done than in the first leaf he found these words: <br/> +<br/> +"As I imagine you did not come this long journey<br/> +without a desire to see me, it would be too ungrateful<br/> +not to assist your endeavours:—come a little before<br/> +vespers, and enquire of the portress for mademoiselle<br/> +du Pont;—say you are her brother, and leave the rest to me."</p> +<p>There was no name subscribed; but the dear characters, tho' evidently +wrote in haste and with a pencil, which made some alteration in the +fineness of the strokes, convinced him it came from no other than +Charlotta; and never were any hours so tedious to him as those which past +between the receiving this appointment, and that of the fulfilling it.</p> +<p>At length the wish'd-for time arrived, and he repaired to the gate, +where telling the portress, as he was ordered, that he was the brother of +mademoiselle du Pont, he was immediately brought into the parlour, where +he had not waited long before a young lady appeared behind the grate: as +he found it was not her he expected, he was a little at a loss, and not +without some apprehensions that his imagination had deceived him: I know +not, madame, said he, if chance has not made me mistaken for some happier +person:—I thought to find a sister here.—No, replied she laughing, +Horatio shall find me a sister in my good offices;—mademoiselle Charlotta +will be here immediately;—she has counterfeited an indisposition to avoid +going to vespers, and obtained permission for me to stay with her;—so +that every thing is right, and as soon as the choir is gone into chapel +you will see her. It would be needless to repeat the transports Horatio +uttered on this occasion, so I shall only say they were such as convinced +mademoiselle du Pont, that her fair friend had not made this condescension +to a man ungrateful for, or insensible of the obligation. He was indeed so +lost in them, that he scarce remembered to pay those compliments to the +lady for her generous assistance which it merited from him; but she easily +forgave any unpoliteness he might be guilty of on that score; and he so +well attoned for it after he had given vent to the sudden emotions of his +joy, that she looked, upon him as the most accomplished, as well as the +most faithful of his sex. They had entered into some discourse of the +rules of the monastry, and how impossible it would have been for him to +have gained an interview with mademoiselle Charlotta, but by the means she +had contrived;—she told him that young lady had seen him for several +days, and not doubling but it was for her sake he came, had resolved to +run any risque rather than he should depart without obtaining so small a +consolation as the sight of her was capable of affording. Horatio, by the +most passionate expressions, testified how dearly he prized what she had +seemed to think of so little value, when the expected charmer of his soul +drew near the grate.—All that can be conceived of tender and endearing +past between them; but when he related to her the occasion of his coming, +and that change of life he now was entering upon, she listened to him with +a mixture of pleasure and anxiety:—she rejoiced with him on the great +prospects he had in view; but the terror of the dangers he was plunging in +was all her own. She was far, however, from discouraging him in his +designs, and concealed not her admiration of the greatness of his spirit, +and that love of glory which seemed to render him capable of undertaking +any thing.</p> +<p>But when she heard in what manner her father had treated him, she was +all astonishment: as she knew his temper perfectly well, she was certain +he would not have acted in the manner he did without being influenced to +it by a very strong liking for Horatio; for tho' gratitude for the good +office he had received at his hands might have engaged him to make some +requital, yet there were several expressions which Horatio, who remembered +all he said, with the utmost exactness repeated to her, that convinced her +he would not have made use of, if he had not meant the person better than +he at present would have him think he did; and that there was in reality +nothing restrained him from making them as happy as their mutual affection +could desire, but the pride of blood and the talk of the world, which the +disparity of their present circumstances would occasion. As she doubted +not but the courage and virtue of Horatio would remove that impediment, +by acquiring a promotion sufficient to countenance his pretensions, she +had now no other disquiet than what arose from her fears for his safety, +which she over and over repeated, conjuring him, in the most tender terms, +not to hazard himself beyond what the duties of his post obliged him +to:—this, said she, shall be the test of my affection to you; for +whenever I hear you run yourself into unnecessary dangers, I will conclude +from that moment you have ceased to remember, or pay any regard to my +injunctions or repose.</p> +<p>Horatio kissed her hand thro' the grate, and told her, he would always +set too great a value on a life she was so good to with the continuance +of, not to take all the care of it that honour would admit; but she would +not give him leave to add any asseverations to this promise, which, said +she, you will every day be tempted to break;—the enterprizing disposition +of the prince you are going to serve, added to your own sense of glory, +will make it very difficult for you not to be the foremost in following +wherever his royal example leads the way:—nor would I wish you to +purchase security by the price of infamy; but as you go in a manner such +as will in all probability place you near his person, methinks it would be +easy for you, by now and then mentioning the princess Louisa, to rouse in +him these soft emotions which might prevent him from too rashly exposing a +life she had so great an interest in.</p> +<p>How great a pity was it this tender conversation between two persons +who had so pure a passion for each other, who had been absent for some +time, and who knew not when, or whether ever they should meet again, could +not be indulged with no longer continuance! but now mademoiselle du Pont, +who had been so good as to stand at some little distance, while they +entertained each other, as a watch to give them notice of any +interruption, now warned them that they must part:—divine service was +over, and the abbess and nuns were returning from chapel.</p> +<p>Short was the farewel the lovers took; mademoiselle Charlotta had told +him it would be highly improper he should run the hazard of a discovery by +coming there a second time, which would probably incense her father so +much, as to convert all the favourable intentions he now might have +towards them into the reverse, and he was therefore oblig'd to content +himself with printing with his lips the seal of his affection on her hand, +which he had scarce done before, on a second motion by mademoiselle du +Pont, she shot suddenly from the place and went to her chamber, that no +suspicions might arise on her being found so well as to have been able to +quit it.</p> +<p>As he had passed for the brother of mademoiselle du Pont, she stayed +some little time with him: this lady, whom Charlotta in this exigence had +made her confidant, had a great deal of good nature, and seeing the agony +Horatio was in, endeavoured to console him by all the arguments she +thought might have force;—she told him, that in the short time she had +been made partaker of mademoiselle Charlotta's secrets, she had expressed +herself with a tenderness for him, with which he ought to be satisfied, +and that she was convinced nothing would ever be capable of making the +least alteration in her sentiments.</p> +<p>While she was speaking in this manner, Horatio remembered that he had +not given Charlotta her tablet, which he now took out of his pocket, and +with the same pencil she had made use of, and which was fastened to it, +wrote in the next leaf to that she had employed these words; <br/> +<br/> +"I go, most dear, and most adorable Charlotta;<br/> +whether to live or die I know not, but which<br/> +ever is my portion, the passion I have for you is<br/> +rooted in my soul, and will be equally immortal:<br/> +life can give no joy but in the hope of being<br/> +yours, nor death any terrors but being separated<br/> +from you:—O! let nothing ever prevail on<br/> +you to forget so perfect an attachment; but in<br/> +the midst of all the temptations you may be<br/> +surrounded with, think that you have vouch-safed<br/> +to encourage my hopes, presuming as they<br/> +are, and if once lost to them, what must be the<br/> +destiny of<br/> +<br/> +HORATIO."</p> +<p>Having thus poured out some part of the over-flowings of his heart, he +entreated mademoiselle du Pont to give it her, which she assured him she +would not only do, but also be a faithful monitor for him during the whole +time she should be happy enough to enjoy the company of that lady. Horatio +having now fulfilled all his passion required of him, quitted Rheines the +next day, no less impatient to pursue his other mistress, glory!</p> +<p>But let us now see in what manner his beautiful sister Louisa, whom we +left at Vienna, was all this while engaged.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XII.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Continuation of the adventures of Louisa: her quitting Vienna with +Melanthe, and going to Venice, with some accidents that there befel them</i>.</p> +<p>Not all the gaieties of the court of Vienna had power to attach the +heart of Melanthe, after she heard that a great number of young officers, +just returned from the campaign in Italy, and other persons of condition, +were going to Venice, in order to partake the diversions of the near +approaching carnival: she was for following pleasure every where, and +having seen all that was worth observing in Germany, was impatient to be +gone where new company and new delights excited her curiosity.</p> +<p>Having therefore obtained proper passports, they set out in company +with several others who were taking the same rout, and by easy journeys +thro' Tyrol, at length arrived at that republic, so famous over all Europe +for its situation, antiquity, and the excellence of its constitution.</p> +<p>Here seemed to be at this time an assemblage of all that was to be +found of grand and polite in the whole christian world; but none appeared +with that splendor and magnificence as did Lewis de Bourbon, prince of +Conti: he had in his train above fifty noblemen and gentlemen of the best +families in France, who had commissions under him in the army, and seemed +proud to be of his retinue, less for his being of the blood royal, than +for the many great and amiable qualities which adorned his person. This +great hero had been a candidate with Augustus, elector of Saxony, for the +crown of Poland; but the ill genius of that kingdom would not suffer it to +be governed by a prince whose virtues would doubtless have rendered it as +flourishing and happy as it has since that unfortunate rejection been +impoverished and miserable. Bigotted to a family whose designs are plainly +to render the crown hereditary, they not only set aside that great prince, +under the vain and common-place pretence, that on electing him they might +be too much under the influence of France; but also afterward, as resolved +to push all good fortune from them with both hands, refused Stanislaus, a +native of Poland, a strict observer of its laws, and a man to whose +courage, virtue, and every eminent qualification even envy itself could +make no objection, and thereby rendered their country the seat of war and +theatre of the most terrible devastations of all kinds. But of this +infatuation of the Poles I shall have occasion hereafter to speak more at +large, and should not now have made any mention of it, had not the +presence of that hero, whom they first rejected, rendered it the general +subject of discourse at Venice. Numberless were the instances he gave of a +magnanimity and greatness of mind worthy of a more exalted throne than +that of Poland; but I shall only mention one, which, like the thumb of +Hercules, may serve to give a picture of him in miniature.</p> +<p>Having the good fortune one night to win a very great sum at a public +gaming, just as he sweep'd the stakes, a noble Venetian, who by some +casualties in life was reduced in his circumstances, could not help crying +out, heavens! how happy would such a chance have made me! these words, +which the extreme difficulties he was under forced from him, without being +sensible himself of what he said, were over-heard by the prince, who +turning hastily about, instead of putting the money into his own pocket, +presented it to him, saying, I am doubly indebted to chance, sir, which +has made me master of this; since it may be of service to you, I beseech +you therefore to accept it with the respects of a prince, whose greatest +pleasure in life is to oblige a worthy person.</p> +<p>It would take up too much time to expatiate on the grateful +acknowledgments made by the Venetian, or the admiration which the report +of this action being immediately spread, occasioned; but, added to others +of a little less conspicuous nature, it greatly served to convince those +who before were ignorant of it, how blind the Polanders had been to their +own interest.</p> +<p>Among the concourse of nobility and gentry, whom merely the love of +pleasure had drawn hither, and for that end were continually forming +parties, Melanthe never failed of making one either in one company or +other: Louisa, whom that lady still treated with her former kindness, or +rather with an increase of it, was also seldom absent, and when she was +so, the fault was wholly her own inclination: but in truth, that hurry of +incessant diversion, which at first had seemed so ravishing to her young +and unexperienced mind, began, by a more perfect acquaintance with it, to +grow tiresome to her, and she rather chose sometimes to retire with a +favourite book into her closet, than to go to the most elegant +entertainment.</p> +<p>It is certain, indeed, that her disposition was rather inclined to +serious than the contrary, and that, joined with the reflections which her +good understanding was perpetually presenting her with, on the uncertainty +of her birth, the precariousness of her dependance, and her enforced +quitting the only person from whom she could expect the means of any solid +establishment in the world, had rendered her sometimes extremely +thoughtful, even in the midst of those pleasures that are ordinarily most +enchanting to one of her sex and age. But as she never was elated with the +respect paid to her supposed condition, so she never was mortified with +the consciousness of her real one, to a behaviour such as might have +degraded the highest birth; neither appearing to expect it, or be covetous +of honours, nor meanly ashamed of accepting them when offered. And while +by this prudent management she secured herself from any danger of being +insulted whenever it should be known who she was, she also gave no +occasion for any one to make too deep an enquiry into her descent or +fortune.</p> +<p>But now the time was arrived when those deficiencies gave her more +anxiety than hitherto they had done; and love in one moment filled her +with those repinings at her fate, which neither vanity or ambition would +ever have had power to do.</p> +<p>Melanthe here, as at Vienna, received the visits of all whose birth, +fortune, or accomplishments, gave them a pretence; but there was none who +paid them so frequently, or which she encouraged with so much pleasure as +those of the count de Bellfleur, a French nobleman belonging to the +above-mentioned prince of Conti: she often told Louisa, when they were +alone, that there was something in the air and manner of behaviour of this +count, which had so perfect a resemblance with that of Henricus, that tho' +it reminded her of that once dear and perfidious man, she could not help +admiring and wishing a frequent sight of him. This was spoke at her first +acquaintance with him; but after some little time she informed her, that +he had declared a passion for her. He is not only like Henricus in his +person, said she, but appears to have the same inclinations also:—he +pretends to adore me, continued she with a sigh, and spares no vows nor +presents to assure me of it:—something within tempts me to believe him, +and yet I fear to be a second time betrayed.</p> +<p>Ah! madam, cried Louisa, in the sincerity of her heart, I beseech you +to be cautious how you too readily give credit to the protestations of a +sex, who, by the little observations I have made, take a pride in +deceiving ours;—besides, the count de Bellfleur is of a nation where +faith, I have heard, is little to be depended on.</p> +<p>Those who give them that character, replied Melanthe, do them an +infinite injustice:—in politics, I allow, they have their artifices, +their subterfuges, as well as in war; but then they put them in practice +only against their enemies, or such as are likely to become so:—wherever +they love, or have a friendship, their generosity is beyond all bounds.—</p> +<p>She pursued this discourse with a long detail of all she had ever read +or heard in the praise of the French, and did not forget to speak of the +prince of Conti as an instance of the gallant spirit with which that +people are animated.</p> +<p>Louisa knew her temper, and that it would be in vain to urge any thing +in contradiction to an inclination she found she was resolved to indulge; +but she secretly trembled for the consequence, the count having said many +amorous things to herself before he pretended any passion for Melanthe; +and tho' he had of late desisted on finding how little she was pleased +with them, yet that he had done so was sufficient to convince her he was +of a wavering disposition. Melanthe was not, however, to be trusted with +this secret; she loved him, and jealousy, added to a good share of vanity, +would, instead of engaging any grateful return for a discovery of that +nature, have made her hate the person he had once thought of as worthy of +coming in any competition with herself. She therefore indeed thought it +best not to interfere in the matter, but leave the event wholly to chance.</p> +<p>The evening on the day in which this discourse had past between them, +they went to a ball, to which they had been invited by one of the +Magnifico's. The honour of the prince's company had been requested; but he +excused himself on account, as it was imagined, of his being engaged with +a certain German lady, who also being absent, gave room for this +conjecture: most of the gentlemen who had followed his highness from +France were there, among whom was the count de Bellfleur, and a young +gentleman called monsieur du Plessis, who, by a fall from his horse, had +been prevented from appearing in public since his arrival. The +gracefulness of his person, the gallant manner in which he introduced +himself, and the brilliant things he said to the ladies, on having been so +long deprived of the happiness he now enjoyed, very much attracted the +admiration of the company; but Louisa in particular thought she had never +seen any thing so perfectly agreeable: a sympathy of sentiment, more than +accident, made him chuse her for his partner in a grand dance then leading +up; and the distinction now paid her by him gave her a secret +satisfaction, which she had never known before on such an occasion, tho' +often singled out by persons in more eminent stations.</p> +<p>The mind which, whenever agitated by any degree of pain or pleasure, +never fails to discover itself in the eyes, now sparkled in those of +Louisa with an uncommon lustre, nor had less influence over all her +air:—her motions always perfectly easy, gentle and graceful, especially +in dancing, were now more spirituous, more alert than usual; and she so +much excelled herself, that several, who had before praised her skill in +this exercise, seemed ravished, as if they had seen something new and +unexpected:—her partner was lavish in the testimonies of his admiration, +and said, she as much excelled the ladies of his country, as they had been +allowed to excel all others.</p> +<p>The encomiums bestowed on her, and more particularly those she received +from him, still added fresh radiance to her eyes, and at the same time +diffused a modest blush in her checks which heightened all her +charms.—Never had she appeared so lovely as at this time; and the count +de Bellfleur, in spight of his attachment to Melanthe, felt in himself a +strong propensity to renew those addresses which her reserved behaviour +alone had made him withdraw and carry to another; but the lady to whom for +some days past he had made a shew of devoting himself was present, and he +was ashamed to give so glaring an instance of his infidelity, which must +in all probability render him the contempt of both.</p> +<p>This night, however, lost Melanthe the heart she had thought herself so +secure of; but little suspecting her misfortune, she treated the +inconstant count with a tenderness he was far from deserving; and having +transplanted all the affection she once had for Henricus on this new +object, told him, at a time that such discovery was least welcome to him, +that she was not insensible of his merit, nor could be ungrateful to his +passion, provided she could be convinced of the sincerity of it. He had +gone too far with her now to be able to draw back, therefore could not +avoid repeating the vows he before had made, tho' his heart was far from +giving any asient to what his tongue was obliged to utter; but blinded by +her own desires, she perceived not the change in his, and appointed him to +come the next day to her lodgings, promising to be denied to all other +company, that she might devote herself entirely to him.</p> +<p>It is possible he was so lost in his passion for Louisa, as not to be +sensible of the condescension made him by Melanthe; but it is certain, by +the sequel of his behaviour, that he was much less so than he pretended.</p> +<p>The ball being ended, these ladies carried with them very different +emotions, tho' neither communicated to the other what she felt. Melanthe +had a kind of awe for those virtuous principles she observed in Louisa, +tho' so much her inferior and dependant, and was ashamed to confess her +liking of the count should have brought her to such lengths; not that she +intended to keep it always a secret from her, but chose she should find it +out by degrees; and these thoughts so much engrossed her, that she said +little to her that night. Louisa, for her part, having lost the presence +of her agreeable partner, was busy in supplying that deficiency with the +idea of him; so that each having meditations of her own of the most +interesting nature, had not leisure to observe the thoughtfulness of the +other, much less to enquire the motive of it.</p> +<p>One of the great reasons that we find love so irresistable, is, that it +enters into the heart with so much subtilty, that it is not to be +perceived till it has gathered too much strength to be repulsed. If Louisa +had imagined herself in any danger from the merits of monsieur du Plessis, +she would at least have been less easily overcome by them:—she had been +accustomed to be pleased with the conversation of many who had entertained +her as he had done, but thought no more of them, or any thing they said, +when out of their company; but it was otherways with her now: not a word +he had spoke, not a glance he had given, but was imprinted in her +mind:—her memory ran over every little action a thousand and a thousand +times, and represented all as augmented with some grace peculiar to +himself, and infinitely superior to any thing she had ever seen:—not even +sleep could shut him out;—thro' her closed eyes she saw the pleasing +vision; and fancy, active in the cause of love, formed new and various +scenes, which to her waking thoughts were wholly strangers.</p> +<p>Melanthe also past the night in ideas which, tho' experienced in, were +not less ravishing: she was not of a temper to put any constraint on her +inclinations; and having entertained the most amorous ones for the count +de Bellfleur, easily overcame all scruples that might have hindered the +gratification of them:—her head ran on the appointment she had made +him:—the means she would take to engage his constancy,—resolved to sell +the reversion of her jointure and accompany him to France, and flattered +herself with the most pleasing images of a long series of continued +happiness in the arms of him, who was now all to her that Henricus ever +had been.</p> +<p>Full of these meditations she rose, and soon after received from the +subject of them a billet, containing these words: <br/> +<br/> +<i>To the charming</i> MELANTHE. <br/> +<br/> +MADAM,<br/> +"Tho' the transporting promise you made<br/> +me of refusing admittance to all company<br/> +but mine, is a new instance of your goodness,<br/> +yet I cannot but think we should be still more<br/> +secure from interruption at a place I have taken<br/> +care to provide. Might I therefore hope you<br/> +would vouchsafe to meet me about five in the<br/> +evening at the dome of St. Mark, I shall be<br/> +ready with a Gondula to conduct you to a recess,<br/> +which seems formed by the god of love himself<br/> +for the temple of his purest offerings, than which<br/> +which none can be offered with greater passion<br/> +and sincerity than those of the adorable Melanthe's<br/> +<br/> +<i>Most devoted, and<br/> +Everlasting Slave</i>,<br/> +<br/> +DE BELLFLEUR.<br/> +<br/> +<i>P.S.</i>. To prevent your fair friend Louisa from<br/> +any suspicion on account of being left at<br/> +home, I have engaged a gentleman to make<br/> +her a visit in form, just before the time of<br/> +your coming out:—favour me, I beseech<br/> +you, with knowing if my contrivances in<br/> +both these points have the sanction of your<br/> +approbation."</p> +<p>Tho' Melanthe, as may have been already observed in the foregoing part +of her character, was no slave to reputation in England, and thought +herself much less obliged to be so in a place where she was a stranger, +and among people who, when she once quitted, she might probably never see +again, yet she looked on this caution in her lover as a new proof of his +sincerity and regard for her. She was also fond of every thing that had an +air of luxury, and doubted not to find the elegance of the French taste in +the entertainment he would cause to be prepared for her reception, +therefore hesitated not a moment to send him the following answer: <br/> +<br/> +<i>To the engaging count</i> DE BELLFLEUR.<br/> +<br/> +"Sensible, as you are, of the ascendant your<br/> +merits have gained over me, you cannot<br/> +doubt of my compliance with every thing that seems<br/> +reasonable to you:—I will not fail to be<br/> +at the place you mention; but oh! my dear<br/> +count, I hope you will never give me cause to<br/> +repent this step;—if you should, I must be<br/> +the most miserable of all created beings; but I<br/> +am resolved to believe you are all that man ought<br/> +to be, or that fond tenacious woman can desire;<br/> +and in that confidence attend with impatience<br/> +the hour in which there shall be no more reserve<br/> +between us, and I be wholly yours.<br/> +<br/> +MELANTHE."</p> +<p>Thus every thing being fixed for her undoing, she spent the best part +of the day in preparing for the rendezvous: nothing was omitted in the +article of dress, which might heighten her charms and secure her +conquest:—the glass was consulted every moment, and every look and +various kind of languishment essayed, in order to continue in that which +she thought would most become the occasion. As she ordinarily past a great +deal of time in this employment, Louisa was not surprized that she now +wasted somewhat more than usual; and the discourse they had together while +she was dressing, and all the time of dinner, being very much on the ball +and the company who were at it, her thoughts were so much taken up with +the remembrance of du Plessis, that she perceived not the hurry of spirits +which would else have been visible enough to her in all the words and +motions of the other, and which increased in proportion as the hour of her +appointment drew nearer.</p> +<p>At length it arrived, and a servant came into the room and acquainted +Louisa a gentleman desired to speak with her; she was a little surprized, +it being usual for all those who visited there to expect their reception +from Melanthe; but that lady, who doubted not but it was the same person +the count had mentioned in his letter, prevented her from saying any +thing, by immediately giving orders for the gentleman to be admitted.</p> +<p>But with what strange emotions was the heart of Louisa agitated, when +she saw monsieur du Plessis come into the room! and after paying his +respects to Melanthe in the most submissive manner, accosted her, with +saying he took the liberty of enquiring of her health after the fatigue of +the last night; but, added he, the question, now I have the happiness of +seeing you, is altogether needless; those fine eyes, and that sprightly +air, declare you formed for everlasting gaiety, and that what is apt to +throw the spirits of others into a languor, serves but to render yours +more sparkling.</p> +<p>Louisa, in spite of the confusion she felt within, answered this +compliment with her accustomed ease; and being all seated, they began to +enter into some conversation concerning the state with which the +Magnifico's of Venice are served, the elegance with which they entertain +strangers, and some other topics relating to the customs of that republic, +when all on a sudden Melanthe starting up, cried, bless me! I had forgot a +little visit was in my head to make to a monastery hard by:—you will +excuse me, monsieur, continued she, I leave your partner to entertain you, +and fancy you two may find sufficient matter of conversation without a +third person. She had no sooner spoke this than she went out of the room, +and left Louisa at a loss how to account for this behaviour, as she had +not before mentioned any thing of going abroad. She would have imagined +her vanity had been picqued that monsieur du Plessis had particularized +her in this visit; but as she seemed in perfect good humour at going away, +and knew she thought it beneath her to put any disguise on her sentiments, +she was certain this sudden motion must have proceeded from some other +cause, which as yet she could form no conjecture of.</p> +<p>This deceived lady, however, was no sooner out of the room, than +monsieur du Plessis drawing nearer to Louisa, how hard is my fate, madame, +said he, in a low voice, that I am compelled to tell you any other motive +than my own inclination has occasioned my waiting on you:—heaven knows it +is an honour I should have sought by the lowest submissions, and all the +ways that would not have rendered me unworthy of it; but I now come, +madame, not as myself, but as the ambassador of another, and am engaged by +my word and honour to plead a cause which, if I succeed in, must be my own +destruction.</p> +<p>Louisa was in the utmost consternation at the mystery which seemed +contained in these words: she looked earnestly upon him while he was +uttering the latter part, and saw all the tokens of a serious perplexity +in his countenance, as well as in the accents with which he delivered +them; but not being willing to be the dupe of his diversion, thought it +best to answer as to a piece of railery, and told him, laughing, she +imagined this was some new invention of the frolics of the season, but +that she was a downright English-woman, understood nothing beyond plain +speaking, and could no ways solve the riddle he proposed.</p> +<p>What I say, may doubtless appear so, madame; replied she, and I could +wish it had not been my part to give the explanation; but I cannot +dispense with the promise I have made, and must therefore acquaint you +with the history of it.</p> +<p>After the ball, continued he, monsieur the count de Bellfleur desired +me to accompany him to his lodgings, and, as soon as we were alone, told +me, he had a little secret to acquaint me with, but that, before he +revealed it, he must have the promise of my assistance. As he spoke this +with a gay and negligent air, I imagined it a thing of no great +consequence, or if it were, he was a man of too much honour, and also knew +me too well to desire or expect I would engage in any thing unbecoming +that character: indeed I could think of nothing but an amour or a duel, +tho' I was far from being able to guess of what service I could be to him +in the former. I was, however, unwarily drawn in to give my word, and he +then made me the confident of a passion, which, he said, had received its +birth from the first moment he beheld the Belle Angloise, for by that +term, pursued he, bowing, he distinguished the adorable Louisa: that he +had made some discovery of his flame, but that finding; himself rejected, +as he thought, in too severe a manner, and without affording him +opportunity to attest his sincerity, he had converted his addresses, tho' +not his passion, to a lady who, he perceived, had the care of her, acting +in this manner, partly thro' picque at your disdain, and partly to gratify +his eyes with the sight of you, which he has reason to fear you had +totally deprived him of but for this stratagem. He confessed to me that he +found the object of his pretended ardours infinitely more kind than she +who inspires the real ones: but this gratification of his vanity is of +little consequence to his peace;—he engaged me to attend you this day, to +conjure you to believe his heart is incapable of being influenced by any +other charms, and whatever he makes shew of to Melanthe, his heart is +devoted wholly to you,—begs you to permit him to entertain you without +the presence of that lady, the means of which he will take care to +contrive; and charged me to assure you, that there is no sacrifice so +great, but he will readily offer it to convince you of the sincerity of +his attachment.</p> +<p>This, madame, added he, is the unpleasing task my promise bound me to +perform, and which I have acquitted myself of with the same pain that man +would do who, by some strange caprice of fate, was constrained to throw +into the sea the sum of all his hopes.</p> +<p>The indignation which filled the virtuous foul of Louisa, while he was +giving her this detail of the count's presumption, falsehood, and +ingratitude, prevented her from giving much attention to the apology with +which he concluded. Never, since the behaviour of mr. B——n at mrs. +C—g—'s, had she met with any thing that she thought so much merited her +resentment:—so great was her disdain she had not words to express it, but +by some tears, which the rising passion forced from her eyes:—Heaven! +cried she, which of my actions has drawn on me this unworthy +treatment?—This was all she was able to utter, while she walked backward +and forward in the room endeavouring to compose herself, and form some +answer befitting of the message.</p> +<p>Monsieur du Plessis looked on her all this while with admiration: all +that seemed lovely in her, when he knew no more of her than that she was +young and beautiful, was now heightened in his eyes almost to divine, by +that virtuous pride which shewed him some part of her more charming mind. +What he extremely liked before, he now almost adored; and having, by the +loose manner in which the count had mentioned these two English ladies, +imagined them women of not over-rigid principles, now finding his mistake, +at least as concerning one of them, was so much ashamed and angry with +himself for having been the cause of that disorder he was witness of, that +he for some moments was equally at a loss to appease, as she who felt was +to express it.</p> +<p>But being the first that recovered presence of mind; madame, I beseech +you, said he, involve not the innocent with the guilty:—I acknowledge you +have reason to resent the boldness of the count; but I am no otherwise a +sharer in his crime than in reporting it; and if you knew the pain it gave +my heart while I complied with the promise I was unhappily betrayed into, +I am sure you would forgive the misdemeanor of my tongue.</p> +<p>Sir, answered she, I can easily forgive the slight opinion one so much +a stranger to me as yourself may have of me; but monsieur the count has +been a constant visitor to the lady I am with, ever since our arrival at +Venice; and am very certain he never found any thing in my behaviour to +him or any other person, which could justly encourage him to send me such +a message:—a message, indeed, equally affrontive to himself, since it +shews him a composition of arrogance, vanity, perfidy, and every thing +that is contemptible in man.—This, sir, is the reply I send him, and +desire you to tell him withal, that if he persists in giving me any +farther trouble of this nature, I shall let him know my sense of it in the +presence of Melanthe.</p> +<p>Monsieur du Plessis then assured her he would be no less exact in +delivering what she said, than he had been in the observance of his +promise to the other, and conjured her to believe he should do it with +infinite more satisfaction. He then made use of so many arguments to +prove, that a man of honour ought not to falsify his word, tho' given to +an unworthy person, that she was at last won to forgive his having +undertaken to mention any thing to her of the nature he had done.</p> +<p>Indeed, the agitations she had been in were more owing to the vexation +that monsieur du Plessis was the person employed, than that the count had +the boldness to apply to her in this manner; but the submission she found +herself treated with by the former, convincing her that he had sentiments +very different from those the other had entertained of her, rendered her +more easy, and she not only forgave his share in the business which had +brought him there, but also permitted him to repeat his visits, on +condition he never gave her any cause to suspect the mean opinion the +count had of her conduct had any influence on him.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XIII.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Louisa finds herself very much embarrassed by Melanthe's imprudent +behaviour. Monsieur du Plessis declares an honourable passion for her: her +sentiments and way of acting on that occasion</i>.</p> +<p>After the departure of monsieur du Plessis, Louisa fell into a serious +consideration of what had passed between them: not all the regard, which +she could not hinder herself from feeling for that young gentleman, nor +the pleasure she took in reflecting on the respect he paid her, made her +unmindful of what she owed Melanthe: the many obligations she had received +from her, and the friendship she had for her in return, made her think she +ought to acquaint her with the baseness of the count de Bellfleur, in +order to prevent an affection which she found she had already too much +indulged from influencing her to grant him any farther favours; but this +she knew was a very critical point to manage, and was not without some +apprehensions, which afterward she experienced were but too well grounded; +that when that lady found herself obliged to hate the man she took +pleasure in loving, she would also hate the woman who was the innocent +occasion of it. Few in the circumstances Louisa was, but would have been +swayed by this consideration, and chose rather to see another become the +prey of perfidy and deceit, than fall the victim of jealousy herself; but +the generosity of her nature would not suffer it to have any weight with +her, and she thought she could be more easy under any misfortunes the +discovery might involve her in, than in the consciousness of not having +discharged the obligations of duty and gratitude in revealing what seemed +so necessary to be known.</p> +<p>With this resolution, finding Melanthe was not come home, she went into +her chamber in order to wait her return, and relate the whole history to +her as she should undress for bed. But hour after hour elapsing without +any appearance of the person she expected, she thought to beguile the +tedious time by reading; and remembering that Melanthe had a very +agreeable book in her hand that morning, she opened a drawer, where she +knew that lady was accustomed to throw any thing in, which she had no +occasion to conceal; but how great was her surprise when, instead of what +she sought, she found the letter from count de Bellfleur which Melanthe, +in the hurry of spirits, had forgot to lock up. As it lay open and was +from him, she thought it no breach of honour to examine the contents, but +in doing so was ready to faint away between grief and astonishment.</p> +<p>She was not insensible that Melanthe was charmed with this new lover, +and had always feared her liking him would sway her to some imprudencies, +but could not have imagined it would have carried her, at least so soon, +to such a guilty length as she now found it did.</p> +<p>Convinced by the hour in which she went out, and alone, that she had +complied with the appointment, and that all she would have endeavoured to +prevent was already come to pass, she now considered that the discovery +she had to make would only render this indiscreet lady more unhappy, and +therefore no longer thought herself obliged to run any risque of incuring +her ill-will on the occasion; but in her soul extremely lamented this +second fall from virtue, which it was impossible should not bring on +consequences equally, if not more shameful than the first.</p> +<p>Good God! cried she, how is it possible for a woman of any share of +sense, and who has been blessed with a suitable education, to run thus +counter to all the principles of religion, honour, virtue, modesty, and +all that is valuable in our sex? and yet that many do, I have been a +melancholy witness:—and then again, what is there in this love, resumed +she, that so infatuates the understanding, that we doat on our dishonour, +and think ruin pleasing?—Can any personal perfections in a man attone for +the contempt he treats us with in courting us to infamy!—the mean opinion +he testifies to have of us sure ought rather to excite hate than love; our +very pride, methinks, should be a sufficient guard, and turn whatever +favourable thoughts we might have of such a one, unknowing his design, +into aversion, when once convinced he presumed upon our weakness.</p> +<p>In these kind of reasonings did she continue some time; but reflecting +that the trouble she was in might put Melanthe on asking the cause, it +seemed best to her to avoid seeing her that night, so retired to her own +room and went to bed, ordering the servants to tell their lady, in case +she enquired for her, that she was a little indisposed.</p> +<p>While Louisa was thus deploring a misfortune she wanted power to +remedy, the person for whom she was concerned past her time in a far +different manner: the count omitted nothing that might convince her of his +gallantry, and give her a pretence for flattering herself with his +sincerity:—he swore ten thousand oaths of constancy, and she easily gave +credit to what she wished and had vanity enough to think she merited:—he +had prepared every thing that could delight the senses for her reception +at the house to which he carried her; and she found in herself so little +inclination to quit the pleasures she enjoyed, that it was as much as the +little remains of decency and care of reputation could do, to make her +tear herself away before midnight.</p> +<p>In the fullness of her heart she had doubtless concealed no part of +this adventure from Louisa, but on hearing she was gone to rest, and not +very well, would not disturb her. The first thing she did in the morning +was to run into the chamber and enquire after her health, which she did +in so affectionate and tender a manner, that it very much heightened the +other's trouble for her.</p> +<p>It is certain that, setting aside too loose a way of thinking of virtue +and religion, and adhering to that false maxim, that a woman of rank is +above censure, Melanthe had many amiable qualities, and as she truly loved +Louisa, was alarmed at her supposed indisposition, which, to conceal the +perplexity her mind was in, she still continued to counterfeit, as well as +to avoid going to a masquerade, to which they had some days before been +invited, and which the present situation of her thoughts left her no +relish for.</p> +<p>Melanthe would fain have perswaded her that this diversion would +contribute to restoring her; but she entreated to be excused, and the +other went without her.</p> +<p>Monsieur du Plessis in the mean time having informed the count de +Bellfleur, how much it was in vain for him to flatter himself with any +hopes of Louisa, that proud and inconstant nobleman was extremely +mortified, and said, that since she was so haughty, he was resolved to +contrive some way or other to get her into his power, as well out of +revenge as inclination. This, the other represented to him, would be a +very ungenerous way of proceeding; and said, that as she refused his +addresses merely out of a principle of virtue, and not for the sake of a +more favoured rival, he ought to content himself; but these arguments were +lost on a man whom pride of blood, and an affluence of fortune, had +rendered too insolent and head-strong to think any thing reason which +opposed his will; and they parted not well satisfied with each other, +tho' du Plessis concealed part of the dislike he had of his principles and +manner of behaviour, on account of a long friendship between their +families, and also as the count was his superior in birth, in years, and +in the post he held in the army.</p> +<p>He had no sooner left him than he came to Louisa, thinking it his duty +to give her warning of the count's design, and that it would be a proper +prelude to something else he had to say. As the servants knew she was not +perfectly well, they told him, they believed she would see no company; but +on his entreating it, and saying he had something of moment to impart, one +of them went in and repeated what he had said, on which she gave leave for +his admission.</p> +<p>He rejoiced to find her alone, as he came prepared to reveal to her +more secrets than that of the count's menace; but the pleasure he took in +having so favourable an opportunity was very much damped, by seeing her +look more pale than usual, and that she was in a night-dress. Fearful that +this change proceeded from what had passed between them the day before, he +asked with a hastiness, that shewed the most kind concern, if she were +well. No otherways disordered, answered she, than in my mind, and that not +sufficiently to have any effect over my health; but to confess the truth, +monsieur, said she, the continual round of diversion this carnival +affords, has made what the world calls pleasure, cease to be so with me; +and I find more solid satisfaction in retirement, where I am in no danger +of being too much flattered or affronted.</p> +<p>Ah! madam, cried he, I see the audacity of the count dwells too much +upon your thoughts, and tremble to relate the business on which I came, +and which it is yet necessary you should know. You mistake me, monsieur, +replied she; a common foe of virtue, such as the count, is incapable of +taking up my thoughts one moment; it is only those I love can give me real +pain.</p> +<p>I understand you, madam, resumed he, and am too much interested in your +concern not to simpathize on the occasion: the misfortunes, such as I fear +will attend the too great sensibility of Melanthe, may give you so +terrible an idea of love in general, that it will be difficult to persuade +you there can be any lasting happiness to be found in that passion:—but, +charming Louisa, continued he, if you will make the least use of your +penetration, and examine with a desire of being convinced, you will easily +distinguish the real passion from the counterfeit: that love, whose +supremest pleasure is in being capable to give felicity to the beloved +object; and that wild desire, which aims at no more than a +self-gratification:—the one has the authority of heaven for its +sanction;—the other no excuse but nature in its depravity. From all +attempts of the one, I am confident, your virtue and good sense will +always defend you; but to fly with too great obstinacy the other, is not +to answer the end of your creation; and deny yourself a blessing, which +you seem formed to enjoy in the most extensive degree.</p> +<p>Both the voice and manner in which monsieur du Plessis spoke, gave +Louisa some suspicion of what he aimed at in this definition, and filled +her at the same time with emotions of various kinds; but dissembling them +as well as she could, and endeavouring to turn what he said into raillery, +you argue very learnedly on this subject, it must be confessed, answered +she smiling; but all you can urge on that head, nor the compliment you +make me, can win me to believe that love of any kind is not attended with +more mischief than good:—where it is accompanied with the strictest +honour, constancy, purity, and all the requisites that constitute what is +called a perfect passion, there are ordinarily so many difficulties in the +way to the completion of its wishes, that the breast which harbours it +must endure a continual agitation, which surely none would chuse to be +involved in.</p> +<p>Ah! madam, how little are you capable of judging of this passion, said +he; there is a delicacy in love which renders even its pains pleasing, and +how much soever a lover suffers, the thoughts of for whom he suffers is +more than a compensation; I am myself an instance of this truth:—I am a +lover:—conscious unworthiness of a suitable return of affection, and a +thousand other impediments lie between me and hope, yet would I not change +this dear anxiety for that insipid case I lived in before I saw the only +object capable of making me a convert to love.—It is certain my passion +is yet young; but a few days has given it root which no time, no absence, +no misfortune ever can dislodge.—The charming maid is ignorant of her +conquest:—the carnival draws near to a conclusion.—I must return to the +army, and these cruel circumstances oblige me either to make a declaration +which she may possibly condemn as too abrupt, or go and leave her +unknowing of my heart, and thereby deprive myself even of her pity:—Which +party, madam, shall I take?—Will the severe extreme, to which I am +driven, be sufficient to attone for a presumption which else would merit +her disdain?</p> +<p>Louisa must have been as dull as she was really the contrary, not to +have known all this was meant to herself; and the pleasing confusion which +this discovery infused thro' all her veins, made her at the same time +sensible of the difference she put between him and all those who before +had entertained her on that subject; but not knowing presently whether she +ought to attribute it to her good or ill fortune, she was wholly at a loss +how to behave, and, to avoid giving any direct answer, still affected an +air of pleasantry.</p> +<p>See, cried she, the little reason you, have to speak in the praise of +love; for if pity be all you have to hope for from your, mistress, I am +afraid the consolation will be no way adequate to the misfortune.</p> +<p>Yet if you vouchsafe me that, replied he, kissing her hard, I never +shall complain. Me! interrupted she, pretending the utmost astonishment, +and drawing her chair somewhat farther from him. Yes, beautiful Louisa, +resumed he; it is you alone who have been capable of teaching me what love +truly is:—your eyes, at first sight, subdued my heart; but your virtue +has since made a conquest of my soul:—if I dare hope to make you mine, it +is only by such ways as heaven, and those who have the power of disposing +you, shall approve:—in the mean time I implore no more than your +permission to admire you, and to convince you, by all the honourable +services in my power to do you while you continue here, how much my words +are deficient to denote my meaning.</p> +<p>Louisa, now finding herself under a necessity of answering seriously, +told him, that if it were true that he had sentiments for her of the +nature he pretended, they would not only merit, but receive the most +grateful acknowledgments on her part; but at the same time she should be +sorry he had entertained them, and would wish him not to indulge a +prospect which could last no longer than while both remained in Venice, +and must infallibly vanish on their separation.</p> +<p>No, madam, replied he, when the next campaign is over, I shall return +to France; and sure the distance between that kingdom and England is not +so great, but a less motive than yourself would easily carry me thither; +and such credentials also of who, and what I am, as, I flatter myself, +would not appear contemptible in the eyes of your friends:—the prospect +therefore is not so visionary as you seem to think, provided I have your +consent.</p> +<p>The mention he made of her friends reminding her of her destitute +condition, gave her the utmost shock; which not being able to overcome, +she remained silent some moments; but at last perceiving he waited her +reply, monsieur, said she, there may be a thousand indissoluble bars +between us which you do not think of.</p> +<p>None, interrupted he eagerly, but what such love as mine will easily +surmount:—it is true, I am ignorant of your condition in the world; but +if it be superior to mine, the passion I am possessed of will inspire me +with means to raise me to an equality; and if inferior, which heaven grant +may be the case, it will only give the opportunity of proving that I love +Louisa for Louisa's self, and look upon every thing she brings beside as +nothing.</p> +<p>The emphasis he gave these words manifesting their sincerity, could not +but give new charms to the person who spoke them: Louisa thought she +might, without a blush, testify the sense she had of his generosity; but +tho' what she said was perfectly obliging to him, yet she concluded with +letting him know, there still was something that rendered the +accomplishment of what he seemed to wish impossible.</p> +<p>Then your heart already is engaged, cried he, or you are predestined by +your parents to some happier man? Without either of these, answered she, +there may be reasons to prevent our ever meeting more;—therefore I owe so +much to the honourable offers you are pleased to make me, as to wish you +to overcome whatever inclinations you may have for one who I once more +assure you never can be yours.</p> +<p>It would be impossible to express the distraction monsieur du Plessis +testified at this expression:—a thousand times over did he repeat that +dreadful word NEVER;—then added, neither engaged by love or promise, yet +never can be mine! does my ill fate come wrap'd to me in riddles!—yet +many things have seemed impossible that are not so in themselves:—O +Louisa! continued he, if there be any thing beside my want of merit that +impedes my wishes, and you delight not in my torment, speak it I conjure +you.</p> +<p>There is a necessity of denying you in this also, said Louisa; but to +shew you how little I am inclined to be ungrateful, be certain that I have +the highest idea of your merits, and prize them as much as I ought to do.</p> +<p>These last words, obliging as they were, could not console monsieur du +Plessis for the cruelty, as he termed it, of refusing to let him know what +this invincible obstacle was which put a stop to any further +correspondence between them: he spared neither prayers nor tears to draw +the secret from her, but all were ineffectual; and she at last told him, +that if he pressed her any farther on that head, she must for the future +avoid his presence.</p> +<p>This was a menace which he had not courage to dare the execution of, +and he promised to conform to her will, tho' with such agonies, as shewed +her how much he valued even the little she was pleased to grant; but it +was not in the power of her perswasions to prevail on him to resolve to +make any efforts for the vanquishing his passion; he still protested that +he neither could cease to love her, and her alone, nor even to wish an +alteration in his sentiments.</p> +<p>By what has been already said of the extreme liking which the first +fight of this young gentleman inspired Louisa with, it may easily be +supposed she could not hear his complaints, and be witness of the +anxieties she was enforced to inflict on him, without feeling at least an +equal share: she endeavoured not to conceal the pity she had for him; but +he now found that was far from being all he wanted, because it forwarded +not, as he at first imagined, the progress of his hopes, but rather shewed +them at more distance than ever.</p> +<p>The business of his love so engrossed his thoughts during this visit, +that he almost forgot to mention any thing of the count's designs upon +her, and she as little remembered to remind him of it, tho' he told her on +his entrance, that he had something to acquaint her with on his subject, +and it was not till he was going to take leave that it came into his head. +When he had related it to her, she assured him that she took the caution +he gave her as a new proof of his friendship, which, said she, I shall +always prize. At parting, she permitted him to salute her, and gave her +promise not to refuse seeing him while they continued in that city; but +told him at the same time, that he must not expect any thing from his +repeated visits more than she had already granted.</p> +<p>He durst not at that time press her any farther, but fetched a deep +sigh as he went out of the room, accompanied with a look more expressive +than any words could be of the discontent he laboured under, while she, +oppressed beneath the double weight of his and her own grief, remained in +a condition he was little able to form any conjecture of.</p> +<p>Pleased as she was with the presence of the only man who had ever had +power of inspiring her with one tender thought, yet a thousand times she +had wished him gone before he went, that she might be at liberty to give +vent to the struggling passions which were more than once ready to throw +her into a swoon. The perfections she saw in the person of her lover;—the +respect he treated her with, notwithstanding the violence of the passion +he was possessed of;—the sincerity that appeared in all his looks and +words;—the generosity of his behaviour in regard to her fortune;—all the +qualifications that would have made any other woman blessed in the offer +of such a heart, served but to make her wretched, since she could not look +on herself in a condition capable of accepting it.</p> +<p>Alas! du Plessis, cried she, little do you think to whom you would ally +yourself:—you would, you say, despise a portion, but would you marry a +foundling, a child of charity, one that has neither name nor friends, and +who, in her best circumstances, is but a poor dependant, a servant in +effect, tho' not in shew, and owes her very cloaths to the bounty of +another?—Oh! why did the mistaken goodness of Dorilaus give me any other +education than such as befitted my wretched fortune! Better I had been +bred an humble drudge, and never been taught how to distinguish +merit:—What avail the accomplishments that cost him so much money, and me +so much pains to acquire, but to attract a short-liv'd admiration, which, +when I am truly known, will be succeeded with an adequate derision:—Could +I but say I was descended from honest, tho' mean parents, I would not +murmur at my fate, but I have none,—none to own me;—I am a nothing,—a +kind of reptile in humanity, and have been shewn in a genteel way of life +only to make my native misery more conspicuous.</p> +<p>Thus did love represent her unhappy circumstances in their worst +colours, and render her, which till now she had never been, thankless to +heaven for all the good she had received, since it seemed to deny her the +only good her passion coveted, that of being in a condition to reward the +affection of her dear du Plessis.</p> +<p>A torrent of tears at length somewhat mitigated the violence of her +passion, and unwilling to be seen by Melanthe in the present confusion of +her thoughts, she went to bed, leaving the same orders as she had done the +night before.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XIV.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>The base designs of the count de Bellfleur occasion a melancholy +change in Louisa's way of life; the generous behaviour of monsieur du +Plessis on that occasion.</i></p> +<p>Had the agonies Louisa suffered been of very long continuance, she +must have sunk under them; but grief is easily dissipated in a young +heart, and she awoke more tranquil.—The principles of religion grew +stronger as her passion weaker, and she reflected that she ought to submit +in every thing to the will of heaven, which sometimes converts what seems +the greatest evil into good.—The offer of such a match as monsieur du +Plessis, a man she loved, and who was master of accomplishments which +might excuse the most violent passion, appeared indeed a happiness she +would have gloried in had she been really such as he took her for; but +then she had known him but a very short time, had no experience of his +principles or humour; and tho' he seemed all honour, could not assure +herself that the generosity which so much engaged her might not be all +artifice; at least she found to think so would most contribute to her +ease, therefore indulged it as much as she was able. She condemned herself +for having given monsieur du Plessis permission to continue his visits, +after having assured him he had nothing to hope from them, because a +further conversation might only serve to render both more unhappy. She +resolved however to give him no opportunity of talking to her of his +passion, and in order to avoid thinking of it herself as much as possible, +to go, as usual, into all company that came to Melanthe, and partake of +every diversion that offered itself.</p> +<p>Accordingly she forced herself to a gaiety, she was far from feeling, +vainly imagining that by counterfeiting a chearfulness, she should in time +be able to resume it; but du Plessis hung too heavy at her heart, and when +she affected the greatest shew of mirth, it was often interrupted with +sighs, which she was not always sensible of herself. He visited her almost +every day under one pretence or other; but she took such care never to be +alone at the times that she could possibly expect him, that he had not the +least opportunity to renew his addresses, any otherways than by his looks, +which, notwithstanding, were perfectly intelligible to her, tho' she +seemed not to observe them.</p> +<p>Melanthe, no longer able to keep the secret of her amour, finding +Louisa, as she thought, had entirely regained her former sprightliness, +acquainted her with all had passed between herself and count de Bellfleur; +which, tho' the other was no stranger to, she seemed astonished at, and +could not help telling her, that she feared the consequence of an intrigue +of that nature would one day be fatal to her peace. Yet, said Melanthe, +where one loves, and is beloved, it is hard to deny oneself a certain +happiness for the dread of an imaginary ill.—In fine, my dear Louisa, I +found I could not live without him; and heaven will sure excuse the error +of an inclination which is born with us, and which not all our reason is +of force to conquer.—But, added she, you always seem to speak of the +count, as of a man that wanted charms to excuse the tenderness I have for +him; and, I have observed, deny him those praises which I have heard you +bestow very freely on persons that have not half his merit.</p> +<p>Louisa knowing how vain it was to contest with inclination, in persons +who are resolved to indulge it, and also that all advice was now too late, +began to repent of what she said. If, madam, replied she, after a little +pause, I have seemed unjust to the count's perfections, it was only +because I feared you were but too sensible of them; for otherwise, it must +be owned, he has a person and behaviour extremely engaging; but as the +carnival will put an end to all the acquaintance we have contracted here, +it gives me pain to think how you will support a separation.</p> +<p>Perhaps it may not happen so soon as you imagine, said Melanthe:—tho' +the carnival, and with it all the pleasures of this place will soon be +over, our loves may be continued elsewhere:—suppose, Louisa, we go to +France, added she with a significant smile, that shewed it was her +intention to do so.</p> +<p>Some company coming in, prevented any farther discourse on this head +for the present; but afterward she confirmed what she had now hinted at, +and told Louisa, that she had resolved to pass some little time in seeing +those places which were in her way to France, and afterwards meet the +count at Paris, on his return from the campaign. Louisa, unable to +determine within herself whether she ought to rejoice, or be sad at this +intended journey, fell into a sudden thoughtfulness, which the other at +that time took no notice of, but it served afterwards to corroborate the +truth of something she was told, and proved of consequence little to be +foreseen.</p> +<p>The inconstant count, in the mean time, satieted with Melanthe, and as +much in love with Louisa as a man of his temper could be, was contriving +all the ways his inventive wit could furnish him with to get handsomely +rid of the one, and attain the enjoyment of the other. As he had spent +many years in a continual course of gallantry, and had made and broke a +thousand engagements, he easily found expedients for throwing off his +intercourse with Melanthe, but none that could give him the least prospect +of success in his designs on Louisa while they lived together and +continued friends: to part them therefore was his aim, and to accomplish +it the following method came into his head.</p> +<p>On his first acquaintance with these ladies his design was wholly on +Louisa, but meeting a rebuff from her, his vanity rather than his +inclinations had made him turn his devoirs to Melanthe, who too easily +yielding to his suit, served but to heighten his desires for the other: +the extravagant fondness of that unhappy woman rendering her visibly +uneasy at even the ordinary civilities she saw him behave with to any +other, discovered to him that jealousy was not the least reigning foible +of her foul, and the surest means to make her hate that person whom it +was not the interest of his passion she should continue to love. When they +were alone together one day at the place of their usual rendezvous, in the +midst of the most tender endearments, he asked suddenly if she had ever +made Louisa the confident of his happiness. She was a little surprized at +the question, but answered that she had not, and desired to know the +reason of that demand; because, cried he, I am very certain she is no +friend to our loves; and by the manner in which she behaves to me, +whenever she has the least opportunity of shewing her ill humour, I +imagined she either knew or suspected the affair between us.</p> +<p>Melanthe, conscious she had hid nothing from her, and also sensible of +the little approbation she gave to her intrigue, was very much picqued +that she should have done any thing to make the count perceive +it;—whatever she suspects, cried she, haughtily, she ought not to treat +with any ill manners a person whom I avow a friendship for. Vanity, +answered he, sometimes gets the better of discretion in ladies of her +years:—she knows herself handsome, and cannot have a good opinion of the +man who prefers any charms to her own.—I imagine this to be the cause why +she looks on me with such disdain, and, whenever you are not witness of +her words, is so keen in satyrical reflections.—On our first acquaintance +she looked and spoke with greater softness, and I can impute it to no +other motive than the pride of beauty, that this sudden change has +happened.</p> +<p>All the time he was speaking, the soul of Melanthe grew more and more +fired with jealousy.—It is natural for every one to imagine whatever they +like is agreeable to others. The distaste which Louisa had on many +occasions testified for the count, seemed now to have been only +affected:—the melancholy she had been in, and the deep resvery she +remembered she had fallen into when first she informed her of their amour, +joined to convince her, that the advice she gave proceeded from a motive +very different from what she pretended.</p> +<p>The wily count saw into the workings of her soul; and while he seemed +as if he would not discover the whole of his sentiments for fear of +disobliging her, threw out the plainest hints, that Louisa had made him +advances which would have been very flattering to a heart not pre-engaged, +till Melanthe, not able to contain her rage, broke out into the fevered +invectives against the innocent Louisa.—The ungrateful wretch! cried she, +how dare she presume to envy, much less to offer an interruption to my +pleasures!—What, have I raised the little wretch to such a forgetfulness +of herself, that she pretends to rival her mistress and benefactress! In +the height of her resentment, she related to the count in what manner she +had taken her into her service; but that finding her, as she imagined, a +girl of prudence, she had made her a companion during her travels, and as +such treated her with respect, and made others do so too;—but, said she, +I will reduce her to what she was, and since she knows not how to prize +the honour of my friendship, make her feel the severities of servitude.</p> +<p>Nothing could be more astonishing, and at the same time more pleasing +to count Bellfleur than this discovery: what he felt for Louisa could not +be called love, he desired only to enjoy her; and the knowledge of her +meanness, together with Melanthe's resentment, which he doubted not but he +should be able to improve to the turning her out of doors, made him +imagine she would then be humbled enough to accept of any, offers he might +make her.</p> +<p>Pursuant to this cruel aim, he told Melanthe, that now not thinking +himself under any obligation to conceal the whole of the affair, he must +confess Louisa had not only made him advances, but gone so far as to +discover a very great passion for him.—As I had never, said he, given her +the least room to hope I was ambitious of any favours from her of that +nature, I could not help thinking she was guilty of some indecencies +ill-becoming a woman of condition, as well as infidelity to her friendship +for you, whom she might well see I adored:—but alas! I little suspected +the obligations she had to you, and now I know what she is, am in the +utmost consternation at her ingratitude, impudence and stupidity. Heavens! +added he, could she have the vanity to imagine that the genteel garb you +had put her in, could raise her to such an equality, as to make me +hesitate one moment if I should give the balance of merit on her side, and +quit the amiable Melanthe for the pert charms of her woman?</p> +<p>Melanthe, believing every thing he said on this occasion, was ready to +burst with indignation; which impatient to give vent to, parted from her +lover much sooner than she was accustomed, in order to wreak on the poor +Louisa all that rage and malice could suggest.</p> +<p>That innocent maid, little suspecting the misfortune that was falling +on her, was at ombre with some ladies who came to visit them, when the +furious Melanthe came home, and taking this opportunity of heightening her +intended revenge by making it more public,—so, minx, said she to her, +after having made her compliments to the company, you ape the woman of +fashion exceeding well, as you imagine; but hereafter know yourself, and +keep the distance that becomes you. With these words she gave her a push +from the table in so rough a manner, that the cards fell out of her hand.</p> +<p>It is hard to say whether Louisa herself, or the ladies who were +present, were most astonished at this behaviour; every one looked one upon +another without speaking for some time: at last Louisa, who wanted not +spirit, and on this occasion testified an uncommon presence of mind,—if I +have seemed otherways than what I am, madam, said she, it was your +commands obliged me to it:—I never yet forgot myself, and shall as +readily resume what distance you are pleased to enjoin me. Insolent, +ungrateful wretch, cried Melanthe, vexed to the soul to find her seem so +little shocked at what she had done, if I permitted you any liberties, it +was because I thought you merited them;—but get out of my sight, and dare +not to come into it again till I send for you. I shall obey you, madam, +replied Louisa, and perhaps be as well pleased to be your servant as +companion.</p> +<p>This resignation and seeming tranquility under an insult, she expected +would have been so mortifying, was the greatest disappointment could be +given to Melanthe, and increased her rage to such a degree, that she flew +to her as she was going out of the room, and struck her several blows, +using at the same time expressions not decent to repeat, but such, as in +some unguarded moments, women of quality level themselves with the vulgar +enough to be guilty of. This is a behaviour, madam, which demeans yourself +much more than me, said Louisa, and when reason gets the better of your +passion, I doubt not but you will be just enough to acknowledge you have +injured me.</p> +<p>She got out of the room with these words, but heard Melanthe still +outrageous in her reproaches; but determined not to answer, made what +haste she could into her own chamber, where having shut herself in, she +gave a loose to the distraction so unexpected an event must naturally +occasion.</p> +<p>Pride is a passion so incident to human nature, that there is no breast +whatever that has not some share of it; and it would be to describe Louisa +such as no woman ever was, or ever can be, especially at her years, to say +she was not sensibly touched at the indignity she had received from a +person, but a few hours before, had treated her as pretty near an equality +with herself.—Nor was her amazement inferior to her grief, when after +examining, with the utmost care, all her words and actions, she could find +nothing in either that could possibly give occasion for this sudden turn.</p> +<p>From the present, she cast thoughts back on the past accidents of her +life, and comparing them together, how cruelly capricious is my fate, said +she, which never presents me with a good but to be productive of an +adequate evil!—How great a blessing was the protection and tenderness I +found from Dorilaus, yet how unhappy did the too great increase of that +tenderness render, me!—What now avails all the friendship received from +Melanthe, but to make me the less able to support her ill usage!—And +what, of what advantage is it to me that I am beloved by a man the most +worthy to be loved, since I am of a condition which forbids me to give any +encouragement to his, or my own wishes!</p> +<p>In this manner did she pour forth the troubles of her soul, till the +hour of supper being arrived, Melanthe's woman knocked at the chamber, and +Louisa having opened it, she told her that she was sorry to see such an +alteration in the family, but it was her ladyship's pleasure that she +should eat at the second table. It is very well, said Louisa, resolving, +whatever she endured, not to let Melanthe see any thing she could do +disturbed her too much, and in saying so, went with her into the hall and +sat down to table, but with what appetite I leave the reader to guess.</p> +<p>Melanthe, who now hated her to a greater degree than ever she had loved +her, gave to the ladies who were with her the whole history of Louisa, as +far as she knew of it, and rather aggravated, than any way softened the +mean condition from which she had relieved her; but when they asked her +what that unhappy creature had done to forfeit a continuance of her +goodness, she only answered in general, that she had found her to be an +ungrateful and perfidious wretch.</p> +<p>As she mentioned no particular influence on which this accusation was +grounded, every one was at liberty to judge of it as they pleased.—The +accomplishments Louisa was mistress of, made every one convinced she had +been educated in no mean way, tho' by some accidents she might have been +reduced to the calamities Melanthe had so largely expatiated upon, and +more there were who pitied her than approved the behaviour of her +superior:—some indeed, who had envied the praises they had heard bestowed +on her, were rejoiced at her fall, and made it a matter of mirth wherever +they came;—and others again thought themselves affronted by having a +person, who they now found was no more than a servant, introduced into +their company, and would never visit Melanthe afterward the whole time she +stayed in Venice.</p> +<p>The affair, however, occasioned a great deal of discourse: monsieur du +Plessis heard of it the next day related after different fashions. The +concern he was in was conformable to the passion he had for the fair +occasion, and both beyond what is ordinarily to be found in persons of his +sex. Impatient to know the truth he went to Melanthe's, and she happening +to be abroad, he desired to speak to Louisa, but was told she was +indisposed, and could see no company. These orders had been given by +Melanthe, but were very agreeable to Louisa herself, who desired to avoid +the sight of every one she had conversed with in a different manner from +what she could now expect; but of the whole world this gentleman she most +wished to shun.</p> +<p>He concealed the trouble he was in as well as he was able, and +affecting a careless air, told the person who answered him, that he only +came to ask if she had heard the last new song, and that he would send it +to her.</p> +<p>The moment he came home he sat down and wrote the following billet. <br/> +<br/> +<i>To the ever charming</i> LOUISA.<br/> +"That invincible bar you mentioned, yet<br/> +made so great a secret of, is at last revealed,<br/> +and I should be unworthy of the blessing I aspire<br/> +to, if I were unable to surmount it.<br/> +Cruel Louisa! you little know me, or the force<br/> +of that passion you have inspired, to imagine<br/> +that any difference which chance may have put<br/> +between us, can make the least alteration in my<br/> +sentiments!—It is to your own perfections I<br/> +have devoted my heart, not to the merit or<br/> +grandeur of your ancestors. What has my love<br/> +to do with fortune, or with family!—Does a<br/> +diamond lose any thing of its intrinsic value for<br/> +being presented by an unknown, or an obscure<br/> +hand?—My eyes convince me of the charms<br/> +of my adored Louisa; my understanding shews<br/> +me those of her mind; and if heaven vouchsafes<br/> +to bless me with so rich a jewel, I never shall<br/> +examine whence it came.—If therefore I am<br/> +not so unhappy as to be hated by you, let not<br/> +vain punctilloes divide us, and, as the first proof<br/> +of my inviolable passion, permit me to remove<br/> +you from a place where you have met with such<br/> +unworthy treatment:—I hope you wrong me<br/> +not so far as to suspect I any other designs<br/> +on you than such as are consistent with the<br/> +strictest honour; but to prevent all scruples of<br/> +that nature from entering your gentle breast, I<br/> +would wish to place you in a convent, the<br/> +choice of which shall be your own, provided it<br/> +may be where I sometimes may be allowed to<br/> +pay my vows to you thro' the grate, till time<br/> +shall have sufficiently proved my fidelity, and<br/> +you shall prevail on yourself to recempence my<br/> +flame, by bestowing on me your hand and heart:—the<br/> +one I would not ask without the other;<br/> +but both together would render the happiest of<br/> +mankind.<br/> +<br/> +<i>Your eternally devoted</i><br/> +<br/> +Du Plessis.<br/> +<br/> +<i>P.S.</i> As I perceive it will be next to an impossibility<br/> +to gain a sight of you while you continue<br/> +with that ungenerous woman, I entreat<br/> +to know by a line how I stand in your opinion,<br/> +and if the offers I make you, in the sincerity<br/> +of my soul, may be thought worthy<br/> +your acceptance."</p> +<p>This epistle he ordered his valet de chambre to give to her own hand, +if there were a possibility of it; and the fellow so well executed his +commission, being acquainted with Melanthe's servants, that he was carried +directly up to her chamber. She was a little surprized to see him, because +she knew it was contrary to Melanthe's commands that any one should see +her; and doubted not but to find she was treated with any kind of respect, +would enhance her ill humour to her. But she said nothing that discovered +her sentiments on this point, and with all the appearance of a perfect +ease of mind, asked what he had to deliver to her. Only a song, +mademoiselle, answered he, which my master ordered me to give you, and to +desire you will let him know how you like it:—he says it might be turned +into an admirable duetto, and begs you would employ your genius on that +score and send it by me.</p> +<p>Poor Louisa, who took his words literally, and thought her present +circumstances too discordant for the fulfilling his request, opened the +supposed piece of music with an aking heart; but when she had perused it, +and found the artifice her lover had made use of to communicate his +generous intentions to her, it is extremely fine, said she to the valet, +and I will do what he requires to the best of my power, but fear I shall +not be able to give it such a turn as he may expect. If you please, +continued she, to wait a little, I shall not be long before I dispatch +you. In speaking these words she went into her closet, and read over and +over the offers he had made, in which, with the strictest examination, she +could find nothing but what indicated the most perfect love, honour, and +generosity. In the first transports of her soul she was tempted to comply; +but her second thoughts were absolutely against it.—Those very reasons +which would have prevailed with almost any other woman, made her obstinate +to refuse:—the more she found him worthy, the less could she support the +thoughts of giving him a beggar for a wife; and the more she loved him, +the less could she content to be obliged to him; so she took but a small +time for consideration, before she returned an answer in these terms:</p> +<p><i>To the most accomplished, and most generous monsieur</i> DU PLESSIS.<br/> +<br/> +"As it was not owing to my pride or vanity,<br/> +but merely compliance with the will of<br/> +Melanthe, that my real meanness was made a<br/> +secret, I find it revealed without any mortification;<br/> +but, monsieur, the distance between us<br/> +is not shortened by being known: as the consciousness<br/> +of my unworthiness remains with<br/> +me, and ever must do so, I again repeat the<br/> +impossibility of accepting your too generous passion,<br/> +and, after this, you will not wonder I<br/> +should refuse those other obliging offers you are<br/> +so good to make.—I left my native country<br/> +with Melanthe, devoted myself to her service<br/> +while she was pleased to continue me in it, and<br/> +only wait her commands for my doing so, or to<br/> +return to England.—I believe, by what her<br/> +woman told me this day, the latter will be my<br/> +fate.—Think not, however, most truly worthy<br/> +of your whole sex, that I want eyes to distinguish<br/> +your merits, or a heart capable of being<br/> +influenced by them, perhaps too deeply for my<br/> +own future peace:—this is a confession I would<br/> +not have made, were I ever to see you more;<br/> +but as I am determined to shut myself from all<br/> +the world during my abode at Venice, I thought<br/> +I owed this little recompence to the generous<br/> +affection you express for me, and had rather you<br/> +should think any thing of me, than that I am<br/> +ungrateful.<br/> +<br/> +LOUISA.<br/> +<br/> +<i>P.S.</i> I beg, monsieur, after this, you will not<br/> +attempt either to speak or write to me."</p> +<p>When she had sent this away, she fell into fresh complainings at the +severity of her fate, which constrained her to refuse what most she +languished for:—the uncertainty how she should be disposed of was also a +matter of grief:—she was at this time a prisoner in Melanthe's house: she +had sent several messages to that lady, by her woman, entreating to know +in what she had offended, but could receive no other answer than abuses, +without one word which gave her the least light into the cause of this +strange treatment; but that morning she was informed, by the same woman, +that her Lady protested she should never more come into her presence, and +that she would send her home: this, as she had wrote to monsieur du +Plessis, seemed highly probable, as there was no appearance of a +reconciliation; and the thoughts in what manner she should begin her life +again, on her return, filled her with many anxieties, which, joined to +others of a different nature, rendered her condition truly pitiable.</p> +<p>It was in the midst of these perplexing meditations that word was +brought her from Melanthe, that she must prepare for her departure on the +ensuing day. It was in vain she again begged leave to see her, and to be +made acquainted with the reason of her displeasure; but the other would +not be prevailed upon, but sent her a purse sufficient to defray the +expences of her journey to England, and bid her woman tell her she had no +occasion to repine, for she turned her away in a much better condition +than she had found her.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XV.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Louisa is in danger of being ravished by the count de Bellfleur; is +providentially rescued by monsieur du Plessis, with several other +particulars</i>.</p> +<p>Louisa packed up her things, as she had been commanded, tho' with what +confusion of mind is not easy to be expressed; and, when she was ready to +go, wrote a letter to Melanthe, thanking her for all the favours she had +received from her, acknowledging them to be as unmerited as her late +displeasure, which she conjured her to believe she had never, even in +thought, done any thing justly to incur;—wished her prosperity, and that +she might never find a person less faithful to her interests than she had +been. Having desired her woman to deliver this to her, she took leave of +the servants, who all loved her extremely, and saw her go with tears in +their eyes.</p> +<p>The rout she intended to take was to Padua by water, thence in a post +chaise to Leghorn, where she was informed, it would be easy to find a ship +bound for England; to what port was indifferent to her, being now once +more to seek her fortune, tho' in her native country, and must trust +wholly to that providence for her future support, which had hitherto +protected her.</p> +<p>Accordingly she took her passage to Padua in one of those boats, which +are continually going between Venice and that city; and it being near the +close of day when she landed, was obliged to go into an inn, designing to +lye there that night, and early in the morning set out for Leghorn.</p> +<p>She was no sooner in bed than, having never been alone in one of those +places before, a thousand dreadful apprehensions came into her head: all +the stories she had been told, when a child, of robberies and murders +committed on travellers in inns, were now revived in her memory:—every +little noise she heard made her fall into tremblings; and the very +whistling of the wind, which at another time would have lulled her to +sleep, now kept her waking: but these ideal terrors had not long possessed +her, before she had an occasion of real ones, more shocking than her most +timid fancy could have suggested.</p> +<p>The wicked count de Bellfleur, who had taken care to prevent the +passion he had excited in Melanthe against her from growing cool, learned, +from that deceived lady, in what manner she intended to dispose of her; +and no sooner heard which way she went than, attended by one servant, who +was the confidant and tool of all his vices, he took boat for Padua, and +presently finding out, by describing her, at what inn she was lodged, came +directly thither; and, having called the man of the house, asked him if +such a young woman were not lodged there, to which being answered in the +affirmative, he told him that she was his wife;—that being but lately +married to her, in compliance with her request, he had brought her to see +the diversions of the carnival, and that she was eloped, he doubted not, +but for the sake of a gallant, since he loved her too well to have given +her any cause to take so imprudent a step.</p> +<p>The concern he seemed to be under gained immediate credit to all he +said; which he easily perceiving, I know, said he, that if I have recourse +to a magistrate I shall have a grant, and proper officers to force her to +return to her duty; but I would feign reclaim her by fair means:—it is +death to me to expose her; and if my perswasions will be effectual, the +world shall never know her fault.</p> +<p>The innkeeper then told him she was gone to bed, but he would wait on +him to her chamber, and he might call to her to bid her open the door. No, +answered the count, if she hears my voice she may, perhaps, be frighted +enough to commit some desperate action:—you shall therefore speak to her, +and make some pretence for obliging her to rise.</p> +<p>On this they both went up, and the man knocked softly at first, but on +her not answering immediately, more loud.—She, who heard him before, but +imagining something of what she had heard of others was now going to +happen to herself, was endeavouring to assume all the courage she could +for supporting her in whatever exigence heaven should reduce her to:—at +last she asked who was there, and for what reason she was disturbed. The +innkeeper then said he wanted something out of the room, and she must +needs open the door. This she refused to do, but got out of bed and began +to put on her cloaths, resolving to dye as decently as she could, verily +believing they were come to rob and murder her.</p> +<p>The man, who spoke all by the count's direction, then told her, that if +she would not open the door, he must be obliged to break it, and presently +beat so violently against it, that the poor terrified Louisa expected it +to burst, so thought it would be better to unbolt it of her own accord, +than, by a vain resistance, provoke worse usage than she might otherwise +receive: but what was her astonishment when she beheld the count de +Bellfleur! On the first moment the words monsieur du Plessis repeated to +her, that <i>he would have her one way or another,</i> came into her mind, +and made her give a great shriek; but then almost at the same time the +thought that he might possibly be sent by Melanthe to bring her back, +somewhat mitigated her fears.—Unable was she to speak, however; and the +consternation she appeared to be in at his presence, joined with his +taking her by the hand and bidding her be under no apprehensions, +confirmed the truth of what he had told the innkeeper, who thinking he had +no other business there, and they would be soonest reconciled when alone, +left them, together and went down stairs.</p> +<p>When the count saw he was gone,—I could not support the thoughts of +seeing you no more, my dear Louisa, said he; I have heard Melanthe's cruel +usage of you, and also that your condition is such, that you have no +friends in England to receive you if you should prosecute your journey:—I +come therefore to make you an offer, which, in your present circumstances, +you will find it imprudent, I believe, to reject:—I long have loved you, +and if you will be mine, will keep you concealed at a house where I can +confide, till my return to the army; then will take the fame care of you, +and place you somewhere near my own quarters; and, as I shall go to Paris +as soon as the next campaign is over, will there provide for you in as +handsome a manner as you can wish;—for be assured, dear lovely girl, that +no woman upon earth will ever be capable of making me forsake you.</p> +<p>That she had patience to hear him talk so long in this manner, was +wholly owing to the fear and surprize she had been in, and perhaps had not +yet recovered enough from, to make any reply to what he said, if he had +contented himself only with words; but his actions rouzing a different +passion in her soul, she broke from his arms, into which, he had snatched +her at the conclusion of his speech, and looking on him with eyes +sparkling with disdain and rage,—perfidious man! cried she, is +this,—this the consequence of the vows you made Melanthe; and do you +think, after this knowledge of your baseness, I can harbour any idea of +you, but what is shocking and detestable!</p> +<p>I never loved Melanthe, by heaven, resumed he; she made me advance, and +not to have returned, them, would have called even my common civility in +question;—but from the first moment I saw your beauties, I was determined +to neglect nothing that might give me the enjoyment of them:—fortune has +crowned my wishes, you are in my power, and it would be madness in you to +lose the merit of yielding, and I compel me to be obliged to my own +strength for a pleasure I would rather owe to your softness:—come, come, +continued he, after having fastened the door, let us go to bed;—I will +save your modesty, by pulling your cloaths off myself. In speaking this he +catched hold of her again, and attempted to untye a knot which fastened +her robe de chambre at the breast. On this she gave such shrieks, and +stamped with her feet so forcibly on the ground, that the innkeeper +fearing the incensed husband, as he supposed him to be, was going to kill +her, ran hastily up stairs, and called to have the door opened, saying, he +would have no murder in his house.</p> +<p>The artful count immediately let him in, and told him, he need be under +no apprehensions, his wife was too dear to him to suffer any thing from +his resentment; and all the noise you heard, said he, was only because I +insisted on her going to bed! By these words Louisa discovered how he had +imposed upon the man, and cried out she was not his wife; but as she spoke +very bad Italian, and the man understood no French, the count being very +fluent in that language, had much the advantage, the innkeeper was fully +satisfied, and they were again left alone, having a second opportunity to +prosecute his villanous attempt.</p> +<p>You see, said he, how much in vain it is for you to resist:—would it +not be wiser in you, therefore, to meet my flames with equal warmth;—to +feign a kindness even if you have none, and thereby oblige me to use you +with a future tenderness:—believe I love you now with an extravagance of +fondness:—it is in your power to preserve that affection for ever:—give +me then willingly that charming mouth.</p> +<p>He had all this time been kissing her with the utmost eagerness, so +that with all her struggling she had not been able either to disengage +herself from his embrace, or to utter one word; and he was very near +forcing from her yet greater liberties, when all at once heaven gave her +strength to spring suddenly from him, and running to a table where he had +laid his sword, she drew it out of the scabbard with so much speed, that +he could not prevent her, and making a push at him with one hand, kept him +from closing with, or disarming her, till with the other she had plucked +back the bolt of the door.</p> +<p>In this posture she flew down stairs, and reached the hall before he +overtook her, quite breathless and ready to faint. He was going to lay +hold of her, when he found himself seized behind by two persons, whom, on +turning to examine the reason, he found was monsieur du Plessis and the +innkeeper. He started at the sight of that gentleman, and was going to say +somewhat to him in French, when the innkeeper told him, the young woman +should be molested no farther till he knew the truth of the affair; for, +said he, there is a person, meaning monsieur du Plessis, who is just come +in, and says she has no husband, and belongs to an English lady of quality +now at Venice:—I will therefore take care of her this night, and if you +have any real claim to her, you may make it out before the magistrate +to-morrow.</p> +<p>The count was so enraged to find it had been by monsieur du Plessis he +had been disappointed, that he snatched his sword from Louisa, who had all +this time held it in her hand, and made so furious a thrust at him, that, +had he not been more than ordinary nimble in avoiding it, by stepping +aside, it must have infallibly gone thro' his body.—He immediately drew +and stood on his defence, but the innkeeper and several other people, whom +Louisa's cries had by this time brought into the hall, prevented any +mischief.</p> +<p>The confusion of voices and uproar which this accident occasioned, +would suffer nothing to be heard distinctly; but the guilt of count +Bellfleur might easily be read in his looks, and not able to stand the +test of any enquiry, he departed with his servant, casting the most +malicious reflections as he went out, both on Louisa and her deliverer.</p> +<p>Du Plessis less affected, because innocent, gave every one the +satisfaction they desired: he said that the young lady being of English +birth, came along with a lady of her own country, to visit several parts +of Europe merely for pleasure; that the lady was still at Venice, and that +on some little disgust between them, she who was there, meaning Louisa, +had quitted her, and was now returning home by the way of Leghorn; of the +truth of what he told them, he added, they might be informed, by sending +to Venice the next day.</p> +<p>He also said, that having a business to be negotiated in England, he +had followed this young lady, in order to beg the favour of her to deliver +letters to some friends he had there, not having the opportunity of making +this request before, by reason of her departure having been so sudden, +that he knew nothing of it before she was gone.</p> +<p>The truth of all this Louisa confirmed, and on farther talk of the +affair, acquainted them, that the gentleman who had occasioned this +disturbance, for she forbore mentioning his name, had often sollicited her +love on unlawful terms, and being rejected by her, had taken this +dishonourable way of compassing his desires, at a place where he knew she +was alone, and wholly a stranger.</p> +<p>The fright and confusion she had been in, had rendered her so faint, +that it was with infinite difficulty she brought out these words; but +having something given her to refresh her spirits, and being conducted +into another room out of the crowd, she began, by degrees, to recover +herself.</p> +<p>Monsieur du Plessis then informed her, that on coming to Melanthe's, +and hearing she was gone, he immediately took boat, resolving to prevail +on her to alter her resolution of going to England, or dye at her feet: +that he easily found the inn she was at, and that the man of the house +presently told him, such a person as he described was there; but that he +understood she had eloped from her husband, who had pursued, and was now +above with her.</p> +<p>Never, said this faithful lover, did any horror equal what I felt at +this intelligence!—The base count de Bellfleur came presently into my +mind:—I thought it could be no other who had taken this abhored method of +accomplishing the menaces you may remember I repeated to you:—I was going +to fly up stairs that instant, but was withheld, and found it best to +argue the man into reason, who, I found, was fully prepossessed you were +his wife: as I was giving some part of your history, I saw the count's man +passing thro' the hall; he saw me too, and would have avoided me, but I +ran to him, seized him by the throat, and asked him what business had +brought either him or his master to this place: the disorder he was in, +and the hesitation with which he spoke, together with refusing to give any +direct answer, very much staggered the innkeeper, who was just consenting +to go up with me to your chamber, and examine into the truth of this +affair, when we saw you come down, armed as your virtue prompted, and at +the same time flying from the villain's pursuit.</p> +<p>Louisa could not help confessing that she owed the preservation of her +honour wholly to him; for, said she, the people were so fully persuaded +not only that I was his wife, but also that I had fled from him on some +unwarrantable intent, that all I did, or could have done, would only have +served to render me more guilty in their opinion; and it must have been by +death alone I could have escaped the monster's more detested lust.</p> +<p>Monsieur du Plessis now made use of every argument that love and wit +could inspire, to prevail with her to accept of the offer contained in the +letter he had wrote to her; and concluded with reminding her, that if the +charming confession her answer had made him was to be depended on, and +that she had indeed a heart not wholly uninfluenced by his passion, she +would not refuse agreeing to a proposal, which not the most rigid virtue +and honour could disapprove.</p> +<p>Louisa on this replied with blushes, that since, by the belief she +should never see him more, she had been unwarily drawn in to declare +herself so far, she neither could, nor would attempt to deny what she had +said; but, added she, it is perhaps, by being too much influenced by your +merits, that I find myself obliged to refuse what you require of me:—I +cannot think, cried she, of rendering unhappy a person who so much +deserves to be blessed:—and what but misery would attend a match so +unequal as yours would be with me!—How would your kindred brook it!—How +would the world confuse and ridicule the fondness of an affection so ill +placed!—What would they say when they should hear the nobly born, the + rich, and the accomplished monsieur du Plessis, had taken for his wife a + maid obscurely defended, and with no other dowry than her virtue!—My + very affection for you would, in the general opinion, lose all its merit, + and pass for sordid interest:—I should be looked upon as the bane of + your glory;—as one whose artifices had ensnared you into a forgetfulness + of what you owed to yourself and family, and be despised and hated by all + who have a regard for you.—This, monsieur, continued she, is what I + cannot bear, neither for your sake nor my own, and entreat you will no + farther urge a suit, which all manner of considerations forbid me to + comply with.</p> +<p>The firmness and resolution with which she uttered these words, threw +him into the most violent despair; and here might be seen the difference +between a sincere and counterfeited passion: the one is timid, fearful of +offending, and modest even to its own loss;—the other presuming, bold, +and regardless of the consequences, presses, in spight of opposition, to +its desired point.</p> +<p>Louisa had too much penetration not to make this distinction: she saw +the truth of his affection in his grief, and that awe which deterred him +from expressing what he felt:—she sympathized in all his pains, and for +every sigh his oppressed heart sent forth, her own wept tears of blood; +yet not receding from the resolution she had formed, nothing could be more +truly moving than the scene between them.</p> +<p>At length he ceased to mention marriage, but conjured her to consider +the snares which would be continually laid, by wicked and designing men, +for one so young and beautiful:—that she could go no where without +finding other Bellfleurs; and she might judge, by the danger she had just +now so narrowly escaped, of the probability of being involved again in the +same:—he represented to her, in the most pathetic terms, that her +innocence could have no sure protection but in the arms of a husband, or +the walls of a convent; and on his knees beseeched her, for the sake of +that virtue which she so justly prized, since she would not accept of him +for the one, to permit him to place her in that other only asylum for a +person in her circumstances.</p> +<p>Difficult was it for her to resist an argument, the reason of which she +was so well convinced of, and could offer nothing in contradiction to, but +that she had a certain aversion in her nature to receive any obligations +from a man who had declared himself her lover, and who might possibly +hereafter presume upon the favours he had done her.</p> +<p>It was in vain he complained of her unjust suspicion in this point, +which, to remove, he protested to her that he would leave the choice of +the monastry wholly to herself: that in whatever part she thought would be +most agreeable, he would conduct her; and that, after she was entered, he +would not even attempt to see her thro' the grate, without having first +received her permission for his visit. Not all this was sufficient to +assure her scrupulous delicacy: she remained constant in her +determination; and all he could prevail on her, was leave to attend her as +far as Leghorn, to secure her from any second attempt the injurious count +might possibly make.</p> +<p>After this they entered into some discourse of Melanthe, and whether it +would be proper for Louisa to write her an account of this affair, and the +count's perfidiousness. Monsieur du Plessis said, he thought that the late +usage she had received from that lady, deserved not she should take any +interest in her affairs; but it was not this that hindered Louisa from +doing it:—the remembrance of the kindness she had once been treated with +by her, more than balanced, in her way of thinking, all the insults that +succeeded it; and when she reflected how much Melanthe loved the count, +and that she had already granted him all the favours in her power, it +seemed to her rather an act of cruelty than friendship, to acquaint her +with this ingratitude, and thereby anticipate a misfortune, which, +perhaps, by his artifices and continued dissimulation, might be for a long +time concealed: therefore, for this reason, she exacted a promise from +monsieur du Plessis not to make any noise of this affair at his return to +Venice, unless the count, by some rash and precipitate behaviour, should +enforce him to it.</p> +<p>This injunction discovered so forgiving a sweetness of disposition in +the person who made it, that monsieur du Plessis could not refrain +testifying his admiration by the most passionate exclamations; in which +perhaps he had continued longer, had not the eyes of the fair object +discovered a certain languishment, which reminded him, he should be +wanting in the respect he professed, to detain her any longer from that +repose, which, seemed necessary, after the extraordinary hurry of spirits +she had sustained; therefore having taken his leave of her for that night, +retired to a chamber he had ordered to be got ready for him, as did she to +that where she had been so lately disturbed: but all those who are in the +least capable of any idea of those emotions, which agitated the minds of +both these amiable persons, will believe neither of them slept much that +night.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XVI.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>The Innkeepers scruples oblige Louisa to write to Melanthe: her +behavior on the discovery of the count's falshood. Louisa changes her +resolution and goes to Bolognia</i>.</p> +<p>Monsieur du Plessis, having found it impossible to dissuade Louisa from +going to England, now bent his whole thoughts to perform his promise of +conducting her to Leghorn, in the most commodious manner he could; +accordingly he rose very early, and calling for the man of the house, +desired he would provide a handsome post chaise, and if he knew any +fellows whose integrity might be relied on, he thought necessary to hire +two such, who, furnished with fire-arms, might serve as a guard against +any attack the count might take it into his head to make.</p> +<p>But the innkeeper had now entertained notions that forbid him to +correspond with the designs of monsieur: some of his neighbours, who had +heard of last night's accident, whispered it in his ears, that it would +not be safe for him to let these young people depart together; that he +could not be assured the person, who pretended to be the husband, might not +be so in reality; and if he should come again with proper officers and +proofs to claim his wife, it might be of dangerous consequence to him to +have favoured her escape; and that the only way he had to secure himself +from being brought into trouble, was to lay the whole affair before the +podestat. This advice seemed to him too reasonable not to be complied +with: he went directly to that magistrate, and while the lover was +speaking to him, officers came in to seize both him and Louisa, and carry +them before the podestat.</p> +<p>Monsieur du Plessis was very much surprized and vexed at this +interruption, and the more so, as he feared it would terrify Louisa to a +greater degree than the nature of the thing required; but in this he did +injury to her courage: when she was called up and informed of the +business, she surrendered herself with all the dauntlessness of innocence +to the officers, and suffered them to conduct her, with du Plessis, to the +house of the podestat.</p> +<p>Both of them flattered themselves with the belief, that when he should +come to hear the story, they would be immediately discharged; but he +happened to be one of those who are over wary in the execution of their +office; and he only told them, that what they said might be true, but he +was not to take things on the bare word of the parties themselves; and +that therefore they must be confined till either the person who claimed +the woman for his wife, should bring proofs she was so, or she should be +able to make out he had no right over her.</p> +<p>That is easy for me to do, said Louisa; I am only concerned that this +gentleman, meaning du Plessis, should be detained on an account he has no +manner of interest in. The podestat answered, it was unavoidable, because +as the person, who said he was her husband, had accused her of an +elopement, there was all the reason in the world to suppose that if it +were so, it was in favour of this gentleman, by the rage he was informed +he had testified at finding him in Padua.</p> +<p>Louisa gave only a scornful smile, denoting how much she disdained a +crime of the nature she was suspected of, and followed one of the +officers, who conducted her to the place appointed for her confinement.</p> +<p>Monsieur du Plessis was touched to the soul at the indignity he thought +offered to this sovereign of his affections; but he restrained himself +when he considered that it had the sanction of law, which in all nations +must be submitted to; and he only told the podestat, that the virtue of +that lady would soon be cleared, to the confusion of those who had +presumed to traduce it.</p> +<p>As, after they were under confinement, they had no opportunity of +advising each other what to do, monsieur du Plessis, uneasy at the +injustice done him, wrote immediately to the prince of Conti, in these +terms:<br/> +<br/> +<i>To his Royal Highness the Prince of</i> CONTI.<br/> +<br/> +"It is with the extremest reluctance I give<br/> +your royal highness this trouble, or find myself<br/> +obliged to accuse the count de Bellfleur of<br/> +an action so dishonourable to our nation; but<br/> +as I am here under confinement for preventing<br/> +him from committing a rape on a young English<br/> +lady, who failing to seduce at Venice, he followed<br/> +hither; and under the pretence of being<br/> +her husband, gained the people of the house on<br/> +his side, and had infallibly compassed his intent,<br/> +had it not been for my seasonable interposition:<br/> +I am too well convinced of the justice I presume<br/> +to implore, to doubt if your highness will<br/> +oblige him to clear up the affair to the podestat,<br/> +on which she will be at liberty to prosecute her<br/> +journey, and I to throw myself, with the utmost<br/> +gratitude and submission, at your feet, who have<br/> +the honour to be<br/> +<br/> +<i>Your royal highness's</i><br/> +<br/> +<i>Most devoted</i><br/> +<br/> +DU PLESSIS."<br/> +<br/> +<i>Padua.</i></p> +<p>Louisa, who was ignorant what her lover had done, and knew no other +way, than by writing to Melanthe, to extricate herself from this trouble, +sent a letter to her, the contents whereof were as follows:<br/> +<br/> +MADAM,<br/> +<br/> +"On what imagined cause whatever you were<br/> +pleased to banish me, I am certain you<br/> +have too much goodness to suffer any one,<br/> +much less a person you have once honoured<br/> +with your friendship, to remain in prison for a<br/> +crime it is impossible for me to be guilty of:—I<br/> +am sorry I must accuse a person so dear to<br/> +you;—but it is, madam, no other than the<br/> +unworthy count de Bellfleur, who followed me<br/> +hither, came into the inn where I was lodged,<br/> +into the very chamber, and oh! I tremble<br/> +while I relate it, had proceeded yet farther; and<br/> +I had been inevitably lost, had not heaven sent<br/> +me a deliverer in the unexpected arrival of monsieur<br/> +du Plessis, who is also a prisoner as well<br/> +as myself, for the timely rescue he gave me.<br/> +You will wonder, doubtless, by what law either<br/> +I should be confined for endeavouring to defend<br/> +my chastity, or he, for generously assisting me;<br/> +but the detested artful count had pretended himself<br/> +my husband; and under the sanction of<br/> +that name it was, that he met no opposition to<br/> +his wicked will from the people of the house,<br/> +and rendered them regardless of my shrieks and<br/> +cries.—The magistrates are yet dubious of the<br/> +truth; and till it can be proved what I really am,<br/> +both myself and monsieur du Plessis must continue<br/> +where we are:—have pity on me, therefore,<br/> +I conjure you, madam, and write to the podestat:<br/> +I have already told him I had the honour to<br/> +belong to you;—a line from you will confirm<br/> +it, and once more set at liberty a maid, who<br/> +will ever remember all your favours with the<br/> +greatest gratitude, and your withdrawing them<br/> +as the worst misfortune could have befallen.<br/> +<br/> +MADAM,<br/> +<br/> +<i>From the prison<br/> +at Padua.<br/> +<br/> +Your most faithful, and<br/> +Most humble servant</i>,<br/> +<br/> +LOUISA."<br/> +</p> +<p>These letters were sent away by special messengers, who had orders to +be as expeditious as possible in the delivery of them.</p> +<p>But while these accidents happened at Padua, Melanthe was not without +her share of inquietudes at Venice: she had not seen her beloved count in +two whole days, and, tho' she sent several times to his lodgings, could +hear nothing but that he was not yet come home. As her vanity would not +suffer her to think herself neglected, without having received some +glaring proofs of it, she feared some misfortune had befallen him, and +exposed herself not a little in the enquiries she made after him, among +all those who she could imagine were able to inform her any thing +concerning him.</p> +<p>At length some person, who happened to see him take boat, told her he +was gone to Padua, which being the rout she knew Louisa had taken, and she +had also informed him, a sudden thought darted into her head that he was +gone in pursuit of her.—It now seemed not impossible, but that all he had +said concerning his dislike of her might be artifice; and that the love of +variety might prevail on him at last to comply with the advances he +pretended she had made him.—The privacy with which he went, none of his +acquaintance knowing any thing of his journey, seemed to favour this +opinion; and never was a heart more racked with jealousy and suspence, +than that of this unhappy, and too easily deceived lady.</p> +<p>She had sometimes an inclination to go to Padua in person, and +endeavour to find out what business had carried him thither; and her +impatience had doubtless got the better of her prudence in this +particular, if, sending once more to his lodgings, she had not heard he +was returned.—On this she expected to see him in the evening, and +flattered herself with his being able to make some reasonable excuse for +his absence; but finding he came not, she was all distraction, and sent a +billet to him next morning, requiring him to come to her immediately on +the receipt of it; but as he was at that time in too ill a humour to think +of entertaining her, sent her an answer by word of mouth, that he was +indisposed, and would wait on her on his recovery.—This message seemed so +cold, and so unlike the passion he had hitherto professed for her, that it +threw her into almost convulsive agonies.—A masquerade was to be that +night at the house of a person of quality: she sent again to know if he +intended to be there, and, if he did, what habit he would wear, it being +customary with them, ever since their amour, to acquaint each other with +their dresses, that they might not mistake, by addressing to wrong +persons. His reply was, that he would go if health permitted, but as to +what he should wear he had not as yet thought of it.</p> +<p>What, if he hat not thought of it! cried she haughtily, when she heard +these words;—the knowledge that I shall be there, ought now to make him +think of it.—Pride, love, and the astonishment at this sudden change in +his behaviour, rendered her wholly forgetful of what she owed her sex and +rank; and she was just going to his lodgings, in order to upbraid him with +his indifference, and prove what it was she now had to depend on from him, +when the messenger from Louisa arrived and delivered her the letter, which +contained a sad eclaircisement of all she wanted to be informed of.</p> +<p>At first reading it, she seemed like one transfixed with a sudden clap +of thunder:—she had indeed been jealous, suspicious, fearful of her fate; +but so glaring, so impudent a treachery had never entered her head, that +any man could be guilty of, much less one whom her too fond passion had +figured to her imagination, as possessed of all the virtues of his sex. It +seemed too monstrous to be true; and she had accused the innocent Louisa +as the inventor of this falshood, merely in revenge for her late +treatment, had there been the least shadow of a pretence for doing +so:—gladly would she have encouraged such a hope, but common sense forbid +it;—all circumstances seemed to concur, in proving that he was indeed +that villain which the letter represented him; and that surprize, which +had in a manner stupified her on the discovery, was succeeded by a storm +of mingled grief and rage, which no words can sufficiently describe:—she +exclaimed against fate, cursed all mankind, and accused every thing as +accessory to her misfortune, but that to which alone she owed it, her own +imprudence.</p> +<p>The disorders of her mind had such an effect on her body, that she fell +into fits, and a physician was sent for, who, tho' esteemed the most +skilful in that country, found it required all his art to prevent a fever: +she continued, however, for five days in a condition, such as permitted +her not to do any thing either for the satisfaction of her own impatient +curiosity, or to comply with the just request Louisa had made; and had not +monsieur du Plessis's letter to the prince been mere successful, they must +both have continued where they were, perhaps for a considerable time.</p> +<p>That, however, had all the effect could be expected from a prince of so +much honour: he immediately sent for the count de Bellfleur; and easily +finding, by the confusion with which he replied to his examination, and +the little low evasions he was obliged to have recourse to, that the +affair was as monsieur du Plessis had represented, gave him a severe +check, and ordered him to depart immediately from Venice, where he told +him, he had given such occasion to call the honour of the French nation in +general in question; and to repair with all expedition to his winter +quarters. Which command he instantly obeyed, without taking any leave of +Melanthe, or perhaps even thinking on her.</p> +<p>At the same time the prince dispatched his gentleman of horse to Padua, +with necessary instructions for clearing up the affair; on which the +prisoners were discharged, and their pardon asked by the podestat for +doing what, he said, the duties of his post had alone obliged him to; tho' +it is certain he had exercised his authority with greater strictness than +the necessity of the thing required; since, if the count had been in +reality the husband of Louisa, it would have been more easy for him to +bring proofs of it, than for those under confinement to invalidate his +claim.</p> +<p>After the proper compliments to the gentleman who had taken this +trouble, monsieur du Plessis entreated he would excuse him to the prince, +that he retarded the thanks he had to pay his royal highness, till his +return from conducting Louisa some part of her journey, which being a +piece of gallantry the lady herself seemed well pleased with, was easily +complied with by the other.</p> +<p>This faithful lover had now a full opportunity to entertain his +mistress with his passion, and represented it to her with so much force +and eloquence, together with the dangers she would continually be exposed +to, that she had at length no words to form denials, and gave him leave to +conduct her to some monastry in Italy, the choice of which she left to +him, till the campaign was over. This was indeed all he presumed to +request of her at present. It may happen, said he, that your lover may +fall a victim to the fate of war, among many other more brave and worthy +men, who doubtless will not survive the next battle, and you will then be +at liberty to pursue your inclinations either to England or elsewhere; and +be assured of this, that I shall take care, before the hour of danger, to +leave you mistress of a fortune, sufficient to protect you from any future +insults of the nature you received from Melanthe.</p> +<p>The tender soul of Louisa was so much dissolved at these words, that +she burst into a flood of tears, and cried out, Oh! too generous du +Plessis, think not I will survive the cruel hour which informs me all that +is valuable in man has ceased to be!—Take,—oh! take no care for me; when +you are no more, nothing this world affords can enable me to drag on a +wretched life!</p> +<p>What must be the transport of a man, who loved like him, to hear a +mouth accustomed to the greatest reserve, utter exclamations so soft, so +engaging, so convincing to him that he was no less dear to her than he +could even wish to be!—He threw himself at her feet, and even thought +that posture not humble enough to testify, as it deserved, his gratitude +and joy. But she not suffering him to continue in it, he took the hand +that raised him, kissed off the tears which had fallen from her eyes upon +it, with speechless extacies, and seemed almost beside himself at the +concern she could not yet overcome, on the bare imagination of losing him +in the way he mentioned. If you love me, said she tenderly, you will +endeavour to preserve yourself:—I have now put myself under your +protection, by consenting to do as you would have me, and have no other +from whom I would receive those favours I expect from you:—think not, +therefore, that I will perform my promise, unless you give me yours, not +to be so covetous of fame as to court dangers, nor, in too eager a pursuit +of glory, to lose the remembrance of what you owe to love.</p> +<p>Oh thou divinest softness! cried he, be assured I will put nothing to +the venture that might take me from Louisa!—Your kindness, my angel, has +shewed me the value of life, and almost made a coward of your lover:—no +farther will I go than the duties of my post oblige me, and that honour, +which to forfeit, would render me unworthy of your care.</p> +<p>Louisa now found herself so much at ease, in having discovered a secret +she had so long laboured with, and suffered an infinity of pain in the +concealing of, that nothing could be more chearful than her looks and +behaviour. He, on the other hand, was all rapture, yet did it not make him +in the least forgetful of the rules he had prescribed himself, or give her +modesty any room to repent the confession she had made in favour of his +passion:—the conversation between them was all made up of innocence and +love; and every hour they passed together, rendered them still dearer to +each other.</p> +<p>Monsieur du Plessis having thus gained the point his soul was let on, +began to consider in what part of Italy it would be best to place his dear +Louisa: as Bolognia was a free country, under the jurisdiction of the +Pope, he thought she would there be the least subject to alarms, on +account of the army's continual marches and countermarches thro' most +other parts of Italy. He therefore got a post-chaise, and by easy journeys +conducted her thither; and having made an agreement with the lady abbess +of the Augustines, she was welcomed into the convent by the holy +sisterhood with all imaginable good-nature and politeness.</p> +<p>It would be endless to recite the farewels of these equally sincere, +and passionate lovers; so I shall only say that never any parting was more +truly touching; and the grief, which both of them endured, was only +alleviated by the confidence they had in each other's affection, and the +mutual promises of communicating the assurances of persevering in it, by +letters as often as opportunity would permit.</p> +<p>Melanthe being recovered of the indisposition of her body, tho' not of +her mind, was informed of every particular of her perfidious lover's +conduct as he had quitted Venice before she did her chamber, was obliged +to bear the load of discontent her too easy belief had brought upon her, +without even the poor ease of venting it in reproaches on him. The +carnival soon after ending, and finding that change of place was no +defence from misfortunes of the kind she had sustained, without she could +also change her way of thinking, took the first convenience that offered, +and returned to England, rather in worse humour than she had left it.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XVII.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Horatio arrives at Warsaw, sees the coronation of Stanislaus and his +queen: his reception from the king of Sweden: his promotion: follows that +prince in all his conquests thro' Poland, Lithuania and Saxony. The story +of count Patkul and madame de Eusilden.</i></p> +<p>While these things were transacting in Italy, Horatio, animated by +love and glory, was pursuing his journey to Poland. His impatience was so +great, that he travelled almost night and day, already imitating the +example of the master he was going to serve; no wood, no river was +impassable to him that shortened the distance to the place he so much +longed to approach: and thus by inuring himself to hardship, became fitly +qualified to bear his part in all the vast fatigues to which that prince +incessantly exposed his royal person.</p> +<p>Not a city, town, or even village he puffed thro', but echoed with the +wonders performed by the young king of Sweden:—new victories, new +acquisitions met him wherever he came:—all tongues were full of his +praises; and even those who had been ruined by his conquests, could not +help speaking of him with admiration.—Horatio heard all this with +pleasure, but mixed with a kind of pain that he was not present at these +great actions.—How glorious is it, cried he to himself, to fight under +the banners of this invincible monarch!—What immortal honour has not +every private man acquired, who contributed the least part to successes +that astonish the whole world!</p> +<p>But notwithstanding his eagerness which carried him thro' marshes, over +mountains, and ways, which to an ordinary traveller would have seemed +impassable, he met with several delays in his journey, especially when he +got into Germany, where they were extremely scrupulous; and he was obliged +to wait at some towns two or three days before he could obtain passports: +he also met several parties of flying horse and dragoons, who were +scouting about the country, as he drew nearer Saxony; but his policy +furnished him with stratagems to get over these difficulties, and he got +safe to Punitz, in the Palatinate of Posnania, where a great part of the +king of Sweden's army was encamped.—He immediately demanded to be +brought to the presence of the grand marshal Renchild, to whom he +delivered the letter of the baron de la Valiere, and found the good +effects of it by the civilities with which that great general vouchsafed +to treat him. He would have had him stay with him; but Horatio, knowing +the king was at Warsaw, was too impatient of seeing that monarch to be +prevailed upon, on which he sent a party of horse to escort him to that +city.</p> +<p>He had the good fortune to arrive on the very day that Stanislaus and +his queen were crowned, and was witness of part of the ceremony. The king +of Sweden was there incognito, and being shewn to Horatio, he could not +forbear testifying his surprize to see so great a prince, and one who, in +every action of his life, discovered a magnamity even above his rank, +habited in a manner not to be distinguished from a private man; but it was +not in the power of any garb to take from him a look of majesty, which +shewed him born to command not only his own subjects, but kings +themselves, when they presumed to become his enemies. There was a +fierceness in his eyes, but tempered with so much sweetness, that it was +impossible for those who most trembled at his frowns to avoid loving him +at the same time.</p> +<p>Stanislaus had in him all that could attract respect and good wishes; +beside the most graceful person that can be imagined, he had a certain air +of grandeur, joined with an openness of behaviour, that shewed him equally +incapable of doing a mean or dishonourable action: his queen was one of +the greatest beauties of her time; and every one present at their +coronation, confessed, that never any two persons more became a throne, or +were more worthy of the dignity conferred upon them.</p> +<p>The whole court was too much taken up that day, for Horatio to think of +presenting himself before the king of Sweden; but the officer, who +commanded the party that general Renchild had sent with him, introduced +him in the evening to count Hoorn, governor of Warsaw, who provided him an +appartment, and the next morning introduced him to count Piper. That +minister no sooner read the baron de Palfoy's letter, and heard he had +others to deliver to the king from the chevalier St. George, and the queen +dowager of England, than he treated him with the utmost marks of esteem; +and assured him that, since he had an inclination to serve his majesty, he +would contribute every thing in his power to make him not repent the long +fatigues he had undergone for that purpose; but, said he with a smile, you +will have no need of me; you bring, I perceive, recommendations more +effectual, and have besides, in yourself, sufficient to engage all you +have to wish from a monarch so just and generous as ours.</p> +<p>Horatio replied to this compliment with all humility; and as the count +perceived by his accents that he was not a Frenchman, tho' he spoke the +language perfectly well, he asked him of what country he was; to which +Horatio replied, that he was of England, but made him no farther +acquainted with his affairs, nor that the motive of his having remained so +long in France, was because he was not ransomed by his friends: not that +he concealed this out of pride, but he knew the character of most first +ministers, and thought it not prudence to unbosom himself to one of those, +whose first study, when they come into that employment, is to discover as +much as they can of others, without revealing any thing of themselves. For +this reason he was also very sparing of entering into any discourse of the +chevalier's court, or of that of the king of France, and answered all the +questions put to him by the count, that his youth, and being of foreign +extraction, hindered him from being let into any secrets of state.</p> +<p>After a pretty long conversation, the count led him to the king of +Sweden's apartment, where, just as they were about to enter, he asked him +if he could speak Latin; for, said he, tho' his majesty understands +French, he never could be brought to speak it, nor is pleased to be +addressed in that language. Horatio thanked him for this information, and +told him, that tho' he could not boast of being able to deliver himself +with an affluence becoming the presence of so great a prince, yet he would +chuse rather to shew his bad learning, than his want of ambition to do +every thing that might render himself acceptable.</p> +<p>As he spoke these words, he found himself in his presence.—The king +was encompassed by the officers of the army, to whom he was giving some +directions; but seeing count Piper, and a stranger with him, he left off +what he was saying, and, without giving him time to speak, cried, Count, +who have you brought me here? One, may it please your majesty, replied he, +who brings his credentials with him, and has no need of my intercession to +engage his welcome. While the count Was making this reply, the king, who +had an uncommon quickness in his eyes, measured Horatio from head to foot; +and our young soldier of fortune, without being daunted, put one knee to +the ground, and delivered his packet with these words:—The princes, by +whom I have the honour to be sent, commanded me to assure your majesty, +that they participate in all your dangers, rejoice in all your glories, +and pray, that as you only conquer for the good of others, the sword you +draw, in the cause of justice, may at last be sheathed in a lasting and +universal peace.</p> +<p>I am afraid it will be long before all that is necessary for that +purpose is accomplished, said the king; wrong, when established, not +easily gives place to right;—but we are yet young enough to hope it.</p> +<p>He broke open his letters as he spoke this; and while he was examining +them, took his eye off the paper several times to look on Horatio, and +then read again.</p> +<p>When he had done, I am much obliged, said he, to the zeal these letters +tell me you have expressed for my service, and shall not be +ungrateful:—we are here idle at present but shall not long be so; and you +will have occasions enough to prove your courage, and gratify that love of +arms which, my brother informs me, is the predominant passion of your soul.</p> +<p>After this he asked him several questions concerning the chevalier St. +George, the queen, and princess Louisa; to which Horatio answered with +great propriety, but mingled with such encomiums of the royal persons, as +testified his gratitude for the favours he received from them. But when he +mentioned the princess, and delivered the message she sent by him, a more +lively colour flushed into the king's cheeks, and he replied, well, we +shall do all we can to comply with her commands; then turned quick about, +and resumed the discourse he was in, before Horatio's entrance, with his +officers, as much as to say, the business of his love must not interrupt +that of the war; and Horatio had afterwards the opportunity of observing, +that tho' he often looked upon the picture of that amiable princess, which +he always wore in his bosom, yet he would on a sudden snatch his eyes +away, as fearing to be too much softened.</p> +<p>Horatio was ordered to be lodged in the castle where the garrison was +kept; but he was every day at the king's levee, and received the most +extraordinary marks of his favour and affection; for which, as he looked +upon himself entirely indebted to the recommendations of his friends in +France, he wrote letters of thanks, and an account of all that happened to +him.</p> +<p>Poland being now entirely subdued by the valour and fortune of Charles +XII. and having received a king of his nomination, submitted cheerfully, +glad to see an end of devastation, as they then flattered themselves; but +the troubles of that unfortunate kingdom were yet to endure much +longer.—Augustus, impatient of recovering what he had lost, and the czar +of Muscovy jealous and envious of the king of Sweden's glory, came pouring +with mighty armies from Saxony and Russia. Shullenburgh, the general of +the former, had passed the Oder; and the other, at the head of a numerous +body, was plundering all that came in his way, and putting to the sword +every one whom he even suspected of adhering to king Stanislaus: so that +nothing now was talked of but war, and the means concerted how to put a +stop to the miseries these two ambitious princes made, not only in that +country, but all the adjacent parts.</p> +<p>It was agreed that general Renchild should go to meet Shullenburgh, and +the two kings drive out the Muscovites; who being divided into several +parties, Stanislaus went at the head of one army, and the king of Sweden +led another; and taking different routs, had every day what he called +skirmishes, but what the vanquished looked upon as terrible battles.</p> +<p>The king of Sweden, before their departure from Warsaw, told Horatio +that all his officers were gallant men, and it was not his custom to +displace any one for meer favour to another; he must therefore wait till +the fate of war, or some other accident, made a vacancy, before he could +give him a commission, in the mean time, said he, with a great deal of +sweetness, you must be content to be only my aid-de-camp. On this Horatio +replied to his majesty, with as much politeness as sincerity, that it was +the post he wished, tho' dare not presume to ask; for he looked upon the +honour of being near, and receiving the commands of so excellent a +monarch, preferable to the highest commission in the army.</p> +<p>Thus, highly contented with his lot, did he attend the king, thro' +rivers, lakes, marines, and all the obstacles nature had thrown in the way +of this conqueror; and whenever they came to any battle, was so swift in +bearing his commands to the general, and in returning to him in which line +soever he was, that Poniatosky gave him the name of the Mercury to their +Jove; nor did he less signalize his valour; he fought by the side of the +king like one who valued not life, in competition with the praises of his +master. In an engagement where they took the baggage of Augustus, he did +extraordinary service; and a colonel then being killed on the spot, the +king presently cried out, Now here is a regiment for my Horatio. Our young +warrior thanked him on his knees, but beseeched he might not be removed +from him, again protesting that he could no were deserve so well, as where +he was animated by his royal presence. This Charles XII. took very kindly, +and told him, he should have his desire; but, said he, I must also have +mine:—I will continue you my aid-de-camp, but you shall accept the +commission, and the lieutenant colonel shall command the regiment in your +absence.</p> +<p>He also allotted him so large a share in the prize taken in this +battle, that Horatio was already become rich enough to avow his +pretensions to the daughter of the baron de Palfoy; but, dear as she was +to him, his love and admiration of the king of Sweden, joined to the +ambition of desiring still more than he had received, kept him from +entertaining the least desire of quitting the service he was in.</p> +<p>In eight or nine weeks did the two kings clear the country round, and +drove their enemies into the heart of Lithuania. As they were about to +return, they were met by the welcome news that general Renchild had been +no less successful, and entirely routed the whole army of Shullenburgh, +and also that the diet of Ratisbon, fearing the king of Sweden would enter +Germany, had come to a resolution to declare him an enemy to the empire, +in case he offered to pass the Oder with his army.</p> +<p>They could not have taken a more effectual step to bring on what they +dreaded, than by daring him to it by this menace. He took but little time +for consideration, before he determined to carry the war into Saxony, and +drive Augustus from his electorate, as he had done from his kingdom.</p> +<p>He had no sooner made known his resolution, than the troops began to +march, and with a chearfulness and alacrity, which shewed they had no will +but that of their king:—indeed he seemed the soul of this mighty body, of +which every single man was a member, and actuated only by him.</p> +<p>It is certain his heart was set on establishing Stanislaus on the +throne, and he knew no better way of preventing Augustus from molesting +him, than by calling off all communication between his electorate and +Poland:—accordingly he bent his course to Saxony, marched thro' Silesia +and Lusatia, plundered the open country, laid the rich city of Leipsic, +and other towns, under contribution, and at length encamped at Alranstadt, +near the plains of Lutsen, whence he sent to the estates of Saxony, to +give him an estimate of what they could supply, and obliged them to levy +whatever sums he had occasion for: not that he had the least spark of +avarice in his nature, but his hatred to Augustus, who had by his +injustice made him become his enemy, was so great, that it extended to all +those of his country, so far, as to humble and impoverish the once opulent +inhabitants, making them not only support his numerous army, but laid on +them besides many unnecessary imposts, which he divided among his +soldiers, so that they were all cloathed in gold and silver, and every +private man had the appearance of a general, the king himself still +preferring his usual plainness; but he loved, he said, to see the Saxon +riches upon Swedish backs.</p> +<p>Horatio had now a second opportunity of writing to France, which he did +not fail to do, and, as there was no talk of the army decamping for some +time, let his friends know he hoped to hear from them at Alranstadt.</p> +<p>Augustus, in the mean time deprived of every thing, and a wanderer in +that kingdom where he had lately reigned, sent a mean submission to him, +entreating peace, and that he might have leave to return to his +electorate. This was granted by the conqueror, on condition he would +renounce, for ever, all thoughts of re-entering Poland, or giving any +disturbance to Stanislaus. But as the treaty was going to be signed, the +czar sent an army of 20,000 men to his relief, who defeated general +Mayerfield, whom the king had left to guard that kingdom; and the +dethroned monarch once more entered Warsaw, the capital of Poland, in +triumph.</p> +<p>Charles XII. was so exasperated when he received this intelligence, +that he gave immediate orders to decamp, resolving he should not long +enjoy the benefit of his breach of faith; but the pusillanimity of +Augustus prevented him: that prince was afraid the czar should discover +the peace he had been secretly negotiating, and withdraw his troups; and +as he had neither any of his own, nor money to assist him, he sent the +articles demanded of him by the king of Sweden, signed with his own hand, +and set out to Alranstadt, hoping, by his presence and persuasions, to +mollify his indignation, and be permitted to enjoy his own Saxony in +peace.</p> +<p>What more could the utmost ambition of man require than the king of +Sweden now received, to see a prince, so lately his equal and inveterate +enemy, come to solicite favour of him in his camp, almost at his feet; +but whatever were his sentiments on this occasion he concealed them, and +tho' he could not but despise such an act of meanness, he treated him with +the utmost politeness, tho' without making any abatement of the demands he +had exacted from him. On the contrary, he insisted on his delivering up to +him general Patkul, ambassador from the czar, who at that time was a +prisoner in Saxony, being determined to put him to death as a traitor, +having been born his subject, and now entered into the service of his +sworn enemy.</p> +<p>Augustus beseeched him in the most abject manner to relinquish this one +point, and remonstrated to him that the czar, his present master, would +look on it as the utmost indignity offered to himself in the person of his +ambassador: he assured him he hated Patkul, but feared the giving him up +would be resented by all the princes of Europe. All he could urge on this +head was to no effect; the king of Sweden was not to be moved from any +resolution he had once made; and the unfortunate Patkul was sent to +Alranstadt and chained to a stake for three whole months, and afterwards +conducted to Casimir, where he was to receive his sentence.</p> +<p>Horatio, who was an entire stranger to the motive of this behaviour in +the king, and had never seen any thing before in him that looked like a +cruel disposition, was one day mentioning his surprize at it to a young +officer with whom he had contracted a great intimacy, on which he gave him +the following account:</p> +<p>This Patkul, said he, is a Livonian born, which, tho' a free country, +is part of the dominions annexed to the crown of Sweden: Charles XI. began +to introduce a more absolute form of government than was consistent with +the humour of that people; his son has been far from receding in that +point, and Patkul being a person of great consideration among them, stood +up for their liberties in a manner which our king could not forgive:—he +ordered him to be seized, but he made his escape, and was proscribed in +Sweden; on which he entered into the service of king Augustus, and was +made his general; but on some misunderstanding; between him and the +chancellor, he quitted Poland and went to Russia, where he got into great +favour with the czar, was highly promoted, and sent his residentiary +ambassador in Saxony. Augustus, whose fate it has been to disoblige every +body, on some pretence clapp'd into prison the representative of his only +friend, and now, we see, has given him up to death, to satiate the demands +of his greatest enemy.</p> +<p>Horatio could not keep himself from falling into a deep musing at the +recital of this adventure: he thought Patkul worthy of compassion, yet +found reasons to justify the king's resentment; and as this officer had +often disburthened himself to him with the greatest freedom, he had no +reserve toward him, and this led them into a discourse on arbitrary +power.—Horatio said, that he could not help believing that nature never +intended millions to be subjected to the despotic will of one person, and +that a limited government was the most conformable to reason. The officer +agreed with him in that; except the person who ruled had really more +perfections than all those he ruled over and if so, said he, and his +commands are always calculated for the happiness of the subject, they +cannot be more happy than in an implicite obedience. True, replied +Horatio, I am confident that such a prince as ours knows how to chuse for +his people much better than they do for themselves; but how can they be +certain that his descendants will have the same virtues; and when once an +absolute power is granted to a good prince, it will be in vain that the +people will endeavour to wrest it from the hands of a bad one.—Never can +any point be redeemed from the crown without a vast effusion of blood, and +the endangering such calamities on the country, that the relief would be +as bad as the disease. Upon the whole, therefore, I cannot think Patkul in +the wrong for attempting to maintain the liberty of his country, tho' I do +for entering into the service of the avowed enemy of his master.</p> +<p>It is that, I believe, resumed the other, that the king chiefly +resents: his majesty is too just to condemn a man for maintaining the +principles he was bred in, however they may disagree with his own; but to +become his enemy, to enlist himself in the service of those who aim at the +destruction of his lawful prince, is certainly a treason of the blackest +dye.</p> +<p>As they were in this discourse, colonel Poniatosky came in, and hearing +they were speaking of Patkul,—I have just now, said he, received a letter +from one of my friends in Saxony concerning that general, which deeply +affects me, not for his own, but for the sake of a lady, to whom, after a +long series of disappointments, he was just going to be married, when +Augustus, against the law of nations, made him a prisoner. I will relate +the whole adventure to you, continued he; on which the others assuring him +they should think themselves obliged to him, he went on.</p> +<p>When he first entered into the service of Augustus, he became +passionately in love with madam d'Ensilden, a young lady, whose beauty, +birth, and fortune rendered her worthy the affections of a man of more +honour than he had testified in his public capacity: her friends at least +thought so; and chancellor Flemming making his addresses to her at the +same time, had the advantage in every thing but in her heart: there Patkul +triumphed in spight of all objections: and tho' king Augustus vouchsafed +himself to sollicite in behalf of his favourite, her constancy remained +unshaken as a rock; which so incensed a monarch haughty and imperious in +his nature, before humbled by our glorious Charles, that he made use of +his authority, and forbid her to think of marrying any other: to which she +resolutely answered, that she knew no right princes had to interfere with +the marriages of private persons; but since his majesty commanded it, she +would endeavour to obey and live single. This not satisfying the king, he +hated Patkul from that moment; and the rivals soon after meeting in madam +d'Ensilden's apartment, some hot words arose between them, which being by +Flemming reported to his master, he sent, in the moment of his passion, to +require Patkul to resign his office of general: he did so, but with a +murmur that was far from abating the royal resentments; and he had then +ordered him into confinement, but that private intelligence being given +him, he made his escape before the officers, commissioned for that +purpose, reached his house. He then went to the czar, who knowing him an +experienced general, of which at that time he stood greatly in need, +gladly received him; and it was there he first merited the hate of all +good men, by countenancing and abetting those ambitious projects his new +master was then forming against the king of Sweden: but see the fate of +treason, he persuaded him to enter into an alliance with, Poland and +Saxony against Sweden, which laid the foundation of this unjust war, and +for which Augustus has so dearly paid; and being sent Ambassador, in order +to negotiate these affairs, again renewed those of his love. Augustus, now +obliged to the czar for the preservation of his dominions, durst not +openly espouse chancellor Flemming, but no sooner heard that the marriage +was near being compleated, than he ventured every thing to prevent it; +and, under a pretence of his own forging, confined Patkul in the castle of +Konisting, where he lay a considerable time; the czar being too much taken +up with combating the fortune of our victorious king, to examine into this +affair, and besides, unwilling to break with Augustus, as things then +stood. Madam d'Ensilden did all this time whatever could be expected from +a sincere affection, in order to procure his enlargement; but the interest +of her friends, at least of those who would be employed in this +intercession, were infinitely too weak to oppose that of Flemming and the +king's own inclination, so that he remained a prisoner, without being +permitted either to write to madam d'Ensilden or see her, till the time +of his being delivered into our hands. But on hearing he was so, my friend +informs me her great spirit, which till now had made her support her +misfortune without discovering to the world any part of the agonies she +sustained, in an instant quite forsook her: she abandoned herself to +despair and grief, equally exclaiming against the Czar, Augustus, and +Charles XII; has ever since shut herself up in her apartment, which she +has caused to be hung with black, the windows closed, and no light but +what a small lamp affords, and only adds more horror to the melancholy +scene: she weeps incessantly, and, as she expects her lover will obtain no +mercy, declares, she only waits till she hears the sentence of his fate is +given, to dye, if possible, at the same moment of his execution.</p> +<p>I must confess, continued Poniatosky, the history of this lady's +sufferings touch me very much; and tho' I think her lover well worthy of +the death he will undoubtedly receive, could wish some unexpected chance +might once more set him free, and in a condition to recompence so tender a +passion, which Augustus has now no longer any power to oppose.</p> +<p>Horatio had a heart too tender, and too sensible of the woes of love, +not to be greatly affected with this passage; and as they all were young, +and probably had each of them a lady to whom their affections were given, +could not help sympathizing in the misfortunes of two persons who seemed +to have fallen into them merely by the sincere attachment they had for +each other.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XVIII.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>King Stanislaus quits Alranstadt to appease the troubles in Poland: +Charles XII. gives laws to the empire: a courier arrives from Paris: +Horatio receives letters which give him great surprize</i>.</p> +<p>Augustus being able to obtain no better conditions from the king of +Sweden, than leave to return to his almost ruined electorate, took leave +of his conqueror with an almost broken heart.—Intelligence soon after +arriving that Poland was half demolished by the violence of different +factions, who, in the absence of both their kings, contended with equal +fury for the sovereign power, Stanislaus took an affectionate farewell of +his dear friend and patron, and went to appease the troubles of that +kingdom, and make himself peaceably acknowledged for what he was, their +lawful king, not only by election, but by the gift of the conqueror, +Charles XII. of Sweden. He was attended by 10,000 Swedish horse, and twice +the number of foot, in order to make good his claim against any of his +rebellious subjects.</p> +<p>Charles having now accomplished all he could desire in relation to the +Polish affairs, began to grow weary of the idle life he led at Alranstadt, +and was thinking which way he should turn his arms; he had been used ill +by the czar, who, as has been before observed, plotted his destruction +while a minor, and began hostilities when he thought him not in a +condition to defend himself, much less to make any reprisals: his +resentment therefore against him was no less implacable than it had been +against Augustus,—But the emperor had also disobliged him. Count Zobor, +the chamberlain, had taken very indecent and unbecoming liberties with his +character, in the presence of his own Ambassador at Vienna; and that court +had given shelter to 1500 Muscovites, who having escaped his arms, fled +thither for protection. As he was now so near, he therefore thought best +to call the emperor first to account, and then proceed to attack the czar.</p> +<p>To this end he sent to demand count Zobor, and the 1500 Muscovites +should be given into his hands: the timid emperor complied with the first +and sent his chamberlain to be punished as the king thought fit; but it +was not in his power to acquiesce with the other; the Roman envoy, then at +Vienna, having intelligence of it, provided for their escape by different +routs. The king of Sweden then sent a second mandate, requiring protection +for all the Lutherans throughout Germany, particularly in Silesia, and +that they should be restored to all the liberties and privileges +established by the treaty of Westphalia. The emperor, who would have +yielded any thing to get the king of Sweden out of his neighbourhood, +granted even this, disobliging as it was to the pope and his own catholic +subjects: and having ratified these concessions, the king vouchsafed to +let his chamberlain return, without any other punishment than +imprisonment, so long as these affairs remained in agitation.</p> +<p>Having thus given laws to Germany and terror to the emperor, he +resolved to turn where he might expect more opposition; and accordingly he +ordered count Piper to acquaint the officers, that they must now begin to +think of preparing for a march.</p> +<p>In the mean time ambassadors from all the courts of Europe were sent to +his camp, most of them being apprehensive that they should be the next who +felt the terror of his arms: but those who had nothing of this kind to +dread, and more really his friends, made use of all the arguments in their +power to prevail on him to return to Stockholm. France in particular sent +courier after courier, remonstrating to him that his glory was complete; +that he had already exceeded Alexander, and should now return covered, as +he was, with lawrels, and let his subjects enjoy the blessing of his +presence. The court of St. Germains added their entreaties to that of +Versailles, but each were equally ineffectual; nor could even the thoughts +of the beautiful princess Louisa, his betrothed spouse, and whom he was to +marry at the end of this war, put a stop to the vehemence of his +impatience to revenge the many injuries he had received from the czar of +Muscovy.</p> +<p>These were the sentiments by which this conquering monarch were +agitated; but Horatio, tho' no less fond of glory, had a softness in his +nature, which made him languish for the sight of his dear Charlotta, whom +he had been absent from near two years; and being now blessed with a +fortune from the plunder of Saxony, which might countenance his +pretensions to her, passionately longed for an opportunity of returning +without incurring the censure of cowardice or ingratitude. By these +couriers he received letters from the baron de la Valiere, and several +others of his friends, but none from the father of Charlotta; nor did any +of them make any mention of that lady, tho' he knew the passion he had for +her was now no secret to any of them.</p> +<p>He was very much surprized that the baron de Palfoy had not wrote, +because as he had in a manner promised to correspond with him by desiring +him to write, he had a right to expect that favour when they came to +Alranstadt; for till then it was scarce possible, by reason of the army's +continual and uncertain motions; but he was much more so, that the baron +de la Valiere had not been so good as to give him some information of an +affair, of which he could not be insensible his peace so much depended: +that he did not do it, he therefore presently concluded, was owing to the +having nothing pleasing to acquaint him with.</p> +<p>As love is always apprehensive of the worst that can possibly befal, he +thought now of nothing but her being obliged to give her hand to some +rival approved by her father:—what avails it, cried he, that fortune has +raised me to an equality with her, if, by other means, I am deprived of +her!</p> +<p>He was beginning to give way to a despair little befitting a soldier, +when another courier arriving from Versailles with dispatches to the king, +he also received a packet, in which were three letters. The first he cast +his eye upon had on it the characters of Charlotta: amazed and transported +he hastily broke the seal, and found it contained these lines:<br/> +<br/> +<i>To Colonel</i> HORATIO.<br/> +<br/> +SIR,<br/> +<br/> +"I have the permission of my father to pursue<br/> +my inclinations, in giving you this testimony<br/> +how sincerely I congratulate your good fortune;<br/> +tho' I ought not to call it by that name, since I<br/> +find every-body allows your rewards have not<br/> +exceeded your merits; but as neither has been<br/> +found deficient either for your ambition or the<br/> +satisfaction of your friends, all who are truly such<br/> +think you ought to be content, and run no future<br/> +hazards.—Be assured you have many well-wishers<br/> +here, among the number of whom you<br/> +will be guilty of great injustice not to place<br/> +<br/> +CHARLOTTA DE PALFOY."</p> +<p>How well were all the late anxieties he had endured attoned for by this +billet; it was short indeed, and wrote with a more distant air than he +might have expected, had the dear authoress been at liberty to pursue the +dictates of her heart; but as it informed him it was permitted by her +father, and was doubtless under his inspection, the knowledge that he had +authorized her to write at all, was more flattering to his hopes of +happiness than all she could have said without that Sanction. After having +indulged the raptures this condescention excited, he proceeded to the +rest, and found the next he opened was from the baron de Palfoy, who +expressed himself to him in these terms:<br/> +<br/> +<i>To Colonel</i> HORATIO.<br/> +<br/> +"I think myself obliged to you for so much<br/> +exceeding the character I gave you; but I<br/> +value myself on knowing mankind, and am glad<br/> +to find I was not deceived in you, when I expected<br/> +you to do more than I durst venture on<br/> +my own opinion to assure the count. He tells me,<br/> +in a letter I received from him the last courier,<br/> +that the victorious Charles XII. himself cannot<br/> +behave with greater bravery in the time of action,<br/> +nor more moderation after it is over.—This<br/> +is a great praise, indeed, from such a man<br/> +as he; and I acquaint you with it not to make<br/> +you vain, for that would blemish the lustre of<br/> +your other good qualities, but that you may<br/> +know how to make proper acknowledgments to<br/> +that minister."<br/> +<br/> +"Our court, I know, makes pressing influences<br/> +to the king of Sweden not to carry on the way<br/> +any farther: I wish they may succeed, or if they<br/> +should not, that you might be able to find some<br/> +opportunity of quitting the service for reasons<br/> +which you will see in a letter that accompanies<br/> +this, and to which nothing can be added to convince<br/> +you what part you ought to take.—I<br/> +shall therefore say no more than that I am, with<br/> +a very tender regard,<br/> +<br/> +<i>Yours</i>,<br/> +<br/> +PALFOY"</p> +<p>Rejoiced as he was at receiving a letter from the father of his +mistress, wrote in a manner which he might look upon as a kind of +confirmation he no longer would be refractory to his wishes, the latter +part of it contained an enigma he could by no means comprehend.—It seemed +impossible to him there could be any reasons prevalent enough to make him +quit, with honour, a prince who had so liberally rewarded his service; but +hoping a further explanation, he lost not any time in conjectures; and +tearing open the other letter without giving himself time to examine the +hand in which it was directed, found, to his inexpressible astonishment, +the name of Dorilaus subscribed. It was indeed wrote by that gentleman, +and contained at follows:<br/> +<br/> +<i>Dear Horatio</i>,<br/> +<br/> +"Accidents, which at our parting neither of<br/> +us could foresee, have doubtless long since<br/> +made you cease to hope any continuance of that<br/> +kindness my former behaviour seemed to promise;<br/> +but never, perhaps did heaven deal its<br/> +blessings with a more mysterious hand than it<br/> +has done to you.—That seeming neglect in<br/> +me, at a time when you were a prisoner among<br/> +strangers, and had most need of my assistance,<br/> +had the appearance of the greatest misfortune<br/> +could befall you; yet has it been productive of<br/> +the greatest good, and laid the foundation of a<br/> +happiness which cannot be but lasting.—I reserve<br/> +the explanation of this riddle till you arrive<br/> +at Paris, where I now am, and intend to<br/> +continue my whole life.—That I impatiently<br/> +desire to see you, ought to be a sufficient inducement<br/> +for you to return with as much expedition<br/> +as possible:—I will therefore make this<br/> +experiment of that affection, I might add duty,<br/> +you owe me, and only give you leave to guess<br/> +what recompence this proof of your obedience<br/> +will entitle you to.—If therefore the king of<br/> +Sweden is resolute to extend his conquests, entreat<br/> +his permission to resign: I know the obligations<br/> +you have to that excellent prince; but I<br/> +know also you have others to me which cannot<br/> +be dispensed with:—besides, his majesty's affairs<br/> +cannot suffer by the loss of one man: yours<br/> +will be in danger, if not totally ruined, by your<br/> +continuance with him, and myself deprived at<br/> +the same time of the only remaining comfort of<br/> +my days.—Your sister left me soon after you<br/> +did:—she went to Aix la Chapelle, since<br/> +which I have never been able to hear any thing<br/> +of her.—Let me not lose you both; if you<br/> +have any regard for your own interest, or the<br/> +peace of him whom you have ever found a father<br/> +in his care and affection, and whom you will<br/> +now find so more than you can possibly expect.<br/> +<br/> +DORILAUS."</p> +<p>Impossible is it to conceive, without being in the very circumstances +Horatio was, what a strange variety of mingled passions agitated his +breast on having to read, and considered these letters:—to find such +unhoped condescension from the baron de Palfoy and that Dorilaus was still +living, and had the same, if not more tender inclinations for him than +ever, the latter of which he had long since ceased to hope, was sufficient +to have overwhelmed even the most phlegmatic person with an excess of +joy:—but then the dark expressions in both these letters put his brain on +the rack.—The baron had seemed to refer to an explanation of what he +darkly hinted at in the letter of Dorilaus, but that he found rather more +obsolete: he could imagine nothing farther than that Dorilaus having +resolved to make him his heir, as he remembered some people said before he +left England, on the knowledge of that intelligence the baron de Palfoy +had consented to his marriage with mademoiselle Charlotta, and this, her +being permitted to write to him confirmed.—This indeed was the supreme +aim of his desires; and this it was that made him quit St. Germains, in +hope of raising himself to a condition which might enable her to own her +affection to him without a blush: but transporting as this idea was, it +was mingled with disquiet, to reflect on the terms which both the Baron +and Dorilaus seemed to insist on for the accomplishment of his wishes, +tho' he impatiently longed to see Dorilaus after so long an absence.—Tho' +in the possession of Charlotta all his hopes were centered, yet to leave a +prince who had so highly favoured him, and under whose banners he had +gained so much consideration, was a piece of ingratitude, which it was +worse than death for him to be guilty of.—No! said he, it would be to +render me unworthy of all the blessings they make me hope, should I +purchase them on such conditions!—How can they demand them of me!—The +Baron, Charlotta, and Dorilaus, have all of them the highest notions of +honour, generosity and gratitude, and can they approve that in me, which I +am certain they would not be guilty of themselves!—Sure it is but to try +me, they seem to exact what they are sensible I cannot yield to, without +the breach of every thing that can entitle me to esteem or love!</p> +<p>Thus did he argue within himself for one moment; the next, other +reasons, directly opposite to these, presented themselves.—Dorilaus, +cried he, demands all my obedience;—all my gratitude:—without protection +I had been an outcast in the world!—Whatever honours, whatever happiness +I enjoy, is it not to him I owe them! Can I refuse then to comply with +commands, which, he says, are necessary to his peace!—Besides, was it not +Charlotta that inspired this ardor in me for great actions! Was not the +possession of that charming maid, the sole end I proposed to myself in all +I have undertaken! and shall I, by refusing her request, madly run the +risque of losing her for ever!—Does not she wish, her father persuade, +and Dorilaus enjoin me to return!—Does not love, friendship, duty call me +to partake the joys that each affords!—And shall I refuse the tender +invitation!—No! the world cannot condemn me for following motives such as +these; and even the royal Charles himself is too generous not to acquit me +of ingratitude or cowardice.</p> +<p>It must indeed be confessed he had potent inducements for his return to +Paris, to combat against those of continuing in the king of Sweden's +service; and both by turns appeared so prevalent, that it is uncertain +which would have got the better, had not an accident happened, which +unhappily determined him in favour of the latter.</p> +<p>Colonel Poniatosky, who had attended Stanislaus into Poland, now the +disturbances of that kingdom were quieted, on hearing the king of Sweden +was on some new expedition, obtained leave of Stanislaus to return to the +camp, and implored his majesty's permission to be one of those who should +partake the glorious toils he was now re-entering into. To which he +replied, that he should be glad to have him near his person, but feared he +would be wanted in Poland. No, may it please your majesty, resumed +Poniatosky, there seems to be no longer any business in that kingdom for a +soldier:—all seem ready to obey the royal Stanislaus out of affection to +his person, and admiration of those virtues they are now perfectly +convinced of; nor is Augustus in a condition to violate the treaty of +resignation:—refuse me not therefore I beseech your majesty, continued +he, falling upon both his knees, what I look on as my greatest happiness, +as it is my greatest glory.</p> +<p>The king seemed very well pleased at the emphasis with which he +expressed himself; and having raised him from the posture he was in, be it +so, cried he, henceforward we will be inseparable.</p> +<p>Horatio was charmed with this testimony of love and zeal in a person, +who had doubtless friends and kindred who would have been glad he had less +attachment to a service so full of dangers as that of the king of Sweden, +and somewhat ashamed he had ever entertained a thought of quitting it, +resolved, as he had been more obliged, not to shew less gratitude than +Poniatosky. Therefore, without any further deliberation, retired to his +quarters, and prepared the following answers to the letters had been +brought him. As all things in a lover's heart yields to the darling +object, the first he wrote was to his mistress.<br/> +<br/> +<i>To mademoiseile</i> DE PALFOY.<br/> +<br/> +"With what transports I received yours,<br/> +adorable Charlotta, I am little able to<br/> +express!—To find I am not forgotten!—That<br/> +what I have done is approved by her for<br/> +whom alone I live, and whose praise alone can<br/> +make me vain, so swallowed up all other considerations,<br/> +that it had almost made me quit<br/> +Alranstadt that moment, and fly to pour beneath<br/> +your feet my gratitude and joy!—But<br/> +glory, tyrannic glory, would not suffer me to<br/> +obey the soft impulse, nor re-enjoy that blessing<br/> +till conscious I deserved it better!—My friends<br/> +over-rate my services; and tho' that partial indulgence<br/> +is the ultimate of my ambition, I would<br/> +dare not abuse what they are so good to offer."<br/> +<br/> +"To feast my long, long famished sight with<br/> +gazing once more on your charms, I would<br/> +forgo every thing but the hope of rendering myself<br/> +one day more worthy of it!—Too dear I<br/> +prize the good wishes you vouchsafe to have for<br/> +me, not to attempt every thing in my power to<br/> +prevent the disappointment of them: the little<br/> +I have yet done, alas! serves but to prove how<br/> +much the man, who has in view rendering himself<br/> +acceptable to the divine Charlotta, dares<br/> +to do, when dangers worthy of his courage<br/> +present themselves.—A small time may, perhaps,<br/> +afford me an opportunity:—yet did you<br/> +know how dear this self-denial costs me, you<br/> +would confess it the greatest proof of affection<br/> +ever man gave:—permit me therefore to gratify<br/> +an ambition which has no other aim than a<br/> +justification of the favours I receive:—continue<br/> +to look with a favourable eye on my endeavours,<br/> +and they cannot then fail of such success,<br/> +as may give me a claim to the glorious.<br/> +title of my most adored and loved Charlotta's.<br/> +<br/> +<i>Everlasting Slave</i>,<br/> +<br/> +HORATIO."</p> +<p>To her father he wrote in the following manner:<br/> +<br/> +<i>To the baron</i> DE PALFOY,<br/> +<br/> +<i>My Lord</i>;<br/> +<br/> +"The favours your goodness confers upon<br/> +me are such as can be equalled by but one<br/> +thing in the world, and that is my just and<br/> +grateful sense of them.—Charming would be<br/> +the toils of war, did all employed in them meet<br/> +a recompence like mine!—Is there a man, so<br/> +mean, so poor in spirit, that praises such as I receive<br/> +might not animate to actions worthy of<br/> +them!—What acknowledgments can I make<br/> +the count suitable to the immense obligations I<br/> +owe him, for inspiring your lordship with sentiments,<br/> +which, tho' the supreme wish of my<br/> +aspiring soul, I never durst allow myself to<br/> +hope; and which afford a prospect of future<br/> +accumulated blessings, such as I could scarce<br/> +flatter myself with being real, were not the transporting<br/> +idea in some measure confirmed to me,<br/> +by your having given a sanction to a correspondence<br/> +I so lately despaired of ever obtaining!—Blessed<br/> +change!—Extatic condescensions!—Fortune<br/> +has done all she can for me, and anticipated<br/> +all the good that, after a long train of<br/> +services and approved fidelity, I scarce should<br/> +have presumed to hope!—Oh my lord! I have<br/> +no words to thank you as I ought! It is deeds<br/> +alone, and rendering myself worthy of your<br/> +indulgence, that must preserve your good opinion,<br/> +and keep you from repenting having overwhelmed<br/> +me with this profusion of happiness!—Yet<br/> +how joyfully could I now pursue the<br/> +rout to Paris, and content myself with owing<br/> +every thing merely to your goodness, were I<br/> +not with-held by all the considerations that<br/> +ought to have weight with a man of honour!—My<br/> +royal general is inflexible to the persuasions<br/> +of almost all the courts in Christendom,<br/> +and hurried by his thirst of fame, or some other<br/> +more latent motive, has given orders to prepare<br/> +for a march, where, or against whom, is yet a<br/> +secret to the army; but by the preparations for<br/> +it, we believe they are not short journeys we<br/> +are to take.—Should I now quit a service<br/> +where I have been promoted so much beyond<br/> +my merit, what, my lord, but cowardice or ingratitude<br/> +could be imputed to me as the motive!<br/> +—Not all my reasons, powerful as they are,<br/> +would have any weight with a prince, who is<br/> +deaf to every thing but the calls of glory; and<br/> +I must return loaden with his displeasure, and<br/> +the reproaches of all I leave behind!—Now<br/> +to return is certain infamy!—To go, is in pursuit<br/> +of honour!—Your lordship will not therefore<br/> +be surprized I make choice of the latter,<br/> +since no hazard can be equal to that of forfeiting<br/> +the little reputation I have acquired, and<br/> +which alone can render me worthy any part of<br/> +the favours I have received.<br/> +<br/> +<i>I am</i>,<br/> +<br/> +<i>With the extremest respect and submission</i>,<br/> +<br/> +<i>Your lordship's<br/> +<br/> +Eternally devoted servant,</i><br/> +<br/> +HORATIO."</p> +<p>The last and most difficult task he had to go thro', was the refusal he + must give to Dorilaus, who had laid his commands on him in such express + terms; and it was not without a good deal of blotting, altering, and + realtering, he at length formed an epistle to him in these terms:<br/> +<br/> +<i>To my more than father, my only patron,<br/> +protector and benefactor, the most worthy<br/> +DORILAUS.</i><br/> +<br/> +<i>Most dear and ever honoured Sir,</i><br/> +<br/> +"To hear you are living, and still remember<br/> +me with kindness, affords too great a<br/> +transport to suffer me to throw away any thought<br/> +either on the motives of your long silence,<br/> +or that happiness, which you tell me, I may<br/> +expect has been the produce of it:—it is<br/> +sufficient for me to know I am still blessed in<br/> +the favor of the most excellent person that<br/> +ever lived, and am not in the least anxious for<br/> +an explanation of any farther good.<br/> +<br/> +To tell you with how much ardency I long<br/> +to throw myself at your feet, to relate to you<br/> +all the various accidents that have befallen me<br/> +since first you condescended to put me in the<br/> +paths of glory, and to pour out my soul before<br/> +you with thanksgiving, would be as impossible<br/> +as it is for me at present to enjoy that blessing!—The<br/> +king's affairs, it is true, would suffer<br/> +nothing by my absence; but, sir, what would<br/> +the world say of me, if, after a whole year of<br/> +inactivity and idleness, I flew, on the first appearance<br/> +of danger, and forsook a prince, by<br/> +whom I have been so highly favoured?—Instead<br/> +of the character I have always been ambitious<br/> +of attaining, should I not be branded with<br/> +everlasting infamy!—Put not therefore, I beseech<br/> +you, to so severe a test that love and duty,<br/> +to which you cannot have a greater claim than<br/> +I a readiness to pay?—Did you command my<br/> +life, it is yours:—I owe it to you, and with it<br/> +all that can render it agreeable; but, sir, my<br/> +honour, my reputation, must survive when I am<br/> +no more; it was the first, and will be the last<br/> +bent of my desires. No perils can come in any<br/> +degree of competition with those of being deprived<br/> +of that, nor any indulgencies of fortune<br/> +compensate for the loss of it:—pardon then<br/> +this enforced disobedience, and believe it is the<br/> +only thing in which I could be guilty of it.—<br/> +I very much lament my sister's absence, as I<br/> +find by yours she went without your permission:<br/> +time and reflection will doubtless bring her to a<br/> +more just sense of what she, as well as myself,<br/> +ought to have of your goodness to us, and make<br/> +her return full of sincere contrition for having<br/> +offended you. I should implore your favourable<br/> +opinion of her actions in the mean time,<br/> +were not all the interest I have in you too little<br/> +to apologize for my own behaviour.—All, sir,<br/> +I dare to implore is pardon for myself, and that<br/> +you will be assured no son, no dependant whatever,<br/> +would more rejoice in an opportunity of<br/> +testifying his duty, affection, gratitude and submission,<br/> +than him who is now constrained by<br/> +ties, which I flatter myself you will not hereafter<br/> +disapprove, to swerve in some measure<br/> +from them, and whose soul and all the faculties<br/> +of it are<br/> +<br/> +<i>Entirely devoted to you</i>.<br/> +<br/> +HORATIO."</p> +<p>These dispatches being sent away, he became more composed, and set his +whole mind on his departure, and taking leave of those friends and +acquaintance he had contracted at Leipsic and Alranstadt; the time of the +army marching being fixed in a few days, tho' what rout they were to take +none, except count Piper, general Renchild, count Hoorn, and some few +others of the cabinet council, were made privy to.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XIX.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>The king of Sweden leaves Saxony, marches into Lithuania, meets with +an instance of Russian brutality, drives the czar out of Grodno, and +pursues him to the Borysthenes. Horatio, with others, is taken prisoner by +the Russians, and carried to Petersburg, where they suffer the extremest +miseries</i>.</p> +<p>The word at length being given, the tents were struck, the trumpets +sounded, and the whole army was immediately in motion. Never was a more +gay and glorious fight; the splendor of their arms, and the richness of +their habits blazed against the sun; but what was yet more pleasing, and +spread greater terror among their enemies, was the chearfulness that sat +on every face, and shewed they followed with the utmost alacrity their +beloved and victorious monarch.</p> +<p>It was in the latter end of September, a season extremely cold in those +parts, that they began their march but hardships were natural to the king +of Sweden's troops; and as they perceived they were going into Lithuania, +a place where their valour had been so well proved against the invading +Muscovites, their cheeks glowed with a fresher red on the remembrance of +their former victories. They passed near Dresden, the capital of the +electorate of Saxony, and made Augustus tremble in his palace, tho' the +word of the king, which ever was inviolable, had been given that he should +enjoy those dominions in peace.</p> +<p>During the course of this, the czar had fallen upon the frontiers of +Poland above twenty times, not like a general, desiring to come to a +decisive battle, but like a robber, plundering, ravaging, and destroying +the defenceless country people, and immediately flying on the approach of +any troops either of Charles XII or king Stanislaus. The Swedes in their +march met several parties sent on these expeditions, but who retired on +sight of the army into woods, and were most of them either killed or taken +prisoners by detachments sent in pursuit of them by the king of Sweden.</p> +<p>In their march towards Grodno they found the remains of an encampment, +several pieces of cannon and ammunition of all forts, but not one creature +to guard it, the troops to whom it belonged having all dispersed and hid +themselves. On examining the tents, they were surprized with the sight of +a very beautiful woman, who was lying on the ground in one of them, with +three others, who seemed endeavouring to comfort her, and, by the respect +they paid her, that they were her dependents; but had all of them their +garments torn and bloody, their hair hanging in strange disorder about +their ears, their flesh discoloured with bruises and other marks of +violence, and, as well as their disconsolate superior, were spectacles of +the utmost distress.</p> +<p>The king of Sweden himself, followed by general Hoorn, Poniatolky, +Horatio, and several others, who hardly ever lost sight of him, came into +this tent, and, being touched with so moving a scene, demanded the +Occasion; on which the prostrate lady being told who it was that spoke, +started suddenly up, and throwing herself at his feet:—Oh king! cried she +in the German language, as famous for justice as for being invincible in +war, revenge the cause of helpless innocence and virtue!—Oh let the +murderous brutal Russians find heaven's vindictive arm in you its great +vicegerent.—She was able to utter no more: the inward agonies she +sustained, on being about to relate the story of her wrongs, became too +violent for speech, and she sunk motionless on the earth. Two of the +women, assisted by some Swedes, carried her out of the tent, as thinking +the open air most proper to revive her; and she who remained, satisfied +the king's curiosity in these words:</p> +<p>May it please your majesty, said she, my mistress, that afflicted lady +who just now implored your royal pity, is of the noble family of the +Casselburgh, in Saxony, only daughter to the present count: her person, +before these heavy misfortunes fell upon her, was deservedly reputed one +of the most beautiful that graced the court of Dresden: her birth, her +youth, her charms, and the great fortune it was expected she would be +mistress of, attracted a great number of persons who addressed her for +marriage: her own inclinations, as well as the count her father's +commands, disposed of her to Emmermusky, a Polish nobleman; and she had +been scarce one month a bride, before they unhappily took this journey to +visit my lord's mother who lives at Travenstadt.—In our way we met a +party of straggling Muscovites, who, notwithstanding the strict league +between our elector and the czar, and the knowledge they had by our +passports that we were Saxons, stripped us of every thing, killed all our +men-servants and having given my lord several wounds, left him for dead +upon the place, then dragged us miserable women to the camp.—My lady, in +the midst of faintings, and when she was incapable even of flying to death +for refuse, was brutally ravished, and we her wretched attendants suffered +the same abuse.—Shame will not let me, continued she, blushing and +weeping, acquaint your majesty with the shocking and repeated violations +we were compelled to bear!—the wretches casting lots who first should +gratify his monstrous desires!—We were all bound to trees, and without +any means of opposition but our shrieks and cries to unrelenting +heaven!—My lord having a little recovered himself, had crawled, as well +as his wounds would give him leave, after us, and arrived even while the +horrid scene was acting: rage giving him new strength and spirits; he +snatched a sword that lay upon the earth, and sent to perdition the +villain who was about to add to the dishonour which had been, alas! but +too much completed by others. The death of their companion incensing the +accursed Muscovites, they turned upon him, and in a moment laid him dead +just at the feet of his ruined and almost expiring wife! After having +satiated their wicked will, they left us, bound as we were, where we +continued the remainder of the day and whole night, and had doubtless +perished thro' hunger and extreme cold, if a second party had not passed +that way, who having been out on a maroding, were then returning to the +camp.—Being actuated by somewhat more compassion than the former, one of +the officers made us be untied, and having heard our story, blamed the +cruelty with which we had been treated, and brought us to his tent, the +same we now are in, and ordered something should be given for our +refreshment; but my lady has continued obstinate to dye, and to that end +has refused all subsistence. This, oh invincible monarch! is the sad +history of our misfortunes:—misfortunes, which, alas! can never be +retrieved, nor admit any consolation but in the hope of vengeance!</p> +<p>Here a torrent of tears closed the sad narration; and the king cried +out, turning as he spoke to us that followed him,—It is the cause of +heaven and earth, my friends, said he, to punish these barbarians, and +shew them that there is a God; for sure at present they are ignorant of +it!</p> +<p>The generous monarch after this gave orders that these afflicted and +abused woman should be escorted to a place of safety, and for that purpose +halted for the space of two days, then proceeded towards Grodno with such +expedition, that after-ages will look upon it as incredible that so large +an army, and also encumbered with a great quantity of baggage, could have +marched in the time they did.</p> +<p>But the king of Sweden was on fire to encounter in person the czar of +Muscovy, who, with about 2000 men, was then in that city: so great was his +impatience, that he galloped before his troops, not above 600 of those +best mounted being able to keep pace with him, till he came in sight of +the south gate, which gave him entrance without any opposition, while the +czar and his forces made their escape out at the north gate, not doubting +but the king of Sweden's whole army were come up with him.</p> +<p>He was afterward so much vexed and ashamed to think he had quitted the +town to no more than 600 of the enemy, that, to retrieve a mistake which +he feared might be looked upon as cowardice, being informed the body, of +the army was near five leagues off, he sent a party of 1500 horse in order +to surprize the king and his few guards. The Muscovites entered by night; +but the alarm being given, the fortune which still had waited on the +Swedish armies, immediately put them all to the rout; and the army soon +after arriving, the conqueror lost no time, but pursued those that +remained alive into the forest of Mensky, on the other side of which the +czar had then entrenched himself, and had made the general rendezvous of +the Russian army, which was continually divided into parties; and +sometimes falling on the Swedes in the rear, and sometimes in the flank, +very much annoyed them in their march: these brave men had also other +difficulties to encounter with; the forest was so extremely thick, that +the infantry were obliged to fell down trees every moment, during the +whole time of their passage, to make way for the baggage and troops.</p> +<p>Their industry and vigour surmounting all these obstacles, they once +more found themselves in an open country, but on the banks of a river, on +the opposite side of which were 20,000 Muscovites placed to oppose their +crossing. The king made no delay, but quitting his horse, threw himself +into the river, and was instantly followed by all the foot, while the +troops under the command of general Renchild and Hoorn, galloped round +thro' the morrass in which that river ended, and both together charged the +enemy, who, after some faint shew of resistance, fled with the utmost +precipitation. The whole army being now joined marched on toward the +Boristhenes, but with fatigues which are impossible to be described: +Horatio kept still close to the king, and whether he fought or marched, +was on foot or on horsback, was always in his fight ready to bear his +commands to the generals, or assist him in the time of danger. More than +once had the conqueror been indebted to this young warrior, for turning +the point of the destructive sword from giving him the same death he was +dealing about to others; yet in all the dangers he had been in never had +he received one wound, and this often made the king say, who was a firm +believer in predestination, that heaven designed him for a soldier: his +fortune, his valour, his activity, added to his obliging and modest +behaviour, indeed rendered him so dear to his royal master, that there +were very few, if any, to whom he gave greater marks of his favour. And +had Dorilaus, or even Charlotta herself, all tender as she was, and +trembling for the hazards she knew he had been exposed to, seen him thus +caressed and honoured by the most glorious prince and greatest hero in the +world, they could scarce have wished him to quit the post he was in, much +less persuaded him to do it.</p> +<p>He hitherto indeed had experienced only the happiness of a martial +life, for the fatigues, hardships, and dangers of it he as little regarded +as the intrepid and indefatigable prince he served; but now arrived the +time which was to inflict on him the worst miseries of it, and make him +almost curse a vocation he had been in his soul so much attached to.</p> +<p>The king of Sweden, with his usual success having passed the +Boristhenes, encountered a party of 10,000 Muscovites and 6000 Calmuck +Tartars; but they gave way on the first onset and fled into a wood, where +the king, following the dictates of his great courage more than prudence, +pursuing them, fell into an ambuscade, which, throwing themselves between +him and three regiments of horse that were with him, hem'd him in, and now +began a very unequal fight.—Many of the gallant Swedes were cut to +pieces, and the Muscovites made quite up to his majesty:—two aid-de-camps +were killed within his presence, his own horse was shot under him, and as +an equerry was presenting him with another, both horse and man was struck +dead in the same moment.—Horatio immediately alighted in order to mount +the king, who now on foot behaved with incredible valour, in that action +was surrounded and taken prisoner, as were several others that had fought +near his person. He had the satisfaction, however, while they were +disarming and tying his hands, to see colonel Dardoff with his regiment +force thro' the Calmucks, and arrive timely enough to disengage the king, +after which the army recovering its rank, and pouring in upon the enemy, +he was not without hopes of regaining his liberty; but he was sat upon a +horse and bound fast to the saddle, and compelled, with the others that +were taken with him, to accompany the Muscovites in their flight, so was +ignorant in what manner this re-encounter ended. Soon after repairing to +the czar's quarters, these unfortunate officers of the king of Sweden +were, with some others who had before become their prize, sent under a +strong guard to Petersburgh, and thrown altogether into a miserable +dungeon.</p> +<p>It would be impossible to describe the horrors of this place:—light +there was, but it was only so much as just served to shew to each of these +unhappy sufferers the common calamity of them all.—The roof was arched +indeed, but so low, that the shortest among them could scarce stand +upright:—no kind of furniture, not even straw to cover the damp earthen +floor, which served them for a seat by day and bed at night. Inured as +they had been to hardships, the noisomeness of this dreadful vault killed +many of them, and among the rest a young Swedish officer named +Gullinstern, one with whom Horatio had contracted a very intimate +friendship, and who, for his many excellent qualities, had been so dear to +the king, that seeing him one day greatly wounded, and in danger of being +taker, prisoner, that generous prince obliged him to mount on his own +horse, and fought on foot himself till another could be brought.</p> +<p>The light of this gentleman expiring in his arms, filled Horatio with +so poignant an anguish, that he wanted but little of following him; and, +indeed, had it not been for the sanguine hopes that the king would in a +short time complete the ruin of the czar, and not only restore them +liberty, but also add vengeance to it for the ill treatment they had found +in his dominions, few, if any of them, had been able to support the +miseries inflicted on them by these inhuman wretches, who, not content +with burying them in a manner alive, for the dungeon they were in was deep +underground, and allowing them no other food than bread and water once in +four and twenty hours, made savage sport at their condition, ridiculed the +conquests of their king, and spoke in the most opprobrious terms of his +royal person, which, when some of them were unable to restrain themselves +from answering in a manner befitting their duty and love of justice, they +were silenced by the most cruel stripes.</p> +<p>Thus were the officers of the king of Sweden, the meanest of whom were +fit to be generals in any other army, subjected to the servile taunts, and +insolent behaviour of wretches undeserving to be ranked among the human +species.</p> +<p>A very little time had doubtless made them all find graves among these +barbarians; scarce a day passed over without their company decreasing by +two or three, who were no sooner dead than dragged out by the heels, and +thrown like dogs into a pit without the least funeral rites. But +providence at length thought fit to send them a relief by means they least +expected.</p> +<p>In one of the incursions made by the Muscovites into Poland, a very +beautiful lady, whose father had been killed in asserting the cause of +Stanislaus, was made prisoner: prince Menzikoff, who commanded these +batallions, saw her, and became enamoured of her charms: she was destitute +of all friends, and in the conqueror's power, so thought it best to yield +what otherwise she found him determined to seize: in fine, she was his +mistress; and her ready compliance with his desires, together with the +love she either had or feigned to have for him, afterward gained her an +absolute ascendant over him. Every one knows the interest he had with the +czar; and he so far exerted it, as to get this fair favourite lodged in +the palace, where she was served with the same state and respect as if she +had been his wife.</p> +<p>This lady, whose name was Edella, happened to be walking with some of +her attendants near where these unfortunate gentlemen were buried, at a +time when three of them were dragged to their wretched sepulchre, was +touched with compassion to see any thing that had a human shape thus +coarsely treated, tho' after death, and had the curiosity to order one of +her people to enquire who those persons were, and what they had done, +which hindered them from being allowed a christian burial.</p> +<p>She was no sooner informed that they were Swedish prisoners, than her +soul shuddered at the thoughts of the Russian barbarity; and not doubting +but their usage during life had been of a piece with that after their +death, she resolved, if possible, to procure some abatement of the +miseries of those who yet survived.</p> +<p>To this end she made it her business to examine what number of +prisoners had been brought, of what condition they were, and where lodged; +and being well acquainted with all she wanted to know, went to the +governor of Petersburg, and so well represented how dishonourable it was +to the czar, and how opposite to the law of nations, to treat prisoners of +war in a worse manner than they would do condemned felons, that he knowing +the power of prince Menzikoff, and fearing to disoblige one so dear to him +by a refusal, consented they should be removed into an upper part of the +prison where they would have more air, and also that they should have an +allowance of meat every day.</p> +<p>As the governor was a true Muscovite in his nature and had an +implacable hatred to the king of Sweden and all that belonged to him, this +was gaining a great deal; but it was not enough to satisfy the charitable +disposition of Edella; after their removal, she went in person to visit +those of them whom she heard were gentlemen, and finding them covered only +with rags, which some of the soldiers had put on them after having +stripped them of their own rich habits, she ordered others lined with furs +to be made for them, to defend them from the coldness of the season; and +not content to retrench a great part of her own table, sold several fine +jewels, and other trinkets the prince had bestowed on her, to supply them +with wine, and whatever necessaries she supposed them to be accustomed to. +That she might be certain those entrusted by her did not abuse her good +intentions, she went often to the prison herself to see how they were +served, and would sometimes enter into discourse with them concerning the +battles they had been in, the settlement of Stanislaus, and many other +things relating to the Polish affairs. The gallant and courtly manner in +which Horatio expressed himself on every occasion, made her take a +particular pleasure in hearing him speak: that rough blunt behaviour to +which she had been accustomed since her being brought a captive into +Muscovy, gave double charms to the politeness with which she found herself +entertained by our young warrior; his blooming years, and the gracefulness +of his person, contributed not a little also towards rendering every thing +he said more agreeable. Her liking of him grew by degrees into a +friendship, no less tender than that one feels for very near relations, +and who have never done any thing to disoblige us, are more endeared by +being under undeserved calamity: but as the inclination she had for him +was perfectly innocent, and no ways prejudicial to the prince who was in +possession of her person, she made no secret of it either to himself or +those she conversed with, and was always talking of the wit, delicacy, and +handsomeness of one of those prisoners, whom it was well known were +pensioners to her bounty. But how dangerous is it to be too open before +persons who, void of all true generosity, or the lead principle of honour +themselves, never fail to put the worst construction on the actions of +others. Edella was very near being undone by her sincerity in +acknowledging the distinction she paid to merit, or the compassion she +felt for misfortunes, in a country where humanity to enemies is looked +upon as a crime, friendship to those of the same party altogether unknown, +and even common civility never practised but for the gratification of +self-interest, or some favourite passion.</p> +<p>This beautiful Polander however being treated by the Muscovites, on +account of the influence she had over the prince Menzikoff, with as much +complaisance as it was in their power to shew, imagined their disposition +less savage than it was in reality; and when she testified the pity she +had for those unhappy gentlemen, it was with design to excite it in +others, and engage them to join with her in petitioning the czar, at his +return, for their enlargement, there being no cartel or exchange of +prisoners subsisting between him and the king of Sweden.</p> +<p>Among the number she hoped to gain to her party was Mattakesa, the +relique of a general who had been in great favour with his prince. This +lady, who could speak French, having learned it of a recusant that took +shelter in Russia, consented to go with her one day to the prison, and no +sooner saw Horatio, than, unfortunately for him, Edella, and herself, she +became charmed with him: as she was of the number of those who think +nothing a crime that suits their own inclination, she took not the least +pains to subdue the growing passion, but rather indulged it, in order to +receive the highest degree of pleasure in the gratification. She doubted +not but Edella was her rival, and that it was for his sake alone she had +been so beneficent to his fellow-sufferers: to supplant her, therefore, +was the first step she had to take, and she resolved to omit nothing for +that purpose.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XX.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>The treachery of a Russian lady to her friend: her passion for +Horatio: the method he took to avoid making any return, and some other +entertaining occurrences.</i></p> +<p>It is easy to believe that Horatio, tho' relieved from that +extremity of misery he suffered while in the dungeon, was far from being +able to content himself with his present condition:—a thousand times he +reproached himself for pursuing the dictates of a glory which now seemed +so tyrannic:—Have I, cried he, hazarded the eternal displeasure of the +best of men,—refused the invitation of the adorable Charlotta,—slighted +the condescentions of her father,—been deaf both to interest and love, to +become a prisoner to the worst of barbarians!—Who now will pity me!—Or +if they yet would be so good, how shall I acquaint them with my wretched +fate!—Nay, were there even a possibility of that, what would the +compassion of the whole world avail, since a slave to those, who, +contrary to the law of nations, and even common humanity, refuse, on any +terms, to release the wretches fallen into their savage power!</p> +<p>In this manner did he bewail himself night and day, and indeed had but +too just reasons for doing so:—he had heard that the last time the czar +had been at Petersburg, he had sent all the prisoners he had then taken to +Siberia, and other province of the greater Tartary, where they were +compelled, without any distinction, to do the work of horses rather than +men, and doubted not but at his next return all those now in his power +would meet the same fate, tho' the generous king of Sweden had sent back +the Muscovites he had taken, by 1500 and 2000 at a time.—This, however, +may be said in favour of the czar, that by the many attempts he made to +civilize his barbarous subjects, it must be supposed he would have been +glad to have imitated this generosity, had it been confident with his +safety; but the case had this difference, Charles XII. feared not the +number of the Muscovites, but the czar feared the courage of the Swedes.</p> +<p>What also increased the affliction of these gentlemen, was, that being +debarred from all intelligence, they could hear nothing of their king, +whom each of them loved with a kind of filial affection and duty.—Horatio +and two others had been witnesses of the extreme danger in which they left +him; and tho' at the time they were seized he had killed thirteen or +fourteen Muscovites with his own hand, and they perceived general Dardoff +had come up to his relief, yet they could not be certain of his safety; +till at length the sweet-conditioned Edella perceiving the despair they +were in on this account, informed them that his majesty was not only well, +but as successful as ever; that he had passed far into Ukrania, had +defeated the Muscovites in five battles, and so far reduced the czar, that +he had condescended to make some overtures of peace; which having been +rejected, it was the common opinion, that in a very short time the Swedes +would enter Moscow, and become arbiters of Russia as they had been of +Poland.</p> +<p>Adequate to their late grief was their satisfaction at this joyful +news:—Horatio was transported above his companions, and threw himself at +the feet of the fair intelligencer; but she desired they would all of them +moderate their contentment so far as to hinder the guards, who had the +care of them, from perceiving it, because, said she, it might not only +draw on yourselves worse treatment, but also render me suspected of being +against the interest of a court, on which my fate has reduced me to become +a dependant.</p> +<p>Horatio, as well as the others, assured her he would take care to +manage the felicity she had bestowed upon them, so as not to be any way +prejudicial to her; and she took her leave, promising to be with them +again in a few days, and bring them farther information, a courier from +the camp, she said, being expected every hour.</p> +<p>But while this compassionate lady was pleasing herself, by giving all +the ease in her power to the distressed, the cruel Mattakesa was plotting +her destruction.—She had several of her kindred, and a great many +acquaintance in the army, who were in considerable posts, to all of whom +she exclaimed against the loose behaviour, as she termed it, of Edelia, +and represented her charities to the prisoners as the effects of a wanton +inclination:—this she doubted not but would come to prince Menzikoff's +ears, and perhaps incense him enough to cause her to be privately made +away with; for as she imagined nothing less than the most amorous +intercourse between her and Horatio, she thought it unadvisable to declare +the passion she had for him, till a rival so formidable, by the advantages +she had over her in youth and beauty, should be removed.</p> +<p>This base woman therefore impatiently waited the arrival of the next +courier, to find how far her stratagem had succeeded; and the moment she +heard he had delivered his dispatches, flew to the apartment of Edella, in +hopes of being informed of what she so much desired to know.</p> +<p>She was not altogether deceived in her expectations: she found that +lady drowned in tears, with a letter lying open before her; and on her +enquiring, with a shew of the utmost concern, the motives of her grief, +the other, who looked on her as her real friend, replied, alas! Mattakesa, +I have cruel enemies; I cannot guess for what cause, for willingly I never +gave offence to any one;—but see, continued she, how barbarously they +have abused my innocence, and represented actions which, heaven knows, +were influenced only by charity and compassion as the worst of crimes! +with these words she gave her the letter which she had just received from +the prince,</p> +<p>Mattakesa took it with a greedy pleasure, and found it contained these +lines:<br/> +<br/> +<i>To</i> EDELLA.<br/> +<br/> +Madam,<br/> +<br/> +"I left you in a place, furnished, as I thought,<br/> +with every thing necessary for your satisfaction;<br/> +but I find I was mistaken in your constitution,<br/> +and that there was something wanting,<br/> +which, rather than not possess, you must have<br/> +recourse to a prison to procure:—ungrateful<br/> +as you are to the affection I have treated you<br/> +with, I am sorry for your ill conduct, and could<br/> +with you had been, at least, more private in<br/> +your amours: few men but would have sent an<br/> +order for removing you and the persons, for<br/> +whose sake you have made these false steps,<br/> +into a place where you would have cause to<br/> +curse the fatal inclination that seduced you:<br/> +think therefore how much you owe a prince,<br/> +who, instead of punishing your faults, contents<br/> +himself with letting you know he is not ignorant<br/> +of them.—If you make a right use of<br/> +the lenity I shew on this occasion, you may<br/> +perhaps retrieve some part of the influence you<br/> +once had over me; but see the Swedish prisoners<br/> +no more, if you hope or desire ever to see<br/> +<br/> +MENZIKOFF."</p> +<p>Mattakesa affected the greatest astonishment on having read this +letter; and after having cursed the persons that put such vile suspicions +into the prince's head, asked her what she intended to do.</p> +<p>What can I do! answered the sorrowful Edella, but write to my lord all +the assurances that words, can give him, which heaven knows I can truly +do, that I never wronged him even in wish or thought; and that since there +are people so cruel to misinterpret to my dishonour, what was nothing but +mere charity, to obey his commands with the utmost punctuality, and never +set my foot into that prison more?</p> +<p>Her false friend could not but applaud her resolution, yet told her it +was pity that ill tongues should deprive those unfortunate gentlemen of +the relief she had hitherto afforded them, or herself of the pleasure she +took in their conversation.</p> +<p>As for the first, said Edella, heaven may perhaps raise the mother +friends more capable of lifting them; and as to the other, were it +infinitely greater, it would be my inclination, as it is my duty, to +sacrifice every thing to the will of a prince whom I love, and to whom I +am so much obliged.</p> +<p>Mattakesa having thus compared her design, so far as to be under no +apprehensions of being interrupted by her imagined rival, tho' she had +rather she had been poisoned or strangled, went directly to the prison and +told the gentlemen, it was with the utmost concern she must acquaint them +that Edella would never visit them any more, nor continue the weekly +pension she had hitherto allowed them.</p> +<p>Those among them who understood her, and the others to whom Horatio +interpreted what she said, looked one upon another with a great deal of +consternation, as imagining one of them had done something to offend her, +and thereby the rest were thought unworthy of her favours.—Everyone +endeavoured to clear himself of what he easily saw his companions +suspected him guilty of; till Mattakesa, with a scornful smile, told them, +that it was not owing to the behaviour of any of them, but to Edella's own +inconstant disposition, that they owed the withdrawing of her bounty; but +to console them for the loss of it, she promised to speak to some of her +friends in their behalf, and also to contribute something herself towards +alleviating their misfortunes; but, added she, I am not the mistress of a +prince and first favourite, so have it not in my power to act as the +generosity of my nature inclines me to do.</p> +<p>She stayed with them a considerable time, and entertained them with +little else than railing on Edella; and to make her appear as odious and +contemptible as she could to Horatio, insinuated that it was for the sake +of a young needy favourite she had been obliged to withdraw the allowance +they had from her.</p> +<p>On taking leave she found means to slip a little billet into Horatio's +hands, unperceived by any of the company, which, as soon as he had a +convenient opportunity, he opened, and found these words in French:<br/> +<br/> +<i>To the agreeable</i> HORATIO.<br/> +<br/> +SIR,<br/> +<br/> +"Tho' I have not perhaps so much beauty<br/> +as Edella, I have twice her sincerity, and<br/> +not many years older: such as I am, however,<br/> +I fancy you will think a correspondence with<br/> +me of too much advantage to be refused:—if<br/> +you will counterfeit an indisposition, to-morrow<br/> +I will out of excessive charity visit you, and<br/> +bring you a refreshment, I flatter myself, will<br/> +not be disagreeable to a man in your circumstances:—farewell;—be<br/> +secret,—and love as well as you can,<br/> +<br/> +<i>Yours</i>,<br/> +<br/> +MATTAKESA."</p> +<p>Of all the accidents that had befallen Horatio since his leaving +England, none ever so much surprized him as the prodigious impudence of +this lady: he had heard talk of such adventures, but never till now +believed there could be any such thing in nature, as a woman that offered +herself in this manner, without the least sollicitation from the person on +whom she wished to lavish what ought only to be the reward of an approved, +or at least a shew of the most violent passion.</p> +<p>The dilemma he was in how to behave, was also equal to his +astonishment:—had she been the most lovely of her sex, as she was very +much the reverse, the ever present idea of his dear Charlotta would have +defended his heart from the invasions of any other charms; but he needed +not that pre-engagement to make him look with detestation on a woman of +Mattakesa's principles:—when he reflected on what she had said concerning +Edella, he found her base, censorious, and unjust:—and when he considered +the manner in which she proceeded in regard to himself, he saw a lewdness +and audacity which rendered her doubly odious, to him:—he doubted not but +she was wicked and subtle enough to contrive some means of revenging +herself, in case she met with a disappointment in her wishes, yet had too +great an abhorrence to be able to entertain one thought of gratifying +them.</p> +<p>As he was young and unexperienced in the world, he would have been glad +of some advice how to act so as not to incur her resentment, yet avoid her +love; but the strict notions he had of honour remonstrated to him that he +ought not to betray a secret of that nature, tho' confided in him by an +ill woman.—Her baseness, cried he to himself, would be no excuse for +mine; and it is better for me to risque whatever her malice may inflict, +than forfeit my character, by exposing a woman who pretends to love me.</p> +<p>These thoughts kept him waking the whole night; and his restlessness +being observed by an old Swedish officer who by with him, he was very much +importuned by him to discover to him the occasion.—Horatio defended +himself for a good while by the considerations before recited; but at +length reflecting; that the person who was so desirous of being let into +the secret, had a great deal of discretion, he at length suffered himself +to be prevailed upon, and told him what Mattakesa had wrote to him, for he +did not understand a word of French, so could not read the letter.</p> +<p>This officer no sooner heard the story, than he laughed heartily at the +scruples of Horatio, in thinking himself bound to conceal an affair of +this nature with a woman of the character Mattakesa must needs be:—he +also rallied his delicacy, as he termed it, in hesitating one moment +whether he should gratify the lady's inclinations.—One would imagine, +said he, that so long a fall from love as we have had, should render our +appetites more keen:—what, tho' Mattakesa be neither handsome nor very +young, she is a woman, and amorous, and methinks there should need no +other excitements to a young man like you.</p> +<p>Horatio, tho' naturally gay, was not at present in a disposition to +continue this raillery, and told his friend, he looked on this inclination +of Mattakesa to be as great a misfortune as could happen to them; for, +said he, as it is wholly out of my power to make her any returns, that +violence of temper which has transported her to forget the modesty of her +sex, will probably, when she finds herself rejected, make her as easily +throw off all the softness of it; and you may all feel the effects of that +revenge she will endeavour to take on me.</p> +<p>The other was entirely of his opinion; and they both agreed that, some +way ought to thought on to avert the storm, her resentment might in all +probability occasion.</p> +<p>After many fruitless inventions, they at last hit upon one which had a +prospect of success: they had in their company a gentleman called Mullern, +nephew to chancellor Mullern, who had attended the king in all his wars: +he was handsome, well made, and his age, tho' much superior to that of +Horatio, yet was not so far advanced as to render him disagreeable to the +fair sex: he was of a more than ordinary sanguine disposition, and had +often said, of all the hardships their captivity had inflicted on them, he +felt none so severely as being deprived of a free conversation with +women.—In the ravages the king of Sweden's arms had made in Lithuania, +Saxony and Poland, he was sure to secure to himself three or four of the +finest women; and tho' he had been often checked by his uncle, and even by +the king himself, for giving too great a loose to his amorous +inclinations, yet all their admonitions were too weak to restrain the +impetuosity of his desires this way. To him, therefore, they resolved to +communicate the affair; and as he was in other respects the most proper +object among them to succeed in supplanting Horatio, so he was also by +being perfectly well versed in the French language, which the rest were +ignorant of.</p> +<p>Accordingly they told him what had happened, shewed him the letter, and +how willing Horatio would be to transfer all the interest he had in this +lady to him, if he could by any means ingratiate himself into her favour. +Mullern was transported at the idea; and the stratagem contrived among +them for this purpose was executed in the following manner:</p> +<p>Mattakesa was punctual to the promise she had made in her letter; and +when she came into the room, where she usually found the gentlemen +altogether, it being that where they dined, and saw not Horatio, she +doubted not but he had observed her directions, and pretended himself +indisposed, so asked for him, expecting to be told that he was ill; but +when they answered that he was gone with one of the keepers to the top of +the round tower, in order to satisfy his curiosity in taking a view of the +town, she was confounded beyond expression, and could not imagine what had +occasioned him to slight an assignation, she had flattered herself he +would receive with extacy.</p> +<p>As she was in a little resvery, endeavouring to comprehend, if +possible, the motive of so manifest a neglect, Mullern drew near to her, +and beginning to speak of the beauties of that fine city which the czar +had erected in the midst of war, he told her, that having a little skill +in drawing, he had ventured to make a little sketch of it in chalk on the +walls of the room where he lay, and entreated her in the most gallant +manner to look upon it, and give him her opinion how far he had done +justice to an edifice so much admired.</p> +<p>It cannot be supposed that Mattakesa had in her soul any curiosity to +see a work of this nature, yet, to hide as much as she could the disorder +she was in at her disappointment, gave him her hand, in order to be +concluded to the place where he pretended to have been exercising his +genius.</p> +<p>As soon as they were entered he threw the door, as if by incident, +which having a spring lock, immediately was made fast—She either did not, +or seemed not to regard what he had done; but casting her eyes round the +room, and seeing nothing of what he had mentioned,—Where is this drawing? +cried she. In my heart, adorable Mattakesa, answered he, falling at her +feet at the same time:—it is not the city of Petersburg, but the charming +image of its brightest ornament, that the god of love has engraven on my +heart in characters too indelible ever to be erased:—from the first +moment I beheld those eyes my soul has been on fire, and I must have +consumed with inward burnings had I not revealed my flame:—pardon, +continued he, the boldness of a passion which knows no bounds; and tho' I +may not be so worthy of your love as the too happy Horatio, I am certainly +not less deserving of your pity.</p> +<p>Surprize, and perhaps a mixture of secret satisfaction prevented her +from interrupting him during the first part of his discourse; but rage, at +the mention of Horatio, forced from her this exclamation:—has the villain +then betrayed me! cried she.—No, madam, replied he, justice obliges me to +acquit him, tho' my rival.—He had the misfortune, in putting your billet +into his pocket, to let it fall; I took it up unseen by him,—opened it, +read it, and must confess, that all my generosity to my friend was wholly +swallowed up in my passion for you.—I returned not to him that kind +declaration you were pleased to make him, and he is ignorant of the +blessing you intended for him:—if the crime I have been guilty of seem +unpardonable in your eyes, command my death, I will instantly obey you, +for life would be a torment under your displeasure; and if, in my last +moments, you vouchsafe some part of that softness to the occasion of my +fate, that you so lavishly bestowed on the fortunate Horatio, I will bless +the lovely mouth that dooms me to destruction!</p> +<p>He pronounced all this with an emphasis, which made her not doubt the +power of her charms; and surveying him while he was speaking, found enough +in his person to compensate for the disappointment she had met with from +Horatio: besides, she reflected, that if what he had told her concerning +the dropping her letter, was a fiction, it was however an ingenious one, +and shewed his wit, as well as love, in bringing both himself and friend +off in so handsome a manner. She was infatuated with the praises he gave +her;—the pathetic expressions he made use of, assured her of the ardency +of his desires, and as she could not be certain of being able to inspire +Horatio with the same, she wisely chose to accept the present offer, +rather than wait for what might perhaps at last deceive her expectations. +She made, however, no immediate answer; but her eyes told him she was far +from being displeased with what he had said, and gave him courage to take +up one of her hands and kiss it, with an eagerness which confirmed his +protestations.</p> +<p>At last,—Well, Mullern, said she, looking languishingly on him, since +chance has made you acquainted with my foible, I think I must bribe you to +secrecy, by forgiving the liberties you take with me:—and if I were +convinced you really love me as well as you pretend, might indulge you yet +farther.—An unaccountable caprice indeed swayed me in favour of Horatio, +but I am now half inclinable to believe you are more deserving my +regard;—but rise, continued she, I will hear nothing from you while in +that posture.</p> +<p>Mullern, who was no less bold in love than war, immediately obeyed her, +and testified his gratitude for her condescention, by giving a sudden +spring and snatching her to his breast, pressed her in so arduous a +manner, that she would have been incapable of resisting, even tho' she had +an inclination to do so: but she, no less transported than himself, +returned endearment for endearment, and not only permitted, but assisted +all his raptures,—absolutely forgot Horatio, as well as all sense of her +own shame, and yielded him a full enjoyment without even an affectation of +repugnance.</p> +<p>Both parties, in fine, were perfectly satisfied with each other, and +having mutually sworn a thousand oaths of fidelity which neither of them, +it is probable, had any intention to keep, Mullern took upon himself the +care of continuing to entertain her in private as often as she came to the +prison, and in return she made him a present of a purse of gold, after +which they passed into the outer room to prevent censures on their staying +too long together.</p> +<p>On their return they found Horatio with the other gentlemen. Abandoned +as Mattakesa was, she could not keep herself from blushing a little at +sight of him; but soon recovering herself by the help of her natural +audacity,—Well, Horatio, said she, what do you think of the little French +epigram I put into your hands yesterday;—has it not a very agreeable +point?</p> +<p>Horatio had such an aversion to all kind of deceit, that even here, +where it was so necessary, he could not, without some hesitation, answer +to what she said in these words.—Some accident or other, cried he, +deprived me of the pleasure you were so good to intend me; for when I put +my hand in my pocket thinking to read it, I perceived I was so unhappy as +to have lost, it:—I looked for it in vain:—it was irrecoverably gone, +and I am an utter stranger to the contents.</p> +<p>And ever shall be so, replied she tartly, only to punish your +carelessness of a lady's favour; know, that it was a piece of wit which +would have been highly agreeable to you:—but don't expect I shall take +the pains to write it over again, or even tell you the subject on which it +turned.</p> +<p>Horatio cooly said, he could not but confess he had been to blame, and +must therefore allow the justice of her proceeding. As none present +besides himself, his bedfellow, and Mullern, knew the truth of this +affair, what passed between them was taken by the others as literally +spoken, and little suspected to couch the mystery it really did.</p> +<p>Mullern, after this, by the assistance of Horatio and the old officer, +had frequent opportunities of gratifying his own and the amorous +Mattakesa's desires.—The testimonies she gave him how well she was +pleased with his conversation, were for the common good of his +companions.—Horatio was easy in finding himself out of all danger of any +solicitations he was determined never to acquiesce in; and those three who +were in the secret passed their time pleasantly enough, whenever they had +an opportunity of talking on this adventure, without any of the others +being witnesses of what they said.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XXI.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>The prisoners expectations raised: a terrible disappointment: some +of the chief carried to prince Menzikoff's palace: their usage there. +Horatio set at liberty, and the occasion</i>.</p> +<p>Our captives had soon after a new matter of rejoicing: a Polander in +the service of Muscovy, who had been taken prisoner by the Swedes, and was +discharged and sent home, with a great number of others, by the +unparallell'd generosity of Charles XII. was one of the guards who now did +duty in the prison. It was often his turn to bring them their poor +allowance of provision; and having some pity for their condition, as well +as gratitude for a people who had used him and his companions in a +different manner, told them, that they might be of good heart, for, said +he, you will soon be set at liberty:—our emperor has enough to do to keep +his ground in Ukraina: Charles is as victorious as ever:—the prince of +the Cosaques, one of the bravest men on earth, next to himself, has +entered into an alliance with him:—king Stanislaus is sending him +succours from Poland:—a powerful reinforcement is coming to him from +Lithuania; and when these armies are joined, as I believe they already +are, nothing can withstand them:—you will hear the Swedish march beat +from this prison walls,—and perhaps see your present conquerors change +places with you; and, to confirm the truth of what I say, continued he, I +can further assure you that the czar, before I left the camp, was in the +utmost confusion:—his council, as well as army, were at a stand, and he +had twice made overtures of peace, and been refused.</p> +<p>This was an intelligence which might well be transporting to the king +of Sweden's officers:—the thought; of seeing him enter Petersburgh a +conqueror,—of once more embracing their old friends and companions, and +of triumphing over those who had so cruelly abused the power the chance of +war had put into their hands, made them all, in their turns, hug and bless +the kind informer:—they also asked him several questions concerning the +generals; and each being more particular concerning those they had the +greatest interest in, received from this honest soldier all the +satisfaction they could desire.</p> +<p>As couriers were continually arriving from the army, there passed few +days without hearing some farther confirmation of their most sanguine +expectations; but at length the guard being again changed, they lost all +further intelligence, and were for several months without being able to +hear any thing of what passed. They doubted not, however, but as things +were in so good a disposition, every day brought them nearer to the +completion of their wishes; and it was this pleasing prospect which +addressed their misfortunes, and enabled them to sustain cheerfully those +hardships which, almost ever since the withdrawing of Edella's bounty, +they had laboured under.—Mattakesa, in the beginning of her amours with +Mullern, had indeed made him some presents, which he shared with his +companions; but either the natural inconstancy of her temper making her +grow weary of this intrigue for the sake of another, or her circumstances +not allowing her to continue such Donations, she soon grew sparing of +them, and at length totally desisted her visits at the prison.</p> +<p>As, ever since the compassionate Edella had procured them to be +removed from the dungeon, they had enjoyed the privilege of walking on the +leads, and going up to the round tower, which being of a very great +height, not only overlooked the town, but the country round for a +considerable distance, they frequently made use of this indulgence, at +first for no other purpose than to have the benefit of the open air, but +now in hope of seeing their beloved prince at the head of a victorious +army approaching to give them liberty and relief.—But, alas! how terrible +a reverse of their high-raised expectations had inconstant fortune in +store for them.—One day as they were sitting together, discoursing on the +usual topics with which they entertained each other, and endeavoured to +beguile the tedious time, they heard a confused noise as of some sudden +tumult.—Tho' they had now been above a year in Russia, none of them could +speak the language well enough to be understood, so could receive no +information from the guard, even should they have proved good-natured +enough to be willing to satisfy their curiosity, so they all run hastily +up to the round tower, whence they easily perceived the town in great +confusion, and the people running in such crowds, that in the hurry many +were trampled to death in endeavouring to pass the gates:—at a distance +they perceived standards waving in the air, but could not yet distinguish +what arms they bore.—A certain shivering and palpitation, the natural +consequence of suspence, ran thro' all their nerves, divided as they were +at this sight, between hope and fear; but when it drew more near,—when, +instead of Swedish colours they beheld those of Russia;—when, in the +place where they expected to see their gallant king coming to restore them +once more to freedom, they saw the implacable czar enter in triumph, +followed by those heroes, the least of whom had lately made him tremble, +now in chains, and exposed to the ribald mirth and derision of the gaping +crowd, they lost at once their fortitude, and even all sense of expressing +their grief at this misfortune:—the shock of it was so violent, it even +took away the power of feeling it, and they remained for some moments +rather like statues carv'd out by mortal art, than real men created by +God, and animated with living souls. A general groan was the first mark +they gave of any sensibility of this dreadful stroke of fate; but when +recruited spirits once more gave utterance to words, how terrible were +their exclamations! Some of them, in the extravagance of despair, said +things relating to fate and destiny, which, on a less occasion, could +have little merited forgiveness.</p> +<p>Unable either to remove from the place, or view distinctly what their +eyes were fixed upon, they stayed till the whole cavalcade was passed, +then went down and threw themselves upon the floor, where their ears were +deafen'd by the noise of guns, loud huzza's, and other testimonies of +popular rejoicings, both within and without the prison walls.—What have +we now to expect? cried one,—endless slavery:—chains, infamy, lasting as +our lives, replied another. Then let us dye, added a third. Right, said +his companion feircely;—the glory of Sweden is lost!—Let us disappoint +these barbarians, these Russian monsters, of the pleasure of insulting us +on our country's fall.</p> +<p>In this romantic and distracted manner did they in vain endeavour to +discharge their breasts of the load of anguish each sustained.—Their +misfortune was not of a nature to be alleviated by words;—it was too +mighty for expression; and the more they spoke, the more they had yet to +say.—For three whole days they refused the wretched sustenance brought to +them; neither did the least slumber ever close their eyelids by night: on +the fourth the keeper of the prison came, and told them they must +depart.—They endeavoured not to inform themselves how or where they were +to be disposed of; in their present condition all places were alike to +them, so followed him, without speaking, down stairs, at the bottom of +which they found a strong guard of thirty soldiers, who having chained +them in a link, like slaves going to be sold at the market, conducted them +to a very stately palace adjoining to that belonging to the czar.</p> +<p>They were but eight in number, out of fifty-five who had been taken +prisoners at the time Horatio was, and were thrown altogether in the +dungeon, the others having perished thro' cold and the noysomeness of the +place, before Edella had procured them a more easy situation; but these +eight that survived were all officers, and most of them men of +distinguished birth as well as valour, tho' their long imprisonment, +scanty food, and more than all, the grief they at present laboured under +made them look rather like ghosts, than men chose out of thousands to +fight always near the king of Sweden's person in every hazardous attempt.</p> +<p>They were placed in a stately gallery, and there left, while the +officer, who commanded the party that came with them, went into an inner +room, but soon after returned, and another person with him; on which, the +first of this unhappy string was loosed from his companions, and a signal +made to him to enter a door, which was opened for him, and immediately +closed again.</p> +<p>For about half an hour there was a profound silence: our prisoners kept +it thro' astonishment; and the others, it is to be supposed, had orders +for doing so.—At the end of that time the door was again opened, and the +chain which fastened the second Swede to the others, was untied, and he, +in like manner as the former, bid to go in.—In some time after, the same +ceremony was observed to a third;—then to a fourth, fifth, sixth, and +seventh:—Horatio chanced to be the last, who, tho' alarmed to a very +great degree at the thoughts of what fate might have been inflicted on his +companions, went fearless in, more curious to know the meaning of this +mysterious proceeding, than anxious for what might befal him.</p> +<p>He had no sooner passed the door, than he found himself in a spacious +chamber richly adorned, at the upper end of which sat a man, leaning his +head upon his arm in a thoughtful posture.—Horatio immediately knew him +to be prince Menzikoff, whom he had seen during a short truce between the +czar and king Charles of Sweden, when both their armies were in Lithuania. +There were no other persons present than one who had the aspect of a jew, +and as it proved was so, that stood near the prince's chair, and a soldier +who kept the door.</p> +<p>Horatio was bid to approach, and when he did so,—you are called +hither, said the jew in the Swedish language, to answer to such questions +as shall be asked you, concerning a conspiracy carried on between you and +your fellow-prisoners with the enemies of Russia. Horatio understood the +language perfectly well, having conversed so long with Swedes, but never +could attain to a perfect pronounciation of it, so replied in French, that +he knew the prince could speak French, and he would therefore answer to +any interrogatories his highness should be pleased to make without the +help of an interpreter.</p> +<p>Are you not then a Swede? said the prince. Horatio then told him that +he was not, but came from France into the service of the king of Sweden +merely thro' his love of arms.</p> +<p>On these words Menzikoff dismissed the jew, and looked earnestly on +him; wan and pale as he was grown thro' his long confinement, and the many +hardships he had sustained, this prince found something in him that +attracted his admiration.—Methinks, said he, since glory was your aim, +you might as well have hoped to acquire it under the banners of our +invincible emperor.</p> +<p>Alas! my lord, replied Horatio with a sigh, that title, till very +lately, was given to the king of Sweden, and, I believe, whatever fate +has attended that truly great prince, those who had the honour to be +distinguished by him, will never be suspected either of cowardice or +baseness.—It was by brave and open means our king taught his soldiers the +way to victory, not by mean subterfuges and little plots:—I cannot +therefore conceive for what reason I am brought hither to be examined on +any score that has the appearance of a conspiracy.</p> +<p>Yes, replied the prince feircely, you and your fellow-prisoners have +endeavoured to insinuate yourselves into the favour of persons whom you +imagined entrusted with the secrets of the government:—being prisoners of +war, you formed contrivances for your escape, and attempted to inveigle +others to accompany your flight.</p> +<p>That every tittle of this accusation is false, my lord, cried Horatio, +there needs no more than the improbability of it to prove.—Indeed the +cruel usage we sustained, might have justified an attempt to free +ourselves, yet did such a design never enter our heads:—we were so far +from making use of any stratagems for that purpose, that we never made the +least overture to any of the guards, who were the only persons we were +allowed to converse with.</p> +<p>How! said the prince interrupting him, were not your privileges +enlarged by the interposition of a lady?—Did she not make you +considerable allowances out of her own purse, and frequently visit you to +receive your thanks?—And were you not emboldened by these favours to urge +her to reveal what secrets were in her knowledge, and even to assist you +in your escape?—You doubtless imagined you could prevail on her also to +go with you:—part of this, continued he, she has herself confessed:—it +will therefore be in vain for you to deny it:—if you ingenuously reveal +these particulars she has omitted, you may hope to find favour; but it you +obstinately persist, as your companions have done, in attempting to +impose upon me, you must expect to share the same fate immediately.</p> +<p>In speaking these words he made a sign to the soldier, who throwing +open a large folding door, discovered a rack on which one of the Swedish +officers was tied, and the others stood near bound, and in the hands of +the executioner.</p> +<p>This sight so amazed Horatio, that he had not the power of speaking one +word;—till Mullern, who happened to be the person that was fastened upon +the rack, cried out to him,—Be not lost in consideration, Horatio, said +he; are we not in the hands of Muscovites, from whom nothing that is human +can be expected?—rather prepare yourself to disappoint their cruelty, by +bravely suffering all they dare inflict.</p> +<p>Hold then, said Horatio, even Muscovites would chuse to have some +pretence for what they do; and sure the first favourite and generalissimo +of a prince, who boasts an inclination to civilize his barbarous subjects, +will not, without any cause, torture them whom chance alone has put into +his power, and who have never done him any personal injury.—By heaven, +pursued he, turning to the prince, we all are innocent of any part of +those crimes laid to our charge:—time, perhaps, if our declarations are +ineffectual, will convince your highness we are so, and you will then +regret the injustice you have done us.</p> +<p>You all are in one story, cried the prince, but I am well assured of +the main point:—the particulars is all I want to be informed of:—but +since I am compelled to speak more plain, which of you is it for whose +sake you all received such instances of Edella's bounty?—Whoever tells me +that, even tho' it be the person himself, shall have both pardon and +liberty.</p> +<p>Impossible it is to express the astonishment every one was in at this +demand: five of them had not the least notion what it meant; but Mullern, +Horatio, and that friend to whom he had shewn the letter of Mattakesa, had +some conjecture of the truth, and presently imagined that lady had been +the incendiary to kindle the flame of jealousy in the prince's breast. The +affair, however, was of so nice a nature, that they knew not how to +vindicate Edella without making her seem more guilty, so contented +themselves with joining with the others, in protesting they knew of no one +among them who could boast of receiving any greater favours from her than +his fellows, but that what she did was instigated merely by compassion, +since she had never seen, or knew who any of them were, till after she had +moved the governor in their behalf:—they acknowledged she had been so +good as to come sometimes to the prison, in order to see if those she +entrusted with her bounty had been faithful in the delivery of it; but +that she never made the least difference between them, and never had +conversation with any one of them that was not in the presence of them +all. Mullern could not forbear adding to this, that he doubted not but the +persons who had incensed his highness into groundless surmises, were also +the same who had hindered her, by some false insinuations or other, from +continuing the allowance her charity allowed them, and for the want of +which they had since been near perishing.</p> +<p>Prince Menzikoff listened attentively to what each said, and with no +less earnestness fixed his eyes on the face of every one as they +spoke.—Finding they had done, he was about giving some orders on their +account, when the keeper of the prison came hastily into the room, and +having entreated pardon for the interruption, presented a letter to the +prince, directed for brigadier Mullern, and brought, he said, just after +the prisoners were carried out.</p> +<p>Menzikoff commended his zeal in receiving and bringing it to him, as it +might possibly serve to give some light to the affair he was examining.</p> +<p>Having perused it, he demanded which of them was named Mullern? I am, +replied the brave Swede; and neither fear, nor am ashamed of any thing +under that name.</p> +<p>Hear then what is wrote to you by a lady, resumed the prince, with a +countenance more serene than he had worn since their being brought before +him, and presently read with a very audible voice these words:<br/> +<br/> +"That you have been so long without<br/> +seeing me, my dear Mullern, or hearing<br/> +from me, is not owing to any decrease in my<br/> +affection, but to the necessity of my affairs:—if<br/> +you have any regard for me remaining, I<br/> +conjure you, if ever you are asked any questions<br/> +concerning the frequent visits I have made<br/> +you, to say I was sent by Edella, and that I was<br/> +no more than her emissary in the assistance you<br/> +received from me:—add also, that you have<br/> +reason to believe her charity was excited by<br/> +her liking one of your company:—mention<br/> +who you think fit; but I believe Horatio, as<br/> +the youngest and most handsome, will be the<br/> +most likely to gain credit to what you say.—<br/> +Depend upon it, that if you execute this commission<br/> +artfully, I will recompence it by procuring<br/> +your liberty:—nor need you have any<br/> +scruples concerning it, for no person will be<br/> +prejudiced by it, and the reputation preserved<br/> +of<br/> +<br/> +<i>Yours,</i><br/> +<br/> +MATTAKESA."</p> +<p>I suppose, said the prince, as soon as he had done reading, turning to +Horatio, you are the person mentioned in the letter? Tho' I neither desire +nor deserve the epithets given me there my lord, replied he, yet I will +not deny but I am called Horatio.</p> +<p>Well, resumed the prince with a half smile, I am so well pleased with +the conviction this letter has given me, that I shall retain no resentment +against the malicious author of it.</p> +<p>He then ordered Mullern to be taken from the rack, which had never been +strained; nor had he any intention, as he now assured him, to put him to +the torture, but only to intimidate him, being resolved to make use of +every method he could think of for the full discovery of every thing +relating to the behaviour of his beloved Edella.—The other gentlemen had +also their fetters taken off, and the prince asked pardon of them +severally for the injury he had done them; then made them sit down and +partake of a handsome collation at that table, before which they had so +lately stood as delinquents at a bar.</p> +<p>The Russians are excessive in their carouses, and prince Menzikoff +being now in an admirable good humour, made them drink very freely:—to be +the more obliging to his guests, he began the king of Sweden's health in a +bumper of brandy, protesting at the same time, that tho' an enemy to his +master, he loved and venerated the hero: Horatio on this ventured to +enquire in what condition his majesty was; to which the prince replied, +that being greatly wounded, he was obliged to leave the field, and, it was +believed, had took the load toward the dominions of the grand signior, +some of the Russian troops having pursued him as far as the Borysthenes +where, by the incredible valour of a few that attended him, they had been +beat back.</p> +<p>The Swedish officers knew it must be bad indeed when their king was +compelled to fly; and this renewed in them a melancholy, which it was not +in the power of liquor, or the present civilities of the prince to +dissipate: they also learned that the generals Renchild, Slipenbock, +Hamilton, Hoorn, Leuenhaup, and Stackelburg, with the prince of +Wirtemburg, count Piper, and the flower of the whole army, were prisoners +at Muscow.</p> +<p>The misfortune of these great men would have been very afflicting to +those who heard it, could any thing have given addition to what they knew +before.—Prince Menzikoff was sensible of what they felt, and to alleviate +their grief, assured them that he would take upon him to give them all +their liberty, without even exacting a promise from them never more to +draw their swords against the czar, in case the king of Sweden should ever +be able to take the field again.</p> +<p>So generous a proceeding both merited and received their utmost +acknowledgments: but he put an end to the serious demonstrations they were +about to make him of their gratitude, by saying,—I pay you no more than I +owe you:—I have wronged you:—this is but part of the retaliation I ought +to make:—besides, added he laughing, Mattakesa promised Mullern his +freedom; and as she has done me the good office, tho' undesignedly, of +revealing to me her own treachery, I can do no less than assist her in +fulfilling, her covenant.</p> +<p>To prove how much he was in earnest, he called his secretary, and +ordered him to make out their passports with all expedition, that they +might be ready to depart next morning; after which he made them repose +themselves in his palace the remainder of the night; which being in a +manner vastly different from what they had been accustomed to of a long +time, indeed ever since their quitting Alranstadt, they did not fail to +do, notwithstanding the discontent of their minds.</p> +<p>Prince Menzikoff, being now convinced of the fidelity of Edella, passed +into her apartment, where the reconciliation between them took up so much +time, that it was near noon next day before he appeared: his new guests +had not quitted their chambers much sooner; but after reproaching +themselves for having been so tardy, went altogether to take leave of the +prince, and accept the passports he had been so good to order. As they +were got ready, he gave them immediately into their hands, and told them, +they were at liberty to quit Petersburg that moment, if they pleased; or +if they had any curiosity to take a view of that city, they might gratify +it, and begin their journey next morning. As it was now so late in the +day, they accepted his highness's offer, and walked out to see a place +which had excited so much admiration in the world, since from a wild +waste, in ten years time, a spacious and most beautiful city had arose in +the midst of war, and proved the genius of the founder greater in civil +than in military arts, tho' it must be owned he was indefatigable in the +study of both.</p> +<p>The officers of the king of Sweden were entertained with the same +elegance and good humour they had been the night before; and as they were +now resolved to quit the city extremely early, the prince took leave of +them that night, and in doing so put a purse of gold into the hands of +every one to defray the expenses of their travelling. This behaviour +obliged them to own there was a possibility of sowing the seeds of +humanity in Muscovy, and that the czar had made some progress in +influencing those about him with the manners he had himself learned in +the politer courts.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XXII.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>What befel Louisa in the monastery: the stratagem she put in +practice to get out of it: her travels thro' Italy, and arrival in Paris</i>.</p> +<p>But while Horatio was thus experiencing the vicissitudes of fortune, +his beautiful sister suffered little less from the caprice of that fickle +goddess. Placed as she was, one would have thought she had been secure +from all the temptations, hurries, and dangers of the world, and that +nothing but the death or inconstancy of monsieur du Plessis could have +again involved her in them. These, indeed, were the sole evils she +trembled at, and which she chiefly prayed might not befal her. Yet as it +often happens that those disasters which seem most remote are nearest to +us, so did the disappointments she was ordained to suffer, rise from a +quarter she had the least reason to apprehend.</p> +<p>The abbess and nuns, with whom she was, being all Italians, she set +herself to attain to the knowledge of their language, in which she soon +became a very great proficient, and capable of entertaining them, and +being entertained by them in the most agreeable manner.—The sweetness of +her temper, as well as her good sense, rendering her always ambitious of +acquiring the affection of those she converted with, she had the secret to +ingratiate herself not only to the youngest nuns, but also to the elder +and most austere, that the one were never pleased but when in her company, +and the others propose her as an example of piety and sweetness to the +rest.</p> +<p>She had a very pretty genius to poetry, and great skill in music, both +which talents she now exercised in such works as suited the place and +company she was in.—The hymns and anthems she composed were not only the +admiration of that convent, but also of several others to whom they were +shown, and she was spoke of as a prodigy of wit and devotion.</p> +<p>In fine, her behavior rendered her extremely dear to the superior; and +that affection joined to a spiritual pride, which those sanctified +devotees are seldom wholly free from, made her very desirous of retaining +her always in the convent:—she was therefore continually preaching up to +her the uncertainty of those felicities which are to be found in the +world, and magnifying that happy serenity which a total renunciation from +it afforded;—nay, sometimes went so far, as to insinuate there was scarce +a possibility for any one encumbered with the cares, and surrounded with +the temptations of a public life, to have those dispositions which are +requisite to enjoy the blessings of futurity.—Ah my dear daughter, would +she say frequently to her, how much should I rejoice to find in you a +desire to forgo all the transitory fleeting pleasures of the world, and +devote yourself entirely to heaven!—what raptures would not your innocent +soul partake, when wholly devoid of all thought of sensual objects! you +would be, even while on earth, a companion for angels and blessed spirits, +and borne on the wings of heavenly contemplation, have your dwelling +above, and be worshipped as a saint below.</p> +<p>All the old nuns, and some of the young ones, assisted their abbess in +endeavouring to prevail on Louisa to take the veil; but all that they said +made no impression on her mind, not but she had more real piety than +perhaps some of those who made so great a shew of it, but she was of a +different way of thinking; and tho' she knew the world had its temptation, +having experienced them in a very great degree, yet she was-convinced +within herself, that a person of virtuous principles might be no less +innocent out of a cloyster than in one.—She saw also among this +sisterhood a great deal of envy to each other, and perceived early that +the flaming zeal professed among them was in some hypocrisy, and +enthusiasm in others; so that had she had no prepossession in favour of du +Plessis, or any engagement with him, the life of a nun was what she never +should have made choice of.</p> +<p>She kept her sentiments on this occasion entirely to herself however, +and made no shew of any repugnance to do as they would have her; but +whenever they became strenuous in their pressures, told them, she doubted +not but such a life as they described must be very angelic, but having +already disposed of her vows, it was not in her power to withdraw them, +nor would heaven accept so violated an offering. This, they told her, was +only a suggestion of some evil spirit, and that all engagements to an +earthly object, both might and ought to be dispensed with for a divine +vocation. The arguments they made use of for this purpose were artful +enough to have imposed on some minds, but Louisa had too much penetration +not to see thro' them; and being unwilling to disoblige them by shewing +that she did so, made use, in her turn, of evasions which the +circumstances of the case rendered very excusable. But fully persuaded in +their minds that it was solely her engagements with du Plessis that +rendered her so refractory to their desires, they resolved to break it +off, if possible, and to that end now intercepted his letters; two of +which giving an account that he was very much wounded and unable to +travel, they renewed their pressures, in order to prevail on her to take +the habit before he should be in a condition to come to Bolognia.</p> +<p>These sollicitations, however, had no other effect than to embitter the +satisfaction she would otherwise have enjoyed during her stay among +them;—the time of which began now to seem tedious, and she impatiently +longed for the end of the campaign, which she expected would return her +dear du Plessis to her, and she should be removed from a place where +dissimulation, a vice she detested, was in a manner necessary. She had +received several letters from him before the abbess took it in her head to +stop them, each more endearing than the former; and last had flattered her +with the hope of seeing him in a very short time.</p> +<p>Days, weeks, and months passed over, after an assurance so pleasing to +her wishes, without any confirmation of the repeated vows he had made; and +receiving from him no account of the reasons that delayed him, she began +to reproach herself for having placed too much confidence in him;—the +more time elapsed, the more cause she had to doubt his sincerity, and +believe her misfortune real:—in fine, it was near half a year that she +languished under a vain expectation of seeing, or at least hearing from +him.—Sometimes she imagined a new object had deprived her of his heart; +but when she called to mind the many proofs he had given her of the most +unparallell'd generosity that ever was she could not think that if he even +ceased to love her, he could be capable of leaving her in so cruel a +suspence:—no, said she to herself, he would have let me know I had no +more to depend on from him:—paper cannot blush, and as he is out of the +reach of my upbraidings, he would certainly have acquainted me with my +fate, confessed the inconstancy of his sex, and exerted that wit, of which +he has sufficient, to have excused his change:—I will not therefore +injure a man whom I have found so truly noble:—death, perhaps, his +deprived me of him; the unrelenting sword makes no distinction between the +worthy and unworthy;—and the brave, the virtuous du Plessis, may have +fallen a victim in common with the most vulgar.</p> +<p>These apprehensions had no sooner gained ground in her imagination, +than she became the most disconsolate creature in the world. The abbess +took advantage of her melancholy, as knowing the occasion of it, and began +to represent, in the strongest terms, the instability of all human +expectations:—you may easily see, my dear child, said she, that monsieur +either no longer lives, or ceases to live for you:—young men are +wavering, every new object attracts their wishes;—they are impatient for +a time, but soon grow cool;—absence renders them forgetful of their vows +and promises;—there is no real dependance on them;—fly therefore to that +divine love which never can deceive you;—give yourself up to heaven, and +you will soon be enabled to despise the fickle hopes of earth.</p> +<p>Instead of saying any thing to comfort her, in this manner was she +continually persecuted; and tho' it is impossible for any one to have less +inclination to a monastic life than she had, yet the depression of her +spirits, the firm belief she now should never see du Plessis more, the +misfortune of her circumstances, joined to the artifices they made use of, +and the repeated offers of accepting her without the usual sum paid on +such occasions, might possibly at last have prevailed on her.—She was +half convinced in her mind that it was the only asylum left to shield her +from the wants and insults of the world; and the more she reflected on the +changes, the perplexities, and vexation, of different kinds, the few years +she yet had lived had presented her with, the more reason she found to +acquiesce with the persuasions of the abbess. But heaven would not suffer +the deceit practised on her to be crowned with success, and discovered it +to her timely enough to prevent her from giving too much way to that +despair, which alone could have prevailed with her to yield to their +importunities.</p> +<p>There was among the sisterhood a young lady called donna Leonora, who +being one of many daughters of a family, more eminent for birth than +riches, was compelled, as too many are, to become a nun, in order to +prevent her marrying beneath her father's dignity. She had taken a great +liking to Louisa from the moment she came into the convent, and a farther +acquaintance ripened it into a sincere friendship. Tho' secluded from the +world, the austere air of a monastery had no effect upon her, she still +retained her former vivacity; and it was only in the conversations these +two had toge whenever they could separate from the others, that Louisa +found any cordial to revive her now almost sinking spirits.</p> +<p>One day as she was ruminating on her melancholy affairs, this young nun +came hastily into her chamber, and with a countenance that, before she +spoke, denoted she had something very extraordinary to acquaint her +with,—dear sister, cried she, I bring you the most surprising news, but +such as will be my ruin if you take the least notice of receiving it from +me; and perhaps your own, if you seem to be acquainted with it at all.</p> +<p>It is not to be doubted but Louisa gave her all the assurances she +could desire of an inviolable secrecy; after which, know then, resumed +this sweet-condition'd lady, that your lover, monsieur du Plessis, is not +only living, but as faithful as your soul can wish, or as you once +believed:—the cruelty of the abbess, and some of the sisterhood in the +plot with her, have concealed the letters he has sent to you, in order to +persuade you to become a nun:—I tremble to think of their hypocrisy and +deceit:—but what, continued she, is not to be expected from bigotry and +enthusiasm!—To increase the number of devotees they scruple nothing, and +vainly imagine the means is sanctified by the end.</p> +<p>Little is it in the power of words to express the astonishment Louisa +was in to hear her speak in this manner; but as she had no room to doubt +her sincerity, only asked by what means she had attained the knowledge of +what the persons concerned, no doubt, intended to keep as much a secret as +possible; on which the other satisfied her curiosity in these terms:</p> +<p>To confess the truth to you, said she, I stole this afternoon into the +chapel, in order to read a little book brought me the other day by one of +my friends; as it treated on a subject not allowable in a convent, I +thought that the most proper place to entertain myself with it; and was +sitting down in one of the confessionals, when hearing the little door +open from the gallery, I saw the abbess and sister Clara, who, you know, +is her favourite and confidant, come in together, and as soon as they were +entered, shut the door after them. I cannot say I had any curiosity to +hear their discourse; but fearing to be suspected by them in my amusement, +and not knowing what excuse to make for being there, if I were seen, I +slid down, and lay close at the bottom of the confessional. They happened +to place themselves very near me; and the abbess taking a letter out of +her pocket, bad Clara read it, and tell her the substance of it as well as +she could. I found it was in French, by some words which she was obliged +to repeat over and over, before, not perfectly understanding the language, +she could be able to find a proper interpretation of. The abbess, who has +a little smattering of it herself, sometimes helped her out, and between +them both I soon found it came from monsieur du Plessis, and contained the +most tender and compassionate complaint of your unkindness in not +answering his letter;—that the symptoms he had of approaching death were +not half so severe to him as your refusing him a consolation he stood for +much in need of;—that if you found him unworthy of your love, he was +certainly so of your compassion; and concluded with the most earnest +entreaty, you would suffer him to continue no longer in a suspence more +cruel than a thousand deaths could be.</p> +<p>Oh heaven! cried Louisa, bursting into tears, how ungrateful must he +think me, and how can I return, as it deserves, so unexampled a constancy, + after such seeming proofs of my infidelity!—. Cruel, cruel, treacherous + abbess! pursued she; Is this the fruits of all your boasted + sanctity!—This the return to the confidence the generous du Plessis + reposed in you!—This your love and friendship to me!—Does heaven, to + increase the number of its votaries, require you to be false, perfidious, + and injurious to the world!</p> +<p>She was proceeding in giving vent to the anguish of her soul in +exclamations such as these; but Leonora begged she would moderate her +grief, and for her sake, as much as possible, conceal the reasons she had +for resentment. Louisa again promised she would do her utmost to keep them +from thinking she even suspected they had played her false;—then cried, +But tell me, my dear Leonora, were they not a little moved at the tender +melancholy which, I perceive, ran thro' this epistle? Alas! my dear, +replied the other, they have long since forgot those soft emotions which +make us simpathize in the woes of love:—inflexible by the rigid rules of +this place, and more by their own age, they rather looked with horror than +pity on a tender inclination:—they had a long conversation together, the +result of which was to spare nothing that might either persuade, or if +that failed, compel you to take the order.</p> +<p>It is not in their power to do the latter, interrupted Louisa; and this +discovery of their baseness, more than ever, confirms me in the resolution +never to consent.</p> +<p>You know not what is in their power, said Leonora; they may make +pretences for confining you here, which, as they are under no jurisdiction +but the church, the church will allow justifiable:—indeed, Louisa, +continued she, I should be loth to see you have recourse to force to get +out of their hands which would only occasion you ill treatment:—to whom, +alas, can you complain!—you are a stranger in this country, without any +one friend to espouse your cause:—were even Du Plessis here in person, I +know not, as they have taken it into their heads to keep you here, if all +he could urge, either to the pope or confessory, would have any weight to +oblige them to relinquish you. A convent is the securest prison in the +world; and whenever any one comes into it, who by any particular endowment +promises to be an ornament to the order, cannot, without great difficulty, +disentangle themselves from the snares laid for them.—It is for this +reason I have feared for you ever since your entrance; for tho' I should +rejoice in so agreeable a companion, I know too well the miseries of an +enforced attachment to wish you to be partaker of it.</p> +<p>Louisa found too much reason in what she said, to doubt the misery of +her condition;—she knew the great power of the church in all these +countries where the roman-catholic religion is established, more +especially in those places under the papal jurisdiction, and saw no way to +avoid what was now more terrible to her than ever. Those reflections threw +her into such agonies, that Leonora had much ado to keep her from falling +into fits:—she conjured her again and again, never to betray what she had +entrusted her with; assuring her, that if it were so much as guessed at, +she should be exposed to the worst treatment, and punished as an enemy to +the order of which she was a member. Louisa as often assured her that +nothing should either tempt or provoke her to abuse that generous +friendship she had testified for her; but as she was not able to command +her countenance, tho' she could her words, she resolved to pretend herself +indisposed and keep her bed, that she might be the less observed, or the +change in her should seem rather the effects of ill health than any secret +discontent.</p> +<p>It was no sooner mentioned in the convent that she was out of order, +than the abbess herself, as well as the whole sisterhood, came to her +chamber, and shewed the greatest concern: the tender care they took of her +would have made her think herself infinitely obliged to them, and perhaps +gone a great way in engaging her continuance among them, had she not been +apprized of their falshood in a point so little to be forgiven.</p> +<p>So great an enemy was she to all deceit herself, that it was difficult +for her to return the civilities they treated her with, as they might seem +to deserve; but whatever omissions she was guilty of in this particular, +were imputed to her disposition; and the whole convent continued to be +extremely assiduous to recover her.</p> +<p>During the time of her feigned illness, her thoughts were always +employed on the means of getting away. Whenever Leonora and she were +together, a hundred contrivances were formed, which seemed equally alike +impracticable; but at length they hit upon one which had a promising +aspect and Louisa, after some scruples, resolved to make trial of. It was +this:</p> +<p>As hypocrisy was made use of to detain her, hypocrisy was the only +method by which she could hope to get her liberty:—pretending, therefore, +to be all at once restored to her former health, she sent to entreat the +abbess, and some other of the most zealous of the sisterhood to come into +her chamber, where, as soon as they entered, they found her on her knees +before the picture of the virgin, and seeming in an extacy of devotion: +Yes, holy virgin, cried she, as if too much taken up to see who entered, I +will obey your commands;—I will devote myself entirely to thee;—I will +follow where thou callest me: thou, who hast restored me, shalt have the +first fruits of my strength:—and oh that Lorretto were at a greater +distance,—to the utmost extent of land and sea would I go to seek +thee!—In uttering these ejaculations she prostrated herself on the +floor;—then rising again, as transported in a manner out of herself,—I +come,—I come, cried she;—still do I hear thy heavenly voice!</p> +<p>In this fit of enthusiasm did she remain for above half an hour, and so +well acted her part, that the abbess, who would not offer to interrupt +her, believed it real, and was in little less agitation of spirit than +Louisa pretended to be.</p> +<p>At length seeming; to come to herself, she turned towards the company, +as tho' she but just then discovered they were in the room; Oh, madam, +said she to the abbess, how highly favoured have I been this blessed +night!—The virgin has herself appeared to me, whether in a vision, or to +my waking eyes, I cannot well determine; but sure I have been in such +extacies, have felt such divine raptures, as no words can express!</p> +<p>Oh my dear daughter! cried the abbess, how my soul kindles to behold +this change in thee!—but tell me what said the holy virgin!</p> +<p>She bad me wait on her at Lorretto, answered she, and gave me hopes of +doing something wonderful in my favour:—I will therefore, with your +permission, undertake a pilgrimage and at her shrine expiate the offences +of my past life in tears of true contrition, and then return a pure and +fearless partaker of the happiness you enjoy in an uninterrupted course of +devotion:—oh! exclaimed she, exalting her voice, how do I detest and +despise the vanities and follies of the world!—how hate myself for having +been too much attached to them, and so long been cold and negligent of my +only happiness!</p> +<p>The abbess, and, after her, all the nuns that were present, embraced +Louisa,—praised to the skies this miraculous conversion, as they termed +it, and spared nothing to confirm the pious resolution she had taken.</p> +<p>In fine, they consented to her pilgrimage with a satisfaction equal to +what she felt in undertaking it,—they not in the least doubting but she +would return to them as soon as she had fulfilled her devotions, and +flattering themselves that the report of this miracle would do the +greatest honour to their convent that it could possibly receive; and she, +delighted with the thoughts of being at liberty to enquire after her dear +du Plessis, and being freed from a dissimulation so irksome to her nature.</p> +<p>Her pilgrim's habit, and a great crucifix to carry between her hands, +with another at her girdle, and all the formalities of that garb being +prepared, she set forward with the prayers and benedictions of the whole +sisterhood, who told her, that they should be impatient till they saw her +again, and expected great things from her at her return, which, in +reality, they all did, except Leonora, who laughed heartily at the +deception she had put upon them, and whispered in her ear as she gave her +the last embrace, that she wished her a happy meeting with that saint she +went in search of.</p> +<p>To prevent all suspicion of her intention she left her cloaths, and +every thing she had brought into the convent, under the care of the +abbess, saying, that, at her return, she would have them disposed of, and +the money given to the poor: but, unknown to any one except Leonora, she +quilted some pieces of gold and valuable trinkets into her undergarment, +as not doubting but she should have occasion for much more than, in +effect, she was mistress of.</p> +<p>When on her journey, the pleasure she felt at seeing herself out of the +walls of the monastery, was very much abated by the uncertainty how she +should proceed, or where direct her way: and indeed, let any one figure to +themselves the condition she was in, and they will rather wonder she had +courage to go on, than that she was sometimes daunted even to despair.—A +young creature of little more than eighteen years old,—wholly +unacquainted with fatigue,—delicate in her frame,—wandering alone on +foot in the midst of a strange country,—ignorant of the road, or had she +been acquainted with it, at a loss where to go to get any intelligence of +what she sought, and even doubtful if the person she ran such risques to +hear of, yet were in the world or not. The letter Leonora had informed her +of, gave no account, at least that she could learn, either where he was, +or whether there were any hopes of his recovery from that illness it +mentioned; she had therefore every thing to dread, and little, very little +to hope: yet did she not repent her having quitted the convent; and the +desire of getting still farther from it, made her prosecute her journey +with greater strength and vigour than could have been expected: her +pilgrim's habit was not only a defence against any insults from persons +she met on the road, but also attracted the respect, and engaged the +civilities of every one.—As that country abounds with religious houses, +she was not only lodged and fed without any expence, but received a piece +of money at each of them she went to, so that her little stock, instead of +being diminished, was considerably increased when she came to Lorretto, +for thither, not to be false in every thing, she went; and being truly +sorry for the hypocrisy which a sad necessity alone could have made her +guilty of, paid her devotion with a sincere heart, tho' free from that +enthusiasm and bigotry which is too much practised in convents.</p> +<p>From Lorretto she crossed the country to Florence, every one being +ready to direct a holy pilgrim on her way, and assist her with all things +necessary. As she went very easy journeys, never exceeding four or five +miles a day, she easily supported the fatigue; and had she been certain at +last of seeing du Plessis, it would have been rather a pleasure to her; +but her mind suffered much more than her body during this pilgrimage, +which she continued in the same manner she had begun till she reached +Leghorn, where a ship lying at anchor, and expecting to sail in a few days +for Marseilles, she agreed to give a small matter for her passage, the +sea-faring-men not paying altogether so much regard to her habit, as the +land ones had done.</p> +<p>No ill accident intervening, the vessel came safely into her desired +port, and Louisa now found herself in the native country of the only +person who engrossed her thoughts: as she had heard him say he was of +Paris, she supposed that the most likely place to hear news of him, but +was in some debate within herself whether she should continue to wear her +pilgrim's habit, or provide herself with other cloaths at Marseilles. She +was weary of this mendicant way of travelling, and could have been glad to +have exchanged it for one more agreeable to the manner in which she had +been accustomed; but then, when she considered how great a protection the +appearance she made, had been from all those insults, to which a person of +her sex and age must otherwise infallibly have been exposed in travelling +alone, she resolved not to throw it off till she came to the place where +she intended to take up her abode, at least for some time. Young as she +was, she had well weighed what course to take in case du Plessis should +either be dead, or, by some accident, removed where she could hear nothing +more of him; and all countries and parts being now equal to her, as she +must then be reduced once more to get her bread by her labour, she doubted +not but to find encouragement for her industry as well in Paris as +elsewhere.</p> +<p>With this resolution, therefore, after laying one night at Marseilles, +she proceeded on her way in the same fashion as she had done ever since +she left Bolognia, and in about six weeks got safely to that great and +opulent city, where she took up her lodging at a hotel, extremely +fatigued, as it is easy to believe, having never even for one day ceased +walking, but while she was on board the ship which brought her to +Marseilles, for the space of eight months; a thing almost incredible, and +what perhaps no woman, but herself, would have had courage to undertake, +or resolution to perform, but was, in her circumstances, infinitely the +most safe and expedient that prudence could suggest.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XXIII.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Shews by what means Louisa came to the knowledge of her parents, +with other occurrences</i>.</p> +<p>The first thing she did on her arrival, was to send for proper persons +to equip her in a manner that she might once more appear herself, +resolving that till she could do so, not to be seen in the streets.</p> +<p>While these things were preparing, she sent a person, whom the people +of the house recommended to her, to the palace of the prince of Conti, not +doubting but that some of the gentlemen belonging to his highness might +give some intelligence where monsieur du Plessis was to be found; but the +messenger returned without any other information, than that they knew him +very well, but could give no directions in what part he was at present, he +not having been seen in Paris for a long time.</p> +<p>It is hard to say whether she most rejoiced or grieved at this account: +she imagined that had he been dead they would not have been ignorant of +it, therefore concluded him living to her infinite satisfaction; but then +his absenting himself from the capital of the kingdom, and from the +presence of a prince who had so much loved him, filled her with an +adequate disquiet, as believing some very ill accident must have been the +occasion:—she dispatched the same person afterwards to all the public +places that she heard gentlemen frequented, but met not with the least +success in her enquiries. It would prolong this narrative to a tedious +length, should I attempt any description of what she felt in this +situation, or the reflections she made on the odd circumstances of her +life:—the greatness of her spirit, and the most perfect resignation to +the divine will, however, made her support even this last and severest +trial with fortitude and patience; and as soon as she had put herself into +a convenient neat garb, but plain, befitting her condition, she went out +with a design to take a private lodging, where she might live more cheaply +than she could at the hotel, till providence should throw some person in +the way that might recommend her either to work, or to teach young ladies +music.</p> +<p>She was wandering thro' several of the streets of Paris, without being +able, as yet, to find such a chamber as she wanted, when a great shower of +rain happening to fall, she stood up under the porch of a large house for +shelter till it should be over, which it was not for a considerable time; +and the street being very dirty, she returned to the hotel, intending to +renew her search the next day: she had not been come in above half an +hour, before the man of the house told her that a servant, in a very rich +livery, who, he perceived, had followed her, and had asked many questions +concerning her, was now returned, and desired to speak with her.</p> +<p>As du Plessis was ever in her thoughts, a sudden rush of joy overflowed +her heart, which seemed to her the presage of seeing him, tho' how he +should imagine she was in Paris was a mystery:—but she gave herself not +much time for reflection, before she ordered the man to be admitted.</p> +<p>The manner of his approaching her was very respectful; but the message +he had to deliver seemed of a contrary nature.—After having asked if her +name was Louisa, and she answering that it was, I come, madam, said he, +from a gentleman who saw you stand just now at the gate of a house in the +Fauxbourg St. Germains, he commands me to tell you, that he has something +of moment to acquaint you with, and desires you will permit me to call a +chair, and attend you to his house, where he is impatient to receive you.</p> +<p>What, indeed, could Louisa think of a person who should send for her in +this manner?—all the late transport she was in, was immediately converted +into disdain and vexation at being taken, as she had all the reason in the +world to suppose, for one of those common creatures who prostitute their +charms for bread.—</p> +<p>Tell your master, said she, that by whatever accident he has learned my +name, he is wholly ignorant of the character of the person he has sent you +to:—that I am an entire stranger at Paris, and he must have mistaken me +for some other, who, perhaps, I may have the misfortune to resemble, and +may be also called as I am;—at least I am willing to think so, as the +only excuse can be made for his offering this insult:—but go, continued +she, with that pride which is natural to affronted virtue;—go, and +convince him of his error;—and let me hear no more of it.</p> +<p>It was in vain he assured her that his master was a person of the +highest honour, and that he was not unknown to her. All he could say had +not the least effect unless to enflame her more; when, after asking his +name, the fellow told her he was forbid to reveal it, but that he was +confident she would not deny having been acquainted with him when once she +saw him.</p> +<p>I shall neither own the one, cried she, nor consent to the other; then +bid him a second time be gone, with an air which shewed she was not to be +prevailed upon to listen to his arguments.</p> +<p>This man had no sooner left her than she fell into a deep study, from +which a sudden thought made her immediately start:—the count de Bellfleur +came into her head; and she was certain it could be no other than that +cruel persecutor of her virtue, that her ill fate had once more thrown in +her way.—As she knew very well, by what he had done, that he was of a +disposition to scruple nothing for the attainment of his wishes, she +trembled for the consequences of his discovering where she was.—The only +way she could think on to avoid the dangers she might be exposed to on his +account, was to draw up a petition to the prince of Conti, acquainting him +that she was the person who was near suffering so much from the ill +designs he had on her at Padua, when so generously referred by monsieur du +Plessis, and to entreat his highness's protection against any attempts he +might be safe enough to make.</p> +<p>She was just sitting down, in order to form a remonstrance of this +kind, when a chariot and six stopping at the door, she was informed the +gentleman who had sent to her was come in person, and that they knew it +was the same by the livery.—Louisa run hastily to the window and saw a +person alight, whom, by the bulk and stature, she knew could not be the +count she so much dreaded, this having much the advantage of the other in +both. Somewhat reassured by this sight, she ordered the master of the +hotel to desire him to walk into a parlour, and let him know she would +attend him there.</p> +<p>As she saw not the face of this visitor, she could not be certain +whether it were not some of those she had been acquainted with at Venice, +who having, by accident, seen her at Paris, might, according to the +freedom of the French nation, take the liberty of visiting her;—but +whoever it were, or on what score soever brought, she thought it best to +receive him in a place where, in case of any ill usage, she might readily +have assistance.</p> +<p>The master of the hotel perceiving her scruples, readily did as he was +ordered, and Louisa having desired that he, or some of his people, would +be within call, went down to receive this unknown gent, tho' not without +emotions, which at that moment she knew not how to account for.</p> +<p>But soon after she was seized with infinitely greater, when, entering +the parlour, she found it was no other than Dorilaus who had given her +this anxiety.—Surprize at the sight of a person whom, of all the world, +she could least have expected in that place, made her at first start back; +and conscious shame for having, as she thought, so ill rewarded his +goodness, mixed with a certain awe which she had for no other person but +himself, occasioned such a trembling, as rendered her unable either to +retire or move forward to salute him, as she otherwise would have done.</p> +<p>He saw the confusion she was in, and willing to give it an immediate +relief, ran to her, and taking her in his arms,—my dear, dear child, said +he, am I so happy to see thee once more!—Oh! sir, returned she +disengaging herself from his embrace, and falling at his feet!—How can I +look upon you after having flown from your protection, and given you such +cause to think me the most ungrateful creature in the world!</p> +<p>It was heaven, answered he, that inspired you with that abhorrence of +my offers, which, had you accepted, we must both have been eternally +undone!—You are my daughter, Louisa! pursued he, my own natural +daughter!—Rise then, and take a father's blessing.</p> +<p>All that can be said of astonishment would be far short of what she +felt at these words:—the happiness seemed so great she could not think +it real, tho' uttered from mouth she knew unaccustomed to deceit:—a +hundred times, without giving him leave to satisfy her doubts, did she cry +out, My father!—my father!—my real father!—How can it be!—Is there a +possibility that Louisa owes her being to Dorilaus!</p> +<p>Yes, my Louisa, answered he, and flatter myself, by what I have +observed of your disposition, you have done nothing, since our parting, +that might prevent my glorying in being the parent of such a child.</p> +<p>The hurry of spirit she was in, prevented her from taking notice of +these last words, or at least from making any answer to them, and she +still continued crying out,—Dorilaus, my father!—Good heaven! may I +believe I am so blessed?—Who then is my mother!—Wherefore have I been so +long ignorant of what I was!—And how is the joyful secret at last +revealed!</p> +<p>All these things you shall be fully informed of, answered he; in the +mean time be satisfied I do not deceive you, and am indeed your father: +transported to find my long lost child, whom I myself knew not was so till +I believed her gone for ever;—a thousand times I have wished both you and +Horatio were my children, but little suspected you were so, till after his +too eager ambition deprived me of him, and my mistaken love drove you to +seek a refuge among strangers.</p> +<p>Tears of joy and tenderness now bedewed the faces of both father and +daughter:—silence for some moments succeeded the late acclamations; but +Dorilaus at length finding her fully convinced she was as happy as he said +she was, and entirely freed from all those apprehensions which had +occasioned her flying from him, told her he was settled in Paris; that he +lived just opposite to the house where she had stood up on account of the +shower, and happening to be at one of his windows immediately knew her; +that he sent a servant after her, who had enquired how long she had been +arrived, and in what manner she came; that he had sent for her with no +other intent then to make trial how she would resent it, and was +transported to find her answer such as he hoped and had expected from +her:—he added, that he had all the anxiety of a father to hear by what +means she had been supported, and the motive which induced her to travel +in the habit of a pilgrim, as the matter of the hotel had informed his +servant; but that he would defer his satisfaction till she should be in a +place more becoming his daughter.</p> +<p>On concluding these words he called for the master of the hotel, and +having defrayed what little expences she had been at since her coming +there, took her by the hand and led her to his chariot, which soon brought +them to a magnificent, house, and furnished in a manner answerable to the +birth and fortune of the owner.</p> +<p>Louisa had all this time seemed like one in a dream:—she had ever +loved Dorilaus with a filial affection; and to find herself really his +daughter, to be snatched at once from all those cares which attend penury, +when accompanied with virtue, and an abhorrence of entering into measures +inconsistent with the strictest honour, to be relieved from every want, +and in a station which commanded respect and homage, was such a surcharge +of felicity, that she was less able to support than all the fatigues she +had gone thro'—Surprize and joy made her appear more dull and stupid than +she had ever been in her whole life before; and Dorilaus was obliged to +repeat all he had said over and over again, to bring her into her usual +composedness, and enable her to give him the satisfaction he required.</p> +<p>But as soon as she had, by degrees, recollected herself, she modestly +related all that had happened to her from the time she left him;—the +methods by which she endeavoured to earn her bread,—the insults she was +exposed to at mrs. C—l—ge's;—the way she came acquainted with +Melanthe;—the kindness shown her by that lady;—their travels +together;—the base stratagem made use of by count de Bellfleur to ruin +her with that lady—the honourable position monsieur du Plessis had +professed for her;—the seasonable assistance he had given her, in that +iminent danger she was in from the count's unlawful designs upon her;—his +placing her afterwards in the monastry,—the treachery of the abbess;—the +artifice she had been obliged to make use of to get out of the +nunnery;—her pilgrimage;—in fine, concealed no part of her adventures, +only that which related to the passion she had for du Plessis, which she +endeavoured, as much as she could, to disguise, under the names of +gratitude for the obligations he had conferred upon her, and admiration of +his virtue, so different from what she had found in others who had +addressed her.</p> +<p>Dorilaus, however, easily perceived the tenderness with which she was +agitated on the account of that young gentleman, but he would not excite +her blushes by taking any notice of it, especially as he found nothing to +condemn in it, and had observed, throughout the course of her whole +narrative, she had behaved on other occasions with a discretion far above +her years, he was far from wronging her, by suspecting she had swerved +from it in this.</p> +<p>But when he heard the vast journey she had come on foot, he was in the +utmost amazement at her fortitude, and told her he was resolved to keep +her pilgrim's habit as a relique, to preserve to after-ages the memory of +an adventure, which had really something more marvellous in it than many +set down as miracles.</p> +<p>And now having fully gratified his own curiosity in all he wanted to be +informed of, he thought proper to case the impatience she was in to know +the history of her birth, and on what occasion it had been so long +concealed, which he did in these or the like words:</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XXIV.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>The history of Dorilaus and Matilda, with other circumstances very +important to Louisa</i>.</p> +<p>You know, said he, that I am descended of one of the most illustrious +families in England, tho', by some imprudencies on the one side, and +injustice on the other, my claim was set aside, and I deprived of that +title which my ancestors for a long succession of years had enjoyed, so +that the estate I am in possession of, was derived to me in right of my +mother, who was an heiress. It is indeed sufficient to have given me a +pretence to any lady I should have made choice on, and to provide for what +children I might have had by her: but the pride of blood being not abated +in me by being cut off from my birthright, inspired me with an +unconquerable aversion to marriage, since I could not bequeath to my +posterity that dignity I ought to have enjoyed myself:—I resolved +therefore to live single, and that the misfortune of my family should dye +with myself.</p> +<p>In my younger years I went to travel, as well for improvement, as to +alleviate that discontent which was occasioned by the sight of another in +possession of what I thought was my due.—Having made the tour of Europe, +I took France again in my way home:—the gallantry and good breeding of +these people very much attached me to them; but what chiefly engaged my +continuance here much longer than I had done in any other part, was an +acquaintance I had made with a lady called Matilda: she was of a very good +family in England, was sent to a monastry merely for the sake of +well-grounding her in a religion, the free exercise of which is not +allowed at home, and to seclude her from settling her affections on any +other than the person she was destined to by the will of her parents, and +to whom she had been contracted in her infancy:—she was extremely young, +and beautiful as an angel; and the knowledge she was pre-engaged, could +not hinder me from loving her, any more than the declarations I made in +her hearing against marriage, could the grateful returns she was pleased +to make me:—in fine, the mutual inclination we had for each other, as it +rendered us deaf to all suggestions but that of gratifying it, so it also +inspired us with ingenuity to surmount all the difficulties that were +between our wishes and the end of them.—Tho' a pensioner in a monastry, +and very closely observed, by the help of a confidant she frequently got +out, and many nights we passed together;—till some business relating to +my estate at length calling me away, we were obliged to part, which we +could not do without testifying a great deal of concern on both +sides:—mine was truly sincere at that time, and I have reason to believe +her's was no less so; but absence easily wears out the impressions of +youth: as I never expected to see her any more, I endeavoured not to +preserve a remembrance which would only have given me disquiet, and, to +confess the truth, soon forgot both the pleasure and the pain I had +experienced in this, as well as some other little sallies of my unthinking +youth.</p> +<p>Many years passed over without my ever hearing any thing of her; and it +was some months after I received your letter from Aix-la-Chappelle, that +the post brought me one from Ireland: having no correspondence in that +country, I was a little surprized, but much more when I opened it and +found it contained these words:<br/> +<br/> +<i>To</i> DORILAUS.<br/> +<br/> +SIR,<br/> +<br/> +"This comes to make a request, which I<br/> +know not if the acquaintance we had<br/> +together in the early part of both our lives,<br/> +would be sufficient to apologize for the trouble<br/> +you must take in complying with it:—permit<br/> +me therefore to acquaint you, that I have long<br/> +laboured under an indisposition which my physicians<br/> +assure me is incurable, and under which<br/> +I must inevitably sink in a short time; but<br/> +whatever they say, I know it is impossible<br/> +for me to leave the world without imparting<br/> +to you a secret wholly improper to be entrusted<br/> +in a letter, but is of the utmost importance<br/> +to those concerned in it, of whom yourself<br/> +is the principal:—be assured it regards<br/> +your honour, your conscience, your justice, as<br/> +well as the eternal peace of her who conjures<br/> +you, with the utmost earnestness, to come immediately<br/> +on the receipt of this to the castle of<br/> +M——e, in the north of Ireland, where, if<br/> +you arrive time enough, you will be surprized,<br/> +tho' I flatter myself not disagreeably so, with<br/> +the unravelling a most mysterious Event.<br/> +<br/> +<i>Yours, once known by the name of</i> MATILDA,<br/> +<br/> +<i>now</i><br/> +<br/> +M——E."</p> +<p>I will not repeat to you, my dear Louisa, continued Dorilaus, the +strange perplexity of ideas that run thro' my mind after having read this +letter:—I was very far from guessing at the real motive of this +invitation; which, however, as I once had a regard for that lady, I soon +determined to obey; and having left the care of my house to a relation of +mine by the mother's side, I went directly for Ireland; but when I came +there, was a little embarrassed in my mind what excuse I should make to +her husband for my visit.—Before I ventured to the castle, I made a +thorough enquiry after the character of this young lady, and in what +manner she lived with her lord. Never did I hear a person more universally +spoke well of:—the poor adored her charity, affability, and condescending +sweetness of disposition:—the rich admired her wit, her virtue, and good +breeding:—her beauty, tho' allowed inferior to few of her sex, was the +least qualification that seemed deserving praise:—to add to all this, +they told me she was a pattern of conjugal affection, and the best of +mothers to a numerous race of Children;—that her lord had all the value +he ought to have for so amiable a wife, and that no wedded pair ever lived +together in greater harmony; and it was with the utmost concern, whoever I +spoke to on this affair concluded what they related of her with saying, +that so excellent an example of all that was valuable in womankind would +shortly be taken from them;—that she had long, with an unexampled +patience, lingered under a severe illness which every day threatened +dissolution.</p> +<p>These accounts made me hesitate no farther:—I went boldly to the +castle, asked to speak with the lord M——e, who received me with a +politeness befitting his quality: I told him that my curiosity of seeing +foreign countries had brought me to Ireland, and being in my tour thro' +those parts, I took the liberty of calling at his seat, having formerly +had the honour of being known to his lady when at her father's house, and +whom I now heard, to my great concern, was indisposed, otherwise have been +glad to pay my respects to her. The nobleman answered, with tears in his +eyes, that she was indeed in a condition such as give no hope of her +recovery, but that she sometimes saw company, tho' obliged to receive them +in bed, having lost the use of her limbs, and would perhaps be glad of the +visit of a person she had known so long.</p> +<p>On this I told him my name, which he immediately sent in; and her woman +not long after came from her to let me know she would admit me. My lord +went in with me; and to countenance what I said, I accosted her with the +freedom of a person who had been acquainted when children, spoke of her +father as of a gentleman who had favoured me with his good-will, tho', in +reality, I had never seen him in my life, but remembered well enough what +she had mentioned to me concerning him, and some others of her family, to +talk as if I had been intimate among them. I could perceive she was very +well pleased with the method I had taken of introducing myself; and, to +prevent any suspicion that I had any other business with her than to pay +my compliments, made my visit very short that day, not doubting but she +would of herself contrive some means of entertaining me without witnesses, +as she easily found her lord had desired I would make the castle my home +while I stayed in that part of the country.</p> +<p>I was not deceived; the next morning having been told her lord was +engaged with his steward, she sent for me, and making some pretence for +getting rid of her woman, she plucked a paper from under her pillow, and +putting it into my hand,—in that, said, you will find the secret I +mentioned in my letter;—suspect not the veracity of it, I conjure you, +nor love the unfortunate Horatio and Louisa less for their being mine.</p> +<p>I cannot express the confusion I was in, continued Dorilaus, at her +mentioning you and your brother, but I had no opportunity of asking any +questions:—her woman that instant returned, after which I stayed but a +short time, being impatient to examine the contents, which, as near as I +can remember, were to this purpose:<br/> +<br/> +"You were scarce out of France before I<br/> +discovered our amour had produced such<br/> +consequences as, had my too fond passion given<br/> +me leave to think of, I never should have hazarded:—I<br/> +will not repeat the distraction I<br/> +was in;—you may easily judge of it:—I<br/> +communicated the misfortune to my nurse,<br/> +who you know I told you went from England<br/> +with me, and has often brought you messages<br/> +from the convent:—the faithful creature did<br/> +her utmost to console me for an evil which was<br/> +without a remedy:—to complete my confusion,<br/> +my father commanded me home; my lord<br/> +M——e was returned from his travels:—we<br/> +were both of an age to marry; and it<br/> +was resolved, by our parents, no longer to<br/> +defer the completion of an affair long before<br/> +agreed upon.—I was ready to lay violent hands<br/> +on myself, since there seemed no way to conceal<br/> +my shame; but my good nurse having set<br/> +all her wits to work for me, found out an expedient<br/> +which served me, when I could think<br/> +of nothing for myself.—She bid me be of<br/> +comfort; that she thought being sent for home<br/> +was the luckiest thing that could have happened,<br/> +since nothing could be so bad as to have my<br/> +pregnancy discovered in the convent, as it<br/> +infallibly must have been had I stayed a very little<br/> +time longer: she also assured me she would<br/> +contrive it so, as to keep the thing a secret<br/> +from all the world.—I found afterwards she<br/> +did not deceive me by vain promises.—We<br/> +left Paris, according to my father's order, and<br/> +came by easy journeys, befitting my condition,<br/> +to Calais, and embarked on board the packet for<br/> +Dover; but then, instead of taking coach for London,<br/> +hired a chariot, and went cross the country<br/> +to a little village, where a kinswoman of my<br/> +nurse's lived.—With these people I remained<br/> +till Horatio and Louisa came into the world:—I<br/> +could have had them nursed at that place, but<br/> +I feared some discovery thro' the miscarriage of<br/> +letters, which often happens, and which could<br/> +not have been avoided being sent on such occasions;—so<br/> +we contrived together that my<br/> +good confident and adviser should carry them<br/> +to your house, and commit the care of them<br/> +to you, who, equal with myself, had a right to<br/> +it:—she found means, by bribing a man that<br/> +worked under your gardener, to convey them<br/> +where I afterwards heard you found and received<br/> +them as I could wish, and becoming the<br/> +generosity of your nature.—I then took coach<br/> +for London, pretending, at my arrival, that I<br/> +had been delayed by sickness, and to excuse my<br/> +nurse's absence, said she had caught the fever<br/> +of me;—so no farther enquiry was made, and<br/> +I soon after was married to a man whose worth<br/> +is well deserving of a better wife, tho' I have<br/> +endeavoured to attone for my unknown transgression<br/> +by every act of duty in my power:—nurse<br/> +stayed long enough in your part of the<br/> +world to be able to bring me an account how<br/> +the children were disposed of.—That I never<br/> +gave you an account they were your own, was<br/> +occasioned by two reasons, first, the danger of<br/> +entrusting such a thing by the post, my nurse<br/> +soon after dying; and secondly, because, as I<br/> +was a wife, I thought it unbecoming of me to<br/> +remind you of a passage I was willing to forget<br/> +myself.—A long sickness has put other thoughts<br/> +into my head, and inspired me with a tenderness<br/> +for those unhappy babes, which the shame<br/> +of being their mother hitherto deprived them<br/> +of.—I hear, with pleasure, that you are not<br/> +married, and are therefore at full liberty to<br/> +make some provision for them, if they are yet<br/> +living, that may alleviate the misfortune of<br/> +their birth. Farewell; if I obtain this first and<br/> +last request, I shall dye well satisfied."<br/> +<br/> +"<i>P.S.</i> Burn this paper, I conjure you, the moment<br/> +you have read it; but lay the contents<br/> +of it up in your heart never to be forgotten."</p> +<p>I now no longer wondered, pursued Dorilaus, at that impulse I had to +love you;—I found it the simpathy of nature, and adored the divine +power.—After having well fixed in my mind all the particulars of this +amazing secret, I performed her injunction, and committed it to the +flames: I had opportunity enough to inform her in what manner Horatio had +disposed of himself, and let her know you were gone with a lady on her +travels: I concealed indeed the motive, fearing to give her any occasion +of reproaching herself for having so long concealed what my ignorance of +might have involved us all in guilt and ruin.</p> +<p>I stayed some few days at the castle, and then took my leave: she said +many tender things at parting concerning you, and seemed well satisfied +with the assurances I gave her of making the same provision for you, as I +must have done had the ceremony of the church obliged me to it. This +seemed indeed the only thing for which she lived, and, I was informed, +died in a few days after.</p> +<p>At my return to England I renewed my endeavours to discover where you +were, but could hear nothing since you wrote from Aix-la-Chappelle, and +was equally troubled that I had received no letters from your brother.—I +doubted not but he had fallen in the battle, and mourned him as +lost;—till an old servant perceiving the melancholy I was in, acquainted +me that several letters had been left at my house by the post during my +absence, but that the kinsman I had left to take care of my affairs had +secreted them, jealous, no doubt, of the fondness I have expressed for +him.—This so enraged me, when on examination I had too much reason to be +assured of this treachery, that I turned my whole estate into ready money, +and resolved to quit England for ever, and pass my life here, this being a +country I always loved, and had many reasons to dislike my own.</p> +<p>Here I soon heard news of my Horatio, and such as filled me with a +pleasure, which wanted nothing of being complete but the presence of my +dear Louisa to partake of it.</p> +<p>Dorilaus then went on, and acquainted her with the particulars of +Horatio's story, as he had learned it from the baron de Palfoy, with whom +he now was very intimate; but as the reader is sufficiently informed of +those transactions, it would be needless to repeat them; so I shall only +say that Dorilaus arrived in France in a short time after Horatio had left +it to enter into the service of the king of Sweden, and had wrote that +letter, inserted in the eighteenth chapter, in order to engage that young +warrior to return, some little time before his meeting with Louisa.</p> +<p>Nothing now was wanting to the contentment of this tender father but +the presence of Horatio, which he was every day expecting, when, instead +of himself, those letters from him arrived which contained his resolution +of remaining with Charles XII. till the conquests he was in pursuit of +should be accomplished.</p> +<p>This was some matter of affliction to Dorilaus, tho' in his heart he +could not but approve those principles of honour which detained +him.—Neither the baron de Palfoy, nor Charlotta herself, could say he +could well have acted otherwise, and used their utmost endeavours to +comfort a father in his anxieties for the safety of so valuable a son.</p> +<p>Louisa was also very much troubled at being disappointed in her hope of +embracing a brother, whom she had ever dearly loved, and was now more +precious to her than ever, by the proofs she had heard he had given of his +courage and his virtue; but she had another secret and more poignant grief +that preyed upon her soul, and could scarce receive any addition from +ought beside:—she had been now near two months in Paris, yet could hear +nothing of monsieur du Plessis, but that, by the death of his father, a +large estate had devolved upon him, which he had never come to claim, or +had been at Paris for about eighteen months, so that she had all the +reason in the world to believe he was no more. This threw her into a +melancholy, which was so much the more severe as she endeavoured to +conceal it:—she made use of all her efforts to support the loss of a +person she so much loved, and who proved himself so deserving of that +love:—she represented to herself that being relieved from all the snares +and miseries of an indigent life, raised from an obscurity which had given +her many bitter pangs, to a station equal to her wishes, and under the +care of the most indulgent and best of fathers, she ought not to repine, +but bless the bounty of heaven, who had bestowed on her so many blessings, +and with-held only one she could have asked.—These, I say, were the +dictates of reason and religion; but the tender passion was not always to +be silenced by them, and whenever she was alone, the tears, in spight of +herself, would flow, and she, without even knowing she did so, cry out, Oh +du Plessis, wherefore do I live since thou art dead!</p> +<p>Among the many acquaintance she soon contracted at Paris, there was +none she so much esteemed, both on the account of her own merit, and the +regard she had for Horatio, as mademoiselle de Palfoy. In this young +lady's society did she find more charms for her grief than in that of any +other; and the other truly loving her, not only because she found nothing +more worthy of being loved, but because she was the sister of Horatio, +they were very seldom asunder.</p> +<p>Louisa was one day at the baron's, enjoying that satisfaction which the +conversation of his beautiful daughter never failed to afford, when word +was brought that madam, the countess d'Espargnes, was come to visit +her.—Mademoiselle Charlotta ran to receive her with a great deal of joy, +she being a lady she very much regarded, and who she had not seen of a +long time.</p> +<p>She immediately returned, leading a lady in deep mourning, who seemed +not to be above five-and-twenty, was extremely handsome, and had beside +something in her air that attached Louisa at first sight. Mademoiselle +Charlotta presented her to the countess, saying at the same time, see, +madam, the only rival you have in my esteem.</p> +<p>You do well to give me one, replied the countess, who looks as if she +would make me love her as well as you, and so I should be even with you. +With these words she opened her arms to embrace Louisa, who returned the +compliment with equal politeness.</p> +<p>When they were seated, mademoiselle Charlotta began to express the +pleasure she had in seeing her in Paris; on which the countess told her, +that the affair she came upon was so disagreeable, that nothing but the +happiness of enjoying her company, while she stayed, could attone for it. +You know, my dear, continued madam d'Espargnes, I was always an enemy to +any thing that had the face of business, yet am I now, against my will, +involved in it by as odd an adventure as perhaps you ever heard.</p> +<p>Charlotta testifying some desire to be informed of what nature, the +other immediately satisfied her curiosity in this manner:</p> +<p>You know, said she, that on the late death of my father, his estate +devolved on my brother, an officer in those troops in Italy commanded by +the prince of Conti:—some wounds, which were looked upon as extremely +dangerous, obliged him, when the campaign was over, to continue in his +winter quarters;—on which he sent to monsieur the count to take +possession in his name; this was done; but an intricate affair relating to +certain sums lodged in a person's hand, and to be brought before the +parliament of Paris, could not be decided without the presence either of +him or myself who had been witness of the transaction.—I was extremely +loth to take so long a journey, being then in very ill health; and hearing +he was recovered, delayed it, as we then expected him in person:—I sent a +special messenger, however, in order to hasten his return;—but instead of +complying with my desires, I received a letter from him, acquainting me +that a business of more moment to him than any thing in my power to guess +at, required his presence in another place, and insisted, by all the +tenderness which had ever been between us, that I would take on myself the +management of this affair:—to enable me the better to do it, he sent me a +deed of trust to act as I should find it most expedient.</p> +<p>As he did not let me into the secret of what motives detained him at so +critical a juncture, I was at first very much surprized; but on asking +some questions of the messenger I had sent to him, I soon discovered what +it was. He told me that on his arrival, he found my brother had left his +quarters and was gone to Bolognia, on which he followed and overtook him +there;—that he appeared in the utmost discontent, and was just preparing +to proceed to Leghorn, but did not mention to him any more than he did in +his letter to me, what inducement he had to this journey:—his servant, +however, told him privately, that the mystery was this:—That being +passionately in love with a young English lady, whom he had placed in a +monastery at Bolognia, and expected to find there at his return, she had +in his absence departed, without having acquainted him with her design; +and that supposing she was gone for England, and unable to live without +her, his intention was to take shipping for that country, and make use of +his utmost efforts to find her out.</p> +<p>I must confess, pursued the beautiful countess, this piece of quixotism +very much veved me:—I thought his friends in France deserved more from +him than to be neglected for one who fled from him, and who, as the man +said, he knew not whether he should be able ever to see again. I resolved, +however, to comply with his desires, and came immediately to Paris; but +heaven has shewed him how little it approves his giving me this +unnecessary trouble, for this morning I received a letter from him, that +meeting with robbers in his way, they had taken from him all his money and +bills of exchange, besides wounding him in several places, so that he +cannot proceed on his journey till his hurts, which it seems are not +dangerous, are cured, and he has fresh remittances from hence.</p> +<p>With what emotions the heart of Louisa was agitated during the latter +part of this little narrative, a sensible reader may easily conceive: from +the first mention of Bolognia, where there was no other English pensioner +than herself, she knew it must be no other than her dear du Plessis who +was in search for her abroad, while she was vainly hoping to find him at +home:—every circumstance rendered this belief more certain; and surprize +and joy worked so strongly in her, that fearing the effects would be +visible, she rose up and withdrew to a window. Mademoiselle Charlotta, who +knew she could not be capable of such an act of unpoliteness, without +being compelled to it, asked if she were not well:—on which Louisa +entreated pardon, but owned a sudden faintness had come over her spirits, +so that she was obliged to be rude in order to prevent being troublesome.</p> +<p>As mademoiselle Charlotta knew nothing of her story, she had no farther +thought about it than of some little qualm, which frequently happens when +young ladies are too closely laced, and she seeming perfectly recovered +from, the conversation was renewed on the same subject it had turned upon +before this interruption; and the name of monsieur du Plessis being often +mentioned, confirmed Louisa, if before she could have had the least +remains of doubt, that it was her lover who, neglectful of his own +affairs, and the remonstrances of his expecting friends, was about to +range in search of one who, he imagined, was ungrateful both to his love +and friendship.</p> +<p>After having listened, with the utmost attention, to all the countess +said of him, and other matters becoming the topic of discourse, she took +her leave, in order to reflect alone what she ought to do in this affair.</p> +<p>She debated not long within herself before she resolved to write to +him, and prevent the unprofitable journey he was about to take; and having +heard, by madam d'Espargnes, the name of the village where he was obliged +to wait, both for the recovery of his wounds and for remittances for his +expences, she wrote to him in the following terms:<br/> +<br/> +<i>To monsieur</i> DU PLESSIS.<br/> +<br/> +"I should ill return the proofs I have received<br/> +of your generous disinterested friendship,<br/> +to delay one moment that I had it in my power,<br/> +in endeavouring to convince you that it was a<br/> +quite contrary motive than ingratitude to you,<br/> +that carried me from Bolognia:—but the story<br/> +is too long for the compass of a letter; when<br/> +you know it, you will, perhaps, own this action,<br/> +whatever you may now think of it, merits<br/> +more, than any thing I could have done, your<br/> +approbation:—this seeming riddle will be easily<br/> +expounded, if, on the recovery of your<br/> +wounds, you repair immediately to Paris, where<br/> +you will find<br/> +<br/> +<i>Your much obliged</i>,<br/> +<br/> +LOUISA."</p> +<p>Having finished this little billet, a scruple rose in her head, that +being now under the care of a father, she ought not to do any thing of +this nature without his permission:—she had already told him how greatly +she had been indebted to du Plessis for his honourable passion, but had +not mentioned the least tittle of the tender impressions it had made on +her; and she so lately knew him to be her father, that she was ashamed to +make him the confidant of an affair of this nature, but then, when she +considered the quality of du Plessis, which she was now confirmed of, and +the sense Dorilaus testified he had of his behaviour to her while he +believed her so infinitely his inferior, made her resolve to drain her +modesty so far as to inform him all.</p> +<p>She began by relating her accidental meeting with madam, the countess +d'Espargnes and the conversation that passed at mademoiselle de Palfoy's, +and then, tho' not without immoderate blushes, shewed him what she had +wrote, and beseeched him to let her know whether it would be consistent +with a virgin's modesty, and also agreeable to his pleasure, that she gave +this demonstration of her gratitude for the favours she had received from +this young gentleman.</p> +<p>Dorilaus was charmed with this proof of her duty and respect, and told +her, that he was so far from disapproving what she had wrote, that had she +omitted it, or said less than she did, he should have looked upon her as +unworthy of so perfect a passion as that which monsieur du Plessis on all +occasions, testified for her:—that, in his opinion, she owed him more +than she could ever pay; and that it should be his endeavour to shew he +had not placed his affections on the daughter of one who knew not how to +set a just value on merit such as his:—he made her also add a postscript +to the letter, to give a direction in what part of Paris he might find her +on his arrival; but Louisa would by no means give the least hint of the +alteration in her circumstances, not that she wanted any farther proofs of +his sincerity, but that she reserved the pleasure of so agreeable a +surprize to their meeting. This letter was dispatched immediately, to the +end he might receive it, at least, as soon as that from his sister with +the expected remittances.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XXV.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Monsieur du Plessis arrives at Paris: his reception from Dorilaus +and Louisa: the marriage of these lovers agreed upon</i>.</p> +<p>The innocent pleasure Louisa felt in picturing to herself the extacy +which du Plessis would be in at the receipt of her letter, was not a +flattering idea:—to know she was in Paris, where, in all probability, she +had come to seek him, and to have the intelligence of it from herself, had +all the effect on him that the most raptured fancy can invent.</p> +<p>His orders to madam d'Espargnes being punctually complied with, his +bills of exchange also came soon after to hand; and the little hurts he +had received from the robbers, as well as those of his mind, being +perfectly healed, he set out with a lover's expedition, and arrived in +Paris to the pleasing surprize of a sister who tenderly loved him, and +expected not this satisfaction of a long time.</p> +<p>He took but one night's repose before he enquired concerning Dorilaus, +and was told that he was a person of quality in England; but, on some +disgust he had received in his native country, was come to settle in +France. As Louisa was extremely admired, they told him also that he had a +very beautiful daughter, of whom he was extremely fond. This last +information gave not a little ease to the mind of him who heard it, and +dissipated those apprehensions which the high character they gave of +Dorilaus had, in spite of himself, excited in him: he now imagined that as +they were English, his Louisa might possibly have been acquainted with the +daughter of this gentleman in their own country, and meeting her at Paris, +might have put herself under her protection.</p> +<p>Full of those impatiencies which are inseparable from a sincere +passion, he borrowed his sister's chariot, and went to the Fauxbourg St. +Germains; and being told one of the best houses in the place was that of +Dorilaus, he asked for mademoiselle Louisa, on which he was desired to +alight, and shewed into a handsome parlour while a servant went in to +inform her: after this, he was ushered up stairs into a room, the +furniture of which shewed the elegance of the owner's taste; but +accustomed to every thing that was great and magnificent, the gilded +scenes, the rich tapestry, the pictures, had no effect on him, till +casting his eyes on one that hung over the chimney, he found the exact +resemblance of the dear object never absent from his heart.—It was indeed +the picture of Louisa, which her father, soon after her arrival, had +caused to be drawn by one of the best painters at that time in Paris. This +sight gave him a double pleasure, because it, in some measure, anticipated +that of the original, and also convinced him that she was not indifferent +to the person she was with.</p> +<p>He was fixed in contemplation on this delightful copy, when the +original appeared in all the advantages that jewels and rich dress could +give her.—Tho' he loved her only for herself, and nothing could add to +the sincere respect his heart had always paid her, yet to see her so +different from what he expected, filled him with a surprize and a kind of +enforced awe, which hindered him from giving that loose to his transports, +which, after so long an absence, might have been very excusable;—and he +could only say—my dear adorable Louisa, am I so blessed to see you once +more!—She met his embrace half way, and replied, monsieur du Plessis, +heaven has given me all I had to wish in restoring to me so faithful a +friend;—but come, continued she, permit me to lead you to a father, who +longs to embrace the protector of his daughter's innocence. Your father, +madam! cried he; yes, answered she; in seeking a lover at Paris I found a +father; Dorilaus is my father:—I have acquainted him with all the +particulars of our story, and, I believe, the sincere affection I have for +you will not be less pleasing for receiving his sanction to it.</p> +<p>With these words she took his hand and led him, all astonishment, into +an inner room where Dorilaus was sitting, who rose to meet him with the +greatest politeness, and which shewed that to be master of, it was not +necessary to be born in France; and on Louisa's acquainting him with the +name of the person she presented, embraced him with the tenderness of a +father, and made him such obliging and affectionate compliments, as +confirmed to the transported du Plessis the character had been given of +him.</p> +<p>After the utmost testimonies of respect on both side, Dorilaus told his +daughter she ought to make her excuses to monsieur for having eloped from +the monastry where he had been so good to place her, which, said he, I +think you can do in no better a manner than by telling the truth, and as I +am already sufficiently acquainted with the whole, will leave you to +relate it, while I dispatch a little business that at present calls me +hence. He went out of the room in speaking this, and Louisa had a more +full opportunity of informing her lover of all she had suffered since +their parting, till this happy change in her fortune, than she could have +had in the presence of her father, tho' no stranger to her most inmost +thoughts on this occasion.</p> +<p>The pleasing story of her pilgrimage rehearsed, how did the charmed du +Plessis pity and applaud, by turns, her sufferings and fortitude!—How +exclaim against the treachery of the abbess, and those of the nuns who +were in confederacy with her! But his curiosity satisfied in this point, +another rose instantly in his mind, that being the daughter of such a +person as Dorilaus, wherefore she had made so great a secret of it, and +what reason had occasioned her being on the terms she was with Melanthe. +He no sooner expressed his wonder on these heads, than, having before her +father's permission to do so, she resolved to leave him in no suspence on +any score relating to her affairs.</p> +<p>Tho', said she blushing, I cannot reveal the history of my birth +without laying open the errors of those to whom I owe my being, yet I +shall not think the sacrifice too great to recompence the obligations you +have laid upon me; and then proceeded to acquaint him with every thing +relating to her parents, as well as to herself, from the first moment she +was found in the garden of Dorilaus.</p> +<p>It is not to be doubted but that he listened to the story with the +utmost attention, in which he found such matters of admiration, that he +could not forbear frequently interrupting her, by crying, Oh heaven! oh +providence! how mysterious are thy ways!—How, in thy disposal of things, +dost thou force us to acknowledge thy divine power and wisdom!</p> +<p>He was also extremely pleased to find she was the sister of Horatio, +whom he had often been in company with both at the baron de la Valeire's +and at St. Germains, and had admired for the many extraordinary qualities +he discovered in him: this led them into a conversation concerning that +young gentleman, and the misfortunes which some late news-paper gave an +account were beginning to fall upon the king of Sweden; after that, +renewing the subject of their mutual affection, and du Plessis running +over the particulars of their acquaintance in Italy, Louisa asked whether +the count de Bellfleur had ever testified any remorse for the injury he +would have offered her, and in what manner they had lived together in the +army? To which monsieur du Plessis replied, that the authority of the +prince had prevented him from attempting any open acts of violence; but +that by his manner of behaviour it was easy to see he had not forgiven the +disappointment; and he verily believed wanted only a convenient +opportunity to revenge it: but, continued he, whatever his designs were, +heaven put a stop to the execution of them; for, in the first skirmish +that happened between us and the forces of prince Eugene, this once gay, +gallant courtier, had his head taken off by a cannon ball.</p> +<p>The gentle Louisa could not forbear expressing some concern for the +sudden fate of this bad man, greatly as she had been affronted by him; but +when she reflected that the same accident might have befallen her dear du +Plessis, she was all dissolved in tears.</p> +<p>They were in this tender communication when Dorilaus returned leading +the countess d'Espargnes in one hand, and mademoiselle de Palfoy in the +other. Monsieur du Plessis was surprized to meet his sister in a place +where he knew not she was acquainted, and she no less to find him there. +The occasion of it was this:</p> +<p>Dorilaus, when he left the lovers together, went directly to the baron +de Palfoy's, and related to him and to mademoiselle the whole history of +monsieur du Plessis and Louisa; on which they contriv'd to make a pleasant +scene, by engaging the countess d'Espargnes to go with them to Dorilaus's, +without letting her know on what account.—The event answered their +wishes; madam d'Espargnes rallied her brother on finding him alone with +so beautiful a young lady; and mademoiselle Charlotta, for his inconstancy +to his mistress at Bolognia: but when the riddle was solved, and the +countess came to know that the lady left in the monastery and Louisa were +the same, she no longer condemned an attachment which before had given her +so much pain.</p> +<p>Mademoiselle Charlotta chid her for the reserve she had maintained to +her in this affair, especially, said she, as you were obliged to the +conversation you had with madam d'Espargnes in my apartment, that you +received any intelligence of monsieur du Plessis, or knew how to direct +your commands to him to return.</p> +<p>That, madam, is an obligation lies wholly on me, said monsieur du +Plessis; and I believe I shall find it very difficult to requite it, any +more than I shall to deserve my sister's pardon, for so industriously +endeavouring to conceal from her the secret of my passion and its object.</p> +<p>Louisa told the ladies that she now hoped they would excuse the +disorder she had been in at the countess's discourse, since they knew the +motive:—a good deal of pleasantry passed between this agreeable company; +and as they were in the midst of it, the baron de Palfoy, who had been +hindered from accompanying Dorilaus, when he conducted the ladies, now +joined them; and tho' he was considerably older than any there, was no +less entertaining and good-humoured than the youngest.</p> +<p>Dorilaus had privately ordered a very magnificent collation, which +being served up, Louisa did the honours of the table with so good a grace, +that madam d'Espargnes was charmed with her, and took an opportunity of +asking Dorilaus when she might hope the happiness of calling so amiable a +lady by the name of sister. Du Plessis thanked her for the interest she +took in his affairs; and the baron de Palfoy added, that as the lovers +wanted no farther proofs how worthy they were of each other, he would join +in solliciting for a completion of their happiness. To which Dorilaus +replied, that he was too well satisfied with his daughter's conduct, not +to leave her entirely at her own disposal; and as to what related to +fortune and settlement, he should be ready to enter into such articles as, +he believed, monsieur du Plessis would have no reason to complain of.</p> +<p>The passionate lover at these words cried out, that it was Louisa's +self alone he was ambitious of possessing; nor had either that lady or her +father any room to look on what he said as a mere compliment, because his +love had long since waved all the seeming disproportion between them.</p> +<p>In fine, not only at this time, but every day, almost every hour, was +Louisa, as it now depended wholly on herself, importuned by her lover and +the countess d'Espargnes to render his happiness complete; but she still +delayed it, desiring to hear some news of Horatio, the baron de Palfoy +having settled every thing with Dorilaus concerning his marriage with +mademoiselle Charlotta, she was willing, she said, that as they were born +on the same day, their nuptials should be also celebrated at the same +time.</p> +<p>Monsieur du Plessis was obliged to content himself with this since he +could obtain no more; and for a time every thing passed smoothly and +agreeably on; but news after news continually arriving of the king of +Sweden's ill success in Ukrania, rendered all the noble friends of Horatio +extremely dissatisfied:—the public accounts were too deficient for their +information of any particular officer, and as there were very few French +in the Swedish army, they could hope for no intelligence of him but from +himself; which, as he omitted giving, they at last concluded he was either +killed or taken prisoner; which last misfortune they looked upon as equal +with the former:—the Russian barbarity, and their manner of treating +those whom the chance of war threw into their hands, was no secret thro' +all Europe; and whichever of these accidents had happened, must be very +grievous to a gentleman of Dorilaus's disposition, who, when unknowing he +was his son, loved him with more tenderness than many fathers do their +offspring, but now convinced not only that he was so, but also that he was +possessed of such amiable qualities as might do honour to the most +illustrious race, had fixed an idea in his mind of such a lasting +happiness in having him near him, that the thoughts of being deprived of +him for ever threw him into a melancholy, which not all the friends he had +acquired in Paris, not all the gaieties of that place, nor the sweet +society of the engaging and dutiful Louisa, had the power to console. So +deep was his affliction, that monsieur du Plessis, amorous and impatient +as he was, had not courage to urge a grant of his own happiness, while +those who were to bestow it, were incapable of sharing any part of it.</p> +<p>Soon after there arrived a thunder-clap indeed:—certain intelligence +that the once victorious Charles was totally overthrown, his whole army +either cut to pieces or taken prisoners, and himself a fugitive in the +grand seignior's dominions.—Dorilaus, now not doubting but the worst he +feared had come to pass, shut himself from all company, and refused the +unavailing comfort of those who came to offer it.—The fair eyes of Louisa +were continually drowned in tears, and the generous du Plessis sympathized +in all her griefs. But what became of mademoiselle Charlotta de Palfoy! +her tender soul, so long accustomed to love Horatio, had not courage to +support the shock of losing him;—losing him at a time when she thought +herself secure of being united to him for ever;—when his discovered birth +had rendered her father's wishes conformable to her own, and there wanted +nothing but his presence to render both their families completely +blessed:—all that excess of love which modesty had hitherto restrained +her from giving any public marks of, now shewed itself in the violence of +her grief and her despair.—She made no secret of her softest +inclinations, and gave a loose to all the impatience of a ruined love. +Even the haughty baron was melted into tears of compassion, and so far +from condemning, that, he attempted all in his power to alleviate her +sorrows.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XXVI.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>The Catastrophe of the whole</i>.</p> +<p>Poor Horatio, released, as I have already said, from his worse than +Turkish bondage, had now, with the companions of his misfortunes, left a +country where they had suffered so much and had so little to hope, that +their enlargement seemed even to themselves a miracle.—As they parted, +miserable and forlorn, thro' those provinces where, about a year before, +they had marched with so much pomp and force, as, together with the king +of Sweden's name, inspired admiration and terror over all those parts of +the world, it filled them with the most poignant anguish, and drew tears +from those among them least sensible of any tender emotions.</p> +<p>All this disconsolate company, except Horatio, being Swedes', they made +the best of their way, some to Stockholm, and others to Straelsund.—Now +left alone, a long journey before him, and altogether uncertain what +reception he should find at Paris, either from Dorilaus or mademoiselle +Charlotta, his condition was extremely pityable, and he stood in need of +more fortitude than could be expected from his years, to enable him to go +thro' it.</p> +<p>The nearer he approached Paris, the greater was his shock at the +necessity of appearing there in the despicable figure he now made; but his +courage still got the better, and surmounted all difficulties. If Dorilaus +thinks my disobedience to his commands a crime too great to merit his +forgiveness, would he say to himself, or Charlotta disdains, in his +misfortunes, the faithful Horatio, I have no more to do than to return to +Poland and seek an honourable death in the service of Stanislaus.</p> +<p>He made his entrance into that opulent city through the most bye-ways +he could, and concealed himself till towards night in a little cabaret, +where having soon been informed where Dorilaus lived, he went when it was +quite dark to his house, though how divided between hope and fear it is +easy to imagine. He knocked at the gate, which being opened by the porter, +and he desiring to speak with his master, was answered with many +impertinent questions, as—who he came from, what his business was, and +such like interrogatories which the sawciness of servants generally put to +persons such as this fellow took Horatio to be by his appearance. But he +had no sooner desired he would tell Dorilaus that he came from Russia, and +brought intelligence of Horatio, than his tone of voice and behaviour was +quite changed.—Our traveller was now carried into a parlour and entreated +to sit down, and the late surly porter called hastily for one of the +servants, bidding him, with the utmost joy, run in and inform his master +that here was a person come from Russia that could give him news of +colonel Horatio.</p> +<p>This a little raised the lately depressed spirits of Horatio, as it +assured him his name was not unknown in that family, nor had been +mentioned with indifference.</p> +<p>He attended but a very little time before he was shewed up into +Dorilaus's apartment, who was just opening his mouth to enquire if Horatio +were yet living, and in what condition, when he saw it was himself. +Surprize and joy rendered him incapable either of speaking to him, or +hearing the apologies he was beginning to make for having disobeyed his +commands:—but he fell upon his neck and gave him an embrace, which +dissipated all Horatio's fears, and left him no room to doubt if his peace +was made.</p> +<p>No words were exchanged between them for a considerable time, but—oh +my dear son, my ever loved Horatio, on the one side, my more than father, +patron, on the other:—at length the tumultuous rapture of so unexpected a +meeting and reception, giving way to a more peaceful calm,—Dorilaus made +Horatio relate all the particulars had happened to him; and when he had +ended, now, said he, I will reward the sincerity I easily perceive you +have made use of in this narrative, by acquainting you, in my turn, with +secrets you are far from having any notion of, and which, I believe, will +compensate for all your sufferings, and make you own, that while you +seemed to groan under the utmost severities of fortune, she was preparing +for you all the blessings in her power to give, and even more than your +ambition aimed at. But I have first a message to dispatch, continued he; +at my return you shall know all.</p> +<p>With these words he went out of the room, but came back in a moment, +and, after renewing his embraces to Horatio, revealed to him the whole +secret of his birth, with all had happened to Louisa till the time of +their happy meeting in Paris.</p> +<p>With what pleasing wonder the soul of Horatio was filled at this +discovery, is much more easy to conceive than describe, so I shall leave +it to the reader's imagination to guess what it was he felt and spoke on +so extraordinary an occasion. While he was pouring out the transports it +occasioned in the most grateful thanks to heaven, and his new found +father, Louisa entered, Dorilaus having sent to the baron de Palfoy's, +where he knew she was, to let her know a messenger from Russia was arrived +with news of her brother:—they instantly knew each other, though it was +upwards of four years since they were separated, and in that time the +stature of both considerably increased:—nothing could exceed the joy of +these amiable twins:—never was felicity more perfect, which yet received +addition on Horatio's part, when Louisa told him, that it was as much as +Charlotta could do to restrain herself from coming with her to hear what +account the supposed messenger had brought.</p> +<p>Dorilaus on this immediately sent to let her know his son was well, and +expected in Paris the next day, for he would not suffer him to appear +before her, or the baron, till a habit was made for him more agreeable to +his condition than that he arrived in. It is certain that the impatience +of a lover would have made Horatio gladly wave this ceremony, but he would +not a second time dispute the commands of such a father.</p> +<p>But wherefore should I delay the attention of my reader, who, I doubt +not, but easily perceives by this time how things will end: so I shall +only say that the meeting of Horatio and Charlotta was such, as might be +expected from so arduous and constant an affection: that every thing +having been settled between the two fathers at the time they sent their +joint mandates to call him home, there now remained nothing but to +celebrate the long desired nuptials, which was deferred no longer than was +requisite for preparations to render the ceremony magnificent.</p> +<p>The generous du Plessis and his beloved Louisa were also united the +same day; and it would be hard to say which of these weddings afforded +most satisfaction to the friends on both sides, or were attended with the +most happy consequences to the persons concerned in them.</p> +<p>By these examples we may learn, that to sustain with fortitude and +patience whatever ills we are preordained to suffer, entitles us to +relief, while by impatient struggling we should but augment the score, and +provoke fate to shew us the vanity of all attempts to frustrate its +decrees.</p> +<p><i>FINIS</i>.</p> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10804 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + + + + + diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a2a118d --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #10804 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10804) diff --git a/old/10804-0.txt b/old/10804-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1e8f473 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10804-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,9978 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10804 *** +[Transcriber's note: The spelling inconsistencies of the original have +been retained in this etext.] + + + +THE + +_FORTUNATE FOUNDLINGS_: + +BEING THE + +GENUINE HISTORY + +OF + +_Colonel_ M----RS, _and his Sister,_ +_Madam_ DU P----Y, _the Issue of +the Hon_. CH----ES M----RS, _Son of the +late Duke of_ R---- L----D. + +CONTAINING + +Many wonderful ACCIDENTS that befel them in their TRAVELS, and +interspersed with the CHARACTERS and ADVENTURES of SEVERAL PERSONS of +_Condition_, in the most polite Courts of _Europe_. + +_The Whole calculated for the Entertainment and Improvement of the Youth +of both Sexes_. + + +_LONDON_: + +M,DCC,XLIV. + + + +THE + +PREFACE. + +_The many Fictions which have been lately imposed upon the World, under +the specious Titles of_ Secret Histories, Memoirs, &c. &c. _have given +but too much room to question the Veracity of every Thing that has the +least Tendency that way: We therefore think it highly necessary to +assure the Reader, that he will find nothing in the following Sheets, +but what has been collected from_ Original Letters, Private Memorandums, +_and the_ Accounts _we have been favoured with from the Mouths of +Persons too deeply concerned in many of the_ chief Transactions _not to +be perfectly acquainted with the Truth, and of too much Honour and +Integrity to put any false Colours upon it_. + +_The Adventures are not so long passed as to be wholly forgotten by +many_ Living Witnesses, _nor yet so recent as to give any Reason to +suspect us of Flattery in the Relation given of them, the Motive of +their Publication being only to_ encourage Virtue _in both Sexes, by +showing the Amiableness of it in_ real Characters. _And if it be true +(as certainly it is) that_ Example has more Efficacy than_ Precept, _we +may be bold to say there are few fairer, or more worthy Imitation.--The +Sons and Daughters of the greatest Families may give additional Lustre +to their Nobility, by forming themselves by the Model here presented to +them; and those of lower Extraction, attain Qualities to attone for what +they want in Birth:--So that we flatter ourselves this Undertaking will +not fail of receiving the Approbation of all who wish well to a +Reformation of Manners, and more especially those who have Youth under +their Care.--As for such who may take it up merely as an Amusement, it +is possible they will find something, which, by interesting their +Affections, may make them better without designing to be so.--Either way +will fully recompense the Pains taken in the compiling by_ + +_The_ EDITORS. + +THE CONTENTS. + +CHAP. I. + +_Contains the Manner in which a Gentleman found two Children: His +Benevolence towards them, and what kind of Affection he bore to them as +they grew up; with the Departure of one of them to the Army_. + +CHAP. II. + +_Relates the Offers made by Dorilaus to Louisa, and the Manner of her +receiving them_. + +CHAP. III. + +_Dorilaus continues his Importunities, with some unexpected Consequences +that attended them_. + +CHAP. IV. + +_Louisa becomes acquainted with a Lady of Quality, Part of whose +Adventures are also related, and goes to travel with her_. + +CHAP. V. + +_Horatio's Reception by the Officers of the Army: His Behaviour in the +Battle: His being taken Prisoner by the French: His Treatment among +them, and many other Particulars_. + +CHAP. VI. + +_Describes the Masquerade at the Dutchess of Maine's: The Characters and +Intrigues of several Persons of Quality who were there: The odd +Behaviour of a Lady in regard to Horatio; and Charlotta's +Sentiments upon it_. + +CHAP. VII. + +_An Explanation of the foregoing Adventure, with a Continuation of the +Intrigues of some French Ladies, and the Policy of Mademoiselle Coigney +in regard of her Brother_. + +CHAP. VIII. + +_The parting of Horatio and Mademoiselle Charlotta, and what happened +after she left St. Germains_. + +CHAP. IX. + +_A second Separation between Horatio and Charlotta, with some other +Occurrences_. + +CHAP X. + +_The Reasons that induced Horatio to leave France: with the Chevalier +St. George's Behaviour on knowing his Resolution. He receives an +unexpected Favour from the Baron de Palfoy_. + +CHAP XI. + +_Horatio arrives at Rheines, finds Means to see Mademoiselle Charlotta, +and afterwards pursues his Journey to Poland_. + +CHAP. XII. + +_Continuation of the Adventures of Louisa: Her quitting Vienna with +Melanthe, and going to Venice, with some Accidents that there +befel them_. + +CHAP. XIII. + +_Louisa finds herself very much embarrassed by Melanthe's imprudent +Behaviour. Monsieur du Plessis declares an honourable Passion for her: +Her Sentiments and Way of acting on this Occasion_. + +CHAP. XIV. + +_The base Designs of the Count de Bellfleur occasion a melancholy Change +in Louisa's Way of Life: The generous Behaviour of Monsieur du Plessis +on that Occasion_. + +CHAP. XV. + +_Louisa is in Danger of being ravished by the Count de Bellfleur; is +providentially rescued by Monsieur du Plessis, with several other +Particulars_. + +CHAP. XVI + +_The Innkeeper's Scruples oblige Louisa to write to Melanthe: Her +Behaviour on the Discovery of the Count's Falshood. Louisa changes her +Resolution, and goes to Bolognia._ + +CHAP. XVII. + +_Horatio arrives at Warsaw; sees the Coronation of Stanislaus and his +Queen: His Reception from the King of Sweden: His Promotion: Follows +that Prince in all his Conquests thro' Poland, Lithuania and Saxony. The +Story of Count Patkull and Madame de Eusilden._ + +CHAP. XVIII + +_King Stanislaus quits Alranstadt to appease the Troubles In Poland: +Charles XII. gives Laws to the Empire: A Courier arrives from Paris: +Horatio receives Letters, which give him great Surprize._ + +CHAP. XIX. + +_The King of Sweden leaves Saxony, marches into Lithuania, meets with an +Instance of Russian Brutality, drives the Czar out of Grodno, and +pursues him to the Borysthenes. Horatio, with others, is taken Prisoner +by the Russians, and carried to Petersburg, where he suffers the +extremest Miseries._ + +CHAP. XX. + +_The Treachery of a Russian Lady to her Friend: Her Passion for Horatio: +The Method he took to avoid making any Return, and some other +entertaining Occurrences._ + +CHAP. XXI. + +_The Prisoners Expectations raised: A terrible Disappointment: Some of +the chief carried to Prince Menzikoff's Palace: Their Usage there: +Horatio set at Liberty, and the Occasion_. + +CHAP. XXII. + +_What befel Louisa in the Monastery: The Stratagem she put in Practice +to get out of it: Her Travels cross Italy, and Arrival at Paris_. + +CHAP. XXIII. + +_Shews by what Means Louisa came to the Knowledge of her Parents, with +other Occurrences_. + +CHAP. XXIV. + +_The History of Dorilaus and Matilda, with other Circumstances very +important to Louisa_. + +CHAP. XXV. + +_Monsieur du Plessis arrives at Paris: His Reception from Dorilaus and +Louisa: The Marriage agreed upon_. + +CHAP. XXVI. + +_The Catastrophe of the Whole_. + + + +THE FORTUNATE FOUNDLINGS. + + + +CHAP. I. + +_Contains the manner in which a gentleman found children: his +benevolence towards them, and what kind of affection he bore to them as +they grew up. With the departure of one of them to the army_. + +It was in the ever memorable year 1688, that a gentleman, whose real +name we think proper to conceal under that of Dorilaus, returned from +visiting most of the polite courts of Europe, in which he had passed +some time divided between pleasure and improvement. The important +question if the throne were vacated or not, by the sudden departure of +the unfortunate king James, was then upon the tapis; on which, to avoid +interesting himself on either side, he forbore coming to London, and +crossed the country to a fine feat he had about some forty miles +distant, where he resolved to stay as privately as he could, till the +great decision should be made, and the public affairs settled in such a +manner as not to lay him under a necessity of declaring his sentiments +upon them. + +He was young and gay, loved magnificence and the pomp of courts, and was +far from being insensible of those joys which the conversation of the +fair sex affords; but had never so much enslaved his reason to any one +pleasure, as not to be able to refrain it. Hunting and reading were very +favourite amusements with him, so that the solitude he now was in was +not at all disagreeable or tedious to him, tho' he continued in it +some months. + +A little time before his departure an accident happened, which gave him +an opportunity of exercising the benevolence of his disposition; and, +tho' it then seemed trivial to him, proved of the utmost consequence to +his future life, as well as furnished matter for the following pages. + +As he was walking pretty early one morning in his garden, very intent on +a book he had in his hand, his meditations were interrupted by an +unusual cry, which seemed at some distance; but as he approached a +little arbour, where he was sometimes accustomed to sit, he heard more +plain and distinct, and on his entrance was soon convinced whence it +proceeded. + +Just at the foot of a large tree, the extensive boughs of which greatly +contributed to form the arbour, was placed a basket closely covered on +the one side, and partly open on the other to let in the air. Tho' the +sounds which still continued to issue from it left Dorilaus no room to +doubt what it contained; he stooped down to look, and saw two beautiful +babes neatly dressed in swadling cloaths: between them and the pillow +they were laid upon was pinned a paper, which he hastily taking off, +found in it these words. + + +_To the generous_ DORISLAUS: + +'Irresistible destiny abandons these helpless infants +to your care.--They are twins, begot +by the same father, and born of the same mother, +and of a blood not unworthy the protection +they stand in need of; which if you vouchsafe to +afford, they will have no cause to regret the misfortune +of their birth, or accuse the authors of +their being.--Why they seek it of you in particular, +you may possibly be hereafter made sensible.--In +the mean time content yourself with +knowing they are already baptized by the names +of Horatio and Louisa.' + + +The astonishment he was in at so unexpected a present being made him, +may more easily be imagined than expressed; but he had then no time to +form any conjectures by whom or by what means it was left there: the +children wanted immediate succour, and he hesitated not a moment whether +it would become him to bestow it: he took the basket up himself, and +running as fast as he could with it into the house, called his +maid-servants about him, and commanded them to give these little +strangers what assistance was in their power, while a man was sent among +the tenants in search of nurses proper to attend them. To what person +soever, said he, I am indebted for this confidence, it must not be +abused.--Besides, whatever stands in need of protection, merits +protection from those who have the power to give it. + +This was his way of thinking, and in pursuance of these generous +sentiments he always acted. The report of what happened in his house +being soon spread thro' the country, there were not wanting several who +came to offer their service to the children, out of which he selected +two of whom he heard the best character, and were most likely to be +faithful to the trust reposed in them, giving as great a charge, and as +handsome an allowance with them, as could have been expected from a +father. Indeed he doubtless had passed for being so in the opinion of +every body, had he arrived sooner in the kingdom; but the shortness of +the time not permitting any such suggestion, he was looked upon as a +prodigy of charity and goodness. + +Having in this handsome manner disposed of his new guests, he began to +examine all his servants, thinking it impossible they should be brought +there without the privity of some one of them; but all his endeavours +could get him no satisfaction in this point. He read the letter over and +over, yet still his curiosity was as far to seek as ever.--The hand he +was entirely unacquainted with, but thought there was something in the +style that showed it wrote by no mean person: the hint contained in it, +that there was some latent reason for addressing him in particular on +this account, was very puzzling to him: he could not conceive why he, +any more than any other gentleman of the county, should have an interest +in the welfare of these children: he had no near relations, and those +distant ones who claimed an almost forgotten kindred were not in a +condition to abandon their progeny.--The thing appeared strange to him; +but all his endeavours to give him any farther light into it being +unsuccessful; he began to imagine the parents of the children had been +compelled by necessity to expose them, and had had only wrote in this +mysterious manner to engage a better reception: he also accounted in his +mind for their being left with him, as, he being a batchelor, and having +a large estate, it might naturally be supposed there would be fewer +impediments to their being taken care of, than either where a wife was +in the case, or a narrow fortune obliged the owner to preserve a greater +oeconomy in expences. + +Being at last convinced within himself that he had now explained this +seeming riddle, he took no farther trouble about whose, or what these +children were, but resolved to take care of them during their infancy, +and afterwards to put them into such a way as he should find their +genius's rendered them most fit for, in order to provide for themselves. + +On his leaving the county, he ordered his housekeeper to furnish every +thing needful for them as often as they wanted it, and to take care they +were well used by the women with whom he had placed them; and delivered +these commands not in a cursory or negligent manner, but in such terms +as terrified any failure of obedience in this point would highly incur +his displeasure. + +Nothing material happening during their infancy, I shall pass over those +years in silence, only saying that as often as Dorilaus went down to his +estate (which was generally two or three times a year) he always sent +for them, and expressed a very great satisfaction in finding in their +looks the charge he had given concerning them so well executed: but when +they arrived at an age capable of entertaining him with their innocent +prattle, what before was charity, improved into affection; and he began +to regard them with a tenderness little inferior to paternal; but which +still increased with their increase of years. + +Having given them the first rudiments of education in the best schools +those parts afforded, he placed Louisa with a gentlewoman, who +deservedly had the reputation of being an excellent governess of youth, +and brought Horatio in his own chariot up to London, where he put him to +Westminster School, under the care of doctor Busby, and agreed for his +board in a family that lived near it, and had several other young +gentlemen on the same terms. + +What more could have been expected from the best of fathers! what more +could children, born to the highest fortunes, have enjoyed! nor was +their happiness like to be fleeting: Dorilaus was a man steady in his +resolutions, had always declared an aversion to marriage, and by +rejecting every overture made him on that score, had made his friends +cease any farther importunities; he had besides (as has already been +observed) no near relations, so that it was the opinion of most people +that he would make the young Horatio heir to the greatest part of his +estate, and give Louisa a portion answerable to her way of bringing up. +What he intended for them, however, is uncertain, he never having +declared his sentiments so far concerning them; and the strange +revolutions happening afterwards in both their fortunes, preventing him +from acting as it is possible he might design. + +The education he allowed them indeed gave very good grounds for the +above-mentioned conjecture.--Louisa being taught all the accomplishments +that became a maid of quality to be mistress of; and Horatio having gone +thro' all the learning of the school, was taken home to his own +house, from whence he was to go to Oxford, in order to finish his +studies in the character of a gentleman-commoner. + +But when every thing was preparing for this purpose, he came one morning +into the chamber of his patron, and throwing himself on his knees-- +Think me not, sir, said he, too presuming in the request I am about to +make you.--I know all that I am is yours.--That I am the creature of +your bounty, and that, without being a father, you have done more for me +than many of those, who are so, do for their most favourite sons.--I +know also that you are the best judge of what is fit for me, and have +not the least apprehensions that you will not always continue the same +goodness to me, provided I continue, as I have hitherto done, the +ambition of meriting it.--Yet, sir, pardon me if I now discover a desire +with which I long have laboured, of doing something of myself which may +repair the obscurity of my birth, and prove to the world that heaven has +endued this foundling with a courage and resolution capable of +undertaking the greatest actions. + +In speaking these last words a fire seemed to sparkle from his eyes, +which sufficiently denoted the vehemence of his inward agitations. +Dorilaus was extremely surprized, but after a little pause, what is it +you request of me? said that noble gentleman, (at the same time raising +him from the posture he was in) or by what means than such as I have +already taken, can I oblige you to think that, in being my foundling, +fortune dealt not too severely with you? + +Ah! sir, mistake me not, I beseech you, replied the young Horatio, or +think me wanting in my gratitude either to heaven or you.--But, sir, it +is to your generous care in cultivating the talents I received from +nature, that I owe this emulation, this ardor for doing something that +might give me a name, which is the only thing your bounty cannot +bestow.--My genius inclines me to the army.--Of all the accomplishments +you have caused me to be instructed in, geography, fortification, and +fencing, have been my darling studies.--Of what use, sir, will they be +to me in an idle life? permit me then the opportunity of showing the +expense you have been at has not been thrown away.--I know they will say +I am too young to bear a commission, but if I had the means of going a +volunteer, I cannot help thinking but I should soon give proofs the +extreme desire I have to serve my country that way would well attone for +my want of years. + +The more he spoke, the more the astonishment of his patron increased: he +admired the greatness of his spirit, but was troubled it led him to a +desire of running into so dangerous a way of life.--He represented to +him all the hardships of a soldier, the little regard that was sometimes +paid to merit, and gave him several instances of gentlemen who had +passed their youth in the service, and behaved with extreme bravery, yet +had no other reward than their fears, and a consciousness of having done +more than was their duty: in war, said he, the superior officers carry +away all the glory as well as profits of the victory; whereas in civil +employments it is quite otherwise: in physic, in law, in divinity, or in +the state, your merits will be immediately conspicuous to those who have +the power to reward you; and if you are desirous of acquiring a name, by +which I suppose you mean to become the head of a family, any of these +afford you a much greater prospect of success, and it lies much more in +my power of assisting your promotion. + +To these he added many other arguments, but they were not of the least +weight with the impatient Horatio. He was obstinate in his entreaties, +which he even with tears enforced, and Dorilaus, considering so strong a +propensity as something supernatural, at last consented.--Never was joy +more sincere and fervent than what this grant occasioned, and he told +his benefactor that he doubted not but that hereafter he should hear +such an account of his behaviour, as would make him not repent his +having complied with his request. + +The preparations for his going to Oxford were now converted into others +of a different nature.--Several of our troops were already sent to +Flanders, and others about to embark, in order to open the campaign; so +that there was but a small space between the time of Horatio's asking +leave to go, and that of his departure, which Dorilaus resolved should +be in a manner befitting a youth whom he had bred up as his own. He +provided him a handsome field-equipage, rich cloaths, horses, and a +servant to attend him; and while these things were getting ready, had +masters to perfect him in riding; and those other exercises proper for +the vocation he was now entering into, all which he performed with so +good a grace, that not only Dorilaus himself, who might be suspected to +look on him with partial eyes, but all who saw him were +perfectly charmed. + +He was more than ordinarily tall for his years, admirably well +proportioned, and had something of a grave fierceness in his air and +deportment, that tho' he was not yet sixteen, he might very well have +passed for twenty: he was also extremely fair, had regular features, and +eyes the most penetrating, mixed with a certain sweetness; so that it +was difficult to say whether he seemed most formed for love or war. + +Dorilaus thinking it highly proper he should take his leave of Louisa, +sent for her from the boarding-school, that she might pass the short +time he had to stay with her brother at his house, not without some +hopes that the great tenderness there was between them might put Horatio +out of his resolution of going to the army, who being grown now +extremely dear to him, he could not think of parting with, tho' he had +yielded to it, without a great deal of reluctance. + +It is certain, indeed, that when she first heard the motive which had +occasioned her being sent for, her gentle breast was filled with the +most terrible alarms for her dear brother's danger; but the little +regard he seemed to have of it, and the high ideas he had of future +greatness, soon brought her to think as he did; and instead of +dissuading him from prosecuting his design, she rather encouraged him in +it: and in this gave the first testimony of a greatness of soul, no less +to be admired than the courage and laudable ambition which actuated that +of her brother. + +Dorilaus beheld with an infinity of satisfaction the success of his +endeavours, in favour of these amiable twins, and said within himself, +how great a pity would it have been, if capacities such as theirs had +been denied the means of improvement! + +After the departure of Horatio, he kept Louisa some time with him, under +pretence of showing her the town, which before she had never seen; but +in reality to alleviate that melancholy which parting from her brother +had caused in him. He could not have taken a more effectual way; for +there was such an engaging and sweet cheerfulness in her conversation, +added to many personal perfections, that it was scarce possible to think +of any thing else while she was present. She had also an excellent +voice, and played well on the bass viol and harpsicord, so that it is +hard to say whether he found most satisfaction in hearing her or +discoursing with her. + +But how dangerous is it to depend on one's own strength, against the +force of such united charms! Dorilaus, who, in the midst of a thousand +temptations, had maintained the entire liberty of his heart, and tho' +never insensible of beauty, had never been enslaved by it, was now by +charms he least suspected, and at an age when he believed himself proof +against all the attacks of love, subdued without knowing that he was +so.--The tender passion stole into his soul by imperceptible degrees, +and under the shape of friendship and paternal affection, met with no +opposition from his reason, till it became too violent to be restrained; +then showed itself in the whole power of restless wishes, fears, hopes, +and impatiences, which he had often heard others complain of, but not +till now experienced in himself: all that he before had felt of love was +languid, at best aimed only at enjoyment, and in the gratification of +that desire was extinguished; but the passion he was possessed of for +Louisa was of a different nature, and accompanied with a respect which +would not suffer him to entertain a thought in prejudice of her +innocence. + +Many reasons, besides his natural aversion to marriage, concurred to +hinder him from making her his wife; and as there were yet more to deter +him from being the instrument of her dishonour, the situation of his +mind was very perplexing.--He blushed within himself at the inclinations +he had for a girl whom he had always behaved to as a child of his own, +and who looked upon him as a father: not only the disparity of their +years made him consider the passion he was possessed of as ridiculous, +there was one circumstance, which, if at any time a thought of marrying +her entered into his head, immediately extirpated it, which was, that +there was a possibility of her being born not only of the meanest, but +the vilest parents, who, on hearing her establishment, might appear and +claim the right they had in her; and lo, said he, I shall ally myself +to, perhaps, a numerous family of vagabonds; at least, whether it be so +or not, the manner in which these children were exposed, being publicly +known, may furnish a pretence for any wretch to boast a kindred. + +He was therefore determined to suppress a passion, which, as he had too +much honour to seek the gratification of by one way, his prudence and +character in the world would not allow him to think of by the other: and +as absence seemed to him the best remedy, he sent her down into the +country again with a precipitation, which made her (wholly ignorant of +the real motive) fear she had done something to offend him. At parting, +she entreated him to let her know if he had been dissatisfied with any +thing in her behaviour.--Wherefore do you ask? said he, with some +emotion, which the poor innocent still mistook for displeasure; because, +answered she, dropping some tears at the same time, that you banish me +from your presence. Why would you be glad to continue with me always? +again demanded he. Yes indeed, said she; and if you loved me as well as +you do my brother, you would never part with me; for I saw with what +regret you let him go. + +This tender simplicity added such fewel to the fire with which Dorilaus +was enflamed, that it almost consumed his resolution: he walked about +the room some time without being able to speak, much less to quiet the +agitation he was in. At last, Louisa, said he, I was only concerned your +brother made choice of an avocation so full of dangers;--but I never +intended to keep him at home with me:--he should have gone to Oxford to +finish his studies; and the reason I send you again to the +boarding-school is that you may perfect yourself in such things as you +may not yet be mistress of:--as for any apprehensions of my being +offended with you, I would have you banish them entirely, for I assure +you, I can find nothing in you but what both merits and receives my +approbation. + +She seemed extremely comforted with these words; and the coach being at +the door, went into it with her accustomed chearfulness, leaving him in +a state which none but those who have experienced the severe struggles +between a violent inclination and a firm resolution to oppose it, can +possibly conceive. + + + +CHAP. II. + +_Relates the offers made by Dorilaus to Louisa, and the manner of her +receiving them_. + +Louisa was no sooner gone, than he wished her with him again, and was a +thousand times about to send and have her brought back; but was as often +prevented by the apprehensions of her discovering the motive.--He was +now convinced that love does not always stand in need of being indulged +to enforce its votaries to be guilty of extravagancies. + +--He had banished the object of his affections from his presence; he had +painted all the inconveniences of pursuing his desires in the worst +colours they would bear; yet all was insufficient!--Louisa was absent in +reality, but her image was ever present to him.--Whatever company he +engaged himself in, whatever amusement he endeavoured to entertain +himself with, he could think only of her. + +--The Town without her seemed a desart, and every thing in it rather +seemed irksome than agreeable; for several months did he endure this +cruel conflict; but love and nature at last got the victory, and all +those considerations which had occasioned the opposition subsided: he +found it impossible to recover any tranquility of mind while he +continued in this dilemma, and therefore yielded to the strongest side. +All the arguments he had used with himself in the beginning of his +passion seemed now weak and trifling: the difference of age, which he +had thought so formidable an objection, appeared none in the light with +which he at present considered it: he was now but in his fortieth year, +and the temperance he had always observed had hindered any decay either +in his looks or constitution.--What censures the world might pass on +his marrying one of her age and obscure birth, he thought were of little +weight when balanced with his internal peace.--Thus was he enabled to +answer to himself all that could be offered against making her his wife; +and having thus settled every thing, as he imagined, to the satisfaction +of his passion, became no less resolute in following the dictates of it +than he had been in combating it while there was a possibility of +doing so. + +To this end he went down to his country seat, and as soon as he arrived +sent to let Louisa know he would have her come and pass some time with +him. She readily obeyed the summons, and found by his manner of +receiving her that she was no less dear to him than her brother. As she +had always considered him as a father, tho' she knew all her claim in +him was compassion, she was far from suspecting the motive which made +him treat her with so much tenderness; but he suffered her not long to +remain in this happy ignorance. As he was walking with her one day in +the garden, he purposely led her on that side where he had found Horatio +and herself in the manner already related; and as they came towards the +arbour, It was here, said he, that heaven put into my power the +opportunity of affording my protection to two persons whom I think will +not be ungrateful for what I have done.--I hope, Louisa, continued he, +you will not at least deceive my good opinion of you; but as you have +always found in me a real friend, you will testify the sense you have of +my good wishes, by readily following my advice in any material point. + +I should be else unworthy, sir, answered she, of the life you have +preserved; and I flatter myself with being guilty of nothing which +should give you cause to call in question either my gratitude or duty. + +I insist but on the former, resumed he; nor can pretend to any claim to +the latter;--look on me therefore only as your friend, and let me know +your sentiments plainly and sincerely on what I think proper to ask you. +This she having assured him she would do, he pursued his discourse in +these or the like terms: + +You are now, said he, arrived at an age when persons of your sex +ordinarily begin to think of marriage.--I need not ask you if you have +ever received any addresses for that purpose; the manner in which you +have lived convinces me you are yet a stranger to them; but I would know +of you whether an overture of that kind, in favour of a man of honour, +and who can abundantly endow you with the goods of fortune, would be +disagreeable to you. + +Alas! sir, replied she, blushing, you commanded me to answer with +sincerity, but how can I resolve a question which as yet I have never +asked myself?--All that I can say is, that I now am happy by your +bounty, and have never entertained one wish but for the continuance +of it. + +On that you may depend, said he, while you continue to stand in need of +it. But would it not be more pleasing to find yourself the mistress of +an ample fortune, and in a condition to do the same good offices by +others as you have found from me?--In fine, Louisa, the care I have +taken of you would not be complete unless I saw you well settled in the +world.--I have therefore provided a husband for you, and such a one as I +think you can have no reasonable objection to. + +Sir, it would ill-become me to dispute your will, answered she, +modestly, but as I yet am very young, and have never had a thought of +marriage, nor even conversed with any who have experienced that fate, I +should be too much at a loss how to behave in it, without being allowed +some time to consider on its respective duties.--I hope therefore, sir, +continued she, you will not oblige me to act with too much precipitation +in an affair on which the happiness or misery of my whole future +life depends. + +Your very thinking it of consequence, said he, is enough to make you +behave so, as to allure your happiness with a man of honour; and indeed +Louisa, I love you too well to propose one to you whose principles and +humour I could not answer for as well as my own. + +Yet, sir, replied she, I have read that a union of hearts as well as +hands is necessary for the felicity of that state;--that there ought to +be a simpathy of soul between them, and a perfect confidence in each +other, before the indissoluble knot is tied:--and this, according to my +notion, can only be the result of a long acquaintance and accompanied +with many proofs of affection on both sides. + +Were all young women to think as you do, said he with a smile, we would +have much fewer marriages; they would indeed be happier; therefore I am +far from condemning your precaution, nor would wish you should give +yourself to one till well assured he was incapable of treating you with +less regard after marriage than before:--no, no, Louisa, I will never +press you to become a wife, till you shall yourself acknowledge the man +I offer to you as a husband is not unworthy of that title, thro' a want +of honour, fortune, or affection. + +As Louisa thought this must be the work of time, the chagrin she felt at +the first mention of marriage was greatly dissipated; and she told him, +that when she was once convinced such a person as he described honoured +her so far as to think she merited his affection, she would do all in +her power to return it. + +The enamoured Dorilaus having now brought her to the point he aimed at, +thought it best to throw off the mark at once, and leave her no longer +in suspence.--Behold then in me, said he, the person I have mentioned: +nor think me vain in ascribing those merits to myself which I would wish +to be the loadstone of your affection.--My honour, I believe, you will +not call in question:--my humour you have never found capricious, or +difficult to please; and as for my love, you cannot but allow the +conquering that aversion, which myself, as well as all the world, +believed unalterable for a marriage state; besides a thousand other +scruples opposed my entering into it with you, is a proof greater than +almost any other man could give you.--There requires, therefore, my dear +Louisa, no time to convince you of what I am, or assure you of what I +may be; and I hope the affection you bore me, as a faithful friend, and +the protector of your innocence, will not be diminished on my making +this declaration. + +The confusion in which this speech involved her is even impossible to be +conceived, much less can any words come up to its description: she +blushed;--she trembled;--she was ready to die between surprize, grief +and shame:--fain she would have spoke, but feared, lest what she should +say would either lose his friendship or encourage his passion.--Each +seemed equally dreadful to her:--no words presented themselves to her +distracted mind that she could think proper to utter, till he pressing +her several times to reply, and seeming a little to resent her +silence--Oh! sir, cried she, how is it possible for me to make any +answer to so strange a proposition!--you were not used to rally my +simplicity; nor can I think you mean what you now mention. If there +wanted no more, said he, than to prove the sincerity of my wishes in +this point to gain your approbation of them, my chaplain should this +moment put it past a doubt, and confirm my proposal:--but, pursued he, I +will not put your modesty to any farther shock at present;--all I +intreat is, that you will consider on what I have said, and what the +passion I am possessed of merits from you. In concluding these words he +kissed her with the utmost tenderness, and quitted her to speak to some +men who were at work in another part of the garden, leaving her to +meditate at liberty on this surprizing turn in her affairs. + +It was indeed necessary he should do so, for the various agitations she +laboured under were so violent, as to be near throwing her into a +swoon.--She no sooner found herself alone, than she flew to her +chamber, and locked herself in, to prevent being interrupted by any of +the servants; and as in all emotions of the mind, especially in that of +a surprize, tears are a very great relief, her's found some ease from +the sources of her eyes.--Never had the most dutiful child loved the +tenderest of fathers more than she did Dorilaus; but then it was only a +filial affection, and the very thoughts of his regarding her with that +sort of passion she now found he did, had somewhat in them terribly +alarming.--All she could do to reconcile herself to what seemed to be +her fate was in vain.--This generous man who offers me his heart, said +she, is not my father, or any way of my blood:--he has all the +accomplishments of his whole sex centered in him.--I could wish to be +for ever near him.--All that I am is owing to his goodness.--How +wretched must I have been but for his bounty!--What unaccountable +prejudice is this then that strikes me with such horror at his +love!--what maid of birth and fortune equal to his own but would be +proud of his addresses; and shall I, a poor foundling, the creature of +his charity, not receive the honour he does me with the utmost +gratitude!--shall I reject a happiness so far beyond my expectation! +--so infinitely above any merit I can pretend to!--what must he think of +me if I refuse him!--how madly stupid, how blind to my own interest, how +thankless to him must I appear!--how will he despise my folly!--how +hate my ingratitude! + +Thus did her reason combat with her prejudice, and she suffered much the +same agonies in endeavouring to love him in the manner he desired, as he +had done to conquer the inclination he had for her, and both alike were +fruitless. Yet was her condition much more to be commiserated: he had +only to debate within himself whether he should yield or not to the +suggestions of his own passion: she to subdue an aversion for what a +thousand reasons concurred to convince her she ought rather to be +ambitious of, and which in refusing she run the risque of being cast +off, and abandoned to beggary and ruin; and what was still more hateful +to her, being hated by that person who, next to her brother, she loved +above the world, tho' in a different way from that which could alone +content him. + +Dorilaus, who had taken the disorder he perceived in her for no other +than the effects of a surprize, which a declaration, such as he had +made, might very well occasion, was perfectly contented in his mind, and +passed that night with much more tranquility than he had done many +preceding ones, while he suffered his cruel reason to war against the +dictates of his heart; but having now wholly given himself up to the +latter, the sweet delusion filled him with a thousand pleasing ideas, +and he thought of nothing but the happiness he should enjoy in the +possession of the amiable Louisa. But how confounded was he, when the +next day accosting her with all the tender transports of a lover, she +turned from him, and burst into a flood of tears. How is this, Louisa, +said he; do the offers I make you merit to be treated with disdain? has +my submitting to be your lover forfeited that respect you were wont to +pay me as a guardian? O do not, sir, accuse me of such black +ingratitude, replied she; heaven knows with what sincere and humble duty +I regard you, and that I would sooner die than wilfully offend you; but +if I am so unfortunate as not to be able to obey you in this last +command, impute it, I beseech you, to my ill fate, and rather pity than +condemn me. + +You cannot love me then? cried he, somewhat feircely. No otherwise than +I have ever done, answered she. My heart is filled with duty, reverence +and gratitude, of which your goodness is the only source: as for any +other sort of love I know not what it is; were it a voluntary emotion, +believe me, sir, I gladly would give it entrance into my soul, but I +well see it is of a far different nature. + +Yet is your person at your own disposal, resumed he; and when possessed +of that, the flame which burns so fiercely in my breast, in time may +kindle one in yours. In speaking these words he took her in his arms, +and kissed her with a vehemence which the prodigious respect she bore to +him, as the patron and benefactor of herself and brother, could alone +have made her suffer.--Her eyes however sparkled with indignation, tho' +her tongue was silent, and at last bursting from his embrace, this, sir, +cried she, is not the way to make me think as you would have me. As in +this action he had no way transgressed the rules of decency, he could +ill brook the finding her so much alarmed at it; and would have +testified his resentment, had not the excess of his love, which is ever +accompanied with an adequate share of respect, obliged him to stifle it. +Well, Louisa, said he, looking earnestly upon her, ungenerously do you +requite what I have done for you; but I, perhaps, may bring myself to +other sentiments.--None, interrupted she, emboldened by the too great +freedom she thought he had taken with her, can be so dreadful to me as +those you now seem to entertain. + +The look he gave her on hearing her speak in this manner, made her +immediately repent having been so open; and in the same breath, because; +pursued she, I look on it as the worst evil could befal me that I am +compelled to oppose them. + +Come, said he, again softened by these last words, you will not always +oppose them: the fervor and constancy of my passion, joined with a +little yielding on your side, will by degrees excite a tender impulse in +you; and whatever is disagreeable at present, either in my person or +behaviour, will wear of.--Permit me at least to flatter myself so far, +and refuse me not those innocent endearments I have been accustomed to +treat you with; before you knew me as a lover, or I indeed suspected I +should be so. + +He then kissed her again; but tho' he constrained himself within more +bounds than before, those caresses which she received with pleasure, +when thinking them only demonstrations of friendship, were now irksome, +as knowing them the effects of love: she suffered him however to embrace +her several times, and hold one of her hands close pressed between his, +while he endeavoured to influence her mind by all the tender arguments +his passion, backed with an infinity of wit, inspired; to all which she +made as few replies as possible; but he contented himself, as love is +always flattering, with imagining she was less refractory to his suit +than when he first declared it. + +Every day, and almost the whole day, did he entertain her on no other +subject, but gained not the least ground on her inclinations; and all he +could get from her was the wish of being less insensible, without the +least indication of ever being so. + +In this manner did they live together near three weeks; and how much +longer he would have been able to restrain his impatience, or she to +conceal the extreme regret in being compelled to listen to him, is +uncertain: a law-suit required his presence to town, and Louisa was in +hopes of being relieved for some time; but his passion was arrived at +such a height that he could not support the least absence from her, and +therefore brought her to London with him, so that her persecution ceased +not, he never stirring from her but when the most urgent business +obliged him to it. + +One night happening to have stayed pretty late abroad, and in company, +which occasioned his drinking more plentifully than he was accustomed, +Louisa was retired to her chamber in order to go to bed: his love, ever +uppermost in his head, would not permit him to think of sleeping without +seeing her; accordingly he ran up into her room, and finding she was not +undressed, told her he had something to acquaint her with, on which the +maid that waited on her withdrew. Tho' the passion he was inspired with +could not be heightened, his behaviour now proved it might at least be +rendered more ungovernable by being enflamed with wine: He no sooner was +alone with her, than he threw himself upon her as she was sitting in a +chair, crying, O when my angel, my dear adored Louisa, will you consent +to make me blest.--By heaven, I can no longer wait the tedious +formalities your modesty demands.--I cannot think you hate me, and must +this night ensure you mine. While he spoke these words his lips were so +closely cemented to her's, that had there been no other hindrance, it +would have been impossible for her to have reply'd.--But terrified +beyond measure at the wild disorder of his looks, the expressions he +made use of, and the actions that accompanied them, she wanted even the +power of repulsing, till seeing her almost breathless, he withdrew his +arms which he had thrown round her neck, and contenting himself with +holding one of her hands,--Tell me, pursued he, when may I hope a +recompence for all I have suffered?--I must, I will have an end of all +these fears of offending;--this cruel constaint;--this distance between +us.--Few men, Louisa, in the circumstances we both are, would, like me, +so long attend a happiness in my power to seize.--Trifle not therefore +with a passion, the consequences of which there is no answering for. + +O, sir! said she, with a trembling voice, you cannot, from the most +generous, virtuous and honourable man living, degenerate into a brutal +ravisher.--You will not destroy the innocence you have cherished, and +which is all that is valuable in the poor Louisa. She ended these words +with a flood of tears, which, together with the sight of the confusion +he had occasioned, made him a little recollect himself; and to prevent +the wildness of his desires from getting the better of those rules he +had resolved to observe, he let go her hand, and having told her that he +would press her no farther that night, but expected a more satisfactory +answer the next day, went out of her chamber, and left her to enjoy what +repose she could after the alarm he had given her. + + + +CHAP. III. + +_Dorilaus continues his importunities, with some unexpected consequences +that attended them_. + +Poor Louisa concealed the distraction she was in as much as possible she +could from the maid, who immediately came into the room on Dorilaus +having quitted it, and suffered her to undress, and put her to bed as +usual; but was no sooner there, than instead of composing herself to +sleep, she began to reflect on what he had said:--the words, _that there +was no answering for the consequences of a passion such as his_, gave +her the most terrible idea.--His actions too, this night, seem'd to +threaten her with all a virgin had to fear.--She knew him a man of +honour, but thought she had too much reason to suspect that if she +persisted in refusing to be his wife, that passion which had influenced +him, contrary to his character, to make her such an offer, would also be +too potent for any consideration of her to restrain him from proceeding +to extremities. Having debated every thing within her own mind, she +thought she ought not to continue a day longer in the power of a man who +loved her to this extravagant degree: where to go indeed she knew +not;--she had no friend, or even acquaintance, to whom she might repair, +or hope to be received.--How should she support herself then?--which way +procure even the most common necessaries of life?--This was a dreadful +prospect! yet appeared less so than that she would avoid: even starving +lost its horrors when compared either to being compelled to wed a man +whom she could not affect as a husband, or, by refusing him, run the +risque of forfeiting her honour.--She therefore hesitated but a small +time, and having once formed the resolution of quitting Dorilaus's +house, immediately set about putting it into execution. + +In the first place, not to be ungrateful to him as a benefactor, she sat +down and wrote the following letter to be left for him on her table: + +SIR, + +'Heaven having rendered me of a disposition +utterly incapable of receiving the honour +you would do me, it would be an ill return for +all the unmerited favours you have heaped upon +me to prolong the disquiets I have unhappily occasioned +by continuing in your presence;--besides, +sir, the education you have vouchsafed to +give me has been such, as informs me a person +of my sex makes but an odd figure while in the +power of one of yours possessed of the sentiments +you are.' + +'These, sir, are the reasons which oblige me to +withdraw; and I hope, when well considered, +will enough apologize for my doing so, to keep +you from hating what you have but too much +loved; for I beseech you to believe a great truth, +which is, that the most terrible idea I carry with +me is, lest while I fly the one, I should incur the +other; and that, wheresoever my good or ill stars +shall conduct me, my first and last prayers shall +be for the peace, health, and prosperity of my +most generous and ever honoured patron and benefactor.' + +'Judge favourably, therefore, of this action, +and rather pity than condemn the unfortunate + +LOUISA.' + + +Having sealed and directed this, she dressed herself in one of the least +remarkable and plainest suits she had, taking nothing with her but a +little linnen which she crammed into her pockets, and so sat waiting +till she heard some of the family were stirring; then went down stairs, +and being; seen by one of the footmen, she told him she was not very +well, and was going to take a little walk in hopes the fresh air might +relieve her; he offered to wait upon her, but she refused, saying, she +chose to go alone. + +Thus had she made her escape; but, when in the street, was seized with +very alarming apprehensions.--She was little acquainted with the town, +and knew not which way to turn in search of a retreat.--Resolving, +however, to go far enough, at least, from the house she had quitted, she +wandered on, almost tired to death, without stopping any where, till +chance directed her to a retired nook, where she saw a bill for lodgings +on one of the doors.--Here she went in, and finding the place convenient +for her present circumstances, hired a small, but neat chamber, telling +the people of the house that she was come to town in order to get a +service, and till she heard of one to her liking, would be glad to do +any needle-work she should be employed in. + +The landlady, who happened to be a good motherly sort of woman, replied, +that she was pleased with her countenance, or she would not have +taken her in without enquiring into her character; and as she seemed not +to be desirous of an idle life, she would recommend her to those that +should find her work if she stayed with her never so long. + +This was joyful news to our fair fugitive; and she blessed heaven for so +favourable a beginning of her adventures. The woman was punctual to her +promise; and being acquainted with a very great milliner, soon brought +her more work than she could do, without encroaching into those hours +nature requires for repose: but she seemed not to regret any fatigue to +oblige the person who employed her, and sent home all she did so neat, +so curious, and well wrought, that the milliner easily saw she had not +been accustomed to do it for bread, and was very desirous of having her +into the house, and securing her to herself. Louisa thinking it would be +living with less care, agreed to go, on this condition, that she should +be free to quit her in case any offer happened of waiting upon a lady. +This was consented to by the other, who told her, that since she had +that design, she could no where be so likely to succeed as at her house, +which was very much frequented by the greatest ladies in the kingdom, +she having the most Curiosities of any woman of her trade, which they +came there to raffle for. + +On this Louisa took leave of her kind landlady, who having taken a great +fancy to her, and believing it would be for her advantage, was not sorry +to part with her. A quite new scene of life now presented itself to +her:--she found indeed the milliner had not made a vain boast; for her +house was a kind of rendezvous, where all the young and gay of both +sexes daily resorted.--It was here the marquis of W----r lost his heart, +for a time, to the fine mrs. S----ge:--here, that the duke of G----n +first declared his amorous inclinations for mrs. C----r:--here, that the +seemingly virtuous lady B----n received the addresses of that agreeable +rover mr. D----n:--here, that the beautiful dutchess of M---- gave that +encouragement, which all the world had sighed for, to the more fortunate +than constant mr. C----: in fine, it might properly enough be called the +theatre of gallantry, where love and wit joined to display their several +talents either in real or pretended passions. + +Louisa usually sat at work in a back parlor behind that where the +company were; but into which some of them often retired to talk to each +other with more freedom. + +This gave her an opportunity of seeing in what manner too many of the +great world passed their time, and how small regard some of them pay to +the marriage vow: everyday presented her with examples of husbands, who +behaved with no more than a cold civility to their own wives, and +carried the fervor of their addresses to those of other men; and of +wives who seemed rather to glory in, than be ashamed of a train of +admirers. How senseless would these people think me, said she to +herself, did they know I chose rather to work for my bread in mean +obscurity, than yield to marry where I could not love.--Tenderness, +mutual affection, and constancy. I find, are things not thought +requisite to the happiness of a wedded state; and interest and +convenience alone consulted. Yet was she far from repenting having +rejected Dorilaus, or being in the lead influenced by the example of +others.--The adventures she was witness of made her, indeed, more +knowing of the world, but were far from corrupting those excellent +morals she had received from nature, and had been so well improved by a +strict education, that she not only loved virtue for its own sake, but +despised and hated vice, tho' disguised under the most specious +pretences. + +Her youth, beauty, and a certain sprightliness in her air, was too +engaging to be in the house of such a woman as mrs. C----ge, (for so +this court-milliner was called) without being very much taken notice of; +and tho' most of the gentlemen who came there had some particular object +in view, yet that did not hinder them from saying soft things to the +pretty Louisa as often as they had opportunity. Among the number of +those who pretended to admire her was mr. B----n, afterwards lord F----h; +but his addresses were so far from making any impression on her in +favour of his person or suit, that the one was wholly indifferent to +her, and the other so distasteful, that to avoid being persecuted with +it, she entreated mrs. C----ge to permit her to work above stairs, that +she might be out of the way of all such solicitations for the future, +either from him or any other. This request was easily complied with, and +the rather because she, who knew not the strength of her journey-woman's +resolution, nor the principles she had been bred in, was sometimes in +fear of losing so great a help to her business, by the temptations that +might be offered in a place so much exposed to sight. Mr. B----n no +sooner missed her, than he enquired with a good deal of earnestness for +her; and on mrs. C----ge's telling him she was gone away from her house, +became so impatient to know where, and on what account she had left her, +that this woman thinking it would be of advantage to her to own the +truth, (for she did nothing without that view) turned off the imposition +with a smile, and said, that perceiving the inclinations he had for her, +she had sent her upstairs that no other addresses might be a hindrance +to his designs.--This pleased him very well, and he ran directly to the +room where he was informed she was, and after some little discourse, +which he thought was becoming enough from a person of his condition to +one of her's, began to treat her with freedoms which she could not help +resisting with more fierceness than he had been accustomed to from women +of a much higher rank; but as he had no great notion of virtue, +especially among people of her sphere, he mistook all she said or did +for artifice; and imagining she enhanced the merit of the gift only to +enhance the recompence, he told her he would make her a handsome +settlement, and offered, as an earnest of his future gratitude, a purse +of money. The generous maid fired with a noble disdain at a proposal, +which she looked on only as an additional insult, struck down the purse +with the utmost indignation and cried, she was not of the number of +those who thought gold an equivalent for infamy; and that mean as she +appeared, not all his wealth should bribe her to a dishonourable action. +At first he endeavoured to laugh her out of such idle notions as he +called them, and was so far from being rebuffed at any thing she said, +that he began to kiss and toy with her more freely than before, telling +her he would bring her into a better humour; but he was wholly deceived +in his expectations, if he had any of the nature he pretended, for she +became so irritated at being treated in this manner, that she called out +to the servants to come to her assistance, and protected she would not +stay an hour longer in the house if she could not be secured from such +impertinencies; on which he said she was a silly romantic fool, and +flung out of the room. + +Mrs. C----ge hearing there had been some bustle, came up soon after and +found Louisa in tears: she immediately complained, of mr. B----n's +behaviour to her, and said, tho' she acknowledged herself under many +obligations to her for the favours she had conferred on her, she could +not think of remaining in a place where, tho' she could not say her +virtue had any severe trials, because she had a natural detestation to +crimes of the kind that gentleman and some others had mentioned, yet her +person was liable to be affronted. The milliner, who was surprized to +hear her talk in this manner, but who understood her trade perfectly +well, answered, that he was the best conditioned civil gentleman in the +world;--that she did not know how it happened;--that she was certain +indeed he loved her; and that it was in his power to make her a very +happy woman if she were inclined to accept his offers;--but she would +perswade her to nothing. + +These kind of discourses created a kind of abhorrence in Louisa, as they +plainly shewed her, what before she had some reason to believe, that she +was in the house of one who would think nothing a crime that she found +it her own interest to promote. However, she thought it would be +imprudent to break too abruptly with her, and contented herself for the +present with encasing her promise that neither mr. B----n, nor any other +person should for the future give her the least interruption of the +like sort. + +From this day, however, she was continually ruminating how she should +quit her house, without running the risque of disobliging her so far as +not to be employed by her; for tho' she found herself at present free +from any of those importunities to which both by nature and principles +she was so averse, yet she could not answer to herself the continuing in +a place where virtue was treated as a thing of little or no consequence, +and where she knew not how soon she might again be subjected +to affronts. + +Amidst these meditations the thoughts of Dorilaus frequently intervened: +she reflected on the obligations she had to him, and the mighty +difference between the morals of that truly noble and generous man, and +most of those she had seen at mrs. C----ge's: she wondered at herself at +the antipathy she had to him as a husband, whom she so dearly loved and +honoured as a friend; yet nothing could make her wish to be again on the +same terms with him she had lately been. It also greatly added to her +affliction that she knew not how to direct to her brother; for at the +time of his departure, little suspicious of having any occasion to +change the place of her abode, she had left the care of that entirely to +Dorilaus. She was one morning very much lost in thought on the odd +circumstances of her fortune, when a Gazette happening to lye upon the +table, she cast her eye, without design, upon the following +advertisement. + + +'Whereas a young gentlewoman has lately +thought fit to abscond from her best friends, +and with the most diligent search that could possibly +be made after her has not yet been heard of, +this is to acquaint her that if she pleases to return, +she shall hereafter have no disturbance of that +nature which it is supposed occasioned her withdrawing +herself, but live entirely according to +her own inclinations; and this the advertiser +hereof gives his word and honour (neither of +which she has any cause to doubt) faithfully to +adhere to.' + +'It shall also be at her choice to live either at +the house she quitted, or to be again under the +care of that gentlewoman who was entrusted +with her education: she is therefore requested to +conceal herself no longer, lest her youth, beauty, +and inexperience of the town should betray her +innocence into those very snares she fears to fall +into.' + + +The very beginning of this paragraph gave her a conjecture it was meant +for no other than herself; and the more she read, the more she grew +convinced, of it.--It must be so, cryed she; every word,--every +circumstance confirms it.--How unhappy am I that I cannot return so +perfect an affection!--Instead of detesting my ingratitude, he only +fears I should receive the punishment of it.--What man but Dorilaus +would behave thus to the creature of his benevolence?--If I have any +merits, do not I owe them to his goodness?--My brother and myself, two +poor exposed and wretched foundlings, what but his bounty rear'd us to +what we are?--Hard fate!--unlucky passion that drives me from his +presence and protection. + +Yet, would she say again, if he has indeed subdued that passion;--if he +resolves to think of me as before he entertained it; if I were certain +he would receive me as a child, how great would be, the blessing! + +This confederation had so much effect on her, that she was half +determined to comply with the advertisement; but when she remembered to +have read that where love is sincere and violent, it requires a length +of time to be erased, and that those possessed of it are incapable of +knowing even their own strength, and, as he had said to her himself, +_that there was no answering for the consequences,_ she grew instantly +of another mind, and thought that putting herself again into the power +of such a passion was running too great a hazard. + +The continual agitations of her mind, joined to want of air, a quite +different way of life, and perhaps fitting more closely to work than she +had been accustomed, threw her at length into a kind of languishing +indisposition, which, tho' it did not confine her to her bed, occasioned +a loss of appetite, and frequent faintings, which were very alarming to +her. Mrs. C----ge was extremely concerned to observe this change in her, +and would have the opinion of her own physician, who said that she had +symptoms of an approaching consumption, and that it was absolutely +necessary she should be removed into the country for some time. + +Louisa readily complied with this advice, not only because she imagined +it might be of service for the recovery of her health, but also as it +furnished her with a pretence for leaving mrs. C----ge's house, to which +she was determined to return no more as a boarder. The good woman with +whom she had lodged at first recommended her to a friend of her's at +Windsor, where she immediately went, and was very kindly received. + + + +CHAP. IV. + +_Louisa becomes acquainted with a lady of quality, part of whose +adventures are also related, and goes to travel with her_. + +Change of place affords but small relief to those whose distempers are +in the mind: Louisa carried with her too many perplexing thoughts to be +easily shook off; tho' the queen and court being then at Windsor, she +had the opportunity of seeing a great many of the gay world pass daily +by her window.--There also lodged in the same house with her a young +widow of quality, who was visited by persons of the first rank; but as +she was not of a condition to make one in any of these conversations, +she reaped no other satisfaction from them than what the eye afforded. + +As she was not, however, of a temper to indulge melancholy, she made it +her endeavour to banish, as much as possible, all ideas which were +displeasing from her mind: to this end, a fine harpsicord happening to +stand in the dining-room, whenever the lady was abroad, she went in and +diverted herself with playing. She was one day entertaining the woman of +the house with a tune, which she accompanied with her voice, when the +lady returning sooner than was expected, and hearing the instrument +before she came up stairs, would needs know who it was had been making +use of it; for Louisa hurried out of the room before she came in: the +landlady, as there was no occasion to disguise the truth, told her that +it was a young woman, who not being very well, had come down into the +country for air. + +She has had an excellent education, I am certain, said the lady, (who +henceforward we shall call Melanthe) for in my life I never heard any +body play or sing better:--I must be acquainted with her; on which the +other said she would let her know the honour she intended her. + +That very evening, as great ladies no sooner think of any thing but they +must have it performed, was Louisa sent for into her apartment; and her +countenance and behaviour so well seconded the good impression her skill +in music had begun, that Melanthe became charm'd with her, and from that +time obliged her to come to her every morning; and whenever she was +without company, made her dine and sup with her. Being curious to know +her circumstances, Louisa made no scruple of acquainting her with the +truth, only instead of relating how she had been exposed in her infancy, +said, that having the misfortune to be deprived of her parents, it was +her intention to wait on a lady, and till she heard of one who would +accept her service, she had work'd at her needle. + +Melanthe then asked if she would live with her; to which the other +gladly answering, she should think herself happy in such a lady; but you +must go abroad then, said she, for I am weary of England, and am +preparing to travel: as it is a route of pleasure only, I shall stay +just as long as I find any thing new and entertaining in one place, then +go to another till I am tired of that, and so on, I know not how long; +for unless my mind alters very much, I shall not come back in +some years. + +Louisa was perfectly transported to hear her say this; she had a great +desire to see foreign parts, and thought she never could have a better +opportunity: she expressed the pleasure she should take in attending her +wherever she went with so much politeness and sincerity, that Melanthe +told her, it should be her own fault if she ever quitted her, and withal +assured her, she never would treat her in any other manner than a +companion, and that tho' she would make her a yearly allowance for +cloaths and card-money, yet she would expect no other service from her +than fidelity to her secrets, and affection to her person. + +From the moment this agreement was made, the young Louisa regained her +complection and her appetite; and being now initiated into the family of +this lady, had no longer any care to take than to oblige her, a thing +not difficult, Melanthe being good-natured, and strongly prepossessed in +favour of her new friend, for so she vouchsafed to call her, and to use +her accordingly. + +As a proof of it, she made her in a very short time the confident of her +dearest secrets: they were one day sitting together, when accidentally +some mention was made of the power of love. You are too young, Louisa, +said Melanthe, to have experienced the wonderful effects of that passion +in yourself, and therefore cannot be expected to have much compassion +for what it can inflict on others. + +Indeed, madam, answered she, tho' I never have yet seen a man who gave +me a moment's pain on that score, yet I believe there are no emotions +whatever so strong as those of love, and that it is capable of +influencing people of the best sense to things which in their nature +they are most averse to. + +Well, my dear, resumed the other, since I find you have so just a notion +of it, I will confide in your discretion so far as to let you know, that +but for an ungrateful man, I had not looked on my native country as a +desart, and resolved to seek a cure for my ill-treated and abused +tenderness in foreign parts. + +My quality, continued she, I need not inform you of; you have doubtless +heard that my family yields to few in antiquity, and that there is an +estate belonging to it sufficient to support the dignity of its title; +but my father having many children, could not give very great portions +to the daughters: I was therefore disposed of, much against my +inclinations, to a nobleman, whom my unlucky charms had so much +captivated as to make him not only take me with no other dowry than my +cloaths and jewels, but also to settle a large jointure upon me, which, +he being dead, I at present enjoy. I cannot say that all the obligations +he laid upon me could engage a reciprocal regard:--I behaved with +indifference to him while living, and little lamented him when dead: not +that I was prepossessed in favour of any other man;--my heart, entirely +free, was reserved to be the conquest of the too charming perfidious +Henricus, who arriving soon after my lord's decease, and bringing with +him all the accomplishments which every different court he had visited +could afford, join'd to the most enchanting person nature ever formed, +soon made me know I was not that insensible creature I had +thought myself. + +I happened to be at court when he came to kiss her majesty's hand on his +return; and whether it was that my eyes testified too much the +admiration this first sight of him struck me with, or that he really +discovered something more attractive in me than any lady in the presence +I know not, but he seemed to distinguish me in a particular manner, and +I heard him say to my lord G----n in a whisper, that I was the finest +woman he had ever seen; but what gave me more pleasure than even this +praise, was an agreement I heard made between him and the same lord to +go that evening to a raffle at mrs. C--rt-s--r's. I was one of those who +had put in, tho' if I had not, I should certainly, have gone for a +second sight of him, who when he went out of the drawing-room seemed to +have left me but half myself. + +In fine, I went, and had there wanted any thing to have entirely +vanquished me, my conqueror's manner of address had done it with a form +less agreeable.--O Louisa, pursued she with a sigh, if you have never +seen or heard the charming Henricus, you can have no notion of what is +excellent in man; such flowing wit;--such softness in his voice and +air;--but there is no describing what he is. He seemed all transport at +meeting me there; among a number of ladies I alone engrossed him: he +scarce spoke to any other; and being so fortunate to win the raffle, +which was a fine inlaid India cabinet, instead of sending it to his own +house, he privately ordered his servant to leave it at mine, lord G----n +having, as he afterwards told me, informed him where I lived, and also +all the particulars he wanted to know concerning me. + +I was prodigiously surprized when I came home and found the Cabinet, +which my woman imagined I had won by its being brought thither. It was +indeed a piece of gallantry I had no reason to expect from one so +perfect a stranger to me; and this, joined with the many complaisant +things he said to me at mrs. C--rt-f--r's, flattered my vanity enough to +make me think he was no less charmed with me than I too plainly found I +was with him. I slept little that night, and pretty early the next +morning received a billet from him to this effect: + +MADAM, + +'I thought the cabinet we raffled for was more +properly the furniture of a lady's closet than +mine, especially one who must daily receive a +great number of such epistles as it was doubtless +intended by the maker to contain: happy should +I think myself if any thing of mine might find +room among those which, for their wit and elegance, +may be more worthy of preferring, tho' +none can be for their sincerity more so than those +which are dictated by the eternally devoted heart of + +HENRICUS.' + +You cannot imagine, my dear Louisa, how delighted I was with these few +lines; I enclosed them indeed in the cabinet given me by the author of +them, but laid up their meaning in my heart:--I was quite alert the +whole day, but infinitely more so, when in the evening my admired +Henricus made me a visit introduced by lord H----, who had been one of +my late husband's particular friends, and had ever kept a good +correspondence with me. + +Henricus took, not the least notice either of the cabinet or letter +before him; and as I imagined he had his reasons for it, I too was +silent on that head; he took the opportunity, however, while lord H---- +was speaking to a young lady who happened to be with me, to ask +permission to wait on me with the hope of being received on his own +score as he was now on that of his friend. I told him that merit, such +as his, was sufficient to recommend him any where; and, besides, I had +an obligation to him which I ought to acknowledge. This was all either +of us had time to say; but it was enough to make me convinced he desired +a more particular conversation, and him, that it would not be +unwelcome to me. + +Thus began an acquaintance equally fatal to my peace of mind and +reputation; and having said that, it would be needless to repeat the +circumstances of it, therefore shall only tell you I was so infatuated +with my passion, that I never gave myself the trouble to examine into +the nature of his pretensions, and lull'd with the vows he made of +everlasting love, resented not that he forbore pressing to that ceremony +which could alone ensure it:--yes, my Louisa, I will not wrong him so +far as to say he deceived me in this point; for tho' he protested with +the most solemn imprecations that he would never address any either +woman than myself, yet he never once mentioned marriage to me.--Alass! +he too well saw into my heart, and that all my faculties were too much +his to be able to refuse him any thing:--even so it proved;--he +triumphed over all in my power to yield;--nay, was so far subdued, that +I neither regretted my loss, nor used any endeavours to conceal +it;--vain of being his at any rate, I thought his love more glory to me +than either fame or virtue; and while I was known to enjoy the one, +despised whatever censures I incurred for parting with the other:--in +the mall, the play-house, the ring, at Bath or Tunbridge, he was always +with me; nor would any thing indeed have been a diversion to me had he +been absent. + +For upwards of a year I had no reason to complain of his want of +assiduity to me, tho' I have since heard even in that time he had other +amours with women who carried them on with more prudence than I was +mistress of; but I had afterwards a stabbing proof of his insincerity +and inconstancy. + +Perceiving a great alteration in his behaviour, that he visited me less +frequently, and when he came, the ardours he was accustomed to treat me +with still more and more languid and enforced, I upbraided him in terms +which, tho' they shewed more love than resentment, and had he retained +any tolerable remains of tenderness for me, must have been rather +obliging than the contrary, he affected to take extremely ill, and told +me plainly, that nothing was so dear to him as his peace,--that he was +not of a temper to endure reproaches, and that, if I desired the +continuance of our amour, I must be satisfied with him as he was. These +cool, and indeed insolent replies made me almost distracted; and +beginning to suspect he had some new engagement, I talked to him in a +manner as if I had been assured of it:--he, perhaps, imagining it was +so, made no efforts to cure my jealousy, but behaved with so cruel an +indifference as confirmed my apprehensions. + +Resolving to be convinced whether I really had any rival or not, I +employed spies to observe where-ever he went, and to whom; but alass, +there required little pains to acquire the intelligence I fought.--I +was soon informed that he was every day with the daughter of a little +mechanic;--that he made her very rich presents, procured a commission in +the army for one of her brothers, and in fine, that he was as much +devoted to her as a man of his inconstant temper could be to any woman. + +How severe a mortification was this to my pride! but it had this good +attending it, that it very much abated my love:--to be abandoned for so +mean a creature, and who had nothing but youth and a tolerable face to +recommend her, shewed such a want of taste as well as gratitude, as +rendered despicable in my eyes what had lately engrossed all my love and +admiration.--The moment I received the information I sent for him;--and +forcing my countenance to a serenity my heart was a stranger to, told +him it was only to take a last leave of a person whom I had been so far +mistaken in as to think deserving my affection: that I desired to see +him once more, but having now seen my error, desired he would desist his +visits for the future. He asked me with the same calmness he had lately +behaved with, what whim I had got in my head now, I, who had before +determined not to feed my rival's pride by shewing any jealousy of her, +only replied, that as amours, such as ours had been, must have an end +some time or other,--I thought none could be more proper than the +present, because I believed both of us could do it without pain. + +Answer for yourself, madam, cried he with some emotion, for I could +perceive my behaviour had a little flung his vanity; and resolute to +give him in my turn all the mortification in my power, nay, said I with +a disdainful toss of my head, I do not enquire into your sentiments,--it +is sufficient mine are to break entirely off with you;--neither is it +any concern to me how you may resent this alteration in my conduct, or +dispose of yourself hereafter; but I once more assure you, with my usual +frankness, that I now can see none of those perfections my foolish fancy +formerly found in you, and cannot be complaisant enough to counterfeit a +tenderness I neither feel nor think you worthy of. + +The surprize he was in kept him silent for some moments; but recovering +himself as well as he could, he told me, that if the levity of my nature +had made me cease to love him, he could not have expected endearments +should be converted into affronts; that if I was determined to see him +no more he must submit, and should endeavour to make himself as easy as +he could under the misfortune. + +These last words were uttered with a kind of sneer, which was very +provoking, however, I restrained my passion during the little time he +stayed; but as soon as I found myself alone gave it vent in tears and +exclamations,--since which I have been mere at peace within myself; for +tho' I cannot say I hate him, I am now far from loving him, and hope +that time and absence may bring me to a perfect indifference. + +Thus, Louisa, continued she, you see the beginning and end of an +adventure which has made some noise in town, to be out of which I have +taken a resolution to travel till the whole shall be forgotten, and I +have entirely rooted out of my heart all manner of consideration for +this ungrateful man. + +Louisa thanked her for the condescension me had made her in entrusting +her with so important a secret, and said every thing she could in praise +of the resolution she had taken to leave England for a time, not only +because it was exactly conformable to her own desires, but also that she +thought it so laudable in itself. Melanthe then assured her that she was +not capable of changing her mind in this particular, and that her +equipage was getting ready at London for that purpose, so that she +believed they should embark in a few days. Louisa, on hearing this, +said, that she must then provide herself with some things it would be +necessary for her to have in order to appear in the station her ladyship +was pleased to place her; but the other, who, as may be seen by her +history, never preserved a medium in any thing, would not suffer her to +be at the least expence on that account, but took the care of furnishing +her with every thing on herself; and accordingly sent a man and horse to +town directly to her mercer's, draper's, milliner's, and other +tradesmen, with orders to send down silks, laces, hollands, and whatever +else was requisite; which being brought, were put to be made fit for +wearing by workwomen at Windsor; so that now our Louisa made as good a +figure, and had as great a variety of habits as when under the +guardianship of Dorilaus, and, to complete her happiness, this new +benefactress grew every day more, and more delighted with her company. + +All being now prepared, they came to London, where they lay but one +night before they took shipping for Helvoetsluys in Holland, where, +being safely landed, they proceeded to Utrecht, and so to +Aix-la-chappelle; there they stayed some weeks for the sake of the +waters, air, and good company; and Louisa thought it so pleasant, that +she would have been glad not to have removed for some time longer; but +Melanthe was yet restless in her mind, and required frequent change of +place. Here it was, however, that Louisa thought she might venture to +write to Dorilaus, to ease him of that kind concern she doubted not but +he was in for her welfare, by the advertisement already mentioned in the +Gazette. The purport of her letter was as follows: + +_Ever Honoured Sir_, + +'Child of your bounty as I am, I flatter myself +that, in spight of my enforc'd disobedience, +it would be a trouble to you to hear I should +do any thing unworthy of that education you were +pleased to bestow on me: I therefore take the liberty +of acquainting you, that heaven has raised +me a protectress in a lady of quality with whom +I now am, as you will see by the date of this, at +Aix-la-chappelle. As all the favours I receive +from her, or all the good that shall happen during +my whole life is, and will be entirely owing +to you as the fountain-head, it will be always my +inclination, as well as duty, to pay you the tribute +of grateful thanks.--Poor recompence, +alas, for all you have done for me! yet those, +with my incessant prayers to heaven, are all in +the power of + +_Your most dutiful_ + +LOUISA.' + +She took no notice of the advertisement, not only as she could not be +positive it related to herself, as also because she thought, if he were +certain she had read it, he might resent her not answering it, as +discovering a too great diffidence of his honour. She added, however, a +postscript, entreating him to let her brother know, that whatever +happened, he should have no reason to find fault with her conduct. + +After they left Aix-la-chappelle, they took bye roads to avoid the +armies; yet notwithstanding all their care, they now and then met +parties who were out on foraging, but as it happened, they were always +under the conduct of officers who prevented any ill accident, so that +our travellers met with no manner of interruption, but arrived safely at +the magnificent city of Vienna, where was at that time an extreme gay +court, affording every thing capable of diverting a much more settled +melancholy than either Melanthe or her fair companion were possessed of. + +The arch-dutchesses, Mary Elizabeth, and Mary Anna Josepha, afterward +queen of Portugal, had frequent balls and entertainments in their +different drawing-rooms; to all which Melanthe, being a stranger and a +woman of quality, was invited: she kept her promise with Louisa; and +treating her as a young lady, whose friendship for her, and a desire of +seeing the world had engaged to accompany her, she was received and +respected as such; and by this means had an opportunity of shewing the +skill she had in dancing, singing, music, and indeed all the +accomplishments that a woman born and educated to the best expectations, +is usually instructed in. As neither her lady nor herself understood the +German language, and she spoke infinitely the best French, her +conversation was the most agreeable, which, joined with a most engaging +manner, and a peculiar sweetness in her voice, attracted all those +civilities which the rank of the other demanded. + +Possessed of so many charms, it would have been strange if, in a city +throng'd like Vienna with young noblemen, who were continually coming +from all parts of the empire, she had lived without some who pretended +to somewhat more than mere admiration; but her heart had not refused the +worthy Dorilaus to become the conquest of a German; nor was it here she +was ordained to experience those anxieties in herself, she could but +imperfectly conceive by the description she had from others. + +Melanthe, however, whose sole aim was to drive all perplexing thoughts +from her mind, encouraged a great number of visitors, so that her +lodgings seemed a perfect theatre of gallantry; and Louisa having her +share in all the amusements this lady prepared for the reception of +those that came to see her, or were contrived for her entertainment by +others, past her time in the most gay and agreeable manner imaginable, +and by this means acquired the knowledge of almost the only thing she +before was ignorant in, how to receive a multiplicity of company, yet to +behave so is each should imagine themselves most welcome;--to seem +perfectly open, without discovering any thing improper to be +revealed;--to use all decent freedoms with the men, yet not encourage +the least from them, and to seem to make a friend of every woman she +conversed with, without putting truth in any;--and in fine, all the +little policies which make up the art of what is called a polite +address, and which is not to be attained without an acquaintance with +the court and great world. + +This, I say, our amiable foundling was now well vers'd in, and practised +among those who she found made a practice of it; but yet retained the +same sincerity of mind, love of virtue, and detestation of vice, she +brought with her from the house of Dorilaus:--neither was her youth too +much dazled with the exterior splendor she beheld; and tho' she was well +enough pleased with it, yet it did not in the least take her off from +the duties of religion, or inspire her with any ambitious or aspiring +wishes to become what the remembrance of what she was forbid any +probable expectation of. She knew the present fashion of her life was +not an assured settlement, and therefore set not her heart upon it. Few +at her years would have had the like prudence, or in time armed +themselves, as she did, against any change that might befal her. + +In this happy situation let us leave her for a while: the young Horatio +claims his share of attention; and it is time to see what encouragement +and success his martial ardor met with on the banks of the Danube. + + + +CHAP. V. + +_Horatio's reception by the officers of the army; his behaviour in the +battle; his being taken prisoner by the French; his treatment among +them, and many other particulars._ + +The extreme graceful person of Horatio, his youth, handsome equipage, +and the letters sent by Dorilaus to several of the principal officers in +his favour, engaged him a reception answerable to his wishes: but none +was of greater service than the recommendation he had to colonel +Brindfield, who being in great favour with the duke of Marlborough, was +highly respected by the whole army. This gentleman made him dine +frequently with him, and testified the regard he had for Dorilaus, by +doing all the good offices he could to a youth whom he perceived by his +letter he had a great concern for. He not only introduced him to the +acquaintance of many officers of condition, but took an opportunity of +presenting him to the duke himself, giving at the same time his grace an +account that he was a gentleman whose inclinations to arms, and the +honour of serving under his grace, had made him renounce all other +advantages for the hope of doing something worthy of his favour. The +duke looked all the time he was speaking very attentively on the young +Horatio, and finding something in his air that corroborated the +colonel's description, was pleased to say, that he was charm'd with his +early thirst after same; and then turning toward him, you will soon, +pursued he, have an opportunity of seeing how the face of war looks, +near at hand:--I can tell you, that you must not always expect smiles. +No, my lord, replied he, without being at all daunted at the presence of +so great a man; but where we love all countenances are agreeable. + +He arrived indeed opportunely to be a witness of the dangers of that +glorious campaign which brought such shame to the French, such honour to +the English, and such real advantages to the empire. Prince Eugene of +Savoy, and prince Lewis of Baden were come to the duke's quarters, which +were then at Mondesheim, to consult on proper operations; the result +was, that the duke and prince Lewis should join armies, and command each +day alternately, and that prince Eugene should head a separate army and +repair towards Philipsburg, to defend the passage of the Rhine, the +lines of Stolhoffen, and the country of Wirtenberg. + +The two armies joined at Westerstretton, thence proceeded by easy +marches towards Donawert, between which and Scellenberg the enemy was +encamped. Fatigued as they were, the duke made them pass over a little +river and endeavour to force the intrenchments; which enterprize +succeeded, notwithstanding all the disadvantages the confederate armies +were in, and the others were obliged to retire with great precipitation, +many of whom were drowned in endeavouring to pass the Danube. + +In this action was our young soldier unlisted, and had the glory to be +signalized by two remarkable accidents; one was, that pressing among the +foremost in this hazardous attempt, he had his hat taken off by a cannon +ball; and the other was, that seeing a standard about to be taken by the +enemy, the person who carried it happening to be kill'd, he ran among +those who were carrying it away, and being seconded by some others, +retrieved that badge of English honour; and as this was done in sight of +the duke, he rode up to him directly and presented it to him. Take it +for your pains, cried he, you have ventured hard, and well deserve the +prize. There was no time for thanks; the duke, who was almost every +where at once, was immediately gone where he found his presence +necessary, and Horatio returned to take the place of the dead cornet, +doubly animated by the encouragement he had received. + +This victory opening a way into the elector of Bavaria's dominions, that +poor country was terribly ravaged, no less than 300 towns, villages and +castles being utterly consumed by a detachment of horse and dragoons the +duke sent for that purpose. Some old officers told Horatio that now +would be the time to make his fortune if he went with these squadrons, +there being many rich things which would fall to the share of the +plunderers; to which he answered, that he came to fight for the honour +of his country, and not to rob for its disgrace. This they laughed at, +and endeavoured to make him sensible, that the taking away an enemy's +treasure was to take away their strength; but all they could say was +ineffectual; he was not to be perswaded out of what he thought reason +and justice: and this conversation being afterward repeated to the duke, +he smil'd and said, he was yet too young to know the value of money. + +After this, prince Lewis of Baden dividing from the duke, in order to +undertake the siege of Ingoldstadt, our young cornet attended his grace +to the relief of prince Eugene, who expected to be attacked by the +united army of Bavarians and French, then encamped near Hockstadt. + +It would be needless to give any description of this famous battle, few +of my readers but must be acquainted with it, so I shall only say, that +among the number of those few prisoners the French had to boast of in +attonement for so great a defeat, was the young brave Horatio, who fell +to the lot of the baron de la Valiere, nephew to the marquis of Sille. +This nobleman being extremely taken with his person and behaviour, +treated him in the politest manner; and tho' he carried him with him +into France, assured him, that it was more for the pleasure of +entertaining him there than any other consideration. Horatio was not +much afflicted at this misfortune, because it gave him an opportunity of +seeing a country he had heard so much commended, and also to make +himself master of a language, which, tho' he understood, he spoke but +imperfectly. + +The baron was not only one of the most gallant, but also one of the best +humoured men in the world; he spared nothing during the whole time they +tarried in his quarters, nor in their journey to Paris, which might +contribute to make his prisoner easy under his present circumstances; +and among other things, often said to him, if you and some others have +fallen under the common chance of war, you have yet the happiness of +knowing your army in general has been victorious, and that, there are +infinitely a greater number of ours who, against their will, must see +England, than, there are of yours conducted into France. + +On their arrival, Horatio wrote an account to Dorilaus of all had +happened to him, not doubting but he would use his interest to have him +either mentioned when there should come an exchange of prisoners, or +that he would randsom him himself; but receiving no answer, he concluded +his letter, by some accident, had miscarried, and sent another, but that +meeting the same fate as the former, he wrote a third, accompanied with +one to his sister directed to the boarding-school, where he imagined she +still was: to this last, after some time, he had the following return +from the governess: + +SIR, + +'A letter directed for miss Louisa coming to +my house, I was in debate with myself +what to do with it, that young lady having been +gone from me last September, since which time +I have never heard any thing of her:--at last I +sent it to Dorilaus's country seat by a messenger, +who brought it to me again, with intelligence +that he was gone with some friends into the north +of Ireland, and that it was probable they had +taken miss with them:--I then thought proper +to open it, believing she had no secrets I might +not be entrusted with, and finding it came from +you, could do no less than give you this information +to prevent your being under any surprize +for not receiving answers to your letters. I am +sorry to find by yours that you have had such ill +success in your first campaign; but would not +have you be cast down, since you need not doubt +but on the return of Dorilaus you will have remittances +for your ransom, or whatever else you +may have occasion for.' + +_I am_, SIR, +_Your most humble and obedient Servant,_ + +A. TRAINWELL. + +This letter made him perfectly contented; he had no reason to question +the continuance of Dorilaus's goodness to him, nor that he should attend +this new proof of it any longer than the return of that gentleman to +England should make him know the occasion he now had for it. He +therefore had no anxious thoughts to interrupt the pleasures the place +he was in afforded in such variety; he was every evening with the baron, +either at court, the opera, the comedy, or some other gay scene of +entertainment; was introduced to the best company; and his young heart, +charm'd with the politeness and gallantry of that nation, and the little +vanity to which a person of such early years is incident, being +flattered with the complaisance he was treated with, gave him in a short +time a very strong affection for them; but there was yet another and +more powerful motive which rendered his captivity not only pleasing, but +almost destroyed in him an inclination ever to see his native +country again. + +The baron de la Valiere had long been passionately in love with a young +lady, who was one of the maids of honour to king James's queen: he went +almost every day to St. Germains, in order to prosecute his addresses, +and frequently took Horatio with him. The motive of his first +introducing him to that court was, perhaps, the vanity of shewing him +that no reverse of fate could make the French regardless of what was due +to royalty, since the Chevalier St. George seem'd to want no requisite +of majesty but the power; but he afterwards found the pleasure he took +in those visits infinitely surpassed what he could have expected, and +that his heart had an attachment, which made him no sooner quit that +palace than he would ask with impatience when they should go thither +again. The baron had a great deal of penetration; and as those who feel +the power of love in themselves can easily perceive the progress it +makes in others, a very few visits confirmed him that Horatio had found +something there more attractive than all he could behold elsewhere: nor +was he long at a loss to discover, among the number or beauties which +composed the trains of the queen and princess, which of them it was that +had laid his prisoner under a more lasting captivity than war had done. + +Princess Louisa Maria Teresa, daughter of the late king James, was then +but in her thirteenth year; the ladies who attended her were all of them +much of the same age; and to shew the respect the French had for this +royal family, tho' in misfortunes, were also the daughters of persons +whose birth and fortune might have done honour to the service of the +greatest empress in the world; nor were any of them wanting in those +perfections which attract the heart beyond the pomp of blood or titles; +but she who had influenced that of our Horatio, was likewise in the +opinion of those, who felt not her charms in the same degree he did, +allowed to excel her fair companions in every captivating grace, and to +yield in beauty to none but the princess herself, who was esteemed a +Prodigy. This amiable lady was called Charlotta de Palfoy, only daughter +to the baron of that name; and having from her most early years +discovered a genius above what is ordinarily found in her sex, had been +educated by her indulgent parents in such a manner, as nature left +nothing for want of the improvements of art; yet did not all the +accomplishments, she was mistress of give her the least air of +haughtiness; on the contrary, there was a certain sweetness of temper in +her which gave a double charm to every thing she said or did: she was +all affability, courtesy and chearfulness; she could not therefore avoid +treating so agreeable a stranger as Horatio with all imaginable marks of +civility; but she had been a very small time acquainted with him before +her liking ripened into a kind of tenderness little inferior to what he +was possessed of for her; and tho' both were then too young to be able +to judge of the nature of this growing inclination, yet they found they +loved without knowing to what end. + +As both the Chevalier St. George and the princess his sister were +instructed in the English language, and besides many of their court were +natives of Great Britain, whose loyalty had made them follow the exil'd +monarch, the French belonging to them had also an ambition to speak in +the same dialect: mademoiselle Charlotta being but lately come among +them had not yet attained the proper accent, any more than Horatio had +that of the French; so they agreed that to improve each other in the +different languages, he should always speak to her in French, and she +should answer him in English. This succeeded not only for the purpose it +was intended, but likewise drew on a greater intimacy between them than +might otherwise have happened, at least in so short a time. + +The baron having a real friendship for Horatio, rejoiced to find he had +so powerful an attachment to continue among them, and without taking any +notice how far he saw into his sentiments, encouraged his visits at St. +Germains all he could. Thus indulged in every thing he wished, he began +insensibly to lose all desires of returning to England, and receiving no +letters either from Dorilaus or his sister, was as it were weaned from +that affection he had formerly bore to them, and in the room of that the +new friendships he was every day contracting took up his mind. + +He was indeed used with so much love and respect by people in the most +eminent stations, to whom the baron had introduced him, that it would +have been ungrateful in him not to have returned it with the greatest +good-will. Expressing one day some surprize at being so far forgotten by +his friends in England, de la Valiere told him that he would not have +him look on himself as any other than a guest in France, and that if he +chose to quit that country, he should not only be at his liberty to +return to England whenever he pleased, but also should be furnished with +a sum sufficient for the expences of his journey; but added, that the +offer he now made of depriving himself of so agreeable a companion was a +piece of self-denial, than which there could not be a greater proof of a +disinterested regard. + +Horatio replied in the manner this generosity demanded, and said, that +if there was any thing irksome to him in France, it was only his +inability of returning the favours he had received: believe me, sir, +pursued he, were I master of a fortune sufficient to put me above the +necessity of receiving the obligations I now do, it would not be in the +power of all I left in England to prevail on me to return;--it is here, +and in the society of that company I at present, thro' your means, +enjoy, that I would wish to pass my whole life. + +The baron then told him he would find a way to make all things easy to +him, and accordingly went the same day to monsieur the prince of Conti, +to whom he gave such an advantageous description of the courage and +accomplishments of the English cornet, and the inclination he had to +stay among them, that his highness told the baron, that he might +acquaint him from him, that if he were willing to serve under him he +should have a commission; or, if he rather chose a civil employment, he +would use his interest to procure him such a one as might afford both +honour and profit. + +This the baron did not fail to communicate immediately to Horatio, who, +charm'd with the generosity both of the one and the other, broke out +into the utmost encomiums of that nation:--sure, said he, the French are +a people born to inspire and instruct virtue and benevolence to all the +kingdoms in the world! After the first raptures of his gratitude were +over, being pressed by the baron to let him know which of the prince's +offers he would chuse to accept; alas! replied he, this is a kind of an +unfortunate dilemma I am in;--my inclinations are for the army, and it +would be the height of my ambition to serve under such generals as the +French; but it would be unnatural in me to draw my sword against the +land which gave me being: O would to God! continued he, there were an +opportunity for me to do it in any other cause! how gladly would I leave +the best part of my blood to shew the sense I have of the generosity I +have experienced. + +The baron had nothing to offer in opposition to a sentiment which he +found had so much of honour in it, and therefore acquainted the prince +that he chose to accept of his highness's favour in a civil employment; +on which he was ordered to attend his levee the next day. + +His good friend accompanied him, and having presented him with the forms +usual on such occasions, the prince received him very graciously, and +was pleased to ask him several questions concerning the government of +England at that time, the battle in which he had been taken, and many +other things, to all which the young Horatio answered with so much +discretion and politeness, as made the prince say to the baron, you have +not flattered this gentleman in your description of him; for tho' I +believe your friendship ready enough to give a just idea of him, yet, I +allure you, his own behaviour is his best recommendation, and well +entitles him to more than I find it in my power to do for him at +present. I have been thinking for you, sir, continued he, turning to +Horatio, and imagine that the employment I have found you will not be +disagreeable to you:--one of the gentlemen of the bed-chamber to the +Chevalier St. George being dead, there is a vacancy, which I will make +interest shall be filled by no other than yourself;--you seem to be much +of the same age with him, and I dare say he will be extremely pleased in +the choice I make of you to be near him:--it is not indeed, added he, a +place of so much advantage as I could wish, but there is a handsome +pension annexed to it, which, with the honour, will, I believe, content +you till something better presents itself. + +From the first mention the prince made of the post he had found for him, +the heart of Horatio leap'd in his breast with an agitation he had never +felt before: the thoughts of living at St. Germains in the same palace +with mademoiselle Charlotta so transported him, that he scarce knew what +he said; and the thanks he gave the prince were expressed with such +hyperboles of gratitude, as made his highness think he had a higher idea +of the employment than it indeed deserved; but the baron who knew the +motive, and could not help smiling within himself, to prevent any other +from suspecting it, however, told the prince, that it was not to be +wondered at that he testified so high a satisfaction, since he was now +to serve a family he had by nature a strong attachment to, and at the +same time continue in a country he liked much better than his own. + +Horatio by this time having a little recovered himself, and sensible he +had gone rather too far, seconded what the baron had said, and no more +observations were made on it. + +That same evening, the prince having made it his request, was Horatio +permitted to kiss the hand of the Chevalier St. George, and the ensuing +day took possession of the apartment appropriated to the office +bestowed on him. + +After having received the congratulations of a whole court, who +testified a great deal of satisfaction in having him among them, and +paid his compliments in a particular manner to mademoiselle Charlotta, +he took abundance of pleasure in viewing all the apartments of a palace +famous for the birth of one of the greatest monarchs of the age, and for +being the asylum of the distrest royal family of England: when his +attendance on his master gave him leisure, he frequently passed many +hours together in a closet, where he was told the late king James used +to retire every day to pray for the prosperity of that people who had +abjur'd him. Young as Horatio was, and gay by nature, he sometimes loved +to indulge the most serious meditations; and this place, as well as the +condition of those he served, remonstrating to him the instability of +all human greatness, he made this general reflection, that there was +nothing truly valuable but virtue, because the owner could be deprived +of that only by himself, and not by either the fraud or force of others. + +Indeed the behaviour of all the persons who composed this court could +not but inspire those who saw it with sentiments of the nature I have +described: the queen herself, tho' of too great a soul to shew any marks +of repining at her fate, was never seen to smile: even the Chevalier St. +George and princess had both of them a very serious air, which denoted +they had reflections more befitting their condition than their years; +and those about them being most of them persons who had left the +greatest part of their fortunes as well as kindred either in England, +Scotland or Ireland, had their own misfortunes as well as that of the +royal cause to lament, and therefore could not but wear a dejection in +their countenances: in fine, every thing he saw seem'd an emblem of +fallen majesty, except on drawing-room nights, and then indeed the +splendor of Marli and Versailles shone forth at St. Germains in the +persons of those who came to pay their compliments, among whom were not +only the Dauphine and all the princes of the blood, but even the grand +monarch himself thought it not beneath his dignity to give this proof of +his respect once or twice every week. + +This way of living, and the company he was now associated with, gave +Horatio a manly way of thinking much sooner than otherwise perhaps he +might have had, yet did not rob him of his vivacity: some of the queen's +women, and the young ladies about the princess, particularly +mademoiselle Charlotta, had a thousand sprightly entertainments among +themselves, into which he, the baron de la Valiere, and some others who +had attachments at that court, were always admitted. + +But now the time arrived in which he was to lose the society of that +valuable friend; the campaign was ready to open, and he was obliged to +head his troops and follow the marshals de Villars and Marsin +into Flanders. + +All the conversation turning now on war, those martial inclinations, +which love and the season of the year had occasioned to lye dormant for +a while in the bosom of Horatio, now revived in him: he embraced the +baron at taking leave of him with tears of affection and regret: how +cruel is my fate, said he, to make me of a nation at enmity with yours, +and that I can neither fight for you nor against you! + +Well, my dear Horatio, replied the other, France may hereafter have +occasion to employ your arm where there are no ties of duty to restrain +you:--in the mean time, continued he with a smile, softer engagements +may employ your thoughts;--mademoiselle Charlotta de Palfoy is a +conquest worth pursuing. + +This was the first hint the baron had ever given him of the discovery he +had made of his sentiments, and it so much the more surprized him that +he was told by another what he was not certain of himself:--he knew +indeed the society of that young lady gave him infinite satisfaction, +and that he was restless when absent from her; but these words, and the +air with which they were spoke, shewed him more of his own heart than he +had before examined into;--he blush'd excessively, and made no answer; +on which, you have no cause, resumed the baron, to be asham'd of the +passion you are inspired with, nor troubled at my discovery of it:--I +assure you I have seen it a long time; and tho' you never honoured me +with your confidence in that point, have taken all opportunities of +doing justice to your merit in the conversations I have had with +mademoiselle, who I had the satisfaction to find was not displeased with +what I said upon that head; and I flatter myself with having a good +account of the progress you have made at my return. + +I have too much experience of your friendship and goodness to me, +replied Horatio, not to assure myself of your doing me all manner of +kind offices;--I have indeed so great a regard for that lady you +mention, that I know none of her sex who I so much wish should think +well of me, yet is she utterly ignorant of the sentiments I have for +her; and if I am possessed of that passion which they call love, which I +protest I am not certain of myself, I have never made the least +declaration that can give her room to imagine any such thing. + +The baron laughed heartily to hear him speak in this manner, and then +told him there was no need of words to make known an inclination of that +kind;--it was to be seen in every look and motion of the person inspired +with it.--Mademoiselle de Palfoy, continued he, young as she is, I dare +answer has penetration enough to see the conquest she has made, but has +not yet learned artifice enough to conceal that she is at the same time +subdued herself;--and if you would take the advice of a person who has +some experience in these affairs, you will endeavour to engage her to a +confession before too much observation on the behaviour of others to +their lovers, shall teach her those imperious airs by which women +frequently torment the heart that adores them, tho' their own perhaps in +doing so feels an equal share. + +Horatio, who had seen something like this between the baron and his +mistress, found a great deal of reason in what he said, and promised to +be guided by him, especially as he had encouragement enough to hope, by +all the treatment he had found from Charlotta, that a declaration of +love from him would not offend her beyond forgiveness. + +From that time forward he therefore began to think in what manner he +should first disclose the tender secret to the dear object of his +affections: when absent from her he easily found words, but when +present, that awe which is inseparable from a real passion struck him +entirely dumb; and whenever he was about to open his mouth to utter what +he intended, he had neither words nor voice; and tho' he saw her every +day, was often alone with her, and had opportunity enough to have +revealed himself, yet could he not get the better of his timidity for a +great while, and perhaps should have been much longer under this cruel +constraint, had not an accident favoured his wishes beyond what he could +have hoped, or even imagined, and by shewing him part of what passed in +her soul, emboldened him to unfold what his own laboured with on +her account. + + + +CHAP. VI. + +_Describes the masquerade at the dutchess of Main's; the characters and +intrigues of several persons of quality who were there; the odd +behaviour of a lady in regard to Horatio, and Charlotta's +sentiments upon it_. + +The dutchess of Main was one of the gayest and most gallant ladies at +the court of Lewis XIV. she was for ever entertaining the nobility with +balls, masquerades, or concerts; and as she was of the blood royal, and +highly respected not only on that score, but by the distinguish'd favour +of the king, the Chevalier St. George, and the princess his sister, +frequently honoured her assemblies with their presence. + +To divert those ladies whose husbands were gone to Flanders, as she +said, she now proposed a masquerade; and the day being fixed, it was the +sole business of the young and gay to prepare habits such as were most +suitable to their inclinations, or, as they thought, would be most +advantageous to their persons. + +The Chevalier St. George was dressed in a rich Grecian habit of +sky-coloured velvet embroidered with large silver stars: the top of his +cap was encompassed with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, saphirs, amythists, +and other precious stones of various colours, set in rows in the exact +form of a rainbow: a light robe of crimson taffaty, fringed with silver, +was fastened by a knot of jewels on his left shoulder, and crossed his +back to the right side, where it was tucked into a belt of the finest +oriental pearls, and thence hung down and trail'd a little on the +ground: in fine, there was nothing that exceeded the magnificence and +eloquence of his appearance, or was in any measure equal to it in the +whole assembly, except that of the princess Louisa his sister. + +She would needs go as a Diana, and obliged all her ladies to be habited +like nymphs: no idea of this goddess, inspired either by the painter or +the poet's art, can in any degree come up to that which the fight of +this amiable princess gave every beholder. Conformable to the character +she assumed, she had a large crescent of diamonds on her head, which had +no other covering than a great quantity of the finest hair in the world, +partly braided with pearls and emeralds, and partly flowing in ringlets +down on her alabaster neck: her garments were silver tissue, white and +shining as the moon on a clear frosty night; and being buttoned up a +little at the bottom as for the conveniency of the chace, shewed great +part of her fine proportioned ankle. In her hand she held an ivory bow, +and an arrow of the same headed with gold; and on her shoulder was fixed +a quiver curiously wrought and beset with jewels: her attendants, which +were six in number, had their habits green, but made in the same fashion +of the princess's, with bows and arrows in their hands, and quivers at +their backs: all of them had their hair turned up under a caul of silver +net, from which hung little tossels of pearl intermixed with diamonds. + +Next to this fair troop the duchess of Main herself attracted the +attention of the assembly: she was habited like an Indian queen, with +robes composed of feathers so artfully placed, that they represented a +thousand different kind of birds and beasts, which, as she moved, seemed +to have motion in themselves: on her head she had a lofty plume +supported by a cap, and richly ornamented with precious stones; as were +all her garments wherever the propriety of the fashion of them would +give leave. + +The young mademoiselle de Bourbon, in the habit of a sea-nymph, and +mademoiselle de Blois, in that of a Minerva, ornamented and decorated +according to their several characters, had also their share of +admiration. + +Nor did the marchionesses of Vallois and Lucerne, both in the garb of +shepherdesses, serve as mere foils to those I have mentioned: there was +something; even in this plainness that shewed the elegance of the +wearer's taste. + +The prince of Conde, the dukes of Berry, Vendosine and Chartres, the +young marquis de Montbausine, the counts de Chenille, de Ranbeau, and +the baron de Roche, had all of them habits extremely rich and well +fancied, as were many others of whom it would be too tedious to make +particular mention, and be likewise digressive to the matter I take upon +me to relate; I shall therefore only say, that there was not one person +of either sex, who did not endeavour to set themselves forth to all +possible advantage. + +Those gentlemen who attended the Chevalier St. George were at their +liberty to appear in what habit they pleased: Horatio knowing his +charming Charlotta was a nymph of the forest, chose to be a hunter, and +was accordingly dressed in green, with a little cap on his head and a +javelin in his hand, as Acteon is generally portrayed; and indeed had he +studied what garb would have become him best, he could not have fixed on +one more proper for that purpose. + +Fine madamoiselle de Sanserre at least thought him more worthy her +regard than any of those, the richness of whose habits made her know +were of a higher rank:--she took particular notice of him, made him +dance with her, and said a thousand gallant things to him; but he could +very well have dispensed with hearing them, and found little +satisfaction in any thing that deprived him of entertaining his dear +Charlotta, who he easily knew by her air and shape from all those who +were habited in the same manner. As he doubted not, however, but the +person who had thus singled him out was a lady of condition, he returned +her civilities with a politeness which was natural to him, but which had +received great improvements since his arrival in France. She was no less +charm'd with his conversation than she had been with his person, and +impatient to know who he was, made an offer of shewing him her face on +condition he would pluck off his mask at the same time: but this he +would by no means agree to, because still hoping to get rid of her, and +have some discourse with mademoiselle Charlotta, he did not think proper +he should be known by any other, who might perhaps make remarks on his +behaviour; and therefore excused himself from complying with her desires +in terms as obliging as the circumstance would admit. + +As she had displayed all her talents of wit and eloquence to engage him, +she looked on the little curiosity she had been able to inspire in him +as an affront, and vexed she had thrown away so much time on an +insensible, as she called him, flung hastily away, and joining with some +other company, left him at liberty to pursue his inclinations. + +This lady had been a royal mistress, but not having the good fortune to +be made a mother, was not honoured with any title; her being forsaken by +the king, who indeed had few amours of any long continuance, did not in +the least abate the good opinion she had of her beauty; and to fee +herself followed by a train of lovers being the supreme pleasure of her +life, she spared nothing to attract and engage: whenever she failed in +this expectation it was a severe mortification; but her vanity and the +gaity of her humour would not suffer it to prey upon her spirits for +above a minute, and she diverted the shock of a rebuff in one place by +new attempts to conquer in another; therefore it is probable thought no +more of Horatio after she had turned from him. + +He now carefully avoided all that might interrupt his wishes, and seeing +Charlotta had just broke off some conversation she had been entertained +with, made what haste he could to prevent her from being +re-engaged:--She immediately knew him; and as their mutual innocence +made them perfectly free in expressing themselves to each other, she +told him she was glad he was come; that they would keep together the +whole masquerade, provided he did not think it a confinement, to prevent +her being persecuted with the impertinencies of some people there, who +she found thought a masque a kind of sanction for saying any thing. + +It is not to be doubted but Horatio gave her all the assurances that +words could form, of feeling the most perfect pleasure in her society, +and that he should not; without the extremest reluctance, find himself +obliged to abandon the happiness she offered him to any other person in +the company: to recompence this complaisance, as she called it, she gave +him a brief detail of the characters of as many as she knew thro' their +habits; and in doing this discovered a sweet impartiality and love of +truth, which was no small addition to her other charms. She blamed the +baroness de Guiche for not being able to return the affection of a +husband who had married her with an inconsiderable fortune, and had +since she had been his wife pardoned a thousand miscarriages in her +conduct:--she praised the virtue of mademoiselle de Mareau, who being at +fifteen the bride of a man of seventy, behaved to him with a tenderness, +and exact conformity to his will, which, if owing alone to duty, was not +to be distinguished from inclination:--she expressed a concern that the +gaity of the dutchess of Vendome gave the world any room for censure, +and highly condemned the duke for being guilty of actions which had made +her sometimes give into parties of pleasure by way of retaliation:--but +she was more severe on the indecorum of mademoiselle de Renville, who +being known for the mistress of the duke of Chartres, and that she was +supported by him, was fond of appearing in all public places. She could +not help testifying a good deal of surprize, that any woman who +pretended to virtue would admit her into their assemblies: not but she +said the case of that lady was greatly to be pitied, who being high-born +and bred had been reduced to the lowest exigencies of life, and from +which to be relieved she had only consented to assist the looser +pleasures of the amorous duke; but, added she, I would not methinks have +her seem to glory in her shame, and in a manner of life which her +misfortunes alone can render excusable; nor can I approve of the +indulgence her mistaken triumph meets with, because it may not only +destroy all notions of regret in herself for what her necessities oblige +her to, but also make others, who have not the same pretence, find a +kind of sanction for their own errors:--vice, said she, ought at lead to +blush, and hide itself as much as possible from view, left by being +tolerated in public it should become a fashion. + +Horatio was so much taken up with admiring the justness of her +sentiments, that awed by them, as it were, he could not yet, tho' +mask'd, make any discovery of his own: she was about entering into a +discourse with him concerning the first motives which had rendered some +persons she pointed out to him unhappy in the marriage-state, which +perhaps might have given him an opportunity for explaining himself, when +a lady richly dress'd came up to them, and giving Horatio a sudden pluck +by the arm; villain! cried she. Madam, returned he, strongly amazed. Is +the trifling conversation of Sanserre, resumed she, or this little +creature to be preferred to a woman of that quality you have dared to +abuse?--but this night has convinced her of your perfidy:--she sends you +this, continued she, giving him a slap over the face as hard as she +could, and be assured it is the last present you will ever receive +from her. + +She had no sooner uttered these words than she flew quick as lightning +out of the room, leaving Horatio in such a consternation both at what +she said and did, as deprived him even of the thought of following her, +or using any means to solve this riddle.--He was in a deep musing when +mademoiselle Charlotta, possessed that moment with a passion she till +then was ignorant of, said to him; I find, Horatio, you have wonderfully +improved the little time you have been in France, to gain you a +multiplicity of mistresses; but I am sorry my inadvertency in talking to +a man so doubly pre-engaged, should cause me to be reckoned among the +number. In speaking this she turned away with a confusion which was +visible in her air, and the scarlet colour with which her neck was dyed. +By heaven! cried he, in the utmost agitation, I know so little the +meaning of what I have just now heard, that it seems rather a dream than +a reality. O the deceiver! returned she, a little slackening her pace, +will you pretend to have given no occasion for the reproach you have +received:--great must have been your professions to draw on you a +resentment such as I have been witness of;--but I shall take care to +give the lady, whoever she is, no farther room for jealousy on my +account; and as for mademoiselle Sanserre, I believe the stock of +reputation she has will not suffer much from the addition of one more +favourite to the number the world has already given her. + +The oddness of this adventure, and the vexation he was in to find +Charlotta seemed incensed against him for a crime of which he knew +himself so perfectly innocent, destroyed at once all the considerations +his timidity had inspired, and aiming only to be cleared in her +opinion;--if there be faith in man, cried he, I know nothing of what I +am accused: no woman but your charming self ever had the power to give +me an uneasy moment;--it is you alone have taught me what it is to love, +and as I never felt, I never pretended to that passion for any other. + +Me! replied Charlotta, extremely confused; If it were so, you take a +strange time and method to declare it in;--but I know of no concern I +have in your amours, your gratitude, or your perfidy; and you had better +follow and endeavour to appease your enraged mistress, than lose your +time on me in vain excuses. + +Ah mademoiselle! cried he, how unjust and cruel are you, and how severe +my fate, which not content with the despair my real unworthiness of +adoring you has plunged me in, but also adds to it an imputation of +crimes my soul most detests:--I never heard even the name of the lady +you mentioned till your lips pronounced it; and if it be she I danced +with, I protest I never saw her face: and as for the meaning of the +other lady's treatment of me, it must certainly be occasioned by some +mistake, having offered nothing to any of the sex that could justify +such a proceeding. + +All the time he was speaking Charlotta was endeavouring to compose +herself.--The hurry of spirits she had been in at the apprehensions of +Horatio's having any amorous engagements, shewing her how much interest +she took in him, made her blush at having discovered herself to him so +far; and tho' she could not be any more tranquil, yet she thought she +would for the future be more prudent; to this end she now affected to +laugh at the dilemma into which she told him he had brought himself, by +making addresses in two places at the same time, and advised him in a +gay manner to be more circumspect. + +Thus was this beautiful lady, by her jealousy, convinced of her +sensibility; and as difficult as Horatio found it to remove the one, he +found his consolation in the discovery of the other. + +From the time he had been disengaged from mademoiselle Sanferre, he had +retired with Charlotta to one corner of the room; and the greatest part +of the company being in a grand dance, the others were taken up in +looking on them, so that our young lovers had the opportunity of talking +to each other without being taken much notice of; but several of the +masquers now drawing nearer that way, prevented Horatio from saying any +thing farther at that time, either to clear his innocence or prosecute +his passion; and Charlotta, glad to avoid all discourse on a subject she +thought herself but ill prepared to answer, joined some ladies, with +whom she stayed till the ball was near concluded. + +Horatio after this withdrew to a window, and flickered behind a large +damask curtain, threw himself on a sopha he found there, and ruminated +at full on the adventure had happened to him, in which he found a +mixture of joy and discontent: the behaviour of Charlotta assured him he +was not indifferent to her; but then the thoughts that he appeared in +her eyes as ungrateful, inconstant and perfidious, made him tremble, +left the idea of what he seemed to be should utterly erase that +favourable one she had entertained of what he truly was. By what means +he should prove his sincerity he knew not; and as he was utterly +unpracticed in the affairs of love, lamented the absence of his good +friend the baron de la Valiere, who he thought might have been, able to +give him same advice, how to proceed. + +He remained buried, as it were, in these cogitations, when a lady +plucked back the curtain which screen'd him, and without seeing any one +was there, threw herself on the sopha almost in his lap.--Oh heaven! +cried she, perceiving what she had done, and immediately rose; but +Horatio starting up, would not suffer her to quit the place, telling +her, that since she chose it, it was his business to retire, and leave +her to indulge whatever meditations had brought her thither. She thank'd +him in a voice which, by its trembling, testified her mind was in some +very great disorder; and added, if your good nature, said she, be equal +to your complaisance, you will do me the favour to desire a lady, +dressed in pink and silver, with a white sattin scarf cross her +shoulder, to come here directly:--you cannot, continued she, be mistaken +in the person, because there is no other in the same habit. Tho' Horatio +was very loth to engage himself in the lady's affairs, fearing to give a +second umbrage to mademoiselle Charlotta, yet he knew not how to excuse +granting so small a request, and therefore assured her of his +compliance. + +Accordingly he sent his eyes in quest, which soon pointed out to him the +person whom she had described: having delivered his message to her; +Horatio! cried she, somewhat astonished, how came you employed in this +errand? he knew her voice, and that it was mademoiselle de Coigney, the +mistress of his friend the baron, on which he immediately told her how +the lady had surprized him: she laughed heartily, and said no more but +left him, and went to the window he had directed. + +For a long time he sought in vain for an opportunity of speaking to the +object of his affections: she was still engaged either in dancing or in +different parties; and as his eyes continually followed her, he easily +perceived she purposely avoided him. A magnificent collation being +prepared in a great drawing-room next to that in which the company were, +they all went in to partake of it. The entertainment was served up on +two large tables; but as every one was mask'd, and the vizards so +contriv'd, that those who wore them could eat without plucking them off, +they sat down promiscuously without ceremony or any distinction of +degrees, none being obliged to know another in these disguises; only the +attendants of the Chevalier St. George, and the princess Louisa, took +care not to place themselves at the same they were, so by this means sat +together; but a great number of others being mingled with them, no +particular conversation could be expected. + +Supper being over, they all returned to the ballroom; and Horatio having +contrived it so as to get next Charlotta, she could not refuse the offer +he made her of his hand to lead her in; but as he was about saying +something to her in a low voice, a man came hastily to him, and taking +him a little on one side, presented him with a letter, and then retired +with so much precipitation, that Horatio could neither ask from whom it +came, nor well discern what sort of person it was that gave it him. He +put it however in his pocket, designing to read it at more leisure, his +curiosity for the contents not equalling his desire of entertaining +mademoiselle Charlotta; but that young lady, whose jealousy received new +fewel from this object, had slipt away before he could turn from the +man, and had already mixed with a cluster of both sexes who had got into +the room before them. + +Horatio finding all attempts to speak to her that night would be +ineffectual, went back into the drawing-room where they supped, and +where but few people remaining he might examine the letter with more +freedom. He saw it had no superscription; but supposing the inside would +give him some satisfaction, he broke it open hastily and found in it +these lines. + + +'Whether false or faithful still are you dear to +me; and if I am in the least so to you, +the treatment you received will be pardoned for +the sake of the occasion:--I own that at a +place where you might have been as particular as +you pleased with me without suspicion, it enraged +me to see you waste those precious moments +with others which I flattered myself to have solely +engrossed;--besides, the character of mademoiselle +Sanserre is so well known, that I thought +you would have avoided her of all others; yet +had she forced herself upon you, sure you might +afterwards have come to me, when I had given +you so particular a description of the habit I +should wear; but instead of making any excuse +for a first transgression, you hurry to a second, +and pay all your devoirs to another, whom indeed +I knew not at that time, but am since informed +she is one of the maids of honour to princess +Louisa.--I must confess I had not resolution +enough to suffer so cruel an injustice, and being +too much overcome by my passion to resent it as +I ought, I left the place, and desired our friend to +do it for me.--I find she somewhat exceeded +her commission, but you must forgive her, since +it was her love for me:--I am now at her +house, where I impatiently expect you--The +baron is secure for some hours;--those we may +pass together, if you still think there is any thing +worth quitting the masquerade for, to be found +in the arms of + +_Yours_, &c, + +_P.S._ If you now fail, no excuse hereafter shall +ever plead your pardon.' + + +This letter confirmed Horatio in the belief he had before, that he had +been mistaken by the lady for some favorite person; but who the lady +was, he was as much in the dark as ever; nor would he have given himself +any trouble concerning it, if he had not hoped by that means to have +retrieved the good opinion of Charlotta. He was however impatient to +shew her the letter, as he doubted not but she had seen it delivered to +him; but with all his assiduity he could not obtain one word in private +during the masquerade; and when it was broke up, which was not till near +morning, and they returned to St. Germains, it was impossible, because +he knew she must be in the princess's chamber, as he in that of the +Chevalier St. George: he was therefore obliged to content himself with +the hope that the next day would be more favourable. + + + +CHAP. VII. + +_An explanation of the foregoing adventure, with a continuation of the +intrigues of some French ladies, and the policy of mademoiselle Coigney +in regard of her brother_. + +It cannot be supposed that either of our young lovers enjoyed much true +repose that night, tho' the fatigue of the dance might naturally require +it: the one did but just know herself a lover before she felt the worst +torments of that passion in her jealousy; and the other having been +compelled, as it were, to lay open his heart in order to convince his +charmer it had no object but herself in view, knew not but his temerity +in doing so might be imputed to him as no less a crime than that from +which he attempted to be cleared: each had their different anxieties; +but those of Horatio were the least severe, because thro' all the +indignation of his mistress he saw marks of an affection, which he could +not have flattered himself with if they had not been evident; and +conscious of his innocence, doubted not but time would both explain that +and reconcile the offended fair:--whereas Charlotta was far from being +able to assure herself of her lover's fidelity: she could not conceive +how, in the compass of one night, such a plurality of mistakes should +happen to the same man, and trembled at the reflection that this man, +who possibly was the falsest of his sex, should not only have made an +impression on her heart, but also, by the concern she had so unwarily +expressed, have reason to triumph in his conquest:--ashamed therefore of +what she felt, and determined to make use of her utmost efforts to +conceal it for the future, if not to conquer it, she thought to shun all +occasions of seeing or speaking to this dangerous invader of her peace +was the first step she ought to take; but how little is a heart, +possessed of the passion her's was, capable of judging for itself, or +maintaining any resolutions in prejudice of the darling object!--she had +no sooner set it down as a rule to avoid him, than she began to wish for +his presence, and contented herself with thinking she desired it only +out of curiosity to hear what he would say, and to have an opportunity, +by a rallying manner of behaviour, to destroy whatever conjectures he +might have form'd in favour of his passion; but all this time she +deceived herself, and in reality only longed for an interview with him, +in hopes he would find means to justify himself. Horatio, who was +impatient to attempt it, seeing her at a distance walking on the terrass +with no other company than mademoiselle de Coigney, went immediately to +join them, thinking that if the presence of this lady might be a bar to +many things he wanted to say to Charlotta, it would be of service to him +another way, by preventing her from making him any reproaches. + +As soon as he came near, I owe you little thanks, Horatio, said +mademoiselle de Coigney laughing, for the interruption you gave me last +night. In the multiplicity of those reflections which his own affairs +had occasioned him, he had entirely forgot the lady in the window; and +imagining some other accident had happened which should make him appear +yet more guilty in the eyes of Charlotta, ask'd her, with some +impatience, what she meant? don't you remember, answered she, that you +brought me a message from a certain lady? Yes, madam, said he, and in +that, thought I did no more than my duty obliged me to, as she seemed +under some perplexity, which I supposed she was impatient to +acquaint you with. + +You judged rightly, indeed, resumed de Coigney; but had you known how +gladly I would have dispensed with the honour of her confidence, I dare +answer you would have spared it me:--I'll tell you, my dear, pursued she +turning to Charlotta, for the secrets of this lady are pretty universal; +and I am certain that I have heard from no less than fifty different +persons, that very affair she was in such a hurry to inform me of last +night: you must needs have heard of the amour between madam la Boissy +and the chevalier de Mourenbeau? frequently, replied Charlotta; her +ridiculous jealousies of him have long been the jest of the whole court; +and I never go to Marli or Versailles, but I am told of some new +instance of it. And yet to relate a long story of her passion, and his +ingratitude, said mademoiselle de Coigney, was I last night dragged into +a dark corner, and deprived for an hour together of all the pleasures of +the masquerade: it seems she had over-heard some gallant things between +him and the daughter of the count de Granpree, and that gave her the +occasion of running into a recapitulation of all the professions of +constancy he had made to herself, the proofs she had given him of a too +easy belief, and the little regard he now paid to her peace of mind.--I +was obliged to affect a pity for her misfortunes, and gratitude for the +trust she reposed in me, tho' neither the one or the other merited in +reality any thing but contempt. + +One often suffers a good deal from one's complaisance this way, said +Charlotta; and for my part there is nothing I would more carefully avoid +than secrets of this nature; but you have not told me how far Horatio +was accessary to bringing you into this trouble. + +He them said that he would save mademoiselle de Coigney the labour, and +immediately related how the lady they were speaking of threw herself +upon him, and afterwards enjoined him to deliver the message. But, added +he, I think last night was one of the most unfortunate ones I have ever +known, since, with all the care I could take, I was continually +prevented by other people's concerns from prosecuting my own.--I was not +only insulted and reproached for being mistaken for some other person, +for it could happen no other way, but also soon after received a letter +no less mysterious to me than the blow, which doubtless came from the +same quarter: as there is no name subscribed, or if there were, I should +look on myself as under no obligation of secrecy, I will beg leave to +communicate it to you, ladies. + +With these words he took the letter out of his pocket and held it open +between them: Charlotta conquered her impatience so far as not to take +it out of his hand; but mademoiselle Coigney snatched it hastily, +imagining she knew the hand; nor was she deceived in her conjecture: she +had no sooner read it slightly over;--see here, mademoiselle Charlotta, +said she, a new proof of madam de Olonne's folly, and my brother's +continued attachment to that vile woman. + +Charlotta then looked over the letter with a satisfaction that was +visible in her countenance; and as soon as she had done, then it is +plain, said she, that Horatio was mistaken for monsieur de Coigney: but +how it happened so is what I cannot conceive. + +I can easily solve the riddle, replied mademoiselle de Coigney: I heard +my brother say he intended to wear a hunting dress at the masquerade; +but being disappointed of going to it, by his most christian majesty +sending for him to Marli, I suppose too suddenly for him to give notice +of his enforced absence to madame d' Olonne, and Horatio by chance +appearing in the same habit which he had doubtless told her he would be +in, and their sizes being pretty much alike, she might very well be +deceived, and also have a seeming reason for the jealousy and rage her +letter testifies. + +Nothing could exceed the joy Horatio felt at this unexpected +eclaircisement of his innocence, which was also doubled by the pleasure +which, in spight of all her endeavours to restrain it, he saw sparkle in +the eyes of his beloved Charlotta. Neither of them, however, had any +opportunity of expressing their sentiments at this time, de Coigney +continuing with them till dinner, when they all separated to go to their +respective tables. + +The next day afforded what in this he had sought in vain:--he found her +alone in her own apartment; and having broke the ice, was now grown bold +enough to declare his passion, with all the embellishments necessary to +render it successful: mademoiselle Charlotta knew very well what became +the decorum of her sex, and was too nice an observer of it not to behave +with all the reserve imaginable on this occasion. All the freedom she +had been accustomed to treat him with, while ignorant of his or her own +inclination, was now banished from her words and actions, and she +gravely told him, that if he were in earnest, it was utterly improper +for her to receive any professions of that kind without the approbation +of monsieur de Palfoy her father; and as there was but very little +probability of his granting it, on many considerations, she would wish +him to quell in its infancy an affection which might otherwise be +attended with misfortunes to them both. + +It is certain, indeed, that in this she spoke no more than what her +reason suggested: she knew very well that her father had much higher +expectations in view for her, and that on the least suspicion of her +entertaining a foreigner, and one who seemed to have no other dependance +than that of favour, she should be immediately removed from St. +Germains; so that it behoved her to be very circumspect in any +encouragement she gave him: but tho' she spoke to him in this manner, it +was not, as her actions afterwards fully demonstrated, that she really +designed what she said should make him desist his pretensions, but that +he should be careful how he let any one into the secret of his heart. +She foresaw little prospect of their love ever being crown'd with +success, yet found too much pleasure in indulging it to be able to wish +an extinction of it, either in him or herself; and in spight of all the +distance she assumed, he easily perceived that whatever difficulties he +should have to struggle with in the prosecution of his addresses, they +would not be owing to her cruelty. They were both of them too young to +attend much to consequences; and as securing the affections of each +other was what each equally aimed at, neither of them reflected how +terrible a separation would be, and how great the likelihood that it +must happen they knew not how soon. + +As the remonstrances of mademoiselle Charlotta had all the effect she +intended them for on Horatio, he so well commanding himself that no +person in the world, except the baron de la Valiere, who was absent, had +the least intimation of his passion, they might probably have lived a +long time together in the contentment they now enjoyed, had not an +accident, of which neither of them could have any notion, put a stop +to it. + +Horatio thought no more on the affair of madame de Olonne and monsieur +de Coigney, from the time he had been cleared of having any concern with +that lady, yet was that night's adventure productive of what he looked +upon as the greatest misfortune could befal him. But to make this matter +conspicuous to the reader, it is necessary to give a brief detail of the +circumstances that led to it. + +This lady, who was wife to the baron de Olonne, was one of the most +beautiful, and most vicious women in the kingdom; she entertained a +great number of lovers; but there was none more attached to her, or more +loved by her than young monsieur de Coigney: he had for a long time +maintained a criminal correspondence with her, to the great trouble of +all his friends, who endeavoured all they could, but in vain, to wean +him from her: he had lately a recounter with one of her former lovers, +which had like to have cost him his life; and it was with great +difficulty, and as much as the relations on both sides could do, by +representing to the king that they were set upon by street-robbers, that +they avoided the punishment the law inflicts on duelists. De Coigney was +but just recovered of the hurts he had received, when, so far from +resolving to quit the occasion of them, he made an appointment to meet +her at the masquerade:--they had described to each other the habit they +intended to wear, when, as he was preparing for the rendezvous, an +express came from the king, commanding his immediate attendance at +Marli, where the court then was: this was occasioned by old monsieur de +Coigney, who having, by some spies he kept about his son, received +intelligence of this assignation, had no other way to disappoint it than +by the royal authority, which he easily procured, as he was very much in +favour with his majesty; and had laid the matter before him. + +The person who came with the mandate had orders not to quit the presence +of young Coigney, but bring him directly; by which means he was deprived +of all opportunity of sending his excuses to madame de Olonne, who +coming to the masquerade big with expectation of seeing her favourite +lover, and finding him, as she imagined, engaged with others, and wholly +regardless of herself, was seized with the most violent jealousy; and +not able to continue in a place where she had received so manifest a +slight, desired mademoiselle de Freville, her confidant and companion, +to upbraid him with his inconstancy; which request she complied with in +the manner already related, and which gave mademoiselle Charlotta such +matter of disquiet. + +The amorous madame de Olonne, however, having given vent to the first +transports of her fury, could not hinder those of a softer nature from +returning with the same violence as ever; and for the gratification of +them wrote that letter which Horatio received, and occasioned afterward +the explanation of the whole affair, which explanation he then thought +fortunate for him; but by a whimsical effect of chance it proved utterly +the reverse. + +Mademoiselle de Coigney, who had the most tender affection for her +brother, and passionately wished to make him break off all engagements +with a woman of madame de Olonne's character, and who might possibly +bring him under many inconveniencies, took the hint which mademoiselle +Charlotta unthinkingly gave, by telling her how she had been affronted +on his account by de Freville, of putting something into his head which +might probably succeed better than all the attempts had hitherto been +practised to make him quit his present criminal amour. + +The first time she saw mademoiselle de Freville, she told her as a great +secret that her brother was fallen in love with mademoiselle Charlotta, +and that she believed it would be a match, for he had already engaged +friends to sollicit monsieur de Palfoy on that score. This she knew would +be carried directly to madame de Olonne, and doubted not but it would so +increase her jealous rage, that all he could say in his defence would +pass for nothing: she also added, that he was in the masquerade that +night, tho' for some private reasons best known to himself, said she, he +had ordered his people to give out he was gone to Marli. + +De Freville, who was the creature of madame de Olonne, no sooner +received this intelligence than she flew with it to her, as mademoiselle +de Coigney had imagined: neither did it fail of the desired effect. When +he came to visit her, as he did on the moment of his return from Marli, +the violence of her temper made her break out into such reproaches and +exclamations, as a man had need be very much in love to endure: he +endeavoured to make her sensible of her error by a thousand +protestations; but the more he talk'd of Marli and the king's command, +the more she told him of Charlotta and the masquerade; and almost +distracted to find he still persisted in denying he was there, or had +ever made any tender professions to that lady, she proceeded to such +extravagancies as he, who knew himself innocent, could not forbear +replying to in terms which were far from being softening:--in fine, they +quarrelled to a very high degree, and some company happening to come in +at the same time, hindered either of them from saying any thing which +might palliate the resentment of the other. + +Before they had an opportunity of meeting again, mademoiselle de Coigney +saw her brother; and artfully introducing some discourse of mademoiselle +Charlotta de Palfoy, began to run into the utmost encomiums on that +lady's beauty, virtue, wit, and sweetness of disposition, and at last +added, that she should think herself happy in having her for a sister. +Young de Coigney listened attentively to what she said: he had often +been in her company, but being prepossessed with his passion for madame +de Olonne, her charms had not that effect on him as now that the +behaviour of the other had very much lessened his esteem of her. + +He replied, that he knew no lady more deserving than the person she +mentioned, and should be glad if, by her interest, he might have +permission to visit her: this was all mademoiselle de Coigney wanted; +she doubted not but if he were once engaged in an honourable passion, it +would entirely cure him of all regard for madame de Olonne, and as she +knew he had a good share of understanding, thought that when he should +come to a more near acquaintance with the perfections of Charlotta, the +loose airs of the other would appear in their true colours, and become +as odious to him as once they had been infatuating. + +Finding him so well inclined to her purpose, she took upon herself the +care of introducing him, as it was indeed easy to do, considering the +intimacy there was between her and Charlotta. That young lady received +him as the brother of a person she extremely loved; and little +suspecting the design on which he came, treated him with a gaity which +heightened her charms, and at the same time flattered his hopes, that +there was something in his person not disagreeable to her. + +Mademoiselle de Coigney took care that every visit he made to Charlotta +should be reported to de Olonne, which still heightening her resentment, +together with his little assiduity to moderate it, made a total breach +between them, to the great satisfaction of all his friends in general. +Those of them whom mademoiselle had acquainted with the stratagem by +which she brought it about, praised her wit and address; and as they +knew the family and fortune of mademoiselle Charlotta, encouraged her to +do every thing in her power for turning that into reality which she at +first had made use of only as a feint for the reclaiming of her brother. + +The young gentleman himself stood in need of no remonstrances of the +advantages he might propose by a marriage with Charlotta; her beauty and +the charms of her conversation had made a conquest of his heart far more +complete than any prospect of interest could have done: not only de +Olonne, but the whole sex would now in vain have endeavoured to attract +the least regard from him, and as he was naturally vain, he thought +nothing but Charlotta de Palfoy worthy of him. + +The success he had been accustomed to meet in his love affairs, +emboldened him to declare himself much sooner than he would have done +had he followed the advice of his sister, and too soon to be received in +a manner agreeable to his wishes by a lady of Charlotta's modesty and +delicacy, even had she not been prepossessed in favour of another; for +tho' she respected him as the brother of her friend, that consideration +was too weak to hinder her from letting him know how displeasing his +pretensions were to her, and that if he persisted in them she should be +obliged to refuse seeing him any more. He was now sensible of his error, +and endeavoured to excuse it by the violence of his passion, which he +said would not suffer him to conceal what he felt; but as, when a heart +is truly devoted to one object, the sound of love from any other mouth +is harsh and disagreeable; the more he aimed to vindicate himself in +this point the more guilty he became, and all he said served only to +increase her dislike. + +Mademoiselle de Coigney after this took upon her to intercede for her +brother's passion, but with as ill success as he had done; and being one +day more importunate than usual, mademoiselle Charlotta grew in so ill a +humour, that she told her she was determined to give no encouragement to +the amorous addresses of any man, unless commanded to do so by those who +had the power of disposing her; but, added she, I would not have +monsieur de Coigney make any efforts that way; for were he to gain the +consent of my father, which I am far from believing he would do, I have +so little inclination to give him those returns of affection he may +expect, that in such a case I should venture being guilty of +disobedience. + +Is there any thing so odious then, madam, in the person of my brother? +said de Coigney with a tone that shewed how much she was picqued. I +never gave myself the trouble of examining into the merits either of his +person or behaviour, replied she; but to deal sincerely with you, I have +a perfect aversion to the thoughts of changing my condition, and if you +desire the friendship between us should subsist, you will never mention +any thing of it to me;--and as to your brother, when I am convinced I +shall receive no farther persecutions from him of the nature I have +lately had, he may depend on my treating him with my former regard; till +then, you will do me a favour, and him a service, to desire he would +refrain his visits. + +These expressions may be thought little conformable to the natural +politeness of the French, or to that sweetness of disposition which +mademoiselle Charlotta testified on other occasions; but she found +herself so incessantly pressed both by the brother and the sister, and +that all the denials she had given in a different manner had been +without effect, therefore was obliged to assume a harshness, which was +far from being natural to her, in order to prevent consequences which +she had too much reason to apprehend. + +Horatio soon discovered he had a rival in monsieur de Coigney; and tho' +he easily saw by Charlotta's behaviour that he had nothing to fear on +this score, yet the interruptions he received from the addresses of this +new lover, made him little able to endure his presence, and he sometimes +could not refrain himself from saying such things as, had not the other +been too much buoyed up with his vanity to take them as meant to +himself, must have occasioned a quarrel. + +She made use of all the power she had over him in order to curb the +impetuosity of his temper whenever he met this disturber of his wishes; +but his jealousy would frequently get the better of the respect he paid +her, and they never were together in her apartment without filling her +with mortal fears. She therefore found it absolutely necessary to get +rid of an adorer she hated, in order to hinder one she loved from doing +any thing which might deprive her of him; and tho' she had a real +friendship for mademoiselle de Coigney, yet she chose rather to break +with her, than run the hazard she was continually exposed to by her +brother's indefatigable pursuit. + +But all her precaution was of no effect, as well as, the enforced +patience of Horatio: what most she trembled at now fell upon her, and by +a means she had least thought of. Madame de Olonne, full of malice at +being forsaken by her lover, and soon informed by whose charms her +misfortune was occasioned, got a person to represent to the baron de +Palfoy the conquest his daughter had made in such terms, as made him +imagine she encouraged his passion. Neither the character, family, or +fortune of de Coigney being equal to what he thought Charlotta might +deserve, made him very uneasy at this report; and as he looked on her +not having acquainted him with his pretensions as an indication of her +having an affection for him; he resolved to put a stop to the progress +of it at once, which could be done no way so effectually as by removing +her from St. Germains. + +To this end the careful Father came himself to that court, and waited on +the princess: he told her highness, that being in an ill state of health +and obliged to keep much at home, Charlotta must exchange the honour she +enjoyed in her service, for the observance of her duty to a parent, who +was now incapable of any other pleasures than her society. + +The princess, to whom she was extremely dear, could not think of parting +with her without an extreme concern, but after the reasons he had given +for desiring it, would offer nothing for detaining her, on which she was +immediately called in, and made acquainted with this sudden alteration +in her affairs. + + + +CHAP. VIII. + +_The parting of Horatio and mademoiselle Charlotta, and what happened +after she left St. Germains._ + +A peal of thunder bursting over her head, could not have been more +alarming to mademoiselle Charlotta than the news she now heard; but her +father commanded, the princess had consented, and there was no remedy to +be hoped: she took leave of her royal mistress with a shower of +unfeigned tears, after which she retired to her apartment to prepare for +quitting it, while the baron went to pay his compliments to some of the +gentlemen at that court. + +To be removed in this sudden manner she could impute to no other motive +than that the love of Horatio had by some accident been betrayed to her +father, (for she never so much as thought of monsieur de Coigney;) and +the thoughts of being separated from him was so dreadful, that till this +fatal moment she knew not how dear he was to her:--to add to the +calamity of her condition, he was that morning gone a hunting with the +Chevalier St. George, and she had not even the opportunity of giving him +the consolation of knowing she bore at least an equal part in the grief +this unexpected accident must occasion. Mademoiselle de Coigney came to +take leave of her, as did all the ladies of the queen's train as well as +the princess's, and expressed the utmost concern for losing so agreeable +a companion; but these ceremonies were tedious to her, and as she could +not see Horatio, she dispatched every thing with as much expedition as +her secret discontent would permit her to do, and then sent to let her +father know she was ready to attend him. + +When they were in the coach both observed a profound silence for some +time; at last, I hope Charlotta, said the baron, you have no +extraordinary reasons to be troubled at leaving St. Germains? none, my +lord, answered she, of so much moment to me as the fears my sudden +removal is owing to your being dissatisfied with my conduct. I flatter +myself, resumed he, you are conscious of nothing which should authorize +such an apprehension:--you have had an education which ought to inform +you that persons of your sex and age are never to act in any material +point of themselves:--but courts are places where this lesson is seldom +practised; and tho' the virtues of the English queen and princess are a +shining example to all about them, yet I am of opinion that innocence is +safest in retirement. + +As she was fully convinced in her mind that it was only owing to some +jealousy of her behaviour that she had been taken from St. Germains, and +also that it was on the score of Horatio, she would not enquire too +deeply for fear of giving her father an opportunity of entering into +examinations, which she thought she could not answer without either +injuring the truth, or avowing what would not only have incensed him to +a very great degree, but also put him upon measures which would destroy +even the most distant hope of ever seeing Horatio more. He, on his side, +would not acquaint her with the sentiments which the above-mentioned +suggestions had inspired him with, thinking he should discover more of +the truth by keeping a watchful eye over her behaviour without +seeming to do so. + +During the time of their little journey from the palace of St. Germains +to Paris, where monsieur the baron de Palfoy ordinarily resided, nothing +farther was discoursed on: but when they arrived, and mademoiselle +Charlotta had opportunity of reflecting on this sudden turn, she gave a +loose to all the anxieties it occasioned:--she was not only snatch'd +from the presence of what was most dear to her on earth, but as she had +no confidante, nor durst make any, was also without any means either of +conveying a letter to him, or receiving the least intelligence from him. + +She had been in Paris but a very little time before she perceived the +baron artfully kept her in the most severe restraint under a shew of +liberty; pretending to her, as he had done to the princess, that he was +not well enough to go abroad, he would stay at home whole days together, +and oblige her to read, or play to him on the spinnet, which frequently +she did with an aking heart; and when she went out, it was always in +company with a relation whom he kept at his house on purpose, as he +said, as a companion to divert her, but in reality to be a spy over all +her actions; and had orders to dive, by all the insinuations she was +mistress of, into her very thoughts. All this mademoiselle Charlotta had +penetration enough to discover, and, spite of the discontent she +laboured under, so well concealed what they endeavoured to find out, +that all the traps laid for her were wholly ineffectual. + +But in what manner did the enamoured Horatio support so cruel an +affliction! he was no sooner informed at his return from hunting of what +had happened, than he was seized with agonies, which, in the force he +did himself to conceal, threw him into a fever that confined him to his +bed for several days: as his passion for mademoiselle Charlotta was not +in the least suspected, every body imputed his disorder to be occasioned +by having over-heated himself in the chace, and during his indisposition +was visited by all the court:--the Chevalier St. George sent two or +three times a day to enquire of the health of his countryman, as he was +pleased to call him, and gave him many other tokens how greatly he was +in his favour; but all the civilities he received were not capable of +lessening the anguish of his mind, which kept his body so weak, that +tho' youth and an excellent constitution threw off the fever in a short +time, yet he was unable to quit his chamber in near three weeks, and +when he did, appeared so wan and so dejected, that he seemed no more +than the shadow of the once gay and sprightly Horatio. + +But while he was thus sinking under the burden of his griefs, and +despairing ever to see his adorable Charlotta any more, fate was +providing for him a relief as unexpected as the cause of his present +unhappy situation had been, and to the very same persons also was he +indebted both for the one and the other. + +Young monsieur de Coigney was not less alarmed than Horatio at the +removal of Charlotta, tho' it had not the same effect on him; he was +continually teizing his sister to make her a visit and repeat her +intercessions in his behalf; but she had received such tart answers on +that score, that she was very unwilling to undertake the embassy: +however, she complied at last, and was received by mademoiselle +Charlotta in the most obliging manner, but had not the least opportunity +of executing her commission, that lady having a good deal of company +with her, whom she purposely detained to avoid entering into any +particular conversation with her, till the hour in which she knew her +attendance on the queen would oblige her to take leave. + +The baron de Palfoy was at that time abroad; but when he was informed +who had been there, was a little disturbed that the sister of de Coigney +endeavoured still to keep up her intimacy with his daughter, not +doubting but she had either brought some letter or message from him, as +he was fully persuaded in his mind that there was a mutual affection +between them; but he took no notice of it as yet, thinking that probably +she might make a second visit, and that then he should be better able to +judge of the motive. + +In the mean time the father of monsieur de Coigney being informed of +these proceedings, thought it beneath his son to carry on a clandestine +courtship; and the great share he possessed of the royal favour, he +having been instrumental in gaining some point in the parliament of +Paris, rendered him vain enough to imagine his alliance would not be +refused, tho' there was a superiority both of birth and fortune on the +side of monsieur the baron de Palfoy. + +In a perfect confidence of succeeding in his request, he went to his +house, and, after some little preparation, proposed a match between his +son and mademoiselle de Palfoy. The baron was not at all surprized at +what he said, because he expected, if the young people were kept +asunder, an offer would be made of this kind; and after hearing calmly +all he had to say, in order to induce him to give his consent, he told +him, that he was very sorry he had asked a thing which it was impossible +to grant, because he had already determined to dispose otherwise of his +daughter. Monsieur de Coigney then asked to whom. I know not as yet, +replied the other, but when I said I had determined to dispose her +otherways, I only meant to one who is of blood at least equal to her +own, and who has never, by any public debaucheries, rendered himself +contemptible to the discreet part of mankind. + +De Coigney knew not how either to put up or resent this affront; he knew +very well that his son had behaved so as to give cause for it, yet +thought he had other perfections which might over-balance what, by a +partial indulgence, he looked upon only as the follies of youth; and as +for the reflection on his family, he told the other, that whatever he +was he owed to the merit of his ancestors, not his own, and that he +doubted not but his son would one day raise his name equal to that of +Palfoy. In fine, the pride of the one, and the vanity of the other, +occasioned a contest between them, which might have furnished matter for +a scene in a comedy had any poet been witness of it: the result of it +was that they agreed in this to be mutually dissatisfied with each +other, never to converse together any more, and to forbid all +communication between their families. + +The baron went immediately to his daughter's chamber, and having ordered +her maid, who was then doing something about her, to leave the room, I +have wondered, Charlotta, said he, with a countenance that was far from +betraying the secret vexation of his mind, that you have never, since +your coming to Paris, expressed the least desire of making a visit at +St. Germains, tho' the duty you owe a princess, who seems to have a very +great affection for you, might well have excused any impatience you +might have testified on that score; besides, you owe a visit to +mademoiselle de Coigney. + +The princess merits doubtless all the respect I am able to pay her, +answered she; but, my lord, as it was your pleasure to remove me from +that palace, I waited till your command should licence my return; as for +mademoiselle de Coigney, the intimacy between us will excuse those +ceremonies which are of little weight where there is a real friendship. + +These words confirming all the baron's suspicions, he thought there was +no need of farther dissimulation, and the long-conceived indignation +burst out in looks more furious than the trembling Charlotta had ever +seen in him before.--Yes, degenerate girl! said he, I have but too plain +proofs of the friendship in which you have linked yourself with the +family of the de Coigney's;--but tell me, continued he, how dare you +engage yourself so far without my knowledge? could you ever hope I would +consent to an alliance with de Coigney? + +De Coigney! cried she, much more assured than she had been before the +mention of that name, heaven forbid you should have such a thought! + +The resolution and disdain with which she spoke these words a little +surprized him: what, cried he, have you not encouraged the addresses of +young de Coigney, and even proceeded so far as to make his father +imagine there required no more than to ask my consent to a marriage +between you! + +How much courage does innocence inspire? Charlotta, of late so timid and +alarmed while she thought Horatio was in question, was now all calmness +and composure, when she found de Coigney the person for whom she had +been suspected. She confessed to her father, with the most settled brow, +that he had indeed made some offers of an affection for her, but said, +she had given him such answers, as nothing but the height of arrogance +and folly could interpret to his advantage; and then, on the baron's +commanding her, acquainted him with every particular that had passed +between that young gentleman, his sister, and herself, touching the +affair she was accused of. + +She was so minute in every circumstance, answered with such readiness to +all the questions he asked of her, and seemed so perfectly at ease, as +indeed she was, that the baron could no longer have any doubts of her +sincerity, and was sorry he had taken her so abruptly from St. Germains: +he now told her, that she was at liberty to visit there as frequently as +she pleased, only, as he had been affronted by old monsieur de Coigney, +as well as to silence all future reports concerning the young gentleman, +he expected she would break off all acquaintance with mademoiselle. She +assured him of her obedience in this point, and added, that she could do +it without any difficulty; for tho' she was a lady who had many good +qualities, and one for whom she once had a friendship, yet the taking +upon her to forward her brother's designs had occasioned a strangeness +between them, which had already more than half anticipated his commands. + +Monsieur the baron de Palfoy was now as well satisfied with his daughter +as he had lately been the reverse, and she was allowed once more all +those innocent liberties which the French ladies, above those of any +other nation in the world, enjoy. + +It is not to be doubted but that the first use she made of liberty was +to go to St. Germains: she had heard from mademoiselle de Coigney, when +she came to visit her, that Horatio had been very much indisposed, and +at that time was not quite recovered, and was impatient to give him all +the consolation that the sight of her could afford; but fearing she +should not have an opportunity of speaking to him in private, she wrote +a letter, containing a full recital of the reason which had induced her +father to take her from St. Germains, and the happy mistake he had been +in concerning de Coigney; concluding with letting him know he might +sometimes visit her at Paris as an indifferent acquaintance, not the +least suspicion being entertained of him, and the baron now in so good a +humour with her, that it would not be easy for any one to make him give +credit to any informations to her prejudice. The whole was dictated by a +spirit of tenderness, which, tho' it did not plainly confess an +affection, implied every thing an honourable lover could either +expect or hope. + +On her arrival at St. Germains, where there was an extreme full court to +congratulate the princess Louisa, on the great victories lately gained +by Charles XII. the brave king of Sweeden, to whom she had been some +time contracted, she passed directly to her highness's apartment; and +the Chevalier St. George being then with her, those of his Gentlemen who +had attended him thither, were waiting in the antichamber: among them +was Horatio: the alteration of his countenance on sight of her, after +this absence, was too visible not to have been remarked, had not all +present been too busy in paying their compliments to her, to take any +notice of it. He was one of the last that approached, being willing to +recover the confusion he felt himself in, lest it should have an effect +on his voice in speaking to her. She, more prepared, received his salute +with the same gay civility she did the others, but at the same instant +slipped the letter she had brought with her into his hand. + +Any one who is in the least acquainted with the power of love, may guess +the transports of Horatio at this condescension; but, impatient to know +the dear contents, he went out of the room as soon as he found he could +do it without being observed, and having perused this obliging billet, +found in it a sufficient cordial to revive that long languishment his +spirit had been in. + +At his return he found her engaged in conversation with several +gentlemen and ladies: he mingled in the company, but could expect no +other satisfaction from it than being near his dear Charlotta, and +hearing her speak. The Chevalier St. George soon after came out, and he +was obliged with the rest of his train to quit the place, which at +present contained the object of his wishes. She went in immediately +after to the princess, so he saw her no more that day at St. Germains. + +All that now employed his thoughts was a pretence to visit her at her +father's house; for tho' she had told him in her letter that he might +come as an ordinary acquaintance, yet knowing that the continuance of +their conversation depended wholly on the secrecy of it, he was willing +to avoid giving even the most distant occasions of suspicion. + +Fortune, hitherto favourable to his desires, now presented him with one +more ample than any thing his own invention could have supplied him +with: happening to be at Paris in the company of some friends, with whom +he stayed later than ordinary, he was hurrying thro' the streets in +order to go to the inn where his servant and horses waited for him, when +he heard the clashing of swords at some distance from him: guided by his +generosity, he flew to the place where the noise directed him, and saw +by the lights, which hang out very thick in that city, one person +defending himself against three who pressed very hard upon him, and had +got him down just as Horatio arrived to his relief: he ran among the +assaillants; and either the greatness of his courage, or the belief that +others would come to his assistance, threw them into such a +consternation, that they all sought their safety in their flight, while +the person they had attacked got up again and thanked his deliverer, +without whose timely aid, he said, he could have expected nothing but +death: those who set upon him being robbers, and, as he perceived by +their behaviour, desperate wretches, who were for securing themselves by +taking the lives, as well as money, of those who were too weak to resist +them: he pointed to a dead body on the ground, who he told Horatio was +his servant, and had been killed in his defence. + +But how transported was our young lover when, he found that the person +to whom he had done so signal a piece of service, was the father of his +mistress. As he perceived he had some wounds, tho' they proved but +slight, he compleated the obligation he had began to confer, by +supporting him under the arm till he got home, where the baron made him +enter with him, and would have prevailed with him to stay all night; but +Horatio told him he could not well dispense with being absent from his +post; that it was highly proper he should return to St. Germains that +night late as it was, but would do himself the honour of waiting on him +the next day to enquire after the state of the wounds he had received. + +Mademoiselle Charlotta was gone to bed; but being rouzed by the +accident, no sooner was informed by the surgeons, who were immediately +sent for, that there was nothing dangerous in the hurts her father had +received, than she blessed heaven for making Horatio the instrument of +his preservation. The sense the baron seemed to have of this obligation, +and the praises he bestowed on the gallant manner in which the young +gentleman came to his relief, made her almost ready to flatter herself +that fate interested itself in behalf of their love; and indeed monsieur +the baron, notwithstanding the haughtiness of his nature, had the most +just notions of gratitude; and to testify it to Horatio, would have +refused him scarce any thing except his daughter. But however that +should happen, she still found more and more excuses for indulging the +inclinations she had for him; and tho' she yet had never given him any +such assurances, yet she resolved in her own mind, to live only for him. + +The baron being obliged to keep his bed for several days, Horatio had a +pretence for repeating his visits to him during this time of his +confinement, and afterwards went often by invitation; the other, besides +the obligation he had to him, finding something extremely pleasing in +his conversation, to which (not to take from Horatio's merits) the +obsequiousness he found no difficulty in himself to behave with towards +a Man of his age, his quality, and above all, the father of Charlotta, +not a little contributed. + +The lovers had now frequent opportunities of entertaining each other +both at Paris and St. Germains: nor were any of those demonstrations +which virtue and innocence permitted, wanting between them, to render +them as perfectly easy as people can possibly be, who have yet something +to desire, and much to fear. But as smooth as now their fortune seemed, +they knew not how soon a storm might rise, and give a sudden +interruption to that felicity they enjoyed.--The charms of Charlotta +were every day making new conquests; and among the number of those who +pretended to admire her, how probable was it that some one might be +thought worthy by her father, and she be compelled to receive the +addresses of a rival. These were reflections too natural not to occur to +them both, and whenever they did, could not fail of embittering those +sweets the certainty of a mutual affection had otherwise afforded. + +They had now no trouble from monsieur de Coigney; his father, in order +to make him forget a hopeless passion, had found an employment for him +which obliged him to go many leagues from Paris; and once the +conversation already mentioned at the baron's, his sister and +mademoiselle Charlotta, by command of their respective parents, as well +as their own inclinations, broke off all correspondence, nor even spoke +to each other, unless when happening to meet in a visit, there was no +avoiding it; and then it was in such a distant manner, and with so much +indifference, that none would have imagined they ever had been intimate +friends and companions. + + + +CHAP. IX. + +_A second separation between Horatio and Charlotta, with some other +occurrences_. + +The season of the year now having put an end to the campaign, and the +French, as well as confederate armies, being retired into their winter +quarters, the baron de la Valiere, who had always a special permission +from the general, returned to Paris: Horatio promised himself much +satisfaction in the renewed society of this friend, and no sooner heard +he was on the road than he went to meet him. The baron, charm'd with +this proof of his affection and respect, received him as a brother, and +there was little less freedom used between them. + +After the mutual testimonies and good-will were over de la Valiere began +to ask him concerning mademoiselle Charlotta; on which Horatio +acquainted him with her being removed from St. Germains, and the +occasion of it, not omitting the arrogance with which old monsieur de +Coigney had behaved to her father, and the resentment now between +the families. + +Well, said the baron, but I hope you have been more successful, at least +with the young lady: I will never more trust the intelligence of eyes, +if yours did not hold a very tender intercourse; and I protest to you, +my dear Horatio, that amidst all the toils and dangers of war, my +thoughts were often at St. Germains, not envying, but congratulating the +pleasures you enjoyed in the conversation of that amiable lady. + +I doubt not, replied Horatio with a smile, but we had you with us at a +place which contained mademoiselle de Coigney; and I am of opinion too +she was no less frequently in the camp with you; for in spite of all the +reserve she affected while you were present, she never heard the bare +mention of your name without emotions, which were very visible in her +countenance. + +I would not be vain, replied the baron, but I sometimes have flattered +myself with the hope I was not altogether indifferent to her; tho' for +two whole years that I have constantly made my addresses to her, I never +could obtain one soft confession to assure my happiness:--but let me +know how you have proceeded on the score of mademoiselle Charlotta? +believe me, I am not so engrossed by my own affairs, as not to give +attention to those of a friend. + +Horatio, who had been engaged by Charlotta to preserve an inviolable +secrecy in every thing that had passed between them, without any +exception of persons, would fain have turned the conversation on some +other topic: he truly loved the baron, had the highest opinion of his +discretion, and would have trusted him with the dearest secrets of his +life, provided they related to himself alone; but he had given his word, +his oath, his honour to Charlotta, and durst not violate them on any +consideration; yet, loth to refuse or to deceive his friend, he found +himself in the most perplexing dilemma. As often as the other spoke of +Charlotta, he answered with something of de Coigney; but all his +artifice was ineffectual, and the baron at last saw thro' it, and +assuming a very grave countenance, I perceive, Horatio, said he, you do +not think me worthy your confidence, and I was to blame to press you to +reveal what you resolve to make a mystery of. + +These words made a very deep impression on the grateful soul of him they +were addressed to; and equally distressed between the necessity of +either disobliging a person whose generosity he had experienced, or +falsifying the promise he had made to Charlotta, at last an expedient +offered to his mind how to avoid both, and yet not be guilty of injuring +the truth. + +Alas! my lord, answered he, you little know the heart of Horatio, if you +imagine there be any thing there that would hide itself from you:--I +freely confess, the charms of mademoiselle Charlotta had such an effect +on me, that, had I been in circumstances which in the least could have +flattered me with success, I should long ago have avowed myself her +lover: but when I reflected on the disparity between us, the humour of +her father, and a thousand other impediments, I endeavoured to banish so +hopeless a passion from my breast, and was the more confirmed in my +resolution to do so by the ill treatment monsieur de Coigney +received:--besides, her removal from St. Germains, depriving me in a +great measure of those opportunities I had before of entertaining her, +might very well contribute to wean off a passion, not settled either by +time or expectation, of ever being gratified; and I hope, continued he, +I shall always have so much command over myself as not to become +ridiculous by aiming at impossibilities. + +Whether the baron gave any credit to what he said on this account or +not, he had too much politeness to press him any farther; and the +discourse soon after taking another turn, Horatio was very well pleased +to think he had got off so well. + +De la Valiere having related to him some particulars of the late +campaign, which the public accounts had been deficient in, they passed +from that to some talk of the brave young king of Sweden, a topic which +filled all Europe with admiration: but the French being a people in whom +the love of glory is the predominant passion, were more than any other +nation charmed with the greatness of that prince's soul. + +What indeed has any hero of antiquity to boast of in competition with +this northern monarch, who conquered and gave away kingdoms for the +benefit of others, disdaining to receive any other reward for all his +vast fatigues, than the pleasure of giving a people that person whom he +judged most worthy to reign over them! + +The baron, who had attended the Count de Guiscard when he was +residentiary ambassador from his most christian majesty at the Swedish +court, had an opportunity of seeing more of this monarch than any other +that Horatio was acquainted with; he therefore, on his requesting it, +informed him how, at the age of eighteen, he threw off all magnificence, +forsook the pomp and delicacies of a court he had been bred in, and +undertook, and compleated the delivery of his brother-in-law, the duke +of Holstein, from the cruel incursions of the Danes, who had well nigh +either taken or ravaged the greatest part of his territories. He also +set forth, in its proper colours, the base part which Peter Alexowitz, +czar of Muscovy, and Augustus, king of Poland, acted against a prince +who was then employing his arms in the cause of justice; the latter of +these bringing a powerful army to take from him one part of his +dominions; and the former, at the head of an 100,000 men, were +plundering the other: but when he concluded his little narrative, by +reciting how this young conqueror, with a handful of brave Swedes, +animated by the example of their king, put entirely to route all that +opposed him, Horatio felt his soul glow with an ardour superior even to +that of love: he longed to behold a prince who seemed to have all the +virtues comprized in him, and whose very thoughts, as well as actions, +might be looked upon as super-natural. + +He is, however, greatly to be pitied, said the baron de la Valiere, that +the wars he is engaged in, and which, in all probability will be of long +continuance, hinders him from the possession of the most amiable +princess in the world, and I dare answer, at least if I may credit those +about her, she wishes he were of a less martial disposition. + +He will be the more worthy of her, cried Horatio interrupting him, and +the immortal fame of his actions be a sufficient attonement for all the +years of expectation that may be its purchase. + +From the time Horatio had this discourse with the baron, the king of +Sweden was ever uppermost in his thoughts: he had always reflected that, +in the station he then was, it would be impossible to obtain any more of +mademoiselle Charlotta than her heart, at least while the baron de +Palfoy lived, and that a thousand accidents might deprive him of all +hopes of ever being more happy; but, said he to himself, were I among +the number of those who attend this hero in his martial exploits, I +might at least have an opportunity of proving how far fortune would +befriend me;--who knows but I might be able to do something which might +engage that just and generous monarch to raise me to a degree capable of +avowing my pretensions even to her father, and the same blessed day that +joined our principals, might also make me blessed in the possession of +my dear Charlotta. + +With these ideas did he often flatter himself; but the manner in which +he should accomplish his desires was yet doubtless to him. The chevalier +St. George treated him with so much kindness, that he had no room to +doubt his having a great share in his favour; and was fully perswaded, +that if he communicated his intentions to him, he would vouchsafe to +give him letters of recommendation to a prince who was to be his +brother-in-law: but this he feared to ask, lest it should be looked upon +as ingratitude in him to desire to leave a court where he had been so +graciously received, and had many favours, besides the perquisites of +his post, heaped upon him, not only by the chevalier himself, but also +by the queen and princess, who, following the example of the late king, +behaved with a kind of natural affection to all the English. + +He sometimes communicated his sentiments on this head to mademoiselle +Charlotta, who was too discreet not to allow the justness of them; and +well knew, that in the station her lover now was, they never could be on +any terms with each other than those they were at present: her reason, +therefore, and the advantage of her love, made her sometimes wish he +would follow the dictates of so laudable an ambition; but then the +dangers he must inevitably be exposed to in following a monarch who +never set any bounds to his courage, and the thoughts how long it might +possibly be before she saw him again, alarmed all her tenderness; and he +had the satisfaction of seeing the tears stand in her eyes whenever they +had any discourse of this nature; and tho' her words assured him that it +was her opinion he could not take a more ready way to raise his own +fortune, yet her looks at the same time made him plainly see how much +she would suffer in his taking that step. + +Many reasons, both for and against following his inclination in this +point, presented themselves to him; and he had no sooner, as he thought, +determined for the one, than the other rose with double vehemence and +overthrew the former. In this fluctuating situation of mind did he +remain for some time, and perhaps had done so much longer, had not an +accident happened which proved decisive, and indeed left him no other +party to take than that he afterwards did. + +Charlotta, being now entirely mistress of herself, gave him frequent +meetings in the Tuilleries, judging it safer to converse with him there +than at the house of any person, whom, in such a case, must be the +confidante of the whole affair; whereas, if they were seen together in +the walks, it might be judged they met by accident, and not give any +grounds of suspicion, which hitherto they had been so fortunate as +to avoid. + +It was in one of those appointments, when entered into a very tender +conversation, they forgot themselves so far as to suffer the moon to +rise upon them: the stillness of the evening, and the little company +which happened to be there that night, seemed to indulge their +inclinations of continuing in so sweet a recess:--they were seated on a +bench at the foot of a large tree, when Charlotta, in answer to some +tender professions he had been making, said, depend on this, Horatio, +that as you are the first who has ever been capable of making me +sensible of love, so nothing shall have power to change my sentiments +while you continue to deserve, or to desire I should think of you as I +now do. He shall not long continue to desire it,--cried a voice behind +them, and immediately rushed from the other side of the thicket a man +with his sword drawn, and ran full upon Horatio, who not having time to +be upon his guard, had certainly fallen a victim to his rival's fury, +had not a gentleman seized his arm, and, by superior strength, forced +him some paces back.--Are you mad, monsieur, said he; do you forget the +place you are in, or the danger you so lately escaped for an enterprize +of this nature? + +Mademoiselle Charlotta, now a little recovered from her first, surprize, +and knowing it was young monsieur de Coigney who had given her this +alarm, had presence enough of mind to ask how he dared, after he knew +her own and father's resolution, to disturb her, or any company she had +with her? he made no reply, but reflecting that there were other ways +than fighting, by which he might be revenged, went hastily away with +that friend who had hindered him from executing his rash purpose; but +they could hear that he muttered something which seemed a menace against +them both. + +How impossible is it to express the consternation our lovers now were +in: they found by the repetition monsieur de Coigney made of the words +she spoke, that what they had so long and so successfully laboured to +conceal, was now betrayed:--betrayed to one who would not fail to make +the most malicious use of the discovery, and doubted not but the affair +would become the general talk, perhaps to the prejudice of Charlotta's +reputation; but the least thing either could expect, was to be +separated for ever. + +Horatio, full of disturbed emotions, conducted his disconsolate mistress +to the gate of the Tuilleries, and there took a farewel of her, which he +had too much reason to fear would be his last, at least for a long time. +He was tempted by his first emotions to seek de Coigney, and call him to +account for the affront he had put upon him, and either lose his own +life, or oblige the other to secrecy; but then he considered, that there +was some probability he would not dare to own that he had given himself +any concern about mademoiselle Charlotta, after the injunction laid on +him by his father, much less as he had attempted a duel in her cause, +having, as has been already mentioned, been before guilty of a like +offence against the laws, which in that country are very strict, on +account of madame de Olonne; and this prevailed with him to be passive +as to what had happened, till he should hear how the other would behave, +and find what turn the affair would take. + +Charlotta in the mean time was in the most terrible anxieties:--she +could not imagine what had brought monsieur de Coigney, who she thought +had been many miles distant, so suddenly to Paris: but on making some +private enquiry, she was informed, that having met some difficulty in +the execution of his office, he had taken post, in order to lay his +complaints before the king, and had arrived that very day.--She now +blamed her own inadvertency in holding any discourse with Horatio, of a +nature not proper to be over-heard, in a place so public as the +Tuilleries, where others, as well as he, might have possibly been +witnesses of what was said. + +Young monsieur de Coigney suffered little less from the turbulence of +his nature, and the mortification it gave his vanity, to find a person, +whom he looked upon as every way his inferior, preferred to him. His +thoughts were wholly bent on revenge; but in what manner he should +accomplish it, he was for some time uncertain: when he acquainted his +father with the discovery he had made, and the resentment he had +testified against this unworthy rival, as he called him, the old +gentleman blamed him for taking any notice of it. Let them love on, son, +said he; let them marry;--we shall then have a fine opportunity of +reproaching the haughty baron with his new alliance. This did not +however satisfy monsieur de Coigney: all the love he once had for +mademoiselle Charlotta was now turned into hate; and in spite of his +father's commands not to meddle in the affair, he could not help +throwing out some reflections among his companions, very much to the +disadvantage of the young lady's reputation. But these might possibly +have blown over, as he had but a small time to vent his malice. His +father knowing the violence of his temper, in order to prevent any ill +consequences, compelled him to return to his employment; taking upon +himself the management of that business which had brought him so +unluckily to Paris. + +But mademoiselle de Coigney had no sooner been informed by her brother +of the discovery he had made, than she doubted not that it was on the +score of Horatio that he had met with such ill success in his courtship; +and also imagined, that it had been owing to some ill impressions +mademoiselle Charlotta had given the baron de Palfoy, that her father +had been treated by him in the manner already recited. She complained of +it to the baron de la Valiere, and told him, her whole family had been +affronted, and her brother rendered miserable, for the sake of a young +man, who, said she, can neither have birth or fortune to boast of, since +he has been so long a prisoner without any ransom paid, or interposition +offered to redeem him. + +The baron was too generous not to vindicate the merits of Horatio, as +much as was consistent with his love and complaisance for his mistress: +he was notwithstanding very much picqued in his mind that a person, to +whom he had given the greatest proofs of a sincere and disinterested +friendship, should have concealed a secret of this nature from him, and +the more so, as he had seemed to expect and desire his confidence. From +this time forward he behaved to him with a coldness which was sufficient +to convince the other of the motive, especially as he found mademoiselle +de Coigney took all opportunities of throwing the most picquant +reflections on him. It is certain that lady was so full of spight at the +indignity she thought her family had received, that she could not help +whispering the attachment of Horatio and Charlotta, not only at St. +Germains, but at Paris also, with inunendo's little less cruel than +those her brother had made use of to his companions; so that between +them, the amour was talked of among all who were acquainted with +either of them. + +At length the report reached the ears of the baron de Palfoy, who, tho' +he did not immediately give an entire credit to it, thought it became +him to do every thing in his power to silence it. + +Accordingly he called his daughter to him one day, and having told her +the liberty which the world took in censuring her conduct on Horatio's +account, commanded her to avoid all occasions of it for the future, by +seeing him no more. + +The confusion she was in, and which she had not artifice wholly to +conceal from the penetrating baron, more convinced him, than all he had +been told, that there was in reality some tender intercourse between +them; but resolving to be fully ascertained, he said no more to her at +that time, but dispatched a messenger immediately to St. Germains, +desiring Horatio to come to him the same day. + +The lover readily obeyed this summons, but not without some +apprehensions of the motive: the hints daily given him, joined to the +alteration, not only in the behaviour of mademoiselle de Coigney, but +likewise of the baron de la Valiere, gave him but too just room to fear +his passion was no longer a secret. + +The father of Charlotta received him with great courtesy, but nothing of +that pleasantness with which he had looked on him ever since he had +defended him from the robbers. Horatio, said he, I am indebted to you +for my life, and would willingly make what recompence is in my power for +the obligation I have to you:--think therefore what I can do for you; +and if your demands exceed not what is fit for you to ask, or would +become me to grant, you may be assured of my compliance. + +The astonishment Horatio was in at these words is impossible to be +expressed; but having an admirable presence of mind, my lord, answered +he, I should be unworthy of the favours you do me, could I be capable of +presuming on them so far as to make any requests beyond the +continuance of them. + +No, Horatio, resumed the baron, I acknowledge my gratitude has been too +deficient, since it has extended only to those civilities which are due +to your merit, exclusive of any obligation; the conversation we have had +together has hitherto afforded a pleasure to myself, and it is with a +good deal of mortification I now find a necessity to break it off:--I +would therefore have the satisfaction of doing something that might +convince you of my esteem, at the same time that I desire you to refrain +your visits. + +Not all Horatio's courage could enable him to stand this shock, without +testifying some part of what passed in his mind:--he was utterly +incapable of making any reply, tho' the silence of the other shewed he +expected it, but stood like one confounded, and conscious of deserving +the banishment he heard pronounced against him.--At last recollecting +himself a little,--my lord, said he, I see not how I can be happy enough +to preserve any part of your esteem, since looked upon as unworthy an +honour you were once pleased to confer upon me. + +You affect, said the baron, a slowness of apprehension, which is far +from being natural to you, and perhaps imagine, that by not seeming to +understand me, I should believe there were no grounds for me to forbid +you my house; but, young man, I am not so easily deceived; and since you +oblige me to speak plain, must tell you, I am sorry to find you have +entertained any projects, which, if you had the least consulted your +reason, you would have known could never be accomplished.--In fine, +Horatio, what you make so great a mystery of, may be explained in three +words:--I wish you well as a friend, but cannot think of making you my +son:--I would recompence what you have done for me with any thing but my +daughter, and as a proof of my concern for your happiness, I exclude you +from all society with her, in order to prevent so unavailing a passion +from taking too deep a root. + +Ah, my lord, cried Horatio, perceiving all dissimulation would be vain, +the man who once adored mademoiselle de Palfoy can never cease to do so. +He ought therefore, replied the baron, without being moved, to consider +the consequences well before he begins to adore:--if I had been +consulted in the matter I should have advised you better; but it is now +too late, and all I can do is to prevent your ever meeting more:--this, +Horatio, is all I have to say, and that if in any other affair I can be +serviceable to you, communicate your request in writing, and depend on +its being granted. + +In speaking these last words he withdrew, and left Horatio in a +situation of mind not easy to be conceived.--He was once about to +entreat him to turn back, but had nothing to offer which could make him +hope would prevail on him to alter his resolution.--He never had been +insensible of the vast disparity there was at present between him and +the noble family of de Palfoy: he could expect no other, or rather worse +treatment than what he had now received, if his passion was ever +discovered, and had no excuse to make for what himself allowed so great +a presumption. + +With a countenance dejected, and a heart oppressed with various +agitations, did he quit the house which contained what was most valuable +to him in the world, while poor Charlotta endured, if possible, a +greater shock. + +The baron de Palfoy, now convinced that all he had been informed of was +true, was more incensed against her than he had been on the mistaken +supposition of her being influenced in favour of monsieur de Coigney: he +had no sooner left Horatio than he flew to her apartment, and reproached +her in terms the most severe that words could form.--It was in vain she +protested that she never had any design of giving herself to Horatio +without having first received his permission.--He looked on all she said +as an augmentation of her crime, and soon came to a determination to put +it past her power to give him more than she had already done. + +Early next morning he sent her, under the conduct of a person he could +confide in, to a monastry about thirty miles from Paris, without even +letting her know whither she was about being carried, or giving her the +least notice of her departure till the coach was at the door, into which +he put, her himself with these words,--adeiu Charlotta, expect not to +see Paris, or me again, till you desire no more to see Horatio. + + + +CHAP. X. + +_The reasons that induced Horatio to leave France; with the chevalier +St. George's behaviour on knowing his resolution. He receives an +unexpected favour from the baron de Palfoy._ + +While Charlotta, under the displeasure of her father, and divided, as +she believed, for ever from her lover, was pursuing her melancholy +journey, Horatio was giving way to a grief which knew no bounds, and +which preyed with the greater feirceness on his soul, as he had no +friend to whom he could disburden it. The baron's estrang'd behaviour +was no small addition to his other discontents, and he lamented the +cruel necessity which had enforced him to disoblige a person to whom he +owed so many favours, and whose advice would now have been the greatest +consolation. + +He could not now hope Charlotta would be permitted to come to St. +Germains, and doubted not but her father would take effectual methods to +prevent her visiting at any place where even accident might occasion a +meeting between them: he knew the watch had been set over her on the +account of monsieur de Coigney, and might be assured it would not now be +less strict, and that it would be equally impossible for either to +communicate their thoughts by writing as it was to see each other. + +He was in the midst of these reflections when he heard, by some people +who were acquainted with the baron de Palfoy, that he had sent his +daughter away, but none knew where: this, instead of lessening his +despair, was a very great aggravation of it:--he imagined she was +confined in some monastry, and was not insensible of the difficulties +that attend seeing a young lady who is sent there purposely to avoid the +world; yet, said he to himself, could I be happy enough to discover even +to what province she was carried, I would go from convent to convent +till I had found which of them contained her. + +It was in vain that he made all possible enquiry: every one he asked was +in reality as ignorant as himself.--The baron de Palfoy had trusted +none, so could not be deceived but by those persons who had the charge +of conducting her, and of their fidelity he had many proofs. Yet how +impossible is it for human prudence to resist the decrees of fate.--The +secret was betrayed, without any one being guilty of accusing the +confidence reposed in them, and by the strangest accident that perhaps +ever was, Horatio learned all he wished to know when he had given over +all his endeavours for that purpose, and was totally despairing of it. + +He came one day to Paris, in order to alleviate his melancholy, in the +company of some young gentlemen, who had expressed a very great regard +for him; but his mind being taken up with various and perplexed thoughts +on his entrance into that city, he mistook his way, and turned into the +rue St. Dennis instead of the rue St. Honore, where he had been +accustomed to leave his horses and servant.--He found his error just as +he was passing by a large inn, and it being a matter of indifference to +him where he put up, would not turn back, but ordered his man to alight +here.--I forgot where I was going, said he, but I suppose the horses +will be taken as much care of at this house as where we used to go. I +shall see to that, replied the fellow. Horatio stepped into a room to +take some refreshment while his servant went to the stable, but had not +been there above a minute before he heard very high words between some +people in the yard; and as he turned towards the window, saw a man in +the livery of the baron de Palfoy, and whom he presently knew to be the +coachman of that nobleman. He was hot in dispute with the innkeeper +concerning a horse which he had hired of him, and, as the other +insisted, drove so hard that he had killed him. The coachman denied the +accusation; but the innkeeper told him he had witnesses to prove the +horse died two hours after he was brought home, and declared, that if he +had not satisfaction for his beast, he would complain to the baron, and +if he did not do him justice, have recourse to law.--There was a long +argument between them concerning the number of miles, the hours they +drove, and the weight of the carriage.--Among other things the innkeeper +alledged, that he saw them as he passed his corner, and there were so +many trunks, boxes, and other luggage behind and before the coach, +besides the company that was in it, that it required eight horses +instead of six to draw it. Why then, said the coachman, did it not kill +our horses as well as yours; if they had been equally good, they would +have held out equally.--I do not pretend mine was as good, replied the +innkeeper, I cannot afford to feed my horses as my lord does; but yet he +was a stout gelding, and if he had not been drove so very hard, and +perhaps otherwise ill used into the bargain, he would have been +alive now. + +All this was sufficient to make Horatio imagine it was for the journey +which deprived him of his dear Charlotta, that this horse had been +hired, so tarried in the place where he was till the debate was over, +which ended not to the satisfaction of the innkeeper, who swore he would +not be fooled out of his money. As soon as the coachman was gone, +Horatio called him in, and asked what was the matter, and who it was +that endeavoured to impose upon him? on which the innkeeper readily told +him, that on such a day this coachman came to him and hired a horse in +order to make up a set to go to Rheines in Champaigne, my lord-baron +having three or four sick in the stable at that time.--Two days after, +said he, my horse was brought home all in a foam, and fell down dead in +less than three hours, and yet this rascally coachman refuses to pay +me for him. + +Horatio humoured him in all he said, and let him go on his own way till +he had vented his whole stock of railing, and then asked him what +company were in the coach. The innkeeper replied, that there was one man +and two women, but did not know who they were, for their faces were +muffled up in their hoods. This was sufficient for him to be assured it +was no other than Charlotta, with her woman, and some friend whom the +baron had sent with them. The day mentioned, being the very same he had +been informed she was carried away, was also another confirmation; and +he had not only the happiness of knowing where his mistress was, but of +knowing it by such means as could give the baron no suspicion of his +being acquainted with it, and therefore make him think it necessary to +remove her. + +Having gained this intelligence, which yet he was no better for than the +hope of being able to get a sight of her thro' the grate, which he was +resolved to accomplish some way or other, he resumed his design of going +into the army of the king of Sweden. As a perfect knowledge of the many +excellent qualities of the chevalier St. George, made him regard and +love him with an affection beyond what is ordinarily to be met with from +a servant to his master, he felt an extreme repugnance to quit him, and +yet more in breaking a matter to him which, while it testified a +confidence in the goodness of him whose assistance he must implore, he +thought, at the same time, would be looked on as ingratitude in himself; +and he was some time deliberating in what manner he should do it; and it +would have been perhaps a great while before he could have found words +which he would have thought proper for the purpose, if he had not taken +an opportunity, which, without any design of his own, offered itself +to him. + +The chevalier St. George took a particular pleasure in the game of +Chess; and Horatio having learned it among the officers in Campaine, +frequently played with him: they were one evening at this diversion, +when the lover of Charlotta having his mind a little perplexed, placed +his men so ill, that the chevalier beat him out at every motion. How is +this, Horatio, cried he; you used to play better than I, butt now I have +the advantage of you.--May you always have it, sir, replied he with the +utmost respect, over all who pretend to oppose you.--Chess is a kind of +emblem of war, where policy should go hand in hand with courage; and +there is a great master in that art, whom if I were some time to serve +under, I flatter myself that I should be able to know how to move my men +with better success than I have done to night; but then my skill should +be employed only against such as are your enemies. + +You mean my brother Charles of Sweden, said the chevalier smiling, but I +believe he seldom plays. Never, but when kingdoms are at stake, resumed +Horatio; and if a day should come when you, sir, shall attempt the +prize, how fortunate would it be for me to have learned to serve you as +I am obliged by much more than my duty, by the most natural and +inviolable attachment of my heart, which would render it the greatest +blessing I could receive from heaven. I believe, indeed, returned the +chevalier St. George, you love me enough to fight in my cause whenever +occasion offers. I would not only fight, but die, cried Horatio warmly; +yet I would wish to have the skill to make a great number of your +enemies die before me. Well, said the chevalier, we will talk of this +to-morrow; in the mean time play as well as you can against me at St. +Germains: in another place perhaps you may play for me. Horatio made no +other reply to these words than a low bow, and then elating his hands +and eyes to heaven, as internally praying for the opportunity his master +seemed to hint at. + +The impression this little conversation made on the mind of the +chevalier St. George, proved itself in its effects the very next day. +Horatio being ordered to come into his chamber early in the morning,--I +have been thinking on what passed last night between us, said he, and if +you have a serious Intention of doing what you seemed to hint at, will +contribute all I can to forward you. + +Ah sir! cried Horatio, falling at his feet, impute not, I beseech you, +this desire in me to any thing but the extreme desire I have to render +myself worthy of the favours you have been pleased to confer upon me, +and to be able to serve you whenever any happy occasion shall +present itself. + +No more, Horatio, replied the chevalier, with a sweetness and affability +peculiar to himself; I am perfectly assured of your duty and affection +to me, and am so far from taking it ill that you desire to quit my court +on this score, that I think, your ambition highly laudable:--I will +write letters of recommendation, with my own hand, to my brother +Charles, and to some others in his camp, which I doubt not but will +procure you a reception answerable to your wishes:--therefore, as it is +a long journey you are to take, the sooner you provide for your +departure the better:--I will order you out of my privy purse 2000 +crowns towards your expences. + +Horatio found it impossible to express how much this goodness touched +his soul; nor could do it any otherwise than by prostrating himself a +second time, embracing his knees, and uttering some incoherent +acclamations, which more shewed to his master the sincerity of his +gratitude, and the perfect love he bore him, than the most elegant +speeches could have done. + +After all possible demonstrations of the most gracious benignity on the +one side, and reverence on the other, Horatio quitted the presence, and +went to sir Thomas Higgons, who at that time was privy purse, and one of +the finest gentlemen that ever England bred, and acquainted him with the +chevalier St. George's goodness to him, and the change that was going to +be made in his fortune: he thanked him in the politest manner for being +made the first that should congratulate him, and told him, he did not +doubt but he should see him return covered with laurels, and enriched +with honours, by the most glorious and grateful monarch the world had to +boast of. The whole court, whose esteem the good qualities, handsome +person, and agreeable behaviour of Horatio had entirely gained, seemed +to partake in his satisfaction, and he was so engrossed with the +preparations for his departure, and receiving the compliments made him, +that tho' he was far from forgetting Charlotta, yet the languishment +which her absence had occasioned was entirely banished, and he now +appeared all life and spirit.--So true it is that idleness is the food +of soft desires. + +It must be confessed, indeed, that love had a very great share in +reviving in him those martial inclinations, which for a time had seemed +lulled to rest, since it was to render himself in a condition which +might give him hope of obtaining the object of his love that now pushed +him on to war. He resolved also to make Rheines in his way to Poland, +where the king of Sweden then was pursuing his conquests, and see, if +possible, his dear Charlotta, before he left France; and as he was of a +more than ordinary sanguine disposition, he was much sooner elated with +the prospect of success in any undertaking he went about, than dejected +at the disappointment of it. + +The baron de la Valiere, whose friendship over-balanced his resentment, +now gave an instance of his generosity, which, as things had stood of +late between them, Horatio was far from expecting. That nobleman came to +his apartment one day with a letter in his hand, and accosting him with +the familiarity he had been accustomed to treat him with before their +estrangement,--Horatio, said he, I cannot suffer you to leave us without +giving you what testimonies of good-will are in my power:--you are now +going among strangers, and tho' after the recommendations I hear you are +to carry with you from the chevalier St. George, nothing can be added to +assure you of the king of Sweden's favour, yet as many brave actions are +lost for want of a proper representation of them, and the eyes of kings +cannot be every where, it may be of some service to you to have general +Renchild your friend: I once had the honour of a particular acquaintance +with that great man, and I believe this letter, which I beg the favour +of you to deliver to him, will in part convince him of your merit, +before you may have an opportunity of proving it to him by your actions. + +Horatio took the letter out of his hand, which he had presented to him +at the conclusion of his speech; and charmed with this behaviour, the +satisfaction I should take, said he, in this mark of your forgiving +goodness, would be beyond all bounds, were I not conscious how far I +have been unworthy of it; and that I fear the same goodness, always +partial to me, may have in this paper (meaning the letter) endeavoured +to give the general an idea of me which I may not be able to preserve. + +I look upon myself to be the best judge of that, replied the baron with +a smile; and you may remember, that on a very different occasion I saw +into your sentiments before you were well acquainted with the nature of +them yourself. + +As Horatio knew these words referred to the discourse that had passed +between them concerning his then infant passion for mademoiselle +Charlotta, he could not help blushing; but de la Valiere perceiving he +had given him some confusion, would have turned the discourse, had not +the other thought fit to continue it, by letting him know the real +motive which had constrained him to act with the reserve he had done on +that score. + +The baron de la Valiere assured him that he should think no more of it; +and tho' at first he had taken it a little amiss, yet when he came to +reflect on the circumstance, he could not but confess he should have +behaved in the same manner himself. + +The renewal of the former friendship between them, greatly added to the +contentment Horatio at present enjoyed; but soon after he received such +an augmentation of it, as he could never have imagined, much less have +flattered himself with the hope of. + +Some few days before his departure, a servant of the baron de Palfoy +came to him to let him know his lord sent his compliments, and desired +to speak with him at his own house. The message seemed so improbable, +that Horatio could scarce give credit to it, and imagined the man had +been mistaken in the person to whom he delivered it, till he repeated +over and over again that it was to no other he was sent. + +Had it been any other than the father of mademoiselle Charlotta, who had +invited him to a house he had been once forbid, he scarce would have +obeyed the summons; but as it was he, the awful person who gave being to +that charmer of his soul, he sent the most respectful answer, and the +same day took horse for Paris, and attended the explanation of an order +which at present seemed so misterious to him. + +The baron was no sooner informed he was there, than he came into the +parlour with a countenance, which had in it all the marks of good humour +and satisfaction; Horatio, said he, after having made him seat himself, +I doubt not but you think me your enemy, after the treatment I gave you +the last time you were here; but I assure you, I suffered no less myself +in forbidding you my house, than you could do in having what you might +think an affront put upon you:--but, continued he after a pause, you +ought to consider I am a father, that Charlotta is my only child, that +my whole estate, and what is of infinite more consideration with me, the +honour of my family, must all devolve on her, and that I am under +obligations not to be dispensed with, to dispose of her in such a manner +as shall not any way degrade the ancestry she is sprung from.--I own +your merits:--I also am indebted to you for my life:--but you are a +foreigner, your family unknown,--your fortune precarious:--I could wish +it were otherwise;--believe, I find in myself an irresistable impulse to +love you, and I know nothing would give me greater pleasure than to +convince you of it.--In fine, there is nothing but Charlotta I would +refuse you. + +The old lord uttered all this with so feeling an accent that Horatio was +very much moved at it; but unable to guess what would be the consequence +of this strange preparation, and not having any thing to ask of him but +the only thing he had declared he would not grant, he only thanked him +for the concern he was pleased to express, and said, that perhaps there +might come a time in which the obscurity he was in at present would be +enlightened; at least, cried he, I shall have the satisfaction of +endeavouring to acquire by merit what I am denied by fortune. + +I admire this noble ambition in you, replied the baron de Palfoy; pursue +these laudable views, and doubt not of success:--it would be an infinite +pleasure to me to see you raised so high, that I should acknowledge an +alliance with you the greatest honour I could hope: and to shew you with +how much sincerity I speak,--here is a letter I have wrote to count +Piper, the first minister and favourite of the king of Sweden; when you +deliver this to him, I am certain you will be convinced by his reception +of you, that you are one whose interest I take no inconsiderable +part in. + +With these words he gave him a letter directed, as he had said, but not +sealed, which Horatio, after he had manifested the sense he had of so +unhoped an obligation, reminded him of. As it concerns only yourself, +said the baron, it is proper you should read it first, and I will then +put on my signet. + +Horatio on this unfolded it, and found it contained such high +commendations of him, and such pressing entreaties to that minister to +contribute all he could to his promotion, that it seemed rather dictated +by the fondness of a parent, than by one who had taken so much pains to +avoid being so. O, my lord! cried he, as soon as he had done perusing +it, how much do you over-rate the little merit I am master of, yet how +little regard a passion which is the sole inspirer of it! what will +avail all the glory I can acquire, if unsuccessful in my love! + +Let us talk no more of that, said the baron de Palfoy, you ought to be +satisfied I do all for you in my power to do at present:--other +opportunities may hereafter arrive in which you may find the continuance +of my friendship, and a grateful remembrance of the good office you did +me; but to engage me to fulfil my obligations without any reluctance on +my part, you must speak to me no more on a theme which I cannot hear +without emotions, such as I would by no means give way to. + +Horatio gave a deep sigh, but presumed not to reply; the other, to +prevent him, turned the conversation on the wonderful actions of that +young king into whose service he was going to enter; but the lover had +contemplations of a different nature which he was impatient to indulge, +therefore made his visit as short as decency and the favour he had just +received would permit. The baron at parting gave him a very affectionate +embrace, and told him, he should rejoice to hear of his success by +letters from him as often as the places and employments he should be in +would allow him to write. + +Let any one form, if they can, an idea suitable to the present situation +of Horatio's mind at so astonishing an incident: impossible it was for +him to form any certain conjecture on the baron de Palfoy's behaviour; +some of his expressions seemed to flatter him with the highest +expectations of future happiness, while others, he thought, gave him +reason to despair:--sometimes he imagined that it was to his pride and +the greatness of his spirit, which would not suffer him to let any +obligation go unrequited, that he owed what had been just now done for +him.--But when he reflected on the contents of the letter to count +Piper, he could not help thinking they were dictated by something more +than an enforced gratitude:--he remembered too that he promised him the +continuation of his friendship, and had given some hints during the +conversation, as if time and some accidents, which might possibly +happen, might give a turn to his affairs even on Charlotta's +account.--On the whole it appeared most reasonable to conclude, that if +he could by any means raise his fortune in the world to the pitch the +baron had determined for his daughter, he would not disapprove their +loves; and in this belief he could not but think himself as fortunate as +he could expect to be, since he never had been vain enough to imagine, +that in his present circumstances he might hope either the consent of +the father, or the ratification of the daughter's affection. + +Every thing being now ready for his departure, he took leave of the +chevalier St. George, who seemed to be under a concern for losing him, +which only the knowledge how great an advantage this young gentleman +would receive by it, could console: the queen also gave him a letter +from herself to her intended son-in-law; and the charming princess +Louisa, with blushes, bid him tell the king of Sweden, he had her prayers +and wishes for success in all his glorious enterprizes. + +Thus laden with credentials which might assure him of a reception equal +to the most ambitious aim of his aspiring soul, he set out from Paris, +not without some tender regret at quitting a place where he had been +treated with such uncommon and distinguished marks of kindness and +respect. But these emotions soon gave way to others more +transporting:--he was on his journey towards Rheines, the place which +contained his beloved Charlotta; and the thoughts that every moment +brought him still nearer to her filled him with extacies, which none but +those who truly love can have any just conception of. + + + +CHAP. XI. + +_Horatio arrives at Rheines, finds means to see mademoiselle Charlotta +and afterwards pursues his journey to Poland_. + +The impatience Horatio had to be at Rheines made him travel very hard +till he reached that city; nor did he allow himself much time for repose +after his fatigue, till having made a strict enquiry at all the +monasteries, he at length discovered where mademoiselle Charlotta +was placed. + +Hitherto he had been successful beyond his hopes; but the greatest +difficulty was not yet surmounted: he doubted not but as such secrecy +had been used in the carrying her from Paris, and of the place to which +she had been conveyed, that the same circumspection would be preserved +in concealing her from the sight of any stranger that should come to the +monastry:--he invented many pretences, but none seemed satisfactory to +himself, therefore could not expect they would pass upon +others.--Sometimes he thought of disguising himself in the habit of a +woman, his youth, and the delicacy of his complexion making him imagine +he might impose on the abbess and the nuns for such; but then he feared +being betrayed, by not being able to answer the questions which would in +all probability be asked him.--He endeavoured to find out some person +that was acquainted there; but tho' he asked all the gentlemen, which +were a great many, that dined at the same Hotel with him, he was at as +great a loss as ever. He went to the chapel every hour that mass was +said, but could flatter himself with no other satisfaction from that than +the empty one of knowing he was under the same roof with her; for the +gallery in which the ladies sit, pensioners, as well as those who have +taken the veil, are so closely grated, that it is impossible for those +below to distinguish any object. + +He was almost distracted when he had been there three or four days +without being able to find any expedient which he could think likely to +succeed:--he knew not what to resolve on;--time pressed him to pursue +his journey;--every day, every hour that he lost from prosecuting the +glorious hopes he had in view, struck ten thousand daggers to his +soul:--but then to go without informing the dear object of his wishes +how great a part she had in inspiring his ambition,--without assuring +her of his eternal constancy and faith, and receiving some soft +condescensions from her to enable him to support so long an absence as +he in all probability must endure.--All this, I say, was a shock to +thought, which, had he not been relieved from, would have perhaps abated +great part of that spirit which it was necessary for him to preserve, in +order to agree with the recommendatory letters he carried with him. + +He was just going out of the chapel full of unquiet meditations, when +passing by the confessional, a magdalen curiously painted which hung +near it attracted his eyes: as he was admiring the piece, something fell +from above and hit against his arm; he stooped to take it up, and found +it a small ivory tablet: he looked up, but could see the shadow of +nothing behind the grate: imagining it only an accident, and not knowing +to whom to return it, he put it in his pocket, but was no sooner out of +the chapel than curiosity excited him to see what it contained, which he +had no sooner done than in the first leaf he found these words: + + +"As I imagine you did not come this long journey +without a desire to see me, it would be too ungrateful +not to assist your endeavours:--come a little before +vespers, and enquire of the portress for mademoiselle +du Pont;--say you are her brother, and leave the rest to me." + + +There was no name subscribed; but the dear characters, tho' evidently +wrote in haste and with a pencil, which made some alteration in the +fineness of the strokes, convinced him it came from no other than +Charlotta; and never were any hours so tedious to him as those which +past between the receiving this appointment, and that of the +fulfilling it. + +At length the wish'd-for time arrived, and he repaired to the gate, +where telling the portress, as he was ordered, that he was the brother +of mademoiselle du Pont, he was immediately brought into the parlour, +where he had not waited long before a young lady appeared behind the +grate: as he found it was not her he expected, he was a little at a +loss, and not without some apprehensions that his imagination had +deceived him: I know not, madame, said he, if chance has not made me +mistaken for some happier person:--I thought to find a sister here.--No, +replied she laughing, Horatio shall find me a sister in my good +offices;--mademoiselle Charlotta will be here immediately;--she has +counterfeited an indisposition to avoid going to vespers, and obtained +permission for me to stay with her;--so that every thing is right, and +as soon as the choir is gone into chapel you will see her. It would be +needless to repeat the transports Horatio uttered on this occasion, so I +shall only say they were such as convinced mademoiselle du Pont, that +her fair friend had not made this condescension to a man ungrateful for, +or insensible of the obligation. He was indeed so lost in them, that he +scarce remembered to pay those compliments to the lady for her generous +assistance which it merited from him; but she easily forgave any +unpoliteness he might be guilty of on that score; and he so well attoned +for it after he had given vent to the sudden emotions of his joy, that +she looked, upon him as the most accomplished, as well as the most +faithful of his sex. They had entered into some discourse of the rules +of the monastry, and how impossible it would have been for him to have +gained an interview with mademoiselle Charlotta, but by the means she +had contrived;--she told him that young lady had seen him for several +days, and not doubling but it was for her sake he came, had resolved to +run any risque rather than he should depart without obtaining so small a +consolation as the sight of her was capable of affording. Horatio, by +the most passionate expressions, testified how dearly he prized what she +had seemed to think of so little value, when the expected charmer of his +soul drew near the grate.--All that can be conceived of tender and +endearing past between them; but when he related to her the occasion of +his coming, and that change of life he now was entering upon, she +listened to him with a mixture of pleasure and anxiety:--she rejoiced +with him on the great prospects he had in view; but the terror of the +dangers he was plunging in was all her own. She was far, however, from +discouraging him in his designs, and concealed not her admiration of the +greatness of his spirit, and that love of glory which seemed to render +him capable of undertaking any thing. + +But when she heard in what manner her father had treated him, she was +all astonishment: as she knew his temper perfectly well, she was certain +he would not have acted in the manner he did without being influenced to +it by a very strong liking for Horatio; for tho' gratitude for the good +office he had received at his hands might have engaged him to make some +requital, yet there were several expressions which Horatio, who +remembered all he said, with the utmost exactness repeated to her, that +convinced her he would not have made use of, if he had not meant the +person better than he at present would have him think he did; and that +there was in reality nothing restrained him from making them as happy as +their mutual affection could desire, but the pride of blood and the talk +of the world, which the disparity of their present circumstances would +occasion. As she doubted not but the courage and virtue of Horatio would +remove that impediment, by acquiring a promotion sufficient to +countenance his pretensions, she had now no other disquiet than what +arose from her fears for his safety, which she over and over repeated, +conjuring him, in the most tender terms, not to hazard himself beyond +what the duties of his post obliged him to:--this, said she, shall be +the test of my affection to you; for whenever I hear you run yourself +into unnecessary dangers, I will conclude from that moment you have +ceased to remember, or pay any regard to my injunctions or repose. + +Horatio kissed her hand thro' the grate, and told her, he would always +set too great a value on a life she was so good to with the continuance +of, not to take all the care of it that honour would admit; but she +would not give him leave to add any asseverations to this promise, +which, said she, you will every day be tempted to break;--the +enterprizing disposition of the prince you are going to serve, added to +your own sense of glory, will make it very difficult for you not to be +the foremost in following wherever his royal example leads the way:--nor +would I wish you to purchase security by the price of infamy; but as you +go in a manner such as will in all probability place you near his +person, methinks it would be easy for you, by now and then mentioning +the princess Louisa, to rouse in him these soft emotions which might +prevent him from too rashly exposing a life she had so great an +interest in. + +How great a pity was it this tender conversation between two persons who +had so pure a passion for each other, who had been absent for some time, +and who knew not when, or whether ever they should meet again, could not +be indulged with no longer continuance! but now mademoiselle du Pont, +who had been so good as to stand at some little distance, while they +entertained each other, as a watch to give them notice of any +interruption, now warned them that they must part:--divine service was +over, and the abbess and nuns were returning from chapel. + +Short was the farewel the lovers took; mademoiselle Charlotta had told +him it would be highly improper he should run the hazard of a discovery +by coming there a second time, which would probably incense her father +so much, as to convert all the favourable intentions he now might have +towards them into the reverse, and he was therefore oblig'd to content +himself with printing with his lips the seal of his affection on her +hand, which he had scarce done before, on a second motion by +mademoiselle du Pont, she shot suddenly from the place and went to her +chamber, that no suspicions might arise on her being found so well as to +have been able to quit it. + +As he had passed for the brother of mademoiselle du Pont, she stayed +some little time with him: this lady, whom Charlotta in this exigence +had made her confidant, had a great deal of good nature, and seeing the +agony Horatio was in, endeavoured to console him by all the arguments +she thought might have force;--she told him, that in the short time she +had been made partaker of mademoiselle Charlotta's secrets, she had +expressed herself with a tenderness for him, with which he ought to be +satisfied, and that she was convinced nothing would ever be capable of +making the least alteration in her sentiments. + +While she was speaking in this manner, Horatio remembered that he had +not given Charlotta her tablet, which he now took out of his pocket, and +with the same pencil she had made use of, and which was fastened to it, +wrote in the next leaf to that she had employed these words; + + +"I go, most dear, and most adorable Charlotta; +whether to live or die I know not, but which +ever is my portion, the passion I have for you is +rooted in my soul, and will be equally immortal: +life can give no joy but in the hope of being +yours, nor death any terrors but being separated +from you:--O! let nothing ever prevail on +you to forget so perfect an attachment; but in +the midst of all the temptations you may be +surrounded with, think that you have vouch-safed +to encourage my hopes, presuming as they +are, and if once lost to them, what must be the +destiny of + +HORATIO." + + +Having thus poured out some part of the over-flowings of his heart, he +entreated mademoiselle du Pont to give it her, which she assured him she +would not only do, but also be a faithful monitor for him during the +whole time she should be happy enough to enjoy the company of that lady. +Horatio having now fulfilled all his passion required of him, quitted +Rheines the next day, no less impatient to pursue his other +mistress, glory! + +But let us now see in what manner his beautiful sister Louisa, whom we +left at Vienna, was all this while engaged. + + + +CHAP. XII. + +_Continuation of the adventures of Louisa: her quitting Vienna with +Melanthe, and going to Venice, with some accidents that there +befel them_. + +Not all the gaieties of the court of Vienna had power to attach the +heart of Melanthe, after she heard that a great number of young +officers, just returned from the campaign in Italy, and other persons of +condition, were going to Venice, in order to partake the diversions of +the near approaching carnival: she was for following pleasure every +where, and having seen all that was worth observing in Germany, was +impatient to be gone where new company and new delights excited her +curiosity. + +Having therefore obtained proper passports, they set out in company with +several others who were taking the same rout, and by easy journeys thro' +Tyrol, at length arrived at that republic, so famous over all Europe for +its situation, antiquity, and the excellence of its constitution. + +Here seemed to be at this time an assemblage of all that was to be found +of grand and polite in the whole christian world; but none appeared with +that splendor and magnificence as did Lewis de Bourbon, prince of Conti: +he had in his train above fifty noblemen and gentlemen of the best +families in France, who had commissions under him in the army, and +seemed proud to be of his retinue, less for his being of the blood +royal, than for the many great and amiable qualities which adorned his +person. This great hero had been a candidate with Augustus, elector of +Saxony, for the crown of Poland; but the ill genius of that kingdom +would not suffer it to be governed by a prince whose virtues would +doubtless have rendered it as flourishing and happy as it has since that +unfortunate rejection been impoverished and miserable. Bigotted to a +family whose designs are plainly to render the crown hereditary, they +not only set aside that great prince, under the vain and common-place +pretence, that on electing him they might be too much under the +influence of France; but also afterward, as resolved to push all good +fortune from them with both hands, refused Stanislaus, a native of +Poland, a strict observer of its laws, and a man to whose courage, +virtue, and every eminent qualification even envy itself could make no +objection, and thereby rendered their country the seat of war and +theatre of the most terrible devastations of all kinds. But of this +infatuation of the Poles I shall have occasion hereafter to speak more +at large, and should not now have made any mention of it, had not the +presence of that hero, whom they first rejected, rendered it the general +subject of discourse at Venice. Numberless were the instances he gave of +a magnanimity and greatness of mind worthy of a more exalted throne than +that of Poland; but I shall only mention one, which, like the thumb of +Hercules, may serve to give a picture of him in miniature. + +Having the good fortune one night to win a very great sum at a public +gaming, just as he sweep'd the stakes, a noble Venetian, who by some +casualties in life was reduced in his circumstances, could not help +crying out, heavens! how happy would such a chance have made me! these +words, which the extreme difficulties he was under forced from him, +without being sensible himself of what he said, were over-heard by the +prince, who turning hastily about, instead of putting the money into his +own pocket, presented it to him, saying, I am doubly indebted to chance, +sir, which has made me master of this; since it may be of service to +you, I beseech you therefore to accept it with the respects of a prince, +whose greatest pleasure in life is to oblige a worthy person. + +It would take up too much time to expatiate on the grateful +acknowledgments made by the Venetian, or the admiration which the report +of this action being immediately spread, occasioned; but, added to +others of a little less conspicuous nature, it greatly served to +convince those who before were ignorant of it, how blind the Polanders +had been to their own interest. + +Among the concourse of nobility and gentry, whom merely the love of +pleasure had drawn hither, and for that end were continually forming +parties, Melanthe never failed of making one either in one company or +other: Louisa, whom that lady still treated with her former kindness, or +rather with an increase of it, was also seldom absent, and when she was +so, the fault was wholly her own inclination: but in truth, that hurry +of incessant diversion, which at first had seemed so ravishing to her +young and unexperienced mind, began, by a more perfect acquaintance with +it, to grow tiresome to her, and she rather chose sometimes to retire +with a favourite book into her closet, than to go to the most elegant +entertainment. + +It is certain, indeed, that her disposition was rather inclined to +serious than the contrary, and that, joined with the reflections which +her good understanding was perpetually presenting her with, on the +uncertainty of her birth, the precariousness of her dependance, and her +enforced quitting the only person from whom she could expect the means +of any solid establishment in the world, had rendered her sometimes +extremely thoughtful, even in the midst of those pleasures that are +ordinarily most enchanting to one of her sex and age. But as she never +was elated with the respect paid to her supposed condition, so she never +was mortified with the consciousness of her real one, to a behaviour +such as might have degraded the highest birth; neither appearing to +expect it, or be covetous of honours, nor meanly ashamed of accepting +them when offered. And while by this prudent management she secured +herself from any danger of being insulted whenever it should be known +who she was, she also gave no occasion for any one to make too deep an +enquiry into her descent or fortune. + +But now the time was arrived when those deficiencies gave her more +anxiety than hitherto they had done; and love in one moment filled her +with those repinings at her fate, which neither vanity or ambition would +ever have had power to do. + +Melanthe here, as at Vienna, received the visits of all whose birth, +fortune, or accomplishments, gave them a pretence; but there was none +who paid them so frequently, or which she encouraged with so much +pleasure as those of the count de Bellfleur, a French nobleman belonging +to the above-mentioned prince of Conti: she often told Louisa, when they +were alone, that there was something in the air and manner of behaviour +of this count, which had so perfect a resemblance with that of Henricus, +that tho' it reminded her of that once dear and perfidious man, she +could not help admiring and wishing a frequent sight of him. This was +spoke at her first acquaintance with him; but after some little time she +informed her, that he had declared a passion for her. He is not only +like Henricus in his person, said she, but appears to have the same +inclinations also:--he pretends to adore me, continued she with a sigh, +and spares no vows nor presents to assure me of it:--something within +tempts me to believe him, and yet I fear to be a second time betrayed. + +Ah! madam, cried Louisa, in the sincerity of her heart, I beseech you to +be cautious how you too readily give credit to the protestations of a +sex, who, by the little observations I have made, take a pride in +deceiving ours;--besides, the count de Bellfleur is of a nation where +faith, I have heard, is little to be depended on. + +Those who give them that character, replied Melanthe, do them an +infinite injustice:--in politics, I allow, they have their artifices, +their subterfuges, as well as in war; but then they put them in practice +only against their enemies, or such as are likely to become +so:--wherever they love, or have a friendship, their generosity is +beyond all bounds.-- + +She pursued this discourse with a long detail of all she had ever read +or heard in the praise of the French, and did not forget to speak of the +prince of Conti as an instance of the gallant spirit with which that +people are animated. + +Louisa knew her temper, and that it would be in vain to urge any thing +in contradiction to an inclination she found she was resolved to +indulge; but she secretly trembled for the consequence, the count having +said many amorous things to herself before he pretended any passion for +Melanthe; and tho' he had of late desisted on finding how little she was +pleased with them, yet that he had done so was sufficient to convince +her he was of a wavering disposition. Melanthe was not, however, to be +trusted with this secret; she loved him, and jealousy, added to a good +share of vanity, would, instead of engaging any grateful return for a +discovery of that nature, have made her hate the person he had once +thought of as worthy of coming in any competition with herself. She +therefore indeed thought it best not to interfere in the matter, but +leave the event wholly to chance. + +The evening on the day in which this discourse had past between them, +they went to a ball, to which they had been invited by one of the +Magnifico's. The honour of the prince's company had been requested; but +he excused himself on account, as it was imagined, of his being engaged +with a certain German lady, who also being absent, gave room for this +conjecture: most of the gentlemen who had followed his highness from +France were there, among whom was the count de Bellfleur, and a young +gentleman called monsieur du Plessis, who, by a fall from his horse, had +been prevented from appearing in public since his arrival. The +gracefulness of his person, the gallant manner in which he introduced +himself, and the brilliant things he said to the ladies, on having been +so long deprived of the happiness he now enjoyed, very much attracted +the admiration of the company; but Louisa in particular thought she had +never seen any thing so perfectly agreeable: a sympathy of sentiment, +more than accident, made him chuse her for his partner in a grand dance +then leading up; and the distinction now paid her by him gave her a +secret satisfaction, which she had never known before on such an +occasion, tho' often singled out by persons in more eminent stations. + +The mind which, whenever agitated by any degree of pain or pleasure, +never fails to discover itself in the eyes, now sparkled in those of +Louisa with an uncommon lustre, nor had less influence over all her +air:--her motions always perfectly easy, gentle and graceful, especially +in dancing, were now more spirituous, more alert than usual; and she so +much excelled herself, that several, who had before praised her skill in +this exercise, seemed ravished, as if they had seen something new and +unexpected:--her partner was lavish in the testimonies of his +admiration, and said, she as much excelled the ladies of his country, as +they had been allowed to excel all others. + +The encomiums bestowed on her, and more particularly those she received +from him, still added fresh radiance to her eyes, and at the same time +diffused a modest blush in her checks which heightened all her +charms.--Never had she appeared so lovely as at this time; and the count +de Bellfleur, in spight of his attachment to Melanthe, felt in himself a +strong propensity to renew those addresses which her reserved behaviour +alone had made him withdraw and carry to another; but the lady to whom +for some days past he had made a shew of devoting himself was present, +and he was ashamed to give so glaring an instance of his infidelity, +which must in all probability render him the contempt of both. + +This night, however, lost Melanthe the heart she had thought herself so +secure of; but little suspecting her misfortune, she treated the +inconstant count with a tenderness he was far from deserving; and having +transplanted all the affection she once had for Henricus on this new +object, told him, at a time that such discovery was least welcome to +him, that she was not insensible of his merit, nor could be ungrateful +to his passion, provided she could be convinced of the sincerity of it. +He had gone too far with her now to be able to draw back, therefore +could not avoid repeating the vows he before had made, tho' his heart +was far from giving any asient to what his tongue was obliged to utter; +but blinded by her own desires, she perceived not the change in his, and +appointed him to come the next day to her lodgings, promising to be +denied to all other company, that she might devote herself entirely +to him. + +It is possible he was so lost in his passion for Louisa, as not to be +sensible of the condescension made him by Melanthe; but it is certain, +by the sequel of his behaviour, that he was much less so than he +pretended. + +The ball being ended, these ladies carried with them very different +emotions, tho' neither communicated to the other what she felt. Melanthe +had a kind of awe for those virtuous principles she observed in Louisa, +tho' so much her inferior and dependant, and was ashamed to confess her +liking of the count should have brought her to such lengths; not that +she intended to keep it always a secret from her, but chose she should +find it out by degrees; and these thoughts so much engrossed her, that +she said little to her that night. Louisa, for her part, having lost the +presence of her agreeable partner, was busy in supplying that deficiency +with the idea of him; so that each having meditations of her own of the +most interesting nature, had not leisure to observe the thoughtfulness +of the other, much less to enquire the motive of it. + +One of the great reasons that we find love so irresistable, is, that it +enters into the heart with so much subtilty, that it is not to be +perceived till it has gathered too much strength to be repulsed. If +Louisa had imagined herself in any danger from the merits of monsieur du +Plessis, she would at least have been less easily overcome by them:--she +had been accustomed to be pleased with the conversation of many who had +entertained her as he had done, but thought no more of them, or any +thing they said, when out of their company; but it was otherways with +her now: not a word he had spoke, not a glance he had given, but was +imprinted in her mind:--her memory ran over every little action a +thousand and a thousand times, and represented all as augmented with +some grace peculiar to himself, and infinitely superior to any thing she +had ever seen:--not even sleep could shut him out;--thro' her closed +eyes she saw the pleasing vision; and fancy, active in the cause of +love, formed new and various scenes, which to her waking thoughts were +wholly strangers. + +Melanthe also past the night in ideas which, tho' experienced in, were +not less ravishing: she was not of a temper to put any constraint on her +inclinations; and having entertained the most amorous ones for the count +de Bellfleur, easily overcame all scruples that might have hindered the +gratification of them:--her head ran on the appointment she had made +him:--the means she would take to engage his constancy,--resolved to +sell the reversion of her jointure and accompany him to France, and +flattered herself with the most pleasing images of a long series of +continued happiness in the arms of him, who was now all to her that +Henricus ever had been. + +Full of these meditations she rose, and soon after received from the +subject of them a billet, containing these words: + +_To the charming_ MELANTHE. + +MADAM, + +"Tho' the transporting promise you made +me of refusing admittance to all company +but mine, is a new instance of your goodness, +yet I cannot but think we should be still more +secure from interruption at a place I have taken +care to provide. Might I therefore hope you +would vouchsafe to meet me about five in the +evening at the dome of St. Mark, I shall be +ready with a Gondula to conduct you to a recess, +which seems formed by the god of love himself +for the temple of his purest offerings, than which +which none can be offered with greater passion +and sincerity than those of the adorable Melanthe's + +_Most devoted, and +Everlasting Slave_, +DE BELLFLEUR. + +_P.S._. To prevent your fair friend Louisa from +any suspicion on account of being left at +home, I have engaged a gentleman to make +her a visit in form, just before the time of +your coming out:--favour me, I beseech +you, with knowing if my contrivances in +both these points have the sanction of your +approbation." + + +Tho' Melanthe, as may have been already observed in the foregoing part +of her character, was no slave to reputation in England, and thought +herself much less obliged to be so in a place where she was a stranger, +and among people who, when she once quitted, she might probably never +see again, yet she looked on this caution in her lover as a new proof of +his sincerity and regard for her. She was also fond of every thing that +had an air of luxury, and doubted not to find the elegance of the French +taste in the entertainment he would cause to be prepared for her +reception, therefore hesitated not a moment to send him the +following answer: + +_To the engaging count_ DE BELLFLEUR. + +"Sensible, as you are, of the ascendant your +merits have gained over me, you cannot +doubt of my compliance with every thing that seems +reasonable to you:--I will not fail to be +at the place you mention; but oh! my dear +count, I hope you will never give me cause to +repent this step;--if you should, I must be +the most miserable of all created beings; but I +am resolved to believe you are all that man ought +to be, or that fond tenacious woman can desire; +and in that confidence attend with impatience +the hour in which there shall be no more reserve +between us, and I be wholly yours. + +MELANTHE." + + +Thus every thing being fixed for her undoing, she spent the best part of +the day in preparing for the rendezvous: nothing was omitted in the +article of dress, which might heighten her charms and secure her +conquest:--the glass was consulted every moment, and every look and +various kind of languishment essayed, in order to continue in that which +she thought would most become the occasion. As she ordinarily past a +great deal of time in this employment, Louisa was not surprized that she +now wasted somewhat more than usual; and the discourse they had together +while she was dressing, and all the time of dinner, being very much on +the ball and the company who were at it, her thoughts were so much taken +up with the remembrance of du Plessis, that she perceived not the hurry +of spirits which would else have been visible enough to her in all the +words and motions of the other, and which increased in proportion as the +hour of her appointment drew nearer. + +At length it arrived, and a servant came into the room and acquainted +Louisa a gentleman desired to speak with her; she was a little +surprized, it being usual for all those who visited there to expect +their reception from Melanthe; but that lady, who doubted not but it was +the same person the count had mentioned in his letter, prevented her +from saying any thing, by immediately giving orders for the gentleman to +be admitted. + +But with what strange emotions was the heart of Louisa agitated, when +she saw monsieur du Plessis come into the room! and after paying his +respects to Melanthe in the most submissive manner, accosted her, with +saying he took the liberty of enquiring of her health after the fatigue +of the last night; but, added he, the question, now I have the happiness +of seeing you, is altogether needless; those fine eyes, and that +sprightly air, declare you formed for everlasting gaiety, and that what +is apt to throw the spirits of others into a languor, serves but to +render yours more sparkling. + +Louisa, in spite of the confusion she felt within, answered this +compliment with her accustomed ease; and being all seated, they began to +enter into some conversation concerning the state with which the +Magnifico's of Venice are served, the elegance with which they entertain +strangers, and some other topics relating to the customs of that +republic, when all on a sudden Melanthe starting up, cried, bless me! I +had forgot a little visit was in my head to make to a monastery hard +by:--you will excuse me, monsieur, continued she, I leave your partner +to entertain you, and fancy you two may find sufficient matter of +conversation without a third person. She had no sooner spoke this than +she went out of the room, and left Louisa at a loss how to account for +this behaviour, as she had not before mentioned any thing of going +abroad. She would have imagined her vanity had been picqued that +monsieur du Plessis had particularized her in this visit; but as she +seemed in perfect good humour at going away, and knew she thought it +beneath her to put any disguise on her sentiments, she was certain this +sudden motion must have proceeded from some other cause, which as yet +she could form no conjecture of. + +This deceived lady, however, was no sooner out of the room, than +monsieur du Plessis drawing nearer to Louisa, how hard is my fate, +madame, said he, in a low voice, that I am compelled to tell you any +other motive than my own inclination has occasioned my waiting on +you:--heaven knows it is an honour I should have sought by the lowest +submissions, and all the ways that would not have rendered me unworthy +of it; but I now come, madame, not as myself, but as the ambassador of +another, and am engaged by my word and honour to plead a cause which, if +I succeed in, must be my own destruction. + +Louisa was in the utmost consternation at the mystery which seemed +contained in these words: she looked earnestly upon him while he was +uttering the latter part, and saw all the tokens of a serious perplexity +in his countenance, as well as in the accents with which he delivered +them; but not being willing to be the dupe of his diversion, thought it +best to answer as to a piece of railery, and told him, laughing, she +imagined this was some new invention of the frolics of the season, but +that she was a downright English-woman, understood nothing beyond plain +speaking, and could no ways solve the riddle he proposed. + +What I say, may doubtless appear so, madame; replied she, and I could +wish it had not been my part to give the explanation; but I cannot +dispense with the promise I have made, and must therefore acquaint you +with the history of it. + +After the ball, continued he, monsieur the count de Bellfleur desired me +to accompany him to his lodgings, and, as soon as we were alone, told +me, he had a little secret to acquaint me with, but that, before he +revealed it, he must have the promise of my assistance. As he spoke this +with a gay and negligent air, I imagined it a thing of no great +consequence, or if it were, he was a man of too much honour, and also +knew me too well to desire or expect I would engage in any thing +unbecoming that character: indeed I could think of nothing but an amour +or a duel, tho' I was far from being able to guess of what service I +could be to him in the former. I was, however, unwarily drawn in to give +my word, and he then made me the confident of a passion, which, he said, +had received its birth from the first moment he beheld the Belle +Angloise, for by that term, pursued he, bowing, he distinguished the +adorable Louisa: that he had made some discovery of his flame, but that +finding; himself rejected, as he thought, in too severe a manner, and +without affording him opportunity to attest his sincerity, he had +converted his addresses, tho' not his passion, to a lady who, he +perceived, had the care of her, acting in this manner, partly thro' +picque at your disdain, and partly to gratify his eyes with the sight of +you, which he has reason to fear you had totally deprived him of but for +this stratagem. He confessed to me that he found the object of his +pretended ardours infinitely more kind than she who inspires the real +ones: but this gratification of his vanity is of little consequence to +his peace;--he engaged me to attend you this day, to conjure you to +believe his heart is incapable of being influenced by any other charms, +and whatever he makes shew of to Melanthe, his heart is devoted wholly +to you,--begs you to permit him to entertain you without the presence of +that lady, the means of which he will take care to contrive; and charged +me to assure you, that there is no sacrifice so great, but he will +readily offer it to convince you of the sincerity of his attachment. + +This, madame, added he, is the unpleasing task my promise bound me to +perform, and which I have acquitted myself of with the same pain that +man would do who, by some strange caprice of fate, was constrained to +throw into the sea the sum of all his hopes. + +The indignation which filled the virtuous foul of Louisa, while he was +giving her this detail of the count's presumption, falsehood, and +ingratitude, prevented her from giving much attention to the apology +with which he concluded. Never, since the behaviour of mr. B----n at +mrs. C--g--'s, had she met with any thing that she thought so much +merited her resentment:--so great was her disdain she had not words to +express it, but by some tears, which the rising passion forced from her +eyes:--Heaven! cried she, which of my actions has drawn on me this +unworthy treatment?--This was all she was able to utter, while she +walked backward and forward in the room endeavouring to compose herself, +and form some answer befitting of the message. + +Monsieur du Plessis looked on her all this while with admiration: all +that seemed lovely in her, when he knew no more of her than that she was +young and beautiful, was now heightened in his eyes almost to divine, by +that virtuous pride which shewed him some part of her more charming +mind. What he extremely liked before, he now almost adored; and having, +by the loose manner in which the count had mentioned these two English +ladies, imagined them women of not over-rigid principles, now finding +his mistake, at least as concerning one of them, was so much ashamed and +angry with himself for having been the cause of that disorder he was +witness of, that he for some moments was equally at a loss to appease, +as she who felt was to express it. + +But being the first that recovered presence of mind; madame, I beseech +you, said he, involve not the innocent with the guilty:--I acknowledge +you have reason to resent the boldness of the count; but I am no +otherwise a sharer in his crime than in reporting it; and if you knew +the pain it gave my heart while I complied with the promise I was +unhappily betrayed into, I am sure you would forgive the misdemeanor of +my tongue. + +Sir, answered she, I can easily forgive the slight opinion one so much a +stranger to me as yourself may have of me; but monsieur the count has +been a constant visitor to the lady I am with, ever since our arrival at +Venice; and am very certain he never found any thing in my behaviour to +him or any other person, which could justly encourage him to send me +such a message:--a message, indeed, equally affrontive to himself, since +it shews him a composition of arrogance, vanity, perfidy, and every +thing that is contemptible in man.--This, sir, is the reply I send him, +and desire you to tell him withal, that if he persists in giving me any +farther trouble of this nature, I shall let him know my sense of it in +the presence of Melanthe. + +Monsieur du Plessis then assured her he would be no less exact in +delivering what she said, than he had been in the observance of his +promise to the other, and conjured her to believe he should do it with +infinite more satisfaction. He then made use of so many arguments to +prove, that a man of honour ought not to falsify his word, tho' given to +an unworthy person, that she was at last won to forgive his having +undertaken to mention any thing to her of the nature he had done. + +Indeed, the agitations she had been in were more owing to the vexation +that monsieur du Plessis was the person employed, than that the count +had the boldness to apply to her in this manner; but the submission she +found herself treated with by the former, convincing her that he had +sentiments very different from those the other had entertained of her, +rendered her more easy, and she not only forgave his share in the +business which had brought him there, but also permitted him to repeat +his visits, on condition he never gave her any cause to suspect the mean +opinion the count had of her conduct had any influence on him. + + + +CHAP. XIII. + +_Louisa finds herself very much embarrassed by Melanthe's imprudent +behaviour. Monsieur du Plessis declares an honourable passion for her: +her sentiments and way of acting on that occasion_. + +After the departure of monsieur du Plessis, Louisa fell into a serious +consideration of what had passed between them: not all the regard, which +she could not hinder herself from feeling for that young gentleman, nor +the pleasure she took in reflecting on the respect he paid her, made her +unmindful of what she owed Melanthe: the many obligations she had +received from her, and the friendship she had for her in return, made +her think she ought to acquaint her with the baseness of the count de +Bellfleur, in order to prevent an affection which she found she had +already too much indulged from influencing her to grant him any farther +favours; but this she knew was a very critical point to manage, and was +not without some apprehensions, which afterward she experienced were but +too well grounded; that when that lady found herself obliged to hate the +man she took pleasure in loving, she would also hate the woman who was +the innocent occasion of it. Few in the circumstances Louisa was, but +would have been swayed by this consideration, and chose rather to see +another become the prey of perfidy and deceit, than fall the victim of +jealousy herself; but the generosity of her nature would not suffer it +to have any weight with her, and she thought she could be more easy +under any misfortunes the discovery might involve her in, than in the +consciousness of not having discharged the obligations of duty and +gratitude in revealing what seemed so necessary to be known. + +With this resolution, finding Melanthe was not come home, she went into +her chamber in order to wait her return, and relate the whole history to +her as she should undress for bed. But hour after hour elapsing without +any appearance of the person she expected, she thought to beguile the +tedious time by reading; and remembering that Melanthe had a very +agreeable book in her hand that morning, she opened a drawer, where she +knew that lady was accustomed to throw any thing in, which she had no +occasion to conceal; but how great was her surprise when, instead of +what she sought, she found the letter from count de Bellfleur which +Melanthe, in the hurry of spirits, had forgot to lock up. As it lay open +and was from him, she thought it no breach of honour to examine the +contents, but in doing so was ready to faint away between grief and +astonishment. + +She was not insensible that Melanthe was charmed with this new lover, +and had always feared her liking him would sway her to some +imprudencies, but could not have imagined it would have carried her, at +least so soon, to such a guilty length as she now found it did. + +Convinced by the hour in which she went out, and alone, that she had +complied with the appointment, and that all she would have endeavoured +to prevent was already come to pass, she now considered that the +discovery she had to make would only render this indiscreet lady more +unhappy, and therefore no longer thought herself obliged to run any +risque of incuring her ill-will on the occasion; but in her soul +extremely lamented this second fall from virtue, which it was impossible +should not bring on consequences equally, if not more shameful than +the first. + +Good God! cried she, how is it possible for a woman of any share of +sense, and who has been blessed with a suitable education, to run thus +counter to all the principles of religion, honour, virtue, modesty, and +all that is valuable in our sex? and yet that many do, I have been a +melancholy witness:--and then again, what is there in this love, resumed +she, that so infatuates the understanding, that we doat on our +dishonour, and think ruin pleasing?--Can any personal perfections in a +man attone for the contempt he treats us with in courting us to +infamy!--the mean opinion he testifies to have of us sure ought rather +to excite hate than love; our very pride, methinks, should be a +sufficient guard, and turn whatever favourable thoughts we might have of +such a one, unknowing his design, into aversion, when once convinced he +presumed upon our weakness. + +In these kind of reasonings did she continue some time; but reflecting +that the trouble she was in might put Melanthe on asking the cause, it +seemed best to her to avoid seeing her that night, so retired to her own +room and went to bed, ordering the servants to tell their lady, in case +she enquired for her, that she was a little indisposed. + +While Louisa was thus deploring a misfortune she wanted power to remedy, +the person for whom she was concerned past her time in a far different +manner: the count omitted nothing that might convince her of his +gallantry, and give her a pretence for flattering herself with his +sincerity:--he swore ten thousand oaths of constancy, and she easily +gave credit to what she wished and had vanity enough to think she +merited:--he had prepared every thing that could delight the senses for +her reception at the house to which he carried her; and she found in +herself so little inclination to quit the pleasures she enjoyed, that it +was as much as the little remains of decency and care of reputation +could do, to make her tear herself away before midnight. + +In the fullness of her heart she had doubtless concealed no part of this +adventure from Louisa, but on hearing she was gone to rest, and not very +well, would not disturb her. The first thing she did in the morning was +to run into the chamber and enquire after her health, which she did in +so affectionate and tender a manner, that it very much heightened the +other's trouble for her. + +It is certain that, setting aside too loose a way of thinking of virtue +and religion, and adhering to that false maxim, that a woman of rank is +above censure, Melanthe had many amiable qualities, and as she truly +loved Louisa, was alarmed at her supposed indisposition, which, to +conceal the perplexity her mind was in, she still continued to +counterfeit, as well as to avoid going to a masquerade, to which they +had some days before been invited, and which the present situation of +her thoughts left her no relish for. + +Melanthe would fain have perswaded her that this diversion would +contribute to restoring her; but she entreated to be excused, and the +other went without her. + +Monsieur du Plessis in the mean time having informed the count de +Bellfleur, how much it was in vain for him to flatter himself with any +hopes of Louisa, that proud and inconstant nobleman was extremely +mortified, and said, that since she was so haughty, he was resolved to +contrive some way or other to get her into his power, as well out of +revenge as inclination. This, the other represented to him, would be a +very ungenerous way of proceeding; and said, that as she refused his +addresses merely out of a principle of virtue, and not for the sake of a +more favoured rival, he ought to content himself; but these arguments +were lost on a man whom pride of blood, and an affluence of fortune, had +rendered too insolent and head-strong to think any thing reason which +opposed his will; and they parted not well satisfied with each other, +tho' du Plessis concealed part of the dislike he had of his principles +and manner of behaviour, on account of a long friendship between their +families, and also as the count was his superior in birth, in years, and +in the post he held in the army. + +He had no sooner left him than he came to Louisa, thinking it his duty +to give her warning of the count's design, and that it would be a proper +prelude to something else he had to say. As the servants knew she was +not perfectly well, they told him, they believed she would see no +company; but on his entreating it, and saying he had something of moment +to impart, one of them went in and repeated what he had said, on which +she gave leave for his admission. + +He rejoiced to find her alone, as he came prepared to reveal to her more +secrets than that of the count's menace; but the pleasure he took in +having so favourable an opportunity was very much damped, by seeing her +look more pale than usual, and that she was in a night-dress. Fearful +that this change proceeded from what had passed between them the day +before, he asked with a hastiness, that shewed the most kind concern, if +she were well. No otherways disordered, answered she, than in my mind, +and that not sufficiently to have any effect over my health; but to +confess the truth, monsieur, said she, the continual round of diversion +this carnival affords, has made what the world calls pleasure, cease to +be so with me; and I find more solid satisfaction in retirement, where I +am in no danger of being too much flattered or affronted. + +Ah! madam, cried he, I see the audacity of the count dwells too much +upon your thoughts, and tremble to relate the business on which I came, +and which it is yet necessary you should know. You mistake me, monsieur, +replied she; a common foe of virtue, such as the count, is incapable of +taking up my thoughts one moment; it is only those I love can give me +real pain. + +I understand you, madam, resumed he, and am too much interested in your +concern not to simpathize on the occasion: the misfortunes, such as I +fear will attend the too great sensibility of Melanthe, may give you so +terrible an idea of love in general, that it will be difficult to +persuade you there can be any lasting happiness to be found in that +passion:--but, charming Louisa, continued he, if you will make the least +use of your penetration, and examine with a desire of being convinced, +you will easily distinguish the real passion from the counterfeit: that +love, whose supremest pleasure is in being capable to give felicity to +the beloved object; and that wild desire, which aims at no more than a +self-gratification:--the one has the authority of heaven for its +sanction;--the other no excuse but nature in its depravity. From all +attempts of the one, I am confident, your virtue and good sense will +always defend you; but to fly with too great obstinacy the other, is not +to answer the end of your creation; and deny yourself a blessing, which +you seem formed to enjoy in the most extensive degree. + +Both the voice and manner in which monsieur du Plessis spoke, gave +Louisa some suspicion of what he aimed at in this definition, and filled +her at the same time with emotions of various kinds; but dissembling +them as well as she could, and endeavouring to turn what he said into +raillery, you argue very learnedly on this subject, it must be +confessed, answered she smiling; but all you can urge on that head, nor +the compliment you make me, can win me to believe that love of any kind +is not attended with more mischief than good:--where it is accompanied +with the strictest honour, constancy, purity, and all the requisites +that constitute what is called a perfect passion, there are ordinarily +so many difficulties in the way to the completion of its wishes, that +the breast which harbours it must endure a continual agitation, which +surely none would chuse to be involved in. + +Ah! madam, how little are you capable of judging of this passion, said +he; there is a delicacy in love which renders even its pains pleasing, +and how much soever a lover suffers, the thoughts of for whom he suffers +is more than a compensation; I am myself an instance of this truth:--I +am a lover:--conscious unworthiness of a suitable return of affection, +and a thousand other impediments lie between me and hope, yet would I +not change this dear anxiety for that insipid case I lived in before I +saw the only object capable of making me a convert to love.--It is +certain my passion is yet young; but a few days has given it root which +no time, no absence, no misfortune ever can dislodge.--The charming maid +is ignorant of her conquest:--the carnival draws near to a +conclusion.--I must return to the army, and these cruel circumstances +oblige me either to make a declaration which she may possibly condemn as +too abrupt, or go and leave her unknowing of my heart, and thereby +deprive myself even of her pity:--Which party, madam, shall I +take?--Will the severe extreme, to which I am driven, be sufficient to +attone for a presumption which else would merit her disdain? + +Louisa must have been as dull as she was really the contrary, not to +have known all this was meant to herself; and the pleasing confusion +which this discovery infused thro' all her veins, made her at the same +time sensible of the difference she put between him and all those who +before had entertained her on that subject; but not knowing presently +whether she ought to attribute it to her good or ill fortune, she was +wholly at a loss how to behave, and, to avoid giving any direct answer, +still affected an air of pleasantry. + +See, cried she, the little reason you, have to speak in the praise of +love; for if pity be all you have to hope for from your, mistress, I am +afraid the consolation will be no way adequate to the misfortune. + +Yet if you vouchsafe me that, replied he, kissing her hard, I never +shall complain. Me! interrupted she, pretending the utmost astonishment, +and drawing her chair somewhat farther from him. Yes, beautiful Louisa, +resumed he; it is you alone who have been capable of teaching me what +love truly is:--your eyes, at first sight, subdued my heart; but your +virtue has since made a conquest of my soul:--if I dare hope to make you +mine, it is only by such ways as heaven, and those who have the power of +disposing you, shall approve:--in the mean time I implore no more than +your permission to admire you, and to convince you, by all the +honourable services in my power to do you while you continue here, how +much my words are deficient to denote my meaning. + +Louisa, now finding herself under a necessity of answering seriously, +told him, that if it were true that he had sentiments for her of the +nature he pretended, they would not only merit, but receive the most +grateful acknowledgments on her part; but at the same time she should be +sorry he had entertained them, and would wish him not to indulge a +prospect which could last no longer than while both remained in Venice, +and must infallibly vanish on their separation. + +No, madam, replied he, when the next campaign is over, I shall return to +France; and sure the distance between that kingdom and England is not so +great, but a less motive than yourself would easily carry me thither; +and such credentials also of who, and what I am, as, I flatter myself, +would not appear contemptible in the eyes of your friends:--the prospect +therefore is not so visionary as you seem to think, provided I have +your consent. + +The mention he made of her friends reminding her of her destitute +condition, gave her the utmost shock; which not being able to overcome, +she remained silent some moments; but at last perceiving he waited her +reply, monsieur, said she, there may be a thousand indissoluble bars +between us which you do not think of. + +None, interrupted he eagerly, but what such love as mine will easily +surmount:--it is true, I am ignorant of your condition in the world; but +if it be superior to mine, the passion I am possessed of will inspire me +with means to raise me to an equality; and if inferior, which heaven +grant may be the case, it will only give the opportunity of proving that +I love Louisa for Louisa's self, and look upon every thing she brings +beside as nothing. + +The emphasis he gave these words manifesting their sincerity, could not +but give new charms to the person who spoke them: Louisa thought she +might, without a blush, testify the sense she had of his generosity; but +tho' what she said was perfectly obliging to him, yet she concluded with +letting him know, there still was something that rendered the +accomplishment of what he seemed to wish impossible. + +Then your heart already is engaged, cried he, or you are predestined by +your parents to some happier man? Without either of these, answered she, +there may be reasons to prevent our ever meeting more;--therefore I owe +so much to the honourable offers you are pleased to make me, as to wish +you to overcome whatever inclinations you may have for one who I once +more assure you never can be yours. + +It would be impossible to express the distraction monsieur du Plessis +testified at this expression:--a thousand times over did he repeat that +dreadful word NEVER;--then added, neither engaged by love or promise, +yet never can be mine! does my ill fate come wrap'd to me in +riddles!--yet many things have seemed impossible that are not so in +themselves:--O Louisa! continued he, if there be any thing beside my +want of merit that impedes my wishes, and you delight not in my torment, +speak it I conjure you. + +There is a necessity of denying you in this also, said Louisa; but to +shew you how little I am inclined to be ungrateful, be certain that I +have the highest idea of your merits, and prize them as much as I +ought to do. + +These last words, obliging as they were, could not console monsieur du +Plessis for the cruelty, as he termed it, of refusing to let him know +what this invincible obstacle was which put a stop to any further +correspondence between them: he spared neither prayers nor tears to draw +the secret from her, but all were ineffectual; and she at last told him, +that if he pressed her any farther on that head, she must for the future +avoid his presence. + +This was a menace which he had not courage to dare the execution of, and +he promised to conform to her will, tho' with such agonies, as shewed +her how much he valued even the little she was pleased to grant; but it +was not in the power of her perswasions to prevail on him to resolve to +make any efforts for the vanquishing his passion; he still protested +that he neither could cease to love her, and her alone, nor even to wish +an alteration in his sentiments. + +By what has been already said of the extreme liking which the first +fight of this young gentleman inspired Louisa with, it may easily be +supposed she could not hear his complaints, and be witness of the +anxieties she was enforced to inflict on him, without feeling at least +an equal share: she endeavoured not to conceal the pity she had for him; +but he now found that was far from being all he wanted, because it +forwarded not, as he at first imagined, the progress of his hopes, but +rather shewed them at more distance than ever. + +The business of his love so engrossed his thoughts during this visit, +that he almost forgot to mention any thing of the count's designs upon +her, and she as little remembered to remind him of it, tho' he told her +on his entrance, that he had something to acquaint her with on his +subject, and it was not till he was going to take leave that it came +into his head. When he had related it to her, she assured him that she +took the caution he gave her as a new proof of his friendship, which, +said she, I shall always prize. At parting, she permitted him to salute +her, and gave her promise not to refuse seeing him while they continued +in that city; but told him at the same time, that he must not expect any +thing from his repeated visits more than she had already granted. + +He durst not at that time press her any farther, but fetched a deep sigh +as he went out of the room, accompanied with a look more expressive than +any words could be of the discontent he laboured under, while she, +oppressed beneath the double weight of his and her own grief, remained +in a condition he was little able to form any conjecture of. + +Pleased as she was with the presence of the only man who had ever had +power of inspiring her with one tender thought, yet a thousand times she +had wished him gone before he went, that she might be at liberty to give +vent to the struggling passions which were more than once ready to throw +her into a swoon. The perfections she saw in the person of her +lover;--the respect he treated her with, notwithstanding the violence of +the passion he was possessed of;--the sincerity that appeared in all his +looks and words;--the generosity of his behaviour in regard to her +fortune;--all the qualifications that would have made any other woman +blessed in the offer of such a heart, served but to make her wretched, +since she could not look on herself in a condition capable of +accepting it. + +Alas! du Plessis, cried she, little do you think to whom you would ally +yourself:--you would, you say, despise a portion, but would you marry a +foundling, a child of charity, one that has neither name nor friends, +and who, in her best circumstances, is but a poor dependant, a servant +in effect, tho' not in shew, and owes her very cloaths to the bounty of +another?--Oh! why did the mistaken goodness of Dorilaus give me any +other education than such as befitted my wretched fortune! Better I had +been bred an humble drudge, and never been taught how to distinguish +merit:--What avail the accomplishments that cost him so much money, and +me so much pains to acquire, but to attract a short-liv'd admiration, +which, when I am truly known, will be succeeded with an adequate +derision:--Could I but say I was descended from honest, tho' mean +parents, I would not murmur at my fate, but I have none,--none to own +me;--I am a nothing,--a kind of reptile in humanity, and have been shewn +in a genteel way of life only to make my native misery more conspicuous. + +Thus did love represent her unhappy circumstances in their worst +colours, and render her, which till now she had never been, thankless to +heaven for all the good she had received, since it seemed to deny her +the only good her passion coveted, that of being in a condition to +reward the affection of her dear du Plessis. + +A torrent of tears at length somewhat mitigated the violence of her +passion, and unwilling to be seen by Melanthe in the present confusion +of her thoughts, she went to bed, leaving the same orders as she had +done the night before. + + + +CHAP. XIV. + +_The base designs of the count de Bellfleur occasion a melancholy change +in Louisa's way of life; the generous behaviour of monsieur du Plessis +on that occasion._ + +Had the agonies Louisa suffered been of very long continuance, she must +have sunk under them; but grief is easily dissipated in a young heart, +and she awoke more tranquil.--The principles of religion grew stronger +as her passion weaker, and she reflected that she ought to submit in +every thing to the will of heaven, which sometimes converts what seems +the greatest evil into good.--The offer of such a match as monsieur du +Plessis, a man she loved, and who was master of accomplishments which +might excuse the most violent passion, appeared indeed a happiness she +would have gloried in had she been really such as he took her for; but +then she had known him but a very short time, had no experience of his +principles or humour; and tho' he seemed all honour, could not assure +herself that the generosity which so much engaged her might not be all +artifice; at least she found to think so would most contribute to her +ease, therefore indulged it as much as she was able. She condemned +herself for having given monsieur du Plessis permission to continue his +visits, after having assured him he had nothing to hope from them, +because a further conversation might only serve to render both more +unhappy. She resolved however to give him no opportunity of talking to +her of his passion, and in order to avoid thinking of it herself as much +as possible, to go, as usual, into all company that came to Melanthe, +and partake of every diversion that offered itself. + +Accordingly she forced herself to a gaiety, she was far from feeling, +vainly imagining that by counterfeiting a chearfulness, she should in +time be able to resume it; but du Plessis hung too heavy at her heart, +and when she affected the greatest shew of mirth, it was often +interrupted with sighs, which she was not always sensible of herself. He +visited her almost every day under one pretence or other; but she took +such care never to be alone at the times that she could possibly expect +him, that he had not the least opportunity to renew his addresses, any +otherways than by his looks, which, notwithstanding, were perfectly +intelligible to her, tho' she seemed not to observe them. + +Melanthe, no longer able to keep the secret of her amour, finding +Louisa, as she thought, had entirely regained her former sprightliness, +acquainted her with all had passed between herself and count de +Bellfleur; which, tho' the other was no stranger to, she seemed +astonished at, and could not help telling her, that she feared the +consequence of an intrigue of that nature would one day be fatal to her +peace. Yet, said Melanthe, where one loves, and is beloved, it is hard +to deny oneself a certain happiness for the dread of an imaginary +ill.--In fine, my dear Louisa, I found I could not live without him; and +heaven will sure excuse the error of an inclination which is born with +us, and which not all our reason is of force to conquer.--But, added +she, you always seem to speak of the count, as of a man that wanted +charms to excuse the tenderness I have for him; and, I have observed, +deny him those praises which I have heard you bestow very freely on +persons that have not half his merit. + +Louisa knowing how vain it was to contest with inclination, in persons +who are resolved to indulge it, and also that all advice was now too +late, began to repent of what she said. If, madam, replied she, after a +little pause, I have seemed unjust to the count's perfections, it was +only because I feared you were but too sensible of them; for otherwise, +it must be owned, he has a person and behaviour extremely engaging; but +as the carnival will put an end to all the acquaintance we have +contracted here, it gives me pain to think how you will support a +separation. + +Perhaps it may not happen so soon as you imagine, said Melanthe:--tho' +the carnival, and with it all the pleasures of this place will soon be +over, our loves may be continued elsewhere:--suppose, Louisa, we go to +France, added she with a significant smile, that shewed it was her +intention to do so. + +Some company coming in, prevented any farther discourse on this head for +the present; but afterward she confirmed what she had now hinted at, and +told Louisa, that she had resolved to pass some little time in seeing +those places which were in her way to France, and afterwards meet the +count at Paris, on his return from the campaign. Louisa, unable to +determine within herself whether she ought to rejoice, or be sad at this +intended journey, fell into a sudden thoughtfulness, which the other at +that time took no notice of, but it served afterwards to corroborate the +truth of something she was told, and proved of consequence little to +be foreseen. + +The inconstant count, in the mean time, satieted with Melanthe, and as +much in love with Louisa as a man of his temper could be, was contriving +all the ways his inventive wit could furnish him with to get handsomely +rid of the one, and attain the enjoyment of the other. As he had spent +many years in a continual course of gallantry, and had made and broke a +thousand engagements, he easily found expedients for throwing off his +intercourse with Melanthe, but none that could give him the least +prospect of success in his designs on Louisa while they lived together +and continued friends: to part them therefore was his aim, and to +accomplish it the following method came into his head. + +On his first acquaintance with these ladies his design was wholly on +Louisa, but meeting a rebuff from her, his vanity rather than his +inclinations had made him turn his devoirs to Melanthe, who too easily +yielding to his suit, served but to heighten his desires for the other: +the extravagant fondness of that unhappy woman rendering her visibly +uneasy at even the ordinary civilities she saw him behave with to any +other, discovered to him that jealousy was not the least reigning foible +of her foul, and the surest means to make her hate that person whom it +was not the interest of his passion she should continue to love. When +they were alone together one day at the place of their usual rendezvous, +in the midst of the most tender endearments, he asked suddenly if she +had ever made Louisa the confident of his happiness. She was a little +surprized at the question, but answered that she had not, and desired to +know the reason of that demand; because, cried he, I am very certain she +is no friend to our loves; and by the manner in which she behaves to me, +whenever she has the least opportunity of shewing her ill humour, I +imagined she either knew or suspected the affair between us. + +Melanthe, conscious she had hid nothing from her, and also sensible of +the little approbation she gave to her intrigue, was very much picqued +that she should have done any thing to make the count perceive +it;--whatever she suspects, cried she, haughtily, she ought not to treat +with any ill manners a person whom I avow a friendship for. Vanity, +answered he, sometimes gets the better of discretion in ladies of her +years:--she knows herself handsome, and cannot have a good opinion of +the man who prefers any charms to her own.--I imagine this to be the +cause why she looks on me with such disdain, and, whenever you are not +witness of her words, is so keen in satyrical reflections.--On our first +acquaintance she looked and spoke with greater softness, and I can +impute it to no other motive than the pride of beauty, that this sudden +change has happened. + +All the time he was speaking, the soul of Melanthe grew more and more +fired with jealousy.--It is natural for every one to imagine whatever +they like is agreeable to others. The distaste which Louisa had on many +occasions testified for the count, seemed now to have been only +affected:--the melancholy she had been in, and the deep resvery she +remembered she had fallen into when first she informed her of their +amour, joined to convince her, that the advice she gave proceeded from a +motive very different from what she pretended. + +The wily count saw into the workings of her soul; and while he seemed as +if he would not discover the whole of his sentiments for fear of +disobliging her, threw out the plainest hints, that Louisa had made him +advances which would have been very flattering to a heart not +pre-engaged, till Melanthe, not able to contain her rage, broke out into +the fevered invectives against the innocent Louisa.--The ungrateful +wretch! cried she, how dare she presume to envy, much less to offer an +interruption to my pleasures!--What, have I raised the little wretch to +such a forgetfulness of herself, that she pretends to rival her mistress +and benefactress! In the height of her resentment, she related to the +count in what manner she had taken her into her service; but that +finding her, as she imagined, a girl of prudence, she had made her a +companion during her travels, and as such treated her with respect, and +made others do so too;--but, said she, I will reduce her to what she +was, and since she knows not how to prize the honour of my friendship, +make her feel the severities of servitude. + +Nothing could be more astonishing, and at the same time more pleasing to +count Bellfleur than this discovery: what he felt for Louisa could not +be called love, he desired only to enjoy her; and the knowledge of her +meanness, together with Melanthe's resentment, which he doubted not but +he should be able to improve to the turning her out of doors, made him +imagine she would then be humbled enough to accept of any, offers he +might make her. + +Pursuant to this cruel aim, he told Melanthe, that now not thinking +himself under any obligation to conceal the whole of the affair, he must +confess Louisa had not only made him advances, but gone so far as to +discover a very great passion for him.--As I had never, said he, given +her the least room to hope I was ambitious of any favours from her of +that nature, I could not help thinking she was guilty of some +indecencies ill-becoming a woman of condition, as well as infidelity to +her friendship for you, whom she might well see I adored:--but alas! I +little suspected the obligations she had to you, and now I know what she +is, am in the utmost consternation at her ingratitude, impudence and +stupidity. Heavens! added he, could she have the vanity to imagine that +the genteel garb you had put her in, could raise her to such an +equality, as to make me hesitate one moment if I should give the balance +of merit on her side, and quit the amiable Melanthe for the pert charms +of her woman? + +Melanthe, believing every thing he said on this occasion, was ready to +burst with indignation; which impatient to give vent to, parted from her +lover much sooner than she was accustomed, in order to wreak on the poor +Louisa all that rage and malice could suggest. + +That innocent maid, little suspecting the misfortune that was falling on +her, was at ombre with some ladies who came to visit them, when the +furious Melanthe came home, and taking this opportunity of heightening +her intended revenge by making it more public,--so, minx, said she to +her, after having made her compliments to the company, you ape the woman +of fashion exceeding well, as you imagine; but hereafter know yourself, +and keep the distance that becomes you. With these words she gave her a +push from the table in so rough a manner, that the cards fell out of +her hand. + +It is hard to say whether Louisa herself, or the ladies who were +present, were most astonished at this behaviour; every one looked one +upon another without speaking for some time: at last Louisa, who wanted +not spirit, and on this occasion testified an uncommon presence of +mind,--if I have seemed otherways than what I am, madam, said she, it +was your commands obliged me to it:--I never yet forgot myself, and +shall as readily resume what distance you are pleased to enjoin me. +Insolent, ungrateful wretch, cried Melanthe, vexed to the soul to find +her seem so little shocked at what she had done, if I permitted you any +liberties, it was because I thought you merited them;--but get out of my +sight, and dare not to come into it again till I send for you. I shall +obey you, madam, replied Louisa, and perhaps be as well pleased to be +your servant as companion. + +This resignation and seeming tranquility under an insult, she expected +would have been so mortifying, was the greatest disappointment could be +given to Melanthe, and increased her rage to such a degree, that she +flew to her as she was going out of the room, and struck her several +blows, using at the same time expressions not decent to repeat, but +such, as in some unguarded moments, women of quality level themselves +with the vulgar enough to be guilty of. This is a behaviour, madam, +which demeans yourself much more than me, said Louisa, and when reason +gets the better of your passion, I doubt not but you will be just enough +to acknowledge you have injured me. + +She got out of the room with these words, but heard Melanthe still +outrageous in her reproaches; but determined not to answer, made what +haste she could into her own chamber, where having shut herself in, she +gave a loose to the distraction so unexpected an event must +naturally occasion. + +Pride is a passion so incident to human nature, that there is no breast +whatever that has not some share of it; and it would be to describe +Louisa such as no woman ever was, or ever can be, especially at her +years, to say she was not sensibly touched at the indignity she had +received from a person, but a few hours before, had treated her as +pretty near an equality with herself.--Nor was her amazement inferior to +her grief, when after examining, with the utmost care, all her words and +actions, she could find nothing in either that could possibly give +occasion for this sudden turn. + +From the present, she cast thoughts back on the past accidents of her +life, and comparing them together, how cruelly capricious is my fate, +said she, which never presents me with a good but to be productive of an +adequate evil!--How great a blessing was the protection and tenderness I +found from Dorilaus, yet how unhappy did the too great increase of that +tenderness render, me!--What now avails all the friendship received from +Melanthe, but to make me the less able to support her ill usage!--And +what, of what advantage is it to me that I am beloved by a man the most +worthy to be loved, since I am of a condition which forbids me to give +any encouragement to his, or my own wishes! + +In this manner did she pour forth the troubles of her soul, till the +hour of supper being arrived, Melanthe's woman knocked at the chamber, +and Louisa having opened it, she told her that she was sorry to see such +an alteration in the family, but it was her ladyship's pleasure that she +should eat at the second table. It is very well, said Louisa, resolving, +whatever she endured, not to let Melanthe see any thing she could do +disturbed her too much, and in saying so, went with her into the hall +and sat down to table, but with what appetite I leave the reader +to guess. + +Melanthe, who now hated her to a greater degree than ever she had loved +her, gave to the ladies who were with her the whole history of Louisa, +as far as she knew of it, and rather aggravated, than any way softened +the mean condition from which she had relieved her; but when they asked +her what that unhappy creature had done to forfeit a continuance of her +goodness, she only answered in general, that she had found her to be an +ungrateful and perfidious wretch. + +As she mentioned no particular influence on which this accusation was +grounded, every one was at liberty to judge of it as they pleased.--The +accomplishments Louisa was mistress of, made every one convinced she had +been educated in no mean way, tho' by some accidents she might have been +reduced to the calamities Melanthe had so largely expatiated upon, and +more there were who pitied her than approved the behaviour of her +superior:--some indeed, who had envied the praises they had heard +bestowed on her, were rejoiced at her fall, and made it a matter of +mirth wherever they came;--and others again thought themselves affronted +by having a person, who they now found was no more than a servant, +introduced into their company, and would never visit Melanthe afterward +the whole time she stayed in Venice. + +The affair, however, occasioned a great deal of discourse: monsieur du +Plessis heard of it the next day related after different fashions. The +concern he was in was conformable to the passion he had for the fair +occasion, and both beyond what is ordinarily to be found in persons of +his sex. Impatient to know the truth he went to Melanthe's, and she +happening to be abroad, he desired to speak to Louisa, but was told she +was indisposed, and could see no company. These orders had been given by +Melanthe, but were very agreeable to Louisa herself, who desired to +avoid the sight of every one she had conversed with in a different +manner from what she could now expect; but of the whole world this +gentleman she most wished to shun. + +He concealed the trouble he was in as well as he was able, and affecting +a careless air, told the person who answered him, that he only came to +ask if she had heard the last new song, and that he would send it +to her. + +The moment he came home he sat down and wrote the following billet. + +_To the ever charming_ LOUISA. + +"That invincible bar you mentioned, yet +made so great a secret of, is at last revealed, +and I should be unworthy of the blessing I aspire +to, if I were unable to surmount it. +Cruel Louisa! you little know me, or the force +of that passion you have inspired, to imagine +that any difference which chance may have put +between us, can make the least alteration in my +sentiments!--It is to your own perfections I +have devoted my heart, not to the merit or +grandeur of your ancestors. What has my love +to do with fortune, or with family!--Does a +diamond lose any thing of its intrinsic value for +being presented by an unknown, or an obscure +hand?--My eyes convince me of the charms +of my adored Louisa; my understanding shews +me those of her mind; and if heaven vouchsafes +to bless me with so rich a jewel, I never shall +examine whence it came.--If therefore I am +not so unhappy as to be hated by you, let not +vain punctilloes divide us, and, as the first proof +of my inviolable passion, permit me to remove +you from a place where you have met with such +unworthy treatment:--I hope you wrong me +not so far as to suspect I any other designs +on you than such as are consistent with the +strictest honour; but to prevent all scruples of +that nature from entering your gentle breast, I +would wish to place you in a convent, the +choice of which shall be your own, provided it +may be where I sometimes may be allowed to +pay my vows to you thro' the grate, till time +shall have sufficiently proved my fidelity, and +you shall prevail on yourself to recempence my +flame, by bestowing on me your hand and heart:--the +one I would not ask without the other; +but both together would render the happiest of +mankind. + +_Your eternally devoted_ + +Du Plessis. + +_P.S._ As I perceive it will be next to an impossibility +to gain a sight of you while you continue +with that ungenerous woman, I entreat +to know by a line how I stand in your opinion, +and if the offers I make you, in the sincerity +of my soul, may be thought worthy +your acceptance." + + +This epistle he ordered his valet de chambre to give to her own hand, if +there were a possibility of it; and the fellow so well executed his +commission, being acquainted with Melanthe's servants, that he was +carried directly up to her chamber. She was a little surprized to see +him, because she knew it was contrary to Melanthe's commands that any +one should see her; and doubted not but to find she was treated with any +kind of respect, would enhance her ill humour to her. But she said +nothing that discovered her sentiments on this point, and with all the +appearance of a perfect ease of mind, asked what he had to deliver to +her. Only a song, mademoiselle, answered he, which my master ordered me +to give you, and to desire you will let him know how you like it:--he +says it might be turned into an admirable duetto, and begs you would +employ your genius on that score and send it by me. + +Poor Louisa, who took his words literally, and thought her present +circumstances too discordant for the fulfilling his request, opened the +supposed piece of music with an aking heart; but when she had perused +it, and found the artifice her lover had made use of to communicate his +generous intentions to her, it is extremely fine, said she to the valet, +and I will do what he requires to the best of my power, but fear I shall +not be able to give it such a turn as he may expect. If you please, +continued she, to wait a little, I shall not be long before I dispatch +you. In speaking these words she went into her closet, and read over and +over the offers he had made, in which, with the strictest examination, +she could find nothing but what indicated the most perfect love, honour, +and generosity. In the first transports of her soul she was tempted to +comply; but her second thoughts were absolutely against it.--Those very +reasons which would have prevailed with almost any other woman, made her +obstinate to refuse:--the more she found him worthy, the less could she +support the thoughts of giving him a beggar for a wife; and the more she +loved him, the less could she content to be obliged to him; so she took +but a small time for consideration, before she returned an answer in +these terms: + +_To the most accomplished, and most generous monsieur_ DU PLESSIS. + + +"As it was not owing to my pride or vanity, +but merely compliance with the will of +Melanthe, that my real meanness was made a +secret, I find it revealed without any mortification; +but, monsieur, the distance between us +is not shortened by being known: as the consciousness +of my unworthiness remains with +me, and ever must do so, I again repeat the +impossibility of accepting your too generous passion, +and, after this, you will not wonder I +should refuse those other obliging offers you are +so good to make.--I left my native country +with Melanthe, devoted myself to her service +while she was pleased to continue me in it, and +only wait her commands for my doing so, or to +return to England.--I believe, by what her +woman told me this day, the latter will be my +fate.--Think not, however, most truly worthy +of your whole sex, that I want eyes to distinguish +your merits, or a heart capable of being +influenced by them, perhaps too deeply for my +own future peace:--this is a confession I would +not have made, were I ever to see you more; +but as I am determined to shut myself from all +the world during my abode at Venice, I thought +I owed this little recompence to the generous +affection you express for me, and had rather you +should think any thing of me, than that I am +ungrateful. + +LOUISA. + +_P.S._ I beg, monsieur, after this, you will not +attempt either to speak or write to me." + + +When she had sent this away, she fell into fresh complainings at the +severity of her fate, which constrained her to refuse what most she +languished for:--the uncertainty how she should be disposed of was also +a matter of grief:--she was at this time a prisoner in Melanthe's house: +she had sent several messages to that lady, by her woman, entreating to +know in what she had offended, but could receive no other answer than +abuses, without one word which gave her the least light into the cause +of this strange treatment; but that morning she was informed, by the +same woman, that her Lady protested she should never more come into her +presence, and that she would send her home: this, as she had wrote to +monsieur du Plessis, seemed highly probable, as there was no appearance +of a reconciliation; and the thoughts in what manner she should begin +her life again, on her return, filled her with many anxieties, which, +joined to others of a different nature, rendered her condition +truly pitiable. + +It was in the midst of these perplexing meditations that word was +brought her from Melanthe, that she must prepare for her departure on +the ensuing day. It was in vain she again begged leave to see her, and +to be made acquainted with the reason of her displeasure; but the other +would not be prevailed upon, but sent her a purse sufficient to defray +the expences of her journey to England, and bid her woman tell her she +had no occasion to repine, for she turned her away in a much better +condition than she had found her. + + + +CHAP. XV. + +_Louisa is in danger of being ravished by the count de Bellfleur; is +providentially rescued by monsieur du Plessis, with several other +particulars_. + +Louisa packed up her things, as she had been commanded, tho' with what +confusion of mind is not easy to be expressed; and, when she was ready +to go, wrote a letter to Melanthe, thanking her for all the favours she +had received from her, acknowledging them to be as unmerited as her late +displeasure, which she conjured her to believe she had never, even in +thought, done any thing justly to incur;--wished her prosperity, and +that she might never find a person less faithful to her interests than +she had been. Having desired her woman to deliver this to her, she took +leave of the servants, who all loved her extremely, and saw her go with +tears in their eyes. + +The rout she intended to take was to Padua by water, thence in a post +chaise to Leghorn, where she was informed, it would be easy to find a +ship bound for England; to what port was indifferent to her, being now +once more to seek her fortune, tho' in her native country, and must +trust wholly to that providence for her future support, which had +hitherto protected her. + +Accordingly she took her passage to Padua in one of those boats, which +are continually going between Venice and that city; and it being near +the close of day when she landed, was obliged to go into an inn, +designing to lye there that night, and early in the morning set out +for Leghorn. + +She was no sooner in bed than, having never been alone in one of those +places before, a thousand dreadful apprehensions came into her head: all +the stories she had been told, when a child, of robberies and murders +committed on travellers in inns, were now revived in her memory:--every +little noise she heard made her fall into tremblings; and the very +whistling of the wind, which at another time would have lulled her to +sleep, now kept her waking: but these ideal terrors had not long +possessed her, before she had an occasion of real ones, more shocking +than her most timid fancy could have suggested. + +The wicked count de Bellfleur, who had taken care to prevent the passion +he had excited in Melanthe against her from growing cool, learned, from +that deceived lady, in what manner she intended to dispose of her; and +no sooner heard which way she went than, attended by one servant, who +was the confidant and tool of all his vices, he took boat for Padua, and +presently finding out, by describing her, at what inn she was lodged, +came directly thither; and, having called the man of the house, asked +him if such a young woman were not lodged there, to which being answered +in the affirmative, he told him that she was his wife;--that being but +lately married to her, in compliance with her request, he had brought +her to see the diversions of the carnival, and that she was eloped, he +doubted not, but for the sake of a gallant, since he loved her too well +to have given her any cause to take so imprudent a step. + +The concern he seemed to be under gained immediate credit to all he +said; which he easily perceiving, I know, said he, that if I have +recourse to a magistrate I shall have a grant, and proper officers to +force her to return to her duty; but I would feign reclaim her by fair +means:--it is death to me to expose her; and if my perswasions will be +effectual, the world shall never know her fault. + +The innkeeper then told him she was gone to bed, but he would wait on +him to her chamber, and he might call to her to bid her open the door. +No, answered the count, if she hears my voice she may, perhaps, be +frighted enough to commit some desperate action:--you shall therefore +speak to her, and make some pretence for obliging her to rise. + +On this they both went up, and the man knocked softly at first, but on +her not answering immediately, more loud.--She, who heard him before, +but imagining something of what she had heard of others was now going to +happen to herself, was endeavouring to assume all the courage she could +for supporting her in whatever exigence heaven should reduce her to:--at +last she asked who was there, and for what reason she was disturbed. The +innkeeper then said he wanted something out of the room, and she must +needs open the door. This she refused to do, but got out of bed and +began to put on her cloaths, resolving to dye as decently as she could, +verily believing they were come to rob and murder her. + +The man, who spoke all by the count's direction, then told her, that if +she would not open the door, he must be obliged to break it, and +presently beat so violently against it, that the poor terrified Louisa +expected it to burst, so thought it would be better to unbolt it of her +own accord, than, by a vain resistance, provoke worse usage than she +might otherwise receive: but what was her astonishment when she beheld +the count de Bellfleur! On the first moment the words monsieur du +Plessis repeated to her, that _he would have her one way or another,_ +came into her mind, and made her give a great shriek; but then almost at +the same time the thought that he might possibly be sent by Melanthe to +bring her back, somewhat mitigated her fears.--Unable was she to speak, +however; and the consternation she appeared to be in at his presence, +joined with his taking her by the hand and bidding her be under no +apprehensions, confirmed the truth of what he had told the innkeeper, +who thinking he had no other business there, and they would be soonest +reconciled when alone, left them, together and went down stairs. + +When the count saw he was gone,--I could not support the thoughts of +seeing you no more, my dear Louisa, said he; I have heard Melanthe's +cruel usage of you, and also that your condition is such, that you have +no friends in England to receive you if you should prosecute your +journey:--I come therefore to make you an offer, which, in your present +circumstances, you will find it imprudent, I believe, to reject:--I long +have loved you, and if you will be mine, will keep you concealed at a +house where I can confide, till my return to the army; then will take +the fame care of you, and place you somewhere near my own quarters; and, +as I shall go to Paris as soon as the next campaign is over, will there +provide for you in as handsome a manner as you can wish;--for be +assured, dear lovely girl, that no woman upon earth will ever be capable +of making me forsake you. + +That she had patience to hear him talk so long in this manner, was +wholly owing to the fear and surprize she had been in, and perhaps had +not yet recovered enough from, to make any reply to what he said, if he +had contented himself only with words; but his actions rouzing a +different passion in her soul, she broke from his arms, into which, he +had snatched her at the conclusion of his speech, and looking on him +with eyes sparkling with disdain and rage,--perfidious man! cried she, +is this,--this the consequence of the vows you made Melanthe; and do you +think, after this knowledge of your baseness, I can harbour any idea of +you, but what is shocking and detestable! + +I never loved Melanthe, by heaven, resumed he; she made me advance, and +not to have returned, them, would have called even my common civility in +question;--but from the first moment I saw your beauties, I was +determined to neglect nothing that might give me the enjoyment of +them:--fortune has crowned my wishes, you are in my power, and it would +be madness in you to lose the merit of yielding, and I compel me to be +obliged to my own strength for a pleasure I would rather owe to your +softness:--come, come, continued he, after having fastened the door, let +us go to bed;--I will save your modesty, by pulling your cloaths off +myself. In speaking this he catched hold of her again, and attempted to +untye a knot which fastened her robe de chambre at the breast. On this +she gave such shrieks, and stamped with her feet so forcibly on the +ground, that the innkeeper fearing the incensed husband, as he supposed +him to be, was going to kill her, ran hastily up stairs, and called to +have the door opened, saying, he would have no murder in his house. + +The artful count immediately let him in, and told him, he need be under +no apprehensions, his wife was too dear to him to suffer any thing from +his resentment; and all the noise you heard, said he, was only because I +insisted on her going to bed! By these words Louisa discovered how he +had imposed upon the man, and cried out she was not his wife; but as she +spoke very bad Italian, and the man understood no French, the count +being very fluent in that language, had much the advantage, the +innkeeper was fully satisfied, and they were again left alone, having a +second opportunity to prosecute his villanous attempt. + +You see, said he, how much in vain it is for you to resist:--would it +not be wiser in you, therefore, to meet my flames with equal warmth;--to +feign a kindness even if you have none, and thereby oblige me to use you +with a future tenderness:--believe I love you now with an extravagance +of fondness:--it is in your power to preserve that affection for +ever:--give me then willingly that charming mouth. + +He had all this time been kissing her with the utmost eagerness, so that +with all her struggling she had not been able either to disengage +herself from his embrace, or to utter one word; and he was very near +forcing from her yet greater liberties, when all at once heaven gave her +strength to spring suddenly from him, and running to a table where he +had laid his sword, she drew it out of the scabbard with so much speed, +that he could not prevent her, and making a push at him with one hand, +kept him from closing with, or disarming her, till with the other she +had plucked back the bolt of the door. + +In this posture she flew down stairs, and reached the hall before he +overtook her, quite breathless and ready to faint. He was going to lay +hold of her, when he found himself seized behind by two persons, whom, +on turning to examine the reason, he found was monsieur du Plessis and +the innkeeper. He started at the sight of that gentleman, and was going +to say somewhat to him in French, when the innkeeper told him, the young +woman should be molested no farther till he knew the truth of the +affair; for, said he, there is a person, meaning monsieur du Plessis, +who is just come in, and says she has no husband, and belongs to an +English lady of quality now at Venice:--I will therefore take care of +her this night, and if you have any real claim to her, you may make it +out before the magistrate to-morrow. + +The count was so enraged to find it had been by monsieur du Plessis he +had been disappointed, that he snatched his sword from Louisa, who had +all this time held it in her hand, and made so furious a thrust at him, +that, had he not been more than ordinary nimble in avoiding it, by +stepping aside, it must have infallibly gone thro' his body.--He +immediately drew and stood on his defence, but the innkeeper and several +other people, whom Louisa's cries had by this time brought into the +hall, prevented any mischief. + +The confusion of voices and uproar which this accident occasioned, would +suffer nothing to be heard distinctly; but the guilt of count Bellfleur +might easily be read in his looks, and not able to stand the test of any +enquiry, he departed with his servant, casting the most malicious +reflections as he went out, both on Louisa and her deliverer. + +Du Plessis less affected, because innocent, gave every one the +satisfaction they desired: he said that the young lady being of English +birth, came along with a lady of her own country, to visit several parts +of Europe merely for pleasure; that the lady was still at Venice, and +that on some little disgust between them, she who was there, meaning +Louisa, had quitted her, and was now returning home by the way of +Leghorn; of the truth of what he told them, he added, they might be +informed, by sending to Venice the next day. + +He also said, that having a business to be negotiated in England, he had +followed this young lady, in order to beg the favour of her to deliver +letters to some friends he had there, not having the opportunity of +making this request before, by reason of her departure having been so +sudden, that he knew nothing of it before she was gone. + +The truth of all this Louisa confirmed, and on farther talk of the +affair, acquainted them, that the gentleman who had occasioned this +disturbance, for she forbore mentioning his name, had often sollicited +her love on unlawful terms, and being rejected by her, had taken this +dishonourable way of compassing his desires, at a place where he knew +she was alone, and wholly a stranger. + +The fright and confusion she had been in, had rendered her so faint, +that it was with infinite difficulty she brought out these words; but +having something given her to refresh her spirits, and being conducted +into another room out of the crowd, she began, by degrees, to +recover herself. + +Monsieur du Plessis then informed her, that on coming to Melanthe's, and +hearing she was gone, he immediately took boat, resolving to prevail on +her to alter her resolution of going to England, or dye at her feet: +that he easily found the inn she was at, and that the man of the house +presently told him, such a person as he described was there; but that he +understood she had eloped from her husband, who had pursued, and was now +above with her. + +Never, said this faithful lover, did any horror equal what I felt at +this intelligence!--The base count de Bellfleur came presently into my +mind:--I thought it could be no other who had taken this abhored method +of accomplishing the menaces you may remember I repeated to you:--I was +going to fly up stairs that instant, but was withheld, and found it best +to argue the man into reason, who, I found, was fully prepossessed you +were his wife: as I was giving some part of your history, I saw the +count's man passing thro' the hall; he saw me too, and would have +avoided me, but I ran to him, seized him by the throat, and asked him +what business had brought either him or his master to this place: the +disorder he was in, and the hesitation with which he spoke, together +with refusing to give any direct answer, very much staggered the +innkeeper, who was just consenting to go up with me to your chamber, and +examine into the truth of this affair, when we saw you come down, armed +as your virtue prompted, and at the same time flying from the +villain's pursuit. + +Louisa could not help confessing that she owed the preservation of her +honour wholly to him; for, said she, the people were so fully persuaded +not only that I was his wife, but also that I had fled from him on some +unwarrantable intent, that all I did, or could have done, would only +have served to render me more guilty in their opinion; and it must have +been by death alone I could have escaped the monster's more +detested lust. + +Monsieur du Plessis now made use of every argument that love and wit +could inspire, to prevail with her to accept of the offer contained in +the letter he had wrote to her; and concluded with reminding her, that +if the charming confession her answer had made him was to be depended +on, and that she had indeed a heart not wholly uninfluenced by his +passion, she would not refuse agreeing to a proposal, which not the most +rigid virtue and honour could disapprove. + +Louisa on this replied with blushes, that since, by the belief she +should never see him more, she had been unwarily drawn in to declare +herself so far, she neither could, nor would attempt to deny what she +had said; but, added she, it is perhaps, by being too much influenced by +your merits, that I find myself obliged to refuse what you require of +me:--I cannot think, cried she, of rendering unhappy a person who so +much deserves to be blessed:--and what but misery would attend a match +so unequal as yours would be with me!--How would your kindred brook +it!--How would the world confuse and ridicule the fondness of an +affection so ill placed!--What would they say when they should hear the +nobly born, the rich, and the accomplished monsieur du Plessis, had +taken for his wife a maid obscurely defended, and with no other dowry +than her virtue!--My very affection for you would, in the general +opinion, lose all its merit, and pass for sordid interest:--I should be +looked upon as the bane of your glory;--as one whose artifices had +ensnared you into a forgetfulness of what you owed to yourself and +family, and be despised and hated by all who have a regard for +you.--This, monsieur, continued she, is what I cannot bear, neither for +your sake nor my own, and entreat you will no farther urge a suit, which +all manner of considerations forbid me to comply with. + +The firmness and resolution with which she uttered these words, threw +him into the most violent despair; and here might be seen the difference +between a sincere and counterfeited passion: the one is timid, fearful +of offending, and modest even to its own loss;--the other presuming, +bold, and regardless of the consequences, presses, in spight of +opposition, to its desired point. + +Louisa had too much penetration not to make this distinction: she saw +the truth of his affection in his grief, and that awe which deterred him +from expressing what he felt:--she sympathized in all his pains, and for +every sigh his oppressed heart sent forth, her own wept tears of blood; +yet not receding from the resolution she had formed, nothing could be +more truly moving than the scene between them. + +At length he ceased to mention marriage, but conjured her to consider +the snares which would be continually laid, by wicked and designing men, +for one so young and beautiful:--that she could go no where without +finding other Bellfleurs; and she might judge, by the danger she had +just now so narrowly escaped, of the probability of being involved again +in the same:--he represented to her, in the most pathetic terms, that +her innocence could have no sure protection but in the arms of a +husband, or the walls of a convent; and on his knees beseeched her, for +the sake of that virtue which she so justly prized, since she would not +accept of him for the one, to permit him to place her in that other only +asylum for a person in her circumstances. + +Difficult was it for her to resist an argument, the reason of which she +was so well convinced of, and could offer nothing in contradiction to, +but that she had a certain aversion in her nature to receive any +obligations from a man who had declared himself her lover, and who might +possibly hereafter presume upon the favours he had done her. + +It was in vain he complained of her unjust suspicion in this point, +which, to remove, he protested to her that he would leave the choice of +the monastry wholly to herself: that in whatever part she thought would +be most agreeable, he would conduct her; and that, after she was +entered, he would not even attempt to see her thro' the grate, without +having first received her permission for his visit. Not all this was +sufficient to assure her scrupulous delicacy: she remained constant in +her determination; and all he could prevail on her, was leave to attend +her as far as Leghorn, to secure her from any second attempt the +injurious count might possibly make. + +After this they entered into some discourse of Melanthe, and whether it +would be proper for Louisa to write her an account of this affair, and +the count's perfidiousness. Monsieur du Plessis said, he thought that +the late usage she had received from that lady, deserved not she should +take any interest in her affairs; but it was not this that hindered +Louisa from doing it:--the remembrance of the kindness she had once been +treated with by her, more than balanced, in her way of thinking, all the +insults that succeeded it; and when she reflected how much Melanthe +loved the count, and that she had already granted him all the favours in +her power, it seemed to her rather an act of cruelty than friendship, to +acquaint her with this ingratitude, and thereby anticipate a misfortune, +which, perhaps, by his artifices and continued dissimulation, might be +for a long time concealed: therefore, for this reason, she exacted a +promise from monsieur du Plessis not to make any noise of this affair +at his return to Venice, unless the count, by some rash and precipitate +behaviour, should enforce him to it. + +This injunction discovered so forgiving a sweetness of disposition in +the person who made it, that monsieur du Plessis could not refrain +testifying his admiration by the most passionate exclamations; in which +perhaps he had continued longer, had not the eyes of the fair object +discovered a certain languishment, which reminded him, he should be +wanting in the respect he professed, to detain her any longer from that +repose, which, seemed necessary, after the extraordinary hurry of +spirits she had sustained; therefore having taken his leave of her for +that night, retired to a chamber he had ordered to be got ready for him, +as did she to that where she had been so lately disturbed: but all those +who are in the least capable of any idea of those emotions, which +agitated the minds of both these amiable persons, will believe neither +of them slept much that night. + + + +CHAP. XVI. + +_The Innkeepers scruples oblige Louisa to write to Melanthe: her +behavior on the discovery of the count's falshood. Louisa changes her +resolution and goes to Bolognia_. + +Monsieur du Plessis, having found it impossible to dissuade Louisa from +going to England, now bent his whole thoughts to perform his promise of +conducting her to Leghorn, in the most commodious manner he could; +accordingly he rose very early, and calling for the man of the house, +desired he would provide a handsome post chaise, and if he knew any +fellows whose integrity might be relied on, he thought necessary to hire +two such, who, furnished with fire-arms, might serve as a guard against +any attack the count might take it into his head to make. + +But the innkeeper had now entertained notions that forbid him to +correspond with the designs of monsieur: some of his neighbours, who had +heard of last night's accident, whispered it in his ears, that it would +not be safe for him to let these young people depart together; that he +could not be assured the person, who pretended to be the husband, might +not be so in reality; and if he should come again with proper officers +and proofs to claim his wife, it might be of dangerous consequence to +him to have favoured her escape; and that the only way he had to secure +himself from being brought into trouble, was to lay the whole affair +before the podestat. This advice seemed to him too reasonable not to be +complied with: he went directly to that magistrate, and while the lover +was speaking to him, officers came in to seize both him and Louisa, and +carry them before the podestat. + +Monsieur du Plessis was very much surprized and vexed at this +interruption, and the more so, as he feared it would terrify Louisa to a +greater degree than the nature of the thing required; but in this he did +injury to her courage: when she was called up and informed of the +business, she surrendered herself with all the dauntlessness of +innocence to the officers, and suffered them to conduct her, with du +Plessis, to the house of the podestat. + +Both of them flattered themselves with the belief, that when he should +come to hear the story, they would be immediately discharged; but he +happened to be one of those who are over wary in the execution of their +office; and he only told them, that what they said might be true, but he +was not to take things on the bare word of the parties themselves; and +that therefore they must be confined till either the person who claimed +the woman for his wife, should bring proofs she was so, or she should be +able to make out he had no right over her. + +That is easy for me to do, said Louisa; I am only concerned that this +gentleman, meaning du Plessis, should be detained on an account he has +no manner of interest in. The podestat answered, it was unavoidable, +because as the person, who said he was her husband, had accused her of +an elopement, there was all the reason in the world to suppose that if +it were so, it was in favour of this gentleman, by the rage he was +informed he had testified at finding him in Padua. + +Louisa gave only a scornful smile, denoting how much she disdained a +crime of the nature she was suspected of, and followed one of the +officers, who conducted her to the place appointed for her confinement. + +Monsieur du Plessis was touched to the soul at the indignity he thought +offered to this sovereign of his affections; but he restrained himself +when he considered that it had the sanction of law, which in all nations +must be submitted to; and he only told the podestat, that the virtue of +that lady would soon be cleared, to the confusion of those who had +presumed to traduce it. + +As, after they were under confinement, they had no opportunity of +advising each other what to do, monsieur du Plessis, uneasy at the +injustice done him, wrote immediately to the prince of Conti, in +these terms: + +_To his Royal Highness the Prince of_ CONTI. + + +"It is with the extremest reluctance I give +your royal highness this trouble, or find myself +obliged to accuse the count de Bellfleur of +an action so dishonourable to our nation; but +as I am here under confinement for preventing +him from committing a rape on a young English +lady, who failing to seduce at Venice, he followed +hither; and under the pretence of being +her husband, gained the people of the house on +his side, and had infallibly compassed his intent, +had it not been for my seasonable interposition: +I am too well convinced of the justice I presume +to implore, to doubt if your highness will +oblige him to clear up the affair to the podestat, +on which she will be at liberty to prosecute her +journey, and I to throw myself, with the utmost +gratitude and submission, at your feet, who have +the honour to be + +_Your royal highness's_ + +_Most devoted_ + +DU PLESSIS." + +_Padua._ + + +Louisa, who was ignorant what her lover had done, and knew no other way, +than by writing to Melanthe, to extricate herself from this trouble, +sent a letter to her, the contents whereof were as follows: + + +MADAM, + +"On what imagined cause whatever you were +pleased to banish me, I am certain you +have too much goodness to suffer any one, +much less a person you have once honoured +with your friendship, to remain in prison for a +crime it is impossible for me to be guilty of:--I +am sorry I must accuse a person so dear to +you;--but it is, madam, no other than the +unworthy count de Bellfleur, who followed me +hither, came into the inn where I was lodged, +into the very chamber, and oh! I tremble +while I relate it, had proceeded yet farther; and +I had been inevitably lost, had not heaven sent +me a deliverer in the unexpected arrival of monsieur +du Plessis, who is also a prisoner as well +as myself, for the timely rescue he gave me. +You will wonder, doubtless, by what law either +I should be confined for endeavouring to defend +my chastity, or he, for generously assisting me; +but the detested artful count had pretended himself +my husband; and under the sanction of +that name it was, that he met no opposition to +his wicked will from the people of the house, +and rendered them regardless of my shrieks and +cries.--The magistrates are yet dubious of the +truth; and till it can be proved what I really am, +both myself and monsieur du Plessis must continue +where we are:--have pity on me, therefore, +I conjure you, madam, and write to the podestat: +I have already told him I had the honour to +belong to you;--a line from you will confirm +it, and once more set at liberty a maid, who +will ever remember all your favours with the +greatest gratitude, and your withdrawing them +as the worst misfortune could have befallen. + +MADAM, + +_From the prison +at Padua. + +Your most faithful, and +Most humble servant_, + +LOUISA." + + +These letters were sent away by special messengers, who had orders to be +as expeditious as possible in the delivery of them. + +But while these accidents happened at Padua, Melanthe was not without +her share of inquietudes at Venice: she had not seen her beloved count +in two whole days, and, tho' she sent several times to his lodgings, +could hear nothing but that he was not yet come home. As her vanity +would not suffer her to think herself neglected, without having received +some glaring proofs of it, she feared some misfortune had befallen him, +and exposed herself not a little in the enquiries she made after him, +among all those who she could imagine were able to inform her any thing +concerning him. + +At length some person, who happened to see him take boat, told her he +was gone to Padua, which being the rout she knew Louisa had taken, and +she had also informed him, a sudden thought darted into her head that he +was gone in pursuit of her.--It now seemed not impossible, but that all +he had said concerning his dislike of her might be artifice; and that +the love of variety might prevail on him at last to comply with the +advances he pretended she had made him.--The privacy with which he went, +none of his acquaintance knowing any thing of his journey, seemed to +favour this opinion; and never was a heart more racked with jealousy and +suspence, than that of this unhappy, and too easily deceived lady. + +She had sometimes an inclination to go to Padua in person, and endeavour +to find out what business had carried him thither; and her impatience +had doubtless got the better of her prudence in this particular, if, +sending once more to his lodgings, she had not heard he was +returned.--On this she expected to see him in the evening, and flattered +herself with his being able to make some reasonable excuse for his +absence; but finding he came not, she was all distraction, and sent a +billet to him next morning, requiring him to come to her immediately on +the receipt of it; but as he was at that time in too ill a humour to +think of entertaining her, sent her an answer by word of mouth, that he +was indisposed, and would wait on her on his recovery.--This message +seemed so cold, and so unlike the passion he had hitherto professed for +her, that it threw her into almost convulsive agonies.--A masquerade +was to be that night at the house of a person of quality: she sent again +to know if he intended to be there, and, if he did, what habit he would +wear, it being customary with them, ever since their amour, to acquaint +each other with their dresses, that they might not mistake, by +addressing to wrong persons. His reply was, that he would go if health +permitted, but as to what he should wear he had not as yet thought +of it. + +What, if he hat not thought of it! cried she haughtily, when she heard +these words;--the knowledge that I shall be there, ought now to make him +think of it.--Pride, love, and the astonishment at this sudden change in +his behaviour, rendered her wholly forgetful of what she owed her sex +and rank; and she was just going to his lodgings, in order to upbraid +him with his indifference, and prove what it was she now had to depend +on from him, when the messenger from Louisa arrived and delivered her +the letter, which contained a sad eclaircisement of all she wanted to be +informed of. + +At first reading it, she seemed like one transfixed with a sudden clap +of thunder:--she had indeed been jealous, suspicious, fearful of her +fate; but so glaring, so impudent a treachery had never entered her +head, that any man could be guilty of, much less one whom her too fond +passion had figured to her imagination, as possessed of all the virtues +of his sex. It seemed too monstrous to be true; and she had accused the +innocent Louisa as the inventor of this falshood, merely in revenge for +her late treatment, had there been the least shadow of a pretence for +doing so:--gladly would she have encouraged such a hope, but common +sense forbid it;--all circumstances seemed to concur, in proving that he +was indeed that villain which the letter represented him; and that +surprize, which had in a manner stupified her on the discovery, was +succeeded by a storm of mingled grief and rage, which no words can +sufficiently describe:--she exclaimed against fate, cursed all mankind, +and accused every thing as accessory to her misfortune, but that to +which alone she owed it, her own imprudence. + +The disorders of her mind had such an effect on her body, that she fell +into fits, and a physician was sent for, who, tho' esteemed the most +skilful in that country, found it required all his art to prevent a +fever: she continued, however, for five days in a condition, such as +permitted her not to do any thing either for the satisfaction of her own +impatient curiosity, or to comply with the just request Louisa had made; +and had not monsieur du Plessis's letter to the prince been mere +successful, they must both have continued where they were, perhaps for a +considerable time. + +That, however, had all the effect could be expected from a prince of so +much honour: he immediately sent for the count de Bellfleur; and easily +finding, by the confusion with which he replied to his examination, and +the little low evasions he was obliged to have recourse to, that the +affair was as monsieur du Plessis had represented, gave him a severe +check, and ordered him to depart immediately from Venice, where he told +him, he had given such occasion to call the honour of the French nation +in general in question; and to repair with all expedition to his winter +quarters. Which command he instantly obeyed, without taking any leave of +Melanthe, or perhaps even thinking on her. + +At the same time the prince dispatched his gentleman of horse to Padua, +with necessary instructions for clearing up the affair; on which the +prisoners were discharged, and their pardon asked by the podestat for +doing what, he said, the duties of his post had alone obliged him to; +tho' it is certain he had exercised his authority with greater +strictness than the necessity of the thing required; since, if the count +had been in reality the husband of Louisa, it would have been more easy +for him to bring proofs of it, than for those under confinement to +invalidate his claim. + +After the proper compliments to the gentleman who had taken this +trouble, monsieur du Plessis entreated he would excuse him to the +prince, that he retarded the thanks he had to pay his royal highness, +till his return from conducting Louisa some part of her journey, which +being a piece of gallantry the lady herself seemed well pleased with, +was easily complied with by the other. + +This faithful lover had now a full opportunity to entertain his mistress +with his passion, and represented it to her with so much force and +eloquence, together with the dangers she would continually be exposed +to, that she had at length no words to form denials, and gave him leave +to conduct her to some monastry in Italy, the choice of which she left +to him, till the campaign was over. This was indeed all he presumed to +request of her at present. It may happen, said he, that your lover may +fall a victim to the fate of war, among many other more brave and worthy +men, who doubtless will not survive the next battle, and you will then +be at liberty to pursue your inclinations either to England or +elsewhere; and be assured of this, that I shall take care, before the +hour of danger, to leave you mistress of a fortune, sufficient to protect +you from any future insults of the nature you received from Melanthe. + +The tender soul of Louisa was so much dissolved at these words, that she +burst into a flood of tears, and cried out, Oh! too generous du Plessis, +think not I will survive the cruel hour which informs me all that is +valuable in man has ceased to be!--Take,--oh! take no care for me; when +you are no more, nothing this world affords can enable me to drag on a +wretched life! + +What must be the transport of a man, who loved like him, to hear a mouth +accustomed to the greatest reserve, utter exclamations so soft, so +engaging, so convincing to him that he was no less dear to her than he +could even wish to be!--He threw himself at her feet, and even thought +that posture not humble enough to testify, as it deserved, his gratitude +and joy. But she not suffering him to continue in it, he took the hand +that raised him, kissed off the tears which had fallen from her eyes +upon it, with speechless extacies, and seemed almost beside himself at +the concern she could not yet overcome, on the bare imagination of +losing him in the way he mentioned. If you love me, said she tenderly, +you will endeavour to preserve yourself:--I have now put myself under +your protection, by consenting to do as you would have me, and have no +other from whom I would receive those favours I expect from you:--think +not, therefore, that I will perform my promise, unless you give me +yours, not to be so covetous of fame as to court dangers, nor, in too +eager a pursuit of glory, to lose the remembrance of what you owe +to love. + +Oh thou divinest softness! cried he, be assured I will put nothing to +the venture that might take me from Louisa!--Your kindness, my angel, +has shewed me the value of life, and almost made a coward of your +lover:--no farther will I go than the duties of my post oblige me, and +that honour, which to forfeit, would render me unworthy of your care. + +Louisa now found herself so much at ease, in having discovered a secret +she had so long laboured with, and suffered an infinity of pain in the +concealing of, that nothing could be more chearful than her looks and +behaviour. He, on the other hand, was all rapture, yet did it not make +him in the least forgetful of the rules he had prescribed himself, or +give her modesty any room to repent the confession she had made in +favour of his passion:--the conversation between them was all made up of +innocence and love; and every hour they passed together, rendered them +still dearer to each other. + +Monsieur du Plessis having thus gained the point his soul was let on, +began to consider in what part of Italy it would be best to place his +dear Louisa: as Bolognia was a free country, under the jurisdiction of +the Pope, he thought she would there be the least subject to alarms, on +account of the army's continual marches and countermarches thro' most +other parts of Italy. He therefore got a post-chaise, and by easy +journeys conducted her thither; and having made an agreement with the +lady abbess of the Augustines, she was welcomed into the convent by the +holy sisterhood with all imaginable good-nature and politeness. + +It would be endless to recite the farewels of these equally sincere, and +passionate lovers; so I shall only say that never any parting was more +truly touching; and the grief, which both of them endured, was only +alleviated by the confidence they had in each other's affection, and the +mutual promises of communicating the assurances of persevering in it, by +letters as often as opportunity would permit. + +Melanthe being recovered of the indisposition of her body, tho' not of +her mind, was informed of every particular of her perfidious lover's +conduct as he had quitted Venice before she did her chamber, was obliged +to bear the load of discontent her too easy belief had brought upon her, +without even the poor ease of venting it in reproaches on him. The +carnival soon after ending, and finding that change of place was no +defence from misfortunes of the kind she had sustained, without she +could also change her way of thinking, took the first convenience that +offered, and returned to England, rather in worse humour than she +had left it. + + + +CHAP. XVII. + +_Horatio arrives at Warsaw, sees the coronation of Stanislaus and his +queen: his reception from the king of Sweden: his promotion: follows +that prince in all his conquests thro' Poland, Lithuania and Saxony. The +story of count Patkul and madame de Eusilden._ + +While these things were transacting in Italy, Horatio, animated by love +and glory, was pursuing his journey to Poland. His impatience was so +great, that he travelled almost night and day, already imitating the +example of the master he was going to serve; no wood, no river was +impassable to him that shortened the distance to the place he so much +longed to approach: and thus by inuring himself to hardship, became +fitly qualified to bear his part in all the vast fatigues to which that +prince incessantly exposed his royal person. + +Not a city, town, or even village he puffed thro', but echoed with the +wonders performed by the young king of Sweden:--new victories, new +acquisitions met him wherever he came:--all tongues were full of his +praises; and even those who had been ruined by his conquests, could not +help speaking of him with admiration.--Horatio heard all this with +pleasure, but mixed with a kind of pain that he was not present at these +great actions.--How glorious is it, cried he to himself, to fight under +the banners of this invincible monarch!--What immortal honour has not +every private man acquired, who contributed the least part to successes +that astonish the whole world! + +But notwithstanding his eagerness which carried him thro' marshes, over +mountains, and ways, which to an ordinary traveller would have seemed +impassable, he met with several delays in his journey, especially when +he got into Germany, where they were extremely scrupulous; and he was +obliged to wait at some towns two or three days before he could obtain +passports: he also met several parties of flying horse and dragoons, who +were scouting about the country, as he drew nearer Saxony; but his +policy furnished him with stratagems to get over these difficulties, and +he got safe to Punitz, in the Palatinate of Posnania, where a great part +of the king of Sweden's army was encamped.--He immediately demanded to +be brought to the presence of the grand marshal Renchild, to whom he +delivered the letter of the baron de la Valiere, and found the good +effects of it by the civilities with which that great general vouchsafed +to treat him. He would have had him stay with him; but Horatio, knowing +the king was at Warsaw, was too impatient of seeing that monarch to be +prevailed upon, on which he sent a party of horse to escort him to +that city. + +He had the good fortune to arrive on the very day that Stanislaus and +his queen were crowned, and was witness of part of the ceremony. The +king of Sweden was there incognito, and being shewn to Horatio, he could +not forbear testifying his surprize to see so great a prince, and one +who, in every action of his life, discovered a magnamity even above his +rank, habited in a manner not to be distinguished from a private man; +but it was not in the power of any garb to take from him a look of +majesty, which shewed him born to command not only his own subjects, but +kings themselves, when they presumed to become his enemies. There was a +fierceness in his eyes, but tempered with so much sweetness, that it was +impossible for those who most trembled at his frowns to avoid loving him +at the same time. + +Stanislaus had in him all that could attract respect and good wishes; +beside the most graceful person that can be imagined, he had a certain +air of grandeur, joined with an openness of behaviour, that shewed him +equally incapable of doing a mean or dishonourable action: his queen was +one of the greatest beauties of her time; and every one present at their +coronation, confessed, that never any two persons more became a throne, +or were more worthy of the dignity conferred upon them. + +The whole court was too much taken up that day, for Horatio to think of +presenting himself before the king of Sweden; but the officer, who +commanded the party that general Renchild had sent with him, introduced +him in the evening to count Hoorn, governor of Warsaw, who provided him +an appartment, and the next morning introduced him to count Piper. That +minister no sooner read the baron de Palfoy's letter, and heard he had +others to deliver to the king from the chevalier St. George, and the +queen dowager of England, than he treated him with the utmost marks of +esteem; and assured him that, since he had an inclination to serve his +majesty, he would contribute every thing in his power to make him not +repent the long fatigues he had undergone for that purpose; but, said he +with a smile, you will have no need of me; you bring, I perceive, +recommendations more effectual, and have besides, in yourself, +sufficient to engage all you have to wish from a monarch so just and +generous as ours. + +Horatio replied to this compliment with all humility; and as the count +perceived by his accents that he was not a Frenchman, tho' he spoke the +language perfectly well, he asked him of what country he was; to which +Horatio replied, that he was of England, but made him no farther +acquainted with his affairs, nor that the motive of his having remained +so long in France, was because he was not ransomed by his friends: not +that he concealed this out of pride, but he knew the character of most +first ministers, and thought it not prudence to unbosom himself to one +of those, whose first study, when they come into that employment, is to +discover as much as they can of others, without revealing any thing of +themselves. For this reason he was also very sparing of entering into +any discourse of the chevalier's court, or of that of the king of +France, and answered all the questions put to him by the count, that his +youth, and being of foreign extraction, hindered him from being let into +any secrets of state. + +After a pretty long conversation, the count led him to the king of +Sweden's apartment, where, just as they were about to enter, he asked +him if he could speak Latin; for, said he, tho' his majesty understands +French, he never could be brought to speak it, nor is pleased to be +addressed in that language. Horatio thanked him for this information, +and told him, that tho' he could not boast of being able to deliver +himself with an affluence becoming the presence of so great a prince, +yet he would chuse rather to shew his bad learning, than his want of +ambition to do every thing that might render himself acceptable. + +As he spoke these words, he found himself in his presence.--The king was +encompassed by the officers of the army, to whom he was giving some +directions; but seeing count Piper, and a stranger with him, he left off +what he was saying, and, without giving him time to speak, cried, Count, +who have you brought me here? One, may it please your majesty, replied +he, who brings his credentials with him, and has no need of my +intercession to engage his welcome. While the count Was making this +reply, the king, who had an uncommon quickness in his eyes, measured +Horatio from head to foot; and our young soldier of fortune, without +being daunted, put one knee to the ground, and delivered his packet with +these words:--The princes, by whom I have the honour to be sent, +commanded me to assure your majesty, that they participate in all your +dangers, rejoice in all your glories, and pray, that as you only conquer +for the good of others, the sword you draw, in the cause of justice, may +at last be sheathed in a lasting and universal peace. + +I am afraid it will be long before all that is necessary for that +purpose is accomplished, said the king; wrong, when established, not +easily gives place to right;--but we are yet young enough to hope it. + +He broke open his letters as he spoke this; and while he was examining +them, took his eye off the paper several times to look on Horatio, and +then read again. + +When he had done, I am much obliged, said he, to the zeal these letters +tell me you have expressed for my service, and shall not be +ungrateful:--we are here idle at present but shall not long be so; and +you will have occasions enough to prove your courage, and gratify that +love of arms which, my brother informs me, is the predominant passion of +your soul. + +After this he asked him several questions concerning the chevalier St. +George, the queen, and princess Louisa; to which Horatio answered with +great propriety, but mingled with such encomiums of the royal persons, +as testified his gratitude for the favours he received from them. But +when he mentioned the princess, and delivered the message she sent by +him, a more lively colour flushed into the king's cheeks, and he +replied, well, we shall do all we can to comply with her commands; then +turned quick about, and resumed the discourse he was in, before +Horatio's entrance, with his officers, as much as to say, the business +of his love must not interrupt that of the war; and Horatio had +afterwards the opportunity of observing, that tho' he often looked upon +the picture of that amiable princess, which he always wore in his bosom, +yet he would on a sudden snatch his eyes away, as fearing to be too +much softened. + +Horatio was ordered to be lodged in the castle where the garrison was +kept; but he was every day at the king's levee, and received the most +extraordinary marks of his favour and affection; for which, as he looked +upon himself entirely indebted to the recommendations of his friends in +France, he wrote letters of thanks, and an account of all that +happened to him. + +Poland being now entirely subdued by the valour and fortune of Charles +XII. and having received a king of his nomination, submitted cheerfully, +glad to see an end of devastation, as they then flattered themselves; +but the troubles of that unfortunate kingdom were yet to endure much +longer.--Augustus, impatient of recovering what he had lost, and the +czar of Muscovy jealous and envious of the king of Sweden's glory, came +pouring with mighty armies from Saxony and Russia. Shullenburgh, the +general of the former, had passed the Oder; and the other, at the head +of a numerous body, was plundering all that came in his way, and putting +to the sword every one whom he even suspected of adhering to king +Stanislaus: so that nothing now was talked of but war, and the means +concerted how to put a stop to the miseries these two ambitious princes +made, not only in that country, but all the adjacent parts. + +It was agreed that general Renchild should go to meet Shullenburgh, and +the two kings drive out the Muscovites; who being divided into several +parties, Stanislaus went at the head of one army, and the king of Sweden +led another; and taking different routs, had every day what he called +skirmishes, but what the vanquished looked upon as terrible battles. + +The king of Sweden, before their departure from Warsaw, told Horatio +that all his officers were gallant men, and it was not his custom to +displace any one for meer favour to another; he must therefore wait till +the fate of war, or some other accident, made a vacancy, before he could +give him a commission, in the mean time, said he, with a great deal of +sweetness, you must be content to be only my aid-de-camp. On this +Horatio replied to his majesty, with as much politeness as sincerity, +that it was the post he wished, tho' dare not presume to ask; for he +looked upon the honour of being near, and receiving the commands of so +excellent a monarch, preferable to the highest commission in the army. + +Thus, highly contented with his lot, did he attend the king, thro' +rivers, lakes, marines, and all the obstacles nature had thrown in the +way of this conqueror; and whenever they came to any battle, was so +swift in bearing his commands to the general, and in returning to him in +which line soever he was, that Poniatosky gave him the name of the +Mercury to their Jove; nor did he less signalize his valour; he fought +by the side of the king like one who valued not life, in competition +with the praises of his master. In an engagement where they took the +baggage of Augustus, he did extraordinary service; and a colonel then +being killed on the spot, the king presently cried out, Now here is a +regiment for my Horatio. Our young warrior thanked him on his knees, but +beseeched he might not be removed from him, again protesting that he +could no were deserve so well, as where he was animated by his royal +presence. This Charles XII. took very kindly, and told him, he should +have his desire; but, said he, I must also have mine:--I will continue +you my aid-de-camp, but you shall accept the commission, and the +lieutenant colonel shall command the regiment in your absence. + +He also allotted him so large a share in the prize taken in this battle, +that Horatio was already become rich enough to avow his pretensions to +the daughter of the baron de Palfoy; but, dear as she was to him, his +love and admiration of the king of Sweden, joined to the ambition of +desiring still more than he had received, kept him from entertaining the +least desire of quitting the service he was in. + +In eight or nine weeks did the two kings clear the country round, and +drove their enemies into the heart of Lithuania. As they were about to +return, they were met by the welcome news that general Renchild had been +no less successful, and entirely routed the whole army of Shullenburgh, +and also that the diet of Ratisbon, fearing the king of Sweden would +enter Germany, had come to a resolution to declare him an enemy to the +empire, in case he offered to pass the Oder with his army. + +They could not have taken a more effectual step to bring on what +they dreaded, than by daring him to it by this menace. He took but +little time for consideration, before he determined to carry the war +into Saxony, and drive Augustus from his electorate, as he had done from +his kingdom. + +He had no sooner made known his resolution, than the troops began to +march, and with a chearfulness and alacrity, which shewed they had no +will but that of their king:--indeed he seemed the soul of this mighty +body, of which every single man was a member, and actuated only by him. + +It is certain his heart was set on establishing Stanislaus on the +throne, and he knew no better way of preventing Augustus from molesting +him, than by calling off all communication between his electorate and +Poland:--accordingly he bent his course to Saxony, marched thro' Silesia +and Lusatia, plundered the open country, laid the rich city of Leipsic, +and other towns, under contribution, and at length encamped at +Alranstadt, near the plains of Lutsen, whence he sent to the estates of +Saxony, to give him an estimate of what they could supply, and obliged +them to levy whatever sums he had occasion for: not that he had the +least spark of avarice in his nature, but his hatred to Augustus, who +had by his injustice made him become his enemy, was so great, that it +extended to all those of his country, so far, as to humble and +impoverish the once opulent inhabitants, making them not only support +his numerous army, but laid on them besides many unnecessary imposts, +which he divided among his soldiers, so that they were all cloathed in +gold and silver, and every private man had the appearance of a general, +the king himself still preferring his usual plainness; but he loved, he +said, to see the Saxon riches upon Swedish backs. + +Horatio had now a second opportunity of writing to France, which he did +not fail to do, and, as there was no talk of the army decamping for some +time, let his friends know he hoped to hear from them at Alranstadt. + +Augustus, in the mean time deprived of every thing, and a wanderer in +that kingdom where he had lately reigned, sent a mean submission to him, +entreating peace, and that he might have leave to return to his +electorate. This was granted by the conqueror, on condition he would +renounce, for ever, all thoughts of re-entering Poland, or giving any +disturbance to Stanislaus. But as the treaty was going to be signed, the +czar sent an army of 20,000 men to his relief, who defeated general +Mayerfield, whom the king had left to guard that kingdom; and the +dethroned monarch once more entered Warsaw, the capital of Poland, +in triumph. + +Charles XII. was so exasperated when he received this intelligence, that +he gave immediate orders to decamp, resolving he should not long enjoy +the benefit of his breach of faith; but the pusillanimity of Augustus +prevented him: that prince was afraid the czar should discover the peace +he had been secretly negotiating, and withdraw his troups; and as he had +neither any of his own, nor money to assist him, he sent the articles +demanded of him by the king of Sweden, signed with his own hand, and set +out to Alranstadt, hoping, by his presence and persuasions, to mollify +his indignation, and be permitted to enjoy his own Saxony in peace. + +What more could the utmost ambition of man require than the king of +Sweden now received, to see a prince, so lately his equal and inveterate +enemy, come to solicite favour of him in his camp, almost at his feet; +but whatever were his sentiments on this occasion he concealed them, and +tho' he could not but despise such an act of meanness, he treated him +with the utmost politeness, tho' without making any abatement of the +demands he had exacted from him. On the contrary, he insisted on his +delivering up to him general Patkul, ambassador from the czar, who at +that time was a prisoner in Saxony, being determined to put him to death +as a traitor, having been born his subject, and now entered into the +service of his sworn enemy. + +Augustus beseeched him in the most abject manner to relinquish this one +point, and remonstrated to him that the czar, his present master, would +look on it as the utmost indignity offered to himself in the person of +his ambassador: he assured him he hated Patkul, but feared the giving +him up would be resented by all the princes of Europe. All he could urge +on this head was to no effect; the king of Sweden was not to be moved +from any resolution he had once made; and the unfortunate Patkul was +sent to Alranstadt and chained to a stake for three whole months, and +afterwards conducted to Casimir, where he was to receive his sentence. + +Horatio, who was an entire stranger to the motive of this behaviour in +the king, and had never seen any thing before in him that looked like a +cruel disposition, was one day mentioning his surprize at it to a young +officer with whom he had contracted a great intimacy, on which he gave +him the following account: + +This Patkul, said he, is a Livonian born, which, tho' a free country, is +part of the dominions annexed to the crown of Sweden: Charles XI. began +to introduce a more absolute form of government than was consistent with +the humour of that people; his son has been far from receding in that +point, and Patkul being a person of great consideration among them, +stood up for their liberties in a manner which our king could not +forgive:--he ordered him to be seized, but he made his escape, and was +proscribed in Sweden; on which he entered into the service of king +Augustus, and was made his general; but on some misunderstanding; +between him and the chancellor, he quitted Poland and went to Russia, +where he got into great favour with the czar, was highly promoted, and +sent his residentiary ambassador in Saxony. Augustus, whose fate it has +been to disoblige every body, on some pretence clapp'd into prison the +representative of his only friend, and now, we see, has given him up to +death, to satiate the demands of his greatest enemy. + +Horatio could not keep himself from falling into a deep musing at the +recital of this adventure: he thought Patkul worthy of compassion, yet +found reasons to justify the king's resentment; and as this officer had +often disburthened himself to him with the greatest freedom, he had no +reserve toward him, and this led them into a discourse on arbitrary +power.--Horatio said, that he could not help believing that nature never +intended millions to be subjected to the despotic will of one person, +and that a limited government was the most conformable to reason. The +officer agreed with him in that; except the person who ruled had really +more perfections than all those he ruled over and if so, said he, and +his commands are always calculated for the happiness of the subject, +they cannot be more happy than in an implicite obedience. True, replied +Horatio, I am confident that such a prince as ours knows how to chuse +for his people much better than they do for themselves; but how can they +be certain that his descendants will have the same virtues; and when +once an absolute power is granted to a good prince, it will be in vain +that the people will endeavour to wrest it from the hands of a bad +one.--Never can any point be redeemed from the crown without a vast +effusion of blood, and the endangering such calamities on the country, +that the relief would be as bad as the disease. Upon the whole, +therefore, I cannot think Patkul in the wrong for attempting to maintain +the liberty of his country, tho' I do for entering into the service of +the avowed enemy of his master. + +It is that, I believe, resumed the other, that the king chiefly resents: +his majesty is too just to condemn a man for maintaining the principles +he was bred in, however they may disagree with his own; but to become +his enemy, to enlist himself in the service of those who aim at the +destruction of his lawful prince, is certainly a treason of the +blackest dye. + +As they were in this discourse, colonel Poniatosky came in, and hearing +they were speaking of Patkul,--I have just now, said he, received a +letter from one of my friends in Saxony concerning that general, which +deeply affects me, not for his own, but for the sake of a lady, to whom, +after a long series of disappointments, he was just going to be married, +when Augustus, against the law of nations, made him a prisoner. I will +relate the whole adventure to you, continued he; on which the others +assuring him they should think themselves obliged to him, he went on. + +When he first entered into the service of Augustus, he became +passionately in love with madam d' Ensilden, a young lady, whose beauty, +birth, and fortune rendered her worthy the affections of a man of more +honour than he had testified in his public capacity: her friends at +least thought so; and chancellor Flemming making his addresses to her at +the same time, had the advantage in every thing but in her heart: there +Patkul triumphed in spight of all objections: and tho' king Augustus +vouchsafed himself to sollicite in behalf of his favourite, her +constancy remained unshaken as a rock; which so incensed a monarch +haughty and imperious in his nature, before humbled by our glorious +Charles, that he made use of his authority, and forbid her to think of +marrying any other: to which she resolutely answered, that she knew no +right princes had to interfere with the marriages of private persons; +but since his majesty commanded it, she would endeavour to obey and live +single. This not satisfying the king, he hated Patkul from that moment; +and the rivals soon after meeting in madam d' Ensilden's apartment, some +hot words arose between them, which being by Flemming reported to his +master, he sent, in the moment of his passion, to require Patkul to +resign his office of general: he did so, but with a murmur that was far +from abating the royal resentments; and he had then ordered him into +confinement, but that private intelligence being given him, he made his +escape before the officers, commissioned for that purpose, reached his +house. He then went to the czar, who knowing him an experienced general, +of which at that time he stood greatly in need, gladly received him; and +it was there he first merited the hate of all good men, by countenancing +and abetting those ambitious projects his new master was then forming +against the king of Sweden: but see the fate of treason, he persuaded +him to enter into an alliance with, Poland and Saxony against Sweden, +which laid the foundation of this unjust war, and for which Augustus has +so dearly paid; and being sent Ambassador, in order to negotiate these +affairs, again renewed those of his love. Augustus, now obliged to the +czar for the preservation of his dominions, durst not openly espouse +chancellor Flemming, but no sooner heard that the marriage was near +being compleated, than he ventured every thing to prevent it; and, under +a pretence of his own forging, confined Patkul in the castle of +Konisting, where he lay a considerable time; the czar being too much +taken up with combating the fortune of our victorious king, to examine +into this affair, and besides, unwilling to break with Augustus, as +things then stood. Madam d' Ensilden did all this time whatever could be +expected from a sincere affection, in order to procure his enlargement; +but the interest of her friends, at least of those who would be employed +in this intercession, were infinitely too weak to oppose that of +Flemming and the king's own inclination, so that he remained a prisoner, +without being permitted either to write to madam d' Ensilden or see her, +till the time of his being delivered into our hands. But on hearing he +was so, my friend informs me her great spirit, which till now had made +her support her misfortune without discovering to the world any part of +the agonies she sustained, in an instant quite forsook her: she +abandoned herself to despair and grief, equally exclaiming against the +Czar, Augustus, and Charles XII; has ever since shut herself up in her +apartment, which she has caused to be hung with black, the windows +closed, and no light but what a small lamp affords, and only adds more +horror to the melancholy scene: she weeps incessantly, and, as she +expects her lover will obtain no mercy, declares, she only waits till +she hears the sentence of his fate is given, to dye, if possible, at the +same moment of his execution. + +I must confess, continued Poniatosky, the history of this lady's +sufferings touch me very much; and tho' I think her lover well worthy of +the death he will undoubtedly receive, could wish some unexpected chance +might once more set him free, and in a condition to recompence so tender +a passion, which Augustus has now no longer any power to oppose. + +Horatio had a heart too tender, and too sensible of the woes of love, +not to be greatly affected with this passage; and as they all were +young, and probably had each of them a lady to whom their affections +were given, could not help sympathizing in the misfortunes of two +persons who seemed to have fallen into them merely by the sincere +attachment they had for each other. + + + +CHAP. XVIII. + +_King Stanislaus quits Alranstadt to appease the troubles in Poland: +Charles XII. gives laws to the empire: a courier arrives from Paris: +Horatio receives letters which give him great surprize_. + +Augustus being able to obtain no better conditions from the king of +Sweden, than leave to return to his almost ruined electorate, took leave +of his conqueror with an almost broken heart.--Intelligence soon after +arriving that Poland was half demolished by the violence of different +factions, who, in the absence of both their kings, contended with equal +fury for the sovereign power, Stanislaus took an affectionate farewell +of his dear friend and patron, and went to appease the troubles of that +kingdom, and make himself peaceably acknowledged for what he was, their +lawful king, not only by election, but by the gift of the conqueror, +Charles XII. of Sweden. He was attended by 10,000 Swedish horse, and +twice the number of foot, in order to make good his claim against any of +his rebellious subjects. + +Charles having now accomplished all he could desire in relation to the +Polish affairs, began to grow weary of the idle life he led at +Alranstadt, and was thinking which way he should turn his arms; he had +been used ill by the czar, who, as has been before observed, plotted his +destruction while a minor, and began hostilities when he thought him not +in a condition to defend himself, much less to make any reprisals: his +resentment therefore against him was no less implacable than it had been +against Augustus,--But the emperor had also disobliged him. Count Zobor, +the chamberlain, had taken very indecent and unbecoming liberties with +his character, in the presence of his own Ambassador at Vienna; and that +court had given shelter to 1500 Muscovites, who having escaped his arms, +fled thither for protection. As he was now so near, he therefore thought +best to call the emperor first to account, and then proceed to +attack the czar. + +To this end he sent to demand count Zobor, and the 1500 Muscovites +should be given into his hands: the timid emperor complied with the +first and sent his chamberlain to be punished as the king thought fit; +but it was not in his power to acquiesce with the other; the Roman envoy, +then at Vienna, having intelligence of it, provided for their escape by +different routs. The king of Sweden then sent a second mandate, +requiring protection for all the Lutherans throughout Germany, +particularly in Silesia, and that they should be restored to all the +liberties and privileges established by the treaty of Westphalia. The +emperor, who would have yielded any thing to get the king of Sweden out +of his neighbourhood, granted even this, disobliging as it was to the +pope and his own catholic subjects: and having ratified these +concessions, the king vouchsafed to let his chamberlain return, without +any other punishment than imprisonment, so long as these affairs +remained in agitation. + +Having thus given laws to Germany and terror to the emperor, he resolved +to turn where he might expect more opposition; and accordingly he +ordered count Piper to acquaint the officers, that they must now begin +to think of preparing for a march. + +In the mean time ambassadors from all the courts of Europe were sent to +his camp, most of them being apprehensive that they should be the next +who felt the terror of his arms: but those who had nothing of this kind +to dread, and more really his friends, made use of all the arguments in +their power to prevail on him to return to Stockholm. France in +particular sent courier after courier, remonstrating to him that his +glory was complete; that he had already exceeded Alexander, and should +now return covered, as he was, with lawrels, and let his subjects enjoy +the blessing of his presence. The court of St. Germains added their +entreaties to that of Versailles, but each were equally ineffectual; nor +could even the thoughts of the beautiful princess Louisa, his betrothed +spouse, and whom he was to marry at the end of this war, put a stop to +the vehemence of his impatience to revenge the many injuries he had +received from the czar of Muscovy. + +These were the sentiments by which this conquering monarch were +agitated; but Horatio, tho' no less fond of glory, had a softness in his +nature, which made him languish for the sight of his dear Charlotta, +whom he had been absent from near two years; and being now blessed with +a fortune from the plunder of Saxony, which might countenance his +pretensions to her, passionately longed for an opportunity of returning +without incurring the censure of cowardice or ingratitude. By these +couriers he received letters from the baron de la Valiere, and several +others of his friends, but none from the father of Charlotta; nor did +any of them make any mention of that lady, tho' he knew the passion he +had for her was now no secret to any of them. + +He was very much surprized that the baron de Palfoy had not wrote, +because as he had in a manner promised to correspond with him by +desiring him to write, he had a right to expect that favour when they +came to Alranstadt; for till then it was scarce possible, by reason of +the army's continual and uncertain motions; but he was much more so, +that the baron de la Valiere had not been so good as to give him some +information of an affair, of which he could not be insensible his peace +so much depended: that he did not do it, he therefore presently +concluded, was owing to the having nothing pleasing to acquaint +him with. + +As love is always apprehensive of the worst that can possibly befal, he +thought now of nothing but her being obliged to give her hand to some +rival approved by her father:--what avails it, cried he, that fortune +has raised me to an equality with her, if, by other means, I am +deprived of her! + +He was beginning to give way to a despair little befitting a soldier, +when another courier arriving from Versailles with dispatches to the +king, he also received a packet, in which were three letters. The first +he cast his eye upon had on it the characters of Charlotta: amazed and +transported he hastily broke the seal, and found it contained +these lines: + +_To Colonel_ HORATIO. + + +SIR, + +"I have the permission of my father to pursue +my inclinations, in giving you this testimony +how sincerely I congratulate your good fortune; +tho' I ought not to call it by that name, since I +find every-body allows your rewards have not +exceeded your merits; but as neither has been +found deficient either for your ambition or the +satisfaction of your friends, all who are truly such +think you ought to be content, and run no future +hazards.--Be assured you have many well-wishers +here, among the number of whom you +will be guilty of great injustice not to place + +CHARLOTTA DE PALFOY." + + +How well were all the late anxieties he had endured attoned for by this +billet; it was short indeed, and wrote with a more distant air than he +might have expected, had the dear authoress been at liberty to pursue +the dictates of her heart; but as it informed him it was permitted by +her father, and was doubtless under his inspection, the knowledge that +he had authorized her to write at all, was more flattering to his hopes +of happiness than all she could have said without that Sanction. After +having indulged the raptures this condescention excited, he proceeded to +the rest, and found the next he opened was from the baron de Palfoy, who +expressed himself to him in these terms: + +_To Colonel_ HORATIO. + + +"I think myself obliged to you for so much +exceeding the character I gave you; but I +value myself on knowing mankind, and am glad +to find I was not deceived in you, when I expected +you to do more than I durst venture on +my own opinion to assure the count. He tells me, +in a letter I received from him the last courier, +that the victorious Charles XII. himself cannot +behave with greater bravery in the time of action, +nor more moderation after it is over.--This +is a great praise, indeed, from such a man +as he; and I acquaint you with it not to make +you vain, for that would blemish the lustre of +your other good qualities, but that you may +know how to make proper acknowledgments to +that minister." + +"Our court, I know, makes pressing influences +to the king of Sweden not to carry on the way +any farther: I wish they may succeed, or if they +should not, that you might be able to find some +opportunity of quitting the service for reasons +which you will see in a letter that accompanies +this, and to which nothing can be added to convince +you what part you ought to take.--I +shall therefore say no more than that I am, with +a very tender regard, + +_Yours_, + +PALFOY" + + +Rejoiced as he was at receiving a letter from the father of his +mistress, wrote in a manner which he might look upon as a kind of +confirmation he no longer would be refractory to his wishes, the latter +part of it contained an enigma he could by no means comprehend.--It +seemed impossible to him there could be any reasons prevalent enough to +make him quit, with honour, a prince who had so liberally rewarded his +service; but hoping a further explanation, he lost not any time in +conjectures; and tearing open the other letter without giving himself +time to examine the hand in which it was directed, found, to his +inexpressible astonishment, the name of Dorilaus subscribed. It was +indeed wrote by that gentleman, and contained at follows: + +_Dear Horatio_, + + +"Accidents, which at our parting neither of +us could foresee, have doubtless long since +made you cease to hope any continuance of that +kindness my former behaviour seemed to promise; +but never, perhaps did heaven deal its +blessings with a more mysterious hand than it +has done to you.--That seeming neglect in +me, at a time when you were a prisoner among +strangers, and had most need of my assistance, +had the appearance of the greatest misfortune +could befall you; yet has it been productive of +the greatest good, and laid the foundation of a +happiness which cannot be but lasting.--I reserve +the explanation of this riddle till you arrive +at Paris, where I now am, and intend to +continue my whole life.--That I impatiently +desire to see you, ought to be a sufficient inducement +for you to return with as much expedition +as possible:--I will therefore make this +experiment of that affection, I might add duty, +you owe me, and only give you leave to guess +what recompence this proof of your obedience +will entitle you to.--If therefore the king of +Sweden is resolute to extend his conquests, entreat +his permission to resign: I know the obligations +you have to that excellent prince; but I +know also you have others to me which cannot +be dispensed with:--besides, his majesty's affairs +cannot suffer by the loss of one man: yours +will be in danger, if not totally ruined, by your +continuance with him, and myself deprived at +the same time of the only remaining comfort of +my days.--Your sister left me soon after you +did:--she went to Aix la Chapelle, since +which I have never been able to hear any thing +of her.--Let me not lose you both; if you +have any regard for your own interest, or the +peace of him whom you have ever found a father +in his care and affection, and whom you will +now find so more than you can possibly expect. + +DORILAUS." + + +Impossible is it to conceive, without being in the very circumstances +Horatio was, what a strange variety of mingled passions agitated his +breast on having to read, and considered these letters:--to find such +unhoped condescension from the baron de Palfoy and that Dorilaus was +still living, and had the same, if not more tender inclinations for him +than ever, the latter of which he had long since ceased to hope, was +sufficient to have overwhelmed even the most phlegmatic person with an +excess of joy:--but then the dark expressions in both these letters put +his brain on the rack.--The baron had seemed to refer to an explanation +of what he darkly hinted at in the letter of Dorilaus, but that he found +rather more obsolete: he could imagine nothing farther than that +Dorilaus having resolved to make him his heir, as he remembered some +people said before he left England, on the knowledge of that +intelligence the baron de Palfoy had consented to his marriage with +mademoiselle Charlotta, and this, her being permitted to write to him +confirmed.--This indeed was the supreme aim of his desires; and this it +was that made him quit St. Germains, in hope of raising himself to a +condition which might enable her to own her affection to him without a +blush: but transporting as this idea was, it was mingled with disquiet, +to reflect on the terms which both the Baron and Dorilaus seemed to +insist on for the accomplishment of his wishes, tho' he impatiently +longed to see Dorilaus after so long an absence.--Tho' in the possession +of Charlotta all his hopes were centered, yet to leave a prince who had +so highly favoured him, and under whose banners he had gained so much +consideration, was a piece of ingratitude, which it was worse than death +for him to be guilty of.--No! said he, it would be to render me unworthy +of all the blessings they make me hope, should I purchase them on such +conditions!--How can they demand them of me!--The Baron, Charlotta, and +Dorilaus, have all of them the highest notions of honour, generosity and +gratitude, and can they approve that in me, which I am certain they +would not be guilty of themselves!--Sure it is but to try me, they seem +to exact what they are sensible I cannot yield to, without the breach of +every thing that can entitle me to esteem or love! + +Thus did he argue within himself for one moment; the next, other +reasons, directly opposite to these, presented themselves.--Dorilaus, +cried he, demands all my obedience;--all my gratitude:--without +protection I had been an outcast in the world!--Whatever honours, +whatever happiness I enjoy, is it not to him I owe them! Can I refuse +then to comply with commands, which, he says, are necessary to his +peace!--Besides, was it not Charlotta that inspired this ardor in me for +great actions! Was not the possession of that charming maid, the sole +end I proposed to myself in all I have undertaken! and shall I, by +refusing her request, madly run the risque of losing her for ever!--Does +not she wish, her father persuade, and Dorilaus enjoin me to +return!--Does not love, friendship, duty call me to partake the joys +that each affords!--And shall I refuse the tender invitation!--No! the +world cannot condemn me for following motives such as these; and even +the royal Charles himself is too generous not to acquit me of +ingratitude or cowardice. + +It must indeed be confessed he had potent inducements for his return to +Paris, to combat against those of continuing in the king of Sweden's +service; and both by turns appeared so prevalent, that it is uncertain +which would have got the better, had not an accident happened, which +unhappily determined him in favour of the latter. + +Colonel Poniatosky, who had attended Stanislaus into Poland, now the +disturbances of that kingdom were quieted, on hearing the king of Sweden +was on some new expedition, obtained leave of Stanislaus to return to +the camp, and implored his majesty's permission to be one of those who +should partake the glorious toils he was now re-entering into. To which +he replied, that he should be glad to have him near his person, but +feared he would be wanted in Poland. No, may it please your majesty, +resumed Poniatosky, there seems to be no longer any business in that +kingdom for a soldier:--all seem ready to obey the royal Stanislaus out +of affection to his person, and admiration of those virtues they are now +perfectly convinced of; nor is Augustus in a condition to violate the +treaty of resignation:--refuse me not therefore I beseech your majesty, +continued he, falling upon both his knees, what I look on as my greatest +happiness, as it is my greatest glory. + +The king seemed very well pleased at the emphasis with which he +expressed himself; and having raised him from the posture he was in, be +it so, cried he, henceforward we will be inseparable. + +Horatio was charmed with this testimony of love and zeal in a person, +who had doubtless friends and kindred who would have been glad he had +less attachment to a service so full of dangers as that of the king of +Sweden, and somewhat ashamed he had ever entertained a thought of +quitting it, resolved, as he had been more obliged, not to shew less +gratitude than Poniatosky. Therefore, without any further deliberation, +retired to his quarters, and prepared the following answers to the +letters had been brought him. As all things in a lover's heart yields to +the darling object, the first he wrote was to his mistress. + +_To mademoiseile_ DE PALFOY. + + +"With what transports I received yours, +adorable Charlotta, I am little able to +express!--To find I am not forgotten!--That +what I have done is approved by her for +whom alone I live, and whose praise alone can +make me vain, so swallowed up all other considerations, +that it had almost made me quit +Alranstadt that moment, and fly to pour beneath +your feet my gratitude and joy!--But +glory, tyrannic glory, would not suffer me to +obey the soft impulse, nor re-enjoy that blessing +till conscious I deserved it better!--My friends +over-rate my services; and tho' that partial indulgence +is the ultimate of my ambition, I would +dare not abuse what they are so good to offer." + +"To feast my long, long famished sight with +gazing once more on your charms, I would +forgo every thing but the hope of rendering myself +one day more worthy of it!--Too dear I +prize the good wishes you vouchsafe to have for +me, not to attempt every thing in my power to +prevent the disappointment of them: the little +I have yet done, alas! serves but to prove how +much the man, who has in view rendering himself +acceptable to the divine Charlotta, dares +to do, when dangers worthy of his courage +present themselves.--A small time may, perhaps, +afford me an opportunity:--yet did you +know how dear this self-denial costs me, you +would confess it the greatest proof of affection +ever man gave:--permit me therefore to gratify +an ambition which has no other aim than a +justification of the favours I receive:--continue +to look with a favourable eye on my endeavours, +and they cannot then fail of such success, +as may give me a claim to the glorious. +title of my most adored and loved Charlotta's. + +_Everlasting Slave_, + +HORATIO." + + +To her father he wrote in the following manner: + +_To the baron_ DE PALFOY, + +_My Lord_; + + +"The favours your goodness confers upon +me are such as can be equalled by but one +thing in the world, and that is my just and +grateful sense of them.--Charming would be +the toils of war, did all employed in them meet +a recompence like mine!--Is there a man, so +mean, so poor in spirit, that praises such as I receive +might not animate to actions worthy of +them!--What acknowledgments can I make +the count suitable to the immense obligations I +owe him, for inspiring your lordship with sentiments, +which, tho' the supreme wish of my +aspiring soul, I never durst allow myself to +hope; and which afford a prospect of future +accumulated blessings, such as I could scarce +flatter myself with being real, were not the transporting +idea in some measure confirmed to me, +by your having given a sanction to a correspondence +I so lately despaired of ever obtaining!--Blessed +change!--Extatic condescensions!--Fortune +has done all she can for me, and anticipated +all the good that, after a long train of +services and approved fidelity, I scarce should +have presumed to hope!--Oh my lord! I have +no words to thank you as I ought! It is deeds +alone, and rendering myself worthy of your +indulgence, that must preserve your good opinion, +and keep you from repenting having overwhelmed +me with this profusion of happiness!--Yet +how joyfully could I now pursue the +rout to Paris, and content myself with owing +every thing merely to your goodness, were I +not with-held by all the considerations that +ought to have weight with a man of honour!--My +royal general is inflexible to the persuasions +of almost all the courts in Christendom, +and hurried by his thirst of fame, or some other +more latent motive, has given orders to prepare +for a march, where, or against whom, is yet a +secret to the army; but by the preparations for +it, we believe they are not short journeys we +are to take.--Should I now quit a service +where I have been promoted so much beyond +my merit, what, my lord, but cowardice or ingratitude +could be imputed to me as the motive! +--Not all my reasons, powerful as they are, +would have any weight with a prince, who is +deaf to every thing but the calls of glory; and +I must return loaden with his displeasure, and +the reproaches of all I leave behind!--Now +to return is certain infamy!--To go, is in pursuit +of honour!--Your lordship will not therefore +be surprized I make choice of the latter, +since no hazard can be equal to that of forfeiting +the little reputation I have acquired, and +which alone can render me worthy any part of +the favours I have received. + +_I am_, + +_With the extremest respect and submission_, + +_Your lordship's + +Eternally devoted servant,_ + +HORATIO." + + +The last and most difficult task he had to go thro', was the refusal he +must give to Dorilaus, who had laid his commands on him in such express +terms; and it was not without a good deal of blotting, altering, and +realtering, he at length formed an epistle to him in these terms: + +_To my more than father, my only patron, +protector and benefactor, the most worthy +DORILAUS._ + +_Most dear and ever honoured Sir,_ + +"To hear you are living, and still remember +me with kindness, affords too great a +transport to suffer me to throw away any thought +either on the motives of your long silence, +or that happiness, which you tell me, I may +expect has been the produce of it:--it is +sufficient for me to know I am still blessed in +the favor of the most excellent person that +ever lived, and am not in the least anxious for +an explanation of any farther good. + +To tell you with how much ardency I long +to throw myself at your feet, to relate to you +all the various accidents that have befallen me +since first you condescended to put me in the +paths of glory, and to pour out my soul before +you with thanksgiving, would be as impossible +as it is for me at present to enjoy that blessing!--The +king's affairs, it is true, would suffer +nothing by my absence; but, sir, what would +the world say of me, if, after a whole year of +inactivity and idleness, I flew, on the first appearance +of danger, and forsook a prince, by +whom I have been so highly favoured?--Instead +of the character I have always been ambitious +of attaining, should I not be branded with +everlasting infamy!--Put not therefore, I beseech +you, to so severe a test that love and duty, +to which you cannot have a greater claim than +I a readiness to pay?--Did you command my +life, it is yours:--I owe it to you, and with it +all that can render it agreeable; but, sir, my +honour, my reputation, must survive when I am +no more; it was the first, and will be the last +bent of my desires. No perils can come in any +degree of competition with those of being deprived +of that, nor any indulgencies of fortune +compensate for the loss of it:--pardon then +this enforced disobedience, and believe it is the +only thing in which I could be guilty of it.-- +I very much lament my sister's absence, as I +find by yours she went without your permission: +time and reflection will doubtless bring her to a +more just sense of what she, as well as myself, +ought to have of your goodness to us, and make +her return full of sincere contrition for having +offended you. I should implore your favourable +opinion of her actions in the mean time, +were not all the interest I have in you too little +to apologize for my own behaviour.--All, sir, +I dare to implore is pardon for myself, and that +you will be assured no son, no dependant whatever, +would more rejoice in an opportunity of +testifying his duty, affection, gratitude and submission, +than him who is now constrained by +ties, which I flatter myself you will not hereafter +disapprove, to swerve in some measure +from them, and whose soul and all the faculties +of it are + +_Entirely devoted to you_. + +HORATIO." + + +These dispatches being sent away, he became more composed, and set his +whole mind on his departure, and taking leave of those friends and +acquaintance he had contracted at Leipsic and Alranstadt; the time of +the army marching being fixed in a few days, tho' what rout they were to +take none, except count Piper, general Renchild, count Hoorn, and some +few others of the cabinet council, were made privy to. + + + +CHAP. XIX. + +_The king of Sweden leaves Saxony, marches into Lithuania, meets with an +instance of Russian brutality, drives the czar out of Grodno, and +pursues him to the Borysthenes. Horatio, with others, is taken prisoner +by the Russians, and carried to Petersburg, where they suffer the +extremest miseries_. + +The word at length being given, the tents were struck, the trumpets +sounded, and the whole army was immediately in motion. Never was a more +gay and glorious fight; the splendor of their arms, and the richness of +their habits blazed against the sun; but what was yet more pleasing, and +spread greater terror among their enemies, was the chearfulness that sat +on every face, and shewed they followed with the utmost alacrity their +beloved and victorious monarch. + +It was in the latter end of September, a season extremely cold in those +parts, that they began their march but hardships were natural to the +king of Sweden's troops; and as they perceived they were going into +Lithuania, a place where their valour had been so well proved against +the invading Muscovites, their cheeks glowed with a fresher red on the +remembrance of their former victories. They passed near Dresden, the +capital of the electorate of Saxony, and made Augustus tremble in his +palace, tho' the word of the king, which ever was inviolable, had been +given that he should enjoy those dominions in peace. + +During the course of this, the czar had fallen upon the frontiers of +Poland above twenty times, not like a general, desiring to come to a +decisive battle, but like a robber, plundering, ravaging, and destroying +the defenceless country people, and immediately flying on the approach +of any troops either of Charles XII or king Stanislaus. The Swedes in +their march met several parties sent on these expeditions, but who +retired on sight of the army into woods, and were most of them either +killed or taken prisoners by detachments sent in pursuit of them by the +king of Sweden. + +In their march towards Grodno they found the remains of an encampment, +several pieces of cannon and ammunition of all forts, but not one +creature to guard it, the troops to whom it belonged having all +dispersed and hid themselves. On examining the tents, they were +surprized with the sight of a very beautiful woman, who was lying on the +ground in one of them, with three others, who seemed endeavouring to +comfort her, and, by the respect they paid her, that they were her +dependents; but had all of them their garments torn and bloody, their +hair hanging in strange disorder about their ears, their flesh +discoloured with bruises and other marks of violence, and, as well as +their disconsolate superior, were spectacles of the utmost distress. + +The king of Sweden himself, followed by general Hoorn, Poniatolky, +Horatio, and several others, who hardly ever lost sight of him, came +into this tent, and, being touched with so moving a scene, demanded the +Occasion; on which the prostrate lady being told who it was that spoke, +started suddenly up, and throwing herself at his feet:--Oh king! cried +she in the German language, as famous for justice as for being +invincible in war, revenge the cause of helpless innocence and +virtue!--Oh let the murderous brutal Russians find heaven's vindictive +arm in you its great vicegerent.--She was able to utter no more: the +inward agonies she sustained, on being about to relate the story of her +wrongs, became too violent for speech, and she sunk motionless on the +earth. Two of the women, assisted by some Swedes, carried her out of the +tent, as thinking the open air most proper to revive her; and she who +remained, satisfied the king's curiosity in these words: + +May it please your majesty, said she, my mistress, that afflicted lady +who just now implored your royal pity, is of the noble family of the +Casselburgh, in Saxony, only daughter to the present count: her person, +before these heavy misfortunes fell upon her, was deservedly reputed one +of the most beautiful that graced the court of Dresden: her birth, her +youth, her charms, and the great fortune it was expected she would be +mistress of, attracted a great number of persons who addressed her for +marriage: her own inclinations, as well as the count her father's +commands, disposed of her to Emmermusky, a Polish nobleman; and she had +been scarce one month a bride, before they unhappily took this journey to +visit my lord's mother who lives at Travenstadt.--In our way we met a +party of straggling Muscovites, who, notwithstanding the strict league +between our elector and the czar, and the knowledge they had by our +passports that we were Saxons, stripped us of every thing, killed all +our men-servants and having given my lord several wounds, left him for +dead upon the place, then dragged us miserable women to the camp.--My +lady, in the midst of faintings, and when she was incapable even of +flying to death for refuse, was brutally ravished, and we her wretched +attendants suffered the same abuse.--Shame will not let me, continued +she, blushing and weeping, acquaint your majesty with the shocking and +repeated violations we were compelled to bear!--the wretches casting +lots who first should gratify his monstrous desires!--We were all bound +to trees, and without any means of opposition but our shrieks and cries +to unrelenting heaven!--My lord having a little recovered himself, had +crawled, as well as his wounds would give him leave, after us, and +arrived even while the horrid scene was acting: rage giving him new +strength and spirits; he snatched a sword that lay upon the earth, and +sent to perdition the villain who was about to add to the dishonour +which had been, alas! but too much completed by others. The death of +their companion incensing the accursed Muscovites, they turned upon him, +and in a moment laid him dead just at the feet of his ruined and almost +expiring wife! After having satiated their wicked will, they left us, +bound as we were, where we continued the remainder of the day and whole +night, and had doubtless perished thro' hunger and extreme cold, if a +second party had not passed that way, who having been out on a maroding, +were then returning to the camp.--Being actuated by somewhat more +compassion than the former, one of the officers made us be untied, and +having heard our story, blamed the cruelty with which we had been +treated, and brought us to his tent, the same we now are in, and ordered +something should be given for our refreshment; but my lady has continued +obstinate to dye, and to that end has refused all subsistence. This, oh +invincible monarch! is the sad history of our misfortunes:--misfortunes, +which, alas! can never be retrieved, nor admit any consolation but in +the hope of vengeance! + +Here a torrent of tears closed the sad narration; and the king cried +out, turning as he spoke to us that followed him,--It is the cause of +heaven and earth, my friends, said he, to punish these barbarians, and +shew them that there is a God; for sure at present they are ignorant +of it! + +The generous monarch after this gave orders that these afflicted and +abused woman should be escorted to a place of safety, and for that +purpose halted for the space of two days, then proceeded towards Grodno +with such expedition, that after-ages will look upon it as incredible +that so large an army, and also encumbered with a great quantity of +baggage, could have marched in the time they did. + +But the king of Sweden was on fire to encounter in person the czar of +Muscovy, who, with about 2000 men, was then in that city: so great was +his impatience, that he galloped before his troops, not above 600 of +those best mounted being able to keep pace with him, till he came in +sight of the south gate, which gave him entrance without any opposition, +while the czar and his forces made their escape out at the north gate, +not doubting but the king of Sweden's whole army were come up with him. + +He was afterward so much vexed and ashamed to think he had quitted the +town to no more than 600 of the enemy, that, to retrieve a mistake which +he feared might be looked upon as cowardice, being informed the body, of +the army was near five leagues off, he sent a party of 1500 horse in +order to surprize the king and his few guards. The Muscovites entered by +night; but the alarm being given, the fortune which still had waited on +the Swedish armies, immediately put them all to the rout; and the army +soon after arriving, the conqueror lost no time, but pursued those that +remained alive into the forest of Mensky, on the other side of which the +czar had then entrenched himself, and had made the general rendezvous of +the Russian army, which was continually divided into parties; and +sometimes falling on the Swedes in the rear, and sometimes in the flank, +very much annoyed them in their march: these brave men had also other +difficulties to encounter with; the forest was so extremely thick, that +the infantry were obliged to fell down trees every moment, during the +whole time of their passage, to make way for the baggage and troops. + +Their industry and vigour surmounting all these obstacles, they once +more found themselves in an open country, but on the banks of a river, +on the opposite side of which were 20,000 Muscovites placed to oppose +their crossing. The king made no delay, but quitting his horse, threw +himself into the river, and was instantly followed by all the foot, +while the troops under the command of general Renchild and Hoorn, +galloped round thro' the morrass in which that river ended, and both +together charged the enemy, who, after some faint shew of resistance, +fled with the utmost precipitation. The whole army being now joined +marched on toward the Boristhenes, but with fatigues which are +impossible to be described: Horatio kept still close to the king, and +whether he fought or marched, was on foot or on horsback, was always in +his fight ready to bear his commands to the generals, or assist him in +the time of danger. More than once had the conqueror been indebted to +this young warrior, for turning the point of the destructive sword from +giving him the same death he was dealing about to others; yet in all the +dangers he had been in never had he received one wound, and this often +made the king say, who was a firm believer in predestination, that +heaven designed him for a soldier: his fortune, his valour, his +activity, added to his obliging and modest behaviour, indeed rendered +him so dear to his royal master, that there were very few, if any, to +whom he gave greater marks of his favour. And had Dorilaus, or even +Charlotta herself, all tender as she was, and trembling for the hazards +she knew he had been exposed to, seen him thus caressed and honoured by +the most glorious prince and greatest hero in the world, they could +scarce have wished him to quit the post he was in, much less persuaded +him to do it. + +He hitherto indeed had experienced only the happiness of a martial life, +for the fatigues, hardships, and dangers of it he as little regarded as +the intrepid and indefatigable prince he served; but now arrived the +time which was to inflict on him the worst miseries of it, and make him +almost curse a vocation he had been in his soul so much attached to. + +The king of Sweden, with his usual success having passed the +Boristhenes, encountered a party of 10,000 Muscovites and 6000 Calmuck +Tartars; but they gave way on the first onset and fled into a wood, +where the king, following the dictates of his great courage more than +prudence, pursuing them, fell into an ambuscade, which, throwing +themselves between him and three regiments of horse that were with him, +hem'd him in, and now began a very unequal fight.--Many of the gallant +Swedes were cut to pieces, and the Muscovites made quite up to his +majesty:--two aid-de-camps were killed within his presence, his own +horse was shot under him, and as an equerry was presenting him with +another, both horse and man was struck dead in the same moment.--Horatio +immediately alighted in order to mount the king, who now on foot behaved +with incredible valour, in that action was surrounded and taken +prisoner, as were several others that had fought near his person. He had +the satisfaction, however, while they were disarming and tying his +hands, to see colonel Dardoff with his regiment force thro' the +Calmucks, and arrive timely enough to disengage the king, after which +the army recovering its rank, and pouring in upon the enemy, he was not +without hopes of regaining his liberty; but he was sat upon a horse and +bound fast to the saddle, and compelled, with the others that were taken +with him, to accompany the Muscovites in their flight, so was ignorant +in what manner this re-encounter ended. Soon after repairing to the +czar's quarters, these unfortunate officers of the king of Sweden were, +with some others who had before become their prize, sent under a strong +guard to Petersburgh, and thrown altogether into a miserable dungeon. + +It would be impossible to describe the horrors of this place:--light +there was, but it was only so much as just served to shew to each of +these unhappy sufferers the common calamity of them all.--The roof was +arched indeed, but so low, that the shortest among them could scarce +stand upright:--no kind of furniture, not even straw to cover the damp +earthen floor, which served them for a seat by day and bed at night. +Inured as they had been to hardships, the noisomeness of this dreadful +vault killed many of them, and among the rest a young Swedish officer +named Gullinstern, one with whom Horatio had contracted a very intimate +friendship, and who, for his many excellent qualities, had been so dear +to the king, that seeing him one day greatly wounded, and in danger of +being taker, prisoner, that generous prince obliged him to mount on his +own horse, and fought on foot himself till another could be brought. + +The light of this gentleman expiring in his arms, filled Horatio with so +poignant an anguish, that he wanted but little of following him; and, +indeed, had it not been for the sanguine hopes that the king would in a +short time complete the ruin of the czar, and not only restore them +liberty, but also add vengeance to it for the ill treatment they had +found in his dominions, few, if any of them, had been able to support +the miseries inflicted on them by these inhuman wretches, who, not +content with burying them in a manner alive, for the dungeon they were +in was deep underground, and allowing them no other food than bread and +water once in four and twenty hours, made savage sport at their +condition, ridiculed the conquests of their king, and spoke in the most +opprobrious terms of his royal person, which, when some of them were +unable to restrain themselves from answering in a manner befitting their +duty and love of justice, they were silenced by the most cruel stripes. + +Thus were the officers of the king of Sweden, the meanest of whom were +fit to be generals in any other army, subjected to the servile taunts, +and insolent behaviour of wretches undeserving to be ranked among the +human species. + +A very little time had doubtless made them all find graves among these +barbarians; scarce a day passed over without their company decreasing by +two or three, who were no sooner dead than dragged out by the heels, and +thrown like dogs into a pit without the least funeral rites. But +providence at length thought fit to send them a relief by means they +least expected. + +In one of the incursions made by the Muscovites into Poland, a very +beautiful lady, whose father had been killed in asserting the cause of +Stanislaus, was made prisoner: prince Menzikoff, who commanded these +batallions, saw her, and became enamoured of her charms: she was +destitute of all friends, and in the conqueror's power, so thought it +best to yield what otherwise she found him determined to seize: in fine, +she was his mistress; and her ready compliance with his desires, +together with the love she either had or feigned to have for him, +afterward gained her an absolute ascendant over him. Every one knows the +interest he had with the czar; and he so far exerted it, as to get this +fair favourite lodged in the palace, where she was served with the same +state and respect as if she had been his wife. + +This lady, whose name was Edella, happened to be walking with some of +her attendants near where these unfortunate gentlemen were buried, at a +time when three of them were dragged to their wretched sepulchre, was +touched with compassion to see any thing that had a human shape thus +coarsely treated, tho' after death, and had the curiosity to order one +of her people to enquire who those persons were, and what they had done, +which hindered them from being allowed a christian burial. + +She was no sooner informed that they were Swedish prisoners, than her +soul shuddered at the thoughts of the Russian barbarity; and not +doubting but their usage during life had been of a piece with that after +their death, she resolved, if possible, to procure some abatement of the +miseries of those who yet survived. + +To this end she made it her business to examine what number of prisoners +had been brought, of what condition they were, and where lodged; and +being well acquainted with all she wanted to know, went to the governor +of Petersburg, and so well represented how dishonourable it was to the +czar, and how opposite to the law of nations, to treat prisoners of war +in a worse manner than they would do condemned felons, that he knowing +the power of prince Menzikoff, and fearing to disoblige one so dear to +him by a refusal, consented they should be removed into an upper part of +the prison where they would have more air, and also that they should +have an allowance of meat every day. + +As the governor was a true Muscovite in his nature and had an implacable +hatred to the king of Sweden and all that belonged to him, this was +gaining a great deal; but it was not enough to satisfy the charitable +disposition of Edella; after their removal, she went in person to visit +those of them whom she heard were gentlemen, and finding them covered +only with rags, which some of the soldiers had put on them after having +stripped them of their own rich habits, she ordered others lined with +furs to be made for them, to defend them from the coldness of the +season; and not content to retrench a great part of her own table, sold +several fine jewels, and other trinkets the prince had bestowed on her, +to supply them with wine, and whatever necessaries she supposed them to +be accustomed to. That she might be certain those entrusted by her did +not abuse her good intentions, she went often to the prison herself to +see how they were served, and would sometimes enter into discourse with +them concerning the battles they had been in, the settlement of +Stanislaus, and many other things relating to the Polish affairs. The +gallant and courtly manner in which Horatio expressed himself on every +occasion, made her take a particular pleasure in hearing him speak: that +rough blunt behaviour to which she had been accustomed since her being +brought a captive into Muscovy, gave double charms to the politeness +with which she found herself entertained by our young warrior; his +blooming years, and the gracefulness of his person, contributed not a +little also towards rendering every thing he said more agreeable. Her +liking of him grew by degrees into a friendship, no less tender than +that one feels for very near relations, and who have never done any +thing to disoblige us, are more endeared by being under undeserved +calamity: but as the inclination she had for him was perfectly innocent, +and no ways prejudicial to the prince who was in possession of her +person, she made no secret of it either to himself or those she +conversed with, and was always talking of the wit, delicacy, and +handsomeness of one of those prisoners, whom it was well known were +pensioners to her bounty. But how dangerous is it to be too open before +persons who, void of all true generosity, or the lead principle of +honour themselves, never fail to put the worst construction on the +actions of others. Edella was very near being undone by her sincerity in +acknowledging the distinction she paid to merit, or the compassion she +felt for misfortunes, in a country where humanity to enemies is looked +upon as a crime, friendship to those of the same party altogether +unknown, and even common civility never practised but for the +gratification of self-interest, or some favourite passion. + +This beautiful Polander however being treated by the Muscovites, on +account of the influence she had over the prince Menzikoff, with as much +complaisance as it was in their power to shew, imagined their +disposition less savage than it was in reality; and when she testified +the pity she had for those unhappy gentlemen, it was with design to +excite it in others, and engage them to join with her in petitioning the +czar, at his return, for their enlargement, there being no cartel or +exchange of prisoners subsisting between him and the king of Sweden. + +Among the number she hoped to gain to her party was Mattakesa, the +relique of a general who had been in great favour with his prince. This +lady, who could speak French, having learned it of a recusant that took +shelter in Russia, consented to go with her one day to the prison, and +no sooner saw Horatio, than, unfortunately for him, Edella, and herself, +she became charmed with him: as she was of the number of those who think +nothing a crime that suits their own inclination, she took not the least +pains to subdue the growing passion, but rather indulged it, in order to +receive the highest degree of pleasure in the gratification. She doubted +not but Edella was her rival, and that it was for his sake alone she had +been so beneficent to his fellow-sufferers: to supplant her, therefore, +was the first step she had to take, and she resolved to omit nothing for +that purpose. + + + +CHAP. XX. + +_The treachery of a Russian lady to her friend: her passion for Horatio: +the method he took to avoid making any return, and some other +entertaining occurrences._ + +It is easy to believe that Horatio, tho' relieved from that extremity of +misery he suffered while in the dungeon, was far from being able to +content himself with his present condition:--a thousand times he +reproached himself for pursuing the dictates of a glory which now seemed +so tyrannic:--Have I, cried he, hazarded the eternal displeasure of the +best of men,--refused the invitation of the adorable +Charlotta,--slighted the condescentions of her father,--been deaf both +to interest and love, to become a prisoner to the worst of +barbarians!--Who now will pity me!--Or if they yet would be so good, how +shall I acquaint them with my wretched fate!--Nay, were there even a +possibility of that, what would the compassion of the whole world avail, +since a slave to those, who, contrary to the law of nations, and even +common humanity, refuse, on any terms, to release the wretches fallen +into their savage power! + +In this manner did he bewail himself night and day, and indeed had but +too just reasons for doing so:--he had heard that the last time the czar +had been at Petersburg, he had sent all the prisoners he had then taken +to Siberia, and other province of the greater Tartary, where they were +compelled, without any distinction, to do the work of horses rather than +men, and doubted not but at his next return all those now in his power +would meet the same fate, tho' the generous king of Sweden had sent back +the Muscovites he had taken, by 1500 and 2000 at a time.--This, however, +may be said in favour of the czar, that by the many attempts he made to +civilize his barbarous subjects, it must be supposed he would have been +glad to have imitated this generosity, had it been confident with his +safety; but the case had this difference, Charles XII. feared not the +number of the Muscovites, but the czar feared the courage of the Swedes. + +What also increased the affliction of these gentlemen, was, that being +debarred from all intelligence, they could hear nothing of their king, +whom each of them loved with a kind of filial affection and +duty.--Horatio and two others had been witnesses of the extreme danger +in which they left him; and tho' at the time they were seized he had +killed thirteen or fourteen Muscovites with his own hand, and they +perceived general Dardoff had come up to his relief, yet they could not +be certain of his safety; till at length the sweet-conditioned Edella +perceiving the despair they were in on this account, informed them that +his majesty was not only well, but as successful as ever; that he had +passed far into Ukrania, had defeated the Muscovites in five battles, +and so far reduced the czar, that he had condescended to make some +overtures of peace; which having been rejected, it was the common +opinion, that in a very short time the Swedes would enter Moscow, and +become arbiters of Russia as they had been of Poland. + +Adequate to their late grief was their satisfaction at this joyful +news:--Horatio was transported above his companions, and threw himself +at the feet of the fair intelligencer; but she desired they would all of +them moderate their contentment so far as to hinder the guards, who had +the care of them, from perceiving it, because, said she, it might not +only draw on yourselves worse treatment, but also render me suspected of +being against the interest of a court, on which my fate has reduced me +to become a dependant. + +Horatio, as well as the others, assured her he would take care to manage +the felicity she had bestowed upon them, so as not to be any way +prejudicial to her; and she took her leave, promising to be with them +again in a few days, and bring them farther information, a courier from +the camp, she said, being expected every hour. + +But while this compassionate lady was pleasing herself, by giving all +the ease in her power to the distressed, the cruel Mattakesa was +plotting her destruction.--She had several of her kindred, and a great +many acquaintance in the army, who were in considerable posts, to all of +whom she exclaimed against the loose behaviour, as she termed it, of +Edelia, and represented her charities to the prisoners as the effects of +a wanton inclination:--this she doubted not but would come to prince +Menzikoff's ears, and perhaps incense him enough to cause her to be +privately made away with; for as she imagined nothing less than the most +amorous intercourse between her and Horatio, she thought it unadvisable +to declare the passion she had for him, till a rival so formidable, by +the advantages she had over her in youth and beauty, should be removed. + +This base woman therefore impatiently waited the arrival of the next +courier, to find how far her stratagem had succeeded; and the moment she +heard he had delivered his dispatches, flew to the apartment of Edella, +in hopes of being informed of what she so much desired to know. + +She was not altogether deceived in her expectations: she found that lady +drowned in tears, with a letter lying open before her; and on her +enquiring, with a shew of the utmost concern, the motives of her grief, +the other, who looked on her as her real friend, replied, alas! +Mattakesa, I have cruel enemies; I cannot guess for what cause, for +willingly I never gave offence to any one;--but see, continued she, how +barbarously they have abused my innocence, and represented actions +which, heaven knows, were influenced only by charity and compassion as +the worst of crimes! with these words she gave her the letter which she +had just received from the prince, + +Mattakesa took it with a greedy pleasure, and found it contained these +lines: + +_To_ EDELLA. + +Madam, + + +"I left you in a place, furnished, as I thought, +with every thing necessary for your satisfaction; +but I find I was mistaken in your constitution, +and that there was something wanting, +which, rather than not possess, you must have +recourse to a prison to procure:--ungrateful +as you are to the affection I have treated you +with, I am sorry for your ill conduct, and could +with you had been, at least, more private in +your amours: few men but would have sent an +order for removing you and the persons, for +whose sake you have made these false steps, +into a place where you would have cause to +curse the fatal inclination that seduced you: +think therefore how much you owe a prince, +who, instead of punishing your faults, contents +himself with letting you know he is not ignorant +of them.--If you make a right use of +the lenity I shew on this occasion, you may +perhaps retrieve some part of the influence you +once had over me; but see the Swedish prisoners +no more, if you hope or desire ever to see + +MENZIKOFF." + + +Mattakesa affected the greatest astonishment on having read this letter; +and after having cursed the persons that put such vile suspicions into +the prince's head, asked her what she intended to do. + +What can I do! answered the sorrowful Edella, but write to my lord all +the assurances that words, can give him, which heaven knows I can truly +do, that I never wronged him even in wish or thought; and that since +there are people so cruel to misinterpret to my dishonour, what was +nothing but mere charity, to obey his commands with the utmost +punctuality, and never set my foot into that prison more? + +Her false friend could not but applaud her resolution, yet told her it +was pity that ill tongues should deprive those unfortunate gentlemen of +the relief she had hitherto afforded them, or herself of the pleasure +she took in their conversation. + +As for the first, said Edella, heaven may perhaps raise the mother +friends more capable of lifting them; and as to the other, were it +infinitely greater, it would be my inclination, as it is my duty, to +sacrifice every thing to the will of a prince whom I love, and to whom I +am so much obliged. + +Mattakesa having thus compared her design, so far as to be under no +apprehensions of being interrupted by her imagined rival, tho' she had +rather she had been poisoned or strangled, went directly to the prison +and told the gentlemen, it was with the utmost concern she must acquaint +them that Edella would never visit them any more, nor continue the +weekly pension she had hitherto allowed them. + +Those among them who understood her, and the others to whom Horatio +interpreted what she said, looked one upon another with a great deal of +consternation, as imagining one of them had done something to offend +her, and thereby the rest were thought unworthy of her +favours.--Everyone endeavoured to clear himself of what he easily saw +his companions suspected him guilty of; till Mattakesa, with a scornful +smile, told them, that it was not owing to the behaviour of any of them, +but to Edella's own inconstant disposition, that they owed the +withdrawing of her bounty; but to console them for the loss of it, she +promised to speak to some of her friends in their behalf, and also to +contribute something herself towards alleviating their misfortunes; but, +added she, I am not the mistress of a prince and first favourite, so +have it not in my power to act as the generosity of my nature +inclines me to do. + +She stayed with them a considerable time, and entertained them with +little else than railing on Edella; and to make her appear as odious and +contemptible as she could to Horatio, insinuated that it was for the +sake of a young needy favourite she had been obliged to withdraw the +allowance they had from her. + +On taking leave she found means to slip a little billet into Horatio's +hands, unperceived by any of the company, which, as soon as he had a +convenient opportunity, he opened, and found these words in French: + +_To the agreeable_ HORATIO. + +SIR, + + +"Tho' I have not perhaps so much beauty +as Edella, I have twice her sincerity, and +not many years older: such as I am, however, +I fancy you will think a correspondence with +me of too much advantage to be refused:--if +you will counterfeit an indisposition, to-morrow +I will out of excessive charity visit you, and +bring you a refreshment, I flatter myself, will +not be disagreeable to a man in your circumstances:--farewell;--be +secret,--and love as well as you can, + +_Yours_, + +MATTAKESA." + + +Of all the accidents that had befallen Horatio since his leaving +England, none ever so much surprized him as the prodigious impudence of +this lady: he had heard talk of such adventures, but never till now +believed there could be any such thing in nature, as a woman that +offered herself in this manner, without the least sollicitation from the +person on whom she wished to lavish what ought only to be the reward of +an approved, or at least a shew of the most violent passion. + +The dilemma he was in how to behave, was also equal to his +astonishment:--had she been the most lovely of her sex, as she was very +much the reverse, the ever present idea of his dear Charlotta would have +defended his heart from the invasions of any other charms; but he needed +not that pre-engagement to make him look with detestation on a woman of +Mattakesa's principles:--when he reflected on what she had said +concerning Edella, he found her base, censorious, and unjust:--and when +he considered the manner in which she proceeded in regard to himself, he +saw a lewdness and audacity which rendered her doubly odious, to +him:--he doubted not but she was wicked and subtle enough to contrive +some means of revenging herself, in case she met with a disappointment +in her wishes, yet had too great an abhorrence to be able to entertain +one thought of gratifying them. + +As he was young and unexperienced in the world, he would have been glad +of some advice how to act so as not to incur her resentment, yet avoid +her love; but the strict notions he had of honour remonstrated to him +that he ought not to betray a secret of that nature, tho' confided in +him by an ill woman.--Her baseness, cried he to himself, would be no +excuse for mine; and it is better for me to risque whatever her malice +may inflict, than forfeit my character, by exposing a woman who pretends +to love me. + +These thoughts kept him waking the whole night; and his restlessness +being observed by an old Swedish officer who by with him, he was very +much importuned by him to discover to him the occasion.--Horatio +defended himself for a good while by the considerations before recited; +but at length reflecting; that the person who was so desirous of being +let into the secret, had a great deal of discretion, he at length +suffered himself to be prevailed upon, and told him what Mattakesa had +wrote to him, for he did not understand a word of French, so could not +read the letter. + +This officer no sooner heard the story, than he laughed heartily at the +scruples of Horatio, in thinking himself bound to conceal an affair of +this nature with a woman of the character Mattakesa must needs be:--he +also rallied his delicacy, as he termed it, in hesitating one moment +whether he should gratify the lady's inclinations.--One would imagine, +said he, that so long a fall from love as we have had, should render our +appetites more keen:--what, tho' Mattakesa be neither handsome nor very +young, she is a woman, and amorous, and methinks there should need no +other excitements to a young man like you. + +Horatio, tho' naturally gay, was not at present in a disposition to +continue this raillery, and told his friend, he looked on this +inclination of Mattakesa to be as great a misfortune as could happen to +them; for, said he, as it is wholly out of my power to make her any +returns, that violence of temper which has transported her to forget the +modesty of her sex, will probably, when she finds herself rejected, make +her as easily throw off all the softness of it; and you may all feel the +effects of that revenge she will endeavour to take on me. + +The other was entirely of his opinion; and they both agreed that, some +way ought to thought on to avert the storm, her resentment might in all +probability occasion. + +After many fruitless inventions, they at last hit upon one which had a +prospect of success: they had in their company a gentleman called +Mullern, nephew to chancellor Mullern, who had attended the king in all +his wars: he was handsome, well made, and his age, tho' much superior to +that of Horatio, yet was not so far advanced as to render him +disagreeable to the fair sex: he was of a more than ordinary sanguine +disposition, and had often said, of all the hardships their captivity +had inflicted on them, he felt none so severely as being deprived of a +free conversation with women.--In the ravages the king of Sweden's arms +had made in Lithuania, Saxony and Poland, he was sure to secure to +himself three or four of the finest women; and tho' he had been often +checked by his uncle, and even by the king himself, for giving too great +a loose to his amorous inclinations, yet all their admonitions were too +weak to restrain the impetuosity of his desires this way. To him, +therefore, they resolved to communicate the affair; and as he was in +other respects the most proper object among them to succeed in +supplanting Horatio, so he was also by being perfectly well versed in +the French language, which the rest were ignorant of. + +Accordingly they told him what had happened, shewed him the letter, and +how willing Horatio would be to transfer all the interest he had in this +lady to him, if he could by any means ingratiate himself into her +favour. Mullern was transported at the idea; and the stratagem contrived +among them for this purpose was executed in the following manner: + +Mattakesa was punctual to the promise she had made in her letter; and +when she came into the room, where she usually found the gentlemen +altogether, it being that where they dined, and saw not Horatio, she +doubted not but he had observed her directions, and pretended himself +indisposed, so asked for him, expecting to be told that he was ill; but +when they answered that he was gone with one of the keepers to the top +of the round tower, in order to satisfy his curiosity in taking a view +of the town, she was confounded beyond expression, and could not imagine +what had occasioned him to slight an assignation, she had flattered +herself he would receive with extacy. + +As she was in a little resvery, endeavouring to comprehend, if possible, +the motive of so manifest a neglect, Mullern drew near to her, and +beginning to speak of the beauties of that fine city which the czar had +erected in the midst of war, he told her, that having a little skill in +drawing, he had ventured to make a little sketch of it in chalk on the +walls of the room where he lay, and entreated her in the most gallant +manner to look upon it, and give him her opinion how far he had done +justice to an edifice so much admired. + +It cannot be supposed that Mattakesa had in her soul any curiosity to +see a work of this nature, yet, to hide as much as she could the +disorder she was in at her disappointment, gave him her hand, in order +to be concluded to the place where he pretended to have been exercising +his genius. + +As soon as they were entered he threw the door, as if by incident, which +having a spring lock, immediately was made fast--She either did not, or +seemed not to regard what he had done; but casting her eyes round the +room, and seeing nothing of what he had mentioned,--Where is this +drawing? cried she. In my heart, adorable Mattakesa, answered he, falling +at her feet at the same time:--it is not the city of Petersburg, but the +charming image of its brightest ornament, that the god of love has +engraven on my heart in characters too indelible ever to be +erased:--from the first moment I beheld those eyes my soul has been on +fire, and I must have consumed with inward burnings had I not revealed +my flame:--pardon, continued he, the boldness of a passion which knows +no bounds; and tho' I may not be so worthy of your love as the too happy +Horatio, I am certainly not less deserving of your pity. + +Surprize, and perhaps a mixture of secret satisfaction prevented her +from interrupting him during the first part of his discourse; but rage, +at the mention of Horatio, forced from her this exclamation:--has the +villain then betrayed me! cried she.--No, madam, replied he, justice +obliges me to acquit him, tho' my rival.--He had the misfortune, in +putting your billet into his pocket, to let it fall; I took it up unseen +by him,--opened it, read it, and must confess, that all my generosity to +my friend was wholly swallowed up in my passion for you.--I returned not +to him that kind declaration you were pleased to make him, and he is +ignorant of the blessing you intended for him:--if the crime I have been +guilty of seem unpardonable in your eyes, command my death, I will +instantly obey you, for life would be a torment under your displeasure; +and if, in my last moments, you vouchsafe some part of that softness to +the occasion of my fate, that you so lavishly bestowed on the fortunate +Horatio, I will bless the lovely mouth that dooms me to destruction! + +He pronounced all this with an emphasis, which made her not doubt the +power of her charms; and surveying him while he was speaking, found +enough in his person to compensate for the disappointment she had met +with from Horatio: besides, she reflected, that if what he had told her +concerning the dropping her letter, was a fiction, it was however an +ingenious one, and shewed his wit, as well as love, in bringing both +himself and friend off in so handsome a manner. She was infatuated with +the praises he gave her;--the pathetic expressions he made use of, +assured her of the ardency of his desires, and as she could not be +certain of being able to inspire Horatio with the same, she wisely chose +to accept the present offer, rather than wait for what might perhaps at +last deceive her expectations. She made, however, no immediate answer; +but her eyes told him she was far from being displeased with what he had +said, and gave him courage to take up one of her hands and kiss it, with +an eagerness which confirmed his protestations. + +At last,--Well, Mullern, said she, looking languishingly on him, since +chance has made you acquainted with my foible, I think I must bribe you +to secrecy, by forgiving the liberties you take with me:--and if I were +convinced you really love me as well as you pretend, might indulge you +yet farther.--An unaccountable caprice indeed swayed me in favour of +Horatio, but I am now half inclinable to believe you are more deserving +my regard;--but rise, continued she, I will hear nothing from you while +in that posture. + +Mullern, who was no less bold in love than war, immediately obeyed her, +and testified his gratitude for her condescention, by giving a sudden +spring and snatching her to his breast, pressed her in so arduous a +manner, that she would have been incapable of resisting, even tho' she +had an inclination to do so: but she, no less transported than himself, +returned endearment for endearment, and not only permitted, but assisted +all his raptures,--absolutely forgot Horatio, as well as all sense of +her own shame, and yielded him a full enjoyment without even an +affectation of repugnance. + +Both parties, in fine, were perfectly satisfied with each other, and +having mutually sworn a thousand oaths of fidelity which neither of +them, it is probable, had any intention to keep, Mullern took upon +himself the care of continuing to entertain her in private as often as +she came to the prison, and in return she made him a present of a purse +of gold, after which they passed into the outer room to prevent censures +on their staying too long together. + +On their return they found Horatio with the other gentlemen. Abandoned +as Mattakesa was, she could not keep herself from blushing a little at +sight of him; but soon recovering herself by the help of her natural +audacity,--Well, Horatio, said she, what do you think of the little +French epigram I put into your hands yesterday;--has it not a very +agreeable point? + +Horatio had such an aversion to all kind of deceit, that even here, +where it was so necessary, he could not, without some hesitation, answer +to what she said in these words.--Some accident or other, cried he, +deprived me of the pleasure you were so good to intend me; for when I +put my hand in my pocket thinking to read it, I perceived I was so +unhappy as to have lost, it:--I looked for it in vain:--it was +irrecoverably gone, and I am an utter stranger to the contents. + +And ever shall be so, replied she tartly, only to punish your +carelessness of a lady's favour; know, that it was a piece of wit which +would have been highly agreeable to you:--but don't expect I shall take +the pains to write it over again, or even tell you the subject on which +it turned. + +Horatio cooly said, he could not but confess he had been to blame, and +must therefore allow the justice of her proceeding. As none present +besides himself, his bedfellow, and Mullern, knew the truth of this +affair, what passed between them was taken by the others as literally +spoken, and little suspected to couch the mystery it really did. + +Mullern, after this, by the assistance of Horatio and the old officer, +had frequent opportunities of gratifying his own and the amorous +Mattakesa's desires.--The testimonies she gave him how well she was +pleased with his conversation, were for the common good of his +companions.--Horatio was easy in finding himself out of all danger of +any solicitations he was determined never to acquiesce in; and those +three who were in the secret passed their time pleasantly enough, +whenever they had an opportunity of talking on this adventure, without +any of the others being witnesses of what they said. + + + +CHAP. XXI. + +_The prisoners expectations raised: a terrible disappointment: some of +the chief carried to prince Menzikoff's palace: their usage there. +Horatio set at liberty, and the occasion_. + +Our captives had soon after a new matter of rejoicing: a Polander in the +service of Muscovy, who had been taken prisoner by the Swedes, and was +discharged and sent home, with a great number of others, by the +unparallell'd generosity of Charles XII. was one of the guards who now +did duty in the prison. It was often his turn to bring them their poor +allowance of provision; and having some pity for their condition, as +well as gratitude for a people who had used him and his companions in a +different manner, told them, that they might be of good heart, for, said +he, you will soon be set at liberty:--our emperor has enough to do to +keep his ground in Ukraina: Charles is as victorious as ever:--the +prince of the Cosaques, one of the bravest men on earth, next to +himself, has entered into an alliance with him:--king Stanislaus is +sending him succours from Poland:--a powerful reinforcement is coming to +him from Lithuania; and when these armies are joined, as I believe they +already are, nothing can withstand them:--you will hear the Swedish +march beat from this prison walls,--and perhaps see your present +conquerors change places with you; and, to confirm the truth of what I +say, continued he, I can further assure you that the czar, before I left +the camp, was in the utmost confusion:--his council, as well as army, +were at a stand, and he had twice made overtures of peace, and +been refused. + +This was an intelligence which might well be transporting to the king of +Sweden's officers:--the thought; of seeing him enter Petersburgh a +conqueror,--of once more embracing their old friends and companions, and +of triumphing over those who had so cruelly abused the power the chance +of war had put into their hands, made them all, in their turns, hug and +bless the kind informer:--they also asked him several questions +concerning the generals; and each being more particular concerning those +they had the greatest interest in, received from this honest soldier all +the satisfaction they could desire. + +As couriers were continually arriving from the army, there passed few +days without hearing some farther confirmation of their most sanguine +expectations; but at length the guard being again changed, they lost all +further intelligence, and were for several months without being able to +hear any thing of what passed. They doubted not, however, but as things +were in so good a disposition, every day brought them nearer to the +completion of their wishes; and it was this pleasing prospect which +addressed their misfortunes, and enabled them to sustain cheerfully +those hardships which, almost ever since the withdrawing of Edella's +bounty, they had laboured under.--Mattakesa, in the beginning of her +amours with Mullern, had indeed made him some presents, which he shared +with his companions; but either the natural inconstancy of her temper +making her grow weary of this intrigue for the sake of another, or her +circumstances not allowing her to continue such Donations, she soon grew +sparing of them, and at length totally desisted her visits at +the prison. + +As, ever since the compassionate Edella had procured them to be +removed from the dungeon, they had enjoyed the privilege of walking on +the leads, and going up to the round tower, which being of a very great +height, not only overlooked the town, but the country round for a +considerable distance, they frequently made use of this indulgence, at +first for no other purpose than to have the benefit of the open air, but +now in hope of seeing their beloved prince at the head of a victorious +army approaching to give them liberty and relief.--But, alas! how +terrible a reverse of their high-raised expectations had inconstant +fortune in store for them.--One day as they were sitting together, +discoursing on the usual topics with which they entertained each other, +and endeavoured to beguile the tedious time, they heard a confused noise +as of some sudden tumult.--Tho' they had now been above a year in +Russia, none of them could speak the language well enough to be +understood, so could receive no information from the guard, even should +they have proved good-natured enough to be willing to satisfy their +curiosity, so they all run hastily up to the round tower, whence they +easily perceived the town in great confusion, and the people running in +such crowds, that in the hurry many were trampled to death in +endeavouring to pass the gates:--at a distance they perceived standards +waving in the air, but could not yet distinguish what arms they bore.--A +certain shivering and palpitation, the natural consequence of suspence, +ran thro' all their nerves, divided as they were at this sight, between +hope and fear; but when it drew more near,--when, instead of Swedish +colours they beheld those of Russia;--when, in the place where they +expected to see their gallant king coming to restore them once more to +freedom, they saw the implacable czar enter in triumph, followed by +those heroes, the least of whom had lately made him tremble, now in +chains, and exposed to the ribald mirth and derision of the gaping +crowd, they lost at once their fortitude, and even all sense of +expressing their grief at this misfortune:--the shock of it was so +violent, it even took away the power of feeling it, and they remained +for some moments rather like statues carv'd out by mortal art, than real +men created by God, and animated with living souls. A general groan was +the first mark they gave of any sensibility of this dreadful stroke of +fate; but when recruited spirits once more gave utterance to words, how +terrible were their exclamations! Some of them, in the extravagance of +despair, said things relating to fate and destiny, which, on a less +occasion, could have little merited forgiveness. + +Unable either to remove from the place, or view distinctly what their +eyes were fixed upon, they stayed till the whole cavalcade was passed, +then went down and threw themselves upon the floor, where their ears +were deafen'd by the noise of guns, loud huzza's, and other testimonies +of popular rejoicings, both within and without the prison walls.--What +have we now to expect? cried one,--endless slavery:--chains, infamy, +lasting as our lives, replied another. Then let us dye, added a third. +Right, said his companion feircely;--the glory of Sweden is lost!--Let +us disappoint these barbarians, these Russian monsters, of the pleasure +of insulting us on our country's fall. + +In this romantic and distracted manner did they in vain endeavour to +discharge their breasts of the load of anguish each sustained.--Their +misfortune was not of a nature to be alleviated by words;--it was too +mighty for expression; and the more they spoke, the more they had yet to +say.--For three whole days they refused the wretched sustenance brought +to them; neither did the least slumber ever close their eyelids by +night: on the fourth the keeper of the prison came, and told them they +must depart.---They endeavoured not to inform themselves how or where +they were to be disposed of; in their present condition all places were +alike to them, so followed him, without speaking, down stairs, at the +bottom of which they found a strong guard of thirty soldiers, who having +chained them in a link, like slaves going to be sold at the market, +conducted them to a very stately palace adjoining to that belonging +to the czar. + +They were but eight in number, out of fifty-five who had been taken +prisoners at the time Horatio was, and were thrown altogether in the +dungeon, the others having perished thro' cold and the noysomeness of +the place, before Edella had procured them a more easy situation; but +these eight that survived were all officers, and most of them men of +distinguished birth as well as valour, tho' their long imprisonment, +scanty food, and more than all, the grief they at present laboured under +made them look rather like ghosts, than men chose out of thousands to +fight always near the king of Sweden's person in every +hazardous attempt. + +They were placed in a stately gallery, and there left, while the +officer, who commanded the party that came with them, went into an inner +room, but soon after returned, and another person with him; on which, +the first of this unhappy string was loosed from his companions, and a +signal made to him to enter a door, which was opened for him, and +immediately closed again. + +For about half an hour there was a profound silence: our prisoners kept +it thro' astonishment; and the others, it is to be supposed, had orders +for doing so.--At the end of that time the door was again opened, and +the chain which fastened the second Swede to the others, was untied, and +he, in like manner as the former, bid to go in.--In some time after, the +same ceremony was observed to a third;--then to a fourth, fifth, sixth, +and seventh:--Horatio chanced to be the last, who, tho' alarmed to a +very great degree at the thoughts of what fate might have been inflicted +on his companions, went fearless in, more curious to know the meaning of +this mysterious proceeding, than anxious for what might befal him. + +He had no sooner passed the door, than he found himself in a spacious +chamber richly adorned, at the upper end of which sat a man, leaning his +head upon his arm in a thoughtful posture.--Horatio immediately knew him +to be prince Menzikoff, whom he had seen during a short truce between +the czar and king Charles of Sweden, when both their armies were in +Lithuania. There were no other persons present than one who had the +aspect of a jew, and as it proved was so, that stood near the prince's +chair, and a soldier who kept the door. + +Horatio was bid to approach, and when he did so,--you are called hither, +said the jew in the Swedish language, to answer to such questions as +shall be asked you, concerning a conspiracy carried on between you and +your fellow-prisoners with the enemies of Russia. Horatio understood the +language perfectly well, having conversed so long with Swedes, but never +could attain to a perfect pronounciation of it, so replied in French, +that he knew the prince could speak French, and he would therefore +answer to any interrogatories his highness should be pleased to make +without the help of an interpreter. + +Are you not then a Swede? said the prince. Horatio then told him that he +was not, but came from France into the service of the king of Sweden +merely thro' his love of arms. + +On these words Menzikoff dismissed the jew, and looked earnestly on him; +wan and pale as he was grown thro' his long confinement, and the many +hardships he had sustained, this prince found something in him that +attracted his admiration.--Methinks, said he, since glory was your aim, +you might as well have hoped to acquire it under the banners of our +invincible emperor. + +Alas! my lord, replied Horatio with a sigh, that title, till very +lately, was given to the king of Sweden, and, I believe, whatever fate +has attended that truly great prince, those who had the honour to be +distinguished by him, will never be suspected either of cowardice or +baseness.--It was by brave and open means our king taught his soldiers +the way to victory, not by mean subterfuges and little plots:--I cannot +therefore conceive for what reason I am brought hither to be examined on +any score that has the appearance of a conspiracy. + +Yes, replied the prince feircely, you and your fellow-prisoners have +endeavoured to insinuate yourselves into the favour of persons whom you +imagined entrusted with the secrets of the government:--being prisoners +of war, you formed contrivances for your escape, and attempted to +inveigle others to accompany your flight. + +That every tittle of this accusation is false, my lord, cried Horatio, +there needs no more than the improbability of it to prove.--Indeed the +cruel usage we sustained, might have justified an attempt to free +ourselves, yet did such a design never enter our heads:--we were so far +from making use of any stratagems for that purpose, that we never made +the least overture to any of the guards, who were the only persons we +were allowed to converse with. + +How! said the prince interrupting him, were not your privileges enlarged +by the interposition of a lady?--Did she not make you considerable +allowances out of her own purse, and frequently visit you to receive +your thanks?--And were you not emboldened by these favours to urge her +to reveal what secrets were in her knowledge, and even to assist you in +your escape?--You doubtless imagined you could prevail on her also to go +with you:--part of this, continued he, she has herself confessed:--it +will therefore be in vain for you to deny it:--if you ingenuously reveal +these particulars she has omitted, you may hope to find favour; but it +you obstinately persist, as your companions have done, in attempting to +impose upon me, you must expect to share the same fate immediately. + +In speaking these words he made a sign to the soldier, who throwing open +a large folding door, discovered a rack on which one of the Swedish +officers was tied, and the others stood near bound, and in the hands of +the executioner. + +This sight so amazed Horatio, that he had not the power of speaking one +word;--till Mullern, who happened to be the person that was fastened +upon the rack, cried out to him,--Be not lost in consideration, Horatio, +said he; are we not in the hands of Muscovites, from whom nothing that +is human can be expected?--rather prepare yourself to disappoint their +cruelty, by bravely suffering all they dare inflict. + +Hold then, said Horatio, even Muscovites would chuse to have some +pretence for what they do; and sure the first favourite and +generalissimo of a prince, who boasts an inclination to civilize his +barbarous subjects, will not, without any cause, torture them whom +chance alone has put into his power, and who have never done him any +personal injury.--By heaven, pursued he, turning to the prince, we all +are innocent of any part of those crimes laid to our charge:--time, +perhaps, if our declarations are ineffectual, will convince your +highness we are so, and you will then regret the injustice you have +done us. + +You all are in one story, cried the prince, but I am well assured of the +main point:--the particulars is all I want to be informed of:--but since +I am compelled to speak more plain, which of you is it for whose sake +you all received such instances of Edella's bounty?--Whoever tells me +that, even tho' it be the person himself, shall have both pardon +and liberty. + +Impossible it is to express the astonishment every one was in at this +demand: five of them had not the least notion what it meant; but +Mullern, Horatio, and that friend to whom he had shewn the letter of +Mattakesa, had some conjecture of the truth, and presently imagined that +lady had been the incendiary to kindle the flame of jealousy in the +prince's breast. The affair, however, was of so nice a nature, that they +knew not how to vindicate Edella without making her seem more guilty, so +contented themselves with joining with the others, in protesting they +knew of no one among them who could boast of receiving any greater +favours from her than his fellows, but that what she did was instigated +merely by compassion, since she had never seen, or knew who any of them +were, till after she had moved the governor in their behalf:--they +acknowledged she had been so good as to come sometimes to the prison, in +order to see if those she entrusted with her bounty had been faithful in +the delivery of it; but that she never made the least difference between +them, and never had conversation with any one of them that was not in +the presence of them all. Mullern could not forbear adding to this, that +he doubted not but the persons who had incensed his highness into +groundless surmises, were also the same who had hindered her, by some +false insinuations or other, from continuing the allowance her charity +allowed them, and for the want of which they had since been near +perishing. + +Prince Menzikoff listened attentively to what each said, and with no +less earnestness fixed his eyes on the face of every one as they +spoke.--Finding they had done, he was about giving some orders on their +account, when the keeper of the prison came hastily into the room, and +having entreated pardon for the interruption, presented a letter to the +prince, directed for brigadier Mullern, and brought, he said, just after +the prisoners were carried out. + +Menzikoff commended his zeal in receiving and bringing it to him, as it +might possibly serve to give some light to the affair he was examining. + +Having perused it, he demanded which of them was named Mullern? I am, +replied the brave Swede; and neither fear, nor am ashamed of any thing +under that name. + +Hear then what is wrote to you by a lady, resumed the prince, with a +countenance more serene than he had worn since their being brought +before him, and presently read with a very audible voice these words: + + +"That you have been so long without +seeing me, my dear Mullern, or hearing +from me, is not owing to any decrease in my +affection, but to the necessity of my affairs:--if +you have any regard for me remaining, I +conjure you, if ever you are asked any questions +concerning the frequent visits I have made +you, to say I was sent by Edella, and that I was +no more than her emissary in the assistance you +received from me:--add also, that you have +reason to believe her charity was excited by +her liking one of your company:--mention +who you think fit; but I believe Horatio, as +the youngest and most handsome, will be the +most likely to gain credit to what you say.-- +Depend upon it, that if you execute this commission +artfully, I will recompence it by procuring +your liberty:--nor need you have any +scruples concerning it, for no person will be +prejudiced by it, and the reputation preserved +of + +_Yours,_ + +MATTAKESA." + + +I suppose, said the prince, as soon as he had done reading, turning to +Horatio, you are the person mentioned in the letter? Tho' I neither +desire nor deserve the epithets given me there my lord, replied he, yet +I will not deny but I am called Horatio. + +Well, resumed the prince with a half smile, I am so well pleased with +the conviction this letter has given me, that I shall retain no +resentment against the malicious author of it. + +He then ordered Mullern to be taken from the rack, which had never been +strained; nor had he any intention, as he now assured him, to put him to +the torture, but only to intimidate him, being resolved to make use of +every method he could think of for the full discovery of every thing +relating to the behaviour of his beloved Edella.--The other gentlemen +had also their fetters taken off, and the prince asked pardon of them +severally for the injury he had done them; then made them sit down and +partake of a handsome collation at that table, before which they had so +lately stood as delinquents at a bar. + +The Russians are excessive in their carouses, and prince Menzikoff being +now in an admirable good humour, made them drink very freely:--to be the +more obliging to his guests, he began the king of Sweden's health in a +bumper of brandy, protesting at the same time, that tho' an enemy to his +master, he loved and venerated the hero: Horatio on this ventured to +enquire in what condition his majesty was; to which the prince replied, +that being greatly wounded, he was obliged to leave the field, and, it +was believed, had took the load toward the dominions of the grand +signior, some of the Russian troops having pursued him as far as the +Borysthenes where, by the incredible valour of a few that attended him, +they had been beat back. + +The Swedish officers knew it must be bad indeed when their king was +compelled to fly; and this renewed in them a melancholy, which it was +not in the power of liquor, or the present civilities of the prince to +dissipate: they also learned that the generals Renchild, Slipenbock, +Hamilton, Hoorn, Leuenhaup, and Stackelburg, with the prince of +Wirtemburg, count Piper, and the flower of the whole army, were +prisoners at Muscow. + +The misfortune of these great men would have been very afflicting to +those who heard it, could any thing have given addition to what they +knew before.--Prince Menzikoff was sensible of what they felt, and to +alleviate their grief, assured them that he would take upon him to give +them all their liberty, without even exacting a promise from them never +more to draw their swords against the czar, in case the king of Sweden +should ever be able to take the field again. + +So generous a proceeding both merited and received their utmost +acknowledgments: but he put an end to the serious demonstrations they +were about to make him of their gratitude, by saying,--I pay you no more +than I owe you:--I have wronged you:--this is but part of the +retaliation I ought to make:--besides, added he laughing, Mattakesa +promised Mullern his freedom; and as she has done me the good office, +tho' undesignedly, of revealing to me her own treachery, I can do no +less than assist her in fulfilling, her covenant. + +To prove how much he was in earnest, he called his secretary, and +ordered him to make out their passports with all expedition, that they +might be ready to depart next morning; after which he made them repose +themselves in his palace the remainder of the night; which being in a +manner vastly different from what they had been accustomed to of a long +time, indeed ever since their quitting Alranstadt, they did not fail to +do, notwithstanding the discontent of their minds. + +Prince Menzikoff, being now convinced of the fidelity of Edella, passed +into her apartment, where the reconciliation between them took up so +much time, that it was near noon next day before he appeared: his new +guests had not quitted their chambers much sooner; but after reproaching +themselves for having been so tardy, went altogether to take leave of +the prince, and accept the passports he had been so good to order. As +they were got ready, he gave them immediately into their hands, and told +them, they were at liberty to quit Petersburg that moment, if they +pleased; or if they had any curiosity to take a view of that city, they +might gratify it, and begin their journey next morning. As it was now so +late in the day, they accepted his highness's offer, and walked out to +see a place which had excited so much admiration in the world, since +from a wild waste, in ten years time, a spacious and most beautiful city +had arose in the midst of war, and proved the genius of the founder +greater in civil than in military arts, tho' it must be owned he was +indefatigable in the study of both. + +The officers of the king of Sweden were entertained with the same +elegance and good humour they had been the night before; and as they +were now resolved to quit the city extremely early, the prince took +leave of them that night, and in doing so put a purse of gold into the +hands of every one to defray the expenses of their travelling. This +behaviour obliged them to own there was a possibility of sowing the +seeds of humanity in Muscovy, and that the czar had made some progress +in influencing those about him with the manners he had himself learned +in the politer courts. + + + +CHAP. XXII. + +_What befel Louisa in the monastery: the stratagem she put in practice +to get out of it: her travels thro' Italy, and arrival in Paris_. + +But while Horatio was thus experiencing the vicissitudes of fortune, his +beautiful sister suffered little less from the caprice of that fickle +goddess. Placed as she was, one would have thought she had been secure +from all the temptations, hurries, and dangers of the world, and that +nothing but the death or inconstancy of monsieur du Plessis could have +again involved her in them. These, indeed, were the sole evils she +trembled at, and which she chiefly prayed might not befal her. Yet as it +often happens that those disasters which seem most remote are nearest to +us, so did the disappointments she was ordained to suffer, rise from a +quarter she had the least reason to apprehend. + +The abbess and nuns, with whom she was, being all Italians, she set +herself to attain to the knowledge of their language, in which she soon +became a very great proficient, and capable of entertaining them, and +being entertained by them in the most agreeable manner.--The sweetness +of her temper, as well as her good sense, rendering her always ambitious +of acquiring the affection of those she converted with, she had the +secret to ingratiate herself not only to the youngest nuns, but also to +the elder and most austere, that the one were never pleased but when in +her company, and the others propose her as an example of piety and +sweetness to the rest. + +She had a very pretty genius to poetry, and great skill in music, both +which talents she now exercised in such works as suited the place and +company she was in.--The hymns and anthems she composed were not only +the admiration of that convent, but also of several others to whom they +were shown, and she was spoke of as a prodigy of wit and devotion. + +In fine, her behavior rendered her extremely dear to the superior; and +that affection joined to a spiritual pride, which those sanctified +devotees are seldom wholly free from, made her very desirous of +retaining her always in the convent:--she was therefore continually +preaching up to her the uncertainty of those felicities which are to be +found in the world, and magnifying that happy serenity which a total +renunciation from it afforded;--nay, sometimes went so far, as to +insinuate there was scarce a possibility for any one encumbered with the +cares, and surrounded with the temptations of a public life, to have +those dispositions which are requisite to enjoy the blessings of +futurity.--Ah my dear daughter, would she say frequently to her, how +much should I rejoice to find in you a desire to forgo all the +transitory fleeting pleasures of the world, and devote yourself entirely +to heaven!--what raptures would not your innocent soul partake, when +wholly devoid of all thought of sensual objects! you would be, even +while on earth, a companion for angels and blessed spirits, and borne on +the wings of heavenly contemplation, have your dwelling above, and be +worshipped as a saint below. + +All the old nuns, and some of the young ones, assisted their abbess in +endeavouring to prevail on Louisa to take the veil; but all that they +said made no impression on her mind, not but she had more real piety +than perhaps some of those who made so great a shew of it, but she was +of a different way of thinking; and tho' she knew the world had its +temptation, having experienced them in a very great degree, yet she +was-convinced within herself, that a person of virtuous principles might +be no less innocent out of a cloyster than in one.--She saw also among +this sisterhood a great deal of envy to each other, and perceived early +that the flaming zeal professed among them was in some hypocrisy, and +enthusiasm in others; so that had she had no prepossession in favour of +du Plessis, or any engagement with him, the life of a nun was what she +never should have made choice of. + +She kept her sentiments on this occasion entirely to herself however, +and made no shew of any repugnance to do as they would have her; but +whenever they became strenuous in their pressures, told them, she +doubted not but such a life as they described must be very angelic, but +having already disposed of her vows, it was not in her power to withdraw +them, nor would heaven accept so violated an offering. This, they told +her, was only a suggestion of some evil spirit, and that all engagements +to an earthly object, both might and ought to be dispensed with for a +divine vocation. The arguments they made use of for this purpose were +artful enough to have imposed on some minds, but Louisa had too much +penetration not to see thro' them; and being unwilling to disoblige them +by shewing that she did so, made use, in her turn, of evasions which the +circumstances of the case rendered very excusable. But fully persuaded +in their minds that it was solely her engagements with du Plessis that +rendered her so refractory to their desires, they resolved to break it +off, if possible, and to that end now intercepted his letters; two of +which giving an account that he was very much wounded and unable to +travel, they renewed their pressures, in order to prevail on her to take +the habit before he should be in a condition to come to Bolognia. + +These sollicitations, however, had no other effect than to embitter the +satisfaction she would otherwise have enjoyed during her stay among +them;--the time of which began now to seem tedious, and she impatiently +longed for the end of the campaign, which she expected would return her +dear du Plessis to her, and she should be removed from a place where +dissimulation, a vice she detested, was in a manner necessary. She had +received several letters from him before the abbess took it in her head +to stop them, each more endearing than the former; and last had +flattered her with the hope of seeing him in a very short time. + +Days, weeks, and months passed over, after an assurance so pleasing to +her wishes, without any confirmation of the repeated vows he had made; +and receiving from him no account of the reasons that delayed him, she +began to reproach herself for having placed too much confidence in +him;--the more time elapsed, the more cause she had to doubt his +sincerity, and believe her misfortune real:--in fine, it was near half a +year that she languished under a vain expectation of seeing, or at least +hearing from him.--Sometimes she imagined a new object had deprived her +of his heart; but when she called to mind the many proofs he had given +her of the most unparallell'd generosity that ever was she could not +think that if he even ceased to love her, he could be capable of leaving +her in so cruel a suspence:--no, said she to herself, he would have let +me know I had no more to depend on from him:--paper cannot blush, and as +he is out of the reach of my upbraidings, he would certainly have +acquainted me with my fate, confessed the inconstancy of his sex, and +exerted that wit, of which he has sufficient, to have excused his +change:--I will not therefore injure a man whom I have found so truly +noble:--death, perhaps, his deprived me of him; the unrelenting sword +makes no distinction between the worthy and unworthy;--and the brave, +the virtuous du Plessis, may have fallen a victim in common with the +most vulgar. + +These apprehensions had no sooner gained ground in her imagination, than +she became the most disconsolate creature in the world. The abbess took +advantage of her melancholy, as knowing the occasion of it, and began to +represent, in the strongest terms, the instability of all human +expectations:--you may easily see, my dear child, said she, that +monsieur either no longer lives, or ceases to live for you:--young men +are wavering, every new object attracts their wishes;--they are +impatient for a time, but soon grow cool;--absence renders them +forgetful of their vows and promises;--there is no real dependance on +them;--fly therefore to that divine love which never can deceive +you;--give yourself up to heaven, and you will soon be enabled to +despise the fickle hopes of earth. + +Instead of saying any thing to comfort her, in this manner was she +continually persecuted; and tho' it is impossible for any one to have +less inclination to a monastic life than she had, yet the depression of +her spirits, the firm belief she now should never see du Plessis more, +the misfortune of her circumstances, joined to the artifices they made +use of, and the repeated offers of accepting her without the usual sum +paid on such occasions, might possibly at last have prevailed on +her.--She was half convinced in her mind that it was the only asylum +left to shield her from the wants and insults of the world; and the more +she reflected on the changes, the perplexities, and vexation, of +different kinds, the few years she yet had lived had presented her with, +the more reason she found to acquiesce with the persuasions of the +abbess. But heaven would not suffer the deceit practised on her to be +crowned with success, and discovered it to her timely enough to prevent +her from giving too much way to that despair, which alone could have +prevailed with her to yield to their importunities. + +There was among the sisterhood a young lady called donna Leonora, who +being one of many daughters of a family, more eminent for birth than +riches, was compelled, as too many are, to become a nun, in order to +prevent her marrying beneath her father's dignity. She had taken a great +liking to Louisa from the moment she came into the convent, and a +farther acquaintance ripened it into a sincere friendship. Tho' secluded +from the world, the austere air of a monastery had no effect upon her, +she still retained her former vivacity; and it was only in the +conversations these two had toge whenever they could separate from the +others, that Louisa found any cordial to revive her now almost +sinking spirits. + +One day as she was ruminating on her melancholy affairs, this young nun +came hastily into her chamber, and with a countenance that, before she +spoke, denoted she had something very extraordinary to acquaint her +with,--dear sister, cried she, I bring you the most surprising news, but +such as will be my ruin if you take the least notice of receiving it +from me; and perhaps your own, if you seem to be acquainted with it +at all. + +It is not to be doubted but Louisa gave her all the assurances she could +desire of an inviolable secrecy; after which, know then, resumed this +sweet-condition'd lady, that your lover, monsieur du Plessis, is not +only living, but as faithful as your soul can wish, or as you once +believed:--the cruelty of the abbess, and some of the sisterhood in the +plot with her, have concealed the letters he has sent to you, in order +to persuade you to become a nun:--I tremble to think of their hypocrisy +and deceit:--but what, continued she, is not to be expected from bigotry +and enthusiasm!--To increase the number of devotees they scruple +nothing, and vainly imagine the means is sanctified by the end. + +Little is it in the power of words to express the astonishment Louisa +was in to hear her speak in this manner; but as she had no room to doubt +her sincerity, only asked by what means she had attained the knowledge +of what the persons concerned, no doubt, intended to keep as much a +secret as possible; on which the other satisfied her curiosity in +these terms: + +To confess the truth to you, said she, I stole this afternoon into the +chapel, in order to read a little book brought me the other day by one +of my friends; as it treated on a subject not allowable in a convent, I +thought that the most proper place to entertain myself with it; and was +sitting down in one of the confessionals, when hearing the little door +open from the gallery, I saw the abbess and sister Clara, who, you know, +is her favourite and confidant, come in together, and as soon as they +were entered, shut the door after them. I cannot say I had any curiosity +to hear their discourse; but fearing to be suspected by them in my +amusement, and not knowing what excuse to make for being there, if I +were seen, I slid down, and lay close at the bottom of the confessional. +They happened to place themselves very near me; and the abbess taking a +letter out of her pocket, bad Clara read it, and tell her the substance +of it as well as she could. I found it was in French, by some words +which she was obliged to repeat over and over, before, not perfectly +understanding the language, she could be able to find a proper +interpretation of. The abbess, who has a little smattering of it +herself, sometimes helped her out, and between them both I soon found it +came from monsieur du Plessis, and contained the most tender and +compassionate complaint of your unkindness in not answering his +letter;--that the symptoms he had of approaching death were not half so +severe to him as your refusing him a consolation he stood for much in +need of;--that if you found him unworthy of your love, he was certainly +so of your compassion; and concluded with the most earnest entreaty, you +would suffer him to continue no longer in a suspence more cruel than a +thousand deaths could be. + +Oh heaven! cried Louisa, bursting into tears, how ungrateful must he +think me, and how can I return, as it deserves, so unexampled a +constancy, after such seeming proofs of my infidelity!--. Cruel, cruel, +treacherous abbess! pursued she; Is this the fruits of all your boasted +sanctity!--This the return to the confidence the generous du Plessis +reposed in you!--This your love and friendship to me!--Does heaven, to +increase the number of its votaries, require you to be false, +perfidious, and injurious to the world! + +She was proceeding in giving vent to the anguish of her soul in +exclamations such as these; but Leonora begged she would moderate her +grief, and for her sake, as much as possible, conceal the reasons she +had for resentment. Louisa again promised she would do her utmost to +keep them from thinking she even suspected they had played her +false;--then cried, But tell me, my dear Leonora, were they not a little +moved at the tender melancholy which, I perceive, ran thro' this +epistle? Alas! my dear, replied the other, they have long since forgot +those soft emotions which make us simpathize in the woes of +love:--inflexible by the rigid rules of this place, and more by their +own age, they rather looked with horror than pity on a tender +inclination:--they had a long conversation together, the result of which +was to spare nothing that might either persuade, or if that failed, +compel you to take the order. + +It is not in their power to do the latter, interrupted Louisa; and this +discovery of their baseness, more than ever, confirms me in the +resolution never to consent. + +You know not what is in their power, said Leonora; they may make +pretences for confining you here, which, as they are under no +jurisdiction but the church, the church will allow justifiable:--indeed, +Louisa, continued she, I should be loth to see you have recourse to +force to get out of their hands which would only occasion you ill +treatment:--to whom, alas, can you complain!--you are a stranger in this +country, without any one friend to espouse your cause:--were even Du +Plessis here in person, I know not, as they have taken it into their +heads to keep you here, if all he could urge, either to the pope or +confessory, would have any weight to oblige them to relinquish you. A +convent is the securest prison in the world; and whenever any one comes +into it, who by any particular endowment promises to be an ornament to +the order, cannot, without great difficulty, disentangle themselves from +the snares laid for them.--It is for this reason I have feared for you +ever since your entrance; for tho' I should rejoice in so agreeable a +companion, I know too well the miseries of an enforced attachment to +wish you to be partaker of it. + +Louisa found too much reason in what she said, to doubt the misery of +her condition;--she knew the great power of the church in all these +countries where the roman-catholic religion is established, more +especially in those places under the papal jurisdiction, and saw no way +to avoid what was now more terrible to her than ever. Those reflections +threw her into such agonies, that Leonora had much ado to keep her from +falling into fits:--she conjured her again and again, never to betray +what she had entrusted her with; assuring her, that if it were so much +as guessed at, she should be exposed to the worst treatment, and +punished as an enemy to the order of which she was a member. Louisa as +often assured her that nothing should either tempt or provoke her to +abuse that generous friendship she had testified for her; but as she was +not able to command her countenance, tho' she could her words, she +resolved to pretend herself indisposed and keep her bed, that she might +be the less observed, or the change in her should seem rather the +effects of ill health than any secret discontent. + +It was no sooner mentioned in the convent that she was out of order, +than the abbess herself, as well as the whole sisterhood, came to her +chamber, and shewed the greatest concern: the tender care they took of +her would have made her think herself infinitely obliged to them, and +perhaps gone a great way in engaging her continuance among them, had she +not been apprized of their falshood in a point so little to be forgiven. + +So great an enemy was she to all deceit herself, that it was difficult +for her to return the civilities they treated her with, as they might +seem to deserve; but whatever omissions she was guilty of in this +particular, were imputed to her disposition; and the whole convent +continued to be extremely assiduous to recover her. + +During the time of her feigned illness, her thoughts were always +employed on the means of getting away. Whenever Leonora and she were +together, a hundred contrivances were formed, which seemed equally alike +impracticable; but at length they hit upon one which had a promising +aspect and Louisa, after some scruples, resolved to make trial of. +It was this: + +As hypocrisy was made use of to detain her, hypocrisy was the only +method by which she could hope to get her liberty:--pretending, +therefore, to be all at once restored to her former health, she sent to +entreat the abbess, and some other of the most zealous of the sisterhood +to come into her chamber, where, as soon as they entered, they found her +on her knees before the picture of the virgin, and seeming in an extacy +of devotion: Yes, holy virgin, cried she, as if too much taken up to see +who entered, I will obey your commands;--I will devote myself entirely +to thee;--I will follow where thou callest me: thou, who hast restored +me, shalt have the first fruits of my strength:--and oh that Lorretto +were at a greater distance,--to the utmost extent of land and sea would +I go to seek thee!--In uttering these ejaculations she prostrated +herself on the floor;--then rising again, as transported in a manner out +of herself,--I come,--I come, cried she;--still do I hear thy +heavenly voice! + +In this fit of enthusiasm did she remain for above half an hour, and so +well acted her part, that the abbess, who would not offer to interrupt +her, believed it real, and was in little less agitation of spirit than +Louisa pretended to be. + +At length seeming; to come to herself, she turned towards the company, +as tho' she but just then discovered they were in the room; Oh, madam, +said she to the abbess, how highly favoured have I been this blessed +night!--The virgin has herself appeared to me, whether in a vision, or +to my waking eyes, I cannot well determine; but sure I have been in such +extacies, have felt such divine raptures, as no words can express! + +Oh my dear daughter! cried the abbess, how my soul kindles to behold +this change in thee!--but tell me what said the holy virgin! + +She bad me wait on her at Lorretto, answered she, and gave me hopes of +doing something wonderful in my favour:--I will therefore, with your +permission, undertake a pilgrimage and at her shrine expiate the +offences of my past life in tears of true contrition, and then return a +pure and fearless partaker of the happiness you enjoy in an +uninterrupted course of devotion:--oh! exclaimed she, exalting her +voice, how do I detest and despise the vanities and follies of the +world!--how hate myself for having been too much attached to them, and +so long been cold and negligent of my only happiness! + +The abbess, and, after her, all the nuns that were present, embraced +Louisa,--praised to the skies this miraculous conversion, as they termed +it, and spared nothing to confirm the pious resolution she had taken. + +In fine, they consented to her pilgrimage with a satisfaction equal to +what she felt in undertaking it,--they not in the least doubting but she +would return to them as soon as she had fulfilled her devotions, and +flattering themselves that the report of this miracle would do the +greatest honour to their convent that it could possibly receive; and +she, delighted with the thoughts of being at liberty to enquire after +her dear du Plessis, and being freed from a dissimulation so irksome to +her nature. + +Her pilgrim's habit, and a great crucifix to carry between her hands, +with another at her girdle, and all the formalities of that garb being +prepared, she set forward with the prayers and benedictions of the whole +sisterhood, who told her, that they should be impatient till they saw +her again, and expected great things from her at her return, which, in +reality, they all did, except Leonora, who laughed heartily at the +deception she had put upon them, and whispered in her ear as she gave +her the last embrace, that she wished her a happy meeting with that +saint she went in search of. + +To prevent all suspicion of her intention she left her cloaths, and +every thing she had brought into the convent, under the care of the +abbess, saying, that, at her return, she would have them disposed of, +and the money given to the poor: but, unknown to any one except Leonora, +she quilted some pieces of gold and valuable trinkets into her +undergarment, as not doubting but she should have occasion for much more +than, in effect, she was mistress of. + +When on her journey, the pleasure she felt at seeing herself out of the +walls of the monastery, was very much abated by the uncertainty how she +should proceed, or where direct her way: and indeed, let any one figure +to themselves the condition she was in, and they will rather wonder she +had courage to go on, than that she was sometimes daunted even to +despair.--A young creature of little more than eighteen years +old,--wholly unacquainted with fatigue,--delicate in her +frame,--wandering alone on foot in the midst of a strange +country,--ignorant of the road, or had she been acquainted with it, at a +loss where to go to get any intelligence of what she sought, and even +doubtful if the person she ran such risques to hear of, yet were in the +world or not. The letter Leonora had informed her of, gave no account, +at least that she could learn, either where he was, or whether there +were any hopes of his recovery from that illness it mentioned; she had +therefore every thing to dread, and little, very little to hope: yet did +she not repent her having quitted the convent; and the desire of getting +still farther from it, made her prosecute her journey with greater +strength and vigour than could have been expected: her pilgrim's habit +was not only a defence against any insults from persons she met on the +road, but also attracted the respect, and engaged the civilities of +every one.--As that country abounds with religious houses, she was not +only lodged and fed without any expence, but received a piece of money +at each of them she went to, so that her little stock, instead of being +diminished, was considerably increased when she came to Lorretto, for +thither, not to be false in every thing, she went; and being truly sorry +for the hypocrisy which a sad necessity alone could have made her guilty +of, paid her devotion with a sincere heart, tho' free from that +enthusiasm and bigotry which is too much practised in convents. + +From Lorretto she crossed the country to Florence, every one being ready +to direct a holy pilgrim on her way, and assist her with all things +necessary. As she went very easy journeys, never exceeding four or five +miles a day, she easily supported the fatigue; and had she been certain +at last of seeing du Plessis, it would have been rather a pleasure to +her; but her mind suffered much more than her body during this +pilgrimage, which she continued in the same manner she had begun till +she reached Leghorn, where a ship lying at anchor, and expecting to sail +in a few days for Marseilles, she agreed to give a small matter for her +passage, the sea-faring-men not paying altogether so much regard to her +habit, as the land ones had done. + +No ill accident intervening, the vessel came safely into her desired +port, and Louisa now found herself in the native country of the only +person who engrossed her thoughts: as she had heard him say he was of +Paris, she supposed that the most likely place to hear news of him, but +was in some debate within herself whether she should continue to wear +her pilgrim's habit, or provide herself with other cloaths at +Marseilles. She was weary of this mendicant way of travelling, and could +have been glad to have exchanged it for one more agreeable to the manner +in which she had been accustomed; but then, when she considered how +great a protection the appearance she made, had been from all those +insults, to which a person of her sex and age must otherwise infallibly +have been exposed in travelling alone, she resolved not to throw it off +till she came to the place where she intended to take up her abode, at +least for some time. Young as she was, she had well weighed what course +to take in case du Plessis should either be dead, or, by some accident, +removed where she could hear nothing more of him; and all countries and +parts being now equal to her, as she must then be reduced once more to +get her bread by her labour, she doubted not but to find encouragement +for her industry as well in Paris as elsewhere. + +With this resolution, therefore, after laying one night at Marseilles, +she proceeded on her way in the same fashion as she had done ever since +she left Bolognia, and in about six weeks got safely to that great and +opulent city, where she took up her lodging at a hotel, extremely +fatigued, as it is easy to believe, having never even for one day ceased +walking, but while she was on board the ship which brought her to +Marseilles, for the space of eight months; a thing almost incredible, +and what perhaps no woman, but herself, would have had courage to +undertake, or resolution to perform, but was, in her circumstances, +infinitely the most safe and expedient that prudence could suggest. + + + +CHAP. XXIII. + +_Shews by what means Louisa came to the knowledge of her parents, with +other occurrences_. + +The first thing she did on her arrival, was to send for proper persons +to equip her in a manner that she might once more appear herself, +resolving that till she could do so, not to be seen in the streets. + +While these things were preparing, she sent a person, whom the people of +the house recommended to her, to the palace of the prince of Conti, not +doubting but that some of the gentlemen belonging to his highness might +give some intelligence where monsieur du Plessis was to be found; but +the messenger returned without any other information, than that they +knew him very well, but could give no directions in what part he was at +present, he not having been seen in Paris for a long time. + +It is hard to say whether she most rejoiced or grieved at this account: +she imagined that had he been dead they would not have been ignorant of +it, therefore concluded him living to her infinite satisfaction; but +then his absenting himself from the capital of the kingdom, and from the +presence of a prince who had so much loved him, filled her with an +adequate disquiet, as believing some very ill accident must have been +the occasion:--she dispatched the same person afterwards to all the +public places that she heard gentlemen frequented, but met not with the +least success in her enquiries. It would prolong this narrative to a +tedious length, should I attempt any description of what she felt in +this situation, or the reflections she made on the odd circumstances of +her life:--the greatness of her spirit, and the most perfect resignation +to the divine will, however, made her support even this last and +severest trial with fortitude and patience; and as soon as she had put +herself into a convenient neat garb, but plain, befitting her condition, +she went out with a design to take a private lodging, where she might +live more cheaply than she could at the hotel, till providence should +throw some person in the way that might recommend her either to work, or +to teach young ladies music. + +She was wandering thro' several of the streets of Paris, without being +able, as yet, to find such a chamber as she wanted, when a great shower +of rain happening to fall, she stood up under the porch of a large house +for shelter till it should be over, which it was not for a considerable +time; and the street being very dirty, she returned to the hotel, +intending to renew her search the next day: she had not been come in +above half an hour, before the man of the house told her that a servant, +in a very rich livery, who, he perceived, had followed her, and had +asked many questions concerning her, was now returned, and desired to +speak with her. + +As du Plessis was ever in her thoughts, a sudden rush of joy overflowed +her heart, which seemed to her the presage of seeing him, tho' how he +should imagine she was in Paris was a mystery:--but she gave herself not +much time for reflection, before she ordered the man to be admitted. + +The manner of his approaching her was very respectful; but the message +he had to deliver seemed of a contrary nature.--After having asked if +her name was Louisa, and she answering that it was, I come, madam, said +he, from a gentleman who saw you stand just now at the gate of a house +in the Fauxbourg St. Germains, he commands me to tell you, that he has +something of moment to acquaint you with, and desires you will permit me +to call a chair, and attend you to his house, where he is impatient to +receive you. + +What, indeed, could Louisa think of a person who should send for her in +this manner?--all the late transport she was in, was immediately +converted into disdain and vexation at being taken, as she had all the +reason in the world to suppose, for one of those common creatures who +prostitute their charms for bread.-- + +Tell your master, said she, that by whatever accident he has learned my +name, he is wholly ignorant of the character of the person he has sent +you to:--that I am an entire stranger at Paris, and he must have +mistaken me for some other, who, perhaps, I may have the misfortune to +resemble, and may be also called as I am;--at least I am willing to +think so, as the only excuse can be made for his offering this +insult:--but go, continued she, with that pride which is natural to +affronted virtue;--go, and convince him of his error;--and let me hear +no more of it. + +It was in vain he assured her that his master was a person of the +highest honour, and that he was not unknown to her. All he could say had +not the least effect unless to enflame her more; when, after asking his +name, the fellow told her he was forbid to reveal it, but that he was +confident she would not deny having been acquainted with him when once +she saw him. + +I shall neither own the one, cried she, nor consent to the other; then +bid him a second time be gone, with an air which shewed she was not to +be prevailed upon to listen to his arguments. + +This man had no sooner left her than she fell into a deep study, from +which a sudden thought made her immediately start:--the count de +Bellfleur came into her head; and she was certain it could be no other +than that cruel persecutor of her virtue, that her ill fate had once +more thrown in her way.--As she knew very well, by what he had done, +that he was of a disposition to scruple nothing for the attainment of +his wishes, she trembled for the consequences of his discovering where +she was.--The only way she could think on to avoid the dangers she might +be exposed to on his account, was to draw up a petition to the prince of +Conti, acquainting him that she was the person who was near suffering so +much from the ill designs he had on her at Padua, when so generously +referred by monsieur du Plessis, and to entreat his highness's +protection against any attempts he might be safe enough to make. + +She was just sitting down, in order to form a remonstrance of this kind, +when a chariot and six stopping at the door, she was informed the +gentleman who had sent to her was come in person, and that they knew it +was the same by the livery.--Louisa run hastily to the window and saw a +person alight, whom, by the bulk and stature, she knew could not be the +count she so much dreaded, this having much the advantage of the other +in both. Somewhat reassured by this sight, she ordered the master of the +hotel to desire him to walk into a parlour, and let him know she would +attend him there. + +As she saw not the face of this visitor, she could not be certain +whether it were not some of those she had been acquainted with at +Venice, who having, by accident, seen her at Paris, might, according to +the freedom of the French nation, take the liberty of visiting her;--but +whoever it were, or on what score soever brought, she thought it best to +receive him in a place where, in case of any ill usage, she might +readily have assistance. + +The master of the hotel perceiving her scruples, readily did as he was +ordered, and Louisa having desired that he, or some of his people, would +be within call, went down to receive this unknown gent, tho' not without +emotions, which at that moment she knew not how to account for. + +But soon after she was seized with infinitely greater, when, entering +the parlour, she found it was no other than Dorilaus who had given her +this anxiety.--Surprize at the sight of a person whom, of all the world, +she could least have expected in that place, made her at first start +back; and conscious shame for having, as she thought, so ill rewarded +his goodness, mixed with a certain awe which she had for no other person +but himself, occasioned such a trembling, as rendered her unable either +to retire or move forward to salute him, as she otherwise would +have done. + +He saw the confusion she was in, and willing to give it an immediate +relief, ran to her, and taking her in his arms,--my dear, dear child, +said he, am I so happy to see thee once more!--Oh! sir, returned she +disengaging herself from his embrace, and falling at his feet!--How can +I look upon you after having flown from your protection, and given you +such cause to think me the most ungrateful creature in the world! + +It was heaven, answered he, that inspired you with that abhorrence of my +offers, which, had you accepted, we must both have been eternally +undone!--You are my daughter, Louisa! pursued he, my own natural +daughter!--Rise then, and take a father's blessing. + +All that can be said of astonishment would be far short of what she felt +at these words:--the happiness seemed so great she could not think it +real, tho' uttered from mouth she knew unaccustomed to deceit:--a +hundred times, without giving him leave to satisfy her doubts, did she +cry out, My father!--my father!--my real father!--How can it be!--Is +there a possibility that Louisa owes her being to Dorilaus! + +Yes, my Louisa, answered he, and flatter myself, by what I have observed +of your disposition, you have done nothing, since our parting, that +might prevent my glorying in being the parent of such a child. + +The hurry of spirit she was in, prevented her from taking notice of +these last words, or at least from making any answer to them, and she +still continued crying out,--Dorilaus, my father!--Good heaven! may I +believe I am so blessed?--Who then is my mother!--Wherefore have I been +so long ignorant of what I was!--And how is the joyful secret at +last revealed! + +All these things you shall be fully informed of, answered he; in the +mean time be satisfied I do not deceive you, and am indeed your father: +transported to find my long lost child, whom I myself knew not was so +till I believed her gone for ever;--a thousand times I have wished both +you and Horatio were my children, but little suspected you were so, till +after his too eager ambition deprived me of him, and my mistaken love +drove you to seek a refuge among strangers. + +Tears of joy and tenderness now bedewed the faces of both father and +daughter:--silence for some moments succeeded the late acclamations; but +Dorilaus at length finding her fully convinced she was as happy as he +said she was, and entirely freed from all those apprehensions which had +occasioned her flying from him, told her he was settled in Paris; that +he lived just opposite to the house where she had stood up on account of +the shower, and happening to be at one of his windows immediately knew +her; that he sent a servant after her, who had enquired how long she had +been arrived, and in what manner she came; that he had sent for her with +no other intent then to make trial how she would resent it, and was +transported to find her answer such as he hoped and had expected from +her:--he added, that he had all the anxiety of a father to hear by what +means she had been supported, and the motive which induced her to travel +in the habit of a pilgrim, as the matter of the hotel had informed his +servant; but that he would defer his satisfaction till she should be in +a place more becoming his daughter. + +On concluding these words he called for the master of the hotel, and +having defrayed what little expences she had been at since her coming +there, took her by the hand and led her to his chariot, which soon +brought them to a magnificent, house, and furnished in a manner +answerable to the birth and fortune of the owner. + +Louisa had all this time seemed like one in a dream:--she had ever loved +Dorilaus with a filial affection; and to find herself really his +daughter, to be snatched at once from all those cares which attend +penury, when accompanied with virtue, and an abhorrence of entering into +measures inconsistent with the strictest honour, to be relieved from +every want, and in a station which commanded respect and homage, was +such a surcharge of felicity, that she was less able to support than all +the fatigues she had gone thro'--Surprize and joy made her appear more +dull and stupid than she had ever been in her whole life before; and +Dorilaus was obliged to repeat all he had said over and over again, to +bring her into her usual composedness, and enable her to give him the +satisfaction he required. + +But as soon as she had, by degrees, recollected herself, she modestly +related all that had happened to her from the time she left him;--the +methods by which she endeavoured to earn her bread,--the insults she was +exposed to at mrs. C--l--ge's;--the way she came acquainted with +Melanthe;--the kindness shown her by that lady;--their travels +together;--the base stratagem made use of by count de Bellfleur to ruin +her with that lady--the honourable position monsieur du Plessis had +professed for her;--the seasonable assistance he had given her, in that +iminent danger she was in from the count's unlawful designs upon +her;--his placing her afterwards in the monastry,--the treachery of the +abbess;--the artifice she had been obliged to make use of to get out of +the nunnery;--her pilgrimage;--in fine, concealed no part of her +adventures, only that which related to the passion she had for du +Plessis, which she endeavoured, as much as she could, to disguise, under +the names of gratitude for the obligations he had conferred upon her, +and admiration of his virtue, so different from what she had found in +others who had addressed her. + +Dorilaus, however, easily perceived the tenderness with which she was +agitated on the account of that young gentleman, but he would not excite +her blushes by taking any notice of it, especially as he found nothing +to condemn in it, and had observed, throughout the course of her whole +narrative, she had behaved on other occasions with a discretion far +above her years, he was far from wronging her, by suspecting she had +swerved from it in this. + +But when he heard the vast journey she had come on foot, he was in the +utmost amazement at her fortitude, and told her he was resolved to keep +her pilgrim's habit as a relique, to preserve to after-ages the memory +of an adventure, which had really something more marvellous in it than +many set down as miracles. + +And now having fully gratified his own curiosity in all he wanted to be +informed of, he thought proper to case the impatience she was in to know +the history of her birth, and on what occasion it had been so long +concealed, which he did in these or the like words: + + + +CHAP. XXIV. + +_The history of Dorilaus and Matilda, with other circumstances very +important to Louisa_. + +You know, said he, that I am descended of one of the most illustrious +families in England, tho', by some imprudencies on the one side, and +injustice on the other, my claim was set aside, and I deprived of that +title which my ancestors for a long succession of years had enjoyed, so +that the estate I am in possession of, was derived to me in right of my +mother, who was an heiress. It is indeed sufficient to have given me a +pretence to any lady I should have made choice on, and to provide for +what children I might have had by her: but the pride of blood being not +abated in me by being cut off from my birthright, inspired me with an +unconquerable aversion to marriage, since I could not bequeath to my +posterity that dignity I ought to have enjoyed myself:--I resolved +therefore to live single, and that the misfortune of my family should +dye with myself. + +In my younger years I went to travel, as well for improvement, as to +alleviate that discontent which was occasioned by the sight of another +in possession of what I thought was my due.--Having made the tour of +Europe, I took France again in my way home:--the gallantry and good +breeding of these people very much attached me to them; but what chiefly +engaged my continuance here much longer than I had done in any other +part, was an acquaintance I had made with a lady called Matilda: she was +of a very good family in England, was sent to a monastry merely for the +sake of well-grounding her in a religion, the free exercise of which is +not allowed at home, and to seclude her from settling her affections on +any other than the person she was destined to by the will of her +parents, and to whom she had been contracted in her infancy:--she was +extremely young, and beautiful as an angel; and the knowledge she was +pre-engaged, could not hinder me from loving her, any more than the +declarations I made in her hearing against marriage, could the grateful +returns she was pleased to make me:--in fine, the mutual inclination we +had for each other, as it rendered us deaf to all suggestions but that +of gratifying it, so it also inspired us with ingenuity to surmount all +the difficulties that were between our wishes and the end of them.--Tho' +a pensioner in a monastry, and very closely observed, by the help of a +confidant she frequently got out, and many nights we passed +together;--till some business relating to my estate at length calling me +away, we were obliged to part, which we could not do without testifying +a great deal of concern on both sides:--mine was truly sincere at that +time, and I have reason to believe her's was no less so; but absence +easily wears out the impressions of youth: as I never expected to see +her any more, I endeavoured not to preserve a remembrance which would +only have given me disquiet, and, to confess the truth, soon forgot both +the pleasure and the pain I had experienced in this, as well as some +other little sallies of my unthinking youth. + +Many years passed over without my ever hearing any thing of her; and it +was some months after I received your letter from Aix-la-Chappelle, that +the post brought me one from Ireland: having no correspondence in that +country, I was a little surprized, but much more when I opened it and +found it contained these words: + +_To_ DORILAUS. + +SIR, + + +"This comes to make a request, which I +know not if the acquaintance we had +together in the early part of both our lives, +would be sufficient to apologize for the trouble +you must take in complying with it:--permit +me therefore to acquaint you, that I have long +laboured under an indisposition which my physicians +assure me is incurable, and under which +I must inevitably sink in a short time; but +whatever they say, I know it is impossible +for me to leave the world without imparting +to you a secret wholly improper to be entrusted +in a letter, but is of the utmost importance +to those concerned in it, of whom yourself +is the principal:--be assured it regards +your honour, your conscience, your justice, as +well as the eternal peace of her who conjures +you, with the utmost earnestness, to come immediately +on the receipt of this to the castle of +M----e, in the north of Ireland, where, if +you arrive time enough, you will be surprized, +tho' I flatter myself not disagreeably so, with +the unravelling a most mysterious Event. + +_Yours, once known by the name of_ MATILDA, + +_now_ + +M----E." + + +I will not repeat to you, my dear Louisa, continued Dorilaus, the +strange perplexity of ideas that run thro' my mind after having read +this letter:--I was very far from guessing at the real motive of this +invitation; which, however, as I once had a regard for that lady, I soon +determined to obey; and having left the care of my house to a relation +of mine by the mother's side, I went directly for Ireland; but when I +came there, was a little embarrassed in my mind what excuse I should +make to her husband for my visit.--Before I ventured to the castle, I +made a thorough enquiry after the character of this young lady, and in +what manner she lived with her lord. Never did I hear a person more +universally spoke well of:--the poor adored her charity, affability, and +condescending sweetness of disposition:--the rich admired her wit, her +virtue, and good breeding:--her beauty, tho' allowed inferior to few of +her sex, was the least qualification that seemed deserving praise:--to +add to all this, they told me she was a pattern of conjugal affection, +and the best of mothers to a numerous race of Children;--that her lord +had all the value he ought to have for so amiable a wife, and that no +wedded pair ever lived together in greater harmony; and it was with the +utmost concern, whoever I spoke to on this affair concluded what they +related of her with saying, that so excellent an example of all that was +valuable in womankind would shortly be taken from them;--that she had +long, with an unexampled patience, lingered under a severe illness which +every day threatened dissolution. + +These accounts made me hesitate no farther:--I went boldly to the +castle, asked to speak with the lord M----e, who received me with a +politeness befitting his quality: I told him that my curiosity of seeing +foreign countries had brought me to Ireland, and being in my tour thro' +those parts, I took the liberty of calling at his seat, having formerly +had the honour of being known to his lady when at her father's house, +and whom I now heard, to my great concern, was indisposed, otherwise +have been glad to pay my respects to her. The nobleman answered, with +tears in his eyes, that she was indeed in a condition such as give no +hope of her recovery, but that she sometimes saw company, tho' obliged +to receive them in bed, having lost the use of her limbs, and would +perhaps be glad of the visit of a person she had known so long. + +On this I told him my name, which he immediately sent in; and her woman +not long after came from her to let me know she would admit me. My lord +went in with me; and to countenance what I said, I accosted her with the +freedom of a person who had been acquainted when children, spoke of her +father as of a gentleman who had favoured me with his good-will, tho', +in reality, I had never seen him in my life, but remembered well enough +what she had mentioned to me concerning him, and some others of her +family, to talk as if I had been intimate among them. I could perceive +she was very well pleased with the method I had taken of introducing +myself; and, to prevent any suspicion that I had any other business with +her than to pay my compliments, made my visit very short that day, not +doubting but she would of herself contrive some means of entertaining me +without witnesses, as she easily found her lord had desired I would make +the castle my home while I stayed in that part of the country. + +I was not deceived; the next morning having been told her lord was +engaged with his steward, she sent for me, and making some pretence for +getting rid of her woman, she plucked a paper from under her pillow, and +putting it into my hand,--in that, said, you will find the secret I +mentioned in my letter;--suspect not the veracity of it, I conjure you, +nor love the unfortunate Horatio and Louisa less for their being mine. + +I cannot express the confusion I was in, continued Dorilaus, at her +mentioning you and your brother, but I had no opportunity of asking any +questions:--her woman that instant returned, after which I stayed but a +short time, being impatient to examine the contents, which, as near as I +can remember, were to this purpose: + + +"You were scarce out of France before I +discovered our amour had produced such +consequences as, had my too fond passion given +me leave to think of, I never should have hazarded:--I +will not repeat the distraction I +was in;--you may easily judge of it:--I +communicated the misfortune to my nurse, +who you know I told you went from England +with me, and has often brought you messages +from the convent:--the faithful creature did +her utmost to console me for an evil which was +without a remedy:--to complete my confusion, +my father commanded me home; my lord +M----e was returned from his travels:--we +were both of an age to marry; and it +was resolved, by our parents, no longer to +defer the completion of an affair long before +agreed upon.--I was ready to lay violent hands +on myself, since there seemed no way to conceal +my shame; but my good nurse having set +all her wits to work for me, found out an expedient +which served me, when I could think +of nothing for myself.--She bid me be of +comfort; that she thought being sent for home +was the luckiest thing that could have happened, +since nothing could be so bad as to have my +pregnancy discovered in the convent, as it +infallibly must have been had I stayed a very little +time longer: she also assured me she would +contrive it so, as to keep the thing a secret +from all the world.--I found afterwards she +did not deceive me by vain promises.--We +left Paris, according to my father's order, and +came by easy journeys, befitting my condition, +to Calais, and embarked on board the packet for +Dover; but then, instead of taking coach for London, +hired a chariot, and went cross the country +to a little village, where a kinswoman of my +nurse's lived.--With these people I remained +till Horatio and Louisa came into the world:--I +could have had them nursed at that place, but +I feared some discovery thro' the miscarriage of +letters, which often happens, and which could +not have been avoided being sent on such occasions;--so +we contrived together that my +good confident and adviser should carry them +to your house, and commit the care of them +to you, who, equal with myself, had a right to +it:--she found means, by bribing a man that +worked under your gardener, to convey them +where I afterwards heard you found and received +them as I could wish, and becoming the +generosity of your nature.--I then took coach +for London, pretending, at my arrival, that I +had been delayed by sickness, and to excuse my +nurse's absence, said she had caught the fever +of me;--so no farther enquiry was made, and +I soon after was married to a man whose worth +is well deserving of a better wife, tho' I have +endeavoured to attone for my unknown transgression +by every act of duty in my power:--nurse +stayed long enough in your part of the +world to be able to bring me an account how +the children were disposed of.--That I never +gave you an account they were your own, was +occasioned by two reasons, first, the danger of +entrusting such a thing by the post, my nurse +soon after dying; and secondly, because, as I +was a wife, I thought it unbecoming of me to +remind you of a passage I was willing to forget +myself.--A long sickness has put other thoughts +into my head, and inspired me with a tenderness +for those unhappy babes, which the shame +of being their mother hitherto deprived them +of.--I hear, with pleasure, that you are not +married, and are therefore at full liberty to +make some provision for them, if they are yet +living, that may alleviate the misfortune of +their birth. Farewell; if I obtain this first and +last request, I shall dye well satisfied." + +"_P.S._ Burn this paper, I conjure you, the moment +you have read it; but lay the contents +of it up in your heart never to be forgotten." + + +I now no longer wondered, pursued Dorilaus, at that impulse I had to +love you;--I found it the simpathy of nature, and adored the divine +power.--After having well fixed in my mind all the particulars of this +amazing secret, I performed her injunction, and committed it to the +flames: I had opportunity enough to inform her in what manner Horatio +had disposed of himself, and let her know you were gone with a lady on +her travels: I concealed indeed the motive, fearing to give her any +occasion of reproaching herself for having so long concealed what my +ignorance of might have involved us all in guilt and ruin. + +I stayed some few days at the castle, and then took my leave: she said +many tender things at parting concerning you, and seemed well satisfied +with the assurances I gave her of making the same provision for you, as +I must have done had the ceremony of the church obliged me to it. This +seemed indeed the only thing for which she lived, and, I was informed, +died in a few days after. + +At my return to England I renewed my endeavours to discover where you +were, but could hear nothing since you wrote from Aix-la-Chappelle, and +was equally troubled that I had received no letters from your +brother.--I doubted not but he had fallen in the battle, and mourned him +as lost;--till an old servant perceiving the melancholy I was in, +acquainted me that several letters had been left at my house by the post +during my absence, but that the kinsman I had left to take care of my +affairs had secreted them, jealous, no doubt, of the fondness I have +expressed for him.--This so enraged me, when on examination I had too +much reason to be assured of this treachery, that I turned my whole +estate into ready money, and resolved to quit England for ever, and pass +my life here, this being a country I always loved, and had many reasons +to dislike my own. + +Here I soon heard news of my Horatio, and such as filled me with a +pleasure, which wanted nothing of being complete but the presence of my +dear Louisa to partake of it. + +Dorilaus then went on, and acquainted her with the particulars of +Horatio's story, as he had learned it from the baron de Palfoy, with +whom he now was very intimate; but as the reader is sufficiently +informed of those transactions, it would be needless to repeat them; so +I shall only say that Dorilaus arrived in France in a short time after +Horatio had left it to enter into the service of the king of Sweden, and +had wrote that letter, inserted in the eighteenth chapter, in order to +engage that young warrior to return, some little time before his meeting +with Louisa. + +Nothing now was wanting to the contentment of this tender father but the +presence of Horatio, which he was every day expecting, when, instead of +himself, those letters from him arrived which contained his resolution +of remaining with Charles XII. till the conquests he was in pursuit of +should be accomplished. + +This was some matter of affliction to Dorilaus, tho' in his heart he +could not but approve those principles of honour which detained +him.--Neither the baron de Palfoy, nor Charlotta herself, could say he +could well have acted otherwise, and used their utmost endeavours to +comfort a father in his anxieties for the safety of so valuable a son. + +Louisa was also very much troubled at being disappointed in her hope of +embracing a brother, whom she had ever dearly loved, and was now more +precious to her than ever, by the proofs she had heard he had given of +his courage and his virtue; but she had another secret and more poignant +grief that preyed upon her soul, and could scarce receive any addition +from ought beside:--she had been now near two months in Paris, yet could +hear nothing of monsieur du Plessis, but that, by the death of his +father, a large estate had devolved upon him, which he had never come to +claim, or had been at Paris for about eighteen months, so that she had +all the reason in the world to believe he was no more. This threw her +into a melancholy, which was so much the more severe as she endeavoured +to conceal it:--she made use of all her efforts to support the loss of a +person she so much loved, and who proved himself so deserving of that +love:--she represented to herself that being relieved from all the +snares and miseries of an indigent life, raised from an obscurity which +had given her many bitter pangs, to a station equal to her wishes, and +under the care of the most indulgent and best of fathers, she ought not +to repine, but bless the bounty of heaven, who had bestowed on her so +many blessings, and with-held only one she could have asked.--These, I +say, were the dictates of reason and religion; but the tender passion +was not always to be silenced by them, and whenever she was alone, the +tears, in spight of herself, would flow, and she, without even knowing +she did so, cry out, Oh du Plessis, wherefore do I live since thou +art dead! + +Among the many acquaintance she soon contracted at Paris, there was none +she so much esteemed, both on the account of her own merit, and the +regard she had for Horatio, as mademoiselle de Palfoy. In this young +lady's society did she find more charms for her grief than in that of +any other; and the other truly loving her, not only because she found +nothing more worthy of being loved, but because she was the sister of +Horatio, they were very seldom asunder. + +Louisa was one day at the baron's, enjoying that satisfaction which the +conversation of his beautiful daughter never failed to afford, when word +was brought that madam, the countess d'Espargnes, was come to visit +her.--Mademoiselle Charlotta ran to receive her with a great deal of +joy, she being a lady she very much regarded, and who she had not seen +of a long time. + +She immediately returned, leading a lady in deep mourning, who seemed +not to be above five-and-twenty, was extremely handsome, and had beside +something in her air that attached Louisa at first sight. Mademoiselle +Charlotta presented her to the countess, saying at the same time, see, +madam, the only rival you have in my esteem. + +You do well to give me one, replied the countess, who looks as if she +would make me love her as well as you, and so I should be even with you. +With these words she opened her arms to embrace Louisa, who returned the +compliment with equal politeness. + +When they were seated, mademoiselle Charlotta began to express the +pleasure she had in seeing her in Paris; on which the countess told her, +that the affair she came upon was so disagreeable, that nothing but the +happiness of enjoying her company, while she stayed, could attone for +it. You know, my dear, continued madam d'Espargnes, I was always an +enemy to any thing that had the face of business, yet am I now, against +my will, involved in it by as odd an adventure as perhaps you +ever heard. + +Charlotta testifying some desire to be informed of what nature, the +other immediately satisfied her curiosity in this manner: + +You know, said she, that on the late death of my father, his estate +devolved on my brother, an officer in those troops in Italy commanded by +the prince of Conti:--some wounds, which were looked upon as extremely +dangerous, obliged him, when the campaign was over, to continue in his +winter quarters;--on which he sent to monsieur the count to take +possession in his name; this was done; but an intricate affair relating +to certain sums lodged in a person's hand, and to be brought before the +parliament of Paris, could not be decided without the presence either of +him or myself who had been witness of the transaction.--I was extremely +loth to take so long a journey, being then in very ill health; and +hearing he was recovered, delayed it, as we then expected him in +person:--I sent a special messenger, however, in order to hasten his +return;--but instead of complying with my desires, I received a letter +from him, acquainting me that a business of more moment to him than any +thing in my power to guess at, required his presence in another place, +and insisted, by all the tenderness which had ever been between us, that +I would take on myself the management of this affair:--to enable me the +better to do it, he sent me a deed of trust to act as I should find it +most expedient. + +As he did not let me into the secret of what motives detained him at so +critical a juncture, I was at first very much surprized; but on asking +some questions of the messenger I had sent to him, I soon discovered +what it was. He told me that on his arrival, he found my brother had +left his quarters and was gone to Bolognia, on which he followed and +overtook him there;--that he appeared in the utmost discontent, and was +just preparing to proceed to Leghorn, but did not mention to him any +more than he did in his letter to me, what inducement he had to this +journey:--his servant, however, told him privately, that the mystery was +this:--That being passionately in love with a young English lady, whom +he had placed in a monastery at Bolognia, and expected to find there at +his return, she had in his absence departed, without having acquainted +him with her design; and that supposing she was gone for England, and +unable to live without her, his intention was to take shipping for that +country, and make use of his utmost efforts to find her out. + +I must confess, pursued the beautiful countess, this piece of quixotism +very much veved me:--I thought his friends in France deserved more from +him than to be neglected for one who fled from him, and who, as the man +said, he knew not whether he should be able ever to see again. I +resolved, however, to comply with his desires, and came immediately to +Paris; but heaven has shewed him how little it approves his giving me +this unnecessary trouble, for this morning I received a letter from him, +that meeting with robbers in his way, they had taken from him all his +money and bills of exchange, besides wounding him in several places, so +that he cannot proceed on his journey till his hurts, which it seems are +not dangerous, are cured, and he has fresh remittances from hence. + +With what emotions the heart of Louisa was agitated during the latter +part of this little narrative, a sensible reader may easily conceive: +from the first mention of Bolognia, where there was no other English +pensioner than herself, she knew it must be no other than her dear du +Plessis who was in search for her abroad, while she was vainly hoping to +find him at home:--every circumstance rendered this belief more certain; +and surprize and joy worked so strongly in her, that fearing the effects +would be visible, she rose up and withdrew to a window. Mademoiselle +Charlotta, who knew she could not be capable of such an act of +unpoliteness, without being compelled to it, asked if she were not +well:--on which Louisa entreated pardon, but owned a sudden faintness +had come over her spirits, so that she was obliged to be rude in order +to prevent being troublesome. + +As mademoiselle Charlotta knew nothing of her story, she had no farther +thought about it than of some little qualm, which frequently happens +when young ladies are too closely laced, and she seeming perfectly +recovered from, the conversation was renewed on the same subject it had +turned upon before this interruption; and the name of monsieur du +Plessis being often mentioned, confirmed Louisa, if before she could +have had the least remains of doubt, that it was her lover who, +neglectful of his own affairs, and the remonstrances of his expecting +friends, was about to range in search of one who, he imagined, was +ungrateful both to his love and friendship. + +After having listened, with the utmost attention, to all the countess +said of him, and other matters becoming the topic of discourse, she took +her leave, in order to reflect alone what she ought to do in +this affair. + +She debated not long within herself before she resolved to write to him, +and prevent the unprofitable journey he was about to take; and having +heard, by madam d' Espargnes, the name of the village where he was +obliged to wait, both for the recovery of his wounds and for remittances +for his expences, she wrote to him in the following terms: + +_To monsieur_ DU PLESSIS. + + +"I should ill return the proofs I have received +of your generous disinterested friendship, +to delay one moment that I had it in my power, +in endeavouring to convince you that it was a +quite contrary motive than ingratitude to you, +that carried me from Bolognia:--but the story +is too long for the compass of a letter; when +you know it, you will, perhaps, own this action, +whatever you may now think of it, merits +more, than any thing I could have done, your +approbation:--this seeming riddle will be easily +expounded, if, on the recovery of your +wounds, you repair immediately to Paris, where +you will find + +_Your much obliged_, + +LOUISA." + + +Having finished this little billet, a scruple rose in her head, that +being now under the care of a father, she ought not to do any thing of +this nature without his permission:--she had already told him how +greatly she had been indebted to du Plessis for his honourable passion, +but had not mentioned the least tittle of the tender impressions it had +made on her; and she so lately knew him to be her father, that she was +ashamed to make him the confidant of an affair of this nature, but then, +when she considered the quality of du Plessis, which she was now +confirmed of, and the sense Dorilaus testified he had of his behaviour +to her while he believed her so infinitely his inferior, made her +resolve to drain her modesty so far as to inform him all. + +She began by relating her accidental meeting with madam, the countess +d'Espargnes and the conversation that passed at mademoiselle de +Palfoy's, and then, tho' not without immoderate blushes, shewed him what +she had wrote, and beseeched him to let her know whether it would be +consistent with a virgin's modesty, and also agreeable to his pleasure, +that she gave this demonstration of her gratitude for the favours she +had received from this young gentleman. + +Dorilaus was charmed with this proof of her duty and respect, and told +her, that he was so far from disapproving what she had wrote, that had +she omitted it, or said less than she did, he should have looked upon +her as unworthy of so perfect a passion as that which monsieur du +Plessis on all occasions, testified for her:--that, in his opinion, she +owed him more than she could ever pay; and that it should be his +endeavour to shew he had not placed his affections on the daughter of +one who knew not how to set a just value on merit such as his:--he made +her also add a postscript to the letter, to give a direction in what +part of Paris he might find her on his arrival; but Louisa would by no +means give the least hint of the alteration in her circumstances, not +that she wanted any farther proofs of his sincerity, but that she +reserved the pleasure of so agreeable a surprize to their meeting. This +letter was dispatched immediately, to the end he might receive it, at +least, as soon as that from his sister with the expected remittances. + + + +CHAP. XXV. + +_Monsieur du Plessis arrives at Paris: his reception from Dorilaus and +Louisa: the marriage of these lovers agreed upon_. + +The innocent pleasure Louisa felt in picturing to herself the extacy +which du Plessis would be in at the receipt of her letter, was not a +flattering idea:--to know she was in Paris, where, in all probability, +she had come to seek him, and to have the intelligence of it from +herself, had all the effect on him that the most raptured fancy +can invent. + +His orders to madam d' Espargnes being punctually complied with, his +bills of exchange also came soon after to hand; and the little hurts he +had received from the robbers, as well as those of his mind, being +perfectly healed, he set out with a lover's expedition, and arrived in +Paris to the pleasing surprize of a sister who tenderly loved him, and +expected not this satisfaction of a long time. + +He took but one night's repose before he enquired concerning Dorilaus, +and was told that he was a person of quality in England; but, on some +disgust he had received in his native country, was come to settle in +France. As Louisa was extremely admired, they told him also that he had +a very beautiful daughter, of whom he was extremely fond. This last +information gave not a little ease to the mind of him who heard it, and +dissipated those apprehensions which the high character they gave of +Dorilaus had, in spite of himself, excited in him: he now imagined that +as they were English, his Louisa might possibly have been acquainted +with the daughter of this gentleman in their own country, and meeting +her at Paris, might have put herself under her protection. + +Full of those impatiencies which are inseparable from a sincere passion, +he borrowed his sister's chariot, and went to the Fauxbourg St. +Germains; and being told one of the best houses in the place was that of +Dorilaus, he asked for mademoiselle Louisa, on which he was desired to +alight, and shewed into a handsome parlour while a servant went in to +inform her: after this, he was ushered up stairs into a room, the +furniture of which shewed the elegance of the owner's taste; but +accustomed to every thing that was great and magnificent, the gilded +scenes, the rich tapestry, the pictures, had no effect on him, till +casting his eyes on one that hung over the chimney, he found the exact +resemblance of the dear object never absent from his heart.--It was +indeed the picture of Louisa, which her father, soon after her arrival, +had caused to be drawn by one of the best painters at that time in +Paris. This sight gave him a double pleasure, because it, in some +measure, anticipated that of the original, and also convinced him that +she was not indifferent to the person she was with. + +He was fixed in contemplation on this delightful copy, when the original +appeared in all the advantages that jewels and rich dress could give +her.--Tho' he loved her only for herself, and nothing could add to the +sincere respect his heart had always paid her, yet to see her so +different from what he expected, filled him with a surprize and a kind +of enforced awe, which hindered him from giving that loose to his +transports, which, after so long an absence, might have been very +excusable;--and he could only say--my dear adorable Louisa, am I so +blessed to see you once more!--She met his embrace half way, and +replied, monsieur du Plessis, heaven has given me all I had to wish in +restoring to me so faithful a friend;--but come, continued she, permit +me to lead you to a father, who longs to embrace the protector of his +daughter's innocence. Your father, madam! cried he; yes, answered she; +in seeking a lover at Paris I found a father; Dorilaus is my father:--I +have acquainted him with all the particulars of our story, and, I +believe, the sincere affection I have for you will not be less pleasing +for receiving his sanction to it. + +With these words she took his hand and led him, all astonishment, into +an inner room where Dorilaus was sitting, who rose to meet him with the +greatest politeness, and which shewed that to be master of, it was not +necessary to be born in France; and on Louisa's acquainting him with the +name of the person she presented, embraced him with the tenderness of a +father, and made him such obliging and affectionate compliments, as +confirmed to the transported du Plessis the character had been given +of him. + +After the utmost testimonies of respect on both side, Dorilaus told his +daughter she ought to make her excuses to monsieur for having eloped +from the monastry where he had been so good to place her, which, said +he, I think you can do in no better a manner than by telling the truth, +and as I am already sufficiently acquainted with the whole, will leave +you to relate it, while I dispatch a little business that at present +calls me hence. He went out of the room in speaking this, and Louisa had +a more full opportunity of informing her lover of all she had suffered +since their parting, till this happy change in her fortune, than she +could have had in the presence of her father, tho' no stranger to her +most inmost thoughts on this occasion. + +The pleasing story of her pilgrimage rehearsed, how did the charmed du +Plessis pity and applaud, by turns, her sufferings and fortitude!--How +exclaim against the treachery of the abbess, and those of the nuns who +were in confederacy with her! But his curiosity satisfied in this point, +another rose instantly in his mind, that being the daughter of such a +person as Dorilaus, wherefore she had made so great a secret of it, and +what reason had occasioned her being on the terms she was with Melanthe. +He no sooner expressed his wonder on these heads, than, having before +her father's permission to do so, she resolved to leave him in no +suspence on any score relating to her affairs. + +Tho', said she blushing, I cannot reveal the history of my birth without +laying open the errors of those to whom I owe my being, yet I shall not +think the sacrifice too great to recompence the obligations you have +laid upon me; and then proceeded to acquaint him with every thing +relating to her parents, as well as to herself, from the first moment +she was found in the garden of Dorilaus. + +It is not to be doubted but that he listened to the story with the +utmost attention, in which he found such matters of admiration, that he +could not forbear frequently interrupting her, by crying, Oh heaven! oh +providence! how mysterious are thy ways!--How, in thy disposal of +things, dost thou force us to acknowledge thy divine power and wisdom! + +He was also extremely pleased to find she was the sister of Horatio, +whom he had often been in company with both at the baron de la Valeire's +and at St. Germains, and had admired for the many extraordinary +qualities he discovered in him: this led them into a conversation +concerning that young gentleman, and the misfortunes which some late +news-paper gave an account were beginning to fall upon the king of +Sweden; after that, renewing the subject of their mutual affection, and +du Plessis running over the particulars of their acquaintance in Italy, +Louisa asked whether the count de Bellfleur had ever testified any +remorse for the injury he would have offered her, and in what manner +they had lived together in the army? To which monsieur du Plessis +replied, that the authority of the prince had prevented him from +attempting any open acts of violence; but that by his manner of +behaviour it was easy to see he had not forgiven the disappointment; and +he verily believed wanted only a convenient opportunity to revenge it: +but, continued he, whatever his designs were, heaven put a stop to the +execution of them; for, in the first skirmish that happened between us +and the forces of prince Eugene, this once gay, gallant courtier, had +his head taken off by a cannon ball. + +The gentle Louisa could not forbear expressing some concern for the +sudden fate of this bad man, greatly as she had been affronted by him; +but when she reflected that the same accident might have befallen her +dear du Plessis, she was all dissolved in tears. + +They were in this tender communication when Dorilaus returned leading +the countess d'Espargnes in one hand, and mademoiselle de Palfoy in the +other. Monsieur du Plessis was surprized to meet his sister in a place +where he knew not she was acquainted, and she no less to find him there. +The occasion of it was this: + +Dorilaus, when he left the lovers together, went directly to the baron +de Palfoy's, and related to him and to mademoiselle the whole history of +monsieur du Plessis and Louisa; on which they contriv'd to make a +pleasant scene, by engaging the countess d'Espargnes to go with them to +Dorilaus's, without letting her know on what account.--The event +answered their wishes; madam d' Espargnes rallied her brother on finding +him alone with so beautiful a young lady; and mademoiselle Charlotta, +for his inconstancy to his mistress at Bolognia: but when the riddle was +solved, and the countess came to know that the lady left in the +monastery and Louisa were the same, she no longer condemned an +attachment which before had given her so much pain. + +Mademoiselle Charlotta chid her for the reserve she had maintained to +her in this affair, especially, said she, as you were obliged to the +conversation you had with madam d'Espargnes in my apartment, that you +received any intelligence of monsieur du Plessis, or knew how to direct +your commands to him to return. + +That, madam, is an obligation lies wholly on me, said monsieur du +Plessis; and I believe I shall find it very difficult to requite it, any +more than I shall to deserve my sister's pardon, for so industriously +endeavouring to conceal from her the secret of my passion and +its object. + +Louisa told the ladies that she now hoped they would excuse the disorder +she had been in at the countess's discourse, since they knew the +motive:--a good deal of pleasantry passed between this agreeable +company; and as they were in the midst of it, the baron de Palfoy, who +had been hindered from accompanying Dorilaus, when he conducted the +ladies, now joined them; and tho' he was considerably older than any +there, was no less entertaining and good-humoured than the youngest. + +Dorilaus had privately ordered a very magnificent collation, which being +served up, Louisa did the honours of the table with so good a grace, +that madam d' Espargnes was charmed with her, and took an opportunity of +asking Dorilaus when she might hope the happiness of calling so amiable +a lady by the name of sister. Du Plessis thanked her for the interest +she took in his affairs; and the baron de Palfoy added, that as the +lovers wanted no farther proofs how worthy they were of each other, he +would join in solliciting for a completion of their happiness. To which +Dorilaus replied, that he was too well satisfied with his daughter's +conduct, not to leave her entirely at her own disposal; and as to what +related to fortune and settlement, he should be ready to enter into such +articles as, he believed, monsieur du Plessis would have no reason to +complain of. + +The passionate lover at these words cried out, that it was Louisa's self +alone he was ambitious of possessing; nor had either that lady or her +father any room to look on what he said as a mere compliment, because +his love had long since waved all the seeming disproportion +between them. + +In fine, not only at this time, but every day, almost every hour, was +Louisa, as it now depended wholly on herself, importuned by her lover +and the countess d'Espargnes to render his happiness complete; but she +still delayed it, desiring to hear some news of Horatio, the baron de +Palfoy having settled every thing with Dorilaus concerning his marriage +with mademoiselle Charlotta, she was willing, she said, that as they +were born on the same day, their nuptials should be also celebrated at +the same time. + +Monsieur du Plessis was obliged to content himself with this since he +could obtain no more; and for a time every thing passed smoothly and +agreeably on; but news after news continually arriving of the king of +Sweden's ill success in Ukrania, rendered all the noble friends of +Horatio extremely dissatisfied:--the public accounts were too deficient +for their information of any particular officer, and as there were very +few French in the Swedish army, they could hope for no intelligence of +him but from himself; which, as he omitted giving, they at last +concluded he was either killed or taken prisoner; which last misfortune +they looked upon as equal with the former:--the Russian barbarity, and +their manner of treating those whom the chance of war threw into their +hands, was no secret thro' all Europe; and whichever of these accidents +had happened, must be very grievous to a gentleman of Dorilaus's +disposition, who, when unknowing he was his son, loved him with more +tenderness than many fathers do their offspring, but now convinced not +only that he was so, but also that he was possessed of such amiable +qualities as might do honour to the most illustrious race, had fixed an +idea in his mind of such a lasting happiness in having him near him, +that the thoughts of being deprived of him for ever threw him into a +melancholy, which not all the friends he had acquired in Paris, not all +the gaieties of that place, nor the sweet society of the engaging and +dutiful Louisa, had the power to console. So deep was his affliction, +that monsieur du Plessis, amorous and impatient as he was, had not +courage to urge a grant of his own happiness, while those who were to +bestow it, were incapable of sharing any part of it. + +Soon after there arrived a thunder-clap indeed:--certain intelligence +that the once victorious Charles was totally overthrown, his whole army +either cut to pieces or taken prisoners, and himself a fugitive in the +grand seignior's dominions.--Dorilaus, now not doubting but the worst he +feared had come to pass, shut himself from all company, and refused the +unavailing comfort of those who came to offer it.--The fair eyes of +Louisa were continually drowned in tears, and the generous du Plessis +sympathized in all her griefs. But what became of mademoiselle Charlotta +de Palfoy! her tender soul, so long accustomed to love Horatio, had not +courage to support the shock of losing him;--losing him at a time when +she thought herself secure of being united to him for ever;--when his +discovered birth had rendered her father's wishes conformable to her +own, and there wanted nothing but his presence to render both their +families completely blessed:--all that excess of love which modesty had +hitherto restrained her from giving any public marks of, now shewed +itself in the violence of her grief and her despair.--She made no secret +of her softest inclinations, and gave a loose to all the impatience of a +ruined love. Even the haughty baron was melted into tears of compassion, +and so far from condemning, that, he attempted all in his power to +alleviate her sorrows. + + + +CHAP. XXVI. + +_The Catastrophe of the whole_. + +Poor Horatio, released, as I have already said, from his worse than +Turkish bondage, had now, with the companions of his misfortunes, left a +country where they had suffered so much and had so little to hope, that +their enlargement seemed even to themselves a miracle.--As they parted, +miserable and forlorn, thro' those provinces where, about a year before, +they had marched with so much pomp and force, as, together with the king +of Sweden's name, inspired admiration and terror over all those parts of +the world, it filled them with the most poignant anguish, and drew tears +from those among them least sensible of any tender emotions. + +All this disconsolate company, except Horatio, being Swedes', they made +the best of their way, some to Stockholm, and others to Straelsund.--Now +left alone, a long journey before him, and altogether uncertain what +reception he should find at Paris, either from Dorilaus or mademoiselle +Charlotta, his condition was extremely pityable, and he stood in need of +more fortitude than could be expected from his years, to enable him to +go thro' it. + +The nearer he approached Paris, the greater was his shock at the +necessity of appearing there in the despicable figure he now made; but +his courage still got the better, and surmounted all difficulties. If +Dorilaus thinks my disobedience to his commands a crime too great to +merit his forgiveness, would he say to himself, or Charlotta disdains, +in his misfortunes, the faithful Horatio, I have no more to do than to +return to Poland and seek an honourable death in the service of +Stanislaus. + +He made his entrance into that opulent city through the most bye-ways he +could, and concealed himself till towards night in a little cabaret, +where having soon been informed where Dorilaus lived, he went when it +was quite dark to his house, though how divided between hope and fear it +is easy to imagine. He knocked at the gate, which being opened by the +porter, and he desiring to speak with his master, was answered with many +impertinent questions, as--who he came from, what his business was, and +such like interrogatories which the sawciness of servants generally put +to persons such as this fellow took Horatio to be by his appearance. But +he had no sooner desired he would tell Dorilaus that he came from +Russia, and brought intelligence of Horatio, than his tone of voice and +behaviour was quite changed.--Our traveller was now carried into a +parlour and entreated to sit down, and the late surly porter called +hastily for one of the servants, bidding him, with the utmost joy, run +in and inform his master that here was a person come from Russia that +could give him news of colonel Horatio. + +This a little raised the lately depressed spirits of Horatio, as it +assured him his name was not unknown in that family, nor had been +mentioned with indifference. + +He attended but a very little time before he was shewed up into +Dorilaus's apartment, who was just opening his mouth to enquire if +Horatio were yet living, and in what condition, when he saw it was +himself. Surprize and joy rendered him incapable either of speaking to +him, or hearing the apologies he was beginning to make for having +disobeyed his commands:--but he fell upon his neck and gave him an +embrace, which dissipated all Horatio's fears, and left him no room to +doubt if his peace was made. + +No words were exchanged between them for a considerable time, but--oh my +dear son, my ever loved Horatio, on the one side, my more than father, +patron, on the other:--at length the tumultuous rapture of so unexpected +a meeting and reception, giving way to a more peaceful calm,--Dorilaus +made Horatio relate all the particulars had happened to him; and when he +had ended, now, said he, I will reward the sincerity I easily perceive +you have made use of in this narrative, by acquainting you, in my turn, +with secrets you are far from having any notion of, and which, I +believe, will compensate for all your sufferings, and make you own, +that while you seemed to groan under the utmost severities of fortune, +she was preparing for you all the blessings in her power to give, and +even more than your ambition aimed at. But I have first a message to +dispatch, continued he; at my return you shall know all. + +With these words he went out of the room, but came back in a moment, +and, after renewing his embraces to Horatio, revealed to him the whole +secret of his birth, with all had happened to Louisa till the time of +their happy meeting in Paris. + +With what pleasing wonder the soul of Horatio was filled at this +discovery, is much more easy to conceive than describe, so I shall leave +it to the reader's imagination to guess what it was he felt and spoke on +so extraordinary an occasion. While he was pouring out the transports it +occasioned in the most grateful thanks to heaven, and his new found +father, Louisa entered, Dorilaus having sent to the baron de Palfoy's, +where he knew she was, to let her know a messenger from Russia was +arrived with news of her brother:--they instantly knew each other, +though it was upwards of four years since they were separated, and in +that time the stature of both considerably increased:--nothing could +exceed the joy of these amiable twins:--never was felicity more perfect, +which yet received addition on Horatio's part, when Louisa told him, +that it was as much as Charlotta could do to restrain herself from +coming with her to hear what account the supposed messenger had brought. + +Dorilaus on this immediately sent to let her know his son was well, and +expected in Paris the next day, for he would not suffer him to appear +before her, or the baron, till a habit was made for him more agreeable +to his condition than that he arrived in. It is certain that the +impatience of a lover would have made Horatio gladly wave this ceremony, +but he would not a second time dispute the commands of such a father. + +But wherefore should I delay the attention of my reader, who, I doubt +not, but easily perceives by this time how things will end: so I shall +only say that the meeting of Horatio and Charlotta was such, as might be +expected from so arduous and constant an affection: that every thing +having been settled between the two fathers at the time they sent their +joint mandates to call him home, there now remained nothing but to +celebrate the long desired nuptials, which was deferred no longer than +was requisite for preparations to render the ceremony magnificent. + +The generous du Plessis and his beloved Louisa were also united the same +day; and it would be hard to say which of these weddings afforded most +satisfaction to the friends on both sides, or were attended with the +most happy consequences to the persons concerned in them. + +By these examples we may learn, that to sustain with fortitude and +patience whatever ills we are preordained to suffer, entitles us to +relief, while by impatient struggling we should but augment the score, +and provoke fate to shew us the vanity of all attempts to frustrate +its decrees. + +_FINIS_. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10804 *** diff --git a/old/10804-h/10804-h.htm b/old/10804-h/10804-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1e63b3d --- /dev/null +++ b/old/10804-h/10804-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8998 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" /> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> +<title>Fortunate Foundlings | Project Gutenberg</title> +<style type="text/css"> + +body { margin-left: 20%; + margin-right: 20%; + text-align: justify; } + + P { text-indent: 1em; + margin-top: .75em; + font-size: 12pt; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; } + HR { width: 33%; } +</style> + +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10804 ***</div> + +<h2>THE</h2> +<h2><i>FORTUNATE FOUNDLINGS</i>:</h2> +<h2>BEING THE</h2> +<h2>GENUINE HISTORY</h2> +<h2>OF</h2> +<h2><i>Colonel</i> M——RS, <i>and his Sister,</i><br/> +<i>Madam</i> DU P——Y, <i>the Issue of the<br/> +Hon</i>. CH——ES M——RS, <i>Son of the<br/> +late Duke of</i> R—— L——D</h2> +<h3>CONTAINING</h3> +<h3>Many wonderful ACCIDENTS that befel<br/> +them in their TRAVELS, and interspersed with<br/> +the CHARACTERS and ADVENTURES of<br/> +SEVERAL PERSONS of <i>Condition</i>, in the<br/> +most polite Courts of <i>Europe</i>.</h3> +<p><i>The Whole calculated for the Entertainment and Improvement of the +Youth of both Sexes</i>.</p> + +<p><i>LONDON</i>:</p> +<p>M,DCC,XLIV.</p> +<p><br/> +<br/> +</p> +<h3>THE</h3> +<h2>PREFACE.</h2> +<p><i>The many Fictions which have been lately imposed upon the World, +under the specious Titles of</i> Secret Histories, Memoirs, +&c. &c. <i>have given but too much room to question the Veracity +of every Thing that has the least Tendency that way: We therefore think it +highly necessary to assure the Reader, that he will find nothing in the +following Sheets, but what has been collected from</i> Original Letters, +Private Memorandums, <i>and the</i> Accounts <i>we have been favoured with +from the Mouths of Persons too deeply concerned in many of the</i> chief +Transactions <i>not to be perfectly acquainted with the Truth, and of too +much Honour and Integrity to put any false Colours upon it</i>.</p> + +<p><i>The Adventures are not so long passed as to be wholly forgotten by +many</i> Living Witnesses, <i>nor yet so recent as to give any Reason to +suspect us of Flattery in the Relation given of them, the Motive of their +Publication being only to</i> encourage Virtue <i>in both Sexes, by +showing the Amiableness of it in</i> real Characters. <i>And if it be true +(as certainly it is) that</i> Example has more Efficacy than Precept, +<i>we may be bold to say there are few fairer, or more worthy +Imitation.—The Sons and Daughters of the greatest Families may give +additional Lustre to their Nobility, by forming themselves by the Model +here presented to them; and those of lower Extraction, attain Qualities +to attone for what they want in Birth:—So that we flatter ourselves this +Undertaking will not fail of receiving the Approbation of all who wish +well to a Reformation of Manners, and more especially those who have Youth +under their Care.—As for such who may take it up merely as an Amusement, +it is possible they will find something, which, by interesting their +Affections, may make them better without designing to be so.—Either way +will fully recompense the Pains taken in the compiling by<br/><br/> +The</i> EDITORS.</p> +<h3>THE</h3> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> +<p><br/> +</p> +<p>CHAP. I.</p> +<p><i>Contains the Manner in which a Gentleman found two Children: His +Benevolence towards them, and what kind of Affection he bore to them as +they grew up; with the Departure of one of them to the Army</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. II.</p> +<p><i>Relates the Offers made by Dorilaus to Louisa, and the Manner of her +receiving them</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. III.</p> +<p><i>Dorilaus continues his Importunities, with some unexpected +Consequences that attended them</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. IV.</p> +<p><i>Louisa becomes acquainted with a Lady of Quality, Part of whose +Adventures are also related, and goes to travel with her</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. V.</p> +<p><i>Horatio's Reception by the Officers of the Army: His Behaviour in +the Battle: His being taken Prisoner by the French: His Treatment among +them, and many other Particulars</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. VI.</p> +<p><i>Describes the Masquerade at the Dutchess of Maine's: The Characters +and Intrigues of several Persons of Quality who were there: The odd +Behaviour of a Lady in regard to Horatio; and Charlotta's Sentiments +upon it</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. VII.</p> +<p><i>An Explanation of the foregoing Adventure, with a Continuation of +the Intrigues of some French Ladies, and the Policy of Mademoiselle +Coigney in regard of her Brother</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. VIII.</p> +<p><i>The parting of Horatio and Mademoiselle Charlotta, and what happened +after she left St. Germains</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. IX.</p> +<p><i>A second Separation between Horatio and Charlotta, with some other +Occurrences</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP X.</p> +<p><i>The Reasons that induced Horatio to leave France: with the Chevalier +St. George's Behaviour on knowing his Resolution. He receives an +unexpected Favour from the Baron de Palfoy</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP XI.</p> +<p><i>Horatio arrives at Rheines, finds Means to see Mademoiselle +Charlotta, and afterwards pursues his Journey to Poland</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. XII.</p> +<p><i>Continuation of the Adventures of Louisa: Her quitting Vienna with +Melanthe, and going to Venice, with some Accidents that there befel them</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. XIII.</p> +<p><i>Louisa finds herself very much embarrassed by Melanthe's imprudent +Behaviour. Monsieur du Plessis declares an honourable Passion for her: Her +Sentiments and Way of acting on this Occasion</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. XIV.</p> +<p><i>The base Designs of the Count de Bellfleur occasion a melancholy +Change in Louisa's Way of Life: The generous Behaviour of Monsieur du +Plessis on that Occasion</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. XV.</p> +<p><i>Louisa is in Danger of being ravished by the Count de Bellfleur; is +providentially rescued by Monsieur du Plessis, with several other +Particulars</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. XVI</p> +<p><i>The Innkeeper's Scruples oblige Louisa to write to Melanthe: Her +Behaviour on the Discovery of the Count's Falshood. Louisa changes her +Resolution, and goes to Bolognia.</i></p> +<p>CHAP. XVII.</p> + +<p><i>Horatio arrives at Warsaw; sees the Coronation of Stanislaus and his +Queen: His Reception from the King of Sweden: His Promotion: Follows that +Prince in all his Conquests thro' Poland, Lithuania and Saxony. The Story +of Count Patkull and Madame de Eusilden.</i></p> +<p>CHAP. XVIII</p> + +<p><i>King Stanislaus quits Alranstadt to appease the Troubles In Poland: +Charles XII. gives Laws to the Empire: A Courier arrives from Paris: +Horatio receives Letters, which give him great Surprize.</i></p> + +<p>CHAP. XIX.</p> + +<p><i>The King of Sweden leaves Saxony, marches into Lithuania, meets with +an Instance of Russian Brutality, drives the Czar out of Grodno, and +pursues him to the Borysthenes. Horatio, with others, is taken Prisoner by +the Russians, and carried to Petersburg, where he suffers the extremest +Miseries.</i></p> + +<p>CHAP. XX.</p> + +<p><i>The Treachery of a Russian Lady to her Friend: Her Passion for +Horatio: The Method he took to avoid making any Return, and some other +entertaining Occurrences.</i></p> +<p>CHAP. XXI.</p> +<p><i>The Prisoners Expectations raised: A terrible Disappointment: Some +of the chief carried to Prince Menzikoff's Palace: Their Usage there: +Horatio set at Liberty, and the Occasion</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. XXII.</p> +<p><i>What befel Louisa in the Monastery: The Stratagem she put in +Practice to get out of it: Her Travels cross Italy, and Arrival at +Paris</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. XXIII.</p> +<p><i>Shews by what Means Louisa came to the Knowledge of her Parents, +with other Occurrences</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. XXIV.</p> +<p><i>The History of Dorilaus and Matilda, with other Circumstances very +important to Louisa</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. XXV.</p> +<p><i>Monsieur du Plessis arrives at Paris: His Reception from Dorilaus +and Louisa: The Marriage agreed upon</i>.</p> +<p>CHAP. XXVI.</p> +<p><i>The Catastrophe of the Whole</i>.</p> +<br/><br/><br/> + +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>THE FORTUNATE FOUNDLINGS.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. I.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Contains the manner in which a gentleman found children: his +benevolence towards them, and what kind of affection he bore to them as +they grew up. With the departure of one of them to the army</i>.</p> +<p>It was in the ever memorable year 1688, that a gentleman, whose real +name we think proper to conceal under that of Dorilaus, returned from +visiting most of the polite courts of Europe, in which he had passed some +time divided between pleasure and improvement. The important question if +the throne were vacated or not, by the sudden departure of the unfortunate +king James, was then upon the tapis; on which, to avoid interesting +himself on either side, he forbore coming to London, and crossed the +country to a fine feat he had about some forty miles distant, where he +resolved to stay as privately as he could, till the great decision should +be made, and the public affairs settled in such a manner as not to lay him +under a necessity of declaring his sentiments upon them.</p> +<p>He was young and gay, loved magnificence and the pomp of courts, and +was far from being insensible of those joys which the conversation of the +fair sex affords; but had never so much enslaved his reason to any one +pleasure, as not to be able to refrain it. Hunting and reading were very +favourite amusements with him, so that the solitude he now was in was not +at all disagreeable or tedious to him, tho' he continued in it some +months.</p> +<p>A little time before his departure an accident happened, which gave him +an opportunity of exercising the benevolence of his disposition; and, tho' +it then seemed trivial to him, proved of the utmost consequence to his +future life, as well as furnished matter for the following pages.</p> +<p>As he was walking pretty early one morning in his garden, very intent +on a book he had in his hand, his meditations were interrupted by an +unusual cry, which seemed at some distance; but as he approached a little +arbour, where he was sometimes accustomed to sit, he heard more plain and +distinct, and on his entrance was soon convinced whence it proceeded.</p> +<p>Just at the foot of a large tree, the extensive boughs of which greatly +contributed to form the arbour, was placed a basket closely covered on the +one side, and partly open on the other to let in the air. Tho' the sounds +which still continued to issue from it left Dorilaus no room to doubt what +it contained; he stooped down to look, and saw two beautiful babes neatly +dressed in swadling cloaths: between them and the pillow they were laid +upon was pinned a paper, which he hastily taking off, found in it these +words.</p> +<p><i>To the generous</i> DORISLAUS:<br/> +'Irresistible destiny abandons these helpless infants<br/> +to your care.—They are twins, begot<br/> +by the same father, and born of the same mother,<br/> +and of a blood not unworthy the protection<br/> +they stand in need of; which if you vouchsafe to<br/> +afford, they will have no cause to regret the misfortune<br/> +of their birth, or accuse the authors of<br/> +their being.—Why they seek it of you in particular,<br/> +you may possibly be hereafter made sensible.—In<br/> +the mean time content yourself with<br/> +knowing they are already baptized by the names<br/> +of Horatio and Louisa.'</p> +<p>The astonishment he was in at so unexpected a present being made him, +may more easily be imagined than expressed; but he had then no time to +form any conjectures by whom or by what means it was left there: the +children wanted immediate succour, and he hesitated not a moment whether +it would become him to bestow it: he took the basket up himself, and +running as fast as he could with it into the house, called his +maid-servants about him, and commanded them to give these little strangers +what assistance was in their power, while a man was sent among the tenants +in search of nurses proper to attend them. To what person soever, said he, +I am indebted for this confidence, it must not be abused.—Besides, +whatever stands in need of protection, merits protection from those who +have the power to give it.</p> +<p>This was his way of thinking, and in pursuance of these generous +sentiments he always acted. The report of what happened in his house being +soon spread thro' the country, there were not wanting several who came to +offer their service to the children, out of which he selected two of whom +he heard the best character, and were most likely to be faithful to the +trust reposed in them, giving as great a charge, and as handsome an +allowance with them, as could have been expected from a father. Indeed he +doubtless had passed for being so in the opinion of every body, had he +arrived sooner in the kingdom; but the shortness of the time not +permitting any such suggestion, he was looked upon as a prodigy of charity +and goodness.</p> +<p>Having in this handsome manner disposed of his new guests, he began to +examine all his servants, thinking it impossible they should be brought +there without the privity of some one of them; but all his endeavours +could get him no satisfaction in this point. He read the letter over and +over, yet still his curiosity was as far to seek as ever.—The hand he was +entirely unacquainted with, but thought there was something in the style +that showed it wrote by no mean person: the hint contained in it, that +there was some latent reason for addressing him in particular on this +account, was very puzzling to him: he could not conceive why he, any more +than any other gentleman of the county, should have an interest in the +welfare of these children: he had no near relations, and those distant +ones who claimed an almost forgotten kindred were not in a condition to +abandon their progeny.—The thing appeared strange to him; but all his +endeavours to give him any farther light into it being unsuccessful; he +began to imagine the parents of the children had been compelled by +necessity to expose them, and had had only wrote in this mysterious manner +to engage a better reception: he also accounted in his mind for their +being left with him, as, he being a batchelor, and having a large estate, +it might naturally be supposed there would be fewer impediments to their +being taken care of, than either where a wife was in the case, or a narrow +fortune obliged the owner to preserve a greater oeconomy in expences.</p> +<p>Being at last convinced within himself that he had now explained this +seeming riddle, he took no farther trouble about whose, or what these +children were, but resolved to take care of them during their infancy, +and afterwards to put them into such a way as he should find their +genius's rendered them most fit for, in order to provide for themselves.</p> +<p>On his leaving the county, he ordered his housekeeper to furnish every +thing needful for them as often as they wanted it, and to take care they +were well used by the women with whom he had placed them; and delivered +these commands not in a cursory or negligent manner, but in such terms as +terrified any failure of obedience in this point would highly incur his +displeasure.</p> +<p>Nothing material happening during their infancy, I shall pass over +those years in silence, only saying that as often as Dorilaus went down to +his estate (which was generally two or three times a year) he always sent +for them, and expressed a very great satisfaction in finding in their +looks the charge he had given concerning them so well executed: but when +they arrived at an age capable of entertaining him with their innocent +prattle, what before was charity, improved into affection; and he began to +regard them with a tenderness little inferior to paternal; but which still +increased with their increase of years.</p> +<p>Having given them the first rudiments of education in the best schools +those parts afforded, he placed Louisa with a gentlewoman, who deservedly +had the reputation of being an excellent governess of youth, and brought +Horatio in his own chariot up to London, where he put him to Westminster +School, under the care of doctor Busby, and agreed for his board in a +family that lived near it, and had several other young gentlemen on the +same terms.</p> +<p>What more could have been expected from the best of fathers! what more +could children, born to the highest fortunes, have enjoyed! nor was their +happiness like to be fleeting: Dorilaus was a man steady in his +resolutions, had always declared an aversion to marriage, and by +rejecting every overture made him on that score, had made his friends +cease any farther importunities; he had besides (as has already been +observed) no near relations, so that it was the opinion of most people +that he would make the young Horatio heir to the greatest part of his +estate, and give Louisa a portion answerable to her way of bringing up. +What he intended for them, however, is uncertain, he never having declared +his sentiments so far concerning them; and the strange revolutions +happening afterwards in both their fortunes, preventing him from acting as +it is possible he might design.</p> +<p>The education he allowed them indeed gave very good grounds for the +above-mentioned conjecture.—Louisa being taught all the accomplishments +that became a maid of quality to be mistress of; and Horatio having gone +thro' all the learning of the school, was taken home to his own house, +from whence he was to go to Oxford, in order to finish his studies in the +character of a gentleman-commoner.</p> +<p>But when every thing was preparing for this purpose, he came one +morning into the chamber of his patron, and throwing himself on his +knees—Think me not, sir, said he, too presuming in the request I am +about to make you.—I know all that I am is yours.—That I am the creature +of your bounty, and that, without being a father, you have done more for +me than many of those, who are so, do for their most favourite sons.—I +know also that you are the best judge of what is fit for me, and have not +the least apprehensions that you will not always continue the same +goodness to me, provided I continue, as I have hitherto done, the ambition +of meriting it.—Yet, sir, pardon me if I now discover a desire with which +I long have laboured, of doing something of myself which may repair the +obscurity of my birth, and prove to the world that heaven has endued this +foundling with a courage and resolution capable of undertaking the +greatest actions.</p> +<p>In speaking these last words a fire seemed to sparkle from his eyes, +which sufficiently denoted the vehemence of his inward agitations. +Dorilaus was extremely surprized, but after a little pause, what is it you +request of me? said that noble gentleman, (at the same time raising him +from the posture he was in) or by what means than such as I have already +taken, can I oblige you to think that, in being my foundling, fortune +dealt not too severely with you?</p> +<p>Ah! sir, mistake me not, I beseech you, replied the young Horatio, or +think me wanting in my gratitude either to heaven or you.—But, sir, it is +to your generous care in cultivating the talents I received from nature, +that I owe this emulation, this ardor for doing something that might give +me a name, which is the only thing your bounty cannot bestow.—My genius +inclines me to the army.—Of all the accomplishments you have caused me to +be instructed in, geography, fortification, and fencing, have been my +darling studies.—Of what use, sir, will they be to me in an idle life? +permit me then the opportunity of showing the expense you have been at has +not been thrown away.—I know they will say I am too young to bear a +commission, but if I had the means of going a volunteer, I cannot help +thinking but I should soon give proofs the extreme desire I have to serve +my country that way would well attone for my want of years.</p> +<p>The more he spoke, the more the astonishment of his patron increased: +he admired the greatness of his spirit, but was troubled it led him to a +desire of running into so dangerous a way of life.—He represented to him +all the hardships of a soldier, the little regard that was sometimes paid +to merit, and gave him several instances of gentlemen who had passed their +youth in the service, and behaved with extreme bravery, yet had no other +reward than their fears, and a consciousness of having done more than was +their duty: in war, said he, the superior officers carry away all the glory +as well as profits of the victory; whereas in civil employments it is quite +otherwise: in physic, in law, in divinity, or in the state, your merits +will be immediately conspicuous to those who have the power to reward you; +and if you are desirous of acquiring a name, by which I suppose you mean +to become the head of a family, any of these afford you a much greater +prospect of success, and it lies much more in my power of assisting your +promotion.</p> +<p>To these he added many other arguments, but they were not of the least +weight with the impatient Horatio. He was obstinate in his entreaties, +which he even with tears enforced, and Dorilaus, considering so strong a +propensity as something supernatural, at last consented.—Never was joy +more sincere and fervent than what this grant occasioned, and he told his +benefactor that he doubted not but that hereafter he should hear such an +account of his behaviour, as would make him not repent his having complied +with his request.</p> +<p>The preparations for his going to Oxford were now converted into others +of a different nature.—Several of our troops were already sent to +Flanders, and others about to embark, in order to open the campaign; so +that there was but a small space between the time of Horatio's asking +leave to go, and that of his departure, which Dorilaus resolved should be +in a manner befitting a youth whom he had bred up as his own. He provided +him a handsome field-equipage, rich cloaths, horses, and a servant to +attend him; and while these things were getting ready, had masters to +perfect him in riding; and those other exercises proper for the vocation +he was now entering into, all which he performed with so good a grace, +that not only Dorilaus himself, who might be suspected to look on him with +partial eyes, but all who saw him were perfectly charmed.</p> +<p>He was more than ordinarily tall for his years, admirably well +proportioned, and had something of a grave fierceness in his air and +deportment, that tho' he was not yet sixteen, he might very well have +passed for twenty: he was also extremely fair, had regular features, and +eyes the most penetrating, mixed with a certain sweetness; so that it was +difficult to say whether he seemed most formed for love or war.</p> +<p>Dorilaus thinking it highly proper he should take his leave of Louisa, +sent for her from the boarding-school, that she might pass the short time +he had to stay with her brother at his house, not without some hopes that +the great tenderness there was between them might put Horatio out of his +resolution of going to the army, who being grown now extremely dear to +him, he could not think of parting with, tho' he had yielded to it, +without a great deal of reluctance.</p> +<p>It is certain, indeed, that when she first heard the motive which had +occasioned her being sent for, her gentle breast was filled with the most +terrible alarms for her dear brother's danger; but the little regard he +seemed to have of it, and the high ideas he had of future greatness, soon +brought her to think as he did; and instead of dissuading him from +prosecuting his design, she rather encouraged him in it: and in this gave +the first testimony of a greatness of soul, no less to be admired than the +courage and laudable ambition which actuated that of her brother.</p> +<p>Dorilaus beheld with an infinity of satisfaction the success of his +endeavours, in favour of these amiable twins, and said within himself, how +great a pity would it have been, if capacities such as theirs had been +denied the means of improvement!</p> +<p>After the departure of Horatio, he kept Louisa some time with him, +under pretence of showing her the town, which before she had never seen; +but in reality to alleviate that melancholy which parting from her +brother had caused in him. He could not have taken a more effectual way; +for there was such an engaging and sweet cheerfulness in her conversation, +added to many personal perfections, that it was scarce possible to think +of any thing else while she was present. She had also an excellent voice, +and played well on the bass viol and harpsicord, so that it is hard to say +whether he found most satisfaction in hearing her or discoursing with +her.</p> +<p>But how dangerous is it to depend on one's own strength, against the +force of such united charms! Dorilaus, who, in the midst of a thousand +temptations, had maintained the entire liberty of his heart, and tho' +never insensible of beauty, had never been enslaved by it, was now by +charms he least suspected, and at an age when he believed himself proof +against all the attacks of love, subdued without knowing that he was +so.—The tender passion stole into his soul by imperceptible degrees, and +under the shape of friendship and paternal affection, met with no +opposition from his reason, till it became too violent to be restrained; +then showed itself in the whole power of restless wishes, fears, hopes, +and impatiences, which he had often heard others complain of, but not till +now experienced in himself: all that he before had felt of love was +languid, at best aimed only at enjoyment, and in the gratification of that +desire was extinguished; but the passion he was possessed of for Louisa +was of a different nature, and accompanied with a respect which would not +suffer him to entertain a thought in prejudice of her innocence.</p> +<p>Many reasons, besides his natural aversion to marriage, concurred to +hinder him from making her his wife; and as there were yet more to deter +him from being the instrument of her dishonour, the situation of his mind +was very perplexing.—He blushed within himself at the inclinations he had +for a girl whom he had always behaved to as a child of his own, and who +looked upon him as a father: not only the disparity of their years made +him consider the passion he was possessed of as ridiculous, there was one +circumstance, which, if at any time a thought of marrying her entered into +his head, immediately extirpated it, which was, that there was a +possibility of her being born not only of the meanest, but the vilest +parents, who, on hearing her establishment, might appear and claim the +right they had in her; and lo, said he, I shall ally myself to, perhaps, a +numerous family of vagabonds; at least, whether it be so or not, the +manner in which these children were exposed, being publicly known, may +furnish a pretence for any wretch to boast a kindred.</p> +<p>He was therefore determined to suppress a passion, which, as he had too +much honour to seek the gratification of by one way, his prudence and +character in the world would not allow him to think of by the other: and +as absence seemed to him the best remedy, he sent her down into the +country again with a precipitation, which made her (wholly ignorant of the +real motive) fear she had done something to offend him. At parting, she +entreated him to let her know if he had been dissatisfied with any thing +in her behaviour.—Wherefore do you ask? said he, with some emotion, which +the poor innocent still mistook for displeasure; because, answered she, +dropping some tears at the same time, that you banish me from your +presence. Why would you be glad to continue with me always? again demanded +he. Yes indeed, said she; and if you loved me as well as you do my +brother, you would never part with me; for I saw with what regret you let +him go.</p> +<p>This tender simplicity added such fewel to the fire with which Dorilaus +was enflamed, that it almost consumed his resolution: he walked about the +room some time without being able to speak, much less to quiet the +agitation he was in. At last, Louisa, said he, I was only concerned your +brother made choice of an avocation so full of dangers;—but I never +intended to keep him at home with me:—he should have gone to Oxford to +finish his studies; and the reason I send you again to the boarding-school +is that you may perfect yourself in such things as you may not yet be +mistress of:—as for any apprehensions of my being offended with you, I +would have you banish them entirely, for I assure you, I can find nothing +in you but what both merits and receives my approbation.</p> +<p>She seemed extremely comforted with these words; and the coach being at +the door, went into it with her accustomed chearfulness, leaving him in a +state which none but those who have experienced the severe struggles +between a violent inclination and a firm resolution to oppose it, can +possibly conceive.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. II.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Relates the offers made by Dorilaus to Louisa, and the manner of her +receiving them</i>.</p> +<p>Louisa was no sooner gone, than he wished her with him again, and was a +thousand times about to send and have her brought back; but was as often +prevented by the apprehensions of her discovering the motive.—He was now +convinced that love does not always stand in need of being indulged to +enforce its votaries to be guilty of extravagancies.</p> +<p>—He had banished the object of his affections from his presence; he +had painted all the inconveniences of pursuing his desires in the worst +colours they would bear; yet all was insufficient!—Louisa was absent in +reality, but her image was ever present to him.—Whatever company he +engaged himself in, whatever amusement he endeavoured to entertain himself +with, he could think only of her.</p> +<p>—The Town without her seemed a desart, and every thing in it rather +seemed irksome than agreeable; for several months did he endure this cruel +conflict; but love and nature at last got the victory, and all those +considerations which had occasioned the opposition subsided: he found it +impossible to recover any tranquility of mind while he continued in this +dilemma, and therefore yielded to the strongest side. All the arguments he +had used with himself in the beginning of his passion seemed now weak and +trifling: the difference of age, which he had thought so formidable an +objection, appeared none in the light with which he at present considered +it: he was now but in his fortieth year, and the temperance he had always +observed had hindered any decay either in his looks or constitution.—What +censures the world might pass on his marrying one of her age and obscure +birth, he thought were of little weight when balanced with his internal +peace.—Thus was he enabled to answer to himself all that could be offered +against making her his wife; and having thus settled every thing, as he +imagined, to the satisfaction of his passion, became no less resolute in +following the dictates of it than he had been in combating it while there +was a possibility of doing so.</p> +<p>To this end he went down to his country seat, and as soon as he arrived +sent to let Louisa know he would have her come and pass some time with him. +She readily obeyed the summons, and found by his manner of receiving her +that she was no less dear to him than her brother. As she had always +considered him as a father, tho' she knew all her claim in him was +compassion, she was far from suspecting the motive which made him treat +her with so much tenderness; but he suffered her not long to remain in +this happy ignorance. As he was walking with her one day in the garden, he +purposely led her on that side where he had found Horatio and herself in +the manner already related; and as they came towards the arbour, It was +here, said he, that heaven put into my power the opportunity of affording +my protection to two persons whom I think will not be ungrateful for what +I have done.—I hope, Louisa, continued he, you will not at least deceive +my good opinion of you; but as you have always found in me a real friend, +you will testify the sense you have of my good wishes, by readily +following my advice in any material point.</p> +<p>I should be else unworthy, sir, answered she, of the life you have +preserved; and I flatter myself with being guilty of nothing which should +give you cause to call in question either my gratitude or duty.</p> +<p>I insist but on the former, resumed he; nor can pretend to any claim to +the latter;—look on me therefore only as your friend, and let me know +your sentiments plainly and sincerely on what I think proper to ask you. +This she having assured him she would do, he pursued his discourse in +these or the like terms:</p> +<p>You are now, said he, arrived at an age when persons of your sex +ordinarily begin to think of marriage.—I need not ask you if you have +ever received any addresses for that purpose; the manner in which you have +lived convinces me you are yet a stranger to them; but I would know of you +whether an overture of that kind, in favour of a man of honour, and who +can abundantly endow you with the goods of fortune, would be disagreeable +to you.</p> +<p>Alas! sir, replied she, blushing, you commanded me to answer with +sincerity, but how can I resolve a question which as yet I have never +asked myself?—All that I can say is, that I now am happy by your bounty, +and have never entertained one wish but for the continuance of it.</p> +<p>On that you may depend, said he, while you continue to stand in need of +it. But would it not be more pleasing to find yourself the mistress of an +ample fortune, and in a condition to do the same good offices by others as +you have found from me?—In fine, Louisa, the care I have taken of you +would not be complete unless I saw you well settled in the world.—I have +therefore provided a husband for you, and such a one as I think you can +have no reasonable objection to.</p> +<p>Sir, it would ill-become me to dispute your will, answered she, +modestly, but as I yet am very young, and have never had a thought of +marriage, nor even conversed with any who have experienced that fate, I +should be too much at a loss how to behave in it, without being allowed +some time to consider on its respective duties.—I hope therefore, sir, +continued she, you will not oblige me to act with too much precipitation +in an affair on which the happiness or misery of my whole future life +depends.</p> +<p>Your very thinking it of consequence, said he, is enough to make you +behave so, as to allure your happiness with a man of honour; and indeed +Louisa, I love you too well to propose one to you whose principles and +humour I could not answer for as well as my own.</p> +<p>Yet, sir, replied she, I have read that a union of hearts as well as +hands is necessary for the felicity of that state;—that there ought to be +a simpathy of soul between them, and a perfect confidence in each other, +before the indissoluble knot is tied:—and this, according to my notion, +can only be the result of a long acquaintance and accompanied with many +proofs of affection on both sides.</p> +<p>Were all young women to think as you do, said he with a smile, we would +have much fewer marriages; they would indeed be happier; therefore I am +far from condemning your precaution, nor would wish you should give +yourself to one till well assured he was incapable of treating you with +less regard after marriage than before:—no, no, Louisa, I will never +press you to become a wife, till you shall yourself acknowledge the man I +offer to you as a husband is not unworthy of that title, thro' a want of +honour, fortune, or affection.</p> +<p>As Louisa thought this must be the work of time, the chagrin she felt +at the first mention of marriage was greatly dissipated; and she told him, +that when she was once convinced such a person as he described honoured +her so far as to think she merited his affection, she would do all in her +power to return it.</p> +<p>The enamoured Dorilaus having now brought her to the point he aimed at, +thought it best to throw off the mark at once, and leave her no longer in +suspence.—Behold then in me, said he, the person I have mentioned: nor +think me vain in ascribing those merits to myself which I would wish to be +the loadstone of your affection.—My honour, I believe, you will not call +in question:—my humour you have never found capricious, or difficult to +please; and as for my love, you cannot but allow the conquering that +aversion, which myself, as well as all the world, believed unalterable for +a marriage state; besides a thousand other scruples opposed my entering +into it with you, is a proof greater than almost any other man could give +you.—There requires, therefore, my dear Louisa, no time to convince you +of what I am, or assure you of what I may be; and I hope the affection you +bore me, as a faithful friend, and the protector of your innocence, will +not be diminished on my making this declaration.</p> +<p>The confusion in which this speech involved her is even impossible to +be conceived, much less can any words come up to its description: she +blushed;—she trembled;—she was ready to die between surprize, grief and +shame:—fain she would have spoke, but feared, lest what she should say +would either lose his friendship or encourage his passion.—Each seemed +equally dreadful to her:—no words presented themselves to her distracted +mind that she could think proper to utter, till he pressing her several +times to reply, and seeming a little to resent her silence—Oh! sir, cried +she, how is it possible for me to make any answer to so strange a +proposition!—you were not used to rally my simplicity; nor can I think +you mean what you now mention. If there wanted no more, said he, than to +prove the sincerity of my wishes in this point to gain your approbation of +them, my chaplain should this moment put it past a doubt, and confirm my +proposal:—but, pursued he, I will not put your modesty to any farther +shock at present;—all I intreat is, that you will consider on what I +have said, and what the passion I am possessed of merits from you. In +concluding these words he kissed her with the utmost tenderness, and +quitted her to speak to some men who were at work in another part of the +garden, leaving her to meditate at liberty on this surprizing turn in her +affairs.</p> +<p>It was indeed necessary he should do so, for the various agitations she +laboured under were so violent, as to be near throwing her into a +swoon.—She no sooner found herself alone, than she flew to her chamber, +and locked herself in, to prevent being interrupted by any of the +servants; and as in all emotions of the mind, especially in that of a +surprize, tears are a very great relief, her's found some ease from the +sources of her eyes.—Never had the most dutiful child loved the tenderest +of fathers more than she did Dorilaus; but then it was only a filial +affection, and the very thoughts of his regarding her with that sort of +passion she now found he did, had somewhat in them terribly alarming.—All +she could do to reconcile herself to what seemed to be her fate was in +vain.—This generous man who offers me his heart, said she, is not my +father, or any way of my blood:—he has all the accomplishments of his +whole sex centered in him.—I could wish to be for ever near him.—All +that I am is owing to his goodness.—How wretched must I have been but for +his bounty!—What unaccountable prejudice is this then that strikes me +with such horror at his love!—what maid of birth and fortune equal to his +own but would be proud of his addresses; and shall I, a poor foundling, +the creature of his charity, not receive the honour he does me with the +utmost gratitude!—shall I reject a happiness so far beyond my +expectation!—so infinitely above any merit I can pretend to!—what must +he think of me if I refuse him!—how madly stupid, how blind to my own +interest, how thankless to him must I appear!—how will he despise my +folly!—how hate my ingratitude!</p> +<p>Thus did her reason combat with her prejudice, and she suffered much +the same agonies in endeavouring to love him in the manner he desired, as +he had done to conquer the inclination he had for her, and both alike were +fruitless. Yet was her condition much more to be commiserated: he had only +to debate within himself whether he should yield or not to the suggestions +of his own passion: she to subdue an aversion for what a thousand reasons +concurred to convince her she ought rather to be ambitious of, and which +in refusing she run the risque of being cast off, and abandoned to beggary +and ruin; and what was still more hateful to her, being hated by that +person who, next to her brother, she loved above the world, tho' in a +different way from that which could alone content him.</p> +<p>Dorilaus, who had taken the disorder he perceived in her for no other +than the effects of a surprize, which a declaration, such as he had made, +might very well occasion, was perfectly contented in his mind, and passed +that night with much more tranquility than he had done many preceding +ones, while he suffered his cruel reason to war against the dictates of +his heart; but having now wholly given himself up to the latter, the sweet +delusion filled him with a thousand pleasing ideas, and he thought of +nothing but the happiness he should enjoy in the possession of the amiable +Louisa. But how confounded was he, when the next day accosting her with +all the tender transports of a lover, she turned from him, and burst into +a flood of tears. How is this, Louisa, said he; do the offers I make you +merit to be treated with disdain? has my submitting to be your lover +forfeited that respect you were wont to pay me as a guardian? O do not, +sir, accuse me of such black ingratitude, replied she; heaven knows with +what sincere and humble duty I regard you, and that I would sooner die +than wilfully offend you; but if I am so unfortunate as not to be able to +obey you in this last command, impute it, I beseech you, to my ill fate, +and rather pity than condemn me.</p> +<p>You cannot love me then? cried he, somewhat feircely. No otherwise than +I have ever done, answered she. My heart is filled with duty, reverence +and gratitude, of which your goodness is the only source: as for any other +sort of love I know not what it is; were it a voluntary emotion, believe +me, sir, I gladly would give it entrance into my soul, but I well see it +is of a far different nature.</p> +<p>Yet is your person at your own disposal, resumed he; and when possessed +of that, the flame which burns so fiercely in my breast, in time may +kindle one in yours. In speaking these words he took her in his arms, and +kissed her with a vehemence which the prodigious respect she bore to him, +as the patron and benefactor of herself and brother, could alone have made +her suffer.—Her eyes however sparkled with indignation, tho' her tongue +was silent, and at last bursting from his embrace, this, sir, cried she, +is not the way to make me think as you would have me. As in this action he +had no way transgressed the rules of decency, he could ill brook the +finding her so much alarmed at it; and would have testified his +resentment, had not the excess of his love, which is ever accompanied with +an adequate share of respect, obliged him to stifle it. Well, Louisa, said +he, looking earnestly upon her, ungenerously do you requite what I have +done for you; but I, perhaps, may bring myself to other sentiments.—None, +interrupted she, emboldened by the too great freedom she thought he had +taken with her, can be so dreadful to me as those you now seem to +entertain.</p> +<p>The look he gave her on hearing her speak in this manner, made her +immediately repent having been so open; and in the same breath, because; +pursued she, I look on it as the worst evil could befal me that I am +compelled to oppose them.</p> +<p>Come, said he, again softened by these last words, you will not always +oppose them: the fervor and constancy of my passion, joined with a little +yielding on your side, will by degrees excite a tender impulse in you; and +whatever is disagreeable at present, either in my person or behaviour, +will wear of.—Permit me at least to flatter myself so far, and refuse me +not those innocent endearments I have been accustomed to treat you with; +before you knew me as a lover, or I indeed suspected I should be so.</p> +<p>He then kissed her again; but tho' he constrained himself within more +bounds than before, those caresses which she received with pleasure, when +thinking them only demonstrations of friendship, were now irksome, as +knowing them the effects of love: she suffered him however to embrace her +several times, and hold one of her hands close pressed between his, while +he endeavoured to influence her mind by all the tender arguments his +passion, backed with an infinity of wit, inspired; to all which she made +as few replies as possible; but he contented himself, as love is always +flattering, with imagining she was less refractory to his suit than when +he first declared it.</p> +<p>Every day, and almost the whole day, did he entertain her on no other +subject, but gained not the least ground on her inclinations; and all he +could get from her was the wish of being less insensible, without the +least indication of ever being so.</p> +<p>In this manner did they live together near three weeks; and how much +longer be would have been able to restrain his impatience, or she to +conceal the extreme regret in being compelled to listen to him, is +uncertain: a law-suit required his presence to town, and Louisa was in +hopes of being relieved for some time; but his passion was arrived at such +a height that he could not support the least absence from her, and +therefore brought her to London with him, so that her persecution ceased +not, he never stirring from her but when the most urgent business obliged +him to it.</p> +<p>One night happening to have stayed pretty late abroad, and in company, +which occasioned his drinking more plentifully than he was accustomed, +Louisa was retired to her chamber in order to go to bed: his love, ever +uppermost in his head, would not permit him to think of sleeping without +seeing her; accordingly he ran up into her room, and finding she was not +undressed, told her he had something to acquaint her with, on which the +maid that waited on her withdrew. Tho' the passion he was inspired with +could not be heightened, his behaviour now proved it might at least be +rendered more ungovernable by being enflamed with wine: He no sooner was +alone with her, than he threw himself upon her as she was sitting in a +chair, crying, O when my angel, my dear adored Louisa, will you consent to +make me blest.—By heaven, I can no longer wait the tedious formalities +your modesty demands.—I cannot think you hate me, and must this night +ensure you mine. While he spoke these words his lips were so closely +cemented to her's, that had there been no other hindrance, it would have +been impossible for her to have reply'd.—But terrified beyond measure at +the wild disorder of his looks, the expressions he made use of, and the +actions that accompanied them, she wanted even the power of repulsing, +till seeing her almost breathless, he withdrew his arms which he had +thrown round her neck, and contenting himself with holding one of her +hands,—Tell me, pursued he, when may I hope a recompence for all I have +suffered?—I must, I will have an end of all these fears of +offending;—this cruel constaint;—this distance between us.—Few men, +Louisa, in the circumstances we both are, would, like me, so long attend a +happiness in my power to seize.—Trifle not therefore with a passion, the +consequences of which there is no answering for.</p> +<p>O, sir! said she, with a trembling voice, you cannot, from the most +generous, virtuous and honourable man living, degenerate into a brutal +ravisher.—You will not destroy the innocence you have cherished, and +which is all that is valuable in the poor Louisa. She ended these words +with a flood of tears, which, together with the sight of the confusion he +had occasioned, made him a little recollect himself; and to prevent the +wildness of his desires from getting the better of those rules he had +resolved to observe, he let go her hand, and having told her that he would +press her no farther that night, but expected a more satisfactory answer +the next day, went out of her chamber, and left her to enjoy what repose +she could after the alarm he had given her.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. III.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Dorilaus continues his importunities, with some unexpected +consequences that attended them</i>.</p> +<p>Poor Louisa concealed the distraction she was in as much as possible +she could from the maid, who immediately came into the room on Dorilaus +having quitted it, and suffered her to undress, and put her to bed as +usual; but was no sooner there, than instead of composing herself to +sleep, she began to reflect on what he had said:—the words, <i>that there +was no answering for the consequences of a passion such as his</i>, gave +her the most terrible idea.—His actions too, this night, seem'd to +threaten her with all a virgin had to fear.—She knew him a man of honour, +but thought she had too much reason to suspect that if she persisted in +refusing to be his wife, that passion which had influenced him, contrary +to his character, to make her such an offer, would also be too potent for +any consideration of her to restrain him from proceeding to extremities. +Having debated every thing within her own mind, she thought she ought not +to continue a day longer in the power of a man who loved her to this +extravagant degree: where to go indeed she knew not;—she had no friend, +or even acquaintance, to whom she might repair, or hope to be +received.—How should she support herself then?—which way procure even +the most common necessaries of life?—This was a dreadful prospect! yet +appeared less so than that she would avoid: even starving lost its horrors +when compared either to being compelled to wed a man whom she could not +affect as a husband, or, by refusing him, run the risque of forfeiting her +honour.—She therefore hesitated but a small time, and having once formed +the resolution of quitting Dorilaus's house, immediately set about putting +it into execution.</p> +<p>In the first place, not to be ungrateful to him as a benefactor, she +sat down and wrote the following letter to be left for him on her table:</p> +<p>SIR,<br/> +'Heaven having rendered me of a disposition<br/> +utterly incapable of receiving the honour<br/> +you would do me, it would be an ill return for<br/> +all the unmerited favours you have heaped upon<br/> +me to prolong the disquiets I have unhappily occasioned<br/> +by continuing in your presence;—besides,<br/> +sir, the education you have vouchsafed to<br/> +give me has been such, as informs me a person<br/> +of my sex makes but an odd figure while in the<br/> +power of one of yours possessed of the sentiments<br/> +you are.'<br/> +<br/> +'These, sir, are the reasons which oblige me to<br/> +withdraw; and I hope, when well considered,<br/> +will enough apologize for my doing so, to keep<br/> +you from hating what you have but too much<br/> +loved; for I beseech you to believe a great truth,<br/> +which is, that the most terrible idea I carry with<br/> +me is, lest while I fly the one, I should incur the<br/> +other; and that, wheresoever my good or ill stars<br/> +shall conduct me, my first and last prayers shall<br/> +be for the peace, health, and prosperity of my<br/> +most generous and ever honoured patron and benefactor.'<br/> +<br/> +'Judge favourably, therefore, of this action,<br/> +and rather pity than condemn the unfortunate<br/> +<br/> +LOUISA.'</p> +<p>Having sealed and directed this, she dressed herself in one of the +least remarkable and plainest suits she had, taking nothing with her but a +little linnen which she crammed into her pockets, and so sat waiting till +she heard some of the family were stirring; then went down stairs, and +being; seen by one of the footmen, she told him she was not very well, and +was going to take a little walk in hopes the fresh air might relieve her; +he offered to wait upon her, but she refused, saying, she chose to go +alone.</p> +<p>Thus had she made her escape; but, when in the street, was seized with +very alarming apprehensions.—She was little acquainted with the town, and +knew not which way to turn in search of a retreat.—Resolving, however, to +go far enough, at least, from the house she had quitted, she wandered on, +almost tired to death, without stopping any where, till chance directed +her to a retired nook, where she saw a bill for lodgings on one of the +doors.—Here she went in, and finding the place convenient for her present +circumstances, hired a small, but neat chamber, telling the people of the +house that she was come to town in order to get a service, and till she +heard of one to her liking, would be glad to do any needle-work she should +be employed in.</p> +<p>The landlady, who happened to be a good motherly sort of woman, +replied, that she was pleased with her countenance, or she would not have +taken her in without enquiring into her character; and as she seemed not +to be desirous of an idle life, she would recommend her to those that +should find her work if she stayed with her never so long.</p> +<p>This was joyful news to our fair fugitive; and she blessed heaven for +so favourable a beginning of her adventures. The woman was punctual to her +promise; and being acquainted with a very great milliner, soon brought her +more work than she could do, without encroaching into those hours nature +requires for repose: but she seemed not to regret any fatigue to oblige +the person who employed her, and sent home all she did so neat, so curious, +and well wrought, that the milliner easily saw she had not been accustomed +to do it for bread, and was very desirous of having her into the house, +and securing her to herself. Louisa thinking it would be living with less +care, agreed to go, on this condition, that she should be free to quit her +in case any offer happened of waiting upon a lady. This was consented to +by the other, who told her, that since she had that design, she could no +where be so likely to succeed as at her house, which was very much +frequented by the greatest ladies in the kingdom, she having the most +Curiosities of any woman of her trade, which they came there to raffle +for.</p> +<p>On this Louisa took leave of her kind landlady, who having taken a +great fancy to her, and believing it would be for her advantage, was not +sorry to part with her. A quite new scene of life now presented itself to +her:—she found indeed the milliner had not made a vain boast; for her +house was a kind of rendezvous, where all the young and gay of both sexes +daily resorted.—It was here the marquis of W——r lost his heart, for a +time, to the fine mrs. S——ge:—here, that the duke of G——n first +declared his amorous inclinations for mrs. C——r:—here, that the +seemingly virtuous lady B——n received the addresses of that agreeable +rover mr. D——n:—here, that the beautiful dutchess of M—— gave that +encouragement, which all the world had sighed for, to the more fortunate +than constant mr. C——: in fine, it might properly enough be called the +theatre of gallantry, where love and wit joined to display their several +talents either in real or pretended passions.</p> +<p>Louisa usually sat at work in a back parlor behind that where the +company were; but into which some of them often retired to talk to each +other with more freedom.</p> +<p>This gave her an opportunity of seeing in what manner too many of the +great world passed their time, and how small regard some of them pay to +the marriage vow: everyday presented her with examples of husbands, who +behaved with no more than a cold civility to their own wives, and carried +the fervor of their addresses to those of other men; and of wives who +seemed rather to glory in, than be ashamed of a train of admirers. How +senseless would these people think me, said she to herself, did they know +I chose rather to work for my bread in mean obscurity, than yield to marry +where I could not love.—Tenderness, mutual affection, and constancy. I +find, are things not thought requisite to the happiness of a wedded state; +and interest and convenience alone consulted. Yet was she far from +repenting having rejected Dorilaus, or being in the lead influenced by the +example of others.—The adventures she was witness of made her, indeed, +more knowing of the world, but were far from corrupting those excellent +morals she had received from nature, and had been so well improved by a +strict education, that she not only loved virtue for its own sake, but +despised and hated vice, tho' disguised under the most specious +pretences.</p> +<p>Her youth, beauty, and a certain sprightliness in her air, was too +engaging to be in the house of such a woman as mrs. C——ge, (for so this +court-milliner was called) without being very much taken notice of; and +tho' most of the gentlemen who came there had some particular object in +view, yet that did not hinder them from saying soft things to the pretty +Louisa as often as they had opportunity. Among the number of those who +pretended to admire her was mr. B——n, afterwards lord F——h; but his +addresses were so far from making any impression on her in favour of his +person or suit, that the one was wholly indifferent to her, and the other +so distasteful, that to avoid being persecuted with it, she entreated mrs. +C——ge to permit her to work above stairs, that she might be out of the +way of all such solicitations for the future, either from him or any +other. This request was easily complied with, and the rather because she, +who knew not the strength of her journey-woman's resolution, nor the +principles she had been bred in, was sometimes in fear of losing so great +a help to her business, by the temptations that might be offered in a +place so much exposed to sight. Mr. B——n no sooner missed her, than he +enquired with a good deal of earnestness for her; and on mrs. C——ge's +telling him she was gone away from her house, became so impatient to know +where, and on what account she had left her, that this woman thinking it +would be of advantage to her to own the truth, (for she did nothing +without that view) turned off the imposition with a smile, and said, that +perceiving the inclinations he had for her, she had sent her upstairs that +no other addresses might be a hindrance to his designs.—This pleased him +very well, and he ran directly to the room where he was informed she was, +and after some little discourse, which he thought was becoming enough from +a person of his condition to one of her's, began to treat her with +freedoms which she could not help resisting with more fierceness than he +had been accustomed to from women of a much higher rank; but as he had no +great notion of virtue, especially among people of her sphere, he mistook +all she said or did for artifice; and imagining she enhanced the merit of +the gift only to enhance the recompence, he told her he would make her a +handsome settlement, and offered, as an earnest of his future gratitude, a +purse of money. The generous maid fired with a noble disdain at a +proposal, which she looked on only as an additional insult, struck down +the purse with the utmost indignation and cried, she was not of the number +of those who thought gold an equivalent for infamy; and that mean as she +appeared, not all his wealth should bribe her to a dishonourable action. +At first he endeavoured to laugh her out of such idle notions as he called +them, and was so far from being rebuffed at any thing she said, that he +began to kiss and toy with her more freely than before, telling her he +would bring her into a better humour; but he was wholly deceived in his +expectations, if he had any of the nature he pretended, for she became so +irritated at being treated in this manner, that she called out to the +servants to come to her assistance, and protected she would not stay an +hour longer in the house if she could not be secured from such +impertinencies; on which he said she was a silly romantic fool, and flung +out of the room.</p> +<p>Mrs. C——ge hearing there had been some bustle, came up soon after and +found Louisa in tears: she immediately complained, of mr. B——n's +behaviour to her, and said, tho' she acknowledged herself under many +obligations to her for the favours she had conferred on her, she could not +think of remaining in a place where, tho' she could not say her virtue had +any severe trials, because she had a natural detestation to crimes of the +kind that gentleman and some others had mentioned, yet her person was +liable to be affronted. The milliner, who was surprized to hear her talk +in this manner, but who understood her trade perfectly well, answered, +that he was the best conditioned civil gentleman in the world;—that she +did not know how it happened;—that she was certain indeed he loved her; +and that it was in his power to make her a very happy woman if she were +inclined to accept his offers;—but she would perswade her to nothing.</p> +<p>These kind of discourses created a kind of abhorrence in Louisa, as +they plainly shewed her, what before she had some reason to believe, that +she was in the house of one who would think nothing a crime that she found +it her own interest to promote. However, she thought it would be imprudent +to break too abruptly with her, and contented herself for the present with +encasing her promise that neither mr. B——n, nor any other person should +for the future give her the least interruption of the like sort.</p> +<p>From this day, however, she was continually ruminating how she should +quit her house, without running the risque of disobliging her so far as +not to be employed by her; for tho' she found herself at present free from +any of those importunities to which both by nature and principles she was +so averse, yet she could not answer to herself the continuing in a place +where virtue was treated as a thing of little or no consequence, and where +she knew not how soon she might again be subjected to affronts.</p> +<p>Amidst these meditations the thoughts of Dorilaus frequently +intervened: she reflected on the obligations she had to him, and the +mighty difference between the morals of that truly noble and generous man, +and most of those she had seen at mrs. C——ge's: she wondered at herself +at the antipathy she had to him as a husband, whom she so dearly loved and +honoured as a friend; yet nothing could make her wish to be again on the +same terms with him she had lately been. It also greatly added to her +affliction that she knew not how to direct to her brother; for at the time +of his departure, little suspicious of having any occasion to change the +place of her abode, she had left the care of that entirely to Dorilaus. +She was one morning very much lost in thought on the odd circumstances of +her fortune, when a Gazette happening to lye upon the table, she cast her +eye, without design, upon the following advertisement.<br/> +<br/> +'Whereas a young gentlewoman has lately<br/> +thought fit to abscond from her best friends,<br/> +and with the most diligent search that could possibly<br/> +be made after her has not yet been heard of,<br/> +this is to acquaint her that if she pleases to return,<br/> +she shall hereafter have no disturbance of that<br/> +nature which it is supposed occasioned her withdrawing<br/> +herself, but live entirely according to<br/> +her own inclinations; and this the advertiser<br/> +hereof gives his word and honour (neither of<br/> +which she has any cause to doubt) faithfully to<br/> +adhere to.'<br/> +<br/> +'It shall also be at her choice to live either at<br/> +the house she quitted, or to be again under the<br/> +care of that gentlewoman who was entrusted<br/> +with her education: she is therefore requested to<br/> +conceal herself no longer, lest her youth, beauty,<br/> +and inexperience of the town should betray her<br/> +innocence into those very snares she fears to fall<br/> +into.'</p> +<p>The very beginning of this paragraph gave her a conjecture it was meant +for no other than herself; and the more she read, the more she grew +convinced, of it.—It must be so, cryed she; every word,—every +circumstance confirms it.—How unhappy am I that I cannot return so +perfect an affection!—Instead of detesting my ingratitude, he only fears +I should receive the punishment of it.—What man but Dorilaus would behave +thus to the creature of his benevolence?—If I have any merits, do not I +owe them to his goodness?—My brother and myself, two poor exposed and +wretched foundlings, what but his bounty rear'd us to what we are?—Hard +fate!—unlucky passion that drives me from his presence and protection.</p> +<p>Yet, would she say again, if he has indeed subdued that passion;—if he +resolves to think of me as before he entertained it; if I were certain he +would receive me as a child, how great would be, the blessing!</p> +<p>This confederation had so much effect on her, that she was half +determined to comply with the advertisement; but when she remembered to +have read that where love is sincere and violent, it requires a length of +time to be erased, and that those possessed of it are incapable of knowing +even their own strength, and, as he had said to her himself, <i>that there +was no answering for the consequences,</i> she grew instantly of another +mind, and thought that putting herself again into the power of such a +passion was running too great a hazard.</p> +<p>The continual agitations of her mind, joined to want of air, a quite +different way of life, and perhaps fitting more closely to work than she +had been accustomed, threw her at length into a kind of languishing +indisposition, which, tho' it did not confine her to her bed, occasioned a +loss of appetite, and frequent faintings, which were very alarming to her. +Mrs. C——ge was extremely concerned to observe this change in her, and +would have the opinion of her own physician, who said that she had +symptoms of an approaching consumption, and that it was absolutely +necessary she should be removed into the country for some time.</p> +<p>Louisa readily complied with this advice, not only because she imagined +it might be of service for the recovery of her health, but also as it +furnished her with a pretence for leaving mrs. C——ge's house, to which +she was determined to return no more as a boarder. The good woman with +whom she had lodged at first recommended her to a friend of her's at +Windsor, where she immediately went, and was very kindly received.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. IV.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Louisa becomes acquainted with a lady of quality, part of whose +adventures are also related, and goes to travel with her</i>.</p> +<p>Change of place affords but small relief to those whose distempers are +in the mind: Louisa carried with her too many perplexing thoughts to be +easily shook off; tho' the queen and court being then at Windsor, she had +the opportunity of seeing a great many of the gay world pass daily by her +window.—There also lodged in the same house with her a young widow of +quality, who was visited by persons of the first rank; but as she was not +of a condition to make one in any of these conversations, she reaped no +other satisfaction from them than what the eye afforded.</p> +<p>As she was not, however, of a temper to indulge melancholy, she made it +her endeavour to banish, as much as possible, all ideas which were +displeasing from her mind: to this end, a fine harpsicord happening to +stand in the dining-room, whenever the lady was abroad, she went in and +diverted herself with playing. She was one day entertaining the woman of +the house with a tune, which she accompanied with her voice, when the lady +returning sooner than was expected, and hearing the instrument before she +came up stairs, would needs know who it was had been making use of it; for +Louisa hurried out of the room before she came in: the landlady, as there +was no occasion to disguise the truth, told her that it was a young woman, +who not being very well, had come down into the country for air.</p> +<p>She has had an excellent education, I am certain, said the lady, (who +henceforward we shall call Melanthe) for in my life I never heard any body +play or sing better:—I must be acquainted with her; on which the other +said she would let her know the honour she intended her.</p> +<p>That very evening, as great ladies no sooner think of any thing but +they must have it performed, was Louisa sent for into her apartment; and +her countenance and behaviour so well seconded the good impression her +skill in music had begun, that Melanthe became charm'd with her, and from +that time obliged her to come to her every morning; and whenever she was +without company, made her dine and sup with her. Being curious to know her +circumstances, Louisa made no scruple of acquainting her with the truth, +only instead of relating how she had been exposed in her infancy, said, +that having the misfortune to be deprived of her parents, it was her +intention to wait on a lady, and till she heard of one who would accept +her service, she had work'd at her needle.</p> +<p>Melanthe then asked if she would live with her; to which the other +gladly answering, she should think herself happy in such a lady; but you +must go abroad then, said she, for I am weary of England, and am preparing +to travel: as it is a route of pleasure only, I shall stay just as long as +I find any thing new and entertaining in one place, then go to another +till I am tired of that, and so on, I know not how long; for unless my +mind alters very much, I shall not come back in some years.</p> +<p>Louisa was perfectly transported to hear her say this; she had a great +desire to see foreign parts, and thought she never could have a better +opportunity: she expressed the pleasure she should take in attending her +wherever she went with so much politeness and sincerity, that Melanthe +told her, it should be her own fault if she ever quitted her, and withal +assured her, she never would treat her in any other manner than a +companion, and that tho' she would make her a yearly allowance for cloaths +and card-money, yet she would expect no other service from her than +fidelity to her secrets, and affection to her person.</p> +<p>From the moment this agreement was made, the young Louisa regained her +complection and her appetite; and being now initiated into the family of +this lady, had no longer any care to take than to oblige her, a thing not +difficult, Melanthe being good-natured, and strongly prepossessed in +favour of her new friend, for so she vouchsafed to call her, and to use +her accordingly.</p> +<p>As a proof of it, she made her in a very short time the confident of +her dearest secrets: they were one day sitting together, when accidentally +some mention was made of the power of love. You are too young, Louisa, +said Melanthe, to have experienced the wonderful effects of that passion +in yourself, and therefore cannot be expected to have much compassion for +what it can inflict on others.</p> +<p>Indeed, madam, answered she, tho' I never have yet seen a man who gave +me a moment's pain on that score, yet I believe there are no emotions +whatever so strong as those of love, and that it is capable of influencing +people of the best sense to things which in their nature they are most +averse to.</p> +<p>Well, my dear, resumed the other, since I find you have so just a +notion of it, I will confide in your discretion so far as to let you know, +that but for an ungrateful man, I had not looked on my native country as a +desart, and resolved to seek a cure for my ill-treated and abused +tenderness in foreign parts.</p> +<p>My quality, continued she, I need not inform you of; you have doubtless +heard that my family yields to few in antiquity, and that there is an +estate belonging to it sufficient to support the dignity of its title; +but my father having many children, could not give very great portions to +the daughters: I was therefore disposed of, much against my inclinations, +to a nobleman, whom my unlucky charms had so much captivated as to make +him not only take me with no other dowry than my cloaths and jewels, but +also to settle a large jointure upon me, which, he being dead, I at +present enjoy. I cannot say that all the obligations he laid upon me could +engage a reciprocal regard:—I behaved with indifference to him while +living, and little lamented him when dead: not that I was prepossessed in +favour of any other man;—my heart, entirely free, was reserved to be the +conquest of the too charming perfidious Henricus, who arriving soon after +my lord's decease, and bringing with him all the accomplishments which +every different court he had visited could afford, join'd to the most +enchanting person nature ever formed, soon made me know I was not that +insensible creature I had thought myself.</p> +<p>I happened to be at court when he came to kiss her majesty's hand on +his return; and whether it was that my eyes testified too much the +admiration this first sight of him struck me with, or that he really +discovered something more attractive in me than any lady in the presence I +know not, but he seemed to distinguish me in a particular manner, and I +heard him say to my lord G——n in a whisper, that I was the finest woman +he had ever seen; but what gave me more pleasure than even this praise, +was an agreement I heard made between him and the same lord to go that +evening to a raffle at mrs. C—rt-s—r's. I was one of those who had put +in, tho' if I had not, I should certainly, have gone for a second sight of +him, who when he went out of the drawing-room seemed to have left me but +half myself.</p> +<p>In fine, I went, and had there wanted any thing to have entirely +vanquished me, my conqueror's manner of address had done it with a form +less agreeable.—O Louisa, pursued she with a sigh, if you have never +seen or heard the charming Henricus, you can have no notion of what is +excellent in man; such flowing wit;—such softness in his voice and +air;—but there is no describing what he is. He seemed all transport at +meeting me there; among a number of ladies I alone engrossed him: he +scarce spoke to any other; and being so fortunate to win the raffle, +which was a fine inlaid India cabinet, instead of sending it to his own +house, he privately ordered his servant to leave it at mine, lord G——n +having, as he afterwards told me, informed him where I lived, and also all +the particulars he wanted to know concerning me.</p> +<p>I was prodigiously surprized when I came home and found the Cabinet, +which my woman imagined I had won by its being brought thither. It was +indeed a piece of gallantry I had no reason to expect from one so perfect +a stranger to me; and this, joined with the many complaisant things he +said to me at mrs. C—rt-f—r's, flattered my vanity enough to make me +think he was no less charmed with me than I too plainly found I was with +him. I slept little that night, and pretty early the next morning received +a billet from him to this effect: <br/> +<br/> +MADAM,<br/> +'I thought the cabinet we raffled for was more<br/> +properly the furniture of a lady's closet than<br/> +mine, especially one who must daily receive a<br/> +great number of such epistles as it was doubtless<br/> +intended by the maker to contain: happy should<br/> +I think myself if any thing of mine might find<br/> +room among those which, for their wit and elegance,<br/> +may be more worthy of preferring, tho'<br/> +none can be for their sincerity more so than those<br/> +which are dictated by the eternally devoted heart of<br/> +<br/> +HENRICUS.'</p> +<p>You cannot imagine, my dear Louisa, how delighted I was with these few +lines; I enclosed them indeed in the cabinet given me by the author of +them, but laid up their meaning in my heart:—I was quite alert the whole +day, but infinitely more so, when in the evening my admired Henricus made +me a visit introduced by lord H——, who had been one of my late husband's +particular friends, and had ever kept a good correspondence with me.</p> +<p>Henricus took, not the least notice either of the cabinet or letter +before him; and as I imagined he had his reasons for it, I too was silent +on that head; he took the opportunity, however, while lord H—— was +speaking to a young lady who happened to be with me, to ask permission to +wait on me with the hope of being received on his own score as he was now +on that of his friend. I told him that merit, such as his, was sufficient +to recommend him any where; and, besides, I had an obligation to him which +I ought to acknowledge. This was all either of us had time to say; but it +was enough to make me convinced he desired a more particular conversation, +and him, that it would not be unwelcome to me.</p> +<p>Thus began an acquaintance equally fatal to my peace of mind and +reputation; and having said that, it would be needless to repeat the +circumstances of it, therefore shall only tell you I was so infatuated +with my passion, that I never gave myself the trouble to examine into the +nature of his pretensions, and lull'd with the vows he made of everlasting +love, resented not that he forbore pressing to that ceremony which could +alone ensure it:—yes, my Louisa, I will not wrong him so far as to say +he deceived me in this point; for tho' he protested with the most solemn +imprecations that he would never address any either woman than myself, yet +he never once mentioned marriage to me.—Alass! he too well saw into my +heart, and that all my faculties were too much his to be able to refuse +him any thing:—even so it proved;—he triumphed over all in my power to +yield;—nay, was so far subdued, that I neither regretted my loss, nor +used any endeavours to conceal it;—vain of being his at any rate, I +thought his love more glory to me than either fame or virtue; and while I +was known to enjoy the one, despised whatever censures I incurred for +parting with the other:—in the mall, the play-house, the ring, at Bath or +Tunbridge, he was always with me; nor would any thing indeed have been a +diversion to me had he been absent.</p> +<p>For upwards of a year I had no reason to complain of his want of +assiduity to me, tho' I have since heard even in that time he had other +amours with women who carried them on with more prudence than I was +mistress of; but I had afterwards a stabbing proof of his insincerity and +inconstancy.</p> +<p>Perceiving a great alteration in his behaviour, that he visited me less +frequently, and when he came, the ardours he was accustomed to treat me +with still more and more languid and enforced, I upbraided him in terms +which, tho' they shewed more love than resentment, and had he retained any +tolerable remains of tenderness for me, must have been rather obliging +than the contrary, he affected to take extremely ill, and told me plainly, +that nothing was so dear to him as his peace,—that he was not of a temper +to endure reproaches, and that, if I desired the continuance of our amour, +I must be satisfied with him as he was. These cool, and indeed insolent +replies made me almost distracted; and beginning to suspect he had some +new engagement, I talked to him in a manner as if I had been assured of +it:—he, perhaps, imagining it was so, made no efforts to cure my +jealousy, but behaved with so cruel an indifference as confirmed my +apprehensions.</p> +<p>Resolving to be convinced whether I really had any rival or not, I +employed spies to observe where-ever he went, and to whom; but alass, +there required little pains to acquire the intelligence I fought.—I was +soon informed that he was every day with the daughter of a little +mechanic;—that he made her very rich presents, procured a commission in +the army for one of her brothers, and in fine, that he was as much devoted +to her as a man of his inconstant temper could be to any woman.</p> +<p>How severe a mortification was this to my pride! but it had this good +attending it, that it very much abated my love:—to be abandoned for so +mean a creature, and who had nothing but youth and a tolerable face to +recommend her, shewed such a want of taste as well as gratitude, as +rendered despicable in my eyes what had lately engrossed all my love and +admiration.—The moment I received the information I sent for him;—and +forcing my countenance to a serenity my heart was a stranger to, told him +it was only to take a last leave of a person whom I had been so far +mistaken in as to think deserving my affection: that I desired to see him +once more, but having now seen my error, desired he would desist his +visits for the future. He asked me with the same calmness he had lately +behaved with, what whim I had got in my head now, I, who had before +determined not to feed my rival's pride by shewing any jealousy of her, +only replied, that as amours, such as ours had been, must have an end some +time or other,—I thought none could be more proper than the present, +because I believed both of us could do it without pain.</p> +<p>Answer for yourself, madam, cried he with some emotion, for I could +perceive my behaviour had a little flung his vanity; and resolute to give +him in my turn all the mortification in my power, nay, said I with a +disdainful toss of my head, I do not enquire into your sentiments,—it is +sufficient mine are to break entirely off with you;—neither is it any +concern to me how you may resent this alteration in my conduct, or dispose +of yourself hereafter; but I once more assure you, with my usual +frankness, that I now can see none of those perfections my foolish fancy +formerly found in you, and cannot be complaisant enough to counterfeit a +tenderness I neither feel nor think you worthy of.</p> +<p>The surprize he was in kept him silent for some moments; but recovering +himself as well as he could, he told me, that if the levity of my nature +had made me cease to love him, he could not have expected endearments +should be converted into affronts; that if I was determined to see him no +more he must submit, and should endeavour to make himself as easy as he +could under the misfortune.</p> +<p>These last words were uttered with a kind of sneer, which was very +provoking, however, I restrained my passion during the little time he +stayed; but as soon as I found myself alone gave it vent in tears and +exclamations,—since which I have been mere at peace within myself; for +tho' I cannot say I hate him, I am now far from loving him, and hope +that time and absence may bring me to a perfect indifference.</p> +<p>Thus, Louisa, continued she, you see the beginning and end of an +adventure which has made some noise in town, to be out of which I have +taken a resolution to travel till the whole shall be forgotten, and I +have entirely rooted out of my heart all manner of consideration for this +ungrateful man.</p> +<p>Louisa thanked her for the condescension me had made her in entrusting +her with so important a secret, and said every thing she could in praise +of the resolution she had taken to leave England for a time, not only +because it was exactly conformable to her own desires, but also that she +thought it so laudable in itself. Melanthe then assured her that she was +not capable of changing her mind in this particular, and that her equipage +was getting ready at London for that purpose, so that she believed they +should embark in a few days. Louisa, on hearing this, said, that she must +then provide herself with some things it would be necessary for her to +have in order to appear in the station her ladyship was pleased to place +her; but the other, who, as may be seen by her history, never preserved a +medium in any thing, would not suffer her to be at the least expence on +that account, but took the care of furnishing her with every thing on +herself; and accordingly sent a man and horse to town directly to her +mercer's, draper's, milliner's, and other tradesmen, with orders to send +down silks, laces, hollands, and whatever else was requisite; which being +brought, were put to be made fit for wearing by workwomen at Windsor; so +that now our Louisa made as good a figure, and had as great a variety of +habits as when under the guardianship of Dorilaus, and, to complete her +happiness, this new benefactress grew every day more, and more delighted +with her company.</p> +<p>All being now prepared, they came to London, where they lay but one +night before they took shipping for Helvoetsluys in Holland, where, being +safely landed, they proceeded to Utrecht, and so to Aix-la-chappelle; +there they stayed some weeks for the sake of the waters, air, and good +company; and Louisa thought it so pleasant, that she would have been glad +not to have removed for some time longer; but Melanthe was yet restless in +her mind, and required frequent change of place. Here it was, however, +that Louisa thought she might venture to write to Dorilaus, to ease him of +that kind concern she doubted not but he was in for her welfare, by the +advertisement already mentioned in the Gazette. The purport of her letter +was as follows: <br/> +<br/> +<i>Ever Honoured Sir</i>,<br/> +'Child of your bounty as I am, I flatter myself<br/> +that, in spight of my enforc'd disobedience,<br/> +it would be a trouble to you to hear I should<br/> +do any thing unworthy of that education you were<br/> +pleased to bestow on me: I therefore take the liberty<br/> +of acquainting you, that heaven has raised<br/> +me a protectress in a lady of quality with whom<br/> +I now am, as you will see by the date of this, at<br/> +Aix-la-chappelle. As all the favours I receive<br/> +from her, or all the good that shall happen during<br/> +my whole life is, and will be entirely owing<br/> +to you as the fountain-head, it will be always my<br/> +inclination, as well as duty, to pay you the tribute<br/> +of grateful thanks.—Poor recompence,<br/> +alas, for all you have done for me! yet those,<br/> +with my incessant prayers to heaven, are all in<br/> +the power of<br/> +<i>Your most dutiful</i><br/> +<br/> +LOUISA.' </p> +<p>She took no notice of the advertisement, not only as she could not be +positive it related to herself, as also because she thought, if he were +certain she had read it, he might resent her not answering it, as +discovering a too great diffidence of his honour. She added, however, a +postscript, entreating him to let her brother know, that whatever +happened, he should have no reason to find fault with her conduct.</p> +<p>After they left Aix-la-chappelle, they took bye roads to avoid the +armies; yet notwithstanding all their care, they now and then met parties +who were out on foraging, but as it happened, they were always under the +conduct of officers who prevented any ill accident, so that our travellers +met with no manner of interruption, but arrived safely at the magnificent +city of Vienna, where was at that time an extreme gay court, affording +every thing capable of diverting a much more settled melancholy than +either Melanthe or her fair companion were possessed of.</p> +<p>The arch-dutchesses, Mary Elizabeth, and Mary Anna Josepha, afterward +queen of Portugal, had frequent balls and entertainments in their +different drawing-rooms; to all which Melanthe, being a stranger and a +woman of quality, was invited: she kept her promise with Louisa; and +treating her as a young lady, whose friendship for her, and a desire of +seeing the world had engaged to accompany her, she was received and +respected as such; and by this means had an opportunity of shewing the +skill she had in dancing, singing, music, and indeed all the +accomplishments that a woman born and educated to the best expectations, +is usually instructed in. As neither her lady nor herself understood the +German language, and she spoke infinitely the best French, her +conversation was the most agreeable, which, joined with a most engaging +manner, and a peculiar sweetness in her voice, attracted all those +civilities which the rank of the other demanded.</p> +<p>Possessed of so many charms, it would have been strange if, in a city +throng'd like Vienna with young noblemen, who were continually coming from +all parts of the empire, she had lived without some who pretended to +somewhat more than mere admiration; but her heart had not refused the +worthy Dorilaus to become the conquest of a German; nor was it here she +was ordained to experience those anxieties in herself, she could but +imperfectly conceive by the description she had from others.</p> +<p>Melanthe, however, whose sole aim was to drive all perplexing thoughts +from her mind, encouraged a great number of visitors, so that her lodgings +seemed a perfect theatre of gallantry; and Louisa having her share in all +the amusements this lady prepared for the reception of those that came to +see her, or were contrived for her entertainment by others, past her time +in the most gay and agreeable manner imaginable, and by this means +acquired the knowledge of almost the only thing she before was ignorant +in, how to receive a multiplicity of company, yet to behave so is each +should imagine themselves most welcome;—to seem perfectly open, without +discovering any thing improper to be revealed;—to use all decent freedoms +with the men, yet not encourage the least from them, and to seem to make a +friend of every woman she conversed with, without putting truth in +any;—and in fine, all the little policies which make up the art of what +is called a polite address, and which is not to be attained without an +acquaintance with the court and great world.</p> +<p>This, I say, our amiable foundling was now well vers'd in, and +practised among those who she found made a practice of it; but yet +retained the same sincerity of mind, love of virtue, and detestation of +vice, she brought with her from the house of Dorilaus:—neither was her +youth too much dazled with the exterior splendor she beheld; and tho' she +was well enough pleased with it, yet it did not in the least take her off +from the duties of religion, or inspire her with any ambitious or aspiring +wishes to become what the remembrance of what she was forbid any probable +expectation of. She knew the present fashion of her life was not an +assured settlement, and therefore set not her heart upon it. Few at her +years would have had the like prudence, or in time armed themselves, as +she did, against any change that might befal her.</p> +<p>In this happy situation let us leave her for a while: the young Horatio +claims his share of attention; and it is time to see what encouragement +and success his martial ardor met with on the banks of the Danube.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. V.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Horatio's reception by the officers of the army; his behaviour in +the battle; his being taken prisoner by the French; his treatment among +them, and many other particulars.</i></p> +<p>The extreme graceful person of Horatio, his youth, handsome +equipage, and the letters sent by Dorilaus to several of the principal +officers in his favour, engaged him a reception answerable to his wishes: +but none was of greater service than the recommendation he had to colonel +Brindfield, who being in great favour with the duke of Marlborough, was +highly respected by the whole army. This gentleman made him dine +frequently with him, and testified the regard he had for Dorilaus, by +doing all the good offices he could to a youth whom he perceived by his +letter he had a great concern for. He not only introduced him to the +acquaintance of many officers of condition, but took an opportunity of +presenting him to the duke himself, giving at the same time his grace +an account that he was a gentleman whose inclinations to arms, and the +honour of serving under his grace, had made him renounce all other +advantages for the hope of doing something worthy of his favour. The duke +looked all the time he was speaking very attentively on the young Horatio, +and finding something in his air that corroborated the colonel's +description, was pleased to say, that he was charm'd with his early thirst +after same; and then turning toward him, you will soon, pursued he, have +an opportunity of seeing how the face of war looks, near at hand:—I can +tell you, that you must not always expect smiles. No, my lord, replied he, +without being at all daunted at the presence of so great a man; but where +we love all countenances are agreeable.</p> +<p>He arrived indeed opportunely to be a witness of the dangers of that +glorious campaign which brought such shame to the French, such honour to +the English, and such real advantages to the empire. Prince Eugene of +Savoy, and prince Lewis of Baden were come to the duke's quarters, which +were then at Mondesheim, to consult on proper operations; the result was, +that the duke and prince Lewis should join armies, and command each day +alternately, and that prince Eugene should head a separate army and repair +towards Philipsburg, to defend the passage of the Rhine, the lines of +Stolhoffen, and the country of Wirtenberg.</p> +<p>The two armies joined at Westerstretton, thence proceeded by easy +marches towards Donawert, between which and Scellenberg the enemy was +encamped. Fatigued as they were, the duke made them pass over a little +river and endeavour to force the intrenchments; which enterprize +succeeded, notwithstanding all the disadvantages the confederate armies +were in, and the others were obliged to retire with great precipitation, +many of whom were drowned in endeavouring to pass the Danube.</p> +<p>In this action was our young soldier unlisted, and had the glory to be +signalized by two remarkable accidents; one was, that pressing among the +foremost in this hazardous attempt, he had his hat taken off by a cannon +ball; and the other was, that seeing a standard about to be taken by the +enemy, the person who carried it happening to be kill'd, he ran among +those who were carrying it away, and being seconded by some others, +retrieved that badge of English honour; and as this was done in sight of +the duke, he rode up to him directly and presented it to him. Take it for +your pains, cried he, you have ventured hard, and well deserve the prize. +There was no time for thanks; the duke, who was almost every where at +once, was immediately gone where he found his presence necessary, and +Horatio returned to take the place of the dead cornet, doubly animated by +the encouragement he had received.</p> +<p>This victory opening a way into the elector of Bavaria's dominions, +that poor country was terribly ravaged, no less than 300 towns, villages +and castles being utterly consumed by a detachment of horse and dragoons +the duke sent for that purpose. Some old officers told Horatio that now +would be the time to make his fortune if he went with these squadrons, +there being many rich things which would fall to the share of the +plunderers; to which he answered, that he came to fight for the honour of +his country, and not to rob for its disgrace. This they laughed at, and +endeavoured to make him sensible, that the taking away an enemy's treasure +was to take away their strength; but all they could say was ineffectual; +he was not to be perswaded out of what he thought reason and justice: and +this conversation being afterward repeated to the duke, he smil'd and +said, he was yet too young to know the value of money.</p> +<p>After this, prince Lewis of Baden dividing from the duke, in order to +undertake the siege of Ingoldstadt, our young cornet attended his grace to +the relief of prince Eugene, who expected to be attacked by the united +army of Bavarians and French, then encamped near Hockstadt.</p> +<p>It would be needless to give any description of this famous battle, few +of my readers but must be acquainted with it, so I shall only say, that +among the number of those few prisoners the French had to boast of in +attonement for so great a defeat, was the young brave Horatio, who fell to +the lot of the baron de la Valiere, nephew to the marquis of Sille. This +nobleman being extremely taken with his person and behaviour, treated him +in the politest manner; and tho' he carried him with him into France, +assured him, that it was more for the pleasure of entertaining him there +than any other consideration. Horatio was not much afflicted at this +misfortune, because it gave him an opportunity of seeing a country he had +heard so much commended, and also to make himself master of a language, +which, tho' he understood, he spoke but imperfectly.</p> +<p>The baron was not only one of the most gallant, but also one of the +best humoured men in the world; he spared nothing during the whole time +they tarried in his quarters, nor in their journey to Paris, which might +contribute to make his prisoner easy under his present circumstances; and +among other things, often said to him, if you and some others have fallen +under the common chance of war, you have yet the happiness of knowing your +army in general has been victorious, and that, there are infinitely a +greater number of ours who, against their will, must see England, than, +there are of yours conducted into France.</p> +<p>On their arrival, Horatio wrote an account to Dorilaus of all had +happened to him, not doubting but he would use his interest to have him +either mentioned when there should come an exchange of prisoners, or that +he would randsom him himself; but receiving no answer, he concluded his +letter, by some accident, had miscarried, and sent another, but that +meeting the same fate as the former, he wrote a third, accompanied with +one to his sister directed to the boarding-school, where he imagined she +still was: to this last, after some time, he had the following return from +the governess:<br/> +<br/> +SIR,<br/> +'A letter directed for miss Louisa coming to<br/> +my house, I was in debate with myself<br/> +what to do with it, that young lady having been<br/> +gone from me last September, since which time<br/> +I have never heard any thing of her:—at last I<br/> +sent it to Dorilaus's country seat by a messenger,<br/> +who brought it to me again, with intelligence<br/> +that he was gone with some friends into the north<br/> +of Ireland, and that it was probable they had<br/> +taken miss with them:—I then thought proper<br/> +to open it, believing she had no secrets I might<br/> +not be entrusted with, and finding it came from<br/> +you, could do no less than give you this information<br/> +to prevent your being under any surprize<br/> +for not receiving answers to your letters. I am<br/> +sorry to find by yours that you have had such ill<br/> +success in your first campaign; but would not<br/> +have you be cast down, since you need not doubt<br/> +but on the return of Dorilaus you will have remittances<br/> +for your ransom, or whatever else you<br/> +may have occasion for.'<br/> +<i>I am</i>, SIR, <i>Your most humble and obedient Servant,</i><br/> +<br/> +A. TRAINWELL. </p> +<p>This letter made him perfectly contented; he had no reason to question +the continuance of Dorilaus's goodness to him, nor that he should attend +this new proof of it any longer than the return of that gentleman to +England should make him know the occasion he now had for it. He therefore +had no anxious thoughts to interrupt the pleasures the place he was in +afforded in such variety; he was every evening with the baron, either at +court, the opera, the comedy, or some other gay scene of entertainment; +was introduced to the best company; and his young heart, charm'd with the +politeness and gallantry of that nation, and the little vanity to which a +person of such early years is incident, being flattered with the +complaisance he was treated with, gave him in a short time a very strong +affection for them; but there was yet another and more powerful motive +which rendered his captivity not only pleasing, but almost destroyed in +him an inclination ever to see his native country again.</p> +<p>The baron de la Valiere had long been passionately in love with a young +lady, who was one of the maids of honour to king James's queen: he went +almost every day to St. Germains, in order to prosecute his addresses, +and frequently took Horatio with him. The motive of his first introducing +him to that court was, perhaps, the vanity of shewing him that no reverse +of fate could make the French regardless of what was due to royalty, since +the Chevalier St. George seem'd to want no requisite of majesty but the +power; but he afterwards found the pleasure he took in those visits +infinitely surpassed what he could have expected, and that his heart had +an attachment, which made him no sooner quit that palace than he would ask +with impatience when they should go thither again. The baron had a great +deal of penetration; and as those who feel the power of love in themselves +can easily perceive the progress it makes in others, a very few visits +confirmed him that Horatio had found something there more attractive than +all he could behold elsewhere: nor was he long at a loss to discover, +among the number or beauties which composed the trains of the queen and +princess, which of them it was that had laid his prisoner under a more +lasting captivity than war had done.</p> +<p>Princess Louisa Maria Teresa, daughter of the late king James, was then +but in her thirteenth year; the ladies who attended her were all of them +much of the same age; and to shew the respect the French had for this +royal family, tho' in misfortunes, were also the daughters of persons +whose birth and fortune might have done honour to the service of the +greatest empress in the world; nor were any of them wanting in those +perfections which attract the heart beyond the pomp of blood or titles; +but she who had influenced that of our Horatio, was likewise in the +opinion of those, who felt not her charms in the same degree he did, +allowed to excel her fair companions in every captivating grace, and to +yield in beauty to none but the princess herself, who was esteemed a +Prodigy. This amiable lady was called Charlotta de Palfoy, only daughter +to the baron of that name; and having from her most early years discovered +a genius above what is ordinarily found in her sex, had been educated by +her indulgent parents in such a manner, as nature left nothing for want of +the improvements of art; yet did not all the accomplishments, she was +mistress of give her the least air of haughtiness; on the contrary, there +was a certain sweetness of temper in her which gave a double charm to +every thing she said or did: she was all affability, courtesy and +chearfulness; she could not therefore avoid treating so agreeable a +stranger as Horatio with all imaginable marks of civility; but she had +been a very small time acquainted with him before her liking ripened into +a kind of tenderness little inferior to what he was possessed of for her; +and tho' both were then too young to be able to judge of the nature of +this growing inclination, yet they found they loved without knowing to +what end.</p> +<p>As both the Chevalier St. George and the princess his sister were +instructed in the English language, and besides many of their court were +natives of Great Britain, whose loyalty had made them follow the exil'd +monarch, the French belonging to them had also an ambition to speak in the +same dialect: mademoiselle Charlotta being but lately come among them had +not yet attained the proper accent, any more than Horatio had that of the +French; so they agreed that to improve each other in the different +languages, he should always speak to her in French, and she should answer +him in English. This succeeded not only for the purpose it was intended, +but likewise drew on a greater intimacy between them than might otherwise +have happened, at least in so short a time.</p> +<p>The baron having a real friendship for Horatio, rejoiced to find he had +so powerful an attachment to continue among them, and without taking any +notice how far he saw into his sentiments, encouraged his visits at St. +Germains all he could. Thus indulged in every thing he wished, he began +insensibly to lose all desires of returning to England, and receiving no +letters either from Dorilaus or his sister, was as it were weaned from +that affection he had formerly bore to them, and in the room of that the +new friendships he was every day contracting took up his mind.</p> +<p>He was indeed used with so much love and respect by people in the most +eminent stations, to whom the baron had introduced him, that it would have +been ungrateful in him not to have returned it with the greatest +good-will. Expressing one day some surprize at being so far forgotten by +his friends in England, de la Valiere told him that he would not have him +look on himself as any other than a guest in France, and that if he chose +to quit that country, he should not only be at his liberty to return to +England whenever he pleased, but also should be furnished with a sum +sufficient for the expences of his journey; but added, that the offer he +now made of depriving himself of so agreeable a companion was a piece of +self-denial, than which there could not be a greater proof of a +disinterested regard.</p> +<p>Horatio replied in the manner this generosity demanded, and said, that +if there was any thing irksome to him in France, it was only his inability +of returning the favours he had received: believe me, sir, pursued he, +were I master of a fortune sufficient to put me above the necessity of +receiving the obligations I now do, it would not be in the power of all I +left in England to prevail on me to return;—it is here, and in the +society of that company I at present, thro' your means, enjoy, that I +would wish to pass my whole life.</p> +<p>The baron then told him he would find a way to make all things easy to +him, and accordingly went the same day to monsieur the prince of Conti, to +whom he gave such an advantageous description of the courage and +accomplishments of the English cornet, and the inclination he had to stay +among them, that his highness told the baron, that he might acquaint him +from him, that if he were willing to serve under him he should have a +commission; or, if he rather chose a civil employment, he would use his +interest to procure him such a one as might afford both honour and +profit.</p> +<p>This the baron did not fail to communicate immediately to Horatio, who, +charm'd with the generosity both of the one and the other, broke out into +the utmost encomiums of that nation:—sure, said he, the French are a +people born to inspire and instruct virtue and benevolence to all the +kingdoms in the world! After the first raptures of his gratitude were +over, being pressed by the baron to let him know which of the prince's +offers he would chuse to accept; alas! replied he, this is a kind of an +unfortunate dilemma I am in;—my inclinations are for the army, and it +would be the height of my ambition to serve under such generals as the +French; but it would be unnatural in me to draw my sword against the land +which gave me being: O would to God! continued he, there were an +opportunity for me to do it in any other cause! how gladly would I leave +the best part of my blood to shew the sense I have of the generosity I +have experienced.</p> +<p>The baron had nothing to offer in opposition to a sentiment which he +found had so much of honour in it, and therefore acquainted the prince +that he chose to accept of his highness's favour in a civil employment; on +which he was ordered to attend his levee the next day.</p> +<p>His good friend accompanied him, and having presented him with the +forms usual on such occasions, the prince received him very graciously, +and was pleased to ask him several questions concerning the government of +England at that time, the battle in which he had been taken, and many +other things, to all which the young Horatio answered with so much +discretion and politeness, as made the prince say to the baron, you have +not flattered this gentleman in your description of him; for tho' I +believe your friendship ready enough to give a just idea of him, yet, I +allure you, his own behaviour is his best recommendation, and well +entitles him to more than I find it in my power to do for him at present. +I have been thinking for you, sir, continued he, turning to Horatio, and +imagine that the employment I have found you will not be disagreeable to +you:—one of the gentlemen of the bed-chamber to the Chevalier St. George +being dead, there is a vacancy, which I will make interest shall be filled +by no other than yourself;—you seem to be much of the same age with him, +and I dare say he will be extremely pleased in the choice I make of you to +be near him:—it is not indeed, added he, a place of so much advantage as +I could wish, but there is a handsome pension annexed to it, which, with +the honour, will, I believe, content you till something better presents +itself.</p> +<p>From the first mention the prince made of the post he had found for +him, the heart of Horatio leap'd in his breast with an agitation he had +never felt before: the thoughts of living at St. Germains in the same +palace with mademoiselle Charlotta so transported him, that he scarce knew +what he said; and the thanks he gave the prince were expressed with such +hyperboles of gratitude, as made his highness think he had a higher idea +of the employment than it indeed deserved; but the baron who knew the +motive, and could not help smiling within himself, to prevent any other +from suspecting it, however, told the prince, that it was not to be +wondered at that he testified so high a satisfaction, since he was now to +serve a family he had by nature a strong attachment to, and at the same +time continue in a country he liked much better than his own.</p> +<p>Horatio by this time having a little recovered himself, and sensible he +had gone rather too far, seconded what the baron had said, and no more +observations were made on it.</p> +<p>That same evening, the prince having made it his request, was Horatio +permitted to kiss the hand of the Chevalier St. George, and the ensuing +day took possession of the apartment appropriated to the office bestowed +on him.</p> +<p>After having received the congratulations of a whole court, who +testified a great deal of satisfaction in having him among them, and paid +his compliments in a particular manner to mademoiselle Charlotta, he took +abundance of pleasure in viewing all the apartments of a palace famous for +the birth of one of the greatest monarchs of the age, and for being the +asylum of the distrest royal family of England: when his attendance on his +master gave him leisure, he frequently passed many hours together in a +closet, where he was told the late king James used to retire every day to +pray for the prosperity of that people who had abjur'd him. Young as +Horatio was, and gay by nature, he sometimes loved to indulge the most +serious meditations; and this place, as well as the condition of those he +served, remonstrating to him the instability of all human greatness, he +made this general reflection, that there was nothing truly valuable but +virtue, because the owner could be deprived of that only by himself, and +not by either the fraud or force of others.</p> +<p>Indeed the behaviour of all the persons who composed this court could +not but inspire those who saw it with sentiments of the nature I have +described: the queen herself, tho' of too great a soul to shew any marks +of repining at her fate, was never seen to smile: even the Chevalier St. +George and princess had both of them a very serious air, which denoted +they had reflections more befitting their condition than their years; and +those about them being most of them persons who had left the greatest part +of their fortunes as well as kindred either in England, Scotland or +Ireland, had their own misfortunes as well as that of the royal cause to +lament, and therefore could not but wear a dejection in their +countenances: in fine, every thing he saw seem'd an emblem of fallen +majesty, except on drawing-room nights, and then indeed the splendor of +Marli and Versailles shone forth at St. Germains in the persons of those +who came to pay their compliments, among whom were not only the Dauphine +and all the princes of the blood, but even the grand monarch himself +thought it not beneath his dignity to give this proof of his respect once +or twice every week.</p> +<p>This way of living, and the company he was now associated with, gave +Horatio a manly way of thinking much sooner than otherwise perhaps he +might have had, yet did not rob him of his vivacity: some of the queen's +women, and the young ladies about the princess, particularly mademoiselle +Charlotta, had a thousand sprightly entertainments among themselves, into +which he, the baron de la Valiere, and some others who had attachments at +that court, were always admitted.</p> +<p>But now the time arrived in which he was to lose the society of that +valuable friend; the campaign was ready to open, and he was obliged to +head his troops and follow the marshals de Villars and Marsin into +Flanders.</p> +<p>All the conversation turning now on war, those martial inclinations, +which love and the season of the year had occasioned to lye dormant for a +while in the bosom of Horatio, now revived in him: he embraced the baron +at taking leave of him with tears of affection and regret: how cruel is my +fate, said he, to make me of a nation at enmity with yours, and that I can +neither fight for you nor against you!</p> +<p>Well, my dear Horatio, replied the other, France may hereafter have +occasion to employ your arm where there are no ties of duty to restrain +you:—in the mean time, continued he with a smile, softer engagements may +employ your thoughts;—mademoiselle Charlotta de Palfoy is a conquest +worth pursuing.</p> +<p>This was the first hint the baron had ever given him of the discovery +he had made of his sentiments, and it so much the more surprized him that +he was told by another what he was not certain of himself:—he knew indeed +the society of that young lady gave him infinite satisfaction, and that he +was restless when absent from her; but these words, and the air with which +they were spoke, shewed him more of his own heart than he had before +examined into;—he blush'd excessively, and made no answer; on which, you +have no cause, resumed the baron, to be asham'd of the passion you are +inspired with, nor troubled at my discovery of it:—I assure you I have +seen it a long time; and tho' you never honoured me with your confidence +in that point, have taken all opportunities of doing justice to your merit +in the conversations I have had with mademoiselle, who I had the +satisfaction to find was not displeased with what I said upon that head; +and I flatter myself with having a good account of the progress you have +made at my return.</p> +<p>I have too much experience of your friendship and goodness to me, +replied Horatio, not to assure myself of your doing me all manner of kind +offices;—I have indeed so great a regard for that lady you mention, that +I know none of her sex who I so much wish should think well of me, yet is +she utterly ignorant of the sentiments I have for her; and if I am +possessed of that passion which they call love, which I protest I am not +certain of myself, I have never made the least declaration that can give +her room to imagine any such thing.</p> +<p>The baron laughed heartily to hear him speak in this manner, and then +told him there was no need of words to make known an inclination of that +kind;—it was to be seen in every look and motion of the person inspired +with it.—Mademoiselle de Palfoy, continued he, young as she is, I dare +answer has penetration enough to see the conquest she has made, but has +not yet learned artifice enough to conceal that she is at the same time +subdued herself;—and if you would take the advice of a person who has +some experience in these affairs, you will endeavour to engage her to a +confession before too much observation on the behaviour of others to their +lovers, shall teach her those imperious airs by which women frequently +torment the heart that adores them, tho' their own perhaps in doing so +feels an equal share.</p> +<p>Horatio, who had seen something like this between the baron and his +mistress, found a great deal of reason in what he said, and promised to be +guided by him, especially as he had encouragement enough to hope, by all +the treatment he had found from Charlotta, that a declaration of love from +him would not offend her beyond forgiveness.</p> +<p>From that time forward he therefore began to think in what manner he +should first disclose the tender secret to the dear object of his +affections: when absent from her he easily found words, but when present, +that awe which is inseparable from a real passion struck him entirely +dumb; and whenever he was about to open his mouth to utter what he +intended, he had neither words nor voice; and tho' he saw her every day, +was often alone with her, and had opportunity enough to have revealed +himself, yet could he not get the better of his timidity for a great +while, and perhaps should have been much longer under this cruel +constraint, had not an accident favoured his wishes beyond what he could +have hoped, or even imagined, and by shewing him part of what passed in +her soul, emboldened him to unfold what his own laboured with on her +account.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. VI.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Describes the masquerade at the dutchess of Main's; the characters +and intrigues of several persons of quality who were there; the odd +behaviour of a lady in regard to Horatio, and Charlotta's sentiments upon +it</i>.</p> +<p>The dutchess of Main was one of the gayest and most gallant ladies at +the court of Lewis XIV. she was for ever entertaining the nobility with +balls, masquerades, or concerts; and as she was of the blood royal, and +highly respected not only on that score, but by the distinguish'd favour +of the king, the Chevalier St. George, and the princess his sister, +frequently honoured her assemblies with their presence.</p> +<p>To divert those ladies whose husbands were gone to Flanders, as she +said, she now proposed a masquerade; and the day being fixed, it was the +sole business of the young and gay to prepare habits such as were most +suitable to their inclinations, or, as they thought, would be most +advantageous to their persons.</p> +<p>The Chevalier St. George was dressed in a rich Grecian habit of +sky-coloured velvet embroidered with large silver stars: the top of his +cap was encompassed with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, saphirs, amythists, +and other precious stones of various colours, set in rows in the exact +form of a rainbow: a light robe of crimson taffaty, fringed with silver, +was fastened by a knot of jewels on his left shoulder, and crossed his +back to the right side, where it was tucked into a belt of the finest +oriental pearls, and thence hung down and trail'd a little on the ground: +in fine, there was nothing that exceeded the magnificence and eloquence +of his appearance, or was in any measure equal to it in the whole +assembly, except that of the princess Louisa his sister.</p> +<p>She would needs go as a Diana, and obliged all her ladies to be habited +like nymphs: no idea of this goddess, inspired either by the painter or +the poet's art, can in any degree come up to that which the fight of this +amiable princess gave every beholder. Conformable to the character she +assumed, she had a large crescent of diamonds on her head, which had no +other covering than a great quantity of the finest hair in the world, +partly braided with pearls and emeralds, and partly flowing in ringlets +down on her alabaster neck: her garments were silver tissue, white and +shining as the moon on a clear frosty night; and being buttoned up a +little at the bottom as for the conveniency of the chace, shewed great +part of her fine proportioned ankle. In her hand she held an ivory bow, +and an arrow of the same headed with gold; and on her shoulder was fixed a +quiver curiously wrought and beset with jewels: her attendants, which were +six in number, had their habits green, but made in the same fashion of the +princess's, with bows and arrows in their hands, and quivers at their +backs: all of them had their hair turned up under a caul of silver net, +from which hung little tossels of pearl intermixed with diamonds.</p> +<p>Next to this fair troop the duchess of Main herself attracted the +attention of the assembly: she was habited like an Indian queen, with +robes composed of feathers so artfully placed, that they represented a +thousand different kind of birds and beasts, which, as she moved, seemed +to have motion in themselves: on her head she had a lofty plume supported +by a cap, and richly ornamented with precious stones; as were all her +garments wherever the propriety of the fashion of them would give leave.</p> +<p>The young mademoiselle de Bourbon, in the habit of a sea-nymph, and +mademoiselle de Blois, in that of a Minerva, ornamented and decorated +according to their several characters, had also their share of admiration.</p> +<p>Nor did the marchionesses of Vallois and Lucerne, both in the garb of +shepherdesses, serve as mere foils to those I have mentioned: there was +something; even in this plainness that shewed the elegance of the wearer's +taste.</p> +<p>The prince of Conde, the dukes of Berry, Vendosine and Chartres, the +young marquis de Montbausine, the counts de Chenille, de Ranbeau, and the +baron de Roche, had all of them habits extremely rich and well fancied, as +were many others of whom it would be too tedious to make particular +mention, and be likewise digressive to the matter I take upon me to +relate; I shall therefore only say, that there was not one person of +either sex, who did not endeavour to set themselves forth to all possible +advantage.</p> +<p>Those gentlemen who attended the Chevalier St. George were at their +liberty to appear in what habit they pleased: Horatio knowing his charming +Charlotta was a nymph of the forest, chose to be a hunter, and was +accordingly dressed in green, with a little cap on his head and a javelin +in his hand, as Acteon is generally portrayed; and indeed had he studied +what garb would have become him best, he could not have fixed on one more +proper for that purpose.</p> +<p>Fine madamoiselle de Sanserre at least thought him more worthy her +regard than any of those, the richness of whose habits made her know were +of a higher rank:—she took particular notice of him, made him dance with +her, and said a thousand gallant things to him; but he could very well +have dispensed with hearing them, and found little satisfaction in any +thing that deprived him of entertaining his dear Charlotta, who he easily +knew by her air and shape from all those who were habited in the same +manner. As he doubted not, however, but the person who had thus singled +him out was a lady of condition, he returned her civilities with a +politeness which was natural to him, but which had received great +improvements since his arrival in France. She was no less charm'd with his +conversation than she had been with his person, and impatient to know who +he was, made an offer of shewing him her face on condition he would pluck +off his mask at the same time: but this he would by no means agree to, +because still hoping to get rid of her, and have some discourse with +mademoiselle Charlotta, he did not think proper he should be known by any +other, who might perhaps make remarks on his behaviour; and therefore +excused himself from complying with her desires in terms as obliging as +the circumstance would admit.</p> +<p>As she had displayed all her talents of wit and eloquence to engage +him, she looked on the little curiosity she had been able to inspire in +him as an affront, and vexed she had thrown away so much time on an +insensible, as she called him, flung hastily away, and joining with some +other company, left him at liberty to pursue his inclinations.</p> +<p>This lady had been a royal mistress, but not having the good fortune to +be made a mother, was not honoured with any title; her being forsaken by +the king, who indeed had few amours of any long continuance, did not in +the least abate the good opinion she had of her beauty; and to fee herself +followed by a train of lovers being the supreme pleasure of her life, she +spared nothing to attract and engage: whenever she failed in this +expectation it was a severe mortification; but her vanity and the gaity of +her humour would not suffer it to prey upon her spirits for above a +minute, and she diverted the shock of a rebuff in one place by new +attempts to conquer in another; therefore it is probable thought no more +of Horatio after she had turned from him.</p> +<p>He now carefully avoided all that might interrupt his wishes, and +seeing Charlotta had just broke off some conversation she had been +entertained with, made what haste he could to prevent her from being +re-engaged:—She immediately knew him; and as their mutual innocence made +them perfectly free in expressing themselves to each other, she told him +she was glad he was come; that they would keep together the whole +masquerade, provided he did not think it a confinement, to prevent her +being persecuted with the impertinencies of some people there, who she +found thought a masque a kind of sanction for saying any thing.</p> +<p>It is not to be doubted but Horatio gave her all the assurances that +words could form, of feeling the most perfect pleasure in her society, and +that he should not; without the extremest reluctance, find himself obliged +to abandon the happiness she offered him to any other person in the +company: to recompence this complaisance, as she called it, she gave him a +brief detail of the characters of as many as she knew thro' their habits; +and in doing this discovered a sweet impartiality and love of truth, which +was no small addition to her other charms. She blamed the baroness de +Guiche for not being able to return the affection of a husband who had +married her with an inconsiderable fortune, and had since she had been his +wife pardoned a thousand miscarriages in her conduct:—she praised the +virtue of mademoiselle de Mareau, who being at fifteen the bride of a man +of seventy, behaved to him with a tenderness, and exact conformity to his +will, which, if owing alone to duty, was not to be distinguished from +inclination:—she expressed a concern that the gaity of the dutchess of +Vendome gave the world any room for censure, and highly condemned the duke +for being guilty of actions which had made her sometimes give into parties +of pleasure by way of retaliation:—but she was more severe on the +indecorum of mademoiselle de Renville, who being known for the mistress of +the duke of Chartres, and that she was supported by him, was fond of +appearing in all public places. She could not help testifying a good deal +of surprize, that any woman who pretended to virtue would admit her into +their assemblies: not but she said the case of that lady was greatly to be +pitied, who being high-born and bred had been reduced to the lowest +exigencies of life, and from which to be relieved she had only consented +to assist the looser pleasures of the amorous duke; but, added she, I +would not methinks have her seem to glory in her shame, and in a manner of +life which her misfortunes alone can render excusable; nor can I approve +of the indulgence her mistaken triumph meets with, because it may not only +destroy all notions of regret in herself for what her necessities oblige +her to, but also make others, who have not the same pretence, find a kind +of sanction for their own errors:—vice, said she, ought at lead to blush, +and hide itself as much as possible from view, left by being tolerated in +public it should become a fashion.</p> +<p>Horatio was so much taken up with admiring the justness of her +sentiments, that awed by them, as it were, he could not yet, tho' mask'd, +make any discovery of his own: she was about entering into a discourse +with him concerning the first motives which had rendered some persons she +pointed out to him unhappy in the marriage-state, which perhaps might have +given him an opportunity for explaining himself, when a lady richly +dress'd came up to them, and giving Horatio a sudden pluck by the arm; +villain! cried she. Madam, returned he, strongly amazed. Is the trifling +conversation of Sanserre, resumed she, or this little creature to be +preferred to a woman of that quality you have dared to abuse?—but this +night has convinced her of your perfidy:—she sends you this, continued +she, giving him a slap over the face as hard as she could, and be assured +it is the last present you will ever receive from her.</p> +<p>She had no sooner uttered these words than she flew quick as lightning +out of the room, leaving Horatio in such a consternation both at what she +said and did, as deprived him even of the thought of following her, or +using any means to solve this riddle.—He was in a deep musing when +mademoiselle Charlotta, possessed that moment with a passion she till then +was ignorant of, said to him; I find, Horatio, you have wonderfully +improved the little time you have been in France, to gain you a +multiplicity of mistresses; but I am sorry my inadvertency in talking to a +man so doubly pre-engaged, should cause me to be reckoned among the +number. In speaking this she turned away with a confusion which was +visible in her air, and the scarlet colour with which her neck was dyed. +By heaven! cried he, in the utmost agitation, I know so little the meaning +of what I have just now heard, that it seems rather a dream than a +reality. O the deceiver! returned she, a little slackening her pace, will +you pretend to have given no occasion for the reproach you have +received:—great must have been your professions to draw on you a +resentment such as I have been witness of;—but I shall take care to give +the lady, whoever she is, no farther room for jealousy on my account; and +as for mademoiselle Sanserre, I believe the stock of reputation she has +will not suffer much from the addition of one more favourite to the number +the world has already given her.</p> +<p>The oddness of this adventure, and the vexation he was in to find +Charlotta seemed incensed against him for a crime of which he knew himself +so perfectly innocent, destroyed at once all the considerations his +timidity had inspired, and aiming only to be cleared in her opinion;—if +there be faith in man, cried he, I know nothing of what I am accused: no +woman but your charming self ever had the power to give me an uneasy +moment;—it is you alone have taught me what it is to love, and as I never +felt, I never pretended to that passion for any other.</p> +<p>Me! replied Charlotta, extremely confused; If it were so, you take a +strange time and method to declare it in;—but I know of no concern I have +in your amours, your gratitude, or your perfidy; and you had better follow +and endeavour to appease your enraged mistress, than lose your time on me +in vain excuses.</p> +<p>Ah mademoiselle! cried he, how unjust and cruel are you, and how severe +my fate, which not content with the despair my real unworthiness of +adoring you has plunged me in, but also adds to it an imputation of crimes +my soul most detests:—I never heard even the name of the lady you +mentioned till your lips pronounced it; and if it be she I danced with, I +protest I never saw her face: and as for the meaning of the other lady's +treatment of me, it must certainly be occasioned by some mistake, having +offered nothing to any of the sex that could justify such a proceeding.</p> +<p>All the time he was speaking Charlotta was endeavouring to compose +herself.—The hurry of spirits she had been in at the apprehensions of +Horatio's having any amorous engagements, shewing her how much interest +she took in him, made her blush at having discovered herself to him so +far; and tho' she could not be any more tranquil, yet she thought she +would for the future be more prudent; to this end she now affected to +laugh at the dilemma into which she told him he had brought himself, by +making addresses in two places at the same time, and advised him in a gay +manner to be more circumspect.</p> +<p>Thus was this beautiful lady, by her jealousy, convinced of her +sensibility; and as difficult as Horatio found it to remove the one, he +found his consolation in the discovery of the other.</p> +<p>From the time he had been disengaged from mademoiselle Sanferre, he had +retired with Charlotta to one corner of the room; and the greatest part of +the company being in a grand dance, the others were taken up in looking on +them, so that our young lovers had the opportunity of talking to each +other without being taken much notice of; but several of the masquers now +drawing nearer that way, prevented Horatio from saying any thing farther +at that time, either to clear his innocence or prosecute his passion; and +Charlotta, glad to avoid all discourse on a subject she thought herself +but ill prepared to answer, joined some ladies, with whom she stayed till +the ball was near concluded.</p> +<p>Horatio after this withdrew to a window, and flickered behind a large +damask curtain, threw himself on a sopha he found there, and ruminated at +full on the adventure had happened to him, in which he found a mixture of +joy and discontent: the behaviour of Charlotta assured him he was not +indifferent to her; but then the thoughts that he appeared in her eyes as +ungrateful, inconstant and perfidious, made him tremble, left the idea of +what he seemed to be should utterly erase that favourable one she had +entertained of what he truly was. By what means he should prove his +sincerity he knew not; and as he was utterly unpracticed in the affairs of +love, lamented the absence of his good friend the baron de la Valiere, who +he thought might have been, able to give him same advice, how to proceed.</p> +<p>He remained buried, as it were, in these cogitations, when a lady +plucked back the curtain which screen'd him, and without seeing any one +was there, threw herself on the sopha almost in his lap.—Oh heaven! +cried she, perceiving what she had done, and immediately rose; but Horatio +starting up, would not suffer her to quit the place, telling her, that +since she chose it, it was his business to retire, and leave her to +indulge whatever meditations had brought her thither. She thank'd him in a +voice which, by its trembling, testified her mind was in some very great +disorder; and added, if your good nature, said she, be equal to your +complaisance, you will do me the favour to desire a lady, dressed in pink +and silver, with a white sattin scarf cross her shoulder, to come here +directly:—you cannot, continued she, be mistaken in the person, because +there is no other in the same habit. Tho' Horatio was very loth to engage +himself in the lady's affairs, fearing to give a second umbrage to +mademoiselle Charlotta, yet he knew not how to excuse granting so small a +request, and therefore assured her of his compliance.</p> +<p>Accordingly he sent his eyes in quest, which soon pointed out to him +the person whom she had described: having delivered his message to her; +Horatio! cried she, somewhat astonished, how came you employed in this +errand? he knew her voice, and that it was mademoiselle de Coigney, the +mistress of his friend the baron, on which he immediately told her how the +lady had surprized him: she laughed heartily, and said no more but left +him, and went to the window he had directed.</p> +<p>For a long time he sought in vain for an opportunity of speaking to the +object of his affections: she was still engaged either in dancing or in +different parties; and as his eyes continually followed her, he easily +perceived she purposely avoided him. A magnificent collation being +prepared in a great drawing-room next to that in which the company were, +they all went in to partake of it. The entertainment was served up on two +large tables; but as every one was mask'd, and the vizards so contriv'd, +that those who wore them could eat without plucking them off, they sat +down promiscuously without ceremony or any distinction of degrees, none +being obliged to know another in these disguises; only the attendants of +the Chevalier St. George, and the princess Louisa, took care not to place +themselves at the same they were, so by this means sat together; but a +great number of others being mingled with them, no particular conversation +could be expected.</p> +<p>Supper being over, they all returned to the ballroom; and Horatio +having contrived it so as to get next Charlotta, she could not refuse the +offer he made her of his hand to lead her in; but as he was about saying +something to her in a low voice, a man came hastily to him, and taking him +a little on one side, presented him with a letter, and then retired with +so much precipitation, that Horatio could neither ask from whom it came, +nor well discern what sort of person it was that gave it him. He put it +however in his pocket, designing to read it at more leisure, his curiosity +for the contents not equalling his desire of entertaining mademoiselle +Charlotta; but that young lady, whose jealousy received new fewel from +this object, had slipt away before he could turn from the man, and had +already mixed with a cluster of both sexes who had got into the room +before them.</p> +<p>Horatio finding all attempts to speak to her that night would be +ineffectual, went back into the drawing-room where they supped, and where +but few people remaining he might examine the letter with more freedom. He +saw it had no superscription; but supposing the inside would give him some +satisfaction, he broke it open hastily and found in it these lines.<br/> +<br/> +'Whether false or faithful still are you dear to<br/> +me; and if I am in the least so to you,<br/> +the treatment you received will be pardoned for<br/> +the sake of the occasion:—I own that at a<br/> +place where you might have been as particular as<br/> +you pleased with me without suspicion, it enraged<br/> +me to see you waste those precious moments<br/> +with others which I flattered myself to have solely<br/> +engrossed;—besides, the character of mademoiselle<br/> +Sanserre is so well known, that I thought<br/> +you would have avoided her of all others; yet<br/> +had she forced herself upon you, sure you might<br/> +afterwards have come to me, when I had given<br/> +you so particular a description of the habit I<br/> +should wear; but instead of making any excuse<br/> +for a first transgression, you hurry to a second,<br/> +and pay all your devoirs to another, whom indeed<br/> +I knew not at that time, but am since informed<br/> +she is one of the maids of honour to princess<br/> +Louisa.—I must confess I had not resolution<br/> +enough to suffer so cruel an injustice, and being<br/> +too much overcome by my passion to resent it as<br/> +I ought, I left the place, and desired our friend to<br/> +do it for me.—I find she somewhat exceeded<br/> +her commission, but you must forgive her, since<br/> +it was her love for me:—I am now at her<br/> +house, where I impatiently expect you—The<br/> +baron is secure for some hours;—those we may<br/> +pass together, if you still think there is any thing<br/> +worth quitting the masquerade for, to be found<br/> +in the arms of<br/> +<br/> +<i>Yours</i>, &c,<br/> +<br/> +<i>P.S.</i> If you now fail, no excuse hereafter shall<br/> +ever plead your pardon.'</p> +<p>This letter confirmed Horatio in the belief he had before, that he had +been mistaken by the lady for some favorite person; but who the lady was, +he was as much in the dark as ever; nor would he have given himself any +trouble concerning it, if he had not hoped by that means to have retrieved +the good opinion of Charlotta. He was however impatient to shew her the +letter, as he doubted not but she had seen it delivered to him; but with +all his assiduity he could not obtain one word in private during the +masquerade; and when it was broke up, which was not till near morning, and +they returned to St. Germains, it was impossible, because he knew she must +be in the princess's chamber, as he in that of the Chevalier St. George: +he was therefore obliged to content himself with the hope that the next +day would be more favourable.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. VII.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>An explanation of the foregoing adventure, with a continuation of +the intrigues of some French ladies, and the policy of mademoiselle +Coigney in regard of her brother</i>.</p> +<p>It cannot be supposed that either of our young lovers enjoyed much true +repose that night, tho' the fatigue of the dance might naturally require +it: the one did but just know herself a lover before she felt the worst +torments of that passion in her jealousy; and the other having been +compelled, as it were, to lay open his heart in order to convince his +charmer it had no object but herself in view, knew not but his temerity in +doing so might be imputed to him as no less a crime than that from which +he attempted to be cleared: each had their different anxieties; but those +of Horatio were the least severe, because thro' all the indignation of his +mistress he saw marks of an affection, which he could not have flattered +himself with if they had not been evident; and conscious of his innocence, +doubted not but time would both explain that and reconcile the offended +fair:—whereas Charlotta was far from being able to assure herself of her +lover's fidelity: she could not conceive how, in the compass of one night, +such a plurality of mistakes should happen to the same man, and trembled +at the reflection that this man, who possibly was the falsest of his sex, +should not only have made an impression on her heart, but also, by the +concern she had so unwarily expressed, have reason to triumph in his +conquest:—ashamed therefore of what she felt, and determined to make use +of her utmost efforts to conceal it for the future, if not to conquer it, +she thought to shun all occasions of seeing or speaking to this dangerous +invader of her peace was the first step she ought to take; but how little +is a heart, possessed of the passion her's was, capable of judging for +itself, or maintaining any resolutions in prejudice of the darling +object!—she had no sooner set it down as a rule to avoid him, than she +began to wish for his presence, and contented herself with thinking she +desired it only out of curiosity to hear what he would say, and to have an +opportunity, by a rallying manner of behaviour, to destroy whatever +conjectures he might have form'd in favour of his passion; but all this +time she deceived herself, and in reality only longed for an interview +with him, in hopes he would find means to justify himself. Horatio, who +was impatient to attempt it, seeing her at a distance walking on the +terrass with no other company than mademoiselle de Coigney, went +immediately to join them, thinking that if the presence of this lady might +be a bar to many things he wanted to say to Charlotta, it would be of +service to him another way, by preventing her from making him any +reproaches.</p> +<p>As soon as he came near, I owe you little thanks, Horatio, said +mademoiselle de Coigney laughing, for the interruption you gave me last +night. In the multiplicity of those reflections which his own affairs had +occasioned him, he had entirely forgot the lady in the window; and +imagining some other accident had happened which should make him appear +yet more guilty in the eyes of Charlotta, ask'd her, with some impatience, +what she meant? don't you remember, answered she, that you brought me a +message from a certain lady? Yes, madam, said he, and in that, thought I +did no more than my duty obliged me to, as she seemed under some +perplexity, which I supposed she was impatient to acquaint you with.</p> +<p>You judged rightly, indeed, resumed de Coigney; but had you known how +gladly I would have dispensed with the honour of her confidence, I dare +answer you would have spared it me:—I'll tell you, my dear, pursued she +turning to Charlotta, for the secrets of this lady are pretty universal; +and I am certain that I have heard from no less than fifty different +persons, that very affair she was in such a hurry to inform me of last +night: you must needs have heard of the amour between madam la Boissy and +the chevalier de Mourenbeau? frequently, replied Charlotta; her ridiculous +jealousies of him have long been the jest of the whole court; and I never +go to Marli or Versailles, but I am told of some new instance of it. And +yet to relate a long story of her passion, and his ingratitude, said +mademoiselle de Coigney, was I last night dragged into a dark corner, and +deprived for an hour together of all the pleasures of the masquerade: it +seems she had over-heard some gallant things between him and the daughter +of the count de Granpree, and that gave her the occasion of running into a +recapitulation of all the professions of constancy he had made to herself, +the proofs she had given him of a too easy belief, and the little regard +he now paid to her peace of mind.—I was obliged to affect a pity for her +misfortunes, and gratitude for the trust she reposed in me, tho' neither +the one or the other merited in reality any thing but contempt.</p> +<p>One often suffers a good deal from one's complaisance this way, said +Charlotta; and for my part there is nothing I would more carefully avoid +than secrets of this nature; but you have not told me how far Horatio was +accessary to bringing you into this trouble.</p> +<p>He them said that he would save mademoiselle de Coigney the labour, and +immediately related how the lady they were speaking of threw herself upon +him, and afterwards enjoined him to deliver the message. But, added he, I +think last night was one of the most unfortunate ones I have ever known, +since, with all the care I could take, I was continually prevented by +other people's concerns from prosecuting my own.—I was not only insulted +and reproached for being mistaken for some other person, for it could +happen no other way, but also soon after received a letter no less +mysterious to me than the blow, which doubtless came from the same +quarter: as there is no name subscribed, or if there were, I should look +on myself as under no obligation of secrecy, I will beg leave to +communicate it to you, ladies.</p> +<p>With these words he took the letter out of his pocket and held it open +between them: Charlotta conquered her impatience so far as not to take it +out of his hand; but mademoiselle Coigney snatched it hastily, imagining +she knew the hand; nor was she deceived in her conjecture: she had no +sooner read it slightly over;—see here, mademoiselle Charlotta, said she, +a new proof of madam de Olonne's folly, and my brother's continued +attachment to that vile woman.</p> +<p>Charlotta then looked over the letter with a satisfaction that was +visible in her countenance; and as soon as she had done, then it is plain, +said she, that Horatio was mistaken for monsieur de Coigney: but how it +happened so is what I cannot conceive.</p> +<p>I can easily solve the riddle, replied mademoiselle de Coigney: I heard +my brother say he intended to wear a hunting dress at the masquerade; but +being disappointed of going to it, by his most christian majesty sending +for him to Marli, I suppose too suddenly for him to give notice of his +enforced absence to madame d'Olonne, and Horatio by chance appearing in +the same habit which he had doubtless told her he would be in, and their +sizes being pretty much alike, she might very well be deceived, and also +have a seeming reason for the jealousy and rage her letter testifies.</p> +<p>Nothing could exceed the joy Horatio felt at this unexpected +eclaircisement of his innocence, which was also doubled by the pleasure +which, in spight of all her endeavours to restrain it, he saw sparkle in +the eyes of his beloved Charlotta. Neither of them, however, had any +opportunity of expressing their sentiments at this time, de Coigney +continuing with them till dinner, when they all separated to go to their +respective tables.</p> +<p>The next day afforded what in this he had sought in vain:—he found her +alone in her own apartment; and having broke the ice, was now grown bold +enough to declare his passion, with all the embellishments necessary to +render it successful: mademoiselle Charlotta knew very well what became +the decorum of her sex, and was too nice an observer of it not to behave +with all the reserve imaginable on this occasion. All the freedom she had +been accustomed to treat him with, while ignorant of his or her own +inclination, was now banished from her words and actions, and she gravely +told him, that if he were in earnest, it was utterly improper for her to +receive any professions of that kind without the approbation of monsieur +de Palfoy her father; and as there was but very little probability of his +granting it, on many considerations, she would wish him to quell in its +infancy an affection which might otherwise be attended with misfortunes to +them both.</p> +<p>It is certain, indeed, that in this she spoke no more than what her +reason suggested: she knew very well that her father had much higher +expectations in view for her, and that on the least suspicion of her +entertaining a foreigner, and one who seemed to have no other dependance +than that of favour, she should be immediately removed from St. Germains; +so that it behoved her to be very circumspect in any encouragement she +gave him: but tho' she spoke to him in this manner, it was not, as her +actions afterwards fully demonstrated, that she really designed what she +said should make him desist his pretensions, but that he should be careful +how he let any one into the secret of his heart. She foresaw little +prospect of their love ever being crown'd with success, yet found too much +pleasure in indulging it to be able to wish an extinction of it, either in +him or herself; and in spight of all the distance she assumed, he easily +perceived that whatever difficulties he should have to struggle with in +the prosecution of his addresses, they would not be owing to her cruelty. +They were both of them too young to attend much to consequences; and as +securing the affections of each other was what each equally aimed at, +neither of them reflected how terrible a separation would be, and how +great the likelihood that it must happen they knew not how soon.</p> +<p>As the remonstrances of mademoiselle Charlotta had all the effect she +intended them for on Horatio, he so well commanding himself that no person +in the world, except the baron de la Valiere, who was absent, had the +least intimation of his passion, they might probably have lived a long +time together in the contentment they now enjoyed, had not an accident, of +which neither of them could have any notion, put a stop to it.</p> +<p>Horatio thought no more on the affair of madame de Olonne and monsieur +de Coigney, from the time he had been cleared of having any concern with +that lady, yet was that night's adventure productive of what he looked +upon as the greatest misfortune could befal him. But to make this matter +conspicuous to the reader, it is necessary to give a brief detail of the +circumstances that led to it.</p> +<p>This lady, who was wife to the baron de Olonne, was one of the most +beautiful, and most vicious women in the kingdom; she entertained a great +number of lovers; but there was none more attached to her, or more loved +by her than young monsieur de Coigney: he had for a long time maintained a +criminal correspondence with her, to the great trouble of all his friends, +who endeavoured all they could, but in vain, to wean him from her: he had +lately a recounter with one of her former lovers, which had like to have +cost him his life; and it was with great difficulty, and as much as the +relations on both sides could do, by representing to the king that they +were set upon by street-robbers, that they avoided the punishment the law +inflicts on duelists. De Coigney was but just recovered of the hurts he +had received, when, so far from resolving to quit the occasion of them, he +made an appointment to meet her at the masquerade:—they had described to +each other the habit they intended to wear, when, as he was preparing for +the rendezvous, an express came from the king, commanding his immediate +attendance at Marli, where the court then was: this was occasioned by old +monsieur de Coigney, who having, by some spies he kept about his son, +received intelligence of this assignation, had no other way to disappoint +it than by the royal authority, which he easily procured, as he was very +much in favour with his majesty; and had laid the matter before him.</p> +<p>The person who came with the mandate had orders not to quit the +presence of young Coigney, but bring him directly; by which means he was +deprived of all opportunity of sending his excuses to madame de Olonne, +who coming to the masquerade big with expectation of seeing her favourite +lover, and finding him, as she imagined, engaged with others, and wholly +regardless of herself, was seized with the most violent jealousy; and not +able to continue in a place where she had received so manifest a slight, +desired mademoiselle de Freville, her confidant and companion, to upbraid +him with his inconstancy; which request she complied with in the manner +already related, and which gave mademoiselle Charlotta such matter of +disquiet.</p> +<p>The amorous madame de Olonne, however, having given vent to the first +transports of her fury, could not hinder those of a softer nature from +returning with the same violence as ever; and for the gratification of +them wrote that letter which Horatio received, and occasioned afterward +the explanation of the whole affair, which explanation he then thought +fortunate for him; but by a whimsical effect of chance it proved utterly +the reverse.</p> +<p>Mademoiselle de Coigney, who had the most tender affection for her +brother, and passionately wished to make him break off all engagements +with a woman of madame de Olonne's character, and who might possibly bring +him under many inconveniencies, took the hint which mademoiselle Charlotta +unthinkingly gave, by telling her how she had been affronted on his +account by de Freville, of putting something into his head which might +probably succeed better than all the attempts had hitherto been practised +to make him quit his present criminal amour.</p> +<p>The first time she saw mademoiselle de Freville, she told her as a +great secret that her brother was fallen in love with mademoiselle +Charlotta, and that she believed it would be a match, for he had already +engaged friends to sollicit monsieur de Palfoy on that score. This she knew +would be carried directly to madame de Olonne, and doubted not but it +would so increase her jealous rage, that all he could say in his defence +would pass for nothing: she also added, that he was in the masquerade that +night, tho' for some private reasons best known to himself, said she, he +had ordered his people to give out he was gone to Marli.</p> +<p>De Freville, who was the creature of madame de Olonne, no sooner +received this intelligence than she flew with it to her, as mademoiselle +de Coigney had imagined: neither did it fail of the desired effect. When +he came to visit her, as he did on the moment of his return from Marli, +the violence of her temper made her break out into such reproaches and +exclamations, as a man had need be very much in love to endure: he +endeavoured to make her sensible of her error by a thousand protestations; +but the more he talk'd of Marli and the king's command, the more she told +him of Charlotta and the masquerade; and almost distracted to find he +still persisted in denying he was there, or had ever made any tender +professions to that lady, she proceeded to such extravagancies as he, who +knew himself innocent, could not forbear replying to in terms which were +far from being softening:—in fine, they quarrelled to a very high degree, +and some company happening to come in at the same time, hindered either of +them from saying any thing which might palliate the resentment of the +other.</p> +<p>Before they had an opportunity of meeting again, mademoiselle de +Coigney saw her brother; and artfully introducing some discourse of +mademoiselle Charlotta de Palfoy, began to run into the utmost encomiums on +that lady's beauty, virtue, wit, and sweetness of disposition, and at last +added, that she should think herself happy in having her for a sister. +Young de Coigney listened attentively to what she said: he had often been +in her company, but being prepossessed with his passion for madame de +Olonne, her charms had not that effect on him as now that the behaviour of +the other had very much lessened his esteem of her.</p> +<p>He replied, that he knew no lady more deserving than the person she +mentioned, and should be glad if, by her interest, he might have +permission to visit her: this was all mademoiselle de Coigney wanted; she +doubted not but if he were once engaged in an honourable passion, it would +entirely cure him of all regard for madame de Olonne, and as she knew he +had a good share of understanding, thought that when he should come to a +more near acquaintance with the perfections of Charlotta, the loose airs +of the other would appear in their true colours, and become as odious to +him as once they had been infatuating.</p> +<p>Finding him so well inclined to her purpose, she took upon herself the +care of introducing him, as it was indeed easy to do, considering the +intimacy there was between her and Charlotta. That young lady received him +as the brother of a person she extremely loved; and little suspecting the +design on which he came, treated him with a gaity which heightened her +charms, and at the same time flattered his hopes, that there was something +in his person not disagreeable to her.</p> +<p>Mademoiselle de Coigney took care that every visit he made to Charlotta +should be reported to de Olonne, which still heightening her resentment, +together with his little assiduity to moderate it, made a total breach +between them, to the great satisfaction of all his friends in general. +Those of them whom mademoiselle had acquainted with the stratagem by which +she brought it about, praised her wit and address; and as they knew the +family and fortune of mademoiselle Charlotta, encouraged her to do every +thing in her power for turning that into reality which she at first had +made use of only as a feint for the reclaiming of her brother.</p> +<p>The young gentleman himself stood in need of no remonstrances of the +advantages he might propose by a marriage with Charlotta; her beauty and +the charms of her conversation had made a conquest of his heart far more +complete than any prospect of interest could have done: not only de +Olonne, but the whole sex would now in vain have endeavoured to attract +the least regard from him, and as he was naturally vain, he thought +nothing but Charlotta de Palfoy worthy of him.</p> +<p>The success he had been accustomed to meet in his love affairs, +emboldened him to declare himself much sooner than he would have done had +he followed the advice of his sister, and too soon to be received in a +manner agreeable to his wishes by a lady of Charlotta's modesty and +delicacy, even had she not been prepossessed in favour of another; for +tho' she respected him as the brother of her friend, that consideration +was too weak to hinder her from letting him know how displeasing his +pretensions were to her, and that if he persisted in them she should be +obliged to refuse seeing him any more. He was now sensible of his error, +and endeavoured to excuse it by the violence of his passion, which he said +would not suffer him to conceal what he felt; but as, when a heart is +truly devoted to one object, the sound of love from any other mouth is +harsh and disagreeable; the more he aimed to vindicate himself in this +point the more guilty he became, and all he said served only to increase +her dislike.</p> +<p>Mademoiselle de Coigney after this took upon her to intercede for her +brother's passion, but with as ill success as he had done; and being one +day more importunate than usual, mademoiselle Charlotta grew in so ill a +humour, that she told her she was determined to give no encouragement to +the amorous addresses of any man, unless commanded to do so by those who +had the power of disposing her; but, added she, I would not have monsieur +de Coigney make any efforts that way; for were he to gain the consent of +my father, which I am far from believing he would do, I have so little +inclination to give him those returns of affection he may expect, that in +such a case I should venture being guilty of disobedience.</p> +<p>Is there any thing so odious then, madam, in the person of my brother? +said de Coigney with a tone that shewed how much she was picqued. I never +gave myself the trouble of examining into the merits either of his person +or behaviour, replied she; but to deal sincerely with you, I have a +perfect aversion to the thoughts of changing my condition, and if you +desire the friendship between us should subsist, you will never mention +any thing of it to me;—and as to your brother, when I am convinced I +shall receive no farther persecutions from him of the nature I have lately +had, he may depend on my treating him with my former regard; till then, +you will do me a favour, and him a service, to desire he would refrain his +visits.</p> +<p>These expressions may be thought little conformable to the natural +politeness of the French, or to that sweetness of disposition which +mademoiselle Charlotta testified on other occasions; but she found herself +so incessantly pressed both by the brother and the sister, and that all +the denials she had given in a different manner had been without effect, +therefore was obliged to assume a harshness, which was far from being +natural to her, in order to prevent consequences which she had too much +reason to apprehend.</p> +<p>Horatio soon discovered he had a rival in monsieur de Coigney; and tho' +he easily saw by Charlotta's behaviour that he had nothing to fear on this +score, yet the interruptions he received from the addresses of this new +lover, made him little able to endure his presence, and he sometimes could +not refrain himself from saying such things as, had not the other been too +much buoyed up with his vanity to take them as meant to himself, must have +occasioned a quarrel.</p> +<p>She made use of all the power she had over him in order to curb the +impetuosity of his temper whenever he met this disturber of his wishes; +but his jealousy would frequently get the better of the respect he paid +her, and they never were together in her apartment without filling her +with mortal fears. She therefore found it absolutely necessary to get rid +of an adorer she hated, in order to hinder one she loved from doing any +thing which might deprive her of him; and tho' she had a real friendship +for mademoiselle de Coigney, yet she chose rather to break with her, than +run the hazard she was continually exposed to by her brother's +indefatigable pursuit.</p> +<p>But all her precaution was of no effect, as well as, the enforced +patience of Horatio: what most she trembled at now fell upon her, and by a +means she had least thought of. Madame de Olonne, full of malice at being +forsaken by her lover, and soon informed by whose charms her misfortune +was occasioned, got a person to represent to the baron de Palfoy the +conquest his daughter had made in such terms, as made him imagine she +encouraged his passion. Neither the character, family, or fortune of de +Coigney being equal to what he thought Charlotta might deserve, made him +very uneasy at this report; and as he looked on her not having acquainted +him with his pretensions as an indication of her having an affection for +him; he resolved to put a stop to the progress of it at once, which could +be done no way so effectually as by removing her from St. Germains.</p> +<p>To this end the careful Father came himself to that court, and waited +on the princess: he told her highness, that being in an ill state of +health and obliged to keep much at home, Charlotta must exchange the +honour she enjoyed in her service, for the observance of her duty to a +parent, who was now incapable of any other pleasures than her society.</p> +<p>The princess, to whom she was extremely dear, could not think of +parting with her without an extreme concern, but after the reasons he had +given for desiring it, would offer nothing for detaining her, on which she +was immediately called in, and made acquainted with this sudden alteration +in her affairs.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. VIII.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>The parting of Horatio and mademoiselle Charlotta, and what happened +after she left St. Germains.</i></p> +<p>A peal of thunder bursting over her head, could not have been more +alarming to mademoiselle Charlotta than the news she now heard; but her +father commanded, the princess had consented, and there was no remedy to +be hoped: she took leave of her royal mistress with a shower of unfeigned +tears, after which she retired to her apartment to prepare for quitting +it, while the baron went to pay his compliments to some of the gentlemen +at that court.</p> +<p>To be removed in this sudden manner she could impute to no other motive +than that the love of Horatio had by some accident been betrayed to her +father, (for she never so much as thought of monsieur de Coigney;) and the +thoughts of being separated from him was so dreadful, that till this fatal +moment she knew not how dear he was to her:—to add to the calamity of +her condition, he was that morning gone a hunting with the Chevalier St. +George, and she had not even the opportunity of giving him the consolation +of knowing she bore at least an equal part in the grief this unexpected +accident must occasion. Mademoiselle de Coigney came to take leave of her, +as did all the ladies of the queen's train as well as the princess's, and +expressed the utmost concern for losing so agreeable a companion; but +these ceremonies were tedious to her, and as she could not see Horatio, +she dispatched every thing with as much expedition as her secret +discontent would permit her to do, and then sent to let her father know +she was ready to attend him.</p> +<p>When they were in the coach both observed a profound silence for some +time; at last, I hope Charlotta, said the baron, you have no extraordinary +reasons to be troubled at leaving St. Germains? none, my lord, answered +she, of so much moment to me as the fears my sudden removal is owing to +your being dissatisfied with my conduct. I flatter myself, resumed he, you +are conscious of nothing which should authorize such an apprehension:—you +have had an education which ought to inform you that persons of your sex +and age are never to act in any material point of themselves:—but courts +are places where this lesson is seldom practised; and tho' the virtues of +the English queen and princess are a shining example to all about them, +yet I am of opinion that innocence is safest in retirement.</p> +<p>As she was fully convinced in her mind that it was only owing to some +jealousy of her behaviour that she had been taken from St. Germains, and +also that it was on the score of Horatio, she would not enquire too deeply +for fear of giving her father an opportunity of entering into +examinations, which she thought she could not answer without either +injuring the truth, or avowing what would not only have incensed him to a +very great degree, but also put him upon measures which would destroy even +the most distant hope of ever seeing Horatio more. He, on his side, would +not acquaint her with the sentiments which the above-mentioned suggestions +had inspired him with, thinking he should discover more of the truth by +keeping a watchful eye over her behaviour without seeming to do so.</p> +<p>During the time of their little journey from the palace of St. Germains +to Paris, where monsieur the baron de Palfoy ordinarily resided, nothing +farther was discoursed on: but when they arrived, and mademoiselle +Charlotta had opportunity of reflecting on this sudden turn, she gave a +loose to all the anxieties it occasioned:—she was not only snatch'd from +the presence of what was most dear to her on earth, but as she had no +confidante, nor durst make any, was also without any means either of +conveying a letter to him, or receiving the least intelligence from him.</p> +<p>She had been in Paris but a very little time before she perceived the +baron artfully kept her in the most severe restraint under a shew of +liberty; pretending to her, as he had done to the princess, that he was +not well enough to go abroad, he would stay at home whole days together, +and oblige her to read, or play to him on the spinnet, which frequently +she did with an aking heart; and when she went out, it was always in +company with a relation whom he kept at his house on purpose, as he said, +as a companion to divert her, but in reality to be a spy over all her +actions; and had orders to dive, by all the insinuations she was mistress +of, into her very thoughts. All this mademoiselle Charlotta had +penetration enough to discover, and, spite of the discontent she laboured +under, so well concealed what they endeavoured to find out, that all the +traps laid for her were wholly ineffectual.</p> +<p>But in what manner did the enamoured Horatio support so cruel an +affliction! he was no sooner informed at his return from hunting of what +had happened, than he was seized with agonies, which, in the force he did +himself to conceal, threw him into a fever that confined him to his bed +for several days: as his passion for mademoiselle Charlotta was not in the +least suspected, every body imputed his disorder to be occasioned by +having over-heated himself in the chace, and during his indisposition was +visited by all the court:—the Chevalier St. George sent two or three +times a day to enquire of the health of his countryman, as he was pleased +to call him, and gave him many other tokens how greatly he was in his +favour; but all the civilities he received were not capable of lessening +the anguish of his mind, which kept his body so weak, that tho' youth and +an excellent constitution threw off the fever in a short time, yet he was +unable to quit his chamber in near three weeks, and when he did, appeared +so wan and so dejected, that he seemed no more than the shadow of the once +gay and sprightly Horatio.</p> +<p>But while he was thus sinking under the burden of his griefs, and +despairing ever to see his adorable Charlotta any more, fate was providing +for him a relief as unexpected as the cause of his present unhappy +situation had been, and to the very same persons also was he indebted both +for the one and the other.</p> +<p>Young monsieur de Coigney was not less alarmed than Horatio at the +removal of Charlotta, tho' it had not the same effect on him; he was +continually teizing his sister to make her a visit and repeat her +intercessions in his behalf; but she had received such tart answers on +that score, that she was very unwilling to undertake the embassy: however, +she complied at last, and was received by mademoiselle Charlotta in the +most obliging manner, but had not the least opportunity of executing her +commission, that lady having a good deal of company with her, whom she +purposely detained to avoid entering into any particular conversation with +her, till the hour in which she knew her attendance on the queen would +oblige her to take leave.</p> +<p>The baron de Palfoy was at that time abroad; but when he was informed +who had been there, was a little disturbed that the sister of de Coigney +endeavoured still to keep up her intimacy with his daughter, not doubting +but she had either brought some letter or message from him, as he was +fully persuaded in his mind that there was a mutual affection between +them; but he took no notice of it as yet, thinking that probably she might +make a second visit, and that then he should be better able to judge of +the motive.</p> +<p>In the mean time the father of monsieur de Coigney being informed of +these proceedings, thought it beneath his son to carry on a clandestine +courtship; and the great share he possessed of the royal favour, he having +been instrumental in gaining some point in the parliament of Paris, +rendered him vain enough to imagine his alliance would not be refused, +tho' there was a superiority both of birth and fortune on the side of +monsieur the baron de Palfoy.</p> +<p>In a perfect confidence of succeeding in his request, he went to his +house, and, after some little preparation, proposed a match between his +son and mademoiselle de Palfoy. The baron was not at all surprized at what +he said, because he expected, if the young people were kept asunder, an +offer would be made of this kind; and after hearing calmly all he had to +say, in order to induce him to give his consent, he told him, that he was +very sorry he had asked a thing which it was impossible to grant, because +he had already determined to dispose otherwise of his daughter. Monsieur +de Coigney then asked to whom. I know not as yet, replied the other, but +when I said I had determined to dispose her otherways, I only meant to one +who is of blood at least equal to her own, and who has never, by any +public debaucheries, rendered himself contemptible to the discreet part of +mankind.</p> +<p>De Coigney knew not how either to put up or resent this affront; he +knew very well that his son had behaved so as to give cause for it, yet +thought he had other perfections which might over-balance what, by a +partial indulgence, he looked upon only as the follies of youth; and as +for the reflection on his family, he told the other, that whatever he was +he owed to the merit of his ancestors, not his own, and that he doubted +not but his son would one day raise his name equal to that of Palfoy. In +fine, the pride of the one, and the vanity of the other, occasioned a +contest between them, which might have furnished matter for a scene in a +comedy had any poet been witness of it: the result of it was that they +agreed in this to be mutually dissatisfied with each other, never to +converse together any more, and to forbid all communication between their +families.</p> +<p>The baron went immediately to his daughter's chamber, and having +ordered her maid, who was then doing something about her, to leave the +room, I have wondered, Charlotta, said he, with a countenance that was far +from betraying the secret vexation of his mind, that you have never, since +your coming to Paris, expressed the least desire of making a visit at St. +Germains, tho' the duty you owe a princess, who seems to have a very great +affection for you, might well have excused any impatience you might have +testified on that score; besides, you owe a visit to mademoiselle de +Coigney.</p> +<p>The princess merits doubtless all the respect I am able to pay her, +answered she; but, my lord, as it was your pleasure to remove me from that +palace, I waited till your command should licence my return; as for +mademoiselle de Coigney, the intimacy between us will excuse those +ceremonies which are of little weight where there is a real friendship.</p> +<p>These words confirming all the baron's suspicions, he thought there was +no need of farther dissimulation, and the long-conceived indignation burst +out in looks more furious than the trembling Charlotta had ever seen in +him before.—Yes, degenerate girl! said he, I have but too plain proofs of +the friendship in which you have linked yourself with the family of the de +Coigney's;—but tell me, continued he, how dare you engage yourself so far +without my knowledge? could you ever hope I would consent to an alliance +with de Coigney?</p> +<p>De Coigney! cried she, much more assured than she had been before the +mention of that name, heaven forbid you should have such a thought!</p> +<p>The resolution and disdain with which she spoke these words a little +surprized him: what, cried he, have you not encouraged the addresses of +young de Coigney, and even proceeded so far as to make his father imagine +there required no more than to ask my consent to a marriage between you!</p> +<p>How much courage does innocence inspire? Charlotta, of late so timid +and alarmed while she thought Horatio was in question, was now all +calmness and composure, when she found de Coigney the person for whom she +had been suspected. She confessed to her father, with the most settled +brow, that he had indeed made some offers of an affection for her, but +said, she had given him such answers, as nothing but the height of +arrogance and folly could interpret to his advantage; and then, on the +baron's commanding her, acquainted him with every particular that had +passed between that young gentleman, his sister, and herself, touching the +affair she was accused of.</p> +<p>She was so minute in every circumstance, answered with such readiness +to all the questions he asked of her, and seemed so perfectly at ease, as +indeed she was, that the baron could no longer have any doubts of her +sincerity, and was sorry he had taken her so abruptly from St. Germains: +he now told her, that she was at liberty to visit there as frequently as +she pleased, only, as he had been affronted by old monsieur de Coigney, as +well as to silence all future reports concerning the young gentleman, he +expected she would break off all acquaintance with mademoiselle. She +assured him of her obedience in this point, and added, that she could do +it without any difficulty; for tho' she was a lady who had many good +qualities, and one for whom she once had a friendship, yet the taking upon +her to forward her brother's designs had occasioned a strangeness between +them, which had already more than half anticipated his commands.</p> +<p>Monsieur the baron de Palfoy was now as well satisfied with his +daughter as he had lately been the reverse, and she was allowed once more +all those innocent liberties which the French ladies, above those of any +other nation in the world, enjoy.</p> +<p>It is not to be doubted but that the first use she made of liberty was +to go to St. Germains: she had heard from mademoiselle de Coigney, when +she came to visit her, that Horatio had been very much indisposed, and at +that time was not quite recovered, and was impatient to give him all the +consolation that the sight of her could afford; but fearing she should not +have an opportunity of speaking to him in private, she wrote a letter, +containing a full recital of the reason which had induced her father to +take her from St. Germains, and the happy mistake he had been in +concerning de Coigney; concluding with letting him know he might sometimes +visit her at Paris as an indifferent acquaintance, not the least suspicion +being entertained of him, and the baron now in so good a humour with her, +that it would not be easy for any one to make him give credit to any +informations to her prejudice. The whole was dictated by a spirit of +tenderness, which, tho' it did not plainly confess an affection, implied +every thing an honourable lover could either expect or hope.</p> +<p>On her arrival at St. Germains, where there was an extreme full court +to congratulate the princess Louisa, on the great victories lately gained +by Charles XII. the brave king of Sweeden, to whom she had been some time +contracted, she passed directly to her highness's apartment; and the +Chevalier St. George being then with her, those of his Gentlemen who had +attended him thither, were waiting in the antichamber: among them was +Horatio: the alteration of his countenance on sight of her, after this +absence, was too visible not to have been remarked, had not all present +been too busy in paying their compliments to her, to take any notice of +it. He was one of the last that approached, being willing to recover the +confusion he felt himself in, lest it should have an effect on his voice +in speaking to her. She, more prepared, received his salute with the same +gay civility she did the others, but at the same instant slipped the +letter she had brought with her into his hand.</p> +<p>Any one who is in the least acquainted with the power of love, may +guess the transports of Horatio at this condescension; but, impatient to +know the dear contents, he went out of the room as soon as he found he +could do it without being observed, and having perused this obliging +billet, found in it a sufficient cordial to revive that long languishment +his spirit had been in.</p> +<p>At his return he found her engaged in conversation with several +gentlemen and ladies: he mingled in the company, but could expect no other +satisfaction from it than being near his dear Charlotta, and hearing her +speak. The Chevalier St. George soon after came out, and he was obliged +with the rest of his train to quit the place, which at present contained +the object of his wishes. She went in immediately after to the princess, +so he saw her no more that day at St. Germains.</p> +<p>All that now employed his thoughts was a pretence to visit her at her +father's house; for tho' she had told him in her letter that he might come +as an ordinary acquaintance, yet knowing that the continuance of their +conversation depended wholly on the secrecy of it, he was willing to avoid +giving even the most distant occasions of suspicion.</p> +<p>Fortune, hitherto favourable to his desires, now presented him with one +more ample than any thing his own invention could have supplied him with: +happening to be at Paris in the company of some friends, with whom he +stayed later than ordinary, he was hurrying thro' the streets in order to +go to the inn where his servant and horses waited for him, when he heard +the clashing of swords at some distance from him: guided by his +generosity, he flew to the place where the noise directed him, and saw by +the lights, which hang out very thick in that city, one person defending +himself against three who pressed very hard upon him, and had got him down +just as Horatio arrived to his relief: he ran among the assaillants; and +either the greatness of his courage, or the belief that others would come +to his assistance, threw them into such a consternation, that they all +sought their safety in their flight, while the person they had attacked +got up again and thanked his deliverer, without whose timely aid, he said, +he could have expected nothing but death: those who set upon him being +robbers, and, as he perceived by their behaviour, desperate wretches, who +were for securing themselves by taking the lives, as well as money, of +those who were too weak to resist them: he pointed to a dead body on the +ground, who he told Horatio was his servant, and had been killed in his +defence.</p> +<p>But how transported was our young lover when, he found that the person +to whom he had done so signal a piece of service, was the father of his +mistress. As he perceived he had some wounds, tho' they proved but slight, +he compleated the obligation he had began to confer, by supporting him +under the arm till he got home, where the baron made him enter with him, +and would have prevailed with him to stay all night; but Horatio told him +he could not well dispense with being absent from his post; that it was +highly proper he should return to St. Germains that night late as it was, +but would do himself the honour of waiting on him the next day to enquire +after the state of the wounds he had received.</p> +<p>Mademoiselle Charlotta was gone to bed; but being rouzed by the +accident, no sooner was informed by the surgeons, who were immediately +sent for, that there was nothing dangerous in the hurts her father had +received, than she blessed heaven for making Horatio the instrument of his +preservation. The sense the baron seemed to have of this obligation, and +the praises he bestowed on the gallant manner in which the young gentleman +came to his relief, made her almost ready to flatter herself that fate +interested itself in behalf of their love; and indeed monsieur the baron, +notwithstanding the haughtiness of his nature, had the most just notions +of gratitude; and to testify it to Horatio, would have refused him scarce +any thing except his daughter. But however that should happen, she still +found more and more excuses for indulging the inclinations she had for +him; and tho' she yet had never given him any such assurances, yet she +resolved in her own mind, to live only for him.</p> +<p>The baron being obliged to keep his bed for several days, Horatio had a +pretence for repeating his visits to him during this time of his +confinement, and afterwards went often by invitation; the other, besides +the obligation he had to him, finding something extremely pleasing in his +conversation, to which (not to take from Horatio's merits) the +obsequiousness he found no difficulty in himself to behave with towards a +Man of his age, his quality, and above all, the father of Charlotta, not a +little contributed.</p> +<p>The lovers had now frequent opportunities of entertaining each other +both at Paris and St. Germains: nor were any of those demonstrations which +virtue and innocence permitted, wanting between them, to render them as +perfectly easy as people can possibly be, who have yet something to desire, +and much to fear. But as smooth as now their fortune seemed, they knew not +how soon a storm might rise, and give a sudden interruption to that +felicity they enjoyed.—The charms of Charlotta were every day making new +conquests; and among the number of those who pretended to admire her, how +probable was it that some one might be thought worthy by her father, and +she be compelled to receive the addresses of a rival. These were +reflections too natural not to occur to them both, and whenever they did, +could not fail of embittering those sweets the certainty of a mutual +affection had otherwise afforded.</p> +<p>They had now no trouble from monsieur de Coigney; his father, in order +to make him forget a hopeless passion, had found an employment for him +which obliged him to go many leagues from Paris; and once the conversation +already mentioned at the baron's, his sister and mademoiselle Charlotta, +by command of their respective parents, as well as their own inclinations, +broke off all correspondence, nor even spoke to each other, unless when +happening to meet in a visit, there was no avoiding it; and then it was in +such a distant manner, and with so much indifference, that none would have +imagined they ever had been intimate friends and companions.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. IX.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>A second separation between Horatio and Charlotta, with some other +occurrences</i>.</p> +<p>The season of the year now having put an end to the campaign, and the +French, as well as confederate armies, being retired into their winter +quarters, the baron de la Valiere, who had always a special permission +from the general, returned to Paris: Horatio promised himself much +satisfaction in the renewed society of this friend, and no sooner heard he +was on the road than he went to meet him. The baron, charm'd with this +proof of his affection and respect, received him as a brother, and there +was little less freedom used between them.</p> +<p>After the mutual testimonies and good-will were over de la Valiere +began to ask him concerning mademoiselle Charlotta; on which Horatio +acquainted him with her being removed from St. Germains, and the occasion +of it, not omitting the arrogance with which old monsieur de Coigney had +behaved to her father, and the resentment now between the families.</p> +<p>Well, said the baron, but I hope you have been more successful, at +least with the young lady: I will never more trust the intelligence of +eyes, if yours did not hold a very tender intercourse; and I protest to +you, my dear Horatio, that amidst all the toils and dangers of war, my +thoughts were often at St. Germains, not envying, but congratulating the +pleasures you enjoyed in the conversation of that amiable lady.</p> +<p>I doubt not, replied Horatio with a smile, but we had you with us at a +place which contained mademoiselle de Coigney; and I am of opinion too she +was no less frequently in the camp with you; for in spite of all the +reserve she affected while you were present, she never heard the bare +mention of your name without emotions, which were very visible in her +countenance.</p> +<p>I would not be vain, replied the baron, but I sometimes have flattered +myself with the hope I was not altogether indifferent to her; tho' for two +whole years that I have constantly made my addresses to her, I never could +obtain one soft confession to assure my happiness:—but let me know how +you have proceeded on the score of mademoiselle Charlotta? believe me, I +am not so engrossed by my own affairs, as not to give attention to those +of a friend.</p> +<p>Horatio, who had been engaged by Charlotta to preserve an inviolable +secrecy in every thing that had passed between them, without any exception +of persons, would fain have turned the conversation on some other topic: +he truly loved the baron, had the highest opinion of his discretion, and +would have trusted him with the dearest secrets of his life, provided they +related to himself alone; but he had given his word, his oath, his honour +to Charlotta, and durst not violate them on any consideration; yet, loth +to refuse or to deceive his friend, he found himself in the most +perplexing dilemma. As often as the other spoke of Charlotta, he answered +with something of de Coigney; but all his artifice was ineffectual, and +the baron at last saw thro' it, and assuming a very grave countenance, I +perceive, Horatio, said he, you do not think me worthy your confidence, +and I was to blame to press you to reveal what you resolve to make a +mystery of.</p> +<p>These words made a very deep impression on the grateful soul of him +they were addressed to; and equally distressed between the necessity of +either disobliging a person whose generosity he had experienced, or +falsifying the promise he had made to Charlotta, at last an expedient +offered to his mind how to avoid both, and yet not be guilty of injuring +the truth.</p> +<p>Alas! my lord, answered he, you little know the heart of Horatio, if +you imagine there be any thing there that would hide itself from you:—I +freely confess, the charms of mademoiselle Charlotta had such an effect on +me, that, had I been in circumstances which in the least could have +flattered me with success, I should long ago have avowed myself her lover: +but when I reflected on the disparity between us, the humour of her +father, and a thousand other impediments, I endeavoured to banish so +hopeless a passion from my breast, and was the more confirmed in my +resolution to do so by the ill treatment monsieur de Coigney +received:—besides, her removal from St. Germains, depriving me in a great +measure of those opportunities I had before of entertaining her, might +very well contribute to wean off a passion, not settled either by time or +expectation, of ever being gratified; and I hope, continued he, I shall +always have so much command over myself as not to become ridiculous by +aiming at impossibilities.</p> +<p>Whether the baron gave any credit to what he said on this account or +not, he had too much politeness to press him any farther; and the +discourse soon after taking another turn, Horatio was very well pleased to +think he had got off so well.</p> +<p>De la Valiere having related to him some particulars of the late +campaign, which the public accounts had been deficient in, they passed +from that to some talk of the brave young king of Sweden, a topic which +filled all Europe with admiration: but the French being a people in whom +the love of glory is the predominant passion, were more than any other +nation charmed with the greatness of that prince's soul.</p> +<p>What indeed has any hero of antiquity to boast of in competition with +this northern monarch, who conquered and gave away kingdoms for the +benefit of others, disdaining to receive any other reward for all his vast +fatigues, than the pleasure of giving a people that person whom he judged +most worthy to reign over them!</p> +<p>The baron, who had attended the Count de Guiscard when he was +residentiary ambassador from his most christian majesty at the Swedish +court, had an opportunity of seeing more of this monarch than any other +that Horatio was acquainted with; he therefore, on his requesting it, +informed him how, at the age of eighteen, he threw off all magnificence, +forsook the pomp and delicacies of a court he had been bred in, and +undertook, and compleated the delivery of his brother-in-law, the duke of +Holstein, from the cruel incursions of the Danes, who had well nigh either +taken or ravaged the greatest part of his territories. He also set forth, +in its proper colours, the base part which Peter Alexowitz, czar of +Muscovy, and Augustus, king of Poland, acted against a prince who was then +employing his arms in the cause of justice; the latter of these bringing a +powerful army to take from him one part of his dominions; and the former, +at the head of an 100,000 men, were plundering the other: but when he +concluded his little narrative, by reciting how this young conqueror, with +a handful of brave Swedes, animated by the example of their king, put +entirely to route all that opposed him, Horatio felt his soul glow with an +ardour superior even to that of love: he longed to behold a prince who +seemed to have all the virtues comprized in him, and whose very thoughts, +as well as actions, might be looked upon as super-natural.</p> +<p>He is, however, greatly to be pitied, said the baron de la Valiere, +that the wars he is engaged in, and which, in all probability will be of +long continuance, hinders him from the possession of the most amiable +princess in the world, and I dare answer, at least if I may credit those +about her, she wishes he were of a less martial disposition.</p> +<p>He will be the more worthy of her, cried Horatio interrupting him, and +the immortal fame of his actions be a sufficient attonement for all the +years of expectation that may be its purchase.</p> +<p>From the time Horatio had this discourse with the baron, the king of +Sweden was ever uppermost in his thoughts: he had always reflected that, +in the station he then was, it would be impossible to obtain any more of +mademoiselle Charlotta than her heart, at least while the baron de Palfoy +lived, and that a thousand accidents might deprive him of all hopes of +ever being more happy; but, said he to himself, were I among the number of +those who attend this hero in his martial exploits, I might at least have +an opportunity of proving how far fortune would befriend me;—who knows +but I might be able to do something which might engage that just and +generous monarch to raise me to a degree capable of avowing my pretensions +even to her father, and the same blessed day that joined our principals, +might also make me blessed in the possession of my dear Charlotta.</p> +<p>With these ideas did he often flatter himself; but the manner in which +he should accomplish his desires was yet doubtless to him. The chevalier +St. George treated him with so much kindness, that he had no room to doubt +his having a great share in his favour; and was fully perswaded, that if +he communicated his intentions to him, he would vouchsafe to give him +letters of recommendation to a prince who was to be his brother-in-law: +but this he feared to ask, lest it should be looked upon as ingratitude +in him to desire to leave a court where he had been so graciously +received, and had many favours, besides the perquisites of his post, +heaped upon him, not only by the chevalier himself, but also by the queen +and princess, who, following the example of the late king, behaved with a +kind of natural affection to all the English.</p> +<p>He sometimes communicated his sentiments on this head to mademoiselle +Charlotta, who was too discreet not to allow the justness of them; and +well knew, that in the station her lover now was, they never could be on +any terms with each other than those they were at present: her reason, +therefore, and the advantage of her love, made her sometimes wish he would +follow the dictates of so laudable an ambition; but then the dangers he +must inevitably be exposed to in following a monarch who never set any +bounds to his courage, and the thoughts how long it might possibly be +before she saw him again, alarmed all her tenderness; and he had the +satisfaction of seeing the tears stand in her eyes whenever they had any +discourse of this nature; and tho' her words assured him that it was her +opinion he could not take a more ready way to raise his own fortune, yet +her looks at the same time made him plainly see how much she would suffer +in his taking that step.</p> +<p>Many reasons, both for and against following his inclination in this +point, presented themselves to him; and he had no sooner, as he thought, +determined for the one, than the other rose with double vehemence and +overthrew the former. In this fluctuating situation of mind did he remain +for some time, and perhaps had done so much longer, had not an accident +happened which proved decisive, and indeed left him no other party to take +than that he afterwards did.</p> +<p>Charlotta, being now entirely mistress of herself, gave him frequent +meetings in the Tuilleries, judging it safer to converse with him there +than at the house of any person, whom, in such a case, must be the +confidante of the whole affair; whereas, if they were seen together in the +walks, it might be judged they met by accident, and not give any grounds +of suspicion, which hitherto they had been so fortunate as to avoid.</p> +<p>It was in one of those appointments, when entered into a very tender +conversation, they forgot themselves so far as to suffer the moon to rise +upon them: the stillness of the evening, and the little company which +happened to be there that night, seemed to indulge their inclinations of +continuing in so sweet a recess:—they were seated on a bench at the foot +of a large tree, when Charlotta, in answer to some tender professions he +had been making, said, depend on this, Horatio, that as you are the first +who has ever been capable of making me sensible of love, so nothing shall +have power to change my sentiments while you continue to deserve, or to +desire I should think of you as I now do. He shall not long continue to +desire it,—cried a voice behind them, and immediately rushed from the +other side of the thicket a man with his sword drawn, and ran full upon +Horatio, who not having time to be upon his guard, had certainly fallen a +victim to his rival's fury, had not a gentleman seized his arm, and, by +superior strength, forced him some paces back.—Are you mad, monsieur, +said he; do you forget the place you are in, or the danger you so lately +escaped for an enterprize of this nature?</p> +<p>Mademoiselle Charlotta, now a little recovered from her first, +surprize, and knowing it was young monsieur de Coigney who had given her +this alarm, had presence enough of mind to ask how he dared, after he knew +her own and father's resolution, to disturb her, or any company she had +with her? he made no reply, but reflecting that there were other ways than +fighting, by which he might be revenged, went hastily away with that +friend who had hindered him from executing his rash purpose; but they +could hear that he muttered something which seemed a menace against them +both.</p> +<p>How impossible is it to express the consternation our lovers now were +in: they found by the repetition monsieur de Coigney made of the words she +spoke, that what they had so long and so successfully laboured to conceal, +was now betrayed:—betrayed to one who would not fail to make the most +malicious use of the discovery, and doubted not but the affair would +become the general talk, perhaps to the prejudice of Charlotta's +reputation; but the least thing either could expect, was to be separated +for ever.</p> +<p>Horatio, full of disturbed emotions, conducted his disconsolate +mistress to the gate of the Tuilleries, and there took a farewel of her, +which he had too much reason to fear would be his last, at least for a +long time. He was tempted by his first emotions to seek de Coigney, and +call him to account for the affront he had put upon him, and either lose +his own life, or oblige the other to secrecy; but then he considered, that +there was some probability he would not dare to own that he had given +himself any concern about mademoiselle Charlotta, after the injunction +laid on him by his father, much less as he had attempted a duel in her +cause, having, as has been already mentioned, been before guilty of a like +offence against the laws, which in that country are very strict, on +account of madame de Olonne; and this prevailed with him to be passive as +to what had happened, till he should hear how the other would behave, and +find what turn the affair would take.</p> +<p>Charlotta in the mean time was in the most terrible anxieties:—she +could not imagine what had brought monsieur de Coigney, who she thought +had been many miles distant, so suddenly to Paris: but on making some +private enquiry, she was informed, that having met some difficulty in the +execution of his office, he had taken post, in order to lay his complaints +before the king, and had arrived that very day.—She now blamed her own +inadvertency in holding any discourse with Horatio, of a nature not proper +to be over-heard, in a place so public as the Tuilleries, where others, as +well as he, might have possibly been witnesses of what was said.</p> +<p>Young monsieur de Coigney suffered little less from the turbulence of +his nature, and the mortification it gave his vanity, to find a person, +whom he looked upon as every way his inferior, preferred to him. His +thoughts were wholly bent on revenge; but in what manner he should +accomplish it, he was for some time uncertain: when he acquainted his +father with the discovery he had made, and the resentment he had testified +against this unworthy rival, as he called him, the old gentleman blamed +him for taking any notice of it. Let them love on, son, said he; let them +marry;—we shall then have a fine opportunity of reproaching the haughty +baron with his new alliance. This did not however satisfy monsieur de +Coigney: all the love he once had for mademoiselle Charlotta was now +turned into hate; and in spite of his father's commands not to meddle in +the affair, he could not help throwing out some reflections among his +companions, very much to the disadvantage of the young lady's reputation. +But these might possibly have blown over, as he had but a small time to +vent his malice. His father knowing the violence of his temper, in order +to prevent any ill consequences, compelled him to return to his +employment; taking upon himself the management of that business which had +brought him so unluckily to Paris.</p> +<p>But mademoiselle de Coigney had no sooner been informed by her brother +of the discovery he had made, than she doubted not that it was on the +score of Horatio that he had met with such ill success in his courtship; +and also imagined, that it had been owing to some ill impressions +mademoiselle Charlotta had given the baron de Palfoy, that her father had +been treated by him in the manner already recited. She complained of it to +the baron de la Valiere, and told him, her whole family had been +affronted, and her brother rendered miserable, for the sake of a young +man, who, said she, can neither have birth or fortune to boast of, since +he has been so long a prisoner without any ransom paid, or interposition +offered to redeem him.</p> +<p>The baron was too generous not to vindicate the merits of Horatio, as +much as was consistent with his love and complaisance for his mistress: he +was notwithstanding very much picqued in his mind that a person, to whom +he had given the greatest proofs of a sincere and disinterested +friendship, should have concealed a secret of this nature from him, and +the more so, as he had seemed to expect and desire his confidence. From +this time forward he behaved to him with a coldness which was sufficient +to convince the other of the motive, especially as he found mademoiselle +de Coigney took all opportunities of throwing the most picquant +reflections on him. It is certain that lady was so full of spight at the +indignity she thought her family had received, that she could not help +whispering the attachment of Horatio and Charlotta, not only at St. +Germains, but at Paris also, with inunendo's little less cruel than those +her brother had made use of to his companions; so that between them, the +amour was talked of among all who were acquainted with either of them.</p> +<p>At length the report reached the ears of the baron de Palfoy, who, tho' +he did not immediately give an entire credit to it, thought it became him +to do every thing in his power to silence it.</p> +<p>Accordingly he called his daughter to him one day, and having told her +the liberty which the world took in censuring her conduct on Horatio's +account, commanded her to avoid all occasions of it for the future, by +seeing him no more.</p> +<p>The confusion she was in, and which she had not artifice wholly to +conceal from the penetrating baron, more convinced him, than all he had +been told, that there was in reality some tender intercourse between them; +but resolving to be fully ascertained, he said no more to her at that +time, but dispatched a messenger immediately to St. Germains, desiring +Horatio to come to him the same day.</p> +<p>The lover readily obeyed this summons, but not without some +apprehensions of the motive: the hints daily given him, joined to the +alteration, not only in the behaviour of mademoiselle de Coigney, but +likewise of the baron de la Valiere, gave him but too just room to fear +his passion was no longer a secret.</p> +<p>The father of Charlotta received him with great courtesy, but nothing +of that pleasantness with which he had looked on him ever since he had +defended him from the robbers. Horatio, said he, I am indebted to you for +my life, and would willingly make what recompence is in my power for the +obligation I have to you:—think therefore what I can do for you; and if +your demands exceed not what is fit for you to ask, or would become me to +grant, you may be assured of my compliance.</p> +<p>The astonishment Horatio was in at these words is impossible to be +expressed; but having an admirable presence of mind, my lord, answered he, +I should be unworthy of the favours you do me, could I be capable of +presuming on them so far as to make any requests beyond the continuance of +them.</p> +<p>No, Horatio, resumed the baron, I acknowledge my gratitude has been too +deficient, since it has extended only to those civilities which are due to +your merit, exclusive of any obligation; the conversation we have had +together has hitherto afforded a pleasure to myself, and it is with a good +deal of mortification I now find a necessity to break it off:—I would +therefore have the satisfaction of doing something that might convince you +of my esteem, at the same time that I desire you to refrain your visits.</p> +<p>Not all Horatio's courage could enable him to stand this shock, without +testifying some part of what passed in his mind:—he was utterly incapable +of making any reply, tho' the silence of the other shewed he expected it, +but stood like one confounded, and conscious of deserving the banishment +he heard pronounced against him.—At last recollecting himself a +little,—my lord, said he, I see not how I can be happy enough to preserve +any part of your esteem, since looked upon as unworthy an honour you were +once pleased to confer upon me.</p> +<p>You affect, said the baron, a slowness of apprehension, which is far +from being natural to you, and perhaps imagine, that by not seeming to +understand me, I should believe there were no grounds for me to forbid +you my house; but, young man, I am not so easily deceived; and since you +oblige me to speak plain, must tell you, I am sorry to find you have +entertained any projects, which, if you had the least consulted your +reason, you would have known could never be accomplished.—In fine, +Horatio, what you make so great a mystery of, may be explained in three +words:—I wish you well as a friend, but cannot think of making you my +son:—I would recompence what you have done for me with any thing but my +daughter, and as a proof of my concern for your happiness, I exclude you +from all society with her, in order to prevent so unavailing a passion +from taking too deep a root.</p> +<p>Ah, my lord, cried Horatio, perceiving all dissimulation would be vain, +the man who once adored mademoiselle de Palfoy can never cease to do so. +He ought therefore, replied the baron, without being moved, to consider +the consequences well before he begins to adore:—if I had been consulted +in the matter I should have advised you better; but it is now too late, +and all I can do is to prevent your ever meeting more:—this, Horatio, is +all I have to say, and that if in any other affair I can be serviceable to +you, communicate your request in writing, and depend on its being granted.</p> +<p>In speaking these last words he withdrew, and left Horatio in a +situation of mind not easy to be conceived.—He was once about to entreat +him to turn back, but had nothing to offer which could make him hope would +prevail on him to alter his resolution.—He never had been insensible of +the vast disparity there was at present between him and the noble family +of de Palfoy: he could expect no other, or rather worse treatment than +what he had now received, if his passion was ever discovered, and had no +excuse to make for what himself allowed so great a presumption.</p> +<p>With a countenance dejected, and a heart oppressed with various +agitations, did he quit the house which contained what was most valuable +to him in the world, while poor Charlotta endured, if possible, a greater +shock.</p> +<p>The baron de Palfoy, now convinced that all he had been informed of was + true, was more incensed against her than he had been on the mistaken + supposition of her being influenced in favour of monsieur de Coigney: he + had no sooner left Horatio than he flew to her apartment, and reproached + her in terms the most severe that words could form.—It was in vain she + protested that she never had any design of giving herself to Horatio + without having first received his permission.—He looked on all she said + as an augmentation of her crime, and soon came to a determination to put + it past her power to give him more than she had already done.</p> +<p>Early next morning he sent her, under the conduct of a person he could +confide in, to a monastry about thirty miles from Paris, without even +letting her know whither she was about being carried, or giving her the +least notice of her departure till the coach was at the door, into which +he put, her himself with these words,—adeiu Charlotta, expect not to see +Paris, or me again, till you desire no more to see Horatio.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. X.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>The reasons that induced Horatio to leave France; with the chevalier +St. George's behaviour on knowing his resolution. He receives an +unexpected favour from the baron de Palfoy.</i></p> +<p>While Charlotta, under the displeasure of her father, and divided, +as she believed, for ever from her lover, was pursuing her melancholy +journey, Horatio was giving way to a grief which knew no bounds, and which +preyed with the greater feirceness on his soul, as he had no friend to +whom he could disburden it. The baron's estrang'd behaviour was no small +addition to his other discontents, and he lamented the cruel necessity +which had enforced him to disoblige a person to whom he owed so many +favours, and whose advice would now have been the greatest consolation.</p> +<p>He could not now hope Charlotta would be permitted to come to St. +Germains, and doubted not but her father would take effectual methods to +prevent her visiting at any place where even accident might occasion a +meeting between them: he knew the watch had been set over her on the +account of monsieur de Coigney, and might be assured it would not now be +less strict, and that it would be equally impossible for either to +communicate their thoughts by writing as it was to see each other.</p> +<p>He was in the midst of these reflections when he heard, by some people +who were acquainted with the baron de Palfoy, that he had sent his +daughter away, but none knew where: this, instead of lessening his +despair, was a very great aggravation of it:—he imagined she was confined +in some monastry, and was not insensible of the difficulties that attend +seeing a young lady who is sent there purposely to avoid the world; yet, +said he to himself, could I be happy enough to discover even to what +province she was carried, I would go from convent to convent till I had +found which of them contained her.</p> +<p>It was in vain that he made all possible enquiry: every one he asked +was in reality as ignorant as himself.—The baron de Palfoy had trusted +none, so could not be deceived but by those persons who had the charge of +conducting her, and of their fidelity he had many proofs. Yet how +impossible is it for human prudence to resist the decrees of fate.—The +secret was betrayed, without any one being guilty of accusing the +confidence reposed in them, and by the strangest accident that perhaps +ever was, Horatio learned all he wished to know when he had given over all +his endeavours for that purpose, and was totally despairing of it.</p> +<p>He came one day to Paris, in order to alleviate his melancholy, in the +company of some young gentlemen, who had expressed a very great regard for +him; but his mind being taken up with various and perplexed thoughts on +his entrance into that city, he mistook his way, and turned into the rue +St. Dennis instead of the rue St. Honore, where he had been accustomed to +leave his horses and servant.—He found his error just as he was passing +by a large inn, and it being a matter of indifference to him where he put +up, would not turn back, but ordered his man to alight here.—I forgot +where I was going, said he, but I suppose the horses will be taken as much +care of at this house as where we used to go. I shall see to that, replied +the fellow. Horatio stepped into a room to take some refreshment while his +servant went to the stable, but had not been there above a minute before +he heard very high words between some people in the yard; and as he turned +towards the window, saw a man in the livery of the baron de Palfoy, and +whom he presently knew to be the coachman of that nobleman. He was hot in +dispute with the innkeeper concerning a horse which he had hired of him, +and, as the other insisted, drove so hard that he had killed him. The +coachman denied the accusation; but the innkeeper told him he had +witnesses to prove the horse died two hours after he was brought home, +and declared, that if he had not satisfaction for his beast, he would +complain to the baron, and if he did not do him justice, have recourse to +law.—There was a long argument between them concerning the number of +miles, the hours they drove, and the weight of the carriage.—Among other +things the innkeeper alledged, that he saw them as he passed his corner, +and there were so many trunks, boxes, and other luggage behind and before +the coach, besides the company that was in it, that it required eight +horses instead of six to draw it. Why then, said the coachman, did it not +kill our horses as well as yours; if they had been equally good, they +would have held out equally.—I do not pretend mine was as good, replied +the innkeeper, I cannot afford to feed my horses as my lord does; but yet +he was a stout gelding, and if he had not been drove so very hard, and +perhaps otherwise ill used into the bargain, he would have been alive now.</p> +<p>All this was sufficient to make Horatio imagine it was for the journey +which deprived him of his dear Charlotta, that this horse had been hired, +so tarried in the place where he was till the debate was over, which ended +not to the satisfaction of the innkeeper, who swore he would not be fooled +out of his money. As soon as the coachman was gone, Horatio called him in, +and asked what was the matter, and who it was that endeavoured to impose +upon him? on which the innkeeper readily told him, that on such a day this +coachman came to him and hired a horse in order to make up a set to go to +Rheines in Champaigne, my lord-baron having three or four sick in the +stable at that time.—Two days after, said he, my horse was brought home +all in a foam, and fell down dead in less than three hours, and yet this +rascally coachman refuses to pay me for him.</p> +<p>Horatio humoured him in all he said, and let him go on his own way till +he had vented his whole stock of railing, and then asked him what company +were in the coach. The innkeeper replied, that there was one man and two +women, but did not know who they were, for their faces were muffled up in +their hoods. This was sufficient for him to be assured it was no other +than Charlotta, with her woman, and some friend whom the baron had sent +with them. The day mentioned, being the very same he had been informed she +was carried away, was also another confirmation; and he had not only the +happiness of knowing where his mistress was, but of knowing it by such +means as could give the baron no suspicion of his being acquainted with +it, and therefore make him think it necessary to remove her.</p> +<p>Having gained this intelligence, which yet he was no better for than +the hope of being able to get a sight of her thro' the grate, which he was +resolved to accomplish some way or other, he resumed his design of going +into the army of the king of Sweden. As a perfect knowledge of the many +excellent qualities of the chevalier St. George, made him regard and love +him with an affection beyond what is ordinarily to be met with from a +servant to his master, he felt an extreme repugnance to quit him, and yet +more in breaking a matter to him which, while it testified a confidence in +the goodness of him whose assistance he must implore, he thought, at the +same time, would be looked on as ingratitude in himself; and he was some +time deliberating in what manner he should do it; and it would have been +perhaps a great while before he could have found words which he would have +thought proper for the purpose, if he had not taken an opportunity, which, +without any design of his own, offered itself to him.</p> +<p>The chevalier St. George took a particular pleasure in the game of +Chess; and Horatio having learned it among the officers in Campaine, +frequently played with him: they were one evening at this diversion, when +the lover of Charlotta having his mind a little perplexed, placed his men +so ill, that the chevalier beat him out at every motion. How is this, +Horatio, cried he; you used to play better than I, butt now I have the +advantage of you.—May you always have it, sir, replied he with the utmost +respect, over all who pretend to oppose you.—Chess is a kind of emblem of +war, where policy should go hand in hand with courage; and there is a +great master in that art, whom if I were some time to serve under, I +flatter myself that I should be able to know how to move my men with +better success than I have done to night; but then my skill should be +employed only against such as are your enemies.</p> +<p>You mean my brother Charles of Sweden, said the chevalier smiling, but +I believe he seldom plays. Never, but when kingdoms are at stake, resumed +Horatio; and if a day should come when you, sir, shall attempt the prize, +how fortunate would it be for me to have learned to serve you as I am +obliged by much more than my duty, by the most natural and inviolable +attachment of my heart, which would render it the greatest blessing I +could receive from heaven. I believe, indeed, returned the chevalier St. +George, you love me enough to fight in my cause whenever occasion offers. +I would not only fight, but die, cried Horatio warmly; yet I would wish to +have the skill to make a great number of your enemies die before me. Well, +said the chevalier, we will talk of this to-morrow; in the mean time play +as well as you can against me at St. Germains: in another place perhaps +you may play for me. Horatio made no other reply to these words than a low +bow, and then elating his hands and eyes to heaven, as internally praying +for the opportunity his master seemed to hint at.</p> +<p>The impression this little conversation made on the mind of the +chevalier St. George, proved itself in its effects the very next day. +Horatio being ordered to come into his chamber early in the morning,—I +have been thinking on what passed last night between us, said he, and if +you have a serious Intention of doing what you seemed to hint at, will +contribute all I can to forward you.</p> +<p>Ah sir! cried Horatio, falling at his feet, impute not, I beseech you, +this desire in me to any thing but the extreme desire I have to render +myself worthy of the favours you have been pleased to confer upon me, and +to be able to serve you whenever any happy occasion shall present itself.</p> +<p>No more, Horatio, replied the chevalier, with a sweetness and +affability peculiar to himself; I am perfectly assured of your duty and +affection to me, and am so far from taking it ill that you desire to quit +my court on this score, that I think, your ambition highly laudable:—I +will write letters of recommendation, with my own hand, to my brother +Charles, and to some others in his camp, which I doubt not but will +procure you a reception answerable to your wishes:—therefore, as it is a +long journey you are to take, the sooner you provide for your departure +the better:—I will order you out of my privy purse 2000 crowns towards +your expences.</p> +<p>Horatio found it impossible to express how much this goodness touched +his soul; nor could do it any otherwise than by prostrating himself a +second time, embracing his knees, and uttering some incoherent +acclamations, which more shewed to his master the sincerity of his +gratitude, and the perfect love he bore him, than the most elegant +speeches could have done.</p> +<p>After all possible demonstrations of the most gracious benignity on the +one side, and reverence on the other, Horatio quitted the presence, and +went to sir Thomas Higgons, who at that time was privy purse, and one of +the finest gentlemen that ever England bred, and acquainted him with the +chevalier St. George's goodness to him, and the change that was going to +be made in his fortune: he thanked him in the politest manner for being +made the first that should congratulate him, and told him, he did not +doubt but he should see him return covered with laurels, and enriched with +honours, by the most glorious and grateful monarch the world had to boast +of. The whole court, whose esteem the good qualities, handsome person, and +agreeable behaviour of Horatio had entirely gained, seemed to partake in +his satisfaction, and he was so engrossed with the preparations for his +departure, and receiving the compliments made him, that tho' he was far +from forgetting Charlotta, yet the languishment which her absence had +occasioned was entirely banished, and he now appeared all life and +spirit.—So true it is that idleness is the food of soft desires.</p> +<p>It must be confessed, indeed, that love had a very great share in +reviving in him those martial inclinations, which for a time had seemed +lulled to rest, since it was to render himself in a condition which might +give him hope of obtaining the object of his love that now pushed him on +to war. He resolved also to make Rheines in his way to Poland, where the +king of Sweden then was pursuing his conquests, and see, if possible, his +dear Charlotta, before he left France; and as he was of a more than +ordinary sanguine disposition, he was much sooner elated with the prospect +of success in any undertaking he went about, than dejected at the +disappointment of it.</p> +<p>The baron de la Valiere, whose friendship over-balanced his resentment, +now gave an instance of his generosity, which, as things had stood of late +between them, Horatio was far from expecting. That nobleman came to his +apartment one day with a letter in his hand, and accosting him with the +familiarity he had been accustomed to treat him with before their +estrangement,—Horatio, said he, I cannot suffer you to leave us without +giving you what testimonies of good-will are in my power:—you are now +going among strangers, and tho' after the recommendations I hear you are +to carry with you from the chevalier St. George, nothing can be added to +assure you of the king of Sweden's favour, yet as many brave actions are +lost for want of a proper representation of them, and the eyes of kings +cannot be every where, it may be of some service to you to have general +Renchild your friend: I once had the honour of a particular acquaintance +with that great man, and I believe this letter, which I beg the favour of +you to deliver to him, will in part convince him of your merit, before you +may have an opportunity of proving it to him by your actions.</p> +<p>Horatio took the letter out of his hand, which he had presented to him +at the conclusion of his speech; and charmed with this behaviour, the +satisfaction I should take, said he, in this mark of your forgiving +goodness, would be beyond all bounds, were I not conscious how far I +have been unworthy of it; and that I fear the same goodness, always +partial to me, may have in this paper (meaning the letter) endeavoured to +give the general an idea of me which I may not be able to preserve.</p> + +<p>I look upon myself to be the best judge of that, replied the baron with +a smile; and you may remember, that on a very different occasion I saw +into your sentiments before you were well acquainted with the nature of +them yourself.</p> +<p>As Horatio knew these words referred to the discourse that had passed +between them concerning his then infant passion for mademoiselle +Charlotta, he could not help blushing; but de la Valiere perceiving he had +given him some confusion, would have turned the discourse, had not the +other thought fit to continue it, by letting him know the real motive +which had constrained him to act with the reserve he had done on that +score.</p> +<p>The baron de la Valiere assured him that he should think no more of it; +and tho' at first he had taken it a little amiss, yet when he came to +reflect on the circumstance, he could not but confess he should have +behaved in the same manner himself.</p> +<p>The renewal of the former friendship between them, greatly added to the +contentment Horatio at present enjoyed; but soon after he received such an +augmentation of it, as he could never have imagined, much less have +flattered himself with the hope of.</p> +<p>Some few days before his departure, a servant of the baron de Palfoy +came to him to let him know his lord sent his compliments, and desired to +speak with him at his own house. The message seemed so improbable, that +Horatio could scarce give credit to it, and imagined the man had been +mistaken in the person to whom he delivered it, till he repeated over and +over again that it was to no other he was sent.</p> +<p>Had it been any other than the father of mademoiselle Charlotta, who +had invited him to a house he had been once forbid, he scarce would have +obeyed the summons; but as it was he, the awful person who gave being to +that charmer of his soul, he sent the most respectful answer, and the same +day took horse for Paris, and attended the explanation of an order which +at present seemed so misterious to him.</p> +<p>The baron was no sooner informed he was there, than he came into the +parlour with a countenance, which had in it all the marks of good humour +and satisfaction; Horatio, said he, after having made him seat himself, I +doubt not but you think me your enemy, after the treatment I gave you the +last time you were here; but I assure you, I suffered no less myself in +forbidding you my house, than you could do in having what you might think +an affront put upon you:—but, continued he after a pause, you ought to +consider I am a father, that Charlotta is my only child, that my whole +estate, and what is of infinite more consideration with me, the honour of +my family, must all devolve on her, and that I am under obligations not to +be dispensed with, to dispose of her in such a manner as shall not any way +degrade the ancestry she is sprung from.—I own your merits:—I also am +indebted to you for my life:—but you are a foreigner, your family +unknown,—your fortune precarious:—I could wish it were +otherwise;—believe, I find in myself an irresistable impulse to love you, +and I know nothing would give me greater pleasure than to convince you of +it.—In fine, there is nothing but Charlotta I would refuse you.</p> +<p>The old lord uttered all this with so feeling an accent that Horatio +was very much moved at it; but unable to guess what would be the +consequence of this strange preparation, and not having any thing to ask +of him but the only thing he had declared he would not grant, he only +thanked him for the concern he was pleased to express, and said, that +perhaps there might come a time in which the obscurity he was in at +present would be enlightened; at least, cried he, I shall have the +satisfaction of endeavouring to acquire by merit what I am denied by +fortune.</p> +<p>I admire this noble ambition in you, replied the baron de Palfoy; +pursue these laudable views, and doubt not of success:—it would be an +infinite pleasure to me to see you raised so high, that I should +acknowledge an alliance with you the greatest honour I could hope: and to +shew you with how much sincerity I speak,—here is a letter I have wrote +to count Piper, the first minister and favourite of the king of Sweden; +when you deliver this to him, I am certain you will be convinced by his +reception of you, that you are one whose interest I take no inconsiderable +part in.</p> +<p>With these words he gave him a letter directed, as he had said, but not +sealed, which Horatio, after he had manifested the sense he had of so +unhoped an obligation, reminded him of. As it concerns only yourself, said +the baron, it is proper you should read it first, and I will then put on +my signet.</p> +<p>Horatio on this unfolded it, and found it contained such high +commendations of him, and such pressing entreaties to that minister to +contribute all he could to his promotion, that it seemed rather dictated +by the fondness of a parent, than by one who had taken so much pains to +avoid being so. O, my lord! cried he, as soon as he had done perusing it, +how much do you over-rate the little merit I am master of, yet how little +regard a passion which is the sole inspirer of it! what will avail all the +glory I can acquire, if unsuccessful in my love!</p> +<p>Let us talk no more of that, said the baron de Palfoy, you ought to be +satisfied I do all for you in my power to do at present:—other +opportunities may hereafter arrive in which you may find the continuance +of my friendship, and a grateful remembrance of the good office you did +me; but to engage me to fulfil my obligations without any reluctance on my +part, you must speak to me no more on a theme which I cannot hear without +emotions, such as I would by no means give way to.</p> +<p>Horatio gave a deep sigh, but presumed not to reply; the other, to +prevent him, turned the conversation on the wonderful actions of that +young king into whose service he was going to enter; but the lover had +contemplations of a different nature which he was impatient to indulge, +therefore made his visit as short as decency and the favour he had just +received would permit. The baron at parting gave him a very affectionate +embrace, and told him, he should rejoice to hear of his success by letters +from him as often as the places and employments he should be in would +allow him to write.</p> +<p>Let any one form, if they can, an idea suitable to the present +situation of Horatio's mind at so astonishing an incident: impossible it +was for him to form any certain conjecture on the baron de Palfoy's +behaviour; some of his expressions seemed to flatter him with the highest +expectations of future happiness, while others, he thought, gave him +reason to despair:—sometimes he imagined that it was to his pride and the +greatness of his spirit, which would not suffer him to let any obligation +go unrequited, that he owed what had been just now done for him.—But when +he reflected on the contents of the letter to count Piper, he could not +help thinking they were dictated by something more than an enforced +gratitude:—he remembered too that he promised him the continuation of his +friendship, and had given some hints during the conversation, as if time +and some accidents, which might possibly happen, might give a turn to his +affairs even on Charlotta's account.—On the whole it appeared most +reasonable to conclude, that if he could by any means raise his fortune in +the world to the pitch the baron had determined for his daughter, he would +not disapprove their loves; and in this belief he could not but think +himself as fortunate as he could expect to be, since he never had been +vain enough to imagine, that in his present circumstances he might hope +either the consent of the father, or the ratification of the daughter's +affection.</p> +<p>Every thing being now ready for his departure, he took leave of the +chevalier St. George, who seemed to be under a concern for losing him, +which only the knowledge how great an advantage this young gentleman would +receive by it, could console: the queen also gave him a letter from +herself to her intended son-in-law; and the charming princess Louisa, with +blushes, bid him tell the king of Sweden, he had her prayers and wishes +for success in all his glorious enterprizes.</p> +<p>Thus laden with credentials which might assure him of a reception equal +to the most ambitious aim of his aspiring soul, he set out from Paris, not +without some tender regret at quitting a place where he had been treated +with such uncommon and distinguished marks of kindness and respect. But +these emotions soon gave way to others more transporting:—he was on his +journey towards Rheines, the place which contained his beloved Charlotta; +and the thoughts that every moment brought him still nearer to her filled +him with extacies, which none but those who truly love can have any just +conception of.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XI.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Horatio arrives at Rheines, finds means to see mademoiselle +Charlotta and afterwards pursues his journey to Poland</i>.</p> +<p>The impatience Horatio had to be at Rheines made him travel very hard +till he reached that city; nor did he allow himself much time for repose +after his fatigue, till having made a strict enquiry at all the +monasteries, he at length discovered where mademoiselle Charlotta was +placed.</p> +<p>Hitherto he had been successful beyond his hopes; but the greatest +difficulty was not yet surmounted: he doubted not but as such secrecy had +been used in the carrying her from Paris, and of the place to which she +had been conveyed, that the same circumspection would be preserved in +concealing her from the sight of any stranger that should come to the +monastry:—he invented many pretences, but none seemed satisfactory to +himself, therefore could not expect they would pass upon +others.—Sometimes he thought of disguising himself in the habit of a +woman, his youth, and the delicacy of his complexion making him imagine he +might impose on the abbess and the nuns for such; but then he feared being +betrayed, by not being able to answer the questions which would in all +probability be asked him.—He endeavoured to find out some person that was +acquainted there; but tho' he asked all the gentlemen, which were a great +many, that dined at the same Hotel with him, he was at as great a loss as +ever. He went to the chapel every hour that mass was said, but could +flatter himself with no other satisfaction from that than the empty one of +knowing he was under the same roof with her; for the gallery in which the +ladies sit, pensioners, as well as those who have taken the veil, are so +closely grated, that it is impossible for those below to distinguish any +object.</p> +<p>He was almost distracted when he had been there three or four days +without being able to find any expedient which he could think likely to +succeed:—he knew not what to resolve on;—time pressed him to pursue his +journey;—every day, every hour that he lost from prosecuting the glorious +hopes he had in view, struck ten thousand daggers to his soul:—but then +to go without informing the dear object of his wishes how great a part she +had in inspiring his ambition,—without assuring her of his eternal +constancy and faith, and receiving some soft condescensions from her to +enable him to support so long an absence as he in all probability must +endure.—All this, I say, was a shock to thought, which, had he not been +relieved from, would have perhaps abated great part of that spirit which +it was necessary for him to preserve, in order to agree with the +recommendatory letters he carried with him.</p> +<p>He was just going out of the chapel full of unquiet meditations, when +passing by the confessional, a magdalen curiously painted which hung near +it attracted his eyes: as he was admiring the piece, something fell from +above and hit against his arm; he stooped to take it up, and found it a +small ivory tablet: he looked up, but could see the shadow of nothing +behind the grate: imagining it only an accident, and not knowing to whom +to return it, he put it in his pocket, but was no sooner out of the chapel +than curiosity excited him to see what it contained, which he had no +sooner done than in the first leaf he found these words: <br/> +<br/> +"As I imagine you did not come this long journey<br/> +without a desire to see me, it would be too ungrateful<br/> +not to assist your endeavours:—come a little before<br/> +vespers, and enquire of the portress for mademoiselle<br/> +du Pont;—say you are her brother, and leave the rest to me."</p> +<p>There was no name subscribed; but the dear characters, tho' evidently +wrote in haste and with a pencil, which made some alteration in the +fineness of the strokes, convinced him it came from no other than +Charlotta; and never were any hours so tedious to him as those which past +between the receiving this appointment, and that of the fulfilling it.</p> +<p>At length the wish'd-for time arrived, and he repaired to the gate, +where telling the portress, as he was ordered, that he was the brother of +mademoiselle du Pont, he was immediately brought into the parlour, where +he had not waited long before a young lady appeared behind the grate: as +he found it was not her he expected, he was a little at a loss, and not +without some apprehensions that his imagination had deceived him: I know +not, madame, said he, if chance has not made me mistaken for some happier +person:—I thought to find a sister here.—No, replied she laughing, +Horatio shall find me a sister in my good offices;—mademoiselle Charlotta +will be here immediately;—she has counterfeited an indisposition to avoid +going to vespers, and obtained permission for me to stay with her;—so +that every thing is right, and as soon as the choir is gone into chapel +you will see her. It would be needless to repeat the transports Horatio +uttered on this occasion, so I shall only say they were such as convinced +mademoiselle du Pont, that her fair friend had not made this condescension +to a man ungrateful for, or insensible of the obligation. He was indeed so +lost in them, that he scarce remembered to pay those compliments to the +lady for her generous assistance which it merited from him; but she easily +forgave any unpoliteness he might be guilty of on that score; and he so +well attoned for it after he had given vent to the sudden emotions of his +joy, that she looked, upon him as the most accomplished, as well as the +most faithful of his sex. They had entered into some discourse of the +rules of the monastry, and how impossible it would have been for him to +have gained an interview with mademoiselle Charlotta, but by the means she +had contrived;—she told him that young lady had seen him for several +days, and not doubling but it was for her sake he came, had resolved to +run any risque rather than he should depart without obtaining so small a +consolation as the sight of her was capable of affording. Horatio, by the +most passionate expressions, testified how dearly he prized what she had +seemed to think of so little value, when the expected charmer of his soul +drew near the grate.—All that can be conceived of tender and endearing +past between them; but when he related to her the occasion of his coming, +and that change of life he now was entering upon, she listened to him with +a mixture of pleasure and anxiety:—she rejoiced with him on the great +prospects he had in view; but the terror of the dangers he was plunging in +was all her own. She was far, however, from discouraging him in his +designs, and concealed not her admiration of the greatness of his spirit, +and that love of glory which seemed to render him capable of undertaking +any thing.</p> +<p>But when she heard in what manner her father had treated him, she was +all astonishment: as she knew his temper perfectly well, she was certain +he would not have acted in the manner he did without being influenced to +it by a very strong liking for Horatio; for tho' gratitude for the good +office he had received at his hands might have engaged him to make some +requital, yet there were several expressions which Horatio, who remembered +all he said, with the utmost exactness repeated to her, that convinced her +he would not have made use of, if he had not meant the person better than +he at present would have him think he did; and that there was in reality +nothing restrained him from making them as happy as their mutual affection +could desire, but the pride of blood and the talk of the world, which the +disparity of their present circumstances would occasion. As she doubted +not but the courage and virtue of Horatio would remove that impediment, +by acquiring a promotion sufficient to countenance his pretensions, she +had now no other disquiet than what arose from her fears for his safety, +which she over and over repeated, conjuring him, in the most tender terms, +not to hazard himself beyond what the duties of his post obliged him +to:—this, said she, shall be the test of my affection to you; for +whenever I hear you run yourself into unnecessary dangers, I will conclude +from that moment you have ceased to remember, or pay any regard to my +injunctions or repose.</p> +<p>Horatio kissed her hand thro' the grate, and told her, he would always +set too great a value on a life she was so good to with the continuance +of, not to take all the care of it that honour would admit; but she would +not give him leave to add any asseverations to this promise, which, said +she, you will every day be tempted to break;—the enterprizing disposition +of the prince you are going to serve, added to your own sense of glory, +will make it very difficult for you not to be the foremost in following +wherever his royal example leads the way:—nor would I wish you to +purchase security by the price of infamy; but as you go in a manner such +as will in all probability place you near his person, methinks it would be +easy for you, by now and then mentioning the princess Louisa, to rouse in +him these soft emotions which might prevent him from too rashly exposing a +life she had so great an interest in.</p> +<p>How great a pity was it this tender conversation between two persons +who had so pure a passion for each other, who had been absent for some +time, and who knew not when, or whether ever they should meet again, could +not be indulged with no longer continuance! but now mademoiselle du Pont, +who had been so good as to stand at some little distance, while they +entertained each other, as a watch to give them notice of any +interruption, now warned them that they must part:—divine service was +over, and the abbess and nuns were returning from chapel.</p> +<p>Short was the farewel the lovers took; mademoiselle Charlotta had told +him it would be highly improper he should run the hazard of a discovery by +coming there a second time, which would probably incense her father so +much, as to convert all the favourable intentions he now might have +towards them into the reverse, and he was therefore oblig'd to content +himself with printing with his lips the seal of his affection on her hand, +which he had scarce done before, on a second motion by mademoiselle du +Pont, she shot suddenly from the place and went to her chamber, that no +suspicions might arise on her being found so well as to have been able to +quit it.</p> +<p>As he had passed for the brother of mademoiselle du Pont, she stayed +some little time with him: this lady, whom Charlotta in this exigence had +made her confidant, had a great deal of good nature, and seeing the agony +Horatio was in, endeavoured to console him by all the arguments she +thought might have force;—she told him, that in the short time she had +been made partaker of mademoiselle Charlotta's secrets, she had expressed +herself with a tenderness for him, with which he ought to be satisfied, +and that she was convinced nothing would ever be capable of making the +least alteration in her sentiments.</p> +<p>While she was speaking in this manner, Horatio remembered that he had +not given Charlotta her tablet, which he now took out of his pocket, and +with the same pencil she had made use of, and which was fastened to it, +wrote in the next leaf to that she had employed these words; <br/> +<br/> +"I go, most dear, and most adorable Charlotta;<br/> +whether to live or die I know not, but which<br/> +ever is my portion, the passion I have for you is<br/> +rooted in my soul, and will be equally immortal:<br/> +life can give no joy but in the hope of being<br/> +yours, nor death any terrors but being separated<br/> +from you:—O! let nothing ever prevail on<br/> +you to forget so perfect an attachment; but in<br/> +the midst of all the temptations you may be<br/> +surrounded with, think that you have vouch-safed<br/> +to encourage my hopes, presuming as they<br/> +are, and if once lost to them, what must be the<br/> +destiny of<br/> +<br/> +HORATIO."</p> +<p>Having thus poured out some part of the over-flowings of his heart, he +entreated mademoiselle du Pont to give it her, which she assured him she +would not only do, but also be a faithful monitor for him during the whole +time she should be happy enough to enjoy the company of that lady. Horatio +having now fulfilled all his passion required of him, quitted Rheines the +next day, no less impatient to pursue his other mistress, glory!</p> +<p>But let us now see in what manner his beautiful sister Louisa, whom we +left at Vienna, was all this while engaged.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XII.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Continuation of the adventures of Louisa: her quitting Vienna with +Melanthe, and going to Venice, with some accidents that there befel them</i>.</p> +<p>Not all the gaieties of the court of Vienna had power to attach the +heart of Melanthe, after she heard that a great number of young officers, +just returned from the campaign in Italy, and other persons of condition, +were going to Venice, in order to partake the diversions of the near +approaching carnival: she was for following pleasure every where, and +having seen all that was worth observing in Germany, was impatient to be +gone where new company and new delights excited her curiosity.</p> +<p>Having therefore obtained proper passports, they set out in company +with several others who were taking the same rout, and by easy journeys +thro' Tyrol, at length arrived at that republic, so famous over all Europe +for its situation, antiquity, and the excellence of its constitution.</p> +<p>Here seemed to be at this time an assemblage of all that was to be +found of grand and polite in the whole christian world; but none appeared +with that splendor and magnificence as did Lewis de Bourbon, prince of +Conti: he had in his train above fifty noblemen and gentlemen of the best +families in France, who had commissions under him in the army, and seemed +proud to be of his retinue, less for his being of the blood royal, than +for the many great and amiable qualities which adorned his person. This +great hero had been a candidate with Augustus, elector of Saxony, for the +crown of Poland; but the ill genius of that kingdom would not suffer it to +be governed by a prince whose virtues would doubtless have rendered it as +flourishing and happy as it has since that unfortunate rejection been +impoverished and miserable. Bigotted to a family whose designs are plainly +to render the crown hereditary, they not only set aside that great prince, +under the vain and common-place pretence, that on electing him they might +be too much under the influence of France; but also afterward, as resolved +to push all good fortune from them with both hands, refused Stanislaus, a +native of Poland, a strict observer of its laws, and a man to whose +courage, virtue, and every eminent qualification even envy itself could +make no objection, and thereby rendered their country the seat of war and +theatre of the most terrible devastations of all kinds. But of this +infatuation of the Poles I shall have occasion hereafter to speak more at +large, and should not now have made any mention of it, had not the +presence of that hero, whom they first rejected, rendered it the general +subject of discourse at Venice. Numberless were the instances he gave of a +magnanimity and greatness of mind worthy of a more exalted throne than +that of Poland; but I shall only mention one, which, like the thumb of +Hercules, may serve to give a picture of him in miniature.</p> +<p>Having the good fortune one night to win a very great sum at a public +gaming, just as he sweep'd the stakes, a noble Venetian, who by some +casualties in life was reduced in his circumstances, could not help crying +out, heavens! how happy would such a chance have made me! these words, +which the extreme difficulties he was under forced from him, without being +sensible himself of what he said, were over-heard by the prince, who +turning hastily about, instead of putting the money into his own pocket, +presented it to him, saying, I am doubly indebted to chance, sir, which +has made me master of this; since it may be of service to you, I beseech +you therefore to accept it with the respects of a prince, whose greatest +pleasure in life is to oblige a worthy person.</p> +<p>It would take up too much time to expatiate on the grateful +acknowledgments made by the Venetian, or the admiration which the report +of this action being immediately spread, occasioned; but, added to others +of a little less conspicuous nature, it greatly served to convince those +who before were ignorant of it, how blind the Polanders had been to their +own interest.</p> +<p>Among the concourse of nobility and gentry, whom merely the love of +pleasure had drawn hither, and for that end were continually forming +parties, Melanthe never failed of making one either in one company or +other: Louisa, whom that lady still treated with her former kindness, or +rather with an increase of it, was also seldom absent, and when she was +so, the fault was wholly her own inclination: but in truth, that hurry of +incessant diversion, which at first had seemed so ravishing to her young +and unexperienced mind, began, by a more perfect acquaintance with it, to +grow tiresome to her, and she rather chose sometimes to retire with a +favourite book into her closet, than to go to the most elegant +entertainment.</p> +<p>It is certain, indeed, that her disposition was rather inclined to +serious than the contrary, and that, joined with the reflections which her +good understanding was perpetually presenting her with, on the uncertainty +of her birth, the precariousness of her dependance, and her enforced +quitting the only person from whom she could expect the means of any solid +establishment in the world, had rendered her sometimes extremely +thoughtful, even in the midst of those pleasures that are ordinarily most +enchanting to one of her sex and age. But as she never was elated with the +respect paid to her supposed condition, so she never was mortified with +the consciousness of her real one, to a behaviour such as might have +degraded the highest birth; neither appearing to expect it, or be covetous +of honours, nor meanly ashamed of accepting them when offered. And while +by this prudent management she secured herself from any danger of being +insulted whenever it should be known who she was, she also gave no +occasion for any one to make too deep an enquiry into her descent or +fortune.</p> +<p>But now the time was arrived when those deficiencies gave her more +anxiety than hitherto they had done; and love in one moment filled her +with those repinings at her fate, which neither vanity or ambition would +ever have had power to do.</p> +<p>Melanthe here, as at Vienna, received the visits of all whose birth, +fortune, or accomplishments, gave them a pretence; but there was none who +paid them so frequently, or which she encouraged with so much pleasure as +those of the count de Bellfleur, a French nobleman belonging to the +above-mentioned prince of Conti: she often told Louisa, when they were +alone, that there was something in the air and manner of behaviour of this +count, which had so perfect a resemblance with that of Henricus, that tho' +it reminded her of that once dear and perfidious man, she could not help +admiring and wishing a frequent sight of him. This was spoke at her first +acquaintance with him; but after some little time she informed her, that +he had declared a passion for her. He is not only like Henricus in his +person, said she, but appears to have the same inclinations also:—he +pretends to adore me, continued she with a sigh, and spares no vows nor +presents to assure me of it:—something within tempts me to believe him, +and yet I fear to be a second time betrayed.</p> +<p>Ah! madam, cried Louisa, in the sincerity of her heart, I beseech you +to be cautious how you too readily give credit to the protestations of a +sex, who, by the little observations I have made, take a pride in +deceiving ours;—besides, the count de Bellfleur is of a nation where +faith, I have heard, is little to be depended on.</p> +<p>Those who give them that character, replied Melanthe, do them an +infinite injustice:—in politics, I allow, they have their artifices, +their subterfuges, as well as in war; but then they put them in practice +only against their enemies, or such as are likely to become so:—wherever +they love, or have a friendship, their generosity is beyond all bounds.—</p> +<p>She pursued this discourse with a long detail of all she had ever read +or heard in the praise of the French, and did not forget to speak of the +prince of Conti as an instance of the gallant spirit with which that +people are animated.</p> +<p>Louisa knew her temper, and that it would be in vain to urge any thing +in contradiction to an inclination she found she was resolved to indulge; +but she secretly trembled for the consequence, the count having said many +amorous things to herself before he pretended any passion for Melanthe; +and tho' he had of late desisted on finding how little she was pleased +with them, yet that he had done so was sufficient to convince her he was +of a wavering disposition. Melanthe was not, however, to be trusted with +this secret; she loved him, and jealousy, added to a good share of vanity, +would, instead of engaging any grateful return for a discovery of that +nature, have made her hate the person he had once thought of as worthy of +coming in any competition with herself. She therefore indeed thought it +best not to interfere in the matter, but leave the event wholly to chance.</p> +<p>The evening on the day in which this discourse had past between them, +they went to a ball, to which they had been invited by one of the +Magnifico's. The honour of the prince's company had been requested; but he +excused himself on account, as it was imagined, of his being engaged with +a certain German lady, who also being absent, gave room for this +conjecture: most of the gentlemen who had followed his highness from +France were there, among whom was the count de Bellfleur, and a young +gentleman called monsieur du Plessis, who, by a fall from his horse, had +been prevented from appearing in public since his arrival. The +gracefulness of his person, the gallant manner in which he introduced +himself, and the brilliant things he said to the ladies, on having been so +long deprived of the happiness he now enjoyed, very much attracted the +admiration of the company; but Louisa in particular thought she had never +seen any thing so perfectly agreeable: a sympathy of sentiment, more than +accident, made him chuse her for his partner in a grand dance then leading +up; and the distinction now paid her by him gave her a secret +satisfaction, which she had never known before on such an occasion, tho' +often singled out by persons in more eminent stations.</p> +<p>The mind which, whenever agitated by any degree of pain or pleasure, +never fails to discover itself in the eyes, now sparkled in those of +Louisa with an uncommon lustre, nor had less influence over all her +air:—her motions always perfectly easy, gentle and graceful, especially +in dancing, were now more spirituous, more alert than usual; and she so +much excelled herself, that several, who had before praised her skill in +this exercise, seemed ravished, as if they had seen something new and +unexpected:—her partner was lavish in the testimonies of his admiration, +and said, she as much excelled the ladies of his country, as they had been +allowed to excel all others.</p> +<p>The encomiums bestowed on her, and more particularly those she received +from him, still added fresh radiance to her eyes, and at the same time +diffused a modest blush in her checks which heightened all her +charms.—Never had she appeared so lovely as at this time; and the count +de Bellfleur, in spight of his attachment to Melanthe, felt in himself a +strong propensity to renew those addresses which her reserved behaviour +alone had made him withdraw and carry to another; but the lady to whom for +some days past he had made a shew of devoting himself was present, and he +was ashamed to give so glaring an instance of his infidelity, which must +in all probability render him the contempt of both.</p> +<p>This night, however, lost Melanthe the heart she had thought herself so +secure of; but little suspecting her misfortune, she treated the +inconstant count with a tenderness he was far from deserving; and having +transplanted all the affection she once had for Henricus on this new +object, told him, at a time that such discovery was least welcome to him, +that she was not insensible of his merit, nor could be ungrateful to his +passion, provided she could be convinced of the sincerity of it. He had +gone too far with her now to be able to draw back, therefore could not +avoid repeating the vows he before had made, tho' his heart was far from +giving any asient to what his tongue was obliged to utter; but blinded by +her own desires, she perceived not the change in his, and appointed him to +come the next day to her lodgings, promising to be denied to all other +company, that she might devote herself entirely to him.</p> +<p>It is possible he was so lost in his passion for Louisa, as not to be +sensible of the condescension made him by Melanthe; but it is certain, by +the sequel of his behaviour, that he was much less so than he pretended.</p> +<p>The ball being ended, these ladies carried with them very different +emotions, tho' neither communicated to the other what she felt. Melanthe +had a kind of awe for those virtuous principles she observed in Louisa, +tho' so much her inferior and dependant, and was ashamed to confess her +liking of the count should have brought her to such lengths; not that she +intended to keep it always a secret from her, but chose she should find it +out by degrees; and these thoughts so much engrossed her, that she said +little to her that night. Louisa, for her part, having lost the presence +of her agreeable partner, was busy in supplying that deficiency with the +idea of him; so that each having meditations of her own of the most +interesting nature, had not leisure to observe the thoughtfulness of the +other, much less to enquire the motive of it.</p> +<p>One of the great reasons that we find love so irresistable, is, that it +enters into the heart with so much subtilty, that it is not to be +perceived till it has gathered too much strength to be repulsed. If Louisa +had imagined herself in any danger from the merits of monsieur du Plessis, +she would at least have been less easily overcome by them:—she had been +accustomed to be pleased with the conversation of many who had entertained +her as he had done, but thought no more of them, or any thing they said, +when out of their company; but it was otherways with her now: not a word +he had spoke, not a glance he had given, but was imprinted in her +mind:—her memory ran over every little action a thousand and a thousand +times, and represented all as augmented with some grace peculiar to +himself, and infinitely superior to any thing she had ever seen:—not even +sleep could shut him out;—thro' her closed eyes she saw the pleasing +vision; and fancy, active in the cause of love, formed new and various +scenes, which to her waking thoughts were wholly strangers.</p> +<p>Melanthe also past the night in ideas which, tho' experienced in, were +not less ravishing: she was not of a temper to put any constraint on her +inclinations; and having entertained the most amorous ones for the count +de Bellfleur, easily overcame all scruples that might have hindered the +gratification of them:—her head ran on the appointment she had made +him:—the means she would take to engage his constancy,—resolved to sell +the reversion of her jointure and accompany him to France, and flattered +herself with the most pleasing images of a long series of continued +happiness in the arms of him, who was now all to her that Henricus ever +had been.</p> +<p>Full of these meditations she rose, and soon after received from the +subject of them a billet, containing these words: <br/> +<br/> +<i>To the charming</i> MELANTHE. <br/> +<br/> +MADAM,<br/> +"Tho' the transporting promise you made<br/> +me of refusing admittance to all company<br/> +but mine, is a new instance of your goodness,<br/> +yet I cannot but think we should be still more<br/> +secure from interruption at a place I have taken<br/> +care to provide. Might I therefore hope you<br/> +would vouchsafe to meet me about five in the<br/> +evening at the dome of St. Mark, I shall be<br/> +ready with a Gondula to conduct you to a recess,<br/> +which seems formed by the god of love himself<br/> +for the temple of his purest offerings, than which<br/> +which none can be offered with greater passion<br/> +and sincerity than those of the adorable Melanthe's<br/> +<br/> +<i>Most devoted, and<br/> +Everlasting Slave</i>,<br/> +<br/> +DE BELLFLEUR.<br/> +<br/> +<i>P.S.</i>. To prevent your fair friend Louisa from<br/> +any suspicion on account of being left at<br/> +home, I have engaged a gentleman to make<br/> +her a visit in form, just before the time of<br/> +your coming out:—favour me, I beseech<br/> +you, with knowing if my contrivances in<br/> +both these points have the sanction of your<br/> +approbation."</p> +<p>Tho' Melanthe, as may have been already observed in the foregoing part +of her character, was no slave to reputation in England, and thought +herself much less obliged to be so in a place where she was a stranger, +and among people who, when she once quitted, she might probably never see +again, yet she looked on this caution in her lover as a new proof of his +sincerity and regard for her. She was also fond of every thing that had an +air of luxury, and doubted not to find the elegance of the French taste in +the entertainment he would cause to be prepared for her reception, +therefore hesitated not a moment to send him the following answer: <br/> +<br/> +<i>To the engaging count</i> DE BELLFLEUR.<br/> +<br/> +"Sensible, as you are, of the ascendant your<br/> +merits have gained over me, you cannot<br/> +doubt of my compliance with every thing that seems<br/> +reasonable to you:—I will not fail to be<br/> +at the place you mention; but oh! my dear<br/> +count, I hope you will never give me cause to<br/> +repent this step;—if you should, I must be<br/> +the most miserable of all created beings; but I<br/> +am resolved to believe you are all that man ought<br/> +to be, or that fond tenacious woman can desire;<br/> +and in that confidence attend with impatience<br/> +the hour in which there shall be no more reserve<br/> +between us, and I be wholly yours.<br/> +<br/> +MELANTHE."</p> +<p>Thus every thing being fixed for her undoing, she spent the best part +of the day in preparing for the rendezvous: nothing was omitted in the +article of dress, which might heighten her charms and secure her +conquest:—the glass was consulted every moment, and every look and +various kind of languishment essayed, in order to continue in that which +she thought would most become the occasion. As she ordinarily past a great +deal of time in this employment, Louisa was not surprized that she now +wasted somewhat more than usual; and the discourse they had together while +she was dressing, and all the time of dinner, being very much on the ball +and the company who were at it, her thoughts were so much taken up with +the remembrance of du Plessis, that she perceived not the hurry of spirits +which would else have been visible enough to her in all the words and +motions of the other, and which increased in proportion as the hour of her +appointment drew nearer.</p> +<p>At length it arrived, and a servant came into the room and acquainted +Louisa a gentleman desired to speak with her; she was a little surprized, +it being usual for all those who visited there to expect their reception +from Melanthe; but that lady, who doubted not but it was the same person +the count had mentioned in his letter, prevented her from saying any +thing, by immediately giving orders for the gentleman to be admitted.</p> +<p>But with what strange emotions was the heart of Louisa agitated, when +she saw monsieur du Plessis come into the room! and after paying his +respects to Melanthe in the most submissive manner, accosted her, with +saying he took the liberty of enquiring of her health after the fatigue of +the last night; but, added he, the question, now I have the happiness of +seeing you, is altogether needless; those fine eyes, and that sprightly +air, declare you formed for everlasting gaiety, and that what is apt to +throw the spirits of others into a languor, serves but to render yours +more sparkling.</p> +<p>Louisa, in spite of the confusion she felt within, answered this +compliment with her accustomed ease; and being all seated, they began to +enter into some conversation concerning the state with which the +Magnifico's of Venice are served, the elegance with which they entertain +strangers, and some other topics relating to the customs of that republic, +when all on a sudden Melanthe starting up, cried, bless me! I had forgot a +little visit was in my head to make to a monastery hard by:—you will +excuse me, monsieur, continued she, I leave your partner to entertain you, +and fancy you two may find sufficient matter of conversation without a +third person. She had no sooner spoke this than she went out of the room, +and left Louisa at a loss how to account for this behaviour, as she had +not before mentioned any thing of going abroad. She would have imagined +her vanity had been picqued that monsieur du Plessis had particularized +her in this visit; but as she seemed in perfect good humour at going away, +and knew she thought it beneath her to put any disguise on her sentiments, +she was certain this sudden motion must have proceeded from some other +cause, which as yet she could form no conjecture of.</p> +<p>This deceived lady, however, was no sooner out of the room, than +monsieur du Plessis drawing nearer to Louisa, how hard is my fate, madame, +said he, in a low voice, that I am compelled to tell you any other motive +than my own inclination has occasioned my waiting on you:—heaven knows it +is an honour I should have sought by the lowest submissions, and all the +ways that would not have rendered me unworthy of it; but I now come, +madame, not as myself, but as the ambassador of another, and am engaged by +my word and honour to plead a cause which, if I succeed in, must be my own +destruction.</p> +<p>Louisa was in the utmost consternation at the mystery which seemed +contained in these words: she looked earnestly upon him while he was +uttering the latter part, and saw all the tokens of a serious perplexity +in his countenance, as well as in the accents with which he delivered +them; but not being willing to be the dupe of his diversion, thought it +best to answer as to a piece of railery, and told him, laughing, she +imagined this was some new invention of the frolics of the season, but +that she was a downright English-woman, understood nothing beyond plain +speaking, and could no ways solve the riddle he proposed.</p> +<p>What I say, may doubtless appear so, madame; replied she, and I could +wish it had not been my part to give the explanation; but I cannot +dispense with the promise I have made, and must therefore acquaint you +with the history of it.</p> +<p>After the ball, continued he, monsieur the count de Bellfleur desired +me to accompany him to his lodgings, and, as soon as we were alone, told +me, he had a little secret to acquaint me with, but that, before he +revealed it, he must have the promise of my assistance. As he spoke this +with a gay and negligent air, I imagined it a thing of no great +consequence, or if it were, he was a man of too much honour, and also knew +me too well to desire or expect I would engage in any thing unbecoming +that character: indeed I could think of nothing but an amour or a duel, +tho' I was far from being able to guess of what service I could be to him +in the former. I was, however, unwarily drawn in to give my word, and he +then made me the confident of a passion, which, he said, had received its +birth from the first moment he beheld the Belle Angloise, for by that +term, pursued he, bowing, he distinguished the adorable Louisa: that he +had made some discovery of his flame, but that finding; himself rejected, +as he thought, in too severe a manner, and without affording him +opportunity to attest his sincerity, he had converted his addresses, tho' +not his passion, to a lady who, he perceived, had the care of her, acting +in this manner, partly thro' picque at your disdain, and partly to gratify +his eyes with the sight of you, which he has reason to fear you had +totally deprived him of but for this stratagem. He confessed to me that he +found the object of his pretended ardours infinitely more kind than she +who inspires the real ones: but this gratification of his vanity is of +little consequence to his peace;—he engaged me to attend you this day, to +conjure you to believe his heart is incapable of being influenced by any +other charms, and whatever he makes shew of to Melanthe, his heart is +devoted wholly to you,—begs you to permit him to entertain you without +the presence of that lady, the means of which he will take care to +contrive; and charged me to assure you, that there is no sacrifice so +great, but he will readily offer it to convince you of the sincerity of +his attachment.</p> +<p>This, madame, added he, is the unpleasing task my promise bound me to +perform, and which I have acquitted myself of with the same pain that man +would do who, by some strange caprice of fate, was constrained to throw +into the sea the sum of all his hopes.</p> +<p>The indignation which filled the virtuous foul of Louisa, while he was +giving her this detail of the count's presumption, falsehood, and +ingratitude, prevented her from giving much attention to the apology with +which he concluded. Never, since the behaviour of mr. B——n at mrs. +C—g—'s, had she met with any thing that she thought so much merited her +resentment:—so great was her disdain she had not words to express it, but +by some tears, which the rising passion forced from her eyes:—Heaven! +cried she, which of my actions has drawn on me this unworthy +treatment?—This was all she was able to utter, while she walked backward +and forward in the room endeavouring to compose herself, and form some +answer befitting of the message.</p> +<p>Monsieur du Plessis looked on her all this while with admiration: all +that seemed lovely in her, when he knew no more of her than that she was +young and beautiful, was now heightened in his eyes almost to divine, by +that virtuous pride which shewed him some part of her more charming mind. +What he extremely liked before, he now almost adored; and having, by the +loose manner in which the count had mentioned these two English ladies, +imagined them women of not over-rigid principles, now finding his mistake, +at least as concerning one of them, was so much ashamed and angry with +himself for having been the cause of that disorder he was witness of, that +he for some moments was equally at a loss to appease, as she who felt was +to express it.</p> +<p>But being the first that recovered presence of mind; madame, I beseech +you, said he, involve not the innocent with the guilty:—I acknowledge you +have reason to resent the boldness of the count; but I am no otherwise a +sharer in his crime than in reporting it; and if you knew the pain it gave +my heart while I complied with the promise I was unhappily betrayed into, +I am sure you would forgive the misdemeanor of my tongue.</p> +<p>Sir, answered she, I can easily forgive the slight opinion one so much +a stranger to me as yourself may have of me; but monsieur the count has +been a constant visitor to the lady I am with, ever since our arrival at +Venice; and am very certain he never found any thing in my behaviour to +him or any other person, which could justly encourage him to send me such +a message:—a message, indeed, equally affrontive to himself, since it +shews him a composition of arrogance, vanity, perfidy, and every thing +that is contemptible in man.—This, sir, is the reply I send him, and +desire you to tell him withal, that if he persists in giving me any +farther trouble of this nature, I shall let him know my sense of it in the +presence of Melanthe.</p> +<p>Monsieur du Plessis then assured her he would be no less exact in +delivering what she said, than he had been in the observance of his +promise to the other, and conjured her to believe he should do it with +infinite more satisfaction. He then made use of so many arguments to +prove, that a man of honour ought not to falsify his word, tho' given to +an unworthy person, that she was at last won to forgive his having +undertaken to mention any thing to her of the nature he had done.</p> +<p>Indeed, the agitations she had been in were more owing to the vexation +that monsieur du Plessis was the person employed, than that the count had +the boldness to apply to her in this manner; but the submission she found +herself treated with by the former, convincing her that he had sentiments +very different from those the other had entertained of her, rendered her +more easy, and she not only forgave his share in the business which had +brought him there, but also permitted him to repeat his visits, on +condition he never gave her any cause to suspect the mean opinion the +count had of her conduct had any influence on him.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XIII.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Louisa finds herself very much embarrassed by Melanthe's imprudent +behaviour. Monsieur du Plessis declares an honourable passion for her: her +sentiments and way of acting on that occasion</i>.</p> +<p>After the departure of monsieur du Plessis, Louisa fell into a serious +consideration of what had passed between them: not all the regard, which +she could not hinder herself from feeling for that young gentleman, nor +the pleasure she took in reflecting on the respect he paid her, made her +unmindful of what she owed Melanthe: the many obligations she had received +from her, and the friendship she had for her in return, made her think she +ought to acquaint her with the baseness of the count de Bellfleur, in +order to prevent an affection which she found she had already too much +indulged from influencing her to grant him any farther favours; but this +she knew was a very critical point to manage, and was not without some +apprehensions, which afterward she experienced were but too well grounded; +that when that lady found herself obliged to hate the man she took +pleasure in loving, she would also hate the woman who was the innocent +occasion of it. Few in the circumstances Louisa was, but would have been +swayed by this consideration, and chose rather to see another become the +prey of perfidy and deceit, than fall the victim of jealousy herself; but +the generosity of her nature would not suffer it to have any weight with +her, and she thought she could be more easy under any misfortunes the +discovery might involve her in, than in the consciousness of not having +discharged the obligations of duty and gratitude in revealing what seemed +so necessary to be known.</p> +<p>With this resolution, finding Melanthe was not come home, she went into +her chamber in order to wait her return, and relate the whole history to +her as she should undress for bed. But hour after hour elapsing without +any appearance of the person she expected, she thought to beguile the +tedious time by reading; and remembering that Melanthe had a very +agreeable book in her hand that morning, she opened a drawer, where she +knew that lady was accustomed to throw any thing in, which she had no +occasion to conceal; but how great was her surprise when, instead of what +she sought, she found the letter from count de Bellfleur which Melanthe, +in the hurry of spirits, had forgot to lock up. As it lay open and was +from him, she thought it no breach of honour to examine the contents, but +in doing so was ready to faint away between grief and astonishment.</p> +<p>She was not insensible that Melanthe was charmed with this new lover, +and had always feared her liking him would sway her to some imprudencies, +but could not have imagined it would have carried her, at least so soon, +to such a guilty length as she now found it did.</p> +<p>Convinced by the hour in which she went out, and alone, that she had +complied with the appointment, and that all she would have endeavoured to +prevent was already come to pass, she now considered that the discovery +she had to make would only render this indiscreet lady more unhappy, and +therefore no longer thought herself obliged to run any risque of incuring +her ill-will on the occasion; but in her soul extremely lamented this +second fall from virtue, which it was impossible should not bring on +consequences equally, if not more shameful than the first.</p> +<p>Good God! cried she, how is it possible for a woman of any share of +sense, and who has been blessed with a suitable education, to run thus +counter to all the principles of religion, honour, virtue, modesty, and +all that is valuable in our sex? and yet that many do, I have been a +melancholy witness:—and then again, what is there in this love, resumed +she, that so infatuates the understanding, that we doat on our dishonour, +and think ruin pleasing?—Can any personal perfections in a man attone for +the contempt he treats us with in courting us to infamy!—the mean opinion +he testifies to have of us sure ought rather to excite hate than love; our +very pride, methinks, should be a sufficient guard, and turn whatever +favourable thoughts we might have of such a one, unknowing his design, +into aversion, when once convinced he presumed upon our weakness.</p> +<p>In these kind of reasonings did she continue some time; but reflecting +that the trouble she was in might put Melanthe on asking the cause, it +seemed best to her to avoid seeing her that night, so retired to her own +room and went to bed, ordering the servants to tell their lady, in case +she enquired for her, that she was a little indisposed.</p> +<p>While Louisa was thus deploring a misfortune she wanted power to +remedy, the person for whom she was concerned past her time in a far +different manner: the count omitted nothing that might convince her of his +gallantry, and give her a pretence for flattering herself with his +sincerity:—he swore ten thousand oaths of constancy, and she easily gave +credit to what she wished and had vanity enough to think she merited:—he +had prepared every thing that could delight the senses for her reception +at the house to which he carried her; and she found in herself so little +inclination to quit the pleasures she enjoyed, that it was as much as the +little remains of decency and care of reputation could do, to make her +tear herself away before midnight.</p> +<p>In the fullness of her heart she had doubtless concealed no part of +this adventure from Louisa, but on hearing she was gone to rest, and not +very well, would not disturb her. The first thing she did in the morning +was to run into the chamber and enquire after her health, which she did +in so affectionate and tender a manner, that it very much heightened the +other's trouble for her.</p> +<p>It is certain that, setting aside too loose a way of thinking of virtue +and religion, and adhering to that false maxim, that a woman of rank is +above censure, Melanthe had many amiable qualities, and as she truly loved +Louisa, was alarmed at her supposed indisposition, which, to conceal the +perplexity her mind was in, she still continued to counterfeit, as well as +to avoid going to a masquerade, to which they had some days before been +invited, and which the present situation of her thoughts left her no +relish for.</p> +<p>Melanthe would fain have perswaded her that this diversion would +contribute to restoring her; but she entreated to be excused, and the +other went without her.</p> +<p>Monsieur du Plessis in the mean time having informed the count de +Bellfleur, how much it was in vain for him to flatter himself with any +hopes of Louisa, that proud and inconstant nobleman was extremely +mortified, and said, that since she was so haughty, he was resolved to +contrive some way or other to get her into his power, as well out of +revenge as inclination. This, the other represented to him, would be a +very ungenerous way of proceeding; and said, that as she refused his +addresses merely out of a principle of virtue, and not for the sake of a +more favoured rival, he ought to content himself; but these arguments were +lost on a man whom pride of blood, and an affluence of fortune, had +rendered too insolent and head-strong to think any thing reason which +opposed his will; and they parted not well satisfied with each other, +tho' du Plessis concealed part of the dislike he had of his principles and +manner of behaviour, on account of a long friendship between their +families, and also as the count was his superior in birth, in years, and +in the post he held in the army.</p> +<p>He had no sooner left him than he came to Louisa, thinking it his duty +to give her warning of the count's design, and that it would be a proper +prelude to something else he had to say. As the servants knew she was not +perfectly well, they told him, they believed she would see no company; but +on his entreating it, and saying he had something of moment to impart, one +of them went in and repeated what he had said, on which she gave leave for +his admission.</p> +<p>He rejoiced to find her alone, as he came prepared to reveal to her +more secrets than that of the count's menace; but the pleasure he took in +having so favourable an opportunity was very much damped, by seeing her +look more pale than usual, and that she was in a night-dress. Fearful that +this change proceeded from what had passed between them the day before, he +asked with a hastiness, that shewed the most kind concern, if she were +well. No otherways disordered, answered she, than in my mind, and that not +sufficiently to have any effect over my health; but to confess the truth, +monsieur, said she, the continual round of diversion this carnival +affords, has made what the world calls pleasure, cease to be so with me; +and I find more solid satisfaction in retirement, where I am in no danger +of being too much flattered or affronted.</p> +<p>Ah! madam, cried he, I see the audacity of the count dwells too much +upon your thoughts, and tremble to relate the business on which I came, +and which it is yet necessary you should know. You mistake me, monsieur, +replied she; a common foe of virtue, such as the count, is incapable of +taking up my thoughts one moment; it is only those I love can give me real +pain.</p> +<p>I understand you, madam, resumed he, and am too much interested in your +concern not to simpathize on the occasion: the misfortunes, such as I fear +will attend the too great sensibility of Melanthe, may give you so +terrible an idea of love in general, that it will be difficult to persuade +you there can be any lasting happiness to be found in that passion:—but, +charming Louisa, continued he, if you will make the least use of your +penetration, and examine with a desire of being convinced, you will easily +distinguish the real passion from the counterfeit: that love, whose +supremest pleasure is in being capable to give felicity to the beloved +object; and that wild desire, which aims at no more than a +self-gratification:—the one has the authority of heaven for its +sanction;—the other no excuse but nature in its depravity. From all +attempts of the one, I am confident, your virtue and good sense will +always defend you; but to fly with too great obstinacy the other, is not +to answer the end of your creation; and deny yourself a blessing, which +you seem formed to enjoy in the most extensive degree.</p> +<p>Both the voice and manner in which monsieur du Plessis spoke, gave +Louisa some suspicion of what he aimed at in this definition, and filled +her at the same time with emotions of various kinds; but dissembling them +as well as she could, and endeavouring to turn what he said into raillery, +you argue very learnedly on this subject, it must be confessed, answered +she smiling; but all you can urge on that head, nor the compliment you +make me, can win me to believe that love of any kind is not attended with +more mischief than good:—where it is accompanied with the strictest +honour, constancy, purity, and all the requisites that constitute what is +called a perfect passion, there are ordinarily so many difficulties in the +way to the completion of its wishes, that the breast which harbours it +must endure a continual agitation, which surely none would chuse to be +involved in.</p> +<p>Ah! madam, how little are you capable of judging of this passion, said +he; there is a delicacy in love which renders even its pains pleasing, and +how much soever a lover suffers, the thoughts of for whom he suffers is +more than a compensation; I am myself an instance of this truth:—I am a +lover:—conscious unworthiness of a suitable return of affection, and a +thousand other impediments lie between me and hope, yet would I not change +this dear anxiety for that insipid case I lived in before I saw the only +object capable of making me a convert to love.—It is certain my passion +is yet young; but a few days has given it root which no time, no absence, +no misfortune ever can dislodge.—The charming maid is ignorant of her +conquest:—the carnival draws near to a conclusion.—I must return to the +army, and these cruel circumstances oblige me either to make a declaration +which she may possibly condemn as too abrupt, or go and leave her +unknowing of my heart, and thereby deprive myself even of her pity:—Which +party, madam, shall I take?—Will the severe extreme, to which I am +driven, be sufficient to attone for a presumption which else would merit +her disdain?</p> +<p>Louisa must have been as dull as she was really the contrary, not to +have known all this was meant to herself; and the pleasing confusion which +this discovery infused thro' all her veins, made her at the same time +sensible of the difference she put between him and all those who before +had entertained her on that subject; but not knowing presently whether she +ought to attribute it to her good or ill fortune, she was wholly at a loss +how to behave, and, to avoid giving any direct answer, still affected an +air of pleasantry.</p> +<p>See, cried she, the little reason you, have to speak in the praise of +love; for if pity be all you have to hope for from your, mistress, I am +afraid the consolation will be no way adequate to the misfortune.</p> +<p>Yet if you vouchsafe me that, replied he, kissing her hard, I never +shall complain. Me! interrupted she, pretending the utmost astonishment, +and drawing her chair somewhat farther from him. Yes, beautiful Louisa, +resumed he; it is you alone who have been capable of teaching me what love +truly is:—your eyes, at first sight, subdued my heart; but your virtue +has since made a conquest of my soul:—if I dare hope to make you mine, it +is only by such ways as heaven, and those who have the power of disposing +you, shall approve:—in the mean time I implore no more than your +permission to admire you, and to convince you, by all the honourable +services in my power to do you while you continue here, how much my words +are deficient to denote my meaning.</p> +<p>Louisa, now finding herself under a necessity of answering seriously, +told him, that if it were true that he had sentiments for her of the +nature he pretended, they would not only merit, but receive the most +grateful acknowledgments on her part; but at the same time she should be +sorry he had entertained them, and would wish him not to indulge a +prospect which could last no longer than while both remained in Venice, +and must infallibly vanish on their separation.</p> +<p>No, madam, replied he, when the next campaign is over, I shall return +to France; and sure the distance between that kingdom and England is not +so great, but a less motive than yourself would easily carry me thither; +and such credentials also of who, and what I am, as, I flatter myself, +would not appear contemptible in the eyes of your friends:—the prospect +therefore is not so visionary as you seem to think, provided I have your +consent.</p> +<p>The mention he made of her friends reminding her of her destitute +condition, gave her the utmost shock; which not being able to overcome, +she remained silent some moments; but at last perceiving he waited her +reply, monsieur, said she, there may be a thousand indissoluble bars +between us which you do not think of.</p> +<p>None, interrupted he eagerly, but what such love as mine will easily +surmount:—it is true, I am ignorant of your condition in the world; but +if it be superior to mine, the passion I am possessed of will inspire me +with means to raise me to an equality; and if inferior, which heaven grant +may be the case, it will only give the opportunity of proving that I love +Louisa for Louisa's self, and look upon every thing she brings beside as +nothing.</p> +<p>The emphasis he gave these words manifesting their sincerity, could not +but give new charms to the person who spoke them: Louisa thought she +might, without a blush, testify the sense she had of his generosity; but +tho' what she said was perfectly obliging to him, yet she concluded with +letting him know, there still was something that rendered the +accomplishment of what he seemed to wish impossible.</p> +<p>Then your heart already is engaged, cried he, or you are predestined by +your parents to some happier man? Without either of these, answered she, +there may be reasons to prevent our ever meeting more;—therefore I owe so +much to the honourable offers you are pleased to make me, as to wish you +to overcome whatever inclinations you may have for one who I once more +assure you never can be yours.</p> +<p>It would be impossible to express the distraction monsieur du Plessis +testified at this expression:—a thousand times over did he repeat that +dreadful word NEVER;—then added, neither engaged by love or promise, yet +never can be mine! does my ill fate come wrap'd to me in riddles!—yet +many things have seemed impossible that are not so in themselves:—O +Louisa! continued he, if there be any thing beside my want of merit that +impedes my wishes, and you delight not in my torment, speak it I conjure +you.</p> +<p>There is a necessity of denying you in this also, said Louisa; but to +shew you how little I am inclined to be ungrateful, be certain that I have +the highest idea of your merits, and prize them as much as I ought to do.</p> +<p>These last words, obliging as they were, could not console monsieur du +Plessis for the cruelty, as he termed it, of refusing to let him know what +this invincible obstacle was which put a stop to any further +correspondence between them: he spared neither prayers nor tears to draw +the secret from her, but all were ineffectual; and she at last told him, +that if he pressed her any farther on that head, she must for the future +avoid his presence.</p> +<p>This was a menace which he had not courage to dare the execution of, +and he promised to conform to her will, tho' with such agonies, as shewed +her how much he valued even the little she was pleased to grant; but it +was not in the power of her perswasions to prevail on him to resolve to +make any efforts for the vanquishing his passion; he still protested that +he neither could cease to love her, and her alone, nor even to wish an +alteration in his sentiments.</p> +<p>By what has been already said of the extreme liking which the first +fight of this young gentleman inspired Louisa with, it may easily be +supposed she could not hear his complaints, and be witness of the +anxieties she was enforced to inflict on him, without feeling at least an +equal share: she endeavoured not to conceal the pity she had for him; but +he now found that was far from being all he wanted, because it forwarded +not, as he at first imagined, the progress of his hopes, but rather shewed +them at more distance than ever.</p> +<p>The business of his love so engrossed his thoughts during this visit, +that he almost forgot to mention any thing of the count's designs upon +her, and she as little remembered to remind him of it, tho' he told her on +his entrance, that he had something to acquaint her with on his subject, +and it was not till he was going to take leave that it came into his head. +When he had related it to her, she assured him that she took the caution +he gave her as a new proof of his friendship, which, said she, I shall +always prize. At parting, she permitted him to salute her, and gave her +promise not to refuse seeing him while they continued in that city; but +told him at the same time, that he must not expect any thing from his +repeated visits more than she had already granted.</p> +<p>He durst not at that time press her any farther, but fetched a deep +sigh as he went out of the room, accompanied with a look more expressive +than any words could be of the discontent he laboured under, while she, +oppressed beneath the double weight of his and her own grief, remained in +a condition he was little able to form any conjecture of.</p> +<p>Pleased as she was with the presence of the only man who had ever had +power of inspiring her with one tender thought, yet a thousand times she +had wished him gone before he went, that she might be at liberty to give +vent to the struggling passions which were more than once ready to throw +her into a swoon. The perfections she saw in the person of her lover;—the +respect he treated her with, notwithstanding the violence of the passion +he was possessed of;—the sincerity that appeared in all his looks and +words;—the generosity of his behaviour in regard to her fortune;—all the +qualifications that would have made any other woman blessed in the offer +of such a heart, served but to make her wretched, since she could not look +on herself in a condition capable of accepting it.</p> +<p>Alas! du Plessis, cried she, little do you think to whom you would ally +yourself:—you would, you say, despise a portion, but would you marry a +foundling, a child of charity, one that has neither name nor friends, and +who, in her best circumstances, is but a poor dependant, a servant in +effect, tho' not in shew, and owes her very cloaths to the bounty of +another?—Oh! why did the mistaken goodness of Dorilaus give me any other +education than such as befitted my wretched fortune! Better I had been +bred an humble drudge, and never been taught how to distinguish +merit:—What avail the accomplishments that cost him so much money, and me +so much pains to acquire, but to attract a short-liv'd admiration, which, +when I am truly known, will be succeeded with an adequate derision:—Could +I but say I was descended from honest, tho' mean parents, I would not +murmur at my fate, but I have none,—none to own me;—I am a nothing,—a +kind of reptile in humanity, and have been shewn in a genteel way of life +only to make my native misery more conspicuous.</p> +<p>Thus did love represent her unhappy circumstances in their worst +colours, and render her, which till now she had never been, thankless to +heaven for all the good she had received, since it seemed to deny her the +only good her passion coveted, that of being in a condition to reward the +affection of her dear du Plessis.</p> +<p>A torrent of tears at length somewhat mitigated the violence of her +passion, and unwilling to be seen by Melanthe in the present confusion of +her thoughts, she went to bed, leaving the same orders as she had done the +night before.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XIV.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>The base designs of the count de Bellfleur occasion a melancholy +change in Louisa's way of life; the generous behaviour of monsieur du +Plessis on that occasion.</i></p> +<p>Had the agonies Louisa suffered been of very long continuance, she +must have sunk under them; but grief is easily dissipated in a young +heart, and she awoke more tranquil.—The principles of religion grew +stronger as her passion weaker, and she reflected that she ought to submit +in every thing to the will of heaven, which sometimes converts what seems +the greatest evil into good.—The offer of such a match as monsieur du +Plessis, a man she loved, and who was master of accomplishments which +might excuse the most violent passion, appeared indeed a happiness she +would have gloried in had she been really such as he took her for; but +then she had known him but a very short time, had no experience of his +principles or humour; and tho' he seemed all honour, could not assure +herself that the generosity which so much engaged her might not be all +artifice; at least she found to think so would most contribute to her +ease, therefore indulged it as much as she was able. She condemned herself +for having given monsieur du Plessis permission to continue his visits, +after having assured him he had nothing to hope from them, because a +further conversation might only serve to render both more unhappy. She +resolved however to give him no opportunity of talking to her of his +passion, and in order to avoid thinking of it herself as much as possible, +to go, as usual, into all company that came to Melanthe, and partake of +every diversion that offered itself.</p> +<p>Accordingly she forced herself to a gaiety, she was far from feeling, +vainly imagining that by counterfeiting a chearfulness, she should in time +be able to resume it; but du Plessis hung too heavy at her heart, and when +she affected the greatest shew of mirth, it was often interrupted with +sighs, which she was not always sensible of herself. He visited her almost +every day under one pretence or other; but she took such care never to be +alone at the times that she could possibly expect him, that he had not the +least opportunity to renew his addresses, any otherways than by his looks, +which, notwithstanding, were perfectly intelligible to her, tho' she +seemed not to observe them.</p> +<p>Melanthe, no longer able to keep the secret of her amour, finding +Louisa, as she thought, had entirely regained her former sprightliness, +acquainted her with all had passed between herself and count de Bellfleur; +which, tho' the other was no stranger to, she seemed astonished at, and +could not help telling her, that she feared the consequence of an intrigue +of that nature would one day be fatal to her peace. Yet, said Melanthe, +where one loves, and is beloved, it is hard to deny oneself a certain +happiness for the dread of an imaginary ill.—In fine, my dear Louisa, I +found I could not live without him; and heaven will sure excuse the error +of an inclination which is born with us, and which not all our reason is +of force to conquer.—But, added she, you always seem to speak of the +count, as of a man that wanted charms to excuse the tenderness I have for +him; and, I have observed, deny him those praises which I have heard you +bestow very freely on persons that have not half his merit.</p> +<p>Louisa knowing how vain it was to contest with inclination, in persons +who are resolved to indulge it, and also that all advice was now too late, +began to repent of what she said. If, madam, replied she, after a little +pause, I have seemed unjust to the count's perfections, it was only +because I feared you were but too sensible of them; for otherwise, it must +be owned, he has a person and behaviour extremely engaging; but as the +carnival will put an end to all the acquaintance we have contracted here, +it gives me pain to think how you will support a separation.</p> +<p>Perhaps it may not happen so soon as you imagine, said Melanthe:—tho' +the carnival, and with it all the pleasures of this place will soon be +over, our loves may be continued elsewhere:—suppose, Louisa, we go to +France, added she with a significant smile, that shewed it was her +intention to do so.</p> +<p>Some company coming in, prevented any farther discourse on this head +for the present; but afterward she confirmed what she had now hinted at, +and told Louisa, that she had resolved to pass some little time in seeing +those places which were in her way to France, and afterwards meet the +count at Paris, on his return from the campaign. Louisa, unable to +determine within herself whether she ought to rejoice, or be sad at this +intended journey, fell into a sudden thoughtfulness, which the other at +that time took no notice of, but it served afterwards to corroborate the +truth of something she was told, and proved of consequence little to be +foreseen.</p> +<p>The inconstant count, in the mean time, satieted with Melanthe, and as +much in love with Louisa as a man of his temper could be, was contriving +all the ways his inventive wit could furnish him with to get handsomely +rid of the one, and attain the enjoyment of the other. As he had spent +many years in a continual course of gallantry, and had made and broke a +thousand engagements, he easily found expedients for throwing off his +intercourse with Melanthe, but none that could give him the least prospect +of success in his designs on Louisa while they lived together and +continued friends: to part them therefore was his aim, and to accomplish +it the following method came into his head.</p> +<p>On his first acquaintance with these ladies his design was wholly on +Louisa, but meeting a rebuff from her, his vanity rather than his +inclinations had made him turn his devoirs to Melanthe, who too easily +yielding to his suit, served but to heighten his desires for the other: +the extravagant fondness of that unhappy woman rendering her visibly +uneasy at even the ordinary civilities she saw him behave with to any +other, discovered to him that jealousy was not the least reigning foible +of her foul, and the surest means to make her hate that person whom it +was not the interest of his passion she should continue to love. When they +were alone together one day at the place of their usual rendezvous, in the +midst of the most tender endearments, he asked suddenly if she had ever +made Louisa the confident of his happiness. She was a little surprized at +the question, but answered that she had not, and desired to know the +reason of that demand; because, cried he, I am very certain she is no +friend to our loves; and by the manner in which she behaves to me, +whenever she has the least opportunity of shewing her ill humour, I +imagined she either knew or suspected the affair between us.</p> +<p>Melanthe, conscious she had hid nothing from her, and also sensible of +the little approbation she gave to her intrigue, was very much picqued +that she should have done any thing to make the count perceive +it;—whatever she suspects, cried she, haughtily, she ought not to treat +with any ill manners a person whom I avow a friendship for. Vanity, +answered he, sometimes gets the better of discretion in ladies of her +years:—she knows herself handsome, and cannot have a good opinion of the +man who prefers any charms to her own.—I imagine this to be the cause why +she looks on me with such disdain, and, whenever you are not witness of +her words, is so keen in satyrical reflections.—On our first acquaintance +she looked and spoke with greater softness, and I can impute it to no +other motive than the pride of beauty, that this sudden change has +happened.</p> +<p>All the time he was speaking, the soul of Melanthe grew more and more +fired with jealousy.—It is natural for every one to imagine whatever they +like is agreeable to others. The distaste which Louisa had on many +occasions testified for the count, seemed now to have been only +affected:—the melancholy she had been in, and the deep resvery she +remembered she had fallen into when first she informed her of their amour, +joined to convince her, that the advice she gave proceeded from a motive +very different from what she pretended.</p> +<p>The wily count saw into the workings of her soul; and while he seemed +as if he would not discover the whole of his sentiments for fear of +disobliging her, threw out the plainest hints, that Louisa had made him +advances which would have been very flattering to a heart not pre-engaged, +till Melanthe, not able to contain her rage, broke out into the fevered +invectives against the innocent Louisa.—The ungrateful wretch! cried she, +how dare she presume to envy, much less to offer an interruption to my +pleasures!—What, have I raised the little wretch to such a forgetfulness +of herself, that she pretends to rival her mistress and benefactress! In +the height of her resentment, she related to the count in what manner she +had taken her into her service; but that finding her, as she imagined, a +girl of prudence, she had made her a companion during her travels, and as +such treated her with respect, and made others do so too;—but, said she, +I will reduce her to what she was, and since she knows not how to prize +the honour of my friendship, make her feel the severities of servitude.</p> +<p>Nothing could be more astonishing, and at the same time more pleasing +to count Bellfleur than this discovery: what he felt for Louisa could not +be called love, he desired only to enjoy her; and the knowledge of her +meanness, together with Melanthe's resentment, which he doubted not but he +should be able to improve to the turning her out of doors, made him +imagine she would then be humbled enough to accept of any, offers he might +make her.</p> +<p>Pursuant to this cruel aim, he told Melanthe, that now not thinking +himself under any obligation to conceal the whole of the affair, he must +confess Louisa had not only made him advances, but gone so far as to +discover a very great passion for him.—As I had never, said he, given her +the least room to hope I was ambitious of any favours from her of that +nature, I could not help thinking she was guilty of some indecencies +ill-becoming a woman of condition, as well as infidelity to her friendship +for you, whom she might well see I adored:—but alas! I little suspected +the obligations she had to you, and now I know what she is, am in the +utmost consternation at her ingratitude, impudence and stupidity. Heavens! +added he, could she have the vanity to imagine that the genteel garb you +had put her in, could raise her to such an equality, as to make me +hesitate one moment if I should give the balance of merit on her side, and +quit the amiable Melanthe for the pert charms of her woman?</p> +<p>Melanthe, believing every thing he said on this occasion, was ready to +burst with indignation; which impatient to give vent to, parted from her +lover much sooner than she was accustomed, in order to wreak on the poor +Louisa all that rage and malice could suggest.</p> +<p>That innocent maid, little suspecting the misfortune that was falling +on her, was at ombre with some ladies who came to visit them, when the +furious Melanthe came home, and taking this opportunity of heightening her +intended revenge by making it more public,—so, minx, said she to her, +after having made her compliments to the company, you ape the woman of +fashion exceeding well, as you imagine; but hereafter know yourself, and +keep the distance that becomes you. With these words she gave her a push +from the table in so rough a manner, that the cards fell out of her hand.</p> +<p>It is hard to say whether Louisa herself, or the ladies who were +present, were most astonished at this behaviour; every one looked one upon +another without speaking for some time: at last Louisa, who wanted not +spirit, and on this occasion testified an uncommon presence of mind,—if I +have seemed otherways than what I am, madam, said she, it was your +commands obliged me to it:—I never yet forgot myself, and shall as +readily resume what distance you are pleased to enjoin me. Insolent, +ungrateful wretch, cried Melanthe, vexed to the soul to find her seem so +little shocked at what she had done, if I permitted you any liberties, it +was because I thought you merited them;—but get out of my sight, and dare +not to come into it again till I send for you. I shall obey you, madam, +replied Louisa, and perhaps be as well pleased to be your servant as +companion.</p> +<p>This resignation and seeming tranquility under an insult, she expected +would have been so mortifying, was the greatest disappointment could be +given to Melanthe, and increased her rage to such a degree, that she flew +to her as she was going out of the room, and struck her several blows, +using at the same time expressions not decent to repeat, but such, as in +some unguarded moments, women of quality level themselves with the vulgar +enough to be guilty of. This is a behaviour, madam, which demeans yourself +much more than me, said Louisa, and when reason gets the better of your +passion, I doubt not but you will be just enough to acknowledge you have +injured me.</p> +<p>She got out of the room with these words, but heard Melanthe still +outrageous in her reproaches; but determined not to answer, made what +haste she could into her own chamber, where having shut herself in, she +gave a loose to the distraction so unexpected an event must naturally +occasion.</p> +<p>Pride is a passion so incident to human nature, that there is no breast +whatever that has not some share of it; and it would be to describe Louisa +such as no woman ever was, or ever can be, especially at her years, to say +she was not sensibly touched at the indignity she had received from a +person, but a few hours before, had treated her as pretty near an equality +with herself.—Nor was her amazement inferior to her grief, when after +examining, with the utmost care, all her words and actions, she could find +nothing in either that could possibly give occasion for this sudden turn.</p> +<p>From the present, she cast thoughts back on the past accidents of her +life, and comparing them together, how cruelly capricious is my fate, said +she, which never presents me with a good but to be productive of an +adequate evil!—How great a blessing was the protection and tenderness I +found from Dorilaus, yet how unhappy did the too great increase of that +tenderness render, me!—What now avails all the friendship received from +Melanthe, but to make me the less able to support her ill usage!—And +what, of what advantage is it to me that I am beloved by a man the most +worthy to be loved, since I am of a condition which forbids me to give any +encouragement to his, or my own wishes!</p> +<p>In this manner did she pour forth the troubles of her soul, till the +hour of supper being arrived, Melanthe's woman knocked at the chamber, and +Louisa having opened it, she told her that she was sorry to see such an +alteration in the family, but it was her ladyship's pleasure that she +should eat at the second table. It is very well, said Louisa, resolving, +whatever she endured, not to let Melanthe see any thing she could do +disturbed her too much, and in saying so, went with her into the hall and +sat down to table, but with what appetite I leave the reader to guess.</p> +<p>Melanthe, who now hated her to a greater degree than ever she had loved +her, gave to the ladies who were with her the whole history of Louisa, as +far as she knew of it, and rather aggravated, than any way softened the +mean condition from which she had relieved her; but when they asked her +what that unhappy creature had done to forfeit a continuance of her +goodness, she only answered in general, that she had found her to be an +ungrateful and perfidious wretch.</p> +<p>As she mentioned no particular influence on which this accusation was +grounded, every one was at liberty to judge of it as they pleased.—The +accomplishments Louisa was mistress of, made every one convinced she had +been educated in no mean way, tho' by some accidents she might have been +reduced to the calamities Melanthe had so largely expatiated upon, and +more there were who pitied her than approved the behaviour of her +superior:—some indeed, who had envied the praises they had heard bestowed +on her, were rejoiced at her fall, and made it a matter of mirth wherever +they came;—and others again thought themselves affronted by having a +person, who they now found was no more than a servant, introduced into +their company, and would never visit Melanthe afterward the whole time she +stayed in Venice.</p> +<p>The affair, however, occasioned a great deal of discourse: monsieur du +Plessis heard of it the next day related after different fashions. The +concern he was in was conformable to the passion he had for the fair +occasion, and both beyond what is ordinarily to be found in persons of his +sex. Impatient to know the truth he went to Melanthe's, and she happening +to be abroad, he desired to speak to Louisa, but was told she was +indisposed, and could see no company. These orders had been given by +Melanthe, but were very agreeable to Louisa herself, who desired to avoid +the sight of every one she had conversed with in a different manner from +what she could now expect; but of the whole world this gentleman she most +wished to shun.</p> +<p>He concealed the trouble he was in as well as he was able, and +affecting a careless air, told the person who answered him, that he only +came to ask if she had heard the last new song, and that he would send it +to her.</p> +<p>The moment he came home he sat down and wrote the following billet. <br/> +<br/> +<i>To the ever charming</i> LOUISA.<br/> +"That invincible bar you mentioned, yet<br/> +made so great a secret of, is at last revealed,<br/> +and I should be unworthy of the blessing I aspire<br/> +to, if I were unable to surmount it.<br/> +Cruel Louisa! you little know me, or the force<br/> +of that passion you have inspired, to imagine<br/> +that any difference which chance may have put<br/> +between us, can make the least alteration in my<br/> +sentiments!—It is to your own perfections I<br/> +have devoted my heart, not to the merit or<br/> +grandeur of your ancestors. What has my love<br/> +to do with fortune, or with family!—Does a<br/> +diamond lose any thing of its intrinsic value for<br/> +being presented by an unknown, or an obscure<br/> +hand?—My eyes convince me of the charms<br/> +of my adored Louisa; my understanding shews<br/> +me those of her mind; and if heaven vouchsafes<br/> +to bless me with so rich a jewel, I never shall<br/> +examine whence it came.—If therefore I am<br/> +not so unhappy as to be hated by you, let not<br/> +vain punctilloes divide us, and, as the first proof<br/> +of my inviolable passion, permit me to remove<br/> +you from a place where you have met with such<br/> +unworthy treatment:—I hope you wrong me<br/> +not so far as to suspect I any other designs<br/> +on you than such as are consistent with the<br/> +strictest honour; but to prevent all scruples of<br/> +that nature from entering your gentle breast, I<br/> +would wish to place you in a convent, the<br/> +choice of which shall be your own, provided it<br/> +may be where I sometimes may be allowed to<br/> +pay my vows to you thro' the grate, till time<br/> +shall have sufficiently proved my fidelity, and<br/> +you shall prevail on yourself to recempence my<br/> +flame, by bestowing on me your hand and heart:—the<br/> +one I would not ask without the other;<br/> +but both together would render the happiest of<br/> +mankind.<br/> +<br/> +<i>Your eternally devoted</i><br/> +<br/> +Du Plessis.<br/> +<br/> +<i>P.S.</i> As I perceive it will be next to an impossibility<br/> +to gain a sight of you while you continue<br/> +with that ungenerous woman, I entreat<br/> +to know by a line how I stand in your opinion,<br/> +and if the offers I make you, in the sincerity<br/> +of my soul, may be thought worthy<br/> +your acceptance."</p> +<p>This epistle he ordered his valet de chambre to give to her own hand, +if there were a possibility of it; and the fellow so well executed his +commission, being acquainted with Melanthe's servants, that he was carried +directly up to her chamber. She was a little surprized to see him, because +she knew it was contrary to Melanthe's commands that any one should see +her; and doubted not but to find she was treated with any kind of respect, +would enhance her ill humour to her. But she said nothing that discovered +her sentiments on this point, and with all the appearance of a perfect +ease of mind, asked what he had to deliver to her. Only a song, +mademoiselle, answered he, which my master ordered me to give you, and to +desire you will let him know how you like it:—he says it might be turned +into an admirable duetto, and begs you would employ your genius on that +score and send it by me.</p> +<p>Poor Louisa, who took his words literally, and thought her present +circumstances too discordant for the fulfilling his request, opened the +supposed piece of music with an aking heart; but when she had perused it, +and found the artifice her lover had made use of to communicate his +generous intentions to her, it is extremely fine, said she to the valet, +and I will do what he requires to the best of my power, but fear I shall +not be able to give it such a turn as he may expect. If you please, +continued she, to wait a little, I shall not be long before I dispatch +you. In speaking these words she went into her closet, and read over and +over the offers he had made, in which, with the strictest examination, she +could find nothing but what indicated the most perfect love, honour, and +generosity. In the first transports of her soul she was tempted to comply; +but her second thoughts were absolutely against it.—Those very reasons +which would have prevailed with almost any other woman, made her obstinate +to refuse:—the more she found him worthy, the less could she support the +thoughts of giving him a beggar for a wife; and the more she loved him, +the less could she content to be obliged to him; so she took but a small +time for consideration, before she returned an answer in these terms:</p> +<p><i>To the most accomplished, and most generous monsieur</i> DU PLESSIS.<br/> +<br/> +"As it was not owing to my pride or vanity,<br/> +but merely compliance with the will of<br/> +Melanthe, that my real meanness was made a<br/> +secret, I find it revealed without any mortification;<br/> +but, monsieur, the distance between us<br/> +is not shortened by being known: as the consciousness<br/> +of my unworthiness remains with<br/> +me, and ever must do so, I again repeat the<br/> +impossibility of accepting your too generous passion,<br/> +and, after this, you will not wonder I<br/> +should refuse those other obliging offers you are<br/> +so good to make.—I left my native country<br/> +with Melanthe, devoted myself to her service<br/> +while she was pleased to continue me in it, and<br/> +only wait her commands for my doing so, or to<br/> +return to England.—I believe, by what her<br/> +woman told me this day, the latter will be my<br/> +fate.—Think not, however, most truly worthy<br/> +of your whole sex, that I want eyes to distinguish<br/> +your merits, or a heart capable of being<br/> +influenced by them, perhaps too deeply for my<br/> +own future peace:—this is a confession I would<br/> +not have made, were I ever to see you more;<br/> +but as I am determined to shut myself from all<br/> +the world during my abode at Venice, I thought<br/> +I owed this little recompence to the generous<br/> +affection you express for me, and had rather you<br/> +should think any thing of me, than that I am<br/> +ungrateful.<br/> +<br/> +LOUISA.<br/> +<br/> +<i>P.S.</i> I beg, monsieur, after this, you will not<br/> +attempt either to speak or write to me."</p> +<p>When she had sent this away, she fell into fresh complainings at the +severity of her fate, which constrained her to refuse what most she +languished for:—the uncertainty how she should be disposed of was also a +matter of grief:—she was at this time a prisoner in Melanthe's house: she +had sent several messages to that lady, by her woman, entreating to know +in what she had offended, but could receive no other answer than abuses, +without one word which gave her the least light into the cause of this +strange treatment; but that morning she was informed, by the same woman, +that her Lady protested she should never more come into her presence, and +that she would send her home: this, as she had wrote to monsieur du +Plessis, seemed highly probable, as there was no appearance of a +reconciliation; and the thoughts in what manner she should begin her life +again, on her return, filled her with many anxieties, which, joined to +others of a different nature, rendered her condition truly pitiable.</p> +<p>It was in the midst of these perplexing meditations that word was +brought her from Melanthe, that she must prepare for her departure on the +ensuing day. It was in vain she again begged leave to see her, and to be +made acquainted with the reason of her displeasure; but the other would +not be prevailed upon, but sent her a purse sufficient to defray the +expences of her journey to England, and bid her woman tell her she had no +occasion to repine, for she turned her away in a much better condition +than she had found her.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XV.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Louisa is in danger of being ravished by the count de Bellfleur; is +providentially rescued by monsieur du Plessis, with several other +particulars</i>.</p> +<p>Louisa packed up her things, as she had been commanded, tho' with what +confusion of mind is not easy to be expressed; and, when she was ready to +go, wrote a letter to Melanthe, thanking her for all the favours she had +received from her, acknowledging them to be as unmerited as her late +displeasure, which she conjured her to believe she had never, even in +thought, done any thing justly to incur;—wished her prosperity, and that +she might never find a person less faithful to her interests than she had +been. Having desired her woman to deliver this to her, she took leave of +the servants, who all loved her extremely, and saw her go with tears in +their eyes.</p> +<p>The rout she intended to take was to Padua by water, thence in a post +chaise to Leghorn, where she was informed, it would be easy to find a ship +bound for England; to what port was indifferent to her, being now once +more to seek her fortune, tho' in her native country, and must trust +wholly to that providence for her future support, which had hitherto +protected her.</p> +<p>Accordingly she took her passage to Padua in one of those boats, which +are continually going between Venice and that city; and it being near the +close of day when she landed, was obliged to go into an inn, designing to +lye there that night, and early in the morning set out for Leghorn.</p> +<p>She was no sooner in bed than, having never been alone in one of those +places before, a thousand dreadful apprehensions came into her head: all +the stories she had been told, when a child, of robberies and murders +committed on travellers in inns, were now revived in her memory:—every +little noise she heard made her fall into tremblings; and the very +whistling of the wind, which at another time would have lulled her to +sleep, now kept her waking: but these ideal terrors had not long possessed +her, before she had an occasion of real ones, more shocking than her most +timid fancy could have suggested.</p> +<p>The wicked count de Bellfleur, who had taken care to prevent the +passion he had excited in Melanthe against her from growing cool, learned, +from that deceived lady, in what manner she intended to dispose of her; +and no sooner heard which way she went than, attended by one servant, who +was the confidant and tool of all his vices, he took boat for Padua, and +presently finding out, by describing her, at what inn she was lodged, came +directly thither; and, having called the man of the house, asked him if +such a young woman were not lodged there, to which being answered in the +affirmative, he told him that she was his wife;—that being but lately +married to her, in compliance with her request, he had brought her to see +the diversions of the carnival, and that she was eloped, he doubted not, +but for the sake of a gallant, since he loved her too well to have given +her any cause to take so imprudent a step.</p> +<p>The concern he seemed to be under gained immediate credit to all he +said; which he easily perceiving, I know, said he, that if I have recourse +to a magistrate I shall have a grant, and proper officers to force her to +return to her duty; but I would feign reclaim her by fair means:—it is +death to me to expose her; and if my perswasions will be effectual, the +world shall never know her fault.</p> +<p>The innkeeper then told him she was gone to bed, but he would wait on +him to her chamber, and he might call to her to bid her open the door. No, +answered the count, if she hears my voice she may, perhaps, be frighted +enough to commit some desperate action:—you shall therefore speak to her, +and make some pretence for obliging her to rise.</p> +<p>On this they both went up, and the man knocked softly at first, but on +her not answering immediately, more loud.—She, who heard him before, but +imagining something of what she had heard of others was now going to +happen to herself, was endeavouring to assume all the courage she could +for supporting her in whatever exigence heaven should reduce her to:—at +last she asked who was there, and for what reason she was disturbed. The +innkeeper then said he wanted something out of the room, and she must +needs open the door. This she refused to do, but got out of bed and began +to put on her cloaths, resolving to dye as decently as she could, verily +believing they were come to rob and murder her.</p> +<p>The man, who spoke all by the count's direction, then told her, that if +she would not open the door, he must be obliged to break it, and presently +beat so violently against it, that the poor terrified Louisa expected it +to burst, so thought it would be better to unbolt it of her own accord, +than, by a vain resistance, provoke worse usage than she might otherwise +receive: but what was her astonishment when she beheld the count de +Bellfleur! On the first moment the words monsieur du Plessis repeated to +her, that <i>he would have her one way or another,</i> came into her mind, +and made her give a great shriek; but then almost at the same time the +thought that he might possibly be sent by Melanthe to bring her back, +somewhat mitigated her fears.—Unable was she to speak, however; and the +consternation she appeared to be in at his presence, joined with his +taking her by the hand and bidding her be under no apprehensions, +confirmed the truth of what he had told the innkeeper, who thinking he had +no other business there, and they would be soonest reconciled when alone, +left them, together and went down stairs.</p> +<p>When the count saw he was gone,—I could not support the thoughts of +seeing you no more, my dear Louisa, said he; I have heard Melanthe's cruel +usage of you, and also that your condition is such, that you have no +friends in England to receive you if you should prosecute your journey:—I +come therefore to make you an offer, which, in your present circumstances, +you will find it imprudent, I believe, to reject:—I long have loved you, +and if you will be mine, will keep you concealed at a house where I can +confide, till my return to the army; then will take the fame care of you, +and place you somewhere near my own quarters; and, as I shall go to Paris +as soon as the next campaign is over, will there provide for you in as +handsome a manner as you can wish;—for be assured, dear lovely girl, that +no woman upon earth will ever be capable of making me forsake you.</p> +<p>That she had patience to hear him talk so long in this manner, was +wholly owing to the fear and surprize she had been in, and perhaps had not +yet recovered enough from, to make any reply to what he said, if he had +contented himself only with words; but his actions rouzing a different +passion in her soul, she broke from his arms, into which, he had snatched +her at the conclusion of his speech, and looking on him with eyes +sparkling with disdain and rage,—perfidious man! cried she, is +this,—this the consequence of the vows you made Melanthe; and do you +think, after this knowledge of your baseness, I can harbour any idea of +you, but what is shocking and detestable!</p> +<p>I never loved Melanthe, by heaven, resumed he; she made me advance, and +not to have returned, them, would have called even my common civility in +question;—but from the first moment I saw your beauties, I was determined +to neglect nothing that might give me the enjoyment of them:—fortune has +crowned my wishes, you are in my power, and it would be madness in you to +lose the merit of yielding, and I compel me to be obliged to my own +strength for a pleasure I would rather owe to your softness:—come, come, +continued he, after having fastened the door, let us go to bed;—I will +save your modesty, by pulling your cloaths off myself. In speaking this he +catched hold of her again, and attempted to untye a knot which fastened +her robe de chambre at the breast. On this she gave such shrieks, and +stamped with her feet so forcibly on the ground, that the innkeeper +fearing the incensed husband, as he supposed him to be, was going to kill +her, ran hastily up stairs, and called to have the door opened, saying, he +would have no murder in his house.</p> +<p>The artful count immediately let him in, and told him, he need be under +no apprehensions, his wife was too dear to him to suffer any thing from +his resentment; and all the noise you heard, said he, was only because I +insisted on her going to bed! By these words Louisa discovered how he had +imposed upon the man, and cried out she was not his wife; but as she spoke +very bad Italian, and the man understood no French, the count being very +fluent in that language, had much the advantage, the innkeeper was fully +satisfied, and they were again left alone, having a second opportunity to +prosecute his villanous attempt.</p> +<p>You see, said he, how much in vain it is for you to resist:—would it +not be wiser in you, therefore, to meet my flames with equal warmth;—to +feign a kindness even if you have none, and thereby oblige me to use you +with a future tenderness:—believe I love you now with an extravagance of +fondness:—it is in your power to preserve that affection for ever:—give +me then willingly that charming mouth.</p> +<p>He had all this time been kissing her with the utmost eagerness, so +that with all her struggling she had not been able either to disengage +herself from his embrace, or to utter one word; and he was very near +forcing from her yet greater liberties, when all at once heaven gave her +strength to spring suddenly from him, and running to a table where he had +laid his sword, she drew it out of the scabbard with so much speed, that +he could not prevent her, and making a push at him with one hand, kept him +from closing with, or disarming her, till with the other she had plucked +back the bolt of the door.</p> +<p>In this posture she flew down stairs, and reached the hall before he +overtook her, quite breathless and ready to faint. He was going to lay +hold of her, when he found himself seized behind by two persons, whom, on +turning to examine the reason, he found was monsieur du Plessis and the +innkeeper. He started at the sight of that gentleman, and was going to say +somewhat to him in French, when the innkeeper told him, the young woman +should be molested no farther till he knew the truth of the affair; for, +said he, there is a person, meaning monsieur du Plessis, who is just come +in, and says she has no husband, and belongs to an English lady of quality +now at Venice:—I will therefore take care of her this night, and if you +have any real claim to her, you may make it out before the magistrate +to-morrow.</p> +<p>The count was so enraged to find it had been by monsieur du Plessis he +had been disappointed, that he snatched his sword from Louisa, who had all +this time held it in her hand, and made so furious a thrust at him, that, +had he not been more than ordinary nimble in avoiding it, by stepping +aside, it must have infallibly gone thro' his body.—He immediately drew +and stood on his defence, but the innkeeper and several other people, whom +Louisa's cries had by this time brought into the hall, prevented any +mischief.</p> +<p>The confusion of voices and uproar which this accident occasioned, +would suffer nothing to be heard distinctly; but the guilt of count +Bellfleur might easily be read in his looks, and not able to stand the +test of any enquiry, he departed with his servant, casting the most +malicious reflections as he went out, both on Louisa and her deliverer.</p> +<p>Du Plessis less affected, because innocent, gave every one the +satisfaction they desired: he said that the young lady being of English +birth, came along with a lady of her own country, to visit several parts +of Europe merely for pleasure; that the lady was still at Venice, and that +on some little disgust between them, she who was there, meaning Louisa, +had quitted her, and was now returning home by the way of Leghorn; of the +truth of what he told them, he added, they might be informed, by sending +to Venice the next day.</p> +<p>He also said, that having a business to be negotiated in England, he +had followed this young lady, in order to beg the favour of her to deliver +letters to some friends he had there, not having the opportunity of making +this request before, by reason of her departure having been so sudden, +that he knew nothing of it before she was gone.</p> +<p>The truth of all this Louisa confirmed, and on farther talk of the +affair, acquainted them, that the gentleman who had occasioned this +disturbance, for she forbore mentioning his name, had often sollicited her +love on unlawful terms, and being rejected by her, had taken this +dishonourable way of compassing his desires, at a place where he knew she +was alone, and wholly a stranger.</p> +<p>The fright and confusion she had been in, had rendered her so faint, +that it was with infinite difficulty she brought out these words; but +having something given her to refresh her spirits, and being conducted +into another room out of the crowd, she began, by degrees, to recover +herself.</p> +<p>Monsieur du Plessis then informed her, that on coming to Melanthe's, +and hearing she was gone, he immediately took boat, resolving to prevail +on her to alter her resolution of going to England, or dye at her feet: +that he easily found the inn she was at, and that the man of the house +presently told him, such a person as he described was there; but that he +understood she had eloped from her husband, who had pursued, and was now +above with her.</p> +<p>Never, said this faithful lover, did any horror equal what I felt at +this intelligence!—The base count de Bellfleur came presently into my +mind:—I thought it could be no other who had taken this abhored method of +accomplishing the menaces you may remember I repeated to you:—I was going +to fly up stairs that instant, but was withheld, and found it best to +argue the man into reason, who, I found, was fully prepossessed you were +his wife: as I was giving some part of your history, I saw the count's man +passing thro' the hall; he saw me too, and would have avoided me, but I +ran to him, seized him by the throat, and asked him what business had +brought either him or his master to this place: the disorder he was in, +and the hesitation with which he spoke, together with refusing to give any +direct answer, very much staggered the innkeeper, who was just consenting +to go up with me to your chamber, and examine into the truth of this +affair, when we saw you come down, armed as your virtue prompted, and at +the same time flying from the villain's pursuit.</p> +<p>Louisa could not help confessing that she owed the preservation of her +honour wholly to him; for, said she, the people were so fully persuaded +not only that I was his wife, but also that I had fled from him on some +unwarrantable intent, that all I did, or could have done, would only have +served to render me more guilty in their opinion; and it must have been by +death alone I could have escaped the monster's more detested lust.</p> +<p>Monsieur du Plessis now made use of every argument that love and wit +could inspire, to prevail with her to accept of the offer contained in the +letter he had wrote to her; and concluded with reminding her, that if the +charming confession her answer had made him was to be depended on, and +that she had indeed a heart not wholly uninfluenced by his passion, she +would not refuse agreeing to a proposal, which not the most rigid virtue +and honour could disapprove.</p> +<p>Louisa on this replied with blushes, that since, by the belief she +should never see him more, she had been unwarily drawn in to declare +herself so far, she neither could, nor would attempt to deny what she had +said; but, added she, it is perhaps, by being too much influenced by your +merits, that I find myself obliged to refuse what you require of me:—I +cannot think, cried she, of rendering unhappy a person who so much +deserves to be blessed:—and what but misery would attend a match so +unequal as yours would be with me!—How would your kindred brook it!—How +would the world confuse and ridicule the fondness of an affection so ill +placed!—What would they say when they should hear the nobly born, the + rich, and the accomplished monsieur du Plessis, had taken for his wife a + maid obscurely defended, and with no other dowry than her virtue!—My + very affection for you would, in the general opinion, lose all its merit, + and pass for sordid interest:—I should be looked upon as the bane of + your glory;—as one whose artifices had ensnared you into a forgetfulness + of what you owed to yourself and family, and be despised and hated by all + who have a regard for you.—This, monsieur, continued she, is what I + cannot bear, neither for your sake nor my own, and entreat you will no + farther urge a suit, which all manner of considerations forbid me to + comply with.</p> +<p>The firmness and resolution with which she uttered these words, threw +him into the most violent despair; and here might be seen the difference +between a sincere and counterfeited passion: the one is timid, fearful of +offending, and modest even to its own loss;—the other presuming, bold, +and regardless of the consequences, presses, in spight of opposition, to +its desired point.</p> +<p>Louisa had too much penetration not to make this distinction: she saw +the truth of his affection in his grief, and that awe which deterred him +from expressing what he felt:—she sympathized in all his pains, and for +every sigh his oppressed heart sent forth, her own wept tears of blood; +yet not receding from the resolution she had formed, nothing could be more +truly moving than the scene between them.</p> +<p>At length he ceased to mention marriage, but conjured her to consider +the snares which would be continually laid, by wicked and designing men, +for one so young and beautiful:—that she could go no where without +finding other Bellfleurs; and she might judge, by the danger she had just +now so narrowly escaped, of the probability of being involved again in the +same:—he represented to her, in the most pathetic terms, that her +innocence could have no sure protection but in the arms of a husband, or +the walls of a convent; and on his knees beseeched her, for the sake of +that virtue which she so justly prized, since she would not accept of him +for the one, to permit him to place her in that other only asylum for a +person in her circumstances.</p> +<p>Difficult was it for her to resist an argument, the reason of which she +was so well convinced of, and could offer nothing in contradiction to, but +that she had a certain aversion in her nature to receive any obligations +from a man who had declared himself her lover, and who might possibly +hereafter presume upon the favours he had done her.</p> +<p>It was in vain he complained of her unjust suspicion in this point, +which, to remove, he protested to her that he would leave the choice of +the monastry wholly to herself: that in whatever part she thought would be +most agreeable, he would conduct her; and that, after she was entered, he +would not even attempt to see her thro' the grate, without having first +received her permission for his visit. Not all this was sufficient to +assure her scrupulous delicacy: she remained constant in her +determination; and all he could prevail on her, was leave to attend her as +far as Leghorn, to secure her from any second attempt the injurious count +might possibly make.</p> +<p>After this they entered into some discourse of Melanthe, and whether it +would be proper for Louisa to write her an account of this affair, and the +count's perfidiousness. Monsieur du Plessis said, he thought that the late +usage she had received from that lady, deserved not she should take any +interest in her affairs; but it was not this that hindered Louisa from +doing it:—the remembrance of the kindness she had once been treated with +by her, more than balanced, in her way of thinking, all the insults that +succeeded it; and when she reflected how much Melanthe loved the count, +and that she had already granted him all the favours in her power, it +seemed to her rather an act of cruelty than friendship, to acquaint her +with this ingratitude, and thereby anticipate a misfortune, which, +perhaps, by his artifices and continued dissimulation, might be for a long +time concealed: therefore, for this reason, she exacted a promise from +monsieur du Plessis not to make any noise of this affair at his return to +Venice, unless the count, by some rash and precipitate behaviour, should +enforce him to it.</p> +<p>This injunction discovered so forgiving a sweetness of disposition in +the person who made it, that monsieur du Plessis could not refrain +testifying his admiration by the most passionate exclamations; in which +perhaps he had continued longer, had not the eyes of the fair object +discovered a certain languishment, which reminded him, he should be +wanting in the respect he professed, to detain her any longer from that +repose, which, seemed necessary, after the extraordinary hurry of spirits +she had sustained; therefore having taken his leave of her for that night, +retired to a chamber he had ordered to be got ready for him, as did she to +that where she had been so lately disturbed: but all those who are in the +least capable of any idea of those emotions, which agitated the minds of +both these amiable persons, will believe neither of them slept much that +night.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XVI.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>The Innkeepers scruples oblige Louisa to write to Melanthe: her +behavior on the discovery of the count's falshood. Louisa changes her +resolution and goes to Bolognia</i>.</p> +<p>Monsieur du Plessis, having found it impossible to dissuade Louisa from +going to England, now bent his whole thoughts to perform his promise of +conducting her to Leghorn, in the most commodious manner he could; +accordingly he rose very early, and calling for the man of the house, +desired he would provide a handsome post chaise, and if he knew any +fellows whose integrity might be relied on, he thought necessary to hire +two such, who, furnished with fire-arms, might serve as a guard against +any attack the count might take it into his head to make.</p> +<p>But the innkeeper had now entertained notions that forbid him to +correspond with the designs of monsieur: some of his neighbours, who had +heard of last night's accident, whispered it in his ears, that it would +not be safe for him to let these young people depart together; that he +could not be assured the person, who pretended to be the husband, might not +be so in reality; and if he should come again with proper officers and +proofs to claim his wife, it might be of dangerous consequence to him to +have favoured her escape; and that the only way he had to secure himself +from being brought into trouble, was to lay the whole affair before the +podestat. This advice seemed to him too reasonable not to be complied +with: he went directly to that magistrate, and while the lover was +speaking to him, officers came in to seize both him and Louisa, and carry +them before the podestat.</p> +<p>Monsieur du Plessis was very much surprized and vexed at this +interruption, and the more so, as he feared it would terrify Louisa to a +greater degree than the nature of the thing required; but in this he did +injury to her courage: when she was called up and informed of the +business, she surrendered herself with all the dauntlessness of innocence +to the officers, and suffered them to conduct her, with du Plessis, to the +house of the podestat.</p> +<p>Both of them flattered themselves with the belief, that when he should +come to hear the story, they would be immediately discharged; but he +happened to be one of those who are over wary in the execution of their +office; and he only told them, that what they said might be true, but he +was not to take things on the bare word of the parties themselves; and +that therefore they must be confined till either the person who claimed +the woman for his wife, should bring proofs she was so, or she should be +able to make out he had no right over her.</p> +<p>That is easy for me to do, said Louisa; I am only concerned that this +gentleman, meaning du Plessis, should be detained on an account he has no +manner of interest in. The podestat answered, it was unavoidable, because +as the person, who said he was her husband, had accused her of an +elopement, there was all the reason in the world to suppose that if it +were so, it was in favour of this gentleman, by the rage he was informed +he had testified at finding him in Padua.</p> +<p>Louisa gave only a scornful smile, denoting how much she disdained a +crime of the nature she was suspected of, and followed one of the +officers, who conducted her to the place appointed for her confinement.</p> +<p>Monsieur du Plessis was touched to the soul at the indignity he thought +offered to this sovereign of his affections; but he restrained himself +when he considered that it had the sanction of law, which in all nations +must be submitted to; and he only told the podestat, that the virtue of +that lady would soon be cleared, to the confusion of those who had +presumed to traduce it.</p> +<p>As, after they were under confinement, they had no opportunity of +advising each other what to do, monsieur du Plessis, uneasy at the +injustice done him, wrote immediately to the prince of Conti, in these +terms:<br/> +<br/> +<i>To his Royal Highness the Prince of</i> CONTI.<br/> +<br/> +"It is with the extremest reluctance I give<br/> +your royal highness this trouble, or find myself<br/> +obliged to accuse the count de Bellfleur of<br/> +an action so dishonourable to our nation; but<br/> +as I am here under confinement for preventing<br/> +him from committing a rape on a young English<br/> +lady, who failing to seduce at Venice, he followed<br/> +hither; and under the pretence of being<br/> +her husband, gained the people of the house on<br/> +his side, and had infallibly compassed his intent,<br/> +had it not been for my seasonable interposition:<br/> +I am too well convinced of the justice I presume<br/> +to implore, to doubt if your highness will<br/> +oblige him to clear up the affair to the podestat,<br/> +on which she will be at liberty to prosecute her<br/> +journey, and I to throw myself, with the utmost<br/> +gratitude and submission, at your feet, who have<br/> +the honour to be<br/> +<br/> +<i>Your royal highness's</i><br/> +<br/> +<i>Most devoted</i><br/> +<br/> +DU PLESSIS."<br/> +<br/> +<i>Padua.</i></p> +<p>Louisa, who was ignorant what her lover had done, and knew no other +way, than by writing to Melanthe, to extricate herself from this trouble, +sent a letter to her, the contents whereof were as follows:<br/> +<br/> +MADAM,<br/> +<br/> +"On what imagined cause whatever you were<br/> +pleased to banish me, I am certain you<br/> +have too much goodness to suffer any one,<br/> +much less a person you have once honoured<br/> +with your friendship, to remain in prison for a<br/> +crime it is impossible for me to be guilty of:—I<br/> +am sorry I must accuse a person so dear to<br/> +you;—but it is, madam, no other than the<br/> +unworthy count de Bellfleur, who followed me<br/> +hither, came into the inn where I was lodged,<br/> +into the very chamber, and oh! I tremble<br/> +while I relate it, had proceeded yet farther; and<br/> +I had been inevitably lost, had not heaven sent<br/> +me a deliverer in the unexpected arrival of monsieur<br/> +du Plessis, who is also a prisoner as well<br/> +as myself, for the timely rescue he gave me.<br/> +You will wonder, doubtless, by what law either<br/> +I should be confined for endeavouring to defend<br/> +my chastity, or he, for generously assisting me;<br/> +but the detested artful count had pretended himself<br/> +my husband; and under the sanction of<br/> +that name it was, that he met no opposition to<br/> +his wicked will from the people of the house,<br/> +and rendered them regardless of my shrieks and<br/> +cries.—The magistrates are yet dubious of the<br/> +truth; and till it can be proved what I really am,<br/> +both myself and monsieur du Plessis must continue<br/> +where we are:—have pity on me, therefore,<br/> +I conjure you, madam, and write to the podestat:<br/> +I have already told him I had the honour to<br/> +belong to you;—a line from you will confirm<br/> +it, and once more set at liberty a maid, who<br/> +will ever remember all your favours with the<br/> +greatest gratitude, and your withdrawing them<br/> +as the worst misfortune could have befallen.<br/> +<br/> +MADAM,<br/> +<br/> +<i>From the prison<br/> +at Padua.<br/> +<br/> +Your most faithful, and<br/> +Most humble servant</i>,<br/> +<br/> +LOUISA."<br/> +</p> +<p>These letters were sent away by special messengers, who had orders to +be as expeditious as possible in the delivery of them.</p> +<p>But while these accidents happened at Padua, Melanthe was not without +her share of inquietudes at Venice: she had not seen her beloved count in +two whole days, and, tho' she sent several times to his lodgings, could +hear nothing but that he was not yet come home. As her vanity would not +suffer her to think herself neglected, without having received some +glaring proofs of it, she feared some misfortune had befallen him, and +exposed herself not a little in the enquiries she made after him, among +all those who she could imagine were able to inform her any thing +concerning him.</p> +<p>At length some person, who happened to see him take boat, told her he +was gone to Padua, which being the rout she knew Louisa had taken, and she +had also informed him, a sudden thought darted into her head that he was +gone in pursuit of her.—It now seemed not impossible, but that all he had +said concerning his dislike of her might be artifice; and that the love of +variety might prevail on him at last to comply with the advances he +pretended she had made him.—The privacy with which he went, none of his +acquaintance knowing any thing of his journey, seemed to favour this +opinion; and never was a heart more racked with jealousy and suspence, +than that of this unhappy, and too easily deceived lady.</p> +<p>She had sometimes an inclination to go to Padua in person, and +endeavour to find out what business had carried him thither; and her +impatience had doubtless got the better of her prudence in this +particular, if, sending once more to his lodgings, she had not heard he +was returned.—On this she expected to see him in the evening, and +flattered herself with his being able to make some reasonable excuse for +his absence; but finding he came not, she was all distraction, and sent a +billet to him next morning, requiring him to come to her immediately on +the receipt of it; but as he was at that time in too ill a humour to think +of entertaining her, sent her an answer by word of mouth, that he was +indisposed, and would wait on her on his recovery.—This message seemed so +cold, and so unlike the passion he had hitherto professed for her, that it +threw her into almost convulsive agonies.—A masquerade was to be that +night at the house of a person of quality: she sent again to know if he +intended to be there, and, if he did, what habit he would wear, it being +customary with them, ever since their amour, to acquaint each other with +their dresses, that they might not mistake, by addressing to wrong +persons. His reply was, that he would go if health permitted, but as to +what he should wear he had not as yet thought of it.</p> +<p>What, if he hat not thought of it! cried she haughtily, when she heard +these words;—the knowledge that I shall be there, ought now to make him +think of it.—Pride, love, and the astonishment at this sudden change in +his behaviour, rendered her wholly forgetful of what she owed her sex and +rank; and she was just going to his lodgings, in order to upbraid him with +his indifference, and prove what it was she now had to depend on from him, +when the messenger from Louisa arrived and delivered her the letter, which +contained a sad eclaircisement of all she wanted to be informed of.</p> +<p>At first reading it, she seemed like one transfixed with a sudden clap +of thunder:—she had indeed been jealous, suspicious, fearful of her fate; +but so glaring, so impudent a treachery had never entered her head, that +any man could be guilty of, much less one whom her too fond passion had +figured to her imagination, as possessed of all the virtues of his sex. It +seemed too monstrous to be true; and she had accused the innocent Louisa +as the inventor of this falshood, merely in revenge for her late +treatment, had there been the least shadow of a pretence for doing +so:—gladly would she have encouraged such a hope, but common sense forbid +it;—all circumstances seemed to concur, in proving that he was indeed +that villain which the letter represented him; and that surprize, which +had in a manner stupified her on the discovery, was succeeded by a storm +of mingled grief and rage, which no words can sufficiently describe:—she +exclaimed against fate, cursed all mankind, and accused every thing as +accessory to her misfortune, but that to which alone she owed it, her own +imprudence.</p> +<p>The disorders of her mind had such an effect on her body, that she fell +into fits, and a physician was sent for, who, tho' esteemed the most +skilful in that country, found it required all his art to prevent a fever: +she continued, however, for five days in a condition, such as permitted +her not to do any thing either for the satisfaction of her own impatient +curiosity, or to comply with the just request Louisa had made; and had not +monsieur du Plessis's letter to the prince been mere successful, they must +both have continued where they were, perhaps for a considerable time.</p> +<p>That, however, had all the effect could be expected from a prince of so +much honour: he immediately sent for the count de Bellfleur; and easily +finding, by the confusion with which he replied to his examination, and +the little low evasions he was obliged to have recourse to, that the +affair was as monsieur du Plessis had represented, gave him a severe +check, and ordered him to depart immediately from Venice, where he told +him, he had given such occasion to call the honour of the French nation in +general in question; and to repair with all expedition to his winter +quarters. Which command he instantly obeyed, without taking any leave of +Melanthe, or perhaps even thinking on her.</p> +<p>At the same time the prince dispatched his gentleman of horse to Padua, +with necessary instructions for clearing up the affair; on which the +prisoners were discharged, and their pardon asked by the podestat for +doing what, he said, the duties of his post had alone obliged him to; tho' +it is certain he had exercised his authority with greater strictness than +the necessity of the thing required; since, if the count had been in +reality the husband of Louisa, it would have been more easy for him to +bring proofs of it, than for those under confinement to invalidate his +claim.</p> +<p>After the proper compliments to the gentleman who had taken this +trouble, monsieur du Plessis entreated he would excuse him to the prince, +that he retarded the thanks he had to pay his royal highness, till his +return from conducting Louisa some part of her journey, which being a +piece of gallantry the lady herself seemed well pleased with, was easily +complied with by the other.</p> +<p>This faithful lover had now a full opportunity to entertain his +mistress with his passion, and represented it to her with so much force +and eloquence, together with the dangers she would continually be exposed +to, that she had at length no words to form denials, and gave him leave to +conduct her to some monastry in Italy, the choice of which she left to +him, till the campaign was over. This was indeed all he presumed to +request of her at present. It may happen, said he, that your lover may +fall a victim to the fate of war, among many other more brave and worthy +men, who doubtless will not survive the next battle, and you will then be +at liberty to pursue your inclinations either to England or elsewhere; and +be assured of this, that I shall take care, before the hour of danger, to +leave you mistress of a fortune, sufficient to protect you from any future +insults of the nature you received from Melanthe.</p> +<p>The tender soul of Louisa was so much dissolved at these words, that +she burst into a flood of tears, and cried out, Oh! too generous du +Plessis, think not I will survive the cruel hour which informs me all that +is valuable in man has ceased to be!—Take,—oh! take no care for me; when +you are no more, nothing this world affords can enable me to drag on a +wretched life!</p> +<p>What must be the transport of a man, who loved like him, to hear a +mouth accustomed to the greatest reserve, utter exclamations so soft, so +engaging, so convincing to him that he was no less dear to her than he +could even wish to be!—He threw himself at her feet, and even thought +that posture not humble enough to testify, as it deserved, his gratitude +and joy. But she not suffering him to continue in it, he took the hand +that raised him, kissed off the tears which had fallen from her eyes upon +it, with speechless extacies, and seemed almost beside himself at the +concern she could not yet overcome, on the bare imagination of losing him +in the way he mentioned. If you love me, said she tenderly, you will +endeavour to preserve yourself:—I have now put myself under your +protection, by consenting to do as you would have me, and have no other +from whom I would receive those favours I expect from you:—think not, +therefore, that I will perform my promise, unless you give me yours, not +to be so covetous of fame as to court dangers, nor, in too eager a pursuit +of glory, to lose the remembrance of what you owe to love.</p> +<p>Oh thou divinest softness! cried he, be assured I will put nothing to +the venture that might take me from Louisa!—Your kindness, my angel, has +shewed me the value of life, and almost made a coward of your lover:—no +farther will I go than the duties of my post oblige me, and that honour, +which to forfeit, would render me unworthy of your care.</p> +<p>Louisa now found herself so much at ease, in having discovered a secret +she had so long laboured with, and suffered an infinity of pain in the +concealing of, that nothing could be more chearful than her looks and +behaviour. He, on the other hand, was all rapture, yet did it not make him +in the least forgetful of the rules he had prescribed himself, or give her +modesty any room to repent the confession she had made in favour of his +passion:—the conversation between them was all made up of innocence and +love; and every hour they passed together, rendered them still dearer to +each other.</p> +<p>Monsieur du Plessis having thus gained the point his soul was let on, +began to consider in what part of Italy it would be best to place his dear +Louisa: as Bolognia was a free country, under the jurisdiction of the +Pope, he thought she would there be the least subject to alarms, on +account of the army's continual marches and countermarches thro' most +other parts of Italy. He therefore got a post-chaise, and by easy journeys +conducted her thither; and having made an agreement with the lady abbess +of the Augustines, she was welcomed into the convent by the holy +sisterhood with all imaginable good-nature and politeness.</p> +<p>It would be endless to recite the farewels of these equally sincere, +and passionate lovers; so I shall only say that never any parting was more +truly touching; and the grief, which both of them endured, was only +alleviated by the confidence they had in each other's affection, and the +mutual promises of communicating the assurances of persevering in it, by +letters as often as opportunity would permit.</p> +<p>Melanthe being recovered of the indisposition of her body, tho' not of +her mind, was informed of every particular of her perfidious lover's +conduct as he had quitted Venice before she did her chamber, was obliged +to bear the load of discontent her too easy belief had brought upon her, +without even the poor ease of venting it in reproaches on him. The +carnival soon after ending, and finding that change of place was no +defence from misfortunes of the kind she had sustained, without she could +also change her way of thinking, took the first convenience that offered, +and returned to England, rather in worse humour than she had left it.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XVII.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Horatio arrives at Warsaw, sees the coronation of Stanislaus and his +queen: his reception from the king of Sweden: his promotion: follows that +prince in all his conquests thro' Poland, Lithuania and Saxony. The story +of count Patkul and madame de Eusilden.</i></p> +<p>While these things were transacting in Italy, Horatio, animated by +love and glory, was pursuing his journey to Poland. His impatience was so +great, that he travelled almost night and day, already imitating the +example of the master he was going to serve; no wood, no river was +impassable to him that shortened the distance to the place he so much +longed to approach: and thus by inuring himself to hardship, became fitly +qualified to bear his part in all the vast fatigues to which that prince +incessantly exposed his royal person.</p> +<p>Not a city, town, or even village he puffed thro', but echoed with the +wonders performed by the young king of Sweden:—new victories, new +acquisitions met him wherever he came:—all tongues were full of his +praises; and even those who had been ruined by his conquests, could not +help speaking of him with admiration.—Horatio heard all this with +pleasure, but mixed with a kind of pain that he was not present at these +great actions.—How glorious is it, cried he to himself, to fight under +the banners of this invincible monarch!—What immortal honour has not +every private man acquired, who contributed the least part to successes +that astonish the whole world!</p> +<p>But notwithstanding his eagerness which carried him thro' marshes, over +mountains, and ways, which to an ordinary traveller would have seemed +impassable, he met with several delays in his journey, especially when he +got into Germany, where they were extremely scrupulous; and he was obliged +to wait at some towns two or three days before he could obtain passports: +he also met several parties of flying horse and dragoons, who were +scouting about the country, as he drew nearer Saxony; but his policy +furnished him with stratagems to get over these difficulties, and he got +safe to Punitz, in the Palatinate of Posnania, where a great part of the +king of Sweden's army was encamped.—He immediately demanded to be +brought to the presence of the grand marshal Renchild, to whom he +delivered the letter of the baron de la Valiere, and found the good +effects of it by the civilities with which that great general vouchsafed +to treat him. He would have had him stay with him; but Horatio, knowing +the king was at Warsaw, was too impatient of seeing that monarch to be +prevailed upon, on which he sent a party of horse to escort him to that +city.</p> +<p>He had the good fortune to arrive on the very day that Stanislaus and +his queen were crowned, and was witness of part of the ceremony. The king +of Sweden was there incognito, and being shewn to Horatio, he could not +forbear testifying his surprize to see so great a prince, and one who, in +every action of his life, discovered a magnamity even above his rank, +habited in a manner not to be distinguished from a private man; but it was +not in the power of any garb to take from him a look of majesty, which +shewed him born to command not only his own subjects, but kings +themselves, when they presumed to become his enemies. There was a +fierceness in his eyes, but tempered with so much sweetness, that it was +impossible for those who most trembled at his frowns to avoid loving him +at the same time.</p> +<p>Stanislaus had in him all that could attract respect and good wishes; +beside the most graceful person that can be imagined, he had a certain air +of grandeur, joined with an openness of behaviour, that shewed him equally +incapable of doing a mean or dishonourable action: his queen was one of +the greatest beauties of her time; and every one present at their +coronation, confessed, that never any two persons more became a throne, or +were more worthy of the dignity conferred upon them.</p> +<p>The whole court was too much taken up that day, for Horatio to think of +presenting himself before the king of Sweden; but the officer, who +commanded the party that general Renchild had sent with him, introduced +him in the evening to count Hoorn, governor of Warsaw, who provided him an +appartment, and the next morning introduced him to count Piper. That +minister no sooner read the baron de Palfoy's letter, and heard he had +others to deliver to the king from the chevalier St. George, and the queen +dowager of England, than he treated him with the utmost marks of esteem; +and assured him that, since he had an inclination to serve his majesty, he +would contribute every thing in his power to make him not repent the long +fatigues he had undergone for that purpose; but, said he with a smile, you +will have no need of me; you bring, I perceive, recommendations more +effectual, and have besides, in yourself, sufficient to engage all you +have to wish from a monarch so just and generous as ours.</p> +<p>Horatio replied to this compliment with all humility; and as the count +perceived by his accents that he was not a Frenchman, tho' he spoke the +language perfectly well, he asked him of what country he was; to which +Horatio replied, that he was of England, but made him no farther +acquainted with his affairs, nor that the motive of his having remained so +long in France, was because he was not ransomed by his friends: not that +he concealed this out of pride, but he knew the character of most first +ministers, and thought it not prudence to unbosom himself to one of those, +whose first study, when they come into that employment, is to discover as +much as they can of others, without revealing any thing of themselves. For +this reason he was also very sparing of entering into any discourse of the +chevalier's court, or of that of the king of France, and answered all the +questions put to him by the count, that his youth, and being of foreign +extraction, hindered him from being let into any secrets of state.</p> +<p>After a pretty long conversation, the count led him to the king of +Sweden's apartment, where, just as they were about to enter, he asked him +if he could speak Latin; for, said he, tho' his majesty understands +French, he never could be brought to speak it, nor is pleased to be +addressed in that language. Horatio thanked him for this information, and +told him, that tho' he could not boast of being able to deliver himself +with an affluence becoming the presence of so great a prince, yet he would +chuse rather to shew his bad learning, than his want of ambition to do +every thing that might render himself acceptable.</p> +<p>As he spoke these words, he found himself in his presence.—The king +was encompassed by the officers of the army, to whom he was giving some +directions; but seeing count Piper, and a stranger with him, he left off +what he was saying, and, without giving him time to speak, cried, Count, +who have you brought me here? One, may it please your majesty, replied he, +who brings his credentials with him, and has no need of my intercession to +engage his welcome. While the count Was making this reply, the king, who +had an uncommon quickness in his eyes, measured Horatio from head to foot; +and our young soldier of fortune, without being daunted, put one knee to +the ground, and delivered his packet with these words:—The princes, by +whom I have the honour to be sent, commanded me to assure your majesty, +that they participate in all your dangers, rejoice in all your glories, +and pray, that as you only conquer for the good of others, the sword you +draw, in the cause of justice, may at last be sheathed in a lasting and +universal peace.</p> +<p>I am afraid it will be long before all that is necessary for that +purpose is accomplished, said the king; wrong, when established, not +easily gives place to right;—but we are yet young enough to hope it.</p> +<p>He broke open his letters as he spoke this; and while he was examining +them, took his eye off the paper several times to look on Horatio, and +then read again.</p> +<p>When he had done, I am much obliged, said he, to the zeal these letters +tell me you have expressed for my service, and shall not be +ungrateful:—we are here idle at present but shall not long be so; and you +will have occasions enough to prove your courage, and gratify that love of +arms which, my brother informs me, is the predominant passion of your soul.</p> +<p>After this he asked him several questions concerning the chevalier St. +George, the queen, and princess Louisa; to which Horatio answered with +great propriety, but mingled with such encomiums of the royal persons, as +testified his gratitude for the favours he received from them. But when he +mentioned the princess, and delivered the message she sent by him, a more +lively colour flushed into the king's cheeks, and he replied, well, we +shall do all we can to comply with her commands; then turned quick about, +and resumed the discourse he was in, before Horatio's entrance, with his +officers, as much as to say, the business of his love must not interrupt +that of the war; and Horatio had afterwards the opportunity of observing, +that tho' he often looked upon the picture of that amiable princess, which +he always wore in his bosom, yet he would on a sudden snatch his eyes +away, as fearing to be too much softened.</p> +<p>Horatio was ordered to be lodged in the castle where the garrison was +kept; but he was every day at the king's levee, and received the most +extraordinary marks of his favour and affection; for which, as he looked +upon himself entirely indebted to the recommendations of his friends in +France, he wrote letters of thanks, and an account of all that happened to +him.</p> +<p>Poland being now entirely subdued by the valour and fortune of Charles +XII. and having received a king of his nomination, submitted cheerfully, +glad to see an end of devastation, as they then flattered themselves; but +the troubles of that unfortunate kingdom were yet to endure much +longer.—Augustus, impatient of recovering what he had lost, and the czar +of Muscovy jealous and envious of the king of Sweden's glory, came pouring +with mighty armies from Saxony and Russia. Shullenburgh, the general of +the former, had passed the Oder; and the other, at the head of a numerous +body, was plundering all that came in his way, and putting to the sword +every one whom he even suspected of adhering to king Stanislaus: so that +nothing now was talked of but war, and the means concerted how to put a +stop to the miseries these two ambitious princes made, not only in that +country, but all the adjacent parts.</p> +<p>It was agreed that general Renchild should go to meet Shullenburgh, and +the two kings drive out the Muscovites; who being divided into several +parties, Stanislaus went at the head of one army, and the king of Sweden +led another; and taking different routs, had every day what he called +skirmishes, but what the vanquished looked upon as terrible battles.</p> +<p>The king of Sweden, before their departure from Warsaw, told Horatio +that all his officers were gallant men, and it was not his custom to +displace any one for meer favour to another; he must therefore wait till +the fate of war, or some other accident, made a vacancy, before he could +give him a commission, in the mean time, said he, with a great deal of +sweetness, you must be content to be only my aid-de-camp. On this Horatio +replied to his majesty, with as much politeness as sincerity, that it was +the post he wished, tho' dare not presume to ask; for he looked upon the +honour of being near, and receiving the commands of so excellent a +monarch, preferable to the highest commission in the army.</p> +<p>Thus, highly contented with his lot, did he attend the king, thro' +rivers, lakes, marines, and all the obstacles nature had thrown in the way +of this conqueror; and whenever they came to any battle, was so swift in +bearing his commands to the general, and in returning to him in which line +soever he was, that Poniatosky gave him the name of the Mercury to their +Jove; nor did he less signalize his valour; he fought by the side of the +king like one who valued not life, in competition with the praises of his +master. In an engagement where they took the baggage of Augustus, he did +extraordinary service; and a colonel then being killed on the spot, the +king presently cried out, Now here is a regiment for my Horatio. Our young +warrior thanked him on his knees, but beseeched he might not be removed +from him, again protesting that he could no were deserve so well, as where +he was animated by his royal presence. This Charles XII. took very kindly, +and told him, he should have his desire; but, said he, I must also have +mine:—I will continue you my aid-de-camp, but you shall accept the +commission, and the lieutenant colonel shall command the regiment in your +absence.</p> +<p>He also allotted him so large a share in the prize taken in this +battle, that Horatio was already become rich enough to avow his +pretensions to the daughter of the baron de Palfoy; but, dear as she was +to him, his love and admiration of the king of Sweden, joined to the +ambition of desiring still more than he had received, kept him from +entertaining the least desire of quitting the service he was in.</p> +<p>In eight or nine weeks did the two kings clear the country round, and +drove their enemies into the heart of Lithuania. As they were about to +return, they were met by the welcome news that general Renchild had been +no less successful, and entirely routed the whole army of Shullenburgh, +and also that the diet of Ratisbon, fearing the king of Sweden would enter +Germany, had come to a resolution to declare him an enemy to the empire, +in case he offered to pass the Oder with his army.</p> +<p>They could not have taken a more effectual step to bring on what they +dreaded, than by daring him to it by this menace. He took but little time +for consideration, before he determined to carry the war into Saxony, and +drive Augustus from his electorate, as he had done from his kingdom.</p> +<p>He had no sooner made known his resolution, than the troops began to +march, and with a chearfulness and alacrity, which shewed they had no will +but that of their king:—indeed he seemed the soul of this mighty body, of +which every single man was a member, and actuated only by him.</p> +<p>It is certain his heart was set on establishing Stanislaus on the +throne, and he knew no better way of preventing Augustus from molesting +him, than by calling off all communication between his electorate and +Poland:—accordingly he bent his course to Saxony, marched thro' Silesia +and Lusatia, plundered the open country, laid the rich city of Leipsic, +and other towns, under contribution, and at length encamped at Alranstadt, +near the plains of Lutsen, whence he sent to the estates of Saxony, to +give him an estimate of what they could supply, and obliged them to levy +whatever sums he had occasion for: not that he had the least spark of +avarice in his nature, but his hatred to Augustus, who had by his +injustice made him become his enemy, was so great, that it extended to all +those of his country, so far, as to humble and impoverish the once opulent +inhabitants, making them not only support his numerous army, but laid on +them besides many unnecessary imposts, which he divided among his +soldiers, so that they were all cloathed in gold and silver, and every +private man had the appearance of a general, the king himself still +preferring his usual plainness; but he loved, he said, to see the Saxon +riches upon Swedish backs.</p> +<p>Horatio had now a second opportunity of writing to France, which he did +not fail to do, and, as there was no talk of the army decamping for some +time, let his friends know he hoped to hear from them at Alranstadt.</p> +<p>Augustus, in the mean time deprived of every thing, and a wanderer in +that kingdom where he had lately reigned, sent a mean submission to him, +entreating peace, and that he might have leave to return to his +electorate. This was granted by the conqueror, on condition he would +renounce, for ever, all thoughts of re-entering Poland, or giving any +disturbance to Stanislaus. But as the treaty was going to be signed, the +czar sent an army of 20,000 men to his relief, who defeated general +Mayerfield, whom the king had left to guard that kingdom; and the +dethroned monarch once more entered Warsaw, the capital of Poland, in +triumph.</p> +<p>Charles XII. was so exasperated when he received this intelligence, +that he gave immediate orders to decamp, resolving he should not long +enjoy the benefit of his breach of faith; but the pusillanimity of +Augustus prevented him: that prince was afraid the czar should discover +the peace he had been secretly negotiating, and withdraw his troups; and +as he had neither any of his own, nor money to assist him, he sent the +articles demanded of him by the king of Sweden, signed with his own hand, +and set out to Alranstadt, hoping, by his presence and persuasions, to +mollify his indignation, and be permitted to enjoy his own Saxony in +peace.</p> +<p>What more could the utmost ambition of man require than the king of +Sweden now received, to see a prince, so lately his equal and inveterate +enemy, come to solicite favour of him in his camp, almost at his feet; +but whatever were his sentiments on this occasion he concealed them, and +tho' he could not but despise such an act of meanness, he treated him with +the utmost politeness, tho' without making any abatement of the demands he +had exacted from him. On the contrary, he insisted on his delivering up to +him general Patkul, ambassador from the czar, who at that time was a +prisoner in Saxony, being determined to put him to death as a traitor, +having been born his subject, and now entered into the service of his +sworn enemy.</p> +<p>Augustus beseeched him in the most abject manner to relinquish this one +point, and remonstrated to him that the czar, his present master, would +look on it as the utmost indignity offered to himself in the person of his +ambassador: he assured him he hated Patkul, but feared the giving him up +would be resented by all the princes of Europe. All he could urge on this +head was to no effect; the king of Sweden was not to be moved from any +resolution he had once made; and the unfortunate Patkul was sent to +Alranstadt and chained to a stake for three whole months, and afterwards +conducted to Casimir, where he was to receive his sentence.</p> +<p>Horatio, who was an entire stranger to the motive of this behaviour in +the king, and had never seen any thing before in him that looked like a +cruel disposition, was one day mentioning his surprize at it to a young +officer with whom he had contracted a great intimacy, on which he gave him +the following account:</p> +<p>This Patkul, said he, is a Livonian born, which, tho' a free country, +is part of the dominions annexed to the crown of Sweden: Charles XI. began +to introduce a more absolute form of government than was consistent with +the humour of that people; his son has been far from receding in that +point, and Patkul being a person of great consideration among them, stood +up for their liberties in a manner which our king could not forgive:—he +ordered him to be seized, but he made his escape, and was proscribed in +Sweden; on which he entered into the service of king Augustus, and was +made his general; but on some misunderstanding; between him and the +chancellor, he quitted Poland and went to Russia, where he got into great +favour with the czar, was highly promoted, and sent his residentiary +ambassador in Saxony. Augustus, whose fate it has been to disoblige every +body, on some pretence clapp'd into prison the representative of his only +friend, and now, we see, has given him up to death, to satiate the demands +of his greatest enemy.</p> +<p>Horatio could not keep himself from falling into a deep musing at the +recital of this adventure: he thought Patkul worthy of compassion, yet +found reasons to justify the king's resentment; and as this officer had +often disburthened himself to him with the greatest freedom, he had no +reserve toward him, and this led them into a discourse on arbitrary +power.—Horatio said, that he could not help believing that nature never +intended millions to be subjected to the despotic will of one person, and +that a limited government was the most conformable to reason. The officer +agreed with him in that; except the person who ruled had really more +perfections than all those he ruled over and if so, said he, and his +commands are always calculated for the happiness of the subject, they +cannot be more happy than in an implicite obedience. True, replied +Horatio, I am confident that such a prince as ours knows how to chuse for +his people much better than they do for themselves; but how can they be +certain that his descendants will have the same virtues; and when once an +absolute power is granted to a good prince, it will be in vain that the +people will endeavour to wrest it from the hands of a bad one.—Never can +any point be redeemed from the crown without a vast effusion of blood, and +the endangering such calamities on the country, that the relief would be +as bad as the disease. Upon the whole, therefore, I cannot think Patkul in +the wrong for attempting to maintain the liberty of his country, tho' I do +for entering into the service of the avowed enemy of his master.</p> +<p>It is that, I believe, resumed the other, that the king chiefly +resents: his majesty is too just to condemn a man for maintaining the +principles he was bred in, however they may disagree with his own; but to +become his enemy, to enlist himself in the service of those who aim at the +destruction of his lawful prince, is certainly a treason of the blackest +dye.</p> +<p>As they were in this discourse, colonel Poniatosky came in, and hearing +they were speaking of Patkul,—I have just now, said he, received a letter +from one of my friends in Saxony concerning that general, which deeply +affects me, not for his own, but for the sake of a lady, to whom, after a +long series of disappointments, he was just going to be married, when +Augustus, against the law of nations, made him a prisoner. I will relate +the whole adventure to you, continued he; on which the others assuring him +they should think themselves obliged to him, he went on.</p> +<p>When he first entered into the service of Augustus, he became +passionately in love with madam d'Ensilden, a young lady, whose beauty, +birth, and fortune rendered her worthy the affections of a man of more +honour than he had testified in his public capacity: her friends at least +thought so; and chancellor Flemming making his addresses to her at the +same time, had the advantage in every thing but in her heart: there Patkul +triumphed in spight of all objections: and tho' king Augustus vouchsafed +himself to sollicite in behalf of his favourite, her constancy remained +unshaken as a rock; which so incensed a monarch haughty and imperious in +his nature, before humbled by our glorious Charles, that he made use of +his authority, and forbid her to think of marrying any other: to which she +resolutely answered, that she knew no right princes had to interfere with +the marriages of private persons; but since his majesty commanded it, she +would endeavour to obey and live single. This not satisfying the king, he +hated Patkul from that moment; and the rivals soon after meeting in madam +d'Ensilden's apartment, some hot words arose between them, which being by +Flemming reported to his master, he sent, in the moment of his passion, to +require Patkul to resign his office of general: he did so, but with a +murmur that was far from abating the royal resentments; and he had then +ordered him into confinement, but that private intelligence being given +him, he made his escape before the officers, commissioned for that +purpose, reached his house. He then went to the czar, who knowing him an +experienced general, of which at that time he stood greatly in need, +gladly received him; and it was there he first merited the hate of all +good men, by countenancing and abetting those ambitious projects his new +master was then forming against the king of Sweden: but see the fate of +treason, he persuaded him to enter into an alliance with, Poland and +Saxony against Sweden, which laid the foundation of this unjust war, and +for which Augustus has so dearly paid; and being sent Ambassador, in order +to negotiate these affairs, again renewed those of his love. Augustus, now +obliged to the czar for the preservation of his dominions, durst not +openly espouse chancellor Flemming, but no sooner heard that the marriage +was near being compleated, than he ventured every thing to prevent it; +and, under a pretence of his own forging, confined Patkul in the castle of +Konisting, where he lay a considerable time; the czar being too much taken +up with combating the fortune of our victorious king, to examine into this +affair, and besides, unwilling to break with Augustus, as things then +stood. Madam d'Ensilden did all this time whatever could be expected from +a sincere affection, in order to procure his enlargement; but the interest +of her friends, at least of those who would be employed in this +intercession, were infinitely too weak to oppose that of Flemming and the +king's own inclination, so that he remained a prisoner, without being +permitted either to write to madam d'Ensilden or see her, till the time +of his being delivered into our hands. But on hearing he was so, my friend +informs me her great spirit, which till now had made her support her +misfortune without discovering to the world any part of the agonies she +sustained, in an instant quite forsook her: she abandoned herself to +despair and grief, equally exclaiming against the Czar, Augustus, and +Charles XII; has ever since shut herself up in her apartment, which she +has caused to be hung with black, the windows closed, and no light but +what a small lamp affords, and only adds more horror to the melancholy +scene: she weeps incessantly, and, as she expects her lover will obtain no +mercy, declares, she only waits till she hears the sentence of his fate is +given, to dye, if possible, at the same moment of his execution.</p> +<p>I must confess, continued Poniatosky, the history of this lady's +sufferings touch me very much; and tho' I think her lover well worthy of +the death he will undoubtedly receive, could wish some unexpected chance +might once more set him free, and in a condition to recompence so tender a +passion, which Augustus has now no longer any power to oppose.</p> +<p>Horatio had a heart too tender, and too sensible of the woes of love, +not to be greatly affected with this passage; and as they all were young, +and probably had each of them a lady to whom their affections were given, +could not help sympathizing in the misfortunes of two persons who seemed +to have fallen into them merely by the sincere attachment they had for +each other.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XVIII.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>King Stanislaus quits Alranstadt to appease the troubles in Poland: +Charles XII. gives laws to the empire: a courier arrives from Paris: +Horatio receives letters which give him great surprize</i>.</p> +<p>Augustus being able to obtain no better conditions from the king of +Sweden, than leave to return to his almost ruined electorate, took leave +of his conqueror with an almost broken heart.—Intelligence soon after +arriving that Poland was half demolished by the violence of different +factions, who, in the absence of both their kings, contended with equal +fury for the sovereign power, Stanislaus took an affectionate farewell of +his dear friend and patron, and went to appease the troubles of that +kingdom, and make himself peaceably acknowledged for what he was, their +lawful king, not only by election, but by the gift of the conqueror, +Charles XII. of Sweden. He was attended by 10,000 Swedish horse, and twice +the number of foot, in order to make good his claim against any of his +rebellious subjects.</p> +<p>Charles having now accomplished all he could desire in relation to the +Polish affairs, began to grow weary of the idle life he led at Alranstadt, +and was thinking which way he should turn his arms; he had been used ill +by the czar, who, as has been before observed, plotted his destruction +while a minor, and began hostilities when he thought him not in a +condition to defend himself, much less to make any reprisals: his +resentment therefore against him was no less implacable than it had been +against Augustus,—But the emperor had also disobliged him. Count Zobor, +the chamberlain, had taken very indecent and unbecoming liberties with his +character, in the presence of his own Ambassador at Vienna; and that court +had given shelter to 1500 Muscovites, who having escaped his arms, fled +thither for protection. As he was now so near, he therefore thought best +to call the emperor first to account, and then proceed to attack the czar.</p> +<p>To this end he sent to demand count Zobor, and the 1500 Muscovites +should be given into his hands: the timid emperor complied with the first +and sent his chamberlain to be punished as the king thought fit; but it +was not in his power to acquiesce with the other; the Roman envoy, then at +Vienna, having intelligence of it, provided for their escape by different +routs. The king of Sweden then sent a second mandate, requiring protection +for all the Lutherans throughout Germany, particularly in Silesia, and +that they should be restored to all the liberties and privileges +established by the treaty of Westphalia. The emperor, who would have +yielded any thing to get the king of Sweden out of his neighbourhood, +granted even this, disobliging as it was to the pope and his own catholic +subjects: and having ratified these concessions, the king vouchsafed to +let his chamberlain return, without any other punishment than +imprisonment, so long as these affairs remained in agitation.</p> +<p>Having thus given laws to Germany and terror to the emperor, he +resolved to turn where he might expect more opposition; and accordingly he +ordered count Piper to acquaint the officers, that they must now begin to +think of preparing for a march.</p> +<p>In the mean time ambassadors from all the courts of Europe were sent to +his camp, most of them being apprehensive that they should be the next who +felt the terror of his arms: but those who had nothing of this kind to +dread, and more really his friends, made use of all the arguments in their +power to prevail on him to return to Stockholm. France in particular sent +courier after courier, remonstrating to him that his glory was complete; +that he had already exceeded Alexander, and should now return covered, as +he was, with lawrels, and let his subjects enjoy the blessing of his +presence. The court of St. Germains added their entreaties to that of +Versailles, but each were equally ineffectual; nor could even the thoughts +of the beautiful princess Louisa, his betrothed spouse, and whom he was to +marry at the end of this war, put a stop to the vehemence of his +impatience to revenge the many injuries he had received from the czar of +Muscovy.</p> +<p>These were the sentiments by which this conquering monarch were +agitated; but Horatio, tho' no less fond of glory, had a softness in his +nature, which made him languish for the sight of his dear Charlotta, whom +he had been absent from near two years; and being now blessed with a +fortune from the plunder of Saxony, which might countenance his +pretensions to her, passionately longed for an opportunity of returning +without incurring the censure of cowardice or ingratitude. By these +couriers he received letters from the baron de la Valiere, and several +others of his friends, but none from the father of Charlotta; nor did any +of them make any mention of that lady, tho' he knew the passion he had for +her was now no secret to any of them.</p> +<p>He was very much surprized that the baron de Palfoy had not wrote, +because as he had in a manner promised to correspond with him by desiring +him to write, he had a right to expect that favour when they came to +Alranstadt; for till then it was scarce possible, by reason of the army's +continual and uncertain motions; but he was much more so, that the baron +de la Valiere had not been so good as to give him some information of an +affair, of which he could not be insensible his peace so much depended: +that he did not do it, he therefore presently concluded, was owing to the +having nothing pleasing to acquaint him with.</p> +<p>As love is always apprehensive of the worst that can possibly befal, he +thought now of nothing but her being obliged to give her hand to some +rival approved by her father:—what avails it, cried he, that fortune has +raised me to an equality with her, if, by other means, I am deprived of +her!</p> +<p>He was beginning to give way to a despair little befitting a soldier, +when another courier arriving from Versailles with dispatches to the king, +he also received a packet, in which were three letters. The first he cast +his eye upon had on it the characters of Charlotta: amazed and transported +he hastily broke the seal, and found it contained these lines:<br/> +<br/> +<i>To Colonel</i> HORATIO.<br/> +<br/> +SIR,<br/> +<br/> +"I have the permission of my father to pursue<br/> +my inclinations, in giving you this testimony<br/> +how sincerely I congratulate your good fortune;<br/> +tho' I ought not to call it by that name, since I<br/> +find every-body allows your rewards have not<br/> +exceeded your merits; but as neither has been<br/> +found deficient either for your ambition or the<br/> +satisfaction of your friends, all who are truly such<br/> +think you ought to be content, and run no future<br/> +hazards.—Be assured you have many well-wishers<br/> +here, among the number of whom you<br/> +will be guilty of great injustice not to place<br/> +<br/> +CHARLOTTA DE PALFOY."</p> +<p>How well were all the late anxieties he had endured attoned for by this +billet; it was short indeed, and wrote with a more distant air than he +might have expected, had the dear authoress been at liberty to pursue the +dictates of her heart; but as it informed him it was permitted by her +father, and was doubtless under his inspection, the knowledge that he had +authorized her to write at all, was more flattering to his hopes of +happiness than all she could have said without that Sanction. After having +indulged the raptures this condescention excited, he proceeded to the +rest, and found the next he opened was from the baron de Palfoy, who +expressed himself to him in these terms:<br/> +<br/> +<i>To Colonel</i> HORATIO.<br/> +<br/> +"I think myself obliged to you for so much<br/> +exceeding the character I gave you; but I<br/> +value myself on knowing mankind, and am glad<br/> +to find I was not deceived in you, when I expected<br/> +you to do more than I durst venture on<br/> +my own opinion to assure the count. He tells me,<br/> +in a letter I received from him the last courier,<br/> +that the victorious Charles XII. himself cannot<br/> +behave with greater bravery in the time of action,<br/> +nor more moderation after it is over.—This<br/> +is a great praise, indeed, from such a man<br/> +as he; and I acquaint you with it not to make<br/> +you vain, for that would blemish the lustre of<br/> +your other good qualities, but that you may<br/> +know how to make proper acknowledgments to<br/> +that minister."<br/> +<br/> +"Our court, I know, makes pressing influences<br/> +to the king of Sweden not to carry on the way<br/> +any farther: I wish they may succeed, or if they<br/> +should not, that you might be able to find some<br/> +opportunity of quitting the service for reasons<br/> +which you will see in a letter that accompanies<br/> +this, and to which nothing can be added to convince<br/> +you what part you ought to take.—I<br/> +shall therefore say no more than that I am, with<br/> +a very tender regard,<br/> +<br/> +<i>Yours</i>,<br/> +<br/> +PALFOY"</p> +<p>Rejoiced as he was at receiving a letter from the father of his +mistress, wrote in a manner which he might look upon as a kind of +confirmation he no longer would be refractory to his wishes, the latter +part of it contained an enigma he could by no means comprehend.—It seemed +impossible to him there could be any reasons prevalent enough to make him +quit, with honour, a prince who had so liberally rewarded his service; but +hoping a further explanation, he lost not any time in conjectures; and +tearing open the other letter without giving himself time to examine the +hand in which it was directed, found, to his inexpressible astonishment, +the name of Dorilaus subscribed. It was indeed wrote by that gentleman, +and contained at follows:<br/> +<br/> +<i>Dear Horatio</i>,<br/> +<br/> +"Accidents, which at our parting neither of<br/> +us could foresee, have doubtless long since<br/> +made you cease to hope any continuance of that<br/> +kindness my former behaviour seemed to promise;<br/> +but never, perhaps did heaven deal its<br/> +blessings with a more mysterious hand than it<br/> +has done to you.—That seeming neglect in<br/> +me, at a time when you were a prisoner among<br/> +strangers, and had most need of my assistance,<br/> +had the appearance of the greatest misfortune<br/> +could befall you; yet has it been productive of<br/> +the greatest good, and laid the foundation of a<br/> +happiness which cannot be but lasting.—I reserve<br/> +the explanation of this riddle till you arrive<br/> +at Paris, where I now am, and intend to<br/> +continue my whole life.—That I impatiently<br/> +desire to see you, ought to be a sufficient inducement<br/> +for you to return with as much expedition<br/> +as possible:—I will therefore make this<br/> +experiment of that affection, I might add duty,<br/> +you owe me, and only give you leave to guess<br/> +what recompence this proof of your obedience<br/> +will entitle you to.—If therefore the king of<br/> +Sweden is resolute to extend his conquests, entreat<br/> +his permission to resign: I know the obligations<br/> +you have to that excellent prince; but I<br/> +know also you have others to me which cannot<br/> +be dispensed with:—besides, his majesty's affairs<br/> +cannot suffer by the loss of one man: yours<br/> +will be in danger, if not totally ruined, by your<br/> +continuance with him, and myself deprived at<br/> +the same time of the only remaining comfort of<br/> +my days.—Your sister left me soon after you<br/> +did:—she went to Aix la Chapelle, since<br/> +which I have never been able to hear any thing<br/> +of her.—Let me not lose you both; if you<br/> +have any regard for your own interest, or the<br/> +peace of him whom you have ever found a father<br/> +in his care and affection, and whom you will<br/> +now find so more than you can possibly expect.<br/> +<br/> +DORILAUS."</p> +<p>Impossible is it to conceive, without being in the very circumstances +Horatio was, what a strange variety of mingled passions agitated his +breast on having to read, and considered these letters:—to find such +unhoped condescension from the baron de Palfoy and that Dorilaus was still +living, and had the same, if not more tender inclinations for him than +ever, the latter of which he had long since ceased to hope, was sufficient +to have overwhelmed even the most phlegmatic person with an excess of +joy:—but then the dark expressions in both these letters put his brain on +the rack.—The baron had seemed to refer to an explanation of what he +darkly hinted at in the letter of Dorilaus, but that he found rather more +obsolete: he could imagine nothing farther than that Dorilaus having +resolved to make him his heir, as he remembered some people said before he +left England, on the knowledge of that intelligence the baron de Palfoy +had consented to his marriage with mademoiselle Charlotta, and this, her +being permitted to write to him confirmed.—This indeed was the supreme +aim of his desires; and this it was that made him quit St. Germains, in +hope of raising himself to a condition which might enable her to own her +affection to him without a blush: but transporting as this idea was, it +was mingled with disquiet, to reflect on the terms which both the Baron +and Dorilaus seemed to insist on for the accomplishment of his wishes, +tho' he impatiently longed to see Dorilaus after so long an absence.—Tho' +in the possession of Charlotta all his hopes were centered, yet to leave a +prince who had so highly favoured him, and under whose banners he had +gained so much consideration, was a piece of ingratitude, which it was +worse than death for him to be guilty of.—No! said he, it would be to +render me unworthy of all the blessings they make me hope, should I +purchase them on such conditions!—How can they demand them of me!—The +Baron, Charlotta, and Dorilaus, have all of them the highest notions of +honour, generosity and gratitude, and can they approve that in me, which I +am certain they would not be guilty of themselves!—Sure it is but to try +me, they seem to exact what they are sensible I cannot yield to, without +the breach of every thing that can entitle me to esteem or love!</p> +<p>Thus did he argue within himself for one moment; the next, other +reasons, directly opposite to these, presented themselves.—Dorilaus, +cried he, demands all my obedience;—all my gratitude:—without protection +I had been an outcast in the world!—Whatever honours, whatever happiness +I enjoy, is it not to him I owe them! Can I refuse then to comply with +commands, which, he says, are necessary to his peace!—Besides, was it not +Charlotta that inspired this ardor in me for great actions! Was not the +possession of that charming maid, the sole end I proposed to myself in all +I have undertaken! and shall I, by refusing her request, madly run the +risque of losing her for ever!—Does not she wish, her father persuade, +and Dorilaus enjoin me to return!—Does not love, friendship, duty call me +to partake the joys that each affords!—And shall I refuse the tender +invitation!—No! the world cannot condemn me for following motives such as +these; and even the royal Charles himself is too generous not to acquit me +of ingratitude or cowardice.</p> +<p>It must indeed be confessed he had potent inducements for his return to +Paris, to combat against those of continuing in the king of Sweden's +service; and both by turns appeared so prevalent, that it is uncertain +which would have got the better, had not an accident happened, which +unhappily determined him in favour of the latter.</p> +<p>Colonel Poniatosky, who had attended Stanislaus into Poland, now the +disturbances of that kingdom were quieted, on hearing the king of Sweden +was on some new expedition, obtained leave of Stanislaus to return to the +camp, and implored his majesty's permission to be one of those who should +partake the glorious toils he was now re-entering into. To which he +replied, that he should be glad to have him near his person, but feared he +would be wanted in Poland. No, may it please your majesty, resumed +Poniatosky, there seems to be no longer any business in that kingdom for a +soldier:—all seem ready to obey the royal Stanislaus out of affection to +his person, and admiration of those virtues they are now perfectly +convinced of; nor is Augustus in a condition to violate the treaty of +resignation:—refuse me not therefore I beseech your majesty, continued +he, falling upon both his knees, what I look on as my greatest happiness, +as it is my greatest glory.</p> +<p>The king seemed very well pleased at the emphasis with which he +expressed himself; and having raised him from the posture he was in, be it +so, cried he, henceforward we will be inseparable.</p> +<p>Horatio was charmed with this testimony of love and zeal in a person, +who had doubtless friends and kindred who would have been glad he had less +attachment to a service so full of dangers as that of the king of Sweden, +and somewhat ashamed he had ever entertained a thought of quitting it, +resolved, as he had been more obliged, not to shew less gratitude than +Poniatosky. Therefore, without any further deliberation, retired to his +quarters, and prepared the following answers to the letters had been +brought him. As all things in a lover's heart yields to the darling +object, the first he wrote was to his mistress.<br/> +<br/> +<i>To mademoiseile</i> DE PALFOY.<br/> +<br/> +"With what transports I received yours,<br/> +adorable Charlotta, I am little able to<br/> +express!—To find I am not forgotten!—That<br/> +what I have done is approved by her for<br/> +whom alone I live, and whose praise alone can<br/> +make me vain, so swallowed up all other considerations,<br/> +that it had almost made me quit<br/> +Alranstadt that moment, and fly to pour beneath<br/> +your feet my gratitude and joy!—But<br/> +glory, tyrannic glory, would not suffer me to<br/> +obey the soft impulse, nor re-enjoy that blessing<br/> +till conscious I deserved it better!—My friends<br/> +over-rate my services; and tho' that partial indulgence<br/> +is the ultimate of my ambition, I would<br/> +dare not abuse what they are so good to offer."<br/> +<br/> +"To feast my long, long famished sight with<br/> +gazing once more on your charms, I would<br/> +forgo every thing but the hope of rendering myself<br/> +one day more worthy of it!—Too dear I<br/> +prize the good wishes you vouchsafe to have for<br/> +me, not to attempt every thing in my power to<br/> +prevent the disappointment of them: the little<br/> +I have yet done, alas! serves but to prove how<br/> +much the man, who has in view rendering himself<br/> +acceptable to the divine Charlotta, dares<br/> +to do, when dangers worthy of his courage<br/> +present themselves.—A small time may, perhaps,<br/> +afford me an opportunity:—yet did you<br/> +know how dear this self-denial costs me, you<br/> +would confess it the greatest proof of affection<br/> +ever man gave:—permit me therefore to gratify<br/> +an ambition which has no other aim than a<br/> +justification of the favours I receive:—continue<br/> +to look with a favourable eye on my endeavours,<br/> +and they cannot then fail of such success,<br/> +as may give me a claim to the glorious.<br/> +title of my most adored and loved Charlotta's.<br/> +<br/> +<i>Everlasting Slave</i>,<br/> +<br/> +HORATIO."</p> +<p>To her father he wrote in the following manner:<br/> +<br/> +<i>To the baron</i> DE PALFOY,<br/> +<br/> +<i>My Lord</i>;<br/> +<br/> +"The favours your goodness confers upon<br/> +me are such as can be equalled by but one<br/> +thing in the world, and that is my just and<br/> +grateful sense of them.—Charming would be<br/> +the toils of war, did all employed in them meet<br/> +a recompence like mine!—Is there a man, so<br/> +mean, so poor in spirit, that praises such as I receive<br/> +might not animate to actions worthy of<br/> +them!—What acknowledgments can I make<br/> +the count suitable to the immense obligations I<br/> +owe him, for inspiring your lordship with sentiments,<br/> +which, tho' the supreme wish of my<br/> +aspiring soul, I never durst allow myself to<br/> +hope; and which afford a prospect of future<br/> +accumulated blessings, such as I could scarce<br/> +flatter myself with being real, were not the transporting<br/> +idea in some measure confirmed to me,<br/> +by your having given a sanction to a correspondence<br/> +I so lately despaired of ever obtaining!—Blessed<br/> +change!—Extatic condescensions!—Fortune<br/> +has done all she can for me, and anticipated<br/> +all the good that, after a long train of<br/> +services and approved fidelity, I scarce should<br/> +have presumed to hope!—Oh my lord! I have<br/> +no words to thank you as I ought! It is deeds<br/> +alone, and rendering myself worthy of your<br/> +indulgence, that must preserve your good opinion,<br/> +and keep you from repenting having overwhelmed<br/> +me with this profusion of happiness!—Yet<br/> +how joyfully could I now pursue the<br/> +rout to Paris, and content myself with owing<br/> +every thing merely to your goodness, were I<br/> +not with-held by all the considerations that<br/> +ought to have weight with a man of honour!—My<br/> +royal general is inflexible to the persuasions<br/> +of almost all the courts in Christendom,<br/> +and hurried by his thirst of fame, or some other<br/> +more latent motive, has given orders to prepare<br/> +for a march, where, or against whom, is yet a<br/> +secret to the army; but by the preparations for<br/> +it, we believe they are not short journeys we<br/> +are to take.—Should I now quit a service<br/> +where I have been promoted so much beyond<br/> +my merit, what, my lord, but cowardice or ingratitude<br/> +could be imputed to me as the motive!<br/> +—Not all my reasons, powerful as they are,<br/> +would have any weight with a prince, who is<br/> +deaf to every thing but the calls of glory; and<br/> +I must return loaden with his displeasure, and<br/> +the reproaches of all I leave behind!—Now<br/> +to return is certain infamy!—To go, is in pursuit<br/> +of honour!—Your lordship will not therefore<br/> +be surprized I make choice of the latter,<br/> +since no hazard can be equal to that of forfeiting<br/> +the little reputation I have acquired, and<br/> +which alone can render me worthy any part of<br/> +the favours I have received.<br/> +<br/> +<i>I am</i>,<br/> +<br/> +<i>With the extremest respect and submission</i>,<br/> +<br/> +<i>Your lordship's<br/> +<br/> +Eternally devoted servant,</i><br/> +<br/> +HORATIO."</p> +<p>The last and most difficult task he had to go thro', was the refusal he + must give to Dorilaus, who had laid his commands on him in such express + terms; and it was not without a good deal of blotting, altering, and + realtering, he at length formed an epistle to him in these terms:<br/> +<br/> +<i>To my more than father, my only patron,<br/> +protector and benefactor, the most worthy<br/> +DORILAUS.</i><br/> +<br/> +<i>Most dear and ever honoured Sir,</i><br/> +<br/> +"To hear you are living, and still remember<br/> +me with kindness, affords too great a<br/> +transport to suffer me to throw away any thought<br/> +either on the motives of your long silence,<br/> +or that happiness, which you tell me, I may<br/> +expect has been the produce of it:—it is<br/> +sufficient for me to know I am still blessed in<br/> +the favor of the most excellent person that<br/> +ever lived, and am not in the least anxious for<br/> +an explanation of any farther good.<br/> +<br/> +To tell you with how much ardency I long<br/> +to throw myself at your feet, to relate to you<br/> +all the various accidents that have befallen me<br/> +since first you condescended to put me in the<br/> +paths of glory, and to pour out my soul before<br/> +you with thanksgiving, would be as impossible<br/> +as it is for me at present to enjoy that blessing!—The<br/> +king's affairs, it is true, would suffer<br/> +nothing by my absence; but, sir, what would<br/> +the world say of me, if, after a whole year of<br/> +inactivity and idleness, I flew, on the first appearance<br/> +of danger, and forsook a prince, by<br/> +whom I have been so highly favoured?—Instead<br/> +of the character I have always been ambitious<br/> +of attaining, should I not be branded with<br/> +everlasting infamy!—Put not therefore, I beseech<br/> +you, to so severe a test that love and duty,<br/> +to which you cannot have a greater claim than<br/> +I a readiness to pay?—Did you command my<br/> +life, it is yours:—I owe it to you, and with it<br/> +all that can render it agreeable; but, sir, my<br/> +honour, my reputation, must survive when I am<br/> +no more; it was the first, and will be the last<br/> +bent of my desires. No perils can come in any<br/> +degree of competition with those of being deprived<br/> +of that, nor any indulgencies of fortune<br/> +compensate for the loss of it:—pardon then<br/> +this enforced disobedience, and believe it is the<br/> +only thing in which I could be guilty of it.—<br/> +I very much lament my sister's absence, as I<br/> +find by yours she went without your permission:<br/> +time and reflection will doubtless bring her to a<br/> +more just sense of what she, as well as myself,<br/> +ought to have of your goodness to us, and make<br/> +her return full of sincere contrition for having<br/> +offended you. I should implore your favourable<br/> +opinion of her actions in the mean time,<br/> +were not all the interest I have in you too little<br/> +to apologize for my own behaviour.—All, sir,<br/> +I dare to implore is pardon for myself, and that<br/> +you will be assured no son, no dependant whatever,<br/> +would more rejoice in an opportunity of<br/> +testifying his duty, affection, gratitude and submission,<br/> +than him who is now constrained by<br/> +ties, which I flatter myself you will not hereafter<br/> +disapprove, to swerve in some measure<br/> +from them, and whose soul and all the faculties<br/> +of it are<br/> +<br/> +<i>Entirely devoted to you</i>.<br/> +<br/> +HORATIO."</p> +<p>These dispatches being sent away, he became more composed, and set his +whole mind on his departure, and taking leave of those friends and +acquaintance he had contracted at Leipsic and Alranstadt; the time of the +army marching being fixed in a few days, tho' what rout they were to take +none, except count Piper, general Renchild, count Hoorn, and some few +others of the cabinet council, were made privy to.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XIX.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>The king of Sweden leaves Saxony, marches into Lithuania, meets with +an instance of Russian brutality, drives the czar out of Grodno, and +pursues him to the Borysthenes. Horatio, with others, is taken prisoner by +the Russians, and carried to Petersburg, where they suffer the extremest +miseries</i>.</p> +<p>The word at length being given, the tents were struck, the trumpets +sounded, and the whole army was immediately in motion. Never was a more +gay and glorious fight; the splendor of their arms, and the richness of +their habits blazed against the sun; but what was yet more pleasing, and +spread greater terror among their enemies, was the chearfulness that sat +on every face, and shewed they followed with the utmost alacrity their +beloved and victorious monarch.</p> +<p>It was in the latter end of September, a season extremely cold in those +parts, that they began their march but hardships were natural to the king +of Sweden's troops; and as they perceived they were going into Lithuania, +a place where their valour had been so well proved against the invading +Muscovites, their cheeks glowed with a fresher red on the remembrance of +their former victories. They passed near Dresden, the capital of the +electorate of Saxony, and made Augustus tremble in his palace, tho' the +word of the king, which ever was inviolable, had been given that he should +enjoy those dominions in peace.</p> +<p>During the course of this, the czar had fallen upon the frontiers of +Poland above twenty times, not like a general, desiring to come to a +decisive battle, but like a robber, plundering, ravaging, and destroying +the defenceless country people, and immediately flying on the approach of +any troops either of Charles XII or king Stanislaus. The Swedes in their +march met several parties sent on these expeditions, but who retired on +sight of the army into woods, and were most of them either killed or taken +prisoners by detachments sent in pursuit of them by the king of Sweden.</p> +<p>In their march towards Grodno they found the remains of an encampment, +several pieces of cannon and ammunition of all forts, but not one creature +to guard it, the troops to whom it belonged having all dispersed and hid +themselves. On examining the tents, they were surprized with the sight of +a very beautiful woman, who was lying on the ground in one of them, with +three others, who seemed endeavouring to comfort her, and, by the respect +they paid her, that they were her dependents; but had all of them their +garments torn and bloody, their hair hanging in strange disorder about +their ears, their flesh discoloured with bruises and other marks of +violence, and, as well as their disconsolate superior, were spectacles of +the utmost distress.</p> +<p>The king of Sweden himself, followed by general Hoorn, Poniatolky, +Horatio, and several others, who hardly ever lost sight of him, came into +this tent, and, being touched with so moving a scene, demanded the +Occasion; on which the prostrate lady being told who it was that spoke, +started suddenly up, and throwing herself at his feet:—Oh king! cried she +in the German language, as famous for justice as for being invincible in +war, revenge the cause of helpless innocence and virtue!—Oh let the +murderous brutal Russians find heaven's vindictive arm in you its great +vicegerent.—She was able to utter no more: the inward agonies she +sustained, on being about to relate the story of her wrongs, became too +violent for speech, and she sunk motionless on the earth. Two of the +women, assisted by some Swedes, carried her out of the tent, as thinking +the open air most proper to revive her; and she who remained, satisfied +the king's curiosity in these words:</p> +<p>May it please your majesty, said she, my mistress, that afflicted lady +who just now implored your royal pity, is of the noble family of the +Casselburgh, in Saxony, only daughter to the present count: her person, +before these heavy misfortunes fell upon her, was deservedly reputed one +of the most beautiful that graced the court of Dresden: her birth, her +youth, her charms, and the great fortune it was expected she would be +mistress of, attracted a great number of persons who addressed her for +marriage: her own inclinations, as well as the count her father's +commands, disposed of her to Emmermusky, a Polish nobleman; and she had +been scarce one month a bride, before they unhappily took this journey to +visit my lord's mother who lives at Travenstadt.—In our way we met a +party of straggling Muscovites, who, notwithstanding the strict league +between our elector and the czar, and the knowledge they had by our +passports that we were Saxons, stripped us of every thing, killed all our +men-servants and having given my lord several wounds, left him for dead +upon the place, then dragged us miserable women to the camp.—My lady, in +the midst of faintings, and when she was incapable even of flying to death +for refuse, was brutally ravished, and we her wretched attendants suffered +the same abuse.—Shame will not let me, continued she, blushing and +weeping, acquaint your majesty with the shocking and repeated violations +we were compelled to bear!—the wretches casting lots who first should +gratify his monstrous desires!—We were all bound to trees, and without +any means of opposition but our shrieks and cries to unrelenting +heaven!—My lord having a little recovered himself, had crawled, as well +as his wounds would give him leave, after us, and arrived even while the +horrid scene was acting: rage giving him new strength and spirits; he +snatched a sword that lay upon the earth, and sent to perdition the +villain who was about to add to the dishonour which had been, alas! but +too much completed by others. The death of their companion incensing the +accursed Muscovites, they turned upon him, and in a moment laid him dead +just at the feet of his ruined and almost expiring wife! After having +satiated their wicked will, they left us, bound as we were, where we +continued the remainder of the day and whole night, and had doubtless +perished thro' hunger and extreme cold, if a second party had not passed +that way, who having been out on a maroding, were then returning to the +camp.—Being actuated by somewhat more compassion than the former, one of +the officers made us be untied, and having heard our story, blamed the +cruelty with which we had been treated, and brought us to his tent, the +same we now are in, and ordered something should be given for our +refreshment; but my lady has continued obstinate to dye, and to that end +has refused all subsistence. This, oh invincible monarch! is the sad +history of our misfortunes:—misfortunes, which, alas! can never be +retrieved, nor admit any consolation but in the hope of vengeance!</p> +<p>Here a torrent of tears closed the sad narration; and the king cried +out, turning as he spoke to us that followed him,—It is the cause of +heaven and earth, my friends, said he, to punish these barbarians, and +shew them that there is a God; for sure at present they are ignorant of +it!</p> +<p>The generous monarch after this gave orders that these afflicted and +abused woman should be escorted to a place of safety, and for that purpose +halted for the space of two days, then proceeded towards Grodno with such +expedition, that after-ages will look upon it as incredible that so large +an army, and also encumbered with a great quantity of baggage, could have +marched in the time they did.</p> +<p>But the king of Sweden was on fire to encounter in person the czar of +Muscovy, who, with about 2000 men, was then in that city: so great was his +impatience, that he galloped before his troops, not above 600 of those +best mounted being able to keep pace with him, till he came in sight of +the south gate, which gave him entrance without any opposition, while the +czar and his forces made their escape out at the north gate, not doubting +but the king of Sweden's whole army were come up with him.</p> +<p>He was afterward so much vexed and ashamed to think he had quitted the +town to no more than 600 of the enemy, that, to retrieve a mistake which +he feared might be looked upon as cowardice, being informed the body, of +the army was near five leagues off, he sent a party of 1500 horse in order +to surprize the king and his few guards. The Muscovites entered by night; +but the alarm being given, the fortune which still had waited on the +Swedish armies, immediately put them all to the rout; and the army soon +after arriving, the conqueror lost no time, but pursued those that +remained alive into the forest of Mensky, on the other side of which the +czar had then entrenched himself, and had made the general rendezvous of +the Russian army, which was continually divided into parties; and +sometimes falling on the Swedes in the rear, and sometimes in the flank, +very much annoyed them in their march: these brave men had also other +difficulties to encounter with; the forest was so extremely thick, that +the infantry were obliged to fell down trees every moment, during the +whole time of their passage, to make way for the baggage and troops.</p> +<p>Their industry and vigour surmounting all these obstacles, they once +more found themselves in an open country, but on the banks of a river, on +the opposite side of which were 20,000 Muscovites placed to oppose their +crossing. The king made no delay, but quitting his horse, threw himself +into the river, and was instantly followed by all the foot, while the +troops under the command of general Renchild and Hoorn, galloped round +thro' the morrass in which that river ended, and both together charged the +enemy, who, after some faint shew of resistance, fled with the utmost +precipitation. The whole army being now joined marched on toward the +Boristhenes, but with fatigues which are impossible to be described: +Horatio kept still close to the king, and whether he fought or marched, +was on foot or on horsback, was always in his fight ready to bear his +commands to the generals, or assist him in the time of danger. More than +once had the conqueror been indebted to this young warrior, for turning +the point of the destructive sword from giving him the same death he was +dealing about to others; yet in all the dangers he had been in never had +he received one wound, and this often made the king say, who was a firm +believer in predestination, that heaven designed him for a soldier: his +fortune, his valour, his activity, added to his obliging and modest +behaviour, indeed rendered him so dear to his royal master, that there +were very few, if any, to whom he gave greater marks of his favour. And +had Dorilaus, or even Charlotta herself, all tender as she was, and +trembling for the hazards she knew he had been exposed to, seen him thus +caressed and honoured by the most glorious prince and greatest hero in the +world, they could scarce have wished him to quit the post he was in, much +less persuaded him to do it.</p> +<p>He hitherto indeed had experienced only the happiness of a martial +life, for the fatigues, hardships, and dangers of it he as little regarded +as the intrepid and indefatigable prince he served; but now arrived the +time which was to inflict on him the worst miseries of it, and make him +almost curse a vocation he had been in his soul so much attached to.</p> +<p>The king of Sweden, with his usual success having passed the +Boristhenes, encountered a party of 10,000 Muscovites and 6000 Calmuck +Tartars; but they gave way on the first onset and fled into a wood, where +the king, following the dictates of his great courage more than prudence, +pursuing them, fell into an ambuscade, which, throwing themselves between +him and three regiments of horse that were with him, hem'd him in, and now +began a very unequal fight.—Many of the gallant Swedes were cut to +pieces, and the Muscovites made quite up to his majesty:—two aid-de-camps +were killed within his presence, his own horse was shot under him, and as +an equerry was presenting him with another, both horse and man was struck +dead in the same moment.—Horatio immediately alighted in order to mount +the king, who now on foot behaved with incredible valour, in that action +was surrounded and taken prisoner, as were several others that had fought +near his person. He had the satisfaction, however, while they were +disarming and tying his hands, to see colonel Dardoff with his regiment +force thro' the Calmucks, and arrive timely enough to disengage the king, +after which the army recovering its rank, and pouring in upon the enemy, +he was not without hopes of regaining his liberty; but he was sat upon a +horse and bound fast to the saddle, and compelled, with the others that +were taken with him, to accompany the Muscovites in their flight, so was +ignorant in what manner this re-encounter ended. Soon after repairing to +the czar's quarters, these unfortunate officers of the king of Sweden +were, with some others who had before become their prize, sent under a +strong guard to Petersburgh, and thrown altogether into a miserable +dungeon.</p> +<p>It would be impossible to describe the horrors of this place:—light +there was, but it was only so much as just served to shew to each of these +unhappy sufferers the common calamity of them all.—The roof was arched +indeed, but so low, that the shortest among them could scarce stand +upright:—no kind of furniture, not even straw to cover the damp earthen +floor, which served them for a seat by day and bed at night. Inured as +they had been to hardships, the noisomeness of this dreadful vault killed +many of them, and among the rest a young Swedish officer named +Gullinstern, one with whom Horatio had contracted a very intimate +friendship, and who, for his many excellent qualities, had been so dear to +the king, that seeing him one day greatly wounded, and in danger of being +taker, prisoner, that generous prince obliged him to mount on his own +horse, and fought on foot himself till another could be brought.</p> +<p>The light of this gentleman expiring in his arms, filled Horatio with +so poignant an anguish, that he wanted but little of following him; and, +indeed, had it not been for the sanguine hopes that the king would in a +short time complete the ruin of the czar, and not only restore them +liberty, but also add vengeance to it for the ill treatment they had found +in his dominions, few, if any of them, had been able to support the +miseries inflicted on them by these inhuman wretches, who, not content +with burying them in a manner alive, for the dungeon they were in was deep +underground, and allowing them no other food than bread and water once in +four and twenty hours, made savage sport at their condition, ridiculed the +conquests of their king, and spoke in the most opprobrious terms of his +royal person, which, when some of them were unable to restrain themselves +from answering in a manner befitting their duty and love of justice, they +were silenced by the most cruel stripes.</p> +<p>Thus were the officers of the king of Sweden, the meanest of whom were +fit to be generals in any other army, subjected to the servile taunts, and +insolent behaviour of wretches undeserving to be ranked among the human +species.</p> +<p>A very little time had doubtless made them all find graves among these +barbarians; scarce a day passed over without their company decreasing by +two or three, who were no sooner dead than dragged out by the heels, and +thrown like dogs into a pit without the least funeral rites. But +providence at length thought fit to send them a relief by means they least +expected.</p> +<p>In one of the incursions made by the Muscovites into Poland, a very +beautiful lady, whose father had been killed in asserting the cause of +Stanislaus, was made prisoner: prince Menzikoff, who commanded these +batallions, saw her, and became enamoured of her charms: she was destitute +of all friends, and in the conqueror's power, so thought it best to yield +what otherwise she found him determined to seize: in fine, she was his +mistress; and her ready compliance with his desires, together with the +love she either had or feigned to have for him, afterward gained her an +absolute ascendant over him. Every one knows the interest he had with the +czar; and he so far exerted it, as to get this fair favourite lodged in +the palace, where she was served with the same state and respect as if she +had been his wife.</p> +<p>This lady, whose name was Edella, happened to be walking with some of +her attendants near where these unfortunate gentlemen were buried, at a +time when three of them were dragged to their wretched sepulchre, was +touched with compassion to see any thing that had a human shape thus +coarsely treated, tho' after death, and had the curiosity to order one of +her people to enquire who those persons were, and what they had done, +which hindered them from being allowed a christian burial.</p> +<p>She was no sooner informed that they were Swedish prisoners, than her +soul shuddered at the thoughts of the Russian barbarity; and not doubting +but their usage during life had been of a piece with that after their +death, she resolved, if possible, to procure some abatement of the +miseries of those who yet survived.</p> +<p>To this end she made it her business to examine what number of +prisoners had been brought, of what condition they were, and where lodged; +and being well acquainted with all she wanted to know, went to the +governor of Petersburg, and so well represented how dishonourable it was +to the czar, and how opposite to the law of nations, to treat prisoners of +war in a worse manner than they would do condemned felons, that he knowing +the power of prince Menzikoff, and fearing to disoblige one so dear to him +by a refusal, consented they should be removed into an upper part of the +prison where they would have more air, and also that they should have an +allowance of meat every day.</p> +<p>As the governor was a true Muscovite in his nature and had an +implacable hatred to the king of Sweden and all that belonged to him, this +was gaining a great deal; but it was not enough to satisfy the charitable +disposition of Edella; after their removal, she went in person to visit +those of them whom she heard were gentlemen, and finding them covered only +with rags, which some of the soldiers had put on them after having +stripped them of their own rich habits, she ordered others lined with furs +to be made for them, to defend them from the coldness of the season; and +not content to retrench a great part of her own table, sold several fine +jewels, and other trinkets the prince had bestowed on her, to supply them +with wine, and whatever necessaries she supposed them to be accustomed to. +That she might be certain those entrusted by her did not abuse her good +intentions, she went often to the prison herself to see how they were +served, and would sometimes enter into discourse with them concerning the +battles they had been in, the settlement of Stanislaus, and many other +things relating to the Polish affairs. The gallant and courtly manner in +which Horatio expressed himself on every occasion, made her take a +particular pleasure in hearing him speak: that rough blunt behaviour to +which she had been accustomed since her being brought a captive into +Muscovy, gave double charms to the politeness with which she found herself +entertained by our young warrior; his blooming years, and the gracefulness +of his person, contributed not a little also towards rendering every thing +he said more agreeable. Her liking of him grew by degrees into a +friendship, no less tender than that one feels for very near relations, +and who have never done any thing to disoblige us, are more endeared by +being under undeserved calamity: but as the inclination she had for him +was perfectly innocent, and no ways prejudicial to the prince who was in +possession of her person, she made no secret of it either to himself or +those she conversed with, and was always talking of the wit, delicacy, and +handsomeness of one of those prisoners, whom it was well known were +pensioners to her bounty. But how dangerous is it to be too open before +persons who, void of all true generosity, or the lead principle of honour +themselves, never fail to put the worst construction on the actions of +others. Edella was very near being undone by her sincerity in +acknowledging the distinction she paid to merit, or the compassion she +felt for misfortunes, in a country where humanity to enemies is looked +upon as a crime, friendship to those of the same party altogether unknown, +and even common civility never practised but for the gratification of +self-interest, or some favourite passion.</p> +<p>This beautiful Polander however being treated by the Muscovites, on +account of the influence she had over the prince Menzikoff, with as much +complaisance as it was in their power to shew, imagined their disposition +less savage than it was in reality; and when she testified the pity she +had for those unhappy gentlemen, it was with design to excite it in +others, and engage them to join with her in petitioning the czar, at his +return, for their enlargement, there being no cartel or exchange of +prisoners subsisting between him and the king of Sweden.</p> +<p>Among the number she hoped to gain to her party was Mattakesa, the +relique of a general who had been in great favour with his prince. This +lady, who could speak French, having learned it of a recusant that took +shelter in Russia, consented to go with her one day to the prison, and no +sooner saw Horatio, than, unfortunately for him, Edella, and herself, she +became charmed with him: as she was of the number of those who think +nothing a crime that suits their own inclination, she took not the least +pains to subdue the growing passion, but rather indulged it, in order to +receive the highest degree of pleasure in the gratification. She doubted +not but Edella was her rival, and that it was for his sake alone she had +been so beneficent to his fellow-sufferers: to supplant her, therefore, +was the first step she had to take, and she resolved to omit nothing for +that purpose.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XX.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>The treachery of a Russian lady to her friend: her passion for +Horatio: the method he took to avoid making any return, and some other +entertaining occurrences.</i></p> +<p>It is easy to believe that Horatio, tho' relieved from that +extremity of misery he suffered while in the dungeon, was far from being +able to content himself with his present condition:—a thousand times he +reproached himself for pursuing the dictates of a glory which now seemed +so tyrannic:—Have I, cried he, hazarded the eternal displeasure of the +best of men,—refused the invitation of the adorable Charlotta,—slighted +the condescentions of her father,—been deaf both to interest and love, to +become a prisoner to the worst of barbarians!—Who now will pity me!—Or +if they yet would be so good, how shall I acquaint them with my wretched +fate!—Nay, were there even a possibility of that, what would the +compassion of the whole world avail, since a slave to those, who, +contrary to the law of nations, and even common humanity, refuse, on any +terms, to release the wretches fallen into their savage power!</p> +<p>In this manner did he bewail himself night and day, and indeed had but +too just reasons for doing so:—he had heard that the last time the czar +had been at Petersburg, he had sent all the prisoners he had then taken to +Siberia, and other province of the greater Tartary, where they were +compelled, without any distinction, to do the work of horses rather than +men, and doubted not but at his next return all those now in his power +would meet the same fate, tho' the generous king of Sweden had sent back +the Muscovites he had taken, by 1500 and 2000 at a time.—This, however, +may be said in favour of the czar, that by the many attempts he made to +civilize his barbarous subjects, it must be supposed he would have been +glad to have imitated this generosity, had it been confident with his +safety; but the case had this difference, Charles XII. feared not the +number of the Muscovites, but the czar feared the courage of the Swedes.</p> +<p>What also increased the affliction of these gentlemen, was, that being +debarred from all intelligence, they could hear nothing of their king, +whom each of them loved with a kind of filial affection and duty.—Horatio +and two others had been witnesses of the extreme danger in which they left +him; and tho' at the time they were seized he had killed thirteen or +fourteen Muscovites with his own hand, and they perceived general Dardoff +had come up to his relief, yet they could not be certain of his safety; +till at length the sweet-conditioned Edella perceiving the despair they +were in on this account, informed them that his majesty was not only well, +but as successful as ever; that he had passed far into Ukrania, had +defeated the Muscovites in five battles, and so far reduced the czar, that +he had condescended to make some overtures of peace; which having been +rejected, it was the common opinion, that in a very short time the Swedes +would enter Moscow, and become arbiters of Russia as they had been of +Poland.</p> +<p>Adequate to their late grief was their satisfaction at this joyful +news:—Horatio was transported above his companions, and threw himself at +the feet of the fair intelligencer; but she desired they would all of them +moderate their contentment so far as to hinder the guards, who had the +care of them, from perceiving it, because, said she, it might not only +draw on yourselves worse treatment, but also render me suspected of being +against the interest of a court, on which my fate has reduced me to become +a dependant.</p> +<p>Horatio, as well as the others, assured her he would take care to +manage the felicity she had bestowed upon them, so as not to be any way +prejudicial to her; and she took her leave, promising to be with them +again in a few days, and bring them farther information, a courier from +the camp, she said, being expected every hour.</p> +<p>But while this compassionate lady was pleasing herself, by giving all +the ease in her power to the distressed, the cruel Mattakesa was plotting +her destruction.—She had several of her kindred, and a great many +acquaintance in the army, who were in considerable posts, to all of whom +she exclaimed against the loose behaviour, as she termed it, of Edelia, +and represented her charities to the prisoners as the effects of a wanton +inclination:—this she doubted not but would come to prince Menzikoff's +ears, and perhaps incense him enough to cause her to be privately made +away with; for as she imagined nothing less than the most amorous +intercourse between her and Horatio, she thought it unadvisable to declare +the passion she had for him, till a rival so formidable, by the advantages +she had over her in youth and beauty, should be removed.</p> +<p>This base woman therefore impatiently waited the arrival of the next +courier, to find how far her stratagem had succeeded; and the moment she +heard he had delivered his dispatches, flew to the apartment of Edella, in +hopes of being informed of what she so much desired to know.</p> +<p>She was not altogether deceived in her expectations: she found that +lady drowned in tears, with a letter lying open before her; and on her +enquiring, with a shew of the utmost concern, the motives of her grief, +the other, who looked on her as her real friend, replied, alas! Mattakesa, +I have cruel enemies; I cannot guess for what cause, for willingly I never +gave offence to any one;—but see, continued she, how barbarously they +have abused my innocence, and represented actions which, heaven knows, +were influenced only by charity and compassion as the worst of crimes! +with these words she gave her the letter which she had just received from +the prince,</p> +<p>Mattakesa took it with a greedy pleasure, and found it contained these +lines:<br/> +<br/> +<i>To</i> EDELLA.<br/> +<br/> +Madam,<br/> +<br/> +"I left you in a place, furnished, as I thought,<br/> +with every thing necessary for your satisfaction;<br/> +but I find I was mistaken in your constitution,<br/> +and that there was something wanting,<br/> +which, rather than not possess, you must have<br/> +recourse to a prison to procure:—ungrateful<br/> +as you are to the affection I have treated you<br/> +with, I am sorry for your ill conduct, and could<br/> +with you had been, at least, more private in<br/> +your amours: few men but would have sent an<br/> +order for removing you and the persons, for<br/> +whose sake you have made these false steps,<br/> +into a place where you would have cause to<br/> +curse the fatal inclination that seduced you:<br/> +think therefore how much you owe a prince,<br/> +who, instead of punishing your faults, contents<br/> +himself with letting you know he is not ignorant<br/> +of them.—If you make a right use of<br/> +the lenity I shew on this occasion, you may<br/> +perhaps retrieve some part of the influence you<br/> +once had over me; but see the Swedish prisoners<br/> +no more, if you hope or desire ever to see<br/> +<br/> +MENZIKOFF."</p> +<p>Mattakesa affected the greatest astonishment on having read this +letter; and after having cursed the persons that put such vile suspicions +into the prince's head, asked her what she intended to do.</p> +<p>What can I do! answered the sorrowful Edella, but write to my lord all +the assurances that words, can give him, which heaven knows I can truly +do, that I never wronged him even in wish or thought; and that since there +are people so cruel to misinterpret to my dishonour, what was nothing but +mere charity, to obey his commands with the utmost punctuality, and never +set my foot into that prison more?</p> +<p>Her false friend could not but applaud her resolution, yet told her it +was pity that ill tongues should deprive those unfortunate gentlemen of +the relief she had hitherto afforded them, or herself of the pleasure she +took in their conversation.</p> +<p>As for the first, said Edella, heaven may perhaps raise the mother +friends more capable of lifting them; and as to the other, were it +infinitely greater, it would be my inclination, as it is my duty, to +sacrifice every thing to the will of a prince whom I love, and to whom I +am so much obliged.</p> +<p>Mattakesa having thus compared her design, so far as to be under no +apprehensions of being interrupted by her imagined rival, tho' she had +rather she had been poisoned or strangled, went directly to the prison and +told the gentlemen, it was with the utmost concern she must acquaint them +that Edella would never visit them any more, nor continue the weekly +pension she had hitherto allowed them.</p> +<p>Those among them who understood her, and the others to whom Horatio +interpreted what she said, looked one upon another with a great deal of +consternation, as imagining one of them had done something to offend her, +and thereby the rest were thought unworthy of her favours.—Everyone +endeavoured to clear himself of what he easily saw his companions +suspected him guilty of; till Mattakesa, with a scornful smile, told them, +that it was not owing to the behaviour of any of them, but to Edella's own +inconstant disposition, that they owed the withdrawing of her bounty; but +to console them for the loss of it, she promised to speak to some of her +friends in their behalf, and also to contribute something herself towards +alleviating their misfortunes; but, added she, I am not the mistress of a +prince and first favourite, so have it not in my power to act as the +generosity of my nature inclines me to do.</p> +<p>She stayed with them a considerable time, and entertained them with +little else than railing on Edella; and to make her appear as odious and +contemptible as she could to Horatio, insinuated that it was for the sake +of a young needy favourite she had been obliged to withdraw the allowance +they had from her.</p> +<p>On taking leave she found means to slip a little billet into Horatio's +hands, unperceived by any of the company, which, as soon as he had a +convenient opportunity, he opened, and found these words in French:<br/> +<br/> +<i>To the agreeable</i> HORATIO.<br/> +<br/> +SIR,<br/> +<br/> +"Tho' I have not perhaps so much beauty<br/> +as Edella, I have twice her sincerity, and<br/> +not many years older: such as I am, however,<br/> +I fancy you will think a correspondence with<br/> +me of too much advantage to be refused:—if<br/> +you will counterfeit an indisposition, to-morrow<br/> +I will out of excessive charity visit you, and<br/> +bring you a refreshment, I flatter myself, will<br/> +not be disagreeable to a man in your circumstances:—farewell;—be<br/> +secret,—and love as well as you can,<br/> +<br/> +<i>Yours</i>,<br/> +<br/> +MATTAKESA."</p> +<p>Of all the accidents that had befallen Horatio since his leaving +England, none ever so much surprized him as the prodigious impudence of +this lady: he had heard talk of such adventures, but never till now +believed there could be any such thing in nature, as a woman that offered +herself in this manner, without the least sollicitation from the person on +whom she wished to lavish what ought only to be the reward of an approved, +or at least a shew of the most violent passion.</p> +<p>The dilemma he was in how to behave, was also equal to his +astonishment:—had she been the most lovely of her sex, as she was very +much the reverse, the ever present idea of his dear Charlotta would have +defended his heart from the invasions of any other charms; but he needed +not that pre-engagement to make him look with detestation on a woman of +Mattakesa's principles:—when he reflected on what she had said concerning +Edella, he found her base, censorious, and unjust:—and when he considered +the manner in which she proceeded in regard to himself, he saw a lewdness +and audacity which rendered her doubly odious, to him:—he doubted not but +she was wicked and subtle enough to contrive some means of revenging +herself, in case she met with a disappointment in her wishes, yet had too +great an abhorrence to be able to entertain one thought of gratifying +them.</p> +<p>As he was young and unexperienced in the world, he would have been glad +of some advice how to act so as not to incur her resentment, yet avoid her +love; but the strict notions he had of honour remonstrated to him that he +ought not to betray a secret of that nature, tho' confided in him by an +ill woman.—Her baseness, cried he to himself, would be no excuse for +mine; and it is better for me to risque whatever her malice may inflict, +than forfeit my character, by exposing a woman who pretends to love me.</p> +<p>These thoughts kept him waking the whole night; and his restlessness +being observed by an old Swedish officer who by with him, he was very much +importuned by him to discover to him the occasion.—Horatio defended +himself for a good while by the considerations before recited; but at +length reflecting; that the person who was so desirous of being let into +the secret, had a great deal of discretion, he at length suffered himself +to be prevailed upon, and told him what Mattakesa had wrote to him, for he +did not understand a word of French, so could not read the letter.</p> +<p>This officer no sooner heard the story, than he laughed heartily at the +scruples of Horatio, in thinking himself bound to conceal an affair of +this nature with a woman of the character Mattakesa must needs be:—he +also rallied his delicacy, as he termed it, in hesitating one moment +whether he should gratify the lady's inclinations.—One would imagine, +said he, that so long a fall from love as we have had, should render our +appetites more keen:—what, tho' Mattakesa be neither handsome nor very +young, she is a woman, and amorous, and methinks there should need no +other excitements to a young man like you.</p> +<p>Horatio, tho' naturally gay, was not at present in a disposition to +continue this raillery, and told his friend, he looked on this inclination +of Mattakesa to be as great a misfortune as could happen to them; for, +said he, as it is wholly out of my power to make her any returns, that +violence of temper which has transported her to forget the modesty of her +sex, will probably, when she finds herself rejected, make her as easily +throw off all the softness of it; and you may all feel the effects of that +revenge she will endeavour to take on me.</p> +<p>The other was entirely of his opinion; and they both agreed that, some +way ought to thought on to avert the storm, her resentment might in all +probability occasion.</p> +<p>After many fruitless inventions, they at last hit upon one which had a +prospect of success: they had in their company a gentleman called Mullern, +nephew to chancellor Mullern, who had attended the king in all his wars: +he was handsome, well made, and his age, tho' much superior to that of +Horatio, yet was not so far advanced as to render him disagreeable to the +fair sex: he was of a more than ordinary sanguine disposition, and had +often said, of all the hardships their captivity had inflicted on them, he +felt none so severely as being deprived of a free conversation with +women.—In the ravages the king of Sweden's arms had made in Lithuania, +Saxony and Poland, he was sure to secure to himself three or four of the +finest women; and tho' he had been often checked by his uncle, and even by +the king himself, for giving too great a loose to his amorous +inclinations, yet all their admonitions were too weak to restrain the +impetuosity of his desires this way. To him, therefore, they resolved to +communicate the affair; and as he was in other respects the most proper +object among them to succeed in supplanting Horatio, so he was also by +being perfectly well versed in the French language, which the rest were +ignorant of.</p> +<p>Accordingly they told him what had happened, shewed him the letter, and +how willing Horatio would be to transfer all the interest he had in this +lady to him, if he could by any means ingratiate himself into her favour. +Mullern was transported at the idea; and the stratagem contrived among +them for this purpose was executed in the following manner:</p> +<p>Mattakesa was punctual to the promise she had made in her letter; and +when she came into the room, where she usually found the gentlemen +altogether, it being that where they dined, and saw not Horatio, she +doubted not but he had observed her directions, and pretended himself +indisposed, so asked for him, expecting to be told that he was ill; but +when they answered that he was gone with one of the keepers to the top of +the round tower, in order to satisfy his curiosity in taking a view of the +town, she was confounded beyond expression, and could not imagine what had +occasioned him to slight an assignation, she had flattered herself he +would receive with extacy.</p> +<p>As she was in a little resvery, endeavouring to comprehend, if +possible, the motive of so manifest a neglect, Mullern drew near to her, +and beginning to speak of the beauties of that fine city which the czar +had erected in the midst of war, he told her, that having a little skill +in drawing, he had ventured to make a little sketch of it in chalk on the +walls of the room where he lay, and entreated her in the most gallant +manner to look upon it, and give him her opinion how far he had done +justice to an edifice so much admired.</p> +<p>It cannot be supposed that Mattakesa had in her soul any curiosity to +see a work of this nature, yet, to hide as much as she could the disorder +she was in at her disappointment, gave him her hand, in order to be +concluded to the place where he pretended to have been exercising his +genius.</p> +<p>As soon as they were entered he threw the door, as if by incident, +which having a spring lock, immediately was made fast—She either did not, +or seemed not to regard what he had done; but casting her eyes round the +room, and seeing nothing of what he had mentioned,—Where is this drawing? +cried she. In my heart, adorable Mattakesa, answered he, falling at her +feet at the same time:—it is not the city of Petersburg, but the charming +image of its brightest ornament, that the god of love has engraven on my +heart in characters too indelible ever to be erased:—from the first +moment I beheld those eyes my soul has been on fire, and I must have +consumed with inward burnings had I not revealed my flame:—pardon, +continued he, the boldness of a passion which knows no bounds; and tho' I +may not be so worthy of your love as the too happy Horatio, I am certainly +not less deserving of your pity.</p> +<p>Surprize, and perhaps a mixture of secret satisfaction prevented her +from interrupting him during the first part of his discourse; but rage, at +the mention of Horatio, forced from her this exclamation:—has the villain +then betrayed me! cried she.—No, madam, replied he, justice obliges me to +acquit him, tho' my rival.—He had the misfortune, in putting your billet +into his pocket, to let it fall; I took it up unseen by him,—opened it, +read it, and must confess, that all my generosity to my friend was wholly +swallowed up in my passion for you.—I returned not to him that kind +declaration you were pleased to make him, and he is ignorant of the +blessing you intended for him:—if the crime I have been guilty of seem +unpardonable in your eyes, command my death, I will instantly obey you, +for life would be a torment under your displeasure; and if, in my last +moments, you vouchsafe some part of that softness to the occasion of my +fate, that you so lavishly bestowed on the fortunate Horatio, I will bless +the lovely mouth that dooms me to destruction!</p> +<p>He pronounced all this with an emphasis, which made her not doubt the +power of her charms; and surveying him while he was speaking, found enough +in his person to compensate for the disappointment she had met with from +Horatio: besides, she reflected, that if what he had told her concerning +the dropping her letter, was a fiction, it was however an ingenious one, +and shewed his wit, as well as love, in bringing both himself and friend +off in so handsome a manner. She was infatuated with the praises he gave +her;—the pathetic expressions he made use of, assured her of the ardency +of his desires, and as she could not be certain of being able to inspire +Horatio with the same, she wisely chose to accept the present offer, +rather than wait for what might perhaps at last deceive her expectations. +She made, however, no immediate answer; but her eyes told him she was far +from being displeased with what he had said, and gave him courage to take +up one of her hands and kiss it, with an eagerness which confirmed his +protestations.</p> +<p>At last,—Well, Mullern, said she, looking languishingly on him, since +chance has made you acquainted with my foible, I think I must bribe you to +secrecy, by forgiving the liberties you take with me:—and if I were +convinced you really love me as well as you pretend, might indulge you yet +farther.—An unaccountable caprice indeed swayed me in favour of Horatio, +but I am now half inclinable to believe you are more deserving my +regard;—but rise, continued she, I will hear nothing from you while in +that posture.</p> +<p>Mullern, who was no less bold in love than war, immediately obeyed her, +and testified his gratitude for her condescention, by giving a sudden +spring and snatching her to his breast, pressed her in so arduous a +manner, that she would have been incapable of resisting, even tho' she had +an inclination to do so: but she, no less transported than himself, +returned endearment for endearment, and not only permitted, but assisted +all his raptures,—absolutely forgot Horatio, as well as all sense of her +own shame, and yielded him a full enjoyment without even an affectation of +repugnance.</p> +<p>Both parties, in fine, were perfectly satisfied with each other, and +having mutually sworn a thousand oaths of fidelity which neither of them, +it is probable, had any intention to keep, Mullern took upon himself the +care of continuing to entertain her in private as often as she came to the +prison, and in return she made him a present of a purse of gold, after +which they passed into the outer room to prevent censures on their staying +too long together.</p> +<p>On their return they found Horatio with the other gentlemen. Abandoned +as Mattakesa was, she could not keep herself from blushing a little at +sight of him; but soon recovering herself by the help of her natural +audacity,—Well, Horatio, said she, what do you think of the little French +epigram I put into your hands yesterday;—has it not a very agreeable +point?</p> +<p>Horatio had such an aversion to all kind of deceit, that even here, +where it was so necessary, he could not, without some hesitation, answer +to what she said in these words.—Some accident or other, cried he, +deprived me of the pleasure you were so good to intend me; for when I put +my hand in my pocket thinking to read it, I perceived I was so unhappy as +to have lost, it:—I looked for it in vain:—it was irrecoverably gone, +and I am an utter stranger to the contents.</p> +<p>And ever shall be so, replied she tartly, only to punish your +carelessness of a lady's favour; know, that it was a piece of wit which +would have been highly agreeable to you:—but don't expect I shall take +the pains to write it over again, or even tell you the subject on which it +turned.</p> +<p>Horatio cooly said, he could not but confess he had been to blame, and +must therefore allow the justice of her proceeding. As none present +besides himself, his bedfellow, and Mullern, knew the truth of this +affair, what passed between them was taken by the others as literally +spoken, and little suspected to couch the mystery it really did.</p> +<p>Mullern, after this, by the assistance of Horatio and the old officer, +had frequent opportunities of gratifying his own and the amorous +Mattakesa's desires.—The testimonies she gave him how well she was +pleased with his conversation, were for the common good of his +companions.—Horatio was easy in finding himself out of all danger of any +solicitations he was determined never to acquiesce in; and those three who +were in the secret passed their time pleasantly enough, whenever they had +an opportunity of talking on this adventure, without any of the others +being witnesses of what they said.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XXI.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>The prisoners expectations raised: a terrible disappointment: some +of the chief carried to prince Menzikoff's palace: their usage there. +Horatio set at liberty, and the occasion</i>.</p> +<p>Our captives had soon after a new matter of rejoicing: a Polander in +the service of Muscovy, who had been taken prisoner by the Swedes, and was +discharged and sent home, with a great number of others, by the +unparallell'd generosity of Charles XII. was one of the guards who now did +duty in the prison. It was often his turn to bring them their poor +allowance of provision; and having some pity for their condition, as well +as gratitude for a people who had used him and his companions in a +different manner, told them, that they might be of good heart, for, said +he, you will soon be set at liberty:—our emperor has enough to do to keep +his ground in Ukraina: Charles is as victorious as ever:—the prince of +the Cosaques, one of the bravest men on earth, next to himself, has +entered into an alliance with him:—king Stanislaus is sending him +succours from Poland:—a powerful reinforcement is coming to him from +Lithuania; and when these armies are joined, as I believe they already +are, nothing can withstand them:—you will hear the Swedish march beat +from this prison walls,—and perhaps see your present conquerors change +places with you; and, to confirm the truth of what I say, continued he, I +can further assure you that the czar, before I left the camp, was in the +utmost confusion:—his council, as well as army, were at a stand, and he +had twice made overtures of peace, and been refused.</p> +<p>This was an intelligence which might well be transporting to the king +of Sweden's officers:—the thought; of seeing him enter Petersburgh a +conqueror,—of once more embracing their old friends and companions, and +of triumphing over those who had so cruelly abused the power the chance of +war had put into their hands, made them all, in their turns, hug and bless +the kind informer:—they also asked him several questions concerning the +generals; and each being more particular concerning those they had the +greatest interest in, received from this honest soldier all the +satisfaction they could desire.</p> +<p>As couriers were continually arriving from the army, there passed few +days without hearing some farther confirmation of their most sanguine +expectations; but at length the guard being again changed, they lost all +further intelligence, and were for several months without being able to +hear any thing of what passed. They doubted not, however, but as things +were in so good a disposition, every day brought them nearer to the +completion of their wishes; and it was this pleasing prospect which +addressed their misfortunes, and enabled them to sustain cheerfully those +hardships which, almost ever since the withdrawing of Edella's bounty, +they had laboured under.—Mattakesa, in the beginning of her amours with +Mullern, had indeed made him some presents, which he shared with his +companions; but either the natural inconstancy of her temper making her +grow weary of this intrigue for the sake of another, or her circumstances +not allowing her to continue such Donations, she soon grew sparing of +them, and at length totally desisted her visits at the prison.</p> +<p>As, ever since the compassionate Edella had procured them to be +removed from the dungeon, they had enjoyed the privilege of walking on the +leads, and going up to the round tower, which being of a very great +height, not only overlooked the town, but the country round for a +considerable distance, they frequently made use of this indulgence, at +first for no other purpose than to have the benefit of the open air, but +now in hope of seeing their beloved prince at the head of a victorious +army approaching to give them liberty and relief.—But, alas! how terrible +a reverse of their high-raised expectations had inconstant fortune in +store for them.—One day as they were sitting together, discoursing on the +usual topics with which they entertained each other, and endeavoured to +beguile the tedious time, they heard a confused noise as of some sudden +tumult.—Tho' they had now been above a year in Russia, none of them could +speak the language well enough to be understood, so could receive no +information from the guard, even should they have proved good-natured +enough to be willing to satisfy their curiosity, so they all run hastily +up to the round tower, whence they easily perceived the town in great +confusion, and the people running in such crowds, that in the hurry many +were trampled to death in endeavouring to pass the gates:—at a distance +they perceived standards waving in the air, but could not yet distinguish +what arms they bore.—A certain shivering and palpitation, the natural +consequence of suspence, ran thro' all their nerves, divided as they were +at this sight, between hope and fear; but when it drew more near,—when, +instead of Swedish colours they beheld those of Russia;—when, in the +place where they expected to see their gallant king coming to restore them +once more to freedom, they saw the implacable czar enter in triumph, +followed by those heroes, the least of whom had lately made him tremble, +now in chains, and exposed to the ribald mirth and derision of the gaping +crowd, they lost at once their fortitude, and even all sense of expressing +their grief at this misfortune:—the shock of it was so violent, it even +took away the power of feeling it, and they remained for some moments +rather like statues carv'd out by mortal art, than real men created by +God, and animated with living souls. A general groan was the first mark +they gave of any sensibility of this dreadful stroke of fate; but when +recruited spirits once more gave utterance to words, how terrible were +their exclamations! Some of them, in the extravagance of despair, said +things relating to fate and destiny, which, on a less occasion, could +have little merited forgiveness.</p> +<p>Unable either to remove from the place, or view distinctly what their +eyes were fixed upon, they stayed till the whole cavalcade was passed, +then went down and threw themselves upon the floor, where their ears were +deafen'd by the noise of guns, loud huzza's, and other testimonies of +popular rejoicings, both within and without the prison walls.—What have +we now to expect? cried one,—endless slavery:—chains, infamy, lasting as +our lives, replied another. Then let us dye, added a third. Right, said +his companion feircely;—the glory of Sweden is lost!—Let us disappoint +these barbarians, these Russian monsters, of the pleasure of insulting us +on our country's fall.</p> +<p>In this romantic and distracted manner did they in vain endeavour to +discharge their breasts of the load of anguish each sustained.—Their +misfortune was not of a nature to be alleviated by words;—it was too +mighty for expression; and the more they spoke, the more they had yet to +say.—For three whole days they refused the wretched sustenance brought to +them; neither did the least slumber ever close their eyelids by night: on +the fourth the keeper of the prison came, and told them they must +depart.—They endeavoured not to inform themselves how or where they were +to be disposed of; in their present condition all places were alike to +them, so followed him, without speaking, down stairs, at the bottom of +which they found a strong guard of thirty soldiers, who having chained +them in a link, like slaves going to be sold at the market, conducted them +to a very stately palace adjoining to that belonging to the czar.</p> +<p>They were but eight in number, out of fifty-five who had been taken +prisoners at the time Horatio was, and were thrown altogether in the +dungeon, the others having perished thro' cold and the noysomeness of the +place, before Edella had procured them a more easy situation; but these +eight that survived were all officers, and most of them men of +distinguished birth as well as valour, tho' their long imprisonment, +scanty food, and more than all, the grief they at present laboured under +made them look rather like ghosts, than men chose out of thousands to +fight always near the king of Sweden's person in every hazardous attempt.</p> +<p>They were placed in a stately gallery, and there left, while the +officer, who commanded the party that came with them, went into an inner +room, but soon after returned, and another person with him; on which, the +first of this unhappy string was loosed from his companions, and a signal +made to him to enter a door, which was opened for him, and immediately +closed again.</p> +<p>For about half an hour there was a profound silence: our prisoners kept +it thro' astonishment; and the others, it is to be supposed, had orders +for doing so.—At the end of that time the door was again opened, and the +chain which fastened the second Swede to the others, was untied, and he, +in like manner as the former, bid to go in.—In some time after, the same +ceremony was observed to a third;—then to a fourth, fifth, sixth, and +seventh:—Horatio chanced to be the last, who, tho' alarmed to a very +great degree at the thoughts of what fate might have been inflicted on his +companions, went fearless in, more curious to know the meaning of this +mysterious proceeding, than anxious for what might befal him.</p> +<p>He had no sooner passed the door, than he found himself in a spacious +chamber richly adorned, at the upper end of which sat a man, leaning his +head upon his arm in a thoughtful posture.—Horatio immediately knew him +to be prince Menzikoff, whom he had seen during a short truce between the +czar and king Charles of Sweden, when both their armies were in Lithuania. +There were no other persons present than one who had the aspect of a jew, +and as it proved was so, that stood near the prince's chair, and a soldier +who kept the door.</p> +<p>Horatio was bid to approach, and when he did so,—you are called +hither, said the jew in the Swedish language, to answer to such questions +as shall be asked you, concerning a conspiracy carried on between you and +your fellow-prisoners with the enemies of Russia. Horatio understood the +language perfectly well, having conversed so long with Swedes, but never +could attain to a perfect pronounciation of it, so replied in French, that +he knew the prince could speak French, and he would therefore answer to +any interrogatories his highness should be pleased to make without the +help of an interpreter.</p> +<p>Are you not then a Swede? said the prince. Horatio then told him that +he was not, but came from France into the service of the king of Sweden +merely thro' his love of arms.</p> +<p>On these words Menzikoff dismissed the jew, and looked earnestly on +him; wan and pale as he was grown thro' his long confinement, and the many +hardships he had sustained, this prince found something in him that +attracted his admiration.—Methinks, said he, since glory was your aim, +you might as well have hoped to acquire it under the banners of our +invincible emperor.</p> +<p>Alas! my lord, replied Horatio with a sigh, that title, till very +lately, was given to the king of Sweden, and, I believe, whatever fate +has attended that truly great prince, those who had the honour to be +distinguished by him, will never be suspected either of cowardice or +baseness.—It was by brave and open means our king taught his soldiers the +way to victory, not by mean subterfuges and little plots:—I cannot +therefore conceive for what reason I am brought hither to be examined on +any score that has the appearance of a conspiracy.</p> +<p>Yes, replied the prince feircely, you and your fellow-prisoners have +endeavoured to insinuate yourselves into the favour of persons whom you +imagined entrusted with the secrets of the government:—being prisoners of +war, you formed contrivances for your escape, and attempted to inveigle +others to accompany your flight.</p> +<p>That every tittle of this accusation is false, my lord, cried Horatio, +there needs no more than the improbability of it to prove.—Indeed the +cruel usage we sustained, might have justified an attempt to free +ourselves, yet did such a design never enter our heads:—we were so far +from making use of any stratagems for that purpose, that we never made the +least overture to any of the guards, who were the only persons we were +allowed to converse with.</p> +<p>How! said the prince interrupting him, were not your privileges +enlarged by the interposition of a lady?—Did she not make you +considerable allowances out of her own purse, and frequently visit you to +receive your thanks?—And were you not emboldened by these favours to urge +her to reveal what secrets were in her knowledge, and even to assist you +in your escape?—You doubtless imagined you could prevail on her also to +go with you:—part of this, continued he, she has herself confessed:—it +will therefore be in vain for you to deny it:—if you ingenuously reveal +these particulars she has omitted, you may hope to find favour; but it you +obstinately persist, as your companions have done, in attempting to +impose upon me, you must expect to share the same fate immediately.</p> +<p>In speaking these words he made a sign to the soldier, who throwing +open a large folding door, discovered a rack on which one of the Swedish +officers was tied, and the others stood near bound, and in the hands of +the executioner.</p> +<p>This sight so amazed Horatio, that he had not the power of speaking one +word;—till Mullern, who happened to be the person that was fastened upon +the rack, cried out to him,—Be not lost in consideration, Horatio, said +he; are we not in the hands of Muscovites, from whom nothing that is human +can be expected?—rather prepare yourself to disappoint their cruelty, by +bravely suffering all they dare inflict.</p> +<p>Hold then, said Horatio, even Muscovites would chuse to have some +pretence for what they do; and sure the first favourite and generalissimo +of a prince, who boasts an inclination to civilize his barbarous subjects, +will not, without any cause, torture them whom chance alone has put into +his power, and who have never done him any personal injury.—By heaven, +pursued he, turning to the prince, we all are innocent of any part of +those crimes laid to our charge:—time, perhaps, if our declarations are +ineffectual, will convince your highness we are so, and you will then +regret the injustice you have done us.</p> +<p>You all are in one story, cried the prince, but I am well assured of +the main point:—the particulars is all I want to be informed of:—but +since I am compelled to speak more plain, which of you is it for whose +sake you all received such instances of Edella's bounty?—Whoever tells me +that, even tho' it be the person himself, shall have both pardon and +liberty.</p> +<p>Impossible it is to express the astonishment every one was in at this +demand: five of them had not the least notion what it meant; but Mullern, +Horatio, and that friend to whom he had shewn the letter of Mattakesa, had +some conjecture of the truth, and presently imagined that lady had been +the incendiary to kindle the flame of jealousy in the prince's breast. The +affair, however, was of so nice a nature, that they knew not how to +vindicate Edella without making her seem more guilty, so contented +themselves with joining with the others, in protesting they knew of no one +among them who could boast of receiving any greater favours from her than +his fellows, but that what she did was instigated merely by compassion, +since she had never seen, or knew who any of them were, till after she had +moved the governor in their behalf:—they acknowledged she had been so +good as to come sometimes to the prison, in order to see if those she +entrusted with her bounty had been faithful in the delivery of it; but +that she never made the least difference between them, and never had +conversation with any one of them that was not in the presence of them +all. Mullern could not forbear adding to this, that he doubted not but the +persons who had incensed his highness into groundless surmises, were also +the same who had hindered her, by some false insinuations or other, from +continuing the allowance her charity allowed them, and for the want of +which they had since been near perishing.</p> +<p>Prince Menzikoff listened attentively to what each said, and with no +less earnestness fixed his eyes on the face of every one as they +spoke.—Finding they had done, he was about giving some orders on their +account, when the keeper of the prison came hastily into the room, and +having entreated pardon for the interruption, presented a letter to the +prince, directed for brigadier Mullern, and brought, he said, just after +the prisoners were carried out.</p> +<p>Menzikoff commended his zeal in receiving and bringing it to him, as it +might possibly serve to give some light to the affair he was examining.</p> +<p>Having perused it, he demanded which of them was named Mullern? I am, +replied the brave Swede; and neither fear, nor am ashamed of any thing +under that name.</p> +<p>Hear then what is wrote to you by a lady, resumed the prince, with a +countenance more serene than he had worn since their being brought before +him, and presently read with a very audible voice these words:<br/> +<br/> +"That you have been so long without<br/> +seeing me, my dear Mullern, or hearing<br/> +from me, is not owing to any decrease in my<br/> +affection, but to the necessity of my affairs:—if<br/> +you have any regard for me remaining, I<br/> +conjure you, if ever you are asked any questions<br/> +concerning the frequent visits I have made<br/> +you, to say I was sent by Edella, and that I was<br/> +no more than her emissary in the assistance you<br/> +received from me:—add also, that you have<br/> +reason to believe her charity was excited by<br/> +her liking one of your company:—mention<br/> +who you think fit; but I believe Horatio, as<br/> +the youngest and most handsome, will be the<br/> +most likely to gain credit to what you say.—<br/> +Depend upon it, that if you execute this commission<br/> +artfully, I will recompence it by procuring<br/> +your liberty:—nor need you have any<br/> +scruples concerning it, for no person will be<br/> +prejudiced by it, and the reputation preserved<br/> +of<br/> +<br/> +<i>Yours,</i><br/> +<br/> +MATTAKESA."</p> +<p>I suppose, said the prince, as soon as he had done reading, turning to +Horatio, you are the person mentioned in the letter? Tho' I neither desire +nor deserve the epithets given me there my lord, replied he, yet I will +not deny but I am called Horatio.</p> +<p>Well, resumed the prince with a half smile, I am so well pleased with +the conviction this letter has given me, that I shall retain no resentment +against the malicious author of it.</p> +<p>He then ordered Mullern to be taken from the rack, which had never been +strained; nor had he any intention, as he now assured him, to put him to +the torture, but only to intimidate him, being resolved to make use of +every method he could think of for the full discovery of every thing +relating to the behaviour of his beloved Edella.—The other gentlemen had +also their fetters taken off, and the prince asked pardon of them +severally for the injury he had done them; then made them sit down and +partake of a handsome collation at that table, before which they had so +lately stood as delinquents at a bar.</p> +<p>The Russians are excessive in their carouses, and prince Menzikoff +being now in an admirable good humour, made them drink very freely:—to be +the more obliging to his guests, he began the king of Sweden's health in a +bumper of brandy, protesting at the same time, that tho' an enemy to his +master, he loved and venerated the hero: Horatio on this ventured to +enquire in what condition his majesty was; to which the prince replied, +that being greatly wounded, he was obliged to leave the field, and, it was +believed, had took the load toward the dominions of the grand signior, +some of the Russian troops having pursued him as far as the Borysthenes +where, by the incredible valour of a few that attended him, they had been +beat back.</p> +<p>The Swedish officers knew it must be bad indeed when their king was +compelled to fly; and this renewed in them a melancholy, which it was not +in the power of liquor, or the present civilities of the prince to +dissipate: they also learned that the generals Renchild, Slipenbock, +Hamilton, Hoorn, Leuenhaup, and Stackelburg, with the prince of +Wirtemburg, count Piper, and the flower of the whole army, were prisoners +at Muscow.</p> +<p>The misfortune of these great men would have been very afflicting to +those who heard it, could any thing have given addition to what they knew +before.—Prince Menzikoff was sensible of what they felt, and to alleviate +their grief, assured them that he would take upon him to give them all +their liberty, without even exacting a promise from them never more to +draw their swords against the czar, in case the king of Sweden should ever +be able to take the field again.</p> +<p>So generous a proceeding both merited and received their utmost +acknowledgments: but he put an end to the serious demonstrations they were +about to make him of their gratitude, by saying,—I pay you no more than I +owe you:—I have wronged you:—this is but part of the retaliation I ought +to make:—besides, added he laughing, Mattakesa promised Mullern his +freedom; and as she has done me the good office, tho' undesignedly, of +revealing to me her own treachery, I can do no less than assist her in +fulfilling, her covenant.</p> +<p>To prove how much he was in earnest, he called his secretary, and +ordered him to make out their passports with all expedition, that they +might be ready to depart next morning; after which he made them repose +themselves in his palace the remainder of the night; which being in a +manner vastly different from what they had been accustomed to of a long +time, indeed ever since their quitting Alranstadt, they did not fail to +do, notwithstanding the discontent of their minds.</p> +<p>Prince Menzikoff, being now convinced of the fidelity of Edella, passed +into her apartment, where the reconciliation between them took up so much +time, that it was near noon next day before he appeared: his new guests +had not quitted their chambers much sooner; but after reproaching +themselves for having been so tardy, went altogether to take leave of the +prince, and accept the passports he had been so good to order. As they +were got ready, he gave them immediately into their hands, and told them, +they were at liberty to quit Petersburg that moment, if they pleased; or +if they had any curiosity to take a view of that city, they might gratify +it, and begin their journey next morning. As it was now so late in the +day, they accepted his highness's offer, and walked out to see a place +which had excited so much admiration in the world, since from a wild +waste, in ten years time, a spacious and most beautiful city had arose in +the midst of war, and proved the genius of the founder greater in civil +than in military arts, tho' it must be owned he was indefatigable in the +study of both.</p> +<p>The officers of the king of Sweden were entertained with the same +elegance and good humour they had been the night before; and as they were +now resolved to quit the city extremely early, the prince took leave of +them that night, and in doing so put a purse of gold into the hands of +every one to defray the expenses of their travelling. This behaviour +obliged them to own there was a possibility of sowing the seeds of +humanity in Muscovy, and that the czar had made some progress in +influencing those about him with the manners he had himself learned in +the politer courts.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XXII.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>What befel Louisa in the monastery: the stratagem she put in +practice to get out of it: her travels thro' Italy, and arrival in Paris</i>.</p> +<p>But while Horatio was thus experiencing the vicissitudes of fortune, +his beautiful sister suffered little less from the caprice of that fickle +goddess. Placed as she was, one would have thought she had been secure +from all the temptations, hurries, and dangers of the world, and that +nothing but the death or inconstancy of monsieur du Plessis could have +again involved her in them. These, indeed, were the sole evils she +trembled at, and which she chiefly prayed might not befal her. Yet as it +often happens that those disasters which seem most remote are nearest to +us, so did the disappointments she was ordained to suffer, rise from a +quarter she had the least reason to apprehend.</p> +<p>The abbess and nuns, with whom she was, being all Italians, she set +herself to attain to the knowledge of their language, in which she soon +became a very great proficient, and capable of entertaining them, and +being entertained by them in the most agreeable manner.—The sweetness of +her temper, as well as her good sense, rendering her always ambitious of +acquiring the affection of those she converted with, she had the secret to +ingratiate herself not only to the youngest nuns, but also to the elder +and most austere, that the one were never pleased but when in her company, +and the others propose her as an example of piety and sweetness to the +rest.</p> +<p>She had a very pretty genius to poetry, and great skill in music, both +which talents she now exercised in such works as suited the place and +company she was in.—The hymns and anthems she composed were not only the +admiration of that convent, but also of several others to whom they were +shown, and she was spoke of as a prodigy of wit and devotion.</p> +<p>In fine, her behavior rendered her extremely dear to the superior; and +that affection joined to a spiritual pride, which those sanctified +devotees are seldom wholly free from, made her very desirous of retaining +her always in the convent:—she was therefore continually preaching up to +her the uncertainty of those felicities which are to be found in the +world, and magnifying that happy serenity which a total renunciation from +it afforded;—nay, sometimes went so far, as to insinuate there was scarce +a possibility for any one encumbered with the cares, and surrounded with +the temptations of a public life, to have those dispositions which are +requisite to enjoy the blessings of futurity.—Ah my dear daughter, would +she say frequently to her, how much should I rejoice to find in you a +desire to forgo all the transitory fleeting pleasures of the world, and +devote yourself entirely to heaven!—what raptures would not your innocent +soul partake, when wholly devoid of all thought of sensual objects! you +would be, even while on earth, a companion for angels and blessed spirits, +and borne on the wings of heavenly contemplation, have your dwelling +above, and be worshipped as a saint below.</p> +<p>All the old nuns, and some of the young ones, assisted their abbess in +endeavouring to prevail on Louisa to take the veil; but all that they said +made no impression on her mind, not but she had more real piety than +perhaps some of those who made so great a shew of it, but she was of a +different way of thinking; and tho' she knew the world had its temptation, +having experienced them in a very great degree, yet she was-convinced +within herself, that a person of virtuous principles might be no less +innocent out of a cloyster than in one.—She saw also among this +sisterhood a great deal of envy to each other, and perceived early that +the flaming zeal professed among them was in some hypocrisy, and +enthusiasm in others; so that had she had no prepossession in favour of du +Plessis, or any engagement with him, the life of a nun was what she never +should have made choice of.</p> +<p>She kept her sentiments on this occasion entirely to herself however, +and made no shew of any repugnance to do as they would have her; but +whenever they became strenuous in their pressures, told them, she doubted +not but such a life as they described must be very angelic, but having +already disposed of her vows, it was not in her power to withdraw them, +nor would heaven accept so violated an offering. This, they told her, was +only a suggestion of some evil spirit, and that all engagements to an +earthly object, both might and ought to be dispensed with for a divine +vocation. The arguments they made use of for this purpose were artful +enough to have imposed on some minds, but Louisa had too much penetration +not to see thro' them; and being unwilling to disoblige them by shewing +that she did so, made use, in her turn, of evasions which the +circumstances of the case rendered very excusable. But fully persuaded in +their minds that it was solely her engagements with du Plessis that +rendered her so refractory to their desires, they resolved to break it +off, if possible, and to that end now intercepted his letters; two of +which giving an account that he was very much wounded and unable to +travel, they renewed their pressures, in order to prevail on her to take +the habit before he should be in a condition to come to Bolognia.</p> +<p>These sollicitations, however, had no other effect than to embitter the +satisfaction she would otherwise have enjoyed during her stay among +them;—the time of which began now to seem tedious, and she impatiently +longed for the end of the campaign, which she expected would return her +dear du Plessis to her, and she should be removed from a place where +dissimulation, a vice she detested, was in a manner necessary. She had +received several letters from him before the abbess took it in her head to +stop them, each more endearing than the former; and last had flattered her +with the hope of seeing him in a very short time.</p> +<p>Days, weeks, and months passed over, after an assurance so pleasing to +her wishes, without any confirmation of the repeated vows he had made; and +receiving from him no account of the reasons that delayed him, she began +to reproach herself for having placed too much confidence in him;—the +more time elapsed, the more cause she had to doubt his sincerity, and +believe her misfortune real:—in fine, it was near half a year that she +languished under a vain expectation of seeing, or at least hearing from +him.—Sometimes she imagined a new object had deprived her of his heart; +but when she called to mind the many proofs he had given her of the most +unparallell'd generosity that ever was she could not think that if he even +ceased to love her, he could be capable of leaving her in so cruel a +suspence:—no, said she to herself, he would have let me know I had no +more to depend on from him:—paper cannot blush, and as he is out of the +reach of my upbraidings, he would certainly have acquainted me with my +fate, confessed the inconstancy of his sex, and exerted that wit, of which +he has sufficient, to have excused his change:—I will not therefore +injure a man whom I have found so truly noble:—death, perhaps, his +deprived me of him; the unrelenting sword makes no distinction between the +worthy and unworthy;—and the brave, the virtuous du Plessis, may have +fallen a victim in common with the most vulgar.</p> +<p>These apprehensions had no sooner gained ground in her imagination, +than she became the most disconsolate creature in the world. The abbess +took advantage of her melancholy, as knowing the occasion of it, and began +to represent, in the strongest terms, the instability of all human +expectations:—you may easily see, my dear child, said she, that monsieur +either no longer lives, or ceases to live for you:—young men are +wavering, every new object attracts their wishes;—they are impatient for +a time, but soon grow cool;—absence renders them forgetful of their vows +and promises;—there is no real dependance on them;—fly therefore to that +divine love which never can deceive you;—give yourself up to heaven, and +you will soon be enabled to despise the fickle hopes of earth.</p> +<p>Instead of saying any thing to comfort her, in this manner was she +continually persecuted; and tho' it is impossible for any one to have less +inclination to a monastic life than she had, yet the depression of her +spirits, the firm belief she now should never see du Plessis more, the +misfortune of her circumstances, joined to the artifices they made use of, +and the repeated offers of accepting her without the usual sum paid on +such occasions, might possibly at last have prevailed on her.—She was +half convinced in her mind that it was the only asylum left to shield her +from the wants and insults of the world; and the more she reflected on the +changes, the perplexities, and vexation, of different kinds, the few years +she yet had lived had presented her with, the more reason she found to +acquiesce with the persuasions of the abbess. But heaven would not suffer +the deceit practised on her to be crowned with success, and discovered it +to her timely enough to prevent her from giving too much way to that +despair, which alone could have prevailed with her to yield to their +importunities.</p> +<p>There was among the sisterhood a young lady called donna Leonora, who +being one of many daughters of a family, more eminent for birth than +riches, was compelled, as too many are, to become a nun, in order to +prevent her marrying beneath her father's dignity. She had taken a great +liking to Louisa from the moment she came into the convent, and a farther +acquaintance ripened it into a sincere friendship. Tho' secluded from the +world, the austere air of a monastery had no effect upon her, she still +retained her former vivacity; and it was only in the conversations these +two had toge whenever they could separate from the others, that Louisa +found any cordial to revive her now almost sinking spirits.</p> +<p>One day as she was ruminating on her melancholy affairs, this young nun +came hastily into her chamber, and with a countenance that, before she +spoke, denoted she had something very extraordinary to acquaint her +with,—dear sister, cried she, I bring you the most surprising news, but +such as will be my ruin if you take the least notice of receiving it from +me; and perhaps your own, if you seem to be acquainted with it at all.</p> +<p>It is not to be doubted but Louisa gave her all the assurances she +could desire of an inviolable secrecy; after which, know then, resumed +this sweet-condition'd lady, that your lover, monsieur du Plessis, is not +only living, but as faithful as your soul can wish, or as you once +believed:—the cruelty of the abbess, and some of the sisterhood in the +plot with her, have concealed the letters he has sent to you, in order to +persuade you to become a nun:—I tremble to think of their hypocrisy and +deceit:—but what, continued she, is not to be expected from bigotry and +enthusiasm!—To increase the number of devotees they scruple nothing, and +vainly imagine the means is sanctified by the end.</p> +<p>Little is it in the power of words to express the astonishment Louisa +was in to hear her speak in this manner; but as she had no room to doubt +her sincerity, only asked by what means she had attained the knowledge of +what the persons concerned, no doubt, intended to keep as much a secret as +possible; on which the other satisfied her curiosity in these terms:</p> +<p>To confess the truth to you, said she, I stole this afternoon into the +chapel, in order to read a little book brought me the other day by one of +my friends; as it treated on a subject not allowable in a convent, I +thought that the most proper place to entertain myself with it; and was +sitting down in one of the confessionals, when hearing the little door +open from the gallery, I saw the abbess and sister Clara, who, you know, +is her favourite and confidant, come in together, and as soon as they were +entered, shut the door after them. I cannot say I had any curiosity to +hear their discourse; but fearing to be suspected by them in my amusement, +and not knowing what excuse to make for being there, if I were seen, I +slid down, and lay close at the bottom of the confessional. They happened +to place themselves very near me; and the abbess taking a letter out of +her pocket, bad Clara read it, and tell her the substance of it as well as +she could. I found it was in French, by some words which she was obliged +to repeat over and over, before, not perfectly understanding the language, +she could be able to find a proper interpretation of. The abbess, who has +a little smattering of it herself, sometimes helped her out, and between +them both I soon found it came from monsieur du Plessis, and contained the +most tender and compassionate complaint of your unkindness in not +answering his letter;—that the symptoms he had of approaching death were +not half so severe to him as your refusing him a consolation he stood for +much in need of;—that if you found him unworthy of your love, he was +certainly so of your compassion; and concluded with the most earnest +entreaty, you would suffer him to continue no longer in a suspence more +cruel than a thousand deaths could be.</p> +<p>Oh heaven! cried Louisa, bursting into tears, how ungrateful must he +think me, and how can I return, as it deserves, so unexampled a constancy, + after such seeming proofs of my infidelity!—. Cruel, cruel, treacherous + abbess! pursued she; Is this the fruits of all your boasted + sanctity!—This the return to the confidence the generous du Plessis + reposed in you!—This your love and friendship to me!—Does heaven, to + increase the number of its votaries, require you to be false, perfidious, + and injurious to the world!</p> +<p>She was proceeding in giving vent to the anguish of her soul in +exclamations such as these; but Leonora begged she would moderate her +grief, and for her sake, as much as possible, conceal the reasons she had +for resentment. Louisa again promised she would do her utmost to keep them +from thinking she even suspected they had played her false;—then cried, +But tell me, my dear Leonora, were they not a little moved at the tender +melancholy which, I perceive, ran thro' this epistle? Alas! my dear, +replied the other, they have long since forgot those soft emotions which +make us simpathize in the woes of love:—inflexible by the rigid rules of +this place, and more by their own age, they rather looked with horror than +pity on a tender inclination:—they had a long conversation together, the +result of which was to spare nothing that might either persuade, or if +that failed, compel you to take the order.</p> +<p>It is not in their power to do the latter, interrupted Louisa; and this +discovery of their baseness, more than ever, confirms me in the resolution +never to consent.</p> +<p>You know not what is in their power, said Leonora; they may make +pretences for confining you here, which, as they are under no jurisdiction +but the church, the church will allow justifiable:—indeed, Louisa, +continued she, I should be loth to see you have recourse to force to get +out of their hands which would only occasion you ill treatment:—to whom, +alas, can you complain!—you are a stranger in this country, without any +one friend to espouse your cause:—were even Du Plessis here in person, I +know not, as they have taken it into their heads to keep you here, if all +he could urge, either to the pope or confessory, would have any weight to +oblige them to relinquish you. A convent is the securest prison in the +world; and whenever any one comes into it, who by any particular endowment +promises to be an ornament to the order, cannot, without great difficulty, +disentangle themselves from the snares laid for them.—It is for this +reason I have feared for you ever since your entrance; for tho' I should +rejoice in so agreeable a companion, I know too well the miseries of an +enforced attachment to wish you to be partaker of it.</p> +<p>Louisa found too much reason in what she said, to doubt the misery of +her condition;—she knew the great power of the church in all these +countries where the roman-catholic religion is established, more +especially in those places under the papal jurisdiction, and saw no way to +avoid what was now more terrible to her than ever. Those reflections threw +her into such agonies, that Leonora had much ado to keep her from falling +into fits:—she conjured her again and again, never to betray what she had +entrusted her with; assuring her, that if it were so much as guessed at, +she should be exposed to the worst treatment, and punished as an enemy to +the order of which she was a member. Louisa as often assured her that +nothing should either tempt or provoke her to abuse that generous +friendship she had testified for her; but as she was not able to command +her countenance, tho' she could her words, she resolved to pretend herself +indisposed and keep her bed, that she might be the less observed, or the +change in her should seem rather the effects of ill health than any secret +discontent.</p> +<p>It was no sooner mentioned in the convent that she was out of order, +than the abbess herself, as well as the whole sisterhood, came to her +chamber, and shewed the greatest concern: the tender care they took of her +would have made her think herself infinitely obliged to them, and perhaps +gone a great way in engaging her continuance among them, had she not been +apprized of their falshood in a point so little to be forgiven.</p> +<p>So great an enemy was she to all deceit herself, that it was difficult +for her to return the civilities they treated her with, as they might seem +to deserve; but whatever omissions she was guilty of in this particular, +were imputed to her disposition; and the whole convent continued to be +extremely assiduous to recover her.</p> +<p>During the time of her feigned illness, her thoughts were always +employed on the means of getting away. Whenever Leonora and she were +together, a hundred contrivances were formed, which seemed equally alike +impracticable; but at length they hit upon one which had a promising +aspect and Louisa, after some scruples, resolved to make trial of. It was +this:</p> +<p>As hypocrisy was made use of to detain her, hypocrisy was the only +method by which she could hope to get her liberty:—pretending, therefore, +to be all at once restored to her former health, she sent to entreat the +abbess, and some other of the most zealous of the sisterhood to come into +her chamber, where, as soon as they entered, they found her on her knees +before the picture of the virgin, and seeming in an extacy of devotion: +Yes, holy virgin, cried she, as if too much taken up to see who entered, I +will obey your commands;—I will devote myself entirely to thee;—I will +follow where thou callest me: thou, who hast restored me, shalt have the +first fruits of my strength:—and oh that Lorretto were at a greater +distance,—to the utmost extent of land and sea would I go to seek +thee!—In uttering these ejaculations she prostrated herself on the +floor;—then rising again, as transported in a manner out of herself,—I +come,—I come, cried she;—still do I hear thy heavenly voice!</p> +<p>In this fit of enthusiasm did she remain for above half an hour, and so +well acted her part, that the abbess, who would not offer to interrupt +her, believed it real, and was in little less agitation of spirit than +Louisa pretended to be.</p> +<p>At length seeming; to come to herself, she turned towards the company, +as tho' she but just then discovered they were in the room; Oh, madam, +said she to the abbess, how highly favoured have I been this blessed +night!—The virgin has herself appeared to me, whether in a vision, or to +my waking eyes, I cannot well determine; but sure I have been in such +extacies, have felt such divine raptures, as no words can express!</p> +<p>Oh my dear daughter! cried the abbess, how my soul kindles to behold +this change in thee!—but tell me what said the holy virgin!</p> +<p>She bad me wait on her at Lorretto, answered she, and gave me hopes of +doing something wonderful in my favour:—I will therefore, with your +permission, undertake a pilgrimage and at her shrine expiate the offences +of my past life in tears of true contrition, and then return a pure and +fearless partaker of the happiness you enjoy in an uninterrupted course of +devotion:—oh! exclaimed she, exalting her voice, how do I detest and +despise the vanities and follies of the world!—how hate myself for having +been too much attached to them, and so long been cold and negligent of my +only happiness!</p> +<p>The abbess, and, after her, all the nuns that were present, embraced +Louisa,—praised to the skies this miraculous conversion, as they termed +it, and spared nothing to confirm the pious resolution she had taken.</p> +<p>In fine, they consented to her pilgrimage with a satisfaction equal to +what she felt in undertaking it,—they not in the least doubting but she +would return to them as soon as she had fulfilled her devotions, and +flattering themselves that the report of this miracle would do the +greatest honour to their convent that it could possibly receive; and she, +delighted with the thoughts of being at liberty to enquire after her dear +du Plessis, and being freed from a dissimulation so irksome to her nature.</p> +<p>Her pilgrim's habit, and a great crucifix to carry between her hands, +with another at her girdle, and all the formalities of that garb being +prepared, she set forward with the prayers and benedictions of the whole +sisterhood, who told her, that they should be impatient till they saw her +again, and expected great things from her at her return, which, in +reality, they all did, except Leonora, who laughed heartily at the +deception she had put upon them, and whispered in her ear as she gave her +the last embrace, that she wished her a happy meeting with that saint she +went in search of.</p> +<p>To prevent all suspicion of her intention she left her cloaths, and +every thing she had brought into the convent, under the care of the +abbess, saying, that, at her return, she would have them disposed of, and +the money given to the poor: but, unknown to any one except Leonora, she +quilted some pieces of gold and valuable trinkets into her undergarment, +as not doubting but she should have occasion for much more than, in +effect, she was mistress of.</p> +<p>When on her journey, the pleasure she felt at seeing herself out of the +walls of the monastery, was very much abated by the uncertainty how she +should proceed, or where direct her way: and indeed, let any one figure to +themselves the condition she was in, and they will rather wonder she had +courage to go on, than that she was sometimes daunted even to despair.—A +young creature of little more than eighteen years old,—wholly +unacquainted with fatigue,—delicate in her frame,—wandering alone on +foot in the midst of a strange country,—ignorant of the road, or had she +been acquainted with it, at a loss where to go to get any intelligence of +what she sought, and even doubtful if the person she ran such risques to +hear of, yet were in the world or not. The letter Leonora had informed her +of, gave no account, at least that she could learn, either where he was, +or whether there were any hopes of his recovery from that illness it +mentioned; she had therefore every thing to dread, and little, very little +to hope: yet did she not repent her having quitted the convent; and the +desire of getting still farther from it, made her prosecute her journey +with greater strength and vigour than could have been expected: her +pilgrim's habit was not only a defence against any insults from persons +she met on the road, but also attracted the respect, and engaged the +civilities of every one.—As that country abounds with religious houses, +she was not only lodged and fed without any expence, but received a piece +of money at each of them she went to, so that her little stock, instead of +being diminished, was considerably increased when she came to Lorretto, +for thither, not to be false in every thing, she went; and being truly +sorry for the hypocrisy which a sad necessity alone could have made her +guilty of, paid her devotion with a sincere heart, tho' free from that +enthusiasm and bigotry which is too much practised in convents.</p> +<p>From Lorretto she crossed the country to Florence, every one being +ready to direct a holy pilgrim on her way, and assist her with all things +necessary. As she went very easy journeys, never exceeding four or five +miles a day, she easily supported the fatigue; and had she been certain at +last of seeing du Plessis, it would have been rather a pleasure to her; +but her mind suffered much more than her body during this pilgrimage, +which she continued in the same manner she had begun till she reached +Leghorn, where a ship lying at anchor, and expecting to sail in a few days +for Marseilles, she agreed to give a small matter for her passage, the +sea-faring-men not paying altogether so much regard to her habit, as the +land ones had done.</p> +<p>No ill accident intervening, the vessel came safely into her desired +port, and Louisa now found herself in the native country of the only +person who engrossed her thoughts: as she had heard him say he was of +Paris, she supposed that the most likely place to hear news of him, but +was in some debate within herself whether she should continue to wear her +pilgrim's habit, or provide herself with other cloaths at Marseilles. She +was weary of this mendicant way of travelling, and could have been glad to +have exchanged it for one more agreeable to the manner in which she had +been accustomed; but then, when she considered how great a protection the +appearance she made, had been from all those insults, to which a person of +her sex and age must otherwise infallibly have been exposed in travelling +alone, she resolved not to throw it off till she came to the place where +she intended to take up her abode, at least for some time. Young as she +was, she had well weighed what course to take in case du Plessis should +either be dead, or, by some accident, removed where she could hear nothing +more of him; and all countries and parts being now equal to her, as she +must then be reduced once more to get her bread by her labour, she doubted +not but to find encouragement for her industry as well in Paris as +elsewhere.</p> +<p>With this resolution, therefore, after laying one night at Marseilles, +she proceeded on her way in the same fashion as she had done ever since +she left Bolognia, and in about six weeks got safely to that great and +opulent city, where she took up her lodging at a hotel, extremely +fatigued, as it is easy to believe, having never even for one day ceased +walking, but while she was on board the ship which brought her to +Marseilles, for the space of eight months; a thing almost incredible, and +what perhaps no woman, but herself, would have had courage to undertake, +or resolution to perform, but was, in her circumstances, infinitely the +most safe and expedient that prudence could suggest.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XXIII.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Shews by what means Louisa came to the knowledge of her parents, +with other occurrences</i>.</p> +<p>The first thing she did on her arrival, was to send for proper persons +to equip her in a manner that she might once more appear herself, +resolving that till she could do so, not to be seen in the streets.</p> +<p>While these things were preparing, she sent a person, whom the people +of the house recommended to her, to the palace of the prince of Conti, not +doubting but that some of the gentlemen belonging to his highness might +give some intelligence where monsieur du Plessis was to be found; but the +messenger returned without any other information, than that they knew him +very well, but could give no directions in what part he was at present, he +not having been seen in Paris for a long time.</p> +<p>It is hard to say whether she most rejoiced or grieved at this account: +she imagined that had he been dead they would not have been ignorant of +it, therefore concluded him living to her infinite satisfaction; but then +his absenting himself from the capital of the kingdom, and from the +presence of a prince who had so much loved him, filled her with an +adequate disquiet, as believing some very ill accident must have been the +occasion:—she dispatched the same person afterwards to all the public +places that she heard gentlemen frequented, but met not with the least +success in her enquiries. It would prolong this narrative to a tedious +length, should I attempt any description of what she felt in this +situation, or the reflections she made on the odd circumstances of her +life:—the greatness of her spirit, and the most perfect resignation to +the divine will, however, made her support even this last and severest +trial with fortitude and patience; and as soon as she had put herself into +a convenient neat garb, but plain, befitting her condition, she went out +with a design to take a private lodging, where she might live more cheaply +than she could at the hotel, till providence should throw some person in +the way that might recommend her either to work, or to teach young ladies +music.</p> +<p>She was wandering thro' several of the streets of Paris, without being +able, as yet, to find such a chamber as she wanted, when a great shower of +rain happening to fall, she stood up under the porch of a large house for +shelter till it should be over, which it was not for a considerable time; +and the street being very dirty, she returned to the hotel, intending to +renew her search the next day: she had not been come in above half an +hour, before the man of the house told her that a servant, in a very rich +livery, who, he perceived, had followed her, and had asked many questions +concerning her, was now returned, and desired to speak with her.</p> +<p>As du Plessis was ever in her thoughts, a sudden rush of joy overflowed +her heart, which seemed to her the presage of seeing him, tho' how he +should imagine she was in Paris was a mystery:—but she gave herself not +much time for reflection, before she ordered the man to be admitted.</p> +<p>The manner of his approaching her was very respectful; but the message +he had to deliver seemed of a contrary nature.—After having asked if her +name was Louisa, and she answering that it was, I come, madam, said he, +from a gentleman who saw you stand just now at the gate of a house in the +Fauxbourg St. Germains, he commands me to tell you, that he has something +of moment to acquaint you with, and desires you will permit me to call a +chair, and attend you to his house, where he is impatient to receive you.</p> +<p>What, indeed, could Louisa think of a person who should send for her in +this manner?—all the late transport she was in, was immediately converted +into disdain and vexation at being taken, as she had all the reason in the +world to suppose, for one of those common creatures who prostitute their +charms for bread.—</p> +<p>Tell your master, said she, that by whatever accident he has learned my +name, he is wholly ignorant of the character of the person he has sent you +to:—that I am an entire stranger at Paris, and he must have mistaken me +for some other, who, perhaps, I may have the misfortune to resemble, and +may be also called as I am;—at least I am willing to think so, as the +only excuse can be made for his offering this insult:—but go, continued +she, with that pride which is natural to affronted virtue;—go, and +convince him of his error;—and let me hear no more of it.</p> +<p>It was in vain he assured her that his master was a person of the +highest honour, and that he was not unknown to her. All he could say had +not the least effect unless to enflame her more; when, after asking his +name, the fellow told her he was forbid to reveal it, but that he was +confident she would not deny having been acquainted with him when once she +saw him.</p> +<p>I shall neither own the one, cried she, nor consent to the other; then +bid him a second time be gone, with an air which shewed she was not to be +prevailed upon to listen to his arguments.</p> +<p>This man had no sooner left her than she fell into a deep study, from +which a sudden thought made her immediately start:—the count de Bellfleur +came into her head; and she was certain it could be no other than that +cruel persecutor of her virtue, that her ill fate had once more thrown in +her way.—As she knew very well, by what he had done, that he was of a +disposition to scruple nothing for the attainment of his wishes, she +trembled for the consequences of his discovering where she was.—The only +way she could think on to avoid the dangers she might be exposed to on his +account, was to draw up a petition to the prince of Conti, acquainting him +that she was the person who was near suffering so much from the ill +designs he had on her at Padua, when so generously referred by monsieur du +Plessis, and to entreat his highness's protection against any attempts he +might be safe enough to make.</p> +<p>She was just sitting down, in order to form a remonstrance of this +kind, when a chariot and six stopping at the door, she was informed the +gentleman who had sent to her was come in person, and that they knew it +was the same by the livery.—Louisa run hastily to the window and saw a +person alight, whom, by the bulk and stature, she knew could not be the +count she so much dreaded, this having much the advantage of the other in +both. Somewhat reassured by this sight, she ordered the master of the +hotel to desire him to walk into a parlour, and let him know she would +attend him there.</p> +<p>As she saw not the face of this visitor, she could not be certain +whether it were not some of those she had been acquainted with at Venice, +who having, by accident, seen her at Paris, might, according to the +freedom of the French nation, take the liberty of visiting her;—but +whoever it were, or on what score soever brought, she thought it best to +receive him in a place where, in case of any ill usage, she might readily +have assistance.</p> +<p>The master of the hotel perceiving her scruples, readily did as he was +ordered, and Louisa having desired that he, or some of his people, would +be within call, went down to receive this unknown gent, tho' not without +emotions, which at that moment she knew not how to account for.</p> +<p>But soon after she was seized with infinitely greater, when, entering +the parlour, she found it was no other than Dorilaus who had given her +this anxiety.—Surprize at the sight of a person whom, of all the world, +she could least have expected in that place, made her at first start back; +and conscious shame for having, as she thought, so ill rewarded his +goodness, mixed with a certain awe which she had for no other person but +himself, occasioned such a trembling, as rendered her unable either to +retire or move forward to salute him, as she otherwise would have done.</p> +<p>He saw the confusion she was in, and willing to give it an immediate +relief, ran to her, and taking her in his arms,—my dear, dear child, said +he, am I so happy to see thee once more!—Oh! sir, returned she +disengaging herself from his embrace, and falling at his feet!—How can I +look upon you after having flown from your protection, and given you such +cause to think me the most ungrateful creature in the world!</p> +<p>It was heaven, answered he, that inspired you with that abhorrence of +my offers, which, had you accepted, we must both have been eternally +undone!—You are my daughter, Louisa! pursued he, my own natural +daughter!—Rise then, and take a father's blessing.</p> +<p>All that can be said of astonishment would be far short of what she +felt at these words:—the happiness seemed so great she could not think +it real, tho' uttered from mouth she knew unaccustomed to deceit:—a +hundred times, without giving him leave to satisfy her doubts, did she cry +out, My father!—my father!—my real father!—How can it be!—Is there a +possibility that Louisa owes her being to Dorilaus!</p> +<p>Yes, my Louisa, answered he, and flatter myself, by what I have +observed of your disposition, you have done nothing, since our parting, +that might prevent my glorying in being the parent of such a child.</p> +<p>The hurry of spirit she was in, prevented her from taking notice of +these last words, or at least from making any answer to them, and she +still continued crying out,—Dorilaus, my father!—Good heaven! may I +believe I am so blessed?—Who then is my mother!—Wherefore have I been so +long ignorant of what I was!—And how is the joyful secret at last +revealed!</p> +<p>All these things you shall be fully informed of, answered he; in the +mean time be satisfied I do not deceive you, and am indeed your father: +transported to find my long lost child, whom I myself knew not was so till +I believed her gone for ever;—a thousand times I have wished both you and +Horatio were my children, but little suspected you were so, till after his +too eager ambition deprived me of him, and my mistaken love drove you to +seek a refuge among strangers.</p> +<p>Tears of joy and tenderness now bedewed the faces of both father and +daughter:—silence for some moments succeeded the late acclamations; but +Dorilaus at length finding her fully convinced she was as happy as he said +she was, and entirely freed from all those apprehensions which had +occasioned her flying from him, told her he was settled in Paris; that he +lived just opposite to the house where she had stood up on account of the +shower, and happening to be at one of his windows immediately knew her; +that he sent a servant after her, who had enquired how long she had been +arrived, and in what manner she came; that he had sent for her with no +other intent then to make trial how she would resent it, and was +transported to find her answer such as he hoped and had expected from +her:—he added, that he had all the anxiety of a father to hear by what +means she had been supported, and the motive which induced her to travel +in the habit of a pilgrim, as the matter of the hotel had informed his +servant; but that he would defer his satisfaction till she should be in a +place more becoming his daughter.</p> +<p>On concluding these words he called for the master of the hotel, and +having defrayed what little expences she had been at since her coming +there, took her by the hand and led her to his chariot, which soon brought +them to a magnificent, house, and furnished in a manner answerable to the +birth and fortune of the owner.</p> +<p>Louisa had all this time seemed like one in a dream:—she had ever +loved Dorilaus with a filial affection; and to find herself really his +daughter, to be snatched at once from all those cares which attend penury, +when accompanied with virtue, and an abhorrence of entering into measures +inconsistent with the strictest honour, to be relieved from every want, +and in a station which commanded respect and homage, was such a surcharge +of felicity, that she was less able to support than all the fatigues she +had gone thro'—Surprize and joy made her appear more dull and stupid than +she had ever been in her whole life before; and Dorilaus was obliged to +repeat all he had said over and over again, to bring her into her usual +composedness, and enable her to give him the satisfaction he required.</p> +<p>But as soon as she had, by degrees, recollected herself, she modestly +related all that had happened to her from the time she left him;—the +methods by which she endeavoured to earn her bread,—the insults she was +exposed to at mrs. C—l—ge's;—the way she came acquainted with +Melanthe;—the kindness shown her by that lady;—their travels +together;—the base stratagem made use of by count de Bellfleur to ruin +her with that lady—the honourable position monsieur du Plessis had +professed for her;—the seasonable assistance he had given her, in that +iminent danger she was in from the count's unlawful designs upon her;—his +placing her afterwards in the monastry,—the treachery of the abbess;—the +artifice she had been obliged to make use of to get out of the +nunnery;—her pilgrimage;—in fine, concealed no part of her adventures, +only that which related to the passion she had for du Plessis, which she +endeavoured, as much as she could, to disguise, under the names of +gratitude for the obligations he had conferred upon her, and admiration of +his virtue, so different from what she had found in others who had +addressed her.</p> +<p>Dorilaus, however, easily perceived the tenderness with which she was +agitated on the account of that young gentleman, but he would not excite +her blushes by taking any notice of it, especially as he found nothing to +condemn in it, and had observed, throughout the course of her whole +narrative, she had behaved on other occasions with a discretion far above +her years, he was far from wronging her, by suspecting she had swerved +from it in this.</p> +<p>But when he heard the vast journey she had come on foot, he was in the +utmost amazement at her fortitude, and told her he was resolved to keep +her pilgrim's habit as a relique, to preserve to after-ages the memory of +an adventure, which had really something more marvellous in it than many +set down as miracles.</p> +<p>And now having fully gratified his own curiosity in all he wanted to be +informed of, he thought proper to case the impatience she was in to know +the history of her birth, and on what occasion it had been so long +concealed, which he did in these or the like words:</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XXIV.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>The history of Dorilaus and Matilda, with other circumstances very +important to Louisa</i>.</p> +<p>You know, said he, that I am descended of one of the most illustrious +families in England, tho', by some imprudencies on the one side, and +injustice on the other, my claim was set aside, and I deprived of that +title which my ancestors for a long succession of years had enjoyed, so +that the estate I am in possession of, was derived to me in right of my +mother, who was an heiress. It is indeed sufficient to have given me a +pretence to any lady I should have made choice on, and to provide for what +children I might have had by her: but the pride of blood being not abated +in me by being cut off from my birthright, inspired me with an +unconquerable aversion to marriage, since I could not bequeath to my +posterity that dignity I ought to have enjoyed myself:—I resolved +therefore to live single, and that the misfortune of my family should dye +with myself.</p> +<p>In my younger years I went to travel, as well for improvement, as to +alleviate that discontent which was occasioned by the sight of another in +possession of what I thought was my due.—Having made the tour of Europe, +I took France again in my way home:—the gallantry and good breeding of +these people very much attached me to them; but what chiefly engaged my +continuance here much longer than I had done in any other part, was an +acquaintance I had made with a lady called Matilda: she was of a very good +family in England, was sent to a monastry merely for the sake of +well-grounding her in a religion, the free exercise of which is not +allowed at home, and to seclude her from settling her affections on any +other than the person she was destined to by the will of her parents, and +to whom she had been contracted in her infancy:—she was extremely young, +and beautiful as an angel; and the knowledge she was pre-engaged, could +not hinder me from loving her, any more than the declarations I made in +her hearing against marriage, could the grateful returns she was pleased +to make me:—in fine, the mutual inclination we had for each other, as it +rendered us deaf to all suggestions but that of gratifying it, so it also +inspired us with ingenuity to surmount all the difficulties that were +between our wishes and the end of them.—Tho' a pensioner in a monastry, +and very closely observed, by the help of a confidant she frequently got +out, and many nights we passed together;—till some business relating to +my estate at length calling me away, we were obliged to part, which we +could not do without testifying a great deal of concern on both +sides:—mine was truly sincere at that time, and I have reason to believe +her's was no less so; but absence easily wears out the impressions of +youth: as I never expected to see her any more, I endeavoured not to +preserve a remembrance which would only have given me disquiet, and, to +confess the truth, soon forgot both the pleasure and the pain I had +experienced in this, as well as some other little sallies of my unthinking +youth.</p> +<p>Many years passed over without my ever hearing any thing of her; and it +was some months after I received your letter from Aix-la-Chappelle, that +the post brought me one from Ireland: having no correspondence in that +country, I was a little surprized, but much more when I opened it and +found it contained these words:<br/> +<br/> +<i>To</i> DORILAUS.<br/> +<br/> +SIR,<br/> +<br/> +"This comes to make a request, which I<br/> +know not if the acquaintance we had<br/> +together in the early part of both our lives,<br/> +would be sufficient to apologize for the trouble<br/> +you must take in complying with it:—permit<br/> +me therefore to acquaint you, that I have long<br/> +laboured under an indisposition which my physicians<br/> +assure me is incurable, and under which<br/> +I must inevitably sink in a short time; but<br/> +whatever they say, I know it is impossible<br/> +for me to leave the world without imparting<br/> +to you a secret wholly improper to be entrusted<br/> +in a letter, but is of the utmost importance<br/> +to those concerned in it, of whom yourself<br/> +is the principal:—be assured it regards<br/> +your honour, your conscience, your justice, as<br/> +well as the eternal peace of her who conjures<br/> +you, with the utmost earnestness, to come immediately<br/> +on the receipt of this to the castle of<br/> +M——e, in the north of Ireland, where, if<br/> +you arrive time enough, you will be surprized,<br/> +tho' I flatter myself not disagreeably so, with<br/> +the unravelling a most mysterious Event.<br/> +<br/> +<i>Yours, once known by the name of</i> MATILDA,<br/> +<br/> +<i>now</i><br/> +<br/> +M——E."</p> +<p>I will not repeat to you, my dear Louisa, continued Dorilaus, the +strange perplexity of ideas that run thro' my mind after having read this +letter:—I was very far from guessing at the real motive of this +invitation; which, however, as I once had a regard for that lady, I soon +determined to obey; and having left the care of my house to a relation of +mine by the mother's side, I went directly for Ireland; but when I came +there, was a little embarrassed in my mind what excuse I should make to +her husband for my visit.—Before I ventured to the castle, I made a +thorough enquiry after the character of this young lady, and in what +manner she lived with her lord. Never did I hear a person more universally +spoke well of:—the poor adored her charity, affability, and condescending +sweetness of disposition:—the rich admired her wit, her virtue, and good +breeding:—her beauty, tho' allowed inferior to few of her sex, was the +least qualification that seemed deserving praise:—to add to all this, +they told me she was a pattern of conjugal affection, and the best of +mothers to a numerous race of Children;—that her lord had all the value +he ought to have for so amiable a wife, and that no wedded pair ever lived +together in greater harmony; and it was with the utmost concern, whoever I +spoke to on this affair concluded what they related of her with saying, +that so excellent an example of all that was valuable in womankind would +shortly be taken from them;—that she had long, with an unexampled +patience, lingered under a severe illness which every day threatened +dissolution.</p> +<p>These accounts made me hesitate no farther:—I went boldly to the +castle, asked to speak with the lord M——e, who received me with a +politeness befitting his quality: I told him that my curiosity of seeing +foreign countries had brought me to Ireland, and being in my tour thro' +those parts, I took the liberty of calling at his seat, having formerly +had the honour of being known to his lady when at her father's house, and +whom I now heard, to my great concern, was indisposed, otherwise have been +glad to pay my respects to her. The nobleman answered, with tears in his +eyes, that she was indeed in a condition such as give no hope of her +recovery, but that she sometimes saw company, tho' obliged to receive them +in bed, having lost the use of her limbs, and would perhaps be glad of the +visit of a person she had known so long.</p> +<p>On this I told him my name, which he immediately sent in; and her woman +not long after came from her to let me know she would admit me. My lord +went in with me; and to countenance what I said, I accosted her with the +freedom of a person who had been acquainted when children, spoke of her +father as of a gentleman who had favoured me with his good-will, tho', in +reality, I had never seen him in my life, but remembered well enough what +she had mentioned to me concerning him, and some others of her family, to +talk as if I had been intimate among them. I could perceive she was very +well pleased with the method I had taken of introducing myself; and, to +prevent any suspicion that I had any other business with her than to pay +my compliments, made my visit very short that day, not doubting but she +would of herself contrive some means of entertaining me without witnesses, +as she easily found her lord had desired I would make the castle my home +while I stayed in that part of the country.</p> +<p>I was not deceived; the next morning having been told her lord was +engaged with his steward, she sent for me, and making some pretence for +getting rid of her woman, she plucked a paper from under her pillow, and +putting it into my hand,—in that, said, you will find the secret I +mentioned in my letter;—suspect not the veracity of it, I conjure you, +nor love the unfortunate Horatio and Louisa less for their being mine.</p> +<p>I cannot express the confusion I was in, continued Dorilaus, at her +mentioning you and your brother, but I had no opportunity of asking any +questions:—her woman that instant returned, after which I stayed but a +short time, being impatient to examine the contents, which, as near as I +can remember, were to this purpose:<br/> +<br/> +"You were scarce out of France before I<br/> +discovered our amour had produced such<br/> +consequences as, had my too fond passion given<br/> +me leave to think of, I never should have hazarded:—I<br/> +will not repeat the distraction I<br/> +was in;—you may easily judge of it:—I<br/> +communicated the misfortune to my nurse,<br/> +who you know I told you went from England<br/> +with me, and has often brought you messages<br/> +from the convent:—the faithful creature did<br/> +her utmost to console me for an evil which was<br/> +without a remedy:—to complete my confusion,<br/> +my father commanded me home; my lord<br/> +M——e was returned from his travels:—we<br/> +were both of an age to marry; and it<br/> +was resolved, by our parents, no longer to<br/> +defer the completion of an affair long before<br/> +agreed upon.—I was ready to lay violent hands<br/> +on myself, since there seemed no way to conceal<br/> +my shame; but my good nurse having set<br/> +all her wits to work for me, found out an expedient<br/> +which served me, when I could think<br/> +of nothing for myself.—She bid me be of<br/> +comfort; that she thought being sent for home<br/> +was the luckiest thing that could have happened,<br/> +since nothing could be so bad as to have my<br/> +pregnancy discovered in the convent, as it<br/> +infallibly must have been had I stayed a very little<br/> +time longer: she also assured me she would<br/> +contrive it so, as to keep the thing a secret<br/> +from all the world.—I found afterwards she<br/> +did not deceive me by vain promises.—We<br/> +left Paris, according to my father's order, and<br/> +came by easy journeys, befitting my condition,<br/> +to Calais, and embarked on board the packet for<br/> +Dover; but then, instead of taking coach for London,<br/> +hired a chariot, and went cross the country<br/> +to a little village, where a kinswoman of my<br/> +nurse's lived.—With these people I remained<br/> +till Horatio and Louisa came into the world:—I<br/> +could have had them nursed at that place, but<br/> +I feared some discovery thro' the miscarriage of<br/> +letters, which often happens, and which could<br/> +not have been avoided being sent on such occasions;—so<br/> +we contrived together that my<br/> +good confident and adviser should carry them<br/> +to your house, and commit the care of them<br/> +to you, who, equal with myself, had a right to<br/> +it:—she found means, by bribing a man that<br/> +worked under your gardener, to convey them<br/> +where I afterwards heard you found and received<br/> +them as I could wish, and becoming the<br/> +generosity of your nature.—I then took coach<br/> +for London, pretending, at my arrival, that I<br/> +had been delayed by sickness, and to excuse my<br/> +nurse's absence, said she had caught the fever<br/> +of me;—so no farther enquiry was made, and<br/> +I soon after was married to a man whose worth<br/> +is well deserving of a better wife, tho' I have<br/> +endeavoured to attone for my unknown transgression<br/> +by every act of duty in my power:—nurse<br/> +stayed long enough in your part of the<br/> +world to be able to bring me an account how<br/> +the children were disposed of.—That I never<br/> +gave you an account they were your own, was<br/> +occasioned by two reasons, first, the danger of<br/> +entrusting such a thing by the post, my nurse<br/> +soon after dying; and secondly, because, as I<br/> +was a wife, I thought it unbecoming of me to<br/> +remind you of a passage I was willing to forget<br/> +myself.—A long sickness has put other thoughts<br/> +into my head, and inspired me with a tenderness<br/> +for those unhappy babes, which the shame<br/> +of being their mother hitherto deprived them<br/> +of.—I hear, with pleasure, that you are not<br/> +married, and are therefore at full liberty to<br/> +make some provision for them, if they are yet<br/> +living, that may alleviate the misfortune of<br/> +their birth. Farewell; if I obtain this first and<br/> +last request, I shall dye well satisfied."<br/> +<br/> +"<i>P.S.</i> Burn this paper, I conjure you, the moment<br/> +you have read it; but lay the contents<br/> +of it up in your heart never to be forgotten."</p> +<p>I now no longer wondered, pursued Dorilaus, at that impulse I had to +love you;—I found it the simpathy of nature, and adored the divine +power.—After having well fixed in my mind all the particulars of this +amazing secret, I performed her injunction, and committed it to the +flames: I had opportunity enough to inform her in what manner Horatio had +disposed of himself, and let her know you were gone with a lady on her +travels: I concealed indeed the motive, fearing to give her any occasion +of reproaching herself for having so long concealed what my ignorance of +might have involved us all in guilt and ruin.</p> +<p>I stayed some few days at the castle, and then took my leave: she said +many tender things at parting concerning you, and seemed well satisfied +with the assurances I gave her of making the same provision for you, as I +must have done had the ceremony of the church obliged me to it. This +seemed indeed the only thing for which she lived, and, I was informed, +died in a few days after.</p> +<p>At my return to England I renewed my endeavours to discover where you +were, but could hear nothing since you wrote from Aix-la-Chappelle, and +was equally troubled that I had received no letters from your brother.—I +doubted not but he had fallen in the battle, and mourned him as +lost;—till an old servant perceiving the melancholy I was in, acquainted +me that several letters had been left at my house by the post during my +absence, but that the kinsman I had left to take care of my affairs had +secreted them, jealous, no doubt, of the fondness I have expressed for +him.—This so enraged me, when on examination I had too much reason to be +assured of this treachery, that I turned my whole estate into ready money, +and resolved to quit England for ever, and pass my life here, this being a +country I always loved, and had many reasons to dislike my own.</p> +<p>Here I soon heard news of my Horatio, and such as filled me with a +pleasure, which wanted nothing of being complete but the presence of my +dear Louisa to partake of it.</p> +<p>Dorilaus then went on, and acquainted her with the particulars of +Horatio's story, as he had learned it from the baron de Palfoy, with whom +he now was very intimate; but as the reader is sufficiently informed of +those transactions, it would be needless to repeat them; so I shall only +say that Dorilaus arrived in France in a short time after Horatio had left +it to enter into the service of the king of Sweden, and had wrote that +letter, inserted in the eighteenth chapter, in order to engage that young +warrior to return, some little time before his meeting with Louisa.</p> +<p>Nothing now was wanting to the contentment of this tender father but +the presence of Horatio, which he was every day expecting, when, instead +of himself, those letters from him arrived which contained his resolution +of remaining with Charles XII. till the conquests he was in pursuit of +should be accomplished.</p> +<p>This was some matter of affliction to Dorilaus, tho' in his heart he +could not but approve those principles of honour which detained +him.—Neither the baron de Palfoy, nor Charlotta herself, could say he +could well have acted otherwise, and used their utmost endeavours to +comfort a father in his anxieties for the safety of so valuable a son.</p> +<p>Louisa was also very much troubled at being disappointed in her hope of +embracing a brother, whom she had ever dearly loved, and was now more +precious to her than ever, by the proofs she had heard he had given of his +courage and his virtue; but she had another secret and more poignant grief +that preyed upon her soul, and could scarce receive any addition from +ought beside:—she had been now near two months in Paris, yet could hear +nothing of monsieur du Plessis, but that, by the death of his father, a +large estate had devolved upon him, which he had never come to claim, or +had been at Paris for about eighteen months, so that she had all the +reason in the world to believe he was no more. This threw her into a +melancholy, which was so much the more severe as she endeavoured to +conceal it:—she made use of all her efforts to support the loss of a +person she so much loved, and who proved himself so deserving of that +love:—she represented to herself that being relieved from all the snares +and miseries of an indigent life, raised from an obscurity which had given +her many bitter pangs, to a station equal to her wishes, and under the +care of the most indulgent and best of fathers, she ought not to repine, +but bless the bounty of heaven, who had bestowed on her so many blessings, +and with-held only one she could have asked.—These, I say, were the +dictates of reason and religion; but the tender passion was not always to +be silenced by them, and whenever she was alone, the tears, in spight of +herself, would flow, and she, without even knowing she did so, cry out, Oh +du Plessis, wherefore do I live since thou art dead!</p> +<p>Among the many acquaintance she soon contracted at Paris, there was +none she so much esteemed, both on the account of her own merit, and the +regard she had for Horatio, as mademoiselle de Palfoy. In this young +lady's society did she find more charms for her grief than in that of any +other; and the other truly loving her, not only because she found nothing +more worthy of being loved, but because she was the sister of Horatio, +they were very seldom asunder.</p> +<p>Louisa was one day at the baron's, enjoying that satisfaction which the +conversation of his beautiful daughter never failed to afford, when word +was brought that madam, the countess d'Espargnes, was come to visit +her.—Mademoiselle Charlotta ran to receive her with a great deal of joy, +she being a lady she very much regarded, and who she had not seen of a +long time.</p> +<p>She immediately returned, leading a lady in deep mourning, who seemed +not to be above five-and-twenty, was extremely handsome, and had beside +something in her air that attached Louisa at first sight. Mademoiselle +Charlotta presented her to the countess, saying at the same time, see, +madam, the only rival you have in my esteem.</p> +<p>You do well to give me one, replied the countess, who looks as if she +would make me love her as well as you, and so I should be even with you. +With these words she opened her arms to embrace Louisa, who returned the +compliment with equal politeness.</p> +<p>When they were seated, mademoiselle Charlotta began to express the +pleasure she had in seeing her in Paris; on which the countess told her, +that the affair she came upon was so disagreeable, that nothing but the +happiness of enjoying her company, while she stayed, could attone for it. +You know, my dear, continued madam d'Espargnes, I was always an enemy to +any thing that had the face of business, yet am I now, against my will, +involved in it by as odd an adventure as perhaps you ever heard.</p> +<p>Charlotta testifying some desire to be informed of what nature, the +other immediately satisfied her curiosity in this manner:</p> +<p>You know, said she, that on the late death of my father, his estate +devolved on my brother, an officer in those troops in Italy commanded by +the prince of Conti:—some wounds, which were looked upon as extremely +dangerous, obliged him, when the campaign was over, to continue in his +winter quarters;—on which he sent to monsieur the count to take +possession in his name; this was done; but an intricate affair relating to +certain sums lodged in a person's hand, and to be brought before the +parliament of Paris, could not be decided without the presence either of +him or myself who had been witness of the transaction.—I was extremely +loth to take so long a journey, being then in very ill health; and hearing +he was recovered, delayed it, as we then expected him in person:—I sent a +special messenger, however, in order to hasten his return;—but instead of +complying with my desires, I received a letter from him, acquainting me +that a business of more moment to him than any thing in my power to guess +at, required his presence in another place, and insisted, by all the +tenderness which had ever been between us, that I would take on myself the +management of this affair:—to enable me the better to do it, he sent me a +deed of trust to act as I should find it most expedient.</p> +<p>As he did not let me into the secret of what motives detained him at so +critical a juncture, I was at first very much surprized; but on asking +some questions of the messenger I had sent to him, I soon discovered what +it was. He told me that on his arrival, he found my brother had left his +quarters and was gone to Bolognia, on which he followed and overtook him +there;—that he appeared in the utmost discontent, and was just preparing +to proceed to Leghorn, but did not mention to him any more than he did in +his letter to me, what inducement he had to this journey:—his servant, +however, told him privately, that the mystery was this:—That being +passionately in love with a young English lady, whom he had placed in a +monastery at Bolognia, and expected to find there at his return, she had +in his absence departed, without having acquainted him with her design; +and that supposing she was gone for England, and unable to live without +her, his intention was to take shipping for that country, and make use of +his utmost efforts to find her out.</p> +<p>I must confess, pursued the beautiful countess, this piece of quixotism +very much veved me:—I thought his friends in France deserved more from +him than to be neglected for one who fled from him, and who, as the man +said, he knew not whether he should be able ever to see again. I resolved, +however, to comply with his desires, and came immediately to Paris; but +heaven has shewed him how little it approves his giving me this +unnecessary trouble, for this morning I received a letter from him, that +meeting with robbers in his way, they had taken from him all his money and +bills of exchange, besides wounding him in several places, so that he +cannot proceed on his journey till his hurts, which it seems are not +dangerous, are cured, and he has fresh remittances from hence.</p> +<p>With what emotions the heart of Louisa was agitated during the latter +part of this little narrative, a sensible reader may easily conceive: from +the first mention of Bolognia, where there was no other English pensioner +than herself, she knew it must be no other than her dear du Plessis who +was in search for her abroad, while she was vainly hoping to find him at +home:—every circumstance rendered this belief more certain; and surprize +and joy worked so strongly in her, that fearing the effects would be +visible, she rose up and withdrew to a window. Mademoiselle Charlotta, who +knew she could not be capable of such an act of unpoliteness, without +being compelled to it, asked if she were not well:—on which Louisa +entreated pardon, but owned a sudden faintness had come over her spirits, +so that she was obliged to be rude in order to prevent being troublesome.</p> +<p>As mademoiselle Charlotta knew nothing of her story, she had no farther +thought about it than of some little qualm, which frequently happens when +young ladies are too closely laced, and she seeming perfectly recovered +from, the conversation was renewed on the same subject it had turned upon +before this interruption; and the name of monsieur du Plessis being often +mentioned, confirmed Louisa, if before she could have had the least +remains of doubt, that it was her lover who, neglectful of his own +affairs, and the remonstrances of his expecting friends, was about to +range in search of one who, he imagined, was ungrateful both to his love +and friendship.</p> +<p>After having listened, with the utmost attention, to all the countess +said of him, and other matters becoming the topic of discourse, she took +her leave, in order to reflect alone what she ought to do in this affair.</p> +<p>She debated not long within herself before she resolved to write to +him, and prevent the unprofitable journey he was about to take; and having +heard, by madam d'Espargnes, the name of the village where he was obliged +to wait, both for the recovery of his wounds and for remittances for his +expences, she wrote to him in the following terms:<br/> +<br/> +<i>To monsieur</i> DU PLESSIS.<br/> +<br/> +"I should ill return the proofs I have received<br/> +of your generous disinterested friendship,<br/> +to delay one moment that I had it in my power,<br/> +in endeavouring to convince you that it was a<br/> +quite contrary motive than ingratitude to you,<br/> +that carried me from Bolognia:—but the story<br/> +is too long for the compass of a letter; when<br/> +you know it, you will, perhaps, own this action,<br/> +whatever you may now think of it, merits<br/> +more, than any thing I could have done, your<br/> +approbation:—this seeming riddle will be easily<br/> +expounded, if, on the recovery of your<br/> +wounds, you repair immediately to Paris, where<br/> +you will find<br/> +<br/> +<i>Your much obliged</i>,<br/> +<br/> +LOUISA."</p> +<p>Having finished this little billet, a scruple rose in her head, that +being now under the care of a father, she ought not to do any thing of +this nature without his permission:—she had already told him how greatly +she had been indebted to du Plessis for his honourable passion, but had +not mentioned the least tittle of the tender impressions it had made on +her; and she so lately knew him to be her father, that she was ashamed to +make him the confidant of an affair of this nature, but then, when she +considered the quality of du Plessis, which she was now confirmed of, and +the sense Dorilaus testified he had of his behaviour to her while he +believed her so infinitely his inferior, made her resolve to drain her +modesty so far as to inform him all.</p> +<p>She began by relating her accidental meeting with madam, the countess +d'Espargnes and the conversation that passed at mademoiselle de Palfoy's, +and then, tho' not without immoderate blushes, shewed him what she had +wrote, and beseeched him to let her know whether it would be consistent +with a virgin's modesty, and also agreeable to his pleasure, that she gave +this demonstration of her gratitude for the favours she had received from +this young gentleman.</p> +<p>Dorilaus was charmed with this proof of her duty and respect, and told +her, that he was so far from disapproving what she had wrote, that had she +omitted it, or said less than she did, he should have looked upon her as +unworthy of so perfect a passion as that which monsieur du Plessis on all +occasions, testified for her:—that, in his opinion, she owed him more +than she could ever pay; and that it should be his endeavour to shew he +had not placed his affections on the daughter of one who knew not how to +set a just value on merit such as his:—he made her also add a postscript +to the letter, to give a direction in what part of Paris he might find her +on his arrival; but Louisa would by no means give the least hint of the +alteration in her circumstances, not that she wanted any farther proofs of +his sincerity, but that she reserved the pleasure of so agreeable a +surprize to their meeting. This letter was dispatched immediately, to the +end he might receive it, at least, as soon as that from his sister with +the expected remittances.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XXV.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>Monsieur du Plessis arrives at Paris: his reception from Dorilaus +and Louisa: the marriage of these lovers agreed upon</i>.</p> +<p>The innocent pleasure Louisa felt in picturing to herself the extacy +which du Plessis would be in at the receipt of her letter, was not a +flattering idea:—to know she was in Paris, where, in all probability, she +had come to seek him, and to have the intelligence of it from herself, had +all the effect on him that the most raptured fancy can invent.</p> +<p>His orders to madam d'Espargnes being punctually complied with, his +bills of exchange also came soon after to hand; and the little hurts he +had received from the robbers, as well as those of his mind, being +perfectly healed, he set out with a lover's expedition, and arrived in +Paris to the pleasing surprize of a sister who tenderly loved him, and +expected not this satisfaction of a long time.</p> +<p>He took but one night's repose before he enquired concerning Dorilaus, +and was told that he was a person of quality in England; but, on some +disgust he had received in his native country, was come to settle in +France. As Louisa was extremely admired, they told him also that he had a +very beautiful daughter, of whom he was extremely fond. This last +information gave not a little ease to the mind of him who heard it, and +dissipated those apprehensions which the high character they gave of +Dorilaus had, in spite of himself, excited in him: he now imagined that as +they were English, his Louisa might possibly have been acquainted with the +daughter of this gentleman in their own country, and meeting her at Paris, +might have put herself under her protection.</p> +<p>Full of those impatiencies which are inseparable from a sincere +passion, he borrowed his sister's chariot, and went to the Fauxbourg St. +Germains; and being told one of the best houses in the place was that of +Dorilaus, he asked for mademoiselle Louisa, on which he was desired to +alight, and shewed into a handsome parlour while a servant went in to +inform her: after this, he was ushered up stairs into a room, the +furniture of which shewed the elegance of the owner's taste; but +accustomed to every thing that was great and magnificent, the gilded +scenes, the rich tapestry, the pictures, had no effect on him, till +casting his eyes on one that hung over the chimney, he found the exact +resemblance of the dear object never absent from his heart.—It was indeed +the picture of Louisa, which her father, soon after her arrival, had +caused to be drawn by one of the best painters at that time in Paris. This +sight gave him a double pleasure, because it, in some measure, anticipated +that of the original, and also convinced him that she was not indifferent +to the person she was with.</p> +<p>He was fixed in contemplation on this delightful copy, when the +original appeared in all the advantages that jewels and rich dress could +give her.—Tho' he loved her only for herself, and nothing could add to +the sincere respect his heart had always paid her, yet to see her so +different from what he expected, filled him with a surprize and a kind of +enforced awe, which hindered him from giving that loose to his transports, +which, after so long an absence, might have been very excusable;—and he +could only say—my dear adorable Louisa, am I so blessed to see you once +more!—She met his embrace half way, and replied, monsieur du Plessis, +heaven has given me all I had to wish in restoring to me so faithful a +friend;—but come, continued she, permit me to lead you to a father, who +longs to embrace the protector of his daughter's innocence. Your father, +madam! cried he; yes, answered she; in seeking a lover at Paris I found a +father; Dorilaus is my father:—I have acquainted him with all the +particulars of our story, and, I believe, the sincere affection I have for +you will not be less pleasing for receiving his sanction to it.</p> +<p>With these words she took his hand and led him, all astonishment, into +an inner room where Dorilaus was sitting, who rose to meet him with the +greatest politeness, and which shewed that to be master of, it was not +necessary to be born in France; and on Louisa's acquainting him with the +name of the person she presented, embraced him with the tenderness of a +father, and made him such obliging and affectionate compliments, as +confirmed to the transported du Plessis the character had been given of +him.</p> +<p>After the utmost testimonies of respect on both side, Dorilaus told his +daughter she ought to make her excuses to monsieur for having eloped from +the monastry where he had been so good to place her, which, said he, I +think you can do in no better a manner than by telling the truth, and as I +am already sufficiently acquainted with the whole, will leave you to +relate it, while I dispatch a little business that at present calls me +hence. He went out of the room in speaking this, and Louisa had a more +full opportunity of informing her lover of all she had suffered since +their parting, till this happy change in her fortune, than she could have +had in the presence of her father, tho' no stranger to her most inmost +thoughts on this occasion.</p> +<p>The pleasing story of her pilgrimage rehearsed, how did the charmed du +Plessis pity and applaud, by turns, her sufferings and fortitude!—How +exclaim against the treachery of the abbess, and those of the nuns who +were in confederacy with her! But his curiosity satisfied in this point, +another rose instantly in his mind, that being the daughter of such a +person as Dorilaus, wherefore she had made so great a secret of it, and +what reason had occasioned her being on the terms she was with Melanthe. +He no sooner expressed his wonder on these heads, than, having before her +father's permission to do so, she resolved to leave him in no suspence on +any score relating to her affairs.</p> +<p>Tho', said she blushing, I cannot reveal the history of my birth +without laying open the errors of those to whom I owe my being, yet I +shall not think the sacrifice too great to recompence the obligations you +have laid upon me; and then proceeded to acquaint him with every thing +relating to her parents, as well as to herself, from the first moment she +was found in the garden of Dorilaus.</p> +<p>It is not to be doubted but that he listened to the story with the +utmost attention, in which he found such matters of admiration, that he +could not forbear frequently interrupting her, by crying, Oh heaven! oh +providence! how mysterious are thy ways!—How, in thy disposal of things, +dost thou force us to acknowledge thy divine power and wisdom!</p> +<p>He was also extremely pleased to find she was the sister of Horatio, +whom he had often been in company with both at the baron de la Valeire's +and at St. Germains, and had admired for the many extraordinary qualities +he discovered in him: this led them into a conversation concerning that +young gentleman, and the misfortunes which some late news-paper gave an +account were beginning to fall upon the king of Sweden; after that, +renewing the subject of their mutual affection, and du Plessis running +over the particulars of their acquaintance in Italy, Louisa asked whether +the count de Bellfleur had ever testified any remorse for the injury he +would have offered her, and in what manner they had lived together in the +army? To which monsieur du Plessis replied, that the authority of the +prince had prevented him from attempting any open acts of violence; but +that by his manner of behaviour it was easy to see he had not forgiven the +disappointment; and he verily believed wanted only a convenient +opportunity to revenge it: but, continued he, whatever his designs were, +heaven put a stop to the execution of them; for, in the first skirmish +that happened between us and the forces of prince Eugene, this once gay, +gallant courtier, had his head taken off by a cannon ball.</p> +<p>The gentle Louisa could not forbear expressing some concern for the +sudden fate of this bad man, greatly as she had been affronted by him; but +when she reflected that the same accident might have befallen her dear du +Plessis, she was all dissolved in tears.</p> +<p>They were in this tender communication when Dorilaus returned leading +the countess d'Espargnes in one hand, and mademoiselle de Palfoy in the +other. Monsieur du Plessis was surprized to meet his sister in a place +where he knew not she was acquainted, and she no less to find him there. +The occasion of it was this:</p> +<p>Dorilaus, when he left the lovers together, went directly to the baron +de Palfoy's, and related to him and to mademoiselle the whole history of +monsieur du Plessis and Louisa; on which they contriv'd to make a pleasant +scene, by engaging the countess d'Espargnes to go with them to Dorilaus's, +without letting her know on what account.—The event answered their +wishes; madam d'Espargnes rallied her brother on finding him alone with +so beautiful a young lady; and mademoiselle Charlotta, for his inconstancy +to his mistress at Bolognia: but when the riddle was solved, and the +countess came to know that the lady left in the monastery and Louisa were +the same, she no longer condemned an attachment which before had given her +so much pain.</p> +<p>Mademoiselle Charlotta chid her for the reserve she had maintained to +her in this affair, especially, said she, as you were obliged to the +conversation you had with madam d'Espargnes in my apartment, that you +received any intelligence of monsieur du Plessis, or knew how to direct +your commands to him to return.</p> +<p>That, madam, is an obligation lies wholly on me, said monsieur du +Plessis; and I believe I shall find it very difficult to requite it, any +more than I shall to deserve my sister's pardon, for so industriously +endeavouring to conceal from her the secret of my passion and its object.</p> +<p>Louisa told the ladies that she now hoped they would excuse the +disorder she had been in at the countess's discourse, since they knew the +motive:—a good deal of pleasantry passed between this agreeable company; +and as they were in the midst of it, the baron de Palfoy, who had been +hindered from accompanying Dorilaus, when he conducted the ladies, now +joined them; and tho' he was considerably older than any there, was no +less entertaining and good-humoured than the youngest.</p> +<p>Dorilaus had privately ordered a very magnificent collation, which +being served up, Louisa did the honours of the table with so good a grace, +that madam d'Espargnes was charmed with her, and took an opportunity of +asking Dorilaus when she might hope the happiness of calling so amiable a +lady by the name of sister. Du Plessis thanked her for the interest she +took in his affairs; and the baron de Palfoy added, that as the lovers +wanted no farther proofs how worthy they were of each other, he would join +in solliciting for a completion of their happiness. To which Dorilaus +replied, that he was too well satisfied with his daughter's conduct, not +to leave her entirely at her own disposal; and as to what related to +fortune and settlement, he should be ready to enter into such articles as, +he believed, monsieur du Plessis would have no reason to complain of.</p> +<p>The passionate lover at these words cried out, that it was Louisa's +self alone he was ambitious of possessing; nor had either that lady or her +father any room to look on what he said as a mere compliment, because his +love had long since waved all the seeming disproportion between them.</p> +<p>In fine, not only at this time, but every day, almost every hour, was +Louisa, as it now depended wholly on herself, importuned by her lover and +the countess d'Espargnes to render his happiness complete; but she still +delayed it, desiring to hear some news of Horatio, the baron de Palfoy +having settled every thing with Dorilaus concerning his marriage with +mademoiselle Charlotta, she was willing, she said, that as they were born +on the same day, their nuptials should be also celebrated at the same +time.</p> +<p>Monsieur du Plessis was obliged to content himself with this since he +could obtain no more; and for a time every thing passed smoothly and +agreeably on; but news after news continually arriving of the king of +Sweden's ill success in Ukrania, rendered all the noble friends of Horatio +extremely dissatisfied:—the public accounts were too deficient for their +information of any particular officer, and as there were very few French +in the Swedish army, they could hope for no intelligence of him but from +himself; which, as he omitted giving, they at last concluded he was either +killed or taken prisoner; which last misfortune they looked upon as equal +with the former:—the Russian barbarity, and their manner of treating +those whom the chance of war threw into their hands, was no secret thro' +all Europe; and whichever of these accidents had happened, must be very +grievous to a gentleman of Dorilaus's disposition, who, when unknowing he +was his son, loved him with more tenderness than many fathers do their +offspring, but now convinced not only that he was so, but also that he was +possessed of such amiable qualities as might do honour to the most +illustrious race, had fixed an idea in his mind of such a lasting +happiness in having him near him, that the thoughts of being deprived of +him for ever threw him into a melancholy, which not all the friends he had +acquired in Paris, not all the gaieties of that place, nor the sweet +society of the engaging and dutiful Louisa, had the power to console. So +deep was his affliction, that monsieur du Plessis, amorous and impatient +as he was, had not courage to urge a grant of his own happiness, while +those who were to bestow it, were incapable of sharing any part of it.</p> +<p>Soon after there arrived a thunder-clap indeed:—certain intelligence +that the once victorious Charles was totally overthrown, his whole army +either cut to pieces or taken prisoners, and himself a fugitive in the +grand seignior's dominions.—Dorilaus, now not doubting but the worst he +feared had come to pass, shut himself from all company, and refused the +unavailing comfort of those who came to offer it.—The fair eyes of Louisa +were continually drowned in tears, and the generous du Plessis sympathized +in all her griefs. But what became of mademoiselle Charlotta de Palfoy! +her tender soul, so long accustomed to love Horatio, had not courage to +support the shock of losing him;—losing him at a time when she thought +herself secure of being united to him for ever;—when his discovered birth +had rendered her father's wishes conformable to her own, and there wanted +nothing but his presence to render both their families completely +blessed:—all that excess of love which modesty had hitherto restrained +her from giving any public marks of, now shewed itself in the violence of +her grief and her despair.—She made no secret of her softest +inclinations, and gave a loose to all the impatience of a ruined love. +Even the haughty baron was melted into tears of compassion, and so far +from condemning, that, he attempted all in his power to alleviate her +sorrows.</p> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<hr /> +<br/><br/> +<br/> +<h2>CHAP. XXVI.</h2> +<br/><br/> +<p><i>The Catastrophe of the whole</i>.</p> +<p>Poor Horatio, released, as I have already said, from his worse than +Turkish bondage, had now, with the companions of his misfortunes, left a +country where they had suffered so much and had so little to hope, that +their enlargement seemed even to themselves a miracle.—As they parted, +miserable and forlorn, thro' those provinces where, about a year before, +they had marched with so much pomp and force, as, together with the king +of Sweden's name, inspired admiration and terror over all those parts of +the world, it filled them with the most poignant anguish, and drew tears +from those among them least sensible of any tender emotions.</p> +<p>All this disconsolate company, except Horatio, being Swedes', they made +the best of their way, some to Stockholm, and others to Straelsund.—Now +left alone, a long journey before him, and altogether uncertain what +reception he should find at Paris, either from Dorilaus or mademoiselle +Charlotta, his condition was extremely pityable, and he stood in need of +more fortitude than could be expected from his years, to enable him to go +thro' it.</p> +<p>The nearer he approached Paris, the greater was his shock at the +necessity of appearing there in the despicable figure he now made; but his +courage still got the better, and surmounted all difficulties. If Dorilaus +thinks my disobedience to his commands a crime too great to merit his +forgiveness, would he say to himself, or Charlotta disdains, in his +misfortunes, the faithful Horatio, I have no more to do than to return to +Poland and seek an honourable death in the service of Stanislaus.</p> +<p>He made his entrance into that opulent city through the most bye-ways +he could, and concealed himself till towards night in a little cabaret, +where having soon been informed where Dorilaus lived, he went when it was +quite dark to his house, though how divided between hope and fear it is +easy to imagine. He knocked at the gate, which being opened by the porter, +and he desiring to speak with his master, was answered with many +impertinent questions, as—who he came from, what his business was, and +such like interrogatories which the sawciness of servants generally put to +persons such as this fellow took Horatio to be by his appearance. But he +had no sooner desired he would tell Dorilaus that he came from Russia, and +brought intelligence of Horatio, than his tone of voice and behaviour was +quite changed.—Our traveller was now carried into a parlour and entreated +to sit down, and the late surly porter called hastily for one of the +servants, bidding him, with the utmost joy, run in and inform his master +that here was a person come from Russia that could give him news of +colonel Horatio.</p> +<p>This a little raised the lately depressed spirits of Horatio, as it +assured him his name was not unknown in that family, nor had been +mentioned with indifference.</p> +<p>He attended but a very little time before he was shewed up into +Dorilaus's apartment, who was just opening his mouth to enquire if Horatio +were yet living, and in what condition, when he saw it was himself. +Surprize and joy rendered him incapable either of speaking to him, or +hearing the apologies he was beginning to make for having disobeyed his +commands:—but he fell upon his neck and gave him an embrace, which +dissipated all Horatio's fears, and left him no room to doubt if his peace +was made.</p> +<p>No words were exchanged between them for a considerable time, but—oh +my dear son, my ever loved Horatio, on the one side, my more than father, +patron, on the other:—at length the tumultuous rapture of so unexpected a +meeting and reception, giving way to a more peaceful calm,—Dorilaus made +Horatio relate all the particulars had happened to him; and when he had +ended, now, said he, I will reward the sincerity I easily perceive you +have made use of in this narrative, by acquainting you, in my turn, with +secrets you are far from having any notion of, and which, I believe, will +compensate for all your sufferings, and make you own, that while you +seemed to groan under the utmost severities of fortune, she was preparing +for you all the blessings in her power to give, and even more than your +ambition aimed at. But I have first a message to dispatch, continued he; +at my return you shall know all.</p> +<p>With these words he went out of the room, but came back in a moment, +and, after renewing his embraces to Horatio, revealed to him the whole +secret of his birth, with all had happened to Louisa till the time of +their happy meeting in Paris.</p> +<p>With what pleasing wonder the soul of Horatio was filled at this +discovery, is much more easy to conceive than describe, so I shall leave +it to the reader's imagination to guess what it was he felt and spoke on +so extraordinary an occasion. While he was pouring out the transports it +occasioned in the most grateful thanks to heaven, and his new found +father, Louisa entered, Dorilaus having sent to the baron de Palfoy's, +where he knew she was, to let her know a messenger from Russia was arrived +with news of her brother:—they instantly knew each other, though it was +upwards of four years since they were separated, and in that time the +stature of both considerably increased:—nothing could exceed the joy of +these amiable twins:—never was felicity more perfect, which yet received +addition on Horatio's part, when Louisa told him, that it was as much as +Charlotta could do to restrain herself from coming with her to hear what +account the supposed messenger had brought.</p> +<p>Dorilaus on this immediately sent to let her know his son was well, and +expected in Paris the next day, for he would not suffer him to appear +before her, or the baron, till a habit was made for him more agreeable to +his condition than that he arrived in. It is certain that the impatience +of a lover would have made Horatio gladly wave this ceremony, but he would +not a second time dispute the commands of such a father.</p> +<p>But wherefore should I delay the attention of my reader, who, I doubt +not, but easily perceives by this time how things will end: so I shall +only say that the meeting of Horatio and Charlotta was such, as might be +expected from so arduous and constant an affection: that every thing +having been settled between the two fathers at the time they sent their +joint mandates to call him home, there now remained nothing but to +celebrate the long desired nuptials, which was deferred no longer than was +requisite for preparations to render the ceremony magnificent.</p> +<p>The generous du Plessis and his beloved Louisa were also united the +same day; and it would be hard to say which of these weddings afforded +most satisfaction to the friends on both sides, or were attended with the +most happy consequences to the persons concerned in them.</p> +<p>By these examples we may learn, that to sustain with fortitude and +patience whatever ills we are preordained to suffer, entitles us to +relief, while by impatient struggling we should but augment the score, and +provoke fate to shew us the vanity of all attempts to frustrate its +decrees.</p> +<p><i>FINIS</i>.</p> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 10804 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + + + + + |