THE FORTUNATE MISTRESS.

had also several employments, both out of France as well as in it; for, as above, I say he was not a subject of France, though he lived in that court. He had a princess, a wife, with whom he had lived several years, and a woman (so the voice of fame reported) the most valuable of her sex, of birth equal to him, if not superior, and of fortune proportionable; but in beauty, wit, and a thousand good qualities, superior, not only to most women, but even to all her sex; and as to her virtue, the character which was most justly her due, was that of, not only the best of princesses, but even the best of women.

They lived in the utmost harmony (as with such a princess it was impossible to be otherwise) but yet the princess was not insensible that her lord had his foibles, that he did make some excursions, and particularly that he had one favourite mistress, who sometimes engrossed him more than she (the princess) could wish, or be easily satisfied with. However, she was so good, so generous, so truly kind a wife, that she never gave him any uneasiness on this account, except so much as must arise from his sense of her bearing the affront of it with such patience, and such a profound respect for him as was in itself enough to have reformed him, and did sometimes shock his generous mind, so as to keep him at home, as I may call it, a great while together; and it was not long before I not only perceived it by his absence, but really got a knowledge of the reason of it, and once or twice he even acknowledged it to me.

It was a point that lay not in me to manage. I made a kind of motion, once or twice, to him, to leave me, and keep himself to her, as he ought by the laws and rites of matrimony to do, and argued the generosity of the princess too, to persuade him; but I was a hypocrite, for had I prevailed with him really to be honest, I had lost him, which I could not bear the thoughts of; and he might easily see I was not in earnest. One time in particular, when I took upon me to talk at this rate, I found when I argued so much for the virtue and honour, the birth, and above all, the generous usage he found in the person of the princess with respect to his private amours, and how it should prevail upon him, &c., I found it began to affect him, and he returned, "And do you indeed," says he, "persuade me to leave you? Would you have me think you sincere?" I looked up in his face, smiling. "Not for any other favourite, my lord," said I; "that would break my heart; but for madam the princess!" said I, and then I could say no more, tears followed, and I sat silent awhile. Well," said he, "if ever I do leave you, it shall be on the virtuous account, it shall be for the princess; I assure you it shall be for no other woman."" That's enough, my lord," said I, "there I ought to submit ; and while I am assured it shall be for no other mistress, I promise your highness I will not repine or that, if I do, it shall be a silent grief; it shall not interrupt your felicity."

All this while I said I knew not what, and said what I was no more able to do than he was able to leave me, which, at that time, he owned he could not do, no, not for the princess herself.

But another turn of affairs determined this matter, for the princess was taken very ill, and

At

in the opinion of all her physicians, very danger-
In her sickness she desired to speak
ously so.
with her lord, and to take her leave of him.
this grievous parting, she said so many passionate
kind things to him, lamented that she had left
him no children (she had three, but they were
dead), hinted to him that it was one of the chief
things which gave her satisfaction in death, as to
this world, that she should leave him room to
have heirs to his family, by some princess that
should supply her place; with all humility, but
with a christian earnestness, recommended it to
him to do justice to such princess, whoever it
should be, from whom, to be sure, he would ex-
pect justice; that is to say, to keep to her singly,
according to the solemnest part of the marriage
covenant; humbly asked his highness's pardon,
if she had any way offended him; and appealing
to heaven, before whose tribunal she was to ap-
pear, that she had never violated her honour or
her duty to him; and praying to Jesus and the
Blessed Virgin for his highness; and thus, with
the most moving and most passionate expressions
of her affection to him, took her last leave of
him, and died the next day.

This discourse, from a princess so valuable in
herself and so dear to him, and the loss of her
following so immediately after, made such deep
impressions on him that he looked back with de-
testation upon the former part of his life, grew
melancholy and reserved, changed his society
and much of the general conduct of his life, re-
solved on a life regulated most strictly by the
rules of virtue and piety, and, in a word, was
quite another man.

The first part of his reformation was a storm
upon me; for, about ten days after the princess's
funeral, he sent a message to me by his gentle-
man, intimating, though in very civil terms, and
with a short preamble or introduction, that he
desired I would not take it ill that he was obliged
to let me know that he could see me no more.
His gentleman told me a long story of the new
regulation of life his lord had taken up, and that
he had been so afflicted for the loss of his prin-
cess, that he thought it would either shorten his
life, or he would retire into some religious house,
to end his days in solitude.

I need not direct anybody to suppose how I
I was, indeed, exceedingly
received this news.
surprised at it, and had much ado to support my-
self when the first part of it was delivered, though
the gentleman delivered his errand with great
respect, and with all the regard to me that he
was able, and with a great deal of ceremony;
also telling me how much he was concerned to
bring me such a message.

But when I heard the particulars of the story
at large, and especially that of the lady's dis-
course to the prince, a little before her death, I
was fully satisfied; I knew very well he had done
nothing but what any man must do that had a
true sense upon him of the justice of the prin-
cess's discourse to him, and of the necessity there
was of his altering his course of life, if he intended
to be either a Christian or an honest man. I say,
when I heard this, I was perfectly easy; I con-
fess it was a circumstance that might be rea-
sonably expected should have wrought something
upon me; I that had so much to reflect upon

more than the prince; that had now no more temptations of poverty, or of the powerful motive which Amy used with me, namely, comply and live, deny and starve. I say, I that had no poverty to introduce vice, but was grown, not only well supplied, but rich, and not only rich, but was very rich; in a word, richer than I knew how to think of, for the truth of it was, that thinking of it sometimes almost distracted me, for want of knowing how to dispose of it, and for fear of losing it all again by some cheat or trick, not knowing anybody that I could commit the trust of it to.

prised when Amy came to him, and talked to him of remitting a sum of about 12,000 pistoles to England, and began to think she came to put some cheat upon him; but when he found that Amy was but a servant, and that I came to him myself, the case was altered.

When I came to him myself I presently saw such a plainness in his dealing, and such honesty in his countenance, that I made no scruple to tell him my whole story, viz., that I was a widow, that I had some jewels to dispose of, and also some money, which I had a mind to send to England, and to follow there myself; but being Besides I should add, at the close of this affair, but a woman, and having no correspondence in that the prince did not, as I may say, turn me off London, or anywhere else, I knew not what to rudely, and with disgust, but with all the de- || do, or how to secure my effects. cency and goodness peculiar to himself, and that He dealt very candidly with me, but advised could consist with a man reformed and struck me, when he knew my case so particularly, to with the sense of his having abused so good a take bills upon Amsterdam, and to go that way lady as the late princess had been; nor did he to England; for that I might lodge my treasure send me away empty, but did everything like in the bank there, in the most secure manner in himself; and in particular, ordered his gentleman the world, and there he could recommend me to to pay the rent of the house and all the expense a man who perfectly understood jewels, and of his two sons; and to tell me how they were would deal faithfully with me in the disposing of taken care of, and where; and also that I might || them. at all times inspect the usage they had, and if I disliked anything, it should be rectified; and having thus finished everything, he retired into Lorraine, or somewhere that way, where he had an estate, and I never heard of him more, I mean not as a mistress.

Now I was at liberty to go to any part of the world, and take care of my money myself. The first thing that I resolved to do was to go directly to England, for there, I thought, being among my country-folks (for I esteemed myself an English woman though I was born in France) I could better manage things than in France; at least, that I should be in less danger of being circumvented and deceived; but how to get away with such a treasure as I had with me was a difficult point, and what I was greatly at a loss about.

There was a Dutch merchant in Paris that was a person of great reputation for a man of substance and of honesty, but I had no manner of acquaintance with him, nor did I know how to get acquainted with him, so as to discover my circumstances to him, but at last I employed my maid, Amy, such I must be allowed to call her, notwithstanding what has been said of her, because she was in the place of a maid servant, 1 say I employed my maid, Amy, to go to him, and she got a recommendation to him from somebody else, I knew not who, so that she got access to him well enough.

I thanked him, but scrupled very much the travelling so far in a strange country, and especially with such a treasure about me; that whe ther known or concealed I did not know how to venture with it. Then he told me he would try to dispose of them there, that is, at Paris, and convert them into money, and to get me bills for the whole. In a few days he brought a Jew to me, who pretended to buy the jewels. As soon as the Jew saw the jewels I saw my folly, and it was ten thousand to one but I had been ruined, │ and perhaps put to death in as cruel a manner as possible; and I was put in such a fright by it, that I was once upon the point of flying for my || life, and leaving the jewels and money too, in the hands of the Dutchman, without any bills or anything else. The case was thus.

But now was my case as bad as before, for when I came to him what could I do? I had money and jewels to a vast value, and I might leave all those with him; that I might, indeed, do; and so I might with several other merchants in Paris, who would give me bills for it, payable at London, but then I ran a hazard of my money; and I had nobody at London to send the bills to, and so to stay till I had an account that they were accepted; for I had not one friend in London that I could have recourse to, so that, in- || deed, I knew not what to do.

In this case I had no remedy but that I must trust somebody; so I sent Amy to this Dutch merchant, as I said above. He was a little sur

As soon as the Jew saw the jewels, he falls a jabbering, in Dutch or Portuguese, to the merchant, and I could presently perceive that they were in some great surprise. The Jew held his hands, looked at me with some horror, then talked Dutch again, and put himself into a thousand shapes, twisting his body, and wringing up his face this way and that way, in his discourse; stamping with his feet, and throwing abroad his hands, as if he was not in a rage only, but in a great fury. Then he would turn and give a look like the devil. I thought I never saw any thing so frightful in my life.

at me,

At length I put in a word, "Sir," says I to the Dutch merchant, "what is all this discourse to my business? What is this gentleman in all these passions about? I wish, if he is to treat! with me, he would speak that I may understand him; or if you have business of your own be tween you that is to be done first, let me withdraw, and I will come again when you are at leisure."

66

No, no, nadam," says the Dutchman, very kindly, "you must not go; all our discourse was about you and your jewels, and you shall hear it presently; it concerns you very much, I assure you."-"Concern me," says I, "what can it concern me so much as to put this gentleman into

such agonies, and what makes him give such devil's looks as he does? Why, he looks as if he would devour me.'

This was an agreeable surprise to the Dutch merchant, who, being an honest man himself, believed everything I said, which, indeed, being literally true, except the deficiency of my marriage, I spoke with such an unconcerned easiness, that it might plainly be seen I had no guilt upon me, as the Jew suggested.

The Jew was confounded when he heard that I was the jeweller's wife; but as I had raised his passion with saying he looked at me with the devil's face, he studied mischief in his heart, and answered, that should not serve my turn; so called the Dutchman out again, when he told him that he resolved to prosecute this matter further.

But the malice of his thoughts anticipated him, and the Dutch merchant was so good as to give me an account of his design, which, indeed, was wicked enough in its nature; but to me it would have been worse than otherwise it would to an

The Jew understood me presently, continuing in a kind of rage, and spoke in French, "Yes, madam, it does concern you much, very much, very much," repeating the words, shaking his head; and then turning to the Dutchman, "Sir," says he, "pray tell her what is the case?""No," says the merchant, "not yet, let us talk a little further of it by ourselves;" upon which they withdrew into another room, where still they talked very high, but in a language I did not understand. began to be a little surprised at what the Jew had said, you may be sure, and eager to know what he meant, and was very impatient There was one kind chance in this affair, till the Dutch merchant came back, and that so which, indeed, was my deliverance, and that impatient, that I called one of his servants to let was, that the fool could not restrain his passion, him know I desired to speak with him. When but must let it fly to the Dutch merchant, to he came in, I asked his pardon for being so im- whom, when they withdrew a second time, he patient, but told him I could not be casy till he told that he would bring a process against me had told me what the meaning of all this was. for the murder, and that it should cost me dear Why, madam," says the Dutch merchant, "the for using him at that rate; and away he went, meaning is what I am surprised at too. This desiring the Dutch merchant to tell him when I man is a Jew, and understands jewels perfectly would be there again. Had he suspected that well, and that was the reason I sent for him, to the Dutchman would have communicated the dispose of them to him for you; but as soon as particulars to me he would never have been so he saw them, he knew the jewels very distinctly, foolish as to have mentioned that part to him. and flying out in a passion, as you see he did, told me that they were the very parcel of jewels which the English jeweller had about him, who was robbed going to Versailles, about eight years ago, to show them the Prince de and that it was for these very jewels that the poor gentle-other; for, upon examination, I could not have man was murdered; and he is in all this agony to make me ask you how you came by them; and he says you ought to be charged with the robbery and murder, and put to the question to discover who were the persons that did it, that they might be brought to justice." While he said this the Jew came impudently back into the room without calling, which a little surprised me again. The Dutch merchant spoke very good English, and he knew that the Jew did not understand English at all, so he told me the latter part in English, at which I smiled, which put the Jew into his mad fit again, and, shaking his head and making his devil's faces again, he seemed to threaten me for laughing, saying in French this was an affair I should have little reason to laugh at, and the like. At this I laughed again, and flouted him, letting him see that I scorned him; and, turning to the Dutch merchant," Sir," says I, "that these jewels were belonging to Mr ***, the English jeweller (naming his name readily); in that," says I, "this person is right; but that I should be questioned how I came to have them, is a token of his ignorance, which, however, he might have managed with a little more manners till I had told him who I am; and both he and you too will be more easy in that part, when I should tell you that I am the unhappy widow of that Mr ***, who was so barbarously murdered going to Versailles; and that he was not robbed of these jewels, but of others; Mr *** having left these behind him with me lest he should be robbed. Had I, sir, come otherwise by them, I should not have been weak enough to have exposed them to sale here, where the thing was done, but have carried them further off."

proved myself to be the wife of the jeweller, so the suspicion might have been carried on with the better face; and then I should also have brought all his relations in England upon me, who, finding by the proceedings that I was not his wife, but a mistress, or, in English, a whore, would have immediately laid claim to the jewels, as I had owned them to be his.

This thought immediately rushed into my head as soon as the Dutch merchant had told me what wicked things were in the head of that cursed Jew, and the villain (for so I must call him) convinced the Dutch merchant that he was in earnest, by an expression which showed the rest of his design, and that was a plot to get the rest of the jewels into his hand.

When first he hinted to the Dutchman that the jewels were such a man's, meaning my husband, he made wonderful exclamations on account of their having been concealed so long; where must they have lain; and what was the woman that brought them? and that she (meaning me) ought to be immediately apprehended and put into the hands of justice; and this was the time that, as I said, he made such horrid gestures and looked at me so like a devil.

The merchant, hearing him talk at that rate, and seeing him in earnest, said to him,-" Hold your tongue a little, this is a thing of consequence; if it be so, let you and I go into the next room and consider of it there ;" and so they withdrew, and left me.

Here, as before, I was uneasy, and called him out, and, having heard how it was, gave him that answer, that I was his wife, or widow, which the malicious Jew said should not serve my turn;

and then it was that the Jew called the merchant || the prosecution, on your consenting to quit the out again; and in this time of his withdrawing, jewels to him; and how you will do to avoid this the merchant, finding that he was really in ear- is the question which I would have you connest, counterfeited a little to be of his mind, and sider of." entered into proposals with him for the thing itself.