FLIGHT FROM LONDON TO BERLIN - Chapter XV
The Hanoverians
As we were leaving the house we met the two eldest sisters, who came
home looking very sad. I was struck by their beauty, and extremely
surprised to hear myself greeted by one of them, who said,--
"It is M. the Chevalier de Seingalt."
"Himself, mademoiselle, and sorely grieved at your misfortune."
"Be kind enough to come in again for a moment."
"I am sorry to say that I have an important engagement."
"I will not keep you for longer than a quarter of an hour."
I could not refuse so small a favour, and she employed the time in
telling me how unfortunate they had been in Hanover, how they had
come to London to obtain compensation, of their failure, their debts,
the cruelty of the landlord, their mother's illness, the prison that
awaited her, the likelihood of their being cast into the street, and
the cruelty of all their acquaintances.
"We have nothing to sell, and all our resources consist of two
shillings, which we shall have to spend on bread, on which we live."
"Who are your friends? How can they abandon you at such a time?"
She mentioned several names--among others, Lord Baltimore, Marquis
Carracioli, the Neapolitan ambassador, and Lord Pembroke.
"I can't believe it," said I, "for I know the two last noblemen to be
both rich and generous. There must be some good reason for their
conduct, since you are beautiful; and for these gentlemen beauty is a
bill to be honoured on sight."
"Yes, there is a reason. These rich noblemen abandon us with
contempt. They refuse to take pity on us because we refuse to yield
to their guilty passion."
"That is to say, they have taken a fancy to you, and as you will not
have pity on them they refuse to have pity on you. Is it not so?"
"That is exactly the situation."
"Then I think they are in the right."
"In the right?"
"Yes, I am quite of their opinion. We leave you to enjoy your sense
of virtue, and we spend our money in procuring those favours which
you refuse us. Your misfortune really is your prettiness, if you
were ugly you would get twenty guineas fast enough. I would give you
the money myself, and the action would be put down to benevolence;
whereas, as the case stands, if I were to give you anything it would
be thought that I was actuated by the hope of favours to come, and I
should be laughed at, and deservedly, as a dupe."
I felt that this was the proper way to speak to the girl, whose
eloquence in pleading her cause was simply wonderful.
She did not reply to my oration, and I asked her how she came to know
me.
"I saw you at Richmond with the Charpillon."
"She cost me two thousand guineas, and I got nothing for my money;
but I have profited by the lesson, and in future I shall never pay in
advance."
Just then her mother called her, and, begging me to wait a moment,
she went into her room, and returned almost directly with the request
that I would come and speak to the invalid.
I found her sitting up in her bed; she looked about forty-five, and
still preserved traces of her former beauty; her countenance bore the
imprint of sadness, but had no marks of sickness whatsoever. Her
brilliant and expressive eyes, her intellectual face, and a
suggestion of craft about her, all bade me be on my guard, and a sort
of false likeness to the Charpillon's mother made me still more
cautious, and fortified me in my resolution to give no heed to the
appeals of pity.
"Madam," I began, "what can I do for you?"
"Sir," she replied, "I have heard the whole of your conversations
with my daughters, and you must confess that you have not talked to
them in a very fatherly manner."
"Quite so, but the only part which I desire to play with them is that
of lover, and a fatherly style would not have been suitable to the
part. If I had the happiness of being their father, the case would
be altered. What I have said to your daughters is what I feel, and
what I think most likely to bring about the end I have in view. I
have not the slightest pretence to virtue, but I adore the fair sex,
and now you and they know the road to my purse. If they wish to
preserve their virtue, why let them; nobody will trouble them, and
they, on their side, must not expect anything from men. Good-bye,
madam; you may reckon on my never addressing your daughters again."
"Wait a moment, sir. My husband was the Count of ----, and you see
that my daughters are of respectable birth."
"Have you not pity for our situation?"
"I pity you extremely, and I would relieve you in an instant if your
daughters were ugly, but as it is they are pretty, and that alters
the case."
"What an argument!"
"It is a very strong one with me, and I think I am the best judge of
arguments which apply to myself. You want twenty guineas; well, you
shall have them after one of your five countesses has spent a joyous
night with me."
"What language to a woman of my station! Nobody has ever dared to
speak to me in such a way before."
"Pardon me, but what use is rank without a halfpenny? Allow me to
retire.
"To-day we have only bread to eat."
"Well, certainly that is rather hard on countesses."
"You are laughing at the title, apparently."
"Yes, I am; but I don't want to offend you. If you like, I will stop
to dinner, and pay for all, yourself included."
"You are an eccentric individual. My girls are sad, for I am going
to prison. You will find their company wearisome."
"That is my affair."
"You had much better give them the money you would spend on the
dinner."
"No, madam. I must have at least the pleasures of sight and sound
for my money. I will stay your arrest till to-morrow, and afterwards
Providence may possibly intervene on your behalf."
"The landlord will not wait."
"Leave me to deal with him."
I told Goudar to go and see what the man would take to send the
bailiff away for twenty-four hours. He returned with the message
that he must have a guinea and bail for the twenty guineas, in case
the lodgers might take to flight before the next day.
My wine merchant lived close by. I told Gondar to wait for me, and
the matter was soon settled and the bailiff sent away, and I told the
five girls that they might take their ease for twenty-four hours
more.
I informed Gondar of the steps I had taken, and told him to go out
and get a good dinner for eight people. He went on his errand, and I
summoned the girls to their mother's bedside, and delighted them all
by telling them that for the next twenty-four hours they were to make
good cheer. They could not get over their surprise at the suddenness
of the change I had worked in the house.
"But this is all I can do for you," said I to the mother. "Your
daughters are charming, and I have obtained a day's respite for you
all without asking for anything in return; I shall dine, sup, and
pass the night with them without asking so much as a single kiss, but
if your ideas have not changed by to-morrow you will be in exactly
the same position as you were a few minutes ago, and I shall not
trouble you any more with my attentions."
"What do you mean my 'changing my ideas'?"
"I need not tell you, for you know perfectly well what I mean."
"My daughters shall never become prostitutes."
"I will proclaim their spotless chastity all over London--but I shall
spend my guineas elsewhere."
"You are a cruel man."
"I confess I can be very cruel, but it is only when I don't meet with
kindness."
Goudar came back and we returned to the ladies' room, as the mother
did not like to shew herself to my friend, telling me that I was the
only man she had permitted to see her in bed during the whole time
she had been in London.
Our English dinner was excellent in its way, but my chief pleasure
was to see the voracity with which the girls devoured the meal. One
would have thought they were savages devouring raw meat after a long
fast. I had got a case of excellent wine and I made each of them
drink a bottle, but not being accustomed to such an indulgence they
became quite drunk. The mother had devoured the whole of the
plentiful helpings I had sent in to her, and she had emptied a bottle
of Burgundy, which she carried very well.
In spite of their intoxication, the girls were perfectly safe; I kept
my word, and Goudar did not take the slightest liberty. We had a
pleasant supper, and after a bowl of punch I left them feeling in
love with the whole bevy, and very uncertain whether I should be able
to shew as brave a front the next day.
As we were going away Goudar said that I was conducting the affair
admirably, but if I made a single slip I should be undone.
I saw the good sense of his advice, and determined to shew that I was
as sharp as he.
The next day, feeling anxious to hear the result of the council which
the mother had doubtless held with the daughters, I called at their
house at ten o'clock. The two eldest sisters were out, endeavouring
to beat up some more friends, and the three youngest rushed up to me
as if they had been spaniels and I their master, but they would not
even allow me to kiss them. I told them they made a mistake, and
knocked at the mother's door. She told me to come in, and thanked me
for the happy day I had given them.
"Am I to withdraw my bail, countess?"
"You can do what you like, but I do not think you capable of such an
action."
"You are mistaken. You have doubtless made a deep study of the human
heart; but you either know little of the human mind, or else you
think you have a larger share than any other person. All your
daughters have inspired me with love, but were it a matter of life
and death I would not do a single thing for them or you before you
have done me the only favour that is in your power. I leave you to
your reflections, and more especially to your virtues."
She begged me to stay, but I did not even listen to her. I passed by
the three charmers, and after telling my wine merchant to withdraw
his security I went in a furious mood to call on Lord Pembroke. As
soon as I mentioned the Hanoverians he burst out laughing, and said
these false innocents must be made to fulfil their occupation in a
proper manner.
"They came whining to me yesterday," he proceeded, "and I not only
would not give them anything, but I laughed them to scorn. They have
got about twelve guineas out of me on false pretences; they are as
cunning sluts as the Charpillon."
I told him what I had done the day before, and what I intended to
offer: twenty guineas for the first, and as much for each of the
others, but nothing to be paid in advance.
"I had the same idea myself, but I cried off, and I don't think
you'll succeed, as Lord Baltimore offered them forty apiece; that is
two hundred guineas in all, and the bargain has fallen through
because they want the money to be paid in advance. They paid him a
visit yesterday, but found him pitiless, for he has been taken in
several times by them."
"We shall see what will happen when the mother is under lock and key;
I'll bet we shall have them cheaply."
I came home for dinner, and Goudar, who had just been at their house,
reported that the bailiff would only wait till four o'clock, that the
two eldest daughters had come back empty-handed, and that they had
been obliged to sell one of their dresses to buy a morsel of bread.
I felt certain that they would have recourse to me again, and I was
right. We were at dessert when they put in an appearance. I made
them sit down, and the eldest sister exhausted her eloquence to
persuade me to give them another three days' grace.
"You will find me insensible," said I, "unless you are willing to
adopt my plan. If you wish to hear it, kindly follow me into the
next room."
She did so, leaving her sister with Goudar, and making her sit down
on a sofa beside me, I shewed her twenty guineas, saying,--
"These are yours; but you know on what terms?"
She rejected my offer with disdain, and thinking she might wish to
salve her virtue by being attacked, I set to work; but finding her
resistance serious I let her alone, and begged her to leave my house
immediately. She called to her sister, and they both went out.
In the evening, as I was going to the play, I called on my wine
merchant to hear the news. He told me that the mother had been taken
to prison, and that the youngest daughter had gone with her; but he
did not know what had become of the four others.
I went home feeling quite sad, and almost reproaching myself for not
having taken compassion on then ; however, just as I was sitting down
to supper they appeared before me like four Magdalens. The eldest,
who was the orator of the company, told me that their mother was in
prison, and that they would have to pass the night in the street if I
did not take pity on them.
"You shall have rooms, beds, and good fires," said I, "but first let
me see you eat."
Delight appeared on every countenance, and I had numerous dishes
brought for them. They ate eagerly but sadly, and only drank water.
"Your melancholy and your abstinence displeases me," said I, to the
eldest girl; "go upstairs and you will find everything necessary for
your comfort, but take care to be gone at seven in the morning and
not to let me see your faces again."
They went up to the second floor without a word.
An hour afterwards, just as I was going to bed, the eldest girl came
into my room and said she wished to have a private interview with me.
I told my negro to withdraw, and asked her to explain herself.
"What will you do for us," said she, "if I consent to share your
couch?"
"I will give you twenty guineas, and I will lodge and board you as
long as you give me satisfaction."
Without saying a word she began to undress, and got into bed. She
was submissive and nothing more, and did not give me so much as a
kiss. At the end of a quarter of an hour I was disgusted with her
and got up, and giving her a bank note for twenty guineas I told her
to put on her clothes and go back to her room.
"You must all leave my house to-morrow," I said, "for I am ill
pleased with you. Instead of giving yourself up for love you have
prostituted yourself. I blush for you."
She obeyed mutely, and I went to sleep in an ill humour.
At about seven o'clock in the morning I was awakened by a hand
shaking me gently. I opened my eyes, and I was surprised to see the
second daughter.
"What do you want?" I said, coldly.
"I want you to take pity on us, and shelter us in your house for a
few days longer. I will be very grateful. My sister has told me
all, you are displeased with her, but you must forgive her, for her
heart is not her own. She is in love with an Italian who is in
prison for debt."
"And I suppose you are in love with someone else?" "No, I am not."
"Could you love me?"
She lowered her eyes, and pressed my hand gently. I drew her towards
me, and embraced her, and as I felt her kisses answer mine,
I said,--
"You have conquered."
"My name is Victoire."
"I like it, and I will prove the omen a true one."
Victoire, who was tender and passionate, made me spend two delicious
hours, which compensated me for my bad quarter of an hour of the
night before.
When our exploits were over, I said,--
"Dearest Victoire, I am wholly throe. Let your mother be brought
here as soon as she is free. Here are twenty guineas for you."
She did not expect anything, and the agreeable surprise made her in
an ecstasy; she could not speak, but her heart was full of happiness.
I too was happy, and I believed that a great part of my happiness was
caused by the knowledge that I had done a good deed. We are queer
creatures all of us, whether we are bad or good. From that moment I
gave my servants orders to lay the table for eight persons every day,
and told them that I was only at home to Goudar. I spent money
madly, and felt that I was within a measurable distance of poverty.
At noon the mother came in a sedan-chair, and went to bed directly.
I went to see her, and did not evince any surprise when she began to
thank me for my noble generosity. She wanted me to suppose that she
thought I had given her daughters forty guineas for nothing, and I
let her enjoy her hypocrisy.
In the evening I took them to Covent Garden, where the castrato
Tenducci surprised me by introducing me to his wife, of whom he had
two children. He laughed at people who said that a castrato could
not procreate. Nature had made him a monster that he might remain a
man; he was born triorchis, and as only two of the seminal glands had
been destroyed the remaining one was sufficient to endow him with
virility.
When I got back to my small seraglio I supped merrily with the five
nymphs, and spent a delicious night with Victoire, who was overjoyed
at having made my conquest. She told me that her sister's lover was
a Neapolitan, calling himself Marquis de Petina, and that they were
to get married as soon as he was out of prison. It seemed he was
expecting remittances, and the mother would be delighted to see her
daughter a marchioness.
"How much does the marquis owe?"
"Twenty guineas."
"And the Neapolitan ambassador allows him to languish in prison for
such a beggarly sum? I can't believe it."
"The ambassador won't have anything to do with him, because he left
Naples without the leave of the Government."
"Tell your sister that if the ambassador assures me that her lover's
name is really the Marquis de Petina, I will get him out of prison
immediately."
I went out to ask my daughter, and another boarder of whom I was very
fond, to dinner, and on my way called on the Marquis of Caraccioli,
an agreeable man, whose acquaintance I had made at Turin. I found
the famous Chevalier d'Eon at his house, and I had no need of a
private interview to make my inquiries about Petina.
"The young man is really what he professes to me," said the
ambassador, "but I will neither receive him nor give him any money
till I hear from my Government that he has received leave to travel."
That was enough for me, and I stayed there for an hour listening to
d'Eon's amusing story.
Eon had deserted the embassy on account of ten thousand francs which
the department of foreign affairs at Versailles had refused to allow
him, though the money was his by right. He had placed himself under
the protection of the English laws, and after securing two thousand
subscribers at a guinea apiece, he had sent to press a huge volume in
quarto containing all the letters he had received from the French
Government for the last five or six years.
About the same time a London banker had deposited the sum of twenty
thousand guineas at the Bank of England, being ready to wager that
sum that Eon was a woman. The bet was taken by a number of persons
who had formed themselves into a kind of company for the purpose, and
the only way to decide it was that Eon should be examined in the
presence of witnesses. The chevalier was offered half the wager, but
he laughed them to scorn. He said that such an examination would
dishonour him, were he man or woman. Caraccioli said that it could
only dishonour him if he were a woman, but I could not agree with
this opinion. At the end of a year the bet was declared off; but in
the course of three years he received his pardon from the king, and
appeared at Court in woman's dress, wearing the cross of St. Louis.
Louis XV. had always been aware of the chevalier's sex, but Cardinal
Fleuri had taught him that it became kings to be impenetrable, and
Louis remained so all his life.
When I got home I gave the eldest Hanoverian twenty guineas, telling
her to fetch her marquis out of prison, and bring him to dine with
us, as I wanted to know him. I thought she would have died with joy.
The third sister, having taken counsel with Victoire, and doubtless
with her mother also, determined to earn twenty guineas for herself,
and she had not much trouble in doing so. She it was on whom Lord
Pembroke had cast the eye of desire.
These five girls were like five dishes placed before a gourmand, who
enjoys them one after the other. To my fancy the last was always the
best. The third sister's name was Augusta.
Next Sunday I had a large number of guests. There were my daughter
and her friend, Madame Cornelis, and her son. Sophie was kissed and
caressed by the Hanoverians, while I bestowed a hundred kisses on
Miss Nancy Steyne, who was only thirteen, but whose young beauty
worked sad havoc with my senses. My affection was supposed to be
fatherly in its character, but, alas I it was of a much more fleshly
kind. This Miss Nancy, who seemed to me almost divine, was the
daughter of a rich merchant. I said that I wanted to make her
father's acquaintance, and she replied that her father proposed
coming to call on me that very day. I was delighted to hear of the
coincidence, and gave order that he should be shewn in as soon as he
came.
The poor marquis was the only sad figure in the company. He was
young and well-made, but thin and repulsively ugly. He thanked me
for my kindness, saying that I had done a wise thing, as he felt sure
the time would come when he would repay me a hundredfold.
I had given my daughter six guineas to buy a pelisse, and she took me
to my bedroom to shew it me. Her mother followed her to congratulate
me on my seraglio.
At dinner gaiety reigned supreme. I sat between my daughter and Miss
Nancy Steyne, and felt happy. Mr. Steyne came in as we were at the
oysters. He kissed his daughter with that tender affection which is
more characteristic, I think, of English parents than those of any
other nation.
Mr. Steyne had dined, but he nevertheless ate a hundred scolloped
oysters, in the preparation of which my cook was wonderfully expert;
he also honoured the champagne with equal attention.
We spent three hours at the table and then proceeded to the third
floor, where Sophie accompanied her mother's singing on the piano,
and young Cornelis displayed his flute-playing talents. Mr. Steyne
swore that he had never been present at such a pleasant party in his
life, adding that pleasure was forbidden fruit in England on Sundays
and holidays. This convinced me that Steyne was an intelligent man,
though his French was execrable. He left at seven, after giving a
beautiful ring to my daughter, whom he escorted back to school with
Miss Nancy.
The Marquis Petina foolishly observed to me that he did not know
where to find a bed. I understood what he wanted, but I told him he
would easily find one with a little money. Taking his sweetheart
aside I gave her a guinea for him, begging her to tell him not to
visit me again till he was invited.
When all the guests were gone, I led the five sisters to the mother's
room. She was wonderfully well, eating, drinking, and sleeping to
admiration, and never doing anything, not even reading or writing.
She enjoyed the 'dolce far niente' in all the force of the term.
However, she told me she was always thinking of her family, and of
the laws which it imposed on her.
I could scarcely help laughing, but I only said that if these laws
were the same as those which her charming daughters followed, I
thought them wiser than Solon's.
I drew Augusta on to my knee, and said,--
"My lady, allow me to kiss your delightful daughter."
Instead of giving me a direct answer, the old hypocrite began a long
sermon on the lawfulness of the parental kiss. All the time Augusta
was lavishing on me secret but delicious endearments.
'O tempora! O mores!'
The next day I was standing at my window, when the Marquis
Caraccioli, who was passing by, greeted me, and asked me if he could
come in. I bade him welcome, and summoning the eldest sister told
the ambassador that this young lady was going to marry the Marquis
Petina as soon as his remittances arrived.
He addressed himself to her, and spoke as follows:
"Mademoiselle, it is true that your lover is really a marquis, but he
is very poor and will never have any money; and if he goes back to
Naples he will be imprisoned, and if he is released from the State
prison his creditors will put him in the Vittoria."
However this salutary warning had no effect.
After the ambassador had taken his leave I was dressing to take a
ride when Augusta told me that, if I liked, Hippolyta her sister
would come with me, as she could ride beautifully.
"That's amusing," said I, "make her come down."
Hippolyta came down and begged me to let her ride with me, saying
that she would do me credit.
"Certainly;" said I, "but have you a man's riding suit or a woman's
costume?"
"No."
"Then we must put off the excursion till to-morrow."
I spent the day in seeing that a suit was made for her, and I felt
quite amorous when Pegu, the tailor, measured her for the breeches.
Everything was done in time and we had a charming ride, for she
managed her horse with wonderful skill.
After an excellent supper, to which wine had not been lacking, the
happy Hippolyta accompanied Victoire into my room and helped her to
undress. When she kissed her sister I asked if she would not give me
a kiss too, and after some jesting Augusta changed the joke into
earnest by bidding her come to bed beside me, without taking the
trouble to ask my leave, so sure did she feel of my consent. The
night was well spent, and I had no reason to complain of want of
material, but Augusta wisely let the newcomer have the lion's share
of my attentions.
Next day we rode out again in the afternoon, followed by my negro,
who was a skilful horseman himself. In Richmond Park Hippolyta's
dexterity astonished me; she drew all eyes on her. In the evening we
came home well pleased with our day's ride, and had a good supper.
As the meal proceeded I noticed that Gabrielle, the youngest of all,
looked sad and a little sulky. I asked her the reason, and with a
little pout that became her childish face admirably, she replied,--
"Because I can ride on horseback as well as my sister."
"Very good," said I, "then you shall ride the day after to-morrow."
This put her into a good temper again.
Speaking of Hippolyta's skill, I asked her where she had learnt to
ride. She simply burst out laughing. I asked her why she laughed,
and she said,--
"Why, because I never learnt anywhere; my only masters were courage
and some natural skill."
"And has your sister learnt?"
"No," said Gabrielle, "but I can ride just as well."
I could scarcely believe it, for Hippolyta had seemed to float on her
horse, and her riding skewed the utmost skill and experience. Hoping
that her sister would vie with her, I said that I would take them out
together, and the very idea made them both jump with joy.
Gabrielle was only fifteen, and her shape, though not fully
developed, was well marked, and promised a perfect beauty by the time
she was in her maturity. Full of grace and simplicity, she said she
would like to come with me to my room, and I readily accepted her
offer, not caring whether the scheme had been concerted between her
and her other sisters.
As soon as we were alone, she told me that she had never had a lover,
and she allowed me to assure myself of the fact with the same child-
like simplicity. Gabrielle was like all the others; I would have
chosen her if I had been obliged to make the choice. She made me
feel sorry for her sake, to hear that the mother had made up her mind
to leave. In the morning I gave her her fee of twenty guineas and a
handsome ring as a mark of my peculiar friendship, and we spent the
day in getting ready our habits for the ride of the day following.
Gabrielle got on horseback as if she had had two years in the riding
school. We went along the streets at a walking pace, but as soon as
we were in the open country we broke into a furious gallop, and kept
it up till we got to Barnet, where we stopped to breakfast. We had
done the journey in twenty-five minutes, although the distance is
nearly ten miles. This may seem incredible, but the English horses
are wonderfully swift, and we were all of us well mounted. My two
nymphs looked ravishing. I adored them, and I adored myself for
making them so happy.
Just as we were remounting, who should arrive but Lord Pembroke. He
was on his way to St. Alban's. He stopped his horse, and admired the
graceful riding of my two companions; and not recognizing them
immediately, he begged leave to pay his court to them. How I laughed
to myself! At last he recognized them, and congratulated me on my
conquest, asking if I loved Hippolyta. I guessed his meaning, and
said I only loved Gabrielle.
"Very good," said he; "may I come and see you?"
"Certainly," I replied.
After a friendly hand-shake we set out once more, and were soon back
in London.
Gabrielle was done up and went to bed directly; she slept on till the
next morning without my disturbing her peaceful sleep, and when she
awoke and found herself in my arms, she began to philosophise.
"How easy it is," said she, "to be happy when one is rich, and how
sad it is to see happiness out of one's reach for lack of a little
money. Yesterday I was the happiest of beings, and why should I not
be as happy all my days? I would gladly agree that my life should be
short provided that it should be a happy one."
I, too, philosophised, but my reflections were sombre. I saw my
resources all but exhausted, and I began to meditate a journey to
Lisbon. If my fortune had been inexhaustible, the Hanoverians might
have held me in their silken fetters to the end of my days. It
seemed to me as if I loved them more like a father than a lover, and
the fact that I slept with them only added to the tenderness of the
tie. I looked into Gabrielle's eyes, and there I saw but love. How
could such a love exist in her unless she were naturally virtuous,
and yet devoid of those prejudices which are instilled into us in our
early years.
The next day Pembroke called and asked me to give him a dinner.
Augusta delighted him. He made proposals to her which excited her
laughter as he did not want to pay till after the event, and she
would not admit this condition. However, he gave her a bank note for
ten guineas before he left, and she accepted it with much grace. The
day after he wrote her a letter, of which I shall speak presently.
A few minutes after the nobleman had gone the mother sent for me to
come to her, and after paying an eloquent tribute to my virtues, my
generosity, and my unceasing kindness towards her family, she made
the following proposal:
"As I feel sure that you have all the love of a father for my
daughters, I wish you to become their father in reality! I offer you
my hand and heart; become my husband, you will be their father, their
lord and mine. What do you say to this?"
I bit my lips hard and had great difficulty in restraining my
inclination to laughter. Nevertheless, the amazement, the contempt,
and the indignation which this unparalleled piece of impudence
aroused in me soon brought me to myself. I perceived that this
consummate hypocrite had counted on an abrupt refusal, and had only
made this ridiculous offer with the idea of convincing me that she
was under the impression that I had left her daughters as I had found
them, and that the money I had spent on them was merely a sign of my
tender and fatherly affection. Of course she knew perfectly well how
the land lay, but she thought to justify herself by taking this step.
She was aware that I could only look upon such a proposal as an
insult, but she did not care for that.
I resolved to keep on the mask, and replied that her proposition was
undoubtedly a very great honour for me, but it was also a very
important question, and so I begged her to allow me some time for
consideration.
When I got back to my room I found there the mistress of the wretched
Marquis Petina, who told me that her happiness depended on a
certificate from the Neapolitan ambassador that her lover was really
the person he professed to be. With this document he would be able
to claim a sum of two hundred guineas, and then they could both go to
Naples, and he would marry her there. "He will easily obtain the
royal pardon," said she. "You, and you alone, can help us in the
matter, and I commend myself to your kindness."
I promised to do all I could for her. In fact, I called on the
ambassador, who made no difficulty about giving the required
certificate. For the moment my chilly conquest was perfectly happy,
but though I saw she was very grateful to me I did not ask her to
prove her gratitude.
