told me in Italian she would gladly meet me in another Place and walk'd by so fast that I had not the leisure to reply I did not doubt but she was taken with my Phiz and flatter'd with the Thoughts that she should fancy me above a Monarch my next Care was to find out who she was and how I might speak with her I thought no Body could inform me better than the Neapolitan Lady who had made me believe she was her Rival and therefore waited on her and ask'd her Which of the King's Mistresses it was the Duke de Guise had an Inclination for She smil'd at my Question and desir'd to know why I ask'd it I reply'd it was only out of Curiosity upon which she often renew'd her Enquiry and having still return'd the same Answer Come said she you do not deal ingenuously with me I am better acquainted with your Thoughts than you imagine the Lady whose Acquaintance you so much long for is the best Friend I have I know that she loves and has spoken to you but if you are wise you will let her alone and I dare hope that as things stand between us you would not be false to me I at first deny'd she had ever spoke to me but hearing her repeat the very Words I confessed the Truth promising I would not think of her any more The Duke de Guise also told me of it seeming as well inform'd as his Mistress and advised me to improve the Opportunity assuring me that he would not traverse my Designs but since he must shortly leave Spain would freely resign her I had indeed but too great an Inclination to follow the Duke's Counsel but fearing to discover it to my Rival I seem'd to believe he rally'd and did not express any Desire of knowing her fearing he would have told the Neapolitan Lady of it whose Favour I was not willing to lose So I remain'd in my Ignorance and by the Chimera's I fram'd to my self of my Fair unknown was depriv'd of the Sweets I might have enjoy'd with my known Mistress whose Charms I thought much inferior to hers I never knew till then how fantastical a Passion Love is for tho' I had never seen her Face I doted on her more than I yet had done on any Woman I ever courted and my Desire was so much the fiercer because I knew not what it was I wish'd for My own Experience convinc'd me then That your Knight Errants running up and down the World after invisible Ladies is not the most unlikely Part of Romances since I my self little differ'd from those fabulous Heroes being wholly taken up with a Lady whose Charms I was wholly a Stranger to To make this a true Romantick Adventure the unknown Object of my Wishes sent me some Letters by which she promis'd in a short Time to rid me of my Doubts and admonish'd me in the mean while to remain constant and discreet It was very difficult for me to obey her for whenever I had receiv'd a Billet Doux my Mistress told me of it and seem'd not to be ignorant of the Contents I remain'd a quarter of a Year in this uncertainty when at last a Note was deliver'd to me to let me know that the Lady now design'd to disclose her self and that she would be that Day at the Neapolitan Lady's Tho' I was heartily vexed at her chusing that House for our Interview yet I was punctual to a Minute and then understood that the King's Mistress who had spoken to me was no other Person than my old Acquaintance Having left Naples to follow the Duke de Guise into Spain she no sooner appear'd at Court but the King fell deep in Love with her the Duke de Guise who was not over-nice in that Point had promoted their Amour and the Service he had done his Majesty therein was recompensed with his Liberty I was asham'd to own my self deceived but pretended I had discover'd the Design long ago and only conniv'd at it to see how far they would carry on the Jest. But tho' the Lady had believ'd me the Increase of my Fondness would have undeceiv'd her for adding to the Charms she really possess'd those I had attributed to my unknown Mistress I grew more passionate than ever I had been This shews that Love must still have Fancy to support it and is at the same Time a Proof that our Hearts are strangely deluded when once they yield themselves up to it I began to adore my Neapolitan afresh as if I had never courted her before and the Duke de Guise's sudden Departure deliver'd me from a dangerous Rival I was surpriz'd at the Indifferency with which they parted The Joy of returning to his native Country drown'd the Grief he should have felt at leaving a Woman who had given him such Demonstrations of her Love and she on the other hand was not sorry for the Loss of him being wholly taken up with the Glory of the illustrious Conquest she had made But what I most wonder'd at was to see how unconcernedly they talked of this Separation for the Duke plainly told her That being oblig'd to quit her he could not yield up his Pretences to a more worthy Person than my self who had besides an unquestionable Title to her Affection from what I had suffer'd for her sake which she heard with a Temper I never thought Parting Lovers could have been Masters of It is no doubt a great Felicity to enjoy such a Tranquillity of Mind But my Sincerity has always rendred my Amours unfortunate and I should certainly have been happy had I lived in those blessed Times when in Love there was more Truth and less Artifice The little good Nature she expressed in that Occasion joyn'd to the Memory of my having been so often choused by her should certainly have cur'd me of my Dotage but on the other Hand the Spanish Women live very much retir'd and I had a free Access to her besides I was very idle at Madrid and wanted Occupation But as for the great Leisure I had she soon procured me Employment by the Troubles she brought me into The Duke de Guise was scarce gone when she began to Grieve for his Absence While this Humour lasted I never had a good Word from her for she accus'd me as the Cause of his going and of her Consenting to it When I saw this I began to be angry too and made the Intriegue she had with the King a Pretext to my Displeasure saying I would have all her Heart or none So we were continually quarrelling for Three Weeks together after which she became more complaisant and gave over speaking of the absent Duke as I also did teazing her about the King But this Truce lasted not long for visiting her one Evening I found her in a great Fury and having enquir'd into the Reason she reply'd She was jealous at one of her Rivals whom the King affected better than her self It was a
Tho' I had highly disoblig'd the Queen yet she made a great Distinction between my Brother and me and if she seem'd not to desire me Stay in Poland it was because she did not think I could be serviceable to her there being out of Favour with the King So when I had settled my Affairs I resolv'd to be gone and first endeavour'd to persuade my Brother and his Friend to a more decent Carriage but thinking their Credit wholly lost there they went into Swedeland where they thought they might sooner meet with an Opportunity of shewing their Valour for they were already outlaw'd in France whither they durst not return I once more left Poland much in the same Posture as I had done the Time before out of Favour with the Court and still for a Woman's sake for my Heidelberg Lady was the Cause of all this and had not that unlucky Accident fell out I should have had a great Share in King Casimir's Affection That Prince was much of the same Genius as his Brother a Foe to Business and a Friend nay I may say a Slave to his Pleasures but Master of infinitely more Bravery He was not naturally daring enough for great Undertakings which had given the Queen an absolute Command over his Mind but when once he had resolv'd upon a thing he wanted not Courage to put it in execution His predominant Vice was the Love of Women and Constancy was what he was little guilty of His natural Levity was encourag'd by frequent Remorses and a Dread lest God should bring some Punishment on him for his Lewdness But it is observable that his Devotion increas'd but as his Love-Fits began to decrease and that he took Religion up but when he grew weary of an old Mistress which he would as easily lay down again when a new one pleas'd him better thus was his whole Life a mixture of Piety and Gallantry As for his Conversation he was frank and very Complaisant his only Fault was too little a Thirst for Glory and had not the King of Suedeland and Lubomirski disturb'd his quiet he would have preferr'd the Ease of a Private Man to the Reputation of a great Monarch The Queen had an absolute Power over him tho' she was still mistrustful of her Authority not that she wanted Wit or thought her self a Fool but she fear'd the King being of so easie a Temper might be wrought upon by others and seeing he must have Mistresses she took all possible Care to give him a distate for those who she thought might be cunning enough to outwit and supplant her Such was then the Posture of Affairs in Poland which I had taken especial notice of for being grown in Age and consequently more serious I began to observe the Characters and Intriegues of those I conversed with Before I was quite out of that Country I met with a new Adventure wherein I run great Hazard of my Life and was a Witness of the most barbarous Sight Eyes ever beheld the very Thought of which strikes my Soul with Horror Altho my Inclination for the fair Sex was the occasion of the share I had in it yet I cannot herein condemn my self since any one who had the least Humanity or Generosity would have acted as I did I was about Two Days Journey from Warsaw when resting in a little Town while fresh Horses were providing for me I spy'd a Woman in a great Disorder who running towards me made Signs that I should meet her being almost spent and not able to reach the Place where I was Being gone to her she threw her self into my Arms and before she could speak fainted away She was little as are most of the Polish Women and in spight of the Confusion she was in it was easily perceived she was as handsome as any that Country affords Her Beauty and Distress mov'd my Pity I carry'd her into a little House where my Servants waited and having laid her down she recover'd She told us That she was born at Breslau and that her Friends had marry'd her to a Tartar who was so rude to her that not being able to bear any longer with his ill Treatments she had left him and was going to Warsaw where she had some Relations who would protect her against her severe Husband That was all she told us at first but at last she own'd that the Reason of her running away was That she had given him an Occasion to suspect her Virtue that her Lover had accompany'd her in her Flight and being fallen into an Ambuscade of Cossaks they had murther'd him before her Eyes and that having made her escape from them also she was still in great Fear of her Husband who to her Knowledge was in pursuit of her Indeed my Heart bled to see her in that wretched condition but how to help her I knew not unless I carry'd her to Warsaw which would have been a considerable Stop to my Journey However I thought my self oblig'd in Honour and Conscience to do it and accordigly order'd one of my Men to take her up behind him and to follow me But we had scarce rid half a Day before we met with her Husband who with Ten or Twelve Tartars more was in Quest after her He presently knew her again and having drawn his Scymeter came to him who had her up behind him threat'ning to take away his Life I ran to his Relief with my Pistol cock'd but the superior Number soon overpower'd us and we were robb'd of our Charge I know not whether in the Passion he was in he took me for his Cuckold-maker but having order'd his Men to seize me I was forc'd into a Stable he had already caus'd her to be shut into where I beheld his barbarous Revenge He commanded Four of his Servants to grasp her tender Limbs while himself began to flea her The miserable Creature lookt sometimes on me and amidst the woful Cries that dreadful Pain forc'd from her did now and then put forth some Ejaculations to implore the Divine Mercy At last her inhuman Husband seeing her dead threw in my Face what he had of her Skin whence I expected to have been us'd in the same manner which to prevent I told him in Polish That I would have him take care of what he did That I was a Stranger wholly unacquainted with his Wife and whom he could have no quarrel against This made him look very earnestly on me and as I suppose finding his Mistake he did me the Favour having set my Men and Baggage at Liberty to turn me out of Doors Indeed I never was seiz'd with so much Dread and Horror it was above Ten Days before I could destroy the frightful Idea of her Punishment and I had so great an Execration for the Tartar that I often had duing that Time a violent Desire to seek out the Villain and kill him with mine own Hand But these Thoughts did at last wear off and gave Way
my Brother thither and sometimes left us there being obliged to go to Court Whether my Brother was engaged elswhere or that he was unwilling to Court his Friend's Mistress he expressed little Kindness for her and when Monsieur de Cinq Mars was gone out he commonly fell asleep and left me free Leave to talk what I would to her I had not yet lost the Habit I had got to fancy that a Man must not see a Woman without making Love to her The Lady was Handsom and it may be easily imagined that having Liberty to say what I would I told her I loved her Being however desirous to do things handsomely I told her I was sorry to see Monsieur de Cinq Mars so fond of her and that she should be under such Obligations to him because I would else have taken the Freedom to make my Addresses to her You think said she he has a Kindness for me and that I am obliged to him but you are mistaken he does not love me at all and gives me no Tokens of his Passion How replied I not without Amasement then I am very ill informed for the World talks as tho' he had already bestowed above Fifty thousand Crowns upon you Well answered she and Fifty thousand Crowns there 's a mighty Business for such a Person as I am If I would oblige others as far as I have done him I should already have received three times as much Mony and be better settled I confess this Discourse seemed to me to be so singular that I could scarce forbear taxing her for so high an Ingratitude for I knew not then that a bought Mistress still thinks she is worth more than is laid out for her I would not however let her perceive the Surprize I was in It is true continued I that in respect to your Desert Fifty thousand Crowns are a small Matter But what must he expect then who has nothing and how will you accept of the Tender I design to make you of my Heart I who cannot give you a Farthing Do you think then said she that I am Mercenary and would buy my Lovers If you did love and that you are in earnest I would have more Kindness for you than for Monsieur de Cinq Mars with his Fifty thousand Crowns for continued she Whores only make a Trade of Love These Words won my very Heart and hindred the Reflexion I should have how ridiculous and extravagant it was that a Person should be so covetous as not to be satisfied with Fifty thousand Crowns and yet pretend to Generosity but I was charmed with it as tho' she had been sincere in what she spoke I fancy'd my self a Man of greater Merit than Monsieur de Cinq Mars and carryed my Folly so far as to think that a Girl so well equipp'd as she was might not only love me without any Interest but might give me some more substantial Proofs of her Affection For I was then very bare of Mony and found that I should love that Woman most whom there was most to be got by I told her That I was wonderfully taken with her generous Temper and that she ought not to doubt of my Sincerity The Answer she made me persuaded me I was beloved by her and she assured me That I should be Welcom when ever I should visit her and that no Body should disturb us I desired a Meeting the next Day at Ten in the Morning and she gave her Consent thereto I left her so transported with my good Fortune that I could scarce forbear acquainting my Brother with it I could not as we returned home leave off talking of her to him and that with such an Earnestness as made him laugh I think said he you are in Love with her I should answered I be rich enough to gratifie her before I might pretend to that This made my Brother laugh extravagantly and especially when I told him That none but Monsieur de Cinq Mars must attempt to gain her Affection and I have thought since that he must have known her for what she was I expected with Impatience that the Clock should strike the appointed Hour when I received a Note from her wherein she acquainted me That an unexpected Business was fallen out which obliged her to go forth early and that wanting a Watch all her 's being at the Watch-maker's she desir'd me to send her one she had seen in my Hands the Day before I had one indeed which was tolerably pretty which I sent her with a most passionate Letter begging She would remember her Promise against that Afternoon I was eager to be with her and found her undrest and saw no Sign of her going out that Day She had Two of her Friends with her who she told me had kept her at Home till then adding She must go out within a quarter of an Hour to procure Ten Pistols having lost as much at Play I do not ask you for them said she since you have told me You had no Mony She spoke those last Words so dry that I thought she meant to upbraid me with it That struck me to the Heart and I resolved to get her Ten Pistols whatever it cost me I left her and went and sold a small Diamond I had and brought her the Mony She expressed an excessive Joy thereat and told me What she did was rather to try me than any need she had of them She promised to meet me the next Day but when the Time was come I had a Message That she was heartily vexed she could not see me Monsieur de Cinq Mars having sent her Word he was coming to her I was mad at these Disappointments The next Day was not more favourable to me and she fooled me thus for a Fortnight together finding still some new Excuse to disingage her self That Time being expired she sent me Word to meet her at a certain Church to which she came and where I went to speak with her She expressed much concern that she could not contrive it so that I should see her at her House but said My frequent Visits had been taken notice of and that we must of necessity meet at some other Place But she said That was not her greatest Pain for what troubled her most was That Monsieur de Cinq Mars having given her Fifty Pistols to buy her a Gown she had no more Wit than to engage her self at Play that she dar'd not tell him she had lost them and must make 'em up some way or other Do you think said she that if you pretended you wanted that Mony and should ask Monsieur de Cinq Mars for it he would deny you I told her I dared not propose any such thing to him not only because I was averse to borrowing of any one but also that for some Reasons of great concern to me I must not lose Monsieur de Cinq Mars's good Opinion She reply'd angrily That this
I had heard the fatal Blow Then I saw his Trunk out of which issued a Stream of Blood Upon which my Brother said Let us be gone the Business is over We rather dead than living were no sooner at home but we got to Bed where my Brother remained a longer Time than I did being really fallen sick upon it I had all the Reason imaginable to love my dear Brother who had been so kind to me but the Instance he then gave me of his good Nature increased the Affection I bore him He often told me Monsieur de Cinq Mars's Misfortune proceeded from the Passion he had for some Women who were the cause of his ill Conduct This and the Experience I had of the Falshood of that Sex while at Paris made me firmly resolve never to engage my self any more with them But alas there is little heed to be given to such kind of Resoutions the Love of Women is a dangerous Rock on which tho' warn'd by numberless Shipwracks yet the Spring-Tide of our Inclination will still hurry us But if I had no reason to speak well of them in my younger Days it grew ten times worse when a riper Age gave Place to a more refined and constant Passion I follow'd my Brother into Catalonia where my first Campaign made me an Eye-witness of the taking of Perpignan and the Conquest of all the Roussillon I served then in his Regiment and in some occasions convinc'd him I was no Coward for I was more daring than usual in the first Engagements a Military Life began to please me and being well read in History I fancy'd my self to tread in the Steps of Cesar or Alexander which animated my Soul with an Heroick Courage About the latter End of October we returned to Paris after the Battle of Lerida gained by the Mareschal de la Mothe He presented me to the Cardinal de Richelieu giving me all the Praise that can well be bestow'd on a young Man The Cardinal who knew my Brother and was not ignorant of his Intimacy with Monsieur de Cinq Mars told me which I understood not in what Sense to take That I had a very discreet Brother and that I should do well to follow his Example My Brother who was present making no reply he repeated over-again That I had a very discreet Brother adding That he knew him to be so And promised us all possible Favour provided we would stick to our Duty This Visit being ended I asked my Brother Why the Cardinal had insisted so much on his Discretion and he inform'd me That the Cardinal had two Days before sent for him to discourse with him about Monsieur de Cinq Mars That he seemed to him to be very much concerned on his account and had ask'd him several Questions especially For what Reason Monsieur de Cinq Mars had such an Aversion for him To which he told me he had answered That he had no knowledge of the Designs or secret Inclinations of Monsieur de Cinq Mars and the Cardinal not having appear'd satisfied with this Reply he suppos'd what he had said was by way of Reflexion This made us think the Cardinal would rather be an Enemy than a Friend to us But the Death of that Prelate which happen'd the Fourth Day of December following soon rid us of those Fears I was then Eighteen Years old we lived with my Mother who allowed us Meat Drink and Lodging but we could not oblige her to do more for us by reason she had made a Shift what by her Settlement and other Pretensions to get from us the little Estate my Father had left My Brother the Count was also with us and she had taken home my Sister who was near Thirty and had constantly refused to remain in the Convent as a Nun. My Mother had a Design to marry her to a young Officer whom she had the entire Management of It was an ill Match for her Daughter but she who had no greater Desire than to get rid of her thought it good enough provided he would but agree to it Fearing however it might sound ill that she should consent to so unequal a Marriage she endeavour'd to vindicate her self by bringing things about in such a Manner as that she might seem to have been forced to it and there I had an Instance how basely Parents seek rather their own Satisfaction than their Children's Happiness may act to their Prejudice The Way she made use of was to make People believe he had debauch'd her and to compass her Design she left them alone as long as they pleased By this means the Officer fell in Love with my Sister and endeavoured all he could to do what my Mother intended but she resisted him either out of Vertue or a want of Kindness for him Her Coyness added fresh Fuel to the Fire for he grew more Passionate and through my Mother's secret Assistance tho' not appearing in the Matter easily got into my Sister's Chamber while she was asleep My Mother having quickly Intelligence made us all be called up to surprize them together whereupon we went into the Room when my Mother without admitting any Excuses made the Officer promise He would marry her the next Day Which was done tho' my Sister swore there had nothing passed between them that might any way prejudice her Honour But she was forc'd to comply and fearing lest a Mother who was so unworthy as to expose her thus should punish her worse some other way she consented to marry a Man whom she had never any Respect for but all my Mother got by their Wedding was that she coupled two Persons together who soon became a Charge to her My Brother tho' he had no Estate besides his Commission had long since thought of getting him a Wife he lov'd and was belov'd by a Person of the first Quality The Match would have been very equal had her Parents given their Consent for tho' my Brother bore not so high a Title yet his Family was more Ancient and his own personal Merit with the honourable Post he had in the Army made him be not a little respected but he had not as yet attained to the pitch of Preferment he arrived to afterward and they judged of him then but by the smallness of his Estate That Lady was deny'd him and he resolving to be marry'd espous'd a rich Partizan's Daughter who brought him near Four hundred thousand Livers This Marriage was the making of him and he was in the Right to consider that how great soever his Desert might be he could never put himself forward without an Estate to support it The Lady whom he had courted was inrag'd at it tho' he had taken no little Pains to make her sensible That it was a Folly in him to persist in loving her She was not satisfied with his Arguments for she was obstinate and opinionated and affected to contemn Wealth and Honour as much as my Brother seem'd
went the next Day to the Merchants where I remain'd under my Disguise waiting for the Messenger's Return and accordingly a Duena came and assur'd me That if I pleas'd she would carry me to a beautiful Lady who had an earnest Desire to see me I answer'd I would readily submit to her Directions and she without replying beck'd to me that I should follow her I did and having gone through many By-Alleys we stopp'd under a low Balcony out of which the Duena having cough'd once or twice a Rope-Ladder was thrown down I was bid to get up and obey'd hastily being spurr'd on by the impatience I had to know if it really was Isabella I enter'd into the Room and by the means of a dim Light knew her to be the same She told me That tho' she had never seen me but once as I passed along the Street she had been extreamly taken with my good Mien and that the Heroick Action I had done persuaded her she might entrust me with her Reputation I could scarce be persuaded but she knew me yet speaking in a feign'd Voice as I had always done while I wore that Habit I reply'd I was very much oblig'd to her for the good Opinion she had of me but yet I could not but resent the Injury she had done to the dearest Friend I had nameing my self What then answer'd she did he tell you of it Yes Madam reply'd I and that has something abated the Esteem I had for you Ha! said she do you then know me I told her I did and that my Friend had shew'd her to me one Day as she was coming out of Church And where were you then cry'd she that I did not see you I reply'd she went by in such haste that she took no notice of her Admirers But continu'd she I was told you was gone It is true answer'd I that it is thought so some Reasons having oblig'd me to abscond but through the Desire of knowing the Woman who had disoblig'd my Friend I ventur'd abroad under a Disguise She ask'd me If I had found her so despicable a Person I assur'd her I had done Justice to her Beauty and was very sorry that so handsom a Lady should be so cruel Accuse me not of Cruelty said she you see what Hazard I run for your sake and I were undone did you inform your Friend of all this Never mistrust me Madam reply'd I but if you would oblige me let me know what reason you had to use him so ill She answer'd I was my self the Occasion of it and that ever since she had seen me she had taken an Aversion for all other Men and having no Inclination for my Friend had been glad at once to get rid of him and give her Husband a good Opinion of her Vertue I enquir'd into the Cause of her Hatred to him and she reply'd She could not fancy him that she could not tell why but she hated him as much as she lov'd me This Discourse indeed surpriz'd me to see that the same Woman who found me so unworthy of her Esteem while I was habited like a Gentleman should have such a Fondness for me under the nasty Garb of a despicable Slave But our Passions are wholly unaccountable especially those of Women My Displeasure was so great to hear my self thus despis'd that I was tempted to discover who I was and tho' I forbore it at the present I could not keep from contradicting her bad Opinion of me being as jealous of the Slave's Happiness as if it had been another This hindred me from answering Isabella's Passion as I should have done and she soon perceiv'd that my chiefest Care was to give her better Thoughts of my Friend She was so dissatisfied at it that she told me I did not deserve the Honour she did me since my Zeal was greater for my Friend than for her I perceiv'd my Error and endeavour'd to repair my Fault but she said She dar'd not trust me and if I desir'd to regain her Favour I must conceal this Adventure from my Friend and not once name him in her Presence I promis'd I would obey her and she said We must put off our farther Conversation to another Time and that I should hear from her the next Day It was very unwillingly that I parted but being forc'd to comply I return'd to my Merchant's The Reader will wonder at what I am going to relate if he considers not that Self-love and Self-conceit are still our predominant Passions I was asham'd of standing indebted to my Disguise for the Enjoyment of my Mistress and resolv'd if I was sent for any more to return in my own Cloaths In this Humour I remain'd all Day at the Merchants and the Duena being come at Night I put on my false Beard and a Vest which cover'd my other Cloaths and thus habited I follow'd her but before I got up the Ladder I left them in the Street Isabella came with eagerness to receive me and knowing me again scream'd out saying she was undone and betray'd I conjur'd her not to make any Noise and she came to her self again I see said she then that the Villain has a greater Kindness for you than me since he has reveal'd this secret to you but if you love me you will assist me in being reveng'd of that perfidious Wretch and that is the only way for you to gain my Esteem I will answer'd I when ever you please I love you above all that can be dear to me and had he a thousand Lives I would sacrifice them all to your Resentment only let me know how so base a Man can have merited a Heart you refuse me Go reply'd she and fetch me his Head and you shall see what I will do for you I smil'd at her Mistake which I thought it now Time to bring to a Conclusion and assur'd her I could not bring his Head otherwise than on my own Shoulders that I was the same who came to her the Night before and who alone deserv'd her Kindness At which she was so astonish'd that she scarce heard what I said Her Surprize being at last over she told me It was impossible and that before she could believe me she must see me in the same Habit I had then I answer'd It was no very hard Task and that I had left it under the Balcony She desir'd me to fetch it but I was scarce down e're she pull'd up the Ladder and withdrew I was surpriz'd at it and believ'd she still continu'd in the Opinion that the Slave and I were two different Persons and that I had made use of the Passion she had for him to deceive her It was so dark I could not tell where I was and being desirous to know the House I resolv'd to remain there till it was Day having first put on my false Beard and Vest but I had not waited long before I heard a Noise and saw some Men with drawn Swords in
without the least Concern her Plot being so contriv'd that I was to be the Object of her Husband's Revenge Her Answer was That she neither fear'd me nor her Husband and knew well enough how to disappoint our Designs I was astonish'd at this Reply and thinking she had mistaken me repeated over-again what I had been saying to her vowing I would rather dye than assist her Husband to her Prejudice She seem'd well pleas'd at it and answer'd If I did not bear Witness against her she had nothing to fear I reply'd I wondred how she could suppose I should ever think of doing her any Injury and thus we parted But this Woman was more mischievous than I could ever have imagin'd I was no sooner gone e're she went to her Husband and told him shedding abundance of Tears she found her self bound in Duty and Conscience to acquaint him That he entertain'd a Man whose whole Study was to contrive his Shame I know continu'd she what he has made you believe to gain your good Opinion he has own'd it to me himself thinking me so mad as to love him He was the only Algerine that ever came to me for it was under that Disguise that he would have got up into my Chamber From his Hand you receiv'd your Wound All this I knew and if I have since endur'd his Company the Reason was because you were so infatuated with him that I could do no otherwise but his Impudence is at length grown to such a Pitch that I can bear with it no longer All the Lies she impos'd on his Belief seem'd to him so probable that he wondred how he ever had suspected her Vertue seeing she ever had given him notice of my endeavouring to cuckold him and being now fully persuaded of what she said he tenderly embrac'd her vowing he would be reveng'd on me I in the mean while suspected nothing of all this yet fearing Manrique would execute the Design he had made me acquainted with I kept from his House and it was above a Week since the last Visit I paid him when I receiv'd a Note from Eleonor to give me Notice That my Death was decreed and that I had best quit Spain with all possible Diligence Tho' it was very Pressing I could not trust to it but resolv'd to speak with the Person that sent it me I had not seen her since the Promise I had made not to visit her but upon the Receipt of her Letter I put on my Algerine Habit and waited on her pretending I came from her Husband Hearing I was there she ran down to me and informed me in a few Words That Manrique had given out I was the Person who under the Disguise of an Algerine Slave had kill'd the Duke de 's Son that the King was acquainted with it and grew extream jealous thereupon that he had quarrell'd with her accusing her of having harbour'd me under that Disguise and had not seen her since so that she thought her self wholly out of Favour and that as for me the King the Duke de and Manrique had agreed I should be murther'd so that my Ruin was unavoidable if I did not immediately fly out of the Kingdom By the manner of her Delivery I judged I had no Time to lose and that it was my best way to take her Counsel and be gone but my Sorrow at leaving her and at my being the innocent Cause of all the Trouble she had receiv'd made me very loath to part which she perceiving grew angry with me telling me She saw I did not care what became of her since I would remain there tho' I knew she were lost if it reach'd the King's Ears that she had spoke with me which said she retir'd ordering me to be gone I was vexed at heart to see my self thus sever'd from a Person for whom I still retain'd an unfeign'd Passion and from whom I had some Reason to expect an equal return and the Desire of seeing her once more and bidding her a more tender Adieu prevail'd with me above the Dread of my Danger I had not the Power to go out of Town and my Love blinded me to that degree that I endeavour'd to find out some plausible Excuse for my Stay The Prince's Business were a Pretext sufficient to satisfie my self and however useless I might be to him yet my fond Imagination made me fancy he could not be without me whenever my Dotage would not suffer me to think of a Retreat Here I again experienc'd That Love soon grows stronger than all our other Passions when we yield our selves up to it and those who once suffer it to gain Ground must expect it will make them deaf to all other Considerations But tho' the Hope of giving Eleonor another Visit were the chief Motive of my remaining there yet that of being revenged on Isabella did not a little conduce to it and after all that was my greatest Care so unsteady was I in my Wishes and Resolutions I had indeed several substantial Reasons to hate that Woman yet I resented nothing so much as her preferring the Algerine before me Thinking she was not fully satisfied that the Algerine and I were the same Person I attempted by deceiving her once more to work my Ends and to that purpose sent her the following Letter Madam YOV will perhaps be surpriz'd at receiving this But tho' the Hand may be unknown the Person I hope is not I am Acma-Hamet once happy in your Love and who have been oblig'd to abscond through the Perfidiousness of one I though undeservedly call'd my Friend However I have now put it out of his Power to injure me since he is ignorant of my being here which I have taken all possible Care to conceal from every one save the Person for whose sake I have ventur'd hither I lodge with Alonso Riberos and if you can still love me expect shortly to hear from you My Landlord thinks I come from Morocco and am call'd Muley Asan Vnder that Name it is I must be enquir'd for This being safely deliver'd I went and lay at Alonso Riberos whom I made believe that I was a Morocco Merchant and was come to Madrid about some Business relating to my Trade Thus under this new Disguise I was safe from my Persecutors I satisfied the Fancy I had to remain there and fed the Hopes of compassing my Designs When I reflect on my Madness I am convinc'd that any one Passion is sufficient to make a young Man venture on the most desperate Undertakings for the more perilous my Projects were the more eager was I to put them in Execution and certainly Age and Wisdom can alone reclaim a Man from this ridiculous Romantick undauntedness I was not long at Riberos's before I had an Answer to my Letter It came safe to Isabella's Hands and it is not to be wondred at if having formerly thought the Algerine Slave and I to be two different Persons she was confirm'd in
was but a Sham and that she was a Fool to think I ever lov'd her She left me after that and would not hear my Reply I had all imaginable Cause to think she Jilted me She had my Watch which she hastened not to return I had given her Ten Pistols and she again asked me for Fifty more But yet I was blind enough not to reflect on her Ber Behaviour She is too rich thought I to desire more than she has and her Addressing her self to me must be an Effect of Confidence she has in me I resolved then to beg the Fifty Pistols from Monsieur de Cinq Mars We were at her House when I proposed this to him I took him aside into another Room and told him trembling That I had an urgent occasion for Fifty Pistols by reason my Friends allowed me short He reply'd he would give me a Hundred and presently calling the Lady at whose House we were What Mony said he did I leave you Madam the last Time I was here Was it not Three hundred Pistols Fetch me a Hundred pray which I have a present occasion for She blushed and not daring to return any Answer brought him the Hundred Pistols which he gave me I scrupled taking them saying That perhaps she wanted them No no said he she has enough and I will have her when you want any thing to supply you and calling her he bad her give me all I should ask her for I went away keeping the Hundred Pistols in the Resolution of letting Monsieur de Cinq Mars know That I had borrowed them only for that Person of whom he had them and left him with her I was at a loss what to make of her who pretended Want of Fifty Pistols when Monsieur de Cinq Mars had so lately given her Three hundred Yet I found it pleasant enough supposing she trick'd me to see her thus punished for her Covetousness and that instead of asking her for Mony she was now to give me some as often as I should require it I could not forbear acquainting my Brother therewith who was angry that I should have borrow'd any thing of Monsieur de Cinq Mars and would have the Hundred Pistols to send them back to him He told me then That she was us'd to play such Pranks and let Monsieur de Cinq Mars give her never so much Mony she would be still asking some of all that pretended to her I have attempted continued he to convince Monsieur de Cinq Mars of it but Love blinds him and he has not Leisure to study his Mistresses Characters My Brother returned the Hundred Pistols which Monsieur de Cinq Mars would not accept but on condition that I would ask her for more whenever I had need of them My Brother who had already found how blind he was on her account thought not fitting to let him know That it was she who had obliged me to ask him for that Sum But as I had resolv'd to get my Watch and my Ten Pistols again I was also determin'd to make use of the Order Monsieur de Cinq Mars had given me and to lack for nothing I went then to see her and was not a little astonished when receiving me with a smiling Countenance Well said she and where are the Hundred Pistols Monsieur de Cinq Mars has given you are not they for me For you said I Why Faith I have spent them and far from that I must beg of you that you would supply me with Twenty more on the account of an urgent Necessity What then reply'd she you think the Three hundred Pistols Monsieur de Cinq Mars spoke of were mine You are mistaken he had given me them to keep for him and he is so covetous that he would be as mad as the Devil if I should touch a Farthing of it Alas added she with Tears in her Eyes I am an unhappy Woman Monsieur de Cinq Mars scarce allows me what is necessary and I never ask him for any thing but he upbraids me with it What my Brother had told me secured me against this Artifice I told her she misrepresented Monsieur de Cinque Mars and that I would speak to him my self to know the Truth of the Matter Then I prayed her to return me my Watch and my Ten Pistols since I had now no more Cause to doubt but the Love she Feigned was a Pretence she made use of to Chouse me Here she wept afresh begging That for God's sake I would not tell Monsieur de Cinq Mars of it Which I promised I would not But it was in vain for me to insist upon my Watch and my Ten Pistols she positively deny'd them telling me she would keep them for my sake As Angry as I was I could not forbear laughing at the Complement The more I laugh'd the more she cry'd but I had the Courage not to be mov'd with her Tears and to despise her as much as I had ever lov'd her She was indeed such as my Brother had told me tho Monsieur de Cinq Mars had lavish'd an incredible Sum of Mony on her she would be asking every Body for more She was worth Four hundred thousand Livers when Monsieur de Cinq Mars died and we shall see anon what was her Fate I avoided her House except when I was forc'd to accompany my Brother thither where he went often to meet with Monsieur de Cinq Mars and looking for another Amour I pitcht on House because the Duchess of was our Cousin and was always very obliging to me She had a very pretty Niece whose Education she took care of for she had no Child as yet She was a Maid about Sixteen or seventeen and it will easily be judg'd that a Youth of my Complexion did not see her often without telling her she was Handsome She answered my Love in such a manner as made me distracted she did nothing but laugh at it and I could not guess whether she loved me or no. One Day that she was gone out with the Duchess I went to see her and found no Body there but a young Woman that waited on her who was about Twenty and very passable I used to be civil to her as often as I saw her but finding her alone was more free of my Complements than usually She spoke to me of her Mistress who she said was passionately in Love with me but dar'd not tell me so her self She told me That if I really lov'd her she would endeavour to rid her of those Fears and to contrive how we should converse privately together I made her all the Oaths and Protestations she desired and she assured me I should shortly see her Mistress provided I would be discreet Then she gave me that Caution That I should not take any Notice of it to the young Lady till she had prepared her thereto This Conversation was scarce ended when the Duchess came back with her Niece With what