Officer in the whole Army but who either sought her Friendship and Acquaintance or humbly declin'd aspiring to it as unworthy It must not be wondred at then since all the World spoke so much for her and yet more her renown'd Actions if she came to be so much in favour with her Prince About this time divers Recruits of Men and Amunition arriv'd from Spain The Emperour would have them all drawn up by themselves that he might have a view of them with the principal Officers of the Army amongst whom was our Female Warriour Among these new come Soldiers she fancied she had espy'd Don Carlos and as it happen'd she was not deceiv'd This made her to be uneasy all the remainder of that Day She sent out often to look after him but could not find him by reason he had changed his Name When Night came she could not sleep a wink and therefore rise by Day-break to go in search of her dear Lover who had cost her so many Tears At length she found him but was not known by him by reason she was grown taller and had besides her Complexion much alter'd by the scorching heats of Africa She made him believe she took him for another of her Acquaintance and began to ask him News from Seville as likewise concerning an imaginary Person that came first into her Head He told her he knew no such Person was never at Seville and that he was born and liv'd in Valencia You are nevertheless much like a Person that I knew and had a great esteem for reply'd Sophy and therefore you must give me leave to be ranked in the number of your Frieds With all my Hear answer'd Don Carlos and for the same reason you urge I must beg the like Liberty from you as you have done of me for you no less resemble a Person I loved long since and do still love you have the same Visage and Voice but you are not of the same Sex and certainly you cannot be of the same Humour added he sighing At these last Words of Carlos Sophy could not forbear blushing which he nevertheless took no notice of by reason that he then had his Eyes over charged with Tears which hindred his observing her change of Countenance This extraordinary Tenderness of Carlos mov'd her so extremely that she was ready to discover her self to prevent which at that time she desired him to come visit her in her Tent and bid him to enquire for Don Fernando At the hearing of this name Don Carlos began immediately to be affraid well knowing what Honours the Emperour had done that Person and fearing he might not have shew'd him sufficient Respect He met with little difficulty in finding the Tent for it was but what every body could direct him to He was there received with all the civility that a private Gentleman could expect from a general Officer He again discover'd the Countenance of Sophy in that of Don Fernando but was more amazingly surpriz'd at the resemblance of their Voices which immediately sunk into his Soul and brought to his Remembrance the Idea of the Person in the World that he lov'd best Sophy yet unknown to her Lover made him to Dine with her and after Dinner commanding her Domesticks to retire and giving Orders that she would be seen by no more Visiters she caus'd him to tell her over again that he was of Valencia and afterwards occasion'd him to relate all the Adventures that had happen'd between him and her which to be sure she knew as well as he from their first Acquaintance to the time of his Contrivance for carrying her away Would you believe quoth Don Carlos that a Woman of her Quality who had received so many Proofs of my Love and return'd me reciprocally as many of hers could yet be so void of Sense or Honour to prefer a young Page who had little or nothing to boast of to his Master But are you sure of what you say reply'd Sophy Chance often controuls our Designs and oftener takes pleasure to confound our reasoning with Events the least expected Your Mistriss may have been forc'd to leave you continu'd she and is it may be more Unfortunate than Blamable Would to God answer'd Don Carlos that I could in the least doubt of her Guilt All the Misfortunes which I have hitherto undergone on her account would be easy to me could I but believe her still Faithful But alass she is only so to the Traytor Claudio and pretended an Affection to Don Carlos but to ruin him It seems to me reply'd Sophy that you could but have little kindness for her since you can thus condemn her unheard Can I have greater Proofs of her Baseness cry'd Don Carlos than appears by a Letter she sent her Father the Night she went off whereby I suppose she thought to take away all suspicion of her going away with the Page But to the end you may be the better Iudge of it added he I have the Letter to shew then he read the Letter which was in the following Words The Letter YOU ought not Sir to forbid my loving Don Carlos since you had once commanded me to do it A Desert so great as he has to pretend to must needs Captivate the wariest Heart and where so much Worth and Merit reigns Interest must not think to get place I fly then away with him whom you have thought fit I should Love from my Youth upwards and without whom it is as impossible for me to live as it would be not to greive my self to Death in the Arms of a Stranger I hate altho' he were yet Richer than he boasts himself to be Our Crime therefore if any deserves at least your Pardon which if you are dispos'd to afford us we will return as willingly to receive as we have shewn Disposition to retreat from the unjust Violence you would do us SOPHIA You may imagine proceeded Carlos what a Hurricane this raised in the old Peoples Breasts They hop'd I was either yet in Valencia conceal'd with their Daughter or else that I was not far off from it They kept their loss a Secret to every body but the Vice-Roy who was their Relation I was surpriz'd to find the Constable and his Mirmidons enter my Chamber at Day-break rudely asking me for Sophy and whom I having demanded the same Question of they immediately hurried me away in a violent manner to Prison I was Question'd and yet could say nothing in my Defence concerning Sophy's Letter it thereby appear'd that I was to carry her away but it was likewise manifest that my Page disappear'd also Sophy's Relations made all imaginable search after her and my Friends did what they could to find whither the Page had carry'd her which they were certain he must have done somewhither At length it being found impossible to meet with either one or th' other which was the only thing that could have clear'd my Innocence I was accused by my Enemies
to find our Conditions more equal than if either of us had been a Mercenary Servant The Day appear'd while we were yet talking together We left our Ladies in my Chamber where they might sleep if they would whilst Verville and I went to consult what was next to be done For my part having no Love-fancies to disturb my Breast as Verville had I died almost for want of sleep but there was no appearance I should abandon my Friend with such a load of Business I had a Footman as Subtle and Witty as Verville's Valet de Chambre was dull and Blockish I gave him what Instructions I could and sent him to make Discovery how Affairs stood at Saldagne's He perform'd his Message very discreetly and brought us this Account that Saldagne's Servants reported the Thieves had desperately wounded their Master but as for his Sisters there was no more mention made of them than if there had never been any such alive whether he little car'd for 'em or because he gave positive Orders to his Servants not to speak of 'em to stifle such disadvantageous Rumours I see here must be something of a Duel after all this said Verville nay perhaps something of a Murder replyed I Whereupon I acquainted him that Saldagne was the same Hector that intended to murder me at Rome and how we came to know one another in the Garden adding withal that if he did but imagine as there was all the likelyhood in the World that I lay there in wait to take my Revenge of him then certainly he could not at all suspect the intelligence between his Sister and us I went to give an account to those fair Ladies of our Discoveries and in the mean time Verville Visited Saint Far to sound his Sentiments and discover the truth of our Suspicions He soon perceiv'd his Face full of scratches but whatever question Verville put to him he could get no other Answer save only that as he came from the Gaming-house he found Saldagne's Garden-Door open his House in an Uproar and himself very much Wounded in the hands of his Servants who were carrying him to his Chamber A very strange Accident said Verville no doubt but his Sisters will take it very much to Heart They are very handsom Ladies and I must go and give 'em a Visit. What 's that to me said this Brute who then fell a Whistling not minding or giving any answer to whatever his Brother afterwards desir'd to know Verville left him and return'd to my Chamber where I was employing all my Eloquence to comfort our fair Distress'd Ladies They were Disconsolate even to Desperation and apprehended the roughest usage from their Brother's Jealousie and Savage Humour as being a Man wholly enslav'd to his Passions My Lacquy brought 'em some Meat from the next Cook which he continu'd to do for fifteen Days together so long were they conceal'd in my Chamber which was above the rest and so much out of the common Road and Passage that no Body disturb'd 'em in the least They could willingly have put themselves into some Nunnery for shelter but after their sad Adventure they had just reason to fear their Brother would have confin'd 'em longer than they should care for In the mean time Saldagne's Wounds were in a fair way of Curing and Saint Far as we observ'd went every day to visit him Verville stirr'd not out of my Room which was not taken much notice of in the Family he being wont to pass many whole Days in it either Reading or in Discourse with me His Love for Madam Saldagne encreas'd every day neither did she love him less Her Eldest Sister lik'd me pretty well nor was she indifferent to me Not that my Passion for Leonora was abated but I had no manner of hopes from her thô I might have obtain'd her yet should I have made it a matter of Conscience to render her unhappy Upon a certain day Verville receiv'd a Note from Saldagne wherein he challeng'd him to meet him with a Second in the Plain of Grenelle to decide their Quarrel by the Sword By the same Note he desir'd Verville to bring no other but my self against him which made me suspect he intended to take us both in the same Trap. My suspicion was not altogether groundless having already experienced his Treachery however Verville would not mind it resolving to give him any just Satisfaction and to offer a Marriage with his Sister He sent for a Hackney Coach thô there were three belonging to the Family We went to the place of Assignation where Saldagne waited for us and where Verville was much astonish'd to find his own Brother seconding his Enemy We omitted neither Submissions nor Intreaties to bring all things to a fair Accommodation but nothing less than Fighting would serve the turn of those two unjust and irrational Men. I was about to protest to Saint Far how much it was against my Will to draw my Sword against him he told me bluntly that he never lik'd me in his Life nor could any thing endear me to him till he open'd a passage or two with his Sword point for his good will to enter at With these words he came fiercely towards me I only put by his Thrusts for some time resolv'd if possible to grapple with him and so Disarm him thô with apparent danger of being Wounded my self Fortune befriended my good Intention for he slipt down at my Feet I gave him time to rise and that which should have made him my Friend encreas'd his Enmity In fine having given me a slight Wound in the Shoulder he vapour'd like a Bully-huff and cry'd I think you feel me now My Patience being worn out I prest upon him and having put him into Disorder I got so happily within his Sword that I seiz'd on the Hilt The Man you hate so very much said I will however give you your Life Sir He struggled a while to no purpose and would not reply a Word like an obstinate rash Brute as he was though I represented to him it was our Duty to go and part his Brother from Saldagne who were grappled and fowling over one another upon the Ground But I perceiv'd I must be more rough and therefore wrench'd his Hand and forc'd away his Sword which I threw a great distance from him I ran immediately to assist Verville who was closed with his Antagonist When I came up to 'em I saw afar off several Horsemen galloping towards us Saldagne was soon after Disarm'd and at the same instant I found my self run through the back by Saint Far. I could no longer Master my Resentment and so return'd him a thrust that made no little Wound The Baron d'Arques his Father who came in at that Moment and saw me wound his Son did now hate me as much as he lov'd me before He spurr'd his Horse up towards me and gave me a great blow on the Head Those that came with him followed his Example
and joyntly set upon me I defended my self most happily from so many Enemies but must needs at last have fallen a Sacrifice to this Multitude if Verville the most generous Friend on Earth had not thrust himself betwixt them and me at the hazard of his own Life He gave his own Footman a good cut over the Pate because he found him more forward than the rest to get his Masters Applause I yielded up my Sword to the Baron but that could not appease him he call'd me Rascal ungrateful Villain and all the Injurious Names his Anger could suggest him even so far as to threaten to have me hang'd I boldly reply'd that as much Rascal and ungrateful Villain as I am I had given his Eldest Son his Life nor had I offer'd to hurt him till he had treacherously wounded me Verville maintain'd to his Father I was in the right but he said he would never see my Face again Saldagne went with the Baron d'Arques into the Coach where they had already put Saint Far and Verville who would by no means leave me took me into another with himself He set me down at one of our Princes Houses where he had many Friends and return'd to his Father 's soon after Monsieur de Saint Sauveur sent a Coach for me that very Night and carried me privately to his own House where he took as great care of me as if I had been his only Son Verville came to see me the next day following and told me his Father had been inform'd of the Challenge by Saldagne's Sisters whom he happen'd to find in my Chamber He afterwards assur'd me with a great deal of Joy that the Business was made up by an Agreement of a Double Marriage to be consummate as soon as his Brothers Wounds were healed which were not in any dangerous place That it lay in my Power to be made Friends with Saldagne and that his Father's Anger was appeas'd who was very sorry he had Misused me He added he wish'd I might soon recover to be a sharer of their Joy but I reply'd I could not find in my Heart to stay in a Country where they might Reproach me with the meanness of my Birth as his Father did but would soon leave the Kingdom either to lose my Life in the Wars or raise my self by my Sword to a condition proportionate to the Sentiments of Honour his noble Example had inspir'd me with I am apt to believe he was concern'd at my Resolution but a Man in Love cannot mind any thing long besides his own Passion Destiny was thus pursuing his story when they heard the Report of a Gun in the Street and presently after one playing upon a pair of Organs This kind of Musick never perhaps us'd at the Gate of an Inn call'd all those People to their Windows that had been wak'd with the Gun In the mean time the Organs plaid on and those who were no strangers to such Instruments took notice that the Organs plaid a Church-Tune No Body could apprehend the Design of so devout a Serenade which however was not yet acknowledg'd for such But the doubt was soon clear'd by two pitiful Voices the one of which squeal'd out a Treble part and the other roar'd out a rumbling Base These two Catter-wauling Voices were accompanied by the Organs and all together made such a horrible Consort as set all the Dogs a howling round about They sung Our Warbling Notes and Ivory Lute 's Shall Ravish every Soul c. with the rest of that old Ditty after these harsh Notes they over-heard a Person whispering as loud as ever he could and scolding at the Singer's for singing so Cuckoo-like always in one Tune The poor Choristers reply'd they knew not what the Devil he would have them sing Sing what you will else said he speaking a little louder for I will have singing for my Money Upon this peremptory Sentence the Organs chang'd their Tone and another plous Anthem was sung as devoutly as before None of the Hearers had yet dar'd to speak for fear of interrupting the Musick when Rincour who could not for his Life hold his Tongue on this Occasion baul'd out aloud What! do they use to perform Divine Service here in the Street One of the Assistants said they were singing Tenebrae in good earnest 'T is a Nightly Procession adds a third In fine every merry Fellow in the Inn had his Jest upon the Musick neither could any one guess who was the Serenading Fool nor whom he design'd to Complement In the mean time the Anthem was carrying on to a Conclusion when ten or a dozen Dogs which followed a proud Bitch ran in betwixt the Musicians Legs and because many Rivals cannot be long together without Quarrelling after some Grumbling Snarling and Grinning of Teeth they fell together by the Ears of a sudden with so muchâ— Fury and Animosity that the poor Musicians to save their Shins betook themselves to their Heels leaving the Organs at the mercy of the Dogs These immoderate Lovers were so uncivil in the heat of their scuffle as to throw down the Harmonious Machine with the Frame that supported it and I should be loath to Swear that some of these cursed Dogs did not lift up a Leg and pisâ— upon the batter'd Organs those Creatures being very Diuretick in their Natures especially when some Bitch or other of their Acquaintance is dispos'd to proceed to the Multiplication of her Species The Consort being thus out of Tune mine Host order'd the Inn Door to be open'd intending to secure the Organs with the Table and Trestle on which it stood from farther Mischief whilst he and his Servants were busie about this charitable Office The Organist return'd accompani'd by three Persons amongst whom were a Woman and a Man mufled up in his Cloak This Man was the very Ragotin in Person who designing to Serenade Madam Star addrest himself for that purpose to a little Eunuch Organist of a Church 'T was this Monster neither Man nor Woman that sung the treble Part and play'd on the Organs which his Maid had brought an overgrown Chorister sung the Base both for the sum of two Testers such was the scarcity of Provisions in the plentiful Country of Mayne As soon as the Inn-keeper found out the Author of the Serenade he cry'd aloud on purpose to be heard by all that were at the Window Is it then you Mosieur Ragotin that come with your Vespers to my Door You had best go to Bed and not disturb my Guests at this time of Night Ragotin reply'd that he was mistaken in his Man and yet spoke it so as if he intended to discover what he seem'd to deny In the mean time the Organist finding his Instrument much batter'd and being a veâ—ry Cholerick Creature as all Beardless Animals are wont to be â—wore to Ragotin he would make him pay for it Ragotin reply'd he did not care a straw Ay but I 'll make you care said
me After having chid me a little for finding me in that Condition she took me aside and told me that the Gentleman whose Daughter was at Monsieur de Planche-Planete's Brother-in-Laws had brought another Gentlemâ—n a his Friend to make Love to her and whereof she though 〈◊〉 to get an opportunity to come and tell me It is not 〈◊〉 she that I distrust my power of refusing him but becaâ—â— I had rather you should find out some means to send him 〈◊〉 To this I reply'd Go you and make much of him that 〈◊〉 not be gone before I come and I 'll assure you be shall 〈◊〉 be there by to Morrow this time She then left me extremely well pleased and I immediately put off my Syder to my Servants management and went directly home where taking a clean Shirt and another suit of Clothes I hasted to find out my Companions for you must know there were 15 of us young Fellows who had each a Mistress and were all jointly engag'd to cut any Man's Throat that should offer but to interfere with either I acquainted them with what I have already told you and all concluded that this Gallant who was a Gentleman of Lower-Maine must be found out and be forc'd to return from whence he came We went then forthwith to his Lodging where he was at Supper with the other Gentleman his Introducer We did not stick to tell him down right that he must speedily be gone and that there was nothing to be got for him in that Country Then the Introducer reply'd and told us that we did not know what they were come about and that when we did we would not be so much concern'd at it Then I stept up and clapping my Hand to my Sword said If I have her Heart I have it and if you do not quit her this Minute I 'll quickly send your Souls a Wool-gathering One of them reply'd that the contest was not equal and that if I were alone I durst not have said so much To which I answer'd You are two and here is a Gentleman and I taking one of my Comrades that will presently go and dispute the matter with you farther The Gentlemen accepted the Challenge and we were all going out when the Master of the House and a Son of his prevented us persuading the Gentlemen that their best way was to be gone and not to stand disputing with us whom they were positive they would get nothing by They took their Advice and we never heard a Word of them after Next Morning I went to wait on my dear du Lys telling her all that had passed wherewith she seem'd very well satisfied and gave me abundance of Thanks for delivering her from her Lover The Winter now approaching the Nights began to be long and which we passed away at Questions and Commands and such like sorts of Plays but which being every Night repeated at length grew tedious and therefore I determin'd to give a Ball. I confer'd with du Lys about it and she consented to it I ask'd her Fathers leave and he granted it me The following Sunday we Danc'd all Day and which we continued to do often till at length there came so many People that du Lys desir'd me to give it over and think oâ— some other Diversion We then resolv'd to get up a Comedy and Act it which we not long after did accordingly Here Madam Star interupted the Prior saying Sir since you are upon Comedy pray give me leave to ask you if this History of yours be much longer for it begins to grow late and Supper time approaches Ah! Madam quoth the Prior there is twice as much of it to come yet Then it was thought necessary to put it off to another time that the Actors might have time to dress for the Play and had it not been for which reason Monsieur Vervilles arrival would have interrupted it who got easily into the Chamber by reason that the Porter was asleep His coming surpriz'd the Company extremely He very courteously embrac'd them all and chiefly Monsieur Destiny whom he hugged closely more than once Afterwards he began to tell them the occasion of his Journey which you shall have in the following Chapter altho' it be very short CHAP. XI Resolutions of Destiny's Marrying with Star and Leander with Angelica THE Prior of St. Lewis would have been gone but Destiny stopt him telling him that Supper would be ready speedily and he should keep Monsieur Verville Company vvhom they had entreated to Sup vvith them The Hostess vvas called up and order'd to get something extraordinary Clean Linnen vvas laid good Cheer made many Healths drank and a great deal talk'd After Cloath vvas taken avvay Destiny desired to knovv of Verville the occasion of his coming into those Parts He ansvver'd that it vvas not on account of his Brother-in-Lavv Saldaigne's Death vvhich his Sisters lamented no less than he but by reason of a business of importance vvhich he had to Negotiate at Rennes in Britany so that being that vvay bound he could do no less than turn a little out of the Road to visit so good a Friend as him Destiny thank'd him heartily for the Honour he had done him and aftervvards inform'd him of all the ill Designs that Saldaigne had had against him vvhich you may have seen in the VI Chapter of this Third Part as likewise with the manner of his Death Verville shrug'd up his Shoulders at this Relation saying he had deservedly met with what he so industriously sought after After Supper Verville took Acquaintance with the Prior whom Destiny recommended to him for a very worthy Gentleman Having sat up a little with them the Prior retir'd when Verville took Destiny aside and demanded of him what made Leander in Mourning and how he came to have so many Lackeys after him all in Black likewise He satisfied him quickly in his Demands and moreover acquainted him that he was return'd with a design to Marry Madam Angelica And you quoth Verville When do you design to Marry Methinks it is high time to let the World know who you are which cannot be done without a Marriage adding withal that if his Business did not call him suddenly away he would stay to see both his and Leander's Marriage Solemniz'd Destiny answer'd it was necessary for him to know Madam Star's Mind before he declared himself Hereupon Star was presently called and the Marriage proposed to her whereto she readily answer'd that she ever would be rul'd by the advice of her Friends At last it was agreed that when Verville had funish'd his Affairs at Rennes he should return by Alençon and then all matters should be concluded The same was concluded between the Company and Mrs Cave concerning her Daughters Match with Leander Then Verville took his leave of the good Company and went to Bed Next Morning he set forth for Britany betimes and arriv'd not long after at Rennes where he immediately went to
with discretion and in a short time got together a considerable Sum of Money wherewith I retir'd into this City where I think my self extremely happy in meeting with so good Company as likewise in having done them some small Service Rather quoth Star the greatest that could be done for any Body She was going to say more when Ragotin started up and said he would write a Comedy upon this Story which would afford a more than ordinary Decoration of the Stage For Example a fine Park with a great Wood and a River with Lovers Walking and Fighting and a Priest saying his first Mass in it What could be finer This made all the Company laugh when Roquebrune who had all along contradicted him told him You will never be able to do any thing in the Matter You know nothing of the Rules of the Stage besides you must change the Scene and continue three or four Years upon it Then the Prior said Gentlemen pray don't dispute upon this point for I have taken care of it my self already You may remember that Monsieur du Hardy never observ'd Rules so strictly no more than some others of our late Poets have done such as the Author of St. Eustace c. Monsieur Corneille likewise would not have been so nice in that particular had not Monsieur Scudery been so severe on his Cid But for the most part these are such Faults as the better sort of Judges term beautiful ones I must tell you quoth the Prior I have Compos'd a Play on the Subject of my Adventures my self and have call'd it Fidelity preserv'd after Hope lost I have also taken for my Device a wither'd Tree with only a few blasted Leaves on it and a Spaniel-Dog lying at the Root of it with this Motto out of his Mouth Depriv'd of Hope yet always Faithful My Play hath been acted several times The Title you have chose for it quoth Star is as much à propos as your Device and Motto for your Mistress has prov'd false to you yet you continue constant to her resolving never to Marry any other The Conversation ended by the arrival of Monsieur Verville and Monsieur de la Garrouffiere and here ends this Chapter which no doubt has been tedious as well in regard of its length as Subject CHAP. XIV Verville's return accompanied by Monsieur de la Garrouffiere The Actors and Actresses Marriages together with an Adventure of Ragotin's ALL the Company were extremely surpriz'd to see Monsieur de la Garrouffiere As for Verville's return it had been long expected with impatience and that chiefly by the two Couples that were to be Married The Company demanded of la Garrouffiere what News he had brought He answer'd none but that Monsieur Verville having communicated an Affair of Importance to him he was glad of the occasion to come and see them again and to offer them a continuance of his Services Hereupon Verville made a sign to him that that matter was to be talked of in private and to break off the discourse he presently presented the Prior of St. Lewis to him who he told him was his particular Friend and moreover a Man of Worth Then Star told them he had just concluded a Story the most entertaining that could be imagin'd which caused these two new arriv'd Gentlemen to profess their concern for not having come before to have had their share of it Then Verville went into another Room whither Destiny soon followed him when after they had continu'd there for some time they called in Star and Angelica and afterwards Leander and Mrs. Cave whom Monsieur de la Garrouffiere followed without invitation When they were altogether Monsieur Verville told them that he had acquainted Monsieur la Garrouffiere with the Design of their Inter-Marriages whilst he was at Rennes and that he had presently resolv'd to go home by Alençon to assist at the Weddings The two Couples gave him a great deal of Thanks and return'd him their Acknowledgments of the Honour he had done them But now I think on 't quoth Monsieur Verville to la Garrouffiere had not we best have the Man up that waits below I think so reply'd la Garrouffiere if the Company were willing They answer'd any Friend of his or Monsieur Vervilles would be welcome at any time to them The Man was thereupon sent for up As soon as he enter'd the Room Mrs. Cave look'd stedfastly upon him and began to be mov'd tho' she knew not for what She was ask'd if she knew that Man She answer'd she could not remember she had ever seen him Then she was desired to take more notice of his Face which she did and began to find so many of her own Features in him that she cry'd out It is not my Brother sure Whereupon he immediately went to her and embracing her told her that he was her Brother whom variety of Misfortunes had kept so long from the sight of her He afterwards Saluted his Neice and the rest of the Company and then assisted at the secret Conference where it was concluded that the two Marriages should be speedily Solemniz'd All the difficulty at last was what Priest should Marry them Then the Prior who had been called in to the Conference stept up and said he would talk about that with the Parsons of the two Parishes in the City and of that of the Suburbs of Montfort and if they made any difficulty about it he would return to Sées and obtain leave of that Bishop and providing he would not grant it he would go and procure it from the Bishop of Mans who was his intimate Acquaintance and within whose Diocess his small concern lay The Company was very well pleased with his Proposal and desired him to take that trouble upon him Then was a Notary privately sent for and the Marriage Contracts drawn I don't tell you the Particulars of them because they never came to my knowledge but certain it is that the Parties were soon after Married accordingly Monsieur Verville Monsieur de la Garrouffiere and the Prior of St. Lewis were the Witnesses to the Contracts This last went immediately to discourse the aforesaid Parsons but neither of them would Marry them alledging several reasons that the Prior perhaps was unable to answer for want of Capacity This made him resolve according to his promise to go to Sées For this purpose he took Leanders Horse and one of his Servants and went to wait on the Bishop of that Diocess who was very unwilling to grant his Request The Prior urg'd that these People were truly of no Diocess being here to Day and gone to Morrow and yet they could not be reputed Vagabonds as the three Parsons would needs have them to be by reason that they had the Kings Licence and by consequence were Subjects of that Diocess wherever they happen'd to come Also that those Persons for whom he requir'd a Licence were at present in the Diocess of Alençon over
not yet dispos'd to receive his Addresses but that time for ought she knew might make an alteration upon her to his Advantage With these Words she left him and retir'd The small Hopes she gave him put him upon a Stratagem which was like to have spoil'd all and that was to make her Jealous He consider'd with himself that since she had shew'd some good Will towards him she would not fail to be Jealous if she really lov'd him He therefore sought out a Comrade of his that had a Mistress that lov'd him as much as his slighted him He desir'd him to give him leave to make his Addresses to her and he to do the like to his that he might observe how she would take it His Comrade would by no means grant his request till he had his Mistresses consent which nevertheless soon after demanding he easily obtain'd The first time that these two Ladies came together which I should have told you they did almost every Day the two Lovers made their exchange according to Agreement St. Germain stepping up to and Courting his Comrades Mistress whilst his Comrade did the like to the Haughty Margaret who received him but very coldly But assoon as she perceived her former Spark and his Mistress laugh'd she began to fly out into a great Passion well knowing then that this exchange had been concerted on Agreement and therefore immediately flung out of the Company with Tears in her Eyes This caused the obliging Mistress to go after her and endeavour to appease her telling her that this Stratagem of her Lovers was only to know her Mind the better and not to circumvent or affront her and therefore earnestly entreated her to take no farther notice of it but rather to favour the constant Addresses of so sincere a Lover as St. Germain had long been to her All this notwithstanding gain'd little upon the humoursom Margaret whereupon the unfortunate St. Germain was driven to so fierce a despair that for the future he fought nothing so much as to shew the violence of his Love by some rash Action which he hop'd might procure his Death This Resolution one Night not long after he had an occasion to put in Practice for whilst he and Seven of his Comrades were coming out of a Tavern half Drunk and with their Swords by their sides they chanc'd to meet three or four Gentlemen amongst whom was a Captain of Horse With these they began to dispute the Wall and which they obtain'd by being the greater number but the Gentlemen returning immediately after with four or five more of their Company they pursued these Persons that had so greatly Affronted them and overtook them in the High-Street when St. Germain being the foremost and having been the forwardest in the Affront the Captain discovering him to be a Trooper by his Hat stept up to him and gave him such a lusty blow with a Back-Sword that he cut thro' his Hat and cleft part of his Scull Having done this and thinking themselves sufficiently reveng'd the Captain and his Companions march'd off leaving St. Germain for dead in the Arms of his Friends He had little or no Pulse left and less Motion insomuch that they immediately carried him home and sent for several Surgeons who found Life yet remaining in him These drest his Wound stitch'd up his Scull and then bound it up The noise of this Contest had at first allarm'd the Neighbourhood but they were much more surpriz'd when they heard a Man had been so dangerously wounded The thing was talk'd about from one to t'other after a different manner but however all concluded that St. Germain was a Dead Man This Report quickly got to his cruel Mistresses House who tho' undrest yet immediately ran to see him and whom she found in the condition I have told you As soon as she saw Death begin to show its self in his Face she fell down in a Swoon and it was found no easy matter to recover her When she came to her self the Neighbours began to accuse her of being the Cause of this disaster and that if she had not been so unkind to him he would never have been so desperately rash this being but the result of what he had frequently threaten'd Then began she to tear her Hair wring her Hands and do all that Mad People are wont to do She afterwards proceeded to serve him with that diligence that all the time of his Illness she would neither undress her self nor lye down on the Bed not permit any of his Sisters to do any thing about him After he came to himself and began to know People it was judged necessary that she should absent herself which she was nevertheless with great difficulty prevail'd on to do He at length was cur'd and when he came to be perfectly well he was Married to his capricious Mistress Margaret to the satisfaction of every body but much more of himself After Leander had finish'd this Novel the Company return'd to the Town where having well Supp'd Danc'd and the like they put the new marry'd Couples to Bed These Weddings had been kept so secret that they had no Visitors for two Days after but on the third Day they were so embarras'd with them that they had not leisure left them to Study their Parts After a little time they all continu'd their Exercise as before except Ragotin who was fallen into a perfect Despair as you will find in the following Chapter CHAP. XVII Ragotin's Despair and Death with the end of the Comical Romance RAncour perceiving that he as well as Ragotin had no more hopes left of succeeding in his Love to Star got up betimes and went to the little Man whom he found likewise risen and Writing at the Table Upon his enquiry what he was doing he told him he was writing his own Epitaph How quoth Rancour Do People use to make their Epitaphs before they are Dead But what surprizes me most of all continu'd he is that you make it your self Yes I have made it my self answer'd Ragotin and will shew it you He thereupon open'd a Paper which was folded and read these Verses Ragotin's EPITAPH HEre th' unlucky Ragotin lies Who liv'd a Slave to fair Stars Eyes Yet Destiny him of her depriv'd Which made him take a Iourney strait To th' other World compell'd by Fate For needs must where the Devil driv'd For her a Stroller he became And here with Life concludes the same This is fine indeed quoth Rancour but you will never have the satisfaction to read it on your Tomb for it is the common Opinion that dead People neither see nor understand any thing of what we do that survive them Ah! answer'd Ragotin you have partly been the cause of my Misfortunes for you always gave me hopes I should succeed and yet I am very well assur'd you all along knew the contrary Then Rancour protested to him that he knew nothing certainly of it but confess'd that he
miss a day to write to her She return'd him such answers that were at least very civil if they were not altogether so passionate as his own but she wou'd receive none of his visits in the day time excusing herself upon her indisposition and at night appear'd very rarely at the Window which made Don Pedro exceedingly admire her reserv'd temper He thought too well of his own merit to doubt the success of his Courtship and question'd not to be belov'd by his Mistress when she came to know him better altho she had even an aversion for him now he was a stranger to her Hitherto his affairs went well enough but at last it so happen'd that he could not get a sight of his Mistress for four or five days following He was extremely afflicted at it or at least pretended to be so He compos'd several Verses upon the occasion I mean he either hir'd or bought them and had them sung under her Window But tho he omitted nothing that the most zealous Lovers cou'd practise yet all the favour he cou'd obtain was only to speak with her Maid who inform'd him that her Lady was more indispos'd than ever Upon this his Poetic Faculty was strangely perplex'd or at least the Gentleman-Poet whom he employ'd for upon the strictest search I find that versifying was never his talent He caus'd an Ayre to be made upon Aminta's being sick or Phyllis or Chloris no matter whether and besides his offensive and defensive Arms taking a Guitarr with him which we must suppose to be the best in the whole City he walk'd furiously in this Equipage towards his Mistress's quarter either to make her weep out of pure compassion or else to set all the Dogs in the neighbourhood a barking in order to compleat the Consort Any one I believe wou'd say a hundred to one that our Gentleman must do one of the two or perhaps both but alas he neither did one nor the other Within fifty paces of the thrice happy Mansion of his Divinity he saw the door open and a woman go out who had much of the air and shape of his invisible Angel He cou'd not imagin why a woman alone and so late at night should so resolutely turn up into a large spacious House lately destroyed by fire To inform himself better he walked round the ruins which one might enter at several places that he might get nearer the person whom he dogged He believed that this might be his Mistress who had made an assignation with his Rival to meet her in this strange place not daring to do it at home and not thinking fit to communicate this business to a third person which it so much concern'd her to keep secret and he resolved within himself that in case what he now only suspected happen'd to prove true to kill his Rival upon the spot and to revenge himself upon Seraphina by giving her the most opprobrious Language he could think of So he crept along as softly as he could till he came to a place from whence he could plainly see her for it was she sitting upon the ground and groaning so piteously as if she was going to give up the Ghost and in short after most severe pangs deliver'd of a small squawling Creature which we may suppose did not give her altogether so much pain in the begetting She was no sooner safely deliver'd but her Courage giving her strength enough she return'd the same way she came without troubling her head what would become of the poor Brat that she had brought into the world I will leave you to judge how great Don Pedro's surprize was He now found out the true reason of his Mistress's indisposition His head almost turn'd round to think what a Precipice he had escaped and he thanked Heaven most devoutly for preserving him from the danger but being generous in his temper he scorn'd to revenge himself upon the faithless Seraphina by exposing the Honour of her Family neither in his just resentment wou'd he suffer the innocent Babe to perish which he saw lying at his Feet exposed to the first dog that had the luck to find it He wrapt it up in his Cloak for want of something else and making all the haste he cou'd he call'd upon a discreet woman of his acquaintance to whom he recommended the Child putting it at the same time into her hands and gave her Money to buy it all necessaries This discreet woman finding herself nobly pay'd acquitted herself very well in her charge Next day the Infant had a Nurse was baptiz'd and nam'd Laura for you must know she was a Female In the mean time Don Pedro went to a Relation in whom he mightily confided and told her he had alter'd his design of marrying into that of travelling He desir'd her to manage his Estate for him in his absence and to receive into her house an Infant which he said belong'd to him to spare nothing in her education and for certain reasons which he wou'd acquaint her with at some other time to send her to a Convent as soon as she was three years old and above all to take particular care that she should know as little as might be of the affairs of this world He furnish'd her with necessary Instruments to look after his Estate provided himself with Money and Jewels took a faithful and trusty Servant but before his departure 〈◊〉 Granada writ a Letter to Seraphina She receiv'd it just at the time as she had acquainted her friends that her illness shou'd retard her Marriage no longer But Don Pedro's Letter which gave her to understand that he knew what had so lately befallen her put other thoughts into her head She devoted herself to a Religious life and soon after retir'd to a Convent with a full resolution never to stir out of it and cou'd not be induc'd to alter her mind by all the entreaties and tears of her Parents who us'd all the arguments they cou'd think of to disswade her from this resolution which appear'd so much the stranger to them as they could not divine the occasion of it Let us leave them to weep for their Daughter 's turning Nun who on her part wept heartily for her sins Let us leave her little Daughter Laura to grow in bulk and beauty and return to find Don Pedro on the Road to Sevil who cou'd not drive this late adventure out of his head and was as much disgusted at Marriage as once he was desirous to taste the pleasures of it He is afraid of all Women and not considering that there are both good and bad of that as well as of our own Sex he concluded within himself that a wise man ought to be diffident of all women and particularly of the witty more than the foolish being it seems of the opinion of those worthy Gentlemen who think that a woman knows more than comes to her share if she knows a jot more than stewing Prunes
struggling and sweating the Iron Bars were by main strength wrested from the Wall and my Gentleman deliver'd from the terrible fear of being found so scandalously wedg'd in a place where he cou'd be taken for nothing else but a House-breaker However this cou'd not be done with so little noise but that some of the Servants heard it and look'd into the street at the same time when Andrada carrying with him the Iron hoop which inclos'd him about the wast rubb'd off as hard as he cou'd drive attended by his Foot-man The neighbours and our servants cry'd out Stop Thief after them and made no question but that some Villains had attempted to rob Don Sancho's house especially when they saw the Iron Bar gone In the mean time Andrada got safe to his lodgings and was forc'd to file off the Iron Bar which grip'd him as close as a Belt for notwithstanding all the tricks that his man and he play'd there was no getting it off otherwise This third accident put him in a very ill humour as I came to be inform'd afterwards As for me I took it quite otherwise and while Marina not yet recover'd from her fright told me the story I thought I shou'd have kill'd my self with laughing However I was no less concern'd than he at this series of disappointments which rather inflam'd than cool'd our desires and wou'd not let us defer the happy minute of enjoyment any longer than the very next day after this pleasant but unlucky Adventure My Husband was in the City endeavouring to make up his friends business for him which in all probability would keep him there the remaining part of the day I sent trusty Marina to Andrada's Lodgâ—â—gs that were not far from my house she found him a 〈◊〉 still discompos'd with the fatigues of the last night and 〈◊〉 dejected by these unlucky crosses in his amours that Maâ—â—na was partly scandaliz'd to see with what coldness he reâ—eiv'd the advances I made him and to find him so backward 〈◊〉 give me the meeting altho she often assured him that 〈◊〉 was an opportunity that was not to be lost To make short of my story at last he came and I receiv'd him with all the transports of joy which a woman wholly abandon'd to her passion can feel I was so blinded by it that I did not perceive as well as Marina did with what indifference he made his approaches to me altho it was too visible However my embraces at last drew on his Hitherto our mutual joy could not be otherwise exprest than by our silence and the thoughts of what each of us desired with so much ardour put me into so great a confusion that I cou'd not look Andrada in the face and by this means gave him an opportunity to attempt what he pleased when Marina who like a discreet Chamber-maid had gone out of my room to be upon the watch came in all affrighted and told me my Husband was come home She carried Andrada into my dressing room rather dead than alive and seeming to be much more concern'd than my self altho I had more reason to be so My husband gave some orders to his people below before he came up into my chamber In this interval I had just time enough to compose my self and Marina to empty a great coffer full of lumber into which she put the despairing Andrada She had scarce stow'd up her Lover in this little sanctuary when my Husband came into my room and only kissing me as he pass'd by without any farther stay went into my dressing room where he found a Book of Plays and unhappilly open'd it He lighted upon a place that pleas'd him and had engag'd him to read longer if Marina had not advis'd me to go to him and try to bring him into my chamber My misfortune did not stop here for Don Sancho finding me strangely discompos'd and thoughtful as I had but too much reason to be endeavour'd by his own good humour to put me in a better Never in his life did he take so much pains to divert and please me as now and never did he vex and importune me more I begg'd him to quit my chamber pretending to be so sleepy that I could not hold up my eyes but by an unseasonable fit of pleasantry which was not usual with him neither he kept me company in spite of what I cou'd say to him and tho he was the most complaisant man alive in his temper yet he show'd so littlâ— of it then that I was forc'd to turn him out As soon as 〈◊〉 had lock'd my Chamber door I ran into my dressing room to deliver Andrada out of his prison Marina open'd in aâ— hast the Coffer wherein she had put him and both of us had like to have died of fear and grief 〈◊〉 we found him without pulse and without motion likâ— a dead man and so in effect he was according to all appearance Imagine to your self what terrible agonies thiâ— fight gave me and what measures it was possible for me to take in so cruel an extremity I wept I tore my hair I grew desperate I believe I had resolution enough to stabb my self with Andrada's Ponyard if my excessive grief had not so enfeebled me that I was forc'd to throw my self upon Marina's bed This maid altho she was concern'd to the last degree yet preserved her judgment better than I did in this our common misfortune and bethought herself how to remedy it which for my part I wanted strength to execute altho my reason had not been disorder'd in the least She told me that perhaps Andrada was only in a swoon and that a Chirurgeon either by bleeding or some other speedy relief might restore him that life which he seem'd to have lost I look'd upon her without returning her any answer my grief having in a manner made me stupid Marina lost no time in asking me more questions but went to put in execution what she had propos'd to me but no sooner had she open'd the door with this intention but my brother-in-law Don Lewis pop't in upon us and this second disaster was more terrible than the first Altho the Body of Andrada had not been expos'd to his view as it was yet the confusion and surprize he might read in our faces wou'd have told him that we had been engag'd in some myssterious affair which he wou'd not have failed to examine to the bottom being so much interess'd in me as he was both as a Brother-in-law and a Lover I was therefore obliged to throw my self at the feet of a man whom I had often beheld at mine and relying upon the love which he had for me and upon his generosity the essential quality of every Gentleman to resign the dearest thing I had in the World intirely to his will He did what he could to raise me up but being resolved to continue upon my knees I frankly told him as well as my tears and sighs wou'd
give me leave what a sad accident had befallen me at which I don 't at all question but he was pleas'd in his heart Don Lewis said I to him I don't implore thy generosity now to prolong my Life a few days my misfortunes have made it so odious to me that I wou'd take it away myself were I not afraid that my despair cou'd not effect it but at the expence of my honour from which that of Don Sancho and even his life are perhaps inseparable Thou may'st believe that the disdain I have all along shown thee was rather the effect of my aversion than of my virtue thou may'st rejoyce at my disgrace nay and glut thy revenge with it but darest thou reproach me with a crime which thou hast so often tempted me to commit and canst thou want indulgence for her who has so often shown it to thee Don Lewis wou'd not let me go on But Madam says he to me you see that Heaven has justly punish'd you for bestowing your affections upon one whom you ought to have hated but I have no time to lose that I may convince you by drawing you out of this premunire that you have not a better friend in the world than Don Lewis Having said this he left me and return'd a moment after with two Porters whom he had order'd to be sent for Marina and I in the mean time had put Andrada's Body again into the great Coffer Don Lewis lent a helping hand to put it on the fellow's Shoulders and bid them carry it to a certain friend's house to whom he had discoverâ—d this Adventure as he had before trusted him with the secret of his amour Here after he had before taken Andrada's Body out of the Coffer he ordere'd it to be laid at full length upon a Table and while they were taking off his Cloaths he felt his Pulse and put his hand on that part of his breast where the palpitation of the Heart is best to be discover'd and found there were still some sparks of life left in him He sent for a Chyrurgeon in all haste while in the mean time they put him to Bed and employ'd all the remedies that were proper to bring him to himself again 〈◊〉 â—ort he came to himself and was blooded A Servant was left to attend him and the company quitted the room to afford time to nature and rest to compleat that cure which their remedies had so successfully begun You may imagine how great Andrada's surprize was when after so long a deliquium he found himself in Bed and cou'd only remember what a fright he was in when they put him into the Coffer he knew not where he was nor what he had to hope or fear He was taken up with these mortifying thoughts when he heard the Chamber door open and when the Curtains were drawn he saw by the light of some tapâ—â— that were brought into the room Don Lewis whom he very well knew to be my Brother-in-law and who having taken a chair spoke to him as follows Am I a stranger to you Signior Andrada and don 't you know that I am Brother to Don Sancho Yes replied Andrada I know you well enough And do you remember cries Don Lewis what happen'd to you to day at his House Take my word for t continues he that if you pretend any more to carry on your intreagues with my Sister-in-law or if I ever see you more in our Street you shall sorely repent it and know that thou hadst been a dead man if I had not taken compassion on a foolish and unfortunate woman who has been pleas'd to put her life and honour in my hand and if I were not fully assur'd that thy criminal designs against my Brother's honour have not been put in execution Change your habitation continues he and think not to escape my resentments if you break the promise I expect you should make me Andrada promised him more than he ask'd he made him the meanest and most abject submissions he cou'd think of and protested to him that he ow'd him a life for saving his now He was weak enough in all conscience to keep his bed but his excessive fear gave him strength enough to get up From that very moment he conceiv'd as great an aversion for me as his affection before had been violent nay he had my very name in horrour In the mean time I was uneasy to know what was become of him but I had not assurance enough to ask Don Lewis nay not to look him in the face I sent Marina to Andrada's Lodging where she arrived just at the same time as he came in himself and had ordered his trunks to be got ready in order to remove to another quarter of the Town As soon as he saw her he forbad her to come to him any more from me and recounting to her in a few words all that had pass'd between Don Lewis and himself he added that I was the most ungrateful and most perfidious woman in the world that he wou'd only consider me for the future as one that design'd to ruine him and desired that I wou'd no more think of him than if I had never seen him Having said this he turned Marina out of his Chamber who was extremely surprized at his treatment However her astonishment was not so great but that she had presence of mind enough to dog him him at a distance and observing the house where his Trunks were carried by that means came to know his new lodging The vexation I felt to be accus'd of a crime whereof I was innocent and to be hated by the man whom I loved so tenderly and for whom I had hazarded my life and reputation hindred me from taking so much satisfaction in his safety as otherwise I should have done I fell into a fit of melancholy which threw me into a sickness and my distemper which the Physicians cou'd not tell what to make of was no little affliction to my Husband To compleat my misfortune Don Lewis began to value himself upon the important service he had done me he incessantly importun'd me to grant him that happiness which I had intended for Andrada reproaching me that I was in love with the latter all the time I preach'd to him what I ow'd to my Husband and what he ow'd to a Brother Thus being hated by the man I lov'd lov'd by the man I hated seeing Andrada no more seeing Don Lewis too often and perpetually accusing my self for having been so ungrateful to the best husband in the World who left nothing undone to please me and who was distracted at my illness when he had the justest provocations to take away my life being thus troubled with remorse of conscience of love and hatred two passions so contrary I kept my Bed for two Months expecting every moment my death with joy but Heaven it seems reserv'd me for greater misfortunes My youth in spite of my self assisted me
seeming to be surpriz'd but perhaps you may have occasion to repent of this insolence He was a man of Courage and alighted from his Horse at the same time that Don Garcias alighted from his who would not vouchsafe him an answer They were now coming up to one another with their Swords in hand when Don Garcias's Friend told them that they must not offer to tilt without him and offer'd to fight Andrada's Footman who was a well shap'd young Fellow and of a promising countenance Andrada protested that altho he had the best Swordsman in Spain for his second he would only fight one against one His Footman not contenting himself with his Masters protestation protested likewise that for his part he would fight no man whatever for what cause whatever at any Weapon whatever So Don Garcias's friend was forc'd to be an humble Spectator or if you please Godfather to the two Combatants which is no new thing in Spain The Duel did not last long heaven so much favouring the righteous cause of Don Garcias that his Enemy pressing upon him with more fury than skill ran upon his Sword and fell down at his feet losing his blood and life together Andrada's Footman and the Postboy neither of whom were made for Heroes threw themselves at the Feet of Don Garcias who meant them no mischief He commanded Andrada's Footman to open his Masters Portmantle and give him all that Andrada had taken from Eugenia He obey'd him immediately and put into his hand a rich Manteau Gown and Petty-coat and a little Box which by its weightiness would have made a blind man swear that it was not empty The Footman found the Key of it in his Masters pocket and gave it to Don Garcias who bid him do what he pleased with his Master's body threatning to cut his throat if he ever saw him in Valladolid He commanded the Postboy not to come back till the dusk of the evening and promis'd him he should find the two Horses that he had hired at the Post-house I suppose he was punctually obey'd by these two worthy Gentlemen who were ready to dye for fear and thought they were exceedingly oblig'd to him because he did not kill them as he had done Andrada History leaves us in the dark as to what his Footman did with his Body and as for his moveables 't is very probable that he kept them for his own use Our Memoirs likewise are wanting to inform us how the Post-boy manag'd himself in this affair Don Garcias and his Friend gallop'd it all the way to Valladolid and alighted at the Imperial Ambassador's House where they had Friends and stay'd till it was night Don Garcias sent for his Footman who told him that Eugenia was in pain to see him The Horses were sent back to the Post-house by an unknown person who cunningly rubb'd off after he had deliver'd them to one of the Ostlers As for Andrada's death the people of Valladolid either talked nothing of it because they never heard a word of it or if they talk'd of it they said no more but that a Cavalier was kill'd by some unknown Enemy or by Thieves Don Garcias return'd to his Lodgings where he found Eugenia drest in the Cloaths which his Landlady had taken care to provide for her I am apt to believe that she took them up at a Broker's for in Spain 't is a common thing for persons of quality both men and women to rig themselves in such places He restor'd Engenia her things again and particularly her Jewels and inform'd her after what manner he had revenged her quarrel upon Andrada Being of a sweet and tender disposition she was extremely concerned for the unfortunate end of a person whom she had once lov'd so dearly and the thoughts that she was the cause of so many Tragical disasters afflicting her as much as her own misfortunes caus'd her to shed abundance of tears That day publick notice had been given at Valladolid that no one should entertain or conceal Eugenia and two hundred Crowns were offered by way of reward to any one that cou'd bring any news of her This made her resolve to get into a Convent as soon as she cou'd However she pass'd that night in the lodging where she was and slept as little as she did the night before Don Garcias rose by break of day to go visit the Governess of the Convent that was related to Eugenia and promis'd to receive her and keep her private as long as she was able From thence he went to hire a Coach and order'd it to stop at a by-street adjoyning to his whither Eugenia came accompanied by the Gentlewoman of the house both of them being covered in their veils The Coach carried them to a certain place where they ordered the Coachman to set them down and there they alighted that no one should find out the Convent where Eugenia retired She was courteously entertained there Don Garcias's Landlady took her leave of her and went to inform herself how matters were like to go with Don Sancho She was told that things look'd with an ill aspect and that the least they talked of doing to him was to give him the Question Don Garcias communicated this news to Eugenia who was so much concern'd to see her husband in danger of being punished for a crime which he was no way guilty of that she was resolved to surrender herself into the hands of Justice Don Garcias disswaded her from it and advis'd her rather to write to the Judge Criminal to let him know that only she could inform him who it was that kill'd Don Lewis Upon this the Judge who by good luck was related to her went attended with several other Officers of Justice to discourse her She freely confess'd to them that she had kill'd Don Lewis acquainted them with the just provocation he had given her to serve him so and recounted to them the particulars of all that had pass'd between Don Lewis and herself except what related to Andrada Her confession was taken down in writing and a report of it made to his Catholick Majesty who considering the blackness of Don Lewis's crime the just resentment of Eugenia her courage and resolution the innocence of Don Sancho and his Domesticks order'd them all to be set at liberty and granted his Royal Pardon to Engenia at the instance of all the Court who appear'd in her behalf Her husband was not much displeas'd with her for the death of his Brother nay if one knew the truth perhaps he lov'd her the better for it He made her a visit as soon as he was enlarg'd and would fain have taken her home with him but she would not consent to it notwithstanding all his importunities and prayers She did not question but that he took Don Lewis's death as he ought to take it but she knew very well that he had heard something of what had pass'd between her and the Portuguese Cavalier that the
Banishment and thus to save her Brother's Life she render'd her own uneasy being marryed to a Covetous Impertinent Jealous Prince who while he lived was the scorn and laughter of the Court of Nâ—ples FINIS THE BOOKSELLERS TO THE READERS WE shall not trouble you with a long Harangue in Praise of our Author he being known to be one of the wittiest Men of his Age and Husband to the great Madam de Maintenon whose Polities and Wit have made her famous all Europe over but to give you some account of this Edition we having observ'd that the Comical Works of Scarron had been several times printed at Paris at Amsterdam and elsewhere thought it would not be unacceptable to the English Reader if we got them Translated and Collected into one Volume which we were the more induc'd to undertake because the Third Part of the Comical Romance was never in English as likewise several of his Novels and Characters and because Part of his Works had been Translated near Forty Years ago from Copies neither so Correct nor full as this last Paris Edition from which we had this Translation Besides that what was Printed of our Authers in English was part in a Folio Volume and partly an Octavo and so could not be bound together Some Persons may object why is not the City Romance here To which we answer it was none of his but only Father'd upon him to make it sell and our design was only to Publish his Genuine Works which we have done from the best Paris Edition and as to the English we hope the Translators have done themselves and you Iustice several of these Novels being interspers'd in the Comical Romance we here add the Names of them and Page for the ready finding of them and remain Your Servants c. Scarron's Novels The Invisible Mistress p. 20. The History of Destiny and Mrs. Star p. 44. The Impostor out Witted p. 103. The History of Cave p. 151. Leander's History p. 162. The Iudge in her own Cause p. 198. The Two Rival Brothers p. 240. The History of the Prior of St. Lewis p. 303. The Two Iealous Ladys p. 341. The Capricious Lady p. 346. All these in the Comical Romance Avarice Chastis'd or the Miser Punish'd p. 1. The useless Precaution p. 20. The Hypocrites p. 66. The Innocent Adultery p. 92. The Generous Lover p. 121. SELECT LETTERS OF M. SCARRON Done into English by Mr. Brown LETTER I. To the Countess of Fiesque Madam YOU have not a better Friend upon the Face of the Earth than Fame If you knew how many Good Offices she daily does you where'er she goes you would own you have a thousand Obligations to her Ever since the City of Orleans has been taken by a Young Princess attended by Two Countesses who wont give the Wall to any two Counts in Christendom this everlasting Babbler has deafen'd all the World with the Recital of your Exploits But 't is agreed on all hands that 't is impossible for her to talk too much of them so let us e'en leave her to prattle as she pleases and not Reproach her for being guilty of the Sin of Repetition I confess the Action was Noble and Heroic and my Muse lies under a violent Temptation to try how she can Celebrate it tho' I have laid an Injunction upon her to be a Mute as long as I live How in the name of Wonder What Scale a City I defie our fiercest Heroes to do more than your Illustrious Heroine even Clorinda and Camilla could not have behav'd themselves more bravely at the Assault than your Ladyship and Madam de Frontenac You are two Bold-spirited Amazons and I will maintain you to be such not only in Fâ—ance but all over the Universe Neither la Hire nor Poton nor the Gallant Dunois have carry'd their Glory farther by following the Steps of the Old Maid of Orleans that was burnt than you have acquir'd Reputation by imitating the Modern one who Burns all that behold her Her Charming Eyes inflame the Nation And cause a General Conflagration In short let the Great Prince who will make her change her Name one of these days be as Brave as he pleases I question not but all the World will own that the Lady is in all respects as good as the Lord nay I dare almost swear before I have seen America whither my Dog of a Destiny will send me in my latter days that at my coming there I shall hear the Indians talk of the Noble Exploits which her Incomparable Royal Highness attended by her Brave Lieutenant-Generals has perform'd for the Party I would expatiate upon this Argument in Verse and Prose if I concern'd my self at all in the Affairs of Europe and besides it would look ill in such an Unfortunate Wretch as I am to pretend to meddle with any gay Subâ—ects My meaning therefore in Writing to you now was only to thank your Ladyship for being so kind as to remember my last Petition for which I shall be oblig'd to you as long as I live tho' the Business does not succeed I am Your Ladyships most humble and most obedient Servant Scarron LETTER II. To Mademoiselle de Nevillan Madam ALtho' in the common Language of the World we use to say Damn'd Poets and Poor Cripples yet certainly there 's nothing like being one of the two or both since with these unhappy Qualities I have deserv'd a Letter from Madam de Nevillan However I will be so wise as not to Boast of this Favour for if I should every Coxcomb in Town would fall a writing of Verses tho' he had no Genius for 'em and your Ladyship would be perpetually persecuted by these wretched Rhimers In the next place a world of our well-shap'd Beaus would immediately break their Legs and Arms to put themselves in the same Predicament with me and that would really be a pitiful Sight yet after they had done so perhaps you would not Write to them and that would be the Devll and all of a Disappointment For this Reason I will not thank you in Publick for the Obliging Letter you were pleas'd to Write to me I beg you to believe that I shall always be oblig'd to you for it and that I am Madam Your most humble and most obedient Servant Scarron LETTER III. To Madam de St. Denis Nun. Madam THE Present you made me is very Pretty but the Letter you sent me is infinitely more I am resolv'd to wear your Bracelets on all Days of Ceremony and I will carefully preserve your Letter among my Richest Curiosities But 't is not enough to thank you in Prose Your Present Fair Nun Has your Vassal undone To my sorrow I say it He can never repay it This I plainly declare But you 'll force me to Swear Why let Fevers attack me Or Rheumatism rack me If this wo'n't suffice You some Oath must devise Of a terrible Size Lâ—t it be what it will I 'll Swear like a Dragon
not be Archdeacons and Deacons I can't tell how I came to stumble upon this Word perhaps Perhaps I had not us'd it if I had thought better of the matter The next time do my self the Honour to Write to you I will have a foul Copy by me because I will do nothing against my Conscience But to return to my Prebend since you have given it away you ought to give me another in recompence nay tho' it were only to make me amends for losing so much time in relying upon the Promises of your late Unkle of Happy Memory and no Performances I need not inform you what you are to do but if I were in your place I would bestow a good Benefice upon one that wou'd be in mine forâ— I know you never want means to make Vacancies without offending against Good Manners as an Eunuch did whose Name was Mortier Unkle to the Abbot of Evron and who was himself of Marmoustier I don't mean Eunuch but Abbot This Jewel of a Monk Poison'd a Score of Priors once at a Dinner and thereupon Writ a Treatise entitled A Method to make Benefices Vacant Publish'd by the Right Reverend Father in God such a one c. 'T is a great sign that I grow Old when I set up for a Teller of Stories But the Clock has struck Twelve and the Laverdins who are great Talkers don't love those that Talk as much as themselves and as for my self I am one of the greatest Talkers I know For this Reason therefore and because I Writ this Letter only to tell it you I will conclude However I will make bold to add that now you are in the Kingdom of your Fathers you ought to remember my Friend Menage who with all his Merit and Learning has got but little Preferment in the Church and you would do well to give him a lift I bethink my self likewise that I have forgot to Flourish my Letter here and there with as many My Lords as are due to a Prelate but I will avoid this Fault for the future and never Write to you without having a foul Copy by me I am My Lord Your most humble and most obedient Servant and what 's more Your dutiful Canon Scarron LETTER XII To his Eminence my Lord Cardinal de Retz My Lord YOU have made me Rich in spite of Fortune in getting your self made Cardinal in spite of your Enemies I hazarded all I was worth in the World that you would be advanc'd to this Dignity and if I have to do with Gentlemen of Honour I shall be worth half as much again as I was before I pray God that you may be able to say the same and let his Providence bring it about as he shall think most convenient 'T is likely he will do it all at once and your New Purple will soon I hope be supported with every thing Necessary to its Grandeur to show all the World that the Hand which made Amboise and Richelieu Cardinals has not yet shown all it is able to do I hope we shall in a short time have the Satisfaction of seeing this come to pass In the mean time My Lord I humbly entreat you to believe that in France in the Indies or wheresoever my Unfortunate Destiny shall carry me I will always be with the utmost Zeal and Respect Your Eminence's Most humble and most obedient Servant Scarron LETTER XII To the Duke of Retz My Lord YOU take a Pleasure perhaps to be Generous but pray be undeceiv'd 'T is the greatest Plague can happen to a Person of Quality when he is so indiscreet as to show any Favours to such an unfortunate Fellow as I am 'T is not enough with us Authors to be once oblig'd for we are importunate Duns to our Patrons as long as we live T'other day you gave me Voiture's Works and am I not an Impudent Fellow to ask you a thing of greater Importance I know some Lords in the World that wou'd immediately change colour upon these Words but the Duke of Retz I am persuaded will read 'em without any dread and I dare engage that he is as impatient to know what I am going to Beg of him as I am confident I shall obtain it The Matter in short is as follows A Young Gentleman of my Acquaintance who at Twenty Years of Age has Fought Twenty Duels and all as Noble as that of the Horatii and Curiatii and who is as Wise as Valiant has Kill'd an Impudent Scoundrel that forc'd him to Fight him Now he cannot get his Pardon out of Paris and by his good will wou'd be in Security there because he has a Natural Aversion for Hanging I could make a shift to find him a Lodging at a certain Prince's Palace but then he would run the risque of Starving there now I humbly conceive that Famine is rather worse than the Gallows If you will be pleas'd to afford him Sanctuary in your House I know he will have no reason to fear either one or the other and besides 't will be no little Satisfaction to you to have protected a Young Gentleman of his Merit This is not all for you 'll take the greatest Pleasure in the World to see him Snuff the Candles with a Pistol as often as you have a mind to see the Pastime As you are the most Generous Person living I don't doubt but you 'll thank for me giving you so handsom an occasion to exercise your Generosity and for my part I promise you it shall not rest here for as soon as you have granted me this Favour I will every day importune you to employ your own Interest and that of your Friends to obtain his Pardon The Burlesque Muse will not be silent of such a Kindness but will endeavour to show her Gratitude though till now she never engag'd in an Affair of this Nature I ask you a thousand Pardons for the length of this Letter and as often Kiss your Fair Hands or such as they are Oblige with a few Lines My Lord Your most humble and most obedient Servant S. LETTER XIII To the Queen of Sweden Madam I Have sent your Majesty some of my Works which perhaps you have not yet seen If you find any thing in them to Please you I shall be as glad as 't is possible for a Man to be who after he has had the Honour of seeing you is now so Unhappy as to be depriv'd of that Blessing Nothing was wanting to compleat the Calamities of my Life but that I should afflict my self for your Majesty's Absence and at the same time Envy all those that are near you I don't know whether these Persons are sensible of the Happiness they enjoy but I shall reckon them the most Stupid of all Irrational Animals if they entertain not the highest Admiration and Respect for your Majesty As for me if I were in their place and able to ramble from one Country to another I should immediately set up for a
little Orlando for your sake 'T is true I should not with one single Stroak of my Sword fell so many thumping Trees or commit so many Ravages as my Brother Hero in Ariosto My Follies should give more Diversion than his tho' they were nothing near so Terrible and perhaps they would not excite less Compassion You see Madam I have made use of the Permission your Majesty gave me as being a Gallant of no Consequence to be that for the greatest Queen that ever was which this Romantick Blusterer was for a Queen that was never in being 'T was well your Majesty gave me this Permission for otherwise I might have taken it and by refusing it you might have seen your self Dis-obey'd by one who would not do it upon any other Occasion tho' it cost him his Life Setting aside Majesty you are Madam one of the most Admirable Women in the Universe Whereever you go your Eyes make you more Subjects than a great Kingdom gave you and as they do of themselves all those Miracles we have seen them do without your taking any Pains to Teach them we must be forc'd to own they are the Finest and most Charming Eyes in the World but withal the most Dangerous Thus I behold nothing but Rivals in all the Persons that come to see me and I behold no fewer Rivals among the Ladies which is none of the least Miracles your Majesty has perform'd I mean your makinâ— them so Just to you who are naturally Envious to the 〈◊〉 their Sex I should fear Madam that I took too much 〈◊〉 with your Majesty if you did not know better than â—y one that a great deal of Icarus and Ixion enters into the Composition of a Poet and that the History of these two rash Adventurers tho' by the by their end is not very much for the Advantage of these Traders in Immortality is of all Fables that which pleases them most and is of the greatest use to them There is not a Poet to be found who would not prefer the Reputation of being a Modern Ixion to that of turning a Stanza handsomely and a happy Boldness for so they are pleas'd to Christen their Love of Contemplation to the Laurel or Mony or both together But Madam perhaps I begin to abuse the Command your Majesty laid upon me to write to you if I have not already abused it I beseech you therefore that if you think fit to continue this Honour to me you would let me know how far my Letters may be privileged with you that they may never go beyond the Respect I owe you I am Your most humble most obedient and most dutiful Servant Scarron To the Countess de Brienne Paris August 7. 1657. Madam YOU had the Curiosity to see me as well as the Queen of Sweden you ought therefore like her to give me leave to be in love with you and allow me the Honour of a Passion which now perhaps no longer depends upon your consent If you are of opinion that I ask more than you ought to grant me or that I undertake more than I am able to perform I will content my self with being one of your Friends and conceal the Lover from you Unless you think fit to allow me this Favour you must e'en discard me your Service which will be a severe Mortification to me for I have a furious desire to please you with all my Might After so frank a Declaration you may very well imagine that I would not deceive you for all the World I will therefore honestly acquaint you with all the good and ill Qualities of the Person who is resolv'd to devote himself to you while he lives His Body in truth is somewhat ill-shap'd and out of sorâ—s as you could not but observe when you saw him and Women with Child are forbidden to make him any Visits As for his Soul he is so well satisfy'd with it that he would not exchange it with any but yours When he is in love he loves with so much violence that he is sometimes asham'd of himself for it and since all must out although he is nicely punctual in discharging the Offices of Friendship yet he is a little remiss in writing to his Friends But then he speaks well of them upon all Occasions with a sort of Fury too and sometimes so much as to tire his Hearers and when he is oblig'd to espouse a Man's part whom he pretends to love a Lyon and he are one and the same thing If you like me after this Description I am entirely at your Service Thus expecting that you 'll pronounce either my good or bad Destiny I am and always shall be after what rate soever you think fit to treat me Your Languishing Ladyship 's most Passionate Admirer Scarron LETTER VII To the Countess de Brienne Paris Aug. 8. 1657. Madam IT was in your Power I own it to chuse whether you would receive a Declaration of Love from your humble Servant but as it was not in your Power to hinder him from being so bold and presumptuous as to make one allow me to doubt whether you have rejected it till such time as you absolutely Command me to believe the contrary If you a Common Beauty were One Frown might make your Slave forbear But Madam who can you behold Made of Nature's richest Mould A Nymph so Charming who can see And not with Love transported be And when with his resistless Dart The little God has pierc'd the Heart What Mortal can conceal the smart No the poor Wretch is forc'd to show it By sad Experience I know it Come let us go to Confession Madam and honestly own that neither of us were so sincere as we ought to have been in the first Letters we writ to one another and that if it is impossible not to speak to you of Love being so Beautiful as you are 't is no less so for me who pretend to an indifferent Judgment to content my self with only being one of your Friends as I intimated to you in my last If the Conclusion of your Letter is as sincere as the Beginning of it is otherwise the good Opinion you promise to have of me will produce tragical Effects at Court and you will see hundreds of Pretenders there cripple themselves and all to rival me For my part I can't help it if they do and tho' I shall strive by the Violence of my Passion to deserve what your natural Goodness permits me to hope yet I shall not be so love-sick neither as to attempt to please you at the Loss of my Understanding LETTER XVII To the Count de Vivonne June 12. 1660. IN vain my Lord you post it away And kill your Brace of Steeds a day And o're the dusty Plains come pouring Like Husband for a Midwife scouring Or Winds the Clouds before them driving Or Parson scamp'ring for a Living You 'll come too late to see that * The Marriage of Lewis XIV of
Hearts of Stone And cannot hope to find Repose Till Death my wearied Eyes do's close Why should my barb'rous Stars delight On me to shed their restless Spight 'T is plain I suffer for the Crime Of trespassing in wicked Rhime To make you amends for this Melancholy Letter wherein I was forced in spight of my Teeth to unbosom my self to you I send you six new Stanza's which I have added to my Baroncide The Novel call'd the Spanish Paralitic which was trump'd up against me to out-do what I had done of that Nature as far as I can find has done me no Harm but made the Author ridiculous Spanish Grammars did not sell for 50000 Livres as you sent me word but they did not come much short of it However that Tongue was never so corrupted in this World as it has been of late years in Paris I am exceedingly obliged to you for the Trouble you gave your self to procure me the Spanish Plays and remain c. LETTER XX. To the same Aug. 1. Sir IT vexes me that at the very time when you tell me I might divert his Highness I cannot write to you with that Gayety as I would and that my Hand rebells against my Inclinations for to my sorrow I have been plagu'd with a cruel Fit of the Gout for this Month last past as well as his Highness as if I had not had Miseries enough before to torment me All I can do under this new Indisposition and those other Calamities my ill Fortune persecutes me with tho' I say it without Boasting is that I swear as heroically and with as good a Grace as any Man in France and I humbly conceive that if his Highness wou'd now and then condescend like other frail Mortals to swear a little he wou'd find some Relief and Benefit by it I wou'd by no means advise him to lay it on so plentifully as I do but if his Highness would sometimes stumble upon an Oath or so without any Wicked Intention but only to expectorate himself I fansie it would not be amiss For my part I am sometimes so very mad that if all the Furies in Hell came to fetch me away I believe in my Conscience I should almost go and meet them half-way This is the second Melancholy Letter I have plagu'd you with If his Highness were as well acquainted with the nonsensical Stuff of our witty Coxcombs as he is with Military Affairs and every thing else that happens in the World it would be some Diversion to him to read this Letter Madamoiselle de l' Enclos who supt last Night with d'Elbene and my self told me she wou'd write to his Highness to Day◠I sent to compliment Monsieur de Rochefort at the Hostel d'Estrée but he took no notice of it but 't is ten to one I shall be even with the Gentleman e're long and quit Scores with him at Paris My Letter is of the shortest as well as yours was but next Friday I will take care to make you amends Adieu LETTER XXI To the same May 8th Sir YOU oblige me in the most sensible Part when you write to me I have no other Comfort in this World but my generous Friends and when you are pleased to assure me that you are still one of that Number you rejoice me infiniteély more than the General Peace will do This Comparison at first Sight I suppose will appear weak to you and indeed I must needs own that the Affairs of Europe may change a hundred times and still for the better whereas mine are in no likelihood of mending But I have a wonderful Desire to see your Prince once more in France if it were for no other Reason but because France has had a very ill hand at Princes this year altho' she has more of them than ever and perhaps the succeeding years will be no better than the former as likewise to embrace my fat my plump my jolly M for I make no question but that the Flemish Double Beer has improv'd his Shape to a Miracle But is it possible that the Great Conde should know I am still in the World My Friend Guenault told me that he saw the Second Part of my Comical Romance lie upon his Table which has made me as proud as Lucifer These Furious Devils call'd Hero's wou'd be worth their weight in Gold wou'd they but stoop so low as to have a little Love for us poor Mortals who love them exceedingly As for yours one would swear that a Hundred Hero's at least went to the making of him since he has put our invincible Troops so often to the scamper It may truly be said of him that if he was a great Prophet in his own Country which the Scripture tells us no Man ever was he was a greater in a Foreign Country If he takes the Trouble to cast his Eye upon the Five Letters I have sent you pray let me know what he says of them The Melancholy Letter comes just now from me piping hot the rest were written last year I will shortly send you a Sketch or Essay that has something of the Spirit of Satyr in it 't is my Misfortune that 't is writ upon a Rascal who is not known enough in the World In short 't is a Son of a Whore of an Extortioner that owes me Six hundred Pistols and refuses to pay me But to drop this Villain I will tell you after what Manner the Third Volume of my Comical Romance begins There were not as yet any Iilting Females in the World and these Jansenists of Love had not as yet began to despise Mankind Our Ears were not as yet persecuted with Life of Life Angelick Fair and Charming Goddess when the little Ragotin c. Well Old Tost and how dost thou pass thy time Tell me Bully Rock art thou still strong and Iusty Are the Bona Roba's kind and will they venture a Broad-side with one Adieu thou everlasting Devourer of Tarts thou Ocean of Custards and Walking Quagmire of Butter When the gallant Persan comes to Paris 't will be his Fault if we don't drink t'other Pot of Tea in my little Room Pray give my humble Service to him and make a Compliment in my Name to those worthy Gentlemen Bouteville and Rochefort Take care in good time to inform the pretty Lady who you say is fall'n in love with me that for the Punishment of my Sins my Person is become so hideous and terrible that here in Paris they forbid Big-bellied Women to come near me To conclude I must conjure you still to love me by your Long and Strong I will not say but such as Providence has given it you Lazarillo de Tormes LETTER XXII To the Mareschal d'Albret Aug. 20. My Lord YOU may conclude we have little News stirring here when I am reduced to so low an ebb as to tell you that Boncaur and Charleval are in Normandy and that Madam de Martel and her Daughter came yesterday to
who come to see in my Chamber just as People went formerly to see an Elephant out of Curiosity or who come to spend an Afternoon with me when they are disappointed in their Visits or have nothing else to do there has scarce pass'd a Year over my head I say since then but some of these Pretenders to Generosity and Friends in Masquerade have made me most Magnificent Promises and voluntarily offer'd to serve me or any of my Friends without my asking Whereas Mons. the Chief President whom I never had the Honour to see in all my life sent me last Year a considerable Present by Abbé Menage a little after I had Dedicated a Book to him whereas you who did not know whether I was in the World have Honour'd me with your Favours and in a manner too more Obliging than the Favour itself I presume my Lord I ought not any farther to explain to you what I desire of you though you have laid an injunction upon me to do it I ought indeed to receive whatever Kindnesses you think fit to confer upon me with all imaginable Gratitude but I have no Right to prescribe them to you or to importune you for them A Person of your Generosity needs not be instructed what he is to do 'T is enough for the Comfort of my Life hereafter that you have been pleas'd to look down from the Eminent Station wherein you are plac'd upon that wherein I am and I don 't at all doubt after the obliging Letter you did me the Honour to write to me and which I will carefully preserve that I may justly apply to you what a Celebrated Poet formerly said of his Benefactor Deus nobis haec otia fecit LETTER XXXVI To the same My Lord THough I had been as ill receiv'd by the Queen of Sweden as my Reception has all along been otherwise yet every time I order'd my self to be carried to the Louvre to divert her Majesty I was told that I should not be unwelcome if I now and then waited upon you and paid my Respects to the Person to whom I am more oblig'd than any Man living I had long before this gratify'd my impatient Desire to see you if my Health had not oblig'd me to go to take the Air within a League of Paris where I hope to finish a Play and the Conclusion of my Romance In the mean time my Lord I beseech you to remember the Promise you made my Wife concerning the Marquisate of her Cousin de Circe and to permit Mons. Patriau to make a Report of it to you I confess 't is a great Favour we ask you but I think I have already told you that you cannot grant small ones and still I protest to you that if I were not fully satisfy'd that this Estate for which we entreat your definitive Sentence is one of the most Seigneurial in France I would not have presum'd to speak to you about it although all my Wife's Relations in Poictou have daily importun'd me But I will no longer trespass upon your Patience I am My Lord Your most humble c. LETTER XXXVII To Mons. Pelisson Sir YOU may read what my Patron writes to me before it comes to my hands After all the good Offices you have done me with him you may very well open the Letters he writes to me and I have some reason methinks to complain of you for not reading that of to day's date before I had it 'T is full of the kindest Expressions that can be imagined it has warm'd my Gratitude to so high a Degree and thrown me into so great a Confusion that if he should write me many more Letters of the same strain I believe that I who ought to Love him more than any Man in the World should at last go and Stab my self at his Feet to express a Resentment so sincere as mine is I have sent you this Letter that you may confess with me that nothing can be more obliging Send it me back I beseech you for I will lodge it amongst my most valuable Archives as a Pledge of that Kindness which the most Generous Man upon Earth has been pleas'd to express for me Pray send me your Opinion whether you think he was diverted with the Epigrams that I compos'd upon B Unless I am mistaken two of them are pleasant enough LETTER XXXVIII To Sir 'T IS almost impossible for one to be Obliging as you are and not to be very often importun'd For my part I am very sensible that I am troublesome to you but Importunities may in some manner be allow'd to Unfortunate Persons in which number I am sorry to rank my self and besides you your self must needs think me a strange unconsidering Wretch if I did not make some Advantage of the Honour of your Friendship and the Kindness you have all along express'd for me My Servant left yesterday at your House a Memorial of my Affair with Mons. le Tardif who to be sure would never refuse you a Matter of greater Importance and to whom I will communicate whenever he thinks fit the Grounds upon which I build my Pretensions I beseech you Sir to speak a word or two to him about it and to give me leave to send somebody to him as from you to beg that of him which you will find in the Memorial I have sent you 'T is one of my Friends at Dreux that give◠me this Advice and who has made me find my private Advantage in it besides the Satisfaction of Serving him I am Sir Your most humble and most obedient Servant Scarron LETTER XXXIX To Sir 'T IS a mighty Loss to me that I am not so well known to you as you are to me You would not then question that I have all that due Sense of your Generosity which you can desire and for the several Obligations I have to you all the Gratitude that I can show or express I was told to day by Mons. Tardif what Measures you intend to take to serve me and I have satisfy'd him how far all these obliging steps you make in my behalf are free from all suspicion of Interest since I am the most useless insignificant Wretch alive I beseech you Sir to continue them and to compleat a Work which could only be undertaken by one that has as large a Soul as your self If you will appoint any day for it I 'll take care to give due notice to Mons. Tardif I am impatient to owe all my Ease in this World to you not so much to see my Affairs soon establish'd as that I may have more right to say that I am more indebted to you than any one and I beg you to believe that this will always be the highest Ambition of Sir Your most humble and most obedient Servant Scarron To Sir I Wish I were able to write a Letter to you that deserv'd to be shown to your Patron and would make him give a second Order to Mons.