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Maria Brown by John Cleland (1766)

The Covent Garden Calendar - Chapter XLVIII.

Chapter XLVIII.


Continuation of the narrative of the Countess de–.

            'The barbarous merchant, I found, had not only robbed me of my husband and polluted his bed under his resemblance, but had also robbed me of those very jewels for which he had agreed to pay me the thousand pistoles. He was overtaken a few leagues from the city, and being brought back, was tried and condemned to be broke alive upon the wheel. After I had assisted as a very necessary witness upon his trial, having recovered my jewels, I set forward to Paris, not being able to remain any longer at Marseilles, which had been such a scene of slaughter and was going to be still more so.

            'Nothing remarkable happened to me upon my journey. Upon my arrival at the capital. I soon made many acquaintances, who endeavoured to dissipate my melancholy by all the arts and attentions of which the French are complete masters. I shall not dwell upon the beauties or magnificence of Paris, as you have been an eye-witness to them, but shall jump to an adventure which happened to me when I was one night at the Opera. I had been escorted thither by a young musketeer who was reckoned one of the handsomest men in all France, and as such, he thought, he was entitled to do or say anything. Whilst Madame Favart was singing a favourite air, he began to hum an Italian song so loud that he interrupted a gentleman who sat next him and prevented his hearing the performance. The gentleman could not help expressing his dislike to such interruption, and saying he wished he could espy an empty seat, that he might hear the opera out. The young musketeer took this in great dudgeon, and asked him whether he was a watchmaker or a jeweller. To which the gentleman replied he would give him an answer if he chose to follow him. I perceived the drift of this retreat and interposed my authority, telling the musketeer that if he advanced a step he forfeited my esteem forever, and that I would never take notice of him again. He was too polite not to listen to my remonstrance and, at the same time, asked me what I would have him do. I told him if he and the gentleman would refer the decision of the affair to me, I would give a very equitable determination. The gentleman, with much good sense, agreed, and the musketeer, who relied upon my friendship for a judgment in his favour, also assented.

            '"Why then, sir," said I to the musketeer, "as you are the offender, you must ask the gentleman's pardon, and let him hear the piece out, uninterrupted."

            'He consented, and the gentleman and he became very good friends. This affair did not, however, end here; for the musketeer having introduced this gentleman into my company, he became so enamoured with me that he in a short time offered me his hand. He was a man of very good family, but being of the younger branch, he enjoyed but a small patrimonial estate. This was the Count de ––, from whom I take my title, and no one can lay claim to a coronet upon better pretensions.

            'We lived happily together for some years when, having commanded in the French army in Germany, he paid the great debt of nature at Minden amongst many brave men, for their general's temerity.

            'A variety of fortune now succeeded to me. I was compelled to submit to such terms as the men pleased to impose. But even this scarce afforded a comfortable subsistence, and I was, at length, obliged to leave Paris, to avoid the horrors of a jail with which my creditors threatened me. I travelled through Flanders into Holland, and remained some time at The Hague and at Amsterdam. But I could not do anything at either of those places which promised an easy establishment. So that I at length came over into England, where I have now been about eighteen months, and in the course of this time I have found means by my good offices to foreign ministers and other travellers of distinction to gain a decent subsistence; and I am in hopes, by economy and prudence, to reap the advantages of my experience. And, my dear,' continued she, 'now that I have been thus ingenuous with you. I hope you will give me all the assistance in your power. That is to say, when you meet with a good man that will bleed freely, you will give the preference to my house before any other: and, on my part, I promise you when any fall in my way that I think will be worth your while, you may depend upon it that I shall not be forgetful of you.'

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