THE CONFEDERATES CHANGE THEIR BATTERY, AND ACHIEVE A REMARKABLE
ADVENTURE.
Thunderstruck at this disappointment, the confederates held a council, in
order to deliberate upon the next measures that should be taken; and
Ferdinand, for the present, despairing of accomplishing his grand aim,
resolved to profit in another manner, by the conveniency of his
situation. He represented to his helpmate, that it would be prudent for
them to make hay while the sun shone, as their connexion might be sooner
or later discovered, and an end put to all those opportunities which they
now so happily enjoyed. All principles of morality had been already
excluded from their former plan; consequently he found it an easy task to
interest Teresa in any other scheme tending to their mutual advantage,
howsoever wicked and perfidious it might be. He therefore persuaded her
to be his auxiliary in defrauding Mademoiselle at play, and gave her
suitable directions for that purpose; and even tutored her how to abuse
the trust reposed in her, by embezzling the young lady's effects, without
incurring the suspicion of dishonesty.
On the supposition that every servant in the house was not able to resist
such temptation, the purse of her mistress, to which the maid had always
access, was dropped in a passage which the domestics had occasion to
frequent; and Fathom posted himself in a convenient place, in order to
observe the effect of his stratagem. Here he was not disappointed in his
conjecture. The first person who chanced to pass that way, was one of
the chambermaids, with whom Teresa had lived for some time in a state of
inveterate enmity, because the wench had failed in that homage and
respect which was paid to her by the rest of the servants.
Ferdinand had, in his heart, espoused the quarrel of his associate, and
longed for an occasion to deliver her from the malicious observance of
such an antagonist. When he, therefore, saw her approach, his heart
throbbed with joyful expectations; but, when she snatched up the purse,
and thrust it in her bosom, with all the eagerness and confusion of one
determined to appropriate the windfall to her own use, his transports
were altogether unspeakable. He traced her to her own apartment, whither
she immediately retreated with great trepidation, and then communicated
the discovery to Teresa, together with instructions how to behave in the
sequel.
In conformity with these lessons, she took the first opportunity of going
to Mademoiselle, and demanding money for some necessary expense, that the
loss might be known before the finder could have leisure to make any
fresh conveyance of the prize; and, in the meantime, Ferdinand kept a
strict eye upon the motions of the chambermaid. The young lady, having
rummaged her pockets in vain, expressed some surprise at the loss of her
purse; upon which her attendant gave indications of extreme amazement and
concern. She said, it could not possibly be lost; entreated her to
search her escritoir, while she herself ran about the room, prying into
every corner, with all the symptoms of fear and distraction. Having made
this unsuccessful inquiry, she pretended to shed a flood of tears,
bewailing her own fate, in being near the person of any lady who met with
such a misfortune, by which, she observed, her character might be called
in question. She produced her own keys, and begged upon her knees, that
her chamber and boxes might be searched without delay.
In a word, she demeaned herself so artfully upon this occasion, that her
mistress, who never entertained the least doubt of her integrity, now
looked upon her as a miracle of fidelity and attachment, and was at
infinite pains to console her for the accident which had happened;
protesting that, for her own part, the loss of the money should never
affect her with a moment's uneasiness, if she could retrieve a certain
medal which she had long kept in her purse, as a remembrance of her
deceased aunt, from whom she received it in a present.
Fathom entered accidentally into the midst of this well-acted scene, and,
perceiving the agitation of the maid, and the concern of the mistress,
desired, in a respectful manner, to know the cause of their disorder.
Before the young lady had time to make him acquainted with the
circumstances of the case, his accomplice exclaimed, in an affected
passion, "Mr. Fathom, my lady has lost her purse; and, as no persons in
the family are so much about her as you and I, you must give me leave, in
my own justification, to insist upon Mademoiselle's ordering the
apartments of us both to be searched without loss of time. Here are my
pockets and my keys, and you cannot scruple to give her the same
satisfaction; for innocence has nothing to fear."
Miss Melvil reprimanded her sharply for her unmannerly zeal; and
Ferdinand eyeing her with a look of disdain, "Madam," said he, "I approve
of your proposal; but, before I undergo such mortification, I would
advise Mademoiselle to subject the two chambermaids to such inquiry; as
they also have access to the apartments, and are, I apprehend, as likely
as you or I to behave in such a scandalous manner."
The young lady declared that she was too well satisfied of Teresa's
honesty and Ferdinand's honour, to harbour the least suspicion of either,
and that she would sooner die than disgrace them so far as to comply with
the proposal the former had made; but as she saw no reason for exempting
the inferior servants from that examination which Fathom advised, she
would forthwith put it in execution. The chambermaids being accordingly
summoned, she calmly asked if either of them had accidentally found the
purse she had dropped? and both replying in the negative, she assumed an
air of severity and determination, and demanding their keys, threatened
to examine their trunks on the instant.
The guilty Abigail, who, though an Hungarian, was not inferior, in point
of effrontery, to any one of the sisterhood in England, no sooner heard
this menace, than she affected an air of affronted innocence, thanked God
she had lived in many reputable families, and been trusted with untold
gold, but was never before suspected of theft; that the other maid might
do as she should think proper, and be mean-spirited enough to let her
things be tumbled topsy-turvy and exposed; but, for her own part, if she
should be used in that inhuman and disgraceful manner, she would not stay
another hour in the house; and in conclusion said, that Mademoiselle had
more reason to look sharp after those who enjoyed the greatest share of
her favour, than believe their malicious insinuations against innocent
people whom they were well known to hate and defame.
This declaration, implying an hint to the prejudice of Teresa, far from
diverting Miss Melvil from her purpose, served only to enhance the
character of the accused in her opinion, and to confirm her suspicion of
the accuser, of whom she again demanded her keys, protesting that, should
she prove refractory, the Count himself should take cognisance of the
affair, whereas, if she would deal ingenuously, she should have no cause
to repent of her confession. So saying, she desired our adventurer to
take the trouble of calling up some of the men-servants; upon which the
conscious criminal began to tremble, and, falling upon her knees,
acknowledged her guilt, and implored the forgiveness of her young
mistress.
Teresa, seizing this occasion to signalise her generosity, joined in the
request, and the offender was pardoned, after having restored the purse,
and promised in the sight of Heaven, that the devil should never again
entice her to the commission of such a crime. This adventure fully
answered all the purposes of our politician; it established the opinion
of his fellow-labourer's virtue, beyond the power of accident or
information to shake, and set up a false beacon to mislead the sentiments
of Mademoiselle, in case she should for the future meet with the like
misfortune.