This letter made him perfectly contented; he had no reason to question
the continuance of Dorilaus's goodness to him, nor that he should attend
this new proof of it any longer than the return of that gentleman to
England should make him know the occasion he now had for it. He
therefore had no anxious thoughts to interrupt the pleasures the place
he was in afforded in such variety; he was every evening with the baron,
either at court, the opera, the comedy, or some other gay scene of
entertainment; was introduced to the best company; and his young heart,
charm'd with the politeness and gallantry of that nation, and the little
vanity to which a person of such early years is incident, being
flattered with the complaisance he was treated with, gave him in a short
time a very strong affection for them; but there was yet another and
more powerful motive which rendered his captivity not only pleasing, but
almost destroyed in him an inclination ever to see his native
country again.
The baron de la Valiere had long been passionately in love with a young
lady, who was one of the maids of honour to king James's queen: he went
almost every day to St. Germains, in order to prosecute his addresses,
and frequently took Horatio with him. The motive of his first
introducing him to that court was, perhaps, the vanity of shewing him
that no reverse of fate could make the French regardless of what was due
to royalty, since the Chevalier St. George seem'd to want no requisite
of majesty but the power; but he afterwards found the pleasure he took
in those visits infinitely surpassed what he could have expected, and
that his heart had an attachment, which made him no sooner quit that
palace than he would ask with impatience when they should go thither
again. The baron had a great deal of penetration; and as those who feel
the power of love in themselves can easily perceive the progress it
makes in others, a very few visits confirmed him that Horatio had found
something there more attractive than all he could behold elsewhere: nor
was he long at a loss to discover, among the number or beauties which
composed the trains of the queen and princess, which of them it was that
had laid his prisoner under a more lasting captivity than war had done.
Princess Louisa Maria Teresa, daughter of the late king James, was then
but in her thirteenth year; the ladies who attended her were all of them
much of the same age; and to shew the respect the French had for this
royal family, tho' in misfortunes, were also the daughters of persons
whose birth and fortune might have done honour to the service of the
greatest empress in the world; nor were any of them wanting in those
perfections which attract the heart beyond the pomp of blood or titles;
but she who had influenced that of our Horatio, was likewise in the
opinion of those, who felt not her charms in the same degree he did,
allowed to excel her fair companions in every captivating grace, and to
yield in beauty to none but the princess herself, who was esteemed a
Prodigy. This amiable lady was called Charlotta de Palfoy, only daughter
to the baron of that name; and having from her most early years
discovered a genius above what is ordinarily found in her sex, had been
educated by her indulgent parents in such a manner, as nature left
nothing for want of the improvements of art; yet did not all the
accomplishments, she was mistress of give her the least air of
haughtiness; on the contrary, there was a certain sweetness of temper in
her which gave a double charm to every thing she said or did: she was
all affability, courtesy and chearfulness; she could not therefore avoid
treating so agreeable a stranger as Horatio with all imaginable marks of
civility; but she had been a very small time acquainted with him before
her liking ripened into a kind of tenderness little inferior to what he
was possessed of for her; and tho' both were then too young to be able
to judge of the nature of this growing inclination, yet they found they
loved without knowing to what end.
As both the Chevalier St. George and the princess his sister were
instructed in the English language, and besides many of their court were
natives of Great Britain, whose loyalty had made them follow the exil'd
monarch, the French belonging to them had also an ambition to speak in
the same dialect: mademoiselle Charlotta being but lately come among
them had not yet attained the proper accent, any more than Horatio had
that of the French; so they agreed that to improve each other in the
different languages, he should always speak to her in French, and she
should answer him in English. This succeeded not only for the purpose it
was intended, but likewise drew on a greater intimacy between them than
might otherwise have happened, at least in so short a time.
The baron having a real friendship for Horatio, rejoiced to find he had
so powerful an attachment to continue among them, and without taking any
notice how far he saw into his sentiments, encouraged his visits at St.
Germains all he could. Thus indulged in every thing he wished, he began
insensibly to lose all desires of returning to England, and receiving no
letters either from Dorilaus or his sister, was as it were weaned from
that affection he had formerly bore to them, and in the room of that the
new friendships he was every day contracting took up his mind.
He was indeed used with so much love and respect by people in the most
eminent stations, to whom the baron had introduced him, that it would
have been ungrateful in him not to have returned it with the greatest
good-will. Expressing one day some surprize at being so far forgotten by
his friends in England, de la Valiere told him that he would not have
him look on himself as any other than a guest in France, and that if he
chose to quit that country, he should not only be at his liberty to
return to England whenever he pleased, but also should be furnished with
a sum sufficient for the expences of his journey; but added, that the
offer he now made of depriving himself of so agreeable a companion was a
piece of self-denial, than which there could not be a greater proof of a
disinterested regard.
Horatio replied in the manner this generosity demanded, and said, that
if there was any thing irksome to him in France, it was only his
inability of returning the favours he had received: believe me, sir,
pursued he, were I master of a fortune sufficient to put me above the
necessity of receiving the obligations I now do, it would not be in the
power of all I left in England to prevail on me to return;--it is here,
and in the society of that company I at present, thro' your means,
enjoy, that I would wish to pass my whole life.
The baron then told him he would find a way to make all things easy to
him, and accordingly went the same day to monsieur the prince of Conti,
to whom he gave such an advantageous description of the courage and
accomplishments of the English cornet, and the inclination he had to
stay among them, that his highness told the baron, that he might
acquaint him from him, that if he were willing to serve under him he
should have a commission; or, if he rather chose a civil employment, he
would use his interest to procure him such a one as might afford both
honour and profit.
This the baron did not fail to communicate immediately to Horatio, who,
charm'd with the generosity both of the one and the other, broke out
into the utmost encomiums of that nation:--sure, said he, the French are
a people born to inspire and instruct virtue and benevolence to all the
kingdoms in the world! After the first raptures of his gratitude were
over, being pressed by the baron to let him know which of the prince's
offers he would chuse to accept; alas! replied he, this is a kind of an
unfortunate dilemma I am in;--my inclinations are for the army, and it
would be the height of my ambition to serve under such generals as the
French; but it would be unnatural in me to draw my sword against the
land which gave me being: O would to God! continued he, there were an
opportunity for me to do it in any other cause! how gladly would I leave
the best part of my blood to shew the sense I have of the generosity I
have experienced.
The baron had nothing to offer in opposition to a sentiment which he
found had so much of honour in it, and therefore acquainted the prince
that he chose to accept of his highness's favour in a civil employment;
on which he was ordered to attend his levee the next day.
His good friend accompanied him, and having presented him with the forms
usual on such occasions, the prince received him very graciously, and
was pleased to ask him several questions concerning the government of
England at that time, the battle in which he had been taken, and many
other things, to all which the young Horatio answered with so much
discretion and politeness, as made the prince say to the baron, you have
not flattered this gentleman in your description of him; for tho' I
believe your friendship ready enough to give a just idea of him, yet, I
allure you, his own behaviour is his best recommendation, and well
entitles him to more than I find it in my power to do for him at
present. I have been thinking for you, sir, continued he, turning to
Horatio, and imagine that the employment I have found you will not be
disagreeable to you:--one of the gentlemen of the bed-chamber to the
Chevalier St. George being dead, there is a vacancy, which I will make
interest shall be filled by no other than yourself;--you seem to be much
of the same age with him, and I dare say he will be extremely pleased in
the choice I make of you to be near him:--it is not indeed, added he, a
place of so much advantage as I could wish, but there is a handsome
pension annexed to it, which, with the honour, will, I believe, content
you till something better presents itself.
From the first mention the prince made of the post he had found for him,
the heart of Horatio leap'd in his breast with an agitation he had never
felt before: the thoughts of living at St. Germains in the same palace
with mademoiselle Charlotta so transported him, that he scarce knew what
he said; and the thanks he gave the prince were expressed with such
hyperboles of gratitude, as made his highness think he had a higher idea
of the employment than it indeed deserved; but the baron who knew the
motive, and could not help smiling within himself, to prevent any other
from suspecting it, however, told the prince, that it was not to be
wondered at that he testified so high a satisfaction, since he was now
to serve a family he had by nature a strong attachment to, and at the
same time continue in a country he liked much better than his own.
Horatio by this time having a little recovered himself, and sensible he
had gone rather too far, seconded what the baron had said, and no more
observations were made on it.
That same evening, the prince having made it his request, was Horatio
permitted to kiss the hand of the Chevalier St. George, and the ensuing
day took possession of the apartment appropriated to the office
bestowed on him.
After having received the congratulations of a whole court, who
testified a great deal of satisfaction in having him among them, and
paid his compliments in a particular manner to mademoiselle Charlotta,
he took abundance of pleasure in viewing all the apartments of a palace
famous for the birth of one of the greatest monarchs of the age, and for
being the asylum of the distrest royal family of England: when his
attendance on his master gave him leisure, he frequently passed many
hours together in a closet, where he was told the late king James used
to retire every day to pray for the prosperity of that people who had
abjur'd him. Young as Horatio was, and gay by nature, he sometimes loved
to indulge the most serious meditations; and this place, as well as the
condition of those he served, remonstrating to him the instability of
all human greatness, he made this general reflection, that there was
nothing truly valuable but virtue, because the owner could be deprived
of that only by himself, and not by either the fraud or force of others.
Indeed the behaviour of all the persons who composed this court could
not but inspire those who saw it with sentiments of the nature I have
described: the queen herself, tho' of too great a soul to shew any marks
of repining at her fate, was never seen to smile: even the Chevalier St.
George and princess had both of them a very serious air, which denoted
they had reflections more befitting their condition than their years;
and those about them being most of them persons who had left the
greatest part of their fortunes as well as kindred either in England,
Scotland or Ireland, had their own misfortunes as well as that of the
royal cause to lament, and therefore could not but wear a dejection in
their countenances: in fine, every thing he saw seem'd an emblem of
fallen majesty, except on drawing-room nights, and then indeed the
splendor of Marli and Versailles shone forth at St. Germains in the
persons of those who came to pay their compliments, among whom were not
only the Dauphine and all the princes of the blood, but even the grand
monarch himself thought it not beneath his dignity to give this proof of
his respect once or twice every week.
This way of living, and the company he was now associated with, gave
Horatio a manly way of thinking much sooner than otherwise perhaps he
might have had, yet did not rob him of his vivacity: some of the queen's
women, and the young ladies about the princess, particularly
mademoiselle Charlotta, had a thousand sprightly entertainments among
themselves, into which he, the baron de la Valiere, and some others who
had attachments at that court, were always admitted.
But now the time arrived in which he was to lose the society of that
valuable friend; the campaign was ready to open, and he was obliged to
head his troops and follow the marshals de Villars and Marsin
into Flanders.
All the conversation turning now on war, those martial inclinations,
which love and the season of the year had occasioned to lye dormant for
a while in the bosom of Horatio, now revived in him: he embraced the
baron at taking leave of him with tears of affection and regret: how
cruel is my fate, said he, to make me of a nation at enmity with yours,
and that I can neither fight for you nor against you!
Well, my dear Horatio, replied the other, France may hereafter have
occasion to employ your arm where there are no ties of duty to restrain
you:--in the mean time, continued he with a smile, softer engagements
may employ your thoughts;--mademoiselle Charlotta de Palfoy is a
conquest worth pursuing.
This was the first hint the baron had ever given him of the discovery he
had made of his sentiments, and it so much the more surprized him that
he was told by another what he was not certain of himself:--he knew
indeed the society of that young lady gave him infinite satisfaction,
and that he was restless when absent from her; but these words, and the
air with which they were spoke, shewed him more of his own heart than he
had before examined into;--he blush'd excessively, and made no answer;
on which, you have no cause, resumed the baron, to be asham'd of the
passion you are inspired with, nor troubled at my discovery of it:--I
assure you I have seen it a long time; and tho' you never honoured me
with your confidence in that point, have taken all opportunities of
doing justice to your merit in the conversations I have had with
mademoiselle, who I had the satisfaction to find was not displeased with
what I said upon that head; and I flatter myself with having a good
account of the progress you have made at my return.
I have too much experience of your friendship and goodness to me,
replied Horatio, not to assure myself of your doing me all manner of
kind offices;--I have indeed so great a regard for that lady you
mention, that I know none of her sex who I so much wish should think
well of me, yet is she utterly ignorant of the sentiments I have for
her; and if I am possessed of that passion which they call love, which I
protest I am not certain of myself, I have never made the least
declaration that can give her room to imagine any such thing.
The baron laughed heartily to hear him speak in this manner, and then
told him there was no need of words to make known an inclination of that
kind;--it was to be seen in every look and motion of the person inspired
with it.--Mademoiselle de Palfoy, continued he, young as she is, I dare
answer has penetration enough to see the conquest she has made, but has
not yet learned artifice enough to conceal that she is at the same time
subdued herself;--and if you would take the advice of a person who has
some experience in these affairs, you will endeavour to engage her to a
confession before too much observation on the behaviour of others to
their lovers, shall teach her those imperious airs by which women
frequently torment the heart that adores them, tho' their own perhaps in
doing so feels an equal share.
Horatio, who had seen something like this between the baron and his
mistress, found a great deal of reason in what he said, and promised to
be guided by him, especially as he had encouragement enough to hope, by
all the treatment he had found from Charlotta, that a declaration of
love from him would not offend her beyond forgiveness.
From that time forward he therefore began to think in what manner he
should first disclose the tender secret to the dear object of his
affections: when absent from her he easily found words, but when
present, that awe which is inseparable from a real passion struck him
entirely dumb; and whenever he was about to open his mouth to utter what
he intended, he had neither words nor voice; and tho' he saw her every
day, was often alone with her, and had opportunity enough to have
revealed himself, yet could he not get the better of his timidity for a
great while, and perhaps should have been much longer under this cruel
constraint, had not an accident favoured his wishes beyond what he could
have hoped, or even imagined, and by shewing him part of what passed in
her soul, emboldened him to unfold what his own laboured with on
her account.