I was alarm'd at the reading of this Billet, and told _La Foret_
what I thought of it, very seriously; but it all signify'd
nothing. He was lusty, well-proportion'd, as vigorous as a Man
could possibly be at 30 Years of Age, and no Enemy to the Sex.
The Friendship the King shew'd to us, induc'd him to think that
he would be far from suspecting him of a Design upon any of his
Wives, and therefore, without weighing the Consequences, he
resolv'd to lay hold of the Opportunity at all Events. What
confounded him most was his want of Eloquence, and the other
necessary Talents for expressing himself politely; for he came of
an obscure Family, and had seen but little of the World. As he
knew not how to behave, and had a better Opinion of me than of
himself, he would fain have engag'd me to take the first Step,
and to pave the way for him: But besides that, his Stature and
mine were very different, he being at least taller than me by the
Head, which would have been too gross a Cheat to pass, I had
other Reasons against embarking in an Affair of this Nature. But
all this did not discourage _La Foret_.
Next Day he dress'd as sprucely as he could, equipp'd himself as
a Galant ought to do when he goes to visit his Mistress, and
study'd every thing that might contribute to her Pleasure. Being
thus rigg'd, he took his Leave of me, and at the appointed time
went to the Place of Assignation. The Fair One, who probably
hearken'd for his coming, open'd the Door to him softly, and
after injoining him by a Signal to profound Silence, conducted
him into her Closet. She was in her _Deshabille_, which was very
fine, and notwithstanding the careless Air of it, seem'd to be
the Effect of Contrivance. Her Head and Shoulders were cover'd
with a Veil of fine Linen, in which there had been an infinite
Expence of Art; but whether it was by Chance, or by Design, under
pretence of handling the said Veil, and tossing it forwards and
backwards to hide what Modesty should have taught her to conceal,
she often gave a Glimpse of Beauties enough to have stir'd a
Heart not near so susceptible of Love as _La Foret_'s, who could
not stand those Charms. For his very Eyes were dazzled with the
Glare of so many Wonders, and, as if he had been perfectly
inchanted, he had not Strength to open his Lips, notwithstanding
the firm Resolution he had made to say abundance of fine things
to her.
Lidola perceiving her Lover so mute, fetch'd a deep Sigh, and
said to him with a most languishing Countenance, _I'm in love
with you, fair Stranger; I did not imagine I should have had the
Trouble of telling you so, because I thought you would easily
guess it: Your Silence does Violence to my Modesty; I am asham'd
that I have let fall the Expression; but make a prudent Use of
it, and remember to be discreet, if you would be happy with
Ladies_. _La Foret_ answer'd with very great Respect, 'Don't
reproach me, Madam, I beseech you; my very Silence has an
Eloquence in it which must fully apprize you of the Sentiments of
my Heart. Tho' your Presence, continued he, has depriv'd me of
the Faculty of Speech, it is only suspended to give me the more
Leisure to contemplate the Delicacy of your Charms. Words are not
always in season. There are Moments when the Eyes express
themselves infinitely better than the Tongue can, so that without
being a Conjurer, a Person, by observing their Motions, may know
the Sentiments of the Soul. I confess I was in the wrong to keep
Silence, but it was well for me that I did not speak, because the
fined Expressions that I could have thought of in a Language with
which I am so little acquainted, would not have fetch'd that
from your pretty Mouth in an Age, which Silence has drawn from it
in an Instant. What! you in love with me, Madam? O Heavens! how
shall I contain my Joy at so tender a Confession! Who would ever
have imagin'd that a Queen could debase her self so much as to
declare such a Kindness for the lowest of her Slaves. Persist, I
beg you; That shall be the utmost Boundary of the greatest of all
my Wishes, because undoubtedly I never ought to think of any
thing else.'
Just as she was going to answer him, a Waiting-maid bolted into
the Room, to the Terror of our Lover, who knew not the Meaning of
it at first, and so great was his Surprise, that he could not
hide it. But _Lidola_ dissembled hers, for fear of putting him
into Confusion. I had given Orders, she said to him, for some dry
Sweetmeats, and a Glass of Mead to be brought; you perceive they
are obey'd. I hope you'll meet with something or other in this
Bason that, you like. _La Foret_, who was too impatient for
amorous Endearments to mind Sweetmeats, was mad to find their
Conversation interrupted by an impertinent Witness. He had much
rather have spent the Time in Dalliance, than have wasted the
precious Moments in Eating. But for the sake of Complaisance, he
was under a Necessity of admiring the Extent of her Civility, and
he even acknowledg'd how much he was oblig'd to her for it. The
Fair One, who was not willing to omit any Proof of her Tenderness
for him, took one half of a Nectarin, and wantonly put it to his
Mouth. Once she pluck'd from his Lips what he had in part
chew'd, and eat it with an inconceivable Greediness; at another
time she made him bite a Piece which she held between her white
Teeth; in short, there was no wanton Air which she did not invent
to increase the Passion of the new Lover.
The Days were then about Sixteen Hours in length, the Sun not
being far from _Capricorn_, and that Place being situate in 51
Degrees, and 20 Minutes South Latitude, so that they were toying
with one another, when the Darkness or rather the Twilight
vanish'd, and the Torch of Heaven was rising to gild the
enamell'd Fields with his splendid Rays. The Damsel being the
first to observe it, told the Queen of it, at which _La Foret_
was offended, and even took the Liberty to reproach her for not
having appointed him sooner, because he said it was not worth his
while to come thither for so short a Stay. Tho' I'm a little out
of favour with the King at present, reply'd the charming
_Lidola_, I am not sure that he will neglect me long; the Fancy
may take him to come and see me in the Morning; and tho' he
should not, there are other People that have an Eye upon what we
do. I should pass my Time but ill, if any body should see you go
out of my Apartment: Let us act upon sure Grounds, and for this
time do you withdraw. If you have a Pocket-Watch like to that
which you gave the King, take care to bring it with you when you
come again, that we may know how much time we have to spend; for
we mayn't always have People near us to tell us how it passes.
When she had said these kind Words, she fell on his Neck, kiss'd
him very tenderly, and immediately withdrew. The Time flies away
insensibly at such agreeable Interviews; nevertheless _La Foret_
had not so far lost the Use of his Reason, but he knew very well
that it was high Time for him to be gone. Therefore he pull'd out
a _Kala_, which he gave to the Maid, and after recommending
himself to her Friendship, stole out softly, and return'd home.
The first thing he was bent on at his Return, was to impart to me
in Confidence what had pass'd with his Mistress. To hear him
talk, never Man travers'd so much Land in the Territories of
Love, in ten Years, as he had been doing in an Hour; in short, he
was in full Possession, and only wanted the Fruition. 'O Heavens!
(said I) how credulous are Lovers, and how easy is it for Love to
impose on them! _La Foret_, _La Foret_, you are playing a Game
that will infallibly ruine you. Gaming, Women, and Wine have a
good Aspect, I confess, but when made too familiar, are of no
Value; they produce short Pleasures, attended with long
Repentance; their greatest Sweets often change to Bitter; and
their Payment is only in Tinsel, with which they who suffer their
Eyes to be dazzled, are commonly deceiv'd. Remember what I now
tell you: The Affair you are engag'd in is such, that you'll
repent of it more than once.' I might have moraliz'd thus till
Doomsday, for all that I said was to no purpose. My Friend
thought of nothing but the Pleasure he should have, and turning
his Back upon the Consequences, was actually captivated by the
most flattering Ideas that his Mind was capable of forming. The
poor Man was blinded to such a Degree, that he did not see the
Precipice he was just falling into, and was sway'd by nothing but
his prevailing Passion. His Imagination was so disorder'd, that
he thought he had his Fair One every now and then in his Arms,
and he often talk'd to her as if he had been actually enjoying
her. In short, he pass'd his Hours in Bed very pleasantly, for
tho' he rarely slept, he had such sort of Dreams as create more
Pleasure than a profound Sleep, and have this Advantage, that
they tickle the Fancy, without impairing the Strength of the
Body.
_La Foret_ heard nothing of his Mistress in three Days, which
made him so uneasy that it had like to have turn'd his Brains. He
often retraced his whole Conduct, but could find nothing to
reproach himself with, unless that he had been too respectful. I
had not observ'd till then, that the Women of that Country had
any Inclination to Galantry. I really thought they were too silly
for it; but I began to see by this Specimen that there are few of
them in any Country but know a great deal of it in the Affair of
granting Love to the Men, and that if they don't take greater
Liberties than they do, it is only owing to the extreme Severity
of the Laws against such as transgress the Rules to which _Hymen_
seems to bind them. And they say moreover, that the Kings and
Governors are subject to the same Inconveniences, as private Men
in _Europe_, because those Gentlemen having more than one Wife,
each of them studies to gain her Husband's Favour, and when she
can't succeed, it gives her Occasion to embrace the first Offer
that presents: But return we now to our Love-Story.
Upon the Fourth Day in the Forenoon, as the King came to see us
at work, I thought at the first Sight of him that he smelt a Rat;
for looking willfully upon _La Foret_, he said to him, You seem
to be ruffled, Friend; your Countenance is chang'd from what it
us'd to be, and if I may be allow'd to form a Judgment by your
Eyes, your Heart is not in a very serene State. Are you fallen in
love with any Fair One of this Canton? For Love in a few Hours
commits great Ravages. You blush, continued the King. Don't be
afraid to own it: Tho' you are a Foreigner, and of a Religion
very different from mine, I assure you that I will do every thing
for you that is in my Power. If you make your Addresses to any
Free Person, I'll find the way to make her marry you; but let me
advise you not to delude any Woman, because, should you be taken
in the Fact, all my Credit would not be of weight enough to save
you. Galantry may perhaps prevail among us, but if it does, 'tis
conceal'd; and you are not ignorant that 'tis a Breach of one of
the Articles of our Law, which the Judge treats with the greatest
Severity. Adultery especially would not be pardon'd in my self.
_La Foret_, who had by this time recover'd himself, reply'd, 'Tis
perfectly right, Sir, to be severe upon that Head, and especially
with respect to the great Men: If I had the Power in my own
Hands, a King who prais'd that sort of Galantry should be less
exempt from Punishment than other Men, because while his
Subjects are oblig'd, for the Generality, to adhere to one Person
only, he has the Liberty of taking a Dozen, and by consequence
the Pleasure of having all the Variety at home that he could
expect to find abroad. However, continu'd he, this is a Happiness
which I don't envy your Majesty; for tho' I have neither Wife nor
Mistress, I am very well contented; and if I don't look at
present altogether so brisk as usual, 'tis owing no doubt to my
not having slept well for two or three Nights past, for otherwise
I am in perfect Health. Nevertheless, he added, I am infinitely
oblig'd to your Majesty for your Desire to make me happy, and to
find me out a Settlement. If ever I'm inclin'd to marry, I swear
to you, Sir, that I will refer my self intirely to your Disposal.
Let us call another Cause, _La Foret_, said I, 'tis time enough
to think of altering your Condition. The King reply'd very
graciously, That shall be when you please. You know the
Privileges of the Gown which you wear, so that you will not have
much to reproach me with.
The King thereupon retiring, we went to Dinner, and made various
Reflections upon the little Dialogue that had pass'd betwixt us.
Mean time _La Foret_ did not fail to take a Walk after Dinner in
the Galleries. _Lidola_, who generally took a Pleasure in seeing
him pass by her Windows, fix'd her Eye upon him till he was out
of Sight. Her Waiting-woman, who always kept a Look-out for some
Intelligence that might be to their Advantage, came at last to
her with News that she had just met the King taking the Air with
the Empress; from whence the Queen concluded, that he would
infallibly spend the Night with her, as had always been his
constant Practice when he took her out in the Day time; therefore
without Hesitation she injoin'd her Servant to go after _La
Foret_, and to signify to him, as she pass'd by him, that she
expected him at Eleven of the Clock.
The young Woman was not dilatory in the Execution of her
Commission. She met him just as he was upon the Return, brush'd
as close by him as she could with Decency, and said to him, _en
passant_, Come to us an Hour before Midnight. I dare not express
his Joy at the hearing of these agreeable Words, for fear of
saying too much to be believ'd, or not enough to give a just Idea
of his Transports. He made such Haste back, and was so absent
from himself all the while, that he was at home before he
perceiv'd it. I need not say he had no Thought, for he did not
care that I shou'd speak to him. The little Time he had to spare,
was spent at the Toilet, where he consulted his Mirrour a hundred
times, which being only of polish'd Steel, made him fearful that
he had not discover'd all his Blemishes. He wash'd himself almost
all over with perfum'd Water, cut and trim'd his Whiskers, comb'd
his black Hair over and over again, and being at length as
handsome as _Adonis_, he wish'd me Good-night, and went his way.
_Lidola_'s Servant, who stood Centinel, receiv'd and carry'd him
into the Anti-Chamber, where there was no Light, and bid him
steal into her Mistress's Apartment.
_Lidola_ was lain down on a Bed so fragrant, that it perfum'd the
whole House. Her Head-Dress was in the careless Air, her Neck
bare, as was also her left Breast, her Arms at Liberty, and her
whole Posture was like one between Sleeping and Waking. _La
Foret_ made his Approach to her so softly, that she did not
perceive it. At the unexpected Sight of so many Beauties he stood
like a Statue, with his Eyes so fix'd on the Person of this
charming _Venus_, that they had no Motion. A secret Desire, on
which he was incapable of making the least Reflection, push'd him
forward to view her more nearly. She was like a Loadstone that
attracted him imperceptibly and irresistibly. This adorable
Beauty happening to open her Eyes, seem'd to the last Degree
astonish'd to see her Lover by her Bed-side. She blush'd, and
having rais'd her self up, and put on a Veil that lay in a Chair,
just at hand, You have surpris'd me, said she, and perhaps seen
things you ought not to have seen. Nay, Madam, he reply'd, the
Fates will'd it, and not you, that I should have the Opportunity
of contemplating Beauties that had like to have thrown me into a
Trance. However, what I have seen will be so far from diminishing
the Respect I owe you, that it has infinitely heighten'd a
Passion which I thought could not have been stronger than it was
before. You deserve tho' to be chastis'd, reply'd the Fair One,
for not letting me know that you was present. But what made you
come so soon? It cannot be Night yet, and I did not appoint you
'till Eleven o' Clock. You mistake, said _La Foret_, you only
upbraid me for coming so late, tho' you don't consider how long
I have been here. You deceive your self, said the Queen; if you
consult your Watch, you'll find that you are in the Wrong to
contradict me. I have no Watch, reply'd _La Foret_, nor have I
need of one, for on these Occasions my Head is a Minute-Watch, so
that I would not lose one Moment. Have you not a Watch? said
_Lidola_; 'tis surprising that you should be without those Jewels
which you bestow upon others? If I had the Skill to make such
pretty Machines, it should never be said that I had not one for
my own Use, and another at the Service of my Mistress. This was a
mortifying Compliment to the _Frenchman_, who very well
understood the Tendency of the Rebuke, and was mad with himself
that he had not prevented it. The Queen perceiving him in some
Confusion, thought fit to put him out of his Pain. I only banter,
_La Foret_, said she, and you are studying for a serious Answer.
Sit down upon my Bed, continu'd she, the Moments are precious,
let us not squander them to no purpose. At the same time she went
to grasp his Hand, but Love render'd her so weak, that she gave a
Sigh, and fell back on her Pillow. So far things went on
swimmingly, and the two young Hearts did not doubt that their
Bliss was upon the Point of being compleated. But Fortune envying
their Felicity, chang'd all their Hopes on a sudden into mortal
Terrors.
The King had a real Love for _Lidola_, the Violence he had done
himself in not seeing her so long was such a Burden upon his
Mind, that he could bear it no longer; and a fresh Report which
she had given out of her Indisposition, adding to his former
Uneasiness, he was resolv'd to keep her Company that Night. The
Waiting-woman, who was always at the Window, hearing a confused
Noise at a distance, like that of a Company of Men, immediately
had a Mistrust, because 'twas but just Midnight, and the King
never went to Bed before that time: At length, seeing the Train
approach, she ran and gave the Alarm, crying out, _We are all
undone, Madam, here is the King just at the Gate_. As warm as our
two Lovers were before, their Blood immediately chill'd in their
Veins. _La Foret_ knew not what would be his Doom. It was no time
to demur, and he was immediately hurry'd into a Closet which
fronted that Chamber. He was no sooner enter'd but a Domestic who
stepp'd before, knock'd at the Gate. The Chamber-maid made him
stay just as long as she thought it might have taken her up to
rise, and as Visits of this sort were pretty frequent, she did
not seem to be at all surpriz'd. As the King was close at the
Domestic's Heels, he enter'd the very Moment that the Gate was
open'd. The Queen, who heard him coming, found it no very hard
Task to counterfeit an Indisposition, to which the Fear she was
in, both for her self and her Spark, did not a little contribute;
and the King verily believing that she was not well, had not the
least Suspicion, tho' he saw her more disorder'd than usual. He
shew'd a greater Fondness for her than ever, and said to her,
that notwithstanding the ill State of Health he found her in, he
intended to spend the Night with her. Sire, reply'd _Lidola_, you
do me a great deal of Honour, but I am not now in a Condition
either to give Pleasure, or to receive it; I fear that if I were
to stir ever so little, it would do me an Injury, and I find that
I want Rest. I would not incommode you, said the King, for the
World; if you can't admit of my Company, I'll go and rest upon
the Tent Bed in that Closet, being determin'd to stay here all
Night. This Answer quite unexpected by the Fair One, so alarm'd
her, that after abundance of Excuses for the Coldness wherewith
she had treated him, which she ascrib'd entirely to her Illness,
she began to be very sweet upon him, and begg'd him earnestly to
undress himself.
As soon as he was in Bed, and the Domestics gone, the
Chamber-maid took an Opportunity to go into the Closet to consult
with the Prisoner what shift to make for his Liberty, when, to
her great Surprize, she could not find him, tho' there was no
Door but what he went in at, and the Windows were so close, that
they did not seem to have been open'd. While she was rummaging
the Bed and other Furniture in that Apartment, the Lady, who was
perplex'd to think what was become of her Lover, call'd to her to
raise her Pillow, and bring her some Drink, and having by that
means an Opportunity to whisper, and to hear that he was gone,
tho' she knew not which way, it put her out of Pain, and she
slept the remainder of the Night very quietly. _La Foret_
imagining that the King would make a very short Stay, had shut
himself up in the Privy, but he found himself terribly mistaken
when he heard soon after that he design'd to pass the whole
Night with his Wife, or at least in the Closet where he was, in
case that she could not admit him to her Bed. Then it was, as he
has own'd to me since, more than once, that he was seiz'd with a
Panick which he had never felt the like of before. He could not
return thro' the Chamber where the King was, without the Hazard
of being seen; he thought all the Windows of the Apartment were
secur'd with Iron Bars: Besides, he was afraid the Noise would
betray him, if he open'd them, especially if he leap'd into the
Canal, which the Closet over-look'd. Having resolv'd all this in
his Mind, in the utmost Hurry, he thought of no better Expedient,
than to slip into the Water thro' the Hole of the Privy, and so
to save himself by Swimming.
By good Luck for him, the Room where I lay was low, and next the
Road, so that he came and rapp'd with his Fingers at one of my
Windows. I presently imagin'd that his Affairs had taken a wrong
Turn, got up in a Trice, and had no sooner open'd the Window, but
he bolted in like a hunted Hare, pull'd off his Clothes, and went
into Bed, where he gave me a full and true Account of his
nocturnal Adventures. You see now, said I, dear Boy, how Love and
Fortune trifle with you. They seldom agree, and if ever, 'tis in
order to deceive us the more terribly in the After-Game. Believe
me, you are in a very dangerous way, and if you don't abandon it,
as I have already advis'd you, it will assuredly prove your
Ruine. Let me hear no more of it, said he, she is worth all my
Trouble; and provided I can but once enjoy her, I fear not to
die. What vexes me most of all is, that I know not how to
gratify her. She ask'd me for a Watch; whereas I have not one to
give her, and it will take me up at least a Week to finish that
we have in hand. If she wants you to give her a Watch, said I,
'tis a plain Sign that her Love is self-interested, and tho' it
were not so, how do you propose she should make use of it? The
King who will know it presently, will also be satisfy'd where she
had it, upon which the Mystery will break out, and then farewel
the two Lovers. You are in the right, upon my Word, said my
Friend, I had not that Foresight; but in short, we must make an
end of it, and by that time, I warrant we shall find some
Expedient or other to bring us off; for Love is too ingenious to
lurch us when we are in so fair a way.
Mean time we heard five or six great Strokes upon the Bason of
our Clock which were given so fast one after another, that they
made us start; we could not imagine the Meaning of it; not
considering that we our selves had advis'd the King to make use
of this Method, in Imitation of the _Europeans_, to raise an
Alarm, and give the Inhabitants of the Canton Notice, when any
thing happen'd to the Disadvantage of the Quarter, that they
might all flock together to the Place, and endeavour to remedy
it. A Man running by just after, and calling out Fire, as loud as
ever he could, deliver'd us from that Fright, and threw us into
another. Not knowing where it was, we leap'd to the Bed's-feet
and put on each a dirty Gown, which we girt close round our
Bodies, with a Design to lend a Helping-hand to quench it, and
going out, we presently saw that Queen _Lidola_'s House was in
Flames. Ladders were brought from all Parts, and there was such
Plenty of Water at hand, that by the Force of it the Fire was
hindered from spreading to the neighbouring Apartments, so that
the Damage was not very considerable. As it began in the Closet
where _La Foret_ was conceal'd, we did not doubt but the
Waiting-woman, when she was looking for him, let some Spark fall
into the Tent-Bed, or some other Moveable or combustible Matter,
which had been the Cause of the Fire. Mean time the King retir'd
as soon as a Domestic brought him the News. We went immediately
to condole with him, but he only laugh'd, and told us, that
neither the Fright nor the Damage deserv'd our Compliment,
especially with regard to a Man of his natural Temper, whom
nothing could put out of Humour. The Queen was no sooner
recover'd of her Fright, on account of this sad Fire, but she
took Pen in Hand and drew up a second Letter, in Substance almost
as follows.
To _La Foret_.
_My Chamber-maid has already been abroad. I know where you are
retired, but I give a shrewd guess which way you made your
Escape. The Conjuncture was dangerous, and altogether as alarming
to me as to you, insomuch that the Fire which afterwards broke
out in my Closet, by the Imprudence of my People, was nothing to
it, in comparison. But let not this discourage you, we shall be
more happy another time. Be constant and tranquil. I will give
you notice when 'tis a proper Season, and take such Precautions
that at our next Interview, I hope for an Opportunity of giving
you a convincing Testimony, that I am truly your Friend._