The education of my brothers took a quite different direction from what
had seemed probable at first. My husband placed them in a large school,
with his own son, who could not stay there more than a few months.
Afterwards an attempt was made to give him a tutor; but the young man
was irrevocably ruined. When the tutor saw him he said, “I have come too
late.”
In changing my abode I had in no way changed my situation; milord kept up
his usual style of living, giving me endless trouble; and those who ought
to have been a comfort to me, treated me with contempt, only saying,
“Really, you are not worthy of your lot; don’t you understand that you
are on the eve of becoming a very wealthy widow, and that soon you will
be able to do just what you please?”
But in spite of these fine words, they did not show themselves very
willing at times to put up with the fits of rage of the irascible old man.
One day, when the intoxicating fumes had got greatly into his head, he
provoked my father by his abuse and rushed at him to strike him. Armed
with a big stick and wild with rage, my father vigorously returned the
assault, till the noise they made and their outcries attracted a crowd
which separated them.
The assailant left his house and ordered me to follow him. As I clearly
and positively refused to do so, I received a note in which he informed
me that if I did not do as he asked, he should put an end to his life. I
seized a pen and wrote him these few words—
“My old fool, if you wish to give me a proof of your affection,
make haste and carry out what you announce to your unhappy
victim,
“MARIA.”
Several days went by without my hearing anything about him, and I was
almost happy; but this calm was but the prelude to the storm.
One of his servants came to tell me that he was dangerously ill, and
that, feeling his last hour to be at hand, he begged to see me that he
might make important communications to me.
It was in vain I answered that I had no wish to receive any; my father
pointed out to me that such conduct on my part could not fail to be very
prejudicial to us.
He added that he would go with me, and swore that he would bring me back
with him.
Reassured by this promise, I agreed, on condition that our visit should
be a short one.
As I entered, I was greatly astonished at seeing the British Minister
beside milord’s bed.
The supposed sick man held out his hand to me and assured me that it
needed only my presence for his complete recovery; that he was very sorry
for having given me so much trouble, and that it should not happen again.
“I wish you good health,” I replied quickly; “but to return to you is
quite impossible; and I declare to you that if it had not been to please
my father, you would never have seen me here.”