Notes and Anecdotes, Political and Miscellaneous [pp. 629-634]

SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGER.
"Sir," said he, " the woman whomn you charged me
NOTES AND ANECDOTES, to converse with, is simply a cunning jade-I know
her perfectly, she has nothing concealed fiom me. She
Political and Miscellaneous-from 1798 to s1830-Drawn from is, to describe her whole character, quite a good looking
the Portfolio of an Officer of the Empire; and translated in
Paris, fronm the French brthe Messenger. young woman, who visited Poland in the hopes of
Paris, from the French for the Messenger.
drawing some money from the nobles of that country.
THE MISTRESS OF THE PRETENDER. She found them all ruined, and returns here in the
hope of doing better."
The Comte de Provence (Louis XVIII) was in Poland, "It would seem your knowledge has progressed ra where the police caused all his movements to be-care- pidly, if she has already confided such secrets to your
fully watched. It was a short time after the conspiracy ear."
of Georges, and the establishment of the empire. Sud- "It was not without difficulty that I led her to that
denly information was transmitted to Paris, that a lady point; but she wants money; and she believes me a
who had lived on terms of intimacy with the Comte de rich and powerful seigneur. Moreover she has never
Provesnce, was about to return to the French capitol. even seen the person of the Coinpte de Provence."
They gave her the title of Mistress of the Pretender, "Yet she was seen to enter the house which he in which was enough to have rendered the story itself sus- habits."
picious. Nevertheless it was necessary to ascertain "Then it was not on his account, but to visit some
what this lady had done in Poland, and what she was valet de chambre."
going to do in Paris. "She may be playing a part for the purpose of de An agent was chosen, witty, intelligent and ex- ceiving us?"
tremely handsome. His instructions were given to "She must then be a woman who carries her devo him, with money necessary for his voyage, and he set tion to great lengths. If you think proper, I will con off for the country. The police had been informed of tinue to see her."
the name under which the lady travelled, of the day, "Yes: a woman does not communicate the first day,
and the probable hour of her arrival, and of the hotel or the first night, everything that she has in her mind.
at which she proposed to lodge. Continue to visit hler;-give yourself out as an enemy
On the day designated, the agent set off from Nan- of the government, speak to her adroitly of the Bourterre in a cabriolet de porte, taking with him many very bons; lead her theni if possible, to some confidences."
heavy trunks, and arrived at the hotel at which the The stranger returned to the hotel, seemed more and
lady was expected to descend. Many apartments more attracted by the lady, and showed her the greatest
were vacant. He retained them all for his family, attention. Both, dreading the arrival of his family,
whom he preceded but by a few days. which was expected every moment,-deploring in ad In the course of the evening another carriage stopped vance their inevitable separation, endeavored to console
at the door of the hotel-it was that of the lady in themselves by making the most of their time at the
question. She exhibited a good deal of dissatisfaction theatres and fetes.
on learning that not a single apartment remained, Eight days passed in this way. The agent finally
which could be given her. "There are many unoccu- paid another visit to his chief; but he was not longer
pied," said the landlord, "but a great foreign nobleman so gay and light-hearted as before.
has retained them all for his family, which he is ex- " I told you," he said, addressing his employer, "that
pecting in a few days." All that he could do for the the woman in question was a jade. I will add that
purpose of saving her the inconvenience of seeking a she is a wicked one-I will answer that she knows nolodging at so late an hour, was to inquire of this noble thing; but if she was not driven fiom Poland, it would
foreigner, who appeared to be much of a gentleman, be well, at least, to send her from France."
if lI-e would consent to give up to a lady, for a single "How, why?'
night, one of the apartments he had rented, but which "I told you eight days since, that she had concealed
he did not yet occupy. nothing fiom me. You replied that a woman did not
The stranger, the gentleman, contrived to cause him- always communicate the first day or even the first
self to be a little solicited. He was told that the lady night, everything she possessed: —you were right, and
was handsome-this consideration decided him. HIe I was wrong. She did conceal one thing from me; and
hastened to descend to offer her his hand, and to place I have since learnt what it was; you must give me
at her disposal all the apartments, even his own. He leave of absence for a month. Should you hereafter
did more-the lady arrived a good deal fatigued; having have any other commission of the same kind, entrust it,
given no orders in advance for supper, she would be I pray you, to another person."
forced to wait some time. He begged her to partake of
his own. She hesitated-two or three times politely
refusing —but at last consented. THE ROYALIST MOVEMENT IN 1814.
Placing themselves at table, they converse, approach
each other, and a short time only elapsed before an in- Louis XVIII states, I do not know where, (perhaps
timacy is established between them. Towards mid- in the preamble to his charte octroyse) that he had been
night their intimacy was already such, that every apart- recalled by the unanimous wishes of the French
ment might have been returned to the owner of the people. A year after, Napoleon was recalled from the
hotel, with the reservation of but a single chamber. island of Elba, by the unanimous wishes of the same
The next morning the agent presented himself at the French people; and a hundred days had scarcely
audience of his chief. elapsed before, once more, the same unanimous wishes
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