Даниэль Дефо - Roxana

I was visited with great Civility on this sad Occasion, of the Loss of my Husband, as they thought him, by a great many Ladies of Quality; and the Prince of —, to whom it was reported he was carrying the Jewels, sent his Gentleman with a very handsome Compliment of Condolance to me; and his Gentleman, whether with, or without Order, hinted, as if his Highness did intend to have visited me himself, but that some Accident, which he made a long Story of, had prevented him.

By the concourse of Ladies and others, that thus came to visit me, I began to be much known; and as I did not forget to set myself out with all possible Advantage, considering the Dress of a Widow, which in those Days was a most frightful thing; I say, as I did thus from my own Vanity, for I was not ignorant that I was very handsome; I say, on this Account, I was soon made very publick, and was known by the Name of La Belle veuve de Poictou ; or, The pretty Widow of Poictou : As I was very well pleas’d to see myself thus handsomly us’d in my Affliction, it soon dry’d up all my Tears; and tho’ I appear’d as a Widow, yet, as we say in England , it was of a Widow comforted: I took Care to let the Ladies see, that I knew how to receive them; that I was not at a Loss how to Behave to any of them; and in short, I began to be very popular there; but I had an Occasion afterwards, which made me decline that kind of Management, as you shall hear presently.

About four Days after I had receiv’d the Compliments of Condolance from the Prince —, the same Gentleman he had sent before, came to tell me, that his Highness was coming to give me a Visit; I was indeed, surpriz’d at that, and perfectly at a Loss how to Behave: However, as there was no Remedy, I prepar’d to receive him as well as I cou’d; it was not many Minutes after, but he was at the Door, and came in, introduc’d by his own Gentleman, as above, and after, by my woman, Amy .

He treated me with abundance of Civility, and condol’d handsomely the Loss of my Husband, and likewise the Manner of it; he told me, he understood he was coming to Versailles , to himself, to shew him some Jewels; that it was true, that he had discours’d with him about Jewels, but cou’d not imagine how any Villains shou’d hear of his coming at that time with them; that he had not order’d him to attend with them at Versailles , but told him, that he would come to Paris , by such a Day, so that he was no way accessary to the Disaster: I told him gravely, I knew very well that all his Highness had said of that Part, was true; that these Villains knew his Profession, and knew, no doubt, that he always carry’d a Casket of Jewels about him, and that he always wore a Diamond Ring on his Finger, worth a hundred Pistoles, which Report had magnified to five Hundred; and that if he had been going to any other Place, it wou’d have been the same thing: After this, his Highness rise up to go, and told me, he had resolv’d however, to make me some Reparation; and with these Words, put a silk Purse into my Hand, with a hundred Pistoles, and told me, he would make me a farther Compliment of a small Pension, which his Gentleman would inform me of.

You may be sure I behav’d with a due Sence of so much Goodness, and offer’d to kneel to kiss his Hand, but he took me up, and saluted [85] saluted : kissed. me, and sat down again, (tho’ before, he made as if he was going away,) making me sit down by him.

He then began to talk with me more familiarly; told me, he hop’d I was not left in bad Circumstances; that Mr. — was reputed to be very Rich, and that he had gain’d lately great Sums by some Jewels; and he hop’d, he said , that I had still a Fortune agreeable to the Condition I had liv’d in before.

I reply’d, with some Tears, which, I confess, were a little forc’d, That I believ’d if Mr. — had liv’d, we shou’d have been out of Danger of Want; but that it was impossible to Estimate the Loss which I had sustain’d, besides that of the Life of my Husband; that by the Opinion of those that knew something of his Affairs, and of what Value the Jewels were which he intended to have shown to his Highness , he could not have less about him, than the Value of a hundred Thousand Livres; [86] a hundred Thousand Livres : well over £6,000. that it was a fatal Blow to me, and to his whole Family, especially that they should be lost in such a Manner.

His Highness return’d, with an Air of Concern, that he was very sorry for it; but he hop’d, if I settled in Paris , I might find Ways to restore my Fortune; at the same time he complimented me upon my being very handsome, as he was pleas’d to call it , and that I could not fail of Admirers: I stood up, and humbly thank’d his Highness , but told him, I had no Expectations of that Kind; that I thought I should be oblig’d to go over to England , to look after my Husband’s Effects there, which I was told, were considerable; but that I did not know what Justice a poor Stranger wou’d get among them; and as for Paris , my Fortune being so impair’d, I saw nothing before me, but to go back to Poictou , to my Friends, where some of my Relations, I hop’d, might do something for me, and added, that one of my Brothers was an Abbot at —, near Poictiers .

He stood up, and taking me by the Hand, led me to a large Looking-Glass, which made up the Peir in the Front of the Parlour; Look there, Madam, said he ; Is it fit that Face, pointing to my Figure in the Glass, should go back to Poictou ? No, Madam, says he , stay, and make some Gentleman of Quality happy, that may, in return, make you forget all your Sorrows; and with that, he took me in his Arms, and kissing me twice, told me, he wou’d see me again, but with less Ceremony.

Some little time after this, but the same Day, his Gentleman came to me again, and with great Ceremony and Respect, deliver’d me a Black Box ty’d with a Scarlet Ribband, and seal’d with a noble Coat of Arms, which, I suppose, was the Prince’s; there was in it a Grant from his Highness, or an Assignment, [87] an Assignment : a negotiable document secured by revenue or property. I know not which to call it, with a Warrant to his Banker to pay me two Thousand Livres a Year, during my Stay in Paris , as the Widow of Monsieur — the Jeweller, mentioning the horrid Murther of my late Husband, as the Occasion of it, as above.

I receiv’d it with great Submission, and Expressions of being infinitely oblig’d to his Master, and of my showing myself on all Occasions, his Highness’s most obedient Servant; and after giving my most humble Duty to his Highness , with the utmost Acknowledgments of the Obligation, &c . I went to a little Cabinet, and taking out some Money, which made a little Sound in taking it out, offer’d to give him five Pistoles.

He drew back, but with the greatest Respect, and told me, he humbly thank’d me, but that he durst not take a Farthing; that his Highness wou’d take it so ill of him, he was sure, he would never see his Face more; but that he wou’d not fail to acquaint his Highness what Respect I had offer’d; and added, I assure you, Madam, you are more in the good Graces of my Master, the Prince of —, than you are aware of; and I believe you will hear more of him.

Now I began to understand him, and resolv’d, if his Highness did come again, he should see me under no Disadvantages, if I could help it: I told him, if his Highness did me the Honour to see me again, I hop’d he would not let me be so surpriz’d as I was before; that I would be glad to have some little Notice of it, and would be oblig’d to him, if he would procure it me; he told me, he was very sure, that when his Highness intended to visit me, he should be sent before, to give me Notice of it; and that he would give me as much Warning of it, as possible.