FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   2004   2005   2006   2007   2008   2009   2010   2011   2012   2013   2014   2015   2016   2017   2018   2019   2020   2021   2022   2023   2024   2025   2026   2027   2028  
2029   2030   2031   2032   2033   2034   2035   2036   2037   2038   2039   2040   2041   2042   2043   2044   2045   2046   2047   2048   2049   2050   2051   2052   2053   >>   >|  
just to ordain two punishments for theft. The robber becomes the owner of what he has stolen; true, he 'got it by violence, but it is none the less his, for he can do what he likes with it. That being the case, everyone should be careful to keep what he has, since he knows that once stolen he will never see it again. I have taken Havana from Spain: this was robbery on a large scale." He talked at once like a philosopher and a faithful subject of his king. Engaged in this discussion we walked towards the Duchess of Northumberland's, where I made the acquaintance of Lady Rochefort, whose husband had just been appointed Spanish ambassador. This lady's gallantries were innumerable, and furnished a fresh topic of conversation every day. The day before the assembly at Soho Square Martinelli dined with me, and told me that Madame Cornelis was heavily in debt, and dared not go out except on Sundays, when debtors are privileged. "The enormous and unnecessary expense which she puts herself to," said he, "will soon bring her to ruin. She owes four times the amount of her assets, even counting in the house, which is a doubtful item, as it is the subject of litigation." This news only distressed me for her children's sake, for I thought that she herself well deserved such a fate. CHAPTER VIII The Assembly--Adventure at Ranelagh The English Courtezans-- Pauline [Illustration: Chapter 8] I went in due time to the assembly, and the secretary at the door wrote down my name as I handed in my ticket. When Madame Cornelis saw me she said she was delighted I had come in by ticket, and that she had had some doubts as to whether I would come. "You might have spared yourself the trouble of doubting," said I, "for after hearing that I had been to Court you might have guessed that a matter of two guineas would not have kept me away. I am sorry for our old friendship's sake that I did not pay the money to you; for you might have known that I would not condescend to be present in the modest manner you indicated." This address, delivered with an ironical accent, embarrassed Madame Cornelis, but Lady Harrington, a great supporter of hers, came to her rescue. "I have a number of guineas to hand over to you, my dear Cornelis, and amongst others two from M. de Seingalt, who, I fancy, is an old friend of yours. Nevertheless, I did not dare to tell him so," she added, with a sly glance in my direction. "Wh
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   2004   2005   2006   2007   2008   2009   2010   2011   2012   2013   2014   2015   2016   2017   2018   2019   2020   2021   2022   2023   2024   2025   2026   2027   2028  
2029   2030   2031   2032   2033   2034   2035   2036   2037   2038   2039   2040   2041   2042   2043   2044   2045   2046   2047   2048   2049   2050   2051   2052   2053   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Cornelis

 

Madame

 
ticket
 

subject

 

stolen

 

guineas

 

assembly

 

spared

 

doubts

 

delighted


Assembly

 

Adventure

 

Ranelagh

 

English

 

CHAPTER

 

thought

 
children
 

deserved

 

Courtezans

 

Pauline


secretary

 

trouble

 

Illustration

 

Chapter

 
handed
 

Seingalt

 

rescue

 
number
 

glance

 
direction

friend
 
Nevertheless
 

supporter

 

friendship

 

hearing

 

guessed

 

matter

 
distressed
 
ironical
 

delivered


accent

 
embarrassed
 
Harrington
 

address

 

condescend

 

present

 
modest
 

manner

 

doubting

 

unnecessary