ted
on all sides. She tried to introduce her son to everybody, but the poor
lad looked like a victim, and did nothing but make profound bows. I
pitied him from my heart.

As soon as I got home I went to bed and spent the whole of the next day
there. The day after I went to the "Staven Tavern," as I had been told
that the prettiest girls in London resorted to it. Lord Pembroke gave me
this piece of information; he went there very frequently himself. When I
got to the tavern I asked for a private room, and the landlord,
perceiving that I did not know English, accosted me in French, and came
to keep me company. I was astonished at his grave and reverend manner of
speaking, and did not like to tell him that I wanted to dine with a
pretty Englishwoman. At last, however, I summoned up courage to say, with
a great deal of circumlocution, that I did not know whether Lord Pembroke
had deceived me in informing me that I should find the prettiest girls in
London at his house.

"No, sir," said he, "my lord has not deceived you, and you can have as
many as you like."

"That's what I came for."

He called out some name, and a tidy-looking lad making his appearance, he
told him to get me a wench just as though he were ordering a bottle of
champagne. The lad went out, and presently a girl of herculean
proportions entered.

"Sir," said I, "I don't like the looks of this girl."

"Give her a shilling and send her away. We don't trouble ourselves about
ceremonies in London."

This put me at my ease, so I paid my shilling and called for a prettier
wench. The second was worse than the first, and I sent her away, and ten
others after her, while I could see that my fastidiousness amused the
landlord immensely.

"I'll see no more girls," said I at last, "let me have a good dinner. I
think the procurer must have been making game of me for the sake of the
shillings."

"It's very likely; indeed it often happens so when a gentleman does not
give the name and address of the wench he wants."

In the evening as I was walking in St. James's Park, I remembered it was
a Ranelagh evening, and wishing to see the place I took a coach and drove
there, intending to amuse myself till midnight, and to find a beauty to
my taste.

I was pleased with the rotunda. I had some tea, I danced some minuets,
but I made no acquaintances; and although I saw several pretty women, I
did not dare to attack any of them. I got tired, and as it was near
midnight