n the days of
her prosperity, her Majesty had befriended. The queen remembered Rachel
Esmond perfectly well, had heard of my Lord Castlewood's conversion, and
was much edified by that act of Heaven in his favour. She knew that others
of that family had been of the only true Church too: "Your father and your
mother, _monsieur le marquis_," her Majesty said (that was the only time
she used the phrase). Monsieur Simon bowed very low, and said he had found
other parents than his own who had taught him differently; but these had
only one king: on which her Majesty was pleased to give him a medal
blessed by the Pope, which had been found very efficacious in cases
similar to his own, and to promise she would offer up prayers for his
conversion and that of the family: which no doubt this pious lady did,
though up to the present moment, and after twenty-seven years, Colonel
Esmond is bound to say that neither the medal nor the prayers have had the
slightest known effect upon his religious convictions.

As for the splendour of Versailles, Monsieur Simon, the merchant, only
beheld them as a humble and distant spectator, seeing the old king but
once, when he went to feed his carps; and asking for no presentation at
his Majesty's Court.

By this time my Lord Viscount Castlewood was got to Paris, where, as the
London prints presently announced, her ladyship was brought to bed of a
son and heir. For a long while afterwards she was in a delicate state of
health, and ordered by the physicians not to travel; otherwise 'twas well
known that the Viscount Castlewood proposed returning to England, and
taking up his residence at his own seat.

Whilst he remained at Paris, my Lord Castlewood had his picture done by
the famous French painter Monsieur Rigaud, a present for his mother in
London; and this piece Monsieur Simon took back with him when he returned
to that city, which he reached about May, in the year 1714, very soon
after which time my Lady Castlewood and her daughter, and their kinsman,
Colonel Esmond, who had been at Castlewood all this time, likewise
returned to London; her ladyship occupying her house at Kensington, Mr.
Esmond returning to his lodgings at Knightsbridge, nearer the town, and
once more making his appearance at all public places, his health greatly
improved by his long stay in the country.

The portrait of my lord, in a handsome gilt frame, was hung up in the
place of honour in her ladyship's drawing-room. His lo