er to
divert the attention of the public; but the public is not so easily
deceived as some people imagine.

As there were too many spies, too many inquisitive people and critics, in
a numerous court, residing in the midst of a populous city, the duchess
to avoid exposing the inclinations of her heart to the scrutiny of so
many inquisitors, engaged the Duke of York to undertake the journey
before mentioned, whilst the queen and her court were at Tunbridge.

This conduct was prudent; and, if agreeable to her, was far from
displeasing to any of her court, except Miss Jennings: Jermyn was not of
the party; and, in her opinion, every party was insipid in which he was
not one of the company. He had engaged himself in an enterprise above
his strength, in laying a wager which the Chevalier de Grammont had laid
before, and lost. He betted five hundred guineas that he would ride
twenty miles in one hour upon the same horse, in the high road. The day
he had fixed upon for this race was the very same in which Miss Jennings
went to the fortune-teller's.

Jermyn was more fortunate than her in this undertaking he came off
victorious; but as his courage had far exceeded the strength of his
constitution in this exertion to win the wager, he got a violent fever
into the bargain, which brought him very low. Miss Jennings inquired
after his health; but that was all she dared to do. In modern romances,
a princess need only pay a visit to some hero, abandoned by his
physicians, a perfect cure would be wrought in three days; but since Miss
Jennings had not been the cause of Jermyn's fever, she was not certain of
relieving him from it, although she had been sure that a charitable visit
would not have been censured in a malicious court. Without therefore
paying any attention to the uneasiness she might feel upon the occasion,
the court set out without him: she had, however, the gratification to
testify her ill-humour throughout the whole journey, by appearing
displeased with everything which seemed to afford satisfaction to
all the rest of the company.

Talbot made one of the company; and flattering himself that the absence
of a dangerous rival might produce some change in his favour, he was
attentive to all the actions, motions, and even gestures, of his former
mistress. There was certainly enough fully to employ his attention: it
was contrary to her disposition to remain long in a serious humour. Her
natural vivacity hurried her away, fro