ngs, the
Frenchman believed, or affected to believe, that he had been swindled,
and he threatened, unless he were repaid in full, he would publish Lady
Mary's letters to him. Lady Mary's fear was lest the matter should come
to the cognisance of her husband: it would certainly be unfair to
Montagu to suggest that he might not have forgiven his wife for a
love-affair; but he would certainly never have pardoned her any
transaction that cost him money.

Many malicious things were said about this business. Walpole gave a
version utterly discreditable to Lady Mary, and Pope, after the quarrel,
referred to the matter in the second book of the _Dunciad_:

"Whence hapless Monsieur much complains at Paris
Of wrongs from Duchesses and Lady Maries."

The case was put by Lady Mary in a series of letters to her sister, Lady
Mar, to whom she could unburden herself freely, and who might be able to
influence Remond, who was then at Paris.

[1721.]

"From the tranquil and easy situation in which you left me, dear sister,
I am reduced to that of the highest degree of vexation, which I need not
set out to you better than by the plain matter of fact, which I heartily
wish I had told you long since; and nothing hindered me but a certain
_mauvaise honte_ which you are reasonable enough to forgive, as very
natural, though not very excusable where there is nothing to be ashamed
of; since I can only accuse myself of too much good-nature, or at worst
too much credulity, though I believe there never was more pains taken to
deceive any body. In short, a person whose name is not necessary,
because you know it, took all sorts of methods, during almost two years
[_sic_], to persuade me that there never was so extraordinary an
attachment (or what you please to call it) as they had for me. This
ended in coming over to make me a visit against my will, and, as was
pretended, very much against their interest. I cannot deny I was very
silly in giving the least credit to this stuff. But if people are so
silly, you'll own 'tis natural for any body that is good-natured to pity
and be glad to serve a person they believe unhappy upon their account.
It came into my head, out of a high point of generosity (for which I
wish myself hanged), to do this creature all the good I possibly could,
since 'twas impossible to make them happy their own way. I advised him
very strenuously to sell out of the subscription, and in compliance to
my advice he did so; an