disgrace: I, who had always
maintained the reputation of loyalty, which was acquired at the hazard of
my life, and the expense of my blood. To deal candidly, I must own, that
this intelligence roused me from a lethargy of grief which had begun to
overpower my faculties. I immediately imputed this dishonourable charge
to the evil offices of some villain, who had basely taken the advantage
of my deplorable situation, and I was inflamed, inspirited with the
desire of vindicating my fame, and revenging the injury. Thus animated,
I resolved to disguise myself effectually from the observation of those
spies which every nation finds its account in employing in foreign
countries; I purchased this habit from the Dutch navigator, in whose
house I kept myself concealed, after our arrival at Amsterdam, until my
beard was grown to a sufficient length to favour my design, and then
appeared as a Persian dealer in jewels. As I could gain no satisfactory
information touching myself in this country, had no purpose to pursue,
and was extremely miserable among a people, who, being mercenary and
unsocial, were very ill adapted to alleviate the horrors of my condition,
I gratified my landlord for his important services, with the best part of
my effects; and having, by his means, procured a certificate from the
magistracy, repaired to Rotterdam, from whence I set out in a travelling
carriage for Antwerp, on my way to this capital; hoping, with a
succession of different objects, to mitigate the anguish of my mind, and
by the most industrious inquiry, to learn such particulars of that false
impeachment, as would enable me to take measures for my own
justification, as well as for projecting a plan of revenge against the
vile perfidious author.

This, I imagined, would be no difficult task, considering the friendship
and intercourse subsisting between the Spanish and French nations, and
the communicative disposition for which the Parisians are renowned; but I
have found myself egregiously deceived in my expectation. The officers
of police in this city are so inquisitive and vigilant that the most
minute action of a stranger is scrutinised with great severity; and,
although the inhabitants are very frank in discoursing on indifferent
subjects, they are at the same time extremely cautious in avoiding all
conversation that turns upon state occurrences and maxims of government.
In a word, the peculiarity of my appearance subjects me so much to