attachment to Ferdinand was insensibly dissolved; she began to bear his
neglect with indifference, and, sequestering herself from the rest of the
family, used to solicit this new ally for consolation.

Having thus put the finishing stroke to the daughter's ruin, he took
leave of the father, with many acknowledgments and expressions of
gratitude for his hospitality and friendship, and, riding across the
country to Bristol, took up his habitation near the hot well, where he
stayed during the remaining part of the season. As for the miserable
Celinda, she became more and more addicted to the vices in which she had
been initiated by his superlative perfidy and craft, until she was quite
abandoned by decency and caution. Her father's heart was torn with
anguish, while his wife rejoiced in her fall; at length her ideas were
quite debased by her infirmity; she grew every day more and more sensual
and degenerate, and contracted an intimacy with one of the footmen, who
was kind enough to take her to wife, in hope of obtaining a good
settlement from his master; but, being disappointed in his aim, he
conducted her to London, where he made shift to insinuate himself into
another service, leaving her to the use, and partly the advantage, of her
own person, which was still uncommonly attractive.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

HE REPAIRS TO BRISTOL SPRING, WHERE HE REIGNS PARAMOUNT DURING THE WHOLE
SEASON.

We shall therefore leave her in this comfortable situation, and return to
our adventurer, whose appearance at Bristol was considered as a happy
omen by the proprietor of the hot well, and all the people who live by
the resort of company to that celebrated spring. Nor were they deceived
in their prognostic. Fathom, as usual, formed the nucleus or kernel of
the beau monde; and the season soon became so crowded, that many people
of fashion were obliged to quit the place for want of lodging. Ferdinand
was the soul that animated the whole society. He not only invented
parties of pleasure, but also, by his personal talents, rendered them
more agreeable. In a word, he regulated their diversions, and the master
of the ceremonies never would allow the ball to be begun till the Count
was seated.

Having thus made himself the object of admiration and esteem, his advice
was an oracle, to which they had recourse in all doubtful cases of
punctilio or dispute, or even of medicine; for among his other
accomplishments, his discourse on