ferent light, and rightly imputed the violence which the gentleman who had formerly treatof mademoiselle's behaviour to the contra-ed the book with such disrespect now prodiction she had sustained from her maid, or fessed himself its passionate admirer, and to the fire of her natural generosity glowing held forth in praise of it with great warmth in behalf of innocence traduced. Neverthe- and elocution. less, he was perfectly well pleased with the nature of the contest, because, in the course of such debates, he foresaw that he should become habitually her hero, and that in time she would actually believe those exaggerations of his merit which she herself had feigned, for the honour of her own arguments.

This presage, founded upon that principle of self-respect without which no individual exists, may certainly be justified by manifold occurrences in life; we ourselves have known a very pregnant example, which we shall relate, for the emolument of the reader. A certain needy author having found means to present a manuscript to one of those sons of fortune who are dignified with the appellation of patrons, instead of reaping that applause and advantage with which he had regaled his fancy, had the mortification to find his performance treated with infinite irreverence and contempt: and, in high dudgeon and disappointment, appealed to the judgment of another critic, who, he knew, had no veneration for the first.

Not contented with having exhibited this instance of regard, he next morning sent a message to the owner, importing, that he had but superficially glanced over the manuscript, and desiring the favour of perusing it a second time; being indulged in this request, he recommended it in terms of rapture to all his friends and dependents, and by dint of unwearied solicitation, procured a very ample subscription for the author.

But to resume the thread of our story:Teresa's practices were not confined to simple defamation; her reproaches were contrived so as to imply some intelligence in favour of the person she reviled. In exemplifying his pertness and arrogance, she repeated his witty repartee; on pretence of blaming his ferocity, she recounted proofs of his spirit and prowess; and, in explaining the source of his vanity, gave her mistress to understand, that a certain young lady of fashion was said to be enamoured of his person. Nor did this well-instructed understrapper omit those other parts of her cue which the principal judged necessary for the furtherance of his scheme. Her conversation became less guarded, and took a freer turn than usual; she seized all opportunities of introducing little amorous stories, the greatest part of which were invented for the purposes of

of chastity in her esteem; for she represented all the young ladies, contemporaries in point of age and situation, as so many sensualists, who, without scruple, indulged themselves in the stolen pleasures of youth.

This common consolation, to which all baffled authors have recourse, was productive of very happy consequences to our bard; for, though the opinions of both judges concerning the piece were altogether the same, the latter, either out of compassion to the appellant, or desire of rendering his rival ridicu-warming her passions, and lowering the price lous in the eye of taste, undertook to repair the misfortune, and in this manner executed the plan; in a meeting of literati, to which both these wits belonged, he who had espoused the poet's cause, having previously desired another member to bring his composition on the carpet, no sooner heard it mentioned, than he began to censure it with flagrant marks of scorn, and, with an ironical air, looking at its first condemner, observed, that he must be furiously infected with the rage of patronizing, who could take such a de-cording to the fancy, turn, and prevailing plorable performance into his protection. The sarcasm took effect.

Meanwhile Ferdinand seconded these endeavours with his whole industry and address: he redoubled, if possible, his deference and respect, whetting his assiduity to the keenest edge of attention; and, in short, regulated his dress, conversation, and deportment, ac

humour, of his young mistress. He moreover attempted to profit by her curiosity, The person against whom it was levelled which he knew to be truly feminine; and taking umbrage at his presumption, assumed having culled from the library of his patron an aspect of disdain, and replied, with great certain dangerous books, calculated to deanimosity, that nothing was more easily sup- bauch the minds of young people, left them ported than the character of a Zoilus, be- occasionally upon the table in his apartment, cause no production was altogether free from after having directed Teresa to pick them up, blemishes, and any man might pronounce as if by accident, in his absence, and carry against any piece by the lump, without in-them off for the entertainment of madeteresting his own discernment; but to per-moiselle; nay, this crafty projector found ceive the beauties of a work, it was requisite to have learning, judgment, and taste; and therefore he did not wonder that the gentleman had overlooked a great many in the composition which he so contemptuously descried. A rejoinder succeeded this reply, and produced a long train of altercation, in

means to furnish his associate with some mischievous preparations, which were mingled in her chocolate, tea, or coffee, as provocations to warm her constitution; yet all these machinations, ingenious as they were, failed not only in fulfilling their aim, but even in shaking the foundations of her virtue or pride,

which stood their assaults unmoved, like a strong tower built upon a rock, impregnable to all the tempestuous blasts of heaven.

Not but that the conspirators were more than once mistaken in the effects of their artifices, and disposed to applaud themselves on the progress they had made. When at any time she expressed a desire to examine those performances which were laid before her as snares to entrap her chastity, they attributed that, which was no other than curiosity, to a looseness of sentiment; and when she discovered no aversion to hear those anecdotes concerning the frailty of her neighbours, they imputed to abatement of chastity that satisfaction which was the result of selfcongratulation on her own superior virtue.

disappointed in his conjecture. The first person who chanced to pass that way, was one of the chambermaids, with whom Teresa had lived for some time in a state of inveterate enmity, because the wench had failed in that homage and respect which was paid to her by the rest of the servants.

Ferdinand had in his heart espoused the quarrel of his associate, and longed for an occasion to deliver her from the malicious observance of such an antagonist: when he, therefore, saw her approach, his heart throbbed with joyful expectations; but, when she snatched up the purse, and thrust it into her bosom, with all the eagerness and confusion of one determined to appropriate the windfall to her own use, his transports were altogeSo far did the treacherous accomplice of ther unspeakable. He traced her to her own Fathom presume upon these misconstruc-apartment, whither she immediately retreated tions, that she at length divested her tongue with great trepidation, and then communiof all restraint, and behaved in such a man-cated the discovery to Teresa, together with ner, that the young lady, confounded and instructions how to behave in the sequel. incensed at her indecency and impudence, rebuked her with great severity, and commanded her to reform her discourse, on pain of being dismissed with disgrace from her service.

CHAPTER IX.

The confederates change their battery, and achieve a remarkable adventure.

In conformity with these lessons, she took the first opportunity of going to mademoiselle and demanding money for some necessary expense, that the loss might be known before the finder could have leisure to make any fresh conveyance of the prize; and, in the mean time, Ferdinand kept a strict eye upon the motions of the chambermaid. The young lady, having rummaged her pockets in vain, expressed some surprise at the loss of her purse, upon which her attendant gave indications of extreme amazement and concern; THUNDERSTRUCK at this disappointment, the she said it could not possibly be lost; enconfederates held a council, in order to de-treated her to search her escritoir, while she liberate upon the next measures that should be taken; and Ferdinand, for the present, despairing of accomplishing his grand aim, resolved to profit in another manner, by the conveniency of his situation. He represented to his help-mate, that it would be prudent for them to make hay while the sun shone, as their connexion might be sooner or later discovered, and an end put to all those opportunities which they now so happily enjoyed. All principles of morality had been already excluded from their former plan; consequently he found it an easy task to interest Teresa in any other scheme tending to their mutual advantage, howsoever wicked and perfidious it might be. He therefore persuaded her to be his auxiliary in defrauding mademoiselle at play, and gave her suitable directions for that purpose; and even tutored her how to abuse the trust reposed in her, by embezzling the young lady's effects, without incurring the suspicion of dishonesty.

On the supposition that every servant in the house was not able to resist such temptation, the purse of her mistress (to which the maid had always access) was dropped in a passage which the domestics had occasion to frequent, and Fathom posted himself in a convenient place, in order to observe the effect of his stratagem. Here he was not

herself ran about the room, prying into every corner, with all the symptoms of fear and distraction. Having made this unsuccessful inquiry, she pretended to shed a flood of tears, bewailing her own fate, in being near the person of any lady who met with such a misfortune, by which, she observed, her character might be called in question: she produced her own keys, and begged, upon her knees, that her chamber and boxes might be searched without delay.

In a word, she demeaned herself so artfully upon this occasion, that her mistress, who never entertained the least doubt of her integrity, now looked upon her as a miracle of fidelity and attachment, and was at infinite pains to console her for the accident which had happened; protesting that, for her own part, the loss of the money should never affect her with a moment's uneasiness, if she could retrieve a certain medal which she had long kept in her purse as a remembrance of her deceased aunt, from whom she received it in a present.

Fathom entered accidentally, in the midst of this well-acted scene, and, perceiving the agitation of the maid, and the concern of the mistress, desired, in a respectful manner, to know the cause of their disorder. Before the young lady had time to make him ac

Miss Melvil reprimanded her sharply for her unmannerly zeal; and Ferdinand, eyeing her with a look of disdain,—“ Madam," said he, "I approve of your proposal; but, before I undergo such mortification, I would advise mademoiselle to subject the two chambermaids to such inquiry; as they also have ac-yond the power of accident or information to cess to the apartments, and are, I apprehend, as likely as you or I to behave in such a scandalous manner."

mate insisted upon undergoing the same trial with the rest of the domestics, and as usual comprehended Fathom in her insinuations; while he seconded the proposal, and privately counselled the old lady to introduce Teresa to the magistrate of the place. By these preconcerted recriminations, they escaped all suspicion of collusion. After a fruitless inquiry, the prisoner was discharged from her confinement, and turned out of the service of the count, in whose private opinion the character of no person suffered so much as that of his own son, whom he suspected of having embezzled the jewels for the use of a certain inamorata, who, at that time, was said to have captivated his affections.

Such a favourable introduction could not fail of being advantageous to a youth of Ferdinand's specious accomplishments; for he was considered as the young count's companion, admitted into his parties, and included in all the entertainments to which Renaldo was invited. He soon distinguished himself by his activity and address, in the course of those exercises that were taught at the academy of which he was pupil; his manners were so engaging as to attract the acquaintance of his fellow-students, and his conversation being sprightly and inoffensive, grew into very great request; in a word, he and the young count formed a remarkable contrast, which, in the eye of the world, redounded to his advantage.

They were certainly, in all respects, the reverse of each other. Renaldo, under a total defect of exterior cultivation, possessed a most excellent understanding, with every virtue that dignifies the human heart; while the other, beneath a most agreeable outside, with an inaptitude and aversion to letters, concealed an amazing fund of villainy and ingratitude. Hitherto his observation had been confined to a narrow sphere, and his

acute, had not attained to that maturity which age and experience give; but now, his perceptions began to be more distinct, and extended to a thousand objects which had never before come under his cognizance.

The old gentleman felt upon this occasion all that internal anguish which a man of honour may be supposed to suffer, on account of a son's degeneracy; and, without divulging his sentiments, or even hinting his suspicions to the youth himself, determined to detach him at once from such dangerous connexions, by sending him forthwith to Vienna, on pretence of finishing his exercises at the academy, and ushering him into acquaintance with the great world. Though he would not be thought by the young gen-reflections, though surprisingly just and tleman himself to harbour the least doubt of his morals, he did not scruple to unbosom himself on that subject to Ferdinand, whose sagacity and virtue he held in great veneration. This indulgent patron expressed himself in the most pathetic terms, on the untoward disposition of his son; he told Fathom, that he should accompany Renaldo (that was the youth's name) not only as a companion, but a preceptor and pattern; conjured him to assist his tutor in superintending his conduct, and to reinforce the governor's precepts by his own example; to inculcate upon him the most delicate punctilios of honour, and decoy him into extravagance, rather than leave the least illiberal sentiment in his heart. Our crafty adventurer, with demonstrations of the utmost sensibility, acknowledged the great goodness of the count in reposing such confidence in his integrity: which, as he observed, none but the worst of villains could abuse; and fervently wished that he might no longer exist, than he should continue to remember and resent the obligations he owed to his kind benefactor. While preparations were making for their departure, our hero held a council with his associate, whom he enriched with many sage instructions touching her future operations; he at the same time disburdened her of all or the greatest part of the spoils she had won, and after having received divers marks of bounty from the count and his lady, together with a purse from his young mistress, he set out for Vienna in the eighteenth year of his age, with Renaldo and his governor, who were provided with letters of recommendation to some of the count's friends belonging to the imperial court.

He had formerly imagined, but was now fully persuaded, that the sons of men preyed upon one another, and such was the end and condition of their being. Among the principal figures of life, he observed few or no characters that did not bear a strong analogy to the savage tyrants of the wood. One resembled a tiger in fury and rapaciousness; a second prowled about like an hungry wolf, seeking whom he might devour; a third acted the part of a jackal, in beating the bush for game to his voracious employer; and a fourth imitated the wily fox, in practising a thousand crafty ambuscades for the destruction of the ignorant and unwary. This last was the department of life for which he found himself best qualified by nature and inclination; and he accordingly resolved that his talent should not rust in his possession. He was already pretty well versed in all the sciences of play; but he had every day occasion to see these arts carried to such a surprising pitch of finesse and dexterity, as discouraged him from building his schemes on that foundation.

He therefore determined to fascinate the judgment, rather than the eyes of his fellowcreatures, by a continual exercise of that gift of deceiving, with which he knew himself endued to an unrivalled degree; and to acquire unbounded influence with those who might be subservient to his interest, by an assiduous application to their prevailing pass

ions. Not that play was altogether left out in the projection of his economy: though he engaged himself very little in the executive part of gaming, he had not been long in Vienna, when he entered into league with a genius of that kind, whom he distinguished among the pupils of the academy, and who indeed had taken up his habitation in that place with a view to pillage the provincials on their first arrival in town, before they could be armed with proper circumspection to preserve their money, or have time to dispose of it in any other shape.

Similar characters naturally attract each other, and people of our hero's principles are, of all others, the most apt to distinguish their own likeness wheresoever it occurs; because they always keep the faculty of discerning in full exertion. It was in consequence of this mutual alertness, that Ferdinand and the stranger, who was a native of Tyrol, perceived themselves reflected in the dispositions of each other, and immediately entered into an offensive and defensive alliance; our adventurer undertaking for the articles of intelligence, countenance, and counsel, and his associate charging himself with the risk of execution.

CHAPTER XI.

the booty which you so unjustly got; otherwise I expect you will meet me upon the ramparts, near the bastion de la Port Neuve, to-morrow morning at day-break, in order to justify, with your sword, the finesse you have practised upon the friend of

"FERDINAND DE FATHOM."

The gamester no sooner received this intimation, than, according to the plan which had been preconcerted betwixt the author and him, he went to the apartment of Renaldo, and presenting the sum of money which he had defrauded him of the preceding night, told him, with a stern countenance, that though it was a just acquisition, he scorned to avail himself of his good fortune against any person who entertained the smallest doubt of his honour.

The young count, surprised at this address, rejected his offer with disdain, and desired to know the meaning of such an unexpected declaration. Upon which the other produced Ferdinand's billet, and threatened, in very high terms, to meet the stripling according to his invitation, and chastise him severely for his presumption. The consequence of this explanation is obvious. Renaldo, imputing the officiousness of Fathom to the zeal of his friendship, interposed in the quarrel, which was amicably compromised, not a little to the honour of our adventurer, who thus obtained an opportunity of displaying

Fathom makes various efforts in the world his courage and integrity, without the least

of gallantry.

THUS Connected, they began to hunt in couples; and Fathom, in order to profit by the alliance with a good grace, contrived a small scheme that succeeded to his wish. Renaldo being one night intoxicated in the course of a merry-making with his fellow-pupils, from which Fathom had purposely absented himself, was by the Tyrolese so artfully provoked to play, that he could not resist the temptation, but engaged at pass-dice with that fell adversary, who, in less than an hour, stripped him of a pretty round sum. Next day, when the young gentleman recovered the use of his recollection, he was sensibly chagrined at the folly and precipitation of his own conduct, an account of which he communicated in confidence to our hero, with demonstrations of infinite shame and concern.

hazard to his person; while, at the same time, his confederate recommended himself to the esteem of the young count by his spirited behaviour on this occasion; so that Renaldo being less shy of his company for the future, the Tyrolese had the fairer opportunities to prosecute his designs upon the young gentleman's purse.

It would be almost superfluous to say, that these were not neglected. The son of Count Melvil was not deficient in point of penetration: but his whole study was at that time engrossed by the care of his education, and he had sometimes recourse to play as to an amusement by which he sought to unbend the severity of his attention; no wonder, then, that he fell a prey to an artful gamester, who had been regularly trained to the profession, and made it the sole study of his life; especially as the Hungarian was reFerdinand having moralized upon the sub-markable for a warmth of temper, which a ject with great sagacity, and sharply in- knight of the post always knows how to veighed against the Tyrolese, for the unfair manage for his own advantage. advantage he had taken, retired to his closet, In the course of these operations, Fathom and wrote the following billet, which was was a very useful correspondent; he instructimmediately sent to his ally. ed the Tyrolese in the peculiarities of Re "The obligations I owe, and the attach-naldo's disposition, and made him acquainted ments I feel to the Count de Melvil, will not suffer me to be an idle spectator of the wrongs offered to his son, in the dishonourable use, I understand, you made last night of his unguarded hours; I therefore insist upon your making immediate restitution of

with the proper seasons for profiting by his dexterity. Ferdinand, for example, who, by the authority derived to him from the injunc tions of the old count, sometimes took upon himself the office of an adviser, cunningly chose to counsel the son at those conjunctures