Shews by what means Louisa came to the knowledge of her parents, with
other occurrences.
The first thing she did on her arrival, was to send for proper persons
to equip her in a manner that she might once more appear herself,
resolving that till she could do so, not to be seen in the streets.
While these things were preparing, she sent a person, whom the people of
the house recommended to her, to the palace of the prince of Conti, not
doubting but that some of the gentlemen belonging to his highness might
give some intelligence where monsieur du Plessis was to be found; but
the messenger returned without any other information, than that they
knew him very well, but could give no directions in what part he was at
present, he not having been seen in Paris for a long time.
It is hard to say whether she most rejoiced or grieved at this account:
she imagined that had he been dead they would not have been ignorant of
it, therefore concluded him living to her infinite satisfaction; but
then his absenting himself from the capital of the kingdom, and from the
presence of a prince who had so much loved him, filled her with an
adequate disquiet, as believing some very ill accident must have been
the occasion: - she dispatched the same person afterwards to all the
public places that she heard gentlemen frequented, but met not with the
least success in her enquiries. It would prolong this narrative to a
tedious length, should I attempt any description of what she felt in
this situation, or the reflections she made on the odd circumstances of
her life: - the greatness of her spirit, and the most perfect resignation
to the divine will, however, made her support even this last and
severest trial with fortitude and patience; and as soon as she had put
herself into a convenient neat garb, but plain, befitting her condition,
she went out with a design to take a private lodging, where she might
live more cheaply than she could at the hotel, till providence should
throw some person in the way that might recommend her either to work, or
to teach young ladies music.
She was wandering thro' several of the streets of Paris, without being
able, as yet, to find such a chamber as she wanted, when a great shower
of rain happening to fall, she stood up under the porch of a large house
for shelter till it should be over, which it was not for a considerable
time; and the street being very dirty, she returned to the hotel,
intending to renew her search the next day: she had not been come in
above half an hour, before the man of the house told her that a servant,
in a very rich livery, who, he perceived, had followed her, and had
asked many questions concerning her, was now returned, and desired to
speak with her.
As du Plessis was ever in her thoughts, a sudden rush of joy overflowed
her heart, which seemed to her the presage of seeing him, tho' how he
should imagine she was in Paris was a mystery:
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