My mother, having settled herself in a small house just out of Paris, expressed her determination to remain where she was; so did Amy. They were neither of them in the least alarmed. For my part, besides being very anxious to see my sister Fanny, my finances required that I should return to London.
Before I quit Paris, I must once more revert to the "comment ça va?" of the Prince Esterhazy, who thus addressed me in his usual coarse style at a masquerade, but without his mask.
Lord Beauchamp asked His Excellency to remain with me, while he left us to pay his respects to some old acquaintance.
In the course of our conversation, the prince let fall a remark which astonished me. He actually alluded to our former intimacy!
"What intimacy ever existed between you and me, pray, beyond that of common acquaintance?"
"Est-il possible? Did nothing more happen?"
"Do you doubt it still?"
"To be sure. I really thought I had been your favoured lover for some time, when I was last in England!"
"Your intrigues then are so frequent, that you forget with whom they occur it should seem?"
Esterhazy laughed with the most perfect self-complacency.