To this I agreed without any ado, and the more as I was all eagerness to behold again the beautiful countenance of that lady who had carried herself so kindly towards me, and leaving the walls, we returned to Mr Marigny’s lodging. This I now perceived to be situate in one of the great houses of the place, its outward aspect mean enough, but its furnishings genteel and handsome after the Indian fashion, since it had belonged to a chief man among the Moors, and was now appointed to the use of some three or four of the younger gentlemen among my lord marquis his officers. Here we found set out a cold collation, to which, when we were sat down, we did excellent justice, and then made shift to dress ourselves fitly for appearing in my lord’s presence. And because I had no clothes meet for such an entertainment, and the suit which I had ordered of a Gentue tailor of the town not being likely to be finished for some days, Mr Marigny did lend me a tunic of his own, that was of a light blue damask, guarded with silver lace, very pretty, and had in a soldier of his troop, that was also a barber, for to trim my hair. And being now ready, we were carried in palenkeens to the palace, which is a great piece of building, used formerly by the Moorish governor of the King of Gulconda, and so large as all the six hundred Frenchmen in St Thomas might have found lodging therein easily. But my lord, for his punctilio’s sake, whereof he was prodigious jealous, had reserved it altogether for himself, his family and his guard, and everything was arranged very orderly, and with as great pomp and ceremony as at any court of Europe.
And this you may perceive, on my telling you that at the great gate we were met by the steward of my lord’s household, called the maistre d’hostel, and our names and dignities being noted by him, passed on through many courts and galleries, where were many servants, all habited very seemly in my lord’s livery, and all bowing, and so came at last to the great saloon, where his lordship received his guests. And in this chamber, that was hung with silk and tapestry, and the floor and pillars garnished with rich marbles, and all lighted with great candles of white wax, was there at one end a daïs or raised part, whereon was set an honourable seat, like unto a throne, with a state above it, for my lord marquis, likewise an armed chair for Madam Heliodora his daughter, and another chair, as stately, but without arms, for the gentlewoman that bare her company. And behind these chairs was there a crowd of servants waving their great fans for to keep the air cool, and on either side of the daïs the officers and merchant venturers that were come with my lord upon this business. And his lordship, standing before his throne (whereon was broidered very cunningly in needlework the arms of France), did receive me most graciously, and give me his hand, which I shook with great respect, but since then I have entertained misgivings thereabout, so that I can’t satisfy myself that his lordship did not intend me to kiss it.
And having paid our duty to my lord marquis, we passed on beyond the throne, and here sat Madam Heliodora, wearing a gown of flowered China silk, made in the French fashion (then new), called a sacque, and a collar of great pearls about her neck. Her hair was worn low, as the mode then was, and dressed in curls over the forehead and at the sides. Next to her was Mad. de Chesnac, in a gown of very rich brocado, the colour black with silver threads, and her hair powdered under a high cap. Likewise both these gentlewomen carried fans of wrought ivory, the carving so rich and delicate as I had never seen, and the lace in their ruffles, tuckers, and handkerchers was the finest imaginable. Now when Mr Marigny had presented me with all due form to Madam Heliodora, she showed herself very gracious to me, giving me her hand to kiss, and inquired of me extreme kindly whether I were refreshed from the fatigues of my shipwreck. And I replying in the best French I might frame, ventured also to thank her ladyship for her great kindness in anticipating my necessities, but which she bid me not mention, saying that she took shame to herself that she had need to be put in mind of my situation by some chance word of my lord her father, before she thought upon my wants. And this she said so humbly, but yet with so noble an air and tone, that I could but listen to her stupidly, and wonder at her beauty and the excellence of her good breeding. Mad. de Chesnac also, to whom my lady did me the honour to present me, carried herself very civilly towards me, and made me many pretty compliments, the which I was at much pains to return, though I can’t but fear that I stumbled sadly in my French.
And all the guests being now arrived, my lord marquis asked of me to be good enough to divert them with the relation of my adventures, but Madam Heliodora, observing that I still seemed weary, bade a servant bring a tabouret and set it for me before the daïs. And upon this my lord sat down upon his throne, and desired of all the company to be seated likewise, which was done according to their degrees, and indeed it was pretty to see the art with which each person took his own place, the better sort upon chairs, and the rest upon the long seat that ran round the saloon. And I being set in the midst upon my folding-stool, my lord requested of me to begin, and thereupon I told them in little that which I have already told you, saving that of course I made no mention of my private matters. And when I had done, all present testified much sympathy with me, for the French love the Inquisition no more than we do, nor hath it ever been allowed in their country of late years, and there was more than one there that could tell sad tales of that which had happened to friends or kin that had brought themselves under the power thereof in Portingale, Spain, or the Indies.
Now after my history was done went we to supper, that was set out in another chamber with great magnificence, and such ceremony was in the going thither as I never saw, my lord going first, leading Madam Heliodora his daughter, and after him his next in command with Mad. de Chesnac, and after them the rest of us according to our degrees. And at the supper, being the newest arrived of those there, it was granted me to sit beside Madam Heliodora, to my no small contentment, for I found my eyes and thoughts fixed continually upon this lady, so prodigiously was I constrained to admire both her countenance and her wit. And at different times she was so obliging as to honour me with her special attention, asking me concerning my home, and my father and Dorothy, with so much kindness, and yet with so great gravity withal, that I could no more have answered her falsely (even if I had had any mind thereto), nor sought evasion in my replies, than if an angel from heaven had been speaking with me. And she, receiving my answers, did speak with me concerning those my friends in England as gently and as wisely as if she had been a queen and I her subject, or she my sister and I her young brother. It seems likely to me now, that my three years in prison had made me look to be much younger than in reality I was, imparting to my complexion a certain delicacy and youthfulness, and this, though my face, when I saw it in the glass, had to me the appearance of that of an old man. Likewise my hair helped to this effect, not being yet grown again, but hanging in my neck like a schoolboy’s, so that I heard the Frenchmen all speak of me as Ce jeune Anglois, and sometimes (though I was bigger than any of ’em, saving his lordship and one other), Ce petit Anglois. But to-night I cared for none of their contempts, being altogether wrapped up in the talk of Madam Heliodora.
Now after supper, the guests being in the course of departing, his lordship carried me apart for a moment to speak with him in his private closet, and I observed how tall and seemly a person he was, and how stately in his velvet coat, with a great gold chain about his neck, and a medal hanging therefrom. He addressed himself to me mighty civilly, saying that my relation had entertained him prodigiously, and desiring that I would prolong my stay at St Thomas so long as it suited with my occasions. He promised me, moreover, to ask the chief of our English Factory at Maderas to send him sure word whenever an English ship bound for Surat or Bombaim should arrive there, that so I might take passage in her, and that thus I need be under no fear of missing any chance of returning to my place. This being so, I did accept of his lordship’s offer with many thanks, and so bid him good night, and returned home with Mr Marigny. This gentleman was full of pleasant wit touching the events of the evening, and talked on thus until bedtime, I answering him scarce a word, for I could think only of Madam Heliodora, and repeat in my mind those things that she had said to me.
And now that I am come to speak of a part of my life that displays the most intolerable presumption and foolishness in me, I desire (while humbly affirming that no man perceives clearer than I the folly of my doings) to disarm your censure in some degree by putting you in remembrance that I was extreme unused to ladies’ company, never having so much as seen a woman’s face for over three years. Even in the days of my favour at Goa, I saw but little of the ladies, as I have before said, they being kept so recluse, and at Surat there was only some few Dutchwomen and those unhappy English of whom Mr Martin had spoken to me, with whom I had consorted as little as might be. And so you must needs go back to Ellswether, and to the days when my cousin Dorothy and I played together in the fields, to find a time when I was in daily intercourse with any person not of my own sex. And although this plea can’t pardon my folly, yet it may be it can mitigate it.
Now it seems to me that before I proceed further I ought to set down in writing a character of Madam Heliodora as she appeared at this time, for the sake of those that don’t enjoy the felicity of her acquaintance, or that have known her only in the time of change and adversity. This lady, Madam Frances Mary Louise (I don’t know how to render this last name in English, for it an’t used among us, though very common in France) Anne Amanda Heliodora, daughter and only child to his lordship the most noble Gasper Deodatus, Marquis of Tourvel, and Madam Mary Margaret of Cheverenches, his wife, was born in the early part of the year 1645-46, and though thus no longer in the first bloom of her youth, preserved such an admirable beauty as might well make envious many younger dames. In stature, she was above the common height of women, but so just and excellent a proportion was observable in every several part of her frame as made her figure to seem absolutely perfect. Her eyes were brown, large and melting, her hair of a most lovely brown, tending to black, her skin of a marble whiteness not often seen by us in England. I might go on to write down every feature and describe its beauties, for all were beautiful; but when all is said, ’twas not so much the beauty of the several parts as the sweet and beautiful spirit of the lady herself that shone through and illuminated them with a double loveliness. There was in all her motions so exquisite a grace as drew your eyes to her irresistibly, so that did she but lift a glass from the table you were forced to look at her and admire, yet not so much for the beauty of her hand and arm (though these were the finest imaginable) as for the elegance of the action itself. Her constitution[92] was extreme devout, and a little inclined to sadness, yet in time of need she could display so indomitable a courage as I have never seen equalled. Of her kindness and goodness it would ill become me, who have profited so much by ’em, to say naught, and yet to describe them fitly were equally difficult, so that I can only say that both were excessive. At this time she was something wont, as Mad. de Chesnac complained, to affect a certain singularity and strangeness in her dress and carriage, choosing to dress herself in sad colours when she so could, and to resign herself to overmuch musing. But this, as it seems to me, is fully accounted for when all is known touching her, which won’t be yet for you, even as it wan’t for me.
Now in conclusion of this piece of description and vindication (being a description of Madam Heliodora, and a vindication, in so far as may be, of myself), I will add only this, that whereas those enemies that have left nothing undone to blacken even the most innocent actions of my life, have made foul charges against me, I do most solemnly declare that I never erred against that dear lady otherwise than by folly and presumption, and that those who speak to the contrary wrong not me only, but her also, whose virtues and misfortunes alone should protect her against calumny, let alone that desire for truth which should refrain from assailing her spotless name.