The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom — Complete
and thrust it in her bosom, with all the eagerness and confusion of one
determined to appropriate the windfall to her own use, his transports
were altogether unspeakable. He traced her to her own apartment,
whither she immediately retreated with great trepidation, and then
communicated the discovery to Teresa, together with instructions how to
behave in the sequel.
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 meantime, 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. She said, it could not possibly be lost;
entreated her to search her escritoir, while she 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 into 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 acquainted with
the circumstances of the case, his accomplice exclaimed, in an affected
passion, “Mr. Fathom, my lady has lost her purse; and, as no persons in
the family are so much about her as you and I, you must give me leave,
in my own justification, to insist upon Mademoiselle’s ordering the
apartments of us both to be searched without loss of time. Here are my
pockets and my keys, and you cannot scruple to give her the same
satisfaction; for innocence has nothing to fear.”
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 access to the apartments, and are, I
apprehend, as likely as you or I to behave in such a scandalous
manner.”
The young lady declared that she was too well satisfied of Teresa’s
honesty and Ferdinand’s honour, to harbour the least suspicion of
either, and that she would sooner die than disgrace them so far as to
comply with the proposal the former had made; but as she saw no reason
for exempting the inferior servants from that examination which Fathom
advised, she would forthwith put it in execution. The chambermaids
being accordingly summoned, she calmly asked if either of them had
accidentally found the purse she had dropped? and both replying in the
negative, she assumed an air of severity and determination, and
demanding their keys, threatened to examine their trunks on the
instant.
The guilty Abigail, who, though an Hungarian, was not inferior, in
point of effrontery, to any one of the sisterhood in England, no sooner
heard this menace, than she affected an air of affronted innocence,
thanked God she had lived in many reputable families, and been trusted
with untold gold, but was never before suspected of theft; that the
other maid might do as she should think proper, and be mean-spirited
enough to let her things be tumbled topsy-turvy and exposed; but, for
her own part, if she should be used in that inhuman and disgraceful
manner, she would not stay another hour in the house; and in conclusion
said, that Mademoiselle had more reason to look sharp after those who
enjoyed the greatest share of her favour, than believe their malicious
insinuations against innocent people whom they were well known to hate
and defame.
This declaration, implying an hint to the prejudice of Teresa, far from
diverting Miss Melvil from her purpose, served only to enhance the
character of the accused in her opinion, and to confirm her suspicion
of the accuser, of whom she again demanded her keys, protesting that,
should she prove refractory, the Count himself should take cognisance
of the affair, whereas, if she would deal ingenuously, she should have
no cause to repent of her confession. So saying, she desired our
adventurer to take the trouble of calling up some of the men-servants;
upon which the conscious criminal began to tremble, and, falling upon
her knees, acknowledged her guilt, and implored the forgiveness of her
young mistress.
Teresa, seizing this occasion to signalise her generosity, joined in
the request, and the offender was pardoned, after having restored the
purse, and promised in the sight of Heaven, that the devil should never
again entice her to the commission of such a crime. This adventure
fully answered all the purposes of our politician; it established the
opinion of his fellow-labourer’s virtue, beyond the power of accident
or information to shake, and set up a false beacon to mislead the
sentiments of Mademoiselle, in case she should for the future meet with
the like misfortune.
CHAPTER TEN
THEY PROCEED TO LEVY CONTRIBUTIONS WITH GREAT SUCCESS, UNTIL OUR HERO
SETS OUT WITH THE YOUNG COUNT FOR VIENNA, WHERE HE ENTERS INTO LEAGUE
WITH ANOTHER ADVENTURER.
Under this secure cover, Teresa levied contributions upon her mistress
with great success. Some trinket was missing every day; the young
lady’s patience began to fail; the faithful attendant was overwhelmed
with consternation, and, with the appearance of extreme chagrin,
demanded her dismission, affirming that these things were certainly
effected by some person in the family, with a view of murdering her
precious reputation. Miss Melvil, not without difficulty, quieted her
vexation with assurances of inviolable confidence and esteem, until a
pair of diamond earrings vanished, when Teresa could no longer keep her
affliction within bounds. Indeed, this was an event of more consequence
than all the rest which had happened, for the jewels were valued at
five hundred florins.
Mademoiselle was accordingly alarmed to such a degree, that she made
her mother acquainted with her loss, and that good lady, who was an
excellent economist, did not fail to give indications of extraordinary
concern. She asked, if her daughter had reason to suspect any
individual in the family, and if she was perfectly confident of her own
woman’s integrity? Upon which Mademoiselle, with many encomiums on the
fidelity and attachment of Teresa, recounted the adventure of the
chambermaid, who immediately underwent a strict inquiry, and was even
committed to prison, on the strength of her former misdemeanour. Our
adventurer’s 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.
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 gentleman 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.
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
villany and ingratitude. Hitherto his observation had been confined to
a narrow sphere, and his reflections, though surprisingly just and
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