nable, so considerate to Mr. Norbert, that he never once
perceived that she did not want him to resort to her house, lest he
might in time discover certain inconsistencies with the character she
had set out with to him: besides that this plan greatly flattered his
own ease, and views of liberty.

Leaving me then to my much wanted rest, he got up, and Mrs. Cole, after
settling with him all points relating to me, got him undiscovered out
of the house. After which, as I was awake, she came in, and gave me
due praises for my success. Behaving too with her usual moderation and
disinterestedness, she refused any share of the sum I had thus earned,
and put me into such a secure and easy way of disposing of my affairs,
which now amounted to a kind of little fortune, that a child of ten
years old might have kept the account and property of them safe in its
hands.

I was now restored again to my former state of a kept mistress, and used
punctually to wait on Mr. Norbert at his chambers whenever he sent a
messenger for me, which I constantly took care to be in the way of, and
managed with so much caution, that he never once penetrated the nature
of my connections with Mrs. Cole; but indolently given up to ease and
the town dissipations, the perpetual hurry of them hindered him from
looking into his own affairs, much less to mine.

In the mean time, if I may judge from my own experience, none are better
paid, or better treated, during their reign, than the mistress of those
who, enervate by nature, debaucheries, or age, have the least employment
for the sex: sensible that a woman must be satisfied some way, they
ply her with a thousand little tender attentions, presents, caresses,
confidences, and exhaust their inventions in means and devices to make
up for the capital deficiency; and even towards lessening that, what
arts, what modes, what refinements of pleasure have they not recourse
to, to raise their languid powers, and press nature into the service of
their sensuality? But here is their misfortune, that when by a course of
teasing, worrying, handling, wanton postures, lascivious motions, they
have at length accomplished a flashy enervate enjoyment, they at the
same time light up a flame in the object of their passion, that, not
having the means themselves to quench, drives her for relief into the
next person's arms, who can finish their work; and thus they become
bawds to some favourite, tried and approved of, for a more vi