before he began to tease her; but, rejecting this project, as too weak a
revenge for the injustice done him, he was upon the point of conspiring
the destruction of poor Mrs. Middleton, when, by accident, he met with
Miss Hamilton. From this moment ended all his resentment against Mrs.
Middleton, and all his attachment to Miss Warmestre: no longer was he
inconstant: no longer were his wishes fluctuating: this object fixed them
all; and, of all his former habits, none remained, except uneasiness and
jealousy.

Here his first care was to please; but he very plainly saw, that to
succeed he must act quite in a different manner to that which he had been
accustomed to.

The family of the Hamiltons, being very numerous, lived in a large and
commodious house, near the court: the Duke of Ormond's family was
continually with them; and here persons of the greatest distinction in
London, constantly met: the Chevalier de Grammont was here received in a
manner agreeable to his merit and quality, and was astonished that he had
spent so much time in other places; for, after having made this
acquaintance, he was desirous of no other.

All the world agreed that Miss Hamilton was worthy of the most ardent and
sincere affection: nobody could boast a nobler birth, nothing was more
charming than her person.

[Elizabeth, sister of the author of these Memoirs, and daughter of
Sir George Hamilton, fourth son of James, the first Earl of
Abercorn, by Mary, third daughter of Thomas, Viscount Thurles,
eldest son of Walter, eleventh Earl of Ormond, and sister to James,
the first Duke of Ormond. She married Philibert, Count of Grammont,
the hero of these Memoirs, by whom she had two daughters: Claude
Charlotte, married, 3rd April, 1694, to Henry, Earl of Stafford; and
another, who became superior, or abbess, of the Canonesses in
Lorraine.]

CHAPTER SEVENTH.

HE FALLS IN LOVE WITH MISS HAMILTON--VARIOUS ADVENTURES
AT THE BALL IN THE QUEEN'S DRAWING-ROOM--CURIOUS VOYAGE
OF HIS VALET-DE-CHAMBRE TO AND FROM PARIS.

The Chevalier de Grammont, never satisfied in his amours, was fortunate
without being beloved, and became jealous without having an attachment.

Mrs. Middleton, as we have said, was going to experience what methods he
could invent to torment, after having experienced his powers of pleasing.

He went in search of her to the queen's drawing-room, where there was a
ball;