many ways inconvenient to him; and though
it was a kind of death to me to lose him, yet that, rather than so very
much perplex his affairs, I would submit to anything.

At the next visit I filled his head with the same difficulties, and then
at last came over him with a proposal that I would stay in Paris, or
where else he should direct; and when I heard of his safe arrival, would
come away by myself, and place myself as near him as I could.

This gave him no satisfaction at all, nor would he hear any more of it;
but if I durst venture myself, as he called it, such a journey, he would
not lose the satisfaction of my company; and as for the expense, that
was not to be named; neither, indeed, was there room to name it, for I
found that he travelled at the king's expense, as well for himself as
for all his equipage, being upon a piece of secret service of the last
importance.

But after several debates between ourselves, he came to this resolution,
viz., that he would travel incognito, and so he should avoid all public
notice either of himself or of who went with him; and that then he
should not only carry me with him, but have a perfect leisure of
enjoying my agreeable company (as he was pleased to call it) all the
way.

This was so obliging that nothing could be more so. Upon this foot he
immediately set to work to prepare things for his journey, and, by his
directions, so did I too. But now I had a terrible difficulty upon me,
and which way to get over it I knew not; and that was, in what manner to
take care of what I had to leave behind me. I was rich, as I have said,
very rich, and what to do with it I knew not; nor who to leave in trust
I knew not. I had nobody but Amy in the world, and to travel without Amy
was very uncomfortable, or to leave all I had in the world with her,
and, if she miscarried, be ruined at once, was still a frightful
thought; for Amy might die, and whose hands things might fall into I
knew not. This gave me great uneasiness, and I knew not what to do; for
I could not mention it to the prince, lest he should see that I was
richer than he thought I was.

But the prince made all this easy to me; for in concerting measures for
our journey he started the thing himself, and asked me merrily one
evening who I would trust with all my wealth in my absence.

"My wealth, my lord," said I, "except what I owe to your goodness is but
small, but yet that little I have, I confess, causes some
thoughtfu