e
chat of the town for that week; and so the name of Roxana was the toast
at and about the court; no other health was to be named with it.

Now things began to work as I would have them, and I began to be very
popular, as much as I could desire. The ball held till (as well as I was
pleased with the show) I was sick of the night; the gentlemen masked
went off about three o'clock in the morning, the other gentlemen sat
down to play; the music held it out, and some of the ladies were dancing
at six in the morning.

But I was mighty eager to know who it was danced with me. Some of the
lords went so far as to tell me I was very much honoured in my company;
one of them spoke so broad as almost to say it was the king, but I was
convinced afterwards it was not; and another replied if he had been his
Majesty he should have thought it no dishonour to lead up a Roxana; but
to this hour I never knew positively who it was; and by his behaviour I
thought he was too young, his Majesty being at that time in an age that
might be discovered from a young person, even in his dancing.

Be that as it would, I had five hundred guineas sent me the next
morning, and the messenger was ordered to tell me that the persons who
sent it desired a ball again at my lodgings on the next Tuesday, but
that they would have my leave to give the entertainment themselves. I
was mighty well pleased with this, to be sure, but very inquisitive to
know who the money came from; but the messenger was silent as death as
to that point, and bowing always at my inquiries, begged me to ask no
questions which he could not give an obliging answer to.

I forgot to mention, that the gentlemen that played gave a hundred
guineas to the box, as they called it, and at the end of their play they
asked for my gentlewoman of the bedchamber, as they called her (Mrs.
Amy, forsooth), and gave it her, and gave twenty guineas more among the
servants.

These magnificent doings equally both pleased and surprised me, and I
hardly knew where I was; but especially that notion of the king being
the person that danced with me, puffed me up to that degree, that I not
only did not know anybody else, but indeed was very far from knowing
myself.

I had now, the next Tuesday, to provide for the like company. But, alas!
it was all taken out of my hand. Three gentlemen, who yet were, it
seems, but servants, came on the Saturday, and bringing sufficient
testimonies that they were right, for on