, for the space of eight months; a thing almost incredible,
and what perhaps no woman, but herself, would have had courage to
undertake, or resolution to perform, but was, in her circumstances,
infinitely the most safe and expedient that prudence could suggest.

CHAP. XXIII.

_Shews by what means Louisa came to the knowledge of her parents, with
other occurrences_.

The first thing she did on her arrival, was to send for proper persons
to equip her in a manner that she might once more appear herself,
resolving that till she could do so, not to be seen in the streets.

While these things were preparing, she sent a person, whom the people of
the house recommended to her, to the palace of the prince of Conti, not
doubting but that some of the gentlemen belonging to his highness might
give some intelligence where monsieur du Plessis was to be found; but
the messenger returned without any other information, than that they
knew him very well, but could give no directions in what part he was at
present, he not having been seen in Paris for a long time.

It is hard to say whether she most rejoiced or grieved at this account:
she imagined that had he been dead they would not have been ignorant of
it, therefore concluded him living to her infinite satisfaction; but
then his absenting himself from the capital of the kingdom, and from the
presence of a prince who had so much loved him, filled her with an
adequate disquiet, as believing some very ill accident must have been
the occasion:--she dispatched the same person afterwards to all the
public places that she heard gentlemen frequented, but met not with the
least success in her enquiries. It would prolong this narrative to a
tedious length, should I attempt any description of what she felt in
this situation, or the reflections she made on the odd circumstances of
her life:--the greatness of her spirit, and the most perfect resignation
to the divine will, however, made her support even this last and
severest trial with fortitude and patience; and as soon as she had put
herself into a convenient neat garb, but plain, befitting her condition,
she went out with a design to take a private lodging, where she might
live more cheaply than she could at the hotel, till providence should
throw some person in the way that might recommend her either to work, or
to teach young ladies music.

She was wandering thro' several of the streets of Paris, without being
able, as yet, to find