When all was over, she highly lauded the young gentleman, declaring
that he was an example of the decorum with which such matters were
conducted in France; and when my father observed that he should
prefer a little more fire and animation, she said: 'Truly, my lord,
one would think you were of mere English extraction, that you should
prefer the rude habits of a farmer or milkmaid to the reserve of a
true noble and lady of quality.'
'Well, dame, I promised that you should have it your own way with the
poor lass,' said my father; 'and I see no harm in the lad, but I own
I should like to know more of him, and Meg would not object either.
It was not the way I took thee, Margaret.'
'I shall never make you understand that a widow is altogether a
different thing,' said my mother.
I suppose they never recollected that I could hear every word they
said, but I was full in view of them, and of course I was listening
most anxiously for all I could gather about my new life. If I
remember right, it was an envoy-extraordinary with whom the marquis
and his nephew had come, and their stay was therefore very short, so
that we were married after a very few days in the Queen's Chapel, by
her own almoner.
I do not remember much about the wedding, as indeed it was done very
quietly, being intended to be kept altogether a secret; but in some
way, probably through the servants, it became known to the mob in
London, and as we drove home from Whitehall in the great coach with
my father and mother, a huge crowd had assembled, hissing and yelling
and crying out upon Lord Walwyn for giving his daughter to a French
Papist.
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