For the plan which Colonel Esmond had in view, and the stroke he intended, ’twas necessary that the very smallest number of persons should be put in possession of his secret.  It scarce was known, except to three or four out of his family, and it was kept to a wonder.

On the 10th of June, 1714, there came by Mr. Prior’s messenger from Paris a letter from my Lord Viscount Castlewood to his mother, saying that he had been foolish in regard of money matters, that he was ashamed to own he had lost at play, and by other extravagances; and that instead of having great entertainments as he had hoped at Castlewood this year, he must live as quiet as he could, and make every effort to be saving.  So far every word of poor Frank’s letter was true, nor was there a doubt that he and his tall brothers-in-law had spent a great deal more than they ought, and engaged the revenues of the Castlewood property, which the fond mother had husbanded and improved so carefully during the time of her guardianship.

His “Clotilda,” Castlewood went on to say, “was still delicate, and her physicians thought her lying-in had best take place at Paris.  He should come without her ladyship, and be at his mother’s house about the 17th or 18th day of June, proposing to take horse from Paris immediately, and bringing but a single servant with him; and he requested that the lawyers of Gray’s inn might be invited to meet him with their account, and the land-steward come from Castlewood with his, so that he might settle with them speedily, raise a sum of money whereof he stood in need, and be back to his viscountess by the time of her lying-in.”  Then his lordship gave some of the news of the town, sent his remembrance to kinsfolk, and so the letter ended.  ’Twas put in the common post, and no doubt the French police and the English there had a copy of it, to which they were exceeding welcome.

Two days after another letter was despatched by the public post of France, in the same open way, and this, after giving news of the fashion at Court there, ended by the following sentences, in which, but for those that had the key, ’twould be difficult for any man to find any secret lurked at all:—­

“(The King will take) medicine on Thursday.  His Majesty is better than he hath been of late, though incommoded by indigestion from his too great appetite.  Madame Maintenon continues well.  They have performed a play of Mons. Racine at St. Cyr.  The Duke of Shrewsbury and Mr. Prior, our envoy, and all the English nobility here were present at it. (The Viscount Castlewood’s passports) were refused to him, ’twas said; his lordship being sued by a goldsmith for Vaisselle plate, and a pearl necklace supplied to Mademoiselle Meruel of the French Comedy.  ’Tis a pity such news should get abroad (and travel to England) about our young nobility here.  Mademoiselle Meruel has been sent to the Fort l’Evesque; they say she has ordered not only plate, but furniture, and a chariot and horses (under that lord’s name), of which extravagance his unfortunate Viscountess knows nothing.