“Hold your tongue, my dear,” said the mother, “and don’t talk such nonsense.”

Some of the young people, who were in the amphitheatre, began to cry out, “Mary, the cook-maid!  Mary, the cook-maid!”

The lady in the fine dress rose and said, “Yes, madam, I am Mary, the cook-maid; I have gained some money in the Rue de Quincampoix; I like to be well-dressed; I have bought some fine gowns, and I have paid for them.  Can you say so much for your own?”

Mr. Law is not the only person who has bought magnificent jewels and extensive estates.  The Duke, too, has become immensely rich, as well as all those who have held stock.  Mr. Law has made his abjuration at Melun; he has embraced the Catholic religion, with his children, and his wife is in utter despair at it.

[The abjuration did not take place at Paris, because the jokes of the Parisians were to be dreaded.  The Abbe Tencin was so fortunate as to have the office of converting Mr. Law.  “He gained by this pious labour,” says Duclos, “a large sum in bank-notes and stock.”]

It is amusing enough to see how the people run after him in crowds only to be looked at by him or his son.  He has had a terrible quarrel with the Prince de Conti, who wished Mr. Law to do at the bank a thing which my son had forbidden.  The Prince de Conti said to Mr. Law, “Do you know who I am?”

“Yes, Prince,” replied Law, “or I should not treat you as I have done.”

“Then,” said the Prince, “you ought to obey me.”

“I will obey you,” replied Law, “when you shall be Regent;” and he withdrew.

The Princesse de Leon would be taken to the bank, and made her footmen cry out, “Room for the Princesse de Lion.”  At the same time she, who is very little, slipped into the place where the bankers and their clerks were sitting.

“I want some stock,” said she.

The clerk replied, “You must have patience, madame, the certificates are delivered in rotation, and you must wait until those who applied before you are served.”

At the same time he opened the drawer where the stock-papers were kept; the Princess snatched at them; the clerk tried to prevent her, and a fight ensued.  The clerk was now alarmed at having beaten a lady of quality, and ran out to ask the servants who the Princesse de Leon was.  One of the footmen-said, “She is a lady of high rank, young and beautiful.”

“Well, then,” said the clerk, “it cannot be she.”

Another footman said, “The Princesse de Leon is a little woman with a hunch before and another behind, and with arms so long that they nearly reach the ground.”

“Then,” replied the clerk, “that is she.”

Mr. Law is not avaricious; he gives away large soma in charity, and assists many indigent people.

When my son wanted some Duchess to accompany my daughter to Geneva, some one, who heard him speaking about it, said, “if, Monsieur, you would like to select from a number of Duchesses, send to Mr. Law’s; you will find them all there.”