Another lady, who pursued him everywhere, heard that he was at Madame de Simiane’s, and immediately begged the latter to permit her to dine with her.  Madame de Simiane went to her and said she must be excused for that day, as Mr. Law was to dine with her.  Madame de Bouchu replied that it was for this reason expressly she wished to be invited.  Madame de Simiane only repeated that she did not choose to have Mr. Law troubled, and so quitted her.  Having, however, ascertained the dinner-hour, Madame de Bouchu passed before the house in her coach, and made her coachman and footman call out “Fire!” Immediately all the company quitted the table to know where the fire was, and among them Mr. Law appeared.  As soon as Madame de Bouchu saw him, she jumped out of her carriage to speak to him; but he, guessing the trick, instantly disappeared.

Another lady ordered her carriage to be driven opposite to Mr. Law’s hotel and then to be overturned.  Addressing herself to the coachman, she said, “Overturn here, you blockhead—­overturn!” Mr. Law ran out to her assistance, when she confessed to him that she had done this for the sole purpose of having an interview with him.

[Illustration:  Overturn here, you blockhead—­290]

A servant had gained so much in the Rue de Quincampoix, that he was enabled to set up his equipage.  When his coach was brought home, he forgot who he was, and mounted behind.  His servant cried out, “Ah, sir! what are you doing? this is your own carriage.”

“That is true,” said the quondam servant; “I had forgotten.”

Mr. Law’s coachman having also made a very considerable sum, demanded permission to retire from his service.  His master gave it him, on condition of his procuring him another good coachman.  On the next day, the wealthy coachman made his appearance with two persons, both of whom were, he said, good coachmen; and that Mr. Law had only to choose which of them he liked, while he, the coachman, would take the other.

People of all nations in Europe are daily coming to Paris; and it has been remarked that the number of souls in the capital has been increased by 250,000 more than usual.  It has been necessary to make granaries into bedrooms; there is such a profusion of carriages that the streets are choked up with them, and many persons run great danger.

Some ladies of quality seeing a well-dressed woman covered with diamonds, and whom nobody knew, alight from a very handsome carriage, were curious to know who it was, and sent to enquire of the lackey.  He replied, with a sneer, “It is a lady who has recently tumbled from a garret into this carriage.”  This lady was probably of the same sort as Madame Bejon’s cook.  That lady, being at the opera, some days back, saw a person in a costly dress, and decorated with a great quantity of jewels, but very ugly, enter the theatre.  The daughter said, “Mamma, unless I am very much deceived, that lady so dressed out is Mary, our cook-maid.”