Leaving me then to my much wanted rest, he got up, and
Mrs. Cole, after settling with him all points relating to me,
got him undiscovered out of the house. After which, as I was
awake, she came in and gave me due praises for my success.
Behaving too with her usual moderation and disinterestedness,
she refus'd any share of the sum I had thus earned, and put
me into such a secure and easy way of disposing of my af-
fairs, which now amounted to a kind of little fortune, that
a child of ten years old might have kept the account and
property of them safe in its hands.
I was now restor'd again to my former state of a kept
mistress, and used punctually to wait on Mr. Norbert at his
chambers whenever he sent a messenger for me, which I con-
stantly took care to be in the way of, and manag'd with so
much caution that he never once penetrated the nature of my
connections with Mrs. Cole; but indolently given up to ease
and the town dissipations, the perpetual hurry of them hin-
der'd him from looking into his own affairs, much less to
mine.
In the mean time, if I may judge from my own experience,
none are better paid, or better treated, during their reign,
than the mistresses of those who, enervate by nature, debauc-
heries, or age, have the least employment for the sex: sen-
sible that a woman must be satisfy'd some way, they ply her
with a thousand little tender attentions, presents, caresses,
confidences, and exhaust their inventions in means and de-
vices to make up for the capital deficiency; and even towards
lessening that, what arts, what modes, what refinements of
pleasure have they not recourse to, to raise their languid
powers, and press nature into the service of their sensu-
ality? But here is their misfortune, that when by a course
of teasing, worrying, handling, wanton postures, lascivious
motions, they have at length accomplish'd a flashy enervate
enjoyment, they at the same time lighted up a flame in the
object of their passion, that, not having the means them-
selves to quench, drives her for relief into the next per-
son's arms, who can finish their work; and thus they become
bawds to some favourite, tried and approv'd of, for a more
vigourous and satisfactory execution; for with women, of our
turn especially, however well our hearts may be dispos'd,
there is a controlling part, or queen seat in us, that
governs itself by its own maxims of state, amongst which not
one is stronger, in practice with it, than, in the matter of
its dues, never to accept the will for the deed.
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