With six hundred pounds in his pocket, our young Lothario now set up
house at Rouen, with an establishment 'equal,' say the old-school
writers, 'to his position, but not to his means.' In other words, he
undertook to live in a style for which he could not pay. Twelve hundred
a year may be enough for a duke, as for any other man, but not for one
who considers a legion of servants a necessary appendage to his
position. My lord duke, who was a good French scholar, soon found an
ample number of friends and acquaintances, and not being particular
about either, managed to get through his half-year's income in a few
weeks. Evil consequence: he was assailed by duns. French duns know
nothing about forgiving debtors; 'your money first, and then my pardon,'
is their motto. My lord duke soon found this out. Still he had an
income, and could pay them all off in time. So he drank and was merry,
till one fine day came a disagreeable piece of news, which startled him
considerably. The government at home had heard of his doings, and
determined to arraign him for high treason.
He could expect little else, for had he not actually taken up arms
against his sovereign?
Now Sir Robert Walpole was, no doubt, a vulgarian.
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