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Updated: May 27, 2025
May Heaven have mercy upon her soul! This was the story told by Madame de Liliengarten, and the reader will have no difficulty in drawing from it that part which affected myself and my uncle; who, after six weeks of arrest, were set at liberty, but with orders to quit the duchy immediately: indeed, with an escort of dragoons to conduct us to the frontier.
I don't know whether they were happy or not. It is certain that a woman of such a poor spirit did not merit any very high degree of pleasure. The now reigning Duke of X himself married four years after his first wife's demise, and Geldern, though no longer Police Minister, built the grand house of which Madame de Liliengarten spoke. What became of the minor actors in the great tragedy, who knows?
By way of making assurance doubly sure, I promised Madame de Liliengarten ten thousand louis on the day of my marriage, and she knew that as a play-man I had never failed in my word: and I vow, that had I paid fifty per cent. for it, I would have got the money.
I was walking with Lady Lyndon, who, proverbially jealous and always anxious to annoy me, spied out a foreign lady who was evidently remarking me, and of course asked who was the hideous fat Dutchwoman who was leering at me so? I knew her not in the least. It was no other than Madame de Liliengarten, the mistress, or as some said the morganatic wife, of the old Duke of X , Duke Victor's father.
Her Highness had obtained, through the Countess, several large grants of money for the payment of her multifarious debts; and she was now good enough to exert her gracious influence over Madame de Liliengarten in order to obtain for me the object so near my heart.
This was in the handwriting of the old General de Magny; and my uncle and I, as we walked home at night, having made and divided with the Countess Liliengarten no inconsiderable profits that night, felt our triumphs greatly dashed by the perusal of the letter.
Although she did not address me in the circle at Ranelagh, I was at this period as well known as the Prince of Wales, and she had no difficulty in finding my house in Berkeley Square; whither a note was next morning despatched to me. Rosina of Liliengarten it was indeed such a full-blown Rosina I have seldom seen. 'You remember Monsieur de Geldern, the Police Minister.
Meanwhile, then, I urged Magny: I myself spoke strongly to the Countess of Liliengarten, who promised formally to back my claim with his Highness the reigning Duke; and Monsieur de Magny was instructed to induce the Princess Olivia to make a similar application to the old sovereign in my behalf. It was done.
I have stated how, through Magny, I had the Princess, as it were, at my feet. Madame de Liliengarten was, too, from her position, extremely anxious to oblige the Princess Olivia; who might be called upon any day to occupy the throne. The old Duke was tottering, apoplectic, and exceedingly fond of good living.
He had quite forgotten the death of the poor Princess Olivia, and the Prince, looking very dark indeed, passed away. 'And now, said Madame de Liliengarten, 'I have only one more gloomy story to relate to you the death of the Princess Olivia. It is even more horrible than the tale I have just told you. With which preface the old lady resumed her narrative.
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