[[A.D. 1817.]] Now we must turn to the "Countess of Wolfenbüttel," and follow her in her travels. She was accompanied by Mr. St. Leger, Sir William Gell, Mr. Craven, Dr. Holland as physician, and Captain Hesse as equerry. She went first to Brunswick, where she was received by her brother and all the inhabitants with the heartiest of welcomes; but a spirit of restlessness had taken possession of her, and she could stop nowhere very long. The governors of the German cities all treated her with respect and courtesy as she passed along, but before she reached Switzerland Mr. St. Leger had withdrawn from her train, for some reason not reported. A greater portion of the month of September was passed at Geneva, where the "Countess" met Marie Louise, the ex-Empress of France, {267}and the two ladies were for a time on very intimate terms. But the countess dressed so absurdly, and made such a spectacle of herself, that the gentlemen who had accompanied her from England were shocked. In October the Princess of Wales, as we shall continue to call her, because we know her best by that title, arrived at Milan. There she took one Bartholomew Bergami, a handsome Italian, into her service, and made him her chamberlain. Wherever she went she behaved so unlike a lady that she was thought by many people to be insane; and, as she passed on through Italy, her English attendants fell off one by one. She complained that they were tyrants, but it is probable that they only gave her good advice, which she was silly enough to ignore. Spies were watching her wherever she went; she was well aware of it, and acted all the more recklessly in defiance of her enemies. She purchased a villa at the Lake of Como, and made a companion of Bergami, whom she allowed to sit at table with her, thus bestowing honors with little judgment. At one of her festivals at Como her conversation was so thoughtless and silly that a friend asked her if she did not know that every word and action of hers was reported at Carlton House within a fortnight. "I know it," she replied, "and therefore do I speak and act as you hear and see. The regent will hear it? I hope he will, for I love to mortify him." Thus did this foolish woman effect her own ruin with deplorable obstinacy. From Como she went to Palermo, and thence to Genoa, everywhere dancing, sightseeing, and feasting, as though life were worth nothing unless passed in gayety. At Genoa the princess had a superb palace, where she surrounded herself with Italians, and held her court, which was attended by the nobility. Reports derogatory to the princess's character were constantly reaching the regent, {268}who, anxious to catch at any straw that might enable him to obtain the divorce he longed for, sent a commission to Italy to investigate her actions.