My servant one day, with a face of joy, communicated to me that he had learned my father lived at a house near Marseilles. He heard this, he said, from a brother, who had an intrigue with one of the Duchess's maids.--Is the duke then married? said I.--Alas, my friend, said the Marquis, I am sorry to inform you, the object of your affections fell a victim to my father's designs--he compelled her to give him her hand!--I found he had turned the Countess's fortune into cash and jewels, on which he lived, being desirous of concealing the place of his abode, jealous to the last degree of her being seen! With this view all his servants _were females_. Notwithstanding these precautions, his domestics talked of his peculiarities; which occasioned interrogatories concerning his funds of expense. These the inquirers soon discovered were in specie in the house: this determined them to rob him. My servant's brother, who was courting the Duchess's maid, informed her _of me_; next day received a letter from my sister, who promised to admit me one night into the house, where she directed me to come in disguise with my servant!--Thus was I made a tool of by these ruffians: they meant to effect the robbery by _my means_; and if detected, flattered themselves they would be pardoned _on my account_! At the time appointed I went; Julia let me in, leaving the door open for my servant. She was beginning to inform me of all their distresses, when our ears were assaulted by an alarm-bell!--in an instant the house was filled with people; I heard my father say, Where is the rascal who calls himself my son? My servant, upon being discovered, had informed him, that I had hired him and his three companions (whom he had introduced into the house) to murder and rob him, and to carry off the ladies! It was in vain I assured him to the contrary; he would not hearken to me; he recollected how much I had been in love with his charming ward; he upbraided me with my wickedness, and perhaps did believe me guilty. This affair, I make no doubt, has been misrepresented in the world--we have no true histories, but such as have been written by those who were sincere enough to relate what they experienced, in what relates to themselves. I was seized, and carried to a dungeon until my trial; when, without a hearing, I was condemned for life to be a galley-slave, and sent for that purpose on board the gallies at Marseilles. The labour of a _galley-slave_, is become a proverb; nor is it without reason that this may be reckoned the greatest fatigue that can be inflicted on wretchedness.