The German gentleman, far from diminishing our household expenses, increased them daily. He loaded us with presents, and we began to give ourselves great airs. I had three footmen, and my wife two female attendants. We lived as if our property was doomed to last all our lives. It was not, however, very far from its termination. Our gallant foolishly thought fit to boast of his good fortune to a friend, a young Count of the Court, and to bring him with him to visit us. As soon as this latter saw Donna Maria, he became his friend’s rival. This was of little consequence. The lady would have had wit enough to have pleased them both; but the Count wishing that two or three other of his fashionable friends should partake of his amusements, introduced them also to our house, where these youths altogether turned the house almost out of windows; nothing was to be heard but laughing and singing, from morning till night: and nothing could be done but gaming and drinking. And as these youngsters’ pockets were not always well stored, they borrowed and cheated; and though all this property generally fell into our hands, it went as lightly as it came. So irregular a life could not fail to draw some misfortune upon us. Two of these young gentlemen, already irritated by jealousy, had a trifling dispute at play one night, upon which they immediately drew their swords. They fought; and before they could be separated, one of them received a mortal wound. The parents of the wounded gentleman, having learnt that this accident happened at my house, which they considered a resort for the disorderly, caused me to be arrested in my bed one morning by a large body of constables, who, after having possessed themselves of the principal part of my property, led me to prison.