Page:Memoirs of the Lady Hester Stanhope.djvu/276

 they were—there was the sick one, and the learned one, and the musician, and the officer—for all sorts of persons.

"You recollect, when we were at Constantinople, one day I went to meet the Count de la Tour Maubourg on the banks of the Bosphorus, and he intimated to me that I had kept him waiting. 'Yes,' said I, 'there was a spy following my boat: I knew him directly, and wanted to prevent his dogging me.' 'Pooh! nonsense,' replied Mr. de la T. M.: but we had not talked for half an hour, when, lo! there he was, taking a look at us. Next day, when I saw Mr. Canning, 'Oh! Lady Hester,' said he, 'how did you spend your day yesterday?'—'Why,' answered I, 'your spy did not spoil it.'—'Ah!' rejoined he, laughing—for he perceived at once it was of no use to make a mystery of what he had done—'you should not do such things—I must write it home to government.'—'Yes,' said I, 'I'll write a letter, too, in this way:—My lord, your excellent young minister, to show his gallantry, has begun his diplomatic career by watching ladies in their assignations, &c., &c.' and then I laughed at him, and then I talked seriously with him, till I worked on his feelings in a way you can't think!

"Spies, as I said before, should never he what are called gentlemen, or have the appearance of such; for,