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more than superficial particulars。 Between selling oranges and appearing
on the stage Sophie seems to have touched bottom for a time in poverty。
But her charms as an actress captivated an officer by and by； and she was
established as his mistress in a house at Turnham Green。 Tiring of her
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after a timeSophie； it is probable； became exigeant with increased
comforther protector left her with an annuity of L50。
The annuity does not appear to have done Sophie much good。 We
next hear of her as servant…maid in a Piccadilly brothel； a lupanar much
patronized by wealthy emigres from France； among whom was Louis…
Henri…Joseph； Duc de Bourbon and later Prince de Conde； a man at that
time of about fifty…four。
The Duc's attention was directed to the good looks of Sophie by a
manservant of his。 Mme Montagu says of Sophie at this time that ‘‘her
face had already lost the first bloom of youth and innocence。'' Now； one
wonders if that really was so； or if Mme Montagu is making a shot at a
hazard。 She describes Sophie a little earlier than this as having
developed into a fine young woman； not exactly pretty or handsome；
but she held her head gracefully； and her regular features were illumined
by a pair of remarkably bright and intelligent eyes。 She was tall and
squarely built； with legs and arms which might have served as models for
a statue of Hercules。 Her muscular force was extraordinary。 Her lips
were rather thin； and she had an ugly habit of contracting them when she
was angry。 Her intelligence was above the average； and she had a good
share of wit。
At the time when the Duc de Bourbon came upon her in the
Piccadilly stew the girl was probably no more than eighteen。 If one may
judge her character from the events of her subsequent career there was an
outstanding resiliency and a resoluteness as main ingredients of her make…
up； qualities which would go a long way to obviating any marks that might
otherwise have been left on her by the ups and downs of a mere five years
in the world。 If； moreover； Mme Montagu's description of her is a true
one it is clear that Sophie's good looks were not of the sort to make an all…
round appeal。 The ways in which attractiveness goes； both in men and in
women； are infinite in their variety。 The reader may recall； in this respect；
what was said in the introductory chapter about Kate Webster and the
instance of the bewhiskered 'Fina of the Spanish tavern。 And since a
look of innocence and the bloom of youth may； and very often do； appear
on the faces of individuals who are far from being innocent or even young；
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it may well be that Sophie in 1810； servant…maid in a brothel though she
was； still kept a look of country freshness and health； unjaded enough to
whet the dulled appetence of a bagnio…haunting old rip。 The odds are； at
all events； that Sophie was much less artificial in her charms than the
practised ladies of complacency upon whom she attended。 With her odd
good looks she very likely had just that subacid leaven for which； in the
alchemy of attraction； the Duc was in search。
The Duc； however； was not the only one to whom Sophie looked
desirable。 Two English peers had an eye on herthe Earl of Winchilsea
and the Duke of Kent。 This is where the card affair comes in。 The Duc
either played whist with the two noblemen for sole rights in Sophie or；
what is more likely； cut cards with them during a game。 The Duc won。
Whether his win may be regarded as lucky or not can be reckoned；
according to the taste and fancy of the reader； from the sequelae of some
twenty years。
％ II
With the placing of Sophie dans ses meubles by the Duc de Bourbon
there began one of the most remarkable turns in her career。 In 1811 he
took a house for her in Gloucester Street； Queen's Square； with her mother
as duenna； and arranged for the completion of her education。
As a light on her character hardly too much can be made of this stage
in her development。 It is more than likely that the teaching was begun at
Sophie's own demand； and by the use she made of the opportunities given
her you may measure the strength of her ambition。 Here was no rich
man's doxy lazily seeking a veneer of culture； enough to gloss the rough
patches of speech and idea betraying humble origin。 This fisherman's
child； workhouse girl； ancilla of the bordels； with the thin smattering of
the three R's she had acquired in the poor institution； set herself； with a
wholehearted concentration which a Newnham ‘swot' might envy； to
master modern languages； with Greek； Latin； and music。 At the end of
three years she was a good linguist； could play and sing well enough to
entertain and not bore the most intelligent in the company the Duc kept；
and to pass in that company the French emigre set in Londonas a
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person of equal education。 If； as it is said； Sophie； while she could read
and write French faultlessly； never could speak it without an English
accent； it is to be remembered that the flexibility of tongue and mind
needed for native…sounding speech in French （or any other language） is so
exceptional as to be practically non…existent among her compatriots to this
day。 The fault scarcely belittles her achievement。 As well blame a one…
legged man for hopping when trying to run。 Consider the life Sophie had
led； the sort of people with whom she had associated； and that temptation
towards laissez…faire which conquers all but the rarest woman in the mode
of life in which she was existing； and judge of the constancy of purpose
that kept that little nose so steadfastly in Plutarch and Xenophon。
If in the year 1812 the Duc began to allow his little Sophie about L800
a year in francs as pin…money he was no more generous than Sophie
deserved。 The Duc was very rich； despite the fact that his father； the old
Prince de Conde； was still alive； and so； of course； was enjoying the
income from the family estates。
There is no room here to follow more than the barest outline of the
Duc de Bourbon's history。 Fully stated； it would be the history of France。
He was a son of the Prince de Conde who collected that futile army
beyond the borders of France in the royalist cause in the Revolution。
Louis…Henri was wounded in the left arm while serving there； so badly
wounded that the hand was practically useless。 He came to England；
where he lived until 1814； when he went back to France to make his
unsuccessful attempt to raise the Vendee。 Then he went to Spain。
At this time he intended breaking with Sophie； but when he got back
to Paris in 1815 he fou