or, to speak more properly, from night to morning, without knowing
what it is to lose. Far from losing the money you brought hither, as you
have done in other places, you have doubled it, trebled it, multiplied it
almost beyond your wishes, notwithstanding the exorbitant expenses you
are imperceptibly led into. This, without doubt, is the most desirable
situation in the, world: stop here, Chevalier, and do not ruin your
affairs by returning to your old sins. Avoid love, by pursuing other
pleasures: love has never been favourable to you.

["Saint Evremond and Bussi-Rabutin, who have also written on the
life of the Count de Grammont, agree with Hamilton in representing
him as a man less fortunate in love than at play; not seeking for
any other pleasure in the conquest of a woman but that of depriving
another of her; and not able to persuade any one of his passion,
because he spoke to her, as at all other times, in jest: but cruelly
revenging himself on those who refused to hear him; corrupting the
servants of those whom they did favour, counterfeiting their
handwriting, intercepting their letters, disconcerting their
rendezvous; in one word, disturbing their amours by everything which
a rival, prodigal, indefatigable, and full of artifice, can be
imagined to do. The straitest ties of blood could not secure any
one from his detraction. His nephew, the Count de Guiche, was a
victim: he had in truth, offended the Count de Grammont, by having
supplanted him in the affection of the Countess de Fiesque, whom he
loved afterwards for the space of twelve years. Here was enough to
irritate the self-love of a man less persuaded of his own merit."
Hamilton does not describe the exterior of the count, but accuses
Bussi-Rabutin of having, in the following description, given a more
agreeable than faithful portrait of him: "The chevalier had laughing
eyes, a well-formed nose, a beautiful mouth, a small dimple in the