Ex-Classics Home Page

Jane Douglas (1761)

The Covent Garden Calendar - Chapter XXIV.

Chapter XXIV.


Contains an account of Mother D––s's peregrinations to France.

            As Jane dealt much with the nobility and gentry, many of whom have a particular taste for French girls, having been used to them in their travels; sthe thought it advisable to take a tour to France, in order to provide herself.

            She soon arrived at Paris, a city where her business is carried on with as much success as in any part of Europe.

            Here she soon became acquainted with Madam P––s, who kept celebrated convent in la Rue de St. Honoré, which may be properly called the Covent Garden of Paris, as it abounds with houses of evil reception; and the ladies of pleasure, in that quarter, have such attractions, that a certain abbé, who had chosen it for his place of residence (in all probability by mere accident) has often gravely asserted, that let a man be ever so well disposed, he could not possibly work out his salvation in la Rue de St. Honoré.

            Mother D––s was highly delighted with the place, and liked the girls so well, that she immediately agreed with Madam P––s for six of them; and having immediately paid her own price, resolved to return directly to London, with an intention to make the Frenchified noblemen pay dear for her foreign commodities.

            Upon her arrival at Calais, she lodged at the house of an Irishwoman, who kept a cabaret, where both French and English were welcome for their money. The former she supplied with soupe bouillé and toupeel from Paris: the latter, who could not accomodate themselves to the French taste, she regaled with beefsteaks, mutton-chops and beer, having likewise constantly kept up correspondence with Drury Lane, she was always able to oblige her custorners from Great Britain and Ireland, with English, Irish, and Scotch whores.

            Mother D––s took a particular liking to Mrs M––n; so she resolved to rest herself three days at her house before she set out for Dover; but before the second was expired, she was seized with a violent fever, which confined her to her bed for a fortnight.

            Mrs M––n, who was a zealous Roman Catholic, though losses and crosses had reduced her to the necessity of carrying on the business of procuress, got a cordelier of her acquaintance to visit Jane, during her illness.

            The exhortations of this monk had such an effect upon old Jane, whose disorder had thrown her into some remorse of conscience, that she made a full confession of her past sins; and formed a resolution to turn papist and end her days in devotion in a convent of English nuns at Calais.

            But finding herself perfectly recovered, a few days after, she very wisely concluded that business should not be neglected; and determined to be a little longer of use in her generation before she thought of another world. So she took leave of her good friend Mrs M––n, and set sail for Dover with a cargo of French whores.

            Upon her arrival at Dover, she met with a gentleman of fortune, who had dealt with her for a long time; and having given him a sight of one of these girls she had imported, he was greatly taken with her, which Jane perceiving, found means to persuade him to, take her into keeping; assuring him that she was a model girl, and that being reduced to poverty by the bankruptcy of her father, a merchant at Rouen, she came over to England in order to procure a subsistence, by teaching French to young ladies at a boarding school.

            She received a handsome present from the gentleman, who immediately went with his new purchase to Rochester.

            He, for some time, found her company very engaging, and was so credulous as to think her a maid.

            But he had not long lived in this blissful state, till he found it necessary to have recourse to physicians and surgeons, for the vestal, whom he thought himself so happy in, had been formerly a chorus-dancer at the French opera, where, though her salary amounted only to a hundred livres a year, she, for some time, lived at the rate of four thousand. But having at last contrasted a disease, and the fear of being tumbled, made her gladly strike up a bargain with Madam P––s to come with Mother D––s.

Prev Next

Back to Introduction