The Daniel Defoe Library

Roxana, The Fortunate Mistress Section 09

In which the narrative recounts a period of luxurious indulgence purchased by a prince’s favour, the quiet anxieties and practical arrangements surrounding her pregnancy, and the challenging realities faced by the child of such a union in society’s eyes. An unexpected encounter with a past husband amidst the splendour of royal surroundings introduces a hint of complication and reflection, as loyalties and former lives closely encroach upon her present state.

Roxana, The Fortunate Mistress Section 08

In which the narrator recounts the careful precautions taken to keep her liaison with a prince discreet, while she luxuriates in his abundant gifts and close companionship, amidst the busy intrigues of Parisian society. She reflects on the peculiar ease with which she justifies her conduct to herself, and on the curious vanity and folly of men who lavish immense wealth on women of ill repute, elevating their own ruin by such profuse indulgence.

Roxana, The Fortunate Mistress Section 07

In which the widowed Roxana receives a surprising and gracious visit from a prince, whose kindness and compliments stir both consolation and vanity within her. The prince's attentions grow intimate and flattering, leading Roxana into a complex alliance that blurs the lines between gratitude, desire, and the exercise of power.

Roxana, The Fortunate Mistress Section 06

In which the lady recounts her troubled domestic circumstances marked by uneasy affections and secret pregnancies, before accompanying her gentleman to Paris where an unforeseen tragedy abruptly transforms her fortunes and place in society. Despite her sorrow, she moves with tact and grace among the city's elite, finding new recognition and a measure of comfort as a widow of notable standing.

Roxana, The Fortunate Mistress Section 05

In which a gentleman, newly returned from London, warmly courts the narrator with gifts and legal assurances of support, persuading her through kindness and circumstance to accept their unconventional union despite her moral scruples. The evening’s gaiety takes a darker turn as the complexities of their situation unsettle them both, culminating in a scene that irrevocably alters the lives and virtues of those involved.