_La Foret_ had such a Sense of the Civilities he and I receiv'd every Day from the whole Court, and was so desirous to shew he was not ungrateful, that without saying one Word to me he set about a Pocket-Watch, and had actually finish'd it before I perceiv'd any thing of the matter. Tho' he work'd much better in large than in small Things, yet a Watch in a Country where there never was one before, was a Jewel of inestimable Value. As soon as he finish'd it, he went to wait on the King, and after having complimented him on the Obligations we had to him, he took the Watch out of his Pocket, and intreated his Acceptance of it as a Token of his sincere Gratitude. The King having view'd it Inside and Outside, was perfectly astonish'd, admir'd the Beauty and Usefulness of this little Machine, and protested to him that he should never desire any thing of him in his Disposal, but it should be at his Service.
_More Adventures of the Author, and his Comrade, till their Departure from Court._
As the King went often to see his Wives, there is no question but he was fond to shew them his Watch, and that every one admir'd the Genius of the Workman. For tho' they had seen the Clock a thousand times, and seem'd even astonish'd at its Performance, they thought it nothing in comparison to this pretty Instrument, which, though small, went as regularly, and pointed out all the Parts of the Day as exactly as the great one.
Lidola in particular, who was the King's second Wife, gave broad Hints that she long'd to be Mistress of it; but the King, who did not care to part with it, and indeed could not, without raising the Jealousy of all his other Ladies, and making the Empress her self uneasy, pretended not to understand her Meaning. _Lidola_ was so disobliged by it, that after Supper, when she was to have entertain'd the King, who had given her to understand that he would spend that Night with her (which he did very frequently, because he was much more enamour'd with her than with any of the other Ladies) she counterfeited an Indisposition, and sent to desire the King not to come to her that Night. The King, mistrusting nothing of the Matter, sent next Morning to inquire after her Health, which he repeated for several Days together. But at last perceiving no Alteration in her for the better, and that she not only receiv'd his Messengers very cavalierly, but that as he himself saw her _en passant_, she look'd upon him with a Coldness enough to have chill'd the very Blood in his Veins, he guess'd what she had taken Pet at, but wou'd not seem to know it; and having a mind to see how far she would carry her Indifference, he left off his Visits by degrees, and gave himself up so intirely to his last Queen, that he was very seldom with any but her.