THE EXTRAORDINARY
CONFESSIONS OF
DIANA PLEASE

HERE “ENGLISHED” FROM THE ORIGINAL
SHORTHAND NOTES, IN FRENCH, OF M. LE
MARQUIS DE C——, A FRIEND TO WHOM
SHE DICTATED THEM,

BY
BERNARD CAPES
AUTHOR OF
“THE LAKE OF WINE,” “PLOTS” ETC. ETC.

METHUEN & CO.
36 ESSEX STREET W.C.
LONDON
1904

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTORY

I. I MAKE MY DÉBUT

II. I AM ABDUCTED

III. I ESCAPE

IV. I FALL INTO THE HANDS OF A COLLECTOR

V. I AM CARRIED AWAY AS A SPECIMEN

VI. I AM “PINNED OUT”

VII. I AM PUT AWAY IN CAMPHOR

VIII. I MEET MR. NOEL DE CRESPIGNY

IX. I AM COMMITTED TO THE ——

X. I BEWITCH A MONSTER

XI. I ADD THE LAST TOUCH TO A PORTRAIT

XII. I AM INFAMOUSLY RETALIATED ON

XIII. I AM WOOED TO SELF-DESTRUCTION

XIV. I AM RESCUED BY MY MONSTER

XV. I BECOME AN INMATE OF “RUPERT’S FOLLY”

XVI. I PUT AN END TO ONE FOLLY

XVII. I AM CONSIGNED TO A GREEN GRAVE

XVIII. I BEGIN ANOTHER FOLLY

XIX. I AM MAID MARIAN

XX. I PUT AN END TO FOLLY NUMBER TWO

XXI. I AM METAMORPHOSED

XXII. I RUN ACROSS AN OLD FRIEND

XXIII. I AM MADE FORTUNE’S MISTRESS

XXIV. I FIND A FRIEND IN NEED

XXV. I DECLARE FOR THE KING

XXVI. I RENEW AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE

XXVII. I KNOW HOW TO WAIT

XXVIII. I RETURN TO NAPLES

XXIX. I STILL KNOW HOW TO WAIT

XXX. I AM JUSTIFIED IN MY POLICY

XXXI. I KNOW MY OWN HEART

INTRODUCTORY

“I am convinced she rivalled, at fifty, the exquisite Diane dePoitiers herself, in the brightness of her wit and the perfection ofher form, and might have