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which Sophie was furnished when she left the ‘house of industry' （the
workhouse）。 It is dated 1805。 In those days children were not
maintained in poor institutions to the mature ages of fifteen or twenty。
They were supposed to be armed against life's troubles at twelve or even
younger。 Sophie； then； could hardly have been born before 1792； but is
quite likely to have been born later。
The name of Sophie's father is given as ‘‘Daw。'' Like many another
celebrity； as； for example； Walter Raleigh and Shakespeare； Sophie spelled
her name variously； though ultimately she fixed on ‘‘Dawes。'' Richard；
or Dickey； Daw was a fisherman for appearance sake and a smuggler for
preference。 The question of Sophie's legitimacy anses from the fact that
her mother； Jane Callaway； was registered at death as ‘‘a spinster。''
Sophie was one of ten children。 Dickey Daw drank his family into the
poorhouse； an institution which sent Sophie to fend for herself in 1805；
procuring her a place as servant at a farm on the island。
Service on a farm does not appear to have appealed to Sophie。 She
escaped to Portsmouth； where she found a job as hotel chambermaid。
Tiring of that； she went to London and became a milliner's assistant。 A
little affair we hear； in which a mere water…carrier was an equal participant；
lost Sophie her place。 We next have word of her imitating Nell Gwynn；
both in selling oranges to playgoers and in becoming an actressnot；
however； at Old Drury； but at the other patent theatre； Covent Garden。
Save that as a comedian she never took London by storm； and that she
lacked Nell's unfailing good humour； Sophie in her career matches Nell in
more than superficial particulars。 Between selling oranges and appearing
on the stage Sophie seems to have touched bottom for a time in poverty。
But her charms as an actress captivated an officer by and by； and she was
established as his mistress in a house at Turnham Green。 Tiring of her
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after a timeSophie； it is probable； became exigeant with increased
comforther protector left her with an annuity of L50。
The annuity does not appear to have done Sophie much good。 We
next hear of her as servant…maid in a Piccadilly brothel； a lupanar much
patronized by wealthy emigres from France； among whom was Louis…
Henri…Joseph； Duc de Bourbon and later Prince de Conde； a man at that
time of about fifty…four。
The Duc's attention was directed to the good looks of Sophie by a
manservant of his。 Mme Montagu says of Sophie at this time that ‘‘her
face had already lost the first bloom of youth and innocence。'' Now； one
wonders if that really was so； or if Mme Montagu is making a shot at a
hazard。 She describes Sophie a little earlier than this as having
developed into a fine young woman； not exactly pretty or handsome；
but she held her head gracefully； and her regular features were illumined
by a pair of remarkably bright and intelligent eyes。 She was tall and
squarely built； with legs and arms which might have served as models for
a statue of Hercules。 Her muscular force was extraordinary。 Her lips
were rather thin； and she had an ugly habit of contracting them when she
was angry。 Her intelligence was above the average； and she had a good
share of wit。
At the time when the Duc de Bourbon came upon her in the
Piccadilly stew the girl was probably no more than eighteen。 If one may
judge her character from the events of her subsequent career there was an
outstanding resiliency and a resoluteness as main ingredients of her make…
up； qualities which would go a long way to obviating any marks that might
otherwise have been left on her by the ups and downs of a mere five years
in the world。 If； moreover； Mme Montagu's description of her is a true
one it is clear that Sophie's good looks were not of the sort to make an all…
round appeal。 The ways in which attractiveness goes； both in men and in
women； are infinite in their variety。 The reader may recall； in this respect；
what was said in the introductory chapter about Kate Webster and the
instance of the bewhiskered 'Fina of the Spanish tavern。 And since a
look of innocence and the bloom of youth may； and very often do； appear
on the faces of individuals who are far from being innocent or even young；
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it may well be that Sophie in 1810； servant…maid in a brothel though she
was； still kept a look of country freshness and health； unjaded enough to
whet the dulled appetence of a bagnio…haunting old rip。 The odds are； at
all events； that Sophie was much less artificial in her charms than the
practised ladies of complacency upon whom she attended。 With her odd
good looks she very likely had just that subacid leaven for which； in the
alchemy of attraction； the Duc was in search。
The Duc； however； was not the only one to whom Sophie looked
desirable。 Two English peers had an eye on herthe Earl of Winchilsea
and the Duke of Kent。 This is where the card affair comes in。 The Duc
either played whist with the two noblemen for sole rights in Sophie or；
what is more likely； cut cards with them during a game。 The Duc won。
Whether his win may be regarded as lucky or not can be reckoned；
according to the taste and fancy of the reader； from the sequelae of some
twenty years。
％ II
With the placing of Sophie dans ses meubles by the Duc de Bourbon
there began one of the most remarkable turns in her career。 In 1811 he
took a house for her in Gloucester Street； Queen's Square； with her mother
as duenna； and arranged for the completion of her education。
As a light on her character hardly too much can be made of this stage
in her development。 It is more than likely that the teaching was begun at
Sophie's own demand； and by the use she made of the opportunities given
her you may measure the strength of her ambition。 Here was no rich