Newton returned his thanks for so much courtesy, and withdrew in company with M.de Fontanges.
"Monsieur le Marquis has much sympathy for those who have been shipwrecked," observed Monsieur de Fontanges, after they had quitted the room.

"Poor man! he lost his wife, a beautiful young woman, and his only child, a little girl, about seven years back, when they were proceeding home in a vessel bound to Havre.

The vessel has never been heard of since, and he has never recovered the loss." "In what year was it ?" inquired Newton.
"In the autumn of the year--" "There were many vessels wrecked on our coast during that dreadful winter," replied Newton; "I myself, when in a coaster, picked up several articles belonging to a French vessel.

I have them in my possession now;--they are of some value." "What did they consist of ?" inquired Monsieur de Fontanges.
"A large trunk, containing the wearing apparel of a female and a child: there were also several orders of knighthood, and some jewels; but I hardly know what they were, as it is some time since I have looked at them." "How strange that you could find no clue to discover the names of the parties!" "There were French letters," replied Newton, "which I could not read; they were only signed by initials, which did not correspond with the marks on the linen belonging to the lady, although the surname might have been the same as that of the child." "Do you recollect the initials ?" "Perfectly well: the marks on the lady's apparel were L.C., that on the linen of the infant J.F." "Mon Dieu! mon Dieu!" cried Monsieur de Fontanges; "then it may indeed have been the apparel of the Marquise de Fontanges.

The linen must have been some marked with her maiden name, which was Louise de Colmar.