Excerpt from Scandalmonger by William Safire, plus links to reviews, author biography & more

"I read the articles you signed as 'Publius.' And 'Catullus.' Why do you use so many pseudonyms?"

"A single voice is not enough. I am trying to appear to be a legion, a host of pamphleteers and newsmongers."

She laid the fingers of one hand lightly on the ruffles of his shirt. "You may remove your jacket if you wish. It's a warm evening."

As he did so, he watched her step out of her shoes. Because that was not enough to bring their eyes to an equal level, she sat on the edge of her bed and looked up at him. There was none of the coquetry about her of his sister-in-law Angelica Church, his current vision of attractive womanhood, who liked to tease him with her passionate letters from abroad. He let himself believe that this woman, Maria Reynolds, desired his closeness more fervently than she needed his help. Perhaps his fame and appearance so attracted her that she used a request for carfare home as a ruse to become his friend.

Stimulated by the directness of her gaze, even more than her evident willingness to follow wherever he led, he placed his hands on her arms, pulled her to her feet and turned her around to face the mirror. After a long moment reflecting on her figure over her shoulder, he unhurriedly worked his fingers down the long row of buttons on the back of her black dress. The elation he felt surging in him was the product of the discovery of a kindred soul, the aesthetic of a beautiful woman in the act of welcoming his intimacy, and the practical comfort of anticipating her total availability within a few blocks of home. He took his time with her; this was to be no transient or furtive affair. Only when he was certain she was quite ready for him did he commit himself. She took him into her with a long cry of unashamed delight, which pleasured him no end.

The lovemaking was worthy of his passion; she inspired him to heights and depths he had never reached before in a life of no mean experience with women. After he dressed and was about to depart, Hamilton took her naked shoulders in his hands and looked profoundly into those memorably deep blue eyes. "I will give you my assistance, Maria. There is no need for you to leave Philadelphia. But I require your promise -- now that you have made me your friend, you must apply to no one else."

She gave Hamilton her promise. He began to think of the excuse he would give at home for his lateness. On the way out, she introduced him to her daughter Susan, who curtsied and vanished.


December 19, 1792

"This was more than a year ago. Some conversation ensued," Hamilton went on to tell his visitors in the study of his home, "from which it was quickly apparent that other than pecuniary consolation would be acceptable. And it would take a harder heart than mine to refuse a Beauty in distress." The men nodded their understanding. "After this, I had frequent meetings with her." He gestured at the walls. "Most of the meetings were here at my house, many right here in this room -- Mrs. Hamilton with our four children often being absent on visits to her father."

Muhlenberg, slumped in the couch, closed his eyes and shook his head, as if feeling the presence of Hamilton's paramour in the room.

"She was, and is, a very pretty woman," Hamilton observed, as if in partial expiation of his behavior. He instantly regretted saying that; the quality and power of Maria's attraction was ill described as prettiness. This genuine beauty had brought back into his life the thrill of dangerous adventure. He regretted his need to strip away her privacy, but saw little danger to her reputation because his account would remain in this room. Certainly these men of honor would not want to cause pain to his family by revealing any of this.

"Mrs. Reynolds did not indicate to us any amorous connection with you," Monroe said.

Hamilton nodded grimly. "The variety of shapes that this woman can assume is endless. In a few months, she told me her husband had solicited a reconciliation. I advised her to do it and she did, though we continued our intercourse. Her appearance of a violent attachment to me, and the pathetic importunings in her letters, made it very difficult to disentangle myself." It was important to impress upon his visitors that the impetus to continue the affair, like its origination, came from her; Maria was the seducer, conspiring with her husband to blackmail Hamilton, their victim.

Copyright William Safire February 2000. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of the publisher, Simon & Schuster