I am of his mind answers she and 't is very probable that no less than such a Princesse as you could make him despise the Queen of England I would confess it did I know it replys the Queen-Dauphin and I should certainly know it were it true Passions of this Nature seldom escape the discovery of those who occasion them They are the first that discern them Mounsieur de Nemours never exprest for me other than slight and superficial complaisance yet I observe so great difference between his present and former deportment towards me I dare assure you I am not the cause of that indifference he shews for the Crown of England But I am so taken with your company I forget my self and mind not the obligation I am under of seeing Madam you know the peace is in a manner concluded but 't is possible it may be News to you that the King of Spain refuses to Sign the Articles but upon condition he shall marry that Princess instead of the Prince Don Carlos his Son The King was loath to consent to it but hath done it at last and is newly gone to carry Madam the News I believe it will much trouble her what pleasure can she expect from Marrying a Man of the age and humour of the King of Spain especially she so jovial so young and so beautiful a Lady who expected to Marry a young Prince for whom unseen she had a strong inclination I question whether the King will meet with the obedience he desires in her He hath charg'd me to see her because he knows she loves me and that I have some power over her I shall from thence make another visit of a very different Nature to congratulate the Kings Sister for the conclusion of her Marriage with the Prince of Savoy who is expected in few days Never had person of the age of this Princess so great cause to rejoyce at her Marriage The Court will be more Numerous and Glorious than ever and in spight of all your affliction you must come and help us to let the Strangers see we are furnish'd with no mean Beauties Having said this the Queen-Dauphin left Madam de Cleve's and on the morrow the Marriage of Madam was in every ones Mouth The day after the King and Queens went to see Madam de Cleve Mounsieur de Nemours who had waited her return with extreme impatience and wisht passionately he might speak with her in private put off going to her till the time all company broke up and probably none would return thither that night It fell out as he had wisht and he came in as the last Visiters were taking their leaves The Princess was on her Bed the weather hot and the sight of Mounsieur de Nemours put her to a blush that made her more amiable He sat over against her with a respect and fearfulness incident only to a genuine Passion he was speechless for sometime Madam de Cleve's was as mute as he so that they were both silent a pretty while At last Mounsieur de Nemours complemented her condoleing her affliction Madam de Cleve's very glad of discourse on that subject spoke a good while of the loss she had had and told him at last though time might abate the violence of her grief she should still retain so deep an impression of it it would alter her humour 'T is true Madam replyes M. de Nemours great troubles and violent passions occasion great alterations in our tempers though I was never actually sensible of it but since my return from Flanders Many have observed in me a very great change and the Queen-Dauphin her self spoke to me of it yesterday She has indeed taken notice of it says Madam de Cleve and I think I have heard her speak of it I am not displeas'd Madam answers Mounsieur de Nemours that she hath perceiv'd it but should be very glad she were not the only Person that did so There are Persons in the World to whom we dare give no other evidences of the passion we have for them but by things that concern them not yet when we dare not make it appear we love them we are willing at least to let them see we desire not the Love of any other we are willing to let them know we look with indifference on all other Beauties though in the highest sphere and that a Crown may be too dear if to be purchas'd with no less a price than absence from her we adore Ordinarily Ladies judge of the passion had for them by the care their Servants take to attend and to please them but be they never so little amiable those are easie tasks to perform There is no great difficulty in giving our selves the pleasure to wait on them But to avoid their company for fear of discovering to the World and almost to themselves the passion we have for them that 's a difficult point the truest evidence of being really in Love is when we become quite other men than we were when we renounce our ambition and our pleasures having all our Life pursu'd the one and the other Madam de Cleve's easily understood how far she was concern'd in this discourse she thought it her duty to cut it off by an answer Presently her mind alter'd and she was of opinion it was better make as if she understood it not and give him no cause to think she took it to her self she thought she ought to speak and thought she ought to be silent this discourse did in a manner equally please and displease her It convinc'd her of the truth of all the Queen-Dauphin made her think of him she could not but look upon it as full of gallantry and respect but withall somewhat bold and a little too plain andintelligible The inclination she had for that Prince put her into a disorder it was not in her power to master the darkest expressions of a Person we love move more than the clearest declarations of a person we have no inclination for She made him no answer Mounsieur de Nemours took notice of her silence and perhaps would have taken it for no ill Omen But Mounsieur de Cleve's coming in put an end to their discourse and his visit The Prince of Cleve came in to give his Lady a further account of Sancerre but she was not very curious to know the Issue of that Adventure Her thoughts were so taken up with what she had newly heard from Mounsieur de Nemours she could scarce hide the distraction she was under Assoon as she was at liberty to Muse of what was past she saw clearly how much she had been deceiv'd when she thought her self indifferent as to Mounsieur de Nemours his discourse had made as deep Impression on her as he could wish and fully convinc'd her of the truth of his passion his actions agreeing too well with his words to leave her the least shadow of doubt She no longer flatter'd her self with hopes
I withdrew without further answer and fail'd not to attend at the hour assign'd I found her in the Gallery with her Secretary and one of her Women As soon as she saw me she came to me and took me to the other end of the Gallery Well says she upon second thoughts have you nothing to say to me And my usage of you doth it not deserve you should deal sincerely with me My sincerity Madam reply'd I is the cause I have nothing to say and I swear to your Majesty with all the respect due to your Majesty I have no Engagement with any Woman of the Court I will believe it says she because I wish it so and I wish it because I desire to have you entirely mine and that it would be impossible I should be satisfied with your Friendship if you are in love there is no trusting those that are so there 's no relying on their secresie the Partiality they have for their Mistresses who still take up the first room in their thoughts suits not with the manner I would have you engag'd to me Remember then that upon your giving me your word you are not otherwise engag'd I Chuse you for my Confident Remember I would have you entirely mine and that you must have no Friend of either Sex but such as I please to allow you and that you are to quit all cares but that of pleasing me You shall not lose your Fortune by it I shall take more care of it than you can your self and whatever I do for you I shall think it well bestow'd if you answer my expectation of you I have made choice of you to make you acquainted with all my Griefs and to help me out of them You may judge they are no mean ones I endure in appearance with very little pain the King's Engagement with the Duchess of Valentinois but 't is insupportable She Governs the King she deludes him she cheats him she slights me she hates me she hath debauch'd my Servants they are all at her beck The Queen my Daughter-in-Law is so proud of her Beauty and the Credit of her Uncles she pays me no respect The Constable Montmorency is Master of the King and his Kingdom He hates me and hath given proofs of his hatred I shall never forget The Marshal St. Andre is a fiery young Favourite who uses me no better than the rest you would pity me should I give you a particular account of my misfortunes Till now I never durst trust any Man with them I trust you give me no cause to repent it and let me have comfort of you As she said these words her Eyes redden'd I was so sensible of the goodness she had express'd for me I was going to throw my self at her Feet From that day she plac'd entire confidence in me and did nothing without first advising with me and I have ever since maintain'd a Correspondence which holds to this day The End of the second Book THE PRINCESSE OF CLEVE BOOK III. BUsie as I was and full of my new Engagement to the Queen I held fair and firm with Madam de Themines by a natural inclination it was not in my power to vanquish Yet methoughts she cool'd in her love of me and where had I been wise I should have made use of the change observ'd in her for my Cure it doubled my love and I manag'd it so ill that the Queen had some knowledge of it Jealousie is natural to those of her Nation and perhaps that Princess had a greater affection for me than she her self could imagine At last the report of my being in love disturb'd and troubled her to that height that I thought my self an hundred times ruin'd in my Credit with her But diligence submission and false Oaths brought me again into favour Yet it would not have been in my power to have deceiv'd her long had not Madam de Themines sore against my will disengag'd me from her She made it appear her love for me was at an end and I was so convinc'd of it that I was forc'd to torment her no further but let her alone A short time after she writ me the Letter I have lost by it I perceiv'd she knew the Commerce I had with that Woman I told you of and that her Change proceeded from thence Thenceforward the Queen was well satisfied with me being no longer divided as formerly But the Sentiments I have for her being not of a nature to render me incapable of engaging elsewhere and Love being not a thing depends on our Choice I fell in love with Madam de Martigues for whom I had no small inclination when she was Villemontar's Maid of Honour to the Queen-Dauphin I had reason to believe she did not hate me The discretion I made shew of she not knowing all the Reasons of it pleas'd her very well The Queen hath no suspicion of me on that side but has on another account which proves no less troublesome Madam de Martigues being every day at the Queen-Dauphin's I frequent her Lodgings oftner than ordinary the Queen fancy's I am in love with that Princess The quality of Madam La-Dauphine being equal to the Queens and her beauty and youth above hers have made the Queen jealous even to fury and fill'd her with a hatred she can no longer conceal against her Daughter-in-Law The Cardinal of Lorrain who I have long thought aspires the Queen's favour and sees me possess a place he would willingly be in under pretence of reconciling the Queens is become concern'd in the differences between them I make no doubt but he hath discover'd the true Cause of the Queen's anger and I believe he does me all kinds of ill Offices without letting her see he doth it on design This is the state of my present condition judge you what effect the Letter I have lost may produce which I unfortunately put into my Pocket to restore it to Madam de Themines If the Queen see this Letter she will know I have deceiv'd her and that almost the same time I deceiv'd her by Madam de Themines I deceiv'd Madam de Themines by another Judge you what she will think of me then and whether she will ever trust my words more If she see not the Letter what shall I say to her She knows it hath been given the Queen-Dauphin she will believe Chastelart knew her Hand and that the Letter was hers she will imagine her self perhaps the Person she that wrote the Letter declares her self jealous of In a word she hath occasion to think any thing and there is nothing so bad but I have cause to fear from her thoughts besides I am heartily concern'd for Madam de Martigues the Queen-Dauphin will certainly shew her this Letter which she will believe lately writ thus shall I be embroyl'd with the Person whom of all the World I love most no less than with the Person whom of all the World I have most cause to
Cleve all the while she spoke lean'd his Head on his Hand almost besides himself and never thought of making her rise up from the posture she was in When she had done speaking and he fix'd his Eyes on her and saw her at his Feet her Face no less drown'd in tears than admirable for beauty he was ready to dye for grief and taking her up in his Arms Have you pity on me Madam says he for I need and deserve it and pardon me if in the first Assault of a grief so violent as mine is I answer not as I ought such a proceeding as yours I think you more worthy esteem and admiration than any Woman that ever was and my self the most unfortunate of Men. I have been passionately in love with you from the first moment I saw you Neither your severity nor the enjoyment of you was ever able to abate it in the least it continues still at the height It was never in my power to make you in love with me and I see now you fear you have inclination for another Who Madam is the happy Man that causes your fear How long hath he had the good fortune to please you what was it he did to please you what way did he find to gain your affection It was some comfort to me for my misfortune of failing it to think it was impossible for any one to obtain Another the while hath done what I have not been able and I have at once the jealousie both of a Husband and a Lover But 't is impossible to retain that of a Husband after a proceeding like yours it is too noble and generous not to give me an entire assurance of your Virtue it comforts me as a Lover The confidence and sincerity you have express'd for me are of infinite value You esteem me sufficiently to believe I will not abuse your Confession You may Madam I will not abuse it nor love you the less for it You render me unfortunate by the clearest Evidence of Fidelity that ever Woman gave a Husband But perfect what you begun Madam and let me know who it is you would avoid I beseech you do not ask me answers she I am resolv'd not to tell you and I think it prudent not to give you his Name Fear not Madam replys Monsieur de Cleve I am too well vers'd in the World not to know Men may be in love with a Woman though she have a Husband We are to hate those that are so but not to complain of it and once more I conjure you to tell me who it is 'T is to no purpose to press me Sir says she I have the power to be silent where I think it my duty not to speak impute not to any weakness the Confession I have made to you And I had need of more courage to declare to you that truth than to have conceal'd it Monsieur de Nemours heard every word of this discourse and what Madam de Cleve had said rais'd no less his jealousie than her Husband 's He was so desperately in love with her he thought all the World was so too True it is he had many Rivals yet he fancy'd them more and he was wild to know who it was Madam de Cleve meant He had often thought she had some kindness for him but the grounds of his judgment appear'd on this occasion so slight and inconsiderable that he could not imagine she had so violent a passion for him as to need recourse to so extraordinary a Remedy He was so transported he scarce knew what he saw but he could not pardon Monsieur de Cleve for not having press'd her home to tell him the Name of the Person she conceal'd from him Yet Monsieur de Cleve us'd his utmost endeavours to know it but finding it vain to urge her further desisted from troubling her who presently said Methinks you ought to rest satisfi'd with my sincerity pray ask me no more and give me not cause to repent what I have done Content your self with the assurance I give you once more my Sentiments have never appear'd by any Action of mine and that no address hath been made to me that could give me offence Ah Madam replys Monsieur de Cleve on the sudden I cannot believe it I remember the trouble you were in the day your Picture was lost you have given Madam you have given away that Picture that was so dear to me and so justly mine You have not been able to conceal your affection you are in love it is known your Virtue hath hitherto sav'd you from the rest Is it possible crys the Princess you can imagine any diguisement in a Confession as mine is which I was no way oblig'd to Take my word Sir I buy at a dear rate the confidence I desire of you I conjure you believe I never gave away my Picture True it is I saw it taken but would not take notice I saw it for fear of exposing my self on that occasion to be told what none ever yet durst say to me How know you then you are lov'd says he what evidences has he given you of his passion Spare me the pains and the trouble answers she of telling you particulars I am asham'd to have observ'd being such as have too much convinc'd me of my weakness You have reason Madam replys he I am unjust and press you too far refuse me when ever I ask you such Questions yet be not offended with me for asking them Just then came several of the Servants who had staid in the Walks to acquaint Monsieur de Cleve that a Gentleman was arriv'd from the King with Orders for him to be at Paris that Evening Monsieur de Cleve was forc'd to go and was not able to say anything to his Wife but that he desir'd her to come to Paris on the Morrow and conjur'd her to believe that though he was troubled he had for her a tenderness and esteem with which she had reason to be abundantly satisfi'd When the Prince was gone and Madam de Cleve left alone consider'd what she had done the thought of it so frighted her she could scarce believe the truth of it She saw she her self had put her self out of the affection and esteem of her Husband and plung'd her self into a Pit she should never get out of She ask'd her self why she had done so hazardous a thing and perceiv'd she had engag'd in it having scarce form'd the design The singularity of her Confession which she conceiv'd without President gave her a full Prospect of her danger On the other side when she consider'd this Remedy as violent as it was was the sole effectual one she could make use of against Monsieur de Nemours she thought she had no cause to repent or to believe she had ventur'd too far She pass'd that Night under a very great incertitude trouble and fear at last her Spirits were calmed she found pleasure in having
was almost convinc'd of her Innocence I cannot tell says he whether I ought to believe you but I find my self so near death I would not know any thing should make me unwilling to die you have convinc'd me too late yet it will ever be a comfort to me to go away with the thought of your being still worthy the Esteem I have had for you Let me intreat you I may be assur'd of this further comfort that my Memory shall be dear to you and that if it had been in your power you would have had for me the kindness you have for another He would have gone on but was so weak his speech fail'd him Madam de Cleve call'd in the Physicians who found him at the point of death yet he languish'd some days and dy'd at last with admirable Constancy Madam de Cleve was so afflicted she was almost beside her self The Queen came to see her and took her into a Covent yet she was not sensible of it her Sisters-in-Law brought her back to Paris when she was not yet in a condition to give an account of her grief But when she began to have the power to consider what a Husband she had lost that she had been the cause of his death and by a passion she had had for another the horrour she had for her self and for Monsieur de Nemours surpasses expression Monsieur de Nemours at first durst pay her no other Respects but what decency requir'd He knew her too well to think any other would be acceptable and found afterwards he must observe the same Conduct a very long time A Servant of his told him that Monsieur de Cleve's Gentleman being his intimate Friend and lamenting to him the loss of his Master said to him that Monsieur de Nemour's Journey to Colonniers had caus'd his death Monsieur de Nemours was extermely surpriz'd at the discourse yet after some reflection he could guess partly at the truth of it and judg'd presently what Madam de Cleve would think of him and what a distance it would occasion between them if she once believ'd her Husbands distemper proceeded from his jealousie of him He thought it not best to put her in mind so quickly of his Name and stuck to that resolution though it went against the heart of him He took a journey to Paris and could not forbear calling at her Gate to ask how she did He was told she admitted no Visit and had commanded they should not trouble her with an account of any that came to see her an Order given perhaps on purpose to prvent her hearing of Monsieur de Nemours but he was too deeply in love to live absolutely depriv'd of the sight of her and resolv'd to find means how difficult soever to get out of a condition he thought so intolerable Madam de Cleve afflicted her self beyond Reason the Death of her Husband and caus'd by her a Huband dying with such tenderness for her still ran in her mind she could not forbear reflecting every moment on the duty she ought him and condemning her self she had not had the affection for him he deserv'd as if it had depended on her power All the comfort she had was to know she lamented the loss of him as his Merit requir'd and was resolv'd the rest of her life to do nothing but what had he liv'd he would have been certainly pleas'd with She had often been thinking how he came to know Monsieur de Nemours had been at Colonniers She could not suspect he had told him yet if he had she valued it little she thought her self so perfectly cur'd of the passion she had had for him but she was griev'd at the heart to think him the cause of her Husbands Death and was troubled at the thought of the fear Monsieur de Cleve had exprest at his Death she would marry him But these griefs were drown'd all together in that of the loss of her Husband which was so great she seem'd to have no other After several Months the violence of her affliction began to abate and she fell into a state of sadness and melancholly being seiz'd with a pining and languishing grief Madam de Martigues made a journey to Paris and during her stay there visited her often she entertain'd her with discourse of the Court and the passages there and though Madam de Cleve appear'd unconcern'd yet Madam de Martigues continued that discourse in hopes to divert her She told her news of the Vidame of Monsieur de Guise and all others any way remarkable for their Persons or Merit As for Monsieur de Nemours says she I cannot tell whether business hath not dispossest his heart of the Gallantry he was so much addicted to sure I am he is not gay and jovial as he us'd to be and he seems not to affect the company of Ladies he goes often to Paris and I believe is there now Madam de Cleve was so surpriz'd at the name of Nemours that she blush'd But she chang'd the discourse and Madam de Martigues perceiv'd not the concern she was in The morrow Madam de Cleve being in search of business suitable to her condition went to a Neighbours house who was famous for having a particular Excellency in weaving of Silks and she design'd to have some done to her fancy Having seen several pieces of his work she spy'd a Chamber-door where she thought there were more Silks and spoke to them to open it The Master answer'd he had not the Key and that the Chamber was taken by a man who came at certain hours of the day to take the Prospect and Plat-form of the fair houses and Gardens to be seen from his Windows He is adds he the handsomest man I ever saw and looks not like one that works for his living when ever he comes I observe he looks still towards the houses and Gardens but I can never see him work Madam de Cleve heard this discourse very attentively what Madam de Martigues had told her that Monsieur de Nemours was now and then at Paris she apply'd in her fancy to that handsom man coming so near her Lodging and grew up into an Idea of Monsieur de Nemours labouring for a sight of her which gave her a confus'd trouble which she knew not the cause of she went towards the Windows to see where they look'd and found they fac'd the Garden and her Apartment When she went to her Chamber she could easily see the Window where she was told that man used to stand in for taking his Prospect The thought that it was Monsieur de Nemours produc'd a great alteration in her she presently lost that melancholly repose she had begun to enjoy and fell into great disquiet and disturbance of spirit Not able to stay at home she went to take the air in a Garden in the Suburbs where she hop'd to be alone At her arrival she thought she was not deceiv'd and walk'd a pretty while
Monsieur de Nemours that he hath given me an opportunity of speaking to you which you have always so cruelly deny'd me I ought not to pardon him replied she for having forgot the condition I am in and how much he exposes my Reputation by this proceeding Having said so she would have gone away Monsieur de Nemours staid her and said Fear nothing Madam there 's no danger at all no Body living but the Vidame knows I am here But hear me Madam hear if not out of any kindness you have for me yet for your own sake that you may be rid of the extravagancies I shall infallibly run into through a passion I can no longer master Madam de Cleve yielded for once to the inclination she had for Monsieur de Nemours and looking on him with eyes full of kindness and Charms But what is 't you hope for says she from the Complaisance you desire of me you will perhaps repent you have obtain'd it and I shall certainly repent I have granted it You deserve better fortune than you have hitherto had or can have for the future unless you seek it elsewhere I seek it elsewhere Madam says he is there any other happiness to be found but in your love Though I never spoke of it before Madam yet I could not believe you ignorant of my passion nor imagine but you knew it the truest and the most violent that ever was or will be what tryals hath it been proof against that you know not of what tryals have you put it to by your rigour You are minded to hear me speak and I am resolv'd to do it answers Madam de Cleve and with that sincerity and clearness you shall rarely meet with in those of my Sex I will not tell you I have not had that inclination for you you have had for me perhaps should I say it you would not believe it I will confess to you I have not only been sensible of yours for me but as sensible of it as you could wish And were you sensible of it Madam yet not affected with it at all May I presume to ask whether it made not some impression upon you You may judge of that by my Conduct says she but I would know what you thought of it I must be in a happier condition than I am says he before I dare answer you all I can tell you is I heartily wish'd you had not confest to Monsieur de Cleve what you hid from me and that you would have conceal'd from him what you made appear to me How came you to know replies she blushing that I confest any thing to Monsieur de Cleve I knew it from your self Madam says he but that you may pardon my boldness in listening to your discourse I appeal to your memory whether I made ill use of what I heard whether my hopes were rais'd by it in the least or whether I had any greater boldness to speak to you He began to give her an account how he heard he discourse with Monsieur de Cleve but she interrupted him saying No more of that I see how you came to be so well inform'd I thought you knew it too well when the Queen-Dauphin told me the adventure which she had learnt from those you had made acquainted with it Monsieur de Nemours gave her a particular relation of it You may spare your Excuses says she you have my pardon long since though you gave me no reason for it but since I have told you what I design'd to conceal from you while I liv'd I will confess to you you have inspir'd me with Sentiments I was altogether a stranger to till I saw you and so far from imagining my self capable of them that the surprize heightned the trouble that always attends them I am the less asham'd to make you this confession because it is made at a time I can do it without Crime and that you have observ'd my Conduct was contrary to my affection Can you believe Madam says he throwing himself at her feet but I shall die here in a transport of joy I have told you nothing says she smiling but what you knew too well before Ah Madam what a difference there is between learning it by chance and knowing it from your self and seeing withall you are willing I should know it 'T is true replies she I am willing you should know it and I find pleasure in telling it you yet I cannot tell but I may tell it you more for my own sake than yours for when all is done you are not to expect any effect suitable to the confession I have made I am resolv'd to follow the severest Rules my duty prescribes You are at liberty Madam says he and under no obligation of duty or if under any if I may be allow'd to say so 't is in your power to make it your duty to preserve those Sentiments you have had for me My duty replies she forbids me ever to think of any man but particularly of you for reasons unknown to you They may be unknown to me Madam says he but they cannot be good I believe Monsieur de Cleve thought me more happy than I was and that you had approv'd those extravagancies my passion put me upon without your consent Let us talk no more of that Adventure answers she I cannot endure the thoughts of it I am asham'd of it and the consequences have been so fatal it grieves me at the heart 't is but too true you were the cause of Monsieur de Cleve's death the suspitions your inconsiderate Conduct rais'd in him cost him his life no less than if you had taken it from him with your own hands Consider what I ought to have done had you two come to the extremity of a Duel and he had been kill'd 't is not the same thing in the eye of the World but in mine there 's no difference since I know 't is you have been the cause of his death and on my account Ah Madam says he what a shadow of duty do you raise against my happiness shall a vain and groundless fancy hinder you to render a man happy whom you have no unkindness for what have I had some ground to hope I might pass my life with you hath my fate led me to love the most Estimable Person in the World have I observ'd in her all that can make a Mistress adorable has she had no unkindness for me have I found in her Conduct nothing but what I would desire in my Wife for Madam you are perhaps the sole person in whom these two things have concurr'd to the degree they are in you they that marry Mistresses who have lov'd them cannot but fear they may use the like Conduct towards others they have done towards them but in you Madam I can fear nothing I see nothing in you but matter of admiration have I had a prospect of so much felicity for no other end but