News says Madam de Cleves I thought Madam de Tournon incapable either of Love or Deceit 'T is not possible any one replyes Mounsieur de Cleve should carry her self with greater dissimulation or cunning Observe that when Sancerre thought her alter'd as to him she really was so and began to love Estouteville telling him he was the only Man could make her forget the death of her Husband and for whose sake she quitted her Retirement when Sancerre thought the while it proceeded from no other Cause but a Resolution to appear less afflicted than formerly she made it matter of favour to Estouteville that she conceal'd their correspondence and seem'd oblig'd by her Father to marry him which she pretended proceeded purely from the care of her reputation when it was in truth a trick to put off Sancerre without leaving him just cause of complaint I must needs return continues Mounsieur de Cleve to see my unfortunate friend and I think you may do well to go with me to Paris 'T is high time for you to appear abroad and Receive those visits you cannot well dispence with Madam de Cleve's agreed to the proposal and return'd on the Morrow she found her self more at ease as to Mounsieur de Nemours than she formerly had been what Madam de Chartres said on her death-Bed and sorrow for the loss of her had so suspended her thoughts of him that she thought she should be no more troubled with them The same Evening she arriv'd the Queen Dauphin gave her a visit and having told her how much she shar'd in her afflictions she said to divert her from those sad thoughts she would inform her of all that had past at Court in her absence and accordingly gave her an account of several particulars But that I have most mind to acquaint you with adds she is that it is most certain Mounsieur de Nemours is passionately in Love and that he is so far from making any the most intimate friend he has his Confident in the case there is not one can guess who it is he is in love with Though he be so deeply in Love it makes him neglect if not quit the hopes of a Crown with that she gave her an account of what concern'd the matter of England What I have told you says she I had from Mounsieur de Anville who told me this morning the King had yesterday sent for Mounsieur de Nemours upon Letters receiv'd from Lignerolles who desires leave to return as not able any longer to excuse to the Queen of England the delays of Mounsieur de Nemours that the Queen begins to take it ill and that though she had not made a positive promise she had said enough to encourage the hazarding a Voyage The King read this Letter to Mounsieur de Nemours who instead of speaking seriously as he had done at first fell a laughing and scoffing at Lignerolles hopes saying all Europe would condemn his imprudence should he undertake a Voyage for England as pretending to Marriage with the Queen without assurance of success Besides adds he I could not time my business worse than to take my Iourney at this Iuncture when the King of Spain makes address to that Queen for Marriage In matter of Gallantry I confess his Catholick Majesty were no very considerable Rival but in a Treaty of Marriage I cannot think your Majesty would advise me to stand in competition with him I would on this occasion replys the King for I know he is otherwise inclin'd and were he not Queen Mary took so little pleasure in the Yoke of Spain I cannot believe her Sister will undergo it or suffer her self to be blinded with the Glittering of so many Crowns on one Head If she yield not to the splendor of so many Crowns says Mounsieur de Nemours 't is probable she will seek her happiness in Love She hath for some years lov'd my Lord Courteney Queen Mary too was in love with him and would have marry'd him and with publick consent of her Kingdom but that she knew him more taken with the youth and beauty of her Sister Elizabeth than ambitious of reigning Your Majesty knows her Jealousie of them made her clap them up Prisoners and afterwards banish my Lord Courteney and prevail'd with her at last to resolve to marry with the King of Spain Elizabeth who now possesses the Throne of her Sister will I believe shortly call home my Lord Courteney and will rather make choice of him for her Husband whom she hath lov'd and who is really amiable and hath been a great sufferer for her than of a Man she hath never seen Were Courteney alive says the King I should be of your mind but I have been certainly inform'd some days since that he is dead at Padua whither he was banished But I see adds the King as he left Mounsieur de Nemours your marriage must be made up just as the Dauphins was and Embassadors must be sent to espouse the Queen of England Mounsieur d' Anville and the Vidame who were with the King when he spoke to Nemours are clearly of opinion nothing could divert him from so great a design but the passion he is so deeply ingag'd in The Vidame who knows him best of any man living hath told Madam de Martignes he finds such a change in Mounsieur de Nemours he scarce knows him And which he most wonders at he cannot observe he hath any private Correspondence nor can he discover any secret haunts he hath or that he is missing at any time which makes the Vidame believe he holds not correspondence with the person he loves and this is the reason he thinks himself so much mistaken in Mounsieur de Nemours to see him in love with a Woman that does not love him again What a poysonous discourse was this for Madam de Cleves How could she choose but know her self the Person whose Name was not known How could she but be deeply affected with gratitude and tenderness at the News she received by a way not at all liable to suspition that this Prince she had so great an inclination for conceal'd his passion from all the World and slighted for love of her the hopes of a Crown it is impossible to describe her sentiments on this occasion and represent to the life the trouble it rais'd in her Had the Queen-Dauphin ey'd her more closely she would have easily discover'd she was concern'd at the discourse But as she had not the least suspition of the truth she proceeded without taking notice of her Mounsieur d' Anville adds she who as I told you acquainted me with all these particulars thinks I know the business better than he and hath so great an opinion of my Charms he believes me the sole person capable to cause so extraordinary alterations in Mounsieur de Nemours These last Words rais'd another kind of trouble in Madam de Cleve's very different from that she was formerly in
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
her Monsieur de Nemours was the Man had inspir'd so violent a passion and conjur'd her to assist him in observing that Prince Madam de Martigues was glad to hear what the Vidame told her and the Curiosity she had always observ'd in the Queen-Dauphin for what concern'd Monsieur de Nemours made her the more desirous to know the bottom of the Adventure A short time before the day fix'd for the Ceremony of the Marriage the Queen-Dauphin invited the King her Father-in-Law and the Duchess of Valentinois to Supper Madam de Cleve had been so busie a dressing her self it was late e're she came to the Louvre By the way she met a Gentleman who was coming in search of her from the Queen-Dauphin As she enter'd her Chamber that Princess said aloud to her from on her Bed where she then was I have look'd for you with the greatest impatience I believe it Madam answers she yet perhaps I am not oblig'd to you for it the cause being doubtless something else and not your desire to see me You are right answers the Queen-Dauphin yet you are oblig'd to me for I will tell you an Adventure you will be very glad to know Madam de Cleve kneel'd at her Bed side and very luckily with her Face from the light You know says the Queen-Dauphin how desirous we were to find out who had caus'd the great change observ'd in Monsieur de Nemours I believe I know the Party you will be surpriz'd at the Story He is desperatrly in love with one of the handsomest Ladys of the Court and she loves him again You may easily imagine what grief Madam de Cleve felt at these words which she could not apply to her self as being of opinion no Person knew of her love for Monsieur de Nemours I see nothing in this Madam answers she that should occasion a surprize if you consider the age and the handsomness of Monsieur de Nemours True says the Queen-Dauphin but that which will surprize you is to know that the Lady in love with Monsieur de Nemours hath never given him any Evidence of it and is so afraid she shall not be able to continue Mistress of her passion that she hath confess'd it to her Husband that he may take her from Court and 't is Monsieur de Nemours hath related what I say to you Madam de Cleve was griev'd at the beginning of this discourse when she thought her self not concern'd in the Adventure but she was at her wits-end when she heard the conclusion of it which too clearly made out it related to her She could not answer a word but continued leaning her Head on the Bed while the Queen was speaking which she did with that earnestness and concern she took not any notice of the confusion Madam de Cleve was in This Story answers she seems very improbable and I would very fain know who it is hath told it you 'T is Madam Martigues says the Queen-Dauphin and she had it from the Vidame of Chartres You know he is in love with her he told it to her as a Secret and he was told it by the Duke of Nemours 'T is true the Duke of Nemours told him not the Name of the Lady nor would confess himself the other Party concern'd but the Vidame makes no doubt of it As the Queen-Dauphin had done speaking one came up to the Bed Madam de Cleve had so turn'd her self about she could not see who it was but was quickly satisfi'd of the Person when she heard the Queen-Dauphin cry out with no less joy than surprize Here he is himself and I will know of him the truth of it Madam de Cleve needed not turn about to know it was Monsieur de Nemours as really it was but went hastily to the Queen-Dauphin and told her softly she must take heed of speaking of this Adventure which Monsieur de Nemours had told the Vidame as a Secret and perhaps it might make make them fall out You are too wise says the Queen-Dauphin laughing and turn'd towards Monsieur de Nemours He was drest for the Court-meeting at Night and with a Grace natural to him I believe Madam says he I may venture to think you were speaking of me as I came in that you had a desire to ask me something and that Madam de Cleve was against it 'T is true answers the Queen-Dauphin but I shall not be so complaisant to her on this occasion as I am us'd to be I would know of you whether a Story I have been told be true and whether you are not the Person in love with and belov'd by a Lady at Court who endeavours to conceal her passion from you and hath confess'd it to her Husband You cannot imagine the trouble and perplexity Madam de Cleve was in she would have thought Death a very good exchange for it Yet Monsieur de Nemours was in greater if possible The discourse of the Queen who he had reason to believe hated him not in presence of Madam de Cleve in whom of all the Court she plac'd greatest confidence and had the greatest share of hers in return put him into so strange a confusion of extravagant thoughts it was not in his power to be Master of his Countenance The trouble he saw Madam de Cleve in by his fault and the thought of his having given her just cause to hate him surpriz'd him so that he could not answer a word Madam La Dauphin observing him mute Look upon him says she to Madam de Cleve look upon him and judge if he be not concern'd in this Adventure The mean time Monsieur de Nemours having consider'd how necessary it was to get out of so dangerous a strait and recover'd his wit and his looks I confess Madam says he no surprize or affliction could be greater than mine at the infidelity of the Vidame of Chartres in relating an Adventure I had in confidence imparted to him of one of my Friends I know how to be reveng'd of him continues he smiling very calmly which rais'd the suspicions the Queen-Dauphin had entertain'd of him he hath made me his Confident in matters of no small importance But I am to seek for the Reason Madam why you make me concern'd in this Adventure The Vidame will not say it for I have told him the contrary I may very well be taken to be a Man in love but I cannot believe Madam you will think me of the number of those who are lov'd again Monsieur de Nemours was glad to say any thing to the Queen-Dauphin that might relate to that affection he had declar'd for her formerly to divert her thoughts from the matter in hand She understood what he said but instead of answering continu'd reazing him for the change in his looks when she began to discourse him I was troubled Madam says he on my Friends account and to think how justly he would reproach me for telling a Secret more dear
fear See now whether I have not reason to conjure you to own the Letter as yours and to beg the favour of you to get it out of the Queen-Dauphin's Hands I am very well satisfi'd answers Monsieur de Nemours you are sufficiently perplex'd and it cannot be deny'd but you very well deserve it I have been charg'd with unfaithfulness in my Amours and being engag'd at the same time in several Gallantries but you have so far out-done me I durst not have imagin'd what you have undertaken Could you pretend to hold fair with Madam de Themines and keep her firm to you being engag'd to the Queen Could you hope to engage with the Queen and deceive her She is an Italian and a Queen and consequently full of suspicions of Jealousie and of Pride When your good Fortune rather than your good Conduct had set you at liberty from the Engagements you were formerly concern'd in you enter'd into new and fancy'd that in the midst of the Court you could be in love with Madam de Martigues and the Queen not know it You could not have been too careful of taking from her the shame of having made the first motion she has for you a violent Passion you have more discretion than to tell it me and I than to ask you of it Certain it is she loves you and intrusts you and the truth is you are to be blam'd Is it your part Sir to chide me says the Vidame interupting him and are not you concern'd to be indulgent to faults within your Experience I confess I am to blame but think I conjure you how to get me out of this Abyss I think you must go see the Queen-Dauphin as soon as she awakes and ask her for the Letter as if you had lost it I have told you already replys Monsieur de Nemours the thing you propose is somewhat extraordinary and there are difficulties in it I am upon my own account very loth to engage in But if the Letter hath been seen to drop out of your Pocket how shall I perswade them it dropp'd out of mine I thought I had told you says the Vidame the Queen-Dauphin hath been inform'd you had dropp'd it How replys Monsieur de Nemours hastily apprehending the ill consequence the mistake might be of to him with Madam de Cleve Have they told the Queen-Dauphin I dropp'd the Letter Yes says the Vidame they have told her so And the reason of the mistake is there were several of the Queen's Gentlemen in a Chamber belonging to the Tennis-Court where our Clothes were put up and your Servants and mine went together to fetch them Then it was the Letter was dropp'd those Gentlemen gather'd it up and read it aloud some thought it was yours others thought it mine Chastelart who took it told me just now as I ask'd him for it that he had given it the Queen-Dauphin as a Letter of yours And those who spoke of it to the Queen have unfortunately said it was mine You may easily do what I desire and get me out of this trouble Monsieur de Nemours had ever been a great lover of the Vidame of Chartres and his near relation to Madam de Cleve made him love him the more yet he could not presently resolve to run the hazard of owning that Letter He fell into a deep study and the Vidame guessing the cause of his meditation I see well enough says he you are afraid of a Broil with you Mistress and would make me believe it is the Queen-Dauphin but you have so little jealousie of Monsieur d' Anville I cannot think it is she However 't is not reasonable you should sacrifice your Repose to mine and I will put you in a way to convince your Mistress the Letter was directed to me and not you See here a Billet from Madam d' Amboise who is a Friend of Madam de Themines and her Confident in the Amours between me and her By this Billet Madam d' Amboise desires me to send her her Friends Letter I have lost the Billet is address'd to me by Name and the Contents of it are an infallible Proof the Letter she desires is the same they have found I am content you should take the Billet and shew it your Mistress for your justification I conjure you not to lose a moments time but go presently to the Queen-Dauphin's Lodgings Monsieur de Nemours promis'd to do so and took the Billet yet he design'd not to see the Queen-Dauphin but thought he had business concern'd him more He made no doubt but she had tole Madam de Cleve of the Letter and he could not endure a Person he lov'd so desperately should have occasion to believe him engag'd with another He went to her as soon as he thought her awake and sent her word he would not have desir'd the honour to see her at so unseasonable an hour but that he had extraordinary business Madam de Cleve was a-Bed troubled with the sad thoughts she had had all that Night she was extremely surpriz'd to hear Monsieur de Nemours ask'd for her that Nights trouble had made her so froward she presently answer'd she was not well and could not speak with him Monsieur de Nemours was not sorry for the Repulse he thought it no ill Omen she express'd some coldness at a time she had occasion to be jealous He went to the Apartment of Monsieur de Cleve and told him he came from his Ladys and was much troubled he could not speak with her upon business of consequence that concern'd the Vidame of Chartres He gave Monsieur de Cleve a short account of the Affair and he took him along presently to his Lady's Chamber Had she not been in the dark she could hardly have conceal'd her trouble and astonishment to see Monsieur de Nemours led into her Chamber by her Husband Monsieur de Cleve told her the business was about a Letter wherein they wanted her help in behalf of the Vidame that she was to consider with Monsieur de Nemours what was to be done as for him he must go to the King who had newly sent for him Monsieur de Nemours had his hearts desire to be alone with Madam de Cleve I am come to ask you Madam says he if the Queen-Dauphin hath not spoken to you of a Letter Chastelart gave her yesterday She said something to me of it answers Madam de Cleve but I do not see how my Uncle can be concern'd in it being not so much as nam'd in it 'T is true Madam replys Monsieur de Nemours he is not nam'd in it but it was address'd to him and it highly concerns him you should get it out of the Queen-Dauphin's Hands I cannot conceive says Madam de Cleve how it should concern him to have this Letter seen and why it should be ask'd for as his If you please to give me the hearing Madam replys Monsieur de Nemours I will presently make you
makes her Husband acquainted with all she knows I believe I did ill Madam answers Madam de Cleve but let us think of repairing the Fault not of examining it Do not you remember pretty near what was in the Letter says the Queen-Dauphin Yes Madam replys Madam de Cleve I do having read it several times over If so says the Queen-Dauphin we must presently have it written in a strange Hand and send it the Queen She will not shew it those who have seen it and if she do I will maintain it the same Chastelart gave me and he dares not say otherwise Madam de Cleve approved of the Expedient and the more because it would give her occasion of sending for Monsieur de Nemours to have the Letter again to be Copied word for word and pretty near the Hand it was written in whereby she thought the Queen would infallibly be deceiv'd As soon as she came home she told her Husband the trouble the Queen-Dauphin was in and pray'd him to send for Monsieur de Nemours He was sent for and came presently Madam de Cleve told him all she had inform'd her Husband of and ask'd him for the Letter Monsieur de Nemours answer'd he had restor'd it to the Vidame who was so glad of it that he sent it immediately to Madam de Themines's Friend Madam de Cleve was now in fresh trouble having consulted awhile they resolved to frame a Letter by memory they lock'd themselves up to do it order was given at the Gate no person should come in Monsieur de Nemours Attendants were all sent home such an appearance of Confidence was no small Charm to Monsieur de Nemours and even to Madam de Cleve Her Husband 's being by and her Uncle being so deeply concern'd in the matter satisfi'd all her scruples the sight of Monsieur de Nemours pleas'd her so well it gave her a joy so pure and sincere she never had the like This made her so free and so jovial Monsieur de Nemours had never seen her so before and was more passionately in love with her than ever He never had a more pleasant time which made him more lively and chearful and when Madam de Cleve would begin to think of the Letter and write he instead of helping her in good earnest did but interrupt her and speak pleasantly to her Madam de Cleve was gay as he so that they were long lock'd up together and two Messengers were come from the Queen-Dauphin to bid Madam de Cleve hasten before they had finish'd the Letter half Monsieur de Nemours was so willing to prolong time that pleas'd him so well he forgot his Friends Interest Madam de Cleve too was so far from being tyr'd with her Entertainment she forgot the interest of her Uncle At last with much ado the Letter was scarce ready by four a Clock and so ill done and the Character so unlike the Original that the Queen must have taken small care to find out the truth of it if they could have impos'd on her so But as careful as they were and earnest to perswade her the Letter was addrest to Monsieur de Nemours she was not deceiv'd but fully convinc'd it belong'd to the Vidame Besides she believ'd the Queen-Dauphin concern'd in it and that there was a Correspondence between them This heightned her hatred against that Princess to that degree that she never pardon'd her or ceas'd persecuting her till she had driven her out of France As for the Vidame it utterly ruin'd him and whether the Cardinal of Lorrain had already hit the way to please her or that the adventure of this Letter having made it appear she had been deceiv'd in the Vidame help'd her to find out other tricks he had plaid her certain it is he never after could recover her favour their Correspondence was broke and at length she lost him in the Conspiracy of Amboise wherein he had a hand When the Letter was sent to the Queen-Dauphin Monsieur de Cleve and Monsieur de Nemours went their way Madam de Cleve being alone and no longer supported with the joy infus'd by the presence of one she lov'd was like one newly awak'd out of a dream she was astonish'd to consider the prodigious difference between her condition the night before and that she was now in she remembred how sharp and how cold she had appear'd to Monsieur de Nemours while she thought the Letter from Madam de Themines was addrest to him and what a calm what a pleasure succeeded immediately as soon as he had perswaded her the Letter concern'd him not When she reflected how she reproach'd her self as Criminal for having the day before given him only some marks of her pity and that by her sharpness this morning she gave him cause to believe her jealous the infallible proof of passion she thought she was not her self when she consider'd further Monsieur de Nemours easily saw she knew him in love with her and that notwithstanding that knowledge she had been so far from using him the worse for it even in her Husbands company that on the contrary she had never look'd on him so favourably which was the reason Monsieur de Cleve had sent for him to pass the afternoon together in private she found she had something in her held intelligence with Monsieur de Nemours that she deceiv'd a Husband who of all men least deserv'd it and she was asham'd to appear to him that lov'd her so little worthy his Esteem that which troubled her most was the thought of her condition the night past and what piercing griefs she was under while she thought Monsieur de Nemours was in love with another and that she was deceiv'd in him when she fancy'd her self the object of his passion Never till then had she been acquainted with the mortal inquietudes of jealousie and distrust she had apply'd all her cares to save her self from being in love with Monsieur de Nemours and had not begun to fear his being in love with another though the suspitions the Letter gave her were vanish'd yet they left her sensible she might be deceiv'd and gave her impressions of jealousie and distrust she had till then been altogether a stranger to she was amaz'd she had not yet consider'd how improbable it was a Man so inconstant towards Women as Monsieur de Nemours had always been could be capable of a sincere and durable ingagement she thought it next to impossible she could ever be satisfi'd of the truth of his passion But if I should says she what would I do would I endure it would I answer it would I ingage in a piece of Gallantry would I be false to Monsieur de Cleve would I be false to my self would I in a word expose my self to the deadly sorrows to the mortifying penitence Love is attended with I am vanquish'd I am conquer'd by an inclination which sways me which drags me along in spight
The Emperour who had a great respect for the Duke of Orleans had often offer'd him the Duchy of Millan and in the Articles of the Peace that was afterwards concluded he gave him the hopes of the seventeen Provinces and his Daughter in marriage with them The Dauphin neither inclined to the Match nor it he employ'd the Constable whom he ever lov'd to make the King sensible of what importance it would be to leave his Successor a Brother so powerful as the Duke of Orleans must be with the advantage of the Imperial Allyance and these Countries The Constable yielded more easily to the Dauphins design in that it was opposite to that of Madam d' Estampes who was his declared Enemy and who so passionately desired the Dukes advancement The Dauphin at that time commanded his Majesties Army in Champagne and had reduc'd that of the Empire to those extremities he had certainly ruin'd it if the Duchess d' Estampes fearing these great advantages might retard the Peace and the honour of the Dukes Allyance with the Emperour had not advis'd the Enemy to surprise Espernay and the Castle of Rierry which was their Magazine they attempted it and succeeded by which means they preserved the Army This Duchess did not long enjoy the success of her Treason Immediately after dyed the Duke of Orleans at Farmoutiers of a contagious disease He was enamoured with one of the greatest Beauties of the Court who was pleased to entertain the flame I shall forbear to name her for she has since lived under so close a retirement and has with so much prudence disguised the passion she had for him we ought in justice to be tender of her honour The death of her Husband and the Duke bore even date together which gave her the freedom to shew those open marks of her grief and sorrow which otherwise she had been enforc'd to hide The King did not long survive the Prince his Son for he dyed within two years after He recommends to the Dauphin the Cardinal of Tournon and the Admiral d' Annebault without the least mention of the Constable whom he had confined to Chantilly notwithstanding his Fathers commands he calls him home and makes him the grand Minister of State Madam d' Estampes was discarded and received all the ill Treatment she could expect from so powerful and inveterate an Enemy The Duchess of Valentinois was not satisfied till she had glutted her self with her revenge upon this Duchess and the rest who had faln under her displeasure Her interest has been more absolute over the King since he came to the Crown than when he was the Dauphin These twelve years since he has reign'd she has been the uncontroulable Mistress of all his Actions she has had the disposal of all Governments and Affairs she has obliged him to bannish the Cardinal of Tournon the Chancellour and Villeray all that have endeavour'd to eclypse her power have perisht in the attempt The Count de Taix Grand Master of the Artillery who had no kindness for her taking the liberty to reflect upon her Gallants and particularly the Count de Brissac of whom the King had a jealousie she so subtilly plaid her Cards that he was in disgrace and divested of his emply and what renders the thing more strange she procured it for the Count de Brissac who by her means had the honour to be since created a Marshal of France The Kings jealousie began to swell to that degree in him he could no longer endure the test of it but that which in another would have appeared more sharp and violent was strangely corrected in him by the great respect he had for this Lady In so much that he durst not if we may presume to use this saucy Dialect with a Prince remove his Rival but under the pretence of preferring him to the Government of Piedmont He has lived there several years and only return'd this last Winter under a pretext of recruiting the Troops under his command and for other necessary supplies for the Army The ambition to see the Duchess of Valentinois and the fear of being forgotten had certainly the greatest share in that Journey The King was observed to receive him coldly the Family of Guise who loves her not but yet dares not declare the cause imploy'd the Viscount his mortal Enemy to obstruct the Grant of what he design'd himself by his Journey 'T was no hard matter to compass it the King hated him and his presence gave him no small disquiet insomuch that he was forc'd to return without having had the happiness to reap the fruits of his Voyage which was only to give him an opportunity to re-kindle the Flame his passion had made in the heart of the Duchess which he feared his absence might extinguish His Majesty wanted no other subjects of his jealousie but they not being known gave him no provocation to complain I know not Daughter says Madam de Chartres if you may not find that I have instructed you in some things more than you are willing to know I am so far from complaining replyes Madam de Cleve that did I not fear to be troublesom to you I would desire you to enlarge upon several Circumstances which I am ignorant of The passion that Monsieur de Nemours had for Madam de Cleve was so violent in its Original that it seem'd to have robb'd him of all his content and the very thoughts of those he had a kindness for nay even such with whom he converst during her absence 't was his care to frame excuses to disingage himself from them he could not allow himself the patience to give Ear to their Complaints nor make returns to their reproaches Madam la Dauphin for whom he had inclinations not ordinarily passionate yet he was scarce able to confine them within his Breast Madam de Cleve had made that impression there His impatience for England began to cool he seem'd not to pursue with much Zeal his necessary dispatches for that Journey He often made his visits to the Dauphin-Queen that he might have the happiness to pay his respects to Madam de Cleve who was frequently there neither was he concern'd at the liberty some took to imagin what others thought of the passion he had for that Princess Madam de Cleve was of that value with him he was resolved rather to hide from her the sentiments of his heart than expose her honour to the publick He forbore even to communicate it to the Viscount de Chartres who was his Confident and to whom his Bosome lay ever open He used a Conduct so prudent and which he managed with so much care that the Argus's of the Court could not discover the least symptome of any kindness for this Lady but in the Chevalier de Guise Madam de Cleve her self had continued a stranger to them had not the inclination she had for that Prince obliged her to keep a close Watch on all his Actions
Queen and her Husband the Vsicount represented it to the King as criminal and incestuous So that he being already in love with Iane Seymour thought no more of Anne Bullen but to get rid of her In less than three Weeks he caus'd the Queen and her Brother to be try'd had them both beheaded and marry'd Iane Seymour He had afterwards several other Wives whom he put away or put to death and among the rest the Lady Katherine Howard whose Confident the Countess Rochfort was and shar'd in her Fate having her Head cut off with her Mistress's Thus was she punish'd for falsly accusing Anne Bullen and Henry the 8th dy'd being grown prodigiously big and fat All the Ladies present thank'd the Queen-Dauphin for the account she had given them of the Court of England and among the rest Madam de Cleve who could not forbear asking her several Questions about Queen Elizabeth The Queen-Dauphin had Pictures in little drawn for her of all the Beauties of the Court to be sent to the Queen her Mother One day as that of Madam de Cleve's was finishing the Queen-Dauphin spent the Afternoon with her Monsieur de Nemours who let slip no opportunity of seeing Madam de Cleve yet without letting it appear he sought it faild not being there She was that day so beautiful it would have made him in love with her had he not been so yet he durst not fix his Eye upon her as her Picture was a drawing being fearful notice might be taken of the pleasure he took to view her now and then as she sat The Queen-Dauphin ask'd Monsieur de Cleve for a Picture in little he had of his Wife to compare it with that which was newly drawn of her Every one pass'd their Judgment of the one and the other and Madam de Cleve order'd the Picture-drawer to mend something in the Draught of the Head-geer of that which Monsieur de Cleve had brought in The Picture-drawer to satisfie her took it out of the Case and having mended it laid it on the Table Monsieur de Nemours had long wish'd for a Picture of Madam de Cleve when he saw that of her which was Monsieur de Cleve's he could not resist the longing desire he had to steal it from a Husband he believ'd she tenderly lov'd and thought among so many Persons in the Room he might be as little suspected to have done it as another The Queen-Dauphin was set on the Bed and whisper'd to Madam de Cleve who stood before her Madam de Cleve through the Curtains which were but half drawn spy'd Monsieur de Nemours with his Back to the Table at the Beds-feet and perceiv'd him without turning his Face steal something slily that was on the Table She quickly guess'd it might be her Picture and was so troubled at it that the Queen-Dauphin perceiv'd she heard her not and ask'd her aloud what it was she look'd at At those words Monsieur de Nemours turn'd about and saw Madam de Cleve's Eye still fix'd upon him and thought it not impossible but she might have seen what he had done Madam de Cleve was not a little perplext Reason would she should ask for her Picture yet to ask for it publickly was to tell all the World the kindness that Prince had for her and to ask for it privately was to engage him to declare to her the Passion he had for her At last she resolved it the best course to let him carry it away without taking notice of it and was glad to grant him a favour without knowing whether she had done it Monsieur de Nemours having observ'd her disorder and guessing at the Cause came up and whisper'd to her If you have seen what I have ventur'd to do Madam be so good to let me believe you are ignorant of it which is all I dare beg of you With that he withdrew without expecting her Answer The Queen-Dauphin went out a walking attended with all the Ladies and Monsieur de Nemours went home to lock himself in his Closet to enjoy the pleasure he took in having a Picture of Madam de Cleve's which fill'd him with joy too great and too delicate to be express'd in publick It gave him a taste of the highest sweetness Love can afford he was in love with the most amiable Person of the Court and saw she lov'd him though against her will and easily discover'd in all her Actions that trouble and disorder which Love produces in the innocence of Youth That Evening great search was made for the Picture Having found the Case it was us'd to be kept in they never suspected it had been stollen but thought it might have been fallen out by chance Monsieur de Cleve was much troubled at the loss of it and when they had long search'd and without finding it he told his Wife but in such a manner as made it appear he did not think so That she had without doubt some private Lover to whom she had given that Picture or who had stole it and that any other but one in love would not have been content with the Picture without the Case These words though spoken in jeast made a deep impression in Madam de Cleve they troubled her extremely and made her reflect with regret on the violence of her Inclination for Monsieur de Nemours she found she was no longer Mistress of her Words or her Countenance She thought Lignerolles was return'd that there was no further fear of the Affair with England nor any cause to suspect the Queen-Dauphin that in a word there was not any thing to help her against the violence of her Passion and that there was no safety to be expected but by absenting her self from Monsieur de Nemours But leave being requested to be obtain'd for her absence from Court where her Husband resided and a pretence wanting she was in very great extremity and ready to fall into that she thought the worst of misfortunes to let Monsieur de Nemours see the inclination she had for him She thought of all Madam de Chartres on her Death-bed had said to her and the Advice she had given her to undergo any difficulty rather than engage in an Intrigue of Gallantry She remember'd what Monsieur de Cleve had said to her of an ingenuous sincerity when he spoke of Madam de Tournon and she thought it her duty to confess to him the inclination she had for Monsieur de Nemours These thoughts possess'd her a considerable time at length she was astonish'd she could entertain any that appear'd so foolish and relaps'd into her former perplexity not knowing what course to take The Peace was sign'd and the Lady Elizabeth after much resistance resolv'd to obey the King her Father The Duke of Alva had been appointed to Marry her in the Name of His Catholick Majesty and was shortly expected They look'd every day for the Duke of Savoy who had newly marry'd the King's Sister the Nuptials being appointed
to be kept at the same time the Lady Elizabeth should be marry'd to the Proxy of Spain The King 's greatest care was to Grace these Marriages with Sports and Divertisements wherein he might make appear the Address and Magnificence of his Court Great Proposals were made for Balletts and Comedies but the King thought those Divertisements too private and resolved to have such as should be more Splendid and Noble That which he made choice of was a Solemn Tournament to which Strangers might be invited and the People be Spectators The Princes and young Lords approv'd highly the King's design especially the Duke of Ferrara Monsieur de Guise and Monsieur de Nemours who were the most excellent at these sorts of Exercises and the King made choice of them to be with him the four Champions of the Tournament Proclamation was made throughout the Kingdom that the 15th of Iune at Paris His most Christian Majesty and the Princes Alphonso d'Est Duke of Ferrara Francis of Lorrain Duke of Guise and Iames of Savoy Duke of Nemours would hold an open Tourney against all comers The first Combat on Horseback in the Lists doubly Arm'd to break four Lances and one for the Ladies The second Combat with Swords one to one or two to two as the Masters of the Camp should order The third Combat on Foot three Pushes of Pike and six Hits with the Sword The Champions to furnish Lances Pikes and Swords at the Assailants choice Whoever mannag'd not his Horse in the Carreer to be put out of the Lists That there should be four Masters of Camp to give Orders the Assailants who should break most Lances and perform best to carry the Prize the value whereof to be at the discretion of the Judges That all the Assailants as well French as Strangers should be oblig'd openly to lay Hand on one or more at their choice of the Shields that should hang at a Pillar at the end of the Lists where an Officer of Arms should be ready to receive them and Inroll them according to their Quality and the Shields they had handled That the Assailants should be bound to cause their Shields and Arms to be brought by a Gentleman and hung up at the Pillar three days before the beginning of the Tourney on pain of not being received without the special leave of the Defendants A great List was made reaching from the Chate aude Tournells cross S. Anthony's Street to the King's Stables There were on both sides Scaffolds and Theatres with cover'd Galleries very pleasing to the sight and that would hold an infinite of People The Princes and great Lords made it their business to provide what might be necessary to appear there in Splendor and to have in their Cyphers and Devises something of Gallantry relating to the Ladies they lov'd A few days before the Duke d' Alva arriv'd the King made a Match at Tennis with Monsieur de Nemours the Chevalier de Guise and the Vidame de Chartres The Queen attended with the Ladies of the Court and among the rest Madam de Cleve went to see them play The Game being ended as they went out of the Tennis-Court Chastelart came up to the Queen-Dauphin and told her he had by chance hit upon a Letter of Gallantry fallen out of Monsieur de Nemours's Pocket This Queen who always had a Curiosity for any thing that concern'd Monsieur de Nemours bid Chastelart give it her He did so and she follow'd the Queen her Mother-in-Law who was going with the King to see them work at the Lists They had not been long there but the King sent for some Horses he had lately caus'd to be taken in and though they were not throughly mannag'd the King would Mount one of them and order'd his Attendants to Mount the rest The fiery'st and highest-mettl'd of them fell to the King's share and Monsieur de Nemours's Their Horses would have presently fallen fowl on one another Monsieur de Nemours for fear of hurting the King recoil'd briskly and ran back his Horse against a Post with that violence it made him stagger The Company ran in presently to Monsieur de Nemours thinking him grievously hurt Madam de Cleve was more sensible of it than any other and thought him worse hurt She was so much concern'd she never thought of hiding the apprehension and trouble it put her in she went to him with the Queens but with a Countenance so chang'd one less concern'd than the Chevalier de Guise might have easily perceiv'd it He quickly observ'd it and minded more the condition she was in then than that of Monsieur de Nemours'S The violence of the Justle had so stunn'd the Prince he stood a while leaning his Head on those that supported him When he held it up he presently spy'd Madam de Cleve and discover'd in her looks the pity she had of him and look'd on her in such a manner as made her easily comprehend how sensible he was of it Afterwards he thank'd the Queens for the goodness express'd towards him and excus'd the condition he had been in before them This done the King commanded him to go to rest Madam de Cleve being recover'd of the fright she had been in reflected quickly on the Evidence she had given of it The Chevalier de Guise presently put her out of the hopes she had no body had taken notice of it giving her his Hand to lead her out of the Lists I have more cause to complain says he Madam than Monsieur de Nemours Pardon me if for a moment I forget the profound respect I have always had for you to let you see how I grieve at Heart for what my Eyes have but now discover'd 'T is the first time I have taken the boldness to speak to you and it shall be the last Death or an everlasting absence will remove me from a place I can no longer live in having now lost the sorry comfort I had in believing all those who durst look on you were as unfortunate as I. Madam de Cleve answer'd as if she had not understood him She would have been offended another time at any Declaration he should have made of his affection for her but that moment her thoughts were wholly drown'd in a deep affliction for the Discovery he had made of her kindness for Monsieur de Nemours The Chevalier de Guise was so throughly convinc'd of it and so heartily troubled at it he took a resolution never to think more of obtaining her love But to quit an Enterprize that appear'd so difficult and glorious he must pitch on another great enough to fill the room the former had taken up in his thoughts He had formerly entertain'd some thoughts of the taking of Rhodes and when Death took him out of the World in the Flower of his Youth when he had gain'd the Reputation of one of the greatest Princes of his time the only grief he express'd for leaving the World was he had
my receiving Letters of that sort I pray Sir says the Vidame be serious If you have a Mistress as I question not but you have though I know her not you will easily justifie your self and I will put you in an infallible way for it If you should not justifie your self the worst you can fear is a short falling out My case is much worse by this unlucky Adventure I shall dishonour a Person who hath passionately lov'd me and is one of the most Enestimable Women of the World besides I shall procure my self her implacable hatred to the certain ruine of my Fortune and perhaps something more I understand you not answers Monsieur de Nemours but I begin methinks to discover the reports we have had of a great Princess being concern'd for you are not without ground They are not replys the Vidame but I wish they had been so I should not have been then in the trouble you see me in I will tell you all to convince you what a condition I am in Ever since I came to Court the Queen hath been pleas'd to use me with particular favour and hath given me cause to believe she hath kindness for me Yet so that I never entertain'd any thought of her but what was full of respect I was deeply in love with Madam de Themines you who have seen her may easily judge it was not strange any one should love her if she lov'd him as she did me Near two years since the Court being at Fountainbleau I was two or three times in discourse with the Queen when there was very little company I thought my sense pleas'd her and that she approv'd what-ever I said One day she fell into a Discourse of Confidence I told her there was not a Person in the World I could entirely confide in that I found many had repented of having done it and that I knew several things I had never spoken of The Queen told me she esteem'd me the better for 't that she had not found a Person in France could keep a Secret and that nothing troubl'd her more because it depriv'd her of the pleasure of having a Confident than which nothing more necessary especially for those of her Quality She fell several times after into the like discourse and made me acquainted with very particular Passages At last I thought she had a mind to learn some Secret of mine and to trust me with hers I was so sensible of this distinguishing favour it engag'd me strictly to her and I made my Court to her with more assiduity than ordinary One Evening the King and the Ladies went on Horseback into the Forrest to take the Air the Queen went not being a little indispos'd I staid to wait on her she walk'd down to the Pond side and to be at more liberty would not be handed by the Gentlemen-Ushers Having taken a turn or two she came to me and bid me follow her I would speak with you says she and by what I shall say to you you will find I am your Friend She stopp'd there and look'd earnestly on me You are in love says she and because you have made no one your Confident you think your love is not known but it is and to Persons who are concern'd at it You are observ'd the place where you see your Mistress is discover'd and there is a design to surprize you I know not your Mistress nor do I ask you who she is but would arm you against the Plots that are laid for you Observe Sir what a Snare this was from a Queen and how hard to escape She had a mind to know if I was in love and not asking whom I lov'd but letting me see her pure intentions of doing me a kindness she put it out of my thoughts to suspect her of Curiosity much less of Design But against all probability I came to a discovery of the truth I was in love with Madam de Themines but though she lov'd me I was not so happy to have particular places to see her or to fear a surprize I easily saw 't was not she the Queen spoke of I knew well enough I had some concern of Gallantry with a Woman less handsome and less severe than Madam de Themines and it was not impossible the place I us'd to meet her might have been discover'd but that was a business I so little car'd for I could easily prevent any danger by forbearing to see her Thus I resolv'd not to confess any thing to the Queen but assur'd her I had long laid aside the desire of gaining the love of Women where I might hope for success having found them almost all unworthy the Engagement of an honest Man and that I was now altogether for something above them You do not answer me truly replys the Queen I am assur'd of the contrary The manner of my speaking to you should oblige you to hide nothing from me I am willing adds she you should be one of my Friends but not willing having taken you into that Number to be ignorant how you are engag'd See whether the Place of being my Friend be too dear at the Price of making me your Confident I give you two days to think on 't but after that time I expect your answer and remember if I find you deceive me I shall never pardon you Having said this the Queen left me without expecting my answer You may believe she had said enough to employ my thoughts I did not think the two days she had allowed me too long a time to come to Resolution I saw she was willing to know if I was in love and that she did not much desire I should be so I consider'd the Consequences of the Engagement I was entring into My Vanity was tickl'd with the fancy of having a particular Intrigue with a Queen and a Queen whose Person is extremely amiable On the other side I lov'd Madam de Themines and could not find in my Heart to break with her quite though I committed a Petty-Treason against her by my Engagement with the other I formerly told you of I apprehended the danger I should expose my self to if I deceiv'd the Queen and how hard it would be to do it Yet I could not resolve to refuse what Fortune offer'd me but was willing to run the hazard of any thing my ill Conduct might bring upon me I broke with that Woman where I fear'd a discovery and was in hopes to conceal the intelligence I held with Madam de Themines At the two days end I enter'd the Chamber where the Queen was with all the Ladies about her she said aloud and with a Gravity that surpriz'd me Have you thought of the Business I gave you in Charge and found out the truth of it Yes Madam answer'd I and 't is as I told your Majesty Come in the Evening when I am a writing replys she and you shall have further order Having made a profound Reverence
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
could not tell but what he had heard might have been in a dream so little likelihood was there of the truth of it The only thing seem'd to assure him he was not mistaken was the extreme sadness of Madam de Cleve appearing in spight of all her care to conceal it And peradventure the sweetest looks and most obliging expressions would not have so much heightned the love of Monsieur de Nemours as the severity of her Conduct effectually did One Evening as Monsieur and Madam de Cleve were at the Queens Lodgings it was said there was a report the King would name another great Lord at Court to wait on Madam into Spain Monsieur de Cleve had his eye fixt on his Wife when it was further said the Chevalier de Guise or the Marshal de S. Andre was to be the man He observ'd she was not at all mov'd at either of those names nor at the discourse of their going along with her this made him believe he had no reason to fear the presence of either of them To clear his suspitions he went into the Queens Closet where the King then was Having staid there a while he return'd to his Wife and whisper'd her he had but newly been told Monsieur de Nemours was the person design'd to go along with them into Spain Madam de Cleve was so mov'd at the name of Monsieur de Nemours and the thought of being expos'd to see him every day during a very long journey in the presence of her Husband that she could not conceal the trouble she was in and to cloak it with other reasons No choice says she could have been made more disagreeable for you he will share all your Honours and methinks you are oblig'd to endeavour to procure another choice Madam answers he 't is not on any account of State you are unwilling Monsieur de Nemours should go with me the trouble it gives you proceeds from another cause I learn from that trouble in you what I should have discover'd in another Woman by the joy she would have exprest at the news but fear not Madam what I told you is not true it was an invention of mine to be assur'd of a thing I strongly believ'd Having said so he went out being loth by his presence to increase the trouble he saw his Wife in Monsieur de Nemours came in at that instant and presently observ'd the condition she was in He went up to her and told her softly He had that respect for her he durst not ask her what it was made her more thoughtful and melancholly than ordinary The voice of Monsieur de Nemours brought her to her self again and looking on him without having heard what he had just then said so full was she of her own thoughts and of fear her Husband might see him with her For Gods sake says she let me alone Alas Madam answers he I do it too much what is it you can complain of I dare not speak to you I dare not so much as look upon you I tremble when I come near you wherein have I deserv'd you should speak so to me why do you make it appear thus I am in some measure the cause of the trouble I see you in Madam de Cleve was very sorry she had given him occasion to declare himself more clearly than he had done before she left him without saying a word more and went home more troubled than ever her Husband perceiv'd it and that she was afraid he should speak to her of what was past and following her into her Closet Do not shun me Madam says he I will not say any thing shall displease you I beg your pardon for the surprize I put you to awhile I am sufficiently punish'd by what I have learnt by it Monsieur de Nemours was the man I most fear'd of any I see the danger you are in have power over your self for your own sake and if you can for mine I ask it not as your Husband but as a man whose happiness wholly depends on you and who hath for you a passion more violent and more tender than he whom your inclination prefers before me Monsieur de Cleve melted at these words he could scarce finish them His Lady was so mov'd she burst into tears and imbrac'd him with a tenderness and sorrow that put him into a condition very different from hers They continued silent a while and parted without having been able to say a word one to the other All things were ready for the Marriage of Madam the Duke of Alva was arriv'd to Espouse her He was receiv'd with all the Ceremony and Magnificence usual on such occasions The King sent to meet him by the way the Prince of Conde the Cardinals of Lorrain and Guise the Dukes of Lorrain Ferrara Aumale Bouillon Guise and Nemours They had a great number of Gentlemen and many Pages in Livery The King in Person attended with two hundred Gentlemen his Servants with the Constable at the head of them waited the Duke of Alva's coming at the first Gate of the Louvre When the Duke of Alva was come up to the King he would have imbrac'd his knees the King would not suffer it but made him walk by his side to the Queens Lodgings and to Madam's for whom the Duke of Alva brought a magnificent Present from his Master He went thence to the Lodgings of Madam Margaret the Kings Sister to Complement her on the part of Monsieur de Savoy and assure her he would arrive in few days There were great Assemblies at the Louvre to let the Duke of Alva and the Prince of Orange who accompanied him see the Beauties of the Court. Madam de Cleve durst not absent her self for fear of displeasing her Husband who commanded her to appear there though very loth to do it Yet she was the rather induc'd to it by the absence of Monsieur de Nemours He was gone to meet Monsieur de Savoy and after his arrival was oblig'd to be in a manner always with him to assist him in what concern'd the Ceremonies of his Marriage This prevented her meeting him as often as she us'd which gave her some satisfaction The Vidame of Chartres had not forgot the discourse he had had with Monsieur de Nemours It ran in his mind that the Adventure the Prince had told him was his own and he watch'd him so narrowly 't is very probable he would have found out the truth of it had not the arrival of the Duke of Alva and Monsieur de Savoy fill'd the Court with so much business that it took away the opportunities of a discovery of that Nature The desire he had to know the truth of it or rather the natural disposition we have to make those we love acquainted with all we know made him tell Madam de Martigues the extraordinary Action of that Person who had confess'd to her Husband the passion she had for another He assur'd
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
to see it obstructed by you Ah Madam you forget you have distinguish'd me from the rest of men or rather you have not distinguish'd me you have deceiv'd your self I have flatter'd my self You have not flatter'd your self says she the Reasons of my duty would perhaps not appear so strong to me had I not made that distinction of which you seem to doubt and 't is it gives me a Prospect of the unfortunate Consequences of a nearer Engagement with you I have nothing to answer Madam replies he when you tell me you are afraid of unfortunate Consequences but I confess after all you have been pleas'd to say to me I did not expect from you so cruel a Reason It is so far from being intended any way offensive to you answers she I had much a do to tell it you Alas Madam says he how can you imagine me so vain to flatter my self with any thing you shall say to me having heard what you have already told me I will speak to you again answer she with the same sincerity as before and without those Reserves and Niceties I ought to have in my first discourse to you of this kind but I conjure you hear me without interruption I think my self oblig'd to give the affection you have for me the poor recompence of letting you see what my Sentiments are This probably will be the only time of my life I shall do it in yet I cannot without blushing confess to you that the certainty of being no more lov'd by you as I am appears to me so dreadful a misfortune that had I not invincible Reasons grounded on my duty I doubt very much whether it would be in my power to expose my self to that unhappiness I know you are free and that I am so and that the condition of things is such that the Publick perhaps should have no cause to blame you or me should we be ingag'd to one another for ever But are men us'd to continue their affection during those long Engagements or am I to expect a Miracle in my favour And shall I put my self in a condition to see that passion at an end in which I place all my felicity Monsieur de Cleve was perhaps the only man in the World capable to preserve and maintain a passion for his Wife it was my ill fate I was not able to reap the advantage of that happiness and perhaps his passion had not lasted but that he found I had none but I should not have the same means to preserve yours I believe you owe your constancy to the obstacles you have met with you saw enough to ingage you to encounter and overcome them and my actions against my will or what you learnt by chance gave you too great hopes to be discourag'd Ah Madam says Monsieur de Nemours I am not able to keep the silence you commande me you do me too much injustice and make it appear too clearly you are far from being prepossest in my favour I confess says she my passions may lead me but they cannot blind me nothing can hinder me to know you have a natural disposition to Gallantry and all the qualities requisite to give you success you have already been in love with several and you will be so again I should be no longer she you plac'd your happiness in I should see you as much for another as you had been for me this would mortally grieve me and I am not sure I could save my self from the torment of Jealousie I have said already too much to conceal from you that you have made me know what Jealousie is and that it tormented me so cruelly the night the Queen gave me Madam de Themines Letter which it was said was addrest to you that I have to this moment an Idea of it makes me believe it the greatest of evils There 's not a woman but out of vanity or inclination hath a mind to ingage you there are very few but you please my experience would make me believe there is not any but it is in your power to please I should think you always in love and belov'd and I should not be often mistaken yet in this case what remedy for me but patience I question much whether I should dare complain a Lover may be reproach'd but shall a Husband be so for no other cause but that he loves one no longer Could I use my self to bear a misfortune of this nature should it ever be in my power to bear that of imagining I saw Monsieur de Cleve every hour accuse you of his death and reproach me I had lov'd you I had marry'd you and make me sensible of the difference between his kindness and yours 'T is impossible for me to overcome the strength of these Reasons I must continue in the condition I am in and the resolution I have taken never to alter it Ha do you think you can do it Madam cryes Monsieur de Nemours do you believe you can hold that resolution against a man that adores you and hath the happiness to please you 'T is more difficult than you think Madam to resist that which pleases and loves us you have done it by an unparallell'd severity of vertue but that vertue no longer opposes your affections and I hope you will follow your inclination though against your will I know says she there 's nothing more difficult than what I undertake I mistrust my own strength in the midst of my Reasons the duty I owe the memory of Monsieur de Cleve would be too weak if not supported by Reasons drawn from the concern of my repose and the interest of my repose hath need of support from Reasons grounded on my duty to his memory yet though I distrust my self I believe I shall never overcome my scruples nor have I any hopes to overcome the inclination I have for you it will make me unhappy and I must deny my self the sight of you how hard soever I strain for 't I conjure you by all the power I have over you never more seek an occasion to see me I am in a condition makes that Criminal which were allowable another time Decency forbids me all Commerce with you Monsieur de Nemours threw himself at her feet and by his words and his tears exprest the tenderest and liveliest passion that ever heart was affected with Madam de Cleve was not insensible and with eyes swell'd with tears why must it be cries she that I should charge you with the death of Monsieur de Cleve why did not my first acquaintance with you begin since I have been at liberty or why did I not know you before I was ingag'd why did Fate separate us by such invincible obstacles There is no obstacle at all Madam replies he you and you only obstruct all my happiness you impose upon your self a Law which neither Vertue nor Reason require you to do 'T is true says she I sacrifice much