Madame La Comtesse had often deep play at her house, which she affected

to restrain, but secretly encouraged; and it was well known among her

friends, that the splendour of her establishment was chiefly supplied

from the profits of her tables. But her petits soupers were the most

charming imaginable! Here were all the delicacies of the four quarters

of the world, all the wit and the lighter efforts of genius, all the

graces of conversation--the smiles of beauty, and the charm of music;

and Valancourt passed his pleasantest, as well as most dangerous hours

in these parties.

His brother, who remained with his family in Gascony, had contented

himself with giving him letters of introduction to such of his

relations, residing at Paris, as the latter was not already known to.

All these were persons of some distinction; and, as neither the person,

mind, or manners of Valancourt the younger threatened to disgrace their

alliance, they received him with as much kindness as their nature,

hardened by uninterrupted prosperity, would admit of; but their

attentions did not extend to acts of real friendship; for they were too

much occupied by their own pursuits, to feel any interest in his; and

thus he was set down in the midst of Paris, in the pride of youth, with

an open, unsuspicious temper and ardent affections, without one friend,

to warn him of the dangers, to which he was exposed. Emily, who, had

she been present, would have saved him from these evils by awakening

his heart, and engaging him in worthy pursuits, now only increased

his danger;--it was to lose the grief, which the remembrance of her

occasioned, that he first sought amusement; and for this end he pursued

it, till habit made it an object of abstract interest.

There was also a Marchioness Champfort, a young widow, at whose

assemblies he passed much of his time. She was handsome, still more

artful, gay and fond of intrigue. The society, which she drew round her,

was less elegant and more vicious, than that of the Countess Lacleur:

but, as she had address enough to throw a veil, though but a slight

one, over the worst part of her character, she was still visited by many

persons of what is called distinction. Valancourt was introduced to her

parties by two of his brother officers, whose late ridicule he had now

forgiven so far, that he could sometimes join in the laugh, which a

mention of his former manners would renew.

The gaiety of the most splendid court in Europe, the magnificence of

the palaces, entertainments, and equipages, that surrounded him--all

conspired to dazzle his imagination, and re-animate his spirits, and

the example and maxims of his military associates to delude his mind.

Emily's image, indeed, still lived there; but it was no longer the

friend, the monitor, that saved him from himself, and to which he

retired to weep the sweet, yet melancholy, tears of tenderness. When

he had recourse to it, it assumed a countenance of mild reproach, that

wrung his soul, and called forth tears of unmixed misery; his only

escape from which was to forget the object of it, and he endeavoured,

therefore, to think of Emily as seldom as he could.




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