The nature of her disease gave her a prospect of death both near, and

at a distance, and showed her the things of this life in a very

different view from that in which they are seen by people in health;

the necessity of dying, to which she saw herself so near, taught her to

wean herself from the world, and the lingeringness of her distemper

brought her to a habit in it; yet when she was a little recovered, she

found that Monsieur de Nemours was not effaced from her heart; but to

defend herself against him, she called to her aid all the reasons which

she thought she had never to marry him; after a long conflict in

herself, she subdued the relics of that passion which had been weakened

by the sentiments her illness had given her; the thoughts of death had

reproached her with the memory of Monsieur de Cleves, and this

remembrance was so agreeable to her duty, that it made deep impressions

in her heart; the passions and engagements of the world appeared to her

in the light, in which they appear to persons who have more great and

more distant views. The weakness of her body, which was brought very

low, aided her in preserving these sentiments; but as she knew what

power opportunities have over the wisest resolutions, she would not

hazard the breach of those she had taken, by returning into any place

where she might see him she loved; she retired, under pretence of

change of air, into a convent, but without declaring a settled

resolution of quitting the Court.

Upon the first news of it, Monsieur de Nemours felt the weight of this

retreat, and saw the importance of it; he presently thought he had

nothing more to hope, but omitted not anything that might oblige her to

return; he prevailed with the Queen to write; he made the Viscount not

only write, but go to her, but all to no purpose; the Viscount saw her,

but she did not tell him she had fixed her resolution; and yet he

judged, she would never return to Court; at last Monsieur de Nemours

himself went to her, under pretence of using the waters; she was

extremely grieved and surprised to hear he was come, and sent him word

by a person of merit about her, that she desired him not to take it ill

if she did not expose herself to the danger of seeing him, and of

destroying by his presence those sentiments she was obliged to

preserve; that she desired he should know, that having found it both

against her duty and peace of mind to yield to the inclination she had

to be his, all things else were become so indifferent to her, that she

had renounced them for ever; that she thought only of another life, and

had no sentiment remaining as to this, but the desire of seeing him in

the same dispositions she was in.




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