The Chevalier de Guise returned from a journey a few days before the

marriage. He saw so many insuperable difficulties in his design of

marrying Mademoiselle de Chartres, that he gave over all hopes of

succeeding in it; and yet he was extremely afflicted to see her become

the wife of another: his grief however did not extinguish his passion;

and his love was as great as ever. Mademoiselle de Chartres was not

ignorant of it; and he made her sensible at his return, that she was

the cause of that deep melancholy which appeared in his countenance.

He had so much merit and so much agreeableness, that it was almost

impossible to make him unhappy without pitying him, nor could she

forbear pitying him; but her pity did not lead to love. She acquainted

her mother with the uneasiness which the Chevalier's passion gave her.

Madam de Chartres admired the honour of her daughter, and she admired

it with reason, for never was anyone more naturally sincere; but she

was surprised, at the same time, at the insensibility of her heart, and

the more so, when she found that the Prince of Cleves had not been able

to affect her any more than others: for this reason, she took great

pains to endear her husband to her, and to make her sensible how much

she owed to the affection he had for her before he knew her, and to the

tenderness he since expressed for her, by preferring her to all other

matches, at a time when no one else durst entertain the least thoughts

of her. The marriage was solemnised at the Louvre; and in the evening the King

and the two Queens, with the whole Court, supped at Madam de Chartres's

house, where they were entertained with the utmost magnificence. The

Chevalier de Guise durst not distinguish himself by being absent from

the ceremony, but he was so little master of himself that it was easy

to observe his concern.

The Prince of Cleves did not find that Mademoiselle de Chartres had

changed her mind by changing her name; his quality of a husband

entitled him to the largest privileges, but gave him no greater share

in the affections of his wife: hence it was, that though he was her

husband, he did not cease to be her lover, because he had always

something to wish beyond what he possessed; and though she lived

perfectly easy with him, yet he was not perfectly happy. He preserved

for her a passion full of violence and inquietude, but without

jealousy, which had no share in his griefs. Never was husband less

inclined to it, and never was wife farther from giving the least

occasion for it.




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