What poison did this discourse of the Queen-Dauphin carry in it for

Madam de Cleves? How could she but know herself to be the person whose

name was not known, and how could she help being filled with tenderness

and gratitude, when she learned, by a way not in the least liable to

suspicion, that the Duke, who had already touched her heart, concealed

his passion from the whole world, and neglected for her sake the hopes

of a Crown? It is impossible to express what she felt, or to describe

the tumult that was raised in her soul. Had the Queen-Dauphin observed

her closely, she might easily have discerned, that what she had been

saying was not indifferent to her; but as she had not the least

suspicion of the truth, she continued her discourse without minding

her: "Monsieur d'Anville," added she, "from whom, as I just told you,

I had all this, believes I know more of it than himself, and he has so

great an opinion of my beauty, that he is satisfied I am the only

person capable of creating so great a change in the Duke of Nemours."

These last words of the Queen-Dauphin gave Madam de Cleves a sort of

uneasiness very different from that which she had a few minutes before.

"I can easily come into Monsieur d'Anville's opinion," answered she;

"and 'tis very probable, Madam, that nothing less than a Princess of

your merit could make him despise the Queen of England." "I would own

it to you, if I knew it," replied the Queen-Dauphin, "and I should know

it, if it were true; such passions as these never escape the sight of

those who occasion them; they are the first to discern them; the Duke

of Nemours has never showed me anything but slight complaisances; and

yet I find so great a difference betwixt his present and former

behaviour to me, that I can assure you, I am not the cause of the

indifference he expresses for the Crown of England.

"But I forget myself in your company," added the Queen-Dauphin, "and

don't remember that I am to wait upon Madame: you know the peace is as

good as concluded, but perhaps you don't know that the King of Spain

has refused to sign it, but on condition of marrying this Princess,

instead of the Prince Don Carlos, his son: the King was with great

difficulty brought to allow it, but at last he has consented, and is

gone to carry the news to Madame; I believe she will be inconsolable.

To marry a man of the King of Spain's age and temper can never be

pleasing, especially to her who has all the gaiety which the bloom of

youth joined with beauty inspires, and was in expectation of marrying a

young Prince for whom she has an inclination without having seen him.

I do not know whether the King will find in her all the obedience he

desires; he has charged me to see her, because he knows she loves me,

and believes I shall be able to influence her. From thence I shall

make a visit of a very different nature, to congratulate the King's

sister. All things are ready for her marriage with the Prince of

Savoy, who is expected in a few days. Never was a woman of her age so

entirely pleased to be married; the Court will be more numerous and

splendid than ever, and notwithstanding your grief, you must come among

us, in order to make strangers see that we are furnished with no mean

beauties."




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