Her husband perceived her concern was increased, and that she was
afraid he would speak to her of what had passed, and followed her into
her closet; "Do not shun me, Madam," says he, "I will say nothing to
you that shall displease you; I ask pardon for the surprise I gave you
a while ago; I am sufficiently punished by what I have learnt from it;
the Duke de Nemours was of all men he whom I most feared; I see the
danger you are in; command yourself for your own sake, and, if it is
possible, for mine; I do not ask this of you as a husband, but as a man
whose happiness wholly depends on you, and who loves you more violently
and more tenderly than he whom your heart prefers to me." Monsieur de
Cleves was melted upon speaking these words, and could scarce make an
end of them; his wife was so moved, she burst into tears, and embraced
him with a tenderness and sorrow that put him into a condition not very
different from her own; they continued silent a while, and parted
without having the power to speak to one another.
All things were ready for the marriage of Madame, and the Duke of Alva
was arrived to espouse her; he was received with all the ceremony and
magnificence that could be displayed on such an occasion; the King sent
to meet him the Prince of Conde, the Cardinals of Loraine and Guise,
the Dukes of Loraine and Ferrara, d'Aumale, de Bouillon, de Guise, and
de Nemours; they had a great number of gentlemen, and a great many
pages in livery; the King himself, attended with two hundred gentlemen,
and the Constable at their head, received the Duke of Alva at the first
gate of the Louvre; the Duke would have kneeled down, but the King
refused it, and made him walk by his side to the Queen's apartment, and
to Madame's, to whom the Duke of Alva had brought a magnificent present
from his master; he went thence to the apartment of Madam Margaret the
King's sister, to compliment her on the part of the Duke of Savoy, and
to assure her he would arrive in a few days; there were great
assemblies at the Louvre, the show the Duke of Alva, and the Prince of
Orange who accompanied him, the beauties of the Court.
Madam de Cleves could not dispense with going to these assemblies,
however desirous she was to be absent, for fear of disobliging her
husband, who absolutely commanded her to be there; and what yet more
induced her to it, was the absence of the Duke de Nemours; he was gone
to meet the Duke of Savoy, and after the arrival of that Prince, he was
obliged to be almost always with him, to assist him in everything
relating to the ceremonies of the nuptials; for this reason Madam de
Cleves did not meet him so often as she used to do, which gave her some
sort of ease.