when word was brought that she was indisposed, and that the King
would not come. It was easy to see that the Duchess's

indisposition was nothing but some quarrel with the King;
everyone knew the jealousy he had had of the Mareschal de Brisac

during his continuance at Court, but he had been set out some
days on his return to Piemont, and one could not imagine what was

the occasion of this falling out.
"While I was speaking of this to Sancerre, Monsieur d'Anville

came into the room, and told me in a whisper, that the King was
so exasperated and so afflicted at the same time, that one would

pity him; that upon a late reconciliation between him and the
Duchess, after the quarrel they had had about the Mareschal de

Brisac, he had given her a ring, and desired her to wear it; and
that as she was dressing herself to come to the play, he had

missed it on her finger, and asked what was become of it; upon
which she seemed in surprise that she had it not, and called to

her women for it, who unfortunately, or for want of being better
instructed, made answer they had not seen it four or five days.

"It was," continued Monsieur d'Anville, "precisely so long,
since the Mareschal de Brisac left the Court, and the King made

no doubt but she gave him the ring when she took her leave of
him. The thought of this awaked in so lively a manner that

jealousy which was not yet extinguished, that he fell into
uncommon transports, and loaded her with a thousand reproaches;

he is just gone into her apartment again in great concern, but
whether the reason is a more confirmed opinion that the Duchess

had made a sacrifice of the ring, or for fear of having
disobliged her by his anger, I can't tell.

"As soon as Monsieur d'Anville had told me this news, I
acquainted Sancerre with it; I told it him as a secret newly

entrusted with me, and charged him to say nothing of it.
"The next day I went early in the morning to my sister-in-law's,

and found Madam de Tournon at her bedside, who had no great
kindness for the Duchess of Valentinois, and knew very well that

my sister-in-law had no reason to be satisfied with her.
Sancerre had been with her, after he went from the play, and had

acquainted her with the quarrel between the King and the Duchess;
and Madam de Tournon was come to tell it to my sister-in-law,

without knowing or suspecting that it was I from whom her lover
had it.

"As soon as I advanced toward my sister-in-law, she told Madam
de Tournon, that they might trust me with what she had been

telling her; and without waiting Madam de Tournon's leave she
related to me word by word all I had told Sancerre the night

before. You may judge what surprise I was in; I looked hard at
Madam de Tournon, and she seemed disordered; her disorder gave me

a suspicion. I had told the thing to nobody but Sancerre; he
left me when the comedy was done, without giving any reason for

it; I remembered to have heard him speak much in praise of Madam
de Tournon; all these things opened my eyes, and I easily

discerned there was an intrigue between them, and that he had
seen her since he left me.

"I was so stung to find he had concealed this adventure from me,
that I said several things which made Madam de Tournon sensible

of the imprudence she had been guilty of; I led her back to her
coach, and assured her, I envied the happiness of him who

informed her of the King's quarrel with the Duchess of
Valentinois.

"I went immediately in search of Sancerre, and severely
reproached him; I told him I knew of his passion for Madam de

Tournon, without saying how I came by the discovery; he was
forced to acknowledge it; I afterwards informed him what led me

into the knowledge of it, and he acquainted me with the detail of
the whole affair; he told me, that though he was a younger

brother, and far from being able to pretend to so good a match,
nevertheless she was determined to marry him. I can't express

the surprise I was in; I told Sancerre he would do well to hasten
the conclusion of the marriage, and that there was nothing he had

not to fear from a woman who had the artifice to support, in the
eye of the public, appearances so distant from truth; he gave me

in answer that she was really concerned for the loss of her
husband, but that the inclination she had for him had surmounted

that affliction, and that she could not help discovering all on a
sudden so great a change; he mentioned besides several other

reasons in her excuse, which convinced me how desperately he was
in love; he assured me he would bring her to consent that I

should know his passion for her, especially since it was she
herself who had made me suspect it; in a word, he did oblige her

to it, though with a great deal of difficulty, and I grew
afterwards very deep in their confidence.

"I never knew a lady behave herself in so genteel and agreeable
a manner to her lover, but yet I was always shocked at the

affectation she showed in appearing so concerned for the loss of
her husband. Sancerre was so much in love, and so well pleased

with the treatment he received from her, that he scarce durst
press her to conclude the marriage, for fear she should think he

desired it rather out of interest than love; however he spoke to
her of it, and she seemed fully bent on marrying him; she began

also to abandon her reserved manner of life, and to appear again
in public; she visited my sister-in-law at hours when some of the

Court were usually there; Sancerre came there but seldom, but
those who came every night, and frequently saw her there, thought

her extremely beautiful.
"She had not long quitted her solitude, when Sancerre imagined

that her passion for him was cooled; he spoke of it several times
to me: but I laid no great stress on the matter; but at last,

when he told me, that instead of forwarding the marriage, she
seemed to put it off, I began to think he was not to blame for

being uneasy: I remonstrated to him, that if Madam de Tournon's
passion was abated after having continued two years, he ought not

to be surprised at it, and that even supposing it was not abated,
possibly it might not be strong enough to induce her to marry

him; that he ought not to complain of it; that such a marriage in
the judgment of the public would draw censures upon her, not only

because he was not a suitable match for her, but also on account
of the prejudice it would do her reputation; that therefore all

he could desire was, that she might not deceive him, nor lead him
into false expectations; I told him further, that if she had not

resolution enough to marry him, or if she confessed she liked
some other person better, he ought not to resent or be angry at

it, but still continue his esteem and regard for her.
"I give you," said I, "the advice which I would take myself;

for sincerity has such charms to me, that I believe if my
mistress, or even my wife ingenuously confessed, she had a

greater affection for another than for me, I might be troubled,
but not exasperated; I would lay aside the character of a lover

or a husband, to bestow my advice and my pity."
This discourse made Madam de Cleves blush, and she found in it a

certain similitude of her own condition, which very much
surprised her, and gave her a concern, from which she could not

recover in a great while.
"Sancerre spoke to Madam de Tournon," continued Monsieur de

Cleves, "and told her all I had advised him; but she encouraged
him with so many fresh assurances, and seemed so displeased at

his suspicions, that she entirely removed them; nevertheless she
deferred the marriage until after a pretty long journey he was to

make; but she behaved herself so well until his departure, and
appeared so concerned at it, that I believed as well as he, that

she sincerely loved him. He set out about three months ago;
during his absence I have seldom seen Madam de Tournon; you have