ineffectual; victim of force
and rage.---The cruel leader of these fiends had just effected his
diabolical intentions, when a sudden noise of the trampling of horses
and the distant voices of men, forced them to fly. Fear, the companion
of villainous actions, made them abandon their prey, and make off with
incredible swiftness, so that the wretched Princess soon lost sight of
them; but her irremediable misfortune, too present to her mind, to
vanish with the authors of it, disordered her senses so cruelly, that
abhorring herself, and believing she could no longer inspire her husband
with any thing but contempt, she looked on him as one that was become
her cruellest enemy; witness of her disgrace, her troubled imagination
made her believe she ought to free herself from the only one who had the
power of publishing it.---Struck with the idea of being unworthy of his
affection, all the love she had formerly bore him, now changed into
hatred and fury; and becoming as barbarous as the very ruffians, who had
just left her, she snatched up one of the dying villain's swords, and
ran with her arm lifted up to take away the life of her wretched
husband: but little accustomed to such actions, the blow fell on the
cords which bound him, and gave him liberty to wrest the weapon from her
hands.---He discovered immediately her thoughts, and made use of the
most moving softness to calm the tempest of her soul: "If," said he,
"you could read my heart, you would find grief and pity only
there---with what alas! can I accuse you!---What are you guilty of?---I
still am your husband---still love you with the same unabated
fondness---am the only witness of your ill fortune; I'll hide it from
the eyes of the world, nor shall you ever be sensible that I myself
remember it---seek not therefore by a blind fury to publish our mutual
shame---comfort yourself, and let us by sentiments of piety, endeavour
to purify ourselves from an involuntary crime." In this manner did he
talk to her, but all his love and tenderness made no impression on her
mind---she answered him only by her endeavours to snatch away the sword,
and stab him. During this melancholy struggle their attendants arrived;
they had also lost themselves, and having sought their master all over
the forest, the noise of their horses, though then at a distance, had
frighted the robbers, and saved the Princess from further violation.

Thibault took a cloak from one of his equipage, and having mo