t till the next day to expose them: she
therefore went immediately to the Lodgings of the Princess, who was then
walking in the Garden of the Palace; and passing without resistance,
even to her Cabinet, she put the Paper into a Book, in which the
Princess used to read, and went out again unseen, and satisfy'd with her
good Fortune.

As soon as _Constantia_ was return'd, she enter'd into her Cabinet, and
saw the Book open, and the Verses lying in it, which were to cost her so
dear: She soon knew the Hand of the Prince which was so familiar to her;
and besides the Information of what she had always fear'd, she
understood it was _Agnes de Castro_ (whose Friendship alone was able to
comfort her in her Misfortunes) who was the fatal Cause of it: she read
over the Paper an hundred times, desiring to give her Eyes and Reason
the Lye; but finding but too plainly she was not deceiv'd, she found her
Soul possest with more Grief than Anger: when she consider'd, as much in
love as the Prince was, he had kept his Torment secret. After having
made her moan, without condemning him, the Tenderness she had for him,
made her shed a Torrent of Tears, and inspir'd her with a Resolution of
concealing her Resentment.

She would certainly have done it by a Virtue extraordinary, if the
Prince, who missing his Verses when he waked, and fearing they might
fall into indiscreet Hands, had not enter'd the Palace, all troubled
with his Loss; and hastily going into _Constantia's_ Apartment, saw her
fair Eyes all wet with Tears, and at the same instant cast his own on
the unhappy Verses that had escaped from his Soul, and now lay before
the Princess.

He immediately turned pale at this sight, and appear'd so mov'd, that
the generous Princess felt more Pain than he did: 'Madam, _said he_,
(infinitely alarm'd) from whom had you that Paper? It cannot come but
from the Hand of some Person, _answer'd_ Constantia, who is an Enemy
both to your Repose and mine. It is the Work, Sir, of your own Hand; and
doubtless the Sentiment of your Heart. But be not surprized, and do not
fear; for if my Tenderness should make it pass for a Crime in you, the
same Tenderness which nothing is able to alter, shall hinder me from
complaining.'

The Moderation and Calmness of _Constantia_, served only to render the
Prince more asham'd and confus'd. _How generous are you, Madam_,
(pursu'd he) _and how unfortunate am I!_ Some Tears accompany'd his
Words, and the Princess, who