rrel gave new life
to their correspondence; and Lady Chesterfield, to make him as easy as
he had before been distrustful expressed on every occasion a feigned
contempt for his rival, and a sincere aversion for her husband.

So great was his confidence in her, that he consented she should show in
public some marks of attention to the duke, in order to conceal as
much as possible their private intelligence. Thus, at this time nothing
disturbed his peace of mind, but his impatience of finding a favourable
opportunity for the completion of his desires: he thought it was in
her power to command it; but she excused herself on account of several
difficulties which she enumerated to him, and which she was desirous he
should remove by his industry and attentions.

This silenced his complaints; but whilst he was endeavouring to surmount
these obstacles, still wondering how it was possible that two persons
who were so well disposed to each other, and who were agreed to make
each other happy, could not put their designs in execution, accident
discovered an unexpected adventure, which left him no room to doubt,
either of the happiness of his rival, or of the perfidy of his mistress.

Misfortunes often fall light when most feared; and frequently prove
heaviest when merited, and when least suspected. Hamilton was in the
middle of the most tender and passionate letter he had ever written
to Lady Chesterfield, when her husband came to announce to him the
particulars of this last discovery: he came so suddenly upon him, that
he had only just time to conceal his amorous epistle among his other
papers. His heart and mind were still so full of what he was writing to
his cousin, that her husband's complaints against her, at first, were
scarce attended to; besides, in his opinion, he had come in the most
unfortunate moment on all accounts.

He was, however, obliged to listen to him, and he soon entertained quite
different sentiments: he appeared almost petrified with astonishment,
while the earl was relating to him circumstances of such an extravagant
indiscretion, as seemed to him quite incredible, notwithstanding the
particulars of the fact. "You have reason to be surprised at it," said
my lord, concluding his story; "but if you doubt the truth of what I
tell you, it will be easy for you to find evidence that will convince
you; for the scene of their tender familiarities was no less public than
the room where the queen plays at cards, wh