the Queen-Dauphin to fetch her; as soon as she entered the room, that
Princess, who was sitting upon her bed, told her aloud, that she had
expected her with great impatience. "I believe, Madam," answered she,
"that I am not obliged to you for it, and that your impatience was
caused by something else, and not your desire to see me." "You are in
the right," answered the Queen-Dauphin, "but, nevertheless, you are
obliged to me; for I'll tell you an adventure, which I am sure you'll
be glad to know."

Madam de Cleves kneeled at her bedside, and, very luckily for her, with
her face from the light: "You know," said the Queen, "how desirous we
have been to find out what had caused so great a change in the Duke de
Nemours; I believe I know it, and it is what will surprise you; he is
desperately in love with, and as much beloved by, one of the finest
ladies of the Court." It is easy to imagine the grief Madam de Cleves
felt upon hearing these words, which she could not apply to herself,
since she thought nobody knew anything of her passion for the Duke; "I
see nothing extraordinary in that," replied she, "considering how young
and handsome a man the Duke de Nemours is." "No," replied the
Queen-Dauphin, "there is nothing extraordinary in it; but what will
surprise you is, that this lady, who is in love with the Duke de
Nemours, has never given him any mark of it, and that the fear she was
in lest she should not always be mistress of her passion, has made her
confess it to her husband, that he may take her away from Court; and it
is the Duke de Nemours himself who has related what I tell you."

If Madam de Cleves was grieved at first through the thought that she
had no concern in this adventure, the Queen-Dauphin's last words threw
her into an agony, by making it certain she had too much in it; she
could not answer, but continued leaning her head on the bed; meanwhile
the Queen went on, and was so intent on what she was saying, that she
took no notice of her embarrassment. When Madam de Cleves was a little
come to herself, "This story, Madam," says she, "does not seem very
probable to me, and I should be glad to know who told it you." "It was
Madam de Martigues," replied the Queen-Dauphin, "and she heard it from
the Viscount de Chartres; you know the Viscount is in love with her; he
entrusted this matter to her as a secret, and he was told it by the
Duke de Nemours himself; it is true the Duke did not tell the lady's
name,