nor acknowledge that he was the person she was in love with, but
the Viscount makes no manner of question of it." When the
Queen-Dauphin had done speaking, somebody came up to the bed; Madam de
Cleves was so placed that she could not see who it was, but she was
presently convinced, when the Queen-Dauphin cried out with an air of
gaiety and surprise, "Here he is himself, I'll ask him what there is in
it." Madam de Cleves knew very well it was the Duke de Nemours,
without turning herself, as it really was; upon which she went up
hastily to the Queen-Dauphin, and told her softly, that she ought to be
cautious of speaking to him of this adventure, which he had entrusted
to the Viscount de Chartres as a secret, and that it was a thing which
might create a quarrel between them. "You are too wise," said the
Queen-Dauphin smiling, and turned to the Duke de Nemours. He was
dressed for the evening assembly, and taking up the discourse with that
grace which was natural to him, "I believe, Madam," says he, "I may
venture to think you were speaking of me as I came in, that you had a
design to ask me something, and that Madam de Cleves is against it."
"It is true," replied the Queen-Dauphin, "but I shall not be so
complaisant to her on this occasion as I was used to be; I would know
of you, whether a story I have been told is true, and whether you are
not the person who is in love with, and beloved by a lady of the Court,
who endeavours to conceal her passion from you, and has confessed it to
her husband."

The concern and confusion Madam de Cleves was in was above all that can
be imagined, and if death itself could have drawn her out of this
condition, she would have gladly embraced it; but the Duke de Nemours
was yet more embarrassed if possible: the discourse of the
Queen-Dauphin, by whom he had reason to believe he was not hated, in
the presence of Madam de Cleves, who was confided in by her more than
anybody of the Court, and who confided more in her, threw him into such
confusion and extravagance of thought, that it was impossible for him
to be master of his countenance: the concern he saw Madam de Cleves in
through his fault, and the thought of having given her just cause to
hate him, so shocked him he could not speak a word. The Queen-Dauphin,
seeing how thunderstruck she was, "Look upon him, look upon him," said
she to Madam de Cleves, "and judge if this adventure be not his own."

In the meantime the Duke de Nemours,