d on my duty, I could not resolve to subject myself to
it; I know that you are free, that I am so too, and that circumstances
are such, that the public perhaps would have no reason to blame either
you or me, should we unite ourselves forever; but do men continue to
love, when under engagements for life? Ought I to expect a miracle in
my favour? And shall I place myself in a condition of seeing certainly
that passion come to an end, in which I should place all my felicity?
Monsieur de Cleves was perhaps the only man in the world capable of
continuing to love after marriage; it was my ill fate that I was not
able to enjoy that happiness, and perhaps his passion had not lasted
but that he found none, in me; but I should not have the same way of
preserving yours; I even think your constancy is owing to the obstacles
you have met with; you have met with enough to animate you to conquer
them; and my unguarded actions, or what you learned by chance, gave you
hopes enough not to be discouraged." "Ah! Madam," replied Monsieur de
Nemours, "I cannot keep the silence you enjoined me; you do me too much
injustice, and make it appear too clearly that you are far from being
prepossessed in my favour." "I confess," answered she, "that my
passions may lead me, but they cannot blind me; nothing can hinder me
from knowing that you are born with a disposition for gallantry, and
have all the qualities proper to give success; you have already had a
great many amours, and you will have more; I should no longer be she
you placed your happiness in; I should see you as warm for another as
you had been for me; this would grievously vex me, and I am not sure I
should not have the torment of jealousy; I have said too much to
conceal from you that you have already made me know what jealousy is,
and that I suffered such cruel inquietudes the evening the Queen gave
me Madam de Themines's letter, which it was said was addressed to you,
that to this moment I retain an idea of it, which makes me believe it
is the worst of all ills.

"There is scarce a woman but out of vanity or inclination desires to
engage you; there are very few whom you do not please, and my own
experience would make me believe, that there are none whom it is not in
your power to please; I should think you always in love and beloved,
nor should I be often mistaken; and yet in this case I should have no
remedy but patience, nay I question if I should dare to complain: a
lover may