him: but tho' she spoke to him in this manner, it
was not, as her actions afterwards fully demonstrated, that she really
designed what she said should make him desist his pretensions, but that
he should be careful how he let any one into the secret of his heart.
She foresaw little prospect of their love ever being crown'd with
success, yet found too much pleasure in indulging it to be able to wish
an extinction of it, either in him or herself; and in spight of all the
distance she assumed, he easily perceived that whatever difficulties he
should have to struggle with in the prosecution of his addresses, they
would not be owing to her cruelty. They were both of them too young to
attend much to consequences; and as securing the affections of each
other was what each equally aimed at, neither of them reflected how
terrible a separation would be, and how great the likelihood that it
must happen they knew not how soon.

As the remonstrances of mademoiselle Charlotta had all the effect she
intended them for on Horatio, he so well commanding himself that no
person in the world, except the baron de la Valiere, who was absent, had
the least intimation of his passion, they might probably have lived a
long time together in the contentment they now enjoyed, had not an
accident, of which neither of them could have any notion, put a stop
to it.

Horatio thought no more on the affair of madame de Olonne and monsieur
de Coigney, from the time he had been cleared of having any concern with
that lady, yet was that night's adventure productive of what he looked
upon as the greatest misfortune could befal him. But to make this matter
conspicuous to the reader, it is necessary to give a brief detail of the
circumstances that led to it.

This lady, who was wife to the baron de Olonne, was one of the most
beautiful, and most vicious women in the kingdom; she entertained a
great number of lovers; but there was none more attached to her, or more
loved by her than young monsieur de Coigney: he had for a long time
maintained a criminal correspondence with her, to the great trouble of
all his friends, who endeavoured all they could, but in vain, to wean
him from her: he had lately a recounter with one of her former lovers,
which had like to have cost him his life; and it was with great
difficulty, and as much as the relations on both sides could do, by
representing to the king that they were set upon by street-robbers, that
they avoided the pun