ourt to
congratulate the princess Louisa, on the great victories lately gained
by Charles XII. the brave king of Sweeden, to whom she had been some
time contracted, she passed directly to her highness's apartment; and
the Chevalier St. George being then with her, those of his Gentlemen who
had attended him thither, were waiting in the antichamber: among them
was Horatio: the alteration of his countenance on sight of her, after
this absence, was too visible not to have been remarked, had not all
present been too busy in paying their compliments to her, to take any
notice of it. He was one of the last that approached, being willing to
recover the confusion he felt himself in, lest it should have an effect
on his voice in speaking to her. She, more prepared, received his salute
with the same gay civility she did the others, but at the same instant
slipped the letter she had brought with her into his hand.

Any one who is in the least acquainted with the power of love, may guess
the transports of Horatio at this condescension; but, impatient to know
the dear contents, he went out of the room as soon as he found he could
do it without being observed, and having perused this obliging billet,
found in it a sufficient cordial to revive that long languishment his
spirit had been in.

At his return he found her engaged in conversation with several
gentlemen and ladies: he mingled in the company, but could expect no
other satisfaction from it than being near his dear Charlotta, and
hearing her speak. The Chevalier St. George soon after came out, and he
was obliged with the rest of his train to quit the place, which at
present contained the object of his wishes. She went in immediately
after to the princess, so he saw her no more that day at St. Germains.

All that now employed his thoughts was a pretence to visit her at her
father's house; for tho' she had told him in her letter that he might
come as an ordinary acquaintance, yet knowing that the continuance of
their conversation depended wholly on the secrecy of it, he was willing
to avoid giving even the most distant occasions of suspicion.

Fortune, hitherto favourable to his desires, now presented him with one
more ample than any thing his own invention could have supplied him
with: happening to be at Paris in the company of some friends, with whom
he stayed later than ordinary, he was hurrying thro' the streets in
order to go to the inn where his servant and horses waited