ay of acting on that occasion_.

After the departure of monsieur du Plessis, Louisa fell into a serious
consideration of what had passed between them: not all the regard, which
she could not hinder herself from feeling for that young gentleman, nor
the pleasure she took in reflecting on the respect he paid her, made her
unmindful of what she owed Melanthe: the many obligations she had
received from her, and the friendship she had for her in return, made
her think she ought to acquaint her with the baseness of the count de
Bellfleur, in order to prevent an affection which she found she had
already too much indulged from influencing her to grant him any farther
favours; but this she knew was a very critical point to manage, and was
not without some apprehensions, which afterward she experienced were but
too well grounded; that when that lady found herself obliged to hate the
man she took pleasure in loving, she would also hate the woman who was
the innocent occasion of it. Few in the circumstances Louisa was, but
would have been swayed by this consideration, and chose rather to see
another become the prey of perfidy and deceit, than fall the victim of
jealousy herself; but the generosity of her nature would not suffer it
to have any weight with her, and she thought she could be more easy
under any misfortunes the discovery might involve her in, than in the
consciousness of not having discharged the obligations of duty and
gratitude in revealing what seemed so necessary to be known.

With this resolution, finding Melanthe was not come home, she went into
her chamber in order to wait her return, and relate the whole history to
her as she should undress for bed. But hour after hour elapsing without
any appearance of the person she expected, she thought to beguile the
tedious time by reading; and remembering that Melanthe had a very
agreeable book in her hand that morning, she opened a drawer, where she
knew that lady was accustomed to throw any thing in, which she had no
occasion to conceal; but how great was her surprise when, instead of
what she sought, she found the letter from count de Bellfleur which
Melanthe, in the hurry of spirits, had forgot to lock up. As it lay open
and was from him, she thought it no breach of honour to examine the
contents, but in doing so was ready to faint away between grief and
astonishment.

She was not insensible that Melanthe was charmed with this new lover,
and had always feared her lik