write, he had a right to expect that favour when they
came to Alranstadt; for till then it was scarce possible, by reason of
the army's continual and uncertain motions; but he was much more so,
that the baron de la Valiere had not been so good as to give him some
information of an affair, of which he could not be insensible his peace
so much depended: that he did not do it, he therefore presently
concluded, was owing to the having nothing pleasing to acquaint
him with.

As love is always apprehensive of the worst that can possibly befal, he
thought now of nothing but her being obliged to give her hand to some
rival approved by her father:--what avails it, cried he, that fortune
has raised me to an equality with her, if, by other means, I am
deprived of her!

He was beginning to give way to a despair little befitting a soldier,
when another courier arriving from Versailles with dispatches to the
king, he also received a packet, in which were three letters. The first
he cast his eye upon had on it the characters of Charlotta: amazed and
transported he hastily broke the seal, and found it contained
these lines:

_To Colonel_ HORATIO.

SIR,

"I have the permission of my father to pursue
my inclinations, in giving you this testimony
how sincerely I congratulate your good fortune;
tho' I ought not to call it by that name, since I
find every-body allows your rewards have not
exceeded your merits; but as neither has been
found deficient either for your ambition or the
satisfaction of your friends, all who are truly such
think you ought to be content, and run no future
hazards.--Be assured you have many well-wishers
here, among the number of whom you
will be guilty of great injustice not to place

CHARLOTTA DE PALFOY."

How well were all the late anxieties he had endured attoned for by this
billet; it was short indeed, and wrote with a more distant air than he
might have expected, had the dear authoress been at liberty to pursue
the dictates of her heart; but as it informed him it was permitted by
her father, and was doubtless under his inspection, the knowledge that
he had authorized her to write at all, was more flattering to his hopes
of happiness than all she could have said without that Sanction. After
having indulged the raptures this condescention excited, he proceeded to
the rest, and found the next he opened was from the baron de Palfoy, who
expressed himself to him in these terms:

_To Colonel_ HORA