de Cleves to him on his arrival, and I ought to chide youfor not having come as you promised; you know, if I was capable of feeling a new affliction in the condition I am in, it would be the death of madam de Tournon, and I have heard of it this morning; I should have been concerned, though I had not known her; it is a melting consideration to think that a lady so young and handsome as she, should be dead in two days; but besides, she was the person in the world that pleased me most, and who appeared to have discretion equal to her beauty.
I am sorry I could not return yesterday, replied the prince of Cleves, but my presence was so necessary to the consolation of an unhappy man, that it was impossible for me to leave him. As for madam de Tournon, I do not advise you not to be concerned for her, if you lament her as a woman full of discretion, and worthy of your esteem.You surprise me, answered madam de Cleves; I have heard you say several times, that there was not a lady at Court you had a greater respect for.It is true, replied he, but women are incomprehensible, and when I have seen them all, I think myself so happy in having you, that I cannot enough admire my good fortune.You esteem me more than I deserve, answered Madam de Cleves: you have not had experience enough yet to pronounce me worthy of you; but tell me, I beseech you, what it is has undeceived you with respect to madam de Tournon.I have been undeceived a great while, replied he; I know that she was in love with the count de Sancerre, and that she gave him room to hope she would marry him.I can't believe, said madam de Cleves, that madam de Tournon, after so extraordinary an aversion as she has shown to marriage from the time she became a widow, and after the public declarations she has made that she would never marry again, should give hopes to Sancerre.If she had given hopes to
