"You have not flattered yourself," replied she; "the reasons of my duty
would not perhaps appear so strong to me without that distinction of
which you doubt, and it is that which makes me apprehend unfortunate
consequences from your alliance." "I have nothing to answer, Madam,"
replied he, "when you tell me you apprehend unfortunate consequences;
but I own, that after all you have been pleased to say to me, I did not
expect from you so cruel a reason." "The reason you speak of," replied
Madam de Cleves, "is so little disobliging as to you, that I don't know
how to tell it you." "Alas! Madam," said he, "how can you fear I
should flatter myself too much after what you have been saying to me?"
"I shall continue to speak to you," says she, "with the same sincerity
with which I begun, and I'll lay aside that delicacy and reserve that
modesty obliges one to in a first conversation, but I conjure you to
hear me without interruption.
"I think I owe the affection you have for me, the poor recompsense not
to hide from you any of my thoughts, and to let you see them such as
they really are; this in all probability will be the only time I shall
allow myself the freedom to discover them to you; and I cannot confess
without a blush, that the certainty of not being loved by you, as I am,
appears to me so dreadful a misfortune, that if I had not invincible
reasons grounded on my duty, I could not resolve to subject myself to
it; I know that you are free, that I am so too, and that circumstances
are such, that the public perhaps would have no reason to blame either
you or me, should we unite ourselves forever; but do men continue to
love, when under engagements for life? Ought I to expect a miracle in
my favour?
And shall I place myself in a condition of seeing certainly
that passion come to an end, in which I should place all my felicity?
Monsieur de Cleves was perhaps the only man in the world capable of
continuing to love after marriage; it was my ill fate that I was not
able to enjoy that happiness, and perhaps his passion had not lasted
but that he found none, in me; but I should not have the same way of
preserving yours; I even think your constancy is owing to the obstacles
you have met with; you have met with enough to animate you to conquer
them; and my unguarded actions, or what you learned by chance, gave you
hopes enough not to be discouraged." "Ah! Madam," replied Monsieur de
Nemours, "I cannot keep the silence you enjoined me; you do me too much
injustice, and make it appear too clearly that you are far from being
prepossessed in my favour." "I confess," answered she, "that my
passions may lead me, but they cannot blind me; nothing can hinder me
from knowing that you are born with a disposition for gallantry, and
have all the qualities proper to give success; you have already had a
great many amours, and you will have more; I should no longer be she
you placed your happiness in; I should see you as warm for another as
you had been for me; this would grievously vex me, and I am not sure I
should not have the torment of jealousy; I have said too much to
conceal from you that you have already made me know what jealousy is,
and that I suffered such cruel inquietudes the evening the Queen gave
me Madam de Themines's letter, which it was said was addressed to you,
that to this moment I retain an idea of it, which makes me believe it
is the worst of all ills.