with design to go out that way by a door which opened to the forest; but observing madam de Cleves and her husband were sat down in the arbour, and that their attendants staid in the park, and could not come to him without passing by the place where monsieur and madam de Cleves were, he could not deny himself the pleasure of seeing this princess, nor resist the curiosity he had to hear her conversation with a husband, who gave him more jealousy than any of his rivals. He heard monsieur de Cleves say to his wife, But why will you not return to Paris? What can keep you here in the country? You have of late taken a fancy for solitude, at which I am both surprised and concerned, because it deprives me of your company: I find, too, you are more melancholy than usual, and I am afraid you have some cause of grief.—I have nothing to trouble my mind, answered she with an air of confusion; but there is such a bustle at court, and such a multitude of people always at your house, that it is impossible but both body and mind should be fatigued, and one cannot but desire repose.—Repose, answered he, is not very proper for one of your age; you are at home, and at court, in such a manner as cannot occasion weariness, and I am rather afraid you desire to live apart from me.—You would do me great wrong to think so, replied she with yet more confusion, but I beg you to leave me here; if you could stay here, and without company, I should be very glad of it; nothing would be more agreeable to me than your conversation in this retirement, provided you would approve not to have about you that infinite number of people, who in a manner never leave you.—Ah! madam, cries monsieur de Cleves, both your looks and words convince me that you have reasons to desire to be alone which I do not know; I conjure you to tell them me. He urged her a great while to inform him, without being able to oblige her to it; and after she had excused herself in a manner which still increased her husband's curiosity, she continued in a deep silence, with
