an adventure of a friend of mine, which I had in confidence imparted to him. I know how to be revenged of him, continued he, smiling with a calm air; which removed the suspicions the queen-dauphin had entertained of him: he has entrusted me with things of no very small importance; but I do not know, madam, why you do me the honour to make me a party in this affair. The viscount cannot say I am concerned in it, for I told him the contrary; I may very well be taken to be a man in love, but I cannot believe, madam, you will think me of the number of those who are loved again. The duke was glad to say any thing to the queen-dauphin, which alluded to the inclination he had expressed for her formerly, in order to divert her thoughts from the subject in question. She imagined she understood well enough the drift of what he said; but without making any answer to it, she continued to rally him upon the embarrassment he was in. I was concerned, madam, said he, for the interest of my friend, and on account of the just reproaches he might make me for having told a secret which is dearer to him than life. He has, nevertheless, entrusted me but with one half of it, and has not told me the name of the person he loves; all I know is, that he is the most deeply in love of any man in the world, and has the most reason to complain.—Do you think he has reason to complain, replied the queen-dauphin, when he is loved again?—Do you believe he is, madam, replied he, and that a person who had a real passion could discover it to her husband? That lady, doubtless, is not acquainted with love, and has mistaken for it a slight acknowledgment of the fondness her lover had for her. My friend cannot flatter himself with the least hopes; but, unfortunate as he is, he thinks himself happy at least, in having made her afraid of falling in love with him, and he would not change his condition for that of the happiest lover in the world.—Your friend has a passion very easy to be satisfied, said the queen-dauphin,
