to go to that of the mareschal de St. André. She easily came into the opinion, that a woman ought not to be at an entertainment given by one that professed love to her, and she was very glad to find out a reason of reservedness for doing a thing which would oblige the duke of Nemours. However, she carried away with her the ornaments which the queen-dauphin had given her; but when she showed them her mother, she told her that she did not design to make use of them; that the mareschal de St. André took a great deal of pains to show his attachment to her, and she did not doubt he would be glad to have it believed that a compliment was designed her in the entertainment he gave the king, and that under the pretence of doing the honours of his house, he would show her civilities which would be uneasy to her.
Madam de Chartres for some time opposed her daughter's opinion, as thinking it very singular; but when she saw she was obstinate in it, she gave way, and told her, that in that case she ought to pretend an indisposition as an excuse for not going to the ball, because the real reasons which hindered her would not be approved of; and care ought to be taken that they should not be suspected.
Madam de Cleves voluntarily consented to pass some days at her mother's, in order not to go to any place where the duke of Nemours was not to be. However the duke set out, without the pleasure of knowing she would not be at the ball.
The day after the ball he returned, and was informed that she was not there; but as he did not know the conversation he had at the dauphin's Court had been repeated to her, he was far from thinking himself happy enough to have been the reason of her not going.
The day after, while he was at the queen's apartments, and talking to the queen-dauphin, madam de Chartres and madam de Cleves came in. Madam de Cleves was dressed a little negligently, as a person who had been indisposed, but her countenance did not at all correspond with her dress.You look so pretty, says
