However，mypoorHenriettewasnotfated
　　toenjoyalongconnubialfelicity，forherhusband，beingseized
　　withaviolentfever，inafitofdeliriumthrewhimselffroma
　　windowintothecourtbelow，andwastakenupdead。
　　Slander
　　availedherselfevenofthisfatalcatastrophetowhisperabroad，
　　thatthedeathoftheunhappymanarosefromhisdeepsenseof
　　hiswife’smisconductandinfidelity。
　　ThisIcanpositivelyassert
　　wasnotthecase，forHenriettewaswarmlyandtrulyattachedto
　　him，andconductedherselfasawifewiththemostundeviating
　　propriety。
　　Thefactwas，thatHenriettehaddrawnuponherselfa
　　generalhatredandillwill，becauseshesteadilyrefusedall
　　gossipinginvitations，wheremycharacterwouldhavebeenpulled
　　topieces，andtheaffairsofmyhouseholddiscussedandcommented
　　upon:there，indeed，shehadsinnedbeyondallhopeofpardon。
　　Sheitwaswhopointedouttometheperfidiousconductofthe
　　ducdeVilleroi。
　　Thisgentleman，fromtheverybeginningofmy
　　riseintheroyalfavour，haddemonstratedthemostlivelyfriendship
　　forme，ofwhichhesoughttopersuademebythestrongest
　　protestations，which，weakandcredulousasIwas，Iimplicitly
　　believed，untilonedaythatHenriette，availingherselfofmy
　　beingquitealone，letmeintothesecretsofmyestablishment
　　andfurnishedmewithakeytotheassiduitiesofM。deVilleroi。
　　AmongstthefemalesinmyservicewasonenamedSophie，young，
　　beautifulbothinfaceandform，ofasweetdisposition，andevery
　　waycalculatedtoinspirethetenderpassion。
　　M。deVilleroifelt
　　thefullforceofhercharms，andbecamethewhining，sighing
　　lover——herveryshadow。
　　UptothisperiodIhadhadnocauseof
　　complaintagainstM。deVilleroi；andcertainlyIshouldnothave
　　interferedwithhisplebeianflamehadhenotthoughtproper，
　　whenquestionedbymyenemiesastohiscontinualpresenceat
　　thecastle，andgreatassiduitiesthere，toprotestthathisvisits
　　thitherwerenotinhonourofmycharms，butforthoseofmy
　　waiting-maid。
　　However，myvanityhadrenderedmehisconstantdupe。
　　IfeltperfectlyastonishedasIlistenedtoHenriette’srecital；
　　andwhenshehadceased，Iconjuredhertotellmecandidly，
　　whethershehadnotinventedthewholetaleeitheroutofspite
　　toSophieorwithadesigntomakemebreakofffurtherfriendship
　　withtheduke。
　　Thisshemostsolemnlydenied，andrecommendedme
　　tomakeinquiriesamongstmyfriends，whowouldbecompelledto
　　beartestimonytothetruthofallshehadasserted。
　　Idetermined
　　todoso；andthefirstpersonwhomIwasenabledtointerrogate
　　respectingtheaffairwasthebishopdeSenlis。
　　Thisprelate
　　camefrequentlytoseeme，andIfoundhissocietyeachdaymore
　　pleasing。
　　Heservedmeasakindofgazetteofallthatpassed
　　withtheprincesses，inwhoseopinionIhadstillthemisfortune
　　nottobeintheveryhighestestimation。
　　Whenoccasionrequired
　　it，M。deRoquelaurewouldventuretotakemypart，andthat
　　withoutmakingasingleenemy；forwhocouldbeoffendedwith
　　onesoaffable，sogood，sofullofkindnesstowardsall？
　　In
　　fact，theworthybishopwassofortunateastoobtaintheloveof
　　everypersonwhoknewhim；and，inthemostselectsocietyof
　　opposingparties，eachwouldreserveaplaceforgoodM。deRoquelaure。
　　WhenIquestionedhimastohisknowledgeoftheaffair，his
　　embarrassmentwasevident。
　　“Whataworldisthis！
　　“criedhe。
　　“Why，letmeask，doyou
　　listentothosewhorepeatsuchmortifyingtalestoyou？“
　　“Because，mylord，myfriendswillnotseememadethesportofa
　　heartlessandperfidiousfriend；and，ifyouentertaintheslightest
　　regardforme，Iconjureyoutotellmeallyouknowuponthesubject。“
　　“Anddoyou，mygoodmadam，conceivethatitwouldbecomemy
　　sacred
　　callingtospeakillofmyneighbour？
　　besides，surelyyou
　　wouldnotattachanybelieftotheidlereportsspreadaboutthe
　　castlebyill-disposedpersons？“
　　“Allthishasnothingtodowithmyquestion，mylord，“resumedI。
　　“Iaskyouonceagain，whetheryoueverheardtheducdeVilleroi
　　assignhispassionforoneofmywomenasthereasonforhis
　　visitstome？
　　Haveyou，mylordbishop？
　　Ientreatyoutoanswer。“
　　“Madam，Ihavenot，“saidthegoodprelate，colouringdeeply。
　　“Ah，monsieurdeRoquelaure，“criedI，“youmustnotsaymass
　　to-morrow，forIgreatlyfearyouhavejustcommittedacertain
　　faultwhichisstyledfibbing。“
　　Thebishopmadenoreply，andhissilencespokevolumesofconfirmation。
　　Scarcelyhadhequittedmethantheducd’Aiguillonentered，to
　　whomIputthesamequestion；andhefranklyconfessed，thatthe
　　excuseallegedtohavebeenusedbytheducdeVilleroiwas
　　strictlytheexpressionofthatgentleman。
　　“Iwaswrong，“saidtheduke，“nottohavementionedittoyou，
　　butIwassilentfromadesiretopreservepeacebetweenyou。
　　Nowthattheaffairhasbeenrevealedtoyou，Iwillnotsully
　　mylipswithafalsehoodforthepleasureofupholdingan
　　unprincipledman。“
　　“Iwillnotaskyoutotellmemore，“repliedI。
　　“Iknowenough
　　tomakemedespisethecowardlyspiritofhimwhomIrejectas
　　unworthyofmyfriendship。“
　　Sosaying，Irantomywriting-table，
　　andwrotetotheducdeVilleroithefollowingnote:——
　　“MONSIEURLEDUC，——Ilovemyfriendswith
　　alltheirfaults，butIcannotpardontheirperfidy；
　　and，sincefromwhatIhaveheardIamleftto
　　conclude，thatbutforthecharmsofmyattendant
　　Sophie，Ishouldnothavebeenfavouredwithso
　　manyofyourvisits，Inowwritetowarnyou，
　　thatIthisdaydismisstheunfortunateobjectof
　　youradmirationfrommyservice，andtherefore
　　recommendyoutoceaseallfurthercommunication。
　　Yourpresenceinmyhousewouldbeanything
　　butagreeabletome；andsincethefairobjectwhich
　　hashithertoattractedyouwillnolongerdwell
　　undermyroof，Ipresumeyourpresentingyourself
　　beforemewouldonlybemorepainfulthanyouhave
　　hithertofoundit。
　　Thefranknessofmyconductmay
　　offendyou，butitcannotsurpriseorgrieveyou
　　morethanyourduplicityhasme。
　　“Iremainwithbefittingsentiments，monsieur
　　leduc，
　　“Yourmosthumbleandobedientservant。“
　　WhenIhadcompletedmyletter，Irang，andafootmanattended。
　　“Go，“saidItohim，“carrythisnoteimmediatelytotheducde
　　Villeroi，andwait，ifitbenecessary，thewholeday，untilyou
　　canreturnwiththeassurancethatyouhavedelivereditinto
　　hisownhand。“
　　WhilstIwasthusspeakingtotheman，whohadbeenengagedby
　　mysteward，andveryrecentlyenteredintomyservice，Ichanced
　　tolookathiminadvertently，whenmyattentionwasarrestedby
　　seeinghimrapidlychangecolour。
　　Icouldnotatthemoment
　　conceivewhatcouldthusagitatehim，andmakingasignforhim
　　todepartimmediatelyuponhiscommission，heslowlyleftthe
　　room，regardingmeashewentinsuchamanner，thatIcouldnot
　　failrecognisinghim:andhere，myfriend，Imustlayasideevery
　　particleofself-loveandvanityereIcanmakeyouacomplete
　　confession；theretrospectofmylifebringsmanyevents，ofwhich
　　theremembranceisindeedpainfultome，andonlythesolemn
　　promiseIamundertoconcealnothingrestrainsmefromconsigning
　　manyparticularstooblivion。
　　Iamoncemoreabouttoincurthe
　　chanceofdrawingdownyourcontemptbymycandour，butbeforeI
　　enteruponthesubject，permitmetoconcludemyaffairwiththe
　　ducdeVilleroi。
　　Myletterwasathunderbolttotheduke。
　　Hebetterthananyone
　　knewtheextentofmycredit，whichhedreaded，lestImight
　　employittohisinjury；hethereforehastenedtoreplytomein
　　thefollowingwords:——
　　“MADAMELACOMTESSE，——Iamamostunhappy，
　　orratheravilelycalumniatedman；andmyenemies
　　haveemployedthemostodiousmeansofmakingme
　　appeardespicableinyoureyes。
　　Iconfess，thatnot
　　daringtoaspiretoyou，Istoppedatthefootstool
　　ofyourthrone，butIwhollydenythewordswhich
　　havebeenlaidtomycharge。
　　Iventuretoexpect
　　fromyourjusticethatyouwillgrantmethefavour
　　ofanopportunityofexculpatingmyselffromso
　　blackacharge。
　　Itwouldbecruelindeedtocondemn
　　amanwithouthearinghim。
　　“Iamwiththemostprofoundrespect，&c。“
　　TothishypocriticalepistleIrepliedbyanothernoteasfollows:——
　　“Everybadandunfavourablecasemaybe
　　denied，monsieurleduc，thereforeIamnot
　　astonishedatyourseekingtorepelthechargeof
　　havingutteredthedisrespectfulwordslaidto
　　yourcharge。
　　Asfortheexplanationsyouoffer
　　metheywouldbefruitless；Iwillhavenonewith
　　thosewhohaveeitherbeenmyfriendsorappeared
　　tobesuch。
　　Imustthereforebegyouwillcease
　　allattemptsatacorrespondencewhichcanlead
　　tonogoodresults。
　　“Ihavethehonourtoremain，&c。，&c。“
　　Afterthisbusinesswasdespatched，IcausedSophietobesent
　　fortoattendme。
　　“Well，Sophie，“saidI，“youperceivetheconfusionyouhave
　　occasionedthroughyourfolly。
　　Isitthentruethattheducde