The Duke de Nemours promised the Viscount he would, and took Madam
d'Amboise's billet; nevertheless his design was not to see the
Queen-Dauphin; he thought more pressing business required his care; he
made no question, but she had already spoke of the letter to Madam de
Cleves, and could not bear that a person he loved so desperately,
should have ground to believe he had engagements with any other.
He went to the Princess of Cleves as soon as he thought she might be
awake; and ordered her to be told, that, if he had not business of the
last consequence, he would not have desired the honour to see her at so
extraordinary an hour. Madam de Cleves was in bed, and her mind was
tossed to and fro by a thousand melancholy thoughts that she had had
during the night; she was extremely surprised to hear the Duke de
Nemours asked for her; the anxiety she was in made her presently
answer, that she was ill, and could not speak with him.
The Duke was not at all shocked at this refusal; he thought it presaged
him no ill, that she expressed a little coldness at a time when she
might be touched with jealousy. He went to the Prince of Cleves's
apartment, and told him he came from that of his lady, and that he was
very sorry he could not see her, because he had an affair to
communicate to her of great consequence to the Viscount de Chartres; he
explained in few words to the Prince the importance of this business,
and the Prince immediately introduced him into his lady's chamber. Had
she not been in the dark, she would have found it hard to have
concealed the trouble and astonishment she was in to see the Duke de
Nemours introduced by her husband. Monsieur de Cleves told her the
business was about a letter, wherein her assistance was wanting for the
interest of the Viscount, that she was to consult with Monsieur de
Nemours what was to be done; and that as for him he was going to the
King, who had just sent for him.
The Duke de Nemours had his heart's desire, in being alone with Madam
de Cleves; "I am come to ask you, Madam," said he, "if the
Queen-Dauphin has not spoke to you of a letter which Chatelart gave her
yesterday." "She said something to me of it," replied Madam de Cleves,
"but I don't see what relation this letter his to the interests of my
uncle, and I can assure you that he is not named in it." "It is true,
Madam," replied the Duke de Nemours, "he is not named in it but yet it
is addressed to him, and it very much imports him that you should get
it out of the Queen-Dauphin's hands." "I cannot comprehend," replied
the Princess, "how it should be of any consequence to him, if this
letter should be seen, nor what reason there is to redemand it in his
name."