. He retorted with acrimony; and the consequence would have been
serious, had not the friends of each party interposed for their
preservation. The disputants were at length reconciled; it was agreed
to pursue Julia with united, and indefatigable search; and that
whenever she should be found, the nuptials should be solemnized
without further delay. With the character of the duke, this conduct
was consistent. His passions, inflamed by disappointment, and
strengthened by repulse, now defied the power of obstacle; and those
considerations which would have operated with a more delicate mind to
overcome its original inclination, served only to encrease the
violence of his. Madame de Menon, who loved Julia with maternal affection, was an
interested observer of all that passed at the castle. The cruel fate
to which the marquis destined his daughter she had severely lamented,
yet she could hardly rejoice to find that this had been avoided by
elopement. She trembled for the future safety of her pupil; and her
tranquillity, which was thus first disturbed for the welfare of
others, she was not soon suffered to recover.
The marchioness had long nourished a secret dislike to Madame de
Menon, whose virtues were a silent reproof to her vices. The
contrariety of their disposition created in the marchioness an
aversion which would have amounted to contempt, had not that dignity
of virtue which strongly characterized the manners of madame,
compelled the former to fear what she wished to despise. Her
conscience whispered her that the dislike was mutual; and she now
rejoiced in the opportunity which seemed to offer itself of lowering
the proud integrity of madame's character. Pretending, therefore, to
believe that she had encouraged Ferdinand to disobey his father's
commands, and had been accessary to the elopement, she accused her of
these offences, and stimulated the marquis to reprehend her conduct.
But the integrity of Madame de Menon was not to be questioned with
impunity. Without deigning to answer the imputation, she desired to
resign an office of which she was no longer considered worthy, and to
quit the castle immediately. This the policy of the marquis would not
suffer; and he was compelled to make such ample concessions to madame,
as induced her for the present to continue at the castle.
The news of Julia's elopement at length reached the ears of Ferdinand,
whose joy at this event was equalled only by his surprize. He lost,
for a moment, the sense of his own situation, and thought only of the
escape of Julia. But his sorrow soon returned with accumulated force
when he recollected that Julia might then perhaps want that assistance
which his confinement alone could prevent his affording her.