forsuchwastheshopman’snamewasnotlongerehearrived
　　withhisparcel。
　　Madamed’Egmontwasreadytoreceivehim:she
　　hadhadsufficienttimetoexchangehershabbywalkingdressfor
　　onewhichbespokebothcoquetryandvoluptuousness；thesoftness
　　ofhersmile，andtheturnofherfeaturesannouncedonewhose
　　warmthofpassionswouldholdoutthemostflatteringhopesof
　　successtohimwhoshouldseekherlove。
　　MadameRossinandtheyoungshopmanweresoonengagedin
　　conversation，furtheranimatedbythebrightglancessentdirect
　　fromtheeyesofmadametotheunguardedheartofheradmiring
　　visitor。
　　Emboldenedbythegraciousnessofhermanner，he
　　presumedtotouchherfairhand:thelady，inaffectedanger，
　　rose，andcommandedhimtoquitthehouse。
　　Theterrifiedyouth
　　fellatherfeet，imploringpardonforhisboldness，andthen
　　hastilyquittedtheroomerethefeignedmadameRossincould
　　pronouncetheforgivenesshedemanded。
　　’Thefool，“wasdoubtless
　　theprincess’sexclamation，“hadhebeenbroughtupatcourthe
　　wouldhaveconductedhimselfverydifferently。“
　　Thissillinessofproceedingwas，however，farfrombeing
　　displeasingtotheprincess:onthecontrary，itseemedtoincrease
　　herdeterminationtoprosecutetheadventure。
　　Accordingly，on
　　thefollowingdayshehastenedtoresumeherformerwalkingdress，
　　andinittotaketheroadwhichledtotherueSt。Martin，and
　　againtopresentherselfasacustomeratthelinen-draper’sshop。
　　Thistimeshepurchasedclothforchemises。
　　Indescribableand
　　unspeakablewasthejoyofyoungMoireau，when，afterhaving
　　servedthemistressofhisthoughts，heheardherrequestofhis
　　mastertoallowthegoodsshehadselectedtobesenttoher
　　residence；andequallywashesurprisedthatsheomittedtoname
　　himasthepersonshewishedshouldconveythem。
　　Nevertheless，
　　asmaybeimagined，Moireauobtainedpossessionoftheparcel，
　　andwassoononhiswaytotherueTiquetonne，wherehefound
　　theladymorelanguishingandattractivethanbefore；andsoon
　　theyweredeepinthemostearnestandinterestingconversation。
　　Moireau，whonowsawthathisboldnesswasnotdispleasingtothe
　　lady，becamemoreandmorepresuming:true，hisovertureswere
　　refused，butsogently，thatitonlyfannedhisflame；norwasit
　　tillafterreiteratedprayersthatbesucceededinobtainingher
　　promisetomeethimonthefollowingSunday。
　　Theprincess，like
　　askilfulmanoeuvrer，reckonedupontheadditionalviolencehis
　　ardorwouldreceivefromthisdelay。
　　Theaffectionwithwhich
　　shehadinspiredhimwouldonlygainstrengthbythusdeferring
　　thedayfortheirnextmeeting，whilsthewouldhavetimeto
　　meditateuponthevirtueaswellasthecharmsofherhehadwon。
　　ThelonglookedforSundayatlengtharrived，andMoireauwas
　　firstattheplaceofrendezvous。
　　Hissimpledressaugmentedhis
　　naturalgoodlooks，whilstthecountesshadsparednopainsto
　　renderherappearancecalculatedtocaptivateandseduce。
　　All
　　reservewasthrownaside；andtosatisfytheeagercuriosityof
　　herlover，shestatedherselftobethewidowofacountrylawyer，
　　whohadcometoParistocarryonalawsuit。
　　Itwouldbeuseless
　　tofollowtheprincessduringthefurthercourseofthismeeting。
　　Sufficeittosay，thatMoirreauandmadamed’Egmontseparated
　　mutuallyhappyandsatisfiedwitheachother。
　　Theyouth，whowasnowagesgoneinlove，hadonlyreachedhis
　　twenty-secondyear，andmadameRossinwashisfirstattachment。
　　Soardentandimpetuousdidhispassionhourlygrow，thatit
　　becameaspeciesofinsanity。
　　Ontheotherhand，thehigh-born
　　dame，whohadthuscaptivatedhim，feltalltheattractionsof
　　hissimpleanduntutoredlove，furthersetoffbythefinemanly
　　figureoftheyoungshopman。
　　Indeed，somuchnoveltyandinterest
　　didsheexperienceinhernewamour，that，farfromfinding
　　herself，asshehadexpected，disposedtorelinquishtheaffair
　　asshehadanticipatedattheendoftwoorthreeinterviews，
　　whichshehadimaginedwouldhavesatisfiedhercapriciousfancy，
　　sheputoff，toanindefiniteperiod，heroriginalprojectofending
　　theaffairbyfeigningareturntothecountry。
　　Thisresolution，however，shedidnotfeelcouragetocarryinto
　　effect；andtwoorthreemonthsrolledrapidlyawaywithoutany
　　diminutionoftheirreciprocalflame，whenonefineSunday
　　eveningMoireau，whosetimehungheavilyonhishands，tookit
　　intohisheadtovisittheopera。
　　Thisspeciesofamusement
　　constitutestheofthedelightsofaFrenchcit。
　　Moireauseatedhimselfinthepit，justoppositetheboxofthe
　　gentlemeninwaiting。
　　Theperformancewas“CastorandPollux。“
　　Atthecommencementofthesecondactasuddennoiseandbustle
　　drewMoireaufromthecontemplativeadmirationintowhichthe
　　splendorofthepiecehadthrownhim。
　　Thedisturbancearosefrom
　　ageneralmove，whichwastakingplaceintheboxbelongingto
　　thegentlemeninwaiting。
　　Madamed’Egmonthadjustarrived，
　　attendedbyfourorfivegrandlordsofthecourtcoveredwith
　　gold，anddecoratedwiththeorderoftheHolyGhost，andtwo
　　ladiesrichlydressed，fromwhomshewasdistinguishedasmuchby
　　thesuperiormagnificenceofherattireasbyherstrikingbeauty。
　　Moireaucouldnotbelievehiseyes；hefeltassuredhebeheld
　　madameRossin，yethefanciedhemustbeundertheinfluenceof
　　somefantasticdream；buteverylook，everygestureofthe
　　princess，athousandtrifles，whichwouldhaveescapedthe
　　noticeofacommonobserver，butwhichwereengravedinindelible
　　charactersontheheartofheradmirer，allconcurredtoassure
　　himthatherecognisedinthislovelyanddazzlingfemale，so
　　splendidlyattiredandsoregallyattended，thecherishedmistress
　　ofhisaffections；shewhomthatverymorninghehadheldinhis
　　embrace。
　　Headdressedathousandquestionstothoseabouthim，
　　fromwhomhelearnthisowngoodfortuneandtheexaltedrankof
　　herhehadwon。
　　Scarcelycouldherestraintheburstofjoy，when
　　informedthatthefairobject，glitteringwithjewelsandradiant
　　inbeauty，wasthedaughterofRichelieu，andthewifeofoneof
　　theprincesofthenoblehousesofEgmont。
　　Athousandtumultuousandflatteringideasrushedincrowdsto
　　thebrainofyoungMoireau，andhesawinanticipationalong
　　andbrilliantvistaopeningbeforehim。
　　Poorinexperienced
　　youth！
　　Hemistookthewisestandsafestpath，whichwouldhave
　　beentohaveappearedignorantofthehighrankofhismistress，
　　andtohaveinducedher，frommotivesofaffection，topreside
　　overhisfortunes，andtorisebyhermeanswithoutallowingher
　　tosuspectheguessedherabilitytobestowrichesandpreferment。
　　He，onthecontrary，hastenedtoherwiththeaccountofhis
　　havingdiscoveredherrealrankandstation。
　　Madamed’Egmont，
　　whoseself-possessionenabledhertoconcealtheterrorand
　　uneasinesshisrecitalinspiredherwith，listenedcalmlyand
　　silentlytillhehadceasedspeaking，andthenaskedhim，witha
　　playfulsmile，ifhewasquitesureofbeinginhisrightsenses？
　　“Forhowotherwisecouldyou，“saidshe，“confuseapoorobscure
　　widowlikemyselfwiththerichandpowerfulprincessyouspeak
　　of？
　　Myfriend，youareundertheinfluenceofadream；believe
　　me，IamneithermorenorlessthanpoorwidowRossin，andcan
　　boastofnoclaimtotheillustriousnameofEgmontorRichelieu。“
　　Butthemoreshespokethelessshepersuaded，andyoungMoireau
　　wasnottobereasonedoutofhisconviction。
　　ofheridentity
　　withthehigh-bornprincessofEgmont，andhealternatelyemployed
　　threatsandpromisestoinducehertoconfessthefact；butthe
　　ladywasfirmandimmovable。
　　Resolvedatallrisktopreserve
　　herincognito，shefoundherselfcompelledtobringtheaffair
　　toaconclusion，byfeigningextremeangeratthepertinacity
　　withwhichMoireauimportunedheruponasubjectwhichshe
　　protestedsheknewnothing:herloverretaliated，andadesperate
　　quarrelensued。
　　Moireaurushedangrilyfromherpresence，vowing
　　thathewouldpublishhisadventurethro’outParis；anempty
　　threat，whichhisdevotiontotheprincesswouldneverhave
　　permittedhimtocarryintoexecution。
　　Madamed’Egmont，however，wasnotsosurethathersecretwas
　　safe，andshelostnotaninstantinrepairingtothehouseofM。
　　deSartines，toobtainfromhimaagainstthe
　　aspiringshopman，who，seizedinthestreet，wasconveyedaway，
　　andconfinedasamaniacinamadhouse，where，butfora
　　circumstanceyoushallhear，hewoulddoubtlessbestill。
　　Ihappenedtobewiththekingwhenthelieutenantofpolice
　　arriveduponmattersconnectedwithhisemployment。
　　According
　　tocustom，Louisinquiredwhetherhehadanythingveryamusing
　　tocommunicatetohim？
　　“Manythings，sire，“repliedhe，“and
　　amongstothersananecdoteofmadamed’Egmont“；andhebeganto
　　relatetous，wordforword，whatIhavewrittenyou。
　　Theking
　　laughedtillhecried；asforme，altho’Icouldnothelpfinding
　　thetalesufficientlycomictoinducerisibility，Ilistenedwith
　　morecoolness；andwhenitwascompleted，Iexclaimed，
　　“Canitbe，sire，thatyouwillpermitthisunfortunateyoungman
　　tobetheeternalvictimofsounprincipledawoman？“
　　“Whatwouldyouhavemedo？“
　　saidLouis；“howcanIinterfere
　　withoutcompromisingthereputationofmadamed’Egmont？“
　　“Allowmetosay，“repliedI，“thatthisfearoughtnottoprevent
　　yourmajesty’sinterference。
　　Youarefatherofyoursubjects；