Iamcommissionedtoentreatyouracceptanceofthe
　　accompanyingcasket；itisthegiftofonewhosefavorsarenever
　　refused；youwilleasilyguess，towhomIallude，andIdoubtnot
　　bringyourselftoconformtotheusualcustom。“
　　Thejewelssentwereapairofear-ringsandanofemeralds
　　encircledwithdiamonds。
　　Thekingwasdesirousofbestowingupon
　　madamedeBearnthisparticularmarkofhisrecollectionofher
　　servicestowardsme，butitdidnotallaytheindignationwith
　　whichsheexpressedhersenseofmybitteringratitude，asshe
　　termedit，astho’herinterestedcooperationhadnotbeen
　　sufficientlyrepaid。
　　Nevertheless，sheforboretocometoa
　　decidedquarrelwithme，butsatisfiedherselfwithloadingme
　　witheveryreproachinprivate，whilstshewrotetothankmefor
　　allthefavorsIhadbestoweduponher，andentreatedIwouldkeep
　　herremembrancealiveinthemindofmyroyalprotector。
　　AstherewasnothingoffensiveinthestyleoftheletterI
　　showedittotheking；whenhecametothepartwheremadamede
　　Bearnrecommendedherselftohiskindrecollection，andexpressed
　　herdesiretobepermittedtothrowherselfoncemoreathisfeet，
　　“Heavenpreserveme，“criedhe，“fromreceivingthismarkofthe
　　lady’srespect。
　　No，no，sheisbadenoughatadistance；Ishould
　　beboredtodeathwereshesoneartomeasshepraysfor。
　　Thank
　　Godwehavegotridofher，andnowtrusttoyourownguidance；
　　trythepowersofyourownwingstobearyouinsafety，Ifeel
　　persuadedyouwillneverbeataloss。“
　　AboutthistimetheprincedeSoubise，anxioustoevincethathe
　　nolongerretainedanyfeelingsofcoolnesstowardsme，requested
　　hismistress，madamedel’Hopital，tocalluponme。
　　Thislady，
　　withoutbeingaregularbeauty，wasyetveryattractive。
　　Shewas
　　pastthemeridianofhercharms，butwhatshewantedinyouth
　　sheamplycompensatedforbythevivacityandbrilliancyofher
　　conversation，aswellasthefreedomofherideas，whichmade
　　hertheidolofalltheoldlibertinesofthecourt。
　　Theprince
　　deSoubisewasgreatlyattachedtoher，andpreferredherin
　　reality，tomademoiselleGuimard，whomheonlyretainedforform’s
　　sake，andbecausehethoughtitsuitabletohisdignitytohave
　　anoperadancerinhispay；thisnoblemanasyouwillfindhad
　　rathersingularideasofthedutiesattachedtohisstation。
　　Madamedel’Hopitalhadhadavastnumberofgallantadventures，
　　whichshewasveryfondofrelating。
　　Ishallmentiontwoofthe
　　mostamusing，whichwillservetoconveyanideaoftheskilfulness
　　andreadywitwithwhichsheextricatedherselffromthemost
　　embarrassingcircumstances。
　　Ayoungman，whoseloveshepermitted，whosenamewasthechevalier
　　deCressy，wasobliged，inordertovisither，toscaleaterrace
　　uponwhichawindowopened，whichconductedtothesleeping-room
　　ofhismistress。
　　Hewasgenerallyaccompaniedbyhisvalet，a
　　good-lookingyouth，who，dislikingastateofidleness，had
　　contrivedtoinsinuatehimselfintothegoodgracesofthelady’s
　　maid。
　　Thevalet，duringhismaster’sstaywithmadame，had
　　likewiseascendedtheterrace，andpenetrated，bytheaidofanother
　　window，intothechamberwherereposedtheobjectofhistender
　　love。
　　Allthiswasaccomplishedwithaslittlenoiseaspossible，
　　inordertopreventthemischanceofawakeningthemarquisde
　　l’Hopital，whowasquietlyasleepinanadjoiningroom。
　　Oneclearmoonlightnight，attheveryinstantwhenM。deCressy
　　wasabouttostepoutofthewindow，inordertoreturntohisown
　　apartment，aterriblecrashofbrokenglasswasheard。
　　The
　　terrifiedchevaliersoughttheaidofhisladder，butithad
　　disappeared。
　　Notknowingwhattodo，thechevalierreturnedto
　　madamedel’Hopital，who，seizedwithterror，hadonlyjusttime
　　toconcealhiminherchamber，whenthemarquisopenedhiswindow
　　toascertainthecauseofallthisconfusion。
　　Inaninstantthe
　　alarmspread，andheadswerepoppedoutofthedifferentwindows
　　ofthecastle，eachvieingwiththeotherinvociferating“Thieves！
　　thieves！
　　murder！
　　fire！“
　　Theunfortunateauthorofallthisdisturbancewastheunlucky
　　valet；who，inhisovereagernesstoreachhisDulcinea，had
　　attemptedtoclimbhisladdersonimbly，thatitfelldown，and，
　　strikingagainstthewindowsofaroomnearwhichhehadfixed
　　it，hadbrokenseveralpanesofglass。
　　Thepoorvaletnever
　　stoppedtoreplacetheladder；but，terrifiedaswellashurtby
　　hisrapiddescent，scrambledoffaswellashecould，abandoning
　　hismasterinhispresentcriticalsituation。
　　Theladderthrowndowninthecourtyardwasabundantproofthat
　　someaudaciousattempthadbeenmadeuponthelivesandsafety
　　oftheinhabitantsofthecastle；andthegeneraldetermination
　　wastocatchthethieves:for，itwaspresumed，asnooutletfor
　　theirescapewasdiscernible，thattheymustbeconcealedwithin
　　itswalls。
　　Theservants，withtheirmasterattheirhead，were
　　speedilyassembledforthepurpose，whentheabsenceofthe
　　chevalierdeCressywasobserved。
　　Wherecouldhebe？
　　wasthe
　　generalwonder。
　　Wasitpossiblethat，amidsttheuniversal
　　uproarwithwhichthecastlehadresounded，hehadsleptso
　　soundlyastobeyetunconsciousofallthisbustle？
　　An
　　over-officiousfriendwasuponthepointofgoingtohischamber，
　　toascertainthecauseofhisabsentinghimselfatsuchamoment，
　　whenmadamedel’Hopitalsenttorequestherhusbandwouldcome
　　toherimmediately。
　　“Sir，“saidshe，whentheywerealone，“the
　　disturbancewhichhasthusbrokenourrestisnottheworkof
　　thieves，butoriginatesintheshamelesslicentiousnessofaman
　　unworthyofhisnameandtherankheoccupies。
　　Thechevalierde
　　Cressy，forgetfulofhisbeingyourguest，andofrespectingthe
　　honorofallbeneathyourroof，hasdaredtocarryonabase
　　intriguewithmywoman，inwhoseapartmentyouwillfindhimat
　　thisveryminute。
　　Aconductsoprofligateandinsultingfillsme
　　withanindignationwhichIthinkthatyou，sir，afterwhatyou
　　haveheard，cannotbutpartake。“
　　Themarquisdel’Hopital，whodidnotseethethinginthesame
　　seriouslight，soughttoappeasethevirtuousindignationofhis
　　lady，andwenthimselftoreleasethechevalierfromhisplaceof
　　concealment；leadinghimthro’hisownapartmenttojointhe
　　crowdofarmedservants，who，asmaybesupposed，wereunableto
　　detectthesupposedinvadersoftheirrepose。
　　Onthefollowingmorningthechevalierasagreedupon，wrotea
　　penitentiallettertomadame，entreatingherpardonforhis
　　improperattentionstoherservant，whomsheaffectedtodismiss
　　witheverymarkofgravestdispleasure。
　　TheweepingAbigail
　　threwherselfatthefeetofhermistress:andthecompassionate
　　marquisbeforewhomthescenewasenacted，touchedwithpity，
　　imploredhisladytoreceivetheafflictedandpenitentJavotte
　　oncemoreintoherservice。
　　Thiswasatlengthgrantedtohis
　　solicitations；andJavottereceivedahundredlouisastheprice
　　ofhersilence，andfounditsufficientcompensationforthebad
　　opinionthemarquisentertainedofhervirtue。
　　Thesecondtrickthemarchionessplayedherhusbandwasnot
　　lessamusing。
　　ThechevalierdeCressyandherselfcouldnotmeetsofrequently
　　asbothdesired；andwhilstsufferingunderthevoidoccasioned
　　byhisabsence，chancethrewinherwayayoungrelativeofher
　　husband’s，ayouthofabouteighteen，asbeautifulasLove，and
　　asdaringasthatgod。
　　Theyweretheninthecountryduringthe
　　finedaysofsummer，andbothtimeandplacewerefavorableto
　　theprosecutionoftheirgrowingpassion。
　　Onedaymadamede
　　l’Hopitalandhercousinweresaunteringabouttheparkheedless
　　oftheapproachingdinner-hour，andequallydeaftothesoundof
　　thedinner-bell，whichrungitsaccustomedpealinvainforthem
　　whoseearswereoccupiedinlisteningtosweetersounds。
　　At
　　lengththemasterofthehouse，alarmedattheprotractedabsence
　　ofhiswifeandfriend，wenthimself，attendedbymanyguests
　　assembledathishouse，insearchofthestrayones；theservants
　　likewisereceivedorderstodispersethemselvesoverthegrounds
　　indifferentdirections；andmadamedel’Hopitalandhercompanion
　　wereonlyarousedtoarecollectionoftheflightoftimeby
　　hearingtheirnamesloudlyshoutedbyadozendifferentvoices。
　　Fortunatelytheywerejustintimetoseparateinoppositepaths，
　　andthustoenterthecastlewithoutanysuspicionbeingexcited
　　oftheirhavingbeensorecentlyineachother’scompany。
　　The
　　marquisangrilyremonstratedwithhisladyforhavingobliged
　　himtosendinsearchofher，andsheexcusedherselfbyprotesting
　　thatshehadnotheardthedinner-bell。
　　Themarquisreplied，that
　　thethingwasimpossible；andaftersomeangrydiscussionthe
　　matterrestedthere。
　　Afewdaysafterthisthemarchioness，withherhusbandand
　　cousin，wereramblingoverthegrounds，whentheyfoundthemselves
　　attheentranceofahermitage，wheremadamedel’Hopitalhad
　　toldthemarquisshehadsatdowntorestherselfonthedayof
　　herfailingtoattendthedinner-hour。
　　M。del’Hopitalresumed
　　thedispute，byprotestingthatfromthissituationthedinner-bell
　　mighteasilybeheard:theladycontinuedfirminprotestingit
　　couldnot，till，atlast，feigningextremeanger，sheexclaimed。
　　“Wellthen，sir，sinceyourefusetobelieveassertion，go
　　yourselfandringthebellasloudlyasyouplease，yourcousin
　　willremainherewithme，anddetermineifitbepossibleto
　　distinguishthesoundfromhere。“
　　Thefoolofamarquissetoffintheheightofhiszealtoconvince
　　hiswife，and，arrivingattheturretwherethebellwasplaced，
　　beganringingitwithallhismightandmain，leavingthelovers
　　theundisturbedopportunitytheywerenotslowintakingadvantage
　　of。
　　Whenthemarquishadceasedhischimes，thelovingpairwent
　　tomeethim。
　　“Well，mygoodcousin，“inquiredhe，astheyapproached，“which
　　ofuswasright？
　　Couldyouhearitornot？“
　　“Yourself，mostassuredly，“repliedtheyoungman，notwithouta
　　slightblush。
　　“Icanassureyouthatbothmadameandmyself
　　heardthebellthewholetimeyouwereringingit。“
　　“There，Itoldyouso；Itoldyouso“；criedthedelightedhusband，
　　triumphantlyrubbinghishands。
　　Ithoughtwhenthislivelyandpiquantadventurewasrelatedto
　　me，thatitwaswellworthyofbeingimmortalizedbythepenof
　　aLaFontaine。