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Part IV. idea of the duke de Nemours: but it did not continue long; that idea soon returned more lively than before.

For a few days after the duke was gone, she was hardly sensible of his absence; afterwards it tortured her: ever since she had been in love with him, there did not pass a day, but she either feared or wished to meet him; and it was a wounding thought to her to consider, that it was no more in the power of Fortune to contrive their meeting.

She went to Colomiers, and ordered to be carried thither the large pictures she had caused to be copied from the originals which the duchess of Valentinois had procured to be drawn for her fine house of Annett. All the remarkable actions that had passed in the late king's reign were represented in these pieces, and among the rest was the siege of Metz; and all those who had distinguished themselves at that siege were painted much to the life. The duke de Nemours was of this number; and it was that, perhaps which had made madam de Cleves desirous of having the pictures.

Madam de Martigues not being able to go along with the court, promised her to come and pass some days at Colomiers. Though they divided the queen's favour, they lived together without envy or coldness; they were friends, but not confidants: Madam de Cleves knew that madam de Martigues was in love with the viscount, but madam de Martigues did not know that madam de Cleves was in love with the duke de Nemours, nor that she was beloved by him. The relation madam de Cleves had to the viscount, made her more dear to madam de Martigues; and madam de Cleves was also fond of her as a person who was in love as well as herself, and with an intimate friend of her own lover.

Madam de Martigues came to Colomiers according to her promise, and found madam de Cleves living in a very solitary manner: that princess affected a perfect solitude, and passed the evenings in her garden, without being accompanied even by her domestics; she