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126 came into the pavilion where the duke de Nemours had overheard her conversation with her husband; she delighted to be in the bower that was open to the garden, while her women and attendants waited in the other bower under the pavilion, and never came to her but when she called them. Madam de Martigues having never seen Colomiers was surprised at the extraordinary beauty of it, and particularly with the pleasantness of the pavilion. Madam de Cleves and she usually passed the evenings there. The liberty of being alone in the night in so agreeable a place, would not permit the conversation to end soon between two young ladies, whose hearts were enflamed with violent passions; and they took great pleasure in conversing together, though they were not confidants. Madam de Martigues would have left Colomiers with great reluctance, had she not quitted it to go to a place where the viscount was: she set out for Chambort, the court being there.

The king had been anointed at Rheims by the cardinal of Loraine, and the design was to pass the rest of the summer at the castle of Chambort, which was newly built. The queen expressed a great deal of joy upon seeing madam de Martigues again at Court; and after having given her several proofs of it, she asked her how madam de Cleves did, and in what manner she passed her time in the country. The duke de Nemours and the prince of Cleves were with the queen at that time. Madam de Martigues, who had been charmed with Colomiers, related all the beauties of it, and enlarged extremely on the description of the pavilion in the forest, and on the pleasure madam de Cleves took in walking there alone part of the night. The duke de Nemours, who knew the place well enough to understand what madam de Martigues said of it, thought it was not impossible to see madam de Cleves there, without being seen by anybody but her. He asked madam de Martigues some questions to get further lights; and