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Part IV. make the first proposal herself of visiting madam de Cleves. This proposal was executed that very day, and monsieur de Nemours told his sister, that he would leave her at Colomiers, in order to go directly to the king; he formed this pretence of leaving her at Colomiers, in hopes she would take her leave before him; and he thought he had found out by that means an infallible way of speaking to madam de Cleves.

The princess of Cleves, when they arrived, was walking in her garden; the sight of monsieur de Nemours gave her no small uneasiness, and put her out of doubt that it was he she had seen the foregoing night. The certainty of his having done so bold and imprudent a thing, gave her some little resentment against him; and the duke observed an air of coldness in her face, which sensibly grieved him. The conversation turned upon indifferent matters; and yet he had the skill all the while to shew so much wit, complaisance, and admiration for madam de Cleves, that part of the coldness she expressed towards him at first, left her in spite of herself.

When his fears were over, and he began to take heart, he shewed an extreme curiosity to see the pavilion in the forest; he spoke of it as of the most agreeable place in the world, and gave so exact a description of it, that madam de Mercœur said he must needs have been there several times to know all the particular beauties of it so well. And yet, I do not believe, replied madam de Cleves, that the duke de Nemours was ever there; it has been finished but a little while.—It is not long since I was there, replied the duke, looking upon her, and I do not know if I ought not to be glad you have forgot you saw me there. Madam de Mercœur, being taken up in observing the beauties of the gardens, did not attend to what her brother said; madam de Cleves blushed, and with her eyes cast down, without looking on monsieur de Nemours, I do not remember, said she, to have seen you there; and if you have been there,