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Part IV. and decency allowed her a considerable time to determine what to do: however, she resolved to continue firm in having no commerce with monsieur de Nemours. The viscount came to see her, and pleaded his friend's cause with all the wit and application imaginable; but could not make her alter her conduct, or recall the severe orders she had given to monsieur de Nemours: she told him, her design was not to change her condition; that she knew how difficult it was to stand to that design, but that she hoped she should be able to do it. She made him so sensible how far she was affected with the opinion that monsieur de Nemours was the cause of her husband's death, and how much she was convinced that it would be contrary to her duty to marry him, that the viscount was afraid it would be very difficult to take away those impressions; he did not, however, tell the duke what he thought, when he gave him an account of his conversation with her; but left him as much hope as a man who is loved may reasonably have.

They set out the next day, and went after the king; the viscount wrote to madam de Cleves at monsieur de Nemours's request, and in a second letter, which soon followed the first, the duke writ a line or two in his own hand; but madam de Cleves determined not to depart from the rules she had prescribed herself; and fearing the accidents that might happen from letters, informed the viscount that she would receive his letters no more, if he continued to speak of monsieur de Nemours; and did it in so peremptory a manner, that the duke desired him not to mention him.

During the absence of the court, which was gone to conduct the queen of Spain as far as Poitou, madam de Cleves continued at home; and the more distant she was from monsieur de Nemours, and from every thing that could put her in mind of him, the more she recalled the memory of the prince of Cleves, which she made it her glory to preserve; the reasons she had not to marry the duke de Nemours appeared strong with respect to her duty, but invincible with respect to her