Page:ThePrincessofCleves.djvu/95

Part III. , that she seemed either not to believe them true, or to think them indifferent to her. She continued in this temper until the duke de Nemours spoke of madam d'Amboise's billet, which was directed to the viscount, and was a proof of all he had been saying; as madam de Cleves knew that this lady was a friend of madam de Themines, she found some probability in what the duke de Nemours had said, which made her think, that the letter perhaps was not addressed to him; this thought suddenly, and in spite of herself, drew her out of the coldness and indifferency she had until then been in. The duke having read the billet, which fully justified him, presented it to her to read, and told her she might possibly know the hand. She could not forbear taking it, and examining the superscription, to see if it was addressed to the viscount de Chartres; and reading it all over, that she might the better judge, if the letter which was re–demanded was the same with that she had in her hand. The duke de Nemours added whatever he thought proper to persuade her of it; and as one is easily persuaded of the truth of what one wishes, he soon convinced madam de Cleves that he had no concern in the letter.

She began now to reason with him concerning the embarrassment and danger the viscount was in, to blame his ill conduct, and to think of means to help him, she was astonished at the queen's proceedings, and confessed to the duke that she had the letter; in short, she no sooner believed him innocent, but she discoursed with him with greater ease and freedom, concerning what she would scarce before vouchsafe to hear. They agreed that the letter should not be restored to the queen-dauphin, for fear she should show it to madam de Martigues, who knew madam de Themines's hand, and would easily guess, by the interest she had in the viscount, that it was addressed to him: they agreed also, that they ought not to entrust the queen-dauphin with all that concerned the queen her mother-in-law.