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84 Madam de Cleves, under pretence of serving her uncle, was pleased to be the duke de Nemours's confidante in the secrets he had imparted to her.

The duke would not have confined his discourse to the viscount's concerns; but from the liberty he had of free conversation with her, would have assumed a boldness he had never yet done, had not a message been brought in to madam de Cleves, that the queen-dauphin had sent for her. The duke was forced to withdraw; he went to the viscount to inform him, that after he had left him, he thought it more proper to apply to madam de Cleves, his niece, than to go directly to the queen-dauphin; he did not want reasons to make him approve what he had done, and to give him hopes of good success.

In the meantime madam de Cleves dressed herself in all haste to go to the queen-dauphin; she was no sooner entered her chamber, but she called her to her, and whispered her, I have been waiting for you these two hours, and was never so perplexed about disguising a truth as I have been this morning: the queen has heard of the letter I gave you yesterday, and believes it was the viscount de Chartres that dropped it; you know she has some interest to be satisfied in it; she has been in search for the letter, and has caused Chatelart to be asked for it; who said he had given it to me; they have been to ask me for it, under pretence it was an ingenious letter which the queen had a curiosity to see. I durst not say that you had it, for fear she should think I had given it you on your uncle the viscount's account, and that there was a correspondence between him and me. I was already satisfied that his seeing me so often gave her uneasiness; so that I said the letter was in the clothes I had on yesterday, and that those who had them in keeping were gone abroad: Give me the letter immediately, added she, that I may send it her, and that I may read it before I send it, to see if I know the hand.