The apartments of a palace
famous for the birth of one of the greatest monarchs of the age, and for
being the asylum of the distrest royal family of England: when his
attendance on his master gave him leisure, he frequently passed many
hours together in a closet, where he was told the late king James used
to retire every day to pray for the prosperity of that people who had
abjur'd him. Young as Horatio was, and gay by nature, he sometimes loved
to indulge the most serious meditations; and this place, as well as the
condition of those he served, remonstrating to him the instability of
all human greatness, he made this general reflection, that there was
nothing truly valuable but virtue, because the owner could be deprived
of that only by himself, and not by either the fraud or force of others.
Indeed the behaviour of all the persons who composed this court could
not but inspire those who saw it with sentiments of the nature I have
described: the queen herself, tho' of too great a soul to shew any marks
of repining at her fate, was never seen to smile: even the Chevalier St.
George and princess had both of them a very serious air, which denoted
they had reflections more befitting their condition than their years;
and those about them being most of them persons who had left the
greatest part of their fortunes as well as kindred either in England,
Scotland or Ireland, had their own misfortunes as well as that of the
royal cause to lament, and therefore could not but wear a dejection in
their countenances: in fine, every thing he saw seem'd an emblem of
fallen majesty, except on drawing-room nights, and then indeed the
splendor of Marli and Versailles shone forth at St. Germains in the
persons of those who came to pay their compliments, among whom were not
only the Dauphine and all the princes of the blood, but even the grand
monarch himself thought it not beneath his dignity to give this proof of
his respect once or twice every week.
This way of living, and the company he was now associated with, gave
Horatio a manly way of thinking much sooner than otherwise perhaps he
might have had, yet did not rob him of his vivacity: some of the queen's
women, and the young ladies about the princess, particularly
mademoiselle Charlotta, had a thousand sprightly entertainments among
themselves, into which he, the baron de la Valiere, and some others who
had attachments at that court, were always admitted.
But now the time arrived in which he was to lose the society of that
valuable friend; the campaign was ready to open, and he was obliged to
head his troops and follow the marshals de Villars and Marsin
into Flanders.
All the conversation turning now on war, those martial inclinations,
which love and the season of the year had occasioned to lye dormant for
a while in the bosom of Horatio, now revived in him: he embraced the
baron at taking leave of him with tears of affection and regret: how
cruel is my fate, said he, to make me of a nation at enmity with yours,
and that I can neither fight for you nor against you!
Well, my dear Horatio, replied the other, France may hereafter have
occasion to employ your arm where there are no ties of duty to restrain
you: - in the mean time, continued he with a smile, softer engagements
may employ your thoughts; - mademoiselle Charlotta de Palfoy is a
conquest worth pursuing.
This was the first hint the baron had ever given him of the discovery he
had made of his sentiments, and it so much the more surprized him that
he was told by another what he was not certain of himself: - he knew
indeed the society of that young lady gave him infinite satisfaction,
and that he was restless when absent from her; but these words, and the
air with which they were spoke, shewed him more of his own heart than he
had before examined into; - he blush'd excessively, and made no answer;
on which, you have no cause, resumed the baron, to be asham'd of the
passion you are inspired with, nor troubled at my discovery of it: - I
assure you I have seen it a long time; and tho' you never honoured me
with your confidence in that point, have taken all opportunities of
doing justice to your merit in the conversations I have had with
mademoiselle, who I had the satisfaction to find was not displeased with
what I said upon that head; and I flatter myself with having a good
account of the progress you have made at my return.
I have too much experience of your friendship and goodness to me,
replied Horatio, not to assure myself of your doing me all manner of
kind offices; - I have indeed so great a regard for that lady you
mention, that I know none of her sex who I so much wish should think
well of me, yet is she utterly ignorant of the sentiments I have for
her; and if I am possessed of that passion which they call love, which I
protest I am not certain of myself, I have never made the least
declaration that can give her room to imagine any such thing.
The baron laughed heartily to hear him speak in this manner, and then
told him there was no need of words to make known an inclination of that
kind; - it was to be seen in every look and motion of the person inspired
with it. - Mademoiselle de Palfoy, continued he, young as she is, I dare
answer has penetration enough to see the conquest she has made, but has
not yet learned artifice enough to conceal that she is at the same time
subdued herself; - and if you would take the advice of a person who has
some experience in these affairs, you will endeavour to engage her to a
confession before too much observation on the behaviour of others to
their lovers, shall teach her those imperious airs by which women
frequently torment the heart that adores them, tho' their own perhaps in
doing so feels an equal share.
