As The Remonstrances Of Mademoiselle Charlotta Had All The Effect She
Intended Them For On Horatio, He So Well Commanding
Himself that no
person in the world, except the baron de la Valiere, who was absent, had
the least intimation
Of his passion, they might probably have lived a
long time together in the contentment they now enjoyed, had not an
accident, of which neither of them could have any notion, put a stop
to it.
Horatio thought no more on the affair of madame de Olonne and monsieur
de Coigney, from the time he had been cleared of having any concern with
that lady, yet was that night's adventure productive of what he looked
upon as the greatest misfortune could befal him. But to make this matter
conspicuous to the reader, it is necessary to give a brief detail of the
circumstances that led to it.
This lady, who was wife to the baron de Olonne, was one of the most
beautiful, and most vicious women in the kingdom; she entertained a
great number of lovers; but there was none more attached to her, or more
loved by her than young monsieur de Coigney: he had for a long time
maintained a criminal correspondence with her, to the great trouble of
all his friends, who endeavoured all they could, but in vain, to wean
him from her: he had lately a recounter with one of her former lovers,
which had like to have cost him his life; and it was with great
difficulty, and as much as the relations on both sides could do, by
representing to the king that they were set upon by street-robbers, that
they avoided the punishment the law inflicts on duelists. De Coigney was
but just recovered of the hurts he had received, when, so far from
resolving to quit the occasion of them, he made an appointment to meet
her at the masquerade: - they had described to each other the habit they
intended to wear, when, as he was preparing for the rendezvous, an
express came from the king, commanding his immediate attendance at
Marli, where the court then was: this was occasioned by old monsieur de
Coigney, who having, by some spies he kept about his son, received
intelligence of this assignation, had no other way to disappoint it than
by the royal authority, which he easily procured, as he was very much in
favour with his majesty; and had laid the matter before him.
The person who came with the mandate had orders not to quit the presence
of young Coigney, but bring him directly; by which means he was deprived
of all opportunity of sending his excuses to madame de Olonne, who
coming to the masquerade big with expectation of seeing her favourite
lover, and finding him, as she imagined, engaged with others, and wholly
regardless of herself, was seized with the most violent jealousy; and
not able to continue in a place where she had received so manifest a
slight, desired mademoiselle de Freville, her confidant and companion,
to upbraid him with his inconstancy; which request she complied with in
the manner already related, and which gave mademoiselle Charlotta such
matter of disquiet.
The amorous madame de Olonne, however, having given vent to the first
transports of her fury, could not hinder those of a softer nature from
returning with the same violence as ever; and for the gratification of
them wrote that letter which Horatio received, and occasioned afterward
the explanation of the whole affair, which explanation he then thought
fortunate for him; but by a whimsical effect of chance it proved utterly
the reverse.
Mademoiselle de Coigney, who had the most tender affection for her
brother, and passionately wished to make him break off all engagements
with a woman of madame de Olonne's character, and who might possibly
bring him under many inconveniencies, took the hint which mademoiselle
Charlotta unthinkingly gave, by telling her how she had been affronted
on his account by de Freville, of putting something into his head which
might probably succeed better than all the attempts had hitherto been
practised to make him quit his present criminal amour.
The first time she saw mademoiselle de Freville, she told her as a great
secret that her brother was fallen in love with mademoiselle Charlotta,
and that she believed it would be a match, for he had already engaged
friends to sollicit monsieur de Palfoy on that score. This she knew would
be carried directly to madame de Olonne, and doubted not but it would so
increase her jealous rage, that all he could say in his defence would
pass for nothing: she also added, that he was in the masquerade that
night, tho' for some private reasons best known to himself, said she, he
had ordered his people to give out he was gone to Marli.
De Freville, who was the creature of madame de Olonne, no sooner
received this intelligence than she flew with it to her, as mademoiselle
de Coigney had imagined: neither did it fail of the desired effect. When
he came to visit her, as he did on the moment of his return from Marli,
the violence of her temper made her break out into such reproaches and
exclamations, as a man had need be very much in love to endure: he
endeavoured to make her sensible of her error by a thousand
protestations; but the more he talk'd of Marli and the king's command,
the more she told him of Charlotta and the masquerade; and almost
distracted to find he still persisted in denying he was there, or had
ever made any tender professions to that lady, she proceeded to such
extravagancies as he, who knew himself innocent, could not forbear
replying to in terms which were far from being softening: - in fine, they
quarrelled to a very high degree, and some company happening to come in
at the same time, hindered either of them from saying any thing which
might palliate the resentment of the other.
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