- I Must Confess I Had Not Resolution
Enough To Suffer So Cruel An Injustice, And Being
Too Much Overcome By My Passion To Resent It As
I Ought, I Left The Place, And Desired Our Friend To
Do It For Me.
- I find she somewhat exceeded
her commission, but you must forgive her, since
it was her love for me:
- I am now at her
house, where I impatiently expect you - The
baron is secure for some hours; - those we may
pass together, if you still think there is any thing
worth quitting the masquerade for, to be found
in the arms of
Yours, &c,
P.S. If you now fail, no excuse hereafter shall
ever plead your pardon.'
This letter confirmed Horatio in the belief he had before, that he had
been mistaken by the lady for some favorite person; but who the lady
was, he was as much in the dark as ever; nor would he have given himself
any trouble concerning it, if he had not hoped by that means to have
retrieved the good opinion of Charlotta. He was however impatient to
shew her the letter, as he doubted not but she had seen it delivered to
him; but with all his assiduity he could not obtain one word in private
during the masquerade; and when it was broke up, which was not till near
morning, and they returned to St. Germains, it was impossible, because
he knew she must be in the princess's chamber, as he in that of the
Chevalier St. George: he was therefore obliged to content himself with
the hope that the next day would be more favourable.
CHAP. VII.
An explanation of the foregoing adventure, with a continuation of the
intrigues of some French ladies, and the policy of mademoiselle Coigney
in regard of her brother.
It cannot be supposed that either of our young lovers enjoyed much true
repose that night, tho' the fatigue of the dance might naturally require
it: the one did but just know herself a lover before she felt the worst
torments of that passion in her jealousy; and the other having been
compelled, as it were, to lay open his heart in order to convince his
charmer it had no object but herself in view, knew not but his temerity
in doing so might be imputed to him as no less a crime than that from
which he attempted to be cleared: each had their different anxieties;
but those of Horatio were the least severe, because thro' all the
indignation of his mistress he saw marks of an affection, which he could
not have flattered himself with if they had not been evident; and
conscious of his innocence, doubted not but time would both explain that
and reconcile the offended fair: - whereas Charlotta was far from being
able to assure herself of her lover's fidelity: she could not conceive
how, in the compass of one night, such a plurality of mistakes should
happen to the same man, and trembled at the reflection that this man,
who possibly was the falsest of his sex, should not only have made an
impression on her heart, but also, by the concern she had so unwarily
expressed, have reason to triumph in his conquest:
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