Passion, it
would entirely cure him of all regard for madame de Olonne, and as she
knew he had a good share of understanding, thought that when he should
come to a more near acquaintance with the perfections of Charlotta, the
loose airs of the other would appear in their true colours, and become
as odious to him as once they had been infatuating.
Finding him so well inclined to her purpose, she took upon herself the
care of introducing him, as it was indeed easy to do, considering the
intimacy there was between her and Charlotta. That young lady received
him as the brother of a person she extremely loved; and little
suspecting the design on which he came, treated him with a gaity which
heightened her charms, and at the same time flattered his hopes, that
there was something in his person not disagreeable to her.
Mademoiselle de Coigney took care that every visit he made to Charlotta
should be reported to de Olonne, which still heightening her resentment,
together with his little assiduity to moderate it, made a total breach
between them, to the great satisfaction of all his friends in general.
Those of them whom mademoiselle had acquainted with the stratagem by
which she brought it about, praised her wit and address; and as they
knew the family and fortune of mademoiselle Charlotta, encouraged her to
do every thing in her power for turning that into reality which she at
first had made use of only as a feint for the reclaiming of her brother.
The young gentleman himself stood in need of no remonstrances of the
advantages he might propose by a marriage with Charlotta; her beauty and
the charms of her conversation had made a conquest of his heart far more
complete than any prospect of interest could have done: not only de
Olonne, but the whole sex would now in vain have endeavoured to attract
the least regard from him, and as he was naturally vain, he thought
nothing but Charlotta de Palfoy worthy of him.
The success he had been accustomed to meet in his love affairs,
emboldened him to declare himself much sooner than he would have done
had he followed the advice of his sister, and too soon to be received in
a manner agreeable to his wishes by a lady of Charlotta's modesty and
delicacy, even had she not been prepossessed in favour of another; for
tho' she respected him as the brother of her friend, that consideration
was too weak to hinder her from letting him know how displeasing his
pretensions were to her, and that if he persisted in them she should be
obliged to refuse seeing him any more.
