Paid
her, and they never were together in her apartment without filling her
with mortal fears. She therefore found it absolutely necessary to get
rid of an adorer she hated, in order to hinder one she loved from doing
any thing which might deprive her of him; and tho' she had a real
friendship for mademoiselle de Coigney, yet she chose rather to break
with her, than run the hazard she was continually exposed to by her
brother's indefatigable pursuit.
But all her precaution was of no effect, as well as, the enforced
patience of Horatio: what most she trembled at now fell upon her, and by
a means she had least thought of. Madame de Olonne, full of malice at
being forsaken by her lover, and soon informed by whose charms her
misfortune was occasioned, got a person to represent to the baron de
Palfoy the conquest his daughter had made in such terms, as made him
imagine she encouraged his passion. Neither the character, family, or
fortune of de Coigney being equal to what he thought Charlotta might
deserve, made him very uneasy at this report; and as he looked on her
not having acquainted him with his pretensions as an indication of her
having an affection for him; he resolved to put a stop to the progress
of it at once, which could be done no way so effectually as by removing
her from St. Germains.
To this end the careful Father came himself to that court, and waited on
the princess: he told her highness, that being in an ill state of health
and obliged to keep much at home, Charlotta must exchange the honour she
enjoyed in her service, for the observance of her duty to a parent, who
was now incapable of any other pleasures than her society.
The princess, to whom she was extremely dear, could not think of parting
with her without an extreme concern, but after the reasons he had given
for desiring it, would offer nothing for detaining her, on which she was
immediately called in, and made acquainted with this sudden alteration
in her affairs.
CHAP. VIII.
The parting of Horatio and mademoiselle Charlotta, and what happened
after she left St. Germains.
A peal of thunder bursting over her head, could not have been more
alarming to mademoiselle Charlotta than the news she now heard; but her
father commanded, the princess had consented, and there was no remedy to
be hoped: she took leave of her royal mistress with a shower of
unfeigned tears, after which she retired to her apartment to prepare for
quitting it, while the baron went to pay his compliments to some of the
gentlemen at that court.
To be removed in this sudden manner she could impute to no other motive
than that the love of Horatio had by some accident been betrayed to her
father, (for she never so much as thought of monsieur de Coigney;) and
the thoughts of being separated from him was so dreadful, that till this
fatal moment she knew not how dear he was to her:
