Not be safe for him to let these young people depart together; that he
could not be assured the person, who pretended to be the husband, might
not be so in reality; and if he should come again with proper officers
and proofs to claim his wife, it might be of dangerous consequence to
him to have favoured her escape; and that the only way he had to secure
himself from being brought into trouble, was to lay the whole affair
before the podestat. This advice seemed to him too reasonable not to be
complied with: he went directly to that magistrate, and while the lover
was speaking to him, officers came in to seize both him and Louisa, and
carry them before the podestat.
Monsieur du Plessis was very much surprized and vexed at this
interruption, and the more so, as he feared it would terrify Louisa to a
greater degree than the nature of the thing required; but in this he did
injury to her courage: when she was called up and informed of the
business, she surrendered herself with all the dauntlessness of
innocence to the officers, and suffered them to conduct her, with du
Plessis, to the house of the podestat.
Both of them flattered themselves with the belief, that when he should
come to hear the story, they would be immediately discharged; but he
happened to be one of those who are over wary in the execution of their
office; and he only told them, that what they said might be true, but he
was not to take things on the bare word of the parties themselves; and
that therefore they must be confined till either the person who claimed
the woman for his wife, should bring proofs she was so, or she should be
able to make out he had no right over her.
That is easy for me to do, said Louisa; I am only concerned that this
gentleman, meaning du Plessis, should be detained on an account he has
no manner of interest in. The podestat answered, it was unavoidable,
because as the person, who said he was her husband, had accused her of
an elopement, there was all the reason in the world to suppose that if
it were so, it was in favour of this gentleman, by the rage he was
informed he had testified at finding him in Padua.
Louisa gave only a scornful smile, denoting how much she disdained a
crime of the nature she was suspected of, and followed one of the
officers, who conducted her to the place appointed for her confinement.
Monsieur du Plessis was touched to the soul at the indignity he thought
offered to this sovereign of his affections; but he restrained himself
when he considered that it had the sanction of law, which in all nations
must be submitted to; and he only told the podestat, that the virtue of
that lady would soon be cleared, to the confusion of those who had
presumed to traduce it.
As, after they were under confinement, they had no opportunity of
advising each other what to do, monsieur du Plessis, uneasy at the
injustice done him, wrote immediately to the prince of Conti, in
these terms:
To his Royal Highness the Prince of CONTI.
"It is with the extremest reluctance I give
your royal highness this trouble, or find myself
obliged to accuse the count de Bellfleur of
an action so dishonourable to our nation; but
as I am here under confinement for preventing
him from committing a rape on a young English
lady, who failing to seduce at Venice, he followed
hither; and under the pretence of being
her husband, gained the people of the house on
his side, and had infallibly compassed his intent,
had it not been for my seasonable interposition:
I am too well convinced of the justice I presume
to implore, to doubt if your highness will
oblige him to clear up the affair to the podestat,
on which she will be at liberty to prosecute her
journey, and I to throw myself, with the utmost
gratitude and submission, at your feet, who have
the honour to be
Your royal highness's
Most devoted
DU PLESSIS."
Padua.
Louisa, who was ignorant what her lover had done, and knew no other way,
than by writing to Melanthe, to extricate herself from this trouble,
sent a letter to her, the contents whereof were as follows:
MADAM,
"On what imagined cause whatever you were
pleased to banish me, I am certain you
have too much goodness to suffer any one,
much less a person you have once honoured
with your friendship, to remain in prison for a
crime it is impossible for me to be guilty of: - I
am sorry I must accuse a person so dear to
you; - but it is, madam, no other than the
unworthy count de Bellfleur, who followed me
hither, came into the inn where I was lodged,
into the very chamber, and oh! I tremble
while I relate it, had proceeded yet farther; and
I had been inevitably lost, had not heaven sent
me a deliverer in the unexpected arrival of monsieur
du Plessis, who is also a prisoner as well
as myself, for the timely rescue he gave me.
You will wonder, doubtless, by what law either
I should be confined for endeavouring to defend
my chastity, or he, for generously assisting me;
but the detested artful count had pretended himself
my husband; and under the sanction of
that name it was, that he met no opposition to
his wicked will from the people of the house,
and rendered them regardless of my shrieks and
cries. - The magistrates are yet dubious of the
truth; and till it can be proved what I really am,
both myself and monsieur du Plessis must continue
where we are:
