- Have Pity On Me, Therefore,
I Conjure You, Madam, And Write To The Podestat:
I Have Already Told Him I
Had the honour to
belong to you; - a line from you will confirm
it, and once more set at liberty
A maid, who
will ever remember all your favours with the
greatest gratitude, and your withdrawing them
as the worst misfortune could have befallen.
MADAM,
From the prison
at Padua.
Your most faithful, and
Most humble servant,
LOUISA."
These letters were sent away by special messengers, who had orders to be
as expeditious as possible in the delivery of them.
But while these accidents happened at Padua, Melanthe was not without
her share of inquietudes at Venice: she had not seen her beloved count
in two whole days, and, tho' she sent several times to his lodgings,
could hear nothing but that he was not yet come home. As her vanity
would not suffer her to think herself neglected, without having received
some glaring proofs of it, she feared some misfortune had befallen him,
and exposed herself not a little in the enquiries she made after him,
among all those who she could imagine were able to inform her any thing
concerning him.
At length some person, who happened to see him take boat, told her he
was gone to Padua, which being the rout she knew Louisa had taken, and
she had also informed him, a sudden thought darted into her head that he
was gone in pursuit of her. - It now seemed not impossible, but that all
he had said concerning his dislike of her might be artifice; and that
the love of variety might prevail on him at last to comply with the
advances he pretended she had made him. - The privacy with which he went,
none of his acquaintance knowing any thing of his journey, seemed to
favour this opinion; and never was a heart more racked with jealousy and
suspence, than that of this unhappy, and too easily deceived lady.
She had sometimes an inclination to go to Padua in person, and endeavour
to find out what business had carried him thither; and her impatience
had doubtless got the better of her prudence in this particular, if,
sending once more to his lodgings, she had not heard he was
returned. - On this she expected to see him in the evening, and flattered
herself with his being able to make some reasonable excuse for his
absence; but finding he came not, she was all distraction, and sent a
billet to him next morning, requiring him to come to her immediately on
the receipt of it; but as he was at that time in too ill a humour to
think of entertaining her, sent her an answer by word of mouth, that he
was indisposed, and would wait on her on his recovery. - This message
seemed so cold, and so unlike the passion he had hitherto professed for
her, that it threw her into almost convulsive agonies. - A masquerade
was to be that night at the house of a person of quality: she sent again
to know if he intended to be there, and, if he did, what habit he would
wear, it being customary with them, ever since their amour, to acquaint
each other with their dresses, that they might not mistake, by
addressing to wrong persons. His reply was, that he would go if health
permitted, but as to what he should wear he had not as yet thought
of it.
What, if he hat not thought of it! cried she haughtily, when she heard
these words; - the knowledge that I shall be there, ought now to make him
think of it. - Pride, love, and the astonishment at this sudden change in
his behaviour, rendered her wholly forgetful of what she owed her sex
and rank; and she was just going to his lodgings, in order to upbraid
him with his indifference, and prove what it was she now had to depend
on from him, when the messenger from Louisa arrived and delivered her
the letter, which contained a sad eclaircisement of all she wanted to be
informed of.
At first reading it, she seemed like one transfixed with a sudden clap
of thunder: - she had indeed been jealous, suspicious, fearful of her
fate; but so glaring, so impudent a treachery had never entered her
head, that any man could be guilty of, much less one whom her too fond
passion had figured to her imagination, as possessed of all the virtues
of his sex. It seemed too monstrous to be true; and she had accused the
innocent Louisa as the inventor of this falshood, merely in revenge for
her late treatment, had there been the least shadow of a pretence for
doing so: - gladly would she have encouraged such a hope, but common
sense forbid it; - all circumstances seemed to concur, in proving that he
was indeed that villain which the letter represented him; and that
surprize, which had in a manner stupified her on the discovery, was
succeeded by a storm of mingled grief and rage, which no words can
sufficiently describe: - she exclaimed against fate, cursed all mankind,
and accused every thing as accessory to her misfortune, but that to
which alone she owed it, her own imprudence.
The disorders of her mind had such an effect on her body, that she fell
into fits, and a physician was sent for, who, tho' esteemed the most
skilful in that country, found it required all his art to prevent a
fever: she continued, however, for five days in a condition, such as
permitted her not to do any thing either for the satisfaction of her own
impatient curiosity, or to comply with the just request Louisa had made;
and had not monsieur du Plessis's letter to the prince been mere
successful, they must both have continued where they were, perhaps for a
considerable time.
That, however, had all the effect could be expected from a prince of so
much honour:
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