the Fear of their Parents; he foresaw
from what his Father had said to him already, that it would be difficult
to draw him to a Consent of his Marriage with _Atlante_. These Joys and
Fears were his Companions all the Night, in which he took but little
Rest. Nor was _Atlante_ without her Inquietudes: She found _Rinaldo_
more in her Thoughts than she wish'd, and a sudden Change of Humour,
that made her know something was the matter with her more than usual;
she calls to mind _Rinaldo's_ speaking of the Conversation with his
Heart, and found hers would be tattling to her, if she would give way to
it; and yet the more she strove to avoid it, the more it importun'd her,
and in spight of all her Resistance, would tell her, that _Rinaldo_ had
a thousand Charms: It tells her, that he loves and adores her, and that
she would be the most cruel of her Sex, should she not be sensible of
his Passion. She finds a thousand Graces in his Person and Conversation,
and as many Advantages in his Fortune, which was one of the most
considerable in all those Parts; for his Estate exceeded that of the
most Noble Men in _Orleans_, and she imagines she should be the most
fortunate of all Womankind in such a Match. With these Thoughts she
employ'd all the Hours of the Night; so that she lay so long in Bed the
next Day, that Count _Vernole_, who had invited himself to Dinner, came
before she had quitted her Chamber, and she was forc'd to say, she had
not been well. He had brought her a very fine Book, newly come out, of
delicate Philosophy, fit for the Study of Ladies. But he appear'd so
disagreeable to that Heart, wholly taken up with a new and fine Object,
that she could now hardly pay him that Civility she was wont to do;
while on the other side that little State and Pride _Atlante_ assum'd,
made her appear the more charming to him: so that if _Atlante_ had no
mind to begin a new Lesson of Philosophy, while she fancied her Thoughts
were much better employ'd, the Count every moment expressing his
Tenderness and Passion, had as little an Inclination to instruct her, as
she had to be instructed: Love had taught her a new Lesson, and he would
fain teach her a new Lesson of Love, but fears it will be a diminishing
his Gravity and Grandeur, to open the Secrets of his Heart to so young a
Maid; he therefore thinks it more agreeable to his Quality and Years,
being about Forty, to use her Father's Authority in this Affair, and
that it was sufficient for hi