suitable
to the condition she was in, went to a man's house in her
neighbourhood, that was famous for working silk after a particular
manner, and she designed to bespeak some pieces for herself; having
seen several kinds of his work, she spied a chamber door, where she
thought there were more, and desired it might be opened: the master
answered, he had not the key, and that the room was taken by a man, who
came there sometimes in the daytime to draw the plans and prospects of
the fine houses and gardens that were to be seen from his windows; "he
is one of the handsomest men I ever saw," added he, "and does not look
much like one that works for his living; whenever he comes here, I
observe he always looks towards the gardens and houses, but I never see
him work."

Madam de Cleves listened to this story very attentively, and what Madam
de Martigues had told her of Monsieur de Nemours's coming now and then
to Paris, she applied in her fancy to that handsome man, who came to a
place so near her house; and this gave her an idea of Monsieur de
Nemours endeavouring to see her; which raised a disorder in her, of
which she did not know the cause: she went towards the windows to see
where they looked into, and she found they overlooked all her gardens,
and directly faced her apartment: and when she was in her own room, she
could easily see that very window where she was told the man came to
take his prospects. The thought that it was the Duke de Nemours,
entirely changed the situation of her mind; she no longer found herself
in that pensive tranquillity which she had begun to enjoy, her spirits
were ruffled again as with a tempest: at last, not being able to stay
at home, she went abroad to take the air in a garden without the
suburbs, where she hoped to be alone; she walked about a great while,
and found no likelihood of anyone's being there.

Having crossed a little wilderness she perceived at the end of the
walk, in the most remote part of the garden, a kind of a bower, open on
all sides, and went towards it; when she was near, she saw a man lying
on the benches, who seemed sunk into a deep contemplation, and she
discovered it was the Duke de Nemours. Upon this she stopped short: but
her attendants made some noise, which roused the Duke out of his
musing: he took no notice who the persons were that disturbed him, but
got up in order to avoid the company that was coming towards him, and
making a low bow, which hindered him