is mistress's being at his own ball; there was then so great a
number of ladies, whom he honoured with the distinction of that name,
that if they had not come, the assembly would have been very thin."

The Prince of Conde had no sooner begun to relate the Duke de Nemours's
sentiments concerning assemblies, but Madam de Cleves felt in herself a
strong aversion to go to that of the Mareschal de St. Andre. She
easily came into the opinion, that a woman ought not to be at an
entertainment given by one that professed love to her, and she was very
glad to find out a reason of reservedness for doing a thing which would
oblige the Duke of Nemours. However, she carried away with her the
ornaments which the Queen-Dauphin had given her; but when she showed
them her mother, she told her that she did not design to make use of
them; that the Mareschal de St. Andre took a great deal of pains to
show his attachment to her, and she did not doubt he would be glad to
have it believed that a compliment was designed her in the
entertainment he gave the King, and that under the pretence of doing
the honours of his house, he would show her civilities which would be
uneasy to her.

Madam de Chartres for some time opposed her daughter's opinion, as
thinking it very singular; but when she saw she was obstinate in it,
she gave way, and told her, that in that case she ought to pretend an
indisposition as an excuse for not going to the ball, because the real
reasons which hindered her would not be approved of; and care ought to
be taken that they should not be suspected.

Madam de Cleves voluntarily consented to pass some days at her
mother's, in order not to go to any place where the Duke of Nemours was
not to be. However the Duke set out, without the pleasure of knowing
she would not be at the ball.

The day after the ball he returned, and was informed that she was not
there; but as he did not know the conversation he had at the Dauphin's
Court had been repeated to her, he was far from thinking himself happy
enough to have been the reason of her not going.

The day after, while he was at the Queen's apartments, and talking to
the Queen-Dauphin, Madam de Chartres and Madam de Cleves came in.
Madam de Cleves was dressed a little negligently, as a person who had
been indisposed, but her countenance did not at all correspond with her
dress. "You look so pretty," says the Queen-Dauphin to her, "that I
can't believe you have been ill; I think