ger the
power of commanding your presence."

II.

"To what conclusion have you come after so long a silence?
Do you not know that the same pride which rendered me
sensible to your past affection forbids me to endure the
false appearances of its continuation! You say that my
suspicions and my inequalities render you the most unhappy
person in the world. I assure you that I believe no such
thing, although I cannot deny that you have perfectly loved
me, as you must confess that my esteem has worthily
recompensed you. So far we have done each other justice, and
I am determined not to have in the end less goodness, if
your conduct responds to my intentions. You would find them
less unreasonable if you had more passion, and the
difficulties of seeing me would only augment instead of
diminishing it. I suffer for loving too much, and you for
not loving enough. If I must believe you, let us exchange
humours. I shall find repose in doing my duty, and you in
doing yours, and you must fail in doing yours, in order to
obtain liberty. I do not perceive that I forget the manner
in which I passed the winter with you, and that I speak to
you as frankly as I have heretofore done. I hope that you
will make as good use of it, and that I shall not regret
being overcome in the resolution which I have made to return
to it no more. I shall remain at home for three or four days
in succession, and will be seen only in the evening: you
know the reason."

These letters were not forgeries. They had been really written by
Madame de Fouquerolles to the handsome and elegant Marquis de
Maulevrier, who had been silly enough to drop them in Madame de
Montbazon's _salon_. Maulevrier, trembling at being discovered, and at
having compromised Madame de Fouquerolles, ran to La Rochefoucauld, who
was his friend, confided to him his secret, and begged him to undertake
to hush up the affair. La Rochefoucauld made Madame de Montbazon
understand that it was for her interest to be generous on this occasion,
for the error or fraud would be easily recognised as soon as the writing
should be compared with that of Madame de Longueville. Madame de
Montbazon placed the original letters in the hands of La Rochefoucauld,
who showed them to M. the Prince and to Madame the Princess, to Madame
de Rambouillet, and to Madame Sable, particular f