第52章

However，mypoorHenriettewasnotfated

toenjoyalongconnubialfelicity，forherhusband，beingseized

withaviolentfever，inafitofdeliriumthrewhimselffroma

windowintothecourtbelow，andwastakenupdead。

Slander

availedherselfevenofthisfatalcatastrophetowhisperabroad，

thatthedeathoftheunhappymanarosefromhisdeepsenseof

hiswife’smisconductandinfidelity。

ThisIcanpositivelyassert

wasnotthecase，forHenriettewaswarmlyandtrulyattachedto

him，andconductedherselfasawifewiththemostundeviating

propriety。

Thefactwas，thatHenriettehaddrawnuponherselfa

generalhatredandillwill，becauseshesteadilyrefusedall

gossipinginvitations，wheremycharacterwouldhavebeenpulled

topieces，andtheaffairsofmyhouseholddiscussedandcommented

upon:there，indeed，shehadsinnedbeyondallhopeofpardon。

Sheitwaswhopointedouttometheperfidiousconductofthe

ducdeVilleroi。

Thisgentleman，fromtheverybeginningofmy

riseintheroyalfavour，haddemonstratedthemostlivelyfriendship

forme，ofwhichhesoughttopersuademebythestrongest

protestations，which，weakandcredulousasIwas，Iimplicitly

believed，untilonedaythatHenriette，availingherselfofmy

beingquitealone，letmeintothesecretsofmyestablishment

andfurnishedmewithakeytotheassiduitiesofM。deVilleroi。

AmongstthefemalesinmyservicewasonenamedSophie，young，

beautifulbothinfaceandform，ofasweetdisposition，andevery

waycalculatedtoinspirethetenderpassion。

M。deVilleroifelt

thefullforceofhercharms，andbecamethewhining，sighing

lover——herveryshadow。

UptothisperiodIhadhadnocauseof

complaintagainstM。deVilleroi；andcertainlyIshouldnothave

interferedwithhisplebeianflamehadhenotthoughtproper，

whenquestionedbymyenemiesastohiscontinualpresenceat

thecastle，andgreatassiduitiesthere，toprotestthathisvisits

thitherwerenotinhonourofmycharms，butforthoseofmy

waiting-maid。

However，myvanityhadrenderedmehisconstantdupe。

IfeltperfectlyastonishedasIlistenedtoHenriette’srecital；

andwhenshehadceased，Iconjuredhertotellmecandidly，

whethershehadnotinventedthewholetaleeitheroutofspite

toSophieorwithadesigntomakemebreakofffurtherfriendship

withtheduke。

Thisshemostsolemnlydenied，andrecommendedme

tomakeinquiriesamongstmyfriends，whowouldbecompelledto

beartestimonytothetruthofallshehadasserted。

Idetermined

todoso；andthefirstpersonwhomIwasenabledtointerrogate

respectingtheaffairwasthebishopdeSenlis。

Thisprelate

camefrequentlytoseeme，andIfoundhissocietyeachdaymore

pleasing。

Heservedmeasakindofgazetteofallthatpassed

withtheprincesses，inwhoseopinionIhadstillthemisfortune

nottobeintheveryhighestestimation。

Whenoccasionrequired

it，M。deRoquelaurewouldventuretotake