_Describes the masquerade at the dutchess of Main's; the characters and
intrigues of several persons of quality who were there; the odd
behaviour of a lady in regard to Horatio, and Charlotta's
sentiments upon it_.
The dutchess of Main was one of the gayest and most gallant ladies at
the court of Lewis XIV. she was for ever entertaining the nobility with
balls, masquerades, or concerts; and as she was of the blood royal, and
highly respected not only on that score, but by the distinguish'd favour
of the king, the Chevalier St. George, and the princess his sister,
frequently honoured her assemblies with their presence.
To divert those ladies whose husbands were gone to Flanders, as she
said, she now proposed a masquerade; and the day being fixed, it was the
sole business of the young and gay to prepare habits such as were most
suitable to their inclinations, or, as they thought, would be most
advantageous to their persons.
The Chevalier St. George was dressed in a rich Grecian habit of
sky-coloured velvet embroidered with large silver stars: the top of his
cap was encompassed with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, saphirs, amythists,
and other precious stones of various colours, set in rows in the exact
form of a rainbow: a light robe of crimson taffaty, fringed with silver,
was fastened by a knot of jewels on his left shoulder, and crossed his
back to the right side, where it was tucked into a belt of the finest
oriental pearls, and thence hung down and trail'd a little on the
ground: in fine, there was nothing that exceeded the magnificence and
eloquence of his appearance, or was in any measure equal to it in the
whole assembly, except that of the princess Louisa his sister.
She would needs go as a Diana, and obliged all her ladies to be habited
like nymphs: no idea of this goddess, inspired either by the painter or
the poet's art, can in any degree come up to that which the fight of
this amiable princess gave every beholder. Conformable to the character
she assumed, she had a large crescent of diamonds on her head, which had
no other covering than a great quantity of the finest hair in the world,
partly braided with pearls and emeralds, and partly flowing in ringlets
down on her alabaster neck: her garments were silver tissue, white and
shining as the moon on a clear frosty night; and being buttoned up a
little at the bottom as for the conveniency of the chace, shewed great
part of her fine proportioned ankle. In her hand she held an ivory bow,
and an arrow of the same headed with gold; and on her shoulder was fixed
a quiver curiously wrought and beset with jewels: her attendants, which
were six in number, had their habits green, but made in the same fashion
of the princess's, with bows and arrows in their hands, and quivers at
their backs: all of them had their hair turned up under a caul of silver
net, from which hung little tossels of pearl intermixed with diamonds.
Next to this fair troop the duchess of Main herself attracted the
attention of the assembly: she was habited like an Indian queen, with
robes composed of feathers so artfully placed, that they represented a
thousand different kind of birds and beasts, which, as she moved, seemed
to have motion in themselves: on her head she had a lofty plume
supported by a cap, and richly ornamented with precious stones; as were
all her garments wherever the propriety of the fashion of them would
give leave.
The young mademoiselle de Bourbon, in the habit of a sea-nymph, and
mademoiselle de Blois, in that of a Minerva, ornamented and decorated
according to their several characters, had also their share of
admiration.
Nor did the marchionesses of Vallois and Lucerne, both in the garb of
shepherdesses, serve as mere foils to those I have mentioned: there was
something; even in this plainness that shewed the elegance of the
wearer's taste.
The prince of Conde, the dukes of Berry, Vendosine and Chartres, the
young marquis de Montbausine, the counts de Chenille, de Ranbeau, and
the baron de Roche, had all of them habits extremely rich and well
fancied, as were many others of whom it would be too tedious to make
particular mention, and be likewise digressive to the matter I take upon
me to relate; I shall therefore only say, that there was not one person
of either sex, who did not endeavour to set themselves forth to all
possible advantage.
Those gentlemen who attended the Chevalier St. George were at their
liberty to appear in what habit they pleased: Horatio knowing his
charming Charlotta was a nymph of the forest, chose to be a hunter, and
was accordingly dressed in green, with a little cap on his head and a
javelin in his hand, as Acteon is generally portrayed; and indeed had he
studied what garb would have become him best, he could not have fixed on
one more proper for that purpose.
Fine madamoiselle de Sanserre at least thought him more worthy her
regard than any of those, the richness of whose habits made her know
were of a higher rank:--she took particular notice of him, made him
dance with her, and said a thousand gallant things to him; but he could
very well have dispensed with hearing them, and found little
satisfaction in any thing that deprived him of entertaining his dear
Charlotta, who he easily knew by her air and shape from all those who
were habited in the same manner. As he doubted not, however, but the
person who had thus singled him out was a lady of condition, he returned
her civilities with a politeness which was natural to him, but which had
received great improvements since his arrival in France. She was no less
charm'd with his conversation than she had been with his person, and
impatient to know who he was, made an offer of shewing him her face on
condition he would pluck off his mask at the same time: but this he
would by no means agree to, because still hoping to get rid of her, and
have some discourse with mademoiselle Charlotta, he did not think proper
he should be known by any other, who might perhaps make remarks on his
behaviour; and therefore excused himself from complying with her desires
in terms as obliging as the circumstance would admit.
As she had displayed all her talents of wit and eloquence to engage him,
she looked on the little curiosity she had been able to inspire in him
as an affront, and vexed she had thrown away so much time on an
insensible, as she called him, flung hastily away, and joining with some
other company, left him at liberty to pursue his inclinations.
This lady had been a royal mistress, but not having the good fortune to
be made a mother, was not honoured with any title; her being forsaken by
the king, who indeed had few amours of any long continuance, did not in
the least abate the good opinion she had of her beauty; and to fee
herself followed by a train of lovers being the supreme pleasure of her
life, she spared nothing to attract and engage: whenever she failed in
this expectation it was a severe mortification; but her vanity and the
gaity of her humour would not suffer it to prey upon her spirits for
above a minute, and she diverted the shock of a rebuff in one place by
new attempts to conquer in another; therefore it is probable thought no
more of Horatio after she had turned from him.
He now carefully avoided all that might interrupt his wishes, and seeing
Charlotta had just broke off some conversation she had been entertained
with, made what haste he could to prevent her from being
re-engaged:--She immediately knew him; and as their mutual innocence
made them perfectly free in expressing themselves to each other, she
told him she was glad he was come; that they would keep together the
whole masquerade, provided he did not think it a confinement, to prevent
her being persecuted with the impertinencies of some people there, who
she found thought a masque a kind of sanction for saying any thing.
It is not to be doubted but Horatio gave her all the assurances that
words could form, of feeling the most perfect pleasure in her society,
and that he should not; without the extremest reluctance, find himself
obliged to abandon the happiness she offered him to any other person in
the company: to recompence this complaisance, as she called it, she gave
him a brief detail of the characters of as many as she knew thro' their
habits; and in doing this discovered a sweet impartiality and love of
truth, which was no small addition to her other charms. She blamed the
baroness de Guiche for not being able to return the affection of a
husband who had married her with an inconsiderable fortune, and had
since she had been his wife pardoned a thousand miscarriages in her
conduct:--she praised the virtue of mademoiselle de Mareau, who being at
fifteen the bride of a man of seventy, behaved to him with a tenderness,
and exact conformity to his will, which, if owing alone to duty, was not
to be distinguished from inclination:--she expressed a concern that the
gaity of the dutchess of Vendome gave the world any room for censure,
and highly condemned the duke for being guilty of actions which had made
her sometimes give into parties of pleasure by way of retaliation:--but
she was more severe on the indecorum of mademoiselle de Renville, who
being known for the mistress of the duke of Chartres, and that she was
supported by him, was fond of appearing in all public places. She could
not help testifying a good deal of surprize, that any woman who
pretended to virtue would admit her into their assemblies: not but she
said the case of that lady was greatly to be pitied, who being high-born
and bred had been reduced to the lowest exigencies of life, and from
which to be relieved she had only consented to assist the looser
pleasures of the amorous duke; but, added she, I would not methinks have
her seem to glory in her shame, and in a manner of life which her
misfortunes alone can render excusable; nor can I approve of the
indulgence her mistaken triumph meets with, because it may not only
destroy all notions of regret in herself for what her necessities oblige
her to, but also make others, who have not the same pretence, find a
kind of sanction for their own errors:--vice, said she, ought at lead to
blush, and hide itself as much as possible from view, left by being
tolerated in public it should become a fashion.
Horatio was so much taken up with admiring the justness of her
sentiments, that awed by them, as it were, he could not yet, tho'
mask'd, make any discovery of his own: she was about entering into a
discourse with him concerning the first motives which had rendered some
persons she pointed out to him unhappy in the marriage-state, which
perhaps might have given him an opportunity for explaining himself, when
a lady richly dress'd came up to them, and giving Horatio a sudden pluck
by the arm; villain! cried she. Madam, returned he, strongly amazed. Is
the trifling conversation of Sanserre, resumed she, or this little
creature to be preferred to a woman of that quality you have dared to
abuse?--but this night has convinced her of your perfidy:--she sends you
this, continued she, giving him a slap over the face as hard as she
could, and be assured it is the last present you will ever receive
from her.
She had no sooner uttered these words than she flew quick as lightning
out of the room, leaving Horatio in such a consternation both at what
she said and did, as deprived him even of the thought of following her,
or using any means to solve this riddle.--He was in a deep musing when
mademoiselle Charlotta, possessed that moment with a passion she till
then was ignorant of, said to him; I find, Horatio, you have wonderfully
improved the little time you have been in France, to gain you a
multiplicity of mistresses; but I am sorry my inadvertency in talking to
a man so doubly pre-engaged, should cause me to be reckoned among the
number. In speaking this she turned away with a confusion which was
visible in her air, and the scarlet colour with which her neck was dyed.
By heaven! cried he, in the utmost agitation, I know so little the
meaning of what I have just now heard, that it seems rather a dream than
a reality. O the deceiver! returned she, a little slackening her pace,
will you pretend to have given no occasion for the reproach you have
received:--great must have been your professions to draw on you a
resentment such as I have been witness of;--but I shall take care to
give the lady, whoever she is, no farther room for jealousy on my
account; and as for mademoiselle Sanserre, I believe the stock of
reputation she has will not suffer much from the addition of one more
favourite to the number the world has already given her.
The oddness of this adventure, and the vexation he was in to find
Charlotta seemed incensed against him for a crime of which he knew
himself so perfectly innocent, destroyed at once all the considerations
his timidity had inspired, and aiming only to be cleared in her
opinion;--if there be faith in man, cried he, I know nothing of what I
am accused: no woman but your charming self ever had the power to give
me an uneasy moment;--it is you alone have taught me what it is to love,
and as I never felt, I never pretended to that passion for any other.
Me! replied Charlotta, extremely confused; If it were so, you take a
strange time and method to declare it in;--but I know of no concern I
have in your amours, your gratitude, or your perfidy; and you had better
follow and endeavour to appease your enraged mistress, than lose your
time on me in vain excuses.
Ah mademoiselle! cried he, how unjust and cruel are you, and how severe
my fate, which not content with the despair my real unworthiness of
adoring you has plunged me in, but also adds to it an imputation of
crimes my soul most detests:--I never heard even the name of the lady
you mentioned till your lips pronounced it; and if it be she I danced
with, I protest I never saw her face: and as for the meaning of the
other lady's treatment of me, it must certainly be occasioned by some
mistake, having offered nothing to any of the sex that could justify
such a proceeding.
All the time he was speaking Charlotta was endeavouring to compose
herself.--The hurry of spirits she had been in at the apprehensions of
Horatio's having any amorous engagements, shewing her how much interest
she took in him, made her blush at having discovered herself to him so
far; and tho' she could not be any more tranquil, yet she thought she
would for the future be more prudent; to this end she now affected to
laugh at the dilemma into which she told him he had brought himself, by
making addresses in two places at the same time, and advised him in a
gay manner to be more circumspect.
Thus was this beautiful lady, by her jealousy, convinced of her
sensibility; and as difficult as Horatio found it to remove the one, he
found his consolation in the discovery of the other.
From the time he had been disengaged from mademoiselle Sanferre, he had
retired with Charlotta to one corner of the room; and the greatest part
of the company being in a grand dance, the others were taken up in
looking on them, so that our young lovers had the opportunity of talking
to each other without being taken much notice of; but several of the
masquers now drawing nearer that way, prevented Horatio from saying any
thing farther at that time, either to clear his innocence or prosecute
his passion; and Charlotta, glad to avoid all discourse on a subject she
thought herself but ill prepared to answer, joined some ladies, with
whom she stayed till the ball was near concluded.
Horatio after this withdrew to a window, and flickered behind a large
damask curtain, threw himself on a sopha he found there, and ruminated
at full on the adventure had happened to him, in which he found a
mixture of joy and discontent: the behaviour of Charlotta assured him he
was not indifferent to her; but then the thoughts that he appeared in
her eyes as ungrateful, inconstant and perfidious, made him tremble,
left the idea of what he seemed to be should utterly erase that
favourable one she had entertained of what he truly was. By what means
he should prove his sincerity he knew not; and as he was utterly
unpracticed in the affairs of love, lamented the absence of his good
friend the baron de la Valiere, who he thought might have been, able to
give him same advice, how to proceed.
He remained buried, as it were, in these cogitations, when a lady
plucked back the curtain which screen'd him, and without seeing any one
was there, threw herself on the sopha almost in his lap.--Oh heaven!
cried she, perceiving what she had done, and immediately rose; but
Horatio starting up, would not suffer her to quit the place, telling
her, that since she chose it, it was his business to retire, and leave
her to indulge whatever meditations had brought her thither. She thank'd
him in a voice which, by its trembling, testified her mind was in some
very great disorder; and added, if your good nature, said she, be equal
to your complaisance, you will do me the favour to desire a lady,
dressed in pink and silver, with a white sattin scarf cross her
shoulder, to come here directly:--you cannot, continued she, be mistaken
in the person, because there is no other in the same habit. Tho' Horatio
was very loth to engage himself in the lady's affairs, fearing to give a
second umbrage to mademoiselle Charlotta, yet he knew not how to excuse
granting so small a request, and therefore assured her of his
compliance.
Accordingly he sent his eyes in quest, which soon pointed out to him the
person whom she had described: having delivered his message to her;
Horatio! cried she, somewhat astonished, how came you employed in this
errand? he knew her voice, and that it was mademoiselle de Coigney, the
mistress of his friend the baron, on which he immediately told her how
the lady had surprized him: she laughed heartily, and said no more but
left him, and went to the window he had directed.
For a long time he sought in vain for an opportunity of speaking to the
object of his affections: she was still engaged either in dancing or in
different parties; and as his eyes continually followed her, he easily
perceived she purposely avoided him. A magnificent collation being
prepared in a great drawing-room next to that in which the company were,
they all went in to partake of it. The entertainment was served up on
two large tables; but as every one was mask'd, and the vizards so
contriv'd, that those who wore them could eat without plucking them off,
they sat down promiscuously without ceremony or any distinction of
degrees, none being obliged to know another in these disguises; only the
attendants of the Chevalier St. George, and the princess Louisa, took
care not to place themselves at the same they were, so by this means sat
together; but a great number of others being mingled with them, no
particular conversation could be expected.
Supper being over, they all returned to the ballroom; and Horatio having
contrived it so as to get next Charlotta, she could not refuse the offer
he made her of his hand to lead her in; but as he was about saying
something to her in a low voice, a man came hastily to him, and taking
him a little on one side, presented him with a letter, and then retired
with so much precipitation, that Horatio could neither ask from whom it
came, nor well discern what sort of person it was that gave it him. He
put it however in his pocket, designing to read it at more leisure, his
curiosity for the contents not equalling his desire of entertaining
mademoiselle Charlotta; but that young lady, whose jealousy received new
fewel from this object, had slipt away before he could turn from the
man, and had already mixed with a cluster of both sexes who had got into
the room before them.
Horatio finding all attempts to speak to her that night would be
ineffectual, went back into the drawing-room where they supped, and
where but few people remaining he might examine the letter with more
freedom. He saw it had no superscription; but supposing the inside would
give him some satisfaction, he broke it open hastily and found in it
these lines.
'Whether false or faithful still are you dear to
me; and if I am in the least so to you,
the treatment you received will be pardoned for
the sake of the occasion:--I own that at a
place where you might have been as particular as
you pleased with me without suspicion, it enraged
me to see you waste those precious moments
with others which I flattered myself to have solely
engrossed;--besides, the character of mademoiselle
Sanserre is so well known, that I thought
you would have avoided her of all others; yet
had she forced herself upon you, sure you might
afterwards have come to me, when I had given
you so particular a description of the habit I
should wear; but instead of making any excuse
for a first transgression, you hurry to a second,
and pay all your devoirs to another, whom indeed
I knew not at that time, but am since informed
she is one of the maids of honour to princess
Louisa.--I must confess I had not resolution
enough to suffer so cruel an injustice, and being
too much overcome by my passion to resent it as
I ought, I left the place, and desired our friend to
do it for me.--I find she somewhat exceeded
her commission, but you must forgive her, since
it was her love for me:--I am now at her
house, where I impatiently expect you--The
baron is secure for some hours;--those we may
pass together, if you still think there is any thing
worth quitting the masquerade for, to be found
in the arms of
_Yours_, &c,
_P.S._ If you now fail, no excuse hereafter shall
ever plead your pardon.'
This letter confirmed Horatio in the belief he had before, that he had
been mistaken by the lady for some favorite person; but who the lady
was, he was as much in the dark as ever; nor would he have given himself
any trouble concerning it, if he had not hoped by that means to have
retrieved the good opinion of Charlotta. He was however impatient to
shew her the letter, as he doubted not but she had seen it delivered to
him; but with all his assiduity he could not obtain one word in private
during the masquerade; and when it was broke up, which was not till near
morning, and they returned to St. Germains, it was impossible, because
he knew she must be in the princess's chamber, as he in that of the
Chevalier St. George: he was therefore obliged to content himself with
the hope that the next day would be more favourable.