no longer saw him, and reflected that the charm he carried about
him when present, was an introduction to love, she was very near
imagining she hated him, out of the excessive grief which that
thought gave her.

Madam de Chartres still grew worse and worse, so that they began
to despair of her life; she heard what the physicians told her
concerning the danger she was in with a courage worthy her
virtue, and her piety. After they were gone, she caused
everybody to retire, and sent for Madam de Cleves.

"We must part, my dear daughter," said she, stretching out her
hand to her; "the danger I leave you in, and the occasion you
have for me, adds to the regret I have to leave you: you have a
passion for the Duke de Nemours; I do not desire you to confess
it; I am no longer in a condition to make use of that sincerity
for your good; I have perceived this inclination a great while,
but was not willing to speak to you of it at first, for fear of
making you discover it yourself; you know it at present but too
well; you are upon the brink of a precipice; great efforts must
be used, and you must do great violence to your heart to save
yourself: reflect what you owe to your husband; reflect what you
owe to yourself, and think that you are going to lose that
reputation which you have gained, and which I have so much at
heart; call up, my dear daughter, all your courage and constancy;
retire from Court; oblige your husband to carry you away; do not
be afraid of taking such resolutions, as being too harsh and
difficult; however frightful they may appear at first, they will
become more pleasant in time, than the misfortunes that follow
gallantry: if any other motives than those of duty and virtue