IspenttwelvedaysatNancy，instructingtheyoungmadcapinthepartshehadtoplay，andendeavouringtopersuadehermotherthatshemustcontentherselfwithbeingtheCountessLascaris’shumbleservant。Itwasataskofimmensedifficulty；itwasnotenoughtoshewherthatoursuccessdependedonhersubmitting；IhadtothreatentosendherbacktoBolognabyherself。Ihadgoodreasontorepentofmyperseverance。Thatwoman’sobstinacywasaninspirationofmygoodangel’s，biddingmeavoidthegreatestmistakeIevermade。
OnthedayappointedwereachedPont—Carre。Madamed’Urfe，whomI
hadadvisedoftheexacthourofourarrival，hadthedrawbridgeofthecastlelowered，andstoodinthearchwayinthemidstofherpeople，likeageneralsurrenderingwithallthehonoursofwar。Thedearlady，whosemadnesswasbutanexcessofwit，gavethefalseprincesssodistinguishedareceptionthatshewouldhaveshewnheramazementifIhadnotwarnedherofwhatshemightexpect。Thricedidsheclasphertoherbreastwithatendernessthatwasquitematernal，callingherherbelovedniece，andexplainingtheentirepedigreesofthefamiliesofLascarisandd’Urfetomakethecountessunderstandhowshecametobeherniece。IwasagreeablysurprisedtoseethepoliteanddignifiedairwithwhichtheItalianwenchlistenedtoallthis；shedidnotevensmile，thoughthescenemusthavestruckherasextremelylaughable。
AssoonaswegotintothecastleMadamed’Urfeproceededtocensethenew—comer，whoreceivedtheattentionwithallthedignityofanoperaqueen，andthenthrewherselfintothearmsofthepriestess，whoreceivedherwithenthusiasticaffection。
Atdinnerthecountesswasagreeableandtalkative，whichwonherMadamed’Urfe’sentirefavour；herbrokenFrenchbeingeasilyaccountedfor。Laura，thecountess’smother，onlyknewhernativeItalian，andsokeptsilence。Shewasgivenacomfortableroom，wherehermealswerebroughttoher，andwhichsheonlylefttohearmass。