atfirstIpretendedanindispositioninordertoconcealmysorrow，butafterwardsIreallyfellintoone，norcouldaconstitutiondelicatelikeminesupportsoviolentashock。WhenIbegantobebetter，Istillcounterfeitedsickness，thatImighthaveanexcusefornotseeingandfornotwritingtoyou；besidesIwaswillingtohavetimetocometoaresolutioninwhatmannertodealwithyou；Itookandquittedthesameresolutiontwentytimes；butatlastIconcludedyoudeservednottoseemygrief，andIresolvednottoshowyoutheleastmarkofit。Ihadadesiretobringdownyourpride，bylettingyousee，thatmypassionforyoudeclinedofitself：IthoughtIshouldbythislessenthevalueofthesacrificeyouhadmadeofme，andwaslothyoushouldhavethepleasureofappearingmoreamiableintheeyesofanother，byshowingherhowmuchIlovedyou；I
resolvedtowritetoyouinacoldandlanguishingmanner，thatshe，towhomyougavemyletters，mightperceivemylovewasatanend：IwasunwillingsheshouldhavethesatisfactionofknowingIwassensiblethatshetriumphedoverme，orthatsheshouldincreasehertriumphbymydespairandcomplaints。I
thoughtIshouldpunishyoutoolittlebymerelybreakingwithyou，andthatmyceasingtoloveyouwouldgiveyoubutaslightconcern，afteryouhadfirstforsakenme；Ifounditwasnecessaryyoushouldloveme，tofeelthesmartofnotbeingloved，whichIsoseverelyexperiencedmyself；Iwasofopinionthatifanythingcouldrekindlethatflame，itwouldbetoletyouseethatminewasextinguished，buttoletyouseeitthroughanendeavourtoconcealitfromyou，asifIwantedthepowertoacknowledgeittoyou：thisresolutionIadheredto；Ifounditdifficulttotake，andwhenIsawyouagainIthoughtitimpossibletoexecute。Iwasreadyahundredtimestobreakoutintotearsandcomplaints；myillstateofhealth，whichstillcontinued，servedasadisguisetohidefromyoutheafflictionandtroubleIwasin；afterwardIwassupportedbythepleasureofdissemblingwithyou，asyouhaddonewithme；howeveritwasdoingsoapparentaviolencetomyselftotellyouortowritetoyouthatIlovedyou，thatyouimmediatelyperceivedIhadnomindtoletyouseemyaffectionwasaltered；youwastouchedwiththis，youcomplainedofit；Iendeavouredtoremoveyourfears，butitwasdoneinsoforcedamanner，thatyouwerestillmoreconvincedbyit，Inolongerlovedyou；inshort，IdidallIintendedtodo。Thefantasticalnessofyourheartwassuch，thatyouadvancedtowardsmeinproportionasyousawIretreatedfromyou。Ihaveenjoyedallthepleasurewhichcanarisefromrevenge；Iplainlysaw，thatyoulovedmemorethanyouhadeverdone，andIshowedyouIhadnolongeranyloveforyou。Ihadevenreasontobelievethatyouhadentirelyabandonedher，forwhomyouhadforsakenme；Ihadgroundtootobesatisfiedyouhadneverspokentoherconcerningme；butneitheryourdiscretioninthatparticular，northereturnofyouraffectioncanmakeamendsforyourinconstancy；yourhearthasbeendividedbetweenmeandanother，andyouhavedeceivedme；thisissufficientwhollytotakefrommethepleasureIfoundinbeinglovedbyyou，asIthoughtIdeservedtobe，andtoconfirmmeintheresolutionIhavetakennevertoseeyoumore，whichyouaresomuchsurprisedat。
MadamdeClevesreadthisletter，andreaditoveragainseveraltimes，withoutknowingatthesametimewhatshehadread；shesawonlythattheDukedeNemoursdidnotloveherassheimaginedandthathelovedotherswhowerenolessdeceivedbyhimthanshe。Whatadiscoverywasthisforapersoninhercondition，whohadaviolentpassion，whohadjustgivenmarksofittoamanwhomshejudgedunworthyofit，andtoanotherwhomsheusedillforhissake！Neverwasafflictionsocuttingashers；sheimputedthepiercingnessofittowhathadhappenedthatday，andbelievedthatiftheDukedeNemourshadnothadgroundtobelieveshelovedhimsheshouldnothavecaredwhetherhelovedanotherornot；butshedeceivedherself，andthisevilwhichshefoundsoinsupportablewasjealousywithallthehorrorsitcanbeaccompaniedwith。ThisletterdiscoveredtoherapieceofgallantrytheDukedeNemourshadbeenlongengagedin；shesawtheladywhowroteitwasapersonofwitandmerit，anddeservedtobeloved；shefoundshehadmorecouragethanherself，andenviedherthepowershehadhadofconcealinghersentimentsfromtheDukedeNemours；bythecloseoftheletter，shesawthisladythoughtherselfbeloved，andpresentlysuspectedthatthediscretiontheDukehadshowedinhisaddressestoher，andwhichshehadbeensomuchtakenwith，wasonlyaneffectofhispassionforthisothermistress，whomhewasafraidofdisobliging；inshort，shethoughtofeverythingthatcouldaddtohergriefanddespair。Whatreflectionsdidshenotmakeonherself，andontheadviceshermotherhadgivenherIhowdidsherepent，thatshehadnotpersistedinherresolutionofretiring，thoughagainstthewillofMonsieurdeCleves，orthatshehadnotpursuedherintentionsofacknowledgingtohimtheinclinationshehadfortheDukeofNemours！Shewasconvinced，shewouldhavedonebettertodiscoverittoahusband，whosegoodnessshewassensibleof，andwhoseinterestitwouldhavebeentoconcealit，thantoletitappeartoamanwhowasunworthyofit，whodeceivedher，whoperhapsmadeasacrificeofher，andwhohadnoviewinbeinglovedbyherbuttogratifyhisprideandvanity；inaword，shefound，thatallthecalamitiesthatcouldbefallher，andalltheextremitiesshecouldbereducedto，werelessthanthatsingleoneofhavingdiscoveredtotheDukedeNemoursthatshelovedhim，andofknowingthathelovedanother：allhercomfortwastothink，thataftertheknowledgeofthisshehadnothingmoretofearfromherself，andthatsheshouldbeentirelyeasedoftheinclinationshehadfortheDuke。
SheneverthoughtoftheorderstheQueen-Dauphinhadgivenher，tocometoherwhenshewenttorest：shewenttobedherself，andpretendedtobeill；sothatwhenMonsieurdeClevescamehomefromtheKing，theytoldhimshewasasleep。Butshewasfarfromthattranquillitywhichinclinestosleep；allthenightshedidnothingbuttormentherself，andreadoverandovertheletterinherhand。