forsuchwastheshopman’snamewasnotlongerehearrived
withhisparcel。
Madamed’Egmontwasreadytoreceivehim:she
hadhadsufficienttimetoexchangehershabbywalkingdressfor
onewhichbespokebothcoquetryandvoluptuousness；thesoftness
ofhersmile，andtheturnofherfeaturesannouncedonewhose
warmthofpassionswouldholdoutthemostflatteringhopesof
successtohimwhoshouldseekherlove。
MadameRossinandtheyoungshopmanweresoonengagedin
conversation，furtheranimatedbythebrightglancessentdirect
fromtheeyesofmadametotheunguardedheartofheradmiring
visitor。
Emboldenedbythegraciousnessofhermanner，he
presumedtotouchherfairhand:thelady，inaffectedanger，
rose，andcommandedhimtoquitthehouse。
Theterrifiedyouth
fellatherfeet，imploringpardonforhisboldness，andthen
hastilyquittedtheroomerethefeignedmadameRossincould
pronouncetheforgivenesshedemanded。
’Thefool，“wasdoubtless
theprincess’sexclamation，“hadhebeenbroughtupatcourthe
wouldhaveconductedhimselfverydifferently。“
Thissillinessofproceedingwas，however，farfrombeing
displeasingtotheprincess:onthecontrary，itseemedtoincrease
herdeterminationtoprosecutetheadventure。
Accordingly，on
thefollowingdayshehastenedtoresumeherformerwalkingdress，
andinittotaketheroadwhichledtotherueSt。Martin，and
againtopresentherselfasacustomeratthelinen-draper’sshop。
Thistimeshepurchasedclothforchemises。
Indescribableand
unspeakablewasthejoyofyoungMoireau，when，afterhaving
servedthemistressofhisthoughts，heheardherrequestofhis
mastertoallowthegoodsshehadselectedtobesenttoher
residence；andequallywashesurprisedthatsheomittedtoname
himasthepersonshewishedshouldconveythem。
Nevertheless，
asmaybeimagined，Moireauobtainedpossessionoftheparcel，
andwassoononhiswaytotherueTiquetonne，wherehefound
theladymorelanguishingandattractivethanbefore；andsoon
theyweredeepinthemostearnestandinterestingconversation。
Moireau，whonowsawthathisboldnesswasnotdispleasingtothe
lady，becamemoreandmorepresuming:true，hisovertureswere
refused，butsogently，thatitonlyfannedhisflame；norwasit
tillafterreiteratedprayersthatbesucceededinobtainingher
promisetomeethimonthefollowingSunday。
Theprincess，like
askilfulmanoeuvrer，reckonedupontheadditionalviolencehis
ardorwouldreceivefromthisdelay。
Theaffectionwithwhich
shehadinspiredhimwouldonlygainstrengthbythusdeferring
thedayfortheirnextmeeting，whilsthewouldhavetimeto
meditateuponthevirtueaswellasthecharmsofherhehadwon。
ThelonglookedforSundayatlengtharrived，andMoireauwas
firstattheplaceofrendezvous。
Hissimpledressaugmentedhis
naturalgoodlooks，whilstthecountesshadsparednopainsto
renderherappearancecalculatedtocaptivateandseduce。
All
reservewasthrownaside；andtosatisfytheeagercuriosityof
herlover，shestatedherselftobethewidowofacountrylawyer，
whohadcometoParistocarryonalawsuit。
Itwouldbeuseless
tofollowtheprincessduringthefurthercourseofthismeeting。
Sufficeittosay，thatMoirreauandmadamed’Egmontseparated
mutuallyhappyandsatisfiedwitheachother。
Theyouth，whowasnowagesgoneinlove，hadonlyreachedhis
twenty-secondyear，andmadameRossinwashisfirstattachment。
Soardentandimpetuousdidhispassionhourlygrow，thatit
becameaspeciesofinsanity。
Ontheotherhand，thehigh-born
dame，whohadthuscaptivatedhim，feltalltheattractionsof
hissimpleanduntutoredlove，furthersetoffbythefinemanly
figureoftheyoungshopman。
Indeed，somuchnoveltyandinterest
didsheexperienceinhernewamour，that，farfromfinding
herself，asshehadexpected，disposedtorelinquishtheaffair
asshehadanticipatedattheendoftwoorthreeinterviews，
whichshehadimaginedwouldhavesatisfiedhercapriciousfancy，
sheputoff，toanindefiniteperiod，heroriginalprojectofending
theaffairbyfeigningareturntothecountry。
Thisresolution，however，shedidnotfeelcouragetocarryinto
effect；andtwoorthreemonthsrolledrapidlyawaywithoutany
diminutionoftheirreciprocalflame，whenonefineSunday
eveningMoireau，whosetimehungheavilyonhishands，tookit
intohisheadtovisittheopera。
Thisspeciesofamusement
constitutestheofthedelightsofaFrenchcit。
Moireauseatedhimselfinthepit，justoppositetheboxofthe
gentlemeninwaiting。
Theperformancewas“CastorandPollux。“
Atthecommencementofthesecondactasuddennoiseandbustle
drewMoireaufromthecontemplativeadmirationintowhichthe
splendorofthepiecehadthrownhim。
Thedisturbancearosefrom
ageneralmove，whichwastakingplaceintheboxbelongingto
thegentlemeninwaiting。
Madamed’Egmonthadjustarrived，
attendedbyfourorfivegrandlordsofthecourtcoveredwith
gold，anddecoratedwiththeorderoftheHolyGhost，andtwo
ladiesrichlydressed，fromwhomshewasdistinguishedasmuchby
thesuperiormagnificenceofherattireasbyherstrikingbeauty。
Moireaucouldnotbelievehiseyes；hefeltassuredhebeheld
madameRossin，yethefanciedhemustbeundertheinfluenceof
somefantasticdream；buteverylook，everygestureofthe
princess，athousandtrifles，whichwouldhaveescapedthe
noticeofacommonobserver，butwhichwereengravedinindelible
charactersontheheartofheradmirer，allconcurredtoassure
himthatherecognisedinthislovelyanddazzlingfemale，so
splendidlyattiredandsoregallyattended，thecherishedmistress
ofhisaffections；shewhomthatverymorninghehadheldinhis
embrace。
Headdressedathousandquestionstothoseabouthim，
fromwhomhelearnthisowngoodfortuneandtheexaltedrankof
herhehadwon。
Scarcelycouldherestraintheburstofjoy，when
informedthatthefairobject，glitteringwithjewelsandradiant
inbeauty，wasthedaughterofRichelieu，andthewifeofoneof
theprincesofthenoblehousesofEgmont。
Athousandtumultuousandflatteringideasrushedincrowdsto
thebrainofyoungMoireau，andhesawinanticipationalong
andbrilliantvistaopeningbeforehim。
Poorinexperienced
youth！
Hemistookthewisestandsafestpath，whichwouldhave
beentohaveappearedignorantofthehighrankofhismistress，
andtohaveinducedher，frommotivesofaffection，topreside
overhisfortunes，andtorisebyhermeanswithoutallowingher
tosuspectheguessedherabilitytobestowrichesandpreferment。
He，onthecontrary，hastenedtoherwiththeaccountofhis
havingdiscoveredherrealrankandstation。
Madamed’Egmont，
whoseself-possessionenabledhertoconcealtheterrorand
uneasinesshisrecitalinspiredherwith，listenedcalmlyand
silentlytillhehadceasedspeaking，andthenaskedhim，witha
playfulsmile，ifhewasquitesureofbeinginhisrightsenses？
“Forhowotherwisecouldyou，“saidshe，“confuseapoorobscure
widowlikemyselfwiththerichandpowerfulprincessyouspeak
of？
Myfriend，youareundertheinfluenceofadream；believe
me，IamneithermorenorlessthanpoorwidowRossin，andcan
boastofnoclaimtotheillustriousnameofEgmontorRichelieu。“
Butthemoreshespokethelessshepersuaded，andyoungMoireau
wasnottobereasonedoutofhisconviction。
ofheridentity
withthehigh-bornprincessofEgmont，andhealternatelyemployed
threatsandpromisestoinducehertoconfessthefact；butthe
ladywasfirmandimmovable。
Resolvedatallrisktopreserve
herincognito，shefoundherselfcompelledtobringtheaffair
toaconclusion，byfeigningextremeangeratthepertinacity
withwhichMoireauimportunedheruponasubjectwhichshe
protestedsheknewnothing:herloverretaliated，andadesperate
quarrelensued。
Moireaurushedangrilyfromherpresence，vowing
thathewouldpublishhisadventurethro’outParis；anempty
threat，whichhisdevotiontotheprincesswouldneverhave
permittedhimtocarryintoexecution。
Madamed’Egmont，however，wasnotsosurethathersecretwas
safe，andshelostnotaninstantinrepairingtothehouseofM。
deSartines，toobtainfromhimaagainstthe
aspiringshopman，who，seizedinthestreet，wasconveyedaway，
andconfinedasamaniacinamadhouse，where，butfora
circumstanceyoushallhear，hewoulddoubtlessbestill。
Ihappenedtobewiththekingwhenthelieutenantofpolice
arriveduponmattersconnectedwithhisemployment。
According
tocustom，Louisinquiredwhetherhehadanythingveryamusing
tocommunicatetohim？
“Manythings，sire，“repliedhe，“and
amongstothersananecdoteofmadamed’Egmont“；andhebeganto
relatetous，wordforword，whatIhavewrittenyou。
Theking
laughedtillhecried；asforme，altho’Icouldnothelpfinding
thetalesufficientlycomictoinducerisibility，Ilistenedwith
morecoolness；andwhenitwascompleted，Iexclaimed，
“Canitbe，sire，thatyouwillpermitthisunfortunateyoungman
tobetheeternalvictimofsounprincipledawoman？“
“Whatwouldyouhavemedo？“
saidLouis；“howcanIinterfere
withoutcompromisingthereputationofmadamed’Egmont？“
“Allowmetosay，“repliedI，“thatthisfearoughtnottoprevent
yourmajesty’sinterference。
Youarefatherofyoursubjects；