find some other Warmth for his Feet The Lady who expected them growing impatient at their stay would needs go see what stopt their coming She went to the Stair-head without Shooes or Light and hearing nothing of them had a mind to go down to the Gate The two Lovers were careful not to make a Noise being not well assured it was she or else to conceal from her the Trade they then drove They scarce breathed so that the Lady whom the spirit of Curiosity pusht on to her Ruin in going down Stairs unfortunately made a false Step and tumbled over them down several Steps And how little soever she was beholding to Love for the Accident she was certainly much obliged to Fortune in that she escaped so well from so dangerous a Fall You may imagine what a peck of Troubles John and Diana were now in The Noyse her Mistress made in her Fall was enough to raise all the House but that it was in a Lodging a part from those of the Servants much more might it have awaked the good Man where the greatest Danger lay but he had the good Quality to sleep very soundly and by good Luck heard nothing at all The first thing John did was to get to the Gate for fear of misfortune and almost at the bottom of the Stairs he found the Unfortunate Lady which had he had a Candle would doubtless have been a very rare sight Diana came to help her up the Staires which she had so nimbly gone down She had happily saved her Face which gave her some Comfort but for the rest there was not a part of her Body but was sensible of her Fall The Gallant judging they had business enough for that Night to apply Remedies for the Bruises without further use of him with-drew softly and went his way Home He had Newes at his Rising that the Lady was better and that she was not so ill but she desired to see him again that Night He came the same Hour to the Gate which being opened he resolved not to lose time with Diana on these unfortunate Staires for fear of another ill Accident but went strait where the Lady expected him She had told her Husband a fair story of her Mis-adventure and made that advantage of it that she obtain'd leave to lye alone for three or four Nights in a Chamber near his The good Man could not have imagin'd that his Wife in the Condition she was in could think of Love But this Passion takes away the sense of any other Affliction John Le Brun was Conducted to the Chamber where he found the fair Lady dressed in her Bed like a Goddess Some of the Servants were yet up and Diana was ordered to hold them in talk till they went to their Chambers for fear they should come and hearken Unless you will believe the Mistress found out this sleeveless Errand for Diana that she the while might have the Liberty to speak a Word in Private to the Curate's Nephew Well John said she with a Smile as soon as the Chamber-maid was gone you see what we do for you We expose our selves to be talked of We give our selves trouble for you We almost kill our selves for you and you perhaps haeve not the least Sense of it You should do me wrong Madam answered the Crafty Nephew to accuse me of that I was grievously troubled at the unhappy Accident befell you last Night It is impossible any Man could be more concerned than I was I swear t' you I could not sleep a Wink all Night and this Morning as soon as 't was day I burn'd with Impatience to hear Newes of you Say what you please Replyed she I will not believe you you are a Dissembler and this is not the first day I knew you such But let that pass Do you know said she letting fall her Voyce as if she would have told him a Secret that I have had a great Quarrel for the Love of you For the Love of me Madam said he much amazed at her Discourse Yes Replyed she for the Love of you My Husband hath been told that you were in Love with me And further that you were not hated I said John with very great Humility I Madam should I the Nephew of your Curate lift up my Eyes and fix them on the Wife of his Lord Ah Madam if there were cause I could easily justifie my self I know too well the Respect I owe you Madam Respect Replyed she is nothing in this Case Poor Shepheards have been in Love with Queens and Queens with Shepheards You are Young Handsom and Witty 't is too well known I am not satisfied with a Husband I was forted to Marry against my will And the constant Resort you have for some time had to our Family was more than enough to raise a Jealousie in the Parties concerned you came upon design But Madam Reply'd the Gallant charm'd with this obliging Newes 't is very well known I came for Love of Diana Diana said she Alas poor innocent Soul 'T is easie to judge a Youth such as you if at Liberty to make his Court where he pleas'd would sooner address himself to me than to her I thank Heaven added she blushing a little you see I want not what may render me amiable and what is such a Girle good for but to serve for a Colour when I am in place John had by this time an eager desire to draw some advantage from this pleasant Discourse Till now he stood in the Chamber like a dutiful Vassal in Presence of his Lords Wife his Hat under his Arme and at three or four Paces distance from the Bed But the kind Lady was pleased to make him draw nearer and sit upon the Bed that as she said she might not be obliged to speak so loud for fear of awaking the good Man The Door was shut and no cause of Fear on his side but rather on Diana's who might chance to be frighted at so much Familiarity between John and her Mistress who notwithstanding never troubled her self for it knowing Diana could not return very quickly John having taken his place at the Beds-Feet after twice or thrice bidding and absolute Commands reiterated for doing so And who think you said she hath done you this ill Office with my Husband Alas Madam answered he how should I know There is no want of wicked People in the World and I have enough in the Village that envy my Happiness It would surprize you said she to be told it is my Chamber-maid Who Diana answered John astonisht to hear it Ah Madam it cannot be I know her too well to believe her capable of such Treachery Make not so much hast Replyed the Lady to take her part You have not perhaps more reason to defend her than I. Consider if ever I had cause to suspect her She was alwayes my Confident I trusted her with all my Secrets And though I knew you frequented my House for
those of the Town who in a short time become such Proficients in the Mysteries of Gallantry that they quickly Commence Mistresses of the Art John Le Brun had the Dexterity to perswade her That his Passion was arrived to that height that nothing but her pitty cou'd secure him from present Death The good-Natur'd Girle who would have been troubled in Conscience to see a young Man who lov'd her so tenderly dye for want of her help easily resolved to give him Ease This Scene of Love was to be acted in a Garden where under pretence of eating Cherries Diana took John with her to shake the Tree I know very well said she with a Counterfeit Modesty that what I do here is contrary to my Duty and a blemish to my Honour But seeing the necessity of losing you or my self I find the Consideration of my Life a great deal too light to be ballanced with yours But I hope I shall have to do with a Man of Honour and Honesty who will take care of my Reputation and not abuse me for that which Love forces me to in kindness to him The Gallant you may imagine fail'd not on this occasion to make use of the deepest Oaths and the highest Protestations of Love and Fidelity to strengthen the Inclination and settle the mind of so kind a Mistress John being so nearly related to the Curat needed no other Recommendation to gain liberty of Access to the Castle and maintain a-while his Correspondence and Familiarity with the Chamber-maid without Interruption But by degrees notice was taken of a particular Kindness between them though no body dreamt of their being so intimate as they really were Among all the Family Diana made choyoe of the Lady of the Place to be her only Confident But though she had singled her out from a multitude of others she daily Converst with she did not think fit to trust her with the Adventure of the Cherry-Tree being so Romantique that she judged it not proper to be Communicated to any but especially to her Mistress The Lady was Handsome and very Inclinable and to cover her Sins had taken a Husband advanced in Years who warn'd by some Visions concerning his Honour had taken a Resolution to quit the Town and retire into the Country in hopes by the benefit of that Aire to be cured of the Head-ach that troubled him in the Town But let us do what we can we shall all have our Fortunes and he that is born to have a kind Wife is sure to go to Heaven if Horns can help him thither The poor Lady confined to a Village where she could scarce see once in a Month a Man any way Tollerable had no other Pleasure in her Solitude but to meditate sometimes on her good Actions past and relate them to Diana whom she found a very good Girle and capable of a Secret This Lady being a very experienc'd Lover was the first that discovered the Amour of the Chamber-Maid and the Curat 's Nephew and was so far from opposing it as some proud ill-natur'd Mistress would have done that she favour'd their Intrigues by taking frequent Walks into the Garden and the Fields and making Diana partaker of that pleasure gave her the opportunity of meeting John Le-Brun almost every day and took singular delight to see these Country-Lovers Court and make Love but made as if she knew nothing of the business nor took the least notice of it to Diana But the good natur'd Maid thinking her self obliged by these favours from her Mistress to let her know something she took the occasion as they were sitting under a Tree discoursing of Love to discover to her a Secret of mighty importance wherein she pray'd her advice that the Curat 's Nephew had a great passion for her and that she found her self pretty well inclined but apprehended some Consequences which perplext her mind that she knew not what to resolve on Her Mistress smiling and with an aire of kindness laying her Arm over her Neck desired her to tell her truly if she were gone no further Diana blusht not knowing what Answer to make The Mistress taking advantage of the Confusion of the Lover told her she had too good an opinion of John Le-Brun to believe he had so long left her in a Condition to doubt in this point and that if she would confess the truth she must acknowledge she asked Counsel too late about that particular that she need not hide it from her being already assured she Lov'd him and willing to serve her in any thing for her advantage So much Compleasance and so extraordinary Kindness from a Mistress in whose power it was to do very much for her did so charm Diana that it engaged her at the same time to speak a little more freely of the affair So that the Lady who was very dextrous at pumping out Secrets made her confess that what at first she had term'd a bare inclination was in truth a settled Passion That if John Lov'd Diana she Lov'd him no less and descending by degrees to matters of fact they discours'd of some favours she had not had the power to deny him The pretty Maid in the end ingeniously confest they were come to some close Familiarities of Love but she would take care he should find it a hard matter to proceed any further unless he would Marry her The Mistress who had never descended to those fondnesses of Love but where she design'd to grant her Lover all he could wish knew well enough what to think of the business yet was unwilling at that time to press that point any further but had the Curiosity to know the beginning and progress of the Amour and fully informed her self of the smallest trifles and fooleries which gave her a very pleasant divertisement till at last she perfectly learnt the whole state of the affair their Rendezvouz and places of Assignation to the very Conclusion The easie Diana knew not what a person she had to deal with and to whom she had imparted her Secret There is nothing whereof a Woman ought to be more distrustful than of another Woman especially in matters of Love there being nothing in the World whereof a Woman is more jealous than of the good Fortune of another This was not the first time that the Mistress became Rival to her Maid The Lady was not only of a very susceptible Nature but had already cast her Eyes on the Illustrious John Le Brun who for Handsomness and Wit was without Contradiction the Flower of the Village But the many Measures she was to take the hazzard she was to run in trusting a Raw young Fellow a meer Novice in Love and the perpetuall Watch of her Husband kept over her Actions so startled her Reason that till then they had moderated if not smother'd the Transports of her Amorous Soul But the Inclination this Gallant had entertain'd for a Chamber-Maid had highly fomented in the Heart of the
Love of her I could not but let her understand I loved your Wit and took pleasure in your Conversation I did more and perhaps was guilty of too much Imprudence when I bid her assure you from me that I had Kindness for you and that you might depend upon me as your Friend That I desired very much to do for you and advance you That you could not want the thing I would not furnish you with for asking And that I would have you speak to me freely ' Had she been your Friend she would not have concealed from you the kind and advantageous thoughts I had for you But I see well enough 't was her Jealousie hindred her and made her Reveal the Secret to some one of the House who without doubt hath told it my Husband The Gallant who clearly saw what this Discourse tended to answered I assure you Madam she never did me the favour to acquaint me with these obliging Evidences of your Goodness otherwise I had not been now to thank you for them and now me-thinks I begin to believe what you say The Lady Ravish'd with Joy that John was of her mind pusht on her Amorous Design and made him absolutely believe Diana guilty of what she was accused and that the best way to revenge her was to make a Fool of her I know said she you love me John durst not say other-wise and though you never told me so I have perceived it by your Eyes But to make our best of this business Diana must not know any thing I have told you but use her as formerly and you shall find you cannot be unhappy To prove what I say added she shewing him a Purse taken from under her Pillow here are fifty Pistols for you Assure your self while you love me and are discreet you shall want for nothing What Heart of the Temper of John 's could have resisted such a Favour Never did a Mistress in Romance acquit her self better Ladyes that dare not rely on their Charms of Beauty for Conquest if they make use of this course shall never want Lovers The Gallant was so transported with the Present received that forgetting the Respect due to the Lady he embraced her Knees a thousand times through the Bed-Cloaths She out of Modesty would have put him off but it was that he might apply himself else-where The Gallant though naturally bold durst not at first venture any farther Yet he had the boldness to steal a Kiss which he took finding her so nigh him that she seem'd to offer it him 'T is enough said she with a languishing Voyce However do not think though I give you the Liberty to see mee by Night to be alone with me in my Chamber and to sit on my Bed without Witness or Danger that I will grant you any more John Le Brun was too Intelligent not to comprehend the Meaning of these Words But Diana coming in interrupted the course of this sweet Conversation There past nothing more at that time worthy Relation John retiring presently after so incensed against poor Diana he had not the Patience to Caress her in the least taking leave at the Gate whither she accompanyed him to lock it But how could he longer Love a Chamber-maid which had given him at most but some Knots of Ribband and two or three Cravats or some other Trisles of inconsiderable Value when he had sound a Mistress who for her first Complement honoured him with a Purse of fifty Pistols He had never been so Rich in his Life nor could he take any rest that Night for thinking with what grace of Address she had made him that Present and how he should lay it out All these Fancies vanish'd at the Approach of Day and he was no sooner up but he wisht with Impatience that Night were come His Thoughts were wholly taken up with the Charms of the Lady He could not sufficiently admire with what address she had made him understand she loved him and desired that he should love her again But that which Charm'd him most was her Grace in performing a Generous Action He was ready to dye with longing to see her again as if all his Visits were to be paid with ready Money He knew very well to make use of Opportunity which at this Day is the best Science in the World and the true use of Things Night came at last but it was long to Eleven a Clock and in Conjunctions of this kind Moments are tedious Diana who knew not the reason he had entertained her so coldly the Night before waited with as much Impatience as he to see him again But he was so cruel that he made no more account of her this than the former Night nor would be perswaded to stay a moment to hear her and when she reproacht him for it he answer'd her with Slights The Poor Girle was amazed at the Change and could not imagine any thing less than such a Perfidiousness especially in her Mistress John entred the Ladyes Chamber whom he found on a Bed of State finer than ever he had seen her Poor Diana was sent again to amuse the People of the House though there was not the least need of it But the truth is they had no need of her there and were willing to amuse her Never till then did she know what Jealousie was having loved in peace and in a full Tranquility in Confidence her Gallant had loved her as faitfully The Indifference of a Lover is an apparent Mark of Perfidiousness The Distaste we have of one Object is commonly the Effect of Pleasure taken in another Love is an incurable Disease and he that hath been once in Love will ever be so with one thing or other The dejected Diana went musing with her self what cause she had given her Lover to use her thus But the more she thought on what was past the more she found he had nothing to reproach her with but too much Love and that the Change she observed in him must be a pure Effect of his Inconstancy which inclined him another way This put her upon examining who should be her Rival Is it said she the Stewards Daughter No. Is it the Scrivenars Daughter No. Is it such a ones Neece or such a ones Sister No no. Thus she ran over all the handsome Girles in the Village without finding any just Ground of Suspition Did he Love any of those I am thinking of Or had be some new Inclination where I cannot imagin What had he to do here And yet What cause can he have to use me as he does these two dayes past 'T is but three dayes since he swore to me it were Death to him to let him go to Bed without a sight of me And this Evening he runs away from me he will not speak to me he will not so much as hear me Whence comes this cruel proceeding If he loves me no longer why comes he so punctually to the Gate He
in Presence of this Lady who though a Stranger is long since acquainted with the Sincerity of my Heart The Count who had only a slight View of the Flemmish Lady in passing by finding by the Discourse that she was a Stranger went up to her to Salute her But having fixt his Eye upon her he was not a little astonisht He easily knew her by her Countenance and was at a stand and twice or thrice changed Colour He knew not what to say and had scarce the Confidence to Salute her The Lady as much surprized as he advanced not a step to do him that Honour and indeed had scarce the Patience to endure it The English Lady having observed all these different Actions the Trouble of the one and Coldness of the other knew not what to think of it and seeing there passed not a Word between them she asked If they knew one another And being no less astonisht than they added Were you not both my Friends I know not what I should think of this Business I confess Madam answered Count Brion endeavouring to Recover himself this Lady is so exactly like a Person of Quality I formerly had the Honour to know and be extreamly obliged to that I could not see her without Remorse for my Ingratitude towards her whereof I own my self Guilty and should think a thousand Lives if I had them well bestowed to Expiate my Offence The Fault must have been Great Replyed the English Lady and I cannot believe you a Man capable of such a Crime 'T is great indeed Madam And had I not hopes of Pardon from her Goodness I should dye for very Grief and Shame And what say you to this Madam answered the English Lady addressing her self to the Stranger Does this Matter concern you There must be some Cause for that Disorder and Trouble I observed in your Countenance on this Occasion Madam Replyed the Stranger the cause of my Surprize is just like that of the Gentlemans A Person very like him behaved himself towards me not so well as he ought and I took him for the Man There is something Extraordinary in this Adventure answered the English Lady and you must excuse me if I believe neither of you in what you have said I am very well assured Madam you came but Yester-day to Town and that the Count was never at Brussels So that I cannot comprehend where you could have seen one another but here Pray clear this doubt and tell me freely What is the business The Gentleman Replyed the Stranger can do it far better than I. There are some things said the Count not fit to be spoken at all times And then rising up I shall leave all said he to the Discretion and Generosity of this Lady and with-draw for the present being not very well With that taking Leave of the Ladies he went his way If ever Person was in Pain if ever Woman had the Curiosity to know any thing you may believe the English Lady so affected on the present Occasion For having really had and as frankly own'd an Esteem for the Count she was very much concern'd for him upon all Accounts and particularly those where any other of the Sex appeared any way concern'd for him Well Madam said she to the Stranger will not you tell me what the Meaning of this is Shall I not know the Adventure brought you acquainted with the Count I never had Reserve for you Your time is come to requite my Freedome The Lady refused a long time out of scruple to Ruin the Reputation of a Man who might perhaps be a Person of Quality and forced by Necessity to do what he had done But fearing he was nothing less and that her Friend might be abused by her good Opinion of the Count she made her first Promise not to speak of the business and then told her plainly This was the Officer she had told her of who had Escaped out of Prison Who Count Brion answered the Lady with a Tone and Action that sufficiently declared her Surprize Is he the Honest Man who stole your Cloaths and the two Swords from the Gentleman your Friend Yes Madam answered she the very same It is not possible Replyed the English Lady nor shall you make me believe though you make see it with my Eyes What you please said the Stranger but I assure you I know him on no other Account And if you will take the Pains to examine and reflect on what he said to me you may guess whether this be true or not Heavens cry'd she is it possible that a Man of his Quality should be reduced to the necessity of Acting such a Cheat He had reason to tell me He had never been at Brussels However he is still a Man of Birth and of Parts and I might have said of Merit too but for this unhappy Adventure 'T was but a Trick of Youth said the other and so may be pardon'd You know Men are but Men and France being at Wars with us he thought perhaps Robbing me was but Plundering the Enemy But now that he is in a better Condition than formerly he may make me amends and express his Sorrow for the Fact by making me Restitution Yes Madam Replyed the English Lady I will undertake he shall do it For besides the Generosity of his Nature he is a Person of Honour and will not fail to appear so on such an Occasion as this If such a thing should be known of him here where he has the Esteem and the Love of so many Persons of Quality What would become of him I would not for the World it should come to their Ears For as he Visits me ofner than any other I must expect to have the greatest share in his Disgrace Let me beg of you Madam it may go no further The Lady promis'd it and having other Visits to make took her Leave to go to the Lodging of another Lady of her Acquaintance Where Entering the Chamber she found her at some Difference with another Person who upon her coming in quitted the Room The Fair Flemming was received at this Visit with the same Joy and Honours she had found at the first And having past the first Complements of Civility and observed before that when she came in the Lady was in business with her who went forth she thought her self obliged to make her Excuse for disturbing them and interrupting their Discourse You may believe Madam by our Actions you saw that our Discourse was none of the Pleasantest and I verily think you did both of us a Pleasure For had you not come in we should have certainly quarrelled She was a French Lady who came to demand Money of me for two pair of Embroydred Bodyce I had of a French-man in Payment for Money I won of him at Play about two Moneths agoe She tells me The Bodyce were herâ— and that she had only trusted the French-man with them to Sell them for her I answered I