the princess de montpensier-第8章

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whose　house　he　had　retired；　having　recognised　him；　and　having
recalled　that　he　had　once　been　suspected　of　being　of　that
persuasion；　murdered　him　on　the　same　night　which　was　fatal　to　so
many　people。　The　next　day　the　Prince　de　Montpensier；　who　was　in
that　area　on　duty；　passed　along　the　street　where　the　body　of　the
Comte　lay。　He　was　at　first　shocked　by　this　pitiful　sight　and；
recalling　his　past　friendship；　was　grieved；　but　then　the　memory
of　the　offence；　which　he　believed　the　Comte　had　committed；　made
him　feel　pleased　that　he　had　been　avenged　by　the　hand　of　chance。

The　Duc　de　Guise　who　had　used　the　opportunity　of　the　massacre　to
take　ample　revenge　for　the　death　of　his　father；　gradually　took
less　and　less　interest　in　the　Condition　of　the　Princess　of
Montpensier；　and　having　met　the　Marquise　de　Noirmoutier；　a　woman
of　wit　and　beauty；　and　one　who　promised　more　than　the　Princess　de
Montpensier；　he　attached　himself　to　her；　an　attachment　which
lasted　a　lifetime。

The　Princess's　illness　reached　a　crisis　and　then　began　to　remit。
She　recovered　her　senses　and　was　somewhat　relieved　by　the　absence
of　her　husband。　She　was　expected　to　live；　but　her　health
recovered　very　slowly　because　of　her　low　spirits；　which　were
further　depressed　by　the　realisation　that　she　had　received　no
news　of　the　Duc　de　Guise　during　all　her　illness。　She　asked　her
women　if　they　had　not　seen　anyone；　if　they　had　not　had　any
letters；　and　finding　that　there　had　been　nothing；　she　saw　herself
as　the　most　wretched　of　women；　one　who　had　risked　all　for　a　man
who　had　abandoned　her。　A　fresh　blow　was　the　news　of　the　death　of
the　Comte　de　Chabannes；　which　her　husband　made　sure　she　heard
about　as　soon　as　possible。　The　ingratitude　of　the　Duc　de　Guise
made　her　feel　even　more　deeply　the　loss　of　a　man　whose　fidelity
she　knew　so　well。　These　disappointments　weighed　heavily　upon　her
and　reduced　her　to　a　state　as　serious　as　that　from　which　she　had
recently　recovered。　Madame　de　Noirmoutier　was　a　woman　who　took　as
much　care　to　publicise　her　affairs　as　others　do　to　conceal　them。
Her　relations　with　the　Duc　de　Guise　were　so　open　that；　even
though　far　away　and　ill；　the　Princess　heard　so　much　about　it　that
she　was　left　in　no　doubt。　This　was　the　final　straw。　She　had　lost
the　regard　of　her　husband；　the　heart　of　her　lover；　and　the　most
loyal　of　her　friends。　She　took　to　her　bed；　and　died　not　long
after　in　the　flower　of　her　youth。　She　was　one　of　the　loveliest　of
women　and　could　have　been　one　of　the　happiest　if　she　had　not
strayed　so　far　from　the　path　of　prudence　and　virtue。





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