I sent your Letter back without Perusing, believing it might contain something of a Subject which I am resolv’d to encourage no farther: I do not think it proper at present to acquaint you with my Reasons for it; but if I see you at Paris, you shall know them: I set out for thence to Morrow, but desire you not to pretend to Accompany me thither, if you wou’d preserve the Esteem of,

Ansellina.

I cannot but say, I thought this manner of proceeding very odd, and vastly different from that openness of Nature, I always admir’d in her, but as I had been always a most obsequious Lover; I resolv’d not to forfeit that Character, and give a Proof of an implicite Obedience to her Will, tho’ with what Anxiety of Mind you may imagine. I stood at a distance, and saw her take Coach, and as soon as her Attendants were out of sight, I got on Horseback, and follow’d; I several Times lay at the same Inn where she did, but took care not to appear before her: Never was any sight more pleasing to me, than that of Paris, because I there hop’d to have my Destiny unravell’d; but your being out of Town, preventing her making any stay, I was reduc’d to another tryal of Patience; about Seven Furlongs from hence, hap’ning to Bait at the same Cabaret with her, I saw her Woman, who had been always perfectly obliging to me, walking alone in the Garden; I took the liberty to show my self to her, and ask her some Questions concerning my future Fate, to which she answer’d with all the Freedom I cou’d desire, and observing the Melancholly, which was but too apparent in my Countenance: Sir, said she, tho’ I think nothing can be more blame-worthy than to betray the Secrets of our Superiors, yet I hope I shall stand excus’d for declaring so much of my Lady’s as the Condition you are in, seems to require; I wou’d not therefore have you believe that in this Separation, you are the only Sufferer, I can assure you, my Lady bears her part of Sorrow too.----How can that be possible (cry’d I) when my Misfortune is brought upon me, only by the change of her Inclination? Far from it (answer’d she) you have a Brother--he only is to blame, she has receiv’d Letters from Madam D’elmont which have---as she was speaking, she was call’d hastily away, without being able to finish what she was about to say, and I was so Impatient to hear: Her naming you in such a manner, planted ten thousand Daggers in my Soul!----What cou’d I imagine by those Words, You have a Brother, he only is to Blame, and her mentioning Letters from that Brother’s Wife; but that it was thro’ you I was made wretched? I repeated several times over to my self, what she had said, but cou’d wrest no other Meaning from it, than that you being already possess’d of the Elder Sister’s Fortune, were willing to Engross the other’s too, by preventing her from Marrying: Pardon me, my Lord, if I have Injur’d you, since I protest, the Thoughts of your designing my undoing, was, if possible, more dreadful to me than the Ill it self.

You will, reply’d the Count, be soon convinc’d how little Hand I had in those Letters, whatever they contain’d, when you have been here a few Days. He then told him of the disagreement between himself and Alovisa, her perpetual Jealousy, her Pride, her Rage, and the little probability there was of their being ever reconcil’d, so as to live together as they ought, omitting nothing of the Story, but his Love for Melliora, and the Cause he had given to create this uneasiness. They both concluded, that Ansellina’s alteration of Behaviour was entirely owing to something her Sister had written, and that she wou’d use her utmost endeavour to break off the Match wholly in Revenge to her Husband: As they were discoursing on means to prevent it, the Ladies came to the Gate; they saw them thro’ the Window, and ran to receive them immediately: The Count handed Ansellina out of the Coach, with great Complaisance, while the Chevalier wou’d have done the same by Alovisa, but she wou’d not permit him, which the Count observing, when he had paid those Complements to her Sister, which he thought civility requir’d, Madam (said he, turning to her and frowning) is it not enough, you make me wretched by your continual Clamours, and Upbraidings, but that your ill Nature must extend to all, whom you believe I love? She answer’d him only with a disdainful Look, and haughty Toss, which spoke the Pleasure she took in having it in her Power to give him Pain, and went out of the Room with Ansellina.

D’elmont’s Family was now become a most distracted one, every Body was in confusion, and it was hard for a disinterested Person, to know how to behave among them: The Count was ready to die with Vexation, when he reflected on the Adventure at the Baron’s with Melantha, and how hard it wou’d be to clear his Conduct in that point with Melliora: She, on the other Hand, was as much tormented at his not attempting it. The Chevalier, was in the height of despair, when he found that Ansellina continued her Humour, and still avoided letting him know the occasion of it: And Alovisa, tho’ she contented herself for some Hours with relating to her Sister, all the Passages of her Husband’s unkind usage of her, yet when that was over, her Curiosity return’d, and she grew so madly Zealous to find out, who her rival was, that she repented her Behaviour to the Baron, and sent him the next Day privately, a Billet, wherein she assur’d him, that she had acquainted the Count with nothing that had pass’d between them, and that she desir’d to speak with him. ’Tis easy to believe he needed not a second Invitation; he came immediately, and Alovisa renew’d her Entreaties in the most pressing manner she was capable of, but in vain, he told her plainly, that if he cou’d not have her Heart, nothing but the full Possession of her Person shou’d Extort the Secret from him. ’Twould swell this Discourse beyond what I design, to recount her various Starts of Passions, and different Turns of Behaviour, sometimes louder than the Winds she rav’d! Commanded! Threatned! Then, still as April Showers, or Summer Dews she wept, and only whisper’d her Complaints, now dissembling Kindness, then declaring unfeign’d Hate; ’till at last, finding it impossible to prevail by any other means, she promis’d to admit him at Midnight into her Chamber: But as it was only the force of her too passionate Affection for her Husband, which had work’d her to this pitch of raging Jealousie, so she had no sooner made the Assignation, and the Baron had left her (to seek the Count to prevent any suspicion of their long Conversation) but all D’elmont’s Charms came fresh into her Mind, and made the Thoughts of what she had promis’d, Odious and Insupportable; she open’d her Mouth more than once to call back the Baron, and Recant all that she had said; but her ill Genius, or that Devil, Curiosity, which too much haunts the Minds of Women, still prevented Her: What will become of me, (said she to her self) what is it I am about to do? Shall I foregoe my Honour---quit my Virtue,---sully my yet unspotted Name with endless Infamy---and yield my Soul to Sin, to Shame, and Horror, only to know what I can ne’er Redress? If D’elmont hates me now, will he not do so still?---What will this curs’d Discovery bring me but added Tortures, and fresh weight of Woe: Happy had it been for her if these Considerations cou’d have lasted, but when she had been a Minute or two in this Temper, she wou’d relapse and cry, what! must I tamely bear it then?---Endure the Flouts of the malicious World, and the contempt of every saucy Girl, who while she pities, scorns my want of Charms--Shall I neglected tell my Tale of Wrongs, (O, Hell is in that Thought) ’till my despair shall reach my Rival’s Ears, and Crown her Adulterous Joys with double Pleasure.---Wretch that I am!--Fool that I am, to hesitate, my Misery is already past Addition, my everlasting Peace is broke! Lost even to hope, what can I more endure?---No, since I must be ruin’d, I’ll have the Satisfaction of dragging with me to Perdition, the Vile, the Cursed she that has undone me: I’ll be reveng’d on her, then die my self, and free me from Pollution. As she was in this last Thought, she perceiv’d at a good distance from her, the Chevalier Brillian and Ansellina in Discourse; the sight of him immediately put a new contrivance into her Head, and she compos’d her self as she cou’d, and went to meet them.

Ansellina having been left alone, while her Sister was Entertaining the Baron, had walk’d down into the Garden to divert her self, where the Chevalier, who was on the watch for such an opportunity, had follow’d her; he cou’d not forbear, tho’ in Terms full of Respect, taxing her with some little Injustice for her late Usage of him, and Breach of Promise, in not letting him know her Reasons for it: She, who by Nature was extreamly averse to the disguising her Sentiments, suffer’d him not long to press her for an Eclaircissment, and with her usual Freedom, told him what she had done, was purely in compliance with her Sister’s Request; that she cou’d not help having the same Opinion of him as ever, but that she had promis’d Alovisa to defer any Thoughts of marrying him, till his Brother shou’d confess his Error: The obliging things she said to him, tho’ she persisted in her Resolution, dissipated great part of his Chagreen, and he was beginning to excuse D’elmont, and persuade her that her Sister’s Temper was the first occasion of their quarrel, when Alovisa interrupted them. Ansellina was a little out of Countenance at her Sister’s Presence, imagining she wou’d be Incens’d at finding her with the Chevalier; but that distressed Lady was full of other Thoughts, and desiring him to follow her to her Chamber, as soon as they were set down, confess’d to him, how, fir’d with his Brother’s Falshood, she endeavour’d to revenge it upon him, that she had been his Enemy, but was willing to enter into any Measures for his Satisfaction, provided he wou’d comply with one, which she should propose, which he faithfully promising, after she had sworn him to Secrecy, discover’d to him every Circumstance, from her first Cause of Jealousy, to the Assignation she had made with the Baron; now, said she, it is in your Power to preserve both your Brother’s Honour, and my Life (which I sooner will resign than my Vertue) if you stand conceal’d in a little Closet, which I shall convey you to, and the Moment he has satisfy’d my Curiosity, by telling me her Name that has undone me, rush out, and be my Protector. The Chevalier was infinitely Surpriz’d at what he heard, for his Brother had not given him the least hint of his Passion, but thought the request she made, too reasonable to be deny’d.

While they were in this Discourse, Melliora, who had been sitting indulging her Melancholly in that Closet which Alovisa spoke of, and which did not immediately belong to that Chamber, but was a sort of an Entry, or Passage, into another, and tir’d with Reflection, was fallen asleep, but on the noise which Alovysa and the Chevalier made in coming in, wak’d, and heard to her inexpressible trouble, the Discourse that pass’d between them: She knew that unknown Rival was herself, and condemn’d the Count of the highest Imprudence, in making a confidant, as she found he had, of the Baron; she saw her Fate, at least that of her Reputation was now upon the Crisis, that, that very Night she was to be expos’d to all the Fury of an enrag’d Wife, and was so shook with apprehension, that she was scarce able to go out of the Closet time enough to prevent their discovering she was there; what cou’d she do in this Exigence, the Thoughts of being betray’d, was worse to her than a thousand Deaths, and it was to be wondred at, as she has since confest, that in that height of Desparation, she had not put an end to the Tortures of Reflection, by laying violent Hands on her own Life: As she was going from the Closet hastily to her own Appartment, the Count and Baron pass’d her, and that sight heightening the distraction she was in, she stept to the Count, and in a faultring, scarce intelligible Accent, whisper’d, for Heaven’s Sake let me speak with you before Night, make some pretence to come to my Chamber, where I’ll wait for you. And as soon as she had spoke these Words, darted from him so swift, that he had no opportunity of replying, if he had not been too much overwhelm’d with Joy at this seeming Change of his Fortune to have done it; he misunderstood part of what she said, and instead of her desiring to speak with him before Night, he imagin’d, she said at Night. He presently communicated it to the Baron, who congratulated him upon it; and never was any Night more impatiently long’d for, than this was by them both. They had indeed not many Hours of Expectation, but Melliora thought them Ages; all her hopes were, that if she cou’d have an opportunity of discovering to Count D’elmont what she had heard between his Wife and Brother, he might find some means to prevent the Baron’s Treachery from taking Effect. But when Night grew on, and she perceiv’d he came not, and she consider’d how near she was to inevitable Ruin, what Words can sufficiently express her Agonies? So I shall only say, they were too violent to have long kept Company with Life; Guilt, Horrour, Fear, Remorse, and Shame at once oppress’d her, and she was very near sinking beneath their Weight, when somebody knock’d softly at the Door; she made no doubt but it was the Count, and open’d it immediately, and he catching her in his Arms with all the eagerness of transported Love, she was about to clear his Mistake, and let him know it was not an amourous Entertainment she expected from him; when a sudden cry of Murder, and the noise of clashing Swords, made him let go his hold, and draw his own, and run along the Gallery to find out the occasion, where being in the dark, and only directed by the noise he heard in his Wife’s Chamber, something met the point, and a great shriek following it, he cry’d for Lights but none coming immediately; he stepping farther stumbled at the Body which had fallen, he then redoubled his outcrys, and Melliora, frighted as she was, brought one from her Chamber, and at the same Instant that they discover’d it was Alovisa, who coming to alarm the Family, had by Accident run on her Husband’s Sword, they saw the Chevalier pursuing the Baron, who mortally wounded, dropt down by Alovisa’s side; what a dreadful View was this? The Count, Melliora, and the Servants, who by this time were most of them rowz’d, seem’d without Sence or Motion, only the Chevalier had Spirit enough to speak, or think, so stupify’d was every one with what they saw. But he ordering the Servants to take up the Bodies, sent one of ’em immediately for a Surgeon, but they were both of them past his Art to cure; Alovisa spoke no more, and the Baron liv’d but two Days, in which time the whole Account, as it was gather’d from the Mouths of those chiefly concern’d, was set down, and the Tragical part of it being laid before the KING, there appear’d so much of Justice in the Baron’s Death, and Accident in Alovisa’s, that the Count and Chevalier found it no difficult matter to obtain their Pardon. The Chevalier was soon after Married to his beloved Ansellina; but Melliora look’d on herself as the most guilty Person upon Earth, as being the primary Cause of all the Misfortunes that had happen’d, and retir’d immediately to a Monastery, from whence, not all the entreaties of her Friends, nor the implorations of the Amorous D’elmont cou’d bring her, she was now resolv’d to punish, by a voluntary Banishment from all she ever did, or cou’d love; the Guilt of Indulging that Passion, while it was a Crime. He, not able to live without her, at least in the same Climate, committed the Care of his Estate to his Brother, and went to Travel, without an Inclination ever to return: Melantha who was not of a Humour to take any thing to Heart, was Married in a short Time, and had the good Fortune not to be suspected by her Husband, though she brought him a Child in Seven Months after her Wedding.

LOVE in Excess:
OR, THE
Fatal Inquiry,
A
NOVEL.