that time, but am since informed she is one of the maids of honour to princess Louisa.—­I must confess I had not resolution enough to suffer so cruel an injustice, and being too much overcome by my passion to resent it as I ought, I left the place, and desired our friend to do it for me.—­I find she somewhat exceeded her commission, but you must forgive her, since it was her love for me:—­I am now at her house, where I impatiently expect you—­The baron is secure for some hours;—­those we may pass together, if you still think there is any thing worth quitting the masquerade for, to be found in the arms of

Yours, &c,

P.S. If you now fail, no excuse hereafter shall ever plead your pardon.’

This letter confirmed Horatio in the belief he had before, that he had been mistaken by the lady for some favorite person; but who the lady was, he was as much in the dark as ever; nor would he have given himself any trouble concerning it, if he had not hoped by that means to have retrieved the good opinion of Charlotta.  He was however impatient to shew her the letter, as he doubted not but she had seen it delivered to him; but with all his assiduity he could not obtain one word in private during the masquerade; and when it was broke up, which was not till near morning, and they returned to St. Germains, it was impossible, because he knew she must be in the princess’s chamber, as he in that of the Chevalier St. George:  he was therefore obliged to content himself with the hope that the next day would be more favourable.

CHAP.  VII.

An explanation of the foregoing adventure, with a continuation of the intrigues of some French ladies, and the policy of mademoiselle Coigney in regard of her brother.

It cannot be supposed that either of our young lovers enjoyed much true repose that night, tho’ the fatigue of the dance might naturally require it:  the one did but just know herself a lover before she felt the worst torments of that passion in her jealousy; and the other having been compelled, as it were, to lay open his heart in order to convince his charmer it had no object but herself in view, knew not but his temerity in doing so might be imputed to him as no less a crime than that from which he attempted to be cleared:  each had their different anxieties; but those of Horatio were the least severe, because thro’ all the indignation of his mistress he saw marks of an affection, which he could not have flattered himself with if they had not been evident; and conscious of his innocence, doubted not but time would both explain that and reconcile the offended fair:—­whereas Charlotta was far from being able to assure herself of her lover’s fidelity:  she could not conceive how, in the compass of one night, such a plurality of mistakes should happen to the same man, and trembled at the reflection that this man, who possibly was the falsest of his sex,