I therefore followed him to his door; he went in and brought me the letter.  I took him to an inn, where I asked for a room with a good fire, and I told my man to wait.  I broke the seal of the parcel—­a rather large one, and the first papers that I saw were the two letters which I had sent back to her in order to allay her anxiety as to the possible consequences of her giddiness.

The sight of these letters caused me such a palpitation of the heart that I was compelled to sit down:  it was a most evident sign of my defeat.  Besides these two letters I found a third one signed “S.” and addressed to M——­ M——.  I read the following lines: 

“The mask who accompanied me back to my house would not, I believe, have uttered a single word, if I had not told him that the charms of your witty mind were even more bewitching than those of your person; and his answer was, ‘I have seen the one, and I believe in the other.’  I added that I did not understand why you had not spoken to him, and he said, with a smile, ’I refused to be presented to her, and she punished me for it by not appearing to know that I was present.’  These few words were all our dialogue.  I intended to send you this note this morning, but found it impossible.  Adieu.”

After reading this note, which stated the exact truth, and which could be considered as proof, my heart began to beat less quickly.  Delighted at seeing myself on the point of being convicted of injustice, I took courage, and I read the following letter: 

“Owing to an excusable weakness, feeling curious to know what you would say about me to the countess after you had seen me, I took an opportunity of asking her to let me know all you said to her on the following day at latest, for I foresaw that you would pay me a visit in the afternoon.  Her letter, which I enclose, and which I beg you to read, did not reach me till half an hour after you had left the convent.

“This was the first fatality.

“Not having received that letter when you called, I had not the courage to see you.  This absurd weakness on my part was the second fatality, but the weakness you will; I hope; forgive.  I gave orders to the lay-sister to tell you that I was ill for the whole day; a very legitimate excuse; whether true or false, for it was an officious untruth, the correction of which, was to be found in the words:  for the whole day.  You had already left the convent, and I could not possibly send anyone to run after you, when the old fool informed me of her having told you that I was engaged.

“This was the third fatality.