As soon as we were seated, Madame de la Fite began with assuring me, aloud, of the “conquest” I had made of Madaine de la Roche, and appealed to that lady for the truth of what she said.  Madame de la Roche answered her by rising, and throwing her arms about me, and kissing my cheeks from side to side repeatedly.

Madame de la Fite, as soon as this was over, and we had resumed our seats, opened the next subject, by saying Madame de la Roche had read and adored “Cecilia:”  again appealing to her for confirmation of her assertion.

“O, oui, oui!” cried her friend, “mais la vraie C`ecile, est Miss Borni! charmante Miss Borni! digne, douce, et aimable—­com to me arms! que je vous embrasse millefois!”

Again we were all deranged, and again the same ceremony being performed, we all sat ourselves down.  “Cecilia” was hen talked over throughout, in defiance of every obstacle I could put in its way.  After this, Madame de la Fite said, in French, that Madame de la Roche had had the most extraordinary life and adventures that had fallen to anybody’s lot; and finished with saying, “Eh! ma ch`ere amie, contez-nous un peu.”

They were so connected, she answered, in their early part with M. Wieland, the famous author, that they would not be itelligible without his story.

Madame de la Roche, looking down upon her fan, began then the recital.  She related their first interview, the gradations of their mutual attachment, his extraordinary talents, his literary fame and name; the breach of their union from motives of prudence in their friends; his change of character from piety to voluptuousness, in consoling himself for her loss with an actress; his various adventures, and various transformations from good to bad, in life and conduct; her own marriage with 413

M. de ]a Roche, their subsequent meeting when she was mother of three children, and all the attendant circumstances.

This narrative was told in so touching and pathetic a manner, and interspersed with so many sentiments of tenderness and of heroism, that I could scarcely believe I was not actually listening to a Clelia, or a Cassandra, recounting the stories of her youth.(220)

When she had done, and I had thanked her, Madame de la Fite demanded of me what I thought of her, and if she was not delightful ?  I assented, and Madame de la Roche then, rising, and fixing her eyes, filled with tears, in my face, while she held both my hands, in the most melting accents, exclaimed, “Miss Borni! la plus ch`ere, la plus digne des Angloises! dites-moi-m’aimez-vous!”

I answered as well as I could, but what I said was not very positive.  Madame de la Fite came up to us, and desired we might make a trio of friendship, which should bind us to oneanother for life.  And then they both embraced me, and both wept for joyful fondness!  I fear I seemed very hard-hearted; but no spring was opened whence one tear of mine could flow.