The Princess De Montpensier

by Madame de La Fayette

The Duc de Guise whowanted nothing more than the love of the Princess de Montpensier,enjoyed a ceremony which in other circumstances would have overwhelmedhim with disappointment.

  The Duc was not able to conceal his love so well that the Prince deMontpensier did not suspect that something was going on, and beingconsumed by jealousy he ordered his wife to go to Champigny. This orderwas a great shock to her, but she had to obey: she found a way to saygoodbye to the Duc de Guise privately but she found herself in greatdifficulty when it came to a means of providing a method whereby hecould write to her. After much thought she decided to make use of theComte de Chabannes, whom she always looked on as a friend withoutconsidering that he was in love with her. The Duc de Guise, who knew ofthe close friendship between the Comte and the Prince de Montpensier,was at first amazed at her choice of the Comte as a go-between, but sheassured him of the Comte's fidelity with such conviction that he waseventually satisfied. He parted from her with all the unhappiness whichsuch a separation can cause.

  The Comte de Chabannes, who had been ill in Paris while the Princesswas at Blois, learning that she was going to Champigny arranged to meether on the road and go with her. She greeted him with a thousandexpressions of friendship and displayed an extraordinary impatience totalk to him in private, which at first delighted him. Judge his dismaywhen he found that this impatience was only to tell him that she wasloved passionately by the Duc de Guise, a love which she returned. Hewas so distressed that he was unable to reply. The Princess, who wasengrossed by her infatuation, took no notice of his silence. She beganto tell him all the least details of the events, and how she and theDuc had agreed that he should be the means by which they could exchangeletters. The thought that the woman he loved expected him to be ofassistance to his rival, and made the proposal as if it was a thing hewould find agreeable was bitterly hurtful, but he was so much incontrol of himself that he hid all his feelings from her and expressedonly surprise at the change in her attitude. He hoped that this changewhich removed even the faintest hope from him would at the same timechange his feelings, but he found the Princess so charming, her naturalbeauty having been enhanced by a certain grace which she had acquiredat Court that he felt that he loved her more than ever. This remarkabledevotion produced a remarkable effect. He agreed to carry his rival'sletters to his beloved.

  The Princess was very despondent at the absence of the Duc de Guise,and could hope for solace only from his letters. She continuallytormented the Comte de Chabannes to know if he had received any andalmost blamed him for not having delivered one sooner. At last somearrived, brought by a gentleman in the Duc's service, which he took toher immediately so as not to delay her pleasure for a moment longerthan necessary. The Princess was delighted to have them and torturedthe poor Comte by reading them to him, as well as her tender and lovingreply. He took this reply to the waiting courier even more sadly thanhe had made the delivery. He consoled himself a little by thereflection that the Princess would realise what he was doing for herand would show some recognition. Finding, however, that she dailytreated him with less consideration, owing to the anxieties whichpreoccupied her, he took the liberty of begging her to think a littleof the suffering she was causing him. The Princess who had nothing inher head but the Duc de Guise, was so irritated by this approach thatshe treated the Comte much worse than she had done on the firstoccasion when he had declared his love for her. Although his devotionand patience had stood so many trials, this was too much. He left thePrincess and went to live with a friend who had a house in theneighbourhood, from where he wrote to her with all the bitterness thather behaviour had provoked and bid her an eternal adieu.

  The Princess began to repent having dealt so harshly with a man overwhom she had so much influence, and being unwilling to lose him, notonly on account of their past friendship, but also because of his vitalrole in the conduct of her affair, she sent a message to him to saythat she wished to speak to him one more time and that afterwards shewould leave him free to do as he pleased. One is very vulnerable whenone is in love. The Comte came back, and in less than an hour thebeauty of the Princess, her charm and a few kind words made him moresubmissive than ever, and he even gave her some letters from the Duc deGuise which he had just received.

  At this time there was a scheme afoot in the Court to attract there allthe leaders of the Huguenots, with the secret aim of including them inthe horrible massacre of St. Bartholomew's day. As part of this attemptto lull them into a false sense of security, the King dismissed fromhis presence all the princes of the houses of Bourbon and de Guise. ThePrince de Montpensier returned to Champigny, to the utter dismay of hiswife, the Duc de Guise went to the home of his uncle, the Cardinal deLorraine.

  Love and idleness induced in him such a violent desire to see thePrincess de Montpensier that without considering the risks to her andto himself he made some excuse to travel and leaving his suite in asmall town he took with him only the gentleman who had already madeseveral trips to Champigny, and went there by post-chaise. As he knewno one whom he could approach but the Comte de Chabannes, he had thegentleman write a note requesting a meeting at a certain spot. TheComte, believing that this was solely for the purpose of receivingletters from the Duc de Guise went there, but was most surprised to seethe Duc himself and equally dismayed. The Duc, full of his own plans,took no more notice of the Comte's dismay than had the Princess of hissilence when she told him of her amour. He described his passion inflorid terms and claimed that he would infallibly die if the Princesscould not be persuaded to see him. The Comte replied coldly that hewould tell the Princess all that the Duc wanted to convey and wouldreturn with her response. He then went back to Champigny with his ownemotions in such a turmoil that he hardly knew what he was doing. Hethought of sending the Duc away without saying anything to thePrincess, but the faithfulness with which he had promised to serve hersoon put an end to that idea. He arrived without knowing what he shoulddo, and finding that the Prince was out hunting, he went straight tothe Princess's apartment. She saw that he was distressed and dismissedher women in order to find out what troubled him. He told her, ascalmly as he could, that the Duc de Guise was a league distant and thathe wanted passionately to see her. The Princess gave a cry at this newsand her confusion was almost as great as that of the Comte. At firstshe was full of joy at the thought of seeing the man she loved sotenderly, but when she considered how much this was against herprinciples, and that she could not see her lover without introducinghim into her home during the night and without her husband's knowledge,she found herself in the utmost difficulty. The Comte awaited her replyas if it were a matter of life or death. Realising that her silenceindicated her uncertainty, he took the liberty of presenting to her allthe perils to which she would be exposed by such a meeting, and wishingto make it clear that he was not doing this in his own interest, hesaid that if, in spite of all that he had said she was determined tosee the Duc, rather than see her seek for aid from helpers lessfaithful than himself, he would bring the Duc to her. "Yes Madame," hesaid, "I shall go and find the Duc and bring him to your apartment, forit is too dangerous to leave him for long where he is."

  "But how can this be done?" interrupted the Princess.

  "Ha! Madame," cried the Comte, "It is then decided, since you speakonly of the method. I shall lead him through the park; only order oneof your maids whom you can trust to lower, exactly at midnight, thelittle drawbridge which leads from your antechamber to the flowergarden and leave the rest to me." Having said this he rose and withoutwaiting for any further comment from the Princess, he left, remountedhis horse and went to look for the Duc de Guise, who was waiting forhim with the greatest impatience.

  The Princess remained in such a state of confusion that it was sometime before she came to her senses. Her first thought was to sendsomeone after the Comte to tell him not to bring the Duc, but she couldnot bring herself to do so. She then thought that failing this she hadonly not to have the drawbridge lowered, and she believed that shewould continue with this re
solve, but when the hour of the assignationdrew near she was no longer able to resist the desire to see the loverwhom she longed for, and she gave instructions to one of her women onthe method by which the Duc was to be introduced into her apartment.

  Meanwhile the Duc and the Comte were approaching Champigny, but in verydiffering frames of mind. The Duc was full of joy and all the happinessof expectation. The Comte was in a mood of despair and anger, whichtempted him at times to run his sword through his rival. They at lastreached the park, where they left their horses in the care of the Duc'ssquire, and passing through a gap in the wall they came to the flowergarden. The Comte had always retained some hope that the Princess wouldcome to her senses and resolve not to see the Duc, but when he saw thatthe drawbridge was lowered he realised that his hope was in vain. Hewas tempted to take some desperate measure, but he was aware that