The Countess warned him of the Princess's distrust. He expressed indifference for everything except being loved by her; nevertheless he obeyed her orders to restrain himself and so well reassured the Princess of Neufchâtel that she made it clear to the Countess of Tende she was entirely satisfied with the Knight of Navarre.

Jealousy made itself known to the Countess. She feared that her lover really did love the Princess; she saw all the reasons he had to love her; their marriage, that she had wished for, gave her horror; and yet, she didn't want him to break it off and she found herself in a cruel incertitude.

She allowed the Knight to see all her remorse about the Princess of Neufchâtel; she resolved to hide from him only her jealousy and believed in effect that she had succeeded.

The passion of the Princess surmounted at last all of her irresolutions; she decided on her marriage and resolved to do it secretly and only to announce it after it was done. The Countess of Tende was ready to die of anguish.

On the very day set aside for the marriage, there was a public ceremony at which her husband was taking part. She sent there all her ladies-in-waiting; she made it known that no one should see her and shut herself in her room laid out on a sleeping couch and abandoned to all that remorse, love and jealously can most cruelly make one feel.

While she was in this state, she heard a hidden door of the room open and saw the Knight of Navarre appear, decked out and looking more charming than she'd ever seen him: