| | "he Princess of Navarre (one called her that since her marriage) did not notice her distress and, continuing she said to her, "The Prince of Navarre, Madame, far from having the impatience that the conclusion of our marriage ought to give him, made me wait yesterday evening. He came without joy, his mind occupied and embarrassed; he left my bedroom at the break of day on I don't know what pretext. But he came from writing; I knew it by his hands. To whom could he write other than to a mistress? Why make me wait and why did he appear embarrassed?"
Someone came at this moment to interrupt the conversation, because the Princess of Condé was arriving; the Princess of Navarre had to go receive her and the Countess of Tende, who was beside herself, remained.
As soon as it was evening, she wrote to the Prince of Navarre to tell him of his wife's suspicions and to oblige him to constrain himself.
Their passion didn't abate because of perils or obstacles; the Countess of Tende had no peace and even sleep did not come to alleviate her chagrin.
One morning after she had called her ladies, her equerry approached her and said in a low voice that the Prince of Navarre was in her room and he was imploring her to see him so he could tell her something it was absolutely necessary she know.
One cedes easily to that which is pleasing; the Countess knew that her husband was away; she said she wanted to sleep and told her ladies to shut her doors and not come back until she called them.
The Prince of Navarre entered her room and threw himself on his knees before her bed. "What have you to tell me?" she said to him. "That I love you, Madame, that I adore you, that I don't know how to live with Madame of Navarre. The desire to see you seized me this morning with such violence that I couldn't resist. I came here at the risk that anything might happen and without hope even of talking with you.
The Countess scolded him at first for compromising her so lightly and then their passion led them into a conversation so long that the Count of Tende came back from the city.
He went to his wife's apartment; he was told that she hadn't awakened. It was late; he didn't hesitate, he entered her bedroom and found the Prince of Navarre on his knees before her bed, as he had put himself at first.
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