However, if the whole truth must be owned, I ought to
confess that my chief consolation was derived from a young cousin
of my own, who freely lavished upon me that unbounded affection
I would fain have sought from my husband.
"Meanwhile, wearied of his folly, this latter returned; and,
after having transferred his capricious fancies to at least half
a dozen mistresses, he finished where he should have begun by
attaching himself to her, who, as his wife, had every claim to
his homage. Men are unaccountable creatures, but unfortunately
for my husband his senses returned too late; my heart was too
entirely occupied to restore him to that place he had so hastily
vacated. My affections were no longer mine to bestow, but equally
shared by my estimable friend madame Boncault and my young and
captivating cousin. I was a bad hand at dissimulating, and M. de
Forcalquier perceived enough of my sentiments to excite his jealous
suspicions, and immediately removed with me to one of his estates.
"However, my cousin (whom my husband was far from suspecting) and
madame Boncault accompanied me in my retreat; there myself and
my admirer, more thrown together than we had been at Paris, began
insensibly to lay aside the restraint we had hitherto imposed on
our inclinations, and commenced a train of imprudences which
would quickly have betrayed us had not friendship watched over
us. The excellent madame Boncault, in order to save my reputation,
took so little care to preserve her own, that M.
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