Volume VI Part 8 (1/2)
”That is enough I swear eternal gratitude, and to be as subht to be”
The religion and philosophy hich her heart and an to calm her spirit, and she proceeded to make some reflections on Croce's unhappy lot, but all in pity not in anger, excusing his inveterate passion for play She had often heard froirl who her to ain be intervening as the tutelary genius; but her situation was much the worse, for she ith child
”There's another difference,” I added, ”for Iher an honest husband, whereas I should never have the courage to adopt the same method with the second”
”While Croce lives I alad to find myself free”
When ere back in the house, I advised her to send away the servant and to pay his journey to Besanion, where she had taken him Thus all unpleasantness would be avoided I made her sell all that ree, for mine was a better one She shewed me all she had left, which only amounted to some sets of linen and three or four dresses
We re out of doors She could see that my love was a tenderer passion than the love of a father, and she told ed to ether for hours, she folded in ently kissed her beautiful eyes, and asked no ratitude and inI left the beautiful girl till I was ain, and such conquests made me proud In the affection between us there was somewhat of the purity of acap, and the servant of the house went to ht several for me to choose fro to her When she had gone I told Charlotte the whole story, and she laughed with all her heart when I reminded her of the bruise on iven ither repentance, and agreed withthat the whole plan had been concerted between her and her aunt
We left Spa without any servant, and e reached Liege we took the way of the Ardennes, as she was afraid of being recognized if we passed through Brussels At Luxeed a servant, who attended on us till we reached Paris All the way Charlotte was tender and affectionate, but her condition prescribed limits to her love, and I could only look forward to the tiot down at Paris at the ”Hotel Montmorenci,” in the street of the same name
Paris struck me quite as a new place Madaed their houses and their fortunes; the poor had becos were rising on all sides; I hardly kneay about the town Everything was dearer; poverty was rahest pitch Perhaps Paris is the only city where so great a change could take place in the course of five or six years
The first call I hted to see me I repaid her the money she had so kindly lent me in the time of my distress She ell in health, but harassed by so many anxieties and private troubles that she said Providence riefs by my cabala I told her that I would wait on her at any hour or hours; and this, indeed, was the least I could do for the woone to live in the Faubourg St Antoine Both he and his wife (who remained constant to him, despite his physical disability) were overjoyed to see me, and entreated lad to do so, as soon as the lady who had travelled with ot over her confinement I did not think proper to tell them her story, and they had the delicacy to refrain fro me on the subject The sa them not to take it amiss if my visits were few and far between, as the lady they had seen at Spa was approaching her confinee of these duties I reht it would be well to take her to Mada St Denis, and Charlotte was of the saether, she saw the room, the bed, and heard how she would be tended and looked after, for all of which I would pay At nightfall we drove to the place, with a trunk containing all her effects
As ere leaving the Rue Monted to stop to allow the funeral of soo by Charlotte covered her face with her handkerchief, and whispered in my ear, ”Dearest, I know it is a foolish superstition, but to a wo is of evil oht you were too wise to have such silly fears
A woman in child-bed is not a sick wo birth to a child except some other disease intervened”
”Yes, my dear philosopher, it is like a duel; there are two men in perfect health, when all of a sudden there comes a sword-thrust, and one of thelooo by, and after your child is born, and we have placed it in good hands, you shall come with me to Madrid, and there I hope to see you happy and contented”
All the way I did my best to cheer her, for I knew only too well the fatal effects of nant woirl as Charlotte
When I saw her completely settled I returned to the hotel, and the next day I took upas my Charlotte lived, I only slept at his house, for froht I ith my dear
On October 13th Charlotte was attacked with a fever which never left her On the 17th she was happily delivered of a boy, which was immediately taken to the church and baptized at the express wishes of the mother Charlotte wrote dohat its name was to be--Jacques (after me), Charles (after her), son of Antonio della Croce and of Charlotte de (she gave her real naht from the church she told Mada Hospital, with the certificate of baptism in its linen I vainly endeavoured to persuade her to leave the care of the child to me She said that if it lived the father could easily reclaiavecertificate, which I still possess:
It orded as follows:
”We, J B Dorival, Councillor to the King, Commissary of the Chatelet, formerly Superintendent of Police in the City of Paris, do certify that there has been taken to the Hospital for Children a ht fro a certificate of baptism to the effect that its name is Jacques Charles, son of Antonio della Croce and of Charlotte de---- Wherefore, we have delivered the above certificate at our office in the City of Paris, this 18th day of October, in the year of our Lord, 1767, at seven o'clock in the afternoon
”DORIVAL” If any of my readers have any curiosity to know the real na it
After this I did not leave the bed of the invalid for a single instant