as much friendship and confidence as did her husband. Chabannes,
for his part, observed with admiration the beauty, sense and
modesty of the young Princess, and used what influence he had to
instill in her thoughts and behaviour suited to her elevated
position; so that under his guidance she became one of the most
accomplished women of her time.

The Prince having gone back to the Court, where he was needed
owing to the continuation of the war, the Comte lived alone with
the Princess and continued to treat her with the respect due to
her rank and position. The Princess took him so far into her
confidence as to tell him of the feelings she had once had for
the Duc de Guise, but she intimated that there remained only
enough of this emotion to prevent her heart from straying
elsewhere and that this remnant, together with her wifely virtue
made it impossible for her to respond, except with a rebuff, to
any possible suitor.

The Comte who recognised her sincerity and who saw in her a
character wholly opposed to flirtation and gallantry, did not
doubt the truth of her words; but nevertheless he was unable to
resist all the charms which he saw daily so close to him. He fell
deeply in love with the Princess, in spite of the shame he felt
at allowing himself to be overcome by this illicit passion.
However although not master of his heart, he was master of his
actions; the change in his emotions did not show at all in his
behaviour, and no one suspected him. He took, for a whole year,
scrupulous care to hide his feelings from the Princess and
believed that he would always be able to do so.