"My feelings and my favours are to me sure warrants for that love, and
answer to me for your heart; my trust is entire on this head: but explain
yourself, I entreat you, and open your soul to me; otherwise, I shall
fear lest, by the fatality of my star, and by the too fortunate influence
of the stars on women less tender and less faithful than I, I may be
supplanted in your heart as Medea was in Jason's; not that I wish to
compare you to a lover as unfortunate as Jason, and to parallel myself
with a monster like Medea, although you have enough influence over me to
force me to resemble her each time our love exacts it, and that it
concerns me to keep your heart, which belongs to me, and which belongs to
me only. For I name as belonging to me what I have purchased with the
tender and constant love with which I have burned for you, a love more
alive to-day than ever, and which will end only with my life; a love, in
short, which makes me despise both the dangers and the remorse which will
be perhaps its sad sequel. As the price of this sacrifice, I ask you but
one favour, it is to remember a spot not far from here: I do not exact
that you should keep your promise to-morrow; but I want to see you to
disperse your suspicions. I ask of God only one thing: it is that He
should make you read my heart, which is less mine than yours, and that He
should guard you from every ill, at least during my life: this life is
dear to me only in so far as it pleases you, and as I please you myself.
I am going to bed: adieu; give me your news to-morrow morning; for I
shall be uneasy till I have it. Like a bird escaped from its cage, or
the turtle-dove which has lost her mate, I shall be alone, weeping your
absence, short as it may be. This letter, happier than I, will go this
evening where I cannot go, provided that the messenger does not find you
asleep, as I fear. I have not dared to write it in the presence of
Joseph, of Sebastian, and of Joachim, who had only just left me when I
began it."