THE Passion which the Count had profess'd for Emanuella, was too sincere to be easily thrown off; and tho' in his Circumstances, it was wholly improper he should marry without a Fortune; yet he could not resolve to quit her without the utmost Reluctance – The first Storm of Indignation which the malicious Berillia had raised in his Soul, was no sooner over, than a great part of his former Tenderness return'd. He consider'd that what he had heard was so inconsistent with her Character, and with her Behaviour; that had it come from the Mouth of any other Person, it would not have found the least room in his Belief. Nor could he even from her set it down for Truth, in spite of the Improbability there appeared, that she should have any Design in deceiving him into an ill Opinion of a Woman, whom he knew she had Reason to esteem – This Division in his Thoughts, made him for some days sufficiently disquieted. Nor was he a little amaz'd, and alarm'd, when he was told that she was retir'd into a Monastery – This Proceeding, he thought vastly incongruous with the Account Berillia had given him of her Humour; and he was at the greatest loss in the World what Judgment to form – Fain would he have writ – fain would he have made her a Visit at the Grate of the Pourclairs; but the Promise her Cousin had exacted from him, deferr'd him on the one side; and on the other, the Reflection that, in case she should be found Innocent, he should be obliged to renew those Pretensions, which, as she now was, were no way conformable to his Ambition – However, he could not restrain his Inclinations, which were yet very tender to her, and, perhaps, might in time have weighed down Interest, if a Chance had not happened in his Affairs, which turn'd the Ballance, and prov'd how little Dependance there is on Man, when Love and Gratitude are the only Motives to engage his Constancy.