Ihave been a long time, my dear friend, without writing to you; but, since my last letter, I have been witness to a most melancholy scene, the dreadful consequences of which, affected me so much, that I have not been in a capacity to inform you of what you will be very anxious to hear, when I inform you it is relative to the unfortunate Cecilia. Alas! how much is she to be pitied at this time! … And, you shall judge, whether, at any time of her life, she was more worthy of exciting your compassion. I told you in my last letter the expression which escaped Cecilia on the subject of her profession, which was made on the sixteenth of May (a day, which has now proved itself doubly fatal to her repose!) and that we purposed, in order to divert her thoughts from this melancholy reflection, to carry her to the house of Nicole. We set out about five o'clock in the afternoon, Mons. d’ Aimeri, Mons. and Madame de Valmont, Cecilia, Mons. d’ Almane, Charles, Theodore, and myself, all in one carriage. I perceived Cecilia took very little share in the conversation, but she appeared to take great pleasure in admiring the beauties of the country, and the different prospects which offered themselves to her view. A sigh now and then escaped her, and seemed to say, how happy are those who are not deprived of the liberty of contemplating so beautiful a sight! … When we came within a short distance of Nicole's house, Madame de Valmont proposed our walking the rest of the way, in order, she said, to surprise these good people in the midst of their employment. We got out of our carriage, and, having crossed a large meadow, and passed through a double row of willows, we arrived at the house.