While you ramble up and down in search of great adventures, traverse the seas, enlarge your ideas, and acquire knowledge; whilst you lie on hard beds, eat tough chops, and onion soups; I dully vegetate in the midst of fifty persons who think of nothing, talk of nothing but common-place topics, knot, play at loto, and sit three hours at table. – You know how desirous I was to follow Mons. de Limours; I had formed a delicious idea of this excursion. – First of all, I was to act the governor's lady, and I imagined I should do it with a good grace; and the part did not displease me. Then I flattered myself that four months spent fourscore leagues from Paris, and from Madame de Gerville, might produce a great change in my situation, and in the sentiments of Mons. de Limours. Besides, carrying Madame de Valcy with me, I still hoped to regain that place in her heart, which I could not renounce without extreme regret: but these hopes, so agreeable, are absolutely vanished. I was very happy the first fortnight I passed here. I had the greatest desire to please and be popular. All the officers of the garrison, all the gentlemen of the neighbourhood, and all the ladies of the place, vied with each other who should most praise my grace, my politeness, and my evenness of temper; and even Mons. de Limours himself deigned frequently to commend me for the manner in which I did the honours of his house. I was in this situation, when one unlucky morning comes Madame de Gerville from Paris, under pretence of visiting an aunt of hers, who has been settled here these twenty years, and to whom she has not perhaps written four letters during the whole time. Her sudden appearance disconcerted me the more, as I understood at the same time, she intended not to return to Paris for two months.