The Fortunate Foundlings. Eliza Fowler Haywood

curiosity for the contents not equalling his desire of entertaining mademoiselle Charlotta; but that young lady, whose jealousy received new fewel from this object, had slipt away before he could turn from the man, and had already mixed with a cluster of both sexes who had got into the room before them.

      Horatio finding all attempts to speak to her that night would be ineffectual, went back into the drawing-room where they supped, and where but few people remaining he might examine the letter with more freedom. He saw it had no superscription; but supposing the inside would give him some satisfaction, he broke it open hastily and found in it these lines.

       'Whether false or faithful still are you dear to

       me; and if I am in the least so to you,

       the treatment you received will be pardoned for

       the sake of the occasion:--I own that at a

       place where you might have been as particular as

       you pleased with me without suspicion, it enraged

       me to see you waste those precious moments

       with others which I flattered myself to have solely

       engrossed;--besides, the character of mademoiselle

       Sanserre is so well known, that I thought

       you would have avoided her of all others; yet

       had she forced herself upon you, sure you might

       afterwards have come to me, when I had given

       you so particular a description of the habit I

       should wear; but instead of making any excuse

       for a first transgression, you hurry to a second,

       and pay all your devoirs to another, whom indeed

       I knew not at that time, but am since informed

       she is one of the maids of honour to princess

       Louisa.--I must confess I had not resolution

       enough to suffer so cruel an injustice, and being

       too much overcome by my passion to resent it as

       I ought, I left the place, and desired our friend to

       do it for me.--I find she somewhat exceeded

       her commission, but you must forgive her, since

       it was her love for me:--I am now at her

       house, where I impatiently expect you--The

       baron is secure for some hours;--those we may

       pass together, if you still think there is any thing

       worth quitting the masquerade for, to be found

       in the arms of

       Yours, &c, P.S. If you now fail, no excuse hereafter shall ever plead your pardon.'

      This letter confirmed Horatio in the belief he had before, that he had been mistaken by the lady for some favorite person; but who the lady was, he was as much in the dark as ever; nor would he have given himself any trouble concerning it, if he had not hoped by that means to have retrieved the good opinion of Charlotta. He was however impatient to shew her the letter, as he doubted not but she had seen it delivered to him; but with all his assiduity he could not obtain one word in private during the masquerade; and when it was broke up, which was not till near morning, and they returned to St. Germains, it was impossible, because he knew she must be in the princess's chamber, as he in that of the Chevalier St. George: he was therefore obliged to content himself with the hope that the next day would be more favourable.