CÉCILE VOLANGES TO THE CHEVALIER DANCENY
YOU WERE SO SAD yesterday, Monsieur, and that made me so sorry, that I went so far as to promise to reply to the letter which you wrote me. I nonetheless feel today that I ought not to do this: however, as I have promised, I do not wish to break my word, and that must prove how much friendship I feel for you. Now that you know that, I hope you will not ask me to write to you again. I hope also that you will tell nobody that I have written to you, because I should be certainly blamed, and that might cause me a great deal of pain. I hope, above all, that you yourself will not form a bad opinion of me, which would grieve me more than anything. I can give you every assurance that I would not have done as much to anyone except yourself. I should be very glad if you would do me a favor in your turn, and be less sad than you were: it takes away all the pleasure that I feel in seeing you. You see, Monsieur, I speak to you very sincerely. I ask nothing better than that I may always keep your friendship; but I beg of you do not write to me again.
I have the honor to be,
CÉCILE VOLANGES.
PARIS, 20TH AUGUST, 17–.