TheDukeinthebeginningofhermourningdurstpayhernootherrespectsbutsuchasdecencyrequired；heknewMadamdeClevesenoughtobesensiblethatgreatimportunitiesandeagernesswouldbedisagreeabletoher；butwhathelearnedafterwardsplainlyconvincedhimthatheoughttoobservethesameconductagreatwhilelonger。
AservantoftheDuke’sinformedhimthatMonsieurdeCleves’sgentleman，whowashisintimatefriend，hadtoldhim，intheexcessofhisgriefforthelossofhismaster，thatMonsieurdeNemours’sjourneytoColomierswastheoccasionofhisdeath。
TheDukewasextremelysurprisedtohearthis；butafterhavingreflecteduponit，heguessedthetruthinpart，andrightlyjudgedwhatMadamdeCleves’ssentimentswouldbeatfirst，andwhatadistanceitwouldthrowhimfromher，ifshethoughtherhusband’sillnesswasoccasionedbyhisjealousy；hewasofopinionthatheoughtnotsomuchastoputherinmindofhisnameverysoon，andheabidedbythatconduct，howeversevereitappearedtohim。
HetookajourneytoParis，norcouldheforbearcallingatherhousetoenquirehowshedid。Hewastold，thatshesawnobody，andthatshehadevengivenstrictordersthattheyshouldnottroubleherwithanaccountofanythatmightcometoseeher；
thoseverystrictorders，perhaps，weregivenwithaviewtotheDuke，andtopreventherhearinghimspokenof；buthewastoomuchinlovetobeabletolivesoabsolutelydeprivedofthesightofMadamdeCleves；heresolvedtofindthemeans，letthedifficultybewhatitwould，togetoutofaconditionwhichwassoinsupportabletohim。