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Madam de Cleves approved of this expedient; and the more because it gave her an opportunity of sending for the duke de Nemours, to have the letter itself again, in order to have it copied word for word, imitating as near as may be the hand it was written in; and she thought this would effectually deceive the queen. As soon as she was got home, she informed her husband of what had passed between her and the queen-dauphin, and begged him to send for the duke de Nemours. The duke was sent for, and came immediately; madam de Cleves told him all she had told her husband, and asked for the letter; but the duke answered, that he had already returned it to the viscount de Chartres; who was so overjoyed upon having it again, and being freed from the danger he was in, that he sent it immediately to madam de Themines's friend. Madam de Cleves was in a new embarrassment on this occasion: in short, after having consulted together, they resolved to form the letter by memory; and, in order to go about it, they locked themselves up, and left orders that nobody should be admitted, and that all the duke de Nemours's attendants should be sent away. Such an appearance of secret confidence was no small charm to monsieur de Nemours, and even to madam de Cleves; her husband's presence, and the interests of her uncle the viscount de Chartres, were considerations which in great measure removed her scruples, and made this opportunity of seeing and being with the duke de Nemours so agreeable to her, that she never before experienced a joy so pure and free from allay; this threw her into a freedom and gaiety of spirit which the duke had never observed in her till now, and which made him still more passionately in love with her: As he had never known such agreeable moments, his vivacity was much heightened; and whenever madam de Cleves was beginning to recollect and write the letter, instead of assisting her seriously, did nothing but interrupt her with wit and pleasantry. madam de Cleves was as gay as he; so that they had