She having, with much difficulty, writ this, read it to her trusty confidante; for this was the only secret of her lady’s she was resolved never to discover to _Brilliard_, and to the end he might know nothing of it she sealed the letter with wax: but before she sealed it, she told her lady, she thought she might have spared abundance of her blushes, and have writ a less kind letter; for a word of invitation or consent would have served as well. To which _Sylvia_ replied, her anger against him was too high not to give him all the defeat imaginable, and the greater the love appeared, the greater would be the revenge when he should come to know (as in time he should) how like a false friend she had treated him. This reason, or any at that time would have served _Antonet_, whose heart was set upon a new adventure, and in such haste she was (the night coming on a-pace) to know how she should dress, and what more was to be done, that she only went out to call the page, and meeting _Brilliard_ (who watched every body’s motion) on the stair-case, he asked her what that was; and she said, to send by _Octavio_’. page: ‘You need not look in it,’ said she (when he snatched it hastily out of her hand:) ‘For I can tell you the contents, and it is sealed so, it must be known if you unrip it.’ ‘Well, well,’ said he, ‘if you tell it me, it will satisfy my curiosity as well; therefore I’ll give it the page.’ She returns in again to her lady, and he to his own chamber to read what answer the dear object of his desire had sent to his forged one: so opening it, he found it such as his soul wished, and was all joy and ecstasy; he views himself a hundred times in the glass, and set himself in order with all the opinion and pride, as if his own good parts had gained him the blessing; he enlarged himself as he walked, and knew not what to do, so extremely was he ravished with his coming joy; he blessed himself, his wit, his stars, his fortune; then read the dear obliging letter, and kissed it all over, as if it had been meant to him; and after he had forced himself to a little more serious consideration, he bethought himself of what he had to do in order to this dear appointment: he finds in her letter, that in the first place he was to send her the letter from _Philander_: I told you before he took _Octavio_’. letter from the page, when he understood his lord was going five leagues out of town to the prince. _Octavio_ could not avoid his going, and wrote to _Sylvia_; in which he sent her the letter _Philander_ writ, wherein was the first part of the confession of his love to Madam the Countess of _Clarinau_: generously _Octavio_ sent it without terms; but _Brilliard_ slid his own forged one into _Antonet_’. hand in lieu of it, and now he read that from _Philander_, and wondered at his lord’s inconstancy; yet glad of the opportunity to take _Sylvia_’. heart a little more off from him, he soon resolved she