And all the satisfaction she had, was, that she should, she hoped, die concealed, if she must die for the crime; and that was much a greater joy, than to think she should be rendered back to _Clarinau_, who in a few days we heard was upon his recovery. This gave her new fears; but I confess to you, I was not afflicted at it; nor did I think it hard for me to bribe _Calista_ off; for the master of the prison was very civil and poor, so that with the help of some few of _Calista_’., jewels, he was wrought upon to let her escape, I offering to remain, and bear all the brunt of the business, and to pay whatever he could be fined for it. These reasons, with the ready jewels, mollified the needy rascal; and though loath she were to leave me, yet she being assured that all they could do was but to fine me, and her stay she knew was her inevitable ruin, at last submitted, leaving me sufficient in jewels to satisfy for all that could happen, which were the value of a hundred thousand crowns. She is fled to _Brussels_, to a nunnery of _Augustines_, where the Lady Abbess is her aunt, and where for a little time she is secure, till I can follow her. I beg of you my dear _Octavio_, write to me, and write me a letter of recommendation to the magistrates here, who all being concerned when any one of them is a cuckold, are very severe upon criminals in those cases. I tire you with my melancholy adventure--but it is some ease in the extremes of grief, to receive the tender pity of a friend, and that I am sure _Octavio_ will afford his unhappy PHILANDER. As cold and as unconcerned as _Sylvia_ imagined she had found her heart to _Philander_’., memory, at the reading of this letter, in spite of all the tenderness she had for _Octavio_, she was possessed with all those pains of love and jealousy, which heretofore tormented her, when love was young, and _Philander_ appeared with all those charms, with which he first conquered; she found the fire was but hid under those embers, which every little blast blows off, and makes it flame anew. It was now that she, forgetting all the past obligations of _Octavio_, all his vast presents, his vows, his sufferings, his passion and his youth, abandoned herself wholly to her tenderness for _Philander_, and drowns her fair cheeks in a shower of tears: and having eased her heart a little by this natural relief of her sex, she opened the letter that was designed for herself, and read this. _To_ SYLVIA.