“Nevertheless, what she suffered during the campaign of Virginia surpassed all she had yet endured. As the English papers, which alone brought any news, always depicted the situation as desperate, the most disastrous reports came to her knowledge; but she had the courage to hide them from her mother, and endeavored to bear all her sufferings alone. “The brilliant conclusion of that campaign which had been conducted by my father, and had ended by the capture of Lord Cornwallis, caused her a happiness which had been purchased by prolonged sufferings. My father arrived unexpectedly in Paris on the 21st of January, 1782. The joy of seeing him again, returned with so much glory out of so many dangers, and the fascination of his presence, were intensely felt by my mother. So overpowering were her feelings that for several months she felt ready to faint every time he left the room. She was alarmed at the vehemence of her passion, fearing that she could not always conceal it from my father, and that it might become annoying to him, and she therefore endeavored to restrain it for his sake only.” This touching little scene of an ideal love-life is a charming picture in La Fayette’s history. Scarcely anywhere in history can be found the record of two souls in such perfect harmony of thought and feeling as the Marquis and Marquise de La Fayette. To the end their life was unmarred by the least discord or misunderstanding. The world crowned him with honor; and he laid at her feet his diadem of glory, and felt himself rewarded by her tender smile of approving love. It is fitting that we should here quote a few lines from a letter written to Washington by La Fayette, in October, 1782, announcing the birth of this same Virginie, who afterwards became such a faithful narrator of the beautiful life of the Marquis and Marquise de La Fayette. The marquis says:— “MY DEAR GENERAL: Since the arrival of Colonel Gimat not one line from you has come to me; this afflicts me intensely, because when I have not the pleasure of being with you it is absolutely necessary for me that I should receive letters from you. “This will be handed to you by General Dupontail and Colonel Gouvion, who return to America. I wish I could do the same; but you know that I am detained here by the American plenipotentiaries, in the hope of serving our cause, which is always to me the principal object. “General Dupontail will give you the public news; I have communicated those of a more secret nature to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, and I have requested him to transmit my letter to your Excellency. You will be able to form your opinion upon the situation of affairs; but although their progress does not permit me (on account of the reasons which I have already explained) to leave this country at the present time, my personal opinion is, that a victory is necessary before a general peace can be brought to a conclusion.