After discoursing of several things, and of the fate of several persons, it was bed-time; and they taking leave, each man departed to his chamber.
_Philander_, while he was undressing, being alone with _Brilliard_, began to discourse of _Sylvia_, and to take some care of letting her know, he was arrived at _Brussels_; and for her convoy thither. _Brilliard_, who even yet retained some unaccountable hope, as lovers do, of one day being happy with that fair one; and believing he could not be so, with so much felicity, while she was in the hands of _Octavio_ as those of _Philander_, would never tell his lord his sentiments of her conduct, nor of her love to _Octavio_, and those other passages that had occurred in _Holland_: he only cried, he believed she might be overcome, being left to herself and by the merits and good fashion of _Octavio_; but would not give his master an absolute fear, or any account of truth, that he might live with her again, if possible, as before; and that she might hold herself so obliged to him for silence in these affairs, as might one day render him happy. These were the unweighed reasons he gave for deluding his lord into a kind opinion to the fickle maid: but ever when he named _Sylvia_, _Philander_ could perceive his blushes rise, and from them believed there was something behind in his thought, which he had a mind to know: he therefore pressed him to the last degree,--and cried--'Come--confess to me, _Brilliard_, the reason of your blushes: I know you are a lover, and I was content to suffer you my rival, knowing your respect to me.' This, though he spoke smiling, raised a greater confusion in _Brilliard_'s heart. 'I own, my lord,' said he, 'that I have, in spite of that respect, and all the force of my soul, had the daring to love her whom you loved; but still the consideration of my obligations to your lordship surmounted that saucy flame, notwithstanding all the encouragement of your inconstancy, and the advantage of the rage it put Sylvia in against you.' 'How,' cried _Philander_, 'does _Sylvia_ know then of my falseness, and is it certain that _Octavio_ has betrayed me to her?' With that _Brilliard_ was forced to advance, and with a design of some revenge upon _Octavio_, (who, he hoped, would be challenged by his lord, where one, or both might fall in the rencounter, and leave him master of his hopes) he told him all that had passed between them, all but real possession, which he only imagined, but laid the whole weight on _Octavio_, making _Sylvia_ act but as an incensed woman, purely out of high revenge and resentment of so great an injury as was done her love. He farther told him, how, in the extravagancy of her rage, she had resolved to marry _Octavio_, and how he prevented it by making a public declaration she was his wife already; and for which _Octavio_ procured the _States_ to put him in prison; but by an accident that happened to the uncle of _Octavio_, for which he was forced to fly, the _States_ released him, when he came to his lord: 'How,' cried _Philander_, 'and is the traitor _Octavio_ fled from _Holland_, and from the reach of my chastisement?' 'Yes,' replied _Brilliard_; 'and not to hold you longer from the truth, has forced _Sylvia_ away with him.' At this _Philander_ grew into a violent rage, sometimes against _Octavio_ for his treasons against friendship; sometimes he felt the old flame revive, raised and blown jealousy, and was raving to imagine any other should possess the lovely _Sylvia_. He now beholds her with all those charms that first fired him, and thinks, if she be criminal, it was only the effects of the greatest love, which always hurries women on to the highest revenges. In vain he seeks to extinguish his returning flame by the thought of _Calista_; yet, at that thought, he starts like one awakened from a dream of honour, to fall asleep again, and dream of love. Before it was rage and pride, but now it was tenderness and grief, softer passions, and more insupportable. New wounds smart most, but old ones are most dangerous. While he was thus raging, walking, pausing, and loving, one knocked at his chamber-door. It was _Sylvia_'s page, who had waited all the evening to speak to him, and could not till now be admitted. _Brilliard_ was just going to tell him he was there before, when he arrived now again: _Philander_ was all unbuttoned, his stockings down, and his hair under his cap, when the page, being let in by _Brilliard_, ran to his lord, who knew him and embraced him: and it was a pretty while they thus caressed each other, without the power of speaking; he of asking a question, and the boy of delivering his message; at last, he gave him _Sylvia_'s billet, which was thus--