In that multitude of young noblemen, brilliant dandies, and confessed libertines whom she had invited to her evening party, it was inevitable that there should be more than one who made love to her and aspired to take her away from Léodgard, or at least to induce her to be unfaithful to him.
"I will be more fascinating, more coquettish than ever," said Camilla to the fair-haired Flavia, her friend and confidante. "I will accord a very marked preference to some of my adorers, so that Léodgard must notice it! He will be annoyed--he is so hot-blooded, so passionate! perhaps a scene will result--sword thrusts--a duel!--Oh! that would be delicious! for then he would come back to me, more in love than ever."
"And suppose he should be killed in the duel?" rejoined Flavia.
"So much the worse! What would you have? he who risks nothing obtains nothing.--But, no--Léodgard is as brave as he is skilful; he would be the victor."
"In that case, the other will be killed."
"Well, my dear! I shall have given him the sweetest of hopes all the evening! Will he be so very much to be pitied?"
That is how courtesans loved in those days; and even among the _grandes dames_, there were some, you know, who cast their glove into an amphitheatre filled with lions and said to their lovers:
"If you really love me, you will go there and pick it up."
What affection, great God! What a melancholy idea of love that would give one!
Luckily, to comfort our hearts, we have Philemon and Baucis, Pyramus and Thisbe, Hero and Leander; but they are fabulous characters, and the others are historical.
It was midnight, and almost all Camilla's guests had arrived. The apartments were resplendent with light, the gardens exhaled the sweetest perfumes, and an orchestra, which certainly was not equal to those of our time, but which seemed very tuneful then, executed sarabands, chaconnes, and bransles.
There was card playing in one room, drinking in another; those who did not dance went out into the garden to chat and stroll. The heat was not insupportable, but the guests sought the outer air, the cool evening breeze; the ladies had been careful to wear the lightest of gowns, which did not conceal their charms, and which gave them the aspect of nymphs or of hamadryads, at least, as they flitted about the garden paths.