But these
were not the intentions either of Grimm or Madam d'Epinay, as it
will presently appear.
A few days afterwards, I had the pleasure of receiving from
Diderot the visit he had so frequently promised, and in which he had
as constantly failed. He could not have come more opportunely; he
was my oldest friend; almost the only one who remained to me; the
pleasure I felt in seeing him, as things were circumstanced, may
easily be imagined. My heart was full, and I disclosed it to him. I
explained to him several facts which either had not come, to his
knowledge, or had been disguised or supposed. I informed him, as far
as I could do it with propriety, of all that had passed. I did not
affect to conceal from him that with which he was but too well
acquainted, that a passion, equally unreasonable and unfortunate,
had been the cause of my destruction; but I never acknowledged that
Madam d'Houdetot had been made acquainted with it, or at least that
I had declared it to her. I mentioned to him the unworthy maneuvers of
Madam d'Epinay to intercept the innocent letters her sister-in-law
wrote to me. I was determined he should hear the particulars from
the mouth of the persons whom she had attempted to seduce. Theresa
related them with great precision; but what was my astonishment when
the mother came to speak, and I heard her declare and maintain that
nothing of this had come to her knowledge? These were her words from
which she would never depart. Not four days before she herself had
recited to me all the particulars Theresa had just stated, and in
presence of my friend she contradicted me to my face.
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