I lady was returning back to the door of the Remise, he introduced himself to my acquaintance, and, before he had well got announced, begg'd I would do him the honour to prefent him to the lady. had not been presented myself------so turning about to her, he did it just as well by afking her, if she had come from Paris?---No: fhe was going that route, fhe faid.-Vous n'etez pas de Londre?-She was not, fhe replied.Then Madame must have come thro❜ Flanders-Apparement vous etez Flammande? said the French captain.-The Lady anfwered fhe was. -Peut-etre de Lifle? added he-She faid, fhe was not of Lifle.-Nor Arras?-Nor Cambray?-nor Ghent ?nor Bruffels? She anfwered, the was of -Bruffels. He had had the honour, he faid, to be at the bombardment of it last war-that it was finely fituated, pour cela-and full of nobleffe when the Imperialists were driven out by the French-(the lady made a flight curtfy) fo giving her an account of the affair, and of the share he had in it—he begg'd the honour to know her name-fo made his bow. -Et Madame a fon Mari?-faid he, looking back when he had made two steps-and, without staying for an answer-danced down the street. Had I ferved seven years apprenticeship to good breeding, I could not have done as much. THE REMISE. CALAIS. As the little French captain left us, Monf. Deffein came up with the key of the Remife in his hand, and. forthwith let us into his magazine of chaifes. The first object which caught my eye, as Monf. Deffein open'd the door of the Remife, was another old tatter'd Desobligeant: and notwithstanding it was the exact picture of that which had hit my fancy fo much in the coach-yard but an hour before-the very fight of it stirr'd up a difagreeable sensation within me now; and I thought 'twas a churlish beast into whofe heart the idea could first enter, to conftruct fuch a machine; nor had I much more charity for the man who could think of ufing it. I obferved the lady was as little taken with it as myself: fo Monf. Deffein led us on to a couple of chaifes which stood abreaft; telling us, as he recommended them, that they had been purchased by my Lord A. and B. to go the grand tour, but had gone no farther than Paris, fo were in all refpects as good as new-They were too good-so I pass'd on to a third, which stood behind, and forthwith began to chaffer for the price-But 'twill scarce hold two, faid I, opening the door and getting in-Have the goodness, Madam, faid Monf. Deffein, offering his arm, to ftep in-The lady hefitated half a second, and stepp'd in; and the waiter that moment beckoning to fpeak to Monf. Deffein, he fhut the door of the chaife upon us, and left us. THE REMISE DOOR. CALAIS. C'EST bien comique, 'tis very droll, faid the lady fmiling, from the reflection that this was the fecond time we had been left together by a parcel of nonfenfical contingencies-c'est bien comique, said she— -There wants nothing, faid I, to make it so, but the comic ufe which the gallantry of a Frenchman would put it to to make love the first moment, and an offer of his person the second. 'Tis their forte, replied the lady. It is fuppofed fo at least———————and how it has come to pass, continued I, I know not; but they have certainly got the credit of understanding more of love, and making it better than any other nation upon earth but for my own part, I think them errant bunglers, and in truth the worst set of marksmen that ever tried Cupid's patience. -To think of making love by fentiments! I fhould as foon think of making a genteel fuit of clothes out of remnants:- and to do it-pop-at first fight by declaration-is fubmitting the offer and themselves with it, to be fifted, with all their pours and contres, by an unheated mind. on. The lady attended as if the expected I should go Confider then, Madam, continued I, laying my hand upon hers That grave people hate Love for the name's fake- Hypocrites for heaven's— And that all of us, both old and young, being ten times worfe frighten'd than hurt by the very reFort What a want of knowledge in this branch of commerce a man betrays, whoever lets the word come out of his lips, till an hour or two at leaft after the time that his filence upon it becomes tormenting. A courfe of fmall, quiet attentions, not so pointed as to alarm---nor fo vague as to de misunderstood,with now and then a look of kindness, and little or nothing faid upon it---leaves nature for your mistress, and the fashions it to her mind Then I folemnly declare, faid the lady, blushing -you have been making love to me all this while. THE REMISE. CALAIS MONSIEUR ONSIEUR DESSEIN came back to let us out of the chaife, and acquaint the lady, Count de L her brother, was just arrived at the hotel. Though I had infinite good-will for the lady, I cannot say, that I rejoiced in my heart at the event---and could not help telling her fo---for it is fatal to a proposal, Madam, faid I, that I was going to make to you-- ---You need not tell me what the propofal was, faid fhe, laying her hand upon both mine, as fhe interrupted me.A man, my good Sir, has feidom an offer of kindness to make to a woman, but he has a prefentiment of it fome moraents before-- Nature arms her with it, faid I, for immediate prefervation-But I think, said fhe, looking in my face, I had no evil to apprehend-and, to deal frankly with you, had determined to accept it.-If I had (fhe stopped a moment)-I believe your goodwill would have drawn a story from me, which would have made pity the only dangerous thing in the jour ney.. In faying this, fhe fuffered me to kifs her hand twice, and with a look of fenfibility, mixed with a concern, the got out of the chaife—and bid adieu. IN THE STREET. I CALAIS. NEVER finished a twelve guinea bargain fo expeditiously in my life: my time seemed heavy upon the lofs of the lady, and knowing every moment of it would be as two, till I put myself into motion—I ordered post-horses directly, and walked towards the hotel. Lord! faid I, hearing the town-clock ftrike four, and recollecting that I had been little more than a fingle hour in Calais What a large volume of adventures may be grafped within this little span of life by him who interests his heart in every thing, and who, having eyes to see what time and chance are perpetually holding out to him as he journeyeth on his way, miffes nothing he can fairly lay his hands on.— -If this wont turn out fomething another |