CALAI S. I perceived that fomething darken'd the paffage more than myfelf, as I stepp'd along it to my room; it was effectually Monf. Deffein, the mafter of the hôtel, who had juft return'd from vefpers, and, with his hat under his arm, was most complaifantly following me, to put me in mind of my wants. I had wrote myfelf pretty well out of conceit with the Defobligeant; and Monf. Deffein speaking of it, with a fhrug, as if it would no way fuit me, it immediately flruck my fancy that it belong'd to fome innocent traveller, who, on his return home, had left it to Monf. Deffein's honour to make the most of. Four months had elapfed elapfed fince it had finifh'd its career of Europe in the corner of Monf. Deffein's coachyard; and having fallied out from thence but a vampt-up bufinefs at the first, though it had been twice taken to pieces on Mount Sennis, it had not profited much by its adventures-but by none fa little as the flanding fo many months unpitied in the corner of Monf. Deffein's coachyard. Much indeed was not to be faid for it- but fomething might-and when a few words will rescue mifery out of her diftrefs, I hate the man who can be a churl of them. -Now was I the mafter of this hôtel, faid I, laying the point of my forefinger on Monf. Deffein's breast, I would inevitably make a point of getting rid of this unfortunate Defobligeant it ftands. fwinging reproaches at you every time. you pass by it Mon Mon Dieu! faid Monf. Deffein-I have no intereft-Except the intereft, faid I, which men of a certain turn of mind take, Monf. Deffein, in their own fenfations- I'm perfuaded, to a man who feels for others as well as for himself, every rainy night, disguise it as you will, must cast a damp upon your spirits-You fuffer, Monf. Deffein, as much as the machine I have always obferved, when there is as much four as fweet in a compliment, that an Englishman is eternally at a lofs within himfelf, whether to take it, or let it alone: a Frenchman never is: Monf. Deffein made me a bow. -C'est bien vrai, said he-But in this cafe I fhould only exchange one difquietude for another, and with lofs: figure to yourself, my dear Sir, that in way to giving you a chaife which would fall to pieces before you had got half Paris-figure to yourself how much I fhould fuffer, in giving an ill impreffion of myself to a man of honour, and lying at the mercy, as I muft do, d'un homme d'efprit. The dofe was made up exactly after my own prescription; fo I could not help taking it and returning Monf. Deffein his bow, without more cafuiftry we walk'd together towards his Remife, to take a view of his magazine of chaifes. |