Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

It is supposed so 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 marksimen that ever tried

Cupid's patience,

-To think of making love by fen. timents!

F

I should as foon think of making a genteel suit of cloaths out of remnants:and to do it-pop-at first sight by decla. ration-is fubmitting the offer and thenselves with it, to be fifted, with all their pours and contres, by an unheated mind.

The lady attended as if she expected I should go on.

Confider

Confider then, Madam, continuedi I, laying my hand upon hers

[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

And that all of us, both old and young, being ten times worse frighten'd than hurt by the very report-What a want of knowledge in this branch of commer ce a man betrays, whoever lets the word come out of his lips, - till an hour or two at least after the time, that his filen ce upon it becomes tormenting. A course of small, quiet attentions, not so pointed as to alarm-nor so vague as to be mif

understood, with now and then a look

of

[ocr errors]

of kindness, and little or nothing faid upon it-leaves Nature for your mistress, and she fashions it to her mind.

Then I folemnly declare, faid the lady, blushing-you have been making love to me all this while.

E

1

A

THE REMISE.

CALAIS.

MONSIEUR Dessein came back to let us out of the chaise, and acquaint - the lady, the 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, said I, that I was going to make to you

-You need not tell me what the proposal was, faid she, laying her hand upon both mine, as she interrupted me. -A man, my good Sir, has feldom an

offer of kindness to make to a woman,

but

:

but she has a presentiment of it fome moments before

[blocks in formation]

Nature arms her with it, said I, for immediate prefervation-But I think, faid she, looking in my face, I had no evil to apprehend-and to deal frankly with you, had determined to accept it. If I had- (she stopped a moment) -I believe your good will would have drawn a story from me, which would have made pity the only dangerous thing in the journey.

In saying this, she suffered me to kiss her hand twice, and with a look of fensibility mixed with a concern she got out of the chaise-and bid adieu,

« ZurückWeiter »