the Count I would do myself the honour of dining with him before I set out for Italy-so took my leave. THE TEMPTATION. PARIS. WHEN I alighted at the hotel, the porter told me, a young woman with a band-box had been that moment enquiring for me. I do not know, said the porter, whether she is gone away or no.-I took the key of my chamber of him, and went up stairs; and when I had got within ten steps of the top of the landing before my door, I met her coming easily down. It was the fair fille de chambre I had walked along the Quai de Conti withMadame de R*** had sent her upon some commissions to a marchande des modes within a step or two of the hotel de Modene; and as I had failed in. wait ing upon her, had bid her enquire if I had left Paris; and if so, whether I had not left a letter addressed to her. As the fair fille de chambre was so near my door, she returned back, and went into the room with me for a moment or two whilst I wrote a card. It was a fine still evening, in the latter end of the month of May-the crimson -window curtains (which were of the same colour as those of the bed) were drawn close-the sun was setting, and reflected through them so warm a tint into the fair fille de chambre's face-I thought she blushed-the idea of it made me blush myself we were quite alone; and that superinduced a second blush before the first could get off. There is a sort of a pleasing half-guilty blush, where the blood is more in fault than the man-it is sent impetuous from 'the heart, and virtue flies after it—not to -call it back, but to make the sensation of |