THE TEMPTATION.

I know as well as any one he is an adversary, whom, if we resist, he will fly from us but I seldom resist him at all; from terror, that though I may conquer, I may still get a hurt in the combat so I give up the triumph for security; and, instead of thinking to make him fly, I generally fly myself.

The fair fille de chambre came close пр the to bureau where I was looking for a card-took up first the pen I had cast down, then offered to hold me the ink she offered it so [sweetly,, I was going to accept it--but I durst not, I have nothing, my dear, said I, to write uponWrite it, said she, simply, upon any thing."

I was just going to cry out then I will write it, fair girl! upon thy lips.

If I do, said I, I shall perish-so I took her by the hand, and led her to the door, and begged she would not forget the lesson I had given her-She said, indeed she would not-and as she uttered it with some earnestness, she turned about, and gave me both her hands, closed together, into mine-it was impossible not to compress them in that situation. I wished to let them go; and, all the time I held them, I kept arguing within myself against it and still I held them on. In two minutes I found I had all the battle to fight over again and I felt my legs and every limb about me tremble at the idea.

PARIS.

The foot of the bed was within a yard and a half of the place where we were standing. I had still hold of her hands and how it happened I can give no account; but I neither asked her nor drew her nor did I think of the bed-but so it did happen, we both sat down.

I will just shew you, said the fair fille de chambre, the little purse I have been making to-day to hold your crown. So she put her hand into her right pocket, which was next me, and felt for it for some time-then into the left." She had lost it," I never bore expectation more quietly--it was in her right pocket at last-she pulled it out; it was of green taffeta, lined with a little bit of white quilted sattin, and just big enough to hold the crown-she put it into my hand-it was pretty; and I held it ten minutes with the back of my hand resting upon her lap -looking sometimes at the purse, sometimes on one side of it.

A stitch or two had broke out in the gathers of my stock-the fair fille de chambre, without saying a word, took out her little housewife, threaded a small needle, and sewed it up.-I foresaw it would hazard the glory of the day; and as she passed her hand in silence across and across my neck in the manœuvre, I felt the laurels shake which fancy had wreathed about my head.

THE CONQUEST.

A strap had given way in her walk, and the backle of her shoe was just falling off-See, said the fille de chambre, holding up her foot--I could not for my soul but fasten the buckle in return; and putting in the strap-and lifting up the other foot with it, when I had done, to see both were right-in doing it too suddenly-it unavoidably threw the fair fille de chambre off her centre-and then

THE CONQUEST.

PARIS.

YES and then-Ye whose clay-cold heads and lukewarm hearts can argue down or mask your passions-tell me, what trespass is it that man should have them? or how his spirit stands answerable to the Father of spirits, but for his conduct under them?

If Nature has so wove her web of kindness, that some threads of love and desire are entangled with the piece-must the whole web be rent in drawing them out?-Whip me such stoics, great Governor of nature? said I to myself—Wherever thy providence shall place me for the trials of my virtue-whatever is my danger-whatever, is my situation-let me feel the movements which rise out

PARIS.

of it, and which belong to me as a man; and if I govern them as a good one, I will trust the issues to thy justice, for thou hast made us, and not we ourselves.

As I finished my address, I raised the fair fille de chambre up by the hand, and led her out of the room—she stood by me till I locked the door, and put the key in my pocket-and then—the victory being quite decisive, and not till then, I : pressed my lips to her cheek, and taking her by the hand again, led her safe to the gate of the hotel.

THE MYSTERY.

PARIS,

Ir a man knows the heart, he will know it was impossible to go back instantly to my cham ber-it was touching a cold key with a flat third to it, upon the close of a piece of music, which had called forth my affections; therefore, when I let go to the hand of the fille de chambre, I remained at the gate of the hotel for some time, Looking at every one who passed by, and forming conjectures upon them, till my attention got fixed upon a single object which confounded all kind of reasoning upon him.

1

THE MYSTERY.

It was a tall figure, of a philosophic, serious, adust look, which passed and repassed sodately along the street, making a turn of about sixty paces on each side of the gate of the hotel. The man was about fifty-two, had a small cane under his arm, was dressed in a dark drab-coloured coat, waistcoat and breeches, which seemed to have seen some years service they were still clean, and there was a little air of frugal propreté throughout him. By his pulling off his bat, and * his attitude of accosting a good many in his way, I saw he was asking charity; so I got a sous or two out of my pocket ready to give him, as he took me in his turn-he passed by me without asking any thing, and yet did not go five steps further before he asked charity of a little woman --Iwas much more likely to have given of the two -He had scarce done with the woman, when he pulled off his hat to another who was coming the same way. An ancient gentleman came slowly, and after him a young smart one.— -He let them both pass, and asked nothing: I stood observing him half an hour, in which time he had made a dozen turns backwards and forwards, and found that he invariably persued the same plan.

There were two things very singular in this, which set my brain to work, and to no purpose. The first was, why the man should only tell his story to the sex;-and, secondly,-what kind of