- I found, was an inquisitive traveller - what could occafion its motion. 'Twas the agitation, said I coolly, of writing a preface-r never heard, faid the other, who was a fimple traveller, of a preface wrote in a Defobligeant. --. It would have been better, said I, in a Vis à Vis. As an English man does not travel to fee English men, I retired to my room. CALAIS. I perceived that something darken'd the passage more than myself, as I stepp'd along it to my room; it was effectually Monf. Deffein, the master of the hôtel, who had just return'd from vefpers, and, with his hat under his arm, was most complaisantly following me, to put me in mind of my wants. I had wrote myself pretty well out of conceit with the Defobligeant; and Monf. Defsein speaking of it, with a shrug, as if it would no way suit me, it immediately struck my fancy that it belong'd to some innocent traveller, who, on his return home, had left it to Monf. Dessein's honour to make the most of. Four months had elapsed since it had finish'd its career of Europe in the corner of Monf. Dessein's coachyard; and having sallied out from thence but a vampt-up business at the first, though it had been twice taken to pieces on Mount Sennis, it had not profited much by its but by none so little as the standing so many months unpitied in the corner of Monf. Deffein's coachyard. Much indeed was not to be said for it but fomething might -and when a few words will reftue misery out of her distress, I hate the man who can be a churl of them. adventures - - - Now was I the master of this hôtel said 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 stands swinging reproaches at you every time you pass by it - - - Mon Dieu! faid Monf. Deffein I have no interest -- Except the interest, said I, which men of a certain turn of mind take, Monf. Dessein, in their own sensations -- I'm perfuaded, to a man who feels for others as well as for himself, every rainy night, disguise it as you will, will, must cast a damp upon your spirits - You fuffer, Monf. Dessein, as much as the machine - I have always obferved, when there is as much four as sweet in a compliment, that an Englishman is eternally at a loss within himself, whether to take it, or let it alone: a Frenchman never is: Monf. Deffein made me a bow. C'est bien vrai, faid he But in this cafe I should only exchange one disquietude for another, and with loss: figure to yourself, my dear Sir, that in giving you a chaise which would fall to pieces before you had got half way to Paris - figure to yourself how much I should fuffer, in giving an ill impreffion of myself to a man of honour, and lying at the mercy, as I must do, d'un homme d'esprit. The dose was made up exactly after my own prescription; so I could not help taking it and returning Monf. Dessein his bow, without more casuistry we walk'd together towards his Res mise, to take a view of his magazine of chaises. It must needs be a hostile kind of a world, when the buyer (if it be but of a forry poftchaife) cannot go forth with the feller thereof into the street to terminate the difference betwixt them, but he instantly falls into the same frame of mind and views his conventionist with the fame fort of eye, as if he was going along with him to Hydepark corner to fight a duel. For my own part, being but a poor sword'sman, and no way a match for Monfieur Deffein, I felt the rotation of all the movements within me, to which the fituation is incident - I looked at Monfieur Dessein through and throug ey'd him as he walked along in profile then, en face thought he look'd like a Jew - then a Turk - difliked his wig -- cursed him by my gods - wished him at the devil -And is all this to be lighted up in the heart for a beggarly account of three or four Louisd'ors which is the most I can be overreach'd in? Base paffion! said 1, turning myself about, as a man naturally does upon a fudden reverse - reverse of sentiment base, ungentle passion! thy hand is against every man, and every man's hand against thee -- Heaven forbid! faîd she, raising her hand up to her forehead, for I had turned full in front upon the lady whom I had feen in conference with the monk she had followed us unpercieved - Heaven forbid indeed! faid I, offering her my own - she had a black pair of filk gloves open only at the thumb and two forefingers, so accepted it without referve and I led her up to the door of the Remise, Monfieur Deffein had diabled the key above fifty tiines before he found out he had come with a wrong one in his hand: we were as impatient as himself to have it open'd; and fo attentive to the obstacle, that I continued holding her hand almost without knowing it; so that Monfieur Deffein left us together with her hand in mine, and with our faces turned towards the door of the Remise, and faid he would be back in five minutes. Now a colloquy of five minutes, in such a situation, is worth one of as many ages, with your faces turned towards the street: in the latter case, 'tis drawn from the objects and oc B5 curren |