Now the two travellers who had spoke to me in the coach-yard, happening at that crifis to be passing by, and observing our communications, naturally took it into their heads that we must be man and wife at least; so stopping as foon as they came up to the door of the Remife, the one of them, who was the inquifitive traveller, afk'd us, if we set out for Paris the next morning? I could only answer for myself, I faid; and the lady added, she was for Amiens. We dined there yesterday, faid the fimple traveller You go directly through the town, added the other, in your road to Paris. I was going to return a thousand thanks for the intelligence, that Amiens was in the road to Paris; but, upon pulling out my poor monk's little horn box to take a pinch of snuff

I made them a quiet bow, and wishing them a good passage to Dover - they left us alone

Now where would be the harm, faid I to myself, if I was to beg of this distressed lady to accept of half of my chaise and what mighty mischief could ensue?

--

Every dirty paffion, and bad propenfity in my nature, took the alarm, as I stated the propo

proposition - It will oblige you to have a third horse, faid AVARICE, which will put twenty livres out of your pocket - You know not who she is, faid CAUTION or what scrapes the affair may draw you into, whisper'd COWAR

DICE

Depend upon it, Yorick! faid DISCRETION, 'twill be said you went off with a mi stress, and came by affignation to Calais for that

purpose

You can never after, cried HYPOCRISY aloud, thew your face in the world - or rife, quoth MEANNESS, in the church or be any thing in it, said PRIDE, but a lousy pre bendary.

But 'tis a civil thing, faid I - and as I generally act from the first impulse, and therefore seldom listen to these cabals, which serve no purpose, that I know of, but to encompass the heart with adamant

about to the lady

I turn'd instantly

But she had glided off unpercieved, as the cause was pleading, and had made ten or a dozen paces down the street, by the time I had made the determination; so I set off after her with

C3

with a long ftride, to make her the proposal with the best address I was master of; but observing the walk'd with her cheek half refting upon the palm of her hand - with the flow, short-measur'd step of thoughtfulness, and with her eyes, as she went step by step, fix'd upon the ground, it struck me, she was trying the fame cause herself. God help her! faid I, she has fome mother-in-law, or tartufish aunt, or nonfenfical old woman, to confult upon the occafion, as well as myself: fo not caring to interrupt the processe, and deeming it more gallant to take her at difcretion than by surprize, I faced about, and took a short turn or two before the door of the Remise, whilst she walk'd musing on one fidei dips en que

CHAINTHE STREET.

CALAIS.

Having, on first sight of the lady, fettled the affair in my fancy, "that she was of the better order of beings" - and then laid it down as a second axiom, as indisputable as the first, That she was a widow, and wore a character

of

of distress - I went on further; I got ground enough for the situation which pleased me and had she remained closebeside my elbow till midnight, I should have held true to my system, and confidered her only under that general idea.

her fa

She had scarce got twenty paces distant from me, as fomething within me called out for a more particular inquiry it brought on the idea of a further separation - I might poffibly never fee her more - the heart is for saving what it can; and I wanted the traces thro which my wishes might find their way to her, in cafe I should never rejoin her myself; in a word, I wish'd to know her name mily's her condition: and as I knew the place to which she was going, I wanted to know from whence she came: but there was no coming at all this intelligence: a hundred little delicacies stood in the way. Inform'd a score different plans - There was no fuch thing as a man's asking her directly - the thing was impoffible.

A little French debonaire captain, who came

dancing down the street, shewed me, it was

the easiest thing in the world, for popping in betwixt us, just as the lady was returning back to the door of the Remise, he introduced hinı self to my acquaintance, and before he had well got announced, begg'd I would do him the honour to present him to the lady - I had not been presented myself - so turning about to her, he did it just as well by asking her, if she had come from Paris - No: she was going Vous n'etez pas de Lon

that rout, she said, dres ? She was not, she replied - Then Madame must have come thro' Flanders. - Appa vamment vous etez Flammande? said the French captain. The lady answered, she was. Peut-etre, de Lisle? added he was not of Lifle.

She faid, she Nor Arras? nor Cambray? -nor Ghent? nor Bruffels? She answered, The was of Bruffelsenast & aloin troisit

He had had the honour, he faid, to be at the bombardment of it laft war - that it was finely situated pour cela and full of nobleffe when the Imperialists were driven out by the French (the lady made a flight curtsy)

-

fo

giving her an account of the affair, and of the

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