I was just going to cry out, Then I will write it, fair girl! upon thy lips. - If I do, faid I, I fhall perifh-fo I took her by the hand, and led her to the door, and begg'd fhe would not forget the leffon I had given her-She faid, indeed she would notand as fhe utter'd it with fome earneftness, she turn'd about, and gave me both her hands, clofed together, into mine-it was impoffible not to comprefs them in that fituation I wifh'd to let them go; and all the time, I held them, I kept arguing within myself against it and ftill 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. The foot of the bed was within a yard and a half of the place where we were flandingI had ftill hold of her hands and how it hap pened I can give no account, but I neither afk'd her-nor drew her nor did I think of the bed but fo it did happen, we both fat down. 1 I'll juft fhew you, faid the fair fille de chambre, the little purse I have been making to-day to hold your crown. So fhe put her hand into her right pocket, which was next me, and felt for it for fome time-then into the left-"She had loft it."-I never bore expectation more quietly—it was in her right pocket at laft-fhe pull'd it out; it was of green taffeta, lined with a little bit of white quilted fattin, 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 refting upon her lap-looking fometimes at the purse, fometimes on one fide of it. A ftitch or two had broke out in the gathers of my flock-the fair fille de chambre, without faying a word, took out her little huffive, threaded a small needle, and few'd it up-I forefaw it would hazard the glory of the day; and as fhe pass'd her hand in filence across and acrofs my neck in the manoeuvre, I felt the laurels fhake which fancy had wreath'd about my head. VOL. II. E A A ftrap had given way in her walk, and the buckle of her fhoe was juft falling off-See, faid the fille de chambre, holding up her footI could not for my foul but fasten the buckle in return, and putting in the ftrap- and lifting up the other foot with it, when I had done, to fee both were right-in doing it too fuddenly -it unavoidably threw the fair fille de chambre off her center and then THE CONQUEST. YES-and then-Ye whofe clay-cold heads and luke-warm hearts can argue down or mask your paffions, tell me, what trefpafs is it that man fhould have them? or how his fpirit ftands anfwerable to the Father of fpirits but for his conduct under them? If nature has fo wove her web of kindness, that fome threads of love and defire are entangled with the piece-muft the whole web be rent in drawing them out?-Whip me fuch floics, great Governor of nature! faid I to myfelf |