and ruffles, et tout cela-and 'tis nothing if a woman comes with a band-box. O' my confcience, faid I, fhe had one; but I never look'd into it. Then, Monfieur, faid he, has bought nothing. Not one earthly thing, replied I

Because, faid he, I could recommend one to you who would use you en confcience. — But I must see her this night, faid I. He made me a low bow and walk'd down.

Now fhall I triumph over this maitre d'hôtel, cried I-and what then? Then I fhall let him fee I know he is a dirty fellow. And what then? What then!-I was too near myself to fay it was for the fake of others.-I had no good answer left there was more of spleen than principle in my project, and I was fick of it before the execution.

In a few minutes the Griffet came in with her box of lace I'll buy nothing however, faid I, within myself.

The griffet would fhew me every thing-I was hard to pleafe: fhe would not feem to fee it; fhe open'd her little magazine, laid all her

laces

laces one after another before me- unfolded and folded them up again one by one with the most patient fweetness-I might buy-or not-she would let me have every thing at my own price- the poor creature feem'd anxious to get a penny; and laid herself out to win me, and not fo much in a manner which feem'd artful, as in one I felt fimple and careffing.

If there is not a fund of honeft cullibility in man, fo much the worfe-my heart relented, and I gave up my fecond resolution as quietly as the firft-Why fhould I chaftife one for the trespass of another? If thou art tributary to this tyrant of an hoft, thought I, looking up in her face, fo much harder is thy bread.

If I had not had more than four Louis d'ors in my purse, there was no fuch thing as rifing up and fhewing her the door, till I had first laid three of them out in a pair of ruffles.

-The mafter of the hotel will share the profit with her-no matter then I have only paid as many a poor foul has paid before me for an act he could not do, or think of.

THE

THE RIDDLE.

PARIS.

WHEN La Fleur came up to wait upon me at fupper, he told me how forry the mafter of the hôtel was for his affront to me in bidding me change my lodgings.

A man who values a good night's reft will not lay down with enmity in his heart if he can help it So I bid La Fleur tell the mafter, of the hôtel, that I was forry on my fide for the occafion I had given him—and you may tell him, if you will, La Fleur, added I, that if the young woman fhould call again, I fhall not fee her.

!

This was a facrifice not to him, but myself, having refolved, after fo narrow an efcape, to run no more risks, but to leave Paris, if it was poffible, with all the virtue I enter'd in.

Ceft déroger à la nobleffe, Monfieur, faid La Fleur, making me a bow down to the ground

as

as he said it-Et encore Monfieur, faid he, may change his fentiments-and if, par hazard,

he fhould like to amuse himself-I find no amusement in it, faid I, interrupting him

Mon Dieu! faid La Fleur- and took away.

In an hour's time he came to put me to bed, and was more than commonly officious-fomething hung upon his lips to say to me, or ask me, which he could not get off: I could not conceive what it was; and indeed gave myself little trouble to find it out, as I had another riddle fo much more interefting upon my mind,

J

which was that of the man's asking charity before the door of the hôtel- I would have given any thing to have got to the bottom of it; and that, not out of curiofity-'tis fo low a principle of enquiry, in general, I would not purchase the gratification of it with a two-fous piece-but a fecret, I thought, which fo foon and fo certainly foften'd the heart of every woman you came near, was a fecret at least equal to the philofopher's ftone: had I had

both

both the Indies, I would have given up one to have been inafter of it.

I tofs'd and turn'd it almoft all night long in my brains to no manner of purpofe; and when I awoke in the morning, I found my

fpirit as much troubled with my dreams, as ever the king of Babylon had been with his; and I will not hesitate to affirm, it would have puzzled all the wife men of Paris, as much as thofe of Chaldea, to have given its interpre

tation.

LE DIMANCHE.

PARIS.

IT was Sunday; and when La Fleur came in, in the morning, with my coffee and role and butter, he had got himself so gallantly array'd, I fcarce knew him.)

I had covenanted at Montriul to give him a new hat with a filver button and loop, and four Louisd'ors pour s'adonifer, when we

got

to