from 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—

ES

THE CONQUEST

me,

and then-Ye whose clay-cold heads and lukewarm hearts can argue down or mask your passions, tell 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 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 finish'd 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 lock'd the door

and put the key in my pocketvictory being quite decisive

-and then- -the

and not till then, I

press'd my lips to her cheek, and taking her by the hand again, led her safe to the gate of the hotel.

THE MYSTERY

PARIS

F knows the heart, he will know it was

I impossible to go back instantly to my chamber

it was touching a cold key with a flat third to it, upon the close of a piece of music, which had call'd forth my affections-therefore when I let go the hand of the fille de chambre, I remain❜d at the gate of the hotel for some time, looking at every one who pass'd by, and forming conjectures upon them, till my attention got fix'd upon a single object which confounded all kind of reasoning upon him.

It was a tall figure of a philosophic, serious, adust look, which pass'd and repass'd sedately 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

dress'd in a dark drab-colour'd coat, waistcoat, and breeches, which seem'd 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 hat, 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 pass'd by me without asking any thing—and yet did not go five steps farther before he ask'd charity of a little woman —I was much more likely to have given of the two-He had scarce done with the woman, when he pull'd his hat off 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 ask'd 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 pursued 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 story it was, and what species of eloquence it could be, which soften'd the hearts of the women, which he knew 'twas to no purpose to practise upon the men.

There were two other circumstances which

entangled this mystery-the one was, he told every woman what he had to say in her ear, and in a way which had much more the air of a secret than a petition-the other was, it was always successful— he never stopp'd a woman, but she pull'd out her purse, and immediately gave him something.

I could form no system to explain the phænomenon.

I had got a riddle to amuse me for the rest of the evening, so I walk'd up stairs to my chamber.

I

THE CASE OF CONSCIENCE

PARIS

WAS immediately followed up by the master of the hotel, who came into my room to tell me I must provide lodgings elsewhere. How so,

friend? said I.-He answer'd, I had had a young woman lock'd up with me two hours that evening in my bed-chamber, and 'twas against the rules of his house- Very well, said I, we'll all part friends then-for the girl is no worse- -and I am no worse—and you will be just as I found you.————It was enough, he said, to overthrow the credit of his hotel. Voyez vous, Monsieur, said he, pointing to the foot of the bed we had been sitting upon

-I