172 YORICK'S SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY. again, till a full hour after midnight; when Nature and patience both wearing out - O my God! faid I You have broke the treaty, Monfieur, faid the lady, who had no more fleep than myself. - I begg'd a thousand pardons - but insisted it was no more than an ejaculation she maintain'd 'twas an entire infraction of the treaty - I maintain'd it was provided for in the clause of the third article. The lady would by no means give up the point, though she weaken'd her barrier by it; for in the warmth of the dispute, I could hear two or three corking pins fall out of the curtain to the ground. Upon my word and honor, Madame, faid I stretching my arm out of bed by way of afseveration (I was going to have added, that I would not have trespass'd against the remotest idea of decorum for the world - ) But the Fille de Chambre hearing there were words between us, and fearing that hoftilities would ensue in course, had crept filently out of her ⚫ closet, and it being totally dark, had stolen fo close to our beds, that she had got herself into the narrow passage which separated them, and had advanc'd fo far up as to be in a line betwixt her mistress and me So that when I stretch'd out my hand, I caught hold of the Fille de Chambre's END OF THE FIRST VOLUME. A 1 PREFACE. THE following sheets are not presented to the Public as the offspring of Mr. Sterne's pen. The Editor has, however, compiled this Continuation of his Sentimental Journey, from motives, and upon fuch authority, as, he flatters himself, will form a fufficient apology to his readers for its publication. The abrupt manner in which the first volume concluded, feemed forcibly to claim a sequel; and doubtless, if the author's life had been fpared, the world would have received it from his own hand, as he had materials already prepared. The intimacy which fubfifted between Mr. Sterne and the editor, gave the latter frequent occafion of hearing him relate the moft remarkable instances of the latter part of his last journey, which made fuch an impression on him, that he thinks he has retained them so perfectly as to be able to commit them to paper. In doing this, he has endeavoured to imitate his friend's style and manner; but how far he has been fuccefsful in this respect, he leaves the reader to determine. The work may now, however, be confidered as complete; and the remaining curiosity of the readers of Yorick's Sentimental Journey, will at least be gratified with respect to facts, events, and obfervations. |