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closed together, into mine; it was impossible not to compress them in that situation; I wished to let them go; and all the time I held them, I kept arguing within myself against it, and still 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 standing. I had still hold of her hands (and how it happened I can give no account); but I neither asked her, nor drew her, nor did I think of the bed; but so it did happen, we both sat down.

"I'll just shew you," said the fair fille de chambre, "the little purse I have been making to-day to hold your crown." So she put her hand into her right pocket, which was next me, and felt for it some time, then into the left. "She had lost it."

I never bore expectation more quietly: it was in her right pocket at last; she pulled it

out; it was of green taffeta, lined with a little bit of white quilted satin, 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 resting upon her lap, looking sometimes at the purse, sometimes on one side of it.

A stitch or two had broke out in the gathers of my stock; the fair fille de chambre, without saying a word, took out her little house-wife, threaded a small needle, and sewed it up. I foresaw it would hazard the glory of the day; and, as she passed her hand in silence across and across my neck in the manoeuvre, I felt the laurels shake which fancy had wreathed about my head.

A strap had given way in her walk, and the buckle of her shoe was just falling off. "See," said the fille de chambre, holding up her foot.

I could not for 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

THE CONQUEST.

YES; and then

Ye whose clay-cold heads and lukewarm hearts can argue down or mask your passions, tell me, 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 arise 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 finished 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 locked the door and put the key in my pocket; and then, the victory being quite decisive, and not till then, I pressed my lips to her cheek, and taking her by the hand again, led her safe to the gate of the hotel.

THE MYSTERY.

PARIS.

If a man knows the heart, he will know it was 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 called forth my affections; therefore, when I let go the hand of the fille de chambre, I remained at the gate of the hotel

for some time, looking at every one who passed by, and forming conjectures upon them, till my attention got fixed upon a single object which confounded all kind of reasoning upon him.

It was a tall figure, of a philosophic, serious, adust look, which passed and repassed 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 dressed in a dark, drabcoloured coat, waistcoat, and breeches, which seemed 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 passed by me without asking anything; and yet did not go five steps further before he asked 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 pulled

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