thee? and why art thou difquieted? and why is thy understanding troubled 12)? In a word, I felt benevolence for her; and refolved fome way or other to throw in my mite of courtesy if not of fervice 13). and in this difpofi. tion to give way to them 14), was I left alone with our faces both turnd closer to the door of the remife than what was abfolutely neceffary. THE REMISE DOOR. CALA I S. XI. This certainly fair lady 1)! faid I, raifing her hand up a little lightly as I began, must be one of Fortune's whimfical doings; to take two utter ftrangers by their hands of different fexes, and perhaps from diffe rent corners of the globe, and in one moment place them together in fuch a cordial fituation, as Friendship herself 12. what aileth thee etc. Mit diefen Worten redet der König Ahasveros von Indien feine Gemahlin in der Bibel an, f. das B. Efther Cap. 5. v. 3. Dergleichen Stellen find mehrere ganz vortreflich in diefem Buche angebracht. 13. to throw in my mi. te of courtesy if not of fervice. ,, Mein Schärflein Höflichkeit, wenn nicht Dienstfertigkeit hinein zu werfen, d. h. wenn ich ihr auch nicht follte helfen können, ihr wenigftens meine Dienste dazu anzubieten. herfelf could foarce have atchieved for them, had fhe projected it for a month. And your reflection upon it, fhews how much, Monfieur, fhe has embaraffed you) by the adven ture. When the fituation is, what we would wifh, nothing is fo ill-timed as to hint at the circumstances which make it fo: you thank Fortune, continued fhe you had reafon 3) the heart knew it, and was fatisfied; and who but an Englifh philofopher would have fent notice of it to the brain to reverse the judgment 4)? In viel Klugheit in diesem Falle verrieth, wie wenig er es verdiene mit einer Dame von ih rem Scande und ihrer Bildung gleich fo vertraut geworden zu feyn, 4. would have fent notice of it to the brain to reversethe judgment of it, nehmlich fituation. Welcher andere würde wohl dem Verftande davon Nachricht gegeben haben, um das Urtheil abzuändern," d. h. um unfre Stellung unanfländig für mich zu finden? Das Herz hatte gegen unfre trau liche Stellung nichts einzu. wenden, wir waren gegenfeitig damit zufrieden, fobald Sie aber den Verttand darüber befragen, so findet der viel Unfchickliches darin, und dankt dem Glü ke nicht dafür, fon dern ift deshalb mit ihm fehr unzufrieden, und heifst mich diefe Stellung verändern, In faying this, fhe difengaged her hand with look which I thought a fufficient commentary upon the text, It is a milerable picture which I am going to gi ve of the weaknefs of my heart, by owning, that it fuffered a pain, which worthier occafions could not have inflicted I was mortified with the lofs of her hand, and the manner in which I had loft it carried neither oil nor wine to the wound: I never felt the pain of a sheepish inferiority fo miferably in my life. The triumphs of a true feminine heart) are Chort apon thefe difcomfitures. In a very few feconds fhe laid her hand upon the cuff of my coat, in order to finifh her reply; fo fome way or other, God knows how, I regained my fituation. She had nothing to add. I forthwith began to model a different converfation for the lady, thinking from the fpirit as well as moral of this), that I had been mistaken in her character 7); but upon turning her face towards me, the spirit which had animated the reply was fled the mufcles relaxed, and hätte." Er hatte fie nehmlich and I beheld the fame unprotected look of distress which first won me to her interest melancholy! to fee fuch sprightlinefs the prey of forrow. I pitied her from my foul; and though it may feem ridiculous enough to a torpid heart, torpid heart, I could have taken her into my arms, and cherished her, though it was in the open street without blufhing. The pulfations of the arteries along my fingers preffing across her's, told her what was paffing within me; fhe looked down a filence of fome moments followed. I fear, in this interval, I muft have made fome flight efforts towards a clofer compreffion of her hand, from a fubtle fenfation I felt in the palm of my own → not as if she was going to withdraw hers but, as if fhe thought about it and I had infallibly lost it a fecond time, had not inftinct more than reafon directed me to the laft refource in thefe dangers to hold it loofely, and in a manner as if I was every moment going to release it, of myself; fo fhe let it continue, till Monfieur Deffein returned with the key; and in the mean time I fet myself to confider how I fhould undo the ill impreffions which the poor monk's story, in cafe he had told it her, must have planted in her breaft against me. THE SNUFF -BOX CALAI S. XII. The good old monk was within fix paces of us, as the idea of him crofs'd my mind; and was advancing towards us a little out of the line, as if uncertain whe ther he fhould break in upon us or no. C He ftopp'd, how however, as foon as he came up to us with a world of frankness; and having a horn fnuff- box in his hand, he prefented it open to me - You fhall tafte mine faid I, pulling out my box (which was a fmall tortoise one) and putting it into his hand 'Tis moft excellent, faid the monk; Then do me the favour, 1 replied, to accept of the box and all, and when you ta ke a pinch out of it, fometimes recollect it was the peace offering of a man who once ufed you unkindly, but not from his heart. you The poor monk blufh'd as red as fcarlet. Mon Dieu! faid he, preffing his hands together never used me unkindly. I fhould think, faid the lady, he is not likely. I blufh'd in my turn; but from what movements; I leave to the few who feel to analyse) - Excufe me, Madame, replied I— I treated him most unkindly; and from no provocations 'Tis impoffible, faid the lady. My God! cried the monk, with a warmth of affeveration which feemed not to belong to him the fault was in me, and in the indifcretion of my zeal The lady oppofed it, and I joined with her in maintaining it was impoffible, that fpirit fo regulated as his, could give offence to any. |