tartufifh aunt, or nonfenfical old woman, to confult upon the occafion, as well as myself: fo not caring to interrupt the proceffe, and deeming it more gallant to take her at difcretion than by surprise, I faced about, and took a fhort turn or two before the door of the Remife, whilst the walked mufing on one fide. IN IN THE S. T. RE E T.. C A LA I S.. AVING, on firft fight of the la- HAY dy, fettled the affair in my fan-cy, "that fhe was of the better order of 66 beings" and then laid it down as a fecond axiom, as indifputable as the first, that fhe was a widow, and wore a character of diftrefs -I went no further; I got ground enough for the fituation pleafed me and had fhe remained clofe beside my elbow till midnight, I should have held true to my fyftem, and confi-! dered her only under that general idea.. SHE had fcarce got twenty paces diftant from me, ere fomething within me called: called out for a more particular inquiry it brought on the idea of a further feparation--I might poffibly never fee her more the heart is for faving what it can; and I wanted the traces through which my wishes might find their way to her, in cafe I fhould never rejoin her myfelf in a word, I wifhed to know her name--her family's--her condition; and, as I knew the place to which the was going, I wanted to know from whence fhe came but there was no coming at all this intelligence; a hundred little delicacies food in the way. I formed a fcore of different plans-There was no fuch thing as a man's asking her directly -the thing was impoffible. A LITTLE French debonaire captain, who came dancing down the street, shewed me it was the easiest thing in the world; for popping in betwixt us, juft as the lady was returning back to the door of the Remife,.. Remife, he introduced himself to my acquaintance, and before he had well got announced, begged I would do him the honour to present him to the lady-I had not been presented myfelf-fo turning. about to her, he did it just as well by asking her, if the had come from Paris?No: fhe was going that rout, fhe said.— Vous n'etez pas de Londre?-She was not, fhe replied.-Then Madame must have come through Flanders. Apparemment vous etez Flammande? faid the French captain- -The lady answered, she was Peut-etre, de Life? added he-She faid, fhe was not of Lifle-Nor Arras?—nor Cambray ?-Nor Ghent ?-nor Bruffels? She answered, fhe was of Bruffels. He had had the honour, he faid, to be at the bombardment of it laft war that it was finely fituated pour cela—and full of nobleffe when the Imperialists were driven out by the French (the lady made a a flight curtfy)-fo giving her an account of the affair, and of the share he had in it-he begged the honour to know her name-fo made his bow. -Et Madame a fon Mari? -faid he, looking back when he had made two steps and without staying for an answer-danced down the street. HAD I ferved feven years, apprenticefhip to good breeding, I could not have done as much. THE |