Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

a livre out of my pocket, quoth I to myself, this very night-But they have wherewithal to be so, Monsieur, added he-Set down one livre more for that, quoth I-It was but last night, said the landlord, qu'un my Lord Anglois presentoit un ecu à lu fille de chambre-Tant pis, pour Mademoiselle Janatone, said I.

Now Janatone being the landlord's daughter, and the landlord supposing I was young in French, took the liberty to inform me I should not have said tant pis-but tant mieux. Tant mieux, toujours, Monsieur, said he, when there is any thing to be got―tant pis, when there is nothing. It comes to the same thing, said I. Pardonnez moi, said the landlord.

I cannot take a fitter opportunity to observe once for all, that tant pis and tant mieux being two of the great hinges in French conversation, a stranger would do well to set himself right in the use of them before he gets to Paris.

A prompt French Marquis, at our ambassador's table, demanded of Mr. H

the poet? No, said Mr. H

replied the Marquis. It is H

if he was H—— mildly-Tant pis,

the historian, said another-Tant mieux, said the Marquis. And Mr. H, who is a man of an excellent heart, returned thanks for both.

When the landlord had set me right in this matter, he called in La Fleur, which was the name of the young man he had spoke of-saying only first, that

as for his talents, he would presume to say nothing -Monsieur was the best judge what would suit him; but for the fidelity of La Fleur, he would stand responsible in all he was worth.

The landlord delivered this in a manner which instantly set my mind to the business I was upon— and La Fleur, who stood waiting without, in that breathless expectation which every son of Nature of us have felt in our turns, came in.

MONTRIUL.

I AM apt to be taken with all kinds of people at first sight; but never more so than when a poor devil comes to offer his service to so poor a devil as myself; and, as I know this weakness, I always suffer my judgment to draw back something on that very account--and this more or less, according to the mood I am in, and the case-and I may add the gender too, of the person I am to govern.

When La Fleur entered the room, after every discount I could make for my soul, the genuine look and air of the fellow determined the matter at once in his favour; so I hired him first--and then began to inquire what he could do: But I shall find out his talents, quoth I, as I want them-besides, a Frenchman can do every thing.

Now poor La Fleur could do nothing in the world

[graphic][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed]

B'

[ocr errors]

the

but beat a drum, and play a march or two upon fife. I was determined to make his talents do; and can't say my weakness was ever so insulted by my wisdom as in the attempt.

La Fleur had set out early in life, as gallantly as most Frenchmen do, with serving for a few years; at the end of which, having satisfied the sentiment, and found, moreover, that the honour of beating a drum was likely to be its own reward, as it opened no further track of glory to him—he retired à ses terres, and lived comme il plaisoit à Dieu-that is to say, upon nothing.

-And so, quoth Wisdom, you have hired a drummer to attend you in this tour of your's through France and Italy! Psha! said I, and do not one half of our gentry go with a hum-drum compagnon du voyage the same round, and have the piper and the devil and all to pay besides? When man can extricate himself with an equivoque in such an unequal match-he is not ill off-But you can do something else, La Fleur? said I-O qu'oui!-he could make spatterdashes, and play a little upon the fiddleBravo! said Wisdom-Why, I play a bass myself, said I-we shall do very well.-You can shave, and dress a wig a little, La Fleur?-He had all the dispositions in the world--It is enough for heaven! said I, interrupting him—and ought to be enough for me So supper coming in, and having a frisky English spaniel on one side of my chair, and a French valet, with as much hilarity in his counte

« ZurückWeiter »