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 housewife, 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 manœuvre, 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, from 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 so 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 rise 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 fiftytwo, had a small cane under his arm, was dressed in a dark drab-coloured 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 any thing, and yet did not go five steps farther 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 his hat off to another who was coming the same way. An ancient gentleman came slowly, and, after him, a young smart one. let them both pass, and asked nothing: I stood observing him half-an-hour; in which time he had made a dozen turns backwards and forwards, and found that he invariably pursued the same plan.

He

There were two things very singular in this, which set my brain to work, and to no purpose; the first was, why the man should only tell his story to the sex; and secondly, what kind of story it was, and what species of eloquence it could be, which softened the hearts of the women, which he knew 'twas to no purpose to practise upon the men.

There were two other circumstances which en

the one was,

he told every

tangled this mystery: woman what he had to say, in her ear, and in a way which had much more the air of a secret than a petition: the other was, it was always successful; he never stopped a woman but she pulled out her purse, and immediately gave him something.

I could form no system to explain the phono

menon.

I had got a riddle to amuse me for the rest of the evening; so I walked up stairs to my chamber.

....

THE CASE OF CONSCIENCE.

PARIS.

Very

I WAS immediately followed up by the master of the hotel, who came into my room to tell me I must provide lodgings elsewhere. How so, friend? said I. He answered, I had a young woman locked up with me two hours that evening in my bedchamber, and 'twas against the rules of his house. well, said I, we'll all part friends, then, for the girl is no worse, and, I am no worse, and you will be just as I found you. It was enough, he said, to overthrow the credit of his hotel. Voyez vous, Monsieur, said he, pointing to the foot of the bed we had been sitting upon. I own it had something of the appearance of an evidence; but my pride not suffering me to enter into detail of the case, I exhorted him to let his soul sleep in peace, as I resolved to let mine do that night, and that I would discharge what I owed him at breakfast.

. . . . I should not have minded, Monsieur, said he,

if you had had twenty girls.

....

"Tis a score more,

replied I, interrupting him, than I ever reckoned upon. Provided, added he, it had been but in a morning. And does the difference of the time of the day at Paris make a difference in the sin? .... It made a difference, he said, in the scandal. I like a good distinction, in my heart; and cannot say I was intolerably out of temper with the man.. I own it necessary, resumed the master of the hotel, that a stranger at Paris should have opportunities presented to him of buying lace, and silk stockings, and ruffles, et tout cela; and 'tis nothing if a woman comes with a band box.. O' my conscience, said I, she had one; but I never looked into it. ・・・・ Then, Monsieur, said he, has bought nothing? . . . . Not one earthly thing, replied I. . . . . Because, said he, I could recommend you to one who would use you en conscience. But I must see her this night, said I. He made me a low bow, and walked down.

Now shall I triumph over this maître d' I; - and what then? Then I shall let him

he is a dirty fellow.

And what then?

hôtel, cried see I know

What then!

I was too near myself to say it was for the sake of others. I had no good answer left; there was more of spleen than of principle in my project, and I was sick of it before the execution.

In a few minutes the grisette came in with her box of lace. I will buy nothing, however, said I, within myself.

I was

She

The grisette would shew me every thing. hard to please; she would not seem to see it. opened her little magazine, and laid all her laces, one after another, before me; unfolded and folded them up