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is for saving what it can; and I wanted the traces through which my wishes might find their way to her, in case I should never rejoin her myself: in a word, I wished to know her nameher familysher condition; and as I knew the place to which she was going, I wanted to know from whence she came: but there was no coming at all this intelligence; a hundred little delicacies stood in the way. I formd a score of different plansThere was no such thing as a mans asking her directlythe thing was impossible. 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, just as the lady was returning back to the door of the remise, he introduced himself to my acquaintance, and before he had well got announced, beggd I would do him the honour to present him to the ladyI had not been presented myselfso turning about to her, he did it just as well by asking her, if she had come from Paris?No: she was going that rout, she said.Vous netez pas de Londre?She was not, she repliedThen Madame must have come through Flanders. Apparemment vous etez Flammande? said the French captainThe lady answered she wasPeut-être, de Lisle? added heShe said, she was not of LisleNor Arras?nor Cambray?nor Ghent?nor Brussels? She answered, she was of Brussels. He had had the honour, he said, to be at the bombardment of it last warthat it was finely situated, pour celaand full of noblesse when the Imperialists were driven out by the French (the lady made a slight curtsy)so giving her an account of the affair, and of the share he had had in ithe beggd the honour to know her nameso made his bow. Et Madame a son Mari?said he, looking back when he had made two stepsand without staying for an answerdanced down the street. Had I served seven years apprenticeship to good breeding, I could not have done as much. The Remise Calais As the little French captain left us, Mons. Dessein came up with the key of the remise in his hand, and forthwith let us into his magazine of chaises. The first object which caught my eye, as Mons. Dessein opend the door of the remise, was another old tatterd Desobligeant; and notwithstanding it was the exact picture of that which had hit my fancy so much in the coach-yard but an hour beforethe very sight of it stirrd up a disagreeable sensation within me now; and I thought twas a churlish beast into whose heart the idea could first enter, to construct such a machine; nor had I much more charity for the man who could think of using it. I observed the lady was as little taken with it as myself: so Mons. Dessein led us on to a couple of chaises which stood abreast, telling us, as he recommended them, that they had been purchased by my Lord A. and B. to go the grand tour, but had gone no further than Paris, so were in all respects as good as newThey were too goodso I passd on to a third, which stood behind, and forthwith began to chaffer for the priceBut twill scarce hold two, said I, opening the door and getting inHave the goodness, Madam, said Mons. Dessein, offering his arm, to step inThe lady hesitated half a second, and steppd in; and the waiter that moment beckoning to speak to Mons. Dessein, he shut the door of the chaise upon us, and left us. The Remise Calais Cest bien comique, tis very droll, said the lady smiling, from the reflection that this was the second time we had been left together by a parcel of nonsensical contingenciescest bien comique, said she. |
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