Y

THE CONQUEST

ES-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 piecemust 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 situationlet 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 oneI will trust the issues to thy justice: for thou hast made usand not we ourselves.

As I finish'd 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 lock'd the door and put the key in my pocket-and then the victory being quite decisive-and not till then, I press'd my lips to her cheek, and taking her by the hand again, led her safe to the gate of the hotel.

I

THE MYSTERY

PARIS

F 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 call'd forth my affections-therefore when I let go the hand of the fille de chambre, I remain'd at the gate of the hotel for some time, looking at every one who pass'd by, and forming conjectures upon them, till my attention got fix'd upon a single object which confounded all kind of reasoning upon him.

It was a tall figure of a philosophic, serious, adust look, which pass'd and repass'd sedately along the street, making a turn of about sixty paces on each side of the gate of the hotel-the man was about fifty-two-had a small cane under his arm-was dress'd in a dark drab-color'd coat, waistcoat, and breeches, which seem'd 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 sou or two out of my pocket ready to give him, as he took me in his turn-he pass'd by me without asking anything-and yet did not go five steps further before he ask'd 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 pull'd off his hat to another who was coming the same way.-An ancient gentleman came slowlyand, after him, a young smart one.-He let them both pass, and ask'd 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.

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 soften'd the hearts of the women, which he knew 't was to no purpose to practise upon the men.

There were two other circumstances which entangled this mystery-the one was, he told every 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 stopp'd a woman, but she pull'd out her purse, and immediately gave him something.

I could form no system to explain the phenomenon.

I had got a riddle to amuse me for the rest of the evening, so I walk'd up-stairs to my chamber.

I

THE CASE OF CONSCIENCE

PARIS

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 answer'd, I had had a young woman lock'd up with me two hours that evening in my bedchamber, and 't was against the rules of his house.-Very 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 any 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-'T is a score more, replied I, interrupting him, than I ever reckon'd 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 is necessary, reassumed the master of the hotel, that a stranger at Paris should have the opportunities presented to him of buying lace and silk stockings, and ruffles, et tout cela-and 't is nothing if a woman comes with a band-box.-O, my conscience, said I, she had one; but I never look'd into it.-Then Monsieur, said he, has bought nothing. Not one earthly thing, replied I.-Because, said he, I could recommend one to you who would use you en conscience. But I must see her this night, said I.-He made me a low bow, and walk'd down.

Now shall I triumph over this maître d'hôtel, cried I-and what then? Then I shall let him see I know he is a dirty fellow. And what then?-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 principle in my project, and I was sick of it before the execution.

In a few minutes the Grisset came in with her box of lace -I'll buy nothing, however, said I, within myself.

The Grisset would show me everything.-I was hard to please she would not seem to see it; she open'd her little magazine, and laid all her laces one after another before me -unfolded and folded them up again one by one with the most patient sweetness-I might buy-or not-she would let me have everything at my own price-the poor creature seem'd anxious to get a penny; and laid herself out to win me, and not so much in a manner which seem'd artful, as in one I felt simple and caressing.

If there is not a fund of honest cullibility in man, so much the worse-my heart relented, and I gave up my second resolution as quietly as the first.-Why should I chastise one for the trespass of another? If thou are tributary to this tyrant of an host, thought I, looking up in her face, so much harder is thy bread.

If I had not had more than four Louis d'ors in my purse, there was no such thing as rising up and showing her the door, till I had first laid three of them out in a pair of ruffles.

-The master of the hotel will share the profit with herno matter then I have only paid as many a poor soul has paid before me, for an act he could not do, or think of.