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at lastshe pulld it out; it was of green taffeta, lined with a little bit of white quilted sattin, and just big enough to hold the crownshe put it into my handit was pretty; and I held it ten minutes with the back of my hand resting upon her laplooking sometimes at the purse, sometimes on one side of it. A stitch or two had broke out in the gathers of my stockthe fair fille de chambre, without saying a word, took out her little hussive, threaded a small needle, and sewd it upI foresaw it would hazard the glory of the day; and as she passd her hand in silence across and across my neck in the manuvre, I felt the laurels shake which fancy had wreathd about my head. A strap had given way in her walk, and the buckle of her shoe was just falling offSee, said the fille de chambre, holding up her footI could not for my soul but fasten the buckle in return, and putting in the strapand lifting up the other foot with it, when I had done, to see both were rightin doing it too suddenlyit unavoidably threw the fair fille de chambre off her centerand then The Conquest Yesand thenYe 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 myselfWherever thy providence shall place me for the trials of my virtuewhatever is my dangerwhatever is my situationlet me feel the movements which rise out of it, and which belong to me as a manand 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 finishd my address, I raised the fair fille de chambre up by the hand, and led her out of the roomshe stood by me till I lockd the door and put the key in my pocketand thenthe victory being quite decisiveand not till then, I pressd my lips to her cheek, and, taking her by the hand again, led her safe to the gate of the hôtel. The Mystery Paris If a man knows the heart, he will know it was impossible to go back instantly to my chamberit was touching a cold key with a flat third to it, upon the close of a piece of musick, which had calld forth my affectionstherefore, when I let go the hand of the fille de chambre, I remaind at the gate of the hôtel for some time, looking at every one who passd by, and forming conjectures upon them, till my attention got fixd upon a single object which confounded all kind of reasoning upon him. It was a tall figure, of a philosophic, serious, adust look, which passd and repassd sedately along the street, making a turn of about sixty paces on each side of the gate of the hôtelthe man was about fifty- twohad a small cane under his armwas dressd in a dark drabcolourd coat, waistcoat and breeches, which seemd to have seen some years servicethey 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 turnHe passd by me without asking any thingand yet did not go five steps further before he askd charity of a little womanI was much more likely to have given of the twoHe had scarce done with the woman, when he pulld his hat off to another who was coming the same wayAn ancient gentleman came slowlyand after him, a young smart oneHe let them both pass, and askd 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. |
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