It is supposed so at least; - and how it has come to pass, continued
I, I know not; but they have certainly got the credit of
understanding more of love, and making it better than any other
nation upon earth; but, for my own part, I think them arrant
bunglers, and in truth the worst set of marksmen that ever tried
Cupid's patience.
- To think of making love by SENTIMENTS!
I should as soon think of making a genteel suit of clothes out of
remnants: - and to do it - pop - at first sight, by declaration - is
submitting the offer, and themselves with it, to be sifted with all
their pours and contres, by an unheated mind.
The lady attended as if she expected I should go on.
Consider then, Madame, continued I, laying my hand upon hers:-
That grave people hate love for the name's sake; -
That selfish people hate it for their own; -
Hypocrites for heaven's; -
And that all of us, both old and young, being ten times worse
frightened than hurt by the very report, - what a want of knowledge
in this branch of commence a man betrays, whoever lets the word
come out of his lips, till an hour or two, at least, after the time
that his silence upon it becomes tormenting. A course of small,
quiet attentions, not so pointed as to alarm, - nor so vague as to
be misunderstood - with now and then a look of kindness, and little
or nothing said upon it, - leaves nature for your mistress, and she
fashions it to her mind. -
Then I solemnly declare, said the lady, blushing, you have been
making love to me all this while.
THE REMISE. CALAIS.
Monsieur Dessein came back to let us out of the chaise, and
acquaint the lady, the count de L-, her brother, was just arrived
at the hotel. Though I had infinite good will for the lady, I
cannot say that I rejoiced in my heart at the event - and could not
help telling her so; - for it is fatal to a proposal, Madame, said
I, that I was going to make to you -
- You need not tell me what the proposal was, said she, laying her
hand upon both mine, as she interrupted me. - A man my good Sir, has
seldom an offer of kindness to make to a woman, but she has a
presentiment of it some moments before. -
Nature arms her with it, said I, for immediate preservation. - But I
think, said she, looking in my face, I had no evil to apprehend, -
and, to deal frankly with you, had determined to accept it. - If I
had - (she stopped a moment) - I believe your good will would have
drawn a story from me, which would have made pity the only
dangerous thing in the journey.
