- The
deuce take him and his galloping too - said I, - he'll go on tearing
my nerves to pieces till he has worked me into a foolish passion,
and then he'll go slow that I may enjoy the sweets of it.
The postilion managed the point to a miracle: by the time he had
got to the foot of a steep hill, about half a league from Nampont,-
-he had put me out of temper with him, - and then with myself, for
being so.
My case then required a different treatment; and a good rattling
gallop would have been of real service to me. -
- Then, prithee, get on - get on, my good lad, said I.
The postilion pointed to the hill. - I then tried to return back to
the story of the poor German and his ass - but I had broke the
clue, - and could no more get into it again, than the postilion
could into a trot.
- The deuce go, said I, with it all! Here am I sitting as candidly
disposed to make the best of the worst, as ever wight was, and all
runs counter.
There is one sweet lenitive at least for evils, which Nature holds
out to us: so I took it kindly at her hands, and fell asleep; and
the first word which roused me was Amiens.
- Bless me! said I, rubbing my eyes, - this is the very town where
my poor lady is to come.
AMIENS.
The words were scarce out of my mouth when the Count de L-'s post-
chaise, with his sister in it, drove hastily by: she had just time
to make me a bow of recognition, - and of that particular kind of
it, which told me she had not yet done with me. She was as good as
her look; for, before I had quite finished my supper, her brother's
servant came into the room with a billet, in which she said she had
taken the liberty to charge me with a letter, which I was to
present myself to Madame R- the first morning I had nothing to do
at Paris. There was only added, she was sorry, but from what
penchant she had not considered, that she had been prevented
telling me her story, - that she still owed it to me; and if my
route should ever lay through Brussels, and I had not by then
forgot the name of Madame de L-, - that Madame de L- would be glad
to discharge her obligation.
Then I will meet thee, said I, fair spirit! at Brussels; - 'tis only
returning from Italy through Germany to Holland, by the route of
Flanders, home; - 'twill scarce be ten posts out of my way; but,
were it ten thousand!
