- But pray, good sir, continued I, when can a stranger
hope to have access? - In not less than two hours, said he, looking
at his watch. The number of equipages in the court-yard seemed to
justify the calculation, that I could have no nearer a prospect; -
and as walking backwards and forwards in the saloon, without a soul
to commune with, was for the time as bad as being in the Bastile
itself, I instantly went back to my remise, and bid the coachman
drive me to the Cordon Bleu, which was the nearest hotel.
I think there is a fatality in it; - I seldom go to the place I set
out for.
LE PATISSIER. VERSAILLES.
Before I had got half way down the street I changed my mind: as I
am at Versailles, thought I, I might as well take a view of the
town; so I pull'd the cord, and ordered the coachman to drive round
some of the principal streets. - I suppose the town is not very
large, said I. - The coachman begg'd pardon for setting me right,
and told me it was very superb, and that numbers of the first dukes
and marquises and counts had hotels. - The Count de B-, of whom the
bookseller at the Quai de Conti had spoke so handsomely the night
before, came instantly into my mind. - And why should I not go,
thought I, to the Count de B-, who has so high an idea of English
books and English men - and tell him my story? so I changed my mind
a second time. - In truth it was the third; for I had intended that
day for Madame de R-, in the Rue St. Pierre, and had devoutly sent
her word by her fille de chambre that I would assuredly wait upon
her; - but I am governed by circumstances; - I cannot govern them:
so seeing a man standing with a basket on the other side of the
street, as if he had something to sell, I bid La Fleur go up to
him, and enquire for the Count's hotel.
La Fleur returned a little pale; and told me it was a Chevalier de
St. Louis selling pates. - It is impossible, La Fleur, said I. - La
Fleur could no more account for the phenomenon than myself; but
persisted in his story: he had seen the croix set in gold, with
its red riband, he said, tied to his buttonhole - and had looked
into the basket and seen the pates which the Chevalier was selling;
so could not be mistaken in that.
Such a reverse in man's life awakens a better principle than
curiosity: I could not help looking for some time at him as I sat
in the remise: - the more I look'd at him, his croix, and his
basket, the stronger they wove themselves into my brain. - I got out
of the remise, and went towards him.
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