THE LETTER.
Madame,
Je suis penetre de la douleur la plus vive, et reduit en meme temps
au desespoir par ce retour imprevu du Caporal qui rend notre
entrevue de ce soir la chose du monde la plus impossible.
Mais vive la joie! et toute la mienne sera de penser a vous.
L'amour n'est rien sans sentiment.
Et le sentiment est encore moins sans amour.
On dit qu'on ne doit jamais se desesperer.
On dit aussi que Monsieur le Caporal monte la garde Mercredi:
alors ce cera mon tour.
Chacun a son tour.
En attendant - Vive l'amour! et vive la bagatelle!
Je suis, Madame,
Avec tous les sentimens les plus respectueux et les plus tendres,
tout a vous,
JAQUES ROQUE.
It was but changing the Corporal into the Count, - and saying
nothing about mounting guard on Wednesday, - and the letter was
neither right nor wrong: - so, to gratify the poor fellow, who
stood trembling for my honour, his own, and the honour of his
letter, - I took the cream gently off it, and whipping it up in my
own way, I seal'd it up and sent him with it to Madame de L-; - and
the next morning we pursued our journey to Paris.
PARIS.
When a man can contest the point by dint of equipage, and carry all
on floundering before him with half a dozen of lackies and a couple
of cooks - 'tis very well in such a place as Paris, - he may drive in
at which end of a street he will.
