THE REMISE. CALAIS.
As the little French captain left us, Mons. Dessein came up with
the key of the Remise in his hand, and forthwith let us into his
magazine of chaises.
The first object which caught my eye, as Mons. Dessein open'd the
door of the Remise, was another old tatter'd desobligeant; and
notwithstanding it was the exact picture of that which had hit my
fancy so much in the coach-yard but an hour before, - the very sight
of it stirr'd up a disagreeable sensation within me now; and I
thought 'twas a churlish beast into whose heart the idea could
first enter, to construct such a machine; nor had I much more
charity for the man who could think of using it.
I observed the lady was as little taken with it as myself: so
Mons. Dessein led us on to a couple of chaises which stood abreast,
telling us, as he recommended them, that they had been purchased by
my lord A. and B. to go the grand tour, but had gone no further
than Paris, so were in all respects as good as new. - They were too
good; - so I pass'd on to a third, which stood behind, and forthwith
begun to chaffer for the price. - But 'twill scarce hold two, said
I, opening the door and getting in. - Have the goodness, Madame,
said Mons. Dessein, offering his arm, to step in. - The lady
hesitated half a second, and stepped in; and the waiter that moment
beckoning to speak to Mon. Dessein, he shut the door of the chaise
upon us, and left us.
THE REMISE. CALAIS.
C'est bien comique, 'tis very droll, said the lady, smiling, from
the reflection that this was the second time we a had been left
together by a parcel of nonsensical contingencies, - c'est bien
comique, said she. -
- There wants nothing, said I, to make it so but the comic use
which the gallantry of a Frenchman would put it to, - to make love
the first moment, and an offer of his person the second.
'Tis their fort, replied the lady.
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.
In saying this, she suffered me to kiss her hand twice, and with a
look of sensibility mixed with concern, she got out of the chaise,-
-and bid adieu.
IN THE STREET. CALAIS.
I never finished a twelve guinea bargain so expeditiously in my
life: my time seemed heavy, upon the loss of the lady, and knowing
every moment of it would be as two, till I put myself into motion,-
-I ordered post horses directly, and walked towards the hotel.
Lord! said I, hearing the town clock strike four, and recollecting
that I had been little more than a single hour in Calais, -
- What a large volume of adventures may be grasped within this
little span of life by him who interests his heart in every thing,
and who, having eyes to see what time and chance are perpetually
holding out to him as he journeyeth on his way, misses nothing he
can FAIRLY lay his hands on!
