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nied by her husband and their filly daughter, with her small waist and flat neck; with difdainful looks and a haughty air they paffed by me. As I hate the whole race, I intended to go away, and was only waiting, till the Count had difengaged himfelf from their impertinent prate, to take leave, when the agreeable Miss B. came in. As I never fee her but with pleasure, I ftayed and talked to her, leaning over the back of her chair, and did not perceive till after fome time that fhe feemed a little confused, and did not fpeak to me with her ufual ease of manner. I was ftruck with it. "Heavens !"

faid I to myfelf,

can fhe too be

like all the reft ?" I was angry and going to withdraw; but the defire

of examining farther into this matter kept me. The reft of the company came. I faw the Baron F-enter with the fame coat that he wore at the coronation of Francis the firft; the Chancellor, and his wife, who is old and deaf; the Count of I-, whofe Gothic drefs made a ftill greater contrast to our modern coats, &c.. &c. I spoke to those that I knew amongst them; they were all very laconic in their anfwers.. I was taken up with obferving Mifs B. and did not fee that the women were

whispering

whispering at the end of the room, and that by degrees the same whispering and murmuring got round amongst the men, and that Madame S. was fpeaking with great warmth to the Count-(this I have fince learnt from Mifs B.)-At length the Count came up to me, and took me to the window." You know our ri diculous cuftoms," he faid; " I perceive the company is rather difpleafed at your being here: I would not upon any account-" "I beg your excellency's pardon; I ought to have thought of it before: but I know will excufe this little inattention. I was going," I added, " fome time

you

ago, but my evil genius kept me

وو

here ;" and smiling, I bowed to take

leave. He shook me by the hand in a manner which expreffed every thing. I made a bow to the whole illuftrious affembly, got into my chaife, and drove to M.-I contemplated the setting fun from the top of the hill.-I read that beautiful paffage in Homer, where the honest herdsmen are defcribed receiving the king of Ithaca with so much hofpitality; and I returned well pleased. When I went into the supper-room at night, there were but a few perfons affembled, and they had turned up a corner of the table cloth, and

VOL. II.

D

were

were playing at dice. The goodnatured Adelin came up to me as foon as I entered, and in a low voice faid, "You have met with a very difagreeable incident."-" Who, I?" -"The Count obliged you to withdraw from the affembly."-" Devil take the affembly " faid I, "I was very glad to be gone." I am rejoiced," he faid, "he

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"that you look

upon the affair in that light; all that concerns me is, to find that it is talked of every where already." From that moment I began to think of it in a different manner. All those that looked at me whilft we were at table, I imagined were look

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