And, When You Are Past It, Give
Yourself The Trouble To Turn Directly To The Right, And That Will
Lead You To The Foot Of The Pont Neuf, Which You Must Cross - And
There Any One Will Do Himself The Pleasure To Show You.
-
She repeated her instructions three times over to me, with the same
goodnatur'd patience the third time as the first; - and if TONES AND
MANNERS have a meaning, which certainly they have, unless to hearts
which shut them out, - she seemed really interested that I should
not lose myself.
I will not suppose it was the woman's beauty, notwithstanding she
was the handsomest grisette, I think, I ever saw, which had much to
do with the sense I had of her courtesy; only I remember, when I
told her how much I was obliged to her, that I looked very full in
her eyes, - and that I repeated my thanks as often as she had done
her instructions.
I had not got ten paces from the door, before I found I had forgot
every tittle of what she had said; - so looking back, and seeing her
still standing in the door of the shop, as if to look whether I
went right or not, - I returned back to ask her, whether the first
turn was to my right or left, - for that I had absolutely forgot. -
Is it possible! said she, half laughing. 'Tis very possible,
replied I, when a man is thinking more of a woman than of her good
advice.
As this was the real truth - she took it, as every woman takes a
matter of right, with a slight curtsey.
- Attendez! said she, laying her hand upon my arm to detain me,
whilst she called a lad out of the back shop to get ready a parcel
of gloves. I am just going to send him, said she, with a packet
into that quarter, and if you will have the complaisance to step
in, it will be ready in a moment, and he shall attend you to the
place. - So I walk'd in with her to the far side of the shop: and
taking up the ruffle in my hand which she laid upon the chair, as
if I had a mind to sit, she sat down herself in her low chair, and
I instantly sat myself down beside her.
- He will be ready, Monsieur, said she, in a moment. - And in that
moment, replied I, most willingly would I say something very civil
to you for all these courtesies. Any one may do a casual act of
good nature, but a continuation of them shows it is a part of the
temperature; and certainly, added I, if it is the same blood which
comes from the heart which descends to the extremes (touching her
wrist) I am sure you must have one of the best pulses of any woman
in the world. - Feel it, said she, holding out her arm. So laying
down my hat, I took hold of her fingers in one hand, and applied
the two forefingers of my other to the artery.
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