Volume III Part 10 (2/2)
Full of this affair, the ierated in proportion to my inexperience, I told Silvia that I wanted to accolish friends as far as Calais, and that she would obligeeme to deliver it myself since my personal description was necessary These passports carry legal weight in the Isle de France only, but they procure one respect in all the northern parts of the kingdom
Fortified with Silvia's letter, and accompanied by her husband, I went to the duke as at his estate at St Toro, and he had scarcely read the letter through before he gave me the passport Satisfied on this point I went to Villette, and asked Mada I could take to her niece ”You can take her the box of china statuettes,” said she, ”if M Corneave me the box, and in return for a hundred Louis a letter of credit on a Dunkirk house I begged hi for the sake of pleasure He see, and three days later I was at the ”Hotel de la Conciergerie,” in Dunkirk
An hour after reeable surprise by handing her the box, and giving her her aunt'sher husband, and telling hted to seewhetheror short one I of course thanked hiain at his house I begged him to take me to the banker on whoave me the hundred louis, and asked me to wait for hiovernor, a M de Barail This gentle some ordinary enquiries, asked me to sup with hiave me as kind a reception as I had received from her husband After we had partaken of an excellent supper several persons arrived, and play commenced in which I did not join, as I wished to study the society of the place, and above all certain officers of both services ere present Bywith an air of authority about navalthat I had served in the navy of the Venetian Republic, in three days I not only knew but was intimate with all the captains of the Dunkirk fleet I talked at random about naval architecture, on the Venetian system of manoeuvres, and I noticed that the jolly sailors were better pleased at my blunders than at my sensible remarks
Four days after I had been at Dunkirk, one of the captains asked me to dinner on his shi+p, and after that all the others did the same; and on every occasion I stayed in the shi+p for the rest of the day I was curious about everything--and Jack is so trustful! I went into the hold, I asked questions innuhted to shew their own ie which would be of service to s I put down on paper all thethe day Four or five hours was all I allowed h
Pleasure, ga, and idleness--my usual companions--had no part in this expedition, and I devoted all ies to the object of my mission
I dined once with the banker, once with Madame P----, in the town, and once in a pretty country house which her husband had, at about a league's distance fro hted her by the delicacy of my behaviour, which was ht her charo, I was astonished to seemy disposition too well to attribute my restraint to virtue
What, then, was the reason? An Italian proverb, speaking for nature, gives the true solution of the riddle
'La Mona non vuol pensieri', and ht
My task was done, and bidding good-bye to allby another way for the sake of the change About e, the nae was the fortified town of Aire, which we should not be allowed to pass through at ht
”Get ates”
I was obeyed, and in due tiates
The postillion cracked his whip and the sentry called out, ”Who goes there?”
”Express ate was opened, and I was told that Iand fureat person, and I was taken to a roo beside a very pretty woer are you?”
”nobody's, but as I am in a hurry”
”That will do We will talk the matter over tomorrow In the uard-room”
”But, sir ”
”But me no buts, if you please; leave the rooht seated on the ground The daylight appeared I shouted, swore, o on, but nobody took any notice of me
Ten o'clock struck More impatient than I can say, I raised overnor ht to denya er to Paris
”Your name, sir?”
”Here is my passport”
He told overnor, but I snatched it away froovernor?”
”Yes, I should”