Volume IV Part 4 (1/2)
”Youput her off so effectually
At eight o'clock all uests arrived, and I saw before entle which vexed me was the compliments they lavished on me, as is customary in the provinces
I opened the ball with the lady pointed out to lard, and then I danced with all the ladies in succession; but my partner in all the square dances was the fair Mdlle Roman, who shone from her simplicity--at least, in my eyes
After a quadrille, in which I had exerted ood deal, I felt hot and went up toso, in ca
”Yes, you, dearest,” I replied, going up to her and taking her inin here?”
”No, I ca-room”
”That is capital You are fair as Love hi you how ? Let ht!”
I put it out, shut the door, and, my head full of Mdlle Roman, the cousin found htful person I confess, too, that the door-keeper's niece orthy of being loved on her own merits I found her perfect, perhaps better than Mdlle Roman, a novice, would have been In spite of ed o, and I did so; but it was quite tiain, but she was afraid that our absence would be noticed by her two Argus-eyed cousins, so she kissed me and left the room
I went back to the ball-roo of door-keepers came to tell us supper was ready
A collation composed of the luxuries which the season and the country afforded covered the table; but what pleased the ladies hts
I sat down at a suests, and I received theinvitations to spend the autumn in their town I am sure that if I had accepted I should have been treated like a prince, for the nobility of Grenoble bear the highest character for hospitality I told thereatest pleasure in accepting their invitation, and in that case I should have been delighted to have entleman, a friend of ether
”Bouchenu de Valbonnais”
”He was my uncle Ah! sir, you hter What was your father's name?”
This story, which I invented, and uttered as I ont, on the spur of the moment, turned me into a sort of wonder in the eyes of the worthy people
After we had laughed, jested, drank, and eaten, we rose fro Madaarden, I followed theht I led the fair Mdlle
Roh a covered alley; but allI held her betweenkisses, but not one did she return to me, and her hands offered a successful resistance to my hardy attempts By a sudden effort, however, I at last attained the porch of the temple of love, and held her in such a way that further resistance would have been of no avail; but she stoppedcould have resisted,--
”Be my friend, sir, and not my enemy and the cause of ed her pardon, swearing not to renew e of her forgiveness We rejoined her aunt, and returned to the ball-rooain my calm
I sat down in a corner of the roolass of le danced with her, her sister, or her cousin
”It will give people but a poor opinion of our merits”
”I am tired,” said I, ”but if you will promise to be kind I will dance a minuet with you”
”What do want me to do?” said she