Volume IV Part 47 (1/2)

”As soon as you please”

I asked him to dine with me, and ere on our e met M

Zeroli and two or three other persons whoave and received plenty of co to pay them any visits I excused myself on the pretext of business

When we had finished dinner Desarmoises took ood saddle horse He called a lad and gave his orders, and whilst he was speaking the charly beautiful, and could not be ure was as lissom as a ny of the lily and the rose, her eyes full of fire, her lashes long, and her eye-brows so well arched that they seemed ready to make war on any ould dare the conquest of her chare of the world

I was so absorbed in the contemplation of her charht toto be an expert, and after feeling the knees and legs, turning back the ears, and looking at the teeth, I tested its behaviour at a walk, a trot, and a gallop, and then told the Jew that I would come and try it myself in top-boots the next day The horse was a fine dappled bay, and was priced at forty Piedentleness itself,” said Leah, ”and he ambles as fast as any other horse trots”

”You have ridden it, then?”

”Often, sir, and if I were rich I would never sell him”

”I won't buy the horse till I have seen you ride it”

She blushed at this

”You entleman,” said her father She consented to do so, and I proain at nine o'clock the next day

I was exact to ti costue! I was captivated

Two horses were ready, and she leapt on hers with the ease and grace of a practised rider, and I got up on ether for soh, but what of that; all , I said,--

”Fair Leah, I will buy the horse, but as a present for you; and if you will not take it I shall leave Turin today The only condition I attach to the gift is, that you will ride with me whenever I ask you”

I saw she seemed favourably inclined to my proposal, so I told her that I should stay six weeks at Turin, that I had fallen in love with her on the promenade, and that the purchase of the horse had been a s She repliedI had taken to her, and that I need not have made her such a present to assure myself of her friendshi+p

”The condition you impose on me is an extremely pleasant one, and I am sure that my father will like me to accept it”

To this she added,--

”All I ask is for you tothat you will only buy it on the condition that I will accept it”

I found the way smoother than I had expected, and I did what she asked ain, congratulated his daughter, took the forty pistoles and gave edwith them the next day This was just what I wanted

The following reat respect Leah, as in her ordinary clothes, toldhabit

”Another day,” said I; ”to-day I should like to converse with you in your own house”

But the father, as as greedy ashe could sell me a pretty phaeton with two excellent horses

”You entleman,” said Leah, possibly in concert with her father

Moses said nothing, but went out to get the horses harnessed

”I will look at them,” I said to Leah, ”but I won't buy, as I should not knohat to do with them”