17. The Remise. Calais

MONSIEUR Dessein came back to let us out of the chaise, and acquaint the lady, the Count de L--, her brother, was just arrived at the hotel. Though I had infinite good will for the lady, I cannot say, that I rejoiced in my heart at the event-and could not help telling her so-for it is fatal to a proposal, Madam, said I, that I was going to make you.-

You need not tell me what the proposal was, said she, laying her hand upon both mine, as she interrupted me.-A man, my good Sir, has seldom an offer of kindness to make to a woman, but she has a presentiment of it some moments before.-

Nature arms her with it, said I, for immediate preservation.-But I think, said she, looking in my face, I had no evil to apprehend-and to deal frankly with you, had determined to accept it.-If I had-(she stopped a moment)-I believe your good will would have drawn a story from me, which would have made pity the only dangerous thing in the journey.

In saying this, she suffered me to kiss her hand twice, and with a look of sensibility mixed with a concern, she got out of the chaise-and bid adieu.