CHAPTER XXXII. THE FIRST LETTER.

Where,itbecomestimetoinquire,wasPaulinaMary?HowfaredmyintercoursewiththesumptuousH?telCrécy?Thatintercoursehad,foraninterval,beensuspendedbyabsenceM.andMissdeBassompierrehadbeentravelling,dividingsomeweeksbetweentheprovincesandcapitalofFrance.Chanceapprisedmeoftheirreturnveryshortlyafterittookplace. Iwaswalkingonemildafternoononaquietboulevard,wanderingslowlyon,enjoyingthebenignAprilsun,andsomethoughtsnotunpleasing,whenIsawbeforemeagroupofriders,stoppingasiftheyhadjustencountered,andexchanginggreetingsinthemidstofthebroad,smooth,linden-borderedpathononesideamiddle-agedgentlemanandyounglady,ontheother—ayoungandhandsomeman.Verygracefulwasthelady’smien,choiceherappointments,delicateandstatelyherwholeaspect.Still,asIlooked,Ifelttheywereknowntome,and,drawingalittlenearer,Ifullyrecognisedthemall:theCountHomedeBassompierre,hisdaughter,andDr.GrahamBretton. HowanimatedwasGraham’sface!Howtrue,howwarm,yethowretiringthejoyitexpressed!Thiswasthestateofthings,thisthecombinationofcircumstances,atoncetoattractandenchain,tosubdueandexciteDr.John.Thepearlheadmiredwasinitselfofgreatpriceandtruestpurity,buthewasnotthemanwho,inappreciatingthegem,couldforgetitssetting.HadheseenPaulinawiththesameyouth,beauty,andgrace,butonfoot,alone,unguarded,andinsimpleattire,adependentworker,ademi-grisette,hewouldhavethoughtheraprettylittlecreature,andwouldhavelovedwithhiseyehermovementsandhermien,butitrequiredotherthanthistoconquerhimashewasnowvanquished,tobringhimsafeunderdominionasnow,withoutloss,andevenwithgaintohismanlyhonour,onesawthathewasreducedtherewasaboutDr.Johnallthemanoftheworldtosatisfyhimselfdidnotsufficesocietymustapprove—theworldmustadmirewhathedid,orhecountedhismeasuresfalseandfutile.Inhisvictrixherequiredallthatwasherevisible—theimprintofhighcultivation,theconsecrationofacarefulandauthoritativeprotection,theadjunctsthatFashiondecrees,Wealthpurchases,andTasteadjustsfortheseconditionshisspiritstipulatedereitsurrendered:theywereheretotheutmostfulfilledandnow,proud,impassioned,yetfearing,hedidhomagetoPaulinaashissovereign.Asforher,thesmileoffeeling,ratherthanofconsciouspower,sleptsoftinhereyes. Theyparted.Hepassedmeatspeed,hardlyfeelingtheearthheskimmed,andseeingnothingoneitherhand.Helookedveryhandsomemettleandpurposewererousedinhimfully. “Papa,thereisLucy!”criedamusical,friendlyvoice.“Lucy,dearLucy—docomehere!” Ihastenedtoher.Shethrewbackherveil,andstoopedfromhersaddletokissme. “Iwascomingtoseeyouto-morrow,”saidshe“butnowto-morrowyouwillcomeandseeme.” Shenamedthehour,andIpromisedcompliance. Themorrow’seveningfoundmewithher—sheandIshutintoherownroom.IhadnotseenhersincethatoccasionwhenherclaimswerebroughtintocomparisonwiththoseofGinevraFanshawe,andhadsosignallyprevailedshehadmuchtotellmeofhertravelsintheinterval.Amostanimated,rapidspeakerwassheinsuchatête-à-tête,amostlivelydescriberyetwithherartlessdictionandclearsoftvoice,sheneverseemedtospeaktoofastortosaytoomuch.MyownattentionIthinkwouldnotsoonhaveflagged,butby-and-by,sheherselfseemedtoneedsomechangeofsubjectshehastenedtowinduphernarrativebriefly.Yetwhysheterminatedwithsoconciseanabridgmentdidnotimmediatelyappearsilencefollowed—arestlesssil