young lady, and of what nature those offers of service were, made in my name by you." Mrs. Courtney blushed, and was in the highest confusion. "Shall I interpret your looks, madam?" (asked he again.) "No, Sir, I can speak their language myself. I wrote to know her sentiments, at the time you were amusing yourself at the expence of my folly, as I had too much honor to give you encouragement, if she had any hopes of you." "So then, (said he, in a rage) she believes I was paying my addresses to you, madam." (She smiled contemptuously.) No wonder she renounces me; if such ideas took possession of her mind, she must think me the most contemptible of men." "And of what signification are her thoughts to you? Are there not insuperable difficulties to a connexion with her? (asked she.) "Not on my side, madam; this hour, this instant, I would receive her hand with gratitude and transport; her dignity of sentiment, her true greatness of mind, are the bars to my happiness." "Well, but if there are bars.———" "I beg pardon for interrupting you, madam; I know what you would say; and it is far from my design to be rude to any lady, but you must permit me to declare, I am resolved to wait week, months, or years, to have a chance for the removal of those impediments; and if I do not succeed at last, in all probability, I shall never marry at all." As he ended this speech he withdrew, with a respectful but reserved air. "Heavens! (said she, peevishly) is this the gallant, polite Frenchman! I see 'tis all over; I can make nothing of him, and I will gratify his vanity no longer; on the contrary, treat him with levity and contempt." Pride stepped in to her aid, and produced that change of sentiment which reason, honor, and good sense had failed to do: so true is the poet's observation,
"Pride saves men oft, and women too, from falling."
She determined, however, not to accompany her friends; being so lately returned from the continent,
