The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1862-07-04
A MYSTERIOUS ADVENTURE.

Doctor Edward l., who spent some
years in Paris, during the reign Of Louis
PHILIPPE, acquiring greater proficiency in the
art of surgery, met with at least one strange,
curious and exciting adventure, which We
now record in his own language:
am naturally as fond of adventure in re-
ality (said the doctor) as most persons are of
reading it; and this admission, l trust, will
be sufficient explanation of how l so readily
became connected with the mysterious affair
am about to relate.
One night, while returning late to my
lodgings from a convivial party, where had
drank good many healths IN good deal of
very good wine, as was sauntering along
one of the numerously-named quays of the
Seine, not far from the Hotel Dieu-the old
est hospital in Paris, and, by the bye, one of
the best in the world-as l was sauntering
along the quay, l say, humming tune, and,
by way of variety, thinking over some of the
stories had heard of persons being assas-
sinated in this vicinity and thrown into the
river, which l could see rolling along below
me, a woman, cloaked and hooded, brushed
past me at quick step. As l had not heard
her till l saw her, and had believed myself a.
lone in that particular locality, felt my blood
quickened with slight start, and began to
mutter, as l searched for knife, the only
weapon l carried:
If you were man now, my fine lady, in
stead of a woman, as you are-God bless the
sex collectively-I-'
;, Here stopped, because she did, wheeling
round, facing me, and looking as if she were
taking my dimensions.
Five feet nine and half in boots said |,
the wine making me rather saucy; weight,
one hundred and tifty-fve, dinner included
age, say twenty-five, more or less, generally
more; and mighty good looking for a man
of my size.
Here put my back against a convenient
post, and began to whistle-the woman all
the time apparently eyeing me closely. Then
she came toward me, and said in low, sweet
voice-at least l thought SO then:
ill monsieur pardon me?'
OF course | will, mademoiselle, since you
don't owe me anything, and are not likely to,
said l, thinking myself uncommonly civil
which was all owing to the very good wine
had drank
is monsieur a doctor?'
Il have that honor, madamoiselle.'
a surgeon, monsieur?
Not quite equal to Monsieur Blandin, bat
still a surgeon at your service
Monsieur is an Englshman, she said, per.
ceiving from my accent that was foreign
er.
1 am, returned |, ele, ,ating my head with
an air of pride.
'EngIishmen are brave
Some of them, mademoiselle'
And they are also gallant
They possibly have that fault, if fault il
is, especially when pretty woman is in the
case
Here my fair unknown,as if without think
e ing, SO clever was the art, pushed back he,
!, hood and showed me, by the dim light of F.;
s neighboring lamp, one of the sweetest, pref
/ tiest, most bewitching faces l had evel
/, seen.
= Monsieur is doctor, surgeon, an Eng
y glishman, and brave and gallant gentle
e man; therefore monsieur will come with mt
+ and save sufferers life by his grea
skill
+ of course l will said l, steadying mysel
d by the post, for the wine had somehow beer
o increasing its power over me since leaving
It my friends. 'O' course will, mademoisel
d only too happy to serve such beautiful
d creature-'pon the honor of a Frenchife.
= English gentleman chirurgeon! Pray lea,
f. the way, mademoiselle.'
- will moLsieur be so kind as to take m
s arm?'
J. Monsieur was so kind-monsieur woul
n have done almost anything he had been ask
n ed just then.
IS Twenty PAGES or so brought US to the step
v Of one Of the ports leading Gown into tn
Seine. My fair unknown descended, and S
a did l, without asking wherefore. If she ha
:; jumped into the water just then, probably
is should have jumped in after her. She didn
,e though, and that probably accounts for m
" not being drowned doctor to-day.
to Well, as she and reached the stair abov
ee the wash of the river, boat row
ed by two men shot up to US, and before
be comprehended exactly what was doing, {
he how it was done, found myself seated o
er one Of the thwarts, my unknown angel b.
D. side me, and the boat rapidly going SOM
k where, still rowed by two men.
IL 'Whew" thought l, here is an adventu,
re whether will or no. DR. L., yc
ed gouty wine-bibber, you have probably mac
X an ass of yourself, and are now going to ha,
nd your throat cut for the little money you al
ne supposed to have, but you haven't got i:
* bout your person. Well, it's too late
he whine or repine now, and so not word r
Del and not word did say, rather liking