Year: 1870

The BashfuI Man.


! Translated from the French for the Stark Comfy
Democrat by GEcRGE GTHBsl


! / labor under a sort Of distress which, |
| fear, will at last oblige me to relounce all
| society in which I am desirous Of appear
| ing. l will give you a short sketch of my
! origin and present situation that you may
| the better understand my peTpltxity. My
| father was "a small farmer. without any
! other education than that obtained in
charity school. My mother being dead,


and having no other children beside me, he
| resolved to procure me an advantage


which, IN his opinion, would render him
| happy-a liberal education. He sent me


at first to a grammar school, and after


wards to the university, with the design


to have me take holy orders. Receiving


only a small allowance from my father,


and helng of a bashful disposition, | found
| no opportunity TO eXtfIcate myself from


the natural awkwardness which Is the


fatal cause of all my unhappiaess, and of


which, l begin to fear, I shall never cure
myself


1t should be known that kam tall and
slender, that I have fine complexion and


fair hair, but such a disposition to blush


that for the least cause of confusion, all
| my blood rushes TO the face, and | resem-
| bic full bloom rose. The consciousness
OF this unfortunate weakness made me
avoid company, and | longed for. college
! life, especially when | reflected that the
rough manners of my fathers family were
! but little fit to teach me the usages of the
world. I had then resolved to live at the


university, and to take pnpils, when two
Unforeseen events changed the condition
of my affairs l mean my fathers death
and the return of an unde from the Indies.


! rarely heard my father speak of this un-
| Gle, and 1t was generally believed that he
| was long since dead, when he arrived in
| England only week too late to close his
| brothers eyes. | was Unconsolable at the
| loss had Just sustained, but my uncle
| was but little affected for he had been
! separated from his brother more than so
! years, and in this time he had acquired an
ample fortune-as he was wont to boast
enough to render a nabob happy; in
word he brought with him the enormous
sum of thirty thousand pounds sterling.
and he built upon this the hopes of a
boundless felicity. Whilst he was form
ing plans of enjoyment and greatness,
| whether the climate did not agree with
him, he was carried away from all his
| dreams Of happiness by short sickness of
which he died, leaving me heir of all his
property.


Behold me now, at the age of twenty
| five, well versed in Latin, Greek, and math-
ematics, possessor of an ample fortune,
but so awkward and such a novice in all
! the usages Of good society, that those who
know me call ne the rich and learned
clown


A short time ago bought a property
IN the country, where ! am surrounded by
what is called people of fashion; and if
You reflect on my parentage and my stiff
manner, it viii be difficult for you to con-
celve why my company is courted by the
families of the neighborhood, especially
by those who have manageable daugh-
ters.


The gentlemen have paid me some ia
mllar visits, and have given me the most
pressing invitations: but although desire
to accept their friendly offers, | have con-
stantly excused myself under the pretext
of not being altogether settled The truth
ls, when l mount my horse, or when |
leave with the intention of returning
their numerous visits. my heart fails me
upon approaching their door, and more
than once, l have returned to my home,
resolving to make new attempt the next
----


have. however, determined to conquer
my timidity three days ago, I accepted
an invitation to dine with a man, whose
simple and frank manner, left me no doubt
as to cordial reception Sir Thomas
Bienvenu, who lives nearly two miles of,
IS baronet, and possessor of an estate of
about 20O0 pounds year, near the same
1 have bought. He has two sons and five
daughters, of fine stature, who live with
their mother and an elderly aunt, sister of
Sir Thomas, on the BienYenu Estate.


Convinced of my awkward manner, for
some time | have taken private lessons of
dancing master: and slthough at first
met with great difficulties in his art, my
knowledge of mathematics have been of
wonderful assistance to me in retaining
my equilibrium, and in regulating my
centre Of gravity. in the five positions.


Having required the art of walking
without making any missteps, and learned
to make a bow, / set myself about boldly
to respond to the Baronets invitation to
family dinner, not doubling that my ac-
quirements would allow me to present
myself with a tolerable assurance. But,
alas how vain is theory when unsustain-
ed by a constant practice. AS I was ap-
preaching the house, the sound of a bell
alarmed me, and l feared | had come too
late for dinner. Preoccupied with this
| thought, l became as red as scarlet, whilst
my name was successfully announced by
| the servants in livery who showed me into
the library l scarcely knew where | was
or whom / saw. Upon entering, I sum
moned all my courage, and l made my
first bow to Lady Bienyenu but unfortu-
nately in returning my left foot to the
| third position, slept on poor Sir Thorn
ass gouty toe, who was following me to
| give me the name of the family. The
| embarrassment l experienced on this occa-
| sion IS difficult to be conceived, since tim
id people alone can Judge of my misfor-
tune, their number / believe, being very
few


The Baronet's pohteness gradually dis
sipated my confusion, and was surprised
at seeing how much a good education en-
abled him to conceal his pain, and to ap-
pear perfectly'at his ease after so painful
an accident Lady BienVenu's cheerful
ness and the young ladies' familiar chat,
encouraged me to throw off my reserve
and sleepishness | was bold enough to


mix in the conversation and even to start


new subjects. The library was richly
| furnished with elegantly bound books. /


took Sir Thomas to be a man of letters,


and | ventured to give my opinion on


several editions of the Greek Classics, in


which the Baronet fully concuued with


me- | was directed to this subject on


seeing an edition of Xenophon in seven


teen volumes, which as ! had never heard
OF, excited lively curiosity in me. |


was rising to investigate what they were
Sir Thomas understood my design, and
wishing, as | suppose, to spare me the


trouble, he arose also TO get the book,


which increased my haste to prevent him


so that in putting my hand roughly on


the first volume ] drew it with Vigor


when, heavens! instead of the book, a


board, covered with leather and gilt,which


made it resemble seventeen volumes fell


rolling, and unfortunately overturned an


inkstand on the table which was placed


near the library. 1t was in vain that Sir