Year: 1873

lips


"Her conversation appeared to me as
charming as her person she spoke on
different subjects with intelligence
above her years. In making some
pleasant remarks on the defects of men
in general, she observed, that what she
most dreaded was violence of temper.
Naturally of calm disposition, 1 was
wishing TO boast of it; but, not having
the courage, at last entered into her
idea, and said so much against passion,
that I could not well be suspected of an
inclination to it. I was reeompensed
by an approving smile; it emboldened
me, and 1 began to talk much better
than I thought myself capable of doing
before SO many handsome women. She
appeared to listen with pleasure; but
when they came to the chapter of
fashions, I had no more to say it was
an unknown language neither did she
appear Eersed in it. Then succeeded
observations on the flowers in the
garden; 1 knew little more of this than
of the fashions, bdt ] might likewise
have my particular taste and, to de-
eide, I waited to learn that of Amelia :;
she declared for the Rose, and grew
animated in the eulogy of her chosen
flower. From that moment, it became
for me the queen of flowers. " Amelia, -
said pretty laughing Espiegle, chow
many of your favorites are con-
demned to death this winter % "Not
one, replied she; g I renounce them :;
their education is too troublesome, and
too ungrateful task and begin to
think know nothing about it. -


81 assumed sufficient resolution to
ask an explanation of this question and
answer; she gave it to me: You have
just learned that I am passionately fond
of roses; it is an hereditary taste my
mother is still fonder of them than 1
am; since I was able to think of any
thing, 1 have had the greatest wish to
offer her a rOse-tree in blow (as new
years gift) on the first of january
I have never succeeded. Every year
1 have put quantity of rose-trees into
vases; the greater number persisted :;
and 1 have never been able to offer one
rose to my mother" So little did I
know of the culture of flowers, as to be
perfectly ignorant that it was possible
to have roses in winter but, from the
moment I understood that it might be,
without a miracle, and that incessant
attention only was necessary, I prom
ised myself that this first of January
should not pass without Amelia's offer
ing her mother a rose-tree in blow. We
returned to the saloon so close was I
on the watch, that heard her ask my
name in a whisper. Her companion an
swered: 81 know him only by repu-
tation (; they say he is an author; and
so learned, that he is already a pro
fessor." g 1 should never have guessed
it, said Amelia; she seems neither
vain nor pedantic How thankful was
for this reputation Next morning I
went to a gardener and ordered fifty
rose-trees, of different months, to be put
in vases. It must be singular i'll
fortune" thought I, I" if, among this
number, one at least does not flower. 3"
On leaving the gardener, I went to my
booksellers, purchased some works on
flowers, and returned home full of hope
L intended to accompany my rose-tree
in which I should request to be per-
mitted to visit Madame de Belmont, in
order to teach her daughter the art of
having roses in winter the agreeable
lesson, and the charming scholar, were
to me much pleasanter themes than
those of my philosophical lectures. I
built on all this the prettiest romance
possible; my milk-pail had not yet got
on so far as Perrette's i; she held it on
her head and my rose was not yet
transplanted into its vase, but saw
it all in blow. In the meantime, was
happy only in imagination no longer
saw Amelia they ceased to invite me
to the dOwager parties, and she was not
allowed to mix in those of young people.
1 must then be restricted, until my In
troducer was in a state of presentation,
| to seeing her every evening pass by
with her mother, as they went to their
parties. Happily for me, Madame de
Belmont was such coward in carriage,
that she preferred walking when it was
possible. I knew the hour at which
| they were in the habit of leaving home ;
learned to distinguish the sound of
the bell of their gate from that of all
the others of the quarter; my window
on the floor was always open at the
moment I heard their gate unclose, I
snatched up some volume, which was
often turned upside down, stationed
myself at the window, as if profoundly
occupied with my study, and thus,
almost every day, saw for an instant the
| lovely girl; and this instant was suffi-
! cient to attach me to her still more deep
| ly. The elegant simplicity of her dress,
her rich, dark hair, wreathed round her
head, and falling III ringlets on her
/ forehead her slight and graceful
figure her step, at once light and COM
manding; the fairy foot, that the care
of guarding the snowy robe rendered
visible, infamed my admiration while
her dignifed and composed manner, her
attention to her mother, and the affa-
bility with which she saluted her IN
feriors, touched my heart yet more.
began, too, to fancy that, limited as
were my opportunities of attracting her
notice, was not entirely Indifferent to
her. For example, on leaving home,
she usually crossed to the opposite side
of the street for, had she passed close
TO my windows, she guessed that, in,
tently occupied as / chose to appear,
could not raise my eyes from my book


then, as she came near my house, there
was always something TO say, in rather


louder tone, as, "Take care, mamma


lean heavier on me; do you feel cold 2


I then raised my eyes, looked at her


saluted her, and generally encountered


the transient glance of my divinity


who with blush, lowered her eyes, ana
/ rsfrrned my sairte The mother all en-