replied in the same mute way, that his thinking so was not disagreeable to her. But finding that this sort of conversation was carrying her further than she meant, she turned it towards other subjects. She asked if the other gentleman she had seen was his brother; if they were going to Paris; and told him that she should return thither herself in a few days.

At length a silence of some moments succeeded, and having no excuse to prolong the interview, Charles rose to take his leave.

The baroness seeing his intention, rose also, and gave him her hand. He could do no less than raise it to his lips, and as he did so, something put it into his head that there was a slight tremulous motion in the small elegant fingers he held in his.

-" I think we shall meet again, Mr. Melville," said the baroness" I have a sort of presentiment that we shall."

"I hope it most sincerely, madam," replied Charles. He was going to have added,

I 4

added, that she might make it certain, by telling him where he could see her in Paris; but he could not bring himself to say so. At the same time, something seemed to tremble on the tongue of the baroness; but she also hesitated, and turned it at last into a polite adieu, as Charles departed, leaving an invitation, which both wished to have taken place, unsought by the one, and ungiven by the other. And so it often happens in moments of greater consequence, where the happiness of our whole future existence depends upon a single word, we have not the power to speak it, till irrevocable time has placed a barrier in our path which never can be overleaped. Oh that the fate of man should depend upon the hesitation of an instant —that his very being should depend upon the breath of one word!

Charles Melville's step, as he descended the stairs for the second time that morning, was fully more thoughtful than when he had been interrupted by the summons

of

of the baroness. At the bottom he met Mr. Wilmot, to whom he related what had happened, though without entering into all the particulars.

"She is very polite,” replied the other, with a kind of cynical smile, that gave Charles an undefined feeling of anger. But Mr. Wilmot never mentioned the subject again, though his companion led towards it very often; and giving the necessary directions, proceeded on their journey without even uttering the name of the baroness.

CHAPTER XI.

But such a grete congregation
Of folke as I saw roame about,
Some within and some without,
Was never seen, ne shall be cfr.

The Metropolis.

House of Fame.

"EVERY one has been at Paris." So say the travelled world, who have been so much farther, and seen so much more, that the gay city seems but the first step from their own door-the very threshold on which they must tread before they can enter into the great thoroughfare of curiosities which Europe presents to the insulated Englishman. But if by chance there should be in any corner of this seasurrounded country some strange being, who, unfortunately contented, has never

roamed

roamed from his native land, or any miserable one, whom interest or necessity has chained to a realm of plenty, and a shore of freedom, to them is this chapter written-not describing a city so often before described, but detailing the feelings it first occasioned, to one who, like them, had never before beheld it.

A great proportion of the persons who visit Paris, are driven there by the tediousness of a three week's relaxation from business, and who, having no more time to spare upon it, fly from curiosity to curiosity in a manner truly surprising; so that to read the tours and descriptions they write when they come home, one would suppose that they had been propelled by a steam-engine, as no other known machine could produce such rapidity of locomotion.

But, no!" said Charles Melville, in arranging with Mr. Wilmot the plan of what he was to see in Paris" no such thing for me; I did not come here to kill myself

1 6