ce. I am delighted to have met with so brave an
enemy, for every man on board that vessel was a hero."

The conversation was then general, and many particulars were asked;
and I will do the French captain the justice to say, that he was very
correct in all his statements, and neither vaunted his own success,
nor did us less than justice.

The party then broke up to go to the theatre, and afterwards we
repaired to the hotel. I remained there two days more, and on the last
of these two days I had promised to sup with the French captain of the
privateer, who had called upon me, and behaved very politely. The
following day, after noon, when the tide served, I was to sail.
Accordingly, after the theatre was over, I went with the French
captain to his house, in company with two or three more. Supper was on
the table when we arrived there, and we went into the room, waiting
for the presence of the captain's lady, who had not gone to the
theatre, and to whom I had not been introduced. After a few minutes
she made her appearance, and as she entered the room, I was struck
with her extreme beauty, although she was past the meridian of life. I
thought I had seen her face before, and as she came forward with her
husband, it at once rushed into my mind that she was the widow of the
French gentleman who had so gallantly fought his vessel, and who fell
by my hand--the lady who was nursing her son at the King's Hospital at
Jamaica, and who had been so inveterate against me. Our eyes met, and
her cheeks flushed; she recognized me, and I coloured deeply as I
bowed to her. She was taken with a faintness, and fell back.
Fortunately her husband received her in his arms.

"What is the matter, my love?" he said.

"Nothing; but I am taken with a vertigo," replied she; "it will go off
directly. Make my excuses to the company, while I retire for a few
minutes."

Her husband went out of the room, and after a minute or two came back,
saying that Madam was not well enough to return to the room, and
begged that they would admit her excuse, and sit down to supper
without her. Whether his wife had informed him of who I was, I know
not; but nothing could exceed the civility of the French captain
towards me during the supper. We did not, however, remain very late,
as the lady of the house was indisposed.

I found out, as I walked home with another French officer, that the
captain of the privateer had fallen in with the French lady on her
return f