ada_, I
saw a gaudy-dressed, little, ugly old man, and a handsome young woman,
approach it; the man smiled in my face, which was the only smile I had
seen in the face of a stranger for a fortnight; he told me, what he need
not, that he was a Frenchman, and a noble Advocate of _Perpignan_; that
his name was _Anglois_, and that his ancestors were English; that he had
walked on foot, with his maid, from _Barcelona_, in order to pay his
devotions to the Holy Virgin of _Montserrat_, though he had his own
chaise and mules at _Barcelona_: he seemed much fatigued, so I gave him
some chocolate, for he was determined, he said, to get up to the convent
that night. During this interview, he embraced me several times,
professed a most affectionate regard for me and my whole family; and I
felt enough for him, to desire he would fix the day of his return, that
I might not be out upon my rambles, and that he would dine and spend the
evening with me; in which case, I would send him back to _Barcelona_ in
my _cabriolet_; all which he chearfully consented to; and having lent
him my _couteau de chasse_, as a more convenient weapon on ass-back than
his fine sword, we parted, reluctantly, for five days; that was the time
this _noble Advocate_ had allotted for making his peace with the Holy
Virgin;--I say, his peace with the Holy Virgin; for he was very
desirous of leaving _his_ virgin with us, as she was an excellent cook,
and a most faithful and trusty servant, both which he perceived we
wanted; yet in spite of his encomiums, there was nothing in the
behaviour of the girl that corresponded with such an amiable character:
she had, indeed a beautiful face, but strongly marked with something,
more like impudence than boldness, and more of that of a pragmatic
mistress than an humble servant; and therefore we did not accept, what I
was very certain, she would not have performed. I impatiently, however,
waited their return, and verily believed the old man had bought his
crimson velvet breeches and gold-laced waistcoat in honour of the
Virgin, and that his visit to her was a pious one.--He returned to his
time, and to a sad dinner indeed! but it was the best we could provide.
He had lost so much of that vivacity he went up with, that I began to
fear I had lost his friendship, or he the benediction of the Holy
Virgin. Indeed, I had lost it in some measure, but it was transferred
but a little way off; for he took the first favourable occasion to tell