as stealing over my soul. Thus you will see, Chevalier, that my story
and its accompanying remarks were both judicious and appropriate; my
victim manifested the most intense interest during the recital, and I
could plainly perceive the exciting effect which the concluding words of
my narrative had upon him.

"My story being done,
He gave me for my pains a world of sighs."

"After the completion of my delightful little romance," continued the
Duchess, "the venerable goat attempted to subdue me by the force of
_argument_; and, to do him justice, I must say that his philosophy, if
not very rational, was at least very profound. He went over the entire
field of moral subtleties, and proved himself an excellent sophist. He
argued that as nature had given me passions, I was justified in
gratifying them, despite the opinions of the world and the prohibitions
of decent society. Much more he said that I have forgotten; but the
drift of his remarks was, that as I had admitted him to be the most
charming and agreeable person in the world, I could not do a better
thing than to throw myself into his arms, and enjoy with him, as he
said, 'the rightful inheritance of every man and every woman on the
face of the earth.'"

"In reply to his specious reasoning, I assured him that I couldn't think
of complying with his wishes, as I should thereby lose my reputation and
position in society, as a lady--which was, I added, the only
consideration that restrained me from testing those joys which he had so
eloquently depicted; for as to any scruples, moral or religious, I had
none whatever. Then I congratulated him on his happiness in belonging to
a sex having the privilege of amative delights, with almost perfect
impunity; and deplored my own hard fate--'for', said I, 'am I not a
woman, and are not women sternly prohibited from tasting the joys of
love unsanctioned by the empty forms of matrimony, under pain of having
their names and characters forever blasted and disgraced?'

"Well, my Chevalier, the old wretch, seeing that he was not likely to
accomplish his object by argument, adopted a new plan. Instantly, he
dropped the lover, and became the fond and doting father, in which
sacred capacity he proceeded to take liberties to which his former
familiarities were as nothing. He began by reminding me of his gray hair
and advanced age; then he asked permission to regard me as a daughter,
to which I made no objection, as I wished to see