This scornful lady deigned to cast on me a second look at least
as valuable as the former, and turning to her grandfather, appeared to
wait with impatience for the praise that was due to me, and which he
fully bestowed, with such apparent satisfaction, that it was eagerly
chorused by the whole table. This interval was short, but delightful
in many respects; it was one of those moments so rarely met with,
which place things in their natural order, and revenge depressed merit
for the injuries of fortune. Some minutes after Mademoiselle de
Breil again raised her eyes, desiring me with a voice of timid
affability to give her some drink. It will easily be supposed I did
not let her wait, but advancing towards her, I was seized with such
a trembling, that having filled the glass too full, I spilled some
of the water on her plate, and even on herself. Her brother asked
me, giddily, why I trembled thus? This question increased my
confusion, while the face of Mademoiselle de Breil was suffused with a
crimson blush.
Here ended the romance; where it may be remarked (as with Madam
Basile, and others in the continuation of my life) that I was not
fortunate in the conclusion of my amours. In vain I placed myself in
the antechamber of Madam de Breil. I could not obtain one mark of
attention from her daughter; she went in and out without looking at
me, nor had I the confidence to raise my eyes to her; I was even so
foolishly stupid, that one day, on dropping her gloves as she
passed, instead of seizing and covering it with kisses, as I would
gladly have done, I did not dare to quit my place, but suffered it
to be taken up by a great booby of a footman, whom I could willingly
have knocked down for his officiousness.
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