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Piazza, but the Demon had not yet done, and gave him some more problems to solve.

"Yet," he, pausing, asked himself, "could I have been thus far mistaken? can a lover's eyes be so deceived? and even granting that the joy and trepidation I experienced, at so unexpectedly finding her, had blinded me, could Geoffroi, a cool spectator, comparatively indifferent to the matter, have been also blinded to this extent? The sun, to be sure, was not then in full splendour, and had long sunk behind the high-roofed buildings of the narrow street. Yet allowing for all this, could Geoffroi, like myself, have been deceived so much? No! she is unworthy of an affection so pure and perfect as is mine." Again he reverted to his original design of returning to Bavay.

This was valorous.-But such things are more quickly said than done. It is not so very easy a matter to give up a woman that one loves, and Gaultier vacillated backwards and forwards in his designs an hundred timesmaking as many attempts to account for and explain the adventure, as ever before his time or

VOL. II.

L

since, lover made; and ended by so bewildering his understanding, as to be utterly incapable of forming any fixed notion whatever.

Io non so nel mio martiro

Se ragiono o se deliro.

So che solo io me consolo
Con l'idea del caro ben.

Under such difficulties, it is always delighful to have at hand, a friend whom we may consult, particularly too if we are sure of his being sufficiently our friend, as to chime in exactly with our secret wishes. Such a one is invaluable, and such Gaultier very well knew he should find in Geoffroi, who, he had of late had frequent occasions to remark, was a very acute shrewd fellow; and though he entertained no particular respect for his character, yet did it seem likely to prove convenient to him in this particular case, when it was so essential to his happiness, that if Emily were innocent, he should be made to know it; if otherwise, be argued into believing so. He could not fancy having fallen on a fitter person for this work.

He felt a considerable reluctance to open so

delicate an affair to one of his condition, as also much difficulty as to how he should introduce it; however, this being necessary, he resolved to overcome his shame, and to let himself be guided by circumstances or the impulse of the moment, for the manner of doing it.

His mind being made up-on this point, at least he left the market-place, and re-entering the street, soon joined Geoffroi, who had not removed from the spot where he left him.

During Gaultier's absence, the day had been fast closing in, and at his return, it was beginning to grow dark-yet was there still sufficient light for Geoffroi to see that his master sped not forward with that lightness of step and alacrity of countenance, which is usual to men whose hearts are filled with joy at the success of an adventure.

"How-the de'il-what's now then?"-he muttered to himself, seeing Gaultier approach"what's happened that my young Lord looks so sad? Ha'nt he then caught the young Damoyselle, or won't she listen to un? Must we be aye scampering from town to town for all our lives?"

Gaultier took the rein from the man, mounted his horse without uttering a word, and was procceding towards the hotel.

"An please you, Damoyseau, how fares it with my young Lady?" asked Geoffroi, uncertain how the question would be received.

Gaultier answered not, but seemed as though he had not heard the query ;--the man took the hint, and remained silent-making his own reflections upon the behaviour of his Lord, who, arriving at the hotel, opened the matter in the following manner.

"Geoffroi!--that was not the Lady Emily whom we saw."

"Sire!-not the Lady Emily?-who then was't, and please you, Damoyseau ?”

66

Why, that is more than I know;-but it was not the Lady Emily. It could not have been-it is impossible-utterly so."

"Did your Seigneurie see the one we took for her, an't please you, Sire, and view her, face to face?"

"No!-but things have happened, which convince me we must have been deceived; and

mistaken for her, some one else happening to have on a robe like hers, and who chanced to resemble her in height-indeed, it hath since struck me, that the Lady Emily is taller than the one we saw. Dost not think, in truth, that

'tis so, Geoffroi ?"

66

Why, my Lord, now you come to name it, I don't know but she was a mite shorter in her shoes than my young Lady, but can't say justly -the lass was't some distance."

"That's true, Geoffroi ;-besides which, it has been dull and murky weather all day, and when we saw her, the sun was getting low, and the street was narrow, to boot-was't not?"

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'Ay, Sire, 'twas indeed," replied Geoffroi, looking out of the lattice, as if to see how much lighter it might have been at that time than at the present.

"Well, Geoffroi, thinkest thou not that all these things being, we might have been deceived by our own imaginations, and the great wish we had to find the Lady Emily; and thought that 'twas she, when 'twas but some one like her?"

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