sanction a handsome veil on such an equal rapidity, perceived, that while occasion; and it was accordingly de- the young woman answered her cided, to Nina's great joy, that she questions, her eye was constantly was to have an English lace veil, turned towards the door, and that which she was to choose herself in there was an inquietude and agitaParis, with a proviso that it did not tion in her manner which she eviexceed the sum of five louis, which dently strove to repress. The old her aunt presented to her.

woman, who was seated close to the The next day she was to go after door, never withdrew her eyes from breakfast to make her purchase in the road which faced it, and after Paris. She set out as usual to take some time, she said sorrowfully, “ If her morning ramble as soon as she he should disappoint us after all!". was up, accompanied by her maid | “O mother," cried the young perLisette. In consequence of turning son in a tone of emotion," he canwrong when they meant to go back not!" to the village, they wandered to a She had hardly spoken when the considerable distance from it, and | miller, and a young man accompanyNina was beginning to sink with fa- ing liim, appeared in sight, both tigue when she spied a mill. A few | walking very slowly. The daughter minutes brisk walking brought them flew to them; the poor mother lookto the miller's cottage, which they ed after her with straining eyes. “Ah! entered to ask their way, and permis- my God,” cried she," my fears were sion to repose a little.

too just!" The inmates of the cottage were | It was not in nature for Nina to an old woman, who had lost the use refrain from asking what those fears of her limbs, and a pretty young one were; and she learned that the young of nineteen or twenty, who did the man had been drawn for the conhonours of the cottage with true scription, that they intended to proFrench frankness and hospitality; vide a substitute, but not having quite for as the morning was cold, she money enough to do it, had dependkindled immediately a bit of fire, ed on a friend, who promised to lend drew chairs close to it for Nina and them the sum necessary to make it Lisette, and after observing, that up, and this man, after buoying them mademoiselle seemed very much fa- | up with hope till the last moment, tigued, she begged to inform 'her, had disappointed them. that the milk of their goat Bibi was I cannot paint the scene which enfamous all over the country; that sued when the young man threw she had just milked her, and if ma- || himself into the arms of his mother demoiselle could condescend----Ni- to bid her farewell—the clamorous na, who was as hungry as tired, cut | grief of the poor old woman, the sishort the compliment by eagerly ask- || lent despair in the countenance of ing for a cup of milk, which was the young wife, and the manly sorproduced immediately, with one for row of the father, deprived at once Lisette, and the cottage loaf, that of the comfort and the support of they might help themselves as they | his old age. “ I should bear the pleased.

blow better,” cried he, dashing away Nina, who ate and talked with the tears from his eyes, "if the treachery of Jacques had not added “ You will buy something else weight to it; but after all the years perhaps? Well, child, the money is we have lived in friendship together, yours, do what you please with it." to refuse me at last a paltry hundred Nina thanked her with an embrace; francs "

but, to the good lady's great surprise, “ What," interrupted Nina, “ is she made no purchase; and the next that all you want?"

day she appeared in church in her .“ All, mademoiselle! and enough usual neat and simple costume, with too, since I cannot have it.”

a veil of white muslin, instead of the “Yes, you can have it, you shall lace one she had been so eager to have it, for I will give it to you;"| possess. But as she quitted the and the five louis were transferred church, the mystery was explained: in an instant from her purse to the the miller's son had followed her hand of the old man.

home, and the father, with his son “ But,” cried Lisette, “ madame, and daughter, came at the head of your aunt "

the peasants of our village to express “Never mind my aunt; it is my their gratitude, and to do honour to money, my own money, I may do the natal day of their young benewhat I please with it, and I will too." factress. Oh! how lovely did Nina

The little family were beside them appear! how touching was the soft selves with joy; their gratitude was confusion of her air as, covered with unbounded. Nina hurried from its blushes, she strove to withdraw from enthusiastic demonstrations, and took the triumph which awaited hier! but her way home, so full of the scene she could not prevent the crowd which she had just quitted, that it was from completing their work, from some time before she could think of fixing fresh-gathered garlands over what she should say to her aunt. the door of her aunt's house, and

Her first care was to enjoin, un- surmounting them with a ribbon, der sundry pains and penalties, anbearing the inscription, Vive notre entire silence upon what had passed bienfaitrice! Vire notre bonne et to Lisette.

belle Nina! Even her aunt, though She found her aunt waiting her re- more cool and sober-minded than turn in some little alarm. “How is the French generally are, yielded to it,” cried she, “ that you have been the enthusiasm of the moment, and so late? The coach has been waiting | shed, as she afterwards acknowledgfor some time to take you to buy | ed to me, the sweetest tears that had your veil."

ever fallen from her eyes, in witness: “I have been thinking of it,” said ing the enthusiasm caused by the Nina blushing, “but” she stopped. Il beneficence of her niece. E.

THE CANARY-BIRD OF J. J. ROUSSEAU.

By MADAME DE MONTOLIEU.

(Concluded from p. 34.) AFTER Rousseau had inquired for a little more than play with my canaryfew moments what I knew, or rather bird, he proposed to me to return what I did not know, for I could do the visit which lie had paid to my Bibi by going to see his Carino. | me in time. On entering his apart“ He is endowed only with the na- ment, he introduced me to his housetural song,” said he, “ but can vary keeper, Demoiselle Therese, who was it to infinity, and redoubles it when putting it to rights." This little I call to him, as if he were obliged girl,” said he to her, " is my daughto reply to what be regards as my ter; let her come and go when she answer. You will learn the differ- | likes.”—The first thing I did was to ence between an automaton and a run to Carino's cage, the door of creature which possesses life and feel- which was open. My old friend ening. I am, besides, indebted to my ticed the bird to come out by hold. Carino for the pleasure of making ing to him a lump of sugar, at which him happy."_"Whatspoils the plea he pecked; he then fluttered about sure of keeping birds," observed my our heads, and alighted on our shoulmother," is the necessity of making ders. I had for the first time the prisoners of them."—" Very true, I pleasure of holding seeds between madam; and it was this consideration my lips for him, which he took away which long prevented me from keep in his bill. My Bibi had never done ing any. The greatest blessing is any thing of the sort. Presently he liberty. Possessed with this idea, began to sing. He flew from one I conceived a silly predilection for corner to the other, and seemed quite cats, because the cat manifests a de- delighted. I followed him with my cided instinct to be independent; eyes, and was still more delighted but I soon found that cats and men than he. I now felt that Bibi would are too like one another. Both have be quite intolerable but for two things; liberty to scratch, and both use that namely, that he was a present from liberty too often. A dear female my father, and sang my friend's songs. friend made me a present of Carino, From this day I became Rousand from that moment I began to seau's pupil. He performed all that. dislike cats. I shuddered at the idea, he had promised my mother: he that my poor bird might fall into the taught me what was good, without claws of a cat, which would use it mentioning what was bad. Through as unmercifully as men have done his instruction, I became a tolerable his poor inaster. Besides, Carino singer and performer on the harpsiis my slave only in as far as my chord; I learned the names of all friendship binds him; his cage is al- the plants of usual occurrence, and ways open, he flies about the room botany sufficient to assign them to at pleasure, and has never left me their respective classes. I learned but this once to come and see Rosa: as much of history and geography I love him the more for it. Come, as was necessary to understand the my dear, you must be better ac newspaper, which I had to read to quainted with him."

my aunt. I read with him some He took me by the hand, and I select pieces by the best French auwas already quite familiar with him. thors, some of Racine's tragedies, As we passed through the garden, the whole of Telemachus, a few new he told me the names of a number of works, and a few pages of his Emile, plants with which I was unacquaint- which explained to me the reason ed, and which he promised to teach why he sometimes called me Sophie.

ond, and "thors, vle of Te

This name excited in him a thou- || pleasure that a caress of his Rosa, sand pleasing and painful feelings. or the singing of his bird, soon disHe often pronounced it when caress- pelled his ill-humour. ing his Carino. He told me it was the Armand returned before he was name of the person who gave him expected: we were at supper. It the bird; and he never uttered it would be impossible to express our without emotion.. On one of these | joy; we loaded him with caresses. occasions he said to me, “ My good He had grown up to a handsome acRosa, if you love me, when I am no complished young man, who was far more, bring Carino, after he is dead, || superior to me, and who might well to my grave; place him under the have deterred me from familiarity; stone that will cover my ashes: he | but to me he was still my own dear will perhaps be the only creature on Armand. He too could not take his earth that has loved me wholly and eyes off me; his little Rosa was continually." I wept.“ O say not grown so tall, had acquired such so, Jean Jaques,” cried I, putting my grace, ease, and elegance, and spoke hand over his mouth; " you say it French with so pure an accent! This is wrong to lie, and now you do not advantage I owed to my old friend, yourself tell the truth. You well who considered a correct pronunciaknow that I love you, and that I shall |tion as an essential point for women, never cease to love you while I live," and never suffered a false expres-“ While you live!” he repeated sion, a vulgar turn, or a wrong emsmiling, then kissed my forehead, phasis, to pass uncorrected. In like and repeated his request that I would manner, he made me sit and stand deposit Carino on his grave. I could upright, but without stiffness, so not avoid promising that I would. that, under his direction, I had acAh! he was not then aware that he quired a genteel gait and carriage. should die so far from me, and that To every sign of astonishment, to we should soon be separated for ever. every question, to every commendaHe frequently said, that he would tion of my cousin's, I answered, " I pass the rest of his life at Mottier ; || learned that of my old friend !" But and that he hoped still to see his how was his astonishment increased Rosa as a wife, a mother, and the when I mentioned the name of this nurse of her children. Whenever | friend! “ What!" cried he, capering he talked thus I could not help laugh about the room, “what! Jean Jaques ing, and thinking of my cousin Ar- Rousseau here? and your friend too? mand, whose presence alone was Is it possible? When can I see him wanting to complete my happiness. and speak to him?”—“ This very

At length Armand came back, and evening, if you will, my dear Armand; his return caused me to discover I can go to him whenever I please." for the first time in Rousseau that || Our mothers remarked it was too mistrustful and suspicious disposition late for that night; his door was fastwhich I had hitherto only surmised, ened, and Mademoiselle Therese when at times he appeared capri- || would grumble and scold: so that, cious or rather gloomy. I ascribed || in spite of the impatient curiosity of this in general to his Therese and my cousin, he was obliged to wait till her cross speeches, and saw with the next morning. He talked to us the whole evening about Rousseau, . " What are you about here, Rosine, his works, and the friends and ene- with this young man? Why have you mies he had in Paris. He told us brought him to me? Who is he? also that he was a contributor to a What would he have with me?"literary journal, and it would affyrd " It is my cousin Armand,” replied him the highest gratification to insert I, trembling in every limb. “ He is in it something concerning Rousseau, ll come back from Paris, and " his place of abode, and his way of “Good God, from Paris!" cried he life at Mottier; in short, an account in a terrific tone, hiding his face with of all that he should see and hear of his hands, which trembled with rage. that celebrated man. “ The world“ I see-I understand-begone out shall know,” added he exultingly, of my sight! away! away!" He pa" that you are his pupil; and the ced the room in extreme agitation. name of my Rosa shall be placed | Armand followed him, stammering beside the names of Sophie and forth excuses, and naming the liteJulie.”

rati whom he knew and to whom he Next morning, as soon as we were was known at Paris. At every name up, he begged me to take him to my and with every step Rousseau's friend. I was not accustomed to go frenzy increased, and his tremento him so early, but I complied: we dous cry, “ Begone! away!" bedid not find him, for he was already came more and more vehement. I gone out to botanize. Therese was brought Carino and his cage-Caripreparing his breakfast, and assured no was to intercede for us. “ Leave us that he would soon be back. | me my bird, Rosine; don't meddle Meanwhile I went with my cousin with him ; you are not worthy of him: into his room, and we amused our he is the only creature that has not selves; I played with Carino, related | betrayed me!" I perceived that there the story of the bird and my auto was no other way than to let the maton, which highly diverted him, storm blow over: taking my cousin and sat down to the harpsichord, and || by the arm, I left the room in tears, played a couple of pieces. Armand and bitterly reproached him, convincwas meanwhile surveying every thing ed that it was owing to him alone in the room, opening first one and that my old friend had been so exthen another book, and at last he Il asperated. I sobbed all the way, took out his pocket-book, for the while he was convulsed with laughpurpose of making notes.

ter. " What an exquisite scene!” Just at that moment Rousseau en- cried he; " what a piquant story for tered. Gracious heaven! how is it || my friends! what a capital article possible for a man to change so sud- for my journal!” I was frightened, denly and to become so totally dif- and with clasped hands implored ferent! The kind, the gentle, the af- || him not to mention the affair to any fectionate look with which he always individual, and I would presently try received me, all at once gave place to appease my old friend. It was to a look of anger, which was pre- | my intention to go to him alone in sently increased to fury. He darted the afternoon; but he had strangers it first at Armand and then at me. I come to see him, which was the case

Vol. VI. No. XXXII.