THE WIDOWED WIFE. 397 



" I'll take you to her ; this way, if you please." And leaving 

 Antoinette to conduct Mons. Claremont to his future daughter-in- 

 law, and Baptiste to make a further assurance of his eternal love to 

 Lily, (for which performances the reader is requested to conceive a 

 lapse of ten minutes,) we will station ourselves at the entrance of the 

 auberge, where a carriage and four has just stopped. 



" Hallo ! somebody house here ! house" loudly called the 



late tenant of the carriage, as he stepped from it into the house. 

 " Mind you give them a full feed, but don't take the harness off" 

 he continued, addressing one of the postilions, who was preparing to 

 lead the horses into the stable. 



" Aye, never fear for that, sir" was the man's answer ; and then 

 turning to two superbly liveried lacqueys, who had assisted him to 

 alight from the carriage, he continued 



" And you had better go in, and get your dinners." 



" Thankye, sir," said they, touching their hats, and went and 



did his bidding. 



" Have I the honour of addressing Mons. Le Grande ?" said An- 

 toinette, as she advanced and held open the door for the admission of 

 the stranger. 



" Yes, my dear yes " he replied : and a slight shade 



of thought passed over his features : he might have been thinking 



of his carriage or horses or what not. However (whatever might 

 have been the cause of it), the cloud passed away, as with a smiling 

 countenance, he said 



" I am right, I fancy ! This is Madame Delcourt's inn ?" The 



speaker was a short, fat, good-natured, cunning looking man, of be- 

 tween fifty and sixty years of age ; he was dressed in a light green 

 frock coat, nankeen trowsers, shoes with silver buckles, and silk 

 stockings ; a broad black ribband was fastened round his neck, over 

 which fell his long shirt-collar, giving him a combined appearance of 

 respectability, comfort, and coolness. 



" Oh, yes, sir," replied Antoinette, in answer to the question of the 

 respectable, comfortable, and cool-looking gentleman. 



" Aye, 1 thought I was right" he replied. 



" I'll run and tell Monsieur Claremont you're come," said Antoinette, 

 and she made a movement towards the door. 



" Run and tell whom ?" 



" Monsieur Claremont !" replied Antoinette. 



" Oh, ah ! no not just yet wait a bit tell me 



what's your name ?" 



" Antoinette St. Aubert, sir." 



" Antoinette St. Aubert, hey ? a very pretty name, that, An- 

 toinette." 



11 I'm very glad you think so, sir." 



" Are you ?" 



" Indeed I am because " 



" Because what ?" 



" Oh ! nothing in particular, sir." 



" Ah ! but I must know why !" 



" Why, sir, if you really must know 1 thought that I wanted 



to ask a favour of vou, but " 



