94 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



The word, baftard, greatly furprized Paul; he 

 had never heard it made ufe of before, and he 

 afked his mother the meaning of it : (he replied, 

 '* You had no legitimate fiither ; when I was a 

 ** girl, love betrayed me into a folly, of which yoa 

 " are the fruit. My frailty deprived you of the 

 f^ family of your father, and my repentance of that 

 *' of your mother. Unfortunate boy 1 I am the 

 '* only relation you have in the World." She con- 

 cluded by burfling into a flood of tears. Paiily 

 folding her in his arms, exclaimed : ** Alas ! my 

 " mother, fince I have no other relation but you, 

 *' I will love you ftill the more ; but, what a fecret 

 " have you juft divulged to me ! I now plainly 

 *' perceive the reafon, why Mademoifelle de la 

 *' Tour has, for thefe two months, fhunned me, and 

 *' which has, at length, determined her to take 

 *' her departure. Alas ! without doubt, fhe de- 

 " fpifes me 1" 



However, the hour of fupper came ; each of the 

 guefts took a place at table, agitated with different 

 paflions ; they ate little, and did not utter a fingle 

 fyllable. Virginia retired firft, and came and feated 

 herfelf on the fpot where we now are : Paul foon 

 followed, and placed himfelf by her fide ; a pro- 

 found filence enfued for fome time. It was one of 

 thofe delightful nights, fo common between the 



Tropics, 



