EPISODES 



429 



a fisherman's house. We were presented to his wife, who, 

 like her neigiibors, was an adept in the piscatory art. 

 She courtesied, not a la Taglioni, it is true, but with a 

 modest assurance, which to me was quite as pleasing as 

 the airiness with which the admired performer just men- 

 tioned might have paid her respects. The good woman 

 was ratlicr unprepared, and quite en negligee, as was the 

 apartment, but full of activity, and anxious to arrange 

 things in becoming style. In one hand she held a bunch 

 of candles, in the other a lighted torch, and distribut- 

 ing the former at proper intervals along the walls, she 

 applied the latter to them in succession. This done, she 

 emptied the contents of a large tin vessel into a number of 

 glasses, which were placed on a tea-tray on the only table 

 in the room. The chimney, black and capacious, was em- 

 bellished with coffee-pots, milk-jugs, cups and saucers, 

 knives and forks, and all the paraphernalia necessary on 

 so important an occasion. A set of primitive wooden 

 stools and benches was placed around, for the reception 

 of the belles of the village, some of whom now dropped in, 

 flourishing in all the rosy fatness produced by an invigor- 

 ating northern climate, and in decoration vying with the 

 noblest Indian queen of the West, Their stays seemed 

 ready to burst open, and their shoes were equally pressed. 

 Around their necks, brilliant beads mingled with ebony 

 tresses, and their naked arms might have inspired appre- 

 hension had they not been constantly employed in arrang- 

 ing flowing ribbons, gaudy flowers, and muslin flounces. 



Now arrived one of the beaux, just returned from the 

 fishing, who, knowing all, and being equally known, leaped 

 without ceremony on the loose boards that formed a kind 

 of loft overhead, where he soon exchanged his dripping 

 apparel for a dress suited to the occasion, when he dropped 

 upon the floor, and strutting up and down, bowed and 

 scraped to the ladies, with as much ease, if not elegance, 

 as a Bond Street highly scented exquisite. Others came 



