2 A TOUR ROUND MT GARDEN. 



mounted as a courier to prepare relays, was teazing his horse, 

 which curvetted beneath him. 



On my arrival, I found you absent and preoccupied ; it 

 was an effort for you to answer my questions, and address a 

 few words to me; you seemed as agitated as a bird about to 

 take wing. 



You bade me adieu with a warm and friendly squeeze of 

 the hand, and sprang into the carriage; Arthur, your valet 

 de chambre, got up behind, you waved your hand, and the 

 courier set off at full gaUop. In the meanwhile, the postilion 

 drove out of the court-yard, cracked his whip as a signal of 

 departure; this brought the neighbours to their windows, 

 the passers-by stopped, you waved me one more adieu, and 

 bid the postilion, " Go on !" The horses were off at a gallop, 

 and all soon disappeared at the turning of the street. 



As for me, I stood looking after you, bewildered, stupified, 

 sad, dissatisfied, humiliated, without knowing precisely why. 



The neighbours reolosed their windows; the passers-by 

 continued their way; your porter closed the gate of the 

 court-yard, the hinges giving forth their inharmonious gra- 

 ting: and yet there I stood motionless in the street, not 

 knowing what to do, what was to become of me, or where I 

 should go; it appeared to me that the only road in the 

 world was that which you were pursuing, and that you had 

 taken it away with you. 



Nevertheless, I began to perceive that people looked at me 

 with astonishment, and I took at random — for the sake of 

 moving rather than with a view of going anywhere — the oppo- 

 site direction to that by which you had departed. 



It was not long before it occurred to me to ask myself 

 where I was going; and this question, to a certain point, 

 embarrassed me ; the public walks appeared duU. — the people 

 out of spirits — ^I determined to return home. 



As I walked along, I began to think of you in not the very 



best of humours. I could not help fancying that your air 



was almost disdainful; you seemed flattered by the attention 



your departure and your equipage excited; you appeared to 



Jeaye your street, your house, and your old friend, as we leave 



things that are worn out, and with which we have no longer 

 anything to do. 



