A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy by Laurence Sterne
page 25 of 148 (16%)
page 25 of 148 (16%)
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stride, to make her the proposal, with the best address I was
master of: but observing she walk'd with her cheek half resting upon the palm of her hand,--with the slow short-measur'd step of thoughtfulness,--and with her eyes, as she went step by step, fixed upon the ground, it struck me she was trying the same cause herself.--God help her! said I, she has some mother-in-law, or tartufish aunt, or nonsensical old woman, to consult upon the occasion, as well as myself: so not caring to interrupt the process, and deeming it more gallant to take her at discretion than by surprise, I faced about and took a short turn or two before the door of the Remise, whilst she walk'd musing on one side. IN THE STREET. CALAIS. Having, on the first sight of the lady, settled the affair in my fancy "that she was of the better order of beings;"--and then laid it down as a second axiom, as indisputable as the first, that she was a widow, and wore a character of distress,--I went no further; I got ground enough for the situation which pleased me;--and had she remained close beside my elbow till midnight, I should have held true to my system, and considered her only under that general idea. She had scarce got twenty paces distant from me, ere something within me called out for a more particular enquiry;--it brought on the idea of a further separation: --I might possibly never see her more: --The heart is for saving what it can; and I wanted the traces through which my wishes might find their way to her, in case |
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