A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy by Laurence Sterne
page 75 of 148 (50%)
page 75 of 148 (50%)
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The bookseller said he had not a set in the world. Comment! said
I, taking one up out of a set which lay upon the counter betwixt us.--He said they were sent him only to be got bound, and were to be sent back to Versailles in the morning to the Count de B-. - And does the Count de B-, said I, read Shakespeare? C'est un esprit fort, replied the bookseller.--He loves English books! and what is more to his honour, Monsieur, he loves the English too. You speak this so civilly, said I, that it is enough to oblige an Englishman to lay out a louis d'or or two at your shop.--The bookseller made a bow, and was going to say something, when a young decent girl about twenty, who by her air and dress seemed to be fille de chambre to some devout woman of fashion, come into the shop and asked for Les Egarements du Coeur et de l'Esprit: the bookseller gave her the book directly; she pulled out a little green satin purse run round with a riband of the same colour, and putting her finger and thumb into it, she took out the money and paid for it. As I had nothing more to stay me in the shop, we both walk'd out at the door together. - And what have you to do, my dear, said I, with The Wanderings of the Heart, who scarce know yet you have one? nor, till love has first told you it, or some faithless shepherd has made it ache, canst thou ever be sure it is so.--Le Dieu m'en garde! said the girl.--With reason, said I, for if it is a good one, 'tis pity it should be stolen; 'tis a little treasure to thee, and gives a better air to your face, than if it was dress'd out with pearls. The young girl listened with a submissive attention, holding her satin purse by its riband in her hand all the time.--'Tis a very |
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