hero. Then opening several other books, he made a rash attempt to pronounce
in English their titles, and with the happy facility of a Frenchman,
he touched upon various subjects, dwelt upon none, but found means on
all to say something to raise himself and his country in the opinion of
the company, and at the same time to make all his auditors pleased with
themselves. Presently, taking a seat between Rosamond and Caroline, he
applied himself to draw out their talents for conversation. Nor did he
labour in vain. They did not shut themselves up in stupid and provoking
silence, nor did they make any ostentatious display of their knowledge
or abilities.--M. de Tourville, as Rosamond had justly observed, seemed
to be particularly struck with Miss Caroline Percy.--She was beautiful,
and of an uncommon style of beauty. Ingenuous, unaffected, and with
all the simplicity of youth, there was a certain dignity and graceful
self-possession in her manner, which gave the idea of a superior character.
She had, perhaps, less of what the French call _esprit_ than M. de
Tourville had been accustomed to meet with in young persons on the
continent, but he was the more surprised by the strength and justness of
thought which appeared in her plain replies to the _finesse_ of some of his
questions.

The morning of the second day that he was at Percy-hall, M. de Tourville
was admiring the Miss Percys' drawings, especially some miniatures of
Caroline's, and he produced his snuff-box, to show Mr. Percy a beautiful
miniature on its lid.

It was exquisitely painted. M. de Tourville offered it to Caroline to copy,
and Mrs. Percy urged her to make the attempt.

"It is the celebrated Euphrosyne," said he, "who from the stage was very
near mounting a throne."