peculiar notions on the subject, by having passed so many years in an
American family, was a little surprised at observing that Eve received the
respectful advances of Mr. Sharp and Mr. Blunt with less reserve than it
was usual to her to manifest to entire strangers. Instead of remaining a
mere listener, she answered several remarks of the first, and once or
twice she even laughed with him openly at some absurdity of the committee
of five. The cautious governess wondered, but half disposed to fancy that
there was no more than the necessary freedom of a ship in it all,--for,
like a true Frenchwoman, Mademoiselle Viefville had very vague notions of
the secrets of the mighty deep--she permitted it to pass, confiding in the
long-tried taste and discretion of her charge. While Mr. Sharp discoursed
with Eve, who held her arm the while, she herself had fallen into an
animated conversation with Mr. Blunt, who walked at her side, and who
spoke her own language so well, that she at first set him down as a
countryman, travelling under an English appellation, as _a nom de guerre_.
While this dialogue was at its height of interest--for Paul Blunt
discoursed with his companion of Paris and its excellencies with a skill
that soon absorbed all her attention, "_Paris, ce magnifique Paris,_"
having almost as much influence on the happiness of the governess, as it
was said to have had on that of Madame de Stael, Eve's companion dropped
his voice to a tone that was rather confidential for a stranger, although
it was perfectly respectful, and said,--

"I have flattered myself, perhaps through the influence of self-love
alone, that Miss Effingham has not so far forgotten all whom she has met
in her travels, as to think me an utter stranger."

"Certainly not," returned Eve, with perfect simplicity and composure;
"else would one of my faculties, that of memory, be perfectly useless. I
knew you at a glance, and consider the worthy captain's introduction as so