This somewhat lessened my surprise, however, when my turn arrived; for no sooner was I named than all the embrassades were transferred to me—­“La digne Miss Borni!—­l’auteur de C`ecile?- -d’Evelina?—­non, ce n’est pas possible!-suis-je si

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heureuse!—­oui, je le vois `a ses yeux!—­Ah! que de bonheur!” etc. . . .

Madame de la Roche, had I met her in any other way, might have pleased me in no common degree; for could I have conceived her character to be unaffected, her manners have a softness that would render her excessively engaging.  She is now bien pass`ee—­ no doubt fifty—­yet has a voice of touching sweetness, eyes of dove-like gentleness, looks supplicating for favour, and an air and demeanour the most tenderly caressing.  I can suppose she has thought herself all her life the model of the favourite heroine of her own favourite romance, and I can readily believe that she has had attractions in her youth nothing short of fascinating.  Had I not been present, and so deeply engaged in this interview, I had certainly been caught by her myself; for in her presence I constantly felt myself forgiving and excusing what in her absence I as constantly found past defence or apology.

Poor Madame de la Fite has no chance in her presence for though their singular enthusiasm upon " the people of the literature,” as Pacchierotti called them, is equal, Madame de la Fite almost subdues by her vehemence, while Madame de la Roche almost melts by her softness.  Yet I fairly believe they are both very good women, and both believe themselves sincere.

I returned still time enough to find Mrs. Schwellenberg with her tea-party ; and she was very desirous to hear something of Madame de la Roche.  I was led by this to give a short account of her :  not such a one as you have heard, because I kept it quite independent of all reference to poor Madame de la Fite; but there was still enough to make a little narration.  Madame de ]a Roche had told me that she had been only three days in England, and had yet made but a beginning of seeing les spectacles and les gens c`el`ebres;—­and what do you think was the first, and, as yet, sole spectacle to which she had been carried?—­Bedlam!—­And who the first, and, as yet, only homme c`el`ebre she had seen—­Lord George Gordon!—­whom she called le fameux George Gordon, and with whom she had dined, in company with Count Cagliostro.

Sunday, Sept. 17-At the chapel this morning, Madame de la Fite placed Madame de la Roche between herself and me, and proposed bringing her to the Lodge, “to return my visit.”  This being precisely what I had tried to avoid, and to avoid without shocking Madame de la Fite, by meeting her corre-412

spondent at her own house, I was much chagrined at such a proposal, but had no means to decline it, as it was made across Madame de la Roche herself.

Accordingly, at about two o’clock, when I came from the queen, I found them both in full possession of my room, and Madame de la Fite occupied in examining my books.  The thing thus being done, and the risk of consequences inevitable, I had only to receive them with as little display of disapprobation of their measures as I could help ; but one of the most curious scenes followed I have ever yet been engaged in or witnessed.