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with great ingenuousness and civility; but on my appearing astonished at seeing three looms un-employed, he, with a most significant shrug of the shoulder, -accompanied by such an intelligentbut melancholy look, that I could have wished to have retracted every syllable I had uttered,said, “ Est-ce-que monsieur ne sait pas que le commerce ne va plus en France ? Car, tant que lescotillons seront a la tdte du gouvernement, il n’y aura pas grand’ chose a esperer pour nous, exceptel’hopital, ou le metier de soldat, a cinq sols par jour; et cette derniere ressource, monsieur, nepeut gueres faire bouillir la marmite pour six personnes.—Mais enfin, n’importe; il faut mainte-nant prendre patience, car cela ne peut pas durer*.”
This discourse I afterwards found held not only partially by the artificers and mechanics atLyons, but universally reverberated throughout the nation; a prelude which assuredly announcedbut too strongly the fatal crisis which was approaching, and which was certainly accelerated bythe ruin of the manufacturing community.
During this short conversation, perceiving a delicate and interesting figure, with a lovely butdejected countenance, embroidering at a tambour, I could not refrain from asking some questionsconcerning her; adding, that they were surely to blame in allowing her to work in so reduced andweak a state as she appeared to be. To this he answered in a half whisper, that she might nothear him, “ Helas ! monsieur, c’est ma bonne soeur. Nous craignons que rien ne puisse la soula-ger, et qu’elle ne pourra survivre au chagrin qui la consume; car depuis la mort de son a'mie, elleva toujburs de pire en pire. Nous la plaignons beaucoup, car c’est, la meilleure enfant dumonde f.”
My companion, suspecting the subject of our conversation, from perceiving Justine, whichwas the young woman’s name, instantly quit her seat (on finding that she'had attracted my atten-tion) and join her mother.at the further end of the room, immediately came up to us, requestingme in a low voice to desist, for the present, from any more inquiries, but leave him to relate a talethat would swell my heart with sorrow. As for the poor girl, the recollection of scenes whichfilled her mind with horror, had doubtless pierced her very soul, for she was unable to restrain hertears. Scarcely had we taken our leave, and reached the bottom of the stairs, than I earnestly en-treated him to fulfil his promise. To this he readily agreed, and began a narrative to which mypen is unable to do justice; yet will I endeavour to relate it literally as I had it from his ownmouth.
“Justine,” proceeded he, “whose extreme delicacy, and dejected melancholy appearance,has attracted your attention and affected your sensibility, was born of poor but industrious parents,enriched only with virtuous simplicity. It appeared however that fortune in some degree hadsmiled on her birth, since, in consequence of her mother being taken to suckle a neighbour'schild, whose parents were in affluent circumstances, she became foster-sister -to the youngRosina.
“ These infants, being, as it were, brought up together from the cradle, formed at the earliestperiod of their lives a permanent affection for each other; and to such lengths did Rosina carryher partiality, that, when the time of separation arrived, her generous'and noble mind seemed insen-sible to every kind of amusement.
“ Her mother, who loved her with extreme tenderness (having lost her husband soon after thebirth of her child), distressed at seeing her miserable, and desirous of anticipating every wishthat could give her happiness, immediately gained her neighbour's-consent to take their daughterentirely under her protection; saying, that she should not only reside with hers, but that shemeant herself to superintend their education, and they should both be her children; that ofcourse they ought not to have any further anxiety concerning their child’s future welfare, butrejoice at seeing her so happily and so amply provided for. Elated at the proposal, these honestparents the more readily consented, as, being in straitened circumstances, and finding their w r ork
* Are you not acquainted, Sir, that trade no longer flourishes in France ; and that, whilst we are under petticoat govern-ment (alluding to Madame Du Barry ); there is little to be expected for us, except the refuge of an hospital, or the professionof a soldier, at five sols per day ? Which last resource is but a scanty pittance towards making the pot boil for half a dozenindividuals.—Yet, no matter, we must have patience ; this cannot last.
t Alas ! Sir, she is my dear sister. We fear that nothing can relieve her, and even think that she will be unable to survivethe sorrow which consumes her; for, ever since the loss of her dear and affectionate friend, she has become worse and worse.We grieve much for her, for she is one of the best young women in the world.