Ch. 8: A Committee-Man of 'The Terror' - Page 2

Sir. Same as they always do, I suppose."

'"How long is that?"

'"Till some time in October. They've come here every summer since eighty-
nine."

'The stranger moved onward down St. Thomas Street, and approached the
bridge over the harbour backwater, that then, as now, connected the old
town with the more modern portion. The spot was swept with the rays of a
low sun, which lit up the harbour lengthwise, and shone under the brim of
the man's hat and into his eyes as he looked westward. Against the
radiance figures were crossing in the opposite direction to his own;
among them this lady of my mother's later acquaintance, Mademoiselle V--.
She was the daughter of a good old French family, and at that date a pale
woman, twenty-eight or thirty years of age, tall and elegant in figure,
but plainly dressed and wearing that evening (she said) a small muslin
shawl crossed over the bosom in the fashion of the time, and tied behind.

'At sight of his face, which, as she used to tell us, was unusually
distinct in the peering sunlight, she could not help giving a little
shriek of horror, for a terrible reason connected with her history, and
after walking a few steps further, she sank down against the parapet of
the bridge in a fainting fit.

'In his preoccupation the foreign gentleman had hardly noticed her, but
her strange collapse immediately attracted his attention. He quickly
crossed the carriageway, picked her up, and carried her into the first
shop adjoining the bridge, explaining that she was a lady who had been
taken ill outside.

'She soon revived; but, clearly much puzzled, her helper perceived that
she still had a dread of him which was sufficient to hinder her complete
recovery of self-command. She spoke in a quick and nervous way to the
shopkeeper, asking him to call a coach.

'This the shopkeeper did, Mademoiselle V--- and the stranger remaining in
constrained silence while he was gone. The coach came up, and giving the
man the address, she entered it and drove away.

'"Who is that lady?" said the newly arrived gentleman.

'"She's of your nation, as I should make bold to suppose," said the
shopkeeper. And he told the other that she was Mademoiselle V--,
governess at General Newbold's, in the same town.

'"You have many foreigners here?" the stranger inquired.

'"Yes, though mostly Hanoverians. But since the peace they are learning
French a good deal in genteel society, and French instructors are rather
in demand."

'"Yes, I teach it," said the visitor. "I am looking for a tutorship in
an academy."

'The information given by the burgess to the Frenchman seemed to