A Years Journey through France and Part of Spain

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Title: A Year's Journey through France and Part of Spain, Volume II
(of 2)
Author: Philip Thicknesse

Release Date: November 4, 2005 [eBook #16994]
Language: English
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A YEAR'S JOURNEY THROUGH FRANCE, AND PART OF
SPAIN.
by
PHILIP THICKNESSE.
VOLUME II

Dublin Printed by J. Williams, (No. 21.) Skinner-Row.
M,DCC,LXXVII.

A
JOURNEY, &c.
LETTER XXXIV.

NISMES
SIR,
I am very certain that a man may travel twice through Spain, and half
through France, before he sees a woman of so much beauty, elegance,
and breeding, as the mistress of the house I lodge in near this city. I
was directed to the house, and recommended to the lady, as a lodger;
but both were so fine, and superior in all respects to any thing I had
seen out of Paris, that I began to suspect I had been imposed upon. The
lady who received me appeared to be (it was candle-light) about
eighteen, a tall, elegant figure, a beautiful face, and an address inferior
to none: I concluded she was the daughter, till she informed me, that
_Mons. Saigny_, her husband, was gone to Avignon. What added,
perhaps, to this lady's beauty in my eyes, or rather ears, was her
misfortune,--she could not speak louder than a gentle whisper. After
seeing her sumptuous apartments, I told her I would not ask what her
price was, but tell her what I could afford only to give; and observed,
that as it was winter, and the snow upon the ground, perhaps she had
better take my price than have none. She instantly took me by the hand
and said, she had so much respect for the English nation, that my price
was her's; and with a still softer whisper, and close to my ear, said, I
might come in as soon as I pleased--"_Quand vous voudrez,
Monsieur_," said she. We accordingly took possession of the finest
apartments, and the best beds I ever lay on. The next day, I saw a
genteel stripling about the house, in a white suit of cloaths, dressed en
militaire, and began to suspect the virtue of my fair hostess, not
perceiving for some hours that it was my hostess herself; in the
afternoon she made us a visit in this horrid dress,--(for horrid she
appeared in my eyes)--her cloaths were white, with red cuffs and
scarlet _lappels_; and she held in her straddling lap a large black muff,
as big as a porridge-pot. By this visit she lost all that respect her
superlative beauty had so justly entitled her to, and I determined she
should visit me no more in man's apparel. When I went into the town I
mentioned this circumstance, and there I learnt, that the real wife of
_Mons. Saigny_ had parted from him, and that the lady, my hostess,
was his mistress. The next day, however, the master arrived; and after

being full and finely dressed, he made me a visit, and proffers of every
attention in his power: he told me he had injured his fortune, and that
he was not rich; but that he had served in the army, and was a
gentleman: he had been bred a protestant, but had just embraced the
true faith, in order to qualify himself for an employment about the court
of the Pope's Legate at Avignon. After many expressions of regard, he
asked me to dine with him the next day; but I observed that as he was
not rich, and as I paid but a small rent in proportion to his noble
apartments, I begged to be excused; but he pressed it so much, that I
was obliged to give him some other reasons, which did not prove very
pleasing ones, to the lady below. This fine lady, however, continued to
sell us wood,