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the lady merely hand the gentleman a play…bill； without speaking； but
the reader may form some feeble conception of my astonishment of
my profound amazement my delirious bewilderment of heart and soul
when； instantly afterward； having again glanced furtively around；
she allowed her bright eyes to set fully and steadily upon my own；
and then； with a faint smile； disclosing a bright line of her pearly
teeth； made two distinct； pointed； and unequivocal affirmative
inclinations of the head。
It is useless； of course； to dwell upon my joy upon my transport…
upon my illimitable ecstasy of heart。 If ever man was mad with excess
of happiness； it was myself at that moment。 I loved。 This was my
first love so I felt it to be。 It was love supreme…indescribable。
It was 〃love at first sight；〃 and at first sight； too； it had been
appreciated and returned。
Yes； returned。 How and why should I doubt it for an instant。 What
other construction could I possibly put upon such conduct； on the
part of a lady so beautiful so wealthy evidently so
accomplished of so high breeding of so lofty a position in
society in every regard so entirely respectable as I felt assured
was Madame Lalande？ Yes； she loved me she returned the enthusiasm
of my love； with an enthusiasm as blind as uncompromising as
uncalculating as abandoned and as utterly unbounded as my own！
These delicious fancies and reflections； however； were now
interrupted by the falling of the drop…curtain。 The audience arose；
and the usual tumult immediately supervened。 Quitting Talbot
abruptly； I made every effort to force my way into closer proximity
with Madame Lalande。 Having failed in this； on account of the crowd；
I at length gave up the chase； and bent my steps homeward； consoling
myself for my disappointment in not having been able to touch even
the hem of her robe； by the reflection that I should be introduced by
Talbot； in due form； upon the morrow。
This morrow at last came； that is to say； a day finally dawned upon a
long and weary night of impatience； and then the hours until 〃one〃
were snail…paced； dreary； and innumerable。 But even Stamboul； it is
said； shall have an end； and there came an end to this long delay。
The clock struck。 As the last echo ceased； I stepped into B's and
inquired for Talbot。
〃Out；〃 said the footman Talbot's own。
〃Out！〃 I replied； staggering back half a dozen paces 〃let me tell
you； my fine fellow； that this thing is thoroughly impossible and
impracticable； Mr。 Talbot is not out。 What do you mean？〃
〃Nothing； sir； only Mr。 Talbot is not in； that's all。 He rode over to
S； immediately after breakfast； and left word that he would not be
in town again for a week。〃
I stood petrified with horror and rage。 I endeavored to reply； but my
tongue refused its office。 At length I turned on my heel； livid with
wrath； and inwardly consigning the whole tribe of the Talbots to the
innermost regions of Erebus。 It was evident that my considerate
friend； il fanatico； had quite forgotten his appointment with myself
had forgotten it as soon as it was made。 At no time was he a very
scrupulous man of his word。 There was no help for it； so smothering
my vexation as well as I could； I strolled moodily up the street；
propounding futile inquiries about Madame Lalande to every male
acquaintance I met。 By report she was known； I found； to all… to many
by sight but she had been in town only a few weeks； and there were
very few； therefore； who claimed her personal acquaintance。 These
few； being still comparatively strangers； could not； or would not；
take the liberty of introducing me through the formality of a morning
call。 While I stood thus in despair； conversing with a trio of
friends upon the all absorbing subject of my heart； it so happened
that the subject itself passed by。
〃As I live； there she is！〃 cried one。
〃Surprisingly beautiful！〃 exclaimed a second。
〃An angel upon earth！〃 ejaculated a third。
I looked； and in an open carriage which approached us； passing slowly
down the street； sat the enchanting vision of the opera； accompanied
by the younger lady who had occupied a portion of her box。
〃Her companion also wears remarkably well；〃 said the one of my trio
who had spoken first。
〃Astonishingly；〃 said the second； 〃still quite a brilliant air； but
art will do wonders。 Upon my word； she looks better than she did at
Paris five years ago。 A beautiful woman still； don't you think so；
Froissart？ Simpson； I mean。〃
〃Still！〃 said I； 〃and why shouldn't she be？ But compared with her
friend she is as a rush light to the evening star a glow
worm to Antares。
〃Ha！ ha！ ha！ why； Simpson； you have an astonishing tact at making
discoveries original ones； I mean。〃 And here we separated； while
one of the trio began humming a gay vaudeville； of which I caught
only the lines…
Ninon； Ninon； Ninon a bas…
A bas Ninon De L'Enclos！
During this little scene； however； one thing had served greatly to
console me； although it fed the passion by which I was consumed。 As
the carriage of Madame Lalande rolled by our group； I had observed
that she recognized me； and more than this； she had blessed me； by
the most seraphic of all imaginable smiles； with no equivocal mark of
the recognition。
As for an introduction； I was obliged to abandon all hope of it until
such time as Talbot should think proper to return from the country。
In the meantime I perseveringly frequented every reputable place of
public amusement； and； at length； at the theatre； where I first saw
her； I had the supreme bliss of meeting her； and of exchanging
glances with her once again。 This did not occur； however； until the
lapse of a fortnight。 Every day； in the interim； I had inquired for
Talbot at his hotel； and every day had been thrown into a spasm of
wrath by the everlasting 〃Not come home yet〃 of his footman。
Upon the evening in question； therefore； I was in a condition little
short of madness。 Madame Lalande； I had been told； was a Parisian
had lately arrived from Paris might she not suddenly return？
return before Talbot came back and might she not be thus lost to
me forever？ The thought was too terrible to bear。 Since my future
happiness was at issue； I resolved to act with a manly decision。 In a
word； upon the breaking up of the play； I traced the lady to her
residence； noted the address； and the next morning sent her a full
and elaborate letter； in which I poured out my whole heart。
I spoke boldly； freely in a word； I spoke with passion。 I
concealed nothing nothing even of my weakness。 I alluded to the
romantic circumstances of our first meeting even to the glances
which had passed between us。 I went so far as to say that I felt
assured of her love； while I offered this assurance； and my own
intensity of devotion； as two excuses for my otherwise unpardonable
conduct。 As a third； I spoke of my fear that she might quit the city
before I could have the opportunity of a formal introduction。 I
concluded the most wildly enthusiastic epistle ever penned； with a
frank declaration of my worldly circumstances of my affluence
and with an offer of my heart and of my hand。
In an agony of expectation I awaited the reply。 After what seemed the
lapse of a century it came。
Yes； actually came。 Romantic as all this may appear； I really
received a letter from Madame Lalande the beautiful； the wealthy；
the idolized Madame Lalande。 Her eyes her magnificent eyes； had
not belied her noble heart。 Like a true Frenchwoman as she was she
had obeyed the frank dictates of her reason the generous impulses
of her nature despising the conventional pruderies of the world。
She had not scorned my proposals。 She had not sheltered herself in
silence。 She had not returned my letter unopened。 She had even sent
me； in reply； one penned by her own exquisite fingers。 It ran thus：
〃Monsieur Simpson vill pardonne me for not compose de butefulle tong
of his contree so vell as might。 It is only de late dat I am arrive；
and not yet ave do opportunite for to l'etudier。
〃Vid dis apologie for the maniere； I vill now say dat； helas！…
Monsieur Simpson ave guess but de too true。 Need I say de more？
Helas！ am I not ready speak de too moshe？
〃EUGENIE LALAND。〃
This noble spirited note I kissed a million times； and committed；
no doubt； on its account； a thousand other extravagances that have
now escaped my memory。 Still Talbot would not return。 Alas！ could he
have formed even the vaguest idea of the suffering his absence had
occasioned his friend； would not his sympathizing nature have flown
immediately to my relief？ Still； however； he came not。 I wrote。 He
replied。 He was detained by urgent business but would shortly
return。 He begged me not to be impatient to moderate my transports
to read soothing books to drink nothing stronger than Hock
and to bring the consolations of philosophy to my aid。 The fool！ if
he could not come himself； why； in the name of every thing rational；
could he not have enclosed me a letter of presentation？ I wrote him
again； entreating him to forward one forthwith。 My letter was
returned by that footman； with the following endorsement in pencil。
The sc