"'Oh dear, oh dear, don't say so,' said the old lady blushing, 'for though I have often remarked a kind of gay flirting manner she has with men--I am sure she means nothing by it--she is so young--and so--' "I stopped, stepped forward, and looking straight in my aunt's face, broke out into a fit of laughter, that she, mistaking for hysterical from its violence, nearly fainted upon the spot. "As soon as I could sufficiently recover gravity to explain to my aunt her mistake, I endeavoured to do so, but so ludicrous was the contre temps, and so ashamed the old lady for her gratuitous suspicions, that she would not listen to a word, and begged me to return to her hotel. Such an unexpected turn to my communication routed all my plans, and after a very awkward silence of some minutes on both sides, I mumbled something about our expensive habits of life, costly equipage, number of horses, &c., and hinted at the propriety of retrenchment. "'Mary rides beautifully,' said my aunt, drily.' "'Yes, but my dear aunt, it was not exactly of that I was going to speak, for in fact--' "Oh John,' said she, interrupting--'I know your delicacy too well to suspect; but, in fact, I have myself perceived what you allude to, and wished very much to have some conversation with you on the subject.' "'Thank God,' said I to myself, 'at length, we understand each other--and the ice is broken at last.' "'Indeed, I think I have anticipated your wish in the matter; but as time presses, and I must look after all my packing, I shall say good by for a few weeks, and in the evening, Jepson, who stays here, will bring you, "what I mean," over to your hotel; once more, then, good by.' "'Good by, my dearest, kindest friend,' said I, taking a most tender adieu of the old lady. 'What an excellent creature she is,' said I, half aloud, as I turned towards home--'how considerate, how truly kind--to spare me too all the pain of explanation.' Now I begin to breathe once more. 'If there be a flask of Johannisberg in the "Londres," I'll drink your health this day, and so shall Mary;' so saying, I entered the hotel with a lighter heart, and a firmer step than ever it had been my fortune to do hitherto. "'We shall miss the old lady, I'm sure, Mary, she is so kind.' "'Oh! indeed she is; but then, John, she is such a prude.' "Now I could not help recurring in my mind to some of the conversation in the Tuilleries garden, and did not feel exactly at ease. "'Such a prude, and so very old-fashioned in her notions.'