'One summer's day, the cattle lay panting under the broad umbrage; the sun had burst into an immoderate fit of splendour, and the struggling brook chided the matted grass for obstructing it. I sat under a hedge, and began eating wild strawberries; when lo! a form, flexile as the flame ascending from a censer, and undulating with the sighs of a dying vestal, flitted inaudible by me, nor crushed the daisies as it trod. What a divinity! she was fresh as the Anadyomene of Apelles, and beautiful as the Gnidus of Praxitiles, or the Helen of Zeuxis. Her eyes dipt in Heaven's own hue.'---- 'Sir,' said I, 'you need not mind her eyes: I dare say they were blue enough. But pray who was this immortal doll of your's?' 'Who!' cried he. 'Why who but--shall I speak it? Who but--the LADY CHERUBINA DE WILLOUGHBY!!!' 'I!' 'You!' 'Ah! Montmorenci!' 'Ah! Cherubina! I followed you with cautious steps,' continued he, 'till I traced you into your--you had a garden, had you not?' 'Yes.' 'Into your garden. I thought ten thousand flowerets would have leapt from their beds to offer you a nosegay. But the age of gallantry is past, that of merchants, placemen, and fortune-hunters has succeeded, and the glory of Cupid is extinguished for ever! 'You disappeared, I uttered incoherent sentences, and next morning resumed my station at a corner of the garden.' 'At which corner?' asked I. 'Why really,' said he, 'I cannot explain; for the place was then new to me, and the ground was covered with snow.' 'With snow!' cried I. 'Why I thought you were eating wild strawberries only the day before.' 'I!' said he. 'Sure you mistake.' 'I declare most solemnly you told me so,' cried I. 'Why then,' said he, 'curse me if I did.' 'Sir,' said I. 'I must remark that your manners----' 'Bless me!' cried he, 'yes, I did say so, sure enough, and I did eat wild strawberries too; but they were _preserved_ wild strawberries. I had got a small crock of them from an oyster woman, who was opening oysters in a meadow, for a hysterical butcher; and her knife having snapt in two, I lent her my sword; so, out of gratitude, she made me a present of the preserves. By the bye, they were mouldy. 'One morning, as I sat at the side of the road, asking alms, some provincial players passed by me. I accosted them, and offered my services. In short, they took me with them; I performed, was applauded; and at length my fame reached London, where I have now been acting some years, with much success; anxious as I am, to realize a little money, that I may return, in disguise, to my native country, and petition Napoleon to restore my forfeited estates. 'Such, fair lady, such is my round, unvarnished tale. 'But wherefore,' cried he, starting from his seat; 'wherefore talk of the past? Oh! let me tell you of the present and of the future. Oh! let me tell you, how dearly, how devotedly I love you!'