thought I must say something, so I asked him if he would tell me my
fortune. "Go into the next room," said he, in a whisper, "and you shall
see one more learned in the occult science than you think; but I shall
say no more while you are surrounded with so many observers." Nothing is
so easy as to get away from your company in a crowd: I slipped from
them, and went into a room which was nearly empty, and still followed by
the conjuror. I seated myself on a sopha, and just turned my head round,
when I perceived the most elegant creature that imagination can form
placed by me. I started, half-breathless with surprize. "Be not alarmed,
my Julia," said the phantom, (for such I at first thought it) "be not
alarmed at the appearance of your Sylph." He took my hand in his, and,
pressing it gently, speaking all the while in a soft kind of whisper,
"Does my amiable charge repent her condescension in teaching me to
believe she would be pleased to see her faithful adherent?" I begged him
to attribute my tremor to the hurry of spirits so new a scene excited,
and, in part, to the pleasure his presence afforded me. But, before I
proceed, I will describe his dress: his figure in itself seems the most
perfect I ever saw; the finest harmony of shape; a waistcoat and
breeches of silver tissue, exactly fitted to his body; buskins of the
same, fringed, &c.; a blue silk mantle depending from one shoulder, to
which it was secured by a diamond epaulette, falling in beautiful folds
upon the ground; this robe was starred all over with plated silver,
which had a most brilliant effect; on each shoulder was placed a
transparent wing of painted gauze, which looked like peacocks feathers;
a cap, suitable to the whole dress, which was certainly the most elegant
and best contrived that can be imagined. I gazed on him with the most
perfect admiration. Ah! how I longed to see his face, which the envious
mask concealed. His hair hung in sportive ringlets; and just carelessly
restrained from wandering too far by a white ribband. In more, the most
luxuriant fancy could hardly create a more captivating object. When my
astonishment a little subsided, I found utterance. "How is it possible I
should be so great a favourite of fortune as to interest you in my
welfare?" "We have each our task allotted us," he answered, "from the
beginning of the world, and it was my happy privilege to watch over your
destiny." "I speak to you as a man," said I, "but you answer only as a
Sylph."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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