eed, altogether surprising and unexpected under the
circumstances, being like the combination of smoke with some spirituous
essence--a smell, in short, of whisky.

Beside a table, on which flared the remnant of a candle guttering to
waste in the socket, a coarse woman, heterogeneously clad in a broad
striped showy silk dress, and a stuff apron, sat in a chair fast
asleep. To complete the picture, and leave no doubt as to the state of
matters, a bottle and an empty glass stood at the sleeping beauty's
elbow.

Madame contemplated this remarkable tableau with great calm; she
neither smiled nor scowled; no impress of anger, disgust, or surprise,
ruffled the equality of her grave aspect; she did not even wake the
woman! Serenely pointing to a fourth bed, she intimated that it was to
be mine; then, having extinguished the candle and substituted for it a
night-lamp, she glided through an inner door, which she left ajar--the
entrance to her own chamber, a large, well-furnished apartment; as was
discernible through the aperture.

My devotions that night were all thanksgiving. Strangely had I been led
since morning--unexpectedly had I been provided for. Scarcely could I
believe that not forty-eight hours had elapsed since I left London,
under no other guardianship than that which protects the
passenger-bird--with no prospect but the dubious cloud-tracery of hope.

I was a light sleeper; in the dead of night I suddenly awoke. All was
hushed, but a white figure stood in the room--Madame in her
night-dress. Moving without perceptible sound, she visited the three
children in the three beds; she approached me: I feigned sleep, and she
studied me long. A small pantomime ensued, curious enough. I daresay
she sat a quarter of an hour on the edge of my bed, gazing at my face.
She then drew nearer, bent close over me; slightly raised my cap, and
turned back the border so as to expose my hair; she looked at my hand
lying on the bedclothes. This done, she turned to the chair where my
clothes lay: it was at the foot of the bed. Hearing her touch and lift
them, I opened my eyes with precaution, for I own I felt curious to see
how far her taste for research would lead her. It led her a good way:
every article did she inspect. I divined her motive for this
proceeding, viz. the wish to form from the garments a judgment
respecting the wearer, her station, means, neatness, &c. The end was
not bad, but the means were hardly fair or justifiable.