her search: besides,
that beautiful pale statuette deeply interested me, without ever having
addressed a single word to her. I felt well assured that her mind must
be one of no ordinary stamp. One day I stopped near her for some time,
without attracting her observation, and then it was that I so greatly
admired and marvelled at the total absence of the two qualifications for
which her nation are remarkable--cunning and obtrusiveness.

I reached the stall, and turned after I had passed it a little way to
take a passing glance at her. To my astonishment, and almost sorrow, I
observed that her cheeks, and even her figure, had lost their admirable
fulness: there was a strange and wild expression in her eye. I turned
back involuntarily and stood for a moment opposite her stall. She
beckoned me towards her.

"I know what you want," she said, with a rapid utterance, as if anxious
to get rid of the subject; "you want to purchase some lace. I have a
piece which I am sure will suit you, and you shall have it very cheap.
It belonged to--." Here she hesitated, looked down, and, as I fixed my
eye on her countenance for the first time, the blood rose to the very
temples, and she appeared lovely. "No matter who it belonged to; some
great man, of course; but I have the lace, that is sufficient for you to
know. Tell me what sum you are willing to give, and then I shall know
whether mine is too expensive."

I named the amount which I was desired to lay out for the finest quality
of old lace. It was, I knew, a small sum for such an object, unless in
the case of some fortunate hit; but to my surprise she told me that her
piece of lace was much within that mark; and then I began to imagine
that it must be of inferior quality, but she assured me of the contrary.

She commissioned a boy to keep her stall for her for a few minutes, and
then walked on at a rapid pace, desiring me to follow her.

It was not until she rose from her seat that I had an opportunity of
observing the beautiful symmetry of her figure. Her footstep was firm,
like that of one who possesses a strong will. To have seen her as she
swept along the streets, you would have imagined that she was on a
mission, in which high resolve and great self-sacrifices were required,
so compressed was the lip and haughty the glance,--

Moving through the throng,
Like one who does, not suffers wrong.

No one would have imagined that it was the question of the sale of a
pi