nd her
mother, also, Madame Moissart, was only fourteen when led to the altar.
These early marriages are usual in France. Here, however, are Moissart,
Voissart, Croissart, and Froissart, all in the direct line of descent.
My own name, though, as I say, became Simpson, by act of Legislature,
and with so much repugnance on my part, that, at one period, I actually
hesitated about accepting the legacy with the useless and annoying
proviso attached.

As to personal endowments, I am by no means deficient. On the contrary,
I believe that I am well made, and possess what nine tenths of the world
would call a handsome face. In height I am five feet eleven. My hair is
black and curling. My nose is sufficiently good. My eyes are large and
gray; and although, in fact they are weak a very inconvenient degree,
still no defect in this regard would be suspected from their appearance.
The weakness itself, however, has always much annoyed me, and I have
resorted to every remedy--short of wearing glasses. Being youthful and
good-looking, I naturally dislike these, and have resolutely refused to
employ them. I know nothing, indeed, which so disfigures the countenance
of a young person, or so impresses every feature with an air of
demureness, if not altogether of sanctimoniousness and of age. An
eyeglass, on the other hand, has a savor of downright foppery and
affectation. I have hitherto managed as well as I could without either.
But something too much of these merely personal details, which, after
all, are of little importance. I will content myself with saying,
in addition, that my temperament is sanguine, rash, ardent,
enthusiastic--and that all my life I have been a devoted admirer of the
women.

One night last winter I entered a box at the P---Theatre, in company
with a friend, Mr. Talbot. It was an opera night, and the bills
presented a very rare attraction, so that the house was excessively
crowded. We were in time, however, to obtain the front seats which had
been reserved for us, and into which, with some little difficulty, we
elbowed our way.

For two hours my companion, who was a musical fanatico, gave his
undivided attention to the stage; and, in the meantime, I amused myself
by observing the audience, which consisted, in chief part, of the very
elite of the city. Having satisfied myself upon this point, I was about
turning my eyes to the prima donna, when they were arrested and
riveted by a figure in one of the private box