y Rosalie behaved herself at supper like the mistress of a house
accustomed to the best society. I noticed that Le Duc as head man made
Costa wait upon her, but I got over him by telling my sweetheart that he
would have the honour of doing her hair, as he could do it as well as the
best barber in Paris. He swallowed the golden pill, and gave in with a
good grace, and said, with a profound bow, that he hoped to give madam
satisfaction.

We went out next morning to see the port, and were shewn over the place
by the commandant, whose acquaintance we made by a lucky chance. He
offered his arm to Rosalie, and treated her with the consideration she
deserved for her appearance and the good sense of her questions. The
commandant accepted my invitation to dinner, at which Rosalie spoke to
the point though not to excess, and received the polite compliments of
our worthy guest with much grace. In the afternoon he took us over the
arsenal, and after having him to dinner could not refuse his invitation
to supper. There was no difficulty about Rosalie; the commandant
introduced her immediately to his wife, his daughter, and his son. I was
delighted to see that her manner with ladies even surpassed her manner
with gentlemen. She was one of Nature's own ladies. The commandant's wife
and daughter caressed her again and again, and she received their
attentions with that modest sensibility which is the seal of a good
education.

They asked me to dinner the next day, but I was satisfied with what I had
seen, so I took leave, intending to start on the morrow.

When we got back to the inn I told her how pleased I was with her, and
she threw her arms round my neck for joy.

"I am always afraid," said she, "of being asked who I am."

"You needn't be afraid, dearest; in France no gentleman or lady would
think of asking such a question."

"But if they did, what ought I to do?"

"You should make use of an evasion."

"What's an evasion?"

"A way of escaping from a difficulty without satisfying impertinent
curiosity."

"Give me an example."

"Well, if such a question were asked you, you might say, 'You had better
ask this gentleman.'"

"I see, the question is avoided; but is not that impolite?"

"Yes; but not so impolite as to ask an embarrassing question."

"And what would you say if the question was passed on to you?"

"Well, my answer would vary in a ratio with the respect in which I held
the questioner. I would not tell the t