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cape observation, Frederic shrunk from the window, still however placing himself in that situation, from which he could observe the motions of the travellers. They were by this time but a short distance from the inn, when one of them alighted, and as if fearful of being observed, crept slowly under the window, at which Frederic had stationed himself. He was, however, soon convinced that they were not the same persons whom he had noticed on his arrival, for although the obscurity of the night prevented him from obtaining a view of their features, yet their dress bespoke them to belong to the higher orders of society. From general appearances, Frederic could not doubt that some work of villainy was in agitation, but he could not suppose himself the object of it, believing, though falsely, that he was unknown in the country; besides every one in the house had long since retired to rest, and therefore the visit of the travellers must have been unexpected. In this last conjecture, however, Frederic had reason to think himself mistaken, and his fears and suspicions increased, when he heard the traveller knock' gently at the door of the inn, and it was immediately opened to admit him. Still there was no noise in the house to denote the arrival of a guest, nor even the sound of voices was heard. A few minutes had however scarcely elapsed, when Frederic saw the mysterious person leave the inn, and joining his companion, they took the

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road which led into the valleys, and on which he had travelled himself the day before. Although he felt a secret joy at their departure, yet he was so fully convinced, that the object of the travellers was villainous, and that some person in the house was in league with them, that he judged it prudent to refrain from sleeping, and as soon as the first ray of light appeared in the East, he roused the guides, and gave orders for their immediate departure.

Whilst the necessary matters were adjusting, the most difficult of which were the various necessities, both feigned and real, of the governess, Frederic determined to question the host respecting the mysterious occurrences of the night, but yet so to frame his questions, that even were the host guilty of conniving in a work of villainy, he might not suspect he was discovered.

But the host was an Italian-shrewd-penetrating, and artful-before the devotee he could cross himself, and mutter his ave-marias and paternosters, and with the adepts in villainy, he was completely a son metier. a son metier. He could con form himself to any society; with the grave he could assume a truly philosophic seriousness, and with the merry, no one could vie with the host of the inn of San Petro, especially if it were at any other person's expence than his own.

Whether however he was really ignorant or not of the midnight travellers, time must develope, but he soon contrived to convince his cre

dulous guest, that were any improper nocturnal proceedings carried on in his house, he was as ignorant of them as the mules in his stables, but. he added, "that from particular circumstances, some suspicions had arisen in his mind, that one of his female domestics was not quite so strictly attached to virtue as he could wish, or as she ought to be, considering the very regular and respectable family in which she lived, and that she might, for ought he knew, take the advantage of the family retiring early to bed, to admit her. paramour into the house- there is no keeping these jades in any order," he exclaimed, "if a thing in the shape of a man does but present itself, they stare and ogle like a nun at the naked boys which are carved in the chapels, and as for attempting to reform them, I would sooner attempt to turn Montblanc on its summit, and spin it like a top-but Signor, my grief is very great, that your rest should have been disturbed by a set of libidinous jades. It shall not happen so again depend upon it, Signor, when you honor my house with your presence."

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Frederic was fully satisfied with this explanation; nothing could be more natural, than that the host should have a kind-hearted Maritornes in his house, and nothing could also be more natural than that she should have an enamoured swain, who, heedless of" the pelting of the pitiless storm," should venture forth to receive the protestations of her love. Had Frederic, however, made

any inquiries into the establishment of his host, he would have discovered, that the only female domestic who graced his habitation with her charms, was an old toothless granny, who adıninistered to the necessities of the piggeries, and who was as much fashioned for nocturnal love scenes, as for the seraglio of the Grand Signior. The conclusion must therefore be drawn, that the host had some particular interest in the visit of the travellers, and therefore pretended ignorance on a subject, the knowledge of which might expose him to suspicions of a very serious nature, or perhaps but time will solve all further doubts upon this subject.

With many bitter invectives uttered by the governess on the ruggedness of the Alpine roads, the hardness of the beds, and the impudence of their nimble inhabitants, who had dared to sip the sweets of her spotless body, the party arrived at Zurich, and the females saw themselves on the eve of the actual enjoyment of those pleasures on which they had so long dwelt in anticipation.

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