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GET WISDOM, AND WITH ALL THY GETTING, GET UNDERSTANDING.—ProvEREs 0F S0LOMON.
No. 18.
NEW-YORK, SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 1822.
Vol L.
POPULAR TALES.
FROM THE FRENCH, GERMAN, 1TALIAN,
SPANISH, AND ENGLISH.
Truth severe, by fiction drest.—GrAY.
THE HISTORY OF PEROUROU, OR THE
BELLOWS MENRER.
——
Supposed to be related by himself,
——
(By Miss Helen Maria Williams.)
My history is composed of the most sin-
gular circumstances, Condemned by my
Dbirth to vegetate among beings of the most
abject class, my elevation was the work of
human malice. - That vice of society,
which ruins so many fortunes, laid the so-
lid foundatioa of mine. 1 am married,
rich, and happy, from having been the do-
cile mstrument of an extraordinary act of
mischievousness.
I was born in one of those little ham-
lets, situated in the neighbourhood of Mon-
telimart, in France. ~ My father had many
a fruitless effort to raise himself above in-
digence. His last resource, in his old age,
arose from the exercise of a talent which
he had acquired in his youth ; that of a
bellows-mender. This, though not a ve-
ry brilliant occupation, was the profession
to which I was destined, at that time o.
life when I was thought capable of earn-
ing my livelihood. = Satisfied, at first, in
{ollowing my business under the inspec-
tion of my father, nature had endowed me
with dispositions for industry ; and I soon
rivalled, and even excelled my master.
Ambition Ied me to imagine, that my ta-
Ients were fitted for a wider sphere ; and
some of my excursions as far as the gates
of . Montelimart, succeeded beyond my
wishes. ' After furnishing all I could spare
for the support of my father’s old age, 1
found means to amass a little sum of mo-
ney, which enabled me to underfake a
journey to Lyons. I made my appear-
ance in that great city, amply provided
with such articles as belonged to my pro-
fession ; and the public places, and most
crowded streets soon resounded with my
I was young, dexterous, and well-
shaped : I'sold my wares rapidly, and be-
came a general favourite with the cham-
bermaids ; which was the utmost limits of|
my ambition.
Returning home late one evening to my
little garret, which served me for a ware-
house as well as a lodging, I was accosted
by four well-dressed young men, who
seemed to be taking an evening walk. We
were in one of the most solitary streets o.
the quarter of St. Clair. They threw out
a few pleasantries on the lateness of the
evening, accompanied by sarcasms on my
profession” of = bellows-mender, which 1
answered in a style of raillery at which
they appeared surprised. Isaw them look
at each other significantly ; and, immedi-
ately after, heard them say— This is our
man!’”’ 1 own that these words made me
start : finding myself alone, in the dark,
without any means of resistance, and at
the mercy of four stout young men. What
would become of me ! was the reflection
that occupied my mind; when one of
them, who guessed at the cause of my
terror, soon dizpelled it by accosting me
in a tone of affability—*¢ Perourou,” (ths
name which the people of Lyons give
their “bellows-menders), ¢ Perourou,”
said he, ¢ you probably have not suppe
nor we either. Qur supperis ready, will
sou go with us? Our intention is to doj
you more good than you have any idea of.
Come, and sup with us;; and after supper
we will talk with you. Do not be afraid;
we are gentlemen ; if you will not enter
into our schemes, we shall only require
your promise of secrecy, which you will
run no risk in keeping.”
There was something in the voice of|
the person who spoke to me, as well as in
the proposition itself, so seducing, that I
accepted the offer without hesitation. My
new acquaintances, after having made me
cross several streets, brought me into an
apartment elegantly furnished, where we
found six other young men, who seemed
to have been waiting for them impatiently.
A short explanation took place concerning
me, and we sat gaily down to supper. 1
had the honour of making the company
laugh, by some of my arch observations ;
and confirmed them i the good opinion,
with which it was necessary they should
be impressed, before they would come to
afurther explanation. The servants with-
drew, after placing the desert on the ta-
ble ; and, during five minutes, a profound
silence prevailed throughout the assem-
bly, which till then had been sufficiently
noisy.
At length, he who presided at the re-
past addressed me in the following words
—:“The ten persons with whom you have
supped are all citizens of Lyons. We
are engravers: our joint profits, with
whet we obtain from our families, afford
us an easy independence ; and we also ac-
quire, by our talents, a considerable share
of reputation. The happiness we have
enjoyed has been lately disturbed, by love
on the one side and pride on the other. In
the street of St. Dominic lives a picture-
merchant, who is, himself, an ordinary|
personage, but who has a daughter emi-
nently beautiful. The city of Lyons, ex-
tensive as it is, contains not another mas-
ter-picce worthy of being placed on a
level with this charming creature. - Pos-
sessed of every accomplishment, and en-
dowed with every grace, all her amiable
qualities are shaded by one single defect ;
and that defect is insupportable pride.—
Vain of being the object of general ad-
miration, she fondly imagines that none
ought to aspire to her hand under the rank
of aprince. Her father, who s atolera-
ble good connoisseur in painting, but has a
very limited understanding with respect
to every thing else, has entirely spoiled
her by adulation, amounting almost to ido-
latry. Novels, her looking-glass, and ha-
bitual incense from all around her, have
raised self-love into vanity, and vanity in-
to arrogance, and the most lofty disdain
toward all who are not decorated with the
marks of opulence, or the distinctions of]
rank. 1had the honour—for why speak
in the third person, when it is my own his-
tory which 1 am relating—I had the ho-
nour of engaging her notice, from my con-
nexions in business with her father.—
Sometimes she accorded me the singu-
lar privilege of giving me her hand at a
ball, -or attending her to the theatre.—
These slight favours turned my brain : 1
thoucht myself beloved, becanse I was
preferred to others ; and ventured to un-
fold my pretensions to her father, who
lent a favourable ear to my offers. Indeed
my family, profession, fortune, and situa-
tion gave me a right to presume that my
alliance would be agreeable to the young
lady. Judge of my surprise when, onthe
<olent girl, inmy presence, answered her
father in a tone of the most haughty arro-
gance—* Do you think, Sir, that a young
woman like me was born for nothing bet-
ter than an engraver 7’
¢ I confess that this insolent and impu-
dent remark extinguished every sentiment
of love in my bosom ; and love when fled
is easily followed by a desire of revenge.
¢ My friends,” I exclaimed to those who
now surrounds us, ¢this disdainful girl
has, in my person, committed a general
outrage against us all. Espouse my cause,
and let us form such a plan as shall serve
to show her, that she has not, indeed, been
born to the honour of becoming the wife
of an engraver !’
¢ Such is my history : do you feel suf-
ficient confidence, and think yourself en-
dowed with sufficient discretion to merit
being raised above your present condi-
tion ? Beneath the abject covering which
now disguises you, it is easy to discern
that'you have some soul, and no common
share of understanding. Will you ven-
ture to become tiie husband of a charming
woman ; who, to attain perfection, wants
only to have her pride mortified, and her
vanity punished 7’—¢ Yes,” answered I,
with firmness ; I perfectly comprehend
the part which you would have me act,
and [ will fulfil it in such a manner that
you shall have no reason to blush for your
pupil.”
The following day we conferred toge-
ther, as we did ever after, with extreme
precaution. During a whole week, 1
bathed two hours, morning and evening, to
get rid of my tinkering skin and complex-
ion. Inthe interval of bathing, the most
elegant hair-dresser of Lyons gave my
long tresses the form most in fashion. My
ten friends furnished me with assortments
of the finest linen, and the most elegant
dresses for the various seasons ; and were
soon so fond of their work that we became
inseparable. Alnost their whole time was
employed in giving me instructions. One
taught me to read, another to write : ano-
ther some notions of drawing, a few les-
sons in music ; alittle, in short, of every
thing. So that during three months my
time, thoughts, and attention were wholly
absorbed in my studies ; and I soon per-
ceived that this kind of life suited perfect-
ly my taste. I felt the utmost ardour to
carry to perfection these first rudiments of
my new education, which had become my
chief delight : nature had furnished me
not only with a disposition for study, but
with a memory so retentive, that my young
friends observed with some astonishment
the rapid progress of their disciple.
At length they thought me sufficiently
accomplished to carry their projects into
full execution, and I was removed from my
little closet to take possession of a spa-
cious suite of apartments in one of the
first hotels in Lyons. The bellows-mend-
er disappeared- altogether, to make way
for the rich Marquis of Rouperou, prin-
cipal proprietor of the mines of Dauphi-
ny. It was under this title that I present-
ed myself to the picture-merchant, as a
purchaser who paid little attention to.a
few louis, provided he met with pieces)
that were originals. A most perfect imi-
tator of my experienced.tutors, I had
learnt to twirl my seals, display my re-
peating-watch with an air of indifference,
loved sister.” Lt
I was desirous of pleasing, and easily
succeeded. But it was not enough to im-
pose on the father ; in order to fulfil the
views of my patrons,. the daughter must
also be deceived. While I was meditat-
ing on this point, thé picture-merchant
gave me notice that he had just received
a superb collection ‘of engravings from
Rome ; requesting me ‘to call the same
morning, since he would, not expose
them to sale till I should have made my
choice. :
1 hastened to his house, unconscious of
the fate that awaited me. - Instead of be
I'modestly ofiseiyed was apicture of a be-
the daughter ; whom till then I had in vain
wished to see; or rather, it was beauty ' .
itself which stood before my eyes in the
form of that lovely young woman.
My dear friend, a feeling heart often
beats under an unpolished form. More
susceptible at my age of libertinism, my
palpitating heart felt all the power of beau-
ty. A new world unfolded itself before
part; one sentiment absorbed my soul;
one idea enchained my faculties. The
charming Aurora perceived her triumph,
and seemed to listen with complacency to
the incoherent expressions of passion
which escaped my lips. 'That interview
fixed my destiny for ever! All difficul-
ties vanished before the new. emotions
which animated my bosom. ' A single in-
stant inspired me with the resolution of
devoting my days and nights to study, in
order that, possessed of the advantages of
knowledge, I might be less unworthy of
the happiness to which I aspired.
Every morning I found some excuse for
a visit to the picture-merchant; every
morning | had some new trinket to exhi-
bit, or some object of taste on which to
consult Aurora. ¢ .
It was the season of flowers, and I pre- ..
sented her every day with a bouquet, com-
posed of such as were best adapted to her
style of beauty: my friends often added
the sonnet, or madrigal, of which I ob-
tained the credit; and I sometimes sur-
prised the fine eyes of this charming young
woman fixed on mine with an expression
of tender approbation.
Six months passed in this manner ; the
engravers being too desirous of complete
revenge, to hazard losing it by precipita-
tion. Every evening they required an
exact account of my conduct, with which
they were <o well satisfied that they fur-
nished me with funds far beyond the wants
of the personage I represented. 1 re- .
ceived at length'a formal invitation from
the picture-merchant to a fete, which he
save in the country, and of which I was
led to think mysclf the hero. The vain
beauty behaved so respectfully towards
me ; loaded me with such distinguished
attentions ; was o lovely," so enchanting
—whether as mistress of the fete, or its
brightest ornament—dthat, the moment we
were alone, impelled by an emotion which
at her feet, and made her an offer of mar-
riage. She heard me with modest digni- .
ty ; while a'tear of joy, which dimmed
for a moment her fine e;cs, convinced me
that pride was not the only feeling which
agitated her heart! Yes—I discovered
show the brilliant which T wore on my!
finger, or handle an elegant snuff-box, onjj
first overture respecting marriage, the in-!
which was painted a fancy portrait, whickj
that [ was beloved !
After "14
with res
ig deceived the daughter
oo’ 1o the person j it was neces-
v
ing received as usual by the father, it was - -
my eyes: I soon forgot my borrowed .*
T was unable to suppress, I threw myself