peasants of the neighbourhood; but their offers were refused, for she loved her mother too tenderly to think of a separation.

Catharine was fifteen when her mother died; she now therefore left her cottage, and went to live with the Lutheran minister, by whom she had been instructed from her childhood. In his house she resided in quality of governess to his children, at once reconciling in her character unerring prudence with surprising vivacity.

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The old man, who regarded her as one of his own children, had her instructed in 5 dancing and music by the masters who attended the rest of the family; thus she continued to improve till he died, by which accident she was once more reduced to pristine poverty. The country of Livonia was at this time wasted by war, and lay in a most miserable state of desolation. Those calamities are ever most heavy upon the poor; wherefore Catharine, though possessed of so many accomplishments, experienced all the miseries of hopeless indigence. Provisions becoming every day more scarce, and her private stock 10 being exhausted, she resolved to travel to " Marienburg, a city of greater plenty.12

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With her scanty wardrobe packed up in a wallet, she set out on her journey on foot : she had to walk through

1 See § 30, 5.-2 See § 54, 14.-3 At once reconciling in her character, Sachant concilier à la fois dans sa conduite. Of his own children, De ses filles.-5 Had her instructed in, Lui fit apprendre. _6 Who attended the rest, Qui donnaient des leçons aux membres.

To improve, A se perfectionner.- 8 By which accident she was once more reduced to, Malheur qui la réduisit encore une fois à.9 Possessed of, Douée de.-10 Her private stock, Sa réserve person. nelle. To travel to, De se diriger sur.-12 Of greater plenty, Qui offrait de plus ressources.

a region miserable by nature, but rendered still more hideous by the Swedes and Russians, who plundered it at discretion; but hunger had taught her to despise the dangers and fatigues of the way.

One evening as she entered1 a cottage by the wayside, to take up her lodging for the night,' she was insulted by two Swedish soldiers, but a subaltern officer, accidentally passing by, came in to her assistance; upon his appearing3 the soldiers immediately desisted; but her thankfulness was hardly greater than her surprise, when she instantly recollected in her deliverer the son of the Lutheran minister, her former instructor and friend.

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This was a happy interview for Catharine: her little stock of money was by this time quite exhausted; 5 her clothes were gone, piece by piece, in order to satisfy those who had entertained her in their houses-her generous countryman parted with what he could spare to buy her clothes, furnished her with a horse, and gave her letters of recommendation to Mr. Gluck, a faithful friend of his father's, and superintendent at Marienburg. Our beautiful stranger had only to appear to be well received; she was immediately admitted into the superintendent's family, as governess to his two daughters.

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1 See § 37.-2 To take up her lodging for the night, Pour y passer la nuit.-3 Upon his appearing, A son aspect. A happy interview, Une heureuse rencontre.-5 Her little stock of money was by this time quite exhausted, Elle avait dépensé le peu d'argent qu'elle avait eu.-6 Her clothes were gone, piece by piece, Ses vêtements s'en étaient allés un à un.- Parted with what he could spare, Se défit de tout ce dont il put disposer.—8 Furnished her with a horse, Lui procura un cheval.-9 See § 33, 11.

In the meantime1 Marienburg was taken by the Russians; and such was the fury of the assailants, that not only the garrison, but almost all the inhabitants, men, women, and children, were put to the sword; at length, when the carnage was pretty well over, Catharine was found hid in an oven.

4

She had been hitherto poor, but still was free; she had now to learn what it was to be a slave;3 in this situation, however, she behaved with piety and humility; and though misfortunes abated her vivacity, yet she was cheerful. The fame of her merit and resignation reached Prince Menzikoff, the Russian general; he desired to see her, was struck with her beauty, bought her of the soldier her master," and placed her under the direction of his own sister. Here she was treated with all the respect which her merit deserved, while her beauty every day improved with her good fortune.

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She had not been long 10 in this situation, when Peter the Great, paying the Prince a visit," Catharine happened to come in with 12 some dry fruits, which she served round with peculiar modesty. The mighty monarch returned 13 the next day, called for 14 the beautiful slave,

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1 In the meantime, Sur ces entrefaites.-2 See § 54, 44.—3 Wheat it was to be a slave, Ce que c'était que d'être esclave.-4 Piety, Résignation. She was cheerful, Elle conserva sa gaîté.—6 Reached, Arriva aux oreilles du.-7 Of the soldier her master, Au soldat à qui elle appartenait. And placed her under the direction, Et la confia aux soins. Which her merit deserved, Dû à son mérite.-10 She had not been long, Il n'y avait pas longtemps qu'elle était.-11 Paying a visit, Rendait une visite.-12 Catharine happened to come in with, Catherine entra par hasard portant.—13 To return, Revenir. 4 Called for, Fit venir.

asked1 her several questions, and found her understanding even more perfect than her person.

He had been forced, when young, to marry from motives of interest; he was now resolved to marry pursuantly to his own inclinations. He immediately. inquired the history of the fair Livonian, who was not yet eighteen. He traced her through all the vicissitudes of her fortune,3 and found her truly great in them all. The meanness of her birth was no obstruction to his design their nuptials were solemnised in private; the Prince assuring his courtiers that virtue alone was the most proper ladder to a throne.* GOLDSMITH. 1728-1774.

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VIII. THE DERVISE.

A DERVISE, travelling through Tartary, being arrived at the town of Balk, went into the king's palace by mistake, as thinking it to be 5 a public inn or caravansary.

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Having looked about him for some time, he entered into a long gallery where he laid down his wallet, and spread his carpet in order to repose himself upon it, after the manner of the Eastern nations.

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1 Asked, Fit.—2 Pursuantly to, Selon.-3 He traced her through all the vicissitudes of her fortune, Il la suivit à travers toutes les vicissitudes de sa destinée.-4 That virtue alone was the most proper ladder to a throne, Que les vertus seules sont les plus sûrs degrés pour arriver au trône.

5 As thinking it to be, Pensant que c'était.-6 See § 28, 8.-7 He entered into. Il enfila.-8 Upon it, Dessus.-9 After the manner, A la manière.

1

He had not been long in this posture before he was discovered by some of the guards, who asked him what was his business 2 in that place. The Dervise told them

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he intended to take up his night's lodging in that caravansary. The guards let him know, in a very angry manner, that the house he was in3 was not a caravansary, but the king's palace. It happened that the king himself passed through the gallery during this debate, and smiling at the mistake of the Dervise, asked him how he could be so dull as not to distinguish a palace from a caravansary? 'Sire," says the Dervise, "give me leave to ask your majesty a question or two.5 Who were the persons that lodged in this house when it was first built? The king replied, his ancestors. "And who," says the Dervise,"was the last person that lodged here?" The king replied, his father. "And who is it,"

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says the Dervise, "that lodges here at present?" king told him that it was he himself.

The

"And who," says

the Dervise, "will be here after you?"

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The king an

swered, the young prince his son. "Ah! sire," said the Dervise, a house that changes its inhabitants so often, and receives such a perpetual succession of guests,10 is not a palace, but a caravansary."

ADDISON. 1672-1719.

1 He had not been long in this posture before he was, Il n'y avait pas longtemps qu'il était dans cette position, lorsqu'il fut.-2 What was his business, Ce qu'il venait faire.-3 The house he was in, La maison où il se trouvait.-4 Dull, Simple.-5 A question or two, Une ou deux questions.-6 Who were the persons that lodged, Qui logea.— When it was first built, Aussitôt qu'elle fut bâtie.-8 The king replied, his ancestors, Le roi répondit que c'étaient ses ancêtres.9 Will be here, Y logera.-10 And receives such a perpetual succession of guests, Et reçoit ainsi une suite continuelle de nouveaux hôtes.