Memoirs of a Traveller, Now in Retirement (1806)
by Louis Dutens (9780217864220)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER IV Singular Adventure of a Farmer in t/is Neighbourhood of Arras. During the week which we spent at Arras I took long walks alone, beyond the gates of the city. It was in the month of October. Night once overtook me at some distance from town; and I lost my way so completely, that every step I took to hasten towards Arras led me further from it. At last, after a long walk, I found myself, at eight o'clock, near a farm in a solitary place. Overcome with fatigue, I knocked at the door of a small farmhouse. A man of about forty years old, with a lamp in his hand, came to open it to me; attended by two great dogs, whose barkings he had great difficulty in quieting. His affable mode of receiving me, which was more polite than I should have expected from a rustic, emboldened me to ask him for a lodging for the night: he agreed to give it to me with the best grace in the world. I told him who I was; and our conversation went on with some interest. Besides the language of my host, his style and manners astonished me extremely. I could not repress my curiosity to know him better. " Sir," said I, " I have " seen too much of the world, not to " perceive that there is something ex- " traordinary in the situation and dress ' in which I see you j permit a stran- " ger, who has already so much reason " to be interested for you, to wish to be acquainted with the person to " whom he is indebted for treatment " so friendly as that which you have " given me. Do not be afraid of ' opening yourself to me; though my character as a stranger does not " prevent you from the fear of being " exposed, the reception which you. ' have given rne ought to secure you. " not only my discretion, but my zeal " to serve you in every thing that lies " in my power." This adventure is a work of imagi...

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