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FEMALE MAGNANIMITY.

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whom you have admitted to that honor (1). "The prince could not help (2) admiring his wit, and for his sake (5), revoked the sentence he had pronounced.

(Oriental.)

FEMALE MAGNANIMITY.

A celebrated surgeon of Paris named Festau had among his patients (4) a lady of quality named Villacerf. She was extremely beautiful, highly accomplished, and of the most amiable temper. It was indeed impossible to see and not admire her. The surgeon, unfortunately, gave way to (5) his admiration, which increased daily, and at last took complete possession of his mind; but he had sufficient prudence to confine the secret to his own heart.

While in this state of mind, he was one day sent for (6) to bleed (7) Madame Villacerf, who was a little indisposed. He always felt intimidated in her presence, but on this occasion he was more confused than ever, and in attempting to open a vein, he unhappily cut an

(1) Honor, s'écrit quelquefois honour, mais cette orthographe commence à vieillir.

(2) Could not help, ne put s'empêcher.

(3) For his sake, par rapport à lui, en faveur de lui, à sa considération.

(4) Les médecins anglais appellent leurs malades patients.

(5) To give way to, donner cours à, se livrer.

(6) To send for, envoyer chercher, appeler.

(7) To bleed, tirer du sang à, saigner.

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artery. He immediately perceived the frightful mistake he had committed, hastily assembled the most celebrated surgeons of the faculty, and it was soon perceived that the beautiful and amiable woman must lose her arm, or her life. Amputation was speedily performed, and it was hoped that dreadful alternative would save her. She submitted to the operation with the greatest patience, never once reproaching the unfortunate M. Festau; on the contrary, she requested him to assist at all the consultations, speaking to him in the most amiable manner, thus endeavouring to make him forget the fatal error he had committed, as she well knew the cause.

It was soon discovered that the amputation had unhappily been too long delayed, and that the lady could not survive more than twenty-four hours. The fatal news was communicated to the fair victim; she received it calmly, prepared herself with pious fortitude to quit the world; and, to offer the unhappy Festau some consolation, to enable him to support the consequences that would infallibly result, she bequeathed (1) him a very large sum of money: but his mind had received a wound for which there is no earthly cure. (Historical.)

CRUEL METHOD OF OBTAINING TORTOISE-SHELL (2). The animal which furnishes this valuable article of commerce may be considered unfortunate in bearing on

(1) To bequeath, léguer, laisser par testament.
(2) Tortoise-shell, écaille de tortue, prononcez tortice.

CRUEL METHOD OF OBTAINING TORTOIse-shell.

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its back that which so frequently adorns the heads of the fair sex.

In consequence of the high price paid for tortoiseshell by the Europeans who trade in the East, the inhabitants of the coasts where it is found are very desirous of procuring great quantities. It is a thin scale or upper shell of a large tortoise or turtle (1) which, almost immediately after being caught, is suspended (alive) over a large fire in order to loosen (2) the layer (3) of upper shell, which it does so effectually that it is removed without difficulty. The poor animal, being very tenacious of life, generally survives the cruel operation, and is restored to its element the sea, where it acquires a new shell, or rather new scales, and is sometimes caught again, and agai exposed to the same treatment. It is easily known whether the tortoise has been already stripped (4), because in that case the thickness of the scales (5) is not in proportion to the size of the animal. Tortoise-shell was well known to the Greeks and Romans, and was an important article of luxury and commerce. Various sorts of ancient and modern furniture (6) are inlaid (7) with it: the Egyptians formerly sent great quantities of it to Rome; and it has ever been highly esteemed in China for ornamental and fancy work.

(1) Turtle, caret, tortue de mer.

(2) To loosen, détacher.

(3) A layer, une couche.

(4) Stripped, dépouillé.

(5) The scales, les écailles, les lames.

(6) Furniture, meubles; ce mot n'a pas de pluriel en anglais. (7) Inlaid, marqueté.

DESPERATE COURAGE.

The following instance of courage and desperation occurred at the storming (1) of the fortress of Bobillee in India. The attack commenced at day-break, and by nine o'clock several breaches were made in the walls. The besiegers then advanced with scaling-ladders (2), and during a whole hour endeavoured to gain a footing (3) on the ramparts: they were however defended so bravely that not a man could establish himself, and the assailants were compelled to retire to their trenches.

They then began to batter with their artillery, and having beaten down a great part of the wall, advanced again to the breach, and were received by the garrison with unshaken (4) courage; their bravery appeared to increase as their danger became more imminent, and they once more repelled their assailants. Convinced however that it was impossible much longer to resist the overwhelming force of the enemy, Rangarao, the commandant, assembled the principal men, told them that the place could not be preserved, and that it was immediately necessary to take measures to prevent their 'wives and children from falling into the hands of the Europeans, who would not fail to treat them with the greatest brutality. It was decided that they should all be put to death; the building where they had taken re

(1) The storming, le siége, l'assaut.

(2) Scaling-ladders, échelles pour escalader.

(3) To gain a footing, s'établir.

(4) Unshaken, indompté, inébranlable.

DESPERATE COURAGE,

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fuge was immediately set on fire, and every woman or child who attempted to escape was put to the sword. The men then returned to the ramparts just in time to receive the besiegers, who were again at the breach, and had already gained a footing. Rangarao and his desperate companions threw themselves, sword in hand, amidst them, neither giving nor taking quarter; he fell in the act of dealing death around him, and his brave comrades sold their lives as dearly as their commander. A conflict so unequal was soon terminated, the enemy entered the citadel, and saw with astonishment and horror the smoking mass of ruins mixed with the mangled bodies of the victims.

Four of the soldiers of the garrison who had seen their commandant fall, resolved to revenge him on the general of the enemy: for this purpose, they concealed themselves till the tumult had in some degree subsided; . they then escaped in the night, contrived (1) to gain the camp, and two of them crawling (2) approached the general's tent; they lifted up the canvass (3), crept in and found him asleep; they both at the same instant plunged their daggers in his heart; his groans brought in a sentinel who fired but missed; the tent was soon full of guards, when the assassins, pointing to the dead body of their victim, cried exultingly; "Look there; Rangarao fell on the ramparts, he is avenged

(1) To contrive, suivi d'un verbe, signifie parvenir; autrement il a le sens de imaginer, inventer.

(2) To crawl, ramper.

(3) Canvass, canevas, toile forte.

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