complexion, and a glowing cheek, call up instantly in our mind the idea of joyous health and pleasant-heartedness?  Less because we have been accustomed to see that complexion attended by such qualities than because it connects itself with the idea of summer, gay summer and all its fruits and flowers, and merry sports and light amusements, and a thousand memories of happy days, and thousands upon thousands still of other things of which we have no consciousness, but which are present to sensation though not to thought, all the while that we are gazing upon a ruddy cheek, and thinking that the pleasure is derived from the white and red alone.

When the expression is perfectly suited to the style of beauty, it is natural to suppose that it will add to the charm; but there is a case where the cause of the increase is not so easily discovered—­I mean when the mind gives to the countenance a temporary-expression totally opposed to the style of beauty itself.  Yet this is sometimes the case:  for how often do we see high and majestic features soften into playful smiles, and seem to gain another grace.  In the lady we have mentioned, the whole style of the countenance and of the form gave the idea of joyous gaiety, of happy, nay, exuberant life and cheerfulness; but the expression was now all sad; and from the contrast—­which produced deeper associations than perfect harmony would have called forth—­her beauty itself was heightened.  It was like some gay and splendid scene by moonlight.

She had remained in this meditating attitude for some time, when the door quietly opened, and a personage entered the room, of whom we must say a few words, though he is not destined to play any very prominent part in our tale.  Monsieur Plessis was a Frenchman, a soi-disant Protestant.  One thing, at all events, is certain, that his father had been so, and had been expelled from France many years before by persecution.  The gentleman before us exercised many trades, by which, perhaps, he had not acquired so much wealth as his father had by one.  His father’s calling had been that of cook and major domo to a fat, rich, gluttonous, careless English peer; and as he employed his leisure time in distilling various simples, he had classed his noble patron under that head, and distilled from him what he himself would jocosely have called “Golden Water.”

Amongst the various trades which, as we have said, were carried on by the son, was smuggling, under which were included the conveyance of contraband men, women, and children, as well as other sorts of merchandise; swindling a little, when occasion presented itself; clipping the golden coin of the kingdom, which at that time was a great resource to unfortunate gentlemen; not exactly forging exchequer tallies, and other securities of the same kind, but aiding by a certain dexterity of engraving in the forging, which he did not choose actually to commit; and over and above all these several occupations, callings, and employments, he was one