When we arrived at the Chaise-vamper's House, Both the House and the shop were shut up; it was the eighth of _September_, the nativity of the blessed Virgin _Mary_, mother of God--
----Tantarra-ra-tan-tivi----the whole world was gone out a May-poling--frisking here--capering there----nobody cared a button for me or my remarks; so I sat me down upon a bench by the door, philosophating upon my condition: by a better fate than usually attends me, I had not waited half an hour, when the mistress came in to take the papilliotes from off her hair, before she went to the May-poles----
The _French_ women, by the bye, love May-poles, _ la folie_--that is, as much as their matins----give 'em but a May-pole, whether in _May_, _June_, _July_, or _September_--they never count the times----down it goes----'tis meat, drink, washing, and lodging to 'em----and had we but the policy, an' please your worships (as wood is a little scarce in _France_), to send them but plenty of May-poles----
The women would set them up; and when they had done, they would dance round them (and the men for company) till they were all blind.
The wife of the chaise-vamper stepp'd in, I told you, to take the papilliotes from off her hair----the toilet stands still for no man----so she jerk'd off her cap, to begin with them as she open'd the door, in doing which, one of them fell upon the ground ----I instantly saw it was my own writing----
O Seigneur! cried I--you have got all my remarks upon your head, Madam! ----_J'en suis bien mortifie_, said she----'tis well, thinks I, they have stuck there--for could they have gone deeper, they would have made such confusion in a _French_ woman's noddle --She had better have gone with it unfrizled, to the day of eternity.
_Tenez_--said she--so without any idea of the nature of my suffering, she took them from her curls, and put them gravely one by one into my hat----one was twisted this way----another twisted that----ey! by my faith; and when they are published, quoth I,----
They will be worse twisted still.
When we arrived at the Chaise-vamper's house, it was shut up; it was the eighth of September, the nativity of the blessed Virgin Mary.
Tantarra-ra-tan-tivi - the whole world was gone out a Maypoling - frisking here - capering there - nobody cared a button for me or my remarks; so I sat down upon a bench by the door, philosophating upon my condition.
I had not waited half an hour, when the mistress came in to take the curling-papers from her hair, before she went to the Maypoles-
The French women, by the bye, love Maypoles, at any time of year - give 'em but a Maypole, down it goes - 'tis meat, drink, washing, and lodging to 'em - and if we but had the policy to send plenty of Maypoles to France, the women would dance round them (with the men for company) till they were all blind.
The wife of the chaise-vamper came in, and jerked off her cap, to begin removing her curling-papers from her hair. One of them fell upon the ground - I instantly saw it was my writing-
'O! you have got my remarks upon your head, Madam!' cried I.
'J'en suis bien mortifie,' said she.
'Twas as well they stuck there - for if they had gone deeper, they would have made such confusion in a Frenchwoman's noddle that she would have been better off unfrizzled.
'Tenez,' said she - and taking them from her curls, she put them gravely one by one into my hat - one twisted this way - and one that-
'By my faith,' quoth I, 'when they are published, they will be worse twisted still.'
Book 7 - Chapter 38