Fortwohoursmycompanion，whowasamusicalfanatico，gavehisundividedattentiontothestage；and，inthemeantime，Iamusedmyselfbyobservingtheaudience，whichconsisted，inchiefpart，oftheveryeliteofthecity。Havingsatisfiedmyselfuponthispoint，Iwasaboutturningmyeyestotheprimadonna，whentheywerearrestedandrivetedbyafigureinoneoftheprivateboxeswhichhadescapedmyobservation。
　　IfIliveathousandyears，IcanneverforgettheintenseemotionwithwhichIregardedthisfigure。Itwasthatofafemale，themostexquisiteIhadeverbeheld。Thefacewassofarturnedtowardthestagethat，forsomeminutes，Icouldnotobtainaviewofitbuttheformwasdivine；nootherwordcansufficientlyexpressitsmagnificentproportionandeventheterm“divine“seemsridiculouslyfeebleasIwriteit。
　　ThemagicofalovelyforminwomanthenecromancyoffemalegracefulnesswasalwaysapowerwhichIhadfounditimpossibletoresist，butherewasgracepersonified，incarnate，thebeauidealofmywildestandmostenthusiasticvisions。Thefigure，almostallofwhichtheconstructionoftheboxpermittedtobeseen，wassomewhatabovethemediumheight，andnearlyapproached，withoutpositivelyreaching，themajestic。Itsperfectfullnessandtournureweredelicious。Theheadofwhichonlythebackwasvisible，rivalledinoutlinethatoftheGreekPsyche，andwasratherdisplayedthanconcealedbyanelegantcapofgazeaerienne，whichputmeinmindoftheventumtextilemofApuleius。Therightarmhungoverthebalustradeofthebox，andthrilledeverynerveofmyframewithitsexquisitesymmetry。Itsupperportionwasdraperiedbyoneofthelooseopensleevesnowinfashion。Thisextendedbutlittlebelowtheelbow。Beneathitwaswornanunderoneofsomefrailmaterial，close-fitting，andterminatedbyacuffofrichlace，whichfellgracefullyoverthetopofthehand，revealingonlythedelicatefingers，upononeofwhichsparkledadiamondring，whichIatoncesawwasofextraordinaryvalue。Theadmirableroundnessofthewristwaswellsetoffbyabraceletwhichencircledit，andwhichalsowasornamentedandclaspedbyamagnificentaigretteofjewels-telling，inwordsthatcouldnotbemistaken，atonceofthewealthandfastidioustasteofthewearer。
　　Igazedatthisqueenlyapparitionforatleasthalfanhour，asifI
　　hadbeensuddenlyconvertedtostone；and，duringthisperiod，Ifeltthefullforceandtruthofallthathasbeensaidorsungconcerning“loveatfirstsight。”MyfeelingsweretotallydifferentfromanywhichIhadhithertoexperienced，inthepresenceofeventhemostcelebratedspecimensoffemaleloveliness。Anunaccountable，andwhatIamcompelledtoconsideramagnetic，sympathyofsoulforsoul，seemedtorivet，notonlymyvision，butmywholepowersofthoughtandfeeling，upontheadmirableobjectbeforeme。IsawIfelt
　　IknewthatIwasdeeply，madly，irrevocablyinloveandthisevenbeforeseeingthefaceofthepersonbeloved。Sointense，indeed，wasthepassionthatconsumedme，thatIreallybelieveitwouldhavereceivedlittleifanyabatementhadthefeatures，yetunseen，provedofmerelyordinarycharacter，soanomalousisthenatureoftheonlytrueloveoftheloveatfirstsightandsolittlereallydependentisitupontheexternalconditionswhichonlyseemtocreateandcontrolit。
　　WhileIwasthuswrappedinadmirationofthislovelyvision，asuddendisturbanceamongtheaudiencecausedhertoturnherheadpartiallytowardme，sothatIbeheldtheentireprofileoftheface。
　　Itsbeautyevenexceededmyanticipationsandyettherewassomethingaboutitwhichdisappointedmewithoutmybeingabletotellexactlywhatitwas。Isaid“disappointed。”butthisisnotaltogethertheword。Mysentimentswereatoncequietedandexalted。
　　Theypartooklessoftransportandmoreofcalmenthusiasmofenthusiasticrepose。Thisstateoffeelingarose，perhaps，fromtheMadonna-likeandmatronlyairoftheface；andyetIatonceunderstoodthatitcouldnothavearisenentirelyfromthis。Therewassomethingelse-somemysterywhichIcouldnotdevelopesomeexpressionaboutthecountenancewhichslightlydisturbedmewhileitgreatlyheightenedmyinterest。Infact，Iwasjustinthatconditionofmindwhichpreparesayoungandsusceptiblemanforanyactofextravagance。Hadtheladybeenalone，Ishouldundoubtedlyhaveenteredherboxandaccostedheratallhazards；but，fortunately，shewasattendedbytwocompanionsagentleman，andastrikinglybeautifulwoman，toallappearanceafewyearsyoungerthanherself。
　　IrevolvedinmymindathousandschemesbywhichImightobtain，hereafter，anintroductiontotheelderlady，or，forthepresent，atallevents，amoredistinctviewofherbeauty。Iwouldhaveremovedmypositiontoonenearerherown，butthecrowdedstateofthetheatrerenderedthisimpossible；andthesterndecreesofFashionhad，oflate，imperativelyprohibitedtheuseoftheopera-glassinacasesuchasthis，evenhadIbeensofortunateastohaveonewithmebutIhadnotandwasthusindespair。
　　AtlengthIbethoughtmeofapplyingtomycompanion。
　　“Talbot。”Isaid，“youhaveanopera-glass。Letmehaveit。”
　　“Anoperaglass！no！whatdoyousupposeIwouldbedoingwithanopera-glass？”Hereheturnedimpatientlytowardthestage。
　　“But，Talbot。”Icontinued，pullinghimbytheshoulder，“listentomewillyou？Doyouseethestagebox？there！no，thenext。
　　didyoueverbeholdaslovelyawoman？”
　　“Sheisverybeautiful，nodoubt。”hesaid。
　　“Iwonderwhoshecanbe？”
　　“Why，inthenameofallthatisangelic，don’tyouknowwhosheis？
　　’Nottoknowherarguesyourselfunknown。’SheisthecelebratedMadameLalandethebeautyofthedayparexcellence，andthetalkofthewholetown。Immenselywealthytooawidow，andagreatmatchhasjustarrivedfromParis。”
　　“Doyouknowher？”
　　“Yes；Ihavethehonor。”
　　“Willyouintroduceme？”
　　“Assuredly，withthegreatestpleasure；whenshallitbe？”
　　“To-morrow，atone，IwillcalluponyouatB’s。
　　“Verygood；andnowdoholdyourtongue，ifyoucan。”
　　InthislatterrespectIwasforcedtotakeTalbot’sadvice；forheremainedobstinatelydeaftoeveryfurtherquestionorsuggestion，andoccupiedhimselfexclusivelyfortherestoftheeveningwithwhatwastransactinguponthestage。
　　InthemeantimeIkeptmyeyesrivetedonMadameLalande，andatlengthhadthegoodfortunetoobtainafullfrontviewofherface。
　　Itwasexquisitelylovelythis，ofcourse，myhearthadtoldmebefore，evenhadnotTalbotfullysatisfiedmeuponthepointbutstilltheunintelligiblesomethingdisturbedme。Ifinallyconcludedthatmysenseswereimpressedbyacertainairofgravity，sadness，or，stillmoreproperly，ofweariness，whichtooksomethingfromtheyouthandfreshnessofthecountenance，onlytoendowitwithaseraphictendernessandmajesty，andthus，ofcourse，tomyenthusiasticandromantictemperment，withaninteresttenfold。
　　WhileIthusfeastedmyeyes，Iperceived，atlast，tomygreattrepidation，byanalmostimperceptiblestartonthepartofthelady，thatshehadbecomesuddenlyawareoftheintensityofmygaze。
　　Still，Iwasabsolutelyfascinated，andcouldnotwithdrawit，evenforaninstant。Sheturnedasideherface，andagainIsawonlythechiselledcontourofthebackportionofthehead。Aftersomeminutes，asifurgedbycuriositytoseeifIwasstilllooking，shegraduallybroughtherfaceagainaroundandagainencounteredmyburninggaze。Herlargedarkeyesfellinstantly，andadeepblushmantledhercheek。Butwhatwasmyastonishmentatperceivingthatshenotonlydidnotasecondtimeavertherhead，butthatsheactuallytookfromhergirdleadoubleeyeglasselevatedit
　　adjusteditandthenregardedmethroughit，intentlyanddeliberately，forthespaceofseveralminutes。
　　HadathunderboltfallenatmyfeetIcouldnothavebeenmorethoroughlyastoundedastoundedonlynotoffendedordisgustedintheslightestdegree；althoughanactionsoboldinanyotherwomanwouldhavebeenlikelytooffendordisgust。Butthewholethingwasdonewithsomuchquietudesomuchnonchalancesomuchrepose-withsoevidentanairofthehighestbreeding，inshortthatnothingofmereeffronterywasperceptible，andmysolesentimentswerethoseofadmirationandsurprise。
　　Iobservedthat，uponherfirstelevationoftheglass，shehadseemedsatisfiedwithamomentaryinspectionofmyperson，andwaswithdrawingtheinstrument，when，asifstruckbyasecondthought，sheresumedit，andsocontinuedtoregardmewithfixedattentionforthespaceofseveralminutesforfiveminutes，attheveryleast，Iamsure。
　　Thisaction，soremarkableinanAmericantheatre，attractedverygeneralobservation，andgaverisetoanindefinitemovement，orbuzz，amongtheaudience，whichforamomentfilledmewithconfusion，butproducednovisibleeffectuponthecountenanceofMadameLalande。
　　Havingsatisfiedhercuriosityifsuchitwasshedroppedtheglass，andquietlygaveherattentionagaintothestage；herprofilenowbeingturnedtowardmyself，asbefore。Icontinuedtowatchherunremittingly，althoughIwasfullyconsciousofmyrudenessinsodoing。PresentlyIsawtheheadslowlyandslightlychangeitsposition；andsoonIbecameconvincedthatthelady，whilepretendingtolookatthestagewas，infact，attentivelyregardingmyself。Itisneedlesstosaywhateffectthisconduct，onthepartofsofascinatingawoman，haduponmyexcitablemind。
　　Havingthusscrutinizedmeforperhapsaquarterofanhour，thefairobjectofmypassionaddressedthegentlemanwhoattendedher，andwhileshespoke，Isawdistinctly，bytheglancesofboth，thattheconversationhadreferencetomyself。
　　Uponitsconclusion，MadameLalandeagainturnedtowardthestage，and，forafewminutes，seemedabsorbedintheperformance。Attheexpirationofthisperiod，however，Iwasthrownintoanextremityofagitationbyseeingherunfold，forthesecondtime，theeye-glasswhichhungatherside，fullyconfrontmeasbefore，and，disregardingtherenewedbuzzoftheaudience，surveyme，fromheadtofoot，withthesamemiraculouscomposurewhichhadpreviouslysodelightedandconfoundedmysoul。
　　Thisextraordinarybehavior，bythrowingmeintoaperfectfeverofexcitementintoanabsolutedeliriumoflove-servedrathertoemboldenthantodisconcertme。Inthemadintensityofmydevotion，Iforgoteverythingbutthepresenceandthemajesticlovelinessofthevisionwhichconfrontedmygaze。Watchingmyopportunity，whenI
　　thoughttheaudiencewerefullyengagedwiththeopera，IatlengthcaughttheeyesofMadameLalande，and，upontheinstant，madeaslightbutunmistakablebow。
　　Sheblushedverydeeplythenavertedhereyesthenslowlyandcautiouslylookedaround，apparentlytoseeifmyrashactionhadbeennoticedthenleanedovertowardthegentlemanwhosatbyherside。
　　InowfeltaburningsenseoftheimproprietyIhadcommitted，andexpectednothinglessthaninstantexposure；whileavisionofpistolsuponthemorrowfloatedrapidlyanduncomfortablythroughmybrain。Iwasgreatlyandimmediatelyrelieved，however，whenIsawtheladymerelyhandthegentlemanaplay-bill，withoutspeaking，butthereadermayformsomefeebleconceptionofmyastonishmentofmyprofoundamazementmydeliriousbewildermentofheartandsoulwhen，instantlyafterward，havingagainglancedfurtivelyaround，sheallowedherbrighteyestosetfullyandsteadilyuponmyown，andthen，withafaintsmile，disclosingabrightlineofherpearlyteeth，madetwodistinct，pointed，andunequivocalaffirmativeinclinationsofthehead。
　　Itisuseless，ofcourse，todwelluponmyjoyuponmytransport-
　　uponmyillimitableecstasyofheart。Ifevermanwasmadwithexcessofhappiness，itwasmyselfatthatmoment。Iloved。ThiswasmyfirstlovesoIfeltittobe。Itwaslovesupreme-indescribable。
　　Itwas“loveatfirstsight；“andatfirstsight，too，ithadbeenappreciatedandreturned。