tales for fifteen-第14节

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〃Take　it　for　my　sake；　Antonioif　it　be　unworthy　of
you；　still；　take　it；　to　oblige　me。〃

The　man　no　longer　hesitated；　but　took　the　money；
and　gave　Julia　a　look　and　a　bow　that　sunk　deep
into　the　tablet　of　her　memorywhile　Charles
thought　him　extremely　well　paid　for　what　he　had
done；　but　made　due　allowances　for　the　excited
state　of　his　cousin's　feelings。

〃You　perceive；〃　said　Miss　Emmerson；　with　a　smile；
as　Julia　withdrew　from　the　window；　〃if　Charles　be　a
little　afraid　of　lightning；　he　has　no　dread　of　the
water。〃

〃Ah！　I　retract　my　error；〃　cried　Julia；　〃Charles　must
be　brave；　or　he　never　could　have　acted　so　coolly；
and　so　well。〃

〃Very　true；　my　love；〃　said　Miss　Emmerson；
excessively　gratified　to　hear　her　niece　praise　the
youth；　〃it　is　the　surest　test　of　courage　when　men
behave　with　presence　of　mind　in　novel　situations。
Those　accustomed　to　particular　dangers　easily
discharge　their　duties；　because　they　know；　as　it
were　instinctively；　what　is　to　be　done。　Thus　with
Tonyhe　did　well；　but；　I　doubt　not；　he　was　horribly
frightenedand　for　the　world　he　could　not　have
done　what　Charles　did。〃

〃Not　Antonio！〃　echoed　Julia；　thrown　a　little　off　her
guard〃I　would　pledge　my　life；　aunt；　that　Antonio
would　have　done　as　much；　if　not　more；　than
Charles！〃

〃Why　did　he　not；　then？…It　was　his　place　to　stop
the　carriage…why　did　he　not？〃

〃It　was　his　place；〃　said　Julia；　〃to　manage　the
horses；　and　you　acknowledge　that　he　did　it　well。
Duties　incurred；　no　matter　how　unworthy　of　us；
must　be　discharged；　and　although　we　may　be
conscious　that　our　merit　or　our　birth　entitles　us　to　a
different　station　from　the　one　we　fill；　yet　a　noble
mind　will　not　cease　to　perform　its　duty；　even　in
poverty　and　disgrace。〃

Miss　Emmerson　listened　in　surprise；　but　as　her
niece　often　talked　in　a　manner　that　she　did　not
comprehend；　she　attributed　it　to　the　improvements
in　education；　and　was　satisfied。　But　Julia　had
furnished　herself　with　a　clue　to　what　had
occasioned　her　some　uneasiness。　At　one　time　she
thought　Antonio　ought　to　have　left　carriage；　horses；
every　thing；　and　flown　to　her　rescue；　as　Charles　had
done；　but　now　she　saw　that　the　probity　of　his　soul
forbade　it。　He　had；　doubtless；　by　secret　means；
induced　the　owner　of　the　horses　to　entrust　them　to
his　keeping…and　could　he；　a　soldier；　one　used　to
trust　and　responsibility；　forget　his　duty　in　the
moment　of　need？　Sooner　would　the　sentinel　quit
his　post　unrelieved…sooner　the　gallant　soldier　turn
his　back　on　his　enemy…or　sooner　would　Antonio
forget　his　Julia！

With　this　view　of　the　propriety　of　his　conduct；　Julia
was　filled　with　the　desire　to　let　him　know　that　she
approved　of　what　he　had　done。　Surely；　if　any　thing
can　be　mortifying　to　a　lover；　thought　our　heroine；　it
must　be　to　see　a　rival　save　the　life　of　his　mistress；
while　imperious　duty　chains　him　to　another　task。

Young　as　Julia　was；　she　had　already　learnt；　that　it
is　not　enough　for　our　happiness　that　we　have　the
consciousness　of　doing　right；　but　it　is　necessary
that　others　should　think　we　have　done　so　too。

Accordingly；　early　the　following　morning　she　arose；
and　wandered　around　the　house；　in　hopes　that
chance　would　throw　her　lover　in　her　way；　and　give
her　an　opportunity　of　relieving　his　mind　from　the
load　of　mortification　under　which　she　knew　he　must
be　labouring。　It　was　seldom　that　our　heroine　had
been　in　the　public　bar…room　of　a　tavernbut；　in
gliding　by　the　door；　she　caught　a　glimpse　of
Antonio　in　the　bar；　and；　impelled　by　her　feelings；
she　was　near　him　before　she　had　time　to　collect　her
scattered　senses。　To　be　with　Antonio；　and　alone；
Julia　felt　was　dangerous；　for　his　passion　might
bring　on　a　declaration；　and　betray　them　both　to　the
public　and　vulgar　notice。Anxious；　therefore；　to
effect　her　object　at　once；　she　gently　laid　her　hand
on　his　armAntonio　started　and　turned；　while　the
glass　in　his　hands　fell；　with　its　contents；　untasted；
on　the　floor。

〃Rest　easy；　Antonio；〃　said　Julia；　in　the　gentlest
possible　tones；　〃to　me　your　conduct　is　satisfactory；
and　your　secret　will　never　be　exposed。〃　So　saying；
she　turned　quickly；　and　glided　from　the　room。

〃As　I　hope　to　be　saved；〃　said　Antonio；　〃I　meant
nothing　wrongbut　should　have　paid　the　landlord
the　moment　he　came　in〃but　Julia　heard　him　not。
Her　errand　was　happily　executed；　and　she　was
already　by　the　side　of　her　aunt。　On　entering　the
carriage；　Julia　noticed　the　eye　of　Antonio　fixed　on
her　with　peculiar　meaning；　and　she　felt　that　her
conduct　had　been　appreciated。From　this　time　until
the　day　of　their　arrival　at　the　house　of　Mr。　Miller；
nothing　material　occurred。　Antonio　rose　every　hour
in　the　estimation　of　Julia；　and　the　young　lady
noticed　a　marked　difference　in　her　lover's　conduct
towards　her。　A　few　miles　before　they　reached　the
dwelling；　Miss　Emmerson　observed

〃To…morrow　will　be　the　twentieth　of　September；
when　I　am　to　know　who　will　be　my　companion　for
the　winter；　Miss　Miller　or　Katherine。〃

〃Ah！　aunt；　you　may　know　that　now；　if　I　am　to
decide；〃　said　Julia；　〃it　will　be　Anna；　my　Anna；
surely。〃

Her　manner　was　enthusiastic；　and　her　voice　a　little
louder　than　usual。　Antonio　turned　his　head；　and
their　eyes　met。　Julia　read　in　that　glance　the
approbation　of　her　generous　friendship。　Miss
Emmerson　was　a　good　deal　hurt　at　this　decision　of
her　niece；　who；　she　thought；　knowing　her
sentiments；　would　be　induced　to　have　been
satisfied　with　the　visit　to　Anna；　and　taken
Katherine　for　the　winter。　It　was　with　reluctance　that
the　aunt　abandoned　this　wish；　and；　after　a　pause；
she　continued

〃Remember；　Julia；　that　you　have　not　my　permission
to　ask　your　friend　until　the　twentiethwe　can　stay
but　one　night　at　Mr。　Miller's；　but　if　Anna　is　to　spend
the　winter　in　Park　Place；　we　will　return　this　way
from　the　Falls；　and　take　her　with　us　to　the　city。〃

〃Thank　you；　dear　aunt；〃　cried　Julia；　kissing　her　with
an　affection　that　almost　reconciled　Miss　Emmerson
to　the　choicewhile　Charles　Weston　whistled　〃Hail；
Columbia！　happy　land！〃

Julia　saw　that　Antonio　pitied　her　impatiencefor
the　moment　he　arrived　in　sight　of　Mr。　Miller's
house；　he　put　his　horses　to　their　speed；　and
dashed　into　the　court…yard　in　the　space　of　a　few
minutes。　For　a　little　while　all　was　confusion　and
joy。　Anna　seemed　delighted　to　see　her　friend；　and
Julia　was　in　rapturesthey　flew　into　each　other's
armsand　if　their　parting　embrace　was　embalmed
in　tears；　their　meeting　was　enlivened　with　smiles。
With　arms　interlocked；　they　went　about　the　house；
the　very　pictures　of　joy。Even　Antonio；　at　the
moment；　was　forgotten；　and　all　devoted　to
friendship。　Nay；　as　if　sensible　of　the　impropriety　of
his　appearance　at　that　critical　instant；　he　withdrew
himself　from　observationand　his　delicacy　was　not
lost　on　Julia。　Happy　are　they　who　can　act　in
consonance　with　their　own　delicate　sentiments；　and
rest　satisfied　with　the　knowledge　that　their　motives
are　understood　by　those　whom　it　is　their　greatest
desire　to　please！…Such；　too　fortunate　Antonio；　was
thy　lotfor　no　emotion　of　thy　sensitive　mind；　no　act
of　thy　scrupulously　honourable　life；　passed
unheeded　by　thy　Julia！so　thought　the　maiden。

It　has　been　already　mentioned　that　the　family　of
Mr。　Miller　was　large；　and　amid　the　tumult　and
confusion　of　receiving　their　guests；　no　opportunity
was　afforded　to　the　friends　for　conversation　in
private。　The　evening　passed　swiftly；　and　the　hour
for　bed　arrived　without　any　other　communication
between　Julia　and　Anna　than　whisperings　and
pressures　of　the　hands；　together　with　a　thousand
glances　of　peculiar　meaning　with　the　eyes。　But　Julia
did　not　regret　this　so　much　as　if　Antonio　had　been
unknownshe　had　been　in　his　company　for　four
days；　and　knew；　or　thought　she　knew；　already；　as
much　of　his　history　as　Anna　herself。But　one
thought　distressed　her；　and　that　was；　that　his
residence　might　be　far　from　the　house　of　her　aunt。
This　reflection　gave　the　tender…hearted　girl　real
pain；　and　her　principal　wish　to　converse　with　Anna
in　private　was　to　ascertain　her　future　lot　on　this
distressing　point。　No　opportunity；　however；　offered
that　night；　and　Julia　saw　that　in　the　morning　her
time　would　be　limited；　for　Miss　Emmerson　desired
Mr。　Miller　to　order　her　carriage　to　be　in　readiness　to
start　so　soon　as　they　had　breakfasted。

〃When；　dear　aunt；　am　I　to　give　Anna　the
invitation；〃　said　Julia；　when　they　were　left　alone；　〃if
you　start　so　early　in　the　morning？〃

〃The　proper　time　will　be；　my　child；　immediately
before　we　get　into　the　carriage；〃　said　Miss
Emmerson；　with　a　sigh　of　regret　at　the
determination　of　her　niece；　〃it　will　then　be　more
pointed；　and　call　for　an　immediate　answer。〃

This　satisfied　Julia；　who　knew　that　it　would　be
accepted　by　her　friend；　and　she　soon　fell　asleep；　to
dream　a　little　of　Anna；　and　a　great　deal　of　Antonio。

The　following　morning　Julia　arose　with　the　sun；　and
her　first　employment　was　to　seek　her　friend。　Anna
had　also　risen；　and　was　waiting　impatiently　for　the
other's　appearance；　in　the　vacant　parlour。

〃Ah！　dear　Julia；〃　said　she；　catching　her　arm　and
dragging　her　to　a　window；　〃I　thought　you　would
never　come。Well；　are　we　to　spend　the　winter
togetherhave　you　spoken　to　your　dear；　dear　aunt；
about　it？〃

〃You　shall　know　in　good　time；　my　Anna；〃