tales for fifteen-第16节

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tones　of　the　speaker's　voice；　as　she　thus
unconsciously　uttered　her　concern；　that　impelled
the　listener　to　advance　to　the　side　of　the　carriage；
where　a　short　conversation　passed　between　the
gentlemen；　and　the　stranger　returned　to　the　ladies；
who　were　yet　lingering　near　the　spot；　apparently
unwilling　to　depart　from　a　scene　that　had　so　deeply
interested　one　of　them。　Raising　his　hat；　the
gentleman；　addressing　himself　to　the　magnet　that
had　attracted　him；　said

〃Your　friend　declines　the　offer　of　my　coat；　and　says
that　the　carriage　is　quite　warmthey　are　going　to
the　alms…house；　and　I　am　happy　to　inform　you　that
the　poor　man　is　already　much　better；　and　is
recovering　from　his　fit。〃

｛The　New　York　City　Almshouse；　at　Bellevue　on　the
East　River；　housed　over　1；500　inmates　at　a　time
（with　annual　deaths　approaching　500）；　and　served
as　a　last　refuge　for　the　destitute　of　all　ages｝

Charlotte　now　for　the　first　time　observed　the
speaker；　and　a　blush　passed　over　her　face　as　she
courtesied　her　thanks　in　silence。　But　her
companion；　aroused　from　gazing　at　the　finery　of　a
shop　window；　by　the　voice　of　the　stranger；　turned
quickly；　and　with　very　manifest　satisfaction；
exclaimed

〃Bless　me！　Mr。　DelafieldI　did　not　observe　you
before！then　you　think　the　poor　wretch　will　not
die？〃

〃Ah！　assuredly　not；〃　returned　the　gentleman；
recognizing　the　face　of　an　acquaintance；　with　an
animation　he　could　not　conceal：　〃but　how
inadvertent　I　have　been；　not　to　have　noticed　Miss
Osgood　before！〃While　speaking；　his　eyes　rested
on　the　lovely　countenance　of　her　friend；　as　if；　by
their　direction；　he　meant　to　explain　the　reason　of
his　remissness。

〃We　were　both　too　much　engaged　with　the
sufferings　of　the　poor　man；　for　until　this　moment　I
did　not　observe　you；〃　said　the　ladywith　that　kind
of　instinctive　quickness　that　teaches　the　fair　the
importance　of　an　amiable　exterior；　in　the　eyes　of
the　other　sex。

〃Doubtless；〃　returned　the　gentleman；　gravely；　and
for　the　first　time　withdrawing　his　gaze　from　the
countenance　of　Charlotte；　but　the　precaution　was
unnecessary：the　young　lady　had　been　too　much
engrossed　with　her　own　sensations　to　notice　the
conduct　of　others；　and　from　the　moment　that　the
carriage　had　driven　out　of　right；　had　kept　her　eyes
on　the　ground；　as　she　walked　silently　and
unobtrusively　by　the　side　of　her　companion。

〃Miss　HenlyMr。　Seymour　Delafield；〃　said　Maria。
The　silent　bow　and　courtesy　that　followed　this
introduction　was　succeeded　by　an　animated
discourse　between　the　gentleman　and　his　old
acquaintance；　which　was；　but　seldom　interrupted　by
any　remark　from　their　more　retiring　companion。
Whenever　she　did　speak；　however；　the　gentleman
listened　with　the　most　flattering　attention；　that
was　the　more　remarkable；　from　the　circumstance　of
his　talking　frequently　at　the　same　time　with　Maria
Osgood。　The　trio　took　a　long　walk　together；　and
returned　to　the　house　of　Mr。　Henly；　in　time　for　the
necessary　arrangements　for　the　coming　dinner。　It
was　when　within　a　short　distance　of　the　dwelling　of
Charlotte　that　the　gentleman　ventured　to　allude　to
the　event　that　had　made　them　acquainted。

〃The　fearless　manner　in　which　you　predicted　the
humanity　of　Mr。　Morton；　would　be　highly　gratifying
to　himself；　Miss　Henly；〃　he　observed；　〃and　were　I　of
his　acquaintance；　it　should　be　my　task　to　inform
him　of　your　good　opinion。〃

〃I　believe　Mr。　Morton　has　not　now　to　learn　that；〃
said　Charlotte；　simply；　but　dropping　her　eyes；　〃I
have　been　the　next　door　neighbour　of　George　all　my
life；　and　have　seen　too　much　of　his　goodness　of
heart　not　to　have　expressed　the　same　opinion
often。〃

〃But　not　to　himself；〃　cried　Maria；　〃so；　Mr。　Delafield；
if　you　wish　to　apprise　him　of　his　good　fortune；　you
have　only　to　attend　my　music　party　to…morrow
evening；　and　I　will　take　particular　care　that　you　get
acquainted　with　the　humane　hero。〃

The　invitation　was　gladly　accepted；　and　the
gentleman　took　his　leave　at　the　door　of　the　house。

〃Well；　Charlotte；　you　have　seen　him　at　last！〃　cried
Maria；　the　instant　the　door　had　closed；　〃and　I　am
dying　to　know　how　you　like　him！〃

〃To　save　your　life；〃　said　the　other；　laughing；　〃I　will
say　a　great　deal；　although　you　so　often　accuse　me
of　taciturnitybut　who　is　HIM？〃

〃Him！　why；　Delafield！Seymour　Delafield！the
pattern　for　all　the　beauxthe　magnet　for　all　the
bellesand　the　delight　of　all　the　parents　in　town！〃

〃His　own；　too？〃　inquired　Charlotte；　a　little　archly。

〃He　has　nonethey　are　dead　and　gonebut　their
money　is　left　behind；　and　that　brings　him　fathers
and　mothers　by　the　dozen！〃

〃It　is　fortunate　that　he　can　supply　their　loss　in　any
way；〃　said　Charlotte；　with　emphasis。

〃To　be　sure　he　can；　he　can　do　more　than　you　or　I
could；　my　dear；　he　can　pick　his　parents　from　the
best　in　the　cityand；　therefore；　he　ought　to　be　well
provided。〃

〃And　could　he　be　better　provided；　as　you　call　it；　in
that　respect；　than　ourselves？〃　asked　Miss　Henly；　a
little　reproachfully。

〃Oh　no；　surely　not；　now　if　he　were　a　woman；　how
soon　would　he　be　married！why；　child；　they　say　he
is　worth　at　least　three　hundred　thousand　dollars！
he'd　be　a　bride　in　a　month！〃

〃And　miserable；　perhaps；　in　a　year；〃　said　Charlotte；
〃it　is　fortunate　for　him　that　he　is　a　man；　by　your
tale；　or　his　wealth　might　purchase　misery　for　him。〃

〃Oh！　no　one　can　be　miserable　that　is　well　married；〃
cried　Maria；　〃Heigho！　the　idea　of　old…maidism　is　too
shocking　to　think　about！〃

〃Why　does　not　Mr。　Delafield　get　married；　then；　if
marriage　be　so　very　desirable？〃　said　Miss　Henly；
smiling　at　the　customary　rattle　of　her　companion：
〃he　can　easily　get　a　wife；　you　say？〃

｛rattle　=　trivial　chatter｝

〃It　is　the　difficulty　of　choosingthere　are　so　many
attentive　to　him〃

〃Maria！〃

〃Mercy！　I　beg　pardon　of　female　delicacy！but　since
the　young　man　has　returned　from　his　travels；　he
has　been　so　muchmuch　courtednay；　by　the　old
people；　I　meanand　the　girls　beckon　him　about　so…
…and　it's　Mr。　Delafield；　have　you　read　Salmagundi？
and；　Mr。　Delafield；　have　you　seen　Cooke？and；　Mr。
Delafield；　do　you　think　we　shall　have　war？and
have　you　seen　Bonaparte？　And；　in　short；　Mr。
Delafield；　with　his　handsome　person；　and　three
hundred　thousand　dollars；　has　been　so　much　of　all…
in…all　to　the　ladies；　that　the　man　has　never　time　to
choose　a　wife！〃

｛Salmagundi　=　a　series　of　comic　essays　（1819…
1820）　by　New　York　City　writer　James　Kirke　Paulding
（1778…1860）；　emulating　an　earlier　series　by
Washington　Irving　and　others；　Cooke　=　probably
Thomas　Potter　Cooke　（1786…1864）；　a　noted　English
actor；　Bonaparte　=　Napoleon　Bonaparte　died　on　St。
Helena　in　1821｝

〃I　really　wonder　that　you　never　took　the　office　upon
yourself；〃　said　Charlotte；　busied　in　throwing　aside
her　coat　and　gloves；　〃you　appear　to　have　so　much
interest　in　the　gentleman。〃

〃Oh！　I　did；　a　month　sincethe　moment　that　he
landed。〃

〃Indeed！　and　who　was　it？〃

〃Myself。〃

〃And　have　you　told　him　of　your　choice？〃　asked　the
other；　laughing。

〃Not　with　my　tongue：　but　with　my　eyes；　a　thousand
timesand　with　all　that　unspeakable　language　that
female　invention　can　supply：I　go　where　he　goes
if　I　see　him　in　the　street　behind　me；　I　move　slowly
and　with　dignity；　still　he　passes　meif　before　me；　I
am　in　a　hurrybut｛〃｝

〃You　pass　him？〃　interrupted　Charlotte；　amused　with
her　companion's　humour。

〃Exactlywe　never　keep　an　equal　pace；　this　is　the
first　time　that　he　has　walked　with　me　since　he
returned　from　abroadand　for　this　honour　I　am
clearly　indebted　to　yourself。〃

〃To　me；　Maria？〃　said　Charlotte；　in　surprise。

〃To　none　otherhe　talked　to　me；　but　he　looked　at
you。　Ah！　he　knows　by　instinct　that　you　are　an　only
childand　I　do　believe　that　the　wretch　knows　that　I
have　twelve　brothers　and　sistersbut　you　had
better　take　him；　Charlotte；　he　is　worth　twenty
George　Mortonsat　least；　in　money。〃

〃What　have　the　merits　of　George　Morton　and　Mr。
Delafield　to　do　with　each　other？〃　said　Charlotte；
removing　her　hat；　and　exhibiting　a　head　of　hair　that
opportunely　fell　in　rich　profusion　over　her　shoulders；
so　as　to　conceal　the　unusual　flush　on　her；
ordinarily；　pale　cheek。

This　concluded　the　conversation；　for　Charlotte
instantly　left　the　room；　and　was　occupied　for　some
time　in　giving　such　orders　as　her　office　of　assistant
in　housekeeping　to　her　mother　rendered　necessary。

Charlotte　Henly　was　the　only　child　that　had　been
left　from　six　who　were　born　to　her　parents；　the
others　having　died　in　their　infancy。　The　deaths　of
the　rest　of　their　children　had　occasioned　the
affection　of　her　parents　to　center　in　the　last　of　their
offspring　with　more　than　common　warmth；　and　the
tenderness　of　their　love　was　heightened　by　the
extraordinary　qualities　of　their　child。　Possessed　of
an　abundance　of　the　goods　of　this　world；　these
doating　parents　were　looking　around　with　intense
anxiety；　among　their　acquaintance；　and　watching
for　the　choice　that　was　to　determine　the　worldly
happiness　of　their　daughter。

Charlotte　was　but　seventeen；　yet　the　customs　of
the　country；　and　the　temptations　of　her　expected
wealth；　together　with　her　own　attractions；　had
already　placed　her　within　the　notice　of　the　world。
But　no　symptom　of　that　incipient　affection　which
was　to　govern　her　life；　could　either　of　her　parents
eve