tales for fifteen-第17节

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But　no　symptom　of　that　incipient　affection　which
was　to　govern　her　life；　could　either　of　her　parents
ever　discover；　and　in　the　exhibitions　of　her
attachments；　there　was　nothing　to　be　seen　but　that
quiet　and　regulated　esteem；　which　grows　out　of
association　and　good　sense；　and　which　is　so
obviously　different　from　the　restless　and　varying
emotions　that　are　said　to　belong　to　the　passion　of
love。

Maria　Osgood　was　a　distant　relative；　and　an　early
associate；　who；　although　as　different　from　her
cousin　in　appearance　and　character　as　black　is　from
white；　was　still　dear　to　the　latter；　both　from　habit
and　her　unconquerable　good　nature。

George　Morton；　the　youth　of　whom　such　honourable
mention　has　been　made；　was　the　son　of　a
gentleman　who　had　long　resided　in　the　next
dwelling　to　Mr。　Henly　in　the　city；　and　who　also
possessed　a　country　house　near　his　own　villa。
These　circumstances　had　induced　an　intimacy
between　the　families　that　was　cemented　by　the
good　opinion　each　entertained　of　the　qualities　of
the　other；　and　which　had　been　so　long　and　so　often
tried　in　scenes　of　happiness　and　misery；　that　were
known　to　both。　Young　Morton　was　a　few　years　the
senior　of　Charlotte；　and；　at　the　time　of　commencing
our　tale；　was　but　lately　released　from　his　collegiate
labours。　His　goodness　of　heart　and　simplicity　of
manners　made　him　an　universal　favourite；　while　the
peculiarity　of　their　situation　brought　him　oftener
before　the　notice　of　Charlotte　than　any　other　young
man　of　her　acquaintance。But；　notwithstanding　the
intimation　of　Maria　Osgood；　none　of　their　friends　in
the　least　suspected　any　other　feeling　to　exist
between　the　youthful　pair　than　the　natural　and　very
obvious　one　of　disinterested　esteem。　As　the　family
seated　themselves　at　the　dinner　table；　their　guest
exclaimed；　in　the　heedless　way　that　characterised
her　manner

〃Oh！　Mrs。　Henly；　I　have　to　congratulate　you　on　the
prospects　of　your　soon　having　a　son；　and　one　so
amiable　and　attractive　as　your　daughter。〃

〃Indeed！〃　returned　the　matron；　comprehending　the
other's　meaning　intuitively；　〃and　what　may　be　the
young　gentleman's　name？〃

〃You　will　be　the　envy　of　all　the　mothers　in　town；〃
continued　Maria；　〃and　deservedly　so。　Two　such
children　to　fall　to　the　lot　of　one　mother！Nay；　do
not　shake　your　head；　Charlotte；　it　must　and　shall
be　a　match；　I　am　determined。〃

〃My　friendship　for　you　would　deter　me　from　the
measure；　should　nothing　else　interfere；〃　said
Charlotte；　good　humouredly。

〃Ah！　I　have　already　abandoned　my　pretensions
twelve　brothers　and　sisters；　my　dear；　are　a　dreadful
addition　to　bring　into　a　family　at　once！〃

〃I　am　sure　I　do　not　think　so；〃　returned　Charlotte；
timidly　glancing　her　eye　at　her　mother；　〃besides；　I
feel　bound　in　honour　to　remember　your　original
intention。〃

〃I　tell　you　I　have　abandoned　it；　with　all　thoughts　of
the　youth。〃

〃And　who　is　the　youth？〃　asked　Mrs。　Henly；　affecting
an　indifference　that　she　did　not　feel。

〃You　will　have　the　handsomest　son　in　the　city；
certainly；〃　said　Maria；　〃and；　possibly；　the　richest
and　the　most　learnedand；　undeniably；　the　most
admired！〃

〃You　quite　excite　my　curiosity　to　know　who　this
paragon　can　be；〃　said　the　mother；　looking　at　her
husband；　who　returned　the　glance　with　one　of　equal
solicitude。

〃I　do　not　think　he　is　more　than　four　and　twenty；〃
added　Maria；　〃and　his　black　eyes　would　form　a
charming　contrast　to　your　blue　ones。〃

〃To　whom　does　Miss　Osgood　allude？〃　asked　Mrs。
Henly；　yielding　to　a　solicitude　that　she　could　no
longer　controul。

〃To　Mr。　Seymour　Delafield；〃　said　Charlotte；　raising
her　mild　eyes　to　the　face　of　her　mother；　and
smiling；　as　she　delicately　pared　her　apple；　with　a
simple　ingenuousness　that　banished　uneasiness
from　the　breast　of　her　parent　in　an　instant。

〃I　know　him；〃　said　Mr。　Henly；　〃but　I　did　not　think
you　had　ever　seen　him；　Charlotte。〃

〃We　met　him　in　our　morning　walk；　sir；　and　Maria
introduced　him。〃

〃He　is　thought　to　be　very　handsome；〃　continued　her
father；　helping　himself　to　a　glass　of　wine　while
speaking。

〃And　very　justly；〃　returned　the　daughter；　〃I　think
him　the　handsomest　man　that　I　have　ever　seen。〃

〃Have　I　your　permission　for　telling　him　so？〃　cried
Maria；　with　a　laugh。

〃I　have　not　the　least　objection　to　his　knowing　it；　on
my　own　account；　except　from　the　indelicacy　of
complimenting　a　gentleman；〃　said　Charlotte；　with
perfect　simplicity；　〃but　whether　it　would　be
beneficial　to　himself　or　not；　you　can　best　judge。〃

〃You　think　him　vain；　then？〃　observed　her　mother。

〃Not　in　the　least；　or；　rather；　he　did　not　exhibit　it　to
me〃was　the　answer；　with　the　same　open　air　as
before。

〃He　has　also　a　great　reputation　for　good　sense；〃
continued　her　father；　avoiding　the　face　of　his　child。

〃I　thought　he　had　wit；　sir。〃

〃And　not　good　sense？〃

〃Am　I　a　judge？〃　asked　Charlotte；　rising；　and　holding
a　lighted　paper　to　her　father；　while　he　took　a　new
segar。

Her　clear　blue　eyes　resting　on　him　in　the　fulness　of
filial　affection；　as　she　performed　this　office；　and　the
open　air　with　which　she　bent　forward　to　receive　the
kiss　he　offered　in　thanks；　removed　any
apprehensions　which　the　name　of　their　morning's
companion　might　have　excited。

Mr。　Henly　knew　nothing　concerning　this　young　man
that　would　induce　him　at　all　to　avoid　the　connexion；
but　still　he　had　not　yet　examined　his　character　with
that　searching　vigilance　that　he　thought　due　to　the
innocence　and　merit　of　his　child。　Determining　within
himself；　however；　that　this　was　a　task　that　should
no　longer　be　neglected；　he　rose；　and　telling　the
ladies　that　he　left　the　bottle　with　them；　withdrew
to　his　study。

The　door　had　hardly　closed　behind　Mr。　Henly；　when
George　Morton　entered　the　dining　parlour；　with　the
freedom　of　an　old　and　favourite　friend；　and　telling
Mrs。　Henly　that；　in　consequence　of　his　family's
dining　out；　and　his　own　engagements；　he　was
fasting；　and　begged　her　charity　for　a　meal。　From
the　instant　that　he　appeared；　Charlotte　had　risen
with　alacrity；　and　was　no　sooner　acquainted　with
his　wants；　than　she　rung　to　order　what　he　required。
She　brought　him　a　glass　of　sparkling　wine　with　her
own　hands；　and　pushing　a　chair　nearer　to　the　fire
than　the　one　he　occupied；　she　said

〃Sit　here；　George；　you　appear　chilledI　thought　you
would　miss　your　coat。〃

〃I　thank　you；〃　returned　the　youth；　turning　on　her　an
eye　of　the　most　open　affection；　〃I　do　feel　unusually
cold；　and　begin　to　think；　that　with　my　weak　lungs　it
would　have　been　more　prudent　to　have　taken　a
surtout。〃

｛surtout　=　overcoat｝

〃And　how　was　the　poor　man　when　you　left　him？〃

〃Much　better；　and　in　extremely　good　quarters；〃　said
George；　but；　turning　quickly　to　Miss　Osgood；　he
added；　〃So；　Miss　Maria；　your　beau　has
condescended　to　walk　with　you　at　last？〃

〃Yes；　Mr。　Impudence；〃　said　Maria；　smiling；　｛〃｝but
come；　fill　your　mouth　with　food；　and　be　silent。〃

He　did　as　requested；　and　the　conversation　changed。



CHAPTER　II

NOTWITHSTANDING　the　plenteous　gifts　which
Providence　had　bestowed　on　the　parents　of　Maria　in
the　way　of　descendants；　Fortune　had　sufficiently
smiled　on　his　labours　to　enable　him　to　educate
them　in　what　is　called　a　genteel　manner；　and　to
support　them　in　a　corresponding　style。　The　family
of　Mr。　Osgood　exhibited　one　of　those　pictures　which
are　so　frequent　in　America；　where　no　other　artificial
distinctions　exist　in　society　than　those　which　are
created　by　wealth；　and　where　obscurity　has　no
other　foe　to　contend　with　than　the　demon　of
poverty。　His　children　were　indulged　in　luxuries　that
his　death　was　to　dissipate；　and　enjoyed　an
opulence　that　was　only　co…existent　with　the　life　of
their　parent。　Accordingly；　the　music　party　that
assembled　on　the　following　evening　at　the　house　of
Mr。　Osgood；　was　brilliant；　large；　and　fashionable。
Seven　grown…up　daughters　was　a　melancholy　sight
for　the　contemplation　of　the　parents；　and　they　both
felt　like　venders　of　goods　who　were　exhibiting　their
wares　to　the　best　advantage。　The　splendid
chandeliers　and　lustres　of　the　drawing…room　were
lighted　for　the　same　reason　as　the　lamps　in　the
glittering　retail　stores　of　Broadway；　and　the
brilliant　effect　of　the　taste　of　the　young　ladies　was
intended　much　like　the　nightly　lustre　of　the　lottery…
offices；　to　tempt　adventurers　to　try　their　chances。
》From　this　premeditated　scheme　of　conquest　we
ought；　in　justice；　however；　to　except　Maria　herself；
who；　from　constitutional　gayety　and
thoughtlessness；　seldom　planned　for　the　morrow；
and　who；　perhaps；　from　her　association　with
Charlotte；　had　acquired　a　degree　of
disinterestedness　that　certainly　belonged　to　no
other　member　of　her　family。

Whatever　were　the　views　of　the　family　in　collecting
their　friends　and　acquaintances　on　this　important
evening；　they　were　completely　successful　in　one
point　at　least；　for；　before　nine；　half　the　dilettanti　of
the　city　were　assembled　in　Greenwich…street；　in　a
most　elaborate　state　of　musical　excitement。
Charlotte　Henly；　of　course；　was　of　the　party；
although　she　was　absolutely　ignorant　of　a　single
note；　nor　knew　how　to　praise　a　scientific　execution；
or　to　manifest　disgust　at　simple　melody。　But；　her
importance　in　the　world　of　fashion；　and　her　friend
Maria；　obtained　her　a　place。　There　was　a　r