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〃It　is　well　if　I　have　done　that　little　good；〃　said
George。

〃You　have　brought　tears　into　eyes　that　never
should　weep；〃　cried　Delafield；　〃and　melancholy　to　a
countenance　that　seems　formed　by　nature　to
convey　an　idea　of　peaceful　content。〃

Morton　looked　earnestly　at　the　speaker　for　a
moment；　when　a　painful　feeling　seemed　suddenly
to　seize　on　his　heartfor　his　cheek　grew　paler；　and
his　lip　quivered　with　an　agitation　that　apparently　he
could　not　control。　Charlotte　alone　noticed　the
alteration；　and；　speaking　in　a　low　tone；　she　said

〃Do　go　home；　George；　you　are　far　from　being　well
to　oblige　me；　go　home。〃

〃To　oblige　you；　I　would　do　much　more　unwelcome
biddings；〃　he　replied；　with　a　slight　colour；　〃but　I
believe　you　are　right；　and；　having　discharged　my
duty　here；　I　will　retire。〃

He　rose；　and；　paying　the　customary　compliments　to
the　mistress　of　the　mansion；　withdrew。　With　him
disappeared　all　the　awakened　interest　of　Charlotte
in　the　scene。

In　vain　was　Seymour　Delafield　attentive；　polite；　and
even　particularly　so。　That　devotedness　of
admiration　for　which　so　many　sighed；　and　which　so
many　envied；　was　entirely　thrown　away　upon
Charlotte。　She　listened；　she　bowed；　and　she
smiledand；　sometimes；　she　answered；　but　it　was
evidently　without　meaning　or　interest；　until；
wearied　with　his　fruitless　efforts　to　make　an
impression；　and　perhaps　with　a　hope　of　exciting　a
little　jealousy；　he　turned　his　attention　to　her　more
lively　companion。

〃Your　mother's　nursery；　Miss　Osgood；〃　he　cried；
〃ought　on　such　an　occasion　to　be　tenantless。〃

〃You　think　there　are　enough　of　us　here　to　make　it
so；〃　returned　the　lady；　with　an　affected　sigh。

〃I　really　had　not　observed　the　number　of　your
charming　familyhow　many　are　there　of　you？〃

〃A　baker's　dozen。〃　Charlotte　laughed；　and　the　youth
felt　mortified。　The　laugh　was　natural；　and　clearly
extorted；　without　a　thought　of　himself。

〃When　you　are　all　married；〃　he　said；　〃you　will　form
a　little　world　in　yourselves。〃

〃When　the　sky　falls　we　shall　catch　larks。〃

｛When　the　sky。。。。　=　an　old　proverb；　found　in
English；　French；　and　even　Latin；　meaning　that　the
idea　or　proposal　is　absurd｝

〃Surely；　you　intend　to　marry？〃

Maria　made　no　reply；　but　turned　her　eyes　on
Delafield；　with　an　affected　expression　of
melancholy　that　excited　another　laugh　in　her　friend。

〃You　certainly　have　made　no　rash　vow　on　the
subject；〃　continued　Seymour；　pretending　to　a　slight
interest　in　her　answer。

〃My　troth　is　not　yet　plighted；〃　said　the　lady；　a　little
archly。

〃But　there　is　no　telling　how　long　it　will　continue
so。〃

〃I　am　afraid　sothirteen　is　a　dreadful　divisor　for　a
small　family　estate。〃

A　general　movement　in　the　party　was　gladly　seized
by　Charlotte　as　an　excuse　to　go；　and　Delafield
handed　her　to　her　carriage；　with　the　mortifying
conviction　that　she　was　utterly　indifferent　to　every
thing　but　the　civility　of　the　act。



CHAPTER　III。

IT　was　quite　early　on　the　following　morning；　when
Mr。　Delafield　rung　at　the　door　of　the　house　in　which
the　father　of　Miss　Henly　resided。　The　gentleman
had　obtained　the　permission　of　the　young　lady；　the
preceding　evening；　to　put　himself　on　the　list　of　her
visiting　acquaintance；　and　a　casual　introduction　to
both　of　Charlotte's　parents　had　smoothed　the　way
to　this　intimacy。　It　is　certain；　that；　much　as　Mr。　and
Mrs。　Henly　loved　their　child；　neither　of　them
entertained　the　selfish　wish　of　monopolizing　all　of
her　affections　to　themselves　during　life。　It　was
natural；　and　a　thing　to　he　expected；　that　Charlotte
should　marry；　and　among　the　whole　of　their
acquaintance　there　appeared　no　one　so
unobjectionable　as　her　new　admirer。　He　was
agreeable　in　person；　in　manners；　and　in　temper；　he
was　intelligent；　witty；　and　a　man　of　the　world；　and；
moreover；　he　was　worththree　hundred　thousand
dollars！　What　parent　is　there　whose　judgment
would　remain　unbiassed　by　these　solid　reasons　in
favour　of　a　candidate　for　the　hand　of　his　child？　or
what　female　is　there　whose　heart　could　be　steeled
against　such　attractions　in　her　suitor？　Many　were
the　hours　of　care　that　had　been　passed　by　the
guardians　of　Charlotte's　happiness；　in　ruminating
on　the　event　that　was　to　yield　their　charge　to　the
keeping　of　another；　frequent　were　their　discussions
on　this　interesting　subject；　and　innumerable　their
plans　to　protect　her　inexperience　against　falling
into　those　errors　that　had　blasted　the　peace　of　so
many　around　them；　but　the　appearance　of　Seymour
Delafield　seemed　as　the　fulfilment　of　their　most
sanguine　expectations。　To　his　refinement　of
manners；　they　both　thought　that　they　could　yield
the　sensitive　delicacy　of　their　child　with　confidence；
in　his　travelled　experience　they　anticipated　the
permanency　of　a　corrected　taste；　nor；　was　it　a
disagreeable　consideration　to　either；　that　as　the
silken　cord　of　paternal　discipline　was　to　be
loosened；　it　was　to　be　succeeded　by　the　fetters　of
hymen　cast　in　polished　gold。　In　what　manner　their
daughter　regarded　the　evident　admiration　of　Mr。
Delafield　will　appear；　by　her　conclusion　of　our　tale。

On　entering　the　parlour；　Delafield　found　George
Morton　seated　in　a　chair　near　the　fire；　with　his
person　more　than　usually　well　guarded　against　the
cold；　as　if　he　were　suffering　under　the　effects　of　a
serious　indisposition。　The　salutations　between　the
young　men　were　a　little　embarrassed　on　both　sides；
the　face　of　George　growing　even　paler　than　before；
while　the　fine　colour　on　Delafield's　cheek　mounted
to　his　very　temples。　After　regarding　for　a　moment；
with　much　inward　dissatisfaction；　the　apparent
ease　with　which　George　was　maintaining
possession　of　the　apartment　by　himself；　Mr。
Delafield　overcame　the　sudden　emotion　created　by
the　surprise；　and　spoke。

〃I　am　sorry　that　you　appear　so　ill；　Mr。　Morton；　and　I
regret　that　you　should　have　suffered　so　much　in　the
cause　of　humanity；　when　one　so　much　better　able
to　undergo　the　fatigue；　by　constitution；　should　have
remained　an　idle　spectator；　like　myself。〃

The　silent　bow　of　George　might　be　interpreted　into
a　desire　to　say　nothing　of　his　own　conduct；　or　into
an　assent　with　the　self…condemnation　of　the
speaker。　Delafield；　however；　took　the　chair　which
the　other　politely　placed　for　him；　and　continued

〃But；　Sir；　you　have　your　reward。　The　interest　and
admiration　excited　in　Miss　Henly；　would
compensate　me　for　almost　any　privation　or　hardship
that　man　could　undergo。〃

〃It　is　no　hardship　to　ride　a　few　miles　in　a
comfortable　coach；〃　said　George；　with　a　feeble
smile；　〃nor　can　I　consider　it　a　privation　of
enjoyment；　to　be　able　to　assist　the　distressed；〃he
hesitated　a　moment；　and　a　flush　gradually　stole
over　his　features　as　he　continued；　〃It　is　true；　Sir；
that　I　prize　the　good　opinion　of　Miss　Henly　highly；
but　I　look　to　another　quarter　for　approbation　on
such　a　subject。〃

〃And　very　justly；　George；〃　said　the　soft　voice　of
Charlotte；　〃such　applause　as　mine　can　be　but　of
little　moment　to　one　who　performs　such　acts　as
yours。〃

The　gentlemen　were　sitting　with　their　faces　towards
the　fire；　and　had　not　heard　the　light　step　of　Miss
Henly　as　she　entered　the　apartment；　but　both
instantly　arose　and　paid　their　salutations；　the
invalid　by　a　silent　bow；　and　by　handing　a　chair；　and
Delafield　with　many　a　graceful　compliment　on　her
good　looks；　and　divers　protestations　concerning　the
pleasure　he　felt　at　being　permitted　to　visit　at　her
house。　No　two　things　could　be　more　different　than
the　manners　of　these　gentlemen。　That　of　the　latter
was　very　highly　polished；　insinuating；　and　although
far　from　unpleasantly　so；　yet　slightly　artificial；
while　that　of　the　former　was　simple；　ingenuous；
and　in　the　presence　of　Miss　Henly　was　apt　to　be　at
times　a　little　constrained。　Charlotte　certainly
perceived　the　difference；　and　she　as　certainly
thought　that　it　was　not　altogether　to　the　advantage
of　George　Morton。　The　idea　seemed　to　give　her
pain；　for　she　showed　several　little　attentions　to　her
old　friend；　that　by　their　flattering；　but　unstudied
particularity；　were　adapted　to　put　any　man　at　his
ease　and　assure　him　of　his　welcome；　still　the
embarrassment　of　George　did　not　disappear；　but　he
sat　an　uneasy　listener　to　the　conversation　that
occurred；　as　if　reluctant　to　stay；　and　yet　unwilling
to　depart。　After　a　few　observations　on　the
entertainment　of　the　preceding　evening；　Mr。
Delafield　continued

〃I　was　lamenting　to　Mr。　Morton；　as　you　entered；
that　he　should　have　suffered　so　much　from　my　want
of　thought；　the　day　before　yesterday；　it　requires　a
good　constitution　to　endure　exposure〃

〃And　such　I　often　tell　you；　George；　you　do　not
possess；〃　said　Charlotte；　kindly　and　with　a　little
melancholy；　〃yet　you　neither　seem　to　regard　my
warnings　on　the　subject；　nor　those　of　any　of　your
friends〃

〃There　is　a　warning　that　I　have　not　disregarded；〃
returned　the　youth；　endeavouring　to　smile。

〃And　what　is　it？〃　asked　Charlotte；　struck　with　the
melancholy　resignation　of　his　manner。

〃That　I　am　not　fit　company；　just　now；　for　hearts　as
gay　as　yours　and　Mr。　Delafield's；〃　he　returned；　and
rising；　he　made　a　hasty　bow　and　withdrew。

〃What　can　he　mean！〃　said　Charlotte；　in　amazement；
〃George　does　not　appear　well；　and　latterly　his
manner　is　much　alteredwhat　can　he　m