tales for fifteen-第26节

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these　events；　and　Miss　Henley　continues　the　same
in　every　thing　but　appearance。　The　freshness　of　her
beauty　has　given　place　to　a　look　of　intelligence。
and　delicacy　that　seems　gradually　fitting　her　for　her
last　and　most　important　change。　The　name　of
George　Morton　is　never　heard　to　pass　her　lips。　Mrs。
Delafield　declares　it　to　be　a　subject　that　she　never
dares　to　approach；　nor　in　her　repeated　refusals　of
matrimonial　offers　has　Charlotte　ever　been　known
to　allude　to　the　desolation　of　her　own　heart。　Her
father　is　dead；　but　to　her　mother　Miss　Henley　has
in　a　great　measure　supplied　his　loss。　With　her
friends　she　is　always　cheerful；　and　apparently
happy；　though　the　innocent　gaiety　of　her　childhood
is　sensibly　checked；　and　there　are　moments　that
betray　the　existence　of　a　grief　that　is　only　the　more
durable；　because　it　is　less　violent。　In　short；　she
lives　a　pattern　for　her　sex；　unfettered　by　any
romantic　and　foolish　pledges；　discharging　all　the
natural　duties　of　her　years　and　station　in　an
exemplary　manner；　but　unwilling　to　incur　any　new
ones；　because　she　has　but　one　heart；　and　that　was
long　since　given　with　its　purity；　sincerity；　and　truth；
to　him　who　is　dead；　and　can　never　become　the
property　of　another。

When　Charlotte　Henley　dies；　although　she　may　not
have　fulfilled　one　of　the　principal　objects　of　her
being；　by　becoming　a　mother；　her　example　will
survive　her；　and　those　who　study　her　character　and
integrity　of　feeling；　will　find　enough　to　teach　them
what　properties　are　the　most　valuable　in　forming
that　sacred　characterwhile　her　own　sex　can　learn
that；　though　in　the　case　of　Miss　Henley；　Providence
has　denied　the　full　exercise　of　her　excellences；　it
has　at　the　same　time　rendered　her　a　striking
instance　of　female　dignity；　by　exhibiting　to　the
world　the　difference　between　affection　and　caprice；
and　by　shewing　how　much　imagination　is　inferior　to
Heart。







End