tales for fifteen-第4节

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certainly　disappointed。　It　contained　no　descriptions
of　the　lovely　scenery　of　the　west。　The　moon　had
risen　and　the　sun　had　set　on　the　lakes　of　the
interior；　and　Anna　had　said　not　one　word　of　either。
But　the　third　and　fourth　time　of　reading　began　to
afford　more　pleasure；　and　at　the　thirteenth　perusal
she　pronounced　it　charming。　There　was　evidently
much　to　be　understood；　vacuums　that　the　fancy
could　easily　fill；　and；　before　Julia　had　left　the
summer…house；　the　letter　was　extended；　in　her
imagination；　to　the　promised　six　sheets。　She
walked　slowly　through　the　shrubbery　towards　the
house；　musing　on　the　contents　of　her　letter；　or
rather　what　it　might　be　supposed　to　contain；　and
unconsciously　repeating　to　herself　in　a　low　tone

〃Young；　handsome；　rich；　and　sensiblejust　as　we
used　to　paint　in　our　conversation。　Oh；　how
delightful！〃

〃Delightful　indeed；　to　possess　all　those　fine
qualities；　and　who　is　the　happy　individual　that　is　so
blessed？〃　asked　Charles　Weston；　who　had　been
lingering　in　the　walks　with　an　umbrella　to　shield　her
on　her　return　from　an　approaching　shower。

〃Oh！〃　said　Julia；　starting；　〃I　did　not　know　you　were
near　me。　I　have　been　reading　Anna's　sweet　letter；〃
pressing　the　paper　to　her　bosom　as　she　spoke。

〃Doubtless　you　must　be　done　by　this　time；　Julia；
and；〃　pointing　to　the　clouds；　〃you　had　better　hasten
to　the　house。　I　knew　you　would　be　terrified　at　the
lightning　all　alone　by　yourself　in　that　summer…
house；　so　I　came　to　protect　you。〃

〃You　are　very　good；　Charles；　but　does　it　lighten？〃
said　Julia　in　terror；　and　hastening　her　retreat　to　the
dwelling。

〃Your　letter　must　have　interested　you　deeply　not　to
have　noticed　the　thunderyou；　who　are　so　timid
and　fearful　of　the　flashes。〃

〃Foolishly　fearful；　you　would　say；　if　you　were　not
afraid　of　hurting　my　feelings；　I　know；〃　said　Julia。

〃It　is　a　natural　dread；　and　therefore　not　to　be
laughed　at；〃　answered　Charles　mildly。

〃Then　there　is　natural　fear；　but　no　natural　love；　Mr。
Charles；　now　you　are　finely　caught；〃　cried　Julia
exultingly。

〃Well；　be　it　so。　With　me　fear　is　very　natural；　and　I
can　almost　persuade　myself　love　also。〃

〃I　hope　you　are　not　a　coward；　Charles　Weston。　A
cowardly　man　is　very　despicable。　I　could　never　love
a　cowardly　man；〃　said　Julia；　laughing。

〃I　don't　know　whether　I　am　what　you　call　a　coward；〃
said　Charles　gravely；　〃but　when　in　danger　I　am
always　afraid。〃

The　words　were　hardly　uttered　before　a　flash　of
lightning；　followed　instantly　by　a　tremendously
heavy　clap　of　thunder；　nearly　stupified　them　both。
The　suddenness　of　the　shock　had；　for　a　moment；
paralyzed　the　energy　of　the　youth；　while　Julia　was
nearly　insensible。　Soon　recovering　himself；
however；　Charles　drew　her　after　him　into　the　house；
in　time　to　escape　a　torrent　of　rain。　The　storm　was
soon　over；　and　their　natural　fear　and　surprise　were
a　source　of　mirth　for　Julia。　Women　are　seldom
ashamed　of　their　fears；　for　their　fright　is　thought　to
be　feminine　end　attractive；　but　men　are　less　easy
under　the　imputation　of　terror；　as　it　is　thought　to
indicate　an　absence　of　manly　qualities。

〃Oh！　you　will　never　make　a　hero；　Charles；〃　cried
Julia；　laughing　heartily。　〃It　is　well　you　chose　the
law　instead　of　the　army　as　a　profession。〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　the　youth；　a　little　nettled；〃　I
think　I　could　muster　courage　to　face　a　bullet。〃

〃But　remember；　that　you　shut　your　eyes；　and　bent
nearly　double　at　the　flashnow　you　owned　all　this
yourself。〃

〃At　least　he　was　candid；　and　acknowledged　his
infirmities；〃　said　Miss　Emmerson；　who　had　been
listening。

〃I　think　most　men　would　have　done　as　I　did；　at　so
heavy　and　so　sudden　a　clap　of　thunder；　and　so　very
near　too；〃　said　Charles；　striving　to　conceal　the
uneasiness　he　felt。

〃When　apprehension　for　Julia　must　have　increased
your　terror；〃　said　the　aunt　kindly。

〃Why；　noI　rather　believe　I　thought　only　of　myself
at　the　moment；〃　returned　Charles；　〃but　then；　Julia；
you　must　do　me　the　justice　to　say；　that　instantly　I
thought　of　the　danger　of　your　taking　cold　and　drew
you　into　the　house。〃

〃Oh！　you　ran　from　another　clap；〃　said　Julia；　laughing
till　her　dark　eyes　flashed　with　pleasure；　and
shaking　her　head　until　her　glossy　hair　fell　in　ringlets
over　her　shoulders；　〃you　will　never　make　a　hero；
Charles。〃

〃Do　you　know　any　one　who　would　have　behaved
better；　Miss　Warren？〃　said　the　young　man　angrily。

〃YeswhyI　don't　know。　Yes；　I　have　heard　of　one；
I　think；〃　answered　Julia；　slightly　colouring；　〃but；
dear　Charles；　excuse　my　laughter；〃　she　continued；
holding　out　her　hand；　〃if　you　are　not　a　hero；　you
are　very；　very；　good。〃

But　Charles　Weston；　at　the　moment；　would　rather
be　thought　a　hero　than　very；　very；　good；　he；
therefore；　rose；　and　affecting　a　smile；　endeavoured
to　say　something　trifling　as　he　retired。

〃You　have　mortified　Charles；〃　said　Miss　Emmerson；
so　soon　as　he　was　out　of　hearing。

〃I　am　sure　I　hope　not；〃　said　Julia；　with　a　good　deal
of　anxiety；　〃he　is　the　last　person　I　would　wish　to
offend；　he　is　so　very　kind。〃

〃No　young　man　of　twenty　is　pleased　with　being
thought　no　hero；〃　returned　the　aunt。

〃And　yet　all　are　not　so；〃　said　Julia；　〃I　hardly　know
what　you　mean　by　a　hero；　if　you　mean　such　men　as
Washington；　Greene；　or　Warren；　all　are　surely　not
so。　These　were　heroes　in　deeds；　but　others　may　be
equally　brave。〃

｛Greene　=　Nathanael　Greene　（1742…1786）；
Revolutionary　General；　Warren　=　Joseph　Warren
（1741…1775）；　Revolutionary　war　hero；　killed　at　the
Battle　of　Bunker　Hill｝

〃I　mean　by　a　hero；　a　man　whose　character　is
unstained　by　any　low　or　degenerate　vices；　or　even
feelings；〃　said　Julia；　with　a　little　more　than　her
ordinary　enthusiasm；　〃whose　courage　is　as　natural
as　it　is　daring；　who　is　above　fear；　except　of　doing
wrong；　whose　person　is　an　index　of　his　mind；　and
whose　mind　is　filled　with　images　of　glory；　that's
what　I　call　a　hero；　aunt。〃

〃Then　he　must　be　handsome　as　well　as　valiant；〃
said　Miss　Emmerson；　with　a　smile　that　was　hardly
perceptible。

〃Why　that　isisnot　absolutely　material；〃　replied
Julia；　blushing；　〃but　one　would　wish　to　have　him
handsome　too。〃

〃Oh！　by　all　means；　it　would　render　his　virtues　more
striking。　But　I　think　you　intimated　that　you　knew
such　a　being；〃　returned　Miss　Emmerson；　fixing　her
mild　eyes　on　Julia　in　a　manner　that　denoted　great
interest。

〃Did　I；〃　said　Julia；　colouring　scarlet；　〃I　am　sureI
have　forgottenit　must　be　a　mistake；　surely；　dear
aunt。〃

〃Very　possibly　I　misunderstood　you；　my　dear；〃　said
Miss　Emmerson；　rising　and　withdrawing　from　the
room；　in　apparent　indifference　to　the　subject。

Julia　continued　musing　on　the　dialogue　which　had
passed；　and　soon　had　recourse　to　the　letter　of　her
friend；　the　postscript　of　which　was　all；　however；
that　she　thought　necessary　to　read：　on　this　she
dwelt　until　the　periods　were　lengthened　into
paragraphs；　each　syllable　into　words；　and　each
letter　into　syllables。　Anna　Miller　had　furnished　the
outlines　of　a　picture；　that　the　imagination　of　Julia
had　completed。　The　name　of　Edward　Stanley　was
repeated　internally　so　often　that　she　thought　it　the
sweetest　name　she　had　ever　heard。　His　eyes；　his
nose；　his　countenance；　were　avowed　to　be
handsome；　and　her　fancy　soon　gave　a　colour　and
form　to　each。　He　was　sensible；　how　sensible；　her
friend　had　not　expressly　stated；　but　then　the
powers　of　Anna；　great　as　they　undoubtedly　were；
could　not　compass　the　mighty　extent　of　so　gigantic
a　mind。　Brave；　too；　Anna　had　called　him。　This　she
must　have　learnt　from　acts　of　desperate　courage
that　he　had　performed　in　the　war　which　had　so
recently　terminated；　or　perhaps　he　might　have　even
distinguished　himself　in　the　presence　of　Anna；　by
some　exploit　of　cool　and　determined　daring。　Her
heart　burned　to　know　all　the　particulars；　but　how
was　she　to　inquire　them。　Anna；　dear；　indiscreet　girl；
had　already　shown　her　letters；　and　her　delicacy
shrunk　from　the　exposure　of　her　curiosity　to　its
object。　After　a　multitude　of　expedients　had　been
adopted　and　rejected　as　impracticable；　Julia
resorted　to　the　course　of　committing　her　inquiries
to　paper；　most　solemnly　enjoining　her　friend　never
to　expose　her　weakness　to　Mr。　Stanley。　This；
thought　Julia；　she　never　could　do；　it　would　be
unjust　to　me；　and　indelicate　in　her。　So　Julia　wrote
as　follows；　first　seeking　her　own　apartment；　and
carefully　locking　the　door；　that　she　might　devote
her　whole　attention　to　friendship；　and　her　letter。

〃Dearest　Anna；

〃Your　kind　letter　reach'd　me　after　many　an　anxious
hour　spent　in　expectation；　and　repays　me　ten…fold
for　all　my　uneasiness。　Surely；　Anna；　there　is　no　one
that　can　write　half　so　agreeably　as　yourself。　I　know
there　must　be　a　longlongepistle　for　me　on　the
road；　containing　those　descriptions　and　incidents
you　promised　to　favour　me　with：　how　I　long　to　read
them；　and　to　show　them　to　my　aunt　Margaret；　who；
I　believe；　does　not　suspect　you　to　be　capable　of
doing　that　which　I　know；　or　rather　feel；　you　can。
Knowing　from　any　thing　but　feeling　and　the　innate
evidence　of　our　sympathies；　seems　to　me
something　like　heresy　in　friendship。　Oh；　Anna！　how
could　you　be　so　cruel　as　to　show　my　letters　to　any
one；　and　that　to　a　gentleman　and　a　stranger？　I
never　would　have　served　you　so；　not　even　to　go