tales for fifteen-第5节

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one；　and　that　to　a　gentleman　and　a　stranger？　I
never　would　have　served　you　so；　not　even　to　good
Charles　Weston；　whom　I　esteem　so　highly；　and　who
really　wants　neither　judgment　nor　good　nature；
though　he　is　dreadfully　deficient　in　fancy。　Yet
Charles　is　a　most　excellent　young　man；　and　I　gave
him　the　compliments　you　desired；　he　was　so　much
flattered　by　your　notice　that　he　could　make　no
reply；　though　I　doubt　not　he　prized　the　honour　as
he　ought。　We　are　all　very　happy　here；　only　for　the
absence　of　my　Anna；　but　so　long　as　miles　of　weary
roads　and　endless　rivers　run　between　us；　perfect
happiness　can　never　reign　in　the　breast　of　your
Julia。　Anna；　I　conjure　you　by　all　the　sacred　delicacy
that　consecrates　our　friendship；　never　to　show　this
letter；　unless　you　would　break　my　heart：　you　never
will；　I　am　certain；　and　therefore　I　will　write　to　my
Anna　in　the　unreserved　manner　in　which　we
conversed；　when　fate；　less　cruel　than　at　present；
suffered　us　to　live　in　the　sunshine　of　each　other's
smiles。　You　speak　of　a　certain　person　in　your　letter；
whom；　for　obvious　reasons；　I　will　in　future　call
ANTONIO。　You　describe　him　with　the　partiality　of　a
friend；　but　how　can　I　doubt　his　being　worthy　of　all
that　you　say；　and　moresensible；　brave；　rich；　and
handsome。　From　his　name；　I　suppose；　of　course；　he
is　well　connected。　What　a　constellation　of
attractions　to　centre　in　one　man！　But　you　have　not
told　me　allhis　age；　his　family；　his　profession；
though　I　presume　he　has　borne　arms　in　the　service
of　his　country；　and　that　his　manly　breast　is　already
covered　with　the　scars　of　honour。　Ah！　Anna；　〃he
jests　at　scars　who　never　felt　a　wound。〃　But；　my
dear　creature；　you　say　that　he　talks　of　me：　what
under　the　sun　can　you　find　to　say　of　such　a　poor　girl
as　myself？　Though　I　suppose　you　have；　in　the
fondness　of　affection；　described　my　person　to　him
already。　I　wonder　if　he　likes　black　eyes　and　fair
complexion。　You　can't　conceive　what　a　bloom　the
country　has　given　me；　I　really　begin　to　look　more
like　a　milk…maid　than　a　lady。　Dear；　good　aunt
Margaret　has　been　quite　sick　since　you　left　us；　and
for　two　days　I　was　hardly　out　of　her　room；　this　has
put　me　back　a　little　in　colour；　or　I　should　be　as
ruddy　as　the　morn。　But　nothing　ought　ever　to　tempt
me　to　neglect　my　aunt；　and　I　hope　nothing　ever
will。　Be　assured　that　I　shall　beg　her　to　write　you　to
spend　the　winter　with　us；　for　I　feel　already　that
without　you　life　is　a　perfect　blank。　You　indeed　must
have　something　to　enliven　it　with　a　little　in　your
new　companions；　but　here　is　nobody；　just　now；　but
Charles　Weston。　Yet　he　is　an　excellent　companion；
and　does　every　thing　he　can　to　make　us　all　happy
and　comfortable。　Heigho！　how　I　do　wish　I　could　see
you；　my　Anna；　and　spend　one　sweet　half　hour　in
the　dear　confidence　of　mutual　sympathy。　But　lie
quiet；　my　throbbing　heart；　the　day　approaches
when　I　shall　meet　my　friend　again；　and　more　than
receive　a　reward　for　all　our　griefs。　Ah！　Anna；　never
betray　your　Julia；　and　write　to　me　FULLY；
CONFIDINGLY；　and　often。

〃Yours；　with　all　the　tenderness　of　friendship　that　is
founded　on　mutual　sympathy；　congenial　souls；　and
innate　evidence　of　worth。
JULIA。〃

〃P。S。　I　should　like　to　know　whether　Antonio　has　any
scars　in　his　face；　and　what　battles　he　was　in。　Only
think；　my　dear；　poor　Charles　Weston　was　frightened
by　a　clap　of　thunderbut　Charles　has　an　excellent
heart。〃

This　letter　was　written　and　read；　sealed　and　kissed；
when　Miss　Emmerson　tapped　gently　at　the　door　of
her　niece　and　begged　admission。　Julia　flew　to　open
it；　and　received　her　aunt　with　the　guileless　pleasure
her　presence　ever　gave　her。　A　few　words　of
introductory　matter　were　exchanged；　when；　being
both　seated　at　their　needles　again；　Miss　Emmerson
asked

〃To　whom　have　you　been　writing；　my　love？〃

〃To　my　Anna。〃

〃Do　you　recollect；　my　child；　that　in　writing　to　Miss
Miller；　you　are　writing　to　one　out　of　your　own
family；　and　whose　interests　are　different　from
yours？〃

〃I　do　not　understand　you；　aunt；〃　cried　Julia　in
surprise。

〃I　mean　that　you　should　be　guarded　in　your
correspondencetell　no　secrets　out〃

〃Tell　no　secrets　to　my　Anna！〃　exclaimed　the　niece　in
a　species　of　horror。　〃That　would　be　a　death…blow　to
our　friendship　indeed。〃

〃Then　let　it　die；〃　said　Miss　Emmerson；　coolly；　〃the
affection　that　cannot　survive　the　loss　of　such　an
excitement；　had　better　be　suffered　to　expire　as
soon　as　possible；　or　it　may　raise　false
expectations。〃

〃Why；　dear　aunt；　in　destroying　confidence　of　this
nature；　you　destroy　the　great　object　of　friendship。
Who　ever　beard　of　a　friendship　without　secrets？〃

〃I　never　had　a　secret　in　my　life；〃　said　Miss
Emmerson　simply；　〃and　yet　I　have　had　many　a
friend。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Julia；　〃yours　must　have　been　queer
friends；　pray；　dear　aunt；　name　one　or　two　of　them。〃

〃Your　mother　was　my　friend；〃　said　Miss　Emmerson；
with　strong　emotion；　〃and　I　hope　her　daughter　also
is　one。〃

〃Me；　my　beloved　aunt！〃　cried　Julia；　throwing　herself
into　the　arms　of　Miss　Emmerson　and　bursting　into
tears；　〃I　am　more　than　a　friend；　I　am　your　child
your　daughter。〃

〃Whatever　be　the　name　you　give　it；　Julia；　you　are
very　near　and　dear　to　me；〃　said　the　aunt；　tenderly
kissing　her　charge：　〃but　tell　me；　my　love；　did　you
ever　feel　such　emotion　in　your　intercourse　with　Miss
Miller？〃

It　was　some　time　before　Julia　could　reply；　when；
having　suppressed　the　burst　of　her　feelings；　she
answered　with　a　smile

〃Oh！　that　question　is　not　fair。　You　have　brought　me
up；　nursed　me　in　sickness；　are　kind　and　good　to
me；　and　the　idea　that　you　should　suppose　I　did　not
love　you；　was　dreadfulBut　you　know　I　do。〃

〃I　firmly　believe　so；　my　child；　it　is　you　that　I　would
have　know　what　it　is　that　you　love：　I　am　satisfied
for　myself。　I　repeat；　did　Anna　Miller　ever　excite
such　emotions？〃

〃Certainly　not：　my　love　to　you　is　natural；　but　my
friendship　for　Anna　rests　on　sympathy；　and　a
perfect　knowledge　of　her　character。〃

〃I　am　glad；　however；　that　you　know　her　so　well；
since　you　are　so　intimate。　What　testimony　have
you　of　all　this　excellence？〃

〃Innate　evidence。　I　see　itI　feel　itYes；　that　is　the
best　testimonyI　feel　her　good　qualities。　Yes；　my
friendship　for　Anna　forms　the　spring　of　my
existence；　while　any　accident　or　evil　to　you　would
afflict　me　the　same　as　if　done　to　myselfthis　is
pure　nature；　you　know。〃

〃I　know　it　is　pleasing　to　learn　it；　come　from　what　it
will；〃　said　the　aunt；　smiling；　and　rising　to　withdraw。



CHAPTER　III。

SEVERAL　days　passed　after　this　conversation；　in　the
ordinary　quiet　of　a　well　regulated　family。
Notwithstanding　the　house　of　Miss　Emmerson　stood
in　the　midst　of　the　numberless　villas　that　adorn
Manhattan　Island；　the　habits　of　its　mistress　were
retiring　and　domestic。　Julia　was　not　of　an　age　to
mingle　much　in　society；　and　Anna　had　furnished　her
with　a　theme　for　her　meditations；　that　rather
rendered　her　averse　from　the　confusion　of　company。
Her　mind　was　constantly　employed　in　canvassing
the　qualities　of　the　unseen　Antonio。　Her　friend　had
furnished　her　with　a　catalogue　of　his　perfections　in
gross；　which　her　active　thoughts　were　busily
arranging　into　form　and　substance。　But　little
practised　in　the　world　or　its　disappoinments　｛sic｝；
the　visionary　girl　had　already　figured　to　herself　a
person　to　suit　these　qualities；　and　the　animal　was
no　less　pleasing；　than　the　moral　being　of　her　fancy。
What　principally　delighted　Julia　in　these
contemplations　on　the　acquaintance　of　Anna；　was
the　strong　inclination　he　had　expressed　to　know
herself。　This　flattered　her　tendency　to　believe　in
the　strength　of　mutual　sympathy；　and　the　efficacy
of　innate　evidence　of　merit。　In　the　midst　of　this
pleasing　employment　of　her　fancy；　she　received　a
second　letter　from　her　friend；　in　answer　to　the　one
we　have　already　given　to　our　readers；　it　was
couched　in　the　following　words：

〃My　own　dear　Julia；　my　Friend；

〃I　received　your　letter　with　the　pleasure　I　shall
always　hear　from　you；　and　am　truly　obliged　to　you
for　your　kind　offer　to　make　interest　with　year　aunt
to　have　me　spend　the　next　winter　in　town。　To　be
with　you；　is　the　greatest　pleasure　I　have　on　earth；
besides；　as　I　know　I　can　write　to　you　as　freely　as　I
think；　one　can　readily　tell　what　a　tiresome　place
this　must　be　to　pass　a　winter　in。　There　are；
absolutely；　but　three　young　men　in　the　whole
county　who　can　be　thought　in　any　manner　as　proper
matches　for　us；　and　one　has　no　chance　here　of
forming　such　an　association　as　to　give　a　girl　an
opportunity　of　meeting　with　her　congenial　spirit；　so
that　I　hope　and　trust　your　desire　to　see　me　will
continue　as　strong　as　mine　will　ever　be　to　see　my
Julia。　You　say　that　I　have　forgotten　to　give　you　the
description　of　our　journey　and　of　the　lakes　that　I
promised　to　send　you。　No；　my　Julia；　I　have　not
forgotten　the　promise；　nor　you；　but　the　thought　of
enjoying　such　happiness　without　your　dear
company；　has　been　too　painful　to　dwell　upon。　Of
this　you　may　judge　for　yourself。　Our　first　journey
was　made　in　the　steam…boat　to　Albany；　she　is　a
moving　world。　The　vessel　ploughs　through　the
billowy　waters　in　onward　progress；　and　the　soul　is
left　in　silent　harmony　to　enjoy　the　change。　The
passage　of　the　Highlands　is　most　delightful。　Figu