tales for fifteen-第10章

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the　promised　project　that　was　to　give　them　the
agreeable　surprise：she　had　long　contemplated
going　to　see　〃the　Falls；〃　and　she　now　intended
putting　her　plan　into　execution。　Katherine　was
herself　pressed　to　make　one　of　the　party；　but　the
young　lady；　at　the　same　time　she　owned　her　wish
to　see　this　far…famed　cataract；　declined　the　offer
firmly；　but　gratefully；　on　account　of　her　desire　to
spend　the　remaining　time　with　her　father　and
mother；　before　they　went　to　the　south。　Charles
Weston　looked　from　Katherine　to　Julia　during　this
dialogue；　and　for　an　instant　was　at　a　loss　to　know
which　he　thought　the　handsomest　of　the　cousins。
But　Julia　entered　into　the　feelings　of　the　others　so
quickly；　and　so　gracefully　offered　to　give　up　the
journey；　in　order　that　Miss　Emmerson　might
continue　with　her　brother；　that；　aided　by　her
superior　beauty；　she　triumphed。　It　was　evident；
that　consideration　for　her　niece　was　a　strong
inducement　with　the　aunt　for　making　the　journey；
and　the　contest　became　as　disinterested　as　it　was
pleasing　to　the　auditors。　But　the　authority　of　Miss
Emmerson　prevailed；　and　Charles　was　instantly
enlisted　as　their　escort　for　the　journey。　Julia　never
looked　more　beautiful　or　amiable　than　during　this
short　controversy。　It　had　been　mentioned　by　the
aunt　that　she　should　take　the　house　of　Mr。　Miller　in
her　road；　and　the　information　excited　an　emotion
that　brought　all　her　lustre　to　her　eyes；　and　bloom
to　her　cheeks。　Charles　thought　it　was　a　burst　of
generous　friendship；　and　admired　the　self…denial
with　which　she　urged　her　aunt　to　relinquish　the
idea。　But　Julia　was　constitutionally　generous；　and　it
was　the　excess　of　the　quality　that　made　her
enthusiastic　and　visionary。　If　she　did　not　deserve
all　of　Charles's　admiration；　she　was　entitled　to　no
small　share　of　it。　As　soon　as　the　question　was
determined　in　favour　of　going；　Miss　Emmerson　and
Katherine　withdrew；　leaving　Charles　alone　with　the
heroine　of　our　tale。　Under　the　age　of　five…and…
twenty；　men　commonly　act　at　the　instigation　of
sudden　impulse；　and　young　Weston　was　not　yet
twenty…one。　He　had　long　admired　Julia　for　her
beauty　and　good　feelings；　he　did　not　see　one　half
of　her　folly；　and　he　knew　all　of　her　worth；　her
enthusiastic　friendship　for　Miss　Miller　was
forgotten；　even　her　mirth　at　his　own　want　of
heroism　had　at　the　moment　escaped　his　memory
and　the　power　of　the　young　lady　over　him　was
never　greater。

〃How　admirable　in　you；　Julia；〃　he　said；　seating
himself　by　her　side；　〃to　urge　what　was　against　your
own　wishes；　in　order　to　oblige　your　aunt！〃

〃Do　you　think　so；　Charles？〃　said　the　other　simply；
〃but　you　see　I　urged　it　feebly；　for　I　did　not　prevail。〃

〃No；　for　you　mistook　your　aunt's　wishes；　it　seems：
she　desires　to　gobut　then　all　the　loveliness　of　the
act　was　yours。〃

At　the　word　loveliness；　Julia　raised　her　eyes　to　his
face　with　a　slight　blushit　was　new　language　for
Charles　Weston　to　use；　and　it　was　just　suited　to
her　feelings。　After　a　moment's　pause。　however；　she
replied

〃You　use　strong　language；　cousin　Charles；　such　as
is　unusual　for　you。〃

〃Julia；　although　I　may　not　often　have　expressed　it；
I　have　long　thought　you　to　be　very　lovely！〃
exclaimed　the　young　man；　borne　away　with　his
ardour　at　the　moment。

〃Upon　my　word；　Charles；　you　improve；〃　said　Julia；
blushing　yet　more　deeply；　and；　if　possible；　looking
still　handsomer　than　before。

〃JuliaMiss　Warrenyou　tear　my　secret　from　me
before　its　timeI　love　you；　Julia；　and　would　wish　to
make　you　my　wife。〃

This　was　certainly　very　plain　English；　nor　did　Julia
misunderstand　a　syllable　of　what　he　saidbut　it
was　entirely　new　and　unexpected　to　her；　she　had
lived　with　Charles　Weston　with　the　confidence　of　a
kinswoman；　but　had　never　dreamt　of　him　as　a　lover。
Indeed；　she　saw　nothing　in　him　that　looked　like　a
being　to　excite　or　to　entertain　such　a　passion；　and
although　from　the　moment　of　his　declaration　she
began　insensibly　to　think　differently　of　him；　nothing
was　farther　from　her　mind　than　to　return　his　offered
affection。　But　then　the　opportunity　of　making　a
sacrifice　to　her　secret　love　was　glorious；　and　her
frankness　forbade　her　to　conceal　the　truth。　Indeed；
what　better　way　was　there　to　destroy　the　unhappy
passion　of　Charles；　than　to　convince　him　of　its
hopelessness？　These　thoughts　flashed　through　her
mind　with　the　rapidity　of　lightningand　trembling
with　the　agitation　and　novelty　of　her　situation；　she
answered　in　a　low　voice

〃That；　Charles；　can　never　be。〃

〃Why　never；　Julia？〃　cried　the　youth；　giving　way　at
once　to　his　long…suppressed　feelings〃why　never？
Try　me；　prove　me！　there　is　nothing　I　will　not　do　to
gain　your　love。〃

Oh！　how　seductive　to　a　female　ear　is　the　first
declaration　of　an　attachment；　especially　when
urged　by　youth　and　merit！it　assails　her　heart　in
the　most　vulnerable　part；　and　if　it　be　not　fortified
unusually　well；　seldom　fails　of　success。　Happily　for
Julia；　the　image　of　Antonio　presented　itself　to　save
her　from　infidelity　to　her　old　attachment；　and　she
replied

〃You　are　kind　and　good；　Charles；　and　I　esteem　you
highlybut　ask　no　more；　I　beg　of　you。〃

〃Why；　if　you　grant　me　this；　why　forbid　me　to　hope
for　more？〃　said　the　youth　eagerly；　and　looking
really　handsome。

Julia　hesitated　a　moment；　and　let　her　dark　eyes　fall
before　his　ardent　gaze；　at　a　loss　what　to　saybut
the　face　of　Apollo　in　the　imperial　uniform
interposed　to　save　her。

〃I　owe　it　to　your　candour；　Mr。　Weston；　to　own　my
weakness〃　she　said；　and　hesitated。

〃Go　on；　Juliamy　Julia；〃　said　Charles；　in　an
unusually　soft　voice；　〃kill　me　at　once；　or　bid　me
live！〃

Again　Julia　paused；　and　again　she　looked　on　her
companion　with　kinder　eyes　than　usualwhen　she
felt　the　picture　which　lay　next　her　heart；　and
proceeded

〃Yes；　Mr。　Weston；　this　heart；　this　foolish；　weak
heart　is　no　longer　my　own。〃

〃How！〃　exclaimed　Charles；　in　astonishment；　〃and
have　I　then　a　rival；　and　a　successful　one　too？〃

〃You　have；〃　said　Julia；　burying　her　face　in　her　hands
to　conceal　her　blushes。〃But；　Mr。　Weston；　on　your
generosity　I　depend　for　secrecybe　as　generous　as
myself。〃

〃YesyesI　will　conceal　my　misery　from　others；〃
cried　Charles；　springing　on　his　feet　and　rushing
from　the　room；　〃would　to　God　I　could　conceal　it
from　myself！〃

Julia　was　sensibly　touched　with　his　distress；　and　for
an　instant　there　was　some　regret　mingled　with　self…
satisfaction　at　her　own　candourbut　then　the
delightful　reflection　soon　presented　itself　of　the
gratitude　of　Antonio　when　he　learnt　her　generous
conduct；　and　her　self…denial　in　favour　of　a　man
whom　she　had　as　yet　never　seen。At　the　same
time　she　was　resolutely　determined　never　to
mention　the　occurrence　herselfnot　even　to　her
Anna。

Miss　Emmerson　was　enabled　to　discover　some
secret　uneasiness　between　Charles　and　Julia；
although　she　was　by　no　means　able　to　penetrate
the　secret。　The　good　aunt　had　long　anxiously
wished　for　just　such　a　declaration　as　had　been
made　to　her　niece；　and　it　was　one　of　the　last　of　her
apprehensions　that　it　would　not　have　been
favourably　received。　Of　simple　and　plain　habits
herself；　Miss　Emmerson　was　but　little　versed　in　the
human　heart；　she　thought　that　Julia　was　evidently
happy　and　pleased　with　her　young　kinsman；　and
she　considered　him　in　every　respect　a　most　eligible
connexion　for　her　charge：　their　joint　fortunes　would
make　an　ample　estate；　and　they　were　alike
affectionate　and　good…temperedwhat　more　could
be　wanting？　Nothing　however　passed　in　the　future
intercourse　of　the　young　couple　to　betray　their
secrets；　and　Miss　Emmerson　soon　forgot　her
surmises。　Charles　was　much　hurt　at　Julia's　avowal；
and　had　in　vain　puzzled　his　brains　to　discover　who
his　rival　could　be。　No　young　man　that　was　in　the
least　（so　he　thought）　suitable　to　his　mistress；
visited　her；　and　he　gave　up　his　conjectures　in
despair　of　discovering　this　unknown　lover；　until
accident　or　design　should　draw　him　into　notice。
Little　did　he　suspect　the　truth。　On　the　other　hand；
Julia　spent　her　secret　hours　in　the　delightful
consciousness　of　having　now　done　something　that
rendered　her　worthy　of　Antonio；　with　occasional
regret　that　she　was　compelled　by　delicacy　and　love
to　refuse　Charles　so　hastily　as　she　had　done。

Very　soo