tales for fifteen-第11章

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to　refuse　Charles　so　hastily　as　she　had　done。

Very　soon　after　this　embarrassing　explanation；　Julia
received　a　letter　from　her　friend　that　was　in　no　way
distinguishable　from　the　rest；　except　that　it
contained　the　real　name　of　Regulus；　which　she
declared　to　be　Henry　Frederick　St。　Albans。　If　Charles
was　at　a　loss　to　discover　Julia's　hidden　love；　Julia
herself　was　equally　uncertain　how　to　know　who　this
Mr。　St。　Albans　was。　After　a　vast　deal　of　musing；　she
remembered　that　Anna　was　absent　from　school
without　leave　one　evening；　and　had　returned　alone
with　a　young　man　who　was　unknown　to　the
mistress。　This　incident　was　said；　by　some；　to　have
completed　her　education　rather　within　the　usual
time。　Julia　had　herself　thought　her　friend　indiscreet；
but　on　the　whole；　hardly　treatedand　they　left　the
school　together。　This　must　have　been　St。　Albans；
and　Anna　stood　fully　exculpated　in　her　eyes。　The
letter　also　announced　the　flattering　fact；　that
Antonio　had　already　left　the　country；　ordering　his
servants　and　horses　home；　and　that　he　had　gone　to
New…York　with　the　intention　of　hovering　around
Julia；　in　a　mask；　that　she　could　not　possibly
remove；　during　the　dangers　of　their　expected
journey。　Anna　acknowledged　that　she　had　betrayed
Antonio's　secret；　but　pleaded　her　duty　to　her　friend
in　justification。　She　did　not　think　that　Julia　would
be　able　to　penetrate　his　disguise；　as　he　had
declared　his　intentions　so　to　conceal　himself；　by
paint　and　artifice；　as　to　be　able　to　escape
detection。　Here　was　a　new　source　of　pleasure　to　our
heroine：　Antonio　was　already　on　the　wing　for　the
city；　perhaps　arrivednay；　might　have　seen　her；
might　even　now　be　within　a　short　distance　of　the
summer…house　where　she　was　sitting　at　the　time；
and　watching　her　movements。　As　this　idea
suggested　itself；　Julia　started；　and　unconsciously
arranging　her　hair；　by　bringing　forward　a　neglected
curl；　moved　with　trembling　steps　towards　the
dwelling。　At　each　turn　of　the　walk　our　heroine　threw
a　timid　eye　around　in　quest　of　an　unknown　figure；
and　more　than　once　fancied　she　saw　the　face　of　the
god　of　music　peering　at　her　from　the　friendly　covert
of　her　aunt's　shrubberyand　twice　she　mistook　the
light　green　of　a　neighbouring　cornfield；　waving　in
the　wind；　for　the　coat　of　Antonio。　Julia　had　so　long
associated　the　idea　of　her　hero　with　the　image　in
her　bosom；　that　she　had　given　it　perfect　identity；
but；　on　more　mature　reflection；　she　was　convinced
of　her　error：　he　would　come　disguised；　Anna　had
told　her；　and　had　ordered　his　servants　home；　where
that　home　was；　Julia　was　left　in　ignorancebut　she
fervently　hoped；　not　far　removed　from　her　beloved
aunt。　The　idea　of　a　separation　from　this
affectionate　relative；　who　had　proved　a　mother　to
her　in　her　infancy；　gave　great　pain　to　her　best
feelings；　and　Julia　again　internally　prayed　that　the
residence　of　Antonio　might　not　be　far　distant。
What　the　disguise　of　her　lover　would　be；　Julia　could
not　imagineprobably；　that　of　a　wandering　harper：
but　then　she　remembered　that　there　were　no
harpers　in　America；　and　the　very　singularity　might
betray　his　secret。　Music　is　the　〃food　of　love；〃　and
Julia　fancied　for　a　moment　that　Antonio　might
appear　as　an　itinerant　organistbut　it　was　only　for
a　moment；　for　as　soon　as　she　figured　to　herself　the
Apollo　form；　bending　under　the　awkward　load　of　a
music…grinder；　she　turned　in　disgust　from　the
picture。　His　taste；　thought　Julia　will　protect　me
from　such　a　sightshe　might　have　added；　his
convenience　too。　Various　disguises　presented
themselves　to　our　heroine；　until；　on　a　view　of　the
whole　subject；　she　concluded　that　Antonio　would
not　appear　as　a　musician　at　all；　but　in　some
capacity　in　which　he　might　continue　unsuspected；
near　her　person；　and　execute　his　project　of
shielding　her　from　the　dangers　of　travelling。　It　was
then　only　as　a　servant　that　he　could　appear；　and；
after　mature　reflection；　Julia　confidently　expected
to　see　him　in　the　character　of　a　coachman。

Willing　to　spare　her　own　horses；　Miss　Emmerson
had　already　sent　to　the　city　for　the　keeper　of　a
livery…stable；　to　come　out　and　contract　with　her　for
a　travelling　carriage；　to　convey　her　to　the　Falls　of
Niagara。　The　man　came；　and　it　is　no　wonder　that
Julia；　under　her　impressions；　chose　to　be　present　at
the　conversation。

〃Well　then；〃　said　Miss　Emmerson　to　the　man；　〃I　will
pay　you　your　price；　but　you　must　furnish　me　with
good　horses　to　meet　me　at　Albanyremember　that
I　take　all　the　useless　expense　between　the　two
cities；　that　I　may　know　whom　it　is　I　deal　with。〃

〃Miss　Emmerson　ought　to　know　me　pretty　well　by
this　time；〃　said　the　man；　〃I　have　driven　her
enough；　I　think。〃

〃And　a　driver；〃　continued　the　lady；　musing；　〃who　am
I　to　have　for　a　driver？〃　Here　Julia　became　all
attention；　trembling　and　blushing　with
apprehension。

〃Oh；　a　driver！〃　cried　the　horse…dealer；　〃I　have　got
you　an　excellent　driver；　one　of　the　first　chop　in　the
city。〃

｛first　chop　=　first　rank；　highest　quality｝

Although　these　were　not　the　terms　that　our　heroine
would　have　used　herself　in　speaking　of　this
personage；　yet　she　thought　they　plainly　indicated
his　superiority；　and　she　waited　in　feverish　suspense
to　hear　more。

〃He　must　be　steady；　and　civil；　and　sober；　and
expert；　and　tender…hearted；〃　said　Miss　Emmerson；
who　thought　of　any　thing　but　a　hero　in　disguise。

〃Yesyesyesyesyes；〃　replied　the　stable…
keeper；　nodding　his　head　and　speaking　at　each
requisite；　〃he　is　all　that；　I　can　engage　to　Miss
Emmerson。〃

〃And　his　eyesight　must　be　good；〃　continued　the
lady；　deeply　intent　on　providing　well　for　her
journey；　〃we　may　ride　late　in　the　evening；　and　it　is
particularly　requisite　that　he　have　good　eyes。〃

〃Yesyes；　ma'am；〃　said　the　man；　in　a　little
embarrassment　that　did　not　escape　Julia；　〃he　has
as　good　an　eye　as　any　man　in　America。〃

〃Of　what　age　is　he？〃　asked　Miss　Emmerson。

〃About　fifty；〃　replied　the　man；　thinking　years　would
he　a　recommendation。

〃Fifty！〃　exclaimed　Julia；　in　a　tone　of
disappointment。

〃'Tis　too　old；〃　said　Miss　Emmerson；　〃he　should　he
able　to　undergo　fatigue。〃

〃Well；　I　may　be　mistakenOh；　he　can't　be　more
than　forty；　or　thirty；〃　continued　the　man；　watching
the　countenance　of　Julia；　〃he　is　a　man　that　looks
much　older　than　he　is。〃

〃Is　he　strong　and　active？〃

〃I　guess　he　ishe's　as　strong　as　an　ox；　and　active
as　a　cat；〃　said　the　other；　determined　he　should
pass。

〃Well；　then；〃　said　the　aunt；　in　her　satisfied　way；
〃let　every　thing　be　ready　for　us　in　Albany　by　next
Tuesday。　We　shall　leave　home　on　Monday。〃

The　man　withdrew。

Julia　had　heard　enoughfor　ox　she　had　substituted
Hercules；　and　for　cat；　she　read　the　feathered
Mercury。



CHAPTER　V。

THE　long　expected　Monday　at　length　arrived；　and
Miss　Emmerson　and　Julia；　taking　an　affectionate
leave　of　their　relatives　in　the　city；　went　on　board
the　steam…boat　under　the　protection　of　Charles
Weston。　Here　a　new　scene　indeed　opened　on　our
heroine；　for　some　time　she　even　forgot　to　look
around　her　in　the　throng　in　quest　of　Antonio。　As　the
boat　glided　along　the　stream；　she　stood　leaning　on
one　arm　of　Charles；　while　Miss　Emmerson　held　the
other；　in　delighted　gaze　at　the　objects；　which　they
had　scarcely　distinguished　before　they　were　passed。

〃See；　dear　Charles；〃　cried　Julia；　in　a　burst　of　what
she　would　call　natural　feeling〃there　is　our　house
here　the　summerhouse；　and　there　the　little　arbour
where　you　read　to　us　last　week　Scott's　new　novel
how　delightful！　every　thing　now　seems　and　feels
like　home。〃

〃Would　it　were　a　home　for　us　all；〃　said　Charles；
gently　pressing　her　arm　in　his　own；　and　speaking
only　to　be　heard　by　Julia；　〃then　should　I　be　happy
indeed。〃

Julia　thought　no　more　of　Antonio；　but　while　her
delighted　eye　rested　on　the　well　known　scenes
around　their　house；　and　｛as｝　she　stood　in　the
world；　for　the　first　time；　leaning　on　Charles；　she
thought　him　even　nearer　than　their　intimacy　and
consanguinity　made　them。　But　the　boat　was　famous
for　her　speed；　and　the　house；　garden；　and　every
thing　Julia　knew；　were　soon　out　of　sight；　and　she；
by　accident；　touching　the　picture　which　she　had
encased　in　an　old　gold　setting　of　her　mother's；　and
lodged　in　her　bosom；　was　immediately　restored　to
her