tales for fifteen-第13章

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in　her　inquiries。

〃Are　your　horses　gentle　and　good；　Tony？〃　adopting
the　familiar　nomenclature　that　seemed　most　to　his
fancy。

〃As　gentle　as　e'er　a　lady　in　the　land；〃　said　Tony；
turning　his　large　black　eye　round　the　room；　and
letting　it　dwell　a　moment　on　the　beautiful　face　of
Juliaher　heart　throbbed　with　tumultuous　emotion
at　the　first　sound　of　his　voice；　and　she　was　highly
amused　at　the　ingenuity　he　had　displayed；　in
paying　a　characteristic　compliment　to　her
gentleness；　in　this　clandestine　mannerif　he
preserves　his　incognito　so　ingeniously　he　will　never
be　detected；　thought　Julia；　and　all　will　be　well。

〃And　the　carriage；〃　continued　Miss　Emmerson；　〃is　it
fit　to　carry　us？〃

〃I　can't　say　how　fit　it　may　be　to　carry　sich　ladies　as
you　be；　but　it　is　as　good　a　carriage　as　runs　out　of
York。〃

Here　was　another　delicate　compliment；　thought
Julia；　and　so　artfully　concealed　under　brutal
indifference　that　it　nearly　deceived　even　herself。

〃When　will　you　be　ready　to　start？〃　asked　Miss
Emmerson。

〃This　moment；〃　was　the　prompt　reply〃we　can
easily　reach　Schenectady　by　sundown。〃

Here　Julia　saw　the　decision　and　promptitude　of　a
soldier　used　to　marches　and　movements；　besides
an　eager　desire　to　remove　her　from　the　bustle　of　a
large　town　and　thoroughfare；　to　a　retirement　where
she　would　be　more　particularly　under　his　protection。
Miss　Emmerson；　on　the　other　hand；　saw　nothing　but
the　anxiety　of　a　careful　hireling；　willing　to　promote
the　interest　of　his　master；　who　was　to　be　paid　for
his　conveyance　by　the　jobso　differently　do　sixty
and　sixteen　judge　the　same　actions！　At　all　events；
the　offer　was　accepted；　and　the　man　ordered　to
secure　the　baggage；　and　prepare　for　their
immediate　departure。

〃Why　don't　you　help　Antonio　on　with　the　baggage；
Charles？〃　said　Julia；　as　she　stood　looking　at　the
driver　tottering　under　the　weight　of　the　trunks。
Charles　stared　a　moment　with　surprisethe　name
created　no　astonishment；　but　the　request　did。　Julia
had　a　habit　of　softening　names；　that　were　rather
harsh　in　themselves；　to　which　he　was　accustomed。
Peter　she　called　Pierre；　Robert　was　Rubert　｛sic｝；
and　her　aunt's　black　footman　Timothy；　she　had
designated　as　Timotheus：　but　it　was　not　usual　for
ladies　to　request　gentlemen　to　perform　menial
officesuntil；　recollecting　that　Julia　had　expressed
unusual　solicitude　concerning　a　dressing…box　that
contained　Anna's　letters；　he　at　once　supposed　it
was　to　that　she　wished　him　to　attend。　Charles　left
the　room；　and　superintended　the　whole
arrangements；　when　once　enlisted。　Julia　now　felt
that　every　doubt　of　the　identity　of　her　lover　with
this　coachman　was　removed。　He　had　ingeniously
adopted　the　name　of　Anthony；　as　resembling　in
sound　the　one　she　herself　had　given　him　in　her
letters。　This　he　undoubtedly　had　learnt　from　Anna
and　then　Sandford　was　very　much　like　Stanleyhis
patch；　his　dress；　his　airevery　thing　about　him
united　to　confirm　her　impressions；　and　Julia；　at　the
same　time　she　resolved　to　conduct　herself　towards
him　in　their　journey　with　a　proper　feminine　reserve；
thought　she　could　do　no　less　to　a　man　who
submitted　to　so　much　to　serve　her；　than　to　suffer
him　to　perceive　that　she　was　not　entirely　insensible
to　the　obligation。

Our　heroine　could　not　but　admire　the　knowing
manner　with　which　Antonio　took　his　seat　on　the
carriage；　and　the　dexterity　he　discovered　in　the
management　of　his　horsesthis　was　infallible
evidence　of　his　acquaintance　with　the　animal；　and　a
sure　sign　that　he　was　the　master　of　many；　and　had
long　been　accustomed　to　their　service。　Perhaps；
thought　Julia；　he　has　been　an　officer　of　cavalry。

In　the　constant　excitement　produced　by　her
situation；　Julia　could　not　enter　into　all　the　feelings
described　by　her　friend；　during　the　ride　to
Schenectady。　Its　beauties　might　be　melancholy；　but
could　she　be　melancholy；　and　Antonio　so　near？　The
pines　might　be　silvery　and　lofty；　but　the　proud
stature　of　majestic　man；　eclipsed　in　her　eyes　all
their　beauties。　Not　so　Charles。　He　early　began　to
lavish　his　abuse　on　the　sterile　grounds　they
passed；　and　gave　any　thing　but　encomiums　on　the
smoothness　of　the　road　they　were　travelling。　In　the
latter　particular；　even　the　quiet　spirit　of　Miss
Emmerson　joined　him；　and　Julia　herself　was
occasionally　made　sensible　that　she　was　not
reposing　〃on　a　bed　of　roses。〃

｛sterile　grounds　=　the　sandy　〃pine　barrens〃
between　Albany　and　Schenectady　were　notorious　for
their　lack　of　scenic　beauty｝

〃Do　I　drive　too　fast　for　the　ladies？〃　asked　Antonio；
on　hearing　a　slight　complaint　and　a　faint　scream　in
the　soft　voice　of　Julia。　Oh；　how　considerate　he　is！
thought　our　heroinehow　tender！without　his　care
I　certainly　should　have　been　killed　in　this　rude
place。　It　was　expected　that　as　she　had　complained；
she　would　answer；　and　after　a　moment　employed　in
rallying　her　senses　for　the　undertaking；　she　replied
in　a　voice　of　breathing　melody

〃Oh！　no；　Antonio；　you　are　very　considerate。〃

For　a　world　Julia　could　not　have　said　more；　and
Miss　Emmerson　thought　that　she　had　said　quite　as
much　as　the　occasion　required；　but　Miss　Emmerson；
it　will　be　remembered；　supposed　their　driver　to　be
Anthony　Sandford。　The　hero；　himself；　on　hearing
such　a　gentle　voice　so　softly　replying　to　his
question；　could　not　refrain　from　turning　his　face
into　the　carriage；　and　Julia　felt　her　own　eyes　lower
before　his　earnest　gaze；　while　her　cheeks　burned
with　the　blushes　that　suffused　them。　But　the　look
spoke　volumeshe　understands　my　〃Antonio；〃
thought　Julia；　and　perceives　that；　to　me；　he　is　no
longer　unknown。　That　expressive　glance　has　opened
between　us　a　communication　that　will　cease　but
with　our　lives。　Julia　now　enjoyed；　for　the　remainder
of　their　journey　to　Mr。　Miller's；　one　of　the　greatest
pleasures　of　loveunsuspected　by　others；　she　could
hold　communion　with　him　who　had　her　heart；　by　the
eyes；　and　a　thousand　tender　and　nameless　little
offices　which　give　interest　to　affection；　and　zest　to
passion。

They　had　now　got　half　way　between　the　two　cities；
and　Charles　took　a　seat　by　the　side　of　the　driver；
with　the　intention；　as　he　expressed　himself；　of
stretching　his　legs：　the　carriage　was　open　and　light；
so　that　all　of　the　figures　of　the　two　young　men
could　be　seen　by　the　ladies；　as　well　as　their
conversation　heard。　Charles　never　appeared　to　less
advantage　in　his　person；　thought　Julia；　than　now；
seated　by　the　side　of　the　manly　and　noble　Antonio。
The　figure　of　Charles　was　light；　and　by　no　means
without　grace；　yet　it　did　not　strike　the　fancy　of　our
heroine　as　so　fit　to　shield　and　support　her　through
life；　as　the　more　robust　person　of　his　companion。
Julia　herself　was；　in　form；　the　counterpart　of　her
mindshe　was　light；　airy；　and　beautifully　softened
in　all　her　outlines。　It　was　impossible　to　mistake　her
for　any　thing　but　a　lady；　and　one　of　the　gentlest
passions　and　sentiments。　She　felt　her　own
weakness；　and　would　repose　it　on　the　manly
strength　of　Antonio。

〃Which　do　you　call　the　best　of　your　horses？〃　asked
Charles；　so　soon　as　he　had　got　himself　comfortably
seated。

〃The　offbut　both　are　true　as　steel；〃　was　the
laconic　reply。　The　comparison　was　new　to　Julia；　and
it　evidently　denoted　a　mind　accustomed　to　the
contemplation　of　arms。

〃How　long　have　you　followed　the　business　of　a
driver；　Tony？〃　said　Charles；　in　the　careless　manner
of　a　gentleman　when　he　wishes　to　introduce
familiarity　with　an　inferior；　by　seeming　to　take　an
interest　in　the　other's　affairs。　Julia　felt　indignant　at
the　freedom　of　his　manner；　and　particularly　at　the
epithet　of　〃Tony〃yet　her　lover　did　not　in　the　least
regard　eitheror　rather　his　manner　exhibited　no
symptoms　of　displeasurehe　has　made　up　his
mind；　thought　Julia；　to　support　his　disguise；　and　it
is　best　for　us　both　that　he　should。

〃Ever　since　I　was　sixteen　I　have　been　used　to
horses；〃　was　the　reply　of　Antonio　to　the　question　of
CharlesJulia　smiled　at　the　ambiguity　of　the
answer；　and　was　confirmed　in　her　impression　that
he　had　left　college　at　that　age　to　serve　in　the
cavalry。

〃You　must　understand　them　well　by　this　time；〃
continued　Charles；　glancing　his　eye　at　his
companion　as　if　to　judge　of　his　years〃You　must　be
forty〃Julia　fidgeted　a　little　at　this　guess　of
Charl