tales for fifteen-第16章

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Accordingly；　early　the　following　morning　she　arose；
and　wandered　around　the　house；　in　hopes　that
chance　would　throw　her　lover　in　her　way；　and　give
her　an　opportunity　of　relieving　his　mind　from　the
load　of　mortification　under　which　she　knew　he　must
be　labouring。　It　was　seldom　that　our　heroine　had
been　in　the　public　bar…room　of　a　tavernbut；　in
gliding　by　the　door；　she　caught　a　glimpse　of
Antonio　in　the　bar；　and；　impelled　by　her　feelings；
she　was　near　him　before　she　had　time　to　collect　her
scattered　senses。　To　be　with　Antonio；　and　alone；
Julia　felt　was　dangerous；　for　his　passion　might
bring　on　a　declaration；　and　betray　them　both　to　the
public　and　vulgar　notice。Anxious；　therefore；　to
effect　her　object　at　once；　she　gently　laid　her　hand
on　his　armAntonio　started　and　turned；　while　the
glass　in　his　hands　fell；　with　its　contents；　untasted；
on　the　floor。

〃Rest　easy；　Antonio；〃　said　Julia；　in　the　gentlest
possible　tones；　〃to　me　your　conduct　is　satisfactory；
and　your　secret　will　never　be　exposed。〃　So　saying；
she　turned　quickly；　and　glided　from　the　room。

〃As　I　hope　to　be　saved；〃　said　Antonio；　〃I　meant
nothing　wrongbut　should　have　paid　the　landlord
the　moment　he　came　in〃but　Julia　heard　him　not。
Her　errand　was　happily　executed；　and　she　was
already　by　the　side　of　her　aunt。　On　entering　the
carriage；　Julia　noticed　the　eye　of　Antonio　fixed　on
her　with　peculiar　meaning；　and　she　felt　that　her
conduct　had　been　appreciated。From　this　time　until
the　day　of　their　arrival　at　the　house　of　Mr。　Miller；
nothing　material　occurred。　Antonio　rose　every　hour
in　the　estimation　of　Julia；　and　the　young　lady
noticed　a　marked　difference　in　her　lover's　conduct
towards　her。　A　few　miles　before　they　reached　the
dwelling；　Miss　Emmerson　observed

〃To…morrow　will　be　the　twentieth　of　September；
when　I　am　to　know　who　will　be　my　companion　for
the　winter；　Miss　Miller　or　Katherine。〃

〃Ah！　aunt；　you　may　know　that　now；　if　I　am　to
decide；〃　said　Julia；　〃it　will　be　Anna；　my　Anna；
surely。〃

Her　manner　was　enthusiastic；　and　her　voice　a　little
louder　than　usual。　Antonio　turned　his　head；　and
their　eyes　met。　Julia　read　in　that　glance　the
approbation　of　her　generous　friendship。　Miss
Emmerson　was　a　good　deal　hurt　at　this　decision　of
her　niece；　who；　she　thought；　knowing　her
sentiments；　would　be　induced　to　have　been
satisfied　with　the　visit　to　Anna；　and　taken
Katherine　for　the　winter。　It　was　with　reluctance　that
the　aunt　abandoned　this　wish；　and；　after　a　pause；
she　continued

〃Remember；　Julia；　that　you　have　not　my　permission
to　ask　your　friend　until　the　twentiethwe　can　stay
but　one　night　at　Mr。　Miller's；　but　if　Anna　is　to　spend
the　winter　in　Park　Place；　we　will　return　this　way
from　the　Falls；　and　take　her　with　us　to　the　city。〃

〃Thank　you；　dear　aunt；〃　cried　Julia；　kissing　her　with
an　affection　that　almost　reconciled　Miss　Emmerson
to　the　choicewhile　Charles　Weston　whistled　〃Hail；
Columbia！　happy　land！〃

Julia　saw　that　Antonio　pitied　her　impatiencefor
the　moment　he　arrived　in　sight　of　Mr。　Miller's
house；　he　put　his　horses　to　their　speed；　and
dashed　into　the　court…yard　in　the　space　of　a　few
minutes。　For　a　little　while　all　was　confusion　and
joy。　Anna　seemed　delighted　to　see　her　friend；　and
Julia　was　in　rapturesthey　flew　into　each　other's
armsand　if　their　parting　embrace　was　embalmed
in　tears；　their　meeting　was　enlivened　with　smiles。
With　arms　interlocked；　they　went　about　the　house；
the　very　pictures　of　joy。Even　Antonio；　at　the
moment；　was　forgotten；　and　all　devoted　to
friendship。　Nay；　as　if　sensible　of　the　impropriety　of
his　appearance　at　that　critical　instant；　he　withdrew
himself　from　observationand　his　delicacy　was　not
lost　on　Julia。　Happy　are　they　who　can　act　in
consonance　with　their　own　delicate　sentiments；　and
rest　satisfied　with　the　knowledge　that　their　motives
are　understood　by　those　whom　it　is　their　greatest
desire　to　please！…Such；　too　fortunate　Antonio；　was
thy　lotfor　no　emotion　of　thy　sensitive　mind；　no　act
of　thy　scrupulously　honourable　life；　passed
unheeded　by　thy　Julia！so　thought　the　maiden。

It　has　been　already　mentioned　that　the　family　of
Mr。　Miller　was　large；　and　amid　the　tumult　and
confusion　of　receiving　their　guests；　no　opportunity
was　afforded　to　the　friends　for　conversation　in
private。　The　evening　passed　swiftly；　and　the　hour
for　bed　arrived　without　any　other　communication
between　Julia　and　Anna　than　whisperings　and
pressures　of　the　hands；　together　with　a　thousand
glances　of　peculiar　meaning　with　the　eyes。　But　Julia
did　not　regret　this　so　much　as　if　Antonio　had　been
unknownshe　had　been　in　his　company　for　four
days；　and　knew；　or　thought　she　knew；　already；　as
much　of　his　history　as　Anna　herself。But　one
thought　distressed　her；　and　that　was；　that　his
residence　might　be　far　from　the　house　of　her　aunt。
This　reflection　gave　the　tender…hearted　girl　real
pain；　and　her　principal　wish　to　converse　with　Anna
in　private　was　to　ascertain　her　future　lot　on　this
distressing　point。　No　opportunity；　however；　offered
that　night；　and　Julia　saw　that　in　the　morning　her
time　would　be　limited；　for　Miss　Emmerson　desired
Mr。　Miller　to　order　her　carriage　to　be　in　readiness　to
start　so　soon　as　they　had　breakfasted。

〃When；　dear　aunt；　am　I　to　give　Anna　the
invitation；〃　said　Julia；　when　they　were　left　alone；　〃if
you　start　so　early　in　the　morning？〃

〃The　proper　time　will　be；　my　child；　immediately
before　we　get　into　the　carriage；〃　said　Miss
Emmerson；　with　a　sigh　of　regret　at　the
determination　of　her　niece；　〃it　will　then　be　more
pointed；　and　call　for　an　immediate　answer。〃

This　satisfied　Julia；　who　knew　that　it　would　be
accepted　by　her　friend；　and　she　soon　fell　asleep；　to
dream　a　little　of　Anna；　and　a　great　deal　of　Antonio。

The　following　morning　Julia　arose　with　the　sun；　and
her　first　employment　was　to　seek　her　friend。　Anna
had　also　risen；　and　was　waiting　impatiently　for　the
other's　appearance；　in　the　vacant　parlour。

〃Ah！　dear　Julia；〃　said　she；　catching　her　arm　and
dragging　her　to　a　window；　〃I　thought　you　would
never　come。Well；　are　we　to　spend　the　winter
togetherhave　you　spoken　to　your　dear；　dear　aunt；
about　it？〃

〃You　shall　know　in　good　time；　my　Anna；〃　said　Julia；
mindful　of　the　wishes　of　her　aunt；　and　speaking
with　a　smile　that　gave　Anna　an　assurance　of　her
success。

〃Oh！　what　a　delightful　winter　we　will　have！〃　cried
Anna；　in　rapture。

〃I　am　tongue…tied　at　present；〃　said　Julia；　laughing；
〃but　not　on　every　subject；〃　she　continued；　blushing
to　the　eyes；　〃do　tell　me　of　St。　Albansof　Regulus
who　is　he？〃

〃Who　is　he？〃　echoed　Anna〃why；　nobody！one
must　have　something　to　write　about；　you　know；　to
a　friend。〃

Julia　felt　sick　and　fainther　colour　left　her　cheeks
as　she　forced　a　smile；　and　uttered；　in　a　low　voice
〃But　AntonioStanley？〃

〃A　man　of　straw；〃　cried　Anna；　with　unfeeling　levity；
〃no　such　creature　in　the　world；　I　do　assure　you！〃

Julia　made　a　mighty　effort　to　conquer　her　emotion；
and　wildly　seizing　Anna　by　the　arm；　she　pointed　to
her　aunt's　coachman；　who　was　at　work　on　his
carriage　at　no　great　distance；　and　uttered〃For
God's　sake；　who　is　HE？〃

〃He！〃　cried　Anna；　in　surprise；　〃why；　your　driverand
an　ugly　wretch　he　is！don't　you　know　your　own
driver　yet？〃

Julia　burst　from　her　treacherous　friendrushed　into
the　room　of　her　aunt…and　throwing　herself　into　the
arms　of　Miss　Emmerson；　wept　for　an　hour　as　if　her
heart　would　break。　Miss　Emmerson　saw　that
something　had　hurt　her　feelings　excessively；　and
that　it　was　something　she　would　not　reveal。
Believing　that　it　was　a　quarrel　with　her　friend；　and
hoping　at　all　events　that　it　would　interrupt　their
intercourse；　Miss　Emmerson；　instead　of　trying　to
discover　her　niece's　secret；　employed　herself　in
persuading　her　to　appear　before　the　family　with
composure；　and　to　take　leave　of　them　with　decency
and　respect。　In　this　she　succeeded；　and　the　happy
moment　arrived。　Anna　in　vain　pressed　near　her
friend　to　receive　the　invitationand　her　mother
more　than　once　hinted　at　the　thousand　pities　it　was
to　separate　two　that　loved　one　another　so　fondly。
No　invitation　was　givenand　although　Anna　spent
half　a　day　in　searching　for　a　letter；　that　she
insisted　must　be　left　in　some　romantic　place；　none
was　ever　foun