tales for fifteen-第22章

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had　already　secured　an　unconscious　victory；　and
saw　them　moistened　with　a　lustre　that　added　to
their　natural　softness。　Beauty　in　tears　is
proverbially　irresistibleand　the　youth；　bending
forward；　said　in　a　voice　that　was　modulated　to　the
stillness　of　the　room

〃Such　melody；　Miss　Henly；　captivates　the　senses。〃

〃Does　it　not　touch　the　heart？〃　asked　the　young
lady；　with　a　little　of　unusual　animation。

〃The　heart　too。　But　Mr。　Morton　looks　exhausted
after　his　labours。〃

All　the　pleasure　which　had　shone　in　the
countenance　of　Charlotte；　vanished　instantly；　and
gave　place　to　deep　concern。

〃Oh！　it　is　unjustifiable；　thus　to　purchase　pleasure　at
the　expense　of　another；〃　said　she；　in　a　tone　that
Seymour　scarcely　heard。

How　tenderly　would　the　man　be　loved；　thought　the
youth；　who　succeeded　in　engaging　the　affections　of
this　young　creature！　how　disinterested　is　her
regardand　how　considerate　are　her　feelings！　Here
will　I　trust　my　hopes　for　happiness　in　this　life；　and
here　will　I　conquer；　or　here　will　I　die！

No　two　persons　could　possibly　be　actuated　by
sensations　more　different　than　Charlotte　and
Seymour　Delafield。　He　had　been　so　long　palled　with
the　attentions　of　managing　mothers　and　designing
daughters；　had　seen　so　much　of　female
manoeuvring；　and　had　so　easily　seen　through　it；
that　the　natural　and　inartificial　loveliness　of
Charlotte　touched　his　senses　with　a　freshness　of
delicacy　that　to　him　was　as　captivating　as　it　was
novel。　Upon　unpractised　men；　the　arts　of　the　sex
are　often　successful；　but　generally　they　are　allies
that　increase　the　number　of　the　assailants；　without
promoting　the　victory。　It　is　certain　that　many　a　fair
one　played　that　evening　in　order　that　Mr。　Delafield
might　applaud；　that　some　sighed　that　he　might
hear；　and　others　ogled　that　he　might　sigh：　but　not
one　made　the　impression　that　the　quiet；　speaking
eye；　and　artless　but　peaceful　nature　of　Charlotte
produced　on　the　youth。　While　this　novel　feeling　was
gaining　ground　in　the　bosom　of　Mr。　Delafield；
Charlotte　saw　nothing　in　her　new　acquaintance　but
a　gentleman　of　extraordinary　personal　beauty；
agreeable　manners；　and　graceful　addressqualities
that　are　always　sure　to　please；　and；　not　unusually；
to　captivate。　But　to　her　he　was　a　stranger；　and
Charlotte；　who　never　thought　or　reasoned　on　the
subject；　would　have　been　astonished　had　one
seriously　spoken　of　her　loving　him。　The　road　to
conquest　with　her　lay　through　her　heart；　and　was
but　little　connected　with　her　imagination。

〃Heigho！　George；〃　cried　Maria；　as　he　approached；
〃you　have　given　me　the　dolefuls。〃

〃And　me　both　pleasure　and　pain；〃　said　Charlotte。

〃Why　the　latter？〃　asked　the　youth；　quickly。

〃Surely　it　was　imprudent　in　you　to　play；　with　such　a
cold。〃

The　lip　of　the　youth　quivered；　and　a　smile　of
mournful　and　indefinable　meaning　passed　over　his
features；　but　he　continued　silent。

〃It　is　to　be　hoped　it　had　one　good　effect　at　least；〃
continued　Maria。

〃Such　as　what？〃

〃Such　as　putting　the　little　dears　to　sleep　in　the
nursery；　which　is　directly　over　our　heads。〃

〃It　is　well　if　I　have　done　that　little　good；〃　said
George。

〃You　have　brought　tears　into　eyes　that　never
should　weep；〃　cried　Delafield；　〃and　melancholy　to　a
countenance　that　seems　formed　by　nature　to
convey　an　idea　of　peaceful　content。〃

Morton　looked　earnestly　at　the　speaker　for　a
moment；　when　a　painful　feeling　seemed　suddenly
to　seize　on　his　heartfor　his　cheek　grew　paler；　and
his　lip　quivered　with　an　agitation　that　apparently　he
could　not　control。　Charlotte　alone　noticed　the
alteration；　and；　speaking　in　a　low　tone；　she　said

〃Do　go　home；　George；　you　are　far　from　being　well
to　oblige　me；　go　home。〃

〃To　oblige　you；　I　would　do　much　more　unwelcome
biddings；〃　he　replied；　with　a　slight　colour；　〃but　I
believe　you　are　right；　and；　having　discharged　my
duty　here；　I　will　retire。〃

He　rose；　and；　paying　the　customary　compliments　to
the　mistress　of　the　mansion；　withdrew。　With　him
disappeared　all　the　awakened　interest　of　Charlotte
in　the　scene。

In　vain　was　Seymour　Delafield　attentive；　polite；　and
even　particularly　so。　That　devotedness　of
admiration　for　which　so　many　sighed；　and　which　so
many　envied；　was　entirely　thrown　away　upon
Charlotte。　She　listened；　she　bowed；　and　she
smiledand；　sometimes；　she　answered；　but　it　was
evidently　without　meaning　or　interest；　until；
wearied　with　his　fruitless　efforts　to　make　an
impression；　and　perhaps　with　a　hope　of　exciting　a
little　jealousy；　he　turned　his　attention　to　her　more
lively　companion。

〃Your　mother's　nursery；　Miss　Osgood；〃　he　cried；
〃ought　on　such　an　occasion　to　be　tenantless。〃

〃You　think　there　are　enough　of　us　here　to　make　it
so；〃　returned　the　lady；　with　an　affected　sigh。

〃I　really　had　not　observed　the　number　of　your
charming　familyhow　many　are　there　of　you？〃

〃A　baker's　dozen。〃　Charlotte　laughed；　and　the　youth
felt　mortified。　The　laugh　was　natural；　and　clearly
extorted；　without　a　thought　of　himself。

〃When　you　are　all　married；〃　he　said；　〃you　will　form
a　little　world　in　yourselves。〃

〃When　the　sky　falls　we　shall　catch　larks。〃

｛When　the　sky。。。。　=　an　old　proverb；　found　in
English；　French；　and　even　Latin；　meaning　that　the
idea　or　proposal　is　absurd｝

〃Surely；　you　intend　to　marry？〃

Maria　made　no　reply；　but　turned　her　eyes　on
Delafield；　with　an　affected　expression　of
melancholy　that　excited　another　laugh　in　her　friend。

〃You　certainly　have　made　no　rash　vow　on　the
subject；〃　continued　Seymour；　pretending　to　a　slight
interest　in　her　answer。

〃My　troth　is　not　yet　plighted；〃　said　the　lady；　a　little
archly。

〃But　there　is　no　telling　how　long　it　will　continue
so。〃

〃I　am　afraid　sothirteen　is　a　dreadful　divisor　for　a
small　family　estate。〃

A　general　movement　in　the　party　was　gladly　seized
by　Charlotte　as　an　excuse　to　go；　and　Delafield
handed　her　to　her　carriage；　with　the　mortifying
conviction　that　she　was　utterly　indifferent　to　every
thing　but　the　civility　of　the　act。



CHAPTER　III。

IT　was　quite　early　on　the　following　morning；　when
Mr。　Delafield　rung　at　the　door　of　the　house　in　which
the　father　of　Miss　Henly　resided。　The　gentleman
had　obtained　the　permission　of　the　young　lady；　the
preceding　evening；　to　put　himself　on　the　list　of　her
visiting　acquaintance；　and　a　casual　introduction　to
both　of　Charlotte's　parents　had　smoothed　the　way
to　this　intimacy。　It　is　certain；　that；　much　as　Mr。　and
Mrs。　Henly　loved　their　child；　neither　of　them
entertained　the　selfish　wish　of　monopolizing　all　of
her　affections　to　themselves　during　life。　It　was
natural；　and　a　thing　to　he　expected；　that　Charlotte
should　marry；　and　among　the　whole　of　their
acquaintance　there　appeared　no　one　so
unobjectionable　as　her　new　admirer。　He　was
agreeable　in　person；　in　manners；　and　in　temper；　he
was　intelligent；　witty；　and　a　man　of　the　world；　and；
moreover；　he　was　worththree　hundred　thousand
dollars！　What　parent　is　there　whose　judgment
would　remain　unbiassed　by　these　solid　reasons　in
favour　of　a　candidate　for　the　hand　of　his　child？　or
what　female　is　there　whose　heart　could　be　steeled
against　such　attractions　in　her　suitor？　Many　were
the　hours　of　care　that　had　been　passed　by　the
guardians　of　Charlotte's　happiness；　in　ruminating
on　the　event　that　was　to　yield　their　charge　to　the
keeping　of　another；　frequent　were　their　discussions
on　this　interesting　subject；　and　innumerable　their
plans　to　protect　her　inexperience　against　falling
into　those　errors　that　had　blasted　the　peace　of　so
many　around　them；　but　the　appearance　of　Seymour
Delafield　seemed　as　the　fulfilment　of　their　most
sanguine　expectations。　To　his　refinement　of
manners；　they　both　thought　that　they　could　yield
the　sensitive　delicacy　of　their　child　with　confidence；
in　his　travelled　experience　they　anticipated　the
permanency　of　a　corrected　taste；　nor；　was　it　a
disagreeable　consideration　to　either；　that　as　the
silken　cord　of　paternal　discipline　was　to　be
loosened；　it　was　to　be　succeeded　by　the　fetters　of
hymen　cast　in　polished　gold。　In　what　manner　their
daughter　regarded　the　evident　admiration　of　Mr。
Delafield　will　appear；　by　her　conclusion　of　our　tale。

On　entering　the　parlour；　Delafield　found　George
Morton　seated　in　a　chair　near