tales for fifteen-第25章

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and　to…morrow；　or　next　day；　your　fancy；　unless
encouraged　by　you　to　dwell　on　my　unworthy　self；
will　lead　you　elsewhere。〃

〃Now；　Miss　Henley；　what　I　most　admire　in　your
character　is　its　lovely　ingenuousness；　its　simplicity；
its　HEART；　and　I　will　own　I　did　not　expect　such　an
answer　to　a　question　put；　like　mine；　in　sincerity　and
truth。〃

〃If　I　have　failed　to　answer　any　question　you　have
put　to　me；　Mr。　Delafield；　it　is　because　I　am
unconscious　than　any　was　asked；　and　if　I　have
displayed　disengenuousness；　want　of　simplicity；　or
want　of　feeling；　it　has　been　unintentional；　I　do
assure　you；　and　only　proves　that　I　can　be　guilty　of
errors；　without　their　being　detected　by　one　who　has
known　me　so　long　and　so　intimately。〃

〃My　impetuosity　has　deceived　me　and　distressed
you；〃　said　Delafield〃I　would　have　said　that　I　love
you　ardently；　passionately；　and　constantly；　and
shall　for　ever　love　you。　I　should　have　asked　your
permission　to　say　all　this　to　your　parents；　to
entreat　them　to　permit　me　to　see　you　often；　to
address　you；　and；　if　it　were　not　impossible；　to　hope
that　in　time　they　would　consent　to　intrust　me　with
their　greatest　treasure；　and　that　you　would　not
oppose　their　decree。〃

〃This　is　certainly　asking　many　questions　in　a
breath；〃　said　Charlotte　smiling；　but　without　either
irony　or　triumph；　〃and　were　it　not　for　that　word；
breath；　I　should　experience　some　uneasiness　at
what　you　say；　I　find　great　satisfaction；　Mr。
Delafield；　in　reflecting　that　our　acquaintance　is　not
a　week　old。〃

〃A　week　is　time　enough　to　learn　to　adore　such　a
being　as　you　are；　Miss　Henley；　though　an　age　would
not　suffice　to　do　justice　to　your　merits。　Say；　have　I
your　permission　to　speak　to　your　father？　I　do　not
ask　you　yet　to　return　my　affectionnay；　I　question
if　you　can　ever　love　as　I　do。〃

〃Perhaps　not；〃　said　Charlotte；　〃I　can　love　enough　to
feel　a　great　and　deep　interest　in　those　who　are
dear　to　me；　but　I　never　yet　have　experienced　such
emotions；　as　you　describeI　believe；　in　this
particular；　you　have　formed　a　just　opinion　of　me；
Mr。　Delafield；　I　suspect　such　passions　are　not　in
the　compass　of　my　feelings。〃

〃They　are；　they　must　be；　Miss　Henley：　allow　me　to
see　you　often；　to　speak　to　your　father；　and　at　least
to　hopemay　I　not　hope　that　in　time　you　will　learn
to　think　me　a　man　to　be　trusted　with　your
happiness　as　your　husband？〃

The　quiet　which　had　governed　the　manner　of
Charlotte　during　this　dialogue；　was　sensibly
affected　by　this　appeal；　and　for　a　short　time　she
appeared　too　much　embarrassed　to　reply。　During
this　interval；　Delafield　gazed　on　her；　in　delight；　for
with　the　sanguine　feelings　of　youth；　he　interpreted
every　symptom　of　emotion　in　his　own　favour。
Finding；　however；　that　she　was　distressed　for　a
reply；　he　renewed　his　suit

〃Though　I　have　known　you　but　a　few　days；　I　feel　as
if　I　had　known　you　for　years。　There　are；　I　believe；
Miss　Henley；　spirits　in　the　world　who　commune　with
each　other　imperceptibly；　who　seem　formed　for
each　other；　and　who　know　and　love　each　other　as
by　instinct。〃

〃I　have　no　pretensions　to　belong　to　that　class；〃
said　Charlotte；　〃I　must　know　well　to　love　a　little；
but　I　trust　I　feel　kind　sentiments　to　the　whole
human　race。〃

〃Ah；　you　do　not　know　yourself。　You　have　lived　all
your　life　in　the　neighbourhood　of　that　Mr。　Morton
who　just　went　out；　and　you　feel　pity　for　his　illness。
He　does　indeed　look　very　illbut　you　have　yet　to
learn　what　it　is　to　love。　I　ask　the　high　favour　of
being　permitted　to　attempt　the　office　ofofof〃

〃Of　teaching　me！〃　said　Charlotte　with　a　smile。〃
｛sic｝

〃Nothat　word　is　too　presumptuoustoo　coarse〃

〃Hear　me；　Mr。　Delafield；〃　said　Miss　Henley　after　a
short　pause；　during　which　she　seemed　to　have
experienced　some　deep　and　perhaps　painful
emotions〃I　cannot　undertake　to　give　you　a　reason
for　my　conductvery　possibly　I　have　no　good　one；
but　I　feel　that　I　should　be　doing　you　injustice　by
encouraging　what　you　are　pleased　to　call　hopesI
wish　to　be　understood　now；　as　saying　that　I　cannot
consent　to　your　expecting　that　I　should　ever
become　your　wife。〃

Delafield　was　certainly　astonished　at　this　refusal；
which　was　given　in　that　still；　decided　manner　that
admits　of　little　opposition。　He　had　long　been
accustomed　to　apprehend　a　sudden　acceptance；　and
had　been　in　the　habit　of　strictly　guarding　both　his
manner　and　his　language；　lest　something　that　he
did　or　said　might　justify　expectations　that　would
have　been　out　of　his　power　to　fulfil；　but　now；　when；
for　the　first　time；　he　had　ventured　a　direct　offer；　he
met　with　a　rejection　that　possessed　all　the
characteristics　of　sincerity；　he　was；　in　truth；　utterly
astounded。　After　taking　a　sufficient　time　to　collect
in　some　degree　his　faculties；　he　came　to　the
conclusion　that　he　had　been　too　precipitate；　and
had　urged　the　suit　too　far；　and　too　hastily。

〃Such　may　be　your　sentiments　now；　Miss　Henley；〃
he　said；　〃but　you　may　alter　them　in　time：　you　are
not　called　on　for　a　definite　answer。〃

〃If　not　by　you；　I　am　by　truth；　Mr。　Delafield。　It　would
be　wrong　to　lead　you　to　expect　what　can　never〃

〃Never？〃　said　Delafield〃you　cannot　speak　so
decidedly。〃

〃I　do；　indeed　I　do；〃　returned　Charlotte　firmly。

〃I　have　not　deceived　myself　in　believing　you　to　be
disengaged；　Miss　Henley？〃

〃You　have　a　right　to　require　a　definite　answer　to
your　questions；　Mr。　Delafield；　but　you　have　no　right
to　exact　my　reasons　for　declining　your　very
flattering　offerI　am　young；　very　youngbut　I　know
what　is　due　to　myself　and　to　my　sex〃

〃By　heavens！　my　suspicion　is　trueyou　are　already
betrothed！〃

〃It　would　be　easy　to　say　NO　to　that　assertion；　sir；〃
added　Charlotte；　rising；　〃but　your　right　to　a　reason
in　a　matter　where　inclination　is　so　material；　is
exactly　the　same　as　my　right　would　be　to　ask　you
why　you　did　not　address　me。　I　thank　you　for　the
preference　you　have　shown　me；　Mr。　Delafield。　I
have　not　so　little　of　the　woman　about　me；　not　to
remember　it　always　with　gratitude；　but　I　tell　you
plainly　and　firmly；　for　it　is　necessary　that　I　should
do　soI　never　can　consent　to　receive　your
proposals。〃

〃I　understand　you；　madamI　understand　you；〃　said
the　young　man　with　an　offended　air；　〃you　wish　my
absencenay；　Miss　Henley；　hear　me　further。〃

〃No　further；　Mr。　Delafield；〃　interrupted　Charlotte；
advancing　to　him　with　a　kind；　but　unembarrassed
air；　and　offering　her　hand〃we　part　friends　at　least；
but　I　think；　now　we　know　each　other's　sentiments；
we　had　better　separate。〃

The　gentleman　seized　the　hand　she　offered；　and
kissed　it　more　with　the　air　of　a　lover；　than　of　an
offended　man；　and　left　the　room。　A　few　minutes
after　he　had　gone；　Miss　Osgood　re…appeared。



CHAPTER　IV。

NOTWITHSTANDING　the　earnest　injunction　that
Maria　had　given　to　Mr。　Delafield　to　continue　where
she　left　him；　until　her　return；　she　expressed　no
surprise　at　not　finding　him　in　the　room。　The
countenance　of　this　young　lady　exhibited　a　droll
mixture　of　playful　mirth　and　sadness；　she　glanced
her　eyes　once　around　the　apartment；　and　perceiving
it　was　occupied　only　by　her　friend；　she　said；
laughing

〃Well；　Charlotte；　when　is　it　to　be？　I　think　I　retired
in　very　good　season。〃

〃Perhaps　you　did；　Maria；〃　returned　the　other；
without　raising　her　face　from　the　reflecting　attitude
in　which　she　stood〃I　believe　it　is　all　very　well。〃

〃Well！　you　little　philosopherI　should　think　it　was
excellentthatthat　isif　I　were　in　your　place。　I
suspected　this　from　the　moment　you　met。〃

〃What　have　you　suspected；　Maria？what　is　it　you
imagine　has　occurred？〃

〃What！　why　Seymour　Delafield　has　been
stammeringthen　he　looked　dolefulthen　he
sighedthen　he　hemmedthen　he　said　you　were　an
angelnay；　you　need　not　look　prudish；　and　affect　to
deny　it；　he　got　as　far　as　that　before　I　left　the
roomthen　he　turned　to　see　if　I　were　not　coming
back　again　to　surprise　himthen　he　fell　on　his
kneesthen　he　stretched　out　his　handsome　hand
it　is　too　handsome　for　a　man's　hand！and　said　take
it；　take　me；　take　my　name；　and　take　my　three
hundred　thousand　dollars！Now　don't　deny　a
syllable　of　it　till　I　tell　your　answer。〃

Charlotte　smiled；　and　taking　her　work；　quietly
seated　herself　at　her　table　before　she　replied

〃You　go　through　Cupid's　exercise　so　dexter