tales for fifteen-第4章

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see　and　talk　with；　but　papa　and　mamma；　and　a
house　full　of　brothers　and　sisters。　You　can't　think
how　I　miss　you；　every　minute　more　and　more；　but　I
am　not　without　hopes　of　persuading　pa　to　let　me
spend　the　winter　with　your　aunt　in　town。　I　declare
it　makes　me　sick　every　time　I　think　of　her　sweet
house　in　Park…place。　If　ever　I　marry；　and　be　sure　I
will；　it　shall　be　a　man　who　lives　in　the　city；　and
next　door　to　my　Julia。　Oh！　how　charming　that　would
be。　Each　of　us　to　have　one　of　those　delightful　new
houses；　with　the　new…fashioned　basement　stories；
we　would　run　in　and　out　at　all　hours　of　the　day；　and
it　would　be　so　convenient　to　lend　and　borrow　each
other's　things。　I　do　think　there　is　no　pleasure　under
heaven　equal　to　that　of　wearing　things　that　belong
to　your　friend。　Don't　you　remember　how　fond　I　was
of　wearing　your　clothes　at　school；　though　you　were
not　so　fond　of　changing　as　myself；　but　that　was　no
wonder；　for　pa's　stinginess　kept　me　so　shabbily
dressed；　that　I　was　ashamed　to　let　you　be　seen　in
them。　Oh；　Julia！　I　shall　never　forget　those　happy
hours；　nor　you　neither。　AproposI　hope　you　have
not　forgot　the　frock　you　promised　to　work　for　me；　to
remember　you　by。　I　long　for　it　dreadfully；　and　hope
you　will　send　it　before　the　river　shuts。　I　suppose
you　and　Charles　Weston　do　nothing　but　ride　round
among　those　beautiful　villas　on　the　island；　and
take　comfort。　I　do　envy　you　your　happiness；　I　can
tell　you；　for　I　think　any　beau　better　than　none；
though　Mr。　Weston　is　not　to　my　taste。　I　am　going
to　write　you　six　sheets　of　paper；　for　there　is
nothing　that　I　so　delight　in　as　communing　with　a
friend　at　a　distance；　especially　situated　as　I　am
without　a　soul　to　say　a　word　to；　unless　it　be　my
own　sisters。　Adieu；　my　ever；　ever　beloved　Juliabe
to　me　as　I　am　to　you；　a　friend　indeed；　one　tried
and　not　found　wanting。　In　haste；　your

〃ANNA。

〃Gennessee；　June　15；　1816。

〃P。　S。　Don't　forget　to　jog　aunt　Emmerson's　memory
about　asking　me　to　Park…place。

〃P。　S。　June　25th。　Not　having　yet　sent　my　letter；
although　I　am　sure　you　must　be　dying　with　anxiety
to　hear　how　we　get　on；　I　must　add；　that　we　have　a
companion　here　that　would　delight　youa　Mr。
Edward　Stanley。　What　a　delightful　name！　and　he　is
as　delightful　as　his　name：　his　eye；　his　nose；　his
whole　countenance；　are　perfect。　In　short；　Julia；　he
is　just　such　a　man　as　we　used　to　draw　in　our
conversation　at　school。　He　is　rich；　and　brave；　and
sensible；　and　I　do　nothing　but　talk　to　him　of　you。
He　says；　he　longs　to　see　you；　knows　you　must　be
handsome；　is　sure　you　are　sensible；　and　feels　that
you　are　good。　Oh！　he　is　worth　a　dozen　Charles
Westons。　But　you　may　give　my　compliments　to　Mr。
Weston；　though　I　don't　suppose　he　ever　thinks　it
worth　his　while　to　remember　such　a　chick　as　me。　I
should　like　to　hear　what　he　says　about　me；　and　I
will　tell　you　all　Edward　Stanley　says　of　you。　Once
more；　adieu。　Your　letters　got　here　safe　and　in　due
season。　I　let　Edward　take　a　peep　at　them。〃

The　first　time　Julia　read　this　letter　she　was
certainly　disappointed。　It　contained　no　descriptions
of　the　lovely　scenery　of　the　west。　The　moon　had
risen　and　the　sun　had　set　on　the　lakes　of　the
interior；　and　Anna　had　said　not　one　word　of　either。
But　the　third　and　fourth　time　of　reading　began　to
afford　more　pleasure；　and　at　the　thirteenth　perusal
she　pronounced　it　charming。　There　was　evidently
much　to　be　understood；　vacuums　that　the　fancy
could　easily　fill；　and；　before　Julia　had　left　the
summer…house；　the　letter　was　extended；　in　her
imagination；　to　the　promised　six　sheets。　She
walked　slowly　through　the　shrubbery　towards　the
house；　musing　on　the　contents　of　her　letter；　or
rather　what　it　might　be　supposed　to　contain；　and
unconsciously　repeating　to　herself　in　a　low　tone

〃Young；　handsome；　rich；　and　sensiblejust　as　we
used　to　paint　in　our　conversation。　Oh；　how
delightful！〃

〃Delightful　indeed；　to　possess　all　those　fine
qualities；　and　who　is　the　happy　individual　that　is　so
blessed？〃　asked　Charles　Weston；　who　had　been
lingering　in　the　walks　with　an　umbrella　to　shield　her
on　her　return　from　an　approaching　shower。

〃Oh！〃　said　Julia；　starting；　〃I　did　not　know　you　were
near　me。　I　have　been　reading　Anna's　sweet　letter；〃
pressing　the　paper　to　her　bosom　as　she　spoke。

〃Doubtless　you　must　be　done　by　this　time；　Julia；
and；〃　pointing　to　the　clouds；　〃you　had　better　hasten
to　the　house。　I　knew　you　would　be　terrified　at　the
lightning　all　alone　by　yourself　in　that　summer…
house；　so　I　came　to　protect　you。〃

〃You　are　very　good；　Charles；　but　does　it　lighten？〃
said　Julia　in　terror；　and　hastening　her　retreat　to　the
dwelling。

〃Your　letter　must　have　interested　you　deeply　not　to
have　noticed　the　thunderyou；　who　are　so　timid
and　fearful　of　the　flashes。〃

〃Foolishly　fearful；　you　would　say；　if　you　were　not
afraid　of　hurting　my　feelings；　I　know；〃　said　Julia。

〃It　is　a　natural　dread；　and　therefore　not　to　be
laughed　at；〃　answered　Charles　mildly。

〃Then　there　is　natural　fear；　but　no　natural　love；　Mr。
Charles；　now　you　are　finely　caught；〃　cried　Julia
exultingly。

〃Well；　be　it　so。　With　me　fear　is　very　natural；　and　I
can　almost　persuade　myself　love　also。〃

〃I　hope　you　are　not　a　coward；　Charles　Weston。　A
cowardly　man　is　very　despicable。　I　could　never　love
a　cowardly　man；〃　said　Julia；　laughing。

〃I　don't　know　whether　I　am　what　you　call　a　coward；〃
said　Charles　gravely；　〃but　when　in　danger　I　am
always　afraid。〃

The　words　were　hardly　uttered　before　a　flash　of
lightning；　followed　instantly　by　a　tremendously
heavy　clap　of　thunder；　nearly　stupified　them　both。
The　suddenness　of　the　shock　had；　for　a　moment；
paralyzed　the　energy　of　the　youth；　while　Julia　was
nearly　insensible。　Soon　recovering　himself；
however；　Charles　drew　her　after　him　into　the　house；
in　time　to　escape　a　torrent　of　rain。　The　storm　was
soon　over；　and　their　natural　fear　and　surprise　were
a　source　of　mirth　for　Julia。　Women　are　seldom
ashamed　of　their　fears；　for　their　fright　is　thought　to
be　feminine　end　attractive；　but　men　are　less　easy
under　the　imputation　of　terror；　as　it　is　thought　to
indicate　an　absence　of　manly　qualities。

〃Oh！　you　will　never　make　a　hero；　Charles；〃　cried
Julia；　laughing　heartily。　〃It　is　well　you　chose　the
law　instead　of　the　army　as　a　profession。〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　the　youth；　a　little　nettled；〃　I
think　I　could　muster　courage　to　face　a　bullet。〃

〃But　remember；　that　you　shut　your　eyes；　and　bent
nearly　double　at　the　flashnow　you　owned　all　this
yourself。〃

〃At　least　he　was　candid；　and　acknowledged　his
infirmities；〃　said　Miss　Emmerson；　who　had　been
listening。

〃I　think　most　men　would　have　done　as　I　did；　at　so
heavy　and　so　sudden　a　clap　of　thunder；　and　so　very
near　too；〃　said　Charles；　striving　to　conceal　the
uneasiness　he　felt。

〃When　apprehension　for　Julia　must　have　increased
your　terror；〃　said　the　aunt　kindly。

〃Why；　noI　rather　believe　I　thought　only　of　myself
at　the　moment；〃　returned　Charles；　〃but　then；　Julia；
you　must　do　me　the　justice　to　say；　that　instantly　I
thought　of　the　danger　of　your　taking　cold　and　drew
you　into　the　house。〃

〃Oh！　you　ran　from　another　clap；〃　said　Julia；　laughing
till　her　dark　eyes　flashed　with　pleasure；　and
shaking　her　head　until　her　glossy　hair　fell　in　ringlets
over　her　shoulders；　〃you　will　never　make　a　hero；
Charles。〃

〃Do　you　know　any　one　who　would　have　behaved
better；　Miss　Warren？〃　said　the　young　man　angrily。

〃YeswhyI　don't　know。　Yes；　I　have　heard　of　one；
I　think；〃　answered　Julia；　slightly　colouring；　〃but；
dear　Charles；　excuse　my　laughter；〃　she　continued；
holding　out　her　hand；　〃if　you　are　not　a　hero；　you
are　very；　very；　good。〃

But　Charles　Weston；　at　the　moment；　would　rather
be　thought　a　hero　than　very；　very；　good；　he；
therefore；　rose；　and　affecting　a　smile；　endeavoured
to　say　something　trifling　as　he　retired。

〃You　have　mortified　Charles；〃　said　Miss　Emmerson；
so　soon　as　he　was　out　of　hearing。

〃I　am　sure　I　hope　not；〃　said　Julia；　with　a　good　deal
of　anxiety；　〃he　is　the　last　person　I　would　wish　to
offend；　he　is　so　very　kind。〃

〃No　young　man　of　twenty　is　pleased　with　being
thought　no　hero；〃　returned　the　aunt。

〃And　yet　all　are　not　so；〃　said　Julia；　〃I　hardly　know
what　you　mean　by　a　hero；　if　yo