tales for fifteen-第5章

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thought　no　hero；〃　returned　the　aunt。

〃And　yet　all　are　not　so；〃　said　Julia；　〃I　hardly　know
what　you　mean　by　a　hero；　if　you　mean　such　men　as
Washington；　Greene；　or　Warren；　all　are　surely　not
so。　These　were　heroes　in　deeds；　but　others　may　be
equally　brave。〃

｛Greene　=　Nathanael　Greene　（1742…1786）；
Revolutionary　General；　Warren　=　Joseph　Warren
（1741…1775）；　Revolutionary　war　hero；　killed　at　the
Battle　of　Bunker　Hill｝

〃I　mean　by　a　hero；　a　man　whose　character　is
unstained　by　any　low　or　degenerate　vices；　or　even
feelings；〃　said　Julia；　with　a　little　more　than　her
ordinary　enthusiasm；　〃whose　courage　is　as　natural
as　it　is　daring；　who　is　above　fear；　except　of　doing
wrong；　whose　person　is　an　index　of　his　mind；　and
whose　mind　is　filled　with　images　of　glory；　that's
what　I　call　a　hero；　aunt。〃

〃Then　he　must　be　handsome　as　well　as　valiant；〃
said　Miss　Emmerson；　with　a　smile　that　was　hardly
perceptible。

〃Why　that　isisnot　absolutely　material；〃　replied
Julia；　blushing；　〃but　one　would　wish　to　have　him
handsome　too。〃

〃Oh！　by　all　means；　it　would　render　his　virtues　more
striking。　But　I　think　you　intimated　that　you　knew
such　a　being；〃　returned　Miss　Emmerson；　fixing　her
mild　eyes　on　Julia　in　a　manner　that　denoted　great
interest。

〃Did　I；〃　said　Julia；　colouring　scarlet；　〃I　am　sureI
have　forgottenit　must　be　a　mistake；　surely；　dear
aunt。〃

〃Very　possibly　I　misunderstood　you；　my　dear；〃　said
Miss　Emmerson；　rising　and　withdrawing　from　the
room；　in　apparent　indifference　to　the　subject。

Julia　continued　musing　on　the　dialogue　which　had
passed；　and　soon　had　recourse　to　the　letter　of　her
friend；　the　postscript　of　which　was　all；　however；
that　she　thought　necessary　to　read：　on　this　she
dwelt　until　the　periods　were　lengthened　into
paragraphs；　each　syllable　into　words；　and　each
letter　into　syllables。　Anna　Miller　had　furnished　the
outlines　of　a　picture；　that　the　imagination　of　Julia
had　completed。　The　name　of　Edward　Stanley　was
repeated　internally　so　often　that　she　thought　it　the
sweetest　name　she　had　ever　heard。　His　eyes；　his
nose；　his　countenance；　were　avowed　to　be
handsome；　and　her　fancy　soon　gave　a　colour　and
form　to　each。　He　was　sensible；　how　sensible；　her
friend　had　not　expressly　stated；　but　then　the
powers　of　Anna；　great　as　they　undoubtedly　were；
could　not　compass　the　mighty　extent　of　so　gigantic
a　mind。　Brave；　too；　Anna　had　called　him。　This　she
must　have　learnt　from　acts　of　desperate　courage
that　he　had　performed　in　the　war　which　had　so
recently　terminated；　or　perhaps　he　might　have　even
distinguished　himself　in　the　presence　of　Anna；　by
some　exploit　of　cool　and　determined　daring。　Her
heart　burned　to　know　all　the　particulars；　but　how
was　she　to　inquire　them。　Anna；　dear；　indiscreet　girl；
had　already　shown　her　letters；　and　her　delicacy
shrunk　from　the　exposure　of　her　curiosity　to　its
object。　After　a　multitude　of　expedients　had　been
adopted　and　rejected　as　impracticable；　Julia
resorted　to　the　course　of　committing　her　inquiries
to　paper；　most　solemnly　enjoining　her　friend　never
to　expose　her　weakness　to　Mr。　Stanley。　This；
thought　Julia；　she　never　could　do；　it　would　be
unjust　to　me；　and　indelicate　in　her。　So　Julia　wrote
as　follows；　first　seeking　her　own　apartment；　and
carefully　locking　the　door；　that　she　might　devote
her　whole　attention　to　friendship；　and　her　letter。

〃Dearest　Anna；

〃Your　kind　letter　reach'd　me　after　many　an　anxious
hour　spent　in　expectation；　and　repays　me　ten…fold
for　all　my　uneasiness。　Surely；　Anna；　there　is　no　one
that　can　write　half　so　agreeably　as　yourself。　I　know
there　must　be　a　longlongepistle　for　me　on　the
road；　containing　those　descriptions　and　incidents
you　promised　to　favour　me　with：　how　I　long　to　read
them；　and　to　show　them　to　my　aunt　Margaret；　who；
I　believe；　does　not　suspect　you　to　be　capable　of
doing　that　which　I　know；　or　rather　feel；　you　can。
Knowing　from　any　thing　but　feeling　and　the　innate
evidence　of　our　sympathies；　seems　to　me
something　like　heresy　in　friendship。　Oh；　Anna！　how
could　you　be　so　cruel　as　to　show　my　letters　to　any
one；　and　that　to　a　gentleman　and　a　stranger？　I
never　would　have　served　you　so；　not　even　to　good
Charles　Weston；　whom　I　esteem　so　highly；　and　who
really　wants　neither　judgment　nor　good　nature；
though　he　is　dreadfully　deficient　in　fancy。　Yet
Charles　is　a　most　excellent　young　man；　and　I　gave
him　the　compliments　you　desired；　he　was　so　much
flattered　by　your　notice　that　he　could　make　no
reply；　though　I　doubt　not　he　prized　the　honour　as
he　ought。　We　are　all　very　happy　here；　only　for　the
absence　of　my　Anna；　but　so　long　as　miles　of　weary
roads　and　endless　rivers　run　between　us；　perfect
happiness　can　never　reign　in　the　breast　of　your
Julia。　Anna；　I　conjure　you　by　all　the　sacred　delicacy
that　consecrates　our　friendship；　never　to　show　this
letter；　unless　you　would　break　my　heart：　you　never
will；　I　am　certain；　and　therefore　I　will　write　to　my
Anna　in　the　unreserved　manner　in　which　we
conversed；　when　fate；　less　cruel　than　at　present；
suffered　us　to　live　in　the　sunshine　of　each　other's
smiles。　You　speak　of　a　certain　person　in　your　letter；
whom；　for　obvious　reasons；　I　will　in　future　call
ANTONIO。　You　describe　him　with　the　partiality　of　a
friend；　but　how　can　I　doubt　his　being　worthy　of　all
that　you　say；　and　moresensible；　brave；　rich；　and
handsome。　From　his　name；　I　suppose；　of　course；　he
is　well　connected。　What　a　constellation　of
attractions　to　centre　in　one　man！　But　you　have　not
told　me　allhis　age；　his　family；　his　profession；
though　I　presume　he　has　borne　arms　in　the　service
of　his　country；　and　that　his　manly　breast　is　already
covered　with　the　scars　of　honour。　Ah！　Anna；　〃he
jests　at　scars　who　never　felt　a　wound。〃　But；　my
dear　creature；　you　say　that　he　talks　of　me：　what
under　the　sun　can　you　find　to　say　of　such　a　poor　girl
as　myself？　Though　I　suppose　you　have；　in　the
fondness　of　affection；　described　my　person　to　him
already。　I　wonder　if　he　likes　black　eyes　and　fair
complexion。　You　can't　conceive　what　a　bloom　the
country　has　given　me；　I　really　begin　to　look　more
like　a　milk…maid　than　a　lady。　Dear；　good　aunt
Margaret　has　been　quite　sick　since　you　left　us；　and
for　two　days　I　was　hardly　out　of　her　room；　this　has
put　me　back　a　little　in　colour；　or　I　should　be　as
ruddy　as　the　morn。　But　nothing　ought　ever　to　tempt
me　to　neglect　my　aunt；　and　I　hope　nothing　ever
will。　Be　assured　that　I　shall　beg　her　to　write　you　to
spend　the　winter　with　us；　for　I　feel　already　that
without　you　life　is　a　perfect　blank。　You　indeed　must
have　something　to　enliven　it　with　a　little　in　your
new　companions；　but　here　is　nobody；　just　now；　but
Charles　Weston。　Yet　he　is　an　excellent　companion；
and　does　every　thing　he　can　to　make　us　all　happy
and　comfortable。　Heigho！　how　I　do　wish　I　could　see
you；　my　Anna；　and　spend　one　sweet　half　hour　in
the　dear　confidence　of　mutual　sympathy。　But　lie
quiet；　my　throbbing　heart；　the　day　approaches
when　I　shall　meet　my　friend　again；　and　more　than
receive　a　reward　for　all　our　griefs。　Ah！　Anna；　never
betray　your　Julia；　and　write　to　me　FULLY；
CONFIDINGLY；　and　often。

〃Yours；　with　all　the　tenderness　of　friendship　that　is
founded　on　mutual　sympathy；　congenial　souls；　and
innate　evidence　of　worth。
JULIA。〃

〃P。S。　I　should　like　to　know　whether　Antonio　has　any
scars　in　his　face；　and　what　battles　he　was　in。　Only
think；　my　dear；　poor　Charles　Weston　was　frightened
by　a　clap　of　thunderbut　Charles　has　an　excellent
heart。〃

This　letter　was　written　and　read；　sealed　and　kissed；
when　Miss　Emmerson　tapped　gently　at　the　door　of
her　niece　and　begged　admission。　Julia　flew　to　open
it；　and　received　her　aunt　with　the　guileless　pleasure
her　presence　ever　gave　her。　A　few　words　of
introductory　matter　were　exchanged；　when；　being
both　seated　at　their　needles　again；　Miss　Emmerson
asked

〃To　whom　have　you　been　writing；　my　love？〃

〃To　my　Anna。〃

〃Do　you　recollect；　my　child；　that　in　writing　to　Miss
Miller；　you　are　writing　to　one　out　of　your　own
family；　and　whose　interests　are　different　from
yours？〃

〃I　do　not　understand　you；　aunt；〃　cried　Julia　in
surprise。

〃I　mean　that　you　should　be　guarded　in　your
correspondencetell　no　secrets　out〃

〃Tell　no　secrets　to　my　Anna！〃　exclaimed　th