tales for fifteen-第6章

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correspondencetell　no　secrets　out〃

〃Tell　no　secrets　to　my　Anna！〃　exclaimed　the　niece　in
a　species　of　horror。　〃That　would　be　a　death…blow　to
our　friendship　indeed。〃

〃Then　let　it　die；〃　said　Miss　Emmerson；　coolly；　〃the
affection　that　cannot　survive　the　loss　of　such　an
excitement；　had　better　be　suffered　to　expire　as
soon　as　possible；　or　it　may　raise　false
expectations。〃

〃Why；　dear　aunt；　in　destroying　confidence　of　this
nature；　you　destroy　the　great　object　of　friendship。
Who　ever　beard　of　a　friendship　without　secrets？〃

〃I　never　had　a　secret　in　my　life；〃　said　Miss
Emmerson　simply；　〃and　yet　I　have　had　many　a
friend。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Julia；　〃yours　must　have　been　queer
friends；　pray；　dear　aunt；　name　one　or　two　of　them。〃

〃Your　mother　was　my　friend；〃　said　Miss　Emmerson；
with　strong　emotion；　〃and　I　hope　her　daughter　also
is　one。〃

〃Me；　my　beloved　aunt！〃　cried　Julia；　throwing　herself
into　the　arms　of　Miss　Emmerson　and　bursting　into
tears；　〃I　am　more　than　a　friend；　I　am　your　child
your　daughter。〃

〃Whatever　be　the　name　you　give　it；　Julia；　you　are
very　near　and　dear　to　me；〃　said　the　aunt；　tenderly
kissing　her　charge：　〃but　tell　me；　my　love；　did　you
ever　feel　such　emotion　in　your　intercourse　with　Miss
Miller？〃

It　was　some　time　before　Julia　could　reply；　when；
having　suppressed　the　burst　of　her　feelings；　she
answered　with　a　smile

〃Oh！　that　question　is　not　fair。　You　have　brought　me
up；　nursed　me　in　sickness；　are　kind　and　good　to
me；　and　the　idea　that　you　should　suppose　I　did　not
love　you；　was　dreadfulBut　you　know　I　do。〃

〃I　firmly　believe　so；　my　child；　it　is　you　that　I　would
have　know　what　it　is　that　you　love：　I　am　satisfied
for　myself。　I　repeat；　did　Anna　Miller　ever　excite
such　emotions？〃

〃Certainly　not：　my　love　to　you　is　natural；　but　my
friendship　for　Anna　rests　on　sympathy；　and　a
perfect　knowledge　of　her　character。〃

〃I　am　glad；　however；　that　you　know　her　so　well；
since　you　are　so　intimate。　What　testimony　have
you　of　all　this　excellence？〃

〃Innate　evidence。　I　see　itI　feel　itYes；　that　is　the
best　testimonyI　feel　her　good　qualities。　Yes；　my
friendship　for　Anna　forms　the　spring　of　my
existence；　while　any　accident　or　evil　to　you　would
afflict　me　the　same　as　if　done　to　myselfthis　is
pure　nature；　you　know。〃

〃I　know　it　is　pleasing　to　learn　it；　come　from　what　it
will；〃　said　the　aunt；　smiling；　and　rising　to　withdraw。



CHAPTER　III。

SEVERAL　days　passed　after　this　conversation；　in　the
ordinary　quiet　of　a　well　regulated　family。
Notwithstanding　the　house　of　Miss　Emmerson　stood
in　the　midst　of　the　numberless　villas　that　adorn
Manhattan　Island；　the　habits　of　its　mistress　were
retiring　and　domestic。　Julia　was　not　of　an　age　to
mingle　much　in　society；　and　Anna　had　furnished　her
with　a　theme　for　her　meditations；　that　rather
rendered　her　averse　from　the　confusion　of　company。
Her　mind　was　constantly　employed　in　canvassing
the　qualities　of　the　unseen　Antonio。　Her　friend　had
furnished　her　with　a　catalogue　of　his　perfections　in
gross；　which　her　active　thoughts　were　busily
arranging　into　form　and　substance。　But　little
practised　in　the　world　or　its　disappoinments　｛sic｝；
the　visionary　girl　had　already　figured　to　herself　a
person　to　suit　these　qualities；　and　the　animal　was
no　less　pleasing；　than　the　moral　being　of　her　fancy。
What　principally　delighted　Julia　in　these
contemplations　on　the　acquaintance　of　Anna；　was
the　strong　inclination　he　had　expressed　to　know
herself。　This　flattered　her　tendency　to　believe　in
the　strength　of　mutual　sympathy；　and　the　efficacy
of　innate　evidence　of　merit。　In　the　midst　of　this
pleasing　employment　of　her　fancy；　she　received　a
second　letter　from　her　friend；　in　answer　to　the　one
we　have　already　given　to　our　readers；　it　was
couched　in　the　following　words：

〃My　own　dear　Julia；　my　Friend；

〃I　received　your　letter　with　the　pleasure　I　shall
always　hear　from　you；　and　am　truly　obliged　to　you
for　your　kind　offer　to　make　interest　with　year　aunt
to　have　me　spend　the　next　winter　in　town。　To　be
with　you；　is　the　greatest　pleasure　I　have　on　earth；
besides；　as　I　know　I　can　write　to　you　as　freely　as　I
think；　one　can　readily　tell　what　a　tiresome　place
this　must　be　to　pass　a　winter　in。　There　are；
absolutely；　but　three　young　men　in　the　whole
county　who　can　be　thought　in　any　manner　as　proper
matches　for　us；　and　one　has　no　chance　here　of
forming　such　an　association　as　to　give　a　girl　an
opportunity　of　meeting　with　her　congenial　spirit；　so
that　I　hope　and　trust　your　desire　to　see　me　will
continue　as　strong　as　mine　will　ever　be　to　see　my
Julia。　You　say　that　I　have　forgotten　to　give　you　the
description　of　our　journey　and　of　the　lakes　that　I
promised　to　send　you。　No；　my　Julia；　I　have　not
forgotten　the　promise；　nor　you；　but　the　thought　of
enjoying　such　happiness　without　your　dear
company；　has　been　too　painful　to　dwell　upon。　Of
this　you　may　judge　for　yourself。　Our　first　journey
was　made　in　the　steam…boat　to　Albany；　she　is　a
moving　world。　The　vessel　ploughs　through　the
billowy　waters　in　onward　progress；　and　the　soul　is
left　in　silent　harmony　to　enjoy　the　change。　The
passage　of　the　Highlands　is　most　delightful。　Figure
to　yourself；　my　Julia；　the　rushing　waters；　lessening
from　their　expanded　width　to　the　degeneracy　of　the
stagnant　poolrocks　rise　on　rocks　in　overhanging
mountains；　until　the　weary　eye；　refusing　its　natural
office；　yields　to　the　fancy　what　its　feeble　powers
can　never　conquer。　Clouds　impend　over　their
summits；　and　the　thoughts　pierce　the　vast　abyss。
Ah！　Julia；　these　are　moments　of　awful　romance；
how　the　soul　longs　for　the　consolations　of
friendship。　Albany　is　one　of　the　most　picturesque
places　in　the　world；　situated　most　delightfully　on
the　banks　of　the　Hudson；　which　here　meanders　in
sylvan　beauty　through　meadows　of　ever…green　and
desert　islands。　Words　are　wanting　to　paint　the
melancholy　beauties　of　the　ride　to　Schenectady；
through　gloomy　forests；　where　the　silvery　pine
waves　in　solemn　grandeur　to　the　sighings　of　Eolus；
while　Boreas　threatens　in　vain　their　firm…rooted
trunks。　But　the　lakes！　Ah！　Juliathe　lakes！　The
most　beautiful　is　the　Seneca；　named　after　a　Grecian
king。　The　limpid　water；　ne'er　ruffled　by　the　rude
breathings　of　the　wind；　shines　with　golden　tints　to
the　homage　of　the　rising　sun；　while　the　light　bark
gallantly　lashes　the　surge；　rocking　before　the
propelling　gale；　and　forcibly　brings　to　the　appalled
mind　the　fleeting　hours　of　time。　But　I　must　pause
my　pen　refuses　to　do　justice　to　the　subject；　and
the　remainder　will　furnish　us　hours　of　conversation
during　the　tedious　moments　of　the　delightful　visit
to　Park…Place。　You　speak　of　Antoniodear　girl；　with
me　the　secret　is　hallowed。　He　is　yet　here；　his　whole
thoughts　are　of　Juliafrom　my　description　only；　he
has　drawn　your　picture；　which　is　the　most　striking
in　the　world；　and　nothing　can　tear　the　dear　emblem
from　his　keeping。　He　called　here　yesterday　in　his
phaeton；　and　insisted　on　my　riding　a　few　short
miles　in　his　company：　I　assented；　for　I　knew　it　was
to　talk　of　my　friend。　He　already　feels　your　worth；
and　handed　me　the　following　verses；　which　he
begged　me　to　offer　as　the　sincere　homage　of　his
heart。　He　intends　accompanying　my　father　and　me
to　town　next　winterprovided　I　go。

〃Oh！　charming　image　of　an　artless　fair；
〃Whose　eyes；　with　lightning；　fire　the　very　soul；
〃Whose　face　portrays　the　mind；　and　ebon　hair
〃Gives　grace　and　harmony　unto　the　whole。

〃In　vain　I　gaze　entranc'd；　in　vain　deplore
〃The　leagues　that　roll　between　the　maid　and　me；
〃Lonely　I　wander　on　the　desert　shore；
〃And　Julia's　lovely　form　can　never　see。

〃But　fly；　ye　fleeting　hours；　I　beg　ye　fly；
〃And　bring　the　time　when　Anna　seeks　her　friend；
〃HasteOh　haste；　or　Edward　sure　must　die。
〃Arriveand　quickly　Edward's　sorrows　end。〃

I　know　you　will　think　with　me；　that　these　lines　are
beautiful；　and　merely　a　faint　image　of　his　manly
heart。　In　the　course　of　our　ride；　during　which　he　did
nothing　but　converse　on　your　beauty　and　merit；　he
gave　me　a　detailed　narrative　of　his　life。　It　was
long；　but　I　can　do　no　less　than　favour　you　with　an
abridgment　of　it。　Edward　Stanley　was　early　left　an
orphan：　no　father's　guardian　eye　directed　his
footsteps；　no　mother's　fosteri