tales for fifteen-第8章

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affections　seemed　centered　in　the　members　of　her
own　family；　nor　had　she　ever　given　Julia　the　least
reason　to　believe　she　preferred　her　to　her　own
sister；　notwithstanding　that　sister　was　married；　and
beyond　the　years　of　romance。　Yet　Julia　loved　her
cousin；　and　was　hardly　ever　melancholy　or　out　of
spirits　when　in　her　company。　The　cheerful　and
affectionate　good　humour　of　Katherine　was
catching；　and　all　were　pleased　with　her；　although
but　few　discovered　the　reason。　Charles　Weston
soon　forgot　his　displeasure；　and　with　the　exception
of　Julia's　hidden　uneasiness；　the　house　was　one
quiet　scene　of　peaceful　content。　The　party　were
sitting　at　their　work　the　day　after　the　arrival　of
Katherine；　when　Julia　thought　it　a　good　opportunity
to　intimate　her　wish　to　have　the　society　of　her
friend　during　the　ensuing　winter。

〃Why　did　Mr。　Miller　give　up　his　house　in　town；　I
wonder？〃　said　Julia；　〃I　am　sure　it　was　inconsiderate
to　his　family。〃

〃Rather　say；　my　child；　that　it　was　in　consideration
to　his　children　that　he　did　so；〃　observed　Miss
Emmerson；　〃his　finances　would　not　bear　the
expense；　and　suffer　him　to　provide　for　his　family
after　his　death。〃

〃I　am　sure　a　little　money　might　be　spent　now；　to
indulge　his　children　in　society；　and　they　would　be
satisfied　with　less　hereafter；〃　continued　Julia。　〃Mr。
Miller　must　be　rich；　and　think；　aunt；　he　has　seven
grown　up　daughters　that　he　has　dragged　with　him
into　the　wilderness；　only　think；　Katherine；　how
solitary　they　must　be。〃

〃Had　I　six　sisters　I　could　be　solitary　no　where；〃　said
Katherine；　simply；　〃besides；　I　understand　that　the
country　where　Mr。　Miller　resides　is　beautiful　and
populous。〃

〃Oh！　there　are　men　and　women　enough；　I　dare　say；〃
cried　Julia；　〃and　the　family　is　largeeleven　in　the
whole；　but　they　must　feel　the　want　of　friends　in
such　a　retired　place。〃

〃What；　with　six　sisters！〃　said　Katherine；　laughing
and　shaking　her　head。

〃There　is　a　difference　between　a　sister　end　a　friend；
you　know；〃　said　Julia；　a　little　surprised。

〃Iindeed　I　have　yet　to　learn　that；〃　exclaimed　the
other；　in　a　little　more　astonishment。

〃Why　you　feel　affection　for　your　sisters　from　nature
and　habit；　but　friendship　is　voluntary；　spontaneous；
and　a　much　stronger　feelingfriendship　is　a
sentiment。〃

〃And　cannot　one　feel　this　sentiment；　as　you　call　it；
for　a　sister？〃　asked　Katherine；　smiling。

〃I　should　think　not；〃　returned　Julia；　musing；　〃I
never　had　a　sister；　but　it　appears　to　me　that　the
very　familiarity　of　sisters　would　be　destructive　to
friendship。〃

〃Why　I　thought　it　was　the　confidencethe
familiaritythe　secretswhich　form　the　very
essence　of　friendship。〃　cried　Katherine；　〃at　least　so
I　have　always　heard。〃

〃True；〃　said　Julia；　eagerly；　〃you　speak　truethe
confidence　and　the　secretsbut　not　thetheI　am
not　sure　that　I　express　myself　wellbut　the
intimate　knowledge　that　one　has　of　one's　own
sisterthat　I　should　think　would　be　destructive　to
the　delicacy　of　friendship。〃

〃Julia　means　that　a　prophet　has　never　honour　in　his
own　country；〃　cried　Charles　with　a　laugh〃a
somewhat　doubtful　compliment　to　your　sex；　ladies；
under　her　application　of　it。〃

〃But　what　becomes　of　your　innate　evidence　of　worth
in　friendship；〃　asked　Miss　Emmerson；　〃I　thought
that　was　the　most　infallible　of　all　kinds　of
testimony：　surely　that　must　bring　you　intimately
acquainted　with　each　other's　secret　foibles　too。〃

〃Oh！　nothat　is　a　species　of　sentimental
knowledge；〃　returned　Julia；　〃it　only　dwells　on　the
loftier　parts　of　the　character；　and　never　descends　to
the　minute　knowledge　which　makes　us　suffer　so
much　in　each　other's　estimation：　it　leaves　all　these
to　be　filled　by　theby　theby　thewhat　shall　I　call
it？〃

〃Imagination；〃　said　Katherine；　dryly。

〃Well；　by　the　imagination　then：　but　it　is　an
imagination　that　is　purified　by　sentiment；　and〃

〃Already　rendered　partial　by　the　innate　evidence　of
worth；〃　interrupted　Charles。

Julia　had　lost　herself　in　the　mazes　of　her　own
ideas；　and　changed　the　subject　under　a　secret
suspicion　that　her　companions　were　amusing
themselves　at　her　expense；　she；　therefore；
proceeded　directly　to　urge　the　request　of　Anna
Miller。

〃Oh！　aunt；　now　we　are　on　the　subject　of　friends；　I
wish　to　request　you　would　authorize　me　to　invite
my　Anna　to　pass　the　next　winter　with　us　in　Park…
Place。〃

〃I　confess；　my　love；〃　said　Miss　Emmerson；　glancing
her　eye　at　Katherine；　〃that　I　had　different　views　for
ourselves　next　winter：　has　not　Miss　Miller　a　married
sister　living　in　town？〃

〃Yes；　but　she　has　positively　refused　to　ask　the　dear
girl；　I　know；〃　said　Julia。　〃Anna　is　not　a　favourite
with　her　sister。〃

〃Very　odd　that；〃　said　the　aunt　gravely；　〃there　must
be　a　reason　for　her　dislike　then：　what　can　be　the
cause　of　this　unusual　distaste　for　each　other？〃

〃Oh！〃　cried　Julia；　〃it　is　all　the　fault　of　Mrs。　Welton；
they　quarrelled　about　something；　I　don't　know
what；　but　Anna　assures　me　Mrs。　Welton　is　entirely
in　fault。〃

〃Indeed！and　you　are　perfectly　sure　that　Mrs。
Welton　is　in　faultperhaps　Anna　has；　however；　laid
too　strong　a　stress　upon　the　error　of　her　sister；〃
observed　the　aunt。

〃Oh！　not　at　all；　dear　aunt。　I　can　assure　you；　on　my
own　knowledge；〃　continued　Julia；　〃Anna　was
anxious　for　a　reconciliation；　and　offered　to　come
and　spend　the　winter　with　her　sister；　but　Mrs。
Welton　declared　positively　that　she　would　not　have
so　selfish　a　creature　round　her　children：　now　this
Anna　told　me　herself　one　day；　and　wept　nearly　to
break　her　heart　at　the　time。〃

〃Perhaps　Mrs。　Welton　was　right　then；〃　said　Miss
Emmerson；　〃and　prudence；　if　not　some　other
reason；　justified　her　refusal。〃

〃How　can　you　say　so；　dear　aunt？〃　interrupted　Julia；
with　a　little　impatience；　〃when　I　tell　you　that　Anna
herselfmy　Anna；　told　me　with　her　own　lips；　here　in
this　very　house；　that　Mrs。　Welton　was　entirely　to
blame；　and　that　she　had　never　done　any　thing　in
her　life　to　justify　the　treatment　or　the　remarknow
Anna　told　me　this　with　her　own　mouth。〃

As　Julia　spoke；　the　ardour　of　her　feelings　brought
the　colour　to　her　cheeks　and　an　animation　to　her
eyes　that　rendered　her　doubly　handsome；　and
Charles　Weston；　who　had　watched　her　varying
countenance　with　delight；　sighed　as　she　concluded；
and　rising；　left　the　room。

〃I　understand　that　your　father　intends　spending　his
winter　in　Carolina；　for　his　health；〃　said　Miss
Emmerson　to　Katherine。

〃Yes；〃　returned　the　other　in　a　low　tone；　and
bending　over　her　work　to　conceal　her　feelings；
〃mother　has　persuaded　him　to　avoid　our　winter。〃

〃And　you　are　to　be　left　behind？〃

〃I　am　afraid　so；〃　was　the　modest　reply。

〃And　your　brother　and　sister　go　to　Washington
together？〃

〃That　is　the　arrangement；　I　believe。〃

Miss　Emmerson　said　no　more；　but　she　turned　an
expressive　look　on　her　ward；　which　Julia　was　too
much　occupied　with　her　thoughts　to　notice。　The
illness　of　her　father；　and　the　prospect　of　a　long
separation　from　her　sister；　were　too　much　for　the
fortitude　of　Katherine　at　any　time；　and　hastily
gathering　her　work　in　her　hand；　she　left　the　room
just　in　time　to　prevent　the　tears　which　streamed
down　her　cheeks　from　meeting　the　eyes　of　her
companions。

〃We　ought　to　ask　Katherine　to　make　one　of　our
family；　in　the　absence　of　her　mother　and　sister；〃
said　Miss　Emmerson；　as　soon　as　the　door　was
closed。

〃Ah！　yes；〃　cried　Julia；　fervently；　〃by　all　means：　poor
Katherine；　how　solitary　she　would　be　any　where
elseI　will　go　this　instant　and　ask　her。〃

〃Butstop　a　moment；　my　love；　you　will　remember
that　we　have　not　room　for　more　than　one　guest。　If
Katherine　is　asked；　Miss　Miller　cannot　be　invited。
Let　us　look　at　what　we　are　about；　and　leave
nothing　to　repent　of　hereafter。〃

〃Ah！　it　is　true；〃　said　Julia；　re…seating　herself　in
great　disappointment；　〃where　will　poor　Katherine
stay　then？〃

〃I　know　my　brother　expects　that　I　will　take　her
under　my　charge；　and；　indeed；　I　think　he　has　right
to　ask　it　of　me。〃

〃But　she　has　no　such　right　as　my　Anna；　who　is　my
bosom　friend；　you　know。　Katherine　has　a　right　here；
it　is　true；　but　it　is　only　such　a　right〃

〃As　your　own；〃　interrupted　the　aunt　gravely；　〃you
are　the　daughter　of　my　sister；　and　Katherine　is　the
daughter　of　my　brother。〃

〃Truetrueif　it　be