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that increase the number of the assailants, without
promoting the victory. It is certain that many a fair
one played that evening in order that Mr. Delafield
might applaud; that some sighed that he might
hear, and others ogled that he might sigh: but not
one made the impression that the quiet, speaking
eye, and artless but peaceful nature of Charlotte
produced on the youth. While this novel feeling was
gaining ground in the bosom of Mr. Delafield,
Charlotte saw nothing in her new acquaintance but
a gentleman of extraordinary personal beauty,
agreeable manners, and graceful address--qualities
that are always sure to please, and, not unusually,
to captivate. But to her he was a stranger; and
Charlotte, who never thought or reasoned on the
subject, would have been astonished had one
seriously spoken of her loving him. The road to
conquest with her lay through her heart, and was
but little connected with her imagination.
"Heigho! George," cried Maria, as he approached,
"you have given me the dolefuls."
"And me both pleasure and pain," said Charlotte.
"Why the latter?" asked the youth, quickly.
"Surely it was imprudent in you to play, with such a
Page 79
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
cold."
The lip of the youth quivered, and a smile of
mournful and indefinable meaning passed over his
features, but he continued silent.
"It is to be hoped it had one good effect at least,"
continued Maria.
"Such as what?"
"Such as putting the little dears to sleep in the
nursery, which is directly over our heads."
"It is well if I have done that little good," said
George.
"You have brought tears into eyes that never
should weep," cried Delafield, "and melancholy to a
countenance that seems formed by nature to
convey an idea of peaceful content."
Morton looked earnestly at the speaker for a
moment, when a painful feeling seemed suddenly
to seize on his heart--for his cheek grew paler, and
his lip quivered with an agitation that apparently he
could not control. Charlotte alone noticed the
alteration, and, speaking in a low tone, she said--
"Do go home, George; you are far from being well--
to oblige me, go home."
"To oblige you, I would do much more unwelcome
biddings," he replied, with a slight colour; "but I
believe you are right; and, having discharged my
duty here, I will retire."
He rose, and, paying the customary compliments to
the mistress of the mansion, withdrew. With him
disappeared all the awakened interest of Charlotte
in the scene.
In vain was Seymour Delafield attentive, polite, and
even particularly so. That devotedness of
admiration for which so many sighed, and which so
many envied, was entirely thrown away upon
Charlotte. She listened, she bowed, and she
smiled--and, sometimes, she answered; but it was
evidently without meaning or interest, until,
wearied with his fruitless efforts to make an
impression, and perhaps with a hope of exciting a
little jealousy, he turned his attention to her more
lively companion.
"Your mother's nursery, Miss Osgood," he cried,
"ought on such an occasion to be tenantless."
"You think there are enough of us here to make it
so," returned the lady, with an affected sigh.
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ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"I really had not observed the number of your
charming family--how many are there of you?"
"A baker's dozen." Charlotte laughed, and the youth
felt mortified. The laugh was natural, and clearly
extorted, without a thought of himself.
"When you are all married," he said, "you will form
a little world in yourselves."
"When the sky falls we shall catch larks."
{When the sky.... = an old proverb, found in
English, French, and even Latin, meaning that the
idea or proposal is absurd}
"Surely, you intend to marry?"
Maria made no reply, but turned her eyes on
Delafield, with an affected expression of
melancholy that excited another laugh in her friend.
"You certainly have made no rash vow on the
subject," continued Seymour, pretending to a slight
interest in her answer.
"My troth is not yet plighted," said the lady, a little
archly.
"But there is no telling how long it will continue
so."
"I am afraid so--thirteen is a dreadful divisor for a
small family estate."
A general movement in the party was gladly seized
by Charlotte as an excuse to go, and Delafield
handed her to her carriage, with the mortifying
conviction that she was utterly indifferent to every
thing but the civility of the act.
CHAPTER III.
IT was quite early on the following morning, when
Mr. Delafield rung at the door of the house in which
the father of Miss Henly resided. The gentleman
had obtained the permission of the young lady, the
preceding evening, to put himself on the list of her
visiting acquaintance, and a casual introduction to
both of Charlotte's parents had smoothed the way
to this intimacy. It is certain, that, much as Mr. and [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
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that increase the number of the assailants, without
promoting the victory. It is certain that many a fair
one played that evening in order that Mr. Delafield
might applaud; that some sighed that he might
hear, and others ogled that he might sigh: but not
one made the impression that the quiet, speaking
eye, and artless but peaceful nature of Charlotte
produced on the youth. While this novel feeling was
gaining ground in the bosom of Mr. Delafield,
Charlotte saw nothing in her new acquaintance but
a gentleman of extraordinary personal beauty,
agreeable manners, and graceful address--qualities
that are always sure to please, and, not unusually,
to captivate. But to her he was a stranger; and
Charlotte, who never thought or reasoned on the
subject, would have been astonished had one
seriously spoken of her loving him. The road to
conquest with her lay through her heart, and was
but little connected with her imagination.
"Heigho! George," cried Maria, as he approached,
"you have given me the dolefuls."
"And me both pleasure and pain," said Charlotte.
"Why the latter?" asked the youth, quickly.
"Surely it was imprudent in you to play, with such a
Page 79
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
cold."
The lip of the youth quivered, and a smile of
mournful and indefinable meaning passed over his
features, but he continued silent.
"It is to be hoped it had one good effect at least,"
continued Maria.
"Such as what?"
"Such as putting the little dears to sleep in the
nursery, which is directly over our heads."
"It is well if I have done that little good," said
George.
"You have brought tears into eyes that never
should weep," cried Delafield, "and melancholy to a
countenance that seems formed by nature to
convey an idea of peaceful content."
Morton looked earnestly at the speaker for a
moment, when a painful feeling seemed suddenly
to seize on his heart--for his cheek grew paler, and
his lip quivered with an agitation that apparently he
could not control. Charlotte alone noticed the
alteration, and, speaking in a low tone, she said--
"Do go home, George; you are far from being well--
to oblige me, go home."
"To oblige you, I would do much more unwelcome
biddings," he replied, with a slight colour; "but I
believe you are right; and, having discharged my
duty here, I will retire."
He rose, and, paying the customary compliments to
the mistress of the mansion, withdrew. With him
disappeared all the awakened interest of Charlotte
in the scene.
In vain was Seymour Delafield attentive, polite, and
even particularly so. That devotedness of
admiration for which so many sighed, and which so
many envied, was entirely thrown away upon
Charlotte. She listened, she bowed, and she
smiled--and, sometimes, she answered; but it was
evidently without meaning or interest, until,
wearied with his fruitless efforts to make an
impression, and perhaps with a hope of exciting a
little jealousy, he turned his attention to her more
lively companion.
"Your mother's nursery, Miss Osgood," he cried,
"ought on such an occasion to be tenantless."
"You think there are enough of us here to make it
so," returned the lady, with an affected sigh.
Page 80
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"I really had not observed the number of your
charming family--how many are there of you?"
"A baker's dozen." Charlotte laughed, and the youth
felt mortified. The laugh was natural, and clearly
extorted, without a thought of himself.
"When you are all married," he said, "you will form
a little world in yourselves."
"When the sky falls we shall catch larks."
{When the sky.... = an old proverb, found in
English, French, and even Latin, meaning that the
idea or proposal is absurd}
"Surely, you intend to marry?"
Maria made no reply, but turned her eyes on
Delafield, with an affected expression of
melancholy that excited another laugh in her friend.
"You certainly have made no rash vow on the
subject," continued Seymour, pretending to a slight
interest in her answer.
"My troth is not yet plighted," said the lady, a little
archly.
"But there is no telling how long it will continue
so."
"I am afraid so--thirteen is a dreadful divisor for a
small family estate."
A general movement in the party was gladly seized
by Charlotte as an excuse to go, and Delafield
handed her to her carriage, with the mortifying
conviction that she was utterly indifferent to every
thing but the civility of the act.
CHAPTER III.
IT was quite early on the following morning, when
Mr. Delafield rung at the door of the house in which
the father of Miss Henly resided. The gentleman
had obtained the permission of the young lady, the
preceding evening, to put himself on the list of her
visiting acquaintance, and a casual introduction to
both of Charlotte's parents had smoothed the way
to this intimacy. It is certain, that, much as Mr. and [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]