tales for fifteen-第5章

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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　fostering　care　cherished　his
infancy。　His　estate　was　princely；　and　his　family
noble；　being　a　wronged　branch　of　an　English
potentate。　During　his　early　youth　he　had　to　contend
against　the　machinations　of　a　malignant　uncle；　who
would　have　robbed　him　of　his　large　possessions；
and　left　him　in　black　despair；　to　have　eaten　the
bread　of　penury。　His　courage　and　understanding；
however；　conquered　this　difficulty；　and　at　the　age
of　fourteen　he　was　quietly　admitted　to　an
university。　Here　he　continued　peacefully　to　wander
amid　the　academic　bowers；　until　the　blast　of　war
rung　in　his　ears；　and　called　him　to　the　field　of
honour。　Edward　was　ever　foremost　in　the　hour　of
danger。　It　was　his　fate　to　meet　the　enemy　often；
and　as　often　did　〃he　pluck　honour　from　the　pale…
fac'd　moon。〃　He　fought　at　Chippewabled　at　the
side　of　the　gallant　Lawrence…and　nearly　laid　down
his　life　on　the　ensanguined　plains　of　Marengo。　But
it　would　be　a　fruitless　task　to　include　all　the　scenes
of　his　danger　and　his　glory。　Thanks　to　the　kind
fates　which　shield　the　lives　of　the　brave；　he　yet
lives　to　adore　my　Julia。　That　you　may　be　as　happy
as　you　deserve；　and　happier　than　your　heart…
stricken　friend；　is　the　constant　prayer　of　your
ANNA。〃

〃P。　S。　Write　me　soon；　and　make　my　very　best
respects　to　your　excellent　aunt。　It　was　laughable
enough　that　Charles　Weston　should　be　afraid　of　a
flash　of　lightning。　I　mentioned　it　to　Antonio；　who
cried；　while　manly　indignation　clouded　his　brow；
'chill　penury　repressed　his　noble　rage；　and　froze　the
genial　current　of　the　soul。'　However；　say　nothing　to
Charles　about　it；　I　charge　you。〃

｛Highlands　=　the　Hudson　Highlands；　a　mountainous
region　in　Putnam　and　Dutchess　Counties；　through
which　the　Hudson　River　passes　in　a　deep　and
picturesque　gorge；　Eolus　=　God　of　the　winds；
Boreas　=　God　of　the　North　wind；　Seneca　=　one　of
the　Finger　Lakes　in　central　New　York　State；　Grecian
king　=　both　the　Senecas　of　antiquity；　the
rhetorician　（54　BC…39　AD）　and　his　son　the
philosopher/statesman　（4　BC…65　AD）；　were；　of
course；　Romansin　any　case；　Lake　Seneca　is　named
after　the　Seneca　nation　of　the　Iroquois　Indians；
Park…Place　=　already　in　1816　a　fashionable　street　in
lower　Manhattan；　Chippewa　=　an　American　army
defeated　the　British　at　Chippewa；　in　Canada　near
Niagara　Falls；　on　July　5；　1814；　Lawrence　=　Captain
James　（〃Don't　give　up　the　ship！〃）　Lawrence　（1781…
1813）　of　the　U。S。　Frigate　Chesapeake　was　killed　on
June　1；　1813；　as　his　ship　was　captured　by　H。M。S。
Shannon　outside　Boston　harbor；　Marengo　=　battle
won　by　Napoleon　against　the　Austrians　on　June　14；
1800〃Antonio's〃　military　career　was　truly　an
amazing　one！；　pluck　honor。。。。　=　slightly　misquoted
from　Shakespeare；　〃King　Henry　IV；　Part　I；〃　Act　I；
Scene　3；　line　202；　chill　penury。。。。　=　slightly
misquoted　from　Thomas　Gray；　〃Elegy　in　a　Country
Churchyard〃　verse　13｝

Julia　fairly　gasped　for　breath　as　she　read　this
epistle：　her　very　soul　was　entranced　by　the　song。
Whatever　of　seeming　contradiction　there　might　be
in　the　letter　of　her　friend；　her　active　mind　soon
reconciled。　She　was　now　really　beloved；　and　in　a
manner　most　grateful　to　her　heartby　the　sole
power　of　sympathy　and　congenial　feelings。
Whatever　might　be　the　adoration　of　Edward
Stanley；　it　was　more　than　equalled　by　the
admiration　of　this　amiable　girl。　Her　very　soul
seemed　to　her　to　be　devoted　to　his　worship；　she
thought　of　him　constantly；　and　pictured　out　his
various　distresses　and　dangers；　she　wept　at　his
sufferings；　and　rejoiced　in　his　prosperityand　all
this　in　the　short　space　of　one　hour。　Julia　was　yet　in
the　midst　of　this　tumult　of　feeling；　when　another
letter　was　placed　in　her　hands；　and　on　opening　it
she　read　as　follows：

〃Dear　Julia；

〃I　should　have　remembered　my　promise；　and　come
out　and　spent　a　week　with　you；　had　not　one　of
Mary's　little　boys　been　quite　sick；　of　course　I　went
to　her　until　he　recovered。　But　if　you　will　ask　aunt
Margaret　to　send　for　me；　I　will　come　tomorrow　with
great　pleasure；　for　I　am　sure　you　must　find　it
solitary；　now　Miss　Miller　has　left　you。　Tell　aunt　to
send　by　the　servant　a　list　of　such　books　as　she
wants　from　Goodrich's；　and　I　will　get　them　for　her；
or　indeed　any　thing　else　that　I　can　do　for　her　or
you。　Give　my　love　to　aunt；　and　tell　her　that；
knowing　her　eyes　are　beginning　to　fail；　I　have
worked　her　a　cap；　which　I　shall　bring　with　me。
Mamma　desires　her　love　to　you　both；　and　believe
me　to　be　affectionately　your　cousin；
KATHERINE　EMMERSON。〃

This　was　well　enough；　but　as　it　was　merely　a　letter
of　business；　one　perusal；　and　that　a　somewhat
hasty　one；　was　sufficient。　Julia　loved　its　writer
more　than　she　suspected　herself；　but　there　was
nothing　in　her　manner　or　character　that　seemed
calculated　to　excite　strong　emotion。　In　short；　all
her　excellences　were　so　evident　that　nothing　was
left　dependent　on　innate　evidence；　and　our　heroine
seldom　dwelt　with　pleasure　on　any　character　that
did　not　give　a　scope　to　her　imagination。　In
whatever　light　she　viewed　the　conduct　or
disposition　of　her　cousin；　she　was　met　by　obstinate
facts　that　admitted　of　no　cavil　nor　of　any
exaggeration。

Turning　quickly；　therefore；　from　this　barren
contemplation　to　one　better　suited　to　her
inclinations；　Julia's　thoughts　resumed　the　agreeable
reverie　from　which　she　had　been　awakened。　She
also　could　paint；　and　after　twenty　trials　she　at
length　sketched　an　outline　of　the　figure　of　a　man
that　answered　to　Anna's　description；　and　satisfied
her　own　eye。　Without　being　conscious　of　the　theft；
she　had　copied　from　a　print　of　the　Apollo；　and
clothed　it　in　the　uniform　which　Bonaparte　is　said　to
have　worn。　A　small　scar　was　traced　on　the　cheek　in
such　a　manner　that　although　it　might　be　fancied　as
the　ravages　of　a　bullet；　it　admirably　answered　all
the　purposes　of　a　dimple。　Two　epaulettes　graced
the　shoulders　of　the　hero；　and　before　the　picture
was　done；　although　it　was　somewhat　at　variance
with　republican　principles；　an　aristocratical　star
glittered　on　its　breast。　Had　he　his　birth…right；
thought　Julia；　it　would　be　there　in　reality；　and　this
idea　amply　justified　the　innovation。　To　this　image；
which　it　took　several　days　to　complete；　certain
verses　were　addressed　also；　but　they　were　never
submitted　to　the　confidence　of　her　friend。　The
whole　subject　was　now　beginning　to　be　too　sacred
even　for　such　a　communication；　and　as　the　mind　of
Julia　every　hour　became　more　entranced　with　its
new　master；　her　delicacy　shrunk　from　an　exposure
of　her　weakness：　it　was　getting　too　serious　for　the
light　compositions　of　epistolary　correspondence。

We　furnish　a　copy　of　the　lines；　as　they　me　not　only
indicative　of　her　feelings；　but　may　give　the　reader
some　idea　of　the　powers　of　her　imagination。

〃Beloved　image　of　a　god…like　mind；
〃In　sacred　privacy　thy　power　I　feel；
〃What　bright　perfection　in　thy　form's　combin'd！
〃How　sure　to　injure；　and　how　kind　to　heal。

〃Thine　eagle　eye　bedazzles　e'en　the　brain；
〃Thy　gallant　brow　bespeaks　the　front　of　Jove；
〃While　smiles　enchant　me；　tears　in　torrents　rain；
〃And　each　seductive　charm　impels　to　love。

〃Ah！