tales for fifteen-第11部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


passed；　and　gave　any　thing　but　encomiums　on　the
smoothness　of　the　road　they　were　travelling。　In　the
latter　particular；　even　the　quiet　spirit　of　Miss
Emmerson　joined　him；　and　Julia　herself　was
occasionally　made　sensible　that　she　was　not
reposing　〃on　a　bed　of　roses。〃

｛sterile　grounds　=　the　sandy　〃pine　barrens〃
between　Albany　and　Schenectady　were　notorious　for
their　lack　of　scenic　beauty｝

〃Do　I　drive　too　fast　for　the　ladies？〃　asked　Antonio；
on　hearing　a　slight　complaint　and　a　faint　scream　in
the　soft　voice　of　Julia。　Oh；　how　considerate　he　is！
thought　our　heroinehow　tender！without　his　care
I　certainly　should　have　been　killed　in　this　rude
place。　It　was　expected　that　as　she　had　complained；
she　would　answer；　and　after　a　moment　employed　in
rallying　her　senses　for　the　undertaking；　she　replied
in　a　voice　of　breathing　melody

〃Oh！　no；　Antonio；　you　are　very　considerate。〃

For　a　world　Julia　could　not　have　said　more；　and
Miss　Emmerson　thought　that　she　had　said　quite　as
much　as　the　occasion　required；　but　Miss　Emmerson；
it　will　be　remembered；　supposed　their　driver　to　be
Anthony　Sandford。　The　hero；　himself；　on　hearing
such　a　gentle　voice　so　softly　replying　to　his
question；　could　not　refrain　from　turning　his　face
into　the　carriage；　and　Julia　felt　her　own　eyes　lower
before　his　earnest　gaze；　while　her　cheeks　burned
with　the　blushes　that　suffused　them。　But　the　look
spoke　volumeshe　understands　my　〃Antonio；〃
thought　Julia；　and　perceives　that；　to　me；　he　is　no
longer　unknown。　That　expressive　glance　has　opened
between　us　a　communication　that　will　cease　but
with　our　lives。　Julia　now　enjoyed；　for　the　remainder
of　their　journey　to　Mr。　Miller's；　one　of　the　greatest
pleasures　of　loveunsuspected　by　others；　she　could
hold　communion　with　him　who　had　her　heart；　by　the
eyes；　and　a　thousand　tender　and　nameless　little
offices　which　give　interest　to　affection；　and　zest　to
passion。

They　had　now　got　half　way　between　the　two　cities；
and　Charles　took　a　seat　by　the　side　of　the　driver；
with　the　intention；　as　he　expressed　himself；　of
stretching　his　legs：　the　carriage　was　open　and　light；
so　that　all　of　the　figures　of　the　two　young　men
could　be　seen　by　the　ladies；　as　well　as　their
conversation　heard。　Charles　never　appeared　to　less
advantage　in　his　person；　thought　Julia；　than　now；
seated　by　the　side　of　the　manly　and　noble　Antonio。
The　figure　of　Charles　was　light；　and　by　no　means
without　grace；　yet　it　did　not　strike　the　fancy　of　our
heroine　as　so　fit　to　shield　and　support　her　through
life；　as　the　more　robust　person　of　his　companion。
Julia　herself　was；　in　form；　the　counterpart　of　her
mindshe　was　light；　airy；　and　beautifully　softened
in　all　her　outlines。　It　was　impossible　to　mistake　her
for　any　thing　but　a　lady；　and　one　of　the　gentlest
passions　and　sentiments。　She　felt　her　own
weakness；　and　would　repose　it　on　the　manly
strength　of　Antonio。

〃Which　do　you　call　the　best　of　your　horses？〃　asked
Charles；　so　soon　as　he　had　got　himself　comfortably
seated。

〃The　offbut　both　are　true　as　steel；〃　was　the
laconic　reply。　The　comparison　was　new　to　Julia；　and
it　evidently　denoted　a　mind　accustomed　to　the
contemplation　of　arms。

〃How　long　have　you　followed　the　business　of　a
driver；　Tony？〃　said　Charles；　in　the　careless　manner
of　a　gentleman　when　he　wishes　to　introduce
familiarity　with　an　inferior；　by　seeming　to　take　an
interest　in　the　other's　affairs。　Julia　felt　indignant　at
the　freedom　of　his　manner；　and　particularly　at　the
epithet　of　〃Tony〃yet　her　lover　did　not　in　the　least
regard　eitheror　rather　his　manner　exhibited　no
symptoms　of　displeasurehe　has　made　up　his
mind；　thought　Julia；　to　support　his　disguise；　and　it
is　best　for　us　both　that　he　should。

〃Ever　since　I　was　sixteen　I　have　been　used　to
horses；〃　was　the　reply　of　Antonio　to　the　question　of
CharlesJulia　smiled　at　the　ambiguity　of　the
answer；　and　was　confirmed　in　her　impression　that
he　had　left　college　at　that　age　to　serve　in　the
cavalry。

〃You　must　understand　them　well　by　this　time；〃
continued　Charles；　glancing　his　eye　at　his
companion　as　if　to　judge　of　his　years〃You　must　be
forty〃Julia　fidgeted　a　little　at　this　guess　of
Charles；　but　soon　satisfied　herself　with　the
reflection　that　his　disguise　contributed　to　the　error。

〃My　age　is　very　deceiving；〃　said　the　man；　〃I　have
seen　great　hardships　in　my　time；　both　of　body　and
mind。〃

Here　Julia　could　scarcely　breathe　through　anxiety。
Every　syllable　that　he　uttered　was　devoured　with
eager　curiosity　by　the　enamoured　girlhe　knew　that
she　was　a　listener；　and　that　she　understood　his
disguise；　and　doubtless　meant；　in　that　indirect
manner；　to　acquaint　her　with　the　incidents　of　his
life。　It　was　clear　that　he　indicated　his　age　to　be
less　than　what　his　appearance　would　have　led　her
to　believehis　sufferings；　his　cruel　sufferings　had
changed　him。

〃The　life　of　a　coachman　is　not　hard；〃　said　Charles。

〃No；　sir；　far　from　itbut　I　have　not　been　a
coachman　all　my　life。〃

Nothing　could　be　plainer　than　thisit　was　a　direct
assertion　of　his　degradation　by　the　business　in
which　he　was　then　engaged。

〃In　what　manner　did　you　lose　your　eye；　Tony；〃　said
Charles；　in　a　tone　of　sympathy　that　Julia　blessed
him　for　in　her　heart；　although　she　knew　that　the
member　was　uninjured；　and　only　hidden　to　favour
his　disguise。　Antonio　hesitated　a　little　in　his
answer；　and　stammered　while　giving　it〃It　was　in
the　wars；〃　at　length　he　got　out；　and　Julia　admired
the　noble　magnanimity　which　would　not　allow　him；
even　in　imagination；　to　suffer　in　a　less　glorious
mannernotwithstanding　his　eye　is　safe　and　as
beautiful　as　the　other；　he　has　suffered　in　the　wars；
thought　our　heroine；　and　it　is　pardonable　for　him　to
use　the　deception；　situated　as　he　isit　is　nothing
more　than　an　equivoque。　But　this　was　touching
Charles　on　a　favourite　chord。　Little　of　a　hero　as
Julia　fancied　him　to　be；　he　delighted　in　conversing
about　the　war　with　those　men；　who；　having　acted　in
subordinate　stations；　would　give　a　different　view　of
the　subject　from　the　official　accounts；　in　which　he
was　deeply　read。　It　was　no　wonder；　therefore；　that
he　eagerly　seized　on　the　present　opportunity　to
relieve　the　tedium　of　a　ride　between　Albany　and
Schenectady。

｛equivoque　=　double　meaning；　a　pun｝

〃In　what　battle；〃　asked　Charles；　quickly；　〃by　sea　or
by　land？〃

〃By　sea；〃　said　Antonio；　speaking　to　his　horses；　with
an　evident　unwillingness　to　say　any　more　on　the
subject。

Ah！　the　deception；　and　the　idea　of　his　friend
Lawrence；　are　too　much　for　his　sensibility；　thought
Julia；　and　to　relieve　him　she　addressed　Charles
herself。

〃How　far　are　we　from　Schenectady；　cousin　Charles？〃

Antonio；　certainly；　was　not　her　cousin　Charles；　but
as　if　he　thought　the　answering　such　questions　to　be
his　peculiar　province；　he　replied　immediately

〃Four　miles；　ma'am；　there's　the　stone。〃

There　was　nothing　in　the　answer　itself；　or　the
manner　of　its　delivery；　to　attract　notice　in　an
unsuspecting　listener；　but　by　Julia　it　was　well
understoodit　was　the　first　time　he　had　ever
spoken　directly　to　herselfit　was　a　new　era　in　their
livesand　his　body　turned　half　round　toward　her　as
he　spoke；　showed　his　manly　form　to　great
advantage；　but　the　impressive　and　dignified
manner　in　which　he　dropped　his　whip　towards　the
mile…stone；　Julia　felt　that　she　never　could　forgetit
was　intended　to　mark　the　spot　where　he　had　first
addressed　her。　He　had　chosen　it　with　taste。　The
stone　stood　under　the　shade　of　a　solitary　oak；　and
might　easily　be　fancied　to　be　a　monument　erected
to　commemorate　some　important　event　in　the　lives
of　our　lovers。　Julia　ran　over　in　her　mind　the　time
when　she　should　pay　an　annual　visit　to　that
hallowed　place；　and　leaning　on　the　arm　of　her
majestic　husband；　murmur　in　his　ear；　〃Here；　on　this
loved　spot；　did　Antonio　first　address　his　happy；
thrice　happy　Julia。〃

〃Well；　Tony；〃　said　the　mild　voice　of　Miss　Emmerson；
〃the　sun　is　near　setting；　let　us　go　the　four　miles　as
fast　as　you　please。〃

〃I'm　sure；　ma'am；〃　said　Antonio；　with　profound
respect；　〃you　don't　want　to　get　in　more　than　I　do；
for　I　had　no　sleep　all　last　night；　I'll　not　keep　you
out　one　minute　after　night〃so　saying；　he　urged　his
horses　to　a　fast　trot；　and　was　quite　us　good　as　his
word。　How　delicate　in　his　attentions；　and　yet　how
artfully　has　he　concealed　his　anxiety　on　my　account
under　a　feigned　desire　for　sleep；　thought　Julia。

If　any　thing　had　been　wanting　either　to　convince
Julia　of　the　truth　of　her　conjecture；　or　to　secure　the
conquest　of　Antonio；　our　heroine　felt　that　this　short
ride　had　abundantly　supplied　it。



CHAPTER　VI。

THE　following　day　our　travellers　were　on　the　road
before　the　sun；　and　busily　pursued　their　route
through　the　delightful　valley　of　the　Mohawk。　It　was
now　that　Julia；　in　some　measure　accustomed　to　her
proximity　to　her　hero；　began　to　enjoy　the　beauties
of　the　scenery；　her　eye　dwelt　with　rapture　on　each
opening　glimpse　that　they　caught　of　the　river；　and
took　in　its　gaze　meadows　of　never…failing　verdure；
which　were　beautifully　interspersed　with　elms　that
seemed　coeval　with　the　country　itself。　Occasionally
she　would　draw　the　attention　of　her　aunt　to　some
view　of　particular　interest；　and　if　her　eager　voice
caught　the　attention　of　Antonio；　and　he　turned　to
gaze；　to　ponder；　and　to　admirethen　Julia　felt
happy　indeed；　for　then　it　was　that　she　felt　the
indescribable　bliss　of　sharing　our　pleasures　with
those　we　love。　What　heart　of　sensibility　has　stood
and　coldly　gazed　on　a　scene　over　which　the　eye；
that　it　loves　to　admire；　is　roving　with　delight？　Who
is　there　that　has　yet　to　learn；　that　if　the　strongest
bond　to　love　is　propinquity；　so　is　its　tenderest　tie；
sympathy？　In　this　manner　did　our　lovely　heroine
pass　a　day　of　hitherto　untasted　bliss。　Antonio
would　frequently　stop　his　horses　on　the　summit　of
a　hill；　and　Julia　understood　the　motive；　turning　her
looks　in　the　direction　in　which　she　saw　the　eye　of
her　lover　bent；　she　would　sit　in　silent　and　secret
communion　with　his　feelings。　In　vain　Charles
endeavoured　to　catch　her　attentionhis　remarks
were　unnoticed；　and　his　simple　efforts　to　please
disregarded。　At　length；　as　they　advanced　towards
the　close　of　their　day's　ride；　Charles；　observing　a
mountain　obtruding　itself　directly　ac