tales for fifteen-第23部分

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so　in　feelings　also。〃

〃Surely；　George；　you　are　alarming　yourself
unnecessarily。〃

〃I　am　not　alarmed；〃　he　replied；　〃I　have　too　long
foreseen　this　event；　to　feel　alarmed　at　my
approaching　dissolutionno；　for　that；　blessed　be
my　God　and　my　Redeemer；　I　am　in　some　degree
prepared；　but　I　feel　it　impossible　to　shake　off　the
feelings　of　this　life　while　the　pulse　continues　to
beat；　and　yet　the　emotions　I　now　experience　must
be　in　some　measure　allied　to　heaven；　they　are　not
impure；　they　are　not　selfish；　nothing　can　partake　of
either；　dear　Charlotte；　where　your　image　is
connected　with　the　thoughts　of　a　future　world。〃

〃Oh；　George！　talk　not　so　gloomily；　so　cruelly；　this
morningyour　whole　countenance　contradicts　your
melancholy　speech；　and　you　are　betterindeed　you
are；you　must　be　better。〃

〃Yes；　I　am　better；　I　am　nearly　well；〃　returned　the
youth；　pausing　a　moment；　while　a　struggle　of　the
most　painful　interest　seemed　to　engross　his
thoughts。　As　it　passed　away；　he　drew　his　hand
feebly　across　his　clammy　brow；　and；　smiling　faintly；
resumed　his　speech；〃on　the　brink　of　the　grave；　at
a　moment　when　all　thoughts　of　me　must　be
connected　with　the　image　of　death；　there　can　no
longer　be　any　necessity　for　silence。　You　have　been
kind　to　us；　dear　Miss　Henley；　as　you　are　kind　to　all；
but　to　me　your　sympathy　has　been　trebly　dear；　for
it　has　brought　with　it　a　consolation　and　pleasure
that　you　but　little　imagine。〃

Miss　Henley　raised　her　tearful　eyes　from　the　floor　to
his　wan　features；　that　now　appeared　illumined　with
more　than　human　fires；　and　her　pale　lips　quivered；
but　her　voice　was　inaudible。

〃Yes；　Charlotte；　I　may　now　speak　without　injustice；
or　the　fear　of　being　selfish：　I　have　long　loved　you
how　tenderly；　how　purely；　none　can　ever　know；　but
could　I；　with　a　certainty　of　my　fate　before　my　eyes；
with　the　knowledge　that　my　days　were　numbered；
and　that　the　sun　of　my　life　could　never　reach　its
meridian；　woo　you　to　my　love；　to　make　you
miserable！　No；　dearest！　your　gentle　heart　will
mourn　the　brother　and　the　friend　too　much　for　its
own　peace；　it　needed　not　the　sting　of　a　stronger
grief。〃

〃George；　George；〃　sobbed　the　convulsed　girl；　〃think
not　of　me；　speak　not　of　meif　it　can　cheer　you　at
such　a　moment　to　know　how　much　you　are　valued
by　me；　no　cold　reserve　shall　be　found　on　my　part。〃

The　young　man　started；　and　fastened　his　eyes　on
her　face　with　an　indefinable　look　of　delight　mingled
with　sorrow。

〃Charlotte！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃do　I　hear　aright？　am　I
so　miserable！　am　I　so　happy！　repeat　those　words
quickmy　eyes　grow　dimmy　senses　deceive　me。〃

〃Live；　George　Morton；〃　said　Charlotte　firmly：　〃you
are　betteryour　whole　face　bespeaks　it；　and　if　the
tender　care　of　an　affectionate　wife　can　preserve
your　health；　you　shall　long　live　a　blessing　to　all
who　love　you。〃

As　Charlotte　uttered；　thus　ingenuously；　her　pure
attachment；　the　youth　extended　his　hand　towards
her　blindly。　She　gave　him　her　own；　which　he　drew　to
his　heart；　and　folded　to　his　bosom　with　a　warm
pressure　for　an　instant；　when　his　hold　relaxed；　his
form　dropping　backward　on　the　sofa；　and　in　that
attitude　he　expired　without　a　struggle。

We　shall　not　dwell　on　the　melancholy　scene　that
followed。　At　the　funeral　of　George　Morton　Miss
Henley　was　not　to　be　seen；　nor　was　it　generally
understood　that　the　young　people　had　been
connected　in　the　closest　ties　of　feeling。　She　made
no　display　of　her　grief　in　her　dress；　unless　the
slight　testimonials　of　a　few　bright　ribbands　on　the
virgin　white　of　her　robe　could　be　called　such；　and
the　rumour　that　was　at　first　propagated　of　their
being　engaged　to　each　other　was　discredited；
because　the　traces　of　sorrow　were　not　particularly
visible　in　the　attire　of　Miss　Henley。　When　the
season　of　gaiety　returned；　she　appeared　as　usual　in
her　place　in　society。　Though　her　cheeks　were
seldom　enriched　with　the　faint　glow　that　once
rendered　her　so　beautiful；　and　she　was　less
dazzling　in　her　appearance；　yet；　if　possible；　she
was　more　lovely　and　attractive。　In　the　course　of　the
winter；　several　gentlemen　approached　her　with　the
evident　intention　of　offering　their　hands。　Their
advances　were　received　with　great　urbanity；　but　in
most　instances　with　that　unembarrassed　manner
that　is　fatal　to　hope。　One　of　her　admirers；　however；
persevered　so　far　as　to　solicit　her　hand：　the　denial
was　mild；　but　resolute；　like　most　young　men　who
think　their　happiness　dependent　on　a　lady's　smile；
he　wished　to　know　if　he　had　a　successful　rival。　He
was　assured　he　had　not。　His　curiosity　even　went　so
far　as　to　inquire　if　Miss　Henley　had　abjured
matrimony。　The　answer　was　a　simple；　unaffected
negative。　Amazed　at　his　own　want　of　success；　the
youth　then　intimated　his　intention　of　making　a
future　application　for　her　favour。

In　the　mean　time；　Seymour　Delafield；　after　casting
one　longing；　lingering　look　at　Miss　Henley；　became
the　husband　of　her　friend；　and　made　the　fourteenth
in　the　prolific　family　of　the　Osgoods；　where　his
wealth　was　not　less　agreeable　to　the　parents；　than
his　person　to　the　daughter。

Many　years　have　rolled　by　since　the　occurrence　of
these　events；　and　Miss　Henley　continues　the　same
in　every　thing　but　appearance。　The　freshness　of　her
beauty　has　given　place　to　a　look　of　intelligence。
and　delicacy　that　seems　gradually　fitting　her　for　her
last　and　most　important　change。　The　name　of
George　Morton　is　never　heard　to　pass　her　lips。　Mrs。
Delafield　declares　it　to　be　a　subject　that　she　never
dares　to　approach；　nor　in　her　repeated　refusals　of
matrimonial　offers　has　Charlotte　ever　been　known
to　allude　to　the　desolation　of　her　own　heart。　Her
father　is　dead；　but　to　her　mother　Miss　Henley　has
in　a　great　measure　supplied　his　loss。　With　her
friends　she　is　always　cheerful；　and　apparently
happy；　though　the　innocent　gaiety　of　her　childhood
is　sensibly　checked；　and　there　are　moments　that
betray　the　existence　of　a　grief　that　is　only　the　more
durable；　because　it　is　less　violent。　In　short；　she
lives　a　pattern　for　her　sex；　unfettered　by　any
romantic　and　foolish　pledges；　discharging　all　the
natural　duties　of　her　years　and　station　in　an
exemplary　manner；　but　unwilling　to　incur　any　new
ones；　because　she　has　but　one　heart；　and　that　was
long　since　given　with　its　purity；　sincerity；　and　truth；
to　him　who　is　dead；　and　can　never　become　the
property　of　another。

When　Charlotte　Henley　dies；　although　she　may　not
have　fulfilled　one　of　the　principal　objects　of　her
being；　by　becoming　a　mother；　her　example　will
survive　her；　and　those　who　study　her　character　and
integrity　of　feeling；　will　find　enough　to　teach　them
what　properties　are　the　most　valuable　in　forming
that　sacred　characterwhile　her　own　sex　can　learn
that；　though　in　the　case　of　Miss　Henley；　Providence
has　denied　the　full　exercise　of　her　excellences；　it
has　at　the　same　time　rendered　her　a　striking
instance　of　female　dignity；　by　exhibiting　to　the
world　the　difference　between　affection　and　caprice；
and　by　shewing　how　much　imagination　is　inferior　to
Heart。







End