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tales for fifteen-第11部分

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young man; who slightly touched his hat; and gave
him a familiar nod in returnJulia; unconsciously;
bent her body; and felt her cheeks glow with
confusion as she rose again。 She could not muster
resolution to raise her eyes towards the sloop; but
by a kind of instinctive coquetry dragged her
companion to the other side of the boat。 As soon
as she was able to recover her composure; Julia
revolved in her mind the scene which had just
occurred。 She had seen Antonioevery thing about
him equalled her expectationseven at the
distance; she had easily discerned the noble dignity
of his mannershis eye gave assurance of his
conscious worthhis very attitude was that of a
gentleman。 Not to know him for a man of birth; of
education and of fortune; Julia felt to her would be
impossible; and she trembled lest others; as
discerning as herself; should discover his disguise;
and she in consequence be covered with confusion。
She earnestly hoped his incog。 would ever remain
unknown; for her delicacy shrunk at the publicity
and notoriety which would then attend his
attachment。 It was certainly delightful to be loved;
and so lovedto be attended; and so attended; but
the heart of Julia was too unpractised to relish the
laugh and observations of a malignant world。 〃No;
my Antonio;〃 she breathed internally; 〃hover around
me; shield me from impending dangers; delight me
with your presence; and enchant me with your eye;
but claim me in the guise of a gentleman and a
hero; that no envious tongue may probe the secrets
of our love; nor any profane scoffer ridicule those
sensitive pleasures that he is too unsentimental to
enjoy。〃 With these; and similar thoughts; did Julia
occupy herself; until Charles pointed out to her the
majestic entrance to the Highlands。 Our heroine;
who was truly alive to all the charms of nature;
gazed with rapture as the boat plunged between
the mountains on either hand; and turned a wistful
gaze down the river; in the vain hope that Antonio
might; at the same moment; be enjoying the
scenebut the sluggish sloop was now far behind;
and the eye of Antonio; bright as it was; could not
pierce the distance。 Julia felt rather relieved than
otherwise; when the vessel which contained her
hero was hid from view by a mountain that they
doubled。 Her feelings were much like those of a girl
who had long anxiously waited the declaration of a
favourite youth; had received it; and acknowledged
her own partiality。 She felt all the assurance of her
conquest; and would gladly; for a time; avoid the
shame of her own acknowledgment。 The passage up
the Hudson furnishes in itself so much to charm the
eye of a novice; that none but one under the
extraordinary circumstances of our heroine; could
have beheld the beauties of the river unmoved。 If
Julia did not experience quite as much rapture in
the journey as she had anticipated; she attributed
it to the remarkably delicate situation she was in
with her lover; and possibly to a dread of his being
detected。 An officer of his rank and reputation must
be well known; thought she; and he may meet with
acquaintances every where。 However; by the
attention of Charles; she passed the day with a
very tolerable proportion of pleasure。 Their arrival
at Albany was undistinguished by any remarkable
event; though Julia looked in vain through the
darkness of the night; in quest of the fertile
meadows and desert islands which Anna had
mentioned in her letter。 Even the river seemed
straight and uninteresting。 But Julia was tiredit
was nightand Antonio was absent。

The following morning Miss Emmerson and her
niece; attended by Charles; took a walk to examine
the beauties of Albany。 It did not strike our heroine
as being so picturesque as it had her friend; still it
had novelty; and that lent it many charms it might
have wanted on a more intimate acquaintance。
Their forenoon; however; exhausted the beauties of
this charming town; and they had returned to the
inn; and the ladies were sitting in rather a listless
state when Charles entered the room with a look of
pleasure; and cried 〃he is here。〃

〃Who!〃 exclaimed Julia; starting; and trembling like
an aspen。

〃He!Tony;〃 said Charles; in reply。

Julia was unable to say any more; but her aunt;
without noticing her agitation; asked mildly; 〃And
who is Tony?〃

〃Why Anthony; the driverhe is here and wishes to
see you。〃

〃Show him up; Charles; and let us learn when he
will be ready to go on。〃

This was an awful moment to Juliashe was on the
eve of being confronted; in a room; for the first
time; with the man on whom she felt that her
happiness or misery must depend。 Although she
knew the vast importance to her of good looks at
such a moment; she looked unusually illshe was
pale from apprehension; and awkward and
ungraceful from her agitation。 She would have given
the world to have got out of the room; but this was
impossiblethere was but one door; and through
that he must come。 She had just concluded that it
was better to remain in her chair than incur the risk
of fainting in the passage; when he entered;
preceded by Charles。 His upper; and part of his
lower lip; were clean shaved; a small part of one
cheek and his nose were to be seen; all the rest of
his face was covered with hair; or hid under the
patch。 An enormous coloured handkerchief was tied;
in a particular manner; round his neck; and his coat;
made of plain materials; and somewhat tarnished
with service; was buttoned as close to his throat as
the handkerchief would allow。 In short; his whole
attire was that of a common driver of a hack
carriage; and no one who had not previously
received an intimation that his character was
different from his appearance; would at all have
suspected the deception。

〃Your name is Anthony?〃 said Miss Emmerson; as
he bowed to her with due deference。

〃Yes; ma'am; AnthonyTony Sandford;〃 was the
replyit was uttered in a vulgar nasal tone; that
Julia instantly perceived was counterfeited: but
Miss Emmerson; with perfect innocency; proceeded
in her inquiries。

〃Are your horses gentle and good; Tony?〃 adopting
the familiar nomenclature that seemed most to his
fancy。

〃As gentle as e'er a lady in the land;〃 said Tony;
turning his large black eye round the room; and
letting it dwell a moment on the beautiful face of
Juliaher heart throbbed with tumultuous emotion
at the first sound of his voice; and she was highly
amused at the ingenuity he had displayed; in
paying a characteristic compliment to her
gentleness; in this clandestine mannerif he
preserves his incognito so ingeniously he will never
be detected; thought Julia; and all will be well。

〃And the carriage;〃 continued Miss Emmerson; 〃is it
fit to carry us?〃

〃I can't say how fit it may be to carry sich ladies as
you be; but it is as good a carriage as runs out of
York。〃

Here was another delicate compliment; thought
Julia; and so artfully concealed under brutal
indifference that it nearly deceived even herself。

〃When will you be ready to start?〃 asked Miss
Emmerson。

〃This moment;〃 was the prompt reply〃we can
easily reach Schenectady by sundown。〃

Here Julia saw the decision and promptitude of a
soldier used to marches and movements; besides
an eager desire to remove her from the bustle of a
large town and thoroughfare; to a retirement where
she would be more particularly under his protection。
Miss Emmerson; on the other hand; saw nothing but
the anxiety of a careful hireling; willing to promote
the interest of his master; who was to be paid for
his conveyance by the jobso differently do sixty
and sixteen judge the same actions! At all events;
the offer was accepted; and the man ordered to
secure the baggage; and prepare for their
immediate departure。

〃Why don't you help Antonio on with the baggage;
Charles?〃 said Julia; as she stood looking at the
driver tottering under the weight of the trunks。
Charles stared a moment with surprisethe name
created no astonishment; but the request did。 Julia
had a habit of softening names; that were rather
harsh in themselves; to which he was accustomed。
Peter she called Pierre; Robert was Rubert {sic};
and her aunt's black footman Timothy; she had
designated as Timotheus: but it was not usual for
ladies to request gentlemen to perform menial
officesuntil; recollecting that Julia had expressed
unusual solicitude concerning a dressing…box that
contained Anna's letters; he at once supposed it
was to that she wished him to attend。 Charles left
the room; and superintended the whole
arrangements; when once enlisted。 Julia now felt
that every doubt of the identity of her lover with
this coachman was removed。 He had ingeniously
adopted the name of Anthony; as resembling in
sound the one she herself had given him in her
letters。 This he undoubtedly had learnt from Anna
and then Sandford was very much like Stanleyhis
patch; his dress; his airevery thing about him
united to confirm her impressions; and Julia; at the
same time she resolved to conduct herself towards
him in their journey with a proper feminine reserve;
thought she could do no less to a man who
submitted to so much to serve her; than to suffer
him to perceive
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