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proposals。〃
〃I understand you； madamI understand you；〃 said
the young man with an offended air； 〃you wish my
absencenay； Miss Henley； hear me further。〃
〃No further； Mr。 Delafield；〃 interrupted Charlotte；
advancing to him with a kind； but unembarrassed
air； and offering her hand〃we part friends at least；
but I think； now we know each other's sentiments；
we had better separate。〃
The gentleman seized the hand she offered； and
kissed it more with the air of a lover； than of an
offended man； and left the room。 A few minutes
after he had gone； Miss Osgood re…appeared。
CHAPTER IV。
NOTWITHSTANDING the earnest injunction that
Maria had given to Mr。 Delafield to continue where
she left him； until her return； she expressed no
surprise at not finding him in the room。 The
countenance of this young lady exhibited a droll
mixture of playful mirth and sadness； she glanced
her eyes once around the apartment； and perceiving
it was occupied only by her friend； she said；
laughing
〃Well； Charlotte； when is it to be？ I think I retired
in very good season。〃
〃Perhaps you did； Maria；〃 returned the other；
without raising her face from the reflecting attitude
in which she stood〃I believe it is all very well。〃
〃Well！ you little philosopherI should think it was
excellentthatthat isif I were in your place。 I
suspected this from the moment you met。〃
〃What have you suspected； Maria？what is it you
imagine has occurred？〃
〃What！ why Seymour Delafield has been
stammeringthen he looked dolefulthen he
sighedthen he hemmedthen he said you were an
angelnay； you need not look prudish； and affect to
deny it； he got as far as that before I left the
roomthen he turned to see if I were not coming
back again to surprise himthen he fell on his
kneesthen he stretched out his handsome hand
it is too handsome for a man's hand！and said take
it； take me； take my name； and take my three
hundred thousand dollars！Now don't deny a
syllable of it till I tell your answer。〃
Charlotte smiled； and taking her work； quietly
seated herself at her table before she replied
〃You go through Cupid's exercise so dexterously；
Maria； one is led to suspect you have seen some
service。〃
〃Not under such an officer； girl！ Ah！ Colonel
Delafield； or Generalno； Field Marshal Delafield； is
an officer that might teach〃as Miss Osgood spoke
with short interruptions between her epithets； as if
in search of proper terms； she dwelt a moment on
the last word in such a manner as to give it a
particular emphasisCharlotte started； more
perhaps from the manner than the expression； and
turning her glowing face towards her friend； she
cried involuntarily
〃Is it possible that you could have overheard〃
〃What？〃
〃Nothingwhat nonsense！〃
〃Let me tell you； Miss Prude； it is in such nonsense；
however； that the happiness or misery of us poor
sports of fortune； called women； in a great measure
blooms or fadesnow that I call poetical！but for
your answer： first you saidindeed； Mr。 Delafield；
this is SO unexpected…though you knew well
enough what was comingthen you blushed as you
did a little while ago； and said I am so youngI
am but poor seventeenthen he swore you were
seventyno； no；but he said you are old enough to
be his ruling starhis destinyhis idolhis object
of WORSHIPha！ I do hit the right epithet now and
then。 Wellthen you said you had parents； as if the
poor man did not know that already； and that they
must be consulted； and he desired you to ask the
whole cityhe defied them all to say aught against
himhe was regular at churchsubscribed to the
widow's society； and the assembly； and in short；
was called a 'good' young man； even in Wall…
street。〃
〃All this is very amusing； Mariabut〃
〃It is all very true。 Then he was pressing； and you
were coy； until finally he extorted your definitive
answer； which was〃 Maria paused； and seemed to
be intensely studying the looks of the otherMiss
Henley smiled as she turned her placid； ingenuous
features to her gaze； and continued the
conversation by repeating；
〃Which was？〃
〃NO； irretrievableunanswerableunalterable NO。〃
〃I have not authorized you to suspect any part of
this rhapsody to be trueI have not said you were
right in a single particular。〃
〃Excuse me； Miss Henley； you have said all； and
Seymour Delafield told me the same as we passed
each other at the street door。〃
〃Is it possible！〃
〃It could not be otherwise。 His mouth was shut； it
is true； and his tongue might have been in his
pocket； for any thing I know： but his eyes and his
head； his walk； and even his nose were downcast；
and spoke mortification。 On the other hand； your
little body looks an inch higher； your eyes look
resolute； as much as to say； 'Avaunt； false one！
your whole appearance is that of determined denial；
mingled〃
〃Mingled with what； trifler？〃
〃Mingled with a little secret； woman's pride； that
you have had an opportunity of showing your
absolute character。〃
〃You know these feelings from experience； do you？〃
〃No child； my very nature is charity； if the request
had been made to me； I should have sent the
desponding youth to my father； and if he refused；
to my mother〃
〃And if she refused？〃
〃Why then I should have said； two negatives make
an affirmative。〃
Charlotte laughed； and in this manner the serious
explanation which； between friends so intimate
might have been expected； was avoided。 Maria； at
the same time； that she fell and manifested a deep
interest in the TETE…A…TETE that she had promoted；
always avoided any thing like a grave explanation；
and we have failed in giving the desired view of the
character of Miss Henley； if our readers deem it
probable that she would ever touch on the subject
voluntarily。
The winter passed by in the ordinary manner in
which other winters pass in this climate； being a
mixture of mild； delightful days； clear sky； and
invigorating sun； and of intense； cold； raw winds；
and snow storms。 The two latter seemed to try the
constitution of poor George Morton to the utmost。
The severe cold that he took in his charitable
excursion lingered about him through the cold
months； and before the genial warmth of May
occurred to relieve him； his physicians pronounced
that his lungs were irremediably affected。 During
the period of doubt and apprehension which
preceded the annunciation of this opinion； and of
distress and agony which succeeded it； the family
of Mr。 Henley warmly sympathized in the feelings of
their neighbours。 The long intimacy that had
existed between George and Charlotte and their
parents； removed all superfluous forms； and the
latter passed a great deal of her time with Mrs。
Morton； or by the side of the invalid。 Her presence
gave him such manifest and lively pleasure； that it
would have been cruel to have denied him what the
other appeared to grant spontaneously。 Charlotte
had gradually withdrawn herself from society as the
illness of George increased； and his danger became
more apparent； and at the expiration of the month
of April； she was seldom visible to those who are
called the world； with the exception of the
immediate connexions of her family； and her friend
Maria 0sgood。 In the beginning of May both Mr。
Morton and his neighbour withdrew to their country
houses； and thus the retirement from the world and
the intercourse between the two families became
more complete。
Delafield had made one or two efforts to renew his
addresses to Charlotte； but finding them in every
instance firmly； though mildly rejected； he
endeavoured to discover such imperfections in the
object of his regard as might justify him in disliking
her。 The more he reflected on her conduct； however；
the more he became sensible of the propriety and
simplicity of her deportment； and had not the
impression she had made on the young man
proceeded rather from the effect on his fancy； than
from having touched his heart； the consequences of
his conviction of her purity and truth might have
been more lasting and deplorable。 As it was； his
heated imagination gradually ceased to glow with
the beauties of an image that was； however perfect
in itself； extravagantly coloured by his own youthful
imagination； and in time； if he thought at all of
Charlotte Henley； he thought of her as a beautiful
object； it is true； but as of one that brought
somewhat mortifying reflections along with it。 This
might not have been manly or generous； perhaps；
but we believe it is the manner in nine cases out of
ten in which such sudden emotions expire；
especially if the ardour of the youth has
precipitated a declaration that the more chastened
feelings of the damsel are not yet prepared to
reciprocate。 While the image of Charlotte was still
lingering in his mind； he was in the habit of visiting
Maria Osgood almost daily； to ask questions about
her； and perhaps with a secret expectation of their
meeting her at the house of her friend。 The gay
trifling of Miss Osgood aided greatly both in cooling
his spleen and removing his melancholy； till in the
course of a month he even proceeded so far as to
make her the confidant of what she already knew；
though only by conjecture and inference。 Delafield
a