Tautphoeus_Quits.txt topic ['13', '324', '378', '393']

, and now fears that the reserve which
he was obh'ged to observe at the commencement of his ac-
quaintance with yon, may have prejudiced you against him.
short, to speak plainly, he thinks that appearances may
lead you to suppose that he avoided a declaration of his
regard, until he had ascertained the amount of your fortune.'
' you making a proposal of marriage for your ftiend 7'
asked , with forced composure.

' ,' answered ; 'he is ignorant of my intentions to
speak to you about him, but think it necessary to do so as
a sort of expiation for the injudicious advice that gave
him some time ago. you the daughter of
, not only told him that your fortune would not be
sufficient to make his father overlook your want of rank, but
tried to pr^udico him against your relations, and even your-



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fdf, completing my absurd interference bj using all mv in-
fluence to indace bim to return to bis family, witb wbom
kneir tbe was then staying. bope, ^
he added, with heightened color, ' hope you understand
the motives that have induced me to enter into this explana-
tion, and make a confession, which am quite aware, will
not increase your regard for me.'

' will not lessen it,' replied , 'for chance has
thready made me aware of almost all you have told me.'
' you were not prejudiced against bim ?'

in the least. '

' he complains of increasing reserveron your part during
the last ten days ^that is, precisely since hfi has been at liberty
to let you perceive his intentions : your preference for bim
has, however, on all occasions, been so evident, that think
he must be mistaken. '

' was not mistaken/ said ^ora.

looked at her eagerly, inquiringly, but to bis infinite
chagrin, perceived her eyes fixed on and , as she
just then descended from the chapel.

' you prayed for me as yon promised, 1 ' she
asked, advancing to meet her.

' have 1 ' answered . ' prayed that you
might be as happy as yon deserve to be. '

' another form of prayer next time, dear girl,'
rejoined , ' for have been happy beyond my deserts
all my life.'

' ,' interposed , a little shyly, but witb a
beaming countenance, ' prayed for you too, and with all
my hearty that you might be as happy as you have made us.'

' you,' said , with a cordial smile, 'to judge
by your face at this moment, my portion of happiness would
in that case be no common one.'




286 ?

* yoa going, ? ' asked , perceiring ber
begin to walk away with tbem.

' yen coming ? ' she aaked^ in retnrn, waiting nntil be
bad joined her at the gate of the enclosure.

stopped there, and said resolotely, ' were
speaking of , , and feel bound to tell
you what a good-hearted, excellent sort of fellow he is.'

would have been annoyed, perhaps e?en irritated, at
his cool, business-like manner, had she not felt confinced
that he considered himself to be fulfilling a solemn act of
expiation. absurdity of their mutual position struck
her, however, so forcibly, that she had some difficulty in
keeping her countenance as she replied : ' she had nerer
doubted 's excellent qualities.'

' are also aware of his present position and splendid
prospects ? '

'.'

' may ask the cause of the reserve, of which he
speaks so despondingly ?'

* may not,' she answered, abruptly.

opened the gate he looked very grate, almost
offended, and unwilling that they should part in anger, she
observed, as they walked towards the sexton's, 'that having
heard from the forester of 's engagement to
, she had never thought of him otherwise
than as the future husband of her former friend.'
. ' ! ' said , ' iindentand--'it was the constraint of
a new position.'

' was no constraint^' said , and then they walked
on in silenoe to the house, where they found. m*
tablished, with his drawing materials before him on the rou|^
planks that formed a table.

it was the desire to prove the absence of the sup*
posed restraint, that induced her to sit down near ,



? 287

and examine a drawing that he had jnst made of the
. took from his poach the portfolio she had ex-
amined at the forest-hoase, and so moch wished to possess,
and, with playful ostentation, began to place the
sketches and drawings before her.

' joa bay them 7 ' he asked, gaily.

' willingly. your price. '

' like a rich- ,' said ;
'but they are not to be had for gold. believe,' he added,
while he leaned his chin on the top of his pencil, ' believe
once before mentioned that they were to be had for a cup of
coffee. '

' spoken 7 ' asked .

' seriously, - but this coffee must be made by your
fair hands, and brought to me by yourself; nay, to make the
enjoyment complete, must also request you to sit by me
while drink it ! '

' an odd idea ! ' exclaimed . ' had better
take into consideration, that coffee made by me will scarcely
be particularly good.'

' is of no consequence whatever,' said ,
quickly. ' have taken a fancy to my sketches, and
have taken a fancy to drink coffee made by an .'

' you had said tea ' began .

' should if had been an , and my
drawings of people and places in ; but, for ,
and for alpine sketches, you must yourself allow that coffee
is more appropriate. '

' cup of coffee seems to me so altogether inappropriate,'
said , ' that cannot help thinking that more is meant
than meets the ear.'

'. cannot imagine the supreme pleasnre which a cup
of coffee, made by you, would give me ! '

' in the least most have some hidden motive^






or*' this moment she turned towards . was
endcaroring to look indifferent with all his might ; bat his
face was nnnsaallj flushed as he bent over the sketches in
qaestion. hesitated for a moment, looked from one to
the other, and then added, slowly, ' is something here
that do not understand, under such circumstances
decline making the coffee.'

' ,' cried , half laughing, 'your jealous face
has spoiled all '

' ! ' repeated ; * not at all. at alL
euough for that when you hare got the coffee. '

' take yourself off, will you, and let me try my powers
of persuasion alone.'

made a lazy moTemeat, as if about to obey this com-
mand.

' ,' cried . ' now insist on knowing what yoB
both mean.'

stayed, but remained silent. closed his
drawing-book. ' sketches, it seems, are not considered
worth even a cup of bad coffee,' be said, beginning to re*
place them in the portfolio ; ' however, can patiently bear
the mortification for the contemplation of them will,
hope, often afford me pleasure when drinking a cup of
good ! '

',' said , frankly, 'then you have not, as
began to suppose, made me the subject of a wager. '

was now 's turn to blush. looked in
to for explanation, he was apparently absorbed
in the contents of the portfolio. silence of both naturally
confirmed her suspicions and she turned, with an air of dis-
pleasure, to , while she said, ' willingly would
have tried to make coffee for you, had it been merely to
gratify an eccentric wish ; but to find myself the subject of a
wager, is so far from agreeable, that shall certainly not as*
sist you to win it have lost whaterer it may be.'





' bavf lost more than mj wager, if eaimot pennade
yon io gratifj tbie wish of mine/ said , graTely.
' now repeat my request^ it is not to gain a wager,
which cannot deny having made with the day after
first saw yon. desire your compliance now as a special
mark of your faror, or rather as a sign that yon like me
better than your cousin and countryman here 1 draw-
ings are yours, at all erents ; for, if you refuse my reqnest,
after what have just said, they will hereafter be a source
of more pain than pleasure to me. '

' is absurd,' cried , rising, and greatly annoyed
at the increasing seriousness of both her companions.
',' she added, appealing to , 'surely you do not
mean to embarrass me, by attaching importance to what
may do on this occasion '

, was, at the moment, looking at 'a
sketch of , as she sat at the woodman's fountain ; he
it^ so that she must recognize her portrait ; and he
was conTinced she did so instantly ^for she grew very pale ;
and, as if to change the current of his thoughts, covered it
hastily with the beautifully-finished drawing of the
lake and fisher-house, that she happened, at the moment, to
have in her hand. confusion was, however, boundless
when she perceived that understood her as if she had
spoken, and said more much more ^than she had ventured
to think at the moment ; for he leaned forward, and, looking
up, said, with a significance that was not to be mistaken,
* the coffee for him, , and you will confer a favor
on me, too '

' you, ' cried , springing up with un-
disguised annoyance; 'this is what may be called turning
the tables with a vengeance. made at his command,
, would be so little what hoped to receive
from you, that prefer, this time, some of that which the
sexton's wife has, probably, made for us all.'




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walked towards the house as she spoke, bat stopped,
when sofficiently within it, to enable him to look back nnper*
ceiled. saw stretch his hand across the table to
saw hers extended in retom ; there was no perceptible
movement of 's lips ; his face, however, was eloquent
enough, though seen but for a moment before he bent his
head over the hand he held fast in both of his. one
word had been spoken.

, it is with feelings as with waters
shallow mnrmar, but the deep are dumb.'

' ,' muttered , to whom this pantomime bad
been painfully intelligible, ' so have lost her as well as my
wager. does not know how much love her nor
either, and they never shall know. will be very odd if
cannot dissemble for the four-and-twenty hoars we shall still
be together.' he returned to them, soon afterwaids,
apparently as gay as ever ; and, daring their return to the
, might have been supposed the happiest of the party.