CHAP. VI.

Quelque rare que soit le veritable amour, il est encore moins

"I believe you owe me a letter,

but I am in such excellent spirits to-night, that it is the time to write to you. Besides, I have some great news to tell you, and I do not know when I shall have time to write again. Cousin Hugh has arrived at last! He came this morning, and is to remain two months, on a visit. I wish you had been here to-day; it would have done you good to see how much you were mistaken in your opinions about him.

"You know how you abused him for his

neglect

neglect of me, in not coming to see me at the seminary, when he returned from Europe. I confess I thought myself that he would have come, and I was hurt that he did not. I cherished no resentment, however, and imputed no fault to him. But you accused me so violently of want of spirit, and of being untrue to the cause of our sex, that I believe I half promised you to quarrel with him, at least that I would not be old friends again with him, would call him Mr. Hughes,' and would pout, until he had made a suitable apology and explanation. Well, what will you say? he has not made any apology-has not made the slightest explanation--and yet, wo is me! I have forgiven him every thing, even before he has asked it. What could I do? He took me entirely by surprise; I had not time to call up my thoughts, much less my looks, when by his very look-the look of by-gone days, the same accents with which he used to pronounce my name-the very same

smile with which he always welcomed me when he came home, he completely disarmed me! and to tell you a little secret, I was so very glad to see him, after so long an absence, that I do not believe I could have quarrelled with him for ten minutes to win a crown; or to speak more intelligibly to your feelings, to win a husband. Notwithstanding your prediction, he still calls me cousin, and dear cousin' too, if you come to that. So you may see, Miss, that he has not, according to your good-natured supposition, determined to treat me with studied neglect, and to make me know and observe the distance between a poor orphan and a grand gentleman who has travelled,' as you used to repeat so often No, my dearest and wickedest Caroline, he is, like myself, still the same-my first, my best of friends-my brother. He is changed, it is true, in his manners, a little; but it is in his manner, his exterior only. To use the oath you have taught me, 'I dare

swear,'

swear,' that his heart, which was always so excellent, is still the same as ever: I know it is; I cannot be mistaken.

"When he arrived, he came quite unexpectedly; for though he had written a week ago that he was to set out next day, he has so often written us such letters, that we had done paying any attention to his promises. We had entirely given him up, and all of us began to think he used us very ill.

"We, that is, aunt Rose and I, were at work in the little back parlour, when our dogs announced, in their usual language, that some stranger was at our gates; and before we had time to ascertain what illustrious knight or beauteous damsel had honoured our cottage with their presence, aunt Leonora and he entered our room. Aunt Rose sprang up, as if she had been electrified, and ran to embrace him. I did not know exactly what part to play, and rose up quite unconsciously-and then recollecting myself for a moment,

a moment, was about to sit down again. Then I thought that would not be polite or ladylike-and so-as you express itI advanced, with a proper mixture of conscious dignity and affected modesty.' If you had been at my elbow, then was the time to prompt me. You would have whispered- Now show thyself a woman.' I had some thought of playing the part you prescribed for me-that is, it just crossed my mind as I caught his eye. But what will you say? at that very moment, he called me Rosine,' in a tone that went to my heart, and-and-he caught me in his arms. Now you may reprove, and scold, and laugh as you will-of course you will do all these-but I will tell the whole truth-he gave me instantly such a kiss that it quite unmanned me. Could I prevent it? No! and when he pressed me to his bosom, as he has done so often, when we were in our childhood, could I forbear to recal those delightful emotions of youthful friendship to my remembrance?

No