Julia (Chapter_2)

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(12) Chapter second For some days after D'Aubignes arrival, Julia devoted herself to his entertainment, & appeared in the eyes of her old friend as truly amiable as she was lovely. They were every day in company & he was delighted to percieve that his own opinion was corroberated by that of society-

Whenever Julia appear she was treated with that distinguishing attention, which made her the most conspicuous personage in the circle & evinced the admiration she excited. She recieved this universal homage with the frankness & ease of one who expects it as their due & looks upon it as of course. Altho' her manner were free from the slightest degree of pretension or haughtiness, yet there was that perfect self-possession, which marks a consciousness of pleasing; this security of the good opinion of all around her, exempted her from that anxiety of the enchanting power of conversation, for which she was distinguished.

Unconsciously to herself, when D'Aubigne was with her she had less of that unguarded openness & excessive vivacity which sometimes bordered on levity & he saw nothing in her character or disposition, that he would have wished changed.

Mrs. Clifton had some friends who thought differently, & who if it had been in their power would have thrown a little more reserve into her manner--a little of that timidity which betrays uncertainty of success.

Mrs. Edwards, a relation of Clifton's, went still farther, & when she saw Julia, walking from one crowded room to another, leaning on the arm of one gentleman & attended by several, or as was more generally the case saw her the center of a circle of gentlemen, conversing with as perfect ease "as if," Mrs Edwards' said, "she was at home with her own family around her, "which was according to her ideas the extreme of impropriety.

This, D'Aubigne did not consider in the same light, he had been accustomed to society in which fashion not only authorised, but almost required this freedom & ease & very different from the mere precise & formal manners of Philadelphia, to him Mrs Edwards had formed her ideas of propriety & where as that lady said, "in her time, the lady never thought of leaving their seats, but sat the live-long evening arranged

Last edit about 6 years ago by shperdueva
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(13) round the walls of the drawing room, while the gentlemen occupied the center, engaged in political conversation, & now & then making their bow & paying a few compliments to the ladies."

Julia, used good-naturedly to laugh at what she called her quaker notions, which she proteste were the every enemies of all sociability.

Some circumstances had recently occurred which carried Julia, a little beyond even the sociability & Mrs Edward thought it her duty to have a serious conversation with her young relative, & for that purpose called one day that she knew Julia would be at home & disengaged.

Last edit about 6 years ago by shperdueva
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A (14) When Julia had closed the door after Mrs Edwards left her, she walked the room, at first with hurried & impatient steps, then as her perturbation subsided more slowly & sadly. She raised her streaming eyes to heaven, folder her hands across her bosom, & seemed by her imploring looks to ask appeal to the searcher of hearts for the known purity of hers. At last, she threw her self on the sopha, supporting her aching head upon it. As she had passed the windows she had drawn the muslin curtains to exclude the brightness of the setting sun, but even the broken rays that trembled through the curtain as it waved in the evening breeze, were painful to her wearied eyes, she covered them with her hand, & threw a handkerchief over her face. The windows desended to the floor & opened on a piazza, through which some one now entered; but so lost was Julia in her own painful thoughts that D'Aubigne stood for some minutes gazing on her lovely form; more lovely still as seen through the soft & mellow light that was diffused from the glowing horizon, under the persuasion that she was asleep. He started, when he heard her deep drawn sighs, & gentle drawing the handkerchief from her face. She looked up, & seeing who it was, again hid her face & burst into tears. D'Aubigne was much affected & sidding down by her drew her head on his shoulder, & taking her hand in his, gently pressed it while he tenderly enquired what disturbed her.

"Tell me my sweet cousin," said he, "tell me the course of these unusual tears. Have you met with any sudden misfortune? have you suffered any recent loss?"

"Yes," said Julia mournfully, "I have lost what is most valuable upon earth--Self-esteem!"

"Impossible, impossible! exclaimed D'Aubigne. "it is impossible you should not esteem one, who is esteemed by all who know her."

Julia shook her head, "Ah!" said she, "I must distrust such language--it is all flattery--it has decieved me too often & too fataly for me to trust it longer--[?] henceforth I will listen only to the voice of truth, tho' it pierce me to the heart!"

"Oh I percieve clearly enough," said her cousin, "what has happened, you have been recieving a lecture from your eternal monitor, or tormentor rather. I met her carriage as I came up the avenue. Really there all perfect folks may

Last edit almost 6 years ago by shperdueva
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(15) have a great deal of wisdom, but I cannot think they have much mercy."

"But they have justice," said Julia, sighing; "Yes, tho' that justice decies against me, I must own Mrs Edwards is right & that I am wrong."

"It will be difficult to convince me of that," said d'Aubigne, "but come my sweet cousin state the case & allow me to be judge."

"You will be partial," replied she, "even more partial than my own blinded self-love: from you I have never heard the truth; this is a proof of esteem I have never recieved from you, or any other friend but my aunt."

"Well, if it will satisfy you, I promise you on my honor Julia, to speak the truth, & nothing but the truth, & if I think that you are wrong & she is right I will give the verdict accordingly--so tell me all the charges she has brought against you."

"Oh!" said Julia sighing--"they are charges I little supposed I merited! how has my self-love, how have you, how have all my friends decieved me! Little did I think while so flattered, so caressed, that I was an object of the scorn, contempt, & reprobation of the wise & good."

"Oh heavens! & did Mrs Edwards say you were were? exclaimed d'Aubigne-

"Yes,"--& more, much more. She said I was vain, triffling, thoughtless, dissipated, Oh! my cousin, she even said I was unprincipled!"

"Cruel, cruel woman, & unjust as cruel, what could have provoked such malignity?

"Call it not so, call it rather sincerity--she loves me and she only did what a wise & kind physician would do, if he saw a patient in imminent danger."

"Believe me Julia, it is not so. This woman can no more understand your character than she does Greek; every trait, is written in a language totaly incomprehensible to one of her disposition. A bind man might as well pretend to read, as for her to pretend to intepret the emotions of a soul like yours."

Julia shook her head incredulously.

"Now I'll prove it," said he "We must have light, to see light--now she has none, her mind is as dark as ignorance & prejudice can make it, how then can she see the brightness which emanates from yours--how percieve those scintilations of genius which sparkle round, & charm all who approach you?-

Last edit almost 6 years ago by shperdueva
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She is an isicle, that chills whatever comes near it & having no sensebility herself, can have no [deleted]indulgence for[deleted] sympathy with [deletion] those who have."

"It is you, d'Aubigne who have no mercy, or justice either. Where is the woman more respected in socity than Miss Edwards, [deletion]

[all the following x'd out] "I allow it, I allow all you say. But if she is respected, it is not for [deleted]the[deleted] any virtues & talents which she possesses, but, [deletion] because she is exempt from vice & weakness. She is free from reproach; so is polished steel free from rust when [deleted]kept[deleted] not exposed to the rain, more than she is, to collisions with the passions or interests of others. [deletion] If her [deleted]life[deleted] course through life has been undeviating, it is because she has no passions, no feelings 3196 to impel her from a strait line. - [deletion]

Last edit over 4 years ago by catslover
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