3

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