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hands ， and boisterously shouting his thanks。 Some of them ran away at
once， to enjoy their evening meal； whilst others， of a gentler disposition，
retired to the courtyard to see the strangers ， and to survey the carriage
in which their Charlotte was to drive away。 〃Pray forgive me for giving
you the trouble to e for me， and for keeping the ladies waiting ：
but dressing， and arranging some household duties before I leave ， had
made me forget my children's supper ； and they do not like to take it
from any one but me。〃 I uttered some indifferent pliment ： but my
whole soul was absorbed by her air， her voice， her manner ； and I had
scarcely recovered myself when she ran into her room to fetch her gloves
and fan。 The young ones threw inquiring glances at me from a distance
； whilst I approached the youngest ， a most delicious little creature。
He drew back； and Charlotte， entering at the very moment， said ， 〃Louis，
shake hands with your cousin。〃 The little fellow obeyed willingly ； and
I could not resist giving him a hearty kiss ， notwithstanding his rather
dirty face。 〃Cousin ，〃 said I to Charlotte ， as I handed her down ，
〃do you think I deserve the happiness of being related to you ？〃 She
replied ， with a ready smile ， 〃Oh！ I have such a number of cousins，
that I should be sorry if you were the most undeserving of them。〃 In taking
leave ， she desired her next sister， Sophy， a girl about eleven years
old ， to take great care of the children ， and to say good…bye to papa
for her when he came home from his ride。 She enjoined to the little ones
to obey their sister Sophy as they would herself， upon which some promised
that they would ； but a little fair…haired girl， about six years old，
looked discontented ， and said ， 〃But Sophy is not you， Charlotte；
and we like you best。〃 The two eldest boys had clambered up the carriage
； and， at my request， she permitted them to acpany us a little way
through the forest， upon their promising to sit very still ， and hold
fast。
We were hardly seated ， and the ladies had scarcely exchanged pliments，
making the usual remarks upon each other's dress， and upon the pany
they expected to meet ， when Charlotte stopped the carriage， and made
her brothers get down。 They insisted upon kissing her hands once more
； which the eldest did with all the tenderness of a youth of fifteen ，
but the other in a lighter and more careless manner。 She desired them
again to give her love to the children， and we drove off。
The aunt inquired of Charlotte whether she had finished the book she
had last sent her。 〃No，〃 said Charlotte； 〃I did not like it ： you can
have it again。 And the one before was not much better。〃 I was surprised，
upon asking the title ， to hear that it was ____。（We feel obliged to
suppress the passage in the letter， to prevent any one from feeling aggrieved
； although no author need pay much attention to the opinion of a mere
girl， or that of an unsteady young man。）
I found penetration and character in everything she said： every expression
seemed to brighten her features with new charms ，——with new rays of
genius，—— which unfolded by degrees， as she felt herself understood。
〃When I was younger ，〃 she observed， 〃I loved nothing so much as
romances。 Nothing could equal my delight when ， on some holiday， I could
settle down quietly in a corner ， and enter with my whole heart and soul
into the joys or sorrows of some fictitious Leonora。 I do not deny that
they even possess some charms for me yet。 But I read so seldom， that
I prefer books suited exactly to my taste。 And I like those authors best
whose scenes describe my own situation in life，—— and the friends who
are about me， whose stories touch me with interest ， from resembling
my own homely existence ，—— which， without being absolutely paradise，
is， on the whole ， a source of indescribable happiness。〃
I endeavoured to conceal the emotion which these words occasioned ，
but it was of slight avail； for， when she had expressed so truly her
opinion of 〃The Vicar of Wakefield，〃 and of other works， the names of
which I omit（Though the names are omitted， yet the authors mentioned
deserve Charlotte's approbation ， and will feel it in their hearts when
they read this passage。 It concerns no other person。）， I could no longer
contain myself， but gave full utterance to what I thought of it： and
it was not until Charlotte had addressed herself to the two other ladies，
that I remembered their presence， and observed them sitting mute with
astonishment。 The aunt looked at me several times with an air of raillery，
which ， however， I did not at all mind。
We talked of the pleasures of dancing。 〃If it is a fault to love it
，〃 said Charlotte ， 〃I am ready to confess that I prize it above all
other amusements。 If anything disturbs me ， I go to the piano， play
an air to which I have danced ， and all goes right again directly。〃
You ， who know me， can fancy how steadfastly I gazed upon her rich
dark eyes during these remarks， how my very soul gloated over her warm
lips and fresh， glowing cheeks ， how I became quite lost in the delightful
meaning of her words， so much so ， that I scarcely heard the actual
expressions。 In short ， I alighted from the carriage like a person in
a dream ， and was so lost to the dim world around me ， that I scarcely
heard the music which resounded from the illuminated ballroom。
The two Messrs。 Andran and a certain N。 N。（I cannot trouble myself
with the names）， who were the aunt's and Charlotte's partners ， received
us at the carriage…door ， and took possession of their ladies， whilst
I followed with mine。
We menced with a minuet。 I led out one lady after another， and
precisely those who were the most disagreeable could not bring themselves
to leave off。 Charlotte and her partner began an English country dance，
and you must imagine my delight when it was their turn to dance the figure
with us。 You should see Charlotte dance。 She dances with her whole heart
and soul： her figure is all