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not disappoint the dear girl for the world。〃
〃It is not your cousin Katherine； but the Orphans；
who will have to wait； and surely a promise to a
relation is as sacred as one to an acquaintance。〃
〃Acquaintance； aunt！〃 echoed the niece with
displeasure。 〃Do not； I entreat you； call Anna an
acquaintance merely。 She is my friendmy very
best friend； and I love her as such。〃
〃Thank you； my dear；〃 said the aunt dryly。
〃Oh！ I mean nothing disrespectful to yourself； dear
aunt；〃 continued Julia。 〃You know how much I owe
to you； and ought to know that I love you as a
mother。〃
〃And would you prefer Miss Miller to a mother；
then？〃
〃Surely not in respect； in gratitude； in obedience；
but still I may love her； you know。 Indeed； the
feelings are so very different； that they do not at
all interfere with each otherin my heart at least。〃
〃No！〃 said Miss Emmerson； with a little curiosity〃I
wish you would try and explain this difference to
me； that I may comprehend the distinctions that
you are fond of making。〃
〃Why； nothing is easier； dear aunt！〃 said Julia with
animation。 〃You I love because you are kind to me；
attentive to my wants； considerate for my good；
affectionate； andandfrom habitand you are my
aunt； and take care of me。〃
〃Admirable reasons！〃 exclaimed Charles Weston；
who had laid aside his book to listen to this
conversation。
〃They are forcible ones I must admit；〃 said Miss
Emmerson； smiling affectionately on her niece； 〃but
now for the other kind of love。〃
〃Why； Anna is my friend； you know；〃 cried Julia；
with eyes sparkling with enthusiasm。 〃I love her；
because she has feelings congenial with my own；
she has so much wit； is so amusing； so frank； so
like a girl of talentsso likelike every thing I
admire myself。〃
〃It is a pity that one so highly gifted cannot furnish
herself with frocks；〃 said the aunt； with a little
more than her ordinary dryness of manner； 〃and
suffer you to work for those who want them more。〃
〃You forget it is in order to remember me；〃 said
Julia； in a manner that spoke her own ideas of the
value of the gift。
〃One would think such a friendship would not
require any thing to remind one of its existence；〃
returned the aunt。
〃Why！ it is not that she will forget me without it；
but that she may have something by her to remind
her of me…〃 said Julia rapidly； but pausing as the
contradiction struck even herself。
〃I understand you perfectly； my child；〃 interrupted
the aunt； 〃merely as an unnecessary security； you
mean。〃
〃To make assurance doubly sure；〃 cried Charles
Weston with a laugh。
〃Oh！ you laugh； Mr。 Weston；〃 said Julia with a little
anger； 〃but I have often said； you were incapable of
friendship。〃
〃Try me！〃 exclaimed the youth fervently。 〃Do not
condemn me without a trial。〃
〃How can I？〃 said Julia； laughing in her turn。 〃You
are not a girl。〃
〃Can girls then only feel friendship？〃 inquired
Charles； taking the seat which Miss Emmerson had
relinquished。
〃I sometimes think so；〃 said Julia； with her own
good…humoured smile。 〃You are too grosstoo
enviousin short； you never see such friendships
between men as exist between women。〃
〃Between girls； I will readily admit；〃 returned the
youth。 〃But let us examine this question after the
manner of the courts〃
〃Nay； if you talk law I shall quit you；〃 interrupted
the young lady gaily。
〃Certainly one so learned in the subject need not
dread a cross…examination；〃 cried the youth； in her
own manner。
〃Well； proceed；〃 cried the lady。 〃I have driven aunt
Margaret from the field； and you will fare no better；
I can assure you。〃
〃Men； you say； are too gross to feel a pure
friendship； in the first place； please to explain
yourself on this point。〃
〃Why I mean； that your friendships are generally
interested； that it requires services and good
offices to support it。〃
｛interested = not pure； having an ulterior motive｝
〃While that of women depends on〃
〃Feeling alone。〃
〃But what excites this feeling？〃 asked Charles with
a smile。
〃What？ why sympathyand a knowledge of each
other's good qualities。〃
〃Then you think Miss Miller has more good qualities
than Katherine Emmerson；〃 said Weston。
〃When did I ever say so？〃 cried Julia in surprise。
〃I infer it from your loving her better； merely；〃
returned the young man with a little of Miss
Emmerson's dryness。
〃It would be difficult to compare them；〃 said Julia
after a moment's pause。 〃Katherine is in the world；
and has had an opportunity of showing her merit；
that Anna has never enjoyed。 Katherine is certainly
a most excellent girl； and I like her very much； but
there is no reason to think that Anna will not prove
as fine a young woman as Katherine； when put to
the trial。〃
〃Pray；〃 said the young lawyer with great gravity；
〃how many of these bosom； these confidential
friends can a young woman have at the same
time？〃
〃One； only oneany more than she could have two
lovers；〃 cried Julia quickly。
〃Why then did you find it necessary to take that
one from a set； that was untried in the practice of
well…doing； when so excellent a subject as your
cousin Katherine offered？〃
〃But Anna I know； I feel； is every thing that is good
and sincere； and our sympathies drew us together。
Katherine I loved naturally。〃
〃How naturally？〃
〃Is it not natural to love your relatives？〃 said Julia
in surprise。
〃No；〃 was the brief answer。
〃Surely； Charles Weston； you think me a simpleton。
Does not every parent love its child by natural
instinct？〃
〃No： no more than you love any of your
amusements from instinct。 If the parent was
present with a child that he did not know to be his
own； would instinct； think you； discover their
vicinity？〃
〃Certainly not； if they had never met before； but
then； as soon as he knew it to be his； he would
love it from nature。〃
〃It is a complicated question； and one that involves
a thousand connected feelings；〃 said Charles。 〃But
all love； at least all love of the heart； springs from
the causes you mentioned to your auntgood
offices； a dependence on each other； and habit。〃
〃Yes； and nature too；〃 said the young lady rather
positively； 〃and I contend； that natural lore； and
love from sympathy； are two distinct things。〃
〃Very different； I allow；〃 said Charles； 〃only I very
much doubt the durability of that affection which
has no better foundation than fancy。〃
〃You use such queer terms； Charles； that you do
not treat the subject fairly。 Calling innate evidence
of worth by the name of fancy； is not candid。〃
〃Now； indeed； your own terms puzzle me；〃 said
Charles； smiling。 〃What is innate evidence of
worth？〃
〃Why； a conviction that another possesses all that
you esteem yourself； and is discovered by congenial
feelings and natural sympathies。〃
〃Upon my word； Julia； you are quite a casuist on
this subject。 Does love； then； between the sexes
depend on this congenial sympathy and innate
evidence？〃
〃Now you talk on a subject that I do not
understand；〃 said Julia； blushing； and； catching up
the highly prized work； she ran to her own room；
leaving the young man in a state of mingled
admiration and pity。
CHAPTE