autobiography of a pocket-handkerchief-第24章

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｛full　thirds　=　Old　Monson's　widow　would　under　American　common　law
receive　a　life　interest　in　one…third　of　his　real　property；　called　a　dower
right；　which　would　revert　to　his　children　if　she　died　without　remarrying。｝



CHAPTER　XVI。

For　a　week　nothing　material　transpired。　All　that　time　I　lay　in　the　drawer；
gaining　a　knowledge　of　what　passed；　in　the　best　manner　I　could。　Betts
Shoreham　was　a　constant　visitor　at　the　house；　and　Tom　Thurston　made
his　appearance　with　a　degree　of　punctuality　that　began　to　attract　notice；
among　the　inmates　of　the　house　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　street。　All
this　time；　however；　Tom　treated　Julia　with　the　greatest　respect；　and
even　distance；　turning　more　of　his　attention　toward　Mrs。　Monson。　He
acted　in　this　manner；　because　he　thought　he　had　secured　a　sufficient　lien
on　the　young　lady；　by　means　of　her　〃yes；〃　and　knew　how　important　it
was　for　one　who　could　show　none　of　the　usual　inducements　for　consent；
to　the　parents；　to　obtain　the　good…will　of　the　〃old　lady。〃

At　the　end　of　the　week；　Mrs。　Monson　opened　her　house　to　receive　the
world。　As　a　matter　of　course；　I　was　brought　out　on　this　occasion。　Now；
Betts　Shoreham　and　Mademoiselle　Hennequin　had　made　great　progress
toward　an　understanding　in　the　course　of　this　week；　though　the　lady
becoming　more　and　more　conscious　of　the　interest　she　had　created　in
the　heart　of　the　gentleman；　her　own　conduct　got　to　be　cautious　and
reserved。　At　length；　Betts　actually　carried　matters　so　far　as　to　write　a
letter；　that　was　as　much　to　the　point　as　a　man　could　very　well　come。　In
a　word；　he　offered　his　hand　to　the　excellent　young　French　woman；
assuring　her；　in　very　passionate　and　suitable　terms；　that　she　had　been
mistress　of　his　affections　ever　since　the　first　month　of　their　acquaintance。
In　this　letter；　he　implored　her　not　to　be　so　cruel　as　to　deny　him　an
interview；　and　there　were　a　few　exceedingly　pretty　reproaches；　touching
her　recent　coy　and　reserved　deportment。

Mademoiselle　Hennequin　was　obliged　to　read　this　letter　in　Julia's　room；
and　she　took　such　a　position　to　do　it；　as　exposed　every　line　to　my
impertinent　gaze；　as　I　lay　on　the　bed；　among　the　other　finery　that　was
got　out　for　the　evening。　Mrs。　Monson　was　present；　and　she　had
summoned　the　governess；　in　order　to　consult　her　on　the　subject　of　some
of　the　ornaments　of　the　supper　table。　Fortunately；　both　Julia　and　her
mother　were　too　much　engaged　to　perceive　the　tears　that　rolled　down
the　cheeks　of　the　poor　stranger；　as　she　read　the　honest　declaration　of　a
fervid　and　manly　love；　nor　did　either　detect　the　manner　in　which　the
letter　was　pressed　to　Mademoiselle　Hennequin's　heart；　when　she　had
done　reading　it　the　second　time。

Just　at　this　instant　a　servant　came　to　announce　Mr。　Shoreham's
presence　in　the　〃breakfast…room。〃　This　was　a　retired　and　little
frequented　part　of　the　house　at　that　hour；　Betts　having　been　shown　into
it；　in　consequence　of　the　preparations　that　were　going　on　in　the　proper
reception…rooms。

〃Julia；　my　dear；　you　will　have　to　go　belowalthough　it　is　at　a　most
inconvenient　moment。〃

〃No；　motherlet　Mr。　Betts　Shoreham　time　his　visits　betterGeorge；
say　that　the　ladies　are　ENGAGED。〃

〃That　will　not　do；〃　interrupted　the　mother；　in　some　concern〃we　are
too　intimate　for　such　an　excusewould　YOU；　Mademoiselle
Hennequin；　have　the　goodness　to　see　Mr。　Shoreham　for　a　few　minutes…
…you　must　come　into　our　American　customs　sooner　or　later；　and　this
may　be　a　favorable　moment　to　commence。〃

Mrs。　Monson　laughed　pleasantly　as　she　made　this　request；　and　her
kindness　and　delicacy　to　the　governess　were　too　marked　and
unremitted　to　permit　the　latter　to　think　of　hesitating。　She　had　laid　her
own　handkerchief　down　at　my　side；　to　read　the　letter；　but　feeling　the
necessity　of　drying　her　eyes；　she　caught　me　up　by　mistake；　smiled　her
assent；　and　left　the　apartment。

Mademoiselle　Hennequin　did　not　venture　below；　until　she　had　gone　into
her　own　room。　Here　she　wept　freely　for　a　minute　or　two；　and　then　she
bathed　her　eyes　in　cold　water；　and　used　the　napkin　in　drying　them。
Owing　to　this　circumstance；　I　was　fortunately　a　witness　of　all　that
passed　in　her　interview　with　her　lover。

The　instant　Betts　Shoreham　saw　that　he　was　to　have　an　interview　with
the　charming　French　girl；　instead　of　with　Julia　Monson；　his　countenance
brightened；　and；　as　if　supposing　the　circumstance　proof　of　his　success；
he　seized　the　governess'　hand；　and　carried　it　to　his　lips　in　a　very
carnivorous　fashion。　The　lady；　however；　succeeded　in　retaining　her
hand；　if　she　did　not　positively　preserve　it　from　being　devoured。

〃A　thousand；　thousand　thanks；　dearest　Mademoiselle　Hennequin；〃　said
Betts；　in　an　incoherent；　half…sane　manner；　〃you　have　read　my　letter；　and
I　may　interpret　this　interview　favorably。　I　meant　to　have　told　all　to　Mrs。
Monson；　had　SHE　come　down；　and　asked　her　kind　interferencebut　it
is　much；　much　better　as　it　is。〃

〃You　will　do　well；　monsieur；　not　to　speak　to　Madame　Monson　on　the
subject　at　all；〃　answered　Mademoiselle　Hennequin；　with　an　expression
of　countenance　that　I　found　quite　inexplicable；　since　it　was　not　happy；
nor　was　it　altogether　the　reverse。　〃This　must　be　our　last　meeting；　and　it
were　better　that　no　one　knew　any　thing　of　its　nature。〃

〃Then　my　vanitymy　hopes　have　misled　me；　and　I　have　no　interest　in
your　feelings！〃

〃I　do　not　say　THAT；　monsieur；　oh！　nonnonI　am　far　from　saying　as
much　as　THAT〃poor　girl；　her　face　declared　a　hundred　times　more
than　her　tongue；　that　she　was　sincere〃I　do　notCANNOT　say　I　have
no　interest　in　one；　who　so　generously　overlooks　my　poverty；　my　utter
destitution　of　all　worldly　greatness；　and　offers　to　share　with　me　his
fortune　and　his　honorable　position〃

〃This　is　not　what　I　askwhat　I　had　hoped　to　earngratitude　is　not
love。〃

〃Gratitude　easily　becomes　love　in　a　woman's　heart〃answered　the　dear
creature；　with　a　smile　and　a　look　that　Betts　would　have　been　a　mere
dolt　not　to　have　comprehended〃and　it　is　my　duty　to　take　care　that
MY　gratitude　does　not　entertain　this　weakness。〃

〃Mademoiselle　Hennequin；　for　mercy's　sake；　be　as　frank　and　simple　as
I　know　your　nature　promptsDO　you；　CAN　you　love　me？〃

Of　course　such　a　direct　question；　put　in　a　very　categorical　way；　caused
the　questioned　to　blush；　if　it　did　not　induce　her　to　smile。　The　first　she　did
in　a　very　pretty　and　engaging　manner；　though　I　thought　she　hesitated
about　indulging　in　the　last。

〃Why　should　I　say　'yes；'　when　it　can　lead　to　no　good　result？〃

〃Then　destroy　all　hope　at　once；　and　say　NO。〃

〃That　would　be　to　give　youto　give　us　both　unnecessary　pain。　Besides；
it　might　not　be　strictly　trueI　COULD　loveOh！　No　one　can　tell　how
my　heart　COULD　love　where　it　was　right　and　proper。〃

After　this；　I　suppose　it　is　unnecessary　for　me　to　say；　that　Betts　soon
brought　the　category　of　possibilities　into　one　of　certainty。　To　own　the
truth；　he　carried　every　thing　by　his　impetuosity；　reducing　the　governess
to　own　that　what　she　admitted　she　COULD　do　so　well；　she　had　already
done　in　a　very　complete　and　thorough　manner。　I　enjoyed　this　scene
excessively；　nor　was　it　over　in　a　minute。　Mademoiselle　Hennequin　used
me　several　times　to　wipe　away　tears；　and　it　is　strong　proof　how　much
both　parties　were　thinking　of　other　matters；　that　neither　discovered　who
was　present　at　so　interesting　a　tete…a…tete。

At　length　came　the　denouement。　After　confessing　how　much　she　loved
Betts；　how　happy　she　would　be　could　she　be　his　slave　all　the　days　of
her　life；　how　miserable　she　was　in　knowing　that　he　had　placed　his
affections　on　HER；　and　how　much　more　miserable　she　should　be；　had
she　learned　he　had　NOT；　Mademoiselle　Hennequin　almost　annihilated
the　young　man　by　declaring　that　it　was　utterly　impossible　for　her　to
consent　to　become　his　wife。　The　reason　was　the　difference　in　fortune；
and　the　impossibility　that　she　should　take　advantage　of　his　passion　to
lead　him　into　a　connection　that　he　might　afterwards　regret。　Against　this
decision；　Betts　reasoned　warmly；　but　seriously；　in　vain。　Had
Mademoiselle　Hennequin　been　an　American；　instead　of　a　French；　girl；
her　feelings　would　not　have　been　so　sensitive　on　this　point；　for；　in　this
great　republic；　every　body　but　the　fortune…hunters；　an　exceedingly
contemptible　class；　considers　a　match　without　money；　quite　as　much　a
matter　of　course；　as　a　match　with。　But；　the　governess　had　been
educated　under　a　different　system；　and　it　struck　her　imagination　as　very
proper；　that　she　should　make　both　herself　and　her　lover　miserable；
because　he　had　two　hundred　thousand　dollars；　and　she　had　not　as　many
hundreds。　All　this　strangely　conflicted　with　Betts'　preconceived　opinion
of　a　French　woman's　selfishness；　and；　while　he　was　disposed　to　believe
his　adored　perfection；　he　almost　feared　it　was　a　trick。　Of　such
contradictory　materials　is　the　human　mind　composed！

At　length　the　eyes　of　Betts　fell　on　me；　who　was　still　in　the　hand　of
Mademoiselle　Hennequin；　and　had　several　times　been　applied　to　her
eyes　unheeded。　It　was　evident　I　revived　unpleasant　recollections；　and
the　young　man　could　not　avoid　letting　an　expression　escape　him；　that
sufficiently　betrayed　his　feelings。

〃This　handkerchief！〃　exclaimed　the　young　governess〃Ah！　it　is　that　of
Mademoiselle　Julie；　which　I　must　have　taken　by　mistake。　But；　why
should　this　handkerchief　awaken　any　feeling　in　you；　monsieur？　You　are
not　about　to　enact　the　Moor；　in　your　days　of　wooing？〃

｛the　Moor　=　from　Shakespeare's　〃Othello〃｝

This　was　said　sweetly；　and　withal　a　little　archly；　for　the　poor　girl　was
glad　to　turn　the　conversation　from　its　harassing　and　painful　points；　but
Betts　was　in　no　humor　for　pleasantry；　and　he　spoke　out　in　a　way　to　give
his　mistress　some　clue　to　his　thoughts。

〃That　cursed　handkerchief〃it　is　really　indecent　in　young　men　to　use
such　improper　language；　but　they　little　heed　what　they　say　when　strongly
excited〃that　cursed　handkerchief　has　given　me　as　much　pain；　as　it
appears　also　to　have　given　you。　I　wish　I　knew　the　real　secret　of　its
connection　with　your　feelings；　for　I　confess；　like　that　of　Desdemona's；　it
has　excited　distrust；　though　for　a　very　different　cause。

The　cheeks　of　Mademoiselle　Hennequin　were　pale；　and　her　brow
thoughtful。　Still；　she　had　a　sweet　smile　for　Betts；　and；　though　ignorant　of
the　nature　of　his　suspicions；　which　she　would　have　scarcely　pardoned；　it
was　her　strongest　wish　to　leave　no　darker　cloud　between　them；　than　the
one　she　felt　it　her　duty　to　place　there　herself。　She　answered；　therefore；
frankly　and　simply；　though　not　without　betraying　strong　emotion　as　she
proceeded。

〃This　handkerchief　is　well　known　to　me；〃　answered　the　young　French
woman；　〃it　revives　the　recollections　of　some　of　the　most　painful　scenes
of　a　life　that　has　never　seen　much　sunshine。　You　have　heard　me　speak
of　a　grandmother；　Mr。　Shoreham；　who　took　care　of　my　childhood；　and
who　died　in　my　arms。　That　handkerchief；　I　worked　for　her　support　in
her　last　illness；　and　this　laceyes；　this　beautiful　lace　was　a　part　of　that
beloved　grandmother's　bridal　trousseau。　I　put　it　where　you　see　it；　to
enhance　the　value　of　my　labors。〃

〃I　see　it　all！〃　exclaimed　the　repentant　Betts〃FEEL　it　all；　dearest；
dearest　Mademoiselle　Hennequin；　and　I　hope　this　exquisite　work；　this
refined　taste　brought　all　the　comfort　and