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〃Very pleasant;〃 said Elinor。

〃Delightful!〃 exclaimed Mr。 Ellsworth。 〃I hope we shall have such another every day。〃

〃Then I must try and find an animal; with rather better paces than the one which has the honour of carrying me at present;〃 said Mr。 Stryker。

〃But Mrs。 Creighton has been so very agreeable; that I should think you would have been happy to accompany her on the worst horse in Saratoga;〃 observed Mr。 Wyllys。

〃Only too agreeable;〃 replied Mr。 Stryker; as he helped the lady to dismount; while Mr。 Ellsworth performed the same service to Elinor。



CHAPTER V。 {XXVIII}

〃I do beseech your grace; for charity; If ever any malice in your heart Were hid against me; now to forgive me frankly。〃 Henry VIII。

{William Shakespeare; 〃Henry VIII〃; II。i。79…81}

ONE evening; about a week after the arrival of the Wyllyses; there was a dance at Congress Hall; where they were staying。 Mrs。 Creighton; with her brother; who were already engaged to meet some friends there; urged Elinor very much to join them; but she declined; not wishing to leave Jane。 Mr。 Ellsworth; who had been very devoted; of late; seemed particularly anxious she should go。 But although Elinor's manner betrayed some little embarrassment; if not indecision; as the gentleman urged her doing so; still she persisted in remaining with her cousin。

{〃Congress Hall〃 = the most fashionable hotel in Saratoga Springs  built in 1811; the original building burned in 1866}

〃Well; I am sorry we cannot persuade you; Miss Wyllys; though I dare say you will have a very pleasant evening in your own parlour。〃

〃We must put; off our game of chess until to…morrow; Mrs。 Creighton;〃 said Mr。 Wyllys。

〃Yes; unfortunately for me; for I have fully determined to beat you; sir; at our next trial。 Well; Frank; we cannot stay here all the evening; I dare say; our friends; the Stevensons; are looking for us in the ball…room already。〃 

〃Mrs。 Creighton is a very pretty woman;〃 observed Mr。 Wyllys; as he seated himself at the chess…board; opposite his daughter; after the brother and sister had left the room。

〃Yes; a very pretty woman; and she always looks well in her evening…dress;〃 replied Miss Agnes。

Elinor devoted herself to Jane's amusement。 Ever since they had been together; she had given up a great part of her time to Mrs。 Taylor; whom she was very anxious to cheer and enliven; that she might persuade her to throw off the melancholy and low spirits; which her cousin seemed purposely to encourage。 The sick baby was better; and Elinor was in hopes that before they parted; she should succeed in awakening Jane to a somewhat better frame of mind。 She was very desirous that the time they were together should not be lost; and her kindness was so unwearied; her manner was so affectionate and soothing; and the advice she sometimes allowed herself to give; was so clear and sensible; that at last Jane seemed to feel the good effects of her cousin's efforts。

After Mr。 Ellsworth and his sister had left the room to join the dancers; Jane suddenly turned to Elinor; with tears in her eyes。 〃How kind you are!〃 she said。 〃I daresay you would like to go down…stairs;but you are too good to me; Elinor!〃

〃Nonsense; Jenny; I can't help it if I would。 Do you think I should enjoy dancing; if I knew you were sitting alone in this dark corner; while grandpapa and Aunt Agnes are playing chess! You are looking a great deal more woe…begone than you ought to; now baby is so much better。〃

〃You spoil me;〃 said Jane; shaking her head; and smiling with more feeling than usual in her unexpressive face。

〃I shall spoil you a great deal more before we get through。 Next week; when Mr。 Taylor comes; I intend to talk him into bringing you over to Wyllys…Roof; to pay a good long visit; like old times。〃

〃I had much rather think of old times; than of what is to come。 There is nothing pleasant for me to look forward to!〃

〃How can you know that; Jane? I have learned one lesson by experience; though I am only a year older than you; dearand it is; that if we are often deceived by hope; so we are quite as often misled by fear。〃

〃I believe; Elinor; you are my best friend;〃 said Jane; holding out her hand to her cousin。

〃Oh; you have more good friends than you think for; and much good of every kind; though you will shut your eyes to the fact。〃

〃It may be so;〃 said Jane; 〃I will try to follow your advice; if I can。〃

〃Try hard; then;〃 said Elinor; 〃and all will go well。 And now; shall I sing you the song Mrs。 Creighton cut short?〃

She began to sing 〃Auld Lang Syne;〃 but the song was interrupted before she had finished the second verse。 Several persons were heard approaching their room; which was in a retired; quiet part of the house; the door soon opened; and in walked Robert Hazlehurst。

〃Well; good people;〃 he exclaimed; 〃you take the world as quietly as anybody I know! We supposed; of course; you were at the ball; but Elinor's voice betrayed you。 This way; Louisa;〃 he said; returning to the door; after having shaken hands with Mr。 Wyllys and Miss Agnes。

〃How glad I am to see you!〃 exclaimed Elinor〃you are as good as your word; but we did not expect you for several days;〃 and Jane and herself went to the door to meet Mrs。 Hazlehurst。

〃And; pray; what reason had you to suppose that we should not keep our word?〃 said the latter; as she appeared。

〃We thought Harry would probably detain you;〃 said Elinor。

〃Not at all; we brought him along with us。〃 

〃That was a good arrangement we had not thought of;〃 observed Miss Agnes。

Harry entered the room。 He was not entirely free from embarrassment at first; but when Mr。 Wyllys met him with something of the cordial manner of old times; he immediately recovered himself。 He kissed the hand of Miss Agnes; as in former days; and saluted Elinor in the same way; instead of the more brotherly greetings with which he used to meet her of old。

〃And here is Jane; too; Harry;〃 said Mrs。 Hazlehurst; who had just embraced her sister。 〃You have been so long away; that I dare say you have forgotten half your old friends。〃

〃Not at all;〃 said Harry; crossing the room to Jane。 〃I think myself a very lucky fellow; at finding them all collected here together; for my especial benefit。 I met Mr。 Taylor for a moment in New York;〃 he continued; addressing Jane。

〃Did he say when he was coming for me?〃 replied Mrs。 Taylor; offering her hand to her kinsman。

〃He told me that he should be at Saratoga very shortly。〃

〃I have a letter for you in my trunk; Jane;〃 said Mrs。 Robert Hazlehurst。

〃Don't you think our invalid much better; already; Louisa?〃 asked Elinor。

〃Yes; she does credit to your nursing。〃

〃No wonder;〃 said Jane; 〃for during the last month I have been petted all the timefirst by Mrs。 Taylor; then by Aunt Agnes and Elinor。〃

〃It's very pleasant to be petted;〃 said Harry; 〃that's precisely what I came home for。 I give you my notice; Louisa; I expect a great deal from you in the next three months。〃

〃Is that the length of your holiday?〃 inquired Miss Agnes。

〃So says my master; Mr。 Henley。 I understand;〃 he added; turning to Elinor; 〃that you have all the agreeable people in the country collected here。〃

〃There are some thousands of us; agreeable and disagreeable; altogether。 They say the place has never been more crowded so early in the season。〃

〃So I'm told。 I was warned that if I came; I should have to make my bed in the cellar; or on the roof。 Are Ellsworth and Mrs。 Creighton at this house; or at the other?〃

〃They are staying at the United States。 They are here this evening; however; at the dance。〃

{〃United States〃 = the other major hotel in Saratoga Springs; less fashionable at this time than Congress Hall}

〃Indeed!I have half a mind to take Ellsworth by surprise。 Will they admit a gentleman in travelling costume; do you think?〃

〃I dare say they will; but here are your friends; coming to look for you。〃

At the same moment; Mr。 Ellsworth and Mrs。 Creighton joined the party。

〃How d'ye do; Ellsworth?Glad to see you; my dear fellow!〃 cried the young men; shaking each other violently by the hand。

〃How do you do; Mr。 Hazlehurst?〃 added the lady; 〃Welcome back again。 But what have you done with your sister…in…law?for I did not come to call upon you alone。 Ah; here you are; Mrs。 Hazlehurst。 My brother observed you passing through the hall; as you arrived; and we determined that it would be much pleasanter to pass half an hour with you; than to finish the dance。 We have been wishing for you every day。〃

〃Thank you。 We should have set out before; if we had not waited for Harry。 Elinor tells me half Philadelphia is here; already。〃

〃Yes; the houses have filled up very much since I first came; for I am ashamed to say how long I have been here。〃

〃Why; yes: I understood you were going to Nahant。〃

〃We ought to have been there long ago; but I could not move this obstinate brother of mine。 He has never found Saratoga so delightful; Mrs。 Hazlehurst;〃 added the lady; with an expressive smile; and a look towards Elinor。 〃I can't say; however; that I at all regret being forced to stay; for many of our friends are here; now。 Mr。 Hazlehurst; I hope you have come home more agreeable than ever。〃

〃I hope so too; Mrs。 Creighton; for it is one of our chief duties as diplomatists; 'to tell lies for the good of our country;' in an agreeable way。 But I am afraid I have not improved my opportunities。 I have been very much out of humour for the last six months; at least。〃 

〃And why; pray?〃

〃Because I wanted to come home; and Mr。 Henley; my boss; insisted upon proving to me it would be the most foolish thing I could do。 He was so much in the right; that I resented it by being cross。〃

〃But now he has come himself; and brought you with him。〃

〃No thanks to him; though。 It was all Uncle Sam's doings; who wants to send us from the Equator to the North Pole。〃

〃Are you really going to Russia; Hazlehurst?〃 asked Mr。 Ellsworth。

〃Certainly; you would not have me desert; would you?〃

〃Oh; no; don't think of it; Mr。 Hazlehurst; it must be a very pleasant life!〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Creighton。 〃I only wish; Frank; that you were enough of a politician to be sent as minister somewhere; I should delight in doing the honours for you; though I dare say you would rather have some one else in my place。〃

〃We will wait until I am sent as ambassador to Timbuctoo; before I answer the question。〃

〃You have grown half…a…dozen shades darker than you used to be as a youngster; Harry; or else this lamp deceives me;〃 observed Mr。 Wyllys。

〃I dare say I may have a fresh tinge of the olive。 But I am just from sea; sir; and that may have given me an additional coat。〃

〃Did you suffer much from heat; on the voyage?〃 asked Miss Wyllys。

〃Not half as much as I have since I landed。 It appeared to me Philadelphia was the warmest spot I had ever breathed in; worse than Rio。 I was delighted when Louisa proposed my coming to Saratoga to see my friends。〃

〃You will find it quite warm enough here;〃 said Mr。 Wyllys。 〃The thermometer was 92 {degrees} in the shade; yesterday。〃

〃I don't expect to be well cooled; sir; until we get to St。 Petersburgh。 After a sea…voyage; I believe one always feels the cold less; and the heat more than usua

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