The German's Daughter [pp. 737-760]

746 The German's Daughter. ENOvEMBER,
with my bead leaning against its side, and lost in
a reverie-"
" Of mingled loveliness, fresh fruit, and cream,"
said Mrs. Vere.
" 1At last," continued Pembroke, without acknowledging this interruption, "Williams laid down
a paper which he had been reading, and after looking at me inquisitively for a minute or two, asked
me some questions about our next day's journey."
"1To-morrow!" said I, sighing, "1are we going
away to-morrow."
"1I am," answered Williams, laughing. " Perhaps you mean to stay, in order to acquire correctly the proverbs of the English language. If
so, let me advise you to hunt up some of the old
books in which one may find such things; and begin the study to-night, or you will never be a match
for your tutor!"
"Pshaw!" ejaculated I.
"But seriously, Pembroke, did he invite you to
stay!.-for seriously he omitted that courtesy in
my case, and though I like my visit exceedingly,
I have yet some delicacy about remaining, without the preliminary politeness concerning which I
am inquiring."
"What a bore you are!"
"But you have not been meditating a sojourn
without an invitation 1"
"Oh! bang it! you are growing troublesome!"
"Are you in love, Henry?"
"I don't know."
"Not with Helena!"
i;1 NO."
"1Julie, then! —or old Mariecheni."
" Williams! what an ass you are! I wonder if
there's no tavern immediately in the neighborhood!"
"Going to romance awhile? I give you joy!
Shall I tell your pa you're looking out 1"
"1Don't trouble yourself so far, I beg."
"Pembroke, must I give you up! And you, young,
as you are, will you give yourself up to what seems
in a man of your prospects, folly so consummate!"
"1I don't see the folly."
"I suppose not —though if any one else possessed your youth, and wealth, and perfect freed om, I think he might make a better use of them
than to sit down to con over proverbs for life! But
a fellow in love —"
" I am -not in love, I believe —yet!"
"it I
"Youhav choen lreay ten!Goo nigt,
"But, Pembroke," resumed W~~~~ilimaftrtit
ing about uneasily, for a time, in silence, "what,
do you suppose these laies will infer from you
staying?"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~,
"I suppose they will not infer any thing."
"Yes, they will-and they will be justifiable for
coming to the conclusion."
"Well, what conclusion."
" The truth-that you are in love with one of
them —since you do not give Mariechen any hope."
"They will not imagine so."
"They will, however, and by the time your honor will be entirely implicated in the affair, you
will, perhaps, discover that you are mistaken, and
not in love at all. Then, if you take' French
leave,' you will hardly sustain the opinion I have
for med o f you r feelings and character-and if you
do not-"
"'Twould be a scrape!"
"It would indeed! Therefore, Henry, take a
fool's advice- for a fool, I know you think me, for
giving any whatever,- and do not remai n here
now. Let us go on as if nothing particularly influenced you. In a noth er fortnight you can bring
your dogs and gun, and commence sportsman in
the mountains. I know you take in my views,
and comprehend their benefit to yourself."
"Yes."
"And are you disposed to adopt them "
"I think I shall," said I, "I will go home, and
equip myself for the fancy you suggest. It seems
likely to answer my purpose."
" And if this whim pass away, you will not, I
am sure, regret having acted with prudence, and
having forborne to sponge upon that excellent old
prove rb, y ou r f utu re fathe r-in-law."
I was so much di sg usted with this crowning
impertinence, that I made no reply; b ut th e mor e
I considered Williams's suggestion the better I
liked it. It would not only secure to me freedom
of action, but also deliver me from a monitor more
sarcastic tha n agreeable.
Accordingly next morning we t ook le ave of
our kind entertainers; but J ulie, t his morning was
so bewitchingly lovely, when I l ooked at her at
the moment of parting, that I was i n no danger of
forgetting her. I remembered for a long time the
e ffect o f the white rose a nd its d eep green leaves,
which sh e had p laced in her hair.
" Mercy on me!" exclaimed Mrs. Vere, " Flow ers i n he r hair at that hour of the morning!"
"Yes," replied Pembroke, quietly, "Julie h ad
b e fore her no mirror of fashion, and I cannot s ee,
atafter all, why Fashion should prescribe rules for a
lonely country li fe. But, to advance a little far>ther in my history, Wil li ams and I were again
-upon our way, and, at intervals, I could not help
'confiding even to him some of the feelings with
which my heart was overflowing. He laughed
'heartily at every thing I said, and when, at two
*o'clock, we. stopped at a house upon the road side
tfor dinner, I had totally lost my appetite. Williams
*had suggested to my mind so many disa~greeables
that I really could not eat. He lamented the ab
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746
The German's Daughter.
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