118
THE
OLD
‘There wasn’t time.”
You had to act, you mean. Nobly eaid. Do you know, Miss Margaret, that I believe you'd have made a Joan of Arc!”
At this moment, my aunt came up, and began alternately to chide my companion for having taken Georgians sailing, and to thank him “for saving,” as she phrased it, ‘the dear girl’s life.”
“I'll take the blame,” gallantly said Mr. Tal- bot, ‘‘for I deserve it. But the praise belongs to Miss Margaret, who saved all of our lives.” And he withdrew a step, so as to put me into the foreground.
My aunt looked at me, at first in amazement, then with indignation, which she tried, however, to conceal from my companion.
“Oh! to be sure. I'd heard of it,” and she laughed a little constrained laugh. ‘We're all obliged to my husband's niece. She's quite masculine, always was,” and with this home- thrust, she left us.
Georgiana did not make her appearance till the next day; but Mr. Talbot was the first to welcome her; he even attended her to breakfast, taking my uncle’s vacant seat; for Mr. Elliott had gone to town.
Still, though in this, and other things, he was as attentive as ever to my cousin, I could see, after a day or two, that she was jealous of me. At first, the possibility of such a thing seemed incredible. But when she grew, daily, more cold toward me; when ehe treated me often superciliously, even pettishly, I could no longer doubt it. My aunt took even less psins to con- oeal her indignation. All this could not but render me unhappy. Yet, when Mr. Talbot was at my side, I forgot everything. Not unfre- quently, also, the jealousy of my cousin sent a thrill of joy through me, because it confirmed me in what, at other times, I still thought a vain delusion—the hope that I was not indifferent to Mr. Talbot.
One night, there was a subscription ball, given by the gentlemen of our hotel. It had kept the ladies in a state of excitement for a whole week preceding; hair-dressers had been sent for from the city; new wardrobes had been ordered; several army and navy officers, with various other guests, distinguished either soci- ally or politically, were expected. More than half the girls were speculating as to the con- quests they would make.
I wore my simple robe of muslin; and my hair a la Grecque. 1 will not deny that I thought of Mr. Talbot, and of what I had overheard him say about this costume, on that first evening.
- Georgians was to appear in a new and costly reas, which she had sent for from her milliner. [ saw, from her eye, that she bad determined to take everything on that night’s success. Never hall I forget the look of contempt that welcomed ne, for a moment, as I entered her room, pre- oaratory to going down.
Mr. Talbot, in spite of the crowd of uniforms, was atill the most popular person there. My reart fluttered when I saw him approach where Jeorgiana and [ were sitting. There was a mo- nent of doubt, during which he paid bis compli- nents to both of us; then he asked me to dance he first set with him. I really pitied my cousin, ill I aaw the angry flush on her face, as I turned © go, and the threatening look of her eyes.
But I soon forgot everything but my partner. There was a subdued manner about him, dif- ferent from what I had ever observed toward »ther women, which made me feel at once happy ind embarrassed. Perhaps he observed my ner- vousness, for he suddenly became lively; never had J known him more entertaining; and I soon yrew at ease again. I felt the magnetiam of his intellect; 1 was in extravagant spirits.
When the dance was over, a group gathered about us, and I heard more than one whisper, ‘Miss Gray is unusually brilliant to-night: indeed my situation became so public, that I jrew my companion out to the piassa, under pretence of wanting freah air. <1 aball never,” [ thought, *‘ become habituated enough to society 1o endure being stared at.”
All through that evening, I saw my aunt watch- ing me with an angry scowl. But I was too happy o think of this except for the moment. Twice, Mr Talbot danced with Georgiana, and several other young belles were honored, each once, with his hand; but I was the only one whom he led out frequently. It came to be so natural for me, at last, to expect his return, after a walts or quadrille with others, that, unconsciously, I kept, whenever it was possible, a vacant seat for him beside me.
When I went to my room, that night, I felt, that, if I never was happy again, I had been so, superlatively so, for once in my life. I did not audibly even whisper it to myself, but the hope was never so strong before that I was beloved. Mr. Talbot’s manner, all the evening, had been what a woman would rather hove than any amount of mere intellectual admiration: and it had never been so before.
I woke, the next morning, with a heart as light as a bird. I began to sing at my simple oilet. I knew that Mr. Talbot was to rise at day-break to go fishing, and I did not expect, therefore, to see him at the breakfast-table; but
