CHAPTER XXVII. But, oh! what damned minutes tells he o'er A CIRCUMSTANCE occurred on our leaving the magazine of fashion, which afforded me a long tête-à-tête with my heart's idol, although followed by consequences which might have checked my career of good or evil, ere yet the blossoms of life had time to expand. While I held a lady on each arm, we suddenly encountered a former lover of Miss Temple's, a Lieutenant Arabin of the artillery; as fine a fellow to behold as ever stormed the citadel of woman's heart. His unexpected appearance threw my lusty love into a state of confusion and dismay, which, under existing circumstances, was but too natural. She had just time to whisper,"Don't leave me, dearest," when the young artilleryman opened fire with a volley of compliments; and with a freedom which spoke the openness of his nature, said, "Brother soldier, you are too happy, and I am sure will not refuse me a share of your happiness," at the same time gently taking the hand of Miss Temple. The lady neither granted nor refused the offer, but "looked unutterable things" at me, as the gallant lieutenant limbered into line with her. On resigning her arm, I could not avoid saying something in the nature of a compliment to his superior claims to the preference of the fair; for he was in truth one of the handsomest men I had ever seen, when Mrs. Maria cut short my speech by requesting me to bestow some of my compliments on them, who had been in vain watching for them the whole of the morning. I felt the rebuke, and hurried forward, pressing her yielding hand in rapture to my throbbing heart. We were soon a dozen yards in advance of Miss Temple and the lieutenant. The lucky opportunity which I had so ardently longed for, so earnestly entreated, had now ar rived; yet I felt tongue-tied and bewildered; almost gasping for utterance, I at length found words to implore her forgiveness for the liberty I had taken the preceding night, yet I trembled to proceed to a full explanation. An expression of the most heart-thrilling tenderness passed over her benign brow, when, returning the pressure of my hand, she replied, "Ask yourself whether I forgive you-but can I forgive myself for this confession?" The icy spell which bound my tongue in silence once broken, a torrent of rapturous acknowlegements burst from my lips on her too willing ear. Be not too severe, my most virtuous reader, on the gentle Maria. She was but nineteen! a child of the sun, the widowed wife of a man for whom she never felt the slightest affection, and of one too who never sought to gain it by those tender endearments which, even more than personal advantages, "steal love's fetters o'er the mind" of a gentle and susceptible being! Her sad story shall not be forgotten; but at present I must proceed in my walk with my interesting partner. Having reached the skirts of the town, we turned into a green and shady lane, by pursuing the course of which for above a quarter of a mile, we should re-enter it nearly at that place where the car was ordered to be ready. The second couple in love's country-dance, though far behind, still held us in view of course in due time they would bend their way down this secluded allée vert; but in the interim we were alone, and unobserved by all the world! To repeat all the rhapsodies which an amorous boy had the folly to utter would go a great way to consign my book from the side to the back of the fire. Almost sinking with undefinable feelings, the lovely creature heard me in blushing silence, passively submitting to those mad caresses, which in all the wildness of young rapture were tumultuously bestowed. The dangerous kiss was for a moment unresistingly received, not returned: but one imploring look--for words were unutterable-one glance of fond reproach restored me to my sense of duty and respect to her, whose existence seemed to depend on my honor and forbearance. 1 To apologise for my ardor would but have called recollections of our mutual indiscretion! A few minutes brought the other pair of lovers in sight: how they had employed their time I neither knew nor cared; it was sufficient that my heart was brimful of happiness. When joined by our friends, my air had become composed, and my attentions bore no other character than those of kind civility. We all sauntered towards the rendezvous where we were to meet papa; but I could not fail to remark to my Maria that the meeting between Miss Temple and her gallant escort did not appear to have been a happy one: indignant reproach seemed seated on the soldier's brow, while on the lady's I thought I could discern a storm brewing against me. However, with spirits buoyant and a lightened heart, I laughed and talked, and sang scraps of songs to while away the time, until the old gentleman's appearance in the distance threw a new expression into the countenances of three of the party. The great gun seemed ready to go off without a match! Miss Temple to faint; while the lovely Maria, with an angel's smile, ran forward to meet |