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tion that it lias wantonly done a wrong to another, and the desire
to repair it, lead always one or more steps beyond. I should not
be surprised if Paula Bonneau grows into favour after a while.”
“ Heaven grant it; but you are tired. Let us to bed.”
CHAPTER VI.
OUR AFFAIRS BECOME MUCH COMPLICATED.
Ned Bulmer was too eager and anxious about his affaire du
cceur to give me much respite. His buggy was at the door soon
after breakfast the next morning.
u Whither"—asked the Major of his son, —“ whither are you
going to carry Richard to-day ? Certainly, there is nothing so
important as to deny him one day’s rest when he gets here.”
“ I want him to go with me and see this place of Gendron’s.
I am willing to take his opinion of the lands.”
“ Why, what the deuce can a lawyer know* of lands ?”
“ I shall want him, possibly, to look into the titles and draw up
the papers. And as he is something of a surveyor, he can help
me to find the lines.”
Aunt Janet smiled quietly and whispered to me —“ see that you
do not trespass upon the lands of Madame Girardin.”
I saw that our proceedings were no mystery to her, and guessed
that she was not unfriendly to Ned's passion. The Major growled
meanwhile, and, at length, said—
“ Don’t be persuaded any where at present, boys, for we must
get up a hunt to-morrow. Bryce tells me that there is a fine old
buck that haunts the wood down by the Andrew’s bottom field ;
he saw fresh tracks only this morning. If we turn out early to
morrow, we can start him, and, perhaps, others. At all events, I
am for trying. \\ e will see if you youngsters can draw as fine a
sight, and pull as quick a trigger, as the old man of sixty.”
M e promised, and the impatient Ned scored, with a flourish,
the brown sides ot his bay, sending him forward at a fast city trot,
which took us to Gendron’s—about five miles—in half an hour.
Here we drew up and went into the house which w as in charge of
the overseer. But here we did not linger. After we had got a
draught of cold water and had a little chat with the overseer, Ned
thrust into my hands a morsel ot a billet which he had prepared
before we left “ the Barony,” which had no address, but was meant
for Paula.
“ Take the buggy and boy, old fellow, and visit your friend
Madame Agnes-Theresa. It is a mile round to the entrance, but
the estates join, and do you see yonder pine woods ? They are
about eight hundred yards from this spot, but only two hundred
from the house at Rougemont. My note says only that I shall be
there, and if you can entertain the old lady, so that the young
one can make her escape unseen, I am in hopes that she will sutler
me to entertain her there for a season. Only keep the grand
mother quiet for a good half hour.”
I was successful; being so fortunate as to find Paula alone in
the drawing-room. I gave her the note, which she was able to
read and conceal from the grandmother. 1 found the old lady in
the best of humours, quite satisfied with her own purchases in the
city, and particularly pleased with those which I had selected for
SUPPLEMENT TO SOUTHERN LITERARY GAZETTE.
her. Upon the raisins, crushed sugar, and almonds, she w*<
cmlly eloquent, and was graciously pleased to assure me— l ‘
horror—that hereafter she should employ me to make all her’
chases of this nature. My judgment was so highly extolledT
this matter, that 1 trembled lest she should conclude In- • ‘
• , j pi < >posing
to invest a few thousands, and to go into the grocery business
with me. While she talked, Paula disappeared. Os comv \
encouraged the eloquence of the grandmother. I knew the topics
to provoke it; but the reader has already had a sufficient sample
of them, and I will not require him to partake of my annoyance!
I was patient, and held on for nearly an hour, until the sweet face
of pretty Paula once more lightened the parlour. Os course I
had something to say to her, interrupted, however, by the grand
mother, who sharply rebuked her for leaving me during the whole
time ot my visit. Paula looked to me with the sweetest gravity
in the world, and made the most gracefully evasive apology, which
1 perfectly understood, though it was by no means satisfactory to
Madame Girardin. Invitations from both of them, to renew mv
visit, dine, and spend the day, were gratefully acknowledged, and,
shaking affectionate hands, I took my’ departure.
I found Ned Bulmer rather under a cloud. The interview be
tween himself and Paula, under those famous and friendly pines,
had not been quite satisfactory to his ardent and impetuous nature.
Paula entertained some natural feminine scruples at an intercourse
not only secretly carried on, but notoriously against the desires of
l*>th their parents. I lie little creature had shown herself quite
chary and somewhat sad.
“ 1 urged upon her,” said Ned, “ all that I could in the way of
argument to convince her that there was a natural limit to parental
rights that parents had no right to oppose their own mere anti
pathies to the sympathies of others—that, to indulge these anti
pathies at the expense ot our affections, was a gross and unfeeling
injustice—that the right of the parent simply consisted in being
assured ot the morals and the character of the parties concerned—
perhaps, to see, farther, that the means of life were at their com
mand. Beyond this, I contended, that any attempt at authority
was usurpation. I urged upon h<*r, in the event of our parents
continuing to refuse, that we should marry without regard to their
objections. I o this, the dear girl positively objected. This roused
me a little, and I showed some temjier. Then she wept bitterly
and called me unkind, —and I—would you believe it, Dick, I wept
too, —I suppose for sympathy, and then she was more distressed
than ever. The tears of a man, to a woman, are certainly very
awful, or very ridiculous. They either show great weakness, or
great suffering. Certainly, when Paula saw the drops on my
cheek she was positively terrified. But, she was firm still. She
would consent to nothing. Dick,—l half doubt if she loves me.”
“ Pooh ! pooh ! you are unreasonable. I don’t see what more
you could require. She gives you the highest proof of love she
can aiJ d you expect her to tear herself away, in defiance, from
her only kinswoman—she who lias trained her, protected her, been
to her a mother. Nonsense ! you are too fast! Patience, ve
must work upon the rock with water. Time! time, man! I hut
b all that you want. The game is more than half won when tlk
lady 7 herself is willing.”
a But, I see no progress.”
I hat is because you only see through the medium ot ) ,,ul
impatient desires. 1 ime, I say ! That is what you require.
