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Almost a week was now gone, and Charlotte
continued every evening to meet
Montraville, and in her heart every meeting was
re&longs;olved to be the la&longs;t; but alas! when Montraville
at parting would earne&longs;tly intreat one more
interview, that treacherous heart betrayed her;
and, forgetful of its re&longs;olution, pleaded the cau&longs;e of
the enemy &longs;o powerfully, that Charlotte was unable
to re&longs;i&longs;t. Another and another meeting &longs;ucceeded;
and &longs;o well did Montraville improve each opportunity,
that he heedle&longs;s girl at length confe&longs;&longs;ed no
idea could be &longs;o painful to her as that of never seeing
him again.

“Then we will never be parted,” &longs;aid he.

“Ah, Montraville,” replied Charlotte, forcing
a &longs;mile, “how can it be avoided? My parents
would never con&longs;ent to our union; and even could
they be brought to approve of it, how &longs;hould I bear
to be &longs;eparated from my kind, my beloved mother?”

“Then you love your parents more than you do
me, Charlotte?”

“I hope I do,” &longs;aid &longs;he, blu&longs;hing and looking
down, “I hope my affection for them will ever
keep me from infringing the laws of filial duty.”

“Well, Charlotte,” &longs;aid Montraville gravely,

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and letting go her hand, “&longs;ince that is the ca&longs;e,
I find I have deceived my&longs;elf with fallacious hopes.
I had flattered my fond heart, that I was dearer
to Charlotte than any thing in the world be&longs;ide.
I thought that you would for my &longs;ake have braved
the dangers of the ocean, that you would, by
your affection and &longs;miles, have &longs;oftened the hardships
of war, and, had it been my &longs;ate to fall,
that your tenderne&longs;s would chear the hour of
death and &longs;mooth my pa&longs;&longs;age to another world.
But farewel, Charlotte! I &longs;ee you never loved me.
I &longs;hall now welcome the friendly ball that deprives
me of the &longs;en&longs;e of my mi&longs;ery.”

“Oh &longs;tay, unkind Montraville,” cried &longs;he
catching hold of his arm, as he pretended to leave
her, “&longs;tay, and to calm your fears, I will here
prote&longs;t that was it not for the fear of giving pain
to the be&longs;t of parents, and returning their kindne&longs;s
with ingratitude, I would follow you through
every danger, and, in &longs;tudying to promote your
happine&longs;s, in&longs;ure my own. But I cannot break
my mother's heart, Montraville; I mu&longs;t not bring
the grey hairs of my doating grand-father with sorrow
to the grave, or make my beloved father perhaps
cur&longs;e the hour that gave me birth.” She
covered her face with her hands, and bur&longs;t into
tears.

“All the&longs;e di&longs;tre&longs;&longs;ing &longs;cenes, my dear Charlotte,”
cried Montraville, “are merely the

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chimeras of a di&longs;turbed fancy. Your parents might
perhaps grieve at fir&longs;t; but when they heard from
your own hand that you was with a man of honour,
and that it was to in&longs;ure your felicity by an
union with him, to which you feared they would
never have given their a&longs;&longs;ent, that you left their
protection, they will, be a&longs;&longs;ured, forgive an error
which love alone occa&longs;ioned, and when we return
from America, receive you with open arms and tears
of joy.”

“Belcour and Mademoi&longs;elle heard this la&longs;t
&longs;peech, and conceiving it a proper time to throw
in their advice and per&longs;ua&longs;ions, approached Charlotte,
and &longs;o well &longs;econded the intreaties of Montraville,
that finding Mademoi&longs;elle intended going
with Belcour, and feeling her own treacherous heart
too much inclined to accompany them, the haple&longs;s
Charlotte, in an evil hour con&longs;ented that the next
evening they &longs;hould bring a chai&longs;e to the end of the
town, and that &longs;he would leave her friends, and
throw her&longs;elf entirely on the protection of Montraville.
“But &longs;hould you,” &longs;aid &longs;he, looking earne&longs;tly
at him, her eyes full of tears, “&longs;hould you, forgetful
of your promi&longs;es, and repenting the engagements
you here voluntarily enter into, for&longs;ake and leave
me on a foreign &longs;hore—”

“Judge not &longs;o meanly of me,” &longs;aid he. “The
moment we reach our place of de&longs;tination, Hymen

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&longs;hall &longs;anctify our love: and when I &longs;hall forget your
goodne&longs;s, may heaven forget me.”

“Ah,” &longs;aid Charlotte, leaning on Mademoi&longs;elle's
arm as they walked up the garden together, “I
have forgot all that I ought to have remembered, in
con&longs;enting to this intended elopement.”

“You are a &longs;trange girl,” &longs;aid Mademoi&longs;elle:
“you never know your own mind two minutes at a
time. Ju&longs;t now you declared Montraville's happine&longs;s
was what you prized mo&longs;t in the world; and now I
&longs;uppo&longs;e you repent having in&longs;ured that happine&longs;s by
agreeing to accompany him abroad.”

“Indeed I do repent,” replied Charlotte, “from
my &longs;oul: but while di&longs;cretion points out the impropriety
of my conduct, inclination urges me on to
ruin.”

“Ruin! fiddle&longs;tick?” &longs;aid Mademoi&longs;elle; “am
not I going with you? and do I feel any of the&longs;e
qualms?”

“You do not renounce a tender father and mother,”
&longs;aid Charlotte.

“But I hazard my dear reputation,” replied
Mademoi&longs;elle, bridling.

“True,” replied Charlotte, “but you do not
&longs;eel what I do.” She then bade her good night: but
&longs;leep was a &longs;tranger to her eyes, and the tear of anguish
watered her pillow.