“You don't see why that should make a difference between yourself and your poor cousin, eh? Well, but it does; and though you don't see it now, yet it will not be very long before you will see, and understand it, and act upon it, too, as promptly as the wisest among them. Don't you know that I am the object of your father's charity--that his bounty feeds me--and that it would not be seemly that the world should behold me on a familiar footing of equality or intimacy with the daughter of my benefactor--my patron--without whom I should probably starve, or be a common beggar upon the highway?” “But father would not suffer that, Edward.” “Oh, no! no!--he would not suffer it, Julia, simply because his own pride and name would feel the shame and disgrace of such a thing. But though he would keep me from beggary and the highway, Julia, neither he nor your mother would spend a sixpence or make an effort to save my feelings from pain and misery. They protect me from the scorn of others, but they use me for their own.” The girl hung her head in silence. “And you, too,” I added--“the time will come when you too, Julia, will shrink as promptly as themselves from being seen with your poor relation. You--” “No! no! Edward--how can you think of such a thing?” she replied with girlish chiding. “Think it!--I know it! The time will soon be here. But--obey your mother, Julia. Go! leave me now. Begin, once the lesson which, before many days, you will find it very easy to learn.” This was all very manly, so I fancied at the time; and then blind with the perverse heart which boiled within me, I felt not the wantonness of my mood, and heeded not the bitter pain which I occasioned to her gentle bosom. Her little hand grasped mine, her warm tears fell upon it; but I flung away from her grasp, and left her to those childish meditations which I had made sufficiently mournful.