After Natura came home, and had leisure to meditate on this affair, he began with thinking how terrible it would be to him, to see Charlotte in the arms of a husband; and when he reflected, that such a thing might be possible, even though he doubted not the sincerity of her present aversion, the idea was scarce to be borne:--from this he naturally fell on figuring to himself how great a blessing that man would enjoy, who should always have the sweet society of so amiable a companion;--and this made him cry out, 'Why then, what hinders me from endeavouring to become that happy man?--If I resolved against any future marriage, it was when I knew not the adorable Charlotte, nor believed there was so excellent a woman in the world.'--In this rapturous imagination did he continue for a moment, but then the improbability of succeeding in any such attempt, struck him with an adequate despair.--'Though the uncommon merit of the woman I adore,' said he, 'compels me to change the resolution I had taken, there is not the same reason to prevail on her to recede from her's.--Past the bloom of life, and already twice a husband, can I flatter myself with the fond hope she will not reject the proposals I should make with the same scorn she did those of the councillor?' Charlotte, on the other hand, was engrossed by reflections vastly different from those she was accustomed to entertain:--never woman was more free from vanity, or thought less of the power of her charms, yet she could not hinder herself from thinking there was somewhat in the behaviour of Natura, in his last visit, that denoted a regard beyond an ordinary friendship for her.--This apprehension, at first, a little startled her, or at least she imagined it did so, and she said to herself, 'If he should really harbour any inclinations for me of that sort, how unhappy should I be in being obliged to break off my acquaintance with a person so every way agreeable to me; and to continue it, would be to countenance a passion I have determined never to give the least attention to.'--'Yet wherefore did I determine?' pursued she, with a sigh, 'but because I found the generality of men mere wandering, vague, inconstant creatures;--were guided only by fancy;--never consulted their judgment, whether the object they pretended to admire, had any real merit or not, and often too treated those worst who had the best claim to their esteem;--besides, one seldom finds a man whose person and qualifications are every way suited to one's liking:--Natura is certainly such as I should wish a husband to be, if I were inclined to marry again;--I have not taken a vow of celibacy, and have nobody to controul my actions':--'then,' said she again, 'what foolish imaginations comes into my head; perhaps he has not the least thought of me in the way I am dreaming of;--no, no, he has suffered too much by the imprudence of one woman, to put it in the power of another to treat him in the same manner;--be trembles