"See, madam--see, Julia--there is our travelling equipage on board that
sloop, going up to meet us in Albany."
Our heroine looked as directed, and saw a vessel moving with tolerable
rapidity up the river, within a short distance from them. On its deck
were a travelling carriage and a pair of horses, and by the latter stood
a man who, by the whip in his hand, was evidently the driver. His
stature was tall and athletic; his complexion dark to near blackness;
his face was buried in whiskers; and his employer had spoken the truth
when he said he had as good an eye as any man in America--it was large,
black, and might be piercing. But then he had but one--at least the
place where the other ought to be, was covered by an enormous patch of
green silk. This then was Antonio. It is true, he did not resemble
Apollo, but his disguise altered him so that it was difficult to
determine. As they moved slowly by the vessel, the driver recognised
Charles, having had an interview with him the day before, and saluted
him with a low bow--his salutation was noticed by the young man, who
slightly touched his hat, and gave him a familiar nod in return--Julia,
unconsciously, bent her body, and felt her cheeks glow with confusion as
she rose again. She could not muster resolution to raise her eyes
towards the sloop, but by a kind of instinctive coquetry dragged her
companion to the other side of the boat. As soon as she was able to
recover her composure, Julia revolved in her mind the scene which had
just occurred. She had seen Antonio--every thing about him equalled her
expectations--even at the distance, she had easily discerned the noble
dignity of his manners--his eye gave assurance of his conscious
worth--his very attitude was that of a gentleman. Not to know him for a
man of birth, of education and of fortune, Julia felt to her would be
impossible; and she trembled lest others, as discerning as herself,
should discover his disguise, and she in consequence be covered with
confusion. She earnestly hoped his incog. would ever remain unknown, for
her delicacy shrunk at the publicity and notoriety which would then
attend his attachment. It was certainly delightful to be loved, and so
loved--to be attended, and so attended; but the heart of Julia was too
unpractised to relish the laugh and observations of a malignant world.
"No, my Antonio," she breathed internally, "hover around me, shield me
from impending dangers, delight me with your presence, and enchant me
with your eye; but claim me in the guise of a gentleman and a hero, that
no envious tongue may probe the secrets of our love, nor any profane
scoffer ridicule those sensitive pleasures that he is too unsentimental
to enjoy." With these, and similar thoughts, did Julia occupy herself,
until Charles pointed out to her the majestic entrance to the Highlands.
Our heroine, who was truly alive to all the charms of nature, gazed
with rapture as the boat plunged between the mountains on either hand,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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