of　her　want　of　discretion　on　this　point；　was　one　of　the　last　things　that
  would　cross　the　fond　parent's　mind　at　Mrs。　Leamington's　ball。　Others；
  however；　were　less　confiding。
  ｛retenue　=　discretion｝
  〃Your　daughter　is　in　HIGH　SPIRITS　to…night；〃　observed　a　single　lady
  of　a　certain　age；　who　was　sitting　near　Mrs。　Monson；　〃I　do　not
  remember　to　have　ever　seen　her　so　GAY。〃
  〃Yes；　dear　girl；　she　IS　happy；〃poor　Julia　was　any　thing　but　THAT；
  just　then〃but　youth　is　the　time　for　happiness；　if　it　is　ever　to　come　in　this
  life。〃
  〃Is　Miss　Monson　addicted　to　such　VERY　high　spirits？〃　continued　one；
  who　was　resolute　to　torment；　and　vexed　that　the　mother　could　not　be
  sufficiently　alarmed　to　look　around。
  〃Alwayswhen　in　agreeable　company。　I　think　it　a　great　happiness；
  ma'am；　to　possess　good　spirits。〃
  〃No　doubtyet　one　needn't　be　always　fifteen；　as　Lady　Wortley
  Montague　said；〃　muttered　the　other；　giving　up　the　point；　and　changing
  her　seat；　in　order　that　she　might　speak　her　mind　more　freely　into　the　ear
  of　a　congenial　spirit。
  ｛Lady　Wortley　Montague　=　Lady　Mary　Wortley　Montague　（1689…
  1762）；　English　essayist　and　letter…writer｝
  Half　an　hour　later　we　were　all　in　the　carriages；　again；　on　our　way　home；
  all；　but　Betts　Shoreham；　I　should　say；　for　having　seen　the　ladies
  cloaked；　he　had　taken　his　leave　at　Mrs。　Leamington's　door；　as　uncertain
  as　ever　whether　or　not　to　impute　envy　to　a　being　who；　in　all　other
  respects；　seemed　to　him　to　be　faultless。　He　had　to　retire　to　an　uneasy
  pillow；　undetermined　whether　to　pursue　his　original　intention　of　making
  the　poor　friendless　French　girl　independent；　by　an　offer　of　his　hand；　or
  whether　to　decide　that　her　amiable　and　gentle　qualities　were　all　seeming；
  and　that　she　was　not　what　she　appeared　to　be。　Betts　Shoreham　owed
  his　distrust　to　national　prejudice；　and　well　was　he　paid　for　entertaining
  so　vile　a　companion。　Had　Mademoiselle　Hennequin　been　an　American
  girl；　he　would　not　have　thought　a　second　time　of　the　emotion　she　had
  betrayed　in　regarding　my　beauties；　but　he　had　been　taught　to　believe　all
  French　women　managing　and　hypocritical；　a　notion　that　the　experience
  of　a　young　man　in　Paris　would　not　be　very　likely　to　destroy。
  ｛managing　=　manipulative｝
  〃Well；〃　cried　John　Monson；　as　the　carriage　drew　from　Mrs。
  Leamington's　door；　〃this　is　the　last　ball　I　shall　go　to　in　New　York；〃
  which　declaration　he　repeated　twenty　times　that　season；　and　as　often
  broke。
  〃What　is　the　matter　now；　Jack？〃　demanded　the　father。　〃I　found　it　very
  pleasantsix　or　seven　of　us　old　fellows　made　a　very　agreeable　evening
  of　it。〃
  〃Yes；　I　dare　say；　sir；　but　you　were　not　compelled　to　dance　in　a　room
  eighteen　by　twenty…four；　with　a　hundred　people　treading　on　your　toes；
  or　brushing　their　heads　in　your　face。〃
  〃Jack　can　find　no　room　for　dancing　since　the　great　ball　of　the　Salle　de
  l'Opera；　at　Paris；〃　observed　the　mother　smiling。　〃I　hope　YOU　enjoyed
  yourself　better；　Julia？〃
  ｛Salle　de　l'Opera　=　Paris　Opera　Housethe　building　referred　to　by
  Cooper　served　as　Opera　House　from　1821…1873　and　was　replaced　by
  the　present　building　in　1874｝
  My　mistress　started；　then　she　answered　with　a　sort　of　hysterical　glee
  〃Oh！　I　have　found　the　evening　delightful；　ma'am。　I　could　have　remained
  two　hours　longer。〃
  〃And　you；　Mademoiselle　Hennequin；　I　hope　you；　too；　were　agreeably
  entertained？〃
  The　governess　answered　meekly；　and　with　a　slight　tremor　in　her　voice。
  〃Certainly；　madame；〃　she　said；　〃I　have　enjoyed　myself；　though　dancing
  always　seems　an　amusement　I　have　no　right　to　share　in。〃
  There　was　some　little　embarrassment；　and　I　could　perceive　an　impulse
  in　Julia　to　press　nearer　to　her　rival；　as　if　impelled　by　a　generous　wish　to
  manifest　her　sympathy。　But　Tom's　protest　soon　silenced　every　thing
  else；　and　we　alighted；　and　soon　went　to　rest。
  The　next　morning　Julia　sent　for　me　down　to　be　exhibited　to　one　or　two
  friends；　my　fame　having　spread　in　consequence　of　my　late　appearance。　I
  was　praised；　kissed；　called　a　pretty　dear；　and　extolled　like　a　spoiled
  child；　though　Miss　W。　did　not　fail　to　carry　the　intelligence；　far　and　near；
  that　Miss　Monson's　much…talked…of　pocket…handkerchief　was　nothing
  after　all　but　the　THING　Miss　Halfacre　had　brought　out　the　night　of　the
  day　her　father　had　stopped　payment。　Some　even　began　to　nick…name
  me　the　insolvent　pocket…handkerchief。
  I　thought　Julia　sad；　after　her　friends　had　all　left　her。　I　lay　neglected　on　a
  sofa；　and　the　pretty　girl's　brow　became　thoughtful。　Of　a　sudden　she　was
  aroused　from　a　brown　studyreflective　mood；　perhaps；　would　be　a
  more　select　phraseby　the　unexpected　appearance　of　young　Thurston。
  There　was　a　sort　of　〃Ah！　have　I　caught　you　alone！〃　expression　about
  this　adventurer's　eye；　even　while　he　was　making　his　bow；　that　struck
  me。　I　looked　for　great　events；　nor　was　I　altogether　disappointed。　In　one
  minute　he　was　seated　at　Julia's　side；　on　the　same　sofa；　and　within　two
  feet　of　her；　in　two　more　he　had　brought　in　play　his　usual　tricks　of
  flattery。　My　mistress　listened　languidly；　and　yet　not　altogether　without
  interest。　She　was　piqued　at　Betts　Shoreham's　indifference；　had　known
  her　present　admirer　several　months；　if　dancing　in　the　same　set　can　be
  called　KNOWING；　and　had　never　been　made　love　to　before；　at　least
  in　a　manner　so　direct　and　unequivocal。　The　young　man　had　tact　enough
  to　discover　that　he　had　an　advantage；　and　fearful　that　some　one　might
  come　in　and　interrupt　the　tete　a　tete；　he　magnanimously　resolved　to
  throw　all　on　a　single　cast；　and　come　to　the　point　at　once。
  〃I　think；　Miss　Monson；〃　he　continued；　after　a　very　beautiful　specimen　of
  rigmarole　in　the　way　of　love…making；　a　rigmarole　that　might　have　very
  fairly　figured　in　an　editor's　law　and　logic；　after　he　had　been　beaten　in　a
  libel　suit；　''I　think；　Miss　Monson；　you　cannot　have　overlooked　the
  VERY　particular　attentions　I　have　endeavored　to　pay　you；　ever　since　I
  have　been　so　fortunate　as　to　have　made　your　acquaintance？〃
  〃I！Upon　my　word；　Mr。　Thurston；　I　am　not　at　all　conscious　of　having
  been　the　object　of　any　such　attentions！〃
  〃No？That　is　ever　the　way　with　the　innocent　and　single…minded！　This　is
  what　we　sincere　and　diffident　men　have　to　contend　with　in　affairs　of　the
  heart。　Our　bosoms　may　be　torn　with　ten　thousand　distracting　cares；　and
  yet　the　modesty　of　a　truly　virtuous　female　heart　shall　be　so　absorbed　in
  its　own　placid　serenity　as　to　be　indifferent　to　the　pangs　it　is
  unconsciously　inflicting！〃
  〃Mr。　Thurston；　your　language　is　stronganda　littlea　little
  unintelligible。〃
  〃I　dare　sayma'amI　never　expect　to　be　intelligible　again。　When　the
  'heart　is　oppressed　with　unutterable　anguish；　condemned　to　conceal　that
  passion　which　is　at　once　the　torment　and　delight　of　life'when　'his　lip；
  the　ruby　harbinger　of　joy；　lies　pale　and　cold；　the　miserable　appendage
  of　a　mang'　that　is；　Miss　Monson；　I　mean　to　say；　when　all　our　faculties
  are　engrossed　by　one　dear　object　we　are　often　incoherent　and
  mysterious；　as　a　matter　of　course。〃
  Tom　Thurston　came　very　near　wrecking　himself　on　the　quicksands　of
  the　romantic　school。　He　had　begun　to　quote　from　a　speech　delivered　by
  Gouverneur　Morris；　on　the　right　of　deposit　at　New　Orleans；　and　which
  he　had　spoken　at　college；　and　was　near　getting　into　a　part　of　the　subject
  that　might　not　have　been　so　apposite；　but　retreated　in　time。　By　way　of
  climax；　the　lover　laid　his　hand　on　me；　and　raised　me　to　his　eyes　in　an
  abstracted　manner；　as　if　unconscious　of　what　he　was　doing；　and　wanted
  to　brush　away　a　tear。
  ｛Gouverneur　Morris　=　American　Federalist　leader　and　diplomat　（1752…
  1816）a　1795　American　treaty　with　Spain　granted　the　United　States
  the　right　of　navigation　on　the　Mississippi　River　and　to　deposit　goods　at
  New　Orleans　without　paying　customs　duties｝
  〃What　a　confounded　rich　old　fellow　the　father　must　be；〃　thought　Tom；
  〃to　give　her　such　pocket…handkerchiefs！〃
  I　felt　like　a　wren　that　escapes　from　the　hawk　when　the　rogue　laid　me
  down。
  Alas！　Poor　Julia　was　the　dupe　of　all　this　acting。　Totally　unpracticed
  herself；　abandoned　by　the　usages　of　the　society　in　which　she　had　been
  educated　very　much　to　the　artifices　of　any　fortune…hunter；　and　vexed
  with　Betts　Shoreham；　she　was　in　the　worst　possible　frame　of　mind　to
  resist　such　eloquence　and　love。　She　had　seen　Tom　at　all　the　balls　in　the
  best　houses；　found　no　fault　with　his　exterior　and　manners；　both　of　which
  were　fashionable　and　showy；　and　now　discovered　that　he　had　a　most
  sympathetic　heart；　over　which；　unknown　to　herself；　she　had　obtained　a
  very　unlimited　control。
  〃You　do　not　answer　me；　Miss　Monson；〃　continued　Tom　peeping　out　at
  one　side　of　me；　for　I　was　still　at　his　eyes〃you　do　not　answer　me；　cruel；
  inexorable　girl！〃
  〃What　WOULD　you　have　me　say；　Mr。　Thurston？〃
  〃Say　YES；　dearest；　loveliest；　most　perfect　being　of　the　whole　human
  family。〃
  〃YES；　then；　if　that　will　relieve　your　mind；　it　is　a　relief　very　easily
  bestowed。〃
  Now；　Tom　Thurston　was　as　skilled　in　a　fortune…hunter's　wiles　as
  Napoleon　was　in　military　strategy。　He　saw　he　had　obtained　an　immense
  advantage　for　the　future；　and　he　forbore　to　press　the　matter　any　further
  at　the　moment。　The　〃yes〃　had　been　uttered　more　in　pleasantry　than　with
  any　other　feeling；　but；　by　holding　it　in　reserve；　presuming　on　it　gr