The Atlantic Monthly | Page 9

say handsome,--well-bred, well
educated, with plenty of common information picked up in a
promiscuous intercourse with town and country people, rather fine
tastes, and a great, strong, magnanimous, physical nature, modest, but
perfectly self-conscious. That was his only charm for me. I despise a
mere animal; but, other things being equal, I admire a man who is big
and strong, and aware of his advantages; and I think most women, and
very refined ones, too, love physical beauty and strength much more
than they are willing to acknowledge. So I had the same admiration for

Mr. Ames that I should have had for any other finely proportioned
thing, and enjoyed him very much, sitting quietly in my corner while he
chatted with Mary, or told me stories of travel or hunting, or read aloud,
which he soon fell into the way of doing.
We did try, as much as hospitality permitted, to confine his visits to a
few ceremonious calls; but he persisted in coming almost every day,
and walked in past the girl with that quiet sort of authority which it is
so difficult to resist. In the same way he took possession of Mary and
me. He was sure it must be very dull for both of us; therefore he was
going, if we would pardon the liberty, to offer his services as reader,
while my nurse went out for a ride or a walk. Couldn't I sit out under
the shadow of the beech-trees, as well as in that hot room? He could lift
the chair and me perfectly well, and arrange all so that I should be
comfortable. He would like to superintend the cooking of some birds he
brought one day. He noticed that the girl didn't do them quite as nicely
as he had learned to do them in the woods. And so in a thousand things
he quietly made us do as he chose, without seeming to outrage any rule
of propriety. When I was able to sit in a carriage, he persuaded me to
drive with him; and I had to lean on his arm, when I first went round
the place to see how matters went on.
Once I protested against his making himself so necessary to us, and
told him that I didn't care to furnish the gossips so much food as we
were doing.
When I turned him out of doors, he would certainly stay away, he said;
but he thought, that, as long as I was an invalid, I needed some one to
think and act for me and save me the trouble, and, as no one else
seemed disposed to take the office, he thought it was rather his duty
and privilege,--especially, he added, with a slight smile, as he was quite
sure that it was not very disagreeable to us. As for the gossips, he didn't
think they would make much out of it, with such an excellent duenna as
Cousin Mary,--and, indeed, he heard the other day that he was paying
attention to her.
I thought it all over by myself, when he had gone, and came to the
conclusion that it was not necessary for me to resign so great a pleasure

as his society had become, merely for the fear of what a few curious
people might say. Even Mary, cautious as she was, protested against
banishing him for such a reason; and, after a little talking over of the
matter among ourselves, we decided to let Mr. Ames come as often as
he chose, for the remaining month of his stay.
That month went rapidly enough, for I was well enough to ride and
walk out, and half the time had Mr. Ames to accompany me. I got to
value him very much, as I knew him better, and as he grew acquainted
with my peculiarities; and we were the best friends in the world,
without a thought of being more. No one would have laughed at that
more than we, there was such an evident unsuitableness in the idea. At
length the time came for him to leave Huntsville; his house was closed,
except one room where he still preferred to remain, and his friend was
already gone. He came to take tea with us for the last time, and made
himself as agreeable as ever, although it evidently required some effort
to do so. Soft-hearted Cousin Mary broke down and went off crying
when he bade her good-bye, after tea; but I was not of such stuff, and
laughingly rallied him on the impression he had made.
"Get your bonnet, and walk over to the stile with me, Miss Rachel," he
said. "It isn't sunset quite yet, and the afternoon is warm. Come! it's the
last walk we shall take together."
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