when his thoughts were
mine, and mine were his;--till something, I know not what,--a
mysterious influence, a nameless cloud, passed between him and
me, and threw a cold shade over the spirit of our affection;
each succeeding year has widened the chasm, has seared the
wound, without healing it, and loosened without breaking the
links which bound us together. Hush, dear Ellen I do not
attempt to speak to me on the subject; there has been a secret
sympathy between us lately, which has supplied the place of
those unreserved communications, which once were our habit and
our joy. Where we have not spoken, we have felt together; and,
without the utterance of a word, we have shared each other's
sorrows, and each other's fears. And now, child of my heart,
be happy if you can. Let nothing of gloom, of suffering, or of
bitterness, be connected with my thoughts of you; let no cloud
ever obscure your spotless character; let your name never be
pronounced but with blessings; your presence never be hailed
but with joy. Then, when in absence, I call to mind your loved
features, your proud smile, and the light of your dark eyes, I
shall need no other vision for my waking hours, no other dream
for my nights."

With fervently murmured blessings, my aunt dismissed me; and I
went to prepare for a ride with Edward. Before I set out, I
wrote a note to Alice, in which I announced to her my
approaching marriage; and, by Mrs. Middleton's desire, begged
that she and Henry would come to us in the evening.

During our ride Edward was very silent; and when he spoke it
was to find some trifling fault with my way of sitting on my
horse, and holding my bridle. My heart was still thrilling
with emotions awakened by my conversation with my aunt; her
expressions of enthusiastic tenderness were still sounding in
my ears, and the words of reproof, however slight, which fell
from Edward's lips, contrasted with them, grated on my
feelings, and irritated my susceptibility. Unlike as they were
in many respects, there was one resemblance between Mrs.
Middleton and Henry Lovell, which never failed to strike me.
Without affectation or exaggeration, by the peculiar qualities
of their minds, by the union of a powerful understanding with
a lively imagination, joined to a kind of spontaneous
eloquence, and a ready command of language, they made every
subject which they handled more or less picturesque and
exciting. I remembered at that moment that Henry had once