and seated themselves near
Madame and Miss de Clinville, when the young stranger could not keep her
eyes from the bunch of cherries, and remarked to the lady who was with
her: 'How fresh and beautiful they are!' Anxiety was depicted in her
eyes and in every action, and at length, slowly advancing towards
Emmelina, with the most affable condescension, she said: 'What a
delicious nosegay you have there, miss! The freshness of it can only be
compared with your complexion.'

'It would be a better comparison with your own,' answered Madame de
Clinville; 'for, with your pretty green hat, one might justly say:
"Behold the cherry under the leaf."'

'It is surprising to me,' added the young stranger, 'that miss does not
eat these fine cherries, no less gratifying to the taste than sight.'

'They are my mother's gift,' modestly answered Emmelina, 'and, being so
rare, I really cannot enjoy them alone. If you, miss, will condescend to
divide them with me!--_the happiness of sharing with others that which
we possess enhances the value of its enjoyment_.'

'These last words, which Emmelina pronounced in the most expressive
manner, made a lively impression on the young lady.

'How can you withstand a favour said with feelings and sentiments so
interesting?' demanded the handsome lady who escorted her; at whose
advice, attended with a sign of approbation, the young stranger accepted
the first cherry from the delightful bunch.

Emmelina presented the second to her mother, and the stranger offered
the third to her charming companion; and the two young folks ate of them
by turns till there remained only the leaves. They entered into
conversation, when Madame de Clinville endeavoured by several judicious
and direct questions to ascertain the name of the pretty green hat; but,
perceiving the lady make a sign of caution to the unknown, she ceased
further interrogatories, and they mutually adhered to the customary
civilities, and separated with assurances of the pleasure so agreeable
an interview had excited.

On returning home, Madame de Clinville and her daughter observed that a
servant in red livery had followed them, who appeared to examine very
minutely the number of the house in which they lived, and from that
circumstance concluded the strange lady wished to learn their place of
residence, notwithstanding she had taken every precaution to conceal her
own, or the most distant knowledge of the young person in the green hat.

Sev