and we like you best。〃 The two eldest boys had clambered up the carriage
； and， at my request， she permitted them to acpany us a little way
through the forest， upon their promising to sit very still ， and hold
fast。
We were hardly seated ， and the ladies had scarcely exchanged pliments，
making the usual remarks upon each other's dress， and upon the pany
they expected to meet ， when Charlotte stopped the carriage， and made
her brothers get down。 They insisted upon kissing her hands once more
； which the eldest did with all the tenderness of a youth of fifteen ，
but the other in a lighter and more careless manner。 She desired them
again to give her love to the children， and we drove off。
The aunt inquired of Charlotte whether she had finished the book she
had last sent her。 〃No，〃 said Charlotte； 〃I did not like it ： you can
have it again。 And the one before was not much better。〃 I was surprised，
upon asking the title ， to hear that it was ____。（We feel obliged to
suppress the passage in the letter， to prevent any one from feeling aggrieved
； although no author need pay much attention to the opinion of a mere
girl， or that of an unsteady young man。）
I found penetration and character in everything she said： every expression
seemed to brighten her features with new charms ，——with new rays of
genius，—— which unfolded by degrees， as she felt herself understood。
〃When I was younger ，〃 she observed， 〃I loved nothing so much as
romances。 Nothing could equal my delight when ， on some holiday， I could
settle down quietly in a corner ， and enter with my whole heart and soul
into the joys or sorrows of some fictitious Leonora。 I do not deny that
they even possess some charms for me yet。 But I read so seldom， that
I prefer books suited exactly to my taste。 And I like those authors best
whose scenes describe my own situation in life，—— and the friends who
are about me， whose stories touch me with interest ， from resembling
my own homely existence ，—— which， without being absolutely paradise，
is， on the whole ， a source of indescribable happiness。〃
I endeavoured to conceal the emotion which these words occasioned ，
but it was of slight avail； for， when she had expressed so truly her
opinion of 〃The Vicar of Wakefield，〃 and of other works， the names of
which I omit（Though the names are omitted， yet the authors mentioned
deserve Charlotte's approbation ， and will feel it in their hearts when
they read this passage。 It concerns no other person。）， I could no longer
contain myself， but gave full utterance to what I thought of it： and
it was not until Charlotte had addressed herself to the two other ladies，
that I remembered their presence， and observed them sitting mute with
astonishment。 The aunt looked at me several times with an air of raillery，
which ， however， I did not at all mind。
We talked of the pleasures of dancing。 〃If it is a fault to love it
，〃 said Charlotte ， 〃I am ready to confess that I prize it above all
other amusements。 If anything disturbs me ， I go to the piano， play
an air to which I have danced ， and all goes right again directly。〃
You ， who know me， can fancy how steadfastly I gazed upon her rich
dark eyes during these remarks， how my very soul gloated over her warm
lips and fresh， glowing cheeks ， how I became quite lost in the delightful
meaning of her words， so much so ， that I scarcely heard the actual
expressions。 In short ， I alighted from the carriage like a person in
a dream ， and was so lost to the dim world around me ， that I scarcely
heard the music which resounded from the illuminated ballroom。
The two Messrs。 Andran and a certain N。 N。（I cannot trouble myself
with the names）， who were the aunt's and Charlotte's partners ， received
us at the carriage…door ， and took possession of their ladies， whilst
I followed with mine。
We menced with a minuet。 I led out one lady after another， and
precisely those who were the most disagreeable could not bring themselves
to leave off。 Charlotte and her partner began an English country dance，
and you must imagine my delight when it was their turn to dance the figure
with us。 You should see Charlotte dance。 She dances with her whole heart
and soul： her figure is all harmony， elegance ， and grace， as if she
were conscious of nothing else， and had no other thought or feeling；
and ， doubtless， for the moment ， every other sensation is extinct。
She was engaged for the second country dance， but promised me the
third ， and assured me ， with the most agreeable freedom， that she
was very fond of waltzing。 〃It is the custom here ，〃 she said， 〃for
the previous partners to waltz together ； but my partner is an indifferent
waltzer ， and will feel delighted if I save him the trouble。 Your partner
is not allowed to waltz ， and， indeed ， is equally incapable ： but
I observed during the country dance that you waltz well ； so ， if you
will waltz with me， I beg you would propose it to my partner ， and I
will propose it to yours。〃 We agreed， and it was arranged that our partners
should mutually entertain each other。
We set off， and， at first ， delighted ourselves with the usual
graceful motions of the arms。 With what grace ， with what ease ， she
moved ！ When the waltz menced ， and the dancers whirled around each
other in the giddy maze ， there was some confusion ， owing to the incapacity
of some of the dancers。 We judiciously remained still ， allowing the
others to weary themselves； and， when the awkward dancers had withdrawn，
we joined in， and kept it up famously together with one other couple ，
—— Andran and his partner。 Never did I dance more lightly。 I felt myself
more than mortal， holding this loveliest of creatures in my arms ， flying，
with her as rapidly as the wind ， till I lost sight of every other object
； and O Wilhelm， I vowed at that moment ， that a maiden whom I loved，
or for whom I felt the slightest attachment ， never， never should waltz
with any one else but with me ， if I went to perdition for it！—— you
will understand this。
We took a few turns in the room to recover our breath。 Charlotte sat
down， and felt refreshed by partaking of some oranges which I had had
secured ，—— the only ones that had been left ； but at every slice
which ， from politeness， she offered to her neighbours， I felt as though
a dagger went through my heart。
We were the second couple in the third country dance。 As we were going
down（and Heaven knows with what ecstasy I gazed at her arms and eyes ，
beaming with the sweetest feeling of pure and genuine enjoyment ）， we
passed a lady whom I had noticed for her charming expression of countenance
； although she was no longer young。 She looked at Charlotte with a smile，
then， holding up her finger in a threatening attitude， repeated twice
in a very significant tone of voice the name of 〃Albert。〃
〃Who is Albert，〃 said I to Charlotte ， 〃if it is not impertinent
to ask？〃 She was about to answer ， when we were obliged to separate ，
in order to execute a figure in the dance ； and， as we crossed over
again in front of each other， I perceived she looked somewhat pensive。
〃Why need I conceal it from you ？〃 she said， as she gave me her hand
for the promenade。 〃Albert is a worthy man， to whom I am engaged。〃 Now，
there was nothing new to me in this （for the girls had told me of it
on the way）； but it was so far new that I had not thought of it in connection
with her whom ， in so short a time ， I had learned to prize so highly。
Enough， I became confused， got out in the figure， and occasioned general
confusion ； so that it required all Charlotte's presence of mind to set
me right by pulling and pushing me into my proper place。
The dance was not yet finished when the lightning which had for some
time been seen in the horizon ， and which I had asserted to proceed entirely
from heat ， grew more violent； and the thunder was heard above the music。
When any distress or terror surprises us in the midst of our