Page:The Ladies' Cabinet of Fashion, Music & Romance 1832.pdf/109

Rh seldom or never being met with singly,-seldom or never in public, but when peremptory business demanded or invited. Still they were good neighbours, quiet, accommodating, and liberal in their ways ; interfering with none, none interfering with them. Indeed the respect extended to them partook of a sort of feeling allied to fear, and that undue freedom would be dangerous. Besides, the neighbourhood contained a population that was so old-fashioned as to pay external respect at least to the ordinances of religion, and therefore they invested the despising Dangerfields with ominous attributes which it would be unsafe to penetrate or examine. Such was the state of provincial feeling in the immediate vicinity of the twin-brothers ' home, when it was my lot to be engaged as curate to the vicar of their parish ; an event which I could not help at first regarding as helping to work out some strange drama in real life. My foreboding impressions were not in the least moderated when I discovered that Julia Beaumont, the bedridden Vicar's only daughter, a young lady of singular accomplishments and charms, had taken a deep interest in the fates of the twin-brothers. She was not even averse to announce to me that she had frequently received their mute but courteous greeting in the course of her frequent visitations to her father's humble and simple flock. They were great equestrians she said ; but their jet black steeds, as well as they themselves, were so perfectly alike that she never had been able to distinguish between them, and this was the first thing which had excited her peculiar curiosity. I observed, that should either of them pay her his addresses, no doubt she would then be more lynx-eyed ; but added, " it would indeed be most strange if both should adopt the same gallant conduct, and woo her separately and alternately, supposing the same incertitude as to their identity to remain ? " Oh!" she exclaimed, " they are said to be confirmed infidels ; and between me and an unbeliever there shall ever be an impassable barrier ; I pity, but never could love any such. " " Pity and love are nearly allied," I interjected ; to which the fair one subjoined, " I am romantic enough to think, could I find myself the instrument of winning a man from the dark and deadening snares of scepticism, and behold him devoting the longstemmed fountains of his soul to the advancement of the everlasting interests of his neighbours, and to the zealous service of his Maker and his Judge, I believe it would be impossible for me to withhold from him the homage of my heart." Upon