certainly were very great. She was of a peculiar and much admired style
of beauty, a description which strikes some people at first sight, and
not others--those not perceiving it at first eventually admiring it even
more than the others. She was taller than the middle height, her person
finely developed, yet not so much so as to take away from its grace: her
complexion was pale and clear, her eyes and hair very dark; there was a
coldness about her beauty when in repose, like statuary marble; but if
the least excited or animated, the color would mantle in her cheek; her
eyes would beam, till they appeared as if, like bright planets, they
could almost cast a shadow; and dimples, before concealed, would show
themselves when she indulged in her silvery laugh. Although her form was
commanding, still she was very feminine: there was great attraction in
her face, even when in repose--she was cold, but not chilling.

I had seen little of her for three years, during which she had sprung up
to womanhood, for she was now seventeen, and appeared to be at least
eighteen years old. Before, when we were living together, we kissed as
brother and sister: since we had again become inmates of the same house,
we had been friends, but nothing more. Bessy certainly showed as great a
preference to me as our relative situations would admit; but still it
appeared as if the extreme intimacy of childhood had been broken off,
and that it was necessary that a renewed intimacy under another aspect
should take place, to restore us to our former relations. Here it was
for me to make the first overtures; not for her, as maidenly reserve
would not permit it. Bramble seemed to be most anxious that such should
be the case--indeed, considered it as a matter of course: perhaps Bessy
thought so too in her own bosom; and the continual raillery of Bramble
did more harm than good, as it appeared to warrant her thinking that it
ought to be so. Why it was not I will now explain to the reader.

I have already made mention of Mr. Wilson, the lawyer, whose
acquaintance we procured through Sir Hercules and his lady. This
intimacy had very much increased; and a Miss Janet Wilson had come home
from a finishing seminary near town. Between this young lady and my
sister Virginia a certain degree of intimacy had been formed, and of
course I had seen a great deal of her at the times when I was at
Greenwich. She was a very pretty and very diminutive girl, but
beautifully pro