"I do not think he is more than four and twenty,"
added Maria; "and his black eyes would form a
charming contrast to your blue ones."
"To whom does Miss Osgood allude?" asked Mrs.
Henly, yielding to a solicitude that she could no
longer controul.
"To Mr. Seymour Delafield," said Charlotte, raising
her mild eyes to the face of her mother, and
smiling, as she delicately pared her apple, with a
simple ingenuousness that banished uneasiness
from the breast of her parent in an instant.
"I know him," said Mr. Henly; "but I did not think
you had ever seen him, Charlotte."
"We met him in our morning walk, sir, and Maria
introduced him."
"He is thought to be very handsome," continued her
father, helping himself to a glass of wine while
speaking.
"And very justly," returned the daughter; "I think
him the handsomest man that I have ever seen."
"Have I your permission for telling him so?" cried
Maria, with a laugh.
"I have not the least objection to his knowing it, on
my own account, except from the indelicacy of
complimenting a gentleman," said Charlotte, with
perfect simplicity; "but whether it would be
beneficial to himself or not, you can best judge."
"You think him vain, then?" observed her mother.
"Not in the least; or, rather, he did not exhibit it to
me"--was the answer, with the same open air as
before.
"He has also a great reputation for good sense,"
continued her father, avoiding the face of his child.
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