Ah! what a gossip I have been! And all to lead up to
the one sentence that I could not have stayed at home
this six months if it had not been for the company and
the sympathy of my mother.
Well, now I want to tell you about the scrape that I
got myself into. I suppose that I ought to pull a long
face over it, but for the life of me I can't help
laughing. I have you almost up to date in my history
now, for what I am going to tell you happened only last
week. I must mention no names here even to you; for the
curse of Ernulphus, which includes eight and forty minor
imprecations, be upon the head of the man who kisses and
tells.
You must know, then, that within the boundaries
of this city there are two ladies, a mother and a
daughter, whom I shall call Mrs. and Miss Laura Andrews.
They are patients of the governor's, and have become to
some extent friends of the family. Madame is Welsh,
charming in appearance, dignified in her manners, and
High Church in her convictions. The daughter is rather
taller than the mother, but otherwise they are strikingly
alike. The mother is thirty-six and the daughter
eighteen. Both are exceedingly charming. Had I to
choose between them, I think, entre nous, that the
mother would have attracted me most, for I am thoroughly
of Balzac's opinion as to the woman of thirty. However,
fate was to will it otherwise.
It was the coming home from a dance which first
brought Laura and me together.
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