As soon as school was over in the morning, our little company were impatient to go into the arbour, to hear Miss Dolly's story: but Mrs.Teachum told them they must be otherwise employed; for their writing- master, who lived some miles off; and who was expected in the afternoon, was just then come in, and begged that they would give him their attendance, though out of school-time; because he was obliged to be at home again before the afternoon, to meet a person who would confer some favour on him, and would be highly disobliged should he not keep his appointment: 'And I know (said Mrs.Teachum) my little dears, you would rather lose your own amusement, than let any one suffer a real inconvenience on your accounts.' They all readily complied, and cheerfully set to their writing; and in the afternoon Mrs.Teachum permitted them to leave off work an hour sooner than usual, as a reward for their readiness to lose their amusement in the morning: and being met in their arbour, Miss Dolly read as follows:
THE STORY OF CAELIA AND CHLOE.
Caelia and Chloe were both left orphans, at the tender age of six years.Amanda their aunt, who was very rich, and a maiden, took them directly under her care, and bred them up as her own children.Caelia's mother was Amanda's sister; and Chloe's father was her brother; so that she was equally related to both.
They were left entirely unprovided for; were both born on the same day; and both lost their mothers on the day of their birth: their fathers were soldiers of fortune; and both killed in one day, in the fame engagement.But their fortunes were not more similar than their persons and dispositions.They were both extremely handsome; and in their Childhood were so remarkable for liveliness of parts, and sweetness of temper, that they were the admiration of the whole country where they lived.
Their aunt loved them with a sincere and equal affection, and took the greatest pleasure imaginable in their education, and particularly to encourage that love and friendship which she with pleasure perceived between them.Amanda being (as was said) very rich, and having no other relations, it was supposed that these her nieces would be very great fortunes; and as soon as they became women, they were addressed by all the men of fortune and no fortune round the neighbourhood.But as the love of admiration, and a desire of a large train of admirers, had no place in their minds, they soon dismissed, in the most civil and obliging manner, one after another, all these lovers.
The refusing such numbers of men, and some such as by the world were called good offers, soon got them the name of jilts; and by that means they were freed from any farther importunity, and for some years enjoyed that peace and quiet they had long wished.Their aunt, from being their mother and their guardian, was now become their friend.For, as she endeavoured not in the least to force their inclinations, they never kept anything concealed from her; and every action of their lives was still guided by her advice and approbation.
They lived on in this way, perfectly happy in their own little community, till they were about two-and-twenty years old when there happened to be a regiment quartered in the neighbouring town, to which their house was nearly situated; and the lieutenant-colonel, a man about four-and-thirty years old, hearing their names, had a great desire to see them.For when he was a boy of sixteen, he was put into the Army under the care of Chloe's father, who treated him with the greatest tenderness; and (in that fatal engagement in which he lost his life) received his death's wound by endeavouring to save him from being taken by the enemy.And gratitude to the memory of so good a friend was as great an inducement to make him desire to see his daughter, as the report he had heard both of hers and her cousin's great beauty.
Sempronius (for so this Colonel was called) was a very sensible, well- bred, agreeable man; and from the circumstances of his former acquaintance, and his present proper and polite behaviour, he soon became very intimate in the family.The old lady was particularly pleased withhim; and secretly wished, that before she died she might be so happy as to see one of her nieces married to Sempronius.She could not from his behaviour see the least particular liking to either, though he showed an equal and very great esteem and regard for both.
He in reality liked them both extremely; and the reason of making no declaration of love was, his being so undetermined in any preference that was due to either.He saw plainly that he was very agreeable to both; and with pleasure he observed, that they made use of none of those arts which women generally do to get away a disputed lover: and this sincere friendship which subsisted between them raised in him the highest degree of love and admiration.However he at last determined to make the following trial:
He went first to Chloe, and (finding her alone) told her, that he had the greatest liking in the world to her cousin; and had really a mind to propose himself to her: but as he saw a very great friendship between them, he was willing to ask her advice in the matter; and conjured her to tell him sincerely, whether there was anything in Caelia's temper (not discoverable by him) which as a wife would make him unhappy? He told her, that, if she knew any such thing, it would be no treachery, but rather kind in her to declare it, as it would prevent her friend's being unhappy; which must be the consequence, in marriage, of her making him so.
