Cornelia, upon her arrival in New York, had been met at the station by
an emissary of Aunt Margaret, and conducted to a country-seat some
distance up the river. Four or five young ladies were already assembled
there, and as many young gentlemen came up on afternoon trains, and
availed themselves of Aunt Margaret's hospitality, until business called
them to the city again the nest morning, except that on Saturdays they
brought an extra change or two of raiment, to tide them over the blessed
rest of Sunday.
"I've been so ill, my love--how sweet and fresh you do look!
Give your auntie a kiss--there. Oh! you naughty girl, how jealous
all the girls will be of those eyes of yours!--so ill--such
dreadful sick-headaches--oh, yes! I'm a great sufferer, dear,
a great sufferer--but no one, hardly, knows it. I tell you, you
know, dear, because you are my own darling little Cornelia. Oh! those
sweet eyes! So ill--so unable, you know, to be up and doing--to
be as I should wish to be--as I once was--as you are now,
you--splendid--creature--you! Now you must let me speak my heart out
to you, dear; it's my nature to do it, and I can't restrain,
it--foolish I know, but I always was so foolish! oh dear! well--Ah!
there's the first bell already. Let me show you your room, darling. As I
was going to say, I've been so indisposed that I've been obliged to pet
myself up a little here, before starting on our tour, you know, but in
a week I mean to be well again--I will be. Oh! I have immense
resolution, dear Neelie--immense fortitude, where those I love are
concerned. There, this is your little nest--now one more kiss. Oh!
those sweet lips! Remember you sit by me at dinner."
"What a funny old woman Aunt Margaret is!" said Cornelia to herself,
after she had closed the door of her chamber. "Such a queer voice--goes
away up high, and then away down low, all in the same sentence. And what
a small head for such a tall woman! and she's so thin! I do hope she
won't go on kissing me so much with her big mouth! how fast she does
twist it about! and then her front teeth stick out so! and she keeps
shoving that great black ear-trumpet at me, whenever she thinks I want
to speak; and her eyes are as pale and watery as they can be, and they
look all around you and never at you. Well, it's very mean of me to
criticise the old thing so; she's as kind as she can be. I wonder
whether she knows Mr. Bressant; her manner reminds me sometimes of him;
in a horrid way, of course, but--poor fellow! what is he doing now, I'd
like to know!" Here Cornelia's meditations became very profound and
private indeed; she, meanwhile, in her material capacity, making such
alterations and improvements in her personal appearance as were
necessary to prepare herself for the table.