I was not disappointed.  My cousin entered readily into my plans.  She was a really good person, seeing all things which she undertook through the complacent medium of duty.  This was, she thought, such a fortunate incident!  It gave her what she had long desired, and it would serve to distract me from the wretched life I had always led.  Thereupon Eudora was installed in her new home, where she found father and mother in my cousin and her husband, where her education was commenced and got on fast.  She had a quick intellect, instinctively seizing what was most important and rapidly forming conclusions.  How, day by day, I witnessed the development of her mind!  How I watched every new play of the emotions!  How I saw with a beating heart, as she advanced toward womanhood, fresh charms displayed and additional beauty manifested!  I shall not tire you with a prolonged narrative of how I enjoyed, month after month, for more than two years, the society of Eudora, during which time she made satisfactory advances in education and accomplishment and attained in grace and loveliness the absolute perfection of womanhood.

And what, during this period, were my relations with Eudora?—­what were her feelings toward me?  I approach the subject with pain.  I look back now on those feelings and on my conduct with an abhorrence and disgust which I cannot describe.  From the first she trusted to me with implicit confidence.  Discriminating in an extraordinary degree, her gratitude prevented her perceiving my real character.  She gave me credit for absolute, unqualified, disinterested benevolence in rescuing her from the wretched and precarious condition of a vagrant.  Thus she set about in her own mind to adorn me with every virtue.  I was magnanimous, noble, unselfish, truthful, brave, the soul of honor, incapable of anything mean or petty.  How often has she told me this, holding my hand in hers, looking full in my face, her own beaming with honest enthusiasm!  How my soul literally shrank within me!  How like a guilty wretch I felt to hear these words!  How I wished I could be all Eudora pictured me!  How I essayed to act the part!  How careful I was lest ever my real nature should disclose itself!  Even when, despite my efforts, something did transpire to excite an instant’s question, she put it aside at once by giving an interpretation to it worthy of me.  Now, what was I to do?  Eudora had reached a marriageable age.  She had seen but little of society, though by no means living a recluse.  My cousin had watched carefully over her, and was to her, indeed, all a mother could be.  I had remained perfectly tranquil, secure, as I supposed, in her affections.  I thought I had but to wait till the proper period should arrive and then take her to myself.

My cousin, as I have intimated, understood my views.  It was therefore with no sort of perturbation, that, one day, I heard her ask me to step into her little sitting-room in order to converse about Eudora.  I supposed she was going to tell me that it was time we were married,—­indeed, I thought so myself.  I was therefore very much astonished when she commenced by saying that I ought now to begin to treat Eudora as a young lady, especially if I expected ever to win her hand.  I turned deadly pale, and asked her what she meant.