ABSTRACT
]Charlotte did not long succeed in concealing her affliction from Julia, who soon observed that her gaiety was assumed, and that some secret cause of sorrow hung upon her spirits. The source of her misery she could not discover; for, though she had often wondered that Charlotte had never discerned any traces of Seymour’s unfortunate attachment, yet, since it had remained so long concealed, and since no particular circumstance had lately arisen to awaken suspicion, Julia concluded that his wife was still as ignorant of it as ever. In spite of all her efforts, Charlotte sometimes appeared absent and thoughtful; but, when accused of gravity by Julia, she would start, as from a dream, and endeavour to smile at being suspected of low spirits; yet Julia’s penetration discerned, that the smile was artificial, and the seriousness real. She went in vain the round of conjecture on this subject. Sometimes a suspicion came across her mind, that Seymour’s attachment to herself was betrayed; but she felt such horror at the idea, that she instantly endeavoured to banish it from her imagination.
