Tempest and Sunshine

So saying, she returned to the house and, going to her room, bolted the

door. After which, breaking the seal of the oldest letter, she

deliberately read it through, occasionally uttering a malediction against

Mr. Miller, thanking the good luck which brought it to her hands instead

of Dr. Lacey's, and making remarks generally. Said she, "Mighty good

opinion Mr. Quilting-frames has of me (alluding to Mr. Miller's height),

glad I know his mind. A heap of good the answer to this did him, and his

doll wife, too. Hadn't I better answer it myself? I'd write after this

fashion: 'Mr. Miller--At first I thought I would treat your letter with

silent contempt, but recently I have concluded to write and thank you to

mind your own business. By order of George Lacey, Esq.--Julia Middleton,

Secretary.' Yes, that would serve the meddling old Yankee Dictionary

right," continued she, and then, as her eye fell upon the remaining

letter, she added, "Yes, I'll read this one too, and see what new thing

I'm guilty of!"

As soon as she broke it open and glanced at the handwriting, she knew it

to be from Mrs. Carrington. "What now?" said she, "what has Mrs.

Carrington got to say about me."

A rapid perusal of the letter showed her what Mrs. Carrington had to say,

and she continued her remarks as follows: "She has described me quite

accurately. I didn't suppose she knew me so well. I wonder who'll write

next! It seems everybody is in league against me, but I'm enough for

anybody there is in Kentucky; and," she added, in a lower tone, "I

wouldn't hesitate to try my strength with Satan himself;" but even then

the dark girl trembled as she thought there was a God, whom none could

withstand, and who, one day, would inevitably overtake her.

Quickly as possible she drove such unpleasant thoughts from her mind, and

then tried to devise the best plan for managing Mrs. Carrington. "For Mr.

Miller's letter," said she, "I care nothing. It was written so long ago

that he has ceased expecting an answer, but I well know Mrs. Carrington's

designs, and she will continue to write until she receives some reply. I

have once successfully counterfeited Dr. Lacey's handwriting, and can do

it again. I'll send her something that will quiet her nerves better than

assafoetida!"

This settled, she went in quest of Rondeau, whom she told that, as she had

expected, his master was very much displeased. "But," said she, "after I

interceded awhile for you, he said he would forgive you on condition that

you were never guilty of the like again, and never mention the subject to

him in any way, as it makes him angry to talk about it." To both these

conditions Rondeau readily agreed, and Julia left him, thinking she was

safe in that quarter.