love and freindship-第8部分

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The　enclosed　LETTER

My　dear　CHARLOTTE　You　could　not　have　applied　for　information　concerning　the　report　of　Sir　George　Lesleys　Marriage；　to　any　one　better　able　to　give　it　you　than　I　am。　　Sir　George　is　certainly　married；　I　was　myself　present　at　the　Ceremony；　which　you　will　not　be　surprised　at　when　I　subscribe　myself　your　Affectionate　Susan　Lesley



LETTER　the　THIRD　From　Miss　MARGARET　LESLEY　to　Miss　C。　LUTTERELL　Lesley　Castle　　　　　February　the　16th

I　have　made　my　own　reflections　on　the　letter　you　enclosed　to　me；　my　Dear　Charlotte　and　I　will　now　tell　you　what　those　reflections　were。　　I　reflected　that　if　by　this　second　Marriage　Sir　George　should　have　a　second　family；　our　fortunes　must　be　considerably　diminushedthat　if　his　Wife　should　be　of　an　extravagant　turn；　she　would　encourage　him　to　persevere　in　that　gay　and　Dissipated　way　of　Life　to　which　little　encouragement　would　be　necessary；　and　which　has　I　fear　already　proved　but　too　detrimental　to　his　health　and　fortunethat　she　would　now　become　Mistress　of　those　Jewels　which　once　adorned　our　Mother；　and　which　Sir　George　had　always　promised　usthat　if　they　did　not　come　into　Perthshire　I　should　not　be　able　to　gratify　my　curiosity　of　beholding　my　Mother…in…law　and　that　if　they　did；　Matilda　would　no　longer　sit　at　the　head　of　her　Father's　table。　　These　my　dear　Charlotte　were　the　melancholy　reflections　which　crowded　into　my　imagination　after　perusing　Susan's　letter　to　you；　and　which　instantly　occurred　to　Matilda　when　she　had　perused　it　likewise。　　The　same　ideas；　the　same　fears；　immediately　occupied　her　Mind；　and　I　know　not　which　reflection　distressed　her　most；　whether　the　probable　Diminution　of　our　Fortunes；　or　her　own　Consequence。　　We　both　wish　very　much　to　know　whether　Lady　Lesley　is　handsome　and　what　is　your　opinion　of　her；　as　you　honour　her　with　the　appellation　of　your　freind；　we　flatter　ourselves　that　she　must　be　amiable。　　My　Brother　is　already　in　Paris。　　He　intends　to　quit　it　in　a　few　Days；　and　to　begin　his　route　to　Italy。　　He　writes　in　a　most　chearfull　manner；　says　that　the　air　of　France　has　greatly　recovered　both　his　Health　and　Spirits；　that　he　has　now　entirely　ceased　to　think　of　Louisa　with　any　degree　either　of　Pity　or　Affection；　that　he　even　feels　himself　obliged　to　her　for　her　Elopement；　as　he　thinks　it　very　good　fun　to　be　single　again。　　By　this；　you　may　perceive　that　he　has　entirely　regained　that　chearful　Gaiety；　and　sprightly　Wit；　for　which　he　was　once　so　remarkable。　　When　he　first　became　acquainted　with　Louisa　which　was　little　more　than　three　years　ago；　he　was　one　of　the　most　lively；　the　most　agreable　young　Men　of　the　age。　　I　beleive　you　never　yet　heard　the　particulars　of　his　first　acquaintance　with　her。　　It　commenced　at　our　cousin　Colonel　Drummond's；　at　whose　house　in　Cumberland　he　spent　the　Christmas；　in　which　he　attained　the　age　of　two　and　twenty。　Louisa　Burton　was　the　Daughter　of　a　distant　Relation　of　Mrs。　Drummond；　who　dieing　a　few　Months　before　in　extreme　poverty；　left　his　only　Child　then　about　eighteen　to　the　protection　of　any　of　his　Relations　who　would　protect　her。　　Mrs。　Drummond　was　the　only　one　who　found　herself　so　disposedLouisa　was　therefore　removed　from　a　miserable　Cottage　in　Yorkshire　to　an　elegant　Mansion　in　Cumberland；　and　from　every　pecuniary　Distress　that　Poverty　could　inflict；　to　every　elegant　Enjoyment　that　Money　could　purchase。　Louisa　was　naturally　ill…tempered　and　Cunning；　but　she　had　been　taught　to　disguise　her　real　Disposition；　under　the　appearance　of　insinuating　Sweetness；　by　a　father　who　but　too　well　knew；　that　to　be　married；　would　be　the　only　chance　she　would　have　of　not　being　starved；　and　who　flattered　himself　that　with　such　an　extroidinary　share　of　personal　beauty；　joined　to　a　gentleness　of　Manners；　and　an　engaging　address；　she　might　stand　a　good　chance　of　pleasing　some　young　Man　who　might　afford　to　marry　a　girl　without　a　Shilling。　　Louisa　perfectly　entered　into　her　father's　schemes　and　was　determined　to　forward　them　with　all　her　care　and　attention。　By　dint　of　Perseverance　and　Application；　she　had　at　length　so　thoroughly　disguised　her　natural　disposition　under　the　mask　of　Innocence；　and　Softness；　as　to　impose　upon　every　one　who　had　not　by　a　long　and　constant　intimacy　with　her　discovered　her　real　Character。　　Such　was　Louisa　when　the　hapless　Lesley　first　beheld　her　at　Drummond…house。　　His　heart　which　（to　use　your　favourite　comparison）　was　as　delicate　as　sweet　and　as　tender　as　a　Whipt…　syllabub；　could　not　resist　her　attractions。　　In　a　very　few　Days；　he　was　falling　in　love；　shortly　after　actually　fell；　and　before　he　had　known　her　a　Month；　he　had　married　her。　　My　Father　was　at　first　highly　displeased　at　so　hasty　and　imprudent　a　connection；　but　when　he　found　that　they　did　not　mind　it；　he　soon　became　perfectly　reconciled　to　the　match。　　The　Estate　near　Aberdeen　which　my　brother　possesses　by　the　bounty　of　his　great　Uncle　independant　of　Sir　George；　was　entirely　sufficient　to　support　him　and　my　Sister　in　Elegance　and　Ease。　　For　the　first　twelvemonth；　no　one　could　be　happier　than　Lesley；　and　no　one　more　amiable　to　appearance　than　Louisa；　and　so　plausibly　did　she　act　and　so　cautiously　behave　that　tho'　Matilda　and　I　often　spent　several　weeks　together　with　them；　yet　we　neither　of　us　had　any　suspicion　of　her　real　Disposition。　　After　the　birth　of　Louisa　however；　which　one　would　have　thought　would　have　strengthened　her　regard　for　Lesley；　the　mask　she　had　so　long　supported　was　by　degrees　thrown　aside；　and　as　probably　she　then　thought　herself　secure　in　the　affection　of　her　Husband　（which　did　indeed　appear　if　possible　augmented　by　the　birth　of　his　Child）　she　seemed　to　take　no　pains　to　prevent　that　affection　from　ever　diminushing。　　Our　visits　therefore　to　Dunbeath；　were　now　less　frequent　and　by　far　less　agreable　than　they　used　to　be。　　Our　absence　was　however　never　either　mentioned　or　lamented　by　Louisa　who　in　the　society　of　young　Danvers　with　whom　she　became　acquainted　at　Aberdeen　（he　was　at　one　of　the　Universities　there；）　felt　infinitely　happier　than　in　that　of　Matilda　and　your　freind；　tho'　there　certainly　never　were　pleasanter　girls　than　we　are。　You　know　the　sad　end　of　all　Lesleys　connubial　happiness；　I　will　not　repeat　it。　　Adeiu　my　dear　Charlotte；　although　I　have　not　yet　mentioned　anything　of　the　matter；　I　hope　you　will　do　me　the　justice　to　beleive　that　I　THINK　and　FEEL；　a　great　deal　for　your　Sisters　affliction。　　I　do　not　doubt　but　that　the　healthy　air　of　the　Bristol　downs　will　intirely　remove　it；　by　erasing　from　her　Mind　the　remembrance　of　Henry。　　I　am　my　dear　Charlotte　yrs　ever　M。　L。



LETTER　the　FOURTH　From　Miss　C。　LUTTERELL　to　Miss　M。　LESLEY　Bristol　　　　　　February　27th

My　Dear　Peggy　I　have　but　just　received　your　letter；　which　being　directed　to　Sussex　while　I　was　at　Bristol　was　obliged　to　be　forwarded　to　me　here；　and　from　some　unaccountable　Delay；　has　but　this　instant　reached　me。　　I　return　you　many　thanks　for　the　account　it　contains　of　Lesley's　acquaintance；　Love　and　Marriage　with　Louisa；　which　has　not　the　less　entertained　me　for　having　often　been　repeated　to　me　before。

I　have　the　satisfaction　of　informing　you　that　we　have　every　reason　to　imagine　our　pantry　is　by　this　time　nearly　cleared；　as　we　left　Particular　orders　with　the　servants　to　eat　as　hard　as　they　possibly　could；　and　to　call　in　a　couple　of　Chairwomen　to　assist　them。　　We　brought　a　cold　Pigeon　pye；　a　cold　turkey；　a　cold　tongue；　and　half　a　dozen　Jellies　with　us；　which　we　were　lucky　enough　with　the　help　of　our　Landlady；　her　husband；　and　their　three　children；　to　get　rid　of；　in　less　than　two　days　after　our　arrival。　　Poor　Eloisa　is　still　so　very　indifferent　both　in　Health　and　Spirits；　that　I　very　much　fear；　the　air　of　the　Bristol　downs；　healthy　as　it　is；　has　not　been　able　to　drive　poor　Henry　from　her　remembrance。

You　ask　me　whether　your　new　Mother　in　law　is　handsome　and　amiableI　will　now　give　you　an　exact　description　of　her　bodily　and　mental　charms。　　She　is　short；　and　extremely　well　made；　is　naturally　pale；　but　rouges　a　good　deal；　has　fine　eyes；　and　fine　teeth；　as　she　will　take　care　to　let　you　know　as　soon　as　she　sees　you；　and　is　altogether　very　pretty。　　She　is　remarkably　good…　tempered　when　she　has　her　own　way；　and　very　lively　when　she　is　not　out　of　humour。　　She　is　naturally　extravagant　and　not　very　affected；　she　never　reads　anything　but　the　letters　she　receives　from　me；　and　never　writes　anything　but　her　answers　to　them。　　She　plays；　sings　and　Dances；　but　has　no　taste　for　either；　and　excells　in　none；　tho'　she　says　she　is　passionately　fond　of　all。　　Perhaps　you　may　flatter　me　so　far　as　to　be　surprised　that　one　of　whom　I　speak　with　so　little　affection　should　be　my　particular　freind；　but　to　tell　you　the　truth；　our　freindship　arose　rather　from　Caprice　on　her　side　than　Esteem　on　mine。　　We　spent　two　or　three　days　together　with　a　Lady　in　Berkshire　with　whom　we　both　happened　to　be　connected。　　During　our　visit；　the　Weather　being　remarkably　bad；　and　our　party　particularly　stupid；　she　was　so　good　as　to　conceive　a　violent　partiality　for　me；　which　very　soon　settled　in　a　downright　Freindship　and　ended　in　an　established　correspondence。　　She　is　probably　by　this　time　as　tired　of　me；　as　I　am　of　her；　but　as　she　is　too　Polite　and　I　am　too　civil　to　say　so；　our　letters　are　still　as　frequent　and　affectionate　as　ever；　and　our　Attachment　as　firm　and　sincere　as　when　it　first　commenced。　　As　she　had　a　great　taste　for　the　pleasures　of　London；　and　of　Brighthelmstone；　she　will　I　dare　say　find　some　difficulty　in　prevailing　on　herself　even　to　satisfy　the　curiosity　I　dare　say　she　feels　of　beholding　you；　at　the　expence　of　quitting　those　favourite　haunts　of　Dissipation；　for　the　melancholy　tho'　venerable　gloom　of　the　castle　you　inhabit。　Perhaps　however　if　she　finds　her　health　impaired　by　too　much　amusement；　she　may　acquire　fortitude　sufficient　to　undertake　a　Journey　to　Scotland　in　the　hope　of　its　Proving　at　least　beneficial　to　her　health；　if　not　conducive　to　her　happiness。　　Your　fears　I　am　sorry　to　say；　concerning　your　father's　extravagance；　your　own　fortunes；　your　Mothers　Jewels　and　your　Sister's　consequence；　I　should　suppose　are　but　too　well　founded。　　My　freind　herself　has　four　thousand　pounds；　and　will　probably　spend　nearly　as　much　every　year　in　Dress　and　Public　places；　if　she　can　get　itshe　will　certainly　not　endeavour　to　reclaim　Sir　George