charlotte temple-第4部分

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　till　within　these　few　days　that　I　heard　in　what　manner　your　acquaintance　first　commenced；　and　cannot　suppose　any　thing　but　attachment　to　the　daughter　could　carry　you　such　imprudent　lengths　for　the　father：　it　certainly　must　be　her　art　that　drew　you　in　to　mortgage　part　of　your　fortune。〃　〃Art；　Sir！〃　cried　Temple　eagerly。　　〃Lucy　Eldridge　is　as　free　from　art　as　she　is　from　every　other　error：　　she　is〃　〃Everything　that　is　amiable　and　lovely；〃　said　his　father；　interrupting　him　ironically：　　〃no　doubt　in　your　opinion　she　is　a　pattern　of　excellence　for　all　her　sex　to　follow；　but　come；　Sir；　pray　tell　me　what　are　your　designs　towards　this　paragon。　I　hope　you　do　not　intend　to　complete　your　folly　by　marrying　her。〃　〃Were　my　fortune　such　as　would　support　her　according　to　her　merit；　I　don't　know　a　woman　more　formed　to　insure　happiness　in　the　married　state。〃　〃Then　prithee；　my　dear　lad；〃　said　his　father；　〃since　your　rank　and　fortune　are　so　much　beneath　what　your　PRINCESS　might　expect；　be　so　kind　as　to　turn　your　eyes　on　Miss　Weatherby；　who；　having　only　an　estate　of　three　thousand　a　year；　is　more　upon　a　level　with　you；　and　whose　father　yesterday　solicited　the　mighty　honour　of　your　alliance。　I　shall　leave　you　to　consider　on　this　offer；　and　pray　remember；　that　your　union　with　Miss　Weatherby　will　put　it　in　your　power　to　be　more　liberally　the　friend　of　Lucy　Eldridge。　　〃　The　old　gentleman　walked　in　a　stately　manner　out　of　the　room；　and　Temple　stood　almost　petrified　with　astonishment；　contempt；　and　rage。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　V。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SUCH　THINGS　ARE。　MISS　Weatherby　was　the　only　child　of　a　wealthy　man；　almost　idolized　by　her　parents；　flattered　by　her　dependants；　and　never　contradicted　even　by　those　who　called　themselves　her　friends：　I　cannot　give　a　better　description　than　by　the　following　lines。　　　　　　　　　　　The　lovely　maid　whose　form　and　face　　　　　　　　　　　Nature　has　deck'd　with　ev'ry　grace；　　　　　　　　　　　But　in　whose　breast　no　virtues　glow；　　　　　　　　　　　Whose　heart　ne'er　felt　another's　woe；　　　　　　　　　　　Whose　hand　ne'er　smooth'd　the　bed　of　pain；　　　　　　　　　　　Or　eas'd　the　captive's　galling　chain；　　　　　　　　　　　But　like　the　tulip　caught　the　eye；　　　　　　　　　　　Born　just　to　be　admir'd　and　die；　　　　　　　　　　　When　gone；　no　one　regrets　its　loss；　　　　　　　　　　　Or　scarce　remembers　that　it　was。　Such　was　Miss　Weatherby：　　her　form　lovely　as　nature　could　make　it；　but　her　mind　uncultivated；　her　heart　unfeeling；　her　passions　impetuous；　and　her　brain　almost　turned　with　flattery；　dissipation；　and　pleasure；　and　such　was　the　girl；　whom　a　partial　grandfather　left　independent　mistress　of　the　fortune　before　mentioned。　She　had　seen　Temple　frequently；　and　fancying　she　could　never　be　happy　without　him；　nor　once　imagining　he　could　refuse　a　girl　of　her　beauty　and　fortune；　she　prevailed　on　her　fond　father　to　offer　the　alliance　to　the　old　Earl　of　D；　Mr。　Temple's　father。　The　Earl　had　received　the　offer　courteously：　　he　thought　it　a　great　match　for　Henry；　and　was　too　fashionable　a　man　to　suppose　a　wife　could　be　any　impediment　to　the　friendship　he　professed　for　Eldridge　and　his　daughter。　Unfortunately　for　Temple；　he　thought　quite　otherwise：　the　conversation　he　had　just　had　with　his　father；　discovered　to　him　the　situation　of　his　heart；　and　he　found　that　the　most　affluent　fortune　would　bring　no　increase　of　happiness　unless　Lucy　Eldridge　shared　it　with　him；　and　the　knowledge　of　the　purity　of　her　sentiments；　and　the　integrity　of　his　own　heart；　made　him　shudder　at　the　idea　his　father　had　started；　of　marrying　a　woman　for　no　other　reason　than　because　the　affluence　of　her　fortune　would　enable　him　to　injure　her　by　maintaining　in　splendor　the　woman　to　whom　his　heart　was　devoted：　he　therefore　resolved　to　refuse　Miss　Weatherby；　and　be　the　event　what　it　might；　offer　his　heart　and　hand　to　Lucy　Eldridge。　Full　of　this　determination；　he　fought　his　father；　declared　his　resolution；　and　was　commanded　never　more　to　appear　in　his　presence。　Temple　bowed；　his　heart　was　too　full　to　permit　him　to　speak；　he　left　the　house　precipitately；　and　hastened　to　relate　the　cause　of　his　sorrows　to　his　good　old　friend　and　his　amiable　daughter。　In　the　mean　time；　the　Earl；　vexed　to　the　soul　that　such　a　fortune　should　be　lost；　determined　to　offer　himself　a　candidate　for　Miss　Weatherby's　favour。　What　wonderful　changes　are　wrought　by　that　reigning　power；　ambition！　the　love…sick　girl；　when　first　she　heard　of　Temple's　refusal；　wept；　raved；　tore　her　hair；　and　vowed　to　found　a　protestant　nunnery　with　her　fortune；　and　by　commencing　abbess；　shut　herself　up　from　the　sight　of　cruel　ungrateful　man　for　ever。　Her　father　was　a　man　of　the　world：　　he　suffered　this　first　transport　to　subside；　and　then　very　deliberately　unfolded　to　her　the　offers　of　the　old　Earl；　expatiated　on　the　many　benefits　arising　from　an　elevated　title；　painted　in　glowing　colours　the　surprise　and　vexation　of　Temple　when　he　should　see　her　figuring　as　a　Countess　and　his　mother…in…law；　and　begged　her　to　consider　well　before　she　made　any　rash　vows。　The　DISTRESSED　fair　one　dried　her　tears；　listened　patiently；　and　at　length　declared　she　believed　the　surest　method　to　revenge　the　slight　put　on　her　by　the　son；　would　be　to　accept　the　father：　so　said　so　done；　and　in　a　few　days　she　became　the　Countess　D。　Temple　heard　the　news　with　emotion：　　he　had　lost　his　father's　favour　by　avowing　his　passion　for　Lucy；　and　he　saw　now　there　was　no　hope　of　regaining　it：　　〃but　he　shall　not　make　me　miserable；〃　said　he。　〃Lucy　and　I　have　no　ambitious　notions：　　we　can　live　on　three　hundred　a　year　for　some　little　time；　till　the　mortgage　is　paid　off；　and　then　we　shall　have　sufficient　not　only　for　the　comforts　but　many　of　the　little　elegancies　of　life。　　We　will　purchase　a　little　cottage；　my　Lucy；〃　said　he；　〃and　thither　with　your　reverend　father　we　will　retire；　we　will　forget　there　are　such　things　as　splendor；　profusion；　and　dissipation：　we　will　have　some　cows；　and　you　shall　be　queen　of　the　dairy；　in　a　morning；　while　I　look　after　my　garden；　you　shall　take　a　basket　on　your　arm；　and　sally　forth　to　feed　your　poultry；　and　as　they　flutter　round　you　in　token　of　humble　gratitude；　your　father　shall　smoke　his　pipe　in　a　woodbine　alcove；　and　viewing　the　serenity　of　your　countenance；　feel　such　real　pleasure　dilate　his　own　heart；　as　shall　make　him　forget　he　had　ever　been　unhappy。〃　Lucy　smiled；　and　Temple　saw　it　was　a　smile　of　approbation。　He　sought　and　found　a　cottage　suited　to　his　taste；　thither；　attended　by　Love　and　Hymen；　the　happy　trio　retired；　where；　during　many　years　of　uninterrupted　felicity；　they　cast　not　a　wish　beyond　the　little　boundaries　of　their　own　tenement。　　Plenty；　and　her　handmaid；　Prudence；　presided　at　their　board；　Hospitality　stood　at　their　gate；　Peace　smiled　on　each　face；　Content　reigned　in　each　heart；　and　Love　and　Health　strewed　roses　on　their　pillows。　Such　were　the　parents　of　Charlotte　Temple；　who　was　the　only　pledge　of　their　mutual　love；　and　who；　at　the　earnest　entreaty　of　a　particular　friend；　was　permitted　to　finish　the　education　her　mother　had　begun；　at　Madame　Du　Pont's　school；　where　we　first　introduced　her　to　the　acquaintance　of　the　reader。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　VI。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　AN　INTRIGUING　TEACHER。　MADAME　Du　Pont　was　a　woman　every　way　calculated　to　take　the　care　of　young　ladies；　had　that　care　entirely　devolved　on　herself；　but　it　was　impossible　to　attend　the　education　of　a　numerous　school　without　proper　assistants；　and　those　assistants　were　not　always　the　kind　of　people　whose　conversation　and　morals　were　exactly　such　as　parents　of　delicacy　and　refinement　would　wish　a　daughter　to　copy。　Among　the　teachers　at　Madame　Du　Pont's　school；　was　Mademoiselle　La　Rue；　who　added　to　a　pleasing　person　and　insinuating　address；　a　liberal　education　and　the　manners　of　a　gentlewoman。　She　was　recommended　to　the　school　by　a　lady　whose　humanity　overstepped　the　bounds　of　discretion：　　for　though　she　knew　Miss　La　Rue　had　eloped　from　a　convent　with　a　young　officer；　and；　on　coming　to　England；　had　lived　with　several　different　men　in　open　defiance　of　all　moral　and　religious　duties；　yet；　finding　her　reduced　to　the　most　abject　want；　and　believing　the　penitence　which　she　professed　to　be　sincere；　she　took　her　into　her　own　family；　and　from　thence　recommended　her　to　Madame　Du　Pont；　as　thinking　the　situation　more　suitable　for　a　woman　of　her　abilities。　　But　Mademoiselle　possessed　too　much　of　the　spirit　of　intrigue　to　remain　long　without　adventures。　At　church；　where　she　constantly　appeared；　her　person　attracted　the　attention　of　a　young　man　who　was　upon　a　visit　at　a　gentleman's　seat　in　the　neighbourhood：　　she　had　met　him　several　times　clandestinely；　and　being　invited　to　come　out　that　evening；　and　eat　some　fruit　and　pastry　in　a　summer…house　belonging　to　the　gentleman　he　was　visiting；　and　requested　to　bring　some　of　the　ladies　with　her；　Charlotte　being　her　favourite；　was　fixed　on　to　accompany　her。　The　mind　of　youth　eagerly　catches　at　promised　pleasure：　pure　and　innocent　by　nature；　it　thinks　not　of　the　dangers　lurking　beneath　those　pleasures；　till　too　late　to　avoid　them：　when　Mademoiselle　asked　Charlotte　to　go　with　her；　she　mentioned　the　gentleman　as　a　relation；　and　spoke　in　such　high　terms　of　the　elegance　of　his　gardens；　the　sprightliness　of　his　conversation；　and　the　liberality　with　which　he　ever　entertained　his　guests；　that　Charlotte　thought　only　of　the　pleasure　she　should　enjoy　in　the　visit；　not　on　the　imprudence　of　going　without　her　governess's　knowledge；　or　of　the　danger　to　which　she　exposed　herself　in　visiting　the　house　of　a　gay　young　man　of　fashion。　Madame　Du　Pont　was　gone　out　for　the　evening；　and　the　rest　of　the　ladies　retired　to　rest；　when　Charlotte　and　the　teacher　stole　out　at　the　back　gate；　and　in　crossing　the　field；　were　accosted　by　Montraville；　as　mentioned　in　the　first　chapter。　Charlotte　was　disappointed　in　the　pleasure　she　had　promised　herself　from　this　visit。　　The　levity　of　the　gentlemen　and　the　freedom　of　their　conversation　disgusted　her。　　She　was　astonished　at　the　liberties　Mademoiselle　permitted　them　to　take；　grew　thoughtful　and　uneasy；　and　heartily　wished　herself　at　home　again　in　her　own　chamber。　Perhaps　one　cause　of　that　wish　might　be；　an　earnest　desire　to　see　the　contents　of　the　letter　which　had　been　put　into　her　hand　by　Montraville。　Any　reader　who　has　the　least　knowledge　of　the　world；　will　easily　imagine　the　letter　was　m