charlotte temple-第6部分

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　alcove　at　the　bottom　of　the　garden；　of　which　Charlotte　is　so　fond？　　I　have　an　inclination　to　deck　this　out　in　a　fanciful　manner；　and　invite　all　her　little　friends　to　partake　of　a　collation　of　fruit；　sweetmeats；　and　other　things　suitable　to　the　general　taste　of　young　guests；　and　to　make　it　more　pleasing　to　Charlotte；　she　shall　be　mistress　of　the　feast；　and　entertain　her　visitors　in　this　alcove。　　I　know　she　will　be　delighted；　and　to　complete　all；　they　shall　have　some　music；　and　finish　with　a　dance。　　〃　〃A　very　fine　plan；　indeed；〃　said　Temple；　smiling；　〃and　you　really　suppose　I　will　wink　at　your　indulging　the　girl　in　this　manner？　You　will　quite　spoil　her；　Lucy；　indeed　you　will。　　〃　〃She　is　the　only　child　we　have；〃　said　Mrs。　Temple；　the　whole　tenderness　of　a　mother　adding　animation　to　her　fine　countenance；　but　it　was　withal　tempered　so　sweetly　with　the　meek　affection　and　submissive　duty　of　the　wife；　that　as　she　paused　expecting　her　husband's　answer；　he　gazed　at　her　tenderly；　and　found　he　was　unable　to　refuse　her　request。　〃She　is　a　good　girl；〃　said　Temple。　〃She　is；　indeed；〃　replied　the　fond　mother　exultingly；　〃a　grateful；　affectionate　girl；　and　I　am　sure　will　never　lose　sight　of　the　duty　she　owes　her　parents。〃　〃If　she　does；〃　said　he；　'she　must　forget　the　example　set　her　by　the　best　of　mothers。〃　Mrs。　Temple　could　not　reply；　but　the　delightful　sensation　that　dilated　her　heart　sparkled　in　her　intelligent　eyes　and　heightened　the　vermillion　on　her　cheeks。　Of　all　the　pleasures　of　which　the　human　mind　is　sensible；　there　is　none　equal　to　that　which　warms　and　expands　the　bosom；　when　listening　to　commendations　bestowed　on　us　by　a　beloved　object；　and　are　conscious　of　having　deserved　them。　Ye　giddy　flutterers　in　the　fantastic　round　of　dissipation；　who　eagerly　seek　pleasure　in　the　lofty　dome；　rich　treat；　and　midnight　revel　tell　me；　ye　thoughtless　daughters　of　folly；　have　ye　ever　found　the　phantom　you　have　so　long　sought　with　such　unremitted　assiduity？　Has　she　not　always　eluded　your　grasp；　and　when　you　have　reached　your　hand　to　take　the　cup　she　extends　to　her　deluded　votaries；　have　you　not　found　the　long…expected　draught　strongly　tinctured　with　the　bitter　dregs　of　disappointment？　　I　know　you　have：　I　see　it　in　the　wan　cheek；　sunk　eye；　and　air　of　chagrin；　which　ever　mark　the　children　of　dissipation。　　Pleasure　is　a　vain　illusion；　she　draws　you　on　to　a　thousand　follies；　errors；　and　I　may　say　vices；　and　then　leaves　you　to　deplore　your　thoughtless　credulity。　Look；　my　dear　friends；　at　yonder　lovely　Virgin；　arrayed　in　a　white　robe　devoid　of　ornament；　behold　the　meekness　of　her　countenance；　the　modesty　of　her　gait；　her　handmaids　are　Humility；　Filial　Piety；　Conjugal　Affection；　Industry；　and　Benevolence；　her　name　is　CONTENT；　she　holds　in　her　hand　the　cup　of　true　felicity；　and　when　once　you　have　formed　an　intimate　acquaintance　with　these　her　attendants；　nay　you　must　admit　them　as　your　bosom　friends　and　chief　counsellors；　then；　whatever　may　be　your　situation　in　life；　the　meek　eyed　Virgin　wig　immediately　take　up　her　abode　with　you。　Is　poverty　your　portion？she　will　lighten　your　labours；　preside　at　your　frugal　board；　and　watch　your　quiet　slumbers。　Is　your　state　mediocrity？she　will　heighten　every　blessing　you　enjoy；　by　informing　you　how　grateful　you　should　be　to　that　bountiful　Providence　who　might　have　placed　you　in　the　most　abject　situation；　and；　by　teaching　you　to　weigh　your　blessings　against　your　deserts；　show　you　how　much　more　you　receive　than　you　have　a　right　to　expect。　Are　you　possessed　of　affluence？what　an　inexhaustible　fund　of　happiness　will　she　lay　before　you！　　To　relieve　the　distressed；　redress　the　injured；　in　short；　to　perform　all　the　good　works　of　peace　and　mercy。　Content；　my　dear　friends；　will　blunt　even　the　arrows　of　adversity；　so　that　they　cannot　materially　harm　you。　　She　will　dwell　in　the　humblest　cottage；　she　will　attend　you　even　to　a　prison。　Her　parent　is　Religion；　her　sisters；　Patience　and　Hope。　She　will　pass　with　you　through　life；　smoothing　the　rough　paths　and　tread　to　earth　those　thorns　which　every　one　must　meet　with　as　they　journey　onward　to　the　appointed　goal。　　She　will　soften　the　pains　of　sickness；　continue　with　you　even　in　the　cold　gloomy　hour　of　death；　and；　cheating　you　with　the　smiles　of　her　heaven…born　sister；　Hope；　lead　you　triumphant　to　a　blissfull　eternity。　I　confess　I　have　rambled　strangely　from　my　story：　　but　what　of　that？　if　I　have　been　so　lucky　as　to　find　the　road　to　happiness；　why　should　I　be　such　a　niggard　as　to　omit　so　good　an　opportunity　of　pointing　out　the　way　to　others。　　The　very　basis　of　true　peace　of　mind　is　a　benevolent　wish　to　see　all　the　world　as　happy　as　one's　Self；　and　from　my　soul　do　I　pity　the　selfish　churl；　who；　remembering　the　little　bickerings　of　anger；　envy；　and　fifty　other　disagreeables　to　which　frail　mortality　is　subject；　would　wish　to　revenge　the　affront　which　pride　whispers　him　he　has　received。　For　my　own　part；　I　can　safely　declare；　there　is　not　a　human　being　in　the　universe；　whose　prosperity　I　should　not　rejoice　in；　and　to　whose　happiness　I　would　not　contribute　to　the　utmost　limit　of　my　power：　and　may　my　offences　be　no　more　remembered　in　the　day　of　general　retribution；　than　as　from　my　soul　I　forgive　every　offence　or　injury　received　from　a　fellow　creature。　Merciful　heaven！　who　would　exchange　the　rapture　of　such　a　reflexion　for　all　the　gaudy　tinsel　which　the　world　calls　pleasure！　But　to　return。Content　dwelt　in　Mrs。　Temple's　bosom；　and　spread　a　charming　animation　over　her　countenance；　as　her　husband　led　her　in；　to　lay　the　plan　she　had　formed　（for　the　celebration　of　Charlotte's　birth　day；）　before　Mr。　Eldridge。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　IX。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　WE　KNOW　NOT　WHAT　A　DAY　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MAY　BRING　FORTH。　VARIOUS　were　the　sensations　which　agitated　the　mind　of　Charlotte；　during　the　day　preceding　the　evening　in　which　she　was　to　meet　Montraville。　　Several　times　did　she　almost　resolve　to　go　to　her　governess；　show　her　the　letter；　and　be　guided　by　her　advice：　but　Charlotte　had　taken　one　step　in　the　ways　of　imprudence；　and　when　that　is　once　done；　there　are　always　innumerable　obstacles　to　prevent　the　erring　person　returning　to　the　path　of　rectitude：　yet　these　obstacles；　however　forcible　they　may　appear　in　general；　exist　chiefly　in　imagination。　Charlotte　feared　the　anger　of　her　governess：　　she　loved　her　mother；　and　the　very　idea　of　incurring　her　displeasure；　gave　her　the　greatest　uneasiness：　　but　there　was　a　more　forcible　reason　still　remaining：　　should　she　show　the　letter　to　Madame　Du　Pont；　she　must　confess　the　means　by　which　it　came　into　her　possession；　and　what　would　be　the　consequence？　　Mademoiselle　would　be　turned　out　of　doors。　〃I　must　not　be　ungrateful；〃　said　she。　　〃La　Rue　is　very　kind　to　me；　besides　I　can；　when　I　see　Montraville；　inform　him　of　the　impropriety　of　our　continuing　to　see　or　correspond　with　each　other；　and　request　him　to　come　no　more　to　Chichester。〃　However　prudent　Charlotte　might　be　in　these　resolutions；　she　certainly　did　not　take　a　proper　method　to　confirm　herself　in　them。　　Several　times　in　the　course　of　the　day；　she　indulged　herself　in　reading　over　the　letter；　and　each　time　she　read　it；　the　contents　sunk　deeper　in　her　heart。　As　evening　drew　near；　she　caught　herself　frequently　consulting　her　watch。　〃I　wish　this　foolish　meeting　was　over；〃　said　she；　by　way　of　apology　to　her　own　heart；　〃I　wish　it　was　over；　for　when　I　have　seen　him；　and　convinced　him　my　resolution　is　not　to　be　shaken；　I　shall　feel　my　mind　much　easier。〃　The　appointed　hour　arrived。　　Charlotte　and　Mademoiselle　eluded　the　eye　of　vigilance；　and　Montraville；　who　had　waited　their　coming　with　impatience；　received　them　with　rapturous　and　unbounded　acknowledgments　for　their　condescension：　　he　had　wisely　brought　Belcour　with　him　to　entertain　Mademoiselle；　while　he　enjoyed　an　uninterrupted　conversation　with　Charlotte。　Belcour　was　a　man　whose　character　might　be　comprised　in　a　few　words；　and　as　he　will　make　some　figure　in　the　ensuing　pages；　I　shall　here　describe　him。　　He　possessed　a　genteel　fortune；　and　had　a　liberal　education；　dissipated；　thoughtless；　and　capricious；　he　paid　little　regard　to　the　moral　duties；　and　less　to　religious　ones：　eager　in　the　pursuit　of　pleasure；　he　minded　not　the　miseries　he　inflicted　on　others；　provided　his　own　wishes；　however　extravagant；　were　gratified。　　Self；　darling　self；　was　the　idol　he　worshipped；　and　to　that　he　would　have　sacrificed　the　interest　and　happiness　of　all　mankind。　　Such　was　the　friend　of　Montraville：　will　not　the　reader　be　ready　to　imagine；　that　the　man　who　could　regard　such　a　character；　must　be　actuated　by　the　same　feelings；　follow　the　same　pursuits；　and　be　equally　unworthy　with　the　person　to　whom　he　thus　gave　his　confidence？　But　Montraville　was　a　different　character：　　generous　in　his　disposition；　liberal　in　his　opinions；　and　good…natured　almost　to　a　fault；　yet　eager　and　impetuous　in　the　pursuit　of　a　favorite　object；　he　staid　not　to　reflect　on　the　consequence　which　might　follow　the　attainment　of　his　wishes；　with　a　mind　ever　open　to　conviction；　had　he　been　so　fortunate　as　to　possess　a　friend　who　would　have　pointed　out　the　cruelty　of　endeavouring　to　gain　the　heart　of　an　innocent　artless　girl；　when　he　knew　it　was　utterly　impossible　for　him　to　marry　her；　and　when　the　gratification　of　his　passion　would　be　unavoidable　infamy　and　misery　to　her；　and　a　cause　of　never…ceasing　remorse　to　himself：　had　these　dreadful　consequences　been　placed　before　him　in　a　proper　light；　the　humanity　of　his　nature　would　have　urged　him　to　give　up　the　pursuit：　but　Belcour　was　not　this　friend；　he　rather　encouraged　the　growing　passion　of　Montraville；　and　being　pleased　with　the　vivacity　of　Mademoiselle；　resolved　to　leave　no　argument　untried；　which　he　thought　might　prevail　on　her　to　be　the　companion　of　their　intended　voyage；　and　he　made　no　doubt　but　her　example；　added　to　the　rhetoric　of　Montraville；　would　persuade　Charlotte　to　go　with　them。　Charlotte　had；　when　she　went　out　to　meet　Montraville；　flattered　herself　that　her　resolution　was　not　to　be　shaken；　and　that；　conscious　of　the　impropriety　of　her　conduct　in　having　a　clandestine　intercourse　with　a　stranger；　she　would　never　repeat　the　indiscretion。　But　alas！　poor　Charlotte；　she　knew　not　the　deceitfulness　of　her　own　heart；　or　she　would　have　avoided　the　trial　of　her　stability。　Montra