charlotte temple- 第5部分

ntraville。　Any　reader　who　has　the　least　knowledge　of　the　world；　will　easily　imagine　the　letter　was　made　up　of　encomiums　on　her　beauty；　and　vows　of　everlasting　love　and　constancy；　nor　will　he　be　surprised　that　a　heart　open　to　every　gentle；　generous　sentiment；　should　feel　itself　warmed　by　gratitude　for　a　man　who　professed　to　feel　so　much　for　her；　nor　is　it　improbable　but　her　mind　might　revert　to　the　agreeable　person　and　martial　appearance　of　Montraville。　In　affairs　of　love；　a　young　heart　is　never　in　more　danger　than　when　attempted　by　a　handsome　young　soldier。　　A　man　of　an　indifferent　appearance；　will；　when　arrayed　in　a　military　habit；　shew　to　advantage；　but　when　beauty　of　person；　elegance　of　manner；　and　an　easy　method　of　paying　compliments；　are　united　to　the　scarlet　coat；　smart　cockade；　and　military　sash；　ah！　well…a…day　for　the　poor　girl　who　gazes　on　him：　she　is　in　imminent　danger；　but　if　she　listens　to　him　with　pleasure；　'tis　all　over　with　her；　and　from　that　moment　she　has　neither　eyes　nor　ears　for　any　other　object。　Now；　my　dear　sober　matron；　（if　a　sober　matron　should　deign　to　turn　over　these　pages；　before　she　trusts　them　to　the　eye　of　a　darling　daughter；）　let　me　intreat　you　not　to　put　on　a　grave　face；　and　throw　down　the　book　in　a　passion　and　declare　'tis　enough　to　turn　the　heads　of　half　the　girls　in　England；　I　do　solemnly　protest；　my　dear　madam；　I　mean　no　more　by　what　I　have　here　advanced；　than　to　ridicule　those　romantic　girls；　who　foolishly　imagine　a　red　coat　and　silver　epaulet　constitute　the　fine　gentleman；　and　should　that　fine　gentleman　make　half　a　dozen　fine　speeches　to　them；　they　will　imagine　themselves　so　much　in　love　as　to　fancy　it　a　meritorious　action　to　jump　out　of　a　two　pair　of　stairs　window；　abandon　their　friends；　and　trust　entirely　to　the　honour　of　a　man；　who　perhaps　hardly　knows　the　meaning　of　the　word；　and　if　he　does；　will　be　too　much　the　modern　man　of　refinement；　to　practice　it　in　their　favour。　Gracious　heaven！　when　I　think　on　the　miseries　that　must　rend　the　heart　of　a　doating　parent；　when　he　sees　the　darling　of　his　age　at　first　seduced　from　his　protection；　and　afterwards　abandoned；　by　the　very　wretch　whose　promises　of　love　decoyed　her　from　the　paternal　roof　when　he　sees　her　poor　and　wretched；　her　bosom　tom　between　remorse　for　her　crime　and　love　for　her　vile　betrayerwhen　fancy　paints　to　me　the　good　old　man　stooping　to　raise　the　weeping　penitent；　while　every　tear　from　her　eye　is　numbered　by　drops　from　his　bleeding　heart；　my　bosom　glows　with　honest　indignation；　and　I　wish　for　power　to　extirpate　those　monsters　of　seduction　from　the　earth。　Oh　my　dear　girlsfor　to　such　only　am　I　writinglisten　not　to　the　voice　of　love；　unless　sanctioned　by　paternal　approbation：　be　assured；　it　is　now　past　the　days　of　romance：　no　woman　can　be　run　away　with　contrary　to　her　own　inclination：　then　kneel　down　each　morning；　and　request　kind　heaven　to　keep　you　free　from　temptation；　or；　should　it　please　to　suffer　you　to　be　tried；　pray　for　fortitude　to　resist　the　impulse　of　inclination　when　it　runs　counter　to　the　precepts　of　religion　and　virtue。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　VII。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　NATURAL　SENSE　OF　PROPRIETY　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　INHERENT　IN　THE　FEMALE　BOSOM。　〃I　CANNOT　think　we　have　done　exactly　right　in　going　out　this　evening；　Mademoiselle；〃　said　Charlotte；　seating　herself　when　she　entered　her　apartment：　　〃nay；　I　am　sure　it　was　not　right；　for　I　expected　to　be　very　happy；　but　was　sadly　disappointed。〃　〃It　was　your　own　fault；　then；〃　replied　Mademoiselle：　〃for　I　am　sure　my　cousin　omitted　nothing　that　could　serve　to　render　the　evening　agreeable。〃　〃True；〃　said　Charlotte：　　〃but　I　thought　the　gentlemen　were　very　free　in　their　manner：　　I　wonder　you　would　suffer　them　to　behave　as　they　did。〃　〃Prithee；　don't　be　such　a　foolish　little　prude；〃　said　the　artful　woman；　affecting　anger：　　〃I　invited　you　to　go　in　hopes　it　would　divert　you；　and　be　an　agreeable　change　of　scene；　however；　if　your　delicacy　was　hurt　by　the　behaviour　of　the　gentlemen；　you　need　not　go　again；　so　there　let　it　rest。　　〃　〃I　do　not　intend　to　go　again；〃　said　Charlotte；　gravely　taking　off　her　bonnet；　and　beginning　to　prepare　for　bed：　　〃I　am　sure；　if　Madame　Du　Pont　knew　we　had　been　out　to…night；　she　would　be　very　angry；　and　it　is　ten　to　one　but　she　hears　of　it　by　some　means　or　other。〃　〃Nay；　Miss；〃　said　La　Rue；　〃perhaps　your　mighty　sense　of　propriety　may　lead　you　to　tell　her　yourself：　　and　in　order　to　avoid　the　censure　you　would　incur；　should　she　hear　of　it　by　accident；　throw　the　blame　on　me：　but　I　confess　I　deserve　it：　　it　will　be　a　very　kind　return　for　that　partiality　which　led　me　to　prefer　you　before　any　of　the　rest　of　the　ladies；　but　perhaps　it　will　give　you　pleasure；〃　continued　she；　letting　fall　some　hypocritical　tears；　〃to　see　me　deprived　of　bread；　and　for　an　action　which　by　the　most　rigid　could　only　be　esteemed　an　inadvertency；　lose　my　place　and　character；　and　be　driven　again　into　the　world；　where　I　have　already　suffered　all　the　evils　attendant　on　poverty。　　〃　This　was　touching　Charlotte　in　the　most　vulnerable　part：　she　rose　from　her　seat；　and　taking　Mademoiselle's　hand〃You　know；　my　dear　La　Rue；〃　said　she；　〃I　love　you　too　well；　to　do　anything　that　would　injure　you　in　my　governess's　opinion：　　I　am　only　sorry　we　went　out　this　evening。〃　〃I　don't　believe　it；　Charlotte；〃　said　she；　assuming　a　little　vivacity；　〃for　if　you　had　not　gone　out；　you　would　not　have　seen　the　gentleman　who　met　us　crossing　the　field；　and　I　rather　think　you　were　pleased　with　his　conversation。〃　〃I　had　seen　him　once　before；〃　replied　Charlotte；　〃and　thought　him　an　agreeable　man；　and　you　know　one　is　always　pleased　to　see　a　person　with　whom　one　has　passed　several　chearful　hours。　〃But；〃　said　she　pausing；　and　drawing　the　letter　from　her　pocket；　while　a　gentle　suffusion　of　vermillion　tinged　her　neck　and　face；　〃he　gave　me　this　letter；　what　shall　I　do　with　it？〃　〃Read　it；　to　be　sure；〃　returned　Mademoiselle。　〃I　am　afraid　I　ought　not；〃　said　Charlotte：　　〃my　mother　has　often　told　me；　I　should　never　read　a　letter　given　me　by　a　young　man；　without　first　giving　it　to　her。　　〃　〃Lord　bless　you；　my　dear　girl；〃　cried　the　teacher　smiling；　〃have　you　a　mind　to　be　in　leading　strings　all　your　life　time。　Prithee　open　the　letter；　read　it；　and　judge　for　yourself；　if　you　show　it　your　mother；　the　consequence　will　be；　you　will　be　taken　from　school；　and　a　strict　guard　kept　over　you；　so　you　will　stand　no　chance　of　ever　seeing　the　smart　young　officer　again。〃　〃I　should　not　like　to　leave　school　yet；〃　replied　Charlotte；　〃till　I　have　attained　a　greater　proficiency　in　my　Italian　and　music。　But　you　can；　if　you　please；　Mademoiselle；　take　the　letter　back　to　Montraville；　and　tell　him　I　wish　him　well；　but　cannot；　with　any　propriety；　enter　into　a　clandestine　correspondence　with　him。〃　She　laid　the　letter　on　the　table；　and　began　to　undress　herself。　〃Well；〃　said　La　Rue；　〃I　vow　you　are　an　unaccountable　girl：　have　you　no　curiosity　to　see　the　inside　now？　for　my　part　I　could　no　more　let　a　letter　addressed　to　me　lie　unopened　so　long；　than　I　could　work　miracles：　　he　writes　a　good　hand；〃　continued　she；　turning　the　letter；　to　look　at　the　superscription。　〃'Tis　well　enough；〃　said　Charlotte；　drawing　it　towards　her。　〃He　is　a　genteel　young　fellow；〃　said　La　Rue　carelessly；　folding　up　her　apron　at　the　same　time；　〃but　I　think　he　is　marked　with　the　small　pox。〃　〃Oh　you　are　greatly　mistaken；〃　said　Charlotte　eagerly；　〃he　has　a　remarkable　clear　skin　and　fine　complexion。〃　〃His　eyes；　if　I　could　judge　by　what　I　saw；〃　said　La　Rue；　〃are　grey　and　want　expression。〃　〃By　no　means；〃　replied　Charlotte；　〃they　are　the　most　expressive　eyes　I　ever　saw。〃　　〃Well；　child；　whether　they　are　grey　or　black　is　of　no　consequence：　　you　have　determined　not　to　read　his　letter；　so　it　is　likely　you　will　never　either　see　or　hear　from　him　again。〃　Charlotte　took　up　the　letter；　and　Mademoiselle　continued　〃He　is　most　probably　going　to　America；　and　if　ever　you　should　hear　any　account　of　him；　it　may　possibly　be　that　he　is　killed；　and　though　he　loved　you　ever　so　fervently；　though　his　last　breath　should　be　spent　in　a　prayer　for　your　happiness；　it　can　be　nothing　to　you：　you　can　feel　nothing　for　the　fate　of　the　man；　whose　letters　you　will　not　open；　and　whose　sufferings　you　will　not　alleviate；　by　permitting　him　to　think　you　would　remember　him　when　absent；　and　pray　for　his　safety。〃　Charlotte　still　held　the　letter　in　her　hand：　　her　heart　swelled　at　the　conclusion　of　Mademoiselle's　speech；　and　a　tear　dropped　upon　the　wafer　that　closed　it。　〃The　wafer　is　not　dry　yet；〃　said　she；　〃and　sure　there　can　be　no　great　harm〃　She　hesitated。　　La　Rue　was　silent。　〃I　may　read　it；　Mademoiselle；　and　return　it　afterwards。〃　〃Certainly；〃　replied　Mademoiselle。　〃At　any　rate　I　am　determined　not　to　answer　it；〃　continued　Charlotte；　as　she　opened　the　letter。　Here　let　me　stop　to　make　one　remark；　and　trust　me　my　very　heart　aches　while　I　write　it；　but　certain　I　am；　that　when　once　a　woman　has　stifled　the　sense　of　shame　in　her　own　bosom；　when　once　she　has　lost　sight　of　the　basis　on　which　reputation；　honour；　every　thing　that　should　be　dear　to　the　female　heart；　rests；　she　grows　hardened　in　guilt；　and　will　spare　no　pains　to　bring　down　innocence　and　beauty　to　the　shocking　level　with　herself：　　and　this　proceeds　from　that　diabolical　spirit　of　envy；　which　repines　at　seeing　another　in　the　full　possession　of　that　respect　and　esteem　which　she　can　no　longer　hope　to　enjoy。　Mademoiselle　eyed　the　unsuspecting　Charlotte；　as　she　perused　the　letter；　with　a　malignant　pleasure。　　She　saw；　that　the　contents　had　awakened　new　emotions　in　her　youthful　bosom：　　she　encouraged　her　hopes；　calmed　her　fears；　and　before　they　parted　for　the　night；　it　was　determined　that　she　should　meet　Montraville　the　ensuing　evening。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　VIII。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　DOMESTIC　PLEASURES　PLANNED。　〃I　THINK；　my　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Temple；　laying　her　hand　on　her　husband's　arm　as　they　were　walking　together　in　the　garden；　〃I　think　next　Wednesday　is　Charlotte's　birth　day：　　now　I　have　formed　a　little　scheme　in　my　own　mind；　to　give　her　an　agreeable　surprise；　and　if　you　have　no　objection；　we　will　send　for　her　home　on　that　day。〃　Temple　pressed　his　wife's　hand　in　token　of　approbation；　and　she　proceeded。〃You　know　the　little　alcove　at　the　bottom　of　the　garden；　of　which　Charlotte　is　so　fond？　　I　have　an　inclination　to　deck　t