love and freindship-第5节

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〃We　shall　go　willingly；　（answered　Sophia）　our　hearts　have　long　detested　thee；　and　nothing　but　our　freindship　for　thy　Daughter　could　have　induced　us　to　remain　so　long　beneath　thy　roof。〃

〃Your　Freindship　for　my　Daughter　has　indeed　been　most　powerfully　exerted　by　throwing　her　into　the　arms　of　an　unprincipled　Fortune…　hunter。〃　（replied　he）

〃Yes；　（exclaimed　I）　amidst　every　misfortune；　it　will　afford　us　some　consolation　to　reflect　that　by　this　one　act　of　Freindship　to　Janetta；　we　have　amply　discharged　every　obligation　that　we　have　received　from　her　father。〃

〃It　must　indeed　be　a　most　gratefull　reflection；　to　your　exalted　minds。〃　（said　he。）

As　soon　as　we　had　packed　up　our　wardrobe　and　valuables；　we　left　Macdonald　Hall；　and　after　having　walked　about　a　mile　and　a　half　we　sate　down　by　the　side　of　a　clear　limpid　stream　to　refresh　our　exhausted　limbs。　　The　place　was　suited　to　meditation。　　A　grove　of　full…grown　Elms　sheltered　us　from　the　East。　　A　Bed　of　full…　grown　Nettles　from　the　West。　　Before　us　ran　the　murmuring　brook　and　behind　us　ran　the　turn…pike　road。　　We　were　in　a　mood　for　contemplation　and　in　a　Disposition　to　enjoy　so　beautifull　a　spot。　A　mutual　silence　which　had　for　some　time　reigned　between　us；　was　at　length　broke　by　my　exclaiming〃What　a　lovely　scene！　　Alas　why　are　not　Edward　and　Augustus　here　to　enjoy　its　Beauties　with　us？〃

〃Ah！　　my　beloved　Laura　（cried　Sophia）　for　pity's　sake　forbear　recalling　to　my　remembrance　the　unhappy　situation　of　my　imprisoned　Husband。　　Alas；　what　would　I　not　give　to　learn　the　fate　of　my　Augustus！　　to　know　if　he　is　still　in　Newgate；　or　if　he　is　yet　hung。　But　never　shall　I　be　able　so　far　to　conquer　my　tender　sensibility　as　to　enquire　after　him。　　Oh！　　do　not　I　beseech　you　ever　let　me　again　hear　you　repeat　his　beloved　name。　It　affects　me　too　deeply　。　　I　cannot　bear　to　hear　him　mentioned　it　wounds　my　feelings。〃

〃Excuse　me　my　Sophia　for　having　thus　unwillingly　offended　you〃　replied　Iand　then　changing　the　conversation；　desired　her　to　admire　the　noble　Grandeur　of　the　Elms　which　sheltered　us　from　the　Eastern　Zephyr。　　〃Alas！　　my　Laura　（returned　she）　avoid　so　melancholy　a　subject；　I　intreat　you。　　Do　not　again　wound　my　Sensibility　by　observations　on　those　elms。　　They　remind　me　of　Augustus。　　He　was　like　them；　tall；　magestiche　possessed　that　noble　grandeur　which　you　admire　in　them。〃

I　was　silent；　fearfull　lest　I　might　any　more　unwillingly　distress　her　by　fixing　on　any　other　subject　of　conversation　which　might　again　remind　her　of　Augustus。

〃Why　do　you　not　speak　my　Laura？　　（said　she　after　a　short　pause）　〃I　cannot　support　this　silence　you　must　not　leave　me　to　my　own　reflections；　they　ever　recur　to　Augustus。〃

〃What　a　beautifull　sky！　　（said　I）　How　charmingly　is　the　azure　varied　by　those　delicate　streaks　of　white！〃

〃Oh！　　my　Laura　（replied　she　hastily　withdrawing　her　Eyes　from　a　momentary　glance　at　the　sky）　do　not　thus　distress　me　by　calling　my　Attention　to　an　object　which　so　cruelly　reminds　me　of　my　Augustus's　blue　sattin　waistcoat　striped　in　white！　　In　pity　to　your　unhappy　freind　avoid　a　subject　so　distressing。〃　What　could　I　do？　The　feelings　of　Sophia　were　at　that　time　so　exquisite；　and　the　tenderness　she　felt　for　Augustus　so　poignant　that　I　had　not　power　to　start　any　other　topic；　justly　fearing　that　it　might　in　some　unforseen　manner　again　awaken　all　her　sensibility　by　directing　her　thoughts　to　her　Husband。　　Yet　to　be　silent　would　be　cruel；　she　had　intreated　me　to　talk。

From　this　Dilemma　I　was　most　fortunately　releived　by　an　accident　truly　apropos；　it　was　the　lucky　overturning　of　a　Gentleman's　Phaeton；　on　the　road　which　ran　murmuring　behind　us。　　It　was　a　most　fortunate　accident　as　it　diverted　the　attention　of　Sophia　from　the　melancholy　reflections　which　she　had　been　before　indulging。　　We　instantly　quitted　our　seats　and　ran　to　the　rescue　of　those　who　　but　a　few　moments　before　had　been　in　so　elevated　a　situation　as　a　fashionably　high　Phaeton；　but　who　were　now　laid　low　and　sprawling　in　the　Dust。　　〃What　an　ample　subject　for　reflection　on　the　uncertain　Enjoyments　of　this　World；　would　not　that　Phaeton　and　the　Life　of　Cardinal　Wolsey　afford　a　thinking　Mind！〃　said　I　to　Sophia　as　we　were　hastening　to　the　field　of　Action。

She　had　not　time　to　answer　me；　for　every　thought　was　now　engaged　by　the　horrid　spectacle　before　us。　　Two　Gentlemen　most　elegantly　attired　but　weltering　in　their　blood　was　what　first　struck　our　Eyeswe　approachedthey　were　Edward　and　Augustus。　Yes　dearest　Marianne　they　were　our　Husbands。　　Sophia　shreiked　and　fainted　on　the　groundI　screamed　and　instantly　ran　mad。　　We　remained　thus　mutually　deprived　of　our　senses；　some　minutes；　and　on　regaining　them　were　deprived　of　them　again。　　For　an　Hour　and　a　Quarter　did　we　continue　in　this　unfortunate　situationSophia　fainting　every　moment　and　I　running　mad　as　often。　　At　length　a　groan　from　the　hapless　Edward　（who　alone　retained　any　share　of　life）　restored　us　to　ourselves。　　Had　we　indeed　before　imagined　that　either　of　them　lived；　we　should　have　been　more　sparing　of　our　Greifbut　as　we　had　supposed　when　we　first　beheld　them　that　they　were　no　more；　we　knew　that　nothing　could　remain　to　be　done　but　what　we　were　about。　No　sooner　did　we　therefore　hear　my　Edward's　groan　than　postponing　our　lamentations　for　the　present；　we　hastily　ran　to　the　Dear　Youth　and　kneeling　on　each　side　of　him　implored　him　not　to　die。　〃Laura　（said　He　fixing　his　now　languid　Eyes　on　me）　I　fear　I　have　been　overturned。〃

I　was　overjoyed　to　find　him　yet　sensible。

〃Oh！　　tell　me　Edward　（said　I）　tell　me　I　beseech　you　before　you　die；　what　has　befallen　you　since　that　unhappy　Day　in　which　Augustus　was　arrested　and　we　were　separated〃

〃I　will〃　（said　he）　and　instantly　fetching　a　deep　sigh；　Expired　。　　Sophia　immediately　sank　again　into　a　swoon。　　MY　greif　was　more　audible。　　My　Voice　faltered；　My　Eyes　assumed　a　vacant　stare；　my　face　became　as　pale　as　Death；　and　my　senses　were　considerably　impaired。

〃Talk　not　to　me　of　Phaetons　（said　I；　raving　in　a　frantic；　incoherent　manner）Give　me　a　violin。　　　I'll　play　to　him　and　sooth　him　in　his　melancholy　HoursBeware　ye　gentle　Nymphs　of　Cupid's　Thunderbolts；　avoid　the　piercing　shafts　of　JupiterLook　at　that　grove　of　FirsI　see　a　Leg　of　MuttonThey　told　me　Edward　was　not　Dead；　but　they　deceived　methey　took　him　for　a　cucumber　〃　　Thus　I　continued　wildly　exclaiming　on　my　Edward's　Death。　For　two　Hours　did　I　rave　thus　madly　and　should　not　then　have　left　off；　as　I　was　not　in　the　least　fatigued；　had　not　Sophia　who　was　just　recovered　from　her　swoon；　intreated　me　to　consider　that　Night　was　now　approaching　and　that　the　Damps　began　to　fall。　　〃And　whither　shall　we　go　（said　I）　to　shelter　us　from　either？〃　　〃To　that　white　Cottage。〃　（replied　she　pointing　to　a　neat　Building　which　rose　up　amidst　the　grove　of　Elms　and　which　I　had　not　before　observed）　I　agreed　and　we　instantly　walked　to　itwe　knocked　at　the　doorit　was　opened　by　an　old　woman；　on　being　requested　to　afford　us　a　Night's　Lodging；　she　informed　us　that　her　House　was　but　small；　that　she　had　only　two　Bedrooms；　but　that　However　we　should　be　wellcome　to　one　of　them。　　We　were　satisfied　and　followed　the　good　woman　into　the　House　where　we　were　greatly　cheered　by　the　sight　of　a　comfortable　fire。　　She　was　a　widow　and　had　only　one　Daughter；　who　was　then　just　seventeenOne　of　the　best　of　ages；　but　alas！　she　was　very　plain　and　her　name　was　Bridget。　。　。　。　。　Nothing　therfore　could　be　expected　from　hershe　could　not　be　supposed　to　possess　either　exalted　Ideas；　Delicate　Feelings　or　refined　Sensibilities。　　She　was　nothing　more　than　a　mere　good…tempered；　civil　and　obliging　young　woman；　as　such　we　could　scarcely　dislike　hereshe　was　only　an　Object　of　Contempt　。　Adeiu　Laura。



LETTER　the　14th　LAURA　in　continuation

Arm　yourself　my　amiable　young　Freind　with　all　the　philosophy　you　are　Mistress　of；　summon　up　all　the　fortitude　you　possess；　for　alas！　　in　the　perusal　of　the　following　Pages　your　sensibility　will　be　most　severely　tried。　　Ah！　　what　were　the　misfortunes　I　had　before　experienced　and　which　I　have　already　related　to　you；　to　the　one　I　am　now　going　to　inform　you　of。　　The　Death　of　my　Father　and　my　Mother　and　my　Husband　though　almost　more　than　my　gentle　Nature　could　support；　were　trifles　in　comparison　to　the　misfortune　I　am　now　proceeding　to　relate。　　The　morning　after　our　arrival　at　the　Cottage；　Sophia　complained　of　a　violent　pain　in　her　delicate　limbs；　accompanied　with　a　disagreable　Head…ake　She　attributed　it　to　a　cold　caught　by　her　continued　faintings　in　the　open　air　as　the　Dew　was　falling　the　Evening　before。　　This　I　feared　was　but　too　probably　the　case；　since　how　could　it　be　otherwise　accounted　for　that　I　should　have　escaped　the　same　indisposition；　but　by　supposing　that　the　bodily　Exertions　I　had　undergone　in　my　repeated　fits　of　frenzy　had　so　effectually　circulated　and　warmed　my　Blood　as　to　make　me　proof　against　the　chilling　Damps　of　Night；　whereas；　Sophia　lying　totally　inactive　on　the　ground　must　have　been　exposed　to　all　their　severity。　　I　was　most　seriously　alarmed　by　her　illness　which　trifling　as　it　may　appear　to　you；　a　certain　instinctive　sensibility　whispered　me；　would　in　the　End　be　fatal　to　her。

Alas！　　my　fears　were　but　too　fully　justified；　she　grew　gradually　worseand　I　daily　became　more　alarmed　for　her。　　At　length　she　was　oblige