charlotte temple-第11节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


erefore　wisely　resolved　to　walk　on　the　deck；　tear　it　in　pieces；　and　commit　the　fragments　to　the　care　of　Neptune；　who　might　or　might　not；　as　it　suited　his　convenience；　convey　them　on　shore。　All　Charlotte's　hopes　and　wishes　were　now　concentred　in　one；　namely　that　the　fleet　might　be　detained　at　Spithead　till　she　could　receive　a　letter　from　her　friends：　　but　in　this　she　was　disappointed；　for　the　second　morning　after　she　went　on　board；　the　signal　was　made；　the　fleet　weighed　anchor；　and　in　a　few　hours　（the　wind　being　favourable）　they　bid　adieu　to　the　white　cliffs　of　Al…bion。　In　the　mean　time　every　enquiry　that　could　be　thought　of　was　made　by　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Temple；　for　many　days　did　they　indulge　the　fond　hope　that　she　was　merely　gone　off　to　be　married；　and　that　when　the　indissoluble　knot　was　once　tied；　she　would　return　with　the　partner　she　had　chosen；　and　entreat　their　blessing　and　forgiveness。　〃And　shall　we　not　forgive　her？〃　said　Mr。　Temple。　〃Forgive　her！〃　exclaimed　the　mother。　　〃Oh　yes；　whatever　be　our　errors；　is　she　not　our　child？　and　though　bowed　to　the　earth　even　with　shame　and　remorse；　is　it　not　our　duty　to　raise　the　poor　penitent；　and　whisper　peace　and　comfort　to　her　desponding　soul？　would　she　but　return；　with　rapture　would　I　fold　her　to　my　heart；　and　bury　every　remembrance　of　her　faults　in　the　dear　embrace。〃　But　still　day　after　day　passed　on；　and　Charlotte　did　not　appear；　nor　were　any　tidings　to　be　heard　of　her：　　yet　each　rising　morning　was　welcomed　by　some　new　hopethe　evening　brought　with　it　disappointment。　At　length　hope　was　no　more；　despair　usurped　her　place；　and　the　mansion　which　was　once　the　mansion　of　peace；　became　the　habitation　of　pale；　dejected　melancholy。　The　chearful　smile　that　was　wont　to　adorn　the　face　of　Mrs。　Temple　was　fled；　and　had　it　not　been　for　the　support　of　unaffected　piety；　and　a　consciousness　of　having　ever　set　before　her　child　the　fairest　example；　she　must　have　sunk　under　this　heavy　affliction。　〃Since；〃　said　she；　〃the　severest　scrutiny　cannot　charge　me　with　any　breach　of　duty　to　have　deserved　this　severe　chastisement；　I　will　bow　before　the　power　who　inflicts　it　with　humble　resignation　to　his　will；　nor　shall　the　duty　of　a　wife　be　totally　absorbed　in　the　feelings　of　the　mother；　I　will　endeavour　to　appear　more　chearful；　and　by　appearing　in　some　measure　to　have　conquered　my　own　sorrow；　alleviate　the　sufferings　of　my　husband；　and　rouse　him　from　that　torpor　into　which　this　misfortune　has　plunged　him。　　My　father　too　demands　my　care　and　attention：　I　must　not；　by　a　selfish　indulgence　of　my　own　grief；　forget　the　interest　those　two　dear　objects　take　in　my　happiness　or　misery：　I　will　wear　a　smile　on　my　face；　though　the　thorn　rankles　in　my　heart；　and　if　by　so　doing；　I　in　the　smallest　degree　contribute　to　restore　their　peace　of　mind；　I　shall　be　amply　rewarded　for　the　pain　the　concealment　of　my　own　feelings　may　occasion。　Thus　argued　this　excellent　woman：　　and　in　the　execution　of　so　laudable　a　resolution　we　shall　leave　her；　to　follow　the　fortunes　of　the　hapless　victim　of　imprudence　and　evil　counsellors。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XVI。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　NECESSARY　DIGRESSION。　ON　board　of　the　ship　in　which　Charlotte　and　Mademoiselle　were　embarked；　was　an　officer　of　large　unincumbered　fortune　and　elevated　rank；　and　whom　I　shall　call　Crayton。　He　was　one　of　those　men；　who；　having　travelled　in　their　youth；　pretend　to　have　contracted　a　peculiar　fondness　for　every　thing　foreign；　and　to　hold　in　contempt　the　productions　of　their　own　country；　and　this　affected　partiality　extended　even　to　the　women。　With　him　therefore　the　blushing　modesty　and　unaffected　simplicity　of　Charlotte　passed　unnoticed；　but　the　forward　pertness　of　La　Rue；　the　freedom　of　her　conversation；　the　elegance　of　her　person；　mixed　with　a　certain　engaging　JE　NE　SAIS　QUOI；　perfectly　enchanted　him。　The　reader　no　doubt　has　already　developed　the　character　of　La　Rue：　designing；　artful；　and　selfish；　she　had　accepted　the　devoirs　of　Belcour　because　she　was　heartily　weary　of　the　retired　life　she　led　at　the　school；　wished　to　be　released　from　what　she　deemed　a　slavery；　and　to　return　to　that　vortex　of　folly　and　dissipation　which　had　once　plunged　her　into　the　deepest　misery；　but　her　plan　she　flattered　herself　was　now　better　formed：　she　resolved　to　put　herself　under　the　protection　of　no　man　till　she　had　first　secured　a　settlement；　but　the　clandestine　manner　in　which　she　left　Madame　Du　Pont's　prevented　her　putting　this　plan　in　execution；　though　Belcour　solemnly　protested　he　would　make　her　a　handsome　settlement　the　moment　they　arrived　at　Portsmouth。　This　he　afterwards　contrived　to　evade　by　a　pretended　hurry　of　business；　La　Rue　readily　conceiving　he　never　meant　to　fulfil　his　promise；　determined　to　change　her　battery；　and　attack　the　heart　of　Colonel　Crayton。　She　soon　discovered　the　partiality　he　entertained　for　her　nation；　and　having　imposed　on　him　a　feigned　tale　of　distress；　representing　Belcour　as　a　villain　who　had　seduced　her　from　her　friends　under　promise　of　marriage；　and　afterwards　betrayed　her；　pretending　great　remorse　for　the　errors　she　had　committed；　and　declaring　whatever　her　affection　for　Belcour　might　have　been；　it　was　now　entirely　extinguished；　and　she　wished　for　nothing　more　than　an　opportunity　to　leave　a　course　of　life　which　her　soul　abhorred；　but　she　had　no　friends　to　apply　to；　they　had　all　renounced　her；　and　guilt　and　misery　would　undoubtedly　be　her　future　portion　through　life。　Crayton　was　possessed　of　many　amiable　qualities；　though　the　peculiar　trait　in　his　character；　which　we　have　already　mentioned；　in　a　great　measure　threw　a　shade　over　them。　　He　was　beloved　for　his　humanity　and　benevolence　by　all　who　knew　him；　but　he　was　easy　and　unsuspicious　himself；　and　became　a　dupe　to　the　artifice　of　others。　He　was；　when　very　young；　united　to　an　amiable　Parisian　lady；　and　perhaps　it　was　his　affection　for　her　that　laid　the　foundation　for　the　partiality　he　ever　retained　for　the　whole　nation。　　He　had　by　her　one　daughter；　who　entered　into　the　world　but　a　few　hours　before　her　mother　left　it。　This　lady　was　universally　beloved　and　admired；　being　endowed　with　all　the　virtues　of　her　mother；　without　the　weakness　of　the　father：　she　was　married　to　Major　Beauchamp；　and　was　at　this　time　in　the　same　fleet　with　her　father；　attending　her　husband　to　New…York。　Crayton　was　melted　by　the　affected　contrition　and　distress　of　La　Rue：　he　would　converse　with　her　for　hours；　read　to　her；　play　cards　with　her；　listen　to　all　her　complaints；　and　promise　to　protect　her　to　the　utmost　of　his　power。　　La　Rue　easily　saw　his　character；　her　sole　aim　was　to　awaken　a　passion　in　his　bosom　that　might　turn　out　to　her　advantage；　and　in　this　aim　she　was　but　too　successful；　for　before　the　voyage　was　finished；　the　infatuated　Colonel　gave　her　from　under　his　hand　a　promise　of　marriage　on　their　arrival　at　New…York；　under　forfeiture　of　five　thousand　pounds。　And　how　did　our　poor　Charlotte　pass　her　time　during　a　tedious　and　tempestuous　passage？　naturally　delicate；　the　fatigue　and　sickness　which　she　endured　rendered　her　so　weak　as　to　be　almost　entirely　confined　to　her　bed：　　yet　the　kindness　and　attention　of　Montraville　in　some　measure　contributed　to　alleviate　her　sufferings；　and　the　hope　of　hearing　from　her　friends　soon　after　her　arrival；　kept　up　her　spirits；　and　cheered　many　a　gloomy　hour。　But　during　the　voyage　a　great　revolution　took　place　not　only　in　the　fortune　of　La　Rue　but　in　the　bosom　of　Belcour：　whilst　in　pursuit　of　his　amour　with　Mademoiselle；　he　had　attended　little　to　the　interesting；　inobtrusive　charms　of　Charlotte；　but　when；　cloyed　by　possession；　and　disgusted　with　the　art　and　dissimulation　of　one；　he　beheld　the　simplicity　and　gentleness　of　the　other；　the　contrast　became　too　striking　not　to　fill　him　at　once　with　surprise　and　admiration。　　He　frequently　conversed　with　Charlotte；　he　found　her　sensible；　well　informed；　but　diffident　and　unassuming。　The　languor　which　the　fatigue　of　her　body　and　perturbation　of　her　mind　spread　over　her　delicate　features；　served　only　in　his　opinion　to　render　her　more　lovely：　　he　knew　that　Montraville　did　not　design　to　marry　her；　and　he　formed　a　resolution　to　endeavour　to　gain　her　himself　whenever　Montraville　should　leave　her。　Let　not　the　reader　imagine　Belcour's　designs　were　honourable。　Alas！　when　once　a　woman　has　forgot　the　respect　due　to　herself；　by　yielding　to　the　solicitations　of　illicit　love；　they　lose　all　their　consequence；　even　in　the　eyes　of　the　man　whose　art　has　betrayed　them；　and　for　whose　sake　they　have　sacrificed　every　valuable　consideration。　The　heedless　Fair；　who　stoops　to　guilty　joys；　A　man　may　pitybut　he　must　despise。　　Nay；　every　libertine　will　think　he　has　a　right　to　insult　her　with　his　licentious　passion；　and　should　the　unhappy　creature　shrink　from　the　insolent　overture；　he　will　sneeringly　taunt　her　with　pretence　of　modesty。　CHAPTER　XVII。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　WEDDING。　ON　the　day　before　their　arrival　at　New…York；　after　dinner；　Crayton　arose　from　his　seat；　and　placing　himself　by　Mademoiselle；　thus　addressed　the　company　〃As　we　are　now　nearly　arrived　at　our　destined　port；　I　think　it　but　my　duty　to　inform　you；　my　friends；　that　this　lady；〃　（taking　her　hand；）　〃has　placed　herself　under　my　protection。　I　have　seen　and　severely　felt　the　anguish　of　her　heart；　and　through　every　shade　whi