the governess-第12节

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He　in　reality　liked　them　both　extremely；　and　the　reason　of　making　no　declaration　of　love　was；　his　being　so　undetermined　in　any　preference　that　was　due　to　either。　　He　saw　plainly　that　he　was　very　agreeable　to　both；　and　with　pleasure　he　observed；　that　they　made　use　of　none　of　those　arts　which　women　generally　do　to　get　away　a　disputed　lover：　　and　this　sincere　friendship　which　subsisted　between　them　raised　in　him　the　highest　degree　of　love　and　admiration。　　However　he　at　last　determined　to　make　the　following　trial：

He　went　first　to　Chloe；　and　（finding　her　alone）　told　her；　that　he　had　the　greatest　liking　in　the　world　to　her　cousin；　and　had　really　a　mind　to　propose　himself　to　her：　　but　as　he　saw　a　very　great　friendship　between　them；　he　was　willing　to　ask　her　advice　in　the　matter；　and　conjured　her　to　tell　him　　sincerely；　whether　there　was　anything　in　Caelia's　temper　（not　discoverable　by　him）　which　as　a　wife　would　make　him　unhappy？　　He　told　her；　that；　if　she　knew　any　such　thing；　it　would　be　no　treachery；　but　rather　kind　in　her　to　declare　it；　as　it　would　prevent　her　friend's　being　unhappy；　which　must　be　the　consequence；　in　marriage；　of　her　making　him　so。

Chloe　could　not　help　seeing　very　plainly；　that　if　Caelia　was　removed　she　stood　the　very　next　in　Sempronius's　favour。　　Her　lover　was　presenther　friend　was　absentand　the　temptation　was　too　strong　and　agreeable　to　be　resisted。　　She　then　answered；　that　since　he　insisted　upon　the　truth；　and　had　convinced　her　that　it　was　in　reality　acting　justly　and　kindly　by　her　friend；　she　must　confess；　that　Caelia　was　possessed　（though　in　a　very　small　degree）　of　what　she　had　often　heard　him　declare　most　against　of　anything　in　the　world；　and　that　was；　an　artfulness　of　temper；　and　some　few　sparks　of　envy。

Chloe's　confused　manner　of　speaking；　and　frequent　hesitation；　as　unwilling　to　pronounce　her　friend's　condemnation　（which；　as　being　unused　to　falsehood；　was　really　unaffected）　he　imputed　to　tenderness　and　concern　for　Caelia；　but　he　did　not　in　the　least　doubt；　but　on　his　application　to　her　he　should　soon　be　convinced　of　the　truth　of　what　Chloe　had　said。

He　then　went　directly　to　the　arbour　at　the　end　of　the　garden；　and　there　to　his　wish　he　found　Caelia　quite　alone；　and　he　addressed　her　exactly　in　the　same　manner　concerning　her　cousin；　as　he　had　before　spoke　to　Chloe　concerning　her。　　Caelia　suddenly　blushed　（from　motives　I　leave　those　to　find　out　who　can　put　themselves　in　her　circumstances）　and　then　fetched　a　soft　sigh；　from　the　thought　that　she　was　hearing　a　man　she　loved　declare　a　passion　of　which　she　was　not　the　object。　　But　after　some　little　pause；　she　told　him；　that　if　Chloe　had　any　faults；　they　were　to　her　yet　undiscovered；　and　she　really　and　sincerely　believed　her　cousin　would　make　him　extremely　happy。　　Sempronius　then　said；　that　of　all　other　things；　TREACHERY　and　ENVY　were　what　he　had　the　greatest　dislike　to：　　and　he　asked　her；　if　she　did　not　think　her　cousin　was　a　little　tainted　with　these？Here　Caelia　could　not　help　interrupting；　and　assuring　him；　that　she　believed　her　totally　free　from　both。　　And；　from　his　casting　on　her　friend　an　aspersion　which　her　very　soul　abhorred；　forgetting　all　rivalship；　she　could　not　refrain　from　growing　quite　lavish　in　her　praise。　　'Suppose　then　（said　Sempronius）　I　was　to　say　the　same　to　your　cousin　concerning　my　intentions　towards　you　as　I　have　to　you　concerning　her；　do　you　think　she　would　say　as　many　fine　things　in　your　praise　as　you　have　done　in　hers？'

Caelia　answered；　that　she　verily　believed　her　cousin　would　say　as　much　for　her　as　she　really　deserved；　but　whether　that　would　be　equal　to　what　with　justice　she　could　say　of　Chloe；　her　modesty　left　her　in　some　doubt　of。

Sempronius　had　too　much　penetration　not　to　see　the　real　and　true　difference　in　the　behaviour　of　these　two　women；　and　could　not　help　crying　out；　'O　Caelia！　your　honest　truth　and　goodness　in　every　word　and　look　are　too　visible　to　leave　me　one　doubt　of　their　reality。　　But；　could　you　believe　it？　this　friend　of　yours　is　false。　　I　have　already　put　her　to　the　trial；　by　declaring　to　her　my　sincere　and　unalterable　passion　for　you。　　When；　on　my　insisting；　as　I　did　to　you；　upon　her　speaking　the　truth；　she　accused　you　of　what　nothing　should　now　convince　me　you　are　guilty　of。　　I　own；　that　hitherto　my　regard；　esteem；　and　love；　have　been　equal　to　both；　but　now　I　offer　to　the　sincere；　artless；　and　charming　Caelia；　my　whole　heart；　love；　and　affection；　and　the　service　of　every　minute　of　my　future　life；　and　from　this　moment　I　banish　from　my　mind　the　false　and　ungrateful　Chloe。'

Caelia's　friendship　for　Chloe　was　so　deeply　rooted　in　her　breast；　that　even　a　declaration　of　love　from　Sempronius　could　not　blot　it　one　moment　from　her　heart；　and　on　his　speaking　the　words　'false　Chloe；'　she　burst　into　tears；　and　said；　'Is　it　possible　that　Chloe　should　act　such　a　part　towards　her　Caelia！　You　must　forgive　her；　Sempronius：　　it　was　her　violent　passion　for　you；　and　fear　of　losing　you；　which　made　her　do　what　hitherto　her　nature　has　ever　appeared　averse　to。'

Sempronius　answered；　'that　he　could　not　enough　admire　her　goodness　to　her　friend　Chloe；　but　such　proofs　of　passion；　he　said；　were　to　him　at　the　same　time　proofs　of　its　being　such　a　passion　as　he　had　no　regard　for；　since　it　was　impossible　for　any　one　to　gain　or　increase　his　love　by　an　action　which　at　the　same　time　lessened　his　esteem。'　　This　was　so　exactly　Caelia's　own　way　of　thinking；　that　she　could　not　but　assent　to　what　he　said。

But　just　as　they　were　coming　out　of　the　arbour；　Chloe；　unseen　by　them；　passed　by；　and　from　seeing　him　kiss　her　hand；　and　the　complacency　of　Caelia's　look；　it　was　easy　for　her　to　guess　what　had　been　the　result　of　their　private　conference。　　She　could　not　however　help　indulging　her　curiosity；　so　far　as　to　walk　on　the　other　side　of　a　thick　yew　hedge；　to　listen　to　their　discourse；　and　as　they　walked　on；　she　heard　Sempronius　entreat　Caelia　to　be　cheerful；　and　think　no　more　of　her　treacherous　friend；　whose　wickedness　he　doubted　not　would　sufficiently　punish　itself。　　She　then　heard　Caelia　say；　'I　cannot　bear；　Sempronius；　to　hear　you　speak　so　hardly　of　my　Chloe。　　Say　that　you　forgive　her；　and　I　will　indeed　be　cheerful。'

Nothing　upon　earth　can　be　conceived　so　wretched　as　poor　Chloe；　for　on　the　first　moment　that　she　suffered　herself　to　reflect　on　what　she　had　done；　she　thoroughly　repented；　and　heartily　detested　herself　for　such　baseness。　　She　went　directly　into　the　garden　in　hopes　of　meeting　Sempronius；　to　have　thrown　herself　at　his　feet；　confessed　her　treachery；　and　to　have　begged　him　never　to　have　mentioned　it　to　Caelia；　but　now　she　was　conscious　her　repentance　would　come　too　late；　and　he　would　despise　her；　if　possible　still　more；　for　such　a　recantation；　after　her　knowledge　of　what　had　passed　between　him　and　Caelia。

She　could　indeed　have　gone　to　him；　and　not　have　owned　what　she　had　seen　or　heard；　but　now　her　abhorrence　of　even　the　appearance　of　treachery　or　cunning　was　so　great；　that　she　could　not　bear　to　add　the　smallest　grain　of　falsehood　or　deceit　to　the　weight　of　her　guilt；　which　was　already　almost　insupportable：　　and　should　she　tell　him　of　her　repentance；　with　a　confession　of　her　knowledge　of　his　engagement　with　Caelia；　it　would　（as　has　been　before　observed）　appear　both　servile　and　insincere。

Nothing　could　now　appear　so　altered　as　the　whole　face　of　this　once　happy　family。　　Sempronius　as　much　as　possible　shunned　the　sight　of　Chloe；　for　as　she　was　the　cause　of　all　the　confusion　amongst　them；　he　had　almost　an　aversion　to　her。　　Though　he　was　not　of　an　implacable　temper；　yet；　as　the　injury　was　intended　to　one　he　sincerely　loved；　he　found　it　much　harder　to　forgive　it；　than　if　it　had　even　succeeded　against　himself；　and　as　he　still　looked　upon　Chloe　as　the　cause　of　melancholy　in　his　dear　Caelia；　he　could　hardly　have　any　patience　with　her。

No　words　can　describe　the　various　passions　which　were　expressed　in　the　sad　countenance　of　Chloe；　when　first　she　met　her　friend。　　They　were　both　afraid　of　speaking。　　Shame；　and　the　fear　of　being　（and　with　too　good　reason）　suspected　of　insincerity；　withheld　Chloe；　and　an　unwillingness　to　accuse　or　hurt　her　friend　withheld　the　gentle　Caelia。　　She　sometimes　indeed　thought　she　saw　repentance　in　Chloe's　face；　and　wished　for　nothing　more　than　to　seal　her　pardon。　　But　till　it　was　asked；　she　was　in　doubt　（from　what　had　passed）　whether　such　pardon　and　proffered　reconciliation　might　not　be　rejected。　　She　knew　that　her　friend's　passions　were　naturally　stronger　than　hers；　and　she　therefore　trembled　at　the　consequences　of　coming　to　an　explanation。

But　there　was　hardly　a　greater　sufferer　in　this　scene　of　confusion　than　the　poor　old　Lady　Amanda。　　She　saw　a　sort　of　horror　and　wildness　in　the　face　of　Chloe；　and　in　Caelia's　a　settled　melancholy；　and　such　an　unusual　reserve　in　both　towards　each　other；　as　well　as　to　herself；　as　quite　astonished　her。

Sempronius　came　indeed　to　the　house　as　often　as　usual；　but　in　his　countenance　she　could　perceive　a　sort　of　anger　and　concern　which　perfectly　frightened　her。　　But　as　they　did　not　speak　to　her；　she　could　not　bring　herself　to　ask　the　cause　of　this　woeful　change；　for　fear　of　hearing　something　too　bad　to　bear。

Caelia　had　absolutely　refused　granting　to　Sempronius　leave　to　ask　her　aunt