charlotte temple(夏洛特·藤布尔)-第29节
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She soon recovered； and fixing her eyes on Mrs。 Temple； cried〃You
know not； Madam； what you do； you know not whom you are relieving； or
you would curse me in the bitterness of your heart。 Come not near me；
Madam； I shall contaminate you。 I am the viper that stung your peace。 I
am the woman who turned the poor Charlotte out to perish in the street。
Heaven have mercy！ I see her now；〃 continued she looking at Lucy； 〃such；
such was the fair bud of innocence that my vile arts blasted ere it was half
blown。 〃
It was in vain that Mr。 and Mrs。 Temple intreated her to be composed
and to take some refreshment。 She only drank half a glass of wine； and
then told them that she had been separated from her husband seven years；
the chief of which she had passed in riot； dissipation； and vice； till；
overtaken by poverty and sickness； she had been reduced to part with
every valuable； and thought only of ending her life in a prison； when a
benevolent friend paid her debts and released her； but that her illness
encreasing； she had no possible means of supporting herself； and her
friends were weary of relieving her。 〃I have fasted；〃 said she； 〃two days；
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CHARLOTTE TEMPLE
and last night lay my aching head on the cold pavement： indeed it was but
just that I should experience those miseries myself which I had unfeelingly
inflicted on others。〃
Greatly as Mr。 Temple had reason to detest Mrs。 Crayton； he could not
behold her in this distress without some emotions of pity。 He gave her
shelter that night beneath his hospitable roof； and the next day got her
admission into an hospital； where having lingered a few weeks； she died； a
striking example that vice； however prosperous in the beginning； in the
end leads only to misery and shame。
F I N I S。
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