charlotte temple-第26章

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om　he　regarded　as　brought　to　shame　by　himself；　he　went　out　in　search　of　Belcour；　to　enquire　whether　she　was　safe；　and　whether　the　child　lived。　　He　found　him　immersed　in　dissipation；　and　could　gain　no　other　intelligence　than　that　Charlotte　had　left　him；　and　that　he　knew　not　what　was　become　of　her。　〃I　cannot　believe　it　possible；〃　said　Montraville；　〃that　a　mind　once　so　pure　as　Charlotte　Temple's；　should　so　suddenly　become　the　mansion　of　vice。　　Beware；　Belcour；〃　continued　he；　〃beware　if　you　have　dared　to　behave　either　unjust　or　dishonourably　to　that　poor　girl；　your　life　shall　pay　the　forfeit：I　will　revenge　her　cause。〃　He　immediately　went　into　the　country；　to　the　house　where　he　had　left　Charlotte。　　It　was　desolate。　　After　much　enquiry　he　at　length　found　the　servant　girl　who　had　lived　with　her。　From　her　he　learnt　the　misery　Charlotte　had　endured　from　the　complicated　evils　of　illness；　poverty；　and　a　broken　heart；　and　that　she　had　set　out　on　foot　for　New…York；　on　a　cold　winter's　evening；　but　she　could　inform　him　no　further。　Tortured　almost　to　madness　by　this　shocking　account；　he　returned　to　the　city；　but；　before　he　reached　it；　the　evening　was　drawing　to　a　close。　In　entering　the　town　he　was　obliged　to　pass　several　little　huts；　the　residence　of　poor　women　who　supported　themselves　by　washing　the　cloaths　of　the　officers　and　soldiers。　　It　was　nearly　dark：　he　heard　from　a　neighbouring　steeple　a　solemn　toll　that　seemed　to　say　some　poor　mortal　was　going　to　their　last　mansion：　　the　sound　struck　on　the　heart　of　Montraville；　and　he　involuntarily　stopped；　when；　from　one　of　the　houses；　he　saw　the　appearance　of　a　funeral。　Almost　unknowing　what　he　did；　he　followed　at　a　small　distance；　and　as　they　let　the　coffin　into　the　grave；　he　enquired　of　a　soldier　who　stood　by；　and　had　just　brushed　off　a　tear　that　did　honour　to　his　heart；　who　it　was　that　was　just　buried。　　〃An　please　your　honour；〃　said　the　man；　〃　'tis　a　poor　girl　that　was　brought　from　her　friends　by　a　cruel　man；　who　left　her　when　she　was　big　with　child；　and　married　another。〃　Montraville　stood　motionless；　and　the　man　proceeded〃I　met　her　myself　not　a　fortnight　since　one　night　all　wet　and　cold　in　the　streets；　she　went　to　Madam　Crayton's；　but　she　would　not　take　her　in；　and　so　the　poor　thing　went　raving　mad。〃　　Montraville　could　bear　no　more；　he　struck　his　hands　against　his　forehead　with　violence；　and　exclaiming　〃poor　murdered　Charlotte！〃　ran　with　precipitation　towards　the　place　where　they　were　heaping　the　earth　on　her　remains。　〃Hold；　hold；　one　moment；〃　said　he。　　〃Close　not　the　grave　of　the　injured　Charlotte　Temple　till　I　have　taken　vengeance　on　her　murderer。〃　〃Rash　young　man；〃　said　Mr。　Temple；〃　〃who　art　thou　that　thus　disturbest　the　last　mournful　rites　of　the　dead；　and　rudely　breakest　in　upon　the　grief　of　an　afflicted　father。〃　〃If　thou　art　the　father　of　Charlotte　Temple；〃　said　he；　gazing　at　him　with　mingled　horror　and　amazement〃if　thou　art　her　fatherI　am　Montraville。〃　Then　falling　on　his　knees；　he　continued〃Here　is　my　bosom。　I　bare　it　to　receive　the　stroke　I　merit。　　Strikestrike　now；　and　save　me　from　the　misery　of　reflexion。〃　〃Alas！〃　said　Mr。　Temple；　〃if　thou　wert　the　seducer　of　my　child；　thy　own　reflexions　be　thy　punishment。　　I　wrest　not　the　power　from　the　hand　of　omnipotence。　　Look　on　that　little　heap　of　earth；　there　hast　thou　buried　the　only　joy　of　a　fond　father。　　Look　at　it　often；　and　may　thy　heart　feel　such　true　sorrow　as　shall　merit　the　mercy　of　heaven。〃　He　turned　from　him；　and　Montraville　starting　up　from　the　ground；　where　he　had　thrown　himself；　and　at　that　instant　remembering　the　perfidy　of　Belcour；　flew　like　lightning　to　his　lodgings。　Belcour　was　intoxicated；　Montraville　impetuous：　　they　fought；　and　the　sword　of　the　latter　entered　the　heart　of　his　adversary。　He　fell；　and　expired　almost　instantly。　　Montraville　had　received　a　slight　wound；　and　overcome　with　the　agitation　of　his　mind　and　loss　of　blood；　was　carried　in　a　state　of　insensibility　to　his　distracted　wife。　A　dangerous　illness　and　obstinate　delirium　ensued；　during　which　he　raved　incessantly　for　Charlotte：　　but　a　strong　constitution；　and　the　tender　assiduities　of　Julia；　in　time　overcame　the　disorder。　He　recovered；　but　to　the　end　of　his　life　was　subject　to　severe　fits　of　melancholy；　and　while　he　remained　at　New…York　frequently　retired　to　the　church…yard；　where　he　would　weep　over　the　grave；　and　regret　the　untimely　fate　of　the　lovely　Charlotte　Temple。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XXXV。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CONCLUSION。　SHORTLY　after　the　interment　of　his　daughter；　Mr。　Temple；　with　his　dear　little　charge　and　her　nurse；　set　forward　for　England。　It　would　be　impossible　to　do　justice　to　the　meeting　scene　between　him；　his　Lucy；　and　her　aged　father。　　Every　heart　of　sensibility　can　easily　conceive　their　feelings。　　After　the　first　tumult　of　grief　was　subsided；　Mrs。　Temple　gave　up　the　chief　of　her　time　to　her　grand…child；　and　as　she　grew　up　and　improved；　began　to　almost　fancy　she　again　possessed　her　Charlotte。　It　was　about　ten　years　after　these　painful　events；　that　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Temple；　having　buried　their　father；　were　obliged　to　come　to　London　on　particular　business；　and　brought　the　little　Lucy　with　them。　They　had　been　walking　one　evening；　when　on　their　return　they　found　a　poor　wretch　sitting　on　the　steps　of　the　door。　She　attempted　to　rise　as　they　approached；　but　from　extreme　weakness　was　unable；　and　after　several　fruitless　efforts　fell　back　in　a　fit。　Mr。　Temple　was　not　one　of　those　men　who　stand　to　consider　whether　by　assisting　an　object　in　distress　they　shall　not　inconvenience　themselves；　but　instigated　by　the　impulse　of　a　noble　feeling　heart；　immediately　ordered　her　to　be　carried　into　the　house；　and　proper　restoratives　applied。　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；　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。

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