love and freindship-第2章

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〃My　Father's　house　is　situated　in　Bedfordshire；　my　Aunt's　in　Middlesex；　and　tho'　I　flatter　myself　with　being　a　tolerable　proficient　in　Geography；　I　know　not　how　it　happened；　but　I　found　myself　entering　this　beautifull　Vale　which　I　find　is　in　South　Wales；　when　I　had　expected　to　have　reached　my　Aunts。〃

〃After　having　wandered　some　time　on　the　Banks　of　the　Uske　without　knowing　which　way　to　go；　I　began　to　lament　my　cruel　Destiny　in　the　bitterest　and　most　pathetic　Manner。　　It　was　now　perfectly　dark；　not　a　single　star　was　there　to　direct　my　steps；　and　I　know　not　what　might　have　befallen　me　had　I　not　at　length　discerned　thro'　the　solemn　Gloom　that　surrounded　me　a　distant　light；　which　as　I　approached　it；　I　discovered　to　be　the　chearfull　Blaze　of　your　fire。　　Impelled　by　the　combination　of　Misfortunes　under　which　I　laboured；　namely　Fear；　Cold　and　Hunger　I　hesitated　not　to　ask　admittance　which　at　length　I　have　gained；　and　now　my　Adorable　Laura　（continued　he　taking　my　Hand）　when　may　I　hope　to　receive　that　reward　of　all　the　painfull　sufferings　I　have　undergone　during　the　course　of　my　attachment　to　you；　to　which　I　have　ever　aspired。　　Oh！　　when　will　you　reward　me　with　Yourself？〃

〃This　instant；　Dear　and　Amiable　Edward。〃　（replied　I。）。　　We　were　immediately　united　by　my　Father；　who　tho'　he　had　never　taken　orders　had　been　bred　to　the　Church。　Adeiu　Laura



LETTER　7th　LAURA　to　MARIANNE

We　remained　but　a　few　days　after　our　Marriage；　in　the　Vale　of　Uske。　　After　taking　an　affecting　Farewell　of　my　Father；　my　Mother　and　my　Isabel；　I　accompanied　Edward　to　his　Aunt's　in　Middlesex。　Philippa　received　us　both　with　every　expression　of　affectionate　Love。　　My　arrival　was　indeed　a　most　agreable　surprise　to　her　as　she　had　not　only　been　totally　ignorant　of　my　Marriage　with　her　Nephew；　but　had　never　even　had　the　slightest　idea　of　there　being　such　a　person　in　the　World。

Augusta；　the　sister　of　Edward　was　on　a　visit　to　her　when　we　arrived。　　I　found　her　exactly　what　her　Brother　had　described　her　to　beof　the　middle　size。　　She　received　me　with　equal　surprise　though　not　with　equal　Cordiality；　as　Philippa。　　There　was　a　disagreable　coldness　and　Forbidding　Reserve　in　her　reception　of　me　which　was　equally　distressing　and　Unexpected。　　None　of　that　interesting　Sensibility　or　amiable　simpathy　in　her　manners　and　Address　to　me　when　we　first　met　which　should　have　distinguished　our　introduction　to　each　other。　　Her　Language　was　neither　warm；　nor　affectionate；　her　expressions　of　regard　were　neither　animated　nor　cordial；　her　arms　were　not　opened　to　receive　me　to　her　Heart；　tho'　my　own　were　extended　to　press　her　to　mine。

A　short　Conversation　between　Augusta　and　her　Brother；　which　I　accidentally　overheard　encreased　my　dislike　to　her；　and　convinced　me　that　her　Heart　was　no　more　formed　for　the　soft　ties　of　Love　than　for　the　endearing　intercourse　of　Freindship。

〃But　do　you　think　that　my　Father　will　ever　be　reconciled　to　this　imprudent　connection？〃　　（said　Augusta。）

〃Augusta　（replied　the　noble　Youth）　I　thought　you　had　a　better　opinion　of　me；　than　to　imagine　I　would　so　abjectly　degrade　myself　as　to　consider　my　Father's　Concurrence　in　any　of　my　affairs；　either　of　Consequence　or　concern　to　me。　　Tell　me　Augusta　with　sincerity；　did　you　ever　know　me　consult　his　inclinations　or　follow　his　Advice　in　the　least　trifling　Particular　since　the　age　of　fifteen？〃

〃Edward　（replied　she）　you　are　surely　too　diffident　in　your　own　praise。　　Since　you　were　fifteen　only！　　My　Dear　Brother　since　you　were　five　years　old；　I　entirely　acquit　you　of　ever　having　willingly　contributed　to　the　satisfaction　of　your　Father。　　But　still　I　am　not　without　apprehensions　of　your　being　shortly　obliged　to　degrade　yourself　in　your　own　eyes　by　seeking　a　support　for　your　wife　in　the　Generosity　of　Sir　Edward。〃

〃Never；　never　Augusta　will　I　so　demean　myself。　　（said　Edward）。　Support！　　What　support　will　Laura　want　which　she　can　receive　from　him？〃

〃Only　those　very　insignificant　ones　of　Victuals　and　Drink。〃　（answered　she。）

〃Victuals　and　Drink！　　（replied　my　Husband　in　a　most　nobly　contemptuous　Manner）　and　dost　thou　then　imagine　that　there　is　no　other　support　for　an　exalted　mind　（such　as　is　my　Laura's）　than　the　mean　and　indelicate　employment　of　Eating　and　Drinking？〃

〃None　that　I　know　of；　so　efficacious。〃　（returned　Augusta）。

〃And　did　you　then　never　feel　the　pleasing　Pangs　of　Love；　Augusta？　（replied　my　Edward）。　　Does　it　appear　impossible　to　your　vile　and　corrupted　Palate；　to　exist　on　Love？　　Can　you　not　conceive　the　Luxury　of　living　in　every　distress　that　Poverty　can　inflict；　with　the　object　of　your　tenderest　affection？〃

〃You　are　too　ridiculous　（said　Augusta）　to　argue　with；　perhaps　however　you　may　in　time　be　convinced　that　。。。〃

Here　I　was　prevented　from　hearing　the　remainder　of　her　speech；　by　the　appearance　of　a　very　Handsome　young　Woman；　who　was　ushured　into　the　Room　at　the　Door　of　which　I　had　been　listening。　　On　hearing　her　announced　by　the　Name　of　〃Lady　Dorothea；〃　I　instantly　quitted　my　Post　and　followed　her　into　the　Parlour；　for　I　well　remembered　that　she　was　the　Lady；　proposed　as　a　Wife　for　my　Edward　by　the　Cruel　and　Unrelenting　Baronet。

Altho'　Lady　Dorothea's　visit　was　nominally　to　Philippa　and　Augusta；　yet　I　have　some　reason　to　imagine　that　（acquainted　with　the　Marriage　and　arrival　of　Edward）　to　see　me　was　a　principal　motive　to　it。

I　soon　perceived　that　tho'　Lovely　and　Elegant　in　her　Person　and　tho'　Easy　and　Polite　in　her　Address；　she　was　of　that　inferior　order　of　Beings　with　regard　to　Delicate　Feeling；　tender　Sentiments；　and　refined　Sensibility；　of　which　Augusta　was　one。

She　staid　but　half　an　hour　and　neither　in　the　Course　of　her　Visit；　confided　to　me　any　of　her　secret　thoughts；　nor　requested　me　to　confide　in　her；　any　of　Mine。　　You　will　easily　imagine　therefore　my　Dear　Marianne　that　I　could　not　feel　any　ardent　affection　or　very　sincere　Attachment　for　Lady　Dorothea。　Adeiu　Laura。



LETTER　8th　LAURA　to　MARIANNE；　in　continuation

Lady　Dorothea　had　not　left　us　long　before　another　visitor　as　unexpected　a　one　as　her　Ladyship；　was　announced。　　It　was　Sir　Edward；　who　informed　by　Augusta　of　her　Brother's　marriage；　came　doubtless　to　reproach　him　for　having　dared　to　unite　himself　to　me　without　his　Knowledge。　　But　Edward　foreseeing　his　design；　approached　him　with　heroic　fortitude　as　soon　as　he　entered　the　Room；　and　addressed　him　in　the　following　Manner。

〃Sir　Edward；　I　know　the　motive　of　your　Journey　hereYou　come　with　the　base　Design　of　reproaching　me　for　having　entered　into　an　indissoluble　engagement　with　my　Laura　without　your　Consent。　　But　Sir；　I　glory　in　the　Act。　　It　is　my　greatest　boast　that　I　have　incurred　the　displeasure　of　my　Father！〃

So　saying；　he　took　my　hand　and　whilst　Sir　Edward；　Philippa；　and　Augusta　were　doubtless　reflecting　with　admiration　on　his　undaunted　Bravery；　led　me　from　the　Parlour　to　his　Father's　Carriage　which　yet　remained　at　the　Door　and　in　which　we　were　instantly　conveyed　from　the　pursuit　of　Sir　Edward。

The　Postilions　had　at　first　received　orders　only　to　take　the　London　road；　as　soon　as　we　had　sufficiently　reflected　However；　we　ordered　them　to　Drive　to　M。　the　seat　of　Edward's　most　particular　freind；　which　was　but　a　few　miles　distant。

At　M。　　we　arrived　in　a　few　hours；　and　on　sending　in　our　names　were　immediately　admitted　to　Sophia；　the　Wife　of　Edward's　freind。　After　having　been　deprived　during　the　course　of　3　weeks　of　a　real　freind　（for　such　I　term　your　Mother）　imagine　my　transports　at　beholding　one；　most　truly　worthy　of　the　Name。　　Sophia　was　rather　above　the　middle　size；　most　elegantly　formed。　　A　soft　languor　spread　over　her　lovely　features；　but　increased　their　Beauty。　It　was　the　Charectarestic　of　her　Mind。　　She　was　all　sensibility　and　Feeling。　　We　flew　into　each　others　arms　and　after　having　exchanged　vows　of　mutual　Freindship　for　the　rest　of　our　Lives；　instantly　unfolded　to　each　other　the　most　inward　secrets　of　our　Hearts。　　We　were　interrupted　in　the　delightfull　Employment　by　the　entrance　of　Augustus；　（Edward's　freind）　who　was　just　returned　from　a　solitary　ramble。

Never　did　I　see　such　an　affecting　Scene　as　was　the　meeting　of　Edward　and　Augustus。

〃My　Life！　　my　Soul！〃　　（exclaimed　the　former）　〃My　adorable　angel！〃　（replied　the　latter）　as　they　flew　into　each　othe