love and freindship-第20章

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attempting　at　least　to　know　what　I　wished　to　know；　for　every　one　played　at　Cards　but　Mrs　Evelyn；　My　Mother；　Dr　Drayton；　Miss　Grenville　and　myself；　and　as　the　two　former　were　engaged　in　a　whispering　Conversation；　and　the　Doctor　fell　asleep；　we　were　of　necessity　obliged　to　entertain　each　other。　　This　was　what　I　wished　and　being　determined　not　to　remain　in　ignorance　for　want　of　asking；　I　began　the　Conversation　in　the　following　Manner。

〃Have　you　been　long　in　Essex　Ma'am？〃

〃I　arrived　on　Tuesday。〃

〃You　came　from　Derbyshire？〃

〃No；　Ma'am！　　appearing　surprised　at　my　question；　from　Suffolk。〃　You　will　think　this　a　good　dash　of　mine　my　dear　Mary；　but　you　know　that　I　am　not　wanting　for　Impudence　when　I　have　any　end　in　veiw。　　〃Are　you　pleased　with　the　Country　Miss　Grenville？　　Do　you　find　it　equal　to　the　one　you　have　left？〃

〃Much　superior　Ma'am　in　point　of　Beauty。〃　She　sighed。　I　longed　to　know　for　why。

〃But　the　face　of　any　Country　however　beautiful　said　I；　can　be　but　a　poor　consolation　for　the　loss　of　one's　dearest　Freinds。〃　　She　shook　her　head；　as　if　she　felt　the　truth　of　what　I　said。　　My　Curiosity　was　so　much　raised；　that　I　was　resolved　at　any　rate　to　satisfy　it。

〃You　regret　having　left　Suffolk　then　Miss　Grenville？〃　　〃Indeed　I　do。〃　　〃You　were　born　there　I　suppose？〃　　〃Yes　Ma'am　I　was　and　passed　many　happy　years　there〃

〃That　is　a　great　comfortsaid　II　hope　Ma'am　that　you　never　spent　any　unhappy　one's　there。〃

〃Perfect　Felicity　is　not　the　property　of　Mortals；　and　no　one　has　a　right　to　expect　uninterrupted　Happiness。Some　Misfortunes　I　have　certainly　met　with。〃

〃WHAT　Misfortunes　dear　Ma'am？　　replied　I；　burning　with　impatience　to　know　every　thing。　　〃NONE　Ma'am　I　hope　that　have　been　the　effect　of　any　wilfull　fault　in　me。〃　　〃　I　dare　say　not　Ma'am；　and　have　no　doubt　but　that　any　　sufferings　you　may　have　experienced　could　arise　only　from　the　cruelties　of　Relations　or　the　Errors　of　Freinds。〃　　She　sighed〃You　seem　unhappy　my　dear　Miss　Grenville　Is　it　in　my　power　to　soften　your　Misfortunes？〃　　〃YOUR　power　Ma'am　replied　she　extremely　surprised；　it　is　in　NO　ONES　power　to　make　me　happy。〃　She　pronounced　these　words　in　so　mournfull　and　solemn　an　accent；　that　for　some　time　I　had　not　courage　to　reply。　I　was　actually　silenced。　　I　recovered　myself　however　in　a　few　moments　and　looking　at　her　with　all　the　affection　I　could；　　〃My　dear　Miss　Grenville　said　I；　you　appear　extremely　youngand　may　probably　stand　in　need　of　some　one's　advice　whose　regard　for　you；　joined　to　superior　Age；　perhaps　superior　Judgement　might　authorise　her　to　give　it。　　I　am　that　person；　and　I　now　challenge　you　to　accept　the　offer　I　make　you　of　my　Confidence　and　Freindship；　in　return　to　which　I　shall　only　ask　for　yours〃

〃You　are　extremely　obliging　Ma'amsaid　sheand　I　am　highly　flattered　by　your　attention　to　meBut　I　am　in　no　difficulty；　no　doubt；　no　uncertainty　of　situation　in　which　any　advice　can　be　wanted。　　Whenever　I　am　however　continued　she　brightening　into　a　complaisant　smile；　I　shall　know　where　to　apply。〃

I　bowed；　but　felt　a　good　deal　mortified　by　such　a　repulse；　still　however　I　had　not　given　up　my　point。　　I　found　that　by　the　appearance　of　sentiment　and　Freindship　nothing　was　to　be　gained　and　determined　therefore　to　renew　my　attacks　by　Questions　and　suppositions。　　〃Do　you　intend　staying　long　in　this　part　of　England　Miss　Grenville？〃

〃Yes　Ma'am；　some　time　I　beleive。〃

〃But　how　will　Mr　and　Mrs　Grenville　bear　your　absence？〃

〃They　are　neither　of　them　alive　Ma'am。〃　This　was　an　answer　I　did　not　expectI　was　quite　silenced；　and　never　felt　so　awkward　in　my　Life…。



LETTER　the　FIFTH　From　a　YOUNG　LADY　very　much　in　love　to　her　Freind

My　Uncle　gets　more　stingy；　my　Aunt　more　particular；　and　I　more　in　love　every　day。　　What　shall　we　all　be　at　this　rate　by　the　end　of　the　year！　　I　had　this　morning　the　happiness　of　receiving　the　following　Letter　from　my　dear　Musgrove。

Sackville　St：　　　Janry　7th　It　is　a　month　to　day　since　I　first　beheld　my　lovely　Henrietta；　and　the　sacred　anniversary　must　and　shall　be　kept　in　a　manner　becoming　the　dayby　writing　to　her。　　Never　shall　I　forget　the　moment　when　her　Beauties　first　broke　on　my　sightNo　time　as　you　well　know　can　erase　it　from　my　Memory。　　It　was　at　Lady　Scudamores。　　Happy　Lady　Scudamore　to　live　within　a　mile　of　the　divine　Henrietta！　　When　the　lovely　Creature　first　entered　the　room；　oh！　　what　were　my　sensations？　　The　sight　of　you　was　like　the　sight　ofa　wonderful　fine　Thing。　　I　startedI　gazed　at　her　with　admiration　She　appeared　every　moment　more　Charming；　and　the　unfortunate　Musgrove　became　a　captive　to　your　Charms　before　I　had　time　to　look　about　me。　　Yes　Madam；　I　had　the　happiness　of　adoring　you；　an　happiness　for　which　I　cannot　be　too　grateful。　〃What　said　he　to　himself　is　Musgrove　allowed　to　die　for　Henrietta？　　Enviable　Mortal！　　and　may　he　pine　for　her　who　is　the　object　of　universal　admiration；　who　is　adored　by　a　Colonel；　and　toasted　by　a　Baronet！　　Adorable　Henrietta　how　beautiful　you　are！　I　declare　you　are　quite　divine！　　You　are　more　than　Mortal。　　You　are　an　Angel。　You　are　Venus　herself。　　In　short　Madam　you　are　the　prettiest　Girl　I　ever　saw　in　my　Lifeand　her　Beauty　is　encreased　in　her　Musgroves　Eyes；　by　permitting　him　to　love　her　and　allowing　me　to　hope。　　And　ah！　　Angelic　Miss　Henrietta　Heaven　is　my　witness　how　ardently　I　do　hope　for　the　death　of　your　villanous　Uncle　and　his　abandoned　Wife；　since　my　fair　one　will　not　consent　to　be　mine　till　their　decease　has　placed　her　in　affluence　above　what　my　fortune　can　procure。　Though　it　is　an　improvable　Estate。　Cruel　Henrietta　to　persist　in　such　a　resolution！　　I　am　at　Present　with　my　sister　where　I　mean　to　continue　till　my　own　house　which　tho'　an　excellent　one　is　at　Present　somewhat　out　of　repair；　is　ready　to　receive　me。　　Amiable　princess　of　my　Heart　farewellOf　that　Heart　which　trembles　while　it　signs　itself　Your　most　ardent　Admirer　and　devoted　humble　servt。　T。　Musgrove。

There　is　a　pattern　for　a　Love…letter　Matilda！　　Did　you　ever　read　such　a　master…piece　of　Writing？　　Such　sense；　such　sentiment；　such　purity　of　Thought；　such　flow　of　Language　and　such　unfeigned　Love　in　one　sheet？　　No；　never　I　can　answer　for　it；　since　a　Musgrove　is　not　to　be　met　with　by　every　Girl。　　Oh！　　how　I　long　to　be　with　him！　　I　intend　to　send　him　the　following　in　answer　to　his　Letter　tomorrow。

My　dearest　Musgrove。　　Words　cannot　express　how　happy　your　Letter　made　me；　I　thought　I　should　have　cried　for　joy；　for　I　love　you　better　than　any　body　in　the　World。　I　think　you　the　most　amiable；　and　the　handsomest　Man　in　England；　and　so　to　be　sure　you　are。　　I　never　read　so　sweet　a　Letter　in　my　Life。　　Do　write　me　another　just　like　it；　and　tell　me　you　are　in　love　with　me　in　every　other　line。　　I　quite　die　to　see　you。　　How　shall　we　manage　to　see　one　another？　for　we　are　so　much　in　love　that　we　cannot　live　asunder。　　Oh！　　my　dear　Musgrove　you　cannot　think　how　impatiently　I　wait　for　the　death　of　my　Uncle　and　AuntIf　they　will　not　Die　soon；　I　beleive　I　shall　run　mad；　for　I　get　more　in　love　with　you　every　day　of　my　Life。

How　happy　your　Sister　is　to　enjoy　the　pleasure　of　your　Company　in　her　house；　and　how　happy　every　body　in　London　must　be　because　you　are　there。　　I　hope　you　will　be　so　kind　as　to　write　to　me　again　soon；　for　I　never　read　such　sweet　Letters　as　yours。　　I　am　my　dearest　Musgrove　most　truly　and　faithfully　yours　for　ever　and　ever　Henrietta　Halton。

I　hope　he　will　like　my　answer；　it　is　as　good　a　one　as　I　can　write　though　nothing　to　his；　Indeed　I　had　always　heard　what　a　dab　he　was　at　a　Love…letter。　　I　saw　him　you　know　for　the　first　time　at　Lady　ScudamoresAnd　when　I　saw　her　Ladyship　afterwards　she　asked　me　how　I　liked　her　Cousin　Musgrove？

〃Why　upon　my　word　said　I；　I　think　he　is　a　very　handsome　young　Man。〃

〃I　am　glad　you　think　so　replied　she；　for　he　is　distractedly　in　love　with　you。〃

〃Law！　　Lady　Scudamore　said　I；　how　can　you　talk　so　ridiculously？〃

〃Nay；　t'is　very　true　answered　she；　I　assure　you；　for　he　was　in　love　with　you　from　the　first　moment　he　beheld　you。〃

〃I　wish　it　may　be　true　said　I；　for　that　is　the　only　kind　of　love　I　would　give　a　farthing　forThere　is　some　sense　in　being　in　love　at　first　sight。〃

〃Well；　I　give　you　Joy　of　your　conquest；　replied　Lady　Scudamore；　and　I　beleive　it　to　have　been　a　very　complete　one