love and freindship-第21章

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〃Well；　I　give　you　Joy　of　your　conquest；　replied　Lady　Scudamore；　and　I　beleive　it　to　have　been　a　very　complete　one；　I　am　sure　it　is　not　a　contemptible　one；　for　my　Cousin　is　a　charming　young　fellow；　has　seen　a　great　deal　of　the　World；　and　writes　the　best　Love…letters　I　ever　read。〃

This　made　me　very　happy；　and　I　was　excessively　pleased　with　my　conquest。　　However；　I　thought　it　was　proper　to　give　myself　a　few　Airsso　I　said　to　her

〃This　is　all　very　pretty　Lady　Scudamore；　but　you　know　that　we　young　Ladies　who　are　Heiresses　must　not　throw　ourselves　away　upon　Men　who　have　no　fortune　at　all。〃

〃My　dear　Miss　Halton　said　she；　I　am　as　much　convinced　of　that　as　you　can　be；　and　I　do　assure　you　that　I　should　be　the　last　person　to　encourage　your　marrying　anyone　who　had　not　some　pretensions　to　expect　a　fortune　with　you。　　Mr　　Musgrove　is　so　far　from　being　poor　that　he　has　an　estate　of　several　hundreds　an　year　which　is　capable　of　great　Improvement；　and　an　excellent　House；　though　at　Present　it　is　not　quite　in　repair。〃

〃If　that　is　the　case　replied　I；　I　have　nothing　more　to　say　against　him；　and　if　as　you　say　he　is　an　informed　young　Man　and　can　write　a　good　Love…letter；　I　am　sure　I　have　no　reason　to　find　fault　with　him　for　admiring　me；　tho'　perhaps　I　may　not　marry　him　for　all　that　Lady　Scudamore。〃

〃You　are　certainly　under　no　obligation　to　marry　him　answered　her　Ladyship；　except　that　which　love　himself　will　dictate　to　you；　for　if　I　am　not　greatly　mistaken　you　are　at　this　very　moment　unknown　to　yourself；　cherishing　a　most　tender　affection　for　him。〃

〃Law；　Lady　Scudamore　replied　I　blushing　how　can　you　think　of　such　a　thing？〃

〃Because　every　look；　every　word　betrays　it；　answered　she；　Come　my　dear　Henrietta；　consider　me　as　a　freind；　and　be　sincere　with　me　Do　not　you　prefer　Mr　Musgrove　to　any　man　of　your　acquaintance？〃

〃Pray　do　not　ask　me　such　questions　Lady　Scudamore；　said　I　turning　away　my　head；　for　it　is　not　fit　for　me　to　answer　them。〃

〃Nay　my　Love　replied　she；　now　you　confirm　my　suspicions。　But　why　Henrietta　should　you　be　ashamed　to　own　a　well…placed　Love；　or　why　refuse　to　confide　in　me？〃

〃I　am　not　ashamed　to　own　it；　said　I　taking　Courage。　　I　do　not　refuse　to　confide　in　you　or　blush　to　say　that　I　do　love　your　cousin　Mr　Musgrove；　that　I　am　sincerely　attached　to　him；　for　it　is　no　disgrace　to　love　a　handsome　Man。　　If　he　were　plain　indeed　I　might　have　had　reason　to　be　ashamed　of　a　passion　which　must　have　been　mean　since　the　object　would　have　been　unworthy。　　But　with　such　a　figure　and　face；　and　such　beautiful　hair　as　your　Cousin　has；　why　should　I　blush　to　own　that　such　superior　merit　has　made　an　impression　on　me。〃

〃My　sweet　Girl　（said　Lady　Scudamore　embracing　me　with　great　affection）　what　a　delicate　way　of　thinking　you　have　in　these　matters；　and　what　a　quick　discernment　for　one　of　your　years！　　Oh！　how　I　honour　you　for　such　Noble　Sentiments！〃

〃Do　you　Ma'am　said　I；　You　are　vastly　obliging。　　But　pray　Lady　Scudamore　did　your　Cousin　himself　tell　you　of　his　affection　for　me　I　shall　like　him　the　better　if　he　did；　for　what　is　a　Lover　without　a　Confidante？〃

〃Oh！　　my　Love　replied　she；　you　were　born　for　each　other。　Every　word　you　say　more　deeply　convinces　me　that　your　Minds　are　actuated　by　the　invisible　power　of　simpathy；　for　your　opinions　and　sentiments　so　exactly　coincide。　　Nay；　the　colour　of　your　Hair　is　not　very　different。　　Yes　my　dear　Girl；　the　poor　despairing　Musgrove　did　reveal　to　me　the　story　of　his　Love。　　Nor　was　I　surprised　at　itI　know　not　how　it　was；　but　I　had　a　kind　of　presentiment　that　he　would　be　in　love　with　you。〃

〃Well；　but　how　did　he　break　it　to　you？〃

〃It　was　not　till　after　supper。　　We　were　sitting　round　the　fire　together　talking　on　indifferent　subjects；　though　to　say　the　truth　the　Conversation　was　cheifly　on　my　side　for　he　was　thoughtful　and　silent；　when　on　a　sudden　he　interrupted　me　in　the　midst　of　something　I　was　saying；　by　exclaiming　in　a　most　Theatrical　tone

Yes　I'm　in　love　I　feel　it　now　And　Henrietta　Halton　has　undone　me

〃Oh！　　What　a　sweet　way　replied　I；　of　declaring　his　Passion！　　To　make　such　a　couple　of　charming　lines　about　me！　　What　a　pity　it　is　that　they　are　not　in　rhime！〃

〃I　am　very　glad　you　like　it　answered　she；　To　be　sure　there　was　a　great　deal　of　Taste　in　it。　　And　are　you　in　love　with　her；　Cousin？　said　I。　　I　am　very　sorry　for　it；　for　unexceptionable　as　you　are　in　every　respect；　with　a　pretty　Estate　capable　of　Great　improvements；　and　an　excellent　House　tho'　somewhat　out　of　repair；　yet　who　can　hope　to　aspire　with　success　to　the　adorable　Henrietta　who　has　had　an　offer　from　a　Colonel　and　been　toasted　by　a　Baronet〃〃THAT　I　have〃　cried　I。　　Lady　Scudamore　continued。　〃Ah　dear　Cousin　replied　he；　I　am　so　well　convinced　of　the　little　Chance　I　can　have　of　winning　her　who　is　adored　by　thousands；　that　I　need　no　assurances　of　yours　to　make　me　more　thoroughly　so。　　Yet　surely　neither　you　or　the　fair　Henrietta　herself　will　deny　me　the　exquisite　Gratification　of　dieing　for　her；　of　falling　a　victim　to　her　Charms。　　And　when　I　am　dead〃continued　her

〃Oh　Lady　Scudamore；　said　I　wiping　my　eyes；　that　such　a　sweet　Creature　should　talk　of　dieing！〃

〃It　is　an　affecting　Circumstance　indeed；　replied　Lady　Scudamore。〃　〃When　I　am　dead　said　he；　let　me　be　carried　and　lain　at　her　feet；　and　perhaps　she　may　not　disdain　to　drop　a　pitying　tear　on　my　poor　remains。〃

〃Dear　Lady　Scudamore　interrupted　I；　say　no　more　on　this　affecting　subject。　　I　cannot　bear　it。〃

〃Oh！　　how　I　admire　the　sweet　sensibility　of　your　Soul；　and　as　I　would　not　for　Worlds　wound　it　too　deeply；　I　will　be　silent。〃

〃Pray　go　on。〃　said　I。　　She　did　so。

〃And　then　added　he；　Ah！　　Cousin　imagine　what　my　transports　will　be　when　I　feel　the　dear　precious　drops　trickle　on　my　face！　　Who　would　not　die　to　haste　such　extacy！　　And　when　I　am　interred；　may　the　divine　Henrietta　bless　some　happier　Youth　with　her　affection；　May　he　be　as　tenderly　attached　to　her　as　the　hapless　Musgrove　and　while　HE　crumbles　to　dust；　May　they　live　an　example　of　Felicity　in　the　Conjugal　state！〃

Did　you　ever　hear　any　thing　so　pathetic？　　What　a　charming　wish；　to　be　lain　at　my　feet　when　he　was　dead！　　Oh！　what　an　exalted　mind　he　must　have　to　be　capable　of　such　a　wish！　　Lady　Scudamore　went　on。

〃Ah！　　my　dear　Cousin　replied　I　to　him；　such　noble　behaviour　as　this；　must　melt　the　heart　of　any　woman　however　obdurate　it　may　naturally　be；　and　could　the　divine　Henrietta　but　hear　your　generous　wishes　for　her　happiness；　all　gentle　as　is　her　mind；　I　have　not　a　doubt　but　that　she　would　pity　your　affection　and　endeavour　to　return　it。〃　　〃Oh！　　Cousin　answered　he；　do　not　endeavour　to　raise　my　hopes　by　such　flattering　assurances。　　No；　I　cannot　hope　to　please　this　angel　of　a　Woman；　and　the　only　thing　which　remains　for　me　to　do；　is　to　die。〃　　〃True　Love　is　ever　desponding　replied　I；　but　I　my　dear　Tom　will　give　you　even　greater　hopes　of　conquering　this　fair　one's　heart；　than　I　have　yet　given　you；　by　assuring　you　that　I　watched　her　with　the　strictest　attention　during　the　whole　day；　and　could　plainly　discover　that　she　cherishes　in　her　bosom　though　unknown　to　herself；　a　most　tender　affection　for　you。〃

〃Dear　Lady　Scudamore　cried　I；　This　is　more　than　I　ever　knew！〃

〃Did　not　I　say　that　it　was　unknown　to　yourself？　　I　did　not；　continued　I　to　him；　encourage　you　by　saying　this　at　first；　that　surprise　might　render　the　pleasure　still　Greater。〃　　〃No　Cousin　replied　he　in　a　languid　voice；　nothing　will　convince　me　that　I　can　have　touched　the　heart　of　Henrietta　Halton；　and　if　you　are　deceived　yourself；　do　not　attempt　deceiving　me。〃　　〃In　short　my　Love　it　was　the　work　of　some　hours　for　me　to　Persuade　the　poor　despairing　Youth　that　you　had　really　a　preference　for　him；　but　when　at　last　he　could　no　longer　deny　the　force　of　my　arguments；　or　discredit　what　I　told　him；　his　transports；　his　Raptures；　his　Extacies　are　beyond　my　power　to　describe。〃

〃Oh！　　the　dear　Creature；　cried　I；　how　passionately　he　loves　me！　But　dear　Lady　Scudamore　did　you　tell　him　that　I　was　totally　dependant　on　my　Uncle　and　Aunt？〃

〃Yes；　I　told　him　every　thing。〃

〃And　what　did　he　say。〃

〃He　exclaimed　with　virulence　against　Uncles　and　Aunts；　Accused　the　laws　of　England　for　allowing　them　to　Possess　their　Estates　when　wanted　by　their　Nephews　or　Neices；　and　wish