love and freindship-第6章

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Sophia　as　we　were　hastening　to　the　field　of　Action。

She　had　not　time　to　answer　me；　for　every　thought　was　now　engaged　by　the　horrid　spectacle　before　us。　　Two　Gentlemen　most　elegantly　attired　but　weltering　in　their　blood　was　what　first　struck　our　Eyeswe　approachedthey　were　Edward　and　Augustus。　Yes　dearest　Marianne　they　were　our　Husbands。　　Sophia　shreiked　and　fainted　on　the　groundI　screamed　and　instantly　ran　mad。　　We　remained　thus　mutually　deprived　of　our　senses；　some　minutes；　and　on　regaining　them　were　deprived　of　them　again。　　For　an　Hour　and　a　Quarter　did　we　continue　in　this　unfortunate　situationSophia　fainting　every　moment　and　I　running　mad　as　often。　　At　length　a　groan　from　the　hapless　Edward　（who　alone　retained　any　share　of　life）　restored　us　to　ourselves。　　Had　we　indeed　before　imagined　that　either　of　them　lived；　we　should　have　been　more　sparing　of　our　Greifbut　as　we　had　supposed　when　we　first　beheld　them　that　they　were　no　more；　we　knew　that　nothing　could　remain　to　be　done　but　what　we　were　about。　No　sooner　did　we　therefore　hear　my　Edward's　groan　than　postponing　our　lamentations　for　the　present；　we　hastily　ran　to　the　Dear　Youth　and　kneeling　on　each　side　of　him　implored　him　not　to　die。　〃Laura　（said　He　fixing　his　now　languid　Eyes　on　me）　I　fear　I　have　been　overturned。〃

I　was　overjoyed　to　find　him　yet　sensible。

〃Oh！　　tell　me　Edward　（said　I）　tell　me　I　beseech　you　before　you　die；　what　has　befallen　you　since　that　unhappy　Day　in　which　Augustus　was　arrested　and　we　were　separated〃

〃I　will〃　（said　he）　and　instantly　fetching　a　deep　sigh；　Expired　。　　Sophia　immediately　sank　again　into　a　swoon。　　MY　greif　was　more　audible。　　My　Voice　faltered；　My　Eyes　assumed　a　vacant　stare；　my　face　became　as　pale　as　Death；　and　my　senses　were　considerably　impaired。

〃Talk　not　to　me　of　Phaetons　（said　I；　raving　in　a　frantic；　incoherent　manner）Give　me　a　violin。　　　I'll　play　to　him　and　sooth　him　in　his　melancholy　HoursBeware　ye　gentle　Nymphs　of　Cupid's　Thunderbolts；　avoid　the　piercing　shafts　of　JupiterLook　at　that　grove　of　FirsI　see　a　Leg　of　MuttonThey　told　me　Edward　was　not　Dead；　but　they　deceived　methey　took　him　for　a　cucumber　〃　　Thus　I　continued　wildly　exclaiming　on　my　Edward's　Death。　For　two　Hours　did　I　rave　thus　madly　and　should　not　then　have　left　off；　as　I　was　not　in　the　least　fatigued；　had　not　Sophia　who　was　just　recovered　from　her　swoon；　intreated　me　to　consider　that　Night　was　now　approaching　and　that　the　Damps　began　to　fall。　　〃And　whither　shall　we　go　（said　I）　to　shelter　us　from　either？〃　　〃To　that　white　Cottage。〃　（replied　she　pointing　to　a　neat　Building　which　rose　up　amidst　the　grove　of　Elms　and　which　I　had　not　before　observed）　I　agreed　and　we　instantly　walked　to　itwe　knocked　at　the　doorit　was　opened　by　an　old　woman；　on　being　requested　to　afford　us　a　Night's　Lodging；　she　informed　us　that　her　House　was　but　small；　that　she　had　only　two　Bedrooms；　but　that　However　we　should　be　wellcome　to　one　of　them。　　We　were　satisfied　and　followed　the　good　woman　into　the　House　where　we　were　greatly　cheered　by　the　sight　of　a　comfortable　fire。　　She　was　a　widow　and　had　only　one　Daughter；　who　was　then　just　seventeenOne　of　the　best　of　ages；　but　alas！　she　was　very　plain　and　her　name　was　Bridget。　。　。　。　。　Nothing　therfore　could　be　expected　from　hershe　could　not　be　supposed　to　possess　either　exalted　Ideas；　Delicate　Feelings　or　refined　Sensibilities。　　She　was　nothing　more　than　a　mere　good…tempered；　civil　and　obliging　young　woman；　as　such　we　could　scarcely　dislike　hereshe　was　only　an　Object　of　Contempt　。　Adeiu　Laura。



LETTER　the　14th　LAURA　in　continuation

Arm　yourself　my　amiable　young　Freind　with　all　the　philosophy　you　are　Mistress　of；　summon　up　all　the　fortitude　you　possess；　for　alas！　　in　the　perusal　of　the　following　Pages　your　sensibility　will　be　most　severely　tried。　　Ah！　　what　were　the　misfortunes　I　had　before　experienced　and　which　I　have　already　related　to　you；　to　the　one　I　am　now　going　to　inform　you　of。　　The　Death　of　my　Father　and　my　Mother　and　my　Husband　though　almost　more　than　my　gentle　Nature　could　support；　were　trifles　in　comparison　to　the　misfortune　I　am　now　proceeding　to　relate。　　The　morning　after　our　arrival　at　the　Cottage；　Sophia　complained　of　a　violent　pain　in　her　delicate　limbs；　accompanied　with　a　disagreable　Head…ake　She　attributed　it　to　a　cold　caught　by　her　continued　faintings　in　the　open　air　as　the　Dew　was　falling　the　Evening　before。　　This　I　feared　was　but　too　probably　the　case；　since　how　could　it　be　otherwise　accounted　for　that　I　should　have　escaped　the　same　indisposition；　but　by　supposing　that　the　bodily　Exertions　I　had　undergone　in　my　repeated　fits　of　frenzy　had　so　effectually　circulated　and　warmed　my　Blood　as　to　make　me　proof　against　the　chilling　Damps　of　Night；　whereas；　Sophia　lying　totally　inactive　on　the　ground　must　have　been　exposed　to　all　their　severity。　　I　was　most　seriously　alarmed　by　her　illness　which　trifling　as　it　may　appear　to　you；　a　certain　instinctive　sensibility　whispered　me；　would　in　the　End　be　fatal　to　her。

Alas！　　my　fears　were　but　too　fully　justified；　she　grew　gradually　worseand　I　daily　became　more　alarmed　for　her。　　At　length　she　was　obliged　to　confine　herself　solely　to　the　Bed　allotted　us　by　our　worthy　Landlady。　　Her　disorder　turned　to　a　galloping　Consumption　and　in　a　few　days　carried　her　off。　　Amidst　all　my　Lamentations　for　her　（and　violent　you　may　suppose　they　were）　I　yet　received　some　consolation　in　the　reflection　of　my　having　paid　every　attention　to　her；　that　could　be　offered；　in　her　illness。　　I　had　wept　over　her　every　Dayhad　bathed　her　sweet　face　with　my　tears　and　had　pressed　her　fair　Hands　continually　in　mine。　　〃My　beloved　Laura　（said　she　to　me　a　few　Hours　before　she　died）　take　warning　from　my　unhappy　End　and　avoid　the　imprudent　conduct　which　had　occasioned　it。　。　。　Beware　of　fainting…fits。　。　。　Though　at　the　time　they　may　be　refreshing　and　agreable　yet　beleive　me　they　will　in　the　end；　if　too　often　repeated　and　at　improper　seasons；　prove　destructive　to　your　Constitution。　。　。　My　fate　will　teach　you　this。　。　I　die　a　Martyr　to　my　greif　for　the　loss　of　Augustus。　。　One　fatal　swoon　has　cost　me　my　Life。　。　Beware　of　swoons　Dear　Laura。　。　。　。　A　frenzy　fit　is　not　one　quarter　so　pernicious；　it　is　an　exercise　to　the　Body　and　if　not　too　violent；　is　I　dare　say　conducive　to　Health　in　its　consequencesRun　mad　as　often　as　you　chuse；　but　do　not　faint〃

These　were　the　last　words　she　ever　addressed　to　me。　。　It　was　her　dieing　Advice　to　her　afflicted　Laura；　who　has　ever　most　faithfully　adhered　to　it。

After　having　attended　my　lamented　freind　to　her　Early　Grave；　I　immediately　（tho'　late　at　night）　left　the　detested　Village　in　which　she　died；　and　near　which　had　expired　my　Husband　and　Augustus。　　I　had　not　walked　many　yards　from　it　before　I　was　overtaken　by　a　stage…coach；　in　which　I　instantly　took　a　place；　determined　to　proceed　in　it　to　Edinburgh；　where　I　hoped　to　find　some　kind　some　pitying　Freind　who　would　receive　and　comfort　me　in　my　afflictions。

It　was　so　dark　when　I　entered　the　Coach　that　I　could　not　distinguish　the　Number　of　my　Fellow…travellers；　I　could　only　perceive　that　they　were　many。　　Regardless　however　of　anything　concerning　them；　I　gave　myself　up　to　my　own　sad　Reflections。　　A　general　silence　prevailedA　silence；　which　was　by　nothing　interrupted　but　by　the　loud　and　repeated　snores　of　one　of　the　Party。

〃What　an　illiterate　villain　must　that　man　be！　　（thought　I　to　myself）　What　a　total　want　of　delicate　refinement　must　he　have；　who　can　thus　shock　our　senses　by　such　a　brutal　noise！　　He　must　I　am　certain　be　capable　of　every　bad　action！　　There　is　no　crime　too　black　for　such　a　Character！〃　Thus　reasoned　I　within　myself；　and　doubtless　such　were　the　reflections　of　my　fellow　travellers。

At　length；　returning　Day　enabled　me　to　behold　the　unprincipled　Scoundrel　who　had　so　violently　disturbed　my　feelings。　　It　was　Sir　Edward　the　father　of　my　Deceased　Husband。　　By　his　side　sate　Augusta；　and　on　the　same　seat　with　me　were　your　Mother　and　Lady　Dorothea。　　Imagine　my　surprise　at　finding　myself　thus　seated　amongst　my　old　Acquaintance。　　Great　as　was　my　astonishment；　it　was　yet　increased；　when　on　looking　out　of　Windows；　I　beheld　the　Husband　of　Philippa；　with　Philippa　by　his　side；　on　the　Coachbox　and　when　on　looking　behind　I　beheld；　Philander　and　Gustavus　in　th