love and freindship-第8章

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　money；　we　began　to　think　of　returning　to　our　Mothers；　but　accidentally　hearing　that　they　were　both　starved　to　Death；　we　gave　over　the　design　and　determined　to　engage　ourselves　to　some　strolling　Company　of　Players；　as　we　had　always　a　turn　for　the　Stage。　　Accordingly　we　offered　our　services　to　one　and　were　accepted；　our　Company　was　indeed　rather　small；　as　it　consisted　only　of　the　Manager　his　wife　and　ourselves；　but　there　were　fewer　to　pay　and　the　only　inconvenience　attending　it　was　the　Scarcity　of　Plays　which　for　want　of　People　to　fill　the　Characters；　we　could　perform。　　We　did　not　mind　trifles　however。　　One　of　our　most　admired　Performances　was　MACBETH；　in　which　we　were　truly　great。　　The　Manager　always　played　BANQUO　himself；　his　Wife　my　LADY　MACBETH。　　I　did　the　THREE　WITCHES　and　Philander　acted　ALL　THE　REST。　To　say　the　truth　this　tragedy　was　not　only　the　Best；　but　the　only　Play　that　we　ever　performed；　and　after　having　acted　it　all　over　England；　and　Wales；　we　came　to　Scotland　to　exhibit　it　over　the　remainder　of　Great　Britain。　　We　happened　to　be　quartered　in　that　very　Town；　where　you　came　and　met　your　Grandfather。　　We　were　in　the　Inn…yard　when　his　Carriage　entered　and　perceiving　by　the　arms　to　whom　it　belonged；　and　knowing　that　Lord　St　Clair　was　our　Grandfather；　we　agreed　to　endeavour　to　get　something　from　him　by　discovering　the　Relationship。　　You　know　how　well　it　succeeded。　Having　obtained　the　two　Hundred　Pounds；　we　instantly　left　the　Town；　leaving　our　Manager　and　his　Wife　to　act　MACBETH　by　themselves；　and　took　the　road　to　Sterling；　where　we　spent　our　little　fortune　with　great　ECLAT。　　We　are　now　returning　to　Edinburgh　in　order　to　get　some　preferment　in　the　Acting　way；　and　such　my　Dear　Cousin　is　our　History。〃

I　thanked　the　amiable　Youth　for　his　entertaining　narration；　and　after　expressing　my　wishes　for　their　Welfare　and　Happiness；　left　them　in　their　little　Habitation　and　returned　to　my　other　Freinds　who　impatiently　expected　me。

My　adventures　are　now　drawing　to　a　close　my　dearest　Marianne；　at　least　for　the　present。

When　we　arrived　at　Edinburgh　Sir　Edward　told　me　that　as　the　Widow　of　his　son；　he　desired　I　would　accept　from　his　Hands　of　four　Hundred　a　year。　　I　graciously　promised　that　I　would；　but　could　not　help　observing　that　the　unsimpathetic　Baronet　offered　it　more　on　account　of　my　being　the　Widow　of　Edward　than　in　being　the　refined　and　amiable　Laura。

I　took　up　my　Residence　in　a　Romantic　Village　in　the　Highlands　of　Scotland　where　I　have　ever　since　continued；　and　where　I　can　uninterrupted　by　unmeaning　Visits；　indulge　in　a　melancholy　solitude；　my　unceasing　Lamentations　for　the　Death　of　my　Father；　my　Mother；　my　Husband　and　my　Freind。

Augusta　has　been　for　several　years　united　to　Graham　the　Man　of　all　others　most　suited　to　her；　she　became　acquainted　with　him　during　her　stay　in　Scotland。

Sir　Edward　in　hopes　of　gaining　an　Heir　to　his　Title　and　Estate；　at　the　same　time　married　Lady　Dorothea。　　His　wishes　have　been　answered。

Philander　and　Gustavus；　after　having　raised　their　reputation　by　their　Performances　in　the　Theatrical　Line　at　Edinburgh；　removed　to　Covent　Garden；　where　they　still　exhibit　under　the　assumed　names　of　LUVIS　and　QUICK。

Philippa　has　long　paid　the　Debt　of　Nature；　Her　Husband　however　still　continues　to　drive　the　Stage…Coach　from　Edinburgh　to　Sterling：　Adeiu　my　Dearest　Marianne。　Laura。

Finis

June　13th　1790。



*

AN　UNFINISHED　NOVEL　IN　LETTERS


To　HENRY　THOMAS　AUSTEN　Esqre。

Sir

I　am　now　availing　myself　of　the　Liberty　you　have　frequently　honoured　me　with　of　dedicating　one　of　my　Novels　to　you。　　That　it　is　unfinished；　I　greive；　yet　fear　that　from　me；　it　will　always　remain　so；　that　as　far　as　it　is　carried；　it　should　be　so　trifling　and　so　unworthy　of　you；　is　another　concern　to　your　obliged　humble　Servant

The　Author


Messrs　Demand　and　Coplease　to　pay　Jane　Austen　Spinster　the　sum　of　one　hundred　guineas　on　account　of　your　Humble　Servant。

H。　T。　Austen

L105。　0。　0。

*

LESLEY　CASTLE



LETTER　the　FIRST　is　from　Miss　MARGARET　LESLEY　to　Miss　CHARLOTTE　LUTTERELL。　Lesley　Castle　　　　　Janry　3rd1792。

My　Brother　has　just　left　us。　　〃Matilda　（said　he　at　parting）　you　and　Margaret　will　I　am　certain　take　all　the　care　of　my　dear　little　one；　that　she　might　have　received　from　an　indulgent；　and　affectionate　and　amiable　Mother。〃　　Tears　rolled　down　his　cheeks　as　he　spoke　these　wordsthe　remembrance　of　her；　who　had　so　wantonly　disgraced　the　Maternal　character　and　so　openly　violated　the　conjugal　Duties；　prevented　his　adding　anything　farther；　he　embraced　his　sweet　Child　and　after　saluting　Matilda　and　Me　hastily　broke　from　us　and　seating　himself　in　his　Chaise；　pursued　the　road　to　Aberdeen。　　Never　was　there　a　better　young　Man！　　Ah！　how　little　did　he　deserve　the　misfortunes　he　has　experienced　in　the　Marriage　state。　　So　good　a　Husband　to　so　bad　a　Wife！　　for　you　know　my　dear　Charlotte　that　the　Worthless　Louisa　left　him；　her　Child　and　reputation　a　few　weeks　ago　in　company　with　Danvers　and　dishonour。　　Never　was　there　a　sweeter　face；　a　finer　form；　or　a　less　amiable　Heart　than　Louisa　owned！　　Her　child　already　possesses　the　personal　Charms　of　her　unhappy　Mother！　　May　she　inherit　from　her　Father　all　his　mental　ones！　　Lesley　is　at　present　but　five　and　twenty；　and　has　already　given　himself　up　to　melancholy　and　Despair；　what　a　difference　between　him　and　his　Father！　　Sir　George　is　57　and　still　remains　the　Beau；　the　flighty　stripling；　the　gay　Lad；　and　sprightly　Youngster；　that　his　Son　was　really　about　five　years　back；　and　that　HE　has　affected　to　appear　ever　since　my　remembrance。　　While　our　father　is　fluttering　about　the　streets　of　London；　gay；　dissipated；　and　Thoughtless　at　the　age　of　57；　Matilda　and　I　continue　secluded　from　Mankind　in　our　old　and　Mouldering　Castle；　which　is　situated　two　miles　from　Perth　on　a　bold　projecting　Rock；　and　commands　an　extensive　veiw　of　the　Town　and　its　delightful　Environs。　　But　tho'　retired　from　almost　all　the　World；　（for　we　visit　no　one　but　the　M'Leods；　The　M'Kenzies；　the　M'Phersons；　the　M'Cartneys；　the　M'Donalds；　The　M'kinnons；　the　M'lellans；　the　M'kays；　the　Macbeths　and　the　Macduffs）　we　are　neither　dull　nor　unhappy；　on　the　contrary　there　never　were　two　more　lively；　more　agreable　or　more　witty　girls；　than　we　are；　not　an　hour　in　the　Day　hangs　heavy　on　our　Hands。　　We　read；　we　work；　we　walk；　and　when　fatigued　with　these　Employments　releive　our　spirits；　either　by　a　lively　song；　a　graceful　Dance；　or　by　some　smart　bon…mot；　and　witty　repartee。　　We　are　handsome　my　dear　Charlotte；　very　handsome　and　the　greatest　of　our　Perfections　is；　that　we　are　entirely　insensible　of　them　ourselves。　　But　why　do　I　thus　dwell　on　myself！　　Let　me　rather　repeat　the　praise　of　our　dear　little　Neice　the　innocent　Louisa；　who　is　at　present　sweetly　smiling　in　a　gentle　Nap；　as　she　reposes　on　the　sofa。　　The　dear　Creature　is　just　turned　of　two　years　old；　as　handsome　as　tho'　2　and　20；　as　sensible　as　tho'　2　and　30；　and　as　prudent　as　tho'　2　and　40。　　To　convince　you　of　this；　I　must　inform　you　that　she　has　a　very　fine　complexion　and　very　pretty　features；　that　she　already　knows　the　two　first　letters　in　the　Alphabet；　and　that　she　never　tears　her　frocks。　　If　I　have　not　now　convinced　you　of　her　Beauty；　Sense　and　Prudence；　I　have　nothing　more　to　urge　in　support　of　my　assertion；　and　you　will　therefore　have　no　way　of　deciding　the　Affair　but　by　coming　to　Lesley…Castle；　and　by　a　personal　acquaintance　with　Louisa；　determine　for　yourself。　　Ah！　my　dear　Freind；　how　happy　should　I　be　to　see　you　within　these　venerable　Walls！　　It　is　now　four　years　since　my　removal　from　School　has　separated　me　from　you；　that　two　such　tender　Hearts；　so　closely　linked　together　by　the　ties　of　simpathy　and　Freindship；　should　be　so　widely　removed　from　each　other；　is　vastly　moving。　　I　live　in　Perthshire；　You　in　Sussex。　　We　might　meet　in　London；　were　my　Father　disposed　to　carry　me　there；　and　were　your　Mother　to　be　there　at　the　same　time。　　We　might　meet　at　Bath；　at　Tunbridge；　or　anywhere　else　indeed；　could　we　but　be　at　the　same　place　together。　We　have　only　to　hope　that　such　a　period　may　arrive。　　My　Father　does　not　return　to　us　till　Autumn；　my　Brother　will　leave　Scotland　in　a　few　Days；　he　is　impatient　to　travel。　　Mistaken　Youth！　　He　vainly　flatters　himself　that　change　of　A