友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
九色书籍 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

lady susan-第14章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!






must bewell assured that nothing but the strongest conviction of duty



could induce me to wound my own feelings by urging a lengthened separation;



and of insensibility to yours you will hardly suspect me。 Again; therefore;



I say that we ought not; we must not; yet meet。 By a removal for some



months from each other we shall tranquillise the sisterly fears of Mrs。



Vernon; who; accustomed herself to the enjoyment of riches; considers



fortune as necessary everywhere; and whose sensibilities are not of a



nature to comprehend ours。 Let me hear from you soonvery soon。 Tell me



that you submit to my arguments; and do not reproach me for using such。 I



cannot bear reproaches: my spirits are not so high as to need being



repressed。 I must endeavour to seek amusement; and fortunately many of my



friends are in town ; amongst them the Mainwarings; you know how sincerely



I regard both husband and wife。







I am; very faithfully yours;







S。 VERNON























XXXI











LADY SUSAN TO MRS。 JOHNSON











Upper Seymour Street。











My dear Friend;That tormenting creature; Reginald; is here。 My letter;



which was intended to keep him longer in the country; has hastened him to



town。 Much as I wish him away; however; I cannot help being pleased with



such a proof of attachment。 He is devoted to me; heart and soul。 He will



carry this note himself; which is to serve as an introduction to you; with



whom he longs to be acquainted。 Allow him to spend the evening with you;



that I may be in no danger of his returning here。 I have told him that I am



not quite well; and must be alone; and should he call again there might be



confusion; for it is impossible to be sure of servants。 Keep him;



therefore; I entreat you; in Edward Street。 You will not find him a heavy



companion; and I allow you to flirt with him as much as you like。 At the



same time; do not forget my real interest; say all that you can to convince



him that I shall be quite wretched if he remains here ; you know my



reasonspropriety; and so forth。 I would urge them more myself; but that I



am impatient to be rid of him; as Mainwaring comes within half an hour。



Adieu !







S VERNON























XXXII











MRS。 JOHNSON TO LADY SUSAN











Edward Street。











My dear Creature;I am in agonies; and know not what to do。 Mr。 De



Courcy arrived just when he should not。 Mrs。 Mainwaring had that instant



entered the house; and forced herself into her guardian's presence; though



I did not know a syllable of it till afterwards; for I was out when both



she and Reginald came; or I should have sent him away at all events; but



she was shut up with Mr。 Johnson; while he waited in the drawing…room for



me。 She arrived yesterday in pursuit of her husband; but perhaps you know



this already from himself。 She came to this house to entreat my husband's



interference; and before I could be aware of it; everything that you could



wish to be concealed was known to him; and unluckily she had wormed out of



Mainwaring's servant that he had visited you every day since your being in



town; and had just watched him to your door herself! What could I do! Facts



are such horrid things! All is by this time known to De Courcy; who is now



alone with Mr。 Johnson。 Do not accuse me; indeed; it was impossible to



prevent it。 Mr。 Johnson has for some time suspected De Courcy of intending



to marry you; and would speak with him alone as soon as he knew him to be



in the house。 That detestable Mrs。 Mainwaring; who; for your comfort; has



fretted herself thinner and uglier than ever; is still here; and they have



been all closeted together。 What can be done? At any rate; I hope he will



plague his wife more than ever。 With anxious wishes;



Yours faithfully;







ALICIA。























XXXIII











LADY SUSAN TO MRS。 JOHNSON











Upper Seymour Street。











This eclaircissement is rather provoking。 How unlucky that you should



have been from home! I thought myself sure of you at seven! I am undismayed



however。 Do not torment yourself with fears on my account; depend on it; I



can make my story good with Reginald。 Mainwaring  is just gone; he brought



me the news of his wife's arrival。 Silly woman; what does she expect by



such manoeuvres。? Yet I wish she had stayed quietly at Langford。  Reginald



will be a little enraged at first; but by to…morrow's dinner; everything



will be well again。







Adieu!







S。 V。























XXXIV











MR。 DE COURCY TO LADY SUSAN











… Hotel











I write only to bid you farewell; the spell is removed; I see you as you



are。 Since we parted yesterday; I have received from indisputable authority



such a history of you as must bring the most mortifying conviction of the



imposition  I have been under; and the absolute necessity of an immediate



and eternal separation from you。 You cannot doubt to what I allude。



Langford! Langford! that word will be sufficient。 I received my information



in Mr。 Johnson's house; from Mrs。 Mainwaring herself。 You know how I have



loved you; you can intimately judge of my present feelings; but I am not so



weak as to find indulgence in describing them to a woman who will glory in



having excited their anguish; but whose affection they have never been able



to gain。







R。 DE COURCY。























XXXV











LADY SUSAN TO MR。 DE COURCY











Upper Seymour Street。











I will not attempt to describe my astonishment in reading the note this



moment received from you。 I am bewildered in my endeavours to form some



rational conjecture of what Mrs。 Mainwaring can have told you to occasion



so extraordinary  a change in your sentiments。 Have I not explained



everything to you with respect to myself which could bear a doubtful



meaning; and which the ill…nature of the world had interpreted to my



discredit? What can you now have heard to stagger your esteem for me? Have



I ever had a concealment from you? Reginald; you agitate me beyond



expression; I cannot suppose that the old story of Mrs。 Mainwaring's



jealousy can be revived again; or at least be LISTENED to again。 Come to me



immediately; and explain what is at present absolutely incomprehensible。



Believe me the single word of Langford is not of such potent intelligence



as to supersede the necessity of more。 If we ARE to part; it will at least



be handsome to take your personal leavebut I have little heart to jest;



in truth; I am serious enough; for to be sunk; though but for an hour; in



your esteem Is a humiliation to which I know not how to submit。 I shall



count every minute till your arrival。







S。 V。























XXXVI











MR。 DE COURCY TO LADY SUSAN











 Hotel。











Why would you write to me? Why do you require particulars? But; since it



must be so; I am obliged to declare that all the accounts of your



misconduct during the life; and since the death of Mr。 Vernon; which had



reached me; in common with the world in general; and gained my entire



belief before I saw you; but which you; by the exertion of your perverted



abilities; had made me resolved to disallow; have been unanswerably proved



to me; nay more; I am assured that a connection; of which I had never



before entertained a thought; has for some time existed; and still



continues to exist; between you and the man whose family you robbed of its



peace in return for the hospitality with which you were received into it;



that you have corresponded  with him ever since your leaving Langford; not



with his wife; but with him; and that he now visits you every day。 Can you;



dare you deny it? and all this at the time when I was an encouraged; an



accepted lover! From what have I not escaped! I have only to be grateful。



Far from me be all complaint; every sigh of regret。 My own folly had



endangered me; my preservation I owe to the kindness; the integrity of



another; but the unfortunate Mrs。 Mainwaring; whose agonies while she



related the past seemed to threaten her reason; how is SHE to be consoled!



After such a discovery as this; you will scarcely affect further wonder at



my meaning in bidding you adieu。 My understanding is at length restored;



and teaches no
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!