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lady susan-第3章

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I cannot forget the length of her visit to the Mainwarings; and when I



reflect on the different mode of life which she led with them from that to



which she must now submit; I can only suppose that the wish of establishing



her reputation by following though late the path of propriety; occasioned



her removal from a family where she must in reality have been particularly



happy。 Your friend Mr。 Smith's story; however; cannot be quite correct; as



she corresponds regularly with Mrs。 Mainwaring。 At any rate it must be



exaggerated。 It is scarcely possible that two men should be so grossly



deceived by her at once。







Yours; &c。;







CATHERINE VERNON























VII











LADY SUSAN VERNON TO MRS。 JOHNSON











Churchhill。











My dear Alicia;You are very good in taking notice of Frederica; and I



am grateful for it as a mark of your friendship; but as I cannot have any



doubt of the warmth of your affection; I am far from exacting so heavy a



sacrifice。 She is a stupid girl; and has nothing to recommend her。 I would



not; therefore; on my account; have you encumber one moment of your



precious time by sending for her to Edward Street; especially as every



visit is so much deducted from the grand affair of education; which I



really wish to have attended to while she remains at Miss Summers's。 I want



her to play and sing with some portion of taste and a good deal of



assurance; as she has my hand and arm and a tolerable voice。 I was so much



indulged in my infant years that I was never obliged to attend to anything;



and consequently am without the accomplishments which are now necessary to



finish a pretty woman。 Not that I am an advocate for the prevailing fashion



of acquiring a perfect knowledge of all languages; arts; and sciences。 It



is  throwing time away to be mistress of French; Italian; and German:



music; singing; and drawing; &c。; will gain a woman some applause; but will



not add one lover to her listgrace and manner; after all; are of the



greatest importance。 I do not mean; therefore; that Frederica's



acquirements should be more than superficial; and I flatter myself that she



will not remain long enough at school to understand anything thoroughly。 I



hope to see her the wife of Sir James within a twelvemonth。 You know on



what I ground my hope; and it is certainly a good foundation; for school



must be very humiliating to a girl of Frederica's age。 And; by…the…by;  you



had better not invite her any more on that account; as I wish her to find



her situation as unpleasant as possible。 I am sure of Sir James at any



time; and could make him renew his application by a line。 I shall trouble



you  meanwhile to prevent his forming any other attachment when he comes to



town。 Ask him to your house occasionally; and talk to him of Frederica;



that he may not forget her。 Upon the whole; I commend my own conduct in



this affair  extremely; and regard it as a very happy instance of



circumspection and tenderness。 Some mothers would have insisted on their



daughter's accepting so good an offer on the first overture; but I could



not reconcile it to myself to force Frederica into a marriage from which



her heart revolted; and instead of adopting so harsh a measure merely



propose to make it her own choice; by rendering her thoroughly



uncomfortable till she does accept himbut enough of this tiresome girl。



You may well wonder how I contrive to pass my time here; and for the first



week it was insufferably dull。 Now; however; we begin to mend; our party is



enlarged by Mrs。 Vernon's brother; a handsome young man; who promises me



some amusement。 There is something about him which rather interests me; a



sort of sauciness and familiarity which I shall teach him to correct。 He is



lively; and seems clever; and when I have inspired him with greater respect



for me than his sister's kind offices have implanted; he may be an



agreeable flirt。 There is exquisite pleasure in subduing an insolent



spirit; in making a person predetermined to dislike acknowledge one's



superiority。 I have disconcerted him already by my calm reserve; and it



shall be my endeavour to humble the pride of these  self important De



Courcys still lower; to convince Mrs。 Vernon that her sisterly cautions



have been bestowed in vain; and to persuade Reginald that she has



scandalously belied me。 This project will serve at least to amuse me; and



prevent my feeling so acutely this dreadful separation from you and all



whom I love。







Yours ever;







S。 VERNON。























VIII











MRS。 VERNON TO LADY DE COURCY











Churchhill。











My dear Mother;You must not expect Reginald back again for some time。



He desires me to tell you that the present open weather induces him to



accept Mr。 Vernon's invitation to prolong his stay in Sussex; that they may



have some hunting together。 He means to send for his horses immediately;



and it is impossible to say when you may see him in Kent。 I will not



disguise my sentiments on this change from you; my dear mother; though I



think you had better not communicate them to my father; whose excessive



anxiety about Reginald would subject him to an alarm which might seriously



affect his health and spirits。 Lady Susan has certainly contrived; in the



space of a fortnight; to make my brother like her。 In short; I am persuaded



that his continuing here beyond the time originally fixed for his return is



occasioned as much by a degree of fascination towards her; as by the wish



of hunting with Mr。 Vernon; and of course I cannot receive that pleasure



from the length of his visit which my brother's company would otherwise



give me。 I am; indeed; provoked at the artifice of this unprincipled woman;



what stronger proof of her dangerous abilities can be given than this



perversion of Reginald's judgment; which when he entered the house was so



decidedly against her! In his last letter he actually gave me some



particulars of her behaviour at Langford; such as he received from a



gentleman who knew her perfectly well; which; if true; must raise



abhorrence against her; and which Reginald himself was entirely disposed to



credit。 His opinion of her; I am sure; was as low as of any woman in



England; and when he first came it was evident that he considered her as



one entitled neither to delicacy nor respect; and that he felt she would be



delighted with the attentions of any man inclined to flirt with her。 Her



behaviour; I confess; has been calculated to do away with such an idea; I



have not detected the smallest impropriety in itnothing of vanity; of



pretension; of levity; and she is altogether so attractive that I should



not wonder at his being delighted with her; had he known nothing of her



previous to this personal acquaintance; but; against reason; against



conviction; to be so well pleased with her; as I am sure he is; does really



astonish me。 His admiration was at first very strong; but no more than was



natural; and I did not wonder at his being much struck by the gentleness



and delicacy of her manners; but when he has mentioned her of late it has



been in terms of more extraordinary praise; and yesterday he actually said



that he could not be surprised at any effect produced on the heart of man



by such loveliness and such abilities; and when I lamented; in reply; the



badness of her disposition; he observed that whatever might have been her



errors they were to be imputed to her neglected education and early



marriage; and that she was altogether a wonderful woman。 This tendency to



excuse her conduct or to forget it; in the warmth of admiration; vexes me;



and if I did not know that Reginald is too much at home at Churchhill to



need an invitation for lengthening his visit; I should regret Mr。 Vernon's



giving him any。 Lady Susan's intentions are of course those of absolute



coquetry; or a desire of universal admiration; I cannot for a moment



imagine that she has anything more serious in view; but it mortifies me to



see a young man of Reginald's sense duped by her at all。







I am; &c。;







CATHERINE VERNON。























IX











MRS。 JOHNSON TO LADY S。 VERNON











Edward Street。











My dearest Friend;I congratulate you on Mr。 De Courcy's arrival; and I



advise you by all means to marry him; his father's estate is; we know;



considerable; and I believe certainly enta
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