charlotte temple-第18章

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　hope。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XXVI。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　WHAT　MIGHT　BE　EXPECTED。　IN　the　mean　time　the　passion　Montraville　had　conceived　for　Julia　Franklin　daily　encreased；　and　he　saw　evidently　how　much　he　was　beloved　by　that　amiable　girl：　　he　was　likewise　strongly　prepossessed　with　an　idea　of　Charlotte's　perfidy。　　What　wonder　then　if　he　gave　himself　up　to　the　delightful　sensation　which　pervaded　his　bosom；　and　finding　no　obstacle　arise　to　oppose　his　happiness；　he　solicited　and　obtained　the　hand　of　Julia。　　A　few　days　before　his　marriage　he　thus　addressed　Belcour：　〃Though　Charlotte；　by　her　abandoned　conduct；　has　thrown　herself　from　my　protection；　I　still　hold　myself　bound　to　support　her　till　relieved　from　her　present　condition；　and　also　to　provide　for　the　child。　I　do　not　intend　to　see　her　again；　but　I　will　place　a　sum　of　money　in　your　hands；　which　will　amply　supply　her　with　every　convenience；　but　should　she　require　more；　let　her　have　it；　and　I　will　see　it　repaid。　I　wish　I　could　prevail　on　the　poor　deluded　girl　to　return　to　her　friends：　she　was　an　only　child；　and　I　make　no　doubt　but　that　they　would　joyfully　receive　her；　it　would　shock　me　greatly　to　see　her　henceforth　leading　a　life　of　infamy；　as　I　should　always　accuse　myself　of　being　the　primary　cause　of　all　her　errors。　　If　she　should　chuse　to　remain　under　your　protection；　be　kind　to　her；　Belcour；　I　conjure　you。　Let　not　satiety　prompt　you　to　treat　her　in　such　a　manner；　as　may　drive　her　to　actions　which　necessity　might　urge　her　to；　while　her　better　reason　disapproved　them：　　she　shall　never　want　a　friend　while　I　live；　but　I　never　more　desire　to　behold　her；　her　presence　would　be　always　painful　to　me；　and　a　glance　from　her　eye　would　call　the　blush　of　conscious　guilt　into　my　cheek。　〃I　will　write　a　letter　to　her；　which　you　may　deliver　when　I　am　gone；　as　I　shall　go　to　St。　Eustatia　the　day　after　my　union　with　Julia；　who　will　accompany　me。〃　Belcour　promised　to　fulfil　the　request　of　his　friend；　though　nothing　was　farther　from　his　intentions；　than　the　least　design　of　delivering　the　letter；　or　making　Charlotte　acquainted　with　the　provision　Montraville　had　made　for　her；　he　was　bent　on　the　complete　ruin　of　the　unhappy　girl；　and　supposed；　by　reducing　her　to　an　entire　dependance　on　him；　to　bring　her　by　degrees　to　consent　to　gratify　his　ungenerous　passion。　The　evening　before　the　day　appointed　for　the　nuptials　of　Montraville　and　Julia；　the　former　refired　early　to　his　apartment；　and　ruminating　on　the　past　scenes　of　his　life；　suffered　the　keenest　remorse　in　the　remembrance　of　Charlotte's　seduction。　〃Poor　girl；　〃　said　he；　〃I　will　at　least　write　and　bid　her　adieu；　I　will　too　endeavour　to　awaken　that　love　of　virtue　in　her　bosom　which　her　unfortunate　attachment　to　me　has　extinguished。〃　He　took　up　the　pen　and　began　to　write；　but　words　were　denied　him。　How　could　he　address　the　woman　whom　he　had　seduced；　and　whom；　though　he　thought　unworthy　his　tenderness；　he　was　about　to　bid　adieu　for　ever？　How　should　he　tell　her　that　he　was　going　to　abjure　her；　to　enter　into　the　most　indissoluble　ties　with　another；　and　that　he　could　not　even　own　the　infant　which　she　bore　as　his　child？　　Several　letters　were　begun　and　destroyed：　　at　length　he　completed　the　following：　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　TO　CHARLOTTE。　〃Though　I　have　taken　up　my　pen　to　address　you；　my　poor　injured　girl；　I　feel　I　am　inadequate　to　the　task；　yet；　however　painful　the　endeavour；　I　could　not　resolve　upon　leaving　you　for　ever　without　one　kind　line　to　bid　you　adieu；　to　tell　you　how　my　heart　bleeds　at　the　remembrance　of　what　you　was；　before　you　saw　the　hated　Montraville。　Even　now　imagination　paints　the　scene；　when；　torn　by　contending　passions；　when；　struggling　between　love　and　duty；　you　fainted　in　my　arms；　and　I　lifted　you　into　the　chaise：　　I　see　the　agony　of　your　mind；　when；　recovering；　you　found　yourself　on　the　road　to　Portsmouth：　but　how；　my　gentle　girl；　how　could　you；　when　so　justly　impressed　with　the　value　of　virtue；　how　could　you；　when　loving　as　I　thought　you　loved　me；　yield　to　the　solicitations　of　Belcour？　〃Oh　Charlotte；　conscience　tells　me　it　was　I；　villain　that　I　am；　who　first　taught　you　the　allurements　of　guilty　pleasure；　it　was　I　who　dragged　you　from　the　calm　repose　which　innocence　and　virtue　ever　enjoy；　and　can　I；　dare　I　tell　you；　it　was　not　love　prompted　to　the　horrid　deed？　No；　thou　dear；　fallen　angel；　believe　your　repentant　Montraville；　when　he　tells　you　the　man　who　truly　loves　will　never　betray　the　object　of　his　affection。　　Adieu；　Charlotte：　　could　you　still　find　charms　in　a　life　of　unoffend…ing　innocence；　return　to　your　parents；　you　shall　never　want　the　means　of　support　both　for　yourself　and　child。　Oh！　gracious　heaven！　may　that　child　be　entirely　free　from　the　vices　of　its　father　and　the　weakness　of　its　mother。　〃To…morrowbut　no；　I　cannot　tell　you　what　to…morrow　will　produce；　Belcour　will　inform　you：　　he　also　has　cash　for　you；　which　I　beg　you　will　ask　for　whenever　you　may　want　it。　　Once　more　adieu：　believe　me　could　I　hear　you　was　returned　to　your　friends；　and　enjoying　that　tranquillity　of　which　I　have　robbed　you；　I　should　be　as　completely　happy　as　even　you；　in　your　fondest　hours；　could　wish　me；　but　till　then　a　gloom　will　obscure　the　brightest　prospects　of　MONTRAVILLE。〃　After　he　had　sealed　this　letter　he　threw　himself　on　the　bed；　and　enjoyed　a　few　hours　repose。　　Early　in　the　morning　Belcour　tapped　at　his　door：　he　arose　hastily；　and　prepared　to　meet　his　Julia　at　the　altar。　〃This　is　the　letter　to　Charlotte；〃　said　he；　giving　it　to　Belcour：　〃take　it　to　her　when　we　are　gone　to　Eustatia；　and　I　conjure　you；　my　dear　friend；　not　to　use　any　sophistical　arguments　to　prevent　her　return　to　virtue；　but　should　she　incline　that　way；　encourage　her　in　the　thought；　and　assist　her　to　put　her　design　in　execution。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XXVII。　　　　　　　　　　　　　Pensive　she　mourn'd；　and　hung　her　languid　head；　　　　　　　　　　　　　Like　a　fair　lily　overcharg'd　with　dew。　CHARLOTTE　had　now　been　left　almost　three　months　a　prey　to　her　own　melancholy　reflexionssad　companions　indeed；　nor　did　any　one　break　in　upon　her　solitude　but　Belcour；　who　once　or　twice　called　to　enquire　after　her　health；　and　tell　her　he　had　in　vain　endeavoured　to　bring　Montraville　to　hear　reason；　and　once；　but　only　once；　was　her　mind　cheared　by　the　receipt　of　an　affectionate　letter　from　Mrs。　Beauchamp。　　Often　had　she　wrote　to　her　perfidious　seducer；　and　with　the　most　persuasive　eloquence　endeavoured　to　convince　him　of　her　innocence；　but　these　letters　were　never　suffered　to　reach　the　hands　of　Montraville；　or　they　must；　though　on　the　very　eve　of　marriage；　have　prevented　his　deserting　the　wretched　girl。　Real　anguish　of　heart　had　in　a　great　measure　faded　her　charms；　her　cheeks　were　pale　from　want　of　rest；　and　her　eyes；　by　frequent；　indeed　almost　continued　weeping；　were　sunk　and　heavy。　Sometimes　a　gleam　of　hope　would　play　about　her　heart　when　she　thought　of　her　parents〃They　cannot　surely；〃　she　would　say；　〃refuse　to　forgive　me；　or　should　they　deny　their　pardon　to　me；　they　win　not　hate　my　innocent　infant　on　account　of　its　mother's　errors。〃　How　often　did　the　poor　mourner　wish　for　the　consoling　presence　of　the　benevolent　Mrs。　Beauchamp。　〃If　she　were　here；〃　she　would　cry；　〃she　would　certainly　comfort　me；　and　sooth　the　distraction　of　my　soul。　　〃　She　was　sitting　one　afternoon；　wrapped　in　these　melancholy　reflexions；　when　she　was　interrupted　by　the　entrance　of　Belcour。　　Great　as　the　alteration　was　which　incessant　sorrow　had　made　on　her　person；　she　was　still　interesting；　still　charming；　and　the　unhallowed　flame；　which　had　urged　Belcour　to　plant　dissension　between　her　and　Montraville；　still　raged　in　his　bosom：　　he　was　determined；　if　possible；　to　make　her　his　mistress；　nay；　he　had　even　conceived　the　diabolical　scheme　of　taking　her　to　New…York；　and　making　her　appear　in　every　public　place　where　it　was　likely　she　should　meet　Montraville；　that　he　might　be　a　witness　to　his　unmanly　triumph。　When　he　entered　the　room　where　Charlotte　was　sitting；　he　assumed　the　look　of　tender；　consolatory　friendship。　〃And　how　does　my　lovely　Charlotte？〃　said　he；　taking　her　hand：　〃I　fear　you　are　not　so　well　as　I　could　wish。〃　〃I　am　not　well；　Mr。　Belcour；〃　said　she；　〃very　far　from　it；　but　the　pains　and　infirmities　of　the　body　I　could　easily　bear；　nay；　submit　to　them　with　patience；　were　they　not　aggravated　by　the　most　insupportable　anguish　of　my　mind。〃　〃You　are　not　happy；　Charlotte；〃　said　he；　with　a　look　of　well…dissembled　sorrow。　〃Alas！〃　replied　she　mournfully；　shaking　her　head；　〃how　can　I　be　happy；　deserted　and　forsaken　as　I　am；　without　a　friend　of　my　own　sex　to　whom　I　can　unburthen　my　full　heart；　nay；　my　fidelity　suspected　by　the　very　man　for　whom　I　have　sacrificed　every　thing　valuable　in　life；　for　whom　I　have　made　myself　a　poor　despised　creature；　an　outcast　from　society；　an　object　only　of　contempt　and　pity。〃　〃You　think　too　meanly　of　yourself；　Miss　Temple：　there　is　no　one　who　would　dare　to　treat　you　with　contempt：　au　who　have　the　pleasure　of　knowing　you　must　admire　and　esteem。　You　are　lonely　here；　my　dear　girl；　give　me　leave　to　conduct　you　to　New…York；　where　the　agreeable　society　of　some　ladies；　to　whom　I　will　introduce　you；　will　dispel　these　sad　thoughts；　and　I　shall　again　see　returning　chearfulness　animate　those　lovely　features。〃　〃Oh　never！　never！〃　cried　Char