charlotte temple-第22章

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n　that　case　she　feared　the　unguarded　nature　of　Charlotte　might　discover　to　the　Colonel　the　part　she　had　taken　in　the　unhappy　girl's　elopement；　and　she　well　knew　the　contrast　between　her　own　and　Charlotte's　conduct　would　make　the　former　appear　in　no　very　respectable　light。　Had　she　reflected　properly；　she　would　have　afforded　the　poor　girl　protection；　and　by　enjoining　her　silence；　ensured　it　by　acts　of　repeated　kindness；　but　vice　in　general　blinds　its　votaries；　and　they　discover　their　real　characters　to　the　world　when　they　are　most　studious　to　preserve　appearances。　Just　so　it　happened　with　Mrs。　Crayton：　　her　servants　made　no　scruple　of　mentioning　the　cruel　conduct　of　their　lady　to　a　poor　distressed　lunatic　who　claimed　her　protection；　every　one　joined　in　reprobating　her　inhumanity；　nay　even　Corydon　thought　she　might　at　least　have　ordered　her　to　be　taken　care　of；　but　he　dare　not　even　hint　it　to　her；　for　he　lived　but　in　her　smiles；　and　drew　from　her　lavish　fondness　large　sums　to　support　an　extravagance　to　which　the　state　of　his　own　finances　was　very　inadequate；　it　cannot　therefore　be　supposed　that　he　wished　Mrs。　Crayton　to　be　very　liberal　in　her　bounty　to　the　afflicted　suppliant；　yet　vice　had　not　so　entirely　seared　over　his　heart；　but　the　sorrows　of　Charlotte　could　find　a　vulnerable　part。　Charlotte　had　now　been　three　days　with　her　humane　preservers；　but　she　was　totally　insensible　of　every　thing：　　she　raved　incessantly　for　Montraville　and　her　father：　　she　was　not　conscious　of　being　a　mother；　nor　took　the　least　notice　of　her　child　except　to　ask　whose　it　was；　and　why　it　was　not　carried　to　its　parents。　〃Oh；〃　said　she　one　day；　starting　up　on　hearing　the　infant　cry；　〃why；　why　will　you　keep　that　child　here；　I　am　sure　you　would　not　if　you　knew　how　hard　it　was　for　a　mother　to　be　parted　from　her　infant：　it　is　like　tearing　the　cords　of　life　asunder。　　Oh　could　you　see　the　horrid　sight　which　I　now　beholdthere　there　stands　my　dear　mother；　her　poor　bosom　bleeding　at　every　vein；　her　gentle；　affectionate　heart　torn　in　a　thousand　pieces；　and　all　for　the　loss　of　a　ruined；　ungrateful　child。　　Save　me　save　mefrom　her　frown。　I　dare　notindeed　I　dare　not　speak　to　her。〃　Such　were　the　dreadful　images　that　haunted　her　distracted　mind；　and　nature　was　sinking　fast　under　the　dreadful　malady　which　medicine　had　no　power　to　remove。　　The　surgeon　who　attended　her　was　a　humane　man；　he　exerted　his　utmost　abilities　to　save　her；　but　he　saw　she　was　in　want　of　many　necessaries　and　comforts；　which　the　poverty　of　her　hospitable　host　rendered　him　unable　to　provide：　he　therefore　determined　to　make　her　situation　known　to　some　of　the　officers'　ladies；　and　endeavour　to　make　a　collection　for　her　relief。　When　he　returned　home；　after　making　this　resolution；　he　found　a　message　from　Mrs。　Beauchamp；　who　had　just　arrived　from　Rhode…Island；　requesting　he　would　call　and　see　one　of　her　children；　who　was　very　unwell。　〃I　do　not　know；〃　said　he；　as　he　was　hastening　to　obey　the　summons；　〃I　do　not　know　a　woman　to　whom　I　could　apply　with　more　hope　of　success　than　Mrs。　Beauchamp。　　I　will　endeavour　to　interest　her　in　this　poor　girl's　behalf；　she　wants　the　soothing　balm　of　friendly　consolation：　we　may　perhaps　save　her；　we　will　try　at　least。〃　〃And　where　is　she；〃　cried　Mrs。　Beauchamp　when　he　had　prescribed　something　for　the　child；　and　told　his　little　pathetic　tale；　〃where　is　she；　Sir？　we　will　go　to　her　immediately。　Heaven　forbid　that　I　should　be　deaf　to　the　calls　of　humanity。　Come　we　will　go　this　instant。〃　　Then　seizing　the　doctor's　arm；　they　sought　the　habitation　that　contained　the　dying　Charlotte。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XXXIII。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　WHICH　PEOPLE　VOID　OF　FEELING　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　NEED　NOT　READ。　WHEN　Mrs。　Beauchamp　entered　the　apartment　of　the　poor　sufferer；　she　started　back　with　horror。　　On　a　wretched　bed；　without　hangings　and　but　poorly　supplied　with　covering；　lay　the　emaciated　figure　of　what　still　retained　the　semblance　of　a　lovely　woman；　though　sickness　had　so　altered　her　features　that　Mrs。　Beauchamp　had　not　the　least　recollection　of　her　person。　　In　one　comer　of　the　room　stood　a　woman　washing；　and；　shivering　over　a　small　fire；　two　healthy　but　half　naked　children；　the　infant　was　asleep　beside　its　mother；　and；　on　a　chair　by　the　bed　side；　stood　a　porrenger　and　wooden　spoon；　containing　a　little　gruel；　and　a　tea…cup　with　about　two　spoonfulls　of　wine　in　it。　Mrs。　Beauchamp　had　never　before　beheld　such　a　scene　of　poverty；　she　shuddered　involuntarily；　and　exclaiming〃heaven　preserve　us！〃　leaned　on　the　back　of　a　chair　ready　to　sink　to　the　earth。　The　doctor　repented　having　so　precipitately　brought　her　into　this　affecting　scene；　but　there　was　no　time　for　apologies：　Charlotte　caught　the　sound　of　her　voice；　and　starting　almost　out　of　bed；　exclaimed〃Angel　of　peace　and　mercy；　art　thou　come　to　deliver　me？　Oh；　I　know　you　are；　for　whenever　you　was　near　me　I　felt　eased　of　half　my　sorrows；　but　you　don't　know　me；　nor　can　I；　with　all　the　recollection　I　am　mistress　of；　remember　your　name　just　now；　but　I　know　that　benevolent　countenance；　and　the　softness　of　that　voice　which　has　so　often　comforted　the　wretched　Charlotte。　　〃　Mrs。　Beauchamp　had；　during　the　time　Charlotte　was　speaking；　seated　herself　on　the　bed　and　taken　one　of　her　hands；　she　looked　at　her　attentively；　and　at　the　name　of　Charlotte　she　perfectly　conceived　the　whole　shocking　affair。　　A　faint　sickness　came　over　her。　〃Gracious　heaven；〃　said　she；　〃is　this　possible？〃　and　bursting　into　tears；　she　reclined　the　burning　head　of　Charlotte　on　her　own　bosom；　and　folding　her　arms　about　her；　wept　over　her　in　silence。　〃Oh；〃　said　Charlotte；　〃you　are　very　good　to　weep　thus　for　me：　it　is　a　long　time　since　I　shed　a　tear　for　myself：　　my　head　and　heart　are　both　on　fire；　but　these　tears　of　your's　seem　to　cool　and　refresh　it。　Oh　now　I　remember　you　said　you　would　send　a　letter　to　my　poor　father：　do　you　think　he　ever　received　it？　or　perhaps　you　have　brought　me　an　answer：　　why　don't　you　speak；　Madam？　　Does　he　say　I　may　go　home？　Well　he　is　very　good；　I　shall　soon　be　ready。〃　She　then　made　an　effort　to　get　out　of　bed；　but　being　prevented；　her　frenzy　again　returned；　and　she　raved　with　the　greatest　wildness　and　incoherence。　Mrs。　Beauchamp；　finding　it　was　impossible　for　her　to　be　removed；　contented　herself　with　ordering　the　apartment　to　be　made　more　comfortable；　and　procuring　a　proper　nurse　for　both　mother　and　child；　and　having　learnt　the　particulars　of　Charlotte's　fruitless　application　to　Mrs。　Crayton　from　honest　John；　she　amply　rewarded　him　for　his　benevolence；　and　returned　home　with　a　heart　oppressed　with　many　painful　sensations；　but　yet　rendered　easy　by　the　reflexion　that　she　had　performed　her　duty　towards　a　distressed　fellow…creature。　Early　the　next　morning　she　again　visited　Charlotte；　and　found　her　tolerably　composed；　she　called　her　by　name；　thanked　her　for　her　goodness；　and　when　her　child　was　brought　to　her；　pressed　it　in　her　arms；　wept　over　it；　and　called　it　the　offspring　of　disobedience。　Mrs。　Beauchamp　was　delighted　to　see　her　so　much　amended；　and　began　to　hope　she　might　recover；　and；　spite　of　her　former　errors；　become　an　useful　and　respectable　member　of　society；　but　the　arrival　of　the　doctor　put　an　end　to　these　delusive　hopes：　he　said　nature　was　making　her　last　effort；　and　a　few　hours　would　most　probably　consign　the　unhappy　girl　to　her　kindred　dust。　Being　asked　how　she　found　herself；　she　replied〃Why　better；　much　better；　doctor。　　I　hope　now　I　have　but　little　more　to　suffer。　I　had　last　night　a　few　hours　sleep；　and　when　I　awoke　recovered　the　full　power　of　recollection。　　I　am　quite　sensible　of　my　weakness；　I　feel　I　have　but　little　longer　to　combat　with　the　shafts　of　affliction。　I　have　an　humble　confidence　in　the　mercy　of　him　who　died　to　save　the　world；　and　trust　that　my　sufferings　in　this　state　of　mortality；　joined　to　my　unfeigned　repentance；　through　his　mercy；　have　blotted　my　offences　from　the　sight　of　my　offended　maker。　I　have　but　one　caremy　poor　infant！　　Father　of　mercy；〃　continued　she；　raising　her　eyes；　〃of　thy　infinite　goodness；　grant　that　the　sins　of　the　parent　be　not　visited　on　the　unof…fending　child。　May　those　who　taught　me　to　despise　thy　laws　be　forgiven；　lay　not　my　offences　to　their　charge；　I　beseech　thee；　and　oh！　shower　the　choicest　of　thy　blessings　on　those　whose　pity　has　soothed　the　afflicted　heart；　and　made　easy　even　the　bed　of　pain　and　sickness。〃　She　was　exhausted　by　this　fervent　address　to　the　throne　of　mercy；　and　though　her　lips　still　moved　her　voice　became　inarticulate：　she　lay　for　some　time　as　it　were　in　a　doze；　and　then　recovering；　faintly　pressed　Mrs。　Beauchamp's　hand；　and　requested　that　a　clergyman　might　be　sent　for。　On　his　arrival　she　joined　fervently　in　the　pious　office；　frequently　mentioning　her　ingratitude　to　her　parents　as　what　lay　most　heavy　at　her　heart。　　When　she　had　performed　the　last　solemn　duty；　and　was　preparing　to　lie　down；　a　little　bustle　on　the　outside　door　occasioned　Mrs。　Beauchamp　to　open　it；　and　enquire　the　cause。　A　man　in　appearance　about　forty；　presented　himself；　and　asked　for　Mrs。　Beauchamp。　〃That　is　my　name；　Sir；〃　said　she。　〃Oh　then；　my　dear　Madam；〃　cried　he；　〃tell　me　where　I　may　find　my　poor；　ruined；　but　repentant　child。〃　Mrs。　Beauchamp　was　surprised　and　affected；　she　knew　not　what　to　say；　she　foresaw　the　agony　this　interview