charlotte temple-第3章

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nvenient　to　myself。　About　this　time　my　dear　Lucy　returned　from　school；　and　I　soon　began　to　imagine　Lewis　looked　at　her　with　eyes　of　affection。　I　gave　my　child　a　caution　to　beware　of　him；　and　to　look　on　her　mother　as　her　fe；；end。　She　was　unaffectedly　artless；　and　when；　as　I　suspected；　Lewis　made　professions　of　love；　she　confided　in　her　parents；　and　assured　us　her　heart　was　perfectly　unbiassed　in　his　favour；　and　she　would　chearfully　submit　to　our　direction。　〃I　took　an　early　opportunity　of　questioning　him　concerning　his　intentions　towards　my　child：　　he　gave　an　equivocal　answer；　and　I　forbade　him　the　house。　〃The　next　day　he　sent　and　demanded　payment　of　his　money。　It　was　not　in　my　power　to　comply　with　the　demand。　　I　requested　three　days　to　endeavour　to　raise　it；　determining　in　that　time　to　mortgage　my　half　pay；　and　live　on　a　small　annuity　which　my　wife　possessed；　rather　than　be　under　an　obligation　to　so　worthless　a　man：　but　this　short　time　was　not　allowed　me；　for　that　evening；　as　I　was　sitting　down　to　supper；　unsuspicious　of　danger；　an　officer　entered；　and　tore　me　from　the　embraces　of　my　family。　〃My　wife　had　been　for　some　time　in　a　declining　state　of　health：　ruin　at　once　so　unexpected　and　inevitable　was　a　stroke　she　was　not　prepared　to　bear；　and　I　saw　her　faint　into　the　arms　of　our　servant；　as　I　left　my　own　habitation　for　the　comfortless　walls　of　a　prison。　My　poor　Lucy；　distracted　with　her　fears　for　us　both；　sunk　on　the　floor　and　endeavoured　to　detain　me　by　her　feeble　efforts；　but　in　vain；　they　forced　open　her　arms；　she　shrieked；　and　fell　prostrate。　But　pardon　me。　　The　horrors　of　that　night　unman　me。　I　cannot　proceed。〃　He　rose　from　his　seat；　and　walked　several　times　across　the　room：　at　length；　attaining　more　composure；　he　cried〃What　a　mere　infant　I　am！　　Why；　Sir；　I　never　felt　thus　in　the　day　of　battle。〃　〃No；〃　said　Temple；　〃but　the　truly　brave　soul　is　tremblingly　alive　to　the　feelings　of　humanity。〃　〃True；〃　replied　the　old　man；　（something　like　satisfaction　darting　across　his　features）　〃and　painful　as　these　feelings　are；　I　would　not　exchange　them　for　that　torpor　which　the　stoic　mistakes　for　philosophy。　How　many　exquisite　delights　should　I　have　passed　by　unnoticed；　but　for　these　keen　sensations；　this　quick　sense　of　happiness　or　misery？　Then　let　us；　my　friend；　take　the　cup　of　life　as　it　is　presented　to　us；　tempered　by　the　hand　of　a　wise　Providence；　be　thankful　for　the　good；　be　patient　under　the　evil；　and　presume　not　to　enquire　why　the　latter　predominates。〃　〃This　is　true　philosophy；〃　said　Temple。　〃'Tis　the　only　way　to　reconcile　ourselves　to　the　cross　events　of　life；〃　replied　he。　　〃But　I　forget　myself。　　I　will　not　longer　intrude　on　your　patience；　but　proceed　in　my　melancholy　tale。　〃The　very　evening　that　I　was　taken　to　prison；　my　son　arrived　from　Ireland；　where　he　had　been　some　time　with　his　regiment。　From　the　distracted　expressions　of　his　mother　and　sister；　he　learnt　by　whom　I　had　been　arrested；　and；　late　as　it　was；　flew　on　the　wings　of　wounded　affection；　to　the　house　of　his　false　friend；　and　earnestly　enquired　the　cause　of　this　cruel　conduct。　　With　all　the　calmness　of　a　cool　deliberate　villain；　he　avowed　his　passion　for　Lucy；　declared　her　situation　in　life　would　not　permit　him　to　marry　her；　but　offered　to　release　me　immediately；　and　make　any　settlement　on　her；　if　George　would　persuade　her　to　live；　as　he　impiously　termed　it；　a　life　of　honour。　〃Fired　at　the　insult　offered　to　a　man　and　a　soldier；　my　boy　struck　the　villain；　and　a　challenge　ensued。　　He　then　went　to　a　coffee…house　in　the　neighbourhood　and　wrote　a　long　affectionate　letter　to　me；　blaming　himself　severely　for　having　introduced　Lewis　into　the　family；　or　permitted　him　to　confer　an　obligation；　which　had　brought　inevitable　ruin　on　us　all。　　He　begged　me；　whatever　might　be　the　event　of　the　ensuing　morning；　not　to　suffer　regret　or　unavailing　sorrow　for　his　fate；　to　encrease　the　anguish　of　my　heart；　which　he　greatly　feared　was　already　insupportable。　〃This　letter　was　delivered　to　me　early　in　the　morning。　It　would　be　vain　to　attempt　describing　my　feelings　on　the　perusal　of　it；　suffice　it　to　say；　that　a　merciful　Providence　interposed；　and　I　was　for　three　weeks　insensible　to　miseries　almost　beyond　the　strength　of　human　nature　to　support。　〃A　fever　and　strong　delirium　seized　me；　and　my　life　was　despaired　of。　At　length；　nature；　overpowered　with　fatigue；　gave　way　to　the　salutary　power　of　rest；　and　a　quiet　slumber　of　some　hours　restored　me　to　reason；　though　the　extreme　weakness　of　my　frame　prevented　my　feeling　my　distress　so　acutely　as　I　otherways　should。　〃The　first　object　that　struck　me　on　awaking；　was　Lucy　sitting　by　my　bedside；　her　pale　countenance　and　sable　dress　prevented　my　enquiries　for　poor　George：　　for　the　letter　I　had　received　from　him；　was　the　first　thing　that　occurred　to　my　memory。　By　degrees　the　rest　returned：　　I　recollected　being　arrested；　but　could　no　ways　account　for　being　in　this　apartment；　whither　they　had　conveyed　me　during　my　illness。　〃I　was　so　weak　as　to　be　almost　unable　to　speak。　　I　pressed　Lucy's　hand；　and　looked　earnestly　round　the　apartment　in　search　of　another　dear　object。　〃Where　is　your　mother？〃　said　I；　faintly。　〃The　poor　girl　could　not　answer：　　she　shook　her　head　in　expressive　silence；　and　throwing　herself　on　the　bed；　folded　her　arms　about　me；　and　burst　into　tears。　〃What！　both　gone？〃　said　I。　〃Both；〃　she　replied；　endeavouring　to　restrain　her　emotions：　〃but　they　are　happy；　no　doubt。〃　Here　Mr。　Eldridge　paused：　　the　recollection　of　the　scene　was　too　painful　to　permit　him　to　proceed。　CHAPTER　IV。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHANGE　OF　FORTUNE。　〃IT　was　some　days；〃　continued　Mr。　Eldridge；　recovering　himself；　〃before　I　could　venture　to　enquire　the　particulars　of　what　had　happened　during　my　illness：　　at　length　I　assumed　courage　to　ask　my　dear　girl　how　long　her　mother　and　brother　had　been　dead：　she　told　me；　that　the　morning　after　my　arrest；　George　came　home　early　to　enquire　after　his　mother's　health；　staid　with　them　but　a　few　minutes；　seemed　greatly　agitated　at　parting；　but　gave　them　strict　charge　to　keep　up　their　spirits；　and　hope　every　thing　would　turn　out　for　the　best。　In　about　two　hours　after；　as　they　were　sitting　at　breakfast；　and　endeavouring　to　strike　out　some　plan　to　attain　my　liberty；　they　heard　a　loud　rap　at　the　door；　which　Lucy　running　to　open；　she　met　the　bleeding　body　of　her　brother；　borne　in　by　two　men　who　had　lifted　him　from　a　litter；　on　which　they　had　brought　him　from　the　place　where　he　fought。　　Her　poor　mother；　weakened　by　illness　and　the　struggles　of　the　preceding　night；　was　not　able　to　support　this　shock；　gasping　for　breath；　her　looks　wild　and　haggard；　she　reached　the　apartment　where　they　had　carried　her　dying　son。　She　knelt　by　the　bed　side；　and　taking　his　cold　hand；　'my　poor　boy；'　said　she；　'I　will　not　be　parted　from　thee：　husband！　son！　both　at　once　lost。　　Father　of　mercies；　spare　me！'　She　fell　into　a　strong　convulsion；　and　expired　in　about　two　hours。　In　the　mean　time；　a　surgeon　had　dressed　George's　wounds；　but　they　were　in　such　a　situation　as　to　bar　the　smallest　hopes　of　recovery。　He　never　was　sensible　from　the　time　he　was　brought　home；　and　died　that　evening　in　the　arms　of　his　sister。　〃Late　as　it　was　when　this　event　took　place；　my　affectionate　Lucy　insisted　on　coming　to　me。　　'What　must　he　feel；'　said　she；　'at　our　apparent　neglect；　and　how　shall　I　inform　him　of　the　afflictions　with　which　it　has　pleased　heaven　to　visit　us？'　〃She　left　the　care　of　the　dear　departed　ones　to　some　neighbours　who　had　kindly　come　in　to　comfort　and　assist　her；　and　on　entering　the　house　where　I　was　confined；　found　me　in　the　situation　I　have　mentioned。　〃How　she　supported　herself　in　these　trying　moments；　I　know　not：　heaven；　no　doubt；　was　with　her；　and　her　anxiety　to　preserve　the　life　of　one　parent　in　some　measure　abated　her　affliction　for　the　loss　of　the　other。　〃My　circumstances　were　greatly　embarrassed；　my　acquaintance　few；　and　those　few　utterly　unable　to　assist　me。　　When　my　wife　and　son　were　committed　to　their　kindred　earth；　my　creditors　seized　my　house　and　furniture；　which　not　being　sufficient　to　discharge　all　their　demands；　detainers　were　lodged　against　me。　　No　friend　stepped　forward　to　my　relief；　from　the　grave　of　her　mother；　my　beloved　Lucy　followed　an　almost　dying　father　to　this　melancholy　place。　〃Here　we　have　been　nearly　a　year　and　a　half。　　My　half…pay　I　have　given　up　to　satisfy　my　creditors；　and　my　child　supports　me　by　her　industry：　sometimes　by　fine　needlework；　sometimes　by　painting。　She　leaves　me　every　night；　and　goes　to　a　lodging　near　the　bridge；　but　returns　in　the　morning；　to　chear　me　with　her　smiles；　and　bless　me　by　her　duteous　affection。　　A　lady　once　offered　her　an　asylum　in　her　family；　but　she　would　not　leave　me。　'We　are　all　the　world　to　each　other；'　said　she。　　'I　thank　God；　I　have　health　and　spirits　to　improve　the　talents　with　which　nature　has　endowed　me；　and　I　trust　if　I　employ　them　in　the　support　of　a　beloved　parent；　I　shall　not　be　thought　an　unprofitable　servant。　While　he　lives；　I　pray　for　strength　to　pursue　my　employment；　and　when　it　pleases　heaven　to　take　one　of　us；　may　it　give　the　survivor　resignation　to　bear　the　separation　as　we　ought：　till　then　I　will　never　leave　him。'　　〃　〃But　where　is　this　inhuman　persecutor？〃　said　Temple。　〃He　has　been　abroad　ever　since；〃　replied　the　old　man；　〃but　he