charlotte temple-第4章

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this　inhuman　persecutor？〃　said　Temple。　〃He　has　been　abroad　ever　since；〃　replied　the　old　man；　〃but　he　has　left　orders　with　his　lawyer　never　to　give　up　the　note　till　the　utmost　farthing　is　paid。〃　〃And　how　much　is　the　amount　of　your　debts　in　all？〃　said　Temple。　〃Five　hundred　pounds；〃　he　replied。　Temple　started：　　it　was　more　than　he　expected。　　〃But　something　must　be　done；〃　said　he：　　〃that　sweet　maid　must　not　wear　out　her　life　in　a　prison。　　I　will　see　you　again　to…morrow；　my　friend；〃　said　he；　shaking　Eldridge's　hand：　　〃keep　up　your　spirits：　light　and　shade　are　not　more　happily　blended　than　are　the　pleasures　and　pains　of　life；　and　the　horrors　of　the　one　serve　only　to　increase　the　splendor　of　the　other。〃　〃You　never　lost　a　wife　and　son；〃　said　Eldridge。　〃No；〃　replied　he；　〃but　I　can　feel　for　those　that　have。〃　Eldridge　pressed　his　hand　as　they　went　toward　the　door；　and　they　parted　in　silence。　When　they　got　without　the　walls　of　the　prison；　Temple　thanked　his　friend　Blakeney　for　introducing　him　to　so　worthy　a　character；　and　telling　him　he　had　a　particular　engagement　in　the　city；　wished　him　a　good　evening。　〃And　what　is　to　be　done　for　this　distressed　man；〃　said　Temple；　as　he　walked　up　Ludgate　Hill。　　〃Would　to　heaven　I　had　a　fortune　that　would　enable　me　instantly　to　discharge　his　debt：　what　exquisite　transport；　to　see　the　expressive　eyes　of　Lucy　beaming　at　once　with　pleasure　for　her　father's　deliverance；　and　gratitude　for　her　deliverer：　　but　is　not　my　fortune　affluence；〃　continued　he；　〃nay　superfluous　wealth；　when　compared　to　the　extreme　indigence　of　Eldridge；　and　what　have　I　done　to　deserve　ease　and　plenty；　while　a　brave　worthy　officer　starves　in　a　prison？　Three　hundred　a　year　is　surely　sufficient　for　all　my　wants　and　wishes：　at　any　rate　Eldridge　must　be　relieved。〃　When　the　heart　has　will；　the　hands　can　soon　find　means　to　execute　a　good　action。　Temple　was　a　young　man；　his　feelings　warm　and　impetuous；　unacquainted　with　the　world；　his　heart　had　not　been　rendered　callous　by　being　convinced　of　its　fraud　and　hypocrisy。　He　pitied　their　sufferings；　overlooked　their　faults；　thought　every　bosom　as　generous　as　his　own；　and　would　chearfully　have　divided　his　last　guinea　with　an　unfortunate　fellow　creature。　No　wonder；　then；　that　such　a　man　（without　waiting　a　moment　for　the　interference　of　Madam　Prudence）　should　resolve　to　raise　money　sufficient　for　the　relief　of　Eldridge；　by　mortgaging　part　of　his　fortune。　We　will　not　enquire　too　minutely　into　the　cause　which　might　actuate　him　in　this　instance：　　suffice　it　to　say；　he　immediately　put　the　plan　in　execution；　and　in　three　days　from　the　time　he　first　saw　the　unfortunate　Lieutenant；　he　had　the　superlative　felicity　of　seeing　him　at　liberty；　and　receiving　an　ample　reward　in　the　tearful　eye　and　half　articulated　thanks　of　the　grateful　Lucy。　〃And　pray；　young　man；〃　said　his　father　to　him　one　morning；　〃what　are　your　designs　in　visiting　thus　constantly　that　old　man　and　his　daughter？〃　Temple　was　at　a　loss　for　a　reply：　　he　had　never　asked　himself　the　question：　　he　hesitated；　and　his　father　continued　〃It　was　not　till　within　these　few　days　that　I　heard　in　what　manner　your　acquaintance　first　commenced；　and　cannot　suppose　any　thing　but　attachment　to　the　daughter　could　carry　you　such　imprudent　lengths　for　the　father：　it　certainly　must　be　her　art　that　drew　you　in　to　mortgage　part　of　your　fortune。〃　〃Art；　Sir！〃　cried　Temple　eagerly。　　〃Lucy　Eldridge　is　as　free　from　art　as　she　is　from　every　other　error：　　she　is〃　〃Everything　that　is　amiable　and　lovely；〃　said　his　father；　interrupting　him　ironically：　　〃no　doubt　in　your　opinion　she　is　a　pattern　of　excellence　for　all　her　sex　to　follow；　but　come；　Sir；　pray　tell　me　what　are　your　designs　towards　this　paragon。　I　hope　you　do　not　intend　to　complete　your　folly　by　marrying　her。〃　〃Were　my　fortune　such　as　would　support　her　according　to　her　merit；　I　don't　know　a　woman　more　formed　to　insure　happiness　in　the　married　state。〃　〃Then　prithee；　my　dear　lad；〃　said　his　father；　〃since　your　rank　and　fortune　are　so　much　beneath　what　your　PRINCESS　might　expect；　be　so　kind　as　to　turn　your　eyes　on　Miss　Weatherby；　who；　having　only　an　estate　of　three　thousand　a　year；　is　more　upon　a　level　with　you；　and　whose　father　yesterday　solicited　the　mighty　honour　of　your　alliance。　I　shall　leave　you　to　consider　on　this　offer；　and　pray　remember；　that　your　union　with　Miss　Weatherby　will　put　it　in　your　power　to　be　more　liberally　the　friend　of　Lucy　Eldridge。　　〃　The　old　gentleman　walked　in　a　stately　manner　out　of　the　room；　and　Temple　stood　almost　petrified　with　astonishment；　contempt；　and　rage。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　V。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　SUCH　THINGS　ARE。　MISS　Weatherby　was　the　only　child　of　a　wealthy　man；　almost　idolized　by　her　parents；　flattered　by　her　dependants；　and　never　contradicted　even　by　those　who　called　themselves　her　friends：　I　cannot　give　a　better　description　than　by　the　following　lines。　　　　　　　　　　　The　lovely　maid　whose　form　and　face　　　　　　　　　　　Nature　has　deck'd　with　ev'ry　grace；　　　　　　　　　　　But　in　whose　breast　no　virtues　glow；　　　　　　　　　　　Whose　heart　ne'er　felt　another's　woe；　　　　　　　　　　　Whose　hand　ne'er　smooth'd　the　bed　of　pain；　　　　　　　　　　　Or　eas'd　the　captive's　galling　chain；　　　　　　　　　　　But　like　the　tulip　caught　the　eye；　　　　　　　　　　　Born　just　to　be　admir'd　and　die；　　　　　　　　　　　When　gone；　no　one　regrets　its　loss；　　　　　　　　　　　Or　scarce　remembers　that　it　was。　Such　was　Miss　Weatherby：　　her　form　lovely　as　nature　could　make　it；　but　her　mind　uncultivated；　her　heart　unfeeling；　her　passions　impetuous；　and　her　brain　almost　turned　with　flattery；　dissipation；　and　pleasure；　and　such　was　the　girl；　whom　a　partial　grandfather　left　independent　mistress　of　the　fortune　before　mentioned。　She　had　seen　Temple　frequently；　and　fancying　she　could　never　be　happy　without　him；　nor　once　imagining　he　could　refuse　a　girl　of　her　beauty　and　fortune；　she　prevailed　on　her　fond　father　to　offer　the　alliance　to　the　old　Earl　of　D；　Mr。　Temple's　father。　The　Earl　had　received　the　offer　courteously：　　he　thought　it　a　great　match　for　Henry；　and　was　too　fashionable　a　man　to　suppose　a　wife　could　be　any　impediment　to　the　friendship　he　professed　for　Eldridge　and　his　daughter。　Unfortunately　for　Temple；　he　thought　quite　otherwise：　the　conversation　he　had　just　had　with　his　father；　discovered　to　him　the　situation　of　his　heart；　and　he　found　that　the　most　affluent　fortune　would　bring　no　increase　of　happiness　unless　Lucy　Eldridge　shared　it　with　him；　and　the　knowledge　of　the　purity　of　her　sentiments；　and　the　integrity　of　his　own　heart；　made　him　shudder　at　the　idea　his　father　had　started；　of　marrying　a　woman　for　no　other　reason　than　because　the　affluence　of　her　fortune　would　enable　him　to　injure　her　by　maintaining　in　splendor　the　woman　to　whom　his　heart　was　devoted：　he　therefore　resolved　to　refuse　Miss　Weatherby；　and　be　the　event　what　it　might；　offer　his　heart　and　hand　to　Lucy　Eldridge。　Full　of　this　determination；　he　fought　his　father；　declared　his　resolution；　and　was　commanded　never　more　to　appear　in　his　presence。　Temple　bowed；　his　heart　was　too　full　to　permit　him　to　speak；　he　left　the　house　precipitately；　and　hastened　to　relate　the　cause　of　his　sorrows　to　his　good　old　friend　and　his　amiable　daughter。　In　the　mean　time；　the　Earl；　vexed　to　the　soul　that　such　a　fortune　should　be　lost；　determined　to　offer　himself　a　candidate　for　Miss　Weatherby's　favour。　What　wonderful　changes　are　wrought　by　that　reigning　power；　ambition！　the　love…sick　girl；　when　first　she　heard　of　Temple's　refusal；　wept；　raved；　tore　her　hair；　and　vowed　to　found　a　protestant　nunnery　with　her　fortune；　and　by　commencing　abbess；　shut　herself　up　from　the　sight　of　cruel　ungrateful　man　for　ever。　Her　father　was　a　man　of　the　world：　　he　suffered　this　first　transport　to　subside；　and　then　very　deliberately　unfolded　to　her　the　offers　of　the　old　Earl；　expatiated　on　the　many　benefits　arising　from　an　elevated　title；　painted　in　glowing　colours　the　surprise　and　vexation　of　Temple　when　he　should　see　her　figuring　as　a　Countess　and　his　mother…in…law；　and　begged　her　to　consider　well　before　she　made　any　rash　vows。　The　DISTRESSED　fair　one　dried　her　tears；　listened　patiently；　and　at　length　declared　she　believed　the　surest　method　to　revenge　the　slight　put　on　her　by　the　son；　would　be　to　accept　the　father：　so　said　so　done；　and　in　a　few　days　she　became　the　Countess　D。　Temple　heard　the　news　with　emotion：　　he　had　lost　his　father's　favour　by　avowing　his　passion　for　Lucy；　and　he　saw　now　there　was　no　hope　of　regaining　it：　　〃but　he　shall　not　make　me　miserable；〃　said　he。　〃Lucy　and　I　have　no　ambitious　notions：　　we　can　live　on　three　hundred　a　year　for　some　little　time；　till　the　mortgage　is　paid　off；　and　then　we　shall　have　sufficient　not　only　for　the　comforts　but　many　of　the　little　elegancies　of　life。　　We　will　purchase　a　little　cottage；　my　Lucy；〃　said　he；　〃and　thither　with　your　reverend　father　we　will　retire；　we　will　forget　there　are　such　things　as　splendor；　profusion；　and　dissipation：　we　will　have　some　cows；　and　you　shall　be　queen　of　the　dairy；　in　a　morning；　while　I　look　after　my　garden；　you　shall　take　a　basket　on　your　arm；　and　sally　forth　to　feed　your　poultry；　and　as　they　flutter　round　you　in　token　of　humble　gratitude；　your　father　shall　smoke　his　pipe　in　a　woodbine　alcove；　and　viewing　the　serenity　of　your　countenance；　feel　such　real　pleasure　dilate　his　own　hear