charlotte temple-第7章

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ard　to　the　appointed　goal。　　She　will　soften　the　pains　of　sickness；　continue　with　you　even　in　the　cold　gloomy　hour　of　death；　and；　cheating　you　with　the　smiles　of　her　heaven…born　sister；　Hope；　lead　you　triumphant　to　a　blissfull　eternity。　I　confess　I　have　rambled　strangely　from　my　story：　　but　what　of　that？　if　I　have　been　so　lucky　as　to　find　the　road　to　happiness；　why　should　I　be　such　a　niggard　as　to　omit　so　good　an　opportunity　of　pointing　out　the　way　to　others。　　The　very　basis　of　true　peace　of　mind　is　a　benevolent　wish　to　see　all　the　world　as　happy　as　one's　Self；　and　from　my　soul　do　I　pity　the　selfish　churl；　who；　remembering　the　little　bickerings　of　anger；　envy；　and　fifty　other　disagreeables　to　which　frail　mortality　is　subject；　would　wish　to　revenge　the　affront　which　pride　whispers　him　he　has　received。　For　my　own　part；　I　can　safely　declare；　there　is　not　a　human　being　in　the　universe；　whose　prosperity　I　should　not　rejoice　in；　and　to　whose　happiness　I　would　not　contribute　to　the　utmost　limit　of　my　power：　and　may　my　offences　be　no　more　remembered　in　the　day　of　general　retribution；　than　as　from　my　soul　I　forgive　every　offence　or　injury　received　from　a　fellow　creature。　Merciful　heaven！　who　would　exchange　the　rapture　of　such　a　reflexion　for　all　the　gaudy　tinsel　which　the　world　calls　pleasure！　But　to　return。Content　dwelt　in　Mrs。　Temple's　bosom；　and　spread　a　charming　animation　over　her　countenance；　as　her　husband　led　her　in；　to　lay　the　plan　she　had　formed　（for　the　celebration　of　Charlotte's　birth　day；）　before　Mr。　Eldridge。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　IX。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　WE　KNOW　NOT　WHAT　A　DAY　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MAY　BRING　FORTH。　VARIOUS　were　the　sensations　which　agitated　the　mind　of　Charlotte；　during　the　day　preceding　the　evening　in　which　she　was　to　meet　Montraville。　　Several　times　did　she　almost　resolve　to　go　to　her　governess；　show　her　the　letter；　and　be　guided　by　her　advice：　but　Charlotte　had　taken　one　step　in　the　ways　of　imprudence；　and　when　that　is　once　done；　there　are　always　innumerable　obstacles　to　prevent　the　erring　person　returning　to　the　path　of　rectitude：　yet　these　obstacles；　however　forcible　they　may　appear　in　general；　exist　chiefly　in　imagination。　Charlotte　feared　the　anger　of　her　governess：　　she　loved　her　mother；　and　the　very　idea　of　incurring　her　displeasure；　gave　her　the　greatest　uneasiness：　　but　there　was　a　more　forcible　reason　still　remaining：　　should　she　show　the　letter　to　Madame　Du　Pont；　she　must　confess　the　means　by　which　it　came　into　her　possession；　and　what　would　be　the　consequence？　　Mademoiselle　would　be　turned　out　of　doors。　〃I　must　not　be　ungrateful；〃　said　she。　　〃La　Rue　is　very　kind　to　me；　besides　I　can；　when　I　see　Montraville；　inform　him　of　the　impropriety　of　our　continuing　to　see　or　correspond　with　each　other；　and　request　him　to　come　no　more　to　Chichester。〃　However　prudent　Charlotte　might　be　in　these　resolutions；　she　certainly　did　not　take　a　proper　method　to　confirm　herself　in　them。　　Several　times　in　the　course　of　the　day；　she　indulged　herself　in　reading　over　the　letter；　and　each　time　she　read　it；　the　contents　sunk　deeper　in　her　heart。　As　evening　drew　near；　she　caught　herself　frequently　consulting　her　watch。　〃I　wish　this　foolish　meeting　was　over；〃　said　she；　by　way　of　apology　to　her　own　heart；　〃I　wish　it　was　over；　for　when　I　have　seen　him；　and　convinced　him　my　resolution　is　not　to　be　shaken；　I　shall　feel　my　mind　much　easier。〃　The　appointed　hour　arrived。　　Charlotte　and　Mademoiselle　eluded　the　eye　of　vigilance；　and　Montraville；　who　had　waited　their　coming　with　impatience；　received　them　with　rapturous　and　unbounded　acknowledgments　for　their　condescension：　　he　had　wisely　brought　Belcour　with　him　to　entertain　Mademoiselle；　while　he　enjoyed　an　uninterrupted　conversation　with　Charlotte。　Belcour　was　a　man　whose　character　might　be　comprised　in　a　few　words；　and　as　he　will　make　some　figure　in　the　ensuing　pages；　I　shall　here　describe　him。　　He　possessed　a　genteel　fortune；　and　had　a　liberal　education；　dissipated；　thoughtless；　and　capricious；　he　paid　little　regard　to　the　moral　duties；　and　less　to　religious　ones：　eager　in　the　pursuit　of　pleasure；　he　minded　not　the　miseries　he　inflicted　on　others；　provided　his　own　wishes；　however　extravagant；　were　gratified。　　Self；　darling　self；　was　the　idol　he　worshipped；　and　to　that　he　would　have　sacrificed　the　interest　and　happiness　of　all　mankind。　　Such　was　the　friend　of　Montraville：　will　not　the　reader　be　ready　to　imagine；　that　the　man　who　could　regard　such　a　character；　must　be　actuated　by　the　same　feelings；　follow　the　same　pursuits；　and　be　equally　unworthy　with　the　person　to　whom　he　thus　gave　his　confidence？　But　Montraville　was　a　different　character：　　generous　in　his　disposition；　liberal　in　his　opinions；　and　good…natured　almost　to　a　fault；　yet　eager　and　impetuous　in　the　pursuit　of　a　favorite　object；　he　staid　not　to　reflect　on　the　consequence　which　might　follow　the　attainment　of　his　wishes；　with　a　mind　ever　open　to　conviction；　had　he　been　so　fortunate　as　to　possess　a　friend　who　would　have　pointed　out　the　cruelty　of　endeavouring　to　gain　the　heart　of　an　innocent　artless　girl；　when　he　knew　it　was　utterly　impossible　for　him　to　marry　her；　and　when　the　gratification　of　his　passion　would　be　unavoidable　infamy　and　misery　to　her；　and　a　cause　of　never…ceasing　remorse　to　himself：　had　these　dreadful　consequences　been　placed　before　him　in　a　proper　light；　the　humanity　of　his　nature　would　have　urged　him　to　give　up　the　pursuit：　but　Belcour　was　not　this　friend；　he　rather　encouraged　the　growing　passion　of　Montraville；　and　being　pleased　with　the　vivacity　of　Mademoiselle；　resolved　to　leave　no　argument　untried；　which　he　thought　might　prevail　on　her　to　be　the　companion　of　their　intended　voyage；　and　he　made　no　doubt　but　her　example；　added　to　the　rhetoric　of　Montraville；　would　persuade　Charlotte　to　go　with　them。　Charlotte　had；　when　she　went　out　to　meet　Montraville；　flattered　herself　that　her　resolution　was　not　to　be　shaken；　and　that；　conscious　of　the　impropriety　of　her　conduct　in　having　a　clandestine　intercourse　with　a　stranger；　she　would　never　repeat　the　indiscretion。　But　alas！　poor　Charlotte；　she　knew　not　the　deceitfulness　of　her　own　heart；　or　she　would　have　avoided　the　trial　of　her　stability。　Montraville　was　tender；　eloquent；　ardent；　and　yet　respectful。　〃Shall　I　not　see　you　once　more；〃　said　he；　〃before　I　leave　England？　will　you　not　bless　me　by　an　assurance；　that　when　we　are　divided　by　a　vast　expanse　of　sea　I　shall　not　be　forgotten？〃　Charlotte　sighed。　〃Why　that　sigh；　my　dear　Charlotte？　could　I　flatter　myself　that　a　fear　for　my　safety；　or　a　wish　for　my　welfare　occasioned　it；　how　happy　would　it　make　me。〃　〃I　shall　ever　wish　you　well；　Montraville；〃　said　she；　〃but　we　must　meet　no　more。〃　　〃Oh　say　not　so；　my　lovely　girl：　　reflect；　that　when　I　leave　my　native　land；　perhaps　a　few　short　weeks　may　terminate　my　existence；　the　perils　of　the　oceanthe　dangers　of　war〃　〃I　can　hear　no　more；〃　said　Charlotte　in　a　tremulous　voice。　〃I　must　leave　you。〃　〃Say　you　will　see　me　once　again。〃　〃I　dare　not；〃　said　she。　〃Only　for　one　half　hour　to…morrow　evening：　　'tis　my　last　request。　I　shall　never　trouble　you　again；　Charlotte。〃　〃I　know　not　what　to　say；〃　cried　Charlotte；　struggling　to　draw　her　hands　from　him：　　〃let　me　leave　you　now。　　〃　〃And　you　will　come　to…morrow；〃　said　Montraville。　〃Perhaps　I　may；〃　said　she。　〃Adieu　then。　　I　will　live　upon　that　hope　till　we　meet　again。〃　He　kissed　her　hand。　　She　sighed　an　adieu；　and　catching　hold　of　Mademoiselle's　arm；　hastily　entered　the　garden　gate。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　X。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　WHEN　WE　HAVE　EXCITED　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CURIOSITY；　IT　IS　BUT　AN　ACT　OF　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　GOOD　NATURE　TO　GRATIFY　IT。　MONTRAVILLE　was　the　youngest　son　of　a　gentleman　of　fortune；　whose　family　being　numerous；　he　was　obliged　to　bring　up　his　sons　to　genteel　professions；　by　the　exercise　of　which　they　might　hope　to　raise　themselves　into　notice。　〃My　daughters；〃　said　he；　〃have　been　educated　like　gentlewomen；　and　should　I　die　before　they　are　settled；　they　must　have　some　provision　made；　to　place　them　above　the　snares　and　temptations　which　vice　ever　holds　out　to　the　elegant；　accomplished　female；　when　oppressed　by　the　frowns　of　poverty　and　the　sting　of　dependance：　my　boys；　with　only　moderate　incomes；　when　placed　in　the　church；　at　the　bar；　or　in　the　field；　may　exert　their　talents；　make　themselves　friends；　and　raise　their　fortunes　on　the　basis　of　merit。〃　When　Montraville　chose　the　profession　of　arms；　his　father　presented　him　with　a　commission；　and　made　him　a　handsome　provision　for　his　private　purse。　　〃Now；　my　boy；〃　said　he；　'go！　seek　glory　in　the　field　of　battle。　　You　have　received　from　me　all　I　shall　ever　have　it　in　my　power　to　bestow：　　it　is　certain　I　have　interest　to　gain　you　promotion；　but　be　assured　that　interest　shall　never　be　exerted；　unless　by　your　future　conduct　you　deserve　it。　Remember；　therefore；　your　success　in　life　depends　entirely　on　yourself。　There　is　one　thing　I　think　it　my　duty　to　caution　you　against；　the　precipitancy　with　which　young　men　frequently　rush　into　matrimonial　engagements；　and　by　their　thoughtlessness　draw　many　a　deserving　woman　into　scenes　of　poverty　and　distress。　A　soldier　has　no　business　to　think　of　a　wife　till　his　rank　is　such　as　to　place　him　above　the　fear　of　bringing　into　the　world　a　trai