charlotte temple-第15章

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Montraville　should　leave　her。　Let　not　the　reader　imagine　Belcour's　designs　were　honourable。　Alas！　when　once　a　woman　has　forgot　the　respect　due　to　herself；　by　yielding　to　the　solicitations　of　illicit　love；　they　lose　all　their　consequence；　even　in　the　eyes　of　the　man　whose　art　has　betrayed　them；　and　for　whose　sake　they　have　sacrificed　every　valuable　consideration。　The　heedless　Fair；　who　stoops　to　guilty　joys；　A　man　may　pitybut　he　must　despise。　　Nay；　every　libertine　will　think　he　has　a　right　to　insult　her　with　his　licentious　passion；　and　should　the　unhappy　creature　shrink　from　the　insolent　overture；　he　will　sneeringly　taunt　her　with　pretence　of　modesty。　CHAPTER　XVII。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　A　WEDDING。　ON　the　day　before　their　arrival　at　New…York；　after　dinner；　Crayton　arose　from　his　seat；　and　placing　himself　by　Mademoiselle；　thus　addressed　the　company　〃As　we　are　now　nearly　arrived　at　our　destined　port；　I　think　it　but　my　duty　to　inform　you；　my　friends；　that　this　lady；〃　（taking　her　hand；）　〃has　placed　herself　under　my　protection。　I　have　seen　and　severely　felt　the　anguish　of　her　heart；　and　through　every　shade　which　cruelty　or　malice　may　throw　over　her；　can　discover　the　most　amiable　qualities。　　I　thought　it　but　necessary　to　mention　my　esteem　for　her　before　our　disembarkation；　as　it　is　my　fixed　resolution；　the　morning　after　we　land；　to　give　her　an　undoubted　title　to　my　favour　and　protection　by　honourably　uniting　my　fate　to　hers。　I　would　wish　every　gentleman　here　therefore　to　remember　that　her　honour　henceforth　is　mine；　and；〃　continued　he；　looking　at　Belcour；　〃should　any　man　presume　to　speak　in　the　least　disrespectfully　of　her；　I　shall　not　hesitate　to　pronounce　him　a　scoundrel。〃　Belcour　cast　at　him　a　smile　of　contempt；　and　bowing　profoundly　low；　wished　Mademoiselle　much　joy　in　the　proposed　union；　and　assuring　the　Colonel　that　he　need　not　be　in　the　least　apprehensive　of　any　one　throwing　the　least　odium　on　the　character　of　his　lady；　shook　him　by　the　hand　with　ridiculous　gravity；　and　left　the　cabin。　The　truth　was；　he　was　glad　to　be　rid　of　La　Rue；　and　so　he　was　but　freed　from　her；　he　cared　not　who　fell　a　victim　to　her　infamous　arts。　The　inexperienced　Charlotte　was　astonished　at　what　she　heard。　She　thought　La　Rue　had；　like　herself；　only　been　urged　by　the　force　of　her　attachment　to　Belcour；　to　quit　her　friends；　and　follow　him　to　the　feat　of　war：　　how　wonderful　then；　that　she　should　resolve　to　marry　another　man。　　It　was　certainly　extremely　wrong。　It　was　indelicate。　　She　mentioned　her　thoughts　to　Montraville。　He　laughed　at　her　simplicity；　called　her　a　little　ideot；　and　patting　her　on　the　cheek；　said　she　knew　nothing　of　the　world。　〃If　the　world　sanctifies　such　things；　'tis　a　very　bad　world　I　think；〃　said　Charlotte。　　〃Why　I　always　understood　they　were　to　have　been　married　when　they　arrived　at　New…York。　I　am　sure　Mademoiselle　told　me　Belcour　promised　to　marry　her。〃　〃Well；　and　suppose　he　did？〃　〃Why；　he　should　be　obliged　to　keep　his　word　I　think。〃　〃Well；　but　I　suppose　he　has　changed　his　mind；〃　said　Montraville；　〃and　then　you　know　the　case　is　altered。〃　Charlotte　looked　at　him　attentively　for　a　moment。　　A　full　sense　of　her　own　situation　rushed　upon　her　mind。　　She　burst　into　tears；　and　remained　silent。　　Montraville　too　well　understood　the　cause　of　her　tears。　　He　kissed　her　cheek；　and　bidding　her　not　make　herself　uneasy；　unable　to　bear　the　silent　but　keen　remonstrance；　hastily　left　her。　The　next　morning　by　sun…rise　they　found　themselves　at　anchor　before　the　city　of　New…York。　A　boat　was　ordered　to　convey　the　ladies　on　shore。　Crayton　accompanied　them；　and　they　were　shewn　to　a　house　of　public　entertainment。　　Scarcely　were　they　seated　when　the　door　opened；　and　the　Colonel　found　himself　in　the　arms　of　his　daughter；　who　had　landed　a　few　minutes　before　him。　　The　first　transport　of　meeting　subsided；　Crayton　introduced　his　daughter　to　Mademoiselle　La　Rue；　as　an　old　friend　of　her　mother's；　（for　the　artful　French　woman　had　really　made　it　appear　to　the　credulous　Colonel　that　she　was　in　the　same　convent　with　his　first　wife；　and；　though　much　younger；　had　received　many　tokens　of　her　esteem　and　regard。）　〃If；　Mademoiselle；〃　said　Mrs。　Beauchamp；　〃you　were　the　friend　of　my　mother；　you　must　be　worthy　the　esteem　of　all　good　hearts。　〃　〃Mademoiselle　will　soon　honour　our　family；〃　said　Crayton；　〃by　supplying　the　place　that　valuable　woman　filled：　　and　as　you　are　married；　my　dear；　I　think　you　will　not　blame〃　〃Hush；　my　dear　Sir；〃　replied　Mrs。　Beauchamp：　　〃I　know　my　duty　too　well　to　scrutinize　your　conduct。　　Be　assured；　my　dear　father；　your　happiness　is　mine。　　I　shall　rejoice　in　it；　and　sincerely　love　the　person　who　contributes　to　it。　　But　tell　me；〃　continued　she；　turning　to　Charlotte；　〃who　is　this　lovely　girl？　Is　she　your　sister；　Mademoiselle？〃　A　blush；　deep　as　the　glow　of　the　carnation；　suffused　the　cheeks　of　Charlotte。　〃It　is　a　young　lady；〃　replied　the　Colonel；　〃who　came　in　the　same　vessel　with　us　from　England。'　　He　then　drew　his　daughter　aside；　and　told　her　in　a　whisper；　Charlotte　was　the　mistress　of　Montraville。　〃What　a　pity！〃　said　Mrs。　Beauchamp　softly；　（casting　a　most　compassionate　glance　at　her。）　〃But　surely　her　mind　is　not　depraved。　The　goodness　of　her　heart　is　depicted　in　her　ingenuous　countenance。　　〃　〃Charlotte　caught　the　word　pity。　　〃And　am　I　already　fallen　so　low？〃　said　she。　　A　sigh　escaped　her；　and　a　tear　was　ready　to　start；　but　Montraville　appeared；　and　she　checked　the　rising　emotion。　Mademoiselle　went　with　the　Colonel　and　his　daughter　to　another　apartment。　　Charlotte　remained　with　Montraville　and　Belcour。　The　next　morning　the　Colonel　performed　his　promise；　and　La　Rue　became　in　due　form　Mrs。　Crayton；　exulted　in　her　own　good　fortune；　and　dared　to　look　with　an　eye　of　contempt　on　the　unfortunate　but　far　less　guilty　Charlotte。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　END　OF　THE　FIRST　VOLUME。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHARLOTTE　TEMPLE；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　VOLUME　II　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XVIII。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　REFLECTIONS。　〃AND　am　I　indeed　fallen　so　low；〃　said　Charlotte；　〃as　to　be　only　pitied？　Will　the　voice　of　approbation　no　more　meet　my　ear？　and　shall　I　never　again　possess　a　friend；　whose　face　will　wear　a　smile　of　joy　whenever　I　approach？　Alas！　how　thoughtless；　how　dreadfully　imprudent　have　I　been！　I　know　not　which　is　most　painful　to　endure；　the　sneer　of　contempt；　or　the　glance　of　compassion；　which　is　depicted　in　the　various　countenances　of　my　own　sex：　　they　are　both　equally　humiliating。　Ah！　my　dear　parents；　could　you　now　see　the　child　of　your　affections；　the　daughter　whom　you　so　dearly　loved；　a　poor　solitary　being；　without　society；　here　wearing　out　her　heavy　hours　in　deep　regret　and　anguish　of　heart；　no　kind　friend　of　her　own　sex　to　whom　she　can　unbosom　her　griefs；　no　beloved　mother；　no　woman　of　character　will　appear　in　my　company；　and　low　as　your　Charlotte　is　fallen；　she　cannot　associate　with　infamy。〃　These　were　the　painful　reflections　which　occupied　the　mind　of　Charlotte。　Montraville　had　placed　her　in　a　small　house　a　few　miles　from　New…York：　he　gave　her　one　female　attendant；　and　supplied　her　with　what　money　she　wanted；　but　business　and　pleasure　so　entirely　occupied　his　time；　that　he　had　little　to　devote　to　the　woman；　whom　he　had　brought　from　all　her　connections；　and　robbed　of