charlotte temple-第21章

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eacherous；　infamous　girl；〃　said　he；　〃can　you　ask？　　How　came　he　here？〃　pointing　to　Belcour。　〃As　heaven　is　my　witness；〃　replied　she　weeping；　'I　do　not　know。　I　have　not　seen　him　for　these　three　weeks。〃　〃Then　you　confess　he　sometimes　visits　you？〃　〃He　came　sometimes　by　your　desire。〃　〃'Tis　false；　I　never　desired　him　to　come；　and　you　know　I　did　not：　but　mark　me；　Charlotte；　from　this　instant　our　connexion　is　at　an　end。　Let　Belcour；　or　any　other　of　your　favoured　lovers；　take　you　and　provide　for　you；　I　have　done　with　you　for　ever。〃　He　was　then　going　to　leave　her；　but　starting　wildly　from　the　bed；　she　threw　herself　on　her　knees　before　him；　protesting　her　innocence　and　entreating　him　not　to　leave　her。　　〃Oh　Montraville；〃　said　she；　〃kill　me；　for　pity's　sake　kill　me；　but　do　not　doubt　my　fidelity。　Do　not　leave　me　in　this　horrid　situation；　for　the　sake　of　your　unborn　child；　oh！　spurn　not　the　wretched　mother　from　you。　　〃　〃Charlotte；〃　said　he；　with　a　firm　voice；　〃I　shall　take　care　that　neither　you　nor　your　child　want　any　thing　in　the　approaching　painful　hour；　but　we　meet　no　more。〃　　He　then　endeavoured　to　raise　her　from　the　ground；　but　in　vain；　she　clung　about　his　knees；　entreating　him　to　believe　her　innocent；　and　conjuring　Belcour　to　clear　up　the　dreadful　mystery。　Belcour　cast　on　Montraville　a　smile　of　contempt：　　it　irritated　him　almost　to　madness；　he　broke　from　the　feeble　arms　of　the　distressed　girl；　she　shrieked　and　fell　prostrate　on　the　floor。　Montraville　instantly　left　the　house　and　returned　hastily　to　the　city。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　XXIV。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MYSTERY　DEVELOPED。　UNFORTUNATELY　for　Charlotte；　about　three　weeks　before　this　unhappy　rencontre；　Captain　Beauchamp；　being　ordered　to　Rhode…Island；　his　lady　had　accompanied　him；　so　that　Charlotte　was　deprived　of　her　friendly　advice　and　consoling　society。　　The　afternoon　on　which　Montraville　had　visited　her　she　had　found　herself　languid　and　fatigued；　and　after　making　a　very　slight　dinner　had　lain　down　to　endeavour　to　recruit　her　exhausted　spirits；　and；　contrary　to　her　expectations；　had　fallen　asleep。　　She　had　not　long　been　lain　down；　when　Belcour　arrived；　for　he　took　every　opportunity　of　visiting　her；　and　striving　to　awaken　her　resentment　against　Montraville。　He　enquired　of　the　servant　where　her　mistress　was；　and　being　told　she　was　asleep；　took　up　a　book　to　amuse　himself：　having　sat　a　few　minutes；　he　by　chance　cast　his　eyes　towards　the　road；　and　saw　Montraville　approaching；　he　instantly　conceived　the　diabolical　scheme　of　ruining　the　unhappy　Charlotte　in　his　opinion　for　ever；　he　therefore　stole　softly　up　stairs；　and　laying　himself　by　her　side　with　the　greatest　precaution；　for　fear　she　should　awake；　was　in　that　situation　discovered　by　his　credulous　friend。　When　Montraville　spurned　the　weeping　Charlotte　from　him；　and　left　her　almost　distracted　with　terror　and　despair；　Belcour　raised　her　from　the　floor；　and　leading　her　down　stairs；　assumed　the　part　of　a　tender；　consoling　friend；　she　listened　to　the　arguments　he　advanced　with　apparent　composure；　but　this　was　only　the　calm　of　a　moment：　the　remembrance　of　Montraville's　recent　cruelty　again　rushed　upon　her　mind：　　she　pushed　him　from　her　with　some　violence；　and　crying〃Leave　me；　Sir；　I　beseech　you　leave　me；　for　much　I　fear　you　have　been　the　cause　of　my　fidelity　being　suspected；　go；　leave　me　to　the　accumulated　miseries　my　own　imprudence　has　brought　upon　me。〃　She　then　left　him　with　precipitation；　and　retiring　to　her　own　apartment；　threw　herself　on　the　bed；　and　gave　vent　to　an　agony　of　grief　which　it　is　impossible　to　describe。　It　now　occurred　to　Belcour　that　she　might　possibly　write　to　Montraville；　and　endeavour　to　convince　him　of　her　innocence：　　he　was　well　aware　of　her　pathetic　remonstrances；　and；　sensible　of　the　tenderness　of　Montraville's　heart；　resolved　to　prevent　any　letters　ever　reaching　him：　he　therefore　called　the　servant；　and；　by　the　powerful　persuasion　of　a　bribe；　prevailed　with　her　to　promise　whatever　letters　her　mistress　might　write　should　be　sent　to　him。　　He　then　left　a　polite；　tender　note　for　Charlotte；　and　returned　to　New…York。　His　first　business　was　to　seek　Montraville；　and　endeavour　to　convince　him　that　what　had　happened　would　ultimately　tend　to　his　happiness：　he　found　him　in　his　apartment；　solitary；　pensive；　and　wrapped　in　disagreeable　reflexions。　〃Why　how　now；　whining；　pining　lover？〃　said　he；　clapping　him　on　the　shoulder。　　Montraville　started；　a　momentary　flush　of　resentment　crossed　his　cheek；　but　instantly　gave　place　to　a　death…like　paleness；　occasioned　by　painful　remembrance　remembrance　awakened　by　that　monitor；　whom；　though　we　may　in　vain　endeavour；　we　can　never　entirely　silence。　〃Belcour；〃　said　he；　〃you　have　injured　me　in　a　tender　point。〃　〃Prithee；　Jack；〃　replied　Belcour；　〃do　not　make　a　serious　matter　of　it：　how　could　I　refuse　the　girl's　advances？　and　thank　heaven　she　is　not　your　wife。〃　〃True；〃　said　Montraville；　〃but　she　was　innocent　when　I　first　knew　her。　It　was　I　seduced　her；　Belcour。　　Had　it　not　been　for　me；　she　had　still　been　virtuous　and　happy　in　the　affection　and　protection　of　her　family。〃　〃Pshaw；〃　replied　Belcour；　laughing；　〃if　you　had　not　taken　advantage　of　her　easy　nature；　some　other　would；　and　where　is　the　difference；　pray？〃　〃I　wish　I　had　never　seen　her；〃　cried　he　passionately；　and　starting　from　his　seat。　　〃Oh　that　cursed　French　woman；〃　added　he　with　vehemence；　〃had　it　not　been　for　her；　I　might　have　been　happy〃　He　paused。　〃With　Julia　Franklin；〃　said　Belcour。　　The　name；　like　a　sudden　spark　of　electric　fire；　seemed　for　a　moment　to　suspend　his　faculties　for　a　moment　he　was　transfixed；　but　recovering；　he　caught　Belcour's　hand；　and　cried'Stop！　stop！　　I　beseech　you；　name　not　the　lovely　Julia　and　the　wretched　Montraville　in　the　same　breath。　I　am　a　seducer；　a　mean；　ungenerous　seducer　of　unsuspecting　innocence。　I　dare　not　hope　that　purity　like　her's　would　stoop　to　unite　itself　with　black；　premeditated　guilt：　　yet　by　heavens　I　swear；　Belcour；　I　thought　I　loved　the　lost；　abandoned　Charlotte　till　I　saw　Julia　I　thought　I　never　could　forsake　her；　but　the　heart　is　deceitful；　and　I　now　can　plainly　discriminate　between　the　impulse　of　a　youthful　passion；　and　the　pure　flame　of　disinterested　affection。〃　At　that　instant　Julia　Franklin　passed　the　window；　leaning　on　her　uncle's　arm。　　She　curtseyed　as　she　passed；　and；　with　the　bewitching　smile　of　modest　chearfulness；　cried〃Do　you　bury　yourselves　in　the　house　this　fine　evening；　gents？〃　　There　was　something　in　the　voice！　the　manner！　the　look！　that　was　altogether　irresistible。　〃Perhaps　she　wishes　my　company；〃　said　Montraville　mentally；　as　he　snatched　up　his　hat：　　〃if　I　thought　she　loved　me；　I　would　confess　my　errors；　and　trust　to　her　generosity　to　pity　and　pardon　me。〃　He　soon　overtook　her；　and　offering　her　his　arm；　they　sauntered　to　pleasant　but　unfrequented　walks。　　Belcour　drew　Mr。　Franklin　on　one　side　and　entered　into　a　political　discourse：　　they　walked　faster　than　the　young　people；　and　Belcour　by　some　means　contrived　entirely　to　lose　sight　of　them。　It　was　a　fine　evening　in　the　beginning　of　autumn；　the　last　remains　of　day…light　faintly　streaked　the　western　sky；　while　the　moon；　with　pale　and　virgin　lustre　in　the　room　of　gorgeous　gold　and　purple；　ornamented　the　canopy　of　heaven　with　si