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margin-top: 1em;} +h4 {font-size: 120%;} +h5 {font-size: 110%;} + +.no-break {page-break-before: avoid;} /* for epubs */ + +div.chapter {page-break-before: always; margin-top: 4em;} + +hr {width: 80%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em;} + +p {text-indent: 1em; + margin-top: 0.25em; + margin-bottom: 0.25em; } + +p.center {text-align: center; + text-indent: 0em; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +p.right {text-align: right; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; } + +a:link {color:blue; text-decoration:none} +a:visited {color:blue; text-decoration:none} +a:hover {color:red} + +</style> +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 946 ***</div> + +<h1>LADY SUSAN</h1> + +<h2 class="no-break">by Jane Austen</h2> + +<hr /> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<table summary="" style=""> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0001">I</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0002">II</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0003">III</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0004">IV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0005">V</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0006">VI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0007">VII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0008">VIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0009">IX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0010">X</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0011">XI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0012">XII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0013">XIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0014">XIV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0015">XV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0016">XVI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0017">XVII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0018">XVIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0019">XIX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0020">XX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0021">XXI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0022">XXII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0023">XXIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0024">XXIV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0025">XXV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0026">XXVI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0027">XXVII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0028">XXVIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0029">XXIX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0030">XXX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0031">XXXI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0032">XXXII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0033">XXXIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0034">XXXIV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0035">XXXV</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0036">XXXVI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0037">XXXVII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0038">XXXVIII</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0039">XXXIX</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0040">XL</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_4_0041">XLI</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#link2H_CONC">CONCLUSION</a></td> +</tr> + +</table> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0001"></a> +I</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Lady Susan Vernon to Mr. Vernon.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Langford, Dec. +</p> + +<p> +M<small>Y DEAR</small> B<small>ROTHER</small>,—I can no longer refuse +myself the pleasure of profiting by your kind invitation when we last parted of +spending some weeks with you at Churchhill, and, therefore, if quite convenient +to you and Mrs. Vernon to receive me at present, I shall hope within a few days +to be introduced to a sister whom I have so long desired to be acquainted with. +My kind friends here are most affectionately urgent with me to prolong my stay, +but their hospitable and cheerful dispositions lead them too much into society +for my present situation and state of mind; and I impatiently look forward to +the hour when I shall be admitted into your delightful retirement. +</p> + +<p> +I long to be made known to your dear little children, in whose hearts I shall +be very eager to secure an interest. I shall soon have need for all my +fortitude, as I am on the point of separation from my own daughter. The long +illness of her dear father prevented my paying her that attention which duty +and affection equally dictated, and I have too much reason to fear that the +governess to whose care I consigned her was unequal to the charge. I have +therefore resolved on placing her at one of the best private schools in town, +where I shall have an opportunity of leaving her myself in my way to you. I am +determined, you see, not to be denied admittance at Churchhill. It would indeed +give me most painful sensations to know that it were not in your power to +receive me. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Your most obliged and affectionate sister,<br/> +S. V<small>ERNON</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0002"></a> +II</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Lady Susan Vernon to Mrs. Johnson.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Langford. +</p> + +<p> +You were mistaken, my dear Alicia, in supposing me fixed at this place for the +rest of the winter: it grieves me to say how greatly you were mistaken, for I +have seldom spent three months more agreeably than those which have just flown +away. At present, nothing goes smoothly; the females of the family are united +against me. You foretold how it would be when I first came to Langford, and +Mainwaring is so uncommonly pleasing that I was not without apprehensions for +myself. I remember saying to myself, as I drove to the house, “I like +this man, pray Heaven no harm come of it!” But I was determined to be +discreet, to bear in mind my being only four months a widow, and to be as quiet +as possible: and I have been so, my dear creature; I have admitted no +one’s attentions but Mainwaring’s. I have avoided all general +flirtation whatever; I have distinguished no creature besides, of all the +numbers resorting hither, except Sir James Martin, on whom I bestowed a little +notice, in order to detach him from Miss Mainwaring; but, if the world could +know my motive <i>there</i> they would honour me. I have been called an unkind +mother, but it was the sacred impulse of maternal affection, it was the +advantage of my daughter that led me on; and if that daughter were not the +greatest simpleton on earth, I might have been rewarded for my exertions as I +ought. +</p> + +<p> +Sir James did make proposals to me for Frederica; but Frederica, who was born +to be the torment of my life, chose to set herself so violently against the +match that I thought it better to lay aside the scheme for the present. I have +more than once repented that I did not marry him myself; and were he but one +degree less contemptibly weak I certainly should: but I must own myself rather +romantic in that respect, and that riches only will not satisfy me. The event +of all this is very provoking: Sir James is gone, Maria highly incensed, and +Mrs. Mainwaring insupportably jealous; so jealous, in short, and so enraged +against me, that, in the fury of her temper, I should not be surprized at her +appealing to her guardian, if she had the liberty of addressing him: but there +your husband stands my friend; and the kindest, most amiable action of his life +was his throwing her off for ever on her marriage. Keep up his resentment, +therefore, I charge you. We are now in a sad state; no house was ever more +altered; the whole party are at war, and Mainwaring scarcely dares speak to me. +It is time for me to be gone; I have therefore determined on leaving them, and +shall spend, I hope, a comfortable day with you in town within this week. If I +am as little in favour with Mr. Johnson as ever, you must come to me at 10 +Wigmore street; but I hope this may not be the case, for as Mr. Johnson, with +all his faults, is a man to whom that great word “respectable” is +always given, and I am known to be so intimate with his wife, his slighting me +has an awkward look. +</p> + +<p> +I take London in my way to that insupportable spot, a country village; for I am +really going to Churchhill. Forgive me, my dear friend, it is my last resource. +Were there another place in England open to me I would prefer it. Charles +Vernon is my aversion; and I am afraid of his wife. At Churchhill, however, I +must remain till I have something better in view. My young lady accompanies me +to town, where I shall deposit her under the care of Miss Summers, in Wigmore +street, till she becomes a little more reasonable. She will made good +connections there, as the girls are all of the best families. The price is +immense, and much beyond what I can ever attempt to pay. +</p> + +<p> +Adieu, I will send you a line as soon as I arrive in town. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Yours ever,<br/> +S. V<small>ERNON</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0003"></a> +III</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Mrs. Vernon to Lady De Courcy.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Churchhill. +</p> + +<p> +My dear Mother,—I am very sorry to tell you that it will not be in our +power to keep our promise of spending our Christmas with you; and we are +prevented that happiness by a circumstance which is not likely to make us any +amends. Lady Susan, in a letter to her brother-in-law, has declared her +intention of visiting us almost immediately; and as such a visit is in all +probability merely an affair of convenience, it is impossible to conjecture its +length. I was by no means prepared for such an event, nor can I now account for +her ladyship’s conduct; Langford appeared so exactly the place for her in +every respect, as well from the elegant and expensive style of living there, as +from her particular attachment to Mr. Mainwaring, that I was very far from +expecting so speedy a distinction, though I always imagined from her increasing +friendship for us since her husband’s death that we should, at some +future period, be obliged to receive her. Mr. Vernon, I think, was a great deal +too kind to her when he was in Staffordshire; her behaviour to him, independent +of her general character, has been so inexcusably artful and ungenerous since +our marriage was first in agitation that no one less amiable and mild than +himself could have overlooked it all; and though, as his brother’s widow, +and in narrow circumstances, it was proper to render her pecuniary assistance, +I cannot help thinking his pressing invitation to her to visit us at Churchhill +perfectly unnecessary. Disposed, however, as he always is to think the best of +everyone, her display of grief, and professions of regret, and general +resolutions of prudence, were sufficient to soften his heart and make him +really confide in her sincerity; but, as for myself, I am still unconvinced, +and plausibly as her ladyship has now written, I cannot make up my mind till I +better understand her real meaning in coming to us. You may guess, therefore, +my dear madam, with what feelings I look forward to her arrival. She will have +occasion for all those attractive powers for which she is celebrated to gain +any share of my regard; and I shall certainly endeavour to guard myself against +their influence, if not accompanied by something more substantial. She +expresses a most eager desire of being acquainted with me, and makes very +gracious mention of my children but I am not quite weak enough to suppose a +woman who has behaved with inattention, if not with unkindness, to her own +child, should be attached to any of mine. Miss Vernon is to be placed at a +school in London before her mother comes to us which I am glad of, for her sake +and my own. It must be to her advantage to be separated from her mother, and a +girl of sixteen who has received so wretched an education, could not be a very +desirable companion here. Reginald has long wished, I know, to see the +captivating Lady Susan, and we shall depend on his joining our party soon. I am +glad to hear that my father continues so well; and am, with best love, &c., +</p> + +<p class="right"> +C<small>ATHERINE</small> V<small>ERNON</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0004"></a> +IV</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Mr. De Courcy to Mrs. Vernon.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Parklands. +</p> + +<p> +My dear Sister,—I congratulate you and Mr. Vernon on being about to +receive into your family the most accomplished coquette in England. As a very +distinguished flirt I have always been taught to consider her, but it has +lately fallen in my way to hear some particulars of her conduct at Langford: +which prove that she does not confine herself to that sort of honest flirtation +which satisfies most people, but aspires to the more delicious gratification of +making a whole family miserable. By her behaviour to Mr. Mainwaring she gave +jealousy and wretchedness to his wife, and by her attentions to a young man +previously attached to Mr. Mainwaring’s sister deprived an amiable girl +of her lover. +</p> + +<p> +I learnt all this from Mr. Smith, now in this neighbourhood (I have dined with +him, at Hurst and Wilford), who is just come from Langford where he was a +fortnight with her ladyship, and who is therefore well qualified to make the +communication. +</p> + +<p> +What a woman she must be! I long to see her, and shall certainly accept your +kind invitation, that I may form some idea of those bewitching powers which can +do so much—engaging at the same time, and in the same house, the +affections of two men, who were neither of them at liberty to bestow +them—and all this without the charm of youth! I am glad to find Miss +Vernon does not accompany her mother to Churchhill, as she has not even manners +to recommend her; and, according to Mr. Smith’s account, is equally dull +and proud. Where pride and stupidity unite there can be no dissimulation worthy +notice, and Miss Vernon shall be consigned to unrelenting contempt; but by all +that I can gather Lady Susan possesses a degree of captivating deceit which it +must be pleasing to witness and detect. I shall be with you very soon, and am +ever, +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Your affectionate brother,<br/> +R. <small>DE</small> C<small>OURCY</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0005"></a> +V</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Lady Susan Vernon to Mrs. Johnson.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Churchhill. +</p> + +<p> +I received your note, my dear Alicia, just before I left town, and rejoice to +be assured that Mr. Johnson suspected nothing of your engagement the evening +before. It is undoubtedly better to deceive him entirely, and since he will be +stubborn he must be tricked. I arrived here in safety, and have no reason to +complain of my reception from Mr. Vernon; but I confess myself not equally +satisfied with the behaviour of his lady. She is perfectly well-bred, indeed, +and has the air of a woman of fashion, but her manners are not such as can +persuade me of her being prepossessed in my favour. I wanted her to be +delighted at seeing me. I was as amiable as possible on the occasion, but all +in vain. She does not like me. To be sure, when we consider that I <i>did</i> +take some pains to prevent my brother-in-law’s marrying her, this want of +cordiality is not very surprizing, and yet it shows an illiberal and vindictive +spirit to resent a project which influenced me six years ago, and which never +succeeded at last. +</p> + +<p> +I am sometimes disposed to repent that I did not let Charles buy Vernon Castle, +when we were obliged to sell it; but it was a trying circumstance, especially +as the sale took place exactly at the time of his marriage; and everybody ought +to respect the delicacy of those feelings which could not endure that my +husband’s dignity should be lessened by his younger brother’s +having possession of the family estate. Could matters have been so arranged as +to prevent the necessity of our leaving the castle, could we have lived with +Charles and kept him single, I should have been very far from persuading my +husband to dispose of it elsewhere; but Charles was on the point of marrying +Miss De Courcy, and the event has justified me. Here are children in abundance, +and what benefit could have accrued to me from his purchasing Vernon? My having +prevented it may perhaps have given his wife an unfavourable impression, but +where there is a disposition to dislike, a motive will never be wanting; and as +to money matters it has not withheld him from being very useful to me. I really +have a regard for him, he is so easily imposed upon! The house is a good one, +the furniture fashionable, and everything announces plenty and elegance. +Charles is very rich I am sure; when a man has once got his name in a +banking-house he rolls in money; but they do not know what to do with it, keep +very little company, and never go to London but on business. We shall be as +stupid as possible. I mean to win my sister-in-law’s heart through the +children; I know all their names already, and am going to attach myself with +the greatest sensibility to one in particular, a young Frederic, whom I take on +my lap and sigh over for his dear uncle’s sake. +</p> + +<p> +Poor Mainwaring! I need not tell you how much I miss him, how perpetually he is +in my thoughts. I found a dismal letter from him on my arrival here, full of +complaints of his wife and sister, and lamentations on the cruelty of his fate. +I passed off the letter as his wife’s, to the Vernons, and when I write +to him it must be under cover to you. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Ever yours,<br/> +S. V<small>ERNON</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0006"></a> +VI</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Mrs. Vernon to Mr. De Courcy.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Churchhill. +</p> + +<p> +Well, my dear Reginald, I have seen this dangerous creature, and must give you +some description of her, though I hope you will soon be able to form your own +judgment. She is really excessively pretty; however you may choose to question +the allurements of a lady no longer young, I must, for my own part, declare +that I have seldom seen so lovely a woman as Lady Susan. She is delicately +fair, with fine grey eyes and dark eyelashes; and from her appearance one would +not suppose her more than five and twenty, though she must in fact be ten years +older. I was certainly not disposed to admire her, though always hearing she +was beautiful; but I cannot help feeling that she possesses an uncommon union +of symmetry, brilliancy, and grace. Her address to me was so gentle, frank, and +even affectionate, that, if I had not known how much she has always disliked me +for marrying Mr. Vernon, and that we had never met before, I should have +imagined her an attached friend. One is apt, I believe, to connect assurance of +manner with coquetry, and to expect that an impudent address will naturally +attend an impudent mind; at least I was myself prepared for an improper degree +of confidence in Lady Susan; but her countenance is absolutely sweet, and her +voice and manner winningly mild. I am sorry it is so, for what is this but +deceit? Unfortunately, one knows her too well. She is clever and agreeable, has +all that knowledge of the world which makes conversation easy, and talks very +well, with a happy command of language, which is too often used, I believe, to +make black appear white. She has already almost persuaded me of her being +warmly attached to her daughter, though I have been so long convinced to the +contrary. She speaks of her with so much tenderness and anxiety, lamenting so +bitterly the neglect of her education, which she represents however as wholly +unavoidable, that I am forced to recollect how many successive springs her +ladyship spent in town, while her daughter was left in Staffordshire to the +care of servants, or a governess very little better, to prevent my believing +what she says. +</p> + +<p> +If her manners have so great an influence on my resentful heart, you may judge +how much more strongly they operate on Mr. Vernon’s generous temper. I +wish I could be as well satisfied as he is, that it was really her choice to +leave Langford for Churchhill; and if she had not stayed there for months +before she discovered that her friend’s manner of living did not suit her +situation or feelings, I might have believed that concern for the loss of such +a husband as Mr. Vernon, to whom her own behaviour was far from +unexceptionable, might for a time make her wish for retirement. But I cannot +forget the length of her visit to the Mainwarings, and when I reflect on the +different mode of life which she led with them from that to which she must now +submit, I can only suppose that the wish of establishing her reputation by +following though late the path of propriety, occasioned her removal from a +family where she must in reality have been particularly happy. Your friend Mr. +Smith’s story, however, cannot be quite correct, as she corresponds +regularly with Mrs. Mainwaring. At any rate it must be exaggerated. It is +scarcely possible that two men should be so grossly deceived by her at once. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Yours, &c.,<br/> +C<small>ATHERINE</small> V<small>ERNON</small> +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0007"></a> +VII</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Lady Susan Vernon to Mrs. Johnson.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Churchhill. +</p> + +<p> +My dear Alicia,—You are very good in taking notice of Frederica, and I am +grateful for it as a mark of your friendship; but as I cannot have any doubt of +the warmth of your affection, I am far from exacting so heavy a sacrifice. She +is a stupid girl, and has nothing to recommend her. I would not, therefore, on +my account, have you encumber one moment of your precious time by sending for +her to Edward Street, especially as every visit is so much deducted from the +grand affair of education, which I really wish to have attended to while she +remains at Miss Summers’s. I want her to play and sing with some portion +of taste and a good deal of assurance, as she has my hand and arm and a +tolerable voice. I was so much indulged in my infant years that I was never +obliged to attend to anything, and consequently am without the accomplishments +which are now necessary to finish a pretty woman. Not that I am an advocate for +the prevailing fashion of acquiring a perfect knowledge of all languages, arts, +and sciences. It is throwing time away to be mistress of French, Italian, and +German: music, singing, and drawing, &c., will gain a woman some applause, +but will not add one lover to her list—grace and manner, after all, are +of the greatest importance. I do not mean, therefore, that Frederica’s +acquirements should be more than superficial, and I flatter myself that she +will not remain long enough at school to understand anything thoroughly. I hope +to see her the wife of Sir James within a twelvemonth. You know on what I +ground my hope, and it is certainly a good foundation, for school must be very +humiliating to a girl of Frederica’s age. And, by-the-by, you had better +not invite her any more on that account, as I wish her to find her situation as +unpleasant as possible. I am sure of Sir James at any time, and could make him +renew his application by a line. I shall trouble you meanwhile to prevent his +forming any other attachment when he comes to town. Ask him to your house +occasionally, and talk to him of Frederica, that he may not forget her. Upon +the whole, I commend my own conduct in this affair extremely, and regard it as +a very happy instance of circumspection and tenderness. Some mothers would have +insisted on their daughter’s accepting so good an offer on the first +overture; but I could not reconcile it to myself to force Frederica into a +marriage from which her heart revolted, and instead of adopting so harsh a +measure merely propose to make it her own choice, by rendering her thoroughly +uncomfortable till she does accept him—but enough of this tiresome girl. +You may well wonder how I contrive to pass my time here, and for the first week +it was insufferably dull. Now, however, we begin to mend, our party is enlarged +by Mrs. Vernon’s brother, a handsome young man, who promises me some +amusement. There is something about him which rather interests me, a sort of +sauciness and familiarity which I shall teach him to correct. He is lively, and +seems clever, and when I have inspired him with greater respect for me than his +sister’s kind offices have implanted, he may be an agreeable flirt. There +is exquisite pleasure in subduing an insolent spirit, in making a person +predetermined to dislike acknowledge one’s superiority. I have +disconcerted him already by my calm reserve, and it shall be my endeavour to +humble the pride of these self important De Courcys still lower, to convince +Mrs. Vernon that her sisterly cautions have been bestowed in vain, and to +persuade Reginald that she has scandalously belied me. This project will serve +at least to amuse me, and prevent my feeling so acutely this dreadful +separation from you and all whom I love. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Yours ever,<br/> +S. V<small>ERNON</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0008"></a> +VIII</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Mrs. Vernon to Lady De Courcy.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Churchhill. +</p> + +<p> +My dear Mother,—You must not expect Reginald back again for some time. He +desires me to tell you that the present open weather induces him to accept Mr. +Vernon’s invitation to prolong his stay in Sussex, that they may have +some hunting together. He means to send for his horses immediately, and it is +impossible to say when you may see him in Kent. I will not disguise my +sentiments on this change from you, my dear mother, though I think you had +better not communicate them to my father, whose excessive anxiety about +Reginald would subject him to an alarm which might seriously affect his health +and spirits. Lady Susan has certainly contrived, in the space of a fortnight, +to make my brother like her. In short, I am persuaded that his continuing here +beyond the time originally fixed for his return is occasioned as much by a +degree of fascination towards her, as by the wish of hunting with Mr. Vernon, +and of course I cannot receive that pleasure from the length of his visit which +my brother’s company would otherwise give me. I am, indeed, provoked at +the artifice of this unprincipled woman; what stronger proof of her dangerous +abilities can be given than this perversion of Reginald’s judgment, which +when he entered the house was so decidedly against her! In his last letter he +actually gave me some particulars of her behaviour at Langford, such as he +received from a gentleman who knew her perfectly well, which, if true, must +raise abhorrence against her, and which Reginald himself was entirely disposed +to credit. His opinion of her, I am sure, was as low as of any woman in +England; and when he first came it was evident that he considered her as one +entitled neither to delicacy nor respect, and that he felt she would be +delighted with the attentions of any man inclined to flirt with her. Her +behaviour, I confess, has been calculated to do away with such an idea; I have +not detected the smallest impropriety in it—nothing of vanity, of +pretension, of levity; and she is altogether so attractive that I should not +wonder at his being delighted with her, had he known nothing of her previous to +this personal acquaintance; but, against reason, against conviction, to be so +well pleased with her, as I am sure he is, does really astonish me. His +admiration was at first very strong, but no more than was natural, and I did +not wonder at his being much struck by the gentleness and delicacy of her +manners; but when he has mentioned her of late it has been in terms of more +extraordinary praise; and yesterday he actually said that he could not be +surprised at any effect produced on the heart of man by such loveliness and +such abilities; and when I lamented, in reply, the badness of her disposition, +he observed that whatever might have been her errors they were to be imputed to +her neglected education and early marriage, and that she was altogether a +wonderful woman. This tendency to excuse her conduct or to forget it, in the +warmth of admiration, vexes me; and if I did not know that Reginald is too much +at home at Churchhill to need an invitation for lengthening his visit, I should +regret Mr. Vernon’s giving him any. Lady Susan’s intentions are of +course those of absolute coquetry, or a desire of universal admiration; I +cannot for a moment imagine that she has anything more serious in view; but it +mortifies me to see a young man of Reginald’s sense duped by her at all. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +I am, &c.,<br/> +C<small>ATHERINE</small> V<small>ERNON</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0009"></a> +IX</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Mrs. Johnson to Lady S. Vernon.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Edward Street. +</p> + +<p> +My dearest Friend,—I congratulate you on Mr. De Courcy’s arrival, +and I advise you by all means to marry him; his father’s estate is, we +know, considerable, and I believe certainly entailed. Sir Reginald is very +infirm, and not likely to stand in your way long. I hear the young man well +spoken of; and though no one can really deserve you, my dearest Susan, Mr. De +Courcy may be worth having. Mainwaring will storm of course, but you easily +pacify him; besides, the most scrupulous point of honour could not require you +to wait for <i>his</i> emancipation. I have seen Sir James; he came to town for +a few days last week, and called several times in Edward Street. I talked to +him about you and your daughter, and he is so far from having forgotten you, +that I am sure he would marry either of you with pleasure. I gave him hopes of +Frederica’s relenting, and told him a great deal of her improvements. I +scolded him for making love to Maria Mainwaring; he protested that he had been +only in joke, and we both laughed heartily at her disappointment; and, in +short, were very agreeable. He is as silly as ever. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Yours faithfully,<br/> +A<small>LICIA</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0010"></a> +X</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Lady Susan Vernon to Mrs. Johnson.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Churchhill. +</p> + +<p> +I am much obliged to you, my dear Friend, for your advice respecting Mr. De +Courcy, which I know was given with the full conviction of its expediency, +though I am not quite determined on following it. I cannot easily resolve on +anything so serious as marriage; especially as I am not at present in want of +money, and might perhaps, till the old gentleman’s death, be very little +benefited by the match. It is true that I am vain enough to believe it within +my reach. I have made him sensible of my power, and can now enjoy the pleasure +of triumphing over a mind prepared to dislike me, and prejudiced against all my +past actions. His sister, too, is, I hope, convinced how little the ungenerous +representations of anyone to the disadvantage of another will avail when +opposed by the immediate influence of intellect and manner. I see plainly that +she is uneasy at my progress in the good opinion of her brother, and conclude +that nothing will be wanting on her part to counteract me; but having once made +him doubt the justice of her opinion of me, I think I may defy her. It has been +delightful to me to watch his advances towards intimacy, especially to observe +his altered manner in consequence of my repressing by the cool dignity of my +deportment his insolent approach to direct familiarity. My conduct has been +equally guarded from the first, and I never behaved less like a coquette in the +whole course of my life, though perhaps my desire of dominion was never more +decided. I have subdued him entirely by sentiment and serious conversation, and +made him, I may venture to say, at least half in love with me, without the +semblance of the most commonplace flirtation. Mrs. Vernon’s consciousness +of deserving every sort of revenge that it can be in my power to inflict for +her ill-offices could alone enable her to perceive that I am actuated by any +design in behaviour so gentle and unpretending. Let her think and act as she +chooses, however. I have never yet found that the advice of a sister could +prevent a young man’s being in love if he chose. We are advancing now to +some kind of confidence, and in short are likely to be engaged in a sort of +platonic friendship. On my side you may be sure of its never being more, for if +I were not attached to another person as much as I can be to anyone, I should +make a point of not bestowing my affection on a man who had dared to think so +meanly of me. Reginald has a good figure and is not unworthy the praise you +have heard given him, but is still greatly inferior to our friend at Langford. +He is less polished, less insinuating than Mainwaring, and is comparatively +deficient in the power of saying those delightful things which put one in good +humour with oneself and all the world. He is quite agreeable enough, however, +to afford me amusement, and to make many of those hours pass very pleasantly +which would otherwise be spent in endeavouring to overcome my +sister-in-law’s reserve, and listening to the insipid talk of her +husband. Your account of Sir James is most satisfactory, and I mean to give +Miss Frederica a hint of my intentions very soon. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Yours, &c.,<br/> +S. V<small>ERNON</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0011"></a> +XI</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Mrs. Vernon to Lady De Courcy.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Churchhill +</p> + +<p> +I really grow quite uneasy, my dearest mother, about Reginald, from witnessing +the very rapid increase of Lady Susan’s influence. They are now on terms +of the most particular friendship, frequently engaged in long conversations +together; and she has contrived by the most artful coquetry to subdue his +judgment to her own purposes. It is impossible to see the intimacy between them +so very soon established without some alarm, though I can hardly suppose that +Lady Susan’s plans extend to marriage. I wish you could get Reginald home +again on any plausible pretence; he is not at all disposed to leave us, and I +have given him as many hints of my father’s precarious state of health as +common decency will allow me to do in my own house. Her power over him must now +be boundless, as she has entirely effaced all his former ill-opinion, and +persuaded him not merely to forget but to justify her conduct. Mr. +Smith’s account of her proceedings at Langford, where he accused her of +having made Mr. Mainwaring and a young man engaged to Miss Mainwaring +distractedly in love with her, which Reginald firmly believed when he came +here, is now, he is persuaded, only a scandalous invention. He has told me so +with a warmth of manner which spoke his regret at having believed the contrary +himself. How sincerely do I grieve that she ever entered this house! I always +looked forward to her coming with uneasiness; but very far was it from +originating in anxiety for Reginald. I expected a most disagreeable companion +for myself, but could not imagine that my brother would be in the smallest +danger of being captivated by a woman with whose principles he was so well +acquainted, and whose character he so heartily despised. If you can get him +away it will be a good thing. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Yours, &c.,<br/> +C<small>ATHERINE</small> V<small>ERNON</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0012"></a> +XII</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Sir Reginald De Courcy to his Son.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Parklands. +</p> + +<p> +I know that young men in general do not admit of any enquiry even from their +nearest relations into affairs of the heart, but I hope, my dear Reginald, that +you will be superior to such as allow nothing for a father’s anxiety, and +think themselves privileged to refuse him their confidence and slight his +advice. You must be sensible that as an only son, and the representative of an +ancient family, your conduct in life is most interesting to your connections; +and in the very important concern of marriage especially, there is everything +at stake—your own happiness, that of your parents, and the credit of your +name. I do not suppose that you would deliberately form an absolute engagement +of that nature without acquainting your mother and myself, or at least, without +being convinced that we should approve of your choice; but I cannot help +fearing that you may be drawn in, by the lady who has lately attached you, to a +marriage which the whole of your family, far and near, must highly reprobate. +Lady Susan’s age is itself a material objection, but her want of +character is one so much more serious, that the difference of even twelve years +becomes in comparison of small amount. Were you not blinded by a sort of +fascination, it would be ridiculous in me to repeat the instances of great +misconduct on her side so very generally known. +</p> + +<p> +Her neglect of her husband, her encouragement of other men, her extravagance +and dissipation, were so gross and notorious that no one could be ignorant of +them at the time, nor can now have forgotten them. To our family she has always +been represented in softened colours by the benevolence of Mr. Charles Vernon, +and yet, in spite of his generous endeavours to excuse her, we know that she +did, from the most selfish motives, take all possible pains to prevent his +marriage with Catherine. +</p> + +<p> +My years and increasing infirmities make me very desirous of seeing you settled +in the world. To the fortune of a wife, the goodness of my own will make me +indifferent, but her family and character must be equally unexceptionable. When +your choice is fixed so that no objection can be made to it, then I can promise +you a ready and cheerful consent; but it is my duty to oppose a match which +deep art only could render possible, and must in the end make wretched. It is +possible her behaviour may arise only from vanity, or the wish of gaining the +admiration of a man whom she must imagine to be particularly prejudiced against +her; but it is more likely that she should aim at something further. She is +poor, and may naturally seek an alliance which must be advantageous to herself; +you know your own rights, and that it is out of my power to prevent your +inheriting the family estate. My ability of distressing you during my life +would be a species of revenge to which I could hardly stoop under any +circumstances. +</p> + +<p> +I honestly tell you my sentiments and intentions: I do not wish to work on your +fears, but on your sense and affection. It would destroy every comfort of my +life to know that you were married to Lady Susan Vernon; it would be the death +of that honest pride with which I have hitherto considered my son; I should +blush to see him, to hear of him, to think of him. I may perhaps do no good but +that of relieving my own mind by this letter, but I felt it my duty to tell you +that your partiality for Lady Susan is no secret to your friends, and to warn +you against her. I should be glad to hear your reasons for disbelieving Mr. +Smith’s intelligence; you had no doubt of its authenticity a month ago. +If you can give me your assurance of having no design beyond enjoying the +conversation of a clever woman for a short period, and of yielding admiration +only to her beauty and abilities, without being blinded by them to her faults, +you will restore me to happiness; but, if you cannot do this, explain to me, at +least, what has occasioned so great an alteration in your opinion of her. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +I am, &c., &c,<br/> +R<small>EGINALD</small> D<small>E</small> C<small>OURCY</small> +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0013"></a> +XIII</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Lady De Courcy to Mrs. Vernon.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Parklands. +</p> + +<p> +My dear Catherine,—Unluckily I was confined to my room when your last +letter came, by a cold which affected my eyes so much as to prevent my reading +it myself, so I could not refuse your father when he offered to read it to me, +by which means he became acquainted, to my great vexation, with all your fears +about your brother. I had intended to write to Reginald myself as soon as my +eyes would let me, to point out, as well as I could, the danger of an intimate +acquaintance, with so artful a woman as Lady Susan, to a young man of his age, +and high expectations. I meant, moreover, to have reminded him of our being +quite alone now, and very much in need of him to keep up our spirits these long +winter evenings. Whether it would have done any good can never be settled now, +but I am excessively vexed that Sir Reginald should know anything of a matter +which we foresaw would make him so uneasy. He caught all your fears the moment +he had read your letter, and I am sure he has not had the business out of his +head since. He wrote by the same post to Reginald a long letter full of it all, +and particularly asking an explanation of what he may have heard from Lady +Susan to contradict the late shocking reports. His answer came this morning, +which I shall enclose to you, as I think you will like to see it. I wish it was +more satisfactory; but it seems written with such a determination to think well +of Lady Susan, that his assurances as to marriage, &c., do not set my heart +at ease. I say all I can, however, to satisfy your father, and he is certainly +less uneasy since Reginald’s letter. How provoking it is, my dear +Catherine, that this unwelcome guest of yours should not only prevent our +meeting this Christmas, but be the occasion of so much vexation and trouble! +Kiss the dear children for me. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Your affectionate mother,<br/> +C. D<small>E</small> C<small>OURCY</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0014"></a> +XIV</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Mr. De Courcy to Sir Reginald.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Churchhill. +</p> + +<p> +My dear Sir,—I have this moment received your letter, which has given me +more astonishment than I ever felt before. I am to thank my sister, I suppose, +for having represented me in such a light as to injure me in your opinion, and +give you all this alarm. I know not why she should choose to make herself and +her family uneasy by apprehending an event which no one but herself, I can +affirm, would ever have thought possible. To impute such a design to Lady Susan +would be taking from her every claim to that excellent understanding which her +bitterest enemies have never denied her; and equally low must sink my +pretensions to common sense if I am suspected of matrimonial views in my +behaviour to her. Our difference of age must be an insuperable objection, and I +entreat you, my dear father, to quiet your mind, and no longer harbour a +suspicion which cannot be more injurious to your own peace than to our +understandings. I can have no other view in remaining with Lady Susan, than to +enjoy for a short time (as you have yourself expressed it) the conversation of +a woman of high intellectual powers. If Mrs. Vernon would allow something to my +affection for herself and her husband in the length of my visit, she would do +more justice to us all; but my sister is unhappily prejudiced beyond the hope +of conviction against Lady Susan. From an attachment to her husband, which in +itself does honour to both, she cannot forgive the endeavours at preventing +their union, which have been attributed to selfishness in Lady Susan; but in +this case, as well as in many others, the world has most grossly injured that +lady, by supposing the worst where the motives of her conduct have been +doubtful. Lady Susan had heard something so materially to the disadvantage of +my sister as to persuade her that the happiness of Mr. Vernon, to whom she was +always much attached, would be wholly destroyed by the marriage. And this +circumstance, while it explains the true motives of Lady Susan’s conduct, +and removes all the blame which has been so lavished on her, may also convince +us how little the general report of anyone ought to be credited; since no +character, however upright, can escape the malevolence of slander. If my +sister, in the security of retirement, with as little opportunity as +inclination to do evil, could not avoid censure, we must not rashly condemn +those who, living in the world and surrounded with temptations, should be +accused of errors which they are known to have the power of committing. +</p> + +<p> +I blame myself severely for having so easily believed the slanderous tales +invented by Charles Smith to the prejudice of Lady Susan, as I am now convinced +how greatly they have traduced her. As to Mrs. Mainwaring’s jealousy it +was totally his own invention, and his account of her attaching Miss +Mainwaring’s lover was scarcely better founded. Sir James Martin had been +drawn in by that young lady to pay her some attention; and as he is a man of +fortune, it was easy to see <i>her</i> views extended to marriage. It is well +known that Miss M. is absolutely on the catch for a husband, and no one +therefore can pity her for losing, by the superior attractions of another +woman, the chance of being able to make a worthy man completely wretched. Lady +Susan was far from intending such a conquest, and on finding how warmly Miss +Mainwaring resented her lover’s defection, determined, in spite of Mr. +and Mrs. Mainwaring’s most urgent entreaties, to leave the family. I have +reason to imagine she did receive serious proposals from Sir James, but her +removing from Langford immediately on the discovery of his attachment, must +acquit her on that article with any mind of common candour. You will, I am +sure, my dear Sir, feel the truth of this, and will hereby learn to do justice +to the character of a very injured woman. I know that Lady Susan in coming to +Churchhill was governed only by the most honourable and amiable intentions; her +prudence and economy are exemplary, her regard for Mr. Vernon equal even to +<i>his</i> deserts; and her wish of obtaining my sister’s good opinion +merits a better return than it has received. As a mother she is +unexceptionable; her solid affection for her child is shown by placing her in +hands where her education will be properly attended to; but because she has not +the blind and weak partiality of most mothers, she is accused of wanting +maternal tenderness. Every person of sense, however, will know how to value and +commend her well-directed affection, and will join me in wishing that Frederica +Vernon may prove more worthy than she has yet done of her mother’s tender +care. I have now, my dear father, written my real sentiments of Lady Susan; you +will know from this letter how highly I admire her abilities, and esteem her +character; but if you are not equally convinced by my full and solemn assurance +that your fears have been most idly created, you will deeply mortify and +distress me. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +I am, &c., &c.,<br/> +R. D<small>E</small> C<small>OURCY</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0015"></a> +XV</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Mrs. Vernon to Lady De Courcy.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Churchhill +</p> + +<p> +My dear Mother,—I return you Reginald’s letter, and rejoice with +all my heart that my father is made easy by it: tell him so, with my +congratulations; but, between ourselves, I must own it has only convinced +<i>me</i> of my brother’s having no <i>present</i> intention of marrying +Lady Susan, not that he is in no danger of doing so three months hence. He +gives a very plausible account of her behaviour at Langford; I wish it may be +true, but his intelligence must come from herself, and I am less disposed to +believe it than to lament the degree of intimacy subsisting between them, +implied by the discussion of such a subject. I am sorry to have incurred his +displeasure, but can expect nothing better while he is so very eager in Lady +Susan’s justification. He is very severe against me indeed, and yet I +hope I have not been hasty in my judgment of her. Poor woman! though I have +reasons enough for my dislike, I cannot help pitying her at present, as she is +in real distress, and with too much cause. She had this morning a letter from +the lady with whom she has placed her daughter, to request that Miss Vernon +might be immediately removed, as she had been detected in an attempt to run +away. Why, or whither she intended to go, does not appear; but, as her +situation seems to have been unexceptionable, it is a sad thing, and of course +highly distressing to Lady Susan. Frederica must be as much as sixteen, and +ought to know better; but from what her mother insinuates, I am afraid she is a +perverse girl. She has been sadly neglected, however, and her mother ought to +remember it. Mr. Vernon set off for London as soon as she had determined what +should be done. He is, if possible, to prevail on Miss Summers to let Frederica +continue with her; and if he cannot succeed, to bring her to Churchhill for the +present, till some other situation can be found for her. Her ladyship is +comforting herself meanwhile by strolling along the shrubbery with Reginald, +calling forth all his tender feelings, I suppose, on this distressing occasion. +She has been talking a great deal about it to me. She talks vastly well; I am +afraid of being ungenerous, or I should say, <i>too</i> well to feel so very +deeply; but I will not look for her faults; she may be Reginald’s wife! +Heaven forbid it! but why should I be quicker-sighted than anyone else? Mr. +Vernon declares that he never saw deeper distress than hers, on the receipt of +the letter; and is his judgment inferior to mine? She was very unwilling that +Frederica should be allowed to come to Churchhill, and justly enough, as it +seems a sort of reward to behaviour deserving very differently; but it was +impossible to take her anywhere else, and she is not to remain here long. +“It will be absolutely necessary,” said she, “as you, my dear +sister, must be sensible, to treat my daughter with some severity while she is +here; a most painful necessity, but I will <i>endeavour</i> to submit to it. I +am afraid I have often been too indulgent, but my poor Frederica’s temper +could never bear opposition well: you must support and encourage me; you must +urge the necessity of reproof if you see me too lenient.” All this sounds +very reasonable. Reginald is so incensed against the poor silly girl! Surely it +is not to Lady Susan’s credit that he should be so bitter against her +daughter; his idea of her must be drawn from the mother’s description. +Well, whatever may be his fate, we have the comfort of knowing that we have +done our utmost to save him. We must commit the event to a higher power. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Yours ever, &c.,<br/> +C<small>ATHERINE</small> V<small>ERNON</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0016"></a> +XVI</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Lady Susan to Mrs. Johnson.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Churchhill. +</p> + +<p> +Never, my dearest Alicia, was I so provoked in my life as by a letter this +morning from Miss Summers. That horrid girl of mine has been trying to run +away. I had not a notion of her being such a little devil before, she seemed to +have all the Vernon milkiness; but on receiving the letter in which I declared +my intention about Sir James, she actually attempted to elope; at least, I +cannot otherwise account for her doing it. She meant, I suppose, to go to the +Clarkes in Staffordshire, for she has no other acquaintances. But she shall be +punished, she shall have him. I have sent Charles to town to make matters up if +he can, for I do not by any means want her here. If Miss Summers will not keep +her, you must find me out another school, unless we can get her married +immediately. Miss S. writes word that she could not get the young lady to +assign any cause for her extraordinary conduct, which confirms me in my own +previous explanation of it. Frederica is too shy, I think, and too much in awe +of me to tell tales, but if the mildness of her uncle should get anything out +of her, I am not afraid. I trust I shall be able to make my story as good as +hers. If I am vain of anything, it is of my eloquence. Consideration and esteem +as surely follow command of language as admiration waits on beauty, and here I +have opportunity enough for the exercise of my talent, as the chief of my time +is spent in conversation. +</p> + +<p> +Reginald is never easy unless we are by ourselves, and when the weather is +tolerable, we pace the shrubbery for hours together. I like him on the whole +very well; he is clever and has a good deal to say, but he is sometimes +impertinent and troublesome. There is a sort of ridiculous delicacy about him +which requires the fullest explanation of whatever he may have heard to my +disadvantage, and is never satisfied till he thinks he has ascertained the +beginning and end of everything. This is one sort of love, but I confess it +does not particularly recommend itself to me. I infinitely prefer the tender +and liberal spirit of Mainwaring, which, impressed with the deepest conviction +of my merit, is satisfied that whatever I do must be right; and look with a +degree of contempt on the inquisitive and doubtful fancies of that heart which +seems always debating on the reasonableness of its emotions. Mainwaring is +indeed, beyond all compare, superior to Reginald—superior in everything +but the power of being with me! Poor fellow! he is much distracted by jealousy, +which I am not sorry for, as I know no better support of love. He has been +teazing me to allow of his coming into this country, and lodging somewhere near +<i>incog</i>.; but I forbade everything of the kind. Those women are +inexcusable who forget what is due to themselves, and the opinion of the world. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Yours ever,<br/> +S. V<small>ERNON</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0017"></a> +XVII</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Mrs. Vernon to Lady De Courcy.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Churchhill. +</p> + +<p> +My dear Mother,—Mr. Vernon returned on Thursday night, bringing his niece +with him. Lady Susan had received a line from him by that day’s post, +informing her that Miss Summers had absolutely refused to allow of Miss +Vernon’s continuance in her academy; we were therefore prepared for her +arrival, and expected them impatiently the whole evening. They came while we +were at tea, and I never saw any creature look so frightened as Frederica when +she entered the room. Lady Susan, who had been shedding tears before, and +showing great agitation at the idea of the meeting, received her with perfect +self-command, and without betraying the least tenderness of spirit. She hardly +spoke to her, and on Frederica’s bursting into tears as soon as we were +seated, took her out of the room, and did not return for some time. When she +did, her eyes looked very red and she was as much agitated as before. We saw no +more of her daughter. Poor Reginald was beyond measure concerned to see his +fair friend in such distress, and watched her with so much tender solicitude, +that I, who occasionally caught her observing his countenance with exultation, +was quite out of patience. This pathetic representation lasted the whole +evening, and so ostentatious and artful a display has entirely convinced me +that she did in fact feel nothing. I am more angry with her than ever since I +have seen her daughter; the poor girl looks so unhappy that my heart aches for +her. Lady Susan is surely too severe, for Frederica does not seem to have the +sort of temper to make severity necessary. She looks perfectly timid, dejected, +and penitent. She is very pretty, though not so handsome as her mother, nor at +all like her. Her complexion is delicate, but neither so fair nor so blooming +as Lady Susan’s, and she has quite the Vernon cast of countenance, the +oval face and mild dark eyes, and there is peculiar sweetness in her look when +she speaks either to her uncle or me, for as we behave kindly to her we have of +course engaged her gratitude. +</p> + +<p> +Her mother has insinuated that her temper is intractable, but I never saw a +face less indicative of any evil disposition than hers; and from what I can see +of the behaviour of each to the other, the invariable severity of Lady Susan +and the silent dejection of Frederica, I am led to believe as heretofore that +the former has no real love for her daughter, and has never done her justice or +treated her affectionately. I have not been able to have any conversation with +my niece; she is shy, and I think I can see that some pains are taken to +prevent her being much with me. Nothing satisfactory transpires as to her +reason for running away. Her kind-hearted uncle, you may be sure, was too +fearful of distressing her to ask many questions as they travelled. I wish it +had been possible for me to fetch her instead of him. I think I should have +discovered the truth in the course of a thirty-mile journey. The small +pianoforte has been removed within these few days, at Lady Susan’s +request, into her dressing-room, and Frederica spends great part of the day +there, practising as it is called; but I seldom hear any noise when I pass that +way; what she does with herself there I do not know. There are plenty of books, +but it is not every girl who has been running wild the first fifteen years of +her life, that can or will read. Poor creature! the prospect from her window is +not very instructive, for that room overlooks the lawn, you know, with the +shrubbery on one side, where she may see her mother walking for an hour +together in earnest conversation with Reginald. A girl of Frederica’s age +must be childish indeed, if such things do not strike her. Is it not +inexcusable to give such an example to a daughter? Yet Reginald still thinks +Lady Susan the best of mothers, and still condemns Frederica as a worthless +girl! He is convinced that her attempt to run away proceeded from no +justifiable cause, and had no provocation. I am sure I cannot say that it +<i>had</i>, but while Miss Summers declares that Miss Vernon showed no signs of +obstinacy or perverseness during her whole stay in Wigmore Street, till she was +detected in this scheme, I cannot so readily credit what Lady Susan has made +him, and wants to make me believe, that it was merely an impatience of +restraint and a desire of escaping from the tuition of masters which brought on +the plan of an elopement. O Reginald, how is your judgment enslaved! He +scarcely dares even allow her to be handsome, and when I speak of her beauty, +replies only that her eyes have no brilliancy! Sometimes he is sure she is +deficient in understanding, and at others that her temper only is in fault. In +short, when a person is always to deceive, it is impossible to be consistent. +Lady Susan finds it necessary that Frederica should be to blame, and probably +has sometimes judged it expedient to accuse her of ill-nature and sometimes to +lament her want of sense. Reginald is only repeating after her ladyship. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +I remain, &c., &c.,<br/> +C<small>ATHERINE</small> V<small>ERNON</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0018"></a> +XVIII</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>From the same to the same.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Churchhill. +</p> + +<p> +My dear Mother,—I am very glad to find that my description of Frederica +Vernon has interested you, for I do believe her truly deserving of your regard; +and when I have communicated a notion which has recently struck me, your kind +impressions in her favour will, I am sure, be heightened. I cannot help +fancying that she is growing partial to my brother. I so very often see her +eyes fixed on his face with a remarkable expression of pensive admiration. He +is certainly very handsome; and yet more, there is an openness in his manner +that must be highly prepossessing, and I am sure she feels it so. Thoughtful +and pensive in general, her countenance always brightens into a smile when +Reginald says anything amusing; and, let the subject be ever so serious that he +may be conversing on, I am much mistaken if a syllable of his uttering escapes +her. I want to make him sensible of all this, for we know the power of +gratitude on such a heart as his; and could Frederica’s artless affection +detach him from her mother, we might bless the day which brought her to +Churchhill. I think, my dear mother, you would not disapprove of her as a +daughter. She is extremely young, to be sure, has had a wretched education, and +a dreadful example of levity in her mother; but yet I can pronounce her +disposition to be excellent, and her natural abilities very good. Though +totally without accomplishments, she is by no means so ignorant as one might +expect to find her, being fond of books and spending the chief of her time in +reading. Her mother leaves her more to herself than she did, and I have her +with me as much as possible, and have taken great pains to overcome her +timidity. We are very good friends, and though she never opens her lips before +her mother, she talks enough when alone with me to make it clear that, if +properly treated by Lady Susan, she would always appear to much greater +advantage. There cannot be a more gentle, affectionate heart; or more obliging +manners, when acting without restraint; and her little cousins are all very +fond of her. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Your affectionate daughter,<br/> +C. V<small>ERNON</small> +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0019"></a> +XIX</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Lady Susan to Mrs. Johnson.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Churchhill. +</p> + +<p> +You will be eager, I know, to hear something further of Frederica, and perhaps +may think me negligent for not writing before. She arrived with her uncle last +Thursday fortnight, when, of course, I lost no time in demanding the cause of +her behaviour; and soon found myself to have been perfectly right in +attributing it to my own letter. The prospect of it frightened her so +thoroughly, that, with a mixture of true girlish perverseness and folly, she +resolved on getting out of the house and proceeding directly by the stage to +her friends, the Clarkes; and had really got as far as the length of two +streets in her journey when she was fortunately missed, pursued, and overtaken. +Such was the first distinguished exploit of Miss Frederica Vernon; and, if we +consider that it was achieved at the tender age of sixteen, we shall have room +for the most flattering prognostics of her future renown. I am excessively +provoked, however, at the parade of propriety which prevented Miss Summers from +keeping the girl; and it seems so extraordinary a piece of nicety, considering +my daughter’s family connections, that I can only suppose the lady to be +governed by the fear of never getting her money. Be that as it may, however, +Frederica is returned on my hands; and, having nothing else to employ her, is +busy in pursuing the plan of romance begun at Langford. She is actually falling +in love with Reginald De Courcy! To disobey her mother by refusing an +unexceptionable offer is not enough; her affections must also be given without +her mother’s approbation. I never saw a girl of her age bid fairer to be +the sport of mankind. Her feelings are tolerably acute, and she is so +charmingly artless in their display as to afford the most reasonable hope of +her being ridiculous, and despised by every man who sees her. +</p> + +<p> +Artlessness will never do in love matters; and that girl is born a simpleton +who has it either by nature or affectation. I am not yet certain that Reginald +sees what she is about, nor is it of much consequence. She is now an object of +indifference to him, and she would be one of contempt were he to understand her +emotions. Her beauty is much admired by the Vernons, but it has no effect on +him. She is in high favour with her aunt altogether, because she is so little +like myself, of course. She is exactly the companion for Mrs. Vernon, who +dearly loves to be firm, and to have all the sense and all the wit of the +conversation to herself: Frederica will never eclipse her. When she first came +I was at some pains to prevent her seeing much of her aunt; but I have relaxed, +as I believe I may depend on her observing the rules I have laid down for their +discourse. But do not imagine that with all this lenity I have for a moment +given up my plan of her marriage. No; I am unalterably fixed on this point, +though I have not yet quite decided on the manner of bringing it about. I +should not chuse to have the business brought on here, and canvassed by the +wise heads of Mr. and Mrs. Vernon; and I cannot just now afford to go to town. +Miss Frederica must therefore wait a little. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Yours ever,<br/> +S. V<small>ERNON</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0020"></a> +XX</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Mrs. Vernon to Lady De Courcy.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Churchhill +</p> + +<p> +We have a very unexpected guest with us at present, my dear Mother: he arrived +yesterday. I heard a carriage at the door, as I was sitting with my children +while they dined; and supposing I should be wanted, left the nursery soon +afterwards, and was half-way downstairs, when Frederica, as pale as ashes, came +running up, and rushed by me into her own room. I instantly followed, and asked +her what was the matter. “Oh!” said she, “he is +come—Sir James is come, and what shall I do?” This was no +explanation; I begged her to tell me what she meant. At that moment we were +interrupted by a knock at the door: it was Reginald, who came, by Lady +Susan’s direction, to call Frederica down. “It is Mr. De +Courcy!” said she, colouring violently. “Mamma has sent for me; I +must go.” We all three went down together; and I saw my brother examining +the terrified face of Frederica with surprize. In the breakfast-room we found +Lady Susan, and a young man of gentlemanlike appearance, whom she introduced by +the name of Sir James Martin—the very person, as you may remember, whom +it was said she had been at pains to detach from Miss Mainwaring; but the +conquest, it seems, was not designed for herself, or she has since transferred +it to her daughter; for Sir James is now desperately in love with Frederica, +and with full encouragement from mamma. The poor girl, however, I am sure, +dislikes him; and though his person and address are very well, he appears, both +to Mr. Vernon and me, a very weak young man. Frederica looked so shy, so +confused, when we entered the room, that I felt for her exceedingly. Lady Susan +behaved with great attention to her visitor; and yet I thought I could perceive +that she had no particular pleasure in seeing him. Sir James talked a great +deal, and made many civil excuses to me for the liberty he had taken in coming +to Churchhill—mixing more frequent laughter with his discourse than the +subject required—said many things over and over again, and told Lady +Susan three times that he had seen Mrs. Johnson a few evenings before. He now +and then addressed Frederica, but more frequently her mother. The poor girl sat +all this time without opening her lips—her eyes cast down, and her colour +varying every instant; while Reginald observed all that passed in perfect +silence. At length Lady Susan, weary, I believe, of her situation, proposed +walking; and we left the two gentlemen together, to put on our pelisses. As we +went upstairs Lady Susan begged permission to attend me for a few moments in my +dressing-room, as she was anxious to speak with me in private. I led her +thither accordingly, and as soon as the door was closed, she said: “I was +never more surprized in my life than by Sir James’s arrival, and the +suddenness of it requires some apology to you, my dear sister; though to +<i>me</i>, as a mother, it is highly flattering. He is so extremely attached to +my daughter that he could not exist longer without seeing her. Sir James is a +young man of an amiable disposition and excellent character; a little too much +of the rattle, perhaps, but a year or two will rectify <i>that:</i> and he is +in other respects so very eligible a match for Frederica, that I have always +observed his attachment with the greatest pleasure; and am persuaded that you +and my brother will give the alliance your hearty approbation. I have never +before mentioned the likelihood of its taking place to anyone, because I +thought that whilst Frederica continued at school it had better not be known to +exist; but now, as I am convinced that Frederica is too old ever to submit to +school confinement, and have, therefore, begun to consider her union with Sir +James as not very distant, I had intended within a few days to acquaint +yourself and Mr. Vernon with the whole business. I am sure, my dear sister, you +will excuse my remaining silent so long, and agree with me that such +circumstances, while they continue from any cause in suspense, cannot be too +cautiously concealed. When you have the happiness of bestowing your sweet +little Catherine, some years hence, on a man who in connection and character is +alike unexceptionable, you will know what I feel now; though, thank Heaven, you +cannot have all my reasons for rejoicing in such an event. Catherine will be +amply provided for, and not, like my Frederica, indebted to a fortunate +establishment for the comforts of life.” She concluded by demanding my +congratulations. I gave them somewhat awkwardly, I believe; for, in fact, the +sudden disclosure of so important a matter took from me the power of speaking +with any clearness. She thanked me, however, most affectionately, for my kind +concern in the welfare of herself and daughter; and then said: “I am not +apt to deal in professions, my dear Mrs. Vernon, and I never had the convenient +talent of affecting sensations foreign to my heart; and therefore I trust you +will believe me when I declare, that much as I had heard in your praise before +I knew you, I had no idea that I should ever love you as I now do; and I must +further say that your friendship towards me is more particularly gratifying +because I have reason to believe that some attempts were made to prejudice you +against me. I only wish that they, whoever they are, to whom I am indebted for +such kind intentions, could see the terms on which we now are together, and +understand the real affection we feel for each other; but I will not detain you +any longer. God bless you, for your goodness to me and my girl, and continue to +you all your present happiness.” What can one say of such a woman, my +dear mother? Such earnestness, such solemnity of expression! and yet I cannot +help suspecting the truth of everything she says. As for Reginald, I believe he +does not know what to make of the matter. When Sir James came, he appeared all +astonishment and perplexity; the folly of the young man and the confusion of +Frederica entirely engrossed him; and though a little private discourse with +Lady Susan has since had its effect, he is still hurt, I am sure, at her +allowing of such a man’s attentions to her daughter. Sir James invited +himself with great composure to remain here a few days—hoped we would not +think it odd, was aware of its being very impertinent, but he took the liberty +of a relation; and concluded by wishing, with a laugh, that he might be really +one very soon. Even Lady Susan seemed a little disconcerted by this +forwardness; in her heart I am persuaded she sincerely wished him gone. But +something must be done for this poor girl, if her feelings are such as both I +and her uncle believe them to be. She must not be sacrificed to policy or +ambition, and she must not be left to suffer from the dread of it. The girl +whose heart can distinguish Reginald De Courcy, deserves, however he may slight +her, a better fate than to be Sir James Martin’s wife. As soon as I can +get her alone, I will discover the real truth; but she seems to wish to avoid +me. I hope this does not proceed from anything wrong, and that I shall not find +out I have thought too well of her. Her behaviour to Sir James certainly speaks +the greatest consciousness and embarrassment, but I see nothing in it more like +encouragement. Adieu, my dear mother. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Yours, &c.,<br/> +C. V<small>ERNON</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0021"></a> +XXI</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Miss Vernon to Mr. De Courcy.</i> +</p> + +<p> +Sir,—I hope you will excuse this liberty; I am forced upon it by the +greatest distress, or I should be ashamed to trouble you. I am very miserable +about Sir James Martin, and have no other way in the world of helping myself +but by writing to you, for I am forbidden even speaking to my uncle and aunt on +the subject; and this being the case, I am afraid my applying to you will +appear no better than equivocation, and as if I attended to the letter and not +the spirit of mamma’s commands. But if you do not take my part and +persuade her to break it off, I shall be half distracted, for I cannot bear +him. No human being but <i>you</i> could have any chance of prevailing with +her. If you will, therefore, have the unspeakably great kindness of taking my +part with her, and persuading her to send Sir James away, I shall be more +obliged to you than it is possible for me to express. I always disliked him +from the first: it is not a sudden fancy, I assure you, sir; I always thought +him silly and impertinent and disagreeable, and now he is grown worse than +ever. I would rather work for my bread than marry him. I do not know how to +apologize enough for this letter; I know it is taking so great a liberty. I am +aware how dreadfully angry it will make mamma, but I remember the risk. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +I am, Sir, your most humble servant,<br/> +F. S. V. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0022"></a> +XXII</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Lady Susan to Mrs. Johnson.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Churchhill. +</p> + +<p> +This is insufferable! My dearest friend, I was never so enraged before, and +must relieve myself by writing to you, who I know will enter into all my +feelings. Who should come on Tuesday but Sir James Martin! Guess my +astonishment, and vexation—for, as you well know, I never wished him to +be seen at Churchhill. What a pity that you should not have known his +intentions! Not content with coming, he actually invited himself to remain here +a few days. I could have poisoned him! I made the best of it, however, and told +my story with great success to Mrs. Vernon, who, whatever might be her real +sentiments, said nothing in opposition to mine. I made a point also of +Frederica’s behaving civilly to Sir James, and gave her to understand +that I was absolutely determined on her marrying him. She said something of her +misery, but that was all. I have for some time been more particularly resolved +on the match from seeing the rapid increase of her affection for Reginald, and +from not feeling secure that a knowledge of such affection might not in the end +awaken a return. Contemptible as a regard founded only on compassion must make +them both in my eyes, I felt by no means assured that such might not be the +consequence. It is true that Reginald had not in any degree grown cool towards +me; but yet he has lately mentioned Frederica spontaneously and unnecessarily, +and once said something in praise of her person. <i>He</i> was all astonishment +at the appearance of my visitor, and at first observed Sir James with an +attention which I was pleased to see not unmixed with jealousy; but unluckily +it was impossible for me really to torment him, as Sir James, though extremely +gallant to me, very soon made the whole party understand that his heart was +devoted to my daughter. I had no great difficulty in convincing De Courcy, when +we were alone, that I was perfectly justified, all things considered, in +desiring the match; and the whole business seemed most comfortably arranged. +They could none of them help perceiving that Sir James was no Solomon; but I +had positively forbidden Frederica complaining to Charles Vernon or his wife, +and they had therefore no pretence for interference; though my impertinent +sister, I believe, wanted only opportunity for doing so. Everything, however, +was going on calmly and quietly; and, though I counted the hours of Sir +James’s stay, my mind was entirely satisfied with the posture of affairs. +Guess, then, what I must feel at the sudden disturbance of all my schemes; and +that, too, from a quarter where I had least reason to expect it. Reginald came +this morning into my dressing-room with a very unusual solemnity of +countenance, and after some preface informed me in so many words that he wished +to reason with me on the impropriety and unkindness of allowing Sir James +Martin to address my daughter contrary to her inclinations. I was all +amazement. When I found that he was not to be laughed out of his design, I +calmly begged an explanation, and desired to know by what he was impelled, and +by whom commissioned, to reprimand me. He then told me, mixing in his speech a +few insolent compliments and ill-timed expressions of tenderness, to which I +listened with perfect indifference, that my daughter had acquainted him with +some circumstances concerning herself, Sir James, and me which had given him +great uneasiness. In short, I found that she had in the first place actually +written to him to request his interference, and that, on receiving her letter, +he had conversed with her on the subject of it, in order to understand the +particulars, and to assure himself of her real wishes. I have not a doubt but +that the girl took this opportunity of making downright love to him. I am +convinced of it by the manner in which he spoke of her. Much good may such love +do him! I shall ever despise the man who can be gratified by the passion which +he never wished to inspire, nor solicited the avowal of. I shall always detest +them both. He can have no true regard for me, or he would not have listened to +her; and <i>she</i>, with her little rebellious heart and indelicate feelings, +to throw herself into the protection of a young man with whom she has scarcely +ever exchanged two words before! I am equally confounded at <i>her</i> +impudence and <i>his</i> credulity. How dared he believe what she told him in +my disfavour! Ought he not to have felt assured that I must have unanswerable +motives for all that I had done? Where was his reliance on my sense and +goodness then? Where the resentment which true love would have dictated against +the person defaming me—that person, too, a chit, a child, without talent +or education, whom he had been always taught to despise? I was calm for some +time; but the greatest degree of forbearance may be overcome, and I hope I was +afterwards sufficiently keen. He endeavoured, long endeavoured, to soften my +resentment; but that woman is a fool indeed who, while insulted by accusation, +can be worked on by compliments. At length he left me, as deeply provoked as +myself; and he showed his anger more. I was quite cool, but he gave way to the +most violent indignation; I may therefore expect it will the sooner subside, +and perhaps his may be vanished for ever, while mine will be found still fresh +and implacable. He is now shut up in his apartment, whither I heard him go on +leaving mine. How unpleasant, one would think, must be his reflections! but +some people’s feelings are incomprehensible. I have not yet tranquillised +myself enough to see Frederica. <i>She</i> shall not soon forget the +occurrences of this day; she shall find that she has poured forth her tender +tale of love in vain, and exposed herself for ever to the contempt of the whole +world, and the severest resentment of her injured mother. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Your affectionate<br/> +S. V<small>ERNON</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0023"></a> +XXIII</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Mrs. Vernon to Lady De Courcy.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Churchhill. +</p> + +<p> +Let me congratulate you, my dearest Mother! The affair which has given us so +much anxiety is drawing to a happy conclusion. Our prospect is most delightful, +and since matters have now taken so favourable a turn, I am quite sorry that I +ever imparted my apprehensions to you; for the pleasure of learning that the +danger is over is perhaps dearly purchased by all that you have previously +suffered. I am so much agitated by delight that I can scarcely hold a pen; but +am determined to send you a few short lines by James, that you may have some +explanation of what must so greatly astonish you, as that Reginald should be +returning to Parklands. I was sitting about half an hour ago with Sir James in +the breakfast parlour, when my brother called me out of the room. I instantly +saw that something was the matter; his complexion was raised, and he spoke with +great emotion; you know his eager manner, my dear mother, when his mind is +interested. “Catherine,” said he, “I am going home to-day; I +am sorry to leave you, but I must go: it is a great while since I have seen my +father and mother. I am going to send James forward with my hunters +immediately; if you have any letter, therefore, he can take it. I shall not be +at home myself till Wednesday or Thursday, as I shall go through London, where +I have business; but before I leave you,” he continued, speaking in a +lower tone, and with still greater energy, “I must warn you of one +thing—do not let Frederica Vernon be made unhappy by that Martin. He +wants to marry her; her mother promotes the match, but she cannot endure the +idea of it. Be assured that I speak from the fullest conviction of the truth of +what I say; I know that Frederica is made wretched by Sir James’s +continuing here. She is a sweet girl, and deserves a better fate. Send him away +immediately; he is only a fool: but what her mother can mean, Heaven only +knows! Good bye,” he added, shaking my hand with earnestness; “I do +not know when you will see me again; but remember what I tell you of Frederica; +you <i>must</i> make it your business to see justice done her. She is an +amiable girl, and has a very superior mind to what we have given her credit +for.” He then left me, and ran upstairs. I would not try to stop him, for +I knew what his feelings must be. The nature of mine, as I listened to him, I +need not attempt to describe; for a minute or two I remained in the same spot, +overpowered by wonder of a most agreeable sort indeed; yet it required some +consideration to be tranquilly happy. In about ten minutes after my return to +the parlour Lady Susan entered the room. I concluded, of course, that she and +Reginald had been quarrelling; and looked with anxious curiosity for a +confirmation of my belief in her face. Mistress of deceit, however, she +appeared perfectly unconcerned, and after chatting on indifferent subjects for +a short time, said to me, “I find from Wilson that we are going to lose +Mr. De Courcy—is it true that he leaves Churchhill this morning?” I +replied that it was. “He told us nothing of all this last night,” +said she, laughing, “or even this morning at breakfast; but perhaps he +did not know it himself. Young men are often hasty in their resolutions, and +not more sudden in forming than unsteady in keeping them. I should not be +surprised if he were to change his mind at last, and not go.” She soon +afterwards left the room. I trust, however, my dear mother, that we have no +reason to fear an alteration of his present plan; things have gone too far. +They must have quarrelled, and about Frederica, too. Her calmness astonishes +me. What delight will be yours in seeing him again; in seeing him still worthy +your esteem, still capable of forming your happiness! When I next write I shall +be able to tell you that Sir James is gone, Lady Susan vanquished, and +Frederica at peace. We have much to do, but it shall be done. I am all +impatience to hear how this astonishing change was effected. I finish as I +began, with the warmest congratulations. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Yours ever, &c.,<br/> +C<small>ATH</small>. V<small>ERNON</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0024"></a> +XXIV</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>From the same to the same.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Churchhill. +</p> + +<p> +Little did I imagine, my dear Mother, when I sent off my last letter, that the +delightful perturbation of spirits I was then in would undergo so speedy, so +melancholy a reverse. I never can sufficiently regret that I wrote to you at +all. Yet who could have foreseen what has happened? My dear mother, every hope +which made me so happy only two hours ago has vanished. The quarrel between +Lady Susan and Reginald is made up, and we are all as we were before. One point +only is gained. Sir James Martin is dismissed. What are we now to look forward +to? I am indeed disappointed; Reginald was all but gone, his horse was ordered +and all but brought to the door; who would not have felt safe? For half an hour +I was in momentary expectation of his departure. After I had sent off my letter +to you, I went to Mr. Vernon, and sat with him in his room talking over the +whole matter, and then determined to look for Frederica, whom I had not seen +since breakfast. I met her on the stairs, and saw that she was crying. +“My dear aunt,” said she, “he is going—Mr. De Courcy is +going, and it is all my fault. I am afraid you will be very angry with me, but +indeed I had no idea it would end so.” “My love,” I replied, +“do not think it necessary to apologize to me on that account. I shall +feel myself under an obligation to anyone who is the means of sending my +brother home, because,” recollecting myself, “I know my father +wants very much to see him. But what is it you have done to occasion all +this?” She blushed deeply as she answered: “I was so unhappy about +Sir James that I could not help—I have done something very wrong, I know; +but you have not an idea of the misery I have been in: and mamma had ordered me +never to speak to you or my uncle about it, and—” “You +therefore spoke to my brother to engage his interference,” said I, to +save her the explanation. “No, but I wrote to him—I did indeed, I +got up this morning before it was light, and was two hours about it; and when +my letter was done I thought I never should have courage to give it. After +breakfast however, as I was going to my room, I met him in the passage, and +then, as I knew that everything must depend on that moment, I forced myself to +give it. He was so good as to take it immediately. I dared not look at him, and +ran away directly. I was in such a fright I could hardly breathe. My dear aunt, +you do not know how miserable I have been.” “Frederica” said +I, “you ought to have told me all your distresses. You would have found +in me a friend always ready to assist you. Do you think that your uncle or I +should not have espoused your cause as warmly as my brother?” +“Indeed, I did not doubt your kindness,” said she, colouring again, +“but I thought Mr. De Courcy could do anything with my mother; but I was +mistaken: they have had a dreadful quarrel about it, and he is going away. +Mamma will never forgive me, and I shall be worse off than ever.” +“No, you shall not,” I replied; “in such a point as this your +mother’s prohibition ought not to have prevented your speaking to me on +the subject. She has no right to make you unhappy, and she shall <i>not</i> do +it. Your applying, however, to Reginald can be productive only of good to all +parties. I believe it is best as it is. Depend upon it that you shall not be +made unhappy any longer.” At that moment how great was my astonishment at +seeing Reginald come out of Lady Susan’s dressing-room. My heart misgave +me instantly. His confusion at seeing me was very evident. Frederica +immediately disappeared. “Are you going?” I said; “you will +find Mr. Vernon in his own room.” “No, Catherine,” he +replied, “I am not going. Will you let me speak to you a moment?” +We went into my room. “I find,” he continued, his confusion +increasing as he spoke, “that I have been acting with my usual foolish +impetuosity. I have entirely misunderstood Lady Susan, and was on the point of +leaving the house under a false impression of her conduct. There has been some +very great mistake; we have been all mistaken, I fancy. Frederica does not know +her mother. Lady Susan means nothing but her good, but she will not make a +friend of her. Lady Susan does not always know, therefore, what will make her +daughter happy. Besides, I could have no right to interfere. Miss Vernon was +mistaken in applying to me. In short, Catherine, everything has gone wrong, but +it is now all happily settled. Lady Susan, I believe, wishes to speak to you +about it, if you are at leisure.” “Certainly,” I replied, +deeply sighing at the recital of so lame a story. I made no comments, however, +for words would have been vain. +</p> + +<p> +Reginald was glad to get away, and I went to Lady Susan, curious, indeed, to +hear her account of it. “Did I not tell you,” said she with a +smile, “that your brother would not leave us after all?” “You +did, indeed,” replied I very gravely; “but I flattered myself you +would be mistaken.” “I should not have hazarded such an +opinion,” returned she, “if it had not at that moment occurred to +me that his resolution of going might be occasioned by a conversation in which +we had been this morning engaged, and which had ended very much to his +dissatisfaction, from our not rightly understanding each other’s meaning. +This idea struck me at the moment, and I instantly determined that an +accidental dispute, in which I might probably be as much to blame as himself, +should not deprive you of your brother. If you remember, I left the room almost +immediately. I was resolved to lose no time in clearing up those mistakes as +far as I could. The case was this—Frederica had set herself violently +against marrying Sir James.” “And can your ladyship wonder that she +should?” cried I with some warmth; “Frederica has an excellent +understanding, and Sir James has none.” “I am at least very far +from regretting it, my dear sister,” said she; “on the contrary, I +am grateful for so favourable a sign of my daughter’s sense. Sir James is +certainly below par (his boyish manners make him appear worse); and had +Frederica possessed the penetration and the abilities which I could have wished +in my daughter, or had I even known her to possess as much as she does, I +should not have been anxious for the match.” “It is odd that you +should alone be ignorant of your daughter’s sense!” +“Frederica never does justice to herself; her manners are shy and +childish, and besides she is afraid of me. During her poor father’s life +she was a spoilt child; the severity which it has since been necessary for me +to show has alienated her affection; neither has she any of that brilliancy of +intellect, that genius or vigour of mind which will force itself +forward.” “Say rather that she has been unfortunate in her +education!” “Heaven knows, my dearest Mrs. Vernon, how fully I am +aware of that; but I would wish to forget every circumstance that might throw +blame on the memory of one whose name is sacred with me.” Here she +pretended to cry; I was out of patience with her. “But what,” said +I, “was your ladyship going to tell me about your disagreement with my +brother?” “It originated in an action of my daughter’s, which +equally marks her want of judgment and the unfortunate dread of me I have been +mentioning—she wrote to Mr. De Courcy.” “I know she did; you +had forbidden her speaking to Mr. Vernon or to me on the cause of her distress; +what could she do, therefore, but apply to my brother?” “Good +God!” she exclaimed, “what an opinion you must have of me! Can you +possibly suppose that I was aware of her unhappiness! that it was my object to +make my own child miserable, and that I had forbidden her speaking to you on +the subject from a fear of your interrupting the diabolical scheme? Do you +think me destitute of every honest, every natural feeling? Am I capable of +consigning <i>her</i> to everlasting misery whose welfare it is my first +earthly duty to promote? The idea is horrible!” “What, then, was +your intention when you insisted on her silence?” “Of what use, my +dear sister, could be any application to you, however the affair might stand? +Why should I subject you to entreaties which I refused to attend to myself? +Neither for your sake nor for hers, nor for my own, could such a thing be +desirable. When my own resolution was taken I could not wish for the +interference, however friendly, of another person. I was mistaken, it is true, +but I believed myself right.” “But what was this mistake to which +your ladyship so often alludes? from whence arose so astonishing a +misconception of your daughter’s feelings? Did you not know that she +disliked Sir James?” “I knew that he was not absolutely the man she +would have chosen, but I was persuaded that her objections to him did not arise +from any perception of his deficiency. You must not question me, however, my +dear sister, too minutely on this point,” continued she, taking me +affectionately by the hand; “I honestly own that there is something to +conceal. Frederica makes me very unhappy! Her applying to Mr. De Courcy hurt me +particularly.” “What is it you mean to infer,” said I, +“by this appearance of mystery? If you think your daughter at all +attached to Reginald, her objecting to Sir James could not less deserve to be +attended to than if the cause of her objecting had been a consciousness of his +folly; and why should your ladyship, at any rate, quarrel with my brother for +an interference which, you must know, it is not in his nature to refuse when +urged in such a manner?” +</p> + +<p> +“His disposition, you know, is warm, and he came to expostulate with me; +his compassion all alive for this ill-used girl, this heroine in distress! We +misunderstood each other: he believed me more to blame than I really was; I +considered his interference less excusable than I now find it. I have a real +regard for him, and was beyond expression mortified to find it, as I thought, +so ill bestowed. We were both warm, and of course both to blame. His resolution +of leaving Churchhill is consistent with his general eagerness. When I +understood his intention, however, and at the same time began to think that we +had been perhaps equally mistaken in each other’s meaning, I resolved to +have an explanation before it was too late. For any member of your family I +must always feel a degree of affection, and I own it would have sensibly hurt +me if my acquaintance with Mr. De Courcy had ended so gloomily. I have now only +to say further, that as I am convinced of Frederica’s having a reasonable +dislike to Sir James, I shall instantly inform him that he must give up all +hope of her. I reproach myself for having, even though innocently, made her +unhappy on that score. She shall have all the retribution in my power to make; +if she value her own happiness as much as I do, if she judge wisely, and +command herself as she ought, she may now be easy. Excuse me, my dearest +sister, for thus trespassing on your time, but I owe it to my own character; +and after this explanation I trust I am in no danger of sinking in your +opinion.” I could have said, “Not much, indeed!” but I left +her almost in silence. It was the greatest stretch of forbearance I could +practise. I could not have stopped myself had I begun. Her assurance! her +deceit! but I will not allow myself to dwell on them; they will strike you +sufficiently. My heart sickens within me. As soon as I was tolerably composed I +returned to the parlour. Sir James’s carriage was at the door, and he, +merry as usual, soon afterwards took his leave. How easily does her ladyship +encourage or dismiss a lover! In spite of this release, Frederica still looks +unhappy: still fearful, perhaps, of her mother’s anger; and though +dreading my brother’s departure, jealous, it may be, of his staying. I +see how closely she observes him and Lady Susan, poor girl! I have now no hope +for her. There is not a chance of her affection being returned. He thinks very +differently of her from what he used to do; he does her some justice, but his +reconciliation with her mother precludes every dearer hope. Prepare, my dear +mother, for the worst! The probability of their marrying is surely heightened! +He is more securely hers than ever. When that wretched event takes place, +Frederica must belong wholly to us. I am thankful that my last letter will +precede this by so little, as every moment that you can be saved from feeling a +joy which leads only to disappointment is of consequence. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Yours ever, &c.,<br/> +C<small>ATHERINE</small> V<small>ERNON</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0025"></a> +XXV</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Lady Susan to Mrs. Johnson.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Churchhill. +</p> + +<p> +I call on you, dear Alicia, for congratulations: I am my own self, gay and +triumphant! When I wrote to you the other day I was, in truth, in high +irritation, and with ample cause. Nay, I know not whether I ought to be quite +tranquil now, for I have had more trouble in restoring peace than I ever +intended to submit to—a spirit, too, resulting from a fancied sense of +superior integrity, which is peculiarly insolent! I shall not easily forgive +him, I assure you. He was actually on the point of leaving Churchhill! I had +scarcely concluded my last, when Wilson brought me word of it. I found, +therefore, that something must be done; for I did not choose to leave my +character at the mercy of a man whose passions are so violent and so +revengeful. It would have been trifling with my reputation to allow of his +departing with such an impression in my disfavour; in this light, condescension +was necessary. I sent Wilson to say that I desired to speak with him before he +went; he came immediately. The angry emotions which had marked every feature +when we last parted were partially subdued. He seemed astonished at the +summons, and looked as if half wishing and half fearing to be softened by what +I might say. If my countenance expressed what I aimed at, it was composed and +dignified; and yet, with a degree of pensiveness which might convince him that +I was not quite happy. “I beg your pardon, sir, for the liberty I have +taken in sending for you,” said I; “but as I have just learnt your +intention of leaving this place to-day, I feel it my duty to entreat that you +will not on my account shorten your visit here even an hour. I am perfectly +aware that after what has passed between us it would ill suit the feelings of +either to remain longer in the same house: so very great, so total a change +from the intimacy of friendship must render any future intercourse the severest +punishment; and your resolution of quitting Churchhill is undoubtedly in unison +with our situation, and with those lively feelings which I know you to possess. +But, at the same time, it is not for me to suffer such a sacrifice as it must +be to leave relations to whom you are so much attached, and are so dear. My +remaining here cannot give that pleasure to Mr. and Mrs. Vernon which your +society must; and my visit has already perhaps been too long. My removal, +therefore, which must, at any rate, take place soon, may, with perfect +convenience, be hastened; and I make it my particular request that I may not in +any way be instrumental in separating a family so affectionately attached to +each other. Where I go is of no consequence to anyone; of very little to +myself; but you are of importance to all your connections.” Here I +concluded, and I hope you will be satisfied with my speech. Its effect on +Reginald justifies some portion of vanity, for it was no less favourable than +instantaneous. Oh, how delightful it was to watch the variations of his +countenance while I spoke! to see the struggle between returning tenderness and +the remains of displeasure. There is something agreeable in feelings so easily +worked on; not that I envy him their possession, nor would, for the world, have +such myself; but they are very convenient when one wishes to influence the +passions of another. And yet this Reginald, whom a very few words from me +softened at once into the utmost submission, and rendered more tractable, more +attached, more devoted than ever, would have left me in the first angry +swelling of his proud heart without deigning to seek an explanation. Humbled as +he now is, I cannot forgive him such an instance of pride, and am doubtful +whether I ought not to punish him by dismissing him at once after this +reconciliation, or by marrying and teazing him for ever. But these measures are +each too violent to be adopted without some deliberation; at present my +thoughts are fluctuating between various schemes. I have many things to +compass: I must punish Frederica, and pretty severely too, for her application +to Reginald; I must punish him for receiving it so favourably, and for the rest +of his conduct. I must torment my sister-in-law for the insolent triumph of her +look and manner since Sir James has been dismissed; for, in reconciling +Reginald to me, I was not able to save that ill-fated young man; and I must +make myself amends for the humiliation to which I have stooped within these few +days. To effect all this I have various plans. I have also an idea of being +soon in town; and whatever may be my determination as to the rest, I shall +probably put <i>that</i> project in execution; for London will be always the +fairest field of action, however my views may be directed; and at any rate I +shall there be rewarded by your society, and a little dissipation, for a ten +weeks’ penance at Churchhill. I believe I owe it to my character to +complete the match between my daughter and Sir James after having so long +intended it. Let me know your opinion on this point. Flexibility of mind, a +disposition easily biassed by others, is an attribute which you know I am not +very desirous of obtaining; nor has Frederica any claim to the indulgence of +her notions at the expense of her mother’s inclinations. Her idle love +for Reginald, too! It is surely my duty to discourage such romantic nonsense. +All things considered, therefore, it seems incumbent on me to take her to town +and marry her immediately to Sir James. When my own will is effected contrary +to his, I shall have some credit in being on good terms with Reginald, which at +present, in fact, I have not; for though he is still in my power, I have given +up the very article by which our quarrel was produced, and at best the honour +of victory is doubtful. Send me your opinion on all these matters, my dear +Alicia, and let me know whether you can get lodgings to suit me within a short +distance of you. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Your most attached<br/> +S. V<small>ERNON</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0026"></a> +XXVI</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Mrs. Johnson to Lady Susan.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Edward Street. +</p> + +<p> +I am gratified by your reference, and this is my advice: that you come to town +yourself, without loss of time, but that you leave Frederica behind. It would +surely be much more to the purpose to get yourself well established by marrying +Mr. De Courcy, than to irritate him and the rest of his family by making her +marry Sir James. You should think more of yourself and less of your daughter. +She is not of a disposition to do you credit in the world, and seems precisely +in her proper place at Churchhill, with the Vernons. But you are fitted for +society, and it is shameful to have you exiled from it. Leave Frederica, +therefore, to punish herself for the plague she has given you, by indulging +that romantic tender-heartedness which will always ensure her misery enough, +and come to London as soon as you can. I have another reason for urging this: +Mainwaring came to town last week, and has contrived, in spite of Mr. Johnson, +to make opportunities of seeing me. He is absolutely miserable about you, and +jealous to such a degree of De Courcy that it would be highly unadvisable for +them to meet at present. And yet, if you do not allow him to see you here, I +cannot answer for his not committing some great imprudence—such as going +to Churchhill, for instance, which would be dreadful! Besides, if you take my +advice, and resolve to marry De Courcy, it will be indispensably necessary to +you to get Mainwaring out of the way; and you only can have influence enough to +send him back to his wife. I have still another motive for your coming: Mr. +Johnson leaves London next Tuesday; he is going for his health to Bath, where, +if the waters are favourable to his constitution and my wishes, he will be laid +up with the gout many weeks. During his absence we shall be able to chuse our +own society, and to have true enjoyment. I would ask you to Edward Street, but +that once he forced from me a kind of promise never to invite you to my house; +nothing but my being in the utmost distress for money should have extorted it +from me. I can get you, however, a nice drawing-room apartment in Upper Seymour +Street, and we may be always together there or here; for I consider my promise +to Mr. Johnson as comprehending only (at least in his absence) your not +sleeping in the house. Poor Mainwaring gives me such histories of his +wife’s jealousy. Silly woman to expect constancy from so charming a man! +but she always was silly—intolerably so in marrying him at all, she the +heiress of a large fortune and he without a shilling: one title, I know, she +might have had, besides baronets. Her folly in forming the connection was so +great that, though Mr. Johnson was her guardian, and I do not in general share +<i>his</i> feelings, I never can forgive her. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Adieu. Yours ever,<br/> +A<small>LICIA</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0027"></a> +XXVII</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Mrs. Vernon to Lady De Courcy.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Churchhill. +</p> + +<p> +This letter, my dear Mother, will be brought you by Reginald. His long visit is +about to be concluded at last, but I fear the separation takes place too late +to do us any good. She is going to London to see her particular friend, Mrs. +Johnson. It was at first her intention that Frederica should accompany her, for +the benefit of masters, but we overruled her there. Frederica was wretched in +the idea of going, and I could not bear to have her at the mercy of her mother; +not all the masters in London could compensate for the ruin of her comfort. I +should have feared, too, for her health, and for everything but her +principles—there I believe she is not to be injured by her mother, or her +mother’s friends; but with those friends she must have mixed (a very bad +set, I doubt not), or have been left in total solitude, and I can hardly tell +which would have been worse for her. If she is with her mother, moreover, she +must, alas! in all probability be with Reginald, and that would be the greatest +evil of all. Here we shall in time be in peace, and our regular employments, +our books and conversations, with exercise, the children, and every domestic +pleasure in my power to procure her, will, I trust, gradually overcome this +youthful attachment. I should not have a doubt of it were she slighted for any +other woman in the world than her own mother. How long Lady Susan will be in +town, or whether she returns here again, I know not. I could not be cordial in +my invitation, but if she chuses to come no want of cordiality on my part will +keep her away. I could not help asking Reginald if he intended being in London +this winter, as soon as I found her ladyship’s steps would be bent +thither; and though he professed himself quite undetermined, there was +something in his look and voice as he spoke which contradicted his words. I +have done with lamentation; I look upon the event as so far decided that I +resign myself to it in despair. If he leaves you soon for London everything +will be concluded. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Your affectionate, &c.,<br/> +C. V<small>ERNON</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0028"></a> +XXVIII</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Mrs. Johnson to Lady Susan.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Edward Street. +</p> + +<p> +My dearest Friend,—I write in the greatest distress; the most unfortunate +event has just taken place. Mr. Johnson has hit on the most effectual manner of +plaguing us all. He had heard, I imagine, by some means or other, that you were +soon to be in London, and immediately contrived to have such an attack of the +gout as must at least delay his journey to Bath, if not wholly prevent it. I am +persuaded the gout is brought on or kept off at pleasure; it was the same when +I wanted to join the Hamiltons to the Lakes; and three years ago, when <i>I</i> +had a fancy for Bath, nothing could induce him to have a gouty symptom. +</p> + +<p> +I am pleased to find that my letter had so much effect on you, and that De +Courcy is certainly your own. Let me hear from you as soon as you arrive, and +in particular tell me what you mean to do with Mainwaring. It is impossible to +say when I shall be able to come to you; my confinement must be great. It is +such an abominable trick to be ill here instead of at Bath that I can scarcely +command myself at all. At Bath his old aunts would have nursed him, but here it +all falls upon me; and he bears pain with such patience that I have not the +common excuse for losing my temper. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Yours ever,<br/> +A<small>LICIA</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0029"></a> +XXIX</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Lady Susan Vernon to Mrs. Johnson.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Upper Seymour Street. +</p> + +<p> +My dear Alicia,—There needed not this last fit of the gout to make me +detest Mr. Johnson, but now the extent of my aversion is not to be estimated. +To have you confined as nurse in his apartment! My dear Alicia, of what a +mistake were you guilty in marrying a man of his age! just old enough to be +formal, ungovernable, and to have the gout; too old to be agreeable, too young +to die. I arrived last night about five, had scarcely swallowed my dinner when +Mainwaring made his appearance. I will not dissemble what real pleasure his +sight afforded me, nor how strongly I felt the contrast between his person and +manners and those of Reginald, to the infinite disadvantage of the latter. For +an hour or two I was even staggered in my resolution of marrying him, and +though this was too idle and nonsensical an idea to remain long on my mind, I +do not feel very eager for the conclusion of my marriage, nor look forward with +much impatience to the time when Reginald, according to our agreement, is to be +in town. I shall probably put off his arrival under some pretence or other. He +must not come till Mainwaring is gone. I am still doubtful at times as to +marrying; if the old man would die I might not hesitate, but a state of +dependance on the caprice of Sir Reginald will not suit the freedom of my +spirit; and if I resolve to wait for that event, I shall have excuse enough at +present in having been scarcely ten months a widow. I have not given Mainwaring +any hint of my intention, or allowed him to consider my acquaintance with +Reginald as more than the commonest flirtation, and he is tolerably appeased. +Adieu, till we meet; I am enchanted with my lodgings. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Yours ever,<br/> +S. V<small>ERNON</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0030"></a> +XXX</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Lady Susan Vernon to Mr. De Courcy.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Upper Seymour Street. +</p> + +<p> +I have received your letter, and though I do not attempt to conceal that I am +gratified by your impatience for the hour of meeting, I yet feel myself under +the necessity of delaying that hour beyond the time originally fixed. Do not +think me unkind for such an exercise of my power, nor accuse me of instability +without first hearing my reasons. In the course of my journey from Churchhill I +had ample leisure for reflection on the present state of our affairs, and every +review has served to convince me that they require a delicacy and cautiousness +of conduct to which we have hitherto been too little attentive. We have been +hurried on by our feelings to a degree of precipitation which ill accords with +the claims of our friends or the opinion of the world. We have been unguarded +in forming this hasty engagement, but we must not complete the imprudence by +ratifying it while there is so much reason to fear the connection would be +opposed by those friends on whom you depend. It is not for us to blame any +expectations on your father’s side of your marrying to advantage; where +possessions are so extensive as those of your family, the wish of increasing +them, if not strictly reasonable, is too common to excite surprize or +resentment. He has a right to require a woman of fortune in his +daughter-in-law, and I am sometimes quarrelling with myself for suffering you +to form a connection so imprudent; but the influence of reason is often +acknowledged too late by those who feel like me. I have now been but a few +months a widow, and, however little indebted to my husband’s memory for +any happiness derived from him during a union of some years, I cannot forget +that the indelicacy of so early a second marriage must subject me to the +censure of the world, and incur, what would be still more insupportable, the +displeasure of Mr. Vernon. I might perhaps harden myself in time against the +injustice of general reproach, but the loss of <i>his</i> valued esteem I am, +as you well know, ill-fitted to endure; and when to this may be added the +consciousness of having injured you with your family, how am I to support +myself? With feelings so poignant as mine, the conviction of having divided the +son from his parents would make me, even with you, the most miserable of +beings. It will surely, therefore, be advisable to delay our union—to +delay it till appearances are more promising—till affairs have taken a +more favourable turn. To assist us in such a resolution I feel that absence +will be necessary. We must not meet. Cruel as this sentence may appear, the +necessity of pronouncing it, which can alone reconcile it to myself, will be +evident to you when you have considered our situation in the light in which I +have found myself imperiously obliged to place it. You may be—you must +be—well assured that nothing but the strongest conviction of duty could +induce me to wound my own feelings by urging a lengthened separation, and of +insensibility to yours you will hardly suspect me. Again, therefore, I say that +we ought not, we must not, yet meet. By a removal for some months from each +other we shall tranquillise the sisterly fears of Mrs. Vernon, who, accustomed +herself to the enjoyment of riches, considers fortune as necessary everywhere, +and whose sensibilities are not of a nature to comprehend ours. Let me hear +from you soon—very soon. Tell me that you submit to my arguments, and do +not reproach me for using such. I cannot bear reproaches: my spirits are not so +high as to need being repressed. I must endeavour to seek amusement, and +fortunately many of my friends are in town; amongst them the Mainwarings; you +know how sincerely I regard both husband and wife. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +I am, very faithfully yours,<br/> +S. V<small>ERNON</small> +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0031"></a> +XXXI</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Lady Susan to Mrs. Johnson.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Upper Seymour Street. +</p> + +<p> +My dear Friend,—That tormenting creature, Reginald, is here. My letter, +which was intended to keep him longer in the country, has hastened him to town. +Much as I wish him away, however, I cannot help being pleased with such a proof +of attachment. He is devoted to me, heart and soul. He will carry this note +himself, which is to serve as an introduction to you, with whom he longs to be +acquainted. Allow him to spend the evening with you, that I may be in no danger +of his returning here. I have told him that I am not quite well, and must be +alone; and should he call again there might be confusion, for it is impossible +to be sure of servants. Keep him, therefore, I entreat you, in Edward Street. +You will not find him a heavy companion, and I allow you to flirt with him as +much as you like. At the same time, do not forget my real interest; say all +that you can to convince him that I shall be quite wretched if he remains here; +you know my reasons—propriety, and so forth. I would urge them more +myself, but that I am impatient to be rid of him, as Mainwaring comes within +half an hour. Adieu! +</p> + +<p class="right"> +S. V<small>ERNON</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0032"></a> +XXXII</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Mrs. Johnson to Lady Susan.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Edward Street. +</p> + +<p> +My dear Creature,—I am in agonies, and know not what to do. Mr. De Courcy +arrived just when he should not. Mrs. Mainwaring had that instant entered the +house, and forced herself into her guardian’s presence, though I did not +know a syllable of it till afterwards, for I was out when both she and Reginald +came, or I should have sent him away at all events; but she was shut up with +Mr. Johnson, while he waited in the drawing-room for me. She arrived yesterday +in pursuit of her husband, but perhaps you know this already from himself. She +came to this house to entreat my husband’s interference, and before I +could be aware of it, everything that you could wish to be concealed was known +to him, and unluckily she had wormed out of Mainwaring’s servant that he +had visited you every day since your being in town, and had just watched him to +your door herself! What could I do! Facts are such horrid things! All is by +this time known to De Courcy, who is now alone with Mr. Johnson. Do not accuse +me; indeed, it was impossible to prevent it. Mr. Johnson has for some time +suspected De Courcy of intending to marry you, and would speak with him alone +as soon as he knew him to be in the house. That detestable Mrs. Mainwaring, +who, for your comfort, has fretted herself thinner and uglier than ever, is +still here, and they have been all closeted together. What can be done? At any +rate, I hope he will plague his wife more than ever. With anxious wishes, +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Yours faithfully,<br/> +A<small>LICIA</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0033"></a> +XXXIII</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Lady Susan to Mrs. Johnson.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Upper Seymour Street. +</p> + +<p> +This <i>éclaircissement</i> is rather provoking. How unlucky that you should +have been from home! I thought myself sure of you at seven! I am undismayed +however. Do not torment yourself with fears on my account; depend on it, I can +make my story good with Reginald. Mainwaring is just gone; he brought me the +news of his wife’s arrival. Silly woman, what does she expect by such +manoeuvres? Yet I wish she had stayed quietly at Langford. Reginald will be a +little enraged at first, but by to-morrow’s dinner, everything will be +well again. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Adieu!<br/> +S. V. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0034"></a> +XXXIV</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Mr. De Courcy to Lady Susan.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +—— Hotel. +</p> + +<p> +I write only to bid you farewell, the spell is removed; I see you as you are. +Since we parted yesterday, I have received from indisputable authority such a +history of you as must bring the most mortifying conviction of the imposition I +have been under, and the absolute necessity of an immediate and eternal +separation from you. You cannot doubt to what I allude. Langford! Langford! +that word will be sufficient. I received my information in Mr. Johnson’s +house, from Mrs. Mainwaring herself. You know how I have loved you; you can +intimately judge of my present feelings, but I am not so weak as to find +indulgence in describing them to a woman who will glory in having excited their +anguish, but whose affection they have never been able to gain. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +R. D<small>E</small> C<small>OURCY</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0035"></a> +XXXV</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Lady Susan to Mr. De Courcy.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Upper Seymour Street. +</p> + +<p> +I will not attempt to describe my astonishment in reading the note this moment +received from you. I am bewildered in my endeavours to form some rational +conjecture of what Mrs. Mainwaring can have told you to occasion so +extraordinary a change in your sentiments. Have I not explained everything to +you with respect to myself which could bear a doubtful meaning, and which the +ill-nature of the world had interpreted to my discredit? What can you now have +heard to stagger your esteem for me? Have I ever had a concealment from you? +Reginald, you agitate me beyond expression, I cannot suppose that the old story +of Mrs. Mainwaring’s jealousy can be revived again, or at least be +<i>listened</i> to again. Come to me immediately, and explain what is at +present absolutely incomprehensible. Believe me, the single word of +<i>Langford</i> is not of such potent intelligence as to supersede the +necessity of more. If we <i>are</i> to part, it will at least be handsome to +take your personal leave—but I have little heart to jest; in truth, I am +serious enough; for to be sunk, though but for an hour, in your esteem is a +humiliation to which I know not how to submit. I shall count every minute till +your arrival. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +S. V. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0036"></a> +XXXVI</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Mr. De Courcy to Lady Susan.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +—— Hotel. +</p> + +<p> +Why would you write to me? Why do you require particulars? But, since it must +be so, I am obliged to declare that all the accounts of your misconduct during +the life, and since the death of Mr. Vernon, which had reached me, in common +with the world in general, and gained my entire belief before I saw you, but +which you, by the exertion of your perverted abilities, had made me resolved to +disallow, have been unanswerably proved to me; nay more, I am assured that a +connection, of which I had never before entertained a thought, has for some +time existed, and still continues to exist, between you and the man whose +family you robbed of its peace in return for the hospitality with which you +were received into it; that you have corresponded with him ever since your +leaving Langford; not with his wife, but with him, and that he now visits you +every day. Can you, dare you deny it? and all this at the time when I was an +encouraged, an accepted lover! From what have I not escaped! I have only to be +grateful. Far from me be all complaint, every sigh of regret. My own folly had +endangered me, my preservation I owe to the kindness, the integrity of another; +but the unfortunate Mrs. Mainwaring, whose agonies while she related the past +seemed to threaten her reason, how is <i>she</i> to be consoled! After such a +discovery as this, you will scarcely affect further wonder at my meaning in +bidding you adieu. My understanding is at length restored, and teaches no less +to abhor the artifices which had subdued me than to despise myself for the +weakness on which their strength was founded. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +R. D<small>E</small> C<small>OURCY</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0037"></a> +XXXVII</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Lady Susan to Mr. De Courcy.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Upper Seymour Street. +</p> + +<p> +I am satisfied, and will trouble you no more when these few lines are +dismissed. The engagement which you were eager to form a fortnight ago is no +longer compatible with your views, and I rejoice to find that the prudent +advice of your parents has not been given in vain. Your restoration to peace +will, I doubt not, speedily follow this act of filial obedience, and I flatter +myself with the hope of surviving my share in this disappointment. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +S. V. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0038"></a> +XXXVIII</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Mrs. Johnson to Lady Susan Vernon.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Edward Street +</p> + +<p> +I am grieved, though I cannot be astonished at your rupture with Mr. De Courcy; +he has just informed Mr. Johnson of it by letter. He leaves London, he says, +to-day. Be assured that I partake in all your feelings, and do not be angry if +I say that our intercourse, even by letter, must soon be given up. It makes me +miserable; but Mr. Johnson vows that if I persist in the connection, he will +settle in the country for the rest of his life, and you know it is impossible +to submit to such an extremity while any other alternative remains. You have +heard of course that the Mainwarings are to part, and I am afraid Mrs. M. will +come home to us again; but she is still so fond of her husband, and frets so +much about him, that perhaps she may not live long. Miss Mainwaring is just +come to town to be with her aunt, and they say that she declares she will have +Sir James Martin before she leaves London again. If I were you, I would +certainly get him myself. I had almost forgot to give you my opinion of Mr. De +Courcy; I am really delighted with him; he is full as handsome, I think, as +Mainwaring, and with such an open, good-humoured countenance, that one cannot +help loving him at first sight. Mr. Johnson and he are the greatest friends in +the world. Adieu, my dearest Susan, I wish matters did not go so perversely. +That unlucky visit to Langford! but I dare say you did all for the best, and +there is no defying destiny. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Your sincerely attached,<br/> +A<small>LICIA</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0039"></a> +XXXIX</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Lady Susan to Mrs. Johnson.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Upper Seymour Street. +</p> + +<p> +My dear Alicia,—I yield to the necessity which parts us. Under such +circumstances you could not act otherwise. Our friendship cannot be impaired by +it, and in happier times, when your situation is as independent as mine, it +will unite us again in the same intimacy as ever. For this I shall impatiently +wait, and meanwhile can safely assure you that I never was more at ease, or +better satisfied with myself and everything about me than at the present hour. +Your husband I abhor, Reginald I despise, and I am secure of never seeing +either again. Have I not reason to rejoice? Mainwaring is more devoted to me +than ever; and were we at liberty, I doubt if I could resist even matrimony +offered by <i>him</i>. This event, if his wife live with you, it may be in your +power to hasten. The violence of her feelings, which must wear her out, may be +easily kept in irritation. I rely on your friendship for this. I am now +satisfied that I never could have brought myself to marry Reginald, and am +equally determined that Frederica never <i>shall</i>. To-morrow, I shall fetch +her from Churchhill, and let Maria Mainwaring tremble for the consequence. +Frederica shall be Sir James’s wife before she quits my house, and +<i>she</i> may whimper, and the Vernons may storm, I regard them not. I am +tired of submitting my will to the caprices of others; of resigning my own +judgment in deference to those to whom I owe no duty, and for whom I feel no +respect. I have given up too much, have been too easily worked on, but +Frederica shall now feel the difference. Adieu, dearest of friends; may the +next gouty attack be more favourable! and may you always regard me as +unalterably yours, +</p> + +<p class="right"> +S. V<small>ERNON</small> +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0040"></a> +XL</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Lady De Courcy to Mrs. Vernon.</i> +</p> + +<p> +My dear Catherine,—I have charming news for you, and if I had not sent +off my letter this morning you might have been spared the vexation of knowing +of Reginald’s being gone to London, for he is returned. Reginald is +returned, not to ask our consent to his marrying Lady Susan, but to tell us +they are parted for ever. He has been only an hour in the house, and I have not +been able to learn particulars, for he is so very low that I have not the heart +to ask questions, but I hope we shall soon know all. This is the most joyful +hour he has ever given us since the day of his birth. Nothing is wanting but to +have you here, and it is our particular wish and entreaty that you would come +to us as soon as you can. You have owed us a visit many long weeks; I hope +nothing will make it inconvenient to Mr. Vernon; and pray bring all my +grand-children; and your dear niece is included, of course; I long to see her. +It has been a sad, heavy winter hitherto, without Reginald, and seeing nobody +from Churchhill. I never found the season so dreary before; but this happy +meeting will make us young again. Frederica runs much in my thoughts, and when +Reginald has recovered his usual good spirits (as I trust he soon will) we will +try to rob him of his heart once more, and I am full of hopes of seeing their +hands joined at no great distance. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Your affectionate mother,<br/> +C. D<small>E</small> C<small>OURCY</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_4_0041"></a> +XLI</h2> + +<p class="center"> +<i>Mrs. Vernon to Lady De Courcy.</i> +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Churchhill. +</p> + +<p> +My dear Mother,—Your letter has surprized me beyond measure! Can it be +true that they are really separated—and for ever? I should be overjoyed +if I dared depend on it, but after all that I have seen how can one be secure? +And Reginald really with you! My surprize is the greater because on Wednesday, +the very day of his coming to Parklands, we had a most unexpected and unwelcome +visit from Lady Susan, looking all cheerfulness and good-humour, and seeming +more as if she were to marry him when she got to London than as if parted from +him for ever. She stayed nearly two hours, was as affectionate and agreeable as +ever, and not a syllable, not a hint was dropped, of any disagreement or +coolness between them. I asked her whether she had seen my brother since his +arrival in town; not, as you may suppose, with any doubt of the fact, but +merely to see how she looked. She immediately answered, without any +embarrassment, that he had been kind enough to call on her on Monday; but she +believed he had already returned home, which I was very far from crediting. +Your kind invitation is accepted by us with pleasure, and on Thursday next we +and our little ones will be with you. Pray heaven, Reginald may not be in town +again by that time! I wish we could bring dear Frederica too, but I am sorry to +say that her mother’s errand hither was to fetch her away; and, miserable +as it made the poor girl, it was impossible to detain her. I was thoroughly +unwilling to let her go, and so was her uncle; and all that could be urged we +did urge; but Lady Susan declared that as she was now about to fix herself in +London for several months, she could not be easy if her daughter were not with +her for masters, &c. Her manner, to be sure, was very kind and proper, and +Mr. Vernon believes that Frederica will now be treated with affection. I wish I +could think so too. The poor girl’s heart was almost broke at taking +leave of us. I charged her to write to me very often, and to remember that if +she were in any distress we should be always her friends. I took care to see +her alone, that I might say all this, and I hope made her a little more +comfortable; but I shall not be easy till I can go to town and judge of her +situation myself. I wish there were a better prospect than now appears of the +match which the conclusion of your letter declares your expectations of. At +present, it is not very likely. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +Yours ever, &c.,<br/> +C. V<small>ERNON</small>. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="link2H_CONC"></a> +CONCLUSION</h2> + +<p> +This correspondence, by a meeting between some of the parties, and a separation +between the others, could not, to the great detriment of the Post Office +revenue, be continued any longer. Very little assistance to the State could be +derived from the epistolary intercourse of Mrs. Vernon and her niece; for the +former soon perceived, by the style of Frederica’s letters, that they +were written under her mother’s inspection! and therefore, deferring all +particular enquiry till she could make it personally in London, ceased writing +minutely or often. Having learnt enough, in the meanwhile, from her +open-hearted brother, of what had passed between him and Lady Susan to sink the +latter lower than ever in her opinion, she was proportionably more anxious to +get Frederica removed from such a mother, and placed under her own care; and, +though with little hope of success, was resolved to leave nothing unattempted +that might offer a chance of obtaining her sister-in-law’s consent to it. +Her anxiety on the subject made her press for an early visit to London; and Mr. +Vernon, who, as it must already have appeared, lived only to do whatever he was +desired, soon found some accommodating business to call him thither. With a +heart full of the matter, Mrs. Vernon waited on Lady Susan shortly after her +arrival in town, and was met with such an easy and cheerful affection, as made +her almost turn from her with horror. No remembrance of Reginald, no +consciousness of guilt, gave one look of embarrassment; she was in excellent +spirits, and seemed eager to show at once by every possible attention to her +brother and sister her sense of their kindness, and her pleasure in their +society. Frederica was no more altered than Lady Susan; the same restrained +manners, the same timid look in the presence of her mother as heretofore, +assured her aunt of her situation being uncomfortable, and confirmed her in the +plan of altering it. No unkindness, however, on the part of Lady Susan +appeared. Persecution on the subject of Sir James was entirely at an end; his +name merely mentioned to say that he was not in London; and indeed, in all her +conversation, she was solicitous only for the welfare and improvement of her +daughter, acknowledging, in terms of grateful delight, that Frederica was now +growing every day more and more what a parent could desire. Mrs. Vernon, +surprized and incredulous, knew not what to suspect, and, without any change in +her own views, only feared greater difficulty in accomplishing them. The first +hope of anything better was derived from Lady Susan’s asking her whether +she thought Frederica looked quite as well as she had done at Churchhill, as +she must confess herself to have sometimes an anxious doubt of London’s +perfectly agreeing with her. Mrs. Vernon, encouraging the doubt, directly +proposed her niece’s returning with them into the country. Lady Susan was +unable to express her sense of such kindness, yet knew not, from a variety of +reasons, how to part with her daughter; and as, though her own plans were not +yet wholly fixed, she trusted it would ere long be in her power to take +Frederica into the country herself, concluded by declining entirely to profit +by such unexampled attention. Mrs. Vernon persevered, however, in the offer of +it, and though Lady Susan continued to resist, her resistance in the course of +a few days seemed somewhat less formidable. The lucky alarm of an influenza +decided what might not have been decided quite so soon. Lady Susan’s +maternal fears were then too much awakened for her to think of anything but +Frederica’s removal from the risk of infection; above all disorders in +the world she most dreaded the influenza for her daughter’s constitution! +</p> + +<p> +Frederica returned to Churchhill with her uncle and aunt; and three weeks +afterwards, Lady Susan announced her being married to Sir James Martin. Mrs. +Vernon was then convinced of what she had only suspected before, that she might +have spared herself all the trouble of urging a removal which Lady Susan had +doubtless resolved on from the first. Frederica’s visit was nominally for +six weeks, but her mother, though inviting her to return in one or two +affectionate letters, was very ready to oblige the whole party by consenting to +a prolongation of her stay, and in the course of two months ceased to write of +her absence, and in the course of two more to write to her at all. Frederica +was therefore fixed in the family of her uncle and aunt till such time as +Reginald De Courcy could be talked, flattered, and finessed into an affection +for her which, allowing leisure for the conquest of his attachment to her +mother, for his abjuring all future attachments, and detesting the sex, might +be reasonably looked for in the course of a twelvemonth. Three months might +have done it in general, but Reginald’s feelings were no less lasting +than lively. Whether Lady Susan was or was not happy in her second choice, I do +not see how it can ever be ascertained; for who would take her assurance of it +on either side of the question? The world must judge from probabilities; she +had nothing against her but her husband, and her conscience. Sir James may seem +to have drawn a harder lot than mere folly merited; I leave him, therefore, to +all the pity that anybody can give him. For myself, I confess that <i>I</i> can +pity only Miss Mainwaring; who, coming to town, and putting herself to an +expense in clothes which impoverished her for two years, on purpose to secure +him, was defrauded of her due by a woman ten years older than herself. +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 946 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + |