love and freindship-第3部分

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t　Entrance　in　the　Neighbourhood；　taken　due　care　to　inform　the　surrounding　Families；　that　as　their　happiness　centered　wholly　in　themselves；　they　wished　for　no　other　society。　　But　alas！　　my　Dear　Marianne　such　Happiness　as　I　then　enjoyed　was　too　perfect　to　be　lasting。　　A　most　severe　and　unexpected　Blow　at　once　destroyed　every　sensation　of　Pleasure。　　Convinced　as　you　must　be　from　what　I　have　already　told　you　concerning　Augustus　and　Sophia；　that　there　never　were　a　happier　Couple；　I　need　not　I　imagine；　inform　you　that　their　union　had　been　contrary　to　the　inclinations　of　their　Cruel　and　Mercenery　Parents；　who　had　vainly　endeavoured　with　obstinate　Perseverance　to　force　them　into　a　Marriage　with　those　whom　they　had　ever　abhorred；　but　with　a　Heroic　Fortitude　worthy　to　be　related　and　admired；　they　had　both；　constantly　refused　to　submit　to　such　despotic　Power。

After　having　so　nobly　disentangled　themselves　from　the　shackles　of　Parental　Authority；　by　a　Clandestine　Marriage；　they　were　determined　never　to　forfeit　the　good　opinion　they　had　gained　in　the　World；　in　so　doing；　by　accepting　any　proposals　of　reconciliation　that　might　be　offered　them　by　their　Fathersto　this　farther　tryal　of　their　noble　independance　however　they　never　were　exposed。

They　had　been　married　but　a　few　months　when　our　visit　to　them　commenced　during　which　time　they　had　been　amply　supported　by　a　considerable　sum　of　money　which　Augustus　had　gracefully　purloined　from　his　unworthy　father's　Escritoire；　a　few　days　before　his　union　with　Sophia。

By　our　arrival　their　Expenses　were　considerably　encreased　tho'　their　means　for　supplying　them　were　then　nearly　exhausted。　　But　they；　Exalted　Creatures！　　scorned　to　reflect　a　moment　on　their　pecuniary　Distresses　and　would　have　blushed　at　the　idea　of　paying　their　Debts。Alas！　　what　was　their　Reward　for　such　disinterested　Behaviour！　　The　beautifull　Augustus　was　arrested　and　we　were　all　undone。　　Such　perfidious　Treachery　in　the　merciless　perpetrators　of　the　Deed　will　shock　your　gentle　nature　Dearest　Marianne　as　much　as　it　then　affected　the　Delicate　sensibility　of　Edward；　Sophia；　your　Laura；　and　of　Augustus　himself。　　To　compleat　such　unparalelled　Barbarity　we　were　informed　that　an　Execution　in　the　House　would　shortly　take　place。　　Ah！　　what　could　we　do　but　what　we　did！　　We　sighed　and　fainted　on　the　sofa。　Adeiu　Laura。



LETTER　10th　LAURA　in　continuation

When　we　were　somewhat　recovered　from　the　overpowering　Effusions　of　our　grief；　Edward　desired　that　we　would　consider　what　was　the　most　prudent　step　to　be　taken　in　our　unhappy　situation　while　he　repaired　to　his　imprisoned　freind　to　lament　over　his　misfortunes。　We　promised　that　we　would；　and　he　set　forwards　on　his　journey　to　Town。　　During　his　absence　we　faithfully　complied　with　his　Desire　and　after　the　most　mature　Deliberation；　at　length　agreed　that　the　best　thing　we　could　do　was　to　leave　the　House；　of　which　we　every　moment　expected　the　officers　of　Justice　to　take　possession。　　We　waited　therefore　with　the　greatest　impatience；　for　the　return　of　Edward　in　order　to　impart　to　him　the　result　of　our　Deliberations。　But　no　Edward　appeared。　　In　vain　did　we　count　the　tedious　moments　of　his　absencein　vain　did　we　weepin　vain　even　did　we　sighno　Edward　returned。　　This　was　too　cruel；　too　unexpected　a　Blow　to　our　Gentle　Sensibilitywe　could　not　support　itwe　could　only　faint。　　At　length　collecting　all　the　Resolution　I　was　Mistress　of；　I　arose　and　after　packing　up　some　necessary　apparel　for　Sophia　and　myself；　I　dragged　her　to　a　Carriage　I　had　ordered　and　we　instantly　set　out　for　London。　　As　the　Habitation　of　Augustus　was　within　twelve　miles　of　Town；　it　was　not　long　e'er　we　arrived　there；　and　no　sooner　had　we　entered　Holboun　than　letting　down　one　of　the　Front　Glasses　I　enquired　of　every　decent…looking　Person　that　we　passed　〃If　they　had　seen　my　Edward？〃

But　as　we　drove　too　rapidly　to　allow　them　to　answer　my　repeated　Enquiries；　I　gained　little；　or　indeed；　no　information　concerning　him。　　〃Where　am　I　to　drive？〃　　said　the　Postilion。　　〃To　Newgate　Gentle　Youth　（replied　I）；　to　see　Augustus。〃　　〃Oh！　　no；　no；　（exclaimed　Sophia）　I　cannot　go　to　Newgate；　I　shall　not　be　able　to　support　the　sight　of　my　Augustus　in　so　cruel　a　confinementmy　feelings　are　sufficiently　shocked　by　the　RECITAL；　of　his　Distress；　but　to　behold　it　will　overpower　my　Sensibility。〃　As　I　perfectly　agreed　with　her　in　the　Justice　of　her　Sentiments　the　Postilion　was　instantly　directed　to　return　into　the　Country。　　You　may　perhaps　have　been　somewhat　surprised　my　Dearest　Marianne；　that　in　the　Distress　I　then　endured；　destitute　of　any　support；　and　unprovided　with　any　Habitation；　I　should　never　once　have　remembered　my　Father　and　Mother　or　my　paternal　Cottage　in　the　Vale　of　Uske。　　To　account　for　this　seeming　forgetfullness　I　must　inform　you　of　a　trifling　circumstance　concerning　them　which　I　have　as　yet　never　mentioned。　The　death　of　my　Parents　a　few　weeks　after　my　Departure；　is　the　circumstance　I　allude　to。　　By　their　decease　I　became　the　lawfull　Inheritress　of　their　House　and　Fortune。　　But　alas！　　the　House　had　never　been　their　own　and　their　Fortune　had　only　been　an　Annuity　on　their　own　Lives。　　Such　is　the　Depravity　of　the　World！　　To　your　Mother　I　should　have　returned　with　Pleasure；　should　have　been　happy　to　have　introduced　to　her；　my　charming　Sophia　and　should　with　Chearfullness　have　passed　the　remainder　of　my　Life　in　their　dear　Society　in　the　Vale　of　Uske；　had　not　one　obstacle　to　the　execution　of　so　agreable　a　scheme；　intervened；　which　was　the　Marriage　and　Removal　of　your　Mother　to　a　distant　part　of　Ireland。　Adeiu　Laura。



LETTER　11th　LAURA　in　continuation

〃I　have　a　Relation　in　Scotland　（said　Sophia　to　me　as　we　left　London）　who　I　am　certain　would　not　hesitate　in　receiving　me。〃　〃Shall　I　order　the　Boy　to　drive　there？〃　said　Ibut　instantly　recollecting　myself；　exclaimed；　〃Alas　I　fear　it　will　be　too　long　a　Journey　for　the　Horses。〃　Unwilling　however　to　act　only　from　my　own　inadequate　Knowledge　of　the　Strength　and　Abilities　of　Horses；　I　consulted　the　Postilion；　who　was　entirely　of　my　Opinion　concerning　the　Affair。　　We　therefore　determined　to　change　Horses　at　the　next　Town　and　to　travel　Post　the　remainder　of　the　Journey　。　　When　we　arrived　at　the　last　Inn　we　were　to　stop　at；　which　was　but　a　few　miles　from　the　House　of　Sophia's　Relation；　unwilling　to　intrude　our　Society　on　him　unexpected　and　unthought　of；　we　wrote　a　very　elegant　and　well　penned　Note　to　him　containing　an　account　of　our　Destitute　and　melancholy　Situation；　and　of　our　intention　to　spend　some　months　with　him　in　Scotland。　As　soon　as　we　had　dispatched　this　Letter；　we　immediately　prepared　to　follow　it　in　person　and　were　stepping　into　the　Carriage　for　that　Purpose　when　our　attention　was　attracted　by　the　Entrance　of　a　coroneted　Coach　and　4　into　the　Inn…yard。　　A　Gentleman　considerably　advanced　in　years　descended　from　it。　　At　his　first　Appearance　my　Sensibility　was　wonderfully　affected　and　e'er　I　had　gazed　at　him　a　2d　time；　an　instinctive　sympathy　whispered　to　my　Heart；　that　he　was　my　Grandfather。　　Convinced　that　I　could　not　be　mistaken　in　my　conjecture　I　instantly　sprang　from　the　Carriage　I　had　just　entered；　and　following　the　Venerable　Stranger　into　the　Room　he　had　been　shewn　to；　I　threw　myself　on　my　knees　before　him　and　besought　him　to　acknowledge　me　as　his　Grand　Child。　　He　started；　and　having　attentively　examined　my　features；　raised　me　from　the　Ground　and　throwing　his　Grand…fatherly　arms　around　my　Neck；　exclaimed；　〃Acknowledge　thee！　　Yes　dear　resemblance　of　my　Laurina　and　Laurina's　Daughter；　sweet　image　of　my　Claudia　and　my　Claudia's　Mother；　I　do　acknowledge　thee　as　the　Daughter　of　the　one　and　the　Grandaughter　of　the　other。〃　While　he　was　thus　tenderly　embracing　me；　Sophia　astonished　at　my　precipitate　Departure；　entered　the　Room　in　search　of　me。　　No　sooner　had　she　caught　the　eye　of　the　venerable　Peer；　than　he　exclaimed　with　every　mark　of　Astonishment　〃Another　Grandaughter！　　Yes；　yes；　I　see　you　are　the　Daughter　of　my　Laurina's　eldest　Girl；　your　resemblance　to　the　beauteous　Matilda　sufficiently　proclaims　it。　〃Oh！〃　replied　Sophia；　〃when　I　first　beheld　you　the　instinct　of　Nature　whispered　me　that　we　were　in　some　degree　relatedBut　whether　Grandfathers；　or　Grandmothers；　I　could　not　pretend　to　determine。〃　He　folded　her　in　his　arms；　and　whilst　they　were　tenderly　embracing；　the　Door　of　the　Apartment　opened　and　a　most　beautifull　young　Man　appeared。　　On　perceiving　him　Lord　St。　Clair　started　and　retreating　back　a　few　paces；　with　uplifted　Hands；　said；　〃Another　Grand…child！　　What　an　unexpected　Happiness　is　this！　　to　discover　in　the　space　of　3　minutes；　as　many　of　my　Descendants！　　This　I　am　certain　is　Philander　the　son　of　my　Laurina's　3d　girl　the　amiable　Bertha；　there　wants　now　but　the　presence　of　Gustavus　to　compleat　the　Union　of　my　Laurina's　Grand…　Children。〃

〃And　here　he　is；　（said　a　Gracefull　Youth　who　that　instant　entered　the　room）　here　is　the　Gustavus　you　desire　to　see。　　I　am　the　son　of　Agatha　your　Laurina's　4th　and　youngest　Daughter；〃　〃I　see　you　are　indeed；　replied　Lord　St。　ClairBut　tell　me　（continued　he　looking　fearfully　towards　the　Door）　tell　me；　have　I　any　other　Grand…children　in　the　House。〃　〃None　my　Lord。〃　〃Then　I　will　provide　for　you　all　without　farther　delayHere　are　4　Banknotes　of　50L　eachTake　them　and　remember　I　ha