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From This World to the Next-Part19_HENRY FIELDING(1707-1754)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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hoped, by the help of my resentment, to be able to meet him with

indifference. This employed my thoughts till our arrival. The



next day there was a very full court to congratulate the queen on

her recovery; and amongst the rest my love appeared dressed and



adorned as if he designed some new conquest. Instead of seeing a

woman he despised and slighted, he approached me with that



assured air which is common to successful coxcombs. At the same

time I perceived I was surrounded by all those ladies who were on



his account my greatest enemies, and, in revenge, wished for

nothing more than to see me make a ridiculous figure. This



situation so perplexed my thoughts, that when he came near enough

to speak to me, I fainted away in his arms. Had I studied which



way I could gratify him most, it was impossible to have done

anything to have pleased him more. Some that stood by brought



smelling-bottles, and used means for my recovery; and I was

welcomed to returning life by all those repartees which women



enraged by envy are capable of venting. One cried 'Well, I never

thought my lord had anything so frightful in his person or so



fierce in his manner as to strike a young lady dead at the sight

of him.' 'No, no,' says another, 'some ladies' senses are more



apt to be hurried by agreeable than disagreeable objects.' With

many more such sort of speeches which showed more malice than



wit. This not being able to bear, trembling, and with but just

strength enough to move, I crawled to my coach and hurried home.



When I was alone, and thought on what had happened to me in a

public court, I was at first driven to the utmostdespair; but



afterwards, when I came to reflect, I believe this accident

contributed more to my being cured of my passion than any other



could have done. I began to think the only method to pique the

man who had used me so barbarously, and to be revenged on my



spiteful rivals, was to recover that beauty which was then

languid and had lost its luster, to let them see I had still



charms enough to engage as many lovers as I could desire, and

that I could yet rival them who had thus cruelly insulted me.



These pleasing hopes revived my sinking spirits. and worked a

more effectual cure on me than all the philosophy and advice of



the wisest men could have done. I now employed all my time and

care in adorning my person, and studying the surest means of



engaging the affections of others, while I myself continued quite

indifferent; for I resolved for the future, if ever one soft



thought made its way to my heart, to fly the object of it, and by

new lovers to drive the image from my breast. I consulted my



glass every morning, and got such a command of my countenance

that I could suit it to the different tastes of variety of



lovers; and though I was young, for I was not yet above

seventeen, yet my public way of life gave me such continual



opportunities of conversing with men, and the strong desire I now

had of pleasing them led me to make such constant observations on



everything they said or did, that I soon found out the different

methods of dealing with them. I observed that most men generally



liked in women what was most opposite to their own characters;

therefore to the grave solid man of sense I endeavored to appear



sprightly and full of spirit; to the witty and gay, soft and

languishing; to the amorous (for they want no increase of their



passions), cold and reserved; to the fearful and backward, warm

and full of fire; and so of all the rest. As to beaux, and all



of those sort of men, whose desires are centered in the

satisfaction of their vanity, I had learned by sad experience the



only way to deal with them was to laugh at them and let their own

good opinion of themselves be the only support of their hopes. I



knew, while I could get other followers, I was sure of them; for

the only sign of modesty they ever give is that of not depending



on their own judgments, but following the opinions of the

greatest number. Thus furnished with maxims, and grown wise by



past errors, I in a manner began the world again: I appeared in

all public places handsomer and more lively than ever, to the






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