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Lady Susan-Part1_Jane Austen(1775-1817)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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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 previouslyattached to Mr.



Mainwaring's sister deprived an amiable girl of her lover.

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.

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,

Your affectionate brother,



R. DE COURCY.

V



LADY SUSAN VERNON TO MRS. JOHNSON

Churchhill.



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 DID 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.



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






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