XXX

LADY SUSAN VERNON TO MR. DE COURCY



Upper Seymour Street.

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 HIS 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.



I am, very faithfully yours,

S. VERNON



XXXI

LADY SUSAN TO MRS. JOHNSON



Upper Seymour Street.

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

• discourage [dis´kʌridʒ] vt.使泄气，使沮丧 (初中英语单词)


• therefore [´ðeəfɔ:] ad.&conj.因此；所以 (初中英语单词)


• contrary [´kɔntrəri] a.相反的 n.相反 (初中英语单词)


• victory [´viktəri] n.胜利，战胜 (初中英语单词)


• reference [´refərəns] n.参考；参照；出处 (初中英语单词)


• disposition [,dispə´ziʃən] n.安排；性情；倾向 (初中英语单词)


• punish [´pʌniʃ] vt.(惩)罚；痛击；折磨 (初中英语单词)


• romantic [rəu´mæntik] a.传奇(式)的；浪漫的 (初中英语单词)


• misery [´mizəri] n.痛苦；悲惨；穷困 (初中英语单词)


• absolutely [´æbsəlu:tli] ad.绝对地；确实 (初中英语单词)


• miserable [´mizərəbəl] a.悲惨的；可怜的 (初中英语单词)


• instance [´instəns] n.例子，实例，例证 (初中英语单词)


• resolve [ri´zɔlv] v.决心 n.决心；刚毅 (初中英语单词)


• utmost [´ʌtməust] a.最大的 n.极端 (初中英语单词)


• distress [di´stres] n.痛苦 vt.使苦恼 (初中英语单词)


• apartment [ə´pɑ:tmənt] n.一套房间 (初中英语单词)


• charming [´tʃɑ:miŋ] a.可爱的；极好的 (初中英语单词)


• connection [kə´nekʃən] n.联系；关系；联运 (初中英语单词)


• forgive [fə´giv] vt.原谅，谅解，宽恕 (初中英语单词)


• intention [in´tenʃən] n.意图；打算；意义 (初中英语单词)


• wretched [´retʃid] a.可怜的；倒霉的 (初中英语单词)


• moreover [mɔ:´rəuvə] ad.再者，此外，而且 (初中英语单词)


• procure [prə´kjuə] v.获得；完(达)成；实现 (初中英语单词)


• overcome [,əuvə´kʌm] vt.战胜，克服 (初中英语单词)


• invitation [,invi´teiʃən] n.邀请；请帖；吸引 (初中英语单词)


• thither [´ðiðə] ad.到那里 a.那边的 (初中英语单词)


• resign [ri´zain] v.辞职；放弃；委托 (初中英语单词)


• despair [di´speə] vi.&n.绝望 (初中英语单词)


• wholly [´həul-li] ad.完全，十足；统统 (初中英语单词)


• patience [´peiʃəns] n.忍耐(力)；耐心；坚韧 (初中英语单词)


• extent [ik´stent] n.长度；程度；范围 (初中英语单词)


• guilty [´gilti] a.有罪的；心虚的 (初中英语单词)


• formal [´fɔ:məl] a.正式的；外表的 (初中英语单词)


• strongly [´strɔŋli] ad.强烈地；强有力地 (初中英语单词)


• contrast [´kɔntrɑ:st] n.对比 v.使对比(照) (初中英语单词)


• resolution [,rezə´lu:ʃən] n.决心；坚决；果断 (初中英语单词)


• conclusion [kən´klu:ʒən] n.结束；结论；推论 (初中英语单词)


• agreement [ə´gri:mənt] n.同意；一致；协议 (初中英语单词)


• arrival [ə´raivəl] n.到达；到达的人(物) (初中英语单词)


• hesitate [´heziteit] vi.犹豫，踌躇 (初中英语单词)


• conceal [kən´si:l] vt.藏；隐瞒 (初中英语单词)


• reflection [ri´flekʃən] n.反射；映象；想法 (初中英语单词)


• review [ri´vju:] v.&n.复习；回顾；检查 (初中英语单词)


• convince [kən´vins] vt.使确信；使认识错误 (初中英语单词)


• attentive [ə´tentiv] a.注意的；殷勤的 (初中英语单词)


• advantage [əd´vɑ:ntidʒ] n.优势；利益 (初中英语单词)


• reasonable [´rizənəbəl] a.合理的；有理智的 (初中英语单词)


• excite [ik´sait] vt.激动；引起，招惹 (初中英语单词)


• suffering [´sʌfəriŋ] n.痛苦；灾害 (初中英语单词)


• endure [in´djuə] vt.忍耐，忍受；坚持 (初中英语单词)


• conviction [kən´vikʃən] n.定罪；确信，信服 (初中英语单词)


• assist [ə´sist] v.协助；援助；搀扶 (初中英语单词)


• absence [´æbsəns] n.不在，缺席；缺乏 (初中英语单词)


• sentence [´sentəns] n.判决 vt.宣判；处刑 (初中英语单词)


• evident [´evidənt] a.明显的，明白的 (初中英语单词)


• suspect [´sʌspekt, sə´spekt] v.怀疑；觉得 n.嫌疑犯 (初中英语单词)


• riches [´ritʃiz] n.房地产；丰富 (初中英语单词)


• submit [səb´mit] vt.使服从；使忍受 (初中英语单词)


• endeavour [in´devə] n.&v.努力，试图，尽力 (初中英语单词)


• amusement [ə´mju:zmənt] n.娱乐；文娱设施 (初中英语单词)


• nonsense [´nɔnsəns] n.胡说 int.胡说!废话 (高中英语单词)


• doubtful [´dautful] a.怀疑的，可疑的 (高中英语单词)


• irritate [´iriteit] vt.激怒；刺激 (高中英语单词)


• precisely [pri´saisli] ad.精确地；刻板地 (高中英语单词)


• seeing [si:iŋ] see的现在分词 n.视觉 (高中英语单词)


• shilling [´ʃiliŋ] n.先令 (高中英语单词)


• guardian [´gɑ:diən] n.监护人；保护人 (高中英语单词)


• separation [,sepə´reiʃən] n.分离；分开；分居 (高中英语单词)


• solitude [´sɔlitju:d] n.孤独；寂寞；荒凉 (高中英语单词)


• probability [,prɔbə´biliti] n.或有；可能性 (高中英语单词)


• decided [di´saidid] a.明显的；决定的 (高中英语单词)


• affectionate [ə´fekʃənit] a.亲爱的 (高中英语单词)


• disadvantage [,disəd´vɑ:ntidʒ] n.不利(条件)；损失 (高中英语单词)


• pretence [pri´tens] n.假装；托词；无理要求 (高中英语单词)


• hearing [´hiəriŋ] n.听力；听证会；审讯 (高中英语单词)


• leisure [´leʒə] n.空闲；悠闲；安定 (高中英语单词)


• delicacy [´delikəsi] n.精美；娇弱，微妙 (高中英语单词)


• hurried [´hʌrid] a.仓促的，慌忙的 (高中英语单词)


• resentment [ri´zentmənt] n.不满；怨恨；忿恨 (高中英语单词)


• harden [´hɑ:dn] v.变硬；变得冷酷 (高中英语单词)


• injustice [in´dʒʌstis] n.不公正，不公平 (高中英语单词)


• reproach [ri´prəutʃ] vt.&n.责备；指责；耻辱 (高中英语单词)


• esteem [i´sti:m] n.尊重 vt.认为；感到 (高中英语单词)


• consciousness [´kɔnʃəsnis] n.意识；觉悟；知觉 (高中英语单词)


• reconcile [´rekənsail] vt.调和；使和谐 (高中英语单词)


• removal [ri´mu:vəl] a.可移动的；可去除的 (高中英语单词)


• enjoyment [in´dʒɔimənt] n.享受；愉快；乐趣 (高中英语单词)


• comprehend [,kɔmpri´hend] vt.了解；领会；包含 (高中英语单词)


• fortunately [´fɔ:tʃənətli] ad.幸运地 (高中英语单词)


• amongst [ə´mʌŋst] prep.其中之一 =among (高中英语单词)


• faithfully [´feiθfəli] ad.忠实地；诚恳地 (高中英语单词)


• indulgence [in´dʌldʒəns] n.沉迷；宽容；恩惠 (英语四级单词)


• shameful [´ʃeimfəl] a.可耻的；猥亵的 (英语四级单词)


• compensate [´kɔmpenseit] v.赔偿；补偿；酬报 (英语四级单词)


• attachment [ə´tætʃmənt] n.附着；附件；爱慕 (英语四级单词)


• lamentation [,læmen´teiʃən] n.悲痛，哀悼，痛哭 (英语四级单词)


• abominable [ə´bɔminəbəl] a.可憎的；极坏的 (英语四级单词)


• impatience [im´peiʃəns] n.不耐烦，急躁 (英语四级单词)


• unkind [,ʌn´kaind] a.不客气的；不和善的 (英语四级单词)


• censure [´senʃə] vt.&n.责备；非难 (英语四级单词)


• displeasure [dis´pleʒə] n.不高兴，不快，生气 (英语四级单词)


• devoted [di´vəutid] a.献身…的，忠实的 (英语四级单词)


• constancy [´kɔnstənsi] n.坚定；坚贞；坚久不变 (英语六级单词)


• unguarded [ʌn´gɑ:did] a.不谨慎的；轻率的 (英语六级单词)


• indebted [in´detid] a.负债的；感恩的 (英语六级单词)


• advisable [əd´vaizəbl] a.合适的，得当的 (英语六级单词)


• assured [ə´ʃuəd] a.确实的 n.被保险人 (英语六级单词)