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Charlotte Temple-Part2_Susanna Rowson(1762-1824)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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became almost inseparable companions.

"George chose the profession of a soldier. I had neither friends



or money to procure him a commission, and had wished him to embrace

a nautical life: but this was repugnant to his wishes, and I ceased



to urge him on the subject.

"The friendship subsisting between Lewis and my son was of such



a nature as gave him free access to our family; and so specious

was his manner that we hesitated not to state to him all our



little difficulties in regard to George's future views.

He listened to us with attention, and offered to advance any sum



necessary for his first setting out.

"I embraced the offer, and gave him my note for the payment of it,



but he would not suffer me to mention any stipulated time,

as he said I might do it whenever most convenient to myself.



About this time my dear Lucy returned from school, and I soon

began to imagine Lewis looked at her with eyes of affection.



I gave my child a caution to beware of him, and to look on her mother

as her fe,,end. She was unaffectedly artless; and when, as I suspected,



Lewis made professions of love, she confided in her parents,

and assured us her heart was perfectly unbiassed in his favour,



and she would chearfully submit to our direction.

"I took an early opportunity of questioning him concerning



his intentions towards my child: he gave an equivocal answer,

and I forbade him the house.



"The next day he sent and demanded payment of his money.

It was not in my power to comply with the demand. I requested three



days to endeavour to raise it, determining in that time to mortgage

my half pay, and live on a small annuity which my wife possessed,



rather than be under an obligation to so worthless a man:

but this short time was not allowed me; for that evening, as I was



sitting down to supper, unsuspicious of danger, an officer entered,

and tore me from the embraces of my family.



"My wife had been for some time in a declining state of health:

ruin at once so unexpected and inevitable was a stroke she was not



prepared to bear, and I saw her faint into the arms of our servant,

as I left my own habitation for the comfortless walls of a prison.



My poor Lucy, distracted with her fears for us both, sunk on the floor

and endeavoured to detain me by her feeble efforts, but in vain;



they forced open her arms; she shrieked, and fell prostrate.

But pardon me. The horrors of that night unman me.



I cannot proceed."

He rose from his seat, and walked several times across the room:



at length, attaining more composure, he cried--"What a mere

infant I am! Why, Sir, I never felt thus in the day of battle."



"No," said Temple; "but the truly brave soul is tremblingly alive

to the feelings of humanity."



"True," replied the old man, (something like satisfaction darting

across his features) "and painful as these feelings are, I would not



exchange them for that torpor which the stoic mistakes for philosophy.

How many exquisite delights should I have passed by unnoticed,



but for these keen sensations, this quick sense of happiness or misery?

Then let us, my friend, take the cup of life as it is presented to us,



tempered by the hand of a wise Providence; be thankful for the good,

be patient under the evil, and presume not to enquire why



the latter predominates."

"This is true philosophy," said Temple.



"'Tis the only way to reconcile ourselves to the cross events of life,"

replied he. "But I forget myself. I will not longer intrude on



your patience, but proceed in my melancholy tale.

"The very evening that I was taken to prison, my son arrived



from Ireland, where he had been some time with his regiment.




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