of your lost CHARLOTTE.

CHAPTER XXIII.



A MAN MAY SMILE, AND SMILE,

AND BE A VILLAIN.



WHILE Charlotte was enjoying some small degree of comfort

in the consoling friendship of Mrs. Beauchamp, Montraville was



advancing rapidly in his affection towards Miss Franklin.

Julia was an amiable girl; she saw only the fair side of his character;



she possessed an independent fortune, and resolved to be happy

with the man of her heart, though his rank and fortune were by no



means so exalted as she had a right to expect; she saw the passion

which Montraville struggled to conceal; she wondered at his timidity,



but imagined the distance fortune had placed between them occasioned

his backwardness, and made every advance which strict prudence



and a becoming modesty would permit. Montraville saw with pleasure

he was not indifferent to her, but a spark of honour which animated



his bosom would not suffer him to take advantage of her partiality.

He was well acquainted with Charlotte's situation, and he thought



there would be a double cruelty in forsaking her at such a time;

and to marry Miss Franklin, while honour, humanity, every sacred law,



obliged him still to protect and support Charlotte, was a baseness

which his soul shuddered at.



He communicated his uneasiness to Belcour: it was the very

thing this pretended friend had wished. "And do you really,"



said he, laughing, "hesitate at marrying the lovely Julia,

and becoming master of her fortune, because a little foolish,



fond girl chose to leave her friends, and run away with you to America.

Dear Montraville, act more like a man of sense; this whining,



pining Charlotte, who occasions you so much uneasiness, would have

eloped with somebody else if she had not with you."



"Would to heaven," said Montraville, "I had never seen her;

my regard for her was but the momentarypassion of desire, but I



feel I shall love and revere Julia Franklin as long as I live;

yet to leave poor Charlotte in her present situation would be



cruel beyond description."

"Oh my good sentimental friend," said Belcour, "do you imagine



no body has a right to provide for the brat but yourself."

Montraville started. "Sure," said he, "you cannot mean to insinuate



that Charlotte is false."

"I don't insinuate it," said Belcour, "I know it."



Montraville turned pale as ashes. "Then there is no faith

in woman," said he.



"While I thought you attached to her," said Belcour with an air

of indifference, "I never wished to make you uneasy by mentioning



her perfidy, but as I know you love and are beloved by Miss Franklin,

I was determined not to let these foolish scruples of honour step



between you and happiness, or your tenderness for the peace of a

perfidious girl prevent your uniting yourself to a woman of honour."



"Good heavens!" said Montraville, "what poignant reflections

does a man endure who sees a lovely woman plunged in infamy,



and is conscious he was her first seducer; but are you certain

of what you say, Belcour?"



"So far," replied he, "that I myself have received advances from

her which I would not take advantage of out of regard to you:



but hang it, think no more about her. I dined at Franklin's to-day,

and Julia bid me seek and bring you to tea: so come along, my lad,



make good use of opportunity, and seize the gifts of fortune while

they are within your reach." Montraville was too much agitated



to pass a happy evening even in the company of Julia Franklin:

he determined to visit Charlotte early the next morning,



tax her with her falsehood, and take an everlasting leave of her;

but when the morning came, he was commanded on duty, and for six



weeks was prevented from putting his design in execution. At length

he found an hour to spare, and walked out to spend it with Charlotte:



it was near four o'clock in the afternoon when he arrived at her cottage;

she was not in the parlour, and without calling the servant



he walked up stairs, thinking to find her in her bed room.

He opened the door, and the first object that met his eyes was



Charlotte asleep on the bed, and Belcour by her side.

• aspect [´æspekt] n.面貌；神色；方向 (初中英语单词)


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


• pardon [´pɑ:dən] n.&vt.原谅；饶恕；赦免 (初中英语单词)


• deserve [di´zə:v] v.应受；值得 (初中英语单词)


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


• unhappy [ʌn´hæpi] a.不幸的；不快乐的 (初中英语单词)


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


• slumber [´slʌmbə] v.&n.睡眠；沉睡状态 (初中英语单词)


• adequate [´ædikwit] a.足够的；适当的 (初中英语单词)


• beloved [bi´lʌvd] a.为….所爱的 n.爱人 (初中英语单词)


• guilty [´gilti] a.有罪的；心虚的 (初中英语单词)


• driven [´driv(ə)n] drive 的过去分词 (初中英语单词)


• complain [kəm´plein] vi.抱怨，叫屈；控诉 (初中英语单词)


• existence [ig´zistəns] n.存在；生存；生活 (初中英语单词)


• affection [ə´fekʃən] n.友爱；慈爱 (初中英语单词)


• solemn [´sɔləm] a.严肃的；隆重的 (初中英语单词)


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


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


• humanity [hju:´mæniti] n.人类；人性；仁慈 (初中英语单词)


• obtain [əb´tein] v.获得；买到；得到承认 (初中英语单词)


• conscious [´kɔnʃəs] a.意识的；自觉的 (初中英语单词)


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


• employment [im´plɔimənt] n.工作；职业；雇用 (初中英语单词)


• scarce [skeəs, skers] a.缺乏的；稀有的 (初中英语单词)


• horror [´hɔrə] n.恐怖；战栗 (初中英语单词)


• despair [di´speə] vi.&n.绝望 (初中英语单词)


• restless [´restləs] a.没有休息的 (初中英语单词)


• innocent [´inəsənt] a.无罪的；单纯的 (初中英语单词)


• witness [´witnis] n.见证人 vt.目击 (初中英语单词)


• helpless [´helpləs] a.无助的，无依靠的 (初中英语单词)


• revenge [ri´vendʒ] vt.报复 n.报仇；报复 (初中英语单词)


• blessing [´blesiŋ] n.祝福 (初中英语单词)


• peaceful [´pi:sfəl] a.和平的；平静的 (初中英语单词)


• conceal [kən´si:l] vt.藏；隐瞒 (初中英语单词)


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


• sacred [´seikrid] a.神圣的；庄严的 (初中英语单词)


• passion [´pæʃən] n.激情；激怒；恋爱 (初中英语单词)


• gladly [´glædli] ad.愉快地，高兴地 (高中英语单词)


• scanty [´skænti] a.贫乏的；节省的 (高中英语单词)


• remembrance [ri´membrəns] n.记忆(力)；回忆 (高中英语单词)


• fatigue [fə´ti:g] n.&vt.(使)疲劳(劳累) (高中英语单词)


• painful [´peinfəl] a.痛(苦)的；费力的 (高中英语单词)


• whilst [wailst] conj.当…时候；虽然 (高中英语单词)


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


• vainly [´veinli] ad.虚荣地；自负地 (高中英语单词)


• respectable [ri´spektəbəl] a.可敬的；有身价的 (高中英语单词)


• indifference [in´difrəns] n.冷淡；无足轻重 (高中英语单词)


• motion [´məuʃən] n.手势 vt.打手势 (高中英语单词)


• strive [straiv] vi.争取；努力；奋斗 (高中英语单词)


• behalf [bi´hɑ:f] n.利益 (高中英语单词)


• anguish [´æŋgwiʃ] n.(极度的)痛苦；苦恼 (高中英语单词)


• lament [lə´ment] v.哀悼 n.哀悼；恸哭 (高中英语单词)


• forgiveness [fə´givnis] n.原谅，饶恕；宽仁 (高中英语单词)


• eternity [i´tə:niti] n.永恒，来世，无穷 (高中英语单词)


• beseech [bi´si:tʃ] v.恳求，哀求 (高中英语单词)


• strict [strikt] a.严厉的；精确的 (高中英语单词)


• indifferent [in´difrənt] a.不关心的；中立的 (高中英语单词)


• cruelty [´kru:əlti] n.残忍；残酷行为 (高中英语单词)


• uneasy [ʌn´i:zi] a.不安的；不自在的 (高中英语单词)


• tenderness [´tendənis] n.娇嫩；柔软；温柔 (高中英语单词)


• falsehood [´fɔ:lshud] n.错误；撒谎 (高中英语单词)


• everlasting [,evə´lɑ:stiŋ] a.永久的，无尽的 (高中英语单词)


• execution [,eksi´kju:ʃən] n.执行；演奏；表演 (高中英语单词)


• amiable [´eimiəbəl] a.亲切的，温和的 (英语四级单词)


• daring [´deəriŋ] a.&n.勇敢(的) (英语四级单词)


• justly [´dʒʌstli] ad.公正地，正当地 (英语四级单词)


• cruelly [´kruəli] ad.残酷地；极，非常 (英语四级单词)


• forsake [fə´seik] vt.遗弃，抛弃，摒绝 (英语四级单词)


• remorse [ri´mɔ:s] n.懊悔；自责；同情 (英语四级单词)


• blessed [´blesid] a.享福的；神圣的 (英语四级单词)


• infancy [´infənsi] n.婴儿期；初期 (英语四级单词)


• resolved [ri´zɔlvd] a.决心的；坚定的 (英语四级单词)


• modesty [´mɔdisti] n.谨慎；端庄；羞怯 (英语四级单词)


• uneasiness [ʌn´i:zinis] n.不安，担忧；不自在 (英语四级单词)


• momentary [´məuməntəri] a.瞬息间的 (英语四级单词)


• sentimental [,senti´mentl] a.感伤的；多愁善感的 (英语四级单词)


• charlotte [´ʃɑ:lət] n.水果奶油布丁 (英语六级单词)


• deceitful [di´si:tful] a.欺骗的，骗人的 (英语六级单词)


• calmness [´kɑ:mnis] n.平静；安静 (英语六级单词)


• barefoot [´beəfut] ad.&a.=barefooted (英语六级单词)


• benevolent [bi´nevələnt] a.仁慈的；乐善好施的 (英语六级单词)


• ingratitude [in´grætitju:d] n.忘恩负义 (英语六级单词)


• credulous [´kredjuləs] a.轻信的 (英语六级单词)


• deplore [di´plɔ:] vt.哀悼，悲叹 (英语六级单词)


• unborn [,ʌn´bɔ:n] a.未生的；将来的 (英语六级单词)


• paternal [pə´tə:nl] a.(象)父亲的；父方的 (英语六级单词)


• revere [ri´viə] vt.尊敬；敬畏 (英语六级单词)


• insinuate [in´sinjueit] 迂回进入；暗示 (英语六级单词)


• calling [´kɔ:liŋ] n.点名；职业；欲望 (英语六级单词)