love and freindship-第6部分

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gth　she　was　obliged　to　confine　herself　solely　to　the　Bed　allotted　us　by　our　worthy　Landlady。　　Her　disorder　turned　to　a　galloping　Consumption　and　in　a　few　days　carried　her　off。　　Amidst　all　my　Lamentations　for　her　（and　violent　you　may　suppose　they　were）　I　yet　received　some　consolation　in　the　reflection　of　my　having　paid　every　attention　to　her；　that　could　be　offered；　in　her　illness。　　I　had　wept　over　her　every　Dayhad　bathed　her　sweet　face　with　my　tears　and　had　pressed　her　fair　Hands　continually　in　mine。　　〃My　beloved　Laura　（said　she　to　me　a　few　Hours　before　she　died）　take　warning　from　my　unhappy　End　and　avoid　the　imprudent　conduct　which　had　occasioned　it。　。　。　Beware　of　fainting…fits。　。　。　Though　at　the　time　they　may　be　refreshing　and　agreable　yet　beleive　me　they　will　in　the　end；　if　too　often　repeated　and　at　improper　seasons；　prove　destructive　to　your　Constitution。　。　。　My　fate　will　teach　you　this。　。　I　die　a　Martyr　to　my　greif　for　the　loss　of　Augustus。　。　One　fatal　swoon　has　cost　me　my　Life。　。　Beware　of　swoons　Dear　Laura。　。　。　。　A　frenzy　fit　is　not　one　quarter　so　pernicious；　it　is　an　exercise　to　the　Body　and　if　not　too　violent；　is　I　dare　say　conducive　to　Health　in　its　consequencesRun　mad　as　often　as　you　chuse；　but　do　not　faint〃

These　were　the　last　words　she　ever　addressed　to　me。　。　It　was　her　dieing　Advice　to　her　afflicted　Laura；　who　has　ever　most　faithfully　adhered　to　it。

After　having　attended　my　lamented　freind　to　her　Early　Grave；　I　immediately　（tho'　late　at　night）　left　the　detested　Village　in　which　she　died；　and　near　which　had　expired　my　Husband　and　Augustus。　　I　had　not　walked　many　yards　from　it　before　I　was　overtaken　by　a　stage…coach；　in　which　I　instantly　took　a　place；　determined　to　proceed　in　it　to　Edinburgh；　where　I　hoped　to　find　some　kind　some　pitying　Freind　who　would　receive　and　comfort　me　in　my　afflictions。

It　was　so　dark　when　I　entered　the　Coach　that　I　could　not　distinguish　the　Number　of　my　Fellow…travellers；　I　could　only　perceive　that　they　were　many。　　Regardless　however　of　anything　concerning　them；　I　gave　myself　up　to　my　own　sad　Reflections。　　A　general　silence　prevailedA　silence；　which　was　by　nothing　interrupted　but　by　the　loud　and　repeated　snores　of　one　of　the　Party。

〃What　an　illiterate　villain　must　that　man　be！　　（thought　I　to　myself）　What　a　total　want　of　delicate　refinement　must　he　have；　who　can　thus　shock　our　senses　by　such　a　brutal　noise！　　He　must　I　am　certain　be　capable　of　every　bad　action！　　There　is　no　crime　too　black　for　such　a　Character！〃　Thus　reasoned　I　within　myself；　and　doubtless　such　were　the　reflections　of　my　fellow　travellers。

At　length；　returning　Day　enabled　me　to　behold　the　unprincipled　Scoundrel　who　had　so　violently　disturbed　my　feelings。　　It　was　Sir　Edward　the　father　of　my　Deceased　Husband。　　By　his　side　sate　Augusta；　and　on　the　same　seat　with　me　were　your　Mother　and　Lady　Dorothea。　　Imagine　my　surprise　at　finding　myself　thus　seated　amongst　my　old　Acquaintance。　　Great　as　was　my　astonishment；　it　was　yet　increased；　when　on　looking　out　of　Windows；　I　beheld　the　Husband　of　Philippa；　with　Philippa　by　his　side；　on　the　Coachbox　and　when　on　looking　behind　I　beheld；　Philander　and　Gustavus　in　the　Basket。　　〃Oh！　　Heavens；　（exclaimed　I）　is　it　possible　that　I　should　so　unexpectedly　be　surrounded　by　my　nearest　Relations　and　Connections？〃　　These　words　roused　the　rest　of　the　Party；　and　every　eye　was　directed　to　the　corner　in　which　I　sat。　　〃Oh！　　my　Isabel　（continued　I　throwing　myself　across　Lady　Dorothea　into　her　arms）　receive　once　more　to　your　Bosom　the　unfortunate　Laura。　Alas！　　when　we　last　parted　in　the　Vale　of　Usk；　I　was　happy　in　being　united　to　the　best　of　Edwards；　I　had　then　a　Father　and　a　Mother；　and　had　never　known　misfortunesBut　now　deprived　of　every　freind　but　you〃

〃What！　　（interrupted　Augusta）　is　my　Brother　dead　then？　　Tell　us　I　intreat　you　what　is　become　of　him？〃　　〃Yes；　cold　and　insensible　Nymph；　（replied　I）　that　luckless　swain　your　Brother；　is　no　more；　and　you　may　now　glory　in　being　the　Heiress　of　Sir　Edward's　fortune。〃

Although　I　had　always　despised　her　from　the　Day　I　had　overheard　her　conversation　with　my　Edward；　yet　in　civility　I　complied　with　hers　and　Sir　Edward's　intreaties　that　I　would　inform　them　of　the　whole　melancholy　affair。　　They　were　greatly　shockedeven　the　obdurate　Heart　of　Sir　Edward　and　the　insensible　one　of　Augusta；　were　touched　with　sorrow；　by　the　unhappy　tale。　　At　the　request　of　your　Mother　I　related　to　them　every　other　misfortune　which　had　befallen　me　since　we　parted。　　Of　the　imprisonment　of　Augustus　and　the　absence　of　Edwardof　our　arrival　in　Scotlandof　our　unexpected　Meeting　with　our　Grand…father　and　our　cousinsof　our　visit　to　Macdonald…Hallof　the　singular　service　we　there　performed　towards　Janettaof　her　Fathers　ingratitude　for　it　。　。　of　his　inhuman　Behaviour；　unaccountable　suspicions；　and　barbarous　treatment　of　us；　in　obliging　us　to　leave　the　House　。　。　of　our　lamentations　on　the　loss　of　Edward　and　Augustus　and　finally　of　the　melancholy　Death　of　my　beloved　Companion。

Pity　and　surprise　were　strongly　depictured　in　your　Mother's　countenance；　during　the　whole　of　my　narration；　but　I　am　sorry　to　say；　that　to　the　eternal　reproach　of　her　sensibility；　the　latter　infinitely　predominated。　　Nay；　faultless　as　my　conduct　had　certainly　been　during　the　whole　course　of　my　late　misfortunes　and　adventures；　she　pretended　to　find　fault　with　my　behaviour　in　many　of　the　situations　in　which　I　had　been　placed。　　As　I　was　sensible　myself；　that　I　had　always　behaved　in　a　manner　which　reflected　Honour　on　my　Feelings　and　Refinement；　I　paid　little　attention　to　what　she　said；　and　desired　her　to　satisfy　my　Curiosity　by　informing　me　how　she　came　there；　instead　of　wounding　my　spotless　reputation　with　unjustifiable　Reproaches。　　As　soon　as　she　had　complyed　with　my　wishes　in　this　particular　and　had　given　me　an　accurate　detail　of　every　thing　that　had　befallen　her　since　our　separation　（the　particulars　of　which　if　you　are　not　already　acquainted　with；　your　Mother　will　give　you）　I　applied　to　Augusta　for　the　same　information　respecting　herself；　Sir　Edward　and　Lady　Dorothea。

She　told　me　that　having　a　considerable　taste　for　the　Beauties　of　Nature；　her　curiosity　to　behold　the　delightful　scenes　it　exhibited　in　that　part　of　the　World　had　been　so　much　raised　by　Gilpin's　Tour　to　the　Highlands；　that　she　had　prevailed　on　her　Father　to　undertake　a　Tour　to　Scotland　and　had　persuaded　Lady　Dorothea　to　accompany　them。　　That　they　had　arrived　at　Edinburgh　a　few　Days　before　and　from　thence　had　made　daily　Excursions　into　the　Country　around　in　the　Stage　Coach　they　were　then　in；　from　one　of　which　Excursions　they　were　at　that　time　returning。　　My　next　enquiries　were　concerning　Philippa　and　her　Husband；　the　latter　of　whom　I　learned　having　spent　all　her　fortune；　had　recourse　for　subsistence　to　the　talent　in　which；　he　had　always　most　excelled；　namely；　Driving；　and　that　having　sold　every　thing　which　belonged　to　them　except　their　Coach；　had　converted　it　into　a　Stage　and　in　order　to　be　removed　from　any　of　his　former　Acquaintance；　had　driven　it　to　Edinburgh　from　whence　he　went　to　Sterling　every　other　Day。　　That　Philippa　still　retaining　her　affection　for　her　ungratefull　Husband；　had　followed　him　to　Scotland　and　generally　accompanied　him　in　his　little　Excursions　to　Sterling。　　〃It　has　only　been　to　throw　a　little　money　into　their　Pockets　（continued　Augusta）　that　my　Father　has　always　travelled　in　their　Coach　to　veiw　the　beauties　of　the　Country　since　our　arrival　in　Scotland　for　it　would　certainly　have　been　much　more　agreable　to　us；　to　visit　the　Highlands　in　a　Postchaise　than　merely　to　travel　from　Edinburgh　to　Sterling　and　from　Sterling　to　Edinburgh　every　other　Day　in　a　crowded　and　uncomfortable　Stage。〃　I　perfectly　agreed　with　her　in　her　sentiments　on　the　affair；　and　secretly　blamed　Sir　Edward　for　thus　sacrificing　his　Daughter's　Pleasure　for　the　sake　of　a　ridiculous　old　woman　whose　folly　in　marrying　so　young　a　man　ought　to　be　punished。　　His　Behaviour　however　was　entirely　of　a　peice　with　his　general　Character；　for　what　could　be　expected　from　a　man　who　possessed　not　the　smallest　atom　of　Sensibility；　who　scarcely　knew　the　meaning　of　simpathy；　and　who　actually　snored。　Adeiu　Laura。



LETTER　the　15th　LAURA　in　continuation。

When　we　arrived　at　the　town　where　we　were　to　Breakfast；　I　was　determined　to　speak　with　Philander　and　Gustavus；　and　to　that　purpose　as　soon　as　I　left　the　Carriage；　I　went　to　the　Basket　and　tenderly　enquired　after　their　Health；　expressing　my　fears　of　the　uneasiness　of　their　situation。　　At　first　they　seemed　rather　confused　at　my　appearance　dreading　no　doubt　that　I　might　call　them　to　account　for　the　money　which　our　Grandfather　had　left　me　and　which　they　had　unjustly　deprived　me　of；　but　finding　that　I　mentioned　nothing　of　the　Matter；　they　desired　me　to　step　into　the　Basket　as　we　might　there　converse　with　greater　ease。　　Accordingly　I　entered　and　whilst　the　rest　of　the　party　were　devouring　green　tea　and　buttered　toast；　we　feasted　ourselves　in　a　more　refined　and　sentimental　Manner　by　a　confidential　Conversation。　　I　informed　them　of　every　thing　which　had　befallen　me　during　the　course　of　my　life；　and　at　my　request　they　related　to　me　every　incident　of　theirs。

〃We　are　the　sons　as　you　already　know；　of　the　two　youngest　Daughters　which　Lord　St　Clair　had