Lady Susan, Jane Austen [best books to read in life txt] 📗

a month ago. If you can give me your

assurance of having no design beyond enjoying the conversation of a clever

woman for a short period, and of yielding admiration only to her beauty and

abilities, without being blinded by them to her faults, you will restore me

to happiness; but, if you cannot do this, explain to me, at least, what has

occasioned so great an alteration in your opinion of her.

 

I am, &c., &c,

REGINALD DE COURCY XIII

LADY DE COURCY TO MRS. VERNON

 

Parklands.

 

My dear Catherine,—Unluckily I was confined to my room when your last

letter came, by a cold which affected my eyes so much as to prevent my

reading it myself, so I could not refuse your father when he offered to

read it to me, by which means he became acquainted, to my great vexation,

with all your fears about your brother. I had intended to write to Reginald

myself as soon as my eyes would let me, to point out, as well as I could,

the danger of an intimate acquaintance, with so artful a woman as Lady

Susan, to a young man of his age, and high expectations. I meant,

moreover, to have reminded him of our being quite alone now, and very much

in need of him to keep up our spirits these long winter evenings. Whether

it would have done any good can never be settled now, but I am excessively

vexed that Sir Reginald should know anything of a matter which we foresaw

would make him so uneasy. He caught all your fears the moment he had read

your letter, and I am sure he has not had the business out of his head

since. He wrote by the same post to Reginald a long letter full of it all,

and particularly asking an explanation of what he may have heard from Lady

Susan to contradict the late shocking reports. His answer came this

morning, which I shall enclose to you, as I think you will like to see it.

I wish it was more satisfactory; but it seems written with such a

determination to think well of Lady Susan, that his assurances as to

marriage, &c., do not set my heart at ease. I say all I can, however, to

satisfy your father, and he is certainly less uneasy since Reginald’s

letter. How provoking it is, my dear Catherine, that this unwelcome guest

of yours should not only prevent our meeting this Christmas, but be the

occasion of so much vexation and trouble! Kiss the dear children for me.

 

Your affectionate mother,

 

C. DE COURCY.

XIV

MR. DE COURCY TO SIR REGINALD

 

Churchhill.

 

My dear Sir,—I have this moment received your letter, which has given

me more astonishment than I ever felt before. I am to thank my sister, I

suppose, for having represented me in such a light as to injure me in your

opinion, and give you all this alarm. I know not why she should choose to

make herself and her family uneasy by apprehending an event which no one

but herself, I can affirm, would ever have thought possible. To impute such

a design to Lady Susan would be taking from her every claim to that

excellent understanding which her bitterest enemies have never denied her;

and equally low must sink my pretensions to common sense if I am suspected

of matrimonial views in my behaviour to her. Our difference of age must be

an insuperable objection, and I entreat you, my dear father, to quiet your

mind, and no longer harbour a suspicion which cannot he more injurious to

your own peace than to our understandings. I can have no other view in

remaining with Lady Susan, than to enjoy for a short time (as you have

yourself expressed it) the conversation of a woman of high intellectual

powers. If Mrs. Vernon would allow something to my affection for herself

and her husband in the length of my visit, she would do more justice to us

all; but my sister is unhappily prejudiced beyond the hope of conviction

against Lady Susan. From an attachment to her husband, which in itself does

honour to both, she cannot forgive the endeavours at preventing their

union, which have been attributed to selfishness in Lady Susan; but in this

case, as well as in many others, the world has most grossly injured that

lady, by supposing the worst where the motives of her conduct have been

doubtful. Lady Susan had heard something so materially to the disadvantage

of my sister as to persuade her that the happiness of Mr. Vernon, to whom

she was always much attached, would be wholly destroyed by the marriage.

And this circumstance, while it explains the true motives of Lady Susan’s

conduct, and removes all the blame which has been so lavished on her, may

also convince us how little the general report of anyone ought to be

credited; since no character, however upright, can escape the malevolence

of slander. If my sister, in the security of retirement, with as little

opportunity as inclination to do evil, could not avoid censure, we must not

rashly condemn those who, living in the world and surrounded with

temptations, should be accused of errors which they are known to have the

power of committing.

 

I blame myself severely for having so easily believed the slanderous

tales invented by Charles Smith to the prejudice of Lady Susan, as I am now

convinced how greatly they have traduced her. As to Mrs. Mainwaring’s

jealousy it was totally his own invention, and his account of her attaching

Miss Mainwaring’s lover was scarcely better founded. Sir James Martin had

been drawn in by that young lady to pay her some attention; and as he is a

man of fortune, it was easy to see HER views extended to marriage. It is

well known that Miss M. is absolutely on the catch for a husband, and no

one therefore can pity her for losing, by the superior attractions of

another woman, the chance of being able to make a worthy man completely

wretched. Lady Susan was far from intending such a conquest, and on finding

how warmly Miss Mainwaring resented her lover’s defection, determined, in

spite of Mr. and Mrs. Mainwaring’s most urgent entreaties, to leave the

family. I have reason to imagine she did receive serious proposals from Sir

James, but her removing to Langford immediately on the discovery of his

attachment, must acquit her on that article with any mind of common

candour. You will, I am sure, my dear Sir, feel the truth of this, and will

hereby learn to do justice to the character of a very injured woman. I know

that Lady Susan in coming to Churchhill was governed only by the most

honourable and amiable intentions; her prudence and economy are exemplary,

her regard for Mr. Vernon equal even to HIS deserts; and her wish of

obtaining my sister’s good opinion merits a better return than it has

received. As a mother she is unexceptionable; her solid affection for her

child is shown by placing her in hands where her education will be properly

attended to; but because she has not the blind and weak partiality of most

mothers, she is accused of wanting maternal tenderness. Every person of

sense, however, will know how to value and commend her well-directed

affection, and will join me in wishing that Frederica Vernon may prove more

worthy than she has yet done of her mother’s tender care. I have now, my

dear father, written my real sentiments of Lady Susan; you will know from

this letter how highly I admire her abilities, and esteem her character;

but if you are not equally convinced by my full and solemn assurance that

your fears have been most idly created, you will deeply mortify and

distress me.

 

I am, &c., &c.,

 

R. DE COURCY.

XV

MRS. VERNON TO LADY DE COURCY

 

Churchhill

 

My dear Mother,—I return you Reginald’s letter, and rejoice with all my

heart that my father is made easy by it: tell him so, with my

congratulations; but, between ourselves, I must own it has only convinced

ME of my brother’s having no PRESENT intention of marrying Lady Susan, not

that he is in no danger of doing so three months hence. He gives a very

plausible account of her behaviour at Langford; I wish it may be true, but

his intelligence must come from herself, and I am less disposed to believe

it than to lament the degree of intimacy subsisting, between them implied

by the discussion of such a subject. I am sorry to have incurred his

displeasure, but can expect nothing better while he is so very eager in

Lady Susan’s justification. He is very severe against me indeed, and yet I

hope I have not been hasty in my judgment of her. Poor woman! though I have

reasons enough for my dislike, I cannot help pitying her at present, as she

is in real distress, and with too much cause. She had this morning a letter

from the lady with whom she has placed her daughter, to request that Miss

Vernon might be immediately removed, as she had been detected in an attempt

to run away. Why, or whither she intended to go, does not appear; but, as

her situation seems to have been unexceptionable, it is a sad thing, and of

course highly distressing to Lady Susan. Frederica must be as much as

sixteen, and ought to know better; but from what her mother insinuates, I

am afraid she is a perverse girl. She has been sadly neglected, however,

and her mother ought to remember it. Mr. Vernon set off for London as soon

as she had determined what should be done. He is, if possible, to prevail

on Miss Summers to let Frederica continue with her; and if he cannot

succeed, to bring her to Churchhill for the present, till some other

situation can be found for her. Her ladyship is comforting herself

meanwhile by strolling along the shrubbery with Reginald, calling forth all

his tender feelings, I suppose, on this distressing occasion. She has been

talking a great deal about it to me. She talks vastly well; I am afraid of

being ungenerous, or I should say, TOO well to feel so very deeply; but I

will not look for her faults; she may be Reginald’s wife! Heaven forbid it!

but why should I be quicker-sighted than anyone else? Mr. Vernon declares

that he never saw deeper distress than hers, on the receipt of the letter;

and is his judgment inferior to mine? She was very unwilling that

Frederica should be allowed to come to Churchhill, and justly enough, as

it seems a sort of reward to behaviour deserving very differently; but it

was impossible to take her anywhere else, and she is not to remain here

long. “It will be absolutely necessary,” said she, “as you, my dear sister,

must be sensible, to treat my daughter with some severity while she is

here; a most painful necessity, but I will ENDEAVOUR to submit to it. I am

afraid I have often been too indulgent, but my poor Frederica’s temper

could never bear opposition well: you must support and encourage me; you

must urge the necessity of reproof if you see me too lenient.” All this

sounds very reasonable. Reginald is so incensed against the poor silly

girl. Surely it is not to Lady Susan’s credit that he should be so bitter

against her daughter; his idea of her must be drawn from the mother’s

description. Well, whatever may be his fate, we have the comfort of knowing

that we have done our utmost to save him. We must commit the event to a

higher power.

 

Yours ever, &c.,

 

CATHERINE VERNON.