Part 9 (1/2)
”'Tis poor Charlotte!” said Mrs. Beauchamp, the pellucid drop of humanity stealing down her cheek.
Captain Beauchamp was alarmed at her emotion. ”What Charlotte?” said he; ”do you know her?”
In the accent of a pitying angel did she disclose to her husband Charlotte's unhappy situation, and the frequent wish she had formed of being serviceable to her. ”I fear,” continued she, ”the poor girl has been basely betrayed; and if I thought you would not blame me, I would pay her a visit, offer her my friends.h.i.+p, and endeavour to restore to her heart that peace she seems to have lost, and so pathetically laments. Who knows, my dear,” laying her hand affectionately on his arm, ”who knows but she has left some kind, affectionate parents to lament her errors, and would she return, they might with rapture receive the poor penitent, and wash away her faults in tears of joy. Oh! what a glorious reflexion would it be for me could I be the happy instrument of restoring her. Her heart may not be depraved, Beauchamp.”
”Exalted woman!” cried Beauchamp, embracing her, ”how dost thou rise every moment in my esteem. Follow the impulse of thy generous heart, my Emily. Let prudes and fools censure if they dare, and blame a sensibility they never felt; I will exultingly tell them that the heart that is truly virtuous is ever inclined to pity and forgive the errors of its fellow-creatures.”
A beam of exulting joy played round the animated countenance of Mrs.
Beauchamp, at these encomiums bestowed on her by a beloved husband, the most delightful sensations pervaded her heart, and, having breakfasted, she prepared to visit Charlotte.
CHAPTER XXI.
Teach me to feel another's woe, To hide the fault I see, That mercy I to others show, That mercy show to me. POPE.
WHEN Mrs. Beauchamp was dressed, she began to feel embarra.s.sed at the thought of beginning an acquaintance with Charlotte, and was distressed how to make the first visit. ”I cannot go without some introduction,”
said she, ”it will look so like impertinent curiosity.” At length recollecting herself, she stepped into the garden, and gathering a few fine cuc.u.mbers, took them in her hand by way of apology for her visit.
A glow of conscious shame vermillioned Charlotte's face as Mrs.
Beauchamp entered.
”You will pardon me, Madam,” said she, ”for not having before paid my respects to so amiable a neighbour; but we English people always keep up that reserve which is the characteristic of our nation wherever we go. I have taken the liberty to bring you a few cuc.u.mbers, for I observed you had none in your garden.”
Charlotte, though naturally polite and well-bred, was so confused she could hardly speak. Her kind visitor endeavoured to relieve her by not noticing her embarra.s.sment. ”I am come, Madam,” continued she, ”to request you will spend the day with me. I shall be alone; and, as we are both strangers in this country, we may hereafter be extremely happy in each other's friends.h.i.+p.”
”Your friends.h.i.+p, Madam,” said Charlotte blus.h.i.+ng, ”is an honour to all who are favoured with it. Little as I have seen of this part of the world, I am no stranger to Mrs. Beauchamp's goodness of heart and known humanity: but my friends.h.i.+p--” She paused, glanced her eye upon her own visible situation, and, spite of her endeavours to suppress them, burst into tears.
Mrs. Beauchamp guessed the source from whence those tears flowed.
”You seem unhappy, Madam,” said she: ”shall I be thought worthy your confidence? will you entrust me with the cause of your sorrow, and rest on my a.s.surances to exert my utmost power to serve you.” Charlotte returned a look of grat.i.tude, but could not speak, and Mrs. Beauchamp continued--”My heart was interested in your behalf the first moment I saw you, and I only lament I had not made earlier overtures towards an acquaintance; but I flatter myself you will henceforth consider me as your friend.”
”Oh Madam!” cried Charlotte, ”I have forfeited the good opinion of all my friends; I have forsaken them, and undone myself.”
”Come, come, my dear,” said Mrs. Beauchamp, ”you must not indulge these gloomy thoughts: you are not I hope so miserable as you imagine yourself: endeavour to be composed, and let me be favoured with your company at dinner, when, if you can bring yourself to think me your friend, and repose a confidence in me, I am ready to convince you it shall not be abused.” She then arose, and bade her good morning.
At the dining hour Charlotte repaired to Mrs. Beauchamp's, and during dinner a.s.sumed as composed an aspect as possible; but when the cloth was removed, she summoned all her resolution and determined to make Mrs.
Beauchamp acquainted with every circ.u.mstance preceding her unfortunate elopement, and the earnest desire she had to quit a way of life so repugnant to her feelings.
With the benignant aspect of an angel of mercy did Mrs. Beauchamp listen to the artless tale: she was shocked to the soul to find how large a share La Rue had in the seduction of this amiable girl, and a tear fell, when she reflected so vile a woman was now the wife of her father.
When Charlotte had finished, she gave her a little time to collect her scattered spirits, and then asked her if she had never written to her friends.
”Oh yes, Madam,” said she, ”frequently: but I have broke their hearts: they are either dead or have cast me off for ever, for I have never received a single line from them.”
”I rather suspect,” said Mrs. Beauchamp, ”they have never had your letters: but suppose you were to hear from them, and they were willing to receive you, would you then leave this cruel Montraville, and return to them?”
”Would I!” said Charlotte, clasping her hands; ”would not the poor sailor, tost on a tempestuous ocean, threatened every moment with death, gladly return to the sh.o.r.e he had left to trust to its deceitful calmness? Oh, my dear Madam, I would return, though to do it I were obliged to walk barefoot over a burning desert, and beg a scanty pittance of each traveller to support my existence. I would endure it all cheerfully, could I but once more see my dear, blessed mother, hear her p.r.o.nounce my pardon, and bless me before I died; but alas! I shall never see her more; she has blotted the ungrateful Charlotte from her remembrance, and I shall sink to the grave loaded with her's and my father's curse.”