love and freindship- 第11部分

〃Oh！　　trust　me　for　that；　（replied　I）。　　Come　I　will　begin　with　the　eldestwith　Matilda。　　Shall　I；　William？〃　（I　looked　as　cunning　as　I　could　when　I　said　it；　in　order　to　shame　him）。

〃They　are　so　much　alike　（said　he）　that　I　should　suppose　the　faults　of　one；　would　be　the　faults　of　both。〃

〃Well；　then；　in　the　first　place；　they　are　both　so　horribly　tall！〃

〃They　are　TALLER　than　you　are　indeed。〃　（said　he　with　a　saucy　smile。）

〃Nay；　（said　I）；　I　know　nothing　of　that。〃

〃Well；　but　（he　continued）　tho'　they　may　be　above　the　common　size；　their　figures　are　perfectly　elegant；　and　as　to　their　faces；　their　Eyes　are　beautifull。〃

〃I　never　can　think　such　tremendous；　knock…me…down　figures　in　the　least　degree　elegant；　and　as　for　their　eyes；　they　are　so　tall　that　I　never　could　strain　my　neck　enough　to　look　at　them。〃

〃Nay；　（replied　he）　I　know　not　whether　you　may　not　be　in　the　right　in　not　attempting　it；　for　perhaps　they　might　dazzle　you　with　their　Lustre。〃

〃Oh！　　Certainly。　　（said　I；　with　the　greatest　complacency；　for　I　assure　you　my　dearest　Charlotte　I　was　not　in　the　least　offended　tho'　by　what　followed；　one　would　suppose　that　William　was　conscious　of　having　given　me　just　cause　to　be　so；　for　coming　up　to　me　and　taking　my　hand；　he　said）　　〃You　must　not　look　so　grave　Susan；　you　will　make　me　fear　I　have　offended　you！〃

〃Offended　me！　　Dear　Brother；　how　came　such　a　thought　in　your　head！　　（returned　I）　No　really！　　I　assure　you　that　I　am　not　in　the　least　surprised　at　your　being　so　warm　an　advocate　for　the　Beauty　of　these　girls　〃

〃Well；　but　（interrupted　William）　remember　that　we　have　not　yet　concluded　our　dispute　concerning　them。　　What　fault　do　you　find　with　their　complexion？〃

〃They　are　so　horridly　pale。〃

〃They　have　always　a　little　colour；　and　after　any　exercise　it　is　considerably　heightened。〃

〃Yes；　but　if　there　should　ever　happen　to　be　any　rain　in　this　part　of　the　world；　they　will　never　be　able　raise　more　than　their　common　stockexcept　indeed　they　amuse　themselves　with　running　up　and　Down　these　horrid　old　galleries　and　Antichambers。〃

〃Well；　（replied　my　Brother　in　a　tone　of　vexation；　and　glancing　an　impertinent　look　at　me）　if　they　HAVE　but　little　colour；　at　least；　it　is　all　their　own。〃

This　was　too　much　my　dear　Charlotte；　for　I　am　certain　that　he　had　the　impudence　by　that　look；　of　pretending　to　suspect　the　reality　of　mine。　　But　you　I　am　sure　will　vindicate　my　character　whenever　you　may　hear　it　so　cruelly　aspersed；　for　you　can　witness　how　often　I　have　protested　against　wearing　Rouge；　and　how　much　I　always　told　you　I　disliked　it。　　And　I　assure　you　that　my　opinions　are　still　the　same。。　　Well；　not　bearing　to　be　so　suspected　by　my　Brother；　I　left　the　room　immediately；　and　have　been　ever　since　in　my　own　Dressing…room　writing　to　you。　　What　a　long　letter　have　I　made　of　it！　But　you　must　not　expect　to　receive　such　from　me　when　I　get　to　Town；　for　it　is　only　at　Lesley　castle；　that　one　has　time　to　write　even　to　a　Charlotte　Lutterell。。　　I　was　so　much　vexed　by　William's　glance；　that　I　could　not　summon　Patience　enough；　to　stay　and　give　him　that　advice　respecting　his　attachment　to　Matilda　which　had　first　induced　me　from　pure　Love　to　him　to　begin　the　conversation；　and　I　am　now　so　thoroughly　convinced　by　it；　of　his　violent　passion　for　her；　that　I　am　certain　he　would　never　hear　reason　on　the　subject；　and　I　shall　there　fore　give　myself　no　more　trouble　either　about　him　or　his　favourite。　　Adeiu　my　dear　girl　Yrs　affectionately　Susan　L。



LETTER　the　SEVENTH　From　Miss　C。　LUTTERELL　to　Miss　M。　LESLEY　Bristol　the　27th　of　March

I　have　received　Letters　from　you　and　your　Mother…in…law　within　this　week　which　have　greatly　entertained　me；　as　I　find　by　them　that　you　are　both　downright　jealous　of　each　others　Beauty。　　It　is　very　odd　that　two　pretty　Women　tho'　actually　Mother　and　Daughter　cannot　be　in　the　same　House　without　falling　out　about　their　faces。　　Do　be　convinced　that　you　are　both　perfectly　handsome　and　say　no　more　of　the　Matter。　　I　suppose　this　letter　must　be　directed　to　Portman　Square　where　probably　（great　as　is　your　affection　for　Lesley　Castle）　you　will　not　be　sorry　to　find　yourself。　　In　spite　of　all　that　people　may　say　about　Green　fields　and　the　Country　I　was　always　of　opinion　that　London　and　its　amusements　must　be　very　agreable　for　a　while；　and　should　be　very　happy　could　my　Mother's　income　allow　her　to　jockey　us　into　its　Public…places；　during　Winter。　　I　always　longed　particularly　to　go　to　Vaux…hall；　to　see　whether　the　cold　Beef　there　is　cut　so　thin　as　it　is　reported；　for　I　have　a　sly　suspicion　that　few　people　understand　the　art　of　cutting　a　slice　of　cold　Beef　so　well　as　I　do：　　nay　it　would　be　hard　if　I　did　not　know　something　of　the　Matter；　for　it　was　a　part　of　my　Education　that　I　took　by　far　the　most　pains　with。　　Mama　always　found　me　HER　best　scholar；　tho'　when　Papa　was　alive　Eloisa　was　HIS。　Never　to　be　sure　were　there　two　more　different　Dispositions　in　the　World。　　We　both　loved　Reading。　　SHE　preferred　Histories；　and　I　Receipts。　　She　loved　drawing；　Pictures；　and　I　drawing　Pullets。　　No　one　could　sing　a　better　song　than　she；　and　no　one　make　a　better　Pye　than　I。　And　so　it　has　always　continued　since　we　have　been　no　longer　children。　The　only　difference　is　that　all　disputes　on　the　superior　excellence　of　our　Employments　THEN　so　frequent　are　now　no　more。　We　have　for　many　years　entered　into　an　agreement　always　to　admire　each　other's　works；　I　never　fail　listening　to　HER　Music；　and　she　is　as　constant　in　eating　my　pies。　　Such　at　least　was　the　case　till　Henry　Hervey　made　his　appearance　in　Sussex。　Before　the　arrival　of　his　Aunt　in　our　neighbourhood　where　she　established　herself　you　know　about　a　twelvemonth　ago；　his　visits　to　her　had　been　at　stated　times；　and　of　equal　and　settled　Duration；　but　on　her　removal　to　the　Hall　which　is　within　a　walk　from　our　House；　they　became　both　more　frequent　and　longer。　　This　as　you　may　suppose　could　not　be　pleasing　to　Mrs　Diana　who　is　a　professed　enemy　to　everything　which　is　not　directed　by　Decorum　and　Formality；　or　which　bears　the　least　resemblance　to　Ease　and　Good…　breeding。　Nay　so　great　was　her　aversion　to　her　Nephews　behaviour　that　I　have　often　heard　her　give　such　hints　of　it　before　his　face　that　had　not　Henry　at　such　times　been　engaged　in　conversation　with　Eloisa；　they　must　have　caught　his　Attention　and　have　very　much　distressed　him。　　The　alteration　in　my　Sisters　behaviour　which　I　have　before　hinted　at；　now　took　place。　The　Agreement　we　had　entered　into　of　admiring　each　others　productions　she　no　longer　seemed　to　regard；　and　tho'　I　constantly　applauded　even　every　Country…dance；　she　played；　yet　not　even　a　pidgeon…pye　of　my　making　could　obtain　from　her　a　single　word　of　approbation。　　This　was　certainly　enough　to　put　any　one　in　a　Passion；　however；　I　was　as　cool　as　a　cream…cheese　and　having　formed　my　plan　and　concerted　a　scheme　of　Revenge；　I　was　determined　to　let　her　have　her　own　way　and　not　even　to　make　her　a　single　reproach。　　My　scheme　was　to　treat　her　as　she　treated　me；　and　tho'　she　might　even　draw　my　own　Picture　or　play　Malbrook　（which　is　the　only　tune　I　ever　really　liked）　not　to　say　so　much　as　〃Thank　you　Eloisa；〃　tho'　I　had　for　many　years　constantly　hollowed　whenever　she　played；　BRAVO；　BRAVISSIMO；　ENCORE；　DA　CAPO；　ALLEGRETTO；　CON　EXPRESSIONE；　and　POCO　PRESTO　with　many　other　such　outlandish　words；　all　of　them　as　Eloisa　told　me　expressive　of　my　Admiration；　and　so　indeed　I　suppose　they　are；　as　I　see　some　of　them　in　every　Page　of　every　Music　book；　being　the　sentiments　I　imagine　of　the　composer。

I　executed　my　Plan　with　great　Punctuality。　　I　can　not　say　success；　for　alas！　　my　silence　while　she　played　seemed　not　in　the　least　to　displease　her；　on　the　contrary　she　actually　said　to　me　one　day　〃　Well　Charlotte；　I　am　very　glad　to　find　that　you　have　at　last　left　off　that　ridiculous　custom　of　applauding　my　Execution　on　the　Harpsichord　till　you　made　my　head　ake；　and　yourself　hoarse。　　I　feel　very　much　obliged　to　you　for　keeping　your　admiration　to　yourself。〃　　I　never　shall　forget　the　very　witty　answer　I　made　to　this　speech。　　〃Eloisa　（said　I）　I　beg　you　would　be　quite　at　your　Ease　with　respect　to　all　such　fears　in　future；　for　be　assured　that　I　shall　always　keep　my　admiration　to　myself　and　my　own　pursuits　and　never　extend　it　to　yours。〃　　This　was　the　only　very　severe　thing　I　ever　said　in　my　Life；　not　but　that　I　have　often　felt　myself　extremely　satirical　but　it　was　the　only　time　I　ever　made　my　feelings　public。

I　suppose　there　never　were　two　Young　people　who　had　a　greater　affection　for　each　other　than　Henry　and　Eloisa；　no；　the　Love　of　your　Brother　for　Miss　Burton　could　not　be　so　strong　tho'　it　might　be　more　violent。　　You　may　imagine　therefore　how　provoked　my　Sister　must　have　been　to　have　him　play　her　such　a　trick。　　Poor　girl！　　she　still　laments　his　Death　with　undiminished　constancy；　notwithstanding　he　has　been　dead　more　than　six　weeks；　but　some　People　mind　such　things　more　than　others。　　The　ill　state　of　Health　into　which　his　loss　has　thrown　her　makes　her　so　weak；　and　so　unable　to　support　the　least　exertion；　that　she　has　been　in　tears　all　this　Morning　merely　from　having　taken　leave　of　Mrs。　Marlowe　who　with　her　Husband；　Brother　and　Child　are　to　leave　Bristol　this　morning。　　I　am　sorry　to　have　them　go　because　they　are　the　only　family　with　whom　we　have