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Lady Susan - Dramatic Reading - Jane Austen · Jane Austen Classics Podcast

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Section one.
• 0:02
  Speaker 2: Lady Susan Vernon to mister Vernon, Langford, December, My dear brother,
• 0:09
  Speaker 2: I can no longer refuse myself the pleasure of profiting
• 0:12
  Speaker 2: by your kind invitation when last we parted of spending
• 0:17
  Speaker 2: some weeks with you at Churchill, And therefore, if quite
• 0:20
  Speaker 2: convenient to you and missus Vernon to receive me at present,
• 0:24
  Speaker 2: I shall hope within a few days to be introduced
• 0:26
  Speaker 2: to a sister whom I have so long desired to
• 0:29
  Speaker 2: be acquainted with. My kind friends here are most affectionately
• 0:34
  Speaker 2: urgent with me to prolong my stay, but their hospitable
• 0:37
  Speaker 2: and cheerful dispositions lead them too much into society for
• 0:41
  Speaker 2: my present situation and state of mind, and I impatiently
• 0:46
  Speaker 2: look forward to the hour when I shall be admitted
• 0:49
  Speaker 2: into your delightful retirement. I long to be made known
• 0:53
  Speaker 2: to your dear little children, in whose hearts I shall
• 0:56
  Speaker 2: be very eager to secure, an interest I shall soon
• 1:00
  Speaker 2: have need for all my fortitude. As I am on
• 1:03
  Speaker 2: the point of separation from my own daughter. The long
• 1:06
  Speaker 2: illness of her dear father prevented my paying her that
• 1:09
  Speaker 2: attention which duty and affection equally dictated, and I have
• 1:14
  Speaker 2: too much reason to fear that the governess to whose
• 1:16
  Speaker 2: care I consigned her was unequal to the charge. I
• 1:20
  Speaker 2: have therefore resolved on placing her at one of the
• 1:23
  Speaker 2: best private schools in town, where I shall have an
• 1:26
  Speaker 2: opportunity of leaving her myself in my way. To you,
• 1:29
  Speaker 2: I am determined, you see, not to be denied admittance
• 1:32
  Speaker 2: at Churchill. It would indeed give me most painful sensations
• 1:37
  Speaker 2: to know that it would not in your power to
• 1:39
  Speaker 2: receive me, your most obliged and affectionate Sister s Vernon. Two,
• 1:49
  Speaker 2: Lady Susan Vernon, to missus Johnson, Langford. You were mistaken,
• 1:54
  Speaker 2: my dear Alicia, in supposing me fixed at this place
• 1:57
  Speaker 2: for the rest of the winter. It grief gives me
• 2:00
  Speaker 2: to say how greatly you were mistaken, For I have
• 2:03
  Speaker 2: seldom spent three months more agreeably than those which have
• 2:06
  Speaker 2: just flown away. At present, nothing goes smoothly. The females
• 2:12
  Speaker 2: of the family are united against me. You foretold how
• 2:16
  Speaker 2: it would be when I first came to Langford, and
• 2:19
  Speaker 2: mannering is so uncommonly pleasing that I was not without
• 2:22
  Speaker 2: apprehensions for myself. I remember saying to myself as I
• 2:27
  Speaker 2: drove to the house. I like this man, Pray heaven
• 2:31
  Speaker 2: no harm comes of it. But I was determined to
• 2:34
  Speaker 2: be discreet, to bear in mind my being only four
• 2:37
  Speaker 2: months a widow, and to be as quiet as possible.
• 2:41
  Speaker 2: And I have been so, my dear creature. I have
• 2:44
  Speaker 2: admitted no one's attentions but mannerings. I have avoided all
• 2:48
  Speaker 2: general flirtation whatever. I have distinguished no creature besides of
• 2:53
  Speaker 2: all the numbers resorting hither except Sir James Martin, on
• 2:58
  Speaker 2: whom I bestowed a little notice in order to detach
• 3:01
  Speaker 2: him from miss mannering. But if the world could know
• 3:04
  Speaker 2: my motive there, they would honor me. I have been
• 3:07
  Speaker 2: called an unkind mother, but it was the sacred impulse
• 3:11
  Speaker 2: of maternal affection. It was the advantage of my daughter
• 3:14
  Speaker 2: that led me on, And if that daughter were not
• 3:17
  Speaker 2: the greatest simpleton on earth, I might have been rewarded
• 3:20
  Speaker 2: from my exertions as I ought. Sir James did make
• 3:25
  Speaker 2: proposals to me for Frederica. But Frederica, who was born
• 3:29
  Speaker 2: to be the torment of my life, chose to set
• 3:32
  Speaker 2: herself so violently against the match that I thought it
• 3:35
  Speaker 2: better to lay aside the scheme for the present. I
• 3:38
  Speaker 2: have more than once repented that I did not marry
• 3:41
  Speaker 2: him myself, and were he but one degree less contemptibly weak,
• 3:45
  Speaker 2: I certainly should. But I must own myself rather romantic
• 3:49
  Speaker 2: in that respect, and that riches only will not satisfy me.
• 3:54
  Speaker 2: The event of all this is very provoking. Sir James
• 3:58
  Speaker 2: is gone, Mariah highly insane, and missus Mannering insupportably jealous,
• 4:03
  Speaker 2: so jealous in short, and so enraged against me that
• 4:07
  Speaker 2: in the fury of her temper, I should not be
• 4:09
  Speaker 2: surprised at her appealing to her guardian if she had
• 4:12
  Speaker 2: the liberty of addressing him. But there your husband stands,
• 4:16
  Speaker 2: my friend, and the kindest, most amiable action of his
• 4:20
  Speaker 2: life was throwing her off for ever on her marriage.
• 4:23
  Speaker 2: Keep up his resentment. Therefore, I charge you, we are
• 4:27
  Speaker 2: now in a sad state. No house was ever more altered.
• 4:32
  Speaker 2: The whole party are at war, and Mannering scarcely dares
• 4:36
  Speaker 2: speak to me. It is time for me to be gone.
• 4:39
  Speaker 2: I have therefore determined on leaving them, and shall spend
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: I hope a comfortable day with you in town this week.
• 4:46
  Speaker 2: If I am as little in favor with mister Johnson.
• 4:48
  Speaker 2: As ever, you must come to me at ten Wigmore Street.
• 4:52
  Speaker 2: But I hope this may not be the case. For
• 4:54
  Speaker 2: as mister Johnson, with all his faults, is a man
• 4:58
  Speaker 2: to whom that great word respected is always given, and
• 5:02
  Speaker 2: I am known to be so intimate with his wife,
• 5:04
  Speaker 2: his slighting me has an awkward look. I take London
• 5:09
  Speaker 2: in my way to that insupportable spot, a country village,
• 5:13
  Speaker 2: for I am really going to Churchill. Forgive me, my
• 5:16
  Speaker 2: dear friend, it is my last resource. Were there another
• 5:20
  Speaker 2: place in England open to me, I would prefer it.
• 5:23
  Speaker 2: Charles Vernon is my aversion, and I am afraid of
• 5:27
  Speaker 2: his wife at Churchill. However, I must remain till I
• 5:31
  Speaker 2: have something better in view. My young lady accompanies me
• 5:35
  Speaker 2: to town, where I shall deposit her under the care
• 5:37
  Speaker 2: of Miss Somers in Wigmore Street till she becomes a
• 5:41
  Speaker 2: little more reasonable. She will make good connections there, as
• 5:45
  Speaker 2: the girls are all of the best families. The price
• 5:49
  Speaker 2: is immense and much beyond what I can ever attempt
• 5:52
  Speaker 2: to pay. Adieu. I will send you a line as
• 5:56
  Speaker 2: soon as I arrive in town. Yours ever, s Vernon.
• 6:02
  Speaker 3: Three, missus Vernon to Lady de Cursey Churchill, my dear mother,
• 6:11
  Speaker 3: I am very sorry to tell you that it will
• 6:13
  Speaker 3: not be in our power to keep our promise of
• 6:15
  Speaker 3: spending our Christmas with you, and we are prevented that
• 6:18
  Speaker 3: happiness by a circumstance which is not likely to make
• 6:22
  Speaker 3: us any amends. Lady Susan, in a letter to her
• 6:25
  Speaker 3: brother in law, has declared her intention of visiting us
• 6:29
  Speaker 3: almost immediately, and as such a visit is, in all
• 6:32
  Speaker 3: probability merely an affair of convenience, it is impossible to
• 6:36
  Speaker 3: conjecture its length. I was by no means prepared for
• 6:40
  Speaker 3: such an event, nor can I now account for her
• 6:43
  Speaker 3: ladyship's conduct. Langford appeared so exactly the place for her
• 6:47
  Speaker 3: in every respect, as well from the elegant and expensive
• 6:50
  Speaker 3: style of living there, as from her particular attachment to
• 6:54
  Speaker 3: mister Mannering that I was very far from expecting so
• 6:57
  Speaker 3: speedy a distinction, though I always amagine, from her increasing
• 7:01
  Speaker 3: friendship for us since her husband's death, that we should,
• 7:04
  Speaker 3: at some future period be obliged to receive her. Mister Vernon,
• 7:09
  Speaker 3: I think was a great deal too kind to her
• 7:11
  Speaker 3: when he was in Staffordshire, her behavior to him, independent
• 7:15
  Speaker 3: of her general character, has been so inexcusably artful and ungenerous.
• 7:20
  Speaker 3: Since our marriage was first in agitation that no one
• 7:24
  Speaker 3: less amiable and mild than himself could have overlooked at all.
• 7:28
  Speaker 3: And though as his brother's widow and in narrow circumstances
• 7:32
  Speaker 3: it was proper to render her pecuniary assistance, I cannot
• 7:36
  Speaker 3: help thinking his pressing invitation to her to visit us
• 7:39
  Speaker 3: at Churchhill perfectly unnecessary disposed. However, as he always is
• 7:45
  Speaker 3: to think the best of every one, her display of
• 7:48
  Speaker 3: grief and professions of regret, and general resolutions of prudence
• 7:53
  Speaker 3: were sufficient to soften his heart and make him really
• 7:56
  Speaker 3: confide in her sincerity. But as for myself, I am
• 8:00
  Speaker 3: still unconvinced, and plausibly, as her Ladyship has now written,
• 8:04
  Speaker 3: I cannot make up my mind till I better understand
• 8:07
  Speaker 3: her real meaning in coming to us, you may guess. Therefore,
• 8:11
  Speaker 3: my dear Madam, with what feelings I look forward to
• 8:14
  Speaker 3: her arrival. She will have occasion for all those attractive
• 8:17
  Speaker 3: powers for which she is celebrated, to gain any share
• 8:20
  Speaker 3: of my regard, and I shall certainly endeavor to guard
• 8:24
  Speaker 3: myself against their influence, if not accompanied by something more substantial.
• 8:28
  Speaker 3: She expresses a most eager desire of being acquainted with me,
• 8:32
  Speaker 3: and makes very gracious mention of my children. But I
• 8:35
  Speaker 3: am not quite weak enough to suppose a woman who
• 8:38
  Speaker 3: has behaved with inattention, if not with unkindness, to her
• 8:42
  Speaker 3: own child, should be attached to any of mine. Miss
• 8:45
  Speaker 3: Vernon is to be placed at a school in London
• 8:48
  Speaker 3: before her mother comes to us, which I am glad of.
• 8:51
  Speaker 3: For her sake and my own. It must be to
• 8:54
  Speaker 3: her advantage to be separated from her mother, and a
• 8:56
  Speaker 3: girl of sixteen who has received so wretched an education
• 9:00
  Speaker 3: could not be a very desirable companion. Here. Reginald has
• 9:04
  Speaker 3: long wished, I know, to see the captivating lady Susan,
• 9:08
  Speaker 3: and we shall depend on his joining our party soon.
• 9:11
  Speaker 3: I am glad to hear that my father continues so well,
• 9:14
  Speaker 3: and am with best love, et cetera. Catherine Vernon.
• 9:20
  Speaker 4: Four, mister de Courcy to missus Vernon Parkland's, my dear sister,
• 9:28
  Speaker 4: I congratulate you and mister Vernon on being about to
• 9:31
  Speaker 4: receive into your family the most accomplished coquette in England,
• 9:36
  Speaker 4: as a very distinguished flirt I have always been taught
• 9:38
  Speaker 4: to consider her, but it has lately fallen in my
• 9:41
  Speaker 4: way to hear some particulars of her conduct at Langford
• 9:44
  Speaker 4: which prove that she does not confine herself to that
• 9:47
  Speaker 4: sort of honest flirtation which satisfies most people, but aspires
• 9:52
  Speaker 4: to the more delicious stratification of making a whole family miserable.
• 9:56
  Speaker 4: By her behavior to mister Mannering, she gave jealousy and
• 9:59
  Speaker 4: wretchedness to his wife, and by her attentions to a
• 10:02
  Speaker 4: young man previously attached to mister Manoring's sister, deprived an
• 10:06
  Speaker 4: amiable girl of her lover. I learnt all this from
• 10:10
  Speaker 4: mister Smith now in this neighborhood. I have dined with
• 10:13
  Speaker 4: him at Hurst and Wilford, who has just come from Langford,
• 10:16
  Speaker 4: where he was a fortnight with her ladyship, and who
• 10:19
  Speaker 4: is therefore well qualified to make the communication. What a
• 10:23
  Speaker 4: woman she must be. I long to see her, and
• 10:26
  Speaker 4: she'll certainly accept your kind invitation that I may form
• 10:30
  Speaker 4: some idea of those bewitching powers which can do so
• 10:33
  Speaker 4: much engaging at the same time and in the same house,
• 10:37
  Speaker 4: the affections of two men who were neither of them
• 10:39
  Speaker 4: at liberty to bestow them, and all this without the
• 10:42
  Speaker 4: charm of youth. I am glad to find Miss Vernon
• 10:46
  Speaker 4: does not accompany her mother to Churchill, as she has
• 10:49
  Speaker 4: not even manners to recommend her, and, according to mister
• 10:52
  Speaker 4: Smith's account, is equally dull and proud. Where pride and
• 10:57
  Speaker 4: stupidity unite, there can be no dissimulation worthy of notice,
• 11:00
  Speaker 4: and Miss Vernon shall be consigned to unrelenting contempt. But
• 11:05
  Speaker 4: by all that I can gather, Lady Susan possesses a
• 11:08
  Speaker 4: degree of captivating deceit, which it must be pleasing to
• 11:11
  Speaker 4: witness and detect. I shall be with you very soon,
• 11:14
  Speaker 4: and am ever your affectionate brother R. De Courcy five.
• 11:21
  Speaker 2: Lady Susan Vernon to missus Johnson Churchill. I received your note,
• 11:27
  Speaker 2: my dear Alicia, just before I left town, and rejoiced
• 11:31
  Speaker 2: to be assured that mister Johnson suspected nothing of your
• 11:34
  Speaker 2: engagement the evening before. It is undoubtedly better to deceive
• 11:38
  Speaker 2: him entirely, and since he will be stubborn, he must
• 11:41
  Speaker 2: be tricked. I arrived here in safety and have no
• 11:46
  Speaker 2: reason to complain of my reception from mister Vernon. But
• 11:49
  Speaker 2: I confess myself not equally satisfied with the behavior of
• 11:52
  Speaker 2: his lady. She is perfectly well bred, indeed, and has
• 11:57
  Speaker 2: the air of a woman of fashion, but her manner
• 12:00
  Speaker 2: are not such as can persuade me of her being
• 12:02
  Speaker 2: prepossessed in my favor. I wanted her to be delighted
• 12:06
  Speaker 2: at seeing me. I was amiable as possible on the occasion,
• 12:10
  Speaker 2: but all in vain. She does not like me, to
• 12:14
  Speaker 2: be sure, when we consider that I did take some
• 12:17
  Speaker 2: pains to prevent my brother in law's marrying her, this
• 12:21
  Speaker 2: want of cordiality is not very surprising, and yet it
• 12:25
  Speaker 2: shows an i liberal and vindictive spirit to resent a
• 12:28
  Speaker 2: project which influenced me six years ago, and which never
• 12:32
  Speaker 2: succeeded at last. I am sometimes disposed to repent that
• 12:37
  Speaker 2: I did not let Charles by Vernon Castle when we
• 12:40
  Speaker 2: were obliged to sell it. But it was a trying circumstance,
• 12:45
  Speaker 2: especially as the sale took place exactly at the time
• 12:47
  Speaker 2: of his marriage, and everybody ought to respect to the
• 12:51
  Speaker 2: delicacy of those feelings which could not endure that my
• 12:54
  Speaker 2: husband's dignity should be lessened by his younger brothers having
• 12:58
  Speaker 2: possession of the family estate. Could matters have been so
• 13:02
  Speaker 2: arranged as to prevent the necessity of our leaving the castle?
• 13:05
  Speaker 2: Could we have lived with Charles and kept him single?
• 13:09
  Speaker 2: I should have been very far from persuading my husband
• 13:11
  Speaker 2: to dispose of it elsewhere. But Charles was on the
• 13:14
  Speaker 2: point of marrying mister Carsey, and the event has justified me.
• 13:19
  Speaker 2: Here are children in abundance, and what benefit could have
• 13:23
  Speaker 2: accrued to me from his purchasing vernon? My having prevented it.
• 13:29
  Speaker 2: May perhaps have given his wife an unfavorable impression. But
• 13:32
  Speaker 2: where there is a disposition to dislike, a motive will
• 13:36
  Speaker 2: never be wanting. And as to money matters, it has
• 13:39
  Speaker 2: not withheld him from being very useful to me. I
• 13:43
  Speaker 2: really have regard for him. He is so easily imposed upon.
• 13:47
  Speaker 2: The house is a good one, the furniture fashionable, and
• 13:51
  Speaker 2: everything announces plenty and elegance. Charles is very rich. I
• 13:56
  Speaker 2: am sure when a man has once got his name
• 13:59
  Speaker 2: in a banking house, he rolls in money, but they
• 14:02
  Speaker 2: do not know what to do with it. Keep very
• 14:05
  Speaker 2: little company and never go to London. But on business
• 14:10
  Speaker 2: we shall be as stupid as possible. I mean to
• 14:14
  Speaker 2: win my sister in law's heart through the children. I
• 14:17
  Speaker 2: know all their names already, and am going to attach
• 14:20
  Speaker 2: myself with the greatest sensibility to one in particular, a
• 14:24
  Speaker 2: young Frederick, whom I take on my lap and sigh
• 14:28
  Speaker 2: over for his dear uncle's sake, poor Mannering. I need
• 14:33
  Speaker 2: not tell you how much I miss him, how perpetually
• 14:36
  Speaker 2: he is in my thoughts. I found a dismal letter
• 14:40
  Speaker 2: from him on my arrival here, full of complaints of
• 14:43
  Speaker 2: his wife and sister, and lamentations on the cruelty of
• 14:47
  Speaker 2: his fate. I passed off the letter as his wife's
• 14:50
  Speaker 2: to the Vernons, and when I write to him, it
• 14:53
  Speaker 2: must be under cover. To you, ever, yours s Vernon.
• 15:01
  Speaker 3: Missus Vernon, to mister de Cursey Churchill, Well, my dear Reginald,
• 15:08
  Speaker 3: I have seen this dangerous creature and must give you
• 15:11
  Speaker 3: some description of her, though I hope you will soon
• 15:14
  Speaker 3: be able to form your own judgment. She is really
• 15:17
  Speaker 3: excessively pretty. However you may choose to question the allurements
• 15:21
  Speaker 3: of a lady no longer young, I must, for my
• 15:24
  Speaker 3: own part declare that I have seldom seen so lovely
• 15:27
  Speaker 3: a woman as Lady Susan. She is delicately fair, with
• 15:31
  Speaker 3: fine gray eyes and dark eyelashes, and from her appearance
• 15:35
  Speaker 3: one would not suppose her more than five and twenty.
• 15:37
  Speaker 3: I was certainly not disposed to admire her, though always
• 15:41
  Speaker 3: hearing she was beautiful, But I cannot help feeling that
• 15:44
  Speaker 3: she possesses an uncommon union of symmetry, brilliancy, and grace.
• 15:49
  Speaker 3: Her address to me was so gentle, frank, and even affectionate,
• 15:53
  Speaker 3: that if I had not known how much she has
• 15:55
  Speaker 3: always disliked me for marrying mister Vernon, and that we
• 15:58
  Speaker 3: had never met before, I should have imagined her an
• 16:01
  Speaker 3: attached friend. One is apt I believe to connect assurance
• 16:05
  Speaker 3: of manner with coquetry, and to expect that an impudent
• 16:08
  Speaker 3: address will naturally attend an impudent mind. At least I
• 16:13
  Speaker 3: was myself prepared for an improper degree of confidence in
• 16:16
  Speaker 3: Lady Susan. But her countenance is absolutely sweet, and her
• 16:20
  Speaker 3: voice and manner winningly mild. I am sorry it is
• 16:24
  Speaker 3: so for what is this but deceit? Unfortunately? One knows
• 16:28
  Speaker 3: her too well. She is clever and agreeable, has all
• 16:32
  Speaker 3: that knowledge of the world which makes conversation easy, and
• 16:35
  Speaker 3: talks very well, with a happy command of language which
• 16:39
  Speaker 3: is too often used, I believe, to make black appear white.
• 16:43
  Speaker 3: She has already almost persuaded me of her being warmly
• 16:46
  Speaker 3: attached to her daughter, though I have been so long
• 16:48
  Speaker 3: convinced to the contrary. She speaks of her with so
• 16:51
  Speaker 3: much tenderness and anxiety, lamenting so bitterly the neglect of
• 16:55
  Speaker 3: her education, which she represents, however, as wholly unavoidable, that
• 17:00
  Speaker 3: I am forced to recollect how many successive springs her
• 17:03
  Speaker 3: ladyship spent in town while her daughter was left in
• 17:06
  Speaker 3: Staffordshire to the care of servants or a governess very
• 17:10
  Speaker 3: little better to prevent my believing what she says. If
• 17:15
  Speaker 3: her manners have so great an influence on my resentful heart,
• 17:19
  Speaker 3: you may judge how much more strongly they operate on
• 17:22
  Speaker 3: mister Vernon's generous temper. I wish I could be as
• 17:26
  Speaker 3: well satisfied as he is that it was really her
• 17:29
  Speaker 3: choice to leave Langford for Churchill, and if she had
• 17:32
  Speaker 3: not stayed there for months before she discovered that her
• 17:35
  Speaker 3: friend's manner of living did not suit her situation or feelings,
• 17:38
  Speaker 3: I might have believed that concern for the loss of
• 17:41
  Speaker 3: such a husband as mister Vernon to whom her own
• 17:44
  Speaker 3: behavior was far from unexceptionable, might for a time make
• 17:48
  Speaker 3: her wish for retirement. But I cannot forget the length
• 17:52
  Speaker 3: of her visit to the Mannerings, and when I reflect
• 17:55
  Speaker 3: on the different mode of life which she led with
• 17:57
  Speaker 3: them from that to which she must now submit, I
• 18:00
  Speaker 3: can only suppose that the wish of establishing her reputation
• 18:03
  Speaker 3: by following, though late, the path of propriety, occasioned her
• 18:07
  Speaker 3: removal from a family where she must, in reality have
• 18:10
  Speaker 3: been particularly happy. Your friend, mister Smith's story, however, cannot
• 18:15
  Speaker 3: be quite correct, as she corresponds regularly with Missus Mannering.
• 18:20
  Speaker 3: At any rate, it must be exaggerated. It is scarcely
• 18:24
  Speaker 3: possible that two men should be so grossly deceived by
• 18:27
  Speaker 3: her at once. Yours, et cetera, Catherine Vernon.
• 18:33
  Speaker 2: Seven, Lady Susan Vernon to Missus Johnson Churchill, My dear Alicia,
• 18:41
  Speaker 2: you are very good in taking notice of Frederica, and
• 18:44
  Speaker 2: I am grateful for it is a mark of your friendship.
• 18:47
  Speaker 2: But as I cannot have any doubt of the warmth
• 18:49
  Speaker 2: of your affection, I am far from exacting so heavy
• 18:53
  Speaker 2: a sacrifice. She is a stupid girl, and has nothing
• 18:57
  Speaker 2: to recommend her. I would not, therefore, for on my account,
• 19:01
  Speaker 2: have you encumber one moment of your precious time by
• 19:05
  Speaker 2: sending for her to Edward Street, especially as every visit
• 19:09
  Speaker 2: is so much deducted from the grand affair of education,
• 19:12
  Speaker 2: which I really wish to have attended to. While she
• 19:15
  Speaker 2: remains at Miss Somers's, I want her to play and
• 19:18
  Speaker 2: sing with some portion of taste and a good deal
• 19:21
  Speaker 2: of assurance, as she has my hand and arm and
• 19:24
  Speaker 2: a tolerable voice. I was so much indulged in my
• 19:28
  Speaker 2: infant years that I was never obliged to attend to anything,
• 19:32
  Speaker 2: and consequently, and without the accomplishments which are now necessary
• 19:37
  Speaker 2: to finish a pretty woman. Not that I am an
• 19:40
  Speaker 2: advocate for the prevailing fashion of acquiring a perfect knowledge
• 19:44
  Speaker 2: of all languages, arts and sciences. It is throwing away
• 19:48
  Speaker 2: time to be mistress of French, Italian and German music.
• 19:52
  Speaker 2: Singing and drawing, et cetera. Will gain a woman's some applause,
• 19:56
  Speaker 2: but will not add one lover to her list. Grace manner,
• 20:00
  Speaker 2: after all, are of the greatest importance. I do not mean, therefore,
• 20:05
  Speaker 2: that Frederica's acquirements should be more than superficial, and I
• 20:09
  Speaker 2: flatter myself that she will not remain long enough at
• 20:11
  Speaker 2: school to understand anything thoroughly. I hope to see her
• 20:15
  Speaker 2: the wife of Sir James within a twelvemonth. You know
• 20:19
  Speaker 2: on what I ground my hope, and it is certainly
• 20:22
  Speaker 2: a good foundation for school. Must be very humiliating to
• 20:25
  Speaker 2: a girl of Frederica's age, and by the by, you
• 20:29
  Speaker 2: had better not invite her any more on that account,
• 20:32
  Speaker 2: as I wish her to find her situation as unpleasant
• 20:35
  Speaker 2: as possible. I am sure of Sir James at any time,
• 20:38
  Speaker 2: and could make him renew his application by a line.
• 20:42
  Speaker 2: I shall trouble you meanwhile, to prevent his forming any
• 20:45
  Speaker 2: other attachment when he comes to town, ask him to
• 20:48
  Speaker 2: your house occasionally and talk to him of Frederica, that
• 20:52
  Speaker 2: he may not forget her. Upon the whole, I commend
• 20:55
  Speaker 2: my own conduct in this affair extremely and regard it
• 20:59
  Speaker 2: as a very happy instance of circumspection and tenderness. Some
• 21:04
  Speaker 2: mothers would have insisted on the daughters accepting so good
• 21:07
  Speaker 2: notwer are the first overture, but I could not reconcile
• 21:10
  Speaker 2: it to myself to force Frederica into a marriage from
• 21:13
  Speaker 2: which her heart revolted, and instead of adopting so harsh
• 21:17
  Speaker 2: a measure, merely proposed to make it her own choice
• 21:21
  Speaker 2: by rendering her thoroughly uncomfortable till she does accept him.
• 21:25
  Speaker 2: But enough of this tiresome girl. You may well wonder
• 21:28
  Speaker 2: how I contrive to pass my time here. And for
• 21:31
  Speaker 2: the first week it was insufferably dull. Now, however, we
• 21:35
  Speaker 2: begin to mend, are parties enlarged by Missus Vernon's brother,
• 21:40
  Speaker 2: a handsome young man who promises me some amusement. There
• 21:44
  Speaker 2: is something about him which rather interests me, a sort
• 21:48
  Speaker 2: of sauciness and familiarity which I shall teach him to correct.
• 21:53
  Speaker 2: He is lively and seems clever, and when I have
• 21:56
  Speaker 2: inspired him with greater respect for me than his sister's
• 21:59
  Speaker 2: kind office have implanted, he may be an agreeable flirt.
• 22:04
  Speaker 2: There is exquisite pleasure in subduing an insolent spirit, in
• 22:09
  Speaker 2: making a person predetermined to dislike acknowledge one's superiority. I
• 22:15
  Speaker 2: have disconcerted him already by my calm reserve, and it
• 22:19
  Speaker 2: shall be my endeavor to humble the pride of these
• 22:21
  Speaker 2: self important decourses. Still lower to convince Missus Vernon that
• 22:26
  Speaker 2: her sisterly cautions have been bestowed in vain and to
• 22:30
  Speaker 2: persuade Reginald that she has scandalously belied me. This project
• 22:35
  Speaker 2: will serve at least to amuse me and prevent my
• 22:38
  Speaker 2: feelings so acutely this dreadful separation from you and all
• 22:42
  Speaker 2: whom I love ever Yours s Vernon.
• 22:48
  Speaker 3: And of section one Suction two, missus Vernon to Lady
• 22:56
  Speaker 3: de Cursey Churchill, my dear mother, You must not expect
• 23:03
  Speaker 3: Reginald back again for some time. He desires me to
• 23:06
  Speaker 3: tell you that the present open weather induces him to
• 23:09
  Speaker 3: accept mister Vernon's invitation to prolong his stay in Sussex,
• 23:13
  Speaker 3: that they may have some hunting together. He means to
• 23:16
  Speaker 3: send for his horses immediately, and it is impossible to
• 23:19
  Speaker 3: say when you may see him in Kent. I will
• 23:23
  Speaker 3: not disguise my sentiments on this change from you, my
• 23:26
  Speaker 3: dear mother, though I think you had better not communicate
• 23:28
  Speaker 3: them to my father, whose excessive anxiety about Reginald would
• 23:32
  Speaker 3: subject him to an alarm which might seriously affect his
• 23:35
  Speaker 3: health and spirits. Lady Susan has certainly contrived, in the
• 23:40
  Speaker 3: space of a fortnight to make my brother like her.
• 23:44
  Speaker 3: In short, I am persuaded that his continuing here beyond
• 23:47
  Speaker 3: the time originally fixed for his return, is occasioned as
• 23:51
  Speaker 3: much by a degree of fascination towards her as by
• 23:54
  Speaker 3: the wish of hunting with mister Vernon. And of course
• 23:57
  Speaker 3: I cannot receive that pleasure from the length of his
• 24:00
  Speaker 3: visit which my brother's company would otherwise give me. I
• 24:04
  Speaker 3: am indeed provoked at the artifice of this unprincipled woman.
• 24:08
  Speaker 3: What stronger proof of her dangerous abilities can be given
• 24:11
  Speaker 3: than this perversion of Reginald's judgment, which, when he entered
• 24:15
  Speaker 3: the house was so decidedly against her. In his last
• 24:18
  Speaker 3: letter he actually gave me some particulars of her behavior
• 24:21
  Speaker 3: at Langford, such as he received from a gentleman who
• 24:24
  Speaker 3: knew her perfectly well, which if true, must raise abhorrence
• 24:29
  Speaker 3: against her, and which Reginald himself was entirely disposed to credit.
• 24:33
  Speaker 3: His opinion of her, I am sure, was as low
• 24:36
  Speaker 3: as of any woman in England, And when he first
• 24:39
  Speaker 3: came it was evident that he considered her as one
• 24:42
  Speaker 3: entitled neither to delicacy nor respect, and that he felt
• 24:46
  Speaker 3: she would be delighted with the attentions of any man
• 24:49
  Speaker 3: inclined to flirt with her. Her behavior, I confess, has
• 24:52
  Speaker 3: been calculated to do away with such an idea. I
• 24:56
  Speaker 3: have not detected the smallest impropriety in it, nothing of vanity,
• 25:00
  Speaker 3: of pretension of levity. And she is altogether so attractive
• 25:04
  Speaker 3: that I should not wonder at his being delighted with
• 25:07
  Speaker 3: her had he known nothing of her previous to this
• 25:10
  Speaker 3: personal acquaintance. But against reason, against conviction, to be so
• 25:14
  Speaker 3: well pleased with her, as I am sure he is,
• 25:17
  Speaker 3: does really astonish me. His admiration was at first very strong,
• 25:22
  Speaker 3: but no more than was natural, and I did not
• 25:24
  Speaker 3: wonder at his being much struck by the gentleness and
• 25:27
  Speaker 3: delicacy of her manners. But when he has mentioned her
• 25:30
  Speaker 3: of late, it has been in terms of more extraordinary praise.
• 25:34
  Speaker 3: And yesterday he actually said that he could not be
• 25:37
  Speaker 3: surprised at any effect produced on the heart of man
• 25:40
  Speaker 3: by such loveliness and such abilities. And when I lamented
• 25:44
  Speaker 3: in reply the badness of her disposition, he observed that
• 25:48
  Speaker 3: whatever might have been her errors, they were to be
• 25:50
  Speaker 3: imputed to her neglected education and early marriage, and that
• 25:54
  Speaker 3: she was altogether a wonderful woman. This tendency to excuse
• 25:59
  Speaker 3: her conduct or to forget it in the warmth of
• 26:02
  Speaker 3: admiration vexes me. And if I did not know that
• 26:05
  Speaker 3: Reginald is too much at home at Churchill to need
• 26:08
  Speaker 3: an invitation for lengthening his visit, I should regret mister
• 26:12
  Speaker 3: Vernon's giving him any. Lady Susan's intentions are, of course
• 26:16
  Speaker 3: those of absolute coquetry or a desire of universal admiration.
• 26:20
  Speaker 3: I cannot for a moment imagine that she has anything
• 26:23
  Speaker 3: more serious in view. But it mortifies me to see
• 26:26
  Speaker 3: a young man of Reginald's sense duped by her at all.
• 26:31
  Speaker 3: I am, et cetera, Catherine Vernon.
• 26:36
  Speaker 5: Nine, missus Johnson to Lady s Vernon Edward Street, my
• 26:42
  Speaker 5: dearest friend, I congratulate you on mister de Cursey's arrival,
• 26:46
  Speaker 5: and I advise you by all means to marry him.
• 26:49
  Speaker 5: His father's estate is we know, considerable, and I believe
• 26:53
  Speaker 5: certainly entailed. Sir Reginald is very infirm and not likely
• 26:58
  Speaker 5: to stand in your way. Long I hear the young
• 27:01
  Speaker 5: man well spoken of, And though no one can really
• 27:04
  Speaker 5: deserve you, my dearest Susan, mister de Cursey may be
• 27:07
  Speaker 5: worth having Mannering will storm, of course, but you easily
• 27:11
  Speaker 5: pacify him. Besides, the most scrupulous point of honor could
• 27:16
  Speaker 5: not require you to wait for his emancipation. I have
• 27:20
  Speaker 5: seen Sir James. He came to town for a few
• 27:22
  Speaker 5: days last week and called several times in Edward Street.
• 27:26
  Speaker 5: I talked to him about you and your daughter, and
• 27:29
  Speaker 5: he is so far from having forgotten you that I
• 27:31
  Speaker 5: am sure he would marry either of you with pleasure.
• 27:35
  Speaker 5: I gave him hopes of Frederica's relenting and told him
• 27:38
  Speaker 5: a great deal of her improvements. I scolded him for
• 27:41
  Speaker 5: making love to Mariah Mannering. He protested that he had
• 27:45
  Speaker 5: been only in joke, and we both laughed heartily at
• 27:48
  Speaker 5: her disappointment, and in short were very agreeable. He is
• 27:52
  Speaker 5: as silly as ever yours faithfully, Alicia.
• 27:57
  Speaker 2: Ten Lady Susan Van to missus Johnson Churchill. I am
• 28:04
  Speaker 2: much obliged to you, my dear friend, for your advice
• 28:07
  Speaker 2: respecting mister de Courcy, which I know was given with
• 28:11
  Speaker 2: the full conviction of its expediency, though I am not
• 28:14
  Speaker 2: quite determined on following it. I cannot easily resolve on
• 28:19
  Speaker 2: anything so serious as marriage, especially as I am not
• 28:23
  Speaker 2: at present in want of money, and might perhaps till
• 28:27
  Speaker 2: the old gentleman's death, be very little benefited by the match.
• 28:31
  Speaker 2: It is true that I am vain enough to believe
• 28:34
  Speaker 2: it within my reach. I have made him sensible of
• 28:37
  Speaker 2: my power, and can now enjoy the pleasure of triumphing
• 28:41
  Speaker 2: over a mind prepared to dislike me and prejudiced against
• 28:44
  Speaker 2: all my past actions. His sister, too, is, I hope,
• 28:49
  Speaker 2: convinced how little the ungenerous representations of any one to
• 28:54
  Speaker 2: the disadvantage of another will avail when opposed by the
• 28:58
  Speaker 2: immediate influence of intellect manner. I see plainly that she
• 29:02
  Speaker 2: is uneasy at my progress in the good opinion of
• 29:05
  Speaker 2: her brother, and conclude that nothing will be wanted on
• 29:08
  Speaker 2: her part to counterattack me. But having once made him
• 29:12
  Speaker 2: doubt the justice of her opinion of me, I think
• 29:15
  Speaker 2: I may defy her. It has been delightful to me
• 29:19
  Speaker 2: to watch his advances towards intimacy, especially to observe his
• 29:23
  Speaker 2: altered manner. In consequence of my repressing by the cool
• 29:26
  Speaker 2: dignity of my deportment, his insolent approach to direct familiarity.
• 29:32
  Speaker 2: My conduct has been equally guarded from the first, and
• 29:36
  Speaker 2: I never behaved less like a coquette in the whole
• 29:38
  Speaker 2: course of my life, though perhaps my desire of dominion
• 29:42
  Speaker 2: was never more decided. I have subdued him entirely by
• 29:47
  Speaker 2: sentiment and serious conversation, and made him, I may venture
• 29:51
  Speaker 2: to say, at least half in love with me without
• 29:55
  Speaker 2: the semblance of the most commonplace flirtation. Missus v. Vernon's
• 30:00
  Speaker 2: consciousness of deserving every sort of revenge that it can
• 30:04
  Speaker 2: be in my power to inflict for her ill offices
• 30:08
  Speaker 2: could alone enable her to perceive that I am actuated
• 30:11
  Speaker 2: by any design in behavior so gentle and unpretending. Let
• 30:16
  Speaker 2: her think an act as she chooses. However, I have
• 30:19
  Speaker 2: never yet found that the advice of a sister could
• 30:22
  Speaker 2: prevent a young man's being in love if he chose.
• 30:25
  Speaker 2: We are advancing now to some kind of confidence, and
• 30:29
  Speaker 2: in short, are likely to be engaged in a sort
• 30:31
  Speaker 2: of platonic friendship on my side. You may be sure
• 30:36
  Speaker 2: of its never being more. For if I were not
• 30:38
  Speaker 2: attached to another person, as much as I can be
• 30:41
  Speaker 2: to any one, I should make a point of not
• 30:43
  Speaker 2: bestowing my affection on a man who had dared to
• 30:46
  Speaker 2: think so meanly of me. Reginald has a good figure
• 30:50
  Speaker 2: and is not unworthy the praise you have heard given him,
• 30:54
  Speaker 2: but is still greatly inferior to our friend at Langford.
• 30:57
  Speaker 2: He is less polished, lessonsinuating than mannering, and is comparatively
• 31:02
  Speaker 2: deficient in the power of saying those delightful things which
• 31:06
  Speaker 2: put one in good humor with oneself and all the world.
• 31:10
  Speaker 2: He is quite agreeable enough, however, to afford me amusement,
• 31:14
  Speaker 2: and to make many of those hours pass very pleasantly,
• 31:17
  Speaker 2: which would otherwise be spent in endeavoring to overcome my
• 31:20
  Speaker 2: sister in law's reserve and listening to the insipid talk
• 31:24
  Speaker 2: of her husband. Your account of Sir James is most satisfactory.
• 31:30
  Speaker 2: I mean to give Miss Frederica a hint of my
• 31:32
  Speaker 2: intentions very soon, Yours, et cetera. S Vernon.
• 31:39
  Speaker 3: Eleven, missus Vernon to Lady de Cursey Churchill. I really
• 31:48
  Speaker 3: grow quite uneasy, my dearest mother, about Reginald, from witnessing
• 31:52
  Speaker 3: the very rapid increase of Lady Susan's influence. They are
• 31:56
  Speaker 3: now on terms of the most particular friendship, frequently engaged
• 32:00
  Speaker 3: in long conversations together, and she has contrived by the
• 32:04
  Speaker 3: most artful coquetry to subdue his judgment to her own purposes.
• 32:08
  Speaker 3: It is impossible to see the intimacy between them so
• 32:11
  Speaker 3: very soon established without some alarm, though I can hardly
• 32:15
  Speaker 3: suppose that Lady Susan's plans extend to marriage. I wish
• 32:19
  Speaker 3: you could get Reginald home again on any plausible pretense.
• 32:23
  Speaker 3: He is not at all disposed to leave us, and
• 32:25
  Speaker 3: I have given him as many hints of my father's
• 32:28
  Speaker 3: precarious state of health as common decency will allow me
• 32:32
  Speaker 3: to do in my own house. Her power over him
• 32:35
  Speaker 3: must now be boundless, as she has entirely effaced all
• 32:38
  Speaker 3: his former ill opinion and persuaded him not merely to forget,
• 32:42
  Speaker 3: but to justify her conduct. Mister Smith's account of her
• 32:46
  Speaker 3: proceedings at Langford, where he accused her of having made
• 32:49
  Speaker 3: mister Mannering and a young man engaged to Miss Mannering
• 32:52
  Speaker 3: distractedly in love with her, which Reginald firmly believed when
• 32:56
  Speaker 3: he came here, is now he is persuaded only a
• 32:59
  Speaker 3: scoute endless invention. He has told me so with a
• 33:02
  Speaker 3: warmth of manner, which spoke his regret at having believed
• 33:05
  Speaker 3: the contrary himself. How sincerely do I grieve that she
• 33:10
  Speaker 3: ever entered this house. I always looked forward to her
• 33:13
  Speaker 3: coming with uneasiness, but very far was it from originating
• 33:16
  Speaker 3: in anxiety. For Reginald. I expected a most disagreeable companion
• 33:21
  Speaker 3: for myself, but could not imagine that my brother would
• 33:24
  Speaker 3: be in the smallest danger of being captivated by a
• 33:27
  Speaker 3: woman with whose principles he was so well acquainted, and
• 33:30
  Speaker 3: whose character he so heartily despised. If you can get
• 33:34
  Speaker 3: him away, it will be a good thing, yours, et cetera, Catherine.
• 33:40
  Speaker 6: Burnham twelve, Sir Reginald de Couresai to his son Parklands.
• 33:49
  Speaker 6: I know the young men in general do not admit
• 33:52
  Speaker 6: of any inquiry, even from their nearest relations, into affairs
• 33:55
  Speaker 6: of the hut. But I hope, my dear Reginald, that
• 33:59
  Speaker 6: you will be so superior to such as allow nothing
• 34:02
  Speaker 6: for a father's anxiety, and think themselves privileged to refuse
• 34:06
  Speaker 6: him their confidence and slightest advice. You must be sensible that,
• 34:11
  Speaker 6: as an only son and the representative of an ancient family,
• 34:15
  Speaker 6: your conduct in life is most interesting to your connections
• 34:19
  Speaker 6: and in the very important concern of marriage, especially there
• 34:24
  Speaker 6: is everything at stake, your own happiness, that of your parents,
• 34:28
  Speaker 6: and the credit of your name. I do not suppose
• 34:32
  Speaker 6: that you would deliberately form an absolute engagement of that
• 34:36
  Speaker 6: nature without acquainting your mother and myself, or at least
• 34:40
  Speaker 6: without being convinced that we should approve of your choice.
• 34:44
  Speaker 6: But I cannot help fearing that you may be drawn
• 34:46
  Speaker 6: in by the lady who has lately attached you to
• 34:50
  Speaker 6: a marriage which the whole of your family far and near,
• 34:54
  Speaker 6: must highly reprobate. Lady Susan's age is itself a material objection,
• 35:01
  Speaker 6: but her want of character is one so much more
• 35:04
  Speaker 6: serious that the difference of even twelve years becomes in
• 35:07
  Speaker 6: comparison of smaller map. Were you not blinded by a
• 35:11
  Speaker 6: sort of fascination, it would be ridiculous in me to
• 35:15
  Speaker 6: repeat the instances of great misconduct on her side, so
• 35:18
  Speaker 6: very generally known. Her neglect of her husband, her encouragement
• 35:24
  Speaker 6: of other men, her extravagance and dissipation were so gross
• 35:29
  Speaker 6: and notorious that no one could be ignorant of them
• 35:32
  Speaker 6: at the time, nor could now have forgotten them. To
• 35:36
  Speaker 6: our family, she has always been represented in softened colors
• 35:40
  Speaker 6: by the benevolence of mister Charles Vernon, and yet in
• 35:45
  Speaker 6: spite of his generous endeavors to excuse her, we know
• 35:48
  Speaker 6: that she did, from the most selfish motives, take all
• 35:52
  Speaker 6: possible pains to prevent his marriage with Catherine. My years
• 35:57
  Speaker 6: and increasing infirmities make me very desirous of seeing you
• 36:01
  Speaker 6: settled in the world to the fortune of a wife.
• 36:05
  Speaker 6: The goodness of my own will make me indifferent, but
• 36:08
  Speaker 6: her family and character must be equally unexceptionable. When your
• 36:13
  Speaker 6: choice is fixed so that no objection can be made
• 36:16
  Speaker 6: to it, then I can promise you already in cheerful consent.
• 36:20
  Speaker 6: But it is my duty to oppose a match which
• 36:24
  Speaker 6: deep art only could render possible, and must in the
• 36:27
  Speaker 6: end make wretched. It is possible her behavior may arise
• 36:32
  Speaker 6: only from vanity or the wish of gaining the admiration
• 36:36
  Speaker 6: of a man whom she must imagine to be particularly
• 36:39
  Speaker 6: prejudiced against her. But it is more likely that she
• 36:43
  Speaker 6: should aim at something further. She is poor and may
• 36:48
  Speaker 6: naturally seek an alliance which must be advantageous to herself.
• 36:52
  Speaker 6: You know your own rights, and that it is out
• 36:55
  Speaker 6: of my power to prevent your inheriting the family estate.
• 36:58
  Speaker 6: My ability of distress you during my life would be
• 37:01
  Speaker 6: a species of revenge to which I could hardly stoop
• 37:04
  Speaker 6: under any circumstances. I honestly tell you my sentiments and intentions.
• 37:10
  Speaker 6: I do not wish to work on your fears, but
• 37:12
  Speaker 6: on your sense and affection. It would destroy every comfort
• 37:16
  Speaker 6: of my life to know that you are married to
• 37:18
  Speaker 6: Lady Susan Vernon. It would be the death of that
• 37:21
  Speaker 6: honest pride with which I have hitherto considered my son.
• 37:26
  Speaker 6: I should blush to see him, to hear of him,
• 37:29
  Speaker 6: to think of him. I may perhaps do no good
• 37:33
  Speaker 6: but that of relieving my own mind by this letter.
• 37:36
  Speaker 6: But I felt it my duty to tell you that
• 37:39
  Speaker 6: your partiality for Lady Susan is no secret to your friends,
• 37:43
  Speaker 6: and to warn you against her. I should be glad
• 37:46
  Speaker 6: to hear your reasons for disbelieving mister Smith's intelligence. You
• 37:49
  Speaker 6: had no doubt of its authenticity a month ago. If
• 37:53
  Speaker 6: you can give me your assurance of having no design
• 37:56
  Speaker 6: beyond enjoying the conversation of a clever woman for a
• 37:59
  Speaker 6: short fe and of yielding admiration only to her beauty
• 38:03
  Speaker 6: and abilities, without being blinded by them, to her faults,
• 38:08
  Speaker 6: you will restore me to happiness. But if you cannot
• 38:12
  Speaker 6: do this, explained to me at least what has occasioned
• 38:16
  Speaker 6: so great an alteration in your opinion of her? I am,
• 38:20
  Speaker 6: et cetera, et cetera, Reginald de Corcei.
• 38:26
  Speaker 7: Lady de Coursey, to missus Vernon Parkland's, my dear Catherine.
• 38:34
  Speaker 7: Unluckily I was confined to my room when your last
• 38:37
  Speaker 7: letter came, by a cold which affected my eyes so
• 38:40
  Speaker 7: much as to prevent my reading it myself, so I
• 38:43
  Speaker 7: could not refuse your father when you offered to read
• 38:46
  Speaker 7: it to me, by which means he became acquainted to
• 38:49
  Speaker 7: my great vexation with all your fears about your brother.
• 38:54
  Speaker 7: I had intended to write to Reginald myself, as soon
• 38:58
  Speaker 7: as my eyes would let me, to point out as
• 39:01
  Speaker 7: well as I could the danger of an intimate acquaintance
• 39:04
  Speaker 7: with so artful a woman as Lady Susan, to a
• 39:08
  Speaker 7: young man of his age and high expectations. I meant
• 39:12
  Speaker 7: moreover to have reminded him of our being quite alone now,
• 39:17
  Speaker 7: and very much in need of him to keep up
• 39:19
  Speaker 7: our spirits these long winter evenings. Whether it would have
• 39:23
  Speaker 7: done any good can never be settled now. But I
• 39:26
  Speaker 7: am excessively vexed that Sir Reginald should know anything of
• 39:30
  Speaker 7: a matter which we foresaw would make him so uneasy.
• 39:34
  Speaker 7: He caught all your fears the moment he had read
• 39:37
  Speaker 7: your letter, and I am sure he has not had
• 39:39
  Speaker 7: the business out of his head since he wrote, by
• 39:42
  Speaker 7: the same post to Reginald a long letter, full of
• 39:45
  Speaker 7: it all, and particularly asking an explanation of what he
• 39:49
  Speaker 7: may have heard from Lady Susan to contradict the late
• 39:52
  Speaker 7: shocking reports. His answer came this morning, which I shall
• 39:56
  Speaker 7: enclose to you, as I think you will like to
• 39:58
  Speaker 7: see it. I wish it was more satisfactory, but it
• 40:02
  Speaker 7: seems written with such a determination to think well of
• 40:05
  Speaker 7: Lady Susan, that his assurances as to marriage, et cetera
• 40:09
  Speaker 7: do not set my heart at ease. I say all
• 40:13
  Speaker 7: I can, however, to satisfy your father, and he is
• 40:16
  Speaker 7: certainly less uneasy since Reginald's letter. How provoking it is,
• 40:21
  Speaker 7: my dear Catherine, that this unwelcome guest of yours should
• 40:25
  Speaker 7: not only prevent our meeting this Christmas, but be the
• 40:28
  Speaker 7: occasion of so much vexation and trouble. Kiss the dear
• 40:33
  Speaker 7: children for me, your affectionate mother. C. De Coursey.
• 40:39
  Speaker 4: Fourteen, Mister de Courcy to Sir Reginald Churchill, My dear Sir,
• 40:47
  Speaker 4: I have this moment received your letter, which has given
• 40:50
  Speaker 4: me more astonishment than I ever felt before. I am
• 40:54
  Speaker 4: to thank my sister, I suppose, for having represented me
• 40:57
  Speaker 4: in such a light as to injure me in your
• 40:58
  Speaker 4: opinion and give you all this alarm. I know not
• 41:01
  Speaker 4: why she should choose to make herself and her family
• 41:04
  Speaker 4: uneasy by apprehending an event which no one but herself,
• 41:08
  Speaker 4: I can affirm, would ever have thought possible. To impute
• 41:12
  Speaker 4: such a design to Lady Susan would be taking from
• 41:14
  Speaker 4: her every claim to that excellent understanding which her bitterest
• 41:18
  Speaker 4: enemies have never denied her, And equally low must sink
• 41:22
  Speaker 4: my pretensions to common sense. If I am suspected of
• 41:25
  Speaker 4: matrimonial views in my behavior to her, our difference of
• 41:28
  Speaker 4: age must be an insuperable objection. And I entreat you,
• 41:32
  Speaker 4: my dear father, to quiet your mind and no longer
• 41:36
  Speaker 4: harbor a suspicion which cannot be more injurious to your
• 41:39
  Speaker 4: own peace than to our understandings. I can have no
• 41:43
  Speaker 4: other view in remaining with Lady Susan than to enjoy
• 41:46
  Speaker 4: for a short time, as you have yourself expressed it
• 41:49
  Speaker 4: the conversation of a woman of high intellectual powers. If
• 41:53
  Speaker 4: missus Vernon would allow something to my affection for herself
• 41:57
  Speaker 4: and her husband in the length of my visit, you
• 42:00
  Speaker 4: would do more justice to us all. But my sister
• 42:03
  Speaker 4: is unhappily prejudiced beyond the hope of conviction against Lady
• 42:07
  Speaker 4: Susan from an attachment to her husband, which in itself
• 42:12
  Speaker 4: does honour to both. She cannot forgive the endeavors at
• 42:15
  Speaker 4: preventing their union which have been attributed to selfishness in
• 42:18
  Speaker 4: Lady Susan. But in this case, as well as in
• 42:22
  Speaker 4: many others, the world has most grossly injured that lady
• 42:26
  Speaker 4: by supposing the worst. Where the motives of her conduct
• 42:29
  Speaker 4: have been doubtful. Lady Susan had heard something so materially
• 42:33
  Speaker 4: to the disadvantage of my sister as to persuade her
• 42:36
  Speaker 4: that the happiness of mister Vernon, to whom she was
• 42:39
  Speaker 4: always much attached, would be wholly destroyed by the marriage.
• 42:43
  Speaker 4: And this circumstance, while it explains the true motives of
• 42:46
  Speaker 4: Lady Susan's conduct, and removes all the blame which has
• 42:50
  Speaker 4: been so lavished on her. May also convince us how
• 42:53
  Speaker 4: little the general report of anyone ought to be credited,
• 42:56
  Speaker 4: since no character, however upright, can escape them ala evolence
• 43:00
  Speaker 4: of slander. If my sister, in the security of retirement,
• 43:04
  Speaker 4: with as little opportunity as inclination to do evil, could
• 43:08
  Speaker 4: not avoid censure, we must not rashly condemn those who,
• 43:11
  Speaker 4: living in the world and surrounded with temptations, should be
• 43:15
  Speaker 4: accused of errors which they are known to have the
• 43:18
  Speaker 4: power of committing. I blame myself severely for having so
• 43:22
  Speaker 4: easily believed the slanderous tales invented by Charles Smith to
• 43:26
  Speaker 4: the prejudice of Lady Susan, as I am now convinced
• 43:29
  Speaker 4: how greatly they have produced her. As to missus Mannering's jealousy,
• 43:33
  Speaker 4: it was totally his own invention, and his account of
• 43:36
  Speaker 4: her attaching Miss Mannering's lover was scarcely better founded. Sir
• 43:40
  Speaker 4: James Martin had been drawn in by that young lady
• 43:43
  Speaker 4: to pay her some attention, and as he is a
• 43:45
  Speaker 4: man of fortune, it was easy to see her views
• 43:48
  Speaker 4: extended to marriage. It is well known that miss m
• 43:51
  Speaker 4: is absolutely on the catch for a husband, and no
• 43:54
  Speaker 4: one therefore can pity her for losing, by the superior
• 43:57
  Speaker 4: attractions of another woman, the chance of being being able
• 44:00
  Speaker 4: to make a worthy man completely wretched. Lady Susan was
• 44:04
  Speaker 4: far from intending such a conquest, and, on finding how
• 44:07
  Speaker 4: warmly Miss Mannering resented her lover's defection, determined in spite
• 44:11
  Speaker 4: of mister and missus Mannering's most urgent entreaties to leave
• 44:15
  Speaker 4: the family, I have reason to imagine she did receive
• 44:18
  Speaker 4: serious proposals from Sir James, but her a moving to
• 44:21
  Speaker 4: Langford immediately on the discovery of his attachment must acquit
• 44:25
  Speaker 4: her on that article. With any mind of common candor
• 44:28
  Speaker 4: you will, I am sure, my dear Sir, feel the
• 44:31
  Speaker 4: truth of this, and will hereby learn to do justice
• 44:35
  Speaker 4: to the character of a very injured woman. I know
• 44:38
  Speaker 4: that Lady Susan, in coming to Churchill, was governed only
• 44:41
  Speaker 4: by the most honorable and amiable intentions. Her prudence and
• 44:45
  Speaker 4: economy are exemplary, her regard for mister Vernon equal even
• 44:50
  Speaker 4: to his deserts, and her wish of obtaining my sister's
• 44:53
  Speaker 4: good opinion merits a better return than it has received.
• 44:58
  Speaker 4: As a mother, she isn exceptionable. Her solid affection for
• 45:02
  Speaker 4: her child is shown by placing her in hands where
• 45:04
  Speaker 4: her education will be properly attended to. But because she
• 45:08
  Speaker 4: has not the blind and weak partiality of most mothers,
• 45:12
  Speaker 4: she is accused of wanting maternal tenderness. Every person of sense, however,
• 45:18
  Speaker 4: will know how to value and commend her well directed affection,
• 45:21
  Speaker 4: and will join me in wishing that Frederica Vernon may
• 45:24
  Speaker 4: prove more worthy than she has yet done of her
• 45:26
  Speaker 4: mother's tender care. I have now, my dear father, written
• 45:31
  Speaker 4: my real sentiments of Lady Susan. You will know from
• 45:33
  Speaker 4: this letter how highly I admire her abilities and esteem
• 45:37
  Speaker 4: her character. But if you are not equally convinced by
• 45:40
  Speaker 4: my full and solemn assurance that your fears have been
• 45:43
  Speaker 4: most idly created, you will deeply mortify and distress me.
• 45:47
  Speaker 4: I am et cetera, et cetera, ar decursi.
• 45:53
  Speaker 1: End of Lady Susan by Jane Austen, Section two, Section.
• 46:00
  Speaker 3: Three, Missus Vernon to Lady de Cursey Churchill, my dear mother.
• 46:09
  Speaker 3: I return to you Reginald's letter and rejoice with all
• 46:12
  Speaker 3: my heart that my father is made easy by it.
• 46:15
  Speaker 3: Tell him so with my congratulations. But between ourselves I
• 46:20
  Speaker 3: must own it has only convinced me of my brother's
• 46:23
  Speaker 3: having no present intention of marrying Lady Susan, not that
• 46:28
  Speaker 3: he is in no danger of doing so three months.
• 46:30
  Speaker 3: Hence he gives a very plausible account of her behavior
• 46:34
  Speaker 3: at Langford. I wish it may be true, but his
• 46:37
  Speaker 3: intelligence must come from herself, and I am less disposed
• 46:40
  Speaker 3: to believe it than to lament the degree of intimacies
• 46:43
  Speaker 3: subsisting between them implied by the discussion of such a subject.
• 46:48
  Speaker 3: I am sorry to have incurred his displeasure, but can
• 46:52
  Speaker 3: expect nothing better. While he is so very eager in
• 46:55
  Speaker 3: Lady Susan's justification, he is very severe against me, indeed,
• 46:59
  Speaker 3: and yet I hope I have not been hasty in
• 47:01
  Speaker 3: my judgment of her. Poor woman. Though I have reason
• 47:05
  Speaker 3: enough for my dislike, I cannot help pitying her at present,
• 47:09
  Speaker 3: as she is in real distress and with too much cause.
• 47:13
  Speaker 3: She had this morning a letter from the lady with
• 47:15
  Speaker 3: whom she has placed her daughter, to request that Miss
• 47:18
  Speaker 3: Vernon might be immediately removed, as she had been detected
• 47:22
  Speaker 3: in an attempt to run away. Why or whither she
• 47:25
  Speaker 3: intended to go does not appear, But as her situation
• 47:29
  Speaker 3: seems to have been unexceptionable, it is a sad thing,
• 47:33
  Speaker 3: and of course highly distressing to Lady Susan. Frederica must
• 47:37
  Speaker 3: be as much as sixteen and ought to know better.
• 47:40
  Speaker 3: But from what her mother insinuates, I am afraid she
• 47:43
  Speaker 3: is a perverse girl. She has been sadly neglected, however,
• 47:47
  Speaker 3: and her mother ought to remember it. Mister Vernon set
• 47:50
  Speaker 3: off for London as soon as she had determined what
• 47:52
  Speaker 3: should be done. He is, if possible to prevail on
• 47:56
  Speaker 3: Miss Summers to let Frederica continue with her, and if
• 47:59
  Speaker 3: he cannot succeed, to bring her to Churchill for the
• 48:02
  Speaker 3: present till some other situation can be found for her.
• 48:06
  Speaker 3: Her Ladyship is comforting herself meanwhile by strolling along the
• 48:09
  Speaker 3: shrubbery with Reginald calling forth all his tender feelings. I
• 48:13
  Speaker 3: suppose on this distressing occasion she has been talking a
• 48:17
  Speaker 3: great deal about it to me. She talks vastly well.
• 48:21
  Speaker 3: I am afraid of being ungenerous, or I should say
• 48:23
  Speaker 3: too well to feel very deeply. But I will not
• 48:26
  Speaker 3: look for her faults. She may be Reginald's wife, heaven
• 48:30
  Speaker 3: forbid it, but why should I be quicker sighted than
• 48:33
  Speaker 3: any one else? Mister Vernon declares that he never saw
• 48:36
  Speaker 3: deeper distress than hers on the receipt of the letter,
• 48:39
  Speaker 3: and is his judgment inferior to mine. She was very
• 48:43
  Speaker 3: unwilling that Frederica should be allowed to come to Churchhill,
• 48:46
  Speaker 3: and justly enough, as it seems a sort of reward
• 48:50
  Speaker 3: to behavior deserving very differently. But it was impossible to
• 48:54
  Speaker 3: take her anywhere else, and she is not to remain
• 48:56
  Speaker 3: here long. It will be absolutely necessary, said she, as you,
• 49:01
  Speaker 3: my dear sister, must be sensible to treat my daughter
• 49:04
  Speaker 3: with some severity while she is here. A most painful necessity.
• 49:08
  Speaker 3: But I will endeavor to submit to it. I am
• 49:11
  Speaker 3: afraid I have often been too indulgent, but my poor
• 49:14
  Speaker 3: Frederica's temper could never bear opposition. Well, you must support
• 49:18
  Speaker 3: and encourage me. You must urge the necessity of reproof
• 49:21
  Speaker 3: if you see me too lenient. All this sounds very reasonable.
• 49:26
  Speaker 3: Reginald is so incensed against the poor silly girl. Surely
• 49:30
  Speaker 3: it is not to Lady Susan's credit that he should
• 49:32
  Speaker 3: be so bitter against her daughter. His idea of her
• 49:35
  Speaker 3: must be drawn from the mother's description. Well, whatever may
• 49:40
  Speaker 3: be his fate, we have the comfort of knowing that
• 49:42
  Speaker 3: we have done our utmost to save him. We must
• 49:45
  Speaker 3: commit the event to a higher power, Yours ever, et cetera.
• 49:50
  Speaker 3: Catherine Vernon.
• 49:53
  Speaker 2: Sixteen, Lady Susan to missus Johnson Churchill. Never, my dearest Alicia,
• 50:02
  Speaker 2: was I so provoked in my life as by a
• 50:04
  Speaker 2: letter this morning from Miss Sommers, that horrid girl of
• 50:08
  Speaker 2: mine has been trying to run away. I had not
• 50:11
  Speaker 2: a notion of her being such a little devil before
• 50:14
  Speaker 2: she seemed to have all the Vernon milkiness. But on
• 50:17
  Speaker 2: receiving the letter in which I declared my intention about
• 50:20
  Speaker 2: Sir James, she actually attempted to elope. At least I
• 50:24
  Speaker 2: cannot otherwise account for her doing it. She meant I
• 50:28
  Speaker 2: suppose to go to the clerks in Staffordshire, for she
• 50:31
  Speaker 2: has no other acquaintances. But she shall be punished. She
• 50:36
  Speaker 2: shall have him. I have sent Charles to town to
• 50:39
  Speaker 2: make matters up if he can, for I do not,
• 50:42
  Speaker 2: by any means want her here. If Miss Somers will
• 50:45
  Speaker 2: not keep her, you must find me out another school
• 50:49
  Speaker 2: unless we can get her married immediately. Miss S writes
• 50:53
  Speaker 2: word that she could not get the young lady to
• 50:55
  Speaker 2: assign any cause for her extraordinary conduct, which confirms me
• 50:59
  Speaker 2: in my own previous explanation of it. Frederica is too shy,
• 51:03
  Speaker 2: I think, and too much in awe of me to
• 51:06
  Speaker 2: tell tales. But if the mildness of her uncle should
• 51:09
  Speaker 2: get anything out of her, I am not afraid. I
• 51:13
  Speaker 2: trust I shall be able to make my story as
• 51:15
  Speaker 2: good as hers. If I am vain of anything, it
• 51:18
  Speaker 2: is of my eloquence, consideration, and esteem as surely follow
• 51:23
  Speaker 2: command of language, as admiration waits on beauty. And here
• 51:27
  Speaker 2: I have opportunity enough for the exercise of my talent.
• 51:31
  Speaker 2: As the chief of my time is spent in conversation.
• 51:37
  Speaker 2: Reginald is never easy unless we are by ourselves, and
• 51:40
  Speaker 2: when the weather is tolerable, we pace the shrubbery for
• 51:43
  Speaker 2: hours together. I like him on the whole very well.
• 51:48
  Speaker 2: He is clever and has a good deal to say,
• 51:50
  Speaker 2: but he is sometimes impertinent and troublesome. There is a
• 51:54
  Speaker 2: sort of righteous delicacy about him which requires the fullest
• 51:58
  Speaker 2: explanation of whatever he may have heard. To my disadvantage,
• 52:02
  Speaker 2: and it is never satisfied till he thinks he has
• 52:05
  Speaker 2: ascertained the beginning and end of everything. This is one
• 52:09
  Speaker 2: sort of love, but I confess it does not particularly
• 52:12
  Speaker 2: recommend itself to me. I infinitely prefer the tender and
• 52:17
  Speaker 2: liberal spirit of Mannering, which impressed with the deepest conviction
• 52:22
  Speaker 2: of my Merit is satisfied that whatever I do must
• 52:26
  Speaker 2: be right, and look with a degree of contempt on
• 52:29
  Speaker 2: the inquisitive and doubtful fancies of that heart which seems
• 52:33
  Speaker 2: always debating on the reasonableness of its emotions. Mannering is
• 52:38
  Speaker 2: indeed beyond all compare superior to Reginald, superior in everything
• 52:44
  Speaker 2: but the power of being with me. Poor fellow, he
• 52:48
  Speaker 2: is much distracted by jealousy, which I am not sorry for,
• 52:52
  Speaker 2: as I know no better support of love. He has
• 52:56
  Speaker 2: been teasing me to allow of his coming into this
• 52:58
  Speaker 2: country and love lodging somewhere near in cog But I
• 53:03
  Speaker 2: forbade everything of the kind. Those women are inexcusable, who
• 53:07
  Speaker 2: forget what is due to themselves and the opinion of
• 53:11
  Speaker 2: the world. Yours ever, s Vernon.
• 53:17
  Speaker 3: Seventeen. Missus Vernon to Lady de Cursey, Churchill, my dear mother.
• 53:26
  Speaker 3: Mister Vernon returned on Thursday night, bringing his niece with him.
• 53:30
  Speaker 3: Lady Susan had received a line from him by that
• 53:32
  Speaker 3: day's post informing her that Miss Summers had absolutely refused
• 53:37
  Speaker 3: to allow of Miss Vernon's continuance in her academy. We
• 53:40
  Speaker 3: were therefore prepared for her arrival and expected them impatiently
• 53:44
  Speaker 3: the whole evening. They came while we were at tea,
• 53:47
  Speaker 3: and I never saw any creature look so frightened as
• 53:50
  Speaker 3: Frederica when she entered the room. Lady Susan, who had
• 53:54
  Speaker 3: been shedding tears before and showing great agitation at the
• 53:57
  Speaker 3: idea of the meeting, received with perfect self command and
• 54:02
  Speaker 3: without betraying the least tenderness of spirit. She hardly spoke
• 54:06
  Speaker 3: to her, and, on Frederica's bursting into tears, as soon
• 54:09
  Speaker 3: as we were seated, took her out of the room
• 54:11
  Speaker 3: and did not return for some time. When she did,
• 54:15
  Speaker 3: her eyes looked very red, and she was as much
• 54:17
  Speaker 3: agitated as before. We saw no more of her daughter.
• 54:21
  Speaker 3: Poor Reginald was beyond measure concerned to see his fair
• 54:25
  Speaker 3: friend in such distress, and watched her with so much
• 54:28
  Speaker 3: tender solicitude that I, who occasionally caught her observing his
• 54:32
  Speaker 3: countenance with exultation, was quite out of patience. This pathetic
• 54:37
  Speaker 3: representation lasted the whole evening, and so ostentatious and artful
• 54:42
  Speaker 3: a display has entirely convinced me that she did, in
• 54:45
  Speaker 3: fact feel nothing. I am more angry with her than
• 54:48
  Speaker 3: ever since I have seen her daughter. The poor girl
• 54:51
  Speaker 3: looks so unhappy that my heart aches for her. Lady
• 54:54
  Speaker 3: Susan is surely too severe. For Frederica does not seem
• 54:58
  Speaker 3: to have the sort of temper to make sever necessary.
• 55:01
  Speaker 3: She looks perfectly timid, dejected, and penitent. She is very pretty,
• 55:06
  Speaker 3: though not so handsome as her mother, nor at all
• 55:09
  Speaker 3: like her. Her complexion is delicate, but neither so fair
• 55:12
  Speaker 3: nor so blooming as Lady Susan's. And she has quite
• 55:15
  Speaker 3: the vernon cast of countenance, the oval face and mild
• 55:19
  Speaker 3: dark eyes. And there is peculiar sweetness in her look
• 55:22
  Speaker 3: when she speaks, either to her uncle or to me.
• 55:25
  Speaker 3: For as we behave kindly to her, we have of
• 55:27
  Speaker 3: course engaged her gratitude. Her mother has insinuated that her
• 55:31
  Speaker 3: temper is intractable. But I never saw a face less
• 55:35
  Speaker 3: indicative of any evil disposition than hers, and from what
• 55:39
  Speaker 3: I can see of the behavior of each to the other,
• 55:41
  Speaker 3: the invariable severity of Lady Susan and the silent dejection
• 55:45
  Speaker 3: of Frederica, I am led to believe, as heretofore, that
• 55:49
  Speaker 3: the former has no real love for her daughter, and
• 55:52
  Speaker 3: has never done her justice or treated her affectionately. I
• 55:55
  Speaker 3: have not been able to have any conversation with my niece.
• 55:59
  Speaker 3: She is shy, and I think I can see that
• 56:01
  Speaker 3: some pains are taken to prevent her being much with me.
• 56:05
  Speaker 3: Nothing satisfactory transpires as to her reason for running away.
• 56:09
  Speaker 3: Her kind hearted uncle, you may be sure, was too
• 56:12
  Speaker 3: fearful of distressing her to ask many questions as they traveled.
• 56:16
  Speaker 3: I wish it had been possible for me to fetch
• 56:18
  Speaker 3: her instead of him. I think I should have discovered
• 56:21
  Speaker 3: the truth in the course of a thirty mile journey.
• 56:24
  Speaker 3: The small Pianoforte has been removed within these last few days,
• 56:28
  Speaker 3: at Lady Susan's request, into her dressing room, and Frederica
• 56:31
  Speaker 3: spends a great part of the day there practicing as
• 56:34
  Speaker 3: it is called. But I seldom hear any noise when
• 56:37
  Speaker 3: I pass that way what she does with herself there,
• 56:40
  Speaker 3: I do not know. There are plenty of books, but
• 56:43
  Speaker 3: it is not every girl who has been running wild
• 56:46
  Speaker 3: the first fifteen years of her life that can or
• 56:49
  Speaker 3: will read poor creature. The prospect from her window is
• 56:53
  Speaker 3: not very instructive, for that room overlooks the lawn, you know,
• 56:56
  Speaker 3: with the shrubbery on one side, where she may see
• 56:59
  Speaker 3: her mother walking for an hour together. In earnest conversation
• 57:03
  Speaker 3: with Reginald, a girl of Frederica's age must be childish. Indeed,
• 57:08
  Speaker 3: if such things do not strike her, is it not
• 57:10
  Speaker 3: inexcusable to give such an example to a daughter. Yet
• 57:14
  Speaker 3: Reginald still thinks Lady Susan the best of mothers, and
• 57:17
  Speaker 3: still condemns Frederica as a worthless girl. He is convinced
• 57:21
  Speaker 3: that her attempt to run away proceeded from no justifiable
• 57:25
  Speaker 3: cause and had no provocation. I am sure I cannot
• 57:28
  Speaker 3: say that it had. But while Miss Somers declares that
• 57:32
  Speaker 3: Miss Vernon showed no signs of obstinacy or perverseness during
• 57:36
  Speaker 3: her whole stay in Wigmore Street till she was detected
• 57:38
  Speaker 3: in this scheme, I cannot so readily credit what lady
• 57:42
  Speaker 3: Susan has made him and wants to make me believe
• 57:45
  Speaker 3: that it was merely an impatience of restraint and a
• 57:48
  Speaker 3: desire of escaping from the tuition of masters, which brought
• 57:51
  Speaker 3: on the plan of elopement. Oh, Reginald, how is your
• 57:55
  Speaker 3: judgment enslaved? He scarcely dares even allow her to be handsome,
• 57:59
  Speaker 3: and when I speak of her beauty, replies only that
• 58:01
  Speaker 3: her eyes have no brilliancy. Sometimes he is sure she
• 58:05
  Speaker 3: is deficient and understanding, and at others that her temper
• 58:08
  Speaker 3: only is in fault. In short, when a person is
• 58:12
  Speaker 3: always to deceive, it is impossible to be consistent. Lady
• 58:16
  Speaker 3: Susan finds it necessary that Frederica should be to blame,
• 58:19
  Speaker 3: and probably has sometimes judged it expedient to excuse her
• 58:23
  Speaker 3: of ill nature, and sometimes to lament her want of sense.
• 58:27
  Speaker 3: Reginald is only repeating after her ladyship. I remain et cetera,
• 58:31
  Speaker 3: et cetera, Catherine Vernon eighteen from the same to the
• 58:38
  Speaker 3: same Churchill, my dear mother, I am very glad to
• 58:45
  Speaker 3: find that my description of Frederica Vernon has interested you,
• 58:49
  Speaker 3: for I do believe her truly deserving of your regard
• 58:53
  Speaker 3: and when I have communicated a notion which has recently
• 58:56
  Speaker 3: struck me, your kind impressions in her favor, will, I
• 59:00
  Speaker 3: am sure be heightened. I cannot help fancying that she
• 59:04
  Speaker 3: is growing partial to my brother. I so very often
• 59:07
  Speaker 3: see her eyes fixed on his face with a remarkable
• 59:10
  Speaker 3: expression of pensive admiration. He is certainly very handsome, and
• 59:15
  Speaker 3: yet more, there is an openness in his manner that
• 59:18
  Speaker 3: must be highly prepossessing. And I am sure she feels
• 59:21
  Speaker 3: it so thoughtful and pensive and general. Her countenance always
• 59:26
  Speaker 3: brightens into a smile when Reginald says anything amusing. And
• 59:31
  Speaker 3: let the subject be ever so serious that he may
• 59:33
  Speaker 3: be conversing on I am much mistaken if a syllable
• 59:37
  Speaker 3: of his uttering escapes her. I want to make him
• 59:40
  Speaker 3: sensible of all this, for we know the power of
• 59:43
  Speaker 3: gratitude on such a heart as his. And could Frederica's
• 59:46
  Speaker 3: artless affection detach him from her mother? We might bless
• 59:50
  Speaker 3: the day which brought her to Churchhill. I think, my
• 59:53
  Speaker 3: dear mother, you would not disapprove of her as a daughter.
• 59:57
  Speaker 3: She is extremely young, to be sure, has had a
• 1:00:00
  Speaker 3: wretched education, and a dreadful example of levity in her mother.
• 1:00:04
  Speaker 3: But yet I can pronounce her disposition to be excellent,
• 1:00:07
  Speaker 3: and her natural ability is very good. Though totally without accomplishments.
• 1:00:12
  Speaker 3: She is by no means so ignorant as one might
• 1:00:15
  Speaker 3: expect to find her. Being fond of books and spending
• 1:00:18
  Speaker 3: the chief of her time in reading, her mother leaves
• 1:00:21
  Speaker 3: her more to herself than she did, And I have
• 1:00:24
  Speaker 3: her with me as much as possible, and have taken
• 1:00:26
  Speaker 3: great pains to overcome her timidity. We are very good friends.
• 1:00:30
  Speaker 3: And though she never opens her lips before her mother,
• 1:00:33
  Speaker 3: she talks enough when alone with me to make it
• 1:00:36
  Speaker 3: clear that if properly treated by Lady Susan, she would
• 1:00:39
  Speaker 3: always appear to much greater advantage. There cannot be a
• 1:00:43
  Speaker 3: more gentle, affectionate heart, or more obliging manners when acting
• 1:00:48
  Speaker 3: without restraint, and her little cousins are all very fond
• 1:00:51
  Speaker 3: of her, Your affectionate daughter.
• 1:00:55
  Speaker 1: C Vernon.
• 1:00:58
  Speaker 2: Nineteen, Lady Susan to missus Johnson Churchill. You will be eager,
• 1:01:05
  Speaker 2: I know, to hear something further of Frederica, and perhaps
• 1:01:09
  Speaker 2: may think me negligent for not writing before she arrived
• 1:01:12
  Speaker 2: with her uncle last Thursday fortnight, when of course I
• 1:01:16
  Speaker 2: lost no time in demanding the cause of her behavior,
• 1:01:19
  Speaker 2: and soon found myself to have been perfectly right in
• 1:01:22
  Speaker 2: attributing it to my own letter. The prospect of it
• 1:01:26
  Speaker 2: frightened her so thoroughly that, with a mixture of true
• 1:01:30
  Speaker 2: girlish perseverance and folly, she resolved on getting out of
• 1:01:34
  Speaker 2: the house and proceeding directly by the stage to her
• 1:01:37
  Speaker 2: friends the clerks, and had really got as far as
• 1:01:40
  Speaker 2: the length of two streets in her journey when she
• 1:01:43
  Speaker 2: was fortunately missed, pursued, and overtaken. Such was the first
• 1:01:49
  Speaker 2: distinguished exploit of Miss Frederica Vernon, and if we consider
• 1:01:52
  Speaker 2: that it was achieved at the tender age of sixteen,
• 1:01:56
  Speaker 2: we shall have room for the most flattering prognostics of
• 1:01:59
  Speaker 2: her future renown. I am excessively provoked, however, at the
• 1:02:03
  Speaker 2: parade of propriety which prevented Miss Somers from keeping the girl,
• 1:02:07
  Speaker 2: And it seems so extraordinary a piece of nicety, considering
• 1:02:11
  Speaker 2: my daughter's family connections, that I can only suppose the
• 1:02:15
  Speaker 2: lady to be governed by the fear of never getting
• 1:02:18
  Speaker 2: her money. Be that as it may, However, Frederica is
• 1:02:22
  Speaker 2: returned on my hands, and having nothing else to employ
• 1:02:25
  Speaker 2: her is busy pursuing the plan of romance begun at Langford.
• 1:02:30
  Speaker 2: She is actually falling in love with Reginald de Courcy.
• 1:02:34
  Speaker 2: To disobey her mother by refusing an unexceptionable offer is
• 1:02:37
  Speaker 2: not enough. Her affections must also be given without her
• 1:02:41
  Speaker 2: mother's approbation. I never saw a girl of her age
• 1:02:45
  Speaker 2: bid fairer to the sport of mankind. Her feelings are
• 1:02:49
  Speaker 2: tolerably acute, and she is so charmingly artless in their
• 1:02:53
  Speaker 2: display as to afford the most reasonable hope of her
• 1:02:55
  Speaker 2: being ridiculous and despised by every man who sees her
• 1:03:01
  Speaker 2: artlessness will never do in love matters, and that girl
• 1:03:04
  Speaker 2: is born as simpleton, who has it either by nature
• 1:03:07
  Speaker 2: or affectation. I am not yet certain that Reginald sees
• 1:03:11
  Speaker 2: what she is about, nor is it of much consequence.
• 1:03:15
  Speaker 2: She is now an object of indifference to him, and
• 1:03:18
  Speaker 2: she should be one of contempt were he to understand
• 1:03:21
  Speaker 2: her emotions. Her beauty is much admired by the Vernons,
• 1:03:25
  Speaker 2: but it has no effect on him. She is in
• 1:03:28
  Speaker 2: high favor with her aunt altogether because she is so
• 1:03:31
  Speaker 2: little like myself. Of course, she is exactly the companion
• 1:03:35
  Speaker 2: for Missus Vernon, who dearly loves to be firm and
• 1:03:39
  Speaker 2: to have all the sense and all the wit of
• 1:03:41
  Speaker 2: the conversation to herself. Frederica will never eclipse her. When
• 1:03:47
  Speaker 2: she first came, I was at some pains to prevent
• 1:03:50
  Speaker 2: her seeing much of her aunt. But I have relaxed,
• 1:03:53
  Speaker 2: as I believe I may depend on her observing the
• 1:03:56
  Speaker 2: rules I have laid down for their discourse. But do
• 1:03:59
  Speaker 2: not imagine with all the lenity I have for a
• 1:04:01
  Speaker 2: moment given up my plan of her marriage. No, I
• 1:04:05
  Speaker 2: am unalterably fixed on this point, though I have not
• 1:04:08
  Speaker 2: yet quite decided on the manner of bringing it about.
• 1:04:12
  Speaker 2: I should not choose to have the business brought on
• 1:04:14
  Speaker 2: here and canvassed by the wise heads of mister and
• 1:04:18
  Speaker 2: Missus Vernon. And I cannot just now afford to go to town.
• 1:04:22
  Speaker 2: Miss Frederica must therefore wait a little yours ever, S Vernon.
• 1:04:31
  Speaker 3: Twenty Missus Vernon, to Lady de Cursey Churchill. We have
• 1:04:39
  Speaker 3: a very unexpected guest with us at present, my dear mother.
• 1:04:42
  Speaker 3: He arrived yesterday. I heard a carriage at the door
• 1:04:46
  Speaker 3: as I was sitting with my children when they dined,
• 1:04:48
  Speaker 3: And supposing I should be wanted. Left the nursery soon afterwards,
• 1:04:52
  Speaker 3: and was half way downstairs when Frederica, as pale as ashes,
• 1:04:56
  Speaker 3: came running up and rushed by me into her own room.
• 1:05:00
  Speaker 3: I instantly followed and asked her, what was the matter? Oh,
• 1:05:03
  Speaker 3: said she he is come, Sir James is come, and
• 1:05:06
  Speaker 3: what shall I do? This was no explanation. I begged
• 1:05:10
  Speaker 3: her to tell me what she meant. At that moment,
• 1:05:13
  Speaker 3: we were interrupted by a knock on the door. It
• 1:05:15
  Speaker 3: was Reginald, who came by Lady Susan's direction to call
• 1:05:19
  Speaker 3: Frederica down. It is mister de Cursey, said she, coloring violently.
• 1:05:25
  Speaker 3: Mamma has sent for me. I must go. We all
• 1:05:29
  Speaker 3: three went down together, and I saw my brother examining
• 1:05:33
  Speaker 3: the terrified face of Frederica with surprise. In the breakfast
• 1:05:37
  Speaker 3: room we found Lady Susan and a young man of
• 1:05:39
  Speaker 3: gentlemanlike appearance, whom she introduced by the name of Sir
• 1:05:43
  Speaker 3: James Martin, the very person as you may remember, whom
• 1:05:47
  Speaker 3: it was said she had been at pains to detach
• 1:05:50
  Speaker 3: from Miss Mannering. But the conquest, it seems, was not
• 1:05:53
  Speaker 3: designed for herself, or she has since transferred it to
• 1:05:57
  Speaker 3: her daughter, for Sir James is now desperately in love
• 1:06:00
  Speaker 3: with Frederica, and with full encouragement from Mamma. The poor girl, however,
• 1:06:06
  Speaker 3: I am sure, dislikes him, and though his person and
• 1:06:09
  Speaker 3: address are very well, he appears both to mister Vernon
• 1:06:13
  Speaker 3: and me, a very weak young man. Frederica looked so shy,
• 1:06:17
  Speaker 3: so confused when we entered the room, that I felt
• 1:06:20
  Speaker 3: for her exceedingly. Lady Susan behaved with great attention to
• 1:06:24
  Speaker 3: her visitor, and yet I thought I could perceive that
• 1:06:28
  Speaker 3: she had no particular pleasure in seeing him. Sir James
• 1:06:32
  Speaker 3: talked a great deal and made many civil excuses to
• 1:06:35
  Speaker 3: me for the liberty he had taken in coming to Churchhill,
• 1:06:38
  Speaker 3: mixing more frequent laughter with his discourse than the subject required,
• 1:06:43
  Speaker 3: said many things over and over again, and told Lady
• 1:06:46
  Speaker 3: Susan three times that he had seen missus Johnson a
• 1:06:49
  Speaker 3: few evenings before. He now and then addressed Frederica, but
• 1:06:53
  Speaker 3: more frequently her mother. The poor girl sat all this
• 1:06:56
  Speaker 3: time without opening her lips, her eyes cast down, her
• 1:07:00
  Speaker 3: color varying every instant, while Reginald observed all that passed
• 1:07:04
  Speaker 3: in perfect silence. At length, Lady Susan, weary I believe
• 1:07:09
  Speaker 3: of her situation, proposed walking, and we left the two
• 1:07:13
  Speaker 3: gentlemen together to put on our palisses. As we went upstairs,
• 1:07:17
  Speaker 3: Lady Susan begged permission to attend me for a few
• 1:07:20
  Speaker 3: moments in my dressing room, as she was anxious to
• 1:07:23
  Speaker 3: speak with me in private. I led her thither accordingly,
• 1:07:26
  Speaker 3: and as soon as the door was closed, she said,
• 1:07:29
  Speaker 3: I was never more surprised in my life than by
• 1:07:31
  Speaker 3: Sir James's arrival, and the suddenness of it requires some
• 1:07:34
  Speaker 3: apology to you, my dear sister, though to me as
• 1:07:38
  Speaker 3: a mother, it is highly flattering. He is so extremely
• 1:07:42
  Speaker 3: attached to my daughter that he could not exist longer
• 1:07:45
  Speaker 3: without seeing her. Sir James is a young man of
• 1:07:48
  Speaker 3: an amiable disposition, an excellent character, a little too much
• 1:07:51
  Speaker 3: of the rattle, perhaps, but a year or two will
• 1:07:54
  Speaker 3: rectify that. And he is in other respects so very
• 1:07:58
  Speaker 3: eligible a match for Frederica that I have always observed
• 1:08:01
  Speaker 3: his attachment with the greatest pleasure, and am persuaded that
• 1:08:04
  Speaker 3: you and my brother will give the alliance your hearty approbation.
• 1:08:09
  Speaker 3: I have never before mentioned the likelihood of its taking
• 1:08:11
  Speaker 3: place to any one, because I thought that whilst Frederica
• 1:08:15
  Speaker 3: continued at school, it had better not be known to exist.
• 1:08:18
  Speaker 3: But now as I am convinced that Frederica is too
• 1:08:21
  Speaker 3: old ever to submit to school confinement, and have therefore
• 1:08:26
  Speaker 3: begun to consider her union with Sir James as not
• 1:08:29
  Speaker 3: very distant, I had intended within a few days to
• 1:08:32
  Speaker 3: acquaint yourself and mister Vernon with the whole business. I
• 1:08:35
  Speaker 3: am sure, my dear sister, you will excuse my remaining
• 1:08:38
  Speaker 3: silence so long, and agree with me that such circumstances,
• 1:08:42
  Speaker 3: while they continue from any cause and suspense, cannot be
• 1:08:46
  Speaker 3: too cautiously concealed. When you have the happiness of bestowing
• 1:08:50
  Speaker 3: your sweet little Catherine some years hence on a man who,
• 1:08:53
  Speaker 3: in connection and character is alike unexceptionable, you will know
• 1:08:57
  Speaker 3: what I feel now, though, thank Heaven, you cannot have
• 1:09:01
  Speaker 3: all my reasons for rejoicing in such an event. Catherine
• 1:09:04
  Speaker 3: will be amply provided for, and not like my Frederica,
• 1:09:09
  Speaker 3: indebted to a fortunate establishment for the comforts of life.
• 1:09:14
  Speaker 3: She concluded by demanding my congratulations. I gave them somewhat awkwardly,
• 1:09:18
  Speaker 3: I believe, for in fact, the sudden disclosure of so
• 1:09:22
  Speaker 3: important a matter took from me the power of speaking
• 1:09:25
  Speaker 3: with any clearness. She thanked me, however, most affectionately for
• 1:09:29
  Speaker 3: my kind concern in the welfare of herself and her daughter,
• 1:09:33
  Speaker 3: and then said, I am not apt to deal in professions,
• 1:09:37
  Speaker 3: my dear missus Vernon, and I never had the convenient
• 1:09:40
  Speaker 3: talent of affecting sensations foreign to my heart, and therefore
• 1:09:44
  Speaker 3: I trust you will believe me when I declare that
• 1:09:47
  Speaker 3: much as I had heard in your praise, before I
• 1:09:49
  Speaker 3: knew you, I had no idea that I should ever
• 1:09:52
  Speaker 3: love you as I now do. And I must further
• 1:09:55
  Speaker 3: say that your friendship towards me is more particularly gratifying,
• 1:09:59
  Speaker 3: because I have reason to believe that some attempts were
• 1:10:02
  Speaker 3: made to prejudice you against me. I only wish that they,
• 1:10:06
  Speaker 3: whoever they are, to whom I am indebted for such
• 1:10:09
  Speaker 3: kind intentions, could see the terms on which we now
• 1:10:12
  Speaker 3: are together and understand the real affection we feel for
• 1:10:16
  Speaker 3: each other. But I will not detain you any longer.
• 1:10:18
  Speaker 3: God bless you for your goodness to me and my girl,
• 1:10:22
  Speaker 3: and continue to you all your present happiness. What can
• 1:10:26
  Speaker 3: one say of such a woman, My dear mother, such earnestness,
• 1:10:30
  Speaker 3: such solemnity of expression, and yet I cannot help suspecting
• 1:10:34
  Speaker 3: the truth of everything she says. As for Reginald, I
• 1:10:37
  Speaker 3: believe he does not know what to make of the matter.
• 1:10:40
  Speaker 3: When Sir James came, he appeared all astonishment and perplexity.
• 1:10:44
  Speaker 3: The folly of the young man and the confusion of
• 1:10:47
  Speaker 3: Frederica entirely engrossed him. And though a little private discourse
• 1:10:52
  Speaker 3: with Lady Susan has since had its effect, he is
• 1:10:55
  Speaker 3: still hurt. I am sure at her allowing of such
• 1:10:58
  Speaker 3: a man's attentions to her daughter. Sir James invited himself,
• 1:11:02
  Speaker 3: with great composure to remain here a few days, hoped
• 1:11:05
  Speaker 3: we would not think it odd, was aware of its
• 1:11:08
  Speaker 3: being very impertinent, But he took the liberty of a relation,
• 1:11:12
  Speaker 3: and concluded by wishing with a laugh, that he might
• 1:11:15
  Speaker 3: be really one very soon. Even Lady Susan seemed a
• 1:11:19
  Speaker 3: little disconcerted by this forwardness. In her heart, I am
• 1:11:23
  Speaker 3: persuaded she sincerely wished him gone. But something must be
• 1:11:27
  Speaker 3: done for this poor girl. If her feelings are such
• 1:11:29
  Speaker 3: as both I and her uncle believe them to be,
• 1:11:32
  Speaker 3: she must not be sacrificed to policy or ambition, and
• 1:11:36
  Speaker 3: she must not be left to suffer from the dread
• 1:11:38
  Speaker 3: of it. The girl whose heart can distinguish Reginald de
• 1:11:42
  Speaker 3: Cursey deserves, however, he may slight her a better fate
• 1:11:46
  Speaker 3: than to be Sir James Martin's wife. As soon as
• 1:11:49
  Speaker 3: I can get her alone, I will discover the real truth.
• 1:11:53
  Speaker 3: But she seems to wish to avoid me. I hope
• 1:11:55
  Speaker 3: this does not proceed from anything wrong, and that I
• 1:11:58
  Speaker 3: shall not find out. I have thought you well of her.
• 1:12:01
  Speaker 3: Her behavior to Sir James certainly speaks the greatest consciousness
• 1:12:05
  Speaker 3: and embarrassment, but I see nothing in it more like encouragement. Adieu,
• 1:12:09
  Speaker 3: my dear mother, yours, et cetera. See Vernon.
• 1:12:15
  Speaker 1: And of section three, Section four.
• 1:12:20
  Speaker 8: Sir, I hope you will excuse this liberty. I am
• 1:12:24
  Speaker 8: forced upon it by the greatest distress, or I should
• 1:12:27
  Speaker 8: be ashamed to trouble you. I am very miserable about
• 1:12:31
  Speaker 8: Sir James Martin, and have no other way in the
• 1:12:33
  Speaker 8: world of helping myself, but by writing to you, for
• 1:12:37
  Speaker 8: I am forbidden even speaking to my uncle and aunt
• 1:12:40
  Speaker 8: on the subject. And this being the case, I am
• 1:12:43
  Speaker 8: afraid my applying to you will appear no better than equivocation,
• 1:12:47
  Speaker 8: and as if I attended to the letter and not
• 1:12:50
  Speaker 8: the spirit of Mamma's commands. But if you do not
• 1:12:55
  Speaker 8: take my part and persuade her to break it off,
• 1:12:58
  Speaker 8: I shall be half distracted, for I cannot bear him
• 1:13:01
  Speaker 8: no human being. But you could have any chance of
• 1:13:05
  Speaker 8: prevailing with her. If you will therefore have the unspeakably
• 1:13:10
  Speaker 8: great kindness of taking my part with her and persuading
• 1:13:13
  Speaker 8: her to send Sir James away, I shall be more
• 1:13:17
  Speaker 8: obliged to you than it is possible for me to express.
• 1:13:21
  Speaker 8: I always disliked him from the first. It is not
• 1:13:24
  Speaker 8: a sudden fancy, I assure you, Sir. I always thought
• 1:13:27
  Speaker 8: him silly and impertinent and disagreeable, and now he has
• 1:13:32
  Speaker 8: grown worse than ever. I would rather work for my
• 1:13:35
  Speaker 8: bread than marry him. I do not know how to
• 1:13:38
  Speaker 8: apologize enough for this letter. I know it is taking
• 1:13:42
  Speaker 8: so great a liberty. I am aware how dreadfully angry
• 1:13:46
  Speaker 8: it will make Mamma. But I remember the risk. I am, sir,
• 1:13:52
  Speaker 8: your most humble servant. F s V.
• 1:13:58
  Speaker 2: Twenty two. Lady Susan to missus Johnson Churchill, this is insufferable,
• 1:14:06
  Speaker 2: My dearest friend. I was never so enraged before, and
• 1:14:10
  Speaker 2: must relieve myself by writing to you, who I know
• 1:14:13
  Speaker 2: will enter into all my feelings. Who should come on Tuesday,
• 1:14:17
  Speaker 2: but Sir James Martin guess my astonishment and vexation, For
• 1:14:22
  Speaker 2: as you well know, I never wished him to be
• 1:14:24
  Speaker 2: seen at Churchill. What a pity that you should not
• 1:14:27
  Speaker 2: have known his intentions. Not content with coming, he actually
• 1:14:32
  Speaker 2: invited himself to remain here a few days. I could
• 1:14:36
  Speaker 2: have poisoned him. I made the best of it, however,
• 1:14:39
  Speaker 2: and told my story with great success to missus Vernon, who,
• 1:14:44
  Speaker 2: whatever might be her real sentiments, said nothing in opposition
• 1:14:47
  Speaker 2: to mine. I made a point also of Frederica's behaving
• 1:14:52
  Speaker 2: civilly to Sir James, and gave her to understand that
• 1:14:55
  Speaker 2: I was absolutely determined on her marrying him. She said
• 1:14:59
  Speaker 2: something of her misery, but that was all. I have
• 1:15:03
  Speaker 2: for some time been more particularly resolved on the match,
• 1:15:06
  Speaker 2: from seeing the rapid increase of her affection for Reginald,
• 1:15:10
  Speaker 2: and from not feeling secure that a knowledge of such
• 1:15:12
  Speaker 2: affection might not, in the end awaken a return contemptible
• 1:15:17
  Speaker 2: as a regard founded only on compassion must make them
• 1:15:20
  Speaker 2: both in my eyes. I felt, by no means assured
• 1:15:24
  Speaker 2: that such might not be the consequence. It is true
• 1:15:27
  Speaker 2: that Reginald has not in any degree grown cool towards me,
• 1:15:31
  Speaker 2: But yet he has lately mentioned Frederica spontaneously and unnecessarily,
• 1:15:36
  Speaker 2: and once said something in praise of her person. He
• 1:15:40
  Speaker 2: was all astonishment at the appearance of my visitor, and
• 1:15:43
  Speaker 2: at first observed Sir James with an attention which I
• 1:15:47
  Speaker 2: was pleased to see not unmixed with jealousy. But unluckily
• 1:15:52
  Speaker 2: it was impossible for me really to torment him, as
• 1:15:56
  Speaker 2: Sir James, though extremely gallant to me, very soon made
• 1:16:00
  Speaker 2: the whole party understand that his heart was devoted to
• 1:16:03
  Speaker 2: my daughter. I had no great difficulty in convincing De
• 1:16:07
  Speaker 2: Corsi when we were alone, that I was perfectly justified
• 1:16:12
  Speaker 2: all things considered in desiring the match, and the whole
• 1:16:16
  Speaker 2: business seemed most comfortably arranged. They could none of them
• 1:16:19
  Speaker 2: help perceiving that Sir James was no Solomon. But I
• 1:16:23
  Speaker 2: had positively forbidden Frederica complaining to Charles Vernon or his wife,
• 1:16:28
  Speaker 2: and they had therefore no pretense for interference. Though my
• 1:16:32
  Speaker 2: impertinent sister, I believe, wanted only opportunity for doing so. Everything, however,
• 1:16:38
  Speaker 2: was going on calmly and quietly, and though I counted
• 1:16:42
  Speaker 2: the hours of Sir James's stay, my mind was entirely
• 1:16:45
  Speaker 2: satisfied with the posture of affairs. Guess then, what I
• 1:16:50
  Speaker 2: must feel at the sudden disturbance of all my schemes,
• 1:16:54
  Speaker 2: and that too from a quarter where I had least
• 1:16:57
  Speaker 2: reason to expect it. Reginald came this morning into my
• 1:17:01
  Speaker 2: dressing room with a very unusual solemnity of countenance, and
• 1:17:05
  Speaker 2: after some preface, informed me, in so many words that
• 1:17:09
  Speaker 2: he wished to reason with me on the impropriety and
• 1:17:12
  Speaker 2: unkindness of allowing Sir James Martin to address my daughter
• 1:17:16
  Speaker 2: contrary to her inclinations. I was all amazement when I
• 1:17:22
  Speaker 2: found that he was not to be laughed out of
• 1:17:24
  Speaker 2: his design. I calmly begged an explanation, and desired to
• 1:17:28
  Speaker 2: know by what he was impelled and by whom commissioned
• 1:17:31
  Speaker 2: to reprimand me. He then told me, mixing in his
• 1:17:36
  Speaker 2: speech a few insolent compliments and ill timed expressions of tenderness,
• 1:17:41
  Speaker 2: to which I listened with perfect indifference, that my daughter
• 1:17:45
  Speaker 2: had acquainted him with some circumstances concerning herself, Sir James,
• 1:17:50
  Speaker 2: and me, which had given him great uneasiness. In short,
• 1:17:55
  Speaker 2: I found that she had, in the first place actually
• 1:17:57
  Speaker 2: written to him to request his interference, and that on
• 1:18:01
  Speaker 2: receiving her letter, he had conversed with her on the
• 1:18:04
  Speaker 2: subject of it in order to understand the particulars and
• 1:18:08
  Speaker 2: to assure himself of her real wishes. I have not
• 1:18:12
  Speaker 2: a doubt but that the girl took this opportunity of
• 1:18:14
  Speaker 2: making downright love to him. I am convinced of it
• 1:18:18
  Speaker 2: by the manner in which she spoke of her much
• 1:18:20
  Speaker 2: good may such love do him? I shall ever despise
• 1:18:24
  Speaker 2: the man who can be gratified by the passion which
• 1:18:27
  Speaker 2: he never wished to inspire, nor solicited the avowal of
• 1:18:32
  Speaker 2: I shall always detest them both. He can have no
• 1:18:35
  Speaker 2: true regard for me, or he would not have listened
• 1:18:38
  Speaker 2: to her, And she, with her little rebellious heart and
• 1:18:42
  Speaker 2: indelicate feelings, to throw herself into the protection of a
• 1:18:46
  Speaker 2: young man with whom she has scarcely ever exchanged two
• 1:18:49
  Speaker 2: words before. I am equally confounded at her impudence and
• 1:18:54
  Speaker 2: his credulity. How dare he believe what she told him
• 1:18:57
  Speaker 2: in my disfavor? Ought he not to have felt assured
• 1:19:01
  Speaker 2: that I must have unanswerable motives for all that I
• 1:19:03
  Speaker 2: had done. Where was his reliance on my sense and goodness?
• 1:19:08
  Speaker 8: Then?
• 1:19:09
  Speaker 2: Where the resentment which true love would have dictated against
• 1:19:12
  Speaker 2: the person defaming me? That person too, a chit, a
• 1:19:16
  Speaker 2: child without talent or education, whom he had been always
• 1:19:21
  Speaker 2: taught to despise. I was calm for some time, But
• 1:19:26
  Speaker 2: the greatest degree of forbearance may be overcome, and I
• 1:19:29
  Speaker 2: hope I was afterwards sufficiently keen. He endeavored, long endeavored
• 1:19:34
  Speaker 2: to soften my resentment. But that woman is a fool, indeed,
• 1:19:39
  Speaker 2: who while insulted by accusation, can be worked on by compliments.
• 1:19:44
  Speaker 2: At length, he left me as deeply provoked as myself,
• 1:19:48
  Speaker 2: and he showed his anger more. I was quite cool,
• 1:19:52
  Speaker 2: but he gave way to the most violent indignation. I
• 1:19:56
  Speaker 2: may therefore expect it will the sooner subside, and perhaps
• 1:20:01
  Speaker 2: his may be vanished for ever, while mine will be
• 1:20:04
  Speaker 2: found still fresh and implacable. He is now shut up
• 1:20:08
  Speaker 2: in his apartment whither I heard him go on leaving mine.
• 1:20:13
  Speaker 2: How unpleasant one would think must be his reflections, but
• 1:20:18
  Speaker 2: some people's feelings are incomprehensible. I have not yet tranquilized
• 1:20:22
  Speaker 2: myself enough to see Frederica. She shall not soon forget
• 1:20:26
  Speaker 2: the occurrence of this day. She shall find that she
• 1:20:30
  Speaker 2: has poured forth her tender tale of love in vain,
• 1:20:33
  Speaker 2: and exposed herself for ever to the contempt of the
• 1:20:35
  Speaker 2: whole world and the severest resentment of her injured mother.
• 1:20:42
  Speaker 2: Your affectionate s.
• 1:20:44
  Speaker 3: Vernon twenty three. Missus Vernon to Lady de Cursey Churchill.
• 1:20:55
  Speaker 3: Let me congratulate you, my dearest mother. The affair which
• 1:20:59
  Speaker 3: has given us so much anxiety is drawing to a
• 1:21:02
  Speaker 3: happy conclusion. Our prospect is most delightful. And since matters
• 1:21:06
  Speaker 3: have now taken so favorable a turn, I am quite
• 1:21:09
  Speaker 3: sorry that I ever imparted my apprehensions to you. For
• 1:21:13
  Speaker 3: the pleasure of learning that the danger is over is
• 1:21:16
  Speaker 3: perhaps dearly purchased by all that you have previously suffered.
• 1:21:20
  Speaker 3: I am so much agitated by delight that I can
• 1:21:22
  Speaker 3: scarcely hold a pen. But I am determined to send
• 1:21:25
  Speaker 3: you a few short lines by James, that you may
• 1:21:28
  Speaker 3: have some explanation of what must so greatly astonish you.
• 1:21:31
  Speaker 3: As that Reginald should be returning to Parkland's. I was
• 1:21:35
  Speaker 3: sitting about half an hour ago with Sir James in
• 1:21:38
  Speaker 3: the breakfast parlor when my brother called me out of
• 1:21:41
  Speaker 3: the room. I instantly saw that something was the matter.
• 1:21:44
  Speaker 3: His complexion was raised, and he spoke with great emotion.
• 1:21:48
  Speaker 3: You know his eager manner, my dear mother, when his
• 1:21:50
  Speaker 3: mind is interested. Catherine said, he, I am going home
• 1:21:54
  Speaker 3: to day. I am sorry to leave you, but I
• 1:21:57
  Speaker 3: must go. It is a great while since I have
• 1:21:59
  Speaker 3: seen my father. I am going to send James forward
• 1:22:03
  Speaker 3: with my hunters immediately. If you have any letter, therefore,
• 1:22:06
  Speaker 3: he can take it. I shall not be at home
• 1:22:09
  Speaker 3: myself till Wednesday or Thursday, as I shall go through London,
• 1:22:12
  Speaker 3: where I have business. But before I leave you, he continued,
• 1:22:16
  Speaker 3: speaking in a lower tone and with still greater energy,
• 1:22:20
  Speaker 3: I must warn you of one thing. Do not let
• 1:22:22
  Speaker 3: Frederica Vernon be made unhappy by that Martin. He wants
• 1:22:26
  Speaker 3: to marry her. Her mother promotes the match, but she
• 1:22:29
  Speaker 3: cannot endure the idea of it. Be assured that I
• 1:22:32
  Speaker 3: speak from the fullest conviction of truth. Of what I say,
• 1:22:35
  Speaker 3: I know that Frederica is made wretched by Sir James's
• 1:22:38
  Speaker 3: continuing here. She is a sweet girl and deserves a
• 1:22:41
  Speaker 3: better fate. Send him away immediately. He is only a fool.
• 1:22:45
  Speaker 3: But what her mother can mean, Heaven only knows. Good Bye,
• 1:22:48
  Speaker 3: he added, shaking my hand with earnestness. I do not
• 1:22:52
  Speaker 3: know when you will see me again, but remember what
• 1:22:55
  Speaker 3: I tell you of Frederica. You must make it your
• 1:22:58
  Speaker 3: business to see justice done her. She is an amiable
• 1:23:01
  Speaker 3: girl and has a very superior mind to what we
• 1:23:04
  Speaker 3: have given her credit for. He then left me and
• 1:23:08
  Speaker 3: ran upstairs. I would not try to stop him, for
• 1:23:11
  Speaker 3: I know what his feelings must be. The nature of
• 1:23:14
  Speaker 3: mine as I listened to him, I need not attempt
• 1:23:17
  Speaker 3: to describe. For a minute or two are remained in
• 1:23:19
  Speaker 3: the same spot, overpowered by wonder of a most agreeable sort. Indeed,
• 1:23:24
  Speaker 3: yet it required some consideration to be tranquility happy. In
• 1:23:29
  Speaker 3: about ten minutes after my return to the parlor, Lady
• 1:23:32
  Speaker 3: Susan entered the room. I concluded, of course, that she
• 1:23:35
  Speaker 3: and Reginald had been quarreling, and looked with anxious curiosity
• 1:23:39
  Speaker 3: for a confirmation of my belief in her face. Mistress
• 1:23:43
  Speaker 3: of deceit. However, she appeared perfectly unconcerned, and after chatting
• 1:23:48
  Speaker 3: on indifferent subjects for a short time, she said to me,
• 1:23:52
  Speaker 3: I find from Wilson that we are going to lose
• 1:23:55
  Speaker 3: mister de Cursey. Is it true that he leaves Churchill
• 1:23:58
  Speaker 3: this morning? I reply that it was. He told us
• 1:24:02
  Speaker 3: nothing of all this last night, said she, laughing, or
• 1:24:05
  Speaker 3: even this morning at breakfast. But perhaps he did not
• 1:24:08
  Speaker 3: know it himself. Young men are often hasty in their resolutions,
• 1:24:12
  Speaker 3: and not more sudden informing than unsteady in keeping them.
• 1:24:16
  Speaker 3: I should not be surprised if he were to change
• 1:24:18
  Speaker 3: his mind at last and not go. She soon afterwards
• 1:24:22
  Speaker 3: left the room. I trust, however, my dear mother, that
• 1:24:26
  Speaker 3: we have no reason to fear an alteration of his
• 1:24:29
  Speaker 3: present plan. Things have gone too far. They must have quarreled,
• 1:24:33
  Speaker 3: and about Frederica too. Her calmness astonishes me. What delight
• 1:24:38
  Speaker 3: will be yours in seeing him again, in seeing him
• 1:24:41
  Speaker 3: still worthy your esteem, still capable of forming your happiness.
• 1:24:45
  Speaker 3: When I next write, I shall be able to tell
• 1:24:47
  Speaker 3: you that Sir James is gone, Lady Susan vanquished, and
• 1:24:51
  Speaker 3: Frederica at peace. We have much to do, but it
• 1:24:54
  Speaker 3: shall be done. I am all impatience to hear how
• 1:24:57
  Speaker 3: this astonishing change was effected. I finish as I began,
• 1:25:01
  Speaker 3: with the warmest congratulations yours ever, et cetera, cath Vernon,
• 1:25:11
  Speaker 3: twenty four from the same to the same Churchill. Little
• 1:25:18
  Speaker 3: did I imagine, my dear mother, when I sent off
• 1:25:21
  Speaker 3: my last letter, that the delightful perturbation of spirits I
• 1:25:25
  Speaker 3: was then in would undergo so speedy, so melancholy a reverse.
• 1:25:30
  Speaker 3: I never can sufficiently regret that I wrote to you
• 1:25:33
  Speaker 3: at all. Yet who could have foreseen what has happened?
• 1:25:36
  Speaker 3: My dear mother. Every hope which made me so happy
• 1:25:40
  Speaker 3: only two hours ago, has vanished. The quarrel between Lady
• 1:25:44
  Speaker 3: Susan and Reginald is made up, and we are all
• 1:25:47
  Speaker 3: as we were before. One point only is gained. Sir
• 1:25:51
  Speaker 3: James Martin is dismissed. What are we now to look
• 1:25:54
  Speaker 3: forward to? I am indeed disappointed. Reginald was all but gone,
• 1:25:58
  Speaker 3: his horse was ordered, all but brought to the door.
• 1:26:01
  Speaker 3: Who would not have felt safe? For half an hour?
• 1:26:04
  Speaker 3: I was in momentary expectation of his departure. After I
• 1:26:08
  Speaker 3: had sent off my letter to you, I went to
• 1:26:10
  Speaker 3: mister Vernon and sat with him in his room, talking
• 1:26:13
  Speaker 3: over the whole matter, and then determined to look for Frederica,
• 1:26:16
  Speaker 3: whom I had not seen since breakfast. I met her
• 1:26:19
  Speaker 3: on the stairs and saw that she was crying. My
• 1:26:22
  Speaker 3: dear aunt said she, he is going, Mister de Cursey
• 1:26:26
  Speaker 3: is going, and it is all my fault. I am
• 1:26:29
  Speaker 3: afraid you will be very angry with me, but indeed
• 1:26:32
  Speaker 3: I had no idea it would end, so, my love,
• 1:26:36
  Speaker 3: I replied, do not think it necessary to apologize to
• 1:26:39
  Speaker 3: me on that account. I shall feel myself under an
• 1:26:43
  Speaker 3: obligation to any one who is the means of sending
• 1:26:46
  Speaker 3: my brother home, because recollecting myself. I know my father
• 1:26:51
  Speaker 3: wants very much to see him. But what is it
• 1:26:53
  Speaker 3: you have done to occasion all this? She blushed deeply
• 1:26:57
  Speaker 3: as she answered, I was so unhap happy about Sir
• 1:27:00
  Speaker 3: James that I could not help. I have done something
• 1:27:03
  Speaker 3: very wrong, I know, But you have not an idea
• 1:27:06
  Speaker 3: of the misery I have been in. And Mamma had
• 1:27:09
  Speaker 3: ordered me never to speak to you or my uncle
• 1:27:11
  Speaker 3: about it. And you therefore spoke to my brother to
• 1:27:15
  Speaker 3: engage his interference. Said I to say, for the explanation, no,
• 1:27:20
  Speaker 3: but I wrote to him. I did Indeed, I got
• 1:27:22
  Speaker 3: up this morning before it was light, and was two
• 1:27:25
  Speaker 3: hours about it, And when my letter was done, I
• 1:27:27
  Speaker 3: thought I never should have the courage to give it
• 1:27:29
  Speaker 3: after breakfast. However, as I was going to my room,
• 1:27:32
  Speaker 3: I met him in the passage, and then, as I
• 1:27:35
  Speaker 3: knew that everything must depend on that moment, I forced myself.
• 1:27:38
  Speaker 1: To give it.
• 1:27:39
  Speaker 3: He was so good as to take it immediately. I
• 1:27:42
  Speaker 3: dared not look at him and ran away directly. I
• 1:27:45
  Speaker 3: was in such a fright I could hardly breathe. My
• 1:27:48
  Speaker 3: dear aunt, You do not know how miserable I have been, Frederica,
• 1:27:53
  Speaker 3: said I. You ought to have told me all your distresses.
• 1:27:56
  Speaker 3: You would have found in me a friend always ready
• 1:27:59
  Speaker 3: to assist you. Do you think that your uncle or
• 1:28:01
  Speaker 3: I should not have espoused your cause as warmly as
• 1:28:04
  Speaker 3: my brother? Indeed, I did not doubt your kindness, said she,
• 1:28:10
  Speaker 3: coloring again. But I thought mister de Cursey could do
• 1:28:13
  Speaker 3: anything with my mother. But I was mistaken. They have
• 1:28:16
  Speaker 3: had a dreadful quarrel about it, and he is going away.
• 1:28:19
  Speaker 3: Mamma will never forgive me, and I shall be worse
• 1:28:22
  Speaker 3: off than ever. No you shall not, I replied, in
• 1:28:26
  Speaker 3: such a point as this, your mother's prohibition ought not
• 1:28:29
  Speaker 3: to have prevented your speaking to me on the subject.
• 1:28:32
  Speaker 3: She has no right to make you unhappy, and she
• 1:28:35
  Speaker 3: shall not do it. Your applying, however, to Reginald, can
• 1:28:39
  Speaker 3: be productive only of good to all parties. I believe
• 1:28:42
  Speaker 3: it is best, as it is depend upon it that
• 1:28:45
  Speaker 3: you shall not be made unhappy any longer. At that moment,
• 1:28:50
  Speaker 3: how great was my astonishment at seeing Reginald come out
• 1:28:53
  Speaker 3: of Lady Susan's dressing room. My heart misgave me instantly.
• 1:28:58
  Speaker 3: His confusion at seeing me was very evident. Frederica immediately disappeared.
• 1:29:03
  Speaker 3: Are you going, I said, you will find mister Vernon
• 1:29:06
  Speaker 3: in his own room. No, Catherine, he replied, I am
• 1:29:10
  Speaker 3: not going. Will you let me speak to you a moment.
• 1:29:15
  Speaker 3: We went into my room, I find he continued, his
• 1:29:19
  Speaker 3: confusion increasing as he spoke, that I have been acting
• 1:29:22
  Speaker 3: with my usual foolish impetuosity. I have entirely misunderstood Lady Susan,
• 1:29:27
  Speaker 3: and was on the point of leaving the house under
• 1:29:29
  Speaker 3: a false impression of her conduct. There has been some
• 1:29:33
  Speaker 3: very great mistake. We have all been mistaken. I fancy
• 1:29:36
  Speaker 3: Frederica does not know her mother, Lady Susan means nothing
• 1:29:40
  Speaker 3: but her good, but she will not make a friend
• 1:29:43
  Speaker 3: of her. Lady Susan does not always know, therefore, what
• 1:29:47
  Speaker 3: will make her daughter happy. Besides, I could have no
• 1:29:50
  Speaker 3: right to interfere. Miss Vernon was mistaken in applying to me.
• 1:29:55
  Speaker 3: In short, Catherine, everything has gone wrong, but it is
• 1:29:58
  Speaker 3: now all happily set. Lady Susan, I believe wishes to
• 1:30:02
  Speaker 3: speak to you about it, if you are at leisure. Certainly,
• 1:30:07
  Speaker 3: I replied, deeply, sighing. At the recital of so lame
• 1:30:10
  Speaker 3: a story. I made no comments, however, for words would
• 1:30:14
  Speaker 3: have been vain. Reginald was glad to get away, and
• 1:30:18
  Speaker 3: I went to Lady Susan, curious, indeed, to hear her
• 1:30:21
  Speaker 3: account of it. Did I not tell you, said she
• 1:30:24
  Speaker 3: with a smile, that your brother would not leave us
• 1:30:27
  Speaker 3: after all you did, indeed, replied I very gravely. But
• 1:30:33
  Speaker 3: I flattered myself. You would be mistaken. I should not
• 1:30:37
  Speaker 3: have hazarded such an opinion, returned she, if it had not.
• 1:30:40
  Speaker 3: At that moment occurred to me that his resolution of
• 1:30:43
  Speaker 3: going might be occasioned by a conversation in which we
• 1:30:46
  Speaker 3: had been this morning engaged and which had ended very
• 1:30:50
  Speaker 3: much to his dissatisfaction from our not rightly understanding each
• 1:30:54
  Speaker 3: other's meaning. This idea struck me at the moment, and
• 1:30:57
  Speaker 3: I instantly determined that an accidental dispute, and which I
• 1:31:01
  Speaker 3: might probably be as much to blame as himself, should
• 1:31:04
  Speaker 3: not deprive you of your brother. If you remember, I
• 1:31:08
  Speaker 3: left the room almost immediately. I was resolved to lose
• 1:31:11
  Speaker 3: no time in clearing up those mistakes as far as
• 1:31:14
  Speaker 3: I could. The case was this, Frederica has set herself
• 1:31:19
  Speaker 3: violently against marrying Sir James. And can your ladyship wonder
• 1:31:24
  Speaker 3: that she should cried I with some warmth. Frederica has
• 1:31:28
  Speaker 3: an excellent understanding, and Sir James has none. I am
• 1:31:32
  Speaker 3: at least very far from regretting it, my dear sister,
• 1:31:35
  Speaker 3: said she. On the contrary, I am grateful for so
• 1:31:39
  Speaker 3: favorable a sign of my daughter's sense. Sir James is
• 1:31:42
  Speaker 3: certainly below par. His boyish manners make him appear worse.
• 1:31:46
  Speaker 3: And had Frederica possessed the penetration and the abilities which
• 1:31:50
  Speaker 3: I could have wished in my daughter, or had I
• 1:31:52
  Speaker 3: even known her to possess as much as she does,
• 1:31:55
  Speaker 3: I should not have been anxious for the match. It
• 1:31:59
  Speaker 3: is odd that you should alone be ignorant of your
• 1:32:01
  Speaker 3: daughter's sense. Frederica never does justice to herself. Her manners
• 1:32:06
  Speaker 3: are shy and childish, and besides, she is afraid of me.
• 1:32:10
  Speaker 3: During her poor father's life, she was a spoilt child.
• 1:32:13
  Speaker 3: The severity which it has since been necessary for me
• 1:32:16
  Speaker 3: to show, has alienated her affection. Neither has she any
• 1:32:20
  Speaker 3: of that brilliancy of intellect, that genius, or vigor of
• 1:32:23
  Speaker 3: mind which will force itself forward. Say rather that she
• 1:32:27
  Speaker 3: has been unfortunate in her education. Heaven knows, my dearest
• 1:32:32
  Speaker 3: missus Vernon, how fully I am aware of that. But
• 1:32:35
  Speaker 3: I would wish to forget every circumstance that might throw
• 1:32:38
  Speaker 3: blame on the memory of one whose name is sacred.
• 1:32:41
  Speaker 3: With me Here, she pretended to cry, I was out
• 1:32:45
  Speaker 3: of patience with her, But what said? I was your
• 1:32:49
  Speaker 3: ladyship going to tell me about your disagreement with my brother?
• 1:32:53
  Speaker 3: It originated in an action of my daughter's, which equally
• 1:32:56
  Speaker 3: marks her want of judgment and the unfortunate dread of
• 1:33:00
  Speaker 3: me I have been mentioning. She wrote to mister de Cursey,
• 1:33:04
  Speaker 3: I know she did. You had forbidden her speaking to
• 1:33:06
  Speaker 3: mister Vernon or to me on the cause of her distress?
• 1:33:10
  Speaker 3: What could she do therefore, but apply to her brother?
• 1:33:14
  Speaker 3: Good God? She exclaimed? What an opinion you must have
• 1:33:17
  Speaker 3: of me? Can you possibly suppose that I was aware
• 1:33:21
  Speaker 3: of her unhappiness, that it was my object to make
• 1:33:24
  Speaker 3: my own child miserable, and that I had forbidden her
• 1:33:26
  Speaker 3: speaking to you on the subject from a fear of
• 1:33:29
  Speaker 3: your interrupting the diabolical scheme? Do you think me destitute
• 1:33:33
  Speaker 3: of every honest, every natural feeling? Am I capable of
• 1:33:37
  Speaker 3: consigning her to everlasting misery? Whose welfare it is my
• 1:33:40
  Speaker 3: first earthly duty to promote? The idea is horrible? What
• 1:33:45
  Speaker 3: then was your intention when you insisted on her silence?
• 1:33:50
  Speaker 3: Of what use, my dear sister, could be any application
• 1:33:53
  Speaker 3: to you, however the affair might stand. Why should I
• 1:33:56
  Speaker 3: subject you to entreaties which I refuse to attend to
• 1:33:59
  Speaker 3: my neither for your sake, nor for hers, nor for
• 1:34:03
  Speaker 3: my own? Could such a thing be desirable? When my
• 1:34:06
  Speaker 3: own resolution was taken, I could not wish for the interference,
• 1:34:10
  Speaker 3: however friendly of another person. I was mistaken, it is true,
• 1:34:14
  Speaker 3: but I believed myself right. But what was this mistake
• 1:34:19
  Speaker 3: to which your ladyship so often alludes from. Whence arose
• 1:34:22
  Speaker 3: so astonishing a misconception of your daughter's feelings? Did you
• 1:34:26
  Speaker 3: not know that she disliked Sir James. I knew that
• 1:34:30
  Speaker 3: he was not absolutely the man she would have chosen,
• 1:34:33
  Speaker 3: But I was persuaded that her objections to him did
• 1:34:35
  Speaker 3: not arise from any perception of his deficiency. You must
• 1:34:39
  Speaker 3: not question me, however, my dear sister too minutely on
• 1:34:43
  Speaker 3: this point, continued she, taking me affectionately by the hand.
• 1:34:47
  Speaker 3: I honestly own that there is something to conceal. Frederica
• 1:34:51
  Speaker 3: makes me very unhappy. Her applying to mister de Cursey
• 1:34:54
  Speaker 3: hurt me. Particularly. What is it you mean to infer,
• 1:34:59
  Speaker 3: said I, by the disappearance of mystery? If you think
• 1:35:02
  Speaker 3: your daughter at all attached to Reginald? Her objecting to
• 1:35:05
  Speaker 3: Sir James could not less deserve to be attended to
• 1:35:08
  Speaker 3: than if the cause of her objecting had been a
• 1:35:11
  Speaker 3: consciousness of his folly. And why should your ladyship at
• 1:35:14
  Speaker 3: any rate quarrel with my brother for an interference which
• 1:35:18
  Speaker 3: you must know it is not in his nature to
• 1:35:20
  Speaker 3: refuse when urged in such a manner. His disposition you know,
• 1:35:26
  Speaker 3: is warm, and he came to expostulate with me his
• 1:35:29
  Speaker 3: compassion all alive for this ill used girl, this heroine
• 1:35:33
  Speaker 3: in distress. We misunderstood each other. He believed me more
• 1:35:37
  Speaker 3: to blame than I really was. I considered his interference
• 1:35:41
  Speaker 3: less excusable than I now find it. I have a
• 1:35:44
  Speaker 3: real regard for him, and was beyond expression mortified to
• 1:35:47
  Speaker 3: find it, as I thought so Ill bestowed. We were
• 1:35:51
  Speaker 3: both warm, and of course both to blame. His resolution
• 1:35:55
  Speaker 3: of leaving Churchill is consistent with his general eagerness. When
• 1:35:59
  Speaker 3: I understood his anen however, and at the same time
• 1:36:02
  Speaker 3: began to think that we had been perhaps equally mistaken
• 1:36:05
  Speaker 3: in each other's meaning, I resolved to have an explanation
• 1:36:09
  Speaker 3: before it was too late for any member of your family.
• 1:36:12
  Speaker 3: I must always feel a degree of affection, and I
• 1:36:15
  Speaker 3: own it would have sensibly hurt me if my acquaintance
• 1:36:18
  Speaker 3: with mister de Cursey had ended so gloomily. I have
• 1:36:22
  Speaker 3: now only to say further that as I am convinced
• 1:36:25
  Speaker 3: of Frederica's having a reasonable dislike of Sir James, I
• 1:36:29
  Speaker 3: shall instantly inform him that he must give up all
• 1:36:32
  Speaker 3: hope of her I reproach myself for having, even though innocently,
• 1:36:36
  Speaker 3: made her unhappy. On that score, she shall have all
• 1:36:39
  Speaker 3: the retribution in my power to make if she value
• 1:36:42
  Speaker 3: her own happiness as much as I do, If she
• 1:36:45
  Speaker 3: judge wisely and command herself as she ought, she may
• 1:36:48
  Speaker 3: now be easy excuse me, my dearest sister, for thus
• 1:36:52
  Speaker 3: trespassing on your time. But I owe it to my
• 1:36:55
  Speaker 3: own character. And after this explanation, I trust I am
• 1:36:59
  Speaker 3: in no danger of sinking in your opinion. I could
• 1:37:03
  Speaker 3: have said not much, indeed, but I left her almost
• 1:37:06
  Speaker 3: in silence. It was the greatest stretch of forbearance I
• 1:37:10
  Speaker 3: could practice. I could not have stopped myself had I
• 1:37:13
  Speaker 3: begun her assurance her deceit. But I will not allow
• 1:37:18
  Speaker 3: myself to dwell on them. They will strike you sufficiently.
• 1:37:21
  Speaker 3: My heart sickens within me. As soon as I was
• 1:37:24
  Speaker 3: tolerably composed, I returned to the parlor. Sir James's carriage
• 1:37:28
  Speaker 3: was at the door, and he merry as usual, soon
• 1:37:31
  Speaker 3: afterwards took his leave. How easily does her ladyship encourage
• 1:37:35
  Speaker 3: or dismiss a lover. In spite of this release, Frederica
• 1:37:39
  Speaker 3: still looks unhappy, still fearful perhaps of her mother's anger,
• 1:37:44
  Speaker 3: and though dreading my brother's departure, jealous it may be
• 1:37:47
  Speaker 3: of his staying. I see how closely she observes him,
• 1:37:51
  Speaker 3: and Lady Susan, poor girl, I have now no hope
• 1:37:54
  Speaker 3: for her. There is not a chance of her affection
• 1:37:57
  Speaker 3: being returned. He thinks very differently of her from what
• 1:38:00
  Speaker 3: he used to do. He does her some justice, but
• 1:38:03
  Speaker 3: his reconciliation with her mother precludes every dearer hope. Prepare
• 1:38:08
  Speaker 3: my dear mother for the worst. The probability of their
• 1:38:11
  Speaker 3: marrying is surely heightened. He is more securely hers than
• 1:38:14
  Speaker 3: ever when that wretched event takes place. Frederica must belong
• 1:38:19
  Speaker 3: wholly to us. I am thankful that my last letter
• 1:38:23
  Speaker 3: will precede this by so little as every moment that
• 1:38:26
  Speaker 3: you can be saved from feeling a joy which leads
• 1:38:28
  Speaker 3: only to disappointment, is of consequence yours ever, et cetera.
• 1:38:34
  Speaker 1: Catherine Vernon, and of section four, Section.
• 1:38:41
  Speaker 2: Five, Lady Susan to missus Johnson Churchill, I call on you,
• 1:38:48
  Speaker 2: dear Licia, for congratulations. I am my own self gay
• 1:38:53
  Speaker 2: and triumphant. When I wrote to you the other day,
• 1:38:56
  Speaker 2: I was in truth in high irritation and with ample cause. Nay,
• 1:39:02
  Speaker 2: I know not whether I ought to be quite tranquil now,
• 1:39:05
  Speaker 2: for I have had more trouble in restoring peace than
• 1:39:08
  Speaker 2: I ever intended to submit to. A spirit too, resulting
• 1:39:13
  Speaker 2: from a fancied sense of superior integrity which is peculiarly insolent,
• 1:39:19
  Speaker 2: I shall not easily forgive him. I assure you, he
• 1:39:22
  Speaker 2: was actually on the point of leaving Churchill. I had
• 1:39:26
  Speaker 2: scarcely concluded my last when Wilson brought me word of it.
• 1:39:30
  Speaker 2: I found therefore that something must be done, For I
• 1:39:34
  Speaker 2: did not choose to leave my character at the mercy
• 1:39:37
  Speaker 2: of a man whose passions are so violent and so revengeful.
• 1:39:41
  Speaker 2: It would have been trifling with my reputation to allow
• 1:39:44
  Speaker 2: of his departing with such an impression in my disfavor.
• 1:39:49
  Speaker 2: In this light, condescension was necessary. I sent Wilson to
• 1:39:53
  Speaker 2: say that I desired to speak with him before he went.
• 1:39:56
  Speaker 2: He came immediately. The angry emotions which had marked every
• 1:40:02
  Speaker 2: feature when we last parted, were partially subdued. He seemed
• 1:40:06
  Speaker 2: astonished at the summons, and looked as if half wishing
• 1:40:09
  Speaker 2: and half fearing to be softened by what I might
• 1:40:11
  Speaker 2: say if my countenance expressed what I aimed at. It
• 1:40:16
  Speaker 2: was composed and dignified, and yet with a degree of
• 1:40:20
  Speaker 2: pensiveness which might convince him that I was not quite happy.
• 1:40:24
  Speaker 2: I beg your pardon, sir, for the liberty I have
• 1:40:27
  Speaker 2: taken in sending for you, said I. But as I
• 1:40:31
  Speaker 2: have just learnt your intention of leaving this place to day,
• 1:40:35
  Speaker 2: I feel it my duty to entreat that you will not,
• 1:40:38
  Speaker 2: on my account short in your visit here even an hour.
• 1:40:41
  Speaker 2: I am perfectly aware that after what has passed between us,
• 1:40:45
  Speaker 2: it would ill suit the feelings of either to remain
• 1:40:48
  Speaker 2: longer in the same house. So very great, so total
• 1:40:52
  Speaker 2: a change from the intimacy of friendship must render any
• 1:40:56
  Speaker 2: future intercourse the severest punishment, and your resolution of quitting
• 1:41:01
  Speaker 2: Churchill is undoubtedly in unison with our situation and with
• 1:41:05
  Speaker 2: those lively feelings which I know you to possess. But
• 1:41:09
  Speaker 2: at the same time, it is not for me to
• 1:41:12
  Speaker 2: suffer such a sacrifice as it must be to leave
• 1:41:15
  Speaker 2: relations to whom you are so much attached and are
• 1:41:18
  Speaker 2: so very dear. My remaining here cannot give that pleasure
• 1:41:23
  Speaker 2: to mister and missus Vernon which your society must, and
• 1:41:27
  Speaker 2: my visit has already perhaps been too long. My removal, therefore,
• 1:41:32
  Speaker 2: which must at any rate take place soon, may with
• 1:41:36
  Speaker 2: perfect convenience, be hastened. And I make it my particular
• 1:41:40
  Speaker 2: request that I may not in any way be instrumental
• 1:41:43
  Speaker 2: in separating a family so affectionately attached to each other.
• 1:41:48
  Speaker 2: Where I go is of no consequence to any one,
• 1:41:51
  Speaker 2: of very little to myself. But you are of importance
• 1:41:55
  Speaker 2: to all your connections. Here I concluded, and I hope
• 1:41:59
  Speaker 2: you will be satisfied with my speech. Its effect on
• 1:42:03
  Speaker 2: Reginald justifies some portion of vanity, for it was no
• 1:42:07
  Speaker 2: less favorable than instantaneous. Oh how delightful it was to
• 1:42:11
  Speaker 2: watch the variations of his countenance while I spoke, to
• 1:42:15
  Speaker 2: see the struggle between returning tenderness and the remains of displeasure.
• 1:42:20
  Speaker 2: There is something agreeable in feelings so easily worked on.
• 1:42:24
  Speaker 2: Not that I envy him their possession, nor would for
• 1:42:27
  Speaker 2: the world have such myself, but they are very convenient
• 1:42:31
  Speaker 2: when one wishes to influence the passions of another. And
• 1:42:35
  Speaker 2: yet this Reginald, whom a very few words from me,
• 1:42:39
  Speaker 2: softened at once into the utmost submission and rendered more tractable,
• 1:42:44
  Speaker 2: more attached, more devoted than ever would have left me
• 1:42:48
  Speaker 2: in the first angry swelling of his proud heart without
• 1:42:51
  Speaker 2: deigning to seek an explanation. Humbled as he is now,
• 1:42:55
  Speaker 2: I cannot forgive him such an instance of pride, and
• 1:42:59
  Speaker 2: am doubtful whther I ought not to punish him by
• 1:43:02
  Speaker 2: dismissing him at once after this reconciliation, or by marrying
• 1:43:06
  Speaker 2: and teasing him forever. But these measures are each too
• 1:43:10
  Speaker 2: violent to be adopted without some deliberation. At present, my
• 1:43:15
  Speaker 2: thoughts are fluctuating between various schemes. I have many things
• 1:43:20
  Speaker 2: to compass. I must punish Fredrika, and pretty severely too,
• 1:43:25
  Speaker 2: for her application to Reginald. I must punish him for
• 1:43:29
  Speaker 2: receiving it so favorably, and for the rest of his conduct.
• 1:43:33
  Speaker 2: I must torment my sister in law for the insolent
• 1:43:36
  Speaker 2: triumph of her look and manner. Since Sir James has
• 1:43:39
  Speaker 2: been dismissed for in reconciling Reginald to me, I was
• 1:43:44
  Speaker 2: not able to save that ill fated young man, and
• 1:43:47
  Speaker 2: I must make myself amends for the humiliation to which
• 1:43:51
  Speaker 2: I have stooped within these few days. To effect all
• 1:43:55
  Speaker 2: this I have various plans. I have also an idea
• 1:43:59
  Speaker 2: of being soon in town, and whatever may be my
• 1:44:02
  Speaker 2: determination as to the rest, I shall probably put that
• 1:44:06
  Speaker 2: project in execution. For London will be always the fairest
• 1:44:10
  Speaker 2: field of action. However my views may be directed, and
• 1:44:14
  Speaker 2: at any rate I shall there be rewarded by your
• 1:44:17
  Speaker 2: society and a little dissipation for a ten weeks penance
• 1:44:22
  Speaker 2: at Churchill. I believe I owe it to my character
• 1:44:26
  Speaker 2: to complete the match between my daughter and Sir James,
• 1:44:29
  Speaker 2: after having so long intended it. Let me know your
• 1:44:33
  Speaker 2: opinion on this point. Flexibility of mind, a disposition easily
• 1:44:38
  Speaker 2: biased by others, is an attribute which you know I
• 1:44:42
  Speaker 2: am not very desirous of obtaining. Nor has Frederica any
• 1:44:45
  Speaker 2: claimed to the indulgence of her notions at the expense
• 1:44:49
  Speaker 2: of her mother's inclinations. Her idle love for Reginald too,
• 1:44:54
  Speaker 2: it is surely my duty to discourage such romantic nonsense.
• 1:44:59
  Speaker 2: All things consider, therefore, it seems incumbent on me to
• 1:45:03
  Speaker 2: take her to town and marry her immediately to Sir James,
• 1:45:07
  Speaker 2: when my own will is affected contrary to his, I
• 1:45:10
  Speaker 2: shall have some credit in being on good terms with Reginald,
• 1:45:14
  Speaker 2: which at present, in fact I have not, for though
• 1:45:18
  Speaker 2: he is still in my power, I have given up
• 1:45:20
  Speaker 2: the very article by which our quarrell was produced, and
• 1:45:24
  Speaker 2: at best the honor of victory is doubtful. Send me
• 1:45:28
  Speaker 2: your opinion on all these matters, my dear Alicia, and
• 1:45:32
  Speaker 2: let me know whether you can get lodgings to suit
• 1:45:34
  Speaker 2: me within a short distance of you, Your most attached
• 1:45:38
  Speaker 2: s Vernon.
• 1:45:41
  Speaker 5: Twenty six, missus Johnson to Lady Susan Edward Street. I
• 1:45:48
  Speaker 5: am gratified by your reference, and this is my advice
• 1:45:51
  Speaker 5: that you come to town yourself without loss of time, but
• 1:45:55
  Speaker 5: that you leave Frederica behind. It would surely be much
• 1:45:59
  Speaker 5: more to the purpose to get yourself well established by
• 1:46:01
  Speaker 5: marrying mister de Cursey than to irritate him and the
• 1:46:04
  Speaker 5: rest of his family by making her Mary. Sir James,
• 1:46:08
  Speaker 5: you should think more of yourself and less of your daughter.
• 1:46:11
  Speaker 5: She is not of a disposition to do you credit
• 1:46:14
  Speaker 5: in the world, and seems precisely in her proper place
• 1:46:17
  Speaker 5: at Churchill with the Vernons. But you are fitted for society,
• 1:46:22
  Speaker 5: and it is shameful to have you exiled from it.
• 1:46:25
  Speaker 5: Leave Frederica therefore, to punish herself for the plague she
• 1:46:28
  Speaker 5: has given you by indulging that romantic tender heartedness which
• 1:46:32
  Speaker 5: will always insure her misery. Enough, and come to London
• 1:46:35
  Speaker 5: as soon as you can. I have another reason for
• 1:46:38
  Speaker 5: urging this. Mannering came to town last week and has contrived,
• 1:46:43
  Speaker 5: in spite of mister Johnson, to make opportunities of seeing me.
• 1:46:47
  Speaker 5: He is absolutely miserable about you, and jealous to such
• 1:46:51
  Speaker 5: a degree of De Cursey that it would be highly
• 1:46:53
  Speaker 5: unadvisable for them to meet at present. And yet if
• 1:46:56
  Speaker 5: you do not allow him to see you here, I
• 1:46:58
  Speaker 5: cannot answer for him not committing some great imprudence, such
• 1:47:02
  Speaker 5: as going to Churchill, for instance, which would be dreadful. Besides,
• 1:47:07
  Speaker 5: if you take my advice and resolved to marry De Cursey,
• 1:47:10
  Speaker 5: it will be indispensably necessary to you to get Mannering
• 1:47:14
  Speaker 5: out of the way, and you only can have influence
• 1:47:17
  Speaker 5: enough to send him back to his wife. I have
• 1:47:20
  Speaker 5: still another motive for your coming. Mister Johnson leaves London
• 1:47:23
  Speaker 5: next Tuesday. He is going for his health to bath, where,
• 1:47:27
  Speaker 5: if the waters are favorable to his constitution and my wishes,
• 1:47:31
  Speaker 5: he will be laid up with the gout many weeks
• 1:47:34
  Speaker 5: during his absence, we shall be able to choose our
• 1:47:36
  Speaker 5: own society and to have true enjoyment. I would ask
• 1:47:40
  Speaker 5: you to Edward Street, but that once he forced from
• 1:47:43
  Speaker 5: me a kind of promise never to invite you to
• 1:47:45
  Speaker 5: my house. Nothing but my being in the utmost distress
• 1:47:48
  Speaker 5: for money, should have extorted it from me. I can
• 1:47:51
  Speaker 5: get you, however, a nice drawing room apartment in upper
• 1:47:54
  Speaker 5: Seymour Street, and we may be always together there or here.
• 1:47:58
  Speaker 5: For I consider my promise to mister john as comprehending
• 1:48:01
  Speaker 5: only at least in his absence. You're not sleeping in
• 1:48:04
  Speaker 5: the house. Poor mannering gives me such histories of his
• 1:48:07
  Speaker 5: wife's jealousy. Silly woman to expect constancy from so charming
• 1:48:12
  Speaker 5: a man. But she always was silly, intolerably so in
• 1:48:16
  Speaker 5: marrying him at all. She the heiress of a large fortune,
• 1:48:19
  Speaker 5: and he without a shilling one title I know she
• 1:48:22
  Speaker 5: might have had besides baronet's. Her folly informing the connection
• 1:48:26
  Speaker 5: was so great that though mister Johnson was her guardian,
• 1:48:29
  Speaker 5: and I do not in general share his feelings, I
• 1:48:32
  Speaker 5: never can forgive her adieu yours ever.
• 1:48:36
  Speaker 3: Alicia twenty seven Missus Vernon, too, lady to Cursey Churchhill.
• 1:48:46
  Speaker 3: This letter my dear mother, will be brought to you
• 1:48:49
  Speaker 3: by Reginald. His long visit is about to be concluded
• 1:48:52
  Speaker 3: at last, but I fear the separation takes place too
• 1:48:55
  Speaker 3: late to do us any good. She is going to
• 1:48:58
  Speaker 3: London to see her pert particular friend, Missus Johnson. It
• 1:49:02
  Speaker 3: was at first her intention that Frederica should accompany her
• 1:49:05
  Speaker 3: for the benefit of masters, but we overruled her there.
• 1:49:09
  Speaker 3: Frederica was wretched in the idea of going, and I
• 1:49:13
  Speaker 3: could not bear to have her at the mercy of
• 1:49:15
  Speaker 3: her mother. Not all the masters in London could compensate
• 1:49:18
  Speaker 3: for the ruin of her comfort. I should have feared too,
• 1:49:21
  Speaker 3: for her health and for everything but her principles. There.
• 1:49:25
  Speaker 3: I believe she is not to be injured by her
• 1:49:27
  Speaker 3: mother or her mother's friends. But with those friends she
• 1:49:30
  Speaker 3: must have mixed a very bad set. I doubt not
• 1:49:33
  Speaker 3: or have been left in total solitude, And I can
• 1:49:36
  Speaker 3: hardly tell which would have been worse for her if
• 1:49:39
  Speaker 3: she is with her mother. Moreover, she must alas in
• 1:49:43
  Speaker 3: all probability, be with Reginald, and that would be the
• 1:49:46
  Speaker 3: greatest evil of all. Here we shall, in time be
• 1:49:49
  Speaker 3: in peace, and our regular employments, our books and conversations,
• 1:49:54
  Speaker 3: with exercise, the children, and every domestic pleasure in my
• 1:49:58
  Speaker 3: power to procure her bill, I trust gradually overcome this
• 1:50:02
  Speaker 3: youthful attachment. I should not have a doubt of it
• 1:50:05
  Speaker 3: were she slighted for any other woman in the world
• 1:50:08
  Speaker 3: than her own mother. How long Lady Susan will be
• 1:50:11
  Speaker 3: in town, or whether she returns here again, I know not.
• 1:50:15
  Speaker 3: I could not be cordial in my invitation, but if
• 1:50:18
  Speaker 3: she chooses to come, no want of cordiality on my
• 1:50:21
  Speaker 3: part will keep her away. I could not help asking
• 1:50:24
  Speaker 3: Reginald if he intended being in London this winter as
• 1:50:28
  Speaker 3: soon as I found her, Ladyship's steps would be bent thither.
• 1:50:31
  Speaker 3: And though he professed himself quite undetermined, there was something
• 1:50:35
  Speaker 3: in his look and voice as he spoke which contradicted
• 1:50:38
  Speaker 3: his words. I have done with lamentation. I look upon
• 1:50:41
  Speaker 3: the event as so far decided that I resign myself
• 1:50:44
  Speaker 3: to it in despair. If he leaves you soon for London,
• 1:50:48
  Speaker 3: everything will be concluded. Your affectionate, et cetera. See Vernon.
• 1:50:55
  Speaker 5: Twenty eight. Missus Johnson to Lady Susan Edwards my dearest friend,
• 1:51:02
  Speaker 5: I write in the greatest distress. The most unfortunate event
• 1:51:06
  Speaker 5: has just taken place. Mister Johnson has hit on the
• 1:51:09
  Speaker 5: most effectual manner of plaguing us all. He had heard,
• 1:51:13
  Speaker 5: I imagine, by some means or other, that you were
• 1:51:15
  Speaker 5: soon to be in London, and immediately contrived to have
• 1:51:18
  Speaker 5: such unattack of the gout as must at least delay
• 1:51:21
  Speaker 5: his journey to Bath, if not wholly prevent it. I
• 1:51:24
  Speaker 5: am persuaded the gout is brought on or kept off
• 1:51:27
  Speaker 5: at pleasure. It was the same when I wanted to
• 1:51:29
  Speaker 5: join the Hamiltons to the Lakes, and three years ago,
• 1:51:32
  Speaker 5: when I had a fancy for Bath, nothing could induce
• 1:51:35
  Speaker 5: him to have a gouty symptom. I am pleased to
• 1:51:38
  Speaker 5: find that my letter had so much effect on you,
• 1:51:40
  Speaker 5: and that De Coursey is certainly your own. Let me
• 1:51:43
  Speaker 5: hear from you as soon as you arrive, and in
• 1:51:45
  Speaker 5: particular tell me what you mean to do with mannering.
• 1:51:48
  Speaker 5: It is impossible to say when I shall be able
• 1:51:51
  Speaker 5: to come to you. My confinement must be great. It
• 1:51:54
  Speaker 5: is such an abominable trick to be ill here instead
• 1:51:57
  Speaker 5: of at Bath, that I can scarcely command myself at
• 1:51:59
  Speaker 5: all at bath his old aunts would have nursed him.
• 1:52:02
  Speaker 5: But here it all falls upon me, and he bears
• 1:52:05
  Speaker 5: pain with such patience that I have not the common
• 1:52:08
  Speaker 5: excuse for losing my temper. Yours ever, Alicia.
• 1:52:14
  Speaker 2: Twenty nine, Lady Susan Vernon to missus Johnson, Upper Seymour Street,
• 1:52:21
  Speaker 2: My dear Alicia, there needed not this last fit of
• 1:52:25
  Speaker 2: gout to make me detest mister Johnson. But now the
• 1:52:28
  Speaker 2: extent of my aversion is not to be estimated to
• 1:52:32
  Speaker 2: have you confined as his nurse in his apartment. My
• 1:52:36
  Speaker 2: dear Alicia, of what a mistake were you guilty in
• 1:52:39
  Speaker 2: marrying a man of his age, just old enough to
• 1:52:43
  Speaker 2: be formal, ungovernable, and to have the gout, too old
• 1:52:46
  Speaker 2: to be agreeable, too young to die. I arrived last
• 1:52:51
  Speaker 2: night about five, had scarcely swallowed my dinner when Mannering
• 1:52:56
  Speaker 2: made his appearance. I will not dissemble what real pleasure
• 1:53:00
  Speaker 2: his sight afforded me, nor how strongly I felt the
• 1:53:04
  Speaker 2: contrast between his person and manners and those of Reginald,
• 1:53:08
  Speaker 2: to the infinite disadvantage of the latter. For an hour
• 1:53:13
  Speaker 2: or two I was even staggered in my resolution of
• 1:53:16
  Speaker 2: marrying him, And though this was too idle and nonsensical
• 1:53:21
  Speaker 2: an idea to remain long on my mind, I do
• 1:53:24
  Speaker 2: not feel very eager for the conclusion of my marriage,
• 1:53:28
  Speaker 2: nor look forward with much impatience to the time when Reginald,
• 1:53:31
  Speaker 2: according to our agreement, is to be in town. I
• 1:53:35
  Speaker 2: shall probably put off his arrival under some pretense or other.
• 1:53:40
  Speaker 2: He must not come till Mannering is gone. I am
• 1:53:44
  Speaker 2: still doubtful at times as to marrying. If the old
• 1:53:47
  Speaker 2: man would die, I might not hesitate. But a state
• 1:53:51
  Speaker 2: of dependence on the caprice of Sir Reginald will not
• 1:53:54
  Speaker 2: suit the freedom of my spirit, And if I resolved
• 1:53:58
  Speaker 2: to wait for that event, I shall have excuse enough
• 1:54:01
  Speaker 2: at present, in having been scarcely ten months a widow,
• 1:54:05
  Speaker 2: I have not given Mannering any hint of my intention,
• 1:54:09
  Speaker 2: or allowed him to consider my acquaintance with Reginald as
• 1:54:12
  Speaker 2: more than the commonest flirtation, and he is tolerably appeased.
• 1:54:18
  Speaker 2: Adieu till we meet. I am enchanted with my lodgings,
• 1:54:23
  Speaker 2: yours ever s Vernon thirty, Lady Susan Vernon to mister
• 1:54:30
  Speaker 2: de Courcy, up a Seymour Street. I have received your letter,
• 1:54:36
  Speaker 2: and though I do not attempt to conceal that I
• 1:54:38
  Speaker 2: am gratified by your impatience for the hour of meeting,
• 1:54:42
  Speaker 2: I yet feel myself under the necessity of delaying that
• 1:54:46
  Speaker 2: hour beyond the time originally fixed. Do not think me
• 1:54:50
  Speaker 2: unkind for such an exercise of my power, nor accuse
• 1:54:53
  Speaker 2: me of instability without first hearing my reasons. In the
• 1:54:59
  Speaker 2: course of my journey from Churchill, I had an ample
• 1:55:02
  Speaker 2: leisure for reflection on the present state of our affairs,
• 1:55:06
  Speaker 2: and every review has served to convince me that they
• 1:55:09
  Speaker 2: require a delicacy and cautiousness of conduct to which we
• 1:55:13
  Speaker 2: have hitherto been too little attentive. We have been hurried
• 1:55:18
  Speaker 2: on by our feelings to a degree of precipitation which
• 1:55:22
  Speaker 2: ill accords with the claims of our friends or the
• 1:55:24
  Speaker 2: opinion of the world. We have been unguarded in forming
• 1:55:28
  Speaker 2: this hasty engagement, But we must not complete the imprudence
• 1:55:33
  Speaker 2: by ratifying it. While there is so much reason to
• 1:55:35
  Speaker 2: fear the connection would be opposed by those friends on
• 1:55:39
  Speaker 2: whom you depend. It is not for us to blame
• 1:55:42
  Speaker 2: any expectations on your father's side of your marrying to
• 1:55:45
  Speaker 2: advantage where possessions are so extensive as those of your family,
• 1:55:51
  Speaker 2: the wish of increasing them, if not strictly reasonable, is
• 1:55:55
  Speaker 2: too common to excite surprise or resentment. He has a
• 1:55:59
  Speaker 2: right to require a woman of fortune in his daughter
• 1:56:02
  Speaker 2: in law, and I am sometimes quarreling with myself for
• 1:56:05
  Speaker 2: suffering you to form a connection so imprudent. But the
• 1:56:09
  Speaker 2: influence of reason is often acknowledged too late by those
• 1:56:13
  Speaker 2: who feel like me. I have now been but a
• 1:56:17
  Speaker 2: few months a widow, and however little indebted to my
• 1:56:20
  Speaker 2: husband's memory for any happiness derived from him during a
• 1:56:23
  Speaker 2: union of some years. I cannot forget that the indelicacy
• 1:56:27
  Speaker 2: of so early a second marriage must subject me to
• 1:56:31
  Speaker 2: the center of the world, and incur what would be
• 1:56:34
  Speaker 2: still more insupportable, the displeasure of mister Vernon. I might
• 1:56:39
  Speaker 2: perhaps harden myself in time against the injustice of general reproach,
• 1:56:44
  Speaker 2: but the loss of his valued esteem I am, as
• 1:56:48
  Speaker 2: you well know, ill fitted to endure. And when to
• 1:56:51
  Speaker 2: this may be added the consciousness of having injured you
• 1:56:54
  Speaker 2: with your family, how am I to support myself with
• 1:56:59
  Speaker 2: feeling being so poignant as mine. The conviction of having
• 1:57:03
  Speaker 2: divided the son from his parents would make me, even
• 1:57:06
  Speaker 2: with you, the most miserable of beings. It will surely
• 1:57:10
  Speaker 2: therefore be advisable to delay our union, to delay it
• 1:57:15
  Speaker 2: till appearances are more promising, till affairs have taken a
• 1:57:18
  Speaker 2: more favorable turn to assist us in such a resolution.
• 1:57:23
  Speaker 2: I feel that absence will be necessary. We must not
• 1:57:27
  Speaker 2: meet cruel as this sentence may appear. The necessity of
• 1:57:32
  Speaker 2: pronouncing it, which can alone reconcile it to myself, will
• 1:57:36
  Speaker 2: be evident to you. When you have considered our situation
• 1:57:39
  Speaker 2: in the light in which I have found myself imperiously
• 1:57:42
  Speaker 2: obliged to place it, You may be you must be
• 1:57:48
  Speaker 2: well assured that nothing but the strongest conviction of duty
• 1:57:52
  Speaker 2: could induce me to wound my own feelings by urging
• 1:57:55
  Speaker 2: a lengthened separation, and of insensibility to yours, you will
• 1:57:59
  Speaker 2: hardly suspect me again. Therefore, I say that we ought not,
• 1:58:05
  Speaker 2: we must not yet meet. By a removal of some
• 1:58:09
  Speaker 2: months from each other, we shall tranquilize the sisterly fears
• 1:58:12
  Speaker 2: of missus Vernon, who accustomed herself to the enjoyment of riches,
• 1:58:17
  Speaker 2: considers fortune as necessary everywhere, and those sensibilities are not
• 1:58:22
  Speaker 2: of a nature to comprehend ours. Let me hear from
• 1:58:26
  Speaker 2: you soon, very soon. Tell me that you submit to
• 1:58:30
  Speaker 2: my arguments, and do not reproach me for using such.
• 1:58:34
  Speaker 2: I cannot bear reproaches. My spirits are not so high
• 1:58:39
  Speaker 2: as to need being repressed. I must endeavor to seek amusement.
• 1:58:45
  Speaker 2: And fortunately many of my friends are in town, amongst
• 1:58:49
  Speaker 2: them the mannerings you know how sincerely I regard both
• 1:58:53
  Speaker 2: husband and wife. I am very faithfully yours. S Vernon
• 1:59:02
  Speaker 2: thirty one, Lady Susan to missus Johnson, Upper Seymour Street.
• 1:59:08
  Speaker 2: My dear friend, that tormenting creature, Reginald is here. My letter,
• 1:59:13
  Speaker 2: which was intended to keep him longer in the country,
• 1:59:16
  Speaker 2: has hastened him to town. Much as I wish him away. However,
• 1:59:21
  Speaker 2: I cannot help being pleased with such a proof of attachment.
• 1:59:25
  Speaker 2: He is devoted to me heart and soul. He will
• 1:59:29
  Speaker 2: carry this note himself, which is to serve as an
• 1:59:31
  Speaker 2: introduction to you, with whom he longs to be acquainted.
• 1:59:35
  Speaker 2: Allow him to spend the evening with you, that I
• 1:59:38
  Speaker 2: may be in no danger of his returning here. I
• 1:59:41
  Speaker 2: have told him that I am not quite well and
• 1:59:44
  Speaker 2: must be alone, and should he call again, there might
• 1:59:48
  Speaker 2: be confusion, for it is impossible to be sure of
• 1:59:51
  Speaker 2: servants keep him. Therefore I entreat you in Edwards Street.
• 1:59:56
  Speaker 2: You will not find him a heavy companion, and I
• 1:59:59
  Speaker 2: allow you to f with him as much as you like.
• 2:00:02
  Speaker 2: At the same time, do not forget my real interest.
• 2:00:06
  Speaker 2: Say all that you can to convince him that I
• 2:00:08
  Speaker 2: shall be quite wretched if he remains here. You know
• 2:00:12
  Speaker 2: my reasons, propriety and so forth. I would urge them
• 2:00:16
  Speaker 2: more myself, but that I am impatient to be rid
• 2:00:20
  Speaker 2: of him, as Mannering comes within half an hour. Adieu
• 2:00:25
  Speaker 2: s Vernon.
• 2:00:28
  Speaker 1: And of section five, Section six.
• 2:00:34
  Speaker 5: Missus Johnson to Lady Susan edward Street, My dear creature,
• 2:00:40
  Speaker 5: I am in agonies and know not what to do.
• 2:00:43
  Speaker 5: Mister de Cursey arrived just when he should not. Missus
• 2:00:47
  Speaker 5: Mannering had that instant entered the house and forced herself
• 2:00:50
  Speaker 5: into her guardian's presence, though I did not know a
• 2:00:53
  Speaker 5: syllable of it till afterwards, for I was out when
• 2:00:56
  Speaker 5: both she and Reginald came, or I should have sent
• 2:00:59
  Speaker 5: him away at all events, but she was shut up
• 2:01:01
  Speaker 5: with mister Johnson while he waited in the drawing room
• 2:01:04
  Speaker 5: for me. She arrived yesterday in pursuit of her husband.
• 2:01:08
  Speaker 5: But perhaps you know this already from himself. She came
• 2:01:11
  Speaker 5: to this house to entreat my husband's interference, and before
• 2:01:14
  Speaker 5: I could be aware of it, everything that you could
• 2:01:17
  Speaker 5: wish to be concealed was known to him, And unluckily
• 2:01:20
  Speaker 5: she had wormed out of Mannering servant that he had
• 2:01:23
  Speaker 5: visited you every day since your being in town, and
• 2:01:26
  Speaker 5: had just watched him to your door herself. What could
• 2:01:30
  Speaker 5: I do? Fact for such horrid things? All is by
• 2:01:33
  Speaker 5: this time known to de Cursey, who is now alone
• 2:01:36
  Speaker 5: with mister Johnson. Do not accuse me. Indeed, it was
• 2:01:40
  Speaker 5: impossible to prevent it. Mister Johnson has for some time
• 2:01:44
  Speaker 5: suspected De Cursey of intending to marry you, and would
• 2:01:47
  Speaker 5: speak with him alone as soon as he knew him
• 2:01:49
  Speaker 5: to be in the house. That detestable missus Mannering, who
• 2:01:53
  Speaker 5: for your comfort has fretted herself thinner and uglier than ever,
• 2:01:57
  Speaker 5: is still here, and they have been all deposited together.
• 2:02:01
  Speaker 5: What can be done? At any rate? I hope he
• 2:02:03
  Speaker 5: will plague his wife more than ever with anxious wishes
• 2:02:07
  Speaker 5: yours faithfully.
• 2:02:09
  Speaker 2: Alicia thirty three Lady Susan to missus Johnson, up a
• 2:02:15
  Speaker 2: Seymour Street. Their clasiusment is rather provoking. How unlucky that
• 2:02:22
  Speaker 2: you should have been from home. I thought myself sure
• 2:02:25
  Speaker 2: of you at seven. I am undismayed. However, do not
• 2:02:29
  Speaker 2: torment yourself with fears. On my account. Depend on it.
• 2:02:33
  Speaker 2: I can make my story good. With Reginald mannering is
• 2:02:37
  Speaker 2: just gone. He brought me the news of his wife's arrival.
• 2:02:41
  Speaker 2: Silly woman. What does she expect by such maneuvers? Yet
• 2:02:45
  Speaker 2: I wish she had stayed quietly at Langford. Reginald will
• 2:02:48
  Speaker 2: be a little enraged at first, but by to morrow's
• 2:02:51
  Speaker 2: dinner everything will be well again. Adieu s v.
• 2:02:58
  Speaker 4: Thirty four Mister d Coursey to Lady Susan Hotel. I
• 2:03:04
  Speaker 4: write only to bid you farewell. The spell is removed.
• 2:03:08
  Speaker 4: I see you as you are since we parted yesterday.
• 2:03:11
  Speaker 4: I have received from indisputable authority such a history of
• 2:03:15
  Speaker 4: you as must bring the most mortifying conviction of the
• 2:03:18
  Speaker 4: imposition I have been under, and the absolute necessity of
• 2:03:22
  Speaker 4: an immediate and eternal separation from you. You cannot doubt
• 2:03:26
  Speaker 4: to what I allude Langford, Langford, that word will be sufficient.
• 2:03:32
  Speaker 4: I received my information in mister Johnson's house from Missus
• 2:03:35
  Speaker 4: Mannering herself. You know how I have loved you. You
• 2:03:39
  Speaker 4: can intimately judge of my present feelings. But I am
• 2:03:42
  Speaker 4: not so weak as to find indulgence in describing them
• 2:03:46
  Speaker 4: to a woman who will glory in having excited their anguish,
• 2:03:50
  Speaker 4: but whose affection they have never been able to gain.
• 2:03:54
  Speaker 4: Ah de course.
• 2:03:57
  Speaker 2: Thirty five, Lady Susan to mister upper Seymour Street. I
• 2:04:03
  Speaker 2: will not attempt to describe my astonishment in reading the
• 2:04:07
  Speaker 2: note this moment received from you. I am bewildered in
• 2:04:11
  Speaker 2: my endeavors to form some rational conjecture of what Missus
• 2:04:15
  Speaker 2: Mannering can have told you to occasion so extraordinary a
• 2:04:18
  Speaker 2: change in your sentiments. Have I not explained everything to
• 2:04:22
  Speaker 2: you with respect to myself which could bear a doubtful meaning,
• 2:04:27
  Speaker 2: and which the ill nature of the world had interpreted
• 2:04:30
  Speaker 2: to my discredit? What can you now have heard to
• 2:04:33
  Speaker 2: stagger your esteem for me? Have I ever had a
• 2:04:36
  Speaker 2: concealment from you? Reginald? You agitate me beyond expression. I
• 2:04:42
  Speaker 2: cannot suppose that the old story of Missus Mannering's jealousy
• 2:04:45
  Speaker 2: can be revived again, or at least be listened to again.
• 2:04:50
  Speaker 2: Come to me immediately and explain what is at present
• 2:04:54
  Speaker 2: absolutely incomprehensible. Believe me, the single word of Langford is
• 2:05:00
  Speaker 2: not of such potent intelligence as to supersede the necessity
• 2:05:04
  Speaker 2: of more. If we are to part, it will at
• 2:05:08
  Speaker 2: least be handsome to take your personal leave. But I
• 2:05:12
  Speaker 2: have little heart to jest. In truth, I am serious
• 2:05:16
  Speaker 2: enough for to be sunk, though but for an hour
• 2:05:19
  Speaker 2: in your esteem is a humiliation to which I know
• 2:05:23
  Speaker 2: not how to submit. I shall count every minute till
• 2:05:27
  Speaker 2: your arrival. S V.
• 2:05:32
  Speaker 4: Thirty six Mister de Courcy to Lady Susan Hotel. Why
• 2:05:38
  Speaker 4: would you write to me? Why do you require particulars?
• 2:05:42
  Speaker 4: But since it must be so, I am obliged to
• 2:05:45
  Speaker 4: declare that all the accounts of your misconduct during the
• 2:05:48
  Speaker 4: life and since the death of mister Vernon, which had
• 2:05:51
  Speaker 4: reached me in common with the world in general, and
• 2:05:54
  Speaker 4: gained my entire belief before I saw you, but which you,
• 2:05:58
  Speaker 4: by the exertion of your per averted abilities, had made
• 2:06:01
  Speaker 4: me resolved to disallow, have been unanswerably proved to me
• 2:06:06
  Speaker 4: nay more, I am assured that a connection of which
• 2:06:10
  Speaker 4: I had never before entertained a thought, has for some
• 2:06:12
  Speaker 4: time existed, and still continues to exist between you and
• 2:06:17
  Speaker 4: the man whose family you robbed of its peace in
• 2:06:20
  Speaker 4: return for the hospitality with which you were received into
• 2:06:23
  Speaker 4: It that you have corresponded with him ever since You're
• 2:06:26
  Speaker 4: leaving Langford, not with his wife, but with him, and
• 2:06:30
  Speaker 4: that he now visits you every day? Can you Dare
• 2:06:35
  Speaker 4: you deny it? And all this at the time when
• 2:06:38
  Speaker 4: I was an encouraged, an accepted lover. From what have
• 2:06:42
  Speaker 4: I not escaped? I have only to be grateful. Far
• 2:06:46
  Speaker 4: from me be all complaint, every sigh of regret. My
• 2:06:50
  Speaker 4: own folly had endangered me. My preservation I owe to
• 2:06:54
  Speaker 4: the kindness the integrity of another. But the unfortunate missus Mannering,
• 2:06:59
  Speaker 4: whose agon, while she related the past, seemed to threaten
• 2:07:02
  Speaker 4: her reason? How is she to be consoled after such
• 2:07:07
  Speaker 4: a discovery as this you will scarcely affect further? Wonder
• 2:07:10
  Speaker 4: at my meaning in bidding you adieu? My understanding is
• 2:07:13
  Speaker 4: at length restored and teaches no less to abhor the
• 2:07:17
  Speaker 4: artifices which had subdued me than to despise myself for
• 2:07:21
  Speaker 4: the weakness on which their strength was founded.
• 2:07:26
  Speaker 2: Our de Courci thirty seven, Lady Susan to mister de Courcy,
• 2:07:33
  Speaker 2: up A Seymour Street. I am satisfied and will trouble
• 2:07:38
  Speaker 2: you no more when these few lines are dismissed. The
• 2:07:41
  Speaker 2: engagement which you were eager to form a fortnight ago
• 2:07:45
  Speaker 2: is no longer compatible with your views, and I rejoice
• 2:07:48
  Speaker 2: to find that the prudent advice of your parents has
• 2:07:51
  Speaker 2: not been given in vain. Your restoration to peace will
• 2:07:55
  Speaker 2: I doubt not speedily follow this act of filial obedience,
• 2:08:00
  Speaker 2: and I flatter myself with the hope of surviving my
• 2:08:02
  Speaker 2: share in this disappointment. S V.
• 2:08:08
  Speaker 5: Thirty eight. Missus Johnson to Lady Susan Vernon Edward Street.
• 2:08:14
  Speaker 5: I am grieved, though I cannot be astonished at your
• 2:08:17
  Speaker 5: rupture with mister de Cursey. He has just informed mister
• 2:08:21
  Speaker 5: Johnson of it by letter he leaves London. He says,
• 2:08:24
  Speaker 5: to day be assured that I partake in all your feelings,
• 2:08:28
  Speaker 5: and do not be angry if I say that our intercourse,
• 2:08:31
  Speaker 5: even by letter, must soon be given up. It makes
• 2:08:34
  Speaker 5: me miserable. But mister Johnson bows that if I persist
• 2:08:37
  Speaker 5: in the connection, he will settle in the country for
• 2:08:39
  Speaker 5: the rest of his life. You know it is impossible
• 2:08:42
  Speaker 5: to submit to such an extremity while any other alternative remains.
• 2:08:47
  Speaker 5: You have heard, of course, that the Mannerings are to part,
• 2:08:49
  Speaker 5: and I am afraid missus m will come home to
• 2:08:52
  Speaker 5: us again. But she is still so fond of her husband,
• 2:08:55
  Speaker 5: and frets so much about him, that perhaps she may
• 2:08:58
  Speaker 5: not live long. Miss Mannering is just come to town
• 2:09:01
  Speaker 5: to be with her aunt, and they say that she
• 2:09:03
  Speaker 5: declares she will have Sir James Martin before she leaves
• 2:09:06
  Speaker 5: London again. If I were you, I would certainly get
• 2:09:09
  Speaker 5: him myself. I had almost forgot to give you my
• 2:09:12
  Speaker 5: opinion of mister de Cursey. I am really delighted with him.
• 2:09:15
  Speaker 5: He is full as handsome, I think as Mannering, and
• 2:09:18
  Speaker 5: with such an open, good humored countenance that one cannot
• 2:09:21
  Speaker 5: help loving him at first sight. Mister Johnson and he
• 2:09:24
  Speaker 5: are the greatest friends in the world. Adieu, my dear Susan.
• 2:09:28
  Speaker 5: I wish matters did not go so perversely that unlucky
• 2:09:32
  Speaker 5: visit to Langford, but I dare say you did all
• 2:09:34
  Speaker 5: for the best, and there is no defying destiny. You
• 2:09:38
  Speaker 5: are sincerely attached.
• 2:09:40
  Speaker 2: Alicia thirty nine, Lady Susan to missus Johnson up A
• 2:09:47
  Speaker 2: Seymour Street. My dear Alicia, I yield to the necessity
• 2:09:52
  Speaker 2: which parts us under circumstances you could not act otherwise.
• 2:09:57
  Speaker 2: Our friendship cannot be impaired by it, And in how
• 2:10:00
  Speaker 2: happier times, when your situation is as independent as mine,
• 2:10:04
  Speaker 2: it will unite us again in the same intimacy as ever.
• 2:10:08
  Speaker 2: For this I shall impatiently wait, and meanwhile can safely
• 2:10:13
  Speaker 2: assure you that I never was more at ease or
• 2:10:17
  Speaker 2: better satisfied with myself and everything about me than at
• 2:10:21
  Speaker 2: the present hour. Your husband I abhor, Reginald I despise,
• 2:10:26
  Speaker 2: and I am secure of never seeing either again. Have
• 2:10:30
  Speaker 2: I not reason to rejoice? Mannering is more devoted to
• 2:10:35
  Speaker 2: me than ever, And were we at liberty, I doubt
• 2:10:38
  Speaker 2: if I could resist even matrimony offered by him this event.
• 2:10:44
  Speaker 2: If his wife live with you, it may be in
• 2:10:47
  Speaker 2: your power to hasten the violence of her feelings, which
• 2:10:51
  Speaker 2: must wear her out. May be easily kept in irritation.
• 2:10:56
  Speaker 2: I rely on your friendship for this. I I am
• 2:11:00
  Speaker 2: now satisfied that I never could have brought myself to
• 2:11:02
  Speaker 2: marry Reginald, and am equally determined that Frederica never shall. Tomorrow,
• 2:11:09
  Speaker 2: I shall fetch her from Churchill and let Mariah Mannering tremble.
• 2:11:13
  Speaker 2: For the consequence, Frederica shall be Sir James's wife before
• 2:11:17
  Speaker 2: she quits my house. And she may whimper, and the
• 2:11:20
  Speaker 2: Vernons may storm, I regard them not. I am tired
• 2:11:25
  Speaker 2: of submitting my will to the caprices of others, of
• 2:11:28
  Speaker 2: resigning my own judgment in deference to those to whom
• 2:11:31
  Speaker 2: I owe no duty and for whom I feel no respect.
• 2:11:36
  Speaker 2: I have given up too much, have been too easily
• 2:11:39
  Speaker 2: worked on, But Frederica shall now feel the difference. Adieu,
• 2:11:44
  Speaker 2: dearest of friends. May the next gouty attack be more favorable,
• 2:11:49
  Speaker 2: and may you always regard me as unalterably yours, s Vernon.
• 2:11:56
  Speaker 7: Forty, Lady de Coursey, to missus Vane, My dear Catherine,
• 2:12:03
  Speaker 7: I have charming news for you, And if I had
• 2:12:06
  Speaker 7: not sent off my letter this morning, you might have
• 2:12:08
  Speaker 7: been spared the vexation of knowing of Reginald's being gone
• 2:12:11
  Speaker 7: to London, for he is returned. Reginald is returned not
• 2:12:17
  Speaker 7: to ask our consent to his marrying lady Susan, but
• 2:12:20
  Speaker 7: to tell us they are parted forever. He has been
• 2:12:24
  Speaker 7: only an hour in the house, and I have not
• 2:12:27
  Speaker 7: been able to learn particulars, for he is so very
• 2:12:30
  Speaker 7: low that I have not the heart to ask questions.
• 2:12:33
  Speaker 7: But I hope we shall soon know all. This is
• 2:12:35
  Speaker 7: the most joyful hour he has ever given us since
• 2:12:38
  Speaker 7: the day of his birth. Nothing is wanting but to
• 2:12:41
  Speaker 7: have you here, and it is our particular wish and
• 2:12:45
  Speaker 7: entreaty that you would come to us as soon as
• 2:12:47
  Speaker 7: you can. You have owed us a visit many long weeks.
• 2:12:51
  Speaker 7: I hope nothing will make it inconvenient to mister Vernon,
• 2:12:55
  Speaker 7: and pray bring all my grandchildren and your dear nieces included.
• 2:12:58
  Speaker 7: Of course, I long to see. It has been a sad,
• 2:13:02
  Speaker 7: heavy winter hitherto without Reginald and seeing nobody from Churchill.
• 2:13:07
  Speaker 7: I never found the season so dreary before. But this
• 2:13:10
  Speaker 7: happy meeting will make us young again. Frederica runs much
• 2:13:15
  Speaker 7: in my thoughts, And when Reginald has recovered his usual
• 2:13:18
  Speaker 7: good spirits, as I trust he soon will, we will
• 2:13:21
  Speaker 7: try to rob him of his heart once more. And
• 2:13:24
  Speaker 7: I am full of hopes of seeing their hands joined
• 2:13:27
  Speaker 7: at no great distance. Your affectionate mother C. De Corsey.
• 2:13:34
  Speaker 3: Forty one, missus Vernon to Lady de Cursey Churchill, My
• 2:13:43
  Speaker 3: dear mother, your letter has surprised me beyond measure. Can
• 2:13:47
  Speaker 3: it be true that they are really separated and forever?
• 2:13:51
  Speaker 3: I should be overjoyed if I dared depend on it.
• 2:13:53
  Speaker 3: But after all that I have seen, how can one
• 2:13:56
  Speaker 3: be secure and Reginald really with you? My surprise the
• 2:14:00
  Speaker 3: greater because on Wednesday, the very day of his coming
• 2:14:03
  Speaker 3: to Parklands, we had a most unexpected and unwelcome visit
• 2:14:06
  Speaker 3: from Lady Susan, looking all cheerfulness and good humor, and
• 2:14:10
  Speaker 3: seeming more as if she were to marry him when
• 2:14:13
  Speaker 3: she got to London than as if parted from him forever.
• 2:14:16
  Speaker 3: She stayed nearly two hours, was as affectionate and agreeable
• 2:14:19
  Speaker 3: as ever, and not as syllable. Not a hint was
• 2:14:22
  Speaker 3: dropped of any disagreement or coolness between them. I asked
• 2:14:26
  Speaker 3: her whether she had seen my brother since his arrival
• 2:14:29
  Speaker 3: in town, not as you may suppose, with any doubt
• 2:14:32
  Speaker 3: of the fact, but merely to see how she looked.
• 2:14:35
  Speaker 3: She immediately answered, without any embarrassment that he had been
• 2:14:38
  Speaker 3: kind enough to call on her on Monday, but she
• 2:14:41
  Speaker 3: believed he had already returned home, which I was very
• 2:14:44
  Speaker 3: far from crediting. Your kind invitation is accepted by us
• 2:14:48
  Speaker 3: with pleasure, and on Thursday next we and our little
• 2:14:51
  Speaker 3: ones will be with you. Pray heaven. Reginald may not
• 2:14:54
  Speaker 3: be in town again by that time. I wish we
• 2:14:57
  Speaker 3: could bring dear Frederica too, But I am so sorry
• 2:15:00
  Speaker 3: to say that her mother's errand hither was to fetch
• 2:15:02
  Speaker 3: her away, and miserable as it made the poor girl,
• 2:15:06
  Speaker 3: it was impossible to detain her. I was thoroughly unwilling
• 2:15:10
  Speaker 3: to let her go, and so was her uncle. And
• 2:15:12
  Speaker 3: all that could be urged we did urge. But Lady
• 2:15:15
  Speaker 3: Susan declared that as she was now about to fix
• 2:15:18
  Speaker 3: herself in London for several months, she could not be
• 2:15:21
  Speaker 3: easy if her daughter were not with her for masters,
• 2:15:24
  Speaker 3: et cetera. Her manner, to be sure, was very kind
• 2:15:28
  Speaker 3: and proper, and mister Vernon believes that Frederica will now
• 2:15:31
  Speaker 3: be treated with affection. I wish I could think so too.
• 2:15:35
  Speaker 3: The poor girl's heart was almost broke at taking leave
• 2:15:38
  Speaker 3: of us, I charged her to write to me very often,
• 2:15:41
  Speaker 3: and to remember that if she were in any distress,
• 2:15:44
  Speaker 3: we should be always her friends. I took care to
• 2:15:47
  Speaker 3: see her alone that I might say all this, and
• 2:15:49
  Speaker 3: I hope made her a little more comfortable. But I
• 2:15:52
  Speaker 3: shall not be easy till I can go to town
• 2:15:54
  Speaker 3: and judge of her situation myself. I wish there were
• 2:15:58
  Speaker 3: a better prospect than now appears of the match which
• 2:16:01
  Speaker 3: the conclusion of your letter declares your expectations of. At present,
• 2:16:05
  Speaker 3: it is not very likely yours ever, et cetera. See Vernon.
• 2:16:12
  Speaker 9: This correspondence, by a meeting between some of the parties
• 2:16:16
  Speaker 9: and a separation between the others, could not, to the
• 2:16:19
  Speaker 9: great detriment of the post office revenue, be continued any longer.
• 2:16:23
  Speaker 9: Very little assistance to the state could be derived from
• 2:16:26
  Speaker 9: the epistolary intercourse of missus Vernon and her niece. For
• 2:16:30
  Speaker 9: the former, soon perceived by the style of Frederica's letters
• 2:16:33
  Speaker 9: that they were written under her mother's inspection, and therefore
• 2:16:37
  Speaker 9: deferring all particular inquiry till she could make it personally
• 2:16:39
  Speaker 9: in London, ceased writing minutely or often, having learnt enough
• 2:16:44
  Speaker 9: in the meanwhile from her open hearted brother of what
• 2:16:47
  Speaker 9: had passed between him and Lady Susan, to sink the
• 2:16:49
  Speaker 9: latter lower than ever. In her opinion, she was proportionably
• 2:16:53
  Speaker 9: more anxious to get Frederica removed from such a mother
• 2:16:56
  Speaker 9: and placed under her own care, and, though with little
• 2:16:59
  Speaker 9: hope of success, was resolved to leave nothing unattempted that
• 2:17:03
  Speaker 9: might offer a chance of obtaining her sister in law's
• 2:17:06
  Speaker 9: consent to it. Her anxiety on the subject made her
• 2:17:09
  Speaker 9: press for an early visit to London, and mister Vernon, who,
• 2:17:12
  Speaker 9: as it must already have appeared, lived only to do
• 2:17:15
  Speaker 9: whatever he was desired, soon found some accommodating business to
• 2:17:19
  Speaker 9: call him thither. With a heart full of the matter.
• 2:17:22
  Speaker 9: Missus Vernon waited on Lady Susan shortly after her arrival
• 2:17:25
  Speaker 9: in town, and was met with such an easy and
• 2:17:27
  Speaker 9: cheerful affection as made her almost turn from her with horror.
• 2:17:31
  Speaker 9: No remembrance of Reginald, no consciousness of guilt, gave one
• 2:17:35
  Speaker 9: look of embarrassment. She was in excellent spirits and seemed
• 2:17:39
  Speaker 9: eager to show at once by ever possible attention to
• 2:17:41
  Speaker 9: her brother and sister, her sense of their kindness and
• 2:17:44
  Speaker 9: her pleasure in their society. Frederica was no more altered
• 2:17:48
  Speaker 9: than Lady Susan. The same restrained manners, the same timid
• 2:17:52
  Speaker 9: look in the presence of her mother as heretre four
• 2:17:55
  Speaker 9: assured her aunt of her situation being uncomfortable, and confirmed
• 2:17:59
  Speaker 9: her in the plan of altering it. No one kindness, however,
• 2:18:03
  Speaker 9: on the part of Lady Susan, appeared. Persecution on the
• 2:18:06
  Speaker 9: subject of Sir James was entirely at an end, his
• 2:18:09
  Speaker 9: name merely mentioned to say that he was not in London,
• 2:18:12
  Speaker 9: And indeed, in all her conversation she was solicitous only
• 2:18:16
  Speaker 9: for the welfare and improvement of her daughter, acknowledging in
• 2:18:19
  Speaker 9: terms of grateful delight that Frederica was now growing every
• 2:18:23
  Speaker 9: day more and more what a parent could desire. Missus Vernon,
• 2:18:27
  Speaker 9: surprised and incredulous, knew not what to suspect, and without
• 2:18:31
  Speaker 9: any change in her own views, only feared a greater
• 2:18:34
  Speaker 9: difficulty in accomplishing them. The first hope of anything better
• 2:18:39
  Speaker 9: was derived from Lady Susan's asking her whether she thought
• 2:18:42
  Speaker 9: Frederica looked quite as well as she had done at Churchill.
• 2:18:45
  Speaker 9: As she must confess herself to have sometimes an anxious
• 2:18:48
  Speaker 9: doubt of London's perfectly agreeing with her, Missus Vernon, encouraging
• 2:18:52
  Speaker 9: the doubt, directly proposed her niece's returning with them into
• 2:18:55
  Speaker 9: the country. Lady Susan was unable to express her sense
• 2:18:59
  Speaker 9: of such kindness, yet knew not from a variety of reasons,
• 2:19:03
  Speaker 9: how to part with her daughter, and as though her
• 2:19:05
  Speaker 9: own plans were not yet wholly fixed, she trusted it
• 2:19:09
  Speaker 9: would ere long be in her power to take Frederica
• 2:19:11
  Speaker 9: into the country. Herself concluded by declining entirely to profit
• 2:19:16
  Speaker 9: by such unexampled attention. Missus Vernon persevered, however, in the
• 2:19:20
  Speaker 9: offer of it, and though Lady Susan continued to resist,
• 2:19:24
  Speaker 9: her resistance in the course of a few days seemed
• 2:19:26
  Speaker 9: somewhat less formidable. The lucky alarm of an influenza decided
• 2:19:30
  Speaker 9: what might not have been decided quite so soon. Lady
• 2:19:33
  Speaker 9: Susan's maternal fears were then too much awakened for her
• 2:19:37
  Speaker 9: to think of anything but Frederica's removal from the risk
• 2:19:40
  Speaker 9: of infection. Above all disorders in the world, she most
• 2:19:43
  Speaker 9: dreaded the influenza for her daughter's constitution. Frederica returned to
• 2:19:48
  Speaker 9: Churchill with her uncle and aunt and three weeks afterwards
• 2:19:52
  Speaker 9: Lady Susan announced her being married to Sir James Martin.
• 2:19:55
  Speaker 9: Missus Vernon was then convinced of what she had only
• 2:19:58
  Speaker 9: suspected before, that she he might have spared herself all
• 2:20:01
  Speaker 9: the trouble of urging a removal, which Lady Susan had
• 2:20:04
  Speaker 9: doubtless resolved on from the first. Frederica's visit was nominally
• 2:20:09
  Speaker 9: for six weeks, but her mother, though inviting her to
• 2:20:11
  Speaker 9: return in one or two affectionate letters, was very ready
• 2:20:15
  Speaker 9: to oblige the whole party by consenting to a prolongation
• 2:20:18
  Speaker 9: of her stay, and in the course of two months
• 2:20:20
  Speaker 9: ceased to write of her absence, and in the course
• 2:20:23
  Speaker 9: of two or more to write to her at all.
• 2:20:25
  Speaker 9: Frederica was therefore fixed in the family of her uncle
• 2:20:28
  Speaker 9: and aunt till such time as Reginald de Corsi could
• 2:20:31
  Speaker 9: be talked, flattered, and finessed into an affection for her, which,
• 2:20:35
  Speaker 9: allowing leisure for the conquest of his attachment to her mother,
• 2:20:39
  Speaker 9: for his abjuring all future attachments and detesting the sex,
• 2:20:43
  Speaker 9: might be reasonably looked for in the course of a
• 2:20:45
  Speaker 9: twelvemonth Three months might have done it in general, but
• 2:20:49
  Speaker 9: Reginald's feelings were no less lasting than lively. Whether Lady
• 2:20:53
  Speaker 9: Susan was or was not happy in her second choice,
• 2:20:56
  Speaker 9: I do not see how it can ever be ascertained,
• 2:20:59
  Speaker 9: for who would take her assurance of it? On either
• 2:21:01
  Speaker 9: side of the question. The world must judge from probabilities.
• 2:21:05
  Speaker 9: She had nothing against her but her husband and her conscience.
• 2:21:08
  Speaker 9: Sir James may seem to have drawn a harder lot
• 2:21:11
  Speaker 9: than mere folly meritth I leave him therefore to all
• 2:21:14
  Speaker 9: the pity that anybody can give him. For myself, I
• 2:21:17
  Speaker 9: confess that I can pity only Mismannering, who, coming to
• 2:21:21
  Speaker 9: town and putting herself to an expense in clothes which
• 2:21:24
  Speaker 9: impoverished her for two years on purpose to secure him,
• 2:21:28
  Speaker 9: was defrauded of her due by a woman ten years
• 2:21:30
  Speaker 9: older than herself.
• 2:21:33
  Speaker 1: And of section six Lady Susan. The entire cast of readers.
• 2:21:45
  Speaker 2: Lady Susan read by Kristin Hughes.
• 2:21:48
  Speaker 3: Missus Vernon read by Rachel.
• 2:21:50
  Speaker 4: Ellen, Mister Decocy read by Patrick Beverly.
• 2:21:56
  Speaker 5: Missus Johnson read by Kirsten Ferrari.
• 2:22:00
  Speaker 6: To Reginald de Courcy read by Simon Taylor.
• 2:22:03
  Speaker 7: Lady de Courcy read by Gauzina.
• 2:22:07
  Speaker 8: Miss Vernon read by Kara Shallenberg, Conclusion read by Justin
• 2:22:13
  Speaker 8: Barrett
• 2:22:15
  Speaker 1: And of Lady Susan by Jane Austen