WHEN the party arrived at Cleves, Camilla, who had observed that Edgar seemed much disappointed by the breaking up of the cottage expedition, proposed that it should take place in the evening; and her uncle, though too much fatigued1 to venture out again himself, consented, or rather insisted, that the excursion should be made without him.
Before they set out, Edgar desired to speak with Sir Hugh in private.
Sir Hugh concluded it was to make his proposals of marriage for Indiana; and had not patience to step into his own apartment, but told them all to retire, with a nod at Indiana, which prepared not only herself but Miss Margland, Camilla, and Eugenia to join in his expectation.
Indiana, though a good deal fluttered, flew to a window, to see if the new chariot was in sight; and then, turning to Miss Margland, asked, ‘Pray, should I refuse him at first?’
Miss Margland spared not for proper instructions; and immediately began a negociation with the fair questioner, for continuing to live with her.
Eugenia was occupied in reflecting with pity upon the idleness of Indiana, which so ill had fitted her for becoming the companion of Mandlebert.
Camilla, unusually thoughtful, walked alone into the garden, and sought a path least in sight.
Sir Hugh, meanwhile, was most unpleasantly undeceived. Edgar, without naming Indiana, informed him of the situation in which he had surprised Bellamy, and of his suspicions with regard to the destination of the chaise, but for his own timely arrival at the farm-house; adding, that his gratitude2 to Mr. Tyrold, his respect for himself, and his affection for all the family, made him think it is duty to reveal these circumstances without delay.
The baronet shuddered3 with horror; and declared he would instantly send an express to bring Clermont home, that Eugenia might be married out of hand; and, in the mean time, that he would have every window in the house barred, and keep her locked up in her room.
Edgar dissuaded4 him from so violent a measure; but advised him to speak with his niece upon the danger she had probably escaped, and of which she seemed wholly unconscious; to prevail with her not to go out again this evening, and to send for Mr. Tyrold, and acquaint him with the affair.
Sir Hugh thanked him for his counsel, and implicitly5 acted by his opinion.
He then ordered the coach for Miss Margland, Indiana, and Camilla.
Dr. Orkborne, finding neither Sir Hugh nor Eugenia of the party, declined joining it. Lionel was returned to Etherington; and Edgar rode on before, to invite Dr. Marchmont, with the consent of the Baronet, to take the fourth place in the carriage.
Arrived at the rectory, he went straight, by prescriptive privilege, into the study of Dr. Marchmont, whom he found immersed in books and papers, which, immediately, at the request of Edgar, he put aside; not without regret to quit them, though wholly without reluctance6 to oblige.
Edgar had ridden so hard, that they had some time to wait for the coach. But he did not appear anxious for its arrival; though he wore a look that was far from implying him to be free from anxiety.
He was silent,-he hemmed,-he was silent again,-and again he hemmed,-and then, gently laying his hand upon the shoulder of the Doctor, while his eyes, full of meaning, were fixed7 upon his face; ‘Doctor,’ he cried, ‘you would hardly have known these young ladies?-they are all grown from children into women since you saw them last.’
‘Yes,’ answered the Doctor, ‘and very charming women. Indiana has a beauty so exquisite8, it is scarce possible to look away from it a moment: Eugenia joins so much innocence9 with information, that the mind must itself be deformed10 that could dwell upon her personal defects, after conversing11 with her: Camilla’–
He paused, and Edgar hastily turned another way, not to look at him, nor be looked at, while he proceeded:
‘Camilla,’ he presently continued, ‘seems the most inartificially sweet, the most unobtrusively gay, and the most attractively lovely of almost any young creature I ever beheld12.’
With a heart all expanded, and a face full of sensibility, Edgar now turned to him, and seizing, involuntarily, his hand, which he eagerly shook, ‘You think her; then,’-he cried,-but suddenly stopt, dropt his hand, coughed two or three times; and, taking out his pocket handkerchief, seemed tormented13 with a violent cold.
Dr. Marchmont affectionately embraced him. ‘My dear young friend,’ he cried, ‘I see the situation of your mind-and think every possible happiness promises to be yours; yet, if you have taken no positive step, suffer me to speak with you before you proceed.’
‘Far from having taken any positive step, I have not yet even formed any resolution.’
Here the carriage stopt for the Doctor, who repeated, ‘Yes! I think every possible happiness promises to be yours!’ before he went on to the ladies. Edgar, in a trepidation14 too great to be seen by them, kept behind till they drove off, though he then galloped15 so fast, that he arrived at the cottage before them: the words, ‘I think every possible happiness promises to be yours,’ vibrating the whole time in his ears.
When the coach arrived, Edgar handed out Miss Margland and Indiana; leaving Camilla to the Doctor; willing to let him see more of her, and by no means displeased16 to avoid his eyes at that moment himself.
Indiana was in the most sprightly17 spirits she had ever experienced; she concluded herself on the verge18 of becoming mistress of a fine place and a large fortune; she had received adulation all the morning that had raised her beauty higher than ever in her own estimation; and she secretly revolved19, with delight, various articles of ornament20 and of luxury, which she had long wished to possess, and which now, for her wedding clothes, she should have riches sufficient to purchase.
Miss Margland, too, was all smoothness, complacency, and courtesy.
Camilla, alone, was grave; Camilla, who, by nature, was gay.
‘Dear! is this the cottage we have been coming to all this time?’ cried Indiana, upon entering; ‘Lord! I thought it would have been something quite pretty.’
‘And what sort of prettiness,’ said Edgar, ‘did you expect from a cottage?’
‘Dear, I don’t know-but I thought we were come on purpose to see something extraordinary?’
Camilla, who followed, made an exclamation21 far different; an exclamation of pleasure, surprise, and vivacity22, that restored for an instant, all her native gaiety: for no sooner had she crossed the threshold, than she recognised, in a woman who was curtsying low to receive her, and whom Indiana had passed without observing, the wife of the poor prisoner for whom she had interceded23 with Mandlebert.
‘How I rejoice to see you!’ cried she, ‘and to see you here! and how much better you look! and how comfortable you seem! I hope you are now all well?’
‘Ah, madam,’ answered the woman; ‘we owe everything to that good young gentleman! he has put us in this nice new cottage, and employs us in his service. Blessings24 on his head! I am sure he will be paid for it!’
Edgar, somewhat agitated25, occupied himself with jumping the little boy; Camilla looked round with rapture26; Indiana seemed wonder-struck, without knowing why; Dr. Marchmont narrowly watched them all; and Miss Margland, expecting a new collection would be next proposed for setting them up, nimbly re-crossed the threshold, to examine the prospect27 without.
The husband, now in decent garb28, and much recovered, though still weak and emaciated29, advanced to Camilla, to make his humble30 acknowledgments, that she had recommended them to their kind benefactor31.
‘No!’ cried Camilla; ‘you owe me nothing! your own distress32 recommended you;-your own distress-and Mr. Mandlebert’s generosity33.’
Then, going up to Edgar, ‘It is your happy fate,’ she said, in an accent of admiration34, ‘to act all that my father so often plans and wishes, but which his income will not allow him to execute.’
‘You see,’ answered he, gratefully, ‘how little suffices for content! I have scarce done anything-yet how relieved, how satisfied are these poor people! This hut was fortunately vacant’–
‘O, madam!’ interrupted the poor woman, ‘if you knew but how that good gentleman has done it all! how kindly35 he has used us, and made everybody else use us! and let nobody taunt36 us with our bad faults!-and what good he has done to my poor sick husband! and how he has clothed my poor little half naked children! and, what is more than all, saved us from the shame of an ill life.’–
Camilla felt the tears start into her eyes;-she hastily snatched the little babe into her arms; and, while her kisses hid her face, Happy, and thrice happy Indiana! with a soft sigh, was the silent ejaculation of her heart.
She seated herself on a stool, and, without speaking or hearing any thing more, devoted37 herself to the baby.
Indiana, meanwhile, whose confidence in her own situation gave her courage to utter whatever first occurred to her, having made a general survey of the place and people, with an air of disappointment, now amused herself with an inspection38 more minute, taking up and casting down everything that was portable, without any regard either to deranging39 its neatness, or endangering its safety:-exclaiming, as she made her round of investigation40, ‘Dear! Crockery ware41! how ugly!–Lord, what little mean chairs!–Is that your best gown, good woman?– Dear, what an ugly pattern!–Well, I would not wear such a thing to save my life!–Have you got nothing better than this for a floor-cloth? Only look at those curtains! Did you ever see such frights? Lord! do you eat off these platters? I am sure I could sooner die! I should not mind starving half as much!’
Miss Margland, hoping the collection was now either made or relinquished42, ventured to re-enter, and inquire if they never meant to return home? Camilla unwillingly43 gave up the baby; but would not depart without looking over the cottage, where everything she saw excited a sensation of pleasure. ‘How neat is this! How tidy is that!’ were her continual exclamations44; ‘How bright you have rubbed your saucepans! How clean every thing is all round! How soon you will all get well in this healthy and comfortable little dwelling45!’
Edgar, in a low voice, then told Dr. Marchmont the history of his new cottagers, saying: ‘You will not, I hope, disapprove46 what I have done? Their natures seemed so much disposed to good, I could not bear to let their wants turn them again to evil.’
‘You have certainly done right,’ answered the Doctor; ‘to give money without inquiry47, or further aid, to those who have adopted bad practices, is, to them, but temptation, and to society an injury; but to give them both the counsel and the means to pursue a right course, is, to them, perhaps, salvation48, and to the community, the greatest service.”
Indiana and Miss Margland, quite wearied, both got into the carriage; Edgar, having deposited them, returned to Camilla, who kissed both the children, poured forth49 good wishes upon the father and mother; and, then, gave him her hand. Enchanted50, he took it, exclaiming; ‘Ah! who is like you! so lively-yet so feeling!’
Struck and penetrated51, she made no answer: Alas52! she thought, I fear he is not quite satisfied with Indiana!
Dr. Marchmont was set down at his own house; where, he begged to have a conference with Edgar the next morning.
The whole way home, the benevolence53 of Edgar occupied the mind of Camilla; and, not in the present instance, the less, that its object had been originally of her own pointing out.
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fatigued
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| adj. 疲乏的 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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dissuaded
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| 劝（某人）勿做某事，劝阻( dissuade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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implicitly
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| adv. 含蓄地, 暗中地, 毫不保留地 | |
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reluctance
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| n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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deformed
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| adj.畸形的；变形的；丑的，破相了的 | |
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conversing
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
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beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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tormented
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| 饱受折磨的 | |
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trepidation
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| n.惊恐，惶恐 | |
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galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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displeased
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| a.不快的 | |
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sprightly
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| adj.愉快的，活泼的 | |
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verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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revolved
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| v.（使）旋转( revolve的过去式和过去分词 )；细想 | |
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ornament
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| v.装饰，美化；n.装饰，装饰物 | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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vivacity
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| n.快活，活泼，精神充沛 | |
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interceded
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| v.斡旋，调解( intercede的过去式和过去分词 )；说情 | |
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blessings
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| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
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agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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rapture
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| n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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garb
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| n.服装，装束 | |
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emaciated
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| adj.衰弱的，消瘦的 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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benefactor
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| n. 恩人，行善的人，捐助人 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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generosity
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| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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taunt
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| n.辱骂，嘲弄；v.嘲弄 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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deranging
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| v.疯狂的，神经错乱的( deranged的过去分词 )；混乱的 | |
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investigation
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| n.调查，调查研究 | |
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ware
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| n.(常用复数)商品，货物 | |
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relinquished
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| 交出，让给( relinquish的过去式和过去分词 )； 放弃 | |
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unwillingly
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| adv.不情愿地 | |
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exclamations
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| n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 )；感叹；感叹语；感叹词 | |
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dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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disapprove
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| v.不赞成，不同意，不批准 | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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salvation
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| n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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enchanted
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| adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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51
penetrated
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| adj. 击穿的，鞭辟入里的 动词penetrate的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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52
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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53
benevolence
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| n.慈悲，捐助 | |
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