Love and Friendship, and Other Early Works - Jane Austen (ebook offline reader .TXT) 📗

manners and

Address to me when we first met which should have distinguished

our introduction to each other. Her Language was neither warm,

nor affectionate, her expressions of regard were neither animated

nor cordial; her arms were not opened to receive me to her Heart,

tho’ my own were extended to press her to mine.

 

A short Conversation between Augusta and her Brother, which I

accidentally overheard encreased my dislike to her, and convinced

me that her Heart was no more formed for the soft ties of Love

than for the endearing intercourse of Freindship.

 

“But do you think that my Father will ever be reconciled to this

imprudent connection?” (said Augusta.)

 

“Augusta (replied the noble Youth) I thought you had a better

opinion of me, than to imagine I would so abjectly degrade myself

as to consider my Father’s Concurrence in any of my affairs,

either of Consequence or concern to me. Tell me Augusta with

sincerity; did you ever know me consult his inclinations or

follow his Advice in the least trifling Particular since the age

of fifteen?”

 

“Edward (replied she) you are surely too diffident in your own

praise. Since you were fifteen only! My Dear Brother since you

were five years old, I entirely acquit you of ever having

willingly contributed to the satisfaction of your Father. But

still I am not without apprehensions of your being shortly

obliged to degrade yourself in your own eyes by seeking a support

for your wife in the Generosity of Sir Edward.”

 

“Never, never Augusta will I so demean myself. (said Edward).

Support! What support will Laura want which she can receive from

him?”

 

“Only those very insignificant ones of Victuals and Drink.”

(answered she.)

 

“Victuals and Drink! (replied my Husband in a most nobly

contemptuous Manner) and dost thou then imagine that there is no

other support for an exalted mind (such as is my Laura’s) than

the mean and indelicate employment of Eating and Drinking?”

 

“None that I know of, so efficacious.” (returned Augusta).

 

“And did you then never feel the pleasing Pangs of Love, Augusta?

(replied my Edward). Does it appear impossible to your vile and

corrupted Palate, to exist on Love? Can you not conceive the

Luxury of living in every distress that Poverty can inflict, with

the object of your tenderest affection?”

 

“You are too ridiculous (said Augusta) to argue with; perhaps

however you may in time be convinced that …”

 

Here I was prevented from hearing the remainder of her speech, by

the appearance of a very Handsome young Woman, who was ushured

into the Room at the Door of which I had been listening. On

hearing her announced by the Name of “Lady Dorothea,” I instantly

quitted my Post and followed her into the Parlour, for I well

remembered that she was the Lady, proposed as a Wife for my

Edward by the Cruel and Unrelenting Baronet.

 

Altho’ Lady Dorothea’s visit was nominally to Philippa and

Augusta, yet I have some reason to imagine that (acquainted with

the Marriage and arrival of Edward) to see me was a principal

motive to it.

 

I soon perceived that tho’ Lovely and Elegant in her Person and

tho’ Easy and Polite in her Address, she was of that inferior

order of Beings with regard to Delicate Feeling, tender

Sentiments, and refined Sensibility, of which Augusta was one.

 

She staid but half an hour and neither in the Course of her

Visit, confided to me any of her secret thoughts, nor requested

me to confide in her, any of Mine. You will easily imagine

therefore my Dear Marianne that I could not feel any ardent

affection or very sincere Attachment for Lady Dorothea.

Adeiu

Laura.

 

LETTER 8th

LAURA to MARIANNE, in continuation

 

Lady Dorothea had not left us long before another visitor as

unexpected a one as her Ladyship, was announced. It was Sir

Edward, who informed by Augusta of her Brother’s marriage, came

doubtless to reproach him for having dared to unite himself to me

without his Knowledge. But Edward foreseeing his design,

approached him with heroic fortitude as soon as he entered the

Room, and addressed him in the following Manner.

 

“Sir Edward, I know the motive of your Journey here—You come

with the base Design of reproaching me for having entered into an

indissoluble engagement with my Laura without your Consent. But

Sir, I glory in the Act—. It is my greatest boast that I have

incurred the displeasure of my Father!”

 

So saying, he took my hand and whilst Sir Edward, Philippa, and

Augusta were doubtless reflecting with admiration on his

undaunted Bravery, led me from the Parlour to his Father’s

Carriage which yet remained at the Door and in which we were

instantly conveyed from the pursuit of Sir Edward.

 

The Postilions had at first received orders only to take the

London road; as soon as we had sufficiently reflected However, we

ordered them to Drive to M–-. the seat of Edward’s most

particular freind, which was but a few miles distant.

 

At M–-. we arrived in a few hours; and on sending in our names

were immediately admitted to Sophia, the Wife of Edward’s freind.

After having been deprived during the course of 3 weeks of a real

freind (for such I term your Mother) imagine my transports at

beholding one, most truly worthy of the Name. Sophia was rather

above the middle size; most elegantly formed. A soft languor

spread over her lovely features, but increased their Beauty—.

It was the Charectarestic of her Mind—. She was all sensibility

and Feeling. We flew into each others arms and after having

exchanged vows of mutual Freindship for the rest of our Lives,

instantly unfolded to each other the most inward secrets of our

Hearts—. We were interrupted in the delightfull Employment by

the entrance of Augustus, (Edward’s freind) who was just returned

from a solitary ramble.

 

Never did I see such an affecting Scene as was the meeting of

Edward and Augustus.

 

“My Life! my Soul!” (exclaimed the former) “My adorable angel!”

(replied the latter) as they flew into each other’s arms. It was

too pathetic for the feelings of Sophia and myself—We fainted

alternately on a sofa.

Adeiu

Laura.

 

LETTER the 9th

From the same to the same

 

Towards the close of the day we received the following Letter

from Philippa.

 

“Sir Edward is greatly incensed by your abrupt departure; he has

taken back Augusta to Bedfordshire. Much as I wish to enjoy

again your charming society, I cannot determine to snatch you

from that, of such dear and deserving Freinds—When your Visit to

them is terminated, I trust you will return to the arms of your”

“Philippa.”

 

We returned a suitable answer to this affectionate Note and after

thanking her for her kind invitation assured her that we would

certainly avail ourselves of it, whenever we might have no other

place to go to. Tho’ certainly nothing could to any reasonable

Being, have appeared more satisfactory, than so gratefull a reply

to her invitation, yet I know not how it was, but she was

certainly capricious enough to be displeased with our behaviour

and in a few weeks after, either to revenge our Conduct, or

releive her own solitude, married a young and illiterate Fortune-hunter. This imprudent step (tho’ we were sensible that it would

probably deprive us of that fortune which Philippa had ever

taught us to expect) could not on our own accounts, excite from

our exalted minds a single sigh; yet fearfull lest it might prove

a source of endless misery to the deluded Bride, our trembling

Sensibility was greatly affected when we were first informed of

the Event.The affectionate Entreaties of Augustus and Sophia that

we would for ever consider their House as our Home, easily

prevailed on us to determine never more to leave them, In the

society of my Edward and this Amiable Pair, I passed the happiest

moments of my Life; Our time was most delightfully spent, in

mutual Protestations of Freindship, and in vows of unalterable

Love, in which we were secure from being interrupted, by

intruding and disagreable Visitors, as Augustus and Sophia had on

their first Entrance in the Neighbourhood, taken due care to

inform the surrounding Families, that as their happiness centered

wholly in themselves, they wished for no other society. But

alas! my Dear Marianne such Happiness as I then enjoyed was too

perfect to be lasting. A most severe and unexpected Blow at once

destroyed every sensation of Pleasure. Convinced as you must be

from what I have already told you concerning Augustus and Sophia,

that there never were a happier Couple, I need not I imagine,

inform you that their union had been contrary to the inclinations

of their Cruel and Mercenery Parents; who had vainly endeavoured

with obstinate Perseverance to force them into a Marriage with

those whom they had ever abhorred; but with a Heroic Fortitude

worthy to be related and admired, they had both, constantly

refused to submit to such despotic Power.

 

After having so nobly disentangled themselves from the shackles

of Parental Authority, by a Clandestine Marriage, they were

determined never to forfeit the good opinion they had gained in

the World, in so doing, by accepting any proposals of

reconciliation that might be offered them by their Fathers—to

this farther tryal of their noble independance however they never

were exposed.

 

They had been married but a few months when our visit to them

commenced during which time they had been amply supported by a

considerable sum of money which Augustus had gracefully purloined

from his unworthy father’s Escritoire, a few days before his

union with Sophia.

 

By our arrival their Expenses were considerably encreased tho’

their means for supplying them were then nearly exhausted. But

they, Exalted Creatures! scorned to reflect a moment on their

pecuniary Distresses and would have blushed at the idea of paying

their Debts.—Alas! what was their Reward for such disinterested

Behaviour! The beautifull Augustus was arrested and we were all

undone. Such perfidious Treachery in the merciless perpetrators

of the Deed will shock your gentle nature Dearest Marianne as

much as it then affected the Delicate sensibility of Edward,

Sophia, your Laura, and of Augustus himself. To compleat such

unparalelled Barbarity we were informed that an Execution in the

House would shortly take place. Ah! what could we do but what

we did! We sighed and fainted on the sofa.

Adeiu

Laura.

 

LETTER 10th

LAURA in continuation

 

When we were somewhat recovered from the overpowering Effusions

of our grief, Edward desired that we would consider what was the

most prudent step to be taken in our unhappy situation while he

repaired to his imprisoned freind to lament over his misfortunes.

We promised that we would, and he set forwards on his journey to

Town. During his absence we faithfully complied with his Desire

and after the most mature Deliberation, at length agreed that the

best thing we could do was to leave the House; of which we every

moment expected the officers of Justice to take possession. We

waited therefore with the greatest impatience, for the return of

Edward in order to impart to him the result of our Deliberations.

But no Edward appeared. In vain did we count the tedious moments

of his absence—in vain did we weep—in vain even did we sigh—no

Edward returned—. This was too cruel, too unexpected a Blow to

our Gentle Sensibility—we could not support it—we could only

faint. At length collecting all the Resolution I was Mistress

of, I arose and after packing up some necessary apparel for

Sophia and myself, I dragged her to a Carriage I had ordered and

we instantly set out for London. As the Habitation of Augustus

was within twelve miles