the governess-第13章

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th：　　their　fathers　were　soldiers　of　fortune；　and　both　killed　in　one　day；　in　the　fame　engagement。　　But　their　fortunes　were　not　more　similar　than　their　persons　and　dispositions。　　They　were　both　extremely　handsome；　and　in　their　Childhood　were　so　remarkable　for　liveliness　of　parts；　and　sweetness　of　temper；　that　they　were　the　admiration　of　the　whole　country　where　they　lived。

Their　aunt　loved　them　with　a　sincere　and　equal　affection；　and　took　the　greatest　pleasure　imaginable　in　their　education；　and　particularly　to　encourage　that　love　and　friendship　which　she　with　pleasure　perceived　between　them。　　Amanda　being　（as　was　said）　very　rich；　and　having　no　other　relations；　it　was　supposed　that　these　her　nieces　would　be　very　great　fortunes；　and　as　soon　as　they　became　women；　they　were　addressed　by　all　the　men　of　fortune　and　no　fortune　round　the　neighbourhood。　　But　as　the　love　of　admiration；　and　a　desire　of　a　large　train　of　admirers；　had　no　place　in　their　minds；　they　soon　dismissed；　in　the　most　civil　and　obliging　manner；　one　after　another；　all　these　lovers。

The　refusing　such　numbers　of　men；　and　some　such　as　by　the　world　were　called　good　offers；　soon　got　them　the　name　of　jilts；　and　by　that　means　they　were　freed　from　any　farther　importunity；　and　for　some　years　enjoyed　that　peace　and　quiet　they　had　long　wished。　　Their　aunt；　from　being　their　mother　and　their　guardian；　was　now　become　their　friend。　　For；　as　she　endeavoured　not　in　the　least　to　force　their　inclinations；　they　never　kept　anything　concealed　from　her；　and　every　action　of　their　lives　was　still　guided　by　her　advice　and　approbation。

They　lived　on　in　this　way；　perfectly　happy　in　their　own　little　community；　till　they　were　about　two…and…twenty　years　old　when　there　happened　to　be　a　regiment　quartered　in　the　neighbouring　town；　to　which　their　house　was　nearly　situated；　and　the　lieutenant…colonel；　a　man　about　four…and…thirty　years　old；　hearing　their　names；　had　a　great　desire　to　see　them。　　For　when　he　was　a　boy　of　sixteen；　he　was　put　into　the　Army　under　the　care　of　Chloe's　father；　who　treated　him　with　the　greatest　tenderness；　and　（in　that　fatal　engagement　in　which　he　lost　his　life）　received　his　death's　wound　by　endeavouring　to　save　him　from　being　taken　by　the　enemy。　　And　gratitude　to　the　memory　of　so　good　a　friend　was　as　great　an　inducement　to　make　him　desire　to　see　his　daughter；　as　the　report　he　had　heard　both　of　hers　and　her　cousin's　great　beauty。

Sempronius　（for　so　this　Colonel　was　called）　was　a　very　sensible；　well…bred；　agreeable　man；　and　from　the　circumstances　of　his　former　acquaintance；　and　his　present　proper　and　polite　behaviour；　he　soon　became　very　intimate　in　the　family。　　The　old　lady　was　particularly　pleased　with　him；　and　secretly　wished；　that　before　she　died　she　might　be　so　happy　as　to　see　one　of　her　nieces　married　to　Sempronius。　　She　could　not　from　his　behaviour　see　the　least　particular　liking　to　either；　though　he　showed　an　equal　and　very　great　esteem　and　regard　for　both。

He　in　reality　liked　them　both　extremely；　and　the　reason　of　making　no　declaration　of　love　was；　his　being　so　undetermined　in　any　preference　that　was　due　to　either。　　He　saw　plainly　that　he　was　very　agreeable　to　both；　and　with　pleasure　he　observed；　that　they　made　use　of　none　of　those　arts　which　women　generally　do　to　get　away　a　disputed　lover：　　and　this　sincere　friendship　which　subsisted　between　them　raised　in　him　the　highest　degree　of　love　and　admiration。　　However　he　at　last　determined　to　make　the　following　trial：

He　went　first　to　Chloe；　and　（finding　her　alone）　told　her；　that　he　had　the　greatest　liking　in　the　world　to　her　cousin；　and　had　really　a　mind　to　propose　himself　to　her：　　but　as　he　saw　a　very　great　friendship　between　them；　he　was　willing　to　ask　her　advice　in　the　matter；　and　conjured　her　to　tell　him　　sincerely；　whether　there　was　anything　in　Caelia's　temper　（not　discoverable　by　him）　which　as　a　wife　would　make　him　unhappy？　　He　told　her；　that；　if　she　knew　any　such　thing；　it　would　be　no　treachery；　but　rather　kind　in　her　to　declare　it；　as　it　would　prevent　her　friend's　being　unhappy；　which　must　be　the　consequence；　in　marriage；　of　her　making　him　so。

Chloe　could　not　help　seeing　very　plainly；　that　if　Caelia　was　removed　she　stood　the　very　next　in　Sempronius's　favour。　　Her　lover　was　presenther　friend　was　absentand　the　temptation　was　too　strong　and　agreeable　to　be　resisted。　　She　then　answered；　that　since　he　insisted　upon　the　truth；　and　had　convinced　her　that　it　was　in　reality　acting　justly　and　kindly　by　her　friend；　she　must　confess；　that　Caelia　was　possessed　（though　in　a　very　small　degree）　of　what　she　had　often　heard　him　declare　most　against　of　anything　in　the　world；　and　that　was；　an　artfulness　of　temper；　and　some　few　sparks　of　envy。

Chloe's　confused　manner　of　speaking；　and　frequent　hesitation；　as　unwilling　to　pronounce　her　friend's　condemnation　（which；　as　being　unused　to　falsehood；　was　really　unaffected）　he　imputed　to　tenderness　and　concern　for　Caelia；　but　he　did　not　in　the　least　doubt；　but　on　his　application　to　her　he　should　soon　be　convinced　of　the　truth　of　what　Chloe　had　said。

He　then　went　directly　to　the　arbour　at　the　end　of　the　garden；　and　there　to　his　wish　he　found　Caelia　quite　alone；　and　he　addressed　her　exactly　in　the　same　manner　concerning　her　cousin；　as　he　had　before　spoke　to　Chloe　concerning　her。　　Caelia　suddenly　blushed　（from　motives　I　leave　those　to　find　out　who　can　put　themselves　in　her　circumstances）　and　then　fetched　a　soft　sigh；　from　the　thought　that　she　was　hearing　a　man　she　loved　declare　a　passion　of　which　she　was　not　the　object。　　But　after　some　little　pause；　she　told　him；　that　if　Chloe　had　any　faults；　they　were　to　her　yet　undiscovered；　and　she　really　and　sincerely　believed　her　cousin　would　make　him　extremely　happy。　　Sempronius　then　said；　that　of　all　other　things；　TREACHERY　and　ENVY　were　what　he　had　the　greatest　dislike　to：　　and　he　asked　her；　if　she　did　not　think　her　cousin　was　a　little　tainted　with　these？Here　Caelia　could　not　help　interrupting；　and　assuring　him；　that　she　believed　her　totally　free　from　both。　　And；　from　his　casting　on　her　friend　an　aspersion　which　her　very　soul　abhorred；　forgetting　all　rivalship；　she　could　not　refrain　from　growing　quite　lavish　in　her　praise。　　'Suppose　then　（said　Sempronius）　I　was　to　say　the　same　to　your　cousin　concerning　my　intentions　towards　you　as　I　have　to　you　concerning　her；　do　you　think　she　would　say　as　many　fine　things　in　your　praise　as　you　have　done　in　hers？'

Caelia　answered；　that　she　verily　believed　her　cousin　would　say　as　much　for　her　as　she　really　deserved；　but　whether　that　would　be　equal　to　what　with　justice　she　could　say　of　Chloe；　her　modesty　left　her　in　some　doubt　of。

Sempronius　had　too　much　penetration　not　to　see　the　real　and　true　difference　in　the　behaviour　of　these　two　women；　and　could　not　help　crying　out；　'O　Caelia！　your　honest　truth　and　goodness　in　every　word　and　look　are　too　visible　to　leave　me　one　doubt　of　their　reality。　　But；　could　you　believe　it？　this　friend　of　yours　is　false。　　I　have　already　put　her　to　the　trial；　by　declaring　to　her　my　sincere　and　unalterable　passion　for　you。　　When；　on　my　insisting；　as　I　did　to　you；　upon　her　speaking　the　truth；　she　accused　you　of　what　nothing　should　now　convince　me　you　are　guilty　of。　　I　own；　that　hitherto　my　regard；　esteem；　and　love；　have　been　equal　to　both；　but　now　I　offer　to　the　sincere；　artless；　and　charming　Caelia；　my　whole　heart；　love；　and　affection；　and　the　service　of　every　minute　of　my　future　life；　and　from　this　moment　I　banish　from　my　mind　the　false　and　ungrateful　Chloe。'

Caelia's　friendship　for　Chloe　was　so　deeply　rooted　in　her　breast；　that　even　a　declaration　of　love　from　Sempronius　could　not　blot　it　one　moment　from　her　heart；　and　on　his　speaking　the　words　'false　Chloe；'　she　burst　into　tears；　and　said；　'Is　it　possible　that　Chloe　should　act　such　a　part　towards　her　Caelia！　You　must　forgive　her；　Sempronius：　　it　was　her　violent　passion　for　you；　and　fear　of　losing　you；　which　made　her　do　what　hitherto　her　nature　has　ever　appeared　averse　to。'

Sempronius　answered；　'that　he　could　not　enough　admire　her　goodness　to　her　friend　Chloe；　but　such　proofs　of　passion；　he　said；　were　to　him　at　the　same　time　proofs　of　its　being　such　a　passion　as　he　had　no　regard　for；　since　it　was　impossible　for　any　one　to　g