The History of Sir Charles Grandison | Page 9

do you, my good Lord and Lady L----,
and Miss Grandison, now wonder that your brother has not been
forward to give you the particulars of this melancholy tale? Yet you all
say, I must proceed.
See, Lucy, the greatness of this man's behaviour! What a presumption
was it in your Harriet, ever to aspire to call such a one hers!

LETTER II
MISS BYRON, TO MISS SELBY
This Lady Olivia, Lucy, what can she pretend to--But I will not puzzle
myself about her--Yet she pretend to give disturbance to such a man!
You will find her mentioned in Dr. Bartlett's next letter; or she would
not have been named by me.
***
DR. BARTLETT'S ELEVENTH LETTER
Mr. Grandison, on his return to his lodgings, found there, in disguise,
Lady Olivia. He wanted not any new disturbance. But I will not mix the
stories.

The next morning he received a letter from Signor Jeronymo. The
following is a translation of it:
***
My dearest Grandison!
How do you?--Ever amiable friend! What triumphs did your behaviour
of last night obtain for you! Not a soul here but admires you!
Even Laurana declared, that, were you a Catholic, it would be a merit
to love you. Yet she reluctantly praised you, and once said, What, but
splendid sins, are the virtues of a heretic?
Our two cousins, with the good-nature of youth, lamented that you
could not be ours in the way you wish. My father wept like a child,
when you were gone; and seemed to enjoy the praises given you by
every one. The count said, he never saw a nobler behaviour in man.
Your free, your manly, your polite air and address, and your calmness
and intrepidity, were applauded by every one.
What joy did this give to your Jeronymo! I thought I wanted neither
crutches, helps, nor wheeled chair; and several times forgot that I ailed
any thing.
I begin to love Father Marescotti. He was with the foremost in praising
you.
The general owned, that he was resolved once to quarrel with you. But
will he, do you think, Jeronymo, said he, make me a visit at Naples?
You may depend upon it, he will, answered I----
I will be there to receive him, replied he.
They admired you particularly for your address to my sister, by the
general, rather than by me. And Lady Sforza said, it was a thousand
pities that you and Clementina could not be one. They applauded, all of
them, what they had not, any of them, the power to imitate, that
largeness of heart which makes you think so well, and speak so
tenderly, of those of communions different from your own. So much
steadiness in your own religion, yet so much prudence, in a man so
young, they said, was astonishing! No wonder that your character ran
so high, in every court you had visited.
My mother came in soon after you had left us. She was equally
surprised and grieved to find you gone. She thought she was sure of
your staying supper; and, not satisfied with the slight leave she had
taken, she had been strengthening her mind to pass an hour in your

company, in order to take a more solemn one.
My father asked her after her daughter.
Poor soul! said she, she has heard that the chevalier was to be here, to
take leave of us.
By whom? by whom? said my father.
I cannot tell: but the poor creature is half-raving to be admitted among
us. She has dressed herself in one of her best suits; and I found her
sitting in a kind of form, expecting to be called down. Indeed, Lady
Sforza, the method we are in, does not do. So the chevalier said, replied
that lady. Well, let us change it, with all my heart. It is no pleasure to
treat the dear girl harshly--O sister! this is a most extraordinary man!
That moment in bolted Camilla--Lady Clementina is just at the door. I
could not prevail upon her--
We all looked upon one another.
Three soft taps at the door, and a hem, let us know she was there.
Let her come in, dear girl, let her come in, said the count: the chevalier
is not here.
Laurana arose, and ran to the door, and led her in by the hand.
Dear creature, how wild she looked!--Tears ran down my cheeks: I had
not seen her for two days before. O how earnestly did she look round
her! withdrawing her hand from her cousin, who would have led her to
a chair, and standing quite still.
Come and sit by me, my sweet love, said her weeping mother.--She
stept towards her.
Sit down, my dear girl.
No: you beat me, remember.