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Heaven ** She had fpoken thus far

with difficulty: her voice now failed in G a the

184 JULIA DE ROUBIGNE'.

the at^mpt. My father came into the room : he fat down by me: fhe ftrctchcd out her hand, and joining ours, which

* were both laid on the bed, together, fhe clalped them with a fcebk preflure, leaned

• backward, feemingly worn out with the exertion, and looked up to Heaven, as if dire&ing \is thither for that afTiftance which her words had bequeathed us ; her laft words! for after that (he could fcarce-ly fpeak to be heard,* and only uttered fome broken fyllables, till flie loft the l^ower of utterance altogether.

Thefe words cannot be forgotten ! they prefs upon my mind with the facredncfs of a oarent*s dying inftruftions ! But *jeafure they fuggefted^—is it not againft the didlates of a flill fuperior power ? I feel the thoughts of it as of

a crime.

JULIA DE ROUBIGNE. I25

2crime. Should ic be fo^ Maria; or do I miftake the whifpcrs of inclination for the fuggeftions of confcience? Yet I think I have fearched my bofom impartially, and its anfwer is uniform. Were it other*ife, fhould it ever be othcrwife, what would not your Julia do, to fmooth the latter days of a father, on^whofe grey hairs diftreffes are n^ultiplied!

Methinks, fince this laft blow, he is greatly changed. That haughtinefs of fpirit, which fcemed to brave, but, in reality, was irritated by misfortune, has left him. He looks calmly upon things; they affedl him more, but hurt him lefs; his tears fall oftener, but they are left terrible than the fullen gloom which ufed to darken his afpeft. I can now mingle mine with his, free to affliftion, without

G 3' unca-

^»

*X26 JULIA DE AOUBIGNE^

uneafinefs or fear ^ and thofe offices <^f kindnefs, which once my piety exafled,^ are now the offering of my heart.

Montauban has behaved, on this occa* fion^ as became his chara^er.

How perfeft were it, but for that weakne(% which regards your Julia !

He came to fee my father the day after that on which my mother died. *• I wrH not endea*

«

vour (faid he) to flop the current .of your grief: .that comfort^ which the world offers at times like thefe, flow not from feeling, and cannot be addrefled to it. Your forrow ii jufl:: I come to give you leifure to indulge it: employ me ia thofe irkfome offices, whicfi diftrefs u^

more than'the tears they oblige us to drjir: think jiothiiig too mean to impofe on me» that can any how/elipve my friend."

And

JULIA DE ROUBIGNB. 137

And this friend his daughter is forced to deprive him of. Such at leaft is the common pride of the fex, that will not brook any other connexion where one is reje&ed. I am aflailed by motives on every hand; but my own feelings are ft ill

unconquered. Support therp, niy ever-i^xCf£}i\ Maria9 if (hey are jufti if not-*" feut ;h^y c^ijijftt l^ ynju/t The only friend, of my own fex, whotn , I pofTefTed bcfides thee, i^

now. no n^ore! We needed no additional tie; ye^ mc-thinks, in the grief of my heart, I lean i^on youB ^th iocrcafip^ afl^jjlion. TbQV

too—1 will Qp; fw pity—thQU fts*t

S4

;228 JULIA DE ROUBIGNX'.

LETTER XV.

Julia to Maria^

T Have, this momenta received your an-fwer to my laft. Ahl my friend, it anfwers not as I wifced. Is this froward-nefs in me, to hear»

with plcafure, only the arguments on one fidcj when my coriduft fliould be guided by thofc oh both?

You fayj " it i^ from the abfence of Savillon, that the ittipreflion he had made on my heart has gained its prefent ilrength} that the contemplation of dif-tant objcfts is always ftrongcr than the fenfe of prefent ones 5 and that, were I

to

to fee him now, were I daily to behold him the hufband of another, I fhotrld foon grow tranquil at the fight. That it is injuftice to myftlf, and a want of that proper pride, which fhoUld be the conftant attendant of our fcx, to fufFer this unhappy attachment to overcome my mind ^ and that, after looking calmly on the world, you. cannot allow fo much force to thofe imprefHons, as our youth was apt to fuppofe in them. That the] arc commonly vanquifhed by an effort t(

vanquifli them; and that the finkin under their preflure,. is one of thofe di eafes of the mind, which, like certai ^ difeafes of the body,, the exercife of i better faculties will very foon remove,"

There is rcafon in all this; but wh you argue from reafon,!

muftdecidefn

mf fecliiigs. In cvtrj one's own c^ tjicre 19 fL rule of JMdgingy which b not die k& powerful that one cannot exprcfr iLr^I infift not on the menxMy of Saf yillon I I Cfui fbrg^ hun, I think I can— time will be kind that wav—k is fit I ihould forget him—he is hqspy* as the hufband of another.^-But fliould I wed ^nyman, be his wofth what it

may^i^ I feel qpt that lively preference for Kdh which waits not for reafoning to perfuade Its conient ? The fuggeftions I have heard of Montauban's unwearied love, his uo« common virtues, winning my afieftions in a ftate of wedlock, I have always held a very dangerous experiment ^ there is equivocation in th(^ vows, which unit* us to a hufband, our afiedlioo for whom we leaw tp condngency.—f^^ Byt I al*

ready efteem and admire lum/'-rlt '

ttoft

JULIA 0E ROUBIQNE^ Itl

moft true;—^why is he not contented with my eileem and admiration? If thofe feelings are to be ripened into love, let him wait that period when my hand may be his without 9, blufh. This I have already told him I he alnipft owned the injuftice of his requeily but pleaded the ardor of palfion ip excuie. Is this fair dealing.

Maria ? that his feelings are to l^ an

..." * * • »

apology for his fuit> while mine are not allowed to be a reaibn fi^

refulal ? * ^

V

I am called away by my father^ I hi^ard the count's voice below fome time bpfojre. There was a folemnity in my father's manner of alking me down, which indicates fpraething' important in this vifit. You Ihall hear what that is,

G 6 before

13* pLIA DE RbUBIGNE'l.

before this letter is clofcd.—Again! Kc is come to fetch me*

Maria r let me recover my lurprifef Yet why (hould X be furprifed at the ge--nerofity of Montauban ? I kno^Ae native noblentfs of his foul

—Was jt in fucli a girl as mc to enfeeble it fo long ?'

• . . i ■

My father led me into the. parlour. Montauban was ftandmg in a penfive pofture; he made me a filent bow. I was placed in a chair,, (landing near an-other, which the count had" occupied before : he fat down. My father walked to the window; his back was 'to us.

Montauban put himfelf once or twict i ntb the attittrde of fpeiaking; but we were ftill filent.

My

My father turned and approached us.

- * 1 ' ' ' ' -■ • - l

•* The count h^s fomething ^o commu-'

nicatei j^ulia. Would you choofe, fir,

that it (hould be addrefled to her alone ?" *^No, (ahfwered he) it is an expiation

to both, a:nd' both (hould h^^r it iSladC I fear, I have, unwillingly, been the caufe of difquiet to a family, whofc fociety, for fome time pail, has been one of the chief fweeteners of my life. They knovr my gratitude, for the blcffing of that intimacy they were kind enough to allow, me. When I wifhed for a tenderer connexion, they could not blame my wifli; but, when I prefled it fa far as to wound their peace, I was unworthy of the eftcem they had formerly givferi, an efteem I cannot now bear ta lofe.^ When I ceafe my fuit, Mifs Julia, let it fpeak, not a diminution, hm an increaft of my a£.

fcaion*

i^^ JULIA DS tLOVBlCSE\

fedioii. If that cegan], which you often had the generofity to confqfs for me, w^s

impaiiipd jby my ^^cireiles, kt me reco*

yer it by^this iacrifice qf my hopes; and,

|fhile r derpte to your (j[uiet the fqlicit^

atioiya of my love, let it confirm tp mc

every privilege of the nip$ facied fii^nd-

fliip."

Such were the words of Montauban.

«

I know not wh^c anfwer I made: I remember a movenvenc of admiration, and no more. At that inftant, he feeoicd nobler than ever j and when, in fpite of }us Brmnfi^ a tcajr brok^e forth, my pitf

•Imoft carried mc beyond efteem. How happjr might this man make anoilicr!

Juh> de Roubigfi^ is fated to be mi|p-rabic!

JUJLIA D£ ROUBIGNE^. |^C

?, E T T E a XVI-

fhe Caunf de Moniauhan to Mmf.

virgne at Paris.

T H A V E font only three of the btUs I propofed, in my laft, to*

remit; that for five thoufand, and the other for twelve thoufand livres, at Ihort dates, I have retain^, as, I believe, I (hall have ufe for

them here. You may difcount fomc of the others, if you want money for im* mediate ufe, which however, I imagine, will not be the cafe.

I beg you may, immediately on receipt of diis, fend the inclofed letter as

^3^ JULIA de'roubigne'.

dircftcd. The name in tnc fupcrifcrip-tion I have made Vervcttc, though my fteward,' jft-am whom I take it,' is not fure if it be exactly that; but, as he tells me the man is a procureur of fome practice, and is certain as to the place of his

refidence, I imagine, you' will have no

difficulty in finding bimy I wi(h my let^ ter to reach him in Patis; but if you hear that he has gone into the country, fend mc notice by the meffenger, ,who is to fetch down my uncle's papers, by whom I fhall receive your anfwer fooner than by, poft..

JOLIA DE ROUBICNE. I37

LETTER XVII.

Lifette to Maria.

T MAKE bold tawrite this, in great ' hafte, becaufc 1 am fenfible' of vour friend(hip for my lady, and that you

Vill thank me for giving you an oppor-

•»

tunity of trying to ferve' her father and '

htr in their prefent diftrefs. She, poor lady, is in fuch a fituation as not to be able to write; and befides^ flie is fo noble-minded, that I dare be; fworn flic would not tell you the worft^ left it (hould look like alking your alTiftance.

How (hall I tell you, Madam ? My j5oor matter is" in danger of being forced away

138 JULIA DE ROUBIGNK^ -

away from us, and thrown into prifon. A debt, it feems, owing to fome people in Paris, on account of expcnces about that unfortunate law-fuit, has been put into the hands of a procureur, who will not hear of any delay in the payoient of

it V and he was he^ this nriorain^ and (old my mailer, as Lje Blanc ovjcrh^rd, that, if he could not i)rocure the mooe^ in three hours time, he mu& attend hiip to a jail. My mafter wilbed to conceq^

thi&froQi his daughter, and defired the procureur to do his duty, without any qoife or difturbance; but Le Blanc had fcarcely gopc up ft airs, when (he called him, and enquired about that man's ba-fineis, and he could not hide it, hi? ^eart was fo full, and fo he told her all that had paflcd below. Then flic flc^ dqwn to her fathcr^s room, and hung about

bins

him in fuch a manner, weeping and fob-bing, that it would have melted the heart of a fayage, and fo^ to be fure^ I laid to the procureur-9 but he did not mind me a bit, hor my lady neither, though ihe looked fb as I never beheld in all my life, 4nd I was terrified to fee her fo, and iaid al41 could to comfort lies, but to no puipofe. At laft, a fervant of the procureur brought bicn a letter, and pre*

feniiy he went out of the houfe, but left two of his attendants to watch

^t tny mafterlhould not efcape; and they are now here, and they fay that he cannot grant anyrefpite; but that^ as fure as can be, when he returns, he will take away Monf. de Roubigne to prifon. I fend this by a boy, a nephew of Le Blanc's, who ferves a gentleman ifi this province, who is juft now going pdt to

Paris,

140 JDLIA DE ROtTBIGNB.

Paris, and the boy called on his way, by £Ood fortune, to fee his uncle. I am, in hafte, your very faithful and obedient fervant, LiSBTTB.

My lady is much more compofed no^ and io is my maften The procureur has not returned yet,, and I have a fort of hope; yet God knows whence it fliould be, except from your lady<-

«

LETTER xviir;

Lifette to Maria.

'Tp O be fure. Madam, you mufl: have been much afieded with thediftrefsin our family, of which I informed you in my laft,'

cohfidcring what a friendfliip there is between my dear lady and you.

And now I am much vexed, that I ftiould have given you fo much uneafinefs in vain, and fend this to let you know of the happy deliverance my matter, has met with, from that moft generous of men the count de Montauban; I fay, the moft generous of men, as to be fure he is, to 'advance fo large a fum without any near prolpeft of being repaid, and without

ever

143 JUXIA D£ ItOUBIGMB^

ever being afked to do fuch a favour; for I verily believe my mailer would die before he #duld afk fu'ch a favour of any one, fo high-minded he is, notwithftand-ing all his misfbituhes. He is juft no^

gone to fee the count, for that noble-hearted gentleman would not come to our houfe, left, as Mohf. de Rbubigne faid, he Ihould feem to triunnph in the efieds of his own generofity. Indeed, the thing was done as if it had been by witchcraft, without one of this family

fuipefting fuch a matter; and the procu-reur never came back at all, only ient a paper^ dilcharging the debt, to one of the men he had left behind, who, upon that, behaved very civilly, and went away with much better manners, foriboth, than they came; but Le Blanc followed them to the village, where they met the procu-ptoctireur, ahd thus it ivastlmt we dil^ covei^d the debt to have been paid by the count, who» it feems, had fent thkt ktter, but without a haifie, which the procureur received, when he left us at the time I wrote your ladyfhip lalt.

Monf. de Roubigne is returned from his viiit to the count de Montauban, and has been a long time clofeted with my lady, and, to be fure, fomething particular mud have pafled, but what it is I can«

not guefs •, only I am certain it is fomething more than common, becaufe I was in the way when they parted, and .my lady pafled me, and I faw by her looks that there had been ibmething* When fhe went into her own chamber I 'follow* ed her, and there (he ikt down, leaning

her

144 J^i-IA DE ROUBIGKe'.

ber arm on - her drefling-table, and gave fuch a figb, as I thought her heart would

have burft with k. Then I thought I ;nighc fpeak, and afked if flie was not well 5 Very well, Lifctte, faid fbe; but fhe faid it as if (he )vas not well for all that, breathing ftrongly, as 0ie fpoke the words, as one does when one has run onc*s felf out of breath. *' Leave me, child (faid (he) I will call you again by and by." And fo I left her as (lie bid me, and as I went out of the room, fhutting the door foftly behind me, I heard her ftart up from her chair, and fay to herfelf " The lot is caft !" I think that was it.

My mafter has been all this while in his ftudy, writing, and juft now he called

Lc

JULIA DE ROUBIGNE. I45

L€ Blanc, and gave him a letter for the count de Montauban, and Le Blanc told me, as he pafied, that Monf. de Rou-bigne looked gayer, and more in fpirits than ufual, when he gave it him. My. lady is ftill in her chamber alone, and has never called me, as (he promifcd. Poor dear foul! I am fure I would do any thing to ferve her, that I would, and well I niay, for fhe is the kindcft, fweetcft lady to me, and fo indeed Ihe is to every body.

And now. Madam, I am fure I fliould afk a thoufand pardons for ufing the freedom to write to you in fuch a manner, juft by ftarts, as things happen. But I am fenfible your ladyfhip.will not impute my doing To to any want of refptft, but only to my defiring to give your ladyfhip

146 JULIA DE ROUBICNe'.

9Xi account of the fituation of my lady, and of this family, which you were fo condefcending as to fay, after cny 6r(t kttcr, you were much obliged to me for giving you, and begged that it might be m my own ftyle, which, to be fure, is none of the beft; but which your lady-fliip will be fo good as pardon, cfpecially as I am, when I write to yoy about thefe matters, in a fluttet, as one may fay, as well as having little time to order my ex-preflions for the beft. I am, honoured Madam,

With due refpc<5V, Your faithful

And obedient, fcrvant,

LiSETTE.

LETTER XIX,

« — —

. Julia to Maria*

T N the intricacies of my fate or of rny conduft, I have long been accut tomed to confidcr you my fupport and my judge. For fome days paft thcfe have come thick upon me; but I could not find compofure enough to ftate theni coolly even to myfelf. At this hour of *-^

midnight, I have fummoncd up a ftill recollection of the paft; and with you, as my other confcience, I will unfold and examine it.

The ready zeal of my faithful Lifette has, I underftand, favcd me a recital of

H 2 th^

«-.2 "*^

«48 JULIA DE ROlfBrGNE%

the dillrefs, in which my father, found .himfelf involved, from the confcquences of that law-fuit we have fo often lamented. I could only (hare it with him; but a more effcdual friend ftepped forth in the count de Montauban. His genero-fity reUeved my father, and gave him back to freedom and your Julia.

The manner of his doing this, was fuc^ as the delicacy of a mind, jealous of its own honour, would prompt in the caufe of another*s. I thought I faw a circum* ftance, previous to the count's performing it, which added to that delicacy. My father did not then perceive this; it was not till he waited on Montaubas,

that the force of it ftruck his mind.

*

Wheft

When he returned home, I faw fomc lemains of that pride, which formerly I'anlded under the receipt of favours it was unable to

return. " My Julia, (faid he) your father is unhappy, every way lanhappy; but it is fit I fhould be humble—Pierre de Roubigne mull learn hu* mility r* He uttered thefe words in a tone that frightened me; I c&uld* not ipeak. He faw me confufed, I believe, and, putting on a milder afpeft, took my hand and killed ir.—*'Heaven knows, that, for myfelf, I rate not life or liberty at much y —but, when I thought what my child mull fuffer— I alone am left to protcft her—

and I am old and weak, and muft alk for that affiftance which I am unable to repay." *'The generous, fir, (/aid i) know from their own hearts what yours can feel : all beyond it

H 3 accident

accident alone/* ** The generous, indeed, rfty child! but you know not all the generofity of Montauban. When he tore himfelf from thofe hopes which his love had taught him; when he renounced his pretenfions to that hand, which I know can alone confer happinefs on his life ; it was but for a more delicate opportunity of relieving thy father.—I could not (faid he), while I fought your daugh^ tcr's love, bear the appearance of pur-t chafing it by a favour; now, when I have renounced it for ever, I am free to the offices of friepdfhip.—^Had you feen him, Julia, when he pronounced this for ever I great as his foul is, he wept! by Heaven he wept, at pronouncing it!—Thefe tears, Julia, thefe tears of my friend!

—Would I had met my dungeon in filence!—they had not torn my heart thus!"

Maria,

Maria, mine was fwcUcd to a fort of cnthufiaftic madnefs —

I fell at his feet.—-

*« No, my father, they (hall not.— Amidft the fall of her family, your daughter (hall not (land aloof in fafety. She would have (hared the prifon of her father in the pride of advcrfity; behold her now the partner of his humifiation ! Tell the count de Montauban, that Julia de Roubigne offers that band to his ge-nerofity, which fhe refufed to

his foli-citation •,—tell him alfo, fhe is above deceit: Ihe will not conceal the fmall value of the gift. 'Tis but the ojffering of a wretch, who would fomchow requite the fufFerings of her father, and the fcrvkes of his friend. If he (hall now

H 4 rejea

15* JULIA DE ROUMGNB.

rejeft it, that ugly debt, which his un-happinefs lays us under, will be repaid in the debafement (he endures; if he ac« cepcs of it as it is, tell him its miftrefs is not ignorant of the duty that fhould attend it.'*"

My father feemed to recpver at tnf

words ; yet furprife was mixed with the

fatisfacflion his countenance expreile<|.

" Are thefe your fentiments, my love ?**, prelEng my hand clofer in his—The Iie-roifm of duty was wafted—I anfwcred

him witk my tears. " Speak, (faid he)

my Julia, coolly ; and let not the diA

treffes of your father warp your refolu-

tion. He can endure any thing, even

his gratitude (haU be filenced/^—My

fortitude revived again. " There is

fomc wcakncfs,, fir, attends even our heft

refolvcs:

JULIA DE ROUBIGNE^ T^^

^folves : mine are not without it; but tiicy are fixed, and I have fpoken them/* He afked, if he might acquaint Monf; dc Montauban,

<* Immediately, Jir, (I anfwered) if you pleafe; the Iboner he knows

.my rcfolution, the more will he lee it flowing from my heart.** My father went into his ftudy, and wrote a letter,, which he read to me. It was not all I could have wiflied, yet I could not mend it by correiflion.

Who (hall give-words to the foul at fuch a time ? My very thoughts are' not accurate expreC fions of what I feel: there is fomcthirig bufy about my heart, which I cannot rc^ duce into thinking,>—Oh! Mariat Montauban came immediately on re-oeipt of this letter; we did not expedt him that night j we were at fupper.. In what H.5 afitu^

>w

154 JULIA pE roubigne'.

t

a fituation was your Julia while it lafted ? In this terrible interval, I was obliged to meet his eye fometimes, in addrcfling ordinary civilities- to him. To fee him, to fpeak to him thus, while the fate of my life was within the power of a few little words, was fuch torture, as it required the utmoft of my refolution to bear. My father faw it, and put as j^eedy an end to our meal as poffiblc,— ^We were left alone.

My father Ipoke firft, not without he-fitatioD. Montauban was flill more con* fufed ; but it was the confufion of a hap- ^ py man. He fpoke fome half fentences about the delicacy of my fentiments and his own, but was cntar^lcd there, and, I think, not able to extricate himfclf. At laft, turning fuller towards me, who

, &t the filent yiftjn of the fccne, (why

fliould I fcorc through that word when writing to you ? yet it is a bad one» and I pray you to forgive it) he faid, he knew his own unworthinefs of that hand, which my generofity had now allowed him to hope for -, but that every endeavour of his future life—the reft was common-place ; for his fcx have but one fort of expreffion for the exulting mo-" defty offuccefs.—My father put my hand in his—I was obliged to raife my eyes from the ground and look on him i his were bent earneftly on me: there was too, too much joy in them, Marian mine could not bear them long. ** That hand (faid my father) is the laft trcafurc of Roubigne. Fallen as his fortunes are, not the wealth of worlds had purchafed it: ' to your fricndfliip, to your virtue,- he H6 i&

15^ JULIA JDlE rovbignb^

is blefled in bequeathing it."—*^ I know its yalue^^ faid the count, and receive it as the deareft gift of Heaven and you.** He. kiflld my hand with rapture.

It is done, and I am Montauban'a: for: ever I LETTER XX.

Montauban. to Segarva.

/^IVE me joy, Segarva, give me joy— the lovely Julia is mine. Let not the torpid confiderations of prudence, 'which your laft letter contained, rife up to check the happinefs. of your friend, or that which his good fortune will, be-fiow on you. Truft me, thy fears ar«

groundlefs—didft thou but know her as I do!—Perhaps, I am tenderer that way than ufual; but there were fome of your fears I felt a blufh in reading. Talk not of the loofenefs of marriagCL-vows in France, nor compare her with thofc women of it, whpfc heads are giddy with

the

15^ JULU DE ROUBIGNe' *

the follies of fafliion, and whofe, hearts are debauched by the manners of its votaries* Her virtue was ever aJbove the breath of fufpicion, and I dare pledge my life, it will ever continue fo. But that is not enough -, I can feel, as you do, that it is not enough. I know the noblcnefs of her foul, the^elicacy of her fentiments. She would not give me her hand except from motives of regard and affeftion, were I niafter of millions. I rejoice that her own fituation is fuch^ as infers no fufpicion of intereftednefs ia me; were (he not Julia de Roubigne, I would not have wedded her with the world for her dowcr^

You talk of her former reluftanec j but I am not young enough to imagine that it is impomble for a Carriage to be happy

JULIA BE ROtJBlGNE^ 1^^

happy without that glow of rapture, which lovers have felt, and poets dcfcrib-cd. Thofe ftarts of paffion are not the bafis for wedded felicity, which wifdom would chufc, bccaufe they are only the delirium of a month, which pofleffion dcftroys, and dilappointment follows. I have perfed: confidence in the affeftion of Julia, though it is not of that intemperate kind, which fome brides have Ihewn. Had you fcen her eyes^ how they fpoke, when her father gave mc her hand ! there was ftill a reludlancc in them, a reluftancc more winning thaa all the flufh of confent could have made her. Modefty and fear, cfteem and gratitude, darkened and enlightened them by turns; and thofe tears, thole filent tears, which they Ihed, gave me a more

facr^d bond of her attachment, than it

*^ — -

wa^

I*6o JULIA DE ROVBIGN£>^«

was in the power of words to^ haver formed.

I have fometimes allowed myfelf tot think, or rather I have fuppofed yoa , thinking, it might be held an imputatioix on the purity of her afFeftion, that from an afl: of gcnerofity towards her father*, (with the circumftances of which I was under the necelHty of acquainting you ia my laft) her hand became.rather a debt of gratitude than a gift, of love. But there is a deception in thofe romantic founds, which tell us, that pure afieftioa fliould' be unbiafled in its difpofal of a fover or a miftfefs. If they fay, that af«^ fedlion is a mere involuntary impullc^ neither waiting the decifions of reafon, or the diffuafiye of prudence, do they not. in reality degrade us to machines, , which are--

JVLIA DE ROUBIGNE'. i6i

are blindly aduated by fome uncontrollable power ? If they allow a woman rea-fonable motives for her attachment, what can be ftronger than thofe fcntiments which excite her eftcem, and thofe proofs of them which produce her gratitude i

But why do I thus reafon on my hap-pinefs ? I feel no fears, no fufpicion of alloy to it 5-and I will not fcarch for them in Bh&raQi opinion, or in dillant conjee* ture.

Tuefday next is fixed for the day that is to unite us; the (hew and ceremony

that mingle fo ill with the feelings of a time like this, our fituation here renders unneceffary. A few of thofe fimple ornaments, in which my Julia meets the gaze of the admiring ruftics around us, are more

4

more cangenial to. her beauty than all the trappings of vanity or magnificence. We propofe paffing a week or two here^ before removing to Montauban, where I muft then carry my wife, to fliew my people their miftrefs, and receive that fort of homage, which I hope I have taught them to pay from the heart. Thofe relations of my

family, who live in that, neighbourhood, muft come and learn to love me better than they didi Methinka I Ihall now be more eafily pleafed with them than I formerly was. I know not if it is nobler to defpife infignificant peo* pie, than to bear with them coolly •, but I believe it is much lefs agreeable. The^ afperities of our own mind recoil on it*

felf/ Julia has Ihewn me the blifs of iofing them«

Could

/

Could I hope for my Scgarva at Mon-tauban ?—>Much as I doat on my lovely bride, there wants the laft appro^val of my foul, till, he fmiles on this marriage and blefTes it. I know, there needs only his coming thither to grant this.—I anticipate your anfwer, that now it is im» pofllble; but let it be a debt on the fu« turc, which tb$ firfi of your leifurc is to pay. Meantime believe me happy, and add to my happinefs by telling me of your own.

164 JULIA HE ROUBIGNB^

LETTER XXr.

Julia to Maria.

K

"tlT" H Y Ihould I tcazc you by writing of thofe little things ^hich teazc mc in the doing ? They tcaze, yet perhaps they are ufefuL At this tim«} I am afraid of a moment's leifure to be idle, and am even pleafed with the happy impertinence of Lifette, whofejoy, on my account, gives her tongue much freedom. I call her often,, when I have little occa-fion for her fervice, merely that I may have her protedlion from folitude.

For the fame reafon, I am fomehow afraid of writing to you, which is only

another

JULIA DE ROUBIGNE^ 165?

another fort of thinking. Do not therefore expefb to hear from me again till after Tuefday at fooneft.—Maria! you remember our fancy at fchool of Ihewing

our friendfhip, by fetting down remarkable days of one another's little joys and -difappointments.—Set down Tuefday next for your Julia—but leav« its property blank.——Fate will fill it up one day I LETTER XXir.

Lifettc to Maria.

Madam, T Hope my lady and you will both ex-cufe my writing this, to give you notice of the happy event, which has happened in our family. I made fo bold as to afk her if (he intended writing to you.

«Lifette, (faid (he) I cannot writd, I cannot indeed/* So I have taken up the pen, who am a poor unworthy correfpond-ent; but your ladyfliip's goodnefs has made allowances for me in that way before.

«nd^ I hope, wiU do f© ftill

The

jtfLlA DE ROUBICNe'. * 1^/

. The ceremony was performed yeftcr* day. I think I never faw a more lovely

figure than my lady's; fhe is- a fweet angel at all times, but I wiih your lady*^ ihip had feen how ftie looked then. She was dfefled in a white muflin night-gown, with ftriped laylo and white ribbands: her hair was kept in the loofe way you ufed to make me drefs it for her at

,Bel-ville, with two waving curls down, one fide of her neck, and a braid of little pearls, you made her a prefent of then. And to be fure, with her dark-brown locks refting upon it, her bofom looked as pure white as the driven fnow. A^d

then her eyes, when fhe gave her hand to the count! they were caft half down, and you might fee her eyc-la(hes, like, ftrokes of a pencil, over the white of her

ikin

^k

fljin—the modcft gentlenefs, with a fort of a fadnefs too, as it were, and a gentle heave t)f her bofom at the fame time.-^ O! Madam, you know I have not language, as my lady and you have, to dc-fcribe fuch things > but it made me cry, in truth it did, for very joy and admiration. There was a tear in my matter** eye too, though I believe two happier hearts were not in France, than his and the count de Montauban's. I am fure, I pray for bleffings on all three, with more earneftnefs, that I do, than for myfclf.

It fecms, it is fettled that the new-married couple fliall not remain long here, but fet out, in a week or two hence, for the count's principal feat, about fix leagues diftant diftant from his houfc in our neighbourhood, which is not large enough for en-tertaining the friends, whofe vifits they muft receive, on this joyful occafion. 1 fancy Monf. de Roubigne will be much with them, though, I underftand, he did not choofe to accept of the count's preffing invitation to live with his daughter and him 5 but an elderly lady, a relation of my dear miftrefs that is gone, is to keep houfe for him:

I muft break off now, for I hear my lady's bell ring, and your ladyfhip may believe we are all in a fort of buz here^' I dare to fay (he will not fail to write to you foon; but mean time, hoping you will accept of this poor fcrawling letter of mine, I remain, with due refpeft. Your moft faithful and obedient fervant,

LiSEtTJ.'

]

lyO JULIA DE ROUBIGNe'.

p. 5. My lady is to have me with her ' at the Chateau de Montauban ; and, to be fure, I am happy to attend her, as I could willingly fpend all the days of my life with fo kind a lady, and fo good-conditioned.

The count like-wife has been fo good to me, as I can't tell how, and faid, that he hoped my miftreft and I would never part, ** if (he docs not grow jealous, (faid he merrily) of fo handfbme a maid." Andl at that we all laughed, as to be fure we might. My lady will be a happy laJy, 1 am fure.

JULIA DE ROUBIGNE. I7I

LETTER XXIII.

Julia to Maria.

IIT Y friend will, by this time, be chiding me for want of attention to her; yet, in truth, flie has feldom been abfent from my thoughts.

Were we together but for a fingle hour, I fhould have much to tell you; butthereisan intricacy in my feelings on this change of fituation, which, freely as I write to you, I cannot manage on paper. I can eafily imagine what you would firft defire to know, though perhaps it is the lafl: quef-tion you would put. The happinefs of your Julia, I know, is ever ,the warmeft object of your wilhes.^—Afk me nOt^ why JJZ JULIA DE IIOUBIGNe',

I cannot anfwer^evcn this direftly—Be fatisficd when I tell you, that I ought to be happy.—Montauban has every defirc to make me fo.—

One thing I wifti to accomplifh to-

« »

wards his peace and mine. The hiftory of this poor heart I have entruftcd only to your memory and my own: I will endeavour, though I know with how much difficulty, henceforth to forget it for ever* You

muft affift me, by hold-in^ it a blank, which recoUeftion is no more to fill up. I know the weaknefs of my fex 5 myfelf of that fex the weak-eft : I will not run the rifle of calling up ideas, which-were once familiar, and may not now be the lefs dangerous, nor the lefs readily liftened to, Yor the pain they have caufed. My hufband has now'a right

right to every better thought; it were unjuft to: embitter thofe hours,.

which are but half the property of Julia de Montauban, with the remembrance of

former ones, which belonged to fadneft an^ Julia de Roubigne. *

We are on the eve of our departure for the family-caftle of Monf.

deMontau-ban. My father, whofe happinefs, at prefent, is a flattering teftimony, as well as a fupport to my piety, accompanies us thither, but is foon to return home, where our coufin, La Pelliere, whom you may remember having feen with my mother in Paris, is to keep houfe for him. This feparation J cannot help looking to as a calamity 5 yet, I believe, his reafons for it are jiift. What a change in a woman's fituation does this momentous connexion

I 3 make ?

makePr—I will think no more of it.-Farewell.

Yet a few words, to own my folly at lead, if I cannot amend it. I went to aflbrt fome little articles of drefs for carrying home with me •, while I was rummaging out a drawer to find one of them, a little pifture of Savillon, drawn for him when a boy, by a painter who was accidentally in our neighbourhood, croflT^ ed me in the way. i ou cannot eafily ima* gine how this circumftance difconcerted me. I (hut the drawer as if it had con-tained a viper: then opened it again; fthd again the countenance of Pavilion, mild and thoughtful, {^-x every then it was thoughtful) met my view!—^Was it a confcioufnefs of guiU that turned my eye

invo-

JULIA DE ROUBIGNE'. lyj

involuntarily to the door of the apart- . ment ?—Can ther>e be any in accidentally thinking of Savillon ?—Yet I fear I looked too long, and too impaffionedly on this miniature. It was drawn with fome-thing forrowful in the countenance, and ms-tiboyght it Jookfd th^n naore forrow- * ful than evei?.

The queftion comes ftrong upon me, how I fhould like that my hufband had feen this.—In truth^ Maria,' I fear my keeping this pifture is improper 5 yet at the time it was painted, there was one drawn for me by the fame hand, and we exchanged refemblances without any idea of impropriety. Ye unfeeling de^ cqfums of the world !—Yet it is dangerous, is it hot, my beft monitor, to think thu5

?—Yet, were P to return the pidlure^

176 JULIA V'E ROUBIGNe'.

would it not look like a fufpicion of my-felf ?—I will keep it, till you convince mc I (hould not/

Montauban and virtue! I am your*s.' Suffer but one figh to that weakncfs, which I have not yet been able to overcome. My heart, I truft, is innocent-^ bUme it not for being unhappy.

LETTER XXIV.

Julia to Maria^m^

Ti/T Y father was with me this morningv in my chamber, for more than an hour. Wc fat, fometimes filent, feme-times fgeaking interrupted fentences, and tears were frequently all the intercourle wc held. Lifette coming in, to acquaint us that Montauban was in the parlour;, waiting us, at length put an end to our interview. " Julia, (faid my father) J imagined I had much to fay to you \ but the importance of my thoughts, onryour behalf, ftifles my expreflion of them., x There are moments when I cannot help looking to that feparation, which your'

IJ marriagpr

marriage will make between us, as if it were the lofs of my child j yet I have fortitude enough to rcfift the imprcflion, and to refleft that fhe is going to be happy with the worthieft of men. My infl:ru£tion for your conduft in that ftate you have juft entered into, your own fentiments, I truft, would render unnecef-fary, were they in no other way fupplicd j but I difcovered lately, in your mother*s bureau, a paper which ftill fartlier fuper-fcdcs their neceflity. It contains fome advices, which experience and obferva^ tion had enabled her to give, and her regard for you had prompted her to write down, *Tis, however, only a fragment, which accident or diffidence of herfclf has prevented her completing; but it is worthy of your ferious pcrufal, and

yo»

JULIA DB ROUBIGNl'. 179

jrou will jead it with more warmth thaiu if it came from a general inftruftor." He kft the paper with me; I have read it with the care, with the afFeflion it de^ ferves; I fend a copy of it now, as I would every good thing, for the partis-cipation of my friend. She cannot readi it with the intereft of a daughter; but &c will find it no cold, nor common lecture. It fpeaks, if I am not too partial to the beft of mothers, -the language of prudence, but not of artifice; it would mend the heart by fcntiment, not cover it with diffimulation^ She, for whofe ufc it was written, has need of fueh & monitor, and would liften to no other;, if Ihe has paid any debt to prudence, it was not from the obligation of wifdpm^ but the impul& of feeling.

180 JUl^IA DE ROUBIGNbI

cc

For my Daughter Julia.

*' Before this can reach you, the hand chat writes it, and the heart that diflates, ihall be mouldering in the grave. I mean it to fupply the place of fome cautions, which I Ihould think it my duty to deliver to you^ fhould -I live to fee yci/ a wife. The precepts it contains, you

have often, heard me inculcate *, but I know that general obfervations on a pof-fiblc event, have much lefs force than thofe which apply to our immediate coi> dition. In the fate of a .woman, marriage is the mofl: important crifis: it fixes her in a ftate, of all others the mefl: happy, or the mofl: wretched ;. and though mere precept can perhaps do little in my caie»

yet

yet there is a natural propenfity to try its efficacy in all. She who writes this paper, has been long a wife,, and a mother; the experience^ of one, and the anxiety of the other, prompt her in-ftruiftions;' and fhe has been too happy in both charafters to have much doubt of their truthj^ or fear of their reception.

\

*' Swectnefs of temper, affcftion to a

hufband, and attention to his interefts^ conftitute the duties of a wife, and form the bafis of matrimonial felicity. Theft are indeed the texts, from, which every rule for attaining this felicity is drawa' .The charms 6f^ beauty, and the brilliancy of wit, though they may captivate in the miftrefsy will not long delight in the wife: they will Ihorten even their own tranlitery reign, if, as \ have feen in many

iSl JULIA DE ROUBIGNeI

many wives, they Ihinc more for the at-^ traftion of every body elfe than of their huibands* Let the pleafing of that one perfon be a thought never abfent from your €ondu6t. If he loves you as yom would wifh he fhould, he will bleed at ^\

heart fhould he fuppofe it for a moment withdrawn: if he does not, his pride will fupply the place of love, and his refeni> ment that of fuflfering.

•* Never confider a trifle what may tend to pleafe him« The great articles of duty he will fet down as his own; but the lefier attentions he will mark as favours; and truft me^ for I have experienced it^

there is no feeling more delightful ta one's-^felf, than that of turning thofe littk things to fo precioua a ufe.

** If you marry a man of a certain fort,, fuch as the romance of young minds ge-^ nerally paints for a hufband, you will ^cride the fuppoGtion of any poflible de-creafe in the ardour of your afFedlionsi But wedlock, even in its happiefl lot, is^ not exempted from the common fate of 2l\ fublunary bleffings ^ there is ever a delufipn in hope», which cannot abide with poflcflion, ^The rapture of extra*

vagant love will evaporate and waftev the condud of the wife mud; fubftitute in its room other regards, as delicate,, and more lading. I fay,, the conduct of

m

the wife; for marriage, be a hufband what he may, reverfes the prerogative of fcx} his will expeA to be pleafed, ^ andt tHtrs muft be ledulpus to pleafe*.

<c

Thi*

1^4 JULIA DE ROUBIGNe'I

" This privilege a good-natured man may wave : he will feel it, however, due;. and third perfons will have penetration enough to fee, and may have malice enough to remark, the want of it in his wife. He muft: be a hufband unworthy of you, who could bear the degradation of fuffering this in filence. The idea of power on either fide, (hould be totally

«

banilhed froni the fyftem: it is not fuf-ficicnt, that the hufband fiiould never Jiave ofcafion to regret the want of it i the wife muft fo behave, that he may nc» ver be confcious of poflefling it. •

" But my Julia, if a mothei*s fondnefs deceives me not, ftands not much in need of cautions like thefe. I cannot allow myfelf the idea of her wedding a man, on whom flic would not wilh to be depend-cnt, or whofc inclinations a temper like

hers would dcfire to controul. She will be more in danger from that foftnefs, that fenfibility of foul, which will yield perhaps too much for the happinefs of both-* The ofHcc of a wife includes the exertion of a friend : a good one muft: frequently ftrengthen and fupport that weaknefs, which a bad one would en-deavouir tq overcome. There are litu-ations, where it will not be enough to love, to cherifh, to obey

: fhe muft tc^h her hufband to be at peace with himfelf, to be reconciled to the world, to refift misfortune, to conquer adverfity,

" Alas! my child, I am here an inftruc-trefs but too well (killed ! Thele tears, with which this paper is foiled, fell not in the prcfcnce of your father, though,

V now*

now, they but trace the remembrance of what, then, it was my lot to feel. Think it not impoflible to reftrain your feelings, bccaufc they are ftrong. The enthuGafm of feeling will fomctimes overcome diftreffes, which the cold heart of pru* deqce had been vin^blc to endure.

^* But misfortune is not always mifery. I have known this truth; I am proud to believe, that I have fometimes taught it to Roubigne, Thanks be to that power, whofe decrees I reverence! He often tempered the anguifli of our fuffcrings, till there was a fort of luxury in feeling them. Then is the triumph of wedded love!—the tie that binds the happy may be dear; but that which links the ua«^

fortunate is tendernefs unutterable.

<c

There

JOLIA DE ROUBICNE'. jS/

** There are afflidions lefs eafy to be en-' cjured, which your mother has not e?c-perienced: thofe which a hufband in* Aids, and the befl: wives feci the moft fcvercly, Thefe^ like all our fharpeft calamities, the fortitude th^t can refift, can only cure. Complainings debafe her who fuffers, and harden^ him who aggrieves. Let not a woman always look for their caufe in the injuftice of her lord: ^cy may proceed from many trifling errors in her own conduft, which virtue cannot blame, though wifdom mjjft regret. .If Ihe makes this difcovcry, let them be amended without a thought if poiTible, at any rate without an expreC-fion, of noerit in amending them. In this, and in every other inftance, it muft never be forgotten, that the only go-vernn^ent allowed on our fide, is that of

gen tlenefs

gentlenefs and attradion; and that its power, like the fabled influence of imaginary beings, muft be invifiblc to be complete.

" Above all, let a wife beware of conw municating to others any want of duty or tenderncfs, Ihe may think flic has perceived in her huft)and. This untwifts, at once, thofc delicate cords, which prc-fcrve the unity of the marriage-engagement. Its facredncfs is broken for ever; if third parties are made witneflcs of its failings, or umpires of its difputes. It may feem almoft profane in me to con-fefs, that once, when, through the malice of an enemy, I was made, for a (hort time, to believe, that my Roubigne had wronged me, I durft not, even in my prayeri to Heaven, petition ^or a rcftora*

tion

tion of his love; I prayed to be made 4 better wife: when I would have faid, a more beloved one, my utterance failed i^e for the word,'*

IQO JULIA DE ROUBIGNE',

\

LETTER XXV.

Julia to Maria,

X7^ E have got to the end of our journey ; and I am now the miftrefs of this manfion. Our journey was toofhort, and too flow; I wiflied for fome mechanical relief from my feelings in the rapidity of a poll-chaife; our progrefs was too flately to be expeditious, ^ and we reached not this place, though but fix leagues diflant, till the evening.

»

Methinks I have fufFered a good deal; but my heart is not callous yet; elfe wherefore was it wrung fo, at leaving my father's peaceful retreat

? I did not

truft

JULIA DE roubigne'. xgt

truft myfelf with looking back 5 but I was too well acquainted with the objeds, not to recollect every tree from the fide-window as we paffcd. A little ragged boy, who keeps fomc (heep of my father's, opened the gate for us at the end of the furthermoft inclofurc; he pulled oS his hat, which he had adorned with fome gay-coloured ribands in honour of the occafion3 Montauban threw money into it, and the boy followed us, for fome