Bungay Castle: A Novel. v. 1/2Bonhote, Mrs. (Elizabeth)
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Bungay Castle: A Novel. v. 1/2
Bonhote, Mrs. (Elizabeth)
English fiction -- 18th century
The morning after their arrival in London, a priest joined their hands
in marriage, and rendered indissoluble those tender ties which had long
united their hearts in love's most pleasing fetters. Too happy for
reflection to interrupt their nuptial joys, too inexperienced to look
forward to the consequences of an union thus inauspiciously commenced,
and too sanguine to think the fond delusions of love could end but with
life, they lived for many days in what might be called the delirium of
the senses: in each other they saw and possessed all that constituted
their ideas of pleasure. Madeline was the wife of the enamoured Edwin,
and he was blest.--Edwin was become the husband and protector of
Madeline, what then could she have to fear, for Edwin was the world
to her?
Alas! what a pity that so few, so scarce, and so short, are the hours of
mortal happiness! and that the fallacious foundation on which we rest
such innumerable pleasing hopes, which present to our deluded
imaginations the most lovely and inviting prospects, should so soon fall
to the ground, and humble our air-built expectations in the dust!
As long as their little fund of worldly wealth held out, our new married
lovers never recollected it must come to an end, or bestowed a thought
on what steps were to be taken to secure the continuance of that
felicity they had gone such daring lengths to obtain; but an empty purse
soon compelled them to recollect, that two people, however tender their
attachment, or superlative their abilities,--however lovely their
persons, or captivating their manners, require more substantial food
than the god of love will condescend to furnish them with.
Accustomed to affluence, and not knowing what it was to be deprived even
of the luxuries of life, they shuddered at the poverty which stared them
in the face, and threatened them with absolute starvation: they blushed
too at their own inability to procure for themselves the common
necessaries of life, and felt some very uncomfortable sensations at
being in a stranger's house without the means of paying for their
lodging or accommodations. To declare their poverty they were ashamed,
and to make themselves and situation known was to run the risk of being
separated for ever, as Edwin had no doubt but Madeline would be torn
from him, and compelled to a monastic life, if discovered before his
friends were reconciled, and would use their interest to procure his
pardon.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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