The History of Sir Charles Grandison, Volume 4 (of 7)Richardson, Samuel
General
The History of Sir Charles Grandison, Volume 4 (of 7)
Richardson, Samuel
England -- Social life and customs -- 18th century -- Fiction; Epistolary fiction
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!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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