Lady Susan by Jane Austen

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Lady Susan by Jane Austen, Section one. This is a
LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.

Speaker 2 (00:20):
Lady Susan read by Christen Hughes.

Speaker 3 (00:24):
Missus Vernon read by Rachel Ellen.

Speaker 4 (00:29):
Mister de Coocy read by Patrick Beverley.

Speaker 2 (00:34):
One. Lady Susan Vernon to Mister Vernon, Langford, December, My
dear brother, I can no longer refuse myself the pleasure
of profiting by your kind invitation when last we parted
of spending some weeks with you at Churchill, And therefore,
if quite convenient to you and Missus Vernon to receive

(00:56):
me at present, I shall hope, within a few days
to be in reduced to a sister whom I have
so long desired to be acquainted with. My kind friends
here are most affectionately urgent with me to prolong my stay,
but their hospitable and cheerful dispositions lead them too much
into society for my present situation and state of mind,

(01:19):
and I impatiently look forward to the hour when I
shall be admitted into your delightful retirement. I long to
be made known to your dear little children, in whose
hearts I shall be very eager to secure an interest
I shall soon have need for all my fortitude. As
I am on the point of separation from my own daughter.

(01:39):
The long illness of her dear father prevented my paying
her that attention which duty and affection equally dictated, and
I have too much reason to fear that the governess
to whose care I consigned her was unequal to the charge.
I have therefore resolved on placing her at one of
the best private schools in town, where I shall have
an opportunity of leaving her myself in my way. To you,

(02:03):
I am determined, you see, not to be denied admittance
at Churchill. It would indeed give me most painful sensations
to know that it would not in your power to
receive me, your most obliged and affectionate Sister s Vernon two,
Lady Susan Vernon, to missus Johnson Langford. You were mistaken,

(02:28):
my dear Alicia, in supposing me fixed at this place
for the rest of the winter. It grieves me to
say how greatly you were mistaken, For I have seldom
spent three months more agreeably than those which have just
flown away. At present, nothing goes smoothly. The females of
the family are united against me. You foretold how it

(02:49):
would be when I first came to Langford, and mannering
is so uncommonly pleasing that I was not without apprehensions
for myself. I remember saying to mysel as I drove
to the house, I like this man. Pray heaven no
harm comes of it. But I was determined to be discreet,
to bear in mind my being only four months a widow,

(03:12):
and to be as quiet as possible. And I have
been so, my dear creature. I have admitted no one's attentions,
but mannerings. I have avoided all general flirtation whatever. I
have distinguished no creature besides of all the numbers resorting
hither except Sir James Martin, on whom I bestowed a

(03:32):
little notice in order to detach him from mismannering. But
if the world could know my motive there, they would
honor me. I have been called an unkind mother, but
it was the sacred impulse of maternal affection. It was
the advantage of my daughter that led me on, and
if that daughter were not the greatest simpleton on earth,

(03:53):
I might have been rewarded from my exertions as I ought.
Sir James did make proposals to me for but Frederica,
who was born to be the torment of my life,
chose to set herself so violently against the match, that
I thought it better to lay aside the scheme for
the present. I have more than once repented that I

(04:14):
did not marry him myself, and were he but one
degree less contemptibly weak, I certainly should. But I must
own myself rather romantic in that respect, and that riches
only will not satisfy me. The event of all this
is very provoking. Sir James is gone, Mariah highly incensed,

(04:34):
and missus mannering insupportably jealous, so jealous, in short, and
so enraged against me, that, in the fury of her temper,
I should not be surprised at her appealing to her
guardian if she had the liberty of addressing him. But
there your husband stands, my friend, and the kindest, most
amiable action of his life was throwing her off for

(04:55):
ever on her marriage. Keep up his resentment. Therefore, I
charge you we are now in a sad state. No
house was ever more altered. The whole party are at war,
and mannering scarcely dares speak to me. It is time
for me to be gone. I have therefore determined on
leaving them, and shall spend I hope a comfortable day

(05:18):
with you in town this week. If I am as
little in favor with mister Johnson as ever, you must
come to me at ten Wigmore Street. But I hope
this may not be the case. For as mister Johnson,
with all his faults, is a man to whom that
great word respectable is always given, and I am known
to be so intimate with his wife, his slighting me

(05:39):
has an awkward look. I take London in my way
to that insupportable spot, a country village, for I am
really going to Churchill. Forgive me, my dear friend, it
is my last resource. Were there another place in England
open to me, I would prefer it. Charles Vernon is
my aversion, and and I am afraid of his wife

(06:02):
at Churchill. However, I must remain till I have something
better in view. My young lady accompanies me to town,
where I shall deposit her under the care of Miss
Somers in Wigmore Street till she becomes a little more reasonable.
She will make good connections there, as the girls are
all of the best families. The price is immense and

(06:24):
much beyond what I can ever attempt to pay. Adieu.
I will send you a line as soon as I
arrive in town. Yours, ever, s Vernon.

Speaker 3 (06:36):
Three, missus Vernon to Lady de Cursey Churchill, my dear mother,
I am very sorry to tell you that it will
not be in our power to keep our promise of
spending our Christmas with you, and we are prevented that
happiness by a circumstance which is not likely to make
us any amends. Lady Susan and a letter to her

(06:59):
brother and Miew has declared her intention of visiting us
almost immediately, And as such a visit is, in all
probability merely an affair of convenience, it is impossible to
conjecture its length. I was by no means prepared for
such an event, nor can I now account for her
ladyship's conduct. Langford appeared so exactly the place for her

(07:20):
in every respect, as well from the elegant and expensive
style of living there, as from her particular attachment to
mister Mannering that I was very far from expecting so
speedy a distinction, though I always imagined, from her increasing
friendship for us since her husband's death, that we should,
at some future period be obliged to receive her. Mister

(07:42):
Vernon I think was a great deal too kind to
her when he was in Staffordshire. Her behavior to him,
independent of her general character, has been so inexcusably artful
and ungenerous since our marriage was first in agitation that
no one less amiable and mild than himself could have
overlooked at all. And though as his brother's widow and

(08:04):
in narrow circumstances it was proper to render her pecuniary assistance,
I cannot help thinking his pressing invitation to her to
visit us at Churchhill perfectly unnecessary disposed. However, as he
always is to think the best of every one, her
display of grief and professions of regret and general resolutions

(08:26):
of prudence were sufficient to soften his heart and make
him really confide in her sincerity. But as for myself,
I am still unconvinced, and plausibly, as her Ladyship has
now written, I cannot make up my mind till I
better understand her real meaning in coming to us. You
may guess therefore, my dear Madam, with what feelings I

(08:47):
look forward to her arrival. She will have occasion for
all those attractive powers for which she is celebrated to
gain any share of my regard, and I shall certainly
endeavor to guard myself against their influence, if not accompanied
by something more substantial. She expresses a most eager desire
of being acquainted with me, and makes very gracious mention

(09:07):
of my children. But I am not quite weak enough
to suppose a woman who has behaved with inattention, if
not with unkindness, to her own child, should be attached
to any of mine. Miss Vernon is to be placed
at a school in London before her mother comes to us,
which I am glad of for her sake and my own.
It must be to her advantage to be separated from

(09:29):
her mother, and a girl of sixteen who has received
so wretched an education could not be a very desirable companion.

Speaker 4 (09:36):
Here.

Speaker 3 (09:37):
Reginald has long wished, I know, to see the captivating
lady Susan, and we shall depend on his joining our
party soon. I am glad to hear that my father
continues so well, and am with best love, et cetera.
Catherine Vernon.

Speaker 4 (09:54):
Four, mister de Courcy to missus Vernon Parkland's, my dear sister,
I congratulate you and mister Vernon on being about to
receive into your family the most accomplished coquette in England.
As a very distinguished flirt I have always been taught
to consider her, but it has lately fallen in my

(10:15):
way to hear some particulars of her conduct at Langford,
which prove that she does not confine herself to that
sort of honest flirtation which satisfies most people, but aspires
to the more delicious stratification of making a whole family miserable.
By her behavior to mister Mannering, she gave jealousy and
wretchedness to his wife, and by her attentions to a

(10:36):
young man previously attached to mister Manoring's sister, deprived an
amiable girl of her lover. I learnt all this from
mister Smith now in this neighborhood. I have dined with
him at Hurst and Wilford, who has just come from Langford,
where he was a fortnight with her ladyship, and who
is therefore well qualified to make the communication. What a

(10:57):
woman she must be. I long to see, and shall
certainly accept your kind invitation that I may form some
idea of those bewitching powers which can do so much
engaging at the same time, and in the same house,
the affections of two men who were neither of them
at liberty to bestow them, and all this without the
charm of youth. I am glad to find Miss Vernon

(11:20):
does not accompany her mother to Churchill, as she has
not even manners to recommend her, and, according to mister
Smith's account, is equally dull and proud. Where pride and
stupidity unite, there can be no dissimulation worthy of notice,
and Miss Vernon shall be consigned to unrelenting contempt. But
by all that I can gather, Lady Susan possesses a

(11:41):
degree of captivating deceit, which it must be pleasing to
witness and detect. I shall be with you very soon,
and am ever your affectionate brother are de Courcy.

Speaker 2 (11:54):
Five, Lady Susan Vernon to missus Johnson Churchill. I received
your note, my dear Alicia, just before I left town
and rejoiced to be assured that mister Johnson suspected nothing
of your engagement the evening before. It is undoubtedly better
to deceive him entirely, and since he will be stubborn,

(12:15):
he must be tricked. I arrived here in safety and
have no reason to complain of my reception from mister Vernon.
But I confess myself not equally satisfied with the behavior
of his lady. She is perfectly well bred, indeed, and
has the air of a woman of fashion, but her
manners are not such as can persuade me of her

(12:36):
being prepossessed in my favor. I wanted her to be
delighted at seeing me. I was amiable as possible on
the occasion, but all in vain. She does not like me,
to be sure, When we consider that I did take
some pains to prevent my brother in law's marrying her,
this want of cordiality is not very surprising, and yet

(12:58):
it shows an illiberal and vindictive spirit to resent a
project which influenced me six years ago, and which never
succeeded at last. I am sometimes disposed to repent that
I did not let Charles by Vernon Castle when we
were obliged to sell it, but it was a trying circumstance,
especially as the sale took place exactly at the time

(13:21):
of his marriage. And everybody ought to respect to the
delicacy of those feelings, which could not endure that my
husband's dignity should be lessened by his younger brothers having
possession of the family estate. Could matters have been so
arranged as to prevent the necessity of our leaving the castle?
Could we have lived with Charles and kept him single?

(13:42):
I should have been very far from persuading my husband
to dispose of it elsewhere. But Charles was on the
point of marrying mister Corsey, and the event has justified me.
Here are children in abundance, and what benefit could have
accrued to me from his purchasing Vernon? My having prevented it.
May perhaps have given his wife an unfavorable impression, But

(14:06):
where there is a disposition to dislike, a motive will
never be wanting. And as to money matters, it has
not withheld him from being very useful to me. I
really have regard for him. He is so easily imposed upon.
The house is a good one, the furniture fashionable and
everything announces plenty and elegance. Charles is very rich. I

(14:30):
am sure when a man has once got his name
in a banking house, he rolls in money, but they
do not know what to do with it. Keep very
little company, and never go to London. But on business
we shall be as stupid as possible. I mean to
win my sister in law's heart through the children. I

(14:51):
know all their names already, and am going to attach
myself with the greatest sensibility to one in particular, a
young Frederick, whom I take on my lap and sigh
over for his dear uncle's sake, poor Mannering. I need
not tell you how much I miss him, how perpetually
he is in my thoughts. I found a dismal letter

(15:14):
from him on my arrival here, full of complaints of
his wife and sister, and lamentations on the cruelty of
his fate. I passed off the letter as his wife's
to the Vernons, and when I write to him, it
must be under cover. To you, ever, yours s Vernon.

Speaker 3 (15:33):
Six Missus Vernon to mister de Cursey Churchill. Well, my
dear Reginald, I have seen this dangerous creature and must
give you some description of her, though I hope you
will soon be able to form your own judgment. She
is really excessively pretty. However you may choose to question

(15:54):
the allurements of a lady no longer young, I must,
for my own part, declare that I have seldom seen
so lovely a woman as Lady Susan. She is delicately fair,
with fine gray eyes and dark eyelashes, and from her
appearance one would not suppose her more than five and twenty.
I was certainly not disposed to admire her, though always

(16:15):
hearing she was beautiful, but I cannot help feeling that
she possesses an uncommon union of symmetry, brilliancy, and grace.
Her address to me was so gentle, frank, and even affectionate,
that if I had not known how much she has
always disliked me for marrying mister Vernon, and that we
had never met before, I should have imagined her an

(16:35):
attached friend. One is apt I believe to connect assurance
of manner with coquetry, and to expect that an impudent
address will naturally attend an impudent mind. At least I
was myself prepared for an improper degree of confidence in
Lady Susan. But her countenance is absolutely sweet, and her
voice and manner winningly mild. I am sorry it is so,

(16:58):
for what is this but deceit? Unfortunately one knows her
too well. She is clever and agreeable, has all that
knowledge of the world which makes conversation easy, and talks
very well, with a happy command of language which is
too often used, I believe, to make black appear white.
She has already almost persuaded me of her being warmly

(17:19):
attached to her daughter, though I have been so long
convinced to the contrary. She speaks of her with so
much tenderness and anxiety, lamenting so bitterly the neglect of
her education, which she represents, however, as wholly unavoidable, that
I am forced to recollect how many successive springs her
ladyship spent in town while her daughter was left in

(17:40):
Staffordshire to the care of servants or a governess, very
little better to prevent my believing what she says. If
her manners have so great an influence on my resentful heart,
you may judge how much more strongly they operate on
mister Vernon's generous temper. I wish I could be as
well satisfied as he is that it was really her

(18:02):
choice to leave Langford for Churchhill. And if she had
not stayed there for months before she discovered that her
friend's manner of living did not suit her situation or feelings,
I might have believed that concern for the loss of
such a husband as mister Vernon, to whom her own
behavior was far from unexceptionable, might for a time make
her wish for retirement. But I cannot forget the length

(18:26):
of her visit to the mannerings, and when I reflect
on the different mode of life which she led with
them from that to which she must now submit, I
can only suppose that the wish of establishing her reputation
by following, though late, the path of propriety, occasioned her
removal from a family where she must, in reality have
been particularly happy. Your friend mister Smith's story, however, cannot

(18:49):
be quite correct, as she corresponds regularly with missus mannering.
At any rate, it must be exaggerated. It is scarcely
possible that two men should be so grossly deceived by
her at once. Yours et cetera, Catherine Vernon.

Speaker 2 (19:07):
Seven Lady Susan Vernon to missus Johnson Churchill. My dear Alicia,
you are very good in taking notice of Frederica, and
I am grateful for it is a mark of your friendship.
But as I cannot have any doubt of the warmth
of your affection, I am far from exacting so heavy
a sacrifice. She is a stupid girl and has nothing

(19:31):
to recommend her. I would not, therefore, on my account,
have you encumber one moment of your precious time by
sending for her to Edward Street, especially as every visit
is so much deducted from the grand affair of education,
which I really wish to have attended to. While she
remains at Miss Summers's, I want her to play and

(19:52):
sing with some portion of taste and a good deal
of assurance, as she has my hand and arm and
a tolerable voice. I was so much indulged in my
infant years that I was never obliged to attend to anything,
and consequently, and without the accomplishments which are now necessary
to finish a pretty woman. Not that I am an

(20:14):
advocate for the prevailing fashion of acquiring a perfect knowledge
of all languages, arts and sciences. It is throwing away
time to be mistress of French, Italian and German music.
Singing and drawing, et cetera will gain a woman's some applause,
but will not add one lover to her list. Grace
and manner, after all, are of the greatest importance. I

(20:37):
do not mean, therefore, that Frederica's acquirements should be more
than superficial, and I flatter myself that she will not
remain long enough at school to understand anything thoroughly. I
hope to see her the wife of Sir James within
a twelvemonth. You know on what I ground my hope,
and it is certainly a good foundation for school must

(20:58):
be very humiliating to a girl of Frederica's age, and
by the bye, you had better not invite her any
more on that account, as I wish her to find
her situation as unpleasant as possible. I am sure of
Sir James at any time, and could make him renew
his application by a line. I shall trouble you, meanwhile,
to prevent his forming any other attachment. When he comes

(21:20):
to town, ask him to your house occasionally and talk
to him of Frederica, that he may not forget her.
Upon the whole. I commend my own conduct in this
affair extremely and regard it as a very happy instance
of circumspection and tenderness. Some mothers would have insisted on
the daughters accepting so good offer on the first overture,

(21:43):
But I could not reconcile it to myself to force
Frederica into a marriage from which her heart revolted, And
instead of adopting so harsh a measure, merely propose to
make it her own choice by rendering her thoroughly uncomfortable
till she does accept him. But enough of this time,
tiresome girl, You may well wonder how I contrive to

(22:03):
pass my time here. And for the first week it
was insufferably dull. Now, however, we begin to mend. Our
party is enlarged by missus Vernon's brother, a handsome young
man who promises me some amusement. There is something about
him which rather interests me, a sort of sauciness and
familiarity which I shall teach him to correct. He is

(22:27):
lively and seems clever, And when I have inspired him
with greater respect for me than his sister's kind offices
have implanted, he may be an agreeable flirt. There is
exquisite pleasure in subduing an insolent spirit, in making a
person predetermined to dislike acknowledge one's superiority. I have disconcerted

(22:50):
him already by my calm reserve, and it shall be
my endeavor to humble the pride of these self important
decourses still lower, to convince Missus Vernon that her sisterly
cautions have been bestowed in vain, and to persuade Reginald
that she has scandalously belied me. This project will serve,
at least to amuse me and prevent my feelings so

(23:12):
acutely that dreadful separation from you and all whom I
love ever, Yours, s Vernon, and of Section one.

Speaker 1 (23:26):
Lady Susan by Jane Austen. Lady Susan, Section two. This
is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the
public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit

(23:51):
LibriVox dot org. Lady Susan by Jane Austen, Section two.

Speaker 3 (24:01):
Missus Vernon read by Rachel Ellen.

Speaker 5 (24:05):
Missus Johnson read by Kirsten Ferrariy.

Speaker 2 (24:09):
Lady Susan read by Christen.

Speaker 6 (24:11):
Hughes, Sir Reginald de Coursey read by Simon Taylor.

Speaker 7 (24:17):
Lady de Courcy read by Gauzino.

Speaker 4 (24:20):
Mister de Courcy read by Patrick Beverly.

Speaker 3 (24:26):
Eight. Missus Vernon to Lady de Cresey Churchill, my dear mother,
you must not expect Reginald back again for some time.
He desires me to tell you that the present open
weather induces him to accept mister Vernon's invitation to prolong
his stay in Sussex, that they may have some hunting together.

(24:49):
He means to send for his horses immediately, and it
is impossible to say when you may see him in Kent.
I will not disguise my sentiments on this change from you,
my dear mother, though I think you had better not
communicate them to my father, whose excessive anxiety about Reginald
would subject him to an alarm which might seriously affect
his health and spirits. Lady Susan has certainly contrived, in

(25:13):
the space of a fortnight to make my brother like her.
In short, I am persuaded that his continuing here beyond
the time originally fixed for his return, is occasioned as
much by a degree of fascination towards her as by
the wish of hunting with mister Vernon, and of course
I cannot receive that pleasure from the length of his visit,

(25:34):
which my brother's company would otherwise give me. I am
indeed provoked at the artifice of this unprincipled woman. What
stronger proof of her dangerous abilities can be given than
this perversion of Reginald's judgment, which, when he entered the
house was so decidedly against her. In his last letter
he actually gave me some particulars of her behavior at Langford,

(25:56):
such as he received from a gentleman who knew her
perfectly well, which if true, must raise abhorrence against her,
and which Reginald himself was entirely disposed to credit. His
opinion of her, I am sure was as low as
of any woman in England. And when he first came
it was evident that he considered her as one entitled
neither to delicacy nor respect, and that he felt she

(26:19):
would be delighted with the attentions of any man inclined
to flirt with her. Her behavior, I confess, has been
calculated to do away with such an idea. I have
not detected the smallest impropriety in it nothing of vanity,
of pretension of levity, and she is altogether so attractive
that I should not wonder at his being delighted with her,

(26:41):
had he known nothing of her previous to this personal acquaintance.
But against reason, against conviction, to be so well pleased
with her, as I am sure he is, does really
astonish me. His admiration was at first very strong, but
no more than was natural, and I did not wonder
at his being much struck by the gentleness and delicacy

(27:01):
of her manners. But when he has mentioned her of late,
it has been in terms of more extraordinary praise. And
yesterday he actually said that he could not be surprised
at any effect produced on the heart of man by
such loveliness and such abilities. And when I lamented in
reply the badness of her disposition, he observed that whatever

(27:21):
might have been her errors, they were to be imputed
to her neglected education and early marriage, and that she
was altogether a wonderful woman. This tendency to excuse her conduct,
or to forget it in the warmth of admiration, vexes me.
And if I did not know that Reginald is too
much at home at Churchill to need an invitation for

(27:42):
lengthening his visit. I should regret mister Vernon's giving him any.
Lady Susan's intentions are, of course those of absolute coquetry
or a desire of universal admiration. I cannot for a
moment imagine that she has anything more serious in view.
But it mortifies me to see a young man of
Reginald's sense duped by her at all. I am, et cetera,

(28:06):
Catherine Vernon.

Speaker 5 (28:09):
Nine, missus Johnson to Lady s Vernon, Edward Street, my
dearest friend. I congratulate you on mister de Cursey's arrival,
and I advise you by all means to marry him.
His father's estate is we know, considerable, and I believe
certainly entailed. Sir Reginald is very infirm and not likely

(28:31):
to stand in your way. Long I hear the young
man well spoken of, And though no one can really
deserve you, my dearest Susan, mister de Cursey may be
worth having mannering will storm, of course, but you easily
pacify him. Besides, the most scrupulous point of honor could
not require you to wait for his emancipation. I have seen,

(28:53):
Sir James he came to town for a few days
last week and called several times in Edward Street. I
talk to him about you and your daughter, and he
is so far from having forgotten you that I am
sure he would marry either of you with pleasure. I
gave him hopes of Frederica's relenting and told him a
great deal of her improvements. I scolded him for making

(29:15):
love to Maria Mannering. He protested that he had been
only in joke, and we both laughed heartily at her disappointment,
and in short were very agreeable. He is as silly
as ever yours faithfully, Alicia.

Speaker 2 (29:31):
Ten Lady Susan Vernon to missus Johnson Churchill, I am
much obliged to you, my dear friend, for your advice
respecting mister de Courcy, which I know was given with
the full conviction of its expediency, though I am not
quite determined on following it. I cannot easily resolve on

(29:52):
anything so serious as marriage, especially as I am not
at present in want of money, and might, perhaps till
the old Gentleman's death, be very little benefited by the match.
It is true that I am vain enough to believe
it within my reach. I have made him sensible of
my power, and can now enjoy the pleasure of triumphing

(30:14):
over a mind prepared to dislike me and prejudiced against
all my past actions. His sister, too, is, I hope,
convinced how little the ungenerous representations of any one to
the disadvantage of another will avail when opposed by the
immediate influence of intellect and manner. I see plainly that

(30:35):
she is uneasy at my progress in the good opinion
of her brother, and conclude that nothing will be wanted
on her part to counterattack me. But having once made
him doubt the justice of her opinion of me, I
think I may defy her. It has been delightful to
me to watch his advances towards intimacy, especially to observe

(30:56):
his altered manner, in consequence of my repressing by the
cool dignity of my deportment, his insolent approach to direct familiarity.
My conduct has been equally guarded from the first, and
I never behaved less like a coquette in the whole
course of my life. Though perhaps my desire of dominion
was never more decided. I have subdued him entirely by

(31:20):
sentiment and serious conversation, and made him I may venture
to say at least half in love with me, without
the semblance of the most commonplace flirtation. Missus Vernon's consciousness
of deserving every sort of revenge that it can be
in my power to inflict for her ill offices could

(31:41):
alone enable her to perceive that I am actuated by
any design in behavior so gentle and unpretending. Let her
think an act as she chooses. However, I have never
yet found that the advice of a sister could prevent
a young man's being in love if he chose. We
are advancing now to some kind of confidence, and in short,

(32:03):
are likely to be engaged in a sort of platonic friendship.
On my side, you may be sure of its never
being more, For if I were not attached to another person,
as much as I can be to any one, I
should make a point of not bestowing my affection on
a man who had dared to think so meanly of me.
Reginald has a good figure and is not unworthy the

(32:25):
praise you have heard given him, but is still greatly
inferior to our friend at Langford. He is less polished,
less insinuating than mannering, and is comparatively deficient in the
power of saying those delightful things which put one in
good humor with oneself and all the world. He is
quite agreeable enough, however, to afford me amusement, and to

(32:47):
make many of those hours pass very pleasantly, which would
otherwise be spent in endeavoring to overcome my sister in
law's reserve and listening to the insipid talk of her husband.
Your account of Sir James's most satisfactory. I mean to
give Miss Frederica a hint of my intentions very soon yours,

(33:08):
et cetera. S Vernon.

Speaker 3 (33:13):
Eleven, missus Vernon to Lady de Cursey Churchill. I really
grow quite uneasy, my dearest mother, about Reginald, from witnessing
the very rapid increase of Lady Susan's influence. They are
now on terms of the most particular friendship, frequently engaged

(33:33):
in long conversations together, and she has contrived, by the
most artful coquetry, to subdue his judgment to her own purposes.
It is impossible to see the intimacy between them so
very soon established without some alarm, though I can hardly
suppose that Lady Susan's plans extend to marriage. I wish
you could get Reginald home again on any plausible pretense.

(33:56):
He is not at all disposed to leave us, and
I have given him as man any hints of my
father's precarious state of health, as common decency will allow
me to do in my own house. Her power over
him must now be boundless, as she has entirely effaced
all his former ill opinion and persuaded him not merely
to forget, but to justify her conduct. Mister Smith's account

(34:18):
of her proceedings at Langford, where he accused her of
having made mister Mannering and a young man engaged to
Miss Mannering distractedly in love with her, which Reginald firmly
believed when he came here, is now he is persuaded
only a scandalous invention. He has told me so with
a warmth of manner, which spoke his regret at having
believed the contrary himself. How sincerely do I grieve that

(34:43):
she ever entered this house. I always looked forward to
her coming with uneasiness, but very far was it from
originating an anxiety for Reginald. I expected a most disagreeable
companion for myself, but could not imagine that my brother
would be in the smallest danger of being capt debated
by a woman with whose principles he was so well acquainted,

(35:04):
and whose character he is so heartily despised. If you
can get him away, it will be a good thing. Yours,
et cetera, Catherine.

Speaker 6 (35:13):
Burnham twelve, Sir Reginald de course to his son Parklands.
I know that young men in general do not admit
of any inquiry, even from their nearest relations, into affairs
of the hut. But I hope, my dear Reginald, that
you will be superior to such as allow nothing for

(35:35):
a father's anxiety, and think themselves privileged to refuse him
their confidence and slightest advice. You must be sensible that,
as an only son and the representative of an ancient family,
your conduct in life is most interesting to your connections,
and in the very important concern of marriage especially, there

(35:57):
is everything at stake your own happiness, that of your parents,
and the credit of your name. I do not suppose
that you would deliberately form an absolute engagement of that
nature without acquainting your mother and myself, or at least
without being convinced that we should approve of your choice.
But I cannot help fearing that you may be drawn

(36:20):
in by the lady who has lately attached you to
a marriage which the whole of your family far and near,
must highly reprobate. Lady Susan's age is itself a material objection,
but her want of character is one so much more
serious that the difference of even twelve years becomes in

(36:40):
comparison of smaller map. Were you not blinded by a
sort of fascination, it would be ridiculous in me to
repeat the instances of great misconduct on her side, so
very generally known. Her neglect of her husband, her encouragement
of other men, her extravagant and dissipation, were so gross

(37:02):
and notorious that no one could be ignorant of them
at the time, nor can now have forgotten them. To
our family, she has always been represented in softened colors
by the benevolence of mister Charles Vernon, And yet in
spite of his generous endeavors to excuse her, we know
that she did, from the most selfish motives, take all

(37:25):
possible pains to prevent his marriage with Catherine. My years
and increasing confirmities make me very desirous of seeing you
settled in the world to the fortune of a wife.
The goodness of my own will make me indifferent, but
her family and character must be equally unexceptionable. When your

(37:46):
choice is fixed so that no objection can be made
to it, then I can promise you already and cheerful consent.
But it is my duty to oppose a match which
deep art only could render possible, and must in the
end make wretched. It is possible her behavior may arise
only from vanity or the wish of gaining the admiration

(38:09):
of a man whom she must imagine to be particularly
prejudiced against her. But it is more likely that she
should aim at something further. She is poor and may
naturally seek an alliance which must be advantageous to herself.
You know your own rights, and that it is out
of my power to prevent your inheriting the family estate.

(38:31):
My ability of distressing you during my life would be
a species of revenge to which I could hardly stoop
under any circumstances. I honestly tell you my sentiments and intentions.
I do not wish to work on your fears, but
on your sense and affection. It would destroy every comfort
of my life to know that you are married to
Lady Schulen Vernon. It would be the death of that

(38:54):
honest pride with which I have hitherto considered my son.
I should blush to see him, to hear of him,
to think of him. I may perhaps do no good
but that of relieving my own mind by this letter.
But I felt it my duty to tell you that
your partiality for Lady Susan is no secret to your friends,

(39:16):
and to warn you against her. I should be glad
to hear your reasons for disbelieving mister Smith's intelligence. You
had no doubt of its authenticity a month ago. If
you can give me your assurance of having no design
beyond enjoying the conversation of a clever woman for a
short period, and of yielding admiration only to her beauty

(39:36):
and abilities, without being blinded by them to her faults,
you will restore me to happiness. But if you cannot
do this, explained to me at least what has occasioned
so great an alteration in your opinion of her? I
am et cetera. Et cetera, Reginald de Coursey.

Speaker 7 (40:00):
Lady de Coursey, to missus Vernon Parkland's, my dear Catherine. Unluckily,
I was confined to my room when your last letter
came by a cold which affected my eyes so much
as to prevent my reading it myself, so I could
not refuse your father when you offered to read it
to me, by which means he became acquainted, to my

(40:23):
great vexation with all your fears about your brother. I
had intended to write to Reginald myself as soon as
my eyes would let me, to point out as well
as I could the danger of an intimate acquaintance with
so artful a woman as Lady Susan, to a young
man of his age and high expectations. I meant moreover

(40:46):
to have reminded him of our being quite alone now,
and very much in need of him to keep up
our spirits these long winter evenings. Whether it would have
done any good can never be settled now. But I
am excessively vexed that Sir Reginald should know anything of
a matter which we foresaw would make him so uneasy.

(41:07):
He caught all your fears the moment he had read
your letter, and I am sure he has not had
the business out of his head since he wrote by
the same post to Reginald a long letter full of
it all, and particularly asking an explanation of what he
may have heard from Lady Susan to contradict the late
shocking reports. His answer came this morning, which I shall

(41:29):
enclose to you, as I think you will like to
see it. I wish it was more satisfactory, but it
seems written with such determination to think well of Lady Susan,
that his assurances as to marriage, et cetera, do not
set my heart at ease. I say all I can, however,
to satisfy your father, and he is certainly less uneasy

(41:51):
since Reginald's letter. How provoking it is, my dear Catherine,
that this unwelcome guest of yours should not only prevent
our meeting this Christmas, but be the occasion of so
much vexation and trouble. Kiss the dear children for me,
your affectionate mother. C. De Coursey.

Speaker 4 (42:13):
Fourteen Mister de Courcy to Sir Reginald Churchill, My dear Sir,
I have this moment received your letter, which has given
me more astonishment than I ever felt before. I am
to thank my sister, I suppose, for having represented me
in such a light as to injure me in your
opinion and give you all this alarm. I know not

(42:35):
why she should choose to make herself and her family
uneasy by apprehending an event which no one but herself,
I can affirm, would ever have thought possible. To impute
such a design to Lady Susan would be taking from
her every claim to that excellent understanding which her bitterest
enemies have never denied her, and equally low must sink

(42:55):
my pretensions to common sense. If I am suspected of
matrimonial views in my behavior her our difference of age
must be an insuperable objection, And I entreat you, my
dear father, to quiet your mind and no longer harbor
a suspicion which cannot be more injurious to your own
peace than to our understandings. I can have no other

(43:16):
view in remaining with Lady Susan than to enjoy, for
a short time, as you have yourself expressed it, the
conversation of a woman of high intellectual powers. If Missus
Vernon would allow something to my affection for herself and
her husband. In the length of my visit, she would
do more justice to us all. But my sister is

(43:37):
unhappily prejudiced beyond the hope of conviction against Lady Susan
from an attachment to her husband, which in itself does
honor to both. She cannot forgive the endeavors at preventing
their union which have been attributed to selfishness in Lady Susan.
But in this case, as well as in many others,
the world has most grossly injured that lady. I suppose

(44:00):
chosing the worst. Where the motives of her conduct have
been doubtful, Lady Susan had heard something so materially to
the disadvantage of my sister as to persuade her that
the happiness of mister Vernon, to whom she was always
much attached, would be wholly destroyed by the marriage. And
this circumstance, while it explains the true motives of Lady

(44:20):
Susan's conduct and removes all the blame which has been
so lavished on her, may also convince us how little
the general report of anyone ought to be credited, Since
no character, however upright, can escape the malevolence of slander.
If my sister, in the security of retirement, with as
little opportunity as inclination to do evil, could not avoid censure,

(44:42):
we must not rashly condemn those who, living in the
world and surrounded with temptations, should be accused of errors
which they are known to have the power of committing.
I blame myself severely for having so easily believed the
slanderous tales invented by Charles Smith to the prejudice of
Lady Susan, as I am now convinced how greatly they

(45:03):
have produced her. As to missus Mannering's jealousy, it was
totally his own invention, and his account of her attaching
Miss Mannering's lover was scarcely better founded. Sir James Martin
had been drawn in by that young lady to pay
her some attention, and as he is a man of fortune,
it was easy to see her views extended to marriage.
It is well known that Miss m is absolutely on

(45:25):
the catch for a husband, and no one therefore can
pity her for losing, by the superior attractions of another woman,
the chance of being able to make a worthy man.
Completely wretched, Lady Susan was far from intending such a conquest,
and on finding how warmly Miss Mannering resented her lover's defection,
determined in spite of mister and missus Mannering's most urgent

(45:47):
entreaties to leave the family. I have reason to imagine
she did receive serious proposals from Sir James, but her
a moving to Langford immediately on the discovery of his
attachment must acquit her on that article. With any mind
of common candor you will, I am sure, my dear Sir,
feel the truth of this, and will hereby learn to

(46:07):
do justice to the character of a very injured woman.
I know that Lady Susan, in coming to Churchill, was
governed only by the most honorable and amiable intentions. Her
prudence and economy are exemplary, her regard for mister Vernon
equal even to his deserts, and her wish of obtaining
my sister's good opinion merits a better return than it

(46:30):
has received. As a mother, she is unexceptionable. Her solid
affection for her child is shown by placing her in
hands where her education will be properly attended to. But
because she has not the blind and weak partiality of
most mothers. She is accused of wanting maternal tenderness. Every
person of sense, however, will know how to value and

(46:52):
commend her well directed affection, and will join me in
wishing that Frederica Vernon may prove more worthy than she
has yet done of her mother's tender care. I have
now my dear father written my real sentiments of Lady Susan.
You will know from this letter how highly I admire
her abilities and esteem her character. But if you are
not equally convinced by my full and solemn assurance that

(47:15):
your fears have been most idly created, you will deeply
mortify and distress me. I am et cetera, et cetera,
ar decursi.

Speaker 1 (47:26):
End of Lady Susan by Jane Austen, Section two, Lady Susan,
Section three. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,

(47:51):
please visit LibriVox dot org. Lady Susan by Jane Austen,
Section three.

Speaker 3 (48:03):
Missus Vernon read by Rachel Ellen.

Speaker 2 (48:07):
Lady Susan read by Christen Hughes.

Speaker 3 (48:12):
Fifteen. Missus Vernon to Lady de Cursey Churchill, my dear mother.
I return to you Reginald's letter and rejoice with all
my heart that my father is made easy by it.
Tell him so with my congratulations. But between ourselves I

(48:32):
must own it has only convinced me of my brother's
having no present intention of marrying Lady Susan, not that
he is in no danger of doing so three months.
Hence he gives a very plausible account of her behavior
at Langford. I wish it may be true, but his
intelligence must come from herself, and I am less disposed

(48:52):
to believe it than to lament the degree of intimacies
subsisting between them implied by the discussion of such a subject.
I am sorry to have incurred his displeasure, but can
expect nothing better. While he is so very eager in
Lady Susan's justification, he is very severe against me. Indeed,
and yet I hope I have not been hasty in

(49:13):
my judgment of her. Poor woman. Though I have reason
enough for my dislike, I cannot help pitying her at present,
as she is in real distress and with too much cause.
She had this morning a letter from the lady with
whom she has placed her daughter to request that Miss
Vernon might be immediately removed, as she had been detected

(49:34):
in an attempt to run away. Why or whither she
intended to go does not appear, but as her situation
seems to have been unexceptionable. It is a sad thing,
and of course highly distressing to Lady Susan. Frederica must
be as much as sixteen and ought to know better.
But from what her mother insinuates, I am afraid she

(49:55):
is a perverse girl. She has been sadly neglected, however,
and her mother ought to remember it. Mister Vernon set
off for London as soon as she had determined what
should be done. He is, if possible to prevail on
Miss Summers to let Frederica continue with her, and if
he cannot succeed, to bring her to Churchill for the
present till some other situation can be found for her.

(50:18):
Her Ladyship is comforting herself meanwhile, by strolling along the
shrubbery with Reginald calling forth all his tender feelings. I
suppose on this distressing occasion she has been talking a
great deal about it to me. She talks vastly well.
I am afraid of being ungenerous, or I should say
too well to feel very deeply, But I will not

(50:38):
look for her faults. She may be Reginald's wife, Heaven
forbid it, but why should I be quicker sighted than
any one else? Mister Vernon declares that he never saw
deeper distress than hers on the receipt of the letter,
and is his judgment inferior to mine. She was very
unwilling that Frederica should be allowed to come to Churchill,
and justly enough, as it seems a sort of reward

(51:02):
to behavior deserving very differently. But it was impossible to
take her anywhere else, and she is not to remain
here long. It will be absolutely necessary, said she, as you,
my dear sister, must be sensible to treat my daughter
with some severity while she is here. A most painful necessity,
but I will endeavor to submit to it. I am

(51:23):
afraid I have often been too indulgent, but my poor
Frederica's temper could never bear opposition. Well, you must support
and encourage me. You must urge the necessity of reproof
if you see me too lenient. All this sounds very reasonable.
Reginald is so incensed, against the poor silly girl. Surely
it is not to Lady Susan's credit that he should

(51:44):
be so bitter against her daughter. His idea of her
must be drawn from the mother's description. Well, whatever may
be his fate, we have the comfort of knowing that
we have done our utmost to save him. We must
commit the event to a higher power. Yours ever, et cetera.

Speaker 2 (52:02):
Catherine Vernon, sixteen, Lady Susan to missus Johnson Churchill. Never,
my dearest Alicia, was I so provoked in my life
as by a letter this morning from Miss Somers, that
horrid girl of mine has been trying to run away.

(52:22):
I had not a notion of her being such a
little devil before she seemed to have all the Vernon milkiness.
But on receiving the letter in which I declared my
intention about Sir James, she actually attempted to elope. At
least I cannot otherwise account for her doing it. She
meant I suppose to go to the clerks in Staffordshire,

(52:43):
for she has no other acquaintances. But she shall be punished.
She shall have him. I have sent Charles to town
to make matters up if he can, For I do not,
by any means want her here. If Miss Somers will
not keep her, you must find me out another school,
unless we can get her married immediately. Miss s writes

(53:05):
word that she could not get the young lady to
assign any cause for her extraordinary conduct, which confirms me
in my own previous explanation of it. Frederica is too shy,
I think, and too much in awe of me to
tell tales. But if the mildness of her uncle should
get anything out of her, I am not afraid. I
trust I shall be able to make my story as

(53:27):
good as hers. If I am vain of anything, it
is of my eloquence, consideration, and esteem as surely follow
command of language, as admiration waits on beauty. And here
I have opportunity enough for the exercise of my talent,
as the chief of my time is spent in conversation.

(53:48):
Reginald is never easy unless we are by ourselves, and
when the weather is tolerable, we pace the shrubbery for
hours together. I like him on the whole very well.
He is clever and has a good deal to say,
but he is sometimes impertinent and troublesome. There is a
sort of righteous delicacy about him, which requires the fullest

(54:10):
explanation of whatever he may have heard, to my disadvantage,
and it is never satisfied till he thinks he has
ascertained the beginning and end of everything. This is one
sort of love, but I confess it does not particularly
recommend itself to me. I infinitely prefer the tender and
liberal spirit of Mannering, which impressed with the deepest conviction

(54:34):
of my Merit is satisfied that whatever I do must
be right, and look with a degree of contempt on
the inquisitive and doubtful fancies of that heart which seems
always debating on the reasonableness of its emotions. Mannering is
indeed beyond all compare, superior to Reginald, superior in everything

(54:56):
but the power of being with me. Poor fellow, he
is much distracted by jealousy, which I am not sorry for,
as I know no better support of love. He has
been teasing me to allow of his coming into this
country and lodging somewhere near in Corg, But I forbade
everything of the kind. Those women are inexcusable, who forget

(55:19):
what is due to themselves, and the opinion of the world,
Yours ever, s Vernon.

Speaker 3 (55:29):
Seventeen, missus Vernon to Lady de Cursey Churchill, my dear mother.
Mister Vernon returned on Thursday night, bringing his niece with him.
Lady Susan had received a line from him by that
day's post informing her that Miss Summers had absolutely refused

(55:49):
to allow of Miss Vernon's continuance in her academy. We
were therefore prepared for her arrival and expected them impatiently
the whole evening. They came while we were at tea,
and I know I never saw any creature look so
frightened as Frederica when she entered the room. Lady Susan,
who had been shedding tears before and showing great agitation

(56:09):
at the idea of the meeting, received her with perfect
self command and without betraying the least tenderness of spirit.
She hardly spoke to her, and on Frederica's bursting into
tears as soon as we were seated, took her out
of the room and did not return for some time.
When she did, her eyes looked very red, and she
was as much agitated as before. We saw no more

(56:32):
of her. Daughter. Poor Reginald was beyond measure, concerned to
see his fair friend in such distress, and watched her
with so much tender solicitude that I, who occasionally caught
her observing his countenance with exultation, was quite out of patience.
This pathetic representation lasted the whole evening, and so ostentatious

(56:53):
and artful a display has entirely convinced me that she did,
in fact feel nothing. I am more angry with her
than ever since I have seen her daughter. The poor
girl looks so unhappy that my heart aches for her.
Lady Susan is surely too severe, for Frederica does not
seem to have the sort of temper to make severity necessary.

(57:13):
She looks perfectly timid, dejected, and penitent. She is very pretty,
though not so handsome as her mother, nor at all
like her. Her complexion is delicate, but neither so fair
nor so blooming as Lady Susan's. And she has quite
the vernon cast of countenance, the oval face and mild
dark eyes. And there is peculiar sweetness in her look

(57:34):
when she speaks, either to her uncle or to me.
For as we behave kindly to her, we have of
course engaged her gratitude. Her mother has insinuated that her
temper is intractable. But I never saw a face less
indicative of any evil disposition than hers. And from what
I can see of the behavior of each to the other,
the invariable severity of Lady Susan and the silent dejection

(57:57):
of Frederica, I am led to believe heretofore that the
former has no real love for her daughter, and has
never done her justice or treated her affectionately. I have
not been able to have any conversation with my niece.
She is shy, and I think I can see that
some pains are taken to prevent her being much with me.
Nothing satisfactory transpires as to her reason for running away.

(58:21):
Her kind hearted uncle, you may be sure, was too
fearful of distressing her to ask many questions as they traveled.
I wish it had been possible for me to fetch
her instead of him. I think I should have discovered
the truth in the course of a thirty mile journey.
The small Pianoforte has been removed within these last few
days at Lady Susan's request into her dressing room, and

(58:43):
Frederica spends a great part of the day there practicing,
as it is called. But I seldom hear any noise
when I pass that way. What she does with herself there, I.

Speaker 7 (58:52):
Do not know.

Speaker 3 (58:53):
There are plenty of books, but it is not every
girl who has been running wild the first fifteen years
of her life that can or will read poor creature.
The prospect from her window is not very instructive, for
that room overlooks the lawn, you know, with the shrubbery
on one side, where she may see her mother walking
for an hour together. In earnest conversation with Reginald, a

(59:17):
girl of Frederica's age must be childish. Indeed, if such
things do not strike her, is it not inexcusable to
give such an example to a daughter. Yet Reginald still
thinks Lady Susan the best of mothers, and still condemns
Frederica as a worthless girl. He is convinced that her
attempt to run away proceeded from no justifiable cause and

(59:37):
had no provocation. I am sure I cannot say that
it had. But while Miss Summers declares that Miss Vernon
showed no signs of obstinacy or perverseness during her whole
stay in Wigmore Street till she was detected in this scheme.
I cannot so readily credit what Lady Susan has made him,
and wants to make me believe that it was merely

(59:58):
an impatience of restraint and a desire of escaping from
the tuition of masters, which brought on the plan of elopement. Oh, Reginald,
how is your judgment enslaved? He scarcely dares even allow
her to be handsome, and when I speak of her beauty,
replies only that her eyes have no brilliancy. Sometimes he
is sure she is deficient and understanding, and at others

(01:00:19):
that her temper only is in fault. In short, when
a person is always to deceive, it is impossible to
be consistent. Lady Susan finds it necessary that Frederica should
be to blame, and probably has sometimes judged it expedient
to excuse her of ill nature, and sometimes to lament
her want of sense. Reginald is only repeating after her ladyship,

(01:00:42):
I remain et cetera, et cetera, Catherine Vernon eighteen from
the same to the same Churchill, my dear mother, I
am very glad to find that my description of Frederica
Vernon has interested you, for I do believe her truly

(01:01:03):
deserving of your regard. And when I have communicated a
notion which has recently struck me, your kind impressions in
her favor, will I am sure be heightened. I cannot
help fancying that she is growing partial to my brother.
I so very often see her eyes fixed on his
face with a remarkable expression of pensive admiration. He is

(01:01:25):
certainly very handsome, and yet more, there is an openness
in his manner that must be highly prepossessing. And I
am sure she feels it so thoughtful and pensive and general.
Her countenance always brightens into a smile when Reginald says
anything amusing. And let the subject be ever so serious
that he may be conversing on, I am much mistaken

(01:01:48):
if a syllable of his uttering escapes her. I want
to make him sensible of all this, For we know
the power of gratitude on such a heart as his,
And could Frederica's artless affection to tell atcham from her mother,
we might bless the day which brought her to Churchhill.
I think, my dear mother, you would not disapprove of
her as a daughter. She is extremely young, to be sure,

(01:02:11):
has had a wretched education and a dreadful example of
levity in her mother. But yet I can pronounce her
disposition to be excellent, and her natural ability is very good.
Though totally without accomplishments, she is by no means so
ignorant as one might expect to find her, being fond
of books and spending the chief of her time in reading,

(01:02:32):
her mother leaves her more to herself than she did,
And I have her with me as much as possible,
and have taken great pains to overcome her timidity. We
are very good friends. And though she never opens her
lips before her mother, she talks enough when alone with
me to make it clear that if properly treated by
Lady Susan, she would always appear to much greater advantage.

(01:02:54):
There cannot be a more gentle, affectionate heart, or more
obliging manners when acting without restraint, and her little cousins
are all very fond of her, Your affectionate daughter see Vernon.

Speaker 2 (01:03:10):
Nineteen. Lady Susan to missus Johnson Churchill. You will be eager,
I know, to hear something further of Frederica, and perhaps
may think me negligent for not writing before she arrived
with her uncle last Thursday fortnight, when, of course I
lost no time in demanding the cause of her behavior,

(01:03:31):
and soon found myself to have been perfectly right in
attributing it to my own letter. The prospect of it
frightened her so thoroughly that, with a mixture of true
girlish perseverance and folly, she resolved on getting out of
the house and proceeding directly by the stage to her
friends the clerks, and had really got as far as

(01:03:52):
the length of two streets in her journey when she
was fortunately missed, pursued, and overtaken. Much was the first
distinguished exploit of Miss Frederica Vernon, and if we consider
that it was achieved at the tender age of sixteen,
we shall have room for the most flattering prognostics of
her future renown. I am excessively provoked, however, at the

(01:04:15):
parade of propriety which prevented Miss Somers from keeping the girl.
And it seems so extraordinary a piece of nicety, considering
my daughter's family connections, that I can only suppose the
lady to be governed by the fear of never getting
her money. Be that as it may. However, Frederica is
returned on my hands, and, having nothing else to employ her,

(01:04:38):
is busy pursuing the plan of romance begun at Langford.
She is actually falling in love with Reginald de Courci.
To disobey her mother by refusing an unexceptionable offer is
not enough. Her affections must also be given without her
mother's approbation. I never saw a girl of her age
bid fairer to the sport of mankind. Her feelings are

(01:05:01):
tolerably acute, and she is so charmingly artless in their
display as to afford the most reasonable hope of her.
Being ridiculous and despised by every man who sees her
artlessness will never do in love matters, and that girl
is born as simpleton, who has it either by nature
or affectation. I am not yet certain that Reginald sees

(01:05:23):
what she is about, nor is it of much consequence.
She is now an object of indifference to him, and
she should be one of contempt were he to understand
her emotions. Her beauty is much admired by the Vernons,
but it has no effect on him. She is in
high favor with her aunt altogether, because she is so
little like myself. Of course, she is exactly the companion

(01:05:47):
for Missus Vernon, who dearly loves to be firm and
to have all the sense and all the wit of
the conversation to herself. Frederica will never eclipse her. When
she first came, I was at some pains to prevent
her seeing much of her aunt. But I have relaxed,
as I believe I may depend on her observing the

(01:06:07):
rules I have laid down for their discourse. But do
not imagine with all this lenity I have for a
moment given up my plan of her marriage. No, I
am unalterably fixed on this point, though I have not
yet quite decided on the manner of bringing it about.
I should not choose to have the business brought on
here and canvassed by the wise heads of mister and

(01:06:30):
Missus Vernon. And I cannot just now afford to go
to town. Miss Frederica must therefore wait a little yours ever,
S Vernon.

Speaker 3 (01:06:43):
Twenty Missus Vernon, to Lady de Cursey Churchill. We have
a very unexpected guest with us at present, my dear mother.
He arrived yesterday. I heard a carriage at the door
as I was sitting with my children when they died,
and supposing I should be wanted, left the nursery soon afterwards,

(01:07:04):
and was half way downstairs when Frederica, as pale as ashes,
came running up and rushed by me into her own room.
I instantly followed and asked her what was the matter? Oh,
said she He is come, Sir James is come, and
what shall I do? This was no explanation. I begged
her to tell me what she meant. At that moment,

(01:07:25):
we were interrupted by a knock on the door. It
was Reginald, who came by Lady Susan's direction to call
Frederica down. It is mister de Cursey, said she, coloring violently.
Mamma has sent for me. I must go. We all
three went down together, and I saw my brother examining
the terrified face of Frederica with surprise. In the breakfast

(01:07:49):
room we found Lady Susan and a young man of
gentlemanlike appearance, whom she introduced by the name of Sir
James Martin, the very person as you may remember, whom
it was said she had been at pains to detach
from miss Mannering, but the conquest, it seems, was not
designed for herself, or she has since transferred it to
her daughter. For Sir James is now desperately in love

(01:08:12):
with Frederica, and with full encouragement from Mamma. The poor girl, however,
I am sure dislikes him, and though his person and
address are very well, he appears both to mister Vernon
and me a very weak young man. Frederica looked so shy,
so confused when we entered the room, that I felt

(01:08:32):
for her exceedingly. Lady Susan behaved with great attention to
her visitor, and yet I thought I could perceive that
she had no particular pleasure in seeing him. Sir James
talked a great deal and made many civil excuses to
me for the liberty he had taken in coming to Churchill,
mixing more frequent laughter with his discourse than the subject required,

(01:08:55):
said many things over and over again, and told Lady
Susan three times that he had seen missus Johnson a
few evenings before. He now and then addressed Frederica, but
more frequently her mother. The poor girl sat all this
time without opening her lips, her eyes cast down, and
her color varying every instant, while Reginald observed all that

(01:09:16):
passed in perfect silence. At length, Lady Susan, weary I
believe of her situation, proposed walking, and we left the
two gentlemen together to put on our palisses. As we
went upstairs, Lady Susan begged permission to attend me for
a few moments in my dressing room, as she was
anxious to speak with me in private. I led her

(01:09:37):
thither accordingly, and as soon as the door was closed,
she said, I was never more surprised in my life
than by Sir James's arrival, and the suddenness of it
requires some apology to you, my dear sister, though to
me as a mother, it is highly flattering.

Speaker 4 (01:09:52):
He is so.

Speaker 3 (01:09:53):
Extremely attached to my daughter that he could not exist
longer without seeing her. Sir James is a young man
of an amiable disposition, an excellent character, a little too
much of the rattle, perhaps, but a year or two
will rectify that. And he is in other respects so
very eligible a match for Frederica that I have always
observed his attachment with the greatest pleasure, and am persuaded

(01:10:16):
that you and my brother will give the alliance your
hearty approbation. I have never before mentioned the likelihood of
its taking place to any one, because I thought that
whilst Frederica continued at school, it had better not be
known to exist. But now as I am convinced that
Frederica is too old ever to submit to school confinement,
and have therefore begun to consider her union with Sir

(01:10:39):
James as not very distant, I had intended within a
few days to acquaint yourself and mister Vernon with the
whole business. I am sure, my dear sister, you will
excuse my remaining silence so long, and agree with me
that such circumstances, while they continue from any cause and suspense,
cannot be too cautiously concealed. When you have the happiness

(01:11:01):
of bestowing your sweet little Catherine some years hence on
a man who, in connection and character is alike unexceptionable,
you will know what I feel now, though, thank Heaven,
you cannot have all my reasons for rejoicing in such
an event. Catherine will be amply provided for, and not
like my Frederica, indebted to a fortunate establishment for the

(01:11:23):
comforts of life. She concluded, by demanding my congratulations, I
gave them somewhat awkwardly, I believe, for in fact, the
sudden disclosure of so important a matter took from me
the power of speaking with any clearness. She thanked me, however,
most affectionately, for my kind concern in the welfare of

(01:11:43):
herself and her daughter, and then said, I am not
apt to deal in professions, my dear missus Vernon, and
I never had the convenient talent of affecting sensations foreign
to my heart, and therefore I trust you will believe
me when I declare that much as I had heard
in your praise, before I knew you, I had no
idea that I should ever love you as I now do.

(01:12:06):
And I must further say that your friendship towards me
is more particularly gratifying, because I have reason to believe
that some attempts were made to prejudice you against me.
I only wish that they, whoever they are, to whom
I am indebted for such kind intentions, could see the
terms on which we now are together and understand the

(01:12:26):
real affection we feel for each other. But I will
not detain you any longer. God bless you for your
goodness to me and my girl, and continue to you
all your present happiness. What can one say of such
a woman, my dear mother, such earnestness, such solemnity of expression,
And yet I cannot help suspecting the truth of everything

(01:12:47):
she says. As for Reginald, I believe he does not
know what to make of the matter. When Sir James came,
he appeared all astonishment and perplexity. The folly of the
young man and the confusion of Frederica entirely engrossed him,
And though a little private discourse with Lady Susan has
since had its effect, he is still hurt, I am

(01:13:08):
sure at her allowing of such a man's attentions to
her daughter. Sir James invited himself, with great composure to
remain here a few days, hoped we would not think
it odd, was aware of its being very impertinent, But
he took the liberty of a relation, and concluded by
wishing with a laugh that he might be really one
very soon. Even Lady Susan seemed a little disconcerted by

(01:13:32):
this forwardness. In her heart, I am persuaded she sincerely
wished him gone, But something must be done for this
poor girl. If her feelings are such as both I
and her uncle believe them to be, she must not
be sacrificed to policy or ambition, and she must not
be left to suffer from the dread of it. The
girl whose heart can distinguish Reginald de Cursey deserves, however,

(01:13:56):
he may slight her a better fate than to be
Sir James Martin wife. As soon as I can get
her alone, I will discover the real truth. But she
seems to wish to avoid me. I hope this does
not proceed from anything wrong, and that I shall not
find out I have thought too well of her. Her
behavior to Sir James certainly speaks the greatest consciousness and embarrassment.

(01:14:18):
But I see nothing in it more like encouragement. Adieu,
my dear mother, yours, et cetera. See Vernon.

Speaker 1 (01:14:27):
And of section three. Lady Susan by Jane Austen. Lady Susan,
Section four. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings

(01:14:48):
are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
please visit LibriVox dot org. Lady Susan by Jane Austen,
Section four.

Speaker 8 (01:15:07):
Miss Vernon read by Kara Shallenberg.

Speaker 2 (01:15:11):
Lady Susan read by Christen Hughes.

Speaker 3 (01:15:15):
Missus Vernon read by Rachel Ellen.

Speaker 8 (01:15:20):
Twenty one. Miss Vernon to mister de Courcy, Sir, I
hope you will excuse this liberty. I am forced upon
it by the greatest distress, or I should be ashamed
to trouble you. I am very miserable about Sir James Martin,
and have no other way in the world of helping

(01:15:41):
myself but by writing to you, for I am forbidden
even speaking to my uncle and aunt on the subject.
And this being the case, I am afraid my applying
to you will appear no better than equivocation, and as
if I attended to the letter and not the spirit
of Mamma's commands. But if you do not take my

(01:16:01):
part and persuade her to break it off, I shall
be half distracted, for I cannot bear him no human being.
But you could have any chance of prevailing with her.
If you will, therefore have the unspeakably great kindness of
taking my part with her and persuading her to send
Sir James away, I shall be more obliged to you

(01:16:24):
than it is possible for me to express I always
disliked him from the first. It is not a sudden fancy,
I assure you, Sir. I always thought him silly and
impertinent and disagreeable, and now he has grown worse than ever.
I would rather work for my bread than marry him.
I do not know how to apologize enough for this letter.

(01:16:47):
I know it is taking so great a liberty. I
am aware how dreadfully angry it will make Mamma, but
I remember the risk I am, Sir, your most humble servant.

Speaker 9 (01:17:01):
F s V.

Speaker 2 (01:17:04):
Twenty two, Lady Susan to missus Johnson Churchill. This is insufferable,
my dearest friend. I was never so enraged before, and
must relieve myself by writing to you, who I know
will enter into all my feelings. Who should come on Tuesday,
But Sir James Martin, guess my astonishment and vexation, For

(01:17:28):
as you well know, I never wished him to be
seen at Churchill. What are pity that you should not
have known his intentions? Not content with coming, he actually
invited himself to remain here a few days. I could
have poisoned him. I made the best of it, however,
and told my story with great success to missus Vernon, who,

(01:17:50):
whatever might be her real sentiments, said nothing in opposition
to mine. I made a point also of Frederica's behaving
civilly to Sir James, and gave her to understand that
I was absolutely determined on her marrying him. She said
something of her misery, but that was all. I have
for some time been more particularly resolved on the match,

(01:18:12):
from seeing the rapid increase of her affection for Reginald,
and from not feeling secure that a knowledge of such
affection might not, in the end awaken a return contemptible
as a regard found it only on compassion must make
them both in my eyes, I felt, by no means
assured that such might not be the consequence. It is

(01:18:33):
true that Reginald has not in any degree grown cool
towards me, But yet he has lately mentioned Frederica spontaneously
and unnecessarily, and once said something in praise of her person.
He was all astonishment at the appearance of my visitor,
and at first observed Sir James with an attention which
I was pleased to see not unmixed with jealousy. But

(01:18:57):
unluckily it was impossible for me really to torment him
as Sir James, though extremely gallant to me, very soon
made the whole party understand that his heart was devoted
to my daughter. I had no great difficulty in convincing
the Corsi, when we were alone, that I was perfectly
justified all things considered in desiring the match, and the

(01:19:21):
whole business seemed most comfortably arranged. They could none of
them help perceiving that Sir James was no Solomon. But
I had positively forbidden Frederica complaining to Charles Vernon or
his wife, and they had therefore no pretense for interference,
though my impertinent sister I believe, wanted only opportunity for

(01:19:42):
doing so. Everything, however, was going on calmly and quietly,
and though I counted the hours of Sir James's stay,
my mind was entirely satisfied with the posture of affairs.
Guess then, what I must feel at the sudden disturbance
of all my schemes, and that too from a quarter

(01:20:02):
where I had least reason to expect it. Reginald came
this morning into my dressing room with a very unusual
solemnity of countenance, and, after some preface, informed me in
so many words, that he wished to reason with me
on the impropriety and unkindness of allowing Sir James Martin
to address my daughter contrary to her inclinations. I was

(01:20:26):
all amazement when I found that he was not to
be laughed out of his design. I calmly begged an explanation,
and desired to know by what he was impelled and
by whom commissioned to reprimand me. He then told me,
mixing in his speech a few insolent compliments and ill
timed expressions of tenderness, to which I listened with perfect indifference,

(01:20:50):
that my daughter had acquainted him with some circumstances concerning herself,
Sir James, and me, which had given him great uneasiness.
In short, I found that she had, in the first place,
actually written to him to request his interference, and that
on receiving her letter, he had conversed with her on
the subject of it, in order to understand the particulars

(01:21:14):
and to assure himself of her real wishes. I have
not a doubt but that the girl took this opportunity
of making downright love to him. I am convinced of
it by the manner in which she spoke of her
much good? May such love do him? I shall ever
despise the man who can be gratified by the passion
which he never wished to inspire, nor solicited the avowal

(01:21:37):
of I shall always detest them both. He can have
no true regard for me, or he would not have
listened to her, And she, with her little rebellious heart
and indelicate feelings, to throw herself into the protection of
a young man with whom she has scarcely ever exchanged
two words before. I am equally confounded at her impudence

(01:22:00):
and his credulity. How dare he believe what she told
him in my disfavor? Ought he not to have felt
assured that I must have unanswerable motives for all that
I had done? Where was his reliance on my sense
and goodness?

Speaker 8 (01:22:14):
Then?

Speaker 2 (01:22:15):
Where the resentment which true love would have dictated against
the person defaming me? That person too, a chit, a
child without talent or education, whom he had been always
taught to despise. I was calm for some time, But
the greatest degree of forbearance may be overcome, and I

(01:22:36):
hope I was afterwards sufficiently keen. He endeavored long endeavored
to soften my resentment. But that woman is a fool indeed,
who while insulted by accusation, can be worked on by compliments.
At length, he left me as deeply provoked as myself,
and he showed his anger more. I was quite cool,

(01:22:58):
but he gave way to the most violent indignation. I
may therefore expect it will the sooner subside, and perhaps
his may be vanished for ever, while mine will be
found still fresh and implacable. He is now shut up
in his apartment. Whither I heard him go on leaving mine.

(01:23:19):
How unpleasant one would think must be his reflections. But
some people's feelings are incomprehensible. I have not yet tranquilized
myself enough to see Frederica. She shall not soon forget
the occurrence of this day. She shall find that she
has poured forth her tender tale of love in vain,

(01:23:39):
and exposed herself forever to the contempt of the whole
world and the severest resentment of her injured mother. Your
affectionate s.

Speaker 3 (01:23:50):
Vernon twenty three. Missus Vernon to Lady de Cursey Churchill.
Let me congratulate you, my dearest mother. The affair which
has given us so much anxiety, is drawing to a
happy conclusion. Our prospect is most delightful. And since matters

(01:24:12):
have now taken so favorable a turn, I am quite
sorry that I ever imparted my apprehensions to you. For
the pleasure of learning that the danger is over is
perhaps dearly purchased by all that you have previously suffered.
I am so much agitated by delight that I can
scarcely hold a pen. But I am determined to send
you a few short lines by James, that you may

(01:24:34):
have some explanation of what must so greatly astonish you
as that Reginald should be returning to Parkland's. I was
sitting about half an hour ago with Sir James in
the breakfast parlor when my brother called me out of
the room. I instantly saw that something was the matter.
His complexion was raised, and he spoke with great emotion.
You know his eager manner, my dear mother, when his

(01:24:56):
mind is interested, Catherine said, he, I am going home
to day. I am sorry to leave you, but I
must go. It is a great while since I have
seen my father and mother. I am going to send
James forward with my hunters immediately. If you have any letter, therefore,
he can take it. I shall not be at home
myself till Wednesday or Thursday, as I shall go through

(01:25:18):
London where I have business. But before I leave you,
he continued, speaking in a lower tone and with still
greater energy, I must warn you of one thing. Do
not let Frederica Vernon be made unhappy by that Martin.
He wants to marry her. Her mother promotes the match,
but she cannot endure the idea of it. Be assured
that I speak from the fullest conviction of truth. Of

(01:25:40):
what I say, I know that Frederica is made wretched
by Sir James's continuing here. She is a sweet girl
and deserves a better fate. Send him away immediately. He
is only a fool. But what her mother can mean
Heaven only knows. Good Bye, he added, shaking my hand
with earnestness. I do not know when you will see
me again, But remember what I tell you of Frederica.

(01:26:03):
You must make it your business to see justice done her.
She is an amiable girl and has a very superior
mind to what we have given her credit for. He
then left me and ran upstairs. I would not try
to stop him, for I know what his feelings must
be the nature of mine. As I listened to him,
I need not attempt to describe. For a minute or two,

(01:26:25):
I remained in the same spot, overpowered by wonder of
a most agreeable sort. Indeed, yet it required some consideration
to be tranquility happy. In about ten minutes after my
return to the parlor, Lady Susan entered the room. I concluded,
of course, that she and Reginald had been quarreling, and
looked with anxious curiosity for a confirmation of my belief

(01:26:47):
in her face, Mistress of deceit. However, she appeared perfectly unconcerned,
and after chatting on indifferent subjects for a short time,
she said to me, I find from Wilson that we
are going to lose mister de Cursey. Is it true
that he leaves Churchill this morning? I replied that it was.

(01:27:07):
He told us nothing of all this last night, said she, laughing,
or even this morning at breakfast. But perhaps he did
not know it himself. Young men are often hasty in
their resolutions, and not more sudden informing than unsteady in
keeping them. I should not be surprised if he were
to change his mind at last, and not go. She

(01:27:28):
soon afterwards left the room. I trust, however, my dear mother,
that we have no reason to fear an alteration of
his present plan. Things have gone too far. They must
have quarreled, and about Frederica too. Her calmness astonishes me.
What delight will be yours in seeing him again, in
seeing him still worthy your esteem, still capable of forming

(01:27:50):
your happiness. When I next write, I shall be able
to tell you that Sir James is gone, Lady Susan vanquished,
and Frederica at peace. We have to do, but it
shall be done. I am all impatience to hear how
this astonishing change was effected. I finish as I began,
with the warmest congratulations yours ever et cetera, cath Vernon

(01:28:17):
twenty four from the same to the same Churchill. Little
did I imagine, my dear mother, when I sent off
my last letter, that the delightful perturbation of spirits I
was then in would undergo so speedy, so melancholy a reverse.
I never can sufficiently regret that I wrote to you

(01:28:39):
at all. Yet who could have foreseen what has happened?
My dear mother? Every hope which made me so happy
only two hours ago, has vanished. The quarrel between Lady
Susan and Reginald is made up, and we are all
as we were before. One point only is gained. Sir
James Martin is dismissed. What are we now to look

(01:29:00):
forward to? I am indeed disappointed. Reginald was all but gone,
his horse was ordered, and all but brought to the door.
Who would not have felt safe for half an hour?
I was in momentary expectation of his departure. After I
had sent off my letter to you, I went to
mister Vernon and sat with him in his room, talking
over the whole matter, and then determined to look for Frederica,

(01:29:23):
whom I had not seen since breakfast. I met her
on the stairs and saw that she was crying. My
dear aunt said she he is going. Mister de Cursey
is going, and it is all my fault. I am
afraid he will be very angry with me, But indeed
I had no idea it would end so, my love,
I replied, do not think it necessary to apologize to

(01:29:46):
me on that account. I shall feel myself under an
obligation to any one who is the means of sending
my brother home because recollecting myself. I know my father
wants very much to see him. But what is it
you have done to occasion all this? She blushed deeply
as she answered, I was so unhappy about Sir James

(01:30:07):
that I could not help. I have done something very wrong,
I know, but you have not an idea of the
misery I have been in. And Mamma had ordered me
never to speak to you or my uncle about it,
and you therefore spoke to my brother to engage his interference,
said I to say, for the explanation, no, but I
wrote to him. I did. Indeed, I got up this

(01:30:29):
morning before it was light and was two hours about it.
And when my letter was done, I thought I never
should have the courage to give it. After breakfast. However,
as I was going to my room, I met him
in the passage, and then, as I knew that everything
must depend on that moment, I forced myself to give it.
He was so good as to take it immediately. I
dared not look at him and ran away directly. I

(01:30:51):
was in such a fright I could hardly breathe. My
dear aunt, you do not know how miserable I have been,
Frederica said, I you ought to have told me all
your distresses. You would have found in me a friend
always ready to assist you. Do you think that your
uncle or I should not have espoused your cause as
warmly as my brother? Indeed, I did not doubt your kindness,

(01:31:15):
said she, coloring again. But I thought mister de Cursey
could do anything with my mother. But I was mistaken.
They have had a dreadful quarrel about it, and he
is going away. Mamma will never forgive me, and I
shall be worse off than ever. No, you shall not,
I replied, In such a point as this, your mother's
prohibition ought not to have prevented your speaking to me

(01:31:37):
on the subject. She has no right to make you unhappy,
and she shall not do it. Your applying, however, to Reginald,
can be productive only of good to all parties. I
believe it is best, as it is depend upon it,
that you shall not be made unhappy any longer. At
that moment, how great was my astonishment at seeing Reginald

(01:31:59):
come out of Lady Susan's dressing room. My heart misgave
me instantly. His confusion at seeing me was very evident.
Frederica immediately disappeared. Are you going, I said, you will
find mister Vernon in his own room. No, Catherine, he replied,
I am not going. Will you let me speak to
you a moment. We went into my room. I find

(01:32:24):
he continued, his confusion increasing as he spoke, that I
have been acting with my usual foolish impetuosity. I have
entirely misunderstood Lady Susan and was on the point of
leaving the house under a false impression of her conduct.
There has been some very great mistake. We have all
been mistaken. I fancy Frederica does not know her mother.

(01:32:45):
Lady Susan means nothing but her good, but she will
not make a friend of her. Lady Susan does not
always know, therefore what will make her daughter happy. Besides,
I could have no right to interfere. Miss Vernon was
mistaken in applying to me. In short, Catherine, everything has
gone wrong, but it is now all happily settled. Lady Susan,

(01:33:07):
I believe wishes to speak to you about it if
you are at leisure. Certainly, I replied, deeply, sighing at
the recital of so lame a story I made no comments, however,
for words would have been vain. Reginald was glad to
get away, and I went to Lady Susan, curious, indeed,
to hear her account of it. Did I not tell you?

(01:33:30):
Said she with a smile, that your brother would not
leave us after all you did, indeed, replied I very gravely.
But I flattered myself. You would be mistaken. I should
not have hazarded such an opinion, returned she, if it
had not. At that moment occurred to me that his
resolution of going might be occasioned by a conversation in

(01:33:52):
which we had been this morning engaged, and which had
ended very much to his dissatisfaction from our not rightly
understanding each other's meaning. This idea struck me at the moment,
and I instantly determined that an accidental dispute in which
I might probably be as much to blame as himself,
should not deprive you of your brother. If you remember,

(01:34:13):
I left the room almost immediately. I was resolved to
lose no time in clearing up those mistakes as far
as I could. The case was this, Frederica has set
herself violently against marrying Sir James, and can your ladyship
wonder that she should cried I with some warmth. Frederica

(01:34:34):
has an excellent understanding, and Sir James has none. I
am at least very far from regretting it, my dear sister,
said she. On the contrary, I am grateful for so
favorable a sign of my daughter's sense. Sir James is
certainly below par. His boyish manners make him appear worse.
And had Frederica possessed the penetration and the abilities which

(01:34:56):
I could have wished in my daughter, or had I
even known her to possess as much as she does,
I should not have been anxious for the match. It
is ought that you should alone be ignorant of your
daughter's sense. Frederica never does justice to herself. Her manners
are shy and childish, And besides, she is afraid of me.

(01:35:16):
During her poor father's life, she was a spoilt child.
The severity which it has since been necessary for me
to show, has alienated her affection. Neither has she any
of that brilliancy of intellect, that genius or vigor of
mind which will force itself forward. Say rather that she
has been unfortunate in her education. Heaven knows, my dearest

(01:35:38):
missus Vernon, how fully I am aware of that, But
I would wish to forget every circumstance that might throw
blame on the memory of one whose name is sacred.
With me here, she pretended to cry, I was out
of patience with her? But what said? I was your
ladyship going to tell me about your disagreement with my
brother itated in an action of my daughters, which equally

(01:36:03):
marks her want of judgment, and the unfortunate dread of
me I have been mentioning, She wrote to mister de Cursey,
I know she did. You had forbidden her speaking to
mister Vernon or to me on the cause of her distress?
What could she do therefore but apply to her brother?
Good God, she exclaimed, What an opinion you must have

(01:36:24):
of me? Can you possibly suppose that I was aware
of her unhappiness, that it was my object to make
my own child miserable, and that I had forbidden her
speaking to you on the subject from a fear of
your interrupting the diabolical scheme? Do you think me destitute
of every honest, every natural feeling? Am I capable of
consigning her to everlasting misery? Whose welfare. It is my

(01:36:46):
first earthly duty to promote the idea is horrible? What then,
was your intention when you insisted on her silence? Of
what use, my dear sister, could be any application to you,
however the affair might stand. Why should I subject you
to entreaties which I refuse to attend to myself. Neither

(01:37:07):
for your sake, nor for hers, nor for my own.
Could such a thing be desirable when my own resolution
was taken, I could not wish for the interference, however
friendly of another person. I was mistaken, it is true,
but I believed myself right. But what was this mistake
to which your ladyship so often alludes from? Whence arose

(01:37:28):
so astonishing a misconception of your daughter's feelings? Did you
not know that she disliked Sir James. I knew that
he was not absolutely the man she would have chosen,
But I was persuaded that her objections to him did
not arise from any perception of his deficiency. You must
not question me, however, my dear sister too minutely on

(01:37:49):
this point, continued, she taking me affectionately by the hand.
I honestly own that there is something to conceal Frederica
makes me very unhappy. Her applying to me, mister de Cursey,
hurt me particularly. What is it you mean to infer,
said I by this appearance of mystery? If you think
your daughter at all attached to Reginald? Her objecting to

(01:38:11):
Sir James could not less deserve to be attended to
than if the cause of her objecting had been a
consciousness of his folly. And why should your ladyship at
any rate quarrel with my brother for an interference which
you must know it is not in his nature to
refuse when urged in such a manner. His disposition, you know,

(01:38:32):
is warm, and he came to expostulate with me his
compassion all alive for this ill used girl, this heroine
in distress. We misunderstood each other. He believed me more
to blame than I really was. I considered his interference
less excusable than I now find it. I have a
real regard for him, and was beyond expression mortified to

(01:38:53):
find it, as I thought so Ill bestowed. We were
both warm, and of course both to blame. His resolution
of leaving Churchill is consistent with his general eagerness. When
I understood his intention. However, and at the same time
began to think that we had been perhaps equally mistaken
in each other's meaning. I resolved to have an explanation

(01:39:15):
before it was too late for any member of your family.
I must always feel a degree of affection, and I
own it would have sensibly hurt me if my acquaintance
with mister de Cursey had ended so gloomily. I have
now only to say further that as I am convinced
of Frederica's having a reasonable dislike of Sir James, I

(01:39:35):
shall instantly inform him that he must give up all
hope of her. I reproach myself for having, even though innocently,
made her unhappy. On that score, she shall have all
the retribution in my power to make if she value
her own happiness as much as I do. If she
judge wisely and command herself as she ought, she may
now be easy excuse me, my dearest sister, for thus

(01:39:58):
trespassing on your time. But I owe it to my
own character. And after this explanation, I trust I am
in no danger of sinking in your opinion. I could
have said not much, indeed, but I left her almost
in silence. It was the greatest stretch of forbearance I
could practice. I could not have stopped myself had I

(01:40:19):
begun her assurance, her deceit. But I will not allow
myself to dwell on them. They will strike you sufficiently.
My heart sickens within me. As soon as I was
tolerably composed, I returned to the parlor. Sir James's carriage
was at the door, and he merry as usual. Soon
afterwards took his leave. How easily does her ladyship encourage

(01:40:42):
or dismiss a lover. In spite of this release, Frederica
still looks unhappy, still fearful perhaps of her mother's anger,
and though dreading my brother's departure, jealous it may be,
of his staying. I see how closely she observes him,
and Lady Susan poor girl. I have now no hope
for her. There is not a chance of her affection

(01:41:03):
being returned. He thinks very differently of her from what
he used to do. He does her some justice, but
his reconciliation with her mother precludes every dearer hope. Prepare
my dear mother for the worst. The probability of their
marrying is surely heightened. He is more securely hers than
ever when that wretched event takes place, Frederica must belong

(01:41:25):
wholly to us. I am thankful that my last letter
will precede this by so little as every moment that
you can be saved from feeling a joy which leads
only to disappointment is of consequence yours ever, et cetera.
Catherine Vernon.

Speaker 1 (01:41:43):
And of section four. Lady Susan by Jane Austen, Lady Susan,
Section five. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings

(01:42:05):
are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
please visit LibriVox dot org. Lady Susan by Jane Austen,
Section five.

Speaker 2 (01:42:23):
Lady Susan read by Kristin Hughes.

Speaker 5 (01:42:27):
Missus Johnson read by Kirsten.

Speaker 3 (01:42:29):
Ferrari, Missus Vernon read by Rachel Ellen.

Speaker 2 (01:42:37):
Twenty five Lady Susan to Missus Johnson Churchill. I call
on you, dear Licia, for congratulations. I am my own
self gay and triumphant. When I wrote to you the
other day, I was in truth, in high irritation, and
with ample cause. Nay, I know not whether I ought

(01:42:59):
to be quite tranquil now, for I have had more
trouble in restoring peace than I ever intended to submit
to a spirit too, resulting from a fancied sense of
superior integrity which is peculiarly insolent, I shall not easily
forgive him. I assure you, he was actually on the

(01:43:19):
point of leaving Churchill. I had scarcely concluded my last
when Wilson brought me word of it. I found therefore
that something must be done, For I did not choose
to leave my character at the mercy of a man
whose passions are so violent and so revengeful. It would
have been trifling with my reputation to allow of his

(01:43:41):
departing with such an impression in my disfavor. In this light,
condescension was necessary. I sent Wilson to say that I
desired to speak with him before he went. He came immediately.
The angry emotions which had marked every feature when we
last parted partially subdued. He seemed astonished at the summons,

(01:44:04):
and looked as if half wishing and half fearing to
be softened by what I might say. If my countenance
expressed what I aimed at. It was composed and dignified,
and yet with a degree of pensiveness which might convince
him that I was not quite happy. I beg your pardon, sir,
for the liberty I have taken in sending for you,

(01:44:25):
said I. But as I have just learnt your intention
of leaving this place to day, I feel it my
duty to entreat that you will not, on my account
short in your visit here even an hour. I am
perfectly aware that after what has passed between us, it
would ill suit the feelings of either to remain longer
in the same house. So very great, so total a

(01:44:48):
change from the intimacy of friendship must render any future
intercourse the severest punishment, and your resolution of quitting Churchill
is undoubtedly in unison with situation and with those lively
feelings which I know you to possess. But at the
same time, it is not for me to suffer such

(01:45:09):
a sacrifice as it must be to leave relations to
whom you are so much attached and are so very dear.
My remaining here cannot give that pleasure to mister and
missus vernon which your society must, and my visit has
already perhaps been too long. My removal, therefore, which must

(01:45:29):
at any rate take place soon, may, with perfect convenience
be hastened. And I make it my particular request that
I may not in any way be instrumental in separating
a family so affectionately attached to each other. Where I
go is of no consequence to any one, of very
little to myself. But you are of importance to all

(01:45:51):
your connections. Here I concluded, and I hope you will
be satisfied with my speech. Its effect on reginal justifies
some portion of vanity, for it was no less favorable
than instantaneous. Oh how delightful it was to watch the
variations of his countenance while I spoke, to see the

(01:46:12):
struggle between returning tenderness and the remains of displeasure. There
is something agreeable in feelings so easily worked on. Not
that I envy him their possession, nor would for the
world have such myself, but they are very convenient when
one wishes to influence the passions of another. And yet
this reginald, whom a very few words from me, softened

(01:46:35):
at once into the utmost submission, and rendered more tractable,
more attached, more devoted than ever would have left me.
In the first angry swelling of his proud heart without
deigning to seek an explanation. Humbled as he is now,
I cannot forgive him such an instance of pride, and
am doubtful whether I ought not to punish him by

(01:46:58):
dismissing him at once after this reconciliation, or by marrying
and teasing him forever. But these measures are each too
violent to be adopted without some deliberation. At present, my
thoughts are fluctuating between various schemes. I have many things
to compass. I must punish Frederica, and pretty severely too,

(01:47:21):
for her application to Reginald. I must punish him for
receiving it so favorably, and for the rest of his conduct.
I must torment my sister in law for the insolent
triumph of her look and manner. Since Sir James has
been dismissed for in reconciling Reginald to me, I was
not able to save that ill fated young man, and

(01:47:43):
I must make myself amends for the humiliation to which
I have stooped within these few days. To effect all this,
I have various plans. I have also an idea of
being soon in town, and whatever may be my determination
as to the rest, I shall probably put that project
in execution, for London will be always the fairest field

(01:48:07):
of action. However my views may be directed, and at
any rate I shall there be rewarded by your society
and a little dissipation for a ten weeks penance at Churchill.
I believe I owe it to my character to complete
the match between my daughter and Sir James, after having
so long intended it. Let me know your opinion on

(01:48:30):
this point. Flexibility of mind, a disposition easily biased by others,
is an attribute which you know I am not very
desirous of obtaining. Nor has Frederica any claimed to the
indulgence of her notions at the expense of her mother's inclinations.
Her idle love for Reginald. Too, it is surely my

(01:48:51):
duty to discourage such romantic nonsense. All things considered, therefore,
it seems incumbent on me to take her to and
marry her immediately to Sir James, when my own will
is affected contrary to his, I shall have some credit
in being on good terms with Reginald, which at present

(01:49:11):
in fact I have not, for though he is still
in my power, I have given up the very article
by which our qull was produced, and at best the
honor of victory is doubtful. Send me your opinion on
all these matters, my dear Alicia, and let me know
whether you can get lodgings to suit me within a
short distance of you, Your most attached s Vernon.

Speaker 5 (01:49:37):
Twenty six, missus Johnson to Lady Susan Edward Street. I
am gratified by your reference, and this is my advice
that you come to town yourself without loss of time,
but that you leave Frederica behind. It would surely be
much more to the purpose to get yourself well established
by marrying mister de Cursey than to irritate him and

(01:50:00):
the rest of his family by making her Mary. Sir James,
you should think more of yourself and less of your daughter.
She is not of a disposition to do you credit
in the world, and seems precisely in her proper place
at Churchill with the Vernons. But you are fitted for society,
and it is shameful to have you exiled from it.

(01:50:21):
Leave Frederica therefore, to punish herself for the plague she
has given you by indulging that romantic tender heartedness which
will always insure her misery enough and come to London
as soon as you can. I have another reason for
urging this. Mannering came to town last week and has contrived,
in spite of mister Johnson, to make opportunities of seeing me.

(01:50:43):
He is absolutely miserable about you, and jealous to such
a degree of De Cursey that it would be highly
unadvisable for them to meet at present. And yet if
you do not allow him to see you here, I
cannot answer for his not committing some great imprudence, such
as going to Churchill, for instance, which would be dreadful. Besides,
if you take my advice and resolved to marry De Cursey,

(01:51:07):
it will be indispensably necessary to you to get Mannering
out of the way, and you only can have influence
enough to send him back to his wife. I have
still another motive for your coming. Mister Johnson leaves London
next Tuesday. He is going for his health to Bath, where,
if the waters are favorable to his constitution and my wishes,

(01:51:27):
he will be laid up with the gout many weeks.
During his absence. We shall be able to choose our
own society and to have true enjoyment I would ask
you to Edward Street, but that once he forced from
me a kind of promise never to invite you to
my house. Nothing but my being in the utmost distress
for money, should have extorted it from me. I can

(01:51:47):
get you, however, a nice drawing room apartment in upper
Seymour Street, and we may be always together there or here.
For I consider my promise to mister Johnson as comprehending
only at least in his absence. You're not sleeping in
the house. Poor mannering gives me such histories of his
wife's jealousy. Silly woman to expect constancy from so charming

(01:52:08):
a man, But she always was silly, intolerably so in
marrying him at all. She the heiress of a large fortune,
and he without a shilling one title I know she
might have had besides baronet's. Her folly informing the connection
was so great that though mister Johnson was her guardian,
and I do not in general share his feelings, I

(01:52:28):
never can forgive her Adieu yours ever, Alicia.

Speaker 3 (01:52:34):
Twenty seven, missus Vernon too, lady to Cursey Churchill. This letter,
my dear mother, will be brought to you by Reginald.
His long visit is about to be concluded at last,
but I fear the separation takes place too late to
do us any good. She is going to London to

(01:52:55):
see her particular friend, Missus Johnson. It was at first
her intention that Frederica should accompany her for the benefit
of masters, but we overruled her there. Frederica was wretched
in the idea of going, and I could not bear
to have her at the mercy of her mother. Not
all the masters in London could compensate for the ruin
of her comfort. I should have feared too, for her

(01:53:18):
health and for everything but her principles. There I believe
she is not to be injured by her mother or
her mother's friends. But with those friends she must have
mixed a very bad set. I doubt not or have
been left in total solitude, And I can hardly tell
which would have been worse for her. If she is
with her mother. Moreover, she must alas in all probability,

(01:53:40):
be with Reginald, and that would be the greatest evil
of all. Here we shall in time be in peace,
and our regular employments, our books and conversations, with exercise,
the children, and every domestic pleasure in my power to
procure her will I trust gradually overcome this youthful attachment.

(01:54:00):
I should not have a doubt of it were she
slighted for any other woman in the world than her
own mother. How long Lady Susan will be in town,
or whether she returns here again, I know not. I
could not be cordial in my invitation, but if she
chooses to come, no want of cordiality on my part
will keep her away. I could not help asking Reginald

(01:54:21):
if he intended being in London this winter as soon
as I found her, Ladyship's steps would be bent thither.
And though he professed himself quite undetermined, there was something
in his look and voice as he spoke which contradicted
his words. I have done with lamentation. I look upon
the event as so far decided that I resign myself
to it in despair. If he leaves you soon for London,

(01:54:44):
everything will be concluded, your affectionate, et cetera. See Vernon.

Speaker 5 (01:54:51):
Twenty eight. Missus Johnson to Lady Susan Edward Street, My
dearest friend, I've write in the greatest the most unfortunate
event has just taken place. Mister Johnson has hit on
the most effectual manner of plaguing us all He had
heard I imagine, by some means or other, that you
were soon to be in London, and immediately contrived to

(01:55:14):
have such unattack of the gout as must at least
delay his journey to Bath, if not wholly prevent it.
I am persuaded the gout is brought on or kept
off at pleasure. It was the same when I wanted
to join the Hamiltons to the Lakes, and three years ago,
when I had a fancy for Bath, nothing could induce
him to have a gouty symptom. I am pleased to

(01:55:34):
find that my letter had so much effect on you,
and that De Coursey is certainly your own. Let me
hear from you as soon as you arrive, and in
particular tell me what you mean to do with mannering.
It is impossible to say when I shall be able
to come to you. My confinement must be great. It
is such an abominable trick to be ill here instead
of at Bath, that I can scarcely command myself at all.

(01:55:57):
At Bath his old aunts would have nursed him. But
here it all falls upon me, and he bears pain
with such patience that I have not the common excuse
for losing my temper. Yours ever, Alicia.

Speaker 2 (01:56:10):
Twenty nine, Lady Susan Vernon to missus Johnson, Upper Seymour Street.
My dear Alicia, then needed not this last fit of
gout to make me detest mister Johnson. But now the
extent of my aversion is not to be estimated to
have you confined as his nurse in his apartment. My

(01:56:32):
dear Alicia, of what a mistake were you guilty in
marrying a man of his age, just old enough to
be formal, ungovernable, and to have the gout, too old
to be agreeable, too young to die. I arrived last
night about five, had scarcely swallowed my dinner when Mannering

(01:56:52):
made his appearance. I will not dissemble what real pleasure
his sight afforded me, nor how strongly I have felt
the contrast between his person and manners and those of Reginald,
to the infinite disadvantage of the latter. For an hour
or two I was even staggered in my resolution of

(01:57:12):
marrying him. And though this was too idle and nonsensical
an idea to remain long on my mind, I do
not feel very eager for the conclusion of my marriage,
nor look forward with much impatience to the time when Reginald,
according to our agreement, is to be in town. I
shall probably put off his arrival under some pretense or other.

(01:57:36):
He must not come till Mannering is gone. I am
still doubtful at times as to marrying. If the old
man would die, I might not hesitate. But a state
of dependence on the caprice of Sir Reginald will not
suit the freedom of my spirit, And if I resolved
to wait for that event, I shall have excuse enough

(01:57:57):
at present, In having been scarcely ten mons a widow,
I have not given Mannering any hint of my intention,
or allowed him to consider my acquaintance with Reginald as
more than the commonest flirtation, and he is tolerably appeased.
Adieu till we meet. I am enchanted with my lodgings.

(01:58:19):
Yours ever, s Vernon thirty, Lady Susan Vernon to mister
de Courcy, Upper Seymour Street. I have received your letter,
and though I do not attempt to conceal that, I
am gratified by your impatience for the hour of meeting.
I yet feel myself under the necessity of delaying that

(01:58:42):
hour beyond the time originally fixed. Do not think me
unkind for such an exercise of my power, nor accuse
me of instability without first hearing my reasons. In the
course of my journey from Churchill, I had an ample
leisure for reflection on the present state of our affairs,

(01:59:02):
and every review has served to convince me that they
require a delicacy and cautiousness of conduct to which we
have hitherto been too little attentive. We have been hurried
on by our feelings to a degree of precipitation which
ill accords with the claims of our friends or the
opinion of the world. We have been unguarded in forming

(01:59:24):
this hasty engagement. But we must not complete the imprudence
by ratifying it, while there is so much reason to
fear the connection would be opposed by those friends on
whom you depend. It is not for us to blame
any expectations on your father's side of your marrying to advantage.
Where possessions are so extensive as those of your family,

(01:59:48):
the wish of increasing them, if not strictly reasonable, is
too common to excite surprise or resentment. He has a
right to require a woman of fortune in his daughter
in law, And I am some times quarreling with myself
for suffering you to form a connection so imprudent. But
the influence of reason is often acknowledged too late by

(02:00:09):
those who feel like me. I have now been but
a few months a widow, and however little indebted to
my husband's memory for any happiness derived from him during
a union of some years. I cannot forget that the
indelicacy of so early a second marriage must subject me
to the censure of the world, and incur what would

(02:00:30):
be still more insupportable the displeasure of mister Vernon. I
might perhaps harden myself in time against the injustice of
general reproach, But the loss of his valued esteem I am,
as you well know, ill fitted to endure. And when
to this may be added the consciousness of having injured
you with your family, how am I to support myself

(02:00:55):
with feelings so poignant as mine. The conviction of having
divided the son from his parents would make me, even
with you, the most miserable of beings. It will surely
therefore be advisable to delay our union, to delay it
till appearances are more promising, till affairs have taken a
more favorable turn to assist us in such a resolution.

(02:01:19):
I feel that absence will be necessary. We must not
meet cruel as this sentence may appear. The necessity of
pronouncing it, which can alone reconcile it to myself, will
be evident to you. When you have considered our situation
in the light in which I have found myself imperiously
obliged to place it, You may be you must be

(02:01:44):
well assured that nothing but the strongest conviction of duty
could induce me to wound my own feelings by urging
a lengthened separation, and of insensibility to yours, you will
hardly suspect me again. Therefore, I say that we ought not,
we must not yet meet. By a removal of some

(02:02:05):
months from each other, we shall tranquilize the sisterly fears
of missus. Vernon, who accustomed herself to the enjoyment of riches,
considers fortune as necessary everywhere, and those sensibilities are not
of a nature to comprehend ours. Let me hear from
you soon, very soon, tell me that you submit to

(02:02:26):
my arguments and do not reproach me for using such.
I cannot bear reproaches. My spirits are not so high
as to need being repressed. I must endeavor to seek amusement,
and fortunately many of my friends are in town, amongst
them the mannerings you know how sincerely I regard both

(02:02:49):
husband and wife. I am very faithfully yours, s Vernon
thirty one, Lady Susan to missus Johnson, Upper Seymour Street,
My dear friend, that tormenting creature, Reginald is here. My letter,

(02:03:10):
which was intended to keep him longer in the country,
has hastened him to town. Much as I wish him away. However,
I cannot help being pleased with such a proof of attachment.
He is devoted to me heart and soul. He will
carry this note himself, which is to serve as an
introduction to you, with whom he longs to be acquainted.

(02:03:32):
Allow him to spend the evening with you. That I
may be in no danger of his returning here. I
have told him that I am not quite well and
must be alone, and should he call again, there might
be confusion, for it is impossible to be sure of
servants keep him. Therefore, I entreat you in Edward's street.

(02:03:52):
You will not find him a heavy companion, and I
allow you to flirt with him as much as you like.
At the same time, do not forget my real interest.
Say all that you can to convince him that I
shall be quite wretched if he remains here. You know
my reasons, propriety and so forth. I would urge them

(02:04:12):
more myself, but that I am impatient to be rid
of him, as mannering comes within half an hour. Adieu
s Vernon.

Speaker 1 (02:04:24):
And of section five. Lady Susan by Jane Austen. Lady Susan,
Section six. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings

(02:04:46):
are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
please visit LibriVox dot org. Lady Susan by Jane Austen,
Section six.

Speaker 5 (02:05:05):
Missus Johnson read by Kirsten Ferrari.

Speaker 2 (02:05:08):
Lady Susan read by Kristin Hughes.

Speaker 4 (02:05:12):
Mister de Courcy read by Patrick Beverly.

Speaker 7 (02:05:16):
Lady de Coursey read by Gazina.

Speaker 3 (02:05:19):
Missus Vernon read by Rachel Ellen.

Speaker 9 (02:05:24):
Conclusion read by Justin Barrett.

Speaker 5 (02:05:28):
Thirty two. Missus Johnson to Lady Susan Edward Street, My
dear creature, I am in agonies and know not what
to do. Mister de Cursey arrived just when he should
not missus. Mannering had that instant entered the house and
forced herself into her guardian's presence, though I did not

(02:05:49):
know a syllable of it till afterwards, for I was
out when both she and Reginald came, or I should
have sent him away at all events, but she was
shut up with mister Johnson while he waited in the
drawing room for me. She arrived yesterday in pursuit of
her husband, but perhaps you know this already from himself.
She came to this house to entreat my husband's interference,

(02:06:10):
and before I could be aware of it, everything that
you could wish to be concealed was known to him,
And unluckily she had wormed out of Mannering servant that
he had visited you every day since your being in town,
and had just watched him to your door herself. What
could I do? Facts of such horrid things all is
by this time known to de Cursey, who is now

(02:06:32):
alone with mister Johnson. Do not accuse me, indeed, it
was impossible to prevent it. Mister Johnson has for some
time suspected De Cursey of intending to marry you, and
would speak with him alone as soon as he knew
him to be in the house. That detestable Missus Mannering,
who for your comfort has fretted herself thinner and uglier

(02:06:52):
than ever, is still here, and they have been all
closeted together. What can be done at any rate? I
hope he will plague his wife more than ever with
anxious wishes. Yours faithfully, Alicia.

Speaker 2 (02:07:07):
Thirty three, Lady Susan to Missus Johnson, up per Seymour Street.
Their Claersius More is rather provoking. How unlucky that you
should have been from home? I thought myself sure of
you at seven. I am undismayed. However, do not torment
yourself with fears. On my account, depend on it. I

(02:07:29):
can make my story good. With Reginald Mannering is just gone.
He brought me the news of his wife's arrival. Silly woman.
What does she expect by such maneuvers? Yet? I wish
she had stayed quietly at Langford. Reginald will be a
little enraged at first, but by to morrow's dinner. Everything
will be well again. Adieu s v.

Speaker 4 (02:07:54):
Thirty four, Mister de Courcy to Lady Susan, Hotel. I
write only to bid you farewell. The spell is removed.
I see you as you are since we parted yesterday.
I have received from indisputable authority such a history of
you as must bring the most mortifying conviction of the

(02:08:14):
imposition I have been under, and the absolute necessity of
an immediate and eternal separation from you. You cannot doubt
to what I allude, Langford, Langford, that word will be sufficient.
I received my information in mister Johnson's house from missus
Mannering herself. You know how I have loved you. You

(02:08:35):
can intimately judge of my present feelings. But I am
not so weak as to find indulgence in describing them
to a woman who will glory in having excited their anguish,
but whose affection they have never been able to gain.
Ah de Course.

Speaker 2 (02:08:53):
Thirty five, Lady Susan to mister de Courcy, uper Seymour Street.
I will not attempt to describe my astonishment in reading
the note this moment received from you. I am bewildered
in my endeavors. To form some rational conjecture of what
Missus Mannering can have told you to occasion so extraordinary

(02:09:14):
a change in your sentiments. Have I not explained everything
to you with respect to myself which could bear a
doubtful meaning, and which the ill nature of the world
had interpreted to my discredit? What can you now have
heard to stagger your esteem for me? Have I ever
had a concealment from you? Reginald? You agitate me beyond expression.

(02:09:38):
I cannot suppose that the old story of Missus Mannering's
jealousy can be revived again, or at least be listened
to again. Come to me immediately and explain what is
at present absolutely incomprehensible. Believe me, the single word of
Langford is not of such potent intelligence as to supersede

(02:09:59):
thensess necessity of more. If we are to part, it
will at least be handsome to take your personal leave.
But I have little heart to jest. In truth, I
am serious enough for to be sunk, though, but for
an hour in your esteem is a humiliation to which
I know not how to submit. I shall count every

(02:10:22):
minute till your arrival s V.

Speaker 4 (02:10:28):
Thirty six. Mister de courcy to Lady Susan Hotel. Why
would you write to me? Why do you require particulars?
But since it must be so, I am obliged to
declare that all the accounts of your misconduct during the
life and since the death of mister Vernon, which had
reached me in common with the world in general, and

(02:10:50):
gained my entire belief before I saw you, but which you,
by the exertion of your perverted abilities, had made me
resolved to disallow, have been unanswerably proved to me. Nay more,
I am assured that a connection of which I had
never before entertained a thought, has for some time existed,
and still continues to exist between you and the man

(02:11:14):
whose family you robbed of its peace in return for
the hospitality with which you were received into It that
you have corresponded with him ever since you are leaving Langford,
not with his wife, but with him, and that he
now visits you every day? Can you Dare you deny it?
And all this at the time when I was an

(02:11:34):
encouraged an accepted lover from what have I not escaped?
I have only to be grateful. Far from me be
all complaint, every sigh of regret my own folly had
endangered me my preservation I owe to the kindness the
integrity of another. But the unfortunate missus Mannering, whose agonies,

(02:11:56):
while she related the past, seemed to threaten her reason?
How is she to be consoled after such a discovery
as this? You will scarcely affect further? Wonder at my
meaning in bidding you adieu. My understanding is at length restored,
and teaches no less to abhor the artifices which had
subdued me than to despise myself for the weakness on

(02:12:19):
which their strength was founded. Our de Courci.

Speaker 2 (02:12:25):
Thirty seven, Lady Susan to mister de Courcy, up a
Seymour Street. I am satisfied and will trouble you no
more when these few lines are dismissed. The engagement which
you were eager to form a fortnight ago is no
longer compatible with your views, and I rejoice to find
that the prudent advice of your parents has not been

(02:12:47):
given in vain. Your restoration to peace, will I doubt
not speedily follow this act of filial obedience, And I
flatter myself with the hope of surviving my share in
this disappointment and s.

Speaker 5 (02:13:01):
V thirty eight. Missus Johnson to Lady Susan Vernon Edward Street.
I am grieved, though I cannot be astonished at your
rupture with mister de Cursey. He has just informed mister
Johnson of it by letter he leaves London. He says,
to day be assured that I partake in all your feelings,

(02:13:24):
and do not be angry If I say that our intercourse,
even by letter, must soon be given up. It makes
me miserable. But mister Johnson bows that if I persist
in the connection, he will settle in the country for
the rest of his life. And you know it is
impossible to submit to such an extremity while any other
alternative remains. You have heard, of course, that the Mannerings

(02:13:44):
are to part, and I am afraid Missus m will
come home to us again. But she is still so
fond of her husband and frets so much about him,
that perhaps she may not live long. Miss Mannering is
just come to town to be with her aunt, and
they say that she she will have Sir James Martin
before she leaves London again. If I were you, I
would certainly get him myself. I had almost forgot to

(02:14:07):
give you my opinion of mister de Cursey. I am
really delighted with him. He is full as handsome, I
think as mannering, and with such an open, good humored
countenance that one cannot help loving him at first sight.
Mister Johnson and he are the greatest friends in the world. Adieu,
my dear Susan. I wish matters did not go so
perversely that unlucky visit to Langford, But I dare say

(02:14:30):
you did all for the best, and there is no
defying destiny. You are sincerely attached.

Speaker 2 (02:14:36):
Alicia thirty nine, Lady Susan to missus Johnson, up a
Seymour Street. My dear Alicia, I yield to the necessity
which parts us under circumstances you could not act otherwise.
Our friendship cannot be impaired by it, and in happier times,

(02:14:57):
when your situation is as independent as mine, it will
unite us again in the same intimacy as ever. For
this I shall impatiently wait, and meanwhile can safely assure
you that I never was more at ease or better
satisfied with myself and everything about me than at the
present hour. Your husband I abhor Reginald. I despise, and

(02:15:23):
I am secure of never seeing either again. Have I
not reason to rejoice? Mannering is more devoted to me
than ever, And were we at liberty, I doubt if
I could resist even matrimony offered by him this event.
If his wife live with you, it may be in

(02:15:43):
your power to hasten the violence of her feelings, which
must wear her out, may be easily kept in irritation.

Speaker 3 (02:15:52):
I rely on.

Speaker 2 (02:15:52):
Your friendship for this. I am now satisfied that I
never could have brought myself to marry Reginald, and am
equally determined that Frederica never shall. To morrow, I shall
fetch her from Churchill, and let Mariah Mannering tremble. For
the consequence, Frederica shall be Sir James's wife before she

(02:16:13):
quits my house, and she may whimper, and the vernons
may storm. I regard them not. I am tired of
submitting my will to the caprices of others, of resigning
my own judgment in deference to those to whom I
owe no duty and for whom I feel no respect.
I have given up too much, have been too easily

(02:16:35):
worked on. But Frederica shall now feel the difference. Adieu,
dearest of friends. May the next gouty attack be more favorable,
and may you always regard me as unalterably yours, s Vernon.

Speaker 7 (02:16:52):
Forty, Lady de Coursey, to missus Vernon, My dear Catherine,
I have charmed news for you, and if I had
not sent off my letter this morning, you might have
been spared the vexation of knowing of Reginald's being gone
to London, For he is returned. Reginald is returned not

(02:17:13):
to ask our consent to his marrying Lady Susan, but
to tell us they are parted forever. He has been
only an hour in the house, and I have not
been able to learn particulars, for he is so very
low that I have not the heart to ask questions.
But I hope we shall soon know all. This is
the most joyful hour he has ever given us since

(02:17:34):
the day of his birth. Nothing is wanting but to
have you here, and it is our particular wish and
entreaty that you would come to us as soon as
you can. You have owed us a visit many long weeks.
I hope nothing will make it inconvenient to mister Vernon,
and pray bring all my grandchildren and your dear nieces included.
Of course I long to see her. It has been

(02:17:57):
a sad, heavy winter hitherto without Reginald and seeing nobody
from Churchill. I never found the season so dreary before.
But this happy meeting will make us young again. Frederica
runs much in my thoughts, And when Reginald has recovered
his usual good spirits, as I trust he soon will,
we will try to rob him of his heart once more.

(02:18:19):
And I am full of hopes of seeing their hands
joined at no great distance. Your affectionate mother, c. De Corsi.

Speaker 3 (02:18:30):
Forty one, Missus Vernon to Lady de Cursey Churchill, My
dear mother, Your letter has surprised me beyond measure. Can
it be true that they are really separated?

Speaker 1 (02:18:45):
And for ever?

Speaker 3 (02:18:47):
I should be overjoyed if I dared depend upon it.
But after all that I have seen, how can one
be secure and Reginald really with you? My surprise is
the greater because on Wednesday, the very day of his
coming to Parklands, we had a most unexpected and unwelcome
visit from Lady Susan, looking all cheerfulness and good humor,
and seeming more as if she were to marry him

(02:19:08):
when she got to London than as if parted from
him forever. She stayed nearly two hours, was as affectionate
and agreeable as ever, and not as syllable. Not a
hint was dropped of any disagreement or coolness between them.
I asked her whether she had seen my brother since
his arrival in town, not as you may suppose, with
any doubt of the fact, but merely to see how

(02:19:30):
she looked. She immediately answered, without any embarrassment, that he
had been kind enough to call on her on Monday,
but she believed he had already returned home, which I
was very far from crediting. Your kind invitation is accepted
by us with pleasure, and on Thursday next we and
our little ones will be with you. Pray heaven. Reginald

(02:19:50):
may not be in town again by that time. I
wish we could bring dear Frederica too, But I am
sorry to say that her mother's errand hither was to
fetch her away, and miserable as it made the poor girl,
it was impossible to detain her. I was thoroughly unwilling
to let her go, and so was her uncle, and
all that could be urged we did urge. But Lady

(02:20:11):
Susan declared that as she was now about to fix
herself in London for several months, she could not be
easy if her daughter were not with her. For masters,
et cetera. Her manner, to be sure, was very kind
and proper. And mister Vernon believes that Frederica will now
be treated with affection. I wish I could think so too.
The poor girl's heart was almost broke at taking leave

(02:20:34):
of us. I charged her to write to me very often,
and to remember that if she were in any distress,
we should be always her friends. I took care to
see her alone that I might say all this, and
I hope made her a little more comfortable. But I
shall not be easy till I can go to town
and judge of her situation myself. I wish there were

(02:20:54):
a better prospect than now appears of the match which
the conclusion of your letter declares your expectations of. At present,
it is not very likely, yours, etera, et cetera. See Vernon.

Speaker 9 (02:21:08):
This correspondence. By a meeting between some of the parties
and a separation between the others, could not to the
great detriment of the post office revenue be continued any longer.
Very little assistance to the state could be derived from
the epistolary intercourse of missus Vernon and her niece, For
the former soon perceived by the style of Frederica's letters

(02:21:29):
that they were written under her mother's inspection, and therefore
deferring all particular inquiry till she could make it personally
in London, ceased writing minutely or often, having learnt enough
in the meanwhile from her open hearted brother of what
had passed between him and Lady Susan to sink the
latter lower than ever. In her opinion, she was proportionably
more anxious to get Frederica removed from such a mother

(02:21:52):
and placed under her own care, and, though with little
hope of success, was resolved to leave nothing unattempted that
might offer chance of obtaining her sister in law's consent
to it. Her anxiety on the subject made her press
for an early visit to London, and mister Vernon, who,
as it must already have appeared, lived only to do
whatever he was desired, soon found some accommodating business to

(02:22:15):
call him thither with a heart full of the matter.
Missus Vernon waited on Lady Susan shortly after her arrival
in town, and was met with such an easy and
cheerful affection as made her almost turn from her with horror.
No remembrance of Reginald, no consciousness of guilt, gave one
look of embarrassment. She was in excellent spirits and seemed
eager to show at once by ever possible attention to

(02:22:37):
her brother and sister her sense of their kindness and
her pleasure in their society. Frederica was no more altered
than Lady Susan. The same restrained manners, the same timid
look in the presence of her mother, as hereto four
assured her Aunt of her situation being uncomfortable, and confirmed
her in the plan of altering it. No one kindness, however,

(02:22:58):
on the part of Lady Susan. Susan appeared persecution. On
the subject of Sir James was entirely at an end.
His name merely mentioned to say that he was not
in London, and indeed, in all her conversation she was
solicitous only for the welfare and improvement of her daughter,
acknowledging in terms of grateful delight that Frederica was now
growing every day more and more what a parent could desire.

(02:23:22):
Missus Vernon, surprised and incredulous, knew not what to suspect,
and without any change in her own views, only feared
a greater difficulty in accomplishing them. The first hope of
anything better was derived from Lady Susan's asking her whether
she thought Frederica looked quite as well as she had
done at Churchill. As she must confess herself to have

(02:23:42):
sometimes an anxious doubt of London's Perfectly agreeing with her,
Missus Vernon, encouraging the doubt, directly proposed her niece's returning
with them into the country. Lady Susan was unable to
express her sense of such kindness, yet knew not, from
a variety of reasons, how to part with her daughter,
and as though her own plans were not yet wholly fixed,

(02:24:04):
she trusted it would ere long be in her power
to take Frederica into the country. Herself concluded by declining
entirely to profit by such unexampled attention, Missus Vernon persevered, however,
in the offer of it, and though Lady Susan continued
to resist. Her resistance in the course of a few
days seemed somewhat less formidable. The lucky alarm of an

(02:24:25):
influenza decided what might not have been decided quite so soon.
Lady Susan's maternal fears were then too much awakened for
her to think of anything but Frederica's removal from the
risk of infection. Above all disorders in the world, she
most dreaded the influenza for her daughter's constitution. Frederica returned
to Churchill with her uncle and aunt, and three weeks

(02:24:47):
afterwards Lady Susan announced her being married to Sir James Martin.
Missus Vernon was then convinced of what she had only
suspected before, that she might have spared herself all the
trouble of urging a removal, which Lady Susan had doubtless
resolved on from the first. Frederica's visit was nominally for
six weeks, but her mother, though inviting her to return

(02:25:08):
in one or two affectionate letters, was very ready to
oblige the whole party by consenting to a prolongation of
her stay, and in the course of two months ceased
to write of her absence, and in the course of
two or more to write to her at all. Frederica
was therefore fixed in the family of her uncle and
aunt till such time as Reginald de Corsi could be talked,

(02:25:28):
flattered and finessed into an affection for her, which, allowing
leisure for the conquest of his attachment to her mother,
for his abjuring all future attachments, and detesting the sex,
might be reasonably looked for in the course of a twelvemonth.
Three months might have done it in general, but Reginald's
feelings were no less lasting than lively. Whether Lady Susan

(02:25:50):
was or was not happy in her second choice, I
do not see how it can ever be ascertained, for
who would take her assurance of it? On either side
of the question. The world must judge from probabilities. She
had nothing against her but her husband and her conscience.
Sir James may seem to have drawn a harder lot
than mere folly merited. I leave him therefore to all

(02:26:10):
the pity that anybody can give him. For myself, I
confess that I can pity only mismannering who coming to
town and putting herself to an expense in clothes which
impoverished her for two years on purpose to secure him,
was defrauded of her due by a woman ten years
older than herself.

Speaker 1 (02:26:29):
And of section six Lady Susan. The entire cast of readers.

Speaker 2 (02:26:40):
Lady Susan read by Kristin Hughes.

Speaker 3 (02:26:44):
Missus Vernon read by Rachel Ellen.

Speaker 4 (02:26:48):
Mister de Courcy read by Patrick Beverly.

Speaker 5 (02:26:52):
Missus Johnson read by Kirsten Ferrari.

Speaker 6 (02:26:55):
Sir Reginald de Coursey read by Simon Taylor.

Speaker 7 (02:27:00):
You de Colci read by Gauzina.

Speaker 8 (02:27:03):
Miss Vernon read by Kara Shallenberg.

Speaker 9 (02:27:07):
Conclusion read by Justin Barrett.

Speaker 1 (02:27:11):
And of Lady Susan by Jane Austen