VIII. Mrs. Vernon to Lady De Courcy

by Jane Austen

　　Churchhill.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 toaccept Mr. Vernon's invitation to prolong his stay in Sussex, that they mayhave some hunting together. He means to send for his horses immediately,and it is impossible to say when you may see him in Kent. I will notdisguise my sentiments on this change from you, my dear mother, though Ithink you had better not communicate them to my father, whose excessiveanxiety about Reginald would subject him to an alarm which might seriouslyaffect his health and spirits. Lady Susan has certainly contrived, in thespace of a fortnight, to make my brother like her. In short, I am persuadedthat his continuing here beyond the time originally fixed for his return isoccasioned as much by a degree of fascination towards her, as by the wishof hunting with Mr. Vernon, and of course I cannot receive that pleasurefrom the length of his visit which my brother's company would otherwisegive me. I am, indeed, provoked at the artifice of this unprincipled woman;what stronger proof of her dangerous abilities can be given than thisperversion of Reginald's judgment, which when he entered the house was sodecidedly against her! In his last letter he actually gave me someparticulars of her behaviour at Langford, such as he received from agentleman who knew her perfectly well, which, if true, must raiseabhorrence against her, and which Reginald himself was entirely disposed tocredit. His opinion of her, I am sure, was as low as of any woman inEngland; and when he first came it was evident that he considered her asone entitled neither to delicacy nor respect, and that he felt she would bedelighted with the attentions of any man inclined to flirt with her. Herbehaviour, I confess, has been calculated to do away with such an idea; Ihave not detected the smallest impropriety in it--nothing of vanity, ofpretension, of levity; and she is altogether so attractive that I shouldnot wonder at his being delighted with her, had he known nothing of herprevious to this personal acquaintance; but, against reason, againstconviction, to be so well pleased with her, as I am sure he is, does reallyastonish me. His admiration was at first very strong, but no more than wasnatural, and I did not wonder at his being much struck by the gentlenessand delicacy of her manners; but when he has mentioned her of late it hasbeen in terms of more extraordinary praise; and yesterday he actually saidthat he could not be surprised at any effect produced on the heart of manby such loveliness and such abilities; and when I lamented, in reply, thebadness of her disposition, he observed that whatever might have been hererrors they were to be imputed to her neglected education and earlymarriage, and that she was altogether a wonderful woman. This tendency toexcuse 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 Churchhill toneed an invitation for lengthening his visit, I should regret Mr. Vernon'sgiving him any. Lady Susan's intentions are of course those of absolutecoquetry, or a desire of universal admiration; I cannot for a momentimagine that she has anything more serious in view; but it mortifies me tosee a young man of Reginald's sense duped by her at all.I am, &c.,CATHERINE VERNON.