the expedition of humphry clinker-第103章

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have　been　very　absurd　for　me　to　argue　with　a　man　that　talked　so
madly。　　On　all　such　occasions；　the　first　torrent　of　passion　must
be　allowed　to　subside　gradually。　　I　endeavoured　to　beguile　his
attention　by　starting　little　hints　and　insinuating　other　objects
of　discourse　imperceptibly；　and　being　exceedingly　pleased　in　my
own　mind　at　this　event；　I　exerted　myself　with　such　an
extraordinary　flow　of　spirits　as　was　attended　with　success。　　In　a
few　hours；　he　was　calm　enough　to　hear　reason；　and　even　to　own
that　Heaven　could　not　have　interposed　more　effectually　to　rescue
him　from　disgrace　and　ruin。　　That　he　might　not；　however；　relapse
into　weaknesses　for　want　of　company；　I　passed　the　night　in　his
chamber；　in　a　little　tent　bed　brought　thither　on　purpose；　and
well　it　was　I　took　this　precaution；　for　he　started　up　in　bed
several　times；　and　would　have　played　the　fool；　if　I　had　not　been
present。

Next　day　he　was　in　a　condition　to　talk　of　business；　and　vested　me
with　full　authority　over　his　household；　which　I　began　to　exercise
without　loss　of　time；　tho'　not　before　he　knew　and　approved　of　the
scheme　I　had　projected　for　his　advantage。　　He　would　have　quitted
the　house　immediately；　but　this　retreat　I　opposed。　　Far　from
encouraging　a　temporary　disgust；　which　might　degenerate　into　an
habitual　aversion；　I　resolved；　if　possible；　to　attach　him　more
than　ever　to　his　Houshold　Gods。　　I　gave　directions　for　the
funeral　to　be　as　private　as　was　consistant　with　decency；　I　wrote
to　London；　that　an　inventory　and　estimate　might　be　made　of　the
furniture　and　effects　in　his　town…house；　and　gave　notice　to　the
landlord；　that　Mr　Baynard　should　quit　the　premises　at　Lady…day；　I
set　a　person　at　work　to　take　account　of　every　thing　in　the
country…house；　including　horses；　carriages；　and　harness；　I
settled　the　young　gentleman　at　a　boarding…school；　kept　by　a
clergyman　in　the　neighbourhood；　and　thither　he　went　without
reluctance；　as　soon　as　he　knew　that　he　was　to　be　troubled　no　more
with　his　tutor；　whom　we　dismissed。　The　aunt　continued　very
sullen；　and　never　appeared　at　table；　though　Mr　Baynard　payed　his
respects　to　her　every　day　in　her　own　chamber；　there　also　she　held
conferences　with　the　waiting…women　and　other　servants　of　the
family：　but；　the　moment　her　niece　was　interred；　she　went　away　in
a　post…chaise　prepared　for　that　purpose：　she　did　not　leave　the
house；　however；　without　giving　Mr　Baynard　to　understand；　that　the
wardrobe　of　her　niece　was　the　perquisite　of　her　woman；
accordingly　that　worthless　drab　received　all　the　clothes；　laces；
and　linen　of　her　deceased　mistress；　to　the　value　of　five　hundred
pounds；　at　a　moderate　computation。

The　next　step　I　took　was　to　disband　that　legion　of　supernumerary
domestics；　who　had　preyed　so　long　upon　the　vitals　of　my　friend：；
a　parcel　of　idle　drones；　so　intolerably　insolent；　that　they　even
treated　their　own　master　with　the　most　contemptuous　neglect。　They
had　been　generally　hired　by　his　wife；　according　to　the
recommendation　of　her　woman；　and　these　were　the　only　patrons　to
whom　they　payed　the　least　deference。　I　had　therefore　uncommon
satisfaction　in　clearing　the　house　of　these　vermin。　The　woman　of
the　deceased；　and　a　chambermaid；　a　valet　de　chambre；　a　butler；　a
French　cook；　a　master　gardener；　two　footmen　and　a　coachman；　I
payed　off；　and　turned　out　of　the　house　immediately；　paying　to
each　a　month's　wages　in　lieu　of　warning。　Those　whom　I　retained；
consisted　of　the　female　cook；　who　had　been　assistant　to　the
Frenchman；　a　house　maid；　an　old　lacquey；　a　postilion；　and
under…gardener。　Thus　I　removed　at　once　a　huge　mountain　of　expence　and
care　from　the　shoulders　of　my　friend；　who　could　hardly　believe
the　evidence　of　his　own　senses；　when　he　found　himself　so　suddenly
and　so　effectually　relieved。　His　heart；　however；　was　still
subject　to　vibrations　of　tenderness；　which　returned　at　certain
intervals；　extorting　sighs；　and　tears；　and　exclamations　of　grief
and　impatience：　but　these　fits　grew　every　day　less　violent　and
less　frequent；　'till　at　length　his　reason　obtained　a　complete
victory　over　the　infirmities　of　his　nature。

Upon　an　accurate　enquiry　into　the　state　of　his　affairs；　I　find
his　debts　amount　to　twenty　thousand　pounds；　for　eighteen　thousand
pounds　of　which　sum　his　estate　is　mortgaged；　and　as　he　pays　five
per　cent。　interest；　and　some　of　his　farms　are　unoccupied；　he　does
not　receive　above　two　hundred　pounds　a　year　clear　from　his　lands；
over　and　above　the　interest　of　his　wife's　fortune；　which　produced
eight　hundred　pounds　annually。　For　lightening　this　heavy　burthen；
I　devised　the　following　expedient。　His　wife's　jewels；　together
with　his　superfluous　plate　and　furniture　in　both　houses；　his
horses　and　carriages；　which　are　already　advertised　to　be　sold　by
auction；　will；　according　to　the　estimate；　produce　two　thousand
five　hundred　pounds　in　ready　money；　with　which　the　debt　will　be
immediately　reduced　to　eighteen　thousand　pounds　　I　have
undertaken　to　find　him　ten　thousand　pounds　at　four　per　cent。　by
which　means　he　will　save　one　hundred　a…year　in　the　article　of
interest；　and　perhaps　we　shall　be　able　to　borrow　the　other　eight
thousand　on　the　same　terms。　According　to　his　own　scheme　of　a
country　life；　he　says　he　can　live　comfortably　for　three　hundred
pounds　a…year；　but；　as　he　has　a　son　to　educate；　we　will　allow　him
five　hundred；　then　there　will　be　an　accumulating　fund　of　seven
hundred　a…year；　principal　and　interest；　to　pay　off　the
incumbrance；　and；　I　think；　we　may　modestly　add　three　hundred；　on
the　presumption　of　new…leasing　and　improving　the　vacant　farms：　so
that；　in　a　couple　of　years；　I　suppose　there　will　be　above　a
thousand　a…year　appropriated　to　liquidate　a　debt　of　sixteen
thousand。

We　forthwith　began　to　class　and　set　apart　the　articles　designed
for　sale；　under　the　direction　of　an　upholder　from　London；　and；
that　nobody　in　the　house　might　be　idle；　commenced　our　reformation
without　doors；　as　well　as　within。　With　Baynard's　good　leave；　I
ordered　the　gardener　to　turn　the　rivulet　into　its　old　channel；　to
refresh　the　fainting　Naiads；　who　had　so　long　languished　among
mouldring　roots；　withered　leaves；　and　dry　pebbles　　The　shrubbery
is　condemned　to　extirpation；　and　the　pleasure　ground　will　be
restored　to　its　original　use　of　corn…field　and　pasture　　Orders
are　given　for　rebuilding　the　walls　of　the　garden　at　the　back　of
the　house；　and　for　planting　clumps　of　firs；　intermingled　with
beech　and　chestnut；　at　the　east　end；　which　is　now　quite　exposed
to　the　surly　blasts　that　come　from　that　quarter。　All　these　works
being　actually　begun；　and　the　house　and　auction　left　to　the　care
and　management　of　a　reputable　attorney；　I　brought　Baynard　along
with　me　in　the　chaise；　and　made　him　acquainted　with　Dennison；
whose　goodness　of　heart　would　not　fail　to　engage　his　esteem　and
affection。　　He　is　indeed　charmed　with　our　society　in　general；　and
declares　that　he　never　saw　the　theory　of　true　pleasure　reduced　to
practice　before。　I　really　believe　it　would　not　be　an　easy　task　to
find　such　a　number　of　individuals　assembled　under　one　roof；　more
happy　than　we　are　at　present。

I　must　tell　you；　however；　in　confidence；　I　suspect　Tabby　of
tergiversation。　　I　have　been　so　long　accustomed　to　that　original；
that　I　know　all　the　caprices　of　her　heart；　and　can　often　perceive
her　designs　while　they　are　yet　in　embrio　　She　attached　herself　to
Lismahago　for　no　other　reason　but　that　she　despaired　of　making　a
more　agreeable　conquest。　At　present；　if　I　am　not　much　mistaken　in
my　observation；　she　would　gladly　convert　the　widowhood　of　Baynard
to　her　own　advantage。　　Since　he　arrived；　she　has　behaved　very
coldly　to　the　captain；　and　strove　to　fasten　on　the　other's　heart；
with　the　hooks　of　overstrained　civility。　These　must　be　the
instinctive　efforts　of　her　constitution；　rather　than　the　effects
of　any　deliberate　design；　for　matters　are　carried　to　such　a
length　with　the　lieutenant；　that　she　could　not　retract　with　any
regard　to　conscience　or　reputation。　Besides；　she　will　meet　with
nothing　but　indifference　or　aversion　on　the　side　of　Baynard；　who
has　too　much　sense　to　think　of　such　a　partner　at　any　time；　and
too　much　delicacy　to　admit　a　thought　of　any　such　connexion　at　the
present　juncture　　Meanwhile；　I　h