the expedition of humphry clinker-第104章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


too　much　delicacy　to　admit　a　thought　of　any　such　connexion　at　the
present　juncture　　Meanwhile；　I　have　prevailed　upon　her　to　let　him
have　four　thousand　pounds　at　four　per　cent　towards　paying　off　his
mortage。　Young　Dennison　has　agreed　that　Liddy's　fortune　shall　be
appropriated　to　the　same　purpose；　on　the　same　terms。　　His　father
will　sell　out　three　thousand　pounds　stock　for　his　accommodation。　
Farmer　Bland　has；　at　the　desire　of　Wilson；　undertaken　for　two
thousand；　and　I　must　make　an　effort　to　advance　what　further　will
be　required　to　take　my　friend　out　of　the　hands　of　the
Philistines。　He　is　so　pleased　with　the　improvements　made　on　his
estate；　which　is　all　cultivated　like　a　garden；　that　he　has
entered　himself　as　a　pupil　in　farming　to　Mr　Dennison；　and
resolved　to　attach　himself　wholly　to　the　practice　of　husbandry。

Every　thing　is　now　prepared　for　our　double　wedding。　The
marriage…articles　for　both　couples　are　drawn　and　executed；　and　the
ceremony　only　waits　until　the　parties　shall　have　been　resident　in
the　parish　the　term　prescribed　by　law。　Young　Dennison　betrays
some　symptoms　of　impatience；　but；　Lismahago　bears　this　necessary
delay　with　the　temper　of　a　philosopher。　　You　must　know；　the
captain　does　not　stand　altogether　on　the　foundation　of　personal
merit。　Besides　his　half…pay；　amounting　to　two　and　forty　pounds　a
year；　this　indefatigable　oeconomist　has　amassed　eight　hundred
pounds；　which　he　has　secured　in　the　funds。　This　sum　arises　partly
from　his　pay's　running　up　while　he　remained　among　the　Indians；
partly　from　what　he　received　as　a　consideration　for　the
difference　between　his　full　appointment　and　the　half…pay；　to
which　he　is　now　restricted；　and　partly　from　the　profits　of　a
little　traffick　he　drove　in　peltry；　during　his　sachemship　among
the　Miamis。

Liddy's　fears　and　perplexities　have　been　much　assuaged　by　the
company　of　one　Miss　Willis；　who　had　been　her　intimate　companion
at　the　boarding…school。　Her　parents　had　been　earnestly　sollicited
to　allow　her　making　this　friendly　visit　on　such　an　extraordinary
occasion；　and　two　days　ago　she　arrived　with　her　mother；　who　did
not　chuse　that　she　should　come　without　a　proper　gouvernante。　The
young　lady　is　very　sprightly；　handsome；　and　agreeable；　and　the
mother　a　mighty　good　sort　of　a　woman；　so　that　their　coming　adds
considerably　to　our　enjoyment。　But　we　shall　have　a　third　couple
yoked　in　the　matrimonial　chain。　Mr　Clinker　Loyd　has　made　humble
remonstrance　through　the　canal　of　my　nephew；　setting　forth　the
sincere　love　and　affection　mutually　subsisting　between　him　and
Mrs　Winifred　Jenkins；　and　praying　my　consent　to　their　coming
together　for　life。　I　would　have　wished　that　Mr　Clinker　had　kept
out　of　this　scrape；　but　as　the　nymph's　happiness　is　at　stake；　and
she　has　already　some　fits　in　the　way　of　despondence；　I；　in　order
to　prevent　any　tragical　catastrophe；　have　given　him　leave　to　play
the　fool；　in　imitation　of　his　betters；　and　I　suppose　we　shall　in
time　have　a　whole　litter　of　his　progeny　at　Brambleton…hall。　The
fellow　is　stout　and　lusty；　very　sober　and　conscientious；　and　the
wench　seems　to　be　as　great　an　enthusiast　in　love　as　in　religion。

I　wish　you　would　think　of　employing　him　some　other　way；　that　the
parish　may　not　be　overstocked　　you　know　he　has　been　bred　a
farrier；　consequently　belongs　to　the　faculty；　and　as　he　is　very
docile；　I　make　no　doubt　but；　with　your　good　instruction；　he　may
be；　in　a　little　time；　qualified　to　act　as　a　Welch　apothecary。
Tabby；　who　never　did　a　favour　with　a　good　grace；　has　consented；
with　great　reluctance；　to　this　match。　Perhaps　it　hurts　her　pride；
as　she　now　considers　Clinker　in　the　light　of　a　relation；　but；　I
believe；　her　objections　are　of　a　more　selfish　nature。　She
declares　she　cannot　think　of　retaining　the　wife　of　Matthew　Loyd
in　the　character　of　a　servant；　and　she　foresees；　that　on　such　an
occasion　the　woman　will　expect　some　gratification　for　her　past
services。　As　for　Clinker；　exclusive　of　other　considerations；　he
is　so　trusty；　brave；　affectionate；　and　alert；　and　I　owe　him　such
personal　obligations；　that　he　merits　more　than　all　the　indulgence
that　can　possibly　be　shewn　him；　by

Yours；
MATT。　BRAMBLE
Oct。　26。




To　Sir　WATKIN　PHILLIPS；　Bart。　at　Oxon。

DEAR　KNIGHT；

The　fatal　knots　are　now　tied。　The　comedy　is　near　a　close；　and　the
curtain　is　ready　to　drop：　but；　the　latter　scenes　of　this　act　I
shall　recapitulate　in　order　　About　a　fortnight　ago；　my　uncle　made
an　excursion　across　the　country；　and　brought　hither　a　particular
friend；　one　Mr　Baynard；　who　has　just　lost　his　wife；　and　was　for
some　time　disconsolate；　though　by　all　accounts　he　had　much　more
cause　for　joy　than　for　sorrow　at　this　event。　　His　countenance；
however；　clears　up　apace；　and　he　appears　to　be　a　person　of　rare
accomplishments。　　But；　we　have　received　another　still　more
agreeable　reinforcement　to　our　company；　by　the　arrival　of　Miss
Willis　from　Gloucester。　She　was　Liddy's　bosom　friend　at　the
boarding…school；　and　being　earnestly　sollicited　to　assist　at　the
nuptials；　her　mother　was　so　obliging　as　to　grant　my　sister's
request；　and　even　to　come　with　her　in　person。　Liddy；　accompanied
by　George　Dennison　and　me；　gave　them　the　meeting　halfway；　and
next　day　conducted　them　hither　in　safety。　Miss　Willis　is　a
charming　girl；　and；　in　point　of　disposition；　an　agreeable
contrast　to　my　sister；　who　is　rather　too　grave　and　sentimental
for　my　turn　of　mind。　The　other　is　gay；　frank；　a　little　giddy；　and
always　good…humoured。　She　has；　moreover；　a　genteel　fortune；　is
well　born；　and　remarkably　handsome。　Ah　Phillips！　if　these
qualities　were　permanent　　if　her　humour　would　never　change；　nor
her　beauties　decay；　what　efforts　would　I　not　make　　But　these　are
idle　reflections　　my　destiny　must　one　day　be　fulfilled。

At　present　we　pass　the　time　as　agreeably　as　we　can。　　We　have　got
up　several　farces；　which　afforded　unspeakable　entertainment　by
the　effects　they　produced　among　the　country　people；　who　are
admitted　to　all　our　exhibitions。　　Two　nights　ago；　Jack　Wilson
acquired　great　applause　in　Harlequin　Skeleton；　and　Lismahago
surprised　us　all　in　the　character　of　Pierot。　　His　long　lank
sides；　and　strong　marked　features；　were　all　peculiarly　adapted　to
his　part。　　He　appeared　with　a　ludicrous　stare；　from　which　he　had
discharged　all　meaning：　he　adopted　the　impressions　of　fear　and
amazement　so　naturally；　that　many　of　the　audience　were　infected
by　his　looks；　but　when　the　skeleton　held　him　in　chace　his　horror
became　most　divertingly　picturesque；　and　seemed　to　endow　him　with
such　praeternatural　agility　as　confounded　all　the　spectators。　It
was　a　lively　representation　of　Death　in　pursuit　of　Consumption；
and　had　such　an　effect　upon　the　commonalty；　that　some　of　them
shrieked　aloud；　and　others　ran　out　of　the　hall　in　the　utmost
consternation。

This　is　not　the　only　instance　in　which　the　lieutenant　has　lately
excited　our　wonder。　His　temper；　which　had　been　soured　and
shrivelled　by　disappointment　and　chagrin；　is　now　swelled　out；　and
smoothed　like　a　raisin　in　plumb…porridge。　From　being　reserved　and
punctilious；　he　is　become　easy　and　obliging。　He　cracks　jokes；
laughs　and　banters；　with　the　most　facetious　familiarity；　and；　in
a　word；　enters　into　all　our　schemes　of　merriment　and　pastime　　The
other　day　his　baggage　arrived　in　the　waggon　from　London；
contained　in　two　large　trunks　and　a　long　deal　box　not　unlike　a
coffin。　The　trunks　were　filled　with　his　wardrobe；　which　he
displayed　for　the　entertainment　of　the　company；　and　he　freely
owned；　that　it　consisted　chiefly　of　the　opima　spolia　taken　in
battle。　What　he　selected　for　his　wedding　suit；　was　a　tarnished
white　cloth　faced　with　blue　velvet；　embroidered　with　silver；　but；
he　valued　himself　most　upon　a　tye…periwig；　in　which　he　had　made
his　first　appearance　as　a　lawyer　above　thirty　years　ago。　This
machine　had　been　in　buckle　ever　since；　and　now　all　the　servants
in　the　family　were　employed　to　frizz　it　out　for　the　occasion；
which　was　yesterday　celebrated　at　the　parish　church。　George
Dennison　and　his　bride　were　distinguished　by　nothing
extraordinary　in　their　apparel。　His　eyes　lightened　with　eagerness
and　joy；　and　she　trembled　with　coyness　and　confusion。　My　uncle
gave　her　away；　and　her　friend　Willis　suppor