the expedition of humphry clinker-第20章

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animating　air　of　the　Welsh　mountains　　O　Rus；　quando　te　aspiciam！…
　I　wonder　what　the　devil　possessed　me　

But　few　words　are　best：　I　have　taken　my　resolution　　You　may　well
suppose　I　don't　intend　to　entertain　the　company　with　a　second
exhibition　　I　have　promised；　in　an　evil　hour；　to　proceed　to
London；　and　that　promise　shall　be　performed；　but　my　stay　in　the
metropolis　shall　be　brief。　I　have；　for　the　benefit　of　my　health；
projected　an　expedition　to　the　North；　which；　I　hope；　will　afford
some　agreeable　pastime。　I　have　never　travelled　farther　that　way
than　Scarborough；　and；　I　think；　it　is　a　reproach　upon　me；　as　a
British　freeholder；　to　have　lived　so　long　without　making　an
excursion　to　the　other　side　of　the　Tweed。　Besides；　I　have　some
relations　settled　in　Yorkshire；　to　whom　it　may　not　be　improper　to
introduce　my　nephew　and　his　sister　　At　present；　I　have　nothing　to
add；　but　that　Tabby　is　happily　disentangled　from　the　Irish
Baronet；　and　that　I　will　not　fail　to　make　you　acquainted；　from
time　to　time；　with　the　sequel　of　our　adventures：　a　mark　of
consideration；　which；　perhaps；　you　would　willingly　dispense　with
in

Your　humble　servant；
M。　BRAMBLE
BATH；　May　8。



To　Sir　WATKIN　PHILLIPS；　of　Jesus　college；　Oxon。

DEAR　PHILLIPS；

A　few　days　ago　we　were　terribly　alarmed　by　my　uncle's　fainting　at
the　ball　　He　has　been　ever　since　cursing　his　own　folly；　for　going
thither　at　the　request　of　an　impertinent　woman。　He　declares；　he
will　sooner　visit　a　house　infected　with　the　plague；　than　trust
himself　in　such　a　nauseous　spital　for　the　future；　for　he　swears
the　accident　was　occasioned　by　the　stench　of　the　crowd；　and　that
he　would　never　desire　a　stronger　proof　of　our　being　made　of　very
gross　materials；　than　our　having　withstood　the　annoyance；　by
which　he　was　so　much　discomposed。　For　my　part；　I　am　very　thankful
for　the　coarseness　of　my　organs；　being　in　no　danger　of　ever
falling　a　sacrifice　to　the　delicacy　of　my　nose。　Mr　Bramble　is
extravagantly　delicate　in　all　his　sensations；　both　of　soul　and
body。　I　was　informed　by　Dr　Lewis；　that　he　once　fought　a　duel　with
an　officer　of　the　horseguards；　for　turning　aside　to　the　Park…wall；
on　a　necessary　occasion；　when　he　was　passing　with　a　lady
under　his　protection。　His　blood　rises　at　every　instance　of
insolence　and　cruelty；　even　where　he　himself　is　no　way　concerned；
and　ingratitude　makes　his　teeth　chatter。　On　the　other　hand；　the
recital　of　a　generous；　humane；　or　grateful　action；　never　fails　to
draw　from　him　tears　of　approbation；　which　he　is　often　greatly
distressed　to　conceal。

Yesterday；　one　Paunceford　gave　tea；　on　particular　invitation　
This　man；　after　having　been　long　buffetted　by　adversity；　went
abroad；　and　Fortune；　resolved　to　make　him　amends　for　her　former
coyness；　set　him　all　at　once　up　to　the　very　ears　in　affluence。　He
has　now　emerged　from　obscurity；　and　blazes　out　in　all　the　tinsel
of　the　times。　I　don't　find　that　he　is　charged　with　any　practices
that　the　law　deems　dishonest；　or　that　his　wealth　has　made　him
arrogant　and　inaccessible；　on　the　contrary；　he　takes　great　pains
to　appear　affable　and　gracious。　But；　they　say；　he　is　remarkable
for　shrinking　from　his　former　friendships；　which　were　generally
too　plain　and　home…spun　to　appear　amidst　his　present　brilliant
connexions；　and　that　he　seems　uneasy　at　sight　of　some　old
benefactors；　whom　a　man　of　honour　would　take　pleasure　to
acknowledge　　Be　that　as　it　may；　he　had　so　effectually　engaged　the
company　at　Bath；　that　when　I　went　with　my　uncle　to　the
coffeehouse　in　the　evening；　there　was　not　a　soul　in　the　room　but
one　person；　seemingly　in　years；　who　sat　by　the　fire；　reading　one
of　the　papers。　Mr　Bramble；　taking　his　station　close　by　him；
'There　is　such　a　crowd　and　confusion　of　chairs　in　the　passage　to
Simpson's　（said　he）　that　we　could　hardly　get　along　　I　wish　those
minions　of　fortune　would　fall　upon　more　laudable　ways　of　spending
their　money。　　I　suppose；　Sir；　you　like　this　kind　of　entertainment
as　little　as　I　do？'　'I　cannot　say　I　have　any　great　relish　for
such　entertainments；'　answered　the　other；　without　taking　his　eyes
off　the　paper　　'Mr　Serle　（resumed　my　uncle）　I　beg　pardon　for
interrupting　you；　but　I　can't　resist　the　curiosity　I　have　to　know
if　you　received　a　card　on　this　occasion？'

The　man　seemed　surprised　at　this　address；　and　made　some　pause；　as
doubtful　what　answer　he　should　make。　'I　know　my　curiosity　is
impertinent　（added　my　uncle）　but　I　have　a　particular　reason　for
asking　the　favour。'　'If　that　be　the　case　（replied　Mr　Serle）　I
shall　gratify　you　without　hesitation；　by　owning　that　I　have　had
no　card。　But；　give　me　leave；　Sir；　to　ask　in　my　turn；　what　reason
you　think　I　have　to　expect　such　an　invitation　from　the　gentleman
who　gives　tea？'　'I　have　my　own　reasons　（cried　Mr　Bramble；　with
some　emotion）　and　am　convinced；　more　than　ever；　that　this
Paunceford　is　a　contemptible　fellow。'　'Sir　（said　the　other；
laying　down　the　paper）　I　have　not　the　honour　to　know　you；　but
your　discourse　is　a　little　mysterious；　and　seems　to　require　some
explanation。　The　person　you　are　pleased　to　treat　so　cavalierly；
is　a　gentleman　of　some　consequence　in　the　community；　and；　for
aught　you　know；　I　may　also　have　my　particular　reasons　for
defending　his　character'　　'If　I　was　not　convinced　of　the　contrary
（observed　the　other）　I　should　not　have　gone　so　far'　　'Let　me　tell
you；　Sir　（said　the　stranger；　raising　his　voice）　you　have　gone　too
far；　in　hazarding　such　reflections'。

Here　he　was　interrupted　by　my　uncle；　who　asked　peevishly　if　he
was　Don　Quixote　enough；　at　this　time　of　day；　to　throw　down　his
gauntlet　as　champion　for　a　man　who　had　treated　him　with　such
ungrateful　neglect。　'For　my　part　（added　he）　I　shall　never　quarrel
with　you　again　upon　this　subject；　and　what　I　have　said　now；　has
been　suggested　as　much　by　my　regard　for　you；　as　by　my　contempt　of
him'　　Mr　Serle；　then　pulling　off　his　spectacles；　eyed　uncle　very
earnestly；　saying；　in　a　mitigated　tone；　'Surely　I　am　much
obliged　　Ah；　Mr　Bramble！　I　now　recollect　your　features；　though　I
have　not　seen　you　these　many　years。'　'We　might　have　been　less
strangers　to　one　another　（answered　the　squire）　if　our
correspondence　had　not　been　interrupted；　in　consequence　of　a
misunderstanding；　occasioned　by　this　very　；　but　no　matter　　Mr
Serle；　I　esteem　your　character；　and　my　friendship；　such　as　it　is；
you　may　freely　command。'　'The　offer　is　too　agreeable　to　be
declined　（said　he）；　I　embrace　it　very　cordially；　and；　as　the
first　fruits　of　it；　request　that　you　will　change　this　subject；
which；　with　me；　is　a　matter　of　peculiar　delicacy。'

My　uncle　owned　he　was　in　the　right；　and　the　discourse　took　a　more
general　turn。　Mr　Serle　passed　the　evening　with　us　at　our
lodgings；　and　appeared　to　be　intelligent；　and　even　entertaining；
but　his　disposition　was　rather　of　a　melancholy　hue。　My　uncle　says
he　is　a　man　of　uncommon　parts；　and　unquestioned　probity：　that　his
fortune；　which　was　originally　small；　has　been　greatly　hurt　by　a
romantic　spirit　of　generosity；　which　he　has　often　displayed；　even
at　the　expence　of　his　discretion；　in　favour　of　worthless
individuals　　That　he　had　rescued　Paunceford　from　the　lowest
distress；　when　he　was　bankrupt；　both　in　means　and　reputation　
That　he　had　espoused　his　interests　with　a　degree　of　enthusiasm；
broke　with　several　friends；　and　even　drawn　his　sword　against　my
uncle；　who　had　particular　reasons　for　questioning　the　moral
character　of　the　said　Paunceford：　that；　without　Serle's
countenance　and　assistance；　the　other　never　could　have　embraced
the　opportunity；　which　has　raised　him　to　this　pinnacle　of　wealth：
that　Paunceford；　in　the　first　transports　of　his　success；　had
written；　from　abroad；　letters　to　different　correspondents；　owning
his　obligations　to　Mr　Serle；　in　the　warmest　terms　of
acknowledgement；　and　declared　he　considered　himself　only　as　a
factor　for　the　occasions　of　his　best　friend：　that；　without　doubt；
he　had　made　declarations　of　the　same　nature　to　his　benefactor
himself；　though　this　last　was　always　silent　and　reserved　on　the
subject；　but　for　some　years；　those　tropes　and　figures　of　rhetoric
had　been　disused；　that；　upon　his　return　to　England；　he　had　been
lavish　in　his　caresses　to　Mr　Serle；　invited　him　to　his　house；　and
pressed　him