the expedition of humphry clinker-第46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！


with　respect　to　the　case　of　Clinker；　in　whose　favour　a　lucky
incident　has　intervened。　The　fellow　who　accused　him；　has　had　his
own　battery　turned　upon　himself。　　Two　days　ago　he　was　apprehended
for　a　robbery　on　the　highway；　and　committed；　on　the　evidence　of
an　accomplice。　Clinker；　having　moved　for　a　writ　of　habeas　corpus；
was　brought　before　the　lord　chief　justice；　who；　in　consequence　of
an　affidavit　of　the　gentleman　who　had　been　robbed；　importing　that
the　said　Clinker　was　not　the　person　who　stopped　him　on　the
highway；　as　well　as　in　consideration　of　the　postilion's　character
and　present　circumstances；　was　pleased　to　order；　that　my　servant
should　be　admitted　to　bail；　and　he　has　been　discharged
accordingly；　to　the　unspeakable　satisfaction　of　our　whole　family；
to　which　he　has　recommended　himself　in　an　extraordinary　manner；
not　only　by　his　obliging　deportment；　but　by　his　talents　of
preaching；　praying；　and　singing　psalms；　which　he　has　exercised
with　such　effect；　that　even　Tabby　respects　him　as　a　chosen
vessel。　If　there　was　any　thing　like　affectation　or　hypocrisy　in
this　excess　of　religion；　I　would　not　keep　him　in　my　service；　but；
so　far　as　I　can　observe；　the　fellow's　character　is　downright
simplicity；　warmed　with　a　kind　of　enthusiasm；　which　renders　him
very　susceptible　of　gratitude　and　attachment　to　his　benefactors。

As　he　is　an　excellent　horseman；　and　understands　farriery；　I　have
bought　a　stout　gelding　for　his　use；　that　he　may　attend　us　on　the
road；　and　have　an　eye　to　our　cattle；　in　case　the　coachman　should
not　mind　his　business。　My　nephew；　who　is　to　ride　his　own　saddle…horse；
has　taken；　upon　trial；　a　servant　just　come　from　abroad
with　his　former　master；　Sir　William　Strollop；　who　vouches　for　his
honesty。　The　fellow；　whose　name　is　Dutton；　seems　to　be　a　petit
maitre。　　He　has　got　a　smattering　of　French；　bows；　and　grins；　and
shrugs；　and　takes　snuff　a　la　mode　de　France；　but　values　himself
chiefly　upon　his　skill　and　dexterity　in　hair…dressing。　　If　I　am
not　much　deceived　by　appearance；　he　is；　in　all　respects；　the　very
contrast　of　Humphry　Clinker。

My　sister　has　made　up　matters　with　lady　Griskin；　though；　I　must
own；　I　should　not　have　been　sorry　to　see　that　connexion　entirely
destroyed：　but　Tabby　is　not　of　a　disposition　to　forgive　Barton；
who；　I　understand；　is　gone　to　his　seat　in　Berkshire　for　the
summer　season。　I　cannot　help　suspecting；　that　in　the　treaty　of
peace；　which　has　been　lately　ratified　betwixt　those　two　females；
it　is　stipulated；　that　her　ladyship　shall　use　her　best　endeavours
to　provide　an　agreeable　help…mate　for　our　sister　Tabitha；　who
seems　to　be　quite　desperate　in　her　matrimonial　designs。　Perhaps；
the　match…maker　is　to　have　a　valuable　consideration　in　the　way　of
brokerage；　which　she　will　most　certainly　deserve；　if　she　can　find
any　man　in　his　senses；　who　will　yoke　with　Mrs　Bramble　from
motives　of　affection　or　interest。

I　find　my　spirits　and　my　health　affect　each　other　reciprocally
that　is　to　say；　every　thing　that　discomposes　my　mind；　produces　a
correspondent　disorder　in　my　body；　and　my　bodily　complaints　are
remarkably　mitigated　by　those　considerations　that　dissipate　the
clouds　of　mental　chagrin。　　The　imprisonment　of　Clinker　brought　on
those　symptoms　which　I　mentioned　in　my　last；　and　now　they　are
vanished　at　his　discharge。　　It　must　be　owned；　indeed；　I　took　some
of　the　tincture　of　ginseng；　prepared　according　to　your
prescription；　and　found　it　exceedingly　grateful　to　the　stomach；
but　the　pain　and　sickness　continued　to　return；　after　short
intervals；　till　the　anxiety　of　my　mind　was　entirely　removed；　and
then　I　found　myself　perfectly　at　case。　We　have　had　fair　weather
these　ten　days；　to　the　astonishment　of　the　Londoners；　who　think
it　portentous。　If　you　enjoy　the　same　indulgence　in　Wales；　I　hope
Barns　has　got　my　hay　made；　and　safe　cocked　by　this　time。　As　we
shall　be　in　motion　for　some　weeks；　I　cannot　expect　to　hear　from
you　as　usual；　but　I　shall　continue　to　write　from　every　place　at
which　we　make　any　halt；　that　you　may　know　our　track；　in　case　it
should　be　necessary　to　communicate　any　thing　to

Your　assured　friend；
MATT。　BRAMBLE
LONDON；　June　14。



To　Mrs　MARY　JONES；　at　Brambleton…hall；　&c。

DEAR　MARY；

Having　the　occasion　of　my　cousin　Jenkins　of　Aberga'ny；　I　send
you；　as　a　token；　a　turkey…shell　comb；　a　kiple　of　yards　of　green
ribbon；　and　a　sarment　upon　the　nothingness　of　good　works；　which
was　preached　in　the　Tabernacle；　and　you　will　also　receive　a　horn…buck
for　Saul；　whereby　she　may　learn　her　letters；　for　Fin　much
consarned　about　the　state　of　her　poor　sole　　and　what　are　all　the
pursuits　of　this　life　to　the　consarns　of　that　immortal　part？　
What　is　life　but　a　veil　of　affliction？　O　Mary！　the　whole　family
have　been　in　such　a　constipation！　　Mr　Clinker　has　been　in
trouble；　but　the　gates　of　hell　have　not　been　able　to　prevail
again　him。　His　virtue　is　like　poor　gould；　seven　times　tried　in
the　fire。　He　was　tuck　up　for　a　rubbery；　and　had　before　gustass
Busshard；　who　made　his　mittamouse；　and　the　pore　youth　was　sent　to
prison　upon　the　false　oaf　of　a　willian；　that　wanted　to　sware　his
life　away　for　the　looker　of　cain。

The　'squire　did　all　in　his　power；　but　could　not　prevent　his　being
put　in　chains；　and　confined　among　common　manufactors；　where　he
stood　like　an　innocent　sheep　in　the　midst　of　wolves　and　tygers。　
Lord　knows　what　mought　have　happened　to　this　pyehouse　young　man；
if　master　had　not　applied　to　Apias　Korkus；　who　lives　with　the
ould　bailiff；　and　is；　they　say；　five　hundred　years　old　（God　bless
us！）；　and　a　congeror：　but；　if　he　be；　sure　I　am　he　don't　deal　with
the　devil；　otherwise　he　couldn't　have　fought　out　Mr　Clinker；　as
he　did；　in　spite　of　stone　walls；　iron　bolts；　and　double　locks；
that　flew　open　at　his　command；　for　ould　Scratch　has　not　a　greater
enemy　upon　hearth　than　Mr　Clinker；　who　is；　indeed；　a　very
powerful　labourer　in　the　Lord's　vineyard。　I　do　no　more　than　yuse
the　words　of　my　good　lady；　who　has　got　the　infectual　calling；
and；　I　trust；　that　even　myself；　though　unworthy；　shall　find
grease　to　be　excepted。　　Miss　Liddy　has　been　touch'd　to　the　quick；
but　is　a　little　timorsome：　howsomever；　I　make　no　doubt；　but　she；
and　all　of　us；　will　be　brought；　by　the　endeavours　of　Mr　Clinker；
to　produce　blessed　fruit　of　generation　and　repentance。　　As　for
master　and　the　young　'squire；　they　have　as　yet　had　narro　glimpse
of　the　new　light。　　I　doubt　as　how　their　harts　are　hardened　by
worldly　wisdom；　which；　as　the　pyebill　saith；　is　foolishness　in
the　sight　of　God。

O　Mary　Jones；　pray　without　seizing　for　grease　to　prepare　you　for
the　operations　of　this　wonderful　instrument；　which；　I　hope；　will
be　exorcised　this　winter　upon　you　and　others　at　Brambleton…hall。　
Tomorrow；　we　are　to　set　out　in　a　cox　and　four　for　Yorkshire；
and；　I　believe；　we　shall　travel　that　way　far；　and　far；　and
farther　than　I　can　tell；　but　I　shan't　go　so　far　as　to　forget　my
friends；　and　Mary　Jones　will　always　be　remembered　as　one　of　them
by　her


Humble　sarvant；
WIN。　JENKINS
LONDON；　June　14。



To　Mrs　GWYLLIM；　house…keeper　at　Brambleton…hall。
MRS　GWYLLIM；

I　can't　help　thinking　it　very　strange；　that　I　never　had　an　answer
to　the　letter　I　wrote　you　some　weeks　ago　from　Bath；　concerning
the　sour　bear；　the　gander；　and　the　maids　eating　butter；　which　I
won't　allow　to　be　wasted。　　We　are　now　going　upon　a　long　journey
to　the　north；　whereby　I　desire　you　will　redouble　your　care　and
circumflexion；　that　the　family　may　be　well　managed　in　our
absence；　for；　you　know；　you　must　render　account；　not　only　to　your
earthly　master；　but　also　to　him　that　is　above；　and　if　you　are
found　a　good　and　faithful　sarvant；　great　will　be　your　reward　in
haven。　I　hope　there　will　be　twenty　stun　of　cheese　ready　for
market　　by　the　time　I　get　huom；　and　as　much　owl　spun；　as　will
make　half　a　dozen　pair　of　blankets；　and　that　the　savings　of　the
butter…milk　will　fetch　me　a　good　penny　before　Martinmass；　as　the
two　pigs　are　to　be　fed　for　baking　with　bitchmast　and　acrons。

I　wrote　to　doctor　Lews　for　the　same　porpuss；　but　he　never　had　the
good　manners　to　take　the　least　notice　of　my　letter；　for　which
reason；　I　shall　never　favour　him　with　another；　though　he　beshits
me　on　his　bended　knees。　You　will　do　well　to　k