the expedition of humphry clinker-第50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！


in　a　bellowing　tone；　'I　ha'n't　lived　so　long　in　Yorkshire　to　be
trepanned　by　such　vermin　as　you；'　and　leaping　on　the　floor；　put
on　his　breeches　quietly；　to　the　astonishment　of　us　all。　The
Surgeon　still　insisted　upon　the　operation；　alleging　it　was　now
plain　that　the　brain　was　injured；　and　desiring　the　servants　put
him　into　bed　again；　but　nobody　would　venture　to　execute　his
orders；　or　even　to　interpose：　when　the　'squire　turned　him　and　his
assistants　out　of　doors；　and　threw　his　apparatus　out　at　the
window。　Having　thus　asserted　his　prerogative；　and　put　on　his
cloaths　with　the　help　of　a　valet；　the　count；　with　my　nephew　and
me；　were　introduced　by　his　son；　and　received　with　his　usual　stile
of　rustic　civility；　then　turning　to　signor　Macaroni；　with　a
sarcastic　grin；　'I　tell　thee　what；　Dick　（said　he）；　a　man's　scull
is　not　to　be　bored　every　time　his　head　is　broken；　and　I'll
convince　thee　and　thy　mother；　that　I　know　as　many　tricks　as　e'er
an　old　fox　in　the　West　Riding。'

We　afterwards　understood　he　had　quarrelled　at　a　public　house　with
an　exciseman；　whom　he　challenged　to　a　bout　at　single　stick；　in
which　he　had　been　worsted；　and　that　the　shame　of　this　defeat　had
tied　up　his　tongue。　As　for　madam；　she　had　shewn　no　concern　for
his　disaster；　and　now　heard　of　his　recovery　without　emotion　　She
had　taken　some　little　notice　of　my　sister　and　niece；　though
rather　with　a　view　to　indulge　her　own　petulance；　than　out　of　any
sentiment　of　regard　to　our　family。　　She　said　Liddy　was　a　fright；
and　ordered　her　woman　to　adjust　her　head　before　dinner；　but　she
would　not　meddle　with　Tabby；　whose　spirit；　she　soon　perceived；
was　not　to　be　irritated　with　impunity。　At　table；　she　acknowledged
me　so　far　as　to　say　she　had　heard　of　my　father；　though　she
hinted；　that　he　had　disobliged　her　family　by　making　a　poor　match
in　Wales。　She　was　disagreeably　familiar　in　her　enquiries　about
our　circumstances；　and　asked；　if　I　intended　to　bring　up　my　nephew
to　the　law。　I　told　her；　that；　as　he　had　an　independent　fortune；
he　should　follow　no　profession　but　that　of　a　country　gentleman；
and　that　I　was　not　without　hopes　of　procuring　for　him　a　seat　in
parliament　　'Pray　cousin　（said　she）；　what　may　his　fortune　be？'
When　I　answered；　that；　with　what　I　should　be　able　to　give　him；　he
would　have　better　than　two　thousand　a　year；　she　replied；　with　a
disdainful　toss　of　her　head；　that　it　would　be　impossible　for　him
to　preserve　his　independence　on　such　a　paultry　provision。

Not　a　little　nettled　at　this　arrogant　remark；　I　told　her；　I　had
the　honour　to　sit　in　parliament　with　her　father；　when　he　had
little　more　than　half　that　income；　and　I　believed　there　was　not　a
more　independent　and　incorruptible　member　in　the　house。　'Ay；　but
times　are　changed　（cried　the　'squire）　　Country　gentlemen　now…a…days
live　after　another　fashion。　My　table　alone　stands　me　in　a
cool　thousand　a　quarter；　though　I　raise　my　own　stock；　import　my
own　liquors；　and　have　every　thing　at　the　first　hand。　　True　it
is；　I　keep　open　house；　and　receive　all　corners；　for　the　honour　of
Old　England。'　'If　that　be　the　case　（said　I）；　'tis　a　wonder　you
can　maintain　it　at　so　small　an　expence；　but　every　private
gentleman　is　not　expected　to　keep　a　caravanserai　for　the
accommodation　of　travellers：　indeed；　if　every　individual　lived　in
the　same　stile；　you　would　not　have　such　a　number　of　guests　at
your　table；　of　consequence　your　hospitality　would　not　shine　so
bright　for　the　glory　of　the　West　Riding。'　The　young　'squire；
tickled　by　this　ironical　observation；　exclaimed；　'O　che　burla！'　
his　mother　eyed　me　in　silence　with　a　supercilious　air；　and　the
father　of　the　feast；　taking　a　bumper　of　October；　'My　service　to
you；　cousin　Bramble　（said　he）；　I　have　always　heard　there　was
something　keen　and　biting　in　the　air　of　the　Welch　mountains。'

I　was　much　pleased　with　the　count　de　Melville；　who　is　sensible；
easy；　and　polite；　and　the　countess　is　the　most　amiable　woman　I
ever　beheld。　In　the　afternoon　they　took　leave　of　their
entertainers；　and　the　young　gentleman；　mounting　his　horse；
undertook　to　conduct　their　coach　through　the　park；　while　one　of
their　servants　rode　round　to　give　notice　to　the　rest；　whom　they
had　left　at　a　public　house　on　the　road。　The　moment　their　backs
were　turned；　the　censorious　daemon　took　possession　of　our
Yorkshire　landlady　and　our　sister　Tabitha　　The　former　observed；
that　the　countess　was　a　good　sort　of　a　body；　but　totally　ignorant
of　good　breeding；　consequently　aukward　in　her　address。　The　squire
said；　he　did　not　pretend　to　the　breeding　of　any　thing　but　colts；
but　that　the　jade　would　be　very　handsome；　if　she　was　a　little
more　in　flesh。　'Handsome！　（cried　Tabby）　she　has　indeed　a　pair　of
black　eyes　without　any　meaning；　but　then　there　is　not　a　good
feature　in　her　face。'　'I　know　not　what　you　call　good　features　in
Wales　（replied　our　landlord）；　but　they'll　pass　in　Yorkshire。'
Then　turning　to　Liddy；　he　added；　'What　say　you；　my　pretty
Redstreak？　　what　is　your　opinion　of　the　countess？'　'I　think
（cried　Liddy；　with　great　emotion）；　she's　an　angel。'　Tabby　chid
her　for　talking　with　such　freedom　in　company；　and　the　lady　of　the
house　said；　in　a　contemptuous　tone；　she　supposed　miss　had　been
brought　up　at　some　country　boarding…school。

Our　conversation　was　suddenly　interrupted　by　the　young　gentleman；
who　galloped　into　the　yard　all　aghast；　exclaiming；　that　the　coach
was　attacked　by　a　great　number　of　highwaymen。　My　nephew　and　I
rushed　out；　found　his　own　and　his　servant's　horse　ready　saddled
in　the　stable；　with　pistols　in　the　caps　　We　mounted　instantly；
ordering　Clinker　and　Dutton　to　follow　with　all　possible
expedition；　but　notwithstanding　all　the　speed　we　could　make；　the
action　was　over　before　we　arrived；　and　the　count　with　his　lady；
safe　lodged　at　the　house　of　Grieve；　who　had　signalized　himself
in　a　very　remarkable　manner　on　this　occasion。　At　the　turning　of
a　lane；　that　led　to　the　village　where　the　count's　servants
remained；　a　couple　of　robbers　a…horseback　suddenly　appeared；　with
their　pistols　advanced：　one　kept　the　coachman　in　awe；　and　the
other　demanded　the　count's　money；　while　the　young　'squire　went
off　at　full　speed；　without　ever　casting　a　look　behind。　The　count
desiring　the　thief　to　withdraw　his　pistol；　as　the　lady　was　in
great　terror；　delivered　his　purse　without　making　the　least
resistance；　but　not　satisfied　with　this　booty；　which　was　pretty
considerable；　the　rascal　insisted　upon　rifling　her　of　her　car…rings
and　necklace；　and　the　countess　screamed　with　affright。　Her
husband；　exasperated　at　the　violence　with　which　she　was
threatened；　wrested　the　pistol　out　of　the　fellow's　hand；　and
turning　it　upon　him；　snapped　it　in　his　face；　but　the　robber
knowing　there　was　no　charge　in　it；　drew　another　from　his　bosom；
and　in　all　probability　would　have　killed　him　on　the　spot；　had　not
his　life　been　saved　by　a　wonderful　interposition。　Grieve；　the
apothecary；　chancing　to　pass　that　very　instant；　ran　up　to　the
coach；　and　with　a　crab…stick；　which　was　all　the　weapon　he　had；
brought　the　fellow　to　the　ground　with　the　first　blow；　then
seizing　his　pistol；　presented　it　at　his　colleague；　who　fired　his
piece　at　random；　and　fled　without　further　opposition。　The　other
was　secured　by　the　assistance　of　the　count　and　the　coachman；　and
his　legs　being　tied　under　the　belly　of　his　own　horse；　Grieve
conducted　him　to　the　village；　whither　also　the　carriage
proceeded。　It　was　with　great　difficulty　the　countess　could　be
kept　from　swooning；　but　at　last　she　was　happily　conveyed　to　the
house　of　the　apothecary；　who　went　into　the　shop　to　prepare　some
drops　for　her；　while　his　wife　and　daughter　administered　to　her　in
another　apartment。

I　found　the　count　standing　in　the　kitchen　with　the　parson　of　the
parish；　and　expressing　much　impatience　to　see　his　protector；　whom
as　yet　he　had　scarce　found　time　to　thank　for　the　essential
service　he　had　done　him　and　the　countess。　　The　daughter　passing
at　the　same　time　with　a　glass　of　water；　monsieur　de　Melville
could　not　help　taking　notice　of　her　figure；　which　was　strikingly
engaging。　　'Ay　（said　the　parson）；　she　is　the　prettiest　girl；　and
the　best　girl　in　all　my　parish：　and　if　I　could　give　my　son　an
estate　of　ten　thousand　a　year；　he　should　have　my　consent　to　lay
it