the expedition of humphry clinker-第87章

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recollect　himself；　and　act　with　vigour　of　mind　on　this　occasion；
but　was　betrayed　by　the　tenderness　of　his　nature；　which　was　the
greatest　defect　of　his　constitution。　He　found　the　aunt　in　tears；
and　the　niece　in　a　fit；　which　held　her　the　best　part　of　eight
hours；　at　the　expiration　of　which；　she　began　to　talk　incoherently
about　death　and　her　dear　husband；　who　had　sat　by　her　all　this
time；　and　now　pressed　her　hand　to　his　lips；　in　a　transport　of
grief　and　penitence　for　the　offence　he　had　given　　From　thence
forward；　he　carefully　avoided　mentioning　the　country；　and　they
continued　to　be　sucked　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　vortex　of
extravagance　and　dissipation；　leading　what　is　called　a
fashionable　life　in　town　　About　the　latter　end　of　July；　however；
Mrs　Baynard；　in　order　to　exhibit　a　proof　of　conjugal　obedience；
desired　of　her　own　accord；　that　they　might　pay　a　visit　to　his
country　house；　as　there　was　no　company　left　in　London。　He　would
have　excused　himself　from　this　excursion　which　was　no　part　of　the
oeconomical　plan　he　had　proposed；　but　she　insisted　upon　making
this　sacrifice　to　his　taste　and　prejudices；　and　away　they　went
with　such　an　equipage　as　astonished　the　whole　country。　All　that
remained　of　the　season　was　engrossed　by　receiving　and　returning
visits　in　the　neighbourhood；　and；　in　this　intercourse　it　was
discovered　that　sir　John　Chickwell　had　a　house…steward　and　one
footman　in　livery　more　than　the　complement　of　Mr　Baynard's
household。　This　remark　was　made　by　the　aunt　at　table；　and
assented　to　by　the　husband；　who　observed　that　sir　John　Chickwell
might　very　well　afford　to　keep　more　servants　than　were　found　in
the　family　of　a　man　who　had　not　half　his　fortune。　Mrs　Baynard　ate
no　supper　that　evening；　but　was　seized　with　a　violent　fit；　which
completed　her　triumph　over　the　spirit　of　her　consort。　The　two
supernumerary　servants　were　added　　The　family　plate　was　sold　for
old　silver；　and　a　new　service　procured；　fashionable　furniture　was
provided；　and　the　whole　house　turned　topsy　turvy。

At　their　return　to　London　in　the　beginning　of　winter；　he；　with　a
heavy　heart；　communicated　these　particulars　to　me　in　confidence。
Before　his　marriage；　he　had　introduced　me　to　the　lady　as　his
particular　friend；　and　I　now　offered　in　that　character；　to　lay
before　her　the　necessity　of　reforming　her　oeconomy；　if　she　had
any　regard　to　the　interest　of　her　own　family；　or　complaisance　for
the　inclinations　of　her　husband　　But　Baynard　declined　my　offer；
on　the　supposition　that　his　wife's　nerves　were　too　delicate　to
bear　expostulation；　and　that　it　would　only　serve　to　overwhelm　her
with　such　distress　as　would　make　himself　miserable。

Baynard　is　a　man　of　spirit；　and　had　she　proved　a　termagant；　he
would　have　known　how　to　deal　with　her；　but；　either　by　accident　or
instinct；　she　fastened　upon　the　weak　side　of　his　soul；　and　held
it　so　fast；　that　he　has　been　in　subjection　ever　since　　I
afterwards　advised　him　to　carry　her　abroad　to　France　or　Italy；
where　he　might　gratify　her　vanity　for　half　the　expence　it　cost
him　in　England：　and　this　advice　he　followed　accordingly。　She　was
agreeably　flattered　with　the　idea　of　seeing　and　knowing　foreign
parts；　and　foreign　fashions；　of　being　presented　to　sovereigns；
and　living　familiarly　with　princes。　She　forthwith　seized　the
hint　which　I　had　thrown
out　on　purpose；　and　even　pressed　Mr　Baynard　to　hasten　his
departure；　so　that　in　a　few　weeks　they　crossed　the　sea　to　France；
with　a　moderate　train；　still　including　the　aunt；　who　was　her
bosom　counsellor；　and　abetted　her　in　all　her　oppositions　to　her
husband's　will　Since　that　period；　I　have　had　little　or　no
opportunity　to　renew　our　former　correspondence　　All　that　I　knew
of　his　transactions；　amounted　to　no　more　than　that　after　an
absence　of　two　years；　they　returned　so　little　improved　in
oeconomy；　that　they　launched　out　into　new　oceans　of　extravagance；
which　at　length　obliged　him　to　mortgage　his　estate　　By　this　time
she　had　bore　him　three　children；　of　which　the　last　only　survives；
a　puny　boy　of　twelve　or　thirteen；　who　will　be　ruined　in　his
education　by　the　indulgence　of　his　mother。

As　for　Baynard；　neither　his　own　good　sense；　nor　the　dread　of
indigence；　nor　the　consideration　of　his　children；　has　been　of
force　sufficient　to　stimulate　him　into　the　resolution　of　breaking
at　once　the　shameful　spell　by　which　he　seems　enchanted　　With　a
taste　capable　of　the　most　refined　enjoyment；　a　heart　glowing　with
all　the　warmth　of　friendship　and　humanity；　and　a　disposition
strongly　turned　to　the　more　rational　pleasures　of　a　retired　and
country　life；　he　is　hurried　about　in　a　perpetual　tumult；　amidst　a
mob　of　beings　pleased　with　rattles；　baubles；　and　gewgaws；　so　void
of　sense　and　distinction；　that　even　the　most　acute　philosopher
would　find　it　a　very　hard　task　to　discover　for　what　wise　purpose
of　providence　they　were　created　　Friendship　is　not　to　be　found；
nor　can　the　amusements　for　which　he　sighs　be　enjoyed　within　the
rotation　of　absurdity；　to　which　he　is　doomed　for　life。　He　has
long　resigned　all　views　of　improving　his　fortune　by　management
and　attention　to　the　exercise　of　husbandry；　in　which　he
delighted；　and　as　to　domestic　happiness；　not　the　least　glimpse　of
hope　remains　to　amuse　his　imagination。　Thus　blasted　in　all　his
prospects；　he　could　not　fail　to　be　overwhelmed　with　melancholy
and　chagrin；　which　have　preyed　upon　his　health　and　spirits　in
such　a　manner；　that　he　is　now　threatened　with　a　consumption。

I　have　given　you　a　sketch　of　the　man；　whom　the　other　day　I　went
to　visit　　At　the　gate　we　found　a　great　number　of　powdered
lacquies；　but　no　civility　　After　we　had　sat　a　considerable　time
in　the　coach；　we　were　told；　that　Mr　Baynard　had　rode　out；　and
that　his　lady　was　dressing；　but　we　were　introduced　to　a　parlour；
so　very　fine　and　delicate；　that　in　all　appearance　it　was　designed
to　be　seen　only；　not　inhabited。　The　chairs　and　couches　were
carved；　gilt；　and　covered　with　rich　damask；　so　smooth　and　slick；
that　they　looked　as　if　they　had　never　been　sat　upon。　There　was　no
carpet　upon　the　floor；　but　the　boards　were　rubbed　and　waxed　in
such　a　manner；　that　we　could　not　walk；　but　were　obliged　to　slide
along　them；　and　as　for　the　stove；　it　was　too　bright　and　polished
to　be　polluted　with　sea…coal；　or　stained　by　the　smoke　of　any
gross　material　fire　　When　we　had　remained　above　half　an　hour
sacrificing　to　the　inhospitable　powers　in　the　temple　of　cold
reception；　my　friend　Baynard　arrived；　and　understanding　we　were
in　the　house；　made　his　appearance；　so　meagre；　yellow；　and
dejected；　that　I　really　should　not　have　known　him；　had　I　met　with
him　in　any　other　place。　Running　up　to　me；　with　great　eagerness；　he
strained　me　in　his　embrace；　and　his　heart　was　so　full；　that　for
some　minutes　he　could　not　speak。　Having　saluted　us　all　round；　he
perceived　our　uncomfortable　situation；　and　conducting　us　into
another　apartment；　which　had　fire　in　the　chimney；　called　for
chocolate　　Then；　withdrawing；　he　returned　with　a　compliment　from
his　wife；　and；　in　the　mean　time；　presented　his　son　Harry；　a
shambling；　blear…eyed　boy；　in　the　habit　of　a　hussar；　very　rude；
forward；　and　impertinent。　His　father　would　have　sent　him　to　a
boarding…school；　but　his　mamma　and　aunt　would　not　hear　of　his
lying　out　of　the　house；　so　that　there　was　a　clergyman　engaged　as
his　tutor　in　the　family。

As　it　was　but　just　turned　of　twelve；　and　the　whole　house　was　in
commotion　to　prepare　a　formal　entertainment；　I　foresaw　it　would
be　late　before　we　dined；　and　proposed　a　walk　to　Mr　Baynard；　that
we　might　converse　together　freely。　In　the　course　of　this
perambulation；　when　I　expressed　some　surprize　that　he　had
returned　so　soon　from　Italy；　he　gave　me　to　understand；　that　his
going　abroad　had　not　at　all　answered　the　purpose；　for　which　he
left　England；　that　although　the　expence　of　living　was　not　so
great　in　Italy　as　at　home；　respect　being　had　to　the　same　rank　of
life　in　both　countries；　it　had　been　found　necessary　for　him　to
lift　himself　above　his　usual　stile；　that　he　might　be　on　some
footing　with　the　counts；　marquises；　and　cavaliers；　with　whom　he
kept　company　　He　was　obliged　to　hire　a　great　number　of　servants；
to　take　off　a　great　variety　of　rich　cloaths；　and　to　keep　a
sumptuous　table　for