the expedition of humphry clinker-第94章

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stuck　in　a　leather　belt；　and　another　in　his　hand　ready　for
action；　and；　advancing　a　few　steps；　called　to　know　if　I　was
ready　　I　answered；　'No；'　and　desired　a　parley；　upon　which　he
turned　the　muzzle　of　his　piece　towards　the　earth；　then　replaced
it　in　his　belt；　and　met　me　half　way　　When　I　assured　him　he　was
not　the　man　I　expected　to　meet；　he　said　it　might　be　so：　that　he
had　received　a　slip　of　paper　directed　to　Mr　Wilson；　requesting
him　to　come　hither；　and　that　as　there　was　no　other　in　the　place
of　that　name；　he　naturally　concluded　the　note　was　intended　for
him；　and　him　only　　I　then　gave　him　to　understand；
that　I　had　been　injured　by　a　person　who　assumed　that　name；　which
person　I　had　actually　seen　within　the　hour；　passing　through　the
street　on　horseback；　that　hearing　there　was　a　Mr　Wilson　at　the
Red　Lion；　I　took　it　for　granted　he　was　the　man；　and　in　that
belief　had　writ　the　billet；　and　I　expressed　my　surprize；　that　he；
who　was　a　stranger　to　me　and　my　concerns；　should　give　me　such　a
rendezvous；　without　taking　the　trouble　to　demand　a　previous
explanation。　He　replied；　that　there　was　no　other　of　his　name　in
the　whole　country；　that　no　such　horseman　had　alighted　at　the　Red
Lion　since　nine　o'clock；　when　he　arrived　　that　having　had　the
honour　to　serve　his　majesty；　he　thought　he　could　not　decently
decline　any　invitation　of　this　kind；　from　what　quarter　soever　it
might　come；　and　that　if　any　explanation　was　necessary；　it　did　not
belong　to　him　to　demand　it；　but　to　the　gentleman　who　summoned
him　into　the　field。　Vexed　as　I　was　at　this　adventure；　I　could　not
help　admiring　the　coolness　of　this　officer；　whose　open
countenance　prepossessed　me　in　his　favour。　He　seemed　to　be　turned
of　forty；　wore　his　own　short　black　hair；　which　curled　naturally
about　his　ears；　and　was　very　plain　in　his　apparel　　When　I　begged
pardon　for　the　trouble　I　had　given　him；　he　received　my　apology
with　great　good　humour。　　He　told　me　that　he　lived　about　ten　miles
off；　at　a　small　farm…house；　which　would　afford　me　tolerable
lodging；　if　I　would　come　and　take　diversion　of　hunting　with　him
for　a　few　weeks；　in　which　case　we　might；　perhaps；　find　out　the
man　who　had　given　me　offence　　I　thanked　him　very　sincerely　for
his　courteous　offer；　which；　I　told　him；　I　was　not　at　liberty　to
accept　at　present；　on　account　of　my　being　engaged　in　a　family
party；　and　so　we　parted；　with　mutual　professions　of　good　will　and
esteem。

Now　tell　me；　dear　knight；　what　am　I　to　make　of　this　singular
adventure？　Am　I　to　suppose　that　the　horseman　I　saw　was　really　a
thing　of　flesh　and　blood；　or　a　bubble　that　vanished　into　air？　　or
must　I　imagine　Liddy　knows　more　of　the　matter　than　she　chuses　to
disclose？　　If　I　thought　her　capable　of　carrying　on　any
clandestine　correspondence　with　such　a　fellow；　I　should　at　once
discard　all　tenderness；　and　forget　that　she　was　connected　with　me
by　the　ties　of　blood　　But　how　is　it　possible　that　a　girl　of　her
simplicity　and　inexperience；　should　maintain　such　an　intercourse；
surrounded；　as　she　is；　with　so　many　eyes；　destitute　of　all
opportunity；　and　shifting　quarters　every　day　of　her　life！　
Besides；　she　has　solemnly　promised。　No　　I　can't　think　the　girl　so
base　　so　insensible　to　the　honour　of　her　family。　　What　disturbs
me　chiefly；　is　the　impression　which　these　occurrences　seem　to
make　upon　her　spirits　　These　are　the　symptoms　from　which　I
conclude　that　the　rascal　has　still　a　hold　on　her　affection；　surely
I　have　a　right　to　call　him　a　rascal；　and　to　conclude　that　his
designs　are　infamous。　But　it　shall　be　my　fault　if　he　does　not　one
day　repent　his　presumption　　I　confess　I　cannot　think；　much　less
write　on　this　subject；　with　any　degree　of　temper　or　patience；　I
shall　therefore　conclude　with　telling　you；　that　we　hope　to　be　in
Wales　by　the　latter　end　of　the　month：　but　before　that　period　you
will　probably　hear　again　from

your　affectionate
J。　MELFORD
Oct。　4。




To　Sir　WATKIN　PHILLIPS；　Bart。　of　Jesus　college；　Oxon。

DEAR　PHILLIPS；

When　I　wrote　you　by　last　post；　I　did　not　imagine　I　should　be
tempted　to　trouble　you　again　so　soon：　but　I　now　sit　down　with　a
heart　so　full　that　it　cannot　contain　itself；　though　I　am　under
such　agitation　of　spirits；　that　you　are　to　expect　neither　method
nor　connexion　in　this　address　　We　have　been　this　day　within　a
hair's　breadth　of　losing　honest　Matthew　Bramble；　in　consequence
of　a　cursed　accident；　which　I　will　endeavour　to　explain。　　In
crossing　the　country　to　get　into　the　post　road；　it　was　necessary
to　ford　a　river；　and　we　that　were　a…horseback　passed　without　any
danger　or　difficulty；　but　a　great　quantity　of　rain　having　fallen
last　night　and　this　morning；　there　was　such　an　accumulation　of
water；　that　a　mill…head　gave　way；　just　as　the　coach　was　passing
under　it；　and　the　flood　rushed　down　with　such　impetuosity；　as
first　floated；　and　then　fairly　overturned　the　carriage　in　the
middle　of　the　stream　　Lismahago　and　I；　and　the　two　servants；
alighting　instantaneously；　ran　into　the　river　to　give　all　the
assistance　in　our　power。　　Our　aunt；　Mrs　Tabitha；　who　had　the　good
fortune　to　be　uppermost；　was　already　half　way　out　of　the　coach
window；　when　her　lover　approaching；　disengaged　her　entirely；　but；
whether　his　foot　slipt；　or
the　burthen　was　too　great；　they　fell　over　head　and　ears　in　each
others'　arms。　He　endeavoured　more　than　once　to　get　up；　and　even
to　disentangle　himself　from　her　embrace；　but　she　hung　about　his
neck　like　a　mill…stone　（no　bad　emblem　of　matrimony）；　and　if　my
man　had　not　proved　a　stanch　auxiliary；　those　two　lovers　would　in
all　probability　have　gone　hand　in　hand　to　the　shades　below　　For
my　part；　I　was　too　much　engaged　to　take　any　cognizance　of　their
distress。　　I　snatched　out　my　sister　by　the　hair　of　the　head；　and；
dragging　her　to　the　bank；　recollected　that　my　uncle　had；　not　yet
appeared　　Rushing　again　into　the　stream；　I　met　Clinker　hauling
ashore　Mrs　Jenkins；　who　looked　like　a　mermaid　with　her　hair
dishevelled　about　her　ears；　but；　when　I　asked　if　his　master　was
safe；　he　forthwith　shook　her　from　him；　and　she　must　have　gone　to
pot；　if　a　miller　had　not　seasonably　come　to　her　relief。　　As　for
Humphry；　he　flew　like　lightning；　to　the　coach；　that　was　by　this
time　filled　with　water；　and；　diving　into　it；　brought　up　the　poor
'squire；　to　all　appearance；　deprived　of　life　　It　is　not　in　my
power　to　describe　what　I　felt　at　this　melancholy　spectacle　　it
was　such　an　agony　as　baffles　all　description！　The　faithful
Clinker；　taking　him　up　in　his　arms；　as　if　he　had　been　an　infant
of　six　months；　carried　him　ashore；　howling　most　piteously　all　the
way；　and　I　followed　him　in　a　transport　of　grief　and
consternation　　When　he　was　laid　upon　the　grass　and　turned　from
side　to　side；　a　great　quantity　of　water　ran　out　at　his　mouth；
then　he　opened　his　eyes；　and　fetched　a　deep　sigh。　Clinker
perceiving　these　signs　of　life；　immediately　tied　up　his　arm　with
a　garter；　and；　pulling　out　a　horse…fleam；　let　him　blood　in　the
farrier　stile。　　At　first　a　few　drops　only　issued　from　the
orifice；　but　the　limb　being　chafed；　in　a　little　time　the　blood
began　to　flow　in　a　continued　stream；　and　he　uttered　some
incoherent　words；　which　were　the　most　welcome　sounds　that　ever
saluted　my　ear。　There　was　a　country　inn　hard　by；　the　landlord　of
which　had　by　this　time　come　with　his　people　to　give　their
assistance。　　Thither　my　uncle　being　carried；　was　undressed　and
put　to　bed；　wrapped　in　warm　blankets；　but　having　been　moved　too
soon；　he　fainted　away；　and　once　more　lay　without　sense　or　motion；
notwithstanding　all　the　efforts　of　Clinker　and　the　landlord；　who
bathed　his　temples　with　Hungary　water；　and　held　a　smelling…bottle
to　his　nose。　As　I　had　heard　of　the　efficacy　of　salt　in　such
cases；　I　ordered　all　that　was　in　the　house　to　be　laid　under　his
head　and　body；　and　whether　this　application　had　the　desired
effect；　or　nature　of　herself　prevailed；　he；　in　less　than　a
quarter　of　an　hour；　began　to　breathe　regularly；　and　soon
retrieved　his　recollection；　to　the　unspeakable　joy　of　all　the　by…standers。
As　for　Clinker；　his　brain　seemed　to　be　affected。　　He
laughed；　and　wept；　and　danced　about　in　such　a　distracted　manner；
that　the　landlord　very　judiciously　conveyed　him　out　of　the　room。
My　uncle；　seeing　me　dropping　wet；　compreh