the vicar of wakefield-第14章

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s　by　this　time　grown　wiser；　no；　I　declare　off；　I'll　fight　no　more；　for　I　find　in　every　battle　that　you　get　all　the　honour　and　rewards；　but　all　the　blows　fall　upon　me。'

I　was　going　to　moralize　this　fable；　when　our　attention　was　called　off　to　a　warm　dispute　between　my　wife　and　Mr　Burchell；　upon　my　daughters　intended　expedition　to　town。　My　wife　very　strenuously　insisted　upon　the　advantages　that　would　result　from　it。　Mr　Burchell；　on　the　contrary；　dissuaded　her　with　great　ardor；　and　I　stood　neuter。　His　present　dissuasions　seemed　but　the　second　part　of　those　which　were　received　with　so　ill　a　grace　in　the　morning。　The　dispute　grew　high　while　poor　Deborah；　instead　of　reasoning　stronger；　talked　louder；　and　at　last　was　obliged　to　take　shelter　from　a　defeat　in　clamour。　The　conclusion　of　her　harangue；　however；　was　highly　displeasing　to　us　all：　she　knew；　she　said；　of　some　who　had　their　own　secret　reasons　for　what　they　advised；　but；　for　her　part；　she　wished　such　to　stay　away　from　her　house　for　the　future。'Madam；'　cried　Burchell；　with　looks　of　great　composure；　which　tended　to　enflame　her　the　more；　'as　for　secret　reasons；　you　are　right：　I　have　secret　reasons；　which　I　forbear　to　mention；　because　you　are　not　able　to　answer　those　of　which　I　make　no　secret：　but　I　find　my　visits　here　are　become　troublesome；　I'll　take　my　leave　therefore　now；　and　perhaps　come　once　more　to　take　a　final　farewell　when　I　am　quitting　the　country。'　Thus　saying；　he　took　up　his　hat；　nor　could　the　attempts　of　Sophia；　whose　looks　seemed　to　upbraid　his　precipitancy；　prevent　his　going。

When　gone；　we　all　regarded　each　other　for　some　minutes　with　confusion。　My　wife；　who　knew　herself　to　be　the　cause；　strove　to　hide　her　concern　with　a　forced　smile；　and　an　air　of　assurance；　which　I　was　willing　to　reprove：　'How；　woman；'　cried　I　to　her；　'is　it　thus　we　treat　strangers？　Is　it　thus　we　return　their　kindness？　Be　assured；　my　dear；　that　these　were　the　harshest　words；　and　to　me　the　most　unpleasing　that　ever　escaped　your　lips！''Why　would　he　provoke　me　then；'　replied　she；　'but　I　know　the　motives　of　his　advice　perfectly　well。　He　would　prevent　my　girls　from　going　to　town；　that　he　may　have　the　pleasure　of　my　youngest　daughter's　company　here　at　home。　But　whatever　happens；　she　shall　chuse　better　company　than　such　low…lived　fellows　as　he。''Low…lived；　my　dear；　do　you　call　him；'　cried　I；　'it　is　very　possible　we　may　mistake　this　man's　character：　for　he　seems　upon　some　occasions　the　most　finished　gentleman　I　ever　knew。Tell　me；　Sophia；　my　girl；　has　he　ever　given　you　any　secret　instances　of　his　attachment？'　'His　conversation　with　me；　sir；'　replied　my　daughter；　'has　ever　been　sensible；　modest；　and　pleasing。　As　to　aught　else；　no；　never。　Once；　indeed；　I　remember　to　have　heard　him　say　he　never　knew　a　woman　who　could　find　merit　in　a　man　that　seemed　poor。'　'Such；　my　dear；'　cried　I；　'is　the　common　cant　of　all　the　unfortunate　or　idle。　But　I　hope　you　have　been　taught　to　judge　properly　of　such　men；　and　that　it　would　be　even　madness　to　expect　happiness　from　one　who　has　been　so　very　bad　an　oeconomist　of　his　own。　Your　mother　and　I　have　now　better　prospects　for　you。　The　next　winter；　which　you　will　probably　spend　in　town；　will　give　you　opportunities　of　making　a　more　prudent　choice。'　What　Sophia's　reflections　were　upon　this　occasion；　I　can't　pretend　to　determine；　but　I　was　not　displeased　at　the　bottom　that　we　were　rid　of　a　guest　from　whom　I　had　much　to　fear。　Our　breach　of　hospitality　went　to　my　conscience　a　little：　but　I　quickly　silenced　that　monitor　by　two　or　three　specious　reasons；　which　served　to　satisfy　and　reconcile　me　to　myself。　The　pain　which　conscience　gives　the　man　who　has　already　done　wrong；　is　soon　got　over。　Conscience　is　a　coward；　and　those　faults　it　has　not　strength　enough　to　prevent；　it　seldom　has　justice　enough　to　accuse。



CHAPTER　14

Fresh　mortifications；　or　a　demonstration　that　seeming　calamities　may　be　real　blessings


The　journey　of　my　daughters　to　town　was　now　resolved　upon；　Mr　Thornhill　having　kindly　promised　to　inspect　their　conduct　himself；　and　inform　us　by　letter　of　their　behaviour。　But　it　was　thought　indispensably　necessary　that　their　appearance　should　equal　the　greatness　of　their　expectations；　which　could　not　be　done　without　expence。　We　debated　therefore　in　full　council　what　were　the　easiest　methods　of　raising　money；　or；　more　properly　speaking；　what　we　could　most　conveniently　sell。　The　deliberation　was　soon　finished；　it　was　found　that　our　remaining　horse　was　utterly　useless　for　the　plow；　without　his　companion；　and　equally　unfit　for　the　road；　as　wanting　an　eye；　it　was　therefore　determined　that　we　should　dispose　of　him　for　the　purposes　above…mentioned；　at　the　neighbouring　fair；　and；　to　prevent　imposition；　that　I　should　go　with　him　myself。　Though　this　was　one　of　the　first　mercantile　transactions　of　my　life；　yet　I　had　no　doubt　about　acquitting　myself　with　reputation。　The　opinion　a　man　forms　of　his　own　prudence　is　measured　by　that　of　the　company　he　keeps；　and　as　mine　was　mostly　in　the　family　way；　I　had　conceived　no　unfavourable　sentiments　of　my　worldly　wisdom。　My　wife；　however；　next　morning；　at　parting；　after　I　had　got　some　paces　from　the　door；　called　me　back；　to　advise　me；　in　a　whisper；　to　have　all　my　eyes　about　me。　I　had；　in　the　usual　forms；　when　I　came　to　the　fair；　put　my　horse　through　all　his　paces；　but　for　some　time　had　no　bidders。　At　last　a　chapman　approached；　and；　after　he　had　for　a　good　while　examined　the　horse　round；　finding　him　blind　of　one　eye；　he　would　have　nothing　to　say　to　him：　a　second　came　up；　but　observing　he　had　a　spavin；　declared　he　would　not　take　him　for　the　driving　home：　a　third　perceived　he　had　a　windgall；　and　would　bid　no　money：　a　fourth　knew　by　his　eye　that　he　had　the　botts：　a　fifth；　wondered　what　a　plague　I　could　do　at　the　fair　with　a　blind；　spavined；　galled　hack；　that　was　only　fit　to　be　cut　up　for　a　dog　kennel。'　By　this　time　I　began　to　have　a　most　hearty　contempt　for　the　poor　animal　myself；　and　was　almost　ashamed　at　the　approach　of　every　customer；　for　though　I　did　not　entirely　believe　all　the　fellows　told　me；　yet　I　reflected　that　the　number　of　witnesses　was　a　strong　presumption　they　were　right；　and　St　Gregory；　upon　good　works；　professes　himself　to　be　of　the　same　opinion。

I　was　in　this　mortifying　situation；　when　a　brother　clergyman；　an　old　acquaintance；　who　had　also　business　to　the　fair；　came　up；　and　shaking　me　by　the　hand；　proposed　adjourning　to　a　public…house　and　taking　a　glass　of　whatever　we　could　get。　I　readily　closed　with　the　offer；　and　entering　an　ale…house；　we　were　shewn　into　a　little　back　room；　where　there　was　only　a　venerable　old　man；　who　sat　wholly　intent　over　a　large　book；　which　he　was　reading。　I　never　in　my　life　saw　a　figure　that　prepossessed　me　more　favourably。　His　locks　of　silver　grey　venerably　shaded　his　temples；　and　his　green　old　age　seemed　to　be　the　result　of　health　and　benevolence。　However；　his　presence　did　not　interrupt　our　conversation；　my　friend　and　I　discoursed　on　the　various　turns　of　fortune　we　had　met：　the　Whistonean　controversy；　my　last　pamphlet；　the　archdeacon's　reply；　and　the　hard　measure　that　was　dealt　me。　But　our　attention　was　in　a　short　time　taken　off　by　the　appearance　of　a　youth；　who；　entering　the　room；　respectfully　said　something　softly　to　the　old　stranger。　'Make　no　apologies；　my　child；'　said　the　old　man；　'to　do　good　is　a　duty　we　owe　to　all　our　fellow　creatures：　take　this；　I　wish　it　were　more；　but　five　pounds　will　relieve　your　distress；　and　you　are　welcome。'　The　modest　youth　shed　tears　of　gratitude；　and　yet　his　gratitude　was　scarce　equal　to　mine。　I　could　have　hugged　the　good　old　man　in　my　arms；　his　benevolence　pleased　me　so。　He　continued　to　read；　and　we　resumed　our　conversation；　until　my　companion；　after　some　time；　recollecting　that　he　had　business　to　transact　in　the　fair；　promised　to　be　soon　back；　adding；　that　he　always　desired　to　have　as　much　of　Dr　Primrose's　company　as　possible。　The　old　gentleman；　hearing　my　name　mentioned；　seemed　to　look　at　me　with　attention；　for　some　time；　and　when　my　friend　was　gone；　most　respectfully　demanded　if　I　was　any　way　related　to　the　great　Primrose；　that　courageous　monogamist；　who　had　been　the　bulwark　of　the　church。　Never　did　my　heart　feel　sincerer　rapture　than　at　that　moment。　'Sir；'　cried　I；　'the　appla