the vicar of wakefield-第32章

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'How；'　cried　I　to　myself；　'shall　men　so　very　wicked　be　chearful；　and　shall　I　be　melancholy！　I　feel　only　the　same　confinement　with　them；　and　I　think　I　have　more　reason　to　be　happy。'

With　such　reflections　I　laboured　to　become　chearful；　but　chearfulness　was　never　yet　produced　by　effort；　which　is　itself　painful。　As　I　was　sitting　therefore　in　a　corner　of　the　gaol；　in　a　pensive　posture；　one　of　my　fellow　prisoners　came　up；　and　sitting　by　me；　entered　into　conversation。　It　was　my　constant　rule　in　life　never　to　avoid　the　conversation　of　any　man　who　seemed　to　desire　it：　for　if　good；　I　might　profit　by　his　instruction；　if　bad；　he　might　be　assisted　by　mine。　I　found　this　to　be　a　knowing　man；　of　strong　unlettered　sense；　but　a　thorough　knowledge　of　the　world；　as　it　is　called；　or；　more　properly　speaking；　of　human　nature　on　the　wrong　side。　He　asked　me　if　I　had　taken　care　to　provide　myself　with　a　bed；　which　was　a　circumstance　I　had　never　once　attended　to。

'That's　unfortunate；'　cried　he；　'as　you　are　allowed　here　nothing　but　straw；　and　your　apartment　is　very　large　and　cold。　However　you　seem　to　be　something　of　a　gentleman；　and　as　I　have　been　one　myself　in　my　time；　part　of　my　bed…cloaths　are　heartily　at　your　service。'

I　thanked　him；　professing　my　surprize　at　finding　such　humanity　in　a　gaol　in　misfortunes；　adding；　to　let　him　see　that　I　was　a　scholar；　'That　the　sage　ancient　seemed　to　understand　the　value　of　company　in　affliction；　when　he　said；　Ton　kosman　aire；　ei　dos　ton　etairon；　and　in　fact；'　continued　I；　'what　is　the　World　if　it　affords　only　solitude？'

'You　talk　of　the　world；　Sir；'　returned　my　fellow　prisoner；　'the　world　is　in　its　dotage；　and　yet　the　cosmogony　or　creation　of　the　world　has　puzzled　the　philosophers　of　every　age。　What　a　medly　of　opinions　have　they　not　broached　upon　the　creation　of　the　world。　Sanconiathon；　Manetho；　Berosus；　and　Ocellus　Lucanus　have　all　attempted　it　in　vain。　The　latter　has　these　words。　Anarchon　ara　kai　atelutaion　to　pan；　which　implies''I　ask　pardon；　Sir；'　cried　I；　'for　interrupting　so　much　learning；　but　I　think　I　have　heard　all　this　before。　Have　I　not　had　the　pleasure　of　once　seeing　you　at　Welbridge　fair；　and　is　not　your　name　Ephraim　Jenkinson？'　At　this　demand　he　only　sighed。　'I　suppose　you　must　recollect；'　resumed　I；　'one　Doctor　Primrose；　from　whom　you　bought　a　horse。'

He　now　at　once　recollected　me；　for　the　gloominess　of　the　place　and　the　approaching　night　had　prevented　his　distinguishing　my　features　before。'Yes；　Sir；'　returned　Mr　Jenkinson；　'I　remember　you　perfectly　well；　I　bought　an　horse；　but　forgot　to　pay　for　him。　Your　neighbour　Flamborough　is　the　only　prosecutor　I　am　any　way　afraid　of　at　the　next　assizes：　for　he　intends　to　swear　positively　against　me　as　a　coiner。　I　am　heartily　sorry；　Sir；　I　ever　deceived　you；　or　indeed　any　man；　for　you　see；'　continued　he；　shewing　his　shackles；　'what　my　tricks　have　brought　me　to。'

'Well；　sir；'　replied　I；　'your　kindness　in　offering　me　assistance；　when　you　could　expect　no　return；　shall　be　repaid　with　my　endeavours　to　soften　or　totally　suppress　Mr　Flamborough's　evidence；　and　I　will　send　my　son　to　him　for　that　purpose　the　first　opportunity；　nor　do　I　in　the　least　doubt　but　he　will　comply　with　my　request；　and　as　to　my　evidence；　you　need　be　under　no　uneasiness　about　that。'

'Well；　sit；'　cried　he；　'all　the　return　I　can　make　shall　be　yours。　You　shall　have　more　than　half　my　bed…cloaths　to　night；　and　I'll　take　care　to　stand　your　friend　in　the　prison；　where　I　think　I　have　some　influence。'

I　thanked　him；　and　could　not　avoid　being　surprised　at　the　present　youthful　change　in　his　aspect；　for　at　the　time　I　had　seen　him　before　he　appeared　at　least　sixty。'Sir；'　answered　he；　you　are　little　acquainted　with　the　world；　I　had　at　that　time　false　hair；　and　have　learnt　the　art　of　counterfeiting　every　age　from　seventeen　to　seventy。　Ah　sir；　had　I　but　bestowed　half　the　pains　in　learning　a　trade；　that　I　have　in　learning　to　be　a　scoundrel；　I　might　have　been　a　rich　man　at　this　day。　But　rogue　as　I　am；　still　I　may　be　your　friend；　and　that　perhaps　when　you　least　expect　it。'

We　were　now　prevented　from　further　conversation；　by　the　arrival　of　the　gaoler's　servants；　who　came　to　call　over　the　prisoners　names；　and　lock　up　for　the　night。　A　fellow　also；　with　a　bundle　of　straw　for　my　bed　attended；　who　led　me　along　a　dark　narrow　passage　into　a　room　paved　like　the　common　prison；　and　in　one　corner　of　this　I　spread　my　bed；　and　the　cloaths　given　me　by　my　fellow　prisoner；　which　done；　my　conductor；　who　was　civil　enough；　bade　me　a　good…　night。　After　my　usual　meditations；　and　having　praised　my　heavenly　corrector；　I　laid　myself　down　and　slept　with　the　utmost　tranquility　till　morning。



CHAPTER　26

A　reformation　in　the　gaol。　To　make　laws　complete；　they　should　reward　as　well　as　punish


The　next　morning　early　I　was　awakened　by　my　family；　whom　I　found　in　tears　at　my　bed…side。　The　gloomy　strength　of　every　thing　about　us；　it　seems；　had　daunted　them。　I　gently　rebuked　their　sorrow；　assuring　them　I　had　never　slept　with　greater　tranquility；　and　next　enquired　after　my　eldest　daughter；　who　was　not　among　them。　They　informed　me　that　yesterday's　uneasiness　and　fatigue　had　encreased　her　fever；　and　it　was　judged　proper　to　leave　her　behind。　My　next　care　was　to　send　my　son　to　procure　a　room　or　two　to　lodge　the　family　in；　as　near　the　prison　as　conveniently　could　be　found。　He　obeyed；　but　could　only　find　one　apartment；　which　was　hired　at　a　small　expence；　for　his　mother　and　sisters；　the　gaoler　with　humanity　consenting　to　let　him　and　his　two　little　brothers　lie　in　the　prison　with　me。　A　bed　was　therefore　prepared　for　them　in　a　corner　of　the　room；　which　I　thought　answered　very　conveniently。　I　was　willing　however　previously　to　know　whether　my　little　children　chose　to　lie　in　a　place　which　seemed　to　fright　them　upon　entrance。

'Well；'　cried　I；　'my　good　boys；　how　do　you　like　your　bed？　I　hope　you　are　not　afraid　to　lie　in　this　room；　dark　as　it　appears。'

'No；　papa；'　says　Dick；　'I　am　not　afraid　to　lie　any　where　where　you　are。'

'And　I；'　says　Bill；　who　was　yet　but　four　years　old；　'love　every　place　best　that　my　papa　is　in。'

After　this；　I　allotted　to　each　of　the　family　what　they　were　to　do。　My　daughter　was　particularly　directed　to　watch　her　declining　sister's　health；　my　wife　was　to　attend　me；　my　little　boys　were　to　read　to　me：　'And　as　for　you；　my　son；'　continued　I；　'it　is　by　the　labour　of　your　hands　we　must　all　hope　to　be　supported。　Your　wages；　as　a　day…labourer；　will　be　full　sufficient；　with　proper　frugality；　to　maintain　us　all；　and　comfortably　too。　Thou　art　now　sixteen　years　old；　and　hast　strength；　and　it　was　given　thee；　my　son；　for　very　useful　purposes；　for　it　must　save　from　famine　your　helpless　parents　and　family。　Prepare　then　this　evening　to　look　out　for　work　against　to…morrow；　and　bring　home　every　night　what　money　you　earn；　for　our　support。'

Having　thus　instructed　him；　and　settled　the　rest；　I　walked　down　to　the　common　prison；　where　I　could　enjoy　more　air　and　room。　But　I　was　not　long　there　when　the　execrations；　lewdness；　and　brutality　that　invaded　me　on　every　side；　drove　me　back　to　my　apartment　again。　Here　I　sate　for　some　time；　pondering　upon　the　strange　infatuation　of　wretches；　who　finding　all　mankind　in　open　arms　against　them；　were　labouring　to　make　themselves　a　future　and　a　tremendous　enemy。

Their　insensibility　excited　my　highest　compassion；　and　blotted　my　own　uneasiness　from　my　mind。　It　even　appeared　a　duty　incumbent　upon　me　to　attempt　to　reclaim　them。　I　resolved　therefore　once　more　to　return；　and　in　spite　of　their　contempt　to　give　them　my　advice；　and　conquer　them　by　perseverance。　Going　therefore　among　them　again；　I　informed　Mr　Jenkinson　of　my　design；　at　which　he　laughed　heartily；　but　communicated　it　to　the　rest。　The　proposal　was　received　with　the　greatest　good…humour；　as　it　promised　to　afford　a　new　fund　of　entertainment　to　persons　who　had　now　no　other　resource　for　mirth；　but　what　could　be　derived　from　ridicule　or　debauchery。

I　therefore　read　them　a　portion　of　the　service　with　a　loud　unaffected　voice；　and　found　my　audience　perfectly　merry　upon　the　occasion。　Lewd　whispers；　groans　of　contrition　burlesqued；　winking　and　coughing；　alternately　excited　laughter。　However；　I　continued　with　my　natural　solemnity　to　read　on；　se