the vicar of wakefield-第12部分

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money；'　cried　Moses'again。　'I　have　laid　it　all　out　in　a　bargain；　and　here　it　is；'　pulling　out　a　bundle　from　his　breast：　'here　they　are；　a　groce　of　green　spectacles；　with　silver　rims　and　shagreen　cases。''A　groce　of　green　spectacles！'　repeated　my　wife　in　a　faint　voice。　'And　you　have　parted　with　the　Colt；　and　brought　us　back　nothing　but　a　groce　of　green　paltry　spectacles！''Dear　mother；'　cried　the　boy；　'why　won't　you　listen　to　reason？　I　had　them　a　dead　bargain；　or　I　should　not　have　bought　them。　The　silver　rims　alone　will　sell　for　double　money。''A　fig　for　the　silver　rims；'　cried　my　wife；　in　a　passion：　'I　dare　swear　they　won't　sell　for　above　half　the　money　at　the　rate　of　broken　silver；　five　shillings　an　ounce。''You　need　be　under　no　uneasiness；'　cried　I；　'about　selling　the　rims；　for　they　are　not　worth　six…pence；　for　I　perceive　they　are　only　copper　varnished　over。''What；'　cried　my　wife；　'not　silver；　the　rims　not　silver！'　'No；'　cried　I；　'no　more　silver　than　your　saucepan；'　'And　so；'　returned　she；　'we　have　parted　with　the　Colt；　and　have　only　got　a　groce　of　green　spectacles；　with　copper　rims　and　shagreen　cases！　A　murrain　take　such　trumpery。　The　blockhead　has　been　imposed　upon；　and　should　have　known　his　company　better。'　'There；　my　dear；'　cried　I；　'you　are　wrong；　he　should　not　have　known　them　at　all。''Marry；　hang　the　ideot；'　returned　she；　'to　bring　me　such　stuff；　if　I　had　them；　I　would　throw　them　in　the　fire。'　'There　again　you　are　wrong；　my　dear；'　cried　I；　'for　though　they　be　copper；　we　will　keep　them　by　us；　as　copper　spectacles；　you　know；　are　better　than　nothing。'

By　this　time　the　unfortunate　Moses　was　undeceived。　He　now　saw　that　he　had　indeed　been　imposed　upon　by　a　prowling　sharper；　who；　observing　his　figure；　had　marked　him　for　an　easy　prey。　I　therefore　asked　the　circumstances　of　his　deception。　He　sold　the　horse；　it　seems；　and　walked　the　fair　in　search　of　another。　A　reverend　looking　man　brought　him　to　a　tent；　under　pretence　of　having　one　to　sell。　'Here；'　continued　Moses；　'we　met　another　man；　very　well　drest；　who　desired　to　borrow　twenty　pounds　upon　these；　saying；　that　he　wanted　money；　and　would　dispose　of　them　for　a　third　of　the　value。　The　first　gentleman；　who　pretended　to　be　my　friend；　whispered　me　to　buy　them；　and　cautioned　me　not　to　let　so　good　an　offer　pass。　I　sent　for　Mr　Flamborough；　and　they　talked　him　up　as　finely　as　they　did　me；　and　so　at　last　we　were　persuaded　to　buy　the　two　groce　between　us。'



CHAPTER　13

Mr　Burchell　is　found　to　be　an　enemy；　for　he　has　the　confidence　to　give　disagreeable　advice


Our　family　had　now　made　several　attempts　to　be　fine；　but　some　unforeseen　disaster　demolished　each　as　soon　as　projected。　I　endeavoured　to　take　the　advantage　of　every　disappointment；　to　improve　their　good　sense　in　proportion　as　they　were　frustrated　in　ambition。　'You　see；　my　children；'　cried　I；　'how　little　is　to　be　got　by　attempts　to　impose　upon　the　world；　in　coping　with　our　betters。　Such　as　are　poor　and　will　associate　with　none　but　the　rich；　are　hated　by　those　they　avoid；　and　despised　by　these　they　follow。　Unequal　combinations　are　always　disadvantageous　to　the　weaker　side：　the　rich　having　the　pleasure；　and　the　poor　the　inconveniencies　that　result　from　them。　But　come；　Dick；　my　boy；　and　repeat　the　fable　that　you　were　reading　to…day；　for　the　good　of　the　company。'。

'Once　upon　a　time；'　cried　the　child；　'a　Giant　and　a　Dwarf　were　friends；　and　kept　together。　They　made　a　bargain　that　they　would　never　forsake　each　other；　but　go　seek　adventures。　The　first　battle　they　fought　was　with　two　Saracens；　and　the　Dwarf；　who　was　very　courageous；　dealt　one　of　the　champions　a　most　angry　blow。　It　did　the　Saracen　but　very　little　injury；　who　lifting　up　his　sword；　fairly　struck　off　the　poor　Dwarf's　arm。　He　was　now　in　a　woeful　plight；　but　the　Giant　coming　to　his　assistance；　in　a　short　time　left　the　two　Saracens　dead　on　the　plain；　and　the　Dwarf　cut　off　the　dead　man's　head　out　of　spite。　They　then　travelled　on　to　another　adventure。　This　was　against　three　bloody…minded　Satyrs；　who　were　carrying　away　a　damsel　in　distress。　The　Dwarf　was　not　quite　so　fierce　now　as　before；　but　for　all　that；　struck　the　first　blow；　which　was　returned　by　another；　that　knocked　out　his　eye：　but　the　Giant　was　soon　up　with　them；　and　had　they　not　fled；　would　certainly　have　killed　them　every　one。　They　were　all　very　joyful　for　this　victory；　and　the　damsel　who　was　relieved　fell　in　love　with　the　Giant；　and　married　him。　They　now　travelled　far；　and　farther　than　I　can　tell；　till　they　met　with　a　company　of　robbers。　The　Giant；　for　the　first　time；　was　foremost　now；　but　the　Dwarf　was　not　far　behind。　The　battle　was　stout　and　long。　Wherever　the　Giant　came　all　fell　before　him；　but　the　Dwarf　had　like　to　have　been　killed　more　than　once。　At　last　the　victory　declared　for　the　two　adventurers；　but　the　Dwarf　lost　his　leg。　The　Dwarf　was　now　without　an　arm；　a　leg；　and　an　eye；　while　the　Giant　was　without　a　single　wound。　Upon　which　he　cried　out　to　his　little　companion；　My　little　heroe；　this　is　glorious　sport；　let　us　get　one　victory　more；　and　then　we　shall　have　honour　for　ever。　No；　cries　the　Dwarf　who　was　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