the vicar of wakefield-第13部分

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aviour。　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　applause　of　so　good　a　man；　as　I　am　sure　you　are；　adds　to　that　happiness　in　my　breast　which　your　benevolence　has　already　excited。　You　behold　before　you；　Sir；　that　Doctor　Primrose；　the　monogamist；　whom　you　have　been　pleased　to　call　great。　You　here　see　that　unfortunate　Divine；　who　has　so　long；　and　it　would　ill　become　me　to　say；　successfully；　fought　against　the　deuterogamy　of　the　age。'　'Sir；'　cried　the　stranger；　struck　with　awe；　'I　fear　I　have　been　too　familiar；　but　you'll　forgive　my　curiosity；　Sir：　I　beg　pardon。'　'Sir；'　cried　I；　grasping　his　hand；　'you　are　so　far　from　displeasing　me　by　your　familiarity；　that　I　must　beg　you'll　accept　my　friendship；　as　you　already　have　my　esteem。''Then　with　gratitude　I　accept　the　offer；'　cried　he；　squeezing　me　by　the　hand；　'thou　glorious　pillar　of　unshaken　orthodoxy；　and　do　I　behold…　…'　I　here　interrupted　what　he　was　going　to　say；　for　tho'；　as　an　author；　I　could　digest　no　small　share　of　flattery；　yet　now　my　modesty　would　permit　no　more。　However；　no　lovers　in　romance　ever　cemented　a　more　instantaneous　friendship。　We　talked　upon　several　subjects：　at　first　I　thought　he　seemed　rather　devout　than　learned；　and　began　to　think　he　despised　all　human　doctrines　as　dross。　Yet　this　no　way　lessened　him　in　my　esteem；　for　I　had　for　some　time　begun　privately　to　harbour　such　an　opinion　myself。　I　therefore　took　occasion　to　observe；　that　the　world　in　general　began　to　be　blameably　indifferent　as　to　doctrinal　matters；　and　followed　human　speculations　too　much'Ay；　Sir；'　replied　he；　as　if　he　had　reserved　all　his　learning　to　that　moment；　'Ay；　Sir；　the　world　is　in　its　dotage；　and　yet　the　cosmogony　or　creation　of　the　world　has　puzzled　philosophers　of　all　ages。　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　imply　that　all　things　have　neither　beginning　nor　end。　Manetho　also；　who　lived　about　the　time　of　Nebuchadon…Asser；　Asser　being　a　Syriac　word　usually　applied　as　a　sirname　to　the　kings　of　that　country；　as　Teglat　Phael…Asser；　Nabon…Asser；　he；　I　say；　formed　a　conjecture　equally　absurd；　for　as　we　usually　say　ek　to　biblion　kubernetes；　which　implies　that　books　will　never　teach　the　world；　so　he　attempted　to　investigateBut；　Sir；　I　ask　pardon；　I　am　straying　from　the　question。'That　he　actually　was；　nor　could　I　for　my　life　see　how　the　creation　of　the　world　had　any　thing　to　do　with　the　business　I　was　talking　of；　but　it　was　sufficient　to　shew　me　that　he　was　a　man　of　letters；　and　I　now　reverenced　him　the　more。　I　was　resolved　therefore　to　bring　him　to　the　touch…stone；　but　he　was　too　mild　and　too　gentle　to　contend　for　victory。　Whenever　I　made　any　observation　that　looked　like　a　challenge　to　controversy；　he　would　smile；　shake　his　head；　and　say　nothing；　by　which　I　understood　he　could　say　much；　if　he　thought　proper。　The　subject　therefore　insensibly　changed　from　the　business　of　antiquity　to　that　which　brought　us　both　to　the　fair；　mine　I　told　him　was　to　sell　an　horse；　and　very　luckily；　indeed；　his　was　to　buy　one　for　one　of　his　tenants。　My　horse　was　soon　produced；　and　in　fine　we　struck　a　bargain。　Nothing　now　remained　but　to　pay　me；　and　he　accordingly　pulled　out　a　thirty　pound　note；　and　bid　me　change　it。　Not　being　in　a　capacity　of　complying　with　his　demand；　he　ordered　his　footman　to　be　called　up；　who　made　his　appearance　in　a　very　genteel　livery。　'Here；　Abraham；'　cried　he；　'go　and　get　gold　for　this；　you'll　do　it　at　neighbour　Jackson's；　or　any　where。'　While　the　fellow　was　gone；　he　entertained　me　with　a　pathetic　harangue　on　the　great　scarcity　of　silver；　which　I　undertook　to　improve；　by　deploring　also　the　great　scarcity　of　gold；　so　that　by　the　time　Abraham　returned；　we　had　both　agreed　that　money　was　never　so　hard　to　be　come　at　as　now。　Abraham　returned　to　inform　us；　that　he　had　been　over　the　whole　fair　and　could　not　get　change；　tho'　he　had　offered　half　a　crown　for　doing　it。　This　was　a　very　great　disappointment　to　us　all；　but　the　old　gentleman　having　paused　a　little；　asked　me　if　I　knew　one　Solomon　Flamborough　in　my　part　of　the　country：　upon　replying　that　he　was　my　next　door　neighbour；　'if　that　be　the　case　then；'　returned　he；　'I　believe　we　shall　deal。　You　shall　have　a　draught　upon　him；　payable　at　sight；　and　let　me　tell　you　he　is　as　warm　a　man　as　any　within　five　miles　round　him。　Honest　Solomon　and　I　have　been　acquainted　for　many　years　together。　I　remember　I　always　beat　him　at　threejumps；　but　he　could　hop　upon　one　leg　farther　than　I。'　A　draught　upon　my　neighbour　was　to　me　the　same　as　money；　for　I　was　sufficiently　convinced　of　his　ability：　the　draught　was　signed　and　put　into　my　hands；　and　Mr　Jenkinson；　the　old　gentleman；　his　man　Abraham；　and　my　horse；　old　Blackberry；　trotted　off　very　well　pleased　with　each　other。

After　a　short　interval　being　left　to　reflection；　I　began　to　recollect　that　I　had　done　wrong　in　taking　a　draught　from　a　stranger；　and　so　prudently　resolved　upon　following　the　purchaser；　and　having　back　my　horse。　But　this　was　now　too　late：　I　therefore　made　directly　hom