the vicar of wakefield-第17部分

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An　Elegy　on　the　Death　of　a　Mad　Dog。

Good　people　all；　of　every　sort；　Give　ear　unto　my　song；　And　if　you　find　it　wond'rous　short；　It　cannot　hold　you　long。

In　Isling　town　there　was　a　man；　Of　whom　the　world　might　say；　That　still　a　godly　race　he　ran；　Whene'er　he　went　to　pray。

A　kind　and　gentle　heart　he　had；　To　comfort　friends　and　foes；　The　naked　every　day　he　clad；　When　he　put　on　his　cloaths。

And　in　that　town　a　dog　was　found；　As　many　dogs　there　be；　Both　mungrel；　puppy；　whelp；　and　hound；　And　curs　of　low　degree。

This　dog　and　man　at　first　were　friends；　But　when　a　pique　began；　The　dog；　to　gain　some　private　ends；　Went　mad　and　bit　the　man。

Around　from　all　the　neighbouring　streets；　The　wondering　neighbours　ran；　And　swore　the　dog　had　lost　his　wits；　To　bite　so　good　a　man。

The　wound　it　seem'd　both　sore　and　sad；　To　every　Christian　eye；　And　while　they　swore　the　dog　was　mad；　They　swore　the　man　would　die。

But　soon　a　wonder　came　to　light；　That　shew'd　the　rogues　they　lied；　The　man　recovered　of　the　bite；　The　dog　it　was　that　dy'd。

'A　very　good　boy；　Bill；　upon　my　word；　and　an　elegy　that　may　truly　be　called　tragical。　Come；　my　children；　here's　Bill's　health；　and　may　he　one　day　be　a　bishop。'

'With　all　my　heart；'　cried　my　wife；　'and　if　he　but　preaches　as　well　as　he　sings；　I　make　no　doubt　of　him。　The；　most　of　his　family；　by　the　mother's　side；　could　sing　a　good　song：　it　was　a　common　saying　in　our　country；　that　the　family　of　the　Blenkinsops　could　never　look　strait　before　them；　nor　the　Huginsons　blow　out　a　candle；　that　there　were　none　of　the　Grograms　but　could　sing　a　song；　or　of　the　Marjorams　but　could　tell　a　story。''However　that　be；'　cried　I；　'the　most　vulgar　ballad　of　them　all　generally　pleases　me　better　than　the　fine　modern　odes；　and　things　that　petrify　us　in　a　single　stanza；　productions　that　we　at　once　detest　and　praise。　Put　the　glass　to　your　brother；　Moses。The　great　fault　of　these　elegiasts　is；　that　they　are　in　despair　for　griefs　that　give　the　sensible　part　of　mankind　very　little　pain。　A　lady　loses　her　muff；　her　fan；　or　her　lap…dog；　and　so　the　silly　poet　runs　home　to　versify　the　disaster。'

'That　may　be　the　mode；'　cried　Moses；　'in　sublimer　compositions；　but　the　Ranelagh　songs　that　come　down　to　us　are　perfectly　familiar；　and　all　cast　in　the　same　mold：　Colin　meets　Dolly；　and　they　hold　a　dialogue　together；　he　gives　her　a　fairing　to　put　in　her　hair；　and　she　presents　him　with　a　nosegay；　and　then　they　go　together　to　church；　where　they　give　good　advice　to　young　nymphs　and　swains　to　get　married　as　fast　as　they　can。'

'And　very　good　advice　too；'　cried　I；　'and　I　am　told　there　is　not　a　place　in　the　world　where　advice　can　be　given　with　so　much　propriety　as　there；　for；　as　it　persuades　us　to　marry；　it　also　furnishes　us　with　a　wife；　and　surely　that　must　be　an　excellent　market；　my　boy；　where　we　are　told　what　we　want；　and　supplied　with　it　when　wanting。'

'Yes；　Sir；'　returned　Moses；　'and　I　know　but　of　two　such　markets　for　wives　in　Europe；　Ranelagh　in　England；　and　Fontarabia　in　Spain。'　The　Spanish　market　is　open　once　a　year；　but　our　English　wives　are　saleable　every　night。'

'You　are　right；　my　boy；'　cried　his　mother；　'Old　England　is　the　only　place　in　the　world　for　husbands　to　get　wives。''And　for　wives　to　manage　their　husbands；'　interrupted　I。　'It　is　a　proverb　abroad；　that　if　a　bridge　were　built　across　the　sea；　all　the　ladies　of　the　Continent　would　come　over　to　take　pattern　from　ours；　for　there　are　no　such　wives　in　Europe　as　our　own。　'But　let　us　have　one　bottle　more；　Deborah；　my　life；　and　Moses　give　us　a　good　song。　What　thanks　do　we　not　owe　to　heaven　for　thus　bestowing　tranquillity；　health；　and　competence。　I　think　myself　happier　now　than　the　greatest　monarch　upon　earth。　He　has　no　such　fire…side；　nor　such　pleasant　faces　about　it。　Yes；　Deborah；　we　are　now　growing　old；　but　the　evening　of　our　life　is　likely　to　be　happy。　We　are　descended　from　ancestors　that　knew　no　stain；　and　we　shall　leave　a　good　and　virtuous　race　of　children　behind　us。　While　we　live　they　will　be　our　support　and　our　pleasure　here；　and　when　we　die　they　will　transmit　our　honour　untainted　to　posterity。　Come；　my　son；　we　wait　for　a　song：　let　us　have　a　chorus。　But　where　is　my　darling　Olivia？　That　little　cherub's　voice　is　always　sweetest　in　the　concert。'Just　as　I　spoke　Dick　came　running　in。　'O　pappa；　pappa；　she　is　gone　from　us；　she　is　gone　from　us；　my　sister　Livy　is　gone　from　us　for　ever''Gone；　child''Yes；　she　is　gone　off　with　two　gentlemen　in　a　post　chaise；　and　one　of　them　kissed　her；　and　said　he　would　die　for　her；　and　she　cried　very　much；　and　was　for　coming　back；　but　he　persuaded　her　again；　and　she　went　into　the　chaise；　and　said；　O　what　will　my　poor　pappa　do　when　he　knows　I　am　undone！''Now　then；'　cried　I；　'my　children；　go　and　be　miserable；　for　we　shall　never　enjoy　one　hour　more。　And　O　may　heaven's　everlasting　fury　light　upon　him　and　his！　Thus　to　rob　me　of　my　child！　And　sure　it　will；　for　taking　back　my　sweet　innocent　that　I　was　leading　up　to　heaven。　Such　sincerity　as　my　child　was　possest　of。　But　all　our　earthly　happiness　is　now　over！　Go；　my　children；　go；　and　be　miserable　and　infamous；　for　my　heart　is　broken　within　me！''Father；'　cried　my　son；　〃is　this　your　fortitude？''Fortitude；　child！　Yes；　he　shall　see　I　have　fortitude！　Bring　me　my　pistols。　I'll　pursue　the　traitor。　While　he　is　on　earth　I'll　pursue　him。　Old　as　I　am；　he　shall　find　I　can　sting　him　yet。　The　villain！　The　perfidious　villain！'I　had　by　this　time　reached　down　my　pistols；　when　my　poor　wife；　whose　passions　were　not　so　strong　as　mine；　caught　me　in　her　arms。　'My　dearest；　dearest　husband；'　cried　she；　'the　bible　is　the　only　weapon　that　is　fit　for　your　old　hands　now。　Open　that；　my　love；　and　read　our　anguish　into　patience；　for　she　has　vilely　deceived　us。''Indeed；　Sir；'　resumed　my　son；　after　a　pause；　'your　rage　is　too　violent　and　unbecoming。　You　should　be　my　mother's　comforter；　and　you　encrease　her　pain。　It　ill　suited　you　and　your　reverend　character　thus　to　curse　your　greatest　enemy：　you　should　not　have　curst　him；　villian　as　he　is。''I　did　not　curse　him；　child；　did　I？''Indeed；　Sir；　you　did；　you　curst　him　twice。''Then　may　heaven　forgive　me　and　him　if　I　did。　And　now；　my　son；　I　see　it　was　more　than　human　benevolence　that　first　taught　us　to　bless　our　enemies！　Blest　be　his　holy　name　for　all　the　good　he　hath　given；　and　for　all　that　he　hath　taken　away。　But　it　is　not；　it　is　not；　a　small　distress　that　can　wring　tears　from　these　old　eyes；　that　have　not　wept　for　so　many　years。　My　Child！To　undo　my　darling！　May　confusion　seize！　Heaven　forgive　me；　what　am　I　about　to　say！　You　may　remember；　my　love；　how　good　she　was；　and　how　charming；　till　this　vile　moment　all　her　care　was　to　make　us　happy。　Had　she　but　died！　But　she　is　gone；　the　honour　of　our　family　contaminated；　and　I　must　look　out　for　happiness　in　other　worlds　than　here。　But　my　child；　you　saw　them　go　off：　perhaps　he　forced　her　away？　If　he　forced　her；　she　may　'yet　be　innocent。''Ah　no；　Sir！'　cried　the　child；　'he　only　kissed　her；　and　called　her　his　angel；　and　she　wept　very　much；　and　leaned　upon　his　arm；　and　they　drove　off　very　fast。'　'She's　an　ungrateful　creature；'　cried　my　wife；　who　could　scarce　speak　for　weeping；　'to　use　us　thus。　She　never　had　the　least　constraint　put　upon　her　affections。　The　vile　strumpet　has　basely　deserted　her　parents　without　any　provocation；　thus　to　bring　your　grey　hairs　to　the　grave；　and　I　must　shortly　follow。'

In　this　manner　that　night；　the　first　of　our　real　misfortunes；　was　spent　in　the　bitterness　of　complaint；　and　ill　supported　sallies　of　enthusiasm。　I　determined；　however；　to　find　out　our　betrayer；　wherever　he　was；　and　reproach　his　baseness。　The　next　morning　we　missed　our　wretched　child　at　breakfast；　where　she　used　to　give　life　and　cheerfulness　to　us　all。　My　wife；　as　before；　attempted　to　ease　her　heart　by　reproaches。　'Never；'　cried　she；　'shall　that　vilest　stain　of　our　family　again　darken　those　harmless　doors。　I　will　never　call　her　daughter　more。　No；　let　the　strumpet　live　with　her　vile　seducer：　she　may　bring　us　to　shame　but　she　shall　never　more　deceive　us。'

'Wife；'　said　I；　'do　not　talk　thus　hardly：　my　detestation　of　her　guilt　is　as　great　as　yours；　but　ever　shall　this　house　and　this　heart　be　open　to　a　poor　returning　repentant　sinner。　The　sooner　she　returns　from　her　transgression；　the　more　welcome　shall　she　be　to　me。　For　the　first　time　the　very　best　may　err；　art　may　persuade；　and　novelty　spread　out　its　charm。　The　first　fault　is　the　child　of　simplicity；　but　every　other　the　offspring　of　guilt。　Yes；　the　wretched　creature　shall　be　welcome　to　this　heart　and　this　house；　tho'　stained　with　ten　thousand　vices。　I　will　again　hearken　to　the　music　of　her　voice；　again　will　I　hang　fondly　on　her　bosom；　if　I　find　but　repentance　there。　My　son；　bring　hither　my　bible　and　my　staff；　I　will　pursue　her；　wherever　she　is；　and　tho'　I　cannot　save　her　from　shame；　I　may　prevent　the　continuance　of　iniquity。'



CHAPTER　18

The　pursuit　of　a　father　to　reclaim　a　lost　child　to　virtue


Tho'　the　child　could　not　describe　the　gentleman's　person　who　handed　his　sister　into　the　post…chaise；　yet　my　suspicions　fell　entirely　upon　our　young　landlord；　whose　character　for　such　intrigues　was　but　too　well　known。　I　therefore　directed　my　steps　towards　Thornhill…castle；　resolving　to　upbraid　him；　and；　if　possible；　to　bring