the vicar of wakefield-第28部分

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ad　not　been　thus　engaged　long；　when　he　came　running　in；　with　looks　all　pale；　to　tell　us　that　two　strangers；　whom　he　knew　to　be　officers　of　justice；　were　making　towards　the　house。

Just　as　he　spoke　they　came　in；　and　approaching　the　bed　where　I　lay；　after　previously　informing　me　of　their　employment　and　business；　made　me　their　prisoner；　bidding　me　prepare　to　go　with　them　to　the　county　gaol；　which　was　eleven　miles　off。

'My　friends；'　said　I；　'this　is　severe　weather　on　which　you　have　come　to　take　me　to　a　prison；　and　it　is　particularly　unfortunate　at　this　time；　as　one　of　my　arms　has　lately　been　burnt　in　a　terrible　manner；　and　it　has　thrown　me　into　a　slight　fever；　and　I　want　cloaths　to　cover　me；　and　I　am　now　too　weak　and　old　to　walk　far　in　such　deep　snow：　but　if　it　must　be　so'

I　then　turned　to　my　wife　and　children；　and　directed　them　to　get　together　what　few　things　were　left　us；　and　to　prepare　immediately　for　leaving　this　place。　I　entreated　them　to　be　expeditious；　and　desired　my　son　to　assist　his　elder　sister；　who；　from　a　consciousness　that　she　was　the　cause　of　all　our　calamities；　was　fallen；　and　had　lost　anguish　in　insensibility。　I　encouraged　my　wife；　who；　pale　and　trembling；　clasped　our　affrighted　little　ones　in　her　arms；　that　clung　to　her　bosom　in　silence；　dreading　to　look　round　at　the　strangers。　In　the　mean　time　my　youngest　daughter　prepared　for　our　departure；　and　as　she　received　several　hints　to　use　dispatch；　in　about　an　hour　we　were　ready　to　depart。



CHAPTER　25

No　situation；　however　wretched　it　seems；　but　has　some　sort　of　comfort　attending　it


We　set　forward　from　this　peaceful　neighbourhood；　and　walked　on　slowly。　My　eldest　daughter　being　enfeebled　by　a　slow　fever；　which　had　begun　for　some　days　to　undermine　her　constitution；　one　of　the　officers；　who　had　an　horse；　kindly　took　her　behind　him；　for　even　these　men　cannot　entirely　divest　themselves　of　humanity。　My　son　led　one　of　the　little　ones　by　the　hand；　and　my　wife　the　other；　while　I　leaned　upon　my　youngest　girl；　whose　tears　fell　not　for　her　own　but　my　distresses。

We　were　now　got　from　my　late　dwelling　about　two　miles；　when　we　saw　a　crowd　running　and　shouting　behind　us；　consisting　of　about　fifty　of　my　poorest　parishioners。　These；　with　dreadful　imprecations；　soon　seized　upon　the　two　officers　of　justice；　and　swearing　they　would　never　see　their　minister　go　to　gaol　while　they　had　a　drop　of　blood　to　shed　in　his　defence；　were　going　to　use　them　with　great　severity。　The　consequence　might　have　been　fatal；　had　I　not　immediately　interposed；　and　with　some　difficulty　rescued　the　officers　from　the　hands　of　the　enraged　multitude。　My　children；　who　looked　upon　my　delivery　now　as　certain；　appeared　transported　with　joy；　and　were　incapable　of　containing　their　raptures。　But　they　were　soon　undeceived；　upon　hearing　me　address　the　poor　deluded　people；　who　came；　as　they　imagined；　to　do　me　service。

'What！　my　friends；'　cried　I；　'and　is　this　the　way　you　love　me！　Is　this　the　manner　you　obey　the　instructions　I　have　given　you　from　the　pulpit！　Thus　to　fly　in　the　face　of　justice；　and　bring　down　ruin　on　yourselves　and　me！　Which　is　your　ringleader？　Shew　me　the　man　that　has　thus　seduced　you。　As　sure　as　he　lives　he　shall　feel　my　resentment。　Alas！　my　dear　deluded　flock；　return　back　to　the　duty　you　owe　to　God；　to　your　country；　and　to　me。　I　shall　yet　perhaps　one　day　see　you　in　greater　felicity　here；　and　contribute　to　make　your　lives　more　happy。　But　let　it　at　least　be　my　comfort　when　I　pen　my　fold　for　immortality；　that　not　one　here　shall　be　wanting。'

They　now　seemed　all　repentance；　and　melting　into　tears；　came　one　after　the　other　to　bid　me　farewell。　I　shook　each　tenderly　by　the　hand；　and　leaving　them　my　blessing；　proceeded　forward　without　meeting　any　farther　interruption。　Some　hours　before　night　we　reached　the　town；　or　rather　village；　for　it　consisted　but　of　a　few　mean　houses；　having　lost　all　its　former　opulence；　and　retaining　no　marks　of　its　ancient　superiority　but　the　gaol。

Upon　entering；　we　put　up　at　an　inn；　where　we　had　such　refreshments　as　could　most　readily　be　procured；　and　I　supped　with　my　family　with　my　usual　cheerfulness。　After　seeing　them　properly　accommodated　for　that　night；　I　next　attended　the　sheriff's　officers　to　the　prison；　which　had　formerly　been　built　for　the　purposes　of　war；　and　consisted　of　one　large　apartment；　strongly　grated；　and　paved　with　stone；　common　to　both　felons　and　debtors　at　certain　hours　in　the　four　and　twenty。　Besides　this；　every　prisoner　had　a　separate　cell；　where　he　was　locked　in　for　the　night。

I　expected　upon　my　entrance　to　find　nothing　but　lamentations；　and　various　sounds　of　misery；　but　it　was　very　different。　The　prisoners　seemed　all　employed　in　one　common　design；　that　of　forgetting　thought　in　merriment　or　clamour。　I　was　apprized　of　the　usual　perquisite　required　upon　these　occasions；　and　immediately　complied　with　the　demand；　though　the　little　money　I　had　was　very　near　being　all　exhausted。　This　was　immediately　sent　away　for　liquor；　and　the　whole　prison　soon　was　filled　with　riot；　laughter；　and　prophaneness。

'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　nig