the vicar of wakefield-第3部分

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A　migration。　The　fortunate　circumstances　of　our　lives　are　generally　found　at　last　to　be　of　our　own　procuring


The　only　hope　of　our　family　now　was；　that　the　report　of　our　misfortunes　might　be　malicious　or　premature：　but　a　letter　from　my　agent　in　town　soon　came　with　a　confirmation　of　every　particular。　The　loss　of　fortune　to　myself　alone　would　have　been　trifling；　the　only　uneasiness　I　felt　was　for　my　family；　who　were　to　be　humble　without　an　education　to　render　them　callous　to　contempt。

Near　a　fortnight　had　passed　before　I　attempted　to　restrain　their　affliction；　for　premature　consolation　is　but　the　remembrancer　of　sorrow。　During　this　interval；　my　thoughts　were　employed　on　some　future　means　of　supporting　them；　and　at　last　a　small　Cure　of　fifteen　pounds　a　year　was　offered　me　in　a　distant　neighbourhood；　where　I　could　still　enjoy　my　principles　without　molestation。　With　this　proposal　I　joyfully　closed；　having　determined　to　encrease　my　salary　by　managing　a　little　farm。

Having　taken　this　resolution；　my　next　care　was　to　get　together　the　wrecks　of　my　fortune；　and　all　debts　collected　and　paid；　out　of　fourteen　thousand　pounds　we　had　but　four　hundred　remaining。　My　chief　attention　therefore　was　now　to　bring　down　the　pride　of　my　family　to　their　circumstances；　for　I　well　knew　that　aspiring　beggary　is　wretchedness　itself。　'You　cannot　be　ignorant；　my　children；'　cried　I；　'that　no　prudence　of　ours　could　have　prevented　our　late　misfortune；　but　prudence　may　do　much　in　disappointing　its　effects。　We　are　now　poor；　my　fondlings；　and　wisdom　bids　us　conform　to　our　humble　situation。　Let　us　then；　without　repining；　give　up　those　splendours　with　which　numbers　are　wretched；　and　seek　in　humbler　circumstances　that　peace　with　which　all　may　be　happy。　The　poor　live　pleasantly　without　our　help；　why　then　should　not　we　learn　to　live　without　theirs。　No；　my　children；　let　us　from　this　moment　give　up　all　pretensions　to　gentility；　we　have　still　enough　left　for　happiness　if　we　are　wise；　and　let　us　draw　upon　content　for　the　deficiencies　of　fortune。'　As　my　eldest　son　was　bred　a　scholar；　I　determined　to　send　him　to　town；　where　his　abilities　might　contribute　to　our　support　and　his　own。　The　separation　of　friends　and　families　is；　perhaps；　one　of　the　most　distressful　circumstances　attendant　on　penury。　The　day　soon　arrived　on　which　we　were　to　disperse　for　the　first　time。　My　son；　after　taking　leave　of　his　mother　and　the　rest；　who　mingled　their　tears　with　their　kisses；　came　to　ask　a　blessing　from　me。　This　I　gave　him　from　my　heart；　and　which；　added　to　five　guineas；　was　all　the　patrimony　I　had　now　to　bestow。　'You　are　going；　my　boy；'　cried　I；　'to　London　on　foot；　in　the　manner　Hooker；　your　great　ancestor；　travelled　there　before　you。　Take　from　me　the　same　horse　that　was　given　him　by　the　good　bishop　Jewel；　this　staff；　and　take　this　book　too；　it　will　be　your　comfort　on　the　way：　these　two　lines　in　it　are　worth　a　million；　I　have　been　young；　and　now　am　old；　yet　never　saw　I　the　righteous　man　forsaken；　or　his　seed　begging　their　bread。　Let　this　be　your　consolation　as　you　travel　on。　Go；　my　boy；　whatever　be　thy　fortune　let　me　see　thee　once　a　year；　still　keep　a　good　heart；　and　farewell。'　As　he　was　possest　of　integrity　and　honour；　I　was　under　no　apprehensions　from　throwing　him　naked　into　the　amphitheatre　of　life；　for　I　knew　he　would　act　a　good　part　whether　vanquished　or　victorious。　His　departure　only　prepared　the　way　for　our　own；　which　arrived　a　few　days　afterwards。　The　leaving　a　neighbourhood　in　which　we　had　enjoyed　so　many　hours　of　tranquility；　was　not　without　a　tear；　which　scarce　fortitude　itself　could　suppress。　Besides；　a　journey　of　seventy　miles　to　a　family　that　had　hitherto　never　been　above　ten　from　home；　filled　us　with　apprehension；　and　the　cries　of　the　poor；　who　followed　us　for　some　miles；　contributed　to　encrease　it。　The　first　day's　journey　brought　us　in　safety　within　thirty　miles　of　our　future　retreat；　and　we　put　up　for　the　night　at　an　obscure　inn　in　a　village　by　the　way。　When　we　were　shewn　a　room；　I　desired　the　landlord；　in　my　usual　way；　to　let　us　have　his　company；　with　which　he　complied；　as　what　he　drank　would　encrease　the　bill　next　morning。　He　knew；　however；　the　whole　neighbourhood　to　which　I　was　removing；　particularly　'Squire　Thornhill；　who　was　to　be　my　landlord；　and　who　lived　within　a　few　miles　of　the　place。　This　gentleman　he　described　as　one　who　desired　to　know　little　more　of　the　world　than　its　pleasures；　being　particularly　remarkable　for　his　attachment　to　the　fair　sex。　He　observed　that　no　virtue　was　able　to　resist　his　arts　and　assiduity；　and　that　scarce　a　farmer's　daughter　within　ten　miles　round　but　what　had　found　him　successful　and　faithless。　Though　this　account　gave　me　some　pain；　it　had　a　very　different　effect　upon　my　daughters；　whose　features　seemed　to　brighten　with　the　expectation　of　an　approaching　triumph；　nor　was　my　wife　less　pleased　and　confident　of　their　allurements　and　virtue。　While　our　thoughts　were　thus　employed；　the　hostess　entered　the　room　to　inform　her　husband；　that　the　strange　gentleman；　who　had　been　two　days　in　the　house；　wanted　money；　and　could　not　satisfy　them　for　his　reckoning。　'Want　money！'　replied　the　host；　'that　must　be　impossible；　for　it　was　no　later　than　yesterday　he　paid　three　guineas　to　our　beadle　to　spare　an　old　broken　soldier　that　was　to　be　whipped　through　the　town　for　dog…　stealing。'　The　hostess；　however；　still　persisting　in　her　first　assertion；　he　was　preparing　to　leave　the　room；　swearing　that　he　would　be　satisfied　one　way　or　another；　when　I　begged　the　landlord　would　introduce　me　to　a　stranger　of　so　much　charity　as　he　described。　With　this　he　complied；　shewing　in　a　gentleman　who　seemed　to　be　about　thirty；　drest　in　cloaths　that　once　were　laced。　His　person　was　well　formed；　and　his　face　marked　with　the　lines　of　thinking。　He　had　something　short　and　dry　in　his　address；　and　seemed　not　to　understand　ceremony；　or　to　despise　it。　Upon　the　landlord's　leaving　the　room；　I　could　not　avoid　expressing　my　concern　to　the　stranger　at　seeing　a　gentleman　in　such　circumstances；　and　offered　him　my　purse　to　satisfy　the　present　demand。　'I　take　it　with　all　my　heart；　Sir；'　replied　he；　'and　am　glad　that　a　late　oversight　in　giving　what　money　I　had　about　me；　has　shewn　me　that　there　are　still　some　men　like　you。　I　must；　however；　previously　entreat　being　informed　of　the　name　and　residence　of　my　benefactor；　in　order　to　repay　him　as　soon　as　possible。'　In　this　I　satisfied　him　fully；　not　only　mentioning　my　name　and　late　misfortunes；　but　the　place　to　which　I　was　going　to　remove。　'This；'　cried　he；　'happens　still　more　luckily　than　I　hoped　for；　as　I　am　going　the　same　way　myself；　having　been　detained　here　two　days　by　the　floods；　which；　I　hope；　by　to…morrow　will　be　found　passable。'　I　testified　the　pleasure　I　should　have　in　his　company；　and　my　wife　and　daughters　joining　in　entreaty；　he　was　prevailed　upon　to　stay　supper。　The　stranger's　conversation；　which　was　at　once　pleasing　and　instructive；　induced　me　to　wish　for　a　continuance　of　it；　but　it　was　now　high　time　to　retire　and　take　refreshment　against　the　fatigues　of　the　following　day。

The　next　morning　we　all　set　forward　together：　my　family　on　horseback；　while　Mr　Burchell；　our　new　companion；　walked　along　the　foot…path　by　the　road…side；　observing；　with　a　smile；　that　as　we　were　ill　mounted；　he　would　be　too　generous　to　attempt　leaving　us　behind。　As　the　floods　were　not　yet　subsided；　we　were　obliged　to　hire　a　guide；　who　trotted　on　before；　Mr　Burchell　and　I　bringing　up　the　rear。　We　lightened　the　fatigues　of　the　road　with　philosophical　disputes；　which　he　seemed　to　understand　perfectly。　But　what　surprised　me　most　was；　that　though　he　was　a　money…　borrower；　he　defended　his　opinions　with　as　much　obstinacy　as　if　he　had　been　my　patron。　He　now　and　then　also　informed　me　to　whom　the　different　seats　belonged　that　lay　in　our　view　as　we　travelled　the　road。　'That；'　cried　he；　pointing　to　a　very　magnificent　house　which　stood　at　some　distance；　'belongs　to　Mr　Thornhill；　a　young　gentleman　who　enjoys　a　large　fortune；　though　entirely　dependent　on　the　will　of　his　uncle；　Sir　William　Thornhill；　a　gentleman；　who　content　with　a　little　himself；　permits　his　nephew　to　enjoy　the　rest；　and　chiefly　resides　in　town。'　'What！'　cried　I；　'is　my　young　landlord　then　the　nephew　of　a　man　whose　virtues；　generosity；　and　singularities　are　so　universally　known？　I　have　heard　Sir　William　Thornhill　represented　as　one　of　the　most　generous；　yet　whimsical；　men　in　the　kingdom；　a　man　of　consumate　benevolence''Something；　perhaps；　too　much　so；'　replied　Mr　Burchell；　'at　least　he　carried　benevolence　to　an　excess　when　young；　for　his　passions　were　then　strong；　and　as　they　all　were　upon　the　side　of　virtue；　they　led　it　up　to　a　romantic　extreme。　He　early　began　to　aim　at　the　qualifications　of　the　soldier　and　scholar；　was　soon　distinguished　in　the　army　and　had　some　reputation　among　men　of　learning。　Adulation　ever　follows　the　ambitious；　for　such　alone　receive　most　pleasure　from　flattery。　He　was　surrounded　with　crowds；　who　shewed　him　only　one　side　of　their　character；　so　that　he　began　to　lose　a　regard　for　private　interest　in　universal　sympathy。　He　loved　all　mankind；　for　fortune　prevented　him　from　knowing　that　there　were　rascals。　Physicians　tell　us　of　a　disorder　in　which　the　whole　body　is　so　exquisitely　sensible；　that　the　sl