the vicar of wakefield-第9部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

was　still　superior　to　their　other　accomplishments。　One　of　them　observed；　that　had　miss　Olivia　seen　a　little　more　of　the　world；　it　would　greatly　improve　her。　To　which　the　other　added；　that　a　single　winter　in　town　would　make　her　little　Sophia　quite　another　thing。　My　wife　warmly　assented　to　both；　adding；　that　there　was　nothing　she　more　ardently　wished　than　to　give　her　girls　a　single　winter's　polishing。　To　this　I　could　not　help　replying；　that　their　breeding　was　already　superior　to　their　fortune；　and　that　greater　refinement　would　only　serve　to　make　their　poverty　ridiculous；　and　give　them　a　taste　for　pleasures　they　had　no　right　to　possess。　'And　what　pleasures；'　cried　Mr　Thornhill；　'do　they　not　deserve　to　possess；　who　have　so　much　in　their　power　to　bestow？　As　for　my

part；'　continued　he；　'my　fortune　is　pretty　large；　love；　liberty；　and　pleasure；　are　my　maxims；　but　curse　me　if　a　settlement　of　half　my　estate　could　give　my　charming　Olivia　pleasure；　it　should　be　hers；　and　the　only　favour　I　would　ask　in　return　would　be　to　add　myself　to　the　benefit。'　I　was　not　such　a　stranger　to　the　world　as　to　be　ignorant　that　this　was　the　fashionable　cant　to　disguise　the　insolence　of　the　basest　proposal；　but　I　made　an　effort　to　suppress　my　resentment。　'Sir；'　cried　I；　'the　family　which　you　now　condescend　to　favour　with　your　company；　has　been　bred　with　as　nice　a　sense　of　honour　as　you。　Any　attempts　to　injure　that；　may　be　attended　with　very　dangerous　consequences。　Honour；　Sir；　is　our　only　possession　at　present；　and　of　that　last　treasure　we　must　be　particularly　careful。'I　was　soon　sorry　for　the　warmth　with　which　I　had　spoken　this；　when　the　young　gentleman；　grasping　my　hand；　swore　he　commended　my　spirit；　though　he　disapproved　my　suspicions。　'As　to　your　present　hint；'　continued　he；　'I　protest　nothing　was　farther　from　my　heart　than　such　a　thought。　No；　by　all　that's　tempting；　the　virtue　that　will　stand　a　regular　siege　was　never　to　my　taste；　for　all　my　amours　are　carried　by　a　coup　de　main。'

The　two　ladies；　who　affected　to　be　ignorant　of　the　rest；　seemed　highly　displeased　with　this　last　stroke　of　freedom；　and　began　a　very　discreet　and　serious　dialogue　upon　virtue：　in　this　my　wife；　the　chaplain；　and　I；　soon　joined；　and　the　'Squire　himself　was　at　last　brought　to　confess　a　sense　of　sorrow　for　his　former　excesses。　We　talked　of　the　pleasures　of　temperance；　and　of　the　sun…shine　in　the　mind　unpolluted　with　guilt。　I　was　so　well　pleased；　that　my　little　ones　were　kept　up　beyond　the　usual　time　to　be　edified　by　so　much　good　conversation。　Mr　Thornhill　even　went　beyond　me；　and　demanded　if　I　had　any　objection　to　giving　prayers。　I　joyfully　embraced　the　proposal；　and　in　this　manner　the　night　was　passed　in　a　most　comfortable　way；　till　at　last　the　company　began　to　think　of　returning。　The　ladies　seemed　very　unwilling　to　part　with　my　daughters；　for　whom　they　had　conceived　a　particular　affection；　and　joined　in　a　request　to　have　the　pleasure　of　their　company　home。　The　'Squire　seconded　the　proposal；　and　my　wife　added　her　entreaties：　the　girls　too　looked　upon　me　as　if　they　wished　to　go。　In　this　perplexity　I　made　two　or　three　excuses；　which　my　daughters　as　readily　removed；　so　that　at　last　I　was　obliged　to　give　a　peremptory　refusal；　for　which　we　had　nothing　but　sullen　looks　and　short　answers　the　whole　day　ensuing。



CHAPTER　10

The　family　endeavours　to　cope　with　their　betters。　The　miseries　of　the　poor　when　they　attempt　to　appear　above　their　circumstances


I　now　began　to　find　that　all　my　long　and　painful　lectures　upon　temperance；　simplicity；　and　contentment；　were　entirely　disregarded。　The　distinctions　lately　paid　us　by　our　betters　awaked　that　pride　which　I　had　laid　asleep；　but　not　removed。　Our　windows　again；　as　formerly；　were　filled　with　washes　for　the　neck　and　face。　The　sun　was　dreaded　as　an　enemy　to　the　skin　without　doors；　and　the　fire　as　a　spoiler　of　the　complexion　within。　My　wife　observed；　that　rising　too　early。　would　hurt　her　daughters'　eyes；　that　working　after　dinner　would　redden　their　noses；　and　she　convinced　me　that　the　hands　never　looked　so　white　as　when　they　did　nothing。　Instead　therefore　of　finishing　George's　shirts；　we　now　had　them　new　modelling　their　old　gauzes；　or　flourishing　upon　catgut。　The　poor　Miss　Flamboroughs；　their　former　gay　companions；　were　cast　off　as　mean　acquaintance；　and　the　whole　conversation　ran　upon　high　life　and　high　lived　company；　with　pictures；　taste；　Shakespear；　and　the　musical　glasses。

But　we　could　have　borne　all　this；　had　not　a　fortune…telling　gypsey　come　to　raise　us　into　perfect　sublimity。　The　tawny　sybil　no　sooner　appeared；　than　my　girls　came　running　to　me　for　a　shilling　a　piece　to　cross　her　hand　with　silver。　To　say　the　truth；　I　was　tired　of　being　always　wise；　and　could　not　help　gratifying　their　request；　because　I　loved　to　see　them　happy。　I　gave　each　of　them　a　shilling；　though；　for　the　honour　of　the　family；　it　must　be　observed；　that　they　never　went　without　money　themselves；　as　my　wife　always　generously　let　them　have　a　guinea　each；　to　keep　in　their　pockets；　but　with　strict　injunctions　never　to　change　it。　After　they　had　been　closetted　up　with　the　fortune…teller　for　some　time；　I　knew　by　their　looks；　upon　their　returning；　that　they　had　been　promised　something　great。'Well；　my　girls；　how　have　you　sped？　Tell　me；　Livy；　has　the　fortune…teller　given　thee　a　pennyworth？''I　protest；　pappa；'　says　the　girl；　'I　believe　she　deals　with　some　body　that's　not　right；　for　she　positively　declared；　that　I　am　to　be　married　to　a　'Squire　in　less　than　a　twelvemonth！''Well　now；　Sophy；　my　child；'　said　I；　'and　what　sort　of　a　husband　are　you　to　have？'　'Sir；'　replied　she；　'I　am　to　have　a　Lord　soon　after　my　sister　has　married　the　'Squire。'　'How；'　cried　I；　'is　that　all　you　are　to　have　for　your　two　shillings！　Only　a　Lord　and　a　'Squire　for　two　shillings！　You　fools；　I　could　have　promised　you　a　Prince　and　a　Nabob　for　half　the　money。'　This　curiosity　of　theirs；　however；　was　attended　with　very　serious　effects：　we　now　began　to　think　ourselves　designed　by　the　stars　for　something　exalted；　and　already　anticipated　our　future　grandeur。　It　has　been　a　thousand　times　observed；　and　I　must　observe　it　once　more；　that　the　hours　we　pass　with　happy　prospects　in　view；　are　more　pleasing　than　those　crowned　with　fruition。　In　the　first　case　we　cook　the　dish　to　our　own　appetite；　in　the　latter　nature　cooks　it　for　us。　It　is　impossible　to　repeat　the　train　of　agreeable　reveries　we　called　up　for　our　entertainment。　We　looked　upon　our　fortunes　as　once　more　rising；　and　as　the　whole　parish　asserted　that　the　'Squire　was　in　love　with　my　daughter；　she　was　actually　so　with　him；　for　they　persuaded　her　into　the　passion。　In　this　agreeable　interval；　my　wife　had　the　most　lucky　dreams　in　the　world；　which　she　took　care　to　tell　us　every　morning；　with　great　solemnity　and　exactness。　It　was　one　night　a　coffin　and　cross　bones；　the　sign　of　an　approaching　wedding：　at　another　time　she　imagined　her　daughters'　pockets　filled　with　farthings；　a　certain　sign　of　their　being　shortly　stuffed　with　gold。　The　girls　themselves　had　their　omens。　They　felt　strange　kisses　on　their　lips；　they　saw　rings　in　the　candle；　purses　bounced　from　the　fire；　and　true　love…knots　lurked　in　the　bottom　of　every　tea…cup。

Towards　the　end　of　the　week　we　received　a　card　from　the　town　ladies；　in　which；　with　their　compliments；　they　hoped　to　see　all　our　family　at　church　the　Sunday　following。　All　Saturday　morning　I　could　perceive；　in　consequence　of　this；　my　wife　and　daughters　in　close　conference　together；　and　now　and　then　glancing　at　me　with　looks　that　betrayed　a　latent　plot。　To　be　sincere；　I　had　strong　suspicions　that　some　absurd　proposal　was　preparing　for　appearing　with　splendor　the　next　day。　In　the　evening　they　began　their　operations　in　a　very　regular　manner；　and　my　wife　undertook　to　conduct　the　siege。　After　tea；　when　I　seemed　in　spirits；　she　began　thus。'I　fancy；　Charles；　my　dear；　we　shall　have　a　great　deal　of　good　company　at　our　church　to…morrow；''Perhaps　we　may；　my　dear；'　returned　I；　'though　you　need　be　under　no　uneasiness　about　that；　you　shall　have　a　sermon　whether　there　be　or　not。''That　is　what　I　expect；'　returned　she；　'but　I　think；　my　dear；　we　ought　to　appear　there　as　decently　as　possible；　for　who　knows　what　may　happen？'　'Your　precautions；'　replied　I；　'are　highly　commendable。　A　decent　behaviour　and　appearance　in　church　is　what　charms　me。　We　should　be　devout　and　humble；　chearful　and　serene。''Yes；'　cried　she；　'I　know　that；　but　I　mean　we　should　go　there　in　as　proper　a　manner　as　possible；　not　altogether　like　the　scrubs　about　us。〃　'You　are　quite　right；　my　dear；'　returned　I；　'and　I　was　going　to　make　the　very　same　proposal。　The　proper　manner　of　going　is；　to　go　there　as　early　as　possible；　to　have　time　for　meditation　before　the　service　begins。''Phoo；　Charles；'　interrupted　she；　'all　that　is　very　true；　but　not　what　I　would　be　at。　I　mean；　we　should　go　there　genteelly。　You　know　the　church　is　two　miles　off；　and　I　protest　I　don't　like　to　see　my　daughters　trudging　up　to　their　pew　all　blowzed　and　red　with　walking；　and；　looking　for　all　the　world　as　if　they　had　been　winners　at　a　smock　race。　Now；　my　dear；　my　proposal　is　this：　there　are　our　two　plow　horses；　the　Colt　that　has　been　in　our　family　these　nine　years；　and　his　companion　Blackberry；　that　have　scarce　done　an　earthly　thing　for　this