the expedition of humphry clinker-第43章

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


to　declare　to　her　brother；　when　he　questioned　me　upon　that
subject　　Lady　Griskin　has　been　so　good　as　to　charge　herself；　not
only　with　the　delivery　of　this　note；　but　also　with　the　task　of
undeceiving　Mrs　Bramble；　for　whom　I　have　the　most　profound
respect　and　veneration；　though　my　affection　being　otherwise
engaged　is　no　longer　in　the　power　of

Sir；
Your　very　humble　servant；
RALPH　BARTON。'

Having　cast　my　eyes　over　this　billet；　I　told　her　ladyship；　that　I
would　no　longer　retard　the　friendly　office　she　had　undertaken：
and　I　and　Jery　forthwith　retired　into　another　room。　There　we　soon
perceived　the　conversation　grow　very　warm　betwixt　the　two　ladies；
and；　at　length；　could　distinctly　hear　certain　terms　of
altercation；　which　we　could　no　longer　delay　interrupting；　with
any　regard　to　decorum。　When　we　entered　the　scene　of　contention；
we　found　Liddy　had　joined　the　disputants；　and　stood　trembling
betwixt　them；　as　if　she　had　been　afraid　they　would　have　proceeded
to　something　more　practical　than　words。　Lady　Griskin's　face　was
like　the　full　moon　in　a　storm　of　wind；　glaring；　fiery；　and
portentous；　while　Tabby　looked　grim　and　ghastly；　with　an　aspect
breathing　discord　and　dismay。　　Our　appearance　put　a　stop　to　their
mutual　revilings；　but　her　ladyship　turning　to　me；　'Cousin　（said
she）　I　can't　help　saying　I　have　met　with　a　very　ungrateful　return
from　this　lady；　for　the　pains　I　have　taken　to　serve　her　family'　
'My　family　is　much　obliged　to　your　ladyship　（cried　Tabby；　with　a
kind　of　hysterical　giggle）；　but　we　have　no　right　to　the　good
offices　of　such　an　honourable　go…between。'　'But；　for　all　that；
good　Mrs　Tabitha　Bramble　（resumed　the　other）；　I　shall　be　content
with　the　reflection；　That　virtue　is　its　own　reward；　and　it　shall
not　be　my　fault；　if　you　continue　to　make　yourself　ridiculous　　Mr
Bramble；　who　has　no　little　interest　of　his　own　to　serve；　will；　no
doubt；　contribute　all　in　his　power　to　promote　a　match　betwixt　Mr
Barton　and　his　niece；　which　will　be　equally　honourable　and
advantageous；　and；　I　dare　say；　Miss　Liddy　herself　will　have　no
objection　to　a　measure　so　well　calculated　to　make　her　happy　in
life'　　'I　beg　your　ladyship's　pardon　（exclaimed　Liddy；　with　great
vivacity）　I　have　nothing　but　misery　to　expect　from　such　a
measure；　and　I　hope　my　guardians　will　have　too　much　compassion；
to　barter　my　peace　of　mind　for　any　consideration　of　interest　or
fortune'　　'Upon　my　word；　Miss　Liddy！　（said　she）　you　have　profited
by　the　example　of　your　good　aunt　　I　comprehend　your　meaning；　and
will　explain　it　when　I　have　a　proper　opportunity　　In　the　mean
time；　I　shall　take　my　leave　　Madam；　your　most　obedient；　and
devoted　humble　servant；'　said　she；　advancing　close　up　to　my
sister；　and　curtsying　so　low；　that　I　thought　she　intended　to
squat　herself　down　on　the　floor　　This　salutation　Tabby　returned
with　equal　solemnity；　and　the　expression　of　the　two　faces；　while
they　continued　in　this　attitude；　would　be　no　bad　subject　for　a
pencil　like　that　of　the　incomparable　Hogarth；　if　any　such　should
ever　appear　again；　in　these　times　of　dullness　and　degeneracy。

Jery　accompanied　her　ladyship　to　her　house；　that　he　might　have　an
opportunity　to　restore　the　etuis　to　Barton；　and　advise　him　to
give　up　his　suit；　which　was　so　disagreeable　to　his　sister；
against　whom；　however；　he　returned　much　irritated　　Lady　Griskin
had　assured　him　that　Liddy's　heart　was　pre…occupied；　and
immediately　the　idea　of　Wilson　recurring　to　his　imagination；　his
family…pride　took　the　alarm。　He　denounced　vengeance　against　the
adventurer；　and　was　disposed　to　be　very　peremptory　with　his
sister；　but　I　desired　he　would　suppress　his　resentment；　until　I
should　have　talked　with　her　in　private。

The　poor　girl；　when　I　earnestly　pressed　her　on　this　head；　owned
with　a　flood　of　tears；　that　Wilson　had　actually　come　to　the　Hot
Well　at　Bristol；　and　even　introduced　himself　into　our　lodgings　as
a　Jew　pedlar；　but　that　nothing　had　passed　betwixt　them；　further
than　her　begging　him　to　withdraw　immediately；　if　he　had　any
regard　for　her　peace　of　mind：　that　he　had　disappeared
accordingly；　after　having　attempted　to　prevail　upon　my　sister's
maid；　to　deliver　a　letter；　which；　however；　she　refused　to
receive；　though　she　had　consented　to　carry　a　message；　importing
that　he　was　a　gentleman　of　a　good　family；　and　that；　in　a　very
little　time；　he　would　avow　his　passion　in　that　character　　She
confessed；　that　although　he　had　not　kept　his　word　in　this
particular；　he　was　not　yet　altogether　indifferent　to　her
affection；　but　solemnly　promised；　she　would　never　carry　on　any
correspondence　with　him；　or　any　other　admirer；　for　the　future；
without　the　privity　and　approbation　of　her　brother　and　me。

By　this　declaration；　she　made　her　own　peace　with　Jery；　but　the
hot…headed　boy　is　more　than　ever　incensed　against　Wilson；　whom　he
now　considers　as　an　impostor；　that　harbours　some　infamous　design
upon　the　honour　of　his　family　　As　for　Barton　he　was　not　a　little
mortified　to　find　his　present　returned；　and　his　addresses　so
unfavourably　received；　but　he　is　not　a　man　to　be　deeply　affected
by　such　disappointments；　and　I　know　not　whether　he　is　not　as　well
pleased　with　being　discarded　by　Liddy；　as　he　would　have　been　with
a　permission　to　prosecute　his　pretensions；　at　the　risque　of　being
every　day　exposed　to　the　revenge　or　machinations　of　Tabby；　who　is
not　to　be　slighted　with　impunity。　　I　had　not　much　time　to
moralize　on　these　occurrences；　for　the　house　was　visited　by　a
constable　and　his　gang；　with　a　warrant　from　Justice　Buzzard；　to
search　the　box　of　Humphry　Clinker；　my　footman；　　who　was　just
apprehended　as　a　highwayman。　This　incident　threw　the　whole　family
into　confusion。　My　sister　scolded　the　constable　for　presuming　to
enter　the　lodgings　of　a　gentleman　on　such　an　errand；　without
having　first　asked；　and　obtained　permission；　her　maid　was
frightened　into　fits；　and　Liddy　shed　tears　of　compassion　for　the
unfortunate　Clinker；　in　whose　box；　however；　nothing　was　found　to
confirm　the　suspicion　of　robbery。

For　my　own　part；　I　made　no　doubt　of　the　fellow's　being　mistaken
for　some　other　person；　and　I　went　directly　to　the　justice；　in
order　to　procure　his　discharge；　but　there　I　found　the　matter　much
more　serious　than　I　expected　　Poor　Clinker　stood　trembling　at　the
bar；　surrounded　by　thief…takers；　and　at　a　little　distance；　a
thick；　squat　fellow；　a　postilion；　his　accuser；　who　had　seized　him
on　the　street；　and　swore　positively　to　his　person；　that　the　said
Clinker　had；　on　the　15th　day　of　March　last；　on　Blackheath；　robbed
a　gentleman　in　a　post…chaise；　which　he　（the　postilion）　drove　
This　deposition　was　sufficient　to　justify　his　commitment；　and　he
was　sent　accordingly　to　Clerkenwell　prison；　whither　Jery
accompanied　him　in　the　coach；　in　order　to　recommend　him　properly
to　the　keeper；　that　he　may　want　for　no　convenience　which　the
place　affords。

The　spectators；　who　assembled　to　see　this　highwayman；　were
sagacious　enough　to　discern　something　very　villainous　in　his
aspect；　which　（begging　their　pardon）　is　the　very　picture　of
simplicity；　and　the　justice　himself　put　a　very　unfavourable
construction　upon　some　of　his　answers；　which；　he　said；　savoured
of　the　ambiguity　and　equivocation　of　an　old　offender；　but；　in　my
opinion；　it　would　have　been　more　just　and　humane　to　impute　them
to　the　confusion　into　which　we　may　suppose　a　poor　country　lad　to
be　thrown　on　such　an　occasion。　I　am　still　persuaded　he　is
innocent；　and；　in　this　persuasion；　I　can　do　no　less　than　use　my
utmost　endeavours　that　he　may　not　be　oppressed　　I　shall；　to…morrow；
send　my　nephew　to　wait　on　the　gentleman　who　was　robbed；
and　beg；　he　will　have　the　humanity　to　go　and　see　the　prisoner；
that；　in　case　he　should　find　him　quite　different　from　the　person
of　the　highwayman；　he　may　bear　testimony　in　his　behalf　　Howsoever
it　may　fare　with　Clinker；　this　cursed　affair　will　be　to　me
productive　of　intolerable　chagrin　　I　have　already　caught　a
dreadful　cold；　by　rushing　into　the　open　air　from　the　justice's
parlour；　where　I　had　been　stewing　in　the　crowd；　and　though　I
should　not　be　laid　up　with　the　gout；　as　I　believe　I　shall；　I　must
stay　at　London　for　some　weeks；　till　this　poor　devil　comes　to　his
trial　at　Rochester；　so　that；　in　all　probability；