太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > journal of a voyage to lisbon >

第14节

journal of a voyage to lisbon-第14节

小说: journal of a voyage to lisbon 字数: 每页4000字

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!




is impossible to find any objection in it; but; indeed; it was

not altogether so proper at this time; for we had given the most

absolute orders to have them ready at four; and had been

ourselves; not without much care and difficulty; most exactly

punctual in keeping to the very minute of our appointment。  But

tradesmen; inn…keepers; and servants; never care to indulge us in

matters contrary to our true interest; which they always know

better than ourselves; nor can any bribes corrupt them to go out

of their way while they are consulting our good in our own despite。



Our disappointment in the other particular; in defiance of our

humility; as it was more extraordinary; was more provoking。  In

short; Mrs。 Francis (for that was the name of the good woman of

the house) no sooner received the news of our intended arrival

than she considered more the gentility than the humanity of her

guests; and applied herself not to that which kindles but to that

which extinguishes fire; and; forgetting to put on her pot; fell

to washing her house。



As the messenger who had brought my venison was impatient to be

dispatched; I ordered it to be brought and laid on the table in

the room where I was seated; and the table not being large

enough; one side; and that a very bloody one; was laid on the

brick floor。  I then ordered Mrs。 Francis to be called in; in

order to give her instructions concerning it; in particular; what

I would have roasted and what baked; concluding that she would be

highly pleased with the prospect of so much money being spent in

her house as she might have now reason to expect; if the wind

continued only a few days longer to blow from the same points

whence it had blown for several weeks past。



I soon saw good cause; I must confess; to despise my own

sagacity。  Mrs。 Francis; having received her orders; without

making any answer; snatched the side from the floor; which

remained stained with blood; and; bidding a servant to take up

that on the table; left the room with no pleasant countenance;

muttering to herself that; 〃had she known the litter which was to

have been made; she would not have taken such pains to wash her

house that morning。  If this was gentility; much good may it do

such gentlefolks; for her part she had no notion of it。〃  From

these murmurs I received two hints。  The one; that it was not

from a mistake of our inclination that the good woman had starved

us; but from wisely consulting her own dignity; or rather perhaps

her vanity; to which our hunger was offered up as a sacrifice。

The other; that I was now sitting in a damp room; a circumstance;

though it had hitherto escaped my notice from the color of the

bricks; which was by no means to be neglected in a valetudinary state。



My wife; who; besides discharging excellently well her own and

all the tender offices becoming the female character; who;

besides being a faithful friend; an amiable companion; and a

tender nurse; could likewise supply the wants of a decrepit

husband; and occasionally perform his part; had; before this;

discovered the immoderate attention to neatness in Mrs。 Francis;

and provided against its ill consequences。  She had found; though

not under the same roof; a very snug apartment belonging to Mr。

Francis; and which had escaped the mop by his wife's being

satisfied it could not possibly be visited by gentle…folks。  This

was a dry; warm; oaken…floored barn; lined on both sides with

wheaten straw; and opening at one end into a green field and a

beautiful prospect。  Here; without hesitation; she ordered the

cloth to be laid; and came hastily to snatch me from worse perils

by water than the common dangers of the sea。



Mrs。 Francis; who could not trust her own ears; or could not

believe a footman in so extraordinary a phenomenon; followed my

wife; and asked her if she had indeed ordered the cloth to be

laid in the barn?  She answered in the affirmative; upon which

Mrs。 Francis declared she would not dispute her pleasure; but it

was the first time she believed that quality had ever preferred a

barn to a house。  She showed at the same time the most pregnant

marks of contempt; and again lamented the labor she had undergone;

through her ignorance of the absurd taste of her guests。



At length we were seated in one of the most pleasant spots I

believe in the kingdom; and were regaled with our beans and

bacon; in which there was nothing deficient but the quantity。

This defect was however so deplorable that we had consumed our

whole dish before we had visibly lessened our hunger。  We now

waited with impatience the arrival of our second course; which

necessity; and not luxury; had dictated。  This was a joint of

mutton which Mrs。 Francis had been ordered to provide; but when;

being tired with expectation; we ordered our servants TO SEE FOR

SOMETHING ELSE; we were informed that there was nothing else; on

which Mrs。 Francis; being summoned; declared there was no such

thing as mutton to be had at Ryde。  When I expressed some

astonishment at their having no butcher in a village so situated;

she answered they had a very good one; and one that killed all

sorts of meat in season; beef two or three times a year; and

mutton the whole year round; but that; it being then beans and

peas time; he killed no meat; by reason he was not sure of

selling it。  This she had not thought worthy of communication;

any more than that there lived a fisherman at next door; who was

then provided with plenty of soles; and whitings; and lobsters;

far superior to those which adorn a city feast。  This discovery

being made by accident; we completed the best; the pleasantest;

and the merriest meal; with more appetite; more real solid

luxury; and more festivity; than was ever seen in an

entertainment at White's。



It may be wondered at; perhaps; that Mrs。 Francis should be so

negligent of providing for her guests; as she may seem to be thus

inattentive to her own interest; but this was not the case; for;

having clapped a poll…tax on our heads at our arrival; and

determined at what price to discharge our bodies from her house;

the less she suffered any other to share in the levy the clearer

it came into her own pocket; and that it was better to get twelve

pence in a shilling than ten pence; which latter would be the

case if she afforded us fish at any rate。



Thus we passed a most agreeable day owing to good appetites and

good humor; two hearty feeders which will devour with

satisfaction whatever food you place before them; whereas;

without these; the elegance of St。 James's; the charde; the

perigord…pie; or the ortolan; the venison; the turtle; or the

custard; may titillate the throat; but will never convey

happiness to the heart or cheerfulness to the countenance。



As the wind appeared still immovable; my wife proposed my lying

on shore。  I presently agreed; though in defiance of an act of

parliament; by which persons wandering abroad and lodging in

ale…houses are decreed to be rogues and vagabonds; and this too

after having been very singularly officious in putting that law

in execution。  My wife; having reconnoitered the house; reported

that there was one room in which were two beds。  It was

concluded; therefore; that she and Harriot should occupy one and

myself take possession of the other。  She added likewise an

ingenious recommendation of this room to one who had so long been

in a cabin; which it exactly resembled; as it was sunk down with

age on one side; and was in the form of a ship with gunwales too。



For my own part; I make little doubt but this apartment was an

ancient temple; built with the materials of a wreck; and probably

dedicated to Neptune in honor of THE BLESSING sent by him to the

inhabitants; such blessings having in all ages been very common

to them。  The timber employed in it confirms this opinion; being

such as is seldom used by ally but ship…builders。  I do not find

indeed any mention of this matter in Hearn; but perhaps its

antiquity was too modern to deserve his notice。  Certain it is

that this island of Wight was not an early convert to

Christianity; nay; there is some reason to doubt whether it was

ever entirely converted。  But I have only time to touch slightly

on things of this kind; which; luckily for us; we have a society

whose peculiar profession it is to discuss and develop。



Sunday; July 19。This morning early I summoned Mrs。 Francis; in

order to pay her the preceding day's account。  As I could

recollect only two or three articles I thought there was no

necessity of pen and ink。  In a single instance only we had

exceeded what the law allows gratis to a foot…soldier on his

march; viz。; vinegar; salt; etc。; and dressing his meat。  I

found; however; I was mistaken in my calculation; for when the

good woman attended with her bill it contained as follows:

                                        L。       s。     d。     




返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 1 0

你可能喜欢的