the vicar of wakefield-第24节

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　I　designed　for　my　departure；　Mr　Thornhill　came　to　me　with　looks　of　real　pleasure　to　inform　me　of　a　piece　of　service　he　had　done　for　his　friend　George。　This　was　nothing　less　than　his　having　procured　him　an　ensign's　commission　in　one　of　the　regiments　that　was　going　to　the　West　Indies；　for　which　he　had　promised　but　one　hundred　pounds；　his　interest　having　been　sufficient　to　get　an　abatement　of　the　other　two。　'As　for　this　trifling　piece　of　service；'　continued　the　young　gentleman；　'I　desire　no　other　reward　but　the　pleasure　of　having　served　my　friend；　and　as　for　the　hundred　pound　to　be　paid；　if　you　are　unable　to　raise　it　yourselves；　I　will　advance　it；　and　you　shall　repay　me　at　your　leisure。'　This　was　a　favour　we　wanted　words　to　express　our　sense　of。　I　readily　therefore　gave　my　bond　for　the　money；　and　testified　as　much　gratitude　as　if　I　never　intended　to　pay。

George　was　to　depart　for　town　the　next　day　to　secure　his　commission；　in　pursuance　of　his　generous　patron's　directions；　who　judged　it　highly　expedient　to　use　dispatch；　lest　in　the　mean　time　another　should　step　in　with　more　advantageous　proposals。　The　next　morning；　therefore；　our　young　soldier　was　early　prepared　for　his　departure；　and　seemed　the　only　person　among　us　that　was　not　affected　by　it。　Neither　the　fatigues　and　dangers　he　was　going　to　encounter；　nor　the　friends　and　mistress；　for　Miss　Wilmot　actually　loved　him；　he　was　leaving　behind；　any　way　damped　his　spirits。　After　he　had　taken　leave　of　the　rest　of　the　company；　I　gave　him　all　I　had；　my　blessing。　'And　now；　my　boy；'　cried　I；　'thou　art　going　to　fight　for　thy　country；　remember　how　thy　brave　grandfather　fought　for　his　sacred　king；　when　loyalty　among　Britons　was　a　virtue。　Go；　my　boy；　and　immitate　him　in　all　but　his　misfortunes；　if　it　was　a　misfortune　to　die　with　Lord　Falkland。　Go；　my　boy；　and　if　you　fall；　tho'　distant；　exposed　and　unwept　by　those　that　love　you；　the　most　precious　tears　are　those　with　which　heaven　bedews　the　unburied　head　of　a　soldier。'

The　next　morning　I　took　leave　of　the　good　family；　that　had　been　kind　enough　to　entertain　me　so　long；　not　without　several　expressions　of　gratitude　to　Mr　Thornhill　for　his　late　bounty。　I　left　them　in　the　enjoyment　of　all　that　happiness　which　affluence　and　good　breeding　procure；　and　returned　towards　home；　despairing　of　ever　finding　my　daughter　more；　but　sending　a　sigh　to　heaven　to　spare　and　to　forgive　her。　I　was　now　come　within　about　twenty　miles　of　home；　having　hired　an　horse　to　carry　me；　as　I　was　yet　but　weak；　and　comforted　myself　with　the　hopes　of　soon　seeing　all　I　held　dearest　upon　earth。　But　the　night　coming　on；　I　put　up　at　a　little　public…house　by　the　roadside；　and　asked　for　the　landlord's　company　over　a　pint　of　wine。　We　sate　beside　his　kitchen　fire；　which　was　the　best　room　in　the　house；　and　chatted　on　politics　and　the　news　of　the　country。　We　happened；　among　other　topics；　to　talk　of　young　'Squire　Thornhill；　who　the　host　assured　me　was　hated　as　much　as　his　uncle　Sir　William；　who　sometimes　came　down　to　the　country；　was　loved。　He　went　on　to　observe；　that　he　made　it　his　whole　study　to　betray　the　daughters　of　such　as　received　him　to　their　houses；　and　after　a　fortnight　or　three　weeks　possession；　turned　them　out　unrewarded　and　abandoned　to　the　world。　As　we　continued　our　discourse　in　this　manner；　his　wife；　who　had　been　out　to　get　change；　returned；　and　perceiving　that　her　husband　was　enjoying　a　pleasure　in　which　she　was　not　a　sharer；　she　asked　him；　in　an　angry　tone；　what　he　did　there；　to　which　he　only　replied　in　an　ironical　way；　by　drinking　her　health。　'Mr　Symmonds；'　cried　she；　'you　use　me　very　ill；　and　I'll　bear　it　no　longer。　Here　three　parts　of　the　business　is　left　for　me　to　do；　and　the　fourth　left　unfinished；　while　you　do　nothing　but　soak　with　the　guests　all　day　long；　whereas　if　a　spoonful　of　liquor　were　to　cure　me　of　a　fever；　I　never　touch　a　drop。'　I　now　found　what　she　would　be　at；　and　immediately　poured　her　out　a　glass；　which　she　received　with　a　curtesy；　and　drinking　towards　my　good　health；　'Sir；'　resumed　she；　'it　is　not　so　much　for　the　value　of　the　liquor　I　am　angry；　but　one　cannot　help　it；　when　the　house　is　going　out　of　the　windows。　If　the　customers　or　guests　are　to　be　dunned；　all　the　burthen　lies　upon　my　back；　he'd　as　lief　eat　that　glass　as　budge　after　them　himself。'　There　now　above　stairs；　we　have　a　young　woman　who　has　come　to　take　up　her　lodgings　here；　and　I　don't　believe　she　has　got　any　money　by　her　over…civility。　I　am　certain　she　is　very　slow　of　payment；　and　I　wish　she　were　put　in　mind　of　it。''What　signifies　minding　her；'　cried　the　host；　'if　she　be　slow；　she　is　sure。''I　don't　know　that；'　replied　the　wife；　'but　I　know　that　I　am　sure　she　has　been　here　a　fortnight；　and　we　have　not　yet　seen　the　cross　of　her　money。''I　suppose；　my　dear；'　cried　he；　'we　shall　have　it　all　in　a；　lump。''In　a　lump！'　cried　the　other；　'I　hope　we　may　get　it　any　way；　and　that　I　am　resolved　we　will　this　very　night；　or　out　she　tramps；　bag　and　baggage。''Consider；　my　dear；'　cried　the　husband；　'she　is　a　gentlewoman；　and　deserves　more　respect。''As　for　the　matter　of　that；'　returned　the　hostess；　'gentle　or　simple；　out　she　shall　pack　with　a　sassarara。　Gentry　may　be　good　things　where　they　take；　but　for　my　part　I　never　saw　much　good　of　them　at　the　sign　of　the　Harrow。'Thus　saying；　she　ran　up　a　narrow　flight　of　stairs；　that　went　from　the　kitchen　to　a　room　over…head；　and　I　soon　perceived　by　the　loudness　of　her　voice；　and　the　bitterness　of　her　reproaches；　that　no　money　was　to　be　had　from　her　lodger。　I　could　hear　her　remonstrances　very　distinctly：　'Out　I　say；　pack　out　this　moment；　tramp　thou　infamous　strumpet；　or　I'll　give　thee　a　mark　thou　won't　be　the　better　for　this　three　months。　What！　you　trumpery；　to　come　and　take　up　an　honest　house；　without　cross　or　coin　to　bless　yourself　with；　come　along　I　say。''O　dear　madam；'　cried　the　stranger；　'pity　me；　pity　a　poor　abandoned　creature　for　one　night；　and　death　will　soon　do　the　rest。'　I　instantly　knew　the　voice　of　my　poor　ruined　child　Olivia。　I　flew　to　her　rescue；　while　the　woman　was　dragging　her　along　by　the　hair；　and　I　caught　the　dear　forlorn　wretch　in　my　arms。'Welcome；　any　way　welcome；　my　dearest　lost　one；　my　treasure；　to　your　poor　old　father's　bosom。　Tho'　the　vicious　forsake　thee；　there　is　yet　one　in　the　world　that　will　never　forsake　thee；　tho'　thou　hadst　ten　thousand　crimes　to　answer　for；　he　will　forget　them　all。''O　my　own　dear'for　minutes　she　could　no　more'my　own　dearest　good　papa！　Could　angels　be　kinder！　How　do　I　deserve　so　much！　The　villain；　I　hate　him　and　myself；　to　be　a　reproach　to　such　goodness。　You　can't　forgive　me。　I　know　you　cannot。''Yes；　my　child；　from　my　heart　I　do　forgive　thee！　Only　repent；　and　we　both　shall　yet　be　happy。　We　shall　see　many　pleasant　days　yet；　my　Olivia！''Ah！　never；　sir；　never。　The　rest　of　my　wretched　life　must　be　infamy　abroad　and　shame　at　home。　But；　alas！　papa；　you　look　much　paler　than　you　used　to　do。　Could　such　a　thing　as　I　am　give　you　so　much　uneasiness？　Sure　you　have　too　much　wisdom　to　take　the　miseries　of　my　guilt　upon　yourself。''Our　wisdom；　young　woman；'　replied　I。'Ah；　why　so　cold　a　name　papa？'　cried　she。　'This　is　the　first　time　you　ever　called　me　by　so　cold　a　name。''I　ask　pardon；　my　darling；'　returned　I；　'but　I　was　going　to　observe；　that　wisdom　makes　but　a　slow　defence　against　trouble；　though　at　last　a　sure　one。

The　landlady　now　returned　to　know　if　we　did　not　chuse　a　more　genteel　apartment；　to　which　assenting；　we　were　shewn　a　room；　where　we　could　converse　more　freely。　After　we　had　talked　ourselves　into　some　degree　of　tranquillity；　I　could　not　avoid　desiring　some　account　of　the　gradations　that　led　to　her　present　wretched　situation。　'That　villain；　sir；'　said　she；　'from　the　first　day　of　our　meeting　made　me　honourable；　though　private；　proposals。'

'Villain　indeed；'　cried　I；　'and　yet　it　in　some　measure　surprizes　me；　how　a　person　of　Mr　Burchell's　good　sense　and　seeming　honour　could　be　guilty　of　such　deliberate　baseness；　and　thus　step　into　a　family　to　undo　it。'

'My　dear　papa；'　returned　my　daughter；　'you　labour　under　a　strange　mistake；　Mr　Burchell　never　attempted　to　deceive　me。　Instead　of　that　he　took　every　opportunity　of　privately　admonishing　me　against　the　artifices　of　Mr　Thornhill；　who　I　now　find　was　even　worse　than　he　represented　him。''Mr　Thornhill；'　interrupted　I；　'can　it　be？'　'Yes；　Sir；'　returned　she；　'it　was　Mr　Thornhill　who　seduced　me；　who　employed　the　two　ladies；　as　he　called　them；　but　who；　in　fact；　were　abandoned　women　of　the　town；　without　breeding　or　pity；　to　decoy　us　up　to　London。　Their　artifices；　you　may　remember　would　have　certainly　succeeded；　but　for　Mr　Burchell's　letter；　who　directed　those　reproaches　at　them；　which　we　all　applied　to　ourselves。　How　he　came　to　have　so　much　influence　as　to　defeat　their　intentions；　still　remains　a　secret　to　me；　but　I　am　convinced　he　was　ever　our　warmest　sincerest　friend。'

'You　amaze　me；　my　dear；'　cried　I；　'but　now　I　find　my　first　suspicions　of　Mr　Thornhill's　baseness　were　too　well　grounded：　but　he　can　triumph　in　security；　for　he　is　rich　and　we　are　poor。　But　tell　me；　my　child；　sure　it　was　no　small　temptation　that　could　thus　obliterate　all　the　impressions　of　such　an　education；　and　so　virtuous　a　disposition　as　thine。'

'Indeed；　Sir；'　replied　she；　'he　owes　all　his　triumph　to　the　desire　I　had　of　making　hi