the vicar of wakefield-第26节

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ere　not　the　least　assiduous　in　providing　us　with　every　thing　necessary；　and　offering　what　ever　consolation　untutored　benevolence　could　suggest。

When　the　fears　of　my　family　had　subsided；　curiosity　to　know　the　cause　of　my　long　stay　began　to　take　place；　having　therefore　informed　them　of　every　particular；　I　proceeded　to　prepare　them　for　the　reception　of　our　lost　one；　and　tho'　we　had　nothing　but　wretchedness　now　to　impart；　I　was　willing　to　procure　her　a　welcome　to　what　we　had。　This　task　would　have　been　more　difficult　but　for　our　recent　calamity；　which　had　humbled　my　wife's　pride；　and　blunted　it　by　more　poignant　afflictions。　Being　unable　to　go　for　my　poor　child　myself；　as　my　arm　grew　very　painful；　I　sent　my　son　and　daughter；　who　soon　returned；　supporting　the　wretched　delinquent；　who　had　not　the　courage　to　look　up　at　her　mother；　whom　no　instructions　of　mine　could　persuade　to　a　perfect　reconciliation；　for　women　have　a　much　stronger　sense　of　female　error　than　men。　'Ah；　madam；'　cried　her　mother；　'this　is　but　a　poor　place　you　are　come　to　after　so　much　finery。　My　daughter　Sophy　and　I　can　afford　but　little　entertainment　to　persons　who　have　kept　company　only　with　people　of　distinction。　Yes；　Miss　Livy；　your　poor　father　and　I　have　suffered　very　much　of　late；　but　I　hope　heaven　will　forgive　you。'During　this　reception；　the　unhappy　victim　stood　pale　and　trembling；　unable　to　weep　or　to　reply；　but　I　could　not　continue　a　silent　spectator　of　her　distress；　wherefore　assuming　a　degree　of　severity　in　my　voice　and　manner；　which　was　ever　followed　with　instant　submission；　'I　entreat；　woman；　that　my　words　may　be　now　marked　once　for　all：　I　have　here　brought　you　back　a　poor　deluded　wanderer；　her　return　to　duty　demands　the　revival　of　our　tenderness。　The　real　hardships　of　life　are　now　coming　fast　upon　us；　let　us　not　therefore　encrease　them　by　dissention　among　each　other。　If　we　live　harmoniously　together；　we　may　yet　be　contented；　as　there　are　enough　of　us　to　shut　out　the　censuring　world；　and　keep　each　other　in　countenance。　The　kindness　of　heaven　is　promised　to　the　penitent；　and　let　ours　be　directed　by　the　example。　Heaven；　we　are　assured；　is　much　more　pleased　to　view　a　repentant　sinner；　than　ninety　nine　persons　who　have　supported　a　course　of　undeviating　rectitude。　And　this　is　right；　for　that　single　effort　by　which　we　stop　short　in　the　downhill　path　to　perdition；　is　itself　a　greater　exertion　of　virtue；　than　an　hundred　acts　of　justice。'



CHAPTER　23

None　but　the　guilty　can　be　long　and　completely　miserable


Some　assiduity　was　now　required　to　make　our　present　abode　as　convenient　as　possible；　and　we　were　soon　again　qualified　to　enjoy　our　former　serenity。　Being　disabled　myself　from　assisting　my　son　in　our　usual　occupations；　I　read　to　my　family　from　the　few　books　that　were　saved；　and　particularly　from　such；　as；　by　amusing　the　imagination；　contributed　to　ease　the　heart。　Our　good　neighbours　too　came　every　day　with　the　kindest　condolence；　and　fixed　a　time　in　which　they　were　all　to　assist　at　repairing　my　former　dwelling。　Honest　farmer　Williams　was　not　last　among　these　visitors；　but　heartily　offered　his　friendship。　He　would　even　have　renewed　his　addresses　to　my　daughter；　but　she　rejected　them　in　such　a　manner　as　totally　represt　his　future　solicitations。　Her　grief　seemed　formed　for　continuing；　and　she　was　the　only　person　of　our　little　society　that　a　week　did　not　restore　to　cheerfulness。　She　now　lost　that　unblushing　innocence　which　once　taught　her　to　respect　herself；　and　to　seek　pleasure　by　pleasing。　Anxiety　now　had　taken　strong　possession　of　her　mind；　her　beauty　began　to　be　impaired　with　her　constitution；　and　neglect　still　more　contributed　to　diminish　it。　Every　tender　epithet　bestowed　on　her　sister　brought　a　pang　to　her　heart　and　a　tear　to　her　eye；　and　as　one　vice；　tho'　cured；　ever　plants　others　where　it　has　been；　so　her　former　guilt；　tho'　driven　out　by　repentance；　left　jealousy　and　envy　behind。　I　strove　a　thousand　ways　to　lessen　her　care；　and　even　forgot　my　own　pain　in　a　concern　for　her's；　collecting　such　amusing　passages　of　history；　as　a　strong　memory　and　some　reading　could　suggest。　'Our　happiness；　my　dear；'　I　would　say；　'is　in　the　power　of　one　who　can　bring　it　about　a　thousand　unforeseen　ways；　that　mock　our　foresight。　If　example　be　necessary　to　prove　this；　I'll　give　you　a　story；　my　child；　told　us　by　a　grave；　tho'　sometimes　a　romancing；　historian。

'Matilda　was　married　very　young　to　a　Neapolitan　nobleman　of　the　first　quality；　and　found　herself　a　widow　and　a　mother　at　the　age　of　fifteen。　As　she　stood　one　day　caressing　her　infant　son　in　the　open　window　of　an　apartment；　which　hung　over　the　river　Volturna；　the　child；　with　a　sudden　spring；　leaped　from　her　arms　into　the　flood　below；　and　disappeared　in　a　moment。　The　mother；　struck　with　instant　surprize；　and　making　all　effort　to　save　him；　plunged　in　after；　but；　far　from　being　able　to　assist　the　infant；　she　herself　with　great　difficulty　escaped　to　the　opposite　shore；　just　when　some　French　soldiers　were　plundering　the　country　on　that　side；　who　immediately　made　her　their　prisoner。

'As　the　war　was　then　carried　on　between　the　French　and　Italians　with　the　utmost　inhumanity；　they　were　going　at　once　to　perpetrate　those　two　extremes；　suggested　by　appetite　and　cruelty。　This　base　resolution；　however；　was　opposed　by　a　young　officer；　who；　tho'　their　retreat　required　the　utmost　expedition；　placed　her　behind　him；　and　brought　her　in　safety　to　his　native　city。　Her　beauty　at　first　caught　his　eye；　her　merit　soon　after　his　heart。　They　were　married；　he　rose　to　the　highest　posts；　they　lived　long　together；　and　were　happy。　But　the　felicity　of　a　soldier　can　never　be　called　permanent：　after　an　interval　of　several　years；　the　troops　which　he　commanded　having　met　with　a　repulse；　he　was　obliged　to　take　shelter　in　the　city　where　he　had　lived　with　his　wife。　Here　they　suffered　a　siege；　and　the　city　at　length　was　taken。　Few　histories　can　produce　more　various　instances　of　cruelty；　than　those　which　the　French　and　Italians　at　that　time　exercised　upon　each　other。　It　was　resolved　by　the　victors；　upon　this　occasion；　to　put　all　the　French　prisoners　to　death；　but　particularly　the　husband　of　the　unfortunate　Matilda；　as　he　was　principally　instrumental　in　protracting　the　siege。　Their　determinations　were；　in　general；　executed　almost　as　soon　as　resolved　upon。　The　captive　soldier　was　led　forth；　and　the　executioner；　with　his　sword；　stood　ready；　while　the　spectators　in　gloomy　silence　awaited　the　fatal　blow；　which　was　only　suspended　till　the　general；　who　presided　as　judge；　should　give　the　signal。　It　was　in　this　interval　of　anguish　and　expectation；　that　Matilda　came　to　take　her　last　farewell　of　her　husband　and　deliverer；　deploring　her　wretched　situation；　and　the　cruelty　of　fate；　that　had　saved　her　from　perishing　by　a　premature　death　in　the　river　Volturna；　to　be　the　spectator　of　still　greater　calamities。　The　general；　who　was　a　young　man；　was　struck　with　surprize　at　her　beauty；　and　pity　at　her　distress；　but　with　still　stronger　emotions　when　he　heard　her　mention　her　former　dangers。　He　was　her　son；　the　infant　for　whom　she　had　encounter'd　so　much　danger。　He　acknowledged　her　at　once　as　his　mother；　and　fell　at　her　feet。　The　rest　may　be　easily　supposed：　the　captive　was　set　free；　and　all　the　happiness　that　love；　friendship；　and　duty　could　confer　on　each；　were　united。'

In　this　manner　I　would　attempt　to　amuse　my　daughter；　but　she　listened　with　divided　attention；　for　her　own　misfortunes　engrossed　all　the　pity　she　once　had　for　those　of　another；　and　nothing　gave　her　ease。　In　company　she　dreaded　contempt；　and　in　solitude　she　only　found　anxiety。　Such　was　the　colour　of　her　wretchedness；　when　we　received　certain　information；　that　Mr　Thornhill　was　going　to　be　married　to　Miss　Wilmot；　for　whom　I　always　suspected　he　had　a　real　passion；　tho'　he　took　every　opportunity　before　me　to　express　his　contempt　both　of　her　person　and　fortune。　This　news　only　served　to　encrease　poor　Olivia's　affliction；　such　a　flagrant　breach　of　fidelity；　was　more　than　her　courage　could　support。　I　was　resolved；　however；　to　get　more　certain　information；　and　to　defeat；　if　possible；　the　completion　of　his　designs；　by　sending　my　son　to　old　Mr　Wilmot's；　with　instructions　to　know　the　truth　of　the　report；　and　to　deliver　Miss　Wilmot　a　letter；　intimating　Mr　Thornhill's　conduct　in　my　family。　My　son　went；　in　pursuance　of　my　directions；　and　in　three　days　returned；　assuring　us　of　the　truth　of　the　account；　but　that　he　had　found　it　impossible　to　deliver　the　letter；　which　he　was　therefore　obliged　to　leave；　as　Mr　Thornhill　and　Miss　Wilmot　were　visiting　round　the　country。　They　were　to　be　married；　he　said；　in　a　few　days；　having　appeared　together　at　church　the　Sunday　before　he　was　there；　in　great　spiendour；　the　bride　attended　by　six　young　ladies；　and　he　by　as　many　gentlemen。　Their　approaching　nuptials　filled　the　whole　country　with　rejoicing；　and　they　usually　rode　out　together　in　the　grandest　equipage　that　had　been　seen　in　the　country　for　many　years。　All　the　friends　of　both　families；　he　said；　were　there；　particularly　the　'Squire's　uncle；　Sir　William　Thornhill；　who　bore　so　good　a　character。　He　added；　that　nothing　but　mirth　and　feasting　were　going　forward；　that　all　the　country　praised　the　young　bride's　beauty；　and　the　bridegroom's　fine　person；　and