the vicar of wakefield-第32节

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；　my　dearest；　is　gone；　snatched　from　us；　carried　off　by　ruffians！'

'How　madam；'　cried　my　fellow　prisoner；　'Miss　Sophia　carried　off　by　villains；　sure　it　cannot　be？'

She　could　only　answer　with　a　fixed　look　and　a　flood　of　tears。　But　one　of　the　prisoners'　wives；　who　was　present；　and　came　in　with　her；　gave　us　a　more　distinct　account：　she　informed　us　that　as　my　wife；　my　daughter；　and　herself；　were　taking　a　walk　together　on　the　great　road　a　little　way　out　of　the　village；　a　post…chaise　and　pair　drove　up　to　them　and　instantly　stopt。　Upon　which；　a　well　drest　man；　but　not　Mr　Thornhill；　stepping　out；　clasped　my　daughter　round　the　waist；　and　forcing　her　in；　bid　the　postillion　drive　on；　so　that　they　were　out　of　sight　in　a　moment。

'Now；'　cried　I；　'the　sum　of　my　misery　is　made　up；　nor　is　it　in　the　power　of　any　thing　on　earth　to　give　me　another　pang。　What！　not　one　left！　not　to　leave　me　one！　the　monster！　the　child　that　was　next　my　heart！　she　had　the　beauty　of　an　angel；　and　almost　the　wisdom　of　an　angel。　But　support　that　woman；　nor　let　her　fall。　Not　to　leave　me　one！''Alas！　my　husband；'　said　my　wife；　'you　seem　to　want　comfort　even　more　than　I。　Our　distresses　are　great；　but　I　could　bear　this　and　more；　if　I　saw　you　but　easy。　They　may　take　away　my　children　and　all　the　world；　if　they　leave　me　but　you。'

My　Son；　who　was　present；　endeavoured　to　moderate　our　grief；　he　bade　us　take　comfort；　for　he　hoped　that　we　might　still　have　reason　to　be　thankful。'My　child；'　cried　I；　'look　round　the　world；　and　see　if　there　be　any　happiness　left　me　now。　Is　not　every　ray　of　comfort　shut　out；　while　all　our　bright　prospects　only　lie　beyond　the　grave！''My　dear　father；'　returned　he；　'I　hope　there　is　still　something　that　will　give　you　an　interval　of　satisfaction；　for　I　have　a　letter　from　my　brother　George''What　of　him；　child；'　interrupted　I；　'does　he　know　our　misery。　I　hope　my　boy　is　exempt　from　any　part　of　what　his　wretched　family　suffers？''Yes；　sir；'　returned　he；　'he　is　perfectly　gay；　chearful；　and　happy。　His　letter　brings　nothing　but　good　news；　he　is　the　favourite　of　his　colonel；　who　promises　to　procure　him　the　very　next　lieutenancy　that　becomes　vacant！'

'And　are　you　sure　of　all　this；'　cried　my　wife；　'are　you　sure　that　nothing　ill　has　befallen　my　boy？''Nothing　indeed；　madam；'　returned　my　son；　'you　shall　see　the　letter；　which　will　give　you　the　highest　pleasure；　and　if　any　thing　can　procure　you　comfort；　I　am　sure　that　will。'　'But　are　you　sure；'　still　repeated　she；　'that　the　letter　is　from　himself；　and　that　he　is　really　so　happy？'　'Yes；　Madam；'　replied　he；　'it　is　certainly　his；　and　he　will　one　day　be　the　credit　and　the　support　of　our　family！''Then　I　thank　providence；'　cried　she；　'that　my　last　letter　to　him　has　miscarried。'　'Yes；　my　dear；'　continued　she；　turning　to　me；　'I　will　now　confess　that　though　the　hand　of　heaven　is　sore　upon　us　in　other　instances；　it　has　been　favourable　here。　By　the　last　letter　I　wrote　my　son；　which　was　in　the　bitterness　of　anger；　I　desired　him；　upon　his　mother's　blessing；　and　if　he　had　the　heart　of　a　man；　to　see　justice　done　his　father　and　sister；　and　avenge　our　cause。　But　thanks　be　to　him　that　directs　all　things；　it　has　miscarried；　and　I　am　at　rest。'　'Woman；'　cried　I；　'thou　hast　done　very　ill；　and　at　another　time　my　reproaches　might　have　been　more　severe。　Oh！　what　a　tremendous　gulph　hast　thou　escaped；　that　would　have　buried　both　thee　and　him　in　endless　ruin。　Providence；　indeed；　has　here　been　kinder　to　us　than　we　to　ourselves。　It　has　reserved　that　son　to　be　the　father　and　protector　of　my　children　when　I　shall　be　away。　How　unjustly　did　I　complain　of　being　stript　of　every　comfort；　when　still　I　hear　that　he　is　happy　and　insensible　of　our　afflictions；　still　kept　in　reserve　to　support　his　widowed　mother；　and　to　protect　his　brothers　and　sisters。　But　what　sisters　has　he　left；　he　has　no　sisters　now；　they　are　all　gone；　robbed　from　me；　and　I　am　undone。''Father；'　interrupted　my　son；　'I　beg　you　will　give　me　leave　to　read　this　letter；　I　know　it　will　please　you。'　Upon　which；　with　my　permission；　he　read　as　follows：

Honoured　Sir；I　have　called　off　my　imagination　a　few　moments　from　the　pleasures　that　surround　me；　to　fix　it　upon　objects　that　are　still　more　pleasing；　the　dear　little　fire…side　at　home。　My　fancy　draws　that　harmless　groupe　as　listening　to　every　line　of　this　with　great　composure。　I　view　those　faces　with　delight　which　never　felt　the　deforming　hand　of　ambition　or　distress！　But　whatever　your　happiness　may　be　at　home；　I　am　sure　it　will　be　some　addition　to　it；　to　hear　that　I　am　perfectly　pleased　with　my　situation；　and　every　way　happy　here。

Our　regiment　is　countermanded　and　is　not　to　leave　the　kingdom；　the　colonel；　who　professes　himself　my　friend；　takes　me　with　him　to　all　companies　where　he　is　acquainted；　and　after　my　first　visit　I　generally　find　myself　received　with　encreased　respect　upon　repeating　it。　I　danced　last　night　with　Lady　G…；　and　could　I　forget　you　know　whom；　I　might　be　perhaps　successful。　But　it　is　my　fate　still　to　remember　others；　while　I　am　myself　forgotten　by　most　of　my　absent　friends；　and　in　this　number；　I　fear；　Sir；　that　I　must　consider　you；　for　I　have　long　expected　the　pleasure　of　a　letter　from　home　to　no　purpose。　Olivia　and　Sophia　too；　promised　to　write；　but　seem　to　have　forgotten　me。　Tell　them　they　are　two　arrant　little　baggages；　and　that　I　am　this　moment　in　a　most　violent　passion　with　them：　yet　still；　I　know　not　how；　tho'　I　want　to　bluster　a　little；　my　heart　is　respondent　only　to　softer　emotions。　Then　tell　them；　sir；　that　after　all；　I　love　them　affectionately；　and　be　assured　of　my　ever　remaining

　Your　dutiful　son。


'In　all　our　miseries；'　cried　I；　'what　thanks　have　we　not　to　return；　that　one　at　least　of　our　family　is　exempted　from　what　we　suffer。　Heaven　be　his　guard；　and　keep　my　boy　thus　happy　to　be　the　supporter　of　his　widowed　mother；　and　the　father　of　these　two　babes；　which　is　all　the　patrimony　I　can　now　bequeath　him。　May　he　keep　their　innocence　from　the　temptations　of　want；　and　be　their　conductor　in　the　paths　of　honour。'　I　had　scarce　said　these　words；　when　a　noise；　like　that　of　a　tumult；　seemed　to　proceed　from　the　prison　below；　it　died　away　soon　after；　and　a　clanking　of　fetters　was　heard　along　the　passage　that　led　to　my　apartment。　The　keeper　of　the　prison　entered；　holding　a　man　all　bloody；　wounded　and　fettered　with　the　heaviest　irons。　I　looked　with　compassion　on　the　wretch　as　he　approached　me；　but　with　horror　when　I　found　it　was　my　own　son。'My　George！　My　George！　and　do　I　find　thee　thus。　Wounded！　Fettered！　Is　this　thy　happiness！　Is　this　the　manner　you　return　to　me！　O　that　this　sight　could　break　my　heart　at　once　and　let　me　die！'

'Where；　Sir；　is　your　fortitude；'　returned　my　son　with　an　intrepid　voice。　'I　must　suffer；　my　life　is　forfeited；　and　let　them　take　it。'

I　tried　to　restrain　my　passions　for　a　few　minutes　in　silence；　but　I　thought　I　should　have　died　with　the　effort'O　my　boy；　my　heart　weeps　to　behold　thee　thus；　and　I　cannot；　cannot　help　it。　In　the　moment　that　I　thought　thee　blest；　and　prayed　for　thy　safety；　to　behold　thee　thus　again！　Chained；　wounded。　And　yet　the　death　of　the　youthful　is　happy。　But　I　am　old；　a　very　old　man；　and　have　lived　to　see　this　day。　To　see　my　children　all　untimely　falling　about　me；　while　I　continue　a　wretched　survivor　in　the　midst　of　ruin！　May　all　the　curses　that　ever　sunk　a　soul　fall　heavy　upon　the　murderer　of　my　children。　May　he　live；　like　me；　to　see'

'Hold；　Sir；'　replied　my　son；　'or　I　shall　blush　for　thee。　How；　Sir；　forgetful　of　your　age；　your　holy　calling；　thus　to　arrogate　the　justice　of　heaven；　and　fling　those　curses　upward　that　must　soon　descend　to　crush　thy　own　grey　head　with　destruction！　No；　Sir；　let　it　be　your　care　now　to　fit　me　for　that　vile　death　I　must　shortly　suffer；　to　arm　me　with　hope　and　resolution；　to　give　me　courage　to　drink　of　that　bitterness　which　must　shortly　be　my　portion。'

'My　child；　you　must　not　die：　I　am　sure　no　offence　of　thine　can　deserve　so　vile　a　punishment。　My　George　could　never　be　guilty　of　any　crime　to　make　his　ancestors　ashamed　of　him。'

'Mine；　Sir；'　returned　my　son；　'is；　I　fear；　an　unpardonable　one。　When　I　received　my　mother's　letter　from　home；　I　immediately　came　down；　determined　to　punish　the　betrayer　of　our　honour；　and　sent　him　an　order　to　meet　me；　which　he　answered；　not　in　person；　but　by　his　dispatching　four　of　his　domestics　to　seize　me。　I　wounded　one　who　first　assaulted　me；　and　I　fear　desperately；　but　the　rest　made　me　their　prisoner。　The　coward　is　determined　to　put　the　law　in　execution　against　me；　the　proofs　are　undeniable；　I　have　sent　a　challenge；　and　as　I　am　the　first　transgressor　upon　the　statute；　I　see　no　hopes　of　pardon。　But　you　have　often　charmed　me　with　your　lessons　of　fortitude；　let　me　now；　Sir；　find　them　in　your　example。'

'And；　my　son；　you　shall　find　them。　I　am　now　raised　above　this　world；　and　all　the　pleasures　it　can　produce。　From　this　moment　I　break　from　my　heart　all　the　ties　that　held　it　down　to　earth；　and　will　prepare　to　fit　us　both　for　eternity。　Yes；　my　son；　I　will　point　out　the　way；　and　my　soul　shall　guide　yours　in　the　ascent；　for　we　will　take　our　flight　together。　I　now　see　and　am　convinced　you　can　expect　no　pardon　here；　and　I　can　only　exhort　you　to　seek　it　at　that　greatest　tribunal　where　we　both　shall　shortly　answer。　But　let　us　not　b