the vicar of wakefield-第36节

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　suffer　for　it。'

'Thou　monster；'　cried　my　wife；　'hast　thou　not　had　vengeance　enough　already；　but　must　my　poor　boy　feel　thy　cruelty。　I　hope　that　good　Sir　William　will　protect　us；　for　my　son　is　as　innocent　as　a　child；　I　am　sure　he　is；　and　never　did　harm　to　man。'

'Madam；'　replied　the　good　man；　'your　wishes　for　his　safety　are　not　greater　than　mine；　but　I　am　sorry　to　find　his　guilt　too　plain；　and　if　my　nephew　persists'　But　the　appearance　of　Jenkinson　and　the　gaoler's　two　servants　now　called　off　our　attention；　who　entered；　haling　in　a　tall　man；　very　genteelly　drest；　and　answering　the　description　already　given　of　the　ruffian　who　had　carried　off　my　daughter'Here；'　cried　Jenkinson；　pulling　him　in；　'here　we　have　him；　and　if　ever　there　was　a　candidate　for　Tyburn；　this　is　one。'

The　moment　Mr　Thornhill　perceived　the　prisoner；　and　Jenkinson；　who　had　him　in　custody；　he　seemed　to　shrink　back　with　terror。　His　face　became　pale　with　conscious　guilt；　and　he　would　have　withdrawn；　but　Jenkinson；　who　perceived　his　design；　stopt　him　'What；　'Squire；'　cried　he；　'are　you　ashamed　of　your　two　old　acquaintances；　Jenkinson　and　Baxter：　but　this　is　the　way　that　all　great　men　forget　their　friends；　though　I　am　resolved　we　will　not　forget　you。　Our　prisoner；　please　your　honour；'　continued　he；　turning　to　Sir　William；　'has　already　confessed　all。　This　is　the　gentleman　reported　to　be　so　dangerously　wounded：　He　declares　that　it　was　Mr　Thornhill　who　first　put　him　upon　this　affair；　that　he　gave　him　the　cloaths　he　now　wears　to　appear　like　a　gentleman；　and　furnished　him　with　the　post…chaise。　The　plan　was　laid　between　them　that　he　should　carry　off　the　young　lady　to　a　place　of　safety；　and　that　there　he　should　threaten　and　terrify　her；　but　Mr　Thornhill　was　to　come　in　in　the　mean　time；　as　if　by　accident；　to　her　rescue；　and　that　they　should　fight　awhile　and　then　he　was　to　run　off；　by　which　Mr　Thornhill　would　have　the　better　opportunity　of　gaining　her　affections　himself　under　the　character　of　her　defender。'

Sir　William　remembered　the　coat　to　have　been　frequently　worn　by　his　nephew；　and　all　the　rest　the　prisoner　himself　confirmed　by　a　more　circumstantial　account；　concluding；　that　Mr　Thornhill　had　often　declared　to　him　that　he　was　in　love　with　both　sisters　at　the　same　time。

'Heavens；'　cried　Sir　William；　'what　a　viper　have　I　been　fostering　in　my　bosom！　And　so　fond　of　public　justice　too　as　he　seemed　to　be。　But　he　shall　have　it；　secure　him；　Mr　Gaoleryet　hold；　I　fear　there　is　not　legal　evidence　to　detain　him。'

Upon　this；　Mr　Thornhill；　with　the　utmost　humility；　entreated　that　two　such　abandoned　wretches　might　not　be　admitted　as　evidences　against　him；　but　that　his　servants　should　be　examined。'Your　servants　'　replied　Sir　William；　'wretch；　call　them　yours　no　longer：　but　come　let　us　hear　what　those　fellows　have　to　say；　let　his　butler　be　called。'

When　the　butler　was　introduced；　he　soon　perceived　by　his　former　master's　looks　that　all　his　power　was　now　over。　'Tell　me；'　cried　Sir　William　sternly；　'have　you　ever　seen　your　master　and　that　fellow　drest　up　in　his　cloaths　in　company　together？'　'Yes；　please　your　honour；'　cried　the　butler；　'a　thousand　times：　he　was　the　man　that　always　brought　him　his　ladies。''How；'　interrupted　young　Mr　Thornhill；　'this　to　my　face！''Yes；'　replied　the　butler；　'or　to　any　man's　face。　To　tell　you　a　truth；　Master　Thornhill；　I　never　either　loved　you　or　liked　you；　and　I　don't　care　if　I　tell　you　now　a　piece　of　my　mind。''Now　then；'　cried　Jenkinson；　'tell　his　honour　whether　you　know　any　thing　of　me。''I　can't　say；'　replied　the　butler；　'that　I　know　much　good　of　you。　The　night　that　gentleman's　daughter　was　deluded　to　our　house；　you　were　one　of　them。''So　then；'　cried　Sir　William；　'I　find　you　have　brought　a　very　fine　witness　to　prove　your　innocence：　thou　stain　to　humanity！　to　associate　with　such　wretches！'　（But　continuing　his　examination）　'You　tell　me；　Mr　Butler；　that　this　was　the　person　who　brought　him　this　old　gentleman's　daughter。''No；　please　your　honour；'　replied　the　butler；　'he　did　not　bring　her；　for　the　'Squire　himself　undertook　that　business；　but　he　brought　the　priest　that　pretended　to　marry　them。''It　is　but　too　true；'　cried　Jenkinson；　'I　cannot　deny　it；　that　was　the　employment　assigned　me；　and　I　confess　it　to　my　confusion。'

'Good　heavens！'　exclaimed　the　Baronet；　'how　every　new　discovery　of　his　villainy　alarms　me。　All　his　guilt　is　now　too　plain；　and　I　find　his　present　prosecution　was　dictated　by　tyranny；　cowardice　and　revenge；　at　my　request；　Mr　Gaoler；　set　this　young　officer；　now　your　prisoner；　free；　and　trust　to　me　for　the　consequences。　I'll　make　it　my　business　to　set　the　affair　in　a　proper　light　to　my　friend　the　magistrate　who　has　committed　him。　But　where　is　the　unfortunate　young　lady　herself：　let　her　appear　to　confront　this　wretch；　I　long　to　know　by　what　arts　he　has　seduced　her。　Entreat　her　to　come　in。　Where　is　she？'

'Ah；　Sir；'　said　I；　'that　question　stings　me　to　the　heart：　I　was　once　indeed　happy　in　a　daughter；　but　her　miseries'　Another　interruption　here　prevented　me；　for　who　should　make　her　appearance　but　Miss　Arabella　Wilmot；　who　was　next　day　to　have　been　married　to　Mr　Thornhill。　Nothing　could　equal　her　surprize　at　seeing　Sir　William　and　his　nephew　here　before　her；　for　her　arrival　was　quite　accidental。　It　happened　that　she　and　the　old　gentleman　her　father　were　passing　through　the　town；　on　their　way　to　her　aunt's；　who　had　insisted　that　her　nuptials　with　Mr　Thornhill　should　be　consummated　at　her　house；　but　stopping　for　refreshment；　they　put　up　at　an　inn　at　the　other　end　of　the　town。　It　was　there　from　the　window　that　the　young　lady　happened　to　observe　one　of　my　little　boys　playing　in　the　street；　and　instantly　sending　a　footman　to　bring　the　child　to　her；　she　learnt　from　him　some　account　of　our　misfortunes；　but　was　still　kept　ignorant　of　young　Mr　Thornhill's　being　the　cause。　Though　her　father　made　several　remonstrances　on　the　impropriety　of　going　to　a　prison　to　visit　us；　yet　they　were　ineffectual；　she　desired　the　child　to　conduct　her；　which　he　did；　and　it　was　thus　she　surprised　us　at　a　juncture　so　unexpected。

Nor　can　I　go　on；　without　a　reflection　on　those　accidental　meetings；　which；　though　they　happen　every　day；　seldom　excite　our　surprize　but　upon　some　extraordinary　occasion。　To　what　a　fortuitous　concurrence　do　we　not　owe　every　pleasure　and　convenience　of　our　lives。　How　many　seeming　accidents　must　unite　before　we　can　be　cloathed　or　fed。　The　peasant　must　be　disposed　to　labour；　the　shower　must　fall；　the　wind　fill　the　merchant's　sail；　or　numbers　must　want　the　usual　supply。

We　all　continued　silent　for　some　moments；　while　my　charming　pupil；　which　was　the　name　I　generally　gave　this　young　lady；　united　in　her　looks　compassion　and　astonishment；　which　gave　new　finishings　to　her　beauty。　'Indeed；　my　dear　Mr　Thornhill；'　cried　she　to　the　'Squire；　who　she　supposed　was　come　here　to　succour　and　not　to　oppress　us；　'I　take　it　a　little　unkindly　that　you　should　come　here　without　me；　or　never　inform　me　of　the　situation　of　a　family　so　dear　to　us　both：　you　know　I　should　take　as　much　pleasure　in　contributing　to　the　relief　of　my　reverend　old　master　here；　whom　I　shall　ever　esteem；　as　you　can。　But　I　find　that；　like　your　uncle；　you　take　a　pleasure　in　doing　good　in　secret。'

'He　find　pleasure　in　doing　good！'　cried　Sir　William；　interrupting　her。　'No；　my　dear；　his　pleasures　are　as　base　as　he　is。　You　see　in　him；　madam；　as　complete　a　villain　as　ever　disgraced　humanity。　A　wretch；　who　after　having　deluded　this　poor　man's　daughter；　after　plotting　against　the　innocence　of　her　sister；　has　thrown　the　father　into　prison；　and　the　eldest　son　into　fetters；　because　he　had　courage　to　face　his　betrayer。　And　give　me　leave；　madam；　now　to　congratulate　you　upon　an　escape　from　the　embraces　of　such　a　monster。'

'O　goodness；'　cried　the　lovely　girl；　'how　have　I　been　deceived！　Mr　Thornhill　informed　me　for　certain　that　this　gentleman's　eldest　son；　Captain　Primrose；　was　gone　off　to　America　with　his　new　married　lady。'

'My　sweetest　miss；'　cried　my　wife；　'he　has　told　you　nothing　but　falsehoods。　My　son　George　never　left　the　kingdom；　nor　was　married。　Tho'　you　have　forsaken　him；　he　has　always　loved　you　too　well　to　think　of　any　body　else；　and　I　have　heard　him　say　he　would　die　a　batchellor　for　your　sake。'　She　then　proceeded　to　expatiate　upon　the　sincerity　of　her　son's　passion；　she　set　his　duel　with　Mr　Thornhill　in　a　proper　light；　from　thence　she　made　a　rapid　digression　to　the　'Squire's　debaucheries；　his　pretended　marriages；　and　ended　with　a　most　insulting　picture　of　his　cowardice。

'Good　heavens！'　cried　Miss　Wilmot；　'how　very　near　have　I　been　to　the　brink　of　ruin！　But　how　great　is　my　pleasure　to　have　escaped　it！　Ten　thousand　falsehoods　has　this　gentleman　told　me！　He　had　at　last　art　enough　to　persuade　me　that　my　promise　to　the　only　man　I　esteemed　was　no　longer　binding；　since　he　had　been　unfaithful。　By　his　falsehoods　I　was　taught　to　detest　one　equally　brave　and　generous！'

But　by　this　time　my　son　was　freed　from　the　encumbrances　of　justice　as　the　person　supposed　to　be　wounded　was　detected　to　be　an　impostor。　Mr　Jenkinson　also；　who　had　acted　as　his　valet　de　chambre；　had　dressed　up　his　hair；　and　furnished　him　with　whatever　was　necessary　to　make　a　genteel　appearance。　He　now　therefore

entered；　handsomely　drest　i