the expedition of humphry clinker-第78节

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and　attention　to　the　exercise　of　husbandry；　in　which　he
delighted；　and　as　to　domestic　happiness；　not　the　least　glimpse　of
hope　remains　to　amuse　his　imagination。　Thus　blasted　in　all　his
prospects；　he　could　not　fail　to　be　overwhelmed　with　melancholy
and　chagrin；　which　have　preyed　upon　his　health　and　spirits　in
such　a　manner；　that　he　is　now　threatened　with　a　consumption。

I　have　given　you　a　sketch　of　the　man；　whom　the　other　day　I　went
to　visit　　At　the　gate　we　found　a　great　number　of　powdered
lacquies；　but　no　civility　　After　we　had　sat　a　considerable　time
in　the　coach；　we　were　told；　that　Mr　Baynard　had　rode　out；　and
that　his　lady　was　dressing；　but　we　were　introduced　to　a　parlour；
so　very　fine　and　delicate；　that　in　all　appearance　it　was　designed
to　be　seen　only；　not　inhabited。　The　chairs　and　couches　were
carved；　gilt；　and　covered　with　rich　damask；　so　smooth　and　slick；
that　they　looked　as　if　they　had　never　been　sat　upon。　There　was　no
carpet　upon　the　floor；　but　the　boards　were　rubbed　and　waxed　in
such　a　manner；　that　we　could　not　walk；　but　were　obliged　to　slide
along　them；　and　as　for　the　stove；　it　was　too　bright　and　polished
to　be　polluted　with　sea…coal；　or　stained　by　the　smoke　of　any
gross　material　fire　　When　we　had　remained　above　half　an　hour
sacrificing　to　the　inhospitable　powers　in　the　temple　of　cold
reception；　my　friend　Baynard　arrived；　and　understanding　we　were
in　the　house；　made　his　appearance；　so　meagre；　yellow；　and
dejected；　that　I　really　should　not　have　known　him；　had　I　met　with
him　in　any　other　place。　Running　up　to　me；　with　great　eagerness；　he
strained　me　in　his　embrace；　and　his　heart　was　so　full；　that　for
some　minutes　he　could　not　speak。　Having　saluted　us　all　round；　he
perceived　our　uncomfortable　situation；　and　conducting　us　into
another　apartment；　which　had　fire　in　the　chimney；　called　for
chocolate　　Then；　withdrawing；　he　returned　with　a　compliment　from
his　wife；　and；　in　the　mean　time；　presented　his　son　Harry；　a
shambling；　blear…eyed　boy；　in　the　habit　of　a　hussar；　very　rude；
forward；　and　impertinent。　His　father　would　have　sent　him　to　a
boarding…school；　but　his　mamma　and　aunt　would　not　hear　of　his
lying　out　of　the　house；　so　that　there　was　a　clergyman　engaged　as
his　tutor　in　the　family。

As　it　was　but　just　turned　of　twelve；　and　the　whole　house　was　in
commotion　to　prepare　a　formal　entertainment；　I　foresaw　it　would
be　late　before　we　dined；　and　proposed　a　walk　to　Mr　Baynard；　that
we　might　converse　together　freely。　In　the　course　of　this
perambulation；　when　I　expressed　some　surprize　that　he　had
returned　so　soon　from　Italy；　he　gave　me　to　understand；　that　his
going　abroad　had　not　at　all　answered　the　purpose；　for　which　he
left　England；　that　although　the　expence　of　living　was　not　so
great　in　Italy　as　at　home；　respect　being　had　to　the　same　rank　of
life　in　both　countries；　it　had　been　found　necessary　for　him　to
lift　himself　above　his　usual　stile；　that　he　might　be　on　some
footing　with　the　counts；　marquises；　and　cavaliers；　with　whom　he
kept　company　　He　was　obliged　to　hire　a　great　number　of　servants；
to　take　off　a　great　variety　of　rich　cloaths；　and　to　keep　a
sumptuous　table　for　the　fashionable　scorocconi　of　the　country；
who；　without　a　consideration　of　this　kind；　would　not　have　payed
any　attention　to　an　untitled　foreigner；　let　his　family　or　fortune
be　ever　so　respectable　　Besides；　Mrs　Baynard　was　continually
surrounded　by　a　train　of　expensive　loungers；　under　the
denominations　of　language…masters；　musicians；　painters；　and
ciceroni；　and　had　actually　fallen　into　the　disease　of　buying
pictures　and　antiques　upon　her　own　judgment；　which　was　far　from
being　infallible　　At　length　she　met　with　an　affront；　which　gave
her　disgust　to　Italy；　and　drove　her　back　to　England　with　some
precipitation。　By　means　of　frequenting　the　dutchess　of
B＇edford＇'s　conversazione；　while　her　grace　was　at　Rome；　Mrs
Baynard　became　acquainted　with　all　the　fashionable　people　of　that
city；　and　was　admitted　to　their　assemblies　without　scruple　　Thus
favoured；　she　conceived　too　great　an　idea　of　her　own　importance；
and　when　the　dutchess　left　Rome；　resolved　to　have　a　conversazione
that　should　leave　the　Romans　no　room　to　regret　her　grace's
departure。　She　provided　hands　for　a　musical　entertainment；　and
sent　biglietti　of　invitation　to　every　person　of　distinction；　but
not　one　Roman　of　the　female　sex　appeared　at　her　assembly　　She　was
that　night　seized　with　a　violent　fit；　and　kept　her　bed　three
days；　at　the　expiration　of　which　she　declared　that　the　air　of
Italy　would　be　the　ruin　of　her　constitution。　In　order　to　prevent
this　catastrophe；　she　was　speedily　removed　to　Geneva；　from　whence
they　returned　to　England　by　the　way　of　Lyons　and　Paris。　By　the
time　they　arrived　at　Calais；　she　had　purchased　such　a　quantity　of
silks；　stuffs；　and　laces；　that　it　was　necessary　to　hire　a　vessel
to　smuggle　them　over；　and　this　vessel　was　taken　by　a　custom…house
cutter；　so　that　they　lost　the　whole　cargo；　which　had　cost　them
above　eight　hundred　pounds。

It　now　appears；　that　her　travels　had　produced　no　effect　upon　her；
but　that　of　making　her　more　expensive　and　fantastic　than　ever：
She　affected　to　lead　the　fashion；　not　only　in　point　of　female
dress；　but　in　every　article　of　taste　and　connoisseurship。　She
made　a　drawing　of　the　new　facade　to　the　house　in　the　country；　she
pulled　up　the　trees；　and　pulled　down　the　walls　of　the　garden；　so
as　to　let　in　the　easterly　wind；　which　Mr　Baynard's　ancestors　had
been　at　great　pains　to　exclude。　To　shew　her　taste　in　laying　out
ground；　she　seized　into　her　own　hand　a　farm　of　two　hundred　acres；
about　a　mile　from　the　house；　which　she　parcelled　out　into　walks
and　shrubberies；　having　a　great　bason　in　the　middle；　into　which
she　poured　a　whole　stream　that　turned　two　mills；　and　afforded　the
best　trout　in　the　country。　The　bottom　of　the　bason；　however；　was
so　ill　secured；　that　it　would　not　hold　the　water　which　strained
through　the　earth；　and　made　a　bog　of　the　whole　plantation：　in　a
word；　the　ground　which　formerly　payed　him　one　hundred　and　fifty
pounds　a　year；　now　cost　him　two　hundred　pounds　a　year　to　keep　it
in　tolerable　order；　over　and　above　the　first　expence　of　trees；
shrubs；　flowers；　turf；　and　gravel。　There　was　not　an　inch　of
garden　ground　left　about　the　house；　nor　a　tree　that　produced
fruit　of　any　kind；　nor　did　he　raise　a　truss　of　hay；　or　a　bushel
of　oats　for　his　horses；　nor　had　he　a　single　cow　to　afford　milk
for　his　tea；　far　less　did　he　ever　dream　of　feeding　his　own
mutton；　pigs；　and　poultry：　every　article　of　housekeeping；　even
the　most　inconsiderable；　was　brought　from　the　next　market　town；
at　the　distance　of　five　miles；　and　thither　they　sent　a　courier
every　morning　to　fetch　hot　rolls　for　breakfast。　In　short；　Baynard
fairly　owned　that　he　spent　double　his　income；　and　that　in　a　few
years　he　should　be　obliged　to　sell　his　estate　for　the　payment　of
his　creditors。　He　said　that　his　wife　had　such　delicate　nerves；
and　such　imbecility　of　spirit；　that　she　could　neither　bear
remonstrance；　be　it　ever　so　gentle；　nor　practise　any　scheme　of
retrenchment；　even　if　she　perceived　the　necessity　of　such　a
measure。　He　had　therefore　ceased　struggling　against　the　stream；
and　endeavoured　to　reconcile　himself　to　ruin；　by　reflecting　that
his　child　at　least　would　inherit　his　mother's　fortune；　which　was
secured　to　him　by　the　contract　of　marriage。

The　detail　which　he　gave　me　of　his　affairs；　filled　me　at　once
with　grief　and　indignation。　I　inveighed　bitterly　against　the
indiscretion　of　his　wife；　and　reproached　him　with　his　unmanly
acquiescence　under　the　absurd　tyranny　which　she　exerted。　I
exhorted　him　to　recollect　his　resolution；　and　make　one　effectual
effort　to　disengage　himself　from　a　thraldom；　equally　shameful　and
pernicious。　I　offered　him　all　the　assistance　in　my　power。　I
undertook　to　regulate　his　affairs；　and　even　to　bring　about　a
reformation　in　his　family；　if　he　would　only　authorise　me　to
execute　the　plan　I　should　form　for　his　advantage。　I　was　so
affected　by　the　subject；　that　I　could　not　help　mingling　tears
with　my　remonstrances；　and　Baynard　was　so　penetrated　with　these
marks　of　my　affection；　that　he　lost　all　power　of　utterance。　He
pressed　me　to　his　breast　with　great　emotion；　and　wept　in　silence。
At　length　he　exclaimed；　'Friendship　is　undoubtedly　the　most
precious　balm　of　life！　Your　words；　dear　Bramble；　have　in　a　great
measure　recalled　me　from　an　abyss　of　despondence；　in　which　I　have
been　long　overwhelmed。　I　will；　upon　honour；　make　you　acquainted
with　a　distinct　state　of　my　affairs；　and；　as　far　as　I　am　able　to
go；　will　follow　the　course　you　prescribe。　But　there　are　certain
lengths　which　my　nature　　The　truth　is；　there　are　tender
connexions；　of　which　a　batchelor　has　no　idea　　Shall　I　own　my
weakness？　I　cannot　bear　the　thoughts　of　making　that　woman
uneasy'　　'And　yet　（cried　I）；　she　has　seen　you　unhappy　for　a
series　of　years　　unhappy　from　her　misconduct；　without　ever
shewing　the　least　inclination　to　alleviate　your　distress'　
'Nevertheless　（said　he）　I　am　persuaded　she　loves　me　with　the　most
warm　affection；　but　these　are　incongruities　in　the　composition　of
the　human　mind　which　I　hold　to　be　inexplicable。'

I　was　shocked　at　his　infatuation；　and　changed　the　subject；　after
we　had　agreed　to　m