the expedition of humphry clinker-第70部分

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remember　me　to　my　worthy　governess。



To　Mrs　MARY　JONES；　at　Brambleton…hall。

DEAR　MARY；

Sunders　Macully；　the　Scotchman；　who　pushes　directly　for　Vails；
has　promised　to　give　it　you　into　your　own　hand；　and　therefore　I
would　not　miss　the　opportunity　to　let　you　know　as　I　am　still　in
the　land　of　the　living：　and　yet　I　have　been　on　the　brink　of　the
other　world　since　I　sent　you　my　last　letter。　　We　went　by　sea　to
another　kingdom　called　Fife；　and　coming　back；　had　like　to　have
gone　to　pot　in　a　storm。　　What　between　the　frite　and　sickness；　I
thought　I　should　have　brought　my　heart　up；　even　Mr　Clinker　was
not　his　own　man　for　eight　and　forty　hours　after　we　got　ashore。　It
was　well　for　some　folks　that　we　scaped　drownding；　for　mistress
was　very　frexious；　and　seemed　but　indifferently　prepared　for　a
change；　but；　thank　God；　she　was　soon　put　in　a　better　frame　by　the
private　exaltations　of　the　reverend　Mr　Macrocodile。　　We
afterwards　churned　to　Starling　and　Grascow；　which　are　a　kiple　of
handsome　towns；　and　then　we　went　to　a　gentleman's　house　at　Loff…Loming；
which　is　a　wonderful　sea　of　fresh　water；　with　a　power　of
hylands　in　the　midst　on't。　　They　say　as　how　it　has　n'er　a　bottom；
and　was　made　by　a　musician　and；　truly；　I　believe　it；　for　it　is
not　in　the　coarse　of　nature。　　It　has　got　waves　without　wind；　fish
without　fins；　and　a　floating　hyland；　and　one　of　them　is　a　crutch…yard；
where　the　dead　are　buried；　and　always　before　the　person
dies；　a　bell　rings　of　itself　to　give　warning。

O　Mary！　this　is　the　land　of　congyration　　The　bell　knolled　when　we
were　there　　I　saw　lights；　and　heard　lamentations。　　The　gentleman；
our　landlord；　has　got　another　house；　which　he　was　fain　to　quit；
on　account　of　a　mischievous　ghost；　that　would　not　suffer　people
to　lie　in　their　beds。　The　fairies　dwell　in　a　hole　of　Kairmann；　a
mounting　hard　by；　and　they　steal　away　the　good　women　that　are　in
the　straw；　if　so　be　as　how　there　a'n't　a　horshoe　nailed　to　the
door：　and　I　was　shewn　an　ould　vitch；　called　Elspath　Ringavey；
with　a　red　petticoat；　bleared　eyes；　and　a　mould　of　grey　bristles
on　her　sin。　　That　she　mought　do　me　no　harm；　I　crossed　her　hand
with　a　taster；　and　bid　her　tell　my　fortune；　and　she　told　me　such
things　descriving　Mr　Clinker　to　a　hair　　but　it　shall　ne'er　be
said；　that　I　minchioned　a　word　of　the　matter。　　As　I　was　troubled
with　fits；　she　advised　me　to　bathe　in　the　loff；　which　was　holy
water；　and　so　I　went　in　the　morning　to　a　private　place　along　with
the　house…maid；　and　we　bathed　in　our　birth…day　soot；　after　the
fashion　of　the　country；　and　behold　whilst　we　dabbled　in　the　loff；
sir　George　Coon　started　up　with　a　gun；　but　we　clapt　our　hands　to
our　faces；　and　passed　by　him　to　the　place　where　we　had　left　our
smocks　　A　civil　gentleman　would　have　turned　his　head　another
way。　　My　comfit　is；　he　new　not　which　was　which；　and；　as　the
saying　is；　all　cats　in　the　dark　are　grey　　Whilst　we　stayed　at
Loff…Loming；　he　and　our　two　squires　went　three　or　four　days
churning　among　the　wild　men　of　the　mountings；　a　parcel　of
selvidges　that　lie　in　caves　among
the　rocks；　devour　young　children；　speak　Velch；　but　the　vords　are
different。　Our　ladies　would　not　part　with　Mr　Clinker；　because　he
is　so　stout　and　so　pyehouse；　that　he　fears　neither　man　nor
devils；　if　so　be　as　they　don't　take　him　by　surprise。　　Indeed；　he
was　once　so　flurried　by　an　operition；　that　he　had　like　to　have
sounded。　　He　made　believe　as　if　it　had　been　the　ould　edmiral；　but
the　old　edmiral　could　not　have　made　his　air　to　stand　on　end；；　and
his　teeth　to　shatter；　but　he　said　so　in　prudence；　that　the　ladies
mought　not　be　afear'd。　Miss　Liddy　has　been　puny；　and　like　to　go
into　a　decline　　I　doubt　her　pore　art　is　too　tinder　　but　the
got's…fey　has　set　her　on　her　legs　again。　　You　nows　got's…fey　is
mother's　milk　to　a　Velch　woman。　As　for　mistress；　blessed　be　God；
she　ails　nothing。　　Her　stomick　is　good；　and　she　improves　in
grease　and　godliness；　but；　for　all　that；　she　may　have　infections
like　other　people；　and　I　believe；　she　wouldn't　be　sorry　to　be
called　your　ladyship；　whenever　sir　George　thinks　proper　to　ax　the
question　　But；　for　my　part；　whatever　I　may　see　or　hear；　not　a
praticle　shall　ever　pass　the　lips　of；

Dear　Molly；
Your　loving　friend；
WIN。　JENKINS
GRASCO；　Sept。　7。

Remember　me；　as　usual；　to　Sall。　　We　are　now　coming　home；　though
not　the　nearest　road。　　I　do　suppose；　I　shall　find　the　kitten　a
fine　boar　at　my　return。




To　Sir　WATKIN　PHILLIPS；　Bart。　at　Oxon。

DEAR　KNIGHT；

Once　more　I　tread　upon　English　ground；　which　I　like　not　the　worse
for　the　six　weeks'　ramble　I　have　made　among　the　woods　and
mountains　of　Caledonia；　no　offence　to　the　land　of　cakes；　where
bannocks　grow　upon　straw。　I　never　saw　my　uncle　in　such　health　and
spirits　as　he　now　enjoys。　Liddy　is　perfectly　recovered；　and　Mrs
Tabitha　has　no　reason　to　complain。　Nevertheless；　I　believe；　she
was；　till　yesterday；　inclined　to　give　the　whole　Scotch　nation　to
the　devil；　as　a　pack　of　insensible　brutes；　upon　whom　her
accomplishments　had　been　displayed　in　vain。　　At　every　place　where
we　halted；　did　she　mount　the　stage；　and　flourished　her　rusty
arms；　without　being　able　to　make　one　conquest。　One　of　her　last
essays　was　against　the　heart　of　Sir　George　Colquhoun；　with　whom
she　fought　all　the　weapons　more　than　twice　over。　　She　was　grave
and　gay　by　turns　　she　moralized　and　methodized　　she　laughed；　and
romped；　and　danced；　and　sung；　and　sighed；　and　ogled；　and　lisped；
and　fluttered；　and　flattered　　but　all　was　preaching　to　the　desart。
The　baronet；　being　a　well…bred　man；　carried　his　civilities　as　far
as　she　could　in　conscience　expect；　and；　if　evil　tongues　are　to　be
believed；　some　degrees　farther；　but　he　was　too　much　a　veteran　in
gallantry；　as　well　as　in　war；　to　fall　into　any　ambuscade　that　she
could　lay　for　his　affection　　While　we　were　absent　in　the
Highlands；　she　practised　also　upon　the　laird　of　Ladrishmore；　and
even　gave　him　the　rendezvous　in　the　wood　of　Drumscailloch；　but
the　laird　had　such　a　reverend　care　of　his　own　reputation；　that　he
came　attended　with　the　parson　of　the　parish；　and　nothing　passed
but　spiritual　communication。　After　all　these　miscarriages；　our
aunt　suddenly　recollected　lieutenant　Lismahago；　whom；　ever　since
our　first　arrival　at　Edinburgh；　she　seemed　to　have　utterly
forgot；　but　now　she　expressed　her　hopes　of　seeing　him　at
Dumfries；　according　to　his　promise。

We　set　out　from　Glasgow　by　the　way　of　Lanerk；　the　county…town　of
Clydesdale；　in　the　neighbourhood　of　which；　the　whole　river　Clyde；
rushing　down　a　steep　rock；　forms　a　very　noble　and　stupendous
cascade。　Next　day　we　were　obliged　to　halt　in　a　small　borough；
until　the　carriage；　which　had　received　some　damage；　should　be
repaired；　and　here　we　met　with　an　incident　which　warmly
interested　the　benevolent　spirit　of　Mr　Bramble　　As　we　stood　at
the　window　of　an　inn　that　fronted　the　public　prison；　a　person
arrived　on　horseback；　genteelly；　tho'　plainly；　dressed　in　a　blue
frock；　with　his　own　hair　cut　short；　and　a　gold…laced　hat　upon　his
head。　　Alighting；　and　giving　his　horse　to　the　landlord；　he
advanced　to　an　old　man　who　was　at　work　in　paving　the　street；　and
accosted　him　in　these　words：　'This　is　hard　work　for　such　an　old
man　as　you。'　　So　saying；　he　took　the　instrument　out　of　his　hand；
and　began　to　thump　the　pavement。　　After　a　few　strokes；　'Have　you
never　a　son　（said　he）　to　ease　you　of　this　labour？'　'Yes；　an
please　Your　honour　（replied　the　senior）；　I　have　three　hopeful
lads；　but；　at
present；　they　are　out　of　the　way。'　'Honour　not　me　（cried　the
stranger）；　but　more　becomes　me　to　honour　your　grey　hairs。　Where
are　those　sons　you　talk　of？'　The　ancient　paviour　said；　his　eldest
son　was　a　captain　in　the　East　Indies；　and　the　youngest　had　lately
inlisted　as　a　soldier；　in　hopes　of　prospering　like　his　brother。
The　gentleman　desiring　to　know　what　was　become　of　the　second；　he
wiped　his　eyes；　and　owned；　he　had　taken　upon　him　his　old　father's
debts；　for　which　he　was　now　in　the　prison　hard　by。

The　traveller　made　three　quick　steps　towards　the　jail；　then
turning　short；　'Tell　me　（said　he）；　has　that　unnatural　captain
sent　you　nothing　to　relieve　your　distress？'　'Call　him　not
unnatural　（replied　the　other）；　God's　blessing　be　upon　him！　he
sent　me　a　great　deal　of　money；　but　I　made　a　bad　use　of　it；　I　lost
it　by　being　security　for　a　gentleman　that　was　my　landlord；　and
was　stript　of　all　I　had　in　the　world　besides。'　At　that　instant　a
young　man；　thrusting　out　his　head　and　neck　between　two　iron　bars
in　the　prison…window；　exclaimed；　'Father！　father！　if　my　brother
William　is　in　life；　that's　he！'　'I　am！　　I　am！　　（cried　the
stranger；　clasping　the　old　man　in　his　arms；　and　shedding　a　flood
of　tears）　　I　am　your　son　Willy；　sure　enough！'　Before　the　father；
who　was　quite　confounded；　could　make　any　return　to　this
tenderness；　a　decent　old　woman　bolting　out　from　the　door　of　a
poor　habitation；　cried；　'Where　is　my　bairn？　where　is　my　dear
Willy？'　　The　captain　no　sooner　beheld　her；　than　he　quitted　his
father；　and　ran　into　her　embrace。

I　can　assure　you；　my　uncle；　who　saw　and　heard　every　thing　that
passed；　was　as　much　moved　as　any　one　of　the　parties　concerned　in
this　pathetic　recognition　　He　sobbed；　and　wept；　and　clapped　his
hands；　and　hollowed；　and　finally