the expedition of humphry clinker-第77部分

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well　enough　qualified　for　the　usual　purposes　of　the　married
state　　Her　virtues；　however；　stood　rather　upon　a　negative；　than　a
positive　foundation　　She　was　neither　proud；　insolent；　nor
capricious；　nor　given　to　scandal；　nor　addicted　to　gaming；　nor
inclined　to　gallantry。　She　could　read；　and　write；　and　dance；　and
sing；　and　play　upon　the　harpsichord；　and　smatter　French；　and　take
a　hand　at　whist　and　ombre；　but　even　these　accomplishments　she
possessed　by　halves　　She　excelled　in　nothing。　Her　conversation
was　flat；　her　stile　mean；　and　her　expression　embarrassed　　In　a
word；　her　character　was　totally　insipid。　Her　person　was　not
disagreeable；　but　there　was　nothing　graceful　in　her　address；　nor
engaging　in　her　manners；　and　she　was　so　ill　qualified　to　do　the
honours　of　the　house；　that　when　she　sat　at　the　head　of　the　table；
one　was　always　looking　for　the　mistress　of　the　family　in　some
other　place。

Baynard　had　flattered　himself；　that　it　would　be　no　difficult
matter　to　mould　such　a　subject　after　his　own　fashion；　and　that
she　would　chearfully　enter　into　his　views；　which　were　wholly
turned　to　domestic　happiness。　He　proposed　to　reside　always　in　the
country；　of　which　he　was　fond　to　a　degree　of　enthusiasm；　to
cultivate　his　estate；　which　was　very　improvable；　to　enjoy　the
exercise　of　rural　diversions；　to　maintain　an　intimacy　of
correspondence　with　some　friends　that　were　settled　in　his
neighbourhood；　to　keep　a　comfortable　house；　without　suffering　his
expence　to　exceed　the　limits　of　his　income；　and　to　find　pleasure
and　employ　merit　for　his　wife　in　the　management　and　avocations
of　her　own　family　　This；　however；　was　a　visionary　scheme；　which
he　never　was　able　to　realize。　His　wife　was　as　ignorant　as　a　new…born
babe　of　everything　that　related　to　the　conduct　of　a　family；
and　she　had　no　idea　of　a　country…life。　Her　understanding　did　not
reach　so　far　as　to　comprehend　the　first　principles　of　discretion；
and；　indeed；　if　her　capacity　had　been　better　than　it　was；　her
natural　indolence　would　not　have　permitted　her　to　abandon　a
certain　routine；　to　which　she　had　been　habituated。　She　had　not
taste　enough　to　relish　any　rational　enjoyment；　but　her　ruling
passion　was　vanity；　not　that　species　which　arises　from　self…conceit
of　superior　accomplishments；　but　that　which　is　of　a
bastard　and　idiot　nature；　excited　by　shew　and　ostentation；　which
implies　not　even　the　least　consciousness　of　any　personal　merit。

The　nuptial　peal　of　noise　and　nonsense　being　rung　out　in　all　the
usual　changes；　Mr　Baynard　thought　it　high　time　to　make　her
acquainted　with　the　particulars　of　the　plan　which　he　had
projected　　He　told　her　that　his　fortune；　though　sufficient　to
afford　all　the　comforts　of　life；　was　not　ample　enough　to　command
all　the　superfluities　of　pomp　and　pageantry；　which；　indeed；　were
equally　absurd　and　intolerable　　He　therefore　hoped　she　would　have
no　objection　to　their　leaving　London　in　the　spring；　when　he　would
take　the　opportunity　to　dismiss　some　unnecessary　domestics；　whom
he　had　hired　for　the　occasion　of　their　marriage　　She　heard　him　in
silence；　and　after　some　pause；　'So　（said　she）　I　am　to　be　buried
in　the　country！'　He　was　so　confounded　at　this　reply；　that　he
could　not　speak　for　some　minutes：　at　length　he　told　her；　he　was
much　mortified　to　find　he　had　proposed　anything　that　was
disagreeable　to　her　ideas　　'I　am　sure　（added　he）　I　meant　nothing
more　than　to　lay　down　a　comfortable　plan　of　living　within　the
bounds　of　our　fortune；　which　is　but　moderate。'　'Sir　（said　she）；
you　are　the　best　judge　of　your　own　affairs　　My　fortune；　I　know；
does　not　exceed　twenty　thousand　pounds　　Yet；　even　with　that
pittance；　I　might　have　had　a　husband　who　would　not　have　begrudged
me　a　house　in　London'　　'Good　God！　my　dear　（cried　poor　Baynard；　in
the　utmost　agitation）；　you　don't　think　me　so　sordid　　I　only
hinted　what　I　thought　　But；　I　don't　pretend　to　impose　'　'Yes；
sir　（resumed　the　lady）；　it　is　your　prerogative　to　command；　and　my
duty　to　obey'　　So　saying；　she　burst　into　tears　and　retired　to　her
chamber；　where　she　was　joined　by　her　aunt　　He　endeavoured　to
recollect　himself；　and　act　with　vigour　of　mind　on　this　occasion；
but　was　betrayed　by　the　tenderness　of　his　nature；　which　was　the
greatest　defect　of　his　constitution。　He　found　the　aunt　in　tears；
and　the　niece　in　a　fit；　which　held　her　the　best　part　of　eight
hours；　at　the　expiration　of　which；　she　began　to　talk　incoherently
about　death　and　her　dear　husband；　who　had　sat　by　her　all　this
time；　and　now　pressed　her　hand　to　his　lips；　in　a　transport　of
grief　and　penitence　for　the　offence　he　had　given　　From　thence
forward；　he　carefully　avoided　mentioning　the　country；　and　they
continued　to　be　sucked　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　vortex　of
extravagance　and　dissipation；　leading　what　is　called　a
fashionable　life　in　town　　About　the　latter　end　of　July；　however；
Mrs　Baynard；　in　order　to　exhibit　a　proof　of　conjugal　obedience；
desired　of　her　own　accord；　that　they　might　pay　a　visit　to　his
country　house；　as　there　was　no　company　left　in　London。　He　would
have　excused　himself　from　this　excursion　which　was　no　part　of　the
oeconomical　plan　he　had　proposed；　but　she　insisted　upon　making
this　sacrifice　to　his　taste　and　prejudices；　and　away　they　went
with　such　an　equipage　as　astonished　the　whole　country。　All　that
remained　of　the　season　was　engrossed　by　receiving　and　returning
visits　in　the　neighbourhood；　and；　in　this　intercourse　it　was
discovered　that　sir　John　Chickwell　had　a　house…steward　and　one
footman　in　livery　more　than　the　complement　of　Mr　Baynard's
household。　This　remark　was　made　by　the　aunt　at　table；　and
assented　to　by　the　husband；　who　observed　that　sir　John　Chickwell
might　very　well　afford　to　keep　more　servants　than　were　found　in
the　family　of　a　man　who　had　not　half　his　fortune。　Mrs　Baynard　ate
no　supper　that　evening；　but　was　seized　with　a　violent　fit；　which
completed　her　triumph　over　the　spirit　of　her　consort。　The　two
supernumerary　servants　were　added　　The　family　plate　was　sold　for
old　silver；　and　a　new　service　procured；　fashionable　furniture　was
provided；　and　the　whole　house　turned　topsy　turvy。

At　their　return　to　London　in　the　beginning　of　winter；　he；　with　a
heavy　heart；　communicated　these　particulars　to　me　in　confidence。
Before　his　marriage；　he　had　introduced　me　to　the　lady　as　his
particular　friend；　and　I　now　offered　in　that　character；　to　lay
before　her　the　necessity　of　reforming　her　oeconomy；　if　she　had
any　regard　to　the　interest　of　her　own　family；　or　complaisance　for
the　inclinations　of　her　husband　　But　Baynard　declined　my　offer；
on　the　supposition　that　his　wife's　nerves　were　too　delicate　to
bear　expostulation；　and　that　it　would　only　serve　to　overwhelm　her
with　such　distress　as　would　make　himself　miserable。

Baynard　is　a　man　of　spirit；　and　had　she　proved　a　termagant；　he
would　have　known　how　to　deal　with　her；　but；　either　by　accident　or
instinct；　she　fastened　upon　the　weak　side　of　his　soul；　and　held
it　so　fast；　that　he　has　been　in　subjection　ever　since　　I
afterwards　advised　him　to　carry　her　abroad　to　France　or　Italy；
where　he　might　gratify　her　vanity　for　half　the　expence　it　cost
him　in　England：　and　this　advice　he　followed　accordingly。　She　was
agreeably　flattered　with　the　idea　of　seeing　and　knowing　foreign
parts；　and　foreign　fashions；　of　being　presented　to　sovereigns；
and　living　familiarly　with　princes。　She　forthwith　seized　the
hint　which　I　had　thrown
out　on　purpose；　and　even　pressed　Mr　Baynard　to　hasten　his
departure；　so　that　in　a　few　weeks　they　crossed　the　sea　to　France；
with　a　moderate　train；　still　including　the　aunt；　who　was　her
bosom　counsellor；　and　abetted　her　in　all　her　oppositions　to　her
husband's　will　Since　that　period；　I　have　had　little　or　no
opportunity　to　renew　our　former　correspondence　　All　that　I　knew
of　his　transactions；　amounted　to　no　more　than　that　after　an
absence　of　two　years；　they　returned　so　little　improved　in
oeconomy；　that　they　launched　out　into　new　oceans　of　extravagance；
which　at　length　obliged　him　to　mortgage　his　estate　　By　this　time
she　had　bore　him　three　children；　of　which　the　last　only　survives；
a　puny　boy　of　twelve　or　thirteen；　who　will　be　ruined　in　his
education　by　the　indulgence　of　his　mother。

As　for　Baynard；　neither　his　own　good　sense；　nor　the　dread　of
indigence；　nor　the　consideration　of　his　children；　has　been　of
force　sufficient　to　stimulate　him　into　the　resolution　of　breaking
at　once　the　shameful　spell　by　which　he　seems　enchanted　　With　a
taste　capable　of　the　most　refined　enjoyment；　a　heart　glowing　with
all　the　warmth　of　friendship　and　humanity；　and　a　disposition
strongly　turned　to　the　more　rational　pleasures　of　a　retired　and
country　life；　he　is　hurried　about　in　a　perpetual　tumult；　amidst　a
mob　of　beings　pleased　with　rattles；　baubles；　and　gewgaws；　so　void
of　sense　and　distinction；　that　even　the　most　acute　philosopher
would　find　it　a　very　hard　task　to　discover　for　what　wise　purpose
of　providence　they　were　created　　Friendship　is　not　to　be　found；
nor　can　the　amusements　for　which　he　sighs　be　enjoyed　within　the
rotation　of　absurdity；　to　which　he　is　doomed　for　life。　He　has
long　resigned　all　views　of　improving　his　fortune　by　management
and　attention　to　the　exercise　of　husbandry；　in　which　he
delighted；　and　as　to　domestic　h