the expedition of humphry clinker-第85部分

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than　my　duty　　No　more　than　I　would　have　done　for　the　most
worthless　of　my　fellow…creatures　　No　more　than　I　would　have　done
for　captain　Lismahago；　or　Archy　Macalpine；　or　any　sinner　upon
earth　　But　for　your　worship；　I　would　go　through　fire　as　well　as
water'　　'I　do　believe　it；　Humphry　（said　the　'squire）；　but　as　you
think　it　was　your　duty　to　save　my　life　at　the　hazard　of　your　own；
I　think　it　is　mine　to　express　the　sense　I　have　of　your
extraordinary　fidelity　and　attachment　　I　insist　upon　your
receiving　this　small　token　of　my　gratitude；　but　don't　imagine
that　I　look　upon　this　as　an　adequate　recompence　for　the　service
you　have　done　me　　I　have　determined　to　settle　thirty　pounds　a…year
upon　you　for　life；　and　I　desire　these　gentlemen　will　bear
witness　to　this　my　intention；　of　which　I　have　a　memorandum　in　my
pocketbook。'　'Lord　make　me　thankful　for　all　these　mercies！　（cried
Clinker；　sobbing）；　I　have　been　a　poor　bankrupt　from　the
beginning　　your　honour's　goodness　found　me；　when　I　was　　naked
when　I　was　　sick　and　forlorn　　I　understand　your　honour's　looks　　I
would　not　give　offence　　but　my　heart　is　very　full　　and　if　your
worship　won't　give　me　leave　to　speak；　　I　must　vent　it　in　prayers
to　heaven　for　my　benefactor。'　When　he　quitted　the　room；　Lismahago
said；　he　should　have　a　much　better　opinion　of　his　honesty；　if　he
did　not　whine　and　cant　so　abominably；　but　that　he　had　always
observed　those　weeping　and　praying　fellows　were　hypocrites　at
bottom。　Mr　Bramble　made　no　reply　to　this　sarcastic　remark；
proceeding　from　the　lieutenant's　resentment　of　Clinker　having；　in
pure　simplicity　of　heart；　ranked　him　with　M'Alpine　and　the
sinners　of　the　earth　　The　landlord　being　called　to　receive　some
orders　about　the　beds；　told　the　'squire　that　his　house　was　very
much　at　his　service；　but　he　was　sure　he　should　not　have　the
honour　to　lodge　him　and　his　company。　He　gave　us　to　understand
that　his　master　who　lived　hard　by；　would　not　suffer　us　to　be　at　a
public　house；　when　there　was　accommodation　for　us　at　his　own；　and
that；　if　he　had　not　dined　abroad　in　the　neighbourhood　he　would
have　undoubtedly　come　to　offer　his　services　at　our　first　arrival。
He　then　launched　out　in　praise　of　that　gentleman；　whom　he　had
served　as　butler；　representing　him　as　a　perfect　miracle　of
goodness　and　generosity。　He　said　he　was　a　person　of　great
learning；　and　allowed　to　be　the　best　farmer　in　the　country：　　that
he　had　a　lady　who　was　as　much　beloved　as　himself；　and　an　only
son；　a　very　hopeful　young　gentleman；　just　recovered　from　a
dangerous　fever；　which　had　like　to　have　proved　fatal　to　the　whole
family；　for；　if　the　son　had　died；　he　was　sure　the　parents　would
not　have　survived　their　loss　　He　had　not　yet　finished　the
encomium　of　Mr　Dennison；　when　this　gentleman　arrived　in　a　post…chaise；
and　his　appearance　seemed　to　justify　all　that　had　been
said　in　his　favour。　He　is　pretty　well　advanced　in　years；　but
hale；　robust；　and　florid；　with　an　ingenuous　countenance；
expressive　of　good　sense　and　humanity。　Having　condoled　with　us　on
the　accident　which　had　happened；　he　said　he　was　come　to　conduct
us　to　his　habitation；　where　we　should　be　less　incommoded　than　at
such　a　paultry　inn；　and　expressed　his　hope　that　the　ladies　would
not　be　the　worse　for　going　thither　in　his　carriage；　as　the
distance　was　not　above　a　quarter　of　a　mile。　My　uncle　having　made
a　proper　return　to　this　courteous　exhibition；　eyed　him
attentively；　and　then　asked　if　he　had　not　been　at　Oxford；　a
commoner　of　Queen's　college？　When　Mr　Dennison　answered；　'Yes；'
with　some　marks　of　surprise　　'Look　at　me　then　（said　our　squire）
and　let　us　see　if　you　can　recollect　the　features　of　an　old
friend；　whom　you　have　not　seen　these　forty　years。'　　The
gentleman；　taking　him　by　the　hand；　and　gazing　at　him　earnestly；　
'I　protest　（cried　he）；　I　do　think　I　recall　the　idea　of　Matthew
Loyd　of　Glamorganshire；　who　was　student　of　Jesus。'　'Well
remembered；　my　dear　friend；　Charles　Dennison　（exclaimed　my　uncle；
pressing　him　to　his　breast）；　I　am　that　very　identical　Matthew
Loyd　of　Glamorgan。'　Clinker；　who　had　just　entered　the　room　with
some　coals　for　the　fire；　no　sooner　heard　these　words；　than
throwing　down　the　scuttle　on　the　toes　of　Lismahago；　he　began　to
caper　as　if　he　was　mad；　crying　　'Matthew　Loyd　of　Glamorgan！　　O
Providence！　　Matthew　Loyd　of　Glamorgan！'　　Then；　clasping　my
uncle's　knees；　he　went　on　in　this　manner　　'Your　worship　must
forgive　me　　Matthew　Loyd　of　Glamorgan！　　O　Lord；　Sir！　I　can't
contain　myself！　　I　shall　lose　my　senses'　　'Nay；　thou　hast　lost
them　already；　I　believe　（said　the　'squire；　peevishly）；　prithee；
Clinker；　be　quiet　　What　is　the　matter？'　　Humphry；　fumbling　in　his
bosom；　pulled　out　an　old　wooden　snuff…box；　which　he　presented　in
great　trepidation　to　his　master；　who；　opening　it　immediately；
perceived　a　small　cornelian　seal；　and　two　scraps　of　paper　　At
sight　of　these　articles　he　started；　and　changed　colour；　and
casting　his　eye　upon　the　inscriptions　　'Ha！　　how！　　what！　where
（cried　he）　is　the　person　here　named？'　Clinker；　knocking　his　own
breast；　could　hardly　pronounce　these　words　　'Here　　here　　here　is
Matthew　Loyd；　as　the　certificate　sheweth　　Humphry　Clinker　was　the
name　of　the　farrier　that　took　me　'prentice'　　'And　who　gave　you
these　tokens？'　said　my　uncle　hastily　　'My　poor　mother　on　her
death…bed'　　replied　the　other　　'And　who　was　your　mother？'
'Dorothy　Twyford；　an　please　your　honour；　heretofore　bar…keeper　at
the　Angel　at　Chippenham。'　　'And　why　were　not　these　tokens
produced　before？'　'My　mother　told　me　she　had　wrote　to
Glamorganshire；　at　the　time　of　my　birth；　but　had　no　answer；　and
that　afterwards；　when　she　made　enquiry；　there　was　no　such　person
in　that　county。'　'And　so　in　consequence　of　my　changing　my　name
and　going　abroad　at　that　very　time；　thy　poor　mother　and　thou　have
been　left　to　want　and　misery　　I　am　really　shocked　at　the
consequence　of　my　own　folly。'　　Then；　laying　his　hand　on　Clinker's
head；　he　added；　'Stand　forth；　Matthew　Loyd　　You　see；　gentlemen；
how　the　sins　of　my　youth　rise　up　in　judgment　against　me　　Here　is
my　direction　written　with　my　own　hand；　and　a　seal　which　I　left　at
the　woman's　request；　and　this　is　a　certificate　of　the　child's
baptism；　signed　by　the　curate　of　the　parish。'　The　company　were
not　a　little　surprised　at　this　discovery；　upon　which　Mr　Dennison
facetiously　congratulated　both　the　father　and　the　son：　for　my
part；　I　shook　my　new…found　cousin　heartily　by　the　hand；　and
Lismahago　complimented　him　with　the　tears　in　his　eyes；　for　he　had
been　hopping　about　the　room；　swearing　in　broad　Scotch；　and
bellowing　with　the　pain　occasioned　by　the　fall　of　the　coalscuttle
upon　his　foot。　He　had　even　vowed　to　drive　the　saul　out　of　the
body　of　that　mad　rascal：　but；　perceiving　the　unexpected　turn
which　things　had　taken；　he　wished　him　joy　of　his　good　fortune；
observing　that　it　went　very　near　his　heart；　as　he　was　like　to　be
a　great　toe　out　of　pocket　by　the　discovery　　Mr　Dennison　now
desired　to　know　for　what　reason　my　uncle　had　changed　the　name　by
which　he　knew　him　at　Oxford；　and　our　'squire　satisfied　him；　by
answering　to　this　effect　　'I　took　my　mother's　name；　which　was
Loyd；　as　heir　to　her　lands　in　Glamorganshire；　but　when　I　came　of
age；　I　sold　that　property；　in　order　to　clear　my　paternal　estate；
and　resumed　my　real　name；　so　that　I　am　now　Matthew　Bramble　of
Brambleton…hall　in　Monmouthshire；　at　your　service；　and　this　is　my
nephew；　Jeremy　Melford　of　Belfield；　in　the　county　of　Glamorgan。'
At　that　instant　the　ladies　entering　the　room；　he　presented　Mrs
Tabitha　as　his　sister；　and　Liddy　as　his　niece。　The　old　gentleman
saluted　them　very　cordially；　and　seemed　struck　with　the
appearance　of　my　sister；　whom　he　could　not　help　surveying　with　a
mixture　of
complacency　and　surprize　　'Sister　（said　my　uncle）；　there　is　a
poor　relation　that　recommends　himself　to　your　good　graces　　The
quondam　Humphry　Clinker　is　metamorphosed　into　Matthew　Loyd；　and
claims　the　honour　of　being　your　carnal　kinsman　　in　short；　the
rogue　proves　to　be　a　crab　of　my　own　planting　in　the　days　of　hot
blood　and　unrestrained　libertinism。'　Clinker　had　by　this　time
dropt　upon　one　knee；　by　the　side　of　Mrs　Tabitha；　who；　eyeing　him
askance；　and　flirting　her　fan　with　marks　of　agitation；　thought
proper；　after　some　conflict；　to　hold　out　her　hand　for　him　to
kiss；　saying；　with　a　demure　aspect；　'Brother；　you　have　been　very
wicked：　but　I　hope　you'll　live　to　see　the　folly　of　your　ways　　I
am　very　sorry　to　say　the　young　man；　whom　you　have　this　day
acknowledged；　has　more　grace　and　religion；　by　the　gift　of　God；
than　you　with　all　your　profane　learning；　and　repeated
opportunity　　I　do　think　he　has　got　the　trick　of　the　eye；　and　the
tip　of　the　nose　of　my　uncle　Loyd　of　Flluydwellyn；　and　as　for　the
long　chin；　it　is　the　very　moral　of　the　governor's　　Brother；　as
you　have　changed　his　name　pray　change　his　dress　also；　that　livery
doth　not　become　any　person　that　hath　got　our　blood　in　his
veins。'　　Liddy　seemed　much　pleased　with　this　acquisition　to　the
family。　　She　took　him　by　the　hand；　declaring　she　should　always　be
proud　to　own　her　connexion　with　a　virtuous　young　man；　who　had
given　so　many　proofs　of　his　gratitude　and　affection　to　her
uncle。　　Mrs。　Winifred　Jenkins；　extremely　fluttered　between　her
surprize　at　this　discove