the expedition of humphry clinker-第88部分

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dances　a　hornpipe　with　surprising　agility。　　He　and　I　walked；　and
rode；　and　hunted；　and　fished　together；　without　minding　the
vicissitudes　of　the　weather；　and　I　am　persuaded；　that　in　a　raw；
moist　climate；　like　this　of　England；　continual　exercise　is　as
necessary　as　food　to　the　preservation　of　the　individual。　　In　the
course　of　two　and　twenty　years；　there　has　not　been　one　hour's
interruption　or　abatement　in　the　friendship　subsisting　between
Wilson's　family　and　mine；　and；　what　is　a　rare　instance　of　good
fortune；　that　friendship　is　continued　to　our　children。　　His　son
and　mine　are　nearly　of　the　same　age　and　the　same　disposition；
they　have　been　bred　up　together　at　the　same　school　and　college；
and　love　each　other　with　the　warmest　affection。

'By　Wilson's　means；　I　likewise　formed　an　acquaintance　with　a
sensible　physician；　who　lives　in　the　next　market…town；　and　his
sister；　an　agreeable　old　maiden；　passed　the　Christmas　holidays　at
our　house。　Mean　while　I　began　my　farming　with　great　eagerness；
and　that　very　winter　planted　these　groves　that　please　you　so
much。　　As　for　the　neighbouring　gentry；　I　had　no　trouble　from　that
quarter　during　my　first　campaign；　they　were　all　gone　to　town
before　I　settled　in　the　country；　and　by　the　summer　I　had　taken
measures　to　defend　myself　from　their　attacks。　　When　a　gay
equipage　came　to　my　gates；　I　was　never　at　home；　those　who　visited
me　in　a　modest　way；　I　received；　and　according　to　the　remarks　I
made　on　their　characters　and　conversation；　either　rejected　their
advances；　or　returned　their　civility　　I　was　in　general　despised
among　the　fashionable　company；　as　a　low　fellow；　both　in　breeding
and　circumstances；　nevertheless；　I　found　a　few　individuals　of
moderate　fortune；　who　gladly　adopted　my　stile　of　living；　and　many
others　would　have　acceded　to　our　society；　had　they　not　been
prevented　by　the　pride；　envy；　and　ambition　of　their　wives　and
daughters。　　Those；　in　times　of　luxury　and　dissipation；　are　the
rocks　upon　which　all　the　small　estates　in　the　country　are
wrecked。

'I　reserved　in　my　own　hands；　some　acres　of　ground　adjacent　to　the
house；　for　making　experiments　in　agriculture；　according　to　the
directions　of　Lyle；　Tull；　Hart；　Duhamel；　and　others　who　have
written　on　this　subject；　and　qualified　their　theory　with　the
practical　observations　of　farmer　Bland；　who　was　my　great　master
in　the　art　of　husbandry。　　In　short；　I　became　enamoured　of　a
country　life；　and　my　success　greatly　exceeded　my　expectation　　I
drained　bogs；　burned　heath；　grubbed　up　furze　and　fern；　I　planted
copse　and　willows　where　nothing　else　would　grow；　I　gradually
inclosed　all　my　farms；　and　made　such　improvements　that　my　estate
now　yields　me　clear　twelve　hundred　pounds　a　year　　All　this　time
my　wife　and　I　have　enjoyed　uninterrupted　health；　and　a　regular
flow　of　spirits；　except　on　a　very　few　occasions；　when　our
cheerfulness　was　invaded　by　such　accidents　as　are　inseparable
from　the　condition　of　life。　I　lost　two　children　in　their　infancy；
by　the　small…pox；　so　that　I　have　one　son　only；　in　whom　all　our
hopes　are　centered。　　He　went　yesterday　to　visit　a　friend；　with
whom　he　has　stayed　all　night；　but　he　will　be　here　to　dinner。　　I
shall　this　day　have　the　pleasure　of　presenting　him　to　you　and
your　family；　and　I　flatter　myself　you　will　find　him　not
altogether　unworthy　of　our　affection。

'The　truth　is；　either　I　am　blinded　by　the　partiality　of　a　parent；
or　he　is　a　boy　of　very　amiable　character；　and　yet　his　conduct　has
given　us　unspeakable　disquiet。　　You　must　know；　we　had　projected　a
match　between　him　and　a　gentleman's　daughter　in　the　next　county；
who　will　in　all　probability　be　heiress　of　a　considerable　fortune；
but；　it　seems；　he　had　a　personal　disgust　to　the　alliance。
He　was　then　at　Cambridge；　and　tried　to　gain　time　on　various
pretences；　but　being　pressed　in　letters　by　his　mother　and　me　to
give　a　definitive　answer；　he　fairly　gave　his　tutor　the　slip；　and
disappeared　about　eight　months　ago。　　Before　he　took　this　rash
step；　he　wrote　me　a　letter；　explaining　his　objections　to　the
match；　and　declaring；　that　he　would　keep　himself　concealed　until
he　should　understand　that　his　parents　would　dispense　with　his
contracting　an　engagement　that　must　make　him　miserable　for　life；
and　he　prescribed　the　form　of　advertising　in　a　certain　newspaper；
by　which　he　might　be　apprized　of　our　sentiments　on　this　subject。

'You　may　easily　conceive　how　much　we　were　alarmed　and　afflicted
by　this　elopement；　which　he　had　made　without　dropping　the　least
hint　to　his　companion　Charles　Wilson；　who　belonged　to　the　same
college。　　We　resolved　to　punish　him　with　the　appearance　of
neglect；　in　hopes　that　he　would　return　of　his　own　accord；　but　he
maintained　his　purpose　till　the　young　lady　chose　a　partner　for
herself；　then　he　produced　himself；　and　made　his　peace　by　the
mediation　of　Wilson。　　Suppose　we　should　unite　our　families　by
joining　him　with　your　niece；　who　is　one　of　the　most　lovely
creatures　I　ever　beheld。　　My　wife　is　already　as　fond　of　her　as　if
she　were　her　own　child；　and　I　have　a　presentiment　that　my　son
will　be　captivated　by　her　at　first　sight。'　'Nothing　could　be　more
agreeable　to　all　our　family　（said　I）　than　such　an　alliance；　but；
my　dear　friend；　candour　obliges　me　to　tell　you；　that　I　am　afraid
Liddy's　heart　is　not　wholly　disengaged　　there　is　a　cursed
obstacle'　　'You　mean　the　young　stroller　at　Gloucester　（said　he）　
You　are　surprised　that　I　should　know　this　circumstance；　but　you
will　be　more　surprised　when　I　tell　you　that　stroller　is　no　other
than　my　son　George　Dennison　　That　was　the　character　he　assumed　in
his　eclipse。'　'I　am；　indeed；　astonished　and　overjoyed　（cried　I）；
and　shall　be　happy　beyond　expression　to　see　your　proposal　take
effect。'

He　then　gave　me　to　understand　that　the　young　gentleman；　at　his
emerging　from　concealment；　had　disclosed　his　passion　for　Miss
Melford；　the　niece　of　Mr　Bramble；　of　Monmouthshire。　Though　Mr
Dennison　little　dreamed　that　this　was　his　old　friend　Matthew
Loyd；　he　nevertheless　furnished　his　son　with　proper　credentials；
and　he　had　been　at　Bath；　London；　and　many　other　places　in　quest
of　us；　to　make　himself　and　his　pretensions　known。

The　bad　success　of　his　enquiry　had　such　an　effect　upon　his
spirits；　that　immediately　at　his　return　he　was　seized　with　a
dangerous　fever；　which　overwhelmed　his　parents　with　terror　and
affliction；　but　he　was　now　happily　recovered；　though　still　weak
and　disconsolate。　My　nephew　joining　us　in　our　walk；　I　informed
him　of　these　circumstances；　with　which　he　was　wonderfully
pleased。　He　declared　he　would　promote　the　match　to　the　utmost　of
his　power；　and　that　he　longed　to　embrace　young　Mr　Dennison　as　his
friend　and　brother。　　Mean　while；　the　father　went　to　desire　his
wife　to　communicate　this　discovery　gradually　to　Liddy；　that　her
delicate　nerves　might　not　suffer　too　sudden　a　shock；　and　I
imparted　the　particulars　to　my　sister　Tabby；　who　expressed　some
surprize；　not　altogether　unmixed；　I　believe；　with　an　emotion　of
envy；　for；　though　she　could　have　no　objection　to　an　alliance　at
once　so　honourable　and　advantageous；　she　hesitated　in　giving　her
consent　on　pretence　of　the　youth　and　inexperience　of　the　parties：
at　length；　however；　she　acquiesced；　in　consequence　of　having
consulted　with　captain　Lismahago。

Mr　Dennison　took　care　to　be　in　the　way　when　his　son　arrived　at
the　gate；　and；　without　giving　him　time　or　opportunity　to　make　any
enquiry　about　the　strangers；　brought　him　up　stairs　to　be
presented　to　Mr　Loyd　and　his　family　　The　first　person　he　saw　when
he　entered　the　room；　was　Liddy；　who；　notwithstanding　all　her
preparation；　stood　trembling　in　the　utmost　confusion　　At　sight　of
this　object　he　was　fixed　motionless　to　the　floor；　and；　gazing　at
her　with　the　utmost　eagerness　of　astonishment；　exclaimed；　'Sacred
heaven！　what　is　this！　　ha！　wherefore　'　Here　his　speech　failing；
he　stood　straining　his　eyes；　in　the　most　emphatic　silence　'George
（said　his　father）；　this　is　my　friend　Mr　Loyd。'　Roused　at　this
intimation；　he　turned　and　received　my　salute；　when　I　said；　'Young
gentleman；　if　you　had　trusted　me　with　your　secret　at　our　last
meeting；　we　should　have　parted　upon　better　terms。'　Before　he
could　make　any　answer；　Jery　came　round　and　stood　before　him　with
open　arms。　　At　first；　he　started　and　changed　colour；　but　after　a
short　pause；　he　rushed　into　his　embrace；　and　they　hugged　one
another　as　if　they　had　been　intimate　friends　from　their　infancy：
then　he　payed　his　respects　to　Mrs　Tabitha；　and　advancing　to
Liddy；　'Is　it　possible；　（cried　he）；　that　my　senses　do　not　play　me
false！　that　I　see　Miss　Melford　under　my　father's　roof　　that　I　am
permitted　to　speak　to　her　without　giving　offence　　and　that　her
relations　have　honoured　me　with　their　countenance　and
protection。'　Liddy　blushed；　and　trembled；　and　faltered　　'To　be
sure；　sir　（said　she）；　it　is　a　very　surprising　circumstance　　a
great　　a　providential　…　…I　really　know　not　what　I　say　　but　I　beg
you　will　think　I　have　said　what's　agreeable。'

Mrs　Dennison　interposing　said；　'Compose　yourselves；　my　dear
children。　　Your　mutual　happiness　shall　be　our　peculiar　care。'　The
son　going　up　to　his　mother；　kissed　one　hand；　my　niece　bathed　the
other　with　her　tears；　and　the　good　old　lady　pressed　them　both　in
their　turns　to　her