the vicar of wakefield-第8部分

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e　guest：

And　spread　his　vegetable　store；　And　gayly　prest；　and　smil'd；　And　skill'd　in　legendary　lore；　The　lingering　hours　beguil'd。

Around　in　sympathetic　mirth　Its　tricks　the　kitten　tries；　The　cricket　chirrups　in　the　hearth；　The　crackling　faggot　flies。

But　nothing　could　a　charm　impart　To　sooth　the　stranger's　woe；　For　grief　was　heavy　at　his　heart；　And　tears　began　to　flow。

His　rising　cares　the　hermit　spy'd；　With　answering　care　opprest：　'And　whence；　unhappy　youth；'　he　cry'd；　'The　sorrows　of　thy　breast？

'From　better　habitations　spurn'd；　Reluctant　dost　thou　rove；　Or　grieve　for　friendship　unreturn'd；　Or　unregarded　love？

'Alas！　the　joys　that　fortune　brings；　Are　trifling　and　decay；　And　those　who　prize　the　paltry　things；　More　trifling　still　than　they。

'And　what　is　friendship　but　a　name；　A　charm　that　lulls　to　sleep；　A　shade　that　follows　wealth　or　fame；　But　leaves　the　wretch　to　weep？

'And　love　is　still　an　emptier　sound；　The　modern　fair　one's　jest：　On　earth　unseen；　or　only　found　To　warm　the　turtle's　nest。

'For　shame　fond　youth　thy　sorrows　hush　And　spurn　the　sex；'　he　said：　But　while　he　spoke　a　rising　blush　His　love…lorn　guest　betray'd。

Surpriz'd　he　sees　new　beauties　rise；　Swift　mantling　to　the　view；　Like　colours　o'er　the　morning　skies；　As　bright；　as　transient　too。

The　bashful　look；　the　rising　breast；　Alternate　spread　alarms：　The　lovely　stranger　stands　confest　A　maid　in　all　her　charms。

'And；　ah；'forgive　a　stranger　rude；　A　wretch　forlorn；'　she　cry'd；　'Whose　feet　unhallowed　thus　intrude　Where　heaven　and　you　reside。

'But　let　a　maid　thy　pity　share；　Whom　love　has　taught　to　stray；　Who　seeks　for　rest；　but　finds　despair　Companion　of　her　way。

'My　father　liv'd　beside　the　Tyne；　A　wealthy　Lord　was　he；　And　all　his　wealth　was　mark'd　as　mine；　He　had　but　only　me。

'To　win　me　from　his　tender　arms；　Unnumber'd　suitors　came；　Who　prais'd　me　for　imputed　charms；　And　felt　or　feign'd　a　flame。

'Each　hour　a　mercenary　crowd；　With　richest　proffers　strove：　Among　the　rest　young　Edwin　bow'd；　But　never　talk'd　of　love。

'In　humble　simplest　habit　clad；　No　wealth　nor　power　had　he；　Wisdom　and　worth　were　all　he　had；　But　these　were　all　to　me。

'The　blossom　opening　to　the　day；　The　dews　of　heaven　refin'd；　Could　nought　of　purity　display；　To　emulate　his　mind。

'The　dew；　the　blossom　on　the　tree；　With　charms　inconstant　shine；　Their　charms　were　his；　but　woe　to　me；　Their　constancy　was　mine。

'For　still　I　try'd　each　fickle　art；　Importunate　and　vain；　And　while　his　passion　touch'd　my　heart；　I　triumph'd　in　his　pain。

'Till　quite　dejected　with　my　scorn；　He　left　me　to　my　pride；　And　sought　a　solitude　forlorn；　In　secret　where　he　died。

'But　mine　the　sorrow；　mine　the　fault；　And　well　my　life　shall　pay；　I'll　seek　the　solitude　he　sought；　And　stretch　me　where　he　lay。

'And　there　forlorn　despairing　hid；　I'll　lay　me　down　and　die：　'Twas　so　for　me　that　Edwin　did；　And　so　for　him　will　I。'

'Forbid　it　heaven！'　the　hermit　cry'd；　And　clasp'd　her　to　his　breast：　The　wondering　fair　one　turn'd　to　chide；　'Twas　Edwin's　self　that　prest。

'Turn；　Angelina；　ever　dear；　My　charmer；　turn　to　see；　Thy　own；　thy　long…lost　Edwin　here；　Restor'd　to　love　and　thee。

'Thus　let　me　hold　thee　to　my　heart；　And　ev'ry　care　resign：　And　shall　we　never；　never　part；　My　life；my　all　that's　mine。

'No；　never；　from　this　hour　to　part；　We'll　live　and　love　so　true；　The　sigh　that　tends　thy　constant　heart；　Shall　break　thy　Edwin's　too。'

While　this　ballad　was　reading；　Sophia　seemed　to　mix　an　air　of　tenderness　with　her　approbation。　But　our　tranquillity　was　soon　disturbed　by　the　report　of　a　gun　just　by　us；　and　immediately　after　a　man　was　seen　bursting　through　the　hedge；　to　take　up　the　game　he　had　killed。　This　sportsman　was　the　'Squire's　chaplain；　who　had　shot　one　of　the　blackbirds　that　so　agreeably　entertained　us。　So　loud　a　report；　and　so　near；　startled　my　daughters；　and　I　could　perceive　that　Sophia　in　the　fright　had　thrown　herself　into　Mr　Burchell's　arms　for　protection。　The　gentleman　came　up；　and　asked　pardon　for　having　disturbed　us；　affirming　that　he　was　ignorant　of　our　being　so　near。　He　therefore　sate　down　by　my　youngest　daughter；　and；　sportsman　like；　offered　her　what　he　had　killed　that　morning。　She　was　going　to　refuse；　but　a　private　look　from　her　mother　soon　induced　her　to　correct　the　mistake；　and　accept　his　present；　though　with　some　reluctance。　My　wife；　as　usual；　discovered　her　pride　in　a　whisper；　observing；　that　Sophy　had　made　a　conquest　of　the　chaplain；　as　well　as　her　sister　had　of　the　'Squire。　I　suspected；　however；　with　more　probability；　that　her　affections　were　placed　upon　a　different　object。　The　chaplain's　errand　was　to　inform　us；　that　Mr　Thornhill　had　provided　music　and　refreshments；　and　intended　that　night　giving　the　young　ladies　a　ball　by　moon…light；　on　the　grass…plot　before　our　door。　'Nor　can　I　deny；'　continued　he；　'but　I　have　an　interest　in　being　first　to　deliver　this　message；　as　I　expect　for　my　reward　to　be　honoured　with　miss　Sophy's　hand　as　a　partner。'　To　this　my　girl　replied；　that　she　should　have　no　objection；　if　she　could　do　it　with　honour：　'But　here；'　continued　she；　'is　a　gentleman；'　looking　at　Mr　Burchell；　'who　has　been　my　companion　in　the　task　for　the　day；　and　it　is　fit　he　should　share　in　its　amusements。'　Mr　Burchell　returned　her　a　compliment　for　her　intentions；　but　resigned　her　up　to　the　chaplain；　adding　that　he　was　to　go　that　night　five　miles；　being　invited　to　an　harvest　supper。　His　refusal　appeared　to　me　a　little　extraordinary；　nor　could　I　conceive　how　so　sensible　a　girl　as　my　youngest；　could　thus　prefer　a　man　of　broken　fortunes　to　one　whose　expectations　were　much　greater。　But　as　men　are　most　capable　of　distinguishing　merit　in　women；　so　the　ladies　often　form　the　truest　judgments　of　us。　The　two　sexes　seem　placed　as　spies　upon　each　other；　and　are　furnished　with　different　abilities；　adapted　for　mutual　inspection。



CHAPTER　9

Two　ladies　of　great　distinction　introduced。　Superior　finery　ever　seems　to　confer　superior　breeding


Mr　Burchell　had　scarce　taken　leave；　and　Sophia　consented　to　dance　with　the　chaplain；　when　my　little　ones　came　running　out　to　tell　us　that　the　'Squire　was　come；　with　a　crowd　of　company。　Upon　our　return；　we　found　our　landlord；　with　a　couple　of　under　gentlemen　and　two　young　ladies　richly　drest；　whom　he　introduced　as　women　of　very　great　distinction　and　fashion　from　town。　We　happened　not　to　have　chairs　enough　for　the　whole　company；　but　Mr　Thornhill　immediately　proposed　that　every　gentleman　should　sit　in　a　lady's　lap。　This　I　positively　objected　to；　notwithstanding　a　look　of　disapprobation　from　my　wife。　Moses　was　therefore　dispatched　to　borrow　a　couple　of　chairs；　and　as　we　were　in　want　of　ladies　to　make　up　a　set　at　country　dances；　the　two　gentlemen　went　with　him　in　quest　of　a　couple　of　partners。　Chairs　and　partners　were　soon　provided。　The　gentlemen　returned　with　my　neighbour　Flamborough's　rosy　daughters；　flaunting　with　red　top…knots；　but　an　unlucky　circumstance　was　not　adverted　to；　though　the　Miss　Flamboroughs　were　reckoned　the　very　best　dancers　in　the　parish；　and　understood　the　jig　and　the　round…about　to　perfection；　yet　they　were　totally　unacquainted　with　country　dances。'　This　at　first　discomposed　us：　however；　after　a　little　shoving　and　dragging；　they　at　last　went　merrily　on。　Our　music　consisted　of　two　fiddles；　with　a　pipe　and　tabor。　The　moon　shone　bright；　Mr　Thornhill　and　my　eldest　daughter　led　up　the　ball；　to　the　great　delight　of　the　spectators；　for　the　neighbours　hearing　what　was　going　forward；　came　flocking　about　us。　My　girl　moved　with　so　much　grace　and　vivacity；　that　my　wife　could　not　avoid　discovering　the　pride　of　her　heart；　by　assuring　me；　that　though　the　little　chit　did　it　so　cleverly；　all　the　steps　were　stolen　from　herself。　The　ladies　of　the　town　strove　hard　to　be　equally　easy；　but　without　success。　They　swam；　sprawled；　languished；　and　frisked；　but　all　would　not　do：　the　gazers　indeed　owned　that　it　was　fine；　but　neighbour　Flamborough　observed；　that　Miss　Livy's　feet　seemed　as　pat　to　the　music　as　its　echo。　After　the　dance　had　continued　about　an　hour；　the　two　ladies；　who　were　apprehensive　of　catching　cold；　moved　to　break　up　the　ball。　One　of　them；　I　thought；　expressed　her　sentiments　upon　this　occasion　in　a　very　coarse　manner；　when　she　observed；　that　by　the　living　jingo；　she　was　all　of　a　muck　of　sweat。　Upon　our　return　to　the　house；　we　found　a　very　elegant　cold　supper；　which　Mr　Thornhill　had　ordered　to　be　brought　with　him。　The　conversation　at　this　time　was　more　reserved　than　before。　The　two　ladies　threw　my　girls　quite　into　the　shade；　for　they　would　talk　of　nothing　but　high　life；　and　high　lived　company；　with　other　fashionable　topics；　such　as　pictures；　taste；　Shakespear；　and　the　musical　glasses。　'Tis　true　they　once　or　twice　mortified　us　sensibly　by　slipping　out　an　oath；　but　that　appeared　to　me　as　the　surest　symptom　of　their　distinction；　（tho'　I　am　since　informed　that　swearing　is　perfectly　unfashionable。）　Their　finery；　however；　threw　a　veil　over　any　grossness　in　their　conversation。　My　daughters　seemed　to　regard　their　superior　accomplishments　with　envy；　and　what　appeared　amiss　was　ascribed　to　tip…top　quality　breeding。　But　the　condescension　of　the　ladies　was　still　superior　to　their　other　accomplishments。　One　of　them　observed；　that　had　miss　Olivia　seen　a