the expedition of humphry clinker-第36部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


failed　him；　that　his　address　was　genteel；　and　his　behaviour　void
of　all　cruelty　and　insolence；　that　he　never　encumbered　himself
with　watches　or　trinkets；　nor　even　with　bank…notes；　but　always
dealt　for　ready　money；　and　that　in　the　current　coin　of　the
kingdom；　and　that　he　could　disguise　himself　and　his　horse　in　such
a　manner；　that；　after　the　action；　it　was　impossible　to　recognize
either　the　one　or　the　other　　'This　great　man　（said　he）　has
reigned　paramount　in　all　the　roads　within　fifty　miles　of　London
above　fifteen　months；　and　has　done　more　business　in　that　time；
than　all　the　rest　of　the　profession　put　together；　for　those　who
pass　through　his　hands　are　so　delicately　dealt　with；　that　they
have　no　desire　to　give　him　the　least　disturbance；　but　for　all
that；　his　race　is　almost　run　　he　is　now　fluttering　about　justice；
like　a　moth　about　a　candle　　there　are　so　many　lime…twigs　laid　in
his　way；　that　I'll　bet　a　cool　hundred；　he　swings　before
Christmas。'

Shall　I　own　to　you；　that　this　portrait；　drawn　by　a　ruffian；
heightened　by　what　I　myself　had　observed　in　his　deportment；　has
interested　me　warmly　in　the　fate　of　poor　Martin；　whom　nature
seems　to　have　intended　for　a　useful　and　honourable　member　of　that
community　upon　which　he　now　preys　for　subsistence？　It　seems；　he
lived　some　time　as　a　clerk　to　a　timber…merchant；　whose　daughter
Martin　having　privately　married；　was　discarded；　and　his　wife
turned　out　of　doors。　She　did　not　long　survive　her　marriage；　and
Martin；　turning　fortune…hunter；　could　not　supply　his　occasions
any　other　way；　than　by　taking　to　the　road；　in　which　he　has
travelled　hitherto　with　uncommon　success。　　He　pays　his　respects
regularly　to　Mr　Justice　Buzzard；　the　thief…catcher…general　of
this　metropolis；　and　sometimes　they　smoke　a　pipe　together　very
lovingly；　when　the　conversation　generally　turns　upon　the　nature
of　evidence。　　The　justice　has　given　him　fair　warning　to　take　care
of　himself；　and　he　has　received　his　caution　in　good　part。　
Hitherto　he　has　baffled　all　the　vigilance；　art；　and　activity　of
Buzzard　and　his　emissaries；　with　such　conduct　as　would　have　done
honour　to　the　genius　of　a　Caesar　or　a　Turenne；　but　he　has　one
weakness；　which　has　proved　fatal　to　all　the　heroes　of　his　tribe；
namely；　an　indiscreet　devotion　to　the　fair　sex；　and　in　all
probability；　he　will　be　attacked　on　this　defenceless　quarter。

Be　that　as　it　may；　I　saw　the　body　of　poor　Clinker　consigned　to
the　gaoler　of　Clerkenwell；　to　whose　indulgence　I　recommended　him
so　effectually；　that　he　received　him　in　the　most　hospitable
manner；　though　there　was　a　necessity　for　equipping　him　with　a
suit　of　irons；　in　which　he　made　a　very　rueful　appearance。　The
poor　creature　seemed　as　much　affected　by　my　uncle's　kindness；　as
by　his　own　misfortune。　When　I　assured　him；　that　nothing　should　be
left　undone　for　procuring　his　enlargement；　and　making　his
confinement　easy　in　the　mean　time；　he　fell　down　on　his　knees；　and
kissing　my　hand；　which　he　bathed　with　his　tears；　'0　'squire！
（cried　he；　sobbing）　what　shall　I　say？　　I　can't　　no；　I　can't
speak　　my　poor　heart　is　bursting　with　gratitude　to　you　and　my
dear　　dear　generous　　noble　benefactor。'

I　protest；　the　scene　became　so　pathetic；　that　I　was　fain　to　force
myself　away；　and　returned　to　my　uncle；　who　sent　me　in　the
afternoon　with　a　compliment　to　one　Mr　Mead；　the　person　who　had
been　robbed　on　Black…heath。　As　I　did　not　find　him　at　home；　I　left
a　message；　in　consequence　of　which　he　called　at　our　lodgings　this
morning；　and　very　humanely　agreed　to　visit　the　prisoner。　By　this
time；　lady　Griskin　had　come　to　make　her　formal　compliments　of
condolance　to　Mrs　Tabitha；　on　this　domestic　calamity；　and　that
prudent　maiden；　whose　passion　was　now　cooled；　thought　proper　to
receive　her　ladyship　so　civilly；　that　a　reconciliation
immediately　ensued。　These　two　ladies　resolved　to　comfort　the　poor
prisoner　in　their　own　persons；　and　Mr　Mead　and　I　'squired　them　to
Clerkenwell；　my　uncle　being　detained　at　home　by　some　slight
complaints　in　his　stomach　and　bowels。

The　turnkey；　who　received　us　at　Clerkenwell；　looked　remarkably
sullen；　and　when　we　enquired　for　Clinker；　'I　don't　care；　if　the
devil　had　him　（said　he）；　here　has　been　nothing　but　canting　and
praying　since　the　fellow　entered　the　place。　　Rabbit　him！　the　tap
will　be　ruined　　we　han't　sold　a　cask　of　beer；　nor　a　dozen　of
wine；　since　he　paid　his　garnish　　the　gentlemen　get　drunk　with
nothing　but　your　damned　religion。　　For　my　part；　I　believe　as　how
your　man　deals　with　the　devil。　　Two　or　three　as　bold　hearts　as
ever　took　the　air　upon　Hounslow　have　been　blubbering　all　night；
and　if　the　fellow　an't　speedily　removed　by　Habeas　Corpus；　or
otherwise；　I'll　be　damn'd　if　there's　a　grain　of　true　spirit　left
within　these　walls　we　shan't　have　a　soul　to　do　credit　to　the
place；　or　make　his　exit　like　a　true　born　Englishman　　damn　my
eyes！　there　will　be　nothing　but　snivelling　in　the　cart　　we　shall
all　die　like　so　many　psalm…singing　weavers。'

In　short；　we　found　that　Humphry　was；　at　that　very　instant；
haranguing　the　felons　in　the　chapel；　and　that　the　gaoler's　wife
and　daughter；　together　with　my　aunt's　woman；　Win　Jenkins；　and
our　house…maid；　were　among　the　audience；　which　we　immediately
joined。　I　never　saw　any　thing　so　strongly　picturesque　as　this
congregation　of　felons　clanking　their　chains；　in　the　midst　of
whom　stood　orator　Clinker；　expatiating　in　a　transport　of　fervor；
on　the　torments　of　hell；　denounced　in　scripture　against　evil…doers；
comprehending　murderers；　robbers；　thieves；　and　whore
mongers。　The　variety　of　attention　exhibited　in　the　faces　of　those
ragamuffins；　formed　a　groupe　that　would　not　have　disgraced　the
pencil　of　a　Raphael。　In　one；　it　denoted　admiration；　in　another；
doubt；　in　a　third；　disdain；　in　a　fourth；　contempt；　in　a　fifth；
terror；　in　a　sixth；　derision；　and　in　a　seventh；　indignation。　　As
for　Mrs　Winifred　Jenkins；　she　was　in　tears；　overwhelmed　with
sorrow；　but　whether　for　her　own　sins；　or　the　misfortune　of
Clinker；　I　cannot　pretend　to　say。　The　other　females　seemed　to
listen　with　a　mixture　of　wonder　and　devotion。　The　gaoler's　wife
declared　he　was　a　saint　in　trouble；　saying；　she　wished　from　her
heart　there　was　such　another　good　soul；　like　him；　in　every　gaol
in　England。

Mr　Mead；　having　earnestly　surveyed　the　preacher；　declared　his
appearance　was　so　different　from　that　of　the　person　who　robbed
him　on　Black…heath；　that　he　could　freely　make　oath　he　was　not　the
man：　but　Humphry　himself　was　by　this　time　pretty　well　rid　of　all
apprehensions　of　being　hanged；　for　he　had　been　the　night　before
solemnly　tried　and　acquitted　by　his　fellow　prisoners；　some　of
whom　he　had　already　converted　to　methodism。　He　now　made　proper
acknowledgments　for　the　honour　of　our　visit；　and　was　permitted　to
kiss　the　hands　of　the　ladies；　who　assured　him；　he　might　depend
upon　their　friendship　and　protection。　Lady　Griskin；　in　her　great
zeal；　exhorted　his　fellow…prisoners　to　profit　by　the　precious
opportunity　of　having　such　a　saint　in　bonds　among　them；　and　turn
over　a　new　leaf　for　the　benefit　of　their　poor　souls；　and；　that
her　admonition　might　have　the　greater　effect；　she　reinforced　it
with　her　bounty。

While　she　and　Mrs　Tabby　returned　in　the　coach　with　the　two
maidservants；　I　waited　on　Mr　Mead　to　the　house　of　justice
Buzzard；　who；　having　heard　his　declaration；　said　his　oath　could
be　of　no　use　at　present；　but　that　he　would　be　a　material　evidence
for　the　prisoner　at　his　trial；　so　that　there　seems　to　be　no
remedy　but　patience　for　poor　Clinker；　and；　indeed；　the　same
virtue；　or　medicine；　will　be　necessary　for　us　all；　the　squire　in
particular；　who　had　set　his　heart　upon　his　excursion　to　the
northward。

While　we　were　visiting　honest　Humphry　in　Clerkenwell　prison；　my
uncle　received　a　much　more　extraordinary　visit　at　his　own
lodgings。　Mr　Martin；　of　whom　I　have　made　such　honourable　mention；
desired　permission　to　pay　him　his　respects；　and　was　admitted
accordingly。　He　told　him；　that　having　observed　him；　at　Mr
Buzzard's；　a　good　deal　disturbed　by　what　had　happened　to　his
servant；　he　had　come　to　assure　him　he　had　nothing　to　apprehend
for　Clinker's　life；　for；　if　it　was　possible　that　any　jury　could
find　him　guilty　upon　such　evidence；　he；　Martin　himself；　would
produce　in　court　a　person；　whose　deposition　would　bring　him　off
clear　as　the　sun　at　noon。　　Sure；　the　fellow　would　not　be　so
romantic　as　to　take　the　robbery　upon　himself！　　He　said；　the
postilion　was　an　infamous　fellow；　who　had　been　a　dabbler　in　the
same　profession；　and　saved　his　life　at　the　Old　Bailey　by
impeaching　his　companions；　that　being　now　reduced　to　great
poverty；　he　had　made　this　desperate　push；　to　swear　away　the　life
of　an　innocent　man；　in　hopes　of　having　the　reward　upon　his
conviction；　but　that　he　would　find　himself　miserably
disappointed；　for　the　justice　and　his　myrmidons　were　determined
to　admit　of　no　interloper　in　this　branch　of　business；　and　that　he
did　not　at　all　doubt　but　that　they　would　find　matter　enough　to
shop　the　evidence　himself　before　the　next　gaol…delivery。　He
affirmed；　that　all　these　circumstances　were　well　known　to　the
justice；　and　that　his　severity　to　Clinker　was　no　other　than　a
hint　to　his　master　to　make　him　a　present　in　private；　as　an
acknowledgment　of　his　candour　and　humanity。

This　hint；　however；　was　so　unpalatable　to　Mr　Bramble；　that　he
declared；　with　great　warmth；　he　would　rather　confine　himself　for
life　to　London；　which　he　detested；　than　be　at　liberty　to　leave　it
tomorrow；　in　consequence　of　encouraging　corruption　in　a
magistrate。　Hearing；　however；　how　favourable　Mr　Mead's　report　had
been　for　the　prisoner；　he　is　resolved　to　take　the　advice　of
counsel　in　what　manner　to　proceed　for　his　immediate　enlargement。
I　make　no　doubt；　but　that　in　a　day　or　two　this　troublesome
business　may　be　discussed；　and　in　this　hope　we　are　preparing　for
our　journey。　If　our　endeavours　do　not　miscarry；　we　shall　have
taken　the　field　before　you　hear　again　from

Yours；
J。　MELFORD
LONDON；　June　11



To　Dr　LEWIS。

Thank　Heaven！　dear　Lewis；　the　clouds　are　dispersed；　and　I　have
now　the　clearest　prospect　of　my　summer　campaign；　which；　I　hope；　I
shall　be　able　to　begin　to…morrow。　I　took　the　advice　of　counsel
with　respect　to　the　case　of　Clinker；　in　whose　favour　a　lucky
incide