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the expedition of humphry clinker-第64部分

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this pathetic recognition  He sobbed; and wept; and clapped his
hands; and hollowed; and finally ran down into the street。 By
this time; the captain had retired with his parents; and all the
inhabitants of the place were assembled at the door。  Mr Bramble;
nevertheless; pressed thro' the crowd; and entering the house;
'Captain (said he); I beg the favour of your acquaintance。 I would
have travelled a hundred miles to see this affecting scene; and I
shall think myself happy if you and your parents will dine with
me at the public house。' The captain thanked him for his kind
invitation; which; he said; he would accept with pleasure; but in
the mean time; he could not think of eating or drinking; while
his poor brother was in trouble。 He forthwith deposited a sum
equal to the debt in the hands of the magistrate; who ventured to
set his brother at liberty without farther process; and then the
whole family repaired to the inn with my uncle; attended by the
crowd; the individuals of which shook their townsman by the hand;
while he returned their caresses without the least sign of pride
or affectation。

This honest favourite of fortune; whose name was Brown; told my
uncle; that he had been bred a weaver; and; about eighteen years
ago; had; from a spirit of idleness and dissipation; enlisted as
a soldier in the service of the East…India company; that; in the
course of duty; he had the good fortune to attract the notice and
approbation of Lord Clive; who preferred him from one step to
another; till he attained the rank of captain and pay…master to
the regiment; in which capacities he had honestly amassed above
twelve thousand pounds; and; at the peace; resigned his
commission。  He had sent several remittances to his father; who
received the first only; consisting of one hundred pounds; the
second had fallen into the hands of a bankrupt; and the third had
been consigned to a gentleman of Scotland; who died before it
arrived; so that it still remained to be accounted for by his
executors。 He now presented the old man with fifty pounds for his
present occasions; over and above bank notes for one hundred;
which he had deposited for his brother's release。  He brought
along with him a deed ready executed; by which he settled a
perpetuity of four…score pounds upon his parents; to be inherited
by their other two sons after their decease。  He promised to
purchase a commission for his youngest brother; to take the other
as his own partner in a manufacture which he intended to set up;
to give employment and bread to the industrious; and to give five
hundred pounds; by way of dower; to his sister; who had married a
farmer in low circumstances。 Finally; he gave fifty pounds to the
poor of the town where he was born; and feasted all the
inhabitants without exception。

My uncle was so charmed with the character of captain Brown; that
he drank his health three times successively at dinner  He said;
he was proud of his acquaintance; that he was an honour to his
country; and had in some measure redeemed human nature from the
reproach of pride; selfishness; and ingratitude。  For my part; I
was as much pleased with the modesty as with the filial virtue of
this honest soldier; who assumed no merit from his success; and
said very little of his own transactions; though the answers he
made to our inquiries were equally sensible and laconic; Mrs
Tabitha behaved very graciously to him until she understood that
he was going to make a tender of his hand to a person of low
estate; who had been his sweet…heart while he worked as a
journeyman weaver。  Our aunt was no sooner made acquainted with
this design; than she starched up her behaviour with a double
proportion of reserve; and when the company broke up; she
observed with a toss of her nose; that Brown was a civil fellow
enough; considering the lowness of his original; but that
Fortune; though she had mended his circumstances; was incapable
to raise his ideas; which were still humble and plebeian。

On the day that succeeded this adventure; we went some miles out
of our road to see Drumlanrig; a seat belonging to the duke of
Queensberry; which appears like a magnificent palace erected by
magic; in the midst of a wilderness。  It is indeed a princely
mansion; with suitable parks and plantations; rendered still more
striking by the nakedness of the surrounding country; which is
one of the wildest tracts in all Scotland。  This wildness;
however; is different from that of the Highlands; for here the
mountains; instead of heath; are covered with a fine green
swarth; affording pasture to innumerable flocks of sheep。 But the
fleeces of this country; called Nithsdale; are not comparable to
the wool of Galloway; which is said to equal that of Salisbury
plain。 Having passed the night at the castle of Drumlanrig; by
invitation from the duke himself; who is one of the best men that
ever breathed; we prosecuted our journey to Dumfries; a very
elegant trading town near the borders of England; where we found
plenty of good provision and excellent wine; at very reasonable
prices; and the accommodation as good in all respects as in any
part of South…Britain。 If I was confined to Scotland for life; I
would chuse Dumfries as the place of my residence。 Here we made
enquiries about captain Lismahago; of whom hearing no tidings; we
proceeded by the Solway Frith; to Carlisle。 You must know; that
the Solway sands; upon which travellers pass at low water; are
exceedingly dangerous; because; as the tide makes; they become
quick in different places; and the flood rushes in so
impetuously; that the passengers are often overtaken by the sea
and perish。

In crossing these treacherous Syrtes with a guide; we perceived a
drowned horse; which Humphry Clinker; after due inspection;
declared to be the very identical beast which Mr Lismahago rode
when he parted with us at Feltonbridge in Northumberland。 This
information; which seemed to intimate that our friend the
lieutenant had shared the fate of his horse; affected us all; and
above all our aunt Tabitha; who shed salt tears; and obliged
Clinker to pull a few hairs out of the dead horse's tail; to be
worn in a ring as a remembrance of his master: but her grief and
ours was not of long duration; for one of the first persons we
saw in Carlisle; was the lieutenant in propria persona;
bargaining with a horse…dealer for another steed; in the yard of
the inn where we alighted。  Mrs Bramble was the first that
perceived him; and screamed as if she had seen a ghost; and;
truly; at a proper time and place; he might very well have passed
for an inhabitant of another world; for he was more meagre and
grim than before。  We received him the more cordially for having
supposed he had been drowned; and he was not deficient in
expressions of satisfaction at this meeting。 He told us; he had
enquired for us at Dumfries; and been informed by a travelling
merchant from Glasgow; that we had resolved to return by the way
of Coldstream。 He said; that in passing the sands without a
guide; his horse had knocked up; and he himself must have
perished; if he had not been providentially relieved by a return
post…chaise。  He moreover gave us to understand; that his scheme
of settling in his own country having miscarried; he was so far
on his way to London; with a view to embark for North…America;
where he intended to pass the rest of his days among his old
friends the Miamis; and amuse himself in finishing the education
of the son he had by his beloved Squinkinacoosta。

This project was by no means agreeable to our good aunt; who
expatiated upon the fatigues and dangers that would attend such a
long voyage by sea; and afterwards such a tedious journey by
land  She enlarged particularly on the risque he would run; with
respect to the concerns of his precious soul; among savages who
had not yet received the glad tidings of salvation; and she
hinted that his abandoning Great…Britain might; perhaps; prove
fatal to the inclinations of some deserving person; whom he was
qualified to make happy for life。 My uncle; who is really a Don
Quixote in generosity; understanding that Lismahago's real reason
for leaving Scotland was the impossibility of subsisting in it
with any decency upon the wretched provision of a subaltern's
half…pay; began to be warmly interested on the side of
compassion。  He thought it very hard; that a gentleman who had
served his country with honour; should be driven by necessity to
spend his old age; among the refuse of mankind; in such a remote
part of the world。  He discoursed with me upon the subject;
observing; that he would willingly offer the lieutenant an asylum
at Brambleton…hall; if he did not foresee that his singularities
and humour of contradiction would render him an intolerable
housemate; though his conversation at some times might be both
instructive and entertaining: but; as there seemed to be
something particular in his attention to Mrs Tabitha; he and I
agreed in opinion; that this intercourse should be encouraged and
improved; if possible; into a matrimonial union; in which case
there would be a comfortable provision for both; and they might
be settled in a house of their own; so that Mr Bramble should
have no more of their company than he desired。

In pursuance of this design; Lismahago has been invited to pass
the winter at Brambleton…hall; as it will be time enough to
execute his American project in the spring。  He has taken time to
consider of this proposal; mean while; he will keep us company as
far as we travel in the road to Bristol; where he has hopes of
getting a passage for America。 I make no doubt but that he will
postpone his voyage; and prosecute his addresses to a happy
consummation; and sure; if it produces any fruit; it must be of a
very peculiar flavour。 As the weather continues favourable; I
believe; we shall take the Peak of Derbyshire and Buxton Wells in
our way。  At any rate; from the first place where we make any
stay; you shall hear again from

Yours always;
J。 MELFORD
CARLISLE; Sep。 12。



To Dr LEWIS。

DEAR DOCTOR;

The peasantry of Scotland are certainly on a poor footing all
over the kingdom; and yet they look be

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