the expedition of humphry clinker-第70部分

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At　their　return　to　London　in　the　beginning　of　winter；　he；　with　a
heavy　heart；　communicated　these　particulars　to　me　in　confidence。
Before　his　marriage；　he　had　introduced　me　to　the　lady　as　his
particular　friend；　and　I　now　offered　in　that　character；　to　lay
before　her　the　necessity　of　reforming　her　oeconomy；　if　she　had
any　regard　to　the　interest　of　her　own　family；　or　complaisance　for
the　inclinations　of　her　husband　　But　Baynard　declined　my　offer；
on　the　supposition　that　his　wife's　nerves　were　too　delicate　to
bear　expostulation；　and　that　it　would　only　serve　to　overwhelm　her
with　such　distress　as　would　make　himself　miserable。

Baynard　is　a　man　of　spirit；　and　had　she　proved　a　termagant；　he
would　have　known　how　to　deal　with　her；　but；　either　by　accident　or
instinct；　she　fastened　upon　the　weak　side　of　his　soul；　and　held
it　so　fast；　that　he　has　been　in　subjection　ever　since　　I
afterwards　advised　him　to　carry　her　abroad　to　France　or　Italy；
where　he　might　gratify　her　vanity　for　half　the　expence　it　cost
him　in　England：　and　this　advice　he　followed　accordingly。　She　was
agreeably　flattered　with　the　idea　of　seeing　and　knowing　foreign
parts；　and　foreign　fashions；　of　being　presented　to　sovereigns；
and　living　familiarly　with　princes。　She　forthwith　seized　the
hint　which　I　had　thrown
out　on　purpose；　and　even　pressed　Mr　Baynard　to　hasten　his
departure；　so　that　in　a　few　weeks　they　crossed　the　sea　to　France；
with　a　moderate　train；　still　including　the　aunt；　who　was　her
bosom　counsellor；　and　abetted　her　in　all　her　oppositions　to　her
husband's　will　Since　that　period；　I　have　had　little　or　no
opportunity　to　renew　our　former　correspondence　　All　that　I　knew
of　his　transactions；　amounted　to　no　more　than　that　after　an
absence　of　two　years；　they　returned　so　little　improved　in
oeconomy；　that　they　launched　out　into　new　oceans　of　extravagance；
which　at　length　obliged　him　to　mortgage　his　estate　　By　this　time
she　had　bore　him　three　children；　of　which　the　last　only　survives；
a　puny　boy　of　twelve　or　thirteen；　who　will　be　ruined　in　his
education　by　the　indulgence　of　his　mother。

As　for　Baynard；　neither　his　own　good　sense；　nor　the　dread　of
indigence；　nor　the　consideration　of　his　children；　has　been　of
force　sufficient　to　stimulate　him　into　the　resolution　of　breaking
at　once　the　shameful　spell　by　which　he　seems　enchanted　　With　a
taste　capable　of　the　most　refined　enjoyment；　a　heart　glowing　with
all　the　warmth　of　friendship　and　humanity；　and　a　disposition
strongly　turned　to　the　more　rational　pleasures　of　a　retired　and
country　life；　he　is　hurried　about　in　a　perpetual　tumult；　amidst　a
mob　of　beings　pleased　with　rattles；　baubles；　and　gewgaws；　so　void
of　sense　and　distinction；　that　even　the　most　acute　philosopher
would　find　it　a　very　hard　task　to　discover　for　what　wise　purpose
of　providence　they　were　created　　Friendship　is　not　to　be　found；
nor　can　the　amusements　for　which　he　sighs　be　enjoyed　within　the
rotation　of　absurdity；　to　which　he　is　doomed　for　life。　He　has
long　resigned　all　views　of　improving　his　fortune　by　management
and　attention　to　the　exercise　of　husbandry；　in　which　he
delighted；　and　as　to　domestic　happiness；　not　the　least　glimpse　of
hope　remains　to　amuse　his　imagination。　Thus　blasted　in　all　his
prospects；　he　could　not　fail　to　be　overwhelmed　with　melancholy
and　chagrin；　which　have　preyed　upon　his　health　and　spirits　in
such　a　manner；　that　he　is　now　threatened　with　a　consumption。

I　have　given　you　a　sketch　of　the　man；　whom　the　other　day　I　went
to　visit　　At　the　gate　we　found　a　great　number　of　powdered
lacquies；　but　no　civility　　After　we　had　sat　a　considerable　time
in　the　coach；　we　were　told；　that　Mr　Baynard　had　rode　out；　and
that　his　lady　was　dressing；　but　we　were　introduced　to　a　parlour；
so　very　fine　and　delicate；　that　in　all　appearance　it　was　designed
to　be　seen　only；　not　inhabited。　The　chairs　and　couches　were
carved；　gilt；　and　covered　with　rich　damask；　so　smooth　and　slick；
that　they　looked　as　if　they　had　never　been　sat　upon。　There　was　no
carpet　upon　the　floor；　but　the　boards　were　rubbed　and　waxed　in
such　a　manner；　that　we　could　not　walk；　but　were　obliged　to　slide
along　them；　and　as　for　the　stove；　it　was　too　bright　and　polished
to　be　polluted　with　sea…coal；　or　stained　by　the　smoke　of　any
gross　material　fire　　When　we　had　remained　above　half　an　hour
sacrificing　to　the　inhospitable　powers　in　the　temple　of　cold
reception；　my　friend　Baynard　arrived；　and　understanding　we　were
in　the　house；　made　his　appearance；　so　meagre；　yellow；　and
dejected；　that　I　really　should　not　have　known　him；　had　I　met　with
him　in　any　other　place。　Running　up　to　me；　with　great　eagerness；　he
strained　me　in　his　embrace；　and　his　heart　was　so　full；　that　for
some　minutes　he　could　not　speak。　Having　saluted　us　all　round；　he
perceived　our　uncomfortable　situation；　and　conducting　us　into
another　apartment；　which　had　fire　in　the　chimney；　called　for
chocolate　　Then；　withdrawing；　he　returned　with　a　compliment　from
his　wife；　and；　in　the　mean　time；　presented　his　son　Harry；　a
shambling；　blear…eyed　boy；　in　the　habit　of　a　hussar；　very　rude；
forward；　and　impertinent。　His　father　would　have　sent　him　to　a
boarding…school；　but　his　mamma　and　aunt　would　not　hear　of　his
lying　out　of　the　house；　so　that　there　was　a　clergyman　engaged　as
his　tutor　in　the　family。

As　it　was　but　just　turned　of　twelve；　and　the　whole　house　was　in
commotion　to　prepare　a　formal　entertainment；　I　foresaw　it　would
be　late　before　we　dined；　and　proposed　a　walk　to　Mr　Baynard；　that
we　might　converse　together　freely。　In　the　course　of　this
perambulation；　when　I　expressed　some　surprize　that　he　had
returned　so　soon　from　Italy；　he　gave　me　to　understand；　that　his
going　abroad　had　not　at　all　answered　the　purpose；　for　which　he
left　England；　that　although　the　expence　of　living　was　not　so
great　in　Italy　as　at　home；　respect　being　had　to　the　same　rank　of
life　in　both　countries；　it　had　been　found　necessary　for　him　to
lift　himself　above　his　usual　stile；　that　he　might　be　on　some
footing　with　the　counts；　marquises；　and　cavaliers；　with　whom　he
kept　company　　He　was　obliged　to　hire　a　great　number　of　servants；
to　take　off　a　great　variety　of　rich　cloaths；　and　to　keep　a
sumptuous　table　for　the　fashionable　scorocconi　of　the　country；
who；　without　a　consideration　of　this　kind；　would　not　have　payed
any　attention　to　an　untitled　foreigner；　let　his　family　or　fortune
be　ever　so　respectable　　Besides；　Mrs　Baynard　was　continually
surrounded　by　a　train　of　expensive　loungers；　under　the
denominations　of　language…masters；　musicians；　painters；　and
ciceroni；　and　had　actually　fallen　into　the　disease　of　buying
pictures　and　antiques　upon　her　own　judgment；　which　was　far　from
being　infallible　　At　length　she　met　with　an　affront；　which　gave
her　disgust　to　Italy；　and　drove　her　back　to　England　with　some
precipitation。　By　means　of　frequenting　the　dutchess　of
B＇edford＇'s　conversazione；　while　her　grace　was　at　Rome；　Mrs
Baynard　became　acquainted　with　all　the　fashionable　people　of　that
city；　and　was　admitted　to　their　assemblies　without　scruple　　Thus
favoured；　she　conceived　too　great　an　idea　of　her　own　importance；
and　when　the　dutchess　left　Rome；　resolved　to　have　a　conversazione
that　should　leave　the　Romans　no　room　to　regret　her　grace's
departure。　She　provided　hands　for　a　musical　entertainment；　and
sent　biglietti　of　invitation　to　every　person　of　distinction；　but
not　one　Roman　of　the　female　sex　appeared　at　her　assembly　　She　was
that　night　seized　with　a　violent　fit；　and　kept　her　bed　three
days；　at　the　expiration　of　which　she　declared　that　the　air　of
Italy　would　be　the　ruin　of　her　constitution。　In　order　to　prevent
this　catastrophe；　she　was　speedily　removed　to　Geneva；　from　whence
they　returned　to　England　by　the　way　of　Lyons　and　Paris。　By　the
time　they　arrived　at　Calais；　she　had　purchased　such　a　quantity　of
silks；　stuffs；　and　laces；　that　it　was　necessary　to　hire　a　vessel
to　smuggle　them　over；　and　this　vessel　was　taken　by　a　custom…house
cutter；　so　that　they　lost　the　whole　cargo；　which　had　cost　them
above　eight　hundred　pounds。

It　now　appears；　that　her　travels　had　produced　no　effect　upon　her；
but　that　of　making　her　more　expensive　and　fantastic　than　ever：
She　affected　to　lead　the　fashion；　not　only　in　point　of　female
dress；　but　in　every　article　of　taste　and　connoisseurship。　She
made　a　drawing　of　the　new　facade　to　the　house　in　the　country；　she
pulled　up　the　trees；　and　pulled　down　the　walls　of　the　garden；　so
as　to　let　in　the　easterly　wind；　which　Mr　Baynard's　ancestors　had
been　at　great　pains　to　exclude。　To　shew　her　taste　in　laying　out
ground；　she　seized　into　her　own　hand　a　farm　of　two　hundred　acres；
about　a　mile　from　the　house；　which　she　parcelled　out　into　walks
and　shrubberies；　having　a　great　bason　in　the　middle；　into　which
she　poured　a　whole　stream　that　turned　two　mills；　and　afforded　the
best　trout　in　the　country。　The　bottom　of　the　bason；　however；　was
so　ill　secured；　that　it　would　not　hold　the　water　which　strained
through　the　earth；　and　made　a　bog　of　the　whole　plantation：　in　a
word；　the　ground　which　formerly　payed　him　one　hundred　and　fifty
pounds　a　year；　now　cost　him　two　hundred　pounds　a　year　to　keep　it
in　tolerable　order；　over　and　above　the　first　expence　of　trees；
shrubs；　flowers；　turf；　and　gravel。　There　was　not　an　inch　of
garden　ground　left　about　the　house；　nor　a　tree　that　produced
fruit　of　any　kind；　nor　did　he　raise　a　truss　of　hay；　or　a　bushel
of　oats　for　his　horses；　nor　had　he　a　single　cow　to　afford　milk
for　his　tea；　far　less　did　he　ever　dream　of　feeding　his　own
mutton；　pigs；　and　poultry：　every　article　of　housekeeping；　even
the　most　inconsiderable；　was　brought　from　the　next　market　town；
at　the　distance　of　five　miles；　and　thither　they　sent　a　courier
every　morning　to　fetch　hot　rolls　for　breakfast。　In　short；　Baynard
fairly　owned　that　he　spent　double　his　income；　and　that　in　a　few
years　he　should　be　obliged　to　sell　his　estate　for　the　payment　of
his　creditors。　He　said　that　his　wife　had　such　delicate　nerves；
and　such　imbecility　of　spirit；　that　she　could　neither　bear
remonstrance；　be　it　ever　so　gentle；　nor　practise　any　scheme　of
retrenchment；　even　if　she　perceived　the　necessity　of　such　a
measure。　He　had　therefore　ceased　struggling　against　the　stream；
and　endeavoured　to　reconc