the vicar of wakefield-第21部分

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as　his　reasons　for　this　delay：　I　know　he　has。　The　sincerity　of　his　looks　and　words　convince　me　of　his　real　esteem。　A　short　time；　I　hope；　will　discover　the　generosity　of　his　sentiments；　and　convince　you　that　my　opinion　of　him　has　been　more　just　than　yours。''Olivia；　my　darling；'　returned　I；　'every　scheme　that　has　been　hitherto　pursued　to　compel　him　to　a　declaration；　has　been　proposed　and　planned　by　yourself；　nor　can　you　in　the　least　say　that　I　have　constrained　you。　But　you　must　not　suppose；　my　dear；　that　I　will　ever　be　instrumental　in　suffering　his　honest　rival　to　be　the　dupe　of　your　ill…placed　passion。　Whatever　time　you　require　to　bring　your　fancied　admirer　to　an　explanation　shall　be　granted；　but　at　the　expiration　of　that　term；　if　he　is　still　regardless；　I　must　absolutely　insist　that　honest　Mr　Williams　shall　be　rewarded　for　his　fidelity。　The　character　which　I　have　hitherto　supported　in　life　demands　this　from　me；　and　my　tenderness；　as　a　parent；　shall　never　influence　my　integrity　as　a　man。　Name　then　your　day；　let　it　be　as　distant　as　you　think　proper；　and　in　the　mean　time　take　care　to　let　Mr　Thornhill　know　the　exact　time　on　which　I　design　delivering　you　up　to　another。　If　he　really　loves　you；　his　own　good　sense　will　readily　suggest　that　there　is　but　one　method　alone　to　prevent　his　losing　you　forever。'This　proposal；　which　she　could　not　avoid　considering　as　perfectly　just；　was　readily　agreed　to。　She　again　renewed　her　most　positive　promise　of　marrying　Mr　Williams；　in　case　of　the　other's　insensibility；　and　at　the　next　opportunity；　in　Mr　Thornhill's　presence；　that　day　month　was　fixed　upon　for　her　nuptials　with　his　rival。

Such　vigorous　proceedings　seemed　to　redouble　Mr　Thornhill's　anxiety：　but　what　Olivia　really　felt　gave　me　some　uneasiness。　In　this　struggle　between　prudence　and　passion；　her　vivacity　quite　forsook　her；　and　every　opportunity　of　solitude　was　sought；　and　spent　in　tears。　One　week　passed　away；　but　Mr　Thornhill　made　no　efforts　to　restrain　her　nuptials。　The　succeeding　week　he　was　still　assiduous；　but　not　more　open。　On　the　third　he　discontinued　his　visits　entirely；　and　instead　of　my　daughter　testifying　any　impatience；　as　I　expected；　she　seemed　to　retain　a　pensive　tranquillity；　which　I　looked　upon　as　resignation。　For　my　own　part；　I　was　now　sincerely　pleased　with　thinking　that　my　child　was　going　to　be　secured　in　a　continuance　of　competence　and　peace；　and　frequently　applauded　her　resolution；　in　preferring　happiness　to　ostentation。

It　was　within　about　four　days　of　her　intended　nuptials；　that　my　little　family　at　night　were　gathered　round　a　charming　fire；　telling　stories　of　the　past；　and　laying　schemes　for　the　future。　Busied　in　forming　a　thousand　projects；　and　laughing　at　whatever　folly　came　uppermost；　'Well；　Moses；'　cried　I；　'we　shall　soon；　my　boy；　have　a　wedding　in　the　family；　what　is　your　opinion　of　matters　and　things　in　general？''My　opinion；　father；　is；　that　all　things　go　on　very　well；　and　I　was　just　now　thinking；　that　when　sister　Livy　is　married　to　farmer　Williams；　we　shall　then　have　the　loan　of　his　cyder…press　and　brewing　tubs　for　nothing。'　'That　we　shall；　Moses；'　cried　I；　'and　he　will　sing　us　Death　and　the　Lady；　to　raise　our　spirits　into　the　bargain。''He　has　taught　that　song　to　our　Dick；'　cried　Moses；　'and　I　think　he　goes　thro'　it　very　prettily。'　'Does　he　so；'　cried　I；　then　let　us　have　it：　where's　little　Dick？　let　him　up　with　it　boldly。''My　brother　Dick；'　cried　Bill　my　youngest；　'is　just　gone　out　with　sister　Livy；　but　Mr　Williams　has　taught　me　two　songs；　and　I'll　sing　them　for　you；　pappa。　Which　song　do　you　chuse；　the　Dying　Swan；　or　the　Elegy　on　the　death　of　a　mad　dog？'　'The　elegy；　child；　by　all　means；'　said　I；　'I　never　heard　that　yet；　and　Deborah；　my　life；　grief　you　know　is　dry；　let　us　have　a　bottle　of　the　best　gooseberry　wine；　to　keep　up　our　spirits。　I　have　wept　so　much　at　all　sorts　of　elegies　of　late；　that　without　an　enlivening　glass　I　am　sure　this　will　overcome　me；　and　Sophy；　love；　take　your　guitar；　and　thrum　in　with　the　boy　a　little。'

An　Elegy　on　the　Death　of　a　Mad　Dog。

Good　people　all；　of　every　sort；　Give　ear　unto　my　song；　And　if　you　find　it　wond'rous　short；　It　cannot　hold　you　long。

In　Isling　town　there　was　a　man；　Of　whom　the　world　might　say；　That　still　a　godly　race　he　ran；　Whene'er　he　went　to　pray。

A　kind　and　gentle　heart　he　had；　To　comfort　friends　and　foes；　The　naked　every　day　he　clad；　When　he　put　on　his　cloaths。

And　in　that　town　a　dog　was　found；　As　many　dogs　there　be；　Both　mungrel；　puppy；　whelp；　and　hound；　And　curs　of　low　degree。

This　dog　and　man　at　first　were　friends；　But　when　a　pique　began；　The　dog；　to　gain　some　private　ends；　Went　mad　and　bit　the　man。

Around　from　all　the　neighbouring　streets；　The　wondering　neighbours　ran；　And　swore　the　dog　had　lost　his　wits；　To　bite　so　good　a　man。

The　wound　it　seem'd　both　sore　and　sad；　To　every　Christian　eye；　And　while　they　swore　the　dog　was　mad；　They　swore　the　man　would　die。

But　soon　a　wonder　came　to　light；　That　shew'd　the　rogues　they　lied；　The　man　recovered　of　the　bite；　The　dog　it　was　that　dy'd。

'A　very　good　boy；　Bill；　upon　my　word；　and　an　elegy　that　may　truly　be　called　tragical。　Come；　my　children；　here's　Bill's　health；　and　may　he　one　day　be　a　bishop。'

'With　all　my　heart；'　cried　my　wife；　'and　if　he　but　preaches　as　well　as　he　sings；　I　make　no　doubt　of　him。　The；　most　of　his　family；　by　the　mother's　side；　could　sing　a　good　song：　it　was　a　common　saying　in　our　country；　that　the　family　of　the　Blenkinsops　could　never　look　strait　before　them；　nor　the　Huginsons　blow　out　a　candle；　that　there　were　none　of　the　Grograms　but　could　sing　a　song；　or　of　the　Marjorams　but　could　tell　a　story。''However　that　be；'　cried　I；　'the　most　vulgar　ballad　of　them　all　generally　pleases　me　better　than　the　fine　modern　odes；　and　things　that　petrify　us　in　a　single　stanza；　productions　that　we　at　once　detest　and　praise。　Put　the　glass　to　your　brother；　Moses。The　great　fault　of　these　elegiasts　is；　that　they　are　in　despair　for　griefs　that　give　the　sensible　part　of　mankind　very　little　pain。　A　lady　loses　her　muff；　her　fan；　or　her　lap…dog；　and　so　the　silly　poet　runs　home　to　versify　the　disaster。'

'That　may　be　the　mode；'　cried　Moses；　'in　sublimer　compositions；　but　the　Ranelagh　songs　that　come　down　to　us　are　perfectly　familiar；　and　all　cast　in　the　same　mold：　Colin　meets　Dolly；　and　they　hold　a　dialogue　together；　he　gives　her　a　fairing　to　put　in　her　hair；　and　she　presents　him　with　a　nosegay；　and　then　they　go　together　to　church；　where　they　give　good　advice　to　young　nymphs　and　swains　to　get　married　as　fast　as　they　can。'

'And　very　good　advice　too；'　cried　I；　'and　I　am　told　there　is　not　a　place　in　the　world　where　advice　can　be　given　with　so　much　propriety　as　there；　for；　as　it　persuades　us　to　marry；　it　also　furnishes　us　with　a　wife；　and　surely　that　must　be　an　excellent　market；　my　boy；　where　we　are　told　what　we　want；　and　supplied　with　it　when　wanting。'

'Yes；　Sir；'　returned　Moses；　'and　I　know　but　of　two　such　markets　for　wives　in　Europe；　Ranelagh　in　England；　and　Fontarabia　in　Spain。'　The　Spanish　market　is　open　once　a　year；　but　our　English　wives　are　saleable　every　night。'

'You　are　right；　my　boy；'　cried　his　mother；　'Old　England　is　the　only　place　in　the　world　for　husbands　to　get　wives。''And　for　wiv