the vicar of wakefield-第20部分

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　me　with　awe；　and　raised　my　idea　of　the　owner。　Ah；　thought　I　to　myself；　how　very　great　must　the　possessor　of　all　these　things　be；　who　carries　in　his　head　the　business　of　the　state；　and　whose　house　displays　half　the　wealth　of　a　kingdom：　sure　his　genius　must　be　unfathomable！　During　these　awful　reflections　I　heard　a　step　come　heavily　forward。　Ah；　this　is　the　great　man　himself！　No；　it　was　only　a　chambermaid。　Another　foot　was　heard　soon　after。　This　must　be　He！　No；　it　was　only　the　great　man's　valet　de　chambre。　At　last　his　lordship　actually　made　his　appearance。　Are　you；　cried　he；　the　bearer　of　this　here　letter？　I　answered　with　a　bow。　I　learn　by　this；　continued　he；　as　how　that　But　just　at　that　instant　a　servant　delivered　him　a　card；　and　without　taking　farther　notice；　he　went　out　of　the　room；　and　left　me　to　digest　my　own　happiness　at　leisure。　I　saw　no　more　of　him；　till　told　by　a　footman　that　his　lordship　was　going　to　his　coach　at　the　door。　Down　I　immediately　followed；　and　joined　my　voice　to　that　of　three　or　four　more；　who　came；　like　me；　to　petition　for　favours。　His　lordship；　however；　went　too　fast　for　us；　and　was　gaining　his　Chariot　door　with　large　strides；　when　I　hallowed　out　to　know　if　I　was　to　have　any　reply。　He　was　by　this　time　got　in；　and　muttered　an　answer；　half　of　which　only　I　heard；　the　other　half　was　lost　in　the　rattling　of　his　chariot　wheels。　I　stood　for　some　time　with　my　neck　stretched　out；　in　the　posture　of　one　that　was　listening　to　catch　the　glorious　sounds；　till　looking　round　me；　I　found　myself　alone　at　his　lordship's　gate。

'My　patience；'　continued　my　son；　'was　now　quite　exhausted：　stung　with　the　thousand　indignities　I　had　met　with；　I　was　willing　to　cast　myself　away；　and　only　wanted　the　gulph　to　receive　me。　I　regarded　myself　as　one　of　those　vile　things　that　nature　designed　should　be　thrown　by　into　her　lumber　room；　there　to　perish　in　obscurity。　I　had　still；　however；　half　a　guinea　left；　and　of　that　I　thought　fortune　herself　should　not　deprive　me：　but　in　order　to　be　sure　of　this；　I　was　resolved　to　go　instanily　and　spend　it　while　I　had　it；　and　then　trust　to　occurrences　for　the　rest。　As　I　was　going　along　with　this　resolution；　it　happened　that　Mr　Cripse's　office　seemed　invitingly　open　to　give　me　a　welcome　reception。　In　this　office　Mr　Cripse　kindly　offers　all　his　majesty's　subjects　a　generous　promise　of　30　pounds　a　year；　for　which　promise　all　they　give　in　return　is　their　liberty　for　life；　and　permission　to　let　him　transport　them　to　America　as　slaves。　I　was　happy　at　finding　a　place　where　I　could　lose　my　fears　in　desperation；　and　entered　this　cell；　for　it　had　the　appearance　of　one；　with　the　devotion　of　a　monastic。　Here　I　found　a　number　of　poor　creatures；　all　in　circumstances　like　myself；　expecting　the　arrival　of　Mr　Cripse；　presenting　a　true　epitome　of　English　impatience。　Each　untractable　soul　at　variance　with　fortune；　wreaked　her　injuries　on　their　own　hearts：　but　Mr　Cripse　at　last　came　down；　and　all　our　murmurs　were　hushed。　He　deigned　to　regard　me　with　an　air　of　peculiar　approbation；　and　indeed　he　was　the　first　man　who　for　a　month　past　talked　to　me　with　smiles。　After　a　few　questions；　he　found　I　was　fit　for　every　thing　in　the　world。　He　paused　a　while　upon　the　properest　means　of　providing　for　me；　and　slapping　his　forehead；　as　if　he　had　found　it；　assured　me；　that　there　was　at　that　time　an　embassy　talked　of　from　the　synod　of　Pensylvania　to　the　Chickasaw　Indians；　and　that　he　would　use　his　interest　to　get　me　made　secretary。　I　knew　in　my　own　heart　that　the　fellow　lied；　and　yet　his　promise　gave　me　pleasure；　there　was　something　so　magnificent　in　the　sound。　I　fairly；　therefore；　divided　my　half　guinea；　one　half　of　which　went　to　be　added　to　his　thirty　thousand　pound；　and　with　the　other　half　I　resolved　to　go　to　the　next　tavern；　to　be　there　more　happy　than　he。

'As　I　was　going　out　with　that　resolution；　I　was　met　at　the　door　by　the　captain　of　a　ship；　with　whom　I　had　formerly　some　little　acquaintance；　and　he　agreed　to　be　my　companion　over　a　bowl　of　punch。　As　I　never　chose　to　make　a　secret　of　my　circumstances；　he　assured　me　that　I　was　upon　the　very　point　of　ruin；　in　listening　to　the　office…keeper's　promises；　for　that　he　only　designed　to　sell　me　to　the　plantations。　But；　continued　he；　I　fancy　you　might；　by　a　much　shorter　voyage；　be　very　easily　put　into　a　genteel　way　of　bread。　Take　my　advice。　My　ship　sails　to…morrow　for　Amsterdam；　What　if　you　go　in　her　as　a　passenger？　The　moment　you　land　all　you　have　to　do　is　to　teach　the　Dutchmen　English；　and　I'll　warrant　you'll　get　pupils　and　money　enough。　I　suppose　you　understand　English；　added　he；　by　this　time；　or　the　deuce　is　in　it。　I　confidently　assured　him　of　that；　but　expressed　a　doubt　whether　the　Dutch　would　be　willing　to　learn　English。　He　affirmed　with　an　oath　that　they　were　fond　of　it　to　distraction；　and　upon　that　affirmation　I　agreed　with　his　proposal；　and　embarked　the　next　day　to　teach　the　Dutch　English　in　Holland。　The　wind　was　fair；　our　voyage　short；　and　after　having　paid　my　passage；with　half　my　moveables；　I　found　myself；　fallen　as　from　the　skies；　a　stranger　in　one　of　the　principal　streets　of　Amsterdam。　In　this　situation　I　was　unwilling　to　let　any　time　pass　unemployed　in　teaching。　I　addressed　myself　therefore　to　two　or　three　of　those　I　met　whose　appearance　seemed　most　promising；　but　it　was　impossible　to　make　ourselves　mutually　understood。　It　was　not　till　this　very　moment　I　recollected；　that　in　order　to　teach　Dutchmen　English；　it　was　necessary　that　they　should　first　teach　me　Dutch。　How　I　came　to　overlook　so　obvious　an　objection；　is　to　me　amazing；　but　certain　it　is　I　overlooked　it

'This　scheme　thus　blown　up；　I　had　some　thoughts　of　fairly　shipping　back　to　England　again；　but　happening　into　company　with　an　Irish　student；　who　was　returning　from　Louvain；　our　conversation　turning　upon　topics　of　literature；　（for　by　the　way　it　may　be　observed　that　I　always　forgot　the　meanness　of　my　circumstances　when　I　could　converse　upon　such　subjects）　from　him　I　learned　that　there　were　not　two　men　in　his　whole　university　who　understood　Greek。　This　amazed　me。　I　instantly　resolved　to　travel　to　Louvain；　and　there　live　by　teaching　Greek；　and　in　this　design　I　was　heartened　by　my　brother　student；　who　threw　out　some　hints　that　a　fortune　might　be　got　by　it。　'I　set　boldly　forward　the　next　morning。　Every　day　lessened　the　burthen　of　my　moveables；　like　Aesop　and　his　basket　of　bread；　for　I　paid　them　for　my　lodgings　to　the　Dutch　as　I　travelled　on。　When　I　came　to　Louvain；　I　was　resolved　not　to　go　sneaking　to　the　lower　professors；　but　openly　tendered　my　talents　to　the　principal　himself。　I　went；　had　admittance；　and　offered　him　my　service　as　a　master　of　the　Greek　language；　which　I　had　been　told　was　a　desideratum　in　his　university。　The　principal　seemed　at　first　to　doubt　of　my　abilities；　but　of　these　I　offered　to　convince　him；　by　turning　a　part　of　any　Greek　author　he　should　fix　upon　into　Latin。　Finding　me　perfectly　earnest　in　my　proposal；　he　addressed　me　thus：　You　see　me；　young　man；　continued　he；　I　never　learned　Greek；　and　I　don't　find　that　I　have　ever　missed　it。　I　have　had　a　doctor's　cap　and　gown　without　Greek：　I　have　ten　thousand　florins　a　year　without　Greek；　I　eat　heartily　without　Greek；　and　in　short；　continued　he；　as　I　don't　know　Greek；　I　do　not　believe　there　is　any　good　in　it。

'I　was　now　too　far　from　home　to　think　of　returning；　so　I　resolved　to　go　forward。　I　had　some　knowledge　of　music；　with　a　tolerable　voice；　and　now　turned　what　was　once　my　amusement　into　a　present　means　of　subsistence。　I　passed　among　the　harmless　peasants　of　Flanders；　and　among　such　of　the　French　as　were　poor　enough　to　be　very　merry；　for　I　ever　found　them　sprightly　in　proportion　to　their　wants。　Whenever　I　approached　a　peasant's　house　towards　night…　fall；　I　played　one　of　my　most　merry　tunes；　and　that　procured　me　not　only　a　lodging；　but　subsistence　for　the　next　day。　I　once　or　twice　attempted　to　play　for　people　of　fashion；　but　they　always　thought　my　performance　odious；　and　never　rewarded　me　even　with　a　trifle。　This　was　to　me　the　more　extraordinary；　as　whenever　I　used　in　better　days　to　play　for　company；　when　playing　was　my　amusement；　my　music　never　failed　to　throw　them　into　raptures；　and　the　ladies　especially；　but　as　it　was　now　my　only　means；　it　was　received　with　contempt：　a　proof　how　ready　the　world　is　to　under　rate　those　talents　by　which　a　man　is　supported。

'In　this　manner　I　proceeded　to　Paris；　with　no　design　but　just　to　look　about　me；　and　then　to　go　forward。　The　people　of　Paris　are　much　fonder　of　strangers　that　have　money；　than　of　those　that　have　wit。　As　I　could　not　boast　much　of　either；　I　was　no　great　favourite。　After　walking　about　the　town　four　or　five　days；　and　seeing　the　outsides　of　the　best　houses；　I　was　preparing　to　leave　this　retreat　of　venal　hospitality；　when　passing　through　one　of　the　principal　streets；　whom　should　I　meet　but　our　cousin；　to　whom　you　first　recommended　me。　This　meeting　was　very　agreeable　to　me；　and　I　believe　not　displeasing　to　him。　He　enquired　into　the　nature　of　my　journey　to　Paris；　and　informed　me　of　his　own　business　there；　which　was　to　collect　pictures；　medals；　intaglios；　and　antiques　of　all　kinds；　for　a　gentleman　in　London；　who　had　just　stept　into　taste　and　a　large　fortune。　I　was　the　more　surprised　at　seeing　our　cousin　pitched　upon　for　this　office；　as　he　himself　had　often　assured　me　he　knew　nothing　of　the　matter。　Upon　my　asking　how　he　had　been　taught　the　art　of　a　connoscento　so　very　suddenly；　he　assured　me　that　nothing　was　more　easy。　The　whole　secret　consisted　in　a　strict　adherence　to　two　rules：　the　one　always　to　observe；　that　the　picture　might　have　been　better　if　the　painter　had　taken　more　pains；　and　the　other；　to　praise　the　works　of　Pietro　Perugino。　But；　says　he；　as　I　once　taught　you　how　to　be　an　author　in　London；　I'll　now　undertake　to　instruct　you　in　the　art　of　picture　buying　at　Paris。

'With　this　proposal　I　very　readily　closed；　as　it　was　a　living；　and　now　all　my　ambition　was　to　live。　I　went　therefore　to　his　lodgings；　improved　my　dress　by　his　assistance；　and　after　some　time；　accompanied　him　to　auctions　of　pictures；　where　the　English　gentry　were　expected　to　be　purchasers。　I　was　not　a　little　surprised　at　his　intimacy　with　people　of　the　best　fashion；　who　referred　themselves　to　his　judgment　upon　every　picture　or　medal；　as　to　an　unerring　standard　of