Which sloping hills around inclose,
Where many a beech1 and brown oak grows
Beneath whose dark and branching bowers2
Its tides a far-fam’d river pours,
By natures beauties taught to please,
Sweet Tusculan of rural easel
Warton.
Woodbourne, the habitation which Mannering, by Mr. Mac-Morlan’s mediation3, had hired for a season, was a large comfortable mansion4, snugly5 situated6 beneath a hill covered with wood, which shrouded7 the house upon the north and east; the front looked upon a little lawn bordered by a grove8 of old trees; beyond were some arable9 fields, extending down to the river, which was seen from the windows of the house. A tolerable, though old-fashioned garden, a well-stocked dove-cot, and the possession of any quantity of ground which the convenience of the family might require, rendered the place in every respect suitable, as the advertisements have it, ‘for the accommodation of a genteel family.’
Here, then, Mannering resolved, for some time at least, to set up the staff of his rest. Though an East-Indian, he was not partial to an ostentatious display of wealth. In fact, he was too proud a man to be a vain one. He resolved, therefore, to place himself upon the footing of a country gentleman of easy fortune, without assuming, or permitting his household to assume, any of the faste which then was considered as characteristic of a nabob.
He had still his eye upon the purchase of Ellangowan, which Mac-Morlan conceived Mr. Glossin would be compelled to part with, as some of the creditors10 disputed his title to retain so large a part of the purchase-money in his own hands, and his power to pay it was much questioned. In that case Mac-Morlan was assured he would readily give up his bargain, if tempted11 with something above the price which he had stipulated12 to pay. It may seem strange that Mannering was so much attached to a spot which he had only seen once, and that for a short time, in early life. But the circumstances which passed there had laid a strong hold on his imagination. There seemed to be a fate which conjoined the remarkable13 passages of his own family history with those of the inhabitants of Ellangowan, and he felt a mysterious desire to call the terrace his own from which he had read in the book of heaven a fortune strangely accomplished14 in the person of the infant heir of that family, and corresponding so closely with one which had been strikingly fulfilled in his own. Besides, when once this thought had got possession of his imagination, he could not, without great reluctance15, brook16 the idea of his plan being defeated, and by a fellow like Glossin. So pride came to the aid of fancy, and both combined to fortify17 his resolution to buy the estate if possible.
Let us do Mannering justice. A desire to serve the distressed18 had also its share in determining him. He had considered the advantage which Julia might receive from the company of Lucy Bertram, whose genuine prudence19 and good sense could so surely be relied upon. This idea had become much stronger since Mac-Morlan had confided20 to him, under the solemn seal of secrecy21, the whole of her conduct towards young Hazlewood. To propose to her to become an inmate22 in his family, if distant from the scenes of her youth and the few whom she called friends, would have been less delicate; but at Woodbourne she might without difficulty be induced to become the visitor of a season, without being depressed23 into the situation of an humble24 companion. Lucy Bertram, with some hesitation25, accepted the invitation to reside a few weeks with Miss Mannering. She felt too well that, however the Colonel’s delicacy26 might disguise the truth, his principal motive27 was a generous desire to afford her his countenance28 and protection, which his high connexions, and higher character, were likely to render influential29 in the neighbourhood.
About the same time the orphan30 girl received a letter from Mrs. Bertram, the relation to whom she had written, as cold and comfortless as could well be imagined. It inclosed, indeed, a small sum of money, but strongly recommended economy, and that Miss Bertram should board herself in some quiet family, either at Kippletringan or in the neighbourhood, assuring her that, though her own income was very scanty31, she would not see her kinswoman want. Miss Bertram shed some natural tears over this cold-hearted epistle; for in her mother’s time this good lady had been a guest at Ellangowan for nearly three years, and it was only upon succeeding to a property of about L400 a year that she had taken farewell of that hospitable32 mansion, which otherwise might have had the honour of sheltering her until the death of its owner. Lucy was strongly inclined to return the paltry33 donation, which, after some struggles with avarice34, pride had extorted35 from the old lady. But on consideration she contented36 herself with writing that she accepted it as a loan, which, she hoped in a short time to repay, and consulted her relative upon the invitation she had received from Colonel and Miss Mannering. This time the answer came in course of post, so fearful was Mrs. Bertram that some frivolous37 delicacy, or nonsense, as she termed it, might induce her cousin to reject such a promising38 offer, and thereby39 at the same time to leave herself still a burden upon her relations. Lucy, therefore, had no alternative, unless she preferred continuing a burden upon the worthy40 Mac-Morlans, who were too liberal to be rich. Those kinsfolk who formerly41 requested the favour of her company had of late either silently, or with expressions of resentment42 that she should have preferred Mac — Morlan’s invitation to theirs, gradually withdrawn43 their notice.
The fate of Dominie Sampson would have been deplorable had it depended upon any one except Mannering, who was an admirer of originality44, for a separation from Lucy Bertram would have certainly broken his heart. Mac-Morlan had given a full account of his proceedings45 towards the daughter of his patron. The answer was a request from Mannering to know whether the Dominie still possessed46 that admirable virtue47 of taciturnity by which he was so notably48 distinguished49 at Ellangowan. Mac-Morlan replied in the affirmative. ‘Let Mr. Sampson know,’ said the Colonel’s next letter, ‘that I shall want his assistance to catalogue and put in order the library of my uncle, the bishop50, which I have ordered to be sent down by sea. I shall also want him to copy and arrange some papers. Fix his salary at what you think befitting. Let the poor man be properly dressed, and accompany his young lady to Woodbourne.’
Honest Mac-Morlan received this mandate51 with great joy, but pondered much upon executing that part of it which related to newly attiring52 the worthy Dominie. He looked at him with a scrutinising eye, and it was but too plain that his present garments were daily waxing more deplorable. To give him money, and bid him go and furnish himself, would be only giving him the means of making himself ridiculous; for when such a rare event arrived to Mr. Sampson as the purchase of new garments, the additions which he made to his wardrobe by the guidance of his own taste usually brought all the boys of the village after him for many days. On the other hand, to bring a tailor to measure him, and send home his clothes, as for a school-boy, would probably give offence. At length Mac-Morlan resolved to consult Miss Bertram, and request her interference. She assured him that, though she could not pretend to superintend a gentleman’s wardrobe, nothing was more easy than to arrange the Dominie’s.
‘At Ellangowan,’ she said, ‘whenever my poor father thought any part of the Dominie’s dress wanted renewal53, a servant was directed to enter his room by night, for he sleeps as fast as a dormouse, carry off the old vestment, and leave the new one; nor could any one observe that the Dominie exhibited the least consciousness of the change put upon him on such occasions.’
Mac-Morlan, in conformity54 with Miss Bertram’s advice, procured55 a skilful56 artist, who, on looking at the Dominie attentively57, undertook to make for him two suits of clothes, one black and one raven-grey, and even engaged that they should fit him — as well at least (so the tailor qualified58 his enterprise) as a man of such an out-of-the-way build could be fitted by merely human needles and shears59. When this fashioner had accomplished his task, and the dresses were brought home, Mac-Morlan, judiciously60 resolving to accomplish his purpose by degrees, withdrew that evening an important part of his dress, and substituted the new article of raiment in its stead. Perceiving that this passed totally without notice, he next ventured on the waistcoat, and lastly on the coat. When fully61 metamorphosed, and arrayed for the first time in his life in a decent dress, they did observe that the Dominie seemed to have some indistinct and embarrassing consciousness that a change had taken place on his outward man. Whenever they observed this dubious62 expression gather upon his countenance, accompanied with a glance that fixed63 now upon the sleeve of his coat, now upon the knees of his breeches, where he probably missed some antique patching and darning, which, being executed with blue thread upon a black ground, had somewhat the effect of embroidery64, they always took care to turn his attention into some other channel, until his garments, ‘by the aid of use, cleaved65 to their mould.’ The only remark he was ever known to make on the subject was, that ‘the air of a town like Kippletringan seemed favourable66 unto wearing apparel, for he thought his coat looked almost as new as the first day he put it on, which was when he went to stand trial for his license67 as a preacher.’
When the Dominie first heard the liberal proposal of Colonel Mannering, he turned a jealous and doubtful glance towards Miss Bertram, as if he suspected that the project involved their separation; but when Mr. Mac-Morlan hastened to explain that she would be a guest at Woodbourne for some time, he rubbed his huge hands together, and burst into a portentous68 sort of chuckle69, like that of the Afrite in the tale of ‘The Caliph Vathek.’ After this unusual explosion of satisfaction, he remained quite passive in all the rest of the transaction.
It had been settled that Mr. and Mrs. Mac-Morlan should take possession of the house a few days before Mannering’s arrival, both to put everything in perfect order and to make the transference of Miss Bertram’s residence from their family to his as easy and delicate as possible. Accordingly, in the beginning of the month of December the party were settled at Woodbourne.
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1
beech
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| n.山毛榉；adj.山毛榉的 | |
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2
bowers
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| n.（女子的）卧室( bower的名词复数 )；船首锚；阴凉处；鞠躬的人 | |
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3
mediation
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| n.调解 | |
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mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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snugly
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| adv.紧贴地；贴身地；暖和舒适地；安适地 | |
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situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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shrouded
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| v.隐瞒( shroud的过去式和过去分词 )；保密 | |
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8
grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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9
arable
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| adj.可耕的，适合种植的 | |
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10
creditors
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| n.债权人，债主( creditor的名词复数 ) | |
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11
tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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12
stipulated
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| vt.& vi.规定；约定adj.[法]合同规定的 | |
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13
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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14
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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15
reluctance
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| n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿 | |
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16
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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17
fortify
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| v.强化防御，为…设防；加强，强化 | |
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distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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19
prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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20
confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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21
secrecy
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| n.秘密，保密，隐蔽 | |
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22
inmate
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| n.被收容者；(房屋等的)居住人；住院人 | |
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23
depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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24
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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25
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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26
delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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28
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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29
influential
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| adj.有影响的，有权势的 | |
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30
orphan
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| n.孤儿；adj.无父母的 | |
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31
scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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32
hospitable
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| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
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33
paltry
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| adj.无价值的，微不足道的 | |
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34
avarice
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| n.贪婪；贪心 | |
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35
extorted
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| v.敲诈( extort的过去式和过去分词 )；曲解 | |
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36
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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37
frivolous
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| adj.轻薄的；轻率的 | |
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38
promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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40
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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41
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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42
resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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43
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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44
originality
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| n.创造力，独创性；新颖 | |
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45
proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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47
virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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48
notably
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| adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地 | |
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49
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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50
bishop
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| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
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51
mandate
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| n.托管地；命令，指示 | |
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52
attiring
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| v.使穿上衣服，使穿上盛装( attire的现在分词 ) | |
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53
renewal
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| adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来 | |
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54
conformity
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| n.一致，遵从，顺从 | |
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55
procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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56
skilful
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| (=skillful)adj.灵巧的，熟练的 | |
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57
attentively
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| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 | |
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58
qualified
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| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
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59
shears
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| n.大剪刀 | |
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60
judiciously
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| adv.明断地，明智而审慎地 | |
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61
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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62
dubious
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| adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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64
embroidery
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| n.绣花，刺绣；绣制品 | |
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65
cleaved
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| v.劈开，剁开，割开( cleave的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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66
favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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67
license
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| n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许 | |
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68
portentous
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| adj.不祥的，可怕的，装腔作势的 | |
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69
chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
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