Which some readers will think too short and others too long.
Adams, and Joseph, who was no less enraged1 than his friend at the treatment he met with, went out with their sticks in their hands, and carried off Fanny, notwithstanding the opposition2 of the servants, who did all, without proceeding3 to violence, in their power to detain them. They walked as fast as they could, not so much from any apprehension4 of being pursued as that Mr Adams might, by exercise, prevent any harm from the water. The gentleman, who had given such orders to his servants concerning Fanny that he did not in the least fear her getting away, no sooner heard that she was gone, than he began to rave5, and immediately despatched several with orders either to bring her back or never return. The poet, the player, and all but the dancing-master and doctor, went on this errand.
The night was very dark in which our friends began their journey; however, they made such expedition, that they soon arrived at an inn which was at seven miles’ distance. Here they unanimously consented to pass the evening, Mr Adams being now as dry as he was before he had set out on his embassy.
This inn, which indeed we might call an ale-house, had not the words, The New Inn, been writ6 on the sign, afforded them no better provision than bread and cheese and ale; on which, however, they made a very comfortable meal; for hunger is better than a French cook.
They had no sooner supped, than Adams, returning thanks to the Almighty7 for his food, declared he had eat his homely8 commons with much greater satisfaction than his splendid dinner; and expressed great contempt for the folly9 of mankind, who sacrificed their hopes of heaven to the acquisition of vast wealth, since so much comfort was to be found in the humblest state and the lowest provision. “Very true, sir,” says a grave man who sat smoaking his pipe by the fire, and who was a traveller as well as himself. “I have often been as much surprized as you are, when I consider the value which mankind in general set on riches, since every day’s experience shows us how little is in their power; for what, indeed, truly desirable, can they bestow10 on us? Can they give beauty to the deformed11, strength to the weak, or health to the infirm? Surely if they could we should not see so many ill-favoured faces haunting the assemblies of the great, nor would such numbers of feeble wretches12 languish13 in their coaches and palaces. No, not the wealth of a kingdom can purchase any paint to dress pale Ugliness in the bloom of that young maiden14, nor any drugs to equip Disease with the vigour15 of that young man. Do not riches bring us to solicitude16 instead of rest, envy instead of affection, and danger instead of safety? Can they prolong their own possession, or lengthen17 his days who enjoys them? So far otherwise, that the sloth18, the luxury, the care which attend them, shorten the lives of millions, and bring them with pain and misery19 to an untimely grave. Where, then, is their value if they can neither embellish20 nor strengthen our forms, sweeten nor prolong our lives? — Again: Can they adorn21 the mind more than the body? Do they not rather swell22 the heart with vanity, puff23 up the cheeks with pride, shut our ears to every call of virtue24, and our bowels25 to every motive26 of compassion27?” “Give me your hand, brother,” said Adams, in a rapture28, “for I suppose you are a clergyman.” — “No, truly,” answered the other (indeed, he was a priest of the Church of Rome; but those who understand our laws will not wonder he was not over-ready to own it). — “Whatever you are,” cries Adams, “you have spoken my sentiments: I believe I have preached every syllable29 of your speech twenty times over; for it hath always appeared to me easier for a cable-rope (which by the way is the true rendering30 of that word we have translated camel) to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into the kingdom of heaven.” — “That, sir,” said the other, “will be easily granted you by divines, and is deplorably true; but as the prospect31 of our good at a distance doth not so forcibly affect us, it might be of some service to mankind to be made thoroughly32 sensible — which I think they might be with very little serious attention — that even the blessings33 of this world are not to be purchased with riches; a doctrine34, in my opinion, not only metaphysically, but, if I may so say, mathematically demonstrable; and which I have been always so perfectly35 convinced of that I have a contempt for nothing so much as for gold.” Adams now began a long discourse36: but as most which he said occurs among many authors who have treated this subject, I shall omit inserting it. During its continuance Joseph and Fanny retired37 to rest, and the host likewise left the room. When the English parson had concluded, the Romish resumed the discourse, which he continued with great bitterness and invective38; and at last ended by desiring Adams to lend him eighteen-pence to pay his reckoning; promising39, if he never paid him, he might be assured of his prayers. The good man answered that eighteen-pence would be too little to carry him any very long journey; that he had half a guinea in his pocket, which he would divide with him. He then fell to searching his pockets, but could find no money; for indeed the company with whom he dined had passed one jest upon him which we did not then enumerate40, and had picked his pocket of all that treasure which he had so ostentatiously produced.
“Bless me!” cried Adams, “I have certainly lost it; I can never have spent it. Sir, as I am a Christian41, I had a whole half-guinea in my pocket this morning, and have not now a single halfpenny of it left. Sure the devil must have taken it from me!” — “Sir,” answered the priest, smiling, “you need make no excuses; if you are not willing to lend me the money, I am contented42.” — “Sir,” cries Adams, “if I had the greatest sum in the world — aye, if I had ten pounds about me — I would bestow it all to rescue any Christian from distress43. I am more vexed44 at my loss on your account than my own. Was ever anything so unlucky? Because I have no money in my pocket I shall be suspected to be no Christian.” — “I am more unlucky,” quoth the other, “if you are as generous as you say; for really a crown would have made me happy, and conveyed me in plenty to the place I am going, which is not above twenty miles off, and where I can arrive by tomorrow night. I assure you I am not accustomed to travel pennyless. I am but just arrived in England; and we were forced by a storm in our passage to throw all we had overboard. I don’t suspect but this fellow will take my word for the trifle I owe him; but I hate to appear so mean as to confess myself without a shilling to such people; for these, and indeed too many others, know little difference in their estimation between a beggar and a thief.” However, he thought he should deal better with the host that evening than the next morning: he therefore resolved to set out immediately, notwithstanding the darkness; and accordingly, as soon as the host returned, he communicated to him the situation of his affairs; upon which the host, scratching his head, answered, “Why, I do not know, master; if it be so, and you have no money, I must trust, I think, though I had rather always have ready money if I could; but, marry, you look like so honest a gentleman that I don’t fear your paying me if it was twenty times as much.” The priest made no reply, but, taking leave of him and Adams as fast as he could, not without confusion, and perhaps with some distrust of Adams’s sincerity45, departed.
He was no sooner gone than the host fell a-shaking his head, and declared, if he had suspected the fellow had no money, he would not have drawn46 him a single drop of drink, saying he despaired of ever seeing his face again, for that he looked like a confounded rogue47.
“Rabbit the fellow,” cries he, “I thought, by his talking so much about riches, that he had a hundred pounds at least in his pocket.” Adams chid48 him for his suspicions, which, he said, were not becoming a Christian; and then, without reflecting on his loss, or considering how he himself should depart in the morning, he retired to a very homely bed, as his companions had before; however, health and fatigue49 gave them a sweeter repose50 than is often in the power of velvet51 and down to bestow.
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enraged
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| 使暴怒( enrage的过去式和过去分词 )； 歜； 激愤 | |
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opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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rave
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| vi.胡言乱语；热衷谈论；n.热情赞扬 | |
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writ
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| n.命令状，书面命令 | |
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almighty
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| adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的 | |
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homely
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| adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的 | |
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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bestow
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| v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费 | |
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deformed
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| adj.畸形的；变形的；丑的，破相了的 | |
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wretches
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| n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 )；可怜的人；恶棍；坏蛋 | |
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languish
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| vi.变得衰弱无力，失去活力，（植物等）凋萎 | |
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maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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solicitude
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| n.焦虑 | |
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lengthen
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| vt.使伸长，延长 | |
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sloth
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| n.[动]树懒；懒惰，懒散 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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embellish
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| v.装饰，布置；给…添加细节，润饰 | |
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adorn
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| vt.使美化，装饰 | |
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swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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puff
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| n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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bowels
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| n.肠，内脏，内部；肠( bowel的名词复数 )；内部，最深处 | |
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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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compassion
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| n.同情，怜悯 | |
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rapture
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| n.狂喜；全神贯注；着迷；v.使狂喜 | |
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syllable
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| n.音节；vt.分音节 | |
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rendering
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| n.表现，描写 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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blessings
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| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
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doctrine
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| n.教义；主义；学说 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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discourse
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| n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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invective
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| n.痛骂，恶意抨击 | |
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promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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enumerate
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| v.列举，计算，枚举，数 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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42
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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43
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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44
vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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45
sincerity
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| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
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46
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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rogue
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| n.流氓；v.游手好闲 | |
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48
chid
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| v.责骂，责备( chide的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49
fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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50
repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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51
velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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