My Mother’s Brother arrives — relieves me — a Description of him — he goes along with me to the House of my Grandfather — is encountered by his Dogs — defeats them, after a bloody1 Engagement — is admitted to the old Gentleman — a Dialogue between them
About this time my mother’s only brother, who had been long abroad, lieutenant2 of a man-of-war, arrived in his own country; where being informed of my condition, he came to see me, and out of his slender finances not only supplied me with what necessaries I wanted for the present, but resolved not to leave the country until he had prevailed on my grandfather to settle something handsome for the future. This was a task to which he was by no means equal, being entirely3 ignorant, not only of the judge’s disposition4, but also of the ways of men in general, to which his education on board had kept him an utter stranger.
He was a strong built man, somewhat bandy legged, with a neck like that of a bull, and a face which (you might easily perceive) had withstood the most obstinate5 assaults of the weather. His dress consisted of a soldier’s coat altered for him by the ship’s tailor, a striped flannel6 jacket, a pair of red breeches spanned with pitch, clean gray worsted stockings, large silver buckles7 that covered three-fourths of his shoes, a silver-laced hat, whose crown overlooked the brims about an inch and a half, black bobwig in buckle8, a check shirt, a silk handkerchief, a hanger9, with a brass10 handle, girded to his thigh11 by a furnished lace belt, and a good oak plant under his arm. Thus equipped, he set out with me (who by his bounty12 made a very decent appearance) for my grandfather’s house, where we were saluted13 by Jowler and Caesar, whom my cousin, young master, had let loose at our approach. Being well acquainted with the inveteracy14 of these curs, I was about to betake myself to my heels, when my uncle seized me with one hand, brandished15 his cudgel with the other, and at one blow laid Caesar sprawling16 on the ground; but, finding himself attacked at the same time in the rear by Jowler, and fearing Caesar might recover, he drew his hanger, wheeled about, and by a lucky stroke severed18 Jowler’s head from his body. By this time, the young foxhunter and three servants, armed with pitchforks and flails20, were come to the assistance of the dogs, whom they found breathless upon the field; and my cousin was so provoked at the death of his favourites, that he ordered his attendants to advance, and take vengeance21 on their executioner, whom he loaded with all the curses and reproaches his anger could suggest. Upon which my uncle stepped forwards with an undaunted air, at the sight of whose bloody weapons his antagonists22 fell back with precipitation, when he accosted23 their leader thus:
“Lookee, brother, your dogs having boarded me without provocation24, what I did was in my own defence. So you had best be civil, and let us shoot a head, clear of you.”
Whether the young squire25 misinterpreted my uncle’s desire of peace, or was enraged26 at the fate of his hounds beyond his usual pitch of resolution, I know not; but he snatched a flail19 from one of his followers27, and came up with a show of assaulting the lieutenant, who, putting himself in a posture28 of defence, proceeded thus: “Lookee, you lubberly son of a w — e, if you come athwart me, ‘ware your gingerbread work. I’ll be foul29 of your quarter, d — n me.”
This declaration, followed by a flourish of his hanger, seemed to check the progress of the young gentleman’s choler, who, looking behind him, perceived his attendants had slunk into the house, shut the gate, and left him to decide the contention30 by himself.
Here a parley31 ensued, which was introduced by my cousin’s asking, “Who the devil are you? What do you want? Some scoundrel of a seaman32, I suppose, who has deserted33 and turned thief. But don’t think you shall escape, sirrah — I’ll have you hang’d, you dog, I will. Your blood shall pay for that of my two hounds, you ragamuffin. I would not have parted with them to save your whole generation from the gallows34, you ruffian, you!” “None of your jaw35, you swab — none of your jaw,” replied my uncle, “else I shall trim your laced jacket for you. I shall rub you down with an oaken towel, my boy, I shall.” So saying, he sheathed36 his hanger, and grasped his cudgel. Meanwhile the people of the house being alarmed, one of my female cousins opened a window, and asked what was the matter. “The matter!” answered the lieutenant; “no great matter, young woman; I have business with the old gentleman, and this spark, belike, won’t allow me to come alongside of him,” that’s all. After a few minutes pause we were admitted, and conducted to my grandfather’s chamber37 through a lane of my relations, who honoured me with very significant looks as I passed along. When we came into the judge’s presence my uncle, after two or three sea-bows, expressed himself in this manner; “Your servant, your servant. What cheer, father? what cheer? I suppose you don’t know me — mayhap you don’t. My name is Tom Bowling38, and this here boy, you look as if you did not know him neither; ’tis like you mayn’t. He’s new rigged, i’faith; his cloth don’t shake in the wind so much as it wont39 to do. “Tis my nephew, d’y see, Roderick Random40 — your own flesh and blood, old gentleman. Don’t lay a-stern, you dog,” pulling me forward. My grandfather (who was laid up with the gout) received this relation, after his long absence, with that coldness of civility which was peculiar41 to him; told him he was glad to see him, and desired him to sit down. “Thank ye, thank ye, sir, I had as lief stand,” said my uncle; “for my own part, I desire nothing of you; but, if you have any conscience at all, do something for this poor boy, who has been used at a very unchristian rate. Unchristian do I call it? I am sure the Moors42 in Barbary have more humanity than to leave their little ones to want. I would fain know why my sister’s son is more neglected than that there fair-weather Jack” (pointing to the young squire, who with the rest of my cousins had followed us into the room). “Is not he as near akin43 to you as the other? Is he not much handsomer and better built than that great chucklehead? Come, come, consider, old gentleman, you are going in a short time to give an account of your evil actions. Remember the wrongs you did his father, and make all the satisfaction in your power before it be too late. The least thing you can do is to settle his father’s portion on him” The young ladies, who thought themselves too much concerned to contain themselves any longer, set up their throats all together against my protector — “Scurvy companion — saucy44 tarpaulin46 — rude, impertinent fellow, did he think to prescribe to grandpapa? His sister’s brat47 had been too well taken care of. Grandpapa was too just not make a difference between an unnatural48, rebellious49 son and his dutiful, loving children, who took his advice in all things;” and such expressions were vented51 against him with great violence; until the judge at length commanded silence. He calmly rebuked52 my uncle for his unmannerly behaviour, which he said he would excuse on account of his education: he told him he had been very kind to the boy, whom he had kept at school seven or eight years, although he was informed he made no progress in his learning but was addicted53 to all manner of vice50, which he rather believed, because he himself was witness to a barbarous piece of mischief54 he had committed on the jaws55 of his chaplain. But, however, he would see what the lad was fit for, and bind56 him apprentice57 to some honest tradesman or other, provided he would mend his manners, and behave for the future as became him.” The honest tar45 (whose pride and indignation boiled within him) answered my grandfather, that it was true he had sent him to school, but it had cost him nothing, for he had never been at one shilling expense to furnish him with food, raiment, books, or other necessaries; so that it was not much to be wondered at, if the boy made small progress; and yet whoever told him so was a lying, lubberly rascal58, and deserved to be keel-haul’d; for thof he (the lieutenant) did not understand those matters himself, he was well informed as how Rory was the best scholar of his age in all the country; the truth of which he would maintain, by laying a wager59 of his whole half-year’s pay on the boy’s head — with these words he pulled out his purse, and challenged the company: “Neither is he predicted to vice, as you affirm, but rather, left like a wreck60, d’ye see, at the mercy of the wind and weather, by your neglect, old gentleman. As for what happened to your chaplain, I am only sorry that he did not knock out the scoundrel’s brains instead of his teeth. By the Lord, if ever I come up with him, he had better be in Greenland, that’s all. Thank you for your courteous61 offer of binding62 the lad apprentice to a tradesman. I suppose you would make a tailor of him — would you? I had rather see him hang’d, d’ye see. Come along, Rory, I perceive how the land lies, my boy — let’s tack17 about, i’faith — while I have a shilling you shan’t want a tester. B’we, old gentleman; you’re bound for the other world, but I believe damnably ill-provided for the voyage.” Thus ended our visit; and we returned to the village, my uncle muttering curses all the way against the old shark and the young fry that surrounded him.
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bloody
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| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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flannel
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| n.法兰绒；法兰绒衣服 | |
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buckles
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| 搭扣，扣环( buckle的名词复数 ) | |
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buckle
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| n.扣子，带扣；v.把...扣住，由于压力而弯曲 | |
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hanger
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| n.吊架，吊轴承；挂钩 | |
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brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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thigh
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| n.大腿；股骨 | |
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bounty
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| n.慷慨的赠予物，奖金；慷慨，大方；施与 | |
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saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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inveteracy
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| n.根深蒂固，积习 | |
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brandished
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| v.挥舞( brandish的过去式和过去分词 )；炫耀 | |
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sprawling
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| adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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tack
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| n.大头钉；假缝，粗缝 | |
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severed
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| v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂 | |
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flail
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| v.用连枷打；击打；n.连枷（脱粒用的工具） | |
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flails
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| v.鞭打( flail的第三人称单数 )；用连枷脱粒；（臂或腿）无法控制地乱动；扫雷坦克 | |
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vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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antagonists
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| 对立[对抗] 者，对手，敌手( antagonist的名词复数 )； 对抗肌； 对抗药 | |
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accosted
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| v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 )；跟…搭讪；（乞丐等）上前向…乞讨；（妓女等）勾搭 | |
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provocation
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| n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因 | |
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squire
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| n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅 | |
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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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followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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posture
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| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
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foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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contention
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| n.争论，争辩，论战；论点，主张 | |
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parley
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| n.谈判 | |
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seaman
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| n.海员，水手，水兵 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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gallows
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| n.绞刑架，绞台 | |
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jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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sheathed
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| adj.雕塑像下半身包在鞘中的；覆盖的；铠装的；装鞘了的v.将（刀、剑等）插入鞘( sheathe的过去式和过去分词 )；包，覆盖 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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bowling
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| n.保龄球运动 | |
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wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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random
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| adj.随机的；任意的；n.偶然的(或随便的)行动 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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moors
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| v.停泊，系泊（船只）( moor的第三人称单数 ) | |
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akin
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| adj.同族的，类似的 | |
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saucy
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| adj.无礼的；俊俏的；活泼的 | |
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45
tar
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| n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于 | |
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tarpaulin
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| n.涂油防水布，防水衣，防水帽 | |
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brat
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| n.孩子；顽童 | |
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48
unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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rebellious
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| adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的 | |
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vice
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| n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的 | |
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51
vented
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| 表达，发泄（感情，尤指愤怒）( vent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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rebuked
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| 责难或指责( rebuke的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53
addicted
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| adj.沉溺于....的，对...上瘾的 | |
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54
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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56
bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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apprentice
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| n.学徒，徒弟 | |
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rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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wager
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| n.赌注；vt.押注，打赌 | |
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wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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binding
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| 有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的 | |
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