the vicar of wakefield-第50章

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f　companion　at　a　relation's　house；　being　very　well　liked　and　seldom　sitting　at　the　side…table；　except　when　there　is　no　room　at　the　other；　for　they　make　no　stranger　of　him。　His　time　is　pretty　much　taken　up　in　keeping　his　relation；　who　is　a　little　melancholy；　in　spirits；　and　in　learning　to　blow　the　French…　horn。　My　eldest　daughter；　however；　still　remembers　him　with　regret；　and　she　has　even　told　me；　though　I　make　a　great　secret　of　it；　that　when　he　reforms　she　may　be　brought　to　relent。　But　to　return；　for　I　am　not　apt　to　digress　thus；　when　we　were　to　sit　down　to　dinner　our　ceremonies　were　going　to　be　renewed。　The　question　was　whether　my　eldest　daughter；　as　being　a　matron；　should　not　sit　above　the　two　young　brides；　but　the　debate　was　cut　short　by　my　son　George；　who　proposed；　that　the　company　should　sit　indiscriminately；　every　gentleman　by　his　lady。　This　was　received　with　great　approbation　by　all；　excepting　my　wife；　who　I　could　perceive　was　not　perfectly　satisfied；　as　she　expected　to　have　had　the　pleasure　of　sitting　at　the　head　of　the　table　and　carving　all　the　meat　for　all　the　company。　But　notwithstanding　this；　it　is　impossible　to　describe　our　good　humour。　I　can't　say　whether　we　had　more　wit　amongst　us　now　than　usual；　but　I　am　certain　we　had　more　laughing；　which　answered　the　end　as　well。　One　jest　I　particularly　remember；　old　Mr　Wilmot　drinking　to　Moses；　whose　head　was　turned　another　way；　my　son　replied；　'Madam；　I　thank　you。'　Upon　which　the　old　gentleman；　winking　upon　the　rest　of　the　company；　observed　that　he　was　thinking　of　his　mistress。　At　which　jest　I　thought　the　two　miss　Flamboroughs　would　have　died　with　laughing。　As　soon　as　dinner　was　over；　according　to　my　old　custom；　I　requested　that　the　table　might　be　taken　away；　to　have　the　pleasure　of　seeing　all　my　family　assembled　once　more　by　a　chearful　fireside。　My　two　little　ones　sat　upon　each　knee；　the　rest　of　the　company　by　their　partners。　I　had　nothing　now　on　this　side　of　the　grave　to　wish　for；　all　my　cares　were　over；　my　pleasure　was　unspeakable。　It　now　only　remained　that　my　gratitude　in　good　fortune　should　exceed　my　former　submission　in　adversity。





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