The Vicar of Wakefield [82]
cannot be rich, she has still a competence sufficient to give content. Here you see an honest young soldier, who is willing to take her without fortune; they have long loved each other, and for the friendship I bear his father, my interest shall not be wanting in his promotion. Leave then that ambition which disappoints you, and for once admit that happiness which courts your acceptance.'
'Sir William,' replied the old gentleman, 'be assured I never yet forced her inclinations, nor will I now. If she still continues to love this young gentleman, let her have him with all my heart. There is still, thank heaven, some fortune left, and your promise will make it something more. Only let my old friend here (meaning me) give me a promise of settling six thousand pounds upon my girl, if ever he should come to his fortune, and I am ready this night to be the first to join them together.'
As it now remained with me to make the young couple happy, I readily gave a promise of making the settlement he required, which, to one who had such little expectations as I, was no great favour. We had now therefore the satisfaction of seeing them fly into each other's arms in a transport. 'After all my misfortunes,' cried my son George, 'to be thus rewarded! Sure this is more than I could ever have presumed to hope for. To be possessed of all that's good, and after such an interval of pain! My warmest wishes could never rise so high!'--'Yes, my George,' returned his lovely bride, 'now let the wretch take my fortune; since you are happy without it so am I. O what an exchange have I made from the basest of men to the dearest best!--Let him enjoy our fortune, I now can be happy even in indigence.'--'And I promise you,' cried the 'Squire, with a malicious grin, 'that I shall be very happy with what you despise.'--'Hold, hold, Sir,' cried Jenkinson, 'there are two words to that bargain. As for that lady's fortune, Sir, you shall never touch a single stiver of it. Pray your honour,' continued he to Sir William, 'can the 'Squire have this lady's fortune if he be married to another?'-- 'How can you make such a simple demand,' replied the Baronet, 'undoubtedly he cannot.'--'I am sorry for that,' cried Jenkinson; 'for as this gentleman and I have been old fellow spotters, I have a friendship for him. But I must declare, well as I love him, that his contract is not worth a tobacco stopper, for he is married already.'--'You lie, like a rascal,' returned the 'Squire, who seemed rouzed by this insult, 'I never was legally married to any woman.'--'Indeed, begging your honour's pardon,' replied the other, 'you were; and I hope you will shew a proper return of friendship to your own honest Jenkinson, who brings you a wife, and if the company restrains their curiosity a few minutes, they shall see her.'--So saying he went off with his usual celerity, and left us all unable to form any probable conjecture as to his design.--'Ay let him go,' cried the 'Squire, 'whatever else I may have done I defy him there. I am too old now to be frightened with squibs.'
'I am surprised,' said the Baronet, 'what the fellow can intend by this. Some low piece of humour I suppose!'--'Perhaps, Sir,' replied I, 'he may have a more serious meaning. For when we reflect on the various schemes this gentleman has laid to seduce innocence, perhaps some one more artful than the rest has been found able to deceive him. When we consider what numbers he has ruined, how many parents now feel with anguish the infamy and the contamination which he has brought into their families, it would not surprise me if some one of them--Amazement! Do I see my lost daughter! Do I hold her! It is, it is my life, my happiness. I thought thee lost, my Olivia, yet still I hold thee--and still thou shalt live to bless me.'--The warmest transports of the fondest lover were not greater than mine when I saw him introduce my child, and held my daughter in my arms, whose silence only spoke her raptures. 'And art thou returned to me, my darling,' cried I, 'to be my comfort in age!'--'That she is,' cried Jenkinson,
'Sir William,' replied the old gentleman, 'be assured I never yet forced her inclinations, nor will I now. If she still continues to love this young gentleman, let her have him with all my heart. There is still, thank heaven, some fortune left, and your promise will make it something more. Only let my old friend here (meaning me) give me a promise of settling six thousand pounds upon my girl, if ever he should come to his fortune, and I am ready this night to be the first to join them together.'
As it now remained with me to make the young couple happy, I readily gave a promise of making the settlement he required, which, to one who had such little expectations as I, was no great favour. We had now therefore the satisfaction of seeing them fly into each other's arms in a transport. 'After all my misfortunes,' cried my son George, 'to be thus rewarded! Sure this is more than I could ever have presumed to hope for. To be possessed of all that's good, and after such an interval of pain! My warmest wishes could never rise so high!'--'Yes, my George,' returned his lovely bride, 'now let the wretch take my fortune; since you are happy without it so am I. O what an exchange have I made from the basest of men to the dearest best!--Let him enjoy our fortune, I now can be happy even in indigence.'--'And I promise you,' cried the 'Squire, with a malicious grin, 'that I shall be very happy with what you despise.'--'Hold, hold, Sir,' cried Jenkinson, 'there are two words to that bargain. As for that lady's fortune, Sir, you shall never touch a single stiver of it. Pray your honour,' continued he to Sir William, 'can the 'Squire have this lady's fortune if he be married to another?'-- 'How can you make such a simple demand,' replied the Baronet, 'undoubtedly he cannot.'--'I am sorry for that,' cried Jenkinson; 'for as this gentleman and I have been old fellow spotters, I have a friendship for him. But I must declare, well as I love him, that his contract is not worth a tobacco stopper, for he is married already.'--'You lie, like a rascal,' returned the 'Squire, who seemed rouzed by this insult, 'I never was legally married to any woman.'--'Indeed, begging your honour's pardon,' replied the other, 'you were; and I hope you will shew a proper return of friendship to your own honest Jenkinson, who brings you a wife, and if the company restrains their curiosity a few minutes, they shall see her.'--So saying he went off with his usual celerity, and left us all unable to form any probable conjecture as to his design.--'Ay let him go,' cried the 'Squire, 'whatever else I may have done I defy him there. I am too old now to be frightened with squibs.'
'I am surprised,' said the Baronet, 'what the fellow can intend by this. Some low piece of humour I suppose!'--'Perhaps, Sir,' replied I, 'he may have a more serious meaning. For when we reflect on the various schemes this gentleman has laid to seduce innocence, perhaps some one more artful than the rest has been found able to deceive him. When we consider what numbers he has ruined, how many parents now feel with anguish the infamy and the contamination which he has brought into their families, it would not surprise me if some one of them--Amazement! Do I see my lost daughter! Do I hold her! It is, it is my life, my happiness. I thought thee lost, my Olivia, yet still I hold thee--and still thou shalt live to bless me.'--The warmest transports of the fondest lover were not greater than mine when I saw him introduce my child, and held my daughter in my arms, whose silence only spoke her raptures. 'And art thou returned to me, my darling,' cried I, 'to be my comfort in age!'--'That she is,' cried Jenkinson,