memoirs of carwin the biloquist-第10章

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th　one　for　whom　she　had　desired　me　to　look　out。　　You　must　know　that　her　father　was　one　of　these　singular　men　who　set　a　value　upon　things　exactly　in　proportion　to　the　difficulty　of　obtaining　or　comprehending　them。　His　passion　was　for　antiques；　and　his　favourite　pursuit　during　a　long　life　was　monuments　in　brass；　marble；　and　parchment；　of　the　remotest　antiquity。　　He　was　wholly　indifferent　to　the　character　or　conduct　of　our　present　sovereign　and　his　ministers；　but　was　extremely　solicitous　about　the　name　and　exploits　of　a　king　of　Ireland　that　lived　two　or　three　centuries　before　the　flood。　　He　felt　no　curiosity　to　know　who　was　the　father　of　his　wife's　child；　but　would　travel　a　thousand　miles；　and　consume　months；　in　investigating　which　son　of　Noah　it　was　that　first　landed　on　the　coast　of　Munster。　　He　would　give　a　hundred　guineas　from　the　mint　for　a　piece　of　old　decayed　copper　no　bigger　than　his　nail；　provided　it　had　aukward　characters　upon　it；　too　much　defaced　to　be　read。　The　whole　stock　of　a　great　bookseller　was；　in　his　eyes；　a　cheap　exchange　for　a　shred　of　parchment；　containing　half　a　homily　written　by　St。　　Patrick。　　He　would　have　gratefully　given　all　his　patrimonial　domains　to　one　who　should　inform　him　what　pendragon　or　druid　it　was　who　set　up　the　first　stone　on　Salisbury　plain。

This　spirit；　as　you　may　readily　suppose；　being　seconded　by　great　wealth　and　long　life；　contributed　to　form　a　very　large　collection　of　venerable　lumber；　which；　though　beyond　all　price　to　the　collector　himself；　is　of　no　value　to　his　heiress　but　so　far　as　it　is　marketable。　　She　designs　to　bring　the　whole　to　auction；　but　for　this　purpose　a　catalogue　and　description　are　necessary。　　Her　father　trusted　to　a　faithful　memory；　and　to　vague　and　scarcely　legible　memorandums；　and　has　left　a　very　arduous　task　to　any　one　who　shall　be　named　to　the　office。　　It　occurred　to　me；　that　the　best　means　of　promoting　your　views　was　to　recommend　you　to　this　office。

You　are　not　entirely　without　the　antiquarian　frenzy　yourself。　The　employment；　therefore；　will　be　somewhat　agreeable　to　you　for　its　own　sake。　　It　will　entitle　you　to　become　an　inmate　of　the　same　house；　and　thus　establish　an　incessant　intercourse　between　you；　and　the　nature　of　the　business　is　such；　that　you　may　perform　it　in　what　time；　and　with　what　degree　of　diligence　and　accuracy　you　please。

I　ventured　to　insinuate　that；　to　a　woman　of　rank　and　family；　the　character　of　a　hireling　was　by　no　means　a　favourable　recommendation。

He　answered；　that　he　proposed；　by　the　account　he　should　give　of　me；　to　obviate　every　scruple　of　that　nature。　　Though　my　father　was　no　better　than　a　farmer；　it　is　not　absolutely　certain　but　that　my　remoter　ancestors　had　princely　blood　in　their　veins：　　but　as　long　as　proofs　of　my　low　extraction　did　not　impertinently　intrude　themselves；　my　silence；　or；　at　most；　equivocal　surmises；　seasonably　made　use　of；　might　secure　me　from　all　inconveniences　on　the　score　of　birth。　　He　should　represent　me；　and　I　was　such；　as　his　friend；　favourite；　and　equal；　and　my　passion　for　antiquities　should　be　my　principal　inducement　to　undertake　this　office；　though　my　poverty　would　make　no　objection　to　a　reasonable　pecuniary　recompense。

Having　expressed　my　acquiescence　in　his　measures；　he　thus　proceeded：　　My　visit　was　made　to　my　kinswoman；　for　the　purpose；　as　I　just　now　told　you；　of　paving　your　way　into　her　family；　but；　on　my　arrival　at　her　house；　I　found　nothing　but　disorder　and　alarm。　　Mrs。　Benington；　it　seems；　on　returning　from　a　longer　ride　than　customary；　last　Thursday　evening；　was　attacked　by　robbers。　　Her　attendants　related　an　imperfect　tale　of　somebody　advancing　at　the　critical　moment　to　her　rescue。　　It　seems；　however；　they　did　more　harm　than　good；　for　the　horses　took　to　flight　and　overturned　the　carriage；　in　consequence　of　which　Mrs。　Benington　was　severely　bruised。　　She　has　kept　her　bed　ever　since；　and　a　fever　was　likely　to　ensue；　which　has　only　left　her　out　of　danger　to…day。

As　the　adventure　before　related；　in　which　I　had　so　much　concern；　occurred　at　the　time　mentioned　by　Ludloe；　and　as　all　other　circumstances　were　alike；　I　could　not　doubt　that　the　person　whom　the　exertion　of　my　mysterious　powers　had　relieved　was　Mrs。　Benington：　　but　what　an　ill…omened　interference　was　mine！　　The　robbers　would　probably　have　been　satisfied　with　the　few　guineas　in　her　purse；　and；　on　receiving　these；　would　have　left　her　to　prosecute　her　journey　in　peace　and　security；　but；　by　absurdly　offering　a　succour；　which　could　only　operate　upon　the　fears　of　her　assailants；　I　endangered　her　life；　first　by　the　desperate　discharge　of　a　pistol；　and　next　by　the　fright　of　the　horses。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　My　anxiety；　which　would　have　been　less　if　I　had　not　been；　in　some　degree；　myself　the　author　of　the　evil；　was　nearly　removed　by　Ludloe's　proceeding　to　assure　me　that　all　danger　was　at　an　end；　and　that　he　left　the　lady　in　the　road　to　perfect　health。　　He　had　seized　the　earliest　opportunity　of　acquainting　her　with　the　purpose　of　his　visit；　and　had　brought　back　with　him　her　cheerful　acceptance　of　my　services。　　The　next　week　was　appointed　for　my　introduction。

With　such　an　object　in　view；　I　had　little　leisure　to　attend　to　any　indifferent　object。　　My　thoughts　were　continually　bent　upon　the　expected　introduction；　and　my　impatience　and　curiosity　drew　strength；　not　merely　from　the　character　of　Mrs。　Benington；　but　from　the　nature　of　my　new　employment。　　Ludloe　had　truly　observed；　that　I　was　infected　with　somewhat　of　this　antiquarian　mania　myself；　and　I　now　remembered　that　Benington　had　frequently　alluded　to　this　collection　in　possession　of　his　wife。　　My　curiosity　had　then　been　more　than　once　excited　by　his　representations；　and　I　had　formed　a　vague　resolution　of　making　myself　acquainted　with　this　lady　and　her　learned　treasure；　should　I　ever　return　to　Ireland。　。　。　。　。　　Other　incidents　had　driven　this　matter　from　my　mind。

Meanwhile；　affairs　between　Ludloe　and　myself　remained　stationary。　　Our　conferences；　which　were　regular　and　daily；　related　to　general　topics；　and　though　his　instructions　were　adapted　to　promote　my　improvement　in　the　most　useful　branches　of　knowledge；　they　never　afforded　a　glimpse　towards　that　quarter　where　my　curiosity　was　most　active。

The　next　week　now　arrived；　but　Ludloe　informed　me　that　the　state　of　Mrs。　Benington's　health　required　a　short　excursion　into　the　country；　and　that　he　himself　proposed　to　bear　her　company。　　The　journey　was　to　last　about　a　fortnight；　after　which　I　might　prepare　myself　for　an　introduction　to　her。

This　was　a　very　unexpected　and　disagreeable　trial　to　my　patience。　　The　interval　of　solitude　that　now　succeeded　would　have　passed　rapidly　and　pleasantly　enough；　if　an　event　of　so　much　moment　were　not　in　suspense。　　Books；　of　which　I　was　passionately　fond；　would　have　afforded　me　delightful　and　incessant　occupation；　and　Ludloe；　by　way　of　reconciling　me　to　unavoidable　delays；　had　given　me　access　to　a　little　closet；　in　which　his　rarer　and　more　valuable　books　were　kept。

All　my　amusements；　both　by　inclination　and　necessity；　were　centered　in　myself　and　at　home。　　Ludloe　appeared　to　have　no　visitants；　and　though　frequently　abroad；　or　at　least　secluded　from　me；　had　never　proposed　my　introduction　to　any　of　his　friends；　except　Mrs。　Benington。　　My　obligations　to　him　were　already　too　great　to　allow　me　to　lay　claim　to　new　favours　and　indulgences；　nor；　indeed；　was　my　disposition　such　as　to　make　society　needful　to　my　happiness。　　My　character　had　been；　in　some　degree；　modelled　by　the　faculty　which　I　possessed。　　This　deriving　all　its　supposed　value　from　impenetrable　secrecy；　and　Ludloe's　admonitions　tending　powerfully　to　impress　me　with　the　necessity　of　wariness　and　circumspection　in　my　general　intercourse　with　mankind；　I　had　gradually　fallen　into　sedate；　reserved；　mysterious；　and　unsociable　habits。　　My　heart　wanted　not　a　friend。

In　this　temper　of　mind；　I　set　myself　to　examine　the　novelties　which　Ludloe's　private　book…cases　contained。　　'Twill　be　strange；　thought　I；　if　his　favourite　volume　do　not　show　some　marks　of　my　friend's　character。　　To　know　a　man's　favourite　or　most　constant　studies　cannot　fail　of　letting　in　some　little　light　upon　his　secret　thoughts；　and　though　he　would　not　have　given　me　the　reading　of　these　books；　if　he　had　thought　them　capable　of　unveiling　more　of　his　concerns　than　he　wished；　yet　possibly　my　ingenuity　may　go　one　step　farther　than　he　dreams　of。　　You　shall　judge　whether　I　was　right　in　my　conjectures。



Chapter　IX。


The　books　which　composed　this　little　library　were　chiefly　the　voyages　and　travels　of　the　missionaries　of　the　sixteenth　and　seventeenth　centuries。　　Added　to　these　were　some　works　upon　political　economy　and　legislation。　　Those　writers　who　have　amused　themselves　with　reducing　their　ideas　to　practice；　and　drawing　imaginary　pictures　of　nations　or　republics；　whose　manners　or　government　came　up　to　their　standard　of　excellence；　were；　all　of　whom　I　had　ever　heard；　and　some　I　had　never　heard　of　before；　to　be　found　in　this　collection。　　A　translation　of　Aristotle's　republic；　the　political　romances　of　sir　Thomas　Moore；　Harrington；　and　Hume；　appeared　to　have　been　much　read；　and　Ludlow　had　not　been　sparing　of　his　marginal　comments。　　In　these　writers　he　appeared　to　find　nothing　but　error　and　absurdity；　and　his　notes　were　introduced　for　no　other　end　than　to　point　out　groundless　principles　and　false　conclusions。　。　。　。　。　　The　style　of　these　remarks　was　already　familiar　to　me。　　I　saw　nothing　new　in　them；　or　different　from　the　strain　of　those　speculations　with　which　Ludlow　was　accustomed　to　indulge　himself　in　conversation　with　me。

After　having　turned　over　the　leaves　of　the　printed　volumes；　I　at　length　lighted　on　a　small　book　of　maps；　from　which；　of　course；　I　could　reasonably　expect　no　information；　on　that　point　about　which　I　was　most　curious。　　It　was　an　atlas；　in　which　the　maps　had　been　drawn　by　the　pen。　　None　of　them　contained　any　thing　remarkable；　so　far　as　I；　who　was　indeed　a　smatterer　in　geography；　was　able　to　perceive；　till　I　came　to　the　end；　when　I　noticed　a　map；　whose　prototype　I　was　wholly　unacquainted　with。　　It　was　drawn　on　a　pretty　large　scale；　representing　two　islands；　which　bore　some　faint　resemblance；　in　their　relative　proportions；　at　least；　to　Great　Britain　and　Ireland。　　In　shape　they　were　widely　different；　but　as　to　size　there　was　no　scale　by　which　to　measure　them。　　From　the　great　number　of　subdivisions；　and　from　signs；　which　apparently　represented　towns　and　cities；　I　was　allowed　to　infer；　that　the　country　was　at　least　as　extensive　as　the　British　isles。　　This　map　was　apparently　unfinished；　for　it　had　no　names　inscribed　upon　it。

I　have　just　said；　my　geographical　knowledge　was　imperfect。　Though　I　had　not　enough　to　draw　the　outlines　of　any　country　by　memory；　I　had　still　sufficient　to　recognize　what　I　had　before　seen；　and　to　discover　that　none　of　the　larger　islands　in　our　globe　resembled　the　one　before　me。　　Having　such　and　so　strong　motives　to　curiosity；　you　may　easily　imagine　my　sensations　on　surveying　this　map。　　Suspecting；　as　I　did；　that　many　of　Ludlow's　intimations　alluded　to　a　country　well　known　to　him；　though　unknown　to　others；　I　was；　of　course；　inclined　to　suppose　that　this　country　was　now　before　me。

In　search　of　some　clue　to　this　mystery；　I　carefully　inspected　the　other　maps　in　this　collection。　　In　a　m