The Expedition of Humphry ClinkerSmollett, T. (Tobias)
General
The Expedition of Humphry Clinker
Smollett, T. (Tobias)
Epistolary fiction; Great Britain -- Fiction; Travelers -- Fiction
The nuptial peal of noise and nonsense being rung out in all the usual
changes, Mr Baynard thought it high time to make her acquainted with
the particulars of the plan which he had projected--He told her that his
fortune, though sufficient to afford all the comforts of life, was not
ample enough to command all the superfluities of pomp and pageantry,
which, indeed, were equally absurd and intolerable--He therefore hoped
she would have no objection to their leaving London in the spring, when
he would take the opportunity to dismiss some unnecessary domestics,
whom he had hired for the occasion of their marriage--She heard him in
silence, and after some pause, ‘So (said she) I am to be buried in the
country!’ He was so confounded at this reply, that he could not speak
for some minutes: at length he told her, he was much mortified to find
he had proposed anything that was disagreeable to her ideas--‘I am sure
(added he) I meant nothing more than to lay down a comfortable plan of
living within the bounds of our fortune, which is but moderate.’ ‘Sir
(said she), you are the best judge of your own affairs--My fortune,
I know, does not exceed twenty thousand pounds--Yet, even with that
pittance, I might have had a husband who would not have begrudged me a
house in London’--‘Good God! my dear (cried poor Baynard, in the
utmost agitation), you don’t think me so sordid--I only hinted what I
thought--But, I don’t pretend to impose--’ ‘Yes, sir (resumed the lady),
it is your prerogative to command, and my duty to obey’ So saying, she
burst into tears and retired to her chamber, where she was joined by her
aunt--He endeavoured to recollect himself, and act with vigour of mind
on this occasion; but was betrayed by the tenderness of his nature,
which was the greatest defect of his constitution. He found the aunt
in tears, and the niece in a fit, which held her the best part of eight
hours, at the expiration of which, she began to talk incoherently about
death and her dear husband, who had sat by her all this time, and now
pressed her hand to his lips, in a transport of grief and penitence
for the offence he had given--From thence forward, he carefully avoided
mentioning the country; and they continued to be sucked deeper and
deeper into the vortex of extravagance and dissipation, leading what
is called a fashionable life in town--About the latter end of July,
however, Mrs Baynard, in order to exhibit a proof of conjugal obedience,
desired of her own accord, that they might pay a visit to his country
house, as there was no company left in London. He would have excused
himself from this excursion which was no part of the oeconomical plan he
had proposed; but she insisted upon making this sacrifice to his taste
and prejudices, and away they went with such an equipage as astonished
the whole country. All that remained of the season was engrossed by
receiving and returning visits in the neighbourhood; and, in
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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