登陆注册
5246000000318

第318章 Chapter 8(1)

What passed between Jones and old Mr. Nightingale; with the arrival of a person not yet mentioned in this history Notwithstanding the sentiment of the Roman satirist, which denies the divinity of fortune, and the opinion of Seneca to the same purpose; Cicero, who was, I believe, a wiser man than either of them, expressly holds the contrary; and certain it is, there are some incidents in life so very strange and unaccountable, that it seems to require more than human skill and foresight in producing them.

Of this kind was what now happened to Jones, who found Mr.

Nightingale the elder in so critical a minute, that Fortune, if she was really worthy all the worship she received at Rome, could not have contrived such another. In short, the old gentleman, and the father of the young lady whom he intended for his son, had been hard at it for many hours; and the latter was just now gone, and had left the former delighted with the thoughts that he had succeeded in a long contention, which had been between the two fathers of the future bride and bridegroom; in which both endeavoured to overreach the other, and, as it not rarely happens in such cases, both had retreated fully satisfied of having obtained the victory.

This gentleman, whom Mr. Jones now visited, was what they call a man of the world; that is to say, a man who directs his conduct in this world as one who, being fully persuaded there is no other, is resolved to make the most of this. In his early years he had been bred to trade; but, having acquired a very good fortune, he had lately declined his business; or, to speak more properly, had changed it from dealing in goods, to dealing only in money, of which he had always a plentiful fund at command, and of which he knew very well how to make a very plentiful advantage, sometimes of the necessities of private men, and sometimes of those of the public. He had indeed conversed so intirely with money, that it may be almost doubted whether he imagined there was any other thing really existing in the world; this at least may be certainly averred, that he firmly believed nothing else to have any real value.

The reader will, I fancy, allow that Fortune could not have culled out a more improper person for Mr. Jones to attack with any probability of success; nor could the whimsical lady have directed this attack at a more unseasonable time.

As money then was always uppermost in this gentleman's thoughts, so the moment he saw a stranger within his doors, it immediately occurred to his imagination, that such stranger was either come to bring him money, or to fetch it from him. And according as one or other of these thoughts prevailed, he conceived a favourable or unfavourable idea of the person who approached him.

Unluckily for Jones, the latter of these was the ascendant at present; for as a young gentleman had visited him the day before, with a bill from his son for a play debt, he apprehended, at the first sight of Jones, that he was come on such another errand. Jones therefore had no sooner told him that he was come on his son's account, than the old gentleman, being confirmed in his suspicion, burst forth into an exclamation, "That he would lose his labour.""Is it then possible, sir," answered Jones, "that you can guess my business?" "If I do guess it," replied the other, "I repeat again to you, you will lose your labour. What, I suppose you are one of those sparks who lead my son into all those scenes of riot and debauchery, which will be his destruction? but I shall pay no more of his bills, Ipromise you. I expect he will quit all such company for the future. If I had imagined otherwise, I should not have provided a wife for him;for I would be instrumental in the ruin of nobody." "How, sir," said Jones, "and was this lady of your providing?" "Pray, sir," answered the old gentleman, "how comes it to be any concern of yours?"- "Nay, dear sir," replied Jones, "be not offended that I interest myself in what regards your son's happiness, for whom I have so great an honour and value. It was upon that very account I came to wait upon you. I can't express the satisfaction you have given me by what you say; for I do assure you, your son is a person for whom I have the highest honour.- Nay, sir, it is not easy to express the esteem Ihave for you; who could be so generous, so good, so kind, so indulgent to provide such a match for your son; a woman, who, I dare swear, will make him one of the happiest men upon earth."There is scarce anything which so happily introduces men to our good liking, as having conceived some alarm at their first appearance; when once those apprehensions begin to vanish, we soon forget the fears which they occasioned, and look on ourselves as indebted for our present ease to those very persons who at first raised our fears.

Thus it happened to Nightingale, who no sooner found that Jones had no demand on him, as he suspected, than he began to be pleased with his presence. "Pray, good sir," said he, "be pleased to sit down.

同类推荐
  • 吴普本草

    吴普本草

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 季冬纪

    季冬纪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 大巍禅师竹室集

    大巍禅师竹室集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 纪事杂录外编

    纪事杂录外编

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 登泰山记

    登泰山记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 快穿男神喝汤吗

    快穿男神喝汤吗

    【1v1】有个日常作死的男友该如何?答曰:打一顿。这个作死男友是冥王怎么办?孟婆苏娆月面露微笑:照打不误,打完灌汤,反正他不记得。论女神想打自己怎么办?冥王曰:想打哪,我自己伸过去,一次不够多来几次,只要能拐到媳妇!!!#豪门大佬:女神,考虑一下联姻吗?黑化丞相:想谋朝篡位,考虑递个刀吗?人鱼小哥哥:猫儿是我本能所畏惧的,而你是我喜欢的……猫。妖王大人:妖后的位置喜欢吗?要不,玩一下师徒恋?……#冥王原以为被告白拒绝几万次了,追妻之路一定很难。后来他才知道,原来一开始就是两情相悦……【群】:327867763
  • 伪神传说

    伪神传说

    他曾是一位废材,受到了多少白眼;他曾是威仕特的一位少爷,可是就连下人都敢欺负他。终于,他哥哥历经艰辛帮他拿到了一块足以改变他命运的东西——召唤石。可是,就当他能证明自己时,却发现有了实力后,他的命运变得越来越不可测......
  • 决战王妃

    决战王妃

    在社会阶级分明的伊利亚王国,当上王妃是扭转命运的唯一机会。17岁的第五等级姑娘亚美利加被迫选妃,全家人都将希望寄托于她。然而,王妃只有一位,机会仅有一次,而亚美利加最大的筹码是,她不爱王子,也不想要这个位子,所以,她可以做真正的自己。 一辈子只有一次的竞赛,没人愿意乖乖按规则来,女孩们纷纷穿起心机的盔甲,去争夺王冠。亚美利加虽无所求,却不能对盛装华服下埋伏的凶险视而不见。对于她,王子每多一个微笑,每多一次关注,都为她招来更多的嫉恨与敌意。何况,从前的爱人如今成了专门保护她的皇家侍卫,倘若竞争者发现这秘密,哪怕是蛛丝马迹,他们俩就死定了。
  • 非十二子

    非十二子

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 快穿之我是他的未婚妻

    快穿之我是他的未婚妻

    宿主穿越角色为各种被男主抛弃的未婚妻。原以为自己的宿主只是一只愚蠢的宅,结果最后才发现她是一个人就能精分出十个身份的神经病。脾气时好时坏,爱你时把你捧上天不爱你时也能一把刀交代了你。“反正最终任务是让女配的到幸福,要不了你的人就要了你的命,你敢说你不幸福。”主神,我想换宿主!
  • 毒枭枪声

    毒枭枪声

    漫城,在西南边陲,是个不大的城,然而,这个不大的城,最近却是血案连连,以至于每晚六点半,漫城新闻开始,漫城人从女主持人那红润的唇里,都能猜测出,她将会说出什么内容。果然,今天晚上,在女主持人的唇红齿白间,吐出的珠圆玉润的句子,又一次抓住了人们的神经:“今天早上,在城南靠近边境的苍龙山上,又发现了一具尸体,死者是一个胖子,一弹毙命。在死者身上,发现了少量毒品。目前,对于这个案件,警方正在作进一步的深入调查。”又是一枪毙命,这已经是第三个了。
  • 小迷糊撞上大总裁

    小迷糊撞上大总裁

    第一次撞到他,是在一家五星级酒店。他说:“小朋友,走路小心点!”她怒了!正要发飙,却发现他已不知所踪。悲愤啊!她这爱看帅哥的毛病,什么时候才能改过来啊?第二次遇到他,是在她被相亲对象给耍了,没钱买单的时候。他对服务员说:“她的单算我的吧。”她说:“那个……蓝总,谢谢你!”他却冷淡地回了一句:“不客气!”“钱我会还你的!请问要怎么联系你?”“不必了。”他看都没看她一眼,丢下这句话就开着车子绝尘而去。第三次,她在医院里撞到了他,却将他当成透明人,跟他表妹滔滔不绝地述说着自己的遭遇。为了证明情况属实,还敞开外套露出了里面的卡通睡衣。待她反应过来,知道自己做了什么的时候,真恨不得买块豆腐撞死算了,不然找根面条上吊也行。不过,他们怎么这么有缘?如果说一次是意外,两次是偶然,第三次就肯定是缘分了。只是不知道这究竟是姻缘还是孽缘?花絮一:“我要辞职。”“可以,一百万。”“什么?”“合同上写着的,违约金是一百万。”天哪!她签的究竟是劳动合同还是卖身契啊?“你能不这么腹黑么?”“不好意思,这是天生的。”花絮二:“教你一个一夜暴富的方法。”“什么方法?”“嫁给我!我马上分一半家产给你。”本文女主平时迷糊可爱,跟小白兔似的,发起飙来却很恐怖,是典型的深藏不露型。男主冷峻腹黑,深情无限,情有独钟。这是一篇暖文,幽默、温馨和浪漫。想看虐文的亲们请绕路。简介各种无能,欢迎大家戳文,真的很好看哦!
  • 牧令须知

    牧令须知

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 根本说一切有部苾刍尼戒经

    根本说一切有部苾刍尼戒经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 与心灵对话:改变你一生的60个心理实验

    与心灵对话:改变你一生的60个心理实验

    《与心灵对话:改变你一生的60个心理实验》精心寻觅了许多实验,让读者在自然和社会两个层面,透过有趣的林林总总的实验,实现对自我认识的感悟与提升。读经典实验,你会有一种破译成功人生密码的惊喜和幸运。