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unfortunate to come and take shelter under him; so that before my uncle Toby had half finished the kind offers he was making to the father, the son had insensibly pressed up close to his knees,1 and had taken hold of the breast of his coat, and was pulling it 2 towards him. The blood and spirits of Lefevre, which were waxing cold and slow3 within him, and were retreating to their last citadel, the heart, rallied back; the film forsook his eye 5 for a moment, he looked up wistfully in my uncle Toby's face, then cast a look upon his boy, and that ligament, fine as it was,? was never broken.

6

Nature instantly ebbed again;8 the film returned to its place, the pulse fluttered, stopped, went on,10 throbbed: stopped again, moved, stopped: shall I go on 11 No.(STERNE, Tristram Shandy.)

SCENE FROM "SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER."

[Young Marlow and his acquaintance, Hastings, are travelling together to visit Mr. Hardcastle, an old friend of Marlow's father, who expects them, but is personally unknown to both of them. Marlow is intended as a husband for Hardcastle's daughter. They lose their way after dusk, and are directed to Mr. H.'s house, where, on being told by a mischievous boy that it is the nearest inn, they at once make up their minds to pass the night, with the intention of continuing their journey on the next day. It is well known that Goldsmith once made this same blunder, of taking an old friend of his father for an innkeeper, under circumstances somewhat like those which he has here so cleverly portrayed.]

Hard. Gentlemen, once more you are heartily welcome. Which is Mr. Marlow? [MAR. advances.] Sir, you're heartily welcome. It's not my way, you see, to receive my friends

1 contre les genoux du vieillard. 2 l'avait saisi aux revers de l'habit, et l'attirait.

3 to wax cold,' se refroidir; 'to wax slow,' se ralentir.

See page 6, note 13; turn, rallied and retraced their steps.' 5 the film which covered his

eyes forsook them.'

6 he raised thern wistfully (avec anxiété) on.'

7 et ce lien, tout faible qu'il était.
8 eut un nouveau reflux.
9 tressaillit.

10 se remit en marche.
11 Poursuivrai-je ?

with my back to the fire! I like to give them a hearty reception, in the old style,1 at my gate; I like to see their horses and trunks taken care of.

Mar. [Aside.] He has got our names from the servants already. [To HARD.] We approve your caution and hospitality, sir. [To HAST.] I have been thinking, George, of changing our travelling dresses in the morning; I am grown confoundedly ashamed of mine.

Hard. I beg, Mr. Marlow, you'll use no ceremony in

this house.

Hast. I fancy, Charles, you're right: the first blow is half the battle. We must, however, open the campaign.

Hard. Mr. Marlow-Mr. Hastings-gentlemen- pray be under no restraint in this house.2 This is Libertyhail, gentlemen; you may do just as you please here.

Mar. Yet, George, if we open the campaign too fiercely at first, we may want ammunition before it is over. We must show our generalship by securing, if necessary, a

retreat.

4

Hard. Your talking of a retreat, Mr. Marlow, puts me in mind of the Duke of Marlborough, when he went to besiege Denain. He first summoned the garrison

Mar. Ay, and we'll summon your garrison, old boy.7 Hard. He first summoned the garrison, which might consist of about five thousand men

Hast. Marlow, what's o'clock ?

Hard. I say, gentlemen, as I was telling you, he summoned the garrison, which might consist of about five thousand men

Mar. Five minutes to seven.9

Hard. Which might consist of about five thousand men, well appointed with stores, ammunition, and other

1 à l'antique.

2 je vous en prie, ne vous gênez

pas.

berté.

C'est ici le palais de la Li

Ce mot de retraite.

5 me rappelle.

7 mon vieux.

8 'I say,' &c.; simply, Comme je vous disais, messieurs.

9 Sept heures moins cinq minutes (or, simply, cinq). The word minutes (from five upwards) is often understood, in French; but heures

6 nous aussi, nous, &c.; see page is never so, as 'o'clock' frequently

43, note.

is in English.

implements of war. Now, says the Duke of Marlborough to George Brooks, that stood next to him-you must have heard of George Brooks—" I'll pawn my dukedom," says he, "but 3 I take that garrison without spilling a drop of blood." So

Mar. What? My good friend, if you give us a glass of punch in the meantime, it would help us to carry on the siege with vigour.

Hard. Punch, sir!-This is the most unaccountable kind of modesty I ever met with.5 [Aside.]

Mar. Yes, sir, punch. A glass of warm punch after our journey will be comfortable.6

[Enter Servant, with a tankard.]

This is Liberty-hall, you know.

Hard. Here's a cup, sir.

Mar. So this fellow, in his Liberty-hall, will only let us have just what he pleases. [Aside to HAST.]

Hard. [Taking the cup.] I hope you'll find it to your mind. I have prepared it with my own hands, and I believe you'll own the ingredients are tolerable. Will you

be so good as to pledge me,10 sir? Here,11 Mr. Marlow, here is to our better acquaintance.12 [Drinks and gives the cup to MARLOW.]

Mar. A very impudent fellow this ; 13 racter, 14 and I'll humour him a little. service to you.15

but he's a cha[Aside.] Sir, my

Hast. I see this fellow wants to give us

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16 his company,

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and forgets that he's an innkeeper, before he has learned to be a gentleman.1 [Aside.]

Mar. From the excellence of your cup, my old friend, I suppose you have a good deal of business in this part of the country.2 Warm work, now and then, at elections, I suppose. [Gives the tankard to HARDCASTLE.]

Hard. No, sir, I have long given that work over. Since our betters have hit upon the expedient of electing each other, there's no business for us that sell ale. [Gives the tankard to HASTINGS.]

Hast. So you have no turn for politics, I find.

Hard. Not in the least. There was a time, indeed, I fretted myself about the mistakes of government, like other people; but finding myself every day grow more angry, and the government growing no better," I left it to mend itself. Since that, I no more trouble my head about who's in or who's out,1 10 than I do about John Nokes or Tom Stiles. So my service to you.

Hast. So that, with eating above stairs and drinking below, with receiving your friends within, and amusing1 them without, you lead a good, pleasant, bustling life of

it. 13

Hard. I do stir about a good deal,14 that's certain Half the differences of the parish are adjusted in this very parlour.

Mar. [After drinking.]

1 les manières d'un homme comme il faut.

2 je m'imagine que vous devez avoir beaucoup à faire (or, beaucoup de besogne) dans cet endroit.

3 Sans doute (or, Je suppose) que vous travaillez chaudement aux élections de temps en temps (or, de temps à autre)? 4 See p. 48, n. 13.

5 Turn, there is nothing more to do for us (page 65, note 2) landlords (propriétaires, here), who sell our ale.'

6 Ainsi donc, à ce que je vois, vous n'avez aucun gout pour la politique.

And you have an argument in

7 sans que le gouvernement en allat mieux.

8 s'amender tout seul.

je ne me mets pas plus en peine de savoir.

10 qui est au pouvoir et qui n'y est point.

11 avec ceux qui mangent au premier, et ceux qui boivent au rez-dechaussée.

12between the occupation of receiving and that of amusing.'

13 Leave these two words out. 14 I give myself much movement.'

your cup, old gentleman, better than any in Westminster-hall.2

Hard. Ay, young gentleman, that, and3 a little phi losophy.

Mar. Well, that is the first time I ever heard of an innkeeper's philosophy. [Aside.]

Hast. So then, like an experienced general, you attack them on every quarter. If you find their reason manageable, you attack them with your philosophy; if you find they have no reason, you attack them with this. Here's your health, my philosopher. [Drinks.]

Hard. Good, very good; thank you; ha! ha! Your generalship puts me in mind of Prince Eugene, when he fought the Turks at the battle of Belgrade. You shall hear. 5

Mar. Instead of the battle of Belgrade, I think it's almost time to talk about supper. What has your philosophy got in the house for supper?

Hard. For supper, sir?-Was ever such a request to a man in his own house? [Aside.]

Mar. Yes, sir, supper, sir ;7 I begin to feel an appetite.8 I shall make devilish work to-night in 10 the larder, I promise you.

Hard. Such a brazen dog sure never my eyes beheld.11 [Aside.] Why, really,12 sir, as for supper, I can't well tell.13 My Dorothy and the cookmaid settle these things between them. I leave these kind of things entirely to them. ✔ Mar. You do, do you 214 Hard. Entirely. By-the-by,15 I believe they are in

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