But while the captain was one day busied in deep contemplations
of this kind, one of the most unlucky as well as unseasonable
accidents happened to him. The utmost malice
of Fortune could, indeed, have contrived nothing so
cruel, so mal-a-propos, so absolutely destructive
to all his schemes. In short, not to keep the
reader in long suspense, just at the very instant
when his heart was exulting in meditations on the
happiness which would accrue to him by Mr Allworthy’s
death, he himself—died of an apoplexy.
This unfortunately befel the captain as he was taking
his evening walk by himself, so that nobody was present
to lend him any assistance, if indeed, any assistance
could have preserved him. He took, therefore,
measure of that proportion of soil which was now become
adequate to all his future purposes, and he lay dead
on the ground, a great (though not a living) example
of the truth of that observation of Horace:
Tu
secanda marmora
Locas
sub ipsum funus; et sepulchri
Immemor,
struis domos.
Which sentiment I shall thus give to the English reader:
“You provide the noblest materials for building,
when a pickaxe and a spade are only necessary:
and build houses of five hundred by a hundred feet,
forgetting that of six by two.”
A proof of the infallibility of the foregoing receipt,
in the lamentations of the widow; with other suitable
decorations of death, such as physicians, &c., and
an epitaph in the true stile.
Mr Allworthy, his sister, and another lady, were assembled
at the accustomed hour in the supper-room, where,
having waited a considerable time longer than usual,
Mr Allworthy first declared he began to grow uneasy
at the captain’s stay (for he was always most
punctual at his meals); and gave orders that the bell
should be rung without the doors, and especially towards
those walks which the captain was wont to use.
All these summons proving ineffectual (for the captain
had, by perverse accident, betaken himself to a new
walk that evening), Mrs Blifil declared she was seriously
frightened. Upon which the other lady, who was
one of her most intimate acquaintance, and who well
knew the true state of her affections, endeavoured
all she could to pacify her, telling her—To
be sure she could not help being uneasy; but that
she should hope the best. That, perhaps the sweetness
of the evening had inticed the captain to go farther
than his usual walk: or he might be detained
at some neighbour’s. Mrs Blifil answered,
No; she was sure some accident had befallen him; for
that he would never stay out without sending her word,
as he must know how uneasy it would make her.
The other lady, having no other arguments to use, betook
herself to the entreaties usual on such occasions,
and begged her not to frighten herself, for it might
be of very ill consequence to her own health; and,
filling out a very large glass of wine, advised, and
at last prevailed with her to drink it.
