Free The Vicar of Wakefield by Oliver Goldsmith Page A

welcome, Moses; well, my boy, what have you brought us from the fair?”—“I have brought you myself,” cried Moses, with a sly look, and resting the box on the dresser.—“Ay, Moses,” cried my wife, “that we know, but where is the horse?” “I have sold him,” cried Moses, “for three pounds five shillings and two-pence.”—“Well done, my good boy,” returned she, “I knew you would touch them off. Between ourselves, three pounds five shillings and two-pence is no bad day’s work. Come, let us have it then.”—“I have brought back no money,” cried Moses again. “I have laid it all out in a bargain, and here it is,” pulling out a bundle from his breast: “here they are; a groce of green spectacles, with silver rims and shagreen cases.”—“A groce of green spectacles!” repeated my wife in a faint voice. “And you have parted with the Colt, and brought us back nothing but a groce of green paltry spectacles!”—“Dear mother,” cried the boy, “why won’t you listen to reason? I had them a dead bargain, or I should not have bought them. The silver rims alone will sell for double money.”—“A fig for the silver rims,” cried my wife, in a passion: “I dare swear they won’t sell for above half the money at the rate of broken silver, five shillings an ounce.”—“You need be under no uneasiness,” cried I, “about selling the rims; for they are not worth six-pence, for I perceive they are only copper varnished over.”—“What,” cried my wife, “not silver, the rims not silver!” “No,” cried I, “no more silver than your saucepan,”—“And so,” returned she, “we have parted with the Colt, and have only got a groce of green spectacles, with copper rims and shagreen cases! A murrain take such trumpery. The blockhead has been imposed upon, and should have known his company better.”—“There, my dear,” cried I, “you are wrong, he should not have known them at all.”—“Marry, hang the ideot,” returned she, “to bring me such stuff, if I had them, I would throw them in the fire.” “There again you are wrong, my dear,” cried I; “for though they be copper, we will keep them by us, as copper spectacles, you know, are better than nothing.”
    By this time the unfortunate Moses was undeceived. He now saw that he had indeed been imposed upon by a prowling sharper, who, observing his figure, had marked him for an easy prey. I therefore asked the circumstances of his deception. He sold the horse, it seems, and walked the fair in search of another. A reverend looking man brought him to a tent, under pretence of having one to sell. “Here,” continued Moses, “we met another man, very well drest, who desired to borrow twenty pounds upon these, saying, that he wanted money, and would dispose of them for a third of the value. The first gentleman, who pretended to be my friend, whispered me to buy them, and cautioned me not to let so good an offer pass. I sent for Mr. Flamborough, and they talked him up as finely as they did me, and so at last we were persuaded to buy the two groce between us.”

CHAPTER 13
Mr. Burchell is found to be an enemy; for he has the confidence to give disagreeable advice
    OUR FAMILY had now made several attempts to be fine; but some unforeseen disaster demolished each as soon as projected. I endeavoured to take the advantage of every disappointment, to improve their good sense in proportion as they were frustrated in ambition. “You see, my children,” cried I, “how little is to be got by attempts to impose upon the world, in coping with our betters. Such as are poor and will associate with none but the rich, are hated by those they avoid, and despised by these they follow.