Нортенгерське абатство
Chapter 9
Why,youdonotsupposeamanisoversetbyabottle?Iamsureofthis—thatifeverybodywastodrinktheirbottleaday,therewouldnotbehalfthedisordersintheworldtherearenow.Itwouldbeafamousgoodthingforusall.”
“Icannotbelieveit.”
“Oh!Lord,itwouldbethesavingofthousands.Thereisnotthehundredthpartofthewineconsumedinthiskingdomthatthereoughttobe.Ourfoggyclimatewantshelp.”
“AndyetIhaveheardthatthereisagreatdealofwinedrunkinOxford.”
“Oxford!ThereisnodrinkingatOxfordnow,Iassureyou.Nobodydrinksthere.Youwouldhardlymeetwithamanwhogoesbeyondhisfourpintsattheutmost.Now,forinstance,itwasreckonedaremarkablething,atthelastpartyinmyrooms,thatuponanaverageweclearedaboutfivepintsahead.Itwaslookeduponassomethingoutofthecommonway.Mineisfamousgoodstuff,tobesure.YouwouldnotoftenmeetwithanythinglikeitinOxford—andthatmayaccountforit.Butthiswilljustgiveyouanotionofthegeneralrateofdrinkingthere.”
“Yes,itdoesgiveanotion,”saidCatherinewarmly,“andthatis,thatyoualldrinkagreatdealmorewinethanIthoughtyoudid.However,IamsureJamesdoesnotdrinksomuch.”
Thisdeclarationbroughtonaloudandoverpoweringreply,ofwhichnopartwasverydistinct,exceptthefrequentexclamations,amountingalmosttooaths,whichadornedit,andCatherinewasleft,whenitended,withratherastrengthenedbeliefoftherebeingagreatdealofwinedrunkinOxford,andthesamehappyconvictionofherbrother’scomparativesobriety.
