the bab ballads(巴布民谣)-第8章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
stare； And ragged hair； And every feature out of all proportion！
Embodiment of echoing inanity！ Excellent type of simpering insanity！
Unwieldy； clumsy nightmare of humanity！ I ring thy knell！
To…night thou diest； Beast that destroy'st my heaven…born identity！
Nine weeks of nights； Before the lights； Swamped in thine own
preposterous nonentity； I've been ill…treated； cursed； and thrashed diurnally；
Credited for the smile you wear externally … I feel disposed to smash thy
face； infernally； As there thou liest！
I've been thy brain： I'VE been the brain that lit thy dull concavity！ The
human race Invest MY face With thine expression of unchecked depravity；
Invested with a ghastly reciprocity； I'VE been responsible for thy
monstrosity； I； for thy wanton； blundering ferocity … But not again！
'T is time to toll Thy knell； and that of follies pantomimical： A nine
weeks' run； And thou hast done All thou canst do to make thyself inimical。
Adieu； embodiment of all inanity！ Excellent type of simpering insanity！
Unwieldy； clumsy nightmare of humanity！ Freed is thy soul！
（THE MASK RESPONDETH。）
Oh！ master mine； Look thou within thee； ere again ill…using me。 Art
thou aware Of nothing there Which might abuse thee； as thou art abusing
me？ A brain that mourns THINE unredeemed rascality？ A soul that weeps
at THY threadbare morality？ Both grieving that THEIR individuality Is
merged in thine？
48
… Page 49…
The Bab Ballads
Ballad： The Force Of Argument
Lord B。 was a nobleman bold Who came of illustrious stocks； He was
thirty or forty years old； And several feet in his socks。
To Turniptopville…by…the…Sea This elegant nobleman went； For that
was a borough that he Was anxious to rep…per…re…sent。
At local assemblies he danced Until he felt thoroughly ill； He waltzed；
and he galoped； and lanced； And threaded the mazy quadrille。
The maidens of Turniptopville Were simple … ingenuous … pure … And
they all worked away with a will The nobleman's heart to secure。
Two maidens all others beyond Endeavoured his cares to dispel … The
one was the lively ANN POND； The other sad MARY MORELL。
ANN POND had determined to try And carry the Earl with a rush； Her
principal feature was eye； Her greatest accomplishment … gush。
And MARY chose this for her play： Whenever he looked in her eye
She'd blush and turn quickly away； And flitter； and flutter； and sigh。
It was noticed he constantly sighed As she worked out the scheme she
had planned； A fact he endeavoured to hide With his aristocratical hand。
Old POND was a farmer； they say； And so was old TOMMY
MORELL。 In a humble and pottering way They were doing exceedingly
well。
They both of them carried by vote The Earl was a dangerous man； So
nervously clearing his throat； One morning old TOMMY began：
〃My darter's no pratty young doll … I'm a plain…spoken Zommerzet man
… Now what do 'ee mean by my POLL； And what do 'ee mean by his
ANN？
Said B。； 〃I will give you my bond I mean them uncommonly well；
Believe me； my excellent POND； And credit me； worthy MORELL。
〃It's quite indisputable； for I'll prove it with singular ease； … You shall
have it in 'Barbara' or 'Celarent' … whichever you please。
'You see； when an anchorite bows To the yoke of intentional sin； If the
state of the country allows； Homogeny always steps in …
〃It's a highly aesthetical bond； As any mere ploughboy can tell … 〃 〃Of
49
… Page 50…
The Bab Ballads
course；〃 replied puzzled old POND。 〃I see；〃 said old TOMMY MORELL。
〃Very good； then；〃 continued the lord； 〃When it's fooled to the top of
its bent； With a sweep of a Damocles sword The web of intention is rent。
〃That's patent to all of us here； As any mere schoolboy can tell。〃
POND answered； 〃Of course it's quite clear〃； And so did that humbug
MORELL。
〃Its tone's esoteric in force … I trust that I make myself clear？〃
MORELL only answered； 〃Of course；〃 While POND slowly muttered；
〃Hear； hear。〃
〃Volition … celestial prize； Pellucid as porphyry cell … Is based on a
principle wise。〃 〃Quite so；〃 exclaimed POND and MORELL。
〃From what I have said you will see That I couldn't wed either … in fine；
By Nature's unchanging decree YOUR daughters could never be MINE。
〃Go home to your pigs and your ricks； My hands of the matter I've
rinsed。〃 So they take up their hats and their sticks； 。 And EXEUNT AMBO；
convinced。
50
… Page 51…
The Bab Ballads
Ballad： The Ghost； The Gallant；
The Gael； And The Goblin
O'er unreclaimed suburban clays Some years ago were hobblin' An
elderly ghost of easy ways； And an influential goblin。 The ghost was a
sombre spectral shape； A fine old five…act fogy； The goblin imp； a lithe
young ape； A fine low…comedy bogy。
And as they exercised their joints； Promoting quick digestion； They
talked on several curious points； And raised this delicate question： 〃Which
of us two is Number One … The ghostie； or the goblin？〃 And o'er the point
they raised in fun They fairly fell a…squabblin'。
They'd barely speak； and each； in fine； Grew more and more reflective：
Each thought his own particular line By chalks the more effective。 At
length they settled some one should By each of them be haunted； And so
arrange that either could Exert his prowess vaunted。
〃The Quaint against the Statuesque〃 … By competition lawful … The
goblin backed the Quaint Grotesque； The ghost the Grandly Awful。 〃Now；〃
said the goblin； 〃here's my plan … In attitude commanding； I see a stalwart
Englishman By yonder tailor's standing。
〃The very fittest man on earth My influence to try on … Of gentle；
p'r'aps of noble birth； And dauntless as a lion！ Now wrap yourself within
your shroud … Remain in easy hearing … Observe … you'll hear him scream
aloud When I begin appearing！
The imp with yell unearthly … wild … Threw off his dark enclosure： His
dauntless victim looked and smiled With singular composure。 For hours he
tried to daunt the youth； For days； indeed； but vainly … The stripling smiled！
… to tell the truth； The stripling smiled inanely。
For weeks the goblin weird and wild； That noble stripling haunted； For
weeks the stripling stood and smiled； Unmoved and all undaunted。 The
sombre ghost exclaimed； 〃Your plan Has failed you； goblin； plainly： Now
watch yon hardy Hieland man； So stalwart and ungainly。
〃These are the men who chase the roe； Whose footsteps never falter；
51
… Page 52…
The Bab Ballads
Who bring with them； where'er they go； A smack of old SIR WALTER。 Of
such as he； the men sublime Who lead their troops victorious； Whose
deeds go down to after…time； Enshrined in annals glorious！
〃Of such as he the bard has said 'Hech thrawfu' raltie rorkie！ Wi' thecht
ta' croonie clapperhead And fash' wi' unco pawkie！' He'll faint away when
I appear； Upon his native heather； Or p'r'aps he'll only scream with fear； Or
p'r'aps the two together。〃
The spectre showed himself； alone； To do his ghostly battling； With
curdling groan and dismal moan； And lots of chains a…rattling！ But no … the
chiel's stout Gaelic stuff Withstood all ghostly harrying； His fingers closed
upon the snuff Which upwards he was carrying。
For days that ghost declined to stir； A foggy shapeless giant … For
weeks that splendid officer Stared back again defiant。 Just as the
Englishman returned The goblin's vulgar staring； Just so the Scotchman
boldly spurned The ghost's unmannered scaring。
For several years the ghostly twain These Britons bold have haunted；
But all their efforts are in vain … Their victims stand undaunted。 This very
day the imp； and ghost； Whose powers the imp derided； Stand each at his
allotted post … The bet is undecided。
52
… Page 53…
The Bab Ballads
Ballad： The Phantom Curate。 A
Fable
A BISHOP once … I will not name his see … Annoyed his clergy in the
mode conventional； From pulpit shackles never set them free； And found a
sin where sin was unintentional。 All pleasures ended in abuse auricular …
The Bishop was so terribly particular。
Though； on the whole； a wise and upright man； He sought to make of
human pleasures clearances； And form his priests on that much…lauded
plan Which pays undue attention to appearances。 He couldn't do good
deeds without a psalm in 'em； Although； in truth； he bore away the palm in
'em。
Enraged to find a deacon at a dance； Or catch a curate at some mild
frivolity； He sought by open censure to enhance Their dread of joining
harmless social jollity。 Yet he enjoyed （a fact of notoriety） The ordinary
pleasures of society。
One evening； sitting at a pantomime （Forbidden treat to those who
stood in fear of him）； Roaring at jokes； SANS metre； sense； or rhyme； He
turned； and saw immediately in rear of him； His peace of mind upsetting；
and annoying it； A curate； also heartily enjoying it。
Again； 't was Christmas Eve； and to enhance His children's pleasure in
their harmless rollicking； He； like a good old fellow； stood to dance； When
something checked the current of his frolicking： That curate； with a maid
he treated lover…ly； Stood up and figured with him in the 〃Coverley！〃
Once； yielding to an universal choice （The company's demand was an
emphatic one； For the old Bishop had a glorious voice）； In a quartet he
joined … an operatic one。 Harmless enough； though ne'er a word of grace in
