lavengro-第114章

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garden。　　This　was　a　dark　gloomy　structure　in　a　narrow　street；　with　

a　frowning　church　beside　it；　it　was　not　far　from　the　place　where　

our　new　friend　lived；　and　its　being　so　was　probably　the　reason　why　

he　selected　it。　　It　was　furnished　partly　with　articles　which　we　

bought；　and　partly　with　those　which　we　hired。　　We　lived　something　

in　the　same　way　as　at　Naples；　but　though　I　did　not　much　like　

Naples；　I　yet　liked　it　better　than　this　place；　which　was　so　gloomy。　　

Our　new　acquaintance　made　himself　as　agreeable　as　he　could；　

conducting　the　ladies　to　churches　and　convents；　and　frequently　

passing　the　afternoon　drinking　with　the　governor；　who　was　fond　of　a　

glass　of　brandy　and　water　and　a　cigar；　as　the　new　acquaintance　also　

was　…　no；　I　remember；　he　was　fond　of　gin　and　water；　and　did　not　

smoke。　　I　don't　think　he　had　so　much　influence　over　the　young　

ladies　as　the　other　priest；　which　was；　perhaps；　owing　to　his　not　

being　so　good…looking；　but　I　am　sure　he　had　more　influence　with　the　

governor；　owing；　doubtless；　to　his　bearing　him　company　in　drinking　

mixed　liquors；　which　the　other　priest　did　not　do。



'He　was　a　strange　fellow；　that　same　new　acquaintance　of　ours；　and　

unlike　all　the　priests　I　saw　in　that　country；　and　I　saw　plenty　of　

various　nations；　they　were　always　upon　their　guard；　and　had　their　

features　and　voice　modulated；　but　this　man　was　subject　to　fits　of　

absence；　during　which　he　would　frequently　mutter　to　himself；　then；　

though　he　was　perfectly　civil　to　everybody；　as　far　as　words　went；　I　

observed　that　he　entertained　a　thorough　contempt　for　most　people；　

especially　for　those　whom　he　was　making　dupes。　　I　have　observed　him　

whilst　drinking　with　our　governor；　when　the　old　man's　head　was　

turned；　look　at　him　with　an　air　which　seemed　to　say；　〃What　a　

thundering　old　fool　you　are〃；　and　at　our　young　ladies；　when　their　

backs　were　turned；　with　a　glance　which　said　distinctly　enough；　〃You　

precious　pair　of　ninnyhammers〃；　and　then　his　laugh　…　he　had　two　

kinds　of　laughs　…　one　which　you　could　hear；　and　another　which　you　

could　only　see。　　I　have　seen　him　laugh　at　our　governor　and　the　

young　ladies；　when　their　heads　were　turned　away；　but　I　heard　no　

sound。　　My　mother　had　a　sandy　cat；　which　sometimes　used　to　open　its　

mouth　wide　with　a　mew　which　nobody　could　hear；　and　the　silent　laugh　

of　that　red…haired　priest　used　to　put　me　wonderfully　in　mind　of　the　

silent　mew　of　my　mother's　sandy…red　cat。　　And　then　the　other　laugh；　

which　you　could　hear；　what　a　strange　laugh　that　was；　never　loud；　

yes；　I　have　heard　it　tolerably　loud。　　He　once　passed　near　me；　after　

having　taken　leave　of　a　silly　English　fellow　…　a　limping　parson　of　

the　name　of　Platitude；　who；　they　said；　was　thinking　of　turning　

Papist；　and　was　much　in　his　company；　I　was　standing　behind　the　

pillar　of　a　piazza；　and　as　he　passed　he　was　laughing　heartily。　　O　

he　was　a　strange　fellow；　that　same　red…haired　acquaintance　of　ours！



'After　we　had　been　at　Rome　about　six　weeks　our　old　friend　the　

priest　of　Naples　arrived；　but　without　his　subordinate；　for　whose　

services　he　now　perhaps　thought　that　he　had　no　occasion。　　I　believe　

he　found　matters　in　our　family　wearing　almost　as　favourable　an　

aspect　as　he　could　desire：　　with　what　he　had　previously　taught　them　

and　shown　them　at　Naples　and　elsewhere；　and　with　what　the　red…

haired　confederate　had　taught　them　and　shown　them　at　Rome；　the　poor　

young　ladies　had　become　quite　handmaids　of　superstition；　so　that　

they；　especially　the　youngest；　were　prepared　to　bow　down　to　

anything；　and　kiss　anything；　however　vile　and　ugly；　provided　a　

priest　commanded　them；　and　as　for　the　old　governor；　what　with　the　

influence　which　his　daughters　exerted；　and　what　with　the　ascendency　

which　the　red…haired　man　had　obtained　over　him；　he　dared　not　say　

his　purse；　far　less　his　soul；　was　his　own。　　Only　think　of　an　

Englishman　not　being　master　of　his　own　purse！　　My　acquaintance；　the　

lady's　maid；　assured　me　that；　to　her　certain　knowledge；　he　had　

disbursed　to　the　red…haired　man；　for　purposes　of　charity；　as　it　was　

said；　at　least　one　thousand　pounds　during　the　five　weeks　we　had　

been　at　Rome。　　She　also　told　me　that　things　would　shortly　be　

brought　to　a　conclusion　…　and　so　indeed　they　were；　though　in　a　

different　manner　from　what　she　and　I　and　some　other　people　

imagined；　that　there　was　to　be　a　grand　festival；　and　a　mass；　at　

which　we　were　to　be　present；　after　which　the　family　were　to　be　

presented　to　the　Holy　Father；　for　so　those　two　priestly　sharks　had　

managed　it；　and　then　。　。　。　she　said　she　was　certain　that　the　two　

ladies；　and　perhaps　the　old　governor；　would　forsake　the　religion　of　

their　native　land；　taking　up　with　that　of　these　foreign　regions；　

for　so　my　fellow…servant　expressed　it；　and　that　perhaps　attempts　

might　be　made　to　induce　us　poor　English　servants　to　take　up　with　

the　foreign　religion；　that　is　herself　and　me；　for　as　for　our　

fellow…servant；　the　other　maid；　she　wanted　no　inducing；　being　

disposed　body　and　soul　to　go　over　to　it。　　Whereupon　I　swore　with　an　

oath　that　nothing　should　induce　me　to　take　up　with　the　foreign　

religion；　and　the　poor　maid；　my　fellow…servant；　bursting　into　

tears；　said　that　for　her　part　she　would　die　sooner　than　have　

anything　to　do　with　it；　thereupon　we　shook　hands　and　agreed　to　

stand　by　and　countenance　one　another：　　and　moreover；　provided　our　

governors　were　fools　enough　to　go　over　to　the　religion　of　these　

here　foreigners；　we　would　not　wait　to　be　asked　to　do　the　like；　but　

leave　them　at　once；　and　make　the　best　of　our　way　home；　even　if　we　

were　forced　to　beg　on　the　road。



'At　last　the　day　of　the　grand　festival　came；　and　we　were　all　to　go　

to　the　big　church　to　hear　the　mass。　　Now　it　happened　that　for　some　

time　past　I　had　been　much　afflicted　with　melancholy；　especially　

when　I　got　up　of　a　morning；　produced　by　the　strange　manner　in　which　

I　saw　things　going　on　in　our　family；　and　to　dispel　it　in　some　

degree；　I　had　been　in　the　habit　of　taking　a　dram　before　breakfast。　　

On　the　morning　in　question；　feeling　particularly　low　spirited　when　

I　thought　of　the　foolish　step　our　governor　would　probably　take　

before　evening；　I　took　two　drams　before　breakfast；　and　after　

breakfast；　feeling　my　melancholy　still　continuing；　I　took　another；　

which　produced　a　slight　effect　upon　my　head；　though　I　am　convinced　

nobody　observed　it。



'Away　we　drove　to　the　big　church；　it　was　a　dark　misty　day；　I　

remember；　and　very　cold；　so　that　if　anybody　had　noticed　my　being　

slightly　in　liquor；　I　could　have　excused　myself　by　saying　that　I　

had　merely　taken　a　glass　to　fortify　my　constitution　against　the　

weather；　and　of　one　thing　I　am　certain；　which　is；　that　such　an　

excuse　would　have　stood　me　in　stead　with　our　governor；　who　looked；　

I　thought；　as　if　he　had　taken　one　too；　but　I　may　be　mistaken；　and　

why　should　I　notice　him；　seeing　that　he　took　no　notice　of　me？　so　

away　we　drove　to　the　big　church；　to　which　all　the　population　of　the　

place　appeared　to　be　moving。



'On　arriving　there　we　dismounted；　and　the　two　priests；　who　were　

with　us；　led　the　family　in；　whilst　I　followed　at　a　little　distance；　

but　quickly　lost　them　amidst　the　throng　of　people。　　I　made　my　way；　

however；　though　in　what　direction　I　knew　not；　except　it　was　one　in　

which　everybody　seemed　striving；　and　by　dint　of　elbowing　and　

pushing　I　at　last　got　to　a　place　which　looked　like　the　aisle　of　a　

cathedral；　where　the　people　stood　in　two　rows；　a　space　between　

being　kept　open　by　certain　strangely…dressed　men　who　moved　up　and　

down　with　rods　in　their　hands；　all　were　looking　to　the　upper　end　of　

this　place　or　aisle；　and　at　the　upper　end；　separated　from　the　

people　by　palings　like　those　of　an　altar；　sat　in　magnificent…

looking　stalls；　on　the　right　and　the　left；　various　wonderful…

looking　individuals　in　scarlet　dresses。　　At　the　farther　end　was　

what　appeared　to　be　an　altar；　on　the　left　hand　was　a　pulpit；　and　on　

the　right　a　stall　higher　than　any　of　the　rest；　where　was　a　figure　

whom　I　could　scarcely　see。



'I　can't　pretend　to　describe　what　I　saw　exactly；　for　my　head；　which　

was　at　first　rather　flurried；　had　become　more　so　from　the　efforts　

which　I　had　made　to　get　through　the　crowd；　also　from　certain　

singing；　which　proceeded　from　I　know　not　where；　and；　above　all；　

from　the　bursts　of　an　organ；　which　were　occasionally　so　loud　that　I　

thought　the　roof；　which　was　painted　with　wondrous　colours；　would　

come　toppling　down　on　those　below。　　So　there　stood　I　…　a　poor　

English　servant　…　in　that　outlandish　place；　in　the　midst　of　that　

foreign　crowd；　looking　at　that　outlandish　sight；　hearing　those　

outlandish　sounds；　and　occasionally　glancing　at　our　party；　which；　

by　this　time；　I　distinguished　at　the　opposite　side　to　where　I　

stood；　but　much　nearer　the　place　where　the　red　figures　sat。　　Yes；　

there　stood　our　poor　governor　and　the　sweet　young　ladies；　and　I　

thought　they　never　looked　so　handsome　before；　and　close　by　them　

were　the　sharking　priests；　and　not　far　from　them　was　that　idiotical　

parson　Platitude；　winking　and　grinning；　and　occasionally　lifting　up　

his　hands　as　if　in　ecstasy　at　what　he　saw　and　heard；　so　that　he　

drew　upon　himself　the　notice　of　the　congregation。



'And　now　an　individual　mounted　the　pulpit；　and　began　to　preach　in　a　


language　which　I　did　not　understand；　but　which　I　believe　to　be　

Latin；　addressing　himself　seemingly　to　the　figure　in　the　stall；　and　

when　he　had　ceased；　there　was　more　singing；　more　organ…playing；　and　

then　two　men　in　robes　brought　forth　two　things　which　they　held　up；　

and　then　the　people　bowed　their　heads；　and　our　poor　governor　bowed　

his　head；　and　the　sweet　young　ladies　bowed　their　heads；　and　the　

sharking　priests；　whilst　the　idiotical　parson　Platitude　tried　to　

fling　himself　down；　and　then　there　were　various　evolutions　

withinside　the　pale；　and　the　scarlet　figures　got　up　and　sat　down；　

and　this　kind　of　thing　continued　for　some　time。　　At　length　the　

figure　which　I　had　seen　in　the　principal　stall　came　forth　and　

advanced　towards　the　people；　an　awful　figure　he　was；　a　huge　old　man　

with　a　sugar…loaf　hat；　with　a　sulphur…coloured　dress；　and　holding　a　

crook　in　his　hand　like　that　of　a　shepherd；　and　as　he　advanced　the　

people　fell　on　their　knees；　our　poor　old　governor　amongst　them；　the　

sweet　young　ladies；　the　sharking　priests；　the　idiotical　parson　

Platitude；　all　fell　on　their　knees；　and　somebody　or　other　tried　to　

pull　me　on　my　knees；　but　by　this　time　I　had　become　outrageous；　all　

that　my　poor　brother　used　to　tell　me　of　the　superstitions　of　the　

high　Barbary　shore　rushed　into　my　mind；　and　I　thought　they　were　

acting　them　over　here；　above　all；　the　idea　that　the　sweet　young　

ladies；　to　say　nothing　of　my　poor　old　governor；　were；　after　the　

conclusion　of　all　this　mummery；　going　to　deliver　themselves　up　body　

and　soul　into　the　power　of　that　horrid…looking　old　man；　maddened　

me；　and；　rushing　forward　into　the　open　space；　I　co