lavengro-第23章

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I　am　a　banker　myself；　as　thou　knowest。'



And　would　there　were　many　like　him；　amidst　the　money…changers　of　

princes！　　The　hall　of　many　an　earl　lacks　the　bounty；　the　palace　of　

many　a　prelate　the　piety　and　learning；　which　adorn　the　quiet　

quaker's　home！







CHAPTER　XVI







Fair　of　horses　…　Looks　of　respect　…　The　fast　trotter　…　Pair　of　eyes　

…　Strange　men　…　Jasper；　your　pal　…　Force　of　blood　…　Young　lady　with　

diamonds　…　Not　quite　so　beautiful。



I　WAS　standing　on　the　castle　hill　in　the　midst　of　a　fair　of　horses。



I　have　already　had　occasion　to　mention　this　castle。　　It　is　the　

remains　of　what　was　once　a　Norman　stronghold；　and　is　perched　upon　a　

round　mound　or　monticle；　in　the　midst　of　the　old　city。　　Steep　is　

this　mound　and　scarped；　evidently　by　the　hand　of　man；　a　deep　gorge　

over　which　is　flung　a　bridge；　separates　it；　on　the　south；　from　a　

broad　swell　of　open　ground　called　'the　hill'；　of　old　the　scene　of　

many　a　tournament　and　feat　of　Norman　chivalry；　but　now　much　used　as　

a　show…place　for　cattle；　where　those　who　buy　and　sell　beeves　and　

other　beasts　resort　at　stated　periods。



So　it　came　to　pass　that　I　stood　upon　this　hill；　observing　a　fair　of　

horses。



The　reader　is　already　aware　that　I　had　long　since　conceived　a　

passion　for　the　equine　race；　a　passion　in　which　circumstances　had　

of　late　not　permitted　me　to　indulge。　　I　had　no　horses　to　ride；　but　

I　took　pleasure　in　looking　at　them；　and　I　had　already　attended　more　

than　one　of　these　fairs：　　the　present　was　lively　enough；　indeed　

horse　fairs　are　seldom　dull。　　There　was　shouting　and　whooping；　

neighing　and　braying；　there　was　galloping　and　trotting；　fellows　

with　highlows　and　white　stockings；　and　with　many　a　string　dangling　

from　the　knees　of　their　tight　breeches；　were　running　desperately；　

holding　horses　by　the　halter；　and　in　some　cases　dragging　them　

along；　there　were　long…tailed　steeds　and　dock…tailed　steeds　of　

every　degree　and　breed；　there　were　droves　of　wild　ponies；　and　long　

rows　of　sober　cart　horses；　there　were　donkeys；　and　even　mules：　　the　

last　rare　things　to　be　seen　in　damp；　misty　England；　for　the　mule　

pines　in　mud　and　rain；　and　thrives　best　with　a　hot　sun　above　and　a　

burning　sand　below。　　There　were　…　oh；　the　gallant　creatures！　　I　

hear　their　neigh　upon　the　wind；　there　were　…　goodliest　sight　of　all　

…　certain　enormous　quadrupeds　only　seen　to　perfection　in　our　native　

isle；　led　about　by　dapper　grooms；　their　manes　ribanded　and　their　

tails　curiously　clubbed　and　balled。　　Ha！　ha！　…　how　distinctly　do　

they　say；　ha！　ha！



An　old　man　draws　nigh；　he　is　mounted　on　a　lean　pony；　and　he　leads　

by　the　bridle　one　of　these　animals；　nothing　very　remarkable　about　

that　creature；　unless　in　being　smaller　than　the　rest　and　gentle；　

which　they　are　not；　he　is　not　of　the　sightliest　look；　he　is　almost　

dun；　and　over　one　eye　a　thick　film　has　gathered。　　But　stay！　there　

IS　something　remarkable　about　that　horse；　there　is　something　in　his　

action　in　which　he　differs　from　all　the　rest：　　as　he　advances；　the　

clamour　is　hushed！　all　eyes　are　turned　upon　him　…　what　looks　of　

interest　…　of　respect　…　and；　what　is　this？　people　are　taking　off　

their　hats　…　surely　not　to　that　steed！　　Yes；　verily！　men；　

especially　old　men；　are　taking　off　their　hats　to　that　one…eyed　

steed；　and　I　hear　more　than　one　deep…drawn　ah！



'What　horse　is　that？'　said　I　to　a　very　old　fellow；　the　counterpart　

of　the　old　man　on　the　pony；　save　that　the　last　wore　a　faded　suit　of　

velveteen；　and　this　one　was　dressed　in　a　white　frock。



'The　best　in　mother　England；'　said　the　very　old　man；　taking　a　

knobbed　stick　from　his　mouth；　and　looking　me　in　the　face；　at　first　

carelessly；　but　presently　with　something　like　interest；　'he　is　old　

like　myself；　but　can　still　trot　his　twenty　miles　an　hour。　　You　

won't　live　long；　my　swain；　tall　and　over…grown　ones　like　thee　never　

does；　yet；　if　you　should　chance　to　reach　my　years；　you　may　boast　to　

thy　great…grand…boys　thou　hast　seen　Marshland　Shales。'



Amain　I　did　for　the　horse　what　I　would　neither　do　for　earl　nor　

baron；　doffed　my　hat；　yes！　I　doffed　my　hat　to　the　wondrous　horse；　

the　fast　trotter；　the　best　in　mother　England；　and　I　too　drew　a　deep　

ah！　and　repeated　the　words　of　the　old　fellows　around。　　'Such　a　

horse　as　this　we　shall　never　see　again；　a　pity　that　he　is　so　old。'



Now　during　all　this　time　I　had　a　kind　of　consciousness　that　I　had　

been　the　object　of　some　person's　observation；　that　eyes　were　

fastened　upon　me　from　somewhere　in　the　crowd。　　Sometimes　I　thought　

myself　watched　from　before；　sometimes　from　behind；　and　occasionally　

methought　that；　if　I　just　turned　my　head　to　the　right　or　left；　I　

should　meet　a　peering　and　inquiring　glance；　and　indeed　once　or　

twice　I　did　turn；　expecting　to　see　somebody　whom　I　knew；　yet　always　

without　success；　though　it　appeared　to　me　that　I　was　but　a　moment　

too　late；　and　that　some　one　had　just　slipped　away　from　the　

direction　to　which　I　turned；　like　the　figure　in　a　magic　lanthorn。　　

Once　I　was　quite　sure　that　there　were　a　pair　of　eyes　glaring　over　

my　right　shoulder；　my　attention；　however；　was　so　fully　occupied　

with　the　objects　which　I　have　attempted　to　describe；　that　I　thought　

very　little　of　this　coming　and　going；　this　flitting　and　dodging　of　

I　knew　not　whom　or　what。　　It　was；　after　all；　a　matter　of　sheer　

indifference　to　me　who　was　looking　at　me。　　I　could　only　wish　

whomsoever　it　might　be　to　be　more　profitably　employed；　so　I　

continued　enjoying　what　I　saw；　and　now　there　was　a　change　in　the　

scene；　the　wondrous　old　horse　departed　with　his　aged　guardian；　

other　objects　of　interest　are　at　hand；　two　or　three　men　on　

horseback　are　hurrying　through　the　crowd；　they　are　widely　different　

in　their　appearance　from　the　other　people　of　the　fair；　not　so　much　

in　dress；　for　they　are　clad　something　after　the　fashion　of　rustic　

jockeys；　but　in　their　look　…　no　light…brown　hair　have　they；　no　

ruddy　cheeks；　no　blue　quiet　glances　belong　to　them；　their　features　

are　dark；　their　locks　long；　black；　and　shining；　and　their　eyes　are　

wild；　they　are　admirable　horsemen；　but　they　do　not　sit　the　saddle　

in　the　manner　of　common　jockeys；　they　seem　to　float　or　hover　upon　

it；　like　gulls　upon　the　waves；　two　of　them　are　mere　striplings；　but　

the　third　is　a　very　tall　man　with　a　countenance　heroically　

beautiful；　but　wild；　wild；　wild。　　As　they　rush　along；　the　crowd　

give　way　on　all　sides；　and　now　a　kind　of　ring　or　circus　is　formed；　

within　which　the　strange　men　exhibit　their　horsemanship；　rushing　

past　each　other；　in　and　out；　after　the　manner　of　a　reel；　the　tall　

man　occasionally　balancing　himself　upon　the　saddle；　and　standing　

erect　on　one　foot。　　He　had　just　regained　his　seat　after　the　latter　

feat；　and　was　about　to　push　his　horse　to　a　gallop；　when　a　figure　

started　forward　close　from　beside　me；　and　laying　his　hand　on　his　

neck；　and　pulling　him　gently　downward；　appeared　to　whisper　

something　into　his　ear；　presently　the　tall　man　raised　his　head；　

and；　scanning　the　crowd　for　a　moment　in　the　direction　in　which　I　

was　standing；　fixed　his　eyes　full　upon　me；　and　anon　the　countenance　

of　the　whisperer　was　turned；　but　only　in　part；　and　the　side…glance　

of　another　pair　of　wild　eyes　was　directed　towards　my　face；　but　the　

entire　visage　of　the　big　black　man；　half　stooping　as　he　was；　was　

turned　full　upon　mine。



But　now；　with　a　nod　to　the　figure　who　had　stopped　him；　and　with　

another　inquiring　glance　at　myself；　the　big　man　once　more　put　his　

steed　into　motion；　and；　after　riding　round　the　ring　a　few　more　

times；　darted　through　a　lane　in　the　crowd；　and　followed　by　his　two　

companions　disappeared；　whereupon　the　figure　who　had　whispered　to　

him；　and　had　subsequently　remained　in　the　middle　of　the　space；　came　

towards　me；　and；　cracking　a　whip　which　he　held　in　his　hand　so　

loudly　that　the　report　was　nearly　equal　to　that　of　a　pocket　pistol；　

he　cried　in　a　strange　tone：



'What！　the　sap…engro？　　Lor！　the　sap…engro　upon　the　hill！'



'I　remember　that　word；'　said　I；　'and　I　almost　think　I　remember　you。　　

You　can't　be　…　'



'Jasper；　your　pal！　　Truth；　and　no　lie；　brother。'



'It　is　strange　that　you　should　have　known　me；'　said　I。　　'I　am　

certain；　but　for　the　word　you　used；　I　should　never　have　recognised　

you。'



'Not　so　strange　as　you　may　think；　brother；　there　is　something　in　

your　face　which　would　prevent　people　from　forgetting　you；　even　

though　they　might　wish　it；　and　your　face　is　not　much　altered　since　

the　time　you　wot　of；　though　you　are　so　much　grown。　　I　thought　it　

was　you；　but　to　make　sure　I　dodged　about；　inspecting　you。　　I　

believe　you　felt　me；　though　I　never　touched　you；　a　sign；　brother；　

that　we　are　akin；　that　we　are　dui　palor　…　two　relations。　　Your　

blood　beat　when　mine　was　near；　as　mine　always　does　at　the　coming　of　

a　brother；　and　we　became　brothers　in　that　lane。'



'And　where　are　you　staying？'　said　I；　'in　this　town？'



'Not　in　the　town；　the　like　of　us　don't　find　it　exactly　wholesome　to　

stay　in　towns；　we　keep　abroad。　　But　I　have　little　to　do　here　…　come　

with　me；　and　I'll　show　you　where　we　stay。'



We　descended　the　hill　in　the　direction　of　the　north；　and　passing　

along　the　suburb　reached　the　old　Norman　bridge；　which　we　crossed；　

the　chalk　precipice；　with　the　ruin　on　its　top；　was　now　before　us；　

but　turning　to　the　left　we　walked　swiftly　along；　and　presently　came　

to　some　rising　ground；　which　ascending；　we　found　ourselves　upon　a　

wild　moor　or　heath。



'You　are　one　of　them；'　said　I；　'whom　people　call　…　'



'Just　so；'　said　Jasper；　'but　never　mind　what　people　call　us。'



'And　that　tall　handsome　man　on　the　hill；　whom　you　whispered？　　I　

suppose　he's　one　of　ye。　　What　is　his　name？'



'Tawno　Chikno；'　said　Jasper；　'which　means　the　small　one；　we　call　

him　such　because　he　is　the　biggest　man　of　all　our　nation。　　You　say　

he　is　handsome；　that　is　not　the　word；　brother；　he's　the　beauty　of　

the　world。　　Women　run　wild　at　the　sight　of　Tawno。　　An　earl's　

daughter；　near　London　…　a　fine　young　lady　with　diamonds　round　her　

neck　…　fell　in　love　with　Tawno。　　I　have　seen　that　lass　on　a　heath；　

as　this　may　be；　kneel　down　to　Tawno；　clasp　his　feet；　begging　to　be　

his　wife　…　or　anything　else　…　if　she　might　go　with　him。　　But　Tawno　

would　have　nothing　to　do　with　her：　　〃I　have　a　wife　of　my　own；〃　said　

he；　〃a　lawful　rommany　wife；　whom　I　love　better　than　the　whole　

world；　jealous　though　she　sometimes　be。〃'



'And　is　she　very　beautiful？'　said　I。



'Why；　you　know；　brother；　beauty　is　frequently　a　matter　of　taste；　

however；　as　you　ask　my　opinion；　I　should　say　not　quite　so　beautiful　

as　himself。'



We　had　now　arrived　at　a　small　valley　between　two　hills；　or　downs；　

the　sides　of　which　were　covered　with　furze；　in　the　midst　of　this　

valley　were　various　carts　and　low　tents　forming　a　rude　kind　of　

encampment；　several　dark　children　were　playing　about；　who　took　no　

manner　of　notice　of　us。　　As　we　pass