lavengro-第42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！



AEschylus　by　means　of　the　speech　of　Chikno　and　Petulengro；　and　even　

in　my　Biblical　researches　I　have　derived　no　slight　assistance　from　

it。　　It　appears　to　be　a　kind　of　picklock；　an　open　sesame；　Tanner　…　

Tawno！　the　one　is　but　a　modification　of　the　other；　they　were　

originally　identical；　and　have　still　much　the　same　signification。　　

Tanner；　in　the　language　of　the　apple…woman；　meaneth　the　smallest　of　

English　silver　coins；　and　Tawno；　in　the　language　of　the　

Petulengres；　though　bestowed　upon　the　biggest　of　the　Romans；　

according　to　strict　interpretation　signifieth　a　little　child。



So　I　left　the　bridge；　retracing　my　steps　for　a　considerable　way；　as　

I　thought　I　had　seen　enough　in　the　direction　in　which　I　had　

hitherto　been　wandering；　I　should　say　that　I　scarcely　walked　less　

than　thirty　miles　about　the　big　city　on　the　day　of　my　first　

arrival。　　Night　came　on；　but　still　I　was　walking　about；　my　eyes　

wide　open；　and　admiring　everything　that　presented　itself　to　them。　　

Everything　was　new　to　me；　for　everything　is　different　in　London　

from　what　it　is　elsewhere　…　the　people；　their　language；　the　horses；　

the　TOUT　ENSEMBLE　…　even　the　stones　of　London　are　different　from　

others　…　at　least　it　appeared　to　me　that　I　had　never　walked　with　

the　same　case　and　facility　on　the　flagstones　of　a　country　town　as　

on　those　of　London；　so　I　continued　roving　about　till　night　came　on；　

and　then　the　splendour　of　some　of　the　shops　particularly　struck　me。　　

'A　regular　Arabian　Nights　entertainment！'　said　I；　as　I　looked　into　

one　on　Cornhill；　gorgeous　with　precious　merchandise；　and　lighted　up　

with　lustres；　the　rays　of　which　were　reflected　from　a　hundred　

mirrors。



But；　notwithstanding　the　excellence　of　the　London　pavement；　I　began　

about　nine　o'clock　to　feel　myself　thoroughly　tired；　painfully　and　

slowly　did　I　drag　my　feet　along。　　I　also　felt　very　much　in　want　of　

some　refreshment；　and　I　remembered　that　since　breakfast　I　had　taken　

nothing。　　I　was　now　in　the　Strand；　and；　glancing　about；　I　perceived　

that　I　was　close　by　an　hotel；　which　bore　over　the　door　the　somewhat　

remarkable　name　of　Holy　Lands。　　Without　a　moment's　hesitation　I　

entered　a　well…lighted　passage；　and；　turning　to　the　left；　I　found　

myself　in　a　well…lighted　coffee…room；　with　a　well…dressed　and　

frizzled　waiter　before　me；　'Bring　me　some　claret；'　said　I；　for　I　

was　rather　faint　than　hungry；　and　I　felt　ashamed　to　give　a　humbler　

order　to　so　well…dressed　an　individual。　　The　waiter　looked　at　me　

for　a　moment；　then；　making　a　low　bow；　he　bustled　off；　and　I　sat　

myself　down　in　the　box　nearest　to　the　window。　　Presently　the　waiter　

returned；　bearing　beneath　his　left　arm　a　long　bottle；　and　between　

the　fingers　of　his　right　hand　two　large　purple　glasses；　placing　the　

latter　on　the　table；　he　produced　a　corkscrew；　drew　the　cork　in　a　

twinkling；　set　the　bottle　down　before　me　with　a　bang；　and　then；　

standing　still；　appeared　to　watch　my　movements。　　You　think　I　don't　

know　how　to　drink　a　glass　of　claret；　thought　I　to　myself。　　I'll　

soon　show　you　how　we　drink　claret　where　I　come　from；　and；　filling　

one　of　the　glasses　to　the　brim；　I　flickered　it　for　a　moment　between　

my　eyes　and　the　lustre；　and　then　held　it　to　my　nose；　having　given　

that　organ　full　time　to　test　the　bouquet　of　the　wine；　I　applied　the　

glass　to　my　lips；　taking　a　large　mouthful　of　the　wine；　which　I　

swallowed　slowly　and　by　degrees；　that　the　palate　might　likewise　

have　an　opportunity　of　performing　its　functions。　　A　second　mouthful　

I　disposed　of　more　summarily；　then；　placing　the　empty　glass　upon　

the　table；　I　fixed　my　eyes　upon　the　bottle；　and　said　…　nothing；　

whereupon　the　waiter；　who　had　been　observing　the　whole　process　with　

considerable　attention；　made　me　a　bow　yet　more　low　than　before；　

and；　turning　on　his　heel；　retired　with　a　smart　chuck　of　his　head；　

as　much　as　to　say；　It　is　all　right：　　the　young　man　is　used　to　

claret。



And　when　the　waiter　had　retired　I　took　a　second　glass　of　the　wine；　

which　I　found　excellent；　and；　observing　a　newspaper　lying　near　me；　

I　took　it　up　and　began　perusing　it。　　It　has　been　observed　somewhere　

that　people　who　are　in　the　habit　of　reading　newspapers　every　day　

are　not　unfrequently　struck　with　the　excellence　of　style　and　

general　talent　which　they　display。　　Now；　if　that　be　the　case；　how　

must　I　have　been　surprised；　who　was　reading　a　newspaper　for　the　

first　time；　and　that　one　of　the　best　of　the　London　journals！　　Yes；　

strange　as　it　may　seem；　it　was　nevertheless　true　that；　up　to　the　

moment　of　which　I　am　speaking；　I　had　never　read　a　newspaper　of　any　

description。　　I　of　course　had　frequently　seen　journals；　and　even　

handled　them；　but；　as　for　reading　them；　what　were　they　to　me？　　I　

cared　not　for　news。　　But　here　I　was　now　with　my　claret　before　me；　

perusing；　perhaps；　the　best　of　all　the　London　journals；　it　was　not　

the　…；　and　I　was　astonished：　　an　entirely　new　field　of　literature　

appeared　to　be　opened　to　my　view。　　It　was　a　discovery；　but　I　

confess　rather　an　unpleasant　one；　for　I　said　to　myself；　If　literary　

talent　is　so　very　common　in　London；　that　the　journals；　things　

which；　as　their　very　name　denotes；　are　ephemeral；　are　written　in　a　

style　like　the　article　I　have　been　perusing；　how　can　I　hope　to　

distinguish　myself　in　this　big　town；　when；　for　the　life　of　me；　I　

don't　think　I　could　write　anything　half　so　clever　as　what　I　have　

been　reading？　　And　then　I　laid　down　the　paper；　and　fell　into　deep　

musing；　rousing　myself　from　which；　I　took　a　glass　of　wine；　and；　

pouring　out　another；　began　musing　again。　　What　I　have　been　reading；　

thought　I；　is　certainly　very　clever　and　very　talented；　but　talent　

and　cleverness　I　think　I　have　heard　some　one　say　are　very　

commonplace　things；　only　fitted　for　everyday　occasions。　　I　question　

whether　the　man　who　wrote　the　book　I　saw　this　day　on　the　bridge　was　

a　clever　man；　but；　after　all；　was　he　not　something　much　better？　I　

don't　think　he　could　have　written　this　article；　but　then　he　wrote　

the　book　which　I　saw　on　the　bridge。　　Then；　if　he　could　not　have　

written　the　article　on　which　I　now　hold　my　forefinger　…　and　I　do　

not　believe　he　could　…　why　should　I　feel　discouraged　at　the　

consciousness　that　I；　too；　could　not　write　it？　　I　certainly　could　

no　more　have　written　the　article　than　he　could；　but　then；　like　him；　

though　I　would　not　compare　myself　to　the　man　who　wrote　the　book　I　

saw　upon　the　bridge；　I　think　I　could　…　and　here　I　emptied　the　glass　

of　claret　…　write　something　better。



Thereupon　I　resumed　the　newspaper；　and；　as　I　was　before　struck　with　

the　fluency　of　style　and　the　general　talent　which　it　displayed；　I　

was　now　equally　so　with　its　commonplaceness　and　want　of　originality　

on　every　subject；　and　it　was　evident　to　me　that；　whatever　advantage　

these　newspaper…writers　might　have　over　me　in　some　points；　they　had　

never　studied　the　Welsh　bards；　translated　Kaempe　Viser；　or　been　

under　the　pupilage　of　Mr。　Petulengro　and　Tawno　Chikno。



And　as　I　sat　conning　the　newspaper　three　individuals　entered　the　

room；　and　seated　themselves　in　the　box　at　the　farther　end　of　which　

I　was。　　They　were　all　three　very　well　dressed；　two　of　them　elderly　

gentlemen；　the　third　a　young　man　about　my　own　age；　or　perhaps　a　

year　or　two　older：　　they　called　for　coffee；　and；　after　two　or　three　

observations；　the　two　eldest　commenced　a　conversation　in　French；　

which；　however；　though　they　spoke　it　fluently　enough；　I　perceived　

at　once　was　not　their　native　language；　the　young　man；　however；　took　

no　part　in　their　conversation；　and　when　they　addressed　a　portion　to　

him；　which　indeed　was　but　rarely；　merely　replied　by　a　monosyllable。　　

I　have　never　been　a　listener；　and　I　paid　but　little　heed　to　their　

discourse；　nor　indeed　to　themselves；　as　I　occasionally　looked　up；　

however；　I　could　perceive　that　the　features　of　the　young　man；　who　

chanced　to　be　seated　exactly　opposite　to　me；　wore　an　air　of　

constraint　and　vexation。　　This　circumstance　caused　me　to　observe　

him　more　particularly　than　I　otherwise　should　have　done：　　his　

features　were　handsome　and　prepossessing；　he　had　dark　brown　hair　

and　a　high…arched　forehead。　　After　the　lapse　of　half　an　hour；　the　

two　elder　individuals；　having　finished　their　coffee；　called　for　the　

waiter；　and　then　rose　as　if　to　depart；　the　young　man；　however；　

still　remaining　seated　in　the　box。　　The　others；　having　reached　the　

door；　turned　round；　and；　finding　that　the　youth　did　not　follow　

them；　one　of　them　called　to　him　with　a　tone　of　some　authority；　

whereupon　the　young　man　rose；　and；　pronouncing　half　audibly　the　

word　'botheration；'　rose　and　followed　them。　　I　now　observed　that　he　

was　remarkably　tall。　　All　three　left　the　house。　　In　about　ten　

minutes；　finding　nothing　more　worth　reading　in　the　newspaper；　I　

laid　it　down；　and　though　the　claret　was　not　yet　exhausted；　I　was　

thinking　of　betaking　myself　to　my　lodgings；　and　was　about　to　call　

the　waiter；　when　I　heard　a　step　in　the　passage；　and　in　another　

moment　the　tall　young　man　entered　the　room；　advanced　to　the　same　

box；　and；　sitting　down　nearly　opposite　to　me；　again　pronounced　to　

himself；　but　more　audibly　than　before；　the　same　word。



'A　troublesome　world　this；　sir；'　said　I；　looking　at　him。



'Yes；'　said　the　young　man；　looking　fixedly　at　me；　'but　I　am　afraid　

we　bring　most　of　our　troubles　on　our　own　heads　…　at　least　I　can　say　

so　of　myself；'　he　added；　laughing。　　Then；　after　a　pause；　'I　beg　

pardon；'　he　said；　'but　am　I　not　addressing　one　of　my　own　country？'



'Of　what　country　are　you？'　said　I。



'Ireland。'



'I　am　not　of　your　country；　sir；　but　I　have　an　infinite　veneration　

for　your　country；　as　Strap　said　to　the　French　soldier。　　Will　you　

take　a　glass　of　wine？'



'Ah；　de　tout　mon　coeur；　as　the　parasite　said　to　Gil　Blas；'　cried　

the　young　man；　laughing。　　'Here's　to　our　better　acquaintance！'



And　better　acquainted　we　soon　became；　and　I　found　that；　in　making　

the　acquaintance　of　the　young　man；　I　had　indeed　made　a　valuable　

acquisition；　he　was　accomplished；　highly　connected；　and　bore　the　

name　of　Francis　Ardry。　　Frank　and　ardent　he　was；　and　in　a　very　

little　time　had　told　me　much　that　related　to　himself；　and　in　return　

I　communicated　a　general　outline　of　my　own　history；　he　listened　

with　profound　attention；　but　laughed　heartily　when　I　told　him　some　

particulars　of　my　visit　in　the　morning　to　the　publisher；　whom　he　

had　frequently　heard　of。



We　left　the　house　together。



'We　shall　soon　see　each　other　again；'　said　he；　as　we　separated　at　

the　door　of　my　lodging。







CHAPTER　XXXIII







Dine　with　the　publisher　…　Religions　…　No　animal　food　…　Unprofitable　

discussions　…　Principles　of　criticism　…　The　book　market　…　Newgate　

lives　…　Goethe　a　drug　…　German　acquirements　…　Moral　dignity。



ON　the　Sunday　I　was　punctual　to　my　appointment　to　dine　with　the　

publisher。　　As　I　hurried　along　the　square　in　which　his　house　stood；　

my　thoughts　were　fixed　so　i