lavengro-第5章

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to　his　rest；　the　death…like　face　is　no　longer　occasionally　seen　

timidly　and　mournfully　looking　for　a　moment　through　the　window…pane　

upon　thy　market…place；　quiet　and　pretty　D…；　the　hind　in　thy　

neighbourhood　no　longer　at　evening…fall　views；　and　starts　as　he　

views；　the　dark　lathy　figure　moving　beneath　the　hazels　and　alders　

of　shadowy　lanes；　or　by　the　side　of　murmuring　trout　streams；　and　no　

longer　at　early　dawn　does　the　sexton　of　the　old　church　reverently　

doff　his　hat；　as；　supported　by　some　kind　friend；　the　death…stricken　

creature　totters　along　the　church…path　to　that　mouldering　edifice　

with　the　low　roof；　inclosing　a　spring　of　sanatory　waters；　built　and　

devoted　to　some　saint；　if　the　legend　over　the　door　be　true；　by　the　

daughter　of　an　East　Anglian　king。



But　to　return　to　my　own　history。　　I　had　now　attained　the　age　of　

six：　　shall　I　state　what　intellectual　progress　I　had　been　making　up　

to　this　period？　　Alas！　upon　this　point　I　have　little　to　say　

calculated　to　afford　either　pleasure　or　edification；　I　had　

increased　rapidly　in　size　and　in　strength：　　the　growth　of　the　mind；　

however；　had　by　no　means　corresponded　with　that　of　the　body。　　It　is　

true；　I　had　acquired　my　letters；　and　was　by　this　time　able　to　read　

imperfectly；　but　this　was　all：　　and　even　this　poor　triumph　over　

absolute　ignorance　would　never　have　been　effected　but　for　the　

unremitting　attention　of　my　parents；　who；　sometimes　by　threats；　

sometimes　by　entreaties；　endeavoured　to　rouse　the　dormant　energies　

of　my　nature；　and　to　bend　my　wishes　to　the　acquisition　of　the　

rudiments　of　knowledge；　but　in　influencing　the　wish　lay　the　

difficulty。　　Let　but　the　will　of　a　human　being　be　turned　to　any　

particular　object；　and　it　is　ten　to　one　that　sooner　or　later　he　

achieves　it。　　At　this　time　I　may　safely　say　that　I　harboured　

neither　wishes　nor　hopes；　I　had　as　yet　seen　no　object　calculated　to　

call　them　forth；　and　yet　I　took　pleasure　in　many　things　which　

perhaps　unfortunately　were　all　within　my　sphere　of　enjoyment。　　I　

loved　to　look　upon　the　heavens；　and　to　bask　in　the　rays　of　the　sun；　

or　to　sit　beneath　hedgerows　and　listen　to　the　chirping　of　the　

birds；　indulging　the　while　in　musing　and　meditation　as　far　as　my　

very　limited　circle　of　ideas　would　permit；　but；　unlike　my　brother；　

who　was　at　this　time　at　school；　and　whose　rapid　progress　in　every　

branch　of　instruction　astonished　and　delighted　his　preceptors；　I　

took　no　pleasure　in　books；　whose　use；　indeed；　I　could　scarcely　

comprehend；　and　bade　fair　to　be　as　arrant　a　dunce　as　ever　brought　

the　blush　of　shame　into　the　cheeks　of　anxious　and　affectionate　

parents。



But　the　time　was　now　at　hand　when　the　ice　which　had　hitherto　bound　

the　mind　of　the　child　with　its　benumbing　power　was　to　be　thawed；　

and　a　world　of　sensations　and　ideas　awakened　to　which　it　had　

hitherto　been　an　entire　stranger。　　One　day　a　young　lady；　an　

intimate　acquaintance　of　our　family；　and　godmother　to　my　brother；　

drove　up　to　the　house　in　which　we　dwelt；　she　stayed　some　time　

conversing　with　my　mother；　and　on　rising　to　depart；　she　put　down　on　

the　table　a　small　packet；　exclaiming；　'I　have　brought　a　little　

present　for　each　of　the　boys：　　the　one　is　a　History　of　England；　

which　I　intend　for　my　godson　when　he　returns　from　school；　the　other　

is　。　。　。'　…　and　here　she　said　something　which　escaped　my　ear；　as　I　

sat　at　some　distance；　moping　in　a　corner；　…　'I　intend　it　for　the　

youngster　yonder；'　pointing　to　myself；　she　then　departed；　and；　my　

mother　going　out　shortly　after；　I　was　left　alone。



I　remember　for　some　time　sitting　motionless　in　my　corner；　with　my　

eyes　bent　upon　the　ground；　at　last　I　lifted　my　head　and　looked　upon　

the　packet　as　it　lay　on　the　table。　　All　at　once　a　strange　sensation　

came　over　me；　such　as　I　had　never　experienced　before　…　a　singular　

blending　of　curiosity；　awe；　and　pleasure；　the　remembrance　of　which；　

even　at　this　distance　of　time；　produces　a　remarkable　effect　upon　my　

nervous　system。　　What　strange　things　are　the　nerves　…　I　mean　those　

more　secret　and　mysterious　ones　in　which　I　have　some　notion　that　

the　mind　or　soul；　call　it　which　you　will；　has　its　habitation；　how　

they　occasionally　tingle　and　vibrate　before　any　coming　event　

closely　connected　with　the　future　weal　or　woe　of　the　human　being。　　

Such　a　feeling　was　now　within　me；　certainly　independent　of　what　the　

eye　had　seen　or　the　ear　had　heard。　　A　book　of　some　description　had　

been　brought　for　me；　a　present　by　no　means　calculated　to　interest　

me；　what　cared　I　for　books？　　I　had　already　many　into　which　I　never　

looked　but　from　compulsion；　friends；　moreover；　had　presented　me　

with　similar　things　before；　which　I　had　entirely　disregarded；　and　

what　was　there　in　this　particular　book；　whose　very　title　I　did　not　

know；　calculated　to　attract　me　more　than　the　rest？　yet　something　

within　told　me　that　my　fate　was　connected　with　the　book　which　had　

been　last　brought；　so；　after　looking　on　the　packet　from　my　corner　

for　a　considerable　time；　I　got　up　and　went　to　the　table。



The　packet　was　lying　where　it　had　been　left　…　I　took　it　up；　had　the　

envelope；　which　consisted　of　whitish　brown　paper；　been　secured　by　a　

string　or　a　seal；　I　should　not　have　opened　it；　as　I　should　have　

considered　such　an　act　almost　in　the　light　of　a　crime；　the　books；　

however；　had　been　merely　folded　up；　and　I　therefore　considered　that　

there　could　be　no　possible　harm　in　inspecting　them；　more　especially　

as　I　had　received　no　injunction　to　the　contrary。　　Perhaps　there　was　

something　unsound　in　this　reasoning；　something　sophistical；　but　a　

child　is　sometimes　as　ready　as　a　grown…up　person　in　finding　excuses　

for　doing　that　which　he　is　inclined　to。　　But　whether　the　action　was　

right　or　wrong；　and　I　am　afraid　it　was　not　altogether　right；　I　

undid　the　packet：　　it　contained　three　books；　two　from　their　

similarity　seemed　to　be　separate　parts　of　one　and　the　same　work；　

they　were　handsomely　bound；　and　to　them　I　first　turned　my　

attention。　　I　opened　them　successively；　and　endeavoured　to　make　out　

their　meaning；　their　contents；　however；　as　far　as　I　was　able　to　

understand　them；　were　by　no　means　interesting：　　whoever　pleases　may　

read　these　books　for　me；　and　keep　them；　too；　into　the　bargain；　said　

I　to　myself。



I　now　took　up　the　third　book：　　it　did　not　resemble　the　others；　

being　longer　and　considerably　thicker；　the　binding　was　of　dingy　

calf…skin。　　I　opened　it；　and　as　I　did　so　another　strange　thrill　of　

pleasure　shot　through　my　frame。　　The　first　object　on　which　my　eyes　

rested　was　a　picture；　it　was　exceedingly　well　executed；　at　least　

the　scene　which　it　represented　made　a　vivid　impression　upon　me；　

which　would　hardly　have　been　the　case　had　the　artist　not　been　

faithful　to　nature。　　A　wild　scene　it　was　…　a　heavy　sea　and　rocky　

shore；　with　mountains　in　the　background；　above　which　the　moon　was　

peering。　　Not　far　from　the　shore；　upon　the　water；　was　a　boat　with　

two　figures　in　it；　one　of　which　stood　at　the　bow；　pointing　with　

what　I　knew　to　be　a　gun　at　a　dreadful　shape　in　the　water；　fire　was　

flashing　from　the　muzzle　of　the　gun；　and　the　monster　appeared　to　be　

transfixed。　　I　almost　thought　I　heard　its　cry。　　I　remained　

motionless；　gazing　upon　the　picture；　scarcely　daring　to　draw　my　

breath；　lest　the　new　and　wondrous　world　should　vanish　of　which　I　

had　now　obtained　a　glimpse。　　'Who　are　those　people；　and　what　could　

have　brought　them　into　that　strange　situation？'　I　asked　of　myself；　

and　now　the　seed　of　curiosity；　which　had　so　long　lain　dormant；　

began　to　expand；　and　I　vowed　to　myself　to　become　speedily　

acquainted　with　the　whole　history　of　the　people　in　the　boat。　　After　

looking　on　the　picture　till　every　mark　and　line　in　it　were　familiar　

to　me；　I　turned　over　various　leaves　till　I　came　to　another　

engraving；　a　new　source　of　wonder　…　a　low　sandy　beach　on　which　the　

furious　sea　was　breaking　in　mountain…like　billows；　cloud　and　rack　

deformed　the　firmament；　which　wore　a　dull　and　leaden…like　hue；　

gulls　and　other　aquatic　fowls　were　toppling　upon　the　blast；　or　

skimming　over　the　tops　of　the　maddening　waves　…　'Mercy　upon　him！　he　

must　be　drowned！'　　I　exclaimed；　as　my　eyes　fell　upon　a　poor　wretch　

who　appeared　to　be　striving　to　reach　the　shore；　he　was　upon　his　

legs；　but　was　evidently　half　smothered　with　the　brine；　high　above　

his　head　curled　a　horrible　billow；　as　if　to　engulf　him　for　ever。　　

'He　must　be　drowned！　he　must　be　drowned！'　　I　almost　shrieked；　and　

dropped　the　book。　　I　soon　snatched　it　up　again；　and　now　my　eye　

lighted　on　a　third　picture：　　again　a　shore；　but　what　a　sweet　and　

lovely　one；　and　how　I　wished　to　be　treading　it；　there　were　

beautiful　shells　lying　on　the　smooth　white　sand；　some　were　empty　

like　those　I　had　occasionally　seen　on　marble　mantelpieces；　but　out　

of　others　peered　the　heads　and　bodies　of　wondrous　crayfish；　a　wood　

of　thick　green　trees　skirted　the　beach　and　partly　shaded　it　from　

the　rays　of　the　sun；　which　shone　hot　above；　while　blue　waves　

slightly　crested　with　foam　were　gently　curling　against　it；　there　

was　a　human　figure　upon　the　beach；　wild　and　uncouth；　clad　in　the　

skins　of　animals；　with　a　huge　cap　on　his　head；　a　hatchet　at　his　

girdle；　and　in　his　hand　a　gun；　his　feet　and　legs　were　bare；　he　

stood　in　an　attitude　of　horror　and　surprise；　his　body　was　bent　far　

back；　and　his　eyes；　which　seemed　starting　out　of　his　head；　were　

fixed　upon　a　mark　on　the　sand　…　a　large　distinct　mark　…　a　human　

footprint。　。　。　。



Reader；　is　it　necessary　to　name　the　book　which　now　stood　open　in　my　

hand；　and　whose　very　prints；　feeble　expounders　of　its　wondrous　

lines；　had　produced　within　me　emotions　strange　and　novel？　　Scarcely　

…　for　it　was　a　book　which　has　exerted　over　the　minds　of　Englishmen　

an　influence　certainly　greater　than　any　other　of　modern　times　…　

which　has　been　in　most　people's　hands；　and　with　the　contents　of　

which　even　those　who　cannot　read　are　to　a　certain　extent　acquainted　

…　a　book　from　which　the　most　luxuriant　and　fertile　of　our　modern　

prose　writers　have　drunk　inspiration　…　a　book；　moreover；　to　which；　

from　the　hardy　deeds　which　it　narrates；　and　the　spirit　of　strange　

and　romantic　enterprise　which　it　tends　to　awaken；　England　owes　many　

of　her　astonishing　discoveries　both　by　sea　and　land；　and　no　

inconsiderable　part　of　her　naval　glory。



Hail　to　thee；　spirit　of　De　Foe！　　What　does　not　my　own　poor　self　owe　

to　thee？　　England　has　better　bards　than　either　Greece　or　Rome；　yet　

I　could　spare　them　easier　far　than　De　Foe；　'unabashed　De　Foe；'　as　

the　hunchbacked　rhymer　styled　him。



The　true　chord　had　now　been　touched；　a　raging　curiosity　with　

respect　to　the　contents　of　the　volume；　whose　engravings　had　

fascinated　my　eye；　burned　within　me；　and　I　never　rested　until　I　had　

fully　satisfied　it；　weeks　succeeded　weeks；　months　followed　months；　

and　the　wondrous　volume　was　my　only　study　and　principal　source　of　

amusement。　　For　hours　together　I　would　sit　poring　o