lavengro-第6章

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

amusement。　　For　hours　together　I　would　sit　poring　over　a　page　till　

I　had　become　acquainted　with　the　import　of　every　line。　　My　

progress；　slow　enough　at　first；　became　by　degrees　more　rapid；　till　

at　last；　under　'a　shoulder　of　mutton　sail；'　I　found　myself　

cantering　before　a　steady　breeze　over　an　ocean　of　enchantment；　so　

well　pleased　with　my　voyage　that　I　cared　not　how　long　it　might　be　

ere　it　reached　its　termination。



And　it　was　in　this　manner　that　I　first　took　to　the　paths　of　

knowledge。



About　this　time　I　began　to　be　somewhat　impressed　with　religious　

feelings。　　My　parents　were；　to　a　certain　extent；　religious　people；　

but；　though　they　had　done　their　best　to　afford　me　instruction　on　

religious　points；　I　had　either　paid　no　attention　to　what　they　

endeavoured　to　communicate；　or　had　listened　with　an　ear　far　too　

obtuse　to　derive　any　benefit。　　But　my　mind　had　now　become　awakened　

from　the　drowsy　torpor　in　which　it　had　lain　so　long；　and　the　

reasoning　powers　which　I　possessed　were　no　longer　inactive。　　

Hitherto　I　had　entertained　no　conception　whatever　of　the　nature　and　

properties　of　God；　and　with　the　most　perfect　indifference　had　heard　

the　divine　name　proceeding　from　the　mouths　of　people　…　frequently；　

alas！　on　occasions　when　it　ought　not　to　be　employed；　but　I　now　

never　heard　it　without　a　tremor；　for　I　now　knew　that　God　was　an　

awful　and　inscrutable　Being；　the　Maker　of　all　things；　that　we　were　

His　children；　and　that　we；　by　our　sins；　had　justly　offended　Him；　

that　we　were　in　very　great　peril　from　His　anger；　not　so　much　in　

this　life　as　in　another　and　far　stranger　state　of　being　yet　to　

come；　that　we　had　a　Saviour　withal　to　whom　it　was　necessary　to　look　

for　help：　　upon　this　point；　however；　I　was　yet　very　much　in　the　

dark；　as；　indeed；　were　most　of　those　with　whom　I　was　connected。　　

The　power　and　terrors　of　God　were　uppermost　in　my　thoughts；　they　

fascinated　though　they　astounded　me。　　Twice　every　Sunday　I　was　

regularly　taken　to　the　church；　where；　from　a　corner　of　the　large　

spacious　pew；　lined　with　black　leather；　I　would　fix　my　eyes　on　the　

dignified　High…Church　rector；　and　the　dignified　High…Church　clerk；　

and　watch　the　movement　of　their　lips；　from　which；　as　they　read　

their　respective　portions　of　the　venerable　liturgy；　would　roll　many　

a　portentous　word　descriptive　of　the　wondrous　works　of　the　Most　

High。



RECTOR。　　Thou　didst　divide　the　sea；　through　thy　power：　　thou　

brakest　the　heads　of　the　dragons　in　the　waters。



PHILOH。　　Thou　smotest　the　heads　of　Leviathan　in　pieces：　　and　gavest　

him　to　be　meat　for　the　people　in　the　wilderness。



RECTOR。　　Thou　broughtest　out　fountains；　and　waters　out　of　the　hard　

rocks：　　thou　driedst　up　mighty　waters。



PHILOH。　　The　day　is　thine；　and　the　night　is　thine：　　thou　hast　

prepared　the　light　and　the　sun。



Peace　to　your　memories；　dignified　rector；　and　yet　more　dignified　

clerk！　…　by　this　time　ye　are　probably　gone　to　your　long　homes；　and　

your　voices　are　no　longer　heard　sounding　down　the　aisles　of　the　

venerable　church　…　nay；　doubtless；　this　has　already　long　since　been　

the　fate　of　him　of　the　sonorous　'Amen！'　…　the　one　of　the　two　who；　

with　all　due　respect　to　the　rector；　principally　engrossed　my　boyish　

admiration　…　he；　at　least；　is　scarcely　now　among　the　living！　

Living！　why；　I　have　heard　say　that　he　blew　a　fife　…　for　he　was　a　

musical　as　well　as　a　Christian　professor　…　a　bold　fife；　to　cheer　

the　Guards　and　the　brave　Marines；　as　they　marched　with　measured　

step；　obeying　an　insane　command；　up　Bunker's　height；　whilst　the　

rifles　of　the　sturdy　Yankees　were　sending　the　leaden　hail　sharp　and　

thick　amidst　the　red…coated　ranks；　for　Philoh　had　not　always　been　a　

man　of　peace；　nor　an　exhorter　to　turn　the　other　cheek　to　the　

smiter；　but　had　even　arrived　at　the　dignity　of　a　halberd　in　his　

country's　service　before　his　six…foot　form　required　rest；　and　the　

gray…haired　veteran　retired；　after　a　long　peregrination；　to　his　

native　town；　to　enjoy　ease　and　respectability　on　a　pension　of　

'eighteenpence　a　day'；　and　well　did　his　fellow…townsmen　act；　when；　

to　increase　that　ease　and　respectability；　and　with　a　thoughtful　

regard　for　the　dignity　of　the　good　church　service；　they　made　him　

clerk　and　precentor　…　the　man　of　the　tall　form　and　of　the　audible　

voice；　which　sounded　loud　and　clear　as　his　own　Bunker　fife。　　Well；　

peace　to　thee；　thou　fine　old　chap；　despiser　of　dissenters；　and　

hater　of　papists；　as　became　a　dignified　and　High…Church　clerk；　if　

thou　art　in　thy　grave；　the　better　for　thee；　thou　wert　fitted　to　

adorn　a　bygone　time；　when　loyalty　was　in　vogue；　and　smiling　content　

lay　like　a　sunbeam　upon　the　land；　but　thou　wouldst　be　sadly　out　of　

place　in　these　days　of　cold　philosophic　latitudinarian　doctrine；　

universal　tolerism；　and　half…concealed　rebellion　…　rare　times；　no　

doubt；　for　papists　and　dissenters；　but　which　would　assuredly　have　

broken　the　heart　of　the　loyal　soldier　of　George　the　Third；　and　the　

dignified　High…Church　clerk　of　pretty　D…。



We　passed　many　months　at　this　place：　　nothing；　however；　occurred　

requiring　any　particular　notice；　relating　to　myself；　beyond　what　I　

have　already　stated；　and　I　am　not　writing　the　history　of　others。　　

At　length　my　father　was　recalled　to　his　regiment；　which　at　that　

time　was　stationed　at　a　place　called　Norman　Cross；　in　Lincolnshire；　

or　rather　Huntingdonshire；　at　some　distance　from　the　old　town　of　

Peterborough。　　For　this　place　he　departed；　leaving　my　mother　and　

myself　to　follow　in　a　few　days。　　Our　journey　was　a　singular　one。　　

On　the　second　day　we　reached　a　marshy　and　fenny　country；　which；　

owing　to　immense　quantities　of　rain　which　had　lately　fallen；　was　

completely　submerged。　　At　a　large　town　we　got　on　board　a　kind　of　

passage…boat；　crowded　with　people；　it　had　neither　sails　nor　oars；　

and　those　were　not　the　days　of　steam…vessels；　it　was　a　treck…

schuyt；　and　was　drawn　by　horses。　　Young　as　I　was；　there　was　much　

connected　with　this　journey　which　highly　surprised　me；　and　which　

brought　to　my　remembrance　particular　scenes　described　in　the　book　

which　I　now　generally　carried　in　my　bosom。　　The　country　was；　as　I　

have　already　said；　submerged　…　entirely　drowned　…　no　land　was　

visible；　the　trees　were　growing　bolt　upright　in　the　flood；　whilst　

farmhouses　and　cottages　were　standing　insulated；　the　horses　which　

drew　us　were　up　to　the　knees　in　water；　and；　on　coming　to　blind　

pools　and　'greedy　depths；'　were　not　unfrequently　swimming；　in　which　

case；　the　boys　or　urchins　who　mounted　them　sometimes　stood；　

sometimes　knelt；　upon　the　saddle　and　pillions。　　No　accident；　

however；　occurred　either　to　the　quadrupeds　or　bipeds；　who　appeared　

respectively　to　be　quite　AU　FAIT　in　their　business；　and　extricated　

themselves　with　the　greatest　ease　from　places　in　which　Pharaoh　and　

all　his　host　would　have　gone　to　the　bottom。　　Nightfall　brought　us　

to　Peterborough；　and　from　thence　we　were　not　slow　in　reaching　the　

place　of　our　destination。







CHAPTER　IV







Norman　Cross　…　Wide　expanse　…　VIVE　L'EMPEREUR　…　Unpruned　woods　…　

Man　with　the　bag　…　Froth　and　conceit　…　I　beg　your　pardon　…　Growing　

timid　…　About　three　o'clock　…　Taking　one's　ease　…　Cheek　on　the　

ground　…　King　of　the　vipers　…　French　king　…　Frenchmen　and　water。



AND　a　strange　place　it　was；　this　Norman　Cross；　and；　at　the　time　of　

which　I　am　speaking；　a　sad　cross　to　many　a　Norman；　being　what　was　

then　styled　a　French　prison；　that　is；　a　receptacle　for　captives　

made　in　the　French　war。　　It　consisted；　if　I　remember　right；　of　some　

five　or　six　casernes；　very　long；　and　immensely　high；　each　standing　

isolated　from　the　rest；　upon　a　spot　of　ground　which　might　average　

ten　acres；　and　which　was　fenced　round　with　lofty　palisades；　the　

whole　being　compassed　about　by　a　towering　wall；　beneath　which；　at　

intervals；　on　both　sides；　sentinels　were　stationed；　whilst　outside；　

upon　the　field；　stood　commodious　wooden　barracks；　capable　of　

containing　two　regiments　of　infantry；　intended　to　serve　as　guards　

upon　the　captives。　　Such　was　the　station　or　prison　at　Norman　Cross；　

where　some　six　thousand　French　and　other　foreigners；　followers　of　

the　grand　Corsican；　were　now　immured。



What　a　strange　appearance　had　those　mighty　casernes；　with　their　

blank　blind　walls；　without　windows　or　grating；　and　their　slanting　

roofs；　out　of　which；　through　orifices　where　the　tiles　had　been　

removed；　would　be　protruded　dozens　of　grim　heads；　feasting　their　

prison…sick　eyes　on　the　wide　expanse　of　country　unfolded　from　that　

airy　height。　　Ah！　there　was　much　misery　in　those　casernes；　and　from　

those　roofs；　doubtless；　many　a　wistful　look　was　turned　in　the　

direction　of　lovely　France。　　Much　had　the　poor　inmates　to　endure；　

and　much　to　complain　of；　to　the　disgrace　of　England　be　it　said　…　of　

England；　in　general　so　kind　and　bountiful。　　Rations　of　carrion　

meat；　and　bread　from　which　I　have　seen　the　very　hounds　occasionally　

turn　away；　were　unworthy　entertainment　even　for　the　most　ruffian　

enemy；　when　helpless　and　a　captive；　and　such；　alas！　was　the　fare　in　

those　casernes。　　And　then；　those　visits；　or　rather　ruthless　

inroads；　called　in　the　slang　of　the　place　'strawplait…hunts；'　when　

in　pursuit　of　a　contraband　article；　which　the　prisoners；　in　order　

to　procure　themselves　a　few　of　the　necessaries　and　comforts　of　

existence；　were　in　the　habit　of　making；　red…coated　battalions　were　

marched　into　the　prisons；　who；　with　the　bayonet's　point；　carried　

havoc　and　ruin　into　every　poor　convenience　which　ingenious　

wretchedness　had　been　endeavouring　to　raise　around　it；　and　then　the　

triumphant　exit　with　the　miserable　booty；　and；　worst　of　all；　the　

accursed　bonfire；　on　the　barrack　parade；　of　the　plait　contraband；　

beneath　the　view　of　the　glaring　eyeballs　from　those　lofty　roofs；　

amidst　the　hurrahs　of　the　troops；　frequently　drowned　in　the　curses　

poured　down　from　above　like　a　tempest…shower　or　in　the　terrific　

warw…hoop　of　'VIVE　L'EMPEREUR！'



It　was　midsummer　when　we　arrived　at　this　place；　and　the　weather；　

which　had　for　a　long　time　been　wet　and　gloomy；　now　became　bright　

and　glorious；　I　was　subjected　to　but　little　control；　and　passed　my　

time　pleasantly　enough；　principally　in　wandering　about　the　

neighbouring　country。　　It　was　flat　and　somewhat　fenny；　a　district　

more　of　pasture　than　agriculture；　and　not　very　thickly　inhabited。　　

I　soon　became　well　acquainted　with　it。　　At　the　distance　of　two　

miles　from　the　station　was　a　large　lake；　styled　in　the　dialect　of　

the　country　'a　mere；'　about　whose　borders　tall　reeds　were　growing　

in　abundance；　this　was　a　frequent　haunt　of　mine；　but　my　favourite　

place　of　resort　was　a　wild　sequestered　spot　at　a　somewhat　greater　

distance。　　Here；　surrounded　with　woods　and　thick　groves；　was　the　

seat　of　some　ancient　family；　deserted　by　the　proprietor；　and　only　

inhabited　by　a　rustic　servant　or　two。　　A