lavengro-第79章

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against　the　tree；　I　was　not　long　in　falling　into　a　slumber；　I　

particularly　remember　that　slumber　of　mine　beneath　the　ash　tree；　

for　it　was　about　the　sweetest　slumber　that　I　ever　enjoyed；　how　long　

I　continued　in　it　I　do　not　know；　I　could　almost　have　wished　that　it　

had　lasted　to　the　present　time。　　All　of　a　sudden　it　appeared　to　me　

that　a　voice　cried　in　my　ear；　'Danger！　danger！　danger！'　　Nothing　

seemingly　could　be　more　distinct　than　the　words　which　I　heard；　then　

an　uneasy　sensation　came　over　me；　which　I　strove　to　get　rid　of；　and　

at　last　succeeded；　for　I　awoke。　　The　gypsy　girl　was　standing　just　

opposite　to　me；　with　her　eyes　fixed　upon　my　countenance；　a　singular　

kind　of　little　dog　stood　beside　her。



'Ha！'　said　I；　'was　it　you　that　cried　danger？　　What　danger　is　

there？'



'Danger；　brother；　there　is　no　danger；　what　danger　should　there　be？　　

I　called　to　my　little　dog；　but　that　was　in　the　wood；　my　little　

dog's　name　is　not　danger；　but　Stranger；　what　danger　should　there　

be；　brother？'



'What；　indeed；　except　in　sleeping　beneath　a　tree；　what　is　that　you　

have　got　in　your　hand？'



'Something　for　you；'　said　the　girl；　sitting　down　and　proceeding　to　

untie　a　white　napkin；　'a　pretty　manricli；　so　sweet；　so　nice；　when　I　

went　home　to　my　people　I　told　my　grand…bebee　how　kind　you　had　been　

to　the　poor　person's　child；　and　when　my　grand…bebee　saw　the　

kekaubi；　she　said；　〃Hir　mi　devlis；　it　won't　do　for　the　poor　people　

to　be　ungrateful；　by　my　God；　I　will　bake　a　cake　for　the　young　harko　

mescro。〃'



'But　there　are　two　cakes。'



'Yes；　brother；　two　cakes；　both　for　you；　my　grandbebee　meant　them　

both　for　you　…　but　list；　brother；　I　will　have　one　of　them　for　

bringing　them。　　I　know　you　will　give　me　one；　pretty　brother；　gray…

haired　brother　…　which　shall　I　have；　brother？'



In　the　napkin　were　two　round　cakes；　seemingly　made　of　rich　and　

costly　compounds；　and　precisely　similar　in　form；　each　weighing　

about　half　a　pound。



'Which　shall　I　have；　brother？'　said　the　gypsy　girl。



'Whichever　you　please。'



'No；　brother；　no；　the　cakes　are　yours；　not　mine。　　It　is　for　you　to　

say。'



'Well；　then；　give　me　the　one　nearest　you；　and　take　the　other。'



'Yes；　brother；　yes；'　said　the　girl；　and　taking　the　cakes；　she　flung　

them　into　the　air　two　or　three　times；　catching　them　as　they　fell；　

and　singing　the　while。　　'Pretty　brother；　gray…haired　brother　…　

here；　brother；'　said　she；　'here　is　your　cake；　this　other　is　mine。'



'Are　you　sure；'　said　I；　taking　the　cake；　'that　this　is　the　one　I　

chose？'



'Quite　sure；　brother；　but　if　you　like　you　can　have　mine；　there's　no　

difference；　however　…　shall　I　eat？'



'Yes；　sister；　eat。'



'See；　brother；　I　do；　now；　brother；　eat；　pretty　brother；　gray…haired　

brother。'



'I　am　not　hungry。'



'Not　hungry！　well；　what　then　…　what　has　being　hungry　to　do　with　the　

matter？　　It　is　my　grandbebee's　cake　which　was　sent　because　you　were　

kind　to　the　poor　person's　child；　eat；　brother；　eat；　and　we　shall　be　

like　the　children　in　the　wood　that　the　gorgios　speak　of。'



'The　children　in　the　wood　had　nothing　to　eat。'



'Yes；　they　had　hips　and　haws；　we　have　better。　　Eat；　brother。'



'See；　sister；　I　do；'　and　I　ate　a　piece　of　the　cake。



'Well；　brother；　how　do　you　like　it？'　said　the　girl；　looking　fixedly　

at　me。



'It　is　very　rich　and　sweet；　and　yet　there　is　something　strange　

about　it；　I　don't　think　I　shall　eat　any　more。'



'Fie；　brother；　fie；　to　find　fault　with　the　poor　person's　cake；　see；　

I　have　nearly　eaten　mine。'



'That's　a　pretty　little　dog。'



'Is　it　not；　brother？　that's　my　juggal；　my　little　sister；　as　I　call　

her。'



'Come　here；　juggal；'　said　I　to　the　animal。



'What　do　you　want　with　my　juggal？'　said　the　girl。



'Only　to　give　her　a　piece　of　cake；'　said　I；　offering　the　dog　a　

piece　which　I　had　just　broken　off。



'What　do　you　mean？'　said　the　girl；　snatching　the　dog　away；　'my　

grandbebee's　cake　is　not　for　dogs。'



'Why；　I　just　now　saw　you　give　the　animal　a　piece　of　yours。'



'You　lie；　brother；　you　saw　no　such　thing；　but　I　see　how　it　is；　you　

wish　to　affront　the　poor　person's　child。　　I　shall　go　to　my　house。'



'Keep　still；　and　don't　be　angry；　see；　I　have　eaten　the　piece　which　

I　offered　the　dog。　　I　meant　no　offence。　　It　is　a　sweet　cake　after　

all。'



'Isn't　it；　brother？　　I　am　glad　you　like　it。　　Offence；　brother；　no　

offence　at　all！　　I　am　so　glad　you　like　my　grandbebee's　cake；　but　

she　will　be　wanting　me　at　home。　　Eat　one　piece　more　of　grandbebee's　

cake；　and　I　will　go。'



'I　am　not　hungry；　I　will　put　the　rest　by。'



'One　piece　more　before　I　go；　handsome　brother；　gray…haired　

brother。'



'I　will　not　eat　any　more；　I　have　already　eaten　more　than　I　wished　

to　oblige　you；　if　you　must　go；　good…day　to　you。'



The　girl　rose　upon　her　feet；　looked　hard　at　me；　then　at　the　

remainder　of　the　cake　which　I　held　in　my　hand；　and　then　at　me　

again；　and　then　stood　for　a　moment　or　two；　as　if　in　deep　thought；　

presently　an　air　of　satisfaction　came　over　her　countenance；　she　

smiled　and　said；　'Well；　brother；　well；　do　as　you　please；　I　merely　

wished　you　to　eat　because　you　have　been　so　kind　to　the　poor　

person's　child。　　She　loves　you　so；　that　she　could　have　wished　to　

have　seen　you　eat　it　all；　good…bye；　brother；　I　daresay　when　I　am　

gone　you　will　eat　some　more　of　it；　and　if　you　don't；　I　daresay　you　

have　eaten　enough　to　…　to　…　show　your　love　for　us。　　After　all　it　

was　a　poor　person's　cake；　a　Rommany　manricli；　and　all　you　gorgios　

are　somewhat　gorgious。　　Farewell；　brother；　pretty　brother；　gray…

haired　brother。　　Come；　juggal。'



I　remained　under　the　ash　tree　seated　on　the　grass　for　a　minute　or　

two；　and　endeavoured　to　resume　the　occupation　in　which　I　had　been　

engaged　before　I　fell　asleep；　but　I　felt　no　inclination　for　labour。　　

I　then　thought　I　would　sleep　again；　and　once　more　reclined　against　

the　tree；　and　slumbered　for　some　little　time；　but　my　sleep　was　more　

agitated　than　before。　　Something　appeared　to　bear　heavy　on　my　

breast；　I　struggled　in　my　sleep；　fell　on　the　grass；　and　awoke；　my　

temples　were　throbbing；　there　was　a　burning　in　my　eyes；　and　my　

mouth　felt　parched；　the　oppression　about　the　chest　which　I　had　felt　

in　my　sleep　still　continued。　　'I　must　shake　off　these　feelings；'　

said　I；　'and　get　upon　my　legs。'　　I　walked　rapidly　up　and　down　upon　

the　green　sward；　at　length；　feeling　my　thirst　increase；　I　directed　

my　steps　down　the　narrow　path　to　the　spring　which　ran　amidst　the　

bushes；　arriving　there；　I　knelt　down　and　drank　of　the　water；　but　on　

lifting　up　my　head　I　felt　thirstier　than　before；　again　I　drank；　but　

with　the　like　result；　I　was　about　to　drink　for　the　third　time；　when　

I　felt　a　dreadful　qualm　which　instantly　robbed　me　of　nearly　all　my　

strength。　　What　can　be　the　matter　with　me？　thought　I；　but　I　suppose　

I　have　made　myself　ill　by　drinking　cold　water。　　I　got　up　and　made　

the　best　of　my　way　back　to　my　tent；　before　I　reached　it　the　qualm　

had　seized　me　again；　and　I　was　deadly　sick。　　I　flung　myself　on　my　

pallet；　qualm　succeeded　qualm；　but　in　the　intervals　my　mouth　was　

dry　and　burning；　and　I　felt　a　frantic　desire　to　drink；　but　no　water　

was　at　hand；　and　to　reach　the　spring　once　more　was　impossible；　the　

qualms　continued；　deadly　pains　shot　through　my　whole　frame；　I　could　

bear　my　agonies　no　longer；　and　I　fell　into　a　trance　or　swoon。　　How　

long　I　continued　therein　I　know　not；　on　recovering；　however；　I　felt　

somewhat　better；　and　attempted　to　lift　my　head　off　my　couch；　the　

next　moment；　however；　the　qualms　and　pains　returned；　if　possible；　

with　greater　violence　than　before。　　I　am　dying；　thought　I；　like　a　

dog；　without　any　help；　and　then　methought　I　heard　a　sound　at　a　

distance　like　people　singing；　and　then　once　more　I　relapsed　into　my　

swoon。



I　revived　just　as　a　heavy　blow　sounded　upon　the　canvas　of　the　tent。　　

I　started；　but　my　condition　did　not　permit　me　to　rise；　again　the　

same　kind　of　blow　sounded　upon　the　canvas；　I　thought　for　a　moment　

of　crying　out　and　requesting　assistance；　but　an　inexplicable　

something　chained　my　tongue；　and　now　I　heard　a　whisper　on　the　

outside　of　the　tent。　　'He　does　not　move；　bebee；'　said　a　voice　which　

I　knew。　　'I　should　not　wonder　if　it　has　done　for　him　already；　

however；　strike　again　with　your　ran'；　and　then　there　was　another　

blow；　after　which　another　voice　cried　aloud　in　a　strange　tone；　'Is　

the　gentleman　of　the　house　asleep；　or　is　he　taking　his　dinner？'　　I　

remained　quite　silent　and　motionless；　and　in　another　moment　the　

voice　continued；　'What；　no　answer？　what　can　the　gentleman　of　the　

house　be　about　that　he　makes　no　answer？　perhaps　the　gentleman　of　

the　house　may　be　darning　his　stockings？'　　Thereupon　a　face　peered　

into　the　door　of　the　tent；　at　the　farther　extremity　of　which　I　was　

stretched。　　It　was　that　of　a　woman；　but　owing　to　the　posture　in　

which　she　stood；　with　her　back　to　the　light；　and　partly　owing　to　a　

large　straw　bonnet；　I　could　distinguish　but　very　little　of　the　

features　of　her　countenance。　　I　had；　however；　recognised　her　voice；　

it　was　that　of　my　old　acquaintance；　Mrs。　Herne。　　'Ho；　ho；　sir！'　

said　she；　'here　you　are。　　Come　here；　Leonora；'　said　she　to　the　

gypsy　girl；　who　pressed　in　at　the　other　side　of　the　door；　'here　is　

the　gentleman；　not　asleep；　but　only　stretched　out　after　dinner。　　

Sit　down　on　your　ham；　child；　at　the　door；　I　shall　do　the　same。　　

There　…　you　have　seen　me　before；　sir；　have　you　not？'



'The　gentleman　makes　no　answer；　bebee；　perhaps　he　does　not　know　

you。'



'I　have　known　him　of　old；　Leonora；'　said　Mrs。　Herne；　'and；　to　tell　

you　the　truth；　though　I　spoke　to　him　just　now；　I　expected　no　

answer。'



'It's　a　way　he　has；　bebee；　I　suppose？'



'Yes；　child；　it's　a　way　he　has。'



'Take　off　your　bonnet；　bebee；　perhaps　he　cannot　see　your　face。'



'I　do　not　think　that　will　be　of　much　use；　child；　however；　I　will　

take　off　my　bonnet　…　there　…　and　shake　out　my　hair　…　there　…　you　

have　seen　this　hair　before；　sir；　and　this　face　…　'



'No　answer；　bebee。'



'Though　the　one　was　not　quite　so　gray；　nor　the　other　so　wrinkled。'



'How　came　they　so；　bebee？'



'All　along　of　this　gorgio；　child。'



'The　gentleman　in　the　house；　you　mean；　bebee？'



'Yes；　child；　the　gentleman　in　the　house。　　God　grant　that　I　may　

preserve　my　temper。　　Do　you　know；　sir；　my　name？　　My　name　is　Herne；　

which　signifies　a　hairy　individual；　though　neither　gray…haired　nor　

wrinkled。　　It　is　not　the　nature　of　the　Hernes　to　be　gray　or　

wrinkled；　even　when　they　are　old；　and　I　am　not　old。'



'How　old　are　you；　bebee？'



'Sixty…five　years；　child　…　an　inconsiderable　number。　　My　mother　was　

a　hundred　and　one　…　a　considerable　age　…　when　she　died；　yet　she　had　

not　one　gray　hair；　and　not　more　than　six　wrinkles　…　an　

inconsiderable　number。'



'She　had　no　griefs；　bebee？'



'Plenty；　child；　but　not　like　mine。'



'Not　quite　so　ha