lavengro-第97章

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'My　size　and　fierceness！　　I　tell　you　what；　young　man；　you　are　not　

over　civil　this　evening；　but　you　are　ill；　as　I　said　before；　and　I　

shan't　take　much　notice　of　your　language；　at　least　for　the　present；　

as　for　my　size；　I　am　not　so　much　bigger　than　yourself；　and　as　for　

being　fierce；　you　should　be　the　last　one　to　fling　that　at　me。　　It　

is　well　for　you　that　I　can　be　fierce　sometimes。　　If　I　hadn't　taken　

your　part　against　Blazing　Bosville；　you　wouldn't　be　now　taking　tea　

with　me。'



'It　is　true　that　you　struck　me　in　the　face　first；　but　we'll　let　

that　pass。　　So　that　man's　name　is　Bosville；　what's　your　own？'



'Isopel　Berners。'



'How　did　you　get　that　name？'



'I　say；　young　man；　you　seem　fond　of　asking　questions：　　will　you　

have　another　cup　of　tea？'



'I　was　just　going　to　ask　for　another。'



'Well；　then；　here　it　is；　and　much　good　may　it　do　you；　as　for　my　

name；　I　got　it　from　my　mother。'



'Your　mother's　name；　then；　was　Isopel！'



'Isopel　Berners。'



'But　had　you　never　a　father？'



'Yes；　I　had　a　father；'　said　the　girl；　sighing；　'but　I　don't　bear　

his　name。'



'Is　it　the　fashion；　then；　in　your　country　for　children　to　bear　

their　mother's　name？'



'If　you　ask　such　questions；　young　man；　I　shall　be　angry　with　you。　　

I　have　told　you　my　name；　and；　whether　my　father's　or　mother's；　I　am　

not　ashamed　of　it。'



'It　is　a　noble　name。'



'There　you　are　right；　young　man。　　The　chaplain　in　the　great　house　

where　I　was　born　told　me　it　was　a　noble　name；　it　was　odd　enough；　he　

said；　that　the　only　three　noble　names　in　the　county　were　to　be　

found　in　the　great　house；　mine　was　one；　the　other　two　were　Devereux　

and　Bohun。'



'What　do　you　mean　by　the　great　house？'



'The　workhouse。'



'Is　it　possible　that　you　were　born　there？'



'Yes；　young　man；　and　as　you　now　speak　softly　and　kindly；　I　will　

tell　you　my　whole　tale。　　My　father　was　an　officer　of　the　sea；　and　

was　killed　at　sea　as　he　was　coming　home　to　marry　my　mother；　Isopel　

Berners。　　He　had　been　acquainted　with　her；　and　had　left　her；　but　

after　a　few　months　he　wrote　her　a　letter；　to　say　that　he　had　no　

rest；　and　that　he　repented；　and　that　as　soon　as　his　ship　came　to　

port　he　would　do　her　all　the　reparation　in　his　power。　　Well；　young　

man；　the　very　day　before　they　reached　port　they　met　the　enemy；　and　

there　was　a　fight；　and　my　father　was　killed；　after　he　had　struck　

down　six　of　the　enemy's　crew　on　their　own　deck；　for　my　father　was　a　

big　man；　as　I　have　heard；　and　knew　tolerably　well　how　to　use　his　

hands；　And　when　my　mother　heard　the　news；　she　became　half　

distracted；　and　ran　away　into　the　fields　and　forests；　totally　

neglecting　her　business；　for　she　was　a　small　milliner；　and　so　she　

ran　demented　about　the　meads　and　forests　for　a　long　time；　now　

sitting　under　a　tree；　and　now　by　the　side　of　a　river　…　at　last　she　

flung　herself　into　some　water；　and　would　have　been　drowned；　had　not　

some　one　been　at　hand　and　rescued　her；　whereupon　she　was　conveyed　

to　the　great　house；　lest　she　should　attempt　to　do　herself　farther　

mischief；　for　she　had　neither　friends　nor　parents　…　and　there　she　

died　three　months　after；　having　first　brought　me　into　the　world。　　

She　was　a　sweet　pretty　creature；　I'm　told；　but　hardly　fit　for　this　

world；　being　neither　large；　nor　fierce；　nor　able　to　take　her　own　

part。　　So　I　was　born　and　bred　in　the　great　house；　where　I　learnt　to　

read　and　sew；　to　fear　God；　and　to　take　my　own　part。　　When　I　was　

fourteen　I　was　put　out　to　service　to　a　small　farmer　and　his　wife；　

with　whom；　however；　I　did　not　stay　long；　for　I　was　half…starved；　

and　otherwise　ill　treated；　especially　by　my　mistress；　who　one　day　

attempting　to　knock　me　down　with　a　besom；　I　knocked　her　down　with　

my　fist；　and　went　back　to　the　great　house。'



'And　how　did　they　receive　you　in　the　great　house？'



'Not　very　kindly；　young　man　…　on　the　contrary；　I　was　put　into　a　

dark　room；　where　I　was　kept　a　fortnight　on　bread　and　water；　I　did　

not　much　care；　however；　being　glad　to　have　got　back　to　the　great　

house　at　any　rate　…　the　place　where　I　was　born；　and　where　my　poor　

mother　died；　and　in　the　great　house　I　continued　two　years　longer；　

reading　and　sewing；　fearing　God；　and　taking　my　own　part　when　

necessary。　　At　the　end　of　the　two　years　I　was　again　put　out　to　

service；　but　this　time　to　a　rich　farmer　and　his　wife；　with　whom；　

however；　I　did　not　live　long；　less　time；　I　believe；　than　with　the　

poor　ones；　being　obliged　to　leave　for　…　'



'Knocking　your　mistress　down？'



'No；　young　man；　knocking　my　master　down；　who　conducted　himself　

improperly　towards　me。　　This　time　I　did　not　go　back　to　the　great　

house；　having　a　misgiving　that　they　would　not　receive　me；　so　I　

turned　my　back　to　the　great　house　where　I　was　born；　and　where　my　

poor　mother　died；　and　wandered　for　several　days　I　know　not　whither；　

supporting　myself　on　a　few　halfpence　which　I　chanced　to　have　in　my　

pocket。　　It　happened　one　day；　as　I　sat　under　a　hedge　crying；　having　

spent　my　last　farthing；　that　a　comfortable…looking　elderly　woman　

came　up　in　a　cart；　and　seeing　the　state　in　which　I　was；　she　stopped　

and　asked　what　was　the　matter　with　me；　I　told　her　some　part　of　my　

story；　whereupon　she　said；　'Cheer　up；　my　dear；　if　you　like；　you　

shall　go　with　me；　and　wait　upon　me。'　　Of　course　I　wanted　little　

persuasion；　so　I　got　into　the　cart　and　went　with　her。　　She　took　me　

to　London　and　various　other　places；　and　I　soon　found　that　she　was　a　

travelling　woman；　who　went　about　the　country　with　silks　and　linen。　　

I　was　of　great　use　to　her；　more　especially　in　those　places　where　we　

met　evil　company。　　Once；　as　we　were　coming　from　Dover；　we　were　met　

by　two　sailors；　who　stopped　our　cart；　and　would　have　robbed　and　

stripped　us。　　'Let　me　get　down；'　said　I；　so　I　got　down；　and　fought　

with　them　both；　till　they　turned　round　and　ran　away。　　Two　years　I　

lived　with　the　old　gentlewoman；　who　was　very　kind　to　me；　almost　as　

kind　as　a　mother；　at　last　she　fell　sick　at　a　place　in　Lincolnshire；　

and　after　a　few　days　died；　leaving　me　her　cart　and　stock　in　trade；　

praying　me　only　to　see　her　decently　buried　…　which　I　did；　giving　

her　a　funeral　fit　for　a　gentlewoman。　　After　which　I　travelled　the　

country　…　melancholy　enough　for　want　of　company；　but　so　far　

fortunate；　that　I　could　take　my　own　part　when　anybody　was　uncivil　

to　me。　　At　last；　passing　through　the　valley　of　Todmorden；　I　formed　

the　acquaintance　of　Blazing　Bosville　and　his　wife；　with　whom　I　

occasionally　took　journeys　for　company's　sake；　for　it　is　melancholy　

to　travel　about　alone；　even　when　one　can　take　one's　own　part。　　I　

soon　found　they　were　evil　people；　but；　upon　the　whole；　they　treated　

me　civilly；　and　I　sometimes　lent　them　a　little　money；　so　that　we　

got　on　tolerably　well　together。　　He　and　I；　it　is　true；　had　once　a　

dispute；　and　nearly　came　to　blows；　for　once；　when　we　were　alone；　he　

wanted　me　to　marry　him；　promising；　if　I　would；　to　turn　off　Grey　

Moll；　or；　if　I　liked　it　better；　to　make　her　wait　upon　me　as　a　maid…

servant；　I　never　liked　him　much；　but　from　that　hour　less　than　ever。　　

Of　the　two；　I　believe　Grey　Moll　to　be　the　best；　for　she　is　at　any　

rate　true　and　faithful　to　him；　and　I　like　truth　and　constancy　…　

don't　you；　young　man？'



'Yes；'　said　I；　'they　are　very　nice　things。　　I　feel　very　strangely。'



'How　do　you　feel；　young　man？



'Very　much　afraid。'



'Afraid；　at　what？　　At　the　Flaming　Tinman？　　Don't　be　afraid　of　him。　　

He　won't　come　back；　and　if　he　did；　he　shouldn't　touch　you　in　this　

state；　I'd　fight　him　for　you；　but　he　won't　come　back；　so　you　

needn't　be　afraid　of　him。'



'I'm　not　afraid　of　the　Flaming　Tinman。'



'What；　then；　are　you　afraid　of？'



'The　evil　one。'



'The　evil　one！'　said　the　girl；　'where　is　he？'



'Coming　upon　me。'



'Never　heed；'　said　the　girl；　'I'll　stand　by　you。'







CHAPTER　LXXXVII







Hubbub　of　voices　…　No　offence　…　Nodding　…　The　guests。



THE　kitchen　of　the　public…house　was　a　large　one；　and　many　people　

were　drinking　in　it；　there　was　a　confused　hubbub　of　voices。



I　sat　down　on　a　bench　behind　a　deal　table；　of　which　there　were　

three　or　four　in　the　kitchen；　presently　a　bulky　man；　in　a　green　

coat　of　the　Newmarket　cut；　and　without　a　hat；　entered；　and　

observing　me；　came　up；　and　in　rather　a　gruff　tone　cried；　'Want　

anything；　young　fellow？'



'Bring　me　a　jug　of　ale；'　said　I；　'if　you　are　the　master；　as　I　

suppose　you　are；　by　that　same　coat　of　yours；　and　your　having　no　hat　

on　your　head。'



'Don't　be　saucy；　young　fellow；'　said　the　landlord；　for　such　he　was；　

'don't　be　saucy；　or　…　'　　Whatever　he　intended　to　say　he　left　

unsaid；　for　fixing　his　eyes　upon　one　of　my　hands；　which　I　had　

placed　by　chance　upon　the　table；　he　became　suddenly　still。



This　was　my　left　hand；　which　was　raw　and　swollen；　from　the　blows　

dealt　on　a　certain　hard　skull　in　a　recent　combat。　　'What　do　you　

mean　by　staring　at　my　hand　so？'　said　I；　with…drawing　it　from　the　

table。



'No　offence；　young　man；　no　offence；'　said　the　landlord；　in　a　quite　

altered　tone；　'but　the　sight　of　your　hand　…　'　then　observing　that　

our　conversation　began　to　attract　the　notice　of　the　guests　in　the　

kitchen；　he　interrupted　himself；　saying　in　an　undertone；　'But　mum's　

the　word　for　the　present；　I　will　go　and　fetch　the　ale。'



In　about　a　minute　he　returned；　with　a　jug　of　ale　foaming　high。　　

'Here's　your　health；'　said　he；　blowing　off　the　foam；　and　drinking；　

but　perceiving　that　I　looked　rather　dissatisfied；　he　murmured；　

'All's　right；　I　glory　in　you；　but　mum's　the　word。'　　Then；　placing　

the　jug　on　the　table；　he　gave　me　a　confidential　nod；　and　swaggered　

out　of　the　room。



What　can　the　silly　impertinent　fellow　mean？　thought　I；　but　the　ale　

was　now　before　me；　and　I　hastened　to　drink；　for　my　weakness　was　

great；　and　my　mind　was　full　of　dark　thoughts；　the　remains　of　the　

indescribable　horror　of　the　preceding　night。　　It　may　kill　me；　

thought　I；　as　I　drank　deep　…　but　who　cares？　anything　is　better　than　

what　I　have　suffered。　　I　drank　deep；　and　then　leaned　back　against　

the　wall：　　it　appeared　as　if　a　vapour　was　stealing　up　into　my　

brain；　gentle　and　benign；　soothing　and　stifling　the　horror　and　the　

fear；　higher　and　higher　it　mounted；　and　I　felt　nearly　overcome；　but　

the　sensation　was　delicious；　compared　with　that　I　had　lately　

experienced；　and　now　I　felt　myself　nodding；　and；　bending　down；　I　

laid　my　head　on　the　table　on　my　folded　hands。



And　in　that　attitude　I　remained　some　time；　perfectly　unconscious。　　

At　length；　by　degrees；　perception　returned；　and　I　lifted　up　my　

head。　　I　felt　somewhat　dizzy　and　bewildered；　but　the　dark　shadow　

had　withdrawn　itself　from　me。　　And　now　once　more　I　drank　of　the　

jug；　this　second　draught　did　not　produce　an　overpowering　effect　

upon　me　…　it　revived　and　strengthened　me　…　I　felt　a　new　man。



I　looked　around　me；　the　kitchen　had　been　deserted　by　the　greater　

part　of　the