barnaby rudge(巴纳比·卢杰)-第80章
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does anything again any one of them fifty acts； that man； woman；
or child； shall be worked off by Dennis。” George the Third steps in
when they number very strong at the end of a sessions； and says；
“These are too many for Dennis。 I’ll have half for myself and
Dennis shall have half for himself；” and sometimes he throws me
in one over that I don’t expect； as he did three year ago； when I got
Mary Jones； a young woman of nineteen who come up to Tyburn
with a infant at her breast； and was worked off for taking a piece of
cloth off the counter of a shop in Ludgate Hill； and putting it down
again when the shopman see her； and who had never done any
harm before； and only tried to do that； in consequence of her
husband having been pressed three weeks previous； and she being
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left to beg； with two young children—as was proved upon the trial。
Ha ha！—Well！ That being the law and the practice of England； is
the glory of England； an’t it； Muster Gashford？’
‘Certainly；’ said the secretary。
‘And in times to come；’ pursued the hangman； ‘if our grandsons
should think of their grandfathers’ times； and find these things
altered； they’ll say； “Those were days indeed； and we’ve been
going down hill ever since。” Won’t they； Muster Gashford？’
‘I have no doubt they will；’ said the secretary。
‘Well then； look here；’ said the hangman。 ‘If these Papists gets
into power； and begins to boil and roast instead of hang； what
becomes of my work！ If they touch my work that’s a part of so
many laws； what becomes of the laws in general； what becomes of
the religion； what becomes of the country！—Did you ever go to
church； Muster Gashford？’
‘Ever！’ repeated the secretary with some indignation； ‘of
course。’
‘Well；’ said the ruffian； ‘I’ve been once—twice； counting the
time I was christened—and when I heard the Parliament prayed
for； and thought how many new hanging laws they made every
sessions； I considered that I was prayed for。 Now mind； Muster
Gashford；’ said the fellow； taking up his stick and shaking it with a
ferocious air； ‘I mustn’t have my Protestant work touched； nor this
here Protestant state of things altered in no degree； if I can help it；
I mustn’t have no Papists interfering with me； unless they come to
be worked off in course of law； I mustn’t have no biling； no
roasting； no frying—nothing but hanging。 My lord may well call
me an earnest fellow。 In support of the great Protestant principle
of having plenty of that； I’ll；’ and here he beat his club upon the
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ground； ‘burn； fight； kill—do anything you bid me； so that it’s bold
and devilish—though the end of it was； that I got hung myself。—
There； Muster Gashford！’
He appropriately followed up this frequent prostitution of a
noble word to the vilest purposes； by pouring out in a kind of
ecstasy at least a score of most tremendous oaths； then wiped his
heated face upon his neckerchief； and cried； ‘No Popery！ I’m a
religious man； by G—！’
Gashford had leant back in his chair； regarding him with eyes
so sunken； and so shadowed by his heavy brows； that for aught the
hangman saw of them； he might have been stone blind。 He
remained smiling in silence for a short time longer； and then said；
slowly and distinctly：
‘You are indeed an earnest fellow； Dennis—a most valuable
fellow—the staunchest man I know of in our ranks。 But you must
calm yourself； you must be peaceful； lawful； mild as any lamb。 I am
sure you will be though。’
‘Ay； ay； we shall see； Muster Gashford； we shall see。 You won’t
have to complain of me；’ returned the other； shaking his head。
‘I am sure I shall not；’ said the secretary in the same mild tone；
and with the same emphasis。 ‘We shall have； we think； about next
month； or May； when this Papist relief bill comes before the house；
to convene our whole body for the first time。 My lord has thoughts
of our walking in procession through the streets—just as an
innocent display of strength—and accompanying our petition
down to the door of the House of Commons。’
‘The sooner the better；’ said Dennis； with another oath。
‘We shall have to draw up in divisions； our numbers being so
large； and； I believe I may venture to say；’ resumed Gashford；
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affecting not to hear the interruption； ‘though I have no direct
instructions to that effect—that Lord George has thought of you as
an excellent leader for one of these parties。 I have no doubt you
would be an admirable one。’
‘Try me；’ said the fellow； with an ugly wink。
‘You would be cool； I know；’ pursued the secretary； still smiling；
and still managing his eyes so that he could watch him closely； and
really not be seen in turn； ‘obedient to orders； and perfectly
temperate。 You would lead your party into no danger； I am
certain。’
‘I’d lead them； Muster Gashford；’—the hangman was beginning
in a reckless way； when Gashford started forward； laid his finger
on his lips； and feigned to write； just as the door was opened by
John Grueby。
‘Oh！’ said John； looking in； ‘here’s another Protestant。’
‘Some other room； John；’ cried Gashford in his blandest voice。
‘I am engaged just now。’
But John had brought this new visitor to the door； and he
walked in unbidden； as the words were uttered； giving to view the
form and features； rough attire； and reckless air； of Hugh。
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Chapter 38
he secretary put his hand before his eyes to shade them
from the glare of the lamp； and for some moments looked
T
at Hugh with a frowning brow； as if he remembered to
have seen him lately； but could not call to mind where； or on what
occasion。 His uncertainty was very brief； for before Hugh had
spoken a word； he said； as his countenance cleared up：
‘Ay； ay； I recollect。 It’s quite right； John； you needn’t wait。 Don’t
go； Dennis。’
‘Your servant； master；’ said Hugh； as Grueby disappeared。
‘Yours； friend；’ returned the secretary in his smoothest manner。
‘What brings you here？ We left nothing behind us； I hope？’
Hugh gave a short laugh； and thrusting his hand into his breast；
produced one of the handbills； soiled and dirty from lying out of
doors all night； which he laid upon the secretary’s desk after
flattening it upon his knee； and smoothing out the wrinkles with
his heavy palm。
‘Nothing but that； master。 It fell into good hands； you see。’
‘What is this！’ said Gashford； turning it over with an air of
perfectly natural surprise。 ‘Where did you get it from； my good
fellow； what does it mean？ I don’t understand this at all。’
A little disconcerted by this reception； Hugh looked from the
secretary to Dennis； who had risen and was standing at the table
too； observing the stranger by stealth； and seeming to derive the
utmost satisfaction from his manners and appearance。
Considering himself silently appealed to by this action； Mr Dennis
shook his head thrice； as if to say of Gashford； ‘No。 He don’t know
anything at all about it。 I know he don’t。 I’ll take my oath he don’t；’
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and hiding his profile from Hugh with one long end of his frowzy
neckerchief； nodded and chuckled behind this screen in extreme
approval of the secretary’s proceedings。
‘It tells the man that finds it； to come here； don’t it？’ asked
Hugh。 ‘I’m no scholar； myself； but I showed it to a friend； and he
said it did。’
‘It certainly does；’ said Gashford； opening his eyes to their
utmost width； ‘really this is the most remarkable circumstance I
have ever known。 How did you come by this piece of paper； my
good friend？’
‘Muster Gashford；’ wheezed the hangman under his breath；
‘agin’ all Newgate！’
Whether Hugh heard him； or saw by his manner that he was
being played upon； or perceived the secretary’s drift of himself； he
came in his blunt way to the point at once。
‘Here！’ he said； stretching out his hand and taking it back；
‘never mind the bill； or what it says； or what it don’t say。 You don’t
know anything about it； master；—no more do I；—no more does
he；’ glancing at Dennis。 ‘None of us know what it means； or where
it comes from： there’s an end of that。 Now I want to make one
against the Catholics； I’m a No…Popery man； and ready to be
sworn in。 That’s what I’ve come here for。’
‘Put him down on the roll； Muster Gashford；’ said Dennis
approvingly。 ‘That’s the way to go to work—right to the end at
once； and no palaver。’
‘What’s the use of shooting wide of the mark； eh； old boy！’ cried
Hugh。
‘My sentiments all over！’ rejoined the hang
