from this world to the next-第17章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



outrageous　cruelties；　which；　indeed；　did　his　business；　as　they

served　me　to　apply　to　the　fear　of　this　king；　which　I　had　long

since　discovered　to　be　his　predominant　passion。　　And；　at　last；　he

who　had　refused　pardon　to　his　first　offense　submitted　to　give　it

him　after　he　had　committed　many　other　more　monstrous　crimes；　by

which　his　pardon　lost　all　grace　to　the　offended；　and　received

double　censure　from　all　others。



〃The　king　was　greatly　inclined　to　the　Normans；　had　created　a

Norman　archbishop　of　Canterbury；　and　had　heaped　extraordinary

favors　on　him。　　I　had　no　other　objection　to　this　man　than　that　he

rose　without　my　assistance；　a　cause　of　dislike　which；　in　the

reign　of　great　and　powerful　favorites；　hath　often　proved　fatal　to

the　persons　who　have　given　it；　as　the　persons　thus　raised　inspire

us　constantly　with　jealousies　and　apprehensions。　　For　when　we

promote　any　one　ourselves；　we　take　effectual　care　to　preserve

such　an　ascendant　over　him；　that　we　can　at　any　time　reduce　him　to

his　former　degree；　should　he　dare　to　act　in　opposition　to　our

wills；　for　which　reason　we　never　suffer　any　to　come　near　the

prince　but　such　as　we　are　assured　it　is　impossible　should　be

capable　of　engaging　or　improving　his　affection；　no　prime

minister；　as　I　apprehend；　esteeming　himself　to　be　safe　while　any

other　shares　the　ear　of　his　prince；　of　whom　we　are　as　jealous　as

the　fondest　husband　can　be　of　his　wife。　　Whoever；　therefore；　can

approach　him　by　any　other　channel　than　that　of　ourselves；　is；　in

our　opinion；　a　declared　enemy；　and　one　whom　the　first　principles

of　policy　oblige　us　to　demolish　with　the　utmost　expedition。　　For

the　affection　of　kings　is　as　precarious　as　that　of　women；　and　the

only　way　to　secure　either　to　ourselves　is　to　keep　all　others　from

them。



〃But　the　archbishop　did　not　let　matters　rest　on　suspicion。　　He

soon　gave　open　proofs　of　his　interest　with　the　Confessor　in

procuring　an　office　of　some　importance　for　one　Rollo；　a　Roman　of

mean　extraction　and　very　despicable　parts。　　When　I　represented　to

the　king　the　indecency　of　conferring　such　an　honor　on　such　a

fellow；　he　answered　me　that　he　was　the　archbishop's　relation。　

'Then；　sir；'　replied　I；　'he　is　related　to　your　enemy。'　　Nothing

more　passed　at　that　time；　but　I　soon　perceived；　by　the

archbishop's　behavior；　that　the　king　had　acquainted　him　with　our

private　discourse；　a　sufficient　assurance　of　his　confidence　in

him　and　neglect　of　me。



〃The　favor　of　princes；　when　once　lost；　is　recoverable　only　by　the

gaining　a　situation　which　may　make　you　terrible　to　them。　　As　I

had　no　doubt　of　having　lost　all　credit　with　this　king；　which

indeed　had　been　originally　founded　and　constantly　supported　by

his　fear；　so　I　took　the　method　of　terror　to　regain　it。



〃The　earl　of　Boulogne　coming　over　to　visit　the　king　gave　me　an

opportunity　of　breaking　out　into　open　opposition；　for；　as　the

earl　was　on　his　return　to　France；　one　of　his　servants；　who　was

sent　before　to　procure　lodgings　at　Dover；　and　insisted　on　having

them　in　the　house　of　a　private　man　in　spite　of　the　owner's　teeth；

was；　in　a　fray　which　ensued；　killed　on　the　spot；　and　the　earl

himself；　arriving　there　soon　after；　very　narrowly　escaped　with

his　life。　　The　earl；　enraged　at　this　affront；　returned　to　the

king　at　Gloucester　with　loud　complaints　and　demands　of

satisfaction。　　Edward　consented　to　his　demands；　and　ordered　me　to

chastise　the　rioters；　who　were　under　my　government　as　earl　of

Kent：　　but；　instead　of　obeying　these　orders；　I　answered；　with

some　warmth；　that　the　English　were　not　used　to　punish　people

unheard；　nor　ought　their　rights　and　privileges　to　be　violated；

that　the　accused　should　be　first　summonedif　guilty；　should　make

satisfaction　both　with　body　and　estate；　but；　if　innocent；　should

be　discharged。　　Adding；　with　great　ferocity；　that　as　earl　of　Kent

it　was　my　duty　to　protect　those　under　my　government　against　the

insults　of　foreigners。



〃This　accident　was　extremely　lucky；　as　it　gave　my　quarrel　with

the　king　a　popular　color；　and　so　ingratiated　me　with　the　people；

that　when　I　set　up　my　standard；　which　I　soon　after　did；　they

readily　and　cheerfully　listed　under　my　banners　and　embraced　my

cause；　which　I　persuaded　them　was　their　own；　for　that　it　was　to

protect　them　against　foreigners　that　I　had　drawn　my　sword。　　The

word　foreigners　with　an　Englishman　hath　a　kind　of　magical　effect；

they　having　the　utmost　hatred　and　aversion　to　them；　arising　from

the　cruelties　they　suffered　from　the　Danes　and　some　other　foreign

nations。　　No　wonder　therefore　they　espoused　my　cause　in　a　quarrel

which　had　such　a　beginning。　　



〃But　what　may　be　somewhat　more　remarkable　is；　that　when　I

afterwards　returned　to　England　from　banishment；　and　was　at　the

head　of　an　army　of　the　Flemish；　who　were　preparing　to　plunder　the

city　of　London；　I　still　persisted　that　I　was　come　to　defend　the

English　from　the　danger　of　foreigners；　and　gained　their　credit。　

Indeed；　there　is　no　lie　so　gross　but　it　may　be　imposed　on　the

people　by　those　whom　they　esteem　their　patrons　and　defenders。　　



〃The　king　saved　his　city　by　being　reconciled　to　me；　and　taking

again　my　daughter；　whom　he　had　put　away　from　him；　and　thus；

having　frightened　the　king　into　what　concessions　I　thought

proper；　I　dismissed　my　army　and　fleet；　with　which　I　intended；

could　I　not　have　succeeded　otherwise；　to　have　sacked　the　city　of

London　and　ravaged　the　whole　country。



〃I　was　no　sooner　re…established　in　the　king's　favor；　or；　what　was

as　well　for　me；　the　appearance　of　it；　than　I　fell　violently　on

the　archbishop。　　He　had　of　himself　retired　to　his　monastery　in

Normandy；　but　that　did　not　content　me：　　I　had　him　formally

banished；　the　see　declared　vacant；　and　then　filled　up　by　another。



〃I　enjoyed　my　grandeur　a　very　short　time　after　my　restoration　to

it；　for　the　king；　hating　and　fearing　me　to　a　very　great　degree；

and　finding　no　means　of　openly　destroying　me；　at　last　effected

his　purpose　by　poison；　and　then　spread　abroad　a　ridiculous　story；

of　my　wishing　the　next　morsel　might　choke　me　if　I　had　had　any

hand　in　the　death　of　Alfred；　and；　accordingly；　that　the　next

morsel；　by　a　divine　judgment；　stuck　in　my　throat　and　performed

that　office。



〃This　of　a　statesman　was　one　of　my　worst　stages　in　the　other

world。　　It　is　a　post　subjected　daily　to　the　greatest　danger　and

inquietude；　and　attended　with　little　pleasure　and　less　ease。　　In

a　word；　it　is　a　pill　which；　was　it　not　gilded　over　by　ambition；

would　appear　nauseous　and　detestable　in　the　eye　of　every　one；　and

perhaps　that　is　one　reason　why　Minos　so　greatly　compassionates

the　case　of　those　who　swallow　it：　　for　that　just　judge　told　me　he

always　acquitted　a　prime　minister　who　could　produce　one　single

good　action　in　his　whole　life；　let　him　have　committed　ever　so

many　crimes。　　Indeed；　I　understood　him　a　little　too　largely；　and

was　stepping　towards　the　gate；　but　he　pulled　me　by　the　sleeve；

and；　telling　me　no　prime　minister　ever　entered　there；　bid　me　go

back　again；　saying；　he　thought　I　had　sufficient　reason　to　rejoice

in　my　escaping　the　bottomless　pit；　which　half　my　crimes　committed

in　any　other　capacity　would　have　entitled　me　to。〃





CHAPTER　XXI



Julian's　adventures　in　the　post　of　a　soldier。



〃I　was　born　at　Caen；　in　Normandy。　　My　mother's　name　was　Matilda；

as　for　my　father；　I　am　not　so　certain；　for　the　good　woman　on　her

death…bed　assured　me　she　herself　could　bring　her　guess　to　no

greater　certainty　than　to　five　of　duke　William's　captains。　　When

I　was　no　more　than　thirteen　（being　indeed　a　surprising　stout　boy

of　my　age）　I　enlisted　into　the　army　of　duke　William；　afterwards

known　by　the　name　of　William　the　Conqueror；　landed　with　him　at

Pemesey　or　Pemsey；　in　Sussex；　and　was　present　at　the　famous

battle　of　Hastings。



〃At　the　first　onset　it　was　impossible　to　describe　my

consternation；　which　was　heightened　by　the　fall　of　two　soldiers

who　stood　by　me；　but　this　soon　abated；　and　by　degrees；　as　my

blood　grew　warm；　I　thought　no　more　of　my　own　safety；　but　fell　on

the　enemy　with　great　fury；　and　did　a　good　deal　of　execution；

till；　unhappily；　I　received　a　wound　in　my　thigh；　which　rendered

me　unable　to　stand　any　longer；　so　that　I　now　lay　among　the　dead；

and　was　constantly　exposed　to　the　danger　of　being　trampled　to

death；　as　well　by　my　fellow…soldiers　as　by　the　enemy。　　However；　I

had　the　fortune　to　escape　it；　and　continued　the　remaining　part　of

the　day　and　the　night　following　on　the　ground。



〃The　next　morning；　the　duke　sending　out　parties　to　bring　off　the

wounded；　I　was　found　almost　expiring　with　loss　of　blood；

notwithstanding　which；　as　immediate　care　was　taken　to　dress　my

wounds；　youth　and　a　robust　constitution　stood　my　friends；　and　I

recovered　after　a　long　and　tedious　indisposition；　and　was　again

able　to　use　my　limbs　and　do　my　duty。



〃As　soon　as　Dover　was　taken　I　was　conveyed　thither　with　all　the

rest　of　the　sick　and　wounded。　　Here　I　recovered　of　my　wound；　but

fell　afterwards　into　a　violent　flux；　which；　when　it　departed；

left　me　so　weak　that　it　was　long　before　I　could　regain　my

strength。　　And　what　most　afflicted　me　was；　that　during　my　whole

illness；　when　I　languished　under　want　as　well　as　sickness；　I　had

daily　the　mortification　to　see　and　hear　the　riots　and　excess　of

my　fellow…soldiers；　who　had　happily　escaped　safe　from　the　battle。



〃I　was　no　sooner　well　than　I　was　ordered　into　garrison　at　Dover

Castle。　　The　officers　here　fared　very　indifferently；　but　the

private　men　much　worse。　　We　had　great　scarcity　of　provisions；

and；　what　was　yet　more　intolerable；　were　so　closely　confined　for

want　of　room　（four　of　us　being　obliged　to　lie　on　the　same　bundle

of　straw）；　that　many　died；　and　most　sickened。



〃Here　I　had　remained　about　four　months；　when　one　night　we　were

alarmed　with　the　arrival　of　the　earl　of　Boulogne；　who　had　come

over　privily　from　France；　and　endeavored　to　surprise　the　castle。　

The　design　proved　ineffectual；　for　the　garrison　making　a　brisk

sally；　most　of　his　men　were　tum…　bled　down　the　precipice；　and　he

returned　with　a　very　few　back　to　France。　　In　this　action；

however；　I　had　the　misfortune　to　come　off　with　a　broken　arm；　it

was　so　shattered；　that；　besides　a　great　deal　of　pain　and　misery

which　I　endured　in　my　cure；　I　was　disabled　for　upwards　of　three

months。



〃Soon　after　my　recovery　I　had　contracted　an　amour　with　a　young

woman　whose　parents　lived　near　the　garrison；　and　were　in　much

better　circumstances　than　I　had　reason　to　expect　should　give

their　consent　to　the　match。　　However；　as　she　was　extremely　fond

of　me　（as　I　was　indeed　distractedly　enamored　of　her）；　they　were

prevailed　on　to　comply　with　her　desires；　and　the　day　was　fixed

for　our　marriage。



〃On　the　evening　preceding；　while　I　was　exulting　with　the　eager

expectation　of　the　happiness　I　was　the　next　day　to　enjoy；　I

received　orders　to　march　early　in　the　morning　towards　Windsor；

where　a　large　army　was　to　be　formed；　at　the　head　of