lavengro-第10章

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gentle　brothers。'



Then　whining　forth；　'What　a　sap…engro；　lor！'　he　gave　me　a　parting　

leer；　and　hastened　away。



I　remained　standing　in　the　lane　gazing　after　the　retreating　

company。　　'A　strange　set　of　people；'　said　I　at　last；　'wonder　who　

they　can　be？'







CHAPTER　VI







Three　years　…　Lilly's　grammar　…　Proficiency　…　Ignorant　of　figures　…　

The　school　bell　…　Order　of　succession　…　Persecution　…　What　are　we　

to　do？　…　Northward　…　A　goodly　scene　…　Haunted　ground　…　Feats　of　

chivalry　…　Rivers　…　Over　the　brig。



YEARS　passed　on；　even　three　years；　during　this　period　I　had　

increased　considerably　in　stature　and　in　strength；　and；　let　us　

hope；　improved　in　mind；　for　I　had　entered　on　the　study　of　the　Latin　

language。　　The　very　first　person　to　whose　care　I　was　intrusted　for　

the　acquisition　of　Latin　was　an　old　friend　of　my　fathers；　a　

clergyman　who　kept　a　seminary　at　a　town　the　very　next　we　visited　

after　our　departure　from　'the　Cross。'　　Under　his　instruction；　

however；　I　continued　only　a　few　weeks；　as　we　speedily　left　the　

place。　　'Captain；'　said　this　divine；　when　my　father　came　to　take　

leave　of　him　on　the　eve　of　our　departure；　'I　have　a　friendship　for　

you；　and　therefore　wish　to　give　you　a　piece　of　advice　concerning　

this　son　of　yours。　　You　are　now　removing　him　from　my　care；　you　do　

wrong；　but　we　will　let　that　pass。　　Listen　to　me：　　there　is　but　one　

good　school…book　in　the　world　…　the　one　I　use　in　my　seminary　…　

Lilly's　Latin　grammar；　in　which　your　son　has　already　made　some　

progress。　　If　you　are　anxious　for　the　success　of　your　son　in　life；　

for　the　correctness　of　his　conduct　and　the　soundness　of　his　

principles；　keep　him　to　Lilly's　grammar。　　If　you　can　by　any　means；　

either　fair　or　foul；　induce　him　to　get　by　heart　Lilly's　Latin　

grammar；　you　may　set　your　heart　at　rest　with　respect　to　him；　I；　

myself；　will　be　his　warrant。　　I　never　yet　knew　a　boy　that　was　

induced；　either　by　fair　means　or　foul；　to　learn　Lilly's　Latin　

grammar　by　heart；　who　did　not　turn　out　a　man；　provided　he　lived　

long　enough。'



My　father；　who　did　not　understand　the　classical　languages；　received　

with　respect　the　advice　of　his　old　friend；　and　from　that　moment　

conceived　the　highest　opinion　of　Lilly's　Latin　grammar。　　During　

three　years　I　studied　Lilly's　Latin　grammar　under　the　tuition　of　

various　schoolmasters；　for　I　travelled　with　the　regiment；　and　in　

every　town　in　which　we　were　stationary　I　was　invariably　（God　bless　

my　father！）　sent　to　the　classical　academy　of　the　place。　　It　

chanced；　by　good　fortune；　that　in　the　generality　of　these　schools　

the　grammar　of　Lilly　was　in　use；　when；　however；　that　was　not　the　

case；　it　made　no　difference　in　my　educational　course；　my　father　

always　stipulating　with　the　masters　that　I　should　be　daily　examined　

in　Lilly。　　At　the　end　of　the　three　years　I　had　the　whole　by　heart；　

you　had　only　to　repeat　the　first　two　or　three　words　of　any　sentence　

in　any　part　of　the　book；　and　forthwith　I　would　open　cry；　commencing　

without　blundering　and　hesitation；　and　continue　till　you　were　glad　

to　beg　me　to　leave　off；　with　many　expressions　of　admiration　at　my　

proficiency　in　the　Latin　language。　　Sometimes；　however；　to　convince　

you　how　well　I　merited　these　encomiums；　I　would　follow　you　to　the　

bottom　of　the　stair；　and　even　into　the　street；　repeating　in　a　kind　

of　sing…song　measure　the　sonorous　lines　of　the　golden　schoolmaster。　　

If　I　am　here　asked　whether　I　understood　anything　of　what　I　had　got　

by　heart；　I　reply　…　'Never　mind；　I　understand　it　all　now；　and　

believe　that　no　one　ever　yet　got　Lilly's　Latin　grammar　by　heart　

when　young；　who　repented　of　the　feat　at　a　mature　age。'



And；　when　my　father　saw　that　I　had　accomplished　my　task；　he　opened　

his　mouth；　and　said；　'Truly；　this　is　more　than　I　expected。　　I　did　

not　think　that　there　had　been　so　much　in　you；　either　of　application　

or　capacity；　you　have　now　learnt　all　that　is　necessary；　if　my　

friend　Dr。　B…'s　opinion　was　sterling；　as　I　have　no　doubt　it　was。　　

You　are　still　a　child；　however；　and　must　yet　go　to　school；　in　order　

that　you　may　be　kept　out　of　evil　company。　　Perhaps　you　may　still　

contrive；　now　you　have　exhausted　the　barn；　to　pick　up　a　grain　or　

two　in　the　barn…yard。　　You　are　still　ignorant　of　figures；　I　

believe；　not　that　I　would　mention　figures　in　the　same　day　with　

Lilly's　grammar。'



These　words　were　uttered　in　a　place　called　…；　in　the　north；　or　in　

the　road　to　the　north；　to　which；　for　some　time　past；　our　corps　had　

been　slowly　advancing。　　I　was　sent　to　the　school　of　the　place；　

which　chanced　to　be　a　day　school。　　It　was　a　somewhat　extraordinary　

one；　and　a　somewhat　extraordinary　event　occurred　to　me　within　its　

walls。



It　occupied　part　of　the　farther　end　of　a　small　plain；　or　square；　at　

the　outskirts　of　the　town；　close　to　some　extensive　bleaching　

fields。　　It　was　a　long　low　building　of　one　room；　with　no　upper　

story；　on　the　top　was　a　kind　of　wooden　box；　or　sconce；　which　I　at　

first　mistook　for　a　pigeon…house；　but　which　in　reality　contained　a　

bell；　to　which　was　attached　a　rope；　which；　passing　through　the　

ceiling；　hung　dangling　in　the　middle　of　the　school…room。　　I　am　the　

more　particular　in　mentioning　this　appurtenance；　as　I　had　soon　

occasion　to　scrape　acquaintance　with　it　in　a　manner　not　very　

agreeable　to　my　feelings。　　The　master　was　very　proud　of　his　bell；　

if　I　might　judge　from　the　fact　of　his　eyes　being　frequently　turned　

to　that　part　of　the　ceiling　from　which　the　rope　depended。　　Twice　

every　day；　namely；　after　the　morning　and　evening　tasks　had　been　

gone　through；　were　the　boys　rung　out　of　school　by　the　monotonous　

jingle　of　this　bell。　　This　ringing　out　was　rather　a　lengthy　affair；　

for；　as　the　master　was　a　man　of　order　and　method；　the　boys　were　

only　permitted　to　go　out　of　the　room　one　by　one；　and　as　they　were　

rather　numerous；　amounting；　at　least；　to　one　hundred；　and　were　

taught　to　move　at　a　pace　of　suitable　decorum；　at　least　a　quarter　of　

an　hour　elapsed　from　the　commencement　of　the　march　before　the　last　

boy　could　make　his　exit。　　The　office　of　bell…ringer　was　performed　

by　every　boy　successively；　and　it　so　happened　that；　the　very　first　

day　of　my　attendance　at　the　school；　the　turn　to　ring　the　bell　had；　

by　order　of　succession；　arrived　at　the　place　which　had　been　

allotted　to　me；　for　the　master；　as　I　have　already　observed；　was　a　

man　of　method　and　order；　and　every　boy　had　a　particular　seat；　to　

which　he　became　a　fixture　as　long　as　he　continued　at　the　school。



So；　upon　this　day；　when　the　tasks　were　done　and　completed；　and　the　

boys　sat　with　their　hats　and　caps　in　their　hands；　anxiously　

expecting　the　moment　of　dismissal；　it　was　suddenly　notified　to　me；　

by　the　urchins　who　sat　nearest　to　me；　that　I　must　get　up　and　ring　

the　bell。　　Now；　as　this　was　the　first　time　that　I　had　been　at　the　

school；　I　was　totally　unacquainted　with　the　process；　which　I　had　

never　seen；　and；　indeed；　had　never　heard　of　till　that　moment。　　I　

therefore　sat　still；　not　imagining　it　possible　that　any　such　duty　

could　be　required　of　me。　　But　now；　with　not　a　little　confusion；　I　

perceived　that　the　eyes　of　all　the　boys　in　the　school　were　fixed　

upon　me。　　Presently　there　were　nods　and　winks　in　the　direction　of　

the　bell…rope；　and；　as　these　produced　no　effect；　uncouth　visages　

were　made；　like　those　of　monkeys　when　enraged；　teeth　were　gnashed；　

tongues　thrust　out；　and　even　fists　were　bent　at　me。　　The　master；　

who　stood　at　the　end　of　the　room；　with　a　huge　ferule　under　his　arm；　

bent　full　upon　me　a　look　of　stern　appeal；　and　the　ushers；　of　whom　

there　were　four；　glared　upon　me；　each　from　his　own　particular　

corner；　as　I　vainly　turned；　in　one　direction　and　another；　in　search　

of　one　reassuring　look。



But　now；　probably　in　obedience　to　a　sign　from　the　master；　the　boys　

in　my　immediate　neighbourhood　began　to　maltreat　me。　Some　pinched　me　

with　their　fingers；　some　buffeted　me；　whilst　others　pricked　me　with　

pins；　or　the　points　of　compasses。　　These　arguments　were　not　without　

effect。　　I　sprang　from　my　seat；　and　endeavoured　to　escape　along　a　

double　line　of　benches；　thronged　with　boys　of　all　ages；　from　the　

urchin　of　six　or　seven　to　the　nondescript　of　sixteen　or　seventeen。　　

It　was　like　running　the　gauntlet；　every　one；　great　or　small；　

pinching；　kicking；　or　otherwise　maltreating　me；　as　I　passed　by。



Goaded　on　in　this　manner；　I　at　length　reached　the　middle　of　the　

room；　where　dangled　the　bell…rope；　the　cause　of　all　my　sufferings。　　

I　should　have　passed　it　…　for　my　confusion　was　so　great　that　I　was　

quite　at　a　loss　to　comprehend　what　all　this　could　mean；　and　almost　

believed　myself　under　the　influence　of　an　ugly　dream　…　but　now　the　

boys；　who　were　seated　in　advance　in　the　row；　arose　with　one　accord；　

and　barred　my　farther　progress；　and　one；　doubtless　more　sensible　

than　the　rest；　seizing　the　rope；　thrust　it　into　my　hand。　　I　now　

began　to　perceive　that　the　dismissal　of　the　school；　and　my　own　

release　from　torment；　depended　upon　this　selfsame　rope。　　I　

therefore；　in　a　fit　of　desperation；　pulled　it　once　or　twice；　and　

then　left　off；　naturally　supposing　that　I　had　done　quite　enough。　　

The　boys　who　sat　next　the　door　no　sooner　heard　the　bell；　than；　

rising　from　their　seats；　they　moved　out　at　the　door。　　The　bell；　

however；　had　no　sooner　ceased　to　jingle；　than　they　stopped　short；　

and；　turning　round；　stared　at　the　master；　as　much　as　to　say；　'What　

are　we　to　do　now？'　　This　was　too　much　for　the　patience　of　the　man　

of　method；　which　my　previous　stupidity　had　already　nearly　

exhausted。　　Dashing　forward　into　the　middle　of　the　room；　he　struck　

me　violently　on　the　shoulders　with　his　ferule；　and；　snatching　the　

rope　out　of　my　hand；　exclaimed；　with　a　stentorian　voice；　and　

genuine　Yorkshire　accent；　'Prodigy　of　ignorance！　dost　not　even　know　

how　to　ring　a　bell？　　Must　I　myself　instruct　thee？'　　He　then　

commenced　pulling　at　the　bell　with　such　violence　that　long　before　

half　the　school　was　dismissed　the　rope　broke；　and　the　rest　of　the　

boys　had　to　depart　without　their　accustomed　music。



But　I　must　not　linger　here；　though　I　could　say　much　about　the　

school　and　the　pedagogue　highly　amusing　and　diverting；　which；　

however；　I　suppress；　in　order　to　make　way　for　matters　of　yet　

greater　interest。　　On　we　went；　northward；　northward！　and；　as　we　

advanced；　I　saw　that　the　country　was　becoming　widely　different　from　

those　parts　of　merry　England　in　which　we　had　previously　travelled。　　

It　was　wilder；　and　less　cultivated；　and　more　broken　with　hills　and　

hillocks。　　The　people；　too；　of　these　regions　appeared　to　partake　of　

something　of　the　character　of　their　country。　　They　were　coarsely　

dressed；　tall　and　sturdy　of　frame；　their　voices　were　deep　and　

guttural；　and　the　half　of　the　dialect　which　they　spoke　was　

unintelligible　to　my　ears。



I　often　wondered　where　we　could　be　going；　for　I　was　at　this　time　

about　as　ignorant　of　geography　as　I　was　of　mo