lavengro-第14章

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from　justice；　thou　didst　find　thyself　in　the　Sister　Isle；　busy　wast　

thou　there　in　town　and　on　curragh；　at　fair　and　race…course；　and　

also　in　the　solitary　place。　　Ireland　thought　thee　her　child；　for　

who　spoke　her　brogue　better　than　thyself？　…　she　felt　proud　of　thee；　

and　said；　'Sure；　O'Hanlon　is　come　again。'　　What　might　not　have　been　

thy　fate　in　the　far　west　in　America；　whither　thou　hadst　turned　

thine　eye；　saying；　'I　will　go　there；　and　become　an　honest　man！'　　

But　thou　wast　not　to　go　there；　David　…　the　blood　which　thou　hadst　

shed　in　Scotland　was　to　be　required　of　thee；　the　avenger　was　at　

hand；　the　avenger　of　blood。　　Seized；　manacled；　brought　back　to　thy　

native　land；　condemned　to　die；　thou　wast　left　in　thy　narrow　cell；　

and　told　to　make　the　most　of　thy　time；　for　it　was　short：　　and　

there；　in　thy　narrow　cell；　and　thy　time　so　short；　thou　didst　put　

the　crowning　stone　to　thy　strange　deeds；　by　that　strange　history　of　

thyself；　penned　by　thy　own　hand　in　the　robber　tongue。　　Thou　

mightest　have　been　better　employed；　David！　…　but　the　ruling　passion　

was　strong　with　thee；　even　in　the　jaws　of　death。　　Thou　mightest　

have　been　better　employed！　…　but　peace　be　with　thee；　I　repeat；　and　

the　Almighty's　grace　and　pardon。







CHAPTER　IX







Napoleon　…　The　storm　…　The　cove　…　Up　the　country　…　The　trembling　

hand　…　Irish　…　Tough　battle　…　Tipperary　hills　…　Elegant　lodgings　…　

A　speech　…　Fair　specimen　…　Orangemen。



ONWARD；　onward！　and　after　we　had　sojourned　in　Scotland　nearly　two　

years；　the　long　continental　war　had　been　brought　to　an　end；　

Napoleon　was　humbled　for　a　time；　and　the　Bourbons　restored　to　a　

land　which　could　well　have　dispensed　with　them；　we　returned　to　

England；　where　the　corps　was　disbanded；　and　my　parents　with　their　

family　retired　to　private　life。　　I　shall　pass　over　in　silence　the　

events　of　a　year；　which　offer　little　of　interest　as　far　as　

connected　with　me　and　mine。　　Suddenly；　however；　the　sound　of　war　

was　heard　again；　Napoleon　had　broken　forth　from　Elba；　and　

everything　was　in　confusion。　　Vast　military　preparations　were　again　

made；　our　own　corps　was　levied　anew；　and　my　brother　became　an　

officer　in　it；　but　the　danger　was　soon　over；　Napoleon　was　once　more　

quelled；　and　chained　for　ever；　like　Prometheus；　to　his　rock。　　As　

the　corps；　however；　though　so　recently　levied；　had　already　become　a　

very　fine　one；　thanks　to　my　father's　energetic　drilling；　the　

Government　very　properly　determined　to　turn　it　to　some　account；　

and；　as　disturbances　were　apprehended　in　Ireland　about　this　period；　

it　occurred　to　them　that　they　could　do　no　better　than　despatch　it　

to　that　country。



In　the　autumn　of　the　year　1815　we　set　sail　from　a　port　in　Essex；　we　

were　some　eight　hundred　strong；　and　were　embarked　in　two　ships；　

very　large；　but　old　and　crazy；　a　storm　overtook　us　when　off　Beachy　

Head；　in　which　we　had　nearly　foundered。　　I　was　awakened　early　in　

the　morning　by　the　howling　of　the　wind　and　the　uproar　on　deck。　　I　

kept　myself　close；　however；　as　is　still　my　constant　practice　on　

similar　occasions；　and　waited　the　result　with　that　apathy　and　

indifference　which　violent　sea…sickness　is　sure　to　produce。　　We　

shipped　several　seas；　and　once　the　vessel　missing　stays　…　which；　to　

do　it　justice；　it　generally　did　at　every　third　or　fourth　tack　…　we　

escaped　almost　by　a　miracle　from　being　dashed　upon　the　foreland。　　

On　the　eighth　day　of　our　voyage　we　were　in　sight　of　Ireland。　　The　

weather　was　now　calm　and　serene；　the　sun　shone　brightly　on　the　sea　

and　on　certain　green　hills　in　the　distance；　on　which　I　descried　

what　at　first　sight　I　believed　to　be　two　ladies　gathering　flowers；　

which；　however；　on　our　nearer　approach；　proved　to　be　two　tall　white　

towers；　doubtless　built　for　some　purpose　or　other；　though　I　did　not　

learn　for　what。



We　entered　a　kind　of　bay；　or　cove；　by　a　narrow　inlet；　it　was　a　

beautiful　and　romantic　place　this　cove；　very　spacious；　and；　being　

nearly　land…locked；　was　sheltered　from　every　wind。　　A　small　island；　

every　inch　of　which　was　covered　with　fortifications；　appeared　to　

swim　upon　the　waters；　whose　dark　blue　denoted　their　immense　depth；　

tall　green　hills；　which　ascended　gradually　from　the　shore；　formed　

the　background　to　the　west；　they　were　carpeted　to　the　top　with　turf　

of　the　most　vivid　green；　and　studded　here　and　there　with　woods；　

seemingly　of　oak；　there　was　a　strange　old　castle　half…way　up　the　

ascent；　a　village　on　a　crag　…　but　the　mists　of　morning　were　half　

veiling　the　scene　when　I　surveyed　it；　and　the　mists　of　time　are　now　

hanging　densely　between　it　and　my　no　longer　youthful　eye；　I　may　not　

describe　it；　…　nor　will　I　try。



Leaving　the　ship　in　the　cove；　we　passed　up　a　wide　river　in　boats　

till　we　came　to　a　city；　where　we　disembarked。　　It　was　a　large　city；　

as　large　as　Edinburgh　to　my　eyes；　there　were　plenty　of　fine　houses；　

but　little　neatness；　the　streets　were　full　of　impurities；　handsome　

equipages　rolled　along；　but　the　greater　part　of　the　population　were　

in　rags；　beggars　abounded；　there　was　no　lack　of　merriment；　however；　

boisterous　shouts　of　laughter　were　heard　on　every　side。　　It　

appeared　a　city　of　contradictions。　　After　a　few　days'　rest　we　

marched　from　this　place　in　two　divisions。　　My　father　commanded　the　

second；　I　walked　by　his　side。



Our　route　lay　up　the　country；　the　country　at　first　offered　no　very　

remarkable　feature；　it　was　pretty；　but　tame。　　On　the　second　day；　

however；　its　appearance　had　altered；　it　had　become　more　wild；　a　

range　of　distant　mountains　bounded　the　horizon。　　We　passed　through　

several　villages；　as　I　suppose　I　may　term　them；　of　low　huts；　the　

walls　formed　of　rough　stones　without　mortar；　the　roof　of　flags　laid　

over　wattles　and　wicker…work；　they　seemed　to　be　inhabited　solely　by　

women　and　children；　the　latter　were　naked；　the　former；　in　general；　

blear…eyed　beldames；　who　sat　beside　the　doors　on　low　stools；　

spinning。　　We　saw；　however；　both　men　and　women　working　at　a　

distance　in　the　fields。



I　was　thirsty；　and　going　up　to　an　ancient　crone；　employed　in　the　

manner　which　I　have　described；　I　asked　her　for　water；　she　looked　me　

in　the　face；　appeared　to　consider　a　moment；　then　tottering　into　her　

hut；　presently　reappeared　with　a　small　pipkin　of　milk；　which　she　

offered　to　me　with　a　trembling　hand。　　I　drank　the　milk；　it　was　

sour；　but　I　found　it　highly　refreshing。　　I　then　took　out　a　penny　

and　offered　it　to　her；　whereupon　she　shook　her　head；　smiled；　and；　

patting　my　face　with　her　skinny　hand；　murmured　some　words　in　a　

tongue　which　I　had　never　heard　before。



I　walked　on　by　my　father's　side；　holding　the　stirrup…leather　of　his　

horse；　presently　several　low　uncouth　cars　passed　by；　drawn　by　

starved　cattle：　　the　drivers　were　tall　fellows；　with　dark　features　

and　athletic　frames　…　they　wore　long　loose　blue　cloaks　with　

sleeves；　which　last；　however；　dangled　unoccupied：　　these　cloaks　

appeared　in　tolerably　good　condition；　not　so　their　under　garments。　　

On　their　heads　were　broad　slouching　hats：　　the　generality　of　them　

were　bare…footed。　　As　they　passed；　the　soldiers　jested　with　them　in　

the　patois　of　East　Anglia；　whereupon　the　fellows　laughed；　and　

appeared　to　jest　with　the　soldiers；　but　what　they　said　who　knows；　

it　being　in　a　rough　guttural　language；　strange　and　wild。　　The　

soldiers　stared　at　each　other；　and　were　silent。



'A　strange　language　that！'　said　a　young　officer　to　my　father；　'I　

don't　understand　a　word　of　it；　what　can　it　be？'



'Irish！'　said　my　father；　with　a　loud　voice；　'and　a　bad　language　it　

is；　I　have　known　it　of　old；　that　is；　I　have　often　heard　it　spoken　

when　I　was　a　guardsman　in　London。　　There's　one　part　of　London　where　

all　the　Irish　live　…　at　least　all　the　worst　of　them　…　and　there　

they　hatch　their　villainies　and　speak　this　tongue；　it　is　that　which　

keeps　them　together　and　makes　them　dangerous：　　I　was　once　sent　

there　to　seize　a　couple　of　deserters　…　Irish　…　who　had　taken　refuge　

amongst　their　companions；　we　found　them　in　what　was　in　my　time　

called　a　ken；　that　is　a　house　where　only　thieves　and　desperadoes　

are　to　be　found。　　Knowing　on　what　kind　of　business　I　was　bound；　I　

had　taken　with　me　a　sergeant's　party；　it　was　well　I　did　so。　　We　

found　the　deserters　in　a　large　room；　with　at　least　thirty　ruffians；　

horrid…looking　fellows；　seated　about　a　long　table；　drinking；　

swearing；　and　talking　Irish。　　Ah！　we　had　a　tough　battle；　I　

remember；　the　two　fellows　did　nothing；　but　sat　still；　thinking　it　

best　to　be　quiet；　but　the　rest；　with　an　ubbubboo　like　the　blowing　

up　of　a　powder…magazine；　sprang　up；　brandishing　their　sticks；　for　

these　fellows　always　carry　sticks　with　them　even　to　bed；　and　not　

unfrequently　spring　up　in　their　sleep；　striking　left　and　right。'



'And　did　you　take　the　deserters？'　said　the　officer。



'Yes；'　said　my　father；　'for　we　formed　at　the　end　of　the　room；　and　

charged　with　fixed　bayonets；　which　compelled　the　others　to　yield　

notwithstanding　their　numbers；　but　the　worst　was　when　we　got　out　

into　the　street；　the　whole　district　had　become　alarmed；　and　

hundreds　came　pouring　down　upon　us　…　men；　women；　and　children。　　

Women；　did　I　say！　…　they　looked　fiends；　half　naked；　with　their　hair　

hanging　down　over　their　bosoms；　they　tore　up　the　very　pavement　to　

hurl　at　us；　sticks　rang　about　our　ears；　stones；　and　Irish　…　I　liked　

the　Irish　worst　of　all；　it　sounded　so　horrid；　especially　as　I　did　

not　understand　it。　　It's　a　bad　language。'



'A　queer　tongue；'　said　I；　'I　wonder　if　I　could　learn　it。'



'Learn　it！'　said　my　father；　'what　should　you　learn　it　for？　…　

however；　I　am　not　afraid　of　that。　　It　is　not　like　Scotch；　no　person　

can　learn　it；　save　those　who　are　born　to　it；　and　even　in　Ireland　

the　respectable　people　do　not　speak　it；　only　the　wilder　sort；　like　

those　we　have　passed。'



Within　a　day　or　two　we　had　reached　a　tall　range　of　mountains　

running　north　and　south；　which　I　was　told　were　those　of　Tipperary；　

along　the　skirts　of　these　we　proceeded　till　we　came　to　a　town；　the　

principal　one　of　these　regions。　　It　was　on　the　bank　of　a　beautiful　

river；　which　separated　it　from　the　mountains。　　It　was　rather　an　

ancient　place；　and　might　contain　some　ten　thousand　inhabitants　…　I　

found　that　it　was　our　destination；　there　were　extensive　barracks　at　

the　farther　end；　in　which　the　corps　took　up　its　quarters；　with　

respect　to　ourselves；　we　took　lodgings　in　a　house　which　stood　in　

the　principal　street。



'You　never　saw　more　elegant　lodgings　than　these；　captain；'　said　the　

master　of　the　house；　a　tall；　handsome；　and　athletic　man；　who　came　

up　whilst　our　little　family　were　seated　at　dinner　late　in　the　

afternoon　of　the　day　of　our　arrival；　'they　beat　anything　in　this　

town　of　Clonmel。　　I　do　not　let　them　for　the　sake　of　interest；　and　

to　none　but　gentlemen　in　the　army；　in　order　that　myself　and　my　

wife；　who　is　from　Londonderry；　may　have　the　advantage　of　pleasant　

company；　genteel　company