lavengro-第18章

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'But　your　time　must　frequently　hang　heavy　on　your　hands；　this　is　a　

strange　wild　place；　and　you　must　be　very　solitary？'



'I　am　never　solitary；　I　have；　as　you　see；　all　my　things　about　me；　

and　there　is　plenty　of　company　below　stairs。　　Not　that　I　mix　with　

the　soldiers；　if　I　did；　good…bye　to　my　authority；　but　when　I　am　

alone　I　can　hear　all　their　discourse　through　the　planks；　and　I　

often　laugh　to　myself　at　the　funny　things　they　say。'



'And　have　you　any　acquaintance　here？'



'The　very　best；　much　better　than　the　Colonel　and　the　rest；　at　their　

grand　Templemore；　I　had　never　so　many　in　my　whole　life　before。　　One　

has　just　left　me；　a　gentleman　who　lives　at　a　distance　across　the　

bog；　he　comes　to　talk　with　me　about　Greek；　and　the　ODYSSEY；　for　he　

is　a　very　learned　man；　and　understands　the　old　Irish；　and　various　

other　strange　languages。　　He　has　had　a　dispute　with　Bagg。　　On　

hearing　his　name；　he　called　him　to　him；　and；　after　looking　at　him　

for　some　time　with　great　curiosity；　said　that　he　was　sure　he　was　a　

Dane。　　Bagg；　however；　took　the　compliment　in　dudgeon；　and　said　that　

he　was　no　more　a　Dane　than　himself；　but　a　true…born　Englishman；　and　

a　sergeant　of　six　years'　standing。'



'And　what　other　acquaintance　have　you？'



'All　kinds；　the　whole　neighbourhood　can't　make　enough　of　me。　　

Amongst　others　there's　the　clergyman　of　the　parish　and　his　family；　

such　a　venerable　old　man；　such　fine　sons　and　daughters！　　I　am　

treated　by　them　like　a　son　and　a　brother　…　I　might　be　always　with　

them　if　I　pleased；　there's　one　drawback；　however；　in　going　to　see　

them；　there's　a　horrible　creature　in　the　house；　a　kind　of　tutor；　

whom　they　keep　more　from　charity　than　anything　else；　he　is　a　Papist　

and；　they　say；　a　priest；　you　should　see　him　scowl　sometimes　at　my　

red　coat；　for　he　hates　the　king；　and　not　unfrequently；　when　the　

king's　health　is　drunk；　curses　him　between　his　teeth。　　I　once　got　

up　to　strike　him；　but　the　youngest　of　the　sisters；　who　is　the　

handsomest；　caught　my　arm　and　pointed　to　her　forehead。'



'And　what　does　your　duty　consist　of？　　Have　you　nothing　else　to　do　

than　pay　visits　and　receive　them？'



'We　do　what　is　required　of　us；　we　guard　this　edifice；　perform　our　

evolutions；　and　help　the　excise；　I　am　frequently　called　up　in　the　

dead　of　night　to　go　to　some　wild　place　or　other　in　quest　of　an　

illicit　still；　this　last　part　of　our　duty　is　poor　mean　work；　I　

don't　like　it；　nor　more　does　Bagg；　though　without　it　we　should　not　

see　much　active　service；　for　the　neighbourhood　is　quiet；　save　the　

poor　creatures　with　their　stills；　not　a　soul　is　stirring。　　'Tis　

true　there's　Jerry　Grant。'



'And　who　is　Jerry　Grant？'



'Did　you　never　hear　of　him？　that's　strange；　the　whole　country　is　

talking　about　him；　he　is　a　kind　of　outlaw；　rebel；　or　robber；　all　

three　I　daresay；　there's　a　hundred　pounds　offered　for　his　head。'



'And　where　does　he　live？'



'His　proper　home；　they　say；　is　in　the　Queen's　County；　where　he　has　

a　band；　but　he　is　a　strange　fellow；　fond　of　wandering　about　by　

himself　amidst　the　bogs　and　mountains；　and　living　in　the　old　

castles；　occasionally　he　quarters　himself　in　the　peasants'　houses；　

who　let　him　do　just　what　he　pleases；　he　is　free　of　his　money；　and　

often　does　them　good　turns；　and　can　be　good…humoured　enough；　so　

they　don't　dislike　him。　　Then　he　is　what　they　call　a　fairy　man；　a　

person　in　league　with　fairies　and　spirits；　and　able　to　work　much　

harm　by　supernatural　means；　on　which　account　they　hold　him　in　great　

awe；　he　is；　moreover；　a　mighty　strong　and　tall　fellow。　　Bagg　has　

seen　him。'



'Has　he？'



'Yes！　and　felt　him；　he　too　is　a　strange　one。　　A　few　days　ago　he　was　

told　that　Grant　had　been　seen　hovering　about　an　old　castle　some　two　

miles　off　in　the　bog；　so　one　afternoon　what　does　he　do　but；　without　

saying　a　word　to　me　…　for　which；　by　the　bye；　I　ought　to　put　him　

under　arrest；　though　what　I　should　do　without　Bagg　I　have　no　idea　

whatever　…　what　does　he　do　but　walk　off　to　the　castle；　intending；　

as　I　suppose；　to　pay　a　visit　to　Jerry。　　He　had　some　difficulty　in　

getting　there　on　account　of　the　turf…holes　in　the　bog；　which　he　was　

not　accustomed　to；　however；　thither　at　last　he　got　and　went　in。　　It　

was　a　strange　lonesome　place；　he　says；　and　he　did　not　much　like　the　

look　of　it；　however；　in　he　went；　and　searched　about　from　the　bottom　

to　the　top　and　down　again；　but　could　find　no　one；　he　shouted　and　

hallooed；　but　nobody　answered；　save　the　rooks　and　choughs；　which　

started　up　in　great　numbers。　　〃I　have　lost　my　trouble；〃　said　Bagg；　

and　left　the　castle。　　It　was　now　late　in　the　afternoon；　near　

sunset；　when　about　half…way　over　the　bog　he　met　a　man　…　'



'And　that　man　was　…　'



'Jerry　Grant！　there's　no　doubt　of　it。　　Bagg　says　it　was　the　most　

sudden　thing　in　the　world。　　He　was　moving　along；　making　the　best　of　

his　way；　thinking　of　nothing　at　all　save　a　public…house　at　Swanton　

Morley；　which　he　intends　to　take　when　he　gets　home；　and　the　

regiment　is　disbanded　…　though　I　hope　that　will　not　be　for　some　

time　yet：　　he　had　just　leaped　a　turf…hole；　and　was　moving　on；　when；　

at　the　distance　of　about　six　yards　before　him；　he　saw　a　fellow　

coming　straight　towards　him。　　Bagg　says　that　he　stopped　short；　as　

suddenly　as　if　he　had　heard　the　word　halt；　when　marching　at　double　

quick　time。　　It　was　quite　a　surprise；　he　says；　and　he　can't　imagine　

how　the　fellow　was　so　close　upon　him　before　he　was　aware。　　He　was　

an　immense　tall　fellow　…　Bagg　thinks　at　least　two　inches　taller　

than　himself　…　very　well　dressed　in　a　blue　coat　and　buff　breeches；　

for　all　the　world　like　a　squire　when　going　out　hunting。　　Bagg；　

however；　saw　at　once　that　he　had　a　roguish　air；　and　he　was　on　his　

guard　in　a　moment。　　〃Good…evening　to　ye；　sodger；〃　says　the　fellow；　

stepping　close　up　to　Bagg；　and　staring　him　in　the　face。　　〃Good…

evening　to　you；　sir！　　I　hope　you　are　well；〃　says　Bagg。　　〃You　are　

looking　after　some　one？〃　says　the　fellow。　　〃Just　so；　sir；〃　says　

Bagg；　and　forthwith　seized　him　by　the　collar；　the　man　laughed；　Bagg　

says　it　was　such　a　strange　awkward　laugh。　　〃Do　you　know　whom　you　

have　got　hold　of；　sodger？〃　said　he。　　〃I　believe　I　do；　sir；〃　said　

Bagg；　〃and　in　that　belief　will　hold　you　fast　in　the　name　of　King　

George　and　the　quarter　sessions〃；　the　next　moment　he　was　sprawling　

with　his　heels　in　the　air。　　Bagg　says　there　was　nothing　remarkable　

in　that；　he　was　only　flung　by　a　kind　of　wrestling　trick；　which　he　

could　easily　have　baffled　had　he　been　aware　of　it。　　〃You　will　not　

do　that　again；　sir；〃　said　he；　as　he　got　up　and　put　himself　on　his　

guard。　　The　fellow　laughed　again　more　strangely　and　awkwardly　than　

before；　then；　bending　his　body　and　moving　his　head　from　one　side　to　

the　other　as　a　cat　does　before　she　springs；　and　crying　out；　〃Here's　

for　ye；　sodger！〃　he　made　a　dart　at　Bagg；　rushing　in　with　his　head　

foremost。　　〃That　will　do；　sir；〃　says　Bagg；　and；　drawing　himself　

back；　he　put　in　a　left…handed　blow　with　all　the　force　of　his　body　

and　arm；　just　over　the　fellow's　right　eye　…　Bagg　is　a　left…handed　

hitter；　you　must　know　…　and　it　was　a　blow　of　that　kind　which　won　

him　his　famous　battle　at　Edinburgh　with　the　big　Highland　sergeant。　　

Bagg　says　that　he　was　quite　satisfied　with　the　blow；　more　

especially　when　he　saw　the　fellow　reel；　fling　out　his　arms；　and　

fall　to　the　ground。　　〃And　now；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃I'll　make　bold　to　

hand　you　over　to　the　quarter　sessions；　and；　if　there　is　a　hundred　

pounds　for　taking　you；　who　has　more　right　to　it　than　myself？〃　　So　

he　went　forward；　but　ere　he　could　lay　hold　of　his　man　the　other　was　

again　on　his　legs；　and　was　prepared　to　renew　the　combat。　　They　

grappled　each　other　…　Bagg　says　he　had　not　much　fear　of　the　result；　

as　he　now　felt　himself　the　best　man；　the　other　seeming　half…stunned　

with　the　blow　…　but　just　then　there　came　on　a　blast；　a　horrible　

roaring　wind　bearing　night　upon　its　wings；　snow；　and　sleet；　and　

hail。　　Bagg　says　he　had　the　fellow　by　the　throat　quite　fast；　as　he　

thought；　but　suddenly　he　became　bewildered；　and　knew　not　where　he　

was；　and　the　man　seemed　to　melt　away　from　his　grasp；　and　the　wind　

howled　more　and　more；　and　the　night　poured　down　darker　and　darker；　

the　snow　and　the　sleet　thicker　and　more　blinding。　　〃Lord　have　mercy　

upon　us！〃　said　Bagg。'



MYSELF。　　A　strange　adventure　that；　it　is　well　that　Bagg　got　home　

alive。



JOHN。　　He　says　that　the　fight　was　a　fair　fight；　and　that　the　fling　

he　got　was　a　fair　fling；　the　result　of　a　common　enough　wrestling　

trick。　　But　with　respect　to　the　storm；　which　rose　up　just　in　time　

to　save　the　fellow；　he　is　of　opinion　that　it　was　not　fair；　but　

something　Irish　and　supernatural。



MYSELF。　　I　daresay　he's　right。　　I　have　read　of　witchcraft　in　the　

Bible。



JOHN。　　He　wishes　much　to　have　one　more　encounter　with　the　fellow；　

he　says　that　on　fair　ground；　and　in　fine　weather；　he　has　no　doubt　

that　he　could　master　him；　and　hand　him　over　to　the　quarter　

sessions。　　He　says　that　a　hundred　pounds　would　be　no　bad　thing　to　

be　disbanded　upon；　for　he　wishes　to　take　an　inn　at　Swanton　Morley；　

keep　a　cock…pit；　and　live　respectably。



MYSELF。　　He　is　quite　right；　and　now　kiss　me；　my　darling　brother；　

for　I　must　go　back　through　the　bog　to　Templemore。







CHAPTER　XIII







Groom　and　cob　…　Strength　and　symmetry　…　Where's　the　saddle？　…　The　

first　ride　…　No　more　fatigue　…　Love　for　horses　…　Pursuit　of　words　…　

Philologist　and　Pegasus　…　The　smith　…　What　more；　agrah？　…　

Sassannach　tenpence。



AND　it　came　to　pass　that；　as　I　was　standing　by　the　door　of　the　

barrack　stable；　one　of　the　grooms　came　out　to　me；　saying；　'I　say；　

young　gentleman；　I　wish　you　would　give　the　cob　a　breathing　this　

fine　morning。'



'Why　do　you　wish　me　to　mount　him？'　said　I；　'you　know　he　is　

dangerous。　　I　saw　him　fling　you　off　his　back　only　a　few　days　ago。'



'Why；　that's　the　very　thing；　master。　　I'd　rather　see　anybody　on　his　

back　than　myself；　he　does　not　like　me；　but；　to　them　he　does；　he　can　

be　as　gentle　as　a　lamb。'



'But　suppose；'　said　I；　'that　he　should　not　like　me？'



'We　shall　soon　see　that；　master；'　said　the　groom；　'and；　if　so　be　he　

shows　temper；　I　will　be　the　first　to　tell　you　to　get　down。　　But　

there's　no　fear　of　that；　you　have　never　angered　or　insulted　him；　

and　to　such　as　you；　I　say　again；　he'll　be　as　gentle　as　a　lamb。'



'And　how　came　you　to　insult　him；'　said　I；　'knowing　his　temper　as　

you　do？'



'Merely　through　forgetfulness；　master：　　I　was　riding　him　about　a　

month　ago；　and　having　a　stick　in　my　hand；　I　struck　him；　thinking　I　

was　on　another　horse；　or　rather　thinking　of　nothing　at　all。　　He　has　

never　forgiven　me；　though　before　that　time　he　was　the　only　friend　I　

had　in　the　world；　I　should　like　to　see　you　on　him；　master。'



'I　should　soon　be　off　him；　I　can't　ride。'



'Then　you　are　all　right；　master；　there's　no　fear。　　Trust　him　for　

not　hurting　a　young　gentlem