lavengro-第36章

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Englishman　of　the　brown　eye；　worthy　to　have　carried　a　six…foot　bow　

at　Flodden；　where　England's　yeomen　triumphed　over　Scotland's　king；　

his　clans　and　chivalry。　　Hail　to　thee；　last　of　England's　bruisers；　

after　all　the　many　victories　which　thou　hast　achieved　…　true　

English　victories；　unbought　by　yellow　gold；　need　I　recount　them？　

nay；　nay！　they　are　already　well　known　to　fame　…　sufficient　to　say　

that　Bristol's　Bull　and　Ireland's　Champion　were　vanquished　by　thee；　

and　one　mightier　still；　gold　itself；　thou　didst　overcome；　for　gold　

itself　strove　in　vain　to　deaden　the　power　of　thy　arm；　and　thus　thou　

didst　proceed　till　men　left　off　challenging　thee；　the　

unvanquishable；　the　incorruptible。　　'Tis　a　treat　to　see　thee；　Tom　

of　Bedford；　in　thy　'public'　in　Holborn　way；　whither　thou　hast　

retired　with　thy　well…earned　bays。　　'Tis　Friday　night；　and　nine　by　

Holborn　clock。　　There　sits　the　yeoman　at　the　end　of　his　long　room；　

surrounded　by　his　friends；　glasses　are　filled；　and　a　song　is　the　

cry；　and　a　song　is　sung　well　suited　to　the　place；　it　finds　an　echo　

in　every　heart　…　fists　are　clenched；　arms　are　waved；　and　the　

portraits　of　the　mighty　fighting　men　of　yore；　Broughton；　and　Slack；　

and　Ben；　which　adorn　the　walls；　appear　to　smile　grim　approbation；　

whilst　many　a　manly　voice　joins　in　the　bold　chorus：





Here's　a　health　to　old　honest　John　Bull；

When　he's　gone　we　shan't　find　such　another；

And　with　hearts　and　with　glasses　brim　full；

We　will　drink　to　old　England；　his　mother。





But　the　fight！　with　respect　to　the　fight；　what　shall　I　say？　　Little　

can　be　said　about　it　…　it　was　soon　over；　some　said　that　the　brave　

from　town；　who　was　reputed　the　best　man　of　the　two；　and　whose　form　

was　a　perfect　model　of　athletic　beauty；　allowed　himself；　for　lucre　

vile；　to　be　vanquished　by　the　massive　champion　with　the　flattened　

nose。　　One　thing　is　certain；　that　the　former　was　suddenly　seen　to　

sink　to　the　earth　before　a　blow　of　by　no　means　extraordinary　power。　　

Time；　time！　was　called；　but　there　he　lay　upon　the　ground　apparently　

senseless；　and　from　thence　he　did　not　lift　his　head　till　several　

seconds　after　the　umpires　had　declared　his　adversary　victor。



There　were　shouts；　indeed　there's　never　a　lack　of　shouts　to　

celebrate　a　victory；　however　acquired；　but　there　was　also　much　

grinding　of　teeth；　especially　amongst　the　fighting　men　from　town。　　

'Tom　has　sold　us；'　said　they；　'sold　us　to　the　yokels；　who　would　

have　thought　it？'　　Then　there　was　fresh　grinding　of　teeth；　and　

scowling　brows　were　turned　to　the　heaven；　but　what　is　this？　is　it　

possible；　does　the　heaven　scowl　too？　why；　only　a　quarter　of　an　hour　

ago　。　。　。　but　what　may　not　happen　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour？　　For　

many　weeks　the　weather　had　been　of　the　most　glorious　description；　

the　eventful　day；　too；　had　dawned　gloriously；　and　so　it　had　

continued　till　some　two　hours　after　noon；　the　fight　was　then　over；　

and　about　that　time　I　looked　up　…　what　a　glorious　sky　of　deep　blue；　

and　what　a　big　fierce　sun　swimming　high　above　in　the　midst　of　that　

blue；　not　a　cloud　…　there　had　not　been　one　for　weeks　…　not　a　cloud　

to　be　seen；　only　in　the　far　west；　just　on　the　horizon；　something　

like　the　extremity　of　a　black　wing；　that　was　only　a　quarter　of　an　

hour　ago；　and　now　the　whole　northern　side　of　the　heaven　is　occupied　

by　a　huge　black　cloud；　and　the　sun　is　only　occasionally　seen　amidst　

masses　of　driving　vapour；　what　a　change！　but　another　fight　is　at　

hand；　and　the　pugilists　are　clearing　the　outer　ring；　…　how　their　

huge　whips　come　crashing　upon　the　heads　of　the　yokels；　blood　flows；　

more　blood　than　in　the　fight；　those　blows　are　given　with　right　

good…will；　those　are　not　sham　blows；　whether　of　whip　or　fist；　it　is　

with　fist　that　grim　Shelton　strikes　down　the　big　yokel；　he　is　

always　dangerous；　grim　Shelton；　but　now　particularly　so；　for　he　has　

lost　ten　pounds　betted　on　the　brave　who　sold　himself　to　the　yokels；　

but　the　outer　ring　is　cleared：　　and　now　the　second　fight　commences；　

it　is　between　two　champions　of　less　renown　than　the　others；　but　is　

perhaps　not　the　worse　on　that　account。　　A　tall　thin　boy　is　fighting　

in　the　ring　with　a　man　somewhat　under　the　middle　size；　with　a　frame　

of　adamant；　that's　a　gallant　boy！　he's　a　yokel；　but　he　comes　from　

Brummagem；　and　he　does　credit　to　his　extraction；　but　his　adversary　

has　a　frame　of　adamant：　　in　what　a　strange　light　they　fight；　but　

who　can　wonder；　on　looking　at　that　frightful　cloud　usurping　now　

one…half　of　heaven；　and　at　the　sun　struggling　with　sulphurous　

vapour；　the　face　of　the　boy；　which　is　turned　towards　me；　looks　

horrible　in　that　light；　but　he　is　a　brave　boy；　he　strikes　his　foe　

on　the　forehead；　and　the　report　of　the　blow　is　like　the　sound　of　a　

hammer　against　a　rock；　but　there　is　a　rush　and　a　roar　overhead；　a　

wild　commotion；　the　tempest　is　beginning　to　break　loose；　there's　

wind　and　dust；　a　crash；　rain　and　hail；　is　it　possible　to　fight　

amidst　such　a　commotion？　yes！　the　fight　goes　on；　again　the　boy　

strikes　the　man　full　on　the　brow；　but　it　is　of　no　use　striking　that　

man；　his　frame　is　of　adamant。　　'Boy；　thy　strength　is　beginning　to　

give　way；　and　thou　art　becoming　confused'；　the　man　now　goes　to　

work；　amidst　rain　and　hail。　　'Boy；　thou　wilt　not　hold　out　ten　

minutes　longer　against　rain；　hail；　and　the　blows　of　such　an　

antagonist。'



And　now　the　storm　was　at　its　height；　the　black　thunder…cloud　had　

broken　into　many；　which　assumed　the　wildest　shapes　and　the　

strangest　colours；　some　of　them　unspeakably　glorious；　the　rain　

poured　in　a　deluge；　and　more　than　one　waterspout　was　seen　at　no　

great　distance：　　an　immense　rabble　is　hurrying　in　one　direction；　a　

multitude　of　men　of　all　ranks；　peers　and　yokels；　prize…fighters　and　

Jews；　and　the　last　came　to　plunder；　and　are　now　plundering　amidst　

that　wild　confusion　of　hail　and　rain；　men　and　horses；　carts　and　

carriages。　　But　all　hurry　in　one　direction；　through　mud　and　mire；　

there's　a　town　only　three　miles　distant；　which　is　soon　reached；　and　

soon　filled；　it　will　not　contain　one…third　of　that　mighty　rabble；　

but　there's　another　town　farther　on　…　the　good　old　city　is　farther　

on；　only　twelve　miles；　what's　that！　who　will　stay　here？　onward　to　

the　old　town。



Hurry…skurry；　a　mixed　multitude　of　men　and　horses；　carts　and　

carriages；　all　in　the　direction　of　the　old　town；　and；　in　the　midst　

of　all　that　mad　throng；　at　a　moment　when　the　rain…gushes　were　

coming　down　with　particular　fury；　and　the　artillery　of　the　sky　was　

pealing　as　I　had　never　heard　it　peal　before；　I　felt　some　one　seize　

me　by　the　arm　…　I　turned　round；　and　beheld　Mr。　Petulengro。



'I　can't　hear　you；　Mr。　Petulengro；'　said　I；　for　the　thunder　drowned　

the　words　which　he　appeared　to　be　uttering。



'Dearginni；'　I　heard　Mr。　Petulengro　say；　'it　thundreth。　　I　was　

asking；　brother；　whether　you　believe　in　dukkeripens？'



'I　do　not；　Mr。　Petulengro；　but　this　is　strange　weather　to　be　asking　

me　whether　I　believe　in　fortunes。'



'Grondinni；'　said　Mr。　Petulengro；　'it　haileth。　　I　believe　in　

dukkeripens；　brother。'



'And　who　has　more　right；'　said　I；　'seeing　that　you　live　by　them？　　

But　this　tempest　is　truly　horrible。'



'Dearginni；　grondinni　ta　villaminni！　　It　thundreth；　it　haileth；　and　

also　flameth；'　said　Mr。　Petulengro。　　'Look　up　there；　brother！'



I　looked　up。　　Connected　with　this　tempest　there　was　one　feature　to　

which　I　have　already　alluded　…　the　wonderful　colours　of　the　clouds。　　

Some　were　of　vivid　green；　others　of　the　brightest　orange；　others　as　

black　as　pitch。　　The　gypsy's　finger　was　pointed　to　a　particular　

part　of　the　sky。



'What　do　you　see　there；　brother？'



'A　strange　kind　of　cloud。'



'What　does　it　look　like；　brother？'



'Something　like　a　stream　of　blood。'



'That　cloud　foreshoweth　a　bloody　dukkeripen。'



'A　bloody　fortune！'　said　I。　　'And　whom　may　it　betide？'



'Who　knows！'　said　the　gypsy。



Down　the　way；　dashing　and　splashing；　and　scattering　man；　horse；　and　

cart　to　the　left　and　right；　came　an　open　barouche；　drawn　by　four　

smoking　steeds；　with　postilions　in　scarlet　jackets　and　leather　

skull…caps。　　Two　forms　were　conspicuous　in　it；　that　of　the　

successful　bruiser；　and　of　his　friend　and　backer；　the　sporting　

gentleman　of　my　acquaintance。



'His！'　said　the　gypsy；　pointing　to　the　latter；　whose　stern　features　

wore　a　smile　of　triumph；　as；　probably　recognising　me　in　the　crowd；　

he　nodded　in　the　direction　of　where　I　stood；　as　the　barouche　

hurried　by。



There　went　the　barouche；　dashing　through　the　rain…gushes；　and　in　it　

one　whose　boast　it　was　that　he　was　equal　to　'either　fortune。'　　Many　

have　heard　of　that　man　…　many　may　be　desirous　of　knowing　yet　more　

of　him。　　I　have　nothing　to　do　with　that　man's　after　life　…　he　

fulfilled　his　dukkeripen。　　'A　bad；　violent　man！'　　Softly；　friend；　

when　thou　wouldst　speak　harshly　of　the　dead；　remember　that　thou　

hast　not　yet　fulfilled　thy　own　dukkeripen！







CHAPTER　XXVII







My　father　…　Premature　decay　…　The　easy…chair　…　A　few　questions　…　So　

you　told　me　…　A　difficult　language　…　They　can　it　Haik　…　Misused　

opportunities　…　Saul　…　Want　of　candour　…　Don't　weep　…　Heaven　

forgive　me　…　Dated　from　Paris　…　I　wish　he　were　here　…　A　father's　

reminiscences　…　Farewell　to　vanities。



MY　father；　as　I　have　already　informed　the　reader；　had　been　endowed　

by　nature　with　great　corporeal　strength；　indeed；　I　have　been　

assured　that；　at　the　period　of　his　prime；　his　figure　had　denoted　

the　possession　of　almost　Herculean　powers。　　The　strongest　forms；　

however；　do　not　always　endure　the　longest；　the　very　excess　of　the　

noble　and　generous　juices　which　they　contain　being　the　cause　of　

their　premature　decay。　　But；　be　that　as　it　may；　the　health　of　my　

father；　some　few　years　after　his　retirement　from　the　service　to　the　

quiet　of　domestic　life；　underwent　a　considerable　change；　his　

constitution　appeared　to　be　breaking　up；　and　he　was　subject　to　

severe　attacks　from　various　disorders；　with　which；　till　then；　he　

had　been　utterly　unacquainted。　　He　was；　however；　wont　to　rally；　

more　or　less；　after　his　illnesses；　and　might　still　occasionally　be　

seen　taking　his　walk；　with　his　cane　in　his　hand；　and　accompanied　by　

his　dog；　who　sympathised　entirely　with　him；　pining　as　he　pined；　

improving　as　he　improved；　and　never　leaving　the　house　save　in　his　

company；　and　in　this　manner　matters　went　on　for　a　considerable　

time；　no　very　great　apprehension　with　respect　to　my　father's　state　

being　raised　either　in　my　mother's　breast　or　my　own。　　But；　about　

six　months　after　the　period　at　which　I　have　arrived　in　my　last　

chapter；　it　came　to　pass　that　my　father　experienced　a　severer　

attack　than　on　any　previous　occasion。



He　had　the　best　medical　advice；　but　it　was　easy　to　see；　from　the　

looks　of　his　doctors；　that　they　entertained　but　slight　hopes　of　his　

recovery。　　His　sufferings　were　great；　yet　he　invariably　bore　them　

with　unshaken　fo