lavengro-第39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！



ate　and　I　drank；　and；　as　I　ate　and　drank；　I　mused　within　myself；　

and　my　eyes　were　frequently　directed　to　a　small　green　box；　which　

constituted　part　of　my　luggage；　and　which；　with　the　rest　of　my　

things；　stood　in　one　corner　of　the　room；　till　at　last；　leaving　my　

breakfast　unfinished；　I　rose；　and；　going　to　the　box；　unlocked　it；　

and　took　out　two　or　three　bundles　of　papers　tied　with　red　tape；　

and；　placing　them　on　the　table；　I　resumed　my　seat　and　my　breakfast；　

my　eyes　intently　fixed　upon　the　bundles　of　papers　all　the　time。



And　when　I　had　drained　the　last　cup　of　tea　out　of　a　dingy　teapot；　

and　ate　the　last　slice　of　the　dingy　loaf；　I　untied　one　of　the　

bundles；　and　proceeded　to　look　over　the　papers；　which　were　closely　

written　over　in　a　singular　hand；　and　I　read　for　some　time；　till　at　

last　I　said　to　myself；　'It　will　do。'　　And　then　I　looked　at　the　

other　bundle　for　some　time　without　untying　it；　and　at　last　I　said；　

'It　will　do　also。'　　And　then　I　turned　to　the　fire；　and；　putting　my　

feet　against　the　sides　of　the　grate；　I　leaned　back　on　my　chair；　

and；　with　my　eyes　upon　the　fire；　fell　into　deep　thought。



And　there　I　continued　in　thought　before　the　fire；　until　my　eyes　

closed；　and　I　fell　asleep；　which　was　not　to　be　wondered　at；　after　

the　fatigue　and　cold　which　I　had　lately　undergone　on　the　coach…top；　

and；　in　my　sleep；　I　imagined　myself　still　there；　amidst　darkness　

and　rain；　hurrying　now　over　wild　heaths；　and　now　along　roads　

overhung　with　thick　and　umbrageous　trees；　and　sometimes　methought　I　

heard　the　horn　of　the　guard；　and　sometimes　the　voice　of　the　

coachman；　now　chiding；　now　encouraging　his　horses；　as　they　toiled　

through　the　deep　and　miry　ways。　　At　length　a　tremendous　crack　of　a　

whip　saluted　the　tympanum　of　my　ear；　and　I　started　up　broad　awake；　

nearly　oversetting　the　chair　on　which　I　reclined　…　and　lo！　I　was　in　

the　dingy　room　before　the　fire；　which　was　by　this　time　half　

extinguished。　　In　my　dream　I　had　confounded　the　noise　of　the　street　

with　those　of　my　night　journey；　the　crack　which　had　aroused　me　I　

soon　found　proceeded　from　the　whip　of　a　carter；　who；　with　many　

oaths；　was　flogging　his　team　below　the　window。



Looking　at　a　clock　which　stood　upon　the　mantelpiece；　I　perceived　

that　it　was　past　eleven；　whereupon　I　said　to　myself；　'I　am　wasting　

my　time　foolishly　and　unprofitably；　forgetting　that　I　am　now　in　the　

big　world；　without　anything　to　depend　upon　save　my　own　exertions'；　

and　then　I　adjusted　my　dress；　and；　locking　up　the　bundle　of　papers　

which　I　had　not　read；　I　tied　up　the　other；　and；　taking　it　under　my　

arm；　I　went　downstairs；　and；　after　asking　a　question　or　two　of　the　

people　of　the　house；　I　sallied　forth　into　the　street　with　a　

determined　look；　though　at　heart　I　felt　somewhat　timorous　at　the　

idea　of　venturing　out　alone　into　the　mazes　of　the　mighty　city；　of　

which　I　had　heard　much；　but　of　which；　of　my　own　knowledge；　I　knew　

nothing。



I　had；　however；　no　great　cause　for　anxiety　in　the　present　instance；　

I　easily　found　my　way　to　the　place　which　I　was　in　quest　of　…　one　of　

the　many　new　squares　on　the　northern　side　of　the　metropolis；　and　

which　was　scarcely　ten　minutes'　walk　from　the　street　in　which　I　had　

taken　up　my　abode。　　Arriving　before　the　door　of　a　tolerably　large　

house　which　bore　a　certain　number；　I　stood　still　for　a　moment　in　a　

kind　of　trepidation；　looking　anxiously　at　the　door；　I　then　slowly　

passed　on　till　I　came　to　the　end　of　the　square；　where　I　stood　

still；　and　pondered　for　a　while。　　Suddenly；　however；　like　one　who　

has　formed　a　resolution；　I　clenched　my　right　hand；　flinging　my　hat　

somewhat　on　one　side；　and；　turning　back　with　haste　to　the　door　

before　which　I　had　stopped；　I　sprang　up　the　steps；　and　gave　a　loud　

rap；　ringing　at　the　same　time　the　bell　of　the　area。　　After　the　

lapse　of　a　minute　the　door　was　opened　by　a　maid…servant　of　no　very　

cleanly　or　prepossessing　appearance；　of　whom　I　demanded；　in　a　tone　

of　some　hauteur；　whether　the　master　of　the　house　was　at　home。　　

Glancing　for　a　moment　at　the　white　paper　bundle　beneath　my　arm；　the　

handmaid　made　no　reply　in　words；　but；　with　a　kind　of　toss　of　her　

head；　flung　the　door　open；　standing　on　one　side　as　if　to　let　me　

enter。　　I　did　enter；　and　the　hand…maid；　having　opened　another　door　

on　the　right　hand；　went　in；　and　said　something　which　I　could　not　

hear：　　after　a　considerable　pause；　however；　I　heard　the　voice　of　a　

man　say；　'Let　him　come　in'；　whereupon　the　handmaid；　coming　out；　

motioned　me　to　enter；　and；　on　my　obeying；　instantly　closed　the　door　

behind　me。







CHAPTER　XXX







The　sinister　glance　…　Excellent　correspondent　…　Quite　original　…　My　

system　…　A　losing　trade　…　Merit　…　Starting　a　Review　…　What　have　you　

got？　…　Stop！　…　DAIRYMAN'S　DAUGHTER　…　Oxford　principles　…　More　

conversation　…　How　is　this？



THERE　were　two　individuals　in　the　room　in　which　I　now　found　myself；　

it　was　a　small　study；　surrounded　with　bookcases；　the　window　looking　

out　upon　the　square。　　Of　these　individuals　he　who　appeared　to　be　

the　principal　stood　with　his　back　to　the　fireplace。　　He　was　a　tall　

stout　man；　about　sixty；　dressed　in　a　loose　morning　gown。　　The　

expression　of　his　countenance　would　have　been　bluff　but　for　a　

certain　sinister　glance；　and　his　complexion　might　have　been　called　

rubicund　but　for　a　considerable　tinge　of　bilious　yellow。　　He　eyed　

me　askance　as　I　entered。　　The　other；　a　pale；　shrivelled…looking　

person；　sat　at　a　table　apparently　engaged　with　an　account…book；　he　

took　no　manner　of　notice　of　me；　never　once　lifting　his　eyes　from　

the　page　before　him。



'Well；　sir；　what　is　your　pleasure？'　said　the　big　man；　in　a　rough　

tone；　as　I　stood　there；　looking　at　him　wistfully　…　as　well　I　might　

…　for　upon　that　man；　at　the　time　of　which　I　am　speaking；　my　

principal；　I　may　say　my　only；　hopes　rested。



'Sir；'　said　I；　'my　name　is　so…and…so；　and　I　am　the　bearer　of　a　

letter　to　you　from　Mr。　so…and…so；　an　old　friend　and　correspondent　

of　yours。'



The　countenance　of　the　big　man　instantly　lost　the　suspicious　and　

lowering　expression　which　it　had　hitherto　exhibited；　he　strode　

forward；　and；　seizing　me　by　the　hand；　gave　me　a　violent　squeeze。



'My　dear　sir；'　said　he；　'I　am　rejoiced　to　see　you　in　London。　　I　

have　been　long　anxious　for　the　pleasure　…　we　are　old　friends；　

though　we　have　never　before　met。　　Taggart；'　said　he　to　the　man　who　

sat　at　the　desk；　'this　is　our　excellent　correspondent；　the　friend　

and　pupil　of　our　other　excellent　correspondent。'



The　pale；　shrivelled…looking　man　slowly　and　deliberately　raised　his　

head　from　the　account…book；　and　surveyed　me　for　a　moment　or　two；　

not　the　slightest　emotion　was　observable　in　his　countenance。　　It　

appeared　to　me；　however；　that　I　could　detect　a　droll　twinkle　in　his　

eye：　　his　curiosity；　if　he　had　any；　was　soon　gratified；　he　made　me　

a　kind　of　bow；　pulled　out　a　snuff…box；　took　a　pinch　of　snuff；　and　

again　bent　his　head　over　the　page。



'And　now；　my　dear　sir；'　said　the　big　man；　'pray　sit　down；　and　tell　

me　the　cause　of　your　visit。　　I　hope　you　intend　to　remain　here　a　day　

or　two。'



'More　than　that；'　said　I；　'I　am　come　to　take　up　my　abode　in　

London。'



'Glad　to　hear　it；　and　what　have　you　been　about　of　late？　got　

anything　which　will　suit　me？　　Sir；　I　admire　your　style　of　writing；　

and　your　manner　of　thinking；　and　I　am　much　obliged　to　my　good　

friend　and　correspondent　for　sending　me　some　of　your　productions。　　

I　inserted　them　all；　and　wished　there　had　been　more　of　them　…　quite　

original；　sir；　quite：　　took　with　the　public；　especially　the　essay　

about　the　non…existence　of　anything。　　I　don't　exactly　agree　with　

you　though；　I　have　my　own　peculiar　ideas　about　matter　…　as　you　

know；　of　course；　from　the　book　I　have　published。　　Nevertheless；　a　

very　pretty　piece　of　speculative　philosophy　…　no　such　thing　as　

matter　…　impossible　that　there　should　be　…　EX　NIHILO　…　what　is　the　

Greek？　　I　have　forgot　…　very　pretty　indeed；　very　original。'



'I　am　afraid；　sir；　it　was　very　wrong　to　write　such　trash；　and　yet　

more　to　allow　it　to　be　published。'



'Trash！　not　at　all；　a　very　pretty　piece　of　speculative　philosophy；　

of　course　you　were　wrong　in　saying　there　is　no　world。　　The　world　

must　exist；　to　have　the　shape　of　a　pear；　and　that　the　world　is　

shaped　like　a　pear；　and　not　like　an　apple；　as　the　fools　of　Oxford　

say；　I　have　satisfactorily　proved　in　my　book。　　Now；　if　there　were　

no　world；　what　would　become　of　my　system？　　But　what　do　you　propose　

to　do　in　London？'



'Here　is　the　letter；　sir；'　said　I；　'of　our　good　friend；　which　I　

have　not　yet　given　to　you；　I　believe　it　will　explain　to　you　the　

circumstances　under　which　I　come。'



He　took　the　letter；　and　perused　it　with　attention。　　'Hem！'　said　he；　

with　a　somewhat　altered　manner；　'my　friend　tells　me　that　you　are　

come　up　to　London　with　the　view　of　turning　your　literary　talents　to　

account；　and　desires　me　to　assist　you　in　my　capacity　of　publisher　

in　bringing　forth　two　or　three　works　which　you　have　prepared。　　My　

good　friend　is　perhaps　not　aware　that　for　some　time　past　I　have　

given　up　publishing　…　was　obliged　to　do　so　…　had　many　severe　losses　

…　do　nothing　at　present　in　that　line；　save　sending　out　the　Magazine　

once　a　month；　and；　between　ourselves；　am　thinking　of　disposing　of　

that　…　wish　to　retire　…　high　time　at　my　age　…　so　you　see　…　'



'I　am　very　sorry；　sir；　to　hear　that　you　cannot　assist　me'　（and　I　

remember　that　I　felt　very　nervous）；　'I　had　hoped　…　'



'A　losing　trade；　I　assure　you；　sir；　literature　is　a　drug。　　Taggart；　

what　o'clock　is？'



'Well；　sir！'　said　I；　rising；　'as　you　cannot　assist　me；　I　will　now　

take　my　leave；　I　thank　you　sincerely　for　your　kind　reception；　and　

will　trouble　you　no　longer。'



'Oh；　don't　go。　　I　wish　to　have　some　further　conversation　with　you；　

and　perhaps　I　may　hit　upon　some　plan　to　benefit　you。　　I　honour　

merit；　and　always　make　a　point　to　encourage　it　when　I　can；　but　…　

Taggart；　go　to　the　bank；　and　tell　them　to　dishonour　the　bill　twelve　

months　after　date　for　thirty　pounds　which　becomes　due　to…morrow。　　I　

am　dissatisfied　with　that　fellow　who　wrote　the　fairy　tales；　and　

intend　to　give　him　all　the　trouble　in　my　power。　　Make　haste。'



Taggart　did　not　appear　to　be　in　any　particular　haste。　　First　of　

all；　he　took　a　pinch　of　snuff；　then；　rising　from　his　chair；　slowly　

and　deliberately　drew　his　wig；　for　he　wore　a　wig　of　a　brown　colour；　

rather　more　over　his　forehead　than　it　had　previously　been；　buttoned　

his　coat；　and；　taking　his　hat；　and　an　umbrella　which　stood　in　a　

corner；　made　me　a　low　bow；　and　quitted　the　room。



'Well；　sir；　where　were　we？　　Oh；　I　remember；　we　were　talking　about　

merit。　　Sir；　I　always　wish　to　encourage　merit；　especially　when　it　

comes　so　highly　recommended　as　in　the　present　instance。　　Sir；　my　

good　friend　and　correspondent　speaks　of　you　in　the　highest　terms。　　

Sir；　I　honour　my　good　friend；　and　have　the　highest　re