lavengro-第51章

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strange　grimace；　and　departed。



'Who　is　that　gentleman？'　said　I　to　Francis　Ardry；　as　soon　as　were　

alone。



'Oh；　that　is　…　'　said　Frank；　smiling；　'the　gentleman　who　gives　me　

lessons　in　elocution。'



'And　what　need　have　you　of　elocution？'



'Oh；　I　merely　obey　the　commands　of　my　guardians；'　said　Francis；　

'who　insist　that　I　should；　with　the　assistance　of　…；　qualify　myself　

for　Parliament；　for　which　they　do　me　the　honour　to　suppose　that　I　

have　some　natural　talent。　　I　dare　not　disobey　them；　for；　at　the　

present　moment；　I　have　particular　reasons　for　wishing　to　keep　on　

good　terms　with　them。'



'But；'　said　I；　'you　are　a　Roman　Catholic；　and　I　thought　that　

persons　of　your　religion　were　excluded　from　Parliament？'



'Why；　upon　that　very　thing　the　whole　matter　hinges；　people　of　our　

religion　are　determined　to　be　no　longer　excluded　from　Parliament；　

but　to　have　a　share　in　the　government　of　the　nation。　　Not　that　I　

care　anything　about　the　matter；　I　merely　obey　the　will　of　my　

guardians；　my　thoughts　are　fixed　on　something　better　than　

politics。'



'I　understand　you；'　said　I；　'dog…fighting　…　well；　I　can　easily　

conceive　that　to　some　minds　dog…fighting　…　'



'I　was　not　thinking　of　dog…fighting；'　said　Francis　Ardry；　

interrupting　me。



'Not　thinking　of　dog…fighting！'　I　ejaculated。



'No；'　said　Francis　Ardry；　'something　higher　and　much　more　rational　

than　dog…fighting　at　present　occupies　my　thoughts。'



'Dear　me；'　said　I；　'I　thought　I　had　heard　you　say　that　there　was　

nothing　like　it！'



'Like　what？'　said　Francis　Ardry。



'Dog…fighting；　to　be　sure；'　said　I。



'Pooh；'　said　Francis　Ardry；　'who　but　the　gross　and　unrefined　care　

anything　for　dog…fighting？　　That　which　at　present　engages　my　waking　

and　sleeping　thoughts　is　love　…　divine　love　…　there　is　nothing　like　

THAT。　　Listen　to　me；　I　have　a　secret　to　confide　to　you。'



And　then　Francis　Ardry　proceeded　to　make　me　his　confidant。　　It　

appeared　that　he　had　had　the　good　fortune　to　make　the　acquaintance　

of　the　most　delightful　young　Frenchwoman　imaginable；　Annette　La　

Noire　by　name；　who　had　just　arrived　from　her　native　country　with　

the　intention　of　obtaining　the　situation　of　governess　in　some　

English　family；　a　position　which；　on　account　of　her　many　

accomplishments；　she　was　eminently　qualified　to　fill。　　Francis　

Ardry　had；　however；　persuaded　her　to　relinquish　her　intention　for　

the　present；　on　the　ground　that；　until　she　had　become　acclimated　in　

England；　her　health　would　probably　suffer　from　the　confinement　

inseparable　from　the　occupation　in　which　she　was　desirous　of　

engaging；　he　had；　moreover　…　for　it　appeared　that　she　was　the　most　

frank　and　confiding　creature　in　the　world　…　succeeded　in　persuading　

her　to　permit　him　to　hire　for　her　a　very　handsome　first　floor　in　

his　own　neighbourhood；　and　to　accept　a　few　inconsiderable　presents　

in　money　and　jewellery。　　'I　am　looking　out　for　a　handsome　gig　and　

horse；'　said　Francis　Ardry；　at　the　conclusion　of　his　narration；　'it　

were　a　burning　shame　that　so　divine　a　creature　should　have　to　go　

about　a　place　like　London　on　foot；　or　in　a　paltry　hackney　coach。'



'But；'　said　I；　'will　not　the　pursuit　of　politics　prevent　your　

devoting　much　time　to　this　fair　lady？'



'It　will　prevent　me　devoting　all　my　time；'　said　Francis　Ardry；　'as　

I　gladly　would；　but　what　can　I　do？　　My　guardians　wish　me　to　qualify　

myself　for　a　political　orator；　and　I　dare　not　offend　them　by　a　

refusal。　　If　I　offend　my　guardians；　I　should　find　it　impossible　…　

unless　I　have　recourse　to　Jews　and　money…lenders　…　to　support　

Annette；　present　her　with　articles　of　dress　and　jewellery；　and　

purchase　a　horse　and　cabriolet　worthy　of　conveying　her　angelic　

person　through　the　streets　of　London。'



After　a　pause；　in　which　Francis　Ardry　appeared　lost　in　thought；　his　

mind　being　probably　occupied　with　the　subject　of　Annette；　I　broke　

silence　by　observing；　'So　your　fellow…religionists　are　really　going　

to　make　a　serious　attempt　to　procure　their　emancipation？'



'Yes；'　said　Francis　Ardry；　starting　from　his　reverie；　'everything　

has　been　arranged；　even　a　leader　has　been　chosen；　at　least　for　us　

of　Ireland；　upon　the　whole　the　most　suitable　man　in　the　world　for　

the　occasion　…　a　barrister　of　considerable　talent；　mighty　voice；　

and　magnificent　impudence。　　With　emancipation；　liberty；　and　redress　

for　the　wrongs　of　Ireland　in　his　mouth；　he　is　to　force　his　way　into　

the　British　House　of　Commons；　dragging　myself　and　others　behind　him　

…　he　will　succeed；　and　when　he　is　in　he　will　cut　a　figure；　I　have　

heard　…　himself；　who　has　heard　him　speak；　say　that　he　will　cut　a　

figure。'



'And　is　…　competent　to　judge？'　I　demanded。



'Who　but　he？'　said　Francis　Ardry；　'no　one　questions　his　judgment　

concerning　what　relates　to　elocution。　　His　fame　on　that　point　is　so　

well　established；　that　the　greatest　orators　do　not　disdain　

occasionally　to　consult　him；　C…　himself；　as　I　have　been　told；　when　

anxious　to　produce　any　particular　effect　in　the　House；　is　in　the　

habit　of　calling　in　…　for　a　consultation。'



'As　to　matter；　or　manner？'　said　I。



'Chiefly　the　latter；'　said　Francis　Ardry；　'though　he　is　competent　

to　give　advice　as　to　both；　for　he　has　been　an　orator　in　his　day；　

and　a　leader　of　the　people；　though　he　confessed　to　me　that　he　was　

not　exactly　qualified　to　play　the　latter　part　…　〃I　want　paunch；〃　

said　he。'



'It　is　not　always　indispensable；'　said　I；　'there　is　an　orator　in　my　

town；　a　hunchback　and　watchmaker；　without　it；　who　not　only　leads　

the　people；　but　the　mayor　too；　perhaps　he　has　a　succedaneum　in　his　

hunch：　　but；　tell　me；　is　the　leader　of　your　movement　in　possession　

of　that　which　…　wants？'



'No　more　deficient　in　it　than　in　brass；'　said　Francis　Ardry。



'Well；'　said　I；　'whatever　his　qualifications　may　be；　I　wish　him　

success　in　the　cause　which　he　has　taken　up　…　I　love　religious　

liberty。'



'We　shall　succeed；'　said　Francis　Ardry；　'John　Bull　upon　the　whole　

is　rather　indifferent　on　the　subject；　and　then　we　are　sure　to　be　

backed　by　the　Radical　party；　who；　to　gratify　their　political　

prejudices；　would　join　with　Satan　himself。'



'There　is　one　thing；'　said　I；　'connected　with　this　matter　which　

surprises　me　…　your　own　lukewarmness。　　Yes；　making　every　allowance　

for　your　natural　predilection　for　dog…fighting；　and　your　present　

enamoured　state　of　mind；　your　apathy　at　the　commencement　of　such　a　

movement　is　to　me　unaccountable。'



'You　would　not　have　cause　to　complain　of　my　indifference；'　said　

Frank；　'provided　I　thought　my　country　would　be　benefited　by　this　

movement；　but　I　happen　to　know　the　origin　of　it。　　The　priests　are　

the　originators；　'and　what　country　was　ever　benefited　by　a　movement　

which　owed　its　origin　to　them？'　so　says　Voltaire；　a　page　of　whom　I　

occasionally　read。　　By　the　present　move　they　hope　to　increase　their　

influence；　and　to　further　certain　designs　which　they　entertain　both　

with　regard　to　this　country　and　Ireland。　　I　do　not　speak　rashly　or　

unadvisedly。　　A　strange　fellow　…　a　half…Italian；　half…English　

priest；　…　who　was　recommended　to　me　by　my　guardians；　partly　as　a　

spiritual；　partly　as　a　temporal　guide；　has　let　me　into　a　secret　or　

two；　he　is　fond　of　a　glass　of　gin　and　water　…　and　over　a　glass　of　

gin　and　water　cold；　with　a　lump　of　sugar　in　it；　he　has　been　more　

communicative；　perhaps；　than　was　altogether　prudent。　　Were　I　my　own　

master；　I　would　kick　him；　politics；　and　religious　movements；　to　a　

considerable　distance。　　And　now；　if　you　are　going　away；　do　so　

quickly；　I　have　an　appointment　with　Annette；　and　must　make　myself　

fit　to　appear　before　her。'







CHAPTER　XLIII







Progress　…　Glorious　John　…　Utterly　unintelligible　…　What　a　

difference。



BY　the　month　of　October　I　had；　in　spite　of　all　difficulties　and　

obstacles；　accomplished　about　two…thirds　of　the　principal　task　

which　I　had　undertaken；　the　compiling　of　the　Newgate　lives；　I　had　

also　made　some　progress　in　translating　the　publisher's　philosophy　

into　German。　　But　about　this　time　I　began　to　see　very　clearly　that　

it　was　impossible　that　our　connection　should　prove　of　long　

duration；　yet；　in　the　event　of　my　leaving　the　big　man；　what　other　

resource　had　I　…　another　publisher？　　But　what　had　I　to　offer？　　

There　were　my　ballads；　my　Ab　Gwilym；　but　then　I　thought　of　Taggart　

and　his　snuff；　his　pinch　of　snuff。　　However；　I　determined　to　see　

what　could　be　done；　so　I　took　my　ballads　under　my　arm；　and　went　to　

various　publishers；　some　took　snuff；　others　did　not；　but　none　took　

my　ballads　or　Ab　Gwilym；　they　would　not　even　look　at　them。　　One　

asked　me　if　I　had　anything　else　…　he　was　a　snuff…taker　…　I　said　

yes；　and　going　home；　returned　with　my　translation　of　the　German　

novel；　to　which　I　have　before　alluded。　　After　keeping　it　for　a　

fortnight；　he　returned　it　to　me　on　my　visiting　him；　and；　taking　a　

pinch　of　snuff；　told　me　it　would　not　do。　　There　were　marks　of　snuff　

on　the　outside　of　the　manuscript；　which　was　a　roll　of　paper　bound　

with　red　tape；　but　there　were　no　marks　of　snuff　on　the　interior　of　

the　manuscript；　from　which　I　concluded　that　he　had　never　opened　it。



I　had　often　heard　of　one　Glorious　John；　who　lived　at　the　western　

end　of　the　town；　on　consulting　Taggart；　he　told　me　that　it　was　

possible　that　Glorious　John　would　publish　my　ballads　and　Ab　Gwilym；　

that　is；　said　he；　taking　a　pinch　of　snuff；　provided　you　can　see　

him；　so　I　went　to　the　house　where　Glorious　John　resided；　and　a　

glorious　house　it　was；　but　I　could　not　see　Glorious　John　…　I　called　

a　dozen　times；　but　I　never　could　see　Glorious　John。　　Twenty　years　

after；　by　the　greatest　chance　in　the　world；　I　saw　Glorious　John；　

and　sure　enough　Glorious　John　published　my　books；　but　they　were　

different　books　from　the　first；　I　never　offered　my　ballads　or　Ab　

Gwilym　to　Glorious　John。　　Glorious　John　was　no　snuff…taker。　　He　

asked　me　to　dinner；　and　treated　me　with　superb　Rhenish　wine。　　

Glorious　John　is　now　gone　to　his　rest；　but　I　…　what　was　I　going　to　

say？　…　the　world　will　never　forget　Glorious　John。



So　I　returned　to　my　last　resource　for　the　time　then　being　…　to　the　

publisher；　persevering　doggedly　in　my　labour。　　One　day；　on　visiting　

the　publisher；　I　found　him　stamping　with　fury　upon　certain　

fragments　of　paper。　　'Sir；'　said　he；　'you　know　nothing　of　German；　I　

have　shown　your　translation　of　the　first　chapter　of　my　Philosophy　

to　several　Germans：　　it　is　utterly　unintelligible　to　them。'　　'Did　

they　see　the　Philosophy？'　I　replied。　　'They　did；　sir；　but　they　did　

not　profess　to　understand　English。'　　'No　more　do　I；'　　I　replied；　

'if　that　Philosophy　be　English。'



The　publisher　was　furious　…　I　was　silent。　　For　want　of　a　pinch　of　

snuff；　I　had　recourse　to　something　which　is　no　bad　substitute　for　a　

pinch　of　snuff；　to　those　who　can't　take　it；　silent　contempt；　at　

first　it　made　the　publisher　more　furious；　as　perhaps　a　pinch　of