lavengro-第56章

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a　mind　of　a　particularly　phlegmatic　temperament；　which　I　did　not　

possess。　　What　should　I　do？　enlist　as　a　soldier？　I　was　tall　enough；　

but　something　besides　height　is　required　to　make　a　man　play　with　

credit　the　part　of　soldier；　I　mean　a　private　one　…　a　spirit；　if　

spirit　it　can　be　called；　which　will　not　only　enable　a　man　to　submit　

with　patience　to　insolence　and　abuse；　and　even　to　cuffs　and　kicks；　

but　occasionally　to　the　lash。　　I　felt　that　I　was　not　qualified　to　

be　a　soldier；　at　least　a　private　one；　far　better　be　a　drudge　to　the　

most　ferocious　of　publishers；　editing　Newgate　lives；　and　writing　in　

eighteenpenny　reviews　…　better　to　translate　the　Haik　Esop；　under　

the　superintendence　of　ten　Armenians；　than　be　a　private　soldier　in　

the　English　service；　I　did　not　decide　rashly　…　I　knew　something　of　

soldiering。　　What　should　I　do？　　I　thought　that　I　would　make　a　last　

and　desperate　attempt　to　dispose　of　the　ballads　and　of　Ab　Gwilym。



I　had　still　an　idea　that；　provided　I　could　persuade　any　spirited　

publisher　to　give　these　translations　to　the　world；　I　should　acquire　

both　considerable　fame　and　profit；　not；　perhaps；　a　world…embracing　

fame　such　as　Byron's；　but　a　fame　not　to　be　sneered　at；　which　would　

last　me　a　considerable　time；　and　would　keep　my　heart　from　breaking；　

…　profit；　not　equal　to　that　which　Scott　had　made　by　his　wondrous　

novels；　but　which　would　prevent　me　from　starving；　and　enable　me　to　

achieve　some　other　literary　enterprise。　　I　read　and　re…read　my　

ballads；　and　the　more　I　read　them　the　more　I　was　convinced　that　the　

public；　in　the　event　of　their　being　published；　would　freely　

purchase；　and　hail　them　with　the　merited　applause。　　Were　not　the　

deeds　and　adventures　wonderful　and　heart…stirring　…　from　which　it　

is　true　I　could　claim　no　merit；　being　but　the　translator；　but　had　I　

not　rendered　them　into　English；　with　all　their　original　fire？　　Yes；　

I　was　confident　I　had；　and　I　had　no　doubt　that　the　public　would　say　

so。　　And　then；　with　respect　to　Ab　Gwilym；　had　I　not　done　as　much　

justice　to　him　as　to　the　Danish　ballads；　not　only　rendering　

faithfully　his　thoughts；　imagery；　and　phraseology；　but　even　

preserving　in　my　translation　the　alliterative　euphony　which　

constitutes　one　of　the　most　remarkable　features　of　Welsh　prosody？　　

Yes；　I　had　accomplished　all　this；　and　I　doubted　not　that　the　public　

would　receive　my　translations　from　Ab　Gwilym　with　quite　as　much　

eagerness　as　my　version　of　the　Danish　ballads。　　But　I　found　the　

publishers　as　intractable　as　ever；　and　to　this　day　the　public　has　

never　had　an　opportunity　of　doing　justice　to　the　glowing　fire　of　my　

ballad　versification；　and　the　alliterative　euphony　of　my　imitations　

of　Ab　Gwilym。



I　had　not　seen　Francis　Ardry　since　the　day　I　had　seen　him　taking　

lessons　in　elocution。　　One　afternoon　as　I　was　seated　at　my　table；　

my　head　resting　on　my　hands；　he　entered　my　apartment；　sitting　down；　

he　inquired　of　me　why　I　had　not　been　to　see　him。



'I　might　ask　the　same　question　of　you；'　I　replied。　　'Wherefore　have　

you　not　been　to　see　me？'　　Whereupon　Francis　Ardry　told　me　that　he　

had　been　much　engaged　in　his　oratorical　exercises；　also　in　

escorting　the　young　Frenchwoman　about　to　places　of　public　

amusement；　he　then　again　questioned　me　as　to　the　reason　of　my　not　

having　been　to　see　him。



I　returned　an　evasive　answer。　　The　truth　was；　that　for　some　time　

past　my　appearance；　owing　to　the　state　of　my　finances；　had　been　

rather　shabby；　and　I　did　not　wish　to　expose　a　fashionable　young　man　

like　Francis　Ardry；　who　lived　in　a　fashionable　neighbourhood；　to　

the　imputation　of　having　a　shabby　acquaintance。　　I　was　aware　that　

Francis　Ardry　was　an　excellent　fellow；　but；　on　that　very　account；　I　

felt；　under　existing　circumstances；　a　delicacy　in　visiting　him。



It　is　very　possible　that　he　had　an　inkling　of　how　matters　stood；　as　

he　presently　began　to　talk　of　my　affairs　and　prospects。　　I　told　him　

of　my　late　ill　success　with　the　booksellers；　and　inveighed　against　

their　blindness　to　their　own　interest　in　refusing　to　publish　my　

translations。　　'The　last　that　I　addressed　myself　to；'　said　I；　'told　

me　not　to　trouble　him　again　unless　I　could　bring　him　a　decent　novel　

or　a　tale。'



'Well；'　said　Frank；　'and　why　did　you　not　carry　him　a　decent　novel　

or　a　tale？'



'Because　I　have　neither；'　said　I；　'and　to　write　them　is；　I　believe；　

above　my　capacity。　　At　present　I　feel　divested　of　all　energy　…　

heartless；　and　almost　hopeless。'



'I　see　how　it　is；'　said　Francis　Ardry；　'you　have　overworked　

yourself；　and；　worst　of　all；　to　no　purpose。　　Take　my　advice；　cast　

all　care　aside；　and　only　think　of　diverting　yourself　for　a　month　at　

least。'



'Divert　myself！'　said　I；　'and　where　am　I　to　find　the　means？'



'Be　that　care　on　my　shoulders；'　said　Francis　Ardry。　　'Listen　to　me　

…　my　uncles　have　been　so　delighted　with　the　favourable　accounts　

which　they　have　lately　received　from　T…　of　my　progress　in　oratory；　

that；　in　the　warmth　of　their　hearts；　they　made　me　a　present　

yesterday　of　two　hundred　pounds。　　This　is　more　money　than　I　want；　

at　least　for　the　present；　do　me　the　favour　to　take　half　of　it　as　a　

loan　…　hear　me；'　said　he；　observing　that　I　was　about　to　interrupt　

him；　'I　have　a　plan　in　my　head　…　one　of　the　prettiest　in　the　world。　　

The　sister　of　my　charmer　is　just　arrived　from　France；　she　cannot　

speak　a　word　of　English；　and；　as　Annette　and　myself　are　much　

engaged　in　our　own　matters；　we　cannot　pay　her　the　attention　which　

we　should　wish；　and　which　she　deserves；　for　she　is　a　truly　

fascinating　creature；　although　somewhat　differing　from　my　charmer；　

having　blue　eyes　and　flaxen　hair；　whilst；　Annette；　on　the　contrary　

…　But　I　hope　you　will　shortly　see　Annette。　　Now；　my　plan　is　this　…　

Take　the　money；　dress　yourself　fashionably；　and　conduct　Annette's　

sister　to　Bagnigge　Wells。'



'And　what　should　we　do　at　Bagnigge　Wells？'



'Do！'　said　Francis　Ardry。　　'Dance！'



'But；'　said　I；　'I　scarcely　know　anything　of　dancing。'



'Then　here's　an　excellent　opportunity　of　improving　yourself。　　Like　

most　Frenchwomen；　she　dances　divinely；　however；　if　you　object　to　

Bagnigge　Wells　and　dancing；　go　to　Brighton；　and　remain　there　a　

month　or　two；　at　the　end　of　which　time　you　can　return　with　your　

mind　refreshed　and　invigorated；　and　materials；　perhaps；　for　a　tale　

or　novel。'



'I　never　heard　a　more　foolish；　plan；'　said　I；　'or　one　less　likely　

to　terminate　profitably　or　satisfactorily。　　I　thank　you；　however；　

for　your　offer；　which　is；　I　daresay；　well　meant。　　If　I　am　to　escape　

from　my　cares　and　troubles；　and　find　my　mind　refreshed　and　

invigorated；　I　must　adopt　other　means　than　conducting　a　French　

demoiselle　to　Brighton　or　Bagnigge　Wells；　defraying　the　expense　by　

borrowing　from　a　friend。'







CHAPTER　XLIX







Singular　personage　…　A　large　sum　…　Papa　of　Rome　…　We　are　Christians　

…　Degenerate　Armenians　…　Roots　of　Ararat　…　Regular　features。



THE　Armenian！　　I　frequently　saw　this　individual；　availing　myself　of　

the　permission　which　he　had　given　me　to　call　upon　him。　　A　truly　

singular　personage　was　he；　with　his　love　of　amassing　money；　and　his　

nationality　so　strong　as　to　be　akin　to　poetry。　　Many　an　Armenian　I　

have　subsequently　known　fond　of　money…getting；　and　not　destitute　of　

national　spirit；　but　never　another；　who；　in　the　midst　of　his　

schemes　of　lucre；　was　at　all　times　willing　to　enter　into　a　

conversation　on　the　structure　of　the　Haik　language；　or　who　ever　

offered　me　money　to　render　into　English　the　fables　of　Z…　in　the　

hope　of　astonishing　the　stock…jobbers　of　the　Exchange　with　the　

wisdom　of　the　Haik　Esop。



But　he　was　fond　of　money；　very　fond。　　Within　a　little　time　I　had　

won　his　confidence　to　such　a　degree　that　he　informed　me　that　the　

grand　wish　of　his　heart　was　to　be　possessed　of　two　hundred　thousand　

pounds。



'I　think　you　might　satisfy　yourself　with　the　half；'　said　I。　　'One　

hundred　thousand　pounds　is　a　large　sum。'



'You　are　mistaken；'　said　the　Armenian；　'a　hundred　thousand　pounds　

is　nothing。　　My　father　left　me　that　or　more　at　his　death。　　No；　I　

shall　never　be　satisfied　with　less　than　two。'



'And　what　will　you　do　with　your　riches；'　said　I；　'when　you　have　

obtained　them？　　Will　you　sit　down　and　muse　upon　them；　or　will　you　

deposit　them　in　a　cellar；　and　go　down　once　a　day　to　stare　at　them？　　

I　have　heard　say　that　the　fulfilment　of　one's　wishes　is　invariably　

the　precursor　of　extreme　misery；　and　forsooth　I　can　scarcely　

conceive　a　more　horrible　state　of　existence　than　to　be　without　a　

hope　or　wish。'



'It　is　bad　enough；　I　daresay；'　said　the　Armenian；　'it　will；　

however；　be　time　enough　to　think　of　disposing　of　the　money　when　I　

have　procured　it。　　I　still　fall　short　by　a　vast　sum　of　the　two　

hundred　thousand　pounds。'



I　had　occasionally　much　conversation　with　him　on　the　state　and　

prospects　of　his　nation；　especially　of　that　part　of　it　which　still　

continued　in　the　original　country　of　the　Haiks　…　Ararat　and　its　

confines；　which；　it　appeared；　he　had　frequently　visited。　　He　

informed　me　that　since　the　death　of　the　last　Haik　monarch；　which　

occurred　in　the　eleventh　century；　Armenia　had　been　governed　both　

temporally　and　spiritually　by　certain　personages　called　patriarchs；　

their　temporal　authority；　however；　was　much　circumscribed　by　the　

Persian　and　Turk；　especially　the　former；　of　whom　the　Armenian　spoke　

with　much　hatred；　whilst　their　spiritual　authority　had　at　various　

times　been　considerably　undermined　by　the　emissaries　of　the　Papa　of　

Rome；　as　the　Armenian　called　him。



'The　Papa　of　Rome　sent　his　emissaries　at　an　early　period　amongst　

us；'　said　the　Armenian；　'seducing　the　minds　of　weak…headed　people；　

persuading　them　that　the　hillocks　of　Rome　are　higher　than　the　

ridges　of　Ararat；　that　the　Roman　Papa　has　more　to　say　in　heaven　

than　the　Armenian　patriarch；　and　that　puny　Latin　is　a　better　

language　than　nervous　and　sonorous　Haik。'



'They　are　both　dialects；'　said　I；　'of　the　language　of　Mr。　

Petulengro；　one　of　whose　race　I　believe　to　have　been　the　original　

founder　of　Rome；　but；　with　respect　to　religion；　what　are　the　chief　

points　of　your　faith？　you　are　Christians；　I　believe。'



'Yes；'　said　the　Armenian；　'we　are　Christians　in　our　way；　we　believe　

in　God；　the　Holy　Spirit；　and　Saviour；　though　we　are　not　prepared　to　

admit　that　the　last　personage　is　not　only　himself；　but　the　other　

two。　　We　believe　。　。　。'　and　then　the　Armenian　told　me　of　several　

things　which　the　Haiks　believed　or　disbelieved。　　'But　what　we　find　

most　hard　of　all　to　believe；'　said　he；　'is　that　the　man　of　the　

mole…hills　is　entitled　to　our　allegiance；　he　not　being　a　Haik；　or　

understanding　the　Haik　language。'



'But；　by　your　own　confession；'　said　I；　'he　has　introduced　a　schism　

in　your　nation；　and　has　amongst　you　many　that　believe　in　him。'



'It　is　true；'　said　the　Armenian；　I　that　even　on　the　confines　of　

Ararat　there