lavengro-第58章

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I　had　not　many　alternatives；　and；　before　I　had　retired　to　rest　on　

the　night　of　the　day　in　question；　I　had　determined　that　I　could　do　

no　better　than　accept　the　first　proposal　of　the　Armenian；　and　

translate　under　his　superintendence　the　Haik　Esop　into　English。



I　reflected；　for　I　made　a　virtue　of　necessity；　that；　after　all；　

such　an　employment　would　be　an　honest　and　honourable　one；　honest；　

inasmuch　as　by　engaging　in　it　I　should　do　harm　to　nobody；　

honourable；　inasmuch　as　it　was　a　literary　task；　which　not　every　one　

was　capable　of　executing。　it　was　not　every　one　of　the　booksellers'　

writers　of　London　who　was　competent　to　translate　the　Haik　Esop。　　I　

determined　to　accept　the　offer　of　the　Armenian。



Once　or　twice　the　thought　of　what　I　might　have　to　undergo　in　the　

translation　from　certain　peculiarities　of　the　Armenian's　temper　

almost　unsettled　me；　but　a　mechanical　diving　of　my　hand　into　my　

pocket；　and　the　feeling　of　the　solitary　half…crown；　confirmed　me；　

after　all；　this　was　a　life　of　trial　and　tribulation；　and　I　had　read　

somewhere　or　other　that　there　was　much　merit　in　patience；　so　I　

determined　to　hold　fast　in　my　resolution　of　accepting　the　offer　of　

the　Armenian。



But　all　of　a　sudden　I　remembered　that　the　Armenian　appeared　to　have　

altered　his　intentions　towards　me：　　he　appeared　no　longer　desirous　

that　I　should　render　the　Haik　Esop　into　English　for　the　benefit　of　

the　stock…jobbers　on　Exchange；　but　rather　that　I　should　acquire　the　

rudiments　of　doing　business　in　the　Armenian　fashion；　and　accumulate　

a　fortune；　which　would　enable　me　to　make　a　figure　upon　'Change　with　

the　best　of　the　stock…jobbers。　　'Well；'　thought　I；　withdrawing　my　

hand　from　my　pocket；　whither　it　had　again　mechanically　dived；　

'after　all；　what　would　the　world；　what　would　this　city；　be　without　

commerce？　　I　believe　the　world；　and　particularly　this　city；　would　

cut　a　very　poor　figure　without　commerce；　and　then　there　is　

something　poetical　in　the　idea　of　doing　business　after　the　Armenian　

fashion；　dealing　with　dark…faced　Lascars　and　Rabbins　of　the　

Sephardim。　　Yes；　should　the　Armenian　insist　upon　it；　I　will　accept　

a　seat　at　the　desk；　opposite　the　Moldavian　clerk。　　I　do　not　like　

the　idea　of　cuffs　similar　to　those　the　Armenian　bestowed　upon　the　

Moldavian　clerk；　whatever　merit　there　may　be　in　patience；　I　do　not　

think　that　my　estimation　of　the　merit　of　patience　would　be　

sufficient　to　induce　me　to　remain　quietly　sitting　under　the　

infliction　of　cuffs。　　I　think　I　should；　in　the　event　of　his　cuffing　

me；　knock　the　Armenian　down。　　Well；　I　think　I　have　heard　it　said　

somewhere；　that　a　knock…down　blow　is　a　great　cementer　of　

friendship；　I　think　I　have　heard　of　two　people　being　better　friends　

than　ever　after　the　one　had　received　from　the　other　a　knock…down　

blow。'



That　night　I　dreamed　I　had　acquired　a　colossal　fortune；　some　four　

hundred　thousand　pounds；　by　the　Armenian　way　of　doing　business；　but　

suddenly　awoke　in　dreadful　perplexity　as　to　how　I　should　dispose　of　

it。



About　nine　o'clock　next　morning　I　set　off　to　the　house　of　the　

Armenian；　I　had　never　called　upon　him　so　early　before；　and　

certainly　never　with　a　heart　beating　with　so　much　eagerness；　but　

the　situation　of　my　affairs　had　become　very　critical；　and　I　thought　

that　I　ought　to　lose　no　time　in　informing　the　Armenian　that　I　was　

at　length　perfectly　willing　either　to　translate　the　Haik　Esop　under　

his　superintendence；　or　to　accept　a　seat　at　the　desk　opposite　to　

the　Moldavian　clerk；　and　acquire　the　secrets　of　Armenian　commerce。　　

With　a　quick　step　I　entered　the　counting…room；　where；　

notwithstanding　the　earliness　of　the　hour；　I　found　the　clerk；　

busied　as　usual　at　his　desk。



He　had　always　appeared　to　me　a　singular　being；　this　same　Moldavian　

clerk。　　A　person　of　fewer　words　could　scarcely　be　conceived：　　

provided　his　master　were　at　home；　he　would；　on　my　inquiring；　nod　

his　head；　and；　provided　he　were　not；　he　would　invariably　reply　with　

the　monosyllable　No；　delivered　in　a　strange　guttural　tone。　　On　the　

present　occasion；　being　full　of　eagerness　and　impatience；　I　was　

about　to　pass　by　him　to　the　apartment　above；　without　my　usual　

inquiry；　when　he　lifted　his　head　from　the　ledger　in　which　he　was　

writing；　and；　laying　down　his　pen；　motioned　to　me　with　his　

forefinger；　as　if　to　arrest　my　progress；　whereupon　I　stopped；　and；　

with　a　palpitating　heart；　demanded　whether　the　master　of　the　house　

was　at　home。　　The　Moldavian　clerk　replied　with　his　usual　guttural；　

and；　opening　his　desk；　ensconced　his　head　therein。



'It　does　not　much　matter；'　said　I；　'I　suppose　I　shall　find　him　at　

home　after　'Change；　it　does　not　much　matter；　I　can　return。'



I　was　turning　away　with　the　intention　of　leaving　the　room；　at　this　

moment；　however；　the　head　of　the　Moldavian　clerk　became　visible；　

and　I　observed　a　letter　in　his　hand；　which　he　had　inserted　in　the　

desk　at　the　same　time　with　his　head；　this　he　extended　towards　me；　

making　at　the　same　time　a　sidelong　motion　with　his　head；　as　much　as　

to　say　that　it　contained　something　which　interested　me。



I　took　the　letter；　and　the　Moldavian　clerk　forthwith　resumed　his　

occupation。　　The　back　of　the　letter　bore　my　name；　written　in　

Armenian　characters；　with　a　trembling　hand　I　broke　the　seal；　and；　

unfolding　the　letter；　I　beheld　several　lines　also　written　in　the　

letters　of　Mesroub；　the　Cadmus　of　the　Armenians。



I　stared　at　the　lines；　and　at　first　could　not　make　out　a　syllable　

of　their　meaning；　at　last；　however；　by　continued　staring；　I　

discovered　that；　though　the　letters　were　Armenian；　the　words　were　

English；　in　about　ten　minutes　I　had　contrived　to　decipher　the　sense　

of　the　letter；　it　ran　somewhat　in　this　style：…





'MY　DEAR　FRIEND　…　The　words　which　you　uttered　in　our　last　

conversation　have　made　a　profound　impression　upon　me；　I　have　

thought　them　over　day　and　night；　and　have　come　to　the　conclusion　

that　it　is　my　bounden　duty　to　attack　the　Persians。　　When　these　

lines　are　delivered　to　you；　I　shall　be　on　the　route　to　Ararat。　　A　

mercantile　speculation　will　be　to　the　world　the　ostensible　motive　

of　my　journey；　and　it　is　singular　enough　that　one　which　offers　

considerable　prospect　of　advantage　has　just　presented　itself　on　the　

confines　of　Persia。　　Think　not；　however；　that　motives　of　lucre　

would　have　been　sufficiently　powerful　to　tempt　me　to　the　East　at　

the　present　moment。　　I　may　speculate；　it　is　true；　but　I　should　

scarcely　have　undertaken　the　journey　but　for　your　pungent　words　

inciting　me　to　attack　the　Persians。　　Doubt　not　that　I　will　attack　

them　on　the　first　opportunity。　　I　thank　you　heartily　for　putting　me　

in　mind　of　my　duty。　　I　have　hitherto；　to　use　your　own　words；　been　

too　fond　of　money…getting；　like　all　my　countrymen。　　I　am　much　

indebted　to　you；　farewell！　and　may　every　prosperity　await　you。'





For　some　time　after　I　had　deciphered　the　epistle；　I　stood　as　if　

rooted　to　the　floor。　　I　felt　stunned　…　my　last　hope　was　gone；　

presently　a　feeling　arose　in　my　mind　…　a　feeling　of　self…reproach。　　

Whom　had　I　to　blame　but　myself　for　the　departure　of　the　Armenian？　　

Would　he　have　ever　thought　of　attacking　the　Persians　had　I　not　put　

the　idea　into　his　head？　he　had　told　me　in　his　epistle　that　he　was　

indebted　to　me　for　the　idea。　　But　for　that；　he　might　at　the　present　

moment　have　been　in　London；　increasing　his　fortune　by　his　usual　

methods；　and　I　might　be　commencing　under　his　auspices　the　

translation　of　the　Haik　Esop；　with　the　promise；　no　doubt；　of　a　

considerable　remuneration　for　my　trouble；　or　I　might　be　taking　a　

seat　opposite　the　Moldavian　clerk；　and　imbibing　the　first　rudiments　

of　doing　business　after　the　Armenian　fashion；　with　the　comfortable　

hope　of　realising；　in　a　short　time；　a　fortune　of　three　or　four　

hundred　thousand　pounds；　but　the　Armenian　was　now　gone；　and　

farewell　to　the　fine　hopes　I　had　founded　upon　him　the　day　before。　　

What　was　I　to　do？　　I　looked　wildly　around；　till　my　eyes　rested　on　

the　Moldavian　clerk；　who　was　writing　away　in　his　ledger　with　

particular　vehemence。　　Not　knowing　well　what　to　do　or　to　say；　I　

thought　I　might　as　well　ask　the　Moldavian　clerk　when　the　Armenian　

had　departed；　and　when　he　thought　that　he　would　return。　　It　is　true　

it　mattered　little　to　me　when　he　departed；　seeing　that　he　was　gone；　

and　it　was　evident　that　he　would　not　be　back　soon；　but　I　knew　not　

what　to　do；　and　in　pure　helplessness　thought　I　might　as　well　ask；　

so　I　went　up　to　the　Moldavian　clerk；　and　asked　him　when　the　

Armenian　had　departed；　and　whether　he　had　been　gone　two　days　or　

three。　　Whereupon　the　Moldavian　clerk；　looking　up　from　his　ledger；　

made　certain　signs；　which　I　could　by　no　means　understand。　　I　stood　

astonished；　but；　presently　recovering　myself；　inquired　when　he　

considered　it　probable　that　the　master　would　return；　and　whether　he　

thought　it　would　be　two　months　or　…　my　tongue　faltered　…　two　years；　

whereupon　the　Moldavian　clerk　made　more　signs　than　before；　and　yet　

more　unintelligible；　as　I　persisted；　however；　he　flung　down　his　

pen；　and；　putting　his　thumb　into　his　mouth；　moved　it　rapidly；　

causing　the　nail　to　sound　against　the　lower　jaw；　whereupon　I　saw　

that　he　was　dumb；　and　hurried　away；　for　I　had　always　entertained　a　

horror　of　dumb　people；　having　once　heard　my　another　say；　when　I　was　

a　child；　that　dumb　people　were　half　demoniacs；　or　little　better。







CHAPTER　LII







Kind　of　stupor　…　Peace　of　God　…　Divine　hand　…　Farewell；　child　…　The　

fair　…　Massive　edifice　…　Battered　tars　…　Lost！　lost！　…　Good…day；　

gentlemen。



LEAVING　the　house　of　the　Armenian；　I　strolled　about　for　some　time；　

almost　mechanically　my　feet　conducted　me　to　London　Bridge；　to　the　

booth　in　which　stood　the　stall　of　the　old　apple…woman；　the　sound　of　

her　voice　aroused　me；　as　I　sat　in　a　kind　of　stupor　on　the　stone　

bench　beside　her；　she　was　inquiring　what　was　the　matter　with　me。



At　first；　I　believe；　I　answered　her　very　incoherently；　for　I　

observed　alarm　beginning　to　depict　itself　upon　her　countenance。　　

Rousing　myself；　however；　I　in　my　turn　put　a　few　questions　to　her　

upon　her　present　condition　and　prospects。　　The　old　woman's　

countenance　cleared　up　instantly；　she　informed　me　that　she　had　

never　been　more　comfortable　in　her　life；　that　her　trade；　her　HONEST　

trade　…　laying　an　emphasis　on　the　word　honest　…　had　increased　of　

late　wonderfully；　that　her　health　was　better；　and；　above　all；　that　

she　felt　no　fear　and　horror　'here；'　laying　her　hand　on　her　breast。



On　my　asking　her　whether　she　still　heard　voices　in　the　night；　she　

told　me　that　she　frequently　did；　but　that　the　present　were　mild　

voices；　sweet　voices；　encouraging　voices；　very　different　from　the　

former　ones；　that　a　voice；　only　the　night　previous；　had　cried　out　

about　'the　peace　of　God；'　in　particularly　sweet　accents；　a　sentence　

which　she　remembered　to　have　read　in　her　early　youth　in　the　primer；　

but　which　she