lavengro-第77章

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opinion　by　finding　a　spot　under　an　ash　tree　which；　from　its　burnt　

and　blackened　appearance；　seemed　to　have　been　frequently　used　as　a　

fireplace。　　I　will　take　up　my　quarters　here；　thought　I；　it　is　an　

excellent　spot　for　me　to　commence　my　new　profession　in；　I　was　quite　

right　to　trust　myself　to　the　guidance　of　the　pony。　　Unharnessing　

the　animal　without　delay；　I　permitted　him　to　browse　at　free　will　on　

the　grass；　convinced　that　he　would　not　wander　far　from　a　place　to　

which　he　was　so　much　attached；　I　then　pitched　the　little　tent　close　

beside　the　ash　tree　to　which　I　have　alluded；　and　conveyed　two　or　

three　articles　into　it；　and　instantly　felt　that　I　had　commenced　

housekeeping　for　the　first　time　in　my　life。　　Housekeeping；　however；　

without　a　fire　is　a　very　sorry　affair；　something　like　the　

housekeeping　of　children　in　their　toy　houses；　of　this　I　was　the　

more　sensible　from　feeling　very　cold　and　shivering；　owing　to　my　

late　exposure　to　the　rain；　and　sleeping　in　the　night　air。　　

Collecting；　therefore；　all　the　dry　sticks　and　furze　I　could　find；　I　

placed　them　upon　the　fireplace；　adding　certain　chips　and　a　billet　

which　I　found　in　the　cart；　it　having　apparently　been　the　habit　of　

Slingsby　to　carry　with　him　a　small　store　of　fuel。　　Having　then　

struck　a　spark　in　a　tinder…box　and　lighted　a　match；　I　set　fire　to　

the　combustible　heap；　and　was　not　slow　in　raising　a　cheerful　blaze；　

I　then　drew　my　cart　near　the　fire；　and；　seating　myself　on　one　of　

the　shafts；　hung　over　the　warmth　with　feelings　of　intense　pleasure　

and　satisfaction。　　Having　continued　in　this　posture　for　a　

considerable　time；　I　turned　my　eyes　to　the　heaven　in　the　direction　

of　a　particular　star；　I；　however；　could　not　find　the　star；　nor　

indeed　many　of　the　starry　train；　the　greater　number　having　fled；　

from　which　circumstance；　and　from　the　appearance　of　the　sky；　I　

concluded　that　morning　was　nigh。　　About　this　time　I　again　began　to　

feel　drowsy；　I　therefore　arose；　and　having　prepared　for　myself　a　

kind　of　couch　in　the　tent；　I　flung　myself　upon　it　and　went　to　

sleep。



I　will　not　say　that　I　was　awakened　in　the　morning　by　the　carolling　

of　birds；　as　I　perhaps　might　if　I　were　writing　a　novel；　I　awoke　

because；　to　use　vulgar　language；　I　had　slept　my　sleep　out；　not　

because　the　birds　were　carolling　around　me　in　numbers；　as　they　had　

probably　been　for　hours　without　my　hearing　them。　　I　got　up　and　left　

my　tent；　the　morning　was　yet　more　bright　than　that　of　the　preceding　

day。　　Impelled　by　curiosity；　I　walked　about　endeavouring　to　

ascertain　to　what　place　chance；　or　rather　the　pony；　had　brought　me；　

following　the　driftway　for　some　time；　amidst　bushes　and　stunted　

trees；　I　came　to　a　grove　of　dark　pines；　through　which　it　appeared　

to　lead；　I　tracked　it　a　few　hundred　yards；　but　seeing　nothing　but　

trees；　and　the　way　being　wet　and　sloughy；　owing　to　the　recent　rain；　

I　returned　on　my　steps；　and；　pursuing　the　path　in　another　

direction；　came　to　a　sandy　road　leading　over　a　common；　doubtless　

the　one　I　had　traversed　the　preceding　night。　　My　curiosity　

satisfied；　I　returned　to　my　little　encampment；　and　on　the　way　

beheld　a　small　footpath　on　the　left　winding　through　the　bushes；　

which　had　before　escaped　my　observation。　　Having　reached　my　tent　

and　cart；　I　breakfasted　on　some　of　the　provisions　which　I　had　

procured　the　day　before；　and　then　proceeded　to　take　a　regular　

account　of　the　stock　formerly　possessed　by　Slingsby　the　tinker；　but　

now　become　my　own　by　right　of　lawful　purchase。



Besides　the　pony；　the　cart；　and　the　tent；　I　found　I　was　possessed　

of　a　mattress　stuffed　with　straw　on　which　to　lie；　and　a　blanket　to　

cover　me；　the　last　quite　clean　and　nearly　new；　then　there　was　a　

frying…pan　and　a　kettle；　the　first　for　cooking　any　food　which　

required　cooking；　and　the　second　for　heating　any　water　which　I　

might　wish　to　heat。　　I　likewise　found　an　earthen　teapot　and　two　or　

three　cups；　of　the　first　I　should　rather　say　I　found　the　remains；　

it　being　broken　in　three　parts；　no　doubt　since　it　came　into　my　

possession；　which　would　have　precluded　the　possibility　of　my　asking　

anybody　to　tea　for　the　present；　should　anybody　visit　me；　even　

supposing　I　had　tea　and　sugar；　which　was　not　the　case。　　I　then　

overhauled　what　might　more　strictly　be　called　the　stock　in　trade；　

this　consisted　of　various　tools；　an　iron　ladle；　a　chafing…pan　and　

small　bellows；　sundry　pans　and　kettles；　the　latter　being　of　tin；　

with　the　exception　of　one　which　was　of　copper；　all　in　a　state　of　

considerable　dilapidation　…　if　I　may　use　the　term；　of　these　first　

Slingsby　had　spoken　in　particular；　advising　me　to　mend　them　as　soon　

as　possible；　and　to　endeavour　to　sell　them；　in　order　that　I　might　

have　the　satisfaction　of　receiving　some　return　upon　the　outlay　

which　I　had　made。　　There　was　likewise　a　small　quantity　of　block　

tin；　sheet　tin；　and　solder。　　'This　Slingsby；'　said　I；　'is　certainly　

a　very　honest　man；　he　has　sold　me　more　than　my　money's　worth；　I　

believe；　however；　there　is　something　more　in　the　cart。'　　Thereupon　

I　rummaged　the　farther　end　of　the　cart；　and；　amidst　a　quantity　of　

straw；　I　found　a　small　anvil　and　bellows　of　that　kind　which　are　

used　in　forges；　and　two　hammers　such　as　smiths　use；　one　great；　and　

the　other　small。



The　sight　of　these　last　articles　caused　me　no　little　surprise；　as　

no　word　which　had　escaped　from　the　mouth　of　Slingsby　had　given　me　

reason　to　suppose　that　he　had　ever　followed　the　occupation　of　a　

smith；　yet；　if　he　had　not；　how　did　he　come　by　them？　　I　sat　down　

upon　the　shaft；　and　pondered　the　question　deliberately　in　my　mind；　

at　length　I　concluded　that　he　had　come　by　them　by　one　of　those　

numerous　casualties　which　occur　upon　the　roads；　of　which　I；　being　a　

young　hand　upon　the　roads；　must　have　a　very　imperfect　conception；　

honestly；　of　course　…　for　I　scouted　the　idea　that　Slingsby　would　

have　stolen　this　blacksmith's　gear　…　for　I　had　the　highest　opinion　

of　his　honesty；　which　opinion　I　still　retain　at　the　present　day；　

which　is　upwards　of　twenty　years　from　the　time　of　which　I　am　

speaking；　during　the　whole　of　which　period　I　have　neither　seen　the　

poor　fellow　nor　received　any　intelligence　of　him。







CHAPTER　LXX







New　profession　…　Beautiful　night　…　Jupiter　…　Sharp　and　shrill　…　The　

Rommany　chi　…　All　alone　…　Three…and…sixpence　…　What　is　Rommany？　　Be　

civil　…　Parraco　tute　…　Slight　start　…　She　will　be　grateful　…　The　

rustling。



I　PASSED　the　greater　part　of　the　day　in　endeavouring　to　teach　

myself　the　mysteries　of　my　new　profession。　　I　cannot　say　that　I　was　

very　successful；　but　the　time　passed　agreeably；　and　was　therefore　

not　ill　spent。　　Towards　evening　I　flung　my　work　aside；　took　some　

refreshment；　and　afterwards　a　walk。



This　time　I　turned　up　the　small　footpath　of　which　I　have　already　

spoken。　　It　led　in　a　zigzag　manner　through　thickets　of　hazel；　

elder；　and　sweet…brier；　after　following　its　windings　for　somewhat　

better　than　a　furlong；　I　heard　a　gentle　sound　of　water；　and　

presently　came　to　a　small　rill；　which　ran　directly　across　the　path。　　

I　was　rejoiced　at　the　sight；　for　I　had　already　experienced　the　want　

of　water；　which　I　yet　knew　must　be　nigh　at　hand；　as　I　was　in　a　

place　to　all　appearance　occasionally　frequented　by　wandering　

people；　who　I　was　aware　never　take　up　their　quarters　in　places　

where　water　is　difficult　to　be　obtained。　　Forthwith　I　stretched　

myself　on　the　ground；　and　took　a　long　and　delicious　draught　of　the　

crystal　stream；　and　then；　seating　myself　in　a　bush；　I　continued　for　

some　time　gazing　on　the　water　as　it　purled　tinkling　away　in　its　

channel　through　an　opening　in　the　hazels；　and　should　have　probably　

continued　much　longer　had　not　the　thought　that　I　had　left　my　

property　unprotected　compelled　me　to　rise　and　return　to　my　

encampment。



Night　came　on；　and　a　beautiful　night　it　was；　up　rose　the　moon；　and　

innumerable　stars　decked　the　firmament　of　heaven。　　I　sat　on　the　

shaft；　my　eyes　turned　upwards。　　I　had　found　it：　　there　it　was　

twinkling　millions　of　miles　above　me；　mightiest　star　of　the　system　

to　which　we　belong：　　of　all　stars　the　one　which　has　most　interest　

for　me　…　the　star　Jupiter。



Why　have　I　always　taken　an　interest　in　thee；　O　Jupiter？　　I　know　

nothing　about　thee；　save　what　every　child　knows；　that　thou　art　a　

big　star；　whose　only　light　is　derived　from　moons。　　And　is　not　that　

knowledge　enough　to　make　me　feel　an　interest　in　thee？　　Ay；　truly；　I　

never　look　at　thee　without　wondering　what　is　going　on　in　thee；　what　

is　life　in　Jupiter？　　That　there　is　life　in　Jupiter　who　can　doubt？　　

There　is　life　in　our　own　little　star；　therefore　there　must　be　life　

in　Jupiter；　which　is　not　a　little　star。　　But　how　different　must　

life　be　in　Jupiter　from　what　it　is　in　our　own　little　star！　　Life　

here　is　life　beneath　the　dear　sun　…　life　in　Jupiter　is　life　beneath　

moons　…　four　moons　…　no　single　moon　is　able　to　illumine　that　vast　

bulk。　　All　know　what　life　is　in　our　own　little　star；　it　is　anything　

but　a　routine　of　happiness　here；　where　the　dear　sun　rises　to　us　

every　day：　　then　how　sad　and　moping　must　life　be　in　mighty　Jupiter；　

on　which　no　sun　ever　shines；　and　which　is　never　lighted　save　by　

pale　moonbeams！　　The　thought　that　there　is　more　sadness　and　

melancholy　in　Jupiter　than　in　this　world　of　ours；　where；　alas！　

there　is　but　too　much；　has　always　made　me　take　a　melancholy　

interest　in　that　huge　distant　star。



Two　or　three　days　passed　by　in　much　the　same　manner　as　the　first。　　

During　the　morning　I　worked　upon　my　kettles；　and　employed　the　

remaining　part　of　the　day　as　I　best　could。　　The　whole　of　this　time　

I　only　saw　two　individuals；　rustics；　who　passed　by　my　encampment　

without　vouchsafing　me　a　glance；　they　probably　considered　

themselves　my　superiors；　as　perhaps　they　were。



One　very　brilliant　morning；　as　I　sat　at　work　in　very　good　spirits；　

for　by　this　time　I　had　actually　mended　in　a　very　creditable　way；　as　

I　imagined；　two　kettles　and　a　frying…pan；　I　heard　a　voice　which　

seemed　to　proceed　from　the　path　leading　to　the　rivulet；　at　first　it　

sounded　from　a　considerable　distance；　but　drew　nearer　by　degrees。　　

I　soon　remarked　that　the　tones　were　exceedingly　sharp　and　shrill；　

with　yet　something　of　childhood　in　them。　　Once　or　twice　I　

distinguished　certain　words　in　the　song　which　the　voice　was　

singing；　the　words　were　…　but　no；　I　thought　again　I　was　probably　

mistaken　…　and　then　the　voice　ceased　for　a　time；　presently　I　heard　

it　again；　close　to　the　entrance　of　the　footpath；　in　another　moment　

I　heard　it　in　the　lane　or　glade　in　which　stood　my　tent；　where　it　

abruptly　stopped；　but　not　before　I　had　heard　the　very　words　which　I　

at　first　thought　I　had　distinguished。



I　turned　my　head；　at　the　entrance　of　the　footpath；　which　might　be　

about　thirty　yards　from　the　place　where　I　was　sitting；　I　perceived　

the　figure　of　a　young　girl；　her　face　was　turned　towards　me；　and　she　

appeared　to　be　sc