barnaby rudge(巴纳比·卢杰)-第111章
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malevolence that his nails seemed to meet in the skin； ‘I would
have you put some meaning into your work。 Fools！ Can you make
no better bonfires than of rags and scraps？ Can you burn nothing
whole？’
‘A little patience； master；’ said Hugh。 ‘Wait but a few hours； and
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you shall see。 Look for a redness in the sky； to…morrow night。’
With that； he fell back into his place beside Barnaby； and when
the secretary looked after him； both were lost in the crowd。
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Chapter 53
he next day was ushered in by merry peals of bells； and by
the firing of the Tower guns； flags were hoisted on many of
T
the church…steeples； the usual demonstrations were made
in honour of the anniversary of the King’s birthday； and every
man went about his pleasure or business as if the city were in
perfect order； and there were no half…smouldering embers in its
secret places； which； on the approach of night； would kindle up
again and scatter ruin and dismay abroad。 The leaders of the riot；
rendered still more daring by the success of last night and by the
booty they had acquired； kept steadily together； and only thought
of implicating the mass of their followers so deeply that no hope of
pardon or reward might tempt them to betray their more
notorious confederates into the hands of justice。
Indeed； the sense of having gone too far to be forgiven； held the
timid together no less than the bold。 Many who would readily have
pointed out the foremost rioters and given evidence against them；
felt that escape by that means was hopeless； when their every act
had been observed by scores of people who had taken no part in
the disturbances； who had suffered in their persons； peace； or
property； by the outrages of the mob； who would be most willing
witnesses； and whom the government would； no doubt； prefer to
any King’s evidence that might be offered。 Many of this class had
deserted their usual occupations on the Saturday morning； some
had been seen by their employers active in the tumult； others
knew they must be suspected； and that they would be discharged
if they returned； others had been desperate from the beginning；
and comforted themselves with the homely proverb； that； being
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hanged at all； they might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb。
They all hoped and believed； in a greater or less degree； that the
government they seemed to have paralysed； would； in its terror；
come to terms with them in the end； and suffer them to make their
own conditions。 The least sanguine among them reasoned with
himself that； at the worst； they were too many to be all punished；
and that he had as good a chance of escape as any other man。 The
great mass never reasoned or thought at all； but were stimulated
by their own headlong passions； by poverty； by ignorance； by the
love of mischief； and the hope of plunder。
One other circumstance is worthy of remark； and that is； that
from the moment of their first outbreak at Westminster； every
symptom of order or preconcerted arrangement among them
vanished。 When they divided into parties and ran to different
quarters of the town； it was on the spontaneous suggestion of the
moment。 Each party swelled as it went along； like rivers as they
roll towards the sea； new leaders sprang up as they were wanted；
disappeared when the necessity was over； and reappeared at the
next crisis。 Each tumult took shape and form from the
circumstances of the moment； sober workmen； going home from
their day’s labour； were seen to cast down their baskets of tools
and become rioters in an instant； mere boys on errands did the
like。 In a word； a moral plague ran through the city。 The noise； and
hurry； and excitement； had for hundreds and hundreds an
attraction they had no firmness to resist。 The contagion spread
like a dread fever： an infectious madness； as yet not near its
height； seized on new victims every hour； and society began to
tremble at their ravings。
It was between two and three o’clock in the afternoon when
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Gashford looked into the lair described in the last chapter； and
seeing only Barnaby and Dennis there； inquired for Hugh。
He was out； Barnaby told him； had gone out more than an hour
ago； and had not yet returned。
‘Dennis！’ said the smiling secretary； in his smoothest voice； as
he sat down cross…legged on a barrel； ‘Dennis！’
The hangman struggled into a sitting posture directly； and with
his eyes wide open； looked towards him。
‘How do you do； Dennis？’ said Gashford； nodding。 ‘I hope you
have suffered no inconvenience from your late exertions； Dennis？’
‘I always will say of you； Muster Gashford；’ returned the
hangman； staring at him； ‘that that ’ere quiet way of yours might
almost wake a dead man。 It is；’ he added； with a muttered oath—
still staring at him in a thoughtful manner—‘so awful sly！’
‘So distinct； eh Dennis？’
‘Distinct！’ he answered； scratching his head； and keeping his
eyes upon the secretary’s face； ‘I seem to hear it； Muster Gashford；
in my wery bones。’
‘I am very glad your sense of hearing is so sharp； and that I
succeed in making myself so intelligible；’ said Gashford； in his
unvarying； even tone。 ‘Where is your friend？’
Mr Dennis looked round as in expectation of beholding him
asleep upon his bed of straw； then remembering he had seen him
go out； replied：
‘I can’t say where he is； Muster Gashford； I expected him back
afore now。 I hope it isn’t time that we was busy； Muster Gashford？’
‘Nay；’ said the secretary； ‘who should know that as well as you？
How can I tell you； Dennis？ You are perfect master of your own
actions； you know； and accountable to nobody—except sometimes
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to the law； eh？’
Dennis； who was very much baffled by the cool matter…of…
course manner of this reply； recovered his self…possession on his
professional pursuits being referred to； and pointing towards
Barnaby； shook his head and frowned。
‘Hush！’ cried Barnaby。
‘Ah！ Do hush about that； Muster Gashford；’ said the hangman
in a low voice； ‘pop’lar prejudices—you always forget—well；
Barnaby； my lad； what’s the matter？’
‘I hear him coming；’ he answered： ‘Hark！ Do you mark that？
That’s his foot！ Bless you； I know his step； and his dog’s too。
Tramp； tramp； pit…pat； on they come together； and； ha ha ha！—and
here they are！’ he cried； joyfully welcoming Hugh with both hands；
and then patting him fondly on the back； as if instead of being the
rough companion he was； he had been one of the most
prepossessing of men。 ‘Here he is； and safe too！ I am glad to see
him back again； old Hugh！’
‘I’m a Turk if he don’t give me a warmer welcome always than
any man of sense；’ said Hugh； shaking hands with him with a kind
of ferocious friendship； strange enough to see。 ‘How are you； boy？’
‘Hearty！’ cried Barnaby； waving his hat。 ‘Ha ha ha！ And merrry
too； Hugh！ And ready to do anything for the good cause； and the
right； and to help the kind； mild； pale…faced gentleman—the lord
they used so ill—eh； Hugh？’
‘Ay！’ returned his friend； dropping his hand； and looking at
Gashford for an instant with a changed expression before he spoke
to him。 ‘Good day； master！’
‘And good day to you；’ replied the secretary； nursing his leg。
‘And many good days—whole years of them； I hope。 You are
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heated。’
‘So would you have been； master；’ said Hugh； wiping his face； ‘if
you’d been running here as fast as I have。’
‘You know the news； then？ Yes； I supposed you would have
heard it。’
‘News！ what news？’
‘You don’t？’ cried Gashford； raising his eyebrows with an
exclamation of surprise。 ‘Dear me！ Come； then I AM the first to
make you acquainted with your distinguished position； after all。
Do you see the King’s Arms a…top？’ he smilingly asked； as he took
a large paper from his pocket； unfolded it； and held it out for
Hugh’s inspection。
‘Well！’ said Hugh。 ‘What’s that to me？’
‘Much。 A great deal；’ replied the secretary。 ‘Read it。’
‘I told you； the first time I saw you； that I couldn’t read；’ said
Hugh； impatiently。 ‘What in the Devil’s name’s inside of it？’
‘It is a proclamation from the King in Council；’ said Gashford；
‘dated to…day； and offering a reward of five hundred pounds—five
hundred pounds is a great deal of money； and a large temptation
to some people—to any one who will discover the person
