barnaby rudge(巴纳比·卢杰)-第77章
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him in the crowd in Welbeck Street； last Friday。’
‘A good man；’ rejoined the secretary； ‘a staunch； sincere； and
truly zealous man。’
‘He should be encouraged；’ said Lord George。 ‘Make a note of
Dennis。 I’ll talk with him。’
Gashford obeyed； and went on reading from his list：
‘“The Friends of Reason； half…a…guinea。 The Friends of Liberty；
half…a…guinea。 The Friends of Peace； half…a…guinea。 The Friends of
Charity； half…a…guinea。 The Friends of Mercy； half…a…guinea。 The
Associated Rememberers of Bloody Mary； half…a…guinea。 The
United Bulldogs； half…a…guinea。”’
‘The United Bulldogs；’ said Lord George； biting his nails most
horribly； ‘are a new society； are they not？’
‘Formerly the ’Prentice Knights； my lord。 The indentures of the
old members expiring by degrees； they changed their name； it
seems； though they still have ’prentices among them； as well as
workmen。’
‘What is their president’s name？’ inquired Lord George。
‘President；’ said Gashford； reading； ‘Mr Simon Tappertit。’
‘I remember him。 The little man； who sometimes brings an
elderly sister to our meetings； and sometimes another female too；
who is conscientious； I have no doubt； but not well…favoured？’
‘The very same； my lord。’
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‘Tappertit is an earnest man；’ said Lord George； thoughtfully。
‘Eh； Gashford？’
‘One of the foremost among them all； my lord。 He snuffs the
battle from afar； like the war…horse。 He throws his hat up in the
street as if he were inspired； and makes most stirring speeches
from the shoulders of his friends。’
‘Make a note of Tappertit；’ said Lord George Gordon。 ‘We may
advance him to a place of trust。’
‘That；’ rejoined the secretary； doing as he was told； ‘is all—
except Mrs Varden’s box （fourteenth time of opening）； seven
shillings and sixpence in silver and copper； and half…a…guinea in
gold； and Miggs （being the saving of a quarter’s wages）； one…and…
threepence。’
‘Miggs；’ said Lord George。 ‘Is that a man？’
‘The name is entered on the list as a woman；’ replied the
secretary。 ‘I think she is the tall spare female of whom you spoke
just now； my lord； as not being well…favoured； who sometimes
comes to hear the speeches—along with Tappertit and Mrs
Varden。’
‘Mrs Varden is the elderly lady then； is she？’
The secretary nodded； and rubbed the bridge of his nose with
the feather of his pen。
‘She is a zealous sister；’ said Lord George。 ‘Her collection goes
on prosperously； and is pursued with fervour。 Has her husband
joined？’
‘A malignant；’ returned the secretary； folding up his papers。
‘Unworthy such a wife。 He remains in outer darkness and steadily
refuses。’
‘The consequences be upon his own head！—Gashford！’
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‘My lord！’
‘You don’t think；’ he turned restlessly in his bed as he spoke；
‘these people will desert me； when the hour arrives？ I have spoken
boldly for them； ventured much； suppressed nothing。 They’ll not
fall off； will they？’
‘No fear of that； my lord；’ said Gashford； with a meaning look；
which was rather the involuntary expression of his own thoughts
than intended as any confirmation of his words； for the other’s
face was turned away。 ‘Be sure there is no fear of that。’
‘Nor；’ he said with a more restless motion than before； ‘of
their—but they can sustain no harm from leaguing for this
purpose。 Right is on our side； though Might may be against us。
You feel as sure of that as I—honestly； you do？’
The secretary was beginning with ‘You do not doubt；’ when the
other interrupted him； and impatiently rejoined：
‘Doubt。 No。 Who says I doubt？ If I doubted； should I cast away
relatives； friends； everything； for this unhappy country’s sake； this
unhappy country；’ he cried； springing up in bed； after repeating
the phrase ‘unhappy country’s sake’ to himself； at least a dozen
times； ‘forsaken of God and man； delivered over to a dangerous
confederacy of Popish powers； the prey of corruption； idolatry；
and despotism！ Who says I doubt？ Am I called； and chosen； and
faithful？ Tell me。 Am I； or am I not？’
‘To God； the country； and yourself；’ cried Gashford。
‘I am。 I will be。 I say again； I will be： to the block。 Who says as
much！ Do you？ Does any man alive？’
The secretary drooped his head with an expression of perfect
acquiescence in anything that had been said or might be； and
Lord George gradually sinking down upon his pillow； fell asleep。
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Although there was something very ludicrous in his vehement
manner； taken in conjunction with his meagre aspect and
ungraceful presence； it would scarcely have provoked a smile in
any man of kindly feeling； or even if it had； he would have felt
sorry and almost angry with himself next moment； for yielding to
the impulse。 This lord was sincere in his violence and in his
wavering。 A nature prone to false enthusiasm； and the vanity of
being a leader； were the worst qualities apparent in his
composition。 All the rest was weakness—sheer weakness； and it is
the unhappy lot of thoroughly weak men； that their very
sympathies； affections； confidences—all the qualities which in
better constituted minds are virtues—dwindle into foibles； or turn
into downright vices。
Gashford； with many a sly look towards the bed； sat chuckling
at his master’s folly； until his deep and heavy breathing warned
him that he might retire。 Locking his desk； and replacing it within
the trunk （but not before he had taken from a secret lining two
printed handbills）； he cautiously withdrew； looking back； as he
went； at the pale face of the slumbering man； above whose head
the dusty plumes that crowned the Maypole couch； waved drearily
and sadly as though it were a bier。
Stopping on the staircase to listen that all was quiet； and to take
off his shoes lest his footsteps should alarm any light sleeper who
might be near at hand； he descended to the ground floor； and
thrust one of his bills beneath the great door of the house。 That
done； he crept softly back to his own chamber； and from the
window let another fall—carefully wrapt round a stone to save it
from the wind—into the yard below。
They were addressed on the back ‘To every Protestant into
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whose hands this shall come；’ and bore within what follows：
‘Men and Brethren。 Whoever shall find this letter； will take it as
a warning to join； without delay； the friends of Lord George
Gordon。 There are great events at hand； and the times are
dangerous and troubled。 Read this carefully； keep it clean； and
drop it somewhere else。 For King and Country。 Union。’
‘More seed； more seed；’ said Gashford as he closed the window。
‘When will the harvest come！’
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Chapter 37
o surround anything； however monstrous or ridiculous；
with an air of mystery； is to invest it with a secret charm；
T
and power of attraction which to the crowd is irresistible。
False priests； false prophets； false doctors； false patriots； false
prodigies of every kind； veiling their proceedings in mystery； have
always addressed themselves at an immense advantage to the
popular credulity； and have been； perhaps； more indebted to that
resource in gaining and keeping for a time the upper hand of
Truth and Common Sense； than to any half…dozen items in the
whole catalogue of imposture。 Curiosity is； and has been from the
creation of the world； a master…passion。 To awaken it； to gratify it
by slight degrees； and yet leave something always in suspense； is
to establish the surest hold that can be had； in wrong； on the
unthinking portion of mankind。
If a man had stood on London Bridge； calling till he was hoarse；
upon the passers…by； to join with Lord George Gordon； although
for an object which no man understood； and which in that very
incident had a charm of its own；—the probability is； that he might
have influenced a score of people in a month。 If all zealous
Protestants had been publicly urged to join an association for the
avowed purpose of singing a hymn or two occasionally； and
hearing some indifferent speeches made； and ultimately of
petitioning Parliament not to pass an act for abolishing the penal
laws against Roman Catholic priests； the penalty of perpetual
imprisonment denounced against those who educated children in
that persuasion； and the disqualif
