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lavengro-第101部分

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My meditation over; I left the milestone and proceeded on my way in 

the same direction as before until the night began to close in。  I 

had always been a good pedestrian; but now; whether owing to 

indisposition or to not having for some time past been much in the 

habit of taking such lengthy walks; I began to feel not a little 

weary。  Just as I was thinking of putting up for the night at the 

next inn or public…house I should arrive at; I heard what sounded 

like a coach coming up rapidly behind me。  Induced; perhaps; by the 

weariness which I felt; I stopped and looked wistfully in the 

direction of the sound; presently up came a coach; seemingly a 

mail; drawn by four bounding horses … there was no one upon it but 

the coachman and the guard; when nearly parallel with me it 

stopped。  'Want to get up?' sounded a voice; in the true coachman…

like tone … half querulous; half authoritative。  I hesitated; I was 

tired; it is true; but I had left London bound on a pedestrian 

excursion; and I did not much like the idea of having recourse to a 

coach after accomplishing so very inconsiderable a distance。  

'Come; we can't be staying here all night;' said the voice; more 

sharply than before。  'I can ride a little way; and get down 

whenever I like;' thought I; and springing forward I clambered up 

the coach; and was going to sit down upon the box; next the 

coachman。  'No; no;' said the coachman; who was a man about thirty; 

with a hooked nose and red face; dressed in a fashionably…cut 

greatcoat; with a fashionable black castor on his head。  'No; no; 

keep behind …the box ain't for the like of you;' said he; as he 

drove off; 'the box is for lords; or gentlemen at least。'  I made 

no answer。  'D… that off…hand leader;' said the coachman; as the 

right…hand front horse made a desperate start at something he saw 

in the road; and; half rising; he with great dexterity hit with his 

long whip the off…hand leader a cut on the off cheek。  'These seem 

to be fine horses;' said I。  The coachman made no answer。  'Nearly 

thoroughbred;' I continued; the coachman drew his breath; with a 

kind of hissing sound; through his teeth。  'Come; young fellow; 

none of your chaff。  Don't you think; because you ride on my mail; 

I'm going to talk to you about 'orses。  I talk to nobody about 

'orses except lords。'  'Well;' said I; 'I have been called a lord 

in my time。'  'It must have been by a thimble…rigger; then;' said 

the coachman; bending back; and half turning his face round with a 

broad leer。  'You have hit the mark wonderfully;' said I。  'You 

coachmen; whatever else you may be; are certainly no fools。'  'We 

ain't; ain't we?' said the coachman。  'There you are right; and; to 

show you that you are; I'll now trouble you for your fare。  If you 

have been amongst the thimble…riggers you must be tolerably well 

cleared out。  Where are you going? … to … ?  I think I have seen 

you there。  The fare is sixteen shillings。  Come; tip us the blunt; 

them that has no money can't ride on my mail。'



Sixteen shillings was a large sum; and to pay it would make a 

considerable inroad on my slender finances; I thought; at first; 

that I would say I did not want to go so far; but then the fellow 

would ask at once where I wanted to go; and I was ashamed to 

acknowledge my utter ignorance of the road。  I determined; 

therefore; to pay the fare; with a tacit determination not to mount 

a coach in future without knowing whither I was going。  So I paid 

the man the money; who; turning round; shouted to the guard … 'All 

right; Jem; got fare to … '; and forthwith whipped on his horses; 

especially the off hand leader; for whom he seemed to entertain a 

particular spite; to greater speed than before … the horses flew。



A young moon gave a feeble light; partially illuminating a line of 

road which; appearing by no means interesting; I the less regretted 

having paid my money for the privilege of being hurried along it in 

the flying vehicle。  We frequently changed horses; and at last my 

friend the coachman was replaced by another; the very image of 

himself … hawk nose; red face; with narrow…rimmed hat and 

fashionable benjamin。  After he had driven about fifty yards; the 

new coachman fell to whipping one of the horses。  'D… this near…

hand wheeler;' said he; 'the brute has got a corn。'  'Whipping him 

won't cure him of his corn;' said I。  'Who told you to speak?' said 

the driver; with an oath; 'mind your own business; 'tisn't from the 

like of you I am to learn to drive 'orses。'  Presently I fell into 

a broken kind of slumber。  In an hour or two I was aroused by a 

rough voice … 'Got to …; young man; get down if you please。'  I 

opened my eyes … there was a dim and indistinct light; like that 

which precedes dawn; the coach was standing still in something like 

a street; just below me stood the guard。  'Do you mean to get 

down;' said he; 'or will you keep us here till morning? other fares 

want to get up。'  Scarcely knowing what I did; I took my bundle and 

stick and descended; whilst two people mounted。  'All right; John;' 

said the guard to the coachman; springing up behind; whereupon off 

whisked the coach; one or two individuals who were standing by 

disappeared; and I was left alone。







CHAPTER LX







The still hour … A thrill … The wondrous circle … The shepherd … 

Heaps and barrows … What do you mean? … Milk of the plains … 

Hengist spared it … No presents。



AFTER standing still a minute or two; considering what I should do; 

I moved down what appeared to be the street of a small straggling 

town; presently I passed by a church; which rose indistinctly on my 

right hand; anon there was the rustling of foliage and the rushing 

of waters。  I reached a bridge; beneath which a small stream was 

running in the direction of the south。  I stopped and leaned over 

the parapet; for I have always loved to look upon streams; 

especially at the still hours。  'What stream is this; I wonder?' 

said I; as I looked down from the parapet into the water; which 

whirled and gurgled below。



Leaving the bridge; I ascended a gentle acclivity; and presently 

reached what appeared to be a tract of moory undulating ground。  It 

was now tolerably light; but there was a mist or haze abroad which 

prevented my seeing objects with much precision。  I felt chill in 

the damp air of the early morn; and walked rapidly forward。  In 

about half an hour I arrived where the road divided into two; at an 

angle or tongue of dark green sward。  'To the right or the left?' 

said I; and forthwith took; without knowing why; the left…hand 

road; along which I proceeded about a hundred yards; when; in the 

midst of the tongue of sward formed by the two roads; collaterally 

with myself; I perceived what I at first conceived to be a small 

grove of blighted trunks of oaks; barked and gray。  I stood still 

for a moment; and then; turning off the road; ad
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