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lavengro-第117部分

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roads。



MYSELF。  Who has driven you off the roads?



TINKER。  Who! the Flaming Tinman。



MYSELF。  Who is he?



TINKER。  The biggest rogue in England; and the cruellest; or he 

wouldn't have served me as he has done … I'll tell you all about 

it。  I was born upon the roads; and so was my father before me; and 

my mother too; and I worked with them as long as they lived; as a 

dutiful child; for I have nothing to reproach myself with on their 

account; and when my father died I took up the business; and went 

his beat; and supported my mother for the little time she lived; 

and when she died I married this young woman; who was not born upon 

the roads; but was a small tradesman s daughter; at Gloster。  She 

had a kindness for me; and; notwithstanding her friends were 

against the match; she married the poor tinker; and came to live 

with him upon the roads。  Well; young man; for six or seven years I 

… as the happiest fellow breathing; living just the life you 

described just now … respected by everybody in this beat; when in 

an evil hour comes this Black Jack; this flaming tinman; into these 

parts; driven as they say out of Yorkshire … for no good you may be 

sure。  Now there is no beat will support two tinkers; as you 

doubtless know; mine was a good one; but it would not support the 

flying tinker and myself; though if it would have supported twenty 

it would have been all the same to the flying villain; who'll brook 

no one but himself; so he presently finds me out; and offers to 

fight me for the beat。  Now; being bred upon the roads; I can fight 

a little; that is with anything like my match; but I was not going 

to fight him; who happens to be twice my size; and so I told him; 

whereupon he knocks me down; and would have done me farther 

mischief had not some men been nigh and prevented him; so he 

threatened to cut my throat; and went his way。  Well; I did not 

like such usage at all; and was woundily frightened; and tried to 

keep as much out of his way as possible; going anywhere but where I 

thought I was likely to meet him; and sure enough for several 

months I contrived to keep out of his way。  At last somebody told 

me that he was gone back to Yorkshire; whereupon I was glad at 

heart; and ventured to show myself; going here and there as I did 

before。  Well; young man; it was yesterday that I and mine set 

ourselves down in a lane; about five miles from here; and lighted 

our fire; and had our dinner; and after dinner I sat down to mend 

three kettles and a frying pan which the people in the 

neighbourhood had given me to mend … for; as I told you before; I 

have a good connection; owing to my honesty。  Well; as I sat there 

hard at work; happy as the day's long; and thinking of anything but 

what was to happen; who should come up but this Black Jack; this 

king of the tinkers; rattling along in his cart; with his wife; 

that they call Grey Moll; by his side … for the villain has got a 

wife; and a maid…servant too; the last I never saw; but they that 

has; says that she is as big as a house; and young; and well to 

look at; which can't be all said of Moll; who; though she's big 

enough in all conscience; is neither young nor handsome。  Well; no 

sooner does he see me and mine; than; giving the reins to Grey 

Moll; he springs out of his cart; and comes straight at me; not a 

word did he say; but on he comes straight at me like a wild bull。  

I am a quiet man; young fellow; but I saw now that quietness would 

be of no use; so I sprang up upon my legs; and being bred upon the 

roads; and able to fight a little; I squared as he came running in 

upon me; and had a round or two with him。  Lord bless you; young 

man; it was like a fly fighting with an elephant … one of those big 

beasts the show…folks carry about。  I had not a chance with the 

fellow; he knocked me here; he knocked me there; knocked me into 

the hedge; and knocked me out again。  I was at my last shifts; and 

my poor wife saw it。  Now my poor wife; though she is as gentle as 

a pigeon; has yet a spirit of her own; and though she wasn't bred 

upon the roads; can scratch a little; so when she saw me at my last 

shifts; she flew at the villain … she couldn't bear to see her 

partner murdered … and scratched the villain's face。  Lord bless 

you; young man; she had better have been quiet:  Grey Moll no 

sooner saw what she was about; than; springing out of the cart; 

where she had sat all along perfectly quiet; save a little whooping 

and screeching to encourage her blade:… Grey Moll; I say (my flesh 

creeps when I think of it … for I am a kind husband; and love my 

poor wife) 。 。 。



MYSELF。  Take another draught of the ale; you look frightened; and 

it will do you good。  Stout liquor makes stout heart; as the man 

says in the play。



TINKER。  That's true; young man; here's to you … where was I?  Grey 

Moll no sooner saw what my wife was about; than; springing out of 

the cart; she flew at my poor wife; clawed off her bonnet in a 

moment; and seized hold of her hair。  Lord bless you; young man; my 

poor wife; in the hands of Grey Moll; was nothing better than a 

pigeon in the claws of a buzzard hawk; or I in the hands of the 

Flaming Tinman; which when I saw; my heart was fit to burst; and I 

determined to give up everything … everything to save my poor wife 

out of Grey Moll's claws。  'Hold!' I shouted。  'Hold; both of you … 

Jack; Moll。  Hold; both of you; for God's sake; and I'll do what 

you will:  give up trade; and business; connection; bread; and 

everything; never more travel the roads; and go down on my knees to 

you in the bargain。'  Well; this had some effect; Moll let go my 

wife; and the Blazing Tinman stopped for a moment; it was only for 

a moment; however; that he left off … all of a sudden he hit me a 

blow which sent me against a tree; and what did the villain then? 

why the flying villain seized me by the throat; and almost 

throttled me; roaring … what do you think; young man; that the 

flaming villain roared out?



MYSELF。  I really don't know … something horrible; I suppose。



TINKER。  Horrible; indeed; you may well say horrible; young man; 

neither more nor less than the Bible … 'A Bible; a Bible!' roared 

the Blazing Tinman; and he pressed my throat so hard against the 

tree that my senses began to dwaul away … a Bible; a Bible; still 

ringing in my ears。  Now; young man; my poor wife is a Christian 

woman; and; though she travels the roads; carries a Bible with her 

at the bottom of her sack; with which sometimes she teaches the 

children to read … it was the only thing she brought with her from 

the place of her kith and kin; save her own body and the clothes on 

her back; so my poor wife; half distracted; runs to her sack; pulls 

out the Bible; and puts it into the hand of the Blazing Tinman; who 

then thrusts the end of it into my mouth with such fury that it 

made my lips bleed; and broke short 
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