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lavengro-第123部分
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not to know it; and you so flush with it all the time; it was not
kind in you; however; to frighten the poor person's child so by
screaming out; but it was kind in you to give the rikkeni kekaubi
to the child of the poor person。 She will be grateful to you; she
will bring you her little dog to show you; her pretty juggal; the
poor person's child will come and see you again; you are not going
away to…day; I hope; or to…morrow; pretty brother; gray…haired
brother … you are not going away to…morrow; I hope?'
'Nor the next day;' said I; 'only to take a stroll to see if I can
sell a kettle; good…bye; little sister; Rommany sister; dingy
sister。'
'Good…bye; tall brother;' said the girl; as she departed; singing
'The Rommany chi;' etc。
'There's something about that girl that I don't understand;' said I
to myself; 'something mysterious。 However; it is nothing to me;
she knows not who I am; and if she did; what then?'
Late that evening as I sat on the shaft of my cart in deep
meditation; with my arms folded; I thought I heard a rustling in
the bushes over against me。 I turned my eyes in that direction;
but saw nothing。 'Some bird;' said I; 'an owl; perhaps'; and once
more I fell into meditation; my mind wandered from one thing to
another … musing now on the structure of the Roman tongue … now on
the rise and fall of the Persian power … and now on the powers
vested in recorders at quarter…sessions。 I was thinking what a
fine thing it must be to be a recorder of the peace; when; lifting
up my eyes; I saw right opposite; not a culprit at the bar; but;
staring at me through a gap in the bush; a face wild and strange;
half covered with gray hair; I only saw it a moment; the next it
had disappeared。
CHAPTER LXXI
Friend of Slingsby … All quiet … Danger … The two cakes … Children
in the wood … Don't be angry … In deep thought … Temples throbbing
… Deadly sick … Another blow … No answer … How old are you? … Play
and sacrament … Heavy heart … Song of poison … Drow of gypsies …
The dog … Ely's church … Get up; bebee … The vehicle … Can you
speak? … The oil。
THE next day; at an early hour; I harnessed my little pony; and;
putting my things in my cart; I went on my projected stroll。
Crossing the moor; I arrived in about an hour at a small village;
from which; after a short stay; I proceeded to another; and from
thence to a third。 I found that the name of Slingsby was well
known in these parts。
'If you are a friend of Slingsby you must be an honest lad;' said
an ancient crone; 'you shall never want for work whilst I can give
it you。 Here; take my kettle; the bottom came out this morning;
and lend me that of yours till you bring it back。 I'm not afraid
to trust you … not I。 Don't hurry yourself; young man; if you
don't come back for a fortnight I shan't have the worse opinion of
you。'
I returned to my quarters at evening; tired; but rejoiced at heart;
I had work before me for several days; having collected various
kekaubies which required mending; in place of those which I left
behind … those which I had been employed upon during the last few
days。 I found all quiet in the lane or glade; and; unharnessing my
little horse; I once more pitched my tent in the old spot beneath
the ash; lighted my fire; ate my frugal meal; and then; after
looking for some time at the heavenly bodies; and more particularly
at the star Jupiter; I entered my tent; lay down upon my pallet;
and went to sleep。
Nothing occurred on the following day which requires any particular
notice; nor indeed on the one succeeding that。 It was about noon
on the third day that I sat beneath the shade of the ash tree; I
was not at work; for the weather was particularly hot; and I felt
but little inclination to make any exertion。 Leaning my back
against the tree; I was not long in falling into a slumber; I
particularly remember that slumber of mine beneath the ash tree;
for it was about the sweetest slumber that I ever enjoyed; how long
I continued in it I do not know; I could almost have wished that it
had lasted to the present time。 All of a sudden it appeared to me
that a voice cried in my ear; 'Danger! danger! danger!' Nothing
seemingly could be more distinct than the words which I heard; then
an uneasy sensation came over me; which I strove to get rid of; and
at last succeeded; for I awoke。 The gypsy girl was standing just
opposite to me; with her eyes fixed upon my countenance; a singular
kind of little dog stood beside her。
'Ha!' said I; 'was it you that cried danger? What danger is
there?'
'Danger; brother; there is no danger; what danger should there be?
I called to my little dog; but that was in the wood; my little
dog's name is not danger; but Stranger; what danger should there
be; brother?'
'What; indeed; except in sleeping beneath a tree; what is that you
have got in your hand?'
'Something for you;' said the girl; sitting down and proceeding to
untie a white napkin; 'a pretty manricli; so sweet; so nice; when I
went home to my people I told my grand…bebee how kind you had been
to the poor person's child; and when my grand…bebee saw the
kekaubi; she said; 〃Hir mi devlis; it won't do for the poor people
to be ungrateful; by my God; I will bake a cake for the young harko
mescro。〃'
'But there are two cakes。'
'Yes; brother; two cakes; both for you; my grandbebee meant them
both for you … but list; brother; I will have one of them for
bringing them。 I know you will give me one; pretty brother; gray…
haired brother … which shall I have; brother?'
In the napkin were two round cakes; seemingly made of rich and
costly compounds; and precisely similar in form; each weighing
about half a pound。
'Which shall I have; brother?' said the gypsy girl。
'Whichever you please。'
'No; brother; no; the cakes are yours; not mine。 It is for you to
say。'
'Well; then; give me the one nearest you; and take the other。'
'Yes; brother; yes;' said the girl; and taking the cakes; she flung
them into the air two or three times; catching them as they fell;
and singing the while。 'Pretty brother; gray…haired brother …
here; brother;' said she; 'here is your cake; this other is mine。'
'Are you sure;' said I; taking the cake; 'that this is the one I
chose?'
'Quite sure; brother; but if you like you can have mine; there's no
difference; however … shall I eat?'
'Yes; sister; eat。'
'See; brother; I do; now; brother; eat; pretty brother; gray…haired
brother。'
'I am not hungry。'
'Not hungry! well; what then … what has being hungry to do with the
matter? It is my grandbebee's cake which was sent because you were
kind to the poor person's child; eat; brother; eat; and we shall be
like the children in the wood that the gorgios speak of。'
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