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lavengro-第144部分

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'But we have no gloves!'



'Gloves!' said Mr。 Petulengro; contemptuously; 'gloves!  I tell you 

what; brother; I always thought you were a better hand at the 

gloves than the naked fist; and; to tell you the truth; besides 

taking satisfaction for Mrs。 Herne's death; I wish to see what you 

can do with your mawleys; so now is your time; brother; and this is 

your place; grass and shade; no ruts or holes; come on; brother; or 

I shall think you what I should not like to call you。'







CHAPTER LXXXII







Offence and defence … I'm satisfied … Fond of solitude … Possession 

of property … Chal Devlehi … Winding path。



AND when I heard Mr。 Petulengro talk in this manner; which I had 

never heard him do before; and which I can only account for by his 

being fasting and ill…tempered; I had of course no other 

alternative than to accept his challenge; so I put myself into a 

posture which I deemed the best both for offence and defence; and 

the tussle commenced; and when it had endured for about half an 

hour; Mr。 Petulengro said; 'Brother; there is much blood on your 

face; you had better wipe it off'; and when I had wiped it off; and 

again resumed my former attitude; Mr。 Petulengro said; 'I think 

enough has been done; brother; in the affair of the old woman; I 

have; moreover; tried what you are able to do; and find you; as I 

thought; less apt with the naked mawleys than the stuffed gloves; 

nay; brother; put your hands down; I'm satisfied; blood has been 

shed; which is all that can be reasonably expected for an old woman 

who carried so much brimstone about her as Mrs。 Herne。'



So the struggle ended; and we resumed our route; Mr。 Petulengro 

sitting sideways upon his horse as before; and I driving my little 

pony…cart; and when we had proceeded about three miles; we came to 

a small public…house; which bore the sign of the Silent Woman; 

where we stopped to refresh our cattle and ourselves; and as we sat 

over our bread and ale; it came to pass that Mr。 Petulengro asked 

me various questions; and amongst others; how I intended to dispose 

of myself; I told him that I did not know; whereupon; with 

considerable frankness; he invited me to his camp; and told me that 

if I chose to settle down amongst them; and become a Rommany chal; 

I should have his wife's sister Ursula; who was still unmarried; 

and occasionally talked of me。



I declined his offer; assigning as a reason the recent death of 

Mrs。 Herne; of which I was the cause; although innocent。  'A pretty 

life I should lead with those two;' said I; 'when they came to know 

it。'  'Pooh;' said Mr。 Petulengro; 'they will never know it。  I 

shan't blab; and as for Leonora; that girl has a head on her 

shoulders。'  'Unlike the woman in the sign;' said I; 'whose head is 

cut off。  You speak nonsense; Mr。 Petulengro; as long as a woman 

has a head on her shoulders she'll talk; … but; leaving women out 

of the case; it is impossible to keep anything a secret; an old 

master of mine told me so long ago。  I have moreover another reason 

for declining your offer。  I am at present not disposed for 

society。  I am become fond of solitude。  I wish I could find some 

quiet place to which I could retire to hold communion with my own 

thoughts; and practise; if I thought fit; either of my trades。'  

'What trades?' said Mr。 Petulengro。  'Why; the one which I have 

lately been engaged in; or my original one; which I confess I 

should like better; that of a kaulo…mescro。'  'Ah; I have 

frequently heard you talk of making horse…shoes;' said Mr。 

Petulengro; 'I; however; never saw you make one; and no one else 

that I am aware; I don't believe … come; brother; don't be angry; 

it's quite possible that you may have done things which neither I 

nor any one else has seen you do; and that such things may some day 

or other come to light; as you say nothing can be kept secret。  Be 

that; however; as it may; pay the reckoning and let us be going; I 

think I can advise you to just such a kind of place as you seem to 

want。'



'And how do you know that I have got wherewithal to pay the 

reckoning?' I demanded。  'Brother;' said Mr。 Petulengro; 'I was 

just now looking in your face; which exhibited the very look of a 

person conscious of the possession of property; there was nothing 

hungry or sneaking in it。  Pay the reckoning; brother。'



And when we were once more upon the road; Mr。 Petulengro began to 

talk of the place which he conceived would serve me as a retreat 

under present circumstances。  'I tell you frankly; brother; that it 

is a queer kind of place; and I am not very fond of pitching my 

tent in it; it is so surprisingly dreary。  It is a deep dingle in 

the midst of a large field; on an estate about which there has been 

a lawsuit for some years past。  I daresay you will be quiet enough; 

for the nearest town is five miles distant; and there are only a 

few huts and hedge public…houses in the neighbourhood。  Brother; I 

am fond of solitude myself; but not that kind of solitude; I like a 

quiet heath; where I can pitch my house; but I always like to have 

a gay stirring place not far off; where the women can pen dukkerin; 

and I myself can sell or buy a horse; if needful … such a place as 

the Chong Gav。  I never feel so merry as when there; brother; or on 

the heath above it; where I taught you Rommany。'



Shortly after this discourse we reached a milestone; and a few 

yards from the milestone; on the left hand; was a crossroad。  

Thereupon Mr。 Petulengro said; 'Brother; my path lies to the left 

if you choose to go with me to my camp; good; if not; Chal 

Devlehi。'  But I again refused Mr。 Petulengro's invitation; and; 

shaking him by the hand; proceeded forward alone; and about ten 

miles farther on I reached the town of which he had spoken; and; 

following certain directions which he had given; discovered; though 

not without some difficulty; the dingle which he had mentioned。  It 

was a deep hollow in the midst of a wide field; the shelving sides 

were overgrown with trees and bushes; a belt of sallows surrounded 

it on the top; a steep winding path led down into the depths; 

practicable; however; for a light cart; like mine; at the bottom 

was an open space; and there I pitched my tent; and there I 

contrived to put up my forge。  'I will here ply the trade of 

kaulomescro;' said I。







CHAPTER LXXXIII







Highly poetical … Volundr … Grecian mythology … Making a petul … 

Tongues of flame … Hammering … Spite of dukkerin … Heaviness。



IT has always struck me that there is something highly poetical 

about a forge。  I am not singular in this opinion:  various 

individuals have assured me that they can never pass by one; even 

in the midst of a crowded town; without experiencing sensations 

which they can scarcely define; but which are highly pleasurable。  

I have a decided penchant for forges; especially rural ones; place
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