lavengro-第153部分

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CHAPTER　LXXXVII







Hubbub　of　voices　…　No　offence　…　Nodding　…　The　guests。



THE　kitchen　of　the　public…house　was　a　large　one；　and　many　people　

were　drinking　in　it；　there　was　a　confused　hubbub　of　voices。



I　sat　down　on　a　bench　behind　a　deal　table；　of　which　there　were　

three　or　four　in　the　kitchen；　presently　a　bulky　man；　in　a　green　

coat　of　the　Newmarket　cut；　and　without　a　hat；　entered；　and　

observing　me；　came　up；　and　in　rather　a　gruff　tone　cried；　'Want　

anything；　young　fellow？'



'Bring　me　a　jug　of　ale；'　said　I；　'if　you　are　the　master；　as　I　

suppose　you　are；　by　that　same　coat　of　yours；　and　your　having　no　hat　

on　your　head。'



'Don't　be　saucy；　young　fellow；'　said　the　landlord；　for　such　he　was；　

'don't　be　saucy；　or　…　'　　Whatever　he　intended　to　say　he　left　

unsaid；　for　fixing　his　eyes　upon　one　of　my　hands；　which　I　had　

placed　by　chance　upon　the　table；　he　became　suddenly　still。



This　was　my　left　hand；　which　was　raw　and　swollen；　from　the　blows　

dealt　on　a　certain　hard　skull　in　a　recent　combat。　　'What　do　you　

mean　by　staring　at　my　hand　so？'　said　I；　with…drawing　it　from　the　

table。



'No　offence；　young　man；　no　offence；'　said　the　landlord；　in　a　quite　

altered　tone；　'but　the　sight　of　your　hand　…　'　then　observing　that　

our　conversation　began　to　attract　the　notice　of　the　guests　in　the　

kitchen；　he　interrupted　himself；　saying　in　an　undertone；　'But　mum's　

the　word　for　the　present；　I　will　go　and　fetch　the　ale。'



In　about　a　minute　he　returned；　with　a　jug　of　ale　foaming　high。　　

'Here's　your　health；'　said　he；　blowing　off　the　foam；　and　drinking；　

but　perceiving　that　I　looked　rather　dissatisfied；　he　murmured；　

'All's　right；　I　glory　in　you；　but　mum's　the　word。'　　Then；　placing　

the　jug　on　the　table；　he　gave　me　a　confidential　nod；　and　swaggered　

out　of　the　room。



What　can　the　silly　impertinent　fellow　mean？　thought　I；　but　the　ale　

was　now　before　me；　and　I　hastened　to　drink；　for　my　weakness　was　

great；　and　my　mind　was　full　of　dark　thoughts；　the　remains　of　the　

indescribable　horror　of　the　preceding　night。　　It　may　kill　me；　

thought　I；　as　I　drank　deep　…　but　who　cares？　anything　is　better　than　

what　I　have　suffered。　　I　drank　deep；　and　then　leaned　back　against　

the　wall：　　it　appeared　as　if　a　vapour　was　stealing　up　into　my　

brain；　gentle　and　benign；　soothing　and　stifling　the　horror　and　the　

fear；　higher　and　higher　it　mounted；　and　I　felt　nearly　overcome；　but　

the　sensation　was　delicious；　compared　with　that　I　had　lately　

experienced；　and　now　I　felt　myself　nodding；　and；　bending　down；　I　

laid　my　head　on　the　table　on　my　folded　hands。



And　in　that　attitude　I　remained　some　time；　perfectly　unconscious。　　

At　length；　by　degrees；　perception　returned；　and　I　lifted　up　my　

head。　　I　felt　somewhat　dizzy　and　bewildered；　but　the　dark　shadow　

had　withdrawn　itself　from　me。　　And　now　once　more　I　drank　of　the　

jug；　this　second　draught　did　not　produce　an　overpowering　effect　

upon　me　…　it　revived　and　strengthened　me　…　I　felt　a　new　man。



I　looked　around　me；　the　kitchen　had　been　deserted　by　the　greater　

part　of　the　guests；　besides　myself；　only　four　remained；　these　were　

seated　at　the　farther　end。　　One　was　haranguing　fiercely　and　

eagerly；　he　was　abusing　England；　and　praising　America。　　At　last　he　

exclaimed；　'So　when　I　gets　to　New　York；　I　will　toss　up　my　hat；　and　

damn　the　King。'



That　man　must　be　a　Radical；　thought　I。







CHAPTER　LXXXVIII







A　Radical　…　Simple…looking　man　…　Church　of　England　…　The　President　

…　Aristocracy　…　Gin　and　water　…　Mending　the　roads　…　Persecuting　

Church　…　Simon　de　Montfort　…　Broken　bells　…　Get　up　…　Not　for　the　

Pope　…　Quay　of　New　York　…　Mumpers'　Dingle　…　No　wish　to　fight　…　

First　draught　…　A　poor　pipe　…　Half…a…crown　broke。



THE　individual　whom　I　supposed　to　be　a　Radical；　after　a　short　

pause；　again　uplifted　his　voice；　he　was　rather　a　strong…built　

fellow　of　about　thirty；　with　an　ill…favoured　countenance；　a　white　

hat　on　his　head；　a　snuff…coloured　coat　on　his　back；　and　when　he　was　

not　speaking；　a　pipe　in　his　mouth。　　'Who　would　live　in　such　a　

country　as　England？'　he　shouted。



'There　is　no　country　like　America；'　said　his　nearest　neighbour；　a　

man　also　in　a　white　hat；　and　of　a　very　ill…favoured　countenance　…　

'there　is　no　country　like　America；'　said　he；　withdrawing　a　pipe　

from　his　mouth；　'I　think　I　shall　…　'　and　here　he　took　a　draught　

from　a　jug；　the　contents　of　which　he　appeared　to　have　in　common　

with　the　other；　…　'go　to　America　one　of　these　days　myself。'



'Poor　old　England　is　not　such　a　bad　country；　after　all；'　said　a　

third；　a　simple…looking　man　in　a　labouring　dress；　who　sat　smoking　a　

pipe　without　anything　before　him。　　'If　there　was　but　a　little　more　

work　to　be　got；　I　should　have　nothing　to　say　against　her；　I　hope；　

however　…　'



'You　hope！　who　cares　what　you　hope？'　interrupted　the　first；　in　a　

savage　tone；　'you　are　one　of　those　sneaking　hounds　who　are　

satisfied　with　dogs'　wages　…　a　bit　of　bread　and　a　kick。　　Work；　

indeed！　who；　with　the　spirit　of　a　man；　would　work　for　a　country　

where　there　is　neither　liberty　of　speech　nor　of　action？　a　land　full　

of　beggarly　aristocracy；　hungry　borough…mongers；　insolent　parsons；　

and　〃their　。　。　。　wives　and　daughters；〃　as　William　Cobbett　says；　in　

his　〃Register。〃'



'Ah；　the　Church　of　England　has　been　a　source　of　incalculable　

mischief　to　these　realms；'　said　another。



The　person　who　uttered　these　words　sat　rather　aloof　from　the　rest；　

he　was　dressed　in　a　long　black　surtout。　　I　could　not　see　much　of　

his　face；　partly　owing　to　his　keeping　it　very　much　directed　to　the　

ground；　and　partly　owing　to　a　large　slouched　hat　which　he　wore；　I　

observed；　however；　that　his　hair　was　of　a　reddish　tinge。　　On　the　

table　near　him　was　a　glass　and　spoon。



'You　are　quite　right；'　said　the　first；　alluding　to　what　this　last　

had　said；　'the　Church　of　England　has　done　incalculable　mischief　

here。　　I　value　no　religion　three　halfpence；　for　I　believe　in　none；　

but　the　one　that　I　hate　most　is　the　Church　of　England；　so　when　I　

get　to　New　York；　after　I　have　shown　the　fine　fellows　on　the　quay　a　

spice　of　me；　by　。　。　。　the　King；　I'll　toss　up　my　hat　again；　and　。　。　

。　the　Church　of　England　too。'



'And　suppose　the　people　of　New　York　should　clap　you　in　the　stocks？'　

said　I。



These　words　drew　upon　me　the　attention　of　the　whole　four。　　The　

Radical　and　his　companion　stared　at　me　ferociously；　the　man　in　

black　gave　me　a　peculiar　glance　from　under　his　slouched　hat；　the　

simple…looking　man　in　the　labouring　dress　laughed。



'What　are　you　laughing　at；　you　fool？'　said　the　Radical；　turning　and　

looking　at　the　other；　who　appeared　to　be　afraid　of　him；　'hold　your　

noise；　and　a　pretty　fellow；　you；'　said　he；　looking　at　me；　'to　come　

here；　and　speak　against　the　great　American　nation。'



'I　speak　against　the　great　American　nation！'　said　I；　'I　rather　paid　

them　a　compliment。'



'By　supposing　they　would　put　me　in　the　stocks。　　Well；　I　call　it　

abus