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lavengro-第157部分

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'If you liked America you would speak in its praise。'



'By the same rule; if I disliked America I should speak against 

it。'



'I can't speak with you;' said Belle; 'but I see you dislike the 

country。'



'The country!'



'Well; the people … don't you?'



'I do。'



'Why do you dislike them?'



'Why; I have heard my father say that the American marksmen; led on 

by a chap of the name of Washington; sent the English to the right…

about in double…quick time。'



'And that is your reason for disliking the Americans?'



'Yes;' said I; 'that is my reason for disliking them。'



'Will you take another cup of tea?' said Belle。



I took another cup; we were again silent。  'It is rather 

uncomfortable;' said I; at last; 'for people to sit together 

without having anything to say。'



'Were you thinking of your company?' said Belle。



'What company?' said I。



'The present company。'



'The present company! oh; ah … I remember that I said one only 

feels uncomfortable in being silent with a companion; when one 

happens to be thinking of the companion。  Well; I had been thinking 

of you the last two or three minutes; and had just come to the 

conclusion that; to prevent us both feeling occasionally 

uncomfortably towards each other; having nothing to say; it would 

be as well to have a standing subject on which to employ our 

tongues。  Belle; I have determined to give you lessons in 

Armenian。'



'What is Armenian?'



'Did you ever hear of Ararat?'



'Yes; that was the place where the ark rested; I have heard the 

chaplain in the great house talk of it; besides; I have read of it 

in the Bible。'



'Well; Armenian is the speech of people of that place; and I should 

like to teach it you。'



'To prevent … '



'Ay; ay; to prevent our occasionally feeling uncomfortable 

together。  Your acquiring it besides might prove of ulterior 

advantage to us both; for example; suppose you and I were in 

promiscuous company; at Court; for example; and you had something 

to communicate to me which you did not wish any one else to be 

acquainted with; how safely you might communicate it to me in 

Armenian。'



'Would not the language of the roads do as well?' said Belle。



'In some places it would;' said I; 'but not at Court; owing to its 

resemblance to thieves' slang。  There is Hebrew; again; which I was 

thinking of teaching you; till the idea of being presented at Court 

made me abandon it; from the probability of our being understood; 

in the event of our speaking it; by at least half a dozen people in 

our vicinity。  There is Latin; it is true; or Greek; which we might 

speak aloud at Court with perfect confidence of safety; but upon 

the whole I should prefer teaching you Armenian; not because it 

would be a safer language to hold communication with at Court; but 

because; not being very well grounded in it myself; I am 

apprehensive that its words and forms may escape from my 

recollection; unless I have sometimes occasion to call them forth。'



'I am afraid we shall have to part company before I have learnt 

it;' said Belle; 'in the meantime; if I wish to say anything to you 

in private; somebody being by; shall I speak in the language of the 

roads?'



'If no roadster is nigh you may;' said I; 'and I will do my best to 

understand you。  Belle; I will now give you a lesson in Armenian。'



'I suppose you mean no harm;' said Belle。



'Not in the least; I merely propose the thing to prevent our 

occasionally feeling uncomfortable together。  Let us begin。'



'Stop till I have removed the tea things;' said Belle; and; getting 

up; she removed them to her own encampment。



'I am ready;' said Belle; returning; and taking her former seat; 

'to join with you in anything which will serve to pass away the 

time agreeably; provided there is no harm in it。'



'Belle;' said I; 'I have determined to commence the course of 

Armenian lessons by teaching you the numerals; but; before I do 

that; it will be as well to tell you that the Armenian language is 

called Haik。'



'I am sure that word will hang upon my memory;' said Belle。



'Why hang upon it?' said I。



'Because the old women in the great house used to call so the 

chimney…hook; on which they hung the kettle; in like manner; on the 

hake of my memory I will hang your hake。'



'Good!' said I; 'you will make an apt scholar; but mind that I did 

not say hake; but haik; the words are; however; very much alike; 

and; as you observe; upon your hake you may hang my haik。  We will 

now proceed to the numerals。'



'What are numerals?' said Belle。



'Numbers。  I will say the Haikan numbers up to ten。  There … have 

you heard them?'



'Yes。'



'Well; try and repeat them。'



'I only remember number one;' said Belle; 'and that because it is 

me。'



' I will repeat them again;' said I; 'and pay greater attention。  

Now; try again。'



'Me; jergo; earache。'



'I neither said jergo nor earache。  I said yergou and yerek。  

Belle; I am afraid I shall have some difficulty with you as a 

scholar。'



Belle made no answer。  Her eyes were turned in the direction of the 

winding path which led from the bottom of the hollow; where we were 

seated; to the plain above。  'Gorgio shunella;' she said at length; 

in a low voice。



'Pure Rommany;' said I; 'where?' I added; in a whisper。



'Dovey odoi;' said Belle; nodding with her head towards the path。



'I will soon see who it is;' said I; and starting up; I rushed 

towards the pathway; intending to lay violent hands on any one I 

might find lurking in its windings。  Before; however; I had reached 

its commencement; a man; somewhat above the middle height; advanced 

from it into the dingle; in whom I recognised the man in black whom 

I had seen in the public…house。







CHAPTER XC







Buona sera … Rather apprehensive … The steep bank … Lovely virgin … 

Hospitality … Tory minister … Custom of the country … Sneering 

smile … Wandering Zigan … Gypsies' cloaks … Certain faculty … Acute 

answer … Various ways … Addio … Best Hollands。



THE man in black and myself stood opposite to each other for a 

minute or two in silence; I will not say that we confronted each 

other that time; for the man in black; after a furtive glance; did 

not look me in the face; but kept his eyes fixed apparently on the 

leaves of a bunch of ground…nuts which were growing at my feet。  At 

length; looking around the dingle; he exclaimed; 'Buona sera; I 

hope I don't intrude。'



'You have as much right here;' said I; 'as I or my companion; but 

you had no right to stand listening to our conversation。'



'I was not listening;' said the man; 'I was hesitating whether to 

advance or retire; and if I heard some of your conversation; the 

fault was not mine。'



'I do not see why you should have hesitated if your intentions were 

good;' 
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