lavengro-第16部分

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taught　to　move　at　a　pace　of　suitable　decorum；　at　least　a　quarter　of　

an　hour　elapsed　from　the　commencement　of　the　march　before　the　last　

boy　could　make　his　exit。　　The　office　of　bell…ringer　was　performed　

by　every　boy　successively；　and　it　so　happened　that；　the　very　first　

day　of　my　attendance　at　the　school；　the　turn　to　ring　the　bell　had；　

by　order　of　succession；　arrived　at　the　place　which　had　been　

allotted　to　me；　for　the　master；　as　I　have　already　observed；　was　a　

man　of　method　and　order；　and　every　boy　had　a　particular　seat；　to　

which　he　became　a　fixture　as　long　as　he　continued　at　the　school。



So；　upon　this　day；　when　the　tasks　were　done　and　completed；　and　the　

boys　sat　with　their　hats　and　caps　in　their　hands；　anxiously　

expecting　the　moment　of　dismissal；　it　was　suddenly　notified　to　me；　

by　the　urchins　who　sat　nearest　to　me；　that　I　must　get　up　and　ring　

the　bell。　　Now；　as　this　was　the　first　time　that　I　had　been　at　the　

school；　I　was　totally　unacquainted　with　the　process；　which　I　had　

never　seen；　and；　indeed；　had　never　heard　of　till　that　moment。　　I　

therefore　sat　still；　not　imagining　it　possible　that　any　such　duty　

could　be　required　of　me。　　But　now；　with　not　a　little　confusion；　I　

perceived　that　the　eyes　of　all　the　boys　in　the　school　were　fixed　

upon　me。　　Presently　there　were　nods　and　winks　in　the　direction　of　

the　bell…rope；　and；　as　these　produced　no　effect；　uncouth　visages　

were　made；　like　those　of　monkeys　when　enraged；　teeth　were　gnashed；　

tongues　thrust　out；　and　even　fists　were　bent　at　me。　　The　master；　

who　stood　at　the　end　of　the　room；　with　a　huge　ferule　under　his　arm；　

bent　full　upon　me　a　look　of　stern　appeal；　and　the　ushers；　of　whom　

there　were　four；　glared　upon　me；　each　from　his　own　particular　

corner；　as　I　vainly　turned；　in　one　direction　and　another；　in　search　

of　one　reassuring　look。



But　now；　probably　in　obedience　to　a　sign　from　the　master；　the　boys　

in　my　immediate　neighbourhood　began　to　maltreat　me。　Some　pinched　me　

with　their　fingers；　some　buffeted　me；　whilst　others　pricked　me　with　

pins；　or　the　points　of　compasses。　　These　arguments　were　not　without　

effect。　　I　sprang　from　my　seat；　and　endeavoured　to　escape　along　a　

double　line　of　benches；　thronged　with　boys　of　all　ages；　from　the　

urchin　of　six　or　seven　to　the　nondescript　of　sixteen　or　seventeen。　　

It　was　like　running　the　gauntlet；　every　one；　great　or　small；　

pinching；　kicking；　or　otherwise　maltreating　me；　as　I　passed　by。



Goaded　on　in　this　manner；　I　at　length　reached　the　middle　of　the　

room；　where　dangled　the　bell…rope；　the　cause　of　all　my　sufferings。　　

I　should　have　passed　it　…　for　my　confusion　was　so　great　that　I　was　

quite　at　a　loss　to　comprehend　what　all　this　could　mean；　and　almost　

believed　myself　under　the　influence　of　an　ugly　dream　…　but　now　the　

boys；　who　were　seated　in　advance　in　the　row；　arose　with　one　accord；　

and　barred　my　farther　progress；　and　one；　doubtless　more　sensible　

than　the　rest；　seizing　the　rope；　thrust　it　into　my　hand。　　I　now　

began　to　perceive　that　the　dismissal　of　the　school；　and　my　own　

release　from　torment；　depended　upon　this　selfsame　rope。　　I　

therefore；　in　a　fit　of　desperation；　pulled　it　once　or　twice；　and　

then　left　off；　naturally　supposing　that　I　had　done　quite　enough。　　

The　boys　who　sat　next　the　door　no　sooner　heard　the　bell；　than；　

rising　from　their　seats；　they　moved　out　at　the　door。　　The　bell；　

however；　had　no　sooner　ceased　to　jingle；　than　they　stopped　short；　

and；　turning　round；　stared　at　the　master；　as　much　as　to　say；　'What　

are　we　to　do　now？'　　This　was　too　much　for　the　patience　of　the　man　

of　method；　which　my　previous　stupidity　had　already　nearly　

exhausted。　　Dashing　forward　into　the　middle　of　the　room；　he　struck　

me　violently　on　the　shoulders　with　his　ferule；　and；　snatching　the　

rope　out　of　my　hand；　exclaimed；　with　a　stentorian　voice；　and　

genuine　Yorkshire　accent；　'Prodigy　of　ignorance！　dost　not　even　know　

how　to　ring　a　bell？　　Must　I　myself　instruct　thee？'　　He　then　

commenced　pulling　at　the　bell　with　such　violence　that　long　before　

half　the　school　was　dismissed　the　rope　broke；　and　the　rest　of　the　

boys　had　to　depart　without　their　accustomed　music。



But　I　must　not　linger　here；　though　I　could　say　much　about　the　

school　and　the　pedagogue　highly　amusing　and　diverting；　which；　

however；　I　suppress；　in　order　to　make　way　for　matters　of　yet　

greater　interest。　　On　we　went；　northward；　northward！　and；　as　we　

advanced；　I　saw　that　the　country　was　becoming　widely　different　from　

those　parts　of　merry　England　in　which　we　had　previously　travelled。　　

It　was　wilder；　and　less　cultivated；　and　more　broken　with　hills　and　

hillocks。　　The　people；　too；　of　these　regions　appeared　to　partake　of　

something　of　the　character　of　their　country。　　They　were　coarsely　

dressed；　tall　and　sturdy　of　frame；　their　voices　were　deep　and　

guttural；　and　the　half　of　the　dialect　which　they　spoke　was　

unintelligible　to　my　ears。



I　often　wondered　where　we　could　be　going；　for　I　was　at　this　time　

about　as　ignorant　of　geography　as　I　was　of　most　other　things。　　

However；　I　held　my　peace；　asked　no　questions；　and　patiently　awaited　

the　issue。



Northward；　northward；　still！　　And　it　came　to　pass　that；　one　

morning；　I　found　myself　extended　on　the　bank　of　a　river。　　It　was　a　

beautiful　morning　of　early　spring；　small　white　clouds　were　floating　

in　the　heaven；　occasionally　veiling　the　countenance　of　the　sun；　

whose　light；　as　they　retired；　would　again　burst　forth；　coursing　

like　a　race…horse　over　the　scene　…　and　a　goodly　scene　it　was！　　

Before　me；　across　the　water；　on　an　eminence；　stood　a　white　old　

city；　surrounded　with　lofty　walls；　above　which　rose　the　tops　of　

tall　houses；　with　here　and　there　a　church　or　steeple。　　To　my　right　

hand　was　a　long　and　massive　bridge；　with　many　arches；　and　of　

antique　architecture；　which　traversed　the　river。　　The　river　was　a　

noble　one；　the　broadest　that　I　had　hitherto　seen。　　Its　waters；　of　a　

greenish　tinge；　poured　with　impetuosity　beneath　the　narrow　arches　

to　meet　the　sea；　close　at　hand；　as　the　boom　of　the　billows　breaking　

distinctly　upon　a　beach　declared。　　There　were　songs　upon　the　river　

from　the　fisher…barks；　and　occasionally　a　chorus；　plaintive　and　

wild；　such　as　I　had　never　heard　before；　the　words　of　which　I　did　

not　understand；　but　which；　at　the　present　time；　down　the　long　

avenue　of　years；　seem　in　memory's　ear　to　sound　like　'Horam；　coram；　

dago。'　　Several　robust　fellows　were　near　me；　some　knee…deep　in　

water；　employed　in　hauling　the　seine　upon　the　strand。　　Huge　fish　

were　struggling　amidst　the　meshes　…　princely　salmon；　…　their　

brilliant　mail　of　blue　and　silver　flashing　in　the　morning　beam；　so　

goodly　and　gay　a　scene；　in　truth；　had　never　greeted　my　boyish　eye。



And；　as　I　gazed　upon　the　prospect；　my　bosom　began　to　heave；　and　my　

tears　to　trickle。　　Was　it　the　beauty　of　the　scene　which　gave　rise　

to　these　emotions？　　Possibly；　for　though　a　poor　ignorant　child　…　a　

half…wild　creature　…　I　was　not　insensible　to　the　loveliness　of