lavengro-第161部分

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you　on　the　sums　of　money　you　won　by　the　main　of　cocks　at　…。　　I　hope　

you　brought　it　all　safe　home。'　　'Safe　home！'　said　the　landlord；　'I　

brought　myself　safe　home；　and　that　was　all；　came　home　without　a　

shilling；　regularly　done；　cleaned　out。'　　'I　am　sorry　for　that；'　

said　I；　'but　after　you　had　won　the　money；　you　ought　to　have　been　

satisfied；　and　not　risked　it　again　…　how　did　you　lose　it？　　I　hope　

not　by　the　pea　and　thimble。'　　'Pea　and　thimble；'　said　the　landlord　

…　'not　I；　those　confounded　cocks　left　me　nothing　to　lose　by　the　pea　

and　thimble。'　　'Dear　me；'　said　I；　'I　thought　that　you　knew　your　

birds。'　　'Well；　so　I　did；'　said　the　landlord；　'I　knew　the　birds　to　

be　good　birds；　and　so　they　proved；　and　would　have　won　if　better　

birds　had　not　been　brought　against　them；　of　which　I　knew　nothing；　

and　so　do　you　see　I　am　done；　regularly　done。'　　'Well；'　said　I；　

'don't　be　cast　down；　there　is　one　thing　of　which　the　cocks　by　their　

misfortune　cannot　deprive　you　…　your　reputation；　make　the　most　of　

that；　give　up　cock…fighting；　and　be　content　with　the　custom　of　your　

house；　of　which　you　will　always　have　plenty；　as　long　as　you　are　the　

wonder　and　glory　of　the　neighbourhood。'



The　landlord　struck　the　table　before　him　violently　with　his　fist。　　

'Confound　my　reputation！'　said　he。　　'No　reputation　that　I　have　will　

be　satisfaction　to　my　brewer　for　the　seventy　pounds　I　owe　him。　　

Reputation　won't　pass　for　the　current　coin　of　this　here　realm；　and　

let　me　tell　you；　that　if　it　ain't　backed　by　some　of　it；　it　ain't　a　

bit　better　than　rotten　cabbage；　as　I　have　found。　　Only　three　weeks　

since　I　was；　as　I　told　you；　the　wonder　and　glory　of　the　

neighbourhood；　and　people　used　to　come　to　look　at　me；　and　worship　

me；　but　as　soon　as　it　began　to　be　whispered　about　that　I　owed　money　

to　the　brewer；　they　presently　left　off　all　that　kind　of　thing；　and　

now；　during　the　last　three　days；　since　the　tale　of　my　misfortune　

with　the　cocks　has　got　wind；　almost　everybody　has　left　off　coming　

to　the　house；　and　the　few　who　does；　merely　comes　to　insult　and　

flout　me。　　It　was　only　last　night　that　fellow；　Hunter；　called　me　an　

old　fool　in　my　own　kitchen　here。　　He　wouldn't　have　called　me　a　fool　

a　fortnight　ago；　'twas　I　called　him　fool　then；　and　last　night　he　

called　me　old　fool；　what　do　you　think　of　that？　…　the　man　that　beat　

Tom　of　Hopton；　to　be　called；　not　only　a　fool；　but　an　old　fool；　and　

I　hadn't　heart；　with　one　blow　of　this　here　fist　into　his　face；　to　

send　his　head　ringing　against　the　wall；　for　when　a　man's　pocket　is　

low；　do　you　see；　his　heart　ain't　much　higher；　but　it　is　of　no　use　

talking；　something　must　be　done。　　I　was　thinking　of　you　just　as　you　

came　in；　for　you　are　just　the　person　that　can　help　me。'



'If　you　mean；'　said　I；　'to　ask　me　to　lend　you　the　money　which　you　

want；　it　will　be　to　no　purpose；　as　I　have　very　little　of　my　own；　

just　enough　for　my　own　occasions；　it　is　true；　if　you　desired　it；　I　

would　be　your　intercessor　with　the　person　to　whom　you　owe　the　

money；　though　I　should　hardly　imagine　that　anything　I　could　say　…　'　　

'You　are　right　there；'　said　the　landlord；　'much　the　brewer　would　

care　for　anything　you　could　say　on　my　behalf　…　your　going　would　be　

the　very　way　to　do　me　up　entirely。　　A　pretty　opinion　he　would　have　

of　the　state　of　my　affairs　if　I　were　to　send　him　such　a　'cessor　as　

you；　and　as　for　your　lending　me　money；　don't　think　I　was　ever　fool　

enough　to　suppose　either　that　you　had　any；　or　if　you　had　that　you　

would　be　fool　enough　to　lend　me　any。　　No；　no；　the　coves　of　the　ring　

knows　better；　I　have　been　in　the　ring　myself；　and　knows　what　a　

fighting　cove　is；　and　though　I　was　fool　enough　to　back　those　birds；　

I　was　never　quite　fool　enough　to　lend　anybody　money。　　What　I　am　

about　to　propose　is　something　very　different　from　going　to　my　

landlord；　or　lending　any　capital；　something　which；　though　it　will　

put　money　into　my　pocket；　will　likewise　put　something　handsome　into　

your　own。　　I　want　to　get　up　a　fight　in　this　here　neighbourhood；　

which　would　be　sure　to　bring　plenty　of　people　to　my　house；　for　a　

week　before　and　after　it　takes　place；　and　as　people　can't　come　

without　drinking；　I　think　I　could；　during　one　fortnight；　get　off　

for　the　brewer　all　the　sour　and　unsaleable　liquids　he　now　has；　

which　people　wouldn't　drink　at　any　other　time；　and　by　that　means；　

do　you　see；　liquidate　my　debt；　then；　by　means　of　betting；　making　

first　all　right；　do　you　see；　I　have　no　doubt　that　I　could　put　

something　handsome　into　my　pocket　and　yours；　for　I　should　wish　you　

to　be　the　fighting　man；　as　I　think　I　can　depend　upon　you。'　　'You　

really　must　excuse　me；'　said　I；　'I　have　no　wish　to　figure　as　a　

pugilist；　besides；　there　is　such　a　difference　in　our　ages；　you　may　

be　the　stronger　man　of　the　two；　and　perhaps　the　hardest　hitter；　but　

I　am　in　much　better　condition；　am　more　active　on　my　legs；　so　that　I　

am　almost　sure　I　should　have　the　advantage；　for；　as　you　very　

properly　observed；　〃Youth　will　be　served。〃'　　'Oh；　I　didn't　mean　to　

fight；'　said　the　landlord；　'I　think　I　could　beat　you　if　I　were　to　

train　a　little；　but　in　the　fight　I　propose　I　looks　more　to　the　main　

chance　than　anything　else。　　I　question　whether　half　so　many　people　

could　be　brought　together　if　you　were　to　fight　with　me　as　the　

person　I　have　in　view；　or　whether　there　would　be　half　such　

opportunities　for　betting；　for　I　am　a　man；　do　you　see；　the　person　I　

wants　you　to　fight　with　is　not　a　man；　but　the　young　woman　you　keeps　

company　with。'



'The　young　woman　I　keep　company　with；'　said　I；　'pray　what　do　you　

mean？'



'We　will　go　into　the　bar；　and　have　something；'　said　the　landlord；　

getting　up。　　'My　niece　is　out；　and　there　is　no　one　in　the　house；　so　

we　can　talk　the　matter　over　quietly。'　　Thereupon　I　followed　him　

into　the　bar；　where；　having　drawn　me　a　jug　of　ale；　helped　himself　

as　usual　to　a　glass　of　sherry；　and　lighted　a　cigar；　he　proceeded　to　

explain　himself　further。　　'What　I　wants　is　to　get　up　a　fight　

between　a　man　and　a　woman；　there　never　has　yet　been　such　a　thing　in　

the　ring；　and　the　mere　noise　of　the　matter　would　bring　thousands　of　

people　together；　quite　enough　to　drink　out；　for　the　thing　should　be　

close　to　my　house；　all　the　brewer's　stock　of　liquids；　both　good　and　

bad。'　　'But；'　said　I；　'you　were　the　other　day　boasting　of　the　

respectability　of　your　house；　do　you　think　that　a　fight　between　a　

man　and　a　woman　close　to　your　establishment　would　add　to　its　

respectability？'　　'Confound　the　respectability　of　my　house；'　said　

the　landlord；　'will　the　respectability　of　my　house　pay　the　brewer；　

or　keep　the　roof　over　my　head？　　No；　no！　when　respectability　won't　

keep　a　man；　do　you　see；　the　best　thing　is　to　let　it　go　and　wander。　　

Only　let　me　have　my　own　way；　and　both　the　brewer；　myself；　and　every　

one　of　us；　will　be　satisfied。　　And　then　the　betting　…　what　a　deal　

we　may　make　by　the　betting　…　and　that　we　shall　have　all　to　

ourselves；　you；　I；　and　the　young　woman；　the　brewer　will　have　no　

hand　in　t