友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!
lavengro-第168部分
快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完,想下次继续接着阅读,可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能!
Is fire for a queen。'
'And on fairer form of queen ash fire never shone;' said I; 'than
on thine; O beauteous queen of the dingle。'
'I am half disposed to be angry with you; young man;' said Belle。
'And why not entirely?' said I。
Belle made no reply。
'Shall I tell you?' I demanded。 'You had no objection to the first
part of the speech; but you did not like being called queen of the
dingle。 Well; if I had the power; I would make you queen of
something better than the dingle … Queen of China。 Come; let us
have tea。'
'Something less would content me;' said Belle; sighing; as she rose
to prepare our evening meal。
So we took tea together; Belle and I。 'How delicious tea is after
a hot summer's day and a long walk;' said she。
'I daresay it is most refreshing then;' said I; 'but I have heard
people say that they most enjoy it on a cold winter's night; when
the kettle is hissing on the fire; and their children playing on
the hearth。'
Belle sighed。 'Where does tea come from?' she presently demanded。
'From China;' said I; 'I just now mentioned it; and the mention of
it put me in mind of tea。'
'What kind of country is China?'
'I know very little about it; all I know is; that it is a very
large country far to the East; but scarcely large enough to contain
its inhabitants; who are so numerous; that though China does not
cover one…ninth part of the world; its inhabitants amount to one…
third of the population of the world。'
'And do they talk as we do?'
'Oh no! I know nothing of their language; but I have heard that it
is quite different from all others; and so difficult that none but
the cleverest people amongst foreigners can master it; on which
account; perhaps; only the French pretend to know anything about
it。'
'Are the French so very clever; then?' said Belle。
'They say there are no people like them; at least in Europe。 But
talking of Chinese reminds me that I have not for some time past
given you a lesson in Armenian。 The word for tea in Armenian is …
by the bye what is the Armenian word for tea?'
'That's your affair; not mine;' said Belle; 'it seems hard that the
master should ask the scholar。'
'Well;' said I; 'whatever the word may be in Armenian; it is a
noun; and as we have never yet declined an Armenian noun together;
we may as well take this opportunity of declining one。 Belle;
there are ten declensions in Armenian!
'What's a declension?'
'The way of declining a noun。'
'Then; in the civilest way imaginable; I decline the noun。 Is that
a declension?'
'You should never play on words; to do so is low; vulgar; smelling
of the pothouse; the workhouse。 Belle; I insist on your declining
an Armenian noun。'
'I have done so already;' said Belle。
'If you go on in this way;' said I; 'I shall decline taking any
more tea with you。 Will you decline an Armenian noun?'
'I don't like the language;' said Belle。 'If you must teach me
languages; why not teach me French or Chinese?'
'I know nothing of Chinese; and as for French; none but a Frenchman
is clever enough to speak it … to say nothing of teaching; no; we
will stick to Armenian; unless; indeed; you would prefer Welsh!'
'Welsh; I have heard; is vulgar;' said Belle; 'so; if I must learn
one of the two; I will prefer Armenian; which I never heard of till
you mentioned it to me; though; of the two; I really think Welsh
sounds best。'
'The Armenian noun;' said I; 'which I propose for your declension
this night; is …; which signifieth Master。'
'I neither like the word nor the sound;' said Belle。
'I can't help that;' said I; 'it is the word I choose: Master;
with all its variations; being the first noun the sound of which I
would have you learn from my lips。 Come; let us begin …
'A master。 Of a master; etc。 Repeat … '
'I am not much used to say the word;' said Belle; 'but to oblige
you I will decline it as you wish'; and thereupon Belle declined
Master in Armenian。
'You have declined the noun very well;' said I; 'that is in the
singular number; we will now go to the plural。'
'What is the plural?' said Belle。
'That which implies more than one; for example; Masters; you shall
now go through masters in Armenian。'
'Never;' said Belle; 'never; it is bad to have one master; but more
I would never bear; whether in Armenian or English。'
'You do not understand;' said I; 'I merely want you to decline
Masters in Armenian。'
'I do decline them; I will have nothing to do with them; nor with
master either; I was wrong to … What sound is that?'
'I did not hear it; but I daresay it is thunder; in Armenian … '
'Never mind what it is in Armenian; but why do you think it is
thunder?'
'Ere I returned from my stroll; I looked up into the heavens; and
by their appearance I judged that a storm was nigh at hand。'
'And why did you not tell me so?'
'You never asked me about the state of the atmosphere; and I am not
in the habit of giving my opinion to people on any subject; unless
questioned。 But; setting that aside; can you blame me for not
troubling you with forebodings about storm and tempest; which might
have prevented the pleasure you promised yourself in drinking tea;
or perhaps a lesson in Armenian; though you pretend to dislike the
latter?'
'My dislike is not pretended;' said Belle; 'I hate the sound of it;
but I love my tea; and it was kind of you not to wish to cast a
cloud over my little pleasures; the thunder came quite time enough
to interrupt it without being anticipated … there is another peal …
I will clear away; and see that my tent is in a condition to resist
the storm; and I think you had better bestir yourself。'
Isopel departed; and I remained seated on my stone; as nothing
belonging to myself required any particular attention; in about a
quarter of an hour she returned; and seated herself upon her stool。
'How dark the place is become since I left you;' said she; 'just as
if night were just at hand。'
'Look up at the sky;' said I; 'and you will not wonder; it is all
of a deep olive。 The wind is beginning to rise; hark how it moans
among the branches; and see how their tops are bending; it brings
dust on its wings … I felt some fall on my face; and what is this;
a drop of rain?'
'We shall have plenty anon;' said Belle; 'do you hear? it already
begins to hiss upon the embers; that fire of ours will soon be
extinguished。'
'It is not probable that we shall want it;' said I; 'but we had
better seek shelter: let us go into my tent。'
'Go in;' said Belle; 'but you go in alone; as for me; I will seek
my own。'
'You are right;' said I; 'to be afraid of me; I have taught you to
decline master in Armenian。'
'You almost tempt me;' said Belle; 'to make you decline m
快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!