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lavengro-第176部分

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him but blackness; on which account he was called Black Jack。  Nor 

am I disposed to give credit to a report that his hatred of the 

Portuguese arose from some ill treatment which he had once 

experienced when on shore; at Lisbon; from certain gentlewomen of 

the place; but rather conclude that it arose from an opinion he 

entertained that the Portuguese never paid their debts; one of the 

ambassadors of that nation; whose house he had served; having left 

Paris several thousand francs in his debt。  This is all that I have 

to say about Black Jack; without whose funny jokes and good 

ordinary I should have passed my time in Paris in a very 

disconsolate manner。



'After we had been at Paris between two and three months; we left 

it in the direction of Italy; which country the family had a great 

desire to see。  After travelling a great many days in a thing 

which; though called a diligence; did not exhibit much diligence; 

we came to a great big town; seated around a nasty salt…water 

bason; connected by a narrow passage with the sea。  Here we were to 

embark; and so we did as soon as possible; glad enough to get away 

… at least I was; and so I make no doubt were the rest; for such a 

place for bad smells I never was in。  It seems all the drains and 

sewers of the place run into that same salt bason; voiding into it 

all their impurities; which; not being able to escape into the sea 

in any considerable quantity; owing to the narrowness of the 

entrance; there accumulate; filling the whole atmosphere with these 

same outrageous scents; on which account the town is a famous 

lodging…house of the plague。  The ship in which we embarked was 

bound for a place in Italy called Naples; where we were to stay 

some time。  The voyage was rather a lazy one; the ship not being 

moved by steam; for at the time of which I am speaking; some five 

years ago; steam…ships were not so plentiful as now。  There were 

only two passengers in the grand cabin; where my governor and his 

daughters were; an Italian lady and a priest。  Of the lady I have 

not much to say; she appeared to be a quiet respectable person 

enough; and after our arrival at Naples I neither saw nor heard 

anything more of her; but of the priest I shall have a good deal to 

say in the sequel (that; by the bye; is a word I learnt from the 

professor of rhetoric); and it would have been well for our family 

had they never met him。



'On the third day of the voyage the priest came to me; who was 

rather unwell with sea…sickness; which he; of course; felt nothing 

of … that kind of people being never affected like others。  He was 

a finish…looking man of about forty…five; but had something strange 

in his eyes; which I have since thought denoted that all was not 

right in a certain place called the heart。  After a few words of 

condolence; in a broken kind of English; he asked me various 

questions about our family; and I; won by his seeming kindness; 

told him all I knew about them … of which communicativeness I 

afterwards very much repented。  As soon as he had got out of me all 

he desired; he left me; and I observed that during the rest of the 

voyage he was wonderfully attentive to our governor; and yet more 

to the young ladies。  Both; however; kept him rather at a distance; 

the young ladies were reserved; and once or twice I heard our 

governor cursing him between his teeth for a sharking priest。  The 

priest; however; was not disconcerted; and continued his 

attentions; which in a little time produced an effect; so that; by 

the time we landed at Naples; our great folks had conceived a kind 

of liking for the man; and when they took their leave invited him 

to visit them; which he promised to do。  We hired a grand house or 

palace at Naples; it belonged to a poor kind of prince; who was 

glad enough to let it to our governor; and also his servants and 

carriages; and glad enough were the poor servants; for they got 

from us what they never got from the prince … plenty of meat and 

money; and glad enough; I make no doubt; were the horses for the 

provender we gave them; and I daresay the coaches were not sorry to 

be cleaned and furbished up。  Well; we went out and came in; going 

to see the sights; and returning。  Amongst other things we saw was 

the burning mountain; and the tomb of a certain sorcerer called 

Virgilio; who made witch rhymes; by which he could raise the dead。  

Plenty of people came to see us; both English and Italians; and 

amongst the rest the priest。  He did not come amongst the first; 

but allowed us to settle and become a little quiet before he showed 

himself; and after a day or two he paid us another visit; then 

another; till at last his visits were daily。



'I did not like that Jack Priest; so I kept my eye upon all his 

motions。  Lord! how that Jack Priest did curry favour with our 

governor and the two young ladies; and he curried; and curried; 

till he had got himself into favour with the governor; and more 

especially with the two young ladies; of whom their father was 

doatingly fond。  At last the ladies took lessons in Italian of the 

priest; a language in which he was said to be a grand proficient; 

and of which they had hitherto known but very little; and from that 

time his influence over them; and consequently over the old 

governor; increased; till the tables were turned; and he no longer 

curried favour with them; but they with him … yes; as true as my 

leg aches; the young ladies curried; and the old governor curried 

favour with that same priest; when he was with them; they seemed 

almost to hang on his lips; that is; the young ladies; and as for 

the old governor; he never contradicted him; and when the fellow 

was absent; which; by the bye; was not often; it was; 〃Father so…

and…so said this;〃 and 〃Father so…and…so said that〃; 〃Father so…

and…so thinks we should do so…and…so; or that we should not do so…

and…so。〃  I at first thought that he must have given them 

something; some philtre or the like; but one of the English maid…

servants; who had a kind of respect for me; and who saw much more 

behind the scenes than I did; informed me that he was continually 

instilling strange notions into their heads; striving; by every 

possible method; to make them despise the religion of their own 

land; and take up that of the foreign country in which they were。  

And sure enough; in a little time; the girls had altogether left 

off going to an English chapel; and were continually visiting 

places of Italian worship。  The old governor; it is true; still 

went to his church; but he appeared to be hesitating between two 

opinions; and once; when he was at dinner; he said to two or three 

English friends that; since he had become better acquainted with 

it; he had conceived a much more favourable opinion of the Catholic 

religion than he had previously entertained。  In a word; the priest 

ruled the house; and everything was done a
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