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lavengro-第63部分

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evangelical body is becoming very strong; sir; the canting 

scoundrels … '



'But; sir; surely you would not pander to a scoundrelly taste?'



'Then; sir; I must give up business altogether。  Sir; I have a 

great respect for the goddess Reason … an infinite respect; sir; 

indeed; in my time; I have made a great many sacrifices for her; 

but; sir; I cannot altogether ruin myself for the goddess Reason。  

Sir; I am a friend to Liberty; as is well known; but I must also be 

a friend to my own family。  It is with the view of providing for a 

son of mine that I am about to start the Review of which I was 

speaking。  He has taken into his head to marry; sir; and I must do 

something for him; for he can do but little for himself。  Well; 

sir; I am a friend to Liberty; as I said before; and likewise a 

friend to Reason; but I tell you frankly that the Review which I 

intend to get up under the rose; and present him with when it is 

established; will be conducted on Oxford principles。'



'Orthodox principles; I suppose you mean; sir?'



'I do; sir; I am no linguist; but I believe the words are 

synonymous。'



Much more conversation passed between us; and it was agreed that I 

should become a contributor to the Oxford Review。  I stipulated; 

however; that; as I knew little of politics; and cared less; no 

other articles should be required from me than such as were 

connected with belles…lettres and philology; to this the big man 

readily assented。  'Nothing will be required from you;' said he; 

'but what you mention; and now and then; perhaps; a paper on 

metaphysics。  You understand German; and perhaps it would be 

desirable that you should review Kant; and in a review of Kant; 

sir; you could introduce to advantage your peculiar notions about 

EX NIHILO。'  He then reverted to the subject of the DAIRYMAN'S 

DAUGHTER; which I promised to take into consideration。  As I was 

going away; he invited me to dine with him on the ensuing Sunday。



'That's a strange man!' said I to myself; after I had left the 

house; 'he is evidently very clever; but I cannot say that I like 

him much; with his Oxford Reviews and Dairyman's Daughters。  But 

what can I do?  I am almost without a friend in the world。  I wish 

I could find some one who would publish my ballads; or my songs of 

Ab Gwilym。  In spite of what the big man says; I am convinced that; 

once published; they would bring me much fame and profit。  But how 

is this? … what a beautiful sun! … the porter was right in saying 

that the day would clear up … I will now go to my dingy lodging; 

lock up my manuscripts; and then take a stroll about the big city。'







CHAPTER XXXI







The walk … London's Cheape … Street of the Lombards … Strange 

bridge … Main arch … The roaring gulf … The boat … Cly…faking … A 

comfort … The book … The blessed woman … No trap。



SO I set out on my walk to see the wonders of the big city; and; as 

chance would have it; I directed my course to the east。  The day; 

as I have already said; had become very fine; so that I saw the 

great city to advantage; and the wonders thereof:  and much I 

admired all I saw; and; amongst other things; the huge cathedral; 

standing so proudly on the most commanding ground in the big city; 

and I looked up to the mighty dome; surmounted by a golden cross; 

and I said within myself; 'That dome must needs be the finest in 

the world'; and I gazed upon it till my eyes reeled; and my brain 

became dizzy; and I thought that the dome would fall and crush me; 

and I shrank within myself; and struck yet deeper into the heart of 

the big city。



'O Cheapside! Cheapside!' said I; as I advanced up that mighty 

thoroughfare; 'truly thou art a wonderful place for hurry; noise; 

and riches!  Men talk of the bazaars of the East … I have never 

seen them … but I daresay that; compared with thee; they are poor 

places; silent places; abounding with empty boxes; O thou pride of 

London's east! … mighty mart of old renown! … for thou art not a 

place of yesterday:… long before the Roses red and white battled in 

fair England; thou didst exist … a place of throng and bustle … 

place of gold and silver; perfumes and fine linen。  Centuries ago 

thou couldst extort the praises even of the fiercest foes of 

England。  Fierce bards of Wales; sworn foes of England; sang thy 

praises centuries ago; and even the fiercest of them all; Red 

Julius himself; wild Glendower's bard; had a word of praise for 

London's 'Cheape;' for so the bards of Wales styled thee in their 

flowing odes。  Then; if those who were not English; and hated 

England; and all connected therewith; had yet much to say in thy 

praise; when thou wast far inferior to what thou art now; why 

should true…born Englishmen; or those who call themselves so; turn 

up their noses at thee; and scoff thee at the present day; as I 

believe they do?  But; let others do as they will; I; at least; who 

am not only an Englishman; but an East Englishman; will not turn up 

my nose at thee; but will praise and extol thee; calling thee mart 

of the world … a place of wonder and astonishment! … and; were it 

right and fitting to wish that anything should endure for ever; I 

would say prosperity to Cheapside; throughout all ages … may it be 

the world's resort for merchandise; world without end。



And when I had passed through the Cheape I entered another street; 

which led up a kind of ascent; and which proved to be the street of 

the Lombards; called so from the name of its first founders; and I 

walked rapidly up the street of the Lombards; neither looking to 

the right nor left; for it had no interest for me; though I had a 

kind of consciousness that mighty things were being transacted 

behind its walls:  but it wanted the throng; bustle; and outward 

magnificence of the Cheape; and it had never been spoken of by 

'ruddy bards'!  And; when I had got to the end of the street of the 

Lombards; I stood still for some time; deliberating within myself 

whether I should turn to the right or the left; or go straight 

forward; and at last I turned to the right; down a street of rapid 

descent; and presently found myself upon a bridge which traversed 

the river which runs by the big city。



A strange kind of bridge it was; huge and massive; and seemingly of 

great antiquity。  It had an arched back; like that of a hog; a high 

balustrade; and at either side; at intervals; were stone bowers 

bulking over the river; but open on the other side; and furnished 

with a semicircular bench。  Though the bridge was wide … very wide 

… it was all too narrow for the concourse upon it。  Thousands of 

human beings were pouring over the bridge。  But what chiefly struck 

my attention was a double row of carts and wagons; the generality 

drawn by horses as large as elephants; each row striving hard in a 

different direction; and not unfrequently brought to a stand…still。  

Oh the cracking of w
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