lavengro-第8部分

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been　last　brought；　so；　after　looking　on　the　packet　from　my　corner　

for　a　considerable　time；　I　got　up　and　went　to　the　table。



The　packet　was　lying　where　it　had　been　left　…　I　took　it　up；　had　the　

envelope；　which　consisted　of　whitish　brown　paper；　been　secured　by　a　

string　or　a　seal；　I　should　not　have　opened　it；　as　I　should　have　

considered　such　an　act　almost　in　the　light　of　a　crime；　the　books；　

however；　had　been　merely　folded　up；　and　I　therefore　considered　that　

there　could　be　no　possible　harm　in　inspecting　them；　more　especially　

as　I　had　received　no　injunction　to　the　contrary。　　Perhaps　there　was　

something　unsound　in　this　reasoning；　something　sophistical；　but　a　

child　is　sometimes　as　ready　as　a　grown…up　person　in　finding　excuses　

for　doing　that　which　he　is　inclined　to。　　But　whether　the　action　was　

right　or　wrong；　and　I　am　afraid　it　was　not　altogether　right；　I　

undid　the　packet：　　it　contained　three　books；　two　from　their　

similarity　seemed　to　be　separate　parts　of　one　and　the　same　work；　

they　were　handsomely　bound；　and　to　them　I　first　turned　my　

attention。　　I　opened　them　successively；　and　endeavoured　to　make　out　

their　meaning；　their　contents；　however；　as　far　as　I　was　able　to　

understand　them；　were　by　no　means　interesting：　　whoever　pleases　may　

read　these　books　for　me；　and　keep　them；　too；　into　the　bargain；　said　

I　to　myself。



I　now　took　up　the　third　book：　　it　did　not　resemble　the　others；　

being　longer　and　considerably　thicker；　the　binding　was　of　dingy　

calf…skin。　　I　opened　it；　and　as　I　did　so　another　strange　thrill　of　

pleasure　shot　through　my　frame。　　The　first　object　on　which　my　eyes　

rested　was　a　picture；　it　was　exceedingly　well　executed；　at　least　

the　scene　which　it　represented　made　a　vivid　impression　upon　me；　

which　would　hardly　have　been　the　case　had　the　artist　not　been　

faithful　to　nature。　　A　wild　scene　it　was　…　a　heavy　sea　and　rocky　

shore；　with　mountains　in　the　background；　above　which　the　moon　was　

peering。　　Not　far　from　the　shore；　upon　the　water；　was　a　boat　with　

two　figures　in　it；　one　of　which　stood　at　the　bow；　pointing　with　

what　I　knew　to　be　a　gun　at　a　dreadful　shape　in　the　water；　fire　was　

flashing　from　the　muzzle　of　the　gun；　and　the　monster　appeared　to　be　

transfixed。　　I　almost　thought　I　heard　its　cry。　　I　remained　

motionless；　gazing　upon　the　picture；　scarcely　daring　to　draw　my　

breath；　lest　the　new　and　wondrous　world　should　vanish　of　which　I　

had　now　obtained　a　glimpse。　　'Who　are　those　people；　and　what　could　

have　brought　them　into　that　strange　situation？'　I　asked　of　myself；　

and　now　the　seed　of　curiosity；　which　had　so　long　lain　dormant；　

began　to　expand；　and　I　vowed　to　myself　to　become　speedily　

acquainted　with　the　whole　history　of　the　people　in　the　boat。　　After　

looking　on　the　picture　till　every　mark　and　line　in　it　were　familiar　

to　me；　I　turned　over　various　leaves　till　I　came　to　another　

engraving；　a　new　source　of　wonder　…　a　low　sandy　beach　on　which　the　

furious　sea　was　breaking　in　mountain…like　billows；　cloud　and　rack　

deformed　the　firmament；　which　wore　a　dull　and　leaden…like　hue；　

gulls　and　other　aquatic　fowls　were　toppling　upon　the　blast；　or　

skimming　over　the　tops　of　the　maddening　waves　…　'Mercy　upon　him！　he　

must　be　drowned！'　　I　exclaimed；　as　my　eyes　fell　upon　a　poor　wretch　

who　appeared　to　be　striving　to　reach　the　shore；　he　was　upon　his　

legs；　but　was　evidently　half　smothered　with　the　brine；　high　above　

his　head　curled　a　horrible　billow；　as　if　to　engulf　him　for　ever。　　

'He　must　be　drowned！　he　must　be　drowned！'　　I　almost　shrieked；　and　

dropped　the　book。　　I　soon　snatched　it　up　again；　and　now　my　eye　

lighted　on　a　third　picture：　　again　a　shore；　but　what　a　sweet　and　

lovely　one；　and　how　I　wished　to　be　treading　it；　there　were　

beautiful　shells　lying　on　the　smooth　white　sand；　some　were　empty　

like　those　I　had　occasionally　seen　on　marble　mantelpieces；　but　out　

of　others　peered　the　heads　and　bodies　of　wondrous　crayfish；　a　wood　

of　thick　green　trees　skirted　the　beach　and　partly　shaded　it　from　

the　rays　of　the　sun；　which　shone　hot　above；　while　blue　waves　

slightly　crested　with　foam　were　gently　curling　against　it；　there　

was　a　human　figure　upon　the　beach；　wild　and　uncouth；　clad　in　the　

skins　of　animals；　with　a　huge　cap　on　his　head；　a　hatchet　at　his　

girdle；　and　in　his　hand　a　gun；　his　feet　and　legs　were　bare；　he　

stood　in　an　attitude　of　horror　and　surprise；　his　body　was　bent　far　

back；　and　his　eyes；　which　seemed　starting　out　of　his　head；　were　

fixed　upon　a　mark　on　the　sand　…　a　large　distinct　mark　…　a　human　

footprint。　。　。　。



Reader；　is　it　necessary　to　name　the　book　which　now　stood　open　in　my　

hand；　and　whose　very　prints；　feeble　expounders　of　its　wondrous　

lines；　had　produced　within　me　emotions　strange　and　novel？　　Scarcely　

…　for　it　was　a　book　which　has　exerted　over　the　minds　of　Englishmen　

an　influence　certainly　greater　than　any　other　of　modern　times　…　

which　has　been　in　most　people's　hands；　and　with　the　contents　of　

which　even　those　who　cannot　read　are　to　a　certain　extent　acquainted　

…　a　book　from　which　the　most　luxuriant　and　fertile　of　our　modern　

prose　writers　have　drunk　inspiration　…　a　book；　moreover；　to　which；　

from　the　hardy　deeds　which　it　narrates；　and　the　spirit　of　strange　

and　romantic　enterprise　which　it　tends　to　awaken；　England　owes　many　

of　her　astonishing　discoveries　both　by　sea　and　land；　and　no　

inconsiderable　part　of　her　naval　glory。



Hail　to　thee；　spirit　of　De　Foe！　　What　does　not　my　own　poor　self　owe　

to　thee？　　England　has　better　bards　than　either　Greece　or　Rome；　yet　

I　could　spare　them　easier　far　than　De　Foe；　'unabashed　De　Foe；'　as　

the　hunchbacked　rhymer　styled　him。



The　true　chord　had　now　been　touched；　a　raging　curiosity　with　

respect　to　the　contents　of　the　volume；　whose　engravings　had　

fascinated　my　eye；　burned　within　me；　and　I　never　rested　until　I　had　

fully　satisfied　it；　weeks　succeeded　weeks；　months　followed　months；　

and　the　wondrous　volume　was　my　only　study　and　principal　source　of　

amusement。　　For　hours　together　I　would　sit　poring　over　a　page　till　

I　had　become　acquainted　with　the　import　of　every　line。　　My　

progress；　slow　enough　at　first；　became　by　degrees　more　rapid；　till　

at　last；　under　'a　shoulder　of　mutton　sail；'　I　found　myself　

cantering　before　a　steady　breeze　over　an　ocean　of　enchantment；　so　

well　pleased　with　my　voyage　that　I　cared　not　how　long　it　might　be　

ere　it　reached　its　termination。



And　it　was　in　this　manner　that　I　first　took　to　the　paths　of　

knowledge。



About　this　time　I　began　to　be　somewhat　impressed　with　religious　

feelings。　　My　parents　were；　to　a　certain　extent；　religious　people；　

but；　though　they　had　done　their　best　to　afford　me　instruction　on　

religious　points；　I　had　either　paid　no　attention　to　what　they　

endeavoured　to　communicate；　or　had　listened　with　an　ear　far　too　

obtuse　to　derive　any　benefit。　　But　my　mind　had　now　become　awakened　

from　the　drowsy　torpor　in　which　it　had　lain　so　long；　and　the　

reasoning　powers　which　I　possessed　were　no　lo