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lavengro-第99部分

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something sweet in her smile。  'I give you my word that it shall be 

read; come again to…morrow morning at eleven; when; if not 

approved; it shall be returned to you。'



I returned to my lodging; and forthwith betook myself to bed; 

notwithstanding the earliness of the hour。  I felt tolerably 

tranquil; I had now cast my last stake; and was prepared to abide 

by the result。  Whatever that result might be; I could have nothing 

to reproach myself with; I had strained all the energies which 

nature had given me in order to rescue myself from the difficulties 

which surrounded me。  I presently sank into a sleep; which endured 

during the remainder of the day; and the whole of the succeeding 

night。  I awoke about nine on the morrow; and spent my last 

threepence on a breakfast somewhat more luxurious than the 

immediately preceding ones; for one penny of the sum was expended 

on the purchase of milk。



At the appointed hour I repaired to the house of the bookseller; 

the bookseller was in his shop。  'Ah;' said he; as soon as I 

entered; 'I am glad to see you。'  There was an unwonted heartiness 

in the bookseller's tones; an unwonted benignity in his face。  

'So;' said he; after a pause; 'you have taken my advice; written a 

book of adventure; nothing like taking the advice; young man; of 

your superiors in age。  Well; I think your book will do; and so 

does my wife; for whose judgment I have a great regard; as well I 

may; as she is the daughter of a first…rate novelist; deceased。  I 

think I shall venture on sending your book to the press。'  'But;' 

said I; 'we have not yet agreed upon terms。'  'Terms; terms;' said 

the bookseller; 'ahem! well; there is nothing like coming to terms 

at once。  I will print the book; and give you half the profit when 

the edition is sold。'  'That will not do;' said I; 'I intend 

shortly to leave London:  I must have something at once。'  'Ah; I 

see;' said the bookseller; 'in distress; frequently the case with 

authors; especially young ones。  Well; I don't care if I purchase 

it of you; but you must be moderate; the public are very 

fastidious; and the speculation may prove a losing one after all。  

Let me see; will five … hem … ' he stopped。  I looked the 

bookseller in the face; there was something peculiar in it。  

Suddenly it appeared to me as if the voice of him of the thimble 

sounded in my ear; 'Now is your time; ask enough; never such 

another chance of establishing yourself; respectable trade; pea and 

thimble。'  'Well;' said I at last; 'I have no objection to take the 

offer which you were about to make; though I really think five…and…

twenty guineas to be scarcely enough; everything considered。'  

'Five…and…twenty guineas!' said the bookseller; 'are you … what was 

I going to say … I never meant to offer half as much … I mean a 

quarter; I was going to say five guineas … I mean pounds; I will; 

however; make it up guineas。'  'That will not do;' said I; 'but; as 

I find we shall not deal; return me my manuscript; that I may carry 

it to some one else。'  The bookseller looked blank。  'Dear me;' 

said he; 'I should never have supposed that you would have made any 

objection to such an offer; I am quite sure that you would have 

been glad to take five pounds for either of the two huge 

manuscripts of songs and ballads that you brought me on a former 

occasion。'  'Well;' said I; 'if you will engage to publish either 

of those two manuscripts; you shall have the present one for five 

pounds。'  'God forbid that I should make any such bargain!' said 

the bookseller; 'I would publish neither on any account; but; with 

respect to this last book; I have really an inclination to print 

it; both for your sake and mine; suppose we say ten pounds。'  'No;' 

said I; 'ten pounds will not do; pray restore me my manuscript。'  

'Stay;' said the bookseller; 'my wife is in the next room; I will 

go and consult her。'  Thereupon he went into his back room; where I 

heard him conversing with his wife in a low tone; in about ten 

minutes he returned。  'Young gentleman;' said he; 'perhaps you will 

take tea with us this evening; when we will talk further over the 

matter。'



That evening I went and took tea with the bookseller and his wife; 

both of whom; particularly the latter; overwhelmed me with 

civility。  It was not long before I learned that the work had been 

already sent to the press; and was intended to stand at the head of 

a series of entertaining narratives; from which my friends promised 

themselves considerable profit。  The subject of terms was again 

brought forward。  I stood firm to my first demand for a long time; 

when; however; the bookseller's wife complimented me on my 

production in the highest terms; and said that she discovered 

therein the germs of genius; which she made no doubt would some day 

prove ornamental to my native land; I consented to drop my demand 

to twenty pounds; stipulating; however; that I should not be 

troubled with the correction of the work。



Before I departed; I received the twenty pounds; and departed with 

a light heart to my lodgings。



Reader; amidst the difficulties and dangers of this life; should 

you ever be tempted to despair; call to mind these latter chapters 

of the life of Lavengro。  There are few positions; however 

difficult; from which dogged resolution and perseverance may not 

liberate you。







CHAPTER LVIII







Indisposition … A resolution … Poor equivalents … The piece of gold 

… Flashing eyes … How beautiful … Bon jour; Monsieur。



I HAD long ago determined to leave London as soon as the means 

should be in my power; and; now that they were; I determined to 

leave the Great City; yet I felt some reluctance to go。  I would 

fain have pursued the career of original authorship which had just 

opened itself to me; and have written other tales of adventure。  

The bookseller had given me encouragement enough to do so; he had 

assured me that he should be always happy to deal with me for an 

article (that was the word) similar to the one I had brought him; 

provided my terms were moderate; and the bookseller's wife; by her 

complimentary language; had given me yet more encouragement。  But 

for some months past I had been far from well; and my original 

indisposition; brought on partly by the peculiar atmosphere of the 

Big City; partly by anxiety of mind; had been much increased by the 

exertions which I had been compelled to make during the last few 

days。  I felt that; were I to remain where I was; I should die; or 

become a confirmed valetudinarian。  I would go forth into the 

country; travelling on foot; and; by exercise and inhaling pure 

air; endeavour to recover my health; leaving my subsequent 

movements to be determined by Providence。



But whither should I bend my course?  Once or twice I thought of 

walking home to the old town; stay some time with my mother and my 

brother; and enjoy the pl
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