the uncommercial traveller-第35部分

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propitiation　…　to　edify　any　one　who　may　be　within　hearing　behind　a

blind　or　a　bush　…　'This　is　a　sweet　spot；　ain't　it？　　A　lovelly　spot！

And　I　wonder　if　they'd　give　two　poor　footsore　travellers　like　me

and　you；　a　drop　of　fresh　water　out　of　such　a　pretty　gen…teel　crib？

We'd　take　it　wery　koind　on　'em；　wouldn't　us？　　Wery　koind；　upon　my

word；　us　would？'　　He　has　a　quick　sense　of　a　dog　in　the　vicinity；

and　will　extend　his　modestly…injured　propitiation　to　the　dog

chained　up　in　your　yard；　remarking；　as　he　slinks　at　the　yard　gate；

'Ah！　　You　are　a　foine　breed　o'　dog；　too；　and　YOU　ain't　kep　for

nothink！　　I'd　take　it　wery　koind　o'　your　master　if　he'd　elp　a

traveller　and　his　woife　as　envies　no　gentlefolk　their　good　fortun；

wi'　a　bit　o'　your　broken　wittles。　　He'd　never　know　the　want　of　it；

nor　more　would　you。　　Don't　bark　like　that；　at　poor　persons　as　never

done　you　no　arm；　the　poor　is　down…trodden　and　broke　enough　without

that；　O　DON'T！'　　He　generally　heaves　a　prodigious　sigh　in　moving

away；　and　always　looks　up　the　lane　and　down　the　lane；　and　up　the

road　and　down　the　road；　before　going　on。



Both　of　these　orders　of　tramp　are　of　a　very　robust　habit；　let　the

hard…working　labourer　at　whose　cottage…door　they　prowl　and　beg；

have　the　ague　never　so　badly；　these　tramps　are　sure　to　be　in　good

health。



There　is　another　kind　of　tramp；　whom　you　encounter　this　bright

summer　day　…　say；　on　a　road　with　the　sea…breeze　making　its　dust

lively；　and　sails　of　ships　in　the　blue　distance　beyond　the　slope　of

Down。　　As　you　walk　enjoyingly　on；　you　descry　in　the　perspective　at

the　bottom　of　a　steep　hill　up　which　your　way　lies；　a　figure　that

appears　to　be　sitting　airily　on　a　gate；　whistling　in　a　cheerful　and

disengaged　manner。　　As　you　approach　nearer　to　it；　you　observe　the

figure　to　slide　down　from　the　gate；　to　desist　from　whistling；　to

uncock　its　hat；　to　become　tender　of　foot；　to　depress　its　head　and

elevate　its　shoulders；　and　to　present　all　the　characteristics　of

profound　despondency。　　Arriving　at　the　bottom　of　the　hill　and

coming　close　to　the　figure；　you　observe　it　to　be　the　figure　of　a

shabby　young　man。　　He　is　moving　painfully　forward；　in　the　direction

in　which　you　are　going；　and　his　mind　is　so　preoccupied　with　his

misfortunes　that　he　is　not　aware　of　your　approach　until　you　are

close　upon　him　at　the　hill…foot。　　When　he　is　aware　of　you；　you

discover　him　to　be　a　remarkably　well…behaved　young　man；　and　a

remarkably　well…spoken　young　man。　　You　know　him　to　be　well…behaved；

by　his　respectful　manner　of　touching　his　hat：　　you　know　him　to　be

well…spoken；　by　his　smooth　manner　of　expressing　himself。　　He　says

in　a　flowing　confidential　voice；　and　without　punctuation；　'I　ask

your　pardon　sir　but　if　you　would　excuse　the　liberty　of　being　so

addressed　upon　the　public　Iway　by　one　who　is　almost　reduced　to　rags

though　it　as　not　always　been　so　and　by　no　fault　of　his　own　but

through　ill　elth　in　his　family　and　many　unmerited　sufferings　it

would　be　a　great　obligation　sir　to　know　the　time。'　　You　give　the

well…spoken　young　man　the　time。　　The　well…spoken　young　man；　keeping

well　up　with　you；　resumes：　　'I　am　aware　sir　that　it　is　a　liberty　to

intrude　a　further　question　on　a　gentleman　walking　for　his

entertainment　but　might　I　make　so　bold　as　ask　the　favour　of　the　way

to　Dover　sir　and　about　the　distance？'　　You　inform　the　well…spoken

young　man　that　the　way　to　Dover　is　straight　on；　and　the　distance

some　eighteen　miles。　　The　well…spoken　young　man　becomes　greatly

agitated。　　'In　the　condition　to　which　I　am　reduced；'　says　he；　'I

could　not　ope　to　reach　Dover　before　dark　even　if　my　shoes　were　in　a

state　to　take　me　there　or　my　feet　were　in　a　state　to　old　out　over

the　flinty　road　and　were　not　on　the　bare　ground　of　which　any

gentleman　has　the　means　to　satisfy　himself　by　looking　Sir　may　I

take　the　liberty　of　speaking　to　you？'　　As　the　well…spoken　young　man

keeps　so　well　up　with　you　that　you　can't　prevent　his　taking　the

liberty　of　speaking　to　you；　he　goes　on；　with　fluency：　　'Sir　it　is

not　begging　that　is　my　intention　for　I　was　brought　up　by　the　best

of　mothers　and　begging　is　not　my　trade　I　should　not　know　sir　how　to

follow　it　as　a　trade　if　such　were　my　shameful　wishes　for　the　best

of　mothers　long　taught　otherwise　and　in　the　best　of　omes　though　now

reduced　to　take　the　present　liberty　on　the　Iway　Sir　my　business　was

the　law…stationering　and　I　was　favourably　known　to　the　Solicitor…

General　the　Attorney…General　the　majority　of　the　judges　and　the　ole

of　the　legal　profession　but　through　ill　elth　in　my　family　and　the

treachery　of　a　friend　for　whom　I　became　security　and　he　no　other

than　my　own　wife's　brother　the　brother　of　my　own　wife　I　was　cast

forth　with　my　tender　partner　and　three　young　children　not　to　beg

for　I　will　sooner　die　of　deprivation　but　to　make　my　way　to　the　sea…

port　town　of　Dover　where　I　have　a　relative　i　in　respect　not　only

that　will　assist　me　but　that　would　trust　me　with　untold　gold　Sir　in

appier　times　and　hare　this　calamity　fell　upon　me　I　made　for　my

amusement　when　I　little　thought　that　I　should　ever　need　it

excepting　for　my　air　this'　…　here　the　well…spoken　young　man　put　his

hand　into　his　breast　…　'this　comb！　　Sir　I　implore　you　in　the　name

of　charity　to　purchase　a　tortoiseshell　comb　which　is　a　genuine

article　at　any　price　that　your　humanity　may　put　upon　it　and　may　the

blessings　of　a　ouseless　family　awaiting　with　beating　arts　the

return　of　a　husband　and　a　father　from　Dover　upon　the　cold　stone

seats　of　London…bridge　ever　attend　you　Sir　may　I　take　the　liberty

of　speaking　to　you　I　implore　you　to　buy　this　comb！'　　By　this　time；

being　a　reasonably　good　walker；　you　will　have　been　too　much　for　the

well…spoken　young　man；　who　will　stop　short　and　express　his　disgust

and　his　want　of　breath；　in　a　long　expectoration；　as　you　leave　him

behind。



Towards　the　end　of　the　same　walk；　on　the　same　bright　summer　day；　at

the　corner　of　the　next　little　town　or　village；　you　may　find　another

kind　of　tramp；　embodied　in　the　persons　of　a　most　exemplary　couple

whose　only　improvidence　appears　to　have　been；　that　they　spent　the

last　of　their　little　All　on　soap。　　They　are　a　man　and　woman；

spotless　to　behold　…　John　Anderson；　with　the　frost　on　his　short

smock…frock　instead　of　his　'pow；'　attended　by　Mrs。　Anderson。　　John

is　over…ostentatious　of　the　frost　upon　his　raiment；　and　wears　a

curious　and；　you　would　say；　an　almost　unnecessary　demonstration　of

girdle　of　white　linen　wound　about　his　waist　…　a　girdle；　snowy　as

Mrs。　Anderson's　apron。　　This　cleanliness　was　the　expiring　effort　of

the　respectable　couple；　and　nothing　then　remained　to　Mr。　Anderson

but　to　get　chalked　upon　his　spade　in　snow…white　copy…book

characters；　HUNGRY！　and　to　sit　down　here。　　Yes；　one　thing　more

remained　to　Mr。　Anderson　…　his　character；　Monarchs　could　not

deprive　him　of　his　hard…earned　character。　　Accordingly；　as　you　come

up　with　this　spectacle　of　virtue　in　distress；　Mrs。　Anderson　rises；

and　with　a　decent　curtsey　presents　for　your　consideration　a

certific