lavengro-第105章

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to　attend　to　his　horse；　and　with　a　little　difficulty　raised　him　

upon　his　legs　also。　　'Aren't　you　hurt？'　said　I。　　'Hurt！'　said　the　

voice；　'not　I；　don't　think　it；　whatever　the　horse　may　be。　　I　tell　

you　what；　my　fellow；　I　thought　you　were　a　robber；　and　now　I　find　

you　are　not；　I　have　a　good　mind　…　'　　'To　do　what？'　　'To　serve　you　

out；　aren't　you　ashamed　…　？'　　'At　what？'　said　I；　'not　to　have　

robbed　you？　　Shall　I　set　about　it　now？'　　'Ha；　ha！'　said　the　man；　

dropping　the　bullying　tone　which　he　had　assumed；　'you　are　joking　…　

robbing！　who　talks　of　robbing？　　I　wonder　how　my　horse's　knees　are；　

not　much　hurt；　I　think　…　only　mired。'　　The　man；　whoever　he　was；　

then　got　upon　his　horse；　and；　after　moving　him　about　a　little；　

said；　'Good　night；　friend；　where　are　you？'　　'Here　I　am；'　said　I；　

'just　behind　you。'　　'You　are；　are　you？　　Take　that。'　　I　know　not　

what　he　did；　but　probably　pricking　his　horse　with　the　spur　the　

animal　kicked　out　violently；　one　of　his　heels　struck　me　on　the　

shoulder；　but　luckily　missed　my　face；　I　fell　back　with　the　violence　

of　the　blow；　whilst　the　fellow　scampered　off　at　a　great　rate。　　

Stopping　at　some　distance；　he　loaded　me　with　abuse；　and　then；　

continuing　his　way　at　a　rapid　trot；　I　heard　no　more　of　him。



'What　a　difference！'　said　I；　getting　up；　'last　night　I　was　feted　in　

the　hall　of　a　rich　genius；　and　to…night　I　am　knocked　down　and　mired　

in　a　dark　lane　by　the　heel　of　Master　Wise's　horse　…　I　wonder　who　

gave　him　that　name？　　And　yet　he　was　wise　enough　to　wreak　his　

revenge　upon　me；　and　I　was　not　wise　enough　to　keep　out　of　his　way。　　

Well；　I　am　not　much　hurt；　so　it　is　of　little　consequence。'



I　now　bethought　me　that；　as　I　had　a　carriage　of　my　own；　I　might　as　

well　make　use　of　it；　I　therefore　got　into　the　cart；　and；　taking　the　

reins　in　my　hand；　gave　an　encouraging　cry　to　the　pony；　whereupon　

the　sturdy　little　animal　started　again　at　as　brisk　a　pace　as　if　he　

had　not　already　come　many　a　long　mile。　　I　lay　half　reclining　in　the　

cart；　holding　the　reins　lazily；　and　allowing　the　animal　to　go　just　

where　he　pleased；　often　wondering　where　he　would　conduct　me。　　At　

length　I　felt　drowsy；　and　my　head　sank　upon　my　breast；　I　soon　

aroused　myself；　but　it　was　only　to　doze　again；　this　occurred　

several　times。　　Opening　my　eyes　after　a　doze　somewhat　longer　than　

the　others；　I　found　that　the　drizzling　rain　had　ceased；　a　corner　of　

the　moon　was　apparent　in　the　heavens；　casting　a　faint　light；　I　

looked　around　for　a　moment　or　two；　but　my　eyes　and　brain　were　heavy　

with　slumber；　and　I　could　scarcely　distinguish　where　we　were。　　I　

had　a　kind　of　dim　consciousness　that　we　were　traversing　an　

uninclosed　country　…　perhaps　a　heath；　I　thought；　however；　that　I　

saw　certain　large　black　objects　looming　in　the　distance；　which　I　

had　a　confused　idea　might　be　woods　or　plantations；　the　pony　still　

moved　at　his　usual　pace。　　I　did　not　find　the　jolting　of　the　cart　at　

all　disagreeable；　on　the　contrary；　it　had　quite　a　somniferous　

effect　upon　me。　　Again　my　eyes　closed；　I　opened　them　once　more；　but　

with　less　perception　in　them　than　before；　looked　forward；　and；　

muttering　something　about　woodlands；　I　placed　myself　in　an　easier　

posture　than　I　had　hitherto　done；　and　fairly　fell　asleep。



How　long　I　continued　in　that　state　I　am　unable　to　say；　but　I　

believe　for　a　considerable　time；　I　was　suddenly　awakened　by　the　

ceasing　of　the　jolting　to　which　I　had　become　accustomed；　and　of　

which　I　was　perfectly　sensible　in　my　sleep。　　I　started　up　and　

looked　around　me；　the　moon　was　still　shining；　and　the　face　of　the　

heaven　was　studded　with　stars；　I　found　myself　amidst　a　maze　of　

bushes　of　various　kinds；　but　principally　hazel　and　holly；　through　

which　was　a　path　or　driftway　with　grass　growing　on　either　side；　

upon　which　the　pony　was　already　diligently　browsing。　　I　conjectured　

that　this　place　had　been　one　of　the　haunts　of　his　former　master；　

and；　on　dismounting　and　looking　about；　was　strengthened　in　that　

opinion　by　finding　a　spot　under　an　ash　tree　which；　from　its　burnt　

and　blackened　appearance；　seemed　to　have　been　frequently　used　as　a　

fireplace。　　I　will　take　up　my　quarters　here；　thought　I；　it　is　an　

excellent　spot　for　me　to　commence　my　new　profession　in；　I　was　quite　

right　to　trust　myself　to　the　guidance　of　the　pony。　　Unharnessing　

the　animal　without　delay；　I　permitted　him　to　browse　at　free　will　on　

the　grass；　convinced　that　he　would　not　wander　far　from　a　place　to　

which　he　was　so　much　attached；　I　then　pitched　the　little　tent　close　

beside　the　ash　tree　to　which　I　have　alluded；　and　conveyed　two　or　

three　articles　into　it；　and　instantly　felt　that　I　had　commenced　

housekeeping　for　the　first　time　in　my　life。　　Housekeeping；　however；　

without　a　fire　is　a　very　sorry　affair；　something　like　the　

housekeeping　of　children　in　their　toy　houses；　of　this　I　was　the　

more　sensible　from　feeling　very　cold　and　shivering；　owing　to　my　

late　exposure　to　the　rain；　and　sleeping　in　the　night　air。　　

Collecting；　therefore；　all　the　dry　sticks　and　furze　I　could　find；　I　

placed　them　upon　the　fireplace；　adding　certain　chips　and　a　billet　

which　I　found　in　the　cart；　it　having　apparently　been　the　habit　of　

Slingsby　to　carry　with　him　a　small　store　of　fuel。　　Having　then　

struck　a　spark　in　a　tinder…box　and　lighted　a　match；　I　set　fire　to　

the　combustible　heap；　and　was　not　slow　in　raising　a　cheerful　blaze；　

I　then　drew　my　cart　near　the　fire；　and；　seating　myself　on　one　of　

the　shafts；　hung　over　the　warmth　with　feelings　of　intense　pleasure　

and　satisfaction。　　Having　continued　in　this　posture　for　a　

considerable　time；　I　turned　my　eyes　to　the　heaven　in　the　direction　

of　a　particular　star；　I；　however；　could　not　find　the　star；　nor　

indeed　many　of　the　starry　train；　the　greater　number　having　fled；　

from　which　circumstance；　and　from　the　appearance　of　the　sky；　I　

concluded　that　morning　was　nigh。　　About　this　time　I　again　began　to　

feel　drowsy；　I　therefore　arose；　and　having　prepared　for　myself　a　

kind　of　couch　in　the　tent；　I　flung　myself　upon　it　and　went　to　

sleep。



I　will　not　say　that　I　was　awakened　in　the　morning　by　the　carolling　

of　birds；　as　I　perhaps　might　if　I　were　writing　a　novel；　I　awoke　

because；　to　use　vulgar　language；　I　had　slept　my　sleep　out；　not　

because　the　birds　were　carolling　around　me　in　numbers；　as　they　had　

probably　been　for　hours　without　my　hearing　them。　　I　got　up　and　left　

my　tent；　the　morning　was　yet　more　bright　than　that　of　the　preceding　

day。　　Impelled　by　curiosity；　I　walked　about　endeavouring　to　

ascertain　to　what　place　chance；　or　rather　the　pony；　had　brought　me；　

following　the　driftway　for　some　time；　amidst　bushes　and　stunted　

trees；　I　came　to　a　grove　of　dark　pines；　through　which　it　appeared　

to　lead；　I　tracked　it　a　few　hundred　yards；　but　seeing　nothing　but　

trees；　and　the　way　being　wet　and　sloughy；　owing　to　the　recent　rain；　

I　returned　on　my　steps；　and；　pursuing　the　path　in　another　

direction；　came　to　a　sandy　road　leading　over　a　common；　doubtless　

the　one　I　had　traversed　the　preceding　night。　　My　curiosity　

satisfied；　I　returned　to　my　little　encampment；　and　on　the　way　

beheld　a　small　footpath　on　the　left　winding　through　the　bushes；　

which　had　before　escaped　my　observation。　　Having　reached　my　tent　

and　cart；　I　breakfasted　on　some　of　the　provisions　which　I　had　

procured　the　day　before；　and　then　proceeded　to　take　a　regular　

account　of　the　stock　formerly　possessed　by　Slingsby　the　tinker；　but　

now　become　my　own　by　right　of　lawful　purchase。



Besides　the　pony；　the　cart；　and　the　tent；　I　found　I　was　possessed　

of　a　mattress　stuffed　with　straw　on　which　to　lie；　and　a　blanket　to　

cover　me；　the　last　quite　clean　and　nearly　new；　then　there　was　a　

frying…pan　and　a　kettle；　the　first　for　cooking　any　food　which　

required　cooking；　and　the　second　for　heating　any　water　which　I　

might　wish　to　heat。　　I　likewise　found　an　earthen　teapot　and　two　or　

three　cups；　of　the　first　I　should　rather　say　I　found　the　remains；　

it　being　broken　in　three　parts；　no