lavengro-第106章

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

it　being　broken　in　three　parts；　no　doubt　since　it　came　into　my　

possession；　which　would　have　precluded　the　possibility　of　my　asking　

anybody　to　tea　for　the　present；　should　anybody　visit　me；　even　

supposing　I　had　tea　and　sugar；　which　was　not　the　case。　　I　then　

overhauled　what　might　more　strictly　be　called　the　stock　in　trade；　

this　consisted　of　various　tools；　an　iron　ladle；　a　chafing…pan　and　

small　bellows；　sundry　pans　and　kettles；　the　latter　being　of　tin；　

with　the　exception　of　one　which　was　of　copper；　all　in　a　state　of　

considerable　dilapidation　…　if　I　may　use　the　term；　of　these　first　

Slingsby　had　spoken　in　particular；　advising　me　to　mend　them　as　soon　

as　possible；　and　to　endeavour　to　sell　them；　in　order　that　I　might　

have　the　satisfaction　of　receiving　some　return　upon　the　outlay　

which　I　had　made。　　There　was　likewise　a　small　quantity　of　block　

tin；　sheet　tin；　and　solder。　　'This　Slingsby；'　said　I；　'is　certainly　

a　very　honest　man；　he　has　sold　me　more　than　my　money's　worth；　I　

believe；　however；　there　is　something　more　in　the　cart。'　　Thereupon　

I　rummaged　the　farther　end　of　the　cart；　and；　amidst　a　quantity　of　

straw；　I　found　a　small　anvil　and　bellows　of　that　kind　which　are　

used　in　forges；　and　two　hammers　such　as　smiths　use；　one　great；　and　

the　other　small。



The　sight　of　these　last　articles　caused　me　no　little　surprise；　as　

no　word　which　had　escaped　from　the　mouth　of　Slingsby　had　given　me　

reason　to　suppose　that　he　had　ever　followed　the　occupation　of　a　

smith；　yet；　if　he　had　not；　how　did　he　come　by　them？　　I　sat　down　

upon　the　shaft；　and　pondered　the　question　deliberately　in　my　mind；　

at　length　I　concluded　that　he　had　come　by　them　by　one　of　those　

numerous　casualties　which　occur　upon　the　roads；　of　which　I；　being　a　

young　hand　upon　the　roads；　must　have　a　very　imperfect　conception；　

honestly；　of　course　…　for　I　scouted　the　idea　that　Slingsby　would　

have　stolen　this　blacksmith's　gear　…　for　I　had　the　highest　opinion　

of　his　honesty；　which　opinion　I　still　retain　at　the　present　day；　

which　is　upwards　of　twenty　years　from　the　time　of　which　I　am　

speaking；　during　the　whole　of　which　period　I　have　neither　seen　the　

poor　fellow　nor　received　any　intelligence　of　him。







CHAPTER　LXX







New　profession　…　Beautiful　night　…　Jupiter　…　Sharp　and　shrill　…　The　

Rommany　chi　…　All　alone　…　Three…and…sixpence　…　What　is　Rommany？　　Be　

civil　…　Parraco　tute　…　Slight　start　…　She　will　be　grateful　…　The　

rustling。



I　PASSED　the　greater　part　of　the　day　in　endeavouring　to　teach　

myself　the　mysteries　of　my　new　profession。　　I　cannot　say　that　I　was　

very　successful；　but　the　time　passed　agreeably；　and　was　therefore　

not　ill　spent。　　Towards　evening　I　flung　my　work　aside；　took　some　

refreshment；　and　afterwards　a　walk。



This　time　I　turned　up　the　small　footpath　of　which　I　have　already　

spoken。　　It　led　in　a　zigzag　manner　through　thickets　of　hazel；　

elder；　and　sweet…brier；　after　following　its　windings　for　somewhat　

better　than　a　furlong；　I　heard　a　gentle　sound　of　water；　and　

presently　came　to　a　small　rill；　which　ran　directly　across　the　path。　　

I　was　rejoiced　at　the　sight；　for　I　had　already　experienced　the　want　

of　water；　which　I　yet　knew　must　be　nigh　at　hand；　as　I　was　in　a　

place　to　all　appearance　occasionally　frequented　by　wandering　

people；　who　I　was　aware　never　take　up　their　quarters　in　places　

where　water　is　difficult　to　be　obtained。　　Forthwith　I　stretched　

myself　on　the　ground；　and　took　a　long　and　delicious　draught　of　the　

crystal　stream；　and　then；　seating　myself　in　a　bush；　I　continued　for　

some　time　gazing　on　the　water　as　it　purled　tinkling　away　in　its　

channel　through　an　opening　in　the　hazels；　and　should　have　probably　

continued　much　longer　had　not　the　thought　that　I　had　left　my　

property　unprotected　compelled　me　to　rise　and　return　to　my　

encampment。



Night　came　on；　and　a　beautiful　night　it　was；　up　rose　the　moon；　and　

innumerable　stars　decked　the　firmament　of　heaven。　　I　sat　on　the　

shaft；　my　eyes　turned　upwards。　　I　had　found　it：　　there　it　was　

twinkling　millions　of　miles　above　me；　mightiest　star　of　the　system　

to　which　we　belong：　　of　all　stars　the　one　which　has　most　interest　

for　me　…　the　star　Jupiter。



Why　have　I　always　taken　an　interest　in　thee；　O　Jupiter？　　I　know　

nothing　about　thee；　save　what　every　child　knows；　that　thou　art　a　

big　star；　whose　only　light　is　derived　from　moons。　　And　is　not　that　

knowledge　enough　to　make　me　feel　an　interest　in　thee？　　Ay；　truly；　I　

never　look　at　thee　without　wondering　what　is　going　on　in　thee；　what　

is　life　in　Jupiter？　　That　there　is　life　in　Jupiter　who　can　doubt？　　

There　is　life　in　our　own　little　star；　therefore　there　must　be　life　

in　Jupiter；　which　is　not　a　little　star。　　But　how　different　must　

life　be　in　Jupiter　from　what　it　is　in　our　own　little　star！　　Life　

here　is　life　beneath　the　dear　sun　…　life　in　Jupiter　is　life　beneath　

moons　…　four　moons　…　no　single　moon　is　able　to　illumine　that　vast　

bulk。　　All　know　what　life　is　in　our　own　little　star；　it　is　anything　

but　a　routine　of　happiness　here；　where　the　dear　sun　rises　to　us　

every　day：　　then　how　sad　and　moping　must　life　be　in　mighty　Jupiter；　

on　which　no　sun　ever　shines；　and　which　is　never　lighted　save　by　

pale　moonbeams！　　The　thought　that　there　is　more　sadness　and　

melancholy　in　Jupiter　than　in　this　world　of　ours；　where；　alas！　

there　is　but　too　much；　has　always　made　me　take　a　melancholy　

interest　in　that　huge　distant　star。



Two　or　three　days　passed　by　in　much　the　same　manner　as　the　first。　　

During　the　morning　I　worked　upon　my　kettles；　and　employed　the　

remaining　part　of　the　day　as　I　best　could。　　The　whole　of　this　time　

I　only　saw　two　individuals；　rustics；　who　passed　by　my　encampment　

without　vouchsafing　me　a　glance；　they　probably　considered　

themselves　my　superiors；　as　perhaps　they　were。



One　very　brilliant　morning；　as　I　sat　at　work　in　very　good　spirits；　

for　by　this　time　I　had　actually　mended　in　a　very　creditable　way；　as　

I　imagined；　two　kettles　and　a　frying…pan；　I　heard　a　voice　which　

seemed　to　proceed　from　the　path　leading　to　the　rivulet；　at　first　it　

sounded　from　a　considerable　distance；　but　drew　nearer　by　degrees。　　

I　soon　remarked　that　the　tones　were　exceedingly　sharp　and　shrill；　

with　yet　something　of　childhood　in　them。　　Once　or　twice　I　

distinguished　certain　words　in　the　song　which　the　voice　was　

singing；　the　words　were　…　but　no；　I　thought　again　I　was　probably　

mistaken　…　and　then　the　voice　ceased　for　a　time；　presently　I　heard　

it　again；　close　to　the　entrance　of　the　footpath；　in　another　moment　

I　heard　it　in　the　lane　or　glade　in　which　stood　my　tent；　where　it　

abruptly　stopped；　but　not　before　I　had　heard　the　very　words　which　I　

at　first　thought　I　had　distinguished。



I　turned　my　head；　at　the　entrance　of　the　footpath；　which　might　be　

about　thirty　yards　from　the　place　where　I　was　sitting；　I　perceived　

the　figure　of　a　young　girl；　her　face　was　turned　towards　me；　and　she　

appeared　to　be　scanning　me　and　my　encampment；　after　a　little　time　

she　looked　in　the　other　direction；　only　for　a　moment；　however；　

probably　observing　nothing　in　that　quarter；　she　again　looked　

towards　me；　and　almost　immediately　stepped　forward；　and；　as　she　

advanced；　sang　the　song　which　I　had　heard　in　the　wood；　the　first　

words　of　which　were　those　which　I　have　already　alluded　to。





'The　Rommany　chi

And　the　Rommany　chal

Shall　jaw　tasaulor

To　drab　the　bawlor；

And　dook　the　gry

Of　the　farming　rye。'





A　very　pretty　song；　thought　I；　falling　again　hard　to　work　upon　my　

kettle；　a　very　pretty　song；　which　bodes　the　farmers　much　good。　　Let　

them　look　to　their　cattle。



'All　alone　here；　brother？'　said　a　voice　close　by　me；　in　sharp　but　

not　disagreeable　tones。



I　made　no　answer；　but　continued　my　work；　click；　click；　with　the　

gravity　which　became　one　of　my　profession。　　I　allowed　at　least　half　

a　minute　to　elapse　before　I　even　li