lavengro-第12章

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didn't　come　to　do　us　any　harm？'



'No；'　said　I；　'I　had　no　dislike　to　you；　though；　if　you　were　to　

meddle　with　me　…　'



MAN。　　Of　course；　my　gorgeous；　of　course　you　would；　and　quite　right　

too。　　Meddle　with　you！　…　what　right　have　we？　　I　should　say；　it　

would　not　be　quite　safe。　　I　see　how　it　is；　you　are　one　of　them　

there；　…　and　he　bent　his　head　towards　his　left　shoulder。



MYSELF。　　Yes；　I　am　one　of　them　…　for　I　thought　he　was　alluding　to　

the　soldiers；　…　you　had　best　mind　what　you　are　about；　I　can　tell　

you。



MAN。　　Don't　doubt　we　will　for　our　own　sake；　Lord　bless　you；　

wifelkin；　only　think　that　we　should　see　one　of　them　there　when　we　

least　thought　about　it。　　Well；　I　have　heard　of　such　things；　though　

I　never　thought　to　see　one；　however；　seeing　is　believing。　　Well！　

now　you　are　come；　and　are　not　going　to　do　us　any　mischief；　I　hope　

you　will　stay；　you　can　do　us　plenty　of　good　if　you　will。



MYSELF。　　What　good　could　I　do　you？



MAN。　　What　good？　plenty！　　Would　you　not　bring　us　luck？　　I　have　

heard　say　that　one　of　them　there　always　does；　if　it　will　but　settle　

down。　　Stay　with　us；　you　shall　have　a　tilted　cart　all　to　yourself　

if　you　like。　　We'll　make　you　our　little　God　Almighty；　and　say　our　

prayers　to　you　every　morning！



MYSELF。　　That　would　be　nice；　and；　if　you　were　to　give　me　plenty　of　

these　things；　I　should　have　no　objection。　　But　what　would　my　father　

say？　　I　think　he　would　hardly　let　me。



MAN。　　Why　not？　he　would　be　with　you；　and　kindly　would　we　treat　him。　　

Indeed；　without　your　father　you　would　be　nothing　at　all。



MYSELF。　　That's　true；　but　I　do　not　think　he　could　be　spared　from　

his　regiment。　　I　have　heard　him　say　that　they　could　do　nothing　

without　him。



MAN。　　His　regiment！　　What　are　you　talking　about？　…　what　does　the　

child　mean？



MYSELF。　　What　do　I　mean！　…　why；　that　my　father　is　an　officer…man　at　

the　barracks　yonder；　keeping　guard　over　the　French　prisoners。



MAN。　　Oh！　then　that　sap　is　not　your　father？



MYSELF。　　What；　the　snake？　　Why；　no！　　Did　you　think　he　was？



MAN。　　To　be　sure　we　did。　　Didn't　you　tell　me　so？



MYSELF。　　Why；　yes；　but　who　would　have　thought　you　would　have　

believed　it？　　It　is　a　tame　one。　　I　hunt　vipers；　and　tame　them。



MAN。　　O…h！



'O…h！'　grunted　the　woman；　'that's　it；　is　it？'



The　man　and　woman；　who　during　this　conversation　had　resumed　their　

former　positions　within　the　tent；　looked　at　each　other　with　a　queer　

look　of　surprise；　as　if　somewhat　disconcerted　at　what　they　now　

heard。　　They　then　entered　into　discourse　with　each　other　in　the　

same　strange　tongue　which　had　already　puzzled　me。　　At　length　the　

man　looked　me　in　the　face；　and　said；　somewhat　hesitatingly；　'So　you　

are　not　one　of　them　there　after　all？'



MYSELF。　　One　of　them　there？　　I　don't　know　what　you　mean。



MAN。　　Why；　we　have　been　thinking　you　were　a　goblin　…　a　devilkin！　　

However；　I　see　how　it　is：　　you　are　a　sap…engro；　a　chap　who　catches　

snakes；　and　plays　tricks　with　them！　　Well；　it　comes　very　nearly　to　

the　same　thing；　and　if　you　please　to　list　with　us；　and　bear　us　

pleasant　company；　we　shall　be　glad　of　you。　　I'd　take　my　oath　upon　

it；　that　we　might　make　a　mort　of　money　by　you　and　that　sap；　and　the　

tricks　it　could　do；　and；　as　you　seem　fly　to　everything；　I　shouldn't　

wonder　if　you　would　make　a　prime　hand　at　telling　fortunes。



'I　shouldn't　wonder；'　said　I。



MAN。　　Of　course。　　And　you　might　still　be　our　God　Almighty；　or　at　

any　rate　our　clergyman；　so　you　should　live　in　a　tilted　cart　by　

yourself；　and　say　prayers　to　us　night　and　morning　…　to　wifelkin　

here；　and　all　our　family；　there's　plenty　of　us　when　we　are　all　

together：　　as　I　said　before；　you　seem　fly；　I　shouldn't　wonder　if　

you　could　read？



'Oh　yes！'　said　I；　'I　can　read'；　and；　eager　to　display　my　

accomplishments；　I　took　my　book　out　of　my　pocket；　and；　opening　it　

at　random；　proceeded　to　read　how　a　certain　man；　whilst　wandering　

about　a　certain　solitary　island；　entered　a　cave；　the　mouth　of　which　

was　overgrown　with　brushwood；　and　how　he　was　nearly　frightened　to　

death　in　that　cave　by　something　which　he　saw。



'That　will　do；'　said　the　man；　'that's　the　kind　of　prayers　for　me　

and　my　family；　aren't　they；　wifelkin？　　I　never　heard　more　delicate　

prayers　in　all　my　life！　　Why；　they　beat　the　rubricals　hollow！　…　and　

here　comes　my　son　Jasper。　　I　say；　Jasper；　here's　a　young　sap…engro　

that　can　read；　and　is　more　fly　than　yourself。　　Shake　hands　with　

him；　I　wish　ye　to　be　two　brothers。'



With　a　swift　but　stealthy　pace　Jasper　came　towards　us　from　the　

farther　part　of　the　lane；　on　reaching　the　tent　he　stood　still；　and　

looked　fixedly　upon　me　as　I　sat　upon　the　stool；　I　looked　fixedly　

upon　him。　　A　queer　look　had　Jasper；　he　was　a　lad　of　some　twelve　or　

thirteen　years；　with　long　arms；　unlike　the　singular　being　who　

called　himself　his　father；　his　complexion　was　ruddy；　but　his　face　

was　seamed；　though　it　did　not　bear　the　peculiar　scar　which　

disfigured　the　countenance　of　the　other；　nor；　though　roguish　

enough；　a　certain　evil　expression　which　that　of　the　other　bore；　and　

which　the　face　of　the　woman　possessed　in　a　yet　more　remarkable　

degree。　　For　the　rest；　he　wore　drab　breeches；　with　certain　strings　

at　the　knee；　a　rather　gay　waistcoat；　and　tolerably　white　shirt；　

under　his　arm　he　bore　a　mighty　whip　of　whalebone　with　a　brass　knob；　

and　upon　his　head　was　a　hat　without　either　top　or　brim。



'There；　Jasper！　shake　hands　with　the　sap…engro。'



'Can　he　box；　father？'　said　Jasper；　surveying　me　rather　

contemptuously。　　'I　should　think　not；　he　looks　so　puny　and　small。'



'Hold　your　peace；　fool！'　said　the　man；　'he　can　do　more　than　that　…　

I　tell　you　he's　fly：　　he　carries　a　sap　about；　which　would　sting　a　

ninny　like　you　to　dead。'



'What；　a　sap…engro！'　said　the　boy；　with　a　singular　whine；　and；　

stooping　down；　he　leered　curiously　in　my　face；　kindly；　however；　and　

then　patted　me　on　the　head。　　'A　sap…engro；'　he　ejaculated；　'lor！'



'Yes；　and　one　of　the　right　sort；'　said　the　man；　'I　am　glad　we　have　

met　with　him；　he　is　going　to　list　with　us；　and　be　our　clergyman　and　

God　Almighty；　ain't　you；　my　tawny？'



'I　don't　know；'　said　I；　'I　must　see　what　my　father　will　say。'



'Your　father；　bah！'　…　but　here　he　stopped；　for　a　sound　was　heard　

like　the　rapid　galloping　of　a　horse；　not　loud　and　distinct　as　on　a　

road；　but　dull　and　heavy　as　if　upon　a　grass　sward；　nearer　and　

nearer　it　came；　and　the　man；　starting　up；　rushed　out　of　the　tent；　

and　looked　around　anxiously。　　I　arose　from　the　stool　upon　which　I　

had　been　seated；　and　just　at　that　moment；　amidst　a　crashing　of　

boughs　and　sticks；　a　man　on　horseback　bounded　over　the　hedge　into　

the　lane　at　a　few　yards'　distance　from　where　we　were：　　from　the　

impetus　of　the　leap　the　horse　was　nearly　down　on　his　knees；　the　

rider；　however；　by　dint　of　vigorous　handling　of　the　reins；　

prevented　him　from　falling；　and　then　rode　up　to　the　tent。　　''Tis　

Nat；'　said　the　man；　'what　brings　him　here？'　　The　newcomer　was　a　

stout　burly　fellow；　about　the　middle　age；　he　had　a　savage　

determined　look；　and　his　face　was　nearly　covered　over　with　

carbuncles；　he　wore　a　broad　slouching　hat；　and　was　dressed　in　a　

gray　coat；　cut　in　a　fashion　which　I　afterwards　learnt　to　be　the　

genuine　Newmarket　cut；　the　skirts　being　exceedingly　short；　his　

waistcoat　was　of　red　plush；　and　he　wore　broad　corduroy　breeches　and　

white　top…boots。　　The　steed　which　carried　him　was　of　iron　gray；　

spirited　and　powerful；　but　covered　with　sweat　and　foam。　　The　fellow　

glanced　fiercely　and　suspiciously　around；　and　said　something　to　the　

man　of　the　tent　in　a　harsh　and　rapid　voice。　　A　short　and　hurried　

conversation　ensued　in　the　strange　tongue。　　I　could　not　take　my　

eyes　off　this　new…comer。　　Oh；　that　half…jockey；　half…bruiser　

countenance；　I　never　forgot　it！　　More　than　fifteen　years　afterwards　

I　found　myself　amidst　a　crowd　before　Newgate；　a　gallows　was　

erected；　and　beneath　it　stood　a　criminal；　a　notorious　m