lavengro-第130章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



bread　for　myself　and　oats　for　you　…　I　am　in　a　hurry　to　be　back；　

therefore　I　pray　you　to　do　your　best；　and　to　draw　me　and　the　cart　

to　the　town　with　all　possible　speed；　and　to　bring　us　back；　if　you　

do　your　best；　I　promise　you　oats　on　your　return。　　You　know　the　

meaning　of　oats；　Ambrol？'　　Ambrol　whinnied　as　if　to　let　me　know　

that　he　understood　me　perfectly　well；　as　indeed　he　well　might；　as　I　

had　never　once　fed　him　during　the　time　that　he　had　been　in　my　

possession　without　saying　the　word　in　question　to　him。　　Now；　

Ambrol；　in　the　gypsy　tongue；　signifieth　a　pear。



So　I　caparisoned　Ambrol；　and　then；　going　to　the　cart；　I　removed　two　

or　three　things　from　it　into　the　tent；　I　then　lifted　up　the　shafts；　

and　was　just　going　to　call　to　the　pony　to　come　and　be　fastened　to　

them；　when　I　thought　I　heard　a　noise。



I　stood　stock　still；　supporting　the　shaft　of　the　little　cart　in　my　

hand；　and　bending　the　right　side　of　my　face　slightly　towards　the　

ground；　but　I　could　hear　nothing；　the　noise　which　I　thought　I　had　

heard　was　not　one　of　those　sounds　which　I　was　accustomed　to　hear　in　

that　solitude　…　the　note　of　a　bird；　or　the　rustling　of　a　bough；　it　

was　…　there　I　heard　it　again；　a　sound　very　much　resembling　the　

grating　of　a　wheel　amongst　gravel。　　Could　it　proceed　from　the　road？　　

Oh　no；　the　road　was　too　far　distant　for　me　to　hear　the　noise　of　

anything　moving　along　it。　Again　I　listened；　and　now　I　distinctly　

heard　the　sound　of　wheels；　which　seemed　to　be　approaching　the　

dingle；　nearer　and　nearer　they　drew；　and　presently　the　sound　of　

wheels　was　blended　with　the　murmur　of　voices。　　Anon　I　heard　a　

boisterous　shout；　which　seemed　to　proceed　from　the　entrance　of　the　

dingle。　　'Here　are　folks　at　hand；'　said　I；　letting　the　shaft　of　the　

cart　fall　to　the　ground；　'is　it　possible　that　they　can　be　coming　

here？'　　My　doubts　on　that　point；　if　I　entertained　any；　were　soon　

dispelled；　the　wheels；　which　had　ceased　moving　for　a　moment　or　two；　

were　once　again　in　motion；　and　were　now　evidently　moving　down　the　

winding　path　which　led　to　my　retreat。　　Leaving　my　cart；　I　came　

forward　and　placed　myself　near　the　entrance　of　the　open　space；　with　

my　eyes　fixed　on　the　path　down　which　my　unexpected；　and　I　may　say　

unwelcome；　visitors　were　coming。　　Presently　I　heard　a　stamping　or　

sliding；　as　if　of　a　horse　in　some　difficulty；　then　a　loud　curse；　

and　the　next　moment　appeared　a　man　and　a　horse　and　cart；　the　former　

holding　the　head　of　the　horse　up　to　prevent　him　from　falling；　of　

which　he　was　in　danger；　owing　to　the　precipitous　nature　of　the　

path。　　Whilst　thus　occupied；　the　head　of　the　man　was　averted　from　

me。　　When；　however；　he　had　reached　the　bottom　of　the　descent；　he　

turned　his　head；　and　perceiving　me；　as　I　stood　bareheaded；　without　

either　coat　or　waistcoat；　about　two　yards　from　him；　he　gave　a　

sudden　start；　so　violent　that　the　backward　motion　of　his　hand　had　

nearly　flung　the　horse　upon　his　haunches。



'Why　don't　you　move　forward？'　said　a　voice　from　behind；　apparently　

that　of　a　female；　'you　are　stopping　up　the　way；　and　we　shall　be　all　

down　upon　one　another'；　and　I　saw　the　head　of　another　horse　

overtopping　the　back　of　the　cart。



'Why　don't　you　move　forward；　Jack？'　said　another　voice；　also　a　

female；　yet　higher　up　the　path。



The　man　stirred　not；　but　remained　staring　at　me　in　the　posture　

which　he　had　assumed　on　first　perceiving　me；　his　body　very　much　

drawn　back；　his　left　foot　far　in　advance　of　his　right；　and　with　his　

right　hand　still　grasping　the　halter　of　the　horse；　which　gave　way　

more　and　more；　till　it　was　clean　down　on　its　haunches。



'What's　the　matter？'　said　the　voice　which　I　had　last　heard。



'Get　back　with　you；　Belle；　Moll；'　said　the　man；　still　staring　at　

me；　'here's　something　not　over　canny　or　comfortable。'



'What　is　it？'　said　the　same　voice；　'let　me　pass；　Moll；　and　I'll　

soon　clear　the　way'；　and　I　heard　a　kind　of　rushing　down　the　path。



'You　need　not　be　afraid；'　said　I；　addressing　myself　to　the　man；　'I　

mean　you　no　harm；　I　am　a　wanderer　like　yourself　…　come　here　to　seek　

for　shelter　…　you　need　not　be　afraid；　I　am　a　Roman　chabo　by　

matriculation　…　one　of　the　right　sort；　and　no　mistake　…　Good…day　to　

ye；　brother；　I　bid　ye　welcome。'



The　man　eyed　me　suspiciously　for　a　moment　…　then；　turning　to　his　

horse　with　a　loud　curse；　he　pulled　him　up　from　his　haunches；　and　

led　him　and　the　cart　farther　down　to　one　side　of　the　dingle；　

muttering；　as　he　passed　me；　'Afraid！　　Hm！'



I　do　not　remember　ever　to　have　seen　a　more　ruffianly…looking　

fellow；　he　was　about　six　feet　high；　with　an　immensely　athletic　

frame；　his　face　was　black　and　bluff；　and　sported　an　immense　pair　of　

whiskers；　but　with　here　and　there　a　gray　hair；　for　his　age　could　

not　be　much　under　fifty。　　He　wore　a　faded　blue　frock…coat；　

corduroys；　and　highlows；　on　his　black　head　was　a　kind　of　red　

nightcap；　round　his　bull　neck　a　Barcelona　handkerchief　…　I　did　not　

like　the　look　of　the　man　at　all。



'Afraid！'　growled　the　fellow；　proceeding　to　unharness　his　horse；　

'that　was　the　word；　I　think。'



But　other　figures　were　now　already　upon　the　scene。　　Dashing　past　

the　other　horse　and　cart；　which　by　this　time　had　reached　the　bottom　

of　the　pass；　appeared　an　exceedingly　tall　woman；　or　rather　girl；　

for　she　could　scarcely　have　been　above　eighteen；　she　was　dressed　in　

a　tight　bodice　and　a　blue　stuff　gown；　hat；　bonnet；　or　cap　she　had　

none；　and　her　hair；　which　was　flaxen；　hung　down　on　her　shoulders　

unconfined；　her　complexion　was　fair；　and　her　features　handsome；　

with　a　determined　but　open　expression　…　she　was　followed　by　another　

female；　about　forty；　stout　and　vulgar…looking；　at　whom　I　scarcely　

glanced；　my　whole　attention　being　absorbed　by　the　tall　girl。



'What's　the　matter；　Jack？'　said　the　latter；　looking　at　the　man。



'Only　afraid；　that's　all；'　said　the　man；　still　proceeding　with　his　

work。



'Afraid　at　what　…　at　that　lad？　why；　he　looks　like　a　ghost　…　I　would　

engage　to　thrash　him　with　one　hand。'



'You　might　beat　me　with　no　hands　at　all；'　said　I；　'fair　damsel；　

only　by　looking　at　me　…　I　never　saw　such　a　face　and　figure；　both　

regal　…　why；　you　look　like　Ingeborg；　Queen　of　Norway；　she　had　

twelve　brothers；　you　know；　and　could　lick　them　all；　though　they　

were　heroes：…





On　Dovrefeld　in　Norway

Were　once　together　seen

The　twelve　heroic　brothers

Of　Ingeborg　the　queen。'





'None　of　your　chaffing；　young　fellow；'　said　the　tall　girl；　'or　I　

will　give　you　what　shall　make　you　wipe　your　face；　be　civil；　or　you　

will　rue　it。'



'Well；　perhaps　I　was　a　peg　too　high；'　said　I；　'I　ask　your　pardon　…　

here's　something　a　bit　lower：…





As　I　was　jawing　to　the　gav　yeck　divvus

I　met　on　the　drom　miro　Rommany　chi　…　'





None　of　your　Rommany　chies；　young　fellow；'　said　the　tall　girl；　

looking　more　menacingly　than　before；　and　clenching　her　fist；　'you　

had　better　be　civil；　I　am　none　of　your　chies；　and　though　I　keep　

company　with　gypsies；　or；　to　speak　more　proper；　half…and…halfs；　I　

would　have　you　to　know　that　I　come　of　Christian　blood　and　parents；　

and　was　born　in　the　great　house　of　Long　Melford。'



'I　have　no　doubt；'　said　I；　'that　it　was　a　great　house；　judging　from　

your　size　I　shouldn't　wonder　if　you　were　born　in　a　church。'



'Stay；　Belle；'　said　the　man；　putting　himself　before　the　young　

virago；　who　was　about　to　rush　upon　me；　'my　turn　is　first'　…　then；　

advancing　to　me　in　a　menacing　attitude；　he　said；　with　a　look　of　

deep　malignity；　'〃Afraid；〃　was　the　word；　wasn't　it？'



'It　was；'　said　I；　'but　I　think　I　wronged　you；　I　should　have　said；　

aghast；　you　exhibited　every　symptom　of　one　labouring　under　

uncontrollable　fear。'



The　fellow　stared　at　me　with　a　look　of　stupid　ferocity；　and　

appeared　to　be　hesitating　whether　to　strike　or　not：　　ere　he　could　

make　up　his　mind；　the　tall　girl　started　forward；　crying；　'He's　

chaffing；　let　me　at　him'；　and　before　I　could　put　myself　on　my　

guard；　she　struck　me