lavengro-第20章

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charged　with　fixed　bayonets；　which　compelled　the　others　to　yield　

notwithstanding　their　numbers；　but　the　worst　was　when　we　got　out　

into　the　street；　the　whole　district　had　become　alarmed；　and　

hundreds　came　pouring　down　upon　us　…　men；　women；　and　children。　　

Women；　did　I　say！　…　they　looked　fiends；　half　naked；　with　their　hair　

hanging　down　over　their　bosoms；　they　tore　up　the　very　pavement　to　

hurl　at　us；　sticks　rang　about　our　ears；　stones；　and　Irish　…　I　liked　

the　Irish　worst　of　all；　it　sounded　so　horrid；　especially　as　I　did　

not　understand　it。　　It's　a　bad　language。'



'A　queer　tongue；'　said　I；　'I　wonder　if　I　could　learn　it。'



'Learn　it！'　said　my　father；　'what　should　you　learn　it　for？　…　

however；　I　am　not　afraid　of　that。　　It　is　not　like　Scotch；　no　person　

can　learn　it；　save　those　who　are　born　to　it；　and　even　in　Ireland　

the　respectable　people　do　not　speak　it；　only　the　wilder　sort；　like　

those　we　have　passed。'



Within　a　day　or　two　we　had　reached　a　tall　range　of　mountains　

running　north　and　south；　which　I　was　told　were　those　of　Tipperary；　

along　the　skirts　of　these　we　proceeded　till　we　came　to　a　town；　the　

principal　one　of　these　regions。　　It　was　on　the　bank　of　a　beautiful　

river；　which　separated　it　from　the　mountains。　　It　was　rather　an　

ancient　place；　and　might　contain　some　ten　thousand　inhabitants　…　I　

found　that　it　was　our　destination；　there　were　extensive　barracks　at　

the　farther　end；　in　which　the　corps　took　up　its　quarters；　with　

respect　to　ourselves；　we　took　lodgings　in　a　house　which　stood　in　

the　principal　street。



'You　never　saw　more　elegant　lodgings　than　these；　captain；'　said　the　

master　of　the　house；　a　tall；　handsome；　and　athletic　man；　who　came　

up　whilst　our　little　family　were　seated　at　dinner　late　in　the　

afternoon　of　the　day　of　our　arrival；　'they　beat　anything　in　this　

town　of　Clonmel。　　I　do　not　let　them　for　the　sake　of　interest；　and　

to　none　but　gentlemen　in　the　army；　in　order　that　myself　and　my　

wife；　who　is　from　Londonderry；　may　have　the　advantage　of　pleasant　

company；　genteel　company；　ay；　and　Protestant　company；　captain。　　It　

did　my　heart　good　when　I　saw　your　honour　ride　in　at　the　head　of　all　

those　fine　fellows；　real　Protestants；　I'll　engage；　not　a　Papist　

among　them；　they　are　too　good…looking　and　honest…looking　for　that。　　

So　I　no　sooner　saw　your　honour　at　the　head　of　your　army；　with　that　

handsome　young　gentleman　holding　by　your　stirrup；　than　I　said　to　my　

wife；　Mistress　Hyne；　who　is　from　Londonderry；　〃God　bless　me；〃　said　

I；　〃what　a　truly　Protestant　countenance；　what　a　noble　bearing；　and　

what　a　sweet　young　gentleman。　　By　the　silver　hairs　of　his　honour〃　…　

and　sure　enough　I　never　saw　hairs　more　regally　silver　than　those　of　

your　honour　…　〃by　his　honour's　gray　silver　hairs；　and　by　my　own　

soul；　which　is　not　worthy　to　be　mentioned　in　the　same　day　with　one　

of　them　…　it　would　be　no　more　than　decent　and　civil　to　run　out　and　

welcome　such　a　father　and　son　coming　in　at　the　head　of　such　a　

Protestant　military。〃　　And　then　my　wife；　who　is　from　Londonderry；　

Mistress　Hyne；　looking　me　in　the　face　like　a　fairy　as　she　is；　〃You　

may　say　that；〃　says　she。　　〃It　would　be　but　decent　and　civil；　

honey。〃　　And　your　honour　knows　how　I　ran　out　of　my　own　door　and　

welcomed　your　honour　riding　in　company　with　your　son；　who　was　

walking；　how　I　welcomed　ye　both　at　the　head　of　your　royal　regiment；　

and　how　I　shook　your　honour　by　the　hand；　saying；　I　am　glad　to　see　

your　honour；　and　your　honour's　son；　and　your　honour's　royal　

military　Protestant　regiment。　　And　now　I　have　you　in　the　house；　and　

right　proud　I　am　to　have　ye　one　and　all；　one；　two；　three；　four；　

true　Protestants　every　one；　no　Papists　here；　and　I　have　made　bold　

to　bring　up　a　bottle　of　claret　which　is　now　waiting　behind　the　

door；　and；　when　your　honour　and　your　family　have　dined；　I　will　make　

bold　too　to　bring　up　Mistress　Hyne；　from　Londonderry；　to　introduce　

to　your　honour's　lady；　and　then　we'll　drink　to　the　health　of　King　

George；　God　bless　him；　to　the　〃glorious　and　immortal〃　…　to　Boyne　

water　…　to　your　honour's　speedy　promotion　to　be　Lord　Lieutenant；　

and　to　the　speedy　downfall　of　the　Pope　and　Saint　Anthony　of　Padua。'



Such　was　the　speech　of　the　Irish　Protestant　addressed　to　my　father　

in　the　long　lofty　dining…room　with　three　windows；　looking　upon　the　

high　street　of　the　good　town　of　Clonmel；　as　he　sat　at　meat　with　his　

family；　after　saying　grace　like　a　true…hearted　respectable　soldier　

as　he　was。



'A　bigot　and　an　Orangeman！'　　Oh　yes！　　It　is　easier　to　apply　

epithets　of　opprobrium　to　people　than　to　make　yourself　acquainted　

with　their　history　and　position。　　He　was　a　specimen；　and　a　fair　

specimen；　of　a　most　remarkable　body　of　men；　who　during　two　

centuries　have　fought　a　good　fight　in　Ireland　in　the　cause　of　

civilisation　and　religious　truth；　they　were　sent　as　colonists；　few　

in　number；　into　a　barbarous　and　unhappy　country；　where　ever　since；　

though　surrounded　with　difficulties　of　every　kind；　they　have　

maintained　their　ground；　theirs　has　been　no　easy　life；　nor　have　

their　lines　fallen　upon　very　pleasant　places；　amidst　darkness　they　

have　held　up　a　lamp；　and　it　would　be　well　for　Ireland　were　all　her　

children　like　these　her　adopted　ones。　　'But　they　are　fierce　and　

sanguinary；'　it　is　said。　　Ay；　ay！　they　have　not　unfrequently　

opposed　the　keen　sword　to　the　savage　pike。　　'But　they　are　bigoted　

and　narrow…minded。'　　Ay；　ay！　they　do　not　like　idolatry；　and　will　

not　bow　the　knee　before　a　stone！　　'But　their　language　is　frequently　

indecorous。'　　Go　to；　my　dainty　one；　did　ye　ever　listen　to　the　voice　

of　Papist　cursing？



The　Irish　Protestants　have　faults；　numerous　ones；　but　the　greater　

number　of　these　may　be　traced　to　the　peculiar　circumstances　of　

their　position：　　but　they　have　virtues；　numerous　ones；　and　their　

virtues　are　their　own；　their　industry；　their　energy；　and　their　

undaunted　resolution　are　their　own。　　They　have　been　vilified　and　

traduced　…　but　what　would　Ireland　be　without　them？　　I　repeat；　that　

it　would　be　well　for　her　were　all　her　sons　no　worse　than　these　

much…calumniated　children　of　her　adoption。







CHAPTER　X







Protestant　young　gentlemen　…　The　Greek　letters　…　Open　chimney　…　

Murtagh　…　Paris　and　Salamanca　…　Nothing　to　do　…　To　whit；　to　whoo！　…　

The　pack　of　cards　…　Before　Christmas。



WE　continued　at　this　place　for　some　months；　during　which　time　the　

soldiers　performed　their　duties；　whatever　they　were；　and　I；　having　

no　duties　to　perform；　was　sent　to　school。　　I　had　been　to　English　

schools；　and　to　the　celebrated　one　of　Edinburgh；　but　my　education；　

at　the　present　day；　would　not　be　what　it　is　…　perfect；　had　I　never　

had　the　honour　of　being　ALUMNUS　in　an　Irish　seminary。



'Captain；'　said　our　kind　host；　'you　would；　no　doubt；　wish　that　the　

young　gentleman　should　enjoy　every　advantage　which　the　town　may　

afford　towards　helping　him　on　in　the　path　of　genteel　learning。　　

It's　a　great　pity　that　he　should　waste　his　time　in　idleness　…　doing　

nothing　else　than　what　he　says　he　has　been　doing　for　the　last　

fortnight　…　fishing　in　the　river　for　trouts　which　he　never　catches；　

and　wandering　up　the　glen　in　the　mountain；　in　search　of　the　hips　

that　grow　there。　　Now；　we　have　a　school　here；　where　he　can　learn　

the　most　elegant　Latin；　and　get　an　insight　into　the　Greek　letters；　

which　is　desirable；　and　where；　moreover；　he　will　have　an　

opportunity　of　making　acquaintance　with　all　the　Protestant　young　

gentlemen　of　the　place；　the　handsome　well…dressed　young　persons　

whom　your　honour　sees　in　the　church　on　the　Sundays；　when　your　

honour　goes　there　in　the　morning；　with　the　rest　of　the　Protestant　

military；　for　it　is　no　Papist　school；　though　there　may　be　a　Papist　

or　two　there　…　a　few　poor　farmers'　sons　from　the　country；　with　whom　

there　is　no　necessity　for　your　honour's　child　to　form　any　

acquaintance　at　all；　at　all！'



And　to　the　school　I　went；　where　I　read　the　Latin　tongue　and　the　

Greek　letters；　w