lavengro-第30章

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it　boldly；　better　things　than　study。　　I　had　an　attachment　to　the　

angle；　ay；　and　to　the　gun　likewise。　　In　our　house　was　a　condemned　

musket；　bearing　somewhere　on　its　lock；　in　rather　antique　

characters；　'Tower；　1746'；　with　this　weapon　I　had　already；　in　

Ireland；　performed　some　execution　among　the　rooks　and　choughs；　and　

it　was　now　again　destined　to　be　a　source　of　solace　and　amusement　to　

me；　in　the　winter　season；　especially　on　occasions　of　severe　frost　

when　birds　abounded。　　Sallying　forth　with　it　at　these　times；　far　

into　the　country；　I　seldom　returned　at　night　without　a　string　of　

bullfinches；　blackbirds；　and　linnets　hanging　in　triumph　round　my　

neck。　　When　I　reflect　on　the　immense　quantity　of　powder　and　shot　

which　I　crammed　down　the　muzzle　of　my　uncouth　fowling…piece；　I　am　

less　surprised　at　the　number　of　birds　which　I　slaughtered　than　that　

I　never　blew　my　hands；　face；　and　old　honeycombed　gun；　it　one　and　

the　same　time；　to　pieces。



But　the　winter；　alas！　（I　speak　as　a　fowler）　seldom　lasts　in　England　

more　than　three　or　four　months；　so；　during　the　rest　of　the　year；　

when　not　occupied　with　my　philological　studies；　I　had　to　seek　for　

other　diversions。　　I　have　already　given　a　hint　that　I　was　also　

addicted　to　the　angle。　　Of　course　there　is　no　comparison　between　

the　two　pursuits；　the　rod　and　line　seeming　but　very　poor　trumpery　

to　one　who　has　had　the　honour　of　carrying　a　noble　firelock。　　There　

is　a　time；　however；　for　all　things；　and　we　return　to　any　favourite　

amusement　with　the　greater　zest；　from　being　compelled　to　relinquish　

it　for　a　season。　　So；　if　I　shot　birds　in　winter　with　my　firelock；　I　

caught　fish　in　summer；　or　attempted　so　to　do；　with　my　angle。　　I　was　

not　quite　so　successful；　it　is　true；　with　the　latter　as　with　the　

former；　possibly　because　it　afforded　me　less　pleasure。　　It　was；　

indeed；　too　much　of　a　listless　pastime　to　inspire　me　with　any　great　

interest。　　I　not　unfrequently　fell　into　a　doze；　whilst　sitting　on　

the　bank；　and　more　than　once　let　my　rod　drop　from　my　hands　into　the　

water。



At　some　distance　from　the　city；　behind　a　range　of　hilly　ground　

which　rises　towards　the　south…west；　is　a　small　river；　the　waters　of　

which；　after　many　meanderings；　eventually　enter　the　principal　river　

of　the　district；　and　assist　to　swell　the　tide　which　it　rolls　down　

to　the　ocean。　　It　is　a　sweet　rivulet；　and　pleasant　is　it　to　trace　

its　course　from　its　spring…head；　high　up　in　the　remote　regions　of　

Eastern　Anglia；　till　it　arrives　in　the　valley　behind　yon　rising　

ground；　and　pleasant　is　that　valley；　truly　a　goodly　spot；　but　most　

lovely　where　yonder　bridge　crosses　the　little　stream。　　Beneath　its　

arch　the　waters　rush　garrulously　into　a　blue　pool；　and　are　there　

stilled；　for　a　time；　for　the　pool　is　deep；　and　they　appear　to　have　

sunk　to　sleep。　　Farther　on；　however；　you　hear　their　voice　again；　

where　they　ripple　gaily　over　yon　gravelly　shallow。　　On　the　left；　

the　hill　slopes　gently　down　to　the　margin　of　the　stream。　　On　the　

right　is　a　green　level；　a　smiling　meadow；　grass　of　the　richest　

decks　the　side　of　the　slope；　mighty　trees　also　adorn　it；　giant　

elms；　the　nearest　of　which；　when　the　sun　is　nigh　its　meridian；　

fling　a　broad　shadow　upon　the　face　of　the　pool；　through　yon　vista　

you　catch　a　glimpse　of　the　ancient　brick　of　an　old　English　hall。　　

It　has　a　stately　look；　that　old　building；　indistinctly　seen；　as　it　

is；　among　those　umbrageous　trees；　you　might　almost　suppose　it　an　

earl's　home；　and　such　it　was；　or　rather　upon　its　site　stood　an　

earl's　home；　in　days　of　old；　for　there　some　old　Kemp；　some　Sigurd　

or　Thorkild；　roaming　in　quest　of　a　hearthstead；　settled　down　in　the　

gray　old　time；　when　Thor　and　Freya　were　yet　gods；　and　Odin　was　a　

portentous　name。　　Yon　old　hall　is　still　called　the　Earl's　Home；　

though　the　hearth　of　Sigurd　is　now　no　more；　and　the　bones　of　the　

old　Kemp；　and　of　Sigrith　his　dame；　have　been　mouldering　for　a　

thousand　years　in　some　neighbouring　knoll；　perhaps　yonder；　where　

those　tall　Norwegian　pines　shoot　up　so　boldly　into　the　air。　　It　is　

said　that　the　old　earl's　galley　was　once　moored　where　is　now　that　

blue　pool；　for　the　waters　of　that　valley　were　not　always　sweet；　yon　

valley　was　once　an　arm　of　the　sea；　a　salt　lagoon；　to　which　the　war…

barks　of　'Sigurd；　in　search　of　a　home；'　found　their　way。



I　was　in　the　habit　of　spending　many　an　hour　on　the　banks　of　that　

rivulet；　with　my　rod　in　my　hand；　and；　when　tired　with　angling；　

would　stretch　myself　on　the　grass；　and　gaze　upon　the　waters　as　they　

glided　past；　and　not　unfrequently；　divesting　myself　of　my　dress；　I　

would　plunge　into　the　deep　pool　which　I　have　already　mentioned；　for　

I　had　long　since　learned　to　swim。　　And　it　came　to　pass　that　on　one　

hot　summer's　day；　after　bathing　in　the　pool；　I　passed　along　the　

meadow　till　I　came　to　a　shallow　part；　and；　wading　over　to　the　

opposite　side；　I　adjusted　my　dress；　and　commenced　fishing　in　

another　pool；　beside　which　was　a　small　clump　of　hazels。



And　there　I　sat　upon　the　bank；　at　the　bottom　of　the　hill　which　

slopes　down　from　'the　Earl's　home'；　my　float　was　on　the　waters；　and　

my　back　was　towards　the　old　hall。　　I　drew　up　many　fish；　small　and　

great；　which　I　took　from　off　the　hook　mechanically；　and　flung　upon　

the　bank；　for　I　was　almost　unconscious　of　what　I　was　about；　for　my　

mind　was　not　with　my　fish。　　I　was　thinking　of　my　earlier　years　…　of　

the　Scottish　crags　and　the　heaths　of　Ireland　…　and　sometimes　my　

mind　would　dwell　on　my　studies　…　on　the　sonorous　stanzas　of　Dante；　

rising　and　falling　like　the　waves　of　the　sea　…　or　would　strive　to　

remember　a　couplet　or　two　of　poor　Monsieur　Boileau。



'Canst　thou　answer　to　thy　conscience　for　pulling　all　those　fish　out　

of　the　water；　and　leaving　them　to　gasp　in　the　sun？'　said　a　voice；　

clear　and　sonorous　as　a　bell。



I　started；　and　looked　round。　　Close　behind　me　stood　the　tall　figure　

of　a　man；　dressed　in　raiment　of　quaint　and　singular　fashion；　but　of　

goodly　materials。　　He　was　in　the　prime　and　vigour　of　manhood；　his　

features　handsome　and　noble；　but　full　of　calmness　and　benevolence；　

at　least　I　thought　so；　though　they　were　somewhat　shaded　by　a　hat　of　

finest　beaver；　with　broad　drooping　eaves。



'Surely　that　is　a　very　cruel　diversion　in　which　thou　indulgest；　my　

young　friend？'　he　continued。



'I　am　sorry　for　it；　if　it　be；　sir；'　said　I；　rising；　'but　I　do　not　

think　it　cruel　to　fish。'



'What　are　thy　reasons　for　not　thinking　so？'



'Fishing　is　mentioned　frequently　in　Scripture。　　Simon　Peter　was　a　

fisherman。'



'True；　and　Andrew　and　his　brother。　　But　thou　forgettest：　　they　did　

not　follow　fishing　as　a　diversion；　as　I　fear　thou　doest。　…　Thou　

readest　the　Scriptures？'



'Sometimes。'



'Sometimes？　…　not　daily？　…　that　is　to　be　regretted。　　What　

profession　dost　thou　make？　…　I　mean　to　what　religious　denomination　

dost　thou　belong；　my　young　friend。'



'Church？'



'It　is　a　very　good　profession　…　there　is　much　of　Scripture　

contained　in　its　liturgy。　　Dost　thou　read　aught　besides　the　

Scriptures？'



'Sometimes。'



'What　dost　thou　read　besides？'



'Greek；　and　Dante。'



'Indeed！　then　thou　hast　the　advantage　over　myself；　I　can　only　read　

the　former。　　Well；　I　am　rejoiced　to　find　that　thou　hast　other　

pursuits　beside　thy　fishing。　　Dost　thou　know　Hebrew？'



'No。'



'Thou　shouldst　study　it。　　Why　dost　thou　not　undertake　the　study？'



'I　have　no　books。'



'I　will　lend　thee　books；　if　thou　wish　to　undertake　the　study。　　I　

live　yonder　at　the　hall；　as　perhaps　thou　knowest。　　I　have　a　library　

there；　in　which　are　many　curious　books；　both　in　Greek　and　Hebrew；　

which　I　will　show　to　thee；　whenever　thou　mayest　find　it　convenient　

to　come　and　see　me。　　Farewell！　　I　am　glad　to　find　that　thou　hast　

pursuits　more　satisfactory　than　thy　cruel　fishing。'



And　the　man　of　peace　departed；　and　left　me　on　the　bank　of　the　

stream。　　Whether　from　the　effect　of　his　words；　or　from　want　of　

inclination　to　t