lavengro-第4章

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hours　together　with　my　head　on　my　breast。　　What　I　was　thinking　

about；　it　would　be　difficult　to　say　at　this　distance　of　time；　I　

remember　perfectly　well；　however；　being　ever　conscious　of　a　

peculiar　heaviness　within　me；　and　at　times　of　a　strange　sensation　

of　fear；　which　occasionally　amounted　to　horror；　and　for　which　I　

could　assign　no　real　cause　whatever。



By　nature　slow　of　speech；　I　took　no　pleasure　in　conversation；　nor　

in　hearing　the　voices　of　my　fellow…creatures。　　When　people　

addressed　me；　I　not　unfrequently；　especially　if　they　were　

strangers；　turned　away　my　head　from　them；　and　if　they　persisted　in　

their　notice　burst　into　tears；　which　singularity　of　behaviour　by　no　

means　tended　to　dispose　people　in　my　favour。　　I　was　as　much　

disliked　as　my　brother　was　deservedly　beloved　and　admired。　　My　

parents；　it　is　true；　were　always　kind　to　me；　and　my　brother；　who　

was　good　nature　itself；　was　continually　lavishing　upon　me　every　

mark　of　affection。



There　was；　however；　one　individual　who；　in　the　days　of　my　

childhood；　was　disposed　to　form　a　favourable　opinion　of　me。　　One　

day；　a　Jew　…　I　have　quite　forgotten　the　circumstance；　but　I　was　

long　subsequently　informed　of　it　…　one　day　a　travelling　Jew　knocked　

at　the　door　of　a　farmhouse　in　which　we　had　taken　apartments；　I　was　

near　at　hand　sitting　in　the　bright　sunshine；　drawing　strange　lines　

on　the　dust　with　my　fingers；　an　ape　and　dog　were　my　companions；　the　

Jew　looked　at　me　and　asked　me　some　questions；　to　which；　though　I　

was　quite　able　to　speak；　I　returned　no　answer。　　On　the　door　being　

opened；　the　Jew；　after　a　few　words；　probably　relating　to　pedlery；　

demanded　who　the　child　was；　sitting　in　the　sun；　the　maid　replied　

that　I　was　her　mistress's　youngest　son；　a　child　weak　HERE；　pointing　

to　her　forehead。　　The　Jew　looked　at　me　again；　and　then　said：　　''Pon　

my　conscience；　my　dear；　I　believe　that　you　must　be　troubled　there　

yourself　to　tell　me　any　such　thing。　　It　is　not　my　habit　to　speak　to　

children；　inasmuch　as　I　hate　them；　because　they　often　follow　me　and　

fling　stones　after　me；　but　I　no　sooner　looked　at　that　child　than　I　

was　forced　to　speak　to　it　…　his　not　answering　me　shows　his　sense；　

for　it　has　never　been　the　custom　of　the　wise　to　fling　away　their　

words　in　indifferent　talk　and　conversation；　the　child　is　a　sweet　

child；　and　has　all　the　look　of　one　of　our　people's　children。　　Fool；　

indeed！　did　I　not　see　his　eyes　sparkle　just　now　when　the　monkey　

seized　the　dog　by　the　ear？　…　they　shone　like　my　own　diamonds　…　does　

your　good　lady　want　any　…　real　and　fine？　　Were　it　not　for　what　you　

tell　me；　I　should　say　it　was　a　prophet's　child。　　Fool；　indeed！　he　

can　write　already；　or　I'll　forfeit　the　box　which　I　carry　on　my　

back；　and　for　which　I　should　be　loth　to　take　two　hundred　pounds！'　　

He　then　leaned　forward　to　inspect　the　lines　which　I　had　traced。　　

All　of　a　sudden　he　started　back；　and　grew　white　as　a　sheet；　then；　

taking　off　his　hat；　he　made　some　strange　gestures　to　me；　cringing；　

chattering；　and　showing　his　teeth；　and　shortly　departed；　muttering　

something　about　'holy　letters；'　and　talking　to　himself　in　a　strange　

tongue。　　The　words　of　the　Jew　were　in　due　course　of　time　reported　

to　my　mother；　who　treasured　them　in　her　heart；　and　from　that　moment　

began　to　entertain　brighter　hopes　of　her　youngest　born　than　she　had　

ever　before　ventured　to　foster。







CHAPTER　II







Barracks　and　lodgings　…　A　camp　…　The　viper　…　A　delicate　child　…　

Blackberry　time　…　MEUN　and　TUUM　…　Hythe　…　The　Golgotha　…　Daneman's　

skull　…　Superhuman　stature　…　Stirring　times　…　The　sea…bord。



I　HAVE　been　a　wanderer　the　greater　part　of　my　life；　indeed　I　

remember　only　two　periods；　and　these　by　no　means　lengthy；　when　I　

was；　strictly　speaking；　stationary。　　I　was　a　soldier's　son；　and　as　

the　means　of　my　father　were　by　no　means　sufficient　to　support　two　

establishments；　his　family　invariably　attended　him　wherever　he　

went；　so　that　from　my　infancy　I　was　accustomed　to　travelling　and　

wandering；　and　looked　upon　a　monthly　change　of　scene　and　residence　

as　a　matter　of　course。　　Sometimes　we　lived　in　barracks；　sometimes　

in　lodgings；　but　generally　in　the　former；　always　eschewing　the　

latter　from　motives　of　economy；　save　when　the　barracks　were　

inconvenient　and　uncomfortable；　and　they　must　have　been　highly　so　

indeed；　to　have　discouraged　us　from　entering　them；　for　though　we　

were　gentry　（pray　bear　that　in　mind；　gentle　reader）；　gentry　by　

birth；　and　incontestably　so　by　my　father's　bearing　the　commission　

of　good　old　George　the　Third；　we　were　not　FINE　GENTRY；　but　people　

who　could　put　up　with　as　much　as　any　genteel　Scotch　family　who　find　

it　convenient　to　live　on　a　third　floor　in　London；　or　on　a　sixth　at　

Edinburgh　or　Glasgow。　　It　was　not　a　little　that　could　discourage　

us：　　we　once　lived　within　the　canvas　walls　of　a　camp；　at　a　place　

called　Pett；　in　Sussex；　and　I　believe　it　was　at　this　place　that　

occurred　the　first　circumstance；　or　adventure；　call　it　which　you　

will；　that　I　can　remember　in　connection　with　myself：　　it　was　a　

strange　one；　and　I　will　relate　it。



It　happened　that　my　brother　and　myself　were　playing　one　evening　in　

a　sandy　lane；　in　the　neighbourhood　of　this　Pett　camp；　our　mother　

was　at　a　slight　distance。　　All　of　a　sudden；　a　bright　yellow；　and；　

to　my　infantine　eye；　beautiful　and　glorious；　object　made　its　

appearance　at　the　top　of　the　bank　from　between　the　thick　quickset；　

and；　gliding　down；　began　to　move　across　the　lane　to　the　other　side；　

like　a　line　of　golden　light。　　Uttering　a　cry　of　pleasure；　I　sprang　

forward；　and　seized　it　nearly　by　the　middle。　　A　strange　sensation　

of　numbing　coldness　seemed　to　pervade　my　whole　arm；　which　surprised　

me　the　more；　as　the　object　to　the　eye　appeared　so　warm　and　sunlike。　　

I　did　not　drop　it；　however；　but；　holding　it　up；　looked　at　it　

intently；　as　its　head　dangled　about　a　foot　from　my　hand。　　It　made　

no　resistance；　I　felt　not　even　the　slightest　struggle；　but　now　my　

brother　began　to　scream　and　shriek　like　one　possessed。　　'O　mother；　

mother！'　said　he；　'the　viper！　…　my　brother　has　a　viper　in　his　

hand！'　　He　then；　like　one　frantic；　made　an　effort　to　snatch　the　

creature　away　from　me。　　The　viper　now　hissed　amain；　and　raised　its　

head；　in　which　were　eyes　like　hot　coals；　menacing；　not　myself；　but　

my　brother。　　I　dropped　my　captive；　for　I　saw　my　mother　running　

towards　me；　and　the　reptile；　after　standing　for　a　moment　nearly　

erect；　and　still　hissing　furiously；　made　off；　and　disappeared。　　The　

whole　scene　is　now　before　me；　as　vividly　as　if　it　occurred　

yesterday　…　the　gorgeous　viper；　my　poor　dear　frantic　brother；　my　

agitated　parent；　and　a　frightened　hen　clucking　under　the　bushes　…　

and　yet　I　was　not　three　years　old。



It　is　my　firm　belief　that　certain　individuals　possess　an　inherent　

power；　or　fascination；　over　certain　creatures；　otherwise　I　should　

be　unable　to　account　for　many　feats　which　I　have　witnessed；　and；　

indeed；　borne　a　share　in；　connected　with　the　taming　of　brutes　and　

reptiles。　　I　have　known　a　savage　and　vicious　mare；　whose　stall　it　

was　dangerous　to　approach；　even　when　bearing　provender；　welcome；　

nevertheless；　with　every　appearance　of　pleasure；　an　uncouth；　wiry…

headed　man；　with　a　frightfully　seamed　face；　and　an　iron　hook　

supplying　the　place　of　his　right　hand；　one　whom　the　animal　had　

never　seen　before；　playfully　bite　his　hair；　and　cover　his　face　with　

gentle　and　endearing　kisses；　and　I　have　already　stated　how　a　viper　

would　permit；　without　resentment；　one　child　to　take　it　up　in　his　

hand；　whilst　it　showed　its　dislike　to　the　approach　of　another　by　

the　fiercest　hissings。　　Philosophy　can　explain　many　strange　things；　

but　there　are　some　which　are　a　far　pitch　above　her；　and　this　is　

one。



I　should　scarcely　relate　another　circumstance　which　occurred　about　

this　time　but　for　a　singular　effect　which　it　produced　upon　my　

constitution。　　Up　to　this　period　I　had　been　rather　a　delicate　

child；　whereas；　almos