lavengro-第59章

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natured；　not　so　the　publisher；　who　occasionally　eyed　both　with　

contempt　and　dislike。　　Connected　with　this　dinner　there　was　one　

thing　remarkable；　the　publisher　took　no　animal　food；　but　contented　

himself　with　feeding　voraciously　on　rice　and　vegetables　prepared　in　

various　ways。



'You　eat　no　animal　food；　sir？'　said　I。



'I　do　not；　sir；'　said　he；　'I　have　forsworn　it　upwards　of　twenty　

years。　　In　one　respect；　sir；　I　am　a　Brahmin。　　I　abhor　taking　away　

life　…　the　brutes　have　as　much　right　to　live　as　ourselves。'



'But；'　said　I；　'if　the　brutes　were　not　killed；　there　would　be　such　

a　superabundance　of　them；　that　the　land　would　be　overrun　with　

them。'



'I　do　not　think　so；　sir；　few　are　killed　in　India；　and　yet　there　is　

plenty　of　room。'



'But；'　said　I；　'Nature　intended　that　they　should　be　destroyed；　and　

the　brutes　themselves　prey　upon　one　another；　and　it　is　well　for　

themselves　and　the　world　that　they　do　so。　　What　would　be　the　state　

of　things　if　every　insect；　bird；　and　worm　were　left　to　perish　of　

old　age？'



'We　will　change　the　subject；'　said　the　publisher；　'I　have　never　

been　a　friend　of　unprofitable　discussions。'



I　looked　at　the　publisher　with　some　surprise；　I　had　not　been　

accustomed　to　be　spoken　to　so　magisterially；　his　countenance　was　

dressed　in　a　portentous　frown；　and　his　eye　looked　more　sinister　

than　ever；　at　that　moment　he　put　me　in　mind　of　some　of　those　

despots　of　whom　I　had　read　in　the　history　of　Morocco；　whose　word　

was　law。　　He　merely　wants　power；　thought　I　to　myself；　to　be　a　

regular　Muley　Mehemet；　and　then　I　sighed；　for　I　remembered　how　very　

much　I　was　in　the　power　of　that　man。



The　dinner　over；　the　publisher　nodded　to　his　wife；　who　departed；　

followed　by　her　daughter…in…law。　　The　son　looked　as　if　he　would　

willingly　have　attended　them；　he；　however；　remained　seated；　and；　a　

small　decanter　of　wine　being　placed　on　the　table；　the　publisher　

filled　two　glasses；　one　of　which　he　handed　to　myself；　and　the　other　

to　his　son；　saying；　'Suppose　you　two　drink　to　the　success　of　the　

Review。　　I　would　join　you；'　said　he；　addressing　himself　to　me；　'but　

I　drink　no　wine；　if　I　am　a　Brahmin　with　respect　to　meat；　I　am　a　

Mahometan　with　respect　to　wine。'



So　the　son　and　I　drank　success　to　the　Review；　and　then　the　young　

man　asked　me　various　questions；　for　example　…　How　I　liked　London？　…　

Whether　I　did　not　think　it　a　very　fine　place？　…　Whether　I　was　at　

the　play　the　night　before？　…　and　whether　I　was　in　the　park　that　

afternoon？　　He　seemed　preparing　to　ask　me　some　more　questions；　but；　

receiving　a　furious　look　from　his　father；　he　became　silent；　filled　

himself　a　glass　of　wine；　drank　it　off；　looked　at　the　table　for　

about　a　minute；　then　got　up；　pushed　back　his　chair；　made　me　a　bow；　

and　left　the　room。



'Is　that　young　gentleman；　sir；'　said　I；　'well　versed　in　the　

principles　of　criticism？'



'He　is　not；　sir；'　said　the　publisher；　'and；　if　I　place　him　at　the　

head　of　the　Review　ostensibly；　I　do　it　merely　in　the　hope　of　

procuring　him　a　maintenance；　of　the　principle　of　a　thing　he　knows　

nothing；　except　that　the　principle　of　bread　is　wheat；　and　that　the　

principle　of　that　wine　is　grape。　　Will　you　take　another　glass？'



I　looked　at　the　decanter；　but；　not　feeling　altogether　so　sure　as　

the　publisher's　son　with　respect　to　the　principle　of　what　it　

contained；　I　declined　taking　any　more。



'No；　sir；'　said　the　publisher；　adjusting　himself　in　his　chair；　'he　

knows　nothing　about　criticism；　and　will　have　nothing　more　to　do　

with　the　reviewals　than　carrying　about　the　books　to　those　who　have　

to　review　them；　the　real　conductor　of　the　Review　will　be　a　widely　

different　person；　to　whom　I　will；　when　convenient；　introduce　you。　　

And　now　we　will　talk　of　the　matter　which　we　touched　upon　before　

dinner：　　I　told　you　then　that　I　had　changed　my　mind　with　respect　to　

you；　I　have　been　considering　the　state　of　the　market；　sir；　the　book　

market；　and　I　have　come　to　the　conclusion　that；　though　you　might　be　

profitably　employed　upon　evangelical　novels；　you　could　earn　more　

money　for　me；　sir；　and　consequently　for　yourself；　by　a　compilation　

of　Newgate　lives　and　trials。'



'Newgate　lives　and　trials！'



'Yes；　sir；'　said　the　publisher；　'Newgate　lives　and　trials；　and　now；　

sir；　I　will　briefly　state　to　you　the　services　which　I　expect　you　to　

perform；　and　the　terms　which　I　am　willing　to　grant。　　I　expect　you；　

sir；　to　compile　six　volumes　of　Newgate　lives　and　trials；　each　

volume　to　contain　by　no　manner　of　means　less　than　one　thousand　

pages；　the　remuneration　which　you　will　receive　when　the　work　is　

completed　will　be　fifty　pounds；　which　is　likewise　intended　to　cover　

any　expenses　you　may　incur　in　procuring　books；　papers；　and　

manuscripts　necessary　for　the　compilation。　　Such　will　be　one　of　

your　employments；　sir；　…　such　the　terms。　　In　the　second　place；　you　

will　be　expected　to　make　yourself　useful　in　the　Review　…　generally　

useful；　sir　…　doing　whatever　is　required　of　you；　for　it　is　not　

customary；　at　least　with　me；　to　permit　writers；　especially　young　

writers；　to　choose　their　subjects。　　In　these　two　departments；　sir；　

namely　compilation　and　reviewing；　I　had　yesterday；　after　due　

consideration；　determined　upon　employing　you。　　I　had　intended　to　

employ　you　no　farther；　sir　…　at　least　for　the　present；　but；　sir；　

this　morning　I　received　a　letter　from　my　valued　friend　in　the　

country；　in　which　he　speaks　in　terms　of　strong　admiration　（I　don't　

overstate）　of　your　German　acquirements。　　Sir；　he　says　that　it　would　

be　a　thousand　pities　if　your　knowledge　of　the　German　language　

should　be　lost　to　the　world；　or　even　permitted　to　sleep；　and　he　

entreats　me　to　think　of　some　plan　by　which　it　may　be　turned　to　

account。　　Sir；　I　am　at　all　times　willing；　if　possible；　to　oblige　my　

worthy　friend；　and　likewise　to　encourage　merit　and　talent；　I　have；　

therefore；　determined　to　employ　you　in　German。'



'Sir；'　said　I；　rubbing　my　hands；　'you　are　very　kind；　and　so　is　our　

mutual　friend；　I　shall　be　happy　to　make　myself　useful　in　German；　

and　if　you　think　a　good　translation　from　Goethe　…　his　SORROWS　for　

example；　or　more　particularly　his　FAUST　…　'



'Sir；'　said　the　publisher；　'Goethe　is　a　drug；　his　SORROWS　are　a　

drug；　so　is　his　FAUSTUS；　more　especially　the　last；　since　that　fool　

…　rendered　him　into　English。　　No；　sir；　I　do　not　want　you　to　

translate　Goethe　or　anything　belonging　to　him；　nor　do　I　want　you　to　

translate　anything　from　the　German；　what　I　want　you　to　do；　is　to　

translate　into　German。　　I　am　willing　to　encourage　merit；　sir；　and；　

as　my　good　friend　in　his　last　letter　has　spoken　very　highly　of　your　

German　acquirements；　I　have　determined　that　you　shall　translate　my　

book　of　philosophy　into　German。'



'Your　book　of　philosophy　into　German；　sir？'



'Yes；　sir；　my　book　of　philosophy　into　German。　　I　am　not　a　drug；　

sir；　in　Germany　as　Goethe　is　here；　no　more　is　my　book。　　I　intend　to　

print　the　translation　at　Leipzig；　sir；　and　if　it　turns　out　a　

profitable　speculation；　as　I　make　no　doubt　it　will；　provided　the　

translation　be　well　executed；　I　will　make　you　some　remuneration。　　

Sir；　your　remuneration　will　be　determined　by　the　success　of　your　

translation。'



'But；　sir　…　'



'Sir；'　said　the　publisher；　interrupting　me；　'you　have　heard　my　

intentions；　I　consider　that　you　ought　to　feel　yourself　highly　

gratified　by　my　intentions　towards　you；　it　is　not　frequently　that　I　

deal　with　a　writer；　especially　a　young　writer；　as　I　have　done　with　

you。　　And　now；　sir；　permit　me　to　inform　you　that　I　wish　to　be　

alone。　　This　is　Sunday　afternoon；　sir；　I　never　go　to　church；　but　I　

am　in　the　habit　of　spending　part　of　every　Sunday　afternoon　alone　…　

profitably　I　hope；　sir　…　in　musing　on　the　magnificence　of　nature　

and　the　moral　dignity　of　man。'







CHAPTER　XXXIV







The　two　volumes　…　A　young　author　…　Intended　editor　…　Quintilian　…　

Loose　money。



'WHAT　can't　be　cured　must　be　endured；'　and　'it