lavengro-第93章

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the　newspaper　to　the　ground；　then　stooping　down　he　picked　it　up；　

first　moving　his　forefinger　along　the　floor；　seemingly　slightly　

scratching　it　with　his　nail。



'Do　you　hope；　sir；'　said　I；　'by　that　ceremony　with　the　finger　to　

preserve　yourself　from　the　evil　chance？'



The　stranger　started；　then；　after　looking　at　me　for　some　time　in　

silence；　he　said；　'Is　it　possible　that　you　…　？'



'Ay；　ay；'　said　I；　helping　myself　to　some　more　of　the　round；　'I　have　

touched　myself　in　my　younger　days；　both　for　the　evil　chance　and　the　

good。　　Can't　say；　though；　that　I　ever　trusted　much　in　the　

ceremony。'



The　stranger　made　no　reply；　but　appeared　to　be　in　deep　thought；　

nothing　farther　passed　between　us　until　I　had　concluded　the　dinner；　

when　I　said　to　him；　'I　shall　now　be　most　happy；　sir；　to　have　the　

pleasure　of　your　conversation　over　a　pint　of　wine。'



The　stranger　rose；　'No；　my　young　friend；'　said　he；　smiling；　'that　

would　scarce　be　fair。　　It　is　my　turn　now　…　pray　do　me　the　favour　to　

go　home　with　me；　and　accept　what　hospitality　my　poor　roof　can　

offer；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　I　wish　to　have　some　particular　

discourse　with　you　which　would　hardly　be　possible　in　this　place。　　

As　for　wine；　I　can　give　you　some　much　better　than　you　can　get　here：　　

the　landlord　is　an　excellent　fellow；　but　he　is　an　innkeeper　after　

all。　　I　am　going　out　for　a　moment；　and　will　send　him　in；　so　that　

you　may　settle　your　account；　I　trust　you　will　not　refuse　me；　I　only　

live　about　two　miles　from　here。'



I　looked　in　the　face　of　the　stranger　…　it　was　a　fine　intelligent　

face；　with　a　cast　of　melancholy　in　it。　　'Sir；'　said　I；　'I　would　go　

with　you　though　you　lived　four　miles　instead　of　two。'



'Who　is　that　gentleman？'　said　I　to　the　landlord；　after　I　had　

settled　his　bill；　'I　am　going　home　with　him。'



'I　wish　I　were　going　too；'　said　the　fat　landlord；　laying　his　hand　

upon　his　stomach。　　'Young　gentleman；　I　shall　be　a　loser　by　his　

honour's　taking　you　away；　but；　after　all；　the　truth　is　the　truth　…　

there　are　few　gentlemen　in　these　parts　like　his　honour；　either　for　

learning　or　welcoming　his　friends。　　Young　gentleman；　I　congratulate　

you。'







CHAPTER　LXIV







New　acquaintance　…　Old　French　style　…　The　portrait　…　Taciturnity　…　

The　evergreen　tree　…　The　dark　hour　…　The　flash　…　Ancestors　…　A　

fortunate　man　…　A　posthumous　child　…　Antagonist　ideas　…　The　hawks　…　

Flaws　…　The　pony　…　Irresistible　impulse　…　Favourable　crisis　…　The　

topmost　branch　…　Twenty　feet　…　Heartily　ashamed。



I　FOUND　the　stranger　awaiting　me　at　the　door　of　the　inn。　　'Like　

yourself；　I　am　fond　of　walking；'　said　he；　'and　when　any　little　

business　calls　me　to　this　place　I　generally　come　on　foot。'



We　were　soon　out　of　the　town；　and　in　a　very　beautiful　country。　　

After　proceeding　some　distance　on　the　high…road；　we　turned　off；　and　

were　presently　in　one　of　those　mazes　of　lanes　for　which　England　is　

famous；　the　stranger　at　first　seemed　inclined　to　be　taciturn；　a　few　

observations；　however；　which　I　made　appeared　to　rouse　him；　and　he　

soon　exhibited　not　only　considerable　powers　of　conversation；　but　

stores　of　information　which　surprised　me。　　So　pleased　did　I　become　

with　my　new　acquaintance　that　I　soon　ceased　to　pay　the　slightest　

attention　either　to　place　or　distance。　　At　length　the　stranger　was　

silent；　and　I　perceived　that　we　had　arrived　at　a　handsome　iron　gate　

and　a　lodge；　the　stranger　having　rung　a　bell；　the　gate　was　opened　

by　an　old　man；　and　we　proceeded　along　a　gravel　path；　which　in　about　

five　minutes　brought　us　to　a　large　brick　house；　built　something　in　

the　old　French　style；　having　a　spacious　lawn　before　it；　and　

immediately　in　front　a　pond　in　which　were　golden　fish；　and　in　the　

middle　a　stone　swan　discharging　quantities　of　water　from　its　bill。　　

We　ascended　a　spacious　flight　of　steps　to　the　door；　which　was　at　

once　flung　open；　and　two　servants　with　powdered　hair　and　in　livery　

of　blue　plush　came　out　and　stood　one　on　either　side　as　we　passed　

the　threshold。　　We　entered　a　large　hall；　and　the　stranger；　taking　

me　by　the　hand；　welcomed　me　to　his　poor　home；　as　he　called　it；　and　

then　gave　orders　to　another　servant；　but　out　of　livery；　to　show　me　

to　an　apartment；　and　give　me　whatever　assistance　I　might　require　in　

my　toilet。　　Notwithstanding　the　plea　as　to　primitive　habits　which　I　

had　lately　made　to　my　other　host　in　the　town；　I　offered　no　

objection　to　this　arrangement；　but　followed　the　bowing　domestic　to　

a　spacious　and　airy　chamber；　where　he　rendered　me　all　those　little　

nameless　offices　which　the　somewhat　neglected　state　of　my　dress　

required。　　When　everything　had　been　completed　to　my　perfect　

satisfaction；　he　told　me　that　if　I　pleased　he　would　conduct　me　to　

the　library；　where　dinner　would　be　speedily　served。



In　the　library　I　found　a　table　laid　for　two；　my　host　was　not　there；　

having　as　I　supposed　not　been　quite　so　speedy　with　his　toilet　as　

his　guest。　　Left　alone；　I　looked　round　the　apartment　with　inquiring　

eyes；　it　was　long　and　tolerably　lofty；　the　walls　from　the　top　to　

the　bottom　were　lined　with　cases　containing　books　of　all　sizes　and　

bindings；　there　was　a　globe　or　two；　a　couch；　and　an　easy…chair。　　

Statues　and　busts　there　were　none；　and　only　one　painting；　a　

portrait；　that　of　my　host；　but　not　him　of　the　mansion。　　Over　the　

mantelpiece；　the　features　staringly　like；　but　so　ridiculously　

exaggerated　that　they　scarcely　resembled　those　of　a　human　being；　

daubed　evidently　by　the　hand　of　the　commonest　sign…artist；　hung　a　

half…length　portrait　of　him　of　round　of　beef　celebrity　…　my　sturdy　

host　of　the　town。



I　had　been　in　the　library　about　ten　minutes；　amusing　myself　as　I　

best　could；　when　my　friend　entered；　he　seemed　to　have　resumed　his　

taciturnity　…　scarce　a　word　escaped　his　lips　till　dinner　was　

served；　when　he　said；　smiling；　'I　suppose　it　would　be　merely　a　

compliment　to　ask　you　to　partake？'



'I　don't　know；'　said　I；　seating　myself；　'your　first　course　consists　

of　troutlets；　I　am　fond　of　troutlets；　and　I　always　like　to　be　

companionable。'



The　dinner　was　excellent；　though　I　did　but　little　justice　to　it　

from　the　circumstance　of　having　already　dined；　the　stranger　also；　

though　without　my　excuse；　partook　but　slightly　of　the　good　cheer；　

he　still　continued　taciturn；　and　appeared　lost　in　thought；　and　

every　attempt　which　I　made　to　induce　him　to　converse　was　signally　

unsuccessful。



And　now　dinner　was　removed；　and　we　sat　over　our　wine；　and　I　

remember　that　the　wine　was　good；　and　fully　justified　the　encomiums　

of　my　host　of　the　town。　　Over　the　wine　I　made　sure　that　my　

entertainer　would　have　loosened　the　chain　which　seemed　to　tie　his　

tongue　…　but　no！　　I　endeavoured　to　tempt　him　by　various　topics；　and　

talked　of　geometry　and　the　use　of　the　globes；　of　the　heavenly　


sphere；　and　the　star　Jupiter；　which　I　said　I　had　heard　was　a　very　

large　star；　also　of　the　evergreen　tree；　which；　according　to　Olaus；　

stood　of　old　before　the　heathen　temple　of　Upsal；　and　which　I　

affirmed　was　a　yew　…　but　no；　nothing　that　I　said　could　induce　my　

entertainer　to　relax　his　taciturnity。



It　grew　dark；　and　I　became　uncomfortable。　　'I　must　presently　be　

going；'　I　at　last　exclaimed。



At　these　words　he　gave　a　sudden　start；　'Going；'　said　he；　'are　you　

not　my　guest；　and　an　honoured　one？'



'You　know　best；'　said　I；　'but　I　was　apprehensive　I　was　an　intruder；　

to　several　of　my　questions　you　have　returned　no　answer。'



'Ten　thousand　pardons！'　he　exclaimed；　seizing　me　by　the　hand；　'but　

you　cannot　go　now；　I　have　much　to　talk　to　you　about　…　there　is　one　

thing　in　particular　…　'



'If　it　be　the　evergreen　tree　at　Upsal；'　said　I；　interrupting　him；　

'I　hold　it　to　have　been　a　yew　…　what　else？　　The　evergreens　of　the　

south；　as　the　old　bishop　observes；　will　not　grow　in　the　north；　and　

a　pine　was　unfitted　for　such　a　locality；　being　a　vulgar　tree。　　What　

else　could　it　have　been　but　the　yew　…　the　sacred　yew　which　our　

ancest