burlesques-第6章

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cap。〃



〃That　is　the　Lord　Codlingsby；〃　the　landlord　said。



〃A　light　weight；　but　a　pretty　fighter；〃　Mendoza　remarked。　　〃Well

hit　with　your　left；　Lord　Codlingsby；　well　parried；　Lord　Codlingsby；

claret　drawn；　by　Jupiter！〃



〃Ours　is　werry　fine；〃　the　landlord　said。　　〃Will　your　Highness　have

Chateau　Margaux　or　Lafitte？〃



〃He　never　can　be　going　to　match　himself　against　that　bargeman！〃

Rafael　exclaimed；　as　an　enormous　boatmanno　other　than　Rullock

indeed；　the　most　famous　bruiser　of　Cambridge；　and　before　whose

fists　the　Gownsmen　went　down　like　ninepinsfought　his　way　up　to

the　spot　where；　with　admirable　spirit　and　resolution；　Lord

Codlingsby　and　one　or　two　of　his　friends　were　making　head　against　a

number　of　the　town。



The　young　noble　faced　the　huge　champion　with　the　gallantry　of　his

race；　but　was　no　match　for　the　enemy's　strength　and　weight　and

sinew；　and　went　down　at　every　round。　　The　brutal　fellow　had　no

mercy　on　the　lad。　　His　savage　treatment　chafed　Mendoza　as　he　viewed

the　unequal　combat　from　the　inn…window。　　〃Hold　your　hand！〃　he　cried

to　this　Goliath；　〃don't　you　see　he's　but　a　boy？〃



〃Down　he　goes　again！〃　the　bargeman　cried；　not　heeding　the

interruption。　　〃Down　he　goes　again：　I　likes　wapping　a　lord！〃



〃Coward！〃　shouted　Mendoza；　and　to　fling　open　the　window　amidst　a

shower　of　brickbats；　to　vault　over　the　balcony；　to　slide　down　one

of　the　pillars　to　the　ground；　was　an　instant's　work。



At　the　next　he　stood　before　the　enormous　bargeman。



　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　。　　　　　　。



After　the　coroner's　inquest；　Mendoza　gave　ten　thousand　pounds　to

each　of　the　bargeman's　ten　children；　and　it　was　thus　his　first

acquaintance　was　formed　with　Lord　Codlingsby。



But　we　are　lingering　on　the　threshold　of　the　house　in　Holywell

Street。　　Let　us　go　in。





III。





Godfrey　and　Rafael　passed　from　the　street　into　the　outer　shop　of

the　old　mansion　in　Holywell　Street。　　It　was　a　masquerade　warehouse

to　all　appearance。　　A　dark…eyed　damsel　of　the　nation　was　standing

at　the　dark　and　grimy　counter；　strewed　with　old　feathers；　old

yellow　hoots；　old　stage　mantles；　painted　masks；　blind　and　yet

gazing　at　you　with　a　look　of　sad　death…like　intelligence　from　the

vacancy　behind　their　sockets。



A　medical　student　was　trying　one　of　the　doublets　of　orange…tawny

and　silver；　slashed　with　dirty　light　blue。　　He　was　going　to　a

masquerade　that　night。　　He　thought　Polly　Pattens　would　admire　him

in　the　dressPolly　Pattens；　the　fairest　of　maids…of…all…workthe

Borough　Venus；　adored　by　half　the　youth　of　Guy's。



〃You　look　like　a　prince　in　it；　Mr。　Lint；〃　pretty　Rachel　said；

coaxing　him　with　her　beady　black　eyes。



〃It　IS　the　cheese；〃　replied　Mr。　Lint；　〃it　ain't　the　dress　that

don't　suit；　my　rose　of　Sharon；　it's　the　FIGURE。　　Hullo；　Rafael；　is

that　you；　my　lad　of　sealing…wax？　　Come　and　intercede　for　me　with

this　wild　gazelle；　she　says　I　can't　have　it　under　fifteen　bob　for

the　night。　　And　it's　too　much：　cuss　me　if　it's　not　too　much；　unless

you'll　take　my　little　bill　at　two　months；　Rafael。〃



〃There's　a　sweet　pretty　brigand's　dress　you　may　have　for　half　de

monish；〃　Rafael　replied；　〃there's　a　splendid　clown　for　eight　bob；

but　for　dat　Spanish　dress；　selp　ma　Moshesh；　Mistraer　Lint；　ve'd　ask

a　guinea　of　any　but　you。　　Here's　a　gentlemansh　just　come　to　look　at

it。　　Look　'ear；　Mr。　Brownsh；　did　you　ever　shee　a　nisher　ting　dan

dat？〃　　So　saying；　Rafael　turned　to　Lord　Codlingsby　with　the　utmost

gravity；　and　displayed　to　him　the　garment　about　which　the　young

medicus　was　haggling。



〃Cheap　at　the　money；〃　Codlingsby　replied；　〃if　you　won't　make　up

your　mind；　sir；　I　should　like　to　engage　it　myself。〃　　But　the

thought　that　another　should　appear　before　Polly　Pattens　in　that

costume　was　too　much　for　Mr。　Lint；　he　agreed　to　pay　the　fifteen

shillings　for　the　garment。　　And　Rafael；　pocketing　the　money　with

perfect　simplicity；　said；　〃Dis　vay；　Mr。　Brownsh：　dere's　someting

vill　shoot　you　in　the　next　shop。〃



Lord　Codlingsby　followed　him；　wondering。



〃You　are　surprised　at　our　system；〃　said　Rafael；　marking　the　evident

bewilderment　of　his　friend。　　〃Confess　you　would　call　it　meanness

my　huckstering　with　yonder　young　fool。　　I　call　it　simplicity。　　Why

throw　away　a　shilling　without　need？　　Our　race　never　did。　　A

shilling　is　four　men's　bread：　shall　I　disdain　to　defile　my　fingers

by　holding　them　out　relief　in　their　necessity？　　It　is　you　who　are

meanyou　Normansnot　we　of　the　ancient　race。　　You　have　your

vulgar　measurement　for　great　things　and　small。　　You　call　a　thousand

pounds　respectable；　and　a　shekel　despicable。　　Psha；　my　Codlingsby！

One　is　as　the　other。　　I　trade　in　pennies　and　in　millions。　　I　am

above　or　below　neither。〃



They　were　passing　through　a　second　shop；　smelling　strongly　of

cedar；　and；　in　fact；　piled　up　with　bales　of　those　pencils　which　the

young　Hebrews　are　in　the　habit　of　vending　through　the　streets。　　〃I

have　sold　bundles　and　bundles　of　these；〃　said　Rafael。　　〃My　little

brother　is　now　out　with　oranges　in　Piccadilly。　　I　am　bringing　him

up　to　be　head　of　our　house　at　Amsterdam。　　We　all　do　it。　　I　had

myself　to　see　Rothschild　in　Eaton　Place　this　morning；　about　the

Irish　loan；　of　which　I　have　taken　three　millions：　and　as　I　wanted

to　walk；　I　carried　the　bag。



〃You　should　have　seen　the　astonishment　of　Lauda　Latymer；　the

Archbishop　of　Croydon's　daughter；　as　she　was　passing　St。　Bennet's；

Knightsbridge；　and　as　she　fancied　she　recognized　in　the　man　who　was

crying　old　clothes　the　gentleman　with　whom　she　had　talked　at　the

Count　de　St。　Aulair's　the　night　before。〃　　Something　like　a　blush

flushed　over　the　pale　features　of　Mendoza　as　he　mentioned　the　Lady

Lauda's　name。　　〃Come　on；〃　said　he。　　They　passed　through　various

warehousesthe　orange　room；　the　sealing…wax　room；　the　six…bladed

knife　department；　and　finally　came　to　an　old　baize　door。　　Rafael

opened　the　baize　door　by　some　secret　contrivance；　and　they　were　in

a　black　passage；　with　a　curtain　at　the　end。



He　clapped　his　hands；　the　curtain　at　the　end　of　the　passage　drew

back；　and　a　flood　of　golden　light　streamed　on　the　Hebrew　and　his

visitor。





CHAPTER　XXIV。





They　entered　a　moderate…sized　apartmentindeed；　Holywell　Street　is

not　above　a　hundred　yards　long；　and　this　chamber　was　not　more　than

half　that　lengthit　was　fitted　up　with　the　simple　taste　of　its

owner。



The　carpet　was　of　white　velvet（laid　over　several　webs　of　Aubusson；

Ispahan；　and　Axminster；　so　that　your　foot　gave　no　more　sound　as　it

trod　upon　the　yielding　plain　than　the　shadow　did　which　followed

you）of　white　velvet；　painted　with　flowers；　arabesques；　and　classic

figures；　by　Sir　William　Ross；　J。　M。　W。　Turner；　R。　A。；　Mrs。　Mee；　and

Paul　Delaroche。　　The　edges　were　wrought　with　seed…pearls；　and

fringed　with　Valenciennes　lace　and　bullion。　　The　walls　were　hung

with　cloth　of　silver；　embroidered　with　gold　figures；　over　which　were

worked　pomegranates；　polyanthuses；　and　passion…flowers；　in　ruby；

amethyst；　and　smaragd。　　The　drops　of　dew　which　the　artificer　had

sprinkled　on　the　flowers　were　diamonds。　　The　hangings　were　overhung

by　pictures　yet　more　costly。　　Giorgione　the　gorgeous；　Titian　the

golden；　Rubens　the　ruddy　and　pulpy　（the　Pan　of　Painting）；　some　of

Murillo's　beatified　shepherdesses；　who　smile　on　you　out　of　darkness

like　a　star；　a　few　score　first…class　Leonardos；　and　fifty　of　the

master…pieces　of　the　patron　of　Julius　and　Leo；　the　Imperial　genius

of　Urbino；　covered　the　walls　of　the　little　chamber。　　Divans　of　carved

amber　covered　with　ermine　went　round　the　room；　and　in　the　midst　was

a　fountain；　pattering　and　babbling　with　jets　of　double…distilled

otto　of　roses。



〃Pipes；　Goliath！〃　Rafael　said　gayly　to　a　little　negro　with　a　silver

collar　（he　spoke　to　him　in　his　native　tongue　of　Dongola）；　and

welcome　to　our　snuggery；　my　Codlingsby。　　We　are　quieter　here　than

in　the　front　of　the　house；　and　I　wanted　to　show　you　a　picture。　　I'm

proud　of　my　pictures。　　That　Leonar