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第4章

the hunting of the snark-第4章

小说: the hunting of the snark 字数: 每页4000字

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〃In one moment I've seen what has hitherto been



     Enveloped in absolute mystery;



And without extra charge I will give you at large



     A Lesson in Natural History。〃







In his genial way he proceeded to say



     (Forgetting all laws of propriety;



And that giving instruction; without introduction;



     Would have caused quite a thrill in Society);







〃As to temper the Jubjub's a desperate bird;



     Since it lives in perpetual passion:



Its taste in costume is entirely absurd



     It is ages ahead of the fashion:







〃But it knows any friend it has met once before:



     It never will look at a bride:



And in charity…meetings it stands at the door;



     And collectsthough it does not subscribe。







〃 Its flavor when cooked is more exquisite far



     Than mutton; or oysters; or eggs:



(Some think it keeps best in an ivory jar;



     And some; in mahogany kegs:)







〃You boil it in sawdust: you salt it in glue:



     You condense it with locusts and tape:



Still keeping one principal object in view



     To preserve its symmetrical shape。〃







The Butcher would gladly have talked till next day;



     But he felt that the lesson must end;



And he wept with delight in attempting to say



     He considered the Beaver his friend。







While the Beaver confessed; with affectionate looks



     More eloquent even than tears;



It had learned in ten minutes far more than all books



     Would have taught it in seventy years。







They returned hand…in…hand; and the Bellman; unmanned



     (For a moment) with noble emotion;



Said 〃This amply repays all the wearisome days



     We have spent on the billowy ocean!〃







Such friends; as the Beaver and Butcher became;



     Have seldom if ever been known;



In winter or summer; 'twas always the same



     You could never meet either alone。







And when quarrels aroseas one frequently finds



     Quarrels will; spite of every endeavor



The song of the Jubjub recurred to their minds;



     And cemented their friendship for ever!















                 Fit the Sixth







             THE BARRISTER'S DREAM











They sought it with thimbles; they sought it with care;



     They pursued it with forks and hope;



They threatened its life with a railway…share;



     They charmed it with smiles and soap。







But the Barrister; weary of proving in vain



     That the Beaver's lace…making was wrong;



Fell asleep; and in dreams saw the creature quite plain



     That his fancy had dwelt on so long。







He dreamed that he stood in a shadowy Court;



     Where the Snark; with a glass in its eye;



Dressed in gown; bands; and wig; was defending a pig



     On the charge of deserting its sty。







The Witnesses proved; without error or flaw;



     That the sty was deserted when found:



And the Judge kept explaining the state of the law



     In a soft under…current of sound。







The indictment had never been clearly expressed;



     And it seemed that the Snark had begun;



And had spoken three hours; before any one guessed



     What the pig was supposed to have done。







The Jury had each formed a different view



     (Long before the indictment was read);



And they all spoke at once; so that none of them knew



     One word that the others had said。







〃You must know …〃 said the Judge: but the Snark exclaimed 〃Fudge!〃



     That statute is obsolete quite!



Let me tell you; my friends; the whole question depends



     On an ancient manorial right。







〃In the matter of Treason the pig would appear



     To have aided; but scarcely abetted:



While the charge of Insolvency fails; it is clear;



     If you grant the plea 'never indebted。'







〃The fact of Desertion I will not dispute;



     But its guilt; as I trust; is removed



(So far as related to the costs of this suit)



     By the Alibi which has been proved。







〃My poor client's fate now depends on you votes。〃



     Here the speaker sat down in his place;



And directed the Judge to refer to his notes



     And briefly to sum up the case。







But the Judge said he never had summed up before;



     So the Snark undertook it instead;



And summed it so well that it came to far more



     Than the Witnesses ever had said!







When the verdict was called for; the Jury declined;



     As the word was so puzzling to spell;



But they ventured to hope that the Snark wouldn't mind



     Undertaking that duty as well。







So the Snark found the verdict; although; as it owned;



     It was spent with the toils of the day:



When it said the word 〃GUILTY!〃 the Jury all groaned;



     And some of them fainted away。







Then the Snark pronounced sentence; the Judge being quite



     Too nervous to utter a word:



When it rose to its feet; there was silence like night;



     And the fall of a pin might be heard。







〃Transportation for life〃 was the sentence it gave;



     〃And *then* to be fined forty pound。〃



The Jury all cheered; though the Judge said he feared



     That the phrase was not legally sound。







But their wild exultation was suddenly checked



     When the jailer informed them; with tears;



Such a sentence would have not the slightest effect;



     As the pig had been dead for some years。







The Judge left the Court; looking deeply disgusted:



     But the Snark; though a little aghast;



As the lawyer to whom the defense was entrusted;



     Went bellowing on to the last。







Thus the Barrister dreamed; while the bellowing seemed



     To grow every moment more clear:



Till he woke to the knell of a furious bell;



     Which the Bellman rang close at his ear。















                Fit the Seventh







               THE BANKER'S FATE











They sought it with thimbles; they sought it with care;



     They pursued it with forks and hope;



They threatened its life with a railway…share;



     They charmed it with smiles and soap。







And the Banker; inspired with a courage so new



     It was matter for general remark;



Rushed madly ahead and was lost to their view



     In his zeal to discover the Snark







But while he was seeking with thimbles and care;



     A Bandersnatch swiftly drew nigh



And grabbed at the Banker; who shrieked in despair;



     For he knew it was useless to fly。







He offered large discounthe offered a check



     (Drawn 〃to bearer〃) for seven…pounds…ten:



But the Bandersnatch merely extended its neck



     And grabbed at the Banker again。







Without rest or pausewhile those frumious jaws



     Went savagely snapping around…



He skipped and he hopped; and he floundered and flopped;



     Till fainting he fell to the ground。







The Bandersnatch fled as the others appeared



     Led on by that fear…stricken yell:



And the Bellman remarked 〃It is just as I feared!〃



     And solemnly tolled on his bell。







He was black in the face; and they scarcely could trace



     The least likeness to what he had been:



While so great was his fright that his waistcoat turned white…



     A wonderful thing to be seen!







To the horror of all who were present that day。



     He uprose in full evening dress;



And with senseless grimaces endeavored to say



     What his tongue could no longer express。




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