lay morals-第49章
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I take。〃 So; dash my buttons; I call that man a man!' cried Sam in cordial admiration。
'Well; and then?' says Mr。 Archer。
'Then;' resumed Sam; 'that old fat fagot Engleton; him as held the ribbons and drew up like a lamb when he was told to; picks up his cattle; and drives off again。 Down they came to the 〃Dragon;〃 all singing like as if they was scalded; and poor Tom saying nothing。 You would 'a' thought they had all lost the King's crown to hear them。 Down gets this Dicksee。 〃Postmaster;〃 he says; taking him by the arm; 〃this is a most abominable thing;〃 he says。 Down gets a Major Clayton; and gets the old man by the other arm。 〃We've been robbed;〃 he cries; 〃robbed!〃 Down gets the others; and all around the old man telling their story; and what they had lost; and how they was all as good as ruined; till at last Old Engleton says; says he; 〃How about Oglethorpe?〃 says he。 〃Ay;〃 says the others; 〃how about the guard?〃 Well; with that we bousted him down; as white as a rag and all blooded like a sop。 I thought he was dead。 Well; he ain't dead; but he's dying; I fancy。'
'Did you say four watches?' said Jonathan。
'Four; I think。 I wish it had been forty;' cried Sam。 'Such a party of soused herrings I never did see … not a man among them bar poor Tom。 But us that are the servants on the road have all the risk and none of the profit。'
'And this brave fellow;' asked Mr。 Archer; very quietly; 'this Oglethorpe … how is he now?'
'Well; sir; with my respects; I take it he has a hole bang through him;' said Sam。 'The doctor hasn't been yet。 He'd 'a' been bright and early if it had been a passenger。 But; doctor or no; I'll make a good guess that Tom won't see to… morrow。 He'll die on a Sunday; will poor Tom; and they do say that's fortunate。'
'Did Tom see him that did it?' asked Jonathan。
'Well; he saw him;' replied Sam; 'but not to swear by。 Said he was a very tall man; and very big; and had a 'ankerchief about his face; and a very quick shot; and sat his horse like a thorough gentleman; as he is。'
'A gentleman!' cried Nance。 'The dirty knave!'
'Well; I calls a man like that a gentleman;' returned the ostler; 'that's what I mean by a gentleman。'
'You don't know much of them; then;' said Nance。
'A gentleman would scorn to stoop to such a thing。 I call my uncle a better gentleman than any thief。'
'And you would be right;' said Mr。 Archer。
'How many snuff…boxes did he get?' asked Jonathan。
'O; dang me if I know;' said Sam; 'I didn't take an inventory。'
'I will go back with you; if you please;' said Mr。 Archer。 'I should like to see poor Oglethorpe。 He has behaved well。'
'At your service; sir;' said Sam; jumping to his feet。 'I dare to say a gentleman like you would not forget a poor fellow like Tom … no; nor a plain man like me; sir; that went without his sleep to nurse him。 And excuse me; sir;' added Sam; 'you won't forget about the letter neither?'
'Surely not;' said Mr。 Archer。
Oglethorpe lay in a low bed; one of several in a long garret of the inn。 The rain soaked in places through the roof and fell in minute drops; there was but one small window; the beds were occupied by servants; the air of the garret was both close and chilly。 Mr。 Archer's heart sank at the threshold to see a man lying perhaps mortally hurt in so poor a sick…room; and as he drew near the low bed he took his hat off。 The guard was a big; blowsy; innocent…looking soul with a thick lip and a broad nose; comically turned up; his cheeks were crimson; and when Mr。 Archer laid a finger on his brow he found him burning with fever。
'I fear you suffer much;' he said; with a catch in his voice; as he sat down on the bedside。
'I suppose I do; sir;' returned Oglethorpe; 'it is main sore。'
'I am used to wounds and wounded men;' returned the visitor。 'I have been in the wars and nursed brave fellows before now; and; if you will suffer me; I propose to stay beside you till the doctor comes。'
'It is very good of you; sir; I am sure;' said Oglethorpe。 'The trouble is they won't none of them let me drink。'
'If you will not tell the doctor;' said Mr。 Archer; 'I will give you some water。 They say it is bad for a green wound; but in the Low Countries we all drank water when we found the chance; and I could never perceive we were the worse for it。'
'Been wounded yourself; sir; perhaps?' called Oglethorpe。
'Twice;' said Mr。 Archer; 'and was as proud of these hurts as any lady of her bracelets。 'Tis a fine thing to smart for one's duty; even in the pangs of it there is contentment。'
'Ah; well!' replied the guard; 'if you've been shot yourself; that explains。 But as for contentment; why; sir; you see; it smarts; as you say。 And then; I have a good wife; you see; and a bit of a brat … a little thing; so high。'
'Don't move;' said Mr。 Archer。
'No; sir; I will not; and thank you kindly;' said Oglethorpe。 'At York they are。 A very good lass is my wife … far too good for me。 And the little rascal … well; I don't know how to say it; but he sort of comes round you。 If I were to go; sir; it would be hard on my poor girl … main hard on her!'
'Ay; you must feel bitter hardly to the rogue that laid you here;' said Archer。
'Why; no; sir; more against Engleton and the passengers;' replied the guard。 'He played his hand; if you come to look at it; and I wish he had shot worse; or me better。 And yet I'll go to my grave but what I covered him;' he cried。 'It looks like witchcraft。 I'll go to my grave but what he was drove full of slugs like a pepper…box。'
'Quietly;' said Mr。 Archer; 'you must not excite yourself。 These deceptions are very usual in war; the eye; in the moment of alert; is hardly to be trusted; and when the smoke blows away you see the man you fired at; taking aim; it may be; at yourself。 You should observe; too; that you were in the dark night; and somewhat dazzled by the lamps; and that the sudden stopping of the mail had jolted you。 In such circumstances a man may miss; ay; even with a blunder…buss; and no blame attach to his marksmanship。' 。 。 。
THE YOUNG CHEVALIER PROLOGUE … THE WINE…SELLER'S WIFE
THERE was a wine…seller's shop; as you went down to the river in the city of the Anti…popes。 There a man was served with good wine of the country and plain country fare; and the place being clean and quiet; with a prospect on the river; certain gentlemen who dwelt in that city in attendance on a great personage made it a practice (when they had any silver in their purses) to come and eat there and be private。
They called the wine…seller Paradou。 He was built more like a bullock than a man; huge in bone and brawn; high in colour; and with a hand like a baby for size。 Marie…Madeleine was the name of his wife; she was of Marseilles; a city of entrancing women; nor was any fairer than herself。 She was tall; being almost of a height with Paradou; full…girdled; point…device in every form; with an exquisite delicacy in the face; her nose and nostrils a delight to look at from the fineness of the sculpture; her eyes inclined a hair's…breadth inward; her colour between dark and fair; and laid on even like a flower's。 A faint rose dwelt in it; as though she had been found unawares bathing; and had blushed from head to foot。 She was of a grave countenance; rarely smiling; yet it seemed to be written upon every part of her that she rejoiced in life。 Her husband loved the heels of her feet and the knuckles of her fingers; he loved her like a glutton and a brute; his love hung about her like an atmosphere; one that came by chance into the wine…shop was aware of that passion; and it might be said that by the strength of it the woman had been drugged or spell…bound。 She knew not if she loved or loathed him; he was always in her eyes like something monstrous … monstrous in his love; monstrous in his person; horrific but imposing in his violence; and her sentiment swung back and forward from desire to sickness。 But the mean; where it dwelt chiefly; was an apathetic fascination; partly of horror; as of Europa in mid ocean with her bull。
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