the complete angler-第14章

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Venator。　On　my　word；　master；　this　is　a　gallant　Trout；　what　shall　we　do　with　him？

Piscator。　Marry；　e　en　eat　him　to　supper：　we'll　go　to　my　hostess　from　whence　we　came；　she　told　me；　as　I　was　going　out　of　door；　that　my　brother　Peter；　a　good　angler　and　a　cheerful　companion；　had　sent　word　he　would　lodge　there　to…night；　and　bring　a　friend　with　him。　My　hostess　has　two　beds；　and　I　know　you　and　I　may　have　the　best：　we'll　rejoice　with　my　brother　Peter　and　his　friend；　tell　tales；　or　sing　ballads；　or　make　a　catch；　or　find　some　harmless　sport　to　content　us；　and　pass　away　a　little　time　without　offence　to　God　or　man。

Venator。　A　match；　good　master；　let's　go　to　that　house；　for　the　linen　looks　white；　and　smells　of　lavender；　and　I　long　to　lie　in　a　pair　of　sheets　that　smell　so。　Let's　be　going；　good　master；　for　I　am　hungry　again　with　fishing。

Piscator。　Nay；　stay　a　little；　good　scholar。　I　caught　my　last　Trout　with　a　worm；　now　I　will　put　on　a　minnow；　and　try　a　quarter　of　an　hour　about　yonder　trees　for　another；　and；　so；　walk　towards　our　lodging。　Look　you；　scholar；　thereabout　we　shall　have　a　bite　presently；　or　not　at　all。　Have　with　you；　Sir：　o'　my　word　I　have　hold　of　him。　Oh！　it　is　a　great　logger…　headed　Chub；　come；　hang　him　upon　that　willow　twig；　and　let's　be　going。　But　turn　out　of　the　way　a　little；　good　scholar！　toward　yonder　high　honeysuckle　hedge；　there　we'll　sit　and　sing　whilst　this　shower　falls　so　gently　upon　the　teeming　earth；　and　gives　yet　a　sweeter　smell　to　the　lovely　flowers　that　adorn　these　verdant　meadows。

Look　！　under　that　broad　beech…tree　I　sat　down；　when　I　was　last　this　way　a…fishing；　and　the　birds　in　the　adjoining　grove　seemed　to　have　a　friendly　contention　with　an　echo；　whose　dead　voice　seemed　to　live　in　a　hollow　tree　near　to　the　brow　of　that　primrose…hill。　There　I　sat　viewing　the　silver　streams　glide　silently　towards　their　centre；　the　tempestuous　sea；　yet　sometimes　opposed　by　rugged　roots　and　pebble…stones；　which　broke　their　waves；　and　turned　them　into　foam；　and　sometimes　I　beguiled　time　by　viewing　the　harmless　lambs；　some　leaping　securely　in　the　cool　shade；　whilst　others　sported　themselves　in　the　cheerful　sun；　and　saw　others　craving　comfort　from　the　swollen　udders　of　their　bleating　dams。　As　I　thus　sat；　these　and　other　sights　had　so　fully　possess　my　soul　with　content；　that　I　thought；　as　the　poet　has　happily　express　it；

I　was　for　that　time　lifted　above　earth：　And　possest　joys　not　promis'd　in　my　birth。

As　I　left　this　place；　and　entered　into　the　next　field；　a　second　pleasure　entertained　me；　'twas　a　handsome　milk…maid；　that　had　not　yet　attained　so　much　age　and　wisdom　as　to　load　her　mind　with　any　fears　of　many　things　that　will　never　be；　as　too　many　men　too　often　do；　but　she　cast　away　all　care；　and　sung　like　a　nightingale。　Her　voice　was　good；　and　the　ditty　fitted　for　it；　it　was　that　smooth　song　which　was　made　by　Kit　Marlow；　now　at　least　fifty　years　ago；　and　the　milk…maid's　mother　sung　an　answer　to　it；　which　was　made　by　Sir　Walter　Raleigh；　in　his　younger　days。　They　were　old…fashioned　poetry；　but　choicely　good；　I　think　much　better　than　the　strong　lines　that　are　now　in　fashion　in　this　critical　age。　Look　yonder！　on　my　word；　yonder；　they　both　be　a…milking　again。　I　will　give　her　the　Chub；　and　persuade　them　to　sing　those　two　songs　to　us。

God　speed　you；　good　woman！　I　have　been　a…fishing；　and　am　going　to　Bleak　Hall　to　my　bed；　and　having　caught　more　fish　than　will　sup　myself　and　my　friend；　I　will　bestow　this　upon　you　and　your　daughter；　for　I　use　to　sell　none。

Milk…woman。　Marry！　God　requite　you；　Sir；　and　we'll　eat　it　cheerfully。　And　if　you　come　this　way　a…fishing　two　months　hence；　a　grace　of　God！　I'll　give　you　a　syllabub　of　new　verjuice；　in　a　new…made　hay…cock；　for　it。　And　my　Maudlin　shall　sing　you　one　of　her　best　ballads；　for　she　and　I　both　love　all　anglers；　they　be　such　honest；　civil；　quiet　men。　In　the　meantime　will　you　drink　a　draught　of　red　cow's　milk　？　you　shall　have　it　freely。

Piscator。　No；　I　thank　you；　but；　I　pray；　do　us　a　courtesy　that　shall　stand　you　and　your　daughter　in　nothing；　and　yet　we　will　think　ourselves　still　something　in　your　debt：　it　is　but　to　sing　us　a　song　that　was　sung　by　your　daughter　when　I　last　passed　over　this　meadow；　about　eight　or　nine　days　since。

Milk…woman。　What　song　was　it；　I　pray？　　Was　it；　〃　Come；　Shepherds；　deck　your　herds　〃　？　or；　〃　As　at　noon　Dulcina　rested　〃　？　or；　〃　Phillida　flouts　me　〃　？　or；　〃　Chevy　Chace　〃　？　or；　〃　Johnny　Armstrong　〃　？　or；　〃　Troy　Town　〃　？

Piscator。　No；　it　is　none　of　those；　it　is　a　Song　that　your　daughter　sung　the　first　part；　and　you　sung　the　answer　to　it。

Milk…woman。　O；　I　know　it　now。　I　learned　the　first　part　in　my　golden　age；　when　I　was　about　the　age　of　my　poor　daughter；　and　the　latter　part；　which　indeed　fits　me　best　now；　but　two　or　three　years　ago；　when　the　cares　of　the　world　began　to　take　hold　of　me：　but　you　shall；　God　willing；　hear　them　both；　and　sung　as　well　as　we　can；　for　we　both　love　anglers。　Come；　Maudlin；　sing　the　first　part　to　the　gentlemen；　with　a　merry　heart；　and　I'll　sing　the　second　when　you　have　done。

The　Milk…maid's　song。

Come　live　with　me；　and　be　my　love；　And　we　will　all　the　pleasures　prove；　That　valleys；　groves；　or　hills；　or　fields；　Or　woods；　and　steepy　mountains　yields；

Where　we　will　sit　upon　the　rocks；　And　see　the　shepherds　feed　our　flocks；　By　shallow　rivers；　to　whose　falls　Melodious　birds　sing　madrigals。

And　I　will　make　thee　beds　of　roses；　And；　then；　a　thousand　fragrant　posies；　A　cap　of　flowers；　and　a　kirtle；　Embroidered　all　with　leaves　of　myrtle；

A　gown　made　of　the　finest　wool　Which　from　our　pretty　lambs　we　pull　Slippers；　lin'd　choicely　for　the　cold；　With　buckles　of　the　purest　gold；

A　belt　of　straw　and　ivy…buds；　With　coral　clasps；　and　amber　studs。　And　if　these　pleasures　may　thee　move；　Come；　live　with　me；　and　be　my　love；

Thy　silver　dishes；　for　thy　meat　As　precious　as　the　Gods　do　eat　Shall；　on　an　ivory　table；　be　Prepared　each　day　for　thee　and　me。

The　shepherd　swains　shall　dance　and　sing　For　thy　delight；　each　May　morning。　If　these　delights　thy　mind　may　move；　Then　live　with　me；　and　be　my　love。

Venator。　Trust　me；　master；　it　is　a　choice　song；　and　sweetly　sung　by　honest　Maudlin。　I　now　see　it　was　not　without　cause　that　our　good　queen　Elizabeth　did　so　often　wish　herself　a　milk…maid　all　the　month　of　May；　because　they　are　not　troubled　with　fears　and　cares；　but　sing　sweetly　all　the　day；　and　sleep　securely　all　the　night：　and　without　doubt；　honest；　innocent；　pretty　Maudlin　does　so。　I'll　bestow　Sir　Thomas　Overbury's　milk…maid's　wish　upon　her；　〃that　she　may　die　in　the　Spring；　and；　being　dead；　may　have　good　store　of　flowers　stuck　round　about　her　winding…　sheet　〃　。

The　Milk…maid's　mother's　answer

If　all　the　world　and　love　were　young　And　truth　in　every　shepherd's　tongue；　These　pretty　pleasures　might　me　move　To　live　with　thee；　and　be　thy　love。

But　Time　drives　flocks　from　field　to　fold。　When　rivers　rage；　and　rocks　grow　cold　Then　Philomel　becometh　dumb　And　age　complains　of　cares　to　come。

The　flowers　do　fade；　and　wanton　fields　To　wayward　winter　reckoning　yields。　A　honey　tongue；　a　heart　of　gall；　Is　fancy's　spring　but　sorrow's　fall。

Thy　gowns；　thy　shoes；　thy　beds　of　roses；　Thy　cap；　thy　kirtle；　and　thy　posies；　Soon　break；　soon　wither；　soon　forgotten；　In　folly　rise。　in　reason　rotten。

Thy　belt　of　straw；　and　ivy　buds；　Thy　coral　clasps；　and　amber　studs；　All　these　in　me　no　means　can　move　To　come　to　thee；　and　be　thy　love。

What　should　we　talk　of　dainties；　then；　Of　better　meat　than's　fit　for　men　？　These　are　but　vain：　that's　only　good　Which　God　hath　blessed　and　sent　for　food。

But　could　youth　last；　and　love　still　breed；　Had　joys　no　date；　nor　age　no　need；　Then　those　delights　my　mind　might　move　To　live　with　thee；　and　be　thy　love。

Mother。　Well！　I　have　done　my　song。　But　stay；　honest　anglers；　for　I　will　make　Maudlin　sing　you　one　short　song　more。　Maudlin　！　sing　that　song　that　you　sung　last　night；　when　young　Coridon　the　shepherd　played　so　purely　on　his　oaten　pipe　to　you　and　your　cousin　Betty。

Maudlin。　I　will；　mother。

I　married　a　wife　of　late；　The　more's　my　unhappy　fate：　I　married　her　for　love；　As　my　fancy　did　me　move；　And　not　for　a　worldly　estate：

But　oh！　the　green　sickness　Soon　changed　her　likeness；　And　all　her　beauty　did　fail。　B