50 bab ballads-第13章

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But　vainly。　　So　these　fishy　males

Declared　they　too　would　clothe　their　tails

In　silken　hose　and　smalls。



They　set　to　work；　these　water…men；

And　made　their　nether　robes　…　but　when

They　drew　with　dainty　touch

The　kerseymere　upon　their　tails；

They　found　it　scraped　against　their　scales；

And　hurt　them　very　much。



The　silk；　besides；　with　which　they　chose

To　deck　their　tails　by　way　of　hose

（They　never　thought　of　shoon）；

For　such　a　use　was　much　too　thin；　…

It　tore　against　the　caudal　fin；

And　〃went　in　ladders〃　soon。



So　they　designed　another　plan：

They　sent　their　most　seductive　man

This　note　to　him　to　show　…

〃Our　Monarch　sends　to　CAPTAIN　CLEGGS

His　humble　compliments；　and　begs

He'll　join　him　down　below；



〃We've　pleasant　homes　below　the　sea　…

Besides；　if　CAPTAIN　CLEGGS　should　be

（As　our　advices　say）

A　judge　of　Mermaids；　he　will　find

Our　lady…fish　of　every　kind

Inspection　will　repay。〃



Good　CAPEL　sent　a　kind　reply；

For　CAPEL　thought　he　could　descry

An　admirable　plan

To　study　all　their　ways　and　laws　…

（But　not　their　lady…fish；　because

He　was　a　married　man）。



The　Merman　sank　…　the　Captain　too

Jumped　overboard；　and　dropped　from　view

Like　stone　from　catapult；

And　when　he　reached　the　Merman's　lair；

He　certainly　was　welcomed　there；

But；　ah！　with　what　result？



They　didn't　let　him　learn　their　law；

Or　make　a　note　of　what　he　saw；

Or　interesting　mem。：

The　lady…fish　he　couldn't　find；

But　that；　of　course；　he　didn't　mind　…

He　didn't　come　for　them。



For　though；　when　CAPTAIN　CAPEL　sank；

The　Mermen　drawn　in　double　rank

Gave　him　a　hearty　hail；

Yet　when　secure　of　CAPTAIN　CLEGGS；

They　cut　off　both　his　lovely　legs；

And　gave　him　SUCH　a　tail！



When　CAPTAIN　CLEGGS　returned　aboard；

His　blithesome　crew　convulsive　roar'd；

To　see　him　altered　so。

The　Admiralty　did　insist

That　he　upon　the　Half…pay　List

Immediately　should　go。



In　vain　declared　the　poor　old　salt；

〃It's　my　misfortune　…　not　my　fault；〃

With　tear　and　trembling　lip　…

In　vain　poor　CAPEL　begged　and　begged。

〃A　man　must　be　completely　legged

Who　rules　a　British　ship。〃



So　spake　the　stern　First　Lord　aloud　…

He　was　a　wag；　though　very　proud；

And　much　rejoiced　to　say；

〃You're　only　half　a　captain　now　…

And　so；　my　worthy　friend；　I　vow

You'll　only　get　half…pay！〃







Ballad：　ANNIE　PROTHEROE。　　A　LEGEND　OF　STRATFORD…LE…BOW。







OH！　listen　to　the　tale　of　little　ANNIE　PROTHEROE。

She　kept　a　small　post…office　in　the　neighbourhood　of　BOW；

She　loved　a　skilled　mechanic；　who　was　famous　in　his　day　…

A　gentle　executioner　whose　name　was　GILBERT　CLAY。



I　think　I　hear　you　say；　〃A　dreadful　subject　for　your　rhymes！〃

O　reader；　do　not　shrink　…　he　didn't　live　in　modern　times！

He　lived　so　long　ago　（the　sketch　will　show　it　at　a　glance）

That　all　his　actions　glitter　with　the　lime…light　of　Romance。



In　busy　times　he　laboured　at　his　gentle　craft　all　day　…

〃No　doubt　you　mean　his　Cal…craft；〃　you　amusingly　will　say　…

But；　no　…　he　didn't　operate　with　common　bits　of　string；

He　was　a　Public　Headsman；　which　is　quite　another　thing。



And　when　his　work　was　over；　they　would　ramble　o'er　the　lea；

And　sit　beneath　the　frondage　of　an　elderberry　tree；

And　ANNIE'S　simple　prattle　entertained　him　on　his　walk；

For　public　executions　formed　the　subject　of　her　talk。



And　sometimes　he'd　explain　to　her；　which　charmed　her　very　much；

How　famous　operators　vary　very　much　in　touch；

And　then；　perhaps；　he'd　show　how　he　himself　performed　the　trick；

And　illustrate　his　meaning　with　a　poppy　and　a　stick。



Or；　if　it　rained；　the　little　maid　would　stop　at　home；　and　look

At　his　favourable　notices；　all　pasted　in　a　book；

And　then　her　cheek　would　flush　…　her　swimming　eyes　would　dance　with　

joy

In　a　glow　of　admiration　at　the　prowess　of　her　boy。



One　summer　eve；　at　supper…time；　the　gentle　GILBERT　said

（As　he　helped　his　pretty　ANNIE　to　a　slice　of　collared　head）；

〃This　reminds　me　I　must　settle　on　the　next　ensuing　day

The　hash　of　that　unmitigated　villain　PETER　GRAY。〃



He　saw　his　ANNIE　tremble　and　he　saw　his　ANNIE　start；

Her　changing　colour　trumpeted　the　flutter　at　her　heart；

Young　GILBERT'S　manly　bosom　rose　and　sank　with　jealous　fear；

And　he　said；　〃O　gentle　ANNIE；　what's　the　meaning　of　this　here？〃



And　ANNIE　answered；　blushing　in　an　interesting　way；

〃You　think；　no　doubt；　I'm　sighing　for　that　felon　PETER　GRAY：

That　I　was　his　young　woman　is　unquestionably　true；

But　not　since　I　began　a…keeping　company　with　you。〃



Then　GILBERT；　who　was　irritable；　rose　and　loudly　swore

He'd　know　the　reason　why　if　she　refused　to　tell　him　more；

And　she　answered　（all　the　woman　in　her　flashing　from　her　eyes）

〃You　mustn't　ask　no　questions；　and　you　won't　be　told　no　lies！



〃Few　lovers　have　the　privilege　enjoyed；　my　dear；　by　you；

Of　chopping　off　a　rival's　head　and　quartering　him　too！

Of　vengeance；　dear；　to…morrow　you　will　surely　take　your　fill！〃

And　GILBERT　ground　his　molars　as　he　answered　her；　〃I　will！〃



Young　GILBERT　rose　from　table　with　a　stern　determined　look；

And；　frowning；　took　an　inexpensive　hatchet　from　its　hook；

And　ANNIE　watched　his　movements　with　an　interested　air　…

For　the　morrow　…　for　the　morrow　he　was　going　to　prepare！



He　chipped　it　with　a　hammer　and　he　chopped　it　with　a　bill；

He　poured　sulphuric　acid　on　the　edge　of　it；　until

This　terrible　Avenger　of　the　Majesty　of　Law

Was　far　less　like　a　hatchet　than　a　dissipated　saw。



And　ANNIE　said；　〃O　GILBERT；　dear；　I　do　not　understand

Why　ever　you　are　injuring　that　hatchet　in　your　hand？'

He　said；　〃It　is　intended　for　to　lacerate　and　flay

The　neck　of　that　unmitigated　villain　PETER　GRAY！〃



〃Now；　GILBERT；〃　ANNIE　answered；　〃wicked　headsman；　just　beware　…

I　won't　have　PETER　tortured　with　that　horrible　affair；

If　you　appear　with　that；　you　may　depend　you'll　rue　the　day。〃

But　GILBERT　said；　〃Oh；　shall　I？〃　which　was　just　his　nasty　way。



He　saw　a　look　of　anger　from　her　eyes　distinctly　dart；

For　ANNIE　was　a　woman；　and　had　pity　in　her　heart！

She　wished　him　a　good　evening　…　he　answered　with　a　glare；

She　only　said；　〃Remember；　for　your　ANNIE　will　be　there！〃



*　*　*　*　*　*　*　*



The　morrow　GILBERT　boldly　on　the　scaffold　took　his　stand；

With　a　vizor　on　his　face　and　with　a　hatchet　in　his　hand；

And　all　the　people　noticed　that　the　Engine　of　the　Law

Was　far　less　like　a　hatchet　than　a　dissipated　saw。



The　felon　very　coolly　loosed　his　collar　and　his　stock；

And　placed　his　wicked　head　upon　the　handy　little　block。

The　hatchet　was　uplifted　for　to　settle　PETER　GRAY；

When　GILBERT　plainly　heard　a　woman's　voice　exclaiming；　〃Stay！〃



'Twas　ANNIE；　gentle　ANNIE；　as　you'll　easily　believe。

〃O　GILBERT；　you　must　spare　him；　for　I　bring　him　a　reprieve；

It　came　from　our　Home　Secretary　many　weeks　ago；

And　passed　through　that　post…office　which　I　used　to　keep　at　Bow。



〃I　loved　you；　loved　you　madly；　and　you　know　it；　GILBERT　CLAY；

And　as　I'd　quite　surrendered　all　idea　of　PETER　GRAY；

I　quietly　suppressed　it；　as　you'll　clearly　understand；

For　I　thought　it　might　be　awkward　if　he　came　and　claimed　my　hand。



〃In　anger　at　my　secret　（which　I　could　not　tell　before）；

To　lacerate　poor　PETER　GRAY　vindictively　you　swore；

I　told　you　if　you　used　that　blunted　axe　you'd　rue　the　day；

And　so　you　will；　young　GILBERT；　for　I'll　marry　PETER　GRAY！〃



＇AND　SO　SHE　DID。







Ballad：　AN　UNFORTUNATE　LIKENESS。







I'VE　painted　SHAKESPEARE　all　my　life　…

〃An　infant〃　（even　then　at　〃play〃！）

〃A　boy；〃　with　stage…ambition　rife；

Then　〃Married　to　ANN　HATHAWAY。〃



〃The　bard's　first　ticket　night〃　（or　〃ben。〃）；

His　〃First　appearance　on　the　stage；〃

His　〃Call　before　the　curtain〃　…　then

〃Rejoicings　when　he　came　of　age。〃



The　bard　play…writing　in　his　room；

The　bard　a　humble　lawyer's　clerk。

The　bard　a　lawyer　（3）　…　parson　（4）　…　groom　（5）　…

The　bard　deer…stealing；　after　dark。



The　bard　a　tradesman　（6）　…　and　a　Jew　（7）　…

The　bard　a　botanist