mudfog+-第21章

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touching　instance　of　an　old　lion；　of　high　moral　dignity　and　stern

principle；　who　felt　it　his　imperative　duty　to　devour　a　young　man

who　had　contracted　a　habit　of　swearing；　as　a　striking　example　to

the　rising　generation。



All　this　is　extremely　pleasant　to　reflect　upon；　and；　indeed；　says　a

very　great　deal　in　favour　of　lions　as　a　mass。　　We　are　bound　to

state；　however；　that　such　individual　lions　as　we　have　happened　to

fall　in　with　have　not　put　forth　any　very　striking　characteristics；

and　have　not　acted　up　to　the　chivalrous　character　assigned　them　by

their　chroniclers。　　We　never　saw　a　lion　in　what　is　called　his

natural　state；　certainly；　that　is　to　say；　we　have　never　met　a　lion

out　walking　in　a　forest；　or　crouching　in　his　lair　under　a　tropical

sun；　waiting　till　his　dinner　should　happen　to　come　by；　hot　from　the

baker's。　　But　we　have　seen　some　under　the　influence　of　captivity；

and　the　pressure　of　misfortune；　and　we　must　say　that　they　appeared

to　us　very　apathetic；　heavy…headed　fellows。



The　lion　at　the　Zoological　Gardens；　for　instance。　　He　is　all　very

well；　he　has　an　undeniable　mane；　and　looks　very　fierce；　but；　Lord

bless　us！　what　of　that？　　The　lions　of　the　fashionable　world　look

just　as　ferocious；　and　are　the　most　harmless　creatures　breathing。

A　box…lobby　lion　or　a　Regent…street　animal　will　put　on　a　most

terrible　aspect；　and　roar；　fearfully；　if　you　affront　him；　but　he

will　never　bite；　and；　if　you　offer　to　attack　him　manfully；　will

fairly　turn　tail　and　sneak　off。　　Doubtless　these　creatures　roam

about　sometimes　in　herds；　and；　if　they　meet　any　especially　meek…

looking　and　peaceably…disposed　fellow；　will　endeavour　to　frighten

him；　but　the　faintest　show　of　a　vigorous　resistance　is　sufficient

to　scare　them　even　then。　　These　are　pleasant　characteristics；

whereas　we　make　it　matter　of　distinct　charge　against　the　Zoological

lion　and　his　brethren　at　the　fairs；　that　they　are　sleepy；　dreamy；

sluggish　quadrupeds。



We　do　not　remember　to　have　ever　seen　one　of　them　perfectly　awake；

except　at　feeding…time。　　In　every　respect　we　uphold　the　biped　lions

against　their　four…footed　namesakes；　and　we　boldly　challenge

controversy　upon　the　subject。



With　these　opinions　it　may　be　easily　imagined　that　our　curiosity

and　interest　were　very　much　excited　the　other　day；　when　a　lady　of

our　acquaintance　called　on　us　and　resolutely　declined　to　accept　our

refusal　of　her　invitation　to　an　evening　party；　'for；'　said　she；　'I

have　got　a　lion　coming。'　　We　at　once　retracted　our　plea　of　a　prior

engagement；　and　became　as　anxious　to　go；　as　we　had　previously　been

to　stay　away。



We　went　early；　and　posted　ourselves　in　an　eligible　part　of　the

drawing…room；　from　whence　we　could　hope　to　obtain　a　full　view　of

the　interesting　animal。　　Two　or　three　hours　passed；　the　quadrilles

began；　the　room　filled；　but　no　lion　appeared。　　The　lady　of　the

house　became　inconsolable；　…　for　it　is　one　of　the　peculiar

privileges　of　these　lions　to　make　solemn　appointments　and　never

keep　them；　…　when　all　of　a　sudden　there　came　a　tremendous　double

rap　at　the　street…door；　and　the　master　of　the　house；　after　gliding

out　（unobserved　as　he　flattered　himself）　to　peep　over　the

banisters；　came　into　the　room；　rubbing　his　hands　together　with

great　glee；　and　cried　out　in　a　very　important　voice；　'My　dear；　Mr。

…　（naming　the　lion）　has　this　moment　arrived。'



Upon　this；　all　eyes　were　turned　towards　the　door；　and　we　observed

several　young　ladies；　who　had　been　laughing　and　conversing

previously　with　great　gaiety　and　good　humour；　grow　extremely　quiet

and　sentimental；　while　some　young　gentlemen；　who　had　been　cutting

great　figures　in　the　facetious　and　small…talk　way；　suddenly　sank

very　obviously　in　the　estimation　of　the　company；　and　were　looked

upon　with　great　coldness　and　indifference。　　Even　the　young　man　who

had　been　ordered　from　the　music　shop　to　play　the　pianoforte　was

visibly　affected；　and　struck　several　false　notes　in　the　excess　of

his　excitement。



All　this　time　there　was　a　great　talking　outside；　more　than　once

accompanied　by　a　loud　laugh；　and　a　cry　of　'Oh！　capital！　excellent！'

from　which　we　inferred　that　the　lion　was　jocose；　and　that　these

exclamations　were　occasioned　by　the　transports　of　his　keeper　and

our　host。　　Nor　were　we　deceived；　for　when　the　lion　at　last

appeared；　we　overheard　his　keeper；　who　was　a　little　prim　man；

whisper　to　several　gentlemen　of　his　acquaintance；　with　uplifted

hands；　and　every　expression　of　half…suppressed　admiration；　that　…

（naming　the　lion　again）　was　in　SUCH　cue　to…night！



The　lion　was　a　literary　one。　　Of　course；　there　were　a　vast　number

of　people　present　who　had　admired　his　roarings；　and　were　anxious　to

be　introduced　to　him；　and　very　pleasant　it　was　to　see　them　brought

up　for　the　purpose；　and　to　observe　the　patient　dignity　with　which

he　received　all　their　patting　and　caressing。　　This　brought　forcibly

to　our　mind　what　we　had　so　often　witnessed　at　country　fairs；　where

the　other　lions　are　compelled　to　go　through　as　many　forms　of

courtesy　as　they　chance　to　be　acquainted　with；　just　as　often　as

admiring　parties　happen　to　drop　in　upon　them。



While　the　lion　was　exhibiting　in　this　way；　his　keeper　was　not　idle；

for　he　mingled　among　the　crowd；　and　spread　his　praises　most

industriously。　　To　one　gentleman　he　whispered　some　very　choice

thing　that　the　noble　animal　had　said　in　the　very　act　of　coming　up…

stairs；　which；　of　course；　rendered　the　mental　effort　still　more

astonishing；　to　another　he　murmured　a　hasty　account　of　a　grand

dinner　that　had　taken　place　the　day　before；　where　twenty…seven

gentlemen　had　got　up　all　at　once　to　demand　an　extra　cheer　for　the

lion；　and　to　the　ladies　he　made　sundry　promises　of　interceding　to

procure　the　majestic　brute's　sign…manual　for　their　albums。　　Then；

there　were　little　private　consultations　in　different　corners；

relative　to　the　personal　appearance　and　stature　of　the　lion；

whether　he　was　shorter　than　they　had　expected　to　see　him；　or

taller；　or　thinner；　or　fatter；　or　younger；　or　older；　whether　he　was

like　his　portrait；　or　unlike　it；　and　whether　the　particular　shade

of　his　eyes　was　black；　or　blue；　or　hazel；　or　green；　or　yellow；　or

mixture。　　At　all　these　consultations　the　keeper　assisted；　and；　in

short；　the　lion　was　the　sole　and　single　subject　of　discussion　till

they　sat　him　down　to　whist；　and　then　the　people　relapsed　into　their

old　topics　of　conversation　…　themselves　and　each　other。



We　must　confess　that　we　looked　forward　with　no　slight　impatience　to

the　announcement　of　supper；　for　if　you　wish　to　see　a　tame　lion

under　particularly　favourable　circumstances；　feeding…time　is　the

period　of　all　others　to　pitch　upon。　　We　were　therefore　very　much

delighted　to　observe　a　sensation　among　the　guests；　which　we　well

knew　how　to　interpret；　and　immediately　afterwards　to　behold　the

lion　escorting　the　lady　of　the　house　down…stairs。　　We　offered　our

arm　to　an　elderly　female　of　our　acquaintance；　who　…　dear　old　soul！

…　is　the　very　best　person　that　ever　lived；　to　lead　down　to　any

meal；　for；　be　the　room　ever　so　small；　or　the　party　ever　so　large；

she　is　sure；　by　some　intuitive　perception　of　the　eligible；　to　push

and　pull　herself　and　conductor　close　to　the　best　dishes　on　the

table；　…　we　say　we　offered　our　arm　to　this　elderly　female；　and；

descending　the　stairs　shortly　after　the　lion；　were　fortunate　enough

to　obtain　a　seat　nearly　opposite　him。



Of　course　the　keeper　was　there　already。　　He　had　planted　himself　at

precisely　that　distance　from　his　charge　which　afforded　him　a　decent

pretext　for　raising　his　voice；　when　he　addressed　him；　to　so　loud　a

key；　as　could　not　fail　to　attract　the　attention　of　the　whole

company；　and　immediately　began　to　apply　himself　seriously　to　the

task　of　bringing　the　lion　out；　and　putting　him　through　the　whole　of

his　manoeuvres。　　Such　flashes　of　wit　as　he　elicited　from　the　lion！

First　of　all；　they　began　to　make　puns　upon　a　salt…cellar；　and　then

upon　the　breast　of　a　fowl；　and　then　upon　the　trifle；　but