wild wales-第38章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
features； and was dressed in ragged coat and breeches and a hat
which had lost part of its crown； and all its rim； so that even
without a game leg he would have looked rather a queer figure。 In
his hand he carried a fiddle。
〃Good morning to you；〃 said I。
〃A good morning to your hanner； a merry afternoon and a roaring；
joyous evening … that is the worst luck I wish to ye。〃
〃Are you a native of these parts？〃 said I。
〃Not exactly； your hanner … I am a native of the city of Dublin；
or； what's all the same thing； of the village of Donnybrook； which
is close by it。〃
〃A celebrated place；〃 said I。
〃Your hanner may say that； all the world has heard of Donnybrook；
owing to the humours of its fair。 Many is the merry tune I have
played to the boys at that fair。〃
〃You are a professor of music； I suppose？〃
〃And not a very bad one； as your hanner will say； if you allow me
to play you a tune。〃
〃Can you play Croppies Lie Down？〃
〃I cannot； your hanner； my fingers never learnt to play such a
blackguard tune； but if you wish to hear Croppies Get Up I can
oblige ye。〃
〃You are a Roman Catholic； I suppose？〃
〃I am not； your hanner … I am a Catholic to the back…bone； just
like my father before me。 Come； your hanner； shall I play ye
Croppies Get Up？〃
〃No；〃 said I； 〃it's a tune that doesn't please my ears。 If；
however； you choose to play Croppies Lie Down； I'll give you a
shilling。〃
〃Your hanner will give me a shilling？〃
〃Yes；〃 said I； 〃if you play Croppies Lie Down； but you know you
cannot play it； your fingers never learned the tune。〃
〃They never did； your hanner； but they have heard it played of ould
by the blackguard Orange fiddlers of Dublin on the first of July；
when the Protestant boys used to walk round Willie's statue on
College Green … so if your hanner gives me the shilling； they may
perhaps bring out something like it。〃
〃Very good；〃 said I； 〃begin！〃
〃But； your hanner； what shall we do for the words？ though my
fingers may remember the tune my tongue does not remember the words
… that is unless 。 。 。〃
〃I give another shilling；〃 said I； 〃but never mind you the words； I
know the words； and will repeat them。〃
〃And your hanner will give me a shilling？〃
〃If you play the tune；〃 said I。
〃Hanner bright； your hanner？〃
〃Honour bright；〃 said I。
Thereupon the fiddler taking his bow and shouldering his fiddle；
struck up in first…rate style the glorious tune； which I had so
often heard with rapture in the days of my boyhood in the barrack…
yard of Clonmel； whilst I； walking by his side as he stumped along；
caused the welkin to resound with the words； which were the delight
of the young gentlemen of the Protestant academy of that beautiful
old town。
〃I never heard those words before；〃 said the fiddler； after I had
finished the first stanza。
〃Get on with you；〃 said I。
〃Regular Orange words！〃 said the fiddler； on my finishing the
second stanza。
〃Do you choose to get on？〃 said I。
〃More blackguard Orange words I never heard！〃 cried the fiddler； on
my coming to the conclusion of the third stanza。 〃Divil a bit
farther will I play； at any rate till I get the shilling。〃
〃Here it is for you；〃 said I； 〃the song is ended； and； of course；
the tune。〃
〃Thank your hanner；〃 said the fiddler； taking the money； 〃your
hanner has kept your word with me； which is more than I thought
your hanner would。 And now your hanner let me ask you why did your
hanner wish for that tune； which is not only a blackguard one but
quite out of date； and where did your hanner get the words？〃
〃I used to hear the tune in my boyish days；〃 said I； 〃and wished to
hear it again； for though you call it a blackguard tune； it is the
sweetest and most noble air that Ireland； the land of music； has
ever produced。 As for the words； never mind where I got them； they
are violent enough； but not half so violent as the words of some of
the songs made against the Irish Protestants by the priests。〃
〃Your hanner is an Orange man； I see。 Well； your hanner； the
Orange is now in the kennel； and the Croppies have it all their own
way。〃
〃And perhaps；〃 said I； 〃before I die； the Orange will be out of the
kennel and the Croppies in； even as they were in my young days。〃
〃Who knows； your hanner？ and who knows that I may not play the old
tune round Willie's image in College Green； even as I used some
twenty…seven years ago？〃
〃Oh then you have been an Orange fiddler？〃
〃I have； your hanner。 And now as your hanner has behaved like a
gentleman to me I will tell ye all my history。 I was born in the
city of Dublin； that is in the village of Donnybrook； as I tould
your hanner before。 It was to the trade of bricklaying I was bred；
and bricklaying I followed till at last； getting my leg smashed；
not by falling off the ladder； but by a row in the fair； I was
obliged to give it up； for how could I run up the ladder with a
patten on my foot； which they put on to make my broken leg as long
as the other。 Well your hanner； being obliged to give up my
bricklaying； I took to fiddling； to which I had always a natural
inclination； and played about the streets； and at fairs； and wakes；
and weddings。 At length some Orange men getting acquainted with
me； and liking my style of playing； invited me to their lodge；
where they gave me to drink and tould me that if I would change my
religion； and join them； and play their tunes； they would make it
answer my purpose。 Well； your hanner； without much stickling I
gave up my Popery； joined the Orange lodge； learned the Orange
tunes； and became a regular Protestant boy； and truly the Orange
men kept their word； and made it answer my purpose。 Oh the meat
and drink I got； and the money I made by playing at the Orange
lodges and before the processions when the Orange men paraded the
streets with their Orange colours。 And oh； what a day for me was
the glorious first of July when with my whole body covered with
Orange ribbons； I fiddled Croppies Lie Down； Boyne Water； and the
Protestant Boys before the procession which walked round Willie's
figure on horseback in College Green； the man and horse all ablaze
with Orange colours。 But nothing lasts under the sun； as your
hanner knows； Orangeism began to go down； the Government scowled at
it； and at last passed a law preventing the Protestant boys
dressing up the figure on the first of July； and walking round it。
That was the death…blow of the Orange party； your hanner； they
never recovered it； but began to despond and dwindle； and I with
them； for there was scarcely any demand for Orange tunes。 Then Dan
O'Connell arose with his emancipation and repale cries； and then
instead of Orange processions and walkings； there were Papist
processions and mobs； which made me afraid to stir out； lest
knowing me for an Orange fiddler； they should break my head； as the
boys broke my leg at Donnybrook fair。 At length some of the
repalers and emancipators knowing that I was a first…rate hand at
fiddling came to me and tould me； that if I would give over playing
Croppies Lie Down and other Orange tunes； and would play Croppies
Get Up； and what not； and become a Catholic and a repaler； and an
emancipator； they would make a man of me … so as my Orange trade
was gone； and I was half…starved； I consinted； not however till
they had introduced me to Daniel O'Connell； who called me a cridit
to my country； and the Irish Horpheus； and promised me a sovereign
if I would consint to join the cause； as he called it。 Well； your
hanner； I joined with the cause and became a Papist； I mane a
Catholic once more； and went at the head of processions covered all
over with green ribbons； playing Croppies Get Up； Granny Whale； and
the like。 But； your hanner； though I went the whole hog with the
repalers and emancipators； they did not make their words good by
making a man of me。 Scant and sparing were they in the mate and
drink； and yet more sparing in the money； and Daniel O'Connell
never gave me the sovereign which he promised me。 No； your hanner；
though I played Croppies Get Up；
