the uncommercial traveller-第32章

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been　black；　is　more　selfish　and　insolent　than　even　the　savage

tramp。　　He　would　sponge　on　the　poorest　boy　for　a　farthing；　and

spurn　him　when　he　had　got　it；　he　would　interpose　（if　he　could　get

anything　by　it）　between　the　baby　and　the　mother's　breast。　　So　much

lower　than　the　company　he　keeps；　for　his　maudlin　assumption　of

being　higher；　this　pitiless　rascal　blights　the　summer　road　as　he

maunders　on　between　the　luxuriant　hedges；　where　（to　my　thinking）

even　the　wild　convolvulus　and　rose　and　sweet…briar；　are　the　worse

for　his　going　by；　and　need　time　to　recover　from　the　taint　of　him　in

the　air。



The　young　fellows　who　trudge　along　barefoot；　five　or　six　together；

their　boots　slung　over　their　shoulders；　their　shabby　bundles　under

their　arms；　their　sticks　newly　cut　from　some　roadside　wood；　are　not

eminently　prepossessing；　but　are　much　less　objectionable。　　There　is

a　tramp…fellowship　among　them。　　They　pick　one　another　up　at　resting

stations；　and　go　on　in　companies。　　They　always　go　at　a　fast　swing　…

though　they　generally　limp　too　…　and　there　is　invariably　one　of　the

company　who　has　much　ado　to　keep　up　with　the　rest。　　They　generally

talk　about　horses；　and　any　other　means　of　locomotion　than　walking：

or；　one　of　the　company　relates　some　recent　experiences　of　the　road

…　which　are　always　disputes　and　difficulties。　　As　for　example。　　'So

as　I'm　a　standing　at　the　pump　in　the　market；　blest　if　there　don't

come　up　a　Beadle；　and　he　ses；　〃Mustn't　stand　here；〃　he　ses。　　〃Why

not？〃　I　ses。　　〃No　beggars　allowed　in　this　town；〃　he　ses。　　〃Who's　a

beggar？〃　I　ses。　　〃You　are；〃　he　ses。　　〃Who　ever　see　ME　beg？　　Did

YOU？〃　I　ses。　　〃Then　you're　a　tramp；〃　he　ses。　　〃I'd　rather　be　that

than　a　Beadle；〃　I　ses。'　　（The　company　express　great　approval。）

'〃Would　you？〃　he　ses　to　me。　　〃Yes；　I　would；〃　I　ses　to　him。　　〃Well；〃

he　ses；　〃anyhow；　get　out　of　this　town。〃　　〃Why；　blow　your　little

town！〃　I　ses；　〃who　wants　to　be　in　it？　　Wot　does　your　dirty　little

town　mean　by　comin'　and　stickin'　itself　in　the　road　to　anywhere？

Why　don't　you　get　a　shovel　and　a　barrer；　and　clear　your　town　out　o'

people's　way？〃'　　（The　company　expressing　the　highest　approval　and

laughing　aloud；　they　all　go　down　the　hill。）



Then；　there　are　the　tramp　handicraft　men。　　Are　they　not　all　over

England；　in　this　Midsummer　time？　　Where　does　the　lark　sing；　the

corn　grow；　the　mill　turn；　the　river　run；　and　they　are　not　among　the

lights　and　shadows；　tinkering；　chair…mending；　umbrella…mending；

clock…mending；　knife…grinding？　　Surely；　a　pleasant　thing；　if　we

were　in　that　condition　of　life；　to　grind　our　way　through　Kent；

Sussex；　and　Surrey。　　For　the　worst　six　weeks　or　so；　we　should　see

the　sparks　we　ground　off；　fiery　bright　against　a　background　of

green　wheat　and　green　leaves。　　A　little　later；　and　the　ripe　harvest

would　pale　our　sparks　from　red　to　yellow；　until　we　got　the　dark

newly…turned　land　for　a　background　again；　and　they　were　red　once

more。　　By　that　time；　we　should　have　ground　our　way　to　the　sea

cliffs；　and　the　whirr　of　our　wheel　would　be　lost　in　the　breaking　of

the　waves。　　Our　next　variety　in　sparks　would　be　derived　from

contrast　with　the　gorgeous　medley　of　colours　in　the　autumn　woods；

and；　by　the　time　we　had　ground　our　way　round　to　the　heathy　lands

between　Reigate　and　Croydon；　doing　a　prosperous　stroke　of　business

all　along；　we　should　show　like　a　little　firework　in　the　light

frosty　air；　and　be　the　next　best　thing　to　the　blacksmith's　forge。

Very　agreeable；　too；　to　go　on　a　chair…mending　tour。　　What　judges　we

should　be　of　rushes；　and　how　knowingly　（with　a　sheaf　and　a

bottomless　chair　at　our　back）　we　should　lounge　on　bridges；　looking

over　at　osier…beds！　　Among　all　the　innumerable　occupations　that

cannot　possibly　be　transacted　without　the　assistance　of　lookers…on；

chair…mending　may　take　a　station　in　the　first　rank。　　When　we　sat

down　with　our　backs　against　the　barn　or　the　public…house；　and　began

to　mend；　what　a　sense　of　popularity　would　grow　upon　us！　　When　all

the　children　came　to　look　at　us；　and　the　tailor；　and　the　general

dealer；　and　the　farmer　who　had　been　giving　a　small　order　at　the

little　saddler's；　and　the　groom　from　the　great　house；　and　the

publican；　and　even　the　two　skittle…players　（and　here　note　that；

howsoever　busy　all　the　rest　of　village　human…kind　may　be；　there

will　always　be　two　people　with　leisure　to　play　at　skittles；

wherever　village　skittles　are）；　what　encouragement　would　be　on　us

to　plait　and　weave！　　No　one　looks　at　us　while　we　plait　and　weave

these　words。　　Clock…mending　again。　　Except　for　the　slight

inconvenience　of　carrying　a　clock　under　our　arm；　and　the　monotony

of　making　the　bell　go；　whenever　we　came　to　a　human　habitation；　what

a　pleasant　privilege　to　give　a　voice　to　the　dumb　cottage…clock；　and

set　it　talking　to　the　cottage　family　again！　　Likewise　we　foresee

great　interest　in　going　round　by　the　park　plantations；　under　the

overhanging　boughs　（hares；　rabbits；　partridges；　and　pheasants；

scudding　like　mad　across　and　across　the　chequered　ground　before

us）；　and　so　over　the　park　ladder；　and　through　the　wood；　until　we

came　to　the　Keeper's　lodge。　　Then；　would；　the　Keeper　be

discoverable　at　his　door；　in　a　deep　nest　of　leaves；　smoking　his

pipe。　　Then；　on　our　accosting　him　in　the　way　of　our　trade；　would　he

call　to　Mrs。　Keeper；　respecting　't'ould　clock'　in　the　kitchen。

Then；　would　Mrs。　Keeper　ask　us　into　the　lodge；　and　on　due

examination　we　should　offer　to　make　a　good　job　of　it　for

eighteenpence；　which　offer；　being　accepted；　would　set　us　tinkling

and　clinking　among　the　chubby；　awe…struck　little　Keepers　for　an

hour　and　more。　　So　completely　to　the　family's　satisfaction　would　we

achieve　our　work；　that　the　Keeper　would　mention　how　that　there　was

something　wrong　with　the　bell　of　the　turret　stable…clock　up　at　the

Hall；　and　that　if　we　thought　good　of　going　up　to　the　housekeeper　on

the　chance　of　that　job　too；　why　he　would　take　us。　　Then；　should　we

go；　among　the　branching　oaks　and　the　deep　fern；　by　silent　ways　of

mystery　known　to　the　Keeper；　seeing　the　herd　glancing　here　and

there　as　we　went　along；　until　we　came　to　the　old　Hall；　solemn　and

grand。　　Under　the　Terrace　Flower　Garden；　and　round　by　the　stables；

would　the　Keeper　take　us　in；　and　as　we　passed　we　should　observe　how

spacious　and　stately　the　stables；　and　how　fine　the　painting　of　the

horses'　names　over　their　stalls；　and　how　solitary　all：　　the　family

being　in　London。　　Then；　should　we　find　ourselves　presented　to　the

housekeeper；　sitting；　in　hushed　state；　at　needlework；　in　a　bay…

window　looking　out　upon　a　mighty　grim　red…brick　quadrangle；　guarded

by　stone　lions　disrespectfully　throwing　somersaults　over　the

escutcheons　of　the　noble　family。　　Then；　our　services　accepted　and

we　insinuated　with　a　candle　into　the　stable…turret；　we　should　find

it　to　be　a　mere　question　of　pendulum；　but　one　that　would　hold　us

until　dark。　　Then；　should　we　fall　to　work；　with　a　general

impression　of　Ghosts　being　about；　and　of　pictures　indoors　that　of　a

certainty　came　out　of　their　frames　and　'walked；'　if　the　family

would　only　own　it。　　Then；　should　we　work　and　work；　until　the　day

gradually　turned　to　dusk；　and　even　until　the　dusk　gradually　turned

to　dark。　　Our　task　at　length　accomplished；　we　should　be　taken　into

an　enormous　servants'　hall；　and　there　regaled　with　beef　and　bread；

and　powerful　ale。　　Then；　paid　freely；　we　should　be　at　liberty　to

go；　and　should　be　told　by　a　pointing　helper　to　keep　round　over

yinder　by　the　blasted　ash；　and　so　straight　through　the　woods；　till

we　should　see　the　town…lights　right　afore　us。　　Then；　feeling

lonesome；　should　we　desire　upon　the　whole；　that　the　ash　had　not

been　blasted；　or　that　the　helper　had　had　the　manners　not　to　mention

it。　　However；　we　should　keep　on；　all　right；　till　suddenly　the

stable　bell　would　strike　ten　in　the　dolefullest　way；　quite　chilling

our　blood；　though　we　had　so　lately　taught　him　how　to　acquit

himself。　　Then；　as　we　went　on；　should　we　recall　old　stories；　and

dimly　consider　what　it　would　be　most　advisable