armadale-第76章

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character；　seize　on　a　supplementary　fork；　and　ply　that　useful
instrument　incessantly　between　the　choicest　morsels　in　the　whole
round　of　dishes；　and　the　few　vacant　places　left　available　on　the
Reverend　Samuel's　plate。　〃Don't　laugh　at　my　son；〃　cried　the　old
lady；　observing　the　merriment　which　her　proceedings　produced
among　the　company。　〃It's　my　fault；　poor　dear_I_　make　him　eat！〃
And　there　are　men　in　this　world　who；　seeing　virtues　such　as　these
developed　at　the　table；　as　they　are　developed　nowhere　else；　can；
nevertheless；　rank　the　glorious　privilege　of　dining　with　the
smallest　of　the　diurnal　personal　worries　which　necessity　imposes
on　mankindwith　buttoning　your　waistcoat；　for　example；　or　lacing
your　stays！　Trust　no　such　monster　as　this　with　your　tender
secrets；　your　loves　and　hatreds；　your　hopes　and　fears。　His　heart
is　uncorrected　by　his　stomach；　and　the　social　virtues　are　not　in
him。

The　last　mellow　hours　of　the　day　and　the　first　cool　breezes　of
the　long　summer　evening　had　met　before　the　dishes　were　all　laid
waste；　and　the　bottles　as　empty　as　bottles　should　be。　This　point
in　the　proceedings　attained；　the　picnic　party　looked　lazily　at
Pedgift　Junior　to　know　what　was　to　be　done　next。　That
inexhaustible　functionary　was　equal　as　ever　to　all　the　calls　on
him。　He　had　a　new　amusement　ready　before　the　quickest　of　the
company　could　so　much　as　ask　him　what　that　amusement　was　to　be。

〃Fond　of　music　on　the　water；　Miss　Milroy？〃　he　asked；　in　his
airiest　and　pleasantest　manner。

Miss　Milroy　adored　music；　both　on　the　water　and　the　landalways
excepting　the　one　case　when　she　was　practicing　the　art　herself　on
the　piano　at　home。

〃We'll　get　out　of　the　reeds　first；〃　said　young　Pedgift。　He　gave
his　orders　to　the　boatmen；　dived　briskly　into　the　little　cabin；
and　reappeared　with　a　concertina　in　his　hand。　〃Neat；　Miss　Milroy；
isn't　it？〃　he　observed；　pointing　to　his　initials；　inlaid　on　the
instrument　in　mother…of…pearl。　〃My　name's　Augustus；　like　my
father's。　Some　of　my　friends　knock　off　the　'A；'　and　call　me
'Gustus　Junior。'　A　small　joke　goes　a　long　way　among　friends；
doesn't　it；　Mr。　Armadale？　I　sing　a　little　to　my　own
accompaniment；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　and；　if　quite　agreeable；　I
shall　be　proud　and　happy　to　do　my　best。〃

〃Stop！〃　cried　Mrs。　Pentecost；　〃I　dote　on　music。〃

With　this　formidable　announcement；　the　old　lady　opened　a
prodigious　leather　bag；　from
　which　she　never　parted　night　or　day；　and　took　out　an　ear…trumpet
of　the　old…fashioned　kindsomething　between　a　key…bugle　and　a
French　horn。　〃I　don't　care　to　use　the　thing　generally；〃　explained
Mrs。　Pentecost；　〃because　I'm　afraid　of　its　making　me　deafer　than
ever。　But　I　can't　and　won't　miss　the　music。　I　dote　on　music。　If
you'll　hold　the　other　end；　Sammy；　I'll　stick　it　in　my　ear。
Neelie；　my　dear；　tell　him　to　begin。〃

Young　Pedgift　was　troubled　with　no　nervous　hesitation。　He　began
at　once；　not　with　songs　of　the　light　and　modern　kind；　such　as
might　have　been　expected　from　an　amateur　of　his　age　and
character；　but　with　declamatory　and　patriotic　bursts　of　poetry；
set　to　the　bold　and　blatant　music　which　the　people　of　England
loved　dearly　at　the　earlier　part　of　the　present　century；　and
which；　whenever　they　can　get　it；　they　love　dearly　still。　〃The
Death　of　Marmion；〃　〃The　Battle　of　the　Baltic；〃　〃The　Bay　of
Biscay；〃　〃Nelson；〃　under　various　vocal　aspects；　as　exhibited　by
the　late　Brahamthese　were　the　songs　in　which　the　roaring
concertina　and　strident　tenor　of　Gustus　Junior　exulted　together。
〃Tell　me　when　you're　tired；　ladies　and　gentlemen；〃　said　the
minstrel　solicitor。　〃There's　no　conceit　about　_me。_　Will　you　have
a　little　sentiment　by　way　of　variety？　Shall　I　wind　up　with　'The
Mistletoe　Bough'　and　'Poor　Mary　Anne'？〃

Having　favored　his　audience　with　those　two　cheerful　melodies；
young　Pedgift　respectfully　requested　the　rest　of　the　company　to
follow　his　vocal　example　in　turn；　offering；　in　every　case；　to
play　〃a　running　accompaniment〃　impromptu；　if　the　singer　would
only　be　so　obliging　as　to　favor　him　with　the　key…note。

〃Go　on；　somebody！〃　cried　Mrs。　Pentecost；　eagerly。　〃I　tell　you
again；　I　dote　on　music。　We　haven't　had　half　enough　yet；　have　we；
Sammy？〃

The　Reverend　Samuel　made　no　reply。　The　unhappy　man　had　reasons　of
his　ownnot　exactly　in　his　bosom；　but　a　little　lowerfor
remaining　silent；　in　the　midst　of　the　general　hilarity　and　the
general　applause。　Alas　for　humanity！　Even　maternal　love　is
alloyed　with　mortal　fallibility。　Owing　much　already　to　his
excellent　mother；　the　Reverend　Samuel　was　now　additionally
indebted　to　her　for　a　smart　indigestion。

Nobody；　however；　noticed　as　yet　the　signs　and　tokens　of　internal
revolution　in　the　curate's　face。　Everybody　was　occupied　in
entreating　everybody　else　to　sing。　Miss　Milroy　appealed　to　the
founder　of　the　feast。　〃Do　sing　something；　Mr。　Armadale；〃　she
said；　〃I　should　so　like　to　hear　you！〃

〃If　you　once　begin；　sir；〃　added　the　cheerful　Pedgift；　〃you'll
find　it　get　uncommonly　easy　as　you　go　on。　Music　is　a　science
which　requires　to　be　taken　by　the　throat　at　starting。〃

〃With　all　my　heart；〃　said　Allan；　in　his　good…humored　way。　〃I　know
lots　of　tunes；　but　the　worst　of　it　is；　the　words　escape　me。　I
wonder　if　I　can　remember　one　of　Moore's　Melodies？　My　poor　mother
used　to　be　fond　of　teaching　me　Moore's　Melodies　when　I　was　a
boy。〃

〃Whose　melodies？〃　asked　Mrs。　Pentecost。　〃Moore's？　Aha！　I　know　Tom
Moore　heart。〃

〃Perhaps　in　that　case　you　will　he　good　enough　to　help　me；　ma'am；
if　my　memory　breaks　down；〃　rejoined　Allan。　〃I'll　take　the　easiest
melody　in　the　whole　collection；　if　you'll　allow　me。　Everybody
knows　it'Eveleen's　Bower。'　〃

〃I'm　familiar；　in　a　general　sort　of　way；　with　the　national
melodies　of　England；　Scotland；　and　Ireland；〃　said　Pedgift　Junior。
〃I'll　accompany　you；　sir；　with　the　greatest　pleasure。　This　is　the
sort　of　thing；　I　think。〃　He　seated　himself　cross…legged　on　the
roof　of　the　cabin；　and　burst　into　a　complicated　musical
improvisation　wonderful　to　heara　mixture　of　instrumental
flourishes　and　groans；　a　jig　corrected　by　a　dirge；　and　a　dirge
enlivened　by　a　jig。　〃That's　the　sort　of　thing；〃　said　young
Pedgift；　with　his　smile　of　supreme　confidence。　〃Fire　away；　sir！〃

Mrs。　Pentecost　elevated　her　trumpet；　and　Allan　elevated　his
voice。　〃Oh；　weep　for　the　hour　when　to　Eveleen's　Bower〃　He
stopped；　the　accompaniment　stopped；　the　audience　waited。　〃It's　a
most　extraordinary　thing；〃　said　Allan；　〃I　thought　I　had　the　next
line　on　the　tip　of　my　tongue；　and　it　seems　to　have　escaped　me。
I'll　begin　again；　if　you　have　no　objection。　'Oh；　weep　for　the
hour　when　to　Eveleen's　Bower'　〃

〃　'The　lord　of　the　valley　with　false　vows　came；'　〃　said　Mrs。
Pentecost。

〃Thank　you；　ma'am；〃　said　Allan。　〃Now　I　shall　get　on　smoothly。
'Oh；　weep　for　the　hour　when　to　Eveleen's　Bower；　the　lord　of　the
valley　with　false　vows　came。　The　moon　was　shining　bright'　〃

〃No！〃　said　Mrs。　Pentecost。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　ma'am；〃　remonstrated　Allan。　〃　'The　moon　was。
shining　bright'　〃

〃The　moon　wasn't　doing　anything　of　the　kind；〃　said　Mrs。
Pentecost。

Pedgift　Junior；　foreseeing　a　dispute；　persevered　_sotto　voce_
with　the　accompaniment；　in　the　interests　of　harmony。

〃Moore's　own　words；　ma'am；〃　said　Allan；　〃in　my　mother's　copy　of
the　Melodies。〃

〃Your　mother's　copy　was　wrong；〃　retorted　Mrs。　Pentecost。　〃Didn't
I　tell　you　just　now　that　I　knew　Tom　Moore　by　heart？〃

Pedgift　Junior's　peace…making　concertina　still　flourished　and
groaned　in　the　minor　key。

〃Well；　what　_did_　the　moon　do？〃　asked　Allan；　in　despair。

〃What　the　moon　_ought_　to　have　done；　sir；　or　Tom　Moore　wouldn't
have　written　it　so；〃　rejoined　Mrs。　Pentecost。　〃　'The　moon　hid　her
light　from　the　heaven　that　night；　and　wept　behind　her　clouds　o'er
the　maiden's　shame！'　I　wish　that　young　man　would　leave　off
playing；〃　added　Mrs。　Pentecost；　venting　her　rising　irritation　on
Gustus　Junior。　〃I've　had　enough　of　himhe　tickles　my　ears。〃

〃Proud；　I'm　sure；　ma'am；〃　said　the　unblushing　Pedgift。　〃The　whole
science　of　music　consists　in　tickling　the　ears。〃

〃We　seem　to　be　drifting　into　a　sort　of　argument；〃　remarked　Major
Milroy；　placidly。　〃Wouldn't　it　be　better　if　Mr。　Armadale　went　on
with　his　song？〃

〃Do　go　on；　Mr。　Armadale！〃　added　the　majo