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第13章

westward ho-第13章

小说: westward ho 字数: 每页4000字

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〃We understand;〃 said she; smiling;


     〃Dan Cupid; choosing 'midst his mother's graces;       Himself more fair; made scorn of fairest faces。〃


The young scholar capped her distich forthwith; and bowing to her with a meaning look;


    〃'Then; Goddess; turn;' he cried; 'and veil thy light;       Blinded by thine; what eyes can choose aright?'〃


〃Go; saucy sir;〃 said my lady; in high glee: 〃the pageant stays your supreme pleasure。〃

And away went Mr。 Frank as master of the revels; to bring up the 'prentices' pageant; while; for his sake; the nymph of Torridge was forgotten for awhile by all young dames; and most young gentlemen: and his mother heaved a deep sigh; which Lady Bath overhearing

〃What? in the dumps; good madam; while all are rejoicing in your joy?  Are you afraid that we court…dames shall turn your Adonis's brain for him?〃

〃I do; indeed; fear lest your condescension should make him forget that he is only a poor squire's orphan。〃

〃I will warrant him never to forget aught that he should recollect;〃 said my Lady Bath。

And she spoke truly。  But soon Frank's silver voice was heard calling out

〃Room there; good people; for the gallant 'prentice lads!〃

And on they came; headed by a giant of buckram and pasteboard armor; forth of whose stomach looked; like a clock…face in a steeple; a human visage; to be greeted; as was the fashion then; by a volley of quips and puns from high and low。

Young Mr。 William Cary; of Clovelly; who was the wit of those parts; opened the fire by asking him whether he were Goliath; Gogmagog; or Grantorto in the romance; for giants' names always began with a G。  To which the giant's stomach answered pretty surlily

〃Mine don't; I begin with an O。〃

〃Then thou criest out before thou art hurt; O cowardly giant!〃

〃Let me out; lads;〃 quoth the irascible visage; struggling in his buckram prison; 〃and I soon show him whether I be a coward。〃

〃Nay; if thou gettest out of thyself; thou wouldst be beside thyself; and so wert but a mad giant。〃

〃And that were pity;〃 said Lady Bath; 〃for by the romances; giants have never overmuch wit to spare。〃

〃Mercy; dear lady!〃 said Frank; 〃and let the giant begin with an O。〃

〃A 〃

〃A false start; giant! you were to begin with an O。〃

〃I'll make you end with an O; Mr。 William Cary!〃 roared the testy tower of buckram。

〃And so I do; for I end with 'Fico!'〃

〃Be mollified; sweet giant;〃 said Frank; 〃and spare the rash youth of yon foolish knight。  Shall elephants catch flies; or Hurlo… Thrumbo stain his club with brains of Dagonet the jester?  Be mollified; leave thy caverned grumblings; like Etna when its windy wrath is past; and discourse eloquence from thy central omphalos; like Pythoness ventriloquizing。〃

〃If you do begin laughing at me too; Mr。 Leigh 〃 said the giant's clock…face; in a piteous tone。

〃I laugh not。  Art thou not Ordulf the earl; and I thy humblest squire?  Speak up; my lord; your cousin; my Lady Bath; commands you。〃

And at last the giant began:


     〃A giant I; Earl Ordulf men me call;       'Gainst Paynim foes Devonia's champion tall;       In single fight six thousand Turks I slew;       Pull'd off a lion's head; and ate it too:       With one shrewd blow; to let St。 Edward in;       I smote the gates of Exeter in twain;       Till aged grown; by angels warn'd in dream;       I built an abbey fair by Tavy stream。       But treacherous time hath tripped my glories up;       The stanch old hound must yield to stancher pup;       Here's one so tall as I; and twice so bold;       Where I took only cuffs; takes good red gold。       From pole to pole resound his wondrous works;       Who slew more Spaniards than I e'er slew Turks;       I strode across the Tavy stream: but he       Strode round the world and back; and here 'a be!〃


〃Oh; bathos!〃 said Lady Bath; while the 'prentices shouted applause。  〃Is this hedge…bantling to be fathered on you; Mr。 Frank?〃

〃It is necessary; by all laws of the drama; madam;〃 said Frank; with a sly smile; 〃that the speech and the speaker shall fit each other。  Pass on; Earl Ordulf; a more learned worthy waits。〃

Whereon; up came a fresh member of the procession; namely; no less a person than Vindex Brimblecombe; the ancient schoolmaster; with five…and…forty boys at his heels; who halting; pulled out his spectacles; and thus signified his forgiveness of his whilom broken head:

〃That the world should have been circumnavigated; ladies and gentles; were matter enough of jubilation to the student of Herodotus and Plato; Plinius and  ahem! much more when the circumnavigators are Britons; more; again; when Damnonians。〃

〃Don't swear; master;〃 said young Will Cary。

〃Gulielme Cary; Gulielme Cary; hast thou forgotten thy〃

〃Whippings?  Never; old lad!  Go on; but let not the license of the scholar overtop the modesty of the Christian。〃

〃More again; as I said; when; incolae; inhabitants of Devon; but; most of all; men of Bideford school。  Oh renowned school!  Oh schoolboys ennobled by fellowship with him!  Oh most happy pedagogue; to whom it has befallen to have chastised a circumnavigator; and; like another Chiron; trained another Hercules: yet more than Hercules; for he placed his pillars on the ocean shore; and then returned; but my scholar's voyage〃

〃Hark how the old fox is praising himself all along on the sly;〃 said Cary。

〃Mr。 William; Mr。 william; peace;silentium; my graceless pupil。 Urge the foaming steed; and strike terror into the rapid stag; but meddle not with matters too high for thee。〃

〃He has given you the dor now; sir;〃 said Lady Bath; 〃let the old man say his say。〃

〃I bring; therefore; as my small contribution to this day's feast; first a Latin epigram; as thus〃

〃Latin?  Let us hear it forthwith;〃 cried my lady。

And the old pedant mouthed out


     〃Torriguiam Tamaris ne spernat; Leighius addet       Mox terras terris; inclyte Drake; tuis。〃


〃Neat; i' faith; la!〃  Whereon all the rest; as in duty bound; approved also。

〃This for the erudite: for vulgar ears the vernacular is more consonant; sympathetic; instructive; as thus:


 〃Famed Argo ship; that noble chip; by doughty Jason's steering;   Brought back to Greece the golden fleece; from Colchis home careering;   But now her fame is put to shame; while new Devonian Argo;   Round earth doth run in wake of sun; and brings wealthier cargo。〃


〃Runs with a right fa…lal…la;〃 observed Cary; 〃and would go nobly to a fiddle and a big drum。〃


 〃Ye Spaniards; quake! our doughty Drake a royal swan is tested;   On wing and oar; from shore to shore; the raging main who breasted:   But never needs to chant his deeds; like swan that lies a…dying;   So far his name; by trump of fame; around the sphere is flying。〃


〃Hillo ho! schoolmaster!〃 shouted a voice from behind; 〃move on; and make way for Father Neptune!〃  Whereon a whole storm of raillery fell upon the hapless pedagogue。

〃We waited for the parson's alligator; but we wain't for yourn。〃

〃Allegory! my children; allegory!〃 shrieked the man of letters。

〃What do ye call he an alligator for?  He is but a poor little starved evat!〃

〃Out of the road; old Custis!  March on; Don Palmado!〃

These allusions to the usual instrument of torture in West…country schools made the old gentleman wince; especially when they were followed home by

〃Who stole Admiral Grenville's brooms; because birch rods were dear?〃

But proudly he shook his bald head; as a bull shakes off the flies; and returned to the charge once more。


 〃Great Alexander; famed commander; wept and made a pother;   At conquering only half the world; but Drake had conquer'd t'other;   And Hercules to brink of seas!〃


〃Oh!〃

And clapping both hands to the back of his neck; the schoolmaster began dancing frantically about; while his boys broke out tittering; 〃O! the ochidore! look to the blue ochidore!  Who've put ochidore to maister's poll!〃

It was too true: neatly inserted; as he stooped forward; between his neck and his collar; was a large live shore…crab; holding on tight with both hands。

〃Gentles! good Christians! save me!  I am mare…rode!  Incubo; vel ab incubo; opprimor!  Satanas has me by the poll!  Help! he

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