westward ho-第50章

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Who　was　Mr。　John　Brimblecombe？

If　you　have　forgotten　him；　you　have　done　pretty　nearly　what　every　one　else　in　the　room　had　done。　　But　you　recollect　a　certain　fat　lad；　son　of　the　schoolmaster；　whom　Sir　Richard　punished　for　tale…　bearing　three　years　before；　by　sending　him；　not　to　Coventry；　but　to　Oxford。　　That　was　the　man。　　He　was　now　one…and…twenty；　and　a　bachelor　of　Oxford；　where　he　had　learnt　such　things　as　were　taught　in　those　days；　with　more　or　less　success；　and　he　was　now　hanging　about　Bideford　once　more；　intending　to　return　after　Christmas　and　read　divinity；　that　he　might　become　a　parson；　and　a　shepherd　of　souls　in　his　native　land。

Jack　was　in　person　exceedingly　like　a　pig：　but　not　like　every　pig：　not　in　the　least　like　the　Devon　pigs　of　those　days；　which；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　were　no　more　shapely　than　the　true　Irish　greyhound　who　pays　Pat's　〃rint〃　for　him；　or　than　the　lanky　monsters　who　wallow　in　German　rivulets；　while　the　village　swineherd；　beneath　a　shady　lime；　forgets　his　fleas　in　the　melody　of　a　Jew's　harp　strange　mud…colored　creatures；　four　feet　high　and　four　inches　thick；　which　look　as　if　they　had　passed　their　lives；　as　a　collar　of　Oxford　brawn　is　said　to　do；　between　two　tight　boards。　　Such　were　then　the　pigs　of　Devon：　not　to　be　compared　with　the　true　wild　descendant　of　Noah's　stock；　high…withered；　furry；　grizzled；　game…　flavored　little　rooklers；　whereof　many　a　sownder　still　grunted　about　Swinley　down　and　Braunton　woods；　Clovelly　glens　and　Bursdon　moor。　　Not　like　these；　nor　like　the　tame　abomination　of　those　barbarous　times；　was　Jack：　but　prophetic　in　face；　figure；　and　complexion；　of　Fisher　Hobbs　and　the　triumphs　of　science。　　A　Fisher　Hobbs'　pig　of　twelve　stone；　on　his　hind…legsthat　was　what　he　was；　and　nothing　else；　and　if　you　do　not　know；　reader；　what　a　Fisher　Hobbs　is；　you　know　nothing　about　pigs；　and　deserve　no　bacon　for　breakfast。　　But　such　was　Jack。　　The　same　plump　mulberry　complexion；　garnished　with　a　few　scattered　black　bristles；　the　same　sleek　skin；　looking　always　as　if　it　was　upon　the　point　of　bursting；　the　same　little　toddling　legs；　the　same　dapper　bend　in　the　small　of　the　back；　the　same　cracked　squeak；　the　same　low　upright　forehead；　and　tiny　eyes；　the　same　round　self…satisfied　jowl；　the　same　charming　sensitive　little　cocked　nose；　always　on　the　look…out　for　a　savory　smell；and　yet　while　watching　for　the　best；　contented　with　the　worst；　a　pig　of　self…helpful　and　serene　spirit；　as　Jack　was；　and　therefore；　like　him；　fatting　fast　while　other　pigs'　ribs　are　staring　through　their　skins。

Such　was　Jack；　and　lucky　it　was　for　him　that　such　he　was；　for　it　was　little　that　he　got　to　fat　him　at　Oxford；　in　days　when　a　servitor　meant　really　a　servant…student；　and　wistfully　that　day　did　his　eyes；　led　by　his　nose；　survey　at　the　end　of　the　Ship　Inn　passage　the　preparations　for　Amyas's　supper。　　The　innkeeper　was　a　friend　of　his；　for；　in　the　first　place；　they　had　lived　within　three　doors　of　each　other　all　their　lives；　and　next；　Jack　was　quite　pleasant　company　enough；　beside　being　a　learned　man　and　an　Oxford　scholar；　to　be　asked　in　now　and　then　to　the　innkeeper's　private　parlor；　when　there　were　no　gentlemen　there；　to　crack　his　little　joke　and　tell　his　little　story；　sip　the　leavings　of　the　guests'　sack；　and　sometimes　help　the　host　to　eat　the　leavings　of　their　supper。　　And　it　was；　perhaps；　with　some　such　hope　that　Jack　trotted　off　round　the　corner　to　the　Ship　that　very　afternoon；　for　that　faithful　little　nose　of　his；　as　it　sniffed　out　of　a　back　window　of　the　school；　had　given　him　warning　of　Sabean　gales；　and　scents　of　Paradise；　from　the　inn　kitchen　below；　so　he　went　round；　and　asked　for　his　pot　of　small　ale　（his　only　luxury）；　and　stood　at　the　bar　to　drink　it；　and　looked　inward　with　his　little　twinkling　right　eye；　and　sniffed　inward　with　his　little　curling　right　nostril；　and　beheld；　in　the　kitchen　beyond；　salad　in　stacks　and　fagots：　salad　of　lettuce；　salad　of　cress　and　endive；　salad　of　boiled　coleworts；　salad　of　pickled　coleworts；　salad　of　angelica；　salad　of　scurvy…　wort；　and　seven　salads　more；　for　potatoes　were　not　as　yet；　and　salads　were　during　eight　months　of　the　year　the　only　vegetable。　And　on　the　dresser；　and　before　the　fire；　whole　hecatombs　of　fragrant　victims；　which　needed　neither　frankincense　nor　myrrh；　Clovelly　herrings　and　Torridge　salmon；　Exmoor　mutton　and　Stow　venison；　stubble　geese　and　woodcocks；　curlew　and　snipe；　hams　of　Hampshire；　chitterlings　of　Taunton；　and　botargos　of　Cadiz；　such　as　Pantagruel　himself　might　have　devoured。　　And　Jack　eyed　them；　as　a　ragged　boy　eyes　the　cakes　in　a　pastrycook's　window；　and　thought　of　the　scraps　from　the　commoners'　dinner；　which　were　his　wages　for　cleaning　out　the　hall；　and　meditated　deeply　on　the　unequal　distribution　of　human　bliss。

〃Ah；　Mr。　Brimblecombe！〃　said　the　host；　bustling　out　with　knife　and　apron　to　cool　himself　in　the　passage。　　〃Here　are　doings！　　Nine　gentlemen　to　supper！〃

〃Nine！　　Are　they　going　to　eat　all　that？〃

〃Well；　I　can't　saythat　Mr。　Amyas　is　as　good　as　three　to　his　trencher：　but　still　there's　crumbs；　Mr。　Brimblecombe；　crumbs；　and　waste　not　want　not　is　my　doctrine；　so　you　and　I　may　have　a　somewhat　to　stay　our　stomachs；　about　an　eight　o'clock。〃

〃Eight？〃　said　Jack；　looking　wistfully　at　the　clock。　　〃It's　but　four　now。　　Well；　it's　kind　of　you；　and　perhaps　I'll　look　in。〃

〃Just　you　step　in　now；　and　look　to　this　venison。　　There's　a　breast！　you　may　lay　your　two　fingers　into　the　say　there；　and　not　get　to　the　bottom　of　the　fat。　　That's　Sir　Richard's　sending。　　He's　all　for　them　Leighs；　and　no　wonder；　they'm　brave　lads；　surely；　and　there's　a　saddle…o'…mutton！　　I　rode　twenty　miles　for　mun　yesterday；　I　did；　over　beyond　Barnstaple；　and　five　year　old；　Mr。　John；　it　is；　if　ever　five　years　was；　and　not　a　tooth　to　mun's　head；　for　I　looked　to　that；　and　smelt　all　the　way　home　like　any　apple；　and　if　it　don't　ate　so　soft　as　ever　was　scald　cream；　never　you　call　me　Thomas　Burman。〃

〃Humph！〃　said　Jack。　　〃And　that's　their　dinner。　　Well；　some　are　born　with　a　silver　spoon　in　their　mouth。〃

〃Some　be　born　with　roast　beef　in　their　mouths；　and　plum…pudding　in　their　pocket　to　take　away　the　taste　o'　mun；　and　that's　better　than　empty　spunes；　eh？〃

〃For　them　that　get　it；〃　said　Jack。　　〃But　for　them　that　don't〃　And　with　a　sigh　he　returned　to　his　small　ale；　and　then　lingered　in　and　out　of　the　inn；　watching　the　dinner　as　it　went　into　the　best　room；　where　the　guests　were　assembled。

And　as　he　lounged　there；　Amyas　went　in；　and　saw　him；　and　held　out　his　hand；　and　said

〃Hillo；　Jack！　how　goes　the　world？　　How　you've　grown！〃　and　passed　on；what　had　Jack　Brimblecombe　to　do　with　Rose　Salterne？

So　Jack　lingered　on；　hovering　around　the　fragrant　smell　like　a　fly　round　a　honey…pot；　till　he　found　himself　invisibly　attracted；　and　as　it　were　led　by　the　nose　out　of　the　passage　into　the　adjoining　room；　and　to　that　side　of　the　room　where　there　was　a　door；　and　once　there　he　could　not　help　hearing　what　passed　inside；　till　Rose　Salterne's　name　fell　on　his　ear。　　So；　as　it　was　ordained；　he　was　taken　in　the　fact。　　And　now　behold　him　brought　in　red…hand　to　judgment；　not　without　a　kick　or　two　from　the　wrathful　foot　of　Amyas　Leigh。　　Whereat　there　fell　on　him　a　storm　of　abuse；　which；　for　the　honor　of　that　gallant　company；　I　shall　not　give　in　detail；　but　which　abuse；　strange　to　say；　seemed　to　have　no　effect　on　the　impenitent　and　unabashed　Jack；　who；　as　soon　as　he　could　get　his　breath；　made　answer　fiercely；　amid　much　puffing　and　blowing。

〃What　business　have　I　here？　　As　much　as　any　of　you。　　If　you　had　asked　me　in；　I　would　have　come：　but　as　you　didn't；　I　came　without　asking。〃

〃You　shameless　rascal！〃　said　Cary。　　〃Come　if　you　were　asked；　where　there　was　good　wine？　　I'll　warrant　you　for　that！〃

〃Why；〃　said　Amyas；　〃no　lad　ever　had　a　cake　at　school　but　he　would　dog　him　up　one　street　and　down　another　all　day　for　the　crumbs；　the　trencher…scraping　spaniel！〃

〃Patience；　masters！　〃said　Frank。　　〃That　Jack's　is　somewhat　of　a　gnathonic　and　parasitic　soul；　or　stomach；　all　Bideford　apple…women　know；　but　I　suspect　more　than　Deus　Venter　has　brought　him　hither。〃

〃Deus　eavesdropping；　then。　　We　shall　have　the　whole　story　over　the　town　by　to…morrow；〃　said　another；　beginning　at　that　thought　to　feel　somewhat　ashamed　of　his　la