lavengro-第121节

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were　abusing　the　Church　of　England　just　now：　　I'll　fight　for　it　…　

will　you　fight　against　it？'



'Come；　Hunter；'　said　the　other；　'get　up；　and　fight　against　the　

Church　of　England。'



'I　have　no　particular　quarrel　against　the　Church　of　England；'　said　

the　man　in　the　snuff…coloured　coat；　'my　quarrel　is　with　the　

aristocracy。　　If　I　said　anything　against　the　Church；　it　was　merely　

for　a　bit　of　corollary；　as　Master　William　Cobbett　would　say；　the　

quarrel　with　the　Church　belongs　to　this　fellow　in　black；　so　let　him　

carry　it　on。　　However；'　he　continued　suddenly；　'I　won't　slink　from　

the　matter　either；　it　shall　never　be　said　by　the　fine　fellows　on　

the　quay　of　New　York　that　I　wouldn't　fight　against　the　Church　of　

England。　　So　down　with　the　beggarly　aristocracy；　the　Church；　and　

the　Pope　to　the　bottom　of　the　pit　of　Eldon；　and　may　the　Pope　fall　

first；　and　the　others　upon　him。'



Thereupon；　dashing　his　hat　on　the　table；　he　placed　himself　in　an　

attitude　of　offence　and　rushed　forward。　　He　was；　as　I　have　said　

before；　a　powerful　fellow；　and　might　have　proved　a　dangerous　

antagonist；　more　especially　to　myself；　who；　after　my　recent　

encounter　with　the　Flaming　Tinman；　and　my　wrestlings　with　the　evil　

one；　was　in　anything　but　fighting　order。　　Any　collision；　however；　

was　prevented　by　the　landlord；　who；　suddenly　appearing；　thrust　

himself　between　us。　　'There　shall　be　no　fighting　here；'　said　he；　

'no　one　shall　fight　in　this　house；　except　it　be　with　myself；　so　if　

you　two　have　anything　to　say　to　each　other；　you　had　better　go　into　

the　field　behind　the　house。　　But；　you　fool；'　said　he；　pushing　

Hunter　violently　on　the　breast；　'do　you　know　whom　you　are　going　to　

tackle　with？　…　this　is　the　young　chap　that　beat　Blazing　Bosville；　

only　as　late　as　yesterday；　in　Mumpers'　Dingle。　　Grey　Moll　told　me　

all　about　it　last　night；　when　she　came　for　some　brandy　for　her　

husband；　who；　she　said；　had　been　half　killed；　and　she　described　the　

young　man　to　me　so　closely　that　I　knew　him　at　once；　that　is；　as　

soon　as　I　saw　how　his　left　hand　was　bruised；　for　she　told　me　he　was　

a　left…hand　hitter。　　Aren't　it　all　true；　young　man？　　Aren't　you　he　

that　beat　Flaming　Bosville；　in　Mumpers'　Dingle？'　　'I　never　beat　

Flaming　Bosville；'　said　I；　'he　beat　himself。　　Had　he　not　struck　his　

hand　against　a　tree；　I　shouldn't　be　here　at　the　present　moment。'　　

'Hear；　hear！'　said　the　landlord；　'now　that's　just　as　it　should　be；　

I　like　a　modest　man；　for；　as　the　parson　says；　nothing　sits　better　

upon　a　young　man　than　modesty。　　I　remember；　when　I　was　young；　

fighting　with　Tom　of　Hopton；　the　best　man　that　ever　pulled　off　coat　

in　England。　　I　remember；　too；　that　I　won　the　battle；　for　I　happened　

to　hit　Tom　of　Hopton　in　the　mark；　as　he　was　coming　in；　so　that　he　

lost　his　wind；　and　falling　squelch　on　the　ground；　do　ye　see；　he　

lost　the　battle；　though　I　am　free　to　confess　that　he　was　a　better　

man　than　myself；　indeed；　the　best　man　that　ever　fought　in　England；　

yet　still；　I　won　the　battle；　as　every　customer　of　mine；　and　

everybody　within　twelve　miles　round；　has　heard　over　and　over　again。　　

Now；　Mr。　Hunter；　I　have　one　thing　to　say；　if　you　choose　to　go　into　

the　field　behind　the　house；　and　fight　the　young　man；　you　can。　　I'll　

back　him　for　ten　pounds；　but　no　fighting　in　my　kitchen　…　because　

why？　　I　keeps　a　decent　kind　of　an　establishment。'



'I　have　no　wish　to　fight　the　young　man；'　said　Hunter；　'more　

especially　as　he　has　nothing　to　say　for　the　aristocracy。　　If　he　

chose　to　fight　for　them；　indeed　…　but　he　won't；　I　know；　for　I　see　

he's　a　decent；　respectable　young　man；　and；　after　all；　fighting　is　a　

blackguard　way　of　settling　a　dispute；　so　I　have　no　wish　to　fight；　

however；　there　is　one　thing　I'll　do；'　said　he；　uplifting　his　fist；　

'I'll　fight　this　fellow　in　black　here　for　half　a　crown；　or　for　

nothing；　if　he　pleases；　it　was　he　that　got　up　the　last　dispute　

between　me　and　the　young　man；　with　his　Pope　and　his　nonsense；　so　I　

will　fight　him　for　anything　he　pleases；　and　perhaps　the　young　man　

will　be　my　second；　whilst　you　…　'



'Come；　Doctor；'　said　the　landlord；　'or　whatsoever　you　be；　will　you　

go　into　the　field　with　Hunter？　　I'll　second　you；　only　you　must　back　

yourself。　　I'll　lay　five　pounds　on　Hunter；　if　you　are　inclined　to　

back　yourself；　and　will　help　you　to　win　it　as　far；　do　you　see；　as　a　

second　can；　because　why？　　I　always　likes　to　do　the　fair　thing。'



'Oh；　I　have　no　wish　to　fight；'　said　the　man　in　black；　hastily；　

'fighting　is　not　my　trade。　　If　I　have　given　any　offence；　I　beg　

anybody's　pardon。'



'Landlord；'　said　I；　'what　have　I　to　pay？



'Nothing　at　all；'　said　the　landlord；　'glad　to　see　you。　　This　is　the　

first　time　that　you　have　been　at　my　house；　and　I　never　charge　new　

customers；　at　least　customers　such　as　you；　anything　for　the　first　

draught。　　You'll　come　again；　I　daresay；　shall　always　be　glad　to　see　

you。　　I　won't　take　it；'　said　he；　as　I　put　sixpence　on　the　table；　'I　

won't　take　it。'



'Yes；　you　shall；'　said　I；　'but　not　in　payment　for　anything　I　have　

had　myself：　　it　shall　serve　to　pay　for　a　jug　of　ale　for　that　

gentleman；'　said　I；　pointing　to　the　simple…looking　individual；　'he　

is　smoking　a　poor　pipe。　　I　do　not　mean　to　say　that　a　pipe　is　a　bad　

thing；　but　a　pipe　without　ale；　do　you　see　…　'



'Bravo！'　said　the　landlord；　'that's　just　the　conduct　I　like。'



'Bravo！'　said　Hunter。　　'I　shall　be　happy　to　drink　with　the　young　

man　whenever　I　meet　him　at　New　York；　where；　do　you　see；　things　are　

better　managed　than　here。'



'If　I　have　given　offence　to　anybody；'　said　the　man　in　black；　'I　

repeat　that　I　ask　pardon；　…　more　especially　to　the　young　gentleman；　

who　was　perfectly　right　to　stand　up　for　his　religion；　just　as　I　…　

not　that　I　am　of　any　particular　religion；　no　more　than　this　honest　

gentleman　here；'　bowing　to　Hunter；　'but　I　happen　to　know　something　

of　the　Catholics　…　several　excellent　friends　of　mine　are　Catholics　

…　and　of　a　surety　the　Catholic　religion　is　an　ancient　religion；　and　

a　widely…extended　religion；　though　it　certainly　is　not　a　universal　

religion；　but　it　has　of　late　made　considerable　progress；　even　

amongst　those　nations　who　have　been　particularly　opposed　to　it　…　

amongst　the　Prussians　and　the　Dutch；　for　example；　to　say　nothing　of　

the　English；　and　then；　in　the　East；　amongst　the　Persians；　amongst　

the　Armenians。'



'The　Armenians；'　said　I；　'oh　dear　me；　the　Armenians　…　'



'Have　you　anything　to　say　about　those　people；　sir？'　said　the　man　in　

black；　lifting　up　his　glass　to　his　mouth。



'I　have　nothing　further　to　say；'　said　I；　'than　that　the　roots　of　

Ararat　are　occasionally　found　to　be　deeper　than　those　of　Rome。'



'There's　half…a…crown　broke；'　said　the　landlord；　as　the　man　in　

black　let　fall　the　glass；　which　was　broken　to　pieces　on　the　floor。　　

'You　will　pay　me　the　damage；　friend；　before　you　leave　this　kitchen。　　

I　like　to　see　people　drink　freely　in　my　kitchen；　but　not　too　

freely；　and　I　hate　breakages；　because　why？　　I　keeps　a　decent　kind　

of　an　establishment。'







CHAPTER　LXXXIX







The　dingle　…　Give　them　ale　…　Not　over　complimentary　…　America　…　

Many　people　…　Washington　…　Promiscuous　company　…　Language　of　the　

roads　…　The　old　women　…　Numerals　…　The　man　in　black。



THE　public…house　where　the　scenes　which　I　have　attempted　to　

describe　in　the　preceding　chapters　took　place；　was　at　the　distance　

of　about　two　miles　from　the　dingle。　　The　sun　was　sinking　in　the　

west　by　the　time　I　returned　to　the　latter　spot。　　I　found　Belle　

seated　by　a　fire；　over　which　her　kettle　was　suspended。　　During　my　

absence　she　had　prepared　herself　a　kind　of　tent；　consisting　of　

large　hoops　covered　over　with　tarpaulins；　quite　impenetrable　to　

rain；　however　violent。　　'I　am　glad　you　are　returned；'　said　she；　as　

soon　as　she　perceived　me；　'I　began　to　be　anxious　about　you。　　Did　

you　take　my　advice？'



'Yes；'　said　I；　'I　went　to　the　public…house　and　drank　ale；　as　you　

advised　me；　it　cheered；　strengthened；　and　drove　away　the　horror　

from　my　mind　…　I　am　much　beholden　to　you。'



'I　knew　it　would　do　you　good；'　said　Belle；　'I　remembered　that　when　

the　poor　women　in　the　great　house　were　afflicted　with　hysterics；　

and　fearful　imaginings；　the　surgeon；　who　was　a　good　kind　man；　used　

to　say；　〃Ale；　give　them　ale；　and　let　it　be　strong。〃'



'He　was　no　advocate　for　tea；　then？'　said　I。



'He　had　no　objection　to　tea；　but　he　used　to　say；　〃Everything　in　its　

season。〃　　Shall　we　take　ours　now？　…　I　have　waited　for　you。'



'I　have　no　objection；'　said　I；　'I　feel　rather　heated；　and　at　

present　should　prefer　tea　to　ale　…　〃Everything　in　its　season；〃　as　

the　surgeon　said。'



Thereupon　Belle　prepared　tea；　and；　as　we　were　taking　it；　she　said　…　

'What　did　you　see　and　hear　at　the　public…house？'



'Really；'　said　I；　'you　appear　to　have　your　full　portion　of　

curiosity；　what　matters　it　to　you　what　I　saw　and　heard　at　the　

public…house？'



'It　matters　very　little　to　me；'　said　Belle；