lavengro-第20节

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entering　the　cabins　of　the　peasantry；　with　a　'God's　blessing　upon　

you；　good　people！'　where　I　would　take　my　seat　on　the　'stranger's　

stone'　at　the　corner　of　the　hearth；　and；　looking　them　full　in　the　

face；　would　listen　to　the　carles　and　carlines　talking　Irish。



Ah；　that　Irish！　　How　frequently　do　circumstances；　at　first　sight　

the　most　trivial　and　unimportant；　exercise　a　mighty　and　permanent　

influence　on　our　habits　and　pursuits！　…　how　frequently　is　a　stream　

turned　aside　from　its　natural　course　by　some　little　rock　or　knoll；　

causing　it　to　make　an　abrupt　turn！　　On　a　wild　road　in　Ireland　I　had　

heard　Irish　spoken　for　the　first　time；　and　I　was　seized　with　a　

desire　to　learn　Irish；　the　acquisition　of　which；　in　my　case；　became　

the　stepping…stone　to　other　languages。　　I　had　previously　learnt　

Latin；　or　rather　Lilly；　but　neither　Latin　nor　Lilly　made　me　a　

philologist。　　I　had　frequently　heard　French　and　other　languages；　

but　had　felt　little　desire　to　become　acquainted　with　them；　and　

what；　it　may　be　asked；　was　there　connected　with　the　Irish　

calculated　to　recommend　it　to　my　attention？



First　of　all；　and　principally；　I　believe；　the　strangeness　and　

singularity　of　its　tones；　then　there　was　something　mysterious　and　

uncommon　associated　with　its　use。　　It　was　not　a　school　language；　to　

acquire　which　was　considered　an　imperative　duty；　no；　no；　nor　was　it　

a　drawing…room　language；　drawled　out　occasionally；　in　shreds　and　

patches；　by　the　ladies　of　generals　and　other　great　dignitaries；　to　

the　ineffable　dismay　of　poor　officers'　wives。　　Nothing　of　the　kind；　

but　a　speech　spoken　in　out…of…the…way　desolate　places；　and　in　cut…

throat　kens；　where　thirty　ruffians；　at　the　sight　of　the　king's　

minions；　would　spring　up　with　brandished　sticks　and　an　'ubbubboo　

like　the　blowing　up　of　a　powder…magazine。'　　Such　were　the　points　

connected　with　the　Irish；　which　first　awakened　in　my　mind　the　

desire　of　acquiring　it；　and　by　acquiring　it　I　became；　as　I　have　

already　said；　enamoured　of　languages。　　Having　learnt　one　by　choice；　

I　speedily；　as　the　reader　will　perceive；　learnt　others；　some　of　

which　were　widely　different　from　Irish。



Ah；　that　Irish！　　I　am　much　indebted　to　it　in　more　ways　than　one。　　

But　I　am　afraid　I　have　followed　the　way　of　the　world；　which　is　very　

much　wont　to　neglect　original　friends　and　benefactors。　　I　

frequently　find　myself；　at　present；　turning　up　my　nose　at　Irish　

when　I　hear　it　in　the　street；　yet　I　have　still　a　kind　of　regard　for　

it；　the　fine　old　language：





A　labhair　Padruic　n'insefail　nan　riogh。





One　of　the　most　peculiar　features　of　this　part　of　Ireland　is　the　

ruined　castles；　which　are　so　thick　and　numerous　that　the　face　of　

the　country　appears　studded　with　them；　it　being　difficult　to　choose　

any　situation　from　which　one；　at　least；　may　not　be　descried。　　They　

are　of　various　ages　and　styles　of　architecture；　some　of　great　

antiquity；　like　the　stately　remains　which　crown　the　Crag　of　Cashel；　

others　built　by　the　early　English　conquerors；　others；　and　probably　

the　greater　part；　erections　of　the　times　of　Elizabeth　and　Cromwell。　　

The　whole　speaking　monuments　of　the　troubled　and　insecure　state　of　

the　country；　from　the　most　remote　periods　to　a　comparatively　modern　

time。



From　the　windows　of　the　room　where　I　slept　I　had　a　view　of　one　of　

these　old　places　…　an　indistinct　one；　it　is　true；　the　distance　

being　too　great　to　permit　me　to　distinguish　more　than　the　general　

outline。　　I　had　an　anxious　desire　to　explore　it。　　It　stood　to　the　

south…east；　in　which　direction；　however；　a　black　bog　intervened；　

which　had　more　than　once　baffled　all　my　attempts　to　cross　it。　　One　

morning；　however；　when　the　sun　shone　brightly　upon　the　old　

building；　it　appeared　so　near；　that　I　felt　ashamed　at　not　being　

able　to　accomplish　a　feat　seemingly　so　easy；　I　determined；　

therefore；　upon　another　trial。　　I　reached　the　bog；　and　was　about　to　

venture　upon　its　black　surface；　and　to　pick　my　way　amongst　its　

innumerable　holes；　yawning　horribly；　and　half　filled　with　water　

black　as　soot；　when　it　suddenly　occurred　to　me　that　there　was　a　

road　to　the　south；　by　following　which　I　might　find　a　more　

convenient　route　to　the　object　of　my　wishes。　　The　event　justified　

my　expectations；　for；　after　following　the　road　for　some　three　

miles；　seemingly　in　the　direction　of　the　Devil's　Mountain；　I　

suddenly　beheld　the　castle　on　my　left。



I　diverged　from　the　road；　and；　crossing　two　or　three　fields；　came　

to　a　small　grassy　plain；　in　the　midst　of　which　stood　the　castle。　　

About　a　gun…shot　to　the　south　was　a　small　village；　which　had；　

probably；　in　ancient　days；　sprung　up　beneath　its　protection。　　A　

kind　of　awe　came　over　me　as　I　approached　the　old　building。　　The　sun　

no　longer　shone　upon　it；　and　it　looked　so　grim；　so　desolate　and　

solitary；　and　here　was　I；　in　that　wild　country；　alone　with　that　

grim　building　before　me。　　The　village　was　within　sight；　it　is　true；　

but　it　might　be　a　village　of　the　dead　for　what　I　knew；　no　sound　

issued　from　it；　no　smoke　was　rising　from　its　roofs；　neither　man　nor　

beast　was　visible；　no　life；　no　motion　…　it　looked　as　desolate　as　

the　castle　itself。　　Yet　I　was　bent　on　the　adventure；　and　moved　on　

towards　the　castle　across　the　green　plain；　occasionally　casting　a　

startled　glance　around　me；　and　now　I　was　close　to　it。



It　was　surrounded　by　a　quadrangular　wall；　about　ten　feet　in　height；　

with　a　square　tower　at　each　corner。　　At　first　I　could　discover　no　

entrance；　walking　round；　however；　to　the　northern　side；　I　found　a　

wide　and　lofty　gateway　with　a　tower　above　it；　similar　to　those　at　

the　angles　of　the　wall；　on　this　side　the　ground　sloped　gently　down　

towards　the　bog；　which　was　here　skirted　by　an　abundant　growth　of　

copse…wood　and　a　few　evergreen　oaks。　　I　passed　through　the　gateway；　

and　found　myself　within　a　square　inclosure　of　about　two　acres。　　On　

one　side　rose　a　round　and　lofty　keep；　or　donjon；　with　a　conical　

roof；　part　of　which　had　fallen　down；　strewing　the　square　with　its　

ruins。　　Close　to　the　keep；　on　the　other　side；　stood　the　remains　of　

an　oblong　house；　built　something　in　the　modern　style；　with　various　

window…holes；　nothing　remained　but　the　bare　walls　and　a　few　

projecting　stumps　of　beams；　which　seemed　to　have　been　half　burnt。　　

The　interior　of　the　walls　was　blackened；　as　if　by　fire；　fire　also　

appeared　at　one　time　to　have　raged　out　of　the　window…holes；　for　the　

outside　about　them　was　black；　portentously　so。　　'I　wonder　what　has　

been　going　on　here？'　I　exclaimed。



There　were　echoes　among　the　walls　as　I　walked　about　the　court。　　I　

entered　the　keep　by　a　low　and　frowning　doorway：　　the　lower　floor　

consisted　of　a　large　dungeon…like　room；　with　a　vaulted　roof；　on　the　

left　hand　was　a　winding　staircase　in　the　thickness　of　the　wall；　it　

looked　anything　but　inviting；　yet　I　stole　softly　up；　my　heart　

beating。　　On　the　top　of　the　first　flight　of　stairs　was　an　arched　

doorway；　to　the　left　was　a　dark　passage；　to　the　right；　stairs　

leading　still　higher。　　I　stepped　under　the　arch　and　found　myself　in　

an　apartment　somewhat　similar　to　the　one　below；　but　higher。　　There　

was　an　object　at　the　farther　end。



An　old　woman；　at　least　eighty；　was　seated　on　a　stone；　cowering　over　

a　few　sticks　burning　feebly　on　what　had　once　been　a　right　noble　and　

cheerful　hearth；　her　side…glance　was　towards　the　doorway　as　I　

entered；　for　she　had　heard　my　foot…steps。　　I　stood　suddenly　still；　

and　her　haggard　glance　rested　on　my　face。



'Is　this　your　house；　mother？'　I　at　length　demanded；　in　the　language　

which　I　thought　she　would　best　understand。



'Yes；　my　house；　my　own　house；　the　house　of　the　broken…hearted。'



'Any　other　person's　house？'　I　demanded。



'My　own　house；　the　beggar's　house　…　the　accursed　house　of　

Cromwell！'







CHAPTER　XII







A　visit　…　Figure　of　a　man　…　The　dog　of　peace　…　The　raw　wound　…　The　

guardroom　…　Boy　soldier　…　Person　in　authority　…　Never　solitary　…　

Clergyman　and　family　…　Still…hunting　…　Fairy　man　…　Near　sunset　…　

Bagg　…　Left…handed　hitter　…　Irish　and　supernatural　…　At　Swanton　

Morley。



ONE　morning　I　set　out；　designing　to　pay　a　visit　to　my　brother　at　

the　place　where　he　was　detached；　the　distance　was　rather　

considerable；　yet　I　hoped　to　be　back　by　evening　fall；　for　I　was　now　

a　shrewd　walker；　thanks　to　constant　practice。　　I　set　out　early；　

and；　directing　my　course　towards　the　north；　I　had　in　less　than　two　

hours　accomplished　considerably　more　than　half　of　the　journey。　　The　

weather　had　at　first　been　propitious：　　a　slight　frost　had　rendered　

the　ground　firm　to　the　tread；　and　the　skies　were　clear；　but　now　a　

change　came　over　the　scene；　the　skies　darkened；　and　a　heavy　

snowstorm　came　on；　the　road　then　lay　straight　through　a　bog；　and　

was　bounded　by　a　deep　trench　on　both　sides；　I　was　making　the　best　

of　my　way；　keeping　as　nearly　as　I　could　in　the　middle　of　the　road；　

lest；　blinded　by　the　snow　which　was　frequently　borne　into