lavengro-第68节

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'He　is　a　Moldave；'　said　the　Armenian；　'the　dog　（and　here　his　eyes　

sparkled）　deserves　to　be　crucified；　he　is　continually　making　

mistakes。'



The　Armenian　again　renewed　his　proposition　about　Z…；　which　I　again　

refused；　as　I　felt　but　little　inclination　to　place　myself　beneath　

the　jurisdiction　of　a　person　who　was　in　the　habit　of　cuffing　those　

whom　he　employed；　when　they　made　mistakes。　　I　presently　took　my　

departure；　not；　however；　before　I　had　received　from　the　Armenian　a　

pressing　invitation　to　call　upon　him　whenever　I　should　feel　

disposed。







CHAPTER　XLVIII







What　to　do　…　Strong　enough　…　Fame　and　profit　…　Alliterative　euphony　

…　Excellent　fellow　…　Listen　to　me　…　A　plan　…　Bagnigge　Wells。



ANXIOUS　thoughts　frequently　disturbed　me　at　this　time　with　respect　

to　what　I　was　to　do；　and　how　support　myself　in　the　Great　City。　　My　

future　prospects　were　gloomy　enough；　and　I　looked　forward　and　

feared；　sometimes　I　felt　half　disposed　to　accept　the　offer　of　the　

Armenian；　and　to　commence　forthwith；　under　his　superintendence；　the　

translation　of　the　Haik　Esop；　but　the　remembrance　of　the　cuffs　

which　I　had　seen　him　bestow　upon　the　Moldavian；　when　glancing　over　

his　shoulder　into　the　ledger　or　whatever　it　was　on　which　he　was　

employed；　immediately　drove　the　inclination　from　my　mind。　　I　could　

not　support　the　idea　of　the　possibility　of　his　staring　over　my　

shoulder　upon　my　translation　of　the　Haik　Esop；　and；　dissatisfied　

with　my　attempts；　treating　me　as　he　had　treated　the　Moldavian　

clerk；　placing　myself　in　a　position　which　exposed　me　to　such　

treatment　would　indeed　be　plunging　into　the　fire　after　escaping　

from　the　frying…pan。　　The　publisher；　insolent　and　overbearing　as　he　

was；　whatever　he　might　have　wished　or　thought；　had　never　lifted　his　

hand　against　me；　or　told　me　that　I　merited　crucifixion。



What　was　I　to　do？　turn　porter？　　I　was　strong；　but　there　was　

something　besides　strength　required　to　ply　the　trade　of　a　porter　…　

a　mind　of　a　particularly　phlegmatic　temperament；　which　I　did　not　

possess。　　What　should　I　do？　enlist　as　a　soldier？　I　was　tall　enough；　

but　something　besides　height　is　required　to　make　a　man　play　with　

credit　the　part　of　soldier；　I　mean　a　private　one　…　a　spirit；　if　

spirit　it　can　be　called；　which　will　not　only　enable　a　man　to　submit　

with　patience　to　insolence　and　abuse；　and　even　to　cuffs　and　kicks；　

but　occasionally　to　the　lash。　　I　felt　that　I　was　not　qualified　to　

be　a　soldier；　at　least　a　private　one；　far　better　be　a　drudge　to　the　

most　ferocious　of　publishers；　editing　Newgate　lives；　and　writing　in　

eighteenpenny　reviews　…　better　to　translate　the　Haik　Esop；　under　

the　superintendence　of　ten　Armenians；　than　be　a　private　soldier　in　

the　English　service；　I　did　not　decide　rashly　…　I　knew　something　of　

soldiering。　　What　should　I　do？　　I　thought　that　I　would　make　a　last　

and　desperate　attempt　to　dispose　of　the　ballads　and　of　Ab　Gwilym。



I　had　still　an　idea　that；　provided　I　could　persuade　any　spirited　

publisher　to　give　these　translations　to　the　world；　I　should　acquire　

both　considerable　fame　and　profit；　not；　perhaps；　a　world…embracing　

fame　such　as　Byron's；　but　a　fame　not　to　be　sneered　at；　which　would　

last　me　a　considerable　time；　and　would　keep　my　heart　from　breaking；　

…　profit；　not　equal　to　that　which　Scott　had　made　by　his　wondrous　

novels；　but　which　would　prevent　me　from　starving；　and　enable　me　to　

achieve　some　other　literary　enterprise。　　I　read　and　re…read　my　

ballads；　and　the　more　I　read　them　the　more　I　was　convinced　that　the　

public；　in　the　event　of　their　being　published；　would　freely　

purchase；　and　hail　them　with　the　merited　applause。　　Were　not　the　

deeds　and　adventures　wonderful　and　heart…stirring　…　from　which　it　

is　true　I　could　claim　no　merit；　being　but　the　translator；　but　had　I　

not　rendered　them　into　English；　with　all　their　original　fire？　　Yes；　

I　was　confident　I　had；　and　I　had　no　doubt　that　the　public　would　say　

so。　　And　then；　with　respect　to　Ab　Gwilym；　had　I　not　done　as　much　

justice　to　him　as　to　the　Danish　ballads；　not　only　rendering　

faithfully　his　thoughts；　imagery；　and　phraseology；　but　even　

preserving　in　my　translation　the　alliterative　euphony　which　

constitutes　one　of　the　most　remarkable　features　of　Welsh　prosody？　　

Yes；　I　had　accomplished　all　this；　and　I　doubted　not　that　the　public　

would　receive　my　translations　from　Ab　Gwilym　with　quite　as　much　

eagerness　as　my　version　of　the　Danish　ballads。　　But　I　found　the　

publishers　as　intractable　as　ever；　and　to　this　day　the　public　has　

never　had　an　opportunity　of　doing　justice　to　the　glowing　fire　of　my　

ballad　versification；　and　the　alliterative　euphony　of　my　imitations　

of　Ab　Gwilym。



I　had　not　seen　Francis　Ardry　since　the　day　I　had　seen　him　taking　

lessons　in　elocution。　　One　afternoon　as　I　was　seated　at　my　table；　

my　head　resting　on　my　hands；　he　entered　my　apartment；　sitting　down；　

he　inquired　of　me　why　I　had　not　been　to　see　him。



'I　might　ask　the　same　question　of　you；'　I　replied。　　'Wherefore　have　

you　not　been　to　see　me？'　　Whereupon　Francis　Ardry　told　me　that　he　

had　been　much　engaged　in　his　oratorical　exercises；　also　in　

escorting　the　young　Frenchwoman　about　to　places　of　public　

amusement；　he　then　again　questioned　me　as　to　the　reason　of　my　not　

having　been　to　see　him。



I　returned　an　evasive　answer。　　The　truth　was；　that　for　some　time　

past　my　appearance；　owing　to　the　state　of　my　finances；　had　been　

rather　shabby；　and　I　did　not　wish　to　expose　a　fashionable　young　man　

like　Francis　Ardry；　who　lived　in　a　fashionable　neighbourhood；　to　

the　imputation　of　having　a　shabby　acquaintance。　　I　was　aware　that　

Francis　Ardry　was　an　excellent　fellow；　but；　on　that　very　account；　I　

felt；　under　existing　circumstances；　a　delicacy　in　visiting　him。



It　is　very　possible　that　he　had　an　inkling　of　how　matters　stood；　as　

he　presently　began　to　talk　of　my　affairs　and　prospects。　　I　told　him　

of　my　late　ill　success　with　the　booksellers；　and　inveighed　against　

their　blindness　to　their　own　interest　in　refusing　to　publish　my　

translations。　　'The　last　that　I　addressed　myself　to；'　said　I；　'told　

me　not　to　trouble　him　again　unless　I　could　bring　him　a　decent　novel　

or　a　tale。'



'Well；'　said　Frank；　'and　why　did　you　not　carry　him　a　decent　novel　

or　a　tale？'



'Because　I　have　neither；'　said　I；　'and　to　write　them　is；　I　believe；　

above　my　capacity。　　At　present　I　feel　divested　of　all　energy　…　

heartless；　and　almost　hopeless。'



'I　see　how　it　is；'　said　Francis　Ardry；　'you　have　overworked　

yourself；　and；　worst　of　all；　to　no　purpose。　　Take　my　advice；　cast　

all　care　aside；　and　only　think　of　diverting　yourself　for　a　month　at　

least。'



'Divert　myself！'　said　I；　'and　where　am　I　to　find　the　means？'



'Be　that　care　on　my　shoulders；'　said　Francis　Ardry。　　'Listen　to　me　

…　my　uncles　have　been　so　delighted　with　the　favourable　accounts　

which　they　have　lately　received　from　T…　of　my　progress　in　oratory；　

that；　in　the　warmth　of　their　hearts；　they　made　me　a　present　

yesterday　of　two　hundred　pounds。　　This　is　more　money　than　I　want；　

at　least　for　the　present；　do　me　the　favour　to　take　half　of　it　as　a　

loan　…　hear　me；'　said　he；　observing　that　I　was　about　to　interrupt　

him；　'I　have　a　plan　in　my　head　…　one　of　the　prettiest　in　the　world。　　

The　sister　of　my　charmer　is　just　arrived　from　France；　she　cannot　

speak　a　word　of　English；　and；　as　Annette　and　myself　are　much　

engaged　in　our　own　matters；　we　cannot　pay　her　the　attention　which　

we　should　wish；　and　which　she　deserves；　for　she　is　a　truly　

fascinating　creature；　although　somewhat　differing　from　my　charmer；　

having　blue　eyes　and　flaxen　hair；　whilst；　Annette；　on　the　contrary　

…　But　I　hope　you　will　shortly　see　Annette。　　Now；　my　plan　is　this　…　

Take　the　money；　dress　yourself　fashionably；　and　conduct　Annette's　

sister　to　Bagnigge　Wells。'



'And　what　should　we　do　at　Bagnigge　Wells？'



'Do！'　said　Francis　Ardry。　　'Dance！'



'But；'　said　I；　'I　scarcely　know　anything　of　dancing。'



'Then　here's　an　excellent　opportunity　of　improving　yourself。　　Like　

most　Frenchwomen；　she　dances　divinely；　however；　if　you　object　to　

Bagnigge　Wells　and　dancing；　go　to　Brighton；　and　remain　there　a　

month　or　two；　at　the　end　of　which　time　you　can　return　with　your　

mind　refreshed　and　invigorated；　and　materials；　perhaps；　for　a　tale　

or　novel。'



'I　never　heard　a　more　foolish；　plan；'　said　I；　'or　one　less　likely　

to　terminate　profitably　or　satisfactorily。　　I　thank　you；　however；　

for　your　offer；　which　is；　I　daresay；　well　meant。　　If　I　am　to　escape　

from　my　cares　and　troubles；　and　find　my　mind　refreshed　and　

invigorated；　I　must　adopt　other　means　than　conducting　a　French　

demoiselle　to　Brighton　or　Bagnigge　Wells；　defraying　the　expense　by　

borrowing　from　a　friend。'







CHAPTER　XLIX







Singular　personage　…　A　large　sum　…　Papa　of　Rome　…　We　are　Christians　

…　Degenerate　Armenians　…　Roots　of　Ararat　…　Regular　features。



THE　Armenian！