lavengro-第83节

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honour's　taking　you　away；　but；　after　all；　the　truth　is　the　truth　…　

there　are　few　gentlemen　in　these　parts　like　his　honour；　either　for　

learning　or　welcoming　his　friends。　　Young　gentleman；　I　congratulate　

you。'







CHAPTER　LXIV







New　acquaintance　…　Old　French　style　…　The　portrait　…　Taciturnity　…　

The　evergreen　tree　…　The　dark　hour　…　The　flash　…　Ancestors　…　A　

fortunate　man　…　A　posthumous　child　…　Antagonist　ideas　…　The　hawks　…　

Flaws　…　The　pony　…　Irresistible　impulse　…　Favourable　crisis　…　The　

topmost　branch　…　Twenty　feet　…　Heartily　ashamed。



I　FOUND　the　stranger　awaiting　me　at　the　door　of　the　inn。　　'Like　

yourself；　I　am　fond　of　walking；'　said　he；　'and　when　any　little　

business　calls　me　to　this　place　I　generally　come　on　foot。'



We　were　soon　out　of　the　town；　and　in　a　very　beautiful　country。　　

After　proceeding　some　distance　on　the　high…road；　we　turned　off；　and　

were　presently　in　one　of　those　mazes　of　lanes　for　which　England　is　

famous；　the　stranger　at　first　seemed　inclined　to　be　taciturn；　a　few　

observations；　however；　which　I　made　appeared　to　rouse　him；　and　he　

soon　exhibited　not　only　considerable　powers　of　conversation；　but　

stores　of　information　which　surprised　me。　　So　pleased　did　I　become　

with　my　new　acquaintance　that　I　soon　ceased　to　pay　the　slightest　

attention　either　to　place　or　distance。　　At　length　the　stranger　was　

silent；　and　I　perceived　that　we　had　arrived　at　a　handsome　iron　gate　

and　a　lodge；　the　stranger　having　rung　a　bell；　the　gate　was　opened　

by　an　old　man；　and　we　proceeded　along　a　gravel　path；　which　in　about　

five　minutes　brought　us　to　a　large　brick　house；　built　something　in　

the　old　French　style；　having　a　spacious　lawn　before　it；　and　

immediately　in　front　a　pond　in　which　were　golden　fish；　and　in　the　

middle　a　stone　swan　discharging　quantities　of　water　from　its　bill。　　

We　ascended　a　spacious　flight　of　steps　to　the　door；　which　was　at　

once　flung　open；　and　two　servants　with　powdered　hair　and　in　livery　

of　blue　plush　came　out　and　stood　one　on　either　side　as　we　passed　

the　threshold。　　We　entered　a　large　hall；　and　the　stranger；　taking　

me　by　the　hand；　welcomed　me　to　his　poor　home；　as　he　called　it；　and　

then　gave　orders　to　another　servant；　but　out　of　livery；　to　show　me　

to　an　apartment；　and　give　me　whatever　assistance　I　might　require　in　

my　toilet。　　Notwithstanding　the　plea　as　to　primitive　habits　which　I　

had　lately　made　to　my　other　host　in　the　town；　I　offered　no　

objection　to　this　arrangement；　but　followed　the　bowing　domestic　to　

a　spacious　and　airy　chamber；　where　he　rendered　me　all　those　little　

nameless　offices　which　the　somewhat　neglected　state　of　my　dress　

required。　　When　everything　had　been　completed　to　my　perfect　

satisfaction；　he　told　me　that　if　I　pleased　he　would　conduct　me　to　

the　library；　where　dinner　would　be　speedily　served。



In　the　library　I　found　a　table　laid　for　two；　my　host　was　not　there；　

having　as　I　supposed　not　been　quite　so　speedy　with　his　toilet　as　

his　guest。　　Left　alone；　I　looked　round　the　apartment　with　inquiring　

eyes；　it　was　long　and　tolerably　lofty；　the　walls　from　the　top　to　

the　bottom　were　lined　with　cases　containing　books　of　all　sizes　and　

bindings；　there　was　a　globe　or　two；　a　couch；　and　an　easy…chair。　　

Statues　and　busts　there　were　none；　and　only　one　painting；　a　

portrait；　that　of　my　host；　but　not　him　of　the　mansion。　　Over　the　

mantelpiece；　the　features　staringly　like；　but　so　ridiculously　

exaggerated　that　they　scarcely　resembled　those　of　a　human　being；　

daubed　evidently　by　the　hand　of　the　commonest　sign…artist；　hung　a　

half…length　portrait　of　him　of　round　of　beef　celebrity　…　my　sturdy　

host　of　the　town。



I　had　been　in　the　library　about　ten　minutes；　amusing　myself　as　I　

best　could；　when　my　friend　entered；　he　seemed　to　have　resumed　his　

taciturnity　…　scarce　a　word　escaped　his　lips　till　dinner　was　

served；　when　he　said；　smiling；　'I　suppose　it　would　be　merely　a　

compliment　to　ask　you　to　partake？'



'I　don't　know；'　said　I；　seating　myself；　'your　first　course　consists　

of　troutlets；　I　am　fond　of　troutlets；　and　I　always　like　to　be　

companionable。'



The　dinner　was　excellent；　though　I　did　but　little　justice　to　it　

from　the　circumstance　of　having　already　dined；　the　stranger　also；　

though　without　my　excuse；　partook　but　slightly　of　the　good　cheer；　

he　still　continued　taciturn；　and　appeared　lost　in　thought；　and　

every　attempt　which　I　made　to　induce　him　to　converse　was　signally　

unsuccessful。



And　now　dinner　was　removed；　and　we　sat　over　our　wine；　and　I　

remember　that　the　wine　was　good；　and　fully　justified　the　encomiums　

of　my　host　of　the　town。　　Over　the　wine　I　made　sure　that　my　

entertainer　would　have　loosened　the　chain　which　seemed　to　tie　his　

tongue　…　but　no！　　I　endeavoured　to　tempt　him　by　various　topics；　and　

talked　of　geometry　and　the　use　of　the　globes；　of　the　heavenly　


sphere；　and　the　star　Jupiter；　which　I　said　I　had　heard　was　a　very　

large　star；　also　of　the　evergreen　tree；　which；　according　to　Olaus；　

stood　of　old　before　the　heathen　temple　of　Upsal；　and　which　I　

affirmed　was　a　yew　…　but　no；　nothing　that　I　said　could　induce　my　

entertainer　to　relax　his　taciturnity。



It　grew　dark；　and　I　became　uncomfortable。　　'I　must　presently　be　

going；'　I　at　last　exclaimed。



At　these　words　he　gave　a　sudden　start；　'Going；'　said　he；　'are　you　

not　my　guest；　and　an　honoured　one？'



'You　know　best；'　said　I；　'but　I　was　apprehensive　I　was　an　intruder；　

to　several　of　my　questions　you　have　returned　no　answer。'



'Ten　thousand　pardons！'　he　exclaimed；　seizing　me　by　the　hand；　'but　

you　cannot　go　now；　I　have　much　to　talk　to　you　about　…　there　is　one　

thing　in　particular　…　'



'If　it　be　the　evergreen　tree　at　Upsal；'　said　I；　interrupting　him；　

'I　hold　it　to　have　been　a　yew　…　what　else？　　The　evergreens　of　the　

south；　as　the　old　bishop　observes；　will　not　grow　in　the　north；　and　

a　pine　was　unfitted　for　such　a　locality；　being　a　vulgar　tree。　　What　

else　could　it　have　been　but　the　yew　…　the　sacred　yew　which　our　

ancestors　were　in　the　habit　of　planting　in　their　churchyards？　　

Moreover；　I　affirm　it　to　have　been　the　yew　for　the　honour　of　the　

tree；　for　I　love　the　yew；　and　had　I　home　and　land；　I　would　have　one　

growing　before　my　front　windows。'



'You　would　do　right；　the　yew　is　indeed　a　venerable　tree；　but　it　is　

not　about　the　yew。'



'The　star　Jupiter；　perhaps？'



'Nor　the　star　Jupiter；　nor　its　moons；　an　observation　which　escaped　

you　at　the　inn　has　made　a　considerable　impression　upon　me。'



'But　I　really　must　take　my　departure；'　said　I；　'the　dark　hour　is　at　

hand。'



And　as　I　uttered　these　latter　words　the　stranger　touched　rapidly　

something　which　lay　near　him　…　I　forget　what　it　was。　　It　was　the　

first　action　of　the　kind　which　I　had　observed　on　his　part　since　we　

sat　down　to　table。



'You　allude　to　the　evil　chance；'　said　I；　'but　it　is　getting　both　

dark　and　late。'



'I　believe　we　are　going　to　have　a　storm；'　said　my　friend；　'but　I　

really　hope　that　you　will　give　me　your　company　for　a　day　or　two；　I　

have；　as　I　said　before；　much　to　talk　to　you　about。'



'Well；'　said　I；　'I　shall　be　most　happy　to　be　your　guest　for　this　

night；　I　am　ignorant　of　the　country；　and　it　is　not　pleasant　to　

travel　unknown　paths　by　night　…　dear　me；　what　a　flash　of　

lightning。'



It　had　become　very　dark；　suddenly　a　blaze　of　sheet　lightning　

illumed　the　room。　　By　the　momentary　light　I　distinctly　saw　my　host　

touch　another　object　upon　the　table。



'Will　you　allow　me　to　ask　you　a　question　or　two？'　said　he　at　last。



'As　many　as　you　please；'　said　I；　'but　shall　we　not　have　lights？'



'Not　unless　you　particularly　wish　it；'　said　my　entertainer；　'I　

rather　like　the　dark；　and　though　a　storm　is　evidently　at　hand；　

neither　thunder　nor　lightning　has　any　terrors　for　me。　　It　is　other　

things　I　quake　at　…　I　should　rather　say　ideas。　　Now　permit　me　to　

ask　you　…　'



And　then　my　entertainer　asked　me　various　questions；　to　all　of　which　

I　answered　unreservedly；　he　was　then　silent　for　some　time；　at　last　

he　exclaimed；　'I　should　wish　to　tell　you　the　history　of　my　life　…　

though　not　an　adventurous　one；　I　think　it　contains　some　things　

which　will　interest　you。'



Without　waiting　for　my　reply　he　began。　　Amidst　darkness　and　gloom；　

occasionally　broken　by　flashes　of　lightning；　the　stranger　related　

to　me；　as　we　sat　at　table　in　the　library；　his　truly　touching　

history。



'Before　proceeding　to　relate　the　events　of　my　life；　it　will　not　be　

amiss　to　give　you　some　account　of　my　ancestors。　　My　great…

grandfather　on　the　male　side　was　a　silk　mercer；　in　Cheapside；　who；　

when　he　died；　left　his　son；　who　was　his　only　child；　a　fortune　of　

one　hundred　thousand　pounds　and　a　splendid　business；　the　son；　

however；　had　no　inclination　for　trade；　the　summit　of　his　ambition　

was　to　be　a　country　gentleman；　to　found　a　family；　and　to　pass　the　

remainder　of　his　days　in　rural　ease　and　dignity；　and　all　this　he　

managed