lavengro-第9节

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old　man；　'I　once　saw　the　king　of　the　vipers；　and　since　then　…　'　　

'The　king　of　the　vipers！'　said　I；　interrupting　him；　'have　the　

vipers　a　king？'　　'As　sure　as　we　have；'　said　the　old　man　…　'as　sure　

as　we　have　King　George　to　rule　over　us；　have　these　reptiles　a　king　

to　rule　over　them。'　　'And　where　did　you　see　him？'　said　I。　　'I　will　

tell　you；'　said　the　old　man；　'though　I　don't　like　talking　about　the　

matter。　　It　may　be　about　seven　years　ago　that　I　happened　to　be　far　

down　yonder　to　the　west；　on　the　other　side　of　England；　nearly　two　

hundred　miles　from　here；　following　my　business。　　It　was　a　very　

sultry　day；　I　remember；　and　I　had　been　out　several　hours　catching　

creatures。　　It　might　be　about　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　when　

I　found　myself　on　some　heathy　land　near　the　sea；　on　the　ridge　of　a　

hill；　the　side　of　which；　nearly　as　far　down　as　the　sea；　was　heath；　

but　on　the　top　there　was　arable　ground；　which　had　been　planted；　and　

from　which　the　harvest　had　been　gathered　…　oats　or　barley；　I　know　

not　which　…　but　I　remember　that　the　ground　was　covered　with　

stubble。　　Well；　about　three　o'clock；　as　I　told　you　before；　what　

with　the　heat　of　the　day　and　from　having　walked　about　for　hours　in　

a　lazy　way；　I　felt　very　tired；　so　I　determined　to　have　a　sleep；　and　

I　laid　myself　down；　my　head　just　on　the　ridge　of　the　hill；　towards　

the　field；　and　my　body　over　the　side　down　amongst　the　heath；　my　

bag；　which　was　nearly　filled　with　creatures；　lay　at　a　little　

distance　from　my　face；　the　creatures　were　struggling　in　it；　I　

remember；　and　I　thought　to　myself；　how　much　more　comfortably　off　I　

was　than　they；　I　was　taking　my　ease　on　the　nice　open　hill；　cooled　

with　the　breezes；　whilst　they　were　in　the　nasty　close　bag；　coiling　

about　one　another；　and　breaking　their　very　hearts；　all　to　no　

purpose：　　and　I　felt　quite　comfortable　and　happy　in　the　thought；　

and　little　by　little　closed　my　eyes；　and　fell　into　the　sweetest　

snooze　that　ever　I　was　in　in　all　my　life；　and　there　I　lay　over　the　

hill's　side；　with　my　head　half　in　the　field；　I　don't　know　how　long；　

all　dead　asleep。　　At　last　it　seemed　to　me　that　I　heard　a　noise　in　

my　sleep；　something　like　a　thing　moving；　very　faint；　however；　far　

away；　then　it　died；　and　then　it　came　again　upon　my　ear　as　I　slept；　

and　now　it　appeared　almost　as　if　I　heard　crackle；　crackle；　then　it　

died　again；　or　I　became　yet　more　dead　asleep　than　before；　I　know　

not　which；　but　I　certainly　lay　some　time　without　hearing　it。　　All　

of　a　sudden　I　became　awake；　and　there　was　I；　on　the　ridge　of　the　

hill；　with　my　cheek　on　the　ground　towards　the　stubble；　with　a　noise　

in　my　ear　like　that　of　something　moving　towards　me　amongst　the　

stubble　of　the　field；　well；　I　lay　a　moment　or　two　listening　to　the　

noise；　and　then　I　became　frightened；　for　I　did　not　like　the　noise　

at　all；　it　sounded　so　odd；　so　I　rolled　myself　on　my　belly；　and　

looked　towards　the　stubble。　　Mercy　upon　us！　there　was　a　huge　snake；　

or　rather　a　dreadful　viper；　for　it　was　all　yellow　and　gold；　moving　

towards　me；　bearing　its　head　about　a　foot　and　a　half　above　the　

ground；　the　dry　stubble　crackling　beneath　its　outrageous　belly。　　It　

might　be　about　five　yards　off　when　I　first　saw　it；　making　straight　

towards　me；　child；　as　if　it　would　devour　me。　　I　lay　quite　still；　

for　I　was　stupefied　with　horror；　whilst　the　creature　came　still　

nearer；　and　now　it　was　nearly　upon　me；　when　it　suddenly　drew　back　a　

little；　and　then　…　what　do　you　think？　…　it　lifted　its　head　and　

chest　high　in　the　air；　and　high　over　my　face　as　I　looked　up；　

flickering　at　me　with　its　tongue　as　if　it　would　fly　at　my　face。　　

Child；　what　I　felt　at　that　moment　I　can　scarcely　say；　but　it　was　a　

sufficient　punishment　for　all　the　sins　I　ever　committed；　and　there　

we　two　were；　I　looking　up　at　the　viper；　and　the　viper　looking　down　

upon　me；　flickering　at　me　with　its　tongue。　　It　was　only　the　

kindness　of　God　that　saved　me：　　all　at　once　there　was　a　loud　noise；　

the　report　of　a　gun；　for　a　fowler　was　shooting　at　a　covey　of　birds；　

a　little　way　off　in　the　stubble。　　Whereupon　the　viper　sunk　its　

head；　and　immediately　made　off　over　the　ridge　of　the　hill；　down　in　

the　direction　of　the　sea。　　As　it　passed　by　me；　however　…　and　it　

passed　close　by　me　…　it　hesitated　a　moment；　as　if　it　was　doubtful　

whether　it　should　not　seize　me；　it　did　not；　however；　but　made　off　

down　the　hill。　　It　has　often　struck　me　that　he　was　angry　with　me；　

and　came　upon　me　unawares　for　presuming　to　meddle　with　his　people；　

as　I　have　always　been　in　the　habit　of　doing。'



'But；'　said　I；　'how　do　you　know　that　it　was　the　king　of　the　

vipers？'



'How　do　I　know！'　said　the　old　man；　'who　else　should　it　be？　　There　

was　as　much　difference　between　it　and　other　reptiles　as　between　

King　George　and　other　people。'



'Is　King　George；　then；　different　from　other　people？'　I　demanded。



'Of　course；'　said　the　old　man；　'I　have　never　seen　him　myself；　but　I　

have　heard　people　say　that　he　is　a　ten　times　greater　man　than　other　

folks；　indeed；　it　stands　to　reason　that　he　must　be　different　from　

the　rest；　else　people　would　not　be　so　eager　to　see　him。　　Do　you　

think；　child；　that　people　would　be　fools　enough　to　run　a　matter　of　

twenty　or　thirty　miles　to　see　the　king；　provided　King　George　…　'



'Haven't　the　French　a　king？'　I　demanded。



'Yes；'　said　the　old　man；　'or　something　much　the　same；　and　a　queer　

one　he　is；　not　quite　so　big　as　King　George；　they　say；　but　quite　as　

terrible　a　fellow。　　What　of　him？'



'Suppose　he　should　come　to　Norman　Cross！'



'What　should　he　do　at　Norman　Cross；　child？'



'Why；　you　were　talking　about　the　vipers　in　your　bag　breaking　their　

hearts；　and　so　on；　and　their　king　coming　to　help　them。　　Now；　

suppose　the　French　king　should　hear　of　his　people　being　in　trouble　

at　Norman　Cross；　and　…　'



'He　can't　come；　child；'　said　the　old　man；　rubbing　his　hands；　'the　

water　lies　between。　　The　French　don't　like　the　water；　neither　

vipers　nor　Frenchmen　take　kindly　to　the　water；　child。'



When　the　old　man　left　the　country；　which　he　did　a　few　days　after　

the　conversation　which　I　have　just　related；　he　left　me　the　reptile　

which　he　had　tamed　and　rendered　quite　harmless　by　removing　the　

fangs。　　I　was　in　the　habit　of　feeding　it　with　milk；　and　frequently　

carried　it　abroad　with　me　in　my　walks。







CHAPTER　V







The　tent　…　Man　and　woman　…　Dark　and　swarthy　…　Manner　of　speaking　…　

Bad　money　…　Transfixed　…　Faltering　tone　…　Little　basket　…　High　

opinion　…　Plenty　of　good　…　Keeping　guard　…　Tilted　cart　…　Rubricals　

…　Jasper　…　The　right　sort　…　The　horseman　of　the　lane　…　John　Newton　

…　The　alarm　…　Gentle　brothers。



ONE　day　it　happened　that；　being　on　my　rambles；　I　entered　a　green　

lane　which　I　had　never　seen　before；　at　first　it　was　rather　narrow；　

but　as　I　advanced　it　became　considerably　wider；　in　the　middle　was　a　

driftway　with　deep　ruts；　but　right　and　left　was　a　space　carpeted　

with　a　sward　of　trefoil　and　clover；　there　was　no　lack　of　trees；　

chiefly　ancient　oaks；　which；　flinging　out　their　arms　from　either　

side；　nearly　formed　a　canopy；　and　afforded　a　pleasing　shelter　from　

the　rays　of　the　sun；　which　was　burning　fiercely　above。　　Suddenly　a　

group　of　objects　attracted　my　attention。　　Beneath　one　of　the　

largest　of　the　trees；　upon　the　grass；　was　a　kind　of　low　tent　or　

booth；　from　the　top　of　which　a　thin　smoke　was　curling；　beside　it　

stood　a　couple　of　light　carts；　whilst　two　or　three　lean　horses　or　

ponies　were　cropping　the　herbage　which　was　growing　nigh。　　Wondering　

to　whom　this　odd　tent　could　belong；　I　advanced　till　I　was　close　

before　it；　when　I　found　that　it　consisted　of　two　tilts；　like　those　

of　waggons；　placed　upon　the　ground　and　fronting　each　other；　

connected　behind　by　a　sail　or　large　piece　of　canvas　which　was　but　

partially　drawn　across　the　top；　upon　the　ground；　in　the　intervening　

space；　was　a　fire；　over　which；　supported　by　a　kind　of　iron　crowbar；　

hung　a　caldron；　my　advance　had　been　so　noiseless　as　not　to　alarm　

the　inmates；　who　consisted　of　a　man　and　woman；　who　sat　apart；　one　

on　each　side　of　the　fire；　they　were　both　busily　employed　…　the　man　

was　carding　plaited　straw；　whilst　the　woman　seemed　to　be　rubbing　

something　with　a　white　powder；　some　of　which　lay　on　a　plate　beside　

her；　suddenly　the　man　looked　up；　and；　perceiving　me；　uttered　a　

strange　kind　of　cry；　and　the　next　moment　both　the　woman　and　himself　

were　on　their　feet　and　rushing　out　upon　me。



I　retreated　a　few　steps；　yet　without　turning　to　flee。　　I　was　not；　

however；　without　apprehension；　which；　indeed；　the　appearance　of　

these　two　people　was　well　calculated　to　inspire：　　the　woman　was　a　

stout　figure；　seemingly　between　thirty　and　forty；　she　wore　no　cap；　

and　her　long　hair　fell　on　either　side　of　her　head　like　horse…tails　

half…way　down　her　waist；　her　skin　was　dark　and　swarthy；　like　that　

of　a　toad；　and　the　expression　of　her　countenance　was　particularly　

evil；　her　arms　were　bare；　and　her　bosom　was　but　half