old christmas-第10节

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the　peacocks　this　season；　that　he　could　not　prevail　upon　himself　to　have　one　killed。*


*　See　Note　F。


It　would　be　tedious；　perhaps；　to　my　wiser　readers；　who　may　not　have　that　foolish　fondness　for　odd　and　obsolete　things　to　which　I　am　a　little　given；　were　I　to　mention　the　other　makeshifts　of　this　worthy　old　humourist；　by　which　he　was　endeavouring　to　follow　up；　though　at　humble　distance；　the　quaint　customs　of　antiquity。　　I　was　pleased；　however；　to　see　the　respect　shown　to　his　whims　by　his　children　and　relatives；　who；　indeed；　entered　readily　into　the　full　spirit　of　them；　and　seemed　all　well　versed　in　their　parts；　having　doubtless　been　present　at　many　a　rehearsal。　　I　was　amused；　too；　at　the　air　of　profound　gravity　with　which　the　butler　and　other　servants　executed　the　duties　assigned　them；　however　eccentric。　　They　had　an　old…　fashioned　look；　having；　for　the　most　part；　been　brought　up　in　the　household；　and　grown　into　keeping　with　the　antiquated　mansion；　and　the　humours　of　its　lord；　and　most　probably　looked　upon　all　his　whimsical　regulations　as　the　established　laws　of　honourable　housekeeping。　　When　the　cloth　was　removed；　the　butler　brought　in　a　huge　silver　vessel　of　rare　and　curious　workmanship；　which　he　placed　before　the　Squire。　　Its　appearance　was　hailed　with　acclamation；　being　the　Wassail　Bowl；　so　renowned　in　Christmas　festivity。　　The　contents　had　been　prepared　by　the　Squire　himself；　for　it　was　a　beverage　in　the　skilful　mixture　of　which　he　particularly　prided　himself；　alleging　that　it　was　too　abstruse　and　complex　for　the　comprehension　of　an　ordinary　servant。　　It　was　a　potation；　indeed；　that　might　well　make　the　heart　of　a　toper　leap　within　him；　being　composed　of　the　richest　and　raciest　wines；　highly　spiced　and　sweetened；　with　roasted　apples　bobbing　about　the　surface。*


*　See　Note　G。


The　old　gentleman's　whole　countenance　beamed　with　a　serene　look　of　indwelling　delight；　as　he　stirred　this　mighty　bowl。　　Having　raised　it　to　his　lips；　with　a　hearty　wish　of　a　merry　Christmas　to　all　present；　he　sent　it　brimming；　around　the　board；　for　every　one　to　follow　his　example；　according　to　the　primitive　style；　pronouncing　it　〃the　ancient　fountain　of　good　feeling；　where　all　hearts　met　together。〃*


*　See　Note　H。


There　was　much　laughing　and　rallying；　as　the　honest　emblem　of　Christmas　joviality　circulated；　and　was　kissed　rather　coyly　by　the　ladies。　　When　it　reached　Master　Simon　he　raised　it　in　both　hands；　and　with　the　air　of　a　boon　companion　struck　up　an　old　Wassail　chanson：


　　　　　The　browne　bowle；　　　　　　The　merry　browne　bowle；　　　　　　As　it　goes　round　about…a；　　　　　　　　　　　Fill　　　　　　　　　　　Still；　　　　　　Let　the　world　say　what　it　will；　　　　　　And　drink　your　fill　all　out…a。

　　　　　The　deep　canne；　　　　　　The　merry　deep　canne；　　　　　　As　thou　dost　freely　quaff…a；　　　　　　　　　　　Sing；　　　　　　　　　　　Fling；　　　　　　Be　as　merry　as　a　king；　　　　　　And　sound　a　lusty　laugh…a。*


*　From　〃Poor　Robin's　Almanack。〃


Much　of　the　conversation　during　dinner　turned　upon　family　topics；　to　which　I　was　a　stranger。　　There　was；　however；　a　great　deal　of　rallying　of　Master　Simon　about　some　gay　widow；　with　whom　he　was　accused　of　having　a　flirtation。　　This　attack　was　commenced　by　the　ladies；　but　it　was　continued　throughout　the　dinner　by　the　fat…　headed　old　gentleman　next　the　parson；　with　the　persevering　assiduity　of　a　slow…hound；　being　one　of　those　long…winded　jokers；　who；　though　rather　dull　at　starting　game；　are　unrivalled　for　their　talents　in　hunting　it　down。　　At　every　pause　in　the　general　conversation；　he　renewed　his　bantering　in　pretty　much　the　same　terms；　winking　hard　at　me　with　both　eyes　whenever　he　gave　Master　Simon　what　he　considered　a　home　thrust。　　The　latter；　indeed；　seemed　fond　of　being　teased　on　the　subject；　as　old　bachelors　are　apt　to　be；　and　he　took　occasion　to　inform　me；　in　an　undertone；　that　the　lady　in　question　was　a　prodigiously　fine　woman；　and　drove　her　own　curricle。

The　dinner…time　passed　away　in　this　flow　of　innocent　hilarity；　and；　though　the　old　hall　may　have　resounded　in　its　time　with　many　a　scene　of　broader　rout　and　revel；　yet　I　doubt　whether　it　ever　witnessed　more　honest　and　genuine　enjoyment。　　How　easy　it　is　for　one　benevolent　being　to　diffuse　pleasure　around　him；　and　how　truly　is　a　kind　heart　a　fountain　of　gladness；　making　everything　in　its　vicinity　to　freshen　into　smiles！　　The　joyous　disposition　of　the　worthy　Squire　was　perfectly　contagious；　he　was　happy　himself；　and　disposed　to　make　all　the　world　happy；　and　the　little　eccentricities　of　his　humour　did　but　season；　in　a　manner；　the　sweetness　of　his　philanthropy。

When　the　ladies　had　retired；　the　conversation；　as　usual；　became　still　more　animated；　many　good　things　were　broached　which　had　been　thought　of　during　dinner；　but　which　would　not　exactly　do　for　a　lady's　ear；　and　though　I　cannot　positively　affirm　that　there　was　much　wit　uttered；　yet　I　have　certainly　heard　many　contests　of　rare　wit　produce　much　less　laughter。　　Wit；　after　all；　is　a　mighty　tart；　pungent　ingredient；　and　much　too　acid　for　some　stomachs；　but　honest　good　humour　is　the　oil　and　wine　of　a　merry　meeting；　and　there　is　no　jovial　companionship　equal　to　that　where　the　jokes　are　rather　small；　and　the　laughter　abundant。　　The　Squire　told　several　long　stories　of　early　college　pranks　and　adventures；　in　some　of　which　the　parson　had　been　a　sharer；　though　in　looking　at　the　latter；　it　required　some　effort　of　imagination　to　figure　such　a　little　dark　anatomy　of　a　man　into　the　perpetrator　of　a　madcap　gambol。　　Indeed；　the　two　college　chums　presented　pictures　of　what　men　may　be　made　by　their　different　lots　in　life。　　The　Squire　had　left　the　university　to　live　lustily　on　his　paternal　domains；　in　the　vigorous　enjoyment　of　prosperity　and　sunshine；　and　had　flourished　on　to　a　hearty　and　florid　old　age；　whilst　the　poor　parson；　on　the　contrary；　had　dried　and　withered　away；　among　dusty　tomes；　in　the　silence　and　shadows　of　his　study。

Still　there　seemed　to　be　a　spark　of　almost　extinguished　fire；　feebly　glimmering　in　the　bottom　of　his　soul；　and　as　the　Squire　hinted　at　a　sly　story　of　the　parson　and　a　pretty　milkmaid；　whom　they　once　met　on　the　banks　of　the　Isis；　the　old　gentleman　made　an　〃alphabet　of　faces；〃　which；　as　far　as　I　could　decipher　his　physiognomy；　I　verily　believe　was　indicative　of　laughter；indeed；　I　have　rarely　met　with　an　old　gentleman　who　took　absolutely　offence　at　the　imputed　gallantries　of　his　youth。

I　found　the　tide　of　wine　and　wassail　fast　gaining　on　the　dry　land　of　sober　judgment。　　The　company　grew　merrier　and　louder　as　their　jokes　grew　duller。　　Master　Simon　was　in　as　chirping　a　humour　as　a　grasshopper　filled　with　dew；　his　old　songs　grew　of　a　warmer　complexion；　and　he　began　to　talk　maudlin　about　the　widow。　　He　even　gave　a　long　song　about　the　wooing　of　a　widow；　which　he　informed　me　he　had　gathered　from　an　excellent　black…letter　work；　entitled　〃Cupid's　Solicitor　for　Love；〃　containing　store　of　good　advice　for　bachelors；　and　which　he　promised　to　lend　me。　　The　first　verse　was　to　this　effect：


　　　　　〃He　that　will　woo　a　widow　must　not　dally；　　　　　　　He　must　make　hay　while　the　sun　doth　shine；　　　　　　　He　must　not　stand　with　her；　Shall　I；　Shall　I？　　　　　　　But　boldly　say；　Widow；　thou　must　be　mine。〃


This　song　inspired　the　fat…headed　old　gentleman；　who　made　several　attempts　to　tell　a　rather　broad　story　out　of　Joe　Miller；　that　was　pat　to　the　purpose；　but　he　always　stuck　in　the　middle；　everybody　recollecting　the　latter　part　excepting　himself。　　The　parson；　too；　began　to　show　the　effects　of　good　cheer；　having　gradually　settled　down　into　a　doze；　and　his　wig　sitting　most　suspiciously　on　one　side。　　Just　at　this　juncture　we　were　summoned　to　the　drawing…room；　and；　I　suspect；　at　the　private　instigation　of　mine　host；　whose　joviality　seemed　always　tempered　with　a　proper　love　of　decorum。

After　the　dinner…table　was　removed；　the　hall　was　given　up　to　the　younger　members　of　the　family；　who；　prompted　to　all　kind　of　noisy　mirth　by　the　Oxonian　and　Master　Simon；　made　its　old　walls　ring　with　their　merriment；　as　they　played　at　romping　games。　　I　delight　in　witnessing　the　gambols　of　children；　and　particularly　at　this　happy　holiday…season；　and　could　not　help　stealing　out　of　the　drawing…room　on　hearing　one　of　their　peals　of　laughter。　　I　found　them　at　the　game　of　blind…man's　buff。　　Master　Simon；　who　was　the　leader　of　their　revels；　and　seemed　on　all　occasions　to　fulfil　the　office　of　that　ancient　potentate；　the　Lord　of　Misrule；*　was　blinded　in　the　midst　of　the　hall。　　The　little　beings　were　as　busy　about　him　as　the　mock　fairies　about　Falstaff；　pinching　him；　plucking　at　the　skirts　of　his　coat；　and　tickling　him　with　straws。　　One　fine　blue…eyed　girl　of　about　thirteen；　with　her　flaxen　hair　all　in　beautiful　confusion；　her　frolic　face　in　a　glow；　her　frock　half　torn　off　her　shoulders；　a　complete　picture　of　a　romp；　was　the　chief　tormentor；　and　from　the　slyness　with　which　Master　Simon　avoided　the　smaller　game；　and　hemmed　this　wild　little　nymph　in　corners；　and　obliged　her　to　jump　shrieking　over　chairs；　I　suspected　the　rogue　of　being　not　a　whit　more　blinded　than　was　convenient。


*　See　Note　I。


When　I　returned　to　the　drawing…room；　I　found　the　company　seated　around　the　fire；　listening　to　the　parson；　who　was　deeply　ensconced　in　a　high…backed　oaken　chair；　the　work　of　some　cunning　artificer　of　yore