old christmas-第9节

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　country　around。

The　bashfulness　of　the　guests　soon　gave　way　before　good　cheer　and　affability。　　There　is　something　genuine　and　affectionate　in　the　gaiety　of　the　lower　orders；　when　it　is　excited　by　the　bounty　and　familiarity　of　those　above　them；　the　warm　glow　of　gratitude　enters　into　their　mirth；　and　a　kind　word　or　a　small　pleasantry；　frankly　uttered　by　a　patron；　gladdens　the　heart　of　the　dependant　more　than　oil　and　wine。　　When　the　Squire　had　retired；　the　merriment　increased；　and　there　was　much　joking　and　laughter；　particularly　between　Master　Simon　and　a　hale；　ruddy…faced；　white…headed　farmer；　who　appeared　to　be　the　wit　of　the　village；　for　I　observed　all　his　companions　to　wait　with　open　mouths　for　his　retorts；　and　burst　into　a　gratuitous　laugh　before　they　could　well　understand　them。

The　whole　house；　indeed；　seemed　abandoned　to　merriment。　　As　I　passed　to　my　room　to　dress　for　dinner；　I　heard　the　sound　of　music　in　a　small　court；　and；　looking　through　a　window　that　commanded　it；　I　perceived　a　band　of　wandering　musicians；　with　pandean　pipes　and　tambourine；　a　pretty；　coquettish　housemaid　was　dancing　a　jig　with　a　smart　country　lad；　while　several　of　the　other　servants　were　looking　on。　　In　the　midst　of　her　sport　the　girl　caught　a　glimpse　of　my　face　at　the　window；　and；　colouring　up；　ran　off　with　an　air　of　roguish　affected　confusion。



The　Christmas　Dinner


Lo；　now　is　come　the　joyful'st　feast！　　　Let　every　man　be　jolly；　Eache　roome　with　yvie　leaves　is　drest；　　　And　every　post　with　holly。　Now　all　our　neighbours'　chimneys　smoke；　　　And　Christmas　blocks　are　burning；　Their　ovens　they　with　bak't　meats　choke；　　　And　all　their　spits　are　turning。　　　　　Without　the　door　let　sorrow　lie；　　　　　　　And　if；　for　cold；　it　hap　to　die；　　　　　We'll　bury't　in　a　Christmas　pye；　　　　　　　And　evermore　be　merry。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　WITHERS'S　Juvenilia。


I　had　finished　my　toilet；　and　was　loitering　with　Frank　Bracebridge　in　the　library；　when　we　heard　a　distant　thwacking　sound；　which　he　informed　me　was　a　signal　for　the　serving　up　of　the　dinner。　　The　Squire　kept　up　old　customs　in　kitchen　as　well　as　hall；　and　the　rolling…pin；　struck　upon　the　dresser　by　the　cook；　summoned　the　servants　to　carry　in　the　meats。


　　　　〃Just　in　this　nick　the　cook　knock'd　thrice；　　　　　　And　all　the　waiters　in　a　trice　　　　　　　　His　summons　did　obey；　　　　　　Each　serving　man；　with　dish　in　hand；　　　　　　March'd　boldly　up；　like　our　train…band；　　　　　　　　Presented　and　away。〃*


*　Sir　John　Suckling。


The　dinner　was　served　up　in　the　great　hall；　where　the　Squire　always　held　his　Christmas　banquet。　　A　blazing；　crackling　fire　of　logs　had　been　heaped　on　to　warm　the　spacious　apartment；　and　the　flame　went　sparkling　and　wreathing　up　the　wide…mouthed　chimney。　　The　great　picture　of　the　crusader　and　his　white　horse　had　been　profusely　decorated　with　greens　for　the　occasion；　and　holly　and　ivy　had　likewise　been　wreathed　around　the　helmet　and　weapons　on　the　opposite　wall；　which　I　understood　were　the　arms　of　the　same　warrior。　　I　must　own；　by　the　by；　I　had　strong　doubts　about　the　authenticity　of　painting　and　armour　as　having　belonged　to　the　crusader；　they　certainly　having　the　stamp　of　more　recent　days；　but　I　was　told　that　the　painting　had　been　so　considered　time　out　of　mind；　and　that　as　to　the　armour；　it　had　been　found　in　a　lumber　room；　and　elevated　to　its　present　situation　by　the　Squire；　who　at　once　determined　it　to　be　the　armour　of　the　family　hero；　and　as　he　was　absolute　authority　on　all　such　subjects　to　his　own　household；　the　matter　had　passed　into　current　acceptation。　　A　sideboard　was　set　out　just　under　this　chivalric　trophy；　on　which　was　a　display　of　plate　that　might　have　vied　（at　least　in　variety）　with　Belshazzar's　parade　of　the　vessels　of　the　Temple：　〃flagons；　cans；　cups；　beakers；　goblets；　basins；　and　ewers；〃　the　gorgeous　utensils　of　good　companionship；　that　had　gradually　accumulated　through　many　generations　of　jovial　housekeepers。　　Before　these　stood　the　two　Yule　candles；　beaming　like　two　stars　of　the　first　magnitude：　other　lights　were　distributed　in　branches；　and　the　whole　array　glittered　like　a　firmament　of　silver。

We　were　ushered　into　this　banqueting　scene　with　the　sound　of　minstrelsy；　the　old　harper　being　seated　on　a　stool　beside　the　fireplace；　and　twanging　his　instrument　with　a　vast　deal　more　power　than　melody。　　Never　did　Christmas　board　display　a　more　goodly　and　gracious　assemblage　of　countenances；　those　who　were　not　handsome　were；　at　least；　happy；　and　happiness　is　a　rare　improver　of　your　hard…favoured　visage。

I　always　consider　an　old　English　family　as　well　worth　studying　as　a　collection　of　Holbein's　portraits　or　Albert　Durer's　prints。　　There　is　much　antiquarian　lore　to　be　acquired；　much　knowledge　of　the　physiognomies　of　former　times。　　Perhaps　it　may　be　from　having　continually　before　their　eyes　those　rows　of　old　family　portraits；　with　which　the　mansions　of　this　country　are　stocked；　certain　it　is；　that　the　quaint　features　of　antiquity　are　often　most　faithfully　perpetuated　in　these　ancient　lines；　and　I　have　traced　an　old　family　nose　through　a　whole　picture…gallery；　legitimately　handed　down　from　generation　to　generation；　almost　from　the　time　of　the　Conquest。　Something　of　the　kind　was　to　be　observed　in　the　worthy　company　around　me。　　Many　of　their　faces　had　evidently　originated　in　a　Gothic　age；　and　been　merely　copied　by　succeeding　generations；　and　there　was　one　little　girl；　in　particular；　of　staid　demeanour；　with　a　high　Roman　nose；　and　an　antique　vinegar　aspect；　who　was　a　great　favourite　of　the　Squire's；　being；　as　he　said；　a　Bracebridge　all　over；　and　the　very　counterpart　of　one　of　his　ancestors　who　figured　in　the　court　of　Henry　VIII。

The　parson　said　grace；　which　was　not　a　short；　familiar　one；　such　as　is　commonly　addressed　to　the　Deity；　in　these　unceremonious　days；　but　a　long；　courtly；　well…worded　one　of　the　ancient　school。

There　was　now　a　pause；　as　if　something　was　expected；　when　suddenly　the　butler　entered　the　hall　with　some　degree　of　bustle；　he　was　attended　by　a　servant　on　each　side　with　a　large　wax…light；　and　bore　a　silver　dish；　on　which　was　an　enormous　pig's　head；　decorated　with　rosemary；　with　a　lemon　in　its　mouth；　which　was　placed　with　great　formality　at　the　head　of　the　table。　　The　moment　this　pageant　made　its　appearance；　the　harper　struck　up　a　flourish；　at　the　conclusion　of　which　the　young　Oxonian；　on　receiving　a　hint　from　the　Squire；　gave；　with　an　air　of　the　most　comic　gravity；　an　old　carol；　the　first　verse　of　which　was　as　follows：


　　　　　　〃Caput　apri　defero　　　　　　　　Reddens　laudes　Domino。　　　　The　boar's　head　in　hand　bring　I；　　　　With　garlands　gay　and　rosemary。　　　　　　　　I　pray　you　all　synge　merily　　　　　　　　Qui　estis　in　convivio。〃


Though　prepared　to　witness　many　of　these　little　eccentricities；　from　being　apprised　of　the　peculiar　hobby　of　mine　host；　yet；　I　confess；　the　parade　with　which　so　odd　a　dish　was　introduced　somewhat　perplexed　me；　until　I　gathered　from　the　conversation　of　the　Squire　and　the　parson　that　it　was　meant　to　represent　the　bringing　in　of　the　boar's　head：　a　dish　formerly　served　up　with　much　ceremony；　and　the　sound　of　minstrelsy　and　song；　at　great　tables　on　Christmas　Day。　　〃I　like　the　old　custom；〃　said　the　Squire；　〃not　merely　because　it　is　stately　and　pleasing　in　itself；　but　because　it　was　observed　at　the　College　of　Oxford；　at　which　I　was　educated。　When　I　hear　the　old　song　chanted；　it　brings　to　mind　the　time　when　I　was　young　and　gamesomeand　the　noble　old　college…halland　my　fellow　students　loitering　about　in　their　black　gowns；　many　of　whom；　poor　lads；　are　now　in　their　graves！〃

The　parson；　however；　whose　mind　was　not　haunted　by　such　associations；　and　who　was　always　more　taken　up　with　the　text　than　the　sentiment；　objected　to　the　Oxonian's　version　of　the　carol：　which　he　affirmed　was　different　from　that　sung　at　college。　　He　went　on；　with　the　dry　perseverance　of　a　commentator；　to　give　the　college　reading；　accompanied　by　sundry　annotations：　addressing　himself　at　first　to　the　company　at　large；　but　finding　their　attention　gradually　diverted　to　other　talk；　and　other　objects；　he　lowered　his　tone　as　his　number　of　auditors　diminished；　until　he　concluded　his　remarks；　in　an　under　voice；　to　a　fat…headed　old　gentleman　next　him；　who　was　silently　engaged　in　the　discussion　of　a　huge　plateful　of　turkey。*


*　See　Note　E。


The　table　was　literally　loaded　with　good　cheer；　and　presented　an　epitome　of　country　abundance；　in　this　season　of　overflowing　larders。　　A　distinguished　post　was　allotted　to　〃ancient　sirloin；〃　as　mine　host　termed　it；　being；　as　he　added；　〃the　standard　of　old　English　hospitality；　and　a　joint　of　goodly　presence；　and　full　of　expectation。〃

There　were　several　dishes　quaintly　decorated；　and　which　had　evidently　something　traditionary　in　their　embellishments；　but　about　which；　as　I　did　not　like　to　appear　over　curious；　I　asked　no　questions。　　I　could　not；　however；　but　notice　a　pie；　magnificently　decorated　with　peacocks'　feathers；　in　imitation　of　the　tail　of　that　bird；　which　overshadowed　a　considerable　tract　of　the　table。　　This；　the　Squire　confessed；　with　some　little　hesitation；　was　a　pheasant…　pie；　though　a　peacock…pie　was　certainly　the　most　authentical；　but　there　had　been　such　a　mortality　among　the　peacocks　this　season；　that　he　could　not　prevail　upon　himself　to　have　one　killed。*


*　See　Not