wild wales-第34节

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〃I　cannot；　your　hanner；　my　fingers　never　learnt　to　play　such　a　
blackguard　tune；　but　if　you　wish　to　hear　Croppies　Get　Up　I　can　
oblige　ye。〃

〃You　are　a　Roman　Catholic；　I　suppose？〃

〃I　am　not；　your　hanner　…　I　am　a　Catholic　to　the　back…bone；　just　
like　my　father　before　me。　　Come；　your　hanner；　shall　I　play　ye　
Croppies　Get　Up？〃

〃No；〃　said　I；　〃it's　a　tune　that　doesn't　please　my　ears。　　If；　
however；　you　choose　to　play　Croppies　Lie　Down；　I'll　give　you　a　
shilling。〃

〃Your　hanner　will　give　me　a　shilling？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　I；　〃if　you　play　Croppies　Lie　Down；　but　you　know　you　
cannot　play　it；　your　fingers　never　learned　the　tune。〃

〃They　never　did；　your　hanner；　but　they　have　heard　it　played　of　ould　
by　the　blackguard　Orange　fiddlers　of　Dublin　on　the　first　of　July；　
when　the　Protestant　boys　used　to　walk　round　Willie's　statue　on　
College　Green　…　so　if　your　hanner　gives　me　the　shilling；　they　may　
perhaps　bring　out　something　like　it。〃

〃Very　good；〃　said　I；　〃begin！〃

〃But；　your　hanner；　what　shall　we　do　for　the　words？　though　my　
fingers　may　remember　the　tune　my　tongue　does　not　remember　the　words　
…　that　is　unless　。　。　。〃

〃I　give　another　shilling；〃　said　I；　〃but　never　mind　you　the　words；　I　
know　the　words；　and　will　repeat　them。〃

〃And　your　hanner　will　give　me　a　shilling？〃

〃If　you　play　the　tune；〃　said　I。

〃Hanner　bright；　your　hanner？〃

〃Honour　bright；〃　said　I。

Thereupon　the　fiddler　taking　his　bow　and　shouldering　his　fiddle；　
struck　up　in　first…rate　style　the　glorious　tune；　which　I　had　so　
often　heard　with　rapture　in　the　days　of　my　boyhood　in　the　barrack…
yard　of　Clonmel；　whilst　I；　walking　by　his　side　as　he　stumped　along；　
caused　the　welkin　to　resound　with　the　words；　which　were　the　delight　
of　the　young　gentlemen　of　the　Protestant　academy　of　that　beautiful　
old　town。

〃I　never　heard　those　words　before；〃　said　the　fiddler；　after　I　had　
finished　the　first　stanza。

〃Get　on　with　you；〃　said　I。

〃Regular　Orange　words！〃　said　the　fiddler；　on　my　finishing　the　
second　stanza。

〃Do　you　choose　to　get　on？〃　said　I。

〃More　blackguard　Orange　words　I　never　heard！〃　cried　the　fiddler；　on　
my　coming　to　the　conclusion　of　the　third　stanza。　　〃Divil　a　bit　
farther　will　I　play；　at　any　rate　till　I　get　the　shilling。〃

〃Here　it　is　for　you；〃　said　I；　〃the　song　is　ended；　and；　of　course；　
the　tune。〃

〃Thank　your　hanner；〃　said　the　fiddler；　taking　the　money；　〃your　
hanner　has　kept　your　word　with　me；　which　is　more　than　I　thought　
your　hanner　would。　　And　now　your　hanner　let　me　ask　you　why　did　your　
hanner　wish　for　that　tune；　which　is　not　only　a　blackguard　one　but　
quite　out　of　date；　and　where　did　your　hanner　get　the　words？〃

〃I　used　to　hear　the　tune　in　my　boyish　days；〃　said　I；　〃and　wished　to　
hear　it　again；　for　though　you　call　it　a　blackguard　tune；　it　is　the　
sweetest　and　most　noble　air　that　Ireland；　the　land　of　music；　has　
ever　produced。　　As　for　the　words；　never　mind　where　I　got　them；　they　
are　violent　enough；　but　not　half　so　violent　as　the　words　of　some　of　
the　songs　made　against　the　Irish　Protestants　by　the　priests。〃

〃Your　hanner　is　an　Orange　man；　I　see。　　Well；　your　hanner；　the　
Orange　is　now　in　the　kennel；　and　the　Croppies　have　it　all　their　own　
way。〃

〃And　perhaps；〃　said　I；　〃before　I　die；　the　Orange　will　be　out　of　the　
kennel　and　the　Croppies　in；　even　as　they　were　in　my　young　days。〃

〃Who　knows；　your　hanner？　and　who　knows　that　I　may　not　play　the　old　
tune　round　Willie's　image　in　College　Green；　even　as　I　used　some　
twenty…seven　years　ago？〃

〃Oh　then　you　have　been　an　Orange　fiddler？〃

〃I　have；　your　hanner。　　And　now　as　your　hanner　has　behaved　like　a　
gentleman　to　me　I　will　tell　ye　all　my　history。　　I　was　born　in　the　
city　of　Dublin；　that　is　in　the　village　of　Donnybrook；　as　I　tould　
your　hanner　before。　　It　was　to　the　trade　of　bricklaying　I　was　bred；　
and　bricklaying　I　followed　till　at　last；　getting　my　leg　smashed；　
not　by　falling　off　the　ladder；　but　by　a　row　in　the　fair；　I　was　
obliged　to　give　it　up；　for　how　could　I　run　up　the　ladder　with　a　
patten　on　my　foot；　which　they　put　on　to　make　my　broken　leg　as　long　
as　the　other。　　Well　your　hanner；　being　obliged　to　give　up　my　
bricklaying；　I　took　to　fiddling；　to　which　I　had　always　a　natural　
inclination；　and　played　about　the　streets；　and　at　fairs；　and　wakes；　
and　weddings。　　At　length　some　Orange　men　getting　acquainted　with　
me；　and　liking　my　style　of　playing；　invited　me　to　their　lodge；　
where　they　gave　me　to　drink　and　tould　me　that　if　I　would　change　my　
religion；　and　join　them；　and　play　their　tunes；　they　would　make　it　
answer　my　purpose。　　Well；　your　hanner；　without　much　stickling　I　
gave　up　my　Popery；　joined　the　Orange　lodge；　learned　the　Orange　
tunes；　and　became　a　regular　Protestant　boy；　and　truly　the　Orange　
men　kept　their　word；　and　made　it　answer　my　purpose。　　Oh　the　meat　
and　drink　I　got；　and　the　money　I　made　by　playing　at　the　Orange　
lodges　and　before　the　processions　when　the　Orange　men　paraded　the　
streets　with　their　Orange　colours。　　　And　oh；　what　a　day　for　me　was　
the　glorious　first　of　July　when　with　my　whole　body　covered　with　
Orange　ribbons；　I　fiddled　Croppies　Lie　Down；　Boyne　Water；　and　the　
Protestant　Boys　before　the　procession　which　walked　round　Willie's　
figure　on　horseback　in　College　Green；　the　man　and　horse　all　ablaze　
with　Orange　colours。　　But　nothing　lasts　under　the　sun；　as　your　
hanner　knows；　Orangeism　began　to　go　down；　the　Government　scowled　at　
it；　and　at　last　passed　a　law　preventing　the　Protestant　boys　
dressing　up　the　figure　on　the　first　of　July；　and　walking　round　it。　　
That　was　the　death…blow　of　the　Orange　party；　your　hanner；　they　
never　recovered　it；　but　began　to　despond　and　dwindle；　and　I　with　
them；　for　there　was　scarcely　any　demand　for　Orange　tunes。　　Then　Dan　
O'Connell　arose　with　his　emancipation　and　repale　cries；　and　then　
instead　of　Orange　processions　and　walkings；　there　were　Papist　
processions　and　mobs；　which　made　me　afraid　to　stir　out；　lest　
knowing　me　for　an　Orange　fiddler；　they　should　break　my　head；　as　the　
boys　broke　my　leg　at　Donnybrook　fair。　　At　length　some　of　the　
repalers　and　emancipators　knowing　that　I　was　a　first…rate　hand　at　
fiddling　came　to　me　and　tould　me；　that　if　I　would　give　over　playing　
Croppies　Lie　Down　and　other　Orange　tunes；　and　would　play　Croppies　
Get　Up；　and　what　not；　and　become　a　Catholic　and　a　repaler；　and　an　
emancipator；　they　would　make　a　man　of　me　…　so　as　my　Orange　trade　
was　gone；　and　I　was　half…starved；　I　consinted；　not　however　till　
they　had　introduced　me　to　Daniel　O'Connell；　who　called　me　a　cridit　
to　my　country；　and　the　Irish　Horpheus；　and　promised　me　a　sovereign　
if　I　would　consint　to　join　the　cause；　as　he　called　it。　　Well；　your　
hanner；　I　joined　with　the　cause　and　became　a　Papist；　I　mane　a　
Catholic　once　more；　and　went　at　the　head　of　processions　covered　all　
over　with　green　ribbons；　playing　Croppies　Get　Up；　Granny　Whale；　and　
the　like。　　But；　your　hanner；　though　I　went　the　whole　hog　with　the　
repalers　and　emancipators；　they　did　not　make　their　words　good　by　
making　a　man　of　me。　　Scant　and　sparing　were　they　in　the　mate　and　
drink；　and　yet　more　sparing　in　the　money；　and　Daniel　O'Connell　
never　gave　me　the　sovereign　which　he　promised　me。　　No；　your　hanner；　
though　I　played　Croppies　Get　Up；　till　my　fingers　ached；　as　I　
stumped　before　him　and　his　mobs　and　processions；　he　never　gave　me　
the　sovereign：　　unlike　your　hanner　who　gave　me　the　shilling　ye　
promised　me　for　playing　Croppies　Lie　Down；　Daniel　O'Connell　never　
gave　me　the　sovereign　he　promised　me　for　playing　Croppies　Get　Up。　　
Och；　your　hanner；　I　often　wished　the　ould　Orange　days　were　back　
again。　　However　as　I　could　do　no　better　I　continued　going　the　whole　
hog　with　the　emancipators　and　repalers　and　Dan　O'Connell；　I　went　
the　whole　animal　with　them　till　they　had　got　emancipation；　and　I　
went　the　whole　animal　with　them　till　they　had　nearly　got　repale　…　
when　all　of　a　sudden　they　let　the　whole　thing　drop　…　Dan　and　his　
party　having　frighted　the　Government　out　of　its　seven　senses；　and　
gotten　all　they　could　get；　in　money　and　places；　which　was　all　they　
wanted；　let　the　whole　hullabaloo　drop；　and　of　course　myself；　who　
formed　part　of　it。　　I　went　to　those　who　had　persuaded　me　to　give　up　
my　Orange　tunes；　and　to　play　Papist　ones；　begging　them　to　give　me　
work；　but　they　tould　me　very　civilly　that　they　had　no　further　
occasion　for　my　services。　　I　went　to　Daniel　O'Connell　reminding　him　
of　the　sovereign　he　had　promised　me；　and　offering　if　he　gave　it　me　
to　play　Croppies　Get　Up　under　the　nose　of　the　lord…lieutenant　
himself；　but　he　tould　me　that　he　had　not　time　to　attend　to　me；　and　
when　I　persisted；　bade　me　go　to　the　Divil　and　shake　myself。　　Well；　
your　hanner；　seeing　no　prospect　for　myself　in　my　own　country；　and　
having　incurred　some　little　debts；　for　which　I　feared　to　be　
arrested；　I　came　over　to　England　and　Wales；　where　with　little　
content　and　satisfaction　I　have　passed　seven　years。〃

〃Well；〃　said　I；　〃thank　you　for　your　history　…　farewell。〃

〃Stap；　your　hanner；　does　your　hanner　think　that　the　Orange　will　
ever　be　out　of　the　kennel；　and　that　the　Orange　boys　will　ever　walk　
round　the　brass　man　and　horse　in　College　Green　as　they　did　of　
ould？〃

〃Who　knows？〃　said　I。　　〃Bu