stories by english authors in france(旅法英国作家的故事)-第5节
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a rogue as there is between here and Jerusalem。 He turned up his toes like
a lamb。 But it was a nasty thing to look at。 I dare say you've seen dead
men in your time； my lord？〃 he added； glancing at the armour。
〃Many；〃 said the old man。 〃I have followed the wars； as you imagine。〃
Villon laid down his knife and fork； which he had just taken up again。
〃Were any of them bald？〃 he asked。
〃Oh yes； and with hair as white as mine。〃
〃I don't think I should mind the white so much；〃 said Villon。 〃His was
red。〃 And he had a return of his shuddering and tendency to laughter；
which he drowned with a great draught of wine。 〃I'm a little put out when I
think of it；〃 he went on。 〃I knew himdamn him！ And then the cold gives
a man fanciesor the fancies give a man cold； I don't know which。〃
〃Have you any money？〃 asked the old man。
〃I have one white；〃 returned the poet； laughing。 〃I got it out of a dead
jade's stocking in a porch。 She was as dead as Caesar； poor wench； and as
cold as a church； with bits of ribbon sticking in her hair。 This is a hard
winter for wolves and wenches and poor rogues like me。〃
〃I；〃 said the old man； 〃am Enguerrand de la Feuillee； seigneur de
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Brisetout； bailie du Patatrac。 Who and what may you be？〃
Villon rose and made a suitable reverence。 〃I am called Francis
Villon；〃 he said； 〃a poor Master of Arts of this university。 I know some
Latin； and a deal of vice。 I can make Chansons； ballades； lais； virelais； and
roundels； and I am very fond of wine。 I was born in a garret； and I shall
not improbably die upon the gallows。 I may add； my lord； that from this
night forward I am your lordship's very obsequious servant to command。〃
〃No servant of mine；〃 said the knight。 〃My guest for this evening； and
no more。〃
〃A very grateful guest；〃 said Villon； politely； and he drank in dumb
show to his entertainer。
〃You are shrewd；〃 began the old man； tapping his forehead； 〃very
shrewd； you have learning； you are a clerk； and yet you take a small piece
of money off a dead woman in the street。 Is it not a kind of theft？〃
〃It is a kind of theft much practised in the wars； my lord。〃
〃The wars are the field of honour；〃 returned the old man； proudly。
〃There a man plays his life upon the cast； he fights in the name of his lord
the king； his Lord God； and all their lordships the holy saints and angels。〃
〃Put it；〃 said Villon； 〃that I were really a thief； should I not play my
life also； and against heavier odds？〃
〃For gain； but not for honour。〃
〃Gain？〃 repeated Villon； with a shrug。 〃Gain！ The poor fellow wants
supper； and takes it。 So does the soldier in a campaign。 Why； what are all
these requisitions we hear so much about？ If they are not gain to those
who take them； they are loss enough to the others。 The men…at… arms drink
by a good fire； while the burgher bites his nails to buy them wine and
wood。 I have seen a good many ploughmen swinging on trees about the
country； ay； I have seen thirty on one elm； and a very poor figure they
made； and when I asked some one how all these came to be hanged； I was
told it was because they could not scrape together enough crowns to
satisfy the men…at…arms。〃
〃These things are a necessity of war； which the low…born must endure
with constancy。 It is true that some captains drive overhard； there are
spirits in every rank not easily moved by pity； and indeed many follow
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arms who are no better than brigands。〃
〃You see；〃 said the poet； 〃you cannot separate the soldier from the
brigand； and what is a thief but an isolated brigand with circumspect
manners？ I steal a couple of mutton…chops； without so much as disturbing
people's sleep； the farmer grumbles a bit； but sups none the less
wholesomely on what remains。 You come up blowing gloriously on a
trumpet； take away the whole sheep； and beat the farmer pitifully into the
bargain。 I have no trumpet； I am only Tom； Dick； or Harry； I am a rogue
and a dog； and hanging's too good for mewith all my heart； but just ask
the farmer which of us he prefers； just find out which of us he lies awake
to curse on cold nights。〃
〃Look at us two；〃 said his lordship。 〃I am old； strong； and honoured。 If
I were turned from my house to…morrow； hundreds would be proud to
shelter me。 Poor people would go out and pass the night in the streets with
their children； if I merely hinted that I wished to be alone。 And I find you
up； wandering homeless； and picking farthings off dead women by the
wayside！ I fear no man and nothing； I have seen you tremble and lose
countenance at a word。 I wait God's summons contentedly in my own
house； or； if it please the king to call me out again； upon the field of battle。
You look for the gallows； a rough； swift death； without hope or honour。 Is
there no difference between these two？〃
〃As far as to the moon；〃 Villon acquiesced。 〃But if I had been born
lord of Brisetout； and you had been the poor scholar Francis； would the
difference have been any the less？ Should not I have been warming my
knees at this charcoal pan； and would not you have been groping for
farthings in the snow？ Should not I have been the soldier； and you the
thief？〃
〃A thief？〃 cried the old man。 〃I a thief！ If you understood your words；
you would repent them。〃
Villon turned out his hands with a gesture of inimitable impudence。 〃If
your lordship had done me the honour to follow my argument！〃 he said。
〃I do you too much honour in submitting to your presence；〃 said the
knight。 〃Learn to curb your tongue when you speak with old and
honourable men； or some one hastier than I may reprove you in a sharper
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fashion。〃 And he rose and paced the lower end of the apartment； struggling
with anger and antipathy。 Villon surreptitiously refilled his cup； and settled
himself more comfortably in the chair； crossing his knees and leaning his
head upon one hand and the elbow against the back of the chair。 He was
now replete and warm； and he was in no wise frightened for his host；
having gauged him as justly as was possible between two such different
characters。 The night was far spent； and in a very comfortable fashion after
all； and he felt morally certain of a safe departure on the morrow。
〃Tell me one thing；〃 said the old man； pausing in his walk。 〃Are you
really a thief？〃
〃I claim the sacred rights of hospitality；〃 returned the poet。 〃My lord； I
am。〃
〃You are very young；〃 the knight continued。
〃I should never have been so old；〃 replied Villon； showing his fingers；
〃if I had not helped myself with these ten talents。 They have been my
nursing mothers and my nursing fathers。〃
〃You may still repent and change。〃
〃I repent daily；〃 said the poet。 〃There are few people more given to
repentance than poor Francis。 As for change； let somebody change my
circumstances。 A man must continue to eat； if it were only that he may
continue to repent。〃
〃The change must begin in the heart；〃 returned the old man； solemnly。
〃My dear lord；〃 answered Villon； 〃do you really fancy that I steal for
pleasure？ I hate stealing； like any other piece of work or of danger。 My
teeth chatter when I see a gallows。 But I must eat； I must drink； I must mix
in society of some sort。 What the devil！ Man is not a solitary animal/cui
Deus foeminam tradit/。 Make me king's pantler； make me Abbot of St。
Denis； make me bailie of the Patatrac； and then I shall be changed indeed。
But as long as you leave me the poor scholar Francis Villon； without a
farthing； why； of course； I remain the same。〃
〃The grace of God is all powerful。〃
〃I should be
