a dream of john ball(约翰·勃尔的梦)-第1节
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A DREAM OF JOHN BALL
A DREAM OF JOHN
BALL
By William Morris
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A DREAM OF JOHN BALL
CHAPTER I
THE MEN OF KENT
Sometimes I am rewarded for fretting myself so much about present
matters by a quite unasked…for pleasant dream。 I mean when I am asleep。
This dream is as it were a present of an architectural peep…show。 I see
some beautiful and noble building new made； as it were for the occasion；
as clearly as if I were awake； not vaguely or absurdly； as often happens in
dreams； but with all the detail clear and reasonable。 Some Elizabethan
house with its scrap of earlier fourteenth…century building； and its later
degradations of Queen Anne and Silly Billy and Victoria； marring but not
destroying it； in an old village once a clearing amid the sandy woodlands
of Sussex。 Or an old and unusually curious church； much
churchwardened； and beside it a fragment of fifteenth…century domestic
architecture amongst the not unpicturesque lath and plaster of an Essex
farm； and looking natural enough among the sleepy elms and the
meditative hens scratching about in the litter of the farmyard； whose
trodden yellow straw comes up to the very jambs of the richly carved
Norman doorway of the church。 Or sometimes 'tis a splendid collegiate
church； untouched by restoring parson and architect； standing amid an
island of shapely trees and flower…beset cottages of thatched grey stone
and cob； amidst the narrow stretch of bright green water…meadows that
wind between the sweeping Wiltshire downs； so well beloved of William
Cobbett。 Or some new…seen and yet familiar cluster of houses in a grey
village of the upper Thames overtopped by the delicate tracery of a
fourteenth…century church； or even sometimes the very buildings of the
past untouched by the degradation of the sordid utilitarianism that cares
not and knows not of beauty and history： as once； when I was journeying
（in a dream of the night） down the well…remembered reaches of the
Thames betwixt Streatley and Wallingford； where the foothills of the
White Horse fall back from the broad stream； I came upon a clear…seen
mediaeval town standing up with roof and tower and spire within its walls；
grey and ancient； but untouched from the days of its builders of old。 All
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A DREAM OF JOHN BALL
this I have seen in the dreams of the night clearer than I can force myself
to see them in dreams of the day。 So that it would have been nothing
new to me the other night to fall into an architectural dream if that were all；
and yet I have to tell of things strange and new that befell me after I had
fallen asleep。 I had begun my sojourn in the Land of Nod by a very
confused attempt to conclude that it was all right for me to have an
engagement to lecture at Manchester and Mitcham Fair Green at half…past
eleven at night on one and the same Sunday； and that I could manage
pretty well。 And then I had gone on to try to make the best of addressing
a large open…air audience in the costume I was really then wearingto wit；
my night…shirt； reinforced for the dream occasion by a pair of braceless
trousers。 The consciousness of this fact so bothered me； that the earnest
faces of my audiencewho would NOT notice it； but were clearly
preparing terrible anti…Socialist posers for mebegan to fade away and my
dream grew thin； and I awoke （as I thought） to find myself lying on a strip
of wayside waste by an oak copse just outside a country village。
I got up and rubbed my eyes and looked about me； and the landscape
seemed unfamiliar to me； though it was； as to the lie of the land； an
ordinary English low…country； swelling into rising ground here and there。
The road was narrow； and I was convinced that it was a piece of Roman
road from its straightness。 Copses were scattered over the country； and
there were signs of two or three villages and hamlets in sight besides the
one near me； between which and me there was some orchard… land； where
the early apples were beginning to redden on the trees。 Also； just on the
other side of the road and the ditch which ran along it； was a small close of
about a quarter of an acre； neatly hedged with quick； which was nearly full
of white poppies； and； as far as I could see for the hedge； had also a good
few rose…bushes of the bright…red nearly single kind； which I had heard are
the ones from which rose…water used to be distilled。 Otherwise the land
was quite unhedged； but all under tillage of various kinds； mostly in small
strips。 From the other side of a copse not far off rose a tall spire white
and brand… new； but at once bold in outline and unaffectedly graceful and
also distinctly English in character。 This； together with the unhedged
tillage and a certain unwonted trimness and handiness about the enclosures
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of the garden and orchards； puzzled me for a minute or two； as I did not
understand； new as the spire was； how it could have been designed by a
modern architect； and I was of course used to the hedged tillage and
tumbledown bankrupt…looking surroundings of our modern agriculture。
So that the garden…like neatness and trimness of everything surprised me。
But after a minute or two that surprise left me entirely； and if what I saw
and heard afterwards seems strange to you； remember that it did not seem
strange to me at the time； except where now and again I shall tell you of it。
Also； once for all； if I were to give you the very words of those who spoke
to me you would scarcely understand them； although their language was
English too； and at the time I could understand them at once。
Well； as I stretched myself and turned my face toward the village； I
heard horse…hoofs on the road； and presently a man and horse showed on
the other end of the stretch of road and drew near at a swinging trot with
plenty of clash of metal。 The man soon came up to me； but paid me no
more heed than throwing me a nod。 He was clad in armour of mingled
steel and leather； a sword girt to his side； and over his shoulder a long…
handled bill…hook。
His armour was fantastic in form and well wrought； but by this time I
was quite used to the strangeness of him； and merely muttered to myself；
〃He is coming to summon the squire to the leet；〃 so I turned toward the
village in good earnest。 Nor； again； was I surprised at my own garments；
although I might well have been from their unwontedness。 I was dressed
in a black cloth gown reaching to my ankles； neatly embroidered about the
collar and cuffs； with wide sleeves gathered in at the wrists； a hood with a
sort of bag hanging down from it was on my head； a broad red leather
girdle round my waist； on one side of which hung a pouch embroidered
very prettily and a case made of hard leather chased with a hunting scene；
which I knew to be a pen and ink case； on the other side a small sheath…
knife； only an arm in case of dire necessity。
Well； I came into the village； where I did not see （nor by this time
expected to see） a single modern building； although many of them were
nearly new； notably the church； which was large； and quite ravished my
heart with its extreme beauty； elegance； and fitness。 The chancel of this
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was so new that the dust of the stone still lay white on the midsummer
grass beneath the carvings of the windows。 The houses were almost all
built of oak frame… work filled with cob or plaster well whi
