round the red lamp(红灯四周)-第5节
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send for my things in the evenin'。〃 With a nod she strolled off with her
attendant gossips in the direction of the public house。
Thus left to her own devices； the country girl walked into the front
room and took off her hat and jacket。 It was a low…roofed apartment with
a sputtering fire upon which a small brass kettle was singing cheerily。 A
stained cloth lay over half the table； with an empty brown teapot； a loaf of
bread； and some coarse crockery。 Norah Brewster looked rapidly about
her； and in an instant took over her new duties。 Ere five minutes had
passed the tea was made； two slices of bacon were frizzling on the pan； the
table was rearranged； the antimacassars straightened over the sombre
brown furniture； and the whole room had taken a new air of comfort and
neatness。 This done she looked round curiously at the prints upon the
walls。 Over the fireplace； in a small； square case； a brown medal caught
her eye； hanging from a strip of purple ribbon。 Beneath was a slip of
newspaper cutting。 She stood on her tiptoes； with her fingers on the edge
of the mantelpiece； and craned her neck up to see it； glancing down from
time to time at the bacon which simmered and hissed beneath her。 The
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cutting was yellow with age； and ran in this way：
〃On Tuesday an interesting ceremony was performed at the barracks of
the Third Regiment of Guards； when； in the presence of the Prince Regent；
Lord Hill； Lord Saltoun； and an assemblage which comprised beauty as
well as valour； a special medal was presented to Corporal Gregory
Brewster； of Captain Haldane's flank company； in recognition of his
gallantry in the recent great battle in the Lowlands。 It appears that on the
ever…memorable 18th of June four companies of the Third Guards and of
the Coldstreams； under the command of Colonels Maitland and Byng； held
the important farmhouse of Hougoumont at the right of the British
position。 At a critical point of the action these troops found themselves
short of powder。 Seeing that Generals Foy and Jerome Buonaparte were
again massing their infantry for an attack on the position； Colonel Byng
dispatched Corporal Brewster to the rear to hasten up the reserve
ammunition。 Brewster came upon two powder tumbrils of the Nassau
division； and succeeded； after menacing the drivers with his musket； in
inducing them to convey their powder to Hougoumont。 In his absence；
however； the hedges surrounding the position had been set on fire by a
howitzer battery of the French； and the passage of the carts full of powder
became a most hazardous matter。 The first tumbril exploded； blowing
the driver to fragments。 Daunted by the fate of his comrade； the second
driver turned his horses； but Corporal Brewster； springing upon his seat；
hurled the man down； and urging the powder cart through the flames；
succeeded in forcing his way to his companions。 To this gallant deed
may be directly attributed the success of the British arms； for without
powder it would have been impossible to have held Hougoumont； and the
Duke of Wellington had repeatedly declared that had Hougoumont fallen；
as well as La Haye Sainte； he would have found it impossible to have held
his ground。 Long may the heroic Brewster live to treasure the medal
which he has so bravely won； and to look back with pride to the day when；
in the presence of his comrades； he received this tribute to his valour from
the august hands of the first gentleman of the realm。〃
The reading of this old cutting increased in the girl's mind the
veneration which she had always had for her warrior kinsman。 From her
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infancy he had been her hero； and she remembered how her father used to
speak of his courage and his strength； how he could strike down a bullock
with a blow of his fist and carry a fat sheep under either arm。 True； she
had never seen him； but a rude painting at home which depicted a square…
faced； clean shaven； stalwart man with a great bearskin cap； rose ever
before her memory when she thought of him。
She was still gazing at the brown medal and wondering what the
〃Dulce et decorum est〃 might mean； which was inscribed upon the edge；
when there came a sudden tapping and shuffling upon the stair； and there
at the door was standing the very man who had been so often in her
thoughts。
But could this indeed be he？ Where was the martial air； the flashing
eye； the warrior face which she had pictured？ There； framed in the
doorway； was a huge twisted old man； gaunt and puckered； with twitching
hands and shuffling； purposeless feet。 A cloud of fluffy white hair； a red…
veined nose； two thick tufts of eyebrow and a pair of dimly questioning；
watery blue eyesthese were what met her gaze。 He leaned forward
upon a stick； while his shoulders rose and fell with his crackling； rasping
breathing。
〃I want my morning rations；〃 he crooned； as he stumped forward to his
chair。 〃The cold nips me without 'em。 See to my fingers！〃 He held
out his distorted hands； all blue at the tips； wrinkled and gnarled； with
huge； projecting knuckles。
〃It's nigh ready；〃 answered the girl； gazing at him with wonder in her
eyes。 〃Don't you know who I am； granduncle？ I am Norah Brewster
from Witham。〃
〃Rum is warm；〃 mumbled the old man； rocking to and fro in his chair；
〃and schnapps is warm； and there's 'eat in soup； but it's a dish o' tea for me。
What did you say your name was？〃
〃Norah Brewster。〃
〃You can speak out； lass。 Seems to me folk's voices isn't as loud as
they used。〃
〃I'm Norah Brewster； uncle。 I'm your grandniece come down from
Essex way to live with you。〃
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〃You'll be brother Jarge's girl！ Lor； to think o' little Jarge having a
girl！〃 He chuckled hoarsely to himself； and the long； stringy sinews of
his throat jerked and quivered。
〃I am the daughter of your brother George's son；〃 said she； as she
turned the bacon。
〃Lor； but little Jarge was a rare un！〃 he continued。 〃Eh； by Jimini；
there was no chousing Jarge。 He's got a bull pup o' mine that I gave him
when I took the bounty。 You've heard him speak of it； likely？〃
〃Why； grandpa George has been dead this twenty year；〃 said she；
pouring out the tea。
〃Well； it was a bootiful pupaye； a well…bred un； by Jimini！ I'm cold
for lack o' my rations。 Rum is good； and so is schnapps； but I'd as lief
have tea as either。〃
He breathed heavily while he devoured his food。 〃It's a middlin'
goodish way you've come；〃 said he at last。 〃Likely the stage left
yesternight。〃
〃The what； uncle？〃
〃The coach that brought you。〃
〃Nay； I came by the mornin' train。〃
〃Lor； now； think o' that！ You ain't afeard o' those newfangled things！
By Jimini； to think of you comin' by railroad like that！ What's the world
a… comin' to！〃
There was silence for some minutes while Norah sat stirring her tea
and glancing sideways at the bluish lips and champing jaws of her
companion。
〃You must have seen a deal o' life； uncle；〃 said she。 〃It must seem a
long； long time to you！〃
〃Not so very long neither。 I'm ninety； come Candlemas； but it don't
seem long since I took the bounty。 And that battle； it might have been
yesterday。 Eh； but I get a power o' good from my rations！〃 He did
indeed look less worn and colourless than when she fir
