50 bab ballads(50篇巴布歌谣)-第12节
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answered with a glare; She only said; 〃Remember; for your ANNIE will be
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Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
* * * * * * * *
The morrow GILBERT boldly on the scaffold took his stand; With a
vizor on his face and with a hatchet in his hand; And all the people noticed
that the Engine of the Law Was far less like a hatchet than a dissipated
saw。
The felon very coolly loosed his collar and his stock; And placed his
wicked head upon the handy little block。 The hatchet was uplifted for to
settle PETER GRAY; When GILBERT plainly heard a woman's voice
exclaiming; 〃Stay!〃
'Twas ANNIE; gentle ANNIE; as you'll easily believe。 〃O GILBERT;
you must spare him; for I bring him a reprieve; It came from our Home
Secretary many weeks ago; And passed through that post…office which I
used to keep at Bow。
〃I loved you; loved you madly; and you know it; GILBERT CLAY;
And as I'd quite surrendered all idea of PETER GRAY; I quietly
suppressed it; as you'll clearly understand; For I thought it might be
awkward if he came and claimed my hand。
〃In anger at my secret (which I could not tell before); To lacerate poor
PETER GRAY vindictively you swore; I told you if you used that blunted
axe you'd rue the day; And so you will; young GILBERT; for I'll marry
PETER GRAY!〃
'AND SO SHE DID。
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Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
E
LIKENESS。
I'VE painted SHAKESPEARE all my life … 〃An infant〃 (even then at
〃play〃!) 〃A boy;〃 with stage…ambition rife; Then 〃Married to ANN
HATHAWAY。〃
〃The bard's first ticket night〃 (or 〃ben。〃); His 〃First appearance on the
stage;〃 His 〃Call before the curtain〃 … then 〃Rejoicings when he came of
age。〃
The bard play…writing in his room; The bard a humble lawyer's clerk。
The bard a lawyer (3) … parson (4) … groom (5) … The bard deer…stealing;
after dark。
The bard a tradesman (6) … and a Jew (7) … The bard a botanist (8) … a
beak (9) … The bard a skilled musician (10) too … A sheriff (11) and a
surgeon (12) eke!
Yet critics say (a friendly stock) That; though it's evident I try; Yet
even I can barely mock The glimmer of his wondrous eye!
One morning as a work I framed; There passed a person; walking hard:
〃My gracious goodness;〃 I exclaimed; 〃How very like my dear old bard!
〃Oh; what a model he would make!〃 I rushed outside … impulsive me! 〃
Forgive the liberty I take; But you're so very〃 … 〃Stop!〃 said he。
〃You needn't waste your breath or time; … I know what you are going to
say; … That you're an artist; and that I'm Remarkably like SHAKESPEARE。
Eh?
〃You wish that I would sit to you?〃 I clasped him madly round the
waist; And breathlessly replied; 〃I do!〃 〃All right;〃 said he; 〃but please
make haste。〃
I led him by his hallowed sleeve; And worked away at him apace; I
painted him till dewy eve; … There never was a nobler face!
〃Oh; sir;〃 I said; 〃a fortune grand Is yours; by dint of merest chance; To
sport HIS brow at second…hand; To wear HIS cast…off countenance!
〃To rub HIS eyes whene'er they ache … To wear HIS baldness ere
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Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
His eyeballs glistened in his eyes … I sat and watched and smoked my
pipe; 〃Bravo!〃 I said; 〃I recognize The phrensy of your prototype!〃
His scanty hair he wildly tore: 〃That's right;〃 said I; 〃it shows your
breed。〃 He danced … he stamped … he wildly swore … 〃Bless me; that's very
fine indeed!〃
〃Sir;〃 said the grand Shakesperian boy (Continuing to blaze away);
〃You think my face a source of joy; That shows you know not what you
say。
〃Forgive these yells and cellar…flaps: I'm always thrown in some such
state When on his face well…meaning chaps This wretched man
congratulate。
〃For; oh! this face … this pointed chin …This nose …this brow …these
eyeballs too; Have always been the origin Of all the woes I ever knew!
〃If to the play my way I find; To see a grand Shakesperian piece; I
have no rest; no ease of mind Until the author's puppets cease。
〃Men nudge each other … thus … and say; 'This certainly is
SHAKESPEARE'S son;' And merry wags (of course in play) Cry 'Author!'
when the piece is done。
〃In church the people stare at me; Their soul the sermon never binds; I
catch them looking round to see; And thoughts of SHAKESPEARE fill
their minds。
〃And sculptors; fraught with cunning wile; Who find it difficult to
crown A bust with BROWN'S insipid smile; Or TOMKINS'S unmannered
frown; 〃Yet boldly make my face their own; When (oh; presumption!) they
require To animate a paving…stone With SHAKESPEARE'S intellectual
fire。
〃At parties where young ladies gaze; And I attempt to speak my joy;
'Hush; pray;' some lovely creature says; 'The fond illusion don't destroy!'
〃Whene'er I speak; my soul is wrung With these or some such
whisperings: ''Tis pity that a SHAKESPEARE'S tongue Should say such
un…Shakesperian things!'
〃I should not thus be criticised Had I a face of common wont: Don't
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Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
!
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Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
THE story of FREDERICK GOWLER; A mariner of the sea; Who
quitted his ship; the HOWLER; A…sailing in Caribbee。 For many a day he
wandered; Till he met in a state of rum CALAMITY POP VON
PEPPERMINT DROP; The King of Canoodle…Dum。
That monarch addressed him gaily; 〃Hum! Golly de do to…day? Hum!
Lily…white Buckra Sailee〃 … (You notice his playful way?) … 〃What dickens
you doin' here; sar? Why debbil you want to come? Hum! Picaninnee; dere
isn't no sea In City Canoodle…Dum!〃
And GOWLER he answered sadly; 〃Oh; mine is a doleful tale!
They've treated me werry badly In Lunnon; from where I hail。 I'm one of
the Family Royal … No common Jack Tar you see; I'm WILLIAM THE
FOURTH; far up in the North; A King in my own countree!〃
Bang…bang! How the tom…toms thundered! Bang…bang! How they
thumped this gongs! Bang…bang! How the people wondered! Bang…bang!
At it hammer and tongs! Alliance with Kings of Europe Is an honour
Canoodlers seek; Her monarchs don't stop with PEPPERMINT DROP
Every day in the week!
FRED told them that he was undone; For his people all went insane;
And fired the Tower of London; And Grinnidge's Naval Fane。 And some
of them racked St。 James's; And vented their rage upon The Church of St。
Paul; the Fishmongers' Hall; And the Angel at Islington。
CALAMITY POP implored him In his capital to remain Till those
people of his restored him To power and rank again。 CALAMITY POP he
made him A Prince of Canoodle…Dum; With a couple of caves; some
beautiful slaves; And the run of the royal rum。
Pop gave him his only daughter; HUM PICKETY WIMPLE TIP:
FRED vowed that if over the water He went; in an English ship; He'd
make her his Queen; … though truly It is an unusual thing For a Caribbee
brat who's as black as your hat To be wife of an English King。
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Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
CALAMITY POP most wisely Determined in everything To model his
Court precisely On that of the English King; And ordered that every lady
And every lady's lord Should masticate jacky (a kind of tobaccy); And
scatter its juice abroad。
They signified wonder roundly At any astounding yarn; By darning
their dear eyes roundly ('T was all they had to darn)。 They 〃hoisted their
slacks;〃 adjusting Garments of plantain…leaves With nautical twitches (as
if they wore breeches; Instead of a dress like EVE'S!)
They shivered their timbers proudly; At a phantom forelock dragged;
And called for a hornpipe loudly Whenever amusement flagged。 〃Hum!
Golly! him POP resemble; Him Britisher sov'reign; hum! CALAMITY
POP VON PEPPERMINT DROP; De King of Canoodle…Dum!〃
The mariner's lively 〃Hollo!〃 Enlivened Canoodle's plain (For
blessings unnumbered follow In Civilization's train)。 But Fortune; who
loves a bathos; A terrible ending planned; For ADMIRAL D。
CHICKABIDDY; C。B。; Placed foot on Canoodle land!
That rebel; he seized KING GOWLER; He threatened his royal brains;
And put him aboard the HOWLER; And fastened him down with chains。
The HOWLER she weighed her anchor; With FREDERICK nicely nailed;
And off to the North with WILLIAM THE FOURTH These horrible
pirates sailed。
CALAMITY said (with folly); 〃Hum! nebber want him again … Him
civilize all of us; golly! CALAMITY suck him brain!〃 The people;
however; were pained when They saw him aboard his ship; But none of
them wept for their FREDDY; except HUM PICKETY WIMPLE TIP。
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Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
Fifty 〃Bab〃 Ballads … Much Sound and Little Sense
SOME time ago; in simple verse I sang the story true Of CAPTAIN
REECE; the MANTELPIECE; And all her happy crew。
I