the complete angler-第13节

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　that　was　sung　by　your　daughter　when　I　last　passed　over　this　meadow；　about　eight　or　nine　days　since。

Milk…woman。　What　song　was　it；　I　pray？　　Was　it；　〃　Come；　Shepherds；　deck　your　herds　〃　？　or；　〃　As　at　noon　Dulcina　rested　〃　？　or；　〃　Phillida　flouts　me　〃　？　or；　〃　Chevy　Chace　〃　？　or；　〃　Johnny　Armstrong　〃　？　or；　〃　Troy　Town　〃　？

Piscator。　No；　it　is　none　of　those；　it　is　a　Song　that　your　daughter　sung　the　first　part；　and　you　sung　the　answer　to　it。

Milk…woman。　O；　I　know　it　now。　I　learned　the　first　part　in　my　golden　age；　when　I　was　about　the　age　of　my　poor　daughter；　and　the　latter　part；　which　indeed　fits　me　best　now；　but　two　or　three　years　ago；　when　the　cares　of　the　world　began　to　take　hold　of　me：　but　you　shall；　God　willing；　hear　them　both；　and　sung　as　well　as　we　can；　for　we　both　love　anglers。　Come；　Maudlin；　sing　the　first　part　to　the　gentlemen；　with　a　merry　heart；　and　I'll　sing　the　second　when　you　have　done。

The　Milk…maid's　song。

Come　live　with　me；　and　be　my　love；　And　we　will　all　the　pleasures　prove；　That　valleys；　groves；　or　hills；　or　fields；　Or　woods；　and　steepy　mountains　yields；

Where　we　will　sit　upon　the　rocks；　And　see　the　shepherds　feed　our　flocks；　By　shallow　rivers；　to　whose　falls　Melodious　birds　sing　madrigals。

And　I　will　make　thee　beds　of　roses；　And；　then；　a　thousand　fragrant　posies；　A　cap　of　flowers；　and　a　kirtle；　Embroidered　all　with　leaves　of　myrtle；

A　gown　made　of　the　finest　wool　Which　from　our　pretty　lambs　we　pull　Slippers；　lin'd　choicely　for　the　cold；　With　buckles　of　the　purest　gold；

A　belt　of　straw　and　ivy…buds；　With　coral　clasps；　and　amber　studs。　And　if　these　pleasures　may　thee　move；　Come；　live　with　me；　and　be　my　love；

Thy　silver　dishes；　for　thy　meat　As　precious　as　the　Gods　do　eat　Shall；　on　an　ivory　table；　be　Prepared　each　day　for　thee　and　me。

The　shepherd　swains　shall　dance　and　sing　For　thy　delight；　each　May　morning。　If　these　delights　thy　mind　may　move；　Then　live　with　me；　and　be　my　love。

Venator。　Trust　me；　master；　it　is　a　choice　song；　and　sweetly　sung　by　honest　Maudlin。　I　now　see　it　was　not　without　cause　that　our　good　queen　Elizabeth　did　so　often　wish　herself　a　milk…maid　all　the　month　of　May；　because　they　are　not　troubled　with　fears　and　cares；　but　sing　sweetly　all　the　day；　and　sleep　securely　all　the　night：　and　without　doubt；　honest；　innocent；　pretty　Maudlin　does　so。　I'll　bestow　Sir　Thomas　Overbury's　milk…maid's　wish　upon　her；　〃that　she　may　die　in　the　Spring；　and；　being　dead；　may　have　good　store　of　flowers　stuck　round　about　her　winding…　sheet　〃　。

The　Milk…maid's　mother's　answer

If　all　the　world　and　love　were　young　And　truth　in　every　shepherd's　tongue；　These　pretty　pleasures　might　me　move　To　live　with　thee；　and　be　thy　love。

But　Time　drives　flocks　from　field　to　fold。　When　rivers　rage；　and　rocks　grow　cold　Then　Philomel　becometh　dumb　And　age　complains　of　cares　to　come。

The　flowers　do　fade；　and　wanton　fields　To　wayward　winter　reckoning　yields。　A　honey　tongue；　a　heart　of　gall；　Is　fancy's　spring　but　sorrow's　fall。

Thy　gowns；　thy　shoes；　thy　beds　of　roses；　Thy　cap；　thy　kirtle；　and　thy　posies；　Soon　break；　soon　wither；　soon　forgotten；　In　folly　rise。　in　reason　rotten。

Thy　belt　of　straw；　and　ivy　buds；　Thy　coral　clasps；　and　amber　studs；　All　these　in　me　no　means　can　move　To　come　to　thee；　and　be　thy　love。

What　should　we　talk　of　dainties；　then；　Of　better　meat　than's　fit　for　men　？　These　are　but　vain：　that's　only　good　Which　God　hath　blessed　and　sent　for　food。

But　could　youth　last；　and　love　still　breed；　Had　joys　no　date；　nor　age　no　need；　Then　those　delights　my　mind　might　move　To　live　with　thee；　and　be　thy　love。

Mother。　Well！　I　have　done　my　song。　But　stay；　honest　anglers；　for　I　will　make　Maudlin　sing　you　one　short　song　more。　Maudlin　！　sing　that　song　that　you　sung　last　night；　when　young　Coridon　the　shepherd　played　so　purely　on　his　oaten　pipe　to　you　and　your　cousin　Betty。

Maudlin。　I　will；　mother。

I　married　a　wife　of　late；　The　more's　my　unhappy　fate：　I　married　her　for　love；　As　my　fancy　did　me　move；　And　not　for　a　worldly　estate：

But　oh！　the　green　sickness　Soon　changed　her　likeness；　And　all　her　beauty　did　fail。　But　'tis　not　so　With　those　that　go　Thro'frost　and　s　As　As　all　men　know；　And　carry　the　milking…pail。

Piscator。　Well　sung；　good　woman；　I　thank　you。　I'll　give　you　another　dish　of　fish　one　of　these　days；　and　then　beg　another　song　of　you。　Come；　scholar　！　let　Maudlin　alone：　do　not　you　offer　to　spoil　her　voice。　Look　！　yonder　comes　mine　hostess；　to　call　us　to　supper。　How　now！　is　my　brother　Peter　come？

Hostess。　Yes；　and　a　friend　with　him。　They　are　both　glad　to　hear　that　you　are　in　these　parts；　and　long　to　see　you；　and　long　to　be　at　supper；　for　they　be　very　hungry。





The　third　day　…　continued

On　the　Trout

Chapter　V

Piscator；　Peter；　Venator；　Coridon


Piscator。　Well　met；　brother　Peter！　I　heard　you　and　a　friend　would　lodge　here　to…night；　and　that　hath　made　me　to　bring　my　friend　to　lodge　here　too。　My　friend　is　one　that　would　fain　be　a　brother　of　the　angle：　he　hath　been　an　angler　but　this　day；　and　I　have　taught　him　how　to　catch　a　Chub；　by　dapping　with　a　grasshopper；　and　the　Chub　he　caught　was　a　lusty　one　of　nineteen　inches　long。　But　pray；　brother　Peter；　who　is　your　companion　？

Peter。　Brother　Piscator；　my　friend　is　an　honest　countryman；　and　his　name　is　Coridon；　and　he　is　a　downright　witty　companion；　that　met　me　here　purposely　to　be　pleasant　and　eat　a　Trout；　and　I　have　not　yet　wetted　my　line　since　we　met　together：　but　I　hope　to　fit　him　with　a　Trout　for　his　breakfast；　for　I'll　be　early　up。

Piscator。　Nay；　brother；　you　shall　not　stay　so　long；　for；　look　you！　here　is　a　Trout　will　fill　six　reasonable　bellies。

Come；　hostess；　dress　it　presently；　and　get　us　what　other　meat　the　house　will　afford；　and　give　us　some　of　your　best　barley…wine；　the　good　liquor　that　our　honest　forefathers　did　use　to　think　of；　the　drink　which　preserved　their　health；　and　made　them　live　so　long；　and　to　do　so　many　good　deeds。

Peter。　On　my　word；　this　Trout　is　perfect　in　season。　Come；　I　thank　you；　and　here　is　a　hearty　draught　to　you；　and　to　all　the　brothers　of　the　angle　wheresoever　they　be；　and　to　my　young　brother's　good　fortune　to…　morrow。　I　will　furnish　him　with　a　rod；　if　you　will　furnish　him　with　the　rest　of　the　tackling：　we　will　set　him　up；　and　make　him　a　fisher。　And　I　will　tell　him　one　thing　for　his　encouragement；　that　his　fortune　hath　made　him　happy　to　be　scholar　to　such　a　master；　a　master　that　knows　as　much；　both　of　the　nature　and　breeding　of　fish；　as　any　man；　and　can　also　tell　him　as　well　how　to　catch　and　cook　them；　from　the　Minnow　to　the　Salmon；　as　any　that　I　ever　met　withal。

Piscator。　Trust　me；　brother　Peter；　I　find　my　scholar　to　be　so　suitable　to　my　own　humour；　which　is　to　be　free　and　pleasant　and　civilly　merry；　that　my　resolution　is　to　hide　nothing　that　I　know　from　him。　Believe　me；　scholar；　this　is　my　resolution；　and　so　here's　to　you　a　hearty　draught；　and　to　all　that　love　us　and　the　honest　art　of　Angling。

Venator。　Trust　me；　good　master；　you　shall　not　sow　your　seed　in　barren　ground；　for　I　hope　to　return　you　an　increase　answerable　to　your　hopes：　but；　however；　you　shall　find　me　obedient；　and　thankful；　and　serviceable　to　my　best　ability。

Piscator。　'Tis　enough；　honest　scholar！　come；　let's　to　supper。　Come；　my　friend　Coridon；　this　Trout　looks　lovely；　it　was　twenty…two　inches　when　it　was　taken；　and　the　belly　of　it　looked；　some　part　of　it；　as　yellow　as　a　marigold；　and　part　of　it　as　white　as　a　lily；　and　yet；　methinks；　it　looks　better　in　this　good　sauce。

Coridon。　Indeed；　honest　friend；　it　looks　well；　and　tastes　well：　I　thank　you　for　it；　and　so　doth　my　friend　Peter；　or　else　he　is　to　blame。

Peter。　Yes；　and　so　I　do；　we　all　thank　you：　and；　when　we　have　supped；　I　will　get　my　friend　Coridon　to　sing　you　a　song　for　requital。

Coridon。　I　will　sing　a　song；　if　anybody　will　sing　another；　else；　to　be　plain　with　you；　I　will　sing　none。　I　am　none　of　those　that　sing　for　meat；　but　for　company：　I　say；

'〃Tis　merry　in　hall；　When　men　sing　all。〃

Piscator。　I'll　promise　you　I'll　sing　a　song　that　was　lately　made；　at　my　request；　by　Mr。　William　Basse；　one　that　hath　made　the　choice　songs　of　the　〃　Hunter　in　his　Career；〃　and　of　〃　Tom　of　Bedlam；〃　and　many　others　of　note；　and　this；　that　I　will　sing；　is　in　praise　of　Angling。

Coridon。　And　then　mine　shall　be　the　praise　of　a　Countryman's　life。　What　will　the　rest　sing　of？

Peter。　I　will　promise　you；　I　will　sing　another　song　in　praise　of　Angling　to…morrow　night；　for　we　will　not　part　till　then；　but　fish　to…morrow；　and　sup　together：　and　the　next　day　every　man　leave　fishing；　and　fall　to　his　business。

Venator。　Tis　a　match；　and　I　will　provide　you　a　song　or　a　catch　against　then；　too；　which　shall　give　some　addition　of　mirth　to　the　company；　for　we　will　be　civil　and　as　merry　as　beggars。

Piscator。　Tis　a　match；　my　masters。　Let's　e　en　say　grace；　and　turn　to　the　fire；　drink　the　other　cup　to　whet　our　whistles；　and　so　sing　away　all　sad　thoughts。　Come　on；　my　masters；　who　begins？　I　think　it　is　best　to　draw　cuts；　and　avoid　contention。

Peter。　It　is　a　match。　Look；　the　shortest　cut　falls　to　Coridon。

Coridon。　Well；　then；　I　will　begin；　for　I　hate　contention

Coridon's　song。

Oh　the　sweet　contentment　The　countryman　doth　find！　Heigh　trolollie　lollie　foe；　Heigh　trolollie