roundabout papers-第15部分

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　heard　such　a　voice；　seen　such　hair；　such　eyes。　　Don't　tell　ME！　　A　man　who　has　been　about　town　since　the　reign　of　George　IV。；　ought　he　not　to　know　better　than　you　young　lads　who　have　seen　nothing？　　The　deterioration　of　women　is　lamentable；　and　the　conceit　of　the　young　fellows　more　lamentable　still；　that　they　won't　see　this　fact；　but　persist　in　thinking　their　time　as　good　as　ours。　Bless　me！　when　I　was　a　lad；　the　stage　was　covered　with　angels；　who　sang；　acted；　and　danced。　　When　I　remember　the　Adelphi；　and　the　actresses　there：　when　I　think　of　Miss　Chester；　and　Miss　Love；　and　Mrs。　Serle　at　Sadler's　Wells；　and　her　forty　glorious　pupilsof　the　Opera　and　Noblet；　and　the　exquisite　young　Taglioni；　and　Pauline　Leroux；　and　a　host　more！　　One　much…admired　being　of　those　days　I　confess　I　never　cared　for；　and　that　was　the　chief　MALE　dancera　very　important　personage　then；　with　a　bare　neck；　bare　arms；　a　tunic；　and　a　hat　and　feathers；　who　used　to　divide　the　applause　with　the　ladies；　and　who　has　now　sunk　down　a　trap…door　for　ever。　　And　this　frank　admission　ought　to　show　that　I　am　not　your　mere　twaddling　laudator　temporis　actiyour　old　fogy　who　can　see　no　good　except　in　his　own　time。　They　say　that　claret　is　better　now…a…days；　and　cookery　much　improved　since　the　days　of　MY　monarchof　George　IV。　　Pastry　Cookery　is　certainly　not　so　good。　　I　have　often　eaten　half　a　crown's　worth　（including；　I　trust；　ginger…beer）　at　our　school　pastry…cook's；　and　that　is　a　proof　that　the　pastry　must　have　been　very　good；　for　could　I　do　as　much　now？　　I　passed　by　the　pastry…cook's　shop　lately；　having　occasion　to　visit　my　old　school。　　It　looked　a　very　dingy　old　baker's；　misfortunes　may　have　come　over　himthose　penny　tarts　certainly　did　NOT　look　so　nice　as　I　remember　them：　but　he　may　have　grown　careless　as　he　has　grown　old　（I　should　judge　him　to　be　now　about　ninety…six　years　of　age）；　and　his　hand　may　have　lost　its　cunning。　Not　that　we　were　not　great　epicures。　　I　remember　how　we　constantly　grumbled　at　the　quantity　of　the　food　in　our　master's　housewhich　on　my　conscience　I　believe　was　excellent　and　plentifuland　how　we　tried　once　or　twice　to　eat　him　out　of　house　and　home。　　At　the　pastry…cook's　we　may　have　over…eaten　ourselves　（I　have　admitted　half　a　crown's　worth　for　my　own　part；　but　I　don't　like　to　mention　the　REAL　figure　for　fear　of　perverting　the　present　generation　of　boys　by　my　monstrous　confession）we　may　have　eaten　too　much；　I　say。　　We　did；　but　what　then？　　The　school　apothecary　was　sent　for：　a　couple　of　small　globules　at　night；　a　trifling　preparation　of　senna　in　the　morning；　and　we　had　not　to　go　to　school；　so　that　the　draught　was　an　actual　pleasure。　For　our　amusements；　besides　the　games　in　vogue；　which　were　pretty　much　in　old　times　as　they　are　now　（except　cricket；　par　exempleand　I　wish　the　present　youth　joy　of　their　bowling；　and　suppose　Armstrong　and　Whitworth　will　bowl　at　them　with　light　field…pieces　next）；　there　were　novelsah！　I　trouble　you　to　find　such　novels　in　the　present　day！　　O　Scottish　Chiefs；　didn't　we　weep　over　you！　　O　Mysteries　of　Udolpho；　didn't　I　and　Briggs　Minor　draw　pictures　out　of　you；　as　I　have　said？　　Efforts；　feeble　indeed；　but　still　giving　pleasure　to　us　and　our　friends。　　〃I　say；　old　boy；　draw　us　Vivaldi　tortured　in　the　Inquisition；〃　or；　〃Draw　us　Don　Quixote　and　the　windmills；　you　know；〃　amateurs　would　say；　to　boys　who　had　a　love　of　drawing。　　〃Peregrine　Pickle〃　we　liked；　our　fathers　admiring　it；　and　telling　us　（the　sly　old　boys）　it　was　capital　fun；　but　I　think　I　was　rather　bewildered　by　it；　though　〃Roderick　Random〃　was　and　remains　delightful。　　I　don't　remember　having　Sterne　in　the　school　library；　no　doubt　because　the　works　of　that　divine　were　not　considered　decent　for　young　people。　Ah！　not　against　thy　genius；　O　father　of　Uncle　Toby　and　Trim；　would　I　say　a　word　in　disrespect。　　But　I　am　thankful　to　live　in　times　when　men　no　longer　have　the　temptation　to　write　so　as　to　call　blushes　on　women's　cheeks；　and　would　shame　to　whisper　wicked　allusions　to　honest　boys。　　Then；　above　all；　we　had　WALTER　SCOTT；　the　kindly；　the　generous；　the　purethe　companion　of　what　countless　delightful　hours；　the　purveyor　of　how　much　happiness；　the　friend　whom　we　recall　as　the　constant　benefactor　of　our　youth！　　How　well　I　remember　the　type　and　the　brownish　paper　of　the　old　duodecimo　〃Tales　of　my　Landlord！〃　　I　have　never　dared　to　read　the　〃Pirate；〃　and　the　〃Bride　of　Lammermoor；〃　or　〃Kenilworth；〃　from　that　day　to　this；　because　the　finale　is　unhappy；　and　people　die；　and　are　murdered　at　the　end。　　But　〃Ivanhoe；〃　and　〃Quentin　Durward！〃　　Oh！　for　a　half…holiday；　and　a　quiet　corner；　and　one　of　those　books　again！　　Those　books；　and　perhaps　those　eyes　with　which　we　read　them；　and；　it　may　be；　the　brains　behind　the　eyes！　　It　may　be　the　tart　was　good；　but　how　fresh　the　appetite　was！　　If　the　gods　would　give　me　the　desire　of　my　heart；　I　should　be　able　to　write　a　story　which　boys　would　relish　for　the　next　few　dozen　of　centuries。　　The　boy…critic　loves　the　story：　grown　up；　he　loves　the　author　who　wrote　the　story。　　Hence　the　kindly　tie　is　established　between　writer　and　reader；　and　lasts　pretty　nearly　for　life。　　I　meet　people　now　who　don't　care　for　Walter　Scott；　or　the　〃Arabian　Nights；〃　I　am　sorry　for　them；　unless　they　in　their　time　have　found　THEIR　romancertheir　charming　Scheherazade。　　By　the　way；　Walter；　when　you　are　writing；　tell　me　who　is　the　favorite　novelist　in　the　fourth　form　now？　　have　you　got　anything　so　good　and　kindly　as　dear　Miss　Edgeworth's　Frank？　　It　used　to　belong　to　a　fellow's　sisters　generally；　but　though　he　pretended　to　despise　it；　and　said；　〃Oh；　stuff　for　girls！〃　he　read　it；　and　I　think　there　were　one　or　two　passages　which　would　try　my　eyes　now；　were　I　to　meet　with　the　little　book。　As　for　Thomas　and　Jeremiah　（it　is　only　my　witty　way　of　calling　Tom　and　Jerry）；　I　went　to　the　British　Museum　the　other　day　on　purpose　to　get　it；　but　somehow；　if　you　will　press　the　question　so　closely；　on　reperusal；　Tom　and　Jerry　is　not　so　brilliant　as　I　had　supposed　it　to　be。　　The　pictures　are　just　as　fine　as　ever；　and　I　shook　hands　with　broad…backed　Jerry　Hawthorn　and　Corinthian　Tom　with　delight；　after　many　years'　absence。　　But　the　style　of　the　writing；　I　own；　was　not　pleasing　to　me；　I　even　thought　it　a　little　vulgarwell！　well！　other　writers　have　been　considered　vulgarand　as　a　description　of　the　sports　and　amusements　of　London　in　the　ancient　times；　more　curious　than　amusing。　But　the　pictures！oh！　the　pictures　are　noble　still！　　First；　there　is　Jerry　arriving　from　the　country；　in　a　green　coat　and　leather　gaiters；　and　being　measured　for　a　fashionable　suit　at　Corinthian　House；　by　Corinthian　Tom's　tailor。　　Then　away　for　the　career　of　pleasure　and　fashion。　　The　park！　delicious　excitement！　　The　theatre！　the　saloon！！　the　green…room！！！　　Rapturous　blissthe　opera　itself！　and　then　perhaps　to　Temple　Bar；　to　KNOCK　DOWN　A　CHARLEY　there！　There　are　Jerry　and　Tom；　with　their　tights　and　little　cocked　hats；　coming　from　the　operavery　much　as　gentlemen　in　waiting　on　royalty　are　habited　now。　　There　they　are　at　Almack's　itself；　amidst　a　crowd　of　high…bred　personages；　with　the　Duke　of　Clarence　himself　looking　at　them　dancing。　　Now；　strange　change；　they　are　in　Tom　Cribb's　parlor；　where　they　don't　seem　to　be　a　whit　less　at　home　than　in　fashion's　gilded　halls：　and　now　they　are　at　Newgate；　seeing　the　irons　knocked　off　the　malefactors'　legs　previous　to　execution。　　What　hardened　ferocity　in　the　countenance　of　the　desperado　in　yellow　breeches！　　What　compunction　in　the　face　of　the　gentleman　in　black　（who；　I　suppose；　has　been　forging）；　and　who　clasps　his　hands；　and　listens　to　the　chaplain！　　Now　we　haste　away　to　merrier　scenes：　to　Tattersall's　（ah　gracious　powers！　what　a　funny　fellow　that　actor　was　who　performed　Dicky　Green　in　that　scene　at　the　play！）；　and　now　we　are　at　a　private　party；　at　which　Corinthian　Tom　is　waltzing　（and　very　gracefully；　too；　as　you　must　confess；）　with　Corinthian　Kate；　whilst　Bob　Logic；　the　Oxonian；　is　playing　on　the　piano！　〃After；〃　the　text　says；　〃THE　OXONIAN　had　played　several　pieces　of　lively　music；　he　requested　as　a　favor　that　Kate　and　his　friend　Tom　would　perform　a　waltz。　　Kate　without　any　hesitation　immediately　stood　up。　　Tom　offered　his　hand　to　his　fascinating　partner；　and　the　dance　took　place。　　The　plate　conveys　a　correct　representation　of　the　'gay　scene'　at　that　precise　moment。　　The　anxiety　of　THE　OXONIAN　to　witness　the　attitudes　of　the　elegant　pair　had　nearly　put　a　stop　to　their　movements。　　On　turning　round　from　the　pianoforte　and　presenting　his　comical　MUG；　Kate　could　scarcely　suppress　a　laugh。〃　And　no　wonder；　just　look　at　it　now　（as　I　have　copied　it　to　the　best　of　my　humble　ability）；　and　compare　Master　Logic's　countenance　and　attitude　with　the　splendid　elegance　of　Tom！*　　Now　every　London　man　is　weary　and　blase。　　There　is　an　enjoyment　of　life　in　these　young　bucks　of　1823　which　contrasts　strangely　with　our　feelings　of　1860。　Here；　for　instance；　is　a　specimen　of　their　talk　and　walk。　　〃'If；'　says　LOGIC'if　ENJOYMENT　is　your　MOTTO；　you　may　make　the　most　of　an　evening　at　Vauxhall；　more　than　at　any　other　place　in　the　metropolis。　It　is　all　free　and　easy。　　Stay　as　long　as　you　like；　and　depart　when　you　think　proper。''Your　description　is　so　flattering；'　replied　JERRY；　'that　I　do　not　care　how　soon　the　time　arrives　for　us　to　start。'　　LOGIC　proposed　a　'BIT　OF　A　STROLL'　in　order　to　get　rid　of　an　hour　or　two；　which　was　immediately　accepted　by　Tom　and　Jerry。　　A　TURN　or　two　in　Bond　Street；　a　STROLL　through　Piccadilly；　a　LOOK　IN　at　TATTERSALL'S；　a　RAMBLE　through　Pall　Mall；　and　a　STRUT　on　the　Corinthian　path；　fully　occupied　the　time　of　our　heroes　until　the　hour　for　dinner　arrived；　when　a　few　glasses　of　TOM'S　rich　wines　soon　put　them　on　the　qui　vive。　　VAUXHALL　was　then　the　object　in　view；　and　the　TRIO　started；　bent　upon　enjoying　the　pleasures　which　this　place　so　amply　affords。〃

*　This　refers　to　an　illustrated　edition　of　the　work。

How　nobly　those　inverted　commas；　those　italics；　those　capitals；　bring　out　the　writer's　wit　and　relieve　the　eye！　　They　are　as　good　as　jokes；　though　you　mayn't　quite　perceive　the　point。　　Mark　the　varieties　of　lounge　in　which　the　young　men　indulgenow　A　STROLL；　then　A　LOOK　IN；　then　A　RAMBLE；　and　presently　A　STRUT。　　When　George；　Prince　of　Wales；　was　twenty；　I　have　read　in　an　old　Magazine；　〃the　Prince's　lounge〃　was　a　peculiar　man