lavengro-第19部分

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lest；　blinded　by　the　snow　which　was　frequently　borne　into　my　eyes　

by　the　wind；　I　might　fall　into　the　dyke；　when　all　at　once　I　heard　a　

shout　to　windward；　and　turning　my　eyes　I　saw　the　figure　of　a　man；　

and　what　appeared　to　be　an　animal　of　some　kind；　coming　across　the　

bog　with　great　speed；　in　the　direction　of　myself；　the　nature　of　the　

ground　seemed　to　offer　but　little　impediment　to　these　beings；　both　

clearing　the　holes　and　abysses　which　lay　in　their　way　with　

surprising　agility；　the　animal　was；　however；　some　slight　way　in　

advance；　and；　bounding　over　the　dyke；　appeared　on　the　road　just　

before　me。　　It　was　a　dog；　of　what　species　I　cannot　tell；　never　

having　seen　the　like　before　or　since；　the　head　was　large　and　round；　

the　ears　so　tiny　as　scarcely　to　be　discernible；　the　eyes　of　a　fiery　

red：　　in　size　it　was　rather　small　than　large；　and　the　coat；　which　

was　remarkably　smooth；　as　white　as　the　falling　flakes。　　It　placed　

itself　directly　in　my　path；　and　showing　its　teeth；　and　bristling　

its　coat；　appeared　determined　to　prevent　my　progress。　　I　had　an　

ashen　stick　in　my　hand；　with　which　I　threatened　it；　this；　however；　

only　served　to　increase　its　fury；　it　rushed　upon　me；　and　I　had　the　

utmost　difficulty　to　preserve　myself　from　its　fangs。



'What　are　you　doing　with　the　dog；　the　fairy　dog？'　said　a　man；　who　

at　this　time　likewise　cleared　the　dyke　at　a　bound。



He　was　a　very　tall　man；　rather　well　dressed　as　it　should　seem；　his　

garments；　however；　were；　like　my　own；　so　covered　with　snow　that　I　

could　scarcely　discern　their　quality。



'What　are　ye　doing　with　the　dog　of　peace？'



'I　wish　he　would　show　himself　one；'　said　I；　'I　said　nothing　to　him；　

but　he　placed　himself　in　my　road；　and　would　not　let　me　pass。'



'Of　course　he　would　not　be　letting　you　till　he　knew　where　ye　were　

going。'



'He's　not　much　of　a　fairy；'　said　I；　'or　he　would　know　that　without　

asking；　tell　him　that　I　am　going　to　see　my　brother。'



'And　who　is　your　brother；　little　Sas？'



'What　my　father　is；　a　royal　soldier。'



'Oh；　ye　are　going　then　to　the　detachment　at　…　；　by　my　shoul；　I　have　

a　good　mind　to　be　spoiling　your　journey。'



'You　are　doing　that　already；'　said　I；　'keeping　me　here　talking　

about　dogs　and　fairies；　you　had　better　go　home　and　get　some　salve　

to　cure　that　place　over　your　eye；　it's　catching　cold　you'll　be；　in　

so　much　snow。'



On　one　side　of　the　man's　forehead　there　was　a　raw　and　staring　

wound；　as　if　from　a　recent　and　terrible　blow。



'Faith；　then　I'll　be　going；　but　it's　taking　you　wid　me　I　will　be。'



'And　where　will　you　take　me？'



'Why；　then；　to　Ryan's　Castle；　little　Sas。'



'You　do　not　speak　the　language　very　correctly；'　said　I；　'it　is　not　

Sas　you　should　call　me　…　'tis　Sassannach；'　and　forthwith　I　

accompanied　the　word　with　a　speech　full　of　flowers　of　Irish　

rhetoric。



The　man　looked　upon　me　for　a　moment；　fixedly；　then；　bending　his　

head　towards　his　breast；　he　appeared　to　be　undergoing　a　kind　of　

convulsion；　which　was　accompanied　by　a　sound　something　resembling　

laughter；　presently　he　looked　at　me；　and　there　was　a　broad　grin　on　

his　features。



'By　my　shoul；　it's　a　thing　of　peace　I'm　thinking　ye。'



But　now　with　a　whisking　sound　came　running　down　the　road　a　hare；　it　

was　nearly　upon　us　before　it　perceived　us；　suddenly　stopping　short；　

however；　it　sprang　into　the　bog　on　the　right…hand　side；　after　it　

amain　bounded　the　dog　of　peace；　followed　by　the　man；　but　not　until　

he　had　nodded　to　me　a　farewell　salutation。　　In　a　few　moments　I　lost　

sight　of　him　amidst　the　snowflakes。



The　weather　was　again　clear　and　fine　before　I　reached　the　place　of　

detachment。　　It　was　a　little　wooden　barrack；　surrounded　by　a　wall　

of　the　same　material；　a　sentinel　stood　at　the　gate；　I　passed　by　

him；　and；　entering　the　building；　found　myself　in　a　rude　kind　of　

guardroom；　several　soldiers　were　lying　asleep　on　a　wooden　couch　at　

one　end；　others　lounged　on　benches　by　the　side　of　a　turf　fire。　　The　

tall　sergeant　stood　before　the　fire；　holding　a　cooking　utensil　in　

his　left　hand；　on　seeing　me；　he　made　the　military　salutation。



'Is　my　brother　here？'　said　I；　rather　timidly；　dreading　to　hear　that　

he　was　out；　perhaps　for　the　day。



'The　ensign　is　in　his　room；　sir；'　said　Bagg；　'I　am　now　preparing　

his　meal；　which　will　presently　be　ready；　you　will　find　the　ensign　

above　stairs；'　and　he　pointed　to　a　broken　ladder　which　led　to　some　

place　above。



And　there　I　found　him　…　the　boy　soldier　…　in　a　kind　of　upper　loft；　

so　low　that　I　could　touch　with　my　hands　the　sooty　rafters；　the　

floor　was　of　rough　boards；　through　the　joints　of　which　you　could　

see　the　gleam　of　the　soldiers'　fire；　and　occasionally　discern　their　

figures　as　they　moved　about；　in　one　corner　was　a　camp　bedstead；　by　

the　side　of　which　hung　the　child's　sword；　gorget；　and　sash；　a　deal　

table　stood　in　the　proximity　of　the　rusty　grate；　where　smoked　and　

smouldered　a　pile　of　black　turf　from　the　bog；　…　a　deal　table　

without　a　piece　of　baize　to　cover　it；　yet　fraught　with　things　not　

devoid　of　interest：　　a　Bible；　given　by　a　mother；　the　ODYSSEY；　the　

Greek　ODYSSEY；　a　flute；　with　broad　silver　keys；　crayons；　moreover；　

and　water…colours；　and　a　sketch　of　a　wild　prospect　near；　which；　

though　but　half　finished；　afforded　ample　proof　of　the　excellence　

and　skill　of　the　boyish　hand　now　occupied　upon　it。



Ah！　he　was　a　sweet　being；　that　boy　soldier；　a　plant　of　early　

promise；　bidding　fair　to　become　in　after　time　all　that　is　great；　

good；　and　admirable。　　I　have　read　of　a　remarkable　Welshman；　of　whom　

it　was　said；　when　the　grave　closed　over　him；　that　he　could　frame　a　

harp；　and　play　it；　build　a　ship；　and　sail　it；　compose　an　ode；　and　

set　it　to　music。　　A　brave　fellow　that　son　of　Wales　…　but　I　had　once　

a　brother　who　could　do　more　and　better　than　this；　but　the　grave　has　

closed　over　him；　as　over　the　gallant　Welshman　of　yore；　there　are　

now　but　two　that　remember　him　…　the　one　who　bore　him；　and　the　being　

who　was　nurtured　at　the　same　breast。　　He　was　taken；　and　I　was　left！　

…　Truly；　the　ways　of　Providence　are　inscrutable。



'You　seem　to　be　very　comfortable；　John；'　said　I；　looking　around　the　

room　and　at　the　various　objects　which　I　have　described　above：　　'you　

have　a　good　roof　over　your　head；　and　have　all　your　things　about　

you。'



'Yes；　I　am　very　comfortable；　George；　in　many　respects；　I　am；　

moreover；　independent；　and　feel　myself　a　man　for　the　first　time　in　

my　life　…　independent　did　I　say？　…　that's　not　the　word；　I　am　

something　much　higher　than　that；　here　am　I；　not　sixteen　yet；　a　

person　in　authority；　like　the　centurion　in　the　book　there；　with　

twenty　Englishmen　under　me；　worth　a　whole　legion　of　his　men；　and　

that　fine　fellow　Bagg　to　wait　upon　me；　and　take　my　orders。　　Oh！　

these　last　six　weeks　have　passed　like　hours　of　heaven。'



'But　your　time　must　frequently　hang　heavy　on　your　hands；　this　is　a　

strange　wild　place；　and　you　must　be　very　solitary？'



'I　am　never　solitary；　I　have；　as　you　see；　all　my　things　about　me；　

and　there　is　plenty　of　company　below　stairs。　　Not　that　I　mix　with　

the　soldiers；　if　I　did；　good…bye　to　my　authority；　but　when　I　am　

alone　I　can　hear　all　their　discourse　through　the　planks；　and　I　

often　laugh　to　myself　at　the　funny　things　they　say。'



'And　have　you　any　acquaintance　here？'



'The　very　best；　much　better　than　the　Colonel　and　the　rest；　at　their　

grand　Templemore；　I　had　never　so　many　in　my　whole　life　before。　　One　

has　just　left　me；　a　gentleman　who　lives　at　a　distance　across　the　

bog；　he　comes　to　talk　with　me　about　Greek；　and　the　ODYSSEY；　for　he　

is　a　very　learned　man；　and　understands　the　old　Irish；　and　various　

other　strange　languages。　　He　has　had　a　dispute　with　Bagg。　　On　

hearing　his　name；　he　called　him　to　him；　and；　after　looking　at　him　

for　some　time　with　great　curiosity；　said　that　he　was　sure　he　was　a　

Dane。　　Bagg；　however；　took　the　compliment　in　dudgeon；　and　said　that　

he　was　no　more　a　Dane　than　himself；　but　a　true…born　Englishman；　and　

a　sergeant　of　six　years'　standing。'



'And　what　other　acquaintance　have　you？'



'All　kinds；　the　whole　neighbourhood　can't　make　enough　of　me。　　

Amongst　others　there's　the　clergyman　of　the　parish　and　his　family；　

such　a　venerable　old　man；　such　fine　sons　and　daughters！　　I　am　

treated　by　them　like　a　son　and　a　brother　…　I　might　be　always　with　

them　if　I　pleased；　there's　one　drawback；　however；　in　going　to　see　

them；　there's　a　horrible　creature　in　the　house；　a　kind　of　tutor；　

whom　they　keep　more　from　charity　than　anything　else；　he　is　a　Papist　

and；　they　say；　a　priest；　you　should　see　him　scowl　sometimes　at　my　

red　coat；　for　he　hates　the　king；　and　not　unfrequently；　when　the　

king's　health　is　drunk；　curses　him　between　his　teeth。　　I　once　got　

up　to　strike　him；　but　the　youngest　of　the　sisters；　who　is　the　

handsomest；　caught　my　arm　and　pointed　to　her　forehead。'



'And　what　does　your　duty　consist　of？　　Have　you　nothing　else　to　do　

than　pay　visits　and　receive　them？'



'We　do　what　is　required　of　us；　we　guard　this　edifice；　perform　our　

evolutions；　and　help　the　excise；　I　am　frequently　called　up　in　the　

dead　of　night　to　go　to　some　wild　place　or　other　in　quest　of　an　

illicit　still；　this　last　part　of　our　duty　is　poor　mean　work；　I　

don't　like　it；　nor　more　does　Bagg；　though　without　it　we　should　not　

see　much　active　service；　for　the　neighbourhood　is　quiet；　save　the　

poor　creatures　with　their　stills；　not　a　soul　is　stirring。　　'Tis　

true　there's　Jerry　Grant。'



'And　who　is　Jerry　Grant？'



'Did　you　never　hear　of　him？　that's　strange；　the　whole　country　is　

talking　about　him；　he　is　a　kind　of　outlaw；　rebel；　or　robber；　all　

three　I　daresay；　there's　a　hundred　pounds　offered　for　his　head。'



'And　where　does　he　live？'



'His　proper　home；　they　say；　is　in　the　Queen's　County；　where　he　has　

a　band；　but　he　is　a　strange　fellow；　fond　of　wandering　about　by　

himself　amidst　the　bogs　and　mountains；　and　living　in　th