lavengro-第30部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



language　of　the　tents；　which　circumstance　did　not　fail　to　give　rise　

to　deep　reflection　in　those　moments　when；　planting　my　elbows　on　the　

deal　desk；　I　rested　my　chin　upon　my　hands。　　But　it　is　probable　that　

I　should　have　abandoned　the　pursuit　of　the　Welsh　language；　after　

obtaining　a　very　superficial　acquaintance　with　it；　had　it　not　been　

for　Ab　Gwilym。



A　strange　songster　was　that　who；　pretending　to　be　captivated　by　

every　woman　he　saw；　was；　in　reality；　in　love　with　nature　alone　…　

wild；　beautiful；　solitary　nature　…　her　mountains　and　cascades；　her　

forests　and　streams；　her　birds；　fishes；　and　wild　animals。　　Go　to；　

Ab　Gwilym；　with　thy　pseudo…amatory　odes；　to　Morfydd；　or　this　or　

that　other　lady；　fair　or　ugly；　little　didst　thou　care　for　any　of　

them；　Dame　Nature　was　thy　love；　however　thou　mayest　seek　to　

disguise　the　truth。　　Yes；　yes；　send　thy　love…message　to　Morfydd；　

the　fair　wanton。　　By　whom　dost　thou　send　it；　I　would　know？　by　the　

salmon　forsooth；　which　haunts　the　rushing　stream！　the　glorious　

salmon　which　bounds　and　gambols　in　the　flashing　water；　and　whose　

ways　and　circumstances　thou　so　well　describest　…　see；　there　he　

hurries　upwards　through　the　flashing　water。　　Halloo！　what　a　glimpse　

of　glory　…　but　where　is　Morfydd　the　while？　　What；　another　message　

to　the　wife　of　Bwa　Bach？　　Ay；　truly；　and　by　whom？　…　the　wind！　the　

swift　wind；　the　rider　of　the　world；　whose　course　is　not　to　be　

stayed；　who　gallops　o'er　the　mountain；　and；　when　he　comes　to　

broadest　river；　asks　neither　for　boat　nor　ferry；　who　has　described　

the　wind　so　well　…　his　speed　and　power？　　But　where　is　Morfydd？　　And　

now　thou　art　awaiting　Morfydd；　the　wanton；　the　wife　of　the　Bwa　

Bach；　thou　art　awaiting　her　beneath　the　tall　trees；　amidst　the　

underwood；　but　she　comes　not；　no　Morfydd　is　there。　　Quite　right；　Ab　

Gwilym；　what　wantest　thou　with　Morfydd？　But　another　form　is　nigh　at　

hand；　that　of　red　Reynard；　who；　seated　upon　his　chine　at　the　mouth　

of　his　cave；　looks　very　composedly　at　thee；　thou　startest；　bendest　

thy　bow；　thy　cross…bow；　intending　to　hit　Reynard　with　the　bolt　just　

about　the　jaw；　but　the　bow　breaks；　Reynard　barks　and　disappears　

into　his　cave；　which　by　thine　own　account　reaches　hell　…　and　then　

thou　ravest　at　the　misfortune　of　thy　bow；　and　the　non…appearance　of　

Morfydd；　and　abusest　Reynard。　　Go　to；　thou　carest　neither　for　thy　

bow　nor　for　Morfydd；　thou　merely　seekest　an　opportunity　to　speak　of　

Reynard；　and　who　has　described　him　like　thee？　the　brute　with　the　

sharp　shrill　cry；　the　black　reverse　of　melody；　whose　face　sometimes　

wears　a　smile　like　the　devil's　in　the　Evangile。　　But　now　thou　art　

actually　with　Morfydd；　yes；　she　has　stolen　from　the　dwelling　of　the　

Bwa　Bach　and　has　met　thee　beneath　those　rocks　…　she　is　actually　

with　thee；　Ab　Gwilym；　but　she　is　not　long　with　thee；　for　a　storm　

comes　on；　and　thunder　shatters　the　rocks　…　Morfydd　flees！　　Quite　

right；　Ab　Gwilym；　thou　hadst　no　need　of　her；　a　better　theme　for　

song　is　the　voice　of　the　Lord　…　the　rock…shatterer　…　than　the　frail　

wife　of　the　Bwa　Bach。　　Go　to；　Ab　Gwilym；　thou　wast　a　wiser　and　a　

better　man　than　thou　wouldst　fain　have　had　people　believe。



But　enough　of　thee　and　thy　songs！　　Those　times　passed　rapidly；　with　

Ab　Gwilym　in　my　hand；　I　was　in　the　midst　of　enchanted　ground；　in　

which　I　experienced　sensations　akin　to　those　I　had　felt　of　yore　

whilst　spelling　my　way　through　the　wonderful　book　…　the　delight　of　

my　childhood。　　I　say　akin；　for　perhaps　only　once　in　our　lives　do　we　

experience　unmixed　wonder　and　delight；　and　these　I　had　already　

known。







CHAPTER　XX







Silver　gray　…　Good　word　for　everybody　…　A　remarkable　youth　…　

Clients　…　Grades　in　society　…　The　archdeacon　…　Reading　the　Bible。



'I　AM　afraid　that　I　have　not　acted　very　wisely　in　putting　this　boy　

of　ours　to　the　law；'　said　my　father　to　my　mother；　as　they　sat　

together　one　summer　evening　in　their　little　garden；　beneath　the　

shade　of　some　tall　poplars。



Yes；　there　sat　my　father　in　the　garden　chair　which　leaned　against　

the　wall　of　his　quiet　home；　the　haven　in　which　he　had　sought　rest；　

and；　praise　be　to　God；　found　it；　after　many　a　year　of　poorly…

requited　toil；　there　he　sat；　with　locks　of　silver　gray　which　set　

off　so　nobly　his　fine　bold　but　benevolent　face；　his　faithful　

consort　at　his　side；　and　his　trusty　dog　at　his　feet　…　an　eccentric　

animal　of　the　genuine　regimental　breed；　who；　born　amongst　red　

coats；　had　not　yet　become　reconciled　to　those　of　any　other　hue；　

barking　and　tearing　at　them　when　they　drew　near　the　door；　but　

testifying　his　fond　reminiscence　of　the　former　by　hospitable　

waggings　of　the　tail　whenever　a　uniform　made　its　appearance　…　at　

present　a　very　unfrequent　occurrence。



'I　am　afraid　I　have　not　done　right　in　putting　him　to　the　law；'　said　

my　father；　resting　his　chin　upon　his　gold…headed　bamboo　cane。



'Why；　what　makes　you　think　so？'　said　my　mother。



'I　have　been　taking　my　usual　evening　walk　up　the　road；　with　the　

animal　here；'　said　my　father；　'and；　as　I　walked　along；　I　overtook　

the　boy's　master；　Mr。　S…。　　We　shook　hands；　and；　after　walking　a　

little　way　farther；　we　turned　back　together；　talking　about　this　and　

that；　the　state　of　the　country；　the　weather；　and　the　dog；　which　he　

greatly　admired；　for　he　is　a　good…natured　man；　and　has　a　good　word　

for　everybody；　though　the　dog　all　but　bit　him　when　he　attempted　to　

coax　his　head；　after　the　dog；　we　began　talking　about　the　boy；　it　

was　myself　who　introduced　that　subject：　　I　thought　it　was　a　good　

opportunity　to　learn　how　he　was　getting　on；　so　I　asked　what　he　

thought　of　my　son；　he　hesitated　at　first；　seeming　scarcely　to　know　

what　to　say；　at　length　he　came　out　with　〃Oh；　a　very　extraordinary　

youth；　a　most　remarkable　youth　indeed；　captain！〃　　〃Indeed；〃　said　I；　

〃I　am　glad　to　hear　it；　but　I　hope　you　find　him　steady？〃　　〃Steady；　

steady；〃　said　he；　〃why；　yes；　he's　steady；　I　cannot　say　that　he　is　

not　steady。〃　　〃Come；　come；〃　said　I；　beginning　to　be　rather　uneasy；　

〃I　see　plainly　that　you　are　not　altogether　satisfied　with　him；　I　

was　afraid　you　would　not　be；　for；　though　he　is　my　own　son；　I　am　

anything　but　blind　to　his　imperfections；　but　do　tell　me　what　

particular　fault　you　have　to　find　with　him；　and　I　will　do　my　best　

to　make　him　alter　his　conduct。〃　　〃No　fault　to　find　with　him；　

captain；　I　assure　you；　no　fault　whatever；　the　youth　is　a　remarkable　

youth；　an　extraordinary　youth；　only　…　〃　　As　I　told　you　before；　Mr。　

S…　is　the　best…natured　man　in　the　world；　and　it　was　only　with　the　

greatest　difficulty　that　I　could　get　him　to　say　a　single　word　to　

the　disadvantage　of　the　boy；　for　whom　he　seems　to　entertain　a　very　

great　regard。　　At　last　I　forced　the　truth　from　him；　and　grieved　I　

was　to　hear　it；　though　I　must　confess　that　I　was　somewhat　prepared　

for　it。　　It　appears　that　the　lad　has　a　total　want　of　

discrimination。'



'I　don't　understand　you；'　said　my　mother。



'You　can　understand　nothing　that　would　seem　for　a　moment　to　impugn　

the　conduct　of　that　child。　　I　am　not；　however；　so　blind；　want　of　

discrimination　was　the　word；　and　it　both　sounds　well；　and　is　

expressive。　　It　appears　that；　since　he　has　been　placed　where　is；　he　

has　been　guilty　of　the　grossest　blunders；　only　the　other　day；　Mr。　

S…　told　me；　as　he　was　engaged　in　close　conversation　with　one　of　his　

principal　clients；　the　boy　came　to　tell　him　that　a　person　wanted　

particularly　to　speak　with　him；　and；　on　going　out；　he　found　a　

lamentable　figure　with　one　eye；　who　came　to　ask　for　charity；　whom；　

nevertheless；　the　lad　had　ushered　into　a　private　room；　and　

installed　in　an　arm…chair；　like　a　justice　of　the　peace；　instead　of　

telling　him　to　go　about　his　business　…　now　what　did　that　show；　but　

a　total　want　of　discrimination？'



'I　wish　we　may　never　have　anything　worse　to　reproach　him　with；'　

said　my　mother。



'I　don't　know　what　worse　we　could　reproach　him　with；'　said　my　

father；　'I　mean　of　course　as　far　as　his　profession　is　concerned；　

discrimination　is　the　very　keystone；　if　he　treated　all　people　

alike；　he　would　soon　become　a　beggar　himself；　there　are　grades　in　

society　as　well　as　in　the　army；　and　according　to　those　grades　we　

should　fashion　our　behaviour；　else　there　would　instantly　be　an　end　

of　all　order　and　discipline。　　I　am　afraid　that　the　child　is　too　

condescending　to　his　inferiors；　whilst　to　his　superiors　he　is　apt　

to　be　unbending　enough；　I　don't　believe　that　would　do　in　the　world；　

I　am　sure　it　would　not　in　the　army。　　He　told　me　another　anecdote　

with　respect　to　his　behaviour；　which　shocked　me　more　than　the　other　

had　done。　　It　appears　that　his　wife；　who　by　the　bye；　is　a　very　fine　

woman；　and　highly　fashionable；　gave　him　permission　to　ask　the　boy　

to　tea　one　evening；　for　she　is　herself　rather　partial　to　the　lad；　

there　had　been　a　great　dinner　party　there　that　day；　and　there　were　

a　great　many　fashionable　people；　so　the　boy　went　and　behaved　very　

well　and　modestly　for　some　time；　and　was　rather　noticed；　till；　

unluckily；　a　very　great　gentleman；　an　archdeacon　I　think；　put　some　

questions　to　him；　and；　finding　that　he　understood　the　languages；　

began　talking　to　him　about　the　classics。　　What　do　you　think？　the　

boy　had　the　impertinence　to　say　that　the　classics　were　much　

overvalued；　and　amongst　other　things　that　some　horrid　fellow　or　

other；　some　Welshman　I　think　（thank　God　it　was　not　an　Irishman）；　

was　a　better　poet　than　Ovid；　the　company　were　of　course　horrified；　

the　archdeacon；　who　is　seventy　years　of　age；　and　has　seven　thousand　

a　year；　took　snuff　and　turned　away。　　Mrs。　S…　turned　up　her　eyes；　

Mr。　S…；　however；　told　me　with　his　usual　good…nature　（I　suppose　to　

spare　my　feelings）　that　he　rather　enjoyed　the　thing；　and　thought　it　

a　capital　joke。'



'I　think　so　too；'　said　my　mother。



'I　do　not；'　said　my　father；　'that　a　boy　of　his　years　should　

entertain　an　opinion　of　his　own　…　I　mean　one　which　militates　

against　all　established　authorit