lavengro-第58部分

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'Don't　talk　so；　dear。'



'I　won't；　we　will　suppose　that　we　all　exist　…　world；　ourselves；　

apples；　and　pears：　　so　you　wish　to　get　rid　of　the　book？'



'Yes；　dear；　I　wish　you　would　take　it。'



'I　have　read　it；　and　have　no　farther　use　for　it；　I　do　not　need　

books：　　in　a　little　time；　perhaps；　I　shall　not　have　a　place　wherein　

to　deposit　myself；　far　less　books。'



'Then　I　will　fling　it　into　the　river。'



'Don't　do　that；　here；　give　it　me。　　Now　what　shall　I　do　with　it？　you　

were　so　fond　of　it。'



'I　am　so　no　longer。'



'But　how　will　you　pass　your　time；　what　will　you　read？'



'I　wish　I　had　never　learned　to　read；　or；　if　I　had；　that　I　had　only　

read　the　books　I　saw　at　school：　　the　primer　or　the　other。'



'What　was　the　other？'



'I　think　they　called　it　the　Bible：　　all　about　God；　and　Job；　and　

Jesus。'



'Ah；　I　know　it。'



'You　have　read　it；　is　it　a　nice　book　…　all　true？'



'True；　true　…　I　don't　know　what　to　say；　but　if　the　world　be　true；　

and　not　all　a　lie；　a　fiction；　I　don't　see　why　the　Bible；　as　they　

call　it；　should　not　be　true。　　By　the　bye；　what　do　you　call　Bible　in　

your　tongue；　or；　indeed；　book　of　any　kind？　as　Bible　merely　means　a　

book。'



'What　do　I　call　the　Bible　in　my　language；　dear？'



'Yes；　the　language　of　those　who　bring　you　things。'



'The　language　of　those　who　DID；　dear；　they　bring　them　now　no　

longer。　　They　call　me　fool；　as　you　did；　dear；　just　now；　they　call　

kissing　the　Bible；　which　means　taking　a　false　oath；　smacking　calf…

skin。'



'That's　metaphor；'　said　I；　'English；　but　metaphorical；　what　an　odd　

language！　　So　you　would　like　to　have　a　Bible；　…　shall　I　buy　you　

one？'



'I　am　poor；　dear　…　no　money　since　I　left　off　the　other　trade。'



'Well；　then；　I'll　buy　you　one。'



'No；　dear；　no；　you　are　poor；　and　may　soon　want　the　money；　but　if　

you　can　take　me　one　conveniently　on　the　sly；　you　know　…　I　think　you　

may；　for；　as　it　is　a　good　book；　I　suppose　there　can　be　no　harm　in　

taking　it。'



'That　will　never　do；'　said　I；　'more　especially　as　I　should　be　sure　

to　be　caught；　not　having　made　taking　of　things　my　trade；　but　I'll　

tell　you　what　I'll　do　…　try　and　exchange　this　book　of　yours　for　a　

Bible；　who　knows　for　what　great　things　this　same　book　of　yours　may　

serve？'



'Well；　dear；'　said　the　old　woman；　'do　as　you　please；　I　should　like　

to　see　the　…　what　do　you　call　it？　…　Bible；　and　to　read　it；　as　you　

seem　to　think　it　true。'



'Yes；'　said　I；　'seem；　that　is　the　way　to　express　yourself　in　this　

maze　of　doubt　…　I　seem　to　think　…　these　apples　and　pears　seem　to　be　

…　and　here　seems　to　be　a　gentleman　who　wants　to　purchase　either　one　

or　the　other。'



A　person　had　stopped　before　the　apple…woman's　stall；　and　was　

glancing　now　at　the　fruit；　now　at　the　old　woman　and　myself；　he　wore　

a　blue　mantle；　and　had　a　kind　of　fur　cap　on　his　head；　he　was　

somewhat　above　the　middle　stature；　his　features　were　keen；　but　

rather　hard；　there　was　a　slight　obliquity　in　his　vision。　　Selecting　

a　small　apple；　he　gave　the　old　woman　a　penny；　then；　after　looking　

at　me　scrutinisingly　for　a　moment；　he　moved　from　the　booth　in　the　

direction　of　Southwark。



'Do　you　know　who　that　man　is？'　said　I　to　the　old　woman。



'No；'　said　she；　'except　that　he　is　one　of　my　best　customers：　　he　

frequently　stops；　takes　an　apple；　and　gives　me　a　penny；　his　is　the　

only　piece　of　money　I　have　taken　this　blessed　day。　　I　don't　know　

him；　but　he　has　once　or　twice　sat　down　in　the　booth　with　two　

strange…looking　men　…　Mulattos；　or　Lascars；　I　think　they　call　

them。'







CHAPTER　XLV







Bought　and　exchanged　…　Quite　empty　…　A　new　firm　…　Bibles　…　

Countenance　of　a　lion　…　Clap　of　thunder　…　A　truce　with　this　…　I　

have　lost　it　…　Clearly　a　right　…　Goddess　of　the　Mint。



IN　pursuance　of　my　promise　to　the　old　woman；　I　set　about　procuring　

her　a　Bible　with　all　convenient　speed；　placing　the　book　which　she　

had　intrusted　to　me　for　the　purpose　of　exchange　in　my　pocket。　　I　

went　to　several　shops；　and　asked　if　Bibles　were　to　be　had：　　I　found　

that　there　were　plenty。　　When；　however；　I　informed　the　people　that　

I　came　to　barter；　they　looked　blank；　and　declined　treating　with　me；　

saying　that　they　did　not　do　business　in　that　way。　　At　last　I　went　

into　a　shop　over　the　window　of　which　I　saw　written；　'Books　bought　

and　exchanged'：　　there　was　a　smartish　young　fellow　in　the　shop；　

with　black　hair　and　whiskers；　'You　exchange？'　said　I。　　'Yes；'　said　

he；　'sometimes；　but　we　prefer　selling；　what　book　do　you　want？'　　'A　

Bible；'　said　I。　　'Ah；'　said　he；　'there's　a　great　demand　for　Bibles　

just　now；　all　kinds　of　people　are　become　very　pious　of　late；'　he　

added；　grinning　at　me；　'I　am　afraid　I　can't　do　business　with　you；　

more　especially　as　the　master　is　not　at　home。　　What　book　have　you　

brought？'　　Taking　the　book　out　of　my　pocket；　I　placed　it　on　the　

counter：　　the　young　fellow　opened　the　book；　and　inspecting　the　

title…page；　burst　into　a　loud　laugh。　　'What　do　you　laugh　for？'　said　

I；　angrily；　and　half　clenching　my　fist。　　'Laugh！'　said　the　young　

fellow；　'laugh！　who　could　help　laughing？'　　'I　could；'　said　I；　'I　

see　nothing　to　laugh　at；　I　want　to　exchange　this　book　for　a　Bible。'　　

'You　do？'　said　the　young　fellow；　'well；　I　daresay　there　are　plenty　

who　would　be　willing　to　exchange；　that　is；　if　they　dared。　　I　wish　

master　were　at　home；　but　that　would　never　do；　either。　　Master's　a　

family　man；　the　Bibles　are　not　mine；　and　master　being　a　family　man；　

is　sharp；　and　knows　all　his　stock；　I'd　buy　it　of　you；　but；　to　tell　

you　the　truth；　I　am　quite　empty　here；'　said　he；　pointing　to　his　

pocket；　'so　I　am　afraid　we　can't　deal。'



Whereupon；　looking　anxiously　at　the　young　man；　'What　am　I　to　do？'　

said　I；　'I　really　want　a　Bible。'



'Can't　you　buy　one？'　said　the　young　man；　'have　you　no　money？'



'Yes；'　said　I；　'I　have　some；　but　I　am　merely　the　agent　of　another；　

I　came　to　exchange；　not　to　buy；　what　am　I　to　do？'



'I　don't　know；'　said　the　young　man；　thoughtfully　laying　down　the　

book　on　the　counter；　'I　don't　know　what　you　can　do；　I　think　you　

will　find　some　difficulty　in　this　bartering　job；　the　trade　are　

rather　precise。'　　All　at　once　he　laughed　louder　than　before；　

suddenly　stopping；　however；　he　put　on　a　very　grave　look。　　'Take　my　

advice；'　said　he；　'there　is　a　firm　established　in　this　

neighbourhood　which　scarcely　sells　any　books　but　Bibles；　they　are　

very　rich；　and　pride　themselves　on　selling　their　books　at　the　

lowest　possible　price；　apply　to　them；　who　knows　but　what　they　will　

exchange　with　you？'



Thereupon　I　demanded　with　some　eagerness　of　the　young　man　the　

direction　to　the　place　where　he　thought　it　possible　that　I　might　

effect　the　exchange　…　which　direction　the　young　fellow　cheerfully　

gave　me；　and；　as　I　turned　away；　had　the　civility　to　wish　me　

success。



I　had　no　difficulty　in　finding　the　house　to　which　the　young　fellow　

directed　me；　it　was　a　very　large　house；　situated　in　a　square；　and　

upon　the　side　of　the　house　was　written　in　large　letters；　'Bibles；　

and　other　religious　books。'



At　the　door　of　the　house　were　two　or　three　tumbrils；　in　the　act　of　

being　loaded　with　chests；　very　much　resembling　tea…chests；　one　of　

the　chests　falling　down；　burst；　and　out　flew；　not　tea；　but　various　

books；　in　a　neat；　small　size；　and　in　neat　leather　covers；　Bibles；　

said　I；　…　Bibles；　doubtless。　　I　was　not　quite　right；　nor　quite　

wrong；　picking　up　one　of　the　books；　I　looked　at　it　for　a　moment；　

and　found　it　to　be　the　New　Testament。　　'Come；　young　lad；'　said　a　

man　who　stood　by；　in　the　dress　of　a　porter；　'put　that　book　down；　it　

is　none　of　yours；　if　you　want　a　book；　go　in　and　deal　for　one。'



Deal；　thought　I；　deal；　…　the　man　seems　to　know　what　I　am　coming　

about；　…　and　going　in；　I　presently　found　myself　in　a　very　large　

room。　　Behind　a　counter　two　men　stood　with　their　backs　to　a　

splendid　fire；　warming　themselves；　for　the　weather　was　cold。



Of　these　men　one　was　dressed　in　brown；　and　the　other　was　dressed　in　

black；　both　were　tall　men　…　he　who　was　dressed　in　brown　was　thin；　

and　had　a　particularly　ill…natured　countenance；　the　man　dressed　in　

black　was　bulky；　his　features　were　noble；　but　they　were　those　of　a　

lion。



'What　is　your　business；　young　man？'　said　the　precise　personage；　as　

I　stood　staring　at　him　and　his　companion。



'I　want　a　Bible；'　said　I。



'What　price；　what　size？'　said　the　precise…looking　man。



'As　to　size；'　said　I；　'I　should　like　to　have　a　large　one　…　that　is；　

if　you　can　afford　me　one　…　I　do　not　come　to　buy。'



'Oh；　friend；'　said　the　precise…looking　man；　'if　you　come　here　

expecting　to　have　a　Bible　for　nothing；　you　are　mistaken　…　we　…　'



'I　would　scorn　to　have　a　Bible　for　nothing；'　said　I；　'or　anything　

else；　I　came　not　to　beg；　but　to　barter；　there　is　no　shame　in　that；　

especially　in　a　country　like　this；　where　all　folks　barter。'



'Oh；　we　don't　barter；'　said　the　precise　man；　'at　least　Bibles；　you　

had　better　depart。'



'Stay；　brother；'　said　the　man　with　the　countenance　of　a　lion；　'let　

us　ask　a　few　questions；　this　may　be　a　very　important　case；　perhaps　

the　young　man　has　had　convictions。'



'Not　I；'　I　exclaimed；　'I　am　convinced　of　nothing；　and　with　regard　

to　the　Bible　…　I　don't　believe　…　'



'Hey！'　said　the　man　with　the　lion　countenance；　and　there　he　

stopped。　　But　with　that　'Hey'　the　walls　of　the　house　seemed　to　

shake；　the　windows　rattled；　and　the　porter　whom　I　had　seen　in　front　

of　the　house　came　running　up　the　steps；　and　looked　into　the　

apartment　through　the　glass　of　the　door。



There　was　silence　for　about　a　minute　…　the　same　kind　of　silence　

which　succeeds　a　clap　of　thunder。



At　last　the　man　with　the　lion　countenance；　who　had　kept　his　eyes　

fixed　upon　me；　said　calmly；　'Were　you　about　to　say　that　you　don't　

believe　in　the　Bible；　young　man？'



'No　more　than　in　anything　else；'　said　I；　'you　were　talking　of　

convictions　…　I　have　no　convictions