lavengro-第75部分

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of　blue　plush　came　out　and　stood　one　on　either　side　as　we　passed　

the　threshold。　　We　entered　a　large　hall；　and　the　stranger；　taking　

me　by　the　hand；　welcomed　me　to　his　poor　home；　as　he　called　it；　and　

then　gave　orders　to　another　servant；　but　out　of　livery；　to　show　me　

to　an　apartment；　and　give　me　whatever　assistance　I　might　require　in　

my　toilet。　　Notwithstanding　the　plea　as　to　primitive　habits　which　I　

had　lately　made　to　my　other　host　in　the　town；　I　offered　no　

objection　to　this　arrangement；　but　followed　the　bowing　domestic　to　

a　spacious　and　airy　chamber；　where　he　rendered　me　all　those　little　

nameless　offices　which　the　somewhat　neglected　state　of　my　dress　

required。　　When　everything　had　been　completed　to　my　perfect　

satisfaction；　he　told　me　that　if　I　pleased　he　would　conduct　me　to　

the　library；　where　dinner　would　be　speedily　served。



In　the　library　I　found　a　table　laid　for　two；　my　host　was　not　there；　

having　as　I　supposed　not　been　quite　so　speedy　with　his　toilet　as　

his　guest。　　Left　alone；　I　looked　round　the　apartment　with　inquiring　

eyes；　it　was　long　and　tolerably　lofty；　the　walls　from　the　top　to　

the　bottom　were　lined　with　cases　containing　books　of　all　sizes　and　

bindings；　there　was　a　globe　or　two；　a　couch；　and　an　easy…chair。　　

Statues　and　busts　there　were　none；　and　only　one　painting；　a　

portrait；　that　of　my　host；　but　not　him　of　the　mansion。　　Over　the　

mantelpiece；　the　features　staringly　like；　but　so　ridiculously　

exaggerated　that　they　scarcely　resembled　those　of　a　human　being；　

daubed　evidently　by　the　hand　of　the　commonest　sign…artist；　hung　a　

half…length　portrait　of　him　of　round　of　beef　celebrity　…　my　sturdy　

host　of　the　town。



I　had　been　in　the　library　about　ten　minutes；　amusing　myself　as　I　

best　could；　when　my　friend　entered；　he　seemed　to　have　resumed　his　

taciturnity　…　scarce　a　word　escaped　his　lips　till　dinner　was　

served；　when　he　said；　smiling；　'I　suppose　it　would　be　merely　a　

compliment　to　ask　you　to　partake？'



'I　don't　know；'　said　I；　seating　myself；　'your　first　course　consists　

of　troutlets；　I　am　fond　of　troutlets；　and　I　always　like　to　be　

companionable。'



The　dinner　was　excellent；　though　I　did　but　little　justice　to　it　

from　the　circumstance　of　having　already　dined；　the　stranger　also；　

though　without　my　excuse；　partook　but　slightly　of　the　good　cheer；　

he　still　continued　taciturn；　and　appeared　lost　in　thought；　and　

every　attempt　which　I　made　to　induce　him　to　converse　was　signally　

unsuccessful。



And　now　dinner　was　removed；　and　we　sat　over　our　wine；　and　I　

remember　that　the　wine　was　good；　and　fully　justified　the　encomiums　

of　my　host　of　the　town。　　Over　the　wine　I　made　sure　that　my　

entertainer　would　have　loosened　the　chain　which　seemed　to　tie　his　

tongue　…　but　no！　　I　endeavoured　to　tempt　him　by　various　topics；　and　

talked　of　geometry　and　the　use　of　the　globes；　of　the　heavenly　


sphere；　and　the　star　Jupiter；　which　I　said　I　had　heard　was　a　very　

large　star；　also　of　the　evergreen　tree；　which；　according　to　Olaus；　

stood　of　old　before　the　heathen　temple　of　Upsal；　and　which　I　

affirmed　was　a　yew　…　but　no；　nothing　that　I　said　could　induce　my　

entertainer　to　relax　his　taciturnity。



It　grew　dark；　and　I　became　uncomfortable。　　'I　must　presently　be　

going；'　I　at　last　exclaimed。



At　these　words　he　gave　a　sudden　start；　'Going；'　said　he；　'are　you　

not　my　guest；　and　an　honoured　one？'



'You　know　best；'　said　I；　'but　I　was　apprehensive　I　was　an　intruder；　

to　several　of　my　questions　you　have　returned　no　answer。'



'Ten　thousand　pardons！'　he　exclaimed；　seizing　me　by　the　hand；　'but　

you　cannot　go　now；　I　have　much　to　talk　to　you　about　…　there　is　one　

thing　in　particular　…　'



'If　it　be　the　evergreen　tree　at　Upsal；'　said　I；　interrupting　him；　

'I　hold　it　to　have　been　a　yew　…　what　else？　　The　evergreens　of　the　

south；　as　the　old　bishop　observes；　will　not　grow　in　the　north；　and　

a　pine　was　unfitted　for　such　a　locality；　being　a　vulgar　tree。　　What　

else　could　it　have　been　but　the　yew　…　the　sacred　yew　which　our　

ancestors　were　in　the　habit　of　planting　in　their　churchyards？　　

Moreover；　I　affirm　it　to　have　been　the　yew　for　the　honour　of　the　

tree；　for　I　love　the　yew；　and　had　I　home　and　land；　I　would　have　one　

growing　before　my　front　windows。'



'You　would　do　right；　the　yew　is　indeed　a　venerable　tree；　but　it　is　

not　about　the　yew。'



'The　star　Jupiter；　perhaps？'



'Nor　the　star　Jupiter；　nor　its　moons；　an　observation　which　escaped　

you　at　the　inn　has　made　a　considerable　impression　upon　me。'



'But　I　really　must　take　my　departure；'　said　I；　'the　dark　hour　is　at　

hand。'



And　as　I　uttered　these　latter　words　the　stranger　touched　rapidly　

something　which　lay　near　him　…　I　forget　what　it　was。　　It　was　the　

first　action　of　the　kind　which　I　had　observed　on　his　part　since　we　

sat　down　to　table。



'You　allude　to　the　evil　chance；'　said　I；　'but　it　is　getting　both　

dark　and　late。'



'I　believe　we　are　going　to　have　a　storm；'　said　my　friend；　'but　I　

really　hope　that　you　will　give　me　your　company　for　a　day　or　two；　I　

have；　as　I　said　before；　much　to　talk　to　you　about。'



'Well；'　said　I；　'I　shall　be　most　happy　to　be　your　guest　for　this　

night；　I　am　ignorant　of　the　country；　and　it　is　not　pleasant　to　

travel　unknown　paths　by　night　…　dear　me；　what　a　flash　of　

lightning。'



It　had　become　very　dark；　suddenly　a　blaze　of　sheet　lightning　

illumed　the　room。　　By　the　momentary　light　I　distinctly　saw　my　host　

touch　another　object　upon　the　table。



'Will　you　allow　me　to　ask　you　a　question　or　two？'　said　he　at　last。



'As　many　as　you　please；'　said　I；　'but　shall　we　not　have　lights？'



'Not　unless　you　particularly　wish　it；'　said　my　entertainer；　'I　

rather　like　the　dark；　and　though　a　storm　is　evidently　at　hand；　

neither　thunder　nor　lightning　has　any　terrors　for　me。　　It　is　other　

things　I　quake　at　…　I　should　rather　say　ideas。　　Now　permit　me　to　

ask　you　…　'



And　then　my　entertainer　asked　me　various　questions；　to　all　of　which　

I　answered　unreservedly；　he　was　then　silent　for　some　time；　at　last　

he　exclaimed；　'I　should　wish　to　tell　you　the　history　of　my　life　…　

though　not　an　adventurous　one；　I　think　it　contains　some　things　

which　will　interest　you。'



Without　waiting　for　my　reply　he　began。　　Amidst　darkness　and　gloom；　

occasionally　broken　by　flashes　of　lightning；　the　stranger　related　

to　me；　as　we　sat　at　table　in　the　library；　his　truly　touching　

history。



'Before　proceeding　to　relate　the　events　of　my　life；　it　will　not　be　

amiss　to　give　you　some　account　of　my　ancestors。　　My　great…

grandfather　on　the　male　side　was　a　silk　mercer；　in　Cheapside；　who；　

when　he　died；　left　his　son；　who　was　his　only　child；　a　fortune　of　

one　hundred　thousand　pounds　and　a　splendid　business；　the　son；　

however；　had　no　inclination　for　trade；　the　summit　of　his　ambition　

was　to　be　a　country　gentleman；　to　found　a　family；　and　to　pass　the　

remainder　of　his　days　in　rural　ease　and　dignity；　and　all　this　he　

managed　to　accomplish；　he　disposed　of　his　business；　purchased　a　

beautiful　and　extensive　estate　for　fourscore　thousand　pounds；　built　

upon　it　the　mansion　to　which　I　had　the　honour　of　welcoming　you　to…

day；　married　the　daughter　of　a　neighbouring　squire；　who　brought　him　

a　fortune　of　five　thousand　pounds；　became　a　magistrate；　and　only　

wanted　a　son　and　heir　to　make　him　completely　happy；　this　blessing；　

it　is　true；　was　for　a　long　time　denied　him；　it　came；　however；　at　

last；　as　is　usual；　when　least　expected。　　His　lady　was　brought　to　

bed　of　my　father；　and　then　who　so　happy　a　man　as　my　grandsire；　he　

gave　away　two　thousand　pounds　in　charities；　and　in　the　joy　of　his　

heart　made　a　speech　at　the　next　quarter　sessions；　the　rest　of　his　

life　was　spent　in　ease；　tranquillity；　and　rural　dignity；　he　died　of　

apoplexy　on　the　day　that　my　father　came　of　age；　perhaps　it　would　be　

difficult　to　mention　a　man　who　in　all　respects　was　so　fortunate　as　

my　grandfather：　　his　death　was　sudden　it　is　true；　but　I　am　not　one　

of　those　who　pray　to　be　delivered　from　a　sudden　death。



'I　should　not　call　my　father　a　fortunate　man；　it　is　true　that　he　

had　the　advantage　of　a　first…rate　education；　that　he　made　the　grand　

tour　with　a　private　tutor；　as　was　the　fashion　at　that　time；　that　he　

came　to　a　splendid　fortune　on　the　very　day　that　he　came　of　age；　

that　for　many　years　he　tasted　all　the　diversions　of　the　capital　

that；　at　last　determined　to　settle；　he　married　the　sister　of　a　

baronet；　an　amiable　and　accomplished　lady；　with　a　large　fortune；　

that　he　had　the　best　stud　of　hunters　in　the　county；　on　which；　

during　the　season；　he　followed　the　fox　gallantly；　had　he　been　a　

fortunate　man　he　would　never　have　cursed　his　fate；　as　he　was　

frequently　known　to　do；　ten　months　after　his　marriage　his　horse　

fell　upon　him；　and　so　injured　him；　that　he　expired　in　a　few　days　in　

great　agony。　　My　grandfather　was；　indeed；　a　fortunate　man；　when　he　

died　he　was　followed　to　the　grave　by　the　tears　of　the　poor　…　my　

father　was　not。



'Two　remarkable　circumstances　are　connected　with　my　birth　…　I　am　a　

posthumous　child；　and　came　into　the　world　some　weeks　before　the　

usual　time；　the　shock　which　my　mother　experienced　at　my　father's　

death　having　brought　on　the　pangs　of　premature　labour；　both　my　

mother's　life　and　my　own　were　at　first　despaired　of；　we　both；　

however；　survived　the　crisis。　　My　mother　loved　me　with　the　most　

passionate　fondness；　and　I　was　brought　up　in　this　house　under　her　

own　eye　…　I　was　never　sent　to　school。



'I　have　already　told　you　that　mine　is　not　a　tale　of　adventure；　my　

life　has　not　been　one　of　action；　but　of　wild　imaginings　and　strange　

sensations；　I　was　born　with　excessive　sensibility；　and　that　has　

been　my　bane。　　I　have　not　been　a　fortunate　man。



'No　one　is　fortunate　unless　he　is　happy；　and　it　is　impossible　for　a　

being　constructed　like　myself　to　be　happy　for　an　hour；　or　even　

enjoy　peace　and　tranquillity；　most　of　our　pleasures　and　pains　ar