50 bab ballads-第10部分
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And I should like to know where in the world (or rather; out of it)
they expect to go!
Ballad: THE BABY'S VENGEANCE。
WEARY at heart and extremely ill
Was PALEY VOLLAIRE of Bromptonville;
In a dirty lodging; with fever down;
Close to the Polygon; Somers Town。
PALEY VOLLAIRE was an only son
(For why? His mother had had but one);
And PALEY inherited gold and grounds
Worth several hundred thousand pounds。
But he; like many a rich young man;
Through this magnificent fortune ran;
And nothing was left for his daily needs
But duplicate copies of mortgage…deeds。
Shabby and sorry and sorely sick;
He slept; and dreamt that the clock's 〃tick; tick;〃
Was one of the Fates; with a long sharp knife;
Snicking off bits of his shortened life。
He woke and counted the pips on the walls;
The outdoor passengers' loud footfalls;
And reckoned all over; and reckoned again;
The little white tufts on his counterpane。
A medical man to his bedside came。
(I can't remember that doctor's name);
And said; 〃You'll die in a very short while
If you don't set sail for Madeira's isle。〃
〃Go to Madeira? goodness me!
I haven't the money to pay your fee!〃
〃Then; PALEY VOLLAIRE;〃 said the leech; 〃good bye;
I'll come no more; for your're sure to die。〃
He sighed and he groaned and smote his breast;
〃Oh; send;〃 said he; 〃for FREDERICK WEST;
Ere senses fade or my eyes grow dim:
I've a terrible tale to whisper him!〃
Poor was FREDERICK'S lot in life; …
A dustman he with a fair young wife;
A worthy man with a hard…earned store;
A hundred and seventy pounds … or more。
FREDERICK came; and he said; 〃Maybe
You'll say what you happened to want with me?〃
〃Wronged boy;〃 said PALEY VOLLAIRE; 〃I will;
But don't you fidget yourself … sit still。〃
THE TERRIBLE TALE。
〃'Tis now some thirty…seven years ago
Since first began the plot that I'm revealing;
A fine young woman; whom you ought to know;
Lived with her husband down in Drum Lane; Ealing。
Herself by means of mangling reimbursing;
And now and then (at intervals) wet…nursing。
〃Two little babes dwelt in their humble cot:
One was her own … the other only lent to her:
HER OWN SHE SLIGHTED。 Tempted by a lot
Of gold and silver regularly sent to her;
She ministered unto the little other
In the capacity of foster…mother。
〃I WAS HER OWN。 Oh! how I lay and sobbed
In my poor cradle … deeply; deeply cursing
The rich man's pampered bantling; who had robbed
My only birthright … an attentive nursing!
Sometimes in hatred of my foster…brother;
I gnashed my gums … which terrified my mother。
〃One day … it was quite early in the week …
I IN MY CRADLE HAVING PLACED THE BANTLING …
Crept into his! He had not learnt to speak;
But I could see his face with anger mantling。
It was imprudent … well; disgraceful maybe;
For; oh! I was a bad; blackhearted baby!
〃So great a luxury was food; I think
No wickedness but I was game to try for it。
NOW if I wanted anything to drink
At any time; I only had to cry for it!
ONCE; if I dared to weep; the bottle lacking;
My blubbering involved a serious smacking!
〃We grew up in the usual way … my friend;
My foster…brother; daily growing thinner;
While gradually I began to mend;
And thrived amazingly on double dinner。
And every one; besides my foster…mother;
Believed that either of us was the other。
〃I came into HIS wealth … I bore HIS name;
I bear it still … HIS property I squandered …
I mortgaged everything … and now (oh; shame!)
Into a Somers Town shake…down I've wandered!
I am no PALEY … no; VOLLAIRE … it's true; my boy!
The only rightful PALEY V。 is YOU; my boy!
〃And all I have is yours … and yours is mine。
I still may place you in your true position:
Give me the pounds you've saved; and I'll resign
My noble name; my rank; and my condition。
So far my wickedness in falsely owning
Your vasty wealth; I am at last atoning!〃
* * * * * * *
FREDERICK he was a simple soul;
He pulled from his pocket a bulky roll;
And gave to PALEY his hard…earned store;
A hundred and seventy pounds or more。
PALEY VOLLAIRE; with many a groan;
Gave FREDERICK all that he called his own; …
Two shirts and a sock; and a vest of jean;
A Wellington boot and a bamboo cane。
And FRED (entitled to all things there)
He took the fever from MR。 VOLLAIRE;
Which killed poor FREDERICK WEST。 Meanwhile
VOLLAIRE sailed off to Madeira's isle。
Ballad: THE CAPTAIN AND THE MERMAIDS。
I SING a legend of the sea;
So hard…a…port upon your lee!
A ship on starboard tack!
She's bound upon a private cruise …
(This is the kind of spice I use
To give a salt…sea smack)。
Behold; on every afternoon
(Save in a gale or strong Monsoon)
Great CAPTAIN CAPEL CLEGGS
(Great morally; though rather short)
Sat at an open weather…port
And aired his shapely legs。
And Mermaids hung around in flocks;
On cable chains and distant rocks;
To gaze upon those limbs;
For legs like those; of flesh and bone;
Are things 〃not generally known〃
To any Merman TIMBS。
But Mermen didn't seem to care
Much time (as far as I'm aware)
With CLEGGS'S legs to spend;
Though Mermaids swam around all day
And gazed; exclaiming; 〃THAT'S the way
A gentleman should end!
〃A pair of legs with well…cut knees;
And calves and ankles such as these
Which we in rapture hail;
Are far more eloquent; it's clear
(When clothed in silk and kerseymere);
Than any nasty tail。〃
And CLEGGS … a worthy kind old boy …
Rejoiced to add to others' joy;
And; when the day was dry;
Because it pleased the lookers…on;
He sat from morn till night … though con…
Stitutionally shy。
At first the Mermen laughed; 〃Pooh! pooh!〃
But finally they jealous grew;
And sounded loud recalls;
But vainly。 So these fishy males
Declared they too would clothe their tails
In silken hose and smalls。
They set to work; these water…men;
And made their nether robes … but when
They drew with dainty touch
The kerseymere upon their tails;
They found it scraped against their scales;
And hurt them very much。
The silk; besides; with which they chose
To deck their tails by way of hose
(They never thought of shoon);
For such a use was much too thin; …
It tore against the caudal fin;
And 〃went in ladders〃 soon。
So they designed another plan:
They sent their most seductive man
This note to him to show …
〃Our Monarch sends to CAPTAIN CLEGGS
His humble compliments; and begs
He'll join him down below;
〃We've pleasant homes below the sea …
Besides; if CAPTAIN CLEGGS should be
(As our advices say)
A judge of Mermaids; he will find
Our lady…fish of every kind
Inspection will repay。〃
Good CAPEL sent a kind reply;
For CAPEL thought he could descry
An admirable plan
To study all their ways and laws …
(But not their lady…fish; because
He was a married man)。
The Merman sank … the Captain too
Jumped overboard; and dropped from view
Like stone from catapult;
And when he reached the Merman's lair;
He certainly was welcomed there;
But; ah! with what result?
They didn't let him learn their law;
Or make a note of what he saw;
Or interesting mem。:
The lady…fish he couldn't find;
But that; of course; he didn't mind …
He didn't come for them。
For though; when CAPTAIN CAPEL sank;
The Mermen drawn in double rank
Gave him a hearty hail;
Yet when secure of CAPTAIN CLEGGS;
They cut off both his lovely legs;
And gave him SUCH a tail!
When CAPTAIN CLEGGS returned aboard;
His blithesome crew convulsive roar'd;
To see him altered so。
The Admiralty did insist
That he upon the Half…pay List
Immediately should go。
In vain declared the poor old salt;
〃It's my misfortune … not my fault;〃
With tear and trembling lip …
In vain poor CAPEL begged and begged。
〃A man must be completely legged
Who rules a British ship。〃
So spake the stern First Lord aloud …
He was a wag; though very proud;
And much rejoiced to say;
〃You're only half a captain now …
And so; my worthy friend; I vow
You'll only get half…pay!〃
Ballad: ANNIE PROTHEROE。 A LEGEND OF STRATFORD…LE…BOW。
OH! listen to the tale of little ANNIE PROTHEROE。
She kept a small post…office in the neighbourhood of BOW;
She loved a skilled mechanic; who was famous in his day …
A gentle executioner whose name was GILBERT CLAY。
I think I hear you say; 〃A dreadful subject for your rhymes!〃
O reader; do not shrink … he didn't live in modern times!
He lived so long ago (the sketch will show it at a glance)
That all his actions glitter with the lime…light of Romance。
In busy times he laboured at his gentle craft all day …
〃No doubt you mean his Cal…craft;〃 you amusingly will say …
But; no … he didn't operate with common bits of string;
He was a Public Headsman; which is quite another thing。
And when his work was over; they would ramble o'er the lea;
And sit beneath the frondage of an elderberry tree;
And ANNIE'S simple prattle entertained him on his walk;
For public executions formed the subject of her talk。
And sometimes he'd explain to her; which charmed her very much;
How famous operators vary very much in touch;
And then; perhaps; he'd show how he himself performed the trick;
And illustrate his meaning with a poppy and a stick。
Or; if it rained; the little maid would stop at home; and look
At his favourable notices; all pasted in a book;
And then her cheek would flush … her swimming eyes would dance with
joy
In a glow of admiration at the prowess of her boy。
One summer eve; at supper…time; the gentle GILBERT said
(As he helped his pretty ANNIE to a slice of collared head);
〃This reminds me I must settle on the next ensuing day
The