50 bab ballads-第11部分
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〃This reminds me I must settle on the next ensuing day
The hash of that unmitigated villain PETER GRAY。〃
He saw his ANNIE tremble and he saw his ANNIE start;
Her changing colour trumpeted the flutter at her heart;
Young GILBERT'S manly bosom rose and sank with jealous fear;
And he said; 〃O gentle ANNIE; what's the meaning of this here?〃
And ANNIE answered; blushing in an interesting way;
〃You think; no doubt; I'm sighing for that felon PETER GRAY:
That I was his young woman is unquestionably true;
But not since I began a…keeping company with you。〃
Then GILBERT; who was irritable; rose and loudly swore
He'd know the reason why if she refused to tell him more;
And she answered (all the woman in her flashing from her eyes)
〃You mustn't ask no questions; and you won't be told no lies!
〃Few lovers have the privilege enjoyed; my dear; by you;
Of chopping off a rival's head and quartering him too!
Of vengeance; dear; to…morrow you will surely take your fill!〃
And GILBERT ground his molars as he answered her; 〃I will!〃
Young GILBERT rose from table with a stern determined look;
And; frowning; took an inexpensive hatchet from its hook;
And ANNIE watched his movements with an interested air …
For the morrow … for the morrow he was going to prepare!
He chipped it with a hammer and he chopped it with a bill;
He poured sulphuric acid on the edge of it; until
This terrible Avenger of the Majesty of Law
Was far less like a hatchet than a dissipated saw。
And ANNIE said; 〃O GILBERT; dear; I do not understand
Why ever you are injuring that hatchet in your hand?'
He said; 〃It is intended for to lacerate and flay
The neck of that unmitigated villain PETER GRAY!〃
〃Now; GILBERT;〃 ANNIE answered; 〃wicked headsman; just beware …
I won't have PETER tortured with that horrible affair;
If you appear with that; you may depend you'll rue the day。〃
But GILBERT said; 〃Oh; shall I?〃 which was just his nasty way。
He saw a look of anger from her eyes distinctly dart;
For ANNIE was a woman; and had pity in her heart!
She wished him a good evening … he answered with a glare;
She only said; 〃Remember; for your ANNIE will be there!〃
* * * * * * * *
The morrow GILBERT boldly on the scaffold took his stand;
With a vizor on his face and with a hatchet in his hand;
And all the people noticed that the Engine of the Law
Was far less like a hatchet than a dissipated saw。
The felon very coolly loosed his collar and his stock;
And placed his wicked head upon the handy little block。
The hatchet was uplifted for to settle PETER GRAY;
When GILBERT plainly heard a woman's voice exclaiming; 〃Stay!〃
'Twas ANNIE; gentle ANNIE; as you'll easily believe。
〃O GILBERT; you must spare him; for I bring him a reprieve;
It came from our Home Secretary many weeks ago;
And passed through that post…office which I used to keep at Bow。
〃I loved you; loved you madly; and you know it; GILBERT CLAY;
And as I'd quite surrendered all idea of PETER GRAY;
I quietly suppressed it; as you'll clearly understand;
For I thought it might be awkward if he came and claimed my hand。
〃In anger at my secret (which I could not tell before);
To lacerate poor PETER GRAY vindictively you swore;
I told you if you used that blunted axe you'd rue the day;
And so you will; young GILBERT; for I'll marry PETER GRAY!〃
'AND SO SHE DID。
Ballad: AN UNFORTUNATE LIKENESS。
I'VE painted SHAKESPEARE all my life …
〃An infant〃 (even then at 〃play〃!)
〃A boy;〃 with stage…ambition rife;
Then 〃Married to ANN HATHAWAY。〃
〃The bard's first ticket night〃 (or 〃ben。〃);
His 〃First appearance on the stage;〃
His 〃Call before the curtain〃 … then
〃Rejoicings when he came of age。〃
The bard play…writing in his room;
The bard a humble lawyer's clerk。
The bard a lawyer (3) … parson (4) … groom (5) …
The bard deer…stealing; after dark。
The bard a tradesman (6) … and a Jew (7) …
The bard a botanist (8) … a beak (9) …
The bard a skilled musician (10) too …
A sheriff (11) and a surgeon (12) eke!
Yet critics say (a friendly stock)
That; though it's evident I try;
Yet even I can barely mock
The glimmer of his wondrous eye!
One morning as a work I framed;
There passed a person; walking hard:
〃My gracious goodness;〃 I exclaimed;
〃How very like my dear old bard!
〃Oh; what a model he would make!〃
I rushed outside … impulsive me! …
〃Forgive the liberty I take;
But you're so very〃 … 〃Stop!〃 said he。
〃You needn't waste your breath or time; …
I know what you are going to say; …
That you're an artist; and that I'm
Remarkably like SHAKESPEARE。 Eh?
〃You wish that I would sit to you?〃
I clasped him madly round the waist;
And breathlessly replied; 〃I do!〃
〃All right;〃 said he; 〃but please make haste。〃
I led him by his hallowed sleeve;
And worked away at him apace;
I painted him till dewy eve; …
There never was a nobler face!
〃Oh; sir;〃 I said; 〃a fortune grand
Is yours; by dint of merest chance; …
To sport HIS brow at second…hand;
To wear HIS cast…off countenance!
〃To rub HIS eyes whene'er they ache …
To wear HIS baldness ere you're old …
To clean HIS teeth when you awake …
To blow HIS nose when you've a cold!〃
His eyeballs glistened in his eyes …
I sat and watched and smoked my pipe;
〃Bravo!〃 I said; 〃I recognize
The phrensy of your prototype!〃
His scanty hair he wildly tore:
〃That's right;〃 said I; 〃it shows your breed。〃
He danced … he stamped … he wildly swore …
〃Bless me; that's very fine indeed!〃
〃Sir;〃 said the grand Shakesperian boy
(Continuing to blaze away);
〃You think my face a source of joy;
That shows you know not what you say。
〃Forgive these yells and cellar…flaps:
I'm always thrown in some such state
When on his face well…meaning chaps
This wretched man congratulate。
〃For; oh! this face … this pointed chin …
This nose … this brow … these eyeballs too;
Have always been the origin
Of all the woes I ever knew!
〃If to the play my way I find;
To see a grand Shakesperian piece;
I have no rest; no ease of mind
Until the author's puppets cease。
〃Men nudge each other … thus … and say;
'This certainly is SHAKESPEARE'S son;'
And merry wags (of course in play)
Cry 'Author!' when the piece is done。
〃In church the people stare at me;
Their soul the sermon never binds;
I catch them looking round to see;
And thoughts of SHAKESPEARE fill their minds。
〃And sculptors; fraught with cunning wile;
Who find it difficult to crown
A bust with BROWN'S insipid smile;
Or TOMKINS'S unmannered frown;
〃Yet boldly make my face their own;
When (oh; presumption!) they require
To animate a paving…stone
With SHAKESPEARE'S intellectual fire。
〃At parties where young ladies gaze;
And I attempt to speak my joy;
'Hush; pray;' some lovely creature says;
'The fond illusion don't destroy!'
〃Whene'er I speak; my soul is wrung
With these or some such whisperings:
''Tis pity that a SHAKESPEARE'S tongue
Should say such un…Shakesperian things!'
〃I should not thus be criticised
Had I a face of common wont:
Don't envy me … now; be advised!〃
And; now I think of it; I don't!
Ballad: THE KING OF CANOODLE…DUM。
THE story of FREDERICK GOWLER;
A mariner of the sea;
Who quitted his ship; the HOWLER;
A…sailing in Caribbee。
For many a day he wandered;
Till he met in a state of rum
CALAMITY POP VON PEPPERMINT DROP;
The King of Canoodle…Dum。
That monarch addressed him gaily;
〃Hum! Golly de do to…day?
Hum! Lily…white Buckra Sailee〃 …
(You notice his playful way?) …
〃What dickens you doin' here; sar?
Why debbil you want to come?
Hum! Picaninnee; dere isn't no sea
In City Canoodle…Dum!〃
And GOWLER he answered sadly;
〃Oh; mine is a doleful tale!
They've treated me werry badly
In Lunnon; from where I hail。
I'm one of the Family Royal …
No common Jack Tar you see;
I'm WILLIAM THE FOURTH; far up in the North;
A King in my own countree!〃
Bang…bang! How the tom…toms thundered!
Bang…bang! How they thumped this gongs!
Bang…bang! How the people wondered!
Bang…bang! At it hammer and tongs!
Alliance with Kings of Europe
Is an honour Canoodlers seek;
Her monarchs don't stop with PEPPERMINT DROP
Every day in the week!
FRED told them that he was undone;
For his people all went insane;
And fired the Tower of London;
And Grinnidge's Naval Fane。
And some of them racked St。 James's;
And vented their rage upon
The Church of St。 Paul; the Fishmongers' Hall;
And the Angel at Islington。
CALAMITY POP implored him
In his capital to remain
Till those people of his restored him
To power and rank again。
CALAMITY POP he made him
A Prince of Canoodle…Dum;
With a couple of caves; some beautiful slaves;
And the run of the royal rum。
Pop gave him his only daughter;
HUM PICKETY WIMPLE TIP:
FRED vowed that if over the water
He went; in an English ship;
He'd make her his Queen; … though truly
It is an unusual thing
For a Caribbee brat who's as black as your hat
To be wife of an English King。
And all the Canoodle…Dummers
They copied his rolling walk;
His method of draining rummers;
His emblematical talk。
For his dress and his graceful breeding;
His delicate taste in rum;
And his nautical way; were the talk of the day
In the Court of Canoodle…Dum。
CALAMITY POP most wisely
Determined in everything
To model his Court precisely
On that of the English King;
And ordered that every lady
And every lady's lord
Should masticate jacky (a kind of tobaccy);
And scatter its juice abroad。
They signified wonder roundly
At any astounding yarn;
By darning their dear eyes roundly
('T was all they had to darn)。
They 〃hoisted their slacks;〃 a