50 bab ballads-第12部分
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At any astounding yarn;
By darning their dear eyes roundly
('T was all they had to darn)。
They 〃hoisted their slacks;〃 adjusting
Garments of plantain…leaves
With nautical twitches (as if they wore breeches;
Instead of a dress like EVE'S!)
They shivered their timbers proudly;
At a phantom forelock dragged;
And called for a hornpipe loudly
Whenever amusement flagged。
〃Hum! Golly! him POP resemble;
Him Britisher sov'reign; hum!
CALAMITY POP VON PEPPERMINT DROP;
De King of Canoodle…Dum!〃
The mariner's lively 〃Hollo!〃
Enlivened Canoodle's plain
(For blessings unnumbered follow
In Civilization's train)。
But Fortune; who loves a bathos;
A terrible ending planned;
For ADMIRAL D。 CHICKABIDDY; C。B。;
Placed foot on Canoodle land!
That rebel; he seized KING GOWLER;
He threatened his royal brains;
And put him aboard the HOWLER;
And fastened him down with chains。
The HOWLER she weighed her anchor;
With FREDERICK nicely nailed;
And off to the North with WILLIAM THE FOURTH
These horrible pirates sailed。
CALAMITY said (with folly);
〃Hum! nebber want him again …
Him civilize all of us; golly!
CALAMITY suck him brain!〃
The people; however; were pained when
They saw him aboard his ship;
But none of them wept for their FREDDY; except
HUM PICKETY WIMPLE TIP。
Ballad: THE MARTINET。
SOME time ago; in simple verse
I sang the story true
Of CAPTAIN REECE; the MANTELPIECE;
And all her happy crew。
I showed how any captain may
Attach his men to him;
If he but heeds their smallest needs;
And studies every whim。
Now mark how; by Draconic rule
And HAUTEUR ill…advised;
The noblest crew upon the Blue
May be demoralized。
When his ungrateful country placed
Kind REECE upon half…pay;
Without much claim SIR BERKELY came;
And took command one day。
SIR BERKELY was a martinet …
A stern unyielding soul …
Who ruled his ship by dint of whip
And horrible black…hole。
A sailor who was overcome
From having freely dined;
And chanced to reel when at the wheel;
He instantly confined!
And tars who; when an action raged;
Appeared alarmed or scared;
And those below who wished to go;
He very seldom spared。
E'en he who smote his officer
For punishment was booked;
And mutinies upon the seas
He rarely overlooked。
In short; the happy MANTELPIECE;
Where all had gone so well;
Beneath that fool SIR BERKELY'S rule
Became a floating hell。
When first SIR BERKELY came aboard
He read a speech to all;
And told them how he'd made a vow
To act on duty's call。
Then WILLIAM LEE; he up and said
(The Captain's coxswain he);
〃We've heard the speech your honour's made;
And werry pleased we be。
〃We won't pretend; my lad; as how
We're glad to lose our REECE;
Urbane; polite; he suited quite
The saucy MANTELPIECE。
〃But if your honour gives your mind
To study all our ways;
With dance and song we'll jog along
As in those happy days。
〃I like your honour's looks; and feel
You're worthy of your sword。
Your hand; my lad … I'm doosid glad
To welcome you aboard!〃
SIR BERKELY looked amazed; as though
He didn't understand。
〃Don't shake your head;〃 good WILLIAM said;
〃It is an honest hand。
〃It's grasped a better hand than yourn …
Come; gov'nor; I insist!〃
The Captain stared … the coxswain glared …
The hand became a fist!
〃Down; upstart!〃 said the hardy salt;
But BERKELY dodged his aim;
And made him go in chains below:
The seamen murmured 〃Shame!〃
He stopped all songs at 12 p。m。;
Stopped hornpipes when at sea;
And swore his cot (or bunk) should not
Be used by aught than he。
He never joined their daily mess;
Nor asked them to his own;
But chaffed in gay and social way
The officers alone。
His First Lieutenant; PETER; was
As useless as could be;
A helpless stick; and always sick
When there was any sea。
This First Lieutenant proved to be
His foster…sister MAY;
Who went to sea for love of he
In masculine array。
And when he learnt the curious fact;
Did he emotion show;
Or dry her tears or end her fears
By marrying her? No!
Or did he even try to soothe
This maiden in her teens?
Oh; no! … instead he made her wed
The Sergeant of Marines!
Of course such Spartan discipline
Would make an angel fret;
They drew a lot; and WILLIAM shot
This fearful martinet。
The Admiralty saw how ill
They'd treated CAPTAIN REECE;
He was restored once more aboard
The saucy MANTELPIECE。
Ballad: THE SAILOR BOY TO HIS LASS。
I GO away this blessed day;
To sail across the sea; MATILDA!
My vessel starts for various parts
At twenty after three; MATILDA。
I hardly know where we may go;
Or if it's near or far; MATILDA;
For CAPTAIN HYDE does not confide
In any 'fore…mast tar; MATILDA!
Beneath my ban that mystic man
Shall suffer; COUTE QUI COUTE; MATILDA!
What right has he to keep from me
The Admiralty route; MATILDA?
Because; forsooth! I am a youth
Of common sailors' lot; MATILDA!
Am I a man on human plan
Designed; or am I not; MATILDA?
But there; my lass; we'll let that pass!
With anxious love I burn; MATILDA。
I want to know if we shall go
To church when I return; MATILDA?
Your eyes are red; you bow your head;
It's pretty clear you thirst; MATILDA;
To name the day … What's that you say?
… 〃You'll see me further first;〃 MATILDA?
I can't mistake the signs you make;
Although you barely speak; MATILDA;
Though pure and young; you thrust your tongue
Right in your pretty cheek; MATILDA!
My dear; I fear I hear you sneer …
I do … I'm sure I do; MATILDA!
With simple grace you make a face;
Ejaculating; 〃Ugh!〃 MATILDA。
Oh; pause to think before you drink
The dregs of Lethe's cup; MATILDA!
Remember; do; what I've gone through;
Before you give me up; MATILDA!
Recall again the mental pain
Of what I've had to do; MATILDA!
And be assured that I've endured
It; all along of you; MATILDA!
Do you forget; my blithesome pet;
How once with jealous rage; MATILDA;
I watched you walk and gaily talk
With some one thrice your age; MATILDA?
You squatted free upon his knee;
A sight that made me sad; MATILDA!
You pinched his cheek with friendly tweak;
Which almost drove me mad; MATILDA!
I knew him not; but hoped to spot
Some man you thought to wed; MATILDA!
I took a gun; my darling one;
And shot him through the head; MATILDA!
I'm made of stuff that's rough and gruff
Enough; I own; but; ah; MATILDA!
It DID annoy your sailor boy
To find it was your pa; MATILDA!
I've passed a life of toil and strife;
And disappointments deep; MATILDA;
I've lain awake with dental ache
Until I fell asleep; MATILDA!
At times again I've missed a train;
Or p'rhaps run short of tin; MATILDA;
And worn a boot on corns that shoot;
Or; shaving; cut my chin; MATILDA。
But; oh! no trains … no dental pains …
Believe me when I say; MATILDA;
No corns that shoot … no pinching boot
Upon a summer day; MATILDA …
It's my belief; could cause such grief
As that I've suffered for; MATILDA;
My having shot in vital spot
Your old progenitor; MATILDA。
Bethink you how I've kept the vow
I made one winter day; MATILDA …
That; come what could; I never would
Remain too long away; MATILDA。
And; oh! the crimes with which; at times;
I've charged my gentle mind; MATILDA;
To keep the vow I made … and now
You treat me so unkind; MATILDA!
For when at sea; off Caribbee;
I felt my passion burn; MATILDA;
By passion egged; I went and begged
The captain to return; MATILDA。
And when; my pet; I couldn't get
That captain to agree; MATILDA;
Right through a sort of open port
I pitched him in the sea; MATILDA!
Remember; too; how all the crew
With indignation blind; MATILDA;
Distinctly swore they ne'er before
Had thought me so unkind; MATILDA。
And how they'd shun me one by one …
An unforgiving group; MATILDA …
I stopped their howls and sulky scowls
By pizening their soup; MATILDA!
So pause to think; before you drink
The dregs of Lethe's cup; MATILDA;
Remember; do; what I've gone through;
Before you give me up; MATILDA。
Recall again the mental pain
Of what I've had to do; MATILDA;
And be assured that I've endured
It; all along of you; MATILDA!
Ballad: THE REVEREND SIMON MAGUS。
A RICH advowson; highly prized;
For private sale was advertised;
And many a parson made a bid;
The REVEREND SIMON MAGUS did。
He sought the agent's: 〃Agent; I
Have come prepared at once to buy
(If your demand is not too big)
The Cure of Otium…cum…Digge。〃
〃Ah!〃 said the agent; 〃THERE'S a berth …
The snuggest vicarage on earth;
No sort of duty (so I hear);
And fifteen hundred pounds a year!
〃If on the price we should agree;
The living soon will vacant be;
The good incumbent's ninety five;
And cannot very long survive。
See … here's his photograph … you see;
He's in his dotage。〃 〃Ah; dear me!
Poor soul!〃 said SIMON。 〃His decease
Would be a merciful release!〃
The agent laughed … the agent blinked …
The agent blew his nose and winked …
And poked the parson's ribs in play …
It was that agent's vulgar way。
The REVEREND SIMON frowned: 〃I grieve
This light demeanour to perceive;
It's scarcely COMME IL FAUT; I think:
Now … pray oblige me … do not wink。
〃Don't dig my waistcoat into holes …
Your mission is to sell the souls
Of human sheep and human kids
To that divine who highest bids。
〃Do well in this; and on your head
Unnumbered honours will be shed。〃
The agent said; 〃Well; truth to tell;
I HAVE been doing very well。〃
〃You should;〃 said SIMON; 〃at your age;
But now about the parsonage。
How many rooms does it contai