50 bab ballads-第8部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
She knew she might expect him at a quarter unto ten；
A sorter in the Custom…house； it was his daily road
（The Custom…house was fifteen minutes' walk from her abode）。
But ALICE was a pious girl； who knew it wasn't wise
To look at strange young sorters with expressive purple eyes；
So she sought the village priest to whom her family confessed；
The priest by whom their little sins were carefully assessed。
〃Oh； holy father；〃 ALICE said； 〃't would grieve you； would it not；
To discover that I was a most disreputable lot？
Of all unhappy sinners I'm the most unhappy one！〃
The padre said； 〃Whatever have you been and gone and done？〃
〃I have helped mamma to steal a little kiddy from its dad；
I've assisted dear papa in cutting up a little lad；
I've planned a little burglary and forged a little cheque；
And slain a little baby for the coral on its neck！〃
The worthy pastor heaved a sigh； and dropped a silent tear；
And said； 〃You mustn't judge yourself too heavily； my dear：
It's wrong to murder babies； little corals for to fleece；
But sins like these one expiates at half…a…crown apiece。
〃Girls will be girls … you're very young； and flighty in your mind；
Old heads upon young shoulders we must not expect to find：
We mustn't be too hard upon these little girlish tricks …
Let's see … five crimes at half…a…crown … exactly twelve…and…six。〃
〃Oh； father；〃 little Alice cried； 〃your kindness makes me weep；
You do these little things for me so singularly cheap …
Your thoughtful liberality I never can forget；
But； oh！ there is another crime I haven't mentioned yet！
〃A pleasant…looking gentleman； with pretty purple eyes；
I've noticed at my window； as I've sat a…catching flies；
He passes by it every day as certain as can be …
I blush to say I've winked at him； and he has winked at me！〃
〃For shame！〃 said FATHER PAUL； 〃my erring daughter！ On my word
This is the most distressing news that I have ever heard。
Why； naughty girl； your excellent papa has pledged your hand
To a promising young robber； the lieutenant of his band！
〃This dreadful piece of news will pain your worthy parents so！
They are the most remunerative customers I know；
For many many years they've kept starvation from my doors：
I never knew so criminal a family as yours！
〃The common country folk in this insipid neighbourhood
Have nothing to confess； they're so ridiculously good；
And if you marry any one respectable at all；
Why； you'll reform； and what will then become of FATHER PAUL？〃
The worthy priest； he up and drew his cowl upon his crown；
And started off in haste to tell the news to ROBBER BROWN …
To tell him how his daughter； who was now for marriage fit；
Had winked upon a sorter； who reciprocated it。
Good ROBBER BROWN he muffled up his anger pretty well：
He said； 〃I have a notion； and that notion I will tell；
I will nab this gay young sorter； terrify him into fits；
And get my gentle wife to chop him into little bits。
〃I've studied human nature； and I know a thing or two：
Though a girl may fondly love a living gent； as many do …
A feeling of disgust upon her senses there will fall
When she looks upon his body chopped particularly small。〃
He traced that gallant sorter to a still suburban square；
He watched his opportunity； and seized him unaware；
He took a life…preserver and he hit him on the head；
And MRS。 BROWN dissected him before she went to bed。
And pretty little ALICE grew more settled in her mind；
She never more was guilty of a weakness of the kind；
Until at length good ROBBER BROWN bestowed her pretty hand
On the promising young robber； the lieutenant of his band。
Ballad： MISTER WILLIAM。
OH； listen to the tale of MISTER WILLIAM； if you please；
Whom naughty； naughty judges sent away beyond the seas。
He forged a party's will； which caused anxiety and strife；
Resulting in his getting penal servitude for life。
He was a kindly goodly man； and naturally prone；
Instead of taking others' gold； to give away his own。
But he had heard of Vice； and longed for only once to strike …
To plan ONE little wickedness … to see what it was like。
He argued with himself； and said； 〃A spotless man am I；
I can't be more respectable； however hard I try！
For six and thirty years I've always been as good as gold；
And now for half an hour I'll plan infamy untold！
〃A baby who is wicked at the early age of one；
And then reforms … and dies at thirty…six a spotless son；
Is never； never saddled with his babyhood's defect；
But earns from worthy men consideration and respect。
〃So one who never revelled in discreditable tricks
Until he reached the comfortable age of thirty…six；
May then for half an hour perpetrate a deed of shame；
Without incurring permanent disgrace； or even blame。
〃That babies don't commit such crimes as forgery is true；
But little sins develop； if you leave 'em to accrue；
And he who shuns all vices as successive seasons roll；
Should reap at length the benefit of so much self…control。
〃The common sin of babyhood … objecting to be drest …
If you leave it to accumulate at compound interest；
For anything you know； may represent； if you're alive；
A burglary or murder at the age of thirty…five。
〃Still； I wouldn't take advantage of this fact； but be content
With some pardonable folly … it's a mere experiment。
The greater the temptation to go wrong； the less the sin；
So with something that's particularly tempting I'll begin。
〃I would not steal a penny； for my income's very fair …
I do not want a penny … I have pennies and to spare …
And if I stole a penny from a money…bag or till；
The sin would be enormous … the temptation being NIL。
〃But if I broke asunder all such pettifogging bounds；
And forged a party's Will for （say） Five Hundred Thousand Pounds；
With such an irresistible temptation to a haul；
Of course the sin must be infinitesimally small。
〃There's WILSON who is dying … he has wealth from Stock and rent …
If I divert his riches from their natural descent；
I'm placed in a position to indulge each little whim。〃
So he diverted them … and they； in turn； diverted him。
Unfortunately； though； by some unpardonable flaw；
Temptation isn't recognized by Britain's Common Law；
Men found him out by some peculiarity of touch；
And WILLIAM got a 〃lifer；〃 which annoyed him very much。
For； ah！ he never reconciled himself to life in gaol；
He fretted and he pined； and grew dispirited and pale；
He was numbered like a cabman； too； which told upon him so
That his spirits； once so buoyant； grew uncomfortably low。
And sympathetic gaolers would remark； 〃It's very true；
He ain't been brought up common； like the likes of me and you。〃
So they took him into hospital； and gave him mutton chops；
And chocolate； and arrowroot； and buns； and malt and hops。
Kind Clergymen； besides； grew interested in his fate；
Affected by the details of his pitiable state。
They waited on the Secretary； somewhere in Whitehall；
Who said he would receive them any day they liked to call。
〃Consider； sir； the hardship of this interesting case：
A prison life brings with it something very like disgrace；
It's telling on young WILLIAM； who's reduced to skin and bone …
Remember he's a gentleman； with money of his own。
〃He had an ample income； and of course he stands in need
Of sherry with his dinner； and his customary weed；
No delicacies now can pass his gentlemanly lips …
He misses his sea…bathing and his continental trips。
〃He says the other prisoners are commonplace and rude；
He says he cannot relish uncongenial prison food。
When quite a boy they taught him to distinguish Good from Bad；
And other educational advantages he's had。
〃A burglar or garotter； or； indeed； a common thief
Is very glad to batten on potatoes and on beef；
Or anything； in short； that prison kitchens can afford； …
A cut above the diet in a common workhouse ward。
〃But beef and mutton…broth don't seem to suit our WILLIAM'S whim；
A boon to other prisoners … a punishment to him。
It never was intended that the discipline of gaol
Should dash a convict's spirits； sir； or make him thin or pale。〃
〃Good Gracious Me！〃 that sympathetic Secretary cried；
〃Suppose in prison fetters MISTER WILLIAM should have died！
Dear me； of course！ Imprisonment for LIFE his sentence saith：
I'm very glad you mentioned it … it might have been For Death！
〃Release him with a ticket … he'll be better then； no doubt；
And tell him I apologize。〃 So MISTER WILLIAM'S out。
I hope he will be careful in his manuscripts； I'm sure；
And not begin experimentalizing any more。
Ballad： THE BUMBOAT WOMAN'S STORY。
I'M old； my dears； and shrivelled with age； and work； and grief；
My eyes are gone； and my teeth have been drawn by Time； the Thief！
For terrible sights I've seen； and dangers great I've run …
I'm nearly seventy now； and my work is almost done！
Ah！ I've been young in my time； and I've played the deuce with
men！
I'm speaking of ten years past … I was barely sixty then：
My cheeks were mellow and soft； and my eyes were large and sweet；
POLL PINEAPPLE'S eyes were the standing toast of the Royal Fleet！
A bumboat woman was I； and I faithfully served the ships
With apples and cakes； and fowls； and beer； and halfpenny dips；
And beef for the generous mess； where the officers dine at nights；
And fine fresh peppermint drops for the rollicking midshipmites。
Of all the kind commanders who anchored in Portsmouth Bay；
By far the sweetest of all was kind LIEUTENANT BELAYE。'
LIEUTENANT BELAYE commanded the gunboat HOT CROSS BUN；
She was seven and thirty feet in length； and she carried a gun。
With a laudable view of enhancing his country's naval pride；
When people inquired her size； LIEUTENANT BELAYE replied；
〃Oh； my ship； my ship is the first of the Hun
