redgauntlet-第23部分

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for　my　making　a　longer　stay　in　this　neighbourhood；　a　line　of　conduct　which　seems　to　have　your　father's　sanction；　whose　opinion　must　be　sounder　than　that　of　your　wandering　damoselle。

If　the　road　were　paved　with　dangers　which　leads　to　such　a　discovery；　I　cannot　for　a　moment　hesitate　to　tread　it。　　But　in　fact　there　is　no　peril　in　the　case。　　If　the　Tritons　of　the　Solway　shall　proceed　to　pull　down　honest　Joshua's　tide…nets；　I　am　neither　Quixote　enough　in　disposition；　nor　Goliath　enough　in　person；　to　attempt　their　protection。　　I　have　no　idea　of　attempting　to　prop　a　falling　house　by　putting　my　shoulders　against　it。　　And　indeed；　Joshua　gave　me　a　hint　that　the　company　which　he　belongs　to；　injured　in　the　way　threatened　（some　of　them　being　men　who　thought　after　the　fashion　of　the　world）；　would　pursue　the　rioters　at　law；　and　recover　damages；　in　which　probably　his　own　ideas　of　non…resistance　will　not　prevent　his　participating。　　Therefore　the　whole　affair　will　take　its　course　as　law　will；　as　I　only　mean　to　interfere　when　it　may　be　necessary　to　direct　the　course　of　the　plaintiffs　to　thy　chambers；　and　I　request　they　may　find　thee　intimate　with　all　the　Scottish　statutes　concerning　salmon　fisheries；　from　the　LEX　AQUARUM；　downward。

As　for　the　Lady　of　the　Mantle；　I　will　lay　a　wager　that　the　sun　so　bedazzled　thine　eyes　on　that　memorable　morning；　that　everything　thou　didst　look　upon　seemed　green；　and　notwithstanding　James　Wilkinson's　experience　in　the　Fusileers；　as　well　as　his　negative　whistle；　I　will　venture　to　hold　a　crown　that　she　is　but　a　what…　shall…call…'um　after　all。　　Let　not　even　the　gold　persuade　you　to　the　contrary。　　She　may　make　a　shift　to　cause　you　to　disgorge　that；　and　（immense　spoil！）　a　session's　fees　to　boot；　if　you　look　not　all　the　sharper　about　you。　　Or　if　it　should　be　otherwise；　and　if　indeed　there　lurk　some　mystery　under　this　visitation；　credit　me；　it　is　one　which　thou　canst　not　penetrate；　nor　can　I　as　yet　even　attempt　to　explain　it；　since；　if　I　prove　mistaken；　and　mistaken　I　may　easily　be；　I　would　be　fain　to　creep　into　Phalaris's　bull；　were　it　standing　before　me　ready　heated；　rather　than　be　roasted　with　thy　raillery。　　Do　not　tax　me　with　want　of　confidence；　for　the　instant　I　can　throw　any　light　on　the　matter　thou　shalt　have　it；　but　while　I　am　only　blundering　about　in　the　dark；　I　do　not　choose　to　call　wise　folks　to　see　me；　perchance；　break　my　nose　against　a　post。　　So　if　you　marvel　at　this；

　　E'en　marvel　on　till　time　makes　all　things　plain。

In　the　meantime；　kind　Alan；　let　me　proceed　in　my　diurnal。

On　the　third　or　fourth　day　after　my　arrival　at　Mount　Sharon；　Time；　that　bald　sexton　to　whom　I　have　just　referred　you；　did　certainly　limp　more　heavily　along　with　me　than　he　had　done　at　first。　　The　quaint　morality　of　Joshua；　and　Huguenot　simplicity　of　his　sister；　began　to　lose　much　of　their　raciness　with　their　novelty；　and　my　mode　of　life；　by　dint　of　being　very　quiet；　began　to　feel　abominably　dull。　　It　was；　as　thou　say'st；　as　if　the　Quakers　had　put　the　sun　in　their　pocketsall　around　was　soft　and　mild；　and　even　pleasant；　but　there　was；　in　the　whole　routine；　a　uniformity；　a　want　of　interest；　a　helpless　and　hopeless　languor；　which　rendered　life　insipid。　　No　doubt；　my　worthy　host　and　hostess　felt　none　of　this　void；　this　want　of　excitation；　which　was　becoming　oppressive　to　their　guest。　　They　had　their　little　round　of　occupations；　charities；　and　pleasures；　Rachel　had　her　poultry…yard　and　conservatory；　and　Joshua　his　garden。　　Besides　this；　they　enjoyed；　doubtless；　their　devotional　meditations；　and；　on　the　whole；　time　glided　softly　and　imperceptibly　on　with　them；　though　to　me；　who　long　for　stream　and　cataract；　it　seemed　absolutely　to　stand　still。　　I　meditated　returning　to　Shepherd's　Bush；　and　began　to　think；　with　some　hankering；　after　little　Benjie　and　the　rod。　　The　imp　has　ventured　hither；　and　hovers　about　to　catch　a　peep　of　me　now　and　then；　I　suppose　the　little　sharper　is　angling　for　a　few　more　sixpences。　　But　this　would　have　been；　in　Joshua's　eyes；　a　return　of　the　washed　sow　to　wallowing　in　the　mire；　and　I　resolved；　while　I　remained　his　guest；　to　spare　him　so　violent　a　shock　to　his　prejudices。　　The　next　point　was；　to　shorten　the　time　of　my　proposed　stay；　but；　alas！　　that　I　felt　to　be　equally　impossible。　　I　had　named　a　week；　and　however　rashly　my　promise　had　been　pledged；　it　must　be　held　sacred；　even　according　to　the　letter；　from　which　the　Friends　permit　no　deviation。

All　these　considerations　wrought　me　up　to　a　kind　of　impatience　yesterday　evening；　so　that　I　snatched　up　my　hat；　and　prepared　for　a　sally　beyond　the　cultivated　farm　and　ornamented　grounds　of　Mount　Sharon；　just　as　if　I　were　desirous　to　escape　from　the　realms　of　art；　into　those　of　free　and　unconstrained　nature。

I　was　scarcely　more　delighted　when　I　first　entered　this　peaceful　demesne；　than　I　now　wassuch　is　the　instability　and　inconsistency　of　human　nature！when　I　escaped　from　it　to　the　open　downs；　which　had　formerly　seemed　so　waste　and　dreary；　The　air　I　breathed　felt　purer　and　more　bracing。　　The　clouds；　riding　high　upon　a　summer　breeze；　drove；　in　gay　succession；　over　my　head；　now　obscuring　the　sun；　now　letting　its　rays　stream　in　transient　flashes　upon　various　parts　of　the　landscape；　and　especially　upon　the　broad　mirror　of　the　distant　Firth　of　Solway。

I　advanced　on　the　scene　with　the　light　step　of　a　liberated　captive；　and；　like　John　Bunyan's　Pilgrim；　could　have　found　in　my　heart　to　sing　as　I　went　on　my　way。　　It　seemed　as　if　my　gaiety　had　accumulated　while　suppressed；　and　that　I　was；　in　my　present　joyous　mood；　entitled　to　expend　the　savings　of　the　previous　week。　But　just　as　I　was　about　to　uplift　a　merry　stave；　I　heard；　to　my　joyful　surprise；　the　voices　of　three　or　more　choristers；　singing；　with　considerable　success；　the　lively　old　catch；

　　For　all　our　men　were　very　very　merry；　　　　　And　all　our　men　were　drinking：　　　　　There　were　two　men　of　mine；　　　　　Three　men　of　thine；　　　And　three　that　belonged　to　old　Sir　Thom　o'　Lyne；　　　As　they　went　to　the　ferry；　they　were　very　very　merry；　　　　　And　all　our　men　were　drinking。'

＇The　original　of　this　catch　is　to　be　found　in　Cowley's　witty　comedy　of　THE　GUARDIAN；　the　first　edition。　　It　does　not　exist　in　the　second　and　revised　edition；　called　THE　CUTTER　OF　COLEMAN　STREET。

　　CAPTAIN　BLADE。　　Ha；　ha；　boys；　another　catch。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　AND　ALL　OUR　MEN　ARE　VERY　VERY　MERRY；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　AND　ALL　OUR　MEN　WERE　DRINKING。　　　CUTTER。　　　　ONE　MAN　OF　MINE。　　　DOGREL。　　　　TWO　MEN　OF　MINE。　　　BLADE。　　　　　THREE　MEN　OF　MINE。　　　CUTTER。　　　　AND　ONE　MAN　OF　MINE。　　　OMNES。　　　　　AS　WE　WENT　BY　THE　WAY　WE　WERE　DRUNK；　DRUNK；　DAMNABLY　　　　　　　　　　　　　　DRUNK；　AND　ALL　OUR　MEN　WERE　VERY　VERY　MERRY；　&c。　Such　are　the　words；　which　are　somewhat　altered　and　amplified　in　the　text。　　The　play　was　acted　in　presence　of　Charles　II；　then　Prince　of　Wales；　in　1641。　　The　catch　in　the　text　has　been　happily　set　to　music。＇

As　the　chorus　ended；　there　followed　a　loud　and　hearty　laugh　by　way　of　cheers。　　Attracted　by　sounds　which　were　so　congenial　to　my　present　feelings；　I　made　towards　the　spot　from　which　they　came；　cautiously；　however；　for　the　downs；　as　had　been　repeatedly　hinted　to　me；　had　no　good　name；　and　the　attraction　of　the　music；　without　rivalling　that　of　the　sirens　in　melody；　might　have　been　followed　by　similarly　inconvenient　consequences　to　an　incautious　amateur。

I　crept　on；　therefore；　trusting　that　the　sinuosities　of　the　ground；　broken　as　it　was　into　knells　and　sand…pits；　would　permit　me　to　obtain　a　sight　of　the　musicians　before　I　should　be　observed　by　them。　　As　I　advanced；　the　old　ditty　was　again　raised。　　The　voices　seemed　those　of　a　man　and　two　boys；　they　were　rough；　but　kept　good　time；　and　were　managed　with　too　much　skill　to　belong　to　the　ordinary　country　people。

　　Jack　looked　at　the　sun；　and　cried；　Fire；　fire；　fire；　　　Tom　stabled　his　keffel　in　Birkendale　mire；　　　Jem　started　a　calf；　and　halloo'd　for　a　stag；　　　Will　mounted　a　gate…post　instead　of　his　nag：　　　For　all　our　men　were　very　very　merry；　　　　　And　all　our　men　were　drinking；　　　　　　　There　were　two　men　of　mine；　　　　　　　Three　men　of　thine；　　　And　three　that　belonged　to　old　Sir　Thom　o'　Lyne；　　　As　they　went　to　the　ferry；　they　were　very　very　merry；　　　　　For　all　our　men　were　drinking。

The　voices；　as　they　mixed　in　their　several　parts；　and　ran　through　them；　untwisting　and　again　entwining　all　the　links　of　the　merry　old　catch；　seemed　to　have　a　little　touch　of　the　bacchanalian　spirit　which　they　celebrated；　and　showed　plainly　that　the　musicians　were　engaged　in　the　same　joyous　revel　as　the　MENYIE　of　old　Sir　Thom　o'　Lyne。　　At　length　I　came　within　sight　of　them；　three　in　number；　where　they　sat　cosily　niched　into　what　you　might　call　a　BUNKER；　a　little　sand…pit；　dry　and　snug；　and　surrounded　by　its　banks；　and　a　screen　of　whins　in　full　bloom。

The　only　one　of　the　trio　whom　I　recognized　as　a　personal　acquaintance　was　the　notorious　little　Benjie；　who；　having　just　finished　his　stave；　was　cramming　a　huge　luncheon　of　pie…crust　into　his　mouth　with　one　hand；　while　in　the　other　he　held　a　foaming　tankard；　his　eyes　dancing　with　all　the　glee　of　a　forbidden　revel；　and　his　features；　which　have　at　all　times　a　mischievous　archness　of　expression；　confessing　the　full　sweetness　of　stolen　waters；　and　bread　eaten　in　secret。

There　was　no　mistaking　the　profession　of　the　male　and　female；　who　were　partners　with　Benjie　in　these　merry　doings。　　The　man's　long　loose…bodied　greatcoat　（wrap…rascal　as　the　vulgar　term　it）；　the　fiddle…case；　with　its　straps；　which　lay　beside　him；　and　a　small　knapsack　which　might　contain　his　few　necessaries；　a　clear　grey　eye；　features　which；　in　contending　with　many　a　storm；　had　not　lost　a　wild　and；　careless　expression　of　glee；　animated　at　present；　when　he　was　exercising　for　his　own　pleasure　the　arts　which　he　usually　practised　for　bread；all　announced　one　of　those　peripatetic　followers　of　Orpheus　whom　the　vulgar　call　a　strolling　fiddler。　　Gazing　more　attentively；　I　easily　discovered　that　though　the　poor　musician's　eyes　were　open；　their　sense　was　shut；　and　that　the　ecstasy　with　which　he　turned　them　up　to　heaven　only　derived　its　apparent　expression　from　his　own　internal　emotions；　but　received　no　assistance　from　the　visible　objects　around。　　Beside　him　sat　his　female　companion；　in　a　man's　hat；　a　blue　coat；　which　seemed　also　to　have　been　an　article　of　male　appar