lavengro- 第126部分

away　we　drove　to　the　big　church；　to　which　all　the　population　of　the　

place　appeared　to　be　moving。



'On　arriving　there　we　dismounted；　and　the　two　priests；　who　were　

with　us；　led　the　family　in；　whilst　I　followed　at　a　little　distance；　

but　quickly　lost　them　amidst　the　throng　of　people。　　I　made　my　way；　

however；　though　in　what　direction　I　knew　not；　except　it　was　one　in　

which　everybody　seemed　striving；　and　by　dint　of　elbowing　and　

pushing　I　at　last　got　to　a　place　which　looked　like　the　aisle　of　a　

cathedral；　where　the　people　stood　in　two　rows；　a　space　between　

being　kept　open　by　certain　strangely…dressed　men　who　moved　up　and　

down　with　rods　in　their　hands；　all　were　looking　to　the　upper　end　of　

this　place　or　aisle；　and　at　the　upper　end；　separated　from　the　

people　by　palings　like　those　of　an　altar；　sat　in　magnificent…

looking　stalls；　on　the　right　and　the　left；　various　wonderful…

looking　individuals　in　scarlet　dresses。　　At　the　farther　end　was　

what　appeared　to　be　an　altar；　on　the　left　hand　was　a　pulpit；　and　on　

the　right　a　stall　higher　than　any　of　the　rest；　where　was　a　figure　

whom　I　could　scarcely　see。



'I　can't　pretend　to　describe　what　I　saw　exactly；　for　my　head；　which　

was　at　first　rather　flurried；　had　become　more　so　from　the　efforts　

which　I　had　made　to　get　through　the　crowd；　also　from　certain　

singing；　which　proceeded　from　I　know　not　where；　and；　above　all；　

from　the　bursts　of　an　organ；　which　were　occasionally　so　loud　that　I　

thought　the　roof；　which　was　painted　with　wondrous　colours；　would　

come　toppling　down　on　those　below。　　So　there　stood　I　…　a　poor　

English　servant　…　in　that　outlandish　place；　in　the　midst　of　that　

foreign　crowd；　looking　at　that　outlandish　sight；　hearing　those　

outlandish　sounds；　and　occasionally　glancing　at　our　party；　which；　

by　this　time；　I　distinguished　at　the　opposite　side　to　where　I　

stood；　but　much　nearer　the　place　where　the　red　figures　sat。　　Yes；　

there　stood　our　poor　governor　and　the　sweet　young　ladies；　and　I　

thought　they　never　looked　so　handsome　before；　and　close　by　them　

were　the　sharking　priests；　and　not　far　from　them　was　that　idiotical　

parson　Platitude；　winking　and　grinning；　and　occasionally　lifting　up　

his　hands　as　if　in　ecstasy　at　what　he　saw　and　heard；　so　that　he　

drew　upon　himself　the　notice　of　the　congregation。



'And　now　an　individual　mounted　the　pulpit；　and　began　to　preach　in　a　


language　which　I　did　not　understand；　but　which　I　believe　to　be　

Latin；　addressing　himself　seemingly　to　the　figure　in　the　stall；　and　

when　he　had　ceased；　there　was　more　singing；　more　organ…playing；　and　

then　two　men　in　robes　brought　forth　two　things　which　they　held　up；　

and　then　the　people　bowed　their　heads；　and　our　poor　governor　bowed　

his　head；　and　the　sweet　young　ladies　bowed　their　heads；　and　the　

sharking　priests；　whilst　the　idiotical　parson　Platitude　tried　to　

fling　himself　down；　and　then　there　were　various　evolutions　

withinside　the　pale；　and　the　scarlet　figures　got　up　and　sat　down；　

and　this　kind　of　thing　continued　for　some　time。　　At　length　the　

figure　which　I　had　seen　in　the　principal　stall　came　forth　and　

advanced　towards　the　people；　an　awful　figure　he　was；　a　huge　old　man　

with　a　sugar…loaf　hat；　with　a　sulphur…coloured　dress；　and　holding　a　

crook　in　his　hand　like　that　of　a　shepherd；　and　as　he　advanced　the　

people　fell　on　their　knees；　our　poor　old　governor　amongst　them；　the　

sweet　young　ladies；　the　sharking　priests；　the　idiotical　parson　

Platitude；　all　fell　on　their　knees；　and　somebody　or　other　tried　to　

pull　me　on　my　knees；　but　by　this　time　I　had　become　outrageous；　all　

that　my　poor　brother　used　to　tell　me　of　the　superstitions　of　the　

high　Barbary　shore　rushed　into　my　mind；　and　I　thought　they　were　

acting　them　over　here；　above　all；　the　idea　that　the　sweet　young　

ladies；　to　say　nothing　of　my　poor　old　governor；　were；　after　the　

conclusion　of　all　this　mummery；　going　to　deliver　themselves　up　body　

and　soul　into　the　power　of　that　horrid…looking　old　man；　maddened　

me；　and；　rushing　forward　into　the　open　space；　I　confronted　the　

horrible…looking　old　figure　with　the　sugar…loaf　hat；　the　sulphur…

coloured　garments；　and　shepherd's　crook；　and　shaking　my　fist　at　his　

nose；　I　bellowed　out　in　English　…



'〃I　don't　care　for　you；　old　Mumbo　Jumbo；　though　you　have　fetish！〃



'I　can　scarcely　tell　you　what　occurred　for　some　time。　　I　have　a　dim　

recollection　that　hands　were　laid　upon　me；　and　that　I　struck　out　

violently　left　and　right。　　On　coming　to　myself；　I　was　seated　on　a　

stone　bench　in　a　large　room；　something　like　a　guard…room；　in　the　

custody　of　certain　fellows　dressed　like　Merry…andrews；　they　were　

bluff；　good…looking；　wholesome　fellows；　very　different　from　the　

sallow　Italians：　　they　were　looking　at　me　attentively；　and　

occasionally　talking　to　each　other　in　a　language　which　sounded　very　

like　the　cracking　of　walnuts　in　the　mouth；　very　different　from　

cooing　Italian。　　At　last　one　of　them　asked　me　in　Italian　what　had　

ailed　me；　to　which　I　replied；　in　an　incoherent　manner；　something　

about　Mumbo　Jumbo；　whereupon　the　fellow；　one　of　the　bluffest　of　the　

lot；　a　jovial　rosy…faced　rascal；　lifted　up　his　right　hand；　placing　

it　in　such　a　manner　that　the　lips　were　between　the　fore…finger　and　

thumb；　then　lifting　up　his　right　foot　and　drawing　back　his　head；　he　

sucked　in　his　breath　with　a　hissing　sound；　as　if　to　imitate　one　

drinking　a　hearty　draught；　and　then　slapped　me　on　the　shoulder；　

saying　something　which　sounded　like　goot　wine；　goot　companion；　

whereupon　they　all　laughed；　exclaiming；　ya；　ya；　goot　companion。　　

And　now　hurried　into　the　room　our　poor　old　governor；　with　the　red…

haired　priest。　　The　first　asked　what　could　have　induced　me　to　

behave　in　such　a　manner　in　such　a　place；　to　which　I　replied　that　I　

was　not　going　to　bow　down　to　Mumbo　Jumbo；　whatever　other　people　

might　do。　　Whereupon　my　master　said　he　believed　I　was　mad；　and　the　

priest　said　he　believed　I　was　drunk；　to　which　I　answered　that　I　was　

neither　so　mad　nor　drunk　but　I　could　distinguish　how　the　wind　lay。　　

Whereupon　they　left　me；　and　in　a　little　time　I　was　told　by　the　

bluff…looking　Merry…andrews　I　was　at　liberty　to　depart。　　I　believe　

the　priest；　in　order　to　please　my　governor；　interceded　for　me　in　

high　quarters。



'But　one　good　resulted　from　this　affair；　there　was　no　presentation　

of　our　family　to　the　Holy　Father；　for　old　Mumbo　was　so　frightened　

by　my　outrageous　looks　that　he　was　laid　up　for　a　week；　as　I　was　

afterwards　informed。



'I　went　home；　and　had　scarcely　been　there　half　an　hour　when　I　was　

sent　for　by　the　governor；　who　again　referred　to　the　scene　in　

church；　said　that　he　could　not　tolerate　such　scandalous　behaviour；　

and　that　unless　I　promised　to　be　more　circumspect　in　future；　he　

should　be　compelled　to　discharge　me。　　I　said　that　if　he　was　

scandalised　at　my　behaviour　in　the　church；　I　was　more　scandalised　

at　all　I　saw　going　on　in　the　family；　which　was　governed　by　two　

rascally　priests；　who；　not　content　with　plundering　him；　appeared　

bent　on　hurrying　the　souls　of　us　all　to　destruction；　and　that　with　

respect　to　discharging　me；　he　could　do　so　that　moment；　as　I　wished　

to　go。　　I　believe　his　own　reason　told　him　that　I　was　right；　for　he　

made　no　direct　answer；　but；　after　looking　on　the　ground　for　some　

time；　he　told　me　to　leave　him。　　As　he　did　not　tell　me　to　leave　the　

house；　I　went　to　my　room；　intending　to　lie　down　for　an　hour　or　two；　

but　scarcely　was　I　there　when　the　door　opened；　and　in　came　the　red…

haired　priest。　　He　showed　himself；　as　he　always　did；　perfectly　

civil；　asked　me　how　I　was；　took　a　chair　and　sat　down。　　After　a　hem　

or　two　he　entered　into　a　long　conversation　on　the　excellence　of　

what　he　called　the　Catholic　religion；　told　me　that　he　hoped　I　would　

not　set　myself　against　the　light；　and　likewise　against　my　interest；　

for　that　the　family　were　about　to　embrace　the　Catholic　religion；　

and　would　make　it　worth　my　while　to　follow　their　example。　　I　told　

him　that　the　family　might　do　what　they　pleased；　but　that　I　would　

never　forsake　the　religion　of　my　country　for　any　consideration　

whatever；　that　I　was　nothing　but　a　poor　servant；　but　I　was　not　to　

be　bought　by　base　gold。　　〃I　admire　your　honourable　feelings；〃　said　

he；　〃you　shall　have　no　gold；　and　as　I　see　you　are　a　fellow　of　

spirit；　and　do　not　like　being　a　servant；　for　which　I　commend　you；　I　

can　promise　you　something　better。　　I　have　a　good　deal　of　influence　

in　this　place；　and　if　you　will　not　set　your　face　against　the　light；　

but　embrace　the　Catholic　religion；　I　will　undertake　to　make　your　

fortune。　　You　remember　those　fine　fellows　to…day　who　took　you　into　

custody；　they　are　the　guards　of　his　Holiness。　　I　have　no　doubt　that　

I　have　interest　enough　to　procure　your　enrolment　amongst　them。〃　　

〃What；〃　said　I；　〃become　swashbuckler　to　Mumbo　Jumbo　up　here！　　May　I　

。　。　。〃　…　and　here　I　swore　…　〃if　I　do。　　The　mere　possibility　of　one　

of　their　children　being　swashbuckler　to　Mumbo　Jumbo　on　the　high　

Barbary　shore　has　always　been　a　source　of　heart…breaking　to　my　poor　

parents。　　What；　then；　would　they　not　undergo；　if　they　knew　for　

certain　that　their　other　child　was　swashbuckler　to　Mumbo　Jumbo　up　

here？〃　　Thereupon　he　asked　me；　even　as　you　did　some　time　ago；　what　

I　meant　by　Mumbo　Jumbo。　　And　I　told　him　all　I　had　heard　about　the　

Mumbo　Jumbo　of　the　high　Barbary　shore；　telling　him　that　I　had　no　

doubt　that　the　old　fellow　up　here　was　his　brother；　or　nearly　

related　to　him。　　The　man　with　the　red　hair　listened　with　the　

greatest　attention　to　all　I　said；　and　when　I　had　concluded；　he　got　

up；　nodded　to　me；　and　moved　to　the　door；　ere　he　reached　the　door　I　

saw　his　shoulders　shaking；　and　as　he　closed　it　behind　him　I　heard　

him　distinctly　laughing；　to　the　tune　of　…　he！　he！　he！



'But　now　matters　began　to　mend。　　That　same　evening　my　young　master　

unexpectedly　arrived。　　I　believe　he　soon　perceived　that　something　

extraordinary　had　been　going　on　in　the　family。　　He　was　for　s