lavengro- 第127部分

unexpectedly　arrived。　　I　believe　he　soon　perceived　that　something　

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

time　closeted　with　the　governor；　with　whom；　I　believe；　he　had　a　

dispute；　for　my　fellow…servant；　the　lady's　maid；　informed　me　that　

she　heard　high　words。



'Rather　late　at　night　the　young　gentleman　sent　for　me　into　his　

room；　and　asked　me　various　questions　with　respect　to　what　had　been　

going　on；　and　my　behaviour　in　the　church；　of　which　he　had　heard　

something。　　I　told　him　all　I　knew　with　respect　to　the　intrigues　of　

the　two　priests　in　the　family；　and　gave　him　a　circumstantial　

account　of　all　that　had　occurred　in　the　church；　adding　that；　under　

similar　circumstances；　I　was　ready　to　play　the　same　part　over　

again。　　Instead　of　blaming　me；　he　commended　my　behaviour；　told　me　I　

was　a　fine　fellow；　and　said　he　hoped　that；　if　he　wanted　my　

assistance；　I　would　stand　by　him：　　this　I　promised　to　do。　　Before　I　

left　him；　he　entreated　me　to　inform　him　the　very　next　time　I　saw　

the　priests　entering　the　house。



'The　next　morning；　as　I　was　in　the　courtyard；　where　I　had　placed　

myself　to　watch；　I　saw　the　two　enter　and　make　their　way　up　a　

private　stair　to　the　young　ladies'　apartment；　they　were　attended　by　

a　man　dressed　something　like　a　priest；　who　bore　a　large　box；　I　

instantly　ran　to　relate　what　I　had　seen　to　my　young　master。　　I　

found　him　shaving。　　〃I　will　just　finish　what　I　am　about；〃　said　he；　

〃and　then　wait　upon　these　gentlemen。〃　　He　finished　what　he　was　

about　with　great　deliberation；　then　taking　a　horsewhip；　and　bidding　

me　follow　him；　he　proceeded　at　once　to　the　door　of　his　sisters'　

apartment：　　finding　it　fastened；　he　burst　it　open　at　once　with　his　

foot　and　entered；　followed　by　myself。　　There　we　beheld　the　two　

unfortunate　young　ladies　down　on　their　knees　before　a　large　female　

doll；　dressed　up；　as　usual；　in　rags　and　tinsel；　the　two　priests　

were　standing　near；　one　on　either　side；　with　their　hands　uplifted；　

whilst　the　fellow　who　brought　the　trumpery　stood　a　little　way　down　

the　private　stair；　the　door　of　which　stood　open；　without　a　moment's　

hesitation；　my　young　master　rushed　forward；　gave　the　image　a　cut　or　

two　with　his　horsewhip　…　then　flying　at　the　priests；　he　gave　them　a　

sound　flogging；　kicked　them　down　the　private　stair；　and　spurned　the　

man；　box　and　image　after　them　…　then　locking　the　door；　he　gave　his　

sisters　a　fine　sermon；　in　which　he　represented　to　them　their　folly　

in　worshipping　a　silly　wooden　graven　image；　which；　though　it　had　

eyes；　could　see　not；　though　it　had　ears；　could　hear　not；　though　it　

had　hands；　could　not　help　itself；　and　though　it　had　feet；　could　not　

move　about　unless　it　were　carried。　　Oh；　it　was　a　fine　sermon　that　

my　young　master　preached；　and　sorry　I　am　that　the　Father　of　the　

Fetish；　old　Mumbo；　did　not　hear　it。　　The　elder　sister　looked　

ashamed；　but　the　youngest；　who　was　very　weak；　did　nothing　but　wring　

her　hands；　weep　and　bewail　the　injury　which　had　been　done　to　the　

dear　image。　　The　young　man；　however；　without　paying　much　regard　to　

either　of　them；　went　to　his　father；　with　whom　he　had　a　long　

conversation；　which　terminated　in　the　old　governor　giving　orders　

for　preparations　to　be　made　for　the　family's　leaving　Rome　and　

returning　to　England。　　I　believe　that　the　old　governor　was　glad　of　

his　son's　arrival；　and　rejoiced　at　the　idea　of　getting　away　from　

Italy；　where　he　had　been　so　plundered　and　imposed　upon。　　The　

priests；　however；　made　another　attempt　upon　the　poor　young　ladies。　　

By　the　connivance　of　the　female　servant　who　was　in　their　interest　

they　found　their　way　once　more　into　their　apartment；　bringing　with　

them　the　fetish　image；　whose　body　they　partly　stripped；　exhibiting　

upon　it　certain　sanguine　marks　which　they　had　daubed　upon　it　with　

red　paint；　but　which　they　said　were　the　result　of　the　lashes　which　

it　had　received　from　the　horsewhip。　　The　youngest　girl　believed　all　

they　said；　and　kissed　and　embraced　the　dear　image；　but　the　eldest；　

whose　eyes　had　been　opened　by　her　brother；　to　whom　she　was　much　

attached；　behaved　with　proper　dignity；　for；　going　to　the　door；　she　

called　the　female　servant　who　had　a　respect　for　me；　and　in　her　

presence　reproached　the　two　deceivers　for　their　various　impudent　

cheats；　and　especially　for　this　their　last　attempt　at　imposition；　

adding　that　if　they　did　not　forthwith　withdraw　and　rid　her　sister　

and　herself　of　their　presence；　she　would　send　word　by　her　maid　to　

her　brother；　who　would　presently　take　effectual　means　to　expel　

them。　　They　took　the　hint　and　departed；　and　we　saw　no　more　of　them。



'At　the　end　of　three　days　we　departed　from　Rome；　but　the　maid　whom　

the　priests　had　cajoled　remained　behind；　and　it　is　probable　that　

the　youngest　of　our　ladies　would　have　done　the　same　thing　if　she　

could　have　had　her　own　will；　for　she　was　continually　raving　about　

her　image；　and　saying　she　should　wish　to　live　with　it　in　a　convent；　

but　we　watched　the　poor　thing；　and　got　her　on　board　ship。　　Oh；　glad　

was　I　to　leave　that　fetish　country　and　old　Mumbo　behind　me！







CHAPTER　C







Nothing　but　gloom　…　Sporting　character　…　Gouty　Tory　…　Servants'　

Club　…　Politics　…　Reformado　footman　…　Peroration　…　Good…night。



'WE　arrived　in　England；　and　went　to　our　country　seat；　but　the　peace　

and　tranquillity　of　the　family　had　been　marred；　and　I　no　longer　

found　my　place　the　pleasant　one　which　it　had　formerly　been；　there　

was　nothing　but　gloom　in　the　house；　for　the　youngest　daughter　

exhibited　signs　of　lunacy；　and　was　obliged　to　be　kept　under　

confinement。　　The　next　season　I　attended　my　master；　his　son；　and　

eldest　daughter　to　London；　as　I　had　previously　done。　　There　I　left　

them；　for　hearing　that　a　young　baronet；　an　acquaintance　of　the　

family；　wanted　a　servant；　I　applied　for　the　place；　with　the　consent　

of　my　masters；　both　of　whom　gave　me　a　strong　recommendation；　and；　

being　approved　of；　I　went　to　live　with　him。



'My　new　master　was　what　is　called　a　sporting　character；　very　fond　

of　the　turf；　upon　which　he　was　not　very　fortunate。　　He　was　

frequently　very　much　in　want　of　money；　and　my　wages　were　anything　

but　regularly　paid；　nevertheless；　I　liked　him　very　much；　for　he　

treated　me　more　like　a　friend　than　a　domestic；　continually　

consulting　me　as　to　his　affairs。　　At　length　he　was　brought　nearly　

to　his　last　shifts；　by　backing　the　favourite　at　the　Derby；　which　

favourite　turned　out　a　regular　brute；　being　found　nowhere　at　the　

rush。　　Whereupon；　he　and　I　had　a　solemn　consultation　over　fourteen　

glasses　of　brandy　and　water；　and　as　many　cigars　…　I　mean；　between　

us　…　as　to　what　was　to　be　done。　　He　wished　to　start　a　coach；　in　

which　event　he　was　to　be　driver；　and　I　guard。　　He　was　quite　

competent　to　drive　a　coach；　being　a　first…rate　whip；　and　I　daresay　

I　should　have　made　a　first…rate　guard；　but；　to　start　a　coach　

requires　money；　and　we　neither　of　us　believed　that　anybody　would　

trust　us　with　vehicles　and　horses；　so　that　idea　was　laid　aside。　　We　

then　debated　as　to　whether　or　not　he　should　go　into　the　Church；　but　

to　go　into　the　Church　…　at　any　rate　to　become　a　dean　or　bishop；　

which　would　have　been　our　aim　…　it　is　necessary　for　a　man　to　

possess　some　education；　and　my　master；　although　he　had　been　at　the　

best　school　in　England；　that　is；　the　most　expensive；　and　also　at　

College；　was　almost　totally　illiterate；　so　we　let　the　Church　scheme　

follow　that　of　the　coach。　　At　last；　bethinking　me　that　he　was　

tolerably　glib　at　the　tongue；　as　most　people　are　who　are　addicted　

to　the　turf；　also　a　great　master　of　slang；　remembering　also　that　he　

had　a　crabbed　old　uncle；　who　had　some　borough　interest；　I　proposed　

that　he　should　get　into　the　House；　promising　in　one　fortnight　to　

qualify　him　to　make　a　figure　in　it；　by　certain　lessons　which　I　

would　give　him。　　He　consented；　and　during　the　next　fortnight　I　did　

little　else　than　give　him　lessons　in　elocution；　following　to　a　

tittle　the　method　of　the　great　professor；　which　I　had　picked　up；　

listening　behind　the　door。　　At　the　end　of　that　period　we　paid　a　

visit　to　his　relation；　an　old　gouty　Tory；　who　at　first　received　us　

very　coolly。　　My　master；　however；　by　flattering　a　predilection　of　

his　for　Billy　Pitt；　soon　won　his　affections　so　much　that　he　

promised　to　bring　him　into　Parliament；　and　in　less　than　a　month　was　

as　good　as　his　word。　　My　master；　partly　by　his　own　qualifications；　

and　partly　by　the　assistance　which　he　had　derived；　and　still　

occasionally　derived；　from　me；　cut　a　wonderful　figure　in　the　House；　

and　was　speedily　considered　one　of　the　most　promising　speakers；　he　

was　always　a　good　hand　at　promising　…　he　is　at　present；　I　believe；　

a　Cabinet　minister。



'But　as　he　got　up　in　the　world　he　began　to　look　down　on　me。　　I　

believe　he　was　ashamed　of　the　obligation　under　which　he　lay　to　me；　

and　at　last；　requiring　no　further　hints　as　to　oratory　from　a　poor　

servant　like　me；　he　took　an　opportunity　of　quarrelling　with　me　and　

discharging　me。　　However；　as　he　had　still　some　grace；　he　

recommended　me　to　a　gentleman　with　whom；　since　he　had　attached　

himself　to　politics；　he　had　formed　an　acquaintance；　the　editor　of　a　

grand　Tory　Review。　　I　lost　caste　terribly　amongst　the　servants　for　

entering　the　service　of　a　person　connected　with　a　profession　so　

mean　as　literature；　and　it　was　proposed　at　the　Servants'　Club；　in　

Park　Lane；　to　eject　me　from　that　society。　　The　proposition；　

however；　was　not　carried　into　effect；　and　I　was　permitted　to　show　

myself　among　them；　though　few　condescended　to　take　much　notice　of　

me。　　My　master　was　one　of　the　best　men　in　the　world；　but　also　one　

of　the　most　sensitive。　　On　his　veracity　being　impugned　by　the　

editor　of　a　newspaper；　he　called　him　out；　and　shot　him　through　the　

arm。　　Though　servants　are　seldom　admirers　of　their　masters；　I　was　a　

great　admirer　of　mine；　and　eager　to　follow　his　example。　　The　day　

after　the　encounter；　on　my　veracity　being　impugned　b