lavengro- 第36部分

soon　arriving　before　a　large　brick　house；　of　rather　antique　

appearance；　knocked　at　the　door。



In　this　house　there　lived　a　gentleman　with　whom　I　had　business。　　He　

was　said　to　be　a　genuine　old　English　gentleman；　and　a　man　of　

considerable　property；　at　this　time；　however；　he　wanted　a　thousand　

pounds；　as　gentlemen　of　considerable　property　every　now　and　then　

do。　　I　had　brought　him　a　thousand　pounds　in　my　pocket；　for　it　is　

astonishing　how　many　eager　helpers　the　rich　find；　and　with　what　

compassion　people　look　upon　their　distresses。　　He　was　said　to　have　

good　wine　in　his　cellar。



'Is　your　master　at　home？'　said　I；　to　a　servant　who　appeared　at　the　

door。



'His　worship　is　at　home；　young　man；'　said　the　servant；　as　he　looked　

at　my　shoes；　which　bore　evidence　that　I　had　come　walking。　　'I　beg　

your　pardon；　sir；'　he　added；　as　he　looked　me　in　the　face。



'Ay；　ay；　servants；'　thought　I；　as　I　followed　the　man　into　the　

house；　'always　look　people　in　the　face　when　you　open　the　door；　and　

do　so　before　you　look　at　their　shoes；　or　you　may　mistake　the　heir　

of　a　Prime　Minister　for　a　shopkeeper's　son。'



I　found　his　worship　a　jolly；　red…faced　gentleman；　of　about　fifty…

five；　he　was　dressed　in　a　green　coat；　white　corduroy　breeches；　and　

drab　gaiters；　and　sat　on　an　old…fashioned　leather　sofa；　with　two　

small；　thoroughbred；　black　English　terriers；　one　on　each　side　of　

him。　　He　had　all　the　appearance　of　a　genuine　old　English　gentleman　

who　kept　good　wine　in　his　cellar。



'Sir；'　said　I；　'I　have　brought　you　a　thousand　pounds'；　and　I　said　

this　after　the　servant　had　retired；　and　the　two　terriers　had　ceased　

the　barking　which　is　natural　to　all　such　dogs　at　the　sight　of　a　

stranger。



And　when　the　magistrate　had　received　the　money；　and　signed　and　

returned　a　certain　paper　which　I　handed　to　him；　he　rubbed　his　

hands；　and　looking　very　benignantly　at　me；　exclaimed　…



'And　now；　young　gentleman；　that　our　business　is　over；　perhaps　you　

can　tell　me　where　the　fight　is　to　take　place？'



'I　am　sorry；　sir；'　said　I；　'that　I　can't　inform　you；　but　everybody　

seems　to　be　anxious　about　it'；　and　then　I　told　him　what　had　

occurred　to　me　on　the　road　with　the　alehouse…keeper。



'I　know　him；'　said　his　worship；　'he's　a　tenant　of　mine；　and　a　good　

fellow；　somewhat　too　much　in　my　debt　though。　　But　how　is　this；　

young　gentleman；　you　look　as　if　you　had　been　walking；　you　did　not　

come　on　foot？'



'Yes；　sir；　I　came　on　foot。'



'On　foot！　why　it　is　sixteen　miles。'



'I　shan't　be　tired　when　I　have　walked　back。'



'You　can't　ride；　I　suppose？'



'Better　than　I　can　walk。'



'Then　why　do　you　walk？'



'I　have　frequently　to　make　journeys　connected　with　my　profession；　

sometimes　I　walk；　sometimes　I　ride；　just　as　the　whim　takes　me。'



'Will　you　take　a　glass　of　wine？'



'Yes。'



'That's　right；　what　shall　it　be？'



'Madeira！'



The　magistrate　gave　a　violent　slap　on　his　knee；　'I　like　your　

taste；'　said　he；　'I　am　fond　of　a　glass　of　Madeira　myself；　and　can　

give　you　such　a　one　as　you　will　not　drink　every　day；　sit　down；　

young　gentleman；　you　shall　have　a　glass　of　Madeira；　and　the　best　I　

have。'



Thereupon　he　got　up；　and；　followed　by　his　two　terriers；　walked　

slowly　out　of　the　room。



I　looked　round　the　room；　and；　seeing　nothing　which　promised　me　much　

amusement；　I　sat　down；　and　fell　again　into　my　former　train　of　

thought。　　'What　is　truth？'　said　I。



'Here　it　is；'　said　the　magistrate；　returning　at　the　end　of　a　

quarter　of　an　hour；　followed　by　the　servant　with　a　tray；　'here's　

the　true　thing；　or　I　am　no　judge；　far　less　a　justice。　　It　has　been　

thirty　years　in　my　cellar　last　Christmas。　　There；'　said　he　to　the　

servant；　'put　it　down；　and　leave　my　young　friend　and　me　to　

ourselves。　　Now；　what　do　you　think　of　it？'



'It　is　very　good；'　said　I。



'Did　you　ever　taste　better　Madeira？'



'I　never　before　tasted　Madeira。'



'Then　you　ask　for　a　wine　without　knowing　what　it　is？'



'I　ask　for　it；　sir；　that　I　may　know　what　it　is。'



'Well；　there　is　logic　in　that；　as　Parr　would　say；　you　have　heard　of　

Parr？'



'Old　Parr？'



'Yes；　old　Parr；　but　not　that　Parr；　you　mean　the　English；　I　the　

Greek　Parr；　as　people　call　him。'



'I　don't　know　him。'



'Perhaps　not　…　rather　too　young　for　that；　but　were　you　of　my　age；　

you　might　have　cause　to　know　him；　coming　from　where　you　do。　　He　

kept　school　there；　I　was　his　first　scholar；　he　flogged　Greek　into　

me　till　I　loved　him　…　and　he　loved　me：　　he　came　to　see　me　last　

year；　and　sat　in　that　chair；　I　honour　Parr　…　he　knows　much；　and　is　

a　sound　man。'



'Does　he　know　the　truth？'



'Know　the　truth！　he　knows　what's　good；　from　an　oyster　to　an　ostrich　

…　he's　not　only　sound；　but　round。'



'Suppose　we　drink　his　health？'



'Thank　you；　boy：　　here's　Parr's　health；　and　Whiter's。'



'Who　is　Whiter？'



'Don't　you　know　Whiter？　　I　thought　everybody　knew　Reverend　Whiter　

the　philologist；　though　I　suppose　you　scarcely　know　what　that　

means。　　A　man　fond　of　tongues　and　languages；　quite　out　of　your　way　

…　he　understands　some　twenty；　what　do　you　say　to　that？'



'Is　he　a　sound　man？'



'Why；　as　to　that；　I　scarcely　know　what　to　say：　　he　has　got　queer　

notions　in　his　head　…　wrote　a　book　to　prove　that　all　words　came　

originally　from　the　earth　…　who　knows？　　Words　have　roots；　and　roots　

live　in　the　earth；　but；　upon　the　whole；　I　should　not　call　him　

altogether　a　sound　man；　though　he　can　talk　Greek　nearly　as　fast　as　

Parr。'



'Is　he　a　round　man？'



'Ay；　boy；　rounder　than　Parr；　I'll　sing　you　a　song；　if　you　like；　

which　will　let　you　into　his　character：…





'Give　me　the　haunch　of　a　buck　to　eat；　and　to　drink　Madeira　old；

And　a　gentle　wife　to　rest　with；　and　in　my　arms　to　fold；

An　Arabic　book　to　study；　a　Norfolk　cob　to　ride；

And　a　house　to　live　in　shaded　with　trees；　and　near　to　a　river　side；

With　such　good　things　around　me；　and　blessed　with　good　health　

withal；

Though　I　should　live　for　a　hundred　years；　for　death　I　would　not　

call。





Here's　to　Whiter's　health　…　so　you　know　nothing　about　the　fight？'



'No；　sir；　the　truth　is；　that　of　late　I　have　been　very　much　occupied　

with　various　matters；　otherwise　I　should；　perhaps；　have　been　able　

to　afford　you　some　information　…　boxing　is　a　noble　art。'



'Can　you　box？'



'A　little。'



'I　tell　you　what；　my　boy；　I　honour　you；　and　provided　your　education　

had　been　a　little　less　limited；　I　should　have　been　glad　to　see　you　

here　in　company　with　Parr　and　Whiter；　both　can　box。　　Boxing　is；　as　

you　say；　a　noble　art　…　a　truly　English　art；　may　I　never　see　the　day　

when　Englishmen　shall　feel　ashamed　of　it；　or　blacklegs　and　

blackguards　bring　it　into　disgrace。　　I　am　a　magistrate；　and；　of　

course；　cannot　patronise　the　thing　very　openly；　yet　I　sometimes　see　

a　prize　fight：　　I　saw　the　Game　Chicken　beat　Gulley。'



'Did　you　ever　see　Big　Ben？'



'No；　why　do　you　ask？'　　But　here　we　heard　a　noise；　like　that　of　a　

gig　driving　up　to　the　door；　which　was　immediately　succeeded　by　a　

violent　knocking　and　ringing；　and　after　a　little　time　the　servant　

who　had　admitted　me　made　his　appearance　in　the　room。　　'Sir；'　said　

he；　with　a　certain　eagerness　of　manner；　'here　are　two　gentlemen　

waiting　to　speak　to　you。'



'Gentlemen　waiting　to　speak　to　me！　who　are　they？'



'I　don't　know；　sir；'　said　the　servant；　'but　they　look　like　sporting　

gentlemen；　and　…　and'　…　here　he　hesitated；　'from　a　word　or　two　they　

dropped；　I　almost　think　that　they　come　about　the　fight。'



'About　the　fight！'　said　the　magistrate。　　'No；　that　can　hardly　be；　

however；　you　had　better　show　them　in。'



Heavy　steps　were　now　heard　ascending　the　stairs；　and　the　servant　

ushered　two　men　into　the　apartment。　　Again　there　was　a　barking；　but　

louder　than　that　which　had　been　directed　against　myself；　for　here　

were　two　intruders；　both　of　them　were　remarkable…looking　men；　but　

to　the　foremost　of　them　the　most　particular　notice　may　well　be　

accorded：　　he　was　a　man　somewhat　under　thirty；　and　nearly　six　feet　

in　height。　　He　was　dressed　in　a　blue　coat；　white　corduroy　breeches；　

fastened　below　the　knee　with　small　golden　buttons；　on　his　legs　he　

wore　white　lamb's…wool　stockings；　and　on　his　feet　shoes　reaching　to　

the　ankles；　round　his　neck　was　a　handkerchief　of　the　blue　and　

bird's　eye　pattern；　he　wore　neither　whiskers　nor　moustaches；　and　

appeared　not　to　delight　in　hair；　that　of　his　head；　which　was　of　a　

light　brown；　being　closely　cropped；　the　forehead　was　rather　high；　

but　somewhat　narrow；　the　face　neither　broad　nor　sharp；　perhaps　

rather　sharp　than　broad；　the　nose　was　almost　delicate；　the　eyes　

were　gray；　with　an　expression　in　which　there　was　sternness　blended　

with　something　approaching　to　feline；　his　complexion　was　

exceedingly　pale；　relieved；　however；　by　certain　pock…marks；　which　

here　and　there　studded　his　countenance；　his　form　was　athletic；　but　

lean；　his　arms　long。　　In　the　whole　appearance　of　the　man　there　was　

a　blending　of　the　bluff　and　the　sharp。　　You　might　have　supposed　him　

a　bruiser；　his　dress　was　that　of　one　in　all　its　minutiae；　something　

was　wanting；　however；　in　his　manner　…　the　quietness　of　the　

professional　man；　he　rather　looked　like　one　performing　the　part　…　

well　…　very　well　…　but　still　performing　a　part。　　His　companion！　…　

there；　indeed；　was　the　bruiser　…　no　mistake　about　him：　　a　tall　

massive　man；　with　a　broad　countenance　and　a　flattened　nose；　dressed　

like　a　bruiser；　but　not　like　a　bruiser　going　into　the　ring；　he　wore　

white…topped　boots；　and　a　loose　brown　jockey　coat。



As　the　first　advanced　towards　the　table；　behind　which　the　

magistrate　sat；　he　doffed　a　white　castor　from　his　head；　and　made　

rather　a　genteel　bow；　looking　at　me；　who　sat　somewhat　on　one　side；　

he　gave　a　kind　of　nod　of　recognition。



'May　I　request　to　know　who　you　are；　gentlemen？'　said　the　

magistrate。



'Sir；'　said　the　man　in　a　deep；　but　not　unpleasan