lavengro- 第38部分

crimson　and　gold；　with　their　ebony　and　ivory　staves；　stalked　along；　

chanting　their　Sclavonian　litanies　in　advance　of　the　mighty　Emperor　

of　the　North　and　his　Priberjensky　guard　of　giants；　towards　the　

orifice　through　which　the　river；　running　below　in　its　swiftness；　is　

to　receive　the　baptismal　lymph：　　…　when　the　hymn　was　over；　another　

man　in　the　wagon　proceeded　to　address　the　people；　he　was　a　much　

younger　man　than　the　last　speaker；　somewhat　square　built　and　about　

the　middle　height；　his　face　was　rather　broad；　but　expressive　of　

much　intelligence；　and　with　a　peculiar　calm　and　serious　look；　the　

accent　in　which　he　spoke　indicated　that　he　was　not　of　these　parts；　

but　from　some　distant　district。　　The　subject　of　his　address　was　

faith；　and　how　it　could　remove　mountains。　　It　was　a　plain　address；　

without　any　attempt　at　ornament；　and　delivered　in　a　tone　which　was　

neither　loud　nor　vehement。　　The　speaker　was　evidently　not　a　

practised　one　…　once　or　twice　he　hesitated　as　if　for　words　to　

express　his　meaning；　but　still　he　held　on；　talking　of　faith；　and　

how　it　could　remove　mountains：　　'It　is　the　only　thing　we　want；　

brethren；　in　this　world；　if　we　have　that；　we　are　indeed　rich；　as　it　

will　enable　us　to　do　our　duty　under　all　circumstances；　and　to　bear　

our　lot；　however　hard　it　may　be　…　and　the　lot　of　all　mankind　is　

hard　…　the　lot　of　the　poor　is　hard；　brethren　…　and　who　knows　more　

of　the　poor　than　I？　…　a　poor　man　myself；　and　the　son　of　a　poor　man：　　

but　are　the　rich　better　off？　not　so；　brethren；　for　God　is　just。　　

The　rich　have　their　trials　too：　　I　am　not　rich　myself；　but　I　have　

seen　the　rich　with　careworn　countenances；　I　have　also　seen　them　in　

madhouses；　from　which　you　may　learn；　brethren；　that　the　lot　of　all　

mankind　is　hard；　that　is；　till　we　lay　hold　of　faith；　which　makes　us　

comfortable　under　all　circumstances；　whether　we　ride　in　gilded　

chariots　or　walk　barefooted　in　quest　of　bread；　whether　we　be　

ignorant；　whether　we　be　wise　…　for　riches　and　poverty；　ignorance　

and　wisdom；　brethren；　each　brings　with　it　its　peculiar　temptations。　　

Well；　under　all　these　troubles；　the　thing　which　I　would　recommend　

you　to　seek　is　one　and　the　same　…　faith；　faith　in　our　Lord　Jesus　

Christ；　who　made　us　and　allotted　to　each　his　station。　　Each　has　

something　to　do；　brethren。　　Do　it；　therefore；　but　always　in　faith；　

without　faith　we　shall　find　ourselves　sometimes　at　fault；　but　with　

faith　never　…　for　faith　can　remove　the　difficulty。　　It　will　teach　

us　to　love　life；　brethren；　when　life　is　becoming　bitter；　and　to　

prize　the　blessings　around　us；　for　as　every　man　has　his　cares；　

brethren；　so　has　each　man　his　blessings。　　It　will　likewise　teach　us　

not　to　love　life　over　much；　seeing　that　we　must　one　day　part　with　

it。　　It　will　teach　us　to　face　death　with　resignation；　and　will　

preserve　us　from　sinking　amidst　the　swelling　of　the　river　Jordan。'



And　when　he　had　concluded　his　address；　he　said；　'Let　us　sing　a　

hymn；　one　composed　by　Master　Charles　Wesley　…　he　was　my　countryman；　

brethren。





'Jesus；　I　cast　my　soul　on　Thee；

Mighty　and　merciful　to　save；

Thou　shalt　to　death　go　down　with　me；

And　lay　me　gently　in　the　grave。

This　body　then　shall　rest　in　hope；

This　body　which　the　worms　destroy；

For　Thou　shalt　surely　raise　me　up

To　glorious　life　and　endless　joy。'





Farewell；　preacher　with　the　plain　coat　and　the　calm　serious　look！　　

I　saw　thee　once　again；　and　that　was　lately　…　only　the　other　day。　　

It　was　near　a　fishing　hamlet；　by　the　sea…side；　that　I　saw　the　

preacher　again。　　He　stood　on　the　top　of　a　steep　monticle；　used　by　

pilots　as　a　look…out　for　vessels　approaching　that　coast；　a　

dangerous　one；　abounding　in　rocks　and　quick…sands。　　There　he　stood　

on　the　monticle；　preaching　to　weather…worn　fishermen　and　mariners　

gathered　below　upon　the　sand。　　'Who　is　he？'　said　I　to　an　old　

fisherman　who　stood　beside　me　with　a　book　of　hymns　in　his　hand；　but　

the　old　man　put　his　hand　to　his　lips；　and　that　was　the　only　answer　

I　received。　　Not　a　sound　was　heard　but　the　voice　of　the　preacher　

and　the　roaring　of　the　waves；　but　the　voice　was　heard　loud　above　

the　roaring　of　the　sea；　for　the　preacher　now　spoke　with　power；　and　

his　voice　was　not　that　of　one　who　hesitates。　　There　he　stood　…　no　

longer　a　young　man；　for　his　black　locks　were　become　gray；　even　like　

my　own；　but　there　was　the　intelligent　face；　and　the　calm　serious　

look　which　had　struck　me　of　yore。　　There　stood　the　preacher；　one　of　

those　men　…　and；　thank　God；　their　number　is　not　few　…　who；　animated　

by　the　spirit　of　Christ；　amidst　much　poverty；　and；　alas！　much　

contempt；　persist　in　carrying　the　light　of　the　Gospel　amidst　the　

dark　parishes　of　what；　but　for　their　instrumentality；　would　

scarcely　be　Christian　England。　　I　would　have　waited　till　he　had　

concluded；　in　order　that　I　might　speak　to　him；　and　endeavour　to　

bring　back　the　ancient　scene　to　his　recollection；　but　suddenly　a　

man　came　hurrying　towards　the　monticle；　mounted　on　a　speedy　horse；　

and　holding　by　the　bridle　one　yet　more　speedy；　and　he　whispered　to　

me；　'Why　loiterest　thou　here？　…　knowest　thou　not　all　that　is　to　be　

done　before　midnight？'　and　he　flung　me　the　bridle；　and　I　mounted　on　

the　horse　of　great　speed；　and　I　followed　the　other；　who　had　already　

galloped　off。　　And　as　I　departed；　I　waved　my　hand　to　him　on　the　

monticle；　and　I　shouted；　'Farewell；　brother！　the　seed　came　up　at　

last；　after　a　long　period！'　and　then　I　gave　the　speedy　horse　his　

way；　and　leaning　over　the　shoulder　of　the　galloping　horse；　I　said；　

'Would　that　my　life　had　been　like　his　…　even　like　that　man's！'



I　now　wandered　along　the　heath；　till　I　came　to　a　place　where；　

beside　a　thick　furze；　sat　a　man；　his　eyes　fixed　intently　on　the　red　

ball　of　the　setting　sun。



'That's　not　you；　Jasper？'



'Indeed；　brother！'



'I've　not　seen　you　for　years。'



'How　should　you；　brother？'



'What　brings　you　here？'



'The　fight；　brother。'



'Where　are　the　tents？'



'On　the　old　spot；　brother。'



'Any　news　since　we　parted？'



'Two　deaths；　brother。'



'Who　are　dead；　Jasper？'



'Father　and　mother；　brother。'



'Where　did　they　die？'



'Where　they　were　sent；　brother。'



'And　Mrs。　Herne？'



'She's　alive；　brother。'



'Where　is　she　now？'



'In　Yorkshire；　brother。'



'What　is　your　opinion　of　death；　Mr。　Petulengro？'　said　I；　as　I　sat　

down　beside　him。



'My　opinion　of　death；　brother；　is　much　the　same　as　that　in　the　old　

song　of　Pharaoh；　which　I　have　heard　my　grandam　sing　…





Cana　marel　o　manus　chivios　ande　puv；

Ta　rovel　pa　leste　o　chavo　ta　romi。





When　a　man　dies；　he　is　cast　into　the　earth；　and　his　wife　and　child　

sorrow　over　him。　　If　he　has　neither　wife　nor　child；　then　his　father　

and　mother；　I　suppose；　and　if　he　is　quite　alone　in　the　world；　why；　

then；　he　is　cast　into　the　earth；　and　there　is　an　end　of　the　

matter。'



'And　do　you　think　that　is　the　end　of　a　man？'



'There's　an　end　of　him；　brother；　more's　the　pity。'



'Why　do　you　say　so？'



'Life　is　sweet；　brother。'



'Do　you　think　so？'



'Think　so！　…　There's　night　and　day；　brother；　both　sweet　things；　

sun；　moon；　and　stars；　brother；　all　sweet　things；　there's　likewise　a　

wind　on　the　heath。　　Life　is　very　sweet；　brother；　who　would　wish　to　

die？'



'I　would　wish　to　die　…　'



'You　talk　like　a　gorgio　…　which　is　the　same　as　talking　like　a　fool　

…　were　you　a　Rommany　Chal　you　would　talk　wiser。　　Wish　to　die；　

indeed！　…　A　Rommany　Chal　would　wish　to　live　for　ever！'



'In　sickness；　Jasper？'



'There's　the　sun　and　stars；　brother。'



'In　blindness；　Jasper？'



'There's　the　wind　on　the　heath；　brother；　if　I　could　only　feel　that；　

I　would　gladly　live　for　ever。　　Dosta；　we'll　now　go　to　the　tents　and　

put　on　the　gloves；　and　I'll　try　to　make　you　feel　what　a　sweet　thing　

it　is　to　be　alive；　brother！'







CHAPTER　XXVI







The　flower　of　the　grass　…　Days　of　pugilism　…　The　rendezvous　…　Jews　

…　Bruisers　of　England　…　Winter；　spring　…　Well…earned　bays　…　The　

fight　…　Huge　black　cloud　…　Frame　of　adamant　…　The　storm　…　

Dukkeripens　…　The　barouche　…　The　rain…gushes。



HOW　for　everything　there　is　a　time　and　a　season；　and　then　how　does　

the　glory　of　a　thing　pass　from　it；　even　like　the　flower　of　the　

grass。　　This　is　a　truism；　but　it　is　one　of　those　which　are　

continually　forcing　themselves　upon　the　mind。　　Many　years　have　not　

passed　over　my　head；　yet；　during　those　which　I　can　recall　to　

remembrance；　how　many　things　have　I　seen　flourish；　pass　away；　and　

become　forgotten；　except　by　myself；　who；　in　spite　of　all　my　

endeavours；　never　can　forget　anything。　　I　have　known　the　time　when　

a　pugilistic　encounter　between　two　noted　champions　was　almost　

considered　in　the　light　of　a　national　affair；　when　tens　of　

thousands　of　individuals；　high　and　low；　meditated　and　brooded　upon　

it；　the　first　thing　in　the　morning　and　the　last　at　night；　until　the　

great　event　was　decided。　　But　the　time　is　past；　and　many　people　

will　say；　thank　God　that　it　is；　all　I　have　to　say　is；　that　the　

French　still　live　on　the　other　side　of　the　water；　and　are　still　

casting　their　eyes　hitherward　…　and　that　in　the　days　of　pugilism　it　

was　no　vain　blast　to　say　that　one　Englishman　was　a　match　for　two　of　

t'other　race；　at　present　it　would　be　a　vain　boast　to　say　so；　for　

these　are　not　the　days　of　pugilism。



But　those　to　which　the　course　of　my　narrative　has　carried　me　were　

the　days　of　pugilism；　it　was　then　at　its　height；　and　consequently　

near　its　decline；　for　corruption　had　crept　into　the　ring；　and　how　

many　things；　states　and　sects　among　the　rest；　owe　their　decline　to　

this　cause！　　But　what　a　bold　and　vigorous　aspect　pugilism　wore　at　

that　time！　and　the　great　battle　was　just　then　coming　off：　　the　day　

had　been　decided　upon；　and　the　spot　…　a　convenient　distance　from　

the　old　town；　and　to　the　old　town　were　now　flocking　the　bruisers　of　

England；　men　of　tremendous　reno