lavengro- 第82部分

own　master？　　Now　a　tinker　is　his　own　master；　a　scholar　is　not。　　Let　

us　suppose　the　best　of　scholars；　a　schoolmaster　for　example；　for　I　

suppose　you　will　admit　that　no　one　can　be　higher　in　scholarship　

than　a　schoolmaster；　do　you　call　his　a　pleasant　life？　　I　don't；　we　

should　call　him　a　school…slave；　rather　than　a　schoolmaster。　　Only　

conceive　him　in　blessed　weather　like　this；　in　his　close　school；　

teaching　children　to　write　in　copy…books；　'Evil　communication　

corrupts　good　manners；'　or　'You　cannot　touch　pitch　without　

defilement；'　or　to　spell　out　of　Abedariums；　or　to　read　out　of　Jack　

Smith；　or　Sandford　and　Merton。　　Only　conceive　him；　I　say；　drudging　

in　such　guise　from　morning　till　night；　without　any　rational　

enjoyment　but　to　beat　the　children。　　Would　you　compare　such　a　dog's　

life　as　that　with　your　own　…　the　happiest　under　heaven　…　true　Eden　

life；　as　the　Germans　would　say；　…　pitching　your　tent　under　the　

pleasant　hedgerows；　listening　to　the　song　of　the　feathered　tribes；　

collecting　all　the　leaky　kettles　in　the　neighbourhood；　soldering　

and　joining；　earning　your　honest　bread　by　the　wholesome　sweat　of　

your　brow　…　making　ten　holes　…　hey；　what's　this？　what's　the　man　

crying　for？



Suddenly　the　tinker　had　covered　his　face　with　his　hands；　and　begun　

to　sob　and　moan　like　a　man　in　the　deepest　distress；　the　breast　of　

his　wife　was　heaved　with　emotion；　even　the　children　were　agitated；　

the　youngest　began　to　roar。



MYSELF。　　What's　the　matter　with　you；　what　are　you　all　crying　about？



TINKER　（uncovering　his　face）。　　Lord；　why　to　hear　you　talk；　isn't　

that　enough　to　make　anybody　cry　…　even　the　poor　babes？　　Yes；　you　

said　right；　'tis　life　in　the　garden　of　Eden　…　the　tinker's；　I　see　

so　now　that　I'm　about　to　give　it　up。



MYSELF。　　Give　it　up！　you　must　not　think　of　such　a　thing。



TINKER。　　No；　I　can't　bear　to　think　of　it；　and　yet　I　must；　what's　to　

be　done？　　How　hard　to　be　frightened　to　death；　to　be　driven　off　the　

roads。



MYSELF。　　Who　has　driven　you　off　the　roads？



TINKER。　　Who！　the　Flaming　Tinman。



MYSELF。　　Who　is　he？



TINKER。　　The　biggest　rogue　in　England；　and　the　cruellest；　or　he　

wouldn't　have　served　me　as　he　has　done　…　I'll　tell　you　all　about　

it。　　I　was　born　upon　the　roads；　and　so　was　my　father　before　me；　and　

my　mother　too；　and　I　worked　with　them　as　long　as　they　lived；　as　a　

dutiful　child；　for　I　have　nothing　to　reproach　myself　with　on　their　

account；　and　when　my　father　died　I　took　up　the　business；　and　went　

his　beat；　and　supported　my　mother　for　the　little　time　she　lived；　

and　when　she　died　I　married　this　young　woman；　who　was　not　born　upon　

the　roads；　but　was　a　small　tradesman　s　daughter；　at　Gloster。　　She　

had　a　kindness　for　me；　and；　notwithstanding　her　friends　were　

against　the　match；　she　married　the　poor　tinker；　and　came　to　live　

with　him　upon　the　roads。　　Well；　young　man；　for　six　or　seven　years　I　

…　as　the　happiest　fellow　breathing；　living　just　the　life　you　

described　just　now　…　respected　by　everybody　in　this　beat；　when　in　

an　evil　hour　comes　this　Black　Jack；　this　flaming　tinman；　into　these　

parts；　driven　as　they　say　out　of　Yorkshire　…　for　no　good　you　may　be　

sure。　　Now　there　is　no　beat　will　support　two　tinkers；　as　you　

doubtless　know；　mine　was　a　good　one；　but　it　would　not　support　the　

flying　tinker　and　myself；　though　if　it　would　have　supported　twenty　

it　would　have　been　all　the　same　to　the　flying　villain；　who'll　brook　

no　one　but　himself；　so　he　presently　finds　me　out；　and　offers　to　

fight　me　for　the　beat。　　Now；　being　bred　upon　the　roads；　I　can　fight　

a　little；　that　is　with　anything　like　my　match；　but　I　was　not　going　

to　fight　him；　who　happens　to　be　twice　my　size；　and　so　I　told　him；　

whereupon　he　knocks　me　down；　and　would　have　done　me　farther　

mischief　had　not　some　men　been　nigh　and　prevented　him；　so　he　

threatened　to　cut　my　throat；　and　went　his　way。　　Well；　I　did　not　

like　such　usage　at　all；　and　was　woundily　frightened；　and　tried　to　

keep　as　much　out　of　his　way　as　possible；　going　anywhere　but　where　I　

thought　I　was　likely　to　meet　him；　and　sure　enough　for　several　

months　I　contrived　to　keep　out　of　his　way。　　At　last　somebody　told　

me　that　he　was　gone　back　to　Yorkshire；　whereupon　I　was　glad　at　

heart；　and　ventured　to　show　myself；　going　here　and　there　as　I　did　

before。　　Well；　young　man；　it　was　yesterday　that　I　and　mine　set　

ourselves　down　in　a　lane；　about　five　miles　from　here；　and　lighted　

our　fire；　and　had　our　dinner；　and　after　dinner　I　sat　down　to　mend　

three　kettles　and　a　frying　pan　which　the　people　in　the　

neighbourhood　had　given　me　to　mend　…　for；　as　I　told　you　before；　I　

have　a　good　connection；　owing　to　my　honesty。　　Well；　as　I　sat　there　

hard　at　work；　happy　as　the　day's　long；　and　thinking　of　anything　but　

what　was　to　happen；　who　should　come　up　but　this　Black　Jack；　this　

king　of　the　tinkers；　rattling　along　in　his　cart；　with　his　wife；　

that　they　call　Grey　Moll；　by　his　side　…　for　the　villain　has　got　a　

wife；　and　a　maid…servant　too；　the　last　I　never　saw；　but　they　that　

has；　says　that　she　is　as　big　as　a　house；　and　young；　and　well　to　

look　at；　which　can't　be　all　said　of　Moll；　who；　though　she's　big　

enough　in　all　conscience；　is　neither　young　nor　handsome。　　Well；　no　

sooner　does　he　see　me　and　mine；　than；　giving　the　reins　to　Grey　

Moll；　he　springs　out　of　his　cart；　and　comes　straight　at　me；　not　a　

word　did　he　say；　but　on　he　comes　straight　at　me　like　a　wild　bull。　　

I　am　a　quiet　man；　young　fellow；　but　I　saw　now　that　quietness　would　

be　of　no　use；　so　I　sprang　up　upon　my　legs；　and　being　bred　upon　the　

roads；　and　able　to　fight　a　little；　I　squared　as　he　came　running　in　

upon　me；　and　had　a　round　or　two　with　him。　　Lord　bless　you；　young　

man；　it　was　like　a　fly　fighting　with　an　elephant　…　one　of　those　big　

beasts　the　show…folks　carry　about。　　I　had　not　a　chance　with　the　

fellow；　he　knocked　me　here；　he　knocked　me　there；　knocked　me　into　

the　hedge；　and　knocked　me　out　again。　　I　was　at　my　last　shifts；　and　

my　poor　wife　saw　it。　　Now　my　poor　wife；　though　she　is　as　gentle　as　

a　pigeon；　has　yet　a　spirit　of　her　own；　and　though　she　wasn't　bred　

upon　the　roads；　can　scratch　a　little；　so　when　she　saw　me　at　my　last　

shifts；　she　flew　at　the　villain　…　she　couldn't　bear　to　see　her　

partner　murdered　…　and　scratched　the　villain's　face。　　Lord　bless　

you；　young　man；　she　had　better　have　been　quiet：　　Grey　Moll　no　

sooner　saw　what　she　was　about；　than；　springing　out　of　the　cart；　

where　she　had　sat　all　along　perfectly　quiet；　save　a　little　whooping　

and　screeching　to　encourage　her　blade：…　Grey　Moll；　I　say　（my　flesh　

creeps　when　I　think　of　it　…　for　I　am　a　kind　husband；　and　love　my　

poor　wife）　。　。　。



MYSELF。　　Take　another　draught　of　the　ale；　you　look　frightened；　and　

it　will　do　you　good。　　Stout　liquor　makes　stout　heart；　as　the　man　

says　in　the　play。



TINKER。　　That's　true；　young　man；　here's　to　you　…　where　was　I？　　Grey　

Moll　no　sooner　saw　what　my　wife　was　about；　than；　springing　out　of　

the　cart；　she　flew　at　my　poor　wife；　clawed　off　her　bonnet　in　a　

moment；　and　seized　hold　of　her　hair。　　Lord　bless　you；　young　man；　my　

poor　wife；　in　the　hands　of　Grey　Moll；　was　nothing　better　than　a　

pigeon　in　the　claws　of　a　buzzard　hawk；　or　I　in　the　hands　of　the　

Flaming　Tinman；　which　when　I　saw；　my　heart　was　fit　to　burst；　and　I　

determined　to　give　up　everything　…　everything　to　save　my　poor　wife　

out　of　Grey　Moll's　claws。　　'Hold！'　I　shouted。　　'Hold；　both　of　you　…　

Jack；　Moll。　　Hold；　both　of　you；　for　God's　sake；　and　I'll　do　what　

you　will：　　give　up　trade；　and　business；　connection；　bread；　and　

everything；　never　more　travel　the　roads；　and　go　down　on　my　knees　to　

you　in　the　bargain。'　　Well；　this　had　some　effect；　Moll　let　go　my　

wife；　and　the　Blazing　Tinman　stopped　for　a　moment；　it　was　only　for　

a　moment；　however；　that　he　left　off　…　all　of　a　sudden　he　hit　me　a　

blow　which　sent　me　against　a　tree；　and　what　did　the　villain　then？　

why　the　flying　villain　seized　me　by　the　throat；　and　almost　

throttled　me；　roaring　…　what　do　you　think；　young　man；　that　the　

flaming　villain　roared　out？



MYSELF。　　I　really　don't　know　…　something　horrible；　I　suppose。



TINKER。　　Horrible；　indeed；　you　may　well　say　horrible；　young　man；　

neither　more　nor　less　than　the　Bible　…　'A　Bible；　a　Bible！'　roared　

the　Blazing　Tinman；　and　he　pressed　my　throat　so　hard　against　the　

tree　that　my　senses　began　to　dwaul　away　…　a　Bible；　a　Bible；　still　

ringing　in　my　ears。　　Now；　young　man；　my　poor　wife　is　a　Christian　

woman；　and；　though　she　travels　the　roads；　carries　a　Bible　with　her　

at　the　bottom　of　her　sack；　with　which　sometimes　she　teaches　the　

children　to　read　…　it　was　the　only　thing　she　brought　with　her　from　

the　place　of　her　kith　and　kin；　save　her　own　body　and　the　clothes　on　

her　back；　so　my　poor　wife；　half　distracted；　runs　to　her　sack；　pulls　

out　the　Bible；　and　puts　it　into　the　hand　of　the　Blazing　Tinman；　who　

then　thrusts　the　end　of　it　into　my　mouth　with　such　fury　that　it　

made　my　lips　bleed；　and　broke　short　one　of　my　teeth　which　happened　

to　be　decayed。　　'Swear；'　said　he；　'swear；　you　mumping　villain；　take　

your　Bible　oath　that　you　will　quit　and　give　up　the　beat　altogether；　

or　I'll　…　and　then　the　hard…hearted　villain　made　me　swear　by　the　

Bible；　and　my　own　damnation；　half…throttled　as　I　was；　to　…　to　…　I　

can't　go　on　…　



MYSELF。　　Take　another　draught　…　stout　liquor　…



TINKER。　　I　can't；　young　man；　my　heart's　too　full；　and　what's　more；　

the　pitcher　is　empty。



MYSELF。　　And　so　he　swore　you；　I　suppose；　on　the　Bible；　to　quit　the　

roads？



TINKER。　　You　are　right；　he　did　so；　the　gypsy　villain。



MYSELF。　　Gypsy！　　Is　he　a　gypsy？



TINKER。　　Not　exactly；　what　they　call　a　half…and…half。　　His　father　

was　a　gypsy；　and　his　mother；　like　mine；　one　who　walked　the　roads。



MYSELF。　　Is　he　of　the　Smiths　…　the　Petulengres？



TINKER。　　I　say；　young　man；　you　know　a　thing　or　two；　one　would　

think；　to　hear　you　talk；　you　had　been　bred　upon　the　roads。　　I　

thought　none　but　thos