lavengro- 第83部分

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　those　bred　upon　the　roads　knew　anything　of　that　

name　…　Petulengres！　　No；　not　he；　he　fights　the　Petulengres　whenever　

he　meets　them；　he　likes　nobody　but　himself；　and　wants　to　be　king　of　

the　roads。　　I　believe　he　is　a　Boss；　or　a　…　at　any　rate　he's　a　bad　

one；　as　I　know　to　my　cost。



MYSELF。　　And　what　are　you　going　to　do？



TINKER。　　Do！　you　may　well　ask　that；　I　don't　know　what　to　do。　　My　

poor　wife　and　I　have　been　talking　of　that　all　the　morning；　over　

that　half…pint　mug　of　beer；　we　can't　determine　on　what's　to　be　

done。　　All　we　know　is；　that　we　must　quit　the　roads。　　The　villain　

swore　that　the　next　time　he　saw　us　on　the　roads　he'd　cut　all　our　

throats；　and　seize　our　horse　and　bit　of　a　cart　that　are　now　

standing　out　there　under　the　tree。



MYSELF。　　And　what　do　you　mean　to　do　with　your　horse　and　cart？



TINKER。　　Another　question！　　What　shall　we　do　with　our　cart　and　

pony？　they　are　of　no　use　to　us　now。　　Stay　on　the　roads　I　will　not；　

both　for　my　oath's　sake　and　my　own。　　If　we　had　a　trifle　of　money；　

we　were　thinking　of　going　to　Bristol；　where　I　might　get　up　a　little　

business；　but　we　have　none；　our　last　three　farthings　we　spent　about　

the　mug　of　beer。



MYSELF。　　But　why　don't　you　sell　your　horse　and　cart？



TINKER。　　Sell　them！　and　who　would　buy　them；　unless　some　one　who　

wished　to　set　up　in　my　line；　but　there's　no　beat；　and　what's　the　

use　of　the　horse　and　cart　and　the　few　tools　without　the　beat？



MYSELF。　　I'm　half　inclined　to　buy　your　cart　and　pony；　and　your　beat　

too。



TINKER。　　You！　　How　came　you　to　think　of　such　a　thing？



MYSELF。　　Why；　like　yourself；　I　hardly　know　what　to　do。　　I　want　a　

home　and　work。　　As　for　a　home；　I　suppose　I　can　contrive　to　make　a　

home　out　of　your　tent　and　cart；　and　as　for　work；　I　must　learn　to　be　

a　tinker；　it　would　not　be　hard　for　one　of　my　trade　to　learn　to　

tinker；　what　better　can　I　do？　　Would　you　have　me　go　to　Chester　and　

work　there　now？　　I　don't　like　the　thoughts　of　it。　　If　I　go　to　

Chester　and　work　there；　I　can't　be　my　own　man；　I　must　work　under　a　

master；　and　perhaps　he　and　I　should　quarrel；　and　when　I　quarrel　I　

am　apt　to　hit　folks；　and　those　that　hit　folks　are　sometimes　sent　to　

prison；　I　don't　like　the　thought　either　of　going　to　Chester　or　to　

Chester　prison。　　What　do　you　think　I　could　earn　at　Chester？



TINKER。　　A　matter　of　eleven　shillings　a　week；　if　anybody　would　

employ　you；　which　I　don't　think　they　would　with　those　hands　of　

yours。　　But　whether　they　would　or　not；　if　you　are　of　a　quarrelsome　

nature　you　must　not　go　to　Chester；　you　would　be　in　the　castle　in　no　

time。　　I　don't　know　how　to　advise　you。　　As　for　selling　you　my　

stock；　I'd　see　you　farther　first；　for　your　own　sake。



MYSELF。　　Why？



TINKER。　　Why！　you　would　get　your　head　knocked　off。　　Suppose　you　

were　to　meet　him？



MYSELF。　　Pooh；　don't　be　afraid　on　my　account；　if　I　were　to　meet　him　

I　could　easily　manage　him　one　way　or　other。　　I　know　all　kinds　of　

strange　words　and　names；　and；　as　I　told　you　before；　I　sometimes　hit　

people　when　they　put　me　out。



Here　the　tinker's　wife；　who　for　some　minutes　past　had　been　

listening　attentively　to　our　discourse；　interposed；　saying；　in　a　

low　soft　tone：　　'I　really　don't　see；　John；　why　you　shouldn't　sell　

the　young　man　the　things；　seeing　that　he　wishes　for　them；　and　is　so　

confident；　you　have　told　him　plainly　how　matters　stand；　and　if　

anything　ill　should　befall　him；　people　couldn't　lay　the　blame　on　

you；　but　I　don't　think　any　ill　will　befall　him；　and　who　knows　but　

God　has　sent　him　to　our　assistance　in　time　of　need？'



'I'll　hear　of　no　such　thing；'　said　the　tinker；　'I　have　drunk　at　the　

young　man's　expense；　and　though　he　says　he's　quarrelsome；　I　would　

not　wish　to　sit　in　pleasanter　company。　　A　pretty　fellow　I　should　

be；　now；　if　I　were　to　let　him　follow　his　own　will。　　If　he　once　sets　

up　on　my　beat；　he's　a　lost　man；　his　ribs　will　be　stove　in；　and　his　

head　knocked　off　his　shoulders。　　There；　you　are　crying；　but　you　

shan't　have　your　will　though；　I　won't　be　the　young　man's　

destruction　。　。　。　If；　indeed；　I　thought　he　could　manage　the　tinker　

…　but　he　never　can；　he　says　he　can　hit；　but　it's　no　use　hitting　the　

tinker；　…　crying　still！　you　are　enough　to　drive　one　mad。　　I　say；　

young　man；　I　believe　you　understand　a　thing　or　two；　just　now　you　

were　talking　of　knowing　hard　words　and　names　…　I　don't　wish　to　send　

you　to　your　mischief　…　you　say　you　know　hard　words　and　names；　let　

us　see。　　Only　on　one　condition　I'll　sell　you　the　pony　and　things；　

as　for　the　beat　it's　gone；　isn't　mine　…　sworn　away　by　my　own　mouth。　　

Tell　me　what's　my　name；　if　you　can't；　may　I　…　'



MYSELF。　　Don't　swear；　it's　a　bad　habit；　neither　pleasant　nor　

profitable。　　Your　name　is　Slingsby　…　Jack　Slingsby。　　There；　don't　

stare；　there's　nothing　in　my　telling　you　your　name：　　I've　been　in　

these　parts　before；　at　least　not　very　far　from　here。　　Ten　years　

ago；　when　I　was　little　more　than　a　child；　I　was　about　twenty　miles　

from　here　in　a　post…chaise；　at　the　door　of　an　inn；　and　as　I　looked　

from　the　window　of　the　chaise；　I　saw　you　standing　by　a　gutter；　with　

a　big　tin　ladle　in　your　hand；　and　somebody　called　you　Jack　

Slingsby。　　I　never　forget　anything　I　hear　or　see；　I　can't；　I　wish　I　

could。　　So　there's　nothing　strange　in　my　knowing　your　name；　indeed；　

there's　nothing　strange　in　anything；　provided　you　examine　it　to　the　

bottom。　　Now　what　am　I　to　give　you　for　the　things？



I　paid　Slingsby　five　pounds　ten　shillings　for　his　stock　in　trade；　

cart；　and　pony　…　purchased　sundry　provisions　of　the　landlady；　also　

a　wagoner's　frock；　which　had　belonged　to　a　certain　son　of　hers；　

deceased；　gave　my　little　animal　a　feed　of　corn；　and　prepared　to　

depart。



'God　bless　you；　young　man；'　said　Slingsby；　shaking　me　by　the　hand；　

'you　are　the　best　friend　I've　had　for　many　a　day：　　I　have　but　one　

thing　to　tell　you；　Don't　cross　that　fellow's　path　if　you　can　help　

it；　and　stay　…　should　the　pony　refuse　to　go；　just　touch　him　so；　and　

he'll　fly　like　the　wind。'







CHAPTER　LXIX







Effects　of　corn　…　One　night　longer　…　The　hoofs　…　A　stumble　…　Are　

you　hurt？　…　What　a　difference　…　Drowsy　…　Maze　of　bushes　…　

Housekeeping　…　Sticks　and　furze　…　The　driftway　…　Account　of　stock　…　

Anvil　and　bellows　…　Twenty　years。



IT　was　two　or　three　hours　past　noon　when　I　took　my　departure　from　

the　place　of　the　last　adventure；　walking　by　the　side　of　my　little　

cart；　the　pony；　invigorated　by　the　corn；　to　which　he　was　probably　

not　much　accustomed；　proceeded　right　gallantly；　so　far　from　having　

to　hasten　him　forward　by　the　particular　application　which　the　

tinker　had　pointed　out　to　me；　I　had　rather　to　repress　his　

eagerness；　being；　though　an　excellent　pedestrian；　not　unfrequently　

left　behind。　　The　country　through　which　I　passed　was　beautiful　and　

interesting；　but　solitary；　few　habitations　appeared。　　As　it　was　

quite　a　matter　of　indifference　to　me　in　what　direction　I　went；　the　

whole　world　being　before　me；　I　allowed　the　pony　to　decide　upon　the　

matter；　it　was　not　long　before　he　left　the　high…road；　being　

probably　no　friend　to　public　places。　　I　followed　him　I　knew　not　

whither；　but；　from　subsequent　observation；　have　reason　to　suppose　

that　our　course　was　in　a　north…west　direction。　　At　length　night　

came　upon　us；　and　a　cold　wind　sprang　up；　which　was　succeeded　by　a　

drizzling　rain。



I　had　originally　intended　to　pass　the　night　in　the　cart；　or　to　

pitch　my　little　tent　on　some　convenient　spot　by　the　road's　side；　

but；　owing　to　the　alteration　in　the　weather；　I　thought　that　it　

would　be　advisable　to　take　up　my　quarters　in　any　hedge　alehouse　at　

which　I　might　arrive。　　To　tell　the　truth；　I　was　not　very　sorry　to　

have　an　excuse　to　pass　the　night　once　more　beneath　a　roof。　　I　had　

determined　to　live　quite　independent；　but　I　had　never　before　passed　

a　night　by　myself　abroad；　and　felt　a　little　apprehensive　at　the　

idea；　I　hoped；　however；　on　the　morrow；　to　be　a　little　more　prepared　

for　the　step；　so　I　determined　for　one　night　…　only　for　one　night　

longer　…　to　sleep　like　a　Christian；　but　human　determinations　are　

not　always　put　into　effect；　such　a　thing　as　opportunity　is　

frequently　wanting；　such　was　the　case　here。　　I　went　on　for　a　

considerable　time；　in　expectation　of　coming　to　some　rustic　

hostelry；　but　nothing　of　the　kind　presented　itself　to　my　eyes；　the　

country　in　which　I　now　was　seemed　almost　uninhabited；　not　a　house　

of　any　kind　was　to　be　seen　…　at　least　I　saw　none　…　though　it　is　

true　houses　might　be　near　without　my　seeing　them；　owing　to　the　

darkness　of　the　night；　for　neither　moon　nor　star　was　abroad。　　I　

heard；　occasionally；　the　bark　of　dogs；　but　the　sound　appeared　to　

come　from　an　immense　distance。　　The　rain　still　fell；　and　the　ground　

beneath　my　feet　was　wet　and　miry；　in　short；　it　was　a　night　in　which　

even　a　tramper　by　profession　would　feel　more　comfortable　in　being　

housed　than　abroad。　　I　followed　in　the　rear　of　the　cart；　the　pony　

still　proceeding　at　a　sturdy　pace；　till　methought　I　heard　other　

hoofs　than　those　of　my　own　nag；　I　listened　for　a　moment；　and　

distinctly　heard　the　sound　of　hoofs　approaching　at　a　great　rate；　

and　evidently　from　the　quarter　towards　which　I　and　my　little　

caravan　were　moving。　　We　were　in　a　dark　lane　…　so　dark　that　it　was　

impossible　for　me　to　see　my　own　hand。　　Apprehensive　that　some　

accident　might　occur；　I　ran　forward；　and；　seizing　the　pony　by　the　

bridle；　drew　him　as　near　as　I　could　to　the　hedge。　　On　came　the　

hoofs　…　trot；　trot；　trot；　and　evidently　more　than　those　of　one　

horse；　their　speed　as　they　advanced　appeared　to　slacken　…　it　was　

only；　however；　for　a　moment。　　I　heard　a　voice　cry；　'Push　on；　…　this　

is　a　desperate　robbing　place；　…　never　mind　the　dark'；　and　the　hoofs　

came　on　quicker　than　before。　　'Stop！'　said　I；　at　th