lavengro-第82部分

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handle　of　the　pump　with　both　hands　and　pumped　over　my　head　as　

handmaid　had　never　pumped　before；　so　that　the　water　poured　in　

torrents　from　my　head；　my　face；　and　my　hair　down　upon　the　brick　

floor。



And；　after　the　lapse　of　somewhat　more　than　a　minute；　I　called　out　

with　a　half…strangled　voice；　'Hold；　Jenny！'　and　Jenny　desisted。　　I　

stood　for　a　few　moments　to　recover　my　breath；　then　taking　the　towel　

which　Jenny　proffered；　I　dried　composedly　my　hands　and　head；　my　

face　and　hair；　then；　returning　the　towel　to　Jenny；　I　gave　a　deep　

sigh　and　said；　'Surely　this　is　one　of　the　pleasant　moments　of　

life。'



Then；　having　set　my　dress　to　rights；　and　combed　my　hair　with　a　

pocket　comb；　I　followed　Jenny；　who　conducted　me　back　through　the　

long　passage；　and　showed　me　into　a　neat　sanded　parlour　on　the　

ground…floor。



I　sat　down　by　a　window　which　looked　out　upon　the　dusty　street；　

presently　in　came　the　handmaid；　and　commenced　laying　the　table…

cloth。　　'Shall　I　spread　the　table　for　one；　sir；'　said　she；　'or　do　

you　expect　anybody　to　dine　with　you？'　　'I　can't　say　that　I　expect　

anybody；'　said　I；　laughing　inwardly　to　myself；　'however；　if　you　

please　you　can　lay　for　two；　so　that　if　any　acquaintance　of　mine　

should　chance　to　step　in；　he　may　find　a　knife　and　fork　ready　for　

him。'



So　I　sat　by　the　window；　sometimes　looking　out　upon　the　dusty　

street；　and　now　glancing　at　certain　old…fashioned　prints　which　

adorned　the　wall　over　against　me。　　I　fell　into　a　kind　of　doze；　from　

which　I　was　almost　instantly　awakened　by　the　opening　of　the　door。　　

Dinner；　thought　I；　and　I　sat　upright　in　my　chair。　　No；　a　man　of　the　

middle　age；　and　rather　above　the　middle　height；　dressed　in　a　plain　

suit　of　black；　made　his　appearance；　and　sat　down　in　a　chair　at　some　

distance　from　me；　but　near　to　the　table；　and　appeared　to　be　lost　in　

thought。



'The　weather　is　very　warm；　sir；'　said　I。



'Very；'　said　the　stranger；　laconically；　looking　at　me　for　the　first　

time。



'Would　you　like　to　see　the　newspaper？'　said　I；　taking　up　one　which　

lay　upon　the　window　seat。



'I　never　read　newspapers；'　said　the　stranger；　'nor；　indeed；　…　'　　

Whatever　it　might　be　that　he　had　intended　to　say　he　left　

unfinished。　　Suddenly　he　walked　to　the　mantelpiece　at　the　farther　

end　of　the　room；　before　which　he　placed　himself　with　his　back　

towards　me。　　There　he　remained　motionless　for　some　time；　at　length；　

raising　his　hand；　he　touched　the　corner　of　the　mantelpiece　with　his　

finger；　advanced　towards　the　chair　which　he　had　left；　and　again　

seated　himself。



'Have　you　come　far？'　said　he；　suddenly　looking　towards　me；　and　

speaking　in　a　frank　and　open　manner；　which　denoted　a　wish　to　enter　

into　conversation。　　'You　do　not　seem　to　be　of　this　place。'



'I　come　from　some　distance；'　said　I；　'indeed；　I　am　walking　for　

exercise；　which　I　find　as　necessary　to　the　mind　as　the　body。　　I　

believe　that　by　exercise　people　would　escape　much　mental　misery。'



Scarcely　had　I　uttered　these　words　when　the　stranger　laid　his　hand；　

with　seeming　carelessness；　upon　the　table；　near　one　of　the　glasses；　

after　a　moment　or　two　he　touched　the　glass　with　his　finger　as　if　

inadvertently；　then；　glancing　furtively　at　me；　he　withdrew　his　hand　

and　looked　towards　the　window。



'Are　you　from　these　parts？'　said　I　at　last；　with　apparent　

carelessness。



'From　this　vicinity；'　replied　the　stranger。　　'You　think；　then；　that　

it　is　as　easy　to　walk　off　the　bad　humours　of　the　mind　as　of　the　

body？'



'I；　at　least；　am　walking　in　that　hope；'　said　I。



'I　wish　you　may　be　successful；'　said　the　stranger；　and　here　he　

touched　one　of　the　forks　which　lay　on　the　table　near　him。



Here　the　door；　which　was　slightly　ajar；　was　suddenly　pushed　open　

with　some　fracas；　and　in　came　the　stout　landlord；　supporting　with　

some　difficulty　an　immense　dish；　in　which　was　a　mighty　round　mass　

of　smoking　meat　garnished　all　round　with　vegetables；　so　high　was　

the　mass　that　it　probably　obstructed　his　view；　for　it　was　not　until　

he　had　placed　it　upon　the　table　that　he　appeared　to　observe　the　

stranger；　he　almost　started；　and　quite　out　of　breath　exclaimed；　

'God　bless　me；　your　honour；　is　your　honour　the　acquaintance　that　

the　young　gentleman　was　expecting？'



'Is　the　young　gentleman　expecting　an　acquaintance？'　said　the　

stranger。



There　is　nothing　like　putting　a　good　face　upon　these　matters；　

thought　I　to　myself；　and；　getting　up；　I　bowed　to　the　unknown。　　

'Sir；'　said　I；　'when　I　told　Jenny　that　she　might　lay　the　table…

cloth　for　two；　so　that　in　the　event　of　any　acquaintance　dropping　in　

he　might　find　a　knife　and　fork　ready　for　him；　I　was　merely　jocular；　

being　an　entire　stranger　in　these　parts；　and　expecting　no　one。　　

Fortune；　however；　it　would　seem；　has　been　unexpectedly　kind　to　me；　

I　flatter　myself；　sir；　that　since　you　have　been　in　this　room　I　have　

had　the　honour　of　making　your　acquaintance；　and　in　the　strength　of　

that　hope　I　humbly　entreat　you　to　honour　me　with　your　company　to　

dinner；　provided　you　have　not　already　dined。'



The　stranger　laughed　outright。



'Sir；'　I　continued；　'the　round　of　beef　is　a　noble　one；　and　seems　

exceedingly　well　boiled；　and　the　landlord　was　just　right　when　he　

said　I　should　have　such　a　dinner　as　is　not　seen　every　day。　　A　round　

of　beef；　at　any　rate　such　a　round　of　beef　as　this；　is　seldom　seen　

smoking　upon　the　table　in　these　degenerate　times。　　Allow　me；　sir；'　

said　I；　observing　that　the　stranger　was　about　to　speak；　'allow　me　

another　remark。　　I　think　I　saw　you　just　now　touch　the　fork；　I　

venture　to　hail　it　as　an　omen　that　you　will　presently　seize　it；　and　

apply　it　to　its　proper　purpose；　and　its　companion　the　knife　also。'



The　stranger　changed　colour；　and　gazed　upon　me　in　silence。



'Do；　sir；'　here　put　in　the　landlord；　'do；　sir；　accept　the　young　

gentleman's　invitation。　　Your　honour　has　of　late　been　looking　

poorly；　and　the　young　gentleman　is　a　funny　young　gentleman；　and　a　

clever　young　gentleman；　and　I　think　it　will　do　your　honour　good　to　

have　a　dinner's　chat　with　the　young　gentleman。'



'It　is　not　my　dinner　hour；'　said　the　stranger；　'I　dine　considerably　

later；　taking　anything　now　would　only　discompose　me；　I　shall；　

however；　be　most　happy　to　sit　down　with　the　young　gentleman；　reach　

me　that　paper；　and；　when　the　young　gentleman　has　satisfied　his　

appetite；　we　may　perhaps　have　a　little　chat　together。'



The　landlord　handed　the　stranger　the　newspaper；　and；　bowing；　

retired　with　his　maid　Jenny。　　I　helped　myself　to　a　portion　of　the　

smoking　round；　and　commenced　eating　with　no　little　appetite。　　The　

stranger　appeared　to　be　soon　engrossed　with　the　newspaper。　　We　

continued　thus　a　considerable　time　…　the　one　reading　and　the　other　

dining。　　Chancing　suddenly　to　cast　my　eyes　upon　the　stranger；　I　saw　

his　brow　contract；　he　gave　a　slight　stamp　with　his　foot；　and　flung　

the　newspaper　to　the　ground；　then　stooping　down　he　picked　it　up；　

first　moving　his　forefinger　along　the　floor；　seemingly　slightly　

scratching　it　with　his　nail。



'Do　you　hope；　sir；'　said　I；　'by　that　ceremony　with　the　finger　to　

preserve　yourself　from　the　evil　chance？'



The　stranger　started；　then；　after　looking　at　me　for　some　time　in　

silence；　he　said；　'Is　it　possible　that　you　…　？'



'Ay；　ay；'　said　I；　helping　myself　to　some　more　of　the　round；　'I　have　

touched　myself　in　my　younger　days；　both　for　the　evil　chance　and　the　

good。　　Can't　say；　though；　that　I　ever　trusted　much　in　the　

ceremony。'



The　stranger　made　no　reply；　but　appeared　to　be　in　deep　thought；　

nothing　farther　passed　between　us　until　I　had　concluded　the　dinner；　

when　I　said　to　him；　'I　shall　now　be　most　happy；　sir；　to　have　the　

pleasure　of　your　conversation　over　a　pint　of　wine。'



The　stranger　rose；　'No；　my　young　friend；'　said　he；　smiling；　'that　

would　scarce　be　fair。　　It　is　my　turn　now　…　pray　do　me　the　favour　to　

go　home　with　me；　and　accept　what　hospitality　my　poor　roof　can　

offer；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　I　wish　to　have　some　particular　

discourse　with　you　which　would　hardly　be　possible　in　this　place。　　

As　for　wine；　I　can　give　you　some　much　better　than　you　can　get　here：　　

the　landlord　is　an　excellent　fellow；　but　he　is　an　innkeeper　after　

all。　　I　am　going　out　for　a　moment；　and　will　send　him　in；　so　that　

you　may　settle　your　account；　I　trust　you　will　not　refuse　me；　I　only　

live　about　two　miles　from　here。'



I　looked　in　the　face　of　the　stranger　…　it　was　a　fine　intelligent　

face；　with　a　cast　of　melancholy　in　it。　　'Sir；'　said　I；　'I　would　go　

with　you　though　you　lived　four　miles　instead　of　two。'



'Who　is　that　gentleman？'　said　I　to　the　landlord；　after　I　had　

settled　his　bill；　'I　am　going　home　with　him。'



'I　wish　I　were　going　too；'　said　the　fat　landlord；　laying　his　hand　

upon　his　stomach。　　'Young　gentleman；　I　shall　be　a　loser　by　his　

honour's　taking　you　away；　but；　after　all；　the　truth　is　the　truth　…　

there　are　few　gentlemen　in　these　parts　like　his　honour；　eithe