首页 >出版文学> The Works of Rudyard Kipling One>第14章
  AndovertheGermanbenchesthebeardedwhisperran:——
  “Lager,dergirlsundderdollars,deymakesordeybreaksaman。
  IfSchmitthafcollaredderdollars,hecollarsdergirlderemit;
  ButifSchmittbustinderpizness,wecollarsdergirlfromSchmitt。”
  Theypassedoneresolution:——“Yoursub-committeebelieveYoucanlightenthecurseofAdamwhenyou’velightenedthecurseofEve。
  Buttillwearebuiltlikeangels,withhammerandchiselandpen,Wewillworkforourselfandawoman,foreverandever,amen。”
  NowthisisthetaleoftheCounciltheGermanKaiserheld——
  ThedaythattheyrazoredtheGrindstone,thedaythattheCatwasbelled,ThedayoftheFigsfromThistles,thedayoftheTwistedSands,ThedaythatthelaughofamaidenmadelightoftheLordsofTheirHands。
  TOMLINSON
  NowTomlinsongaveuptheghostinhishouseinBerkeleySquare,AndaSpiritcametohisbedsideandgrippedhimbythehair——
  ASpiritgrippedhimbythehairandcarriedhimfaraway,Tillheheardastheroarofarain-fedfordtheroaroftheMilkyWay:
  TillheheardtheroaroftheMilkyWaydiedownanddroneandcease,AndtheycametotheGatewithintheWallwherePeterholdsthekeys。
  “Standup,standupnow,Tomlinson,andanswerloudandhighThegoodthatyedidforthesakeofmenoreveryecametodie——
  Thegoodthatyedidforthesakeofmeninlittleearthsolone!”
  AndthenakedsoulofTomlinsongrewwhiteasarain-washedbone。
  “OIhaveafriendonearth。”hesaid,“thatwasmypriestandguide,Andwellwouldheanswerallformeifhewerebymyside。”——
  “Forthatyestroveinneighbour-loveitshallbewrittenfair,ButnowyewaitatHeaven’sGateandnotinBerkeleySquare:
  Thoughwecalledyourfriendfromhisbedthisnight,hecouldnotspeakforyou,Fortheraceisrunbyoneandoneandneverbytwoandtwo。”
  ThenTomlinsonlookedupanddown,andlittlegainwasthere,Forthenakedstarsgrinnedoverhead,andhesawthathissoulwasbare:
  TheWindthatblowsbetweentheworlds,itcuthimlikeaknife,AndTomlinsontookuphistaleandspokeofhisgoodinlife。
  “ThisIhavereadinabook。”hesaid,“andthatwastoldtome,AndthisIhavethoughtthatanothermanthoughtofaPrinceinMuscovy。”
  Thegoodsoulsflockedlikehomingdovesandbadehimclearthepath,AndPetertwirledthejanglingkeysinwearinessandwrath。
  “Yehaveread,yehaveheard,yehavethought。”hesaid,“andthetaleisyettorun:
  Bytheworthofthebodythatonceyehad,giveanswer——whatha’
  yedone?”
  ThenTomlinsonlookedbackandforth,andlittlegooditbore,FortheDarknessstayedathisshoulder-bladeandHeaven’sGatebefore:——
  “OthisIhavefelt,andthisIhaveguessed,andthisIhaveheardmensay,AndthistheywrotethatanothermanwroteofacarlinNorroway。”——
  “Yehaveread,yehavefelt,yehaveguessed,goodlack!
  YehavehamperedHeaven’sGate;
  There’slittleroombetweenthestarsinidlenesstoprate!
  Ononemayreachbyhiredspeechofneighbour,priest,andkinThroughborroweddeedtoGod’sgoodmeedthatliessofairwithin;
  Gethence,gethencetotheLordofWrong,fordoomhasyettorun,And。thefaiththatyesharewithBerkeleySquareupholdyou,Tomlinson!”。
  TheSpiritgrippedhimbythehair,andsunbysuntheyfellTilltheycametothebeltofNaughtyStarsthatrimthemouthofHell:
  Thefirstareredwithprideandwrath,thenextarewhitewithpain,Butthethirdareblackwithclinkeredsinthatcannotburnagain:
  Theymayholdtheirpath,theymayleavetheirpath,withneverasoultomark,Theymayburnorfreeze,buttheymustnotceaseintheScornoftheOuterDark。
  TheWindthatblowsbetweentheworlds,itnippedhimtothebone,AndheyearnedtotheflareofHell-Gatethereasthelightofhisownhearth-stone。
  TheDevilhesatbehindthebars,wherethedesperatelegionsdrew,ButhecaughtthehastingTomlinsonandwouldnotlethimthrough。
  “Wotyethepriceofgoodpit-coalthatImustpay?”saidhe,“Thatyerankyoursel’sofitforHellandasknoleaveofme?
  Iamallo’er-sibtoAdam’sbreedthatyeshouldgivemescorn,ForIstrovewithGodforyourFirstFatherthedaythathewasborn。
  Sitdown,sitdownupontheslag,andanswerloudandhighTheharmthatyedidtotheSonsofMenoreveryoucametodie。”
  AndTomlinsonlookedupandup,andsawagainstthenightThebellyofatorturedstarblood-redinHell-Mouthlight;
  AndTomlinsonlookeddownanddown,andsawbeneathhisfeetThefrontletofatorturedstarmilk-whiteinHell-Mouthheat。
  “OIhadaloveonearth。”saidhe,“thatkissedmetomyfall,AndifyewouldcallmylovetomeIknowshewouldanswerall。”——
  “Allthatyedidinloveforbiditshallbewrittenfair,ButnowyewaitatHell-MouthGateandnotinBerkeleySquare:
  Thoughwewhistledyourlovefromherbedto-night,Itrowshewouldnotrun,Forthesinyedobytwoandtwoyemustpayforonebyone!”
  TheWindthatblowsbetweentheworlds,itcuthimlikeaknife,AndTomlinsontookupthetaleandspokeofhissininlife:——
  “OnceIha’laughedatthepowerofLoveandtwiceatthegripoftheGrave,AndthriceIha’pattedmyGodontheheadthatmenmightcallmebrave。”
  TheDevilheblewonabranderedsoulandsetitasidetocool:——
  “DoyethinkIwouldwastemygoodpit-coalonthehideofabrain-sickfool?
  IseenoworthinthehobnailedmirthorthejoltheadjestyedidThatIshouldwakenmygentlementhataresleepingthreeonagrid。”
  ThenTomlinsonlookedbackandforth,andtherewaslittlegrace,ForHell-GatefilledthehouselessSoulwiththeFearofNakedSpace。
  “Nay,thisIha’heard。”quo’Tomlinson,“andthiswasnoisedabroad,AndthisIha’gotfromaBelgianbookonthewordofadeadFrenchlord。”——
  “Yeha’heard,yeha’read,yeha’got,goodlack!
  andthetalebeginsafresh——
  Haveyesinnedonesinfortheprideo’theeyeorthesinfullustoftheflesh?”
  ThenTomlinsonhegrippedthebarsandyammered,“Letmein——
  ForImindthatIborrowedmyneighbour’swifetosinthedeadlysin。”
  TheDevilhegrinnedbehindthebars,andbankedthefireshigh:
  “Didyereadofthatsininabook?”saidhe;andTomlinsonsaid,“Ay!”
  TheDevilheblewuponhisnails,andthelittledevilsran,Andhesaid:“Gohuskthiswhimperingthiefthatcomesintheguiseofaman:
  Winnowhimout’twixtstarandstar,andsievehisproperworth:
  There’ssoredeclineinAdam’slineifthisbespawnofearth。”
  Empusa’screw,sonaked-newtheymaynotfacethefire,Butweepthattheybintoosmalltosintotheheightoftheirdesire,OverthecoaltheychasedtheSoul,andrackeditallabroad,Aschildrenrifleacaddis-caseortheraven’sfoolishhoard。
  AndbacktheycamewiththetatteredThing,aschildrenafterplay,Andtheysaid:“ThesoulthathegotfromGodhehasbarteredcleanaway。
  Wehavethreshedastookofprintandbook,andwinnowedachatteringwindAndmanyasoulwherefromhestole,buthiswecannotfind:
  Wehavehandledhim,wehavedandledhim,wehavesearedhimtothebone,Andsureiftoothandnailshowtruthhehasnosoulofhisown。”
  TheDevilhebowedhisheadonhisbreastandrumbleddeepandlow:——
  “I’mallo’er-sibtoAdam’sbreedthatIshouldbidhimgo。
  Yetclosewelie,anddeepwelie,andifIgavehimplace,Mygentlementhataresoproudwouldfloutmetomyface;
  They’dcallmyhouseacommonstewsandmeacarelesshost,And——Iwouldnotangermygentlemenforthesakeofashiftlessghost。”
  TheDevilhelookedatthemangledSoulthatprayedtofeeltheflame,AndhethoughtofHolyCharity,buthethoughtofhisowngoodname:——
  “Nowyecouldhastemycoaltowaste,andsityedowntofry:
  Didyethinkofthattheftforyourself?”saidhe;andTomlinsonsaid,“Ay!”
  TheDevilheblewanoutwardbreath,forhisheartwasfreefromcare:——
  “Yehavescarcethesoulofalouse。”hesaid,“buttherootsofsinarethere,AndforthatsinshouldyecomeinwereIthelordalone。
  Butsinfulpridehasruleinside——andmightierthanmyown。
  HonourandWit,fore-damnedtheysit,toeachhispriestandwhore:
  Nay,scarceIdaremyselfgothere,andyouthey’dtorturesore。
  Yeareneitherspiritnorspirk。”hesaid;“yeareneitherbooknorbrute——
  Go,getyebacktothefleshagainforthesakeofMan’srepute。
  I’mallo’er-sibtoAdam’sbreedthatIshouldmockyourpain,Butlookthatyewintoworthiersinereyecomebackagain。
  Gethence,thehearseisatyourdoor——thegrimblackstallionswait——
  Theybearyourclaytoplaceto-daySpeed,lestyecometoolate!
  GobacktoEarthwithalipunsealed——gobackwithanopeneye,AndcarrymywordtotheSonsofMenoreveryecometodie:
  Thatthesintheydobytwoandtwotheymustpayforonebyone——
  And。theGodthatyoutookfromaprintedbookbewithyou,Tomlinson!”
  BARRACK-ROOMBALLADS
  DedicationToTA。
  Ihavemadeforyouasong,Anditmayberightorwrong,Butonlyyoucantellmeifit’strue;
  IhavetriedfortoexplainBothyourpleasureandyourpain,And,Thomas,here’smybestrespectstoyou!
  Othere’llsurelycomeadayWhenthey’llgiveyouallyourpay,AndtreatyouasaChristianoughttodo;
  So,untilthatdaycomesround,Heavenkeepyousafeandsound,And,Thomas,here’smybestrespectstoyou!
  RK。
  DANNYDEEVER
  “Whatarethebuglesblowin’for?”saidFiles-on-Parade。
  “Toturnyouout,toturnyouout“,theColour-Sergeantsaid。
  “Whatmakesyoulooksowhite,sowhite?”saidFiles-on-Parade。
  “I’mdreadin’whatI’vegottowatch“,theColour-Sergeantsaid。
  Forthey’rehangin’DannyDeever,youcanheartheDeadMarchplay,Theregiment’sin’ollowsquare——they’rehangin’himto-day;
  They’vetakenofhisbuttonsoffan’cuthisstripesaway,An’they’rehangin’DannyDeeverinthemornin’。
  “Whatmakestherear-rankbreatheso’ard?”saidFiles-on-Parade。
  “It’sbittercold,it’sbittercold“,theColour-Sergeantsaid。
  “Whatmakesthatfront-rankmanfalldown?”saidFiles-on-Parade。
  “Atoucho’sun,atoucho’sun“,theColour-Sergeantsaid。
  Theyarehangin’DannyDeever,theyaremarchin’of’imround,They’ave’altedDannyDeeverby’iscoffinontheground;
  An’’e’llswingin’arfaminuteforasneakin’shootin’hound——
  Othey’rehangin’DannyDeeverinthemornin’!
  “’Iscotwasright-’andcottomine“,saidFiles-on-Parade。
  “’E’ssleepin’outan’farto-night“,theColour-Sergeantsaid。
  “I’vedrunk’isbeerascoreo’times“,saidFiles-on-Parade。
  “’E’sdrinkin’bitterbeeralone“,theColour-Sergeantsaid。
  Theyarehangin’DannyDeever,youmustmark’imto’isplace,For’eshotacomradesleepin’——youmustlook’imintheface;
  Nine’undredof’iscountyan’theregiment’sdisgrace,Whilethey’rehangin’DannyDeeverinthemornin’。
  “What’sthatsoblackagin’thesun?”saidFiles-on-Parade。
  “It’sDannyfightin’’ardforlife“,theColour-Sergeantsaid。
  “What’sthatthatwhimpersover’ead?”saidFiles-on-Parade。
  “It’sDanny’ssoulthat’spassin’now“,theColour-Sergeantsaid。
  Forthey’redonewithDannyDeever,youcan’earthequickstepplay,Theregiment’sincolumn,an’they’remarchin’usaway;
  Ho!theyoungrecruitsareshakin’,an’they’llwanttheirbeerto-day,Afterhangin’DannyDeeverinthemornin’。