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第11章

  Odropmelikeacursedthing。
  See’stthouthecrowdedswardsofgold?
  TheywavetousRoseandRing。
  death-whitemouth!Ocastmedown!
  Thoudiest?ThenwiththeeIdie-
  See’stthoutheangelswiththeirCrown?
  Wetwainhavereachedthesky。
  WhentheHeadofBranWasfirmonBritishshoulders,Godmadeaman!
  Criedallbeholders。
  SteelcouldnotresistTheweighthisarmwouldrattle;
  He,withnakedfist,Hasbrain’daknightinbattle。
  Hemarchedonthefoe,Andnevercountednumbers;
  ForeignwidowsknowThehostshesenttoslumbers。
  Asastreetyouscan,That’stoweredbythesteeple,SotheHeadofBranRoseo’erhispeople。
  ’Death’smyneighbour,’
  QuothBrantheBlest;
  ’ChristianlabourBringsChristianrest。
  FromthetrunkseverTheHeadofBran,ThatwhichneverHasbenttoman!
  ’ThatwhichneverTomenhasbowedShallleeverToshametheshroud:
  ShallleeverTofacethefoe;
  Severit,sever,Andwithoneblow。
  ’Beitwritten,ThatallIwroughtWasforBritain,Indeedandthought:
  Beitwritten,ThatwhileIdie,GlorytoBritain!
  Ismylastcry。
  ’GlorytoBritain!
  Deathechoesmeround。
  GlorytoBritain!
  Theworldshallresound。
  GlorytoBritain!
  Inruinandfall,GlorytoBritain!
  Isheardoverall。’
  Burn,Sun,downthesea!
  Branlieslowwiththee。
  Burst,Morn,fromthemain!
  Bransoshallriseagain。
  Blow,Wind,fromthefield!
  Bran’sHeadistheBriton’sshield。
  Beam,Star,intheWest!
  BrightburnstheHeadofBrantheBlest。
  Crimson-footed,likethestork,Fromgreatrutsofslaughter,WarriorsoftheGoldenTorqueCrosstheliftingwater。
  Princesseven,enchaininghands,Beartheleheadhomeward。
  Lo!itspeaks,andstillcommands:
  Gazingoutfarfoamward。
  FierywordsoflightningsenseDownthehollowsthunder;
  ForesthostelsknownotwhenceComesthespeech,andwonder。
  City-Castles,onthesteep,WherethefaithfulSevenHouseatmidnight,hear,insleep,Laughterunderheaven。
  Lilies,swimmingonthemere,Inthecastleshadow,Underdrawtheirheads,andFearWalksthemistymeadow。
  Tremblenot!itisnotDeathPledgingdarkespousal:
  ’TistheHeadofendlessbreath,Challengingcarousal!
  Brimthehorn!ahealthisdrunk,Now,thatshallkeepgoing:
  Lifeisbutthepebblesunk;
  Deeds,thecirclegrowing!
  Fill,andpledgetheHeadofBran!
  Whilehisleadtheyfollow,LongshallheadsinBritainplanSpeechDeathcannotswallow!
  Theoldcoach-roadthroughacommonoffurze,Withknollsofpine,ranwhite;
  Berriesofautumn,withthistles,andburrs,Andspider-threads,droop’dinthelight。
  Thelightinathinblueveilpeeredsick;
  Thesheepgrazedcloseandstill;
  ThesmokeofafarmbyayellowrickCurledlazilyunderahill。
  Noflyshooktheroundofthesilvernet;
  Noinsecttheswiftbirdchased;
  OnlytwotravellersmovedandmetAcrossthathazywaste。
  Onewasagirlwithababethatthrove,Herruinandherbliss;
  Onewasayouthwithalawlesslove,Whoclaspeditthemoreforthis。
  Thegirlforherbabehummedprayerfulspeech;
  Theyouthforhislovedidpray;
  Eachcastawistfullookoneach,Andeitherwenttheirway。
  Now,this,tomynotion,ispleasantcheer,Tolieallaloneonaraggedheath,Whereyournoseisn’tsniffingforbonesorbeer,Butapeat-firesmellslikeagardenbeneath。
  Thecottagersbustleaboutthedoor,Andthegirlatthewindowtiesherstrings。
  She’sadishforamanwho’samindtobepoor;
  Lord!womenaresuchexpensethings。
  Wedon’tmarrybeggars,saysshe:why,no:
  Itseemsthattomake’emiswhatyoudo;
  AndasIcancook,andscour,andsew,Ineedn’tpayhalfmyctualsforyou。
  Amanforhimselfshouldbeabletoscratch,Buttickling’saluxury:-love,indeed!
  Loveburnsaslongasthelucifermatch,Wedlock’sthecandle!Now,that’smycreed。
  Thechurch-bellssoundwater-likeoverthewheat;
  Andupthelongpathtrooppairafterpair。
  Theman’swell-brushed,andthewomanlooksneat:
  It’smanandwomaneverywhere!
  Unless,likeme,youliehereflat,Withadonkeyforfriend,youmusthaveawife:
  Shepullsoutyourhair,butshebrushesyourhat。
  Appearancesmakethebesthalfoflife。
  Younicelittlemadam!youknowyou’renice。
  IrememberhearingaparsonsayYou’reaplatefulofvanitypepper’dwithce;
  Youchapatthegatethinkst’otherway。
  Onhiswaistcoatyoureadbothhisheadandhisheart:
  There’sawholeweek’swagestherefiguredingold!
  Yes!whenyouturnroundyoumaywellgeastart:
  It’sfuntoafellowwho’sgettingold。
  Now,that’sagoodcraft,weangwaistcoatsandflowers,Andsellingofribbons,andscentingoflard:
  Itgesyouahousetogetinfromtheshowers,Andfoodwhenyourappetitejockeysyouhard。
  Youlearespectableman;butIaskIfit’sworththetrouble?Youuseyourtools,Andspendyourtime,andwhat’syourtask?
  Why,tomakeaslideforacoupleoffools。
  Youcan’tmatchthecolouro’theseheathmounds,Norbetterthatpeat-fire’sagreeablesmell。
  I’mclothed-likewithnaturalsightsandsounds;
  TomyselfI’mintune:Ihopeyou’reaswell。
  Youjollyoldcot!thoughyoudon’towncoal:
  It’sagenerouspotthat’sboiledwithpeat。
  LettheLordMayoro’Londonroastoxenwhole:
  Hissmoke,atleast,don’tsmellsosweet。
  I’mnotalowRadical,hatingthelaws,Who’dthearistocracyrebuke。
  Italko’theLordMayoro’LondonbecauseIoncewasonintimatetermswithhiscook。
  Iservedhimaturn,andgotpensionedonscraps,And,Lord,Sir!didn’tIenvyhisplace,TillDeathknock’dhimdownwiththesoftestoftaps,AndIknewwhatwasmeantbyatallowyface!
  Onthecontrary,I’mConservatequite;
  There’sbeggarsinScripture’mongstGentilesandJews:
  It’snonsense,tryingtosetthingsright,Forifpeoplewillge,why,who’llrefuse?
  Thatstoppingoldcustomwakesmyspleen:
  Thepoorandtherichbothingingagree:
  Yourtight-fistedshopman’stheRadicalmean:
  There’snothingincommon’twthimandme。
  HesaysI’mnouse!butIwon’treply。
  You’reluckynotbeingofusetohim!
  Onweek-dayshe’splayingatSpiderandFly,AndonSundayshesingsaboutCherubim!
  Nailingshillingstocountersishischiefwork:
  Henodsnowandthenatthenameonhisdoor:
  Butjudgeofustwo,atabowandasmirk,IthinkI’mhismatch:andI’mhonest——that’smore。
  Nouse!well,Imayn’tbe。Youringapig’ssnout,Andthencalltheanimalglutton!Now,he,Mr。Shopman,he’snoughtbutapipeandaspoutWhowon’tletthegoodso’thisworldpassfree。
  Thisblazingblueweatherallroundthebrowncrop,Hecan’tenjoy!allbutcashhehates。
  He’sonlyasnailthatcrawlsunderhisshop;
  Thoughhehasgottheearo’themagistrates。
  Now,gingandtaking’saproperexchange,Likequestionandanswer:you’rebothcontent。
  Butbuyingandsellingseemsalwaysstrange;
  You’rehostile,andthat’sthethingthat’smeant。
  It’smanagainstman——you’realmostbrutes;
  There’sherenothanks,andthere’stherenopride。
  IfCharity’sChristian,don’tblamemypursuits,Icarryatouchstonebywhichyou’retried-
  ’Takeit,’saysshe,’it’sallI’vegot’:
  IrememberagirlinLondonstreets:
  Shestoodbyacoffee-stall,niceandhot,Mybellywaslikealambthatbleats。
  SaysItomyself,ashershillingIseized,Youhaven’tacharacterhere,mydear!
  Butformakingarascallikemesopleased,I’llgeyouone,inabettersphere!
  Andthat’swhereitis——shemademefeelIwasarascal:butpeoplewhoscorn,Andtellapoorpatch-breechheisn’tgenteel,Why,theymakehimkickup——andhetreadsonacorn。
  Itisn’tliking,it’scurstill-luck,Dreshalfofusintothebegging-trade:
  Iffortakingtowateryoupraiseaduck,Fortakingtobeerwhyamanupbraid?
  Thesermon’sover:they’reoutoftheporch,Andit’stimeformetomovealeg;
  Butingeneralpeoplewhocomefromchurch,Andhavecalledthemselvessinners,hatechapstobeg。
  I’llwagerthey’llallof’emdineto-day!
  Iwaseasyhalfaminuteago。
  Ifthatisn’tpigthat’sbakingaway,MayIperish!——we’renevercontented——heigho!
  BYTHEROSANNA——TOF。M。STANZERTHAL,TYROL
  TheoldgreyAlphascaughtthecloud,Andthetorrentrersingsaloud;
  Theglacier-greenRosannasingsAnorgansongofitsuppersprings。
  Foamingunderthetiersofpine,Iseeitdashdownthedarkrane,Andittumblestherocksinboisterousplay,Withanearnestwilltofinditsway。
  Sharpitthrowsoutanemeraldshoulder,And,thunderingeverofthemountain,Slapsinsportsomegiantboulder,Andtopsitinasilverfountain。
  Achainoffoamfromendtoend,Andasolitudesodeep,myfriend,YoumayforgetthatmanabidesBeyondthegreatmutemountain-sides。
  Yettome,inthishigh-walledsolitudeOfrerandrockandforestrude,TheroaringvoicethroughthelongwhitechainIsthevoiceoftheworldofbubbleandbrain。
  WithinaTempleoftheToes,WheretwirledthepassionateWili,Isawfullmanyamarketrose,Andsighedformyllagelily。
  WithcynicalAdrianthenItookflightTothatolddeadcitywhosecarolBurstsoutlikeareveller’sloudinthenight,Ashesitsastridehisbarrel。
  WetwowereboundtheAlpstoscale,Uptherock-reflectingrer;
  Oldtimesblewthro’melikeagale,Andkeptmythoughtsinaquer。
  Hawkingruin,wood-slope,andneReeledsilver-lacedundermysion,Andintomepassed,withthegreen-eyedwineKnockinghardatmyheadforadmission。