首页 >出版文学> Lavengro>第46章

第46章

  complimentinghimuponhisstyle,acknowledgingthegeneralsoundnessofhisviews,andonlydifferingwithhimintheaffairoftheappleandpear。
  Ididnotlikereviewingatall-itwasnottomytaste;itwasnotinmyway;Ilikeditfarlessthantranslatingthepublisher’sphilosophy,forthatwassomethinginthelineofonewhomacompetentjudgehadsurnamedLavengro。Inevercouldunderstandwhyreviewswereinstituted;worksofmeritdonotrequiretobereviewed,theycanspeakforthemselves,andrequirenopraising;
  worksofnomeritatallwilldieofthemselves,theyrequirenokilling。TheReviewtowhichIwasattachedwas,ashasbeenalreadyintimated,establishedonanentirelynewplan;itprofessedtoreviewallnewpublications,whichcertainlynoReviewhadeverprofessedtodobefore,otherReviewsneverpretendingtoreviewmorethanone-tenthofthecurrentliteratureoftheday。
  WhenIsayitprofessedtoreviewallnewpublications,Ishouldadd,whichshouldbesenttoit;for,ofcourse,theReviewwouldnotacknowledgetheexistenceofpublications,theauthorsofwhichdidnotacknowledgetheexistenceoftheReview。Idon’tthink,however,thattheReviewhadmuchcausetocomplainofbeingneglected;Ihavereasontobelievethatatleastnine-tenthsofthepublicationsofthedayweresenttotheReview,andinduetimereviewed。Ihadgoodopportunityofjudging-IwasconnectedwithseveraldepartmentsoftheReview,thoughmoreparticularlywiththepoeticalandphilosophicones。AnEnglishtranslationofKant’sphilosophymadeitsappearanceonmytablethedaybeforeitspublication。InmynoticeofthisworkIsaidthattheEnglishshortlyhopedtogivetheGermansaQUIDPROQUO。Ibelieveatthattimeauthorsweremuchinthehabitofpublishingattheirownexpense。AllthepoetrywhichIreviewedappearedtobepublishedattheexpenseoftheauthors。IfIamaskedhowIcomportedmyself,underallcircumstances,asareviewer-Ianswer,-IdidnotforgetthatIwasconnectedwithaReviewestablishedonOxfordprinciples,theeditorofwhichhadtranslatedQuintilian。AllthepublicationswhichfellundermynoticeItreatedinagentlemanlyandOxford-likemanner,nopersonalities-novituperation-noshabbyinsinuations;decorum,decorumwastheorderoftheday。
  Occasionallyawordofadmonition,butgentlyexpressed,asanOxfordundergraduatemighthaveexpressedit,ormasterofarts。
  HowtheauthorswhosepublicationswereconsignedtomycolleaguesweretreatedbythemIknownot;IsupposetheyweretreatedinanurbaneandOxford-likemanner,butIcannotsay;Ididnotreadthereviewalsofmycolleagues,Ididnotreadmyownaftertheywereprinted。Ididnotlikereviewing。
  OfallmyoccupationsatthisperiodIamfreetoconfessIlikedthatofcompilingtheNEWGATELIVESANDTRIALSthebest;thatis,afterIhadsurmountedakindofprejudicewhichIoriginallyentertained。Thetrialswereentertainingenough;butthelives-
  howfullweretheyofwildandracyadventures,andinwhatracy,genuinelanguageweretheytold!Whatstruckmemostwithrespecttotheseliveswastheartwhichthewriters,whoevertheywere,possessedoftellingaplainstory。Itisnoeasythingtotellastoryplainlyanddistinctlybymouth;buttotelloneonpaperisdifficultindeed,somanysnareslieintheway。Peopleareafraidtoputdownwhatiscommononpaper,theyseektoembellishtheirnarratives,astheythink,byphilosophicspeculationsandreflections;theyareanxioustoshine,andpeoplewhoareanxioustoshinecannevertellaplainstory。’SoIwentwiththemtoamusicbooth,wheretheymademealmostdrunkwithgin,andbegantotalktheirflashlanguage,whichIdidnotunderstand,’says,orismadetosay,HenrySimms,executedatTyburnsomeseventyyearsbeforethetimeofwhichIamspeaking。Ihavealwayslookeduponthissentenceasamasterpieceofthenarrativestyle,itissoconciseandyetsoveryclear。AsIgazedonpassageslikethis,andthereweremanynearlyasgoodintheNewgatelives,IoftensighedthatitwasnotmyfortunetohavetorendertheselivesintoGermanratherthanthepublisher’sphilosophy-histaleofanappleandpear。
  Minewasanill-regulatedmindatthisperiod。AsIreadoverthelivesoftheserobbersandpickpockets,strangedoubtsbegantoariseinmymindaboutvirtueandcrime。Yearsbefore,whenquiteaboy,asinoneoftheearlychaptersIhavehinted,Ihadbeenanecessitarian;IhadevenwrittenanessayoncrimeIhaveitnowbeforeme,pennedinaroundboyishhand,inwhichIattemptedtoprovethatthereisnosuchthingascrimeorvirtue,allouractionsbeingtheresultofcircumstancesornecessity。Thesedoubtswerenowagainrevivinginmymind;Icouldnot,forthelifeofme,imaginehow,takingallcircumstancesintoconsideration,thesehighwaymen,thesepickpockets,shouldhavebeenanythingelsethanhighwaymenandpickpockets;anymorethanhow,takingallcircumstancesintoconsideration,BishopLatimerthereaderisawarethatIhadreadFoxe’sBOOKOFMARTYRSshouldhavebeenanythingelsethanBishopLatimer。Ihadaveryill-
  regulatedmindatthatperiod。
  Myownpeculiarideaswithrespecttoeverythingbeingalyingdreambeganalsotorevive。Sometimesatmidnight,afterhavingtoiledforhoursatmyoccupations,Iwouldflingmyselfbackonmychair,lookaboutthepoorapartment,dimlylightedbyanunsnuffedcandle,orupontheheapsofbooksandpapersbeforeme,andexclaim,-’DoIexist?Dothesethings,whichIthinkIseeaboutme,exist,ordotheynot?Isnoteverythingadream-adeceitfuldream?Isnotthisapartmentadream-thefurnitureadream?Thepublisheradream-hisphilosophyadream?AmInotmyselfadream-dreamingabouttranslatingadream?Ican’tseewhyallshouldnotbeadream;what’stheuseofthereality?’AndthenI
  wouldpinchmyself,andsnufftheburdenedsmokylight。’Ican’tsee,forthelifeofme,theuseofallthis;thereforewhyshouldIthinkthatitexists?Iftherewasachance,aprobability,ofallthistendingtoanything,Imightbelieve;but-’andthenI
  wouldstareandthink,andaftersometimeshakemyheadandreturnagaintomyoccupationsforanhourortwo;andthenIwouldperhapsshake,andshiver,andyawn,andlookwistfullyinthedirectionofmysleepingapartment;andthen,butnotwistfully,atthepapersandbooksbeforeme;andsometimesIwouldreturntomypapersandbooks;butoftenerIwouldarise,and,afteranotheryawnandshiver,takemylight,andproceedtomysleepingchamber。
  Theysaythatlightfarebegetslightdreams;myfareatthattimewaslightenough;butIhadanythingbutlightdreams,foratthatperiodIhadallkindofstrangeandextravagantdreams,andamongstotherthingsIdreamtthatthewholeworldhadtakentodog-fighting;andthatI,myself,hadtakentodog-fighting,andthatinavastcircusIbackedanEnglishbulldogagainstthebloodhoundofthePopeofRome。
  CHAPTERXXXVII
  Mybrother-Fitsofcrying-Mayor-elect-Thecommittee-TheNormanarch-AwordofGreek-ChurchandState-Atmyownexpense-Ifyouplease。
  ONEmorningIarosesomewhatlaterthanusual,havingbeenoccupiedduringthegreaterpartofthenightwithmyliterarytoil。Ondescendingfrommychamberintothesitting-roomIfoundapersonseatedbythefire,whoseglancewasdirectedsidewaystothetable,onwhichweretheusualpreparationsformymorning’smeal。
  ForthwithIgaveacry,andsprangforwardtoembracetheperson;
  forthepersonbythefire,whoseglancewasdirectedtothetable,wasnooneelsethanmybrother。
  ’Andhowarethingsgoingonathome?’saidItomybrother,afterwehadkissedandembraced。’Howismymother,andhowisthedog?’
  ’Mymother,thankGod,istolerablywell,’saidmybrother,’butverymuchgiventofitsofcrying。Asforthedog,heisnotsowell;butwewilltalkmoreofthesemattersanon,’saidmybrother,againglancingatthebreakfastthings:’Iamveryhungry,asyoumaysuppose,afterhavingtravelledallnight。’
  ThereuponIexertedmyselftothebestofmyabilitytoperformthedutiesofhospitality,andImademybrotherwelcome-Imaysaymorethanwelcome;and,whentherageofmybrother’shungerwassomewhatabated,werecommencedtalkingaboutthemattersofourlittlefamily,andmybrothertoldmemuchaboutmymother;hespokeofherfitsofcrying,butsaidthatoflatethesaidfitsofcryinghadmuchdiminished,andsheappearedtobetakingcomfort;
  and,ifIamnotmuchmistaken,mybrothertoldmethatmymotherhadoflatethePrayer-bookfrequentlyinherhand,andyetoftenertheBible。
  Weweresilentforatime-atlastIopenedmymouthandmentionedthedog。
  ’Thedog,’saidmybrother,’is,Iamafraid,inaverypoorway;
  eversincethedeathhehasdonenothingbutpineandtakeon。A
  fewmonthsago,youremember,hewasasplumpandfineasanydoginthetown;butatpresentheislittlemorethanskinandbone。
  Oncewelosthimfortwodays,andneverexpectedtoseehimagain,imaginingthatsomemischancehadbefallenhim;atlengthIfoundhim-wheredoyouthink?Chancingtopassbythechurchyard,I
  foundhimseatedonthegrave!’
  ’Verystrange,’saidI;’butletustalkofsomethingelse。Itwasverykindofyoutocomeandseeme。’
  ’Oh,asforthatmatter,Ididnotcomeuptoseeyou,thoughofcourseIamverygladtoseeyou,havingbeenratheranxiousaboutyou,likemymother,whohasreceivedonlyoneletterfromyousinceyourdeparture。No,Ididnotcomeuponpurposetoseeyou;
  butonquiteadifferentaccount。Youmustknowthatthecorporationofourtownhavelatelyelectedanewmayor,apersonofmanyqualifications-bigandportly,withavoicelikeBoanerges;areligiousman,thepossessorofanimmensepew;loyal,somuchsothatIonceheardhimsaythathewouldatanytimegothreemilestohearanyonesing“GodsavetheKing“;moreover,agiverofexcellentdinners。Suchisourpresentmayor;who,owingtohisloyalty,hisreligion,andalittle,perhaps,tohisdinners,isamightyfavourite;somuchsothatthetownisanxioustohavehisportraitpaintedinasuperiorstyle,sothatremoteposteritymayknowwhatkindofmanhewas,thecolourofhishair,hisairandgait。Soacommitteewasformedsometimeago,whichisstillsitting;thatis,theydinewiththemayoreverydaytotalkoverthesubject。Afewdayssince,tomygreatsurprise,theymadetheirappearanceinmypoorstudio,anddesiredtobefavouredwithasightofsomeofmypaintings;well,Ishowedthemsome,and,afterlookingatthemwithgreatattention,theywentasideandwhispered。“He’lldo,“Iheardonesay;“Yes,he’lldo,“
  saidanother;andthentheycametome,andoneofthem,alittlemanwithahumponhisback,whoisawatchmaker,assumedtheofficeofspokesman,andmadealongspeech-theoldtownhasbeenalwayscelebratedfororators-inwhichhetoldmehowmuchtheyhadbeenpleasedwithmyproductions-theoldtownhasbeenalwayscelebratedforitsartistictaste-and,whatdoyouthink?