首页 >出版文学> The Romany Ryel>第8章

第8章

  (3)See"Muses’Library,"pp。86,87。London,1738。
  (4)GenteelwiththemseemstobesynonymouswithGentileandGentoo;ifso,themannerinwhichithasbeenappliedforagesceasestosurprise,forgenteelisheathenish。Ideasofbarbaricpearlandgold,glitteringarmour,plumes,tortures,blood—shedding,andlust,shouldalwaysbeconnectedwithit。
  Wace,inhisgrandNormanpoem,callstheBarongenteel:—
  "LafurentligentilBaron,"etc。
  AndhecertainlycouldnothaveappliedthewordbetterthantothestrongNormanthief,armedcap—a—pie,withoutoneparticleoftruthorgenerosity;forapersontobeapinkofgentility,thatisheathenism,shouldhavenosuchfeelings;
  and,indeed,theadmirersofgentilityseldomorneverassociateanysuchfeelingswithit。ItwasfromtheNorman,theworstofallrobbersandmiscreants,whobuiltstrongcastles,garrisonedthemwithdevils,andtoreoutpoorwretches’eyes,astheSaxonChroniclesays,thattheEnglishgottheirdetestablewordgenteel。WhatcouldeverhavemadetheEnglishsuchadmirersofgentility,itwouldbedifficulttosay;for,duringthreehundredyears,theysufferedenoughbyit。TheirgenteelNormanlandlordsweretheirscourgers,theirtorturers,theplunderersoftheirhomes,thedishonourersoftheirwives,andthedeflourersoftheirdaughters。Perhaps,afterall,fearisattherootoftheEnglishvenerationforgentility。
  (5)Gentleandgentlemanlymaybederivedfromthesamerootasgenteel;butnothingcanbemoredistinctfromthemeregenteel,thantheideaswhichenlightenedmindsassociatewiththesewords。Gentleandgentlemanlymeansomethingkindandgenial;genteel,thatwhichisglitteringorgaudy。A
  personcanbeagentlemaninrags,butnobodycanbegenteel。
  (6)ThewriterhasbeencheckedinprintbytheScotchwithbeingaNorfolkman。Surely,surely,theselattertimeshavenotbeenexactlytheonesinwhichitwasexpedientforScotchmentocheckthechildrenofanycountyinEnglandwiththeplaceoftheirbirth,moreespeciallythosewhohavehadthehonourofbeingborninNorfolk—timesinwhichBritishfleets,commandedbyScotchmen,havereturnedladenwithanythingbutlaurelsfromforeignshores。ItwouldhavebeenwellforBritainhadshehadtheoldNorfolkmantodispatchtotheBalticortheBlacksea,lately,insteadofScotchadmirals。
  (7)Asthepresentworkwillcomeoutinthemidstofavehementpoliticalcontest,peoplemaybeledtosupposethattheabovewaswrittenexpresslyforthetime。Thewriterthereforebegstostatethatitwaswrittenintheyear1854。
  HecannothelpaddingthatheisneitherWhig,Tory,norRadical,andcaresnotastrawwhatpartygovernsEngland,provideditisgovernedwell。ButhehasnohopesofgoodgovernmentfromtheWhigs。Itistruethatamongstthemthereisoneverygreatman,LordPalmerston,whoisindeedtheswordandbuckler,thechariotsandthehorsesoftheparty;butitisimpossibleforhislordshiptogovernwellwithsuchcolleaguesashehas—colleagueswhichhavebeenforceduponhimbyfamilyinfluence,andwhoarecontinuallypesteringhimintomeasuresanythingbutconducivetothecountry’shonourandinterest。IfPalmerstonwouldgovernwell,hemustgetridofthem;butfromthatstep,withallhiscourageandallhisgreatness,hewillshrink。Yethowproperandeasyastepitwouldbe!Hecouldeasilygetbetter,butscarcelyworse,associates。Theyappeartohaveoneobjectinview,andonlyone—jobbery。Itwaschieflyowingtoamostflagitiouspieceofjobbery,whichoneofhislordship’sprincipalcolleaguessanctionedandpromoted,thathislordshipexperiencedhislateparliamentarydisasters。
  (8)Afact。
  EndTHEROMANYRYE
  byGeorgeBorrowCHAPTERI
  TheMakingoftheLinch—pin—TheSoundSleeper—Breakfast—
  ThePostillion’sDeparture。
  IAWOKEatthefirstbreakofday,and,leavingthepostillionfastasleep,steppedoutofthetent。Thedinglewasdankanddripping。Ilightedafireofcoals,andgotmyforgeinreadiness。Ithenascendedtothefield,wherethechaisewasstandingaswehadleftitonthepreviousevening。Afterlookingatthecloud—stonenearit,nowcold,andsplitintothreepieces,Isetaboutpryingnarrowlyintotheconditionofthewheelandaxletree—thelatterhadsustainednodamageofanyconsequence,andthewheel,asfarasIwasabletojudge,wassound,beingonlyslightlyinjuredinthebox。Theonlythingrequisitetosetthechaiseinatravellingconditionappearedtobealinch—pin,whichIdeterminedtomake。Goingtothecompanionwheel,I
  tookoutthelinch—pin,whichIcarrieddownwithmetothedingle,toserveasamodel。
  IfoundBellebythistimedressed,andseatedneartheforge:withaslightnodtoherlikethatwhichapersongiveswhohappenstoseeanacquaintancewhenhismindisoccupiedwithimportantbusiness,Iforthwithsetaboutmywork。SelectingapieceofironwhichIthoughtwouldservemypurpose,Iplaceditinthefire,andplyingthebellowsinafuriousmanner,soonmadeithot;thenseizingitwiththetongs,Ilaiditonmyanvil,andbegantobeatitwithmyhammer,accordingtotherulesofmyart。Thedingleresoundedwithmystrokes。Bellesatstill,andoccasionallysmiled,butsuddenlystartedup,andretreatedtowardsherencampment,onasparkwhichIpurposelysentinherdirectionalightingonherknee。Ifoundthemakingofalinch—pinnoeasymatter;itwas,however,lessdifficultthanthefabricationofapony—shoe;mywork,indeed,wasmuchfacilitatedbymyhavinganotherpintolookat。Inaboutthree—quartersofanhourIhadsucceededtolerablywell,andhadproducedalinch—pinwhichIthoughtwouldserve。Duringallthistime,notwithstandingthenoisewhichIwasmaking,thepostillionnevershowedhisface。Hisnon—
  appearanceatfirstalarmedme:Iwasafraidhemightbedead,but,onlookingintothetent,Ifoundhimstillburiedinthesoundestsleep。"Hemustsurelybedescendedfromoneofthesevensleepers,"saidI,asIturnedaway,andresumedmywork。Myworkfinished,Itookalittleoil,leather,andsand,andpolishedthepinaswellasIcould;then,summoningBelle,webothwenttothechaise,where,withherassistance,Iputonthewheel。Thelinch—pinwhichIhadmadefitteditsplaceverywell,andhavingreplacedtheother,Igazedatthechaiseforsometimewithmyheartfullofthatsatisfactionwhichresultsfromtheconsciousnessofhavingachievedagreataction;then,afterlookingatBelleinthehopeofobtainingacomplimentfromherlips,whichdidnotcome,Ireturnedtothedingle,withoutsayingaword,followedbyher。Bellesetaboutmakingpreparationsforbreakfast;andItakingthekettle,wentandfilleditatthespring。Havinghungitoverthefire,Iwenttothetentinwhichthepostillionwasstillsleeping,andcalleduponhimtoarise。Heawokewithastart,andstaredaroundhimatfirstwiththeutmostsurprise,notunmixed,Icouldobserve,withacertaindegreeoffear。Atlast,lookinginmyface,heappearedtorecollecthimself。"Ihadquiteforgot,"saidhe,ashegotup,"whereIwas,andallthathappenedyesterday。However,Iremembernowthewholeaffair,thunder—storm,thunder—bolt,frightenedhorses,andallyourkindness。Come,Imustseeaftermycoachandhorses;Ihopeweshallbeabletorepairthedamage。""Thedamageisalreadyquiterepaired,"saidI,"asyouwillsee,ifyoucometothefieldabove。""Youdon’tsayso,"saidthepostillion,comingoutofthetent;"well,Iammightilybeholdentoyou。Goodmorning,younggentle—woman,"saidhe,addressingBelle,who,havingfinishedherpreparations,wasseatednearthefire。"Goodmorning,youngman,"saidBelle,"Isupposeyouwouldbegladofsomebreakfast;however,youmustwaitalittle,thekettledoesnotboil。""Comeandlookatyourchaise,"saidI;"buttellmehowithappenedthatthenoisewhichIhavebeenmakingdidnotawakeyou;
  forthree—quartersofanhouratleastIwashammeringcloseatyourear。""Iheardyouallthetime,"saidthepostillion,"butyourhammeringmademesleepallthesounder;Iamusedtohearhammeringinmymorningsleep。
  There’saforgeclosebytheroomwhereIsleepwhenI’mathome,atmyinn;forwehaveallkindsofconveniencesatmyinn—forge,carpenter’sshop,andwheel—wright’s,—sothatwhenIheardyouhammeringIthought,nodoubt,thatitwastheoldnoise,andthatIwascomfortableinmybedatmyowninn。"Wenowascendedtothefield,whereIshowedthepostillionhischaise。Helookedatthepinattentively,rubbedhishands,andgavealoudlaugh。"Isitnotwelldone?"saidI。"ItwilldotillIgethome,"hereplied。
  "Andthatisallyouhavetosay?"Idemanded。"Andthat’sagooddeal,"saidhe,"consideringwhomadeit。Butdon’tbeoffended,"headded,"Ishallprizeitallthemoreforitsbeingmadebyagentleman,andnoblacksmith;andsowillmygovernor,whenIshowittohim。Ishan’tletitremainwhereitis,butwillkeepit,asaremembranceofyou,aslongasIlive。"Hethenagainrubbedhishandswithgreatglee,andsaid,"Iwillnowgoandseeaftermyhorses,andthentobreakfast,partner,ifyouplease。"Suddenly,however,lookingathishands,hesaid,"BeforesittingdowntobreakfastIaminthehabitofwashingmyhandsandface:
  Isupposeyoucouldnotfurnishmewithalittlesoapandwater。""Asmuchwaterasyouplease,"saidI,"butifyouwantsoap,Imustgoandtroubletheyounggentle—womanforsome。""Bynomeans,"saidthepostillion,"waterwilldoatapinch。""Followme,"saidI,andleadinghimtothepondofthefrogsandnewts,Isaid,"thisismyewer;youarewelcometopartofit—thewaterissosoftthatitisscarcelynecessarytoaddsoaptoit;"thenlyingdownonthebank,Iplungedmyheadintothewater,thenscrubbedmyhandsandface,andafterwardswipedthemwithsomelonggrasswhichgrewonthemarginofthepond。"Bravo,"saidthepostillion,"Iseeyouknowhowtomakeashift:"hethenfollowedmyexample,declaredheneverfeltmorerefreshedinhislife,and,givingabound,said,"hewouldgoandlookafterhishorses。"
  Wethenwenttolookafterthehorses,whichwefoundnotmuchtheworseforhavingspentthenightintheopenair。
  Mycompanionagaininsertedtheirheadsinthecorn—bags,and,leavingtheanimalstodiscusstheircorn,returnedwithmetothedingle,wherewefoundthekettleboiling。Wesatdown,andBellemadeteaanddidthehonoursofthemeal。
  Thepostillionwasinhighspirits,ateheartily,and,toBelle’sevidentsatisfaction,declaredthathehadneverdrankbetterteainhislife,orindeedanyhalfsogood。
  Breakfastover,hesaidthathemustnowgoandharnesshishorses,asitwashightimeforhimtoreturntohisinn。
  Bellegavehimherhandandwishedhimfarewell:thepostillionshookherhandwarmly,andwasadvancingcloseuptoher—forwhatpurposeIcannotsay—whereuponBelle,withdrawingherhand,drewherselfupwithanairwhichcausedthepostilliontoretreatasteportwowithanexceedinglysheepishlook。Recoveringhimself,however,hemadealowbow,andproceededupthepath。Iattendedhim,andhelpedtoharnesshishorsesandputthemtothevehicle;
  hethenshookmebythehand,andtakingthereinsandwhip,mountedtohisseat;erehedroveawayhethusaddressedme:
  "IfeverIforgetyourkindnessandthatoftheyoungwomanbelow,dashmybuttons。Ifevereitherofyoushouldentermyinnyoumaydependuponawarmwelcome,thebestthatcanbesetbeforeyou,andnoexpensetoeither,forIwillgivebothofyouthebestofcharacterstothegovernor,whoistheverybestfellowuponalltheroad。Asforyourlinch—
  pin,ItrustitwillservetillIgethome,whenIwilltakeitoutandkeepitinremembranceofyouallthedaysofmylife:"thengivingthehorsesajerkwithhisreins,hecrackedhiswhipanddroveoff。
  Ireturnedtothedingle,Bellehadremovedthebreakfastthings,andwasbusyinherownencampment:nothingoccurred,worthyofbeingrelated,fortwohours,attheendofwhichtimeBelledepartedonashortexpedition,andIagainfoundmyselfaloneinthedingle。
  CHAPTERII
  TheManinBlack—TheEmperorofGermany—Nepotism—DonnaOlympia—Omnipotence—CamilloAstalli—TheFivePropositions。
  INtheeveningIreceivedanothervisitfromthemaninblack。Ihadbeentakingastrollintheneighbourhood,andwassittinginthedingleinratheralistlessmanner,scarcelyknowinghowtoemploymyself;hiscoming,therefore,wasbynomeansdisagreeabletome。Iproducedthehollandsandglassfrommytent,whereIsopelBernershadrequestedmetodepositthem,andalsosomelumpsugar,thentakingthegotchIfetchedwaterfromthespring,and,sittingdown,beggedthemaninblacktohelphimself;hewasnotslowincomplyingwithmydesire,andpreparedforhimselfaglassofhollandsandwaterwithalumpofsugarinit。Afterhehadtakentwoorthreesipswithevidentsatisfaction,I,rememberinghischucklingexclamationof"GotoRomeformoney,"whenhelastleftthedingle,tooktheliberty,afteralittleconversation,ofremindinghimofit,whereupon,withahe!he!he!hereplied,"YourideawasnotquitesooriginalasIsupposed。Afterleavingyoutheothernight,I
  rememberedhavingreadofanEmperorofGermanywhoconceivedtheideaofapplyingtoRomeformoney,andactuallyputitintopractice。
  "UrbantheEighththenoccupiedthepapalchair,ofthefamilyoftheBarbarini,nicknamedtheMosche,orFlies,fromthecircumstanceofbeesbeingtheirarmorialbearing。TheEmperorhavingexhaustedallhismoneyinendeavouringtodefendthechurchagainstGustavusAdolphus,thegreatKingofSweden,whowasbentonitsdestruction,appliedinhisnecessitytothePopeforaloanofmoney。ThePope,however,andhisrelations,whosecellarswereatthattimefullofthemoneyofthechurch,whichtheyhadbeenplunderingforyears,refusedtolendhimascudo;whereuponapasquinadepicturewasstuckupatRome,representingthechurchlyingonabed,gashedwithdreadfulwounds,andbesetalloverwithflies,whichweresuckingher,whilsttheEmperorofGermanywaskneelingbeforeherwithamiserableface,requestingalittlemoneytowardscarryingonthewaragainsttheheretics,towhichthepoorchurchwasmadetosay:’HowcanIassistyou,Omychampion,doyounotseethattheflieshavesuckedmetotheverybones?’Whichstory,"saidhe,"showsthattheideaofgoingtoRomeformoneywasnotquitesooriginalasIimaginedtheothernight,thoughutterlypreposterous。
  "Thisaffair,"saidhe,"occurredinwhatwerecalledthedaysofnepotism。Certainpopes,whowishedtomakethemselvesinsomedegreeindependentofthecardinals,surroundedthemselveswiththeirnephewsandtherestoftheirfamily,whosuckedthechurchandChristendomasmuchastheycould,nonedoingsomoreeffectuallythantherelationsofUrbantheEighth,atwhosedeath,accordingtothebookcalledthe’NipotismodiRoma,’therewereintheBarbarinifamilytwohundredandtwenty—sevengovernments,abbeysandhighdignities;andsomuchhardcashintheirpossession,thatthreescoreandtenmuleswerescarcelysufficienttoconveytheplunderofoneofthemtoPalestrina。"Headded,however,thatitwasprobablethatChristendomfaredbetterwhilstthepopeswerethusindependent,asitwaslesssucked,whereasbeforeandafterthatperioditwassuckedbyhundredsinsteadoftens,bythecardinalsandalltheirrelations,insteadofbythepopeandhisnephewsonly。
  Then,afterdrinkingrathercopiouslyofhishollands,hesaidthatitwascertainlynobadideaofthepopestosurroundthemselveswithnephews,onwhomtheybestowedgreatchurchdignities,asbysodoingtheyweretolerablysafefrompoison,whereasapope,ifabandonedtothecardinals,mightatanytimebemadeawaywithbythem,providedtheythoughtthathelivedtoolong,orthatheseemeddisposedtodoanythingwhichtheydisliked;adding,thatGanganelliwouldneverhavebeenpoisonedprovidedhehadhadnephewsabouthimtotakecareofhislife,andtoseethatnothingunholywasputintohisfood,orabustlingstirringbrother’swifelikeDonnaOlympia。Hethenwithahe!he!
  he!askedmeifIhadeverreadthebookcalledthe"NipotismodiRoma";andonmyreplyinginthenegative,hetoldmethatitwasaverycuriousandentertainingbook,whichheoccasionallylookedatinanidlehour,andproceededtorelatetomeanecdotesoutofthe"NipotismodiRoma,"aboutthesuccessorofUrban,InnocenttheTenth,andDonnaOlympia,showinghowfondhewasofher,andhowshecookedhisfood,andkeptthecardinalsawayfromit,andhowsheandhercreaturesplunderedChristendom,withthesanctionofthePope,untilChristendom,becomingenraged,insistedthatheshouldputheraway,whichhedidforatime,puttinganephew—oneCamilloAstalli—inherplace,inwhich,however,hedidnotcontinuelong;forthePope,conceivingapiqueagainsthim,banishedhimfromhissight,andrecalledDonnaOlympia,whotookcareofhisfood,andplunderedChristendomuntilPopeInnocentdied。
  IsaidthatIonlywonderedthatbetweenpopeandcardinalsthewholesystemofRomehadnotlongfallentotheground,andwastold,inreply,thatitsnothavingfallenwasthestrongestproofofitsvitalpower,andtheabsolutenecessityfortheexistenceofthesystem。Thatthesystem,notwithstandingitsoccasionaldisorders,wenton。Popesandcardinalsmightpreyuponitsbowels,andsellitsinterests,butthesystemsurvived。ThecuttingoffofthisorthatmemberwasnotabletocauseRomeanyvitalloss;for,assoonasshelostamember,thelosswassuppliedbyherowninherentvitality;thoughherpopeshadbeenpoisonedbycardinals,andhercardinalsbypopes;andthoughpriestsoccasionallypoisonedpopes,cardinals,andeachother,afterallthathadbeen,andmightbe,shehadstill,andwouldeverhave,herpriests,cardinals,andpope。
  Findingthemaninblacksocommunicativeandreasonable,I
  determinedtomakethebestofmyopportunity,andlearnfromhimallIcouldwithrespecttothepapalsystem,andtoldhimthathewouldparticularlyobligemebytellingmewhothePopeofRomewas;andreceivedforanswer,thathewasanoldmanelectedbyamajorityofcardinalstothepapalchair;who,immediatelyafterhiselection,becameomnipotentandequaltoGodonearth。Onmybegginghimnottotalksuchnonsense,andaskinghimhowapersoncouldbeomnipotentwhocouldnotalwayspreservehimselffrompoison,evenwhenfencedroundbynephews,orprotectedbyabustlingwoman,he,aftertakingalongsipofhollandsandwater,toldmethatImustnotexpecttoomuchfromomnipotence;forexample,thatasitwouldbeunreasonabletoexpectthatOneabovecouldannihilatethepast—forinstance,theSevenYears’War,ortheFrenchRevolution—thoughanyonewhobelievedinHimwouldacknowledgeHimtobeomnipotent,sowoulditbeunreasonableforthefaithfultoexpectthatthePopecouldalwaysguardhimselffrompoison。Then,afterlookingatmeforamomentstedfastly,andtakinganothersip,hetoldmethatpopeshadfrequentlydoneimpossibilities;forexample,InnocenttheTenthhadcreatedanephew;for,notlikingparticularlyanyofhisrealnephews,hehadcreatedthesaidCamilloAstallihisnephew;
  askingme,withahe!he!"Whatbutomnipotencecouldmakeayoungmannephewtoapersontowhomhewasnotintheslightestdegreerelated?"OnmyobservingthatofcoursenoonebelievedthattheyoungfellowwasreallythePope’snephew,thoughthePopemighthaveadoptedhimassuch,themaninblackreplied,"thattherealityofthenephewshipofCamilloAstallihadhithertoneverbecomeapointoffaith;
  let,however,thepresentpope,oranyotherpope,proclaimthatitisnecessarytobelieveintherealityofthenephewshipofCamilloAstalli,andseewhetherthefaithfulwouldnotbelieveinit。Whocandoubtthat,"headded,"seeingthattheybelieveintherealityofthefivepropositionsofJansenius?TheJesuits,wishingtoruintheJansenists,inducedapopetodeclarethatsuchandsuchdamnableopinions,whichtheycalledfivepropositions,weretobefoundinabookwrittenbyJansen,though,inreality,nosuchpropositionsweretobefoundthere;whereupontheexistenceofthesepropositionsbecameforthwithapointoffaithtothefaithful。Doyouthenthink,"hedemanded,"thatthereisoneofthefaithfulwhowouldnotswallow,ifcalledupon,thenephewshipofCamilloAstalliaseasilyasthefivepropositionsofJansenius?""Surely,then,"saidI,"thefaithfulmustbeaprettypackofsimpletons!"
  Whereuponthemaninblackexclaimed,"What!aProtestant,andaninfringeroftherightsoffaith!Here’safellow,whowouldfeelhimselfinsultedifanyoneweretoaskhimhowhecouldbelieveinthemiraculousconception,callingpeoplesimpletonswhoswallowthefivepropositionsofJansenius,andaredisposed,ifcalledupon,toswallowtherealityofthenephewshipofCamilloAstalli。"
  Iwasabouttospeak,whenIwasinterruptedbythearrivalofBelle。Afterunharnessingherdonkey,andadjustingherpersonalittle,shecameandsatdownbyus。InthemeantimeIhadhelpedmycompaniontosomemorehollandsandwater,andhadplungedwithhimintoyetdeeperdiscourse。