murad the unlucky and other tales-第12部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


an　hour　before　dinner；　to　take　a　slice　from　the　roast　or　the　boiled
before　it　went　up　to　table。　　As　he　was　this　day；　according　to　his
custom；　in　the　kitchen；　taking　his　snack　by　way　of　a　damper；　he
heard　the　housemaid　and　the　cook　talking　about　some　wonderful
fortune…teller；　whom　the　housemaid　had　been　consulting。　　This
fortune…teller　was　no　less　a　personage　than　the　successor　to
Bampfylde　Moore　Carew；　king　of　the　gipsies；　whose　life　and
adventures　are　probably　in　many；　too　many；　of　our　readers'　hands。
Bampfylde；　the　second　king　of　the　gipsies；　assumed　this　title；　in
hopes　of　becoming　as　famous；　or　as　infamous；　as　his　predecessor：
he　was　now　holding　his　court　in　a　wood　near　the　town　of　Hereford；
and　numbers　of　servant…maids　and　'prentices　went　to　consult　him
nay；　it　was　whispered　that　he　was　resorted　to；　secretly；　by　some
whose　education　might　have　taught　them　better　sense。

Numberless　were　the　instances　which　our　verger　heard　in　his　kitchen
of　the　supernatural　skill　of　this　cunning　man；　and　whilst　Mr。　Hill
ate　his　snack　with　his　wonted　gravity；　he　revolved　great　designs　in
his　secret　soul。　　Mrs。　Hill　was　surprised；　several　times　during
dinner；　to　see　her　consort　put　down　his　knife　and　fork；　and
meditate。　　〃Gracious　me；　Mr。　Hill！　what　can　have　happened　to　you
this　day？　　What　can　you　be　thinking　of；　Mr。　Hill；　that　can　make　you
forget　what　you　have　upon　your　plate？〃

〃Mrs。　Hill；〃　replied　the　thoughtful　verger；　〃our　grandmother　Eve
had　too　much　curiosity；　and　we　all　know　it　did　not　lead　to　good。
What　I　am　thinking　of　will　be　known　to　you　in　due　time；　but　not
now；　Mrs。　Hill；　therefore；　pray；　no　questions；　or　teasing；　or
pumping。　　What　I　think；　I　think；　what　I　say；　I　say；　what　I　know；　I
know；　and　that　is　enough　for　you　to　know　at　present：　　only　this；
Phoebe；　you　did　very　well　not　to　put　on　the　Limerick　gloves；　child。
What　I　know；　I　know。　　Things　will　turn　out　just　as　I　said　from　the
first。　　What　I　say；　I　say；　and　what　I　think；　I　think；　and　this　is
enough　for　you　to　know　at　present。〃

Having　finished　dinner　with　this　solemn　speech；　Mr。　Hill　settled
himself　in　his　arm…chair；　to　take　his　after…dinner's　nap：　　and　he
dreamed　of　blowing　up　cathedrals；　and　of　oak　bark　floating　upon　the
waters；　and　the　cathedral　was；　he　thought；　blown　up　by　a　man
dressed　in　a　pair　of　woman's　Limerick　gloves；　and　the　oak　bark
turned　into　mutton　steaks；　after　which　his　great　dog　Jowler　was
swimming；　when；　all　on　a　sudden；　as　he　was　going　to　beat　Jowler　for
eating　the　bark　transformed　into　mutton　steaks；　Jowler　became
Bampfylde　the　Second；　king　of　the　gipsies；　and　putting　a　horse…whip
with　a　silver　handle　into　Hill's　hand；　commanded　him　three　times；
in　a　voice　as　loud　as　the　town…crier's；　to　have　O'Neill　whipped
through　the　market…place　of　Hereford：　　but　just　as　he　was　going　to
the　window　to　see　this　whipping；　his　wig　fell　off；　and　he　awoke。

It　was　difficult；　even　for　Mr。　Hill's　sagacity；　to　make　sense　of
this　dream：　　but　he　had　the　wise　art　of　always　finding　in　his
dreams　something　that　confirmed　his　waking　determinations。　　Before
he　went　to　sleep；　he　had　half　resolved　to　consult　the　king　of　the
gipsies；　in　the　absence　of　the　attorney；　and　his　dream　made　him　now
wholly　determined　upon　this　prudent　step。　　〃From　Bampfylde　the
Second；〃　thought　he；　〃I　shall　learn　for　certain　who　made　the　hole
under　the　cathedral；　who　pulled　down　my　rick　of　bark；　and　who　made
away　with　my　dog　Jowler；　and　then　I　shall　swear　examinations
against　O'Neill；　without　waiting　for　attorneys。　　I　will　follow　my
own　way　in　this　business：　　I　have　always　found　my　own　way　best。〃

So；　when　the　dusk　of　the　evening　increased；　our　wise　man　set　out
towards　the　wood　to　consult　the　cunning　man。　　Bampfylde　the　Second；
king　of　the　gipsies；　resided　in　a　sort　of　hut　made　of　the　branches
of　trees；　the　verger　stooped；　but　did　not　stoop　low　enough；　as　he
entered　this　temporary　palace；　and；　whilst　his　body　was　almost　bent
double；　his　peruke　was　caught　upon　a　twig。　　From　this　awkward
situation　he　was　relieved　by　the　consort　of　the　king；　and　he　now
beheld；　by　the　light　of　some　embers；　the　person　of　his　gipsy
majesty；　to　whose　sublime　appearance　this　dim　light　was　so
favourable　that　it　struck　a　secret　awe　into　our　wise　man's　soul；
and；　forgetting　Hereford　Cathedral；　and　oak　bark；　and　Limerick
gloves；　he　stood　for　some　seconds　speechless。　　During　this　time；
the　queen　very　dexterously　disencumbered　his　pocket　of　all
superfluous　articles。　　When　he　recovered　his　recollection；　he　put
with　great　solemnity　the　following　queries　to　the　king　of　the
gipsies；　and　received　the　following　answers：…

〃Do　you　know　a　dangerous　Irishman　of　the　name　of　O'Neill；　who　has
come；　for　purposes　best　known　to　himself；　to　settle　at　Hereford？〃

〃Yes；　we　know　him　well。〃

〃Indeed！　　And　what　do　you　know　of　him？〃

〃That　he　is　a　dangerous　Irishman。〃

〃Right！　　And　it　was　he；　was　it　not；　that　pulled　down；　or　caused　to
be　pulled　down；　my　rick　of　oak　bark？〃

〃It　was。〃

〃And　who　was　it　that　made　away　with　my　dog　Jowler；　that　used　to
guard　the　tan…yard？〃

〃It　was　the　person　that　you　suspect。〃

〃And　was　it　the　person　whom　I　suspect　that　made　the　hole　under　the
foundation　of　our　cathedral？〃

〃The　same；　and　no　other。〃

〃And　for　what　purpose　did　he　make　that　hole？〃

〃For　a　purpose　that　must　not　be　named；〃　replied　the　king　of　the
gipsies；　nodding　his　head　in　a　mysterious　manner。

〃But　it　may　be　named　to　me；〃　cried　the　verger；　〃for　I　have　found　it
out；　and　I　am　one　of　the　vergers；　and　is　it　not　fit　that　a　plot　to
blow　up　the　Hereford　Cathedral　should　be　known　TO　me；　and　THROUGH
me？〃


〃Now；　take　my　word；
Wise　men　of　Hereford；
None　in　safety　may　be；
Till　the　bad　man　doth　flee。〃


These　oracular　verses；　pronounced　by　Bampfylde　with　all　the
enthusiasm　of　one　who　was　inspired；　had　the　desired　effect　upon　our
wise　man；　and　he　left　the　presence　of　the　king　of　the　gipsies　with
a　prodigiously　high　opinion　of　his　majesty's　judgment　and　of　his
own；　fully　resolved　to　impart；　the　next　morning；　to　the　mayor　of
Hereford　his　important　discoveries。

Now　it　happened　that；　during　the　time　Mr。　Hill　was　putting　the
foregoing　queries　to　Bampfylde　the　Second；　there　came　to　the　door
or　entrance　of　the　audience　chamber　an　Irish　haymaker　who　wanted　to
consult　the　cunning　man　about　a　little　leathern　purse　which　he　had
lost　whilst　he　was　making　hay　in　a　field　near　Hereford。　　This
haymaker　was　the　same　person　who；　as　we　have　related；　spoke　so
advantageously　of　our　hero　O'Neill　to　the　widow　Smith。　　As　this
man；　whose　name　was　Paddy　M'Cormack；　stood　at　the　entrance　of　the
gipsies'　hut；　his　attention　was　caught　by　the　name　of　O'Neill；　and
he　lost　not　a　word　of　all　that　pasted。　　He　had　reason　to　be
somewhat　surprised　at　hearing　Bampfylde　assert　it　was　O'Neill　who
had　pulled　down　the　rick　of　bark。　　〃By　the　holy　poker！〃　said　he　to
himself；　〃the　old　fellow　now　is　out　there。　　I　know　more　o'　that
matter　than　he　doesno　offence　to　his　majesty；　he　knows　no　more　of
my　purse；　I'll　engage　now；　than　he　does　of　this　man's　rick　of　bark
and　his　dog：　　so　I'll　keep　my　tester　in　my　pocket；　and　not　be
giving　it　to　this　king　o'　the　gipsies；　as　they　call　him：　　who；　as
near　as　I　can　guess；　is　no　better　than　a　cheat。　　But　there　is　one
secret　which　I　can　be　telling　this　conjuror　himself：　　he　shall　not
find　it　such　an　easy　matter　to　do　all　what　he　thinks；　he　shall　not
be　after　ruining　an　innocent　countryman　of　my　own　whilst　Paddy
M'Cormack　has　a　tongue　and　brains。〃

Now；　Paddy　M'Cormack　had　the　best　reason　possible　for　knowing　that
Mr。　O'Neill　did　not　pull　down　Mr。　Hill's　rick　of　bark；　it　was
M'Cormack　himself　who；　in　the　heat　of　his　resentment　for　the
insulting　arrest　of　his　countryman　in　the　streets　of　Hereford；　had
instigated　his　fellow　haymakers　to　this　mischief；　he　headed　them；
and　thought　he　was　doing　a　clever；　spirited　action。

There　is　a　strange　mixture　of　virtue　and　vice　in　the　minds　of　the
lower　class　of　Irish：　　or　rather；　a　strange　confusion　in　their
ideas　of　right　and　wrong；　from　want　of　proper　education。　　As　soon
as　poor　Paddy　found　out　that　his　spirited　action　of　pulling　down
the　rick　of　bark　was　likely　to　be　the　ruin　of　his　countryman；　he
resolved　to　make　all　the　amends　in　his　power　for　his　follyhe　went
to　collect　his　fellow　haymakers；　and　persuaded　them　to　assist　him
this　night　in　rebuilding　what　they　had　pulled　down。

They　went　to　this　work　when　everybody　except　themselves；　as　they
thought；　was　asleep　in　Hereford。　　They　had　just　completed　the
stack；　and　were　all　going　away　except　Paddy；　who　was　seated　at　the
very　top；　finishing　the　pile；　when　they　heard　a　loud　voice　cry　out；
〃Here　they　are！　　Watch！　　Watch！〃

Immediately　all　the　haymakers　who　could；　ran　off　as　fast　as
possible。　　It　was　the　watch　who　had　been　sitting　up　at　the
cathedral　who　gave　the　alarm。　　Paddy　was　taken　from　the　top　of　the
rick　and　lodged　in　the　watch…house　till　morning。　　〃Since　I'm　to　be
rewarded　this　way　for　doing　a　good　action；　sorrow　take　me；〃　said
he；　〃if　they　catch　me　doing　another　the　longest　day　ever　I　live。〃

Happy　they　who　have　in　their　neighbourhood　such　a　magistrate　as　Mr。
Marshal！　　He　was　a　man　who；　to　an　exact　knowledge　of　the　duties　of
his　office；　joined　the　power　of　discovering　truth　from　the　midst　of
contradictory　evidence；　and　the　happy　art　of　soothing　or　laughing
the　angry　passions　into　good…humour。　　It　was　a　common　saying　in
Hereford　that　no　one　ever　came　out　of　Justice　Marshal's　house　as
angry　as　he　went　into　it。

Mr。　Marshal　had　scarcely　breakfasted　when　he　was　informed　that　Mr。
Hill；　the　verger；　wanted　to　speak　to　him　on　business　of　the　utmost
importance。　　Mr。　Hill；　the　verger；　was　ushered　in；　and；　with　gloomy
solemnity；　took　a　seat　opposite　to　Mr。　Marshal。

〃Sad　doings　in　Hereford；　Mr。　Marshal！　　Sad　doings；　sir。〃

〃Sad　doings？　　Why；　I　was　told　we　had　merry　doings　in　Hereford。　　A
ball　the　night　before　last；　as　I　heard。〃

〃So　much　the　worse；　Mr。　Marshalso　much　the　worse：　　as　those　think
with　reason　that　see　as　far　into　things　as　I　do。〃

〃So　much　the　better；　Mr。　Hill；〃　said　Mr。　Marshal；　laughing；　〃so
much　the　better：　　as　those　think　with　reason　that　see　no　farther
into　things　than　I　do。〃

〃But；　sir；〃　said　the　verger；　still