murad the unlucky and other tales-第13部分

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much　the　better：　　as　those　think　with　reason　that　see　no　farther
into　things　than　I　do。〃

〃But；　sir；〃　said　the　verger；　still　more　solemnly；　〃this　is　no
laughing　matter；　nor　time　for　laughing；　begging　your　pardon。　　Why；
sir；　the　night　of　that　there　diabolical　ball　our　Hereford
Cathedral；　sir；　would　have　been　blown　upblown　up　from　the
foundation；　if　it　had　not　been　for　me；　sir！〃

〃Indeed；　Mr。　Verger！　　And　pray　how；　and　by　whom；　was　the　cathedral
to　be　blown　up？　and　what　was　there　diabolical　in　this　ball？〃

Here　Mr。　Hill　let　Mr。　Marshal　into　the　whole　history　of　his　early
dislike　to　O'Neill；　and　his　shrewd　suspicions　of　him　the　first
moment　he　saw　him　in　Hereford：　　related　in　the　most　prolix　manner
all　that　the　reader　knows　already；　and　concluded　by　saying　that；　as
he　was　now　certain　of　his　facts；　he　was　come　to　swear　examinations
against　this　villanous　Irishman；　who；　he　hoped；　would　be　speedily
brought　to　justice；　as　he　deserved。

〃To　justice　he　shall　be　brought；　as　he　deserves；〃　said　Mr。　Marshal；
〃but　before　I　write；　and　before　you　swear；　will　you　have　the
goodness　to　inform　me　how　you　have　made　yourself　as　certain；　as　you
evidently　are；　of　what　you　call　your　facts？〃

〃Sir；　that　is　a　secret；〃　replied　our　wise　man；　〃which　I　shall　trust
to　you　alone；〃　and　he　whispered　into　Mr。　Marshal's　ear　that；　his
information　came　from　Bampfylde　the　Second；　king　of　the　gipsies。

Mr。　Marshal　instantly　burst　into　laughter；　then　composing　himself；
said：　　〃My　good　sir；　I　am　really　glad　that　you　have　proceeded　no
farther　in　this　business；　and　that　no　one　in　Hereford；　beside
myself；　knows　that　you　were　on　the　point　of　swearing　examinations
against　a　man　on　the　evidence　of　Bampfylde　the　Second；　king　of　the
gipsies。　　My　dear　sir；　it　would　be　a　standing　joke　against　you　to
the　end　of　your　days。　　A　grave　man　like　Mr。　Hill！　and　a　verger　too！
Why　you　would　be　the　laughing…stock　of　Hereford！〃

Now　Mr。　Marshal　well　knew　the　character　of　the　man　to　whom　he　was
talking；　who；　above　all　things　on　earth；　dreaded　to　be　laughed　at。
Mr。　Hill　coloured　all　over　his　face；　and；　pushing　back　his　wig　by
way　of　settling　it；　showed　that　he　blushed　not　only　all　over　his
face；　but　all　over　his　head。

〃Why；　Mr。　Marshal；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃as　to　my　being　laughed　at；　it　is
what　I　did　not　look　for；　being；　as　there　are；　some　men　in　Hereford
to　whom　I　have　mentioned　that　hole　in　the　cathedral；　who　have
thought　it　no　laughing　matter；　and　who　have　been　precisely　of　my
own　opinion　thereupon。〃

〃But　did　you　tell　these　gentlemen　that　you　had　been　consulting　the
king　of　the　gipsies？〃

〃No；　sir；　no：　　I　can't　say　that　I　did。〃

〃Then　I　advise　you；　keep　your　own　counsel；　as　I　will。〃

Mr。　Hill；　whose　imagination　wavered　between　the　hole　in　the
cathedral　and　his　rick　of　bark　on　one　side；　and　between　his　rick　of
bark　and　his　dog　Jowler　on　the　other；　now　began　to　talk　of　the　dog；
and　now　of　the　rick　of　bark；　and　when　he　had　exhausted　all　he　had
to　say　upon　these　subjects；　Mr。　Marshal　gently　pulled　him　towards
the　window；　and　putting　a　spy…glass　into　his　hand；　bade　him　look
towards　his　own　tan…yard；　and　tell　him　what　he　saw。　　To　his　great
surprise；　Mr。　Hill　saw　his　rick　of　bark　re…built。　　〃Why；　it　was　not
there　last　night；〃　exclaimed　he；　rubbing　his　eyes。　　〃Why；　some
conjuror　must　have　done　this。〃

〃No；〃　replied　Mr。　Marshal；　〃no　conjuror　did　it：　　but　your　friend
Bampfylde　the　Second；　king　of　the　gipsies；　was　the　cause　of　its
being　re…built；　and　here　is　the　man　who　actually　pulled　it　down；
and　who　actually　re…built　it。〃

As　he　said　these　words　Mr。　Marshal　opened　the　door　of　an　adjoining
room　and　beckoned　to　the　Irish　hay…maker；　who　had　been　taken　into
custody　about　an　hour　before　this　time。　　The　watch　who　took　Paddy
had　called　at　Mr。　Hill's　house　to　tell　him　what　had　happened；　but
Mr。　Hill　was　not　then　at　home。

It　was　with　much　surprise　that　the　verger　heard　the　simple　truth
from　this　poor　fellow；　but　no　sooner　was　he　convinced　that　O'Neill
was　innocent　as　to　this　affair；　than　he　recurred　to　his　other
ground　of　suspicion；　the　loss　of　his　dog。

The　Irish　haymaker　now　stepped　forward；　and；　with　a　peculiar　twist
of　the　hips　and　shoulders；　which　those　only　who　have　seen　it　can
picture　to　themselves；　said；　〃Plase　your　honour's　honour；　I　have　a
little　word　to　say　too　about　the　dog。〃

〃Say　it；　then；〃　said　Mr。　Marshal。

〃Plase　your　honour；　if　I　might　expect　to　be　forgiven；　and　let　off
for　pulling　down　the　jontleman's　stack；　I　might　be　able　to　tell　him
what　I　know　about　the　dog。〃

〃If　you　can　tell　me　anything　about　my　dog；〃　said　the　tanner；　〃I
will　freely　forgive　you　for　pulling　down　the　rick：　　especially　as
you　have　built　it　up　again。　　Speak　the　truth；　now：　　did　not　O'Neill
make　away　with　the　dog？〃

〃Not　at　all；　at　all；　plase　your　honour；〃　replied　the　haymaker：
〃and　the　truth　of　the　matter　is；　I　know　nothing　of　the　dog；　good　or
bad；　but　I　know　something　of　his　collar；　if　your　name；　plase　your
honour；　is　Hill；　as　I　take　it　to　be。〃

〃My　name　is　Hill：　　proceed；〃　said　the　tanner；　with　great　eagerness。
〃You　know　something　about　the　collar　of　my　dog　Jowler？〃

〃Plase　your　honour；　this　much　I　know；　any　way；　that　it　is　now；　or
was　the　night　before　last；　at　the　pawnbroker's　there；　below　in
town；　for；　plase　your　honour；　I　was　sent　late　at　night　（that　night
that　Mr。　O'Neill；　long　life　to　him！　was　arrested）　to　the
pawnbroker's　for　a　Jew　by　Mrs。　O'Neill；　poor　creature！　　She　was　in
great　trouble　that　same　time。〃

〃Very　likely；〃　interrupted　Mr。　Hill：　　〃but　go　on　to　the　collar；
what　of　the　collar？〃

〃She　sent　meI'll　tell　you　the　story；　plase　your　honour；　out　of
the　faceshe　sent　me　to　the　pawnbroker's　for　the　Jew；　and；　it
being　so　late　at　night；　the　shop　was　shut；　and　it　was　with　all　the
trouble　in　life　that　I　got　into　the　house　any　way：　　and；　when　I　got
in；　there　was　none　but　a　slip　of　a　boy　up；　and　he　set　down　the
light　that　he　had　in　his　hand；　and　ran　up　the　stairs　to　waken　his
master：　　and；　whilst　he　was　gone；　I　just　made　bold　to　look　round　at
what　sort　of　a　place　I　was　in；　and　at　the　old　clothes　and　rags　and
scraps；　there　was　a　sort　of　a　frieze　trusty。〃

〃A　trusty！〃　said　Mr。　Hill；　〃what　is　that；　pray？〃

〃A　big　coat；　sure；　plase　your　honour：　　there　was　a　frieze　big　coat
lying　in　a　corner；　which　I　had　my　eye　upon；　to　trate　myself　to：　　I
having；　as　I　then　thought；　money　in　my　little　purse　enough　for　it。
Well；　I　won't　trouble　your　honour's　honour　with　telling　of　you　now
how　I　lost　my　purse　in　the　field；　as　I　found　after；　but　about　the
big　coatas　I　was　saying；　I　just　lifted　it　off　the　ground　to　see
would　it　fit　me；　and；　as　I　swung　it　round；　something；　plase　your
honour；　hit　me　a　great　knock　on　the　shins：　　it　was　in　the　pocket　of
the　coat；　whatever　it　was；　I　knew；　so　I　looks　into　the　pocket　to
see　what　was　it；　plase　your　honour；　and　out　I　pulls　a　hammer　and　a
dog…collar：　　it　was　a　wonder；　both　together；　they　did　not　break　my
shins　entirely：　　but　it's　no　matter　for　my　shins　now；　so；　before
the　boy　came　down；　I　just　out　of　idleness　spelt　out　to　myself　the
name　that　was　upon　the　collar：　　there　were　two　names；　plase　your
honour；　and　out　of　the　first　there　were　so　many　letters　hammered
out　I　could　make　nothing　of　it　at　all；　at　all；　but　the　other　name
was　plain　enough　to　read；　any　way；　and　it　was　Hill；　plase　your
honour's　honour；　as　sure　as　life：　　Hill；　now。〃

This　story　was　related　in　tones　and　gestures　which　were　so　new　and
strange　to　English　ears　and　eyes；　that　even　the　solemnity　of　our
verger　gave　way　to　laughter。

Mr。　Marshal　sent　a　summons　for　the　pawnbroker；　that　he　might　learn
from　him　how　he　came　by　the　dog…collar。　　The　pawnbroker；　when　he
found　from　Mr。　Marshal　that　he　could　by　no　other　means　save　himself
from　being　committed　to　prison；　confessed　that　the　collar　had　been
sold　to　him　by　Bampfylde　the　Second；　king　of　the　gipsies。

A　warrant　was　immediately　despatched　for　his　majesty；　and　Mr。　Hill
was　a　good　deal　alarmed　by　the　fear　of　its　being　known　in　Hereford
that　he　was　on　the　point　of　swearing　examinations　against　an
innocent　man　upon　the　evidence　of　a　dog…stealer　and　a　gipsy。

Bampfylde　the　Second　made　no　sublime　appearance　when　he　was　brought
before　Mr。　Marshal；　nor　could　all　his　astrology　avail　upon　this
occasion。　　The　evidence　of　the　pawnbroker　was　so　positive　as　to　the
fact　of　his　having　sold　to　him　the　dog…collar；　that　there　was　no
resource　left　for　Bampfylde　but　an　appeal　to　Mr。　Hill's　mercy。　　He
fell　on　his　knees；　and　confessed　that　it　was　he　who　stole　the　dog；
which　used　to　bark　at　him　at　night　so　furiously；　that　he　could　not
commit　certain　petty　depredations　by　which；　as　much　as　by　telling
fortunes；　he　made　his　livelihood

〃And　so；〃　said　Mr。　Marshal；　with　a　sternness　of　manner　which　till
now　he　had　never　shown；　〃to　screen　yourself；　you　accused　an
innocent　man；　and　by　your　vile　arts　would　have　driven　him　from
Hereford；　and　have　set　two　families　for　ever　at　variance；　to
conceal　that　you　had　stolen　a　dog。〃

The　king　of　the　gipsies　was；　without　further　ceremony；　committed　to
the　house　of　correction。　　We　should　not　omit　to　mention　that；　on
searching　his　hat；　the　Irish　haymaker's　purse　was　found；　which　some
of　his　majesty's　train　had　emptied。　　The　whole　set　of　gipsies
decamped　upon　the　news　of　the　apprehension　of　their　monarch。

Mr。　Hill　stood　in　profound　silence；　leaning　upon　his　walking…stick；
whilst　the　committal　was　making　out　for　Bampfylde　the　Second。　　The
fear　of　ridicule　was　struggling　with　the　natural　positiveness　of
his　temper。　　He　was　dreadfully　afraid　that　the　story　of　his　being
taken　in　by　the　king　of　the　gipsies　would　get　abroad；　and；　at　the
same　time；　he　was　unwilling　to　give　up　his　prejudice　against　the
Irish　glover。

〃But；　Mr。　Marshal；〃　cried　he；　after　a　long　silence；　〃the　hole　under
the　foundation　of　the　cathedral　has　never　been　accounted　forthat
is；　was；　and　ever　will　be；　an　ugly　mystery　to　me；　and　I　never　can
have　a　good　opinion　of　this　Irishman　till　it　is　cleared　up；　nor　can
I　think　the　cathedral　in　safety。〃

〃What！〃　said　Mr。　Marshal；　with　an　arch　smile；　〃I　suppose　the　verses
of　the　oracle　still　work　upon　your　imagination；　Mr。　Hill。　　They　are
excellent　in　their　kind。　　I　must　have　them　by　heart；　that　when　I　am
a