murad the unlucky and other tales-第14部分

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excellent　in　their　kind。　　I　must　have　them　by　heart；　that　when　I　am
asked　the　reason　why　Mr。　Hill　has　taken　an　aversion　to　an　Irish
glover；　I　may　be　able　to　repeat　them：…


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


〃You'll　oblige　me；　sir；〃　said　the　verger；　〃if　you　would　never
repeat　those　verses；　sir；　nor　mention；　in　any　company；　the　affair
of　the　king　of　the　gipsies。〃

〃I　will　oblige　you；〃　replied　Mr。　Marshal；　〃if　you　will　oblige　me。
Will　you　tell　me　honestly　whether；　now　that　you　find　this　Mr。
O'Neill　is　neither　a　dog…killer　nor　a　puller…down　of　bark…ricks；
you　feel　that　you　could　forgive　him　for　being　an　Irishman；　if　the
mystery；　as　you　call　it；　of　the　hole　under　the　cathedral　was
cleared　up？〃

〃But　that　is　not　cleared　up；　I　say；　sir；〃　cried　Mr。　Hill；　striking
his　walking…stick　forcibly　upon　the　ground　with　both　his　hands。
〃As　to　the　matter　of　his　being　an　Irishman；　I　have　nothing　to　say
to　it；　I　am　not　saying　anything　about　that；　for　I　know　we　all　are
born　where　it　pleases　God；　and　an　Irishman　may　be　as　good　as
another。　　I　know　that　much；　Mr。　Marshal；　and　I　am　not　one　of　those
illiberal…minded；　ignorant　people　that　cannot　abide　a　man　that　was
not　born　in　England。　　Ireland　is　now　in　his　majesty's　dominions。　　I
know　very　well；　Mr。　Marshal；　and　I　have　no　manner　of　doubt；　as　I
said　before；　that　an　Irishman　born　may　be　as　good；　almost；　as　an
Englishman　born。〃

〃I　am　glad；〃　said　Mr。　Marshal；　〃to　hear　you　speakalmost　as
reasonably　as　an　Englishman　born　and　every　man　ought　to　speak；　and
I　am　convinced　that　you　have　too　much　English　hospitality　to
persecute　an　inoffensive　stranger；　who　comes　amongst　us　trusting　to
our　justice　and　good　nature。〃

〃I　would　not　persecute　a　stranger；　God　forbid！〃　replied　the　verger；
〃if　he　was；　as　you　say；　inoffensive。〃

〃And　if　he　was　not　only　inoffensive；　but　ready　to　do　every　service
in　his　power　to　those　who　are　in　want　of　his　assistance；　we　should
not　return　evil　for　good；　should　we？〃

〃That　would　be　uncharitable；　to　be　sure；　and；　moreover；　a　scandal；〃
said　the　verger。

〃Then；〃　said　Mr。　Marshal；　〃will　you　walk　with　me　as　far　as　the
Widow　Smith's；　the　poor　woman　whose　house　was　burnt　last　winter？
This　haymaker；　who　lodged　near　her；　can　show　us　the　way　to　her
present　abode。〃

During　his　examination　of　Paddy　M'Cormack；　who　would　tell　his　whole
history；　as　he　called　it；　out　of　the　face；　Mr。　Marshal　heard
several　instances　of　the　humanity　and　goodness　of　O'Neill；　which
Paddy　related　to　excuse　himself　for　that　warmth　of　attachment　to
his　cause　that　had　been　manifested　so　injudiciously　by　pulling　down
the　rick　of　bark　in　revenge　for　the　rest。　　Amongst　other　things；
Paddy　mentioned　his　countryman's　goodness　to　the　Widow　Smith。　　Mr。
Marshal　was　determined；　therefore；　to　see　whether　he　had；　in　this
instance；　spoken　the　truth；　and　he　took　Hill　with　him；　in　hopes　of
being　able　to　show　him　the　favourable　side　of　O'Neill's　character。

Things　turned　out　just　as　Mr。　Marshal　expected。　　The　poor　widow　and
her　family；　in　the　most　simple　and　affecting　manner；　described　the
distress　from　which　they　had　been　relieved　by　the　good　gentleman；
and　ladythe　lady　was　Phoebe　Hill；　and　the　praises　that　were
bestowed　upon　Phoebe　were　delightful　to　her　father's　ear；　whose
angry　passions　had　now　all　subsided。

The　benevolent　Mr。　Marshal　seized　the　moment　when　he　saw　Mr。　Hill's
heart　was　touched；　and　exclaimed；　〃I　must　be　acquainted　with　this
Mr。　O'Neill。　　I　am　sure　we　people　of　Hereford　ought　to　show　some
hospitality　to　a　stranger　who　has　so　much　humanity。　　Mr。　Hill；　will
you　dine　with　him　to…morrow　at　my　house？〃

Mr。　Hill　was　just　going　to　accept　of　this　invitation；　when　the
recollection　of　all　he　had　said　to　his　club　about　the　hole　under
the　cathedral　came　across　him；　and；　drawing　Mr。　Marshal　aside；　he
whispered；　〃But；　sir；　sir；　that　affair　of　the　hole　under　the
cathedral　has　not　been　cleared　up　yet。〃

At　this　instant　the　Widow　Smith　exclaimed；　〃Oh！　here　comes　my
little　Mary〃　（one　of　her　children；　who　came　running　in）；　〃this　is
the　little　girl；　sir；　to　whom　the　lady　has　been　so　good。　　Make　your
curtsey；　child。　　Where　have　you　been　all　this　while？〃

〃Mammy；〃　said　the　child；　〃I've　been　showing　the　lady　my　rat。〃

〃Lord　bless　her！　　Gentlemen；　the　child　has　been　wanting　me　this
many　a　day　to　go　to　see　this　tame　rat　of　hers；　but　I　could　never
get　time；　neverand　I　wondered；　too；　at　the　child's　liking　such　a
creature。　　Tell　the　gentlemen；　dear；　about　your　rat。　　All　I　know　is
that；　let　her　have　but　never　such　a　tiny　bit　of　bread　for　breakfast
or　supper；　she　saves　a　little　of　that　little　for　this　rat　of　hers；
she　and　her　brothers　have　found　it　out　somewhere　by　the　cathedral。〃

〃It　comes　out　of　a　hole　under　the　wall　of　the　cathedral；〃　said　one
of　the　older　boys；　〃and　we　have　diverted　ourselves　watching　it；　and
sometimes　we　have　put　victuals　for　itso　it　has　grown；　in　a
manner；　tame…like。〃

Mr。　Hill　and　Mr。　Marshal　looked　at　one　another　during　this　speech；
and　the　dread　of　ridicule　again　seized　on　Mr。　Hill；　when　he
apprehended　that；　after　all　he　had　said；　the　mountain　might　at　last
bring　fortha　rat。　　Mr。　Marshal；　who　instantly　saw　what　passed　in
the　verger's　mind；　relieved　him　from　this　fear　by　refraining　even
from　a　smile　on　this　occasion。　　He　only　said　to　the　child；　in　a
grave　manner；　〃I　am　afraid；　my　dear；　we　shall　be　obliged　to　spoil
your　diversion。　　Mr。　Verger；　here；　cannot　suffer　rat…holes　in　the
cathedral；　but；　to　make　you　amends　for　the　loss　of　your　favourite；
I　will　give　you　a　very　pretty　little　dog；　if　you　have　a　mind。〃

The　child　was　well　pleased　with　this　promise；　and；　at　Mr。　Marshal's
desire；　she　then　went　along　with　him　and　Mr。　Hill　to　the　cathedral；
and　they　placed　themselves　at　a　little　distance　from　that　hole
which　had　created　so　much　disturbance。　　The　child　soon　brought　the
dreadful　enemy　to　light；　and　Mr。　Hill；　with　a　faint　laugh；　said；
〃I'm　glad　it's　no　worse；　but　there　were　many　in　our　club　who　were
of　my　opinion；　and；　if　they　had　not　suspected　O'Neill　too；　I　am
sure　I　should　never　have　given　you　so　much　trouble；　sir；　as　I　have
done　this　morning。　　But　I　hope；　as　the　club　know　nothing　about　that
vagabond；　that　king　of　the　gipsies；　you　will　not　let　any　one　know
anything　about　the　prophecy；　and　all　that？　　I　am　sure　I　am　very
sorry　to　have　given　you　so　much　trouble；　Mr。　Marshal。〃

Mr。　Marshal　assured　him　that　he　did　not　regret　the　time　which　he
had　spent　in　endeavouring　to　clear　up　all　those　mysteries　and
suspicions；　and　Mr。　Hill　gladly　accepted　his　invitation　to　meet
O'Neill　at　his　house　the　next　day。　　No　sooner　had　Mr。　Marshal
brought　one　of　the　parties　to　reason　and　good　humour　than　he　went
to　prepare　the　other　for　a　reconciliation。　　O'Neill　and　his　mother
were　both　people　of　warm　but　forgiving　tempersthe　arrest　was
fresh　in　their　minds；　but　when　Mr。　Marshal　represented　to　them　the
whole　affair；　and　the　verger's　prejudices；　in　a　humorous　light；
they　joined　in　the　good…natured　laugh；　and　O'Neill　declared　that；
for　his　part；　he　was　ready　to　forgive　and　to　forget　everything　if
he　could　but　see　Miss　Phoebe　in　the　Limerick　gloves。

Phoebe　appeared　the　next　day；　at　Mr。　Marshal's；　in　the　Limerick
gloves；　and　no　perfume　ever　was　so　delightful　to　her　lover　as　the
smell　of　the　rose…leaves　in　which　they　had　been　kept。

Mr。　Marshal　had　the　benevolent　pleasure　of　reconciling　the　two
families。　　The　tanner　and　the　glover　of　Hereford　became；　from
bitter　enemies；　useful　friends　to　each　other；　and　they　were
convinced　by　experience　that　nothing　could　be　more　for　their　mutual
advantage　than　to　live　in　union。




MADAME　DE　FLEURY




CHAPTER　I



〃There　oft　are　heard　the　notes　of　infant　woe；
The　short　thick　sob；　loud　scream；　and　shriller　squall　…
How　can　you；　mothers；　vex　your　infants　so？〃POPE

〃D'abord；　madame；　c'est　impossible！Madame　ne　descendra　pas　ici？〃
said　Francois；　the　footman　of　Madame　de　Fleury；　with　a　half
expostulatory；　half　indignant　look；　as　he　let　down　the　step　of　her
carriage　at　the　entrance　of　a　dirty　passage；　that　led　to　one　of　the
most　miserable…looking　houses　in　Paris。

〃But　what　can　be　the　cause　of　the　cries　which　I　hear　in　this
house？〃　said　Madame　de　Fleury。

〃'Tis　only　some　child　who　is　crying；〃　replied　Francois；　and　he
would　have　put　up　the　step；　but　his　lady　was　not　satisfied。

〃'Tis　nothing　in　the　world；〃　continued　he；　with　a　look　of　appeal　to
the　coachman；　〃it　CAN　be　nothing；　but　some　children　who　are　locked
up　there　above。　　The　mother；　the　workwoman　my　lady　wants；　is　not　at
home：　　that's　certain。〃

〃I　must　know　the　cause　of　these　cries；　I　must　see　these　children〃
said　Madame　de　Fleury；　getting　out　of　her　carriage。

Francois　held　his　arm　for　his　lady　as　she　got　out。

〃Bon！〃　cried　he；　with　an　air　of　vexation。　〃Si　madame　la　vent
absolument；　a　la　bonne　heure！Mais　madame　sera　abimee。　　Madame
verra　que　j'ai　raison。　　Madame　ne　montera　jamais　ce　vilain
escalier。　　D'ailleurs　c'est　au　cinquieme。　　Mais；　madame；　c'est
impossible。〃

Notwithstanding　the　impossibility；　Madame　de　Fleury　proceeded；　and
bidding　her　talkative　footman　wait　in　the　entry；　made　her　way　up
the　dark；　dirty；　broken　staircase；　the　sound　of　the　cries
increasing　every　instant；　till；　as　she　reached　the　fifth　storey；
she　heard　the　shrieks　of　one　in　violent　pain。　　She　hastened　to　the
door　of　the　room　from　which　the　cries　proceeded；　the　door　was
fastened；　and　the　noise　was　so　great　that；　though　she　knocked　as
loud　as　she　was　able；　she　could　not　immediately　make　herself　heard。
At　last　the　voice　of　a　child　from　within　answered；　〃The　door　is
lockedmamma　has　the　key　in　her　pocket；　and　won't　be　home　till
night；　and　here's　Victoire　has　tumbled　from　the　top　of　the　big
press；　and　it　is　she　that　is　shrieking　so。〃

Madame　de　Fleury　ran　down　the　stairs　which　she　had　ascended　with　so
much　difficulty；　called　to　her　footman；　who　was　waiting　in　the
entry；　despatched　him　for　a　surgeon；　and　then　she　returned　to
obtain　from　some　people　who　lodged　in　the　house　assistance　to　force
open　the　door　of　the　room　in　which　the　children　were　confined。

On　the　next　floor　there　was　a　smith　at　work；　filing　so　earnestly
that　he　did　not　hear　the　scr