lavengro-第7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！



doubt；　for　papists　and　dissenters；　but　which　would　assuredly　have　

broken　the　heart　of　the　loyal　soldier　of　George　the　Third；　and　the　

dignified　High…Church　clerk　of　pretty　D…。



We　passed　many　months　at　this　place：　　nothing；　however；　occurred　

requiring　any　particular　notice；　relating　to　myself；　beyond　what　I　

have　already　stated；　and　I　am　not　writing　the　history　of　others。　　

At　length　my　father　was　recalled　to　his　regiment；　which　at　that　

time　was　stationed　at　a　place　called　Norman　Cross；　in　Lincolnshire；　

or　rather　Huntingdonshire；　at　some　distance　from　the　old　town　of　

Peterborough。　　For　this　place　he　departed；　leaving　my　mother　and　

myself　to　follow　in　a　few　days。　　Our　journey　was　a　singular　one。　　

On　the　second　day　we　reached　a　marshy　and　fenny　country；　which；　

owing　to　immense　quantities　of　rain　which　had　lately　fallen；　was　

completely　submerged。　　At　a　large　town　we　got　on　board　a　kind　of　

passage…boat；　crowded　with　people；　it　had　neither　sails　nor　oars；　

and　those　were　not　the　days　of　steam…vessels；　it　was　a　treck…

schuyt；　and　was　drawn　by　horses。　　Young　as　I　was；　there　was　much　

connected　with　this　journey　which　highly　surprised　me；　and　which　

brought　to　my　remembrance　particular　scenes　described　in　the　book　

which　I　now　generally　carried　in　my　bosom。　　The　country　was；　as　I　

have　already　said；　submerged　…　entirely　drowned　…　no　land　was　

visible；　the　trees　were　growing　bolt　upright　in　the　flood；　whilst　

farmhouses　and　cottages　were　standing　insulated；　the　horses　which　

drew　us　were　up　to　the　knees　in　water；　and；　on　coming　to　blind　

pools　and　'greedy　depths；'　were　not　unfrequently　swimming；　in　which　

case；　the　boys　or　urchins　who　mounted　them　sometimes　stood；　

sometimes　knelt；　upon　the　saddle　and　pillions。　　No　accident；　

however；　occurred　either　to　the　quadrupeds　or　bipeds；　who　appeared　

respectively　to　be　quite　AU　FAIT　in　their　business；　and　extricated　

themselves　with　the　greatest　ease　from　places　in　which　Pharaoh　and　

all　his　host　would　have　gone　to　the　bottom。　　Nightfall　brought　us　

to　Peterborough；　and　from　thence　we　were　not　slow　in　reaching　the　

place　of　our　destination。







CHAPTER　IV







Norman　Cross　…　Wide　expanse　…　VIVE　L'EMPEREUR　…　Unpruned　woods　…　

Man　with　the　bag　…　Froth　and　conceit　…　I　beg　your　pardon　…　Growing　

timid　…　About　three　o'clock　…　Taking　one's　ease　…　Cheek　on　the　

ground　…　King　of　the　vipers　…　French　king　…　Frenchmen　and　water。



AND　a　strange　place　it　was；　this　Norman　Cross；　and；　at　the　time　of　

which　I　am　speaking；　a　sad　cross　to　many　a　Norman；　being　what　was　

then　styled　a　French　prison；　that　is；　a　receptacle　for　captives　

made　in　the　French　war。　　It　consisted；　if　I　remember　right；　of　some　

five　or　six　casernes；　very　long；　and　immensely　high；　each　standing　

isolated　from　the　rest；　upon　a　spot　of　ground　which　might　average　

ten　acres；　and　which　was　fenced　round　with　lofty　palisades；　the　

whole　being　compassed　about　by　a　towering　wall；　beneath　which；　at　

intervals；　on　both　sides；　sentinels　were　stationed；　whilst　outside；　

upon　the　field；　stood　commodious　wooden　barracks；　capable　of　

containing　two　regiments　of　infantry；　intended　to　serve　as　guards　

upon　the　captives。　　Such　was　the　station　or　prison　at　Norman　Cross；　

where　some　six　thousand　French　and　other　foreigners；　followers　of　

the　grand　Corsican；　were　now　immured。



What　a　strange　appearance　had　those　mighty　casernes；　with　their　

blank　blind　walls；　without　windows　or　grating；　and　their　slanting　

roofs；　out　of　which；　through　orifices　where　the　tiles　had　been　

removed；　would　be　protruded　dozens　of　grim　heads；　feasting　their　

prison…sick　eyes　on　the　wide　expanse　of　country　unfolded　from　that　

airy　height。　　Ah！　there　was　much　misery　in　those　casernes；　and　from　

those　roofs；　doubtless；　many　a　wistful　look　was　turned　in　the　

direction　of　lovely　France。　　Much　had　the　poor　inmates　to　endure；　

and　much　to　complain　of；　to　the　disgrace　of　England　be　it　said　…　of　

England；　in　general　so　kind　and　bountiful。　　Rations　of　carrion　

meat；　and　bread　from　which　I　have　seen　the　very　hounds　occasionally　

turn　away；　were　unworthy　entertainment　even　for　the　most　ruffian　

enemy；　when　helpless　and　a　captive；　and　such；　alas！　was　the　fare　in　

those　casernes。　　And　then；　those　visits；　or　rather　ruthless　

inroads；　called　in　the　slang　of　the　place　'strawplait…hunts；'　when　

in　pursuit　of　a　contraband　article；　which　the　prisoners；　in　order　

to　procure　themselves　a　few　of　the　necessaries　and　comforts　of　

existence；　were　in　the　habit　of　making；　red…coated　battalions　were　

marched　into　the　prisons；　who；　with　the　bayonet's　point；　carried　

havoc　and　ruin　into　every　poor　convenience　which　ingenious　

wretchedness　had　been　endeavouring　to　raise　around　it；　and　then　the　

triumphant　exit　with　the　miserable　booty；　and；　worst　of　all；　the　

accursed　bonfire；　on　the　barrack　parade；　of　the　plait　contraband；　

beneath　the　view　of　the　glaring　eyeballs　from　those　lofty　roofs；　

amidst　the　hurrahs　of　the　troops；　frequently　drowned　in　the　curses　

poured　down　from　above　like　a　tempest…shower　or　in　the　terrific　

warw…hoop　of　'VIVE　L'EMPEREUR！'



It　was　midsummer　when　we　arrived　at　this　place；　and　the　weather；　

which　had　for　a　long　time　been　wet　and　gloomy；　now　became　bright　

and　glorious；　I　was　subjected　to　but　little　control；　and　passed　my　

time　pleasantly　enough；　principally　in　wandering　about　the　

neighbouring　country。　　It　was　flat　and　somewhat　fenny；　a　district　

more　of　pasture　than　agriculture；　and　not　very　thickly　inhabited。　　

I　soon　became　well　acquainted　with　it。　　At　the　distance　of　two　

miles　from　the　station　was　a　large　lake；　styled　in　the　dialect　of　

the　country　'a　mere；'　about　whose　borders　tall　reeds　were　growing　

in　abundance；　this　was　a　frequent　haunt　of　mine；　but　my　favourite　

place　of　resort　was　a　wild　sequestered　spot　at　a　somewhat　greater　

distance。　　Here；　surrounded　with　woods　and　thick　groves；　was　the　

seat　of　some　ancient　family；　deserted　by　the　proprietor；　and　only　

inhabited　by　a　rustic　servant　or　two。　　A　place　more　solitary　and　

wild　could　scarcely　be　imagined；　the　garden　and　walks　were　

overgrown　with　weeds　and　briers；　and　the　unpruned　woods　were　so　

tangled　as　to　be　almost　impervious。　　About　this　domain　I　would　

wander　till　overtaken　by　fatigue；　and　then　I　would　sit　down　with　my　

back　against　some　beech；　elm；　or　stately　alder　tree；　and；　taking　

out　my　book；　would　pass　hours　in　a　state　of　unmixed　enjoyment；　my　

eyes　now　fixed　on　the　wondrous　pages；　now　glancing　at　the　sylvan　

scene　around；　and　sometimes　I　would　drop　the　book　and　listen　to　the　

voice　of　the　rooks　and　wild　pigeons；　and　not　unfrequently　to　the　

croaking　of　multitudes　of　frogs　from　the　neighbouring　swamps　and　

fens。



In　going　to　and　from　this　place　I　frequently　passed　a　tall　elderly　

individual；　dressed　in　rather　a　quaint　fashion；　with　a　skin　cap　on　

his　head　and　stout　gaiters　on　his　legs；　on　his　shoulders　hung　a　

moderate　sized　leathern　sack；　he　seemed　fond　of　loitering　near　

sunny　banks；　and　of　groping　amidst　furze　and　low　scrubby　bramble　

bushes；　of　which　there　were　plenty　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Norman　

Cross。　　Once　I　saw　him　standing　in　the　middle　of　a　dusty　road；　

looking　intently　at　a　large　mark　which　seemed　to　have　been　drawn　

across　it；　as　if　by　a　walking　stick。　　'He　must　have　been　a　large　

one；'　the　old　man　muttered　half　to　himself；　'or　he　would　not　have　

left　such　a　trail；　I　wonder　if　he　is　near；　he　seems　to　have　moved　

this　way。'　　He　then　went　behind　some　bushes　which　grew　on　the　right　

side　of　the　road；　and　appeared　to　be　in　quest　of　something；　moving　

behind　the　bushes　with　his　head　downwards；　and　occasionally　

striking　their　roots　with　his　foot：　　at　length　he　exclaimed；　'Here　

he　is！'　and　forthwith　I　saw　him　dart　amongst　the　bushes。　　There　was　

a　kind　of　scuffling　noise；　the　rustling　of　branches；　and　the　

crackling　of　dry　sticks。　　'I　have　him！'　said　the　man　at　last；　'I　

have　got　him！'　and　presently　he　made　his　appearance　about　twenty　

yards　down　the　road；　holding　a　large　viper　in　his　hand。　　'What　do　

you　think　of　that；　my　boy？'　said　he；　as　I　went　up　to　him　…　'what　do　

you　think　of　catching　such　a　thing　as　that　with　the　naked　hand？'　　

'What　do　I　think？'　said　I。　　'Why；　that　I　could　do　as　much　myself。'　　

'You　do；'　said　the　man；　'do　you？　　Lord！　how　the　young　people　in　

these　days　are　given　to　conceit；　it　did　not　use　to　be　so　in　my　

time：　　when　I　was　a　child；　childer　knew　how　to　behave　themselves；　

but　the　childer　of　these　days　are　full　of　conceit；　full　of　froth；　

like　the　mouth　of　this　viper'；　and　with　his　forefinger　and　thumb　he　

squeezed　a　considerable　quantity　of　foam　from　the　jaws　of　the　viper　

down　upon　the　road。　　'The　childer　of　these　days　are　a　generation　of　

…　God　forgive　me；　what　was　I　about　to　say？'　said　the　old　man；　and　

opening　his　bag　he　thrust　the　reptile　into　it；　which　appeared　far　

from　empty。　　I　passed　on。　　As　I　was　returning；　towards　the　evening；　

I　overtook　the　old　man；　who　was　wending　in　the　same　direction。　　

'Good　evening　to　you；　sir；'　said　I；　taking　off　a　cap　which　I　wore　

on　my　head。　　'Good　evening；'　said　the　old　man；　and　then；　looking　at　

me；　'How's　this？'　said　he；　'you　aren't；　sure；　the　child　I　met　in　

the　morning？'　　'Yes；'　said　I；　'I　am；　what　makes　you　doubt　it？'　　

'Why；　you　were　then　all　froth　and　conceit；'　said　the　old　man；　'and　

now　you　take　off　your　cap　to　me。'　　'I　beg　your　pardon；'　said　I；　'if　

I　was　frothy　and　conceited；　it　ill　becomes　a　child　like　me　to　be　

so。'　　'That's　true；　dear；'　said　the　old　man；　'well；　as　you　have　

begged　my　pardon；　I　truly　forgive　you。'　　'Thank　you；'　said　I；　'have　

you　caught　any　more　of　those　things？'　　'Only　four　or　five；'　said　

the　old　man；　'they　are　getting　scarce；　though　this　used　to　be　a　

great　neighbourhood　for　them。'　　'And　what　do　you　do　with　them？'　

said　I；　'do　you　carry　them　home　and　play　with　them？'　　'I　sometimes　

play　with　one　or　two　that　I　tame；'　said　the　old　man；　'but　I　h