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burlesques-第4章

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gardens of the ancestral halls of the De Barnwells; I felt that it

was the Nemesis come to overthrow him。  'Dog;' I said to the

trembling slave; 'tell me where thy Gold is。  THOU hast no use for

it。  I can spend it in relieving the Poverty on which thou

tramplest; in aiding Science; which thou knowest not; in uplifting

Art; to which thou art blind。  Give Gold; and thou art free。'  But

he spake not; and I slew him。〃



〃I would not have this doctrine vulgarly promulgated;〃 said the

admirable chaplain; 〃for its general practice might chance to do

harm。  Thou; my son; the Refined; the Gentle; the Loving and

Beloved; the Poet and Sage; urged by what I cannot but think a

grievous error; hast appeared as Avenger。  Think what would be the

world's condition; were men without any Yearning after the Ideal to

attempt to reorganize Society; to redistribute Property; to avenge

Wrong。〃



〃A rabble of pigmies scaling Heaven;〃 said the noble though

misguided young Prisoner。  〃Prometheus was a Giant; and he fell。〃



〃Yes; indeed; my brave youth!〃 the benevolent Dr。 Fuzwig exclaimed;

clasping the Prisoner's marble and manacled hand; 〃and the Tragedy

of To…morrow will teach the World that Homicide is not to be

permitted even to the most amiable Genius; and that the lover of

the Ideal and the Beautiful; as thou art; my son; must respect the

Real likewise。〃



〃Look! here is supper!〃 cried Barnwell gayly。  〃This is the Real;

Doctor; let us respect it and fall to。〃  He partook of the meal as

joyously as if it had been one of his early festals; but the worthy

chaplain could scarcely eat it for tears。





* This is a gross plagiarism: the above sentiment is expressed much

more eloquently in the ingenious romance of Eugene Aram:〃The

burning desires I have knownthe resplendent visions I have

nursedthe sublime aspirings that have lifted me so often from

sense and clay: these tell me; that whether for good or ill; I am

the thing of an immortality and the creature of a God。 。 。 。  I

have destroyed a man noxious to the world! with the wealth by which

he afflicted society; I have been the means of blessing many。〃







CODLINGSBY。



BY D。 SHREWSBERRY; ESQ。





I。





〃The whole world is bound by one chain。  In every city in the globe

there is one quarter that certain travellers know and recognize

from its likeness to its brother district in all other places where

are congregated the habitations of men。  In Tehran; or Pekin; or

Stamboul; or New York; or Timbuctoo; or London; there is a certain

district where a certain man is not a stranger。  Where the idols

are fed with incense by the streams of Ching…wang…foo; where the

minarets soar sparkling above the cypresses; their reflections

quivering in the lucid waters of the Golden Horn; where the yellow

Tiber flows under broken bridges and over imperial glories; where

the huts are squatted by the Niger; under the palm…trees; where the

Northern Babel lies; with its warehouses; and its bridges; its

graceful factory…chimneys; and its clumsy faneshidden in fog and

smoke by the dirtiest river in the worldin all the cities of

mankind there is One Home whither men of one family may resort。

Over the entire world spreads a vast brotherhood; suffering;

silent; scattered; sympathizing; WAITINGan immense Free…Masonry。

Once this world…spread band was an Arabian clana little nation

alone and outlying amongst the mighty monarchies of ancient time;

the Megatheria of history。  The sails of their rare ships might be

seen in the Egyptian waters; the camels of their caravans might

thread the sands of Baalbec; or wind through the date…groves of

Damascus; their flag was raised; not ingloriously; in many wars;

against mighty odds; but 'twas a small people; and on one dark

night the Lion of Judah went down before Vespasian's Eagles; and in

flame; and death; and struggle; Jerusalem agonized and died。 。 。 。

Yes; the Jewish city is lost to Jewish men; but have they not taken

the world in exchange?〃



Mused thus Godfrey de Bouillon; Marquis of Codlingsby; as he

debouched from Wych Street into the Strand。  He had been to take a

box for Armida at Madame Vestris's theatre。  That little Armida was

folle of Madame Vestris's theatre; and her little brougham; and her

little self; and her enormous eyes; and her prodigious opera…glass;

and her miraculous bouquet; which cost Lord Codlingsby twenty

guineas every evening at Nathan's in Covent Garden (the children of

the gardeners of Sharon have still no rival for flowers); might be

seen; three nights in the week at least; in the narrow; charming;

comfortable little theatre。  Godfrey had the box。  He was

strolling; listlessly; eastward; and the above thoughts passed

through the young noble's mind as he came in sight of Holywell

Street。



The occupants of the London Ghetto sat at their porches basking in

the evening sunshine。  Children were playing on the steps。  Fathers

were smoking at the lintel。  Smiling faces looked out from the

various and darkling draperies with which the warehouses were hung。

Ringlets glossy; and curly; and jettyeyes black as night

midsummer nightwhen it lightens; haughty noses bending like beaks

of eagleseager quivering nostrilslips curved like the bow of

Loveevery man or maiden; every babe or matron in that English

Jewry bore in his countenance one or more of these characteristics

of his peerless Arab race。



〃How beautiful they are!〃 mused Codlingsby; as he surveyed these

placid groups calmly taking their pleasure in the sunset。



〃D'you vant to look at a nishe coat?〃 a voice said; which made him

start; and then some one behind him began handling a masterpiece of

Stultz's with a familiarity which would have made the baron

tremble。



〃Rafael Mendoza!〃 exclaimed Godfrey。



〃The same; Lord Codlingsby;〃 the individual so apostrophized

replied。  〃I told you we should meet again where you would little

expect me。  Will it please you to enter? this is Friday; and we

close at sunset。  It rejoices my heart to welcome you home。〃  So

saying Rafael laid his hand on his breast; and bowed; an oriental

reverence。  All traces of the accent with which he first addressed

Lord Codlingsby had vanished: it was disguise; half the Hebrew's

life is a disguise。  He shields himself in craft; since the Norman

boors persecuted him。



They passed under an awning of old clothes; tawdry fripperies;

greasy spangles; and battered masks; into a shop as black and

hideous as the entrance was foul。  〃THIS your home; Rafael?〃 said

Lord Codlingsby。



〃Why not?〃 Rafael answered。  〃I am tired of Schloss Schinkenstein;

the Rhine bores me after a while。  It is too hot for Florence;

besides they have not completed the picture…gallery; and my place

smells of putty。  You wouldn't have a man; mon cher; bury himself

in his chateau in Normandy; out of the hunting season?  The

Rugantino Palace stupefies me。  Those Titians are so gloomy; I

shall have my Hobbimas and Tenierses; I think; from my house at the

Hague hung over them。〃



〃How many castles; palaces; houses; warehouses; shops; have you;

Rafael?〃 Lord Codlingsby asked; laughing。



〃This is one;〃 Rafael answered。  〃Come in。〃





II。





The noise in the old town was terrific; Great Tom was booming

sullenly over the uproar; the bell of Saint Mary's was clanging

with alarm; St。 Giles's tocsin chimed furiously; howls; curses;

flights of brickbats; stones shivering windows; groans of wounded

men; cries of frightened females; cheers of either contending party

as it charged the enemy from Carfax to Trumpington Street;

proclaimed that the battle was at its height。



In Berlin they would have said it was a revolution; and the

cuirassiers would have been charging; sabre in hand; amidst that

infuriate mob。  In France they would have brought down artillery;

and played on it with twenty…four pounders。  In Cambridge nobody

heeded the disturbanceit was a Town and Gown row。



The row arose at a boat…race。  The Town boat (manned by eight stout

Bargees; with the redoubted Rullock for stroke) had bumped the

Brazenose light oar; usually at the head of the river。  High words

arose regarding the dispute。  After returning from Granchester;

when the boats pulled back to Christchurch meadows; the disturbance

between the Townsmen and the University youthstheir invariable

opponentsgrew louder and more violent; until it broke out in open

battle。  Sparring and skirmishing took place along the pleasant

fields that lead from the University gate down to the broad and

shining waters of the Cam; and under the walls of Balliol and

Sidney Sussex。  The Duke of Bellamont (then a dashing young sizar

at Exeter) had a couple of rounds with Billy Butt; the bow…oar of

the Bargee boat。  Vavasour of Brazenose was engaged with a powerful

butcher; a well…known champion of the Town party; when; the great

University bells ringing to dinner;
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