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！
properly observed； 〃Youth will be served。〃' 'Oh； I didn't mean to
fight；' said the landlord； 'I think I could beat you if I were to
train a little； but in the fight I propose I looks more to the main
chance than anything else。 I question whether half so many people
could be brought together if you were to fight with me as the
person I have in view； or whether there would be half such
opportunities for betting； for I am a man； do you see； the person I
wants you to fight with is not a man； but the young woman you keeps
company with。'
'The young woman I keep company with；' said I； 'pray what do you
mean？'
'We will go into the bar； and have something；' said the landlord；
getting up。 'My niece is out； and there is no one in the house； so
we can talk the matter over quietly。' Thereupon I followed him
into the bar； where； having drawn me a jug of ale； helped himself
as usual to a glass of sherry； and lighted a cigar； he proceeded to
explain himself further。 'What I wants is to get up a fight
between a man and a woman； there never has yet been such a thing in
the ring； and the mere noise of the matter would bring thousands of
people together； quite enough to drink out； for the thing should be
close to my house； all the brewer's stock of liquids； both good and
bad。' 'But；' said I； 'you were the other day boasting of the
respectability of your house； do you think that a fight between a
man and a woman close to your establishment would add to its
respectability？' 'Confound the respectability of my house；' said
the landlord； 'will the respectability of my house pay the brewer；
or keep the roof over my head？ No； no！ when respectability won't
keep a man； do you see； the best thing is to let it go and wander。
Only let me have my own way； and both the brewer； myself； and every
one of us； will be satisfied。 And then the betting … what a deal
we may make by the betting … and that we shall have all to
ourselves； you； I； and the young woman； the brewer will have no
hand in that。 I can manage to raise ten pounds； and if by flashing
that about I don't manage to make a hundred； call me horse。' 'But
suppose；' said I； 'the party should lose； on whom you sport your
money； even as the birds did？' 'We must first make all right；'
said the landlord； 'as I told you before； the birds were irrational
beings； and therefore couldn't come to an understanding with the
others； as you and the young woman can。 The birds fought fair； but
I intend that you and the young woman should fight cross。' 'What
do you mean by cross？' said I。 'Come； come；' said the landlord；
'don't attempt to gammon me； you in the ring； and pretend not to
know what fighting cross is！ That won't do； my fine fellow； but as
no one is near us； I will speak out。 I intend that you and the
young woman should understand one another； and agree beforehand
which should be beat； and if you take my advice； you will determine
between you that the young woman shall be beat； as I am sure that
the odds will run high upon her； her character as a fist…woman
being spread far and wide； so that all the flats who think it will
be all right will back her； as I myself would； if I thought it
would be a fair thing。' 'Then；' said I； 'you would not have us
fight fair？' 'By no means；' said the landlord； 'because why？ … I
conceives that a cross is a certainty to those who are in it；
whereas by the fair thing one may lose all he has。' 'But；' said I；
'you said the other day that you liked the fair thing。' 'That was
by way of gammon；' said the landlord； 'just； do you see； as a
Parliament cove might say； speechifying from a barrel to a set of
flats； whom he means to sell。 Come； what do you think of the
plan？'
'It is a very ingenious one；' said I。
'Ain't it？' said the landlord。 'The folks in this neighbourhood
are beginning to call me old fool； but if they don't call me
something else； when they sees me friends with the brewer； and
money in my pocket； my name is not Catchpole。 Come； drink your
ale； and go home to the young gentlewoman。'
'I am going；' said I； rising from my seat； after finishing the
remainder of the ale。
'Do you think she'll have any objection？' said the landlord。
'To do what？' said I。
'Why； to fight cross。'
'Yes； I do；' said I。
'But you will do your best to persuade her？'
'No； I will not；' said I。
'Are you fool enough to wish to fight fair？'
'No；' said I； 'I am wise enough to wish not to fight at all。'
'And how's my brewer to be paid？' said the landlord。
'I really don't know；' said I。
'I'll change my religion；' said the landlord。
CHAPTER XCIII
Another visit … A la Margutte … Clever man … Napoleon's estimate …
Another statue。
ONE evening Belle and myself received another visit from the man in
black。 After a little conversation of not much importance； I asked
him whether he would not take some refreshment； assuring him that I
was now in possession of some very excellent Hollands； which； with
a glass； a jug of water； and a lump of sugar； was heartily at his
service； he accepted my offer； and Belle going with a jug to the
spring； from which she was in the habit of procuring water for tea；
speedily returned with it full of the clear； delicious water of
which I have already spoken。 Having placed the jug by the side of
the man in black； she brought him a glass and spoon； and a tea…cup；
the latter containing various lumps of snowy…white sugar： in the
meantime I had produced a bottle of the stronger liquid。 The man
in black helped himself to some water； and likewise to some
Hollands； the proportion of water being about two…thirds； then
adding a lump of sugar； he stirred the whole up； tasted it； and
said that it was good。
'This is one of the good things of life；' he added； after a short
pause。
'What are the others？' I demanded。
'There is Malvoisia sack；' said the man in black； 'and partridge；
and beccafico。'
'And what do you say to high mass？' said I。
'High mass！' said the man in black； 'however；' he continued； after
a pause； 'I will be frank with you； I came to be so； I may have
heard high mass on a time； and said it too； but as for any
predilection for it； I assure you I have no more than for a long
High Church sermon。'
'You speak a la Margutte；' said I。
'Margutte！' said the man in black； musingly； 'Margutte！'
'You have read Pulci； I suppose？' said I。
'Yes； yes；' said the man in black； laughing； 'I remember。'
'He might be rendered into English；' said I； 'something in this
style：
'To which Margutte answered with a sneer；
I like the blue no better than the black；
My faith consists alone in savoury cheer；
In roasted capons； and in potent sack；
But above all； in famous gin and clear；
Which often lays the Briton on his back；
With lump of sugar； and with lymph from well；
I drink it； and defy the fiends of hell。'
'He！ he！ he！' said the man in black； 'that is more than Mezzofante
could have done for a stanza of Byron。'
'A clever man；' said I。
'Who？' said the man in black。
'Mezzofante di Bologna。'
'He！ he！ he！' said the man in black； 'now I know that you are not a
gypsy； at least a soothsayer； no soothsayer would have said that …
'
'Why；' said I； 'does he not understand five…and…twenty tongues？'
'Oh yes；' said the man in black； 'and five…and…twenty added to
them； but； he！ he！ he！ it was principally from him； who is
certainly the greatest of Philologists； that I formed my opinion of
the sect。'
'You ought to speak of him with more respect；' said I； 'I have
heard say that he has done good service to your See。'
'Oh yes；' said the man in black； 'he has done good service to our
See； that is； in his way； when the neophytes of the Propaganda are
to be examined in the several tongues in which they are destined to
preach； he is appointed to question them； the questions being first
written down for him； or else； he！ he！ he！ … Of course you know
Napoleon's estimate of Mezzofante； he sent for the linguist from
motives of curiosity； and after some discourse with him； told him
that he might depart； then turning to some of his generals he
observed； 〃Nous avons eu ici un exemple qu'un homme peut avoir
beaucoup de paroles avec bien pen d'esprit。〃'
'You are ungrateful to him；' said I； 'well； perhaps； when he is
dead and gone you will do him justice。'
'True；' said the man in black； 'when he is dead and gone； we intend
to erect him a statue of wood； on the left…hand side of the door of
the Vatican library。'
'Of wood？' said I。
'He was the son of a carpenter； you know；' said the man in black；
'the figure will be of wood for no other reason； I assure you； he！
he！'
'You should