第 4 节
作者:青涩春天      更新:2024-04-09 19:50      字数:9322
  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;